Data mining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Data mining - Essay Example t generally apply: every application must deliver benefits to the users; users must feel comfortable with the way in which the system manipulates and presents information. Data mining is based on statistical analysis and modeling techniques, Data mining becomes a strategic weapon of organizations because it increases significantly the volume of information that can be stored and the ease with which it can be updated. This enables new services to be provided in a way that was not economically feasible before. The three main steps in data mining are discovering, predicting modeling and forensic analysis. â€Å"Discovery is the process of looking in a database to find hidden patterns without a predetermined idea or hypothesis about what the patterns may be† (Pushpa 2007, p.1). Discovery consists of three subcategories: conditional logic, affinities and associations, trends and associations. â€Å"In predictive modeling patterns discovered from the database are used to predict the future.† (Pushpa 2007, p. 2). Predicting modeling involves outcomes prediction and forecasting. Most of the data mining applications used by an organization consist of simply taking information in one form, performing some very simpl e transformations to that information (rarely more than aggregation and the usual arithmetical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and then presenting the processed information in another form. Thus, forensic analysis allows both deviation detection and link analysis. It is defined as: †the process of applying the extracted patterns to find anomalous or unusual data elements† (Pushpa 2007, p.2).The underlying architecture of data warehousing that an organization needs to best perform these tasks is obvious. There must be some form of flexible, central data store containing all the information and data that are going to be manipulated, fed by a variety of information-gathering processes. The main data mining techniques are

Police Influence on Society Essay Example for Free

Police Influence on Society Essay Historically, this nation of the United States has proven many times over its dominance over those who are different to those in power. The United States has proven time and again that it can and will discriminate against others it considers less than equal. This is proven and demonstrated to all U. S citizens and those who are not, in our history books throughout school. Every year affording student’s new information of how the United States demonstrates its power over those that are different. From the demise of many Native American tribes; the internment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor; the discrimination and segregation of African Americans; to the constant current discrimination to those people of different origins, whose language and customs differ from that of the status quo. The United States; although, has demonstrated preference to what is referred to as â€Å"White privilege† has consistently demonstrated countless efforts and successes against prejudice and discrimination that have led this country to focus continually on equality and justice for all. The dominant group is the group in power and so by definition is the group that establishes control. In order for a nation, such as the United States, to establish a dominance that will encourage all people to follow suit, the key lies in establishing a common ground. Control in itself is a trait that no one wants as a descriptor, but as a way to describe a united front it is more than acceptable. Having control over a population through laws and regulations that the people themselves agree to is control through the general consent. Laws and regulations meant to establish order and protection to its people also establish control within the government that governs over the people. Policing is a primary way for the government to serve and protect its people as well as its own interests. Policing serves many purposes but the primary purpose is to protect. But, who do the police protect? The wealthy have an economic position that frees them from the need to commit crimes such as theft, while the poor live in economic despair that tempts them to commit these crimes, or so it is believed. In reality, no one is exempt of crime; anyone is capable of committing crimes and need is not always the deciding factor. Those fortunate of economic wealth also enjoy the privilege of a high social status, and those of high social status do not need nor do they commit crimes. A myth, of course, but still believed by many. On the other hand, the less fortunate suffer discrimination based on their poor economic status among other factors. â€Å"Minorities experience unequal treatment and have less power over their lives than members of a dominant group† (Robert McNamara, 2009). To understand how discrimination has changed throughout the years, it is important to understand the gradual but never ending influx of people from different countries into American soil. The concept of discrimination is fairly odd considering all people within the United States with the exception of Native Americans are all immigrants to this great nation and yet generation after generation people continually do to new cultures that which was once experienced by them and is possibly still experienced by their race or ethnic group. People that have lived within the United States eventually gain a sense of â€Å"national identity† and â€Å"identify with being part of the larger society† (Robert McNamara, 2009). With so many different people coming in to the country they not only bring everything which is good about their culture but also that which is negative and affects the U.S as a whole. Discrimination is not based solely on a different culture; race, etc. but rather the negative aspects endured by the American public by a few anti-social individuals that bring disgrace upon a certain group. The events occurring on September 11th were not the actions of all Arabs or Muslims, but rather of a few and because of them all that resemble those who attacked have become the target of discrimination. Because of the actions of certain individuals, the groups that they belong to or are associated with tend to be at the receiving end of discrimination to the point that law enforcement finds it necessary to profile in order to perform their duties (Bass, 2001). Policing in the United States reflects discriminatory actions much like many other countries. The race or ethnic background in American history, when it refers to discrimination is not relative because discrimination is not limited to certain groups. Discrimination is an act that affects those that are different from the dominant population. Law enforcement discriminates not because someone is from a different race or because a race or ethnic group commits a certain amount or types of crime. Discrimination in its purest form is simply â€Å"White America† unwilling to accept difference and those with â€Å"national identity† forgetting their own history. References Bass, S. (2001). Policing space, policing race: Social control imperatives and police discretionary decisions. Social Justice, 28(1), 156-176. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/231906243?accountid=458 Chan, J. (2011). Racial Profiling and Police Subculture. Canadian Journal Of Criminology Criminal Justice, 53(1), 75-78. MacNamara, R. H., Burns, R. (2009). Multiculturalism in the criminal justice system. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. The Criminology and Criminal Justice Collective of Northern Arizona University. (2009). Investigating difference: Human and cultural relations in criminal justice (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Consumer Behaviour On Decline Of Sales Marketing Essay

Consumer Behaviour On Decline Of Sales Marketing Essay Introduction This report is prepared to analyse how consumer behaviour changes has led to the decline in sales volume of Xclusive perfume brands across the UK market. For the last two years sales has declined consistently across the target market of upper class consumers in UK. Xclusive is an premium perfume brand from Premium Products Ltd, a company based out of UK. Company launched this premium brand for men and women in UK market in 2006. By 2007, they had a 1.2% market share, reporting a total sales turnover of 7.96 million GBP (Esprit Magazine, 2007) In 2008 and 2009, the sales declined by 5% and 6.2% respectively. Preliminary reports show a decline in popularity of this brand and lesser movement in stores among the upper class customers. This report is intended to analyse the reasons which led to the sales decline over the last two years. Report will test the hypothesis that consumer behaviour variations led to the decline in sales. Other key objective of this report is to come up with suggestions to reverse this declining sales trend and influence a positive change in consumer behaviour to increase the sales. Current Product and Marketing Strategy Xclusive brand of premium perfume for men and women was launched by Premium Product Ltd in 2006. There were four lines within this Xclusive brand herbal, musky, woody and spicy. Musky was the popular most brands followed by Herbal. They were packaged in exclusive golden bottles, which gave exquisiteness to the whole product package. Health consciousness was on the rise among the UK consumers in 2006. That made the company launch this exclusive herbal perfume to the upper class consumers. This was launched as part of their market differentiation strategy compared to other premium brands. Main target was upper class men and women in UK with social grade A and B. (Businessballs, 2008). This market size constituted 25% of the total UK population. Premium Products Ltd used a premium pricing for all products including this Xclusive product line, with herbal being the most expensive as it was made from healthy ingredients. The company adopted a selective distribution strategy targeting only luxury zones and concentrated on boutiques and big malls like Wesfield and Metrocenter. Distribution strategy was centred around premium malls and online shops like Perfume shop. (Suite101, 2007) Company did the promotion mainly through celebrity ads in mass media like TV and upper class magazines like Glamour and Cosmopolitan. Promotion was around healthy sports men and women using this exclusive perfume. (National Readership Survey, 2007) Problem Analysis Problem: In the last two years there has been a drastic decrease in the sales of fragrance products (perfumes). Study was conducted on market and consumer buying process to understand the reasons behind this decline in sales. In the market study, objective was to test whether external market conditions were favourable to perfume business. Market study was done using the PEST method. While doing sales analysis, it was found that decline in sales actually came from women segment. Hence market and consumer behaviour study was mostly attributed to the social class A and B women segments. Buyer responses Choices of product brand dealer timing price Buy more, less, stay loyal etc buyers black box Needs wants, stimuli Product, price, place, promotion etc Environmental (PEST) factors Buying Process Analysis We looked at the typical buying process of premium perfumes by women in UK. Looking at the major players involved in a typical purchase decision. Initiator Influencer Decider Buyer User Usually, women themselves are the initiators to buy perfumes for following reasons: Long lasting scent Makes feel attractive One that others comment on Makes feel sexy Changes or enhances mood Initiators can be men also who buy gifts for women. It basically depends on the age group of women. But generally speaking, the influencers can be: Peer group Celebrities Referred by magazine (foil pouch samples preferred) Advertisements in media Women themselves and men also. Both men (as gifts) and women. Women, her friends, relatives etc. Since women play the major role of initiator and decider in this buying process, we need to understand internal and external factors which can impact the consumer behaviour of women belonging to social class A and B. Consumer behaviour characteristics Consumer behaviour refers to the selection, purchase and consumption of goods and services for the satisfaction of their wants. (Ezinearticles, 2007) There are multiple factors which can influence the consumers behaviour over a period of time, which includes both internal and external. Broadly the internal factors could be personal traits like age, income, occupation, personality, lifestyle etc and psychological factors like motivation, perception, learning, beliefs and attitudes. External factors can be social ones like reference groups, social status and influence of family. It could be cultural factors too like culture and sub-culture and social class. This is very much relevant to the premium perfume product segment too. External Factors affecting consumer behaviour Among the external factors, the key ones which directly impact consumer behaviour are demographics and social class. Next comes the influence of reference groups like celebrities, friends and family. But since the target segment is mainly upper class and upper middle, culture/sub-culture seems to be the least important variable. Demographics It is more an internal factor, which is of course shaped by external influence. Teenagers: They are more interested in citrus scents. Usually they prefer a fragrance that makes them attractive to others. They dont have any affinity towards a brand, but they like to try out different fragrances and brands. Adults: They are most likely to buy fragrances for most likely to wear a perfume to feel sexy. Older women are more likely to switch fragrances within their collection once a week or more. As they are more health conscious, they are more likely to consider Home Fragrances, Eau de Perfume, and Essential Oils as part of the Fragrance category. They are much more branding savvy. They prefer fruity and flowery fragrances and follow celebrities to a large extent. (Fragrancefoundation, 2007) In the UK, every woman between the ages 25 and 34, on an average carry  £ 71 worth of cosmetics in their handbag. (China cosmetic packing, 2010) Three out of five women were more likely to buy a fragrance samples in a magazine (foil pouch samples preferred). Now women prefer having a wardrobe or collection of fragrances too. (Fragrancefoundation, 2007) They still follow celebrity endorsements while choosing the fragrance. This is evident from the popularity of M brand introduced under the brand of Mariah Carey (Entrepreneur, 2007)). Consumers have revisited classic fragrances as the shift in buying behaviour moves towards quality, authenticity or value. (Academic Mintell, 2007) Social Class Similarly, differences in social class can create customer groups. In fact, the official six social classes in the UK are widely used to profile and predict different customer behaviour. In the UKs socioeconomic classification scheme, social class is not just determined by income. It is measured as a combination of occupation, income, education, wealth and other variables. (Tutor2U, 2007) Relevant social class segments for our premium perfume segment: Upper upper   old, established, socially prominent families Lower upper   new rich   Upper middle   professional people   Lower middle   white collar, salaried workers (Emailcommerce, 2007) Now the characteristics of each of these social classes vary as they are bound by different cultural and sub cultural elements. In the current marketing strategy the product was positioned just for upper class women and we didnt have a differentiated positioning for each sub cultural or social class groups within this broad definition of upper class women. Needs and buying process of upper middle class woman is completely different to a upper upper class woman. For example upper and lower middle can get influenced by friends and co-workers more and women tend to be mostly decision makers and purchasers. However in the upper upper and Lower upper, influence of family may be higher. Reference groups like social clubs, charity organisations, and social get together could be more relevant to influence the upper class women. Hence a segmented marketing approach is needed. However the 2009 downturn has frequency the purchase of perfumes among women. Women on average buy 4 fragrances a year. (Fragrencefoundation), due to the downturn there this has decreased to 2-3 fragrance a year. Still women spend enough on cosmetics. Among the higher social classes, penetration of social media has increased. Online purchases using cards has become common. Internet as an outlet has increased its penetration by 4% in the UK market. (Fragrancefoundation, 2007) Reference Groups Reference groups could also potentially influence the buying of premium perfume product. Reference groups can be aspirational or associative. Celebrities and socially respected ladies form aspirational reference groups for high class UK women. Associative reference groups could be members of a social club or co-workers or even members of church and some organisation. Friend circle is another major influential reference group as they could be sharing same interests and preferences. Family could be another reference group, this is however dealt separately. (Consumerpsychologist, 2007) In the target segment of Xclusive premium perfume product, reference groups are quite relevant. For example, Celebrity brands  are driving market growth among younger fragrance users. Over 30 new celebrity fragrances were launched in 2007. One in five 16-24 year olds claim to own at least one, compared with one in twenty over-45s. Celebrity fragrances provide the entry point for young people into the whole luxury sector.  (Fragrancefoundation, 2007) (As internet is becoming a key social media, reference groups like forums and fragrance review sites is also becoming key influencers in the decision making process. Sites like http://www.bestperfumeforwomen.co.uk/ provide reviews and give a ranking on best perfumes. You can no longer launch hundreds of fragrances, as the customer is more selective and wants something unique. Its not only the downturn that has forced this change in consumer behaviour. Thanks in large part to the internet, shoppers are much more knowledgeable about fragrances-more than many brands think. A look at some of the fragrance blogs or websites, such as Sniffapalooza (once derided, but now courted by fragrance brands) shows that consumers are having educated discussion and debate about fragrance, comparing different products and asking why they are all alike. Fragrance expert Michael Edwards calls this consumer the connoisseur, and compares such behavior to the foodie trend that emerged several years ago. Influence of Family In our target segment of upper and higher middle class women in UK, influence of family members is vital in making purchase decisions. Individual members of families often serve different roles in decision making process. Some individuals are  information gatherers/holders, who seek out information about products of relevance. These individuals often have a great deal of power because they may selectively pass on information that favours their chosen alternatives.  Typically husbands play the role of influencers; they let their wives know their wishes and suggestions. Husbands usually travel and get to know from social gatherings and even from online or internet means. In the case of premium perfume, the role of each individual in the family is critical be it that of gatherers who may be typically younger lot or social buffs, or that of influencers like husbands or decision makers or even purchasers. This makes marketing more tough as the messages need to reach a wider cross sec tion of UK society. Point of sales marketing can help to convince purchasers, but broad marketing conveying the features of Xclusive premium perfume should reach others like older ladies, socially respected relatives, and husbands. (Consumerpsychologist, 2007) Three out of four women say that when they find a fragrance they really like, they tell their friends about it. Every 2 in three women give perfumes as gift to partners, friends and family. Impact of culture/sub-culture elements Each culture contains sub-cultures groups of people with share values. Sub-cultures can include nationalities, religions, racial groups, or groups of people sharing the same geographical location. Sometimes a sub-culture will create a substantial and distinctive market segment of its own. OgAAAPeyJpurr1ryoFWlKXRdQZJVSyMAct7AfdHZmI-zSL4J5aoWNgxDAjv20AMfd_XlBjE5RI8O3Ge8wNG63V0VYoUA15jOjGI8ihdsXtJS1SOoJjWTF231BFIw (Source: From the Module presentation) For example, the youth culture or club culture has quite distinct values and buying characteristics from the much older gray generation. Similarly sub-cultural groups like immigrants from other countries and resident nationals belonging to other regions will show different characteristics to the UK culture. For example in the case of Asians, family relationships are much stronger and gifting is usually informal and ritual. However in UK, relationships are more loose, but gifting is done formally. Packaging is more relevant to the UK upper class when compared to other nationals. European communities give lot of importance to quality and elegance. Just like nationality as the above diagram shows, there are many more factors which shape up the cultural trait of an individual. Suggestions to influence consumer behaviour Fine grained social class segmentation: Have more targeted segments by age, by social class and by age. This is important as messages may have to be different and different fragrance products needs to be marketed to different social class and age groups Celebrity references: Continue to use references from celebrities, but widen your celebrity base to influence different segments. Musicians, film stars, entrepreneurs, sports personality and so on. For example younger lot get influenced with entrepreneurs as they look for confidence image to get associated with the perfumes they use. Older may prefer music stars and film personalities. Educational Promotions across wide cross section: Sales staff needs to be trained to improve their selling support and skills in order to advise customers correctly. Fragrances sold in self-selection should carry information on the outer box to provide consumer with the key ingredients of the product. Leaflets in boxes could also contain information for the consumer on the fragrance, on how to wear and tips on fragrance layering, and its ingredients which is a standard for many prestige skincare brands. In addition samples can be used to explain fragrance notes. Furthermore online sampling has been successfully carried out by luxury brands. Promotional messages should be targeted at initiators, influencers and decision makers. POS marketing is critical for purchases like free samples. Increasing the reach:Target to increase the number of outlets to reach a wider segmented base of upper and higher middle class women. Use internet as a channel to target convenience shoppers. Online purchase and spending is increasing in the upper class UK consumer segments. More over place reviews and customer testimonials especially of reference groups in social marketing sites to influence the prospective buyers. Differentiated products and channels for multiple segments: Thus there is a need to address the Teenage customers and Adult customers with different products according to their preferences. There are basically different types of shoppers which are Convenience Shoppers Value Shoppers Image Shoppers Experience Shoppers Luxury perfumes for women come under Image Shoppers and Experience Shoppers were, Teenagers belong to Image Shoppers and Adults belong to Experience shoppers. Understanding customers, their preferences, their needs led to the conclusion that our firm should go for two product lines, one addressing the teenagers and the other addressing the adults. The perfumes should have a variety of flavors i.e., a variety of citrus flavors for teenagers and flowers and fruity flavors for adults. Also advertising and promotional activities should be based on this segmentation. Recommended Positioning Strategy for Xclusive Premium Perfume Brand Introduction This report is prepared to suggest a positioning strategy for Xclusive brand of premium perfume for defined market segments. The objective of this new positioning strategy will be to have a positive influence on various factors which impact consumer behaviour and purchase decision of this premium product. However this report is limited to the positioning of the products for one of the target segments, which is upper class and higher middle class women. We assume that positioning strategy for the segment of men is working fine as sales has shown positive upward trend so far. Key Gaps with the Current Positioning Strategy Broad and inappropriate target segmentation: As per the current marketing strategy the target segment was defined as upper class men and women. Positioning message or current tagline Exclusive fragrance for just you was used to attract upper class men and women to feel that they own it and join a elite group of premium perfume owners. The target segment of upper class women was broader as consumer behaviour characteristics tend to differ with in the target segment of upper class women by age and social class. Hence the marketing messages failed to impress all the prospective buyers among the target segment of upper class women. Earlier, the segmentation was based on just income and status as quite evident from the positioning message. But it failed to impress all the cross sections of the prospective buyers. Lack of differentiated products and positioning: Tagline and positioning creates a perception map in the minds of consumers. Exclusive fragrance just for you suggests following characteristics it is expensive, it is exclusively for upper class only, it is unique from other products. However in real sense product was not differentiated from the competitor products. Hence there was a different between customer perception and experience which led to customer dissatisfaction and decline in repeat purchase. Teenagers Vs Adults with in the upper class target women Pure herbal Adults how to gain their credibility retain customer the core segment to be targeted.. Quality Personal body chemistry Brand image Teenagers Low price(relatively) Stress more on ambience Increase of celebrities Increase of social media usage especially in teenage networking sites Personal body chemistry Brand image As you can see above, teenagers are showing more affinity towards synthetic fragrance while adults are interested in herbal products. This itself calls for a rift in preferences and perception about the same fragrance product. Marketer need to address this with a differentiated product strategy. This kind of differences in perception mapping of the same product by two sections of the target segment was not considered while deciding the product and positioning strategy. Lack of proper celebrity references: Celebrities used for promoting Xclusive brand were mostly contemporary stars from the field of sports and films. But this is again not in line with the tagline, the company had. Ideally the company should have tried to bring in an image of a classic brand and they could have chosen somebody from old classic films like Lawrence of Arabia or actresses like Julie Andrews (Classic Movies, 2008) UK Consumers, especially the women in the age group of 30 to 60 were revisiting the classic brands and this could have been a better strategy. Couldnt reach all influencers: In the case of upper class women, a typical purchase process is influenced by friends, family members like husband, social clubs, social marketing forums and then ofcourse the aspirational groups like successful businesswomen or celebrities. Xclusive as a brand didnt have any such associations with these influencers. They were mostly targeting the decision makers and purchases with ads being targeted in magazines like Glamour. Redefine the target segments among the Women Xlusive brand has suffered a decline in sales over the last two years among the women target segment. From the market analysis and consumer behaviour study we can find that current marketing strategy was not good enough to attract all prospective consumers among the target segment of upper class women. Initial market strategy was just built around the income class, but it was not taking into account the consumer behaviour changes as per different factors like social class, age, cultural difference and so on. Shift in target segmentation from Upper class women to multiple target segments of segment 1: upper upper class and upper middle class (employed) woman segment 2: teenage women in upper middle class and upper class (with a high disposable income) Differentiated Products and Positioning Me too products or generic product line with one positioning message will not work in this changed environment. UK consumers are more going towards value shopping and they are likely to make more informed decisions rather than going by quick stimuli. Segment Product Positioning Upper class and upper middle class women Xclusive Classic range of fragrance in herbal mix Health and Class Exclusively Teenage upper class and upper middle class Xclusive Style Synthetic perfumes with citrus flavours Style and Confidence Suggesting following the Key Brand method to look at what factors would influence women in the above target segments choose a fragrance in the premium segment. (Brandkeys, 2010) Hence the differentiated products and positioning should be made around the following attributes selected from the above matrix Product Image Scent Ingredients Reactions Classic range of fragrance in herbal mix Classic Sexy Sociable Traditional Floral Spicy Natural Ingredients Fresh Original Sensual Powerful Inspired Strong Hence positioning messages are created around these product attributes for the two product lines. Packaging is also made consistent with these attributes to create that whole product image. Classic product line needs to be packaged in premium glass bottles with a golden plating. Style product line for teenagers will be in colourful glass bottles which are cut on sides to give it a style and powerful cuvy shape.   Creative Campaigns around Positioning Messages One of the problems with fragrance is that the penetration rates are not that high. However, a lot could be done to bring more consumers into the fragrance market. Critics say that marketers focus too much on youth, and that the scents and sometimes racy advertising campaigns aimed at this group have turned off older consumers. Appealing to women in their 30s, 40s and 50s and those who have lost touch with fragrance with an appropriate offer and marketing campaign could bring in much additional revenue. So having nostalgic and retro campaigns would be a good way to target the segment of middle aged upper class and upper middle class women. Celebrities can be actresses like Elizabeth Taylor and Julia Andrews. They can promote the Xclusive Classic brand around creating images of classic and vintage stuff never ceases or use everlasting films like Lawrence of Arabia. Moving away from contemprory stars to more stars from the classical age would be good to convince and influence changing UK consumers especially among the aged upper class segments. (The Freelibrary, 2007) Avertisement targeted at adult women Use of gold plated bottle cover and golden color font in a classic written style Xclusive *Julie Andres, an actress from yester years still a living legend to be a brand ambassador of the Classic product line Similarly for the teenage segment, celebrities from field like politics, business, sports could be chosen who can give an image of style and confidence. A study conducted among young UK women chose a set of role models like Margaret Thatcher, Marilyn Monroe, Kylie Minogue, Jamie Ogata (Confident Japanese UN official). (Cranfield University, 2009) We can probably use them as celebrities to push our style and confidence image in the mind of teenagers. Unlike adults, teenagers are more image shoppers. They can be triggered for an instant purchase by a sudden stimuli. (Telegraph, 2008) Advertisement targeting teenagers: Bold confident young women, curvy bottle shape with bold red font usage Xclusive Re-inventing Shopping Experience Shopping for fragrances needs to be made easier, and stores better adapted to how consumers browse and buy. Research by Paris-based JMG Research shows that the consumer is looking for new retail formats. She is looking for a new experience and is very reactive to new propositions. When something is out of the ordinary she will buy, says JMG Research managing director Jà ©rà ´me Goldberg. New retail store formats have to be tried out like eliminating counters in department stores, merchandising by fragrance family or creating areas for replenishment for the consumer who is only looking for that service. In a recent survey, majority of those questioned did want to see fragrances organized by brand, but 40% also said that they would like to see fragrances organized by the way they smell. Many UK women middle aged consumers now go in for a fragrance collection. This basically tends them to be more brand loyal. Fragrance is emotional and the industry needs to pay more attention to this rather talking about technical information. There needs to be beauty assistants who are helpful and knowledgeable and not just push the latest launch, says John Ayres, director of UK-based fragrance consultancy Pandora. Sales people should be doing a lot more educational selling rather than aggressive as consumers have more options to choose from. (Articles base, 2007) Leaflets in boxes should also contain information for the consumer on the fragrance, on how to wear and tips on fragrance layering and its ingredients. This is standard for many prestige skincare brands. Also samples can be used to explain fragrance notes. http://www.bglam.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/discount-3.JPG (Sample online perfume catalogue) Another trend is the moving away from class to mass channels for purchase. UK consumers now prefer Tesco to specialised classes like department stores.

The Republic - Book 1 - Theme Of Justice Essay -- essays research pape

The subject matter of the â€Å"Republic† is the nature of justice and its relation to human existence. Book I of the â€Å"republic† contains a critical examination of the nature and virtue of justice. Socrates engages in a dialectic with Thrasymachus, Polemarchus, and Cephalus, a method which leads to the asking and answering of questions which directs to a logical refutation and thus leading to a convincing argument of the true nature of justice. And that is the main function of Book I, to clear the ground of mistaken or inadequate accounts of justice in order to make room for the new theory. Socrates attempts to show that certain beliefs and attitudes of justice and its nature are inadequate or inconsistent, and present a way in which those views about justice are to be overcome. Traditionally justice was regarded as one of the cardinal virtues; to avoid injustices and to deal equitable with both equals and inferiors was seen as what was expected of the good man, but it was not clear how the benefits of justice were to be reaped. Socrates wants to persuade from his audience to adopt a way of estimating the benefits of this virtue. From his perspective, it is the quality of the mind, the psyche organization which enables a person to act virtuously. It is this opposition between the two types of assessment of virtue that is the major theme explored in Socrates’ examination of the various positions towards justice. Thus the role of Book I is to turn the minds from the customary evaluation of justice towards this new vision. Through the discourse between Cephalus, Polemarchus and Thrasymachus, Socaretes’ thoughts and actions towards justice are exemplified. Though their views are different and even opposed, the way all three discourse about justice and power reveal that they assume the relation between the two to be separate. They find it impossible to understand the idea that being just is an exercise of power and that true human power must include the ability to act justly. And that is exactly what Socrates seeks to refute. The Socratic dialogue begins of Socrates recounting a conversation he had with a number of people at the house of Cephalus. Returning to Athens from Piraeus, where they had been attending a religious festival, Socrates and Glaucon are intercepted by Cephalus, who playfully forces them to come to his father’s house. Socrates begins by asking t... ...s are a paradigm case of those in control. The essence of ruling is, therefore, to be unjust and that is why a tyrant is a perfect ruler. He always knows what is to his advantage and how to acquire it. Thrasymachus’ view of justice is appealing but therein lies a moral danger and this is refuted by Socrates. Out of the confrontation with Cephalus, Polemarchus, and Thrasymachus, Socrates emerges as a reflective individual searching for the rational foundation of morality and human excellence. The views presented by the three men are invalid and limited as they present a biased understanding of justice and require a re-examination of the terminology. The nature in which the faulty arguments are presented, leave the reader longing to search for the rational foundations of morality and human virtue. Bibliography Allan, Bloom. The Republic of Plato. Second Edition, Basic Books. 1991 Foster, M.B. The Political Philosophies of Plato. New York, Russell and Russell. 1965 Annas, J. An Introduction to Plato’s Republic. Oxford, Clarendon Press. 1981 White, N.P. A Companion to Plato’s Republic. Indianapolis, Hackett. 1979 Graby, J. An Inquiry into the Works of Plato. New York, McGraw. 1961.

Exercise the Mind, Body, and Soul Essay

Being in this class has helped me realize that my health, as well as others’ health, is very important. The past five weeks I have been recording my habits to see what was necessary to change. After the first three weeks, I had concluded that I really needed to increase my physical activity to do more than my average everyday walking. We were to go about our everyday lives and record exactly what we did on a regular basis. Before this, I would never have considered myself a person who exercises regularly. However, after this project I feel that I have earned the title of a person who exercises on the regular. Once I had picked my area I wanted to increase, I picked out to goals. My first goal was to exercise a minimum of 120 minutes a week. Two objectives I had to fulfill that goal were to complete my homework by four o’ clock each afternoon so that I had time to walk for twenty minutes in the evenings. Another objective I had was to park further away so I could wake an extra ten minutes to and from my car each day of school. My final goal was to lose three pounds by October 23, 2011. The first objective I had to fulfill that goal was to ask my friend/s Karlee, Sarah, and/or Samantha to exercise with me to help me stay motivated. My last objective to reach my weight loss goal was to do Zumba at least three times a week for 30 minutes minimum. Participating in daily physical activities such as walking or doing aerobic exercises is not only important for you physically, but it can also benefit you mentally and emotionally. A report shows that at least 60% of the global population fails to achieve the minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity daily (Saxena, Van Ommeren, Tang, & Armstrong, 2005, p. 445). Walking is one of the most popular, easiest, and safest forms of physical activity (Sykes, 2009, p.40). Walking has many positive benefits to doing it. You have  less chance of getting/having heart problems, lower blood pressure, lose body weight, stress reducer are just few good things walking can do for you.  Studies have generally shown that exercise increases states of positive affect or energetic arousal, and reduces anxiety, tension, or negative affect. Research has also demonstrated that exercise may be similarly effective in the treatment of depression (Lutz, Lochbaum, Carson, Jackson, Greenwood, & Byas, 2008, p.166). Exercise gives you something to do. It is an easy way to get your mind off negative things and makes you feel better not only physically, but also mentally. According to Sykes, et al (2009, p. 42), exercise can improve a person’s physical self-worth and other important self-perceptions such as body image. Having exercise goals that relate to personal performance and improvement is also associated with high positive emotion and improved mood. My last two weeks of recording was difficult to say the least. Some days seemed easier than others did. Walking a couple times, a week was easy for me to get in the habit of doing. Not only did I notice that I was having a bit more energy, my dogs, that I took walking with me, we willing to walk more around the house, instead of sleeping all day. As the days went by, I noticed I was finishing my homework earlier, which allowed me more time to increase my time to do activities. My friends were extremely helpful and supportive during this whole process. They were excited to come over and do Zumba with me. They would come at least once a week and work out for at least 30 minutes. I believe I have made a change for the better that will continue to grow. I have realized that I had just been lazy. I now have so much more energy in the days, which really helps me go to sleep earlier and longer. It was difficult at first to change my ways, but with the support of my friends, it made things a lot easier for me. With my increase in physical activity, as I mentioned,  my sleeping habits have gotten better, and well as my leisure time. Now all I need to do is work on my eating habits, which are not too bad, and I will be living a much healthier life than I have been.

Free sample - The UK airport expansion vs. climate concerns.. translation missing

The UK airport expansion vs. climate concerns.. The UK airport expansion vs. climate concerns.It’s supposedly hard to argue, that development comprises movement, ahead in particular. Movement, in its turn, presupposes making some steps in order to reach the targeted place of destination. Thus, these are interrelated notions. The process of development includes a number of adjacent efforts to keep the necessary pace and not slow down. Obviously, to achieve success it’s essential one have the objective, endeavors, resources and competitive stance. The latter is especially important since to win out your place in the sun appears to be not that simple after all. One is supposed to be ready to meet challenges on the way and be able to overcome hindrances with the least losses. Only by means of persistent continuous attempts can one withstand hardships and become stronger and wiser. This is true in regard not only to individual human progress, but also everything undergoing the stages of growth. In this tight connection it is fair to speak about the development of UK air transport system which has gone through, and still continues to, lots of changes, reconstructions and re-establishments. Presumably, there is no need to get deep insight into the whole history of airports evolvement though to encompass a few the most significant and prominent of them would help clear up the motives and driving power of their growth. London Heathrow deservedly serves one of such examples. The airport comprises international busy hub with the capacity to carry more than 68 mln passengers who use both long haul and short distance flights. Moreover, the airport makes its airfreights of over 1.3 mln cargo per annum. Still, not always has it demonstrated such efficiency. Its inception started in 1940s. 1946 saw the emergence of grass air field that was initially used by the military. First it was in private hands and as the Great Western Aerodrome it fulfilled more supplementary function rather than a full-fledged racecourse. After the end of war the airport began to expand and the area of its application was far more than just army base.   The demand for such expansion was stipulated by the necessity of big airport in London for passenger haulages to take place. The Heathrow site perfectly suited the idea and thus, there were constructed three runways by 1947. The initial tented terminal gave way to a full-blown building at the beginning of 1950s. The incentive for further more large-scale development had its grounds being the increasing surge of traffic and therefore the passenger turnover enlargement. Naturally, there arose need in extra conveniences and utilities to satisfy the growing flow of passengers. The expansion was represented by the Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 in 1955 and later a few other terminals in 1960s. Because there was considerable repletion in the centre of the airport another Terminal 4 appeared in the southern part in 1980s (Heathrow airport guide). Nowadays modern Heathrow airport has comfortable passenger access assisted by a number of adjoining roads – rails and automobile, and play s indispensible and economically convincing role in the overall UK air transport revenue. The expansion process further proceeds, however, it faces much opposition as well. Evidently, Heathrow is not the only one on the airport list. The second largest UK airport is Gatwick which is estimated to take the tenth place among the busiest international airports in the world. Its passenger capacity is difficult to overestimate – over 35 mln annually. Originally the aerodrome belonged to private owner Home Counties Aviation Services and has tremendously grown to include the terminal in 1936. There were skillfully built the subways and tented access roads for passengers to have easy and comparatively unhampered passage (History of London Heathrow Airport).   Like Heathrow Gatwick also served as the Royal Air Force base at the war time but later in 1953 it acquired the status of London second airport. In a few years Gatwick was significantly enlarged with new necessary equipment and facilities added to become the terminal. It embraced not only a large runway (2000 feet), but also included a covered passage connecting the plane with terminal.   1980s were marked by a more passenger surplus to be a million people. Needless to say, how important such increase was in terms of the role of the airport on the international scale. It has undergone further extension and in 1978 was already carrying transatlantic flights with long-distance aircrafts and upgraded terminal. The years of 1990s and 2007 saw staggering enhancement in passenger turnover of 10 and 35 million respectively. To satisfy ever-increasing demand the aspiration of further airport expansion becomes apparent, though such objective encounters severe protest on behalf of Green politics supporters and local residents (Gatwick airport guide). The excurse into the history of UK airport development may be continued and be added by the examples of Luton, Bristol, Stansted, Carlishe and other airports which demonstrate the need to cope with capacity and satisfy the growing demand with adequate offer. Up to a point, it is relevant to focus on today’s topical issues concerned with UK airport development. As it was previously mentioned, the expansion was driven by economic factors namely being the passenger surplus and international business relations tacked with constant airline usage. So, it is quite evident that these factors would induce air companies to keep with the time and sustain competitiveness and importance in a globalized arena. In 2003 the government issued Air Transport White Paper which introduced plans of further airport expansion – building of new runways with the aim to handle the increasing demand for air transportation. The governmental decision presupposes three additional runways at Stansted, one more at Heathrow, some extra tracks in Edinburgh and Glasgow and also expansions of Bristol (Airport technology.com. Bristol International Airport Expansion) and Birmingham. According to Transport Secretary, A. Darling, the number of passengers would increase and comprise twice as many as 180m p.a. to achieve 400m by 2020. The paper foresees three more runways at Stansted which would transform it into another significant airport centre along with Heathrow or make it assisting Heathrow supplement. A probable expansion of Luton and Cardiff airports were also envisaged. Regarding Gatwick, the extension process is supposed to last till 2019 which is conditioned by the existing agreement that bans expans ion actions (BBC News, 2002, 23 July).   However, the government paper didn’t get a unanimous reaction. On the one hand, the expansion is necessary on the grounds of economic benefits since the UK has as Mr. Darling put it â€Å"the fourth largest economy in the world based largely on our ability to trade. Something like a third of exports go by air ...† (BBC News, 2002). What is more, a number of the UK use airline users is persuasively stunning – half the whole population annually and about quarter twice p.a. In addition, the governmental plans are to a large extent consistent with the predictions of considerable traffic surplus by 2030, particularly in south-eastern part of the country which is distinguished by population overflow. Facts are stubborn thing, actually. Out of 200m annual airline passengers in the UK 120m get advantage of South East airports. Think only, the role of Heathrow!   It has irrefutable and undeniable economic significance counting nearly 100,000 staff and the aviation industry stands for approximately 200,000 work places. Not the least of the influential factors in favor of expansion is that London is an attractive sightseeing place for visitors from the whole world with its prominent and famous sights. London airports serve an undeniable role in business flights both long- and short-distanced (BBC News, 2005, Feb 18). Collin Matthews, BAA's chief executive, emphasizes and explains the necessity of airport expansion giving convincing arguments: â€Å"It is because of the lack of runway capacity at Heathrow that airlines are forced to choose between old destinations and new – or to go elsewhere entirely. Last month alone Leeds/Bradford and Durham Tees Valley airports both lost their links to Heathrow as airlines shuffled their slots, while Air India decided to base its European hub at Frankfurt† (guardian.co.uk., 2009, May 13). He also pointed out on no additional tracking slot to enable take-offs and landing which gives reason for airlines to shift from Heathrow to other alternative European airports. His claims turn out to be quite fair, especially those revealing the urgent need to expand since the contemporary tendency shows ever-inclining global policy towards Asian economies. Therefore, as Mr. Matthew accentuates, three must significant extensions be made in order to not to conce de to Frankfurt airport, for instance, which â€Å"has direct links with six Chinese cities† compared to London’s only Heathrow possible to carry out such transfers. Thus, it becomes clear why the expansion is so necessary – enlarge capacity not to lag behind. Such a thorny issue can’t but get a dual response and the opposition is also pertinent. Still, weighing pros and cons one can not deny the evident fact that under the mentioned circumstances expansion plans are justified to â€Å"keep UK competitive.† What is the basis for opposition then? A fair question that needs to shed light on. There is a sound ground for the adversary force – the astonishing impact on climate (Sean O'Grady. 2007, Aug. 15). However prudent economic reasons may be the airport expansion implications are inevitably concerned with green policy (Juliette Jowit, Economics, pollution, jobs and noise ... 2009, January 16). The numerous activists object to the plans on expansion. The protests underline severe damage the aviation inflicts on nature (Alok Jha, green technology correspondent. 2008, Nov 18). Thus, air and noise pollution are first obvious aftereffects (BBC News, QA: Airport expansion. 2005) For instance, Heathrow expansion will enlarge flight numbers entailing traffic jams on the roads to the airport, namely the M25 and the M4 highways in London. That is why BAA (the Heathrow owner) is obliged to establish emission-reducing systems in the aircrafts to comply with climate protection regulations. Strong and determined is the Airportwatch opposition called for to organize non-expansion movement. The organization representatives are those who virtually comprise environmentalists, among which are Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Aviation Environment Federation, the Campaign for Better Transport, the Woodland Trust, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the World Development Movement, Environmental Protection UK etc (Airportwatch, 2004). The opposition showed indignation since the government gets full advantage of its plans – there are no taxes on aviation fuel and what is more, the air sector is not included into the Kyoto protocol and the EU's carbon trading scheme (The Independent. 2007, August 15). Consequently, the Government’s airport development and expansion plans must be put into force taking into account environmental concerns, i.e. realization of the climate implications, thus being consistent with the aims of reduction of carbon dioxide emissions (Colin Brown, Almost half of population want green tax on air travel. 2007, August 15). Such a ruling was stated by the High Court indicating inappropriateness and crude character of the governmentally proposed plans. Moreover, the verdict also ruled that the 2003 White Paper "The Future of Air Transport" by no means complies with the 2008 Climate Change Act (WWF-UK, Update on Heathrow Legal Challenge). So, the White Paper needs proper reconsideration to enable new runway plans to incorporate economic and environmental aspects.