The Efficiency Effects of Mergers and Acquisitions in Malaysian and US Term Paper

The Efficiency Effects of Mergers and Acquisitions in Malaysian and US Banking Institutions - Term Paper Example The effect of globalisation on trade and business is the most prominent aspects and this has created the impotence of deregulation for encouraging economic growth. These market deregulations have intensified the market competition and the existing players are trying to gain upper hand position in the market. In this regard, Hope and Maeleng have mentioned free trades as â€Å"competition–enhancing devise† (Hope and Maeleng, p.61). In such competitive business environment, every organisation is trying to be larger in terms of value, market size, consumer base etc. However, achieving rapid growth is tedious and long term process that may cause in not catering the available opportunities before rivals and this process of growth is known as organic growth. On the other hand, mergers & acquisitions (M&A) leads to achieve a rapid organisational growth. Today, M&A has become very popular strategies for the business and market expansion in domestic and in international market. However, M&A is riskier strategy as it influences the engaged companies as well as the entire market (Hagelm p.155-157). This paper will present a discussion on the effect of M&A on banking institutions and financial markets of Malaysia. 2. Overview of Malaysian and US Banking Sector USA is highly developed nation with a huge financial market. Prior to the financial crisis of 2007-2008 US market was considered to be the most stable financial market. The period of the latest financial crisis has made the entire financial market weak as many top financial institutions including top banks like Lehman Brothers have collapsed severely. Since 2007 till 2009 US banking sector have experienced several bank failures and merged. The statistics are presented below in the table. Table 1: (Source: Fahlenbrach, Prilmeier and Stulz, p.40) However, Now US banks are attempt to recover from the crisis as the banks like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs are showing considerable growth (Ferreras, â€Å"US Ba nking Sector Endeavors Recovery—Research Report on Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase’s†). However, majority banks are still facing crunch situation and hence, many have commented that it will take a significant time to recover. On the other hand, market indices for US banking sectors depict a positive result which has been presented below. Figure 1 (Source: Fahlenbrach, Prilmeier and Stulz, p.33) Malaysian is a one of the rapidly developing countries in the Asia Pacific region. The effects of the financial crisis of 2007-2008 were on the most of world economies directly or indirectly. However, in case of Malaysian economies it was not hurt significantly and hence, its banking sector kept growing during financial crisis. Bank Negara Malaysia is central banking responsible for regulating other commercial and other investment institution. The following table represents number of financial institution including banks as per November 2009. Table 2 (Source: MIDA,  "Banking, Finance and Exchange Administration†) Malaysia banking has anticipated a growth in loan amount in during 2010 as it loan amount increased by 12.8% comparing to previous years. Analysts, Lin and Mee have commented that â€Å"Within the retail segment, mortgages, hire purchase and credit card loans grew by 13.2 per cent, 7.7 per cent and 14.2 per cent respectively†

Marketing assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing assessment - Essay Example Among these is the threat of new entrants in to the market. The ratio of new entrants continues to get bigger and as such intensifies the competition. For example in the telecommunications industry, more companies have set up shop, introducing products such as mobile phones which are affordable therefore challenging the already existing companies. This is primarily due to the advances in technology which allows more people to venture in to business easily than it was the case in the past. This means that more superior products will be developed in order to retain a competitive advantage. Therefore, increase in the financial spending to produce quality products and services and low profit margins since the prices of the products and services will be put to match the market prices at the time. Globalisation another feature of technology is a major challenge especially to local companies who are increasingly being faced by competition from multinationals in their backyard. Local companies face the risk of losing monopoly as more and better products and services are being offered by international companies who have infiltrated their market. There is an increase in middle men and counterfeit products in the market which is a major threat to the existing genuine companies. Fake and substandard products continue to flood the market at the expense of genuine products due to their low pricing. People are buying cheap products due to the high cost of living as a substitute to genuine products they are unable to afford. The rise of middle men also, who sell products and make higher profits than the producers themselves are also a major threat to companies in the 21st century. Pfizer pharmaceutical in the US has been a victim of this continued trend with several of their medicine being counterfeited. Counterfeiting is linked to organized crimes such as money laundering and is a lucrative business for the

The Dairy Industry Of Pakistan Marketing Essay

The Dairy Industry Of Pakistan Marketing Essay The dairy industry of Pakistan is a very competitive industry and has huge potential. Unfortunately, dairy processors in Pakistan still have miles to cover before they can exploit full benefits of this industry. The milk production of the country has not been up to the mark and as a result the demand for dairy products outweighs the supply. Traditionally, people living in urban areas preferred to consume fresh milk delivered to their homes by Gawallas. However with the passage of time, as people became more and more health conscious there was a shift towards the consumption of UHT milk and its demand has been increasing ever since. In the UHT milk segment, firms like Nestle Pakistan Limited and Engro Foods Limited have emerged as leading market players. These firms with their bundle of financial resources have made huge investments in getting state of the art technology, manpower and strengthening their promotion efforts. Despite the fact that local dairy processing industries have b een able to match the quality standards of Nestle and Engro to a greater extent, these firms lack in their marketing efforts. Noon Pakistan Limited is one such firm which is being effected due to poor marketing efforts and has not been able to reap the benefits of the industry in which it operates. Noon Pakistan Limited is a venture of the Noon Family and has been marketing its products under the brand name of Nurpur. The firm enjoys market leadership in the category of butter. Initially when the firm launched its UHT milk the market response was good. However with the passage of time, the brand performance of Nurpur UHT milk has deteriorated due to mismanagement of marketing efforts. While management claims that they are able to sell whatever they produce, the market survey results prove that the prevailing performance of the brand has not been up to the mark. The firm relies on the selling concept which is a short term approach and little emphasis is being given to the concept of brand building. It is the need of the hour that Noon Pakistan Limited adopts a long term strategic approach if it wants to secure its position in the market for years to come. To study the issue being faced by Noon Pakistan Limited, a rigorous Literature review was conducted followed by interviews with employees of the firm, retailers and consumer surveys. Financial analysis and comparison with Nestle and Engro was done. Even though Noon Pakistan Limited does not match the financial strength of its competitors, there are many ways in which the firm can improve its position in the market. The first step in building strong brands is to ensure that the brand has a high salience. The brand should have top of the mind recall and recognition. Unfortunately the survey results analyzed using SPSS software proved that Nurpur milk is not the first brand which comes to the mind when a consumer wants to purchase UHT milk. Majority of the respondents could not even recall any advertisements of Nurpur milk. A major proportion of the respondents also highlighted the fact that Nurpur milk was occasionally short in the market. The results of the retailer interviews also prove that Noon Pakistan Limited has to improve its trade promotion schemes as majority of the retailers were not satisfied with current distribution practices of the company. The retailers highlighted the fact that the company should improve its promotion activities so that consumers start demanding Nurpur milk. Companies such as Noon Pak Limited, those fail to expand, eventually move to the phase out or withdrawal stage. This is because expansion ensures the continuity of profitability, brands, innovation and progress. It also creates employment opportunities and contributes to the growth of economy by improving the GDP. Noon Pakistan Limited however is not expanding and considering the intense competitive environment that prevails in the dairy industry, if they fail to expand in future; the company might have to face a stark fortune of a complete phase out and therefore should start redesigning their marketing and management strategies accordingly. Due to weak financial resources, Noon Pakistan Limited should utilize alternative strategies to maintain its position in the market. The firm needs to invest in consumer promotion activities like in store sampling and taste trials. The firm also needs to focus on its BTL activities in order to strengthen the perceptual positioning of the brand in consumer mind. The firm needs to revise its payment policies with retailers and start providing goods on a credit basis to those retailers who have a good reputation in the market. In short, Noon Pakistan Limited should revise its current practices and operations. The firm should let go its old concept of selling and instead focus on building the equity of its brands if it wants to strengthen its position in the market for the future. 2.0 Introduction 2.1 The Noon Group The Noon Group of Companies is being managed by the Noon family. The group has qualified and experienced professionals. The Noon Group of Pakistan strives to improve its profitability and safeguard its stakeholders interest while maintaining highest quality standards and serving the community1 The Noon Group of Companies has various business ventures and Noon Pakistan Limited is one such profitable venture of the Group. Apart from Noon Pakistan Limited a brief description of the other business ventures are as follows:- 1. Noon Sugar Mills Limited This venture was incorporated in 1964 and manufactures white sugar. Initial crushing capacity was 1500 MT of sugarcane which has been increased to 4000 MT over the passage of time.2 2. Pioneer Cement Limited Pioneer Cement Limited was incorporated in 1985 with a total investment of Rs.2660 million and production capacity of 630000 tons per annum. The plant is situated in Chenki, Khushab.3 3. Noon International Private Limited Noon International Private Limited is a trading company which was established in 1972. The company employs 43 people including a team of 15 professional sales engineers. This firm represents various international companies of repute in Pakistan and markets their equipment in the fields of textile, power generation, sugar, fertilizer, chemical, steel, cement, food and milling4 4. Textile Technics Private Limited Incorporated in 2004 with a total investment of Rs 100 million, Textile Technics is a joint venture between M/S Blue Reed of Spain and Noon International Private Limited. The project has a production capacity of 22000 meters of reed per annum5 5. Textile Services Textile Services was established in 1994 and provides services to over 200 customers of Sulzer Textile Projectile Weaving Machines. The company employs 32 people and provides training, technical service and spare parts for clients6 2.2 Noon Pakistan Limited Incorporated in 1966 with a total investment of 553 million, Noon Pakistan Limited produces various products namely Butter, Cheese, UHT milk, HCLF, Pasteurized milk, Flavored milk, Juices, Water, Desi ghee, Honey and Jam. Installed capacity of the plant is 72000 Liters/2 shifts and there are 700 employees. Noon Pakistan Limited has been marketing its products under the brand name of Nurpur. The plant is located in Bhalwal, Sargodha while the head office is situated in Lahore7 The year 2011 was a challenging year for Noon Pakistan Limited. Energy Crisis, security situation coupled with devastating floods had exerted significant pressure on the economy and cost of living. Higher inflationary trends continued impacting their key products particularly related to fresh milk when shortages led to a cost increase of 16% compared to last year. Additionally, higher growth of their products led to severe filling capacity constraints and the market demand could not be met fully. Due to reduced buying power, trend in the market is changing fast as consumers are looking for cheaper products in small packages. Therefore the management at Noon Pakistan Limited has made plans to reassess the market requirements and also further improve their production efficiency8 2.3 Vision The vision statement of Noon Pakistan Limited is as follows:- Our vision at Nurpur is to be a transformative force in our community and world at large and to serve as a model of a sustainable business alternative that nurtures social and economic well being in an environmentally sensitive manner9 2.4 Mission The mission statement of Noon Pakistan Limited is as follows:- Nurpur is committed to supplying the consumer and customer with the finest, high quality products and to be a leading industry in healthy and nutritious products. Nurpur supports these goals with a corporate philosophy of adhering to the highest ethical conduct in all its business dealings, treatment of its employees, and social and environmental policies10 2.5 Core Values At Noon Pakistan Limited, consumers are at the forefront of everything they do. The core values of the company include the generation of Ideas that can be constantly challenged to develop next generation solutions, to conduct business openly and fairly while competing fiercely at the same time, to encourage teamwork with individual flairs, to set tough goals that can be challenged and beaten, to value preservation of the environment and ensure sustainability of organic agriculture, to value mutually supportive relationships among members of local and global communities11 2.6 Awards and Certifications Noon Pakistan Limited has won many prestigious awards and certifications which are First dairy company in Pakistan to be certified under ISO 22000:2005, Brand of the year award (2006-07) in the category of Butter, Brand of the year award (2007-08) in category of Butter, Cheese and flavored milk and Brand of the year award (2008-09) in the category of Butter12 2.7 The Purchase Department To study the operations of the Purchase Department, two interviews were conducted with the Purchase Manager. The findings of the interviews have been utilized to describe the function of the Purchase Department. The purchase department is responsible for purchasing all materials required by the head office and plant other then milk which is purchased at the milk collection centre in Bhalwal. Materials which are purchased by the department range from ordinary items like office and plant stationary to complex materials like Flavors, Spare parts for plant equipment and transportation vehicles, Chemicals, Fuel and everything related to the manufacturing process, Logistics and day to day operations. Demand for requisition comes from the factory and approval has to be given by the Managing Director. The purchase department currently has 4-5 employees. The department uses a manual system of keeping records and storing files. The purchase department always keeps 3 copies of requisitions and delivery challans. One copy is sent to the plant, one copy is maintained with the purchase department and one copy is kept by the Purchase Manager. The major suppliers of Noon Pakistan Limited are SMC, Sitara Che micals , Jason Foods and Danisco. Payments to suppliers are made either on cash or credit through the head office. Credit terms depend on contacts and relations with suppliers and can range from 15 days up to a month. According to the Purchase Manager, Noon Pakistan Limited believes in maintaining healthy relations with Suppliers and this is one of the key strengths of the department The Purchase Manager also stated that in case of materials needed from local suppliers, the purchase department is given no time and purchase has to be made immediately. However when imported materials are required from foreign suppliers, the Purchase department is informed in advance as shipping takes time. There is no fixed pattern of purchases made throughout the year and it all depends on plant and market requirements. The quality of materials purchased is checked at the plant and if there are defects the merchandise is returned to the supplier.13 2.9 The Marketing Department To study the operations of the Marketing Department of the firm, two interviews were conducted with the Marketing Manager. Marketing research activities are outsourced. The Marketing Department purchases monthly reports from different marketing research agencies like AC Nielson and Tetra Pak. In this way the marketing department stays in touch with the latest trends and competitor activities. Some of the agencies with which the marketing department works are SABB Marketing, Time and Space, Orient, HRK Communications, Aura Communications, TOPAZ Communications and ADZ Communications. These agencies prepare designs of print ads and commercials. The brand manager discusses the various designs with the Marketing Manager and after making necessary amendments and recommendations approval is given to Marketing agencies. The Marketing Strategy of Noon Pakistan Limited is Differentiation strategy. However the strategy to be adopted for each brand depends on the market performance and competitor activities. Since UHT milk is difficult to differentiate, the current strategy being adopted is to position it as a milk which is enriched with vitamins needed for healthy growth and development. The target market of UHT milk is Housewives and working females as well as males. Different SKUs are being used to target different Socio Economic Classes like the 1000ml pack is targeted for SEC-A while the 200ml and 250ml packs are targeted towards low income households. The main competitor brands of Nurpur Milk are Olpers, Milk Pak, Good Milk and Haleeb. The marketing department does not go for an offensive strategy because Nestle and Engro are huge giants with bundle of resources. Noon Pakistan Limited can be classified as an Analyzer because it is operating both in a stable and dynamic market. Another reason for not adopting an offensive strategy is that volumes are low. The main weakness of the Marketing Department is that very little attention is being paid towards building brand equity. The department is focusing on increasing sales which is a short term approach rather than focusing on building their brands 14 2.10 Organizational Chart of the Marketing Department Figure 3 Organizational Chart(Marketing Department) Source: Internal Company Documents The Brand Manager is responsible for dealing with various Marketing Agencies and reports to the Marketing Manager. The Marketing Manager reports to the General Manager of Sales and Marketing15 2.11 The Sales Department Two interviews were conducted with the Sales Analyst of the firm to get insights regarding the operations of the Sales Department. The organizational structure of the Sales Department comprises of the General Manager of Sales and Marketing, National Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Area Sales Manager, Field Managers and Sales Officers. Territories have been assigned according to location and comprises of Central Zone, Southern Punjab zone and Northern zone which includes RWL/AJK, Hazara belt and Pakhtoon.K belt. The process of forecasting yearly sales is that last years closing sales are doubled and the amount is set as the Sales Target for the next year. There are more than 280 distributors all over the country and each Sales Officer has to monitor and look after three to four distributors. If targets set in the year 2012 are met, the entire Sales Team will go on a vacation to Dubai on the companys expenses. Noon Pakistan Limited has also started exporting its products to countries like England, Kenya and Afghanistan.16 2.12 Marketing Mix of Nurpur UHT milk Nurpur UHT milk has been positioned as a milk which is enriched with vitamins needed for healthy growth and development.17 The milk is packed in Tetra Aseptic Packaging which allows long lasting storage and shelf space. Currently three SKUs are available in the market which are 200ml, 250ml and 1000ml. Initially the pricing policy adopted for Nurpur milk was market penetration pricing, which means prices were low compared to competing brands. Recently the pricing policy has been changed and now the pricing policy is competitive pricing policy as shown :- Product Packing Unit/Ctn Retailer Margin Trade Price Consumer Price 1.UHT MILK Ctns Units Ctns Units 1000ml 12 6.09% 1018 84.83 1080 90 200ml 24 4.35% 391 16.29 408 17 250ml 27 5.97% 586 21.7 621 23 Table 3 Price List of Nurpur UHT milk Source: Company Internal Documents Due to low volumes produced the company has adopted the policy of selective distribution. The company offers various discounts to retailers to push their products into the market18 . The indirect distribution channel being used is shown below:- Figure 5 Distribution Channel Source: Company Internal Documents 2.13 SWOT Analysis Strengths Market leadership in selected product categories Strong and Experienced Sales Team Strong Supplier relationship Brand Loyal Customers Strict adherence to Quality Standards First dairy company in Pakistan to be certified under ISO 22000:2005 Weaknesses Weak coordination among departments No emphasis on building brand equity No formal HR Department Centralized Decision Making No policy of recruiting fresh blood Selective Distribution Opportunities Exporting products to foreign countries Increased demand for dairy products due to urbanization and increasing population Ensuring availability in untapped markets Launching innovative products for health conscious consumers Going for backward integration Threats Reliance on few suppliers Rising prices of sugar Rising prices of oil increasing transportation expenses Energy and Power Crises Procurement of Quality Milk as milk production fluctuates Rising Inflation decreasing purchasing power of consumers 3.0 Literature Review Pakistan has been classified as the third largest milk producing and consuming country in the world. There is a huge potential for liquid dairy products because 94% of the total population still consumes unpackaged milk. Dairy Processors in Pakistan are coming up with innovative products. An example is Tea Creamer which has been quite successful because drinking milk with tea accounts for 32% of total milk consumption in Pakistan. Consumption by low income consumers in developing markets is forecast to increase by from about 70 billion liters in 2011 to 80 billion liters in 2014 and many of these consumers are expected to switch in coming years from drinking loose milk to packaged milk19 According to Tetra Pak, global consumption of liquid dairy products is set to rise by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.9% in 2011-2014, accelerating from 2.5% growth in 2008-2011, led by buoyant demand in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Asia, Latin America and Africa are all expected to record higher growth rates in consumption in 2011-2014 than in 2008-2011. Asia is forecast to consolidate its position as the worlds biggest market for liquid dairy and dairy alternatives, while Latin America is forecast to overtake Western Europe as the worlds second biggest market by 2014, the research shows. Demand in Asia-Pacific is forecast to rise by 4.6% (CAGR) in 2011-2014 to some 165.3 billion liters20 The research shows that there is a huge potential for dairy processors and demand for dairy products especially UHT milk is likely to go up in future years to come. This demand for dairy products will not only exist in Pakistan but also in developing countries abroad. The demand for milk in neighboring countries also provides huge opportunities for dairy processors and they can expand their operations in those countries by either exporting their products or setting up plants. This research by Tetra Pak provides sound evidence that the future for dairy processors is bright if they can overcome certain issues of availability, quality of milk and reduce operating expenses. Pakistans milk and dairy products industry has already reached $26 billion as of March 2012. Engro is the market leader in the UHT milk segment with a share of over 44%21 A major issue being faced by the dairy industry of Pakistan is that the total production of milk in the country is not fulfilling domestic needs. While human population and consumption per capita has been increasing at the rate of 3% annually, milk production in the country is not increasing at the same pace22 In Pakistan, Buffalos are the main source of milk production with a contribution of 66%, followed by Cows with a contribution of 32% and Goats and Sheep which contribute 2% of the total milk produced. The major Buffalo breeds are Nilli-Ravi and Kundhi, while Sahiwal and Red Sindhi are dominant cow breeds. A majority of small holding farmers, who fulfill 90% of the total milk requirements of the country are not linked to the formal dairy market. The reasons which have been attributed to low productivity of animals are low genetic life of cattle, delay in puberty, scarcity of feed resources, high disease incidence, disorganized marketing system and traditional farming practices. The low production of milk in the country places a huge burden on dairy processors and in the year 2008-09, dry milk products worth Rs. 1.1 Billion had to be imported due to shortfall of milk production23 This article provides information regarding the major sources of milk in the country. It also clearly indicates a major issue being faced by dairy processors in the supply chain, which is procuring quality milk for further processing. Milk is the major raw material for dairy processors and insufficient milk production means that dairy processors have to operate with constrained capacity and cannot expand into new markets to meet future demands of milk. As the article highlights that not only is the productivity of animals low but majority of farmers do not have access to the formal dairy market. In Pakistan, 97% of milk produced is consumed by producers in far flung areas and only 3% is being processed and marketed through formal channels. Demand for milk is present not only in Pakistan but neighboring countries like Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Philippines which can be harnessed to advantage. Apart from bacteria of tuberculosis and hepatitis that naturally occur in milk, the Gawala adds many more impurities specially contaminated water for milk dilution. Other impurities like ice slab, soda bicarbonate, and formalin are added to prevent the milk from intense weather. Improper marketing channel is one of the major constraints being faced by the dairy sector. The informal private sector comprises of various agents in the supply chain each performing specialized roles. These comprise of producers, collectors, middlemen, processors, traders and consumers. Seasonal fluctuation hampers milk production and consumption in Pakistan. Milk production is maximum in the months from January to April due to availability of green fodder and reaches minimum in months of May to August. Alternatively milk consumption is high during summers and low in winters. Cold storage facilities are limited in Pakistan due to high cost of operations and shortage of electricity. Dairy processors like Nestle are looking at options to reduce or eliminate their reliance on small farmers due to milk adulteration and delays in getting the quantity of milk which hampers production. Dairy processors should vertically integrate their activities by Corporate Farming and offer additional services and support to medium and large farmers in order to get bulk quantities of milk from them24 This article highlights that opportunities exist for dairy processors to export their products in neighboring countries. It also explains how milk is collected and various contaminations which are added to raw milk. Procuring bulk quantities of milk is a big issue for dairy processors and their viable options are to reduce their dependence on small farmers. The constraint of seasonal fluctuation and ensuring quality standards is also a prime concern for dairy processors since all these factors hamper production and ultimately sales. The milk marketing chain in Pakistan can be classified into an informal marketing chain and a formal marketing chain. The informal milk marketing chain is highly unorganized and milk is delivered under unhygienic conditions. The formal marketing chain on the other hand is more organized and utilizes Cold Storage Tanks to deliver milk from collection centers to processing units25 The informal marketing chain provides the end consumer with low price dairy products at the cost of poor quality standards and unhygienic conditions. The formal marketing chain on the other hand is more conscious towards meeting health standards. However consumers also have to pay more for purchasing their products26 The demand drivers of the dairy industry include increased spending on healthy dairy, increasing nuclear families and working women, increase in demand for functional dairy, organized retail and private label penetration, changing demographics and rise in disposable incomes and increasing urbanization. The challenges being faced by the dairy industry are that milk productivity is still too low, R D is low, human resource challenges have to be addressed, supply chain hindrances have to be minimized and quality standards need to be improved27 The processing of UHT milk involves six steps. In the 1st step fresh milk from cows enters into the UHT process at 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit and contains 50 kinds of bacteria most of which are harmful to health. In the 2nd step the milk flows through pipes in which the temperature gets hotter and hotter until it reaches a holding tank and bacteria gets killed as the milk flows through the pipes. In the 3rd step the milk is heated to 278 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 seconds which kills 99.9 % of the bacteria. In the 4th step the milk is quickly cooled down to 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit which preserves essential nutrients and vitamins. In the 5th step the UHT milk is packed in Tetra packing within seconds to prevent bacteria from entering again in closed pipes and tanks. Finally in the last and 6th step the packed UHT milk is ready to be transported28 Tetra Pak is the pioneer in aseptic packaging. In this type of packaging the product and the package are sterilized separately and then combined and sealed in a sterile atmosphere29 The reason why dairy processors like Noon Pakistan Limited use Tetra Packages is because it allows products to be stored for up to a year without refrigeration which increases shelf life of milk. Branding is one of those marketing concepts which has immense importance since times immemorial. This is because it is the distinguishing feature between various goods and services. Customers perceive a concept of brand as something with which they can easily associate attributes of a product and to build a strong trust over time. This in turn results in brand equity which is long lasting and is a result of effective marketing efforts on the part of management of the company. With the advent of technology and trends of packaged products, branding is no more a source of identification of a product but way more than that. It is now used for building emotional attachments to both the companies and the products. Apart from the mere identification of the product there are other attributes of branding such as customers involvement, stress on higher quality and standards and other intangible attributes which are related to the brand name and in particular its symbol. Branding helps in creat ing images in the minds of consumers so that they can be ensured that their product is unique and different from the rest. Therefore, it can be said that a brand can only be recognized as a strong entity if it continues to provide attributes that it has been promising and are provided consistently. This shows the importance, growth and need for branding a product and service in recent times. This is because initially, consumers associated the brand with something that can be used for identification purposes only. However, now we can see that branding is way beyond that and is concerned with perceptual positioning of a product more than a distinguishing feature alone. Also a brand can emerge as a strong and well established brand only if the consumers are able to experience consistent delivery of attributes that have been promised by the company. Therefore, no brand can survive in the market if it is unable to fulfill its brand promise and this is a new phenomenon towards which we are seeing a paradigm shift in the market30 The concept of brand awareness is all related to the mind of the consumer. If a brand has a strong presence in the mind of the consumer he is said to be aware of it31 . It is also defined as a measure of the percentage of the target market that is aware of the brand name32 In order to create brand awareness in the mind of consumers33 ,companies can take use of advertising by marketing their product again and again which will create a few competitive advantages to them. For example: Brand familiarity Name familiarity will prove commitment to the brand If a brand isnt recalled during the point of purchase it is of no use and brand salience ensures that Brand awareness will be the most durable intangible asset According to Aaker, companies can generate brand awareness through two steps by firstly broadening the sales base and then by improving their skills beyond the regular mediums of advertisement34 . There are several ways to measure the brand awareness of a company and these attributes are described below: Brand Recognition: Brand recognition in simplest terms refers to the brand identification when consumers are provided with merely a cue about the brand prior to the actual exposure. This means, that this brand can be easily differentiated from others based on previous knowledge about the brand35 Brand Recall: Brand recall basically refers to the aptitude of the consumer for remembering the brand from the minds memory when provided with category of a product or any other cue36 Top of mind Brand: The brand which is named by the consumer first when provided with the product category or classification is known as top of mind brand37 Dominant Brand: When asked from the consumers, if a brand name is recalled by the majority of the respondents then that brand is said to be the dominant brand38 Therefore from the above research it can be analyzed quite easily the significance of the brand awareness. A brand which is able to achieve maximum brand equity and becomes a dominant brand can undoubtedly become the largest market share holder amongst the competitors. Building brand awareness however, is a challenge that is faced by the companies and they need to make their marketing efforts strong in order to ensure that among a huge pool of consumers, the brand awareness of their brand is most dominant as it will provide both economical and perceptual benefits to the compa

The Theme of Loss in Shakespeares The Tempest Essay -- Tempest essays

The Theme of Loss in The Tempest      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespeare's play, The Tempest tells the story of a father, Prospero, who must let go of his daughter; who brings his enemies under his power only to release them; and who in turn finally relinquishes his sway over his world - including his power over nature itself. The Tempest contains elements ripe for tragedy: Prospero is a controlling figure bent on taking revenge for the wrongs done to him, and in his fury he has the potential to destroy not only his enemies, but his own humanity and his daughter's future.    Throughout the play, Prospero is a figure who talks at rather than to the other characters, including his daughter Miranda, Prince Ferdinand, and Ariel, his airy servant. At the end of Act IV Prospero is caught up in the ecstasy of punishing and determining the fate of his foes. The beginning of Act V, however, marks a change in the character of Prospero, which averts a possible tragedy. Prospero is unsettled even though his plans are reaching fruition. In his talk with Ariel for the first time we see an actual conversation take place. In addition, in the line "...And mine shall." (Shakespeare V.i.20) we see a change of heart on the part of Prospero, and in the following monologue the audience is privy to introspection and contemplation even beyond that of the end of the masque in Act IV "We are such stuff as dreams are made on..."(Shakespeare).    ... ...est: An Interpretation." In The Tempest: A Casebook. Ed. D.J. Palmer. London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd., 1968. 225. Kermode, Frank. Introduction. The Tempest. By William Shakespeare. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1958. xlii. Palmer, D. J. (Editor) The Tempest - A Selection of Critical Essays London: MacMillan Press Ltd., 1977. Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans, et. al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1974. Solomon, Andrew. "A Reading of the Tempest." In Shakespeare's Late Plays. Ed. Richard C. Tobias and Paul G. Zolbrod. Athens: Ohio UP, 1974. 232. John Wilders' lecture on The Tempest given at Oxford University - Worcester College - August 4th, 1999.

Review of the Amazing Spider-Man Movie

The Amazing Spider-Man Review I have always enjoyed action films. I would state that this fact does make me somewhat biased for this review. Fictional characters that are super heroes only made them better for me. I went into this movie knowing it was going to be one that I would enjoy. This year has had a few different super hero films such as The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises. The Avengers released May 4th, 2012, was a box office hit, topping the charts for weeks. The Amazing Spider-Man was released just two months afterward on July 3rd.The super hero fan world was still in awe with The Avengers, myself included. I still wanted to watch The Amazing Spider-Man because I love super heroes. I give this movie 4. 5 stars out of 5 stars. I just did not think Sony could top The Avengers. Both films far exceeded the expectations I had built up for them. The Amazing Spider-Man will never measure up to the sheer scale and epic action of The Avengers, but it was still an action packed fi lm. The plot for The Amazing Spider-Man is a different sort of story altogether from that of The Avengers.The Amazing Spider-Man movie is not trying to tell a different story than Sony’s previous expedition into the Spider-Man realm, just simply a different spin on the story. The biggest question I asked myself was will the new story stand up against the previous trilogy. It is the story of Peter Parker, an average, though brilliant, teen trying to make it through high school. Peter’s father, with his secretive work, caused both of his parents to disappear one night, leaving him with his aunt and uncle to be an orphan of sorts.He has since grown up, but he unexpectedly begins uncovering clues about his father and his work. This chance discovery of his dads’ old research into cross-species genetics sends Peter searching for clues at Oscorp, his father’s old employer. There, while he is snooping around, he accidentally comes into contact with a genetically engineered spider. Peters’ high school crush, Gwen Stacy interns alongside the brilliant, but disabled Curt Connors, who was his father’s closest associate before he disappeared. That introduction to Dr.Connors results in Connors and young Parker bonding over scientific theory. Peter hands over parts of his father’s work that was thought to be lost. From there the experiments Dr. Connors has been working on are able to work, creating formulas and serums that allow rats to regrow their limbs. Things quickly spiral out of control. The doctor finds himself opposite Spider-Man before too long. In the middle of this conflict, there is a budding romance between Peter and the girl he has secretly admired for years. Andrew Garfield plays a fairly different Peter Parker than Tobey Maguire did.Despite being rather good-looking and decently dressed, he is more socially awkward, has zero friends and is more inept around girls than Tobey’s was. It feels more in line w ith what I believe Peter Parker was like from the comics, although perhaps a bit more modern-day. The bottom line is that it just works. Peter is much more likable and feels much more fleshed out. It is not that Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker was not executed well, it was. In the previous releases the story and characters in Raimi’s original three movies were all so idyllic.Everyone, in his movies, was a good person and no one made mistakes. The emotional tone and serious nature of the story is not quite driven down your throat as much in this film, thanks in large part to the humor sprinkled liberally throughout the film. The drama comes from the Lizard, as he is known in the comics. The creature is at least eight to nine feet tall, with massive, retractable, razor-sharp claws, seemingly unlimited strength and a powerful prehensile tail. Spider-Man fights it three or four times through the film, using his agility, speed and powerful webbing to full advantage. And he nee ds to.The Lizard is absolutely fearsome, cold-blooded, and terrifying. The Lizard is much more monster than super villain and the critical injuries constantly inflicted upon Peter made me wonder if this film should have been rated higher than PG-13. The action is very tense due to the violent nature of the villain, but that simply moves the plot line along. A lot of things help tell the story in this version, especially the budding romance between Parker and Gwen Stacy. His original girlfriend from the comics is cast as a very genuine teenager and becomes very likable when played by the talented Emma Stone.Gwen is an intern that works directly with Dr. Connors, further complicating the already intricate web of relationships in the story. Her family, only briefly shown are not very memorable, with special exception to her father, the Chief of Police. Dennis Leary, in this role, plays a dry, sarcastic, impatient man to perfection here, as he hunts down Spider-Man to stop his string of vigilante crimes. Martin Sheen and Sally Field embody the loving, caring, wise Uncle Ben and Aunt May, respectively. This movie gives them both much more vitality and character than in the original series.Putting life into the movie took on an entirely different view with the special effects being among the best you can see in such a film. Notable praise goes to the film’s 3-D work. This is one of three films, the other two being Avatar and Prometheus, to be filmed in and then released in 3-D, rather than filmed in 2-D and converted to 3-D. The CGI (computer-generated imagery) characters are animated brilliantly and move like they were alive. Spider-Man succeeds in hitting all of those strange poses that are his signature moves on the flashy covers of his comics.It helps add more â€Å"comic authenticity† that Garfield himself is very tall, nimble and lanky. All traits I think Maguire does not really possess, being a little shorter in stature and a bit more ripped and bulky. If the film falls short in one category, it is the soundtrack, which I thought was serviceable, but not very memorable. All together it was better thought out film with more insight into Peter’s motivation and his turmoil. Gone are the nerdy narrations from Tobey Maguire. Gone are the idyllic people populating the original franchise.Raimi’s Spider-Man bounced headlong into danger from the get-go to save the innocent and protect those who could not protect themselves. Webb’s Spider-Man is not trying to save anyone so much as get revenge, until the point where he decides to save a boy trapped in a burning car. His actions and heroics from then on, speak more volumes than the original three films combined. Peter feels responsible for protecting people because he both chooses to be and because has to be. That is what a super hero is made of. Therefore I give this movie 4. 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Challenges being faced as a beginning teacher

National Education ( NE ) was introduced to Singapore Schools in 1997 to develop national coherence, cultivate the inherent aptitude for endurance as a state and instil in our pupils, assurance in our state ‘s hereafter. It besides emphasises on cultivating a sense of belonging and emotional rootedness to Singapore. Many programmes such as Community Involvement Programme ( CIP ) and Learning Journeys were designed to assist schools accomplish such aims and the duty of put to deathing these programmes falls on the instructors. As a beginning instructor, freshly introduced into the profession, challenges are faced in the effort to implement such enterprises. In my sentiment, one major challenge that I would meet is planing activities that infuses a sense of relevance in our pupils – allowing them understand that national coherence is a consequence of the uninterrupted attempts of every Singaporean, and they are a portion of the equation. These pupils were born in the epoch of political and economical stableness, where bulk grew up in environments run intoing their demands and carry throughing most of their wants. Hence, they have the inclination to take their security and wellbeing for granted, doing them unable to grok the battles faced by Singapore in keeping the current success and stableness and the demand for NE. For illustration, most schools in Singapore commemorate nucleus event, Racial Harmony Day through the showcasing of the diversified cultural costumes and playing of cultural games to enable their pupils ‘ in-depth cultural cognition of their equals. Yet, a bulk of them treat the recollection of the twenty-four hours as an chance for an interesting concert and a half-day school, and few genuinely understanding the implicit in principle behind the activities, allow entirely instil a sense of relevance. Amidst the current racial harmonious atmosphere between different racial groups, pupils are unable to gestate the thought of racial public violences, its ‘ impact on Singapore and the importance of racial harmoniousness in a society. They view information relayed through these events as irrelevant and doubt the possibility of the return of such incidents in the current Singapore. It is of a common apprehension that the six NE messages would ever stay as words on paper unless instructors inculcate them into pupils in an piquant mode. Therefore, as a get downing instructor with no anterior experience in the ingraining of NE messages, I feel that the undertaking of planing engaging, merriment and relevant activities would be enormous, with myself holding unequal cognition of the activity thoughts that pupils are receptive to. Instilling a sense of relevance in pupils would be a immense challenge as it is non an easy undertaking to alter pupils ‘ deeply-rooted thought from â€Å" the duty of keeping national coherence autumn merely on the grownups and authorities † to the thought that â€Å" national coherence is the duty of everyone, including pupils † . Students should be taught that societal coherence occurs because each and everyone put in attempt and play our portion in lending to the wellbeing of the state. The issue is relevant to both grownups and pupils. From my personal observation, about all Singapore Schools repeat the same NE programmes for their pupils every twelvemonth, differing merely at the activities to be completed at single degrees. As such, pupils were bored of it, and older pupils particularly, expressed cynicism, and were unresponsive to the programmes. Hence, I feel that the 2nd challenge that I would confront as a get downing instructor in the effort to put to death the enterprises is eliciting pupils ‘ involvement in the engagement of NE-related activities. Unlike the traditional topics that we were taught to learn in the instruction institute, NE is non merely another topic where pupils learn by conventional instruction methods. In fact, pupils understand the constructs in NE better when the activities are prosecuting, merriment and capture their attending. Although pupils reflected that programmes designed by the school ‘s NE commission were everyday, get downing instructors, including myself, are unable to plan and implement new thoughts in topographic point of old 1s, with bing NE models in schools. On the contrary, I would be expected to follow the guidelines and present a similar NE lesson. As a get downing instructor with limited learning experience and teaching methods accomplishments, I would miss the ability in transform these guidelines into prosecuting and interesting lessons on par as that of the experient instructors. Most experient instructors are able to present interesting NE lessons, transforming the repetitive, dull lesson into prosecuting sharing lessons while staying by the guidelines. They reflected on their past instruction experiences, gathered feedback from old batches of pupils, and modified their instruction teaching method consequently to appeal to pupils ‘ involvement. Therefore, pupils ‘ involvements in NE activities are aroused and they participate actively in it. On the other manus, get downing instructors enter schoolrooms today with high outlooks of ourselves and of our pupils. Our learning method would be influenced by single background and assorted learning theories. However, the deficiency of experience in the instruction field would impact the quality of the lesson bringing as I would be unable to accommodate to pupils ‘ demands. In add-on, I would be given to avoid diverting from the model to plan newer, more exciting lessons as I fear for botching the ba lance between merriment and content. After all, the intent of the NE lesson would be defeated if there is more merriment than content. To reason, the aims of NE could be attained through appropriate programmes and it is therefore highly of import to instill a sense of relevance in our pupils and to elicit their involvement in NE activities. When faced with challenges in the effort to implement the policies, get downing instructors should detect, persevere and seek for aid to get the better of them. Through these challenges, we would turn to go better pedagogues and in bend, supply the greatest benefits to the pupils.