The role of marketing in strategic planning process Essay

The role of marketing in strategic planning process - Essay Example One set of marketing policies broadly defines the nature of the products that the business offers to the market Suder, (2007:118). The policies cover a diversity of the product line, the general level of technical sophistication of the products and the target level of product quality in relation to the competitors. The prospector businesses heavily depend on the continuing development of new and unique products and the penetration of new markets as a primary competitive strategy. Hence, the adherence and policies of the prospective businesses which encourage the broad and technically advanced trade lines should relate positively to the performance on the critical dimension of share growth. The products should also be of a higher quality compared to competitor products. Marketing, in building profitable customer relationships, assists in finding new customers for a business (Bojanic & Reid, 2009:59). Through marketing, one can be able to acquire the right target market and from that maximize profitability. To achieve this, the industry sector identified for growth in strategic planning must be implemented throughout the business. The sales team must have a structured and designed Commission to reflect closed sales in the business being pursued. When marketing and selling, a new marketplace, the products and services offered must be profitable both to the business and the customer. Some factors that the marketing manager should consider are such as, pricing, promotion and product presentation towards the customers.

Is Urbanisation Good Or Bad Environmental Sciences Essay

Is Urbanisation Good Or Bad Environmental Sciences Essay Urbanization is a sign of human civilization and a centre of economy, politics and social life. When more modern buildings are being setting up, more farmers are coming into citys. It also means that more green areas and forests are disappearing. There is a series of environmental problems that have arisen. But I do not know whether urbanization is an advantage or disadvantage? This is the focus of attention in recent years for some people. The opinion of this essay is that urbanization is disadvantages out weighs its advantages. We can see a newly emerging community now: where there are supermarkets, schools, banks and so on. Without doubt several years ago, it was still the countryside. People depended on grazing and farming for live. This is the history of social reform and it is also the history of urbanization. Actually, what are the benefits for us of urbanization? It is firmly believe by this writer : Firstly, deal with the income. . The income in large areas is certainiy higher than that in small areas. Intuitively, the urban income is more than that in the countryside.For example, Shanghai residents in China, generaliy speaking, have higher living standards than those in other cities. Secondly, when incrcasing numbers of people flood into cities, the cities are often becoming larger and many people move out of the downtown area into the suburbs. This trend of urban construction is beneficial to the future cities development as whole. Thirdly, it provide development opportunities for big cities. With more people coming to the cities, urban development is experiencing a new round of leaping forward. In general, urban development is important for national economy development approach. While the economy is the level for the indicator of a country, urbanization is beneficial for us (Debroy,2009). Everything has two sides; as a balance, since it has a good side there must be a bad side. Then, what areas negative impact of urbanization on? Firstiy, a large amount of non-normal cultivated land has decreased, cities are built in the plain where has good natural conditions and it is also bulit in the best agricultural areas. By planning, Chinese urbanization will involve taking the national land 3% to 6%. The ratio seems to be small but the size is not small about 300 thousand to 600 thousand square km, which is equiralent to one-third or the half in Chinese plain of the total area. In fact, due to fast the development of urbanization, enclosure style is still prevalent. With the large number of luxury plant, buildings, variousimage projectsthe large fields and large tracts of former farmland disappeared, so many people in China had little arable land and the conflicts become more prominent. Only in recent years, the net loss reached 3800 million of cultivated land, this is the reason that results in a large number of landlessness, joblessness, insecure farmers and food production and successive landslide. Second is the issue of how urbanization.Urban growth is too fast and the cities are developing even larger with excessive concentration of population moving to the city in a short time.It inevitably generates a large number of unemployment, shortage of fresh water and energy supply, traffic congestion, increased crime, environment degradation and increased risk of various crises of phenomena. Some experts say that urbanization does not necessarily have a city disease, have a disease is rooted in the guiding ideology of one-side, unreasonable industrial structure and layout,low-density expansion,approach the development of city to overcome the disease,plan to reduce urban diseaseand management and treatment the city disease. The opinion was justified, but the problem is that can we guidelines one-side in practice? Can practive in a rational science? Can management be done strictly in place? Such as this summer in Beijing, a storm almost paralyzed the city traffic and in Shanghai, a strong wind and heavy rain that serious traffic jams and large-scale blackout happened. These incident exposed the urban construction and management of our problem is not essay.(Bnden,2010) the third point is the real estatebubble. Housing in many cities are too many and built up too quickly now. It has occupied a large number of bank funds. There will be a large number of houses left vacant and leading to economic crisis if severe over supply or the price exceed capacity of the public. Experience shows that the real estate bubble caused by the economic crisis take years to be back to life. fourthly, last but the most important point, which is a the modern problem of human concern : The environmental issues. Now, regardless of what is in the newspaper or on thewebsit or on TV there will always be some reports of environmental pollution that are caused by disasters. The most prominent is the issue of urban pollution: and one topic needing attention is the outstanding water pollution. Due to rapid urban population growth and rapid development of industry, a lot of water has not been properly dealt with and is put directly into the river.This causes serious damage to the water environment. The next type of pollution is the serious deterioration of air quality. The rapid development of industry, transportation and heavy use of fossil fuels has cause a serious deterioration in air quality by dust, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon oxide, ozone and other substancese into the atmosphere. The third pollution isoue is that of rubbish, were solid waste flooded and garbage is serious siege. Human life and production have created large amount of solid waste. At presently, China produces 660 million tons of industrial solid waste every year. There are 3000 to 4000 tons of hazardous waste in it, accumulated more than 64 million tons and it is occupying more than 500 million square meters land. Annual copacity of one ton of garbage and an annual groth rate is 7% to 8%.(Wang, 2000) From the point of views mentioned above, urbanization is like a balancing glant. On the one hand it promotes socio-economic development. On the other hand rapid urbanization will lead to the environment of human existence being devastated. It needs to find an equilibriurn that balances both sides. It not only enhances the socio-economic development but also minimize environmental pollution. But, what is the balance? And how to find the right one for effective? In general, the pace of urbanization should be robust and should maximize the benefits of urban expansion. We should avoid careless and blind thoughts about the disadvantages. There are some methods such as : promoting cycling and reducing by cars. This will not only reduce vehicle exhaust emission but also conserve the thenon-renewable resources of oil. We should raise awareness of human pollution, recycle waste by classification and strengthening the management of waste emissions from industrial enterprises and forth. Overall, urbanization is disadvantages more than its advantages .The government must plan for urban growth and development. It must make policies that will enhance sustainable land use and minimize ecological degradation. Urbanization is a cross-road which governments cannot ignore.

Free Native Son Essays: Class and Identity :: Native Son Essays

Class and identity-what's the difference? Merriam Webster's 9th Collegiate-Class: A group sharing the same economic or social status. 2: A group, set, or kind sharing common attributes. Identity: Sameness of essential or generic character in different instances b: sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing. According to these definitions, class is a sub-set of identity; identity being the container for all different kinds of sameness, class being the sameness relating specifically to economic or social status. An argument that they are the same might state that since one's economic/social status so completely limits or enables people in this society, that the overall identity of people is dictated by their class. It might further define the objective reality as the manifestation of a thing in light of its realistic limits and abilities. Take Robert for example. Who is Robert? What questions do we ask first? What is most important to us in forming our impression of him? In a multi-racial country like the United States, race might be one of the first. Physical appearances: hair color, weight, etc. We need a mental image. Once we know these things, certain assumptions are made. Many of these assumptions are silent, almost subconscious judgments based on superficial information. Robert is b lack. Oh. Where's he from? Detroit. Oh. Lots of assumptions here. His class is practically defined for us through popular stereotypes without mention of his economic position. Guess what, he's poor, lives in the projects with his single mother. Oh. So now, what do we know of Robert's identity? Well, nothing really. But in reality, we can guess a whole lot of real life things that directly affect his identity, define it, limit it. He probably doesn't do well in school. Not because he's stupid, but because he has a bad attitude, and who could blame him: the school he attends performs random searches of students. There are metal detectors and armed guards at every entrance and exit. To him, school is literally like a prison. And what prison really encourages thought in its inmates? No, just get them through. There's no money for thought. Perhaps Robert is in a gang. Sure, gang is a handy label, but he might have a group of friends, and many of them carry weapons. They have a local area in common and believe correctly that Detroit is a dangerous city.

Meg Whitman – Ceo Ebay

Transactional leadership involves motivating and directing followers primarily through appealing to their own self-interest (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). In this case Meg Whitman’s leadership reflects transaction leadership through the focus on basic management process of controlling, organizing and short-term planning. Hellriegel and Slocum mentions Whitman craves for statistics and for bottom line results. Employees are cheerful and informal but are consistent in Whitman’s transactional leadership in planning, systems, numbers, and results. Whitman’s primary component of transactional leadership is viewed by prompting her employees at eBay to achieve their performance goals. Through these attributes Whitman believe this is one reason why eBay has been so successful (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). Authentic Leadership Authentic leadership refers to individuals who (1) know and understand themselves (2) know what they believe and value, and (3) act on their values and beliefs through open and honest communications with subordinates and others (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). The aspects of Whitman’s leadership that reflects authentic leadership is that she builds credibility and win the respect of her employees by encouraging and respecting diverse viewpoints. Whitman is described as a person with experience and discipline and not to be stereotype of a new economy executive. Whitman has learned that since she has been as eBay she has become a better leader, manger, and executive than when she arrived as a youngster (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). Whitman has provided a number of insights and perspectives on her leadership. Bay’s goal is to be the world’s most compelling commerce platform on the Internet. In meeting their goals and eBay’s goals, Whitman wants her employees to continue attracting more customers, expand the goods traded on the site, spread eBay to more global markets, making the user experience more fun, exciting, and easier, and acquiring Internet companies to become a full service retailer (Hellrie gel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). Under the authentic leadership Whitman has empowered and motivated eBay’s employees to trust and follow her leadership style. Transformational Leadership. Transformational leadership involves anticipating future trends inspiring followers to understand and embrace a new vision of possibilities, developing others to be leaders or better leaders and building organization or groups into a community of challenged and rewarded leaders (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). Transformational leadership style reflected in Whitman’s leadership through individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation. Individualized consideration is the degree to which the leader attends to followers’ needs, acts as a mentor or coach, and listens to followers’ concern (Hellriegel, D. & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). Whitman shows individualized consideration when she decided to change course when one of her managers became ill on a business trip. She attended to her employee needs by staying by his side while he was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital until he was stabilized. Intellectual stimula tion is the degree to which the leader challenges assumptions, take risks and solicits followers’ ideas (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). Whitman’s transformational leadership style encourages her employees to â€Å"think outside the box† by being innovative. Meyers (2005) reference to Whitman leadership style is one who keeps a steady hand on the tiller rather than gripping and pulling hard on the levers of power. That means subtly steering an influencing relationship instead of controlling them to generate financial returns. For example, Whitman working from a cube and not from a corner office or conversing and not commanding her employees. Getting the employees to ask questions, as opposed to providing them with answers, and sharing what they have learned. Finally, understanding that the bottom line success often stems from experimenting and failing or from doing nothing when bold action seems desperately needed (Meyers, 2005). Whitman used her leadership skills to transform the company from an online auction house into a general purpose shopping destination. Her experience and discipline created a platform for global online market place where everybody’s chance to succeed is equal and to stay focused on the same goals (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). Bay’s goal of being the first people to turn to when they want to buy anything. eBay owns no inventory and warehouse which helps make it highly profitable. It has cleverly used email, message boards, and its virtual community to forge bonds with customers. A key element to eBay’s growth is the continuous expansion of their market place and new services to communicate around the world (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). eBay Employees Employees at eBay respond to Whitman’s leadership style in a positive way. Employees are cheerful and informal (Hellriegel, D. & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). The employees are dedicated and goal driven they don’t talk about fun and games but about plans, systems, numbers, and results. Hellriegel and Slocum mentions one of Whitman’s managers stated: â€Å"I have numbers. I know them. They’re very clear. And the expectations are high† (2009, pg. 316). The employees of eBay also value Whitman’s opinion when the managers are struggle in making decisions. For example, the managers went to Whitman the CEO to make the financial decision on not selling certain Nazi memorabilia. The employees seem to enjoy working under Whitman’s leadership style. One of Whitman’s employee stated: â€Å"She will exert herself personally, far and above the call of duty. She makes you want to the right thing† (Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum, J. W, Jr. 2009). Whitman looks for ways to encourage the contributions and development of her employees. Whitman’s leadership qualities have lead eBay to great success and the global trading platform where anyone can trade practically anything.

Deception Point Page 20

â€Å"This first sample here,† Corky said, pointing to a shiny, jet-black stone, â€Å"is an iron-core meteorite. Very heavy. This little guy landed in Antarctica a few years back.† Rachel studied the meteorite. It most certainly looked otherworldly-a blob of heavy grayish iron whose outer crust was burned and blackened. â€Å"That charred outer layer is called a fusion crust,† Corky said. â€Å"It's the result of extreme heating as the meteor falls through our atmosphere. All meteorites exhibit that charring.† Corky moved quickly to the next sample. â€Å"This next one is what we call a stony-iron meteorite.† Rachel studied the sample, noting that it too was charred on the outside. This sample, however, had a light-greenish tint, and the cross section looked like a collage of colorful angular fragments resembling a kaleidoscopic puzzle. â€Å"Pretty,† Rachel said. â€Å"Are you kidding, it's gorgeous!† Corky talked for a minute about the high olivine content causing the green luster, and then he reached dramatically for the third and final sample, handing it to Rachel. Rachel held the final meteorite in her palm. This one was grayish brown in color, resembling granite. It felt heavier than a terrestrial stone, but not substantially. The only indication suggesting it was anything other than a normal rock was its fusion crust-the scorched outer surface. â€Å"This,† Corky said with finality, â€Å"is called a stony meteorite. It's the most common class of meteorite. More than ninety percent of meteorites found on earth are of this category.† Rachel was surprised. She had always pictured meteorites more like the first sample-metallic, alien-looking blobs. The meteorite in her hand looked anything but extraterrestrial. Aside from the charred exterior, it looked like something she might step over on the beach. Corky's eyes were bulging now with excitement. â€Å"The meteorite buried in the ice here at Milne is a stony meteorite-a lot like the one in your hand. Stony meteorites appear almost identical to our terrestrial igneous rocks, which makes them tough to spot. Usually a blend of lightweight silicates-feldspar, olivine, pyroxene. Nothing too exciting.† I'll say, Rachel thought, handing the sample back to him. â€Å"This one looks like a rock someone left in a fireplace and burned.† Corky burst out laughing. â€Å"One hell of a fireplace! The meanest blast furnace ever built doesn't come close to reproducing the heat a meteoroid feels when it hits our atmosphere. They get ravaged!† Tolland gave Rachel an empathetic smile. â€Å"This is the good part.† â€Å"Picture this,† Corky said, taking the meteorite sample from Rachel. â€Å"Let's imagine this little fella is the size of a house.† He held the sample high over his head. â€Å"Okay†¦ it's in space†¦ floating across our solar system†¦ cold-soaked from the temperature of space to minus one hundred degrees Celsius.† Tolland was chuckling to himself, apparently already having seen Corky's reenactment of the meteorite's arrival on Ellesmere Island. Corky began lowering the sample. â€Å"Our meteorite is moving toward earth†¦ and as it's getting very close, our gravity locks on†¦ accelerating†¦ accelerating†¦ â€Å" Rachel watched as Corky sped up the sample's trajectory, mimicking the acceleration of gravity. â€Å"Now it's moving fast,† Corky exclaimed. â€Å"Over ten miles per second-thirty-six thousand miles per hour! At 135 kilometers above the earth's surface, the meteorite begins to encounter friction with the atmosphere.† Corky shook the sample violently as he lowered it toward the ice. â€Å"Falling below one hundred kilometers, it's starting to glow! Now the atmospheric density is increasing, and the friction is incredible! The air around the meteoroid is becoming incandescent as the surface material melts from the heat.† Corky started making burning and sizzling sound effects. â€Å"Now it's falling past the eighty-kilometer mark, and the exterior becomes heated to over eighteen hundred degrees Celsius!† Rachel watched in disbelief as the presidential award-winning astrophysicist shook the meteorite more fiercely, sputtering out juvenile sound effects. â€Å"Sixty kilometers!† Corky was shouting now. â€Å"Our meteoroid encounters the atmospheric wall. The air is too dense! It violently decelerates at more than three hundred times the force of gravity!† Corky made a screeching braking sound and slowed his descent dramatically. â€Å"Instantly, the meteorite cools and stops glowing. We've hit dark flight! The meteoroid's surface hardens from its molten stage to a charred fusion crust.† Rachel heard Tolland groan as Corky knelt on the ice to perform the coup de grace-earth impact. â€Å"Now,† Corky said, â€Å"our huge meteorite is skipping across our lower atmosphere†¦ † On his knees, he arched the meteorite toward the ground on a shallow slant. â€Å"It's headed toward the Arctic Ocean†¦ on an oblique angle†¦ falling†¦ looking almost like it will skip off the ocean†¦ falling†¦ and†¦ † He touched the sample to the ice. â€Å"BAM!† Rachel jumped. â€Å"The impact is cataclysmic! The meteorite explodes. Fragments fly off, skipping and spinning across the ocean.† Corky went into slow motion now, rolling and tumbling the sample across the invisible ocean toward Rachel's feet. â€Å"One piece keeps skimming, tumbling toward Ellesmere Island†¦ † He brought it right up to her toe. â€Å"It skips off the ocean, bouncing up onto land†¦ † He moved it up and over the tongue of her shoe and rolled it to a stop on top of her foot near her ankle. â€Å"And finally comes to rest high on the Milne Glacier, where snow and ice quickly cover it, protecting it from atmospheric erosion.† Corky stood up with a smile. Rachel's mouth fell slack. She gave an impressed laugh. â€Å"Well, Dr. Marlinson, that explanation was exceptionally†¦ â€Å" â€Å"Lucid?† Corky offered. Rachel smiled. â€Å"In a word.† Corky handed the sample back to her. â€Å"Look at the cross section.† Rachel studied the rock's interior a moment, seeing nothing. â€Å"Tilt it into the light,† Tolland prompted, his voice warm and kind. â€Å"And look closely.† Rachel brought the rock close to her eyes and tilted it against the dazzling halogens reflecting overhead. Now she saw it-tiny metallic globules glistening in the stone. Dozens of them were peppered throughout the cross section like minuscule droplets of mercury, each only about a millimeter across. â€Å"Those little bubbles are called ‘chondrules,'† Corky said. â€Å"And they occur only in meteorites.† Rachel squinted at the droplets. â€Å"Granted, I've never seen anything like this in an earth rock.† â€Å"Nor will you!† Corky declared. â€Å"Chondrules are one geologic structure we simply do not have on earth. Some chondrules are exceptionally old-perhaps madeup of the earliest materials in the universe. Other chondrules are much younger, like the ones in your hand. The chondrules in that meteorite date only about 190 million years old.† â€Å"One hundred ninety million years is young?† â€Å"Heck, yes! In cosmological terms, that's yesterday. The point here, though, is that this sample contains chondrules-conclusive meteoric evidence.† â€Å"Okay,† Rachel said. â€Å"Chondrules are conclusive. Got it.† â€Å"And finally,† Corky said, heaving a sigh, â€Å"if the fusion crust and chondrules don't convince you, we astronomers have a foolproof method to confirm meteoric origin.† â€Å"Being?† Corky gave a casual shrug. â€Å"We simply use a petrographic polarizing microscope, an x-ray fluorescence spectrometer, a neutron activation analyzer, or an induction-coupled plasma spectrometer to measure ferromagnetic ratios.†