Students interest in a career as a civil engineer for the Kentucky Essay

Students interest in a career as a civil engineer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet - Essay Example The skills acquired are relevant to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet since they deal with projects that rely on vast knowledge in physical sciences and mathematics. I am a female, and have obtained an ACI Certification. I feel I have what it takes to become a member of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. However, my certificate will be expiring after five years, meaning that I will be able to offer quality and certified services for the next five years. I am open-minded, and like learning new skills. I am committed in playing an important role in key debates that pertains sustainability, climate change as well as energy efficiency. While I was studying, I often attended seminars and workshops, as well as attachments with leading organizations, which enabled me to solve work related problems. Thus, I understand that civil engineering works need attention and teamwork. While studying mathematics in school, I enjoyed problem solving, which is another desired quality for civil engineers. I am now looking for an opportunity to advance my career, and I am quite sure that Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has all what I

By suggesting the kinds of defense mechanisms that deadened human Essay

By suggesting the kinds of defense mechanisms that deadened human responses to horror, Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Gas Chamber, - Essay Example In 1923, Germany’s economy was in succession and its goods were sold abroad to secure the nations’ exports abroad. The industries that bribed politicians got bankrupt and people had to claim their jobs by working without being paid making them frustrated in the process. The situation in German’s economic sector was not well planned thus it affected the country greatly. This was because competition in the economy was rapidly increasing leading to a split in the government’s authority. This led to power sharing within the government, and the Germans were not contented with it because they got direct opposition from Berlin thus the parties become democratic champions as they were running the economy. It was believed in 1933 that the German government was collapsing as Franklin Roosevelt was not able to solve the crisis that was befalling them because the country was bankrupt and needed a lot of money for the top. Hitler came into power and had to make the eco nomy rise from its bankruptcy, by recruiting new members to direct them in SA. Hitler knew that he was making rushed decisions, and it was a hard task for him to accomplish alone, therefore help was required. Hitler transformed Germany into structures of the state, social law and the constitution of the society to attain his goal of stabilizing the state and free his nation from foreign powers and maintain geography at large. This was a mechanism that deadened human responses to horror as he grabbed the people unaware (Hunt, 625). The sanctions and poor economy convinced citizens that Hitler was not serious with stabilizing the economy because they were bankrupt. He made improvements in the government leading to a rise in the economy as he was obliged to pick his cabinet of National Socialists. Afterwards, Hitler came into power in a democratic way because he had stabilized the economy of the state without seeking help. All this led to an improved economy since profit rose above the minimal stabilizer. That was incredible and made anti-Nazi historians give up because of the defeat they had received from Hitler’s revolution that had brought changes to Germany. Hitler obtained plenary power that made him the nation’s supreme democratic making the Germans view him as a legend. During the First World War, Feldmarschall was fond of traditions, and Hitler wanted the traditions to take place so as to see the Reichstag to convince them (Hunt, 641). Germany was on top of the Reichswehr, which was an object of Hitler to courtship. Hitler appointed a chancellor without asking opinion from the rest of the committee and they got angry as it was done without their consent. Feldmarschall sent General von Hammerstein Equord who came to Hindenburg of general staff and disapproved. Hitler and Dr. Goebbels had taken control of nation radio and making it their tool to broadcast power hitherto. Hitler was carefully planning and managing soldiers for the great renewal as many government officials, army officers, lawyers and judges had abandoned their work. Hitler wanted to acquire officials and rectify the Reichstag. This would establish authority to govern virtual dictatorship to gain powers lawfully as the Germans constitution had amended. Hitler won the elections and Germany national government came up with a solution against political particulars. His intention was to devise plans from retirement

Essay Part 1 & Part 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Part 1 & Part 2 - Essay Example The greenery of the path as revealed by the grass on both of its sides represents a well conserved environment. Looking at the picture, it is almost impossible to fail noticing how smooth the terrain of the path is. It is this smoothness which makes walking or riding along the path to be both relaxing and ambient. The freshness of the atmosphere along the path is depicted by the surrounding vegetation which makes the path a place where an individual will always long to walk or ride along. The safety that bikers are accorded in riding along the path is demonstrated by the fact that the path is relatively far from the main highway. Figure 2 below is that of a wall which I consider to create a need to do something about it. The wall which is located in semi-busy part within town is seen by a considerable number of people who pass by it. The people who pass along the wall must consider it a significant part of the town. As depicted by the picture, the wall is not exactly appealing. This is demonstrated by the graffiti on the wall which is not artistic at all. It is because of this that I consider that the wall must be repainted so that it would be appealing. On a closer look on the picture, it is realized that some parts of it are actually falling down. This leads to the conclusion that if the wall cannot be repaired and repainted, them it needs to be removed. The current situation of this wall clearly gives the town a bad image. This is so especially for visitors and tourists who would be in town for the first time. Additionally, this wall evidently shows that a lot less is being done to improve the image of the town. The recommendation for making changes or improvements on the wall is therefore basically aimed at making it appealing and interesting to walk along as opposed to its current unattractive look. Figure 3 below shows a picture of a Macbook Pro. This product is a cultural artifact

By suggesting the kinds of defense mechanisms that deadened human Essay

By suggesting the kinds of defense mechanisms that deadened human responses to horror, Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Gas Chamber, - Essay Example In 1923, Germany’s economy was in succession and its goods were sold abroad to secure the nations’ exports abroad. The industries that bribed politicians got bankrupt and people had to claim their jobs by working without being paid making them frustrated in the process. The situation in German’s economic sector was not well planned thus it affected the country greatly. This was because competition in the economy was rapidly increasing leading to a split in the government’s authority. This led to power sharing within the government, and the Germans were not contented with it because they got direct opposition from Berlin thus the parties become democratic champions as they were running the economy. It was believed in 1933 that the German government was collapsing as Franklin Roosevelt was not able to solve the crisis that was befalling them because the country was bankrupt and needed a lot of money for the top. Hitler came into power and had to make the eco nomy rise from its bankruptcy, by recruiting new members to direct them in SA. Hitler knew that he was making rushed decisions, and it was a hard task for him to accomplish alone, therefore help was required. Hitler transformed Germany into structures of the state, social law and the constitution of the society to attain his goal of stabilizing the state and free his nation from foreign powers and maintain geography at large. This was a mechanism that deadened human responses to horror as he grabbed the people unaware (Hunt, 625). The sanctions and poor economy convinced citizens that Hitler was not serious with stabilizing the economy because they were bankrupt. He made improvements in the government leading to a rise in the economy as he was obliged to pick his cabinet of National Socialists. Afterwards, Hitler came into power in a democratic way because he had stabilized the economy of the state without seeking help. All this led to an improved economy since profit rose above the minimal stabilizer. That was incredible and made anti-Nazi historians give up because of the defeat they had received from Hitler’s revolution that had brought changes to Germany. Hitler obtained plenary power that made him the nation’s supreme democratic making the Germans view him as a legend. During the First World War, Feldmarschall was fond of traditions, and Hitler wanted the traditions to take place so as to see the Reichstag to convince them (Hunt, 641). Germany was on top of the Reichswehr, which was an object of Hitler to courtship. Hitler appointed a chancellor without asking opinion from the rest of the committee and they got angry as it was done without their consent. Feldmarschall sent General von Hammerstein Equord who came to Hindenburg of general staff and disapproved. Hitler and Dr. Goebbels had taken control of nation radio and making it their tool to broadcast power hitherto. Hitler was carefully planning and managing soldiers for the great renewal as many government officials, army officers, lawyers and judges had abandoned their work. Hitler wanted to acquire officials and rectify the Reichstag. This would establish authority to govern virtual dictatorship to gain powers lawfully as the Germans constitution had amended. Hitler won the elections and Germany national government came up with a solution against political particulars. His intention was to devise plans from retirement

American Minorities and Sports Essay Example for Free

American Minorities and Sports Essay Sports have always had an enormous impact on American society and culture. People use sports at all levels, whether it’s youth, high school, college or professional, to help build an identity, connect with others and grow as individuals. Even though American is a diverse country made up of different races, nationalities and ethnicities, discrimination has been in issue throughout America’s history. Sports took on an even greater meaning for some minorities during the 20th Century, especially Europeans and blacks. They used sports as a means of vertical mobility in order to advance themselves socially in America. The idea of social mobility was one concept that originally drew many immigrants to the country. Between 1880 and 1915, around 26 million immigrants moved to the United States, and about half came from several areas of Europe (Moore, 2011a). America offered the chance for people to better themselves and someone from any background could become successful and rise above their parents. During this time, Americans were already viewing sports as an important and democratic part of life, because it judged people on their talent and skill alone (Reiss, 1980). Competition was an opportunity to prove and show off your â€Å"manliness† and power. Sports were also seen as a way to gain vertical mobility, and for Europeans, it was a way to become more accepted into the American culture. Although they received more respect than blacks, they mostly were not considered truly â€Å"American† (Moore, 2011a). Boxing was a popular sport among young immigrants. Boxing was a sport that proved â€Å"manliness† and toughness, and turning professional meant chances to earn prize money. Most immigrants from Europe lived on the East Coast in cities that quickly became crowded and poor, and fighting was a functional skill to learn while living in the ghetto neighborhoods (Reiss, 1980). Boxing became a social ladder for ethnic groups since one group seemed to dominate until another group became better. Whoever were better boxers at the time were viewed as the tougher race. In the 1800’s and early 1900’s the Irish held most of the Heavyweight Championship titles, with boxers like John L. Sullivan, Jack Kilrain and Gene Tunney (Sowell, 1983). In the 1920’s and 30’s Jews began to have success in the ring, with 1913 being the only year in since the start of the century that there was no Jewish champion. In the two decade span they held 18 titles (Moore, 2011a). These champions were important to the Jewish in proving their worth to the country and countering the discrimination that the Nazis in Germany were trying to spread. Boxing for European ethnic minorities served as a way to prove their race’s toughness, and prizefighting was a way to leave the poor ghettos and make a decent life for themselves. Italians were slower than other groups in their involvement with sports. Between 1899 and 1924 about 4 million immigrated to the United States and settled in the crowded East Coast cities (Reiss, 1980). The Progressive movement was gaining popularity at the time, but because of their past in Italy, many Italians mistrusted governments telling them what to do and what their children should do (Moore, 2011a). However, 2nd generation Italian-American children were given opportunities to play sports through the creation of the Public School Athletic League. In 1905 historian Camillo Cianfarra tracked the Italian youth development in sports and observed: â€Å"In our public elementary school competitions, our children are not inferior to the children of other nationalities, in the lists of gymnastic [track and field] winners the Italian names appear quite frequently as they appear in the rosters of teams involved in inter-high school competition† (Reiss, 1980). Baseball soon became a popular sport with the Italians, and they became very successful with the sport. By the time of the Depression, Italians were becoming a majority in the Major Leagues (Moore, 2011a). Italians success in baseball gave them social mobility, but they were also still discriminated against. Some of the best players in the league in the 1930’s were Joe DiMaggio, Tony Lazzeri, Frank Crosetti and Ernie Lombardi (Baldassaro, 2005). Joe DiMaggio helped Italians gain more exposure and respect when he became the best player in the league and an American celebrity (Moore, 2011a). Blacks in the United States had similar involvement as the Europeans with ports and social mobility, although they faced much more discrimination and rejection than the other minorities. Blacks used sports as a main way to try and prove their equality to the rest of the country. They viewed successful black athletes as heroes and passionately supported them, and used them as a more subtle channel to showcase their fight against the discrimination and hate that they faced daily. Boxing featured several black champions and was a popular sport, just like it was with the European minorities. One of the earliest black champions was Peter Jackson, an Australian who won the Heavyweight Championship over there in 1886. He traveled to America in 1988 to fight John L. Sullivan, who held the Heavyweight Title, but Sullivan refused to fight him because he was black. Besides that setback, he was considered one of the best boxers of the time, and blacks loved him because he was a respectable man and proved black equality with his victories. Frederick Douglass at the time said, â€Å"Peter is doing a great deal with his fist to solve the Negro question† (Moore, 2011b). He was also respected within the white community because he never bragged or belittled an opponent (Moore, 2011b). People around the country of any race looked up to him as a role model. Although Peter Jackson helped gain some respect for blacks in white America, it wasn’t until Joe Louis that Americans found a black athlete that was embraced as an American hero. Louis was born in Alabama in 1914 as the son a sharecropper and great grandson of a slave. His family moved to Detroit in 1924 where he soon took up boxing. After ten years of hard work he won the Golden Gloves as a light heavyweight and his career took off from there. One of his biggest victories was against former heavyweight champion Primo Carnera in front of a crowd of 62,000 at Yankee Stadium (Official Site, n. d. ). Louis’s symbol as an American hero though didn’t fully happen until he avenged his loss against German champion Max Schmeling with a first-round knockout in 1938, during the time of the Nazi’s dominance in Europe. It was this victory that caused the American people to see him not as just another black fighter, but as an American hero. It helped to counter the impression of successful black athletes that Jack Johnson, the previous black heavyweight champion, had left, and in a way almost transcended his race (Schwartz, n. d. ). â€Å"What my father did was enable white America to think of him as an American, not as a black,† said his son, Joe Louis Jr. â€Å"By winning, he became America’s first black hero† (Schwartz, n. d. ). In the 1960’s, black athletes used the world’s biggest sporting stage to fight racism and show their protest against the discrimination that they were still facing. In October 1967 the Olympic Project for Human Rights was established by sociologist Harry Edwards and others, mainly athletes. The goal of the organization was to protest segregation and racism in sport and society. A boycott of the 1968 Mexico City Olympics was suggested but never happened, yet several members still used the Games as an opportunity for the organization. Many on the US Track and Field team wore black socks as support of the black community, or badges of the OPHR (Henderson, n. d. ). The most famous act of protest however was from sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who finished 1st and 3rd in the 200m final. On the medal podium, they each raised a fist while wearing a black glove. The act led to the International Olympic Committee president, Avery Brundage, suspending them from the rest of the competition and forcing them to leave (Moore, 1991). Although the protest had negative consequences for the sprinters, it was another key moment in sports that showed how the black community rallied around its athletes and used sports as a way to come together and fight for civil rights. Sports and competition were important in minorities efforts to advance in 20th century America through vertical mobility, although the reasons were different for each race. Europeans struggled with adjusting to a new country and culture, and sports helped serve as a way to assimilate more with the American culture and be accepted. Because of the large numbers of immigrants in the late 1800‘s and early 1900‘s, most lived in poor, crowded urban areas. Being successful in sports meant a chance to become professional, leave behind poverty, and make a life for yourself. It was essentially the â€Å"American Dream. † Sports had a slightly different meaning for black Americans. The United States was still a country of discrimination and oppression, and black society used their successful athletes to empower and unite them. Through heroes like Joe Louis, they fought against the discrimination and tried to prove their equality to whites. Both minorities in the 20th century viewed sports as a key tool in their struggle for acceptance in American society.

Colgate Palmolive Industry Position

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

Global Warming Essay -- Environmental Global Climate Change

Global Warming:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It’s gettin’ hot in here, so take off all your clothes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The famous words of R&B star, Nelly, are truer than one might think. It really is getting hot in here. The world’s average temperature is rising every year and is expected to be 5 to 10 degrees higher by the end of the century, which is faster than they have increased in the last ten millennia, according to the National Resource Defense Council’s website.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But why is this epidemic happening? As the Defense Council states, global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other types of heat trapping pollution that are collecting like a blanket in the atmosphere, trapping heat from the earth as it tries to radiate back into space. As a result, the planet is getting warming. In fact, 2002 was the hottest year yet. In an article in World Almanac and Book of Facts, 9 out of the10 hottest years have been in the 90's.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are a few major causes of theses heat trapping gases. According to a study conducted by Dr. Gerald Meehl, Warren Washington, T.M.L. Wigley, Julie Arblaster, and Aiguo Dai from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder Colorado, the main contributors to global warming are derived from human activities. Since the start of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4, and N2O have increased by 30%, 145%, and 15%k respectively. The gases are emitted mainly by cars, power plants, and other industrial sources that burn gasoline, coal, and other fossil fuels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obviously, the emissions of these greenhouse gases in excess are leading to the planet’s consistent increase in temperature. For example, in a study conducted by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, it was confirmed that earth’s early century warming was caused by mostly solar and volcanic forcing, and the late century warming, from 1940-2000, was mostly caused by the increase of greenhouse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  gases. The National Resource Defense Council states, if global warming  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  persists, there will be more air pollution and problems with water supplies as precipitation patterns change, as well as huge threats to ecosystems from the Everglades to the glaciers. Not only will there be hotter, longer heat waves and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  more intense storm systems, but also forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases. As a result, past pr... ...o buying more fuel efficient cars and promoting an atmosphere friendly lifestyle. References Arblaster, J., Dai, A., Meehl, G., Washington, W., Wigley, T. (2002, July 2002). Solar   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and Greenhouse Gas Forcing and Climate Response in the Twentieth Century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Journal of Climate, pp426-444. Carey, J. and Shapiro, S. (2004, August 16). Global Warming. Business Week, pp.60-69. Frazier, I. (2003, March/April). As the World Burns. Mother Jones, pp.36-39. Global Climate Coalition. Retrieved on March 28, 2003 from Global Climate Coalition   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the world wide web: http://www.globalclimate.org/index.htm Jensen, M. (2004, August). Climate Warming Shakes up Species. BioScience, pp. 722-729. Schulz, K. (2003, February 20). Global Warming Right Now. Rolling Stone. pp. 35-38. (2003). Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming. World Almanac & Book of Facts, p165. (2003). Global Warming 101 What it is, How it's Caused, and What Needs to be Done to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stop it. Global Warming: In Brief. Retrieved March 28, 2003 from National   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Resource Defense Council on the world wide web:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp