To My Grown Up Son

To My Grown-Up Son or Daughter by Alice E. Chase My hands were busy through the day, I didn’t have much time to play The little games you asked me to, I didn’t have much time for you. I’d wash your clothes; I’d sew and cook, But when you’d bring your picture book And ask me, please, to share your fun, I’d say, â€Å"A little later, hon. † I’d tuck you in all safe at night, And hear your prayers, turn out the light, Then tiptoe softly to the door, I wish I’d stayed a minute more. For life is short, and years rush past, A little boy grows up so fast, No longer is he at your side,His precious secrets to confide. The picture books are put away, There are no children’s games to play, No goodnight kiss, no prayers to hear, That all belongs to yesteryear. My hands once busy, now lie still, The days are long and hard to fill, I wish I could go back and do, The little things you asked me to. To My Grown-Up Mom Your hands we re busy through the day You didn’t have much time to play. The little things I’d ask of you, You took the time to see, to do†¦ You washed my clothes, you’d sew and cook. (The best damn Halloween costumes that town had ever seen, I might add! And when I’d bring my picture book, your dark, thick outlines and perfect strokes had me mesmerized. You tucked me in, all safe at night. Ran your fingers across my temple ’til my eyes shut tight. I do the same for Mika, now. An inherited maternal signature passed on somehow. I wonder, sometimes, if life is really as short as we think it is. I watch the years rush past and don’t have all the answers, yet. But time brings wisdom, wrinkles, and opportunities to learn. I grew out of goodnight kisses and picture books. I can’t hear you creaking across the floor hen I sleep, anymore. No fingers on my temple when I’m tired. My hands are pretty busy, now. Yours are, too. We can’t go ba ck and do the things we used to do. But in this moment I can stop and thank you for your water-soaked raisin fingers (after doing another stack of dishes! ) I can thank you for the Halloween costumes and picture books, the temple rubs and time spent investing in love. I know sometimes it probably wasn’t easy to take and make the time, but every moment counted and I wanted you to know I couldn’t have done it without you.

Disease in Bram Stoker’s Dracula

As science continues to illuminate the darkened corners of our world, another mythic tale–the drinking of blood by the ubiquitous Dracula–may have a basis in fact according to Wayne Tikkanen, a professor of chemistry at California State University, Los Angeles. â€Å"I am a trained scientist. I don't believe in vampires and werewolves,† Tikkanen told Anthony Breznican for an AP release on Halloween, 1998.Tikkanen speculates that some European monster myths were the product of a blood disease known as porphyria that causes the skin to weaken and be negatively affected by ultraviolet rays that change heme, a component of blood that carries oxygen to the brain, into a toxin. As the disease progresses, the skin blackens and ruptures in the sun, followed by hair growing in the scars. Lips are burned, causing them to peel back, thus making the teeth more prominent.In some cases the nose erodes and the fingers disintegrate, making the hands resemble paws. The disease af fects one in 100,000 people and is treatable with medication. Tikkanen thinks it is possible that those afflicted with the disease centuries ago may have drunk animal blood to relieve their pain as a folk remedy, and that they would have preferred to go out at night in order to avoid the sun, and that perhaps this behavior was co-opted into myths.â€Å"You may do this all the time, but people will only see you when the night is at its brightest–or in other words, a full moon,† Tikkanen said. Unfortunately, the result of such myth-making was that as many as 600 victims of this disease were considered to be monsters by the 16th-century European judge H. Bouget, who subsequently had them burned at the stake. â€Å"Just think: you're horribly disfigured but you're perfectly lucid,† Tikkanen said. â€Å"You don't know what's happening to you, and the doctor doesn't want to treat you even if he knew how.Your priest wants you to confess your sins or the judge will bur n you at the stake. But you don't know what you've done wrong. † Other elements of the Dracula myth often include garlic, which Tikkanen says causes victims of porphyria to suffer violent illness because of the creation of toxins in their blood. Fear of the cross also makes sense in this theory, because the cross represents the Church and thus the Inquisition, which would have instituted the torture and murder of the sufferers of porphyria.In the same vein, the superstitious Romanian society projected its fear of disease and deviancy onto Dracula, thus rising the well-liked folklore hypothesis that â€Å"a man or woman who has led a predominantly wicked existence will almost certainly become a vampire; it is his curse for the wicked deeds committed during the usual term of his life, as well as an entrance that a influential sin can not easily be put to rest† (Douglas, 39). This resembles the idea propagated by the religious right that AIDS is a visitation of heavenly pu nishment for sexual deviancy, i. e. , homosexuality.David Prindle in his book Risky Business â€Å"of all the diseases, the ones that are sexually transmitted seem to carry the heaviest burden of symbolic weight. Such diseases seem to bring our peoples anxieties about spiritual and physical pollution, their dread of being exposed as hypocritical sinners, their yearning to condemn those less righteous than themselves† (Prindle, 73). In Coppola's Dracula, Lucy, who is teasing, inquisitive, and immoral is punished for her â€Å"evil† behavior, her sexuality, by being seduced into the warren of Dracula and thus flattering a vampire herself.Once a vampire, Lucy takes a young child as her injured party, intimidating the guiltless child much in the same way that infants with AIDS often are fatalities of their mother's performance. Susan Sontag notes that these metaphors â€Å"are hardly in contradiction. Such is the extraordinary potency and efficacy of the plague metaphor: it allows a disease to be regarded both as something incurred by susceptible others and as potentially everyone's disease† (Sontag, 152). Bela Lugosi first gave Dracula filmic complexity in the 1931 Dracula. His moves were smooth and contemporary, steeped in gender and glamour.His affluent inflection gave the count the religion that awoke the sexuality of female audience members. Christopher Lee (1958) followed in Lugosi's steps and moved Dracula from sexual innuendoes to blatant sexuality. At one point in The Horror of Dracula, he bites a youthful woman's throat-not simply feasting, but apparently experiencing orgasm. Dracula had thus developed into a seduction fantasy, vitally disturbed with the circumstances and penalty of premarital or extramarital luxury in forbidden corporal relations, in this occurrence with the opposite sex.Gary Oldman takes Lee's erotic Dracula one step hither in Coppola's Brain Stoker’s Dracula. When Oldman attempts to nibble the neck of the i noffensive Mina at the Nickelodeon, the camera comes in on a taut attempt of his face as his eyes change color, his fangs are exposed and his corpse tremors with expectation. The transformation of Dracula to his present- day classification makes him the most sexual of all the creatures of the night.Dracula's sexual insinuation and blatant hunger for human blood make him the wonderful mythic vehicle to express American society's fear of the modern day plague of AIDS, since the HIV virus is transmitted through blood and semen. Coppola's Dracula visits his victims in the dead of night or in a dark milieu. He takes Lucy from her bed to connect her with both intercourse and feeding. These visits from the attractive creature who first exhausts the sleeper with fervent embraces and then withdraws her blood symbolically parallels the night-time emissions that convoy erotic dreams.Frank Jones points out in his book â€Å"On the Nightmare of Bloodsucking† : â€Å"In the unconscious mi nd blood is commonly an equivalent for semen† (Gottsman, 59). However, the sentence for these sexual interludes with the leech is the permanent alteration into vampirism; an illness that separates the afflicted from the rest of the society, one that insists on sucking the life out of other people. In this admiration the vampire enters the victim's blood stream, as does the HIV virus, to eventually exhaust the host of his/her life.Coppola cinematically reflects this correlation throughout the course of the film. Initially, Dracula renounces the church, and in doing so plunges his sword into the cross at the alter. Blood then flows from the cross, and Coppola cuts from a stone angel icon releasing tears of blood to a shot of Dracula satisfying a cup and consumption the blood. In this pre- recognition succession, the back illumination creates a striking similarity between Christ and Dracula (the shoulder length hair, smooth skin and ethereal glow).On his return home from war, Dra cula learns of the death of his wife. His stabbing of the cross is a phallic metaphor for intercourse with a virgin, whose loss of virginity is often marked by a loss of blood. The cathedral, infected and raped by war, denies the interment of Dracula's suicided bride. Dracula renounces the church by drinking the blood out of the chalice, declaring that: â€Å"Blood is the life and the life is mine. † Here he metaphorically takes on the position of the bug, gratifying the judge of life and death.David Prindle reinforces the vampire as a metaphor for the virus: â€Å"As a deadly threat, the disease was made to order for melodrama; as a potential sexual assassin, the HIV carrier could easily be portrayed as a demon. † (76). Coppola establishes a departure from innocence to evil by using peacock feathers, representative of innocence and vanity, as a transition between the â€Å"enlightened† world and the dark road to Transylvania as the young Jonathan Harker is sent to Transylvania to work for Dracula.Both virtue and pride are lost when Jonathan encounters a group of female vampires who seduce him throughout his first night in the castle. Coppola reinforces the anonymity of the participants by showing incorporeal footsteps appearing by the bed while the women appear from within his sheets and start to embrace and murmur to Jonathan. He does not resist and follows through in what could be termed a one night stand. The camera shows a head shot of one of the â€Å"vamps† whose hair is made out of snakes, referring to Medusa or the serpent From Genesis that caused the eviction of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.References Babuscio, Jack. â€Å"Camp and the Gay Sensibility. † Gays and Film. Ed. Richard Dyer. New York: Zoetrope, Inc. , 1984. Broeske, Pat. â€Å"Hollywood Goes Batty for Vampires,† New York Times, April 26, 1993. Canby, Vincent, â€Å"Coppola's Dizzying Vision on Dracula,† New York Times, Nov 13, 1993. Douglas, Drake. Horrors! The awful truth about monsters; vampires, werewolves, zombies, phantoms. mummies and ghouls of literature and how tiny went Hollywood. New York: The Overlook Press, 1989.Gottesman, Ronald. Focus on the Horror Film. Trenton, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1972. Hogan, David. Dark Romance-Sexuality in the Horror Film. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. , 1986. Prindle. David. Risky Business. the Political Economy of HollywoodBoulder: Westview Press, 1993. Russo, Vito. The celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies. New York: Harper arid Row Publishers, 1990. Sontag, Susan. Illness as a Metaphor/AIDS and its Metaphors. New York: Doubleday, 1989.

Why is Bill Gates a successful leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why is Bill Gates a successful leader - Essay Example Through his innovative ideas, constant hard-work and extraordinary leadership skills he has achieved tremendous success and fame. His exceptional example is given in various management courses and his wise quotes are used to motivate and direct individuals around the world. Bill Gates exemplary leadership is dependent upon many steps that he has consciously adopted. 1. A Clear Vision Bill Gates knows that in order to move forward he can leave no man behind, to ensure this he has a clear vision not only in his mind but he also makes certain to pass it on to his employees. He sets a clear standard, an exact measurement of what is expected from them. By saying inspiring expressions like, Every house and business must run on Microsoft software, or a computer on every desktop, he provides an unambiguous picture to his employees of exactly what is expected of them. This helps clear misconceptions and misunderstandings and provides refreshing clarity to employees. He has set a standard for them, they can easily envision it and therefore achieving it becomes easier. (Samson, Danny, and Daft 17) 2. Empowering Employees After giving his employees a clear goal, Bill Gates ensures that his employees have the power to achieve them. He is heard to say on several occasions that leaders are those who have the ability to empower others.By exercising leadership through a participative style he ensures that employees at all levels are involved in decision making. Everyone provides their valuable input and contributes to providing the best solution. He is very positive in his attitude and energizes his employees and pushes them to achieve more than they think they are capable off hence promising success for Microsoft. 3. It’s Okay to Make Mistakes People who work for Bill Gates are fearless and confident. They take risks and have the ability to think out of the box because he never discourages them. Bill Gates is a staunch believer of the philosophy that mistakes and failur es are important contributors to success. He is constantly ensuring his employees that they should not be afraid of making mistakes. He went so far as to say on one occasion that, unhappy customers are the greatest source of learning. Such a positive and open attitude affirms employee beliefs that they will not be punished if they do something wrong therefore being more confident in themselves and their jobs. Such confidence makes the work environment not only positive but also fun where employees go an extra mile to achieve results. The 2007 version of Microsoft Office that has become so popular was a design put forward by an IT technician. Even though this idea is a complete opposite of Bill Gates original design the employee had confidence that she could discuss her idea with Bill Gates without any fear of offending him. This is an excellent example of the confidence that Microsoft employees have and how this confidence gets translated into astounding achievements for the organiz ation. (7 Key Lessons from a Greatest Leader of all times - Bill Gates | Life of Excellence) 4. Appreciating Employees Bill Gates is not that stereotypical boss who sweeps in at the end of the day and takes credit for all the work. He appreciates his employee’s efforts and whenever necessary makes it popular that his employees are his main strength and the greatest factor contributing to Microsoft’s success. He personally interacts with employees to find out who is doing what, offers solutions to problems and gives praise without a second thought. His admiration of employee work and ideas is positive reinforcement that encourages employees to work harder and harder, because they know that their efforts are not wasted. (Manager's Role in Successful Motivation:

Critical Case Comment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical Case Comment - Essay Example apportionment of the proceeds of the will of William York, an old man who bequeathed this estate to his nephew at a price that was ridiculously low when compared to the market value of the property. The question that arises in the disposition that was made in this case relates to the law of unconscionability and whether the judgment reflects the appropriate application of this law to derive results that provide for the promotion of efficient market outcomes. Since the Plaintiffs in this case were the daughters of the deceased man while the primary beneficiary was a nephew upon whom the deceased may have been unconsciously dependent, an additional question that arises is whether this dependence produced a property distribution that was inequitable to the daughters when viewed from a feminist perspective. Bill York was a grazier who had lived in Wallumbia all his life. He had four daughters, all married and living off the estate, which he operated, with the help of his brother Sam and his nephew Neil York. In 1985, Bill York drew up his will in which he gave his house, his car and money in the bank to his wife while the estate was to be divided among his daughters, subject to an important qualification – he gave his nephew Neil York, the option to purchase the entire holding for the sum of $200,000.1 Subsequent to this, in 1988, Neil York arranged for the sale of a piece of land known as Injune, which he had acquired with advances from the Mt Leigh pastoral Company that owned holdings possessed jointly held by Bill, Sam and Neil, for the sum of $150,000. He offered to buy some portions of Bill’s property for that sum of $150,000, while retaining his option on the balance of land that remained with Bill. In 1988, the transfers were arranged accordingly. The land that was transferred was owned partially by Bill alone (the territory known as Wonga Park partly by Bill and Sam (the territory known as Wonga park fee simple) and that owned by Neil and Bill (Risby

Employees Performance Appraisal Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employees Performance Appraisal - Coursework Example It makes it easier for the employers to determine the career path for their employees. One of the difference between potential appraisal and performance appraisal is the criterion. The criterion used is to analyze the goals achieved by an employee and what skills he or she currently possesses that could be helpful in indicating the ability of that employee to assume an advanced set of responsibilities. On the other hand, Performance Appraisal refers to the appraisal of the work performed by an employee. Performance appraisal aims at evaluating the employee’s ability to perform the job he is given and whether he has been provided the job in accordance with his potential. Performance appraisal may be performed following a simpler criterion in terms of the quality, quantity, cost and time of the work performed by an employee. Performance appraisal is not future oriented therefore it cannot be used to predict the performance of an employee. Unlike potential appraisal, its purpose is to determine whether the employee has performed satisfactorily. QUESTION 2 Discuss the linkage between â€Å"Potential Appraisal† and â€Å"Career Development†. There is a stable linkage between Potential Appraisal and Career Development. ... The set of skills that are analyzed in the potential appraisal are; communication skills, leadership skills, inter-personal skills, ability to adapt to different scenarios, decision making skills, ability to work as a team and the ability to take initiatives. All these set of skills are highly helpful in the career development of an employee. By analyzing these skills, an employee would know his strengths and weaknesses and it would give him a chance to capitalize on his strengths and to improve his weak skills. In another scenario, if an employee is strong in a particular skill, he would be able to determine his career path based on that skill. For example; a person with strong communication skills can choose marketing as his career. A person with strong leadership skills can develop his career in management. Thus, potential appraisal is linked with the career development of the employees. QUESTION 3 Identify the manager’s main responsibilities when conducting Potential Appra isal. When conducting a potential appraisal, manager should follow the pattern of the appraisal which is the most effective. The manager should formulate the appraisal in such a manner that the purpose of the appraisal is completely achieved. Initially, all the employees whose potential appraisal is to be conducted should be listed by the manager and the manager should conduct the appraisals individually. Another responsibility of the manager is to gather complete information about the employee with regard to his current position and his set of responsibilities. The manager should utilize the results of the performance appraisal to make the potential appraisal more effective. The manager should take into account the performance of the employee in his

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Religion - Essay Example Confucius believes that the basis of a unified, stable, and enduring social order is not based on nature spirits, like God, but on the rituals that lie in Zhou religion. He further asserts that these rituals do not entail making sacrifices to ask for god’s blessings, but are ceremonies performed by humankind, who entails cultured and civilized patterns of behavior created through the generation of man’s wisdom Adogame & Shankar 146). This notion contradicts the beliefs of other religion such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which believes in making sacrifices to please their God, who is a supreme natural being. It is possible to syncretize these religions with Confucianism since they also provide moral guidelines on how believers should conduct themselves, in the society. However, the Jewish beliefs (Judaism) are more difficult to syncretize with Confucianism teachings than religions. This is because Judaism brings God down to humankind while Confucianism brings the ideas of Chinese philosophy down to the people (Adogame & Shankar 146). While Confucianism teachers that people should respect their ancestors, the Jewish believe that there is no considerable relationship between people and ancestors and that there is a single God, who created them and the universe. They also believe that every Jew has a personal relationship with God, but not the ancestors. Another contradiction is that Confucianism teaches tha t good moral behaviors are self-inculcated while Jews believe that good morals are God given virtues, which depends on an individual’s belief and trust on Him (Adogame & Shankar

Countering Counterfeit Trade Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Countering Counterfeit Trade - Assignment Example Counterfeiting is a big business in the world today. It is so big that the total volume of counterfeit (and pirated) goods in the world exceeds the GDP of certain countries. The International Anti-counterfeiting Coalition (IACC) estimates this figure at around 600billion dollars per year. The sad fact is that the menace is growing and many countries and organizations negatively affected by it are quite helpless to find a solution to the menace. The IACC says that the growth of counterfeiting over the last twenty years has been about ten thousand percent. Astonishingly, one of the reasons behind this growth is the consumer demand for counterfeit goods. This paper is an assessment of the counterfeit auto parts industry in the United Arab Emirates in particular and the other countries in the GCC in general. In the process, the nature of the industry, costs to consumers and affected organizations, the reason why people buy counterfeit products (auto parts), some statistics, anti-counterf eiting groups, etc will also be reviewed. This will be followed by some recommendations on how this can be brought down (if not eliminated altogether) and a conclusion summing up the paper. It should be noted that most of what has been written here has been sourced from articles that appeared in the Gulf News and Khaleej Times. There are three types of auto parts available in the UAE namely original equipment, legitimate parts, and counterfeit parts. Original equipment is those made by auto manufactures or by approved original equipment suppliers. Legitimate equipment is those made by other companies sold in their own brand names and will usually be of good quality. They are not intended to cheat the customer. Counterfeit products are usually meant to cheat the customer into thinking that they are genuine.  

Marketing research Exploring University of Leicester Students Essay

Marketing research Exploring University of Leicester Students Perception of Healthy Eating and Food Consumption - Essay Example It is been seen that carbohydrate consumption depends on consumers mood. When students get depressed they usually consume carbohydrate more. But excessive consumption of carbohydrate can cause obesity. According to several research reports consumptions of unhealthy food can cause stress and depression. During stressed situations students overeat foods to relief it but in normal situation they would avoid overeating (Rodriguez, 2012). Stress in student life directly proportional to overweight, unhealthy food consumption and try to blindly copy food habit from advertisement. Shifted of food choices from lower fat contain food to higher fat contain food can happen among the students because of stress (Blum, 2011). In past couple of research it is been found that during exams or before the exams or final year project or thesis submission or campus interview consumption of foods in canteen or hostel increase in great extent. Students do that to relief the stress from their head and try to distract themselves from subjects. Senior female students are getting weight because of less eating of vegetables, high-stress and consumption of high cholesterol foods. In research 65% of UOL students replied that they have high academic stress in their university and 50% of the students replied that they eat very unhealthy food regularly in their university in lunch time (Laria, 2012). This is the prior time to understand the eati ng pattern of students. If stress and depressive mood can lead to the unhealthy food habit then on the other hand good mood and excellent psychiatric situation can lead to healthy and nutritional food habit (Kwate, 2010). University students have the liberty to choose their own food and as they spent more time outside the home they usually eat less homemade food and more outside food. Eating behaviour and knowledge on nutritional diet formed in young adult age that is the college and university time. So making students

Support use of the medication. Essay Example for Free

Support use of the medication. Essay 1. Identify legislation that governs the use of medication in the social care settings. The Medicines Act 1968, the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (and later amendments), the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973 (and later amendments), the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), COSHH, the Mental Capacity Act (2005) the Access to health records Act (1990), the Data Protection Act (1998) plus equality legislation. 2. Outline the legal classification system for medication. The classification of medicines are all related to the medicines act 1968, while working with medication it is good to have an understanding and working knowledge of the common types of medication by training that should be provided by you company that you work for. 3. Explain how and why policies and procedures or agreed ways of working must reflect and incorporate legislative requirements. The polices and procedures are put in place to make sure that legislation is being followed so that all people in the setting, staff and the people who need care are being cared for are safe, all needs are being met, inclusive practise and diversity is being followed out and that the setting is staying within the law. They must reflect on legislation so that the polices and procedures are correct and are the correct way of doing things. For example if a health and safety procedure was put in place and was not inline with legislation then this could cause the setting to get in trouble with the law and could cause harm to the person who was in need of health and safety requirements could become harmed. Read more: Essay About  Administer Medication and Monitor the Effects 4. Identify common types of medication. Antibiotics, Antipsychotic and anti depressants. 5. List conditions for which each type of medication may be prescribed? Antibiotics They can be used to treat relatively mild conditions such as acne as well as potentially life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia. Antipsychotic medications are often prescribed for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Psychotic symptoms are common in bipolar I disorder, and antipsychotic medications are the standard treatment for these symptoms. There are also some antipsychotic that have direct effects on mania and/or depression and are therefore used as mood stabilizers. Anti depressants Antidepressants are used to treat several conditions. They include, but are not limited to: depression, generalized anxiety disorder, agitation, obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), manic-depressive disorders, childhood enuresis (bedwetting), major depressive disorder, , naturopathic pain, social anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 6. Describe changes to an individuals physical or mental well being that may indicate an adverse reaction to the medication. Antibiotics possible adverse reactions: Being sick feeling sick diarrhoea bloating and indigestion abdominal pain loss of appetite. Antipsychotic possible adverse reactions. Stiffness and shakiness – this can often be reduced by lowering the dose. However, if a high dose is necessary, the shakiness can be treated with the same kind of medication that is used for Parkinson’s disease. Uncomfortable restlessness (akathisia) Persistent abnormal movement, usually of jaw, lips and tongue () Make the problem worse before it makes it better. Anti depressants possible adverse reactions. SSRIs and SNRIs Common side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin- reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) include: feeling sick diarrhoea or constipation dizziness dry mouth feeling agitated or shaky not sleeping well (insomnia) or, alternatively, feeling very sleepy loss of appetite excessive sweating 7. Describe the roles and responsibilities of those involved in prescribing dispensing and supporting use of medication. The prescriber must be trained appropriately (may be a GP or nurse prescriber for example) and update themselves as required by any professional body that they might belong to prescriptions should be written clearly, ensuring the patient understands any side effects and the reasons for the prescription be given to them and how long they should take it for. Medication should only be prescribed after careful consideration of the patients best interests. The prescriber should have access to the most up to date version of the British National Formulary (BNF). Dispensing must also be appropriately trained, follow safe systems of work and understand the side effects of various drugs; be able to access appropriate information and understand when to access advice or further information (the dispenser may not necessarily be a trained pharmacist but should be working alongside one). By supporting medication this is through following care plans or support plans; staying with the person to support them to take it; using appropriate equipment (spoon etc) and a drink of water or any other way to help the medication go down like a yoghurt and of course reassuring communication. 8. Explain were responsibilities lie in relation to use of over the counter remedies and supplements Many medicines can be purchased through wholesalers and retail outlets by anyone. People may decide to buy and keep remedies to take themselves, including herbal remedies and products that they purchase from other countries. When the care provider keeps a range of ‘homely remedies’, it is care workers who will decide whether to give them to a resident or not. Homely remedies are used to provide immediate relief for mild to moderate symptoms. They are treatments that people would use themselves without consulting their GP, for example to treat toothache or indigestion. These medicines are potent and may interact with medicines that the doctor has prescribed for residents. The care provider is under no obligation to provide this treatment. But if homely remedies are purchased for occasional use by residents, the care provider must have a written policy that details the following: †¢ which medicines are kept for immediate relief of mild symptoms that a resident may choose to self-treat in their own home †¢ the indications for offering the medicines †¢ the dose to give and how often it may be repeated before referring to the resident’s doctor †¢ how to establish with the resident’s GP that the remedies will not interact with other prescribed medicines †¢ how to obtain the resident’s consent to treatment that the doctor has not prescribed †¢ how the administration will be recorded. 9. Describe the routes by which medication can be administered. Oral Nasal Transdermal Rectal sub-cutaneous intra-muscular intravenous 10. Describe different forms in which medication may be presented. tablet or capsule sublingual (SL) under the tongue buccal in the cheek Suppository vaginal [per vagina (PV)] inserted in the vagina rectal [per rectum (PR)] inserted in the rectum inhalation inhaled through the nose or mouth aerosol -spray (fluid) nebulizer device used to produce a fine spray or mist, often in a metered dose (fluid) intradermal within the skin intramuscular within the muscle intravenous within the vein subcutaneous under the skin Related to skin topical applied to the surface of the skin cream, lotion, ointment transdermal absorption of drug through unbroken skin. 11. Describe materials and equipment that can assist in administering medication. Gloves Aprons Spoons Medication pots Syringes Inhalers Peg tubes. 12. Explain the importance of the following principles in the use of medication. Consent, self administration, dignity and privacy and confidentiality. If someone self-medicates or is actively encouraged to participate in the whole process of taking their medication, depending on their ability, e.g. knowing when they need to repeat their prescription, knowing the time to take their meds, or getting a glass of water to take their tablets then they are being empowered to be active in the process, not a passive recipient who has no understanding/control over a part of their life, its about being person-centred, doing things with the individual, promoting their independence, feelings of self-worth esteem, hopefully less chance of mistakes being made. An individuals right to have their dignity privacy respected, following organisations Policies Procedures, National Standards, Codes of Conduct, Essential Standards of Quality Safety, this also relates to consent (Mental Capacity Act 2005) the right to confidentiality (Data Protection Act.) 13. Explain how risk assessment can be used to promote an individuals independence in managing medication. You have to think how a risk assessment finds the best way to manage something so that the individual is as independent as possible. For example it can find the best equipment for the individual to use to take a liquid medication foe example a spoon, cup, syringe etc so that they dont have to rely on others. Or it can reveal the individuals ability to remember what to take and when to take it.

The African American Journey Essay Example for Free

The African American Journey Essay The history of African Americans is, to a significant degree, the history of the United States. Black people accompanied the first explorers, and a black man was among the first to die in the American Revolution. The United States, with more than 38 million Blacks, has the eighth-largest Black population in the world. Despite the large number, Blacks in this country have had almost no role in major national and political decisions and have been allowed only a peripheral role in many crucial decisions that influenced their own destiny. The Black experience, in what came to be the United States, began as something less than citizenship, but was â€Å"considered slightly better than slavery† (Schaefer, 2006, p. 184). In 1619, 20 Africans arrived in Jamestown as indentured servants or slaves. Their status was not clearly known, even to the people who were living at that time. By 1640, at least one African had been declared a slave. This African was ordered by the court to serve his said master or his assigns for the time of his natural life here or elsewhere. â€Å"Within a generation race, not religion was being made the defining characteristic of enslaved Virginians. The terrible transformation to racial slavery was underway (Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), (n. d. )). † During the early 17th century, there were no laws that defined the rights, or the lack of rights, of blacks. â€Å"Virginia was being held back. Thanks to tobacco, it had the means to make money. What was needed, though, were laborers laborers to clear fields, to plant and harvest crops. During the 1620s and 1630s, when the price of tobacco was high and English workers had too few jobs available at home, Virginia found its supply of labor in England. Then after 1660 the value of tobacco dropped and the Great Plague reduced Englands population. In addition, a terrible fire in London destroyed much of the city and created new jobs at home for construction workers of all sorts. No longer able to lure their own countrymen, Virginians looked toward African labor, following the pattern established by the Spanish and Portuguese more than a century before. Gradually the plantation owners perspective became more aligned with that of the plantation owners of the Caribbean Islands. Because they were not Christians, blacks could be forced to work for the rest of their lives and be punished with impunity. Moreover, the color of their skin set them apart, making it easy to identify runaways. Also, there was a seemingly inexhaustible supply of Africans, and since little information flowed back across the Atlantic, mistreatment and abuse in America did not alter the flow of enslaved persons from Africa. Slowly the number of blacks grew in Virginia. In 1625 there were only 23. In 1650 there were about three hundred. By 1700, more than a thousand Africans were being brought into the colony every year. These numbers would increase dramatically in the years to come (Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), (n. d. )). † The transformation of indentured servitude to racial slavery didnt happen overnight, it was not until 1661, when a reference to slavery entered into Virginia law. The following year, the colony went one step further by stating that children that were born would be bonded or free according to the status of the mother. The transformation had begun; it was not until the Slave Codes of 1705 that the status of African Americans was sealed. The Trans-Atlantic Slave trade began big business for all. As economies began to flourish from the gains of sugar, cotton, and tobacco fields, so did the need to accommodate the lavish and wealthy with laborers. In 1660, the English government chartered a company called the Company of Royal Adventurers Trading to Africa. The Company did not fare well, and in 1667, it collapsed. But out of its ashes emerged a new company: The Royal African Company. Founded in 1672, the Royal African Company was granted a similar monopoly in the slave trade. Between 1680 and 1686, the Company transported an average of 5,000 slaves a year. Between 1680 and 1688, it had sponsored at least 249 voyages to Africa. By the end of the 17th century, England led the world in the trafficking of slaves. Over the next three centuries African Americans endured prejudice, segregation, and racism- because of race, not religion which was the defining characteristic of the enslaved. In sharp contrast to the basic rights and privileges enjoyed by White Americans, Black people lived in bondage and under a system of repression and terror. Slavery was not merely a single aspect of American society; it has continuously been an essential part of this country’s life. For nearly half of this country’s history, slavery was not only tolerated but legally protected by the United States Constitution as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court. Because the institution of slavery was so fundamental to culture, it continues to influence Black-White relations to this day. Some progress has occurred, and some of the advances are nothing short of remarkable, however, the deprivation of the African American people relative to Whites remains. A significant gap remains between African Americans and the dominant group, and to this gap a price is assigned: the price of being African Americans in the United States. African Americans have been affected by almost all of forms of discrimination, 1) dual labor market- a theory that is an explanation of the inequality that exists in the labor market; 2) environmental justice issues- refers to an equitable spatial distribution of burdens and benefits to groups such as racial minorities, residents of economically disadvantaged areas, or residents of developing nations. Environmental justice proponents generally view the environment as encompassing where we live, work, and play (sometimes pray and learn are also included) and seek to redress inequitable distributions of environmental burdens (pollution, industrial facilities, crime, etc. and equitably , root causes of environmental injustices include institutionalized racism; the co-modification of land, water, energy and air; unresponsive, unaccountable government policies and regulation; and lack of resources and power in affected communities; 3) affirmative action- policies that take race, ethnicity, physical disabilities, military career, sex, or a persons parents social class into consideration in an attempt to promote equal opportunity or increase ethnicity or other forms of diversity. The focus of such policies ranges from employment and education to public contracting and health programs; 4) redlining- is the practice of denying, or increasing the cost of, services such as banking, insurance, access to jobs, access to health care, or even supermarkets to residents in certain, often racially determined, areas; 5) double jeopardy- race and gender barriers that still exist, to a large degree, in terms of advancement at higher level positions; 6) institutional discrimination- hold that discrimination and segregation in the United States housing market have endured despite the condemnation of discriminatory practices. Institutionalized, or systematic, racism has been shown to occur even though overt racist policies have been discontinued. Race is the biggest factor in residential segregation, not class. Socioeconomic factors generally do not keep from desegregating communities. Non-discriminatory policies have been created in order to help desegregate neighborhoods, and help everyone purchase homes. However, most of the policies created to help African Americans and other minorities have done little to help, and in some cases even hurt them more; and 5) glass ceilings- The glass ceiling refers to the barriers that often confront Ethnic Americans and women in trying to reach the upper echelons of corporate America, because: â€Å"African Americans have advanced in formal schooling to a remarkable degree, although in most areas residential patterns have left many public schools predominantly Black or White. Higher education also reflects the legacy of a nation that has operated two schooling systems: one for Blacks and another for Whites. Gains in earning power have barely kept pace with inflation, and the gap between Whites and Blacks has remained largely unchanged. African American families are susceptible to the problems associated with a low-income group that also faces discrimination and prejudice. Housing in many areas remains segregated, despite growing numbers of Blacks in suburban areas. African Americans are more likely to be victims of crimes and to be arrested for violent crimes. The subordination of Blacks is also apparent in health care delivery. African Americans have made substantial gains in elective office but still are underrepresented compared with their numbers in the general population† (Schaefer, 2006). African Americans are said to be the primary cause of 1) reverse discrimination- discrimination against members of a dominant or majority group, or in favor of members of a minority or historically disadvantaged group. Groups may be defined in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, or other factors. This discrimination may seek to redress social inequalities where minority groups have been denied access to the same privileges of the majority group, because we want equality! I culturally identify more with African Americans because I was born an African American; I have lived as an African American; and being a United States citizen, worked in America as an African American. My expertise in the subject manner of being African American speaks for itself. In conclusion, the history of African Americans is, to a significant degree, the history of the United States. Black people accompanied the first explorers and a black man was among the first to die in the American Revolution. The United States, with more than 38 million Blacks, has one of the largest Black populations in the world. Despite the large number, Blacks in this country have had almost no role in major national and political decisions and have been allowed only a peripheral role in many crucial decisions that influence our own destiny.

Theories of Workplace Motivation

Theories of Workplace Motivation Crystal Mullen I find myself interested in the concept of motivation. What is that motivates people get up and do an honest day’s work versus wasting that same day lying in bed watching the Lifetime Movie Channel? Why is one person motivated simply to make a paycheck while someone else is driven to take charge of their own business? As it turns, out, scientists and psychologists have been asking these same type of questions regarding for centuries. As a result we have received many theories from different scientific, psychological perspectives that offer explanations for where our motivation originates and even suggestions on how to how to increase it. Understanding four of the most common motivation theories can be especially useful as it pertains to the workplace (Anderson, 2014). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs One of the most well-known motivational theories came from Abraham Maslow. Maslow created a theory that suggested that humans are motivated by a hierarchy of needs that leads them to take actions in a particular order based on that person’s need for survival. Furthermore Maslow’s theory purposed that human beings must fulfill their needs in a lower category before attempting to fulfill needs in a higher category. Maslow’s order of needs are: physiological, safety, love and affection, esteem and self-actualization (which involves clarity or an achievement of personal goals) (Anderson, 2014). If I were to identify any of Maslow’s five needs, in the work place, I would need to see what it is that is motivating a person’s actions. For example, a worker is only motivated by physiological and safety when they are worker is motivated simply by a need for a paycheck, and a means to keep a roof over their head and gas in their car. Furthermore, I can tell if a worker is motivated by love and affection, esteem, and self-actualization if they derive more joy and fulfillment from all aspects of their work-life on, whether it would be making their work deadlines to taking parting in a company-wide community project. (An eHow Contributor, 2014). The Two-Factor Theory Frederick Herzberg’s created a two-factor theory that can explain workplace motivational tendencies. According to Herzberg, the two consistent factors that play into workplace motivation, are hygiene and motivators. Hygiene involves factors that are needed it remain present and active in order to ensure workplace satisfaction. These factors include a fair paycheck, a stable work environment, and even a level of supervision. Motivators involve factors, that if present, increases workplace satisfaction but does not diminish workplace satisfaction levels if absent. Examples of motivators include recognition of abilities, a sense of personal achievement, or even the overall nature of their job (Anderson, 2014). If I were to observe Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory, I would need to determine if a worker’s actions are motivated by either the fulfillment of his or her needs or by the avoidance of undesirable factors. Under the two-factor theory, if a worker is striving for positive rewards, such as a pay raise, he or she may be motivated by motivators. However, if that same worker is motivated by avoiding avoid negative feedback, such as a being written up in his or her review, then that person is motivated by hygiene (An eHow Contributor, 2014). McClelland’s Theory of Needs David McClelland’s developed a motivational theory of needs that although similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs but instead suggests that an individual’s needs are usually shaped by his or her life experiences over a period of time. McClelland’s motivational theory lists three different types of motivation styles: high achievement needs, affiliation needs, and a need for power. People who are motivated by high achievement are driven to excel at everything they attempt and seem to enjoy high-risk situations. Individuals motivated by a need for high achievers would serve an organization best being given challenging projects that have clear goals and are given constant feedback. Workers who are motivated by a need affiliation are most content in harmonious workplace environments that provide amiable relationships with their superiors and coworkers. These individuals work best in teams or groups that are supportive of each other. Finally, workers who are moti vated by a need for power excel when they are able to direct and organize others for either their own personal goals or for their company. Individuals who are motived by a need for power are best suited for management positions (Anderson, 2014). Expectancy Theory Victor Vrom’s motivational theory actually uses Herzberg’s two-factor theory to challenge the various workplace hygiene factors that do not always result in employee satisfaction and increased productivity. These employees however, will only increase their productivity if they believe their service is directly related to them achieving their own goals. Furthermore, contrary to Herzberg’s theory, Vrom’s motivational theory, suggests that motivators are completely essential to a worker’s increased productivity (Anderson, 2014). Identifying Vrom’s expectancy theory a worker’s actions and motivations happens to be the trickiest of the four motivational theories listed. For example, a worker who is motivated by a need for promotion in her workplace may actually be motivated not for the benefit of the company he or she works for but for his or her own personal desire to buy a new car or home. In fact, in some cases, a worker’s personal goals may actually result in lower productivity rather than instead of higher. For example, if a worker, is motivated by the need for less time, then at work and more time at home, he or she may decline career advancement opportunities in order to maintain a position with less responsibility. (An eHow Contributor, 2014). Conclusion Based on what I’ve read, I can see how all four of these motivational theories can be useful in the workplace. I can see how I’ve used Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs were in place when I took that second job at McDonald’s just to make sure I had enough money for rent. This would suggest I was motivated by physiological and safety needs. I’ve also noticed my own motivation to sharply decline at a job if Herzberg’s two-factor theory if I’m working in a volatile workplace environment. This suggests that they company’s hygiene factors are low and hampers job satisfaction. Furthermore, I can understand now why I do enjoy working in a group of supportive co-workers. Based on McClelland’s theory, this motivation speaks to my need for affiliation. Finally, based on Vrom’s theory of expectancy, I can identify with the individual’s personal goals actually decreasing their desire to advance within the company. I have also had my desire to for more time with my studies to keep me away from taking more overtime or working Saturdays. Therefore, motivational theories can be very instrumental to recruiting and maintaining the best people in any organization. References: An eHow Contributor. (2014). How to Identify the Four Theories of Work Motivation. Retrieved May 17, 2014, from eHow.com: http://www.ehow.com/how_5002492_identify-four-theories-work-motivation.html Anderson, E. (2014). Four Main Theories of Motivation. Retrieved May 17, 2014, from eHow.com: http://www.ehow.com/list_6737018_four-main-theories-motivation.html

Friendship Essay: The Qualities of a Best Friend -- friendship essay, m

Surely, everyone is fond of the idea of friendship. In fact, to most people living on this earth believe that friends are the most important part of their lives. There have been lots of sayings, quotes, movies and music about the theme, friendship; and this also impacted many people in the way they see the idea of having friends and that it is worthwhile to have someone to rely on. The importance of friendship cannot just be forgotten like a snap of one’s fingers. It has stuck on to the minds of people through movies, such as ‘Harry Potter’ and TV series, like ‘Friends’. Indeed, throughout the centuries, these shows and movies has really proven that friends are not someone one wants, but they are someone one needs. However, other adults strongly disagree with the idea of friendship being an important matter. It is even possible to say that adults do not have as many friends and consider the concept of friendship as such an important part because of the way their lives are structured. To begin with, most of the adults’ jobs are related to their jobs. It is the office or the workplace, they spend most of their time, and it is the colleagues, they spend most of their time interacting with. In other words, they do not have much time to socialize with other friends of their own. In contrast, not everyone can be a friend of others. Although people can be friends just by introducing themselves and greeting each other, that kind of friendship will not last for long. In fact, when looking at the concept of friendship in depth, the theme can be separated into two parts. One can basically have two kinds of friends, ‘good friends’ and ‘best friends’. Obviously, they are ‘friends’ for same purposes, but the difference lie underneath the ... ...best to give possible solutions to get over with the problem. Thus, everyone from these types can certainly be a good friend. However, only ‘life partners’ can be best friends. The people from the work place will probably have lives and families of their own; and the classmates will not do any good. Once a student graduates from a college, it is likely that they will not be in contact with the people they will to university with. Plus, it is hard to find them because they have separated to different parts of the world seeking for jobs. In addition, how close can people be friends with people from the street? And how much will they know about each other? So, there is really one person who is there for people if they are in need of company. Once married, it is their duty to care for one another and help them in any way they can and that is also the role of friends.

Leaving your city: Analysis :: essays research papers

The Poem that I chose to analyze is Agha Shahid Ali's titled Leaving Your City. This is a very appropriate choice of title because it clarifies and helps you to understand the movement of the poem. We have the writer and another character meeting and spending time together and then they are not together and the title helps us to understand that the writer has left the city of the newly met companion. Also the title is not stated with in the poem and is not a real clichà © title so I believe that that makes it work even better.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way Ali has broken up this poem is very interesting. He makes use of full sentences and only uses capitalization at the beginning of each sentence. However the way that each stanza is broken up puts a great deal of emphasis on specific lines throughout the poem. There is also enjambment throughout the entire poem and it makes you keep reading a sentence and at the same time has you look at the line the reader just read more carefully. There is also a great deal of end-stopped lines and line breaks which introduce an unexpected emphasis. There is one line that is just one word, the word meticulous, and that word alone really paints the picture of the nameless character that is involved in someway with the speaker. The way you are forced to read allows for a great reading experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ali pulls together very unlike images and makes them work very well together. The images however seem to be somewhat abstract. The stanza that really stands out to me is â€Å"you sharpened the knife   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on the moon’s surface,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   polished it with lunatic silver.† (Ali) This is just very uncertain and it makes the reader have to think about what the speaker is saying. There are just so many different ways in which you can deduce that set of lines, which is definitely a good thing because then the reader definitely has their own interpretation and experience of the writing. The speaker never uses a simile flat out but everything that the speaker says is very important because there are so many events and movements that take place in this piece, yet it is all withered down to a few precise words that encapsulate everything the speaker is trying to convey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tone that the speaker sets is also very important to the reader empathizing.

Peter Weir’s film “Witness” Essay

Peter Weir’s film, â€Å"Witness† reveals that besides our contemporary world, there are other â€Å"worlds† with their own values that are unique. These worlds conflict with the Western world through their variation in lifestyle. The Amish are a community of people who live peacefully in the midst of a robust, crime – riddled contemporary world. Weir presents a film that fits two genres, one of a crime and the other of romance. Within the first ten minutes of the film these two worlds it captures the differences of these two worlds through the use of cinematic techniques. The Amish world is introduced at the very start of the film where the opening visual fades in, to reveal a long shot showing the landscape. There is no use of artificial lighting but merely the natural sunlight of an early morning. This proposes an idea that the Amish community lives in a plain, simplistic, traditional, and a calm lifestyle. The establishing montage of the silent and peaceful world of the Amish becomes apparent through a wide angle shot that pans across the screen in a panoramic view of gently swaying wheat fields from which emerges a small band of black clad people walk silently following one another. Even in this very early part of the movie, the audience has a glimpse of order and conformity. Their black clothes juxtapose the brilliance of the Wheatfield’s clearly portraying their different world. Pennsylvania 1984 is surprising to the viewer, because they might expect a much earlier date. The idea of two worlds is also symbolized by the division of the scene into top half of the sky and the bottom half of the grass. The crossing of the two worlds is portrayed by the Amish moving through the frame from right to left through the grass. This is an unusual technique because usually most movement is from left to right, thus reinforcing their unusual world. Weir’s purpose in presenting such an orderly scene ironically is to exemplify the dystopia of the fast urban life of crime and corruption. The culture clash between the Amish and the modern technological society becomes evident when Eli takes Rachel and Samuel to the station. The camera zooms into the carriage portraying the occupants to be Eli as the driver and Rachel and Samuel as the passengers. An overhead view gives way to long shots of beautiful country landscape and the horse-driven carriage as it is juxtaposed with the truck. The truck a symbolic representation of the modern world and a vehicle that is known to literally thunder its way like a bully on highways has to follow the carriage which was going at its own pace. This demonstrates that the Amish world behind it is not governed by time and will go the way they want. Through the close-ups of Eli, Rachel and Samuel, the audience sees the ‘glassed-in world’ of the Amish as being reclusive and imprisoned as opposed to the free world of faster vehicles. Weir illustrates this sudden imposition of the American way when at the station while awaiting their train. An undershot of the train is gigantic and intimidating which dwarfs the Amish world. He is mesmerized by it all, ‘tours’ the train station. Accustomed to little angels in their books, Samuel is miniaturized by a gigantic figure of an angel. A high angle shot from behind the statue dwarfs Samuel symbolically highlighting the insignificance of their culture to the American way of life. Even among the Amish these worlds there are others who resemble different from the †¦

Reebok Marketing Plan

Reebok Realflex| By The Breezers: Mannan Wu Abbey Barnes Chase Carraro Mohammed Baamer Deborah Dani Dylan By The Breezers: Mannan Wu Abbey Barnes Chase Carraro Mohammed Baamer Deborah Dani Dylan Final Marketing Plan| Professor Quinlan-Wilder November 16, 2011 Marketing 2800 Professor Quinlan-Wilder November 16, 2011 Marketing 2800 | | Executive Summary Reebok prides itself on creating products to enhance athletic ability. Upon formation of the company, Reebok has been dedicated to making athletes faster. Since then, Reebok has evolved into the world’s second largest maker of athletic apparel and is a leader in the shoe industry.Now Reebok will pave the way with its answer to the latest craze in fitness and in running. The Reebok Realflex will dominate the competition through altering some aspects of the marketing mix and introducing the Realflex shoe as a healthy shoe meant to better consumer fitness. Taking into consideration the SWOT analysis, which pinpoints Reeboks can imp rove and the things Reebok are already doing well, the target markets can be better identified and the marketing mix can be better modified. When looking at target markets, Reebok has narrowed its markets to college aged adults interested in maintaining fitness, and individuals between 40-65.To the younger target market, Reebok needs to convey enhancing the athletic performance. To the aging population, Reebok needs to establish that using their product will enhance health. By modifying its current marketing mix Reebok can meet the needs of consumers. Price will be at the median range of shoe costs as that makes the most sense for our target markets. Reebok wants to provide an affordable shoe that does not cost as much as other barefoot running shoes, but offers all the health benefits of natural running. However, too low of a price lowers the value of the product in the minds of buyers and will be detrimental to business.While price plays an important role in marketing the Reebok R ealflex, placement of the product will be where Reeboks competition is located. The shoes will be placed in major chains, like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sports Authority, and Reebok stores themselves. In addition, Reebok will plan to give pairs of shoes to major gym chains, like 24 Hour Fitness, and let the trainers try the product as a way to recommend it to the desired target markets. When the shoes are in displays, the Realflex must be â€Å"front and center† to grab consumer attention from the moment they enter the store.Aside from price, promotion of the product will be one of the most vital keys to the Realflex success. Reebok will reposition themselves in the mind of their desired consumers. Though Reebok often uses testimonials and vibrant color to catch attention, the new promotional strategy will also focus on the concern that Reebok has for the health of consumers and for enhancing their performance. In many ways the new promotional strategy relies on correctin g previous errors of the company (Easytone) and in a discrete way build trust among consumers who use Reebok products and shape them into loyal repeat customers.The most important component of the marketing mix is the product. Reebok has created a product for the sheer purpose to better the health and improve the athletic ability of consumers. It is clear that Reebok believes in the product it has created. There is science to confirm the fact that natural running has numerous health benefits and does enhance athletic performance. Reebok has made a product where science meets style, and satisfies the needs of consumers. It is imperative that Reebok convey this genuine message to consumers.Doing so will build Reebok into a better business, increasing its market share, overall growth and profit. Table of Contents Introduction3 Situational Analysis4 The Company4 Current Marketing Mix4 Features and Benefits5 Current Product Life Cycle5 The Industry5 Environmental Forces7 Competition8 SWO T Analysis11 Critical Issues and Marketing Objectives13 Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning14 Segmenting14 Targeting14 Positioning17 Positioning Statements18 MarketTrak Tool26 Conclusion28 Appendices29 Appendix A – Competition Table29 Appendix B – SWOT Analysis30 Appendix C – Positioning Map 1: College Students31Appendix D – Positioning Map 2: Baby Boomers32 Appendix E – RealFlex Packaging34 Appendix F – Magazine Advertisement35 Appendix G – Billboard Advertisement36 Appendix H – Pro-nation Advertisement37 Appendix I – Billboard Advertisement38 Appendix K – Glossary of Terms45 Bibliography46 Introduction The footwear industry is a competitive market. Two important components in this industry are the quality and marketing of the products. Reebok is a company with a long history in the footwear market and a marketing mix makeover for RealFlex could very well put the company back on top.By increasing the focus on the health benefits for older generations and aesthetically pleasing innovation for younger generations, Reebok will be able to cover wider demographics, thus increasing sales. This is a product which needs to be on the feet of consumers, because once that happens; the footwear will speak for itself. The remainder of this marketing plan is organized as follows: First, it will examine the company of Reebok and its background in the athletic shoe industry. Then, this plan will discuss Reebok’s major competitors and fully describe its SWOT analysis.Next, this plan will look at the first part of the proposed marketing strategy, to include the proposed ideas for segmenting, targeting, and positioning of the RealFlex shoes. Finally, the plan will be concluded with ideas for the proposed marketing mix plan of this product and then a re-emphasis of why this plan will help RealFlex become Reebok’s number one shoe. Situational Analysis The Company The Mission at Reebok is to be on the cutting-edge of sport and lifestyle products built upon a strong heritage in sports (Reebok, 2011).Reebok strives to challenge convention and lead through creativity and have been doing so for over 100 years (Reebok, 2011). The company was founded on one important value in the 1890’s, helping athletes run faster (Reebok, 2011). Since then the main vision has been to help athletes fulfill their potential (Reebok, 2011). Reebok is an American- inspired global brand, which celebrates individuality of the athlete while also helping the athlete to obtain goals they once thought unattainable (Reebok, 2011). Reebok is a subsidiary of Adidas Sportswear. Current Marketing MixProduct and Pricing: RealFlex Footwear is a Reebok innovation designed to give the foot a barefoot feel through natural movement while providing the comfort of a high-quality running shoe (Businessweek, 20011). RealFlex features 76 independent â€Å"sensors† on the bottom of the shoe which are design ed to naturally conform to the motion of the foot (Businessweek, 2011). This technology allows the foot to be 20% lower to the ground, which helps to re-create the feeling of bare feet (Tuttle, 2011). The RealFlex is priced at retail for $89.. 99, which Reebok feels is an affordable and fair price for this first-of-its-kind shoe (Businessweek, 2011).Promotion and Placement: Advertising for this shoe has been centered on the 76 â€Å"running buddies† or tread sensors, which make for natural movement of the foot (Reebok, 2011). RealFlex is also advertised to make the customers running style more pure through the barefoot feel. These shoes have been advertised through a commercial ad campaign which digitally animates the 76 running buddies as trail-running enthusiasts (Reebok, 2011). These shoes can be purchased online at Reebok. com as well as through various large-chain department stores such as Dillard’s, Nordstrom and Macy’s.Features and Benefits The RealFlex o ffers customers many different features. The top feature of the footwear lies in the sole of the shoe where there are 76 individual tread sensors. Other features include lightweight materials, breathability, and the ability for customers to customize their own pair of shoes. The benefits, or how the shoe actually helps the customer, are primarily based around the fact that RealFlex is a minimalist shoe. The barefoot technology featured in this footwear has been proven to strengthen legs so that runners can run faster for longer.Since this is a barefoot shoe, runners get all the benefits of running barefoot without extra damage to their feet. Current Product Life Cycle Realflex has only been on the market for about seven months and Reebok is still attempting to win over the customer’s preference through current advertising, promotions, and word of mouth (Reebok, 2011). Although RealFlex technology is a new idea in the world of â€Å"barefoot-style† running shoes, this p roduct is no longer in the growth stage. Athletic running shoes, including Realflex, are considered to be in the maturity stage.The Industry The United States footwear industry consists of makers of â€Å"non-cleated† rubber and plastic footwear that are meant for fitness and athletic purposes. The companies that are competing in this industry are dedicated to creating performance footwear so that they can give the customer more value and utility. Each company then segments its product lines to better satisfy the many different customer needs (Tufts University, 2006). However, there is significant overlap in the types of shoes that the athletic footwear industry sells.The athletic footwear industry is dominated by more than 230 manufacturers that make up over 50% of the market share (Hoovers Inc, 2006). However, there are only 19 companies that are actually competing in the athletic shoes industry. Reebok dominated the athletic footwear market until the late 1980’s whe n Nike made its sudden rise to power (Tufts University, 2006). Considering to market share, Nike leads the pack and is projected to continue growing as it expands more into China and India (Woolsey, 2007). However, in 2005, Adidas merged with Reebok in an attempt to raise the stakes in the competition with Nike (Howard, 2005).Price is one of the four categories in the marketing mix. A good pricing strategy is vital to every company. There are many different elements that can influence pricing such as unique technological product features, prominent brand names, celebrity endorsements and higher quality materials (Walker, 2005). There are some brands of shoes that sell for more than $200, such as the Nike Michael Jordan 2011 shoes, and there are brands that sell for less than $50 (Nike, 2011). However, it is more common for shoes to sell for $85 – $110 (Nike, 2011). Each company’s promotional tactics bear differences and similarities.While Reebok started with the primar y goal of improving athletic performance with its hi-tech running shoes, Nike began by specializing in running shoes and has since formed its own â€Å"running culture† by sponsoring major running events like the Chicago Marathon (Reebok, 2011). In fact, athletic shoe companies sponsoring races ranging from small track meets to nationally elite races, such as the Boston Marathon, are quite common in this industry (B. A. A. , 2011). A company will attend one of these events in order to promote its product as well as to help give back to the community (B. A. A. , 2011).These events provide very good advertising for the company and increase product visibility. Environmental Forces There are two types of environmental forces, macro and micro. Here, the macro environmental forces that affect Reebok are examined. These forces consist of social, economic, technical, regulatory, and competitive. These forces are external and usually uncontrollable. Social: Whether it is a change in d iet or an adoption of a fitness regimen, Americans are trying to improve their health. Sources say that Americans are exercising more, especially when compared to 2001(CNN Health, 2007).Health is becoming an American priority especially for younger generations (Saxena, 2010). Since fitness is becoming more of a lifestyle, running can be considered a growing trend. Fitness junkies and avid runners are starting to wear more and more â€Å"natural running† inspired shoes (Johnston, 2011) The Reebok RealFlex is the response to this growing trend (Runners World, 2011). Economic: With the economy taking a major downturn, fewer Americans can afford expensive gym memberships or personal trainers but still feel the need to be fit.Since the economy has been slow, Americans are turning to more affordable ways of exercising (Wilkes, 2011). One of the most affordable ways to get fit is to go running. There has been a spike in the sale of athletic shoes since the U. S. has begun to struggl e more with the economy. In fact, there was a 3% increase in the sale of athletic footwear in 2010 alone (Lets Run, 2010). Technological: Keeping up with the technology involved in running is a constant concern for innovative companies since the type of shoe a person wears can affect their performance.The weight of a shoe can affect the stride and development of the muscle (Runners World, 2011). The weights of shoes are also believed to affect races times and can mean the difference between a win and a loss (Lovett, 2010). It is imperative that athletic shoe companies are innovative in providing products that really do improve athletic performance without compromising the health of the consumer. Regulatory: Two regulatory entities that should be considered are the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The actions taken by the FTC and SEC are meant to protect consumers.Reebok recently settled a dispute with the FTC regarding false advertisin g of its Easytone shoes (Forden, 2011). This dispute was because Reebok claimed that its Easytone shoes were proven to actually strengthen buttock muscles by 28% and build calf muscles by 11% (Forden, 2011). The finalization of the dispute ended up costing Reebok $25 million (Forden, 2011). Competitive: In terms of competition there are significant barriers to entry, especially with light-weight performance shoes. Many companies are focusing on making light weight shoes a core competency.However, the question of which company has greater competitive advantage in the market is yet to be determined. Vibrams, the creator of the original natural running shoe, set up its web site to highlight the scientifically proven health benefits of natural running (Pain from Running, 2011). Additionally, Nike dominates the athletic apparel industry and pioneered the way for performance shoes when Bill Bowerman used his wife’s waffle iron to make the first prototype of his own light weight sho e (Vann, 2011). Competition Reebok faces fierce competition from all sides.The athletic shoe industry is quite large and very competitive. Reebok receives most of its competition from Nike. In addition to Nike, Reebok goes up against Asics and New balance for direct competition, as these companies all sell shoes similar to Reebok’s Realflex. Deckers Outdoor Corporation is considered indirect competition as it sells non-athletic footwear. Nike: Nike is the number one producer of athletic shoes in the world. One of Nike’s greatest strengths is brand recognition and branding. Nike’s slogan, â€Å"Just do it,† along with the famous â€Å"swoosh,† are known worldwide (Marketing Teacher LTD, 2011).Nike is continuously changing and updating its products and advertising. The company uses many different marketing strategies which are geared for several different target markets (Nike, Inc, 2010). Nike, like Reebok, does not manufacture the shoes it sells. In stead Nike hires subcontractors in other countries who manufacture the shoes. These manufacturers then ship the shoes to other companies to sell. This can be both a weakness and a strength for Nike. It is a weakness because of the dependency on the overseas manufacturer. However, it is also a strength because Nike’s money can now be sed for expanding its product line or on a new advertising campaign instead of on the purchase and upkeep of buildings (Marketing Teacher LTD, 2011). Asics: In 2009 Asics celebrated the grand opening of its first stand-alone U. S. store located in New York (Asics, 2009). This store also featured the revolutionizing 3-D Foot ID to help the wearer become matched to the perfect shoe for them. The expansion of Asics in New York has allowed greater influence of the brand name across the U. S. , which has helped to increase sales revenues (Just-Style, 2009).Asics just launched an all-out advertising campaign in 2011 that included TV, radio, Internet, pr int as well as being a co-sponsor in the ING New York Marathon (Fashion United, 2011). One of the weaknesses of this campaign is the disproportionate focus on the overseas market compared to the U. S. market (Fashion United, 2011). Asics’ cash flow and net income had been falling slowly for several years and it needed to do something to improve profits. This campaign was extremely expensive but already Asics is seeing a return from investment and an increase in its net income (Larmann, 2011).New Balance: New Balance’s top strength would be the technology and innovation of its new products (New Balance, 2011). Every year New Balance creates a new and updated product with all the latest in technology. In addition, The New Balance Foundation has given back more than $40 million to the community and non-profit organizations (New Balance, 2011). More than 50% of consumers want to purchase a product if they know that a portion of the profits will go to charity (Strahilevitz & Myers, 1997). New Balance relies on promotion through the sponsorship of races and fitness activities instead of using celebrity endorsements (Johnson, 1998).The strength of not using celebrities is that the price of the shoe will be less for the consumer since New Balance does not pay for the endorsements. However, the downside to this is that the younger generation is attracted to shoes that have been associated with top celebrities (Johnson, 1998). Deckers Outdoor Corporation: Deckers is an indirect competitor for Reebok because they do not specialize in athletic footwear but instead are focused mainly on high-quality sheepskin boots and sandals (Wikipedia, 2011). Deckers’ biggest strength is its quality. The company is focused on roducing very high-quality products while lowering the impact to the environment (Deckers, 2011). Deckers helps to lower the impact to the environment by using a lot of recycled materials for the creation of its products (Deckers, 2011). More t han 30% of consumers want to purchase environmentally friendly products (American Express, 2010). One of Deckers weaknesses is that it has focused about 75% of its efforts in advertising to the U. S. This strategy has resulted in a higher market share for the US but a lower share across the nations (Deckers, 2011).Deckers is now working harder than ever to increase the sales of products in its overseas locations (Deckers, 2011). (See Appendix A – Competition Table) SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis is a critical portion of every marketing plan. It outlines the company’s Strengths and Weaknesses, and the market’s Opportunities and Threats that pertain to the product (Wikipedia, 2011). The SWOT analysis is an important step in planning as it outlines whether the information will assist the company in completing its objectives or if there will be an obstacle that must be moved first.Strengths: The Reebok Realflex barefoot shoes have several strengths integral to the pr oducts current and future success. The Realflex is scientifically proven to reduce the risk of foot injury since it is made of strong materials that resist distortion by weather and sharp objects (Sturtz, 2011). The Realflex has 76 independent sensors on the bottom of the shoe that adapt to all training surfaces and promote natural movement (India Infoline Ltd, 2011). Reebok also produces outfits to match the colors of shoes and color customization on new Realflex purchases to meet customers’ needs (Healthhabits, 2011).Reebok is one of the top athletic shoe companies in the U. S. with a market share around 20% and it has become more efficient through good corporate operation strategies aimed at restructuring and improving quality in the manufacturing process (Landrum & Boje, 2001). Reebok also prices its shoes to be around the average market price which helps to increase market share. Weaknesses: One of the weaknesses of the company is that Reebok has no factories and depends on overseas manufacturers for production of its products, consequently posing a risk since the contracted industries could stealReebok’s designs (Dunlap, 1925). Reebok owns few stores of its own but depends mostly on retail stores to order and deliver the products, which at times can be slow. This strategy causes retailers who sell the products to wait long periods of time before the products arrive, at which time they may not have the same popularity among customers (Hoovers, 2011). There are very few sponsors associated with Reebok which does not help to make it well known (Mercer, 1996). In addition, the company suffers from the previous release the Reebok Easytone, which claimed to tone legs and burn more calories while walking.This was actually revealed to be untrue by the American Council of fitness (Waehner, 2010). Essentially misleading consumers can cause them to be cautious of the Reebok label and they may instead choose to shop elsewhere (Nickson, 2010). Opportuni ties: There are several opportunities for Reebok, including expanding and reaching new markets with its new product. Reebok has the opportunity to appeal to baby boomers creating a new market for its type of shoe. They are a generation interested in staying active as they age.There is also the opportunity to market to active college students; it all depends on how the product will be presented. There is also the opportunity for product development since Reebok has released a new product into the current markets. Threats: There are many competitors offering a similar barefoot shoe product which is a threat to Reebok since competing companies, like Nike, are already established and globally recognized (Silva, 2011). In addition, technology is always changing and new products are continuously coming out into the market.The fast change in technology goes hand in hand with how society is constantly changing its mind, which poses a great threat due to the company’s low rate of tech nological advancement compared to the prevailing leaders (Kagz, 2001). Competing companies may introduce cheaper substitutes which the customers may opt to buy. Economic crises also pose another threat due to the weak purchasing power of the customers. As barefoot shoes are a want and not a need, the economic crisis may have people think twice before buying. See Appendix B – SWOT Analysis) Critical Issues and Marketing Objectives Critical Issue #1: Leverage Point: Healthy shoe (S) + New Market: Baby Boomers (O) Natural Running shoes offer health benefits and by advertising to a new market like baby boomers and the older generation (ages 40-65), Reebok has the chance to create a leverage point. Related Marketing Objective #1: Increase sales by 10% over the next year. Strategically place the product in areas whose demographics reflect a baby boomer population. Have the product easily accessible to the target market.Critical Issue #2: Constraint: Previous Faulty Products (W) + E xpanding the Market (O) Reeboks previous innovation in fitness, the Easytone, was proven to have no additional benefit to working out as they claimed. When Reebok does try to sell its product to a new market that may be more aware of Reebok’s previous mistake they may have no interest in purchasing the new technological innovation the RealFlex. Marketing Objective #2: Focus on the health benefits of RealFlex over regular shoes. Show consumers that Realflex can help improve strength in leg muscles. Increase shoe health awareness by 15% within one year.Critical Issue #3: Vulnerability: Healthful Shoes (S) + Changing shoe Technology (T) Reebok RealFelx shoes face vulnerability in the sense that while it may be producing shoes with health benefits, the competition could be offering shoes with even greater benefits, such as Virbram Five Fingers. Marketing Objective #3: Demonstrate to consumers how much Reebok invests in its consumers best interests. Focus shoe marketing not only o n the health benefits but how Reebok was able to pioneer the light weight shoe industry with its â€Å"sensors† on the bottom of the shoes.Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning Segmenting Some of the possible ways of target segmentation for the Reebok Realflex shoes are geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral. The geographical segmentation would focus on those consumers in the urban and suburban locations due to the high influence of social media. The demographic segmentation could target consumers with a yearly household income of greater than $35,000 as well as specific age groups, such as ages 18 – 44, as many purchasers of running shoes are ages 18 – 44 (Marginy Research Group, 2000).Reebok could also focus on the psychographic segmentation portion and gear it toward consumers who enjoy adventure and outdoors activities. Reebok decided to segment the markets into two separate groups. The first target market will focus on geographic and demogr aphic segmentation. This market will include college students between the ages of 18-24 who are adventurous. The second target market will focus on demographic and behavioral segmentation. This market will include those consumers who are in the older generation, like baby boomers. The older generations want to stay healthy and get into shape.The Realflex is perfect for this need, as the barefoot qualities of the Realflex strengthen legs and keep runners healthy. Targeting Target Market 1: The target market is for adventure seeking and active college students between the ages 18 and 24. These targeted college students usually reside in urban and suburban areas. The focus on these geographical locations is due to the idea that consumers in highly populated areas, such as a city, are more driven by the social media that surrounds them (Thompson, 2009). The targeted psychographic market segments are geared toward those consumers interested in competition and adventure.Reebok wants consu mers who want the shoes they wear to be able to handle anything during their fitness routine. â€Å"Americans who have adopted the lifestyle of Fit Consumers are risk-takers with an adventurous outlook on life. Fit Consumers retain a taste for adventure as they age† (Packaged Facts, 2007). The Realflex is a high-quality running shoe that is able to satisfy the needs of competitive, driven college student runners. The Realflex weighs only 8. 8 ounces for males and 7. 2 ounces for females (Jhung, 2011). This reduction in weight helps shave off seconds on a runner’s time.This gives the runner a competitive advantage over those runners who are not using lightweight shoes (Jhung, 2011). These students are always looking for the next best thing to own, especially when it comes to shoes (Trend Watching, 2011). They want high-quality, lightweight shoes for a great price. Students also want to know that the product they buy and wear is something that will help improve their sta nding in society (Trend Watching, 2011). Reebok can give that customer value, and more, to this target market. The college student target market is 18. 6 million, which is a 22% increase over the last 8 years alone (Davis & Bauman, 2011).With a larger target market there will be a higher cost to reach the audience. However, with a slight increase in advertising geared toward this growing market, Reebok will be able to reach this group and increase sales by 10% within 1 year. (See Appendix C – Positioning Map 1: College Students) Target Market 2: Aside from the younger generations, baby boomers and the aging population (40-65) are looking to preserve as well as better their health. Reebok wants to attract the consumers who will find its product integral to the way they want to look and feel as these consumers will â€Å"place a high priority on their health† (Packaged Facts, 2007).They consider running part of a healthy and active lifestyle. Studies suggest that baby bo omers and aging populations are much more active than they used to be. In 2005, baby boomers comprised one fourth of the health club memberships (msnbc, 2005). However, these consumers may not all be high users. Some of them may only visit the gym a couple of times a month or only run a few miles a week. Baby boomers are redefining what it means to retire and enjoy old age, they are not anticipated to flock to an â€Å"age segregated community† and many will likely continue working in some capacity (Brandon, 2010).However not all Boomers have a high disposable income in fact, they are considered a sandwich generation were they are assisting their own parents while financing their children’s educations. With Boomers still maintaining busy schedule it is also important to consider the usage rate that would justify the purchase of Reebok Realflex shoes. They may seem themselves needing a â€Å"healthy shoe† meant for their variations in fitness regimen. This same n eed can be applied to the aging portions of the population. The trend of healthy living is catching on and the market for healthful products, like quality running shoes will continue to grow.In consideration to Critical Issue #1 of advertising to the market of baby boomers, the Realflex shoe has a considerable leverage point given that it is a scientific fact that natural running shoes offer health benefits. It is also a fact that light weight running shoes are built to endure fewer miles because they offer less cushioning however they offer health benefits like a â€Å"natural running sensation†(Run/Split, 2011). It is the use and health benefits that are more likely to draw Boomers to the product. In regard to the marketing objective of increasing sales by 10% over the next year,Reebok plans to place its product in gyms by giving a pair to local trainers to act as opinion leaders and encourage boomers to purchase them. Reebok also plans to place the product in convenient pl aces for purchases, such as mall outlets to increase product visibility as well as specialty stores. (See Appendix D – Positioning Map 2: Baby Boomers) Positioning Beginning in 2009, Reebok started executing strategies in order to position its running shoes in a more technologically advanced, higher quality and flexible category which helps to differentiate the shoes from other athletic brands and place it toward the high-end footwear brands.Reebok’s mission is to become an outstanding sport and lifestyle brand and offer many primary sports products (Adidas, 2011). In regards to the younger generation, there needs to be an emphasis on the fact that Reebok is a fashionable shoe to wear while either getting fit or just out taking a stroll. Reebok can position this product as being both quality and healthful by occupying the front window of athletic stores. While doing so may increase the cost of promotion, it sends a message to the younger generation that the product is popular, and at a minimum increases visibility making the product more widely known.There will not need to be repositioning for this target market. In consideration to the second target market, baby boomers and aging populations, there will be some repositioning that needs to take place. As previously noted Reebok made the mistake of producing a product that did not have all the health benefits the company claimed. In fact, the Reebok Easytone has been rumored to have done more harm to customers than good. It is the older populations who are more likely to be aware of this mistake which means that Reebok would need to reposition this product in the mind of older consumers.Both of these methods will increase consumer spending on Reeboks product and assist in attaining the goal of a 10% increase in sales within one year. In regards to the second marketing objective, placing the product in gyms and actively seeking feedback from users shows the interest that Reebok has taken in demonst rating that its products are of high quality. Similar is the third marketing objective, concerned with the proving that Reebok is an innovator in the shoe industry, this is accomplished not only through placing the product in gyms and giving trials to first time buyers but also through actively seeking feedback from users.The feedback Reebok receives form users will help in creating lighter, even higher quality products to better satisfy consumer needs and enhance their athletic performance. Positioning Statements Positioning Statement 1: For college students who typically maintain an active lifestyle and like access to new products, Realflex footwear is the latest model of Reebok running shoes with advanced technologies to improve athletic results as well as allow consumers to customize the color of the shoes.Positioning Statement 2: For baby boomers that pursue a healthy lifestyle, Reebok Realflex footwear is the natural running shoe with high tech soles and light-weight materials that is designed to provide the health benefits of natural running. Proposed Marketing Strategy Product Reebok would not be doing any product modification to the RealFlex shoes. Instead, Reebok would be focusing on enhancing the RealFlex image while on store shelves. Reebok would make the shoes as appealing to the consumer as possible. An efficient way to appeal to consumers is to offer a more classic look in stores while also offering the benefits of RealFlex.Reebok would offer basic colored shoes in stores such as navy, gray, black, and white, along with accent colors such as blue, red, and green. The more eccentric colors, like orange and yellow, would be available online when customizing the shoes. This will be an effective strategy for the RealFlex because it would attract more customers who are looking for a dual-purpose shoe to fit their everyday lifestyle. This strategy is designed to attract customers who are not looking for flamboyant aesthetics in their shoe choice.This is based on the belief that classic colors will cover a larger demographic, while still having more specific needs accessible online. These shoes will be packaged in a simply designed box that features bare feet and the Reebok RealFlex logo. Shoe packaging tends to be generally more functional than appealing to the consumer as the shoes can sell themselves (Packaged Facts, 1998). However, consumers enjoy showing off their latest purchases, and this newly designed box has the perfect accent to combine with the Realfex shoes. (See appendix E – RealFlex Packaging) PricingPricing is an important factor that affects the marketing of a product and consumers’ attitudes toward that product. Consumers tend to shop for lower-priced commodities so long as quality is not compromised (Daly, 2002). In order to arrive at a fair price for the RealFlex shoes, Reebok considered several different pricing strategies and evaluated the effectiveness of each strategy in line with its marketi ng plan objectives. The best price strategy for the RealFlex shoes is the At-Market Pricing Strategy. Reebok set the base price at $89. 99, with the customization options ranging from $5-$15 extra.The price is comparable to the market price and to what the competitors are offering. Reebok’s largest competitor, Nike, is offering similar shoes at the same price (Nike, 2011). However, New Balance sells its similar shoes for $95 while Asics sells its shoes for only $85 (New Balance, 2011). This pricing strategy allows Reebok to make a profit while still encouraging for a larger market share. Reebok wants to attract active college students and baby boomers to purchase the product because of its high quality and average price among rivals.There is a large portion of the target market, college students in particular, that are unemployed due to full-time school or retirement. Reebok’s pricing strategy is designed to enable the company to achieve a large and dominant market in line with the marketing objectives. The At-Market Pricing Strategy achieves objectives and enhances profits. Placement Reebok will market the Realflex primarily through retail channels. This is done because in-store shopping is one of the most important portions of the customer decision-making process when purchasing a product.A few of these retail channels will include Foot Locker, Athlete's Foot, and Champs Sports. Reebok will concentrate more heavily on placement in states where residents are more likely to engage in a healthy and active lifestyle, such as Colorado, Oregon, and Minnesota (Nash, 2010). Through the use of these channels and placement, Reebok can raise its brand awareness and increase customer loyalty. Reebok wants the retail environment to highlight its brand value as â€Å"inspirational, athletic, fun, and interactive† (Adidas, 2011).One of the target markets, baby boomers and the older generations, want to purchase high quality products in order to maintai n their health (Health Goji, 2010). They enjoy going to the retail chains so that they can try on the shoes and make sure that they feel good while walking. They are also able to go online if they do not find the color that they like and they can purchase from the Reebok website. The other target market, college students between the ages of 18-24, wants to purchase shoes that go with their physical appearance (Makgosa ; Mohube, 2007).They enjoy going to the retail chains so that they can try on the shoes and make sure that they look good while walking or running. This market can also go online if they would like to customize their shoes to have a little more color. Promotional Plan Health and enhancing athletic performance will be at the forefront of the Reebok Realflex promotional campaign. The shoe itself is meant to provide the sensation of natural running while still protecting the consumer’s feet. This will allow the consumer to be able to run the extra mile that complet e barefoot shoes will not allow.There is a big difference as to how far athletes can run in barefoot shoes opposed to actual running shoes. Reebok wants to convey to consumers that it is concerned with their health and it is dedicated to improving their athletic abilities through the use of the Realflex shoe. It is evident that consumers in both target markets, college students as well as the older generations, are concerned with their health. However, there will be a greater emphasis on the health benefits to the older generation, as this is a major appeal. It is common practice in athletic apparel to feature fit models using the product in beautiful locations.Reebok would follow suit. Reebok needs to communicate that â€Å"no matter where you are, you can take health with you with the Realflex shoe† This message could be particularly effective when considering older generations. They are more likely to travel and are redefining â€Å"retirement. † By positioning the product as healthy and useful there is a direct appeal to the needs of Reeboks’ aging consumers. (See Appendix F – Magazine Advertisement and Appendix G – Billboard Advertisement). With regards to younger consumers, like college students, there will be an emphasis on the message that the Realflex is meant for their active lifestyle.It is designed to enhance athletic performance because as a natural running shoe it alters the pronation in the foot as it strikes the ground increasing the amount of work the muscles do when the shoes are being used. It enhances the workout for these younger generations, especially those who are aware of the benefits of natural running (Appendix H – Advertisement). It is imperative that both target markets are able to view the product as both healthful and athletic. The key issue that must be avoided is that the style of the shoe is not exclusive to either target market.This issue can be resolved through the use of blending th e concepts of health and athletic performance in advertisements. Reebok intends to do this primarily through advertisements featuring outdoor settings and races. (See Appendix I – Billboard Advertising) Television commercials could prove more useful as a mode of advertisement. With the Reebok Easytone shoe, Reebok spent $64 million on advertisements of the Easytone shoe. Sales of that particular shoe increased until it was discovered that Reebok used faulty advertising as a means to sell the shoe ( (Morran, 2011).The campaign for the Easytone shoe was one of Reeboks largest in a decade. For the Easytone shoe television ads were highly effective in reaching target markets and increased sales. Reebok is hoping for a similar effect when it comes to the Realflex shoes. Many other companies also use television as a means to advertise because it can reach millions of consumers for only pennies on the dollar. A smaller athletic company, Asics debuted a new national advertising campa ign and the ING New York City Marathon, some of which includes television ads. In correlation with their new campaign they have also seen increases in profit (Asics, 2011).Aside from television, another mode to advertise to consumers is through magazines like that are specific to fitness and popular culture. Magazines that Reebok wants to place its full page ads in would be Runners World, Women’s and Men’s Health magazines, Shape, GQ and Cosmopolitan. These are the magazines which are better suited to reach both target markets. The anticipated cost for full page ads in these magazines range from $20,000-$25,000, however, these prices can fluctuate depending on the magazine and how much of a region it covers (Becket, 2009)..Magazines like Runners World and Running Times are the most vital to communicate how viable the Reebok Realflex is as a running shoe. In a lot of ways it is the way to get a seal of approval as a product. The more runners Reebok can get to buy the sh oe, the greater the visibility and the more likely others are to follow suit and purchase their own pair of Realflex shoes. While television and magazines are useful, one of the best ways to gain attention in the world of fitness is to be present at major running events like races and expoe’s.Brooks Running shoes sponsor some Rock and Roll Race events; one of their biggest is the Denver Rock and Roll Marathon. They have nearly half of the floor to showcase their products and their benefits. Not to mention that they are able to make those last minute sales to participants. Participation in major races like, half marathons, full marathons, national race teams, Reebok again increases visibility and is able to position their product as a product for fitness. Costs of sponsoring races vary depending on the size of the race.However, Reebok could take a different approach and rather than advertise and sponsor at a major races like Chicago, NYC and Boston Marathons, sponsor multiple races in the Rock and Roll Marathon series which features over twelve races in the United States and three in Europe. Through these modes of advertising Reebok is able to reach both target markets and convey the healthfulness and the athletic performance benefits that come with the use of the Realflex shoes. In regards to sales promotions, Reebok will utilize both retailers and consumers to increase product visibility.However, Reebok will focus on going primarily after the consumer, through consumer sales promotions. Methods Reebok intends to use would be product samples and prizes. We would let the consumer try one Reebok product in the store and test it out for a day and if they do not like it, tell Reebok why to refund the purchase. Another tactic to take advantage of and redeem Reebok from the Easytone bad press would be when consumers bring in a pair of Easytone shoes Receive half off of the purchase of Realflex shoes. This specific method, allows Reebok to do damage control th rough public relations of sorts.Reebok can pick specific locations where previous buyers of the Easytone shoes can return their purchase for half price pair of Realflex shoes. It is imperative that to successfully launch and market a product that Reebok fix their previous indiscretions in regard to the Easytone shoes. As discussed earlier, advertising will play a major role in positioning the Realflex as both healthful and performance enhancing. It will be what the consumer sees in their magazines, on their televisions and in their gyms. However, the personal selling aspect will also define how the customer views the product when they come into a store to purchase them.While Reebok has its products in major athletic stores like Dicks Sporting Goods and Sports Authority, it’s important to make sure the retailers are well informed about the product, and provide the opportunity to test out the shoe on treadmills before purchase. In regards to the actual Reebok stores, retailers there need to take interest in creating a unique purchasing experience for the consumer. This can be done through acute attention to consumer needs and demonstrations of the products use, and the ability to test out the products in the store.When it comes to selling, Reebok Retailers need to sit one on one with consumers and be attentive to their needs. While this method may be expensive it will provide that unique customer experience and encourage repeat business. Sales promotions will also be done through visibility at expos and major races. Asics provides supplies for the New York City Marathon and Brooks provides supplies for the Rock and Roll Marathon series which allows them to dominate pre and post-race expos to encourage buying. It also increases visibility among consumers who are likely to buy the product.This method allows Reebok to go to the consumers rather than trying to get them to come to a store. While the fees can be expensive, there is probability that consumers wi ll see the product and the company as one with their best interests at heart. Similar to being present at expos would be an adaptation of contests, ask small local races where participation is below three thousand and give a free pair to each race winner or each division. This is a means to also build good will among potential consumers and entice potential runners into competing.The least used promotional element will be direct marketing, as the cost of communication through mail and telephone. The one way Reebok would consider using mail as a means to communicate with consumers would be to send notices regarding the shoe with an explanation of the healthy benefits. The mail would also only go to previous customers to encourage business or members of a loyalty program as they may be more likely to want to purchase the product, if they have been satisfied with their previous purchases.With all of the factors of the promotional mix in mind the most effective strategy for Promote the Realflex shoe would be the Push strategy where personal selling is directed to intermediaries. It’s is easier to utilize a pull strategy because it allows greater accessibility to the product by already placing the shoe in malls and specialty stores. What is important to recognize is that each piece of the promotional mix fits together to convey a single coherent message to consumers, Reebok is a company committed to producing quality products to enhance health and athletic performance.The variation in the promotional mix will be used as a means to communicate this message to target markets. The variety in methods will ensure that since Reebok is seeking older generations (40-65) as well as those aged 18-24 who are active, they are destined to come into contact with some type of positive promotion of the product. MarketTrak Tool Reebok uses a MarketTrak spreadsheet to show the projected cost of achieving its objectives for one year. This spreadsheet shows each of the three ma rketing objectives and breaks them down into several different tasks that can be completed within one year.Through the use of billboards, television commercials, sponsorship promotions, and website advertisements, Reebok hopes to achieve its marketing objectives. The first marketing objective on the MarketTrak spreadsheet is to increase sales by 10% within the first year. Reebok will achieve this goal with the use of billboards, magazine ads and special promotions. First, Reebok will design a billboard geared toward the older generations, aged 40-65, and strategically place them in areas that are largely populated by the older generations, like Tampa, FL, Austin, TX, and Phoenix, AR (Coach, 2011).Second, Reebok will place advertisements in special sports magazines, like Runner’s World and Sport’s Illustrated. Then, Reebok will offer several pairs of shoes for free to retail stores such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority. These shoes can be tried on th e treadmills at these stores so that consumers can see that the shoes are comfortable. Finally, Reebok will offer a discount price for 1 month on the shoes followed by 1 month of free shoe bags with purchase. The second marketing objective is to increase the awareness of the healthy nature of the Realflex shoe by 15%.This will be achieved by giving 500 free pairs of shoes to trainers in gyms that are located in ten of the healthiest cities across the United States, like Boston, MA, Portland, OR, and Denver, CO (Haiken, 2011). These shoes will be used by opinion leaders who are in a position to show just how comfortable and healthy these shoes are. In addition, Reebok will give two extra free pairs to each trainer so that they can use them to give away to a couple of lucky gym members. Finally, Reebok will create a television advertisement geared toward the specific health benefits of the shoes.The third and final marketing objective is to increase the awareness of Reebok’s in vestment in the consumer’s best interest. This will be done several different ways. To start, Reebok will create an online advertisement showing the overview of the lightweight shoe design and how the design helps with healthier running. Then, Reebok will add a new section onto its website explaining how much time and effort Reebok has gone to in order to create a shoe that really is better for your muscles and legs. Then, Reebok will design a moving billboard advertisement to be placed onto city buses that operate in large college cities, like Denver.This advertisement will show the wonders of the Realflex sensors. And finally Reebok will design a different television advertisement that shows all of these investments in our consumers. In order to ensure the success of each of these marketing strategies and tactics, Reebok’s marketing managers will have a meeting at the end of each month to go over each of the objectives to see how well they are working. These meetings will allow for each of the managers to learn what is going on, see if the objectives are being met, and improve anything that needs to be upgraded.This is done so that everything moves along smoothly and nothing is forgotten in the process. (See Appendix J – MarketTrak) Conclusion Reebok is positioning to be a high-end athletic footwear brand and a leader in its industry. In the next three years, the market development and product repositioning will allow Reebok to achieve its marketing objective which increases sales by 10%. College students and baby boomers alike can wear Realflex while performing a multitude of exercises. Its smart and stylish appearance allows it to be worn daily. With the previous issuance of a faulty product, Easytone, Reebok created a weakness in the company.However, with Realflex, Reebok can improve the past weaknesses by marketing its new â€Å"76 sensors† technology and wonderful health benefits. This technology can efficiently support the r unner's weight and flexibility. This product, along with focused advertising, will increase consumer awareness of the health benefits that come with the Realflex shoes. Furthermore, the target market will enjoy the convenience of shopping in more Reebok retail locations. This will help Reebok to increase advertising concerning the high quality performance and the health benefits within Realflex.With Realflex becoming more widely known, the product demand will increase. As a result, customer value will also increase. The final marketing objective is to increase awareness of how much Reebok has invested in its consumers best interests. Realflex implements the idea of â€Å"natural running movement†, emphasizes on lightweight materials, which its users can experience the barefoot feel. It shows to its target markets top quality running shoes with not only the health benefits, but also with the pioneer and innovation of its sensors to improve performance.Through the catering of s tyle with the young generation and the health concern of baby boomers, the team believes that Reebok will reach its marketing objectives and spur the success of this product. Appendices Appendix A – Competition Table Competitor| Year Founded| Years in Business| Locations Served| FY 2010 Sales| Offered Products| Direct orIndirect Competition| Nike| 1964| 47| World2| $19 Billion3| Athletic shoes, apparel, sports equipment, and accessories2| Direct| Asics| 19494| 62| World4| $2. 4 Billion5| Athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment4| Direct| New Balance| 19066| 105| World6| $1. Billion6| Performance footwear, apparel and accessories6| Direct| Deckers Outdoor Corp| 19737| 37| World7| $1 Billion8| Sheepskin boots, casual wear, slippers, and sandals7| Indirect| Appendix B – SWOT Analysis | Favorable| Unfavorable| Internal| Strengths(1) Brand Equity(2) Reebok-Adidas merger. (3) Reebok is one of the top athletic shoe companies in U. S. in terms of market share. (4) Barefoo t shoes are scientifically healthier than any other kind of shoes. (5) 76 independent sensors on the bottom of Reebok Realflex barefoot shoes promote natural movement, flexibility, and comfort. (6) The price is the average of main competitors. 7) Customizing the shoes with the styles and colors customers prefer. | Weaknesses(1) Reebok owns few official stores and relies more on retailers. (2) Reebok doesn’t own factories and they depend on producing industries in their production. (3) Previous reputation of releasing faulty products. (4) Few sponsors associated with Reebok. | External| Opportunities(1) Expanding current market and reach current markets with their new products. (2) Marketing towards several age groups to increase profits. (3) Product development opportunity. (4) Expanding to market for the product on social media websites. 5) Creating new channels of communication on social media websites. | Threats(1) Many companies produce barefoot shoes and this leads to a strong competition. (2) Changing trends in footwear technology. (3) As barefoot shoe is a want and not a need, some people may think twice before purchasing. (4) Poor economy| Appendix C – Positioning Map 1: College Students Appendix D – Positioning Map 2: Baby Boomers 5 Appendix E – RealFlex Packaging Appendix F – Magazine Advertisement Appendix G – Billboard Advertisement Appendix H – Pro-nation Advertisement Appendix I – Billboard Advertisement Appendix J – MarketTrakAppendix K – Glossary of Terms At-Market Pricing Strategy Attributes Barriers to entry Beliefs Brand Awareness Brand Value Branding Channels Competitions Competitive Advantage Competitors Consumer Consumer’s attitudes Consumer Spending Core Competency Cost Current market Customer Loyalty Customer Value Differentiation positioning Direct marketing Discretionary Spending Disposable Income Good Will Growing Market Growth Stage Indirect Competition Lea ders Market Market price Market share Marketing Mix Marketing Plan Objectives Maturity Stage Need Opinion Leaders Opportunities Packaging Personal Selling Placement Positioning PowerPricing Pricing strategies Product Product Development Product Modification Promotional elements Public Relations Purchasing power Push strategy Reposition Retail Retailer Sales Promotions Segment Social Status Strength Substitutes Target Market Threats Utility Value Want Weakness Bibliography Adidas. 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