Relationship-Driven Leaders Focus on People, Not Power free essay sample

My article talks about the behavioral theories, as the author discussed the new stream in leadership orientation. To be more specific, he believed that as the industry is now facing globalization and rapid change, leaders must adapt this changing landscape or risk losing high-potential employees. Younger employees prefer relationship-driven leaders and a sense of community. So in other words, they value relationships and leaders who respect their ideas and consult them on decisions. Bobbie (2010) took an example of a general counsel who successfully led a group for years before hiring a vice president to help manage a growing workload. Because this leader spent his career in the traditional model, he found it difficult to delegate work to the new vice president. The issue was not about power, but an Inability to let go and trust the new vice president to complete the work well. If the general counsel had formed a stronger personal connection with the vice president nd built trust based on that relationship, he could have empowered the vice president Instead of constraining her performance. We will write a custom essay sample on Relationship-Driven Leaders Focus on People, Not Power or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Relationship-driven leaders are more empathetic, patient and tolerant. They approach decision-making subjectively, using personal values as a guide and examining how each option will impact others. Yet, while they are adept at listening and forging personal connections, they can sometimes appear too concerned about what others think or too weak to make tough decision. While leaders cant change their innate personalities, they can change their behavior. Adopting these best practice behaviors will enable leaders to be more effective in an increasingly diverse workplace 1. Open yourself to different viewpoints. 2. Balance empathy with strong decision-making. 3. Collaborate on issues management. 4. Champion employee development. 5. Dont mistake silence for agreement. By adopting a relationship-driven approach, leaders can earn the trust and confidence of an increasingly diverse workforce and improve long-term retention.

Top 15 Mistakes That Will Get You Fired

Top 15 Mistakes That Will Get You Fired It’s hard enough to get a job- let alone your dream job. Alas, it can be very easy to lose that job. Here are 15 mistakes that will get you fired from your job. Get your dream job- and keep it. 1. Ignoring Zero Tolerance RulesWhatever the specifics, every company usually has a couple of rules that shall not be broken- and if you break them, you’re out. No second chances. Whether it’s dating subordinates, dating coworkers at all, lateness, or something else entirely, you should find this out within your first week and be very mindful never to break it. Don’t ever assume the unbendable rules will make an exception for you!2. Substance AbuseIf you’re working for a company that drug tests, you should take this seriously. It’s not enough to bring in clean pee for the interview process. They will test you again. Stop using whatever it is you’re using and focus on your career. You will get caught otherwise. And fired.3. Too Much BoozeIf you c an’t drink it responsibly, don’t drink. Being sloppy or not holding your liquor at a work event once is bad enough. Doing this multiple times is absolutely cause for firing- and good luck getting a reference. And don’t ever come to work or try to do your work intoxicated.4. Dating Co-WorkersFirst step is, see #1, to check the zero tolerance policies for any mention of inter-office dating. Second is to try and talk yourself out of it. Third is never to actively pursue a relationship with someone you work with. There are so many ways your overtures could be read as harassment†¦and get you fired.There are plenty of fish in the sea. Go find one that doesn’t work at your company.5. Too Many JokesJokes are great ice breakers. They’re funny. They score you points at parties. But they don’t belong at work. Most of the good ones have an off-color or racy element- which has no place on the job. So many others can have bigoted overtones and could deeply offend people you respect (and get you fired).And don’t make comments you think are funny that might be misconstrued as sexual harassment either; even if the person you said it to understands the context and isn’t offended, someone else might overhear and turn you in.6. Abusing Expense AccountsPadding your expense account is basically stealing from your company. The more blatant the theft, the more likely you’ll get caught.If you really need to make more, earn it. Ask for a raise. Don’t throw in a bunch of bogus expenses hoping for a payout and that no one will notice. Someone always will. And you’ll get fired.7. Raging OutWe all have bad days or weeks at work and get angry. Do not vent this in any public forums- least of all social media. If you leave work steaming from the ears, turn off your Facebook and your Twitter. Call your significant other or your mom- or tell your roommate you need to go to happy hour and rant a while. Just donâ₠¬â„¢t say anything publicly, or somewhere it could be overheard. The last thing you want is for your negative comments to get back to your boss.8.  Office Hanky PankyYou shouldn’t have to be told that it is pretty much a hard and fast rule that you should never get busy  at the office- or anywhere on company grounds. But people do. And they get caught, and fired. Don’t let this happen to you. Get a room.9. Pulling PranksThese are hilarious, some even bordering on legendary. But most are far too risky or silly for a workplace. Watch in awe as others pull off epic pranks (some will lose their jobs); don’t try anything yourself.10. Not Understanding You’re ReplaceableAs in, never assume that you are. It’s a tough market and no matter how great you are, there’s probably another you out there, standing outside the hiring manager’s office with a hopeful resume. Act as though you could be replaced any day and avoid doing the things that will give your boss cause to have to replace you.11. LyingYou should adopt a zero tolerance policy about lying. Just don’t do it. And in particular don’t do it to get time off. Don’t develop wacky illnesses or kill off fake elderly relatives. You’ll probably get caught- and fired.12. Ignoring Your ManagerAlways  stay in tune with your boss’s concept of your job performance- not your own. Always check in to take his or her  temperature to make sure they think you’re pulling your weight. If you have room to improve, do.13. AbuseIt should go without saying, but: don’t be abusive. And don’t sit idly by and watch others be abused. There’s no place for this in everyday  life or in the workplace.14. Speaking for Your CompanyUnless specifically told to be a mouthpiece or to spread some news, keep your mouth shut in public about your company. The minute you get on social media and purport to speak for your company- particul arly about something potentially controversial- is the minute you’re in shaky territory. People like you get fired all the time for inappropriate posts or for spreading misinformation.15. Not Trusting Your GutIf you have a flash of insight that says: â€Å"maybe I shouldn’t do this,† then you should honor it. Every time. When something is borderline, and not so blatantly obvious as a no-no, check in with yourself. If you have even the slightest hesitation, chances are it’s not a good idea. Play it safe and keep your job.

Is Sharon an intellectual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is Sharon an intellectual - Essay Example Although some authors like Joshua Lambert (2009) claim that Sharon is ignorant and thoughtless, this paper proves otherwise by presenting some examples in the novel itself. Sharon, charming and cheerful, tries to discover her religious identity. After Boston University kicked her out, she decided to go after Gary, her partner in folk dancing. But prior to these events Sharon was already in a journey for meaning. Once in Oregon, her world became miserable. She worked as a servant in a hotel. When Gary realized that Honolulu, Berkeley, and Oregon were not suitable places for his cause, he left Sharon to go to Fiji with a wealthy German lady. Over the next few years, Sharon meanders from one blinded and despondent life to another in a clumsy pursuit for her spiritual being and for God. In a characteristic prose, Goodman develops a general portrayal of society by contrasting her female protagonist against a broad chain of people, cultures, and institutions. She presents a remarkable image of the forgotten generation of hippies in the 1970s, both the fervent, intense splendor with which they planned to reconstruct the world and meaningless despair provoked by rejecting an established relationship after another (Wirth-Nesher 2003). In fact, Goodman ridicules the ignorance and self-centeredness of that period’s idealism with exceptional intelligence. Sharon has various divine manifestations, all narrated with tons of exclamation points. Indeed, the voice and experiences of Sharon embodies the thoughts of Goodman. Hence, if Goodman is intelligent then Sharon is too. The thoughts of Sharon, throughout the seventeen years of her life, come to crash less with the boundaries of religious beliefs and institutions and more with the confines of her own unawareness. Sharon is a personification of unusual intelligence. She did not want to know that the obvious weakness of the real world to react appropriately is not the world’s mistake, but instead an

Bloodstain analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bloodstain analysis - Essay Example On that fateful Tuesday night, on March 14th, 1995, they seemed to be enjoying themselves while having drinks at a local bar. Bonnie had left office at 7.15pm to meet with Warren; they kept drinking while at the bar until 11.09pm. Their house was situated just four miles away, and this was good since they were drunk. Thirty minutes after leaving the bar, Warren made a call to 911 (Mann, 2010). On the recording, Warren is frantic; he can be clearly heard in the background yelling as the dispatcher contacts the paramedics. Even though Warren is panicking, he tells the dispatcher that his wife had shot herself. Warren notifies the dispatcher that his wife is turning blue; he is instructed to begin CPR. Warren obeys the instructor, and this is confirmed as he can be heard breathing into his wife’s mouth. After another call, he tells the dispatcher that his wife had shot herself in the throat and that she is still breathing. By the time the law enforcement and the paramedics arrived at the premise, Bonnie Horinek had already died. She was lying on their matrimonial bed, dressed in a pink nightgown that clearly shown that she had been shot in the chest. Warren was busy trying to resuscitate his wife by performing CPR. The paramedics informed him that she had already died, but he could not stop. He could not heed any of their instructions, and this led them to drag him ou t of the room (Mann, 2010). The crime scene had two different weapons placed on the bed as observed and recorded by the police. A twelve gauge Winchester shotgun was placed at the edge of the bed, and a thirty-eight caliber revolver was placed next to Bonnie. The house had no signs of a break-in, and this meant that no one else was at the house. The police observed two scenarios; the husband killed his wife in one of his drunken outbursts or either she had killed herself. From the beginning, Warren claimed that his wife shot herself. As the investigations continued,

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Research Paper Example Pollution, more so air pollution is China has become an epidemic in most Chinese cities in the recent past with a report stating that China lists sixteen cities out of the twenty most polluted cities in the world. It is no doubt that China is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and with this exponential growth, major institutions in the world including the United Nations have raised some concerns over what seems like little or lack of proper environmental management policies in China. The epicenter of this matter revolves around waste management since virtually every industrial and human activity leads to the production of waste. Since certain class of wastes can pose great danger to the environment, it is imperative that the Chinese government take proactive role in investigating the major causes of air pollution in china. China produces a variety of wastes ranging from electronic waste, industrial wastes, to nuclear wastes. Our major concern here is the rampant air po llution in China, how it has influenced the lifestyles of the Chinese citizens, and other neighboring countries like India. In the year 2012, the president of China Medical Association, Zhong Nanshan, raised his concerns over what he termed as one of the major medical disasters facing China at the time. He mentioned cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer as the main vectors through which air pollution manifests itself. Air pollution is specifically high in the urban areas of China like the major cites than in the rural areas due to the high rate of emissions from manufacturing industries and motor vehicles. A research conducted indicated that incidences of lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases were especially high in the cities because of the prevalence of air pollution. In major climatic conferences and seminars, China has always taken the blame as the world’s leading country in terms of carbon emissions. Many nations and recognized organizations have accused China of bei ng lenient to those whose emissions surpass the international standards within its jurisdiction. In addition, China has not fully embraced the thorny issue of air pollution with the seriousness that it deserves as seen in her standards of gauging the pollution levels. The government of China did not until lately include PM.5 and the Ozone in measuring the index of the air quality. This laxity in combating air pollution really tainted the image of the Chinese government and her products world over. It was the renowned environmentalists around the world that spearheaded a campaign that would see China change its course for the better, even if the final destination is still far. Rooij (2006) categorizes of air pollution in the People’s Republic of china into emissions from factories, motor vehicle emissions, and construction firms. By the end of 2006, the emissions of Sulfur dioxide in china had reached a maximum high after which it reduced significantly. Before the period, this chemical was responsible for the pollution of a considerable volume of air with it worst victim being the Ozone layer. The construction and furniture industries are prone to using formaldehyde in adhesion and preservation. Due to the volatility nature of these compounds, indoor air pollution has been inevitable in most Chinese

Implementation Of New Product Service Or Process Purpose Marketing Essay

Implementation Of New Product Service Or Process Purpose Marketing Essay KELLOGG is the worlds leading producer of cereal products with total sales volume of nearly $13 billion during 2008. Kellogg products are manufactured in 19 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries around the world. Major Kelloggs products include crackers, Toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles and vegetarian foods (http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/ Accessed on March 03, 2011). The company famous brands include all- bran, corn flakes, keebler, pop-tarts, eggo, cheez-it, nutri-grain, rice krispies, bearnaked, morningstar farms, famous amos, special K, and frosted mini-wheats. Mission statement: Kellogg is a global company committed to building long-term growth in volume and profit and to enhancing its worldwide leadership position by providing nutritious food products of superior value http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/ Accessed on March 03, 2011) In a rapidly changing and competitive business environment, it is not easy to predict: future trends in consumer tastes and preferences competitors actions market conditions. Creating new products or making changes to existing brands involves making investment decisions, in the hope of making a return. Weighing up future returns against an investment is crucial and involves an element of risk, because the future is never certain. Previous experience, together with market research information helps to predict future events and outcomes. However, all business activities involve some element of risk. There is often a link between risk and return. More the risk, the higher the likely returns (or profits); however, a balance needs to be struck. In making a decision to develop a new brand, it needs to decide how much investment to make and to forecast the likelihood of a successful outcome. Decision makers aim to develop a long-term strategy to meet a range of objectives such as: growing market share developing a unique market position creating consumer or brand loyalty generating a targeted level of profit. This case study describes a major investment in Kelloggs All-Bran. It illustrates business case for the new product and identifies how the companys investment in new product development serves to strengthen a global brand. Later part of the essay will reflect an outline plan which identifies resources required for the project that is materials, equipment, labour, and training and development of staff 2. LAUNCHING OF KELLOGGs ALL-BRAN 2.1) NEED IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS: In an uncertain world where the organisations strategy is to focus on products and brands that are either the market leader or in a strong position the company believes that this focus upon core and successful products enables it to provide consistent and reliable returns and rewards for its stakeholders. Before proceeding with the change, Kellogg carried out some detailed market research with consumers to discover their thoughts and feelings. There are two main approaches to market research i.e.: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research involves working in detail with a relatively small number of consumers e.g. observing and listening to them talking in small groups in which they discuss the brand, products, packaging, advertising ideas, etc. The qualitative research helped Kellogg to develop the concept of a family of fibre brands. The advertising and promotional materials with which the consumer groups worked were very similar to the end promotions that Kellogg wished to communicate. Quantitative research involved using questionnaire and survey approaches with a much larger sample of targeted consumers to estimate the impact on sales if these changes were put into market. Kelloggs undertook market research by answering the questions as per questionaire-1 in Appendix. In September 2004, Kellogg planned to introduce a new product i.e. All-Bran to make the benefits more relevant to consumers. Promotion of feel great message was featured on 8 million packs and on the All-Bran website. It focused on the fact that high-fibre diets may help people to feel lighter and more energetic as well as aiding the digestive system. Bran which is high in fiber is needed in a humans diet. It is best to be used in moderation to gain the positive health it promotes. The high bran, high fibre cereal has been designed to aid a healthy digestive system and to help people control their morning eating habits; without compromising on taste! Research showed that consumers see cereals as a natural product. This is a strong selling point. It makes it vital to feature the ingredients on the packaging. This is because All-Bran range can be seen as part of a daily healthy diet (http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/case-studybuilding-brand-order-to-sustain-its-life-cycle Accessed on March 03, 2011). 2.2) OBJECTIVES: By setting up SMART (specific, measurable, achievable or agreed, realistic and time-related) objectives Kellogg would know whether each objective for launching All-Bran had been achieved. The objectives were clear and were communicated to all staff. This made sure that all staff agreed to follow certain actions to achieve the stated aims. By setting these objectives Kellogg set a direction that would take the business to where it wanted to be three years into the future. Major objectives include; encourage and support physical activity among all sections of the population use resources to sponsor activities and run physical activity focused community programmes for its consumers and the public in general increase the association between Kellogg and physical activity use the cereal packs to communicate the balance message to consumers introduce food labeling that would enable consumers to make decisions about the right balance of food 2.3) TARGET MARKET: It is the process of evaluating each market segment and select one or more segments to enter. Premiums and gifts are outstanding tools for call to mind initial trial, brand switching, and repeat purchase. Now and then company is able to target because they are financially strong and they can arrange a vast product line. People aged 55 and over are the target markets of Kelloggs ALL BRAN .Kelloggs ALL BRAN are easily available in urban and rural areas all over the country. It has been targeted every segment and we can say that Kellogg has a fragmented market. Market attractiveness factors for All-bran include market, size, differentiation possibilities, bargaining power of customers, seasonality, distribution, product growth and stage in product life cycle Main factors influencing marketing of a product are; a) Economic and technological factors i.e. Investment intensity, Industry capacity, Technology, Barriers to entry and exit and Access to supplies b) Competitive i.e. competitive structure, competitive groupings, substitute products, price, and Individual competitor analysis 3. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE The product life cycle is the period over which it appeals to customers and can be illustrated in a series of stages showing how consumer interest, and hence sales, has altered over time. Kelloggs All-Bran has a long and distinguished history. Like many other famous products, however, it is important from time to time to re-energize its life cycle. To prolong the life cycle of a brand or product an organisation needs to use skilful marketing techniques to inject new life into the product. The traditional product life-cycle shows how a product goes through 4 stages during its life in the market place. At each stage in the product life-cycle, there is a close relationship between sales and profit so when a product goes into decline, profit decreases. When a product is introduced to the market, growth is slow due to limited awareness. As the product is establishing itself, sales will start to increase during the period of growth. As the product reaches maturity, the company needs to inject new life into the product; either by creating brand extensions or variants otherwise the product will reach maturity and start to decline. All-Bran is standing on the maturity stage with 65% of total market share. To stay spirited in the market it needs to introduce time to time new offers and flavors and different promotional schemes. Manufacturing capability is another key issue. If launches of new products are successful in global markets, Kelloggs must have the manufacturing capaci ty to meet consumer demand as well as the supply chain necessary to reach those consumers. When a company like Kelloggs is investigating a change in its marketing it can consider four elements (http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/case-studyusing-new-product-development-to-grow-a-brand Accessed on May 03, 2011) of marketing mix or 4Ps: 3.1) PRODUCT: This is about meeting changing needs and wants of customers through offers. The growth in healthier lifestyles creates opportunities for Kelloggs to increase the number of products for this segment. In case of ALL BRAN, the product is the cereal production by the company. Core Product is cereal, for breakfast and as a snack. Actual product is high quality level; different tastes, flavors, packaging and the symbol K. Augmented product provides tastes and energy as well as nutritional ingredients. 3.2) PRICE: Pricing decision is very important because the survival of a company in the market depends upon pricing decision. Pricing strategy depends on pricing objectives. The amount a company charges for its product is important in determining sales. Super brands like Kelloggs can charge a premium because of the strength of the brand and product quality. 3.3) PLACE: Where customers can purchase the product is also an important factor in determining sales. If a brand like All-Bran is not stocked in supermarkets where most purchases are made, sales will be lost. 3.4) PROMOTION: The marketing mix activities of a product planning, pricing, and distribution are performed mainly within the organization or between the organization and its marketing partners. However, with promotional activities, the firm communicates directly with potential customers. Kelloggs uses above the line promotion like TV advertising as well as below the line promotion like on-pack promotions and sampling. The market research revealed several matters that Kellogg needed to address when alerting the public to changes in the brand family. 1. Some consumers might find the act of placing a range of separate products under the All-Bran brand confusing. The solution was to ensure that packs clearly display both the power brand name (All-Bran) and also the product name (e.g. Bran Flakes). 2. Research showed that consumers see cereals as a natural product. This is a strong selling point. It makes it vital to feature the ingredients on the packaging. 3. To give the campaign maximum impact, Kellogg carefully co-ordinated television and radio advertising, PR and in-store promotions. These encouraged consumers to try out and reappraise the revamped products. A products life cycle may last only a few months (e.g. with a fad, or craze) or, as with Special K, for many years. Although it was a successful product, Kelloggs recognised the opportunity to stretch the brand by investments that would: revitalize it extend and further develop its growth phase and Help to delay the onset of the maturity phase. 4. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MARKET 4.1) MARKETING ENVIRONMENT: This can be divided into two broad categories; a) Micro Environment: The Micro Environment of the Kellog consists off; The Company: has to take other groups or departments of company into account. Such as finance, research and development, purchasing, operation, accounting department. Suppliers: Kelloggs obtains its raw materials of wheat, corn, cocoa, rice and sugar from primary suppliers around the world. It is a large-scale manufacturer and stores sufficient stocks to meet customer orders. Marketing Intermediaries Kelloggs does not sell its breakfast cereals directly to consumers. It uses intermediaries like wholesalers, supermarkets, high street stores and hotels. Kelloggs has major relationships in the tertiary sector. These include the major retail supermarkets such as Tesco and ASDA and some of the wholesale sector such as Makro. Customers: The Kelloggs Company mainly focuses on customer market that consists of people aged 55 and over and weight conscious people. Competitors: Nestle is the only competitor of Kellogg. b. Macro Environment: The external factors which affect a companys planning and performance, and are beyond its control: for example, socio-economic, legal and technological change (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_macro_environment_of_Kellogg) There are many environmental issues which should be looked at to get the broader picture of Kelloggs Company. These issues can be grouped into six categories: political, economical, social-demographic, technological, legal and ethical. The acronym for this is a Pestle analysis. Political /Legal Environment: UK has a stable political environment hence, private enterprise is encouraged, which gives Kellogg an opportunity to introduce new products and improve the existing ones. Economic Environment: Economic factors are those that affect consumer buying behavior. As this is an era of great depression, there is a change in the income of the consumer so the sales of Kellogg are affected by this. Natural Environment: The natural environment of Kelloggs involves all the natural resources that are needed as inputs by the company and are affected by market activities. Theyve set themselves a number of targets to meet by 2015, and are constantly checking their progress along the way so they can see how theyre doing. By 2015 they aim to have reduced all of the following by 15-20% per metric tonne of food produced since 2005. Energy use Greenhouse gas emissions Water use Waste sent to landfill (For waste to landfill, they achieved a 41.5% reduction by 2009 and have set themselves a new target of a further 20% reduction by 2015 against a 2009 baseline.) Socio-cultural Environment: UK has a tradition of eating cereal as a breakfast so Kellogg has got high market. Technological Environment:: UK has good infrastructure and distribution channel which again is highly favorable for Kellogg to grow further. Responding to the Marketing Environment: Kelloggs has utilized integrated business units and compensation incentive systems to increase the accountability of the cash expenditure and improve the functionality of the organization. Products sales have been increasing in the UK as well as in other countries. The pricing and availability of the product determines the profitability of a product. Streamlining many of the operations in recent times has helped the Kellogg increase the profit margin. More resources could therefore be spent on the marketing and advertisement of products. In addition, Kelloggs also increased the number and frequency of promotional offers more toys and DVDs in cereal boxes, tie-ins with movies and charitable donations to local schools and charities. In 2002, a new strategy of Volume to Value was introduced throughout the company. 4.2) MARKET SEGMENTATION PROCESS The process of defining and subdividing a large homogenous market into clearly identifiable segments having similar needs, wants, or demand characteristics. Its objective is to design a marketing mix that precisely matches the expectations of customers in the targeted segment. Today Kelloggs is doing its business in United states, China, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, United Kingdom, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. In this project we are only discussing its market segmentation in United Kingdom. They are segmenting the market in the form of geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral. All-Bran Original is available in Australia, Somalia, USA, Canada, Colombia, UK, Italy, Mexico, France, Japan, Latin America, and South Africa 4.3) MARKET TARGETTING PROCESS After dividing the market into various segments, the Kellogg Company has to decide which segment it can serve better. So first they evaluated each segments. They want the sets of buyers who share common needs and characteristics to serve. Kellogg mainly used undifferentiated (mass) marketing strategy because cereal will always be mass marketed. They have to do business on large scale so Kellogg Company is using mass marketing. 4.4) PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS New product development process of product starts with idea generation. Commercialization Product Development Marketing Strategy Development Idea Generation Test Marketing Business Analysis Concept Development Testing Idea Screening 5. USE OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RESOURCES Use of internal and external resources is crucial in the launch of a new product. 5.1) INTERNAL RESOURCES: Idea of Kelloggs came from; Product development teams Formal research and development (asked consumers through questionnaires ) Brains of its executives, scientists, engineers, manufacturing staff and salespeople Companies successful entrepreneurial programs (encourages employee to think about new cereal product ) Value innovation program 5.2) EXTERNAL RESOURCES: Customers (through questionnaires) Competitors (Kelloggs get clue about their new product by watching competitors ads, analyze the sales, and then decide). Distributors Suppliers (tell company about new concepts, techniques and materials that can be used to develop new products). 6. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS: a) Kellogg All Bran is the only large, very high fibre brand in the market place. Private label provides the main competition. b) The general public remains highly aware of ALL BRAN c) The ALL BRAN brand is strong; consumers associate it with healthy activity. WEAKNESS: a) Awareness of the brand had been declining because of little promotional (e.g. advertising) activity in recent years. b) Compared with leading brands such as Kellogg corn flakes, the individual fibre products have limited scale, making it hard to make advertising investment economic. c) The preposition that a fibre cereal keeps you regular is less motivating to consumers than in the past. Consumers now more interested in products inner health OPPORTUNITIES a) People are looking to eat more healthily b) The rapid growth of non cereal products that meet inner health need (pro biotic drinks and yogurts) c) In the UK the number of people over 55(the products main consumers) continues to increase. THREATS: a) The sales of private labels fibre cereal is growing. b) There is a consumers trend towards the tastier cereal 7. CONCLUSION By creating the power brand All-Bran and providing the right sort of well researched promotional support, Kellogg has been able to inject renewed vigor into a family of related products. Through appropriate promotional activities and more relevant messages, Kellogg has re-awakened consumers interest in products that can play an important part in developing a healthy diet in a health-conscious world. Regular campaigns of promotional activity are helpful in enabling all organizations to sustain their own life cycle and those of their brands and products. It is early days in evaluating the success of the marketing activity supporting All-Bran but the signs are good. Appendix: Primary Research: Survey questionnaire-1 What changes taking place in society are likely to affect the product? How might new technologies affect our business? What are likely to be the future market trends? Where are the opportunities within the market place? What new categories would appeal to the target market? How far do consumers think the brand could stretch into the market for different product categories? Survey questionnaire-2 1. What is age bracket do you belong to? 13-16 yrs 17-30 yrs 31-39 yrs 39 yrs or above 2. Which income bracket do you belong to? GBP 50-200 GBP 200-500 GBP 500-1000 GBP 1000 above 3. What is your marital status? Single Married 4. What is the brand of the cereal that you usually purchase? Nestle Kellogg 5. Is ALL BRAN your favorite cereal? Yes No 6. How often do you purchase cereal? Everyday Once a week Once a month 7. Please rank accordingly to the characteristics of ALL BRANS: a) Taste b)Price c) Flavor d) Packaging 1=least preferred 5=most preferred 1 2 3 4 5 8. Do you like the ads of ALL BRAN? Yes No 9. What flavors of Kellogg do you like the most? Corn flakes All bran Rice kripsies Special K

American Cultural Myths Essays -- ideal families, ideal lifestyles, id

The United States and cultural myths pertaining to this country have been a topic of discussion for many years. Stephanie Coontz’s â€Å"The Way We Wish We Were†, David Brooks’ â€Å"One Nation Slightly Divisible† and Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"A Letter to America† are all essays about different American cultural myths. Each author focuses on a different cultural myth that pertains to the United States. They explain how these myths are thwarting a realistic view of America. As well as changing the perception of the country as a whole. The major cultural myths of America among the texts are about â€Å"ideal families†, â€Å"ideal lifestyles, and a â€Å"ideal country.† Many couples in the United States idealize the myth of a â€Å"tradition family†. The idea that a woman can spend quality time with her child while maintaining an effective sexual life with her partner seemed to have caused a lot of stress during the 1950s. Coontz’s says â€Å"this hybrid idea drove thousands of women to therapists, tranquilizers, or alcohol when they tried to live up to it.† (Coontz, 569). Which explains that it is merely impossible to try to mold a family to be â€Å"ideal.† Many families still strive for a traditional life, which they define as life â€Å"back in the day.† They need to forget the past and start living in the 21st century. â€Å"Two-thirds of respondents to one national poll said they wanted more traditional standards of family life.†(Coontz, 582). Which goes to show that many families want to change to what once used to be perceived as an â€Å"ideal family† but â€Å"the same percentage of people rejected the idea that women should return to their traditional role.†(Coontz, 582). Families want to take bits and pieces from what used to be â€Å"traditional families† over time and create their own i... ...United States once had amongst the world has lessened, which is also why seeing America as an ideal country would be thwarting a realistic view of the country. If the United States just takes a step back from trying to be the most dominant country, it can regain its status among other nations. Stephanie Coontz’s, David Brook’s, and Margaret Atwood all discuss American cultural myths in their respective essays â€Å"The Way We Wish We Were,† â€Å"One Nation, Slightly Divisible,† and â€Å"A Letter to America.† All three authors elaborate on specific cultural myths, whether it is about an ideal family, an ideal lifestyle, or an ideal country as a whole. As a result of analyzing the three texts, it is clear that the authors critique Americas image in their own was. As well as elaborate on why the realistic view of the United States is being squelched by major cultural myths.