Segmentation and Target Market Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Segmentation and Target Market - Coursework Example The process is guided by several factors including behavioral, demographic, psychographic, and geographic factors (Reid & Bojanic, 2010). Apple has used behavioral segmentation with impressive effectiveness. It refers to the division of the market based on the actions of consumers. In addition, the process involves an evaluation of the consumer information available to the organization (Rollins & Perri, 2014). The release of new iPhone models is informed by the knowledge that consumers will be attracted by the possibility of upgrading their mobile phones. In addition, the iPod was released to meet the need for a portable and convenient device that can allow users to listen to music on the go. The need to create a platform from which users can access music led to the creation of the iTunes store. Apple has created a culture of brand switching due to the disruptive technology that they have consistently pioneered. Consequently, it has enabled it to create a perception as an innovative company, something that most consumers find attractive. The organization understands consumer behavior. Although consumers are willing to acquire new technologies, they also value the existing ones. As a result, they need products that integrate the two technologies. In addition, it has features that support the integration of features of other organizations. For example, it has made it possible for consumers to access Microsoft Exchange e-mail. Consumers are attracted to technologies that enable them to retain the features they had before. It is evident that the organization considers demographic factors as it develops its products. Firstly, products such as the iPhone have so many features that make it suitable for people of all ages from children to adults. Children can play the games that are available in its App store. Teenagers can listen to a lot of music from the iTunes store. In addition, the

The Spanish-American War Essay Example for Free

The Spanish-American War Essay Tp what extent was the Spanish-American War a turning point in the development of American foreign policy? The Spanish-American War of 1898 could be seen as the pivotal point in foreign policy as it marks America’s first engagement with a foreign enemy in the dawning age of modern warfare however, one could also argue that the idea had always existed in American politics. Until the end of the nineteenth century, American foreign policy essentially followed the guidelines laid down by George Washington, in his Farewell Address to the American people: â€Å"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is—in extending our commercial relations—to have with them as little political connection as possible. † By avoiding entanglements with foreign powers, America aimed to minimize the possibility of being dragged into war hence, war was to be undertaken only in defense of the nation against attack. However, the Spanish-American war saw Americans fighting to gain colonies elsewhere, with no relation to self defence. Though going to war with the Spanish was defended as non-imperialistic, shown by the promises of independence for Cuba and the Philippines, the American victory resulted in territorial gains and a inflated sense of power. A much more active and aggressive foreign policy was evident after the Spanish-American War, it had transformed from being focused primarily on isolated nationalism to expansionistic imperialism. The Spanish-American war resulted in numerous territorial gains, the Paris Treaty handed over Caribbean areas such as Puerto Rico and Guam to America which led to a series of land acquisitions as it expanded in what seemed like direct colonization. The war had begun with paternal feelings of supporting a fellow nation trying to win its freedom, however, the pro-Cuban hysteria masked America’s real intention which was to take over the island. Although Cuba was recognized as independent, American troops remained on the island for another four years and an American â€Å"governor† was put in charge. This showed America extending it’s political influence like never before and this was further emphasized through the Platt Amendment 1901 which gave the US right to intervene to maintain the independence and stability of Cuba.  What impaired their independence was ultimately up to America and this gave the power to control Cuban affairs. Another victory through the Treaty of Paris was the possession of the Philippines. Though the Filipino independence leader Emilio Aguinaldo had aided in the defeat of Spain in 1898, USA refused independence to the Islands and a vicious three year war ensued. A civil government was created after the capture of Aguinaldo under William Taft and this showed a drastic change in American foreign policy. They could no longer justify interference with the excuse of the islands being within its sphere of influence but McKinley argued that America had the role to â€Å"uplift and civilize and christianize [Filipinos] as our fellow-men for whom Christ also died. McKinley was either unaware or simply chose not to inform the people that, except for some Muslim tribesmen in the south, the Filipinos were Roman Catholics, and, therefore, already Christians. In reality, the annexation of the Philippines was the centerpiece of the large policy pushed by the imperialist cabal to enlist the United States in the ranks of the great powers. The Spanish-American war gave the push that the American government needed to make a final decision over Hawaii. The Hawaiin Islands were known as the â€Å"crossroads of the Pacific†, tracing routes from USA to Japan, Australia and Philippines. The treaties of 1857 and 1887 allowed cheap duty-free sugar into the USA but in return, Hawaii was requited to accept both American economic domination and political protection. In 1890, when a rebellion began under Queen Liliuokalani, the marines were sent to force a surrender. This perhaps can be seen as an early display of America’s expansionist foreign policy, however, the annexation of Hawaii was opposed by many in government who feared that America would become an imperial power like the Europeans. It can be argued that the war with Spain in Cuba strengthened the arguments for annexation as America gained an inflated sense of confidence from victory and officially took up their role as a â€Å"global power†. Hawaii was annexed in July 1898, after the Spanish-American war had ended. The result of the Spanish-American War was that USA became a Carribean power  with it’s temporary acquisition of Cuba and this brought about long discussed plans for a canal through the Isthmus of Panama. The USA gained a 10 mile wide strip of the canal and was granted full control. With increasing territorial gains such as Cuba and Panama, USA’s interest in Latin American affairs was evident. Roosevelt felt that US had the right to intervene in order to maintain stability in the area and this was evident through the Roosevelt Corollary where he stated that the US had the right to intervene in the affairs of other countries on the continent in cases of â€Å"chronic wrongdoing or impotence†. Americans decided what was deemed a â€Å"wrongdoing† and it was used to justify their taking over finances of Dominican Reupublic in 1905 when it defaulted its debt and the intervention in Nicaragua in 1915. America was now moving even further away from an isonlationist power, delclaring to the world that the Western Hemisphere was its sphere of influence. However, its growth in influence differs to simple European empire building. It is undeniable that the US was interfering in internal affairs of sovereign nations for its own ends, however, Roosevelt felt it was a necessary evil as the European powers would seize the chance themselves to expand if some level of instability occurred in Latin America. Although US marines remained in territories such as Nicaragua and Dominican Republic for decades, the American government chose to withdraw them; unlike the European powers, they did not need to fight a bloody war to grant their territories independence. Roosevelt had perhaps preserved Latin American independence from Europe and ultimately, American involvement improved stability for the future. America began to meddle in world affairs or in the words of an imperialist, assume its global responsibilities in ways the founding fathers had previously avoided. Troops were dispatched to China to join those of the other powers in putting down the Boxer Rebellion of Chinese patriots; the Great White fleet was sailed around the world to declare America’s power and presence to the world; and the government became a promoter of overseas investment with external investment increasing seven-fold. More and more, the American wealth machine had changed it’s attitudes to the outside world. The Spanish-American War launched the United States on the path of a modern non-aristocratic empire founded on state power but oriented towards commercial and economical gain. By expanding the horizons of U.S. foreign policy in the pursuit of export markets through formal empire (Philippines) and informal empire (Latin America, Cuba, China), the Spanish-American War was a turning point. Sumner remarked in 1900 that â€Å"the political history of the United States for the next 50 years will date from the Spanish war of 1898’ and this can be seen through America’s successive entangling foreign commitments eventually leading to the involvement in the First World War.

Extracranial-Intracranial Bypass Surgery: Impact of Caseload

Extracranial-Intracranial Bypass Surgery: Impact of Caseload Impact of Hospital Caseload and Elective admission on Outcomes Following Extracranial-Intracranial Bypass Surgery Abstract Background Limited information exists evaluating the impact of hospital caseload and elective admission on outcomes following patients undergoing extracranial-intracranial (ECIC) bypass surgery. Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) for the years 2001 through 2014, we evaluated the impact of hospital caseload and elective admission on outcomes following bypass. Methods In an observational cohort study, weighted estimates were used to investigate the association of hospital caseload and elective admission on short-term outcomes following bypass surgery using multivariable regression techniques. Results Overall 10,679 patients (mean age: 43.39Â ±19.63 years; 59% female) underwent bypass across 495 non-federal US hospitals. In multivariable models, we noted patients undergoing bypass at high volume centers were associated with decreased probability of mortality(OR:0.39;95% CI:0.22-0.70;p

Lead And The Environment :: essays research papers

Lead and The Environment Some materials are so commonplace that we take them for granted. One of those materials is a grayish metal that has been with us for thousands of years. That metal is lead, still one of the world's most useful substances, and one that never ceases to find a role in human society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lead has the atomic symbol of Pb (for plumbum, lead in Latin). The atomic number for lead is 82 and the atomic mass is 207.19 AMU. It melts at about 327.502 oC and boils at 1740 oC. Lead is a heavy, ductile, soft, gray solid. It is soluble in nitric acid and insoluble in water. It is found in North, Central and South America, Australia, Africa and Europe. In modern times, lead has found a wide range of uses, and world demand for lead and its products has steadily increased. Lead's usefulness stems from the metal's many desirable properties: softness, high density, low melting point, ability to block radiation, resistance to corrosion, readiness to form alloys and chemical compounds, and ease of recycling. Its versatility, as well as its physical and chemical properties, accounted for its extensive use. Lead can be rolled into sheets which can be made into rods and pipes. It can also be molded into containers and mixed with other metallic elements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lead was used in ancient times for making coinage, art objects and water pipes. One of the first known toxic substances, lead was used by the Romans for lining aqueducts and in glazes on containers used for food and wine storage; and it is suspected to have resulted in widespread lead poisoning. Members of the famous Franklin Expedition to the Northwest Passage in the mid-1840s met a similar fate, being poisoned from lead in solder, widely used at the time to seal tins used to store foods. Until recently, one of the most significant uses was an anti-knock additive in gasoline. In the 1970s and 1980s, steps were taken to reduce the use of leaded gas. By 1990, these actions had virtually eliminated the use of lead in gasoline. Lead is also one of the best and earliest examples of recycling about 55 percent of the lead used in Canada comes from recycled material.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One particular category of toxic tort is injury caused by exposure to lead-based paint. The hazards of lead-based paint have been known since the early 1900s, when the use of lead in the manufacture of paint was banned in Australia. The lead mining and lead pigment industries in the United States were able, however, to forestall the banning the use of lead in the manufacture of

Benziger Family Winery Essay

In the case of the Benziger Family Winery, is being faced with the decision of whether or not Chris Benziger should invest in an ISO 14000 certification. The answer is yes, he should pursue the certification in an attempt to strengthen his knowledge that his company already has about being environmentally friendly. This will strengthen his position on the market as a leader in wine industry. In pursuing the certification, he will also educate other growers on the importance of a strong environmental management system. This will make them want to take those same steps to help promote their business to be more like him. By getting the ISO this will further support his environmental policy that he strongly applies to the daily routines for helping the company conserve resources and prevent pollution. He is already certified by the Sonoma County Green Business Program (SCGBP) and is in full environmental compliance. As part of this compliance, the winery has saved over 2 million gallons of water per year through recycling all wastewater. They reduced solid wastes as well as energy cost due to the construction of a wine cave built in the hillside which maintained temperature cool enough to prevent them from using electricity to cool. The Gap Analysis is the formal study behind what the business is currently doing and where they want to be in the future. This means the need for continuous improvement is necessary in promoting the best possible outcomes for the company goals. The gap analysis identifies the gaps from what the company is doing now to what they would be doing should they utilize additional resources to help improve the company’s outputs. By documenting what they have done in the past, this will show what other requirements are necessary to be put in place in an attempt to maximize the company’s capabilities. This may involve benchmarking as well. In this case the winery currently has annual revenues of about 15 million. They are striving to launch a new brand, Tribute that would be selling in the $50-$60 range at about 4000 cases per year. They would also like their exports to increase from about 10% of sales to 20%. For Benziger, this analysis can be done at an operational level since all of his employees are well-trained on the company’s environmentally friendly efforts and are shared with guests of the winery to promote the business. This is an opportunity for Benziger to bring his reputation to a high point and work towards his goal for being a world-class leader in the wine industry. Since the U.S. market is very competitive this would make him stand out since very few U.S. wineries have their ISO 14000 certification. He could enter more markets that its consumers are sensitive to environmental products and continue expanding his business to other countries. It is stated that becoming certified with the ISO 14000 is expensive. This is an investment that will pay for itself in the future. There will be revenue increases by becoming more attractive to consumers who support the environmentally safe production process. The ISO 14000 is an attempt to develop a widely accepted, uniform approach to certify that Benziger’s EMS is the best way to run a business for long term savings and making a positive contribution to the environment. In exhibit 40.4 it shows the EMS Gap Analysis and explains what policies and procedures the Benziger may or may not have in place. It explains that he does have an environmental policy in place and that he has conducted an analysis of the impact that it has on the environment. When it comes to legal requirements, they do not have a procedure in place. This is the responsibility of the Ranch manager and it has not been done yet. He has covered all of his objectives and has established a well-written program to achieve those objectives. He has very good structured within the winery and has delegated responsibilities to each of the family members as well as their other employees. However no roles have been defined and documented yet. It is also noted that there is need for additional training on EMS aspects. The Ranch manager seems to need assistance with organization of training and documentation as well. Although they are on the right track he needs to ensure that they are taking all the necessary steps to continue the company professionally and in an organized fashion. Once the ranch manager has assigned specific roles and tasks to certain team members it will not be all on him to keep the EMS running properly it will become a part of the way they do business. The last part of the Exhibit 40.4 shows some things that they need to improve on. There is no documentation for anything the company does. He needs to be able to show records of his work to be environmentally sensitive. Several of the drafts have been started but none have been completed. It also states that there needs to be a regular review ensuring that the EMS is suitable and effective. Exhibit 40.5 is the Benziger Family Winery Environmental Policy. In comparison to Exhibit 40.4, the policy states the steps they are willing to take to make sure the winery is an environmentally safe and sustainable business. However, when each of the bullets are broken down into a series of questions as they are in Exhibit 40.4, they are not satisfying all of their own expectations. It seems as though they have a few small improvements to make that seem as though are they are not too time consuming. Once each of these steps has been achieved, they are well on their way to being more successful and more organized. If the proper steps are taken to correct the small issues on-hand, the next step for the Benziger Winery is to pursue the ISO 14000 certification. This will set the bar for how other wineries should be run and help the company become one of the top U.S. wine distributors.

Free Essays on Chinas Great Step Forward

Bill Powell explains in his article China’s Great Step Forward, found in the September 17, 2001 issue of FORTUNE, about the many positive and negative aspects of China as a World Trade Organization member. Being the biggest and most populated country in the world, China is also one of the fastest growing economies in the planet. China is growing at 8 % a year, on the back of vibrant exports and strong domestic demand. With a cheap and abundant working force, they are a very appealing country for foreign investment, which is already one the forces moving China is this fast step growing. Joining the WTO will make radical changes in industries in China, but at the same time will provide â€Å"more protection† for them. Most of the smaller companies will end up allying with global companies. Also, the Banking system will endure radical changes. Banks are now dominated by a handful of huge state owned institutions whose basic job aver the years has been to shovel money to lousy state owned manufacturers. No wonder those banks suffer from Japanese levels pf bad debt. Instead, with the changes brought by the WTO, it’s believed that with personal income growing rapidly for millions of Chinese, an all out flog of credit cards and home mortgages makes eminent sense. But one of the most important changes will be he distribution of the products. Right now in China, industries can’t create or set up their own distribution chains, service centers or dealer networks. This means that they need to rely on local partners, which can bring in a lot of trouble. Imagine that the local partner a company has is the same one for their main competitor. But the WTO is supposed to change all of that. Although China is prospering on their own, an isolation policy like the one they are using will not last for long. The fact that they are one of the last remaining socialist countries in the planet, make most of their leaders fearful of cha... Free Essays on China's Great Step Forward Free Essays on China's Great Step Forward Bill Powell explains in his article China’s Great Step Forward, found in the September 17, 2001 issue of FORTUNE, about the many positive and negative aspects of China as a World Trade Organization member. Being the biggest and most populated country in the world, China is also one of the fastest growing economies in the planet. China is growing at 8 % a year, on the back of vibrant exports and strong domestic demand. With a cheap and abundant working force, they are a very appealing country for foreign investment, which is already one the forces moving China is this fast step growing. Joining the WTO will make radical changes in industries in China, but at the same time will provide â€Å"more protection† for them. Most of the smaller companies will end up allying with global companies. Also, the Banking system will endure radical changes. Banks are now dominated by a handful of huge state owned institutions whose basic job aver the years has been to shovel money to lousy state owned manufacturers. No wonder those banks suffer from Japanese levels pf bad debt. Instead, with the changes brought by the WTO, it’s believed that with personal income growing rapidly for millions of Chinese, an all out flog of credit cards and home mortgages makes eminent sense. But one of the most important changes will be he distribution of the products. Right now in China, industries can’t create or set up their own distribution chains, service centers or dealer networks. This means that they need to rely on local partners, which can bring in a lot of trouble. Imagine that the local partner a company has is the same one for their main competitor. But the WTO is supposed to change all of that. Although China is prospering on their own, an isolation policy like the one they are using will not last for long. The fact that they are one of the last remaining socialist countries in the planet, make most of their leaders fearful of cha...