Trademark Inc. - 3105 Words

Case 03-05 Trademark, Inc. Part 1—Accounting Issues This case study is the first of a two-part Earnings Management Case. The purpose of Part 1 is to provide you with background information relating to Trademark, Inc. and raise several accounting and auditing issues affecting Trademark during the current fiscal year. The conclusions reached in this case study will be used in Part 2 — Misstatements Materiality. Trademark, Inc., a public company, designs, manufactures, and distributes greeting cards, calendars, stationery, party goods, and specialty gift merchandise. Trademark operates through four divisions: Greeting Cards and Stationery, Calendars, Party Goods, and Specialty Gifts. In 1994, Trademark acquired a 100 percent†¦show more content†¦The new boxes and packing materials appear to have substantially decreased the damage to Trademark’s products during the shipping process. Warehouse management estimates that in fiscal year 1998, returns averaged 0.23 percent, and in fiscal year 1999, returns averaged 0.22 percent. The return rate in 1999 was lower than 1998 because the company was still in the process of using up its stock of old packaging materials in 1998. Warehouse management believes that damage levels will remain at the 0.22 percent level going forward. Recognizing that the company may have over-accrued in fiscal year 1999 for future returns of damaged goods, Nancy requested audit evidence to support warehouse management’s claims that return rates had decreased. Based on the evidence examined, Nancy concluded that the 0.22% return rate was accurate for fiscal year 1999 and appeared sustainable. To assess the reasonableness of management’s estimate for the reserve at June 30, 1999, Nancy developed an independent estimate of the reserve, factoring in the impact of the new packaging materials. Nancy developed a range of acceptable estimates and determined that management’s estimate was outside that range. The difference between management’s estimate and the high-end of the range was $923,077. This amount represents the estimated gross sales amount for the related returns. The average gross margin for the year was 65%. Other Returns In addition to returns of damagedShow MoreRelatedEssay on Trademark Inc. 03-05971 Words   |  4 PagesRe: Case 03-05, Accounting Issues Background Trademark, Inc., a public and growing global corporation, creates, assembles, and disburses their products through four main divisions of their corporation: Greeting Cards and Stationery, Calendars, Party Goods, and Specialty Gifts. Their core business comes from their customers in drug stores and supermarket chains. In the early to mid 1990’s, Trademark saw significant growth in response to their IPO issuance in 1992, however, since 1994, they haveRead MoreImportance of protecting one’s intellectual property Intellectual property is critical to many1000 Words   |  4 PagesImportance of protecting one’s intellectual property Intellectual property is critical to many companies in order to foster innovation and boosting their revenues. Many industries rely on the protection of patents, trademarks and copyrights as they are valuable assets for companies’ success. By protecting intellectual properties, it ensures that the original owner reaps full benefits from his/her ideas, features, products and creations. Prevent and stop others from using you Intellectual Property:Read MoreCk vs Warnaco Essay752 Words   |  4 PagesAlexa Tondi Professor Trachtenberg FM324 Section 75A 17 November 2011 Case Study Assignment: Calvin Klein vs. Warnaco Group Inc. 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National Business Forms Printing sold to affiliated and nonaffiliated customers, using several logos of known car dealerships. One of those dealerships was Ford Motor Company (Ford). Ford was not complied with NBFP doing business with its logo, and asRead MoreThe Gathering Place : A Refuge For Rebuilding Lives1216 Words   |  5 PagesTrademark Trouble Since the creation of an LLC requires the members to, pre  §7-80-203 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, which states, â€Å" One or more persons may form a limited liability company by delivering articles of organization to the secretary of state for filing† (Col. Rev. Stat. 2013,  §7-80-203). Due to this requirement, I researched Mrs. Jackson’s possible trademark name of ‘The Gathering Place†. With in the Colorado Secretary of State Office business name, trademark, and trade name recordsRead MoreAnheuser-Bush Essay990 Words   |  4 PagesSituation: The American company Anheuser-Bush (AB) cannot market its beer using their trademark name Budweiser in every country around the world. This is due to the fact that there is an European brewing company that uses the same trademark. After Adolphus Bush immigrated to the United States, he got married into the Anheuser brewing family. He used and subsequently registered the name Budweiser as a trademark. A few years after Adolphus Bush did this, a new brewery was established in BudejovickyRead MoreWhat Is A Logo?1474 Words   |  6 PagesIntellectual property (IP) is protected in law by trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and patents that provide recognition of their security. A logo is a symbol, design, or graphic that is affiliated with a brand, company, or organization to identify a source of goods. Copyright vs. Trademark Logos belong in their own category of IP, where there is a grey area of what means of protection is necessary, somewhere between copyright and trademark. Businesses are known to use both to protect suchRead MoreE I Individual assignment online Essay example1449 Words   |  6 Pagesproperties which are patents, trademarks, copyrights and registered designs. According to the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department, the definitions of the tools are as following: Patent – protects your invention by giving you, the patent owner, a legal right to prevent others from manufacturing, using, selling or importing your patented invention. Trademark – a sign that distinguishes the goods and services of one trader from those of others. Typically a trademark can be words (including personal

The Debate over the 1948 Arab-Israeli War - 2889 Words

The debate over the 1948 Arab-Israeli war The 1948 war, which started among the newly established state of Israel and the troops of Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq, is the result of decades of history that generated tensions between Arabs and Jews over the land of Palestine. There are lots of debates concerning the causes that gave birth to this endless conflict; some believe that religion has been the main reason of the dispute due to the importance of the holy city of Jerusalem for both Islamism and Judaism. Others believe that it has been caused by the Western colonialism, which has favoured the self-determination of the Zionists by denying the self-determination of the Arabs of Palestine. Others even think it is an ethnic dimension that has led the two populations to the war. It is not easy to find an agreement on what actually happened during that war, because it has been, and still is subject of different interpretations. This paper aims at analyse a great debates over the 1948 war, the one between â€Å"old† and â€Å"new† historians. Particularly, the analysis will be focused on the critique to the old history traditon presented by the â€Å"new† historians, whose main representatives are Shlaim, Pappà © and Flapan. I found it very interesting to study how these historians interpret the events that took place on 1948, because they present a new way of looking at that conflict from a perspective, which differs a lot from the one presented by the old historian tradition.Show MoreRelatedU.S In the Middle East1243 Words   |  5 PagesState of Israel.† These are the words of President Harry Truman from a speech he gave shortly after Israel became a recognized nation in 1948. Consequently, the political leaders of the United S tates have brought America on a rough journey to the current state of foreign policy and relationship with Israel. Since 1948, the United States’ active position in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has seen very little change or progress towards achieving settlement between these two nationalistic states. In theRead MoreThe Events That Occurred At The 1972 Olympics1614 Words   |  7 Pagesresult of a long conflict between Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews dating to the end of the nineteenth century. Although the two groups have different religions (Palestinians include Muslims, Christians and Druze), religious differences are not the cause of the strife. The conflict began as a struggle over land. From the end of World War I until 1948, the area that both groups claimed was known internationally as Palestine. Following the war of 1948–1949, this land was divided into three parts:Read MoreSix Days by Jeremy Bowen Essay849 Words   |  4 PagesBowen details the hap penings between Israel and Palestine. This Middle East war sparked much debate throughout the world especially amongst historians. Bowen uses this work as a personal recount of the six days that shaped the world as it is today. Bowen, an experienced BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) journalist and editor, presented the world with the Radio 4 series which allowed listeners to learn of the Six Day war. Through a detailed assessment of Bowens words readers of the book are ableRead MoreEssay about The Arab Isreali Conflict1555 Words   |  7 PagesThe Arab Isreali Conflict The Arab-Israeli conflict came about from the notion of Political Zionism. Zionism is the belief that Jews constitute a nation (or a people) and that they deserve the right to return to what they consider to be their ancestral home, land of Israel (or Palestine). Political Zionism, the belief that Jews should establish a state for themselves in Palestine, was a revolutionary idea for the 19th Century. During World War I, Jews supported countries that constituted theRead MoreArab Israeli Conflict Between Arab Nations And Israel1508 Words   |  7 PagesArab-Israeli Conflict The Arab-Israeli conflict refers to the political tension and military conflicts amongst certain Arab nations and Israel. The conflict began as a struggle over land, or the area now known as Palestine. This conflict began at the end of the nineteenth century with the rise of Zionism and Arab nationalism. Arab nationalism was a reaction response to Zionism in relation to this conflict. While the Arab nation initiated four wars, Israel defended itself and won each time. WhatRead MoreConflicting Narratives Of The Israeli Palestinian Conflict1737 Words   |  7 PagesConflicting narratives in the Israeli Palestinian conflict Any reference to conflict turns history into a reservoir of blame. In the presence of conflict, narratives differ and multiply to delegitimize the opponent and to justify one’s own action. Narratives shape social knowledge. The Israeli Palestinian conflict, both Jews and Muslims, view the importance of holding the territories through religious, ideological, and security lenses, based on belief that Palestine was given by divine providenceRead MoreThe Israeli Palestinian Conflict Within The Context Of The Years2569 Words   |  11 PagesIn order to establish whether the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the context of the years 1881 to 1993 should be defined as ‘right against right’, it should be first considered the fact that two entities have been juxtaposed to each other throughout the conflict making them more or less right. Analysing the sources it appeared that the conflict has been characterized by many misunderstandings, feelings of fear and attacks in order to protect their countries, however the most important thingRead MoreA Brief Note On The State Of New Jersey1466 Words   |  6 Pagesthe U.S. state of New Jersey, is located in the Middle East. It borders the Mediterranean Sea for a length of 168 miles. In the south and southwest, it borders the Gulf of Aqaba and the Sinai Peninsula. Israel occupied the Sinai Peninsula during the war of June 1967 and returned it to Egypt in April 1982. To the east, it shares a 147-mile borderline with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and 189 miles with the Palestinian Autonomous Area on the western shore of the Jordan River. In the north, IsraelRea d MoreThe Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979: A Balance of Peace and Power in the Middle East 1757 Words   |  8 PagesThe Arab-Israeli conflict, initiated over one-hundred years ago and still continuing, has confounded both policy-makers and citizens; despite the best efforts of foreign leaders, only one substantial accord has materialized in the decades of negotiations: the Israel-Egypt peace treaty of 1979. 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Marketing Management A Relationship Approach

Question: Describe about the Marketing Management for A Relationship Approach? Answer: Positioning Statement Pocket-Sized Washing machine is an innovative product that will help customers to wash clothes anywhere possible. This product will be of lightest weight and among the most compact washing machine across the world. Venture capitalist requires innovative and creative plan and are ready to invest money of 1 million dollars. This capitalist encourages new MBA graduates to come up with innovative ideas and implemment business plan in the most appropriate way. Target Consumer This product will target the customers who frequently visit for campaign and travel trips. Need or Opportunity Pocket-sized Washing Machine will help the travelers who have passion to explore new places with friends and families. It is important to consider the fact that carrying many clothes is troublesome because while travelling it is difficult to wash anywhere (Homburg et al. 2013). This product will solve the problem of the travelers and they can easily take few clothes and wash them wherever possible. This particular product has future opportunity for this section of people who enjoys travelling. Name of the Product Pocket-Sized Washing Machine Category of the product Pocket-sized Washing Machine falls in the Home Appliances category because it helps in washing the clothes just like Washing Machine. Key Benefit Pocket-sized washing machine will operate on batteries that will help in washing the stains of clothes for the travelers who are passionate to travel to new places with family as well as friends. Pocket-sized Washing Machine will have several key benefits: Packing few clothes for travelling purpose Washing clothes anywhere possible Saving Money Time Saver Primary Competition Pocket-Sized Washing Machine will face tough competition from nearest competitors who are dealing with the same product at same price. Other home appliances product serves the same purpose but pocket sized washing machine is slightly different in its business offerings. Other home appliances product can only remove stains from the clothes (Hollensen, 2015). It is noticed that people hates carrying more clothes while travelling and few stains can spoil the clothes. This particular product will help in removing these stains and it can easily be ready in few minutes. On the contrary, pocket-sized washing machine has competitive advantage over the above product because it will wash clothes in usual manner (Lee Carter, 2011). Clothes will be cleaned up in few minutes and travelers can enjoy their journey for the rest of the time. Primary Differentiation Pocket-sized washing machine differs from its competitors and trying hard to launch it so that people start purchasing it based upon their initial requirements. Each product has some Unique Selling Proposition that makes it viable in the global market (Wilson Gilligan, 2012). This particular product will help the travellers to travel around the world without even worrying about the clothes and its stains. It is known travelling different places will get people dirty and stained clothes. This particular product will help in removing the stains from clothes without taking much of time as well. This product will be fast and user-friendly for the targeted customers for future purpose. At the end of the study, it is easy to understand Pocket-sized washing machine will serve the needs of consumers after it is launch in the market. This is an innovative plan that needs consideration by the business planners. This is an innovative idea that will require 1 million dollar for final implementation. As it is an innovative product, it requires advertisement and promotional measures so that consumers are aware of its business offerings on an overall manner. Reference List Hollensen, S. (2015).Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Homburg, C., Kuester, S., Krohmer, H. (2013).Marketing management: A contemporary perspective. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Lee, K., Carter, S. (2011). Global marketing management.Strategic Direction,27(1). Wilson, R. M., Gilligan, C. (2012).Strategic marketing management. Routledge.

Porter Generic Strategies and Strategic Group free essay sample

The report will undertake a strategic analysis of Global Automobile Industry. Relevant theoretical frameworks and concepts will be applied to the automobile industry in order to make better understanding of its strategies. Firstly, the report will provide background information such as industry definition, competitors and history outline. It will also include reasons for undertaking this research. Secondly, strategic analysis of Automobile industry will be conducted with respect to Macro-environment (PESTEL) factors. In addition, impact of macro-environment factors on consumer demand and growth in the industry will be evaluated. Main key drivers among the PESTEL factors will be identified and explained. Thirdly, the report will conduct analysis of the Automobile industry on the basis of Porter’s five forces (Industry analysis) and implications for the same will be provided. In the next section, strategic groups operating in the Automobile industry will be identified and analyzed. A Strategy Canvas will be formulated and blue ocean space will be suggested. Lastly, generic strategy as pursued by strategic group will be explained along with its response to macro and industry forces. The reports will conclude with a summary of key findings. 2. INTRODUCTION 2. 1 Rationale for the research The research will focus on strategic analysis of Automobile Industry. Automobile Industry is one of the most prospering industry having footprints globally. This research is being conducted to gain insights to strategies adopted by a global industry in order to fulfill customer and macro environment needs. It would be worth knowing how a huge industry behaves in different environments. This research is valuable to companies or individuals looking to expand into automobile industry. Through this report, they can get familiar with different strategies implemented by companies to remain competitive. 2. 2 Automobile Industry And Its History Automobile industry is defined as number of companies involved in production, design, development, selling and marketing of motor vehicles. Many companies in this industry are also involved in manufacture of components such as engines, bodies and batteries. Key competitors in automobile industry include Toyota, General motors, Ford, Hyundai, Volkswagen. Outline of Automobile industry history is as follows:  1769- Automobile powered by steam engine designed by French engineer Nicolas J. Cugnot. 1886- this era is regarded as birth of modern automobile. A German named Karl Benz manufactured three-wheeled Motor wagon. 1900s- In 1908, Ford Company led by Henry Ford created the ‘Model T’, being the first car sold to average families. William C. Durant established General Motors. 1910s- Ford set up an assembly line of mass production of Model T selling at an affordable price. In 1914, four cylinder based Dodge ‘Model 30’ was manufactured.  1920s- this stage is regarded as growth stage with many people purchasing their first car. In 1925, Chrysler Corporation was established with many other small companies being set up. 1930s- Due to 1920s great depression, there was a decline in sales growth. 1940s- During Second World War, there were advances in technology with vehicles being manufactured for military purposes. 1950s- More technological advances in cars were seen. 1960s- Automakers shifted focus to safety features. The first company to invent seat belt in its all series as a standard feature was Studebaker- Packard.  1970s- Due to oil crises, focus of automobile industry shifted to production of fuel-efficient cars. After 1980s- Car production became global with companies enjoying benefits of low cost labors in India and China. Currently, Automobile industry is in growth stage as companies are in process expanding market share and differentiating their offerings. There is more room for technology improvement and product features upgrade. 3. STRATEGIC ANALYSIS 3. 1 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION This report is based on secondary sources of data as it best fulfills the requirements of the research. Mostly, Qualitative data is used to answer all the sections of the report as the research is based on theoretical strategies. Theoretical frameworks and concept stated by relevant authors have been used. For this, related articles as written by concerned authors are used. The research is based on articles accessed via Google scholar and concepts have been extracted from Google books in order to form basic knowledge of various strategies or theoretical frameworks. Other famous books reviewed by Harvard and Oxford are also used for the same purpose. The researcher has also made use of industry reports such as Data monitor and KPMG survey report. In terms of media articles, quality sources such as wall Street journal and Economic Times are used. 3. 2. 0 MACRO-ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS Macro environment refers to the context in which the industry or a company operates. These factors are uncontrollable which influences industry’s strategic decision-making and implementation. PESTLE (political, economical, social, technological, Legal, environmental) framework is used to assess the industry’s external macro environment. Political/Legal According to Henry (2008), political factor includes taxation rule, government regulations, and government stability that may influence the investment and working of an industry. Various laws are implemented for employment, health and safety, etc. and these laws various from one nation to another. The automobile industry faces strict regulations from the government in various fields such as taxes, trade restrictions, gas emission control, vehicles recycling, vehicle safety and noise pollution control. In addition, there are government standards like theft prevention applicable to engines, equipment and new vehicles manufactured for sale in Unites States, Europe, etc. (Datamonitor Industry profile, 2010). As a result of growing environmental concerns, government has also imposed strict regulations on manufacturing facilities pertaining to water discharges, air emissions and usage and discarding of harmful materials. Thus, Political and legal factors can be considered negative for the industry because of heavy taxation, strict laws being an obstacle to auto industry activities and moreover this varies from home country to host country. Economical Economic factors refer to monetary policies, inflation, employment rate and price of raw materials. There has been a recent price hike in fuel, which has shifted demand to fuel economical or hybrid cars. For example, In India, there has been decrease in sales of petrol cars due to recent price rise. There will be more demand for diesel cars that will affect entry-level car’s business which are mostly petrol driven (Economic times, 2012). Economic factors can pose a negative impact on automobile industry due to sudden activities such as recession that leads to decrease in vehicles sale. However, It can also be considered positive due to favorable factors like urbanization, increase in household income, growth in economies particularly in developing nations such as India and China, which accounts for more population. Social Dransfield (2001) states that numerous changes take place in a society that affects business in some or the other way. It can be age, population, buying preference or employment. In developing countries, car is regarded as a symbol of social status as compared to usage. Some consumers are more concerned about the design. There has been a shift in consumer preference due to awareness of environmental problems and are prompted to buy hybrid cars which are environmental friendly. Social factors are positive as demand for more choices (styling and body shape of car) is continuously growing. This leads to development of niche (sub segments) market for vehicles. Technological Due to the influence of other macro factors (political, environmental), technology for electric and hybrid vehicles is developing. Research is underway for increasing battery capacity. Some countries are developing their infrastructure to set up battery charging stations. In order to attract safety conscious consumers, automakers have developed: New airbag: Sweden’ s Autoliv (safety technology suppliers) have developed shoulder straps with built in air bag for extra safety Pedestrian’s safety: New system installed in cars to spot people on foot in dark to avoid accident. Fuel efficiency: Addition of more gears to transmission Automated driving (Wall street Journal, 2013) Thus, Technological factor is considered as positive due to recent developments in automobile industry. Environmental Auto industry is concentrating on the production of zero emission cars for the safety of environment. There are various regulations for gas emission and disposal of harmful materials. Environmental regulations are being imposed on original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for fuel economy and gas emissions (KPMG International, 2010). Moreover, these restrictions vary globally from one region to another adding complexity to the various vehicles manufactured by OEM as they have to regularly update their product assembly in order to meet various regional regulations and hence this increases manufacturing cost. In this case, Environmental factor is negative for the industry. 3. 2. 1 IMPACT OF PESTEL FACTORS ON GROWTH AND CONSUMER DEMAND Social, Economic and Environmental factors have a huge impact on growth and consumer demand in automobile industry. With the growing awareness of environment and health safety, auto industry is focusing on hybrid cars with the help of government incentives. Moreover, fuel economy has also prompted buyers to opt for green products. For example, the recession adversely affects consumer demand, as people tend to save money for essential necessities. Sturgeon and Biesebroeck (2010) states that the worst impact of economic crises was faced by US auto assembly line and parts manufacturing units in North America, some of which were permanently closed down. Also, vehicle sales declined in the UK in may 2009 by 24. 8% as compared to the same month in 2008 (Institute of motor industry, 2010). Currently, the consumer demand for vehicles has shifted to developing economies as mature markets are facing recession and are subjected to urban driving restrictions. Emerging economies are more focused in purchasing luxurious cars as compared to matured markets, which are opting for green cars (KPMG Global Automotive Executive survey, 2013). The automobile industry is targeting expanding middle classes in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) due to more opportunity. The graph (Figure 1) clearly shows increase in vehicle sales and production in developing markets while the same decreasing in developed markets. This influence can be contributed to Economic factor affecting Auto industry. Figure : Vehicle Sales and production in developing and developed markets (Source: KPMG Survey, 2013) 3. 2. 2 FUTURE KEY DRIVERS FOR AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY The researcher suggests that technology and economic factors are the two key drivers as compared to other macro factors. Any industry is successful only if consumer demand is there. Consumer demand is influenced by income and economic growth. In a healthy economy like BRIC, industry will grow more rapidly as compared in matured markets. Hence, Economic conditions play a major role in future growth of automobile industry. Technology helps in various ways such as reducing production cost, being competitive, providing new solution and creating new segments. For Example: Production of electric car due to technology has led to birth of new market segment and accounts for more sale. 3. 3. 0 INDUSTRY ANALYSIS 3. 3. 1 FIVE FOURCES ANALYSIS OF AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS According to Porter (2008), there are five forces that shape industry competition such as Threat of new entrants, Rivalry among existing competitors, bargaining power of suppliers, Bargaining power of buyers and Threat of substitutes (Figure 2). Figure : Porters five forces Threat Of New Entrants Threat of a new entrant to automobile industry is low because of many barriers to entry. Small-scale investment cannot be fruitful for someone to enter automobile industry. There are huge costs associated with startup production plan and developing technology. Furthermore, it is difficult for a new entry to establish network with dealers and distributors, who prefer a known brand name having more consumer demand in the market. There are already numbers of well-established brand names present in Automobile industry like Audi, Toyota, Mercedes, BMW, and Honda etc. The top players such as GM motors hold licenses to copyrights, many patents and trademarks (Datamonitor, 2010). Bargaining Power Of Buyers In Automobile industry, buyers are large organizations that are financially strong. There are many players in automobile industry. Buyers are dominant when they have many options to choose (Porter, 2008). However, this is weakened by brand strength of top incumbents, as buyers are likely to deal with a well-established name in order to boost its sales. Buyer power can be considered as moderate. Threat Of Substitute Or Products Used cars can be considered as major threat as a substitute. Consumers look for more affordable solutions and opt for used cars, as they are cheaper than new ones. However, customers in emerging economies give preference to social status earned by buying a new car. Transport links are also improving in many countries but this won’t have much effect on consumer buying pattern. Overall, threat of substitute is weak. Bargaining Power Of Suppliers Raw materials in Automobile industry include steel, wood aluminum etc. In addition, it also comprises of assembled components, transportation, energy, etc. These suppliers are generally big companies who supply inputs to wide variety of Industries and their operation is not limited to just Automobile industry. Hence, this makes them powerful. However, Also Automobile players are not dependent on any one supplier as they purchase raw materials or services from number of suppliers. Thus, bargaining power of suppliers is moderate. Rivalry Among Existing Competitors Due to presence of number of players in automobile industry, rivalry between competitors is high. Customers have wide variety of options to choose from. Players have to remain competitive to meet customer demands. Factors such as increase in raw materials, cost in production, cost in developing technologies put pressure on incumbents. 3. 4. 0 STRATEGIC GROUP ANALYSIS 3. 4. 1 STRATEGIC GROUP IN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY Strategic group analysis helps in understanding competitive structure of a broad industry. A strategic group is defined as group of firms or companies that has following characteristics: Pursuing similar competitive strategies. For Example: using similar price positioning strategies, using same distribution channels. Similar characteristics in terms of aggressiveness and size. Having same resources and competencies. For example, global existence, RD, brand relations and logistics ability. (Aaker and McLoughlin, 2010) In Automobile industry, there are three strategic groups namely Ultra luxury, Luxury and mass market group. Two dimensional graph using prestige and price positioning is shown in the figure 3. Ultra luxury strategic group such as Bentley, Ferrari and Lamborghini follows similar strategies focusing on narrow segment of customers while luxury cars group such as Audi, BMW provides differentiated and valuable features to more customers as compared to Ultra luxury. Mass-market strategic group such as Toyota, Ford provides services at an affordable cost to high number of customers. Firms tend to compete with each other in their respective groups. Figure : Strategic group (Peng, 2012) 3. 4. 2 STRATEGY CANVAS AND BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY Strategy canvas is a tool proposed by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne in their famous book related to Blue ocean strategy. Strategy canvas shows range of factors on which the firms competes. In simple words, it shows how competitors in an industry attract customers or the way customers buy the product or service. The strategy canvas (Figure 4) done on main competitors of Automobile Industry shows various factors on horizontal axis and vertical left side represent offering level. Figure : Strategy canvas of main competitors (Strategic learning software, 2013) For Mass-market strategic group (Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota), the two critical success factors are mileage and price as shown in strategy canvas. They invest heavily on manufacture of fuel-efficient cars and low cost in order to attract customers. Mass-market buyers look for cars those are cheaper to buy but at the same time have good fuel mileage. For Luxury strategic group (Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes), two factors for success are safety and style. Customers in this group looks for safety as well as style, these customers have more money to spend and therefore they look for all round package, which means, a company that offers almost everything. Luxury group competitors like Audi, BMW Mercedes, try to offer a complete package to its customers. For Ultra luxury group, two factors critical for success are style and horsepower. Competitors attract their customers by offering the most powerful engines. Customers in this group also like to stand out of the crowd and thus they go after the most stylish car. Price is the last factor they are concerned about. According to Kim and Mauborgne (2005), Blue ocean strategy means creating uncontested market place where competition becomes irrelevant instead of competing in existing market place. It can be noticed from Strategy canvas that competitors within a particular group competes against each other on same factors. In mass market, Ford, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota follow same path to attract customers by offering them value car at affordable price  with good mileage and low maintenance cost whereas in Ultra Luxury segment, Prices and maintenance cost of the car are the least competing factors for car manufacturers in this group. However, there are customers who want a powerful and stylish car as offered by Ultra luxury group but at the same time they want to purchase it at a price offered by mass-market group. So, we can see there is a g ap in the market where a new space or category can be born by merging style, horsepower and low cost. 3. 5 BUSINESS STRATEGY CHOICE There are main three generic strategies namely Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Focus strategy (Focus low cost and Focus differentiation) as seen in Figure 5. Focus low cost strategy caters to demands of narrow segment with low cost as compared to remaining market while Focus differentiation strategy caters to demands of narrow segment competing through differentiated services/products (Mellahi, Frynas and Finlay, 2005). According to Porter, the generic strategies are proposed to strengthen principal firm’s position relative to the Porter’s five competitive forces (Peng, 2012). Figure : Generic strategy (Google image) Mass Market strategic group follows cost leadership strategy that competes on low cost providing better value to average customers. This group pursues cost leadership strategy with functional areas such as logistics, manufacturing services and materials (Figure 6). For example: Nissan pursuing cost leadership strategy by its alliance with Renault by reducing production cost under Renault Nissan purchasing Organization (Nissan Annual report, 2008). Luxury strategic group pursues differentiation strategy providing differentiated and unique features to customers whose main functional areas are RD, Marketing, sales. These firms invest hugely on brand recognition, innovative technologies and quality. Ultra Luxury group pursues focus strategy, which focuses on a particular or narrow group or special of customers who are ready to pay high prices. Figure : Funtional areas of strategic group Cost Leadership strategy doesn’t imply selling products at low price but is concerned with selling products at an average price and enjoying above average returns achievable through low cost production. Use of advanced technology has made this possible. With firms pursuing low cost strategy, they can build threat to a new entry and also reduce threat of substitutes (low cost used cars). According to Miller (1988), Cost leadership strategy can be best pursued in stable and predictable environment whereas differentiation strategy is best suited to uncertain environments with the use of liaison devices and technocrats. Differentiation strategy can create further barriers to potential new entrants due to its excellence in innovation, marketing and brand power. In addition, threat of substitute is lowered because of customer loyalty to the luxury brands. Buyers have less negotiating power due to absence of close choices or alternatives. However, differentiation strategy firms can face risk in case of recession because customers can become price sensitive and value price over differentiation (unique features). A firm following Focus strategy has limited segments and thus enjoys more protection from rivalry. High degree of customer loyalty and efficient core competencies poses a threat to new entrants. As it focuses on a specialized segment, it has more degree of protection against substitutes. 4. CONCLUSION Automobile industry has to obey various government regulations, legal requirements and environmental norms and this varies from one region to another. As compared to other macro factors, Technological and Economic factors will be the drivers for Automobile industry. Innovation is critical to success of automobile industry in terms of upgraded automobile features, production facilities and competition. Competition is high in automobile industry with the presence of many players. Threat of a new entrant is low to incumbents as it involves huge investment in production and technology. Customer loyalty also plays a vital role in automobile industry. At present, there are three strategic groups operating in auto Industry following different generic strategies: Mass-market pursues cost leadership; Luxury group follows differentiation and Ultra luxury strategic group pursues focus strategy. Companies in a particular strategic group tend to compete on the basis of same factors such as price, maintenance cost, service, etc. Generic strategies also influence industry forces in automobile industry.

Topic selection in Content Marketing 3 ways to generate new ideas

Topic selection in Content Marketing: 3 ways to generate new ideas Quality is more important than quantity in content marketing. However, without the regular publication of new content, you will find it difficult to generate ongoing inbound traffic. Therefore, you will need an action plan to guarantee continuous content production. This will ensure you always have enough ready-made ideas for example, via systematic research, observation and inquiry. Quality is more important than quantity in content marketing. However, without the regular publication of new content, you will find it difficult to generate ongoing inbound traffic. Therefore, you will need an action plan to guarantee continuous content production. This will ensure you always have enough ready-made ideas for example, via systematic research, observation and inquiry.Before we present three of the most effective methods for finding topics, we have one important piece of advice for you:Whenever you plan content, always align your ideas with the interests, problems and needs of your targe t audience. This requires a change of perspective!Anyone who pursues only his or her own interests is losing immeasurable potential in terms of reach and interactions, which, of course, also means recommendations and conversions.Method 1: Find out what those you wish to reach are searching forWhat do your customers and prospects talk about? What questions is your target audience asking that your present content has not yet answered? Although this is similar to keyword research, there are further steps you can take to gather this data:? Analyze trends with Google Trends, trending hashtags (on different platforms), or platforms like BuzzSumo. Find out why certain content has become a trend and consider how you can add value to the discussion.Search on Twitter? Find inspiration from popular searches and search suggestions. If you enter your keyword in the Google search bar, this will trigger additional suggestions. Perhaps these will prompt ideas for new content Look at the search resu lts in detail. What results are displayed for your keywords? Are they satisfactory, or could you provide your target audience with even better results?The search engine expert Olaf Kopp maintains that the type of search question essentially governs the type of content because Google uses it to provide information about what the seeker wants to find (the search intent) - and this in turn must govern what you should provide.You should also pay attention to content formats and perhaps consider whether a video or some form of presentation might be more effective than a text (see also Method 3).Google search results for the keyword phrase topic selection Method 2: Listen carefully to customers and prospectsThis method adopts a similar approach to the first but refers specifically to your existing customer community. Most likely you have already collected data and information about this group and thus will be able to empathize with their needs. Its very important to always listen carefull y to this group whenever you are planning new content:? What questions do your customers or prospects ask via email and on the phone? Can you produce new content based on this information? However, you must remember not to disclose names and keep personal information secure at all times.? Do they ask specific questions which may suggest how you could improve your product or service?You could gather suggestions and use them to create new content (e.g. surveys, interviews or reviews).? What does your target audience discuss on social media? You could use monitoring tools to track discussions and gain ideas for your content marketing. If you can produce content fast, it is also a good tactic to actively participate in discussions and contribute new content with added value. Using this method, you might even make contact with potential customers.? Are there opinion leaders in your industry? Or bloggers who publish opinions and thereby provide suggestions for improving your product? How does your community respond to this content? If appropriate, can you collaborate, or even build a long-term relationship and work together regularly? Then, you will not only benefit from additional coverage but also gain credibility and support at the same time.? And finally, take a look at your competitors. What do they talk about, what content do they publish and what feedback do they in turn receive from their community? Gain access to these ideas and act on them quickly. Ideally, you should at least be able to impress, and perhaps even win, some new customers.Method 3: Revise and recycle existing contentThis third method does not actually involve the production of new content. Your content does not always have to be new; it is often enough for it to be updated, modified or revised.If you have access to existing content, you should do this exercise regularly.First, because Google pays attention to new content but also because you continuously improve the quality of your content and thereby increase its added value for your target audience. This will benefit your search engine positioning in the long run.You can modify and rework existing content by:1. Content Optimization: You can optimize your content to meet your end goals. What do you want your content to achieve? Do you want to generate leads, or are you seeking viral distribution? Consult your existing data on user behaviour to discover further potential, and revise your content accordingly, and/or try a visual approach.2. Content-Recycling: Use existing content multiple times, for example by creating new formats in order to access new platforms. Create infographics, display your products in presentations, or combine several texts to create an e-book. This will reduce your production costs while also expanding your content portfolio, which has positive implications for your long-term visibility and discoverability online.ConclusionThese three methods can help you find regular new input for your conten t planning. Make sure to assess each idea you generate carefully before you make any decisions about implementation as not every lead will turn out to be content friendly. However, keyword research and analyzing the results of your own content strategy are, of course, essential.Tip: Log and prioritize your ideas. Over time, this will build up a valuable editorial calendar you can draw upon freely, saving you time and money in the process.

Vietnam opinion essays

Vietnam opinion essays Vietnam was between 1661-1975 tom Davis was the first solider to be killed in action on dec.22, 1961. When the conflict ended 2.5 million died Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, French, and Americans. The Vietnam was the only war we have ever lost thus the United States seizes to make an acknowledgment that they had failed and killed many U.S. soldiers. Many of them n in Vietnam were only around the age 18-20 90% of them at least by 1965 when draft for the war really picked up. We had watched movies on Vietnam and how it affected so many lives the building of the memorial was quite a conflict after the design contest for the memorial was won. Out of 1,421 entries Maya Ying Lin, 22 year old graduate of Yale which was originally a class project. We discussed the confrontation of here seeing U.S P.O.Ws and she called them baby killers (may not be true) for bombing supposable innocent village but I think that they do the orders given and if she did I would think that if she is making so mething marking are countries soldiers then what does she think shes doing criticizing the soldiers how fought in the war. It just kind of seems odd that a lot of people dislike Maya Ying that have served in the war and have nothing good to say about her. To me somebody whose suppose to be history in the making it just seems that the majority of them would like her and her idea. I personally think that the wall is breath taking and Ive personally seen it last year in Washington on marketing trip and visited everything their. But not in a physical aspect I think her idea was the best but in a mental aspect I think that I wasnt the right place at the right time for her. Its noticeable to see from most of the soldiers even the older guy who visited the class said I would rather not talk about it presuming that theirs going to be a negative side to what he has to say about her. On the wall their were 58,175 names of sold...

Summary and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary and Analysis - Essay Example To be more specific on which particular rape, the writer of the review on the books by two Japanese authors target the involvement of the Japanese military personnel in the rape of the women from the countries that they were able to occupy during the Second World War; Nanking included. The writer’s review on the perspectives given by two authors had brought about different points of views concerning the main topic that is aimed to be discussed: the rape of women by the Japanese military during World War II. As much as Nanking is not the main focus for rape as the chosen source, the article provides a different perspective of the topic on rape. Wakabayashi makes use of the start of his review with a question as to whether the activist scholarship that shows support of the litigation be the best form of justice that has long been due to the victims of the rape in the era of wars (223). The writer then starts to speak of the perspective of the Japanese writers with concerns to the common topic at