Rehabilitation Paper Essay

As I am told to write this rehabilitation paper and to quote a definition, I understand that rehabilitation basically is a word of hope in the prisoner life not only for prisoners but as well for the selected individuals that strive to make prisoners better members of society. So, with that being said, my definition for rehabilitation is as follows: the idea or concept of making a prisoner better. The purpose of rehabilitation is almost with no form. It’s supposed to correct or bring an end to criminals’ wrong doing so that criminal offenders can emerge as useful members of society. The basic idea derived from the idea that a person who has been incarcerated will never want to be sent back to prison after they have been set free. Well, as we can see that is not the case. Most prisoners go through these rehabilitation programs and are released and just as soon as they are released go back to the way they were before and become criminal offenders and prisoners again. The origins of rehabilitation focused on forcing an inmate to consider both the error of his or her ways, the gravity of the crime committed, and why good conduct and further avoidance of crime would be beneficial. The initial origins of the penitentiary were created by the Quakers, and reinforced by religious fervor for a ‘black and white’ application of the law. â€Å"What the Quakers believed in was penance, the suffering of punishment inducing the prisoner to express sorrow for his sins and to promise to do good to make up for his evil acts-social change based on the religious transformation that took place within the penitentiary. The penitentiary was a place for penitents to do penance. This was intended to take place in isolation, as one might meditate alone in one’s room (Foster, 2006).† Rehabilitation affects the prisoners as well as general society because it’s supposed to make prisoners more acceptable in society. These programs strive to make criminals better citizens with this being said,   criminals as less likely to be an oppose threat to other citizens’ or members of the general society. I think that you can improve rehabilitation by starting rehabilitation as soon as a prisoners become a prisoner and making better choices on what types of programs that will help prisoners personally and individual ly. I think that rehabilitation can make a big difference in prison as well as having prisoners go through rehabilitation when they are released too. References Foster, B. (2006) Corrections: The fundamentals. Upper Saddle River.NJ: Prentice Hall.

Principles of Marketing

Recent History Brief Introduction about the organization General Electric Is an American conglomerate operating through the fields of energy, technology, Infrastructure, capital finance, and Industrial business. 1 Thomas Edison is a widely praised genius, both as an innovator and businessman, and it was his vision that laid the foundation for General Electric. 2 In 1876, he opened his first real workshop in Menlo Park, New Jersey where he would eventually create the electric light bulb. In 1890, Edison started the Edison General Electric Company to old his many businesses under one roof and after merging with the Houston- Thomas Company, his prime competitor, General Electric was born. 2 In the fields of technology and energy, General Electric will be releasing a product targeting solar energy and electric vehicles called The Catch. The Catch Is a solar powered car cover that absorbs the sun's rays to charge electric cars without the need for an outside electrical source. It protects cars from weather damage and keeps them cool from the sun's heat as well.The Catch Is a cover Like the ones available to cover any standard icicle, but will be covered with multiple small solar panels. The Catch will have a chord attached that plugs directly into cars instead of having them plugged into an electrical outlet. 1 . â€Å"About Us,† General Electric, accessed October 3, 2013, http://www. GE. Com/about- us/curing 2. † Thomas Edison At G. E. ,† General Electric, accessed October 3, 2012, http://www. GE. Com/about-us/history/Thomas-Edison Discuss what Is unique about the company and Its offerings General Electric Is known widely for their diversified and Inventive products.Its products Include gas and steam generators, solar energy devices, water treatment revise, lighting, healthcare services, home and business solutions, loans and leases. 3 G. E. Is a world renown company with the numbers to prove it. In 2012, General Electric was placed at number 8 o n Fortune ass's top earners list in 2012 with $146. 9 billion in revenue. 4 With top competitors such as Valier Energy and Caterpillar Inc. Trailing behind, General Electric continuously maintains a respectable reputation as an innovative company. As well as being a top ranked annual earner, G. E. Was named in Bloomberg Businessman's list of world's most innovative companies and Baron's list of most respected companies. Because General Electric expands their horizons diving into a varied number of profitable industries and dominating the competition with their pioneering qualities and reputable business methods, It Is hard for alternative companies to keep up. With the Earth's diminishing sources of gas and fuel, G. E. Came up with a product that would accommodate the ever- changing needs of modern day society.Part 2 Marketing Plan Market-product Focus What are the objectives of your new product? The overall objective for our consumer product, The Catch, is very clear and straight t o the point; as a company, we are trying to help all owners of electrical cars utilize a more convenient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly way of charging their vehicles. The Catch will allow the consumer to charge their car in practically any rear inside or outside that natural light can be obtained. With a single lifetime payment, The Catch will save consumers money without the need for continuous electric bills arising from existing charging methods.Lastly, by using the sun as a natural source of energy, we are thinking green and making a major thrust in conserving the environment. This new generation product will make life much easier for electric vehicle owners because of its substantial benefits. The Catch will be such an efficient product that it might Just convince other car companies to focus more on electric cars. It will also encourage potential car buyers to consider purchasing electric cars, which will encourage the use of our product. What is the specific c ustomer niche that your product addresses?The niche our product will be initially addressing is a car owners who desire a more cost effective and greener alternative to standard electric car charging methods engine with a 4-kHz battery that gives it only 9 to 15 miles of electric arrange. This is an example of a need related to our customers that is not being satisfied within our market segment. Last year, roughly 17,000 plug-in cars were sold in the United States more than were sold in any previous yearly 1 . Sales this year will most likely double or triple that number based on society's desire for technological advancement in all fields.President Obama set a goal for 1 million electric cars to be on the road by 201 512, which probably won't happen; however, the President's leadership will definitely encourage people to transition from gas-powered cars to electric-powered ones because of the government's efforts in educating the country on the benefits of utilizing electric cars. This proves that our consumer product is entering a market hat is expanding rapidly, which increases our product's chance of success. 10. Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. Log. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars 1 1 . Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. blob. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars 12. Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. blob. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars What sets your product apart from the competition? The Catches main competitor is the V-Tent. The V-Tent is a non-portable solar powered parking device that charges electric cars.Our product design for The Catch is based around portability. The option to fold up The Catch and move it from point A to point B is going to the main point of difference from the V-Tent. Another drawback of the V-Tent is it can only operate under certain dimensions, limiting it to only small sedans. The Catch will be produced in a variety of sizes to fit the needs of all consumers driving electric cars. Envision LLC, our other competitor, has developed he Solar Tree as a way of saving unused space in parking lots.These structures are very expensive and not for personal use at all; in fact, they don't even allow for an electric vehicle to charge while parked near theme 5. The Solar Tree is going to be used in large parking lots limiting them to Just business-to-business market segment. The individual consumer may not benefit from Envisions product. Our strategy will cover all markets including green, cause, business-to-business and individual household marketing. 13. N-Tent Solar Parking System,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. Designator. Mol design/v-tent/ 14. Solar Tree Array,† accessed on October 24, 2013, www. Envisioned. Com/solar- tree- array/ 15. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† settable=sectional 16. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† accessed on October 24, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? How are you communicating your points of difference to your customers? Points of difference is expressed as a synonym of product differentiation, meaning the product features that set the product apart from its competition.The Catch is a product with very limited competition. With the competitive advantage of not having many opponents in its market segment, it will not be hard to express the product features and benefits of The Catch that consumers cannot find anywhere else in the retail market. With the use of informational and transformational TV commercials, print advertisements, as well as the use of our social media networking, getting the word out about The Catches product differentia tion will be simple and effective. Because The Catch is emerging in a new market, there is no such thing as bad timing with its release.With a strong desire from consumers and economic access to buyers, consumers will Jump at the opportunity to save money, live environmentally consciously and advance in the world of technology. Because of these things, new- product failure is no where in The Catches future. Part 3 Marketing Plan Marketing Program 8. What are the product line, unique product quality, and packaging of your product? With the creation of our solar powered car cover, titled The Catch, our company is going to base our product line on how successful The Catch is after its 17.Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† initial launch. What we at General Electric have in mind for a product line extension is a smaller version of The Catch made to charge laptops, cell phones, and other handheld devices using the same solar powered method. These new products are projected to succeed in the marketplace because they satisfy the same needs, target the same customer base, and are going to be distributed through the same outlet as The Catch. 18 All of our products will hold high standards in terms of quality.Part of what makes The Catch â€Å"cool† and appealing to customers is how it catches the eye with a high tech, sleek design. A higher price is worth it for a higher quality product like ours. For packaging, our product will be presented to the customer inside a box labeled with our company logo, picture of The Catch, as well as product features and basic instructions with pictures. Inside the box The Catch will be concealed in a plastic bag along with support information and a detailed instruction manual.The Catch will create high customer value by providing functional, perceptual, and communication benefits, as well as addressing environmental concerns. 19 What is As discussed briefly in this marketin g plan, our new product The Catch fraternities itself very well when it comes to green marketing for a large demographic of electric car owners because there is no existing product like it. This makes evaluating the price point and price position relative to substitutes of our product fairly difficult.Although an abundance of in depth research must be done in 18. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Developing New Products and Services,† accessed on Novo. 19, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? settable ?section Tabs 19. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Managing Successful Products, Services, and Brands,† accessed on Novo. 19, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? settable=sectional order to reveal a more accurate estimation of the final price we can still create an educated estimation.The bulk of The Catch will consist of a large protective car cover as well as multiple folding solar panels. The mean value of most conventional c ar covers ranges from $25 to $35. We will be purchasing our solar panels from the industrial supply company MIRRORS. Their product the Powerful OFF-1800 foldable solar charger is an amazing candidate for our development of The Catch. 0 At $500 each they will cost around $2,000 dollars to produce on The Catch unit. This is before any wholesale negotiations have taken place. We here at G. E. Re looking to flood the emerging market by introducing a new product, in turn creating brand loyalty. This is why we are going to take a cost-oriented pricing approach when developing our product before developing a profit-oriented pricing method. 21 Using these methods we hope to establish a retail value of $2,000 – $2,500 which will satisfy both the needs of our company and customers. What promotional strategies are used for your rotund? The promotional strategies that we will implement for The Catch will include advertising, personal selling, and direct marketing. Principles of Marketing Recent History Brief Introduction about the organization General Electric Is an American conglomerate operating through the fields of energy, technology, Infrastructure, capital finance, and Industrial business. 1 Thomas Edison is a widely praised genius, both as an innovator and businessman, and it was his vision that laid the foundation for General Electric. 2 In 1876, he opened his first real workshop in Menlo Park, New Jersey where he would eventually create the electric light bulb. In 1890, Edison started the Edison General Electric Company to old his many businesses under one roof and after merging with the Houston- Thomas Company, his prime competitor, General Electric was born. 2 In the fields of technology and energy, General Electric will be releasing a product targeting solar energy and electric vehicles called The Catch. The Catch Is a solar powered car cover that absorbs the sun's rays to charge electric cars without the need for an outside electrical source. It protects cars from weather damage and keeps them cool from the sun's heat as well.The Catch Is a cover Like the ones available to cover any standard icicle, but will be covered with multiple small solar panels. The Catch will have a chord attached that plugs directly into cars instead of having them plugged into an electrical outlet. 1 . â€Å"About Us,† General Electric, accessed October 3, 2013, http://www. GE. Com/about- us/curing 2. † Thomas Edison At G. E. ,† General Electric, accessed October 3, 2012, http://www. GE. Com/about-us/history/Thomas-Edison Discuss what Is unique about the company and Its offerings General Electric Is known widely for their diversified and Inventive products.Its products Include gas and steam generators, solar energy devices, water treatment revise, lighting, healthcare services, home and business solutions, loans and leases. 3 G. E. Is a world renown company with the numbers to prove it. In 2012, General Electric was placed at number 8 o n Fortune ass's top earners list in 2012 with $146. 9 billion in revenue. 4 With top competitors such as Valier Energy and Caterpillar Inc. Trailing behind, General Electric continuously maintains a respectable reputation as an innovative company. As well as being a top ranked annual earner, G. E. Was named in Bloomberg Businessman's list of world's most innovative companies and Baron's list of most respected companies. Because General Electric expands their horizons diving into a varied number of profitable industries and dominating the competition with their pioneering qualities and reputable business methods, It Is hard for alternative companies to keep up. With the Earth's diminishing sources of gas and fuel, G. E. Came up with a product that would accommodate the ever- changing needs of modern day society.Part 2 Marketing Plan Market-product Focus What are the objectives of your new product? The overall objective for our consumer product, The Catch, is very clear and straight t o the point; as a company, we are trying to help all owners of electrical cars utilize a more convenient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly way of charging their vehicles. The Catch will allow the consumer to charge their car in practically any rear inside or outside that natural light can be obtained. With a single lifetime payment, The Catch will save consumers money without the need for continuous electric bills arising from existing charging methods.Lastly, by using the sun as a natural source of energy, we are thinking green and making a major thrust in conserving the environment. This new generation product will make life much easier for electric vehicle owners because of its substantial benefits. The Catch will be such an efficient product that it might Just convince other car companies to focus more on electric cars. It will also encourage potential car buyers to consider purchasing electric cars, which will encourage the use of our product. What is the specific c ustomer niche that your product addresses?The niche our product will be initially addressing is a car owners who desire a more cost effective and greener alternative to standard electric car charging methods engine with a 4-kHz battery that gives it only 9 to 15 miles of electric arrange. This is an example of a need related to our customers that is not being satisfied within our market segment. Last year, roughly 17,000 plug-in cars were sold in the United States more than were sold in any previous yearly 1 . Sales this year will most likely double or triple that number based on society's desire for technological advancement in all fields.President Obama set a goal for 1 million electric cars to be on the road by 201 512, which probably won't happen; however, the President's leadership will definitely encourage people to transition from gas-powered cars to electric-powered ones because of the government's efforts in educating the country on the benefits of utilizing electric cars. This proves that our consumer product is entering a market hat is expanding rapidly, which increases our product's chance of success. 10. Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. Log. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars 1 1 . Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. blob. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars 12. Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. blob. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars What sets your product apart from the competition? The Catches main competitor is the V-Tent. The V-Tent is a non-portable solar powered parking device that charges electric cars.Our product design for The Catch is based around portability. The option to fold up The Catch and move it from point A to point B is going to the main point of difference from the V-Tent. Another drawback of the V-Tent is it can only operate under certain dimensions, limiting it to only small sedans. The Catch will be produced in a variety of sizes to fit the needs of all consumers driving electric cars. Envision LLC, our other competitor, has developed he Solar Tree as a way of saving unused space in parking lots.These structures are very expensive and not for personal use at all; in fact, they don't even allow for an electric vehicle to charge while parked near theme 5. The Solar Tree is going to be used in large parking lots limiting them to Just business-to-business market segment. The individual consumer may not benefit from Envisions product. Our strategy will cover all markets including green, cause, business-to-business and individual household marketing. 13. N-Tent Solar Parking System,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. Designator. Mol design/v-tent/ 14. Solar Tree Array,† accessed on October 24, 2013, www. Envisioned. Com/solar- tree- array/ 15. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† settable=sectional 16. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† accessed on October 24, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? How are you communicating your points of difference to your customers? Points of difference is expressed as a synonym of product differentiation, meaning the product features that set the product apart from its competition.The Catch is a product with very limited competition. With the competitive advantage of not having many opponents in its market segment, it will not be hard to express the product features and benefits of The Catch that consumers cannot find anywhere else in the retail market. With the use of informational and transformational TV commercials, print advertisements, as well as the use of our social media networking, getting the word out about The Catches product differentia tion will be simple and effective. Because The Catch is emerging in a new market, there is no such thing as bad timing with its release.With a strong desire from consumers and economic access to buyers, consumers will Jump at the opportunity to save money, live environmentally consciously and advance in the world of technology. Because of these things, new- product failure is no where in The Catches future. Part 3 Marketing Plan Marketing Program 8. What are the product line, unique product quality, and packaging of your product? With the creation of our solar powered car cover, titled The Catch, our company is going to base our product line on how successful The Catch is after its 17.Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† initial launch. What we at General Electric have in mind for a product line extension is a smaller version of The Catch made to charge laptops, cell phones, and other handheld devices using the same solar powered method. These new products are projected to succeed in the marketplace because they satisfy the same needs, target the same customer base, and are going to be distributed through the same outlet as The Catch. 18 All of our products will hold high standards in terms of quality.Part of what makes The Catch â€Å"cool† and appealing to customers is how it catches the eye with a high tech, sleek design. A higher price is worth it for a higher quality product like ours. For packaging, our product will be presented to the customer inside a box labeled with our company logo, picture of The Catch, as well as product features and basic instructions with pictures. Inside the box The Catch will be concealed in a plastic bag along with support information and a detailed instruction manual.The Catch will create high customer value by providing functional, perceptual, and communication benefits, as well as addressing environmental concerns. 19 What is As discussed briefly in this marketin g plan, our new product The Catch fraternities itself very well when it comes to green marketing for a large demographic of electric car owners because there is no existing product like it. This makes evaluating the price point and price position relative to substitutes of our product fairly difficult.Although an abundance of in depth research must be done in 18. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Developing New Products and Services,† accessed on Novo. 19, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? settable ?section Tabs 19. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Managing Successful Products, Services, and Brands,† accessed on Novo. 19, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? settable=sectional order to reveal a more accurate estimation of the final price we can still create an educated estimation.The bulk of The Catch will consist of a large protective car cover as well as multiple folding solar panels. The mean value of most conventional c ar covers ranges from $25 to $35. We will be purchasing our solar panels from the industrial supply company MIRRORS. Their product the Powerful OFF-1800 foldable solar charger is an amazing candidate for our development of The Catch. 0 At $500 each they will cost around $2,000 dollars to produce on The Catch unit. This is before any wholesale negotiations have taken place. We here at G. E. Re looking to flood the emerging market by introducing a new product, in turn creating brand loyalty. This is why we are going to take a cost-oriented pricing approach when developing our product before developing a profit-oriented pricing method. 21 Using these methods we hope to establish a retail value of $2,000 – $2,500 which will satisfy both the needs of our company and customers. What promotional strategies are used for your rotund? The promotional strategies that we will implement for The Catch will include advertising, personal selling, and direct marketing. Principles of Marketing Recent History Brief Introduction about the organization General Electric Is an American conglomerate operating through the fields of energy, technology, Infrastructure, capital finance, and Industrial business. 1 Thomas Edison is a widely praised genius, both as an innovator and businessman, and it was his vision that laid the foundation for General Electric. 2 In 1876, he opened his first real workshop in Menlo Park, New Jersey where he would eventually create the electric light bulb. In 1890, Edison started the Edison General Electric Company to old his many businesses under one roof and after merging with the Houston- Thomas Company, his prime competitor, General Electric was born. 2 In the fields of technology and energy, General Electric will be releasing a product targeting solar energy and electric vehicles called The Catch. The Catch Is a solar powered car cover that absorbs the sun's rays to charge electric cars without the need for an outside electrical source. It protects cars from weather damage and keeps them cool from the sun's heat as well.The Catch Is a cover Like the ones available to cover any standard icicle, but will be covered with multiple small solar panels. The Catch will have a chord attached that plugs directly into cars instead of having them plugged into an electrical outlet. 1 . â€Å"About Us,† General Electric, accessed October 3, 2013, http://www. GE. Com/about- us/curing 2. † Thomas Edison At G. E. ,† General Electric, accessed October 3, 2012, http://www. GE. Com/about-us/history/Thomas-Edison Discuss what Is unique about the company and Its offerings General Electric Is known widely for their diversified and Inventive products.Its products Include gas and steam generators, solar energy devices, water treatment revise, lighting, healthcare services, home and business solutions, loans and leases. 3 G. E. Is a world renown company with the numbers to prove it. In 2012, General Electric was placed at number 8 o n Fortune ass's top earners list in 2012 with $146. 9 billion in revenue. 4 With top competitors such as Valier Energy and Caterpillar Inc. Trailing behind, General Electric continuously maintains a respectable reputation as an innovative company. As well as being a top ranked annual earner, G. E. Was named in Bloomberg Businessman's list of world's most innovative companies and Baron's list of most respected companies. Because General Electric expands their horizons diving into a varied number of profitable industries and dominating the competition with their pioneering qualities and reputable business methods, It Is hard for alternative companies to keep up. With the Earth's diminishing sources of gas and fuel, G. E. Came up with a product that would accommodate the ever- changing needs of modern day society.Part 2 Marketing Plan Market-product Focus What are the objectives of your new product? The overall objective for our consumer product, The Catch, is very clear and straight t o the point; as a company, we are trying to help all owners of electrical cars utilize a more convenient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly way of charging their vehicles. The Catch will allow the consumer to charge their car in practically any rear inside or outside that natural light can be obtained. With a single lifetime payment, The Catch will save consumers money without the need for continuous electric bills arising from existing charging methods.Lastly, by using the sun as a natural source of energy, we are thinking green and making a major thrust in conserving the environment. This new generation product will make life much easier for electric vehicle owners because of its substantial benefits. The Catch will be such an efficient product that it might Just convince other car companies to focus more on electric cars. It will also encourage potential car buyers to consider purchasing electric cars, which will encourage the use of our product. What is the specific c ustomer niche that your product addresses?The niche our product will be initially addressing is a car owners who desire a more cost effective and greener alternative to standard electric car charging methods engine with a 4-kHz battery that gives it only 9 to 15 miles of electric arrange. This is an example of a need related to our customers that is not being satisfied within our market segment. Last year, roughly 17,000 plug-in cars were sold in the United States more than were sold in any previous yearly 1 . Sales this year will most likely double or triple that number based on society's desire for technological advancement in all fields.President Obama set a goal for 1 million electric cars to be on the road by 201 512, which probably won't happen; however, the President's leadership will definitely encourage people to transition from gas-powered cars to electric-powered ones because of the government's efforts in educating the country on the benefits of utilizing electric cars. This proves that our consumer product is entering a market hat is expanding rapidly, which increases our product's chance of success. 10. Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. Log. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars 1 1 . Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. blob. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars 12. Blocker, John. â€Å"Five Real-World Facts About Electric Cars,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. blob. RMI. Org/blob_Five_Real_World_Facts_Photoelectric_Cars What sets your product apart from the competition? The Catches main competitor is the V-Tent. The V-Tent is a non-portable solar powered parking device that charges electric cars.Our product design for The Catch is based around portability. The option to fold up The Catch and move it from point A to point B is going to the main point of difference from the V-Tent. Another drawback of the V-Tent is it can only operate under certain dimensions, limiting it to only small sedans. The Catch will be produced in a variety of sizes to fit the needs of all consumers driving electric cars. Envision LLC, our other competitor, has developed he Solar Tree as a way of saving unused space in parking lots.These structures are very expensive and not for personal use at all; in fact, they don't even allow for an electric vehicle to charge while parked near theme 5. The Solar Tree is going to be used in large parking lots limiting them to Just business-to-business market segment. The individual consumer may not benefit from Envisions product. Our strategy will cover all markets including green, cause, business-to-business and individual household marketing. 13. N-Tent Solar Parking System,† accessed October 24, 2013, www. Designator. Mol design/v-tent/ 14. Solar Tree Array,† accessed on October 24, 2013, www. Envisioned. Com/solar- tree- array/ 15. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† settable=sectional 16. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† accessed on October 24, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? How are you communicating your points of difference to your customers? Points of difference is expressed as a synonym of product differentiation, meaning the product features that set the product apart from its competition.The Catch is a product with very limited competition. With the competitive advantage of not having many opponents in its market segment, it will not be hard to express the product features and benefits of The Catch that consumers cannot find anywhere else in the retail market. With the use of informational and transformational TV commercials, print advertisements, as well as the use of our social media networking, getting the word out about The Catches product differentia tion will be simple and effective. Because The Catch is emerging in a new market, there is no such thing as bad timing with its release.With a strong desire from consumers and economic access to buyers, consumers will Jump at the opportunity to save money, live environmentally consciously and advance in the world of technology. Because of these things, new- product failure is no where in The Catches future. Part 3 Marketing Plan Marketing Program 8. What are the product line, unique product quality, and packaging of your product? With the creation of our solar powered car cover, titled The Catch, our company is going to base our product line on how successful The Catch is after its 17.Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning,† initial launch. What we at General Electric have in mind for a product line extension is a smaller version of The Catch made to charge laptops, cell phones, and other handheld devices using the same solar powered method. These new products are projected to succeed in the marketplace because they satisfy the same needs, target the same customer base, and are going to be distributed through the same outlet as The Catch. 18 All of our products will hold high standards in terms of quality.Part of what makes The Catch â€Å"cool† and appealing to customers is how it catches the eye with a high tech, sleek design. A higher price is worth it for a higher quality product like ours. For packaging, our product will be presented to the customer inside a box labeled with our company logo, picture of The Catch, as well as product features and basic instructions with pictures. Inside the box The Catch will be concealed in a plastic bag along with support information and a detailed instruction manual.The Catch will create high customer value by providing functional, perceptual, and communication benefits, as well as addressing environmental concerns. 19 What is As discussed briefly in this marketin g plan, our new product The Catch fraternities itself very well when it comes to green marketing for a large demographic of electric car owners because there is no existing product like it. This makes evaluating the price point and price position relative to substitutes of our product fairly difficult.Although an abundance of in depth research must be done in 18. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Developing New Products and Services,† accessed on Novo. 19, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? settable ?section Tabs 19. Kerri, Hartley, Rudderless, â€Å"Managing Successful Products, Services, and Brands,† accessed on Novo. 19, 2013, www. Connect. McGraw-hill. Com/connect/homeboy. Do? settable=sectional order to reveal a more accurate estimation of the final price we can still create an educated estimation.The bulk of The Catch will consist of a large protective car cover as well as multiple folding solar panels. The mean value of most conventional c ar covers ranges from $25 to $35. We will be purchasing our solar panels from the industrial supply company MIRRORS. Their product the Powerful OFF-1800 foldable solar charger is an amazing candidate for our development of The Catch. 0 At $500 each they will cost around $2,000 dollars to produce on The Catch unit. This is before any wholesale negotiations have taken place. We here at G. E. Re looking to flood the emerging market by introducing a new product, in turn creating brand loyalty. This is why we are going to take a cost-oriented pricing approach when developing our product before developing a profit-oriented pricing method. 21 Using these methods we hope to establish a retail value of $2,000 – $2,500 which will satisfy both the needs of our company and customers. What promotional strategies are used for your rotund? The promotional strategies that we will implement for The Catch will include advertising, personal selling, and direct marketing.

Strategic Management in Aviation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Management in Aviation - Essay Example To understand these issues, we will have to first look at a comprehensive safety measures in the aviation industry, while the focus and strategies that have been used to build a True lean and Six Sigma. They will include; planning enterprise and value streaming and mapping (involves building of a road map for development), carrying out of high impact lean six sigma, checking on reflections of the best practices that work against lean enterprise roadmap, and standardizing of sustainable process development and deployment. In today’s aviation industry, the environment is well regulated. The industry players are required to comply with an enormous number of regulations and standards, thus making it a complex industry to deal with (Frenkel, 2009). It is through this proposal that we can simply the process of the players in the industry to comply with the regulations. This will therefore help them to be effective when it comes to complying with regulators and external auditors mana ging the aviation industry (Frenkel, 2009). To the organizations that want to maintain compliance and improving the safety of the aviation industry, this proposal will be of great help. There is a need for organizations to reduce the risk of non-compliance while improving the safety outcomes. Safety measures need to be easy to implement, use and exceptionally flexible. In this paper, there will be extensive research on how developed safety systems can be of help to the industry. The aviation industry is the pillar of any nation economy. The main reason been that it is the entry point and exit point of a nation; both to its citizens and commercial goods (Frenkel, 2009). It is through ensuring the safety of their economical goods that the economy of a nation will be able to grow. The following are some of the things that the proposal will be covering to ensure that safety measures are implemented in this industry. They include risk management and assurance, promotion and government policies (Frenkel, 2009). In the end of this proposal, it can be used as a tool for formal process and structures that can control the daily risks associated with the aviation mission. Air travel remains to be one of the most complex and multi-faceted means that tackles s huge amount of packages, freight, and mails carried all cargo aircraft and aboard passenger. Addition ally, the air cargo system is volatile to various security threats, which include potential ways such as placing explosives aboard airplane; shipment of illegal and hazardous substance; criminal undertaking such as theft and smuggling; potential sabotage and hijackings by people who can access the aircraft. Various technological and procedural initiatives to combat air cargo security and limit criminals and terrorists are under consideration or they have been put in place. After the September 11th attacks, airport security is more advanced. All goods and individuals are required to go through special scanners that help is determining if individuals are concealing any weapons. The procedural initiative involve industry wide consideration and implementation of the â€Å" known shipper† program; addition of cargo inspection; more thorough physical security of facilities of air cargo; increased air cargo oversight operations; advanced security training for cargo handling staff; a nd more strict control over air cargo operation spheres and access to

Public Transport Systems and Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public Transport Systems and Pollution - Essay Example Due to the interference with national balance, production of different raw materials that are used in the manufacturing industry are affected, which consequently constraints the industry. The issue of pollution, which is global and not regional is evident in all states across the globe, although some have taken significant steps to address the menace. This essay will deeply examine the issue of pollution laying special focus on the effects of pollution on the on human health and environment, fish stocks, forestry sectors of the economy. This essay will also discuss the relationship between public transport systems and pollution as well as focus on the cost of climate change. Air pollution has led to various adverse effects to forestry department and the industries in the sector. Pollutants that are known to cause much harm to trees are oxidants, fluorides, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and volatile hydrocarbons (Gifford, 2006, p. 60). Oxidants react with the sunlight to produce toxins such as peroxyl acetyl nitrate (PAN) and ozone that are harmful to the trees. Ozone is commonly found in the upper strata of the atmosphere but, is considered to be highly harmful once found near the ground. High levels of these greenhouse gases easily damage trees and can easily wipe out an entire forest, which poses a threat to the industries in the field. Pollutants resulting from sulfur dioxide arise as a result of burning oil or coal to produce energy. They are also formed during the extraction of ores and when manufacturing products. Other manmade chemicals such as herbicide, pesticides, and fertilizers do detriment trees. Public transport systems have contributed to air pollution in a great way. Fuels used by the current means of transportation emit harmful chemicals once combusted with carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide being very common. Mining undertakings are similarly key players in the issue of pollution.  

Report on Japan Base Wages Rise for First Time in Nearly Two Years and Article

Report on Japan Base Wages Rise for First Time in Nearly Two Years and how it is related to the behavior of the Japanese economy - Article Example There has not been any official overall increase in wages since the late 90’s. This means that the economy of Japan has been facing a downhill trend for almost fifteen years. Companies like Toyota and Panasonic were on board with the idea with Toyota promising a point eight increase in overall salary which has had no change since 2008 (Tabuchi 1). The GDP of Japan has had an increase rate of about one percent per annum, which is a very slow rate for a third best economy state. The move to raise the wages will have an impact overall spending nature of workers, the more the workers have to spend the faster the economy grows. Increase in wages will give a reason for consumers to spend as opposed to the earlier trend where consumers had no need to spend. The increase is a strategy to encourage consumers to let go and spend a little more than they have been in the past. Spending more will eventually lead to an increase in the Nikkei stocks exchange

SLP 5 - HRM EVALUATING TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Essay

SLP 5 - HRM EVALUATING TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS - Essay Example There are different models and tools that can be used to evaluate training and development programs that depend on the budget and the nature of the business. However, in the current situation, Kirkpatricks Four-Level Model will be used for the evaluation. The model consists of four levels namely, reaction, learning, behavior, and results. The four levels are all used for a complete evaluation. The model is the best model for measuring the effectiveness of training and development programs. The model helps one quantitatively analyze the impact and the effectiveness of the training so as to improve on it in the coming future. The evaluation model is divided into four parts: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. Reaction level measures how the trainee react towards the training (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006). Notably, every instructor wants the trainee to feel that the training was accommodating to them, and they do feel good about the topic, the presentations, and the materials. The main drive of reaction evaluation is to improve the quality of training programs. This will in turn result in the improvement of performance which will be attained by measuring the participant’s reaction to the new program. Evaluation tools in this model are simply feedbacked forms and happy sheets that are based on subjective reaction to the training experiences. Learning level follows the reaction level. The main aim of evaluation at this level is to find the difference between what the trainees already knew and what they have learned from the training program (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006). In other words, this is the measure of the increased knowledge from before to the end of the training. In this level, the evaluation focuses on measuring all that was covered in the training events. For this reason, the questions in this level will contain a pre-test that will be taken before practicum

Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's Essay

Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's - Essay Example Plaintiffs also allege that they incurred substantial personal losses due to their respective purchases of Daou stock at fraudulently inflated prices (2005). The district court held that the plaintiffs had failed to state sufficiently particularize claims under the 1933 Securities Act and the 1934 Exchange Act (2005). Hence, Plaintiffs now appeal the district courts dismissal of their Third Amended Complaint (â€Å"TAC†) with prejudice (2005). Plaintiffs contend that Daou fraudulently inflated the price of its stock by reporting revenues before they were earned, in violation of GAAP (2005). They claim that the said company employed an accounting method known as the percentage-of-completion (â€Å"POC†) method, which is used primarily to account for progress on long-term projects (2005). Under this method, revenue from these projects could only be recognized based on the percentage of labor costs incurred to date compared to the total estimated labor costs for the project (2005). Plaintiffs allege, however, that defendants would prematurely recognize revenue in contravention of the POC method (2005). Hence, because of such artificial inflation of the price of Daou stock, Plaintiffs allege that Daou was able to acquire eleven companies, and Daou executives and their respective family members were able to sell nearly 2.5 million shares for a total of $54.67 million in improper proceeds (2005). Plaintiffs also allege th at to their detriment they purchased their Daou shares during the class period at artificially inflated prices and that, had they been aware of Daous true financial results and condition, they would not have purchased their shares, or at least not at the prices paid (2005).

National Labor Relations Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

National Labor Relations Act - Essay Example For a while, the employees felt a sense of contentment with the recognition of their rights made through their unions only to be plunged ultimately by the assertion of the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947. The labor law is defined comprising mainly on the elements of law, and in its entirety deals on the state policies on labor and employment. It' constituents are composed of the persons, individuals, labor organizations, partnerships, corporations to name a few. On the one hand, an employer may be an agent directly or indirectly of any institution government or not that utilizes the labor force in it's earning capacity. Karl Marx would have blatantly the employer as: "the capitalist". Albeit a non-foolproof provision, the Act as a law considers it illegal for employers to exercise interference, restraint or coercion on a union's collective activity. The Act also prohibits domination and refusal of employers to bargain in good faith with union representatives. Illegality is also seen in cases where the employer retaliates for the filing of unfair-labor practices charge and the discrimination against employees who take part in union or any other collective activity. Threats from employers against union members fall under the category of union-busting along with coercion, disciplinary actions, suspen

West Coast Mainline Modernisation. Project Analysis Essay

West Coast Mainline Modernisation. Project Analysis - Essay Example The various transportation facilities and infrastructure that are developed in the process are roads, bridges, rails and other facilities that aid in mobility and access. These developments are done in stage or per project basis that ascertains specific end-results employing project management. Project Management is previously a management philosophy that soon evolved into a business process (Kerzner, 2009). It involves planning, organising, securing and managing resources to achieve goals. It is to be understood that a project has its specific start and ending, and is dependent on time, budget or funding, and deliverables. It is usually expected to bring positive or beneficial results. Its temporary nature make it unique from business operations which is a continuous one or somewhat permanent in the delivery of products or services. This paper will discuss and analyse a rail industry project – the West Coast Main Line Modernisation - and describe the project management proble ms encountered in this project completion. In the project implementation of a rail, various management stages involved are Output Definition, Pre-Feasibility, Option Selection, Single Option Development, Detailed Design, Construction, Testing and Commissioning, Scheme Handback and Project Close Out (Network Rail, 2003). †¢ A brief description of your chosen project. The West Coast Main Line or WCML is the rail backbone of United Kingdom when it comes to importance and number of populations served. It underwent several modernisation stages and the latest of which was the Network Rail modernisation that commenced by the 1990s. Plans for the upgrade and renewal of the line by Virgin Trains for the tilting Pendolino trains with increased speed of 140 mph or 225 km/h was aborted when deemed ambitious. The proposed upgrade involved the adoption of the moving block signalling which worked with light rail systems and metro lines, but not yet proven with high-speed heavy rail network (O ffice of Rail Regulation, 2007). Owned by Network Rail, WCML is the busiest mixed traffic railway route provider, an intercity link connecting London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow to the West Midlands, North West, North Wales, and the Central Belt of Scotland. Handling about 75 million passengers per annum translated to about 43% of UK’s rail freight traffic, it is also links many other smaller towns and cities serving as a suburban railway. The various operators of the WCML are Virgin Trains, East Coast, London Midland, Southern, CrossCountry, First TransPennine Express, Northern Rail, Arriva Trains Wales, First ScotRail, DB Schenker Rail (UK), GB Railfreight, Freightliner Ltd., and Direct Rail Services Ltd (Network Rail, 2007). It was designated a priority Trans-European Networks route. It connects to European mainland via the Channel Tunnel. In 1955, it was modernised and electrified implemented in stages from 1959 to 1974. Electrification was first implem ented on the route from Crewe to Manchester completed by 1960, followed by Crewe to Liverpool by 1962, London by 1965, Birmingham by 1967, and Weaver Junction to Glasgow by 1974. The introduction of the Inter-City brand in 1966 came with high-speed long-distance services where journey clocked in 2 hours and 40 minutes from London to Manchester or Liverpool (Thomas, 1971). Modern coaches followed with the Mark 2 and air-conditioned Mark 3, and soon linespeed was raised to 110 mph or 177 km/h with electric locomotives that doubled passenger traffic from 1962 to 1975 (British Railways

Change management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Change management - Essay Example Organizational leaders rarely become successful with the changes they initiate within the organization. This is because they focus on the bigger picture, mostly on how they are going to make profits for the company. They forget that individuals within the organization are the fundamental determinants of its success and change should start from within the organization. I disagree with McKinsey, because it is a perception of the employees and members of a given organization that change is not achievable (Henry, 8). The employees of the organization need to focus on the positive aspects of a certain change. Such positive aspects should act as a motivation to the employees provided they believe in themselves in achieving success. The top management needs to convince the other employees on the outcome of any intended change. In my personal opinion, if the management of an organization involves other employees in the process of change, then the employees will not have any objection to any change

Fulbright Research Proposal Essay Example for Free

Fulbright Research Proposal Essay Claudia Ukonu, Netherlands, Interdisciplinary Studies The Effects of User Generated Content on Cross Channel Communication Strategies Summary As a recipient of the 2013-2014 Fulbright Grant I plan to enroll in the Masters in Methodology and Statistics for Behavioural, Biomedical and Social Sciences at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. While completing this degree I will also conduct a research study where I will seek to answer two questions 1) How Dutch companies use cross channel communication strategies to market new products and 2) How user generated content (i. . Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. ) effects the implementation of those cross channel communication strategies. The study will use surveys, interviews and statistical methods to examine purchasing behavior and the relevant results will be analyzed with the establishment of an internship at a Dutch market research firm. My goal in completing this study is to apply the knowledge gained from my Masters courses to the relevant topic of consumer purchasing behavior, which will build a solid foundation for entering a PhD program in Statistics. Introduction Here in the United States Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram have become the way of projecting a glamorized image of oneself online. The idea of being modest and not bragging about one’s newly purchased Lamborghini or vacation to Tahiti is long gone. Consumers are now becoming the trendsetters as they now dictate the trends that companies tailor their products around. Examining how user generated content fulfills the Esteem and Love/Belonging parts of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can be used as a model for predicting consumer habits. With the creation of social media networks, traditional ways of marketing seem to have little to no relevance. In order for companies to be effective when introducing new products and maintaining existing ones, it is vital that they are up to date with current trends in marketing new products through multiple communication channels. While each of these channels may have different demographics (i. e. the age difference between Facebook users and people who read newspapers) the goal of cross channel communication strategy is to ensure that the product being marketed conveys the same message on all channels. This can be a daunting task given the number of communication channels available to companies. Location In 2011, ComScore named the Netherlands as the number one country with the highest LinkedIn and Twitter penetration. This provides the perfect backdrop to see how Dutch companies are not only using cross channel communication strategies but, more specifically, how they are incorporating social media into those strategies. During the grant period I will be under the supervision of Dr.  Irene Klugkist, Associate Professor of Methodology and Statistics in the Graduate School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Utrecht University. Methodology Upon arriving in Utrecht I will begin my MSc in Methodology and Statistics for Behavioural, Biomedical and Social Sciences at Utrecht University. I will enroll in the following courses for the fall semester: Advanced Survey Design and Missing Data Analysis, Multivariate Statistics, Foundations of Statistics, and Computational Inference with R. During the first two months in Utrecht I will spend my time focusing on becoming familiar with the foundations of statistics. In order to obtain accurate results when trying to determine the objectives of the study, it is vital that a selection of study participants is made. The participants will remain the same throughout the course of the study. This will be accomplished with the help of a study participant letter that will outline who I am, my purpose of study, what information I will collect from participants and how that information will be used in the study. I propose that no less than 100 participants be selected for the study. Having more participants will allow for a greater range of differentiation as well as data collection. The first two months of the grant period is also when I will spend time locating the participants of the study. I plan to include participants who are current students and working professionals. The demographics of my study will focus on men and women who are between the ages of 18-35. I am open to the possibility of changing these demographics given that after some time of living in Utrecht, I discover a niche market, to which this study’s objectives would be more relevant. The second objective‘How user generated content (i. e.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest etc. ) affects the implementation of cross channel communication strategies will be partially addressed in months 3-7 of the grant period. It is during this time that I will track the social behavior of the study participants. Relevant factors to the collection of this data will include: the time the post was made on the social network, the content of the post and responses to the original post. Surveys will also be given to participants asking about their desire to purchase items marketed on various communication channels. The first objective of the study will be applied in the form of an internship at a Dutch marketing firm where I will first observe the current cross communication strategies. After doing this, I will analyze the data collected in the first portion of the grant period. This analysis will help to determine whether 1) Consumer purchasing behavior can be predicted on the basis of user generated content and 2) If this behavior can be predicted, how can companies utilize this to their advantage. Dr.  Klugkist has expressed willingness to help me secure an internship for months 8-9 at a Dutch market research firm. During the internship I will examine the past and existing cross communication strategies of the company while looking at what factors went into the planning of this strategy. Part of the MSc program requires students to participate in a traineeship in their desired field (Behavioural, Biomedical or Social Sciences) in their final year of study. Dr. Klugkist sent my research proposal to Dr.  Van Hattum, a former Utrecht student who now works at a market research firm and he expressed interest in having me as a trainee during my final year at Utrecht University. Goal Throughout the study I hope to uncover cross communication opportunities that utilize social media and then use those opportunities as a foundation upon which I will develop new and existing product entry strategies. I will be able to apply this research and the resulting Masters degree to the completion of a PhD in Statistics.

Phenomenological and positivist approaches Essay Example for Free

Phenomenological and positivist approaches Essay The research seeks to study in-depth the Kuwaiti family by determining the impact of working parents on the socialization of their children based on the perceptions of the parents. In doing so, the research seeks to identify and describe the contemporary defining features of the Kuwaiti family, as contribution to the wider research on the family, being made in different countries. The study also looks into the child rearing practices of Kuwaiti families with both parents working and with one parent assuming the role of a full-time carer. The research draws the perceptions of parents on the socialization process of their children in the context of the family structure, with both parents working or with one parent serving as full-time carer, as well as on the effect of hiring foreign nannies on the socialization of their children. To achieve the purpose of the study, the research process utilizes approaches and methods selected to support the collection and analysis of appropriate sufficient and accurate data. Research Design The study uses the phenomenological approach, which applies to investigative attempts to understand the perspectives or views of selected participants regarding social realities (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe Lowe 1991; Morris 2006). Understanding the phenomenological approach better requires a comparison with the positivist approach, which lies at the other end of the spectrum opposite of the phenomenological approach. The comparison is not intended to undermine one approach over the other but to explaining the phenomenological approach and justifying the appropriateness of employing this approach to the present study. The table below summarizes the distinctions between the phenomenological and positivist approaches. Source: (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe Lowe 1991; Morris 2006) The distinctions show that the phenomenological approach is applies to investigations that consider human or social interest in providing in-depth explanation and deriving meaning of phenomenon as distinguished from the positivist approach of focusing on facts, theories or principles, and hypothesis testing. Phenomenology is the appropriate approach of the present study because the purpose of the investigation is to draw in-depth understanding of the contemporary Kuwaiti family in terms of the relationship between the working status of both parents and the socialization of their children. The study is subjective because it is interested in the perceptions of parents over their working status and the effects on the socialization of their children. The research process is grounded on social interest and subjectivity. The present study employs qualitative research, which involves the derivation of accounts or descriptions from the participants or respondents to provide an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon subject of the study (Creswell 2003). Again, to understand qualitative research and to justify its appropriate application to the present study, the table below summarizes the distinctions between qualitative and quantitative research.

Nikes Marketing Principles

Nikes Marketing Principles Blessed from the mighty heavens by the Greek Goddess of Strength, Power and Victory read Nike; the brand has always captured ones imagination and strengthened its position among the upper echelons of marketing icons. Nikes marketing strategy draws your attention by interrupting you, attracting you, ensnaring you and finally and most importantly satisfying you. In a recent conference, Paul Knight , the charismatic founder and ex- CEO of Nike chose a divergent outlook to most other speakers on the subject of choosing Nike over competition. He asked people who run to rise from the comfort of their seats. He then asked those who run three or more times a week to keep standing. He looked on and exquisitely announced -We are for you. When you get up at 5 oclock in the morning to go for a run, even if its cold and wet out, you go. And when you get to mile 4, were the one standing under the lamp post, out there in the cold and wet with you, cheering you on. Were the inner athlete. Were the i nner champion. Just Do It is more than a tag line, its a motto. Its a cheer. Its a rallying cry. A sublime demonstration which augmentsmarket segmentation, fortifies positioning, empowersbrand building, and exemplifies relationship management in a snapshot, slowly and yet subtly hitting the sweet spot. The Story So Far More than 25 years ago, Co-founder Bill Bowerman used a waffle iron to conjure up a new sole for a pair of running shoes. Nike hasnt looked back since. Innovation has been the mainspring for a company exalting in its enduring success. With insufficient funds to indulge in advertising, Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman took to the streets, selling shoes at local athletic meets from the backs of their trucks. The word-of-foot gripped the sporting fraternity and marked the beginning of Nikes success on track. Then came the late 80s and with it the pain of losing out on sales to Reebok who introduced training shoes, tailor made for a growing breed health conscious women. In a bid to regain market share, Nike played to their strength and countered punched with new models of shoes designed for various sports. This was the phase when Knight and Bowman realized the importance of aggressive marketing coupled with product innovation and began to invest a princely part of corporate revenues toward s marketing and advertising. By the early 90s, Nike was ranked as one of the best advertisers in the world, soulfully striking ones emotional chords rather than the rationale ones. The Marketing Mix One of the key ingredients of the perfect marketing recipe comes by way of blending in the marketing mix. The key elements of the marketing mix are a set of interrelated entities which are set in unison with one another. (Proctor, 2000: 212). The marketing mix is a combination of the 4 Ps Product, Price, Place and Promotion for any business venture. Adapted from Exploring Business (Karen Collins) We shall evaluate the positive and negative impact of Nikes marketing mix in more detail. Product: Product is the companys offering via goods or services to the customer. A product can be viewed at three different levels: Adapted from Selling and Sales Management (David Jobber) Core Product It is the main benefit that the product offers to the customer. In the case of footwear, it is meant to protect and comfort the human foot whilst it is on the move Total Product (adding value) The chief aim is to ensure that customers purchase your brand. Nike has been a dominant player in the footwear market over the years. Their well-crafted design, innovative products, marketing and brand building activities have helped them gain a differential advantage over their rivals. Their packaging and labelling has been state of the art over generations. Augmented Product(Extended Product) The non-tangible benefits that the product can offer. This encapsulates customer service, after sales and warranty. Nike prides itself on excellent customer services with faulty products instantly replaced without any flutter. Nike warranty time is standard to current markets. Today, Nikes products are manufactured in more than 700 factories, employing over 500,000 workers in 51 countries. The company, through its Footwear segment, offers footwear products for men, women and children. Through its Apparel segment, it is engaged in selling sports apparel and other accessories designed for specific purposes. Under the Equipment segment, the company offers a range of performance equipment such as bags, socks, timepieces, sport balls, electronic devices. Other segment offerings are brands such as Cole Haan, Converse, Hurley, NIKE Golf and Umbro. Over the years, Nike has changed the way the game is played with its wide range of products. Nikes offerings have been in the ascendancy with the sales of 175 different styles of shoes in the 1980s springing to almost 772 different styles in the 1990s collections to a remarkable 1200 different styles showcased in the 2000 collection. Nike Air Max was the first line of shoes introduced in 1987 with frequent additions in the same product line over the years. The Air Jordan XX3 was its marquee shoe product designed for basketball with the contemporary issue of environment consciousness in mind. The Ansoff Matrix The Ansoff Matrix is a marketing tool developed to help marketers figure out the best way to grow their business via new and existing products and new and existing markets. The four strategies involved comprise of: (Kotler, 2006:48) Market Penetration Product Development Market Development Diversification Adapted from Marketing Management (Philip Kotler) Market Penetration Market penetration is built around marketing existing products to existing markets. Some of the techniques involved to increase revenue are promoting the product, professing brand loyalty etc. Nike has invested heavily in drawing up an elevated level of brand awareness to its omnipresent customer base by way of sponsorships, advertising and promotional activities. The company have significantly revamped their supply chain system which in the past has hampered their quest to meet global customer demands. They have also driven their retail based sales strategy to maintain their shelf space with enticing incentives. Market Development Market development focuses on marketing existing products to new markets. Some of the methods involved in capturing a new audience are exporting products, targeting a new market segment etc. Nike has effectively been able to expand geographically with their multifarious product offerings. They pulled off a masterstroke in 2003 signing up Liu Xiang, Chinas first gold medallist at the Olympics .This was followed by an advertisement showcasing his muscle and that of a nation with the trademark Swoosh on his shoulder. The result a walloping 66% rise in sales of its core products in China in what was the start of an intangible treasure hunt. Product Development Product development talks about marketing new products to existing markets. The capabilities here involve innovating new products to replace already existing ones. Nike has constantly been on the run with its technically advanced shoes time and again. The classic example is that of the Air Jordan Lines. There have been a staggering 25 major models of the product released over the past 25 years with variable designs and signature performance re-layers. Diversification Diversification thrives on marketing new products to new markets. It can be classified as related and unrelated. Related means remaining in the same market one is familiar with. Unrelated is delving into a new industry with no marketing experience. Nike has followed related diversification. The Prime example: adding the clothing line to its existing shoe operations. Nike has introduced a 3D soccer game available for download from their website which advertises their key products. This is targeted on a global scale at youngsters who gradually get associated with the product catch them young they say! BCG Matrix The Boston Consulting Group matrix is a chart designed to help companies analyse the performance of their business units. The market growth and market share dimensions provide a handy evaluation for the company on how to prioritize their product portfolio. Adapted from Perspectives on Strategy (Carl W Stern/George Stalk) Cash cows earn a lot of revenue and the onus is on stability strategies. In Nikes case, a vintage example is that of the Air Jordan sneakers. They exhibit low growth but already have a dominant market share. Stars are fledging businesses that thrive on accelerated growth of market share. Companies tend to reinvest their profits back into the business hoping to gain enough market-share to envisage themselves as cash cows. Nike has recently announced quadrupling their investments in apparel innovation and trends citing it as their biggest opportunity in the next five years. Nike has also developed its Nike+ products combining the best of both worlds superior products and technology. Question marks are new businesses whereby companies delve into expanding markets albeit with a low market share. Companies use share profits from other businesses to try converting a question mark into a star. Fitting example of a question mark in Nikes case are their recent watches and electronic products designed to capture more market share. Dogs yield low returns in a low growing market. Companies tend to employ turnaround and retrenchment strategies for their dogs or even dispose them off if they dont foresee a measurable future. The Nike brass decided to sell Bauer Hockey in 2008 in the event of tight margins in hard goods and a flat hockey market. Product Life Cycle Product life cycle explains the history of a product and the stages which it went through. It can be divided into the following stages: Introduction Growth Maturity Decline Introduction Stage: When a product is introduced, sales are going to be low till the customers become aware of the product and its benefits. During this stage, the companies will try to establish a market and build a demand for the product. Growth Stage: The growth stage is a period of quick revenue growth. Sales start increasing as customers start getting to know the product and its benefits .Sales will increase further as retailers express their interest in shelving the product. Maturity Stage: Maturity stage is the most profitable phase. Advertising expenditure will be reduced. Competition by other firms on similar products will be foreseen. The primary objective at this stage is defending market share whilst going hell for leather with profit making. Decline Stage: Sales gradually begin to decline because of a potential variance in customer tastes. The market reaches its threshold for the particular product. Decrease in sales leads to either less or no profit at all. Example Air Jordan Air Jordan, also simply as Jordans are a brand of shoes and athletic apparel produced by Nike originally designed for a very well known professional NBA basketball player Michael Jordan. The Air Jordan line is now sold by the Jordan Brand subsidiary of Nike. Since its first release in 1985, there have been new designs of the shoe released each year and have been making decent profits even after Michael Jordan retired from the NBA. Below is the Life cycle for this product. Life cycle curve of Air Jordan SALES Introduction Growth Maturity Decline TIME Nike introduced the first series of Air Jordan shoes in 1985, there were a multiple series released till date. The above graph illustrates the stages this product went through in product life cycle, which was introduced in 1985. It had a decent introduction, it reached the next stage i.e growth by 1992 and made a good amount of profit and reached a maturity state by 1998 and has maintained stability in this stage till date. Nike Hockey Sticks In 1994, the year Nike bought Montreals Canstar Sports, maker of the popular Bauer skates and other equipment, it then manufactured the series of hockey sticks between 2004 -06 in china. Random testing by health have found the lead in the sticks far exceeds the acceptable tolerance and because the sticks are used by youths, lead is especially harmfull. Approximately 100,000 sticks have been found to have dangerous levels of lead. Nike Bauer has issued a recall that takes the sticks out of the hands of youth and junior players. Below is the product life cycle for this product: Nike Hockey Sticks Introduction Decline SALES TIME The above graph illustrates the sudden decline of a product. Nike introduced different models of Hockey sticks for respective customers in American region in the year of 2008. This product has not gone through the stages which comes before the decline stage, since, quite before the product would start growing, it started to decline since the sticks were found harmful to be played with. Positive Impact: Nikes gift to the world lies in the comfort of mankinds happy feet. Creativity has always been Nikes forte and it comes as no surprise that they have toyed with the idea of customers designing their own shoes. Watching over the process of production of their creation adds to customer satisfaction and gives them a sign of belonging. Keeping abreast with technology, Nike has collaborated with Apple Inc. to produce the Nike+ product used to monitor a runners performance through a radio device in the shoe linked to the iPod Nano. . The cricketing fraternity has largely benefitted from the Air Zoom Yorker, devised to be 30% lighter than competitor shoes. Athletes have found the Nike Free edition to be a major boon with the design allowing foot muscles to gain strength by way of less constriction mechanism. Basketball players found the Nike Hyper dunk to be quite useful with its superior shock absorption techniques minimizing the impact of stress on the muscles. Customer satisfaction can be directly mapped to the success of the company. Nikes capture of market share with its diversified product range has seen its revenue shoot through the roof in recent years. Negative Impact Nike also had its fair share of brickbats with respect to its products. Its futuristic-looking hockey skates bombed in the markets during the late 1990s. The failure was deduced to be a result of rushing the product into the market before fully straightening out the probable design problems. A good 13 years after acquiring Bauer, and arrogantly making promises that it would revolutionize the business of hockey, Nike eventually sold its Nike Bauer unit to investors Roustan Inc. and Kohlberg Co on February 2008, an unassuming fall from grace for one of the worlds powerful brands. Though Nike Bauer was a market leader, it was predicted that the company would find it hard to recover even half the $395 million amount it paid for Canstar Sports, Bauers Montreal-based parent, in December 1994 mainly due to the stagnant hockey market. Nike as a company was built on the assertion that low cost and high quality running shoes could be imported from cheap Asian markets like Japan and sold in th e US. Nike felt the negative tremors as allegations were rife that they underpaid factory workers in Indonesia they sold shoes for around about $150 and paid the person making them a meagre 50 cents!.Along came the by-products of child labour in Cambodia and Pakistan and unsatisfactory working conditions in China and Vietnam during production. Recently, Nike has brought about winds of change towards its irrelevant practices and is also dedicating its efforts towards environmentally responsible business operations Price Price is one the key component which more or less decides the fate of a company. It is a return on efforts poured into manufacturing and marketing a product. Listed below are the various components of an effective pricing strategy (Proth and Dolgui, 2010: 101) Market- Skimming The process of Price Skimming involves setting high price for new products. The objective is to skim the revenues layer by layer from the customers who are willing to pay more to have the product sooner. Market- Penetration This involves setting low prices for new products in order to attract and penetrate the market in the initial stage of the launch of the product Competitive Pricing Prices in this strategy are set lower than that offered by the competitors or same price with the added incentives to attract customers. Premium Pricing Prices are always set high for a product or service to emphasize its exclusiveness. Economy Pricing This is a no frills low down price technique, since the manufacture and marketing costs are kept at a minimum. Psychological Pricing This approach is manifested when marketers wants the customers to feel that they are paying less. Prices are often expressed as odd prices, for example 99.99 cents not 100 dollars. Product Line Pricing This approach is mostly used by the marketer who has a wide range of products or services offered. The price is reflective of the benefits of parts of the range. Optional Product Pricing Companies offer to sell option or accessory products along with their main product. Captive Product Pricing This is the practice where the prices of a basic product are kept low to attract customers and the price of a companion product without which the basic product cannot be used is kept high. Product Bundle Pricing In this approach different products are put in the same package and sell them for discount. This helps the sellers to move old stocks. Promotional Pricing This approach is mainly used by the sellers who want to promote their product by attracting attention to the business. Typical example is that of a buy one get one free scheme. Geographical Pricing Geographical pricing is considered for different variations in prices in different parts of the world. Value Pricing Prices of a product will be based on the value it creates for the customer. This is usually the most profitable form of pricing, if it can be achieved. Nikes Pricing Strategies Nikes pricing strategy all comes down to understanding the products, competition, marketing the product and most importantly determining which price point is the best for their product .Needless to say, it is very rare that an organization makes use of all the above permutations and combinations in pricing techniques. Nike is no different with its pricing strategy revolving around penetration pricing, premium pricing, value pricing, skimming pricing and psychological pricing. Penetration Pricing Nike initially started out on the principle of penetration pricing so as to capture market share and then gradually increased prices. Premium Pricing As Nike exclusive products developed; it became recognizable to consumers in that marketplace. This drove its perceived value to a higher level especially with the limited editions of the Air Jordans. Value pricing Nike went about setting the price to the degree at which consumers place their value on the product. It is at this very point that customers associated themselves with Nike and paid the extra penny, as long as their products remained state of the art and exhibited the cutting edge. Psychological pricing Nike has priced their products to $99.99 (for example). After all in ones mind, a .99 is always cheaper than a .00. Skimming pricing This approach dwells on skimming market profits layer by layer. Nike has used this to good effect in setting high initial prices for the new design they bring into the market. This is then tailgated by a gradual decline in price as the design has been in the market for a while and a new product is on its way. Adapted from Principles and Practice of Marketing (David Jobber) Nike employs a rapid skimming strategy of setting high prices as well as investing heavily in advertising the new product. Generally, Nike shoes current season last for a period between 3 to 6 months where they are sold at peak prices. After that season, comes a process called closeout where prices are gradually reduced. The final stage is that of the inventory cleanout where a take all basis strategy is employed to sales. Nikes quality is directly proportional to its commitment of excellence. Excellence comes at a premium and fittingly so. This places Nike in the upper rightmost quadrant of the Price vs. Quality matrix. Nikes products are well worth their weight in gold. Positive Impact Nikes dominance in the market through its vehement promotional strategy coupled with a smart pricing function makes the market as a whole unattractive for competitors. In most cases, it has identified the precise price points across its range of products. The impact of Nikes pricing strategies can be seen in its overwhelming sales and profit margins (on a single pair of shoes!!!) as depicted below. Negative Impact Nikes pricing strategy has not always been quaint. The Air Jordan brand shoes were premium priced, released once every year in order to keep the value of the shoe as high as possible and make it a collectors item. However, this has prompted this line of shoe to be highly duplicated or imitated which has become a major headache for Nike with the virus spreading to the other products just as well. In 2003, the overpriced Air Jordans at $200 were biting the dust on store shelves as consumers shifted base to Sketchers (SKX ), K-Swiss (KSWS ), and New Balance shoes who slowly began nibbling away at Nikes heels. Nike has not utilised all the strategies of pricing. Each and every pricing strategy has its own advantages and disadvantages. Nike can venture into approaches like promotional pricing as an attraction tool for the customer by mentioning the word FREE. Nike can also utilize product bundle pricing by combining products (with a high and low demand) and selling them at a discounted price. Place (Distribution) Place pin points to effective distribution of products or services to the end customers. It is paramount for the organization to correctly estimate the needs and wants of the customers to meet its marketing objectives. Adapted from Principles of Marketing (David Jobber) Channel 1: Direct Marketing (No intermediaries) The direct marketing channel has no intermediaries. The company sells straight to the customers. Channel 2: Indirect Marketing (One intermediary) The first level of indirect marketing involves one intermediary. The company sells its goods to large retailers who in turn line them up for customers. Channel 3: Indirect Marketing (Two intermediaries) The second level of indirect marketing involves two intermediaries. The company sells its goods to wholesalers who buy in bulk and sell them to smaller retailers. Channel 4: Indirect Marketing (Three intermediaries) The third level of indirect marketing involves three intermediaries. The company sells its goods to agents who contact wholesalers who further sell to retailers. From the view of the producers, more number of levels leads to higher complexity and much less control. Nike employs the first two channels to good effect. Heres how: Nike -Direct Marketing By 1999, NIKE had opened 13 of their privately owned NIKE Town superstores located in high traffic upmarket surroundings. The first of those was a posh store in Portland which was soon bettered by a larger than life outlet in downtown Chicago. Nike also operated 53 outlet locations focussed on liquidating overstocked and outdated inventory. NIKE redesigned and overhauled their website incorporated with e-commerce functionality. A variety of products were put up for sale at full retail prices. Nike Indirect Marketing (Retailers) Nike operates 338 retail stores in the US and 336 stores worldwide. Retail stores in the US Retail stores Worldwide Nikes store formats include a mix of departmental stores, footwear stores, goods stores, tennis, skate and golf shops, and as well as retail accounts. Nike store are centrally located and easily accessible. The company operates three significant distribution centres located at Memphis, Tennessee and Wilsonville, Oregon in the US. Then, there are the leased distribution facilities which operate on a comparatively smaller scale in the home country. Nike also runs 14 distribution centres worldwide with Japan and Belgium among their prime locations. Subsidiaries NIKE also has global presence through several of its subsidiaries. The wholly owned subsidiaries include Cole Haan, Converse, Umbro and Hurley. Converse is engaged in designing, distributing and licensing of athletic and casual footwear, apparels and accessories. Cole Haan designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats. Umbro is engaged in the designing, distributing and licensing of athletic and casual footwear, apparel and equipment for soccer under Umbro brand. Hurley designs and distributes sports apparel relates to surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding. Nike is developing high calibre information systems, logistics and a much improved supply-chain management system. In the good old days production was based on instinct. Nike used to take a guess as to the number of pairs of shoes to churn out and hoped to cram them on retailers shelves. Nike has revamped its supply chain management systems since the disaster to ensure the right amount of sneaker s find their way across the world more quickly. Positive impacts As Nikes market share grew, it buoyed merchants who carried their products. This helped Nike negotiate terms with retailers on location, display and inventory levels all of which contributed to the overall customer experience. NIKE Towns in Portland and Chicago became an instant hit with customers flocking in to witness the two-story wall painting of Michael Jordan and trying out shoes in the mini basketball courts. Souvenirs and other rarities were a showcase for the latest Nike had to offer and helped in brand building activities. The 53 stores opened up for liquidation served as a handy means for getting rid of excess inventory whilst maintaining control of the brand. Nikes re- launched website keying in on inspirational content as well as innovative products was met with a phenomenal amount of success. Negative impacts In the early days, Nike suffered from retailer inconsistencies. Imperfect information was received on inventory levels leading to stock outs and misallocations .The infamous i2 fiasco was a rap on the knuckles for Nikes brand image. It was made an example of as a company that botched up its supply chain unit. It was a deemed to be software glitch and the repercussions cost Nike more than $100 million in lost sales, leading to a depressed stock price by about 20%, which further went on to trigger a flurry of class-action lawsuits. Succinctly, the i2 demand-planning engine ordered for a surplus of thousand Air Garnett sneakers than the market had called for and a thousand fewer Air Jordans than were actually in demand. Nike looked at various operational workarounds but at best it was a classic case of damage limitation. The opening of the NIKE Towns and e-commerce applications was a cause of concern for Nikes traditional retailers initially as it would eat into their business. Nike all ayed fears by positioning their direct marketing strategies differently to the retail markets but doubts were still casted on the anomalies of this move. Promotion Compelling promotions and captivating advertisements are the cornerstones of a successful product in contemporary times. Listed below are the various components of an effective promotional mix. Advertising Nikes legend with television commercials dates back to October 1982 with the first advertisement broadcast during the New York Marathon. Wieden and Kennedy were the creators in chief back then and not surprisingly their partnership with Nike still holds fort to this day and age. Nike advertisements are very appealing and leave a long lasting imprint in the viewers minds. Public Relations Public relation is an entity that focuses on both brand building as well as defending. Nike has recently employed the green public relations strategy. This has been a powerful weapon in the corporate social responsibility aspect with environmental issues the subject of concern in contemporary times. Personal Selling Nike endorses the personal selling technique to good effect. Customer assistants in Nike retail stores have direct contact and constant interaction with the buyers of their merchandise. Nike representatives often train customer assistants on the latest in technology and merchandize. Sales Promotions Sales Promotions are driven around the accelerated purchase of products. Nike entices its customers with discounts, rebates and gift coupons. Direct Mail In the direct mail method, publicity material is sent to a customer within the targeted segment. Nikes concentrated efforts in recent times towards publishing its customer catalogues has been met with open arms a staggering 200,000 responses to the catalogue e-mail in 60 days. Internet Marketing The dot com industry has been an emerging trendsetter in ever growing and evolving marketing strategies. Nike has given volumes of ad space to its armada of products via a network of sites. Nike is accelerating Internet marketing campaigns to diversify extensively on the web. The impact of these promotional strategies can again be traced back to the profits at which Nike operates on. Sponsorship has been a key strategy in Nikes promotional activities. Nike endorses a galaxy of celebrity athletes across all sports. Michael Jordan was an absolute superstar for them in terms of publicity and sales. A whole array of national teams including the Indian National Cricket Team is under sponsorship contracts with Nike. News has just come in of Nikes win as the official uniform sponsor of the National Football League (NFL) for a deal worth a whopping $500 million. The Communication Model Adapted from Marketing Management Philip Kotler Nike has efficiently translated all the key factors in efficient communication. Through their marketing strategies, they have reached out to a plethora of audiences and gained a profitable response. They have encoded their ideas, coated them with creativity and pushed them through to be easily decoded by the receivers (custo

Marlows Catharsis in Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Marlow's Catharsis in Heart of Darkness  Ã‚   Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, relies on the historical period of imperialism in order to describe its protagonist, Charlie Marlow, and his struggle. Marlow's catharsis in the novel, as he goes to the Congo, rests on how he visualizes the effects of imperialism. This paper will analyze Marlow's "change," as caused by his exposure to the imperialistic nature of the historical period in which he lived. Marlow is asked by "the company", the organization for whom he works, to travel to the Congo river and report back to them about Mr. Kurtz, a top notch officer of theirs. When he sets sail, he doesn't know what to expect. When his journey is completed, this little "trip" will have changed Marlow forever! Heart of Darkness is a story of one man's journey through the African Congo and the "enlightenment" of his soul. It begins with Charlie Marlow, along with a few of his comrades, cruising aboard the Nellie, a traditional sailboat. On the boat, Marlow begins to tell of his experiences in the Congo. Conrad uses Marlow to reveal all the personal thoughts and emotions that he wants to portray while Marlow goes on this "voyage of a lifetime". Marlow begins his voyage as an ordinary English sailor who is traveling to the African Congo on a "business trip". He is an Englishmen through and through. He's never been exposed to any alternative form of culture, similar to the one he will encounter in Africa, and he has no idea about the drastically different culture that exists out there. Throughout the book, Conrad, via Marlow's observations, reveals to the reader the naive mentality shared by every European. Marlow as well, shares this naivetà © in the beginning of his voyage. However, after his first few moments in the Congo, he realizes the ignorance he and all his comrades possess. We first recognize the general naivetà © of the Europeans when Marlow's aunt is seeing him for the last time before he embarks on his journey. Marlow's aunt is under the assumption that the voyage is a mission to "wean those ignorant millions from their horrid ways"(18-19). In reality, however, the Europeans are there in the name of imperialism and their sole objective is to earn a substantial profit by collecting all the ivory in Africa. Another manifestation of the Europeans obliviousness towards reality is seen when Marlow is recounting his adventure aboard the Nellie.

Sexual Assault is Never the Victim’s Fault :: Essays Papers

Sexual Assault is Never the Victim’s Fault I could see the fear in her eye, and could feel the pain in her trembling hands. I could sense her discomfort when she talked about the night. I had never known, and never would have guessed, that something happened to her at a party with kids I knew from my school. She told me first. She only told me. She spoke to me about how she can not be in a room with a stranger, or how she feels that part of her died that night. She explained that hugs didn’t feel good anymore, they felt intrusive. She explained that she won’t stay in a room with a male teacher if the other students leave. Every part of her life, she explained, has been changed. She wasn’t the same girl anymore, and she blamed herself for it. Even contemplating suicide, like many victims often do, seemed better than living with the memories. She was too afraid to talk to her parents, because she had drank a little the night of the incident; and too afraid to tell her friends, because they though t that the guy was cool. She didn’t trust anyone anymore, not even her old best guy friends. She had known him; they had been friends in junior high. She knew him†¦ Her story changed me. I would no longer wait for the issue of sexual assault to approach me. I would educate myself about it. I was going to help. I didn’t want to see anyone else have to feel the way my friend did. I joined the Sexual Assault Response Team, and began to fight back. The issue of sexual assault needs to be addressed openly so that everyone changes their current paradigms, or perspectives. People that believe that sexual assault can be prevented, is the victim’s responsibility, or is just miscommunication, are allowing perpetrators too much freedom. Sexual assault is always the perpetrators decision, thus never being the victim’s responsibility, or decision. This is a simple concept, but let me show you how presently we are not acting this way. It is all too likely that each one of us knows the victim of a sexual assault. One in four Colorado women and one in fourteen Colorado men have been the victim of a completed or attempted sexual assault.