Brand Management Essays (Examples)

Brand Communication Management on Organic Products

Organic products are a relatively new presence within the market. They strive to serve the need of a healthier life style with benefits for both the population as well as the environment. A major component in the success of the organic products is represented by the strength of the brands.

Brands generate customer trust, demand for the products and ultimately support the company in attaining its overall objectives. And brands are essential to the market triumph of any product, but even more so with organic products, due to the features of particularity revealed by these specific items.

At a more practical level, a marketing plan on the strengthening of a brand for organic products would include the following features:

Customer-based brand equity for organic products

The points of parity and the points of difference for organic products

The selection of the target market

The…

Reference:

Dune, P.M.m Lusch, R.F., Carver, J.R., 2010, Retailing, Cengage Learning, ISBN 1439040818

Glynn, M.S., 2009, Business-to-business brand management: theory, research and executive case study exercises, Emerald Publishing Group, ISBN 1848556705

Gould, K., Hosey, L., 2007, Women in green: voices of sustainable design, Ecotone Publishing, ISBN 097490337X

One relevant example in this sense is represented by the organizational investment in the brand value.

In order to ensure a successful management of the brand, it is necessary for the economic agents to engage in a series of steps which maximize their strengths and minimize their chances of failure. All in al, the recurrent trait in the recommendations is that of adapting the branding strategy to the features of the customer base and ensuring that the product promoted has a high quality and ability to serve customer needs; continuous research and adaptation is the key success factor to maintaining a powerful brand.

eferences:

Glynn, M.L., 2009, Business-to-business brand management: theory, research and executive case study exercises, Emerald Group Publishing

Jones, E., 2011, the dos and don'ts of reputation management, Trackur.com, http://www.trackur.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-reputation-management last accessed on April 23, 2012

Knowles, a., So what are the do's and don'ts for choosing a…

References:

Glynn, M.L., 2009, Business-to-business brand management: theory, research and executive case study exercises, Emerald Group Publishing

Jones, E., 2011, the dos and don'ts of reputation management, Trackur.com,  http://www.trackur.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-reputation-management  last accessed on April 23, 2012

Knowles, a., So what are the do's and don'ts for choosing a brand? WIPO,  http://www.wipo.int/sme/en/documents/brand_choosing.htmlast  accessed on April 23, 2012

Weib, C., 2007, the influence of brands and images on the financial performance -- an empirical investigation on the EuroStoxx 50, GRIN Verlag

Brand Extension

The disadvantages of employing brand extension strategy

This work compeers and contrasts the merits and demerits of implementing brand extension a s a growth strategy by various firms. This is done by means of practical examples. In the end of the debate, the paper indicates why it is better to adopt the extension strategy as opposed to shunning it due to its numerous demerits. A discussion of the key points is presented and then a final conclusion to hammer out the reason for the need to implement the strategy

Brand extension, which entails the use of a given brand name which is established in a given product class in entering another product class is noted to be hugely beneficial to several organizations (Tauber,1988).Keller (2003) pointed out that the concept of brand extension is clearly defined whenever a given firm employs an established brand name in the introduction of…

References

Aaker, D.A. (2004). Brand Portfolio Strategy. New York: Free Press.

Aaker, D.A.; Keller, K.L. (1990) Consumer Evaluations of Brand Extensions, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 54, No. 1, pp. 27-41.

Bhat, S., & Reddy, S.K. (2001). The impact of parent brand attribute associations and affect on brand extension evaluation. Journal of Business Research, 53, 111-22

Chen, K.F., & Lue, C.M. (2004). Positive Brand extension trial and choice of parent brand. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 13(1), 25-36.

Seventh Brand Attribute: The brand's managers understand what the brand means to consumers.

Again on the initial introduction of the brand, IM did not understand that the brand was actually a compilation of many factors, with the product being just one small part of that mix. The reliance on using Blackberries for staying in touch constantly also had a very reactive tone to the messaging. While trying to show how people could be responsive they made their brand appear to be addiction to reacting instead. The re-definition of the brand with a strong focus on the personas and identities of top customers however re-cast the brand to show how they understood the most pressing needs of the highest achieving customers it has. The company further tried to communicate in their re-cast branding the value of time and initiating projects, invoking change, and making things happen over merely reacting.

Eighth Brand…

References

Columbus, L (2005). Blackberry: The Paradox of CRM. Retrieved December 13, 2007, from CRMBuyer.com Web site:  http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/44304.html 

Keller, K (2000).The Brand Report Card. Harvard Business Review. January-February, 2000, 3-10.

Kelly, M (1998) - Paying for that old brand magic: Marketing branding professional services, Financial Times, August 12, 1998.

Market Research Executive Board (2005) - Overview of Brand Equity Measurement Approaches. Market Research Executive Board. September, 2005. Washington, DC. September, 2005.

Opponents to the idea that a brand can live forever point out the many popular brands that have died out in the past. True, there have been a lot of brands that have gone the way of the dinosaur. ut there are also many brands that are still around, and that have endured. They are the same companies and the same brands, but in most cases they are not the same products. They have stretched their brands and extended them, and that has allowed them to remain competitive within a changing marketplace. rand stretching and brand extension are both very significant tools for almost any company when it comes to keeping a brand not just alive but thriving (Clifton & Maughan, 2000).

rands that are allowed to grow and change according to what customers want and need will stick around, provided the products are good quality, reasonably-priced, and well-marketed. rands…

Bibliography

Becker, G. And K. Murphy. (1993) A Simple Theory of Advertising as a Good or Bad. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 15, 498-517.

Clifton, R. And E. Maughan. (eds) (2000) Twenty-Five Visions: The Future of Brands. London: Macmillan Business.

Kapferer, J.N. (1997) Strategic Brand Management. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page.

The main benefits of extension using the already established successful brand of the parent are: reduced costs, the fact that it may prevent competitors from filling a niche, reduced shelf space available to competitors, and the filling of a gap in the product line that customers want to see filled. However, there are risks such as weakening the parent brand or cannibalisation of the market share of the original product. Extensions may damage consumer faith of the parent; the managerial time and budget will be split and the lack of focus could undermine the brand message; retailers have only limited space, and additional lines demand more space. Retailers may just allocate the extension some space from the brand's existing allowance, maintaining the same total allocation but now split between more products.

rand stretching is more risky since it involves diversification into an unrelated area of business. Stretching is a leap…

Bibliography

Becker, G. And K. Murphy. (1993) A Simple Theory of Advertising as a Good or Bad. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 15, 498-517.

Clifton, R. And E. Maughan. (eds) (2000) Twenty-Five Visions: The Future of Brands. London: Macmillan Business.

Kapferer, J.N. (1997) Strategic Brand Management. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page.

brand strategy is a challenging task for many companies but it is a vital step in giving the company an identity of its own. It is this identity that is repeatedly communicated thought the business life. Developing a brand management strategy involves applying marketing techniques to a brand, or a product with the intention of giving it a unique image and to set it apart from the competitors. We will focus on the competitive analysis or model analysis that will briefly introduce our project, the competition or model, as well as describing the strengths and weaknesses of the competition or model.

The group is intending to come up with the shuttle bus service which is to serve the York collage, its student as well as staff. This shuttle bus service will transport valid students and staff from York College to predetermined stops in the area. By doing so, the shuttle…

Reference

Alex, W, 1999, The Brand Marketing Book, McGraw Hill, London. Retrieved September 26, 2013 from  http://www.iei.liu.se/fek/svp/mafo/artikelarkiv/1.310120/Building_brand.pdf 

Clancy, Kevin J.; Peter C. Kriegafsd (2000). Counter intuitive Marketing. Retrieved September 26, 2013 from The Free Press. ISBN 0-684-85555-0. Retrieved September 26, 2013 from  http://www.iosrjen.org/Papers/vol2_issue10%20%28part-4%29/H021043538.pdf 

Garth 2000, Strategic Management; Wiley, New York. Retrieved September 26, 2013 from. http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-EHEP000004.html

Keller, L. 2003, Strategic Brand Management', Prentice Hall. Retrieved on 25/09/2013 Retrieved September 26, 2013 from www.gfk-academy.de/files/gfk_a_sembr_sbman.pdf

Branding, And Branding Management

Brands and branding are not new concepts in business. During the Stone Age, hunters used particular brands for their swords in hunting. Since then, the concept of brands and branding has developed in terms of knowledge, procedures and theories. Some theories used concerning branding, originated primarily because of the development of commercials in media. Companies have realized the importance of branding, which has added to the interest of theories behind the concept of brands and branding. This in turn has led to substantial literatures on the subject of brands and branding. Branding has undergone evolution, but the concepts of branding continue being central in every stage of evolution. In addition, branding management has also undergone substantial change since the 1950s (Marquadrt, Makens, & Larzelere, 1995).

Background: Evolution of Branding

Past

Prior to the 1970s, branding was not a matter of attention. Even countries that understood the…

References

Brodie, R.J., Glynn, M.S., Van Durme, J. (2002). Towards a Theory of Marketplace Equity:

Integrating Branding and Relationship Thinking with Financial Thinking. Marketing Theory, 2(1), 5-28

Doyle, P. (1989). Building successful brands: The strategic options.Journal of Marketing, 5(1),

77-95.

Managing Diversity and Equal Opportunity

With the turn of the 21st century, a dramatic increase is being witnessed in the international flow of labor with repercussion for domestic labor supply and management. The native, racial and emigre mixture of the employees is predominantly important for the workplace. The importance of this domestic cultural multiplicity in the labor force, highlighted by worldwide influences and necessities, has lately encouraged the researchers to focus on the companies' and managers' response to diversity, be it of any form (Watson, Spoonley, & Fitzgerald, 2009).

If the workforce of the present times is compared with the one that was found 20 years ago, it will be easy to observe that there are "more white women, people of color, disabled persons, new and recent immigrants, gays and lesbians, and intergenerational mixes (i.e., baby boomers, Generation Xers, and Generation Nexters)" (iccucci, 2002) today. This situation has given birth…

References

Hemphills, H., & Hayne, R. (1997). Discrimination, Harassment, and the Failure of Diversity Training: What to Do Now. Westport, CT: Quorum Book. Retrieved December 15, 2012, from  http://www.questia.com/read/23366693/discrimination-harassment-and-the-failure-of-diversity 

King, A.S. (1995, December). Capacity for Empathy: Confronting Discrimination in Managing Multicultural WorkForce Diversity. Business Communication Quarterly, 58(4), 46+. Retrieved December 14, 2012, from  http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-18023663/capacity-for-empathy-confronting-discrimination-in 

Ollapally, A., & Bhatnagar, J. The Holistic Approach to Diversity Management: HR Implications. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 44(3), 454+. Retrieved December 15, 2012, from  http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-210224380/the-holistic-approach-to-diversity-management-hr 

Riccucci, N.M. (2002). Managing Diversity in Public Sector Workforces. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Retrieved December 14, 2012, from  http://www.questia.com/read/100875091/managing-diversity-in-public-sector-workforces

Evaluate the impact of globalization and management across borders

After its retrenchment in the U.S., Starbucks is still considering expanding its operations China. "Despite its long presence in the Chinese market -- Starbucks opened its first shop in Beijing in 1999 -- the Seattle coffee giant only has 376 stores on the China mainland, compared with 878 in Japan" (Sanchanta 2011). Starbucks has tried to learn from some of its mistakes domestically in the U.S., such as its super-saturation of certain marketplaces, while incorporating many of the successful lessons of its other ventures, such as its ability to tailor product offerings to local needs. "Cracking the code in China for any company is not an easy task -- there will be a number of winners and lots of losers of people who go there and rush to judgment and don't succeed…The thing I am most interested in when I go…

References

Clark, Taylor. (2008). How Starbucks colonized the world. The Sunday Times. Retrieved July

21, 2011 at  http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article3381092.ece 

Leadership and management. (2011). Team Technology. Retrieved July 21, 2011 at Retrieved July 21, 2011 at  http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/leadership-basics.html 

Sanchanta, Mariko (2011). Starbucks plans major China expansion. The Wall Street Journal.

A cheap product will not be able to survive in this rapidly changing business environment. Organization is another extremely important aspect of the necessary managerial skills for any manager desiring guaranteed success at their individual Verizon location. Organization can be as simple as instituting training at work in a pattern that overlooks no single employee. A good manager cannot expect employees to train themselves or improve their work manners without additional help. A strong organized training program is sure to enhance even the most successful company.

A strong leadership team is another necessary important aspect for businesses engaged in the phone industry. Verizon's leadership team must be instituted and adopted without fear at the workplace, because employees who fear their supervisors simply cannot evolve into successful employees interested in the growth of the company. A strong leadership team will effectively manage the business with the overall objective of accomplishing the…

Bibliography

Bass, B.M. (1996). A new paradigm of leadership: An inquiry into transformational leadership. Alexandria: U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Oak, C. & Schoeffler, B. (2002). Management for the 21st Century. Retrieved March 13, 2007, from Insurance Journal Web site:  http://www.insurancejournal.com/magzines/southcentral/2002/03/11/mindyourbiz/18984 .

Verizon. (2007). Verizon. Retrieved March 17, 2007, at  http://www.verizon.com .

The performance of each team member depends on the performance of all others, this being a team project. Constraints include time and financial resources; as such improvement requires permanent improvement effort.

isk Management. No risk has been identified related to the project's completion.

Monitoring and Controlling Mechanisms. The data analysts will develop a metric system to measure each member's performance on a weekly basis. This weekly performance will be submitted to the project manager for potential adjustments.

V. Operations management plan

Operations Strategy. An easy way to understand the meaning of operations strategy is to break the word into the two separate words: operations and strategy - these words being the opposite of each other (Slack & Lewis, 2002). 'Operations' is about the functions and procedures regarding the day-to-day processes, while 'strategy' is about the direction and scope of an organisation over a long period of time. The operations strategy…

References:

Aberdeen Group. 2008. Operational KPIs and Performance Management -- Are Your Daily Decisions Based on Fact?,  http://www.aberdeen.com/ 

Cooper, M. & Lambert D. 2000. Issues in Supply Chain Management. Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 29: pp. 65-83.

Johnson, J. C. And Wood, D.F. 1996. Contemporary Logistics, N.J.: Prentice Hall Upper Saddle Creek.

Keah C.R.K. And Handfield, R.B. 1998 .Supply Chain Management: Supplier Performance and Firm Performance. International Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management: pp.2-9.

Management - Is it an Art or a Science?

Management is Art

Management has a lot more closely attached to art than it is to science. usiness management is about working with, as well as influencing other people to fulfill the goals of both the corporations and its associates (2).

Managing in the New Era

Quick transformations that are far-reaching all through each and every feature of business today prompts the corporations to reorganize the method they do things. Even though the customary management replica has developed quite a bit, it is still geared to an unbending composition and command -- and manage state of mind (3). This replica is well modified to an atmosphere where transformation is sluggish and evolutionary rather than fast and radical. It helps put in order procedures and promote a sense of responsibility, order, and discipline (4).

What it is short of is elasticity making…

Bibliography

1) Bjrn Bjerke. Business Leadership and Culture: National Management Styles in the Global. Edward Elgar, 1999.

2) Floyd Norris. A Climb to Riches, One Merger at a Time. New York Times. 2003.

3) Hal R. Varian. Can markets be used to help people make nonmarket decisions? New York Times. 2003.

4) Jeff Madrick. Looking beyond free trade as a solution to helping the developing world. New York Times. 2003.

He wished to build the happiest place on the planet and this message continues to be handed over to the new recruits who join the organization presently also. Disney exists to give a guarantee to the Americans that are there for real. Disneyland is not just unreal, rather it is hyper-real. As a result it is possible to express of the corporate culture of Disney as being created. ("eading Organizations from behavior and experience to representation and experience," n. d.)

4) Explain how the four functions of management support the creation and maintenance of a healthy organizational culture

The four functions of management support the creation and maintenance of a healthy organizational culture as it leads to planning, organizing, leading and coordinating of resources and it is these 4 activities which recur across the institution and are extremely unified. Present features relating to management cover claims leading are distinct from…

References

Arnold, Paul. V. (2002) "Fixing manufacturing" MRO Today Magazine, Retrieved at  http://www.progressivedistributor.com/mro/archives/mro%20coach/Lynch/FixingJJ02.htm 

Bryman, Alan. (1995) "Disney and His World"

Routledge.

N.A. (2007) "Disney Institute Homepage" Retrieved at  http://www.disneyinstitute.com/index.cfm

Management

Undercover Boss is a great show for illustrating core management concepts. A season five episode features the CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company, owner of the Utah Jazz along with eighty other concerns. This episode features issues related to occupational health and safety, customer service and marketing. In the episode about Modell's Sporting Goods, a family-owned business that has been around since 1889, issues related to logistics, wages, and social justice come to the fore. In the first season episode featuring the CEO and president of 7-11, issues related to management and corporate structure, customer service, and quality assurance are brought to light. These three episodes can all be used to better understand textbook concepts, from the particular skills managers need to succeed to ethics and social responsibility. Of these three episodes, the most engaging was the one about Modell's because of the way the owner came to…

References

Schermerhorn, J.R. (2012). Exploring Management. 3rd edition.

Undercover Boss Utah Jazz:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Tc3qCOj68&feature=youtu.be 

Undercover Boss Modell's:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jadl9usH3s&feature=youtu.be 

Undercover Boss 7-11:

It is the totality of a company's identity: the quality of its people, the value of its brand, its standing in the community and its performance in the marketplace. Building reputation, in this broad sense of the term, is what great companies are all about" ("Message from Verizon's Chairman and CEO," 2006, About Verizon).

Notice how this rhetoric makes every employee at the company feel involved in a commitment to quality, yet also stresses Verizon's mission of putting the customer first. It is not just the CEO who leads, however, rather every manager must ensure that the functions and employees he or she oversee fulfill their necessary functions, and also want to do so. Leadership, in other words, is more than telling people what they must do; it is making people feel motivated to do so and to do their best, and to understand how they fit into the 'big…

Works Cited

Four Functions of Management." (2006). Slide 8. McGraw-Hill. Retrieved 18 Feb 2007 at http://www.csupomona.edu/~wcweber/301/301slide/ch01301/sld008.htm

Message from Verizon's Chairman and CEO." (2006). About Verizon. Retrieved 18 Feb 2007 at http://multimedia.verizon.com/responsibility/messageceo/index.aspx

McNamara, Carter. (1997). "Basics -- Definitions (and Misconceptions)

About Management." Management Help Retrieved 18 Feb 2007 at t  http://www.managementhelp.org/mgmnt/defntion.htm#anchor654851

(Martin 1992:1). On the most basic level, the most popular brands have very narrow associations, such as Coca-Cola with America, McDonald's with fast, cheap, fun food, etc. But what if consumer tastes change and a long-popular brand's association that is narrow but popular falls out of favor? Is a more broad marketing strategy the wave of the future that goes beyond pure brand extensions, like the example of Mountain Dew, an extension of a particular soda line? This intriguing concept, which might provide a clue to the difficult question of the inevitability of brand death, goes unanswered.

orks Cited

Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2006). Marketing Management (12th Ed.). Upper Saddle

River: Prentice-Hall.

Roth, Martin S. (Jun 1992)." Depth vs. breadth strategies for global brand image management." Journal of Advertising. Retrieved 21 Mar 2007 from allbusniess.com at http://www.allbusiness.com/management/323170-1.html

Works Cited

Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2006). Marketing Management (12th Ed.). Upper Saddle

River: Prentice-Hall.

Roth, Martin S. (Jun 1992)." Depth vs. breadth strategies for global brand image management." Journal of Advertising. Retrieved 21 Mar 2007 from allbusniess.com at  http://www.allbusiness.com/management/323170-1.html

Hogan also suggest the increased use of event sponsorships to strengthen brands. and, Hogan discusses the use of brand agents who are different from spokespeople because they represent the brand in its totality-its positioning and its brand attributes -- and does not violate the limits to which a company can extend a brand beyond its core meaning

ibliography

Hogan, S. Positioning a brand in the marketplace. http://www.lippincottmercer.com/insights/a_hogan01.shtml

Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2003). Marketing Management (12th Ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall.

ibliography

Can brands last forever? There is no reason for a brand to ever become obsolete, if a company does a good job of positioning. What is positioning? "Positioning is the act of designing the company's offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the mind of the target market. The goal is to locate the brand in the minds of consumers to maximize the potential benefit to…

Bibliography

Can brands last forever? There is no reason for a brand to ever become obsolete, if a company does a good job of positioning. What is positioning? "Positioning is the act of designing the company's offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the mind of the target market. The goal is to locate the brand in the minds of consumers to maximize the potential benefit to the firm" (Kotler & Keller, 2006, p. 288).

Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2003). Marketing Management (12th Ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall.

Strong brands excel at delivering the benefits customers truly desires or need;

the brand stays relevant to the customer;

These can bring in new audiences, retain old audiences (like dieters who might be alienated from Coke because of concerns about calories) or can encourage greater consumption (as children with the smallest of scrapes might want a Sponge Bob Band-Aid for fashion's sake). But all of these examples of product extensions do not alter the fundamental associations of the brand as synonymous with America, or with gentle and loving care (Kotler & Keller, 2003).

Brands can endure a great deal -- even Aunt Jemina, Barbie, and Betty Crocker remain, although the Civil Rights and feminist movements may shudder at their images -- the product remains popular, so people continue to buy. Of course, the downside to such ubiquitous associations between a brand and a product is that if the product, such as fast food, becomes unpopular for cultural reasons beyond the marketer's control, like the current war against obesity, the…

Works Cited

Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2003). Marketing Management

12th Ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall.

Troy, Mike. (24 Oct 2005) "The Roto role: how leading brands maintain their top-shelf status." DSN Retailing Today. Retrieved 19 Mar 2007 at  http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FNP/is_20_44/ai_n15789798

Managing Reebok

History of Reebok

he company of Reebok started in England in around 1890 to provide shoes which could help athletes run faster. he cleated running shoes were developed by Joseph William Foster and he had then started a company to make hand-stitched athletic shoes for the runners of that time. he enterprise continued in that manner and started with the name of Reebok International due to the starting of a new company by the grandsons of JW Foster. he name was taken from the name of an African gazelle. he company came to USA in 1979 when Paul Fireman bought an exclusive license for distribution of Reebok in North America. From the beginning itself, the products were the most expensive, and were being sold for $60 a pair even in 1979. he sales increased over time, and became $1.3 million in 1981, and then the production capacity of…

The international sales of Reebok were organized from the corporate office in Canton, and this office directly controlled sales in Latin America. The operations in Europe were controlled from the offices in Lancaster and London in England, as also the sales in the Middle East and Africa. There were wholly owned subsidiaries for marketing the Reebok branded products in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea. There were also majority owned subsidiaries for India, Mexico, and Spain. There were also 26 independent distributors and two joint ventures in which the company had minority interest. The entire effort marketed Reebok products in 170 countries and territories. During 2001, the total sales from international operations reduced to $1.170 billions from the previous year's figure of $1.176 billions. This was mainly due to weakening of the currencies against the dollar.

What are Reebok's and the industry's advertising and public relations strategies?

It has been stated earlier that the main strategy for all American sports footwear company has been to depend on celebrity endorsements, apart from New Balance. Even they had tried it initially. New Balance advertising featured unknown athletes and was generally released in special magazines like Outside, New England Runner and prevention as also on cable TV channels like CNN, the Golf Channel and A&E. The main slogan of the company is 'Achieve New Balance' and the slogan has not changed in five years. The headlines for the advertising are also different and like 'Life sucks go for a run'. The media strategy is clearly targeted at older people. This is the reason for Reebok to worry as the main buyers for Reebok are older people and kids who cannot spend $80 to $90 for a pair of shoes. Will New Balance finally upset the Reebok balance?

She is, like Betty Crocker or Aunt Jemina, more than a woman. According to the company fact sheet released to investors, Martha Stewart, the brand, now has an exclusive deal with Macy's, Inc., the department store behemoth and: "In November 2006, we published Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home. The book, which the ashington Post described as "the ultimate housekeeping resource," enjoyed an enthusiastic reception and climbed high bestseller lists across the country" and Martha's legal difficulties are forgotten ("Company Fact Sheet," 2006, Martha Stewart Omnimedia ebsite).

Of course, brands must constantly reinvent themselves -- all of these homemaking icons have changed their image to become more contemporary. Martha Stewart fixes fast and easy recipes, Betty Crocker makes low fat cake mixes, and Aunt Jemina has grown more politically correct in her depiction on the box. But a brand must stay the…

Works Cited

Kotler, P. & Keller, K. (2006). Marketing Management. (12th ed.). Upper Saddler River:

Prentice Hall.

Company Fact Sheet." (2006). Martha Stewart Omnimedia. Investor Relations. Retrieved 22 Mar 2007 at  http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/96/96022/FactSheet0107a.pdf

Brand Relationship

hen Fournier describes the relationship that consumers have with a brand, she is referring to the attributes that consumers ascribe to that brand and then relate to. These attributes go beyond the attributes of the product itself, such that the brand can be transferred from one product to another. An example of a brand with which consumers have a high degree of relationship would be Body Shop, to which consumers often ascribe a set of values -- all Body Shop products receive these attributes to the consumer. Thus, the consumer is purchasing Body Shop first and an individual product second. Aisner (1999) discusses the concept in conjunction with New Coke. The strong relationship that people had with Coca-Cola backfired on the company, because consumers rejected a change to the product on the basis that it was not consistent with their view of the product.

In the fast food…

Works Cited:

Aisner, J. (1999). More than a name: The role of brands in people's lives. Harvard Business School Working Knowledge. Retrieved May 2, 2011 from  http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2598.html 

Mitchinson, R. (2010). McDonald's -- Helping people fall in love with the brand again. Account Planning Group. Retrieved May 2, 2011 from  http://www.accountplanninggroup.com.au/case-studies/mcdonalds-helping-people-fall-in-love-with-the-brand-again/

In October 2005, EXXON had to pay a $8.7 million civil penalty, while at the same time spending $9.7 million on community environmental projects. In my opinion, these are unnecessary costs that can be eliminated in the future with an adequate financing for research and development in environmental protection and pollution reduction.

The marketing segment also needs an increased attention in 2006. For example, on the gasoline market, EXXON brands such as Mobil or Esso are already well-known throughout the world. Nevertheless, the specificity of the industry brings about the necessity to constantly promote these brands. How is an Esso gas station different from a Shell or Texaco one? EXXON needs to think out marketing campaigns deemed to bring out the main competitive advantages over other companies on the market: excellent service, better quality gasoline (going hand in hand with the spending in research and development in this segment, previously…

Bibliography

1. Exxon Mobil to spend $571m upgrading refineries. Reuters. October 2005. On the Internet at  http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=105423 

2. Blum, Justin. Exxon Mobil's first quarter earnings shoot up. Mail Tribune. April 2005. On the Internet at  http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2005/0429/biz/stories/04biz.htm 

 http://www.exxonmobil.com/corporate

Management class 494, I Executive Summary case title Nascar: A Branding Success. Marketting Strategy book O.C. Ferrel, I international student, I write summary formal words make an international student essay IA, I sounds weird write Executive summary a I write.

NASCA executive summary

NASCA, short for The National Association for Stock Car Auto acing, is a relatively small size firm, but which also has an increased importance within the national and international auto racing events. The success of the organization is based on several key features, including the dedication of the staff members to high quality operations and services, the wide reach of the company outside the geographic borders, but also, the strength of its marketing approach.

The marketing team of NASCA is highly skilled and qualified, and, along the years, has produced some of the more successful measures to attracting the attention of the audience, as well as its…

References:

Ferrell, O.C., Hartline, M., 2010, Marketing strategy, 5th edition, Cengage Learing

The content language adopted for white collar workers will be a simple, plain one as the goal is for the message to be understood best and used by the employees in their interaction with the customers. In global communication campaigns, the language will be the same for white and blue collar workers and therefore a simple and plain one for everyone. In specific communications, the language can increase in complexity if the auditorium that needs to receive the message had a higher education level.

The content will take under consideration the cultural differences between the corporate headquarters country (e.g. UK) and the local offices (e.g. Korea) and adapt global campaigns to the local requirements. Additionally, the content will be designed to match company objectives and how these objectives can be understood by personnel. Therefore, a specialized team will be dedicated to understanding the personnel, the company values the personnel needs…

Reference List

Acosta, C., Leon, V.J., Conrad, C., Gonzalez-Cervantes, R. And Malave, C.O. 2004. Case Study on Culture and the Implementation of Manufacturing Strategy in Mexico. Journal of Manufacturing Systems, vol. 23(3): pp. 173-181.

Davis, Alison. 2005. Applying Employee Demographics. Strategic Communications Management. August 1st,  http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/computer-software-management/943392-1.html 

Hofstede, G. 1984. Cultural Dimensions in Management and Planning, Asia Pacific Journal: pp.84-99.

Internal Comms. 2006. The Top Seven Macro-Trends in Internal Communications. April edition, www.internalcommshub.com

Management Action and Productivity

usinesses in developed countries tend to think of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a characteristic that is centered in their own businesses or, failing that, situated in the industries of wealthier nations. The CSR movement is substantively skewed in the direction of the developed world where the motivation for adopting a CSR initiative is driven more by altruism -- or "enlightened self-interest" (Vogel 2006: 18) -- than profit margins. It is unusual to find a perspective that considers CSR from the perspective of a sourcing company. In the centrically-oriented corporate arena of the developed world, CSR is seen as originating with the company that establishes a supply chain with a multinational company -- not the other way around. In order to manage and control ethical issues arising from doing business with overseas markets, many corporations rely on a social compliance model (PricewaterhouseCoopers 2007).

The social compliance…

Bibliography

Buying your way into trouble? The challenge of responsible supply chain management. 2004. Insight Investment, HBOS. London, UK: Acona Investment Consulting. Retrieved  http://www.acona.co.uk/reports/Buying+your+way+into+trouble.pdf 

Cooper, D.R. And Schindler, P.S. 2008. Business Research Methods, 10th Ed. Edition, McGraw-Hill.

Environics International 3rd Annual CSR Monitor. 2002. (In November of 2003, Environics became GlobeScan Incorporated. [Press release] Retrieved  http://www.globescan.com/news_archives/csr02_press_release.html 

Eslenshade, J. 2004. Monitoring Sweatshops: Workers, Consumers, & the Global Apparel Industry. Temple University Press.

(Bhatnagar, 2004)

PART III

INSTRUCTIONS

The following Decentralization orksheet contains some observations on decentralizing. As you review each of the statements, provide an example that illustrates why this statement is important and related problems and benefits of the situation or condition indicated in the statement. SELECT ANY 2 Decentralization orksheet: A large number of factors determine the extent to which a manager should decentralize. Clearly, anything that increases a manager's workload creates pressure for decentralization because only a single person can accomplish a finite level of work. As with many facets of management, there are advantages and disadvantages to decentralization.

Question

The greater the diversity of products, the greater the decentralization.

An organization, such as a national supermarket chain, that sells a diversity of products will benefit from decentralization because decentralization allows local and regional managers to tailor the selection of goods to the specific market -- and also prevents…

Works Cited

Bhatnagar, Parija (17 Nov 2004) "The Kmart-Sears Deal." CNN/Money. Retrieved 20 Jan 2005 at  http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/17/news/fortune500/sears_kmart/?cnn=yes 

CNN.com (17 Feb 2004) "Cingular nabs At & T. Wireless for $41 B." CNN.com. Retrieved 20 Jan 2005 at  http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/17/technology/cingular_att

Please see Appendix a for a give year ratio analysis of Starbucks Corporation illustrating the significant effect the recession is having on gross margins. Yet despite this pressure, Starbucks continues to be successful in keeping its gross margins above industry average at 9.67% for the latest fiscal year. Also noteworthy about their financial performance is the increase in evenue Per Employee from $53,864 in 2004 to $59,156. This speaks to the fact that Starbucks is being successful with their long-term strategy of delivering exceptional customer experiences, so much so that there is greater levels of repurchase of drinks and food even in a recession (Churchill, 2008). All of these factors point to the critical need for managing customer experiences more closely than ever, with a strong orientation towards giving customers and opportunity to have their voices heard on potential new products. Starbucks has excelled in the area of social networking,…

References

Bernoff, J., & Li, C.. (2008). Harnessing the Power of the Oh-So-Social Web. MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(3), 36-42.

Chris Churchill. (15 July 2008). Starbucks competitors get jitters: Local coffeehouses, facing woes of their own, cast wary eye on chain's recent closings. McClatchy - Tribune Business News

Fridell, G. (2009). The Co-Operative and the Corporation: Competing Visions of the Future of Fair Trade. Journal of Business Ethics: Supplement, 86, 81-95.

Burt Helm. (2007, April). SAVING STARBUCKS' SOUL: Chairman Howard Schultz is on a mission to take his company back to its roots. Oh, yeah -- he also wants to triple sales in five years. Business Week,(4029), 56.

Viewing IT as such a critical aspect of firm value, along with brand name cache and more traditional assets is not at present part of corporate culture, although it must become so in ensuing decades

Q3. On the Web, explore the IT/IS integration issues raised by Kellogg-Keebler

In the 1990s, the once-venerable brand of Kellogg cereals was facing intense competition from its rivals both in the market for cereals as well as for other snack foods. Keebler was the second largest cookie-and-cracker manufacturer in the United States. Kellogg was attracted by Keebler's direct-store-delivery (DSD) system which involved daily, fresh deliveries to stores. While analysts feared that the merger would dilute earnings per share calculations, the acquisition of Keebler would give Kellogg a system conveying a critical edge over its competition in the snack food industry (Case example, 2010, Mastering the Merger).

The unusual aspect of the Keebler-Kellogg merger, and one…

References

Case example: The Kellogg Company and Keebler. (2010). Mastering the Merger. Retrieved August 9, 2010 at  http://www.masteringthemerger.com/masteringthemerger/case_example_kellogg.asp

Management of Stress and Tension

Goals-- What do you wish to complete?

The answer to attain a postgraduate degree can develop into a very long journey. For me, the contending aspects of time and financial resources constantly appeared to present problems and control the situation. In truth, it would be considerably much easier to provide every single argument present against returning to institution at this time. One can say that numerous considerable life-changing occasions experienced just recently would be cause or motive enough to put off the commencement of the Master's of Business Administration (MBA) program. Concerns associated with household loss and task modification can be made use of as proof in support of delay. Financial pressures can likewise exist yet an additional motive that the moment in time, endeavor, and cost needed for an MBA would not be a required use of resources. Nonetheless, regardless of every one of…

References

Center for Applications of Psychological Type, Inc.. (2011). What are archetypes. Retrieved from http://www.capt.org/discover-your-archetypes/about-archetypes.htm

Cohen, B. (2001, April 21). Average Salary for First Year Accountants. Retrieved from eHow Money: http://www.ehow.com/info_8271661_average-salary-firstyear-accountants.html

Curtis, J. (2009). Life change stress test. WebMD. Retrieved from  http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/life-change-stress-test 

Hansen, R.S. (n.d.). The Master of Business Administration: Is the MBA Worth the Time, Effort, and Cost? Retrieved from Quint Careers:  http://www.quintcareers.com/MBA_degree.html

To avoid all these hassles, corporates should take the lead. They should ensure that the environment is not harmed in any way and people are treated with respect and dignity without exploiting the people or the environment in any unfair way. Such initiatives get publicity too and this has a positive impact on the company's business interests. Therefore, technology has been another driving factor that induces companies to take the right steps to preserve and protect the environment and the people who depend on it.

Steps that should be taken by the company

Companies should have a clear strategy of how they are going to address their issues and this should be decided after taking into account its impact on the environment as well as its business interests. ecent years has seen more importance being given to shareholders and so company executives do everything possible to increase the returns for…

References

Melville, Nigel. (March 2010). Information Systems Innovation for Environmental Sustainability. MIS Quarterly. Vol 34(1). p1-21.

Livesey, Sharon; Hartman, Cathy; Stafford, Edwin; Shearer, Molly. (October 2009). Performing Sustainable Development through Eco-Collaboration. Journal of Business Communication. Vol 46(4). p423-454.

Bansal, Pratima. (March 2009). Corporate Social Responsibility: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Administrative Science Quarterly. Vol 54(1). p182-184

Margolis, Joshua. Walsh, James. (June 2003). Misery Loves Companies: Rethinking Social Initiatives by Business. Administrative Science Quarterly. Vol 48(2). p268-305.

Managing Money

Cash is the main basis of financial management in a new company. In most instances, the period between payment of suppliers and employees as well as a collection of debt from the customers is often a challenge. The solution to all these financial challenges is sound financial flow management. Managing of cash flow means delaying expenditures of cash and at the same time ensuring anyone owing the business pays up rapidly.

Managing Cash in a new business

Measuring of cash flow is necessary as accurate financial flow projection helps the business owner to be aware of an upcoming business challenge before it happens. On the other hand, cash flows should not be used to gauge the business environment in the future. There are a number of elements that need to be considered to counter the challenges. The factors are evaluating the payment histories of the customers, business thoroughness…

References

Stone, R. (September 01, 2001). Managing wealth: A new approach. Journal of Financial Services Marketing, 6, 1, 84-97.

Land, C., & Taylor, S. (January 01, 2010). Surf's Up: Work, Life, Balance and Brand in a New Age Capitalist Organization. Sociology, 44, 3, 395-413.

Managing Operating Exposure and FX isk at Nissan:

Global businesses are usually exposed to financial risks like currency volatility. The foreign exchange risks, which are commonly known as FX risks, have significant effects on all aspects of a global company. Notably, the foreign exchange risks affect firms across various industries including the automobile industry. In this industry, the operations and manufacturing processes of auto makers are usually affected by currency fluctuations. An example of a global firm in the automobile industry that has been involved in managing the foreign exchange risks and operating exposure is Nissan.

In 1999, Nissan was in a death spiral as the firm was experiencing heavy losses, carrying massive debts, and has a bad reputation. During this period, Carlos Ghosn was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer in order to help save the company that was sinking into further challenges and complexities. In attempts to rescue…

References:

Book Review. (2005, January 17). The Gaijin Who Saved Nissan. Retrieved December 7, 2012,

from  http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2005-01-16/the-gaijin-who-saved-nissan 

Kim, Y. & McElreath, R. (2001). Managing Operating Exposure: A Case Study of the Automobile Industry. Multinational Business Review, 9(1), 21.

Nguyen, C. (2011, October 25). How Nissan Bucked the Auto-bailout Trend. Retrieved December 7, 2012, from http://bizcovering.com/management/how-nissan-bucked-the-auto-bailout-trend/

Management Style of Brian Driscoll

The blame for the demise of Hostess has been squarely put at the union's feet and their contracts. After conducting a close examination on the company, I have realized that free labor would have led to the death of Hostess; the striking employees only enhanced the inevitable. In this situation, people on the right track have pointed fingers at greedy unions. However, we must acknowledge that the two sides must reach a realistic agreement in a collective bargaining setting. Unions reflect the demands and wishes of employees and are natural to engage in negotiations in order for their demands to be fulfilled. Companies must communicate accurate company data with the union and companies should provide clear answers when they cannot meet the demands of employees. A positive relationship with workforce cannot be built by asking employees to give significant amounts of benefits back and pay…

References

Grossbauer, S. (2010). Managing foodservice operations: a systems approach for healthcare and institutions. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co

Longenecker, J.G. (2006). Small business management: An entrepreneurial emphasis. Mason,

OH: Thomson/South-Western.

Stout, R. (2008). Under the Andes. Auckland: Floating Press.

Management

During the aftermath of current corporate scandals, administrators and scientists have directed their focus to concerns towards management of ethical values. We determine 3 popular misconceptions about organization integrity and offer responses which are grounded theoretically, groundwork, and organization cases. Even though the study of organization ethics is fairly brand new, theory and groundwork can be found that may direct professionals who're attempting to better handle their workforce and their very own moral conduct (Corina and oxana, 2011). We suggest that moral behavior be handled actively by way of specific honorable leadership as well as informed administration of the company's ethical culture.

The current century has taken business ethics scandals which have damaged countless workers as well as shareholders, and delivered shock waves all through the business community. The scams have created "perp walks" as well as regulation backlash, and company ethical values are yet again a popular subject.…

References

Corina, G., & Roxana, S. (2011). Comparative study on corporate governance. Annals Of The University Of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 20(2), 674-680.

Fouchet, R., & Keramidas, O. (2010). Organizational morality: The ecosystem of public utilities. Journal Of U.S.-China Public Administration, 7(9), 1-14.

Hanford, M.F. (2007). Establishing portfolio management governance: key components. Portfolio management governance, White paper.

Othman, Z., & Rahman, R. (2011). Exploration of Ethics as Moral Substance in the Context of Corporate Governance. Asian Social Science, 7(8), 173-182.

The overall economy is growing slowly, and those within our target market have not experienced the steep decline in employment that other demographics have suffered. Income levels in our target demographic have changed little as the result of the recession, so there is little cause for concern about the economic macroenvironment when launching this product. Golf continues to be a popular sport, despite flatlining interest in the United States (Nohcud, 2008). There is strong growth in golf overseas, in Asia in particular, and this provides encouragement for the long-term growth prospects of the Tracker.

One marketing issue that needs to be researched is with respect to the culture of golf, in particular the target market of the Tracker. This is important because the tone of the advertising message will be in part dictated by the culture of our golfing target market -- it could be jocular or it could be…

Works Cited:

Nohcud, S. (2007). Why golf's popularity has mushroomed. iSnare. Retrieved February 3, 2011 from  http://www.isnare.com/?aid=186590&ca=Sports

Management Davinci

Business Success Through Da Vinci's Philosophical Orientation

The 1999 text How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci by Michael Gelb is a useful and entertaining discussion on how the philosophical principles of one of history's greatests thinkers can be applied to modern business practices as well as to self-improvement on an everyday level.

Thinking Like a Manager and Evaluating a Company:

One of the overarching beliefs driving the Gelb philosophy is that one need not necessarily be a genius in order to think like one. To the point, Gelb argues that Da Vinci was particularly graceful at training his mind to think in certain ways, to observe matters according to certain principles which are today applicable to models of leadership. Gelb offers what he calls "seven steps to genius every day" as influenced by the life and working habits of Da Vinci. The seven steps call for the…

Works Cited:

Gelb, M. (1999). How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci. Dell.

No wonder cable companies who practice this approach to optimizing service calls run the risk of disgruntled, dissatisfied customers. What cable companies need to do is take the opposite approach and assume that existing service calls, in aggregate, can take over 20% longer than expected, thereby making sure there is enough time to exceed the expectations of customers. Only by a consistently defined strategy of exceeding expectations can any service company overcome a mediocre or deficient reputation for responsiveness (Johnston, 2004). The bottom line is that the concept of efficiency has to be redefined as taking whatever time is necessary to delight customers first, and then move onto to the next appointment. Merely overcomitting and rushing through service promises, as is the current approach of cable companies, leads to a major problem with their reputations.

eferences

Aruna Apte, Uday M. Apte, Nandagopal Venugopal. (2007). Focusing on Customer Time in Field…

References

Aruna Apte, Uday M. Apte, Nandagopal Venugopal. (2007). Focusing on Customer Time in Field Service: A Normative Approach. Production and Operations Management, 16(2), 189-202. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1291828291).

Johnston, R (2004). Towards a better understanding of service excellence. Managing Service Quality, 14(2/3), 129-133. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 660617891).

. The mobile business market has seen significant of uptake of 2E (mobile sales-force and field service) solutions and Microsoft has the chance to develop its offerings around its acquisitions, adding mobile functionality. Microsoft partners with many application vendors across the board and moving too heavily into the application space would incense many. However, there is viability in developing a mid-market mobile application proposition, given the unconsolidated nature of offerings from operators, traditional ISVs, start-ups and mobile middleware players.

Threats

In the device OS market, as at desktop level and in the server-room, Linux clearly represents a threat to Microsoft, and one it expends much energy playing down. Although there has been little uptake of Linux to date specifically as an operating system for multimedia cell phones, there are many who are not keen to implement end-to-end Microsoft solutions. Linux will give these companies added freedom in choosing applications, middleware…

Bibliography

Ovum Research (2006) - Worldwide Multimedia Cell Phone Forecast.

Source: Credit Suisse First Boston Analysis of the Multimedia Cell Market (2006)

Flextronics (2006) - Annual Report and key investor5 briefing materials. Accessed from the Internet on November 29, 2006  http://www.flextronics.com/en/Investors/ConferenceCalls/tabid/69/Default.aspx 

IDC (2006) - Worldwide Multimedia Cell Phone Forecast. Framingham, MA. Published July, 2006.

Brand Strategy Management

Nespresso Brand Strategy

Case Analysis

History of Nespresso

Mission and Ambition of Nespresso

PRODUCT RANGES

Business Product ranges

n home product Ranges

BRAND POSTON

Brand position

User Segmentation and Target Market

BRAND PROMSE

Brand values

Brand Personality

Brand dentity

Brand name

Logos

URL www.nesspresso.com

Slogan

The evolution of the Packaging

Design of The Boutique

Nespresso brand equity

Brand awareness

Celebrity Endorsement

Partnerships

Advertising strategy

ncrease the number of boutique stores

Perceive Quality

Brand Advocacy

Brand loyalty

Brand Association and management

References

ntroduction

History of Nespresso

Nestle was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestle in Vevey, Switzerland. Today Nestle is the world largest corporation in the food, nutrition, health, and wellness markets. The company now has more than 8000 products in their portfolio in various markets and they own over 140 brands. Since the beginnings, Nestle has been loyal to the traditionally and healthy made products. n 2012…

In 1987 the first Nespresso system was launched in Italy the world largest espresso drinking market and Switzerland, Nespresso's hometown follow by Japan the fastest growing of Asia's coffee market, strategy in targeting the business sector. By the end of 1987 only half of the manufactured Nespresso's machines were sold due to limited of this sector and subsequently, in 1992 Nespresso strategy was shift to focus in household market and targeting consumer at the top of market as its believed to build long-term business with discerning consumer Nespresso have to be in household market (IMD International, 2003).

Nespresso accomplished break-even in 1995 and became one of the fast growing business in the Nestle' corporation. Even with the economical crisis, the increase of competition and the increase of raw materials nothing seems to stop Nespresso's growth. Since 2000 Nespresso's sales have been multiplied by 16 (or 30%) to attain 2,5 billion euros. Furthermore, the company sold 450 millions capsules in 2000 and 6 billion in 2010. To give you an idea 12,300 cups of Nespresso are drunk each minute in the world. (Bader, 2011)

In the present Nespresso is actually the leader in the European market. It is present in markets all around the world for instance Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, America and Japan. Most of the sales of Nespresso are account at 80% by Europe while the rest of the world provides for the 20% left over (Bader, 2011). In 2012 Nespresso open 270 boutiques in the big city and employ more than 7000 around

Management Analysis of JCPenney

One of America's iconic department store fixtures is J.C. Penney which has provided American consumers with a wide range of family clothing and other merchandise for more than a century. In recent years, though, JCPenney has been experiencing some difficult times as its core market continues to be eroded by competitors and an aging business model. This paper provides a review of the relevant literature to develop a description and history of the company, its recent financial performance and to identify some of the managerial decisions that were made in response to changes in its market or competitive environment by JCPenney in recent years. A summary of the research and important findings concerning these issues are presented in the conclusion.

Description and History of the Company

According to JCPenney's promotional literature, "More than a century ago, James Cash Penney founded his company on the principle of…

References

About us. (2013). JC Penney. Retrieved from http://www.jcpenney.net/About-Us.aspx.

Company profile. (2013). Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved from  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s= 

JCP+Profile.

Elasticity of demand. (2012). BusinessDictionary.com. Retrieved from http://www.

Management Styles

Fool-proofing a service operation.

In the banking industry, a significant service industry in any country, optimized operations are essential to ensure that the public has maximum confidence in the operators of this industry. ank of America and its operations have been selected for discussion in this study. The bank has grown tremendously in the past few years. CEO, Ken Lewis realized that the bank could gain a wider market share and customer base if it was able to streamline its operations and the level of service. Incorporating concepts of process management was considered essential to the improvement process. (Cox and ossert, 2005) Some of the tools such as six-sigma were used to ensure that a high level of quality was maintained in the service that the provided to the customer.

ank of America recognized that customer satisfaction was paramount in ensuring that the customer was loyal and would…

Bibliography

Anonymous. "Starbucks - Taking on the World." Strategic Direction 20.7 (2004): 13-15.

Coffeeresearch.org. Starbucks and Transfair USA Enter into Breakthrough Alliance to Promote Fair Trade Certified Coffee. 2000. August 5, 2005.

Cohen, Don. "Managing Knowledge in the New Economy." Conference on organizational Learning. Chicago: The Conference Board, LLC, 1998.

Cox, Daniel, and James Bossert. "Driving Organic Growth at Bank of America." Quality Progress 38.2 (2005): 23-28.

Management

Wal-Mart's challenges in the Global market

Wal-Mart as the world's leading retailer has been spreading very fast extending its power across the world market. This began with the nine countries in South America, Asia, and Europe. This expansion is likely to extend even in the near future. As the company attempts at penetrating the hypermarket culture in different countries, it has encountered a battery of severe problems in the process of its global operations. Joint ventures and acquisitions of local businesses have become a major challenge in nationalism economies. Therefore, strict rules and regulations imposed by governments have blocked Wal-Mart's business operations. Late entry and miscalculating competitors have destroyed location opportunities and tampered with Wal-Mart's relationship with local suppliers. The company experienced big challenges in the global market due to its inability to adapt to new local cultures. In addition, sex discrimination, unions, and low wages prompted employees to…

References

Brunn, S.D. (2006). Wal-Mart world: The world's biggest corporation in the global economy. New York: Routledge.

Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D., & Hoskisson, R.E. (2008). Strategic management: Competitiveness and globalization. Mason, Ohio: Southwestern.

Jha, M. (2011). Retail Management. Michigan: Gyan Publishing House.

Kneer, C. (2009). The Wal-Mart Success Story. California: GRIN Verlag, 2009

Management

My product is a creative, critical individual with a strong educational background and a hard work ethic. There are a lot of people who have one or two of these traits, but I feel that my combination of these traits is something that sets me apart. If I am a product, then I am a premium product. My price and positioning will probably reflect that. There are still better products on the market, of that I don't doubt, but I have many different traits, each one of which would be attractive to an employer, and when combined these can be exceptionally powerful.

Selling the product is an important issue. As with any product, the key is to try to sell the product where it will fetch the highest price and have the highest demand. In this instance, there is only one unit, so we are not doing volume sales.…

" (Kotler and Lee 2005, p.3). Since this study was published, the contributions have steadily increased making CS an integral part of every major company today.

A report by Price Water Cooper House in 2010 shows that the CS initiatives and reporting has increased despite the sagging economy and this points to a positive change in the mindset of the management of companies. "PWC explains that such reports have become critical to a company's credibility, transparency and endurance." (Business & the Environment 2010, p.5). The reduced role of the Government in business circles is only going to further increase this trend because companies feel they have an obligation to the society at large and they want to make this country a better place for living. All this is done out of their own interest and initiative rather than any force by any external institution. Also, many companies understand the significance…

References

Associated Press. 2011, February 25. State and Local Budget Cuts are slowing the U.S. Economy. Fox News. [Online] Available at:  http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/25/government-budget-cuts-pose-threat-recovery  / [Accessed 27 March 2011]

No Author. 2011. Political Conditions. United States Country Review. 1(5). pp29-258.

Kotler, Philip; Lee, Nancy. 2005. Corporate Social Responsibility: Doing the most good for your company and your cause. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

BSD Global. 2011. Corporate Social Responsibility. International Institute for Sustainable Development. [Online]. Available at:  http://www.iisd.org/business/issues/sr.aspx  [Accessed 27 March 2011]

The Facebook page must incorporate a means to provide customer feedback. Hence, the Facebook page will feature a feedback form. It will also accept messages so that customers have another channel to send administration suggestions and constructive comments.

5.0 Marketing

5.1 enefits of Facebook Page

Facebook pages provide numerous benefits. For example, the Facebook platform supports UserVoice, an externally hosted feedback forum (lack, 2012). lack (2012) states, "Another approach to getting customer feedback on an ongoing basis is to use a hosted feedback forum such as UserVoice."

5.2 Costs

5.2.1 Development and Management Costs

Facebook does not charge a fee for the Facebook business page service. Furthermore, design, development, and deployment of a Facebook page social campaign is relatively inexpensive. For example, Constant Contact, a third party Facebook page developer, charges about $50 for a site with about 5,000 to 10,000 fans (Constant Contact, 2012).

5.2.2 Marketing Costs

Elaborate marketing…

Bibliography

AP Alert Presence 2012, Best hospital pages- childrenl hospitals, accessed 30th April 2012, .

AP Alert Presence 2012, Best hospital pages- individual hospitals, accessed 30th April 2012, .

Black L. 2012, 4 simple ways to get customer feedback online, accessed 30th April 2012, .

Constant Contact: social campaigns pricing 2012, accessed 30th April, 2012, .

Management

Economies of scale reflects a situation where the cost of something declines when more is produced. With larger quantities, bargaining power increase, and there are opportunities for greater systems efficiency. Economies of scope reflects a cost saving when a company produces two or more goods (The Economist, 2008). For example, if McDonalds only produced Big Macs, it would be inefficient because there is not enough demand for those to keep the restaurant busy. By adding other products, the restaurant can become more efficient because it is working closer to capacity and there are always customers.

Transaction costs are the costs associated with a transaction. In some cases, there are fees and commissions that have to be paid in order to do something. Those costs do not add any value in themselves, but they are costs that are necessary to doing the transaction.

Economic Value Added (EVA) is basically the…

References

IFM (2015). Porter's generic competitive strategies. University of Cambridge. Retrieved July 10, 2015 from  http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/research/dstools/porters-generic-competitive-strategies/ 

Porter, M. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved July10, 2015 from  https://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy 

The Economist (2008). Economies of scale and scope. The Economist. Retrieved July 10, 2015 from  http://www.economist.com/node/12446567 

Subramaniam, N. (1999). The European automotive industry. Tripod. Retrieved July 10, 2015 from  http://cometonada.tripod.com/segmentation.htm

"What Katrina showed us was how we can use our size and resources to do something very good." Inspired by its role in helping Katrina victims, Wal-Mart looked at the impact a company its size could have throughout the world on a daily basis if it embraced corporate social responsibility (CS)" (Ferdinand, 2007). But despite of this, a certain level of accommodation continues to exist.

Defense

The accusations brought to the supermarket chain are endless and they are likely to continue in the future as well. But the company has fought hard to counteract the harmful effects. Their best defense has been built on arguments such as:

Wal-Mart associate (employee) makes $17,000 per year and he is free to look for another job if he is dissatisfied

The company offers low prices, allowing as such the population to increase its savings and live a better life

The company obeys by…

References

Anderson, J.W. Jr., 1989, Corporate Social Responsibility: Guidelines for Top Management, Quorum Books

Berkhout, T., January-February 2005, Corporate Gains: Corporate Social Responsibility Can Be the Strategic Engine for Long-Term Corporate Profits and Responsible Social Development, Alternatives Journal, Vol. 31

Cahiles-Magkilat, B., January 9, 2001, Wal-Mart in Talks with Uniwide on Possible Tie-Up, Manila Bulletin

Gary, D., Summer 2004, Imperial Design: Theological Ethics and the Ideologies of International Politics, Cross Currents, Vol. 54

Management

Patents are a source of protection for intellectual property in any industry. The value in a patent is that it allows a company that has developed a product or proprietary technique to enjoy monopoly power over that, thus enabling the company to recoup its investment in the development of the proprietary product or technique. Patents are published as a matter of public record, and this is not deemed harmful because of the strength of law protecting patents. The typical response of competitors to patents is that they either build on the patent in a meaningful way, so as to receive their own patent for a new product that may be built on the original product. Alternatively, a competitor may develop a similar product that performs the same function as the one covered by patent, and receive its own patent on the new product. Patents typically can only be held…

References

Cadigan, S. (2015). Nurturing a culture of innovation. Inc. Magazine. Retrieved July 25, 2015 from  http://www.inc.com/steve-cadigan/nurturing-a-culture-of-innovation.html 

Morah, C. (2015). Patents are assets, so learn how to value them. Investopedia. Retrieved July 25, 2015 from  http://www.investopedia.com/articles/fundamental-analysis/09/valuing-patent.asp 

QuickMBA (2010). The value chain. QuickMBA.com. Retrieved July 25, 2015 from  http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/value-chain/ 

Waldron, D. (2013). Online education companies facing new disruption. Seeking Alpha. Retrieved July 25, 2015 from https://seekingalpha.com/article/1703392-online-education-companies-facing-new-disruption

Management

Sustainability and CSR Questions

Question 1; Green Rubber

Failures of firms adopting green marketing approaches are numerous. Perceptions that the target market are more interested in other factors, such as cost or quality, rather than the green credentials will mean firms are likely to prioritize the factors they feel are most likely to attract that market, and making a will lead to a competitive advantage. For example, in the GRG case it is apparent that there could be a cost benefit to using the DeLink technology to recycle rubber. The ability to develop green messages for a product that is associated with environment damage can also be a challenge, as it may be difficult to make the message credible, especially if it is to be a source of differentiation (Kotler and Keller, 2011). In addition, issues may include the target market assumption that recycled goods may be an inferior…

In contrast, Harley-Davidson is selling more of an experience and also a lifestyle change. For Harley, the open road and freedom is the catalyst of their unique value proposition. For Dunkin' Donuts, the trust they have created and sustain makes them a perfect choice for millions of consumers rushing to work in the morning who may have skipped breakfast at home. Harley-Davidson is all about a lifestyle change and freedom while Dunkin' Donuts has become a trusted source of excellent coffee, bakery items and excellent service.

American Express Video

After viewing the American Express video, can you identify a card that might fit your needs?

The Optima card which allows a card holder to carry a balance would be best, as the work I do has unequal payment dates. Freelance work pays irregularly so the Optima card would work best.

Also describe a credit card that you have. Is the…

These four dimensions are the tools for developing the company's marketing strategy and deciding which product line to cultivate, preserve, yield, or get rid of. Strong products should be grown or maintained. eak or unprofitable lines should be sold or discontinued as soon as possible. "Four basic factors are critical in the decision to manage individual product lines.

Consumer demand

Cost to produce

Gross margin

Total sales volume" (Berry, 2012).

Going through the process of developing a marketing plan will help CVS to figure out how they are going to draw people into their stores and sell them things beyond discounted generic drugs. A provides the market with a source of discounted drugs among other products. This market need is important today as many Americans are faced with the dilemma of using their limited income on food or meds. A pharmacy should seek to fulfill the following benefits that are…

Works Cited

Berry, T. 2012. "Add competitive analysis to your marketing plan." Web. 2 April 2012.

Available from: http://articles.mplans.com/include-competitive-analysis-in-your-plan/

Berry, T. 2012. "Product marketing." Web. 2 April 2012. Available at:

http://articles.mplans.com/product-marketing/

Branching out into new sectors of retailing - Wal-Mart has become a major pharmacy, an automotive repair shop, and a grocery retailer. This is just one example of success. It demonstrates Sam Walton's vision of being the best retailer around. After a store expands physically and geographically, it must then expand in terms of what they sell by branching out and competing with other businesses.

The conventional retail business of Wal-Mart has been to sell discount and house wares and plastic goods, clothing, sporting goods, and toys. Other departments have include but have not been limited to stationary and office supplies, hardware, home improvement, paint supplies, arts and crafts, cosmetics and toiletries, shoes, books and magazines, greeting cards, and confectionery. Wal-Mart has also branched out into home electronics, automotive supplies, pharmaceuticals, jewelry sales, photo finishing, travel planning, along with home gardening. After that Wal-Mart moved into the grocery store business…

References

Caban, Jennifer. (2007). Financial Success of Wal-Mart. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from  http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/260675/financial_success_of_walmart_pg2.ht  ml?cat=55

Carmichael, Evan. (2010). Wal-Mart - Sam Walton's Success Story. Retrieved July 23, 2010,

from Ezine Articles Web site:  http://ezinearticles.com/?Wal-Mart-Sam-Waltons -

Success-Story&id=356631

S. Airways and United have been stifled twice before, but renewed interest in the merger possibility has been created as a result of economic re-stabilization. But the two companies are currently in merger talks that would make U.S. Airways the second largest airline. The industry reported a $60 billion dollar loss since 2000 which has spurred interest in consolidation. Even with the dramatic declines in capacity by airlines collectively, in recent years, experts believe that there are too many airlines and a shortage in travelers. A merger could help both increase the earnings per share in a smaller timeframe than either company can accomplish alone.

But mergers in the airline industry have been difficult to pull off, in part because complex labor contracts can offset the promised cost savings. Delta and Northwestern recently merged, creating the nation's largest carrier after two years of implementation. William S. Swelbar, (research engineer at…

References

Corridore, Jim. "Airlines."Standard and PoorsNetAdvantage. www.netadvantage.standardpoor.com.online.library.marist.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/showIndustrySurvey.do?code=air (accessed May 14, 2011).

Crutsinger, Martin. "IMF: U.S. economy slowing but global growth gaining USATODAY.com." News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com.  http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2010-10-06-imf-economic-forecast_N.htm  (accessed May 14, 2011).

Bureau of Labor Statistics Graph: "The cost of airline fares and lodging away from home"  http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ugWk-rnkqXM/SYMF82UCWcI/AAAAAAAAD6U/eRlBYBU4j7s/s400/IATA+Performance+Month+Dec+2008.png  (Accessed May 14, 2011).

Reed, Ted. "U.S. Airways Pilots to Seek New Union." TheStreet.com.  http://www.thestreet.com/s/us-airways-pilots-to-seek-new-union/newsanalysis/transportation/10382899.html . (accessed May 14, 2011).

For both B2B and B2C-based organizations, a highly differentiating story is the highest priority from a current best practice or trend standpoint for managing and promoting a brand image. Figure 3, Top Challenges Creating and Managing a Brand, shows a prioritization key challenges from a marketing, sales and executive management perspective. At the top of all factors is differentiating with a story followed by linking brand value to business objectives.

Figure 3: Top Challenges Creating and Managing a Brand

Source: (Analysis of eports Accessed with Permission from the Publisher & Jump, 2012).

Assessment of Brand Management Theories and Best Practices to Build Consumer Trust

Dr. Aaker's theories and frameworks including the Aaker Model illustrate how brand management is a highly synchronized strategy, encompassing every aspect of an organization (Aaker, 2007). As has been shown in this analysis the future of branding is predicated both on the pried advances related to…

References

Aaker, D. (2007). Innovation: Brand it or lose it. California Management Review, 50(1), 8-24.

John M.T. Balmer. (2012). Corporate brand management imperatives: Custodianship, credibility and calibration. California Management Review, 54(3), 6-33.

Bogomolova, S., & Romaniuk, J. (2010). Brand equity of defectors and never boughts in a business financial market. Industrial Marketing Management, 39(8), 1261.

Bronnenberg, B.J., Dhar, S.K., & Dube, J. (2007). National brands, local branding: Conclusions and future research opportunities. JMR, Journal of Marketing Research, 44(1), 9-9.

.....personal marketing plan with the intention of marketing myself to my future employer. This is my first step into the management profession and I am excited to settle into a job in this field. This Personal Marketing Plan (PMP) will guide me on the areas I need to focus more as far as my career is concerned.

I am an American resident having completed all my studies here. Throughout my elementary and secondary years, I held various positions such as class representative. Later, I got an admission in the University and since I was inclined to the commerce side, I opted to major in management. After completing this course, I intend to sort out today's market needs and the employment opportunities just within the country (Herrick 50). My belief is that improvement and continuous innovation are the keys for competing in the currently challenging market. I have done extensive research…

Hostess Brands, Inc. is one of the largest wholesale bakers in the United States that operates nearly three dozen bakeries and more than 570 bakery outlet stores. This company delivers baked goods to mass marketers, American supermarkets, and convenience stores through 5,500 delivery routes. Since its inception, Hostess Brand, Inc. has developed to an extent that a hostess would demonstrate her home pride through serving breads and sweet products that are manufactured by Hostess Brands. Nature's Pride, Wonder, and Merita are some of the major bread brands manufactured and delivered by the firm. Moreover, Hostess Brands, Inc. also sells snack cakes such as Ding Dongs, Ho Ho's and Twinkies and other sweet-baked products. Despite of its success in the market, Hostess Brands, which is owned by ipplewood Holdings, an investment bank, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2012 and aims to liquidate.

Company Background:

Hostess Brands, Inc. was established…

References:

Curtis, J.M. (2012, November 22). Union Busting Kills Hostess Brands, Inc. Retrieved

December 3, 2012, from  http://www.examiner.com/article/union-busting-kills-hostess-brands-inc 

"Hostess in Current Condition Because of Failed Management." (2012, November 15). The

Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from  http://www.bctgm.org/2012/11/hostess-in-current-condition-because-of-failed-management/