Company Introduction, Market Segmentation, and Product Positioning Essay Example for Free

Company Introduction, Market Segmentation, and Product Positioning Essay The key to successful product implementation in today’s national enterprise system is the effective marketing of a new product with the company’s line of existing products. As stated by Lacobucci (2012), marketing is defined as an exchange between a company and its customers. The customer wants something from the company or firm and vice versa. In previous times, a company would manufacture a product they thought the customer would want or need. The customer purchased that product because of a pending need, which basically meant that marketing used to be product oriented. However, marketing today is more that an advertisement for goods and services in an attempt to attract new business. We live in a customer orientated and empowered marketing environment. We realize the importance and ramifications of having an exchange with our customers and developing a relationship with them. It is this exchange of information between our company and our existing as well as future customers that secures our position in our target market. Our company is a regional tool distributor located in the northeastern section of the United States. Our customer base consists of several major retailers, nationally known in the retail and wholesale tool industry. We used the brand label Blue Steel Tools for marketing and distribution of our products to discuss the implementation of an effective plan to market a new product line, the Illuminated Power Wrench. This paper will analyze market, identify our market segment for sales distribution and discuss the reasoning for the segment. Discussing the target market and why the targeted customers were specifically selected. We will do the SWOT analysis; describe the unique market position and the expected service provided in meeting the needs of the target audience. 1. Identify the marketing segment for the product and provide a rationale for this segment. The definition of a market segment as stated by Lacobucci (2012) is a group of customers that shares similar inclinations towards our brand. To define market segment further for our needs, it is an identifiable group of individuals, professionals or organizations that share one or more characteristics or needs in an otherwise homogenous market. In our case, our product will have a very wide market of consumers and small business owners and employees. Therefore we will need to reduce the market segments to larger chunks. Market segments generally respond in a predictable manner to a marketing or promotion offer. The market segment for the new product will vary widely due to the versatility of our product usage. Our main segment approach will focus on the wholesale distribution to retail repair supply stores who carry lines of tools for resale to the private and business consumer. These market segments will include businesses such as Lowes and Home Depot, retail tool distributors such as Harbor Freight Tools, automobile parts stores such as Advance Auto Parts and tool catalogue companies such as great Northern to name a few. As we analyze this segment we ask the question if this segment is viable and can we profit from using it. Other considerations are accessibility and measurability. This segment is small enough to manage our sales and distribution, but large enough to reach the ultimate user of our product. This market segment possesses the potential and versatility to sell and distribute our product to the target consumer market with a widely diversified audience in the retail industry. The bases for this segmentation include similar demographics, geographical locations, and psychological make-up of customers and behaviors of users/purchasers. In other words, the customer base for our segments meets the desired user of our end product. Anyone who builds or repairs something whether they are a novice or professional is a potential customer. Therefore, by using this method of market segmentation for product distribution, we will successfully sub-divide a large homogenous market into clear identifiable and manageable segments that have similar needs, wants or demand characteristics indicated by Lacobucci (2012). 2. Discuss the target market and provide rationale for this target market. The target market defined is the particular market segment at which a marketing campaign is focused. As stated earlier, this product has been designed for the retail tool industry. We have targeted segments in the industry that will be the most successful in reaching the consumer and generating a demand for our product through steady sales. Lacobucci stated the first perspective in assessing segments target is to have a view of the segments themselves and the primary concern is the segment be profitable. This in turn will become a profitability issue for our company as we continue to hold a place in the small tool market and generate profits with continued sales. The second perspective examined was if the market or segment fit with who we are. In this case the answer is yes. The ultimate target for this product is the consumer. The greater exposure we have, the higher propensity for sales growth. The illuminated ratchet screw driver is a quality tool for use by not only the novice home self repair person; it will also meet the needs of the professional repair person, no matter what the industry. The illumination system in the handle of the wrench will appeal to the vehicle mechanic working in the close quarters of an engine compartment, the electrician repairing the circuit breaker box, the computer repair technician working in between electronic circuitry as well as to the basic consumer performing handy maintenance projects. This tool will come with the standard wrench lugs and have availability to accessories such as wrench tips to enhance its versatility to meet the needs of a wider target audience. The wider target audience is customers of our targeted market segments. Therefore the target market is our pathway to the ultimate user of the product is consumer sales. The strategic sales objective of these retail establishments coincides with our strategic vision of reaching the ultimate user of our products, satisfying their needs and increasing the likelihood of additional product sales. 3. Perform a SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and treats) for the company. As we move forward in the marketing of our product, we need to our own corporate strengths. Lacobucci (2012) suggests the use of a SWOT analysis in identifying our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The strengths and weaknesses characterize our company in relation to competitors where the opportunities and threats characterize the broader environment such as the tool industry, suppliers, the government and etc. Our strengths are in our track record in t he tool industry. We have provided quality products at competitive prices. Another perceived strength is in the management of our company. The senior management of Steel City Tools has provided a strategic vision with clearly defined attainable goals for market position and sales. However a perceived threat is in the foreign market. A number of tool company’s efforts have been over shadowed with a cheaper duplication of products from foreign markets. The US has been plagued with a reduction in the manufacturing industry due to globalized markets, elimination of trade barriers and outsourcing. The end result is our market segment (distributor) could purchase a similar product cheaper and increase their gross margin and not purchase our product for resale. Another threat we are not prepared to react to is loss of a major distributing customer. With more and more businesses merging, we could lose a distribution source with no warning. One of our weaknesses is we have focused on sales east of the Mississippi, thus limiting market expansion. However, this could be turned around as a future opportunity for market expansion. An easy way to expand our market is to establish a retail division and use infomercials through the cable television network to accept mail order/telephone order select product sales such as our new illuminated power wrench. However, a marketing effort of this nature would require careful consideration must be given to the geographical area so as not to alienate our primary segment customers. A move of this nature would require additional capital investment and careful analysis of this type of expansion would be necessary to minimize risk of project failure. The SWOT is useful in clarifying our marketing questions. The key is to address our shortcomings so as not to give the competition an upper hand and not raise concerns with our customers and capitalize on our strengths for continued success. 4. Create the market position for your product and service. Explain your rationale. Product positioning, according to the Encyclopedia of Business, involves the tailoring the entire marketing program to include product features, distribution, price, quality and service to meet the needs of the consumer within the specific market segment. In this manner, the product positioning is part of the overall market segmentation. Product position takes place in our distributors store, or target market segment and tells us how we can strive most effectively in that market segment against our competition which are also present on display. The key is to understand the consumer perceptions of the product and the marketing behind it. Quality, reliability, affordability, unique features, benefits to the customer is just a few attributes of product positioning. According to Lacobucci (2012) positioning is often about modifying the four P’s of marketing (position, price, place and promotion). In the case of our company, our reputation is a reflection of the position to provide a quality product at a competitive price while leading the market in innovation. Our company performance is attributed to the quality of our employment staff. Our employees are at the core to our success. We have established core values for our company’s work force by creating a positive work culture with recognition of the whole person concept. The strategic leadership from the top on down to the employee fosters productivity with reward and recognition to enhance their performance in support of the company operations to include our marketing efforts. Thus the positive and proactive personality of our company in meeting its marketing objectives is a direct reflection of the quality of every member of the Blue Steel Tool Team. As we continue to grow and develop products for sale, we position our products at a distribution sales point or market segment with the greatest customer exposure for maximum market penetration. We will service our product to the satisfaction and benefit of the customer so as not to jeopardize customer confidence as well as the business relationship with our market segment. The product we create and the service we provide are a direct reflection of not only our company, but that of our distributors. Our products are designed to meet the working needs of our professional as well as consumer clientele with a level of quality that meet or exceed expectations at the best value. References Lacobucci, D. (2012) Marketing Management: 2012 custom edition. Mason OH Market Segment Defined Retrieved from http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/market-segment. html Morley R. (2006), Trumpet Print Edition: The Death of American Manufacturing, February 2006 Retrieved from http://www. thetrumpet. com/index. php? page=articleid=1955 Reference for Business Product Positioning: Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. Retrieved from http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/small/Op-Qu/Product-Positioning. html Target Market Defined retrieved from http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/target-market. html

The Nature of Love Explored in Plato’s Symposium Essay -- Plato Sympos

The Nature of Love Explored in Plato’s Symposium In classical Greek literature the subject of love is commonly a prominent theme. However, throughout these varied texts the subject of Love becomes a multi-faceted being. From this common occurrence in literature we can assume that this subject had a large impact on day-to-day life. One text that explores the many faces of love in everyday life is Plato’s Symposium. In this text we hear a number of views on the subject of love and what the true nature of love is. This essay will focus on a speech by Pausanius. Pausanius’s speech concentrates on the goddess Aphrodite. In particular he looks at her two forms, as a promoter of â€Å"Celestial Love† as well as â€Å"Common Love.† This idea of â€Å"Common Love† can be seen in a real life context in the tragedy â€Å"Hippolytus† by Euripides. This brings the philosophical views made by Pausanius into a real-life context. The speech by Pausanius in Plato’s Symposium divides the goddess Aphrodite into two beings, each responsible for a different aspect of love. To prove the existence of her double life he cites her creation. There are two versions of the birth of Aphrodite, one coming from Hesiod’s work, Theogony, where she is borne out of Uranus’ castrated genitals as they splash into the sea; the other is from Homer’s work, the Illiad, where she is said to be the daughter of Zeus and Dione. (Notes on Plato’s Symposium 180e) From these two vastly different creations she takes on two vastly different forms. Pausanius describes one of her forms as â€Å"Celestial† love. This type of love springs out of the Aphrodite created from Uranus’ genitals. This form is â€Å"wholly male† (Symposium 180c) which inspires men to be a... ... love described by Pausanias as â€Å"Common† love. Throughout the play love is used by Euripides as a key plot factor and in many ways sets the outcome of the play. This love was definitely based on a physical attraction between a male and a female, thus making it â€Å"Common† love. The fact that Euripides uses â€Å"Common† love lends credibility to Pausanias’ philosophical ideas. The appearance of this idea suggests that it had realistic roots. . The events that took place in the play, such as the relationship between Phaedra and Hippolytus, must have been realistic so a Greek audience would believe the story. Even though Hippolytus is a fictional play the events that take place must have their roots in realistic events. This allows us to believe that Pausanias’ philosophical ideal was in fact a real life issue that Athenians dealt with in day-to-day life.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 15

Part III Dors Venabili VENABILI, DORS-The life of Hari Seldon is well encrusted with legend and uncertainty, so that little hope remains of ever obtaining a biography that can be thoroughly factual. Perhaps the most puzzling aspect of his life deals with his consort, Dors Venabili. There is no information whatever concerning Dors Venabili, except for her birth on the world of Cinna, prior to her arrival at Streeling University to become a member of the history faculty. Shortly after that, she met Seldon and remained his consort for twenty-eight years. If anything, her life is more interlarded with legend than Seldon's is. There are quite unbelievable tales of her strength and speed and she was widely spoken of, or perhaps whispered of, as â€Å"The Tiger Woman.† Still more puzzling than her coming, however, is her going, for after a certain time, we hear of her no more and there is no indication as to what happened. Her role as a historian is evidenced by her works on- Encyclopedia Galactica 1 Wanda was almost eight years old now, going by Galactic Standard Time -as everyone did. She was quite the little lady-grave in manner, with straight light-brown hair. Her eyes were blue but were darkening and she might well end with the brown eyes of her father. She sat there, lost in thought. Sixty. That was the number that preoccupied her. Grandfather was going to have a birthday and it was going to be his sixtieth-and sixty was a large number. It bothered her because yesterday she had had a bad dream about it. She went in search of her mother. She would have to ask. Her mother was not hard to find. She was talking to Grandfather-about the birthday surely. Wanda hesitated. It wouldn't be nice to ask in front of Grandfather. Her mother had no trouble whatever sensing Wanda's consternation. She said, â€Å"One minute, Hari, and let's see what's bothering Wanda. What is it, dear?† Wanda pulled at her hand. â€Å"Not here, Mother. Private.† Manella turned to Hari Seldon. â€Å"See how early it starts? Private lives. Private problems. Of course, Wanda, shall we go to your room?† â€Å"Yes, Mother.† Wanda was clearly relieved. Hand in hand, they went and then her mother said, â€Å"Now what is the problem, Wanda?† â€Å"It's Grandfather, Mother.† â€Å"Grandfather! I can't imagine him doing anything to bother you.† â€Å"Well, he is.† Wanda's eyes filled with sudden tears. â€Å"Is he going to die?† â€Å"Your grandfather? What put that into your head, Wanda?† â€Å"He's going to be sixty. That's so old.† â€Å"No, it isn't. It's not young, but it's not old, either. People live to be eighty, ninety, even a hundred-and your grandfather is strong and healthy. He'll live a long time.† â€Å"Are you sure?† She was sniffing. Manella grasped her daughter by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. â€Å"We must all die someday, Wanda. I've explained that to you before. Just the same, we don't worry about it till the someday is much closer.† She wiped Wanda's eyes gently. â€Å"Grandfather is going to stay alive till you're all grown up and have babies of your own. You'll see. Now come back with me. I want you to talk to Grandfather.† Wanda sniffed again. Seldon looked at the little girl with a sympathetic expression on her return and said, â€Å"What is it, Wanda? Why are you unhappy?† Wanda shook her head. Seldon turned his gaze to the girl's mother. â€Å"Well, what is it, Manella?† Manella shook her head. â€Å"She'll have to tell you herself.† Seldon sat down and tapped his lap. â€Å"Come, Wanda. Have a seat and tell me your troubles.† She obeyed and wriggled a bit, then said, â€Å"I'm scared.† Seldon put his arm around her. â€Å"Nothing to be scared of in your old grandfather.† Manella made a face. â€Å"Wrong word.† Seldon looked up at her. â€Å"Grandfather?† â€Å"No. Old.† That seemed to break the dike. Wanda burst into tears. â€Å"You're old, Grandfather.† â€Å"I suppose so. I'm sixty.† He bent his face down to Wanda's and whispered, â€Å"I don't like it, either, Wanda. That's why I'm glad you're only seven going on eight.† â€Å"Your hair is white, Grandpa.† â€Å"It wasn't always. It just turned white recently.† â€Å"White hair means you're going to die, Grandpa.† Seldon looked shocked. He said to Manella, â€Å"What is all this?† â€Å"I don't know, Hari. It's her own idea.† â€Å"I had a bad dream,† said Wanda. Seldon cleared his throat. â€Å"We all have bad dreams now and then, Wanda. It's good we do. Bad dreams get rid of bad thoughts and then we're better off.† â€Å"It was about you dying, Grandfather.† â€Å"I know. I know. Dreams can be about dying, but that doesn't make them important. Look at me. Don't you see how alive I am-and cheerful-and laughing? Do I look as though I'm dying? Tell me.† â€Å"N-no.† â€Å"There you are, then. Now you go out and play and forget all about this. I'm just having a birthday and everyone will have a good time. Go ahead, dear.† Wanda left in reasonable cheer, but Seldon motioned to Manella to stay. 2 Seldon said, â€Å"Wherever do you think Wanda got such a notion?† â€Å"Come now, Hari. She had a Salvanian gecko that died, remember? One of her friends had a father who died in an accident and she sees deaths on holovision all the time. It is impossible for any child to be so protected as not to be aware of death. Actually I wouldn't want her to be so protected. Death is an essential part of life; she must learn that.† â€Å"I don't mean death in general, Manella. I mean my death in particular. What has put that into her head?† Manella hesitated. She was very fond, indeed, of Hari Seldon. She thought, Who would not be, so how can I say this? But how could she not say this? So she said, â€Å"Hari, you yourself put it into her head.† â€Å"I?† â€Å"Of course, you've been speaking for months of turning sixty and complaining loudly of growing old. The only reason people are setting up this party is to console you.† â€Å"It's no fun turning sixty,† said Seldon indignantly. â€Å"Wait! Wait! You'll find out.† â€Å"I will-if I'm lucky. Some people don't make it to sixty. Just the same, if turning sixty and being old are all you talk about, you end up frightening an impressionable little girl.† Seldon sighed and looked troubled. â€Å"I'm sorry, but it's hard. Look at my hands. They're getting spotted and soon they'll be gnarled. I can do hardly anything in the way of Twisting any longer. A child could probably force me to my knees.† â€Å"In what way does that make you different from other sixty-year-olds? At least your brain is working as well as ever. How often have you said that that's all that counts?† â€Å"I know. But I miss my body.† Manella said with just a touch of malice, â€Å"Especially when Dors doesn't seem to get any older.† Seldon said uneasily, â€Å"Well yes, I suppose-† He looked away, clearly unwilling to talk about the matter. Manella looked at her father-in-law gravely. The trouble was, he knew nothing about children-or about people generally. It was hard to think that he had spent ten years as First Minister under the old Emperor and yet ended up knowing as little about people as he did. Of course, he was entirely wrapped up in this psychohistory of his, that dealt with quadrillions of people, which ultimately meant dealing with no people at all-as individuals. And how could he know about children when he had had no contact with any child except Raych, who had entered his life as a twelve-year-old? Now he had Wanda, who was-and would probably remain to him-an utter mystery. Manella thought all this lovingly. She had the incredible desire to protect Hari Seldon from a world he did not understand. It was the only point at which she and her mother-in-law, Dors Venabili, met and coalesced-this desire to protect Hari Seldon. Manella had saved Seldon's life ten years before. Dors, in her strange way, had considered this an invasion of her prerogative and had never quite forgiven Manella. Seldon, in his turn, had then saved Manella's life. She closed her eyes briefly and the whole scene returned to her, almost as though it were happening to her right now. 3 It was a week after the assassination of Cleon-and a horrible week it had been. All of Trantor was in chaos. Hari Seldon still kept his office as First Minister, but it was clear he had no power. He called in Manella Dubanqua. â€Å"I want to thank you for saving Raych's life and my own. I haven't had a chance to do so yet.† Then with a sigh, â€Å"I have scarcely had a chance to do anything this past week.† Manella asked, â€Å"What happened to the mad gardener?† â€Å"Executed! At once! No trial! I tried to save him by pointing out that he was insane. But there was no question about it. If he had done anything else, committed any other crime, his madness would have been recognized and he would have been spared. Committed-locked up and treated-but spared, nonetheless. But to kill the Emperor-† Seldon shook his head sadly. Manella said, â€Å"What's going to happen now, First Minister?† â€Å"I'll tell you what I think. The Entun Dynasty is finished. Cleon's son will not succeed. I don't think he wants to. He fears assassination in his turn and I don't blame him one bit. It would be much better for him to retire to one of the family estates on some Outer World and live a quiet life. Because he is a member of the Imperial House, he will untie** allowed to do this. You and I may be less fortunate.† Manella frowned. â€Å"In what way, sir?† Seldon cleared his throat. â€Å"It is possible to argue that because you killed Gleb Andorin, he dropped his blaster, which became available to Mandell Gruber, who used it to kill Cleon. Therefore you bear a strong share of the responsibility of the crime and it may even be said that it was all prearranged.† â€Å"But that's ridiculous. I am a member of the security establishment, fulfilling my duties-doing what I was ordered to do.† Seldon smiled sadly. â€Å"You're arguing rationally and rationality is not going to be in fashion for a while. What's going to happen now, in the absence of a legitimate successor to the Imperial throne, is that we are bound to have a military government.† (In later years, when Manella came to understand the workings of psychohistory, she wondered if Seldon had used the technique to work out what was going to happen, for the military rule certainly came to pass. At the time, however, he made no mention of his fledgling theory.) â€Å"If we do have a military government,† he went on, â€Å"then it will be necessary for them to establish a firm rule at once, crush any signs of disaffection, act vigorously and cruelly, even in defiance of rationality and justice. If they accuse you, Miss Dubanqua, of being part of a plot to kill the Emperor, you will be slaughtered, not as an act of justice but as a way of cowing the people of Trantor. â€Å"For that matter, they might say that I was part of the plot, too. After all, I went out to greet the new gardeners when it was not my place to do so. Had I not done so, there would have been no attempt to kill me, you would not have struck back, and the Emperor would have lived. Do you see how it all fits?† â€Å"I can't believe they will do this.† â€Å"Perhaps they won't. I'll make them an offer that, just perhaps, they may not wish to refuse.† â€Å"What would that be?† â€Å"I will offer to resign as First Minister. They don't want me, they won't have me. But the fact is that I do have supporters at the Imperial Court and, even more important, people in the Outer Worlds who find me acceptable. That means that if the members of the Imperial Guard force me out, then even if they don't execute me, they will have some trouble. If, on the other hand, I resign, stating that I believe the military government is what Trantor and the Empire needs, then I actually help them, you see?† He mused a little and said, â€Å"Besides, there is the little matter of psychohistory.† (That was the first time Manella had ever heard the word.) â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"Something I'm working on. Cleon believed in its powers very strongly-more strongly than I did at the time-and there's a considerable feeling in the court that psychohistory is, or might be, a powerful tool that could be made to work on the side of the government-whatever the government might be. â€Å"Nor does it matter if they know nothing about the details of the science. I'd rather they didn't. Lack of knowledge can increase what we might call the superstitious aspect of the situation. In which case, they will let me continue working on my research as a private citizen. At least, I hope so. And that brings me to you.† â€Å"What about me?† â€Å"I'm going to ask as part of the deal that you be allowed to resign from** the security establishment and that no action be taken against you for** the events in connection with the assassination. I ought to be able to â€Å"But you're talking about ending my career.† â€Å"Your career is, in any case, over. Even if the Imperial Guard doesn't up an order of execution against you, can you imagine that you will Be allowed to continue working as a security officer?† â€Å"But what do I do? How do I make a living?† â€Å"I'll take care of that, Miss Dubanqua. In all likelihood, I'll go back to Streeling University, with a large grant for my psychohistorical research, I'm sure that I can find a place for you.† Manella, round-eyed, said, â€Å"Why should you-â€Å" Seldon said, â€Å"I can't believe you're asking. You saved Raych's life and own. Is it conceivable that I don't owe you anything?† And it was as he said. Seldon resigned gracefully from the post he had held for ten years. He was given a fulsome letter of appreciation for his services by the just-formed military government, a junta led by certain members of the Imperial Guard and the armed forces. He returned to Streeling University and Manella Dubanqua, relieved of her own post as security officer, went with Seldon and his family. 4 Raych came in, blowing on his hands. â€Å"I'm all for deliberate variety in the weather. You don't want things under a dome to always be the same. Today though, they made it just a little too cold and worked up a wind, besides. I think it's about time someone complained to weather control.† â€Å"I don't know that it's weather control's fault,† said Seldon. â€Å"It's getting harder to control things in general.† â€Å"I know. Deterioration.† Raych brushed his thick black mustache with the back of his hand. He did that often, as though he had never quite managed to get over the few months during which he had been mustacheless in Wye. He had also put on a little weight around the middle and, overall, had come to seem very comfortable and middleclass. Even his Dahl accent had faded somewhat. He took off his light coverall and said, â€Å"And how's the old birthday boy?† â€Å"Resenting it. Wait, wait, my son. One of these days, you'll be celebrating your fortieth birthday. We'll see how funny you'll think that is.† â€Å"Not as funny as sixty.† â€Å"Stop joking,† said Manella, who had been chafing Raych's hands, trying to warm them. Seldon spread his own hands. â€Å"We're doing the wrong thing, Raych. Your wife is of the opinion that all this talk about my turning sixty has sent little Wanda into a decline over the possibility of my dying.† â€Å"Really?† said Raych. â€Å"That accounts for it, then. I stopped in to see her and she told me at once, before I even had a chance to say a word, that she had had a bad dream. Was it about your dying?† â€Å"Apparently,† said Seldon. â€Å"Well, she'll get over that. No way of stopping bad dreams.† â€Å"I'm not dismissing it that easily,† said Manella. â€Å"She's brooding over it and that's not healthy. I'm going to get to the bottom of this.† â€Å"As you say, Manella,† said Raych agreeably. â€Å"You're my dear wife and whatever you say-about Wanda-goes.† And he brushed his mustache again. His dear wife! It hadn't been so easy to make her his dear wife. Raych remembered his mother's attitude toward the possibility. Talk about nightmares. It was he who had the periodic nightmares in which he had to face down the furious Dors Venabili once more. 5 Raych's first clear memory, after emerging from his desperance-induced ordeal, was that of being shaved. He felt the vibrorazor moving along his cheek and he said weakly, â€Å"Don't cut anywhere near my upper lip, barber. I want my mustache back.† The barber, who had already received his instructions from Seldon held up a mirror to reassure him. Dors Venabili, who was sitting at his bedside, said, â€Å"Let him work, Raych. Don't excite yourself.† Raych's eyes turned toward her momentarily and he was quiet. When the barber left, Dors said, â€Å"How do you feel, Raych?† â€Å"Rotten,† he muttered. â€Å"I'm so depressed, I can't stand it.† â€Å"That's the lingering effect of the desperance you've been dosed with. The effects will wash out.† â€Å"I can't believe it. How long has it been?† â€Å"Never mind. It will take time. You were pumped full of it.† He looked around restlessly. â€Å"Has Manella been to see me?† â€Å"That woman?† (Raych was getting used to hearing Dors speak of Manella with those words and in that tone of voice.) â€Å"No. You're not fit for visitors yet.† Interpreting the look on Raych's face, Dors quickly added, â€Å"I'm an exception because I'm your mother, Raych. Why would you want that woman to see you, anyway? You're in no condition to be seen.† â€Å"All the more reason to see her,† muttered Raych. â€Å"I want her to see me at my worst.† He then turned to one side dispiritedly. â€Å"I want to sleep.† Dors Venabili shook her head. Later that day she said to Seldon â€Å"I don't know what we're going to do about Raych. Hari. He's quite unreasonable.† Seldon said, â€Å"He's not well, Dors. Give the young man a chance.† â€Å"He keeps muttering about that woman. Whatever her name is.† â€Å"Manella Dubanqua. It's not a hard name to remember.† â€Å"I think he wants to set up housekeeping with her. Live with her. Marry her.† Seldon shrugged. â€Å"Raych is thirty-old enough to make up his own mind.† â€Å"As his parents, we have something to say-surely.† Hari sighed. â€Å"And I'm sure you've said it, Dors. And once you've said it, I'm sure he'll do as he wishes.† â€Å"Is that your final word? Do you intend to do nothing while he makes plans to marry a woman like that?† â€Å"What do you expect me to do, Dors? Manella saved Raych's life. Do you expect him to forget that? She saved mine, too, for that matter.† That seemed to feed Dors's anger. She said, â€Å"And you also saved her. The score is even.† â€Å"I didn't exactly-â€Å" â€Å"Of course you did. The military rascals who now run the Empire would have slaughtered her if you didn't step in and sell them your resignation and your support in order to save her.† â€Å"Though I may have evened the score, which I don't think I have, Raych has not. And, Dors dear, I would be very careful when it came to using unfortunate terms to describe our government. These times are not going to be as easy as the times when Cleon ruled and there will always be informers to repeat what they hear you say.† â€Å"Never mind that. I don't like that woman. I presume that, at least, is permissible.† â€Å"Permissible, certainly, but of no use.† Hari looked down at the floor, deep in thought. Dors's usually unfathomable black eyes were positively flashing in anger. Hari looked up. â€Å"What I'd like to know, Dors, is why? Why do you dislike Manella so? She saved our lives. If it had not been for her quick action, both Raych and I would be dead.† Dors snapped back, â€Å"Yes, Hari. I know that better than anyone. And if she had not been there, I would not have been able to do a thing to prevent your murder. I suppose you think I should be grateful. But every time I look at that woman, I am reminded of my failure. I know these feelings are not truly rational-and that is something I can't explain. So do not ask me to like her, Hari. I cannot.† But the next day even Dors had to back down when the doctor said, â€Å"Your son wishes to see a woman named Manella.† â€Å"He's in no condition to see visitors,† snapped Dors. â€Å"On the contrary. He is. He's doing quite well. Besides, he insists and is doing so most strenuously. I don't know that we'd be wise to refuse him.† So they brought in Manella and Raych greeted her effusively and with the first faint sign of happiness since he had arrived at the hospital. He made an unmistakable small gesture of dismissal at Dors. Lips tightened, she left. And the day came when Raych said, â€Å"She'll have me, Mom.† Dors said, â€Å"Do you expect me to be surprised, you foolish man? Of course she'll have you. You're her only chance, now that she's been disgraced, ousted from the security establishment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Raych said, â€Å"Mom, if you're trying to lose me, this is exactly the way of doing it. Don't say things like that.† â€Å"I'm only thinking of your welfare.† â€Å"I'll think of my own good, thank you. I'm no one's ticket to respectability-if you'll stop to think of it. I'm not exactly handsome. I'm short. Dad isn't First Minister anymore and I talk solid lower-class. What's there for her to be proud of in me? She can do a lot better, but she wants me. And let me tell you, I want her.† â€Å"But you know what she is.† â€Å"Of course I know what she is. She's a woman who loves me. She's the woman I love. That's what she is.† â€Å"And before you fell in love with her, what was she? You know some of what she had to do while undercover in Wye you were one of her ‘assignments.' How many others were there? Are you able to live with her past? With what she did in the name of duty? Now you can afford to be idealistic. But someday you will have your first quarrel with her-or your second or your nineteenth-and you'll break down and say, ‘You-**† Raych shouted angrily, â€Å"Don't say that! When we fight, I'll call her unreasonable, irrational, nagging, whining, inconsiderate-a million adjectives that will fit the situation. And she'll have words for me. But they'll all be sensible words that can be withdrawn when the fight is over.† â€Å"You think so-but just wait till it happens.† Raych had turned white. He said, â€Å"Mother, you've been with Father now for almost twenty years. Father is a hard man to disagree with, but there have been times when you two have argued. I've heard you. In all those twenty years, has he ever called you by any name that would in any way compromise your role as human being? For that matter, have I done so? Can you conceive of me doing so now-no matter how angry I get?† Dors struggled. Her face did not show emotion in quite the same way that Raych's did or Seldon's would, but it was clear that she was momentarily incapable of speech. â€Å"In fact,† said Raych, pushing his advantage (and feeling horrible at doing so) â€Å"the fact of the matter is that you are jealous because Manella saved Dad's life. You don't want anyone to do that but you. Well, you had no chance to do so. Would you prefer it if Manella had not shot Andorin-if Dad had died? And me, too?† Dors said in a choked voice, â€Å"He insisted on going out to meet the gardeners alone. He would not allow me to come.† â€Å"But that wasn't Manella's fault.† â€Å"Is that why you want to marry her? Gratitude?† â€Å"No. Love.† And so it was, but Manella said to Raych after the ceremony, â€Å"Your mother may have attended the wedding because you insisted, Raych, but she looked like one of those thunderclouds they sometimes send sailing under the dome.† Raych laughed. â€Å"She doesn't have the face to be a thundercloud. You're just imagining it.† â€Å"Not at all. How will we ever get her to give us a chance?† â€Å"We'll just be patient. She'll get over it.† But Dors Venabili didn't. Two years after the wedding, Wanda was born. Dors's attitude toward the child was all Raych and Manella could have wanted, but Wanda's mother remained â€Å"that woman† to Raych's mother.

Challenges Faced by Apple Inc - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 847 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/09/14 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? Apple, an American multinational corporation which focus on designing and manufacturing consumer electronics and closely related software products, is now facing the challenges from all sides. In June of 2007, the Apple PC’s worldwide market share was only 3 percent, according to Roger L. Kay (2007). This unsatisfying market share stimulates the company executive team endeavouring to figure out a strategy to bring Apple a brighter future. However, before Apple to go further, Apple has to solve two intractable problems which are the software especially the operation system software monopolization competition with Microsoft and market expanding against the driving competitors. This essay will classify and explain both the cause and effects of the problems, and then the possible solutions will be discussed. Finally a conclusion will be given. In the early 1990s, Apples distant lead in graphical computing began eroding quickly. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Challenges Faced by Apple Inc" essay for you Create order Microsoft worked to made incremental progress in developing the entirely new Windows operating system. During the rise of Windows, Apple seemed content to rely on its existing, established share of specific markets that offered large profit margins ( RD ,1990-1995). The chance kindly offered by Apple finally brought up a new head of the operation system manufacturer- Microsoft. Now Microsoft is possessed of the largest operation system market share by around 90% in the world (IT Report, 2006) which is significantly regarded as the strongest competitor against Apple. Once the Windows operation system is widely applied in the market, it is hard for the customers to switch their present systems because of misgiving, high expenditure for training operators and high cost for updating both the software and hardware. As a result, windows still occupies the market and Apple has to work arduously to make progress in the operation system under the additional commercial boycott inflicted by Microsoft. By losing the predominance in operation system market and encountering compatibility problem with Microsoft’s products, Apple reasonably has to face the difficulty in making progressing in other related products , since usually these products such as personal computers, computer software and computer hardware need the support of Apple’s Operation System. Obviously recapturing the operation system market is the key to solving this problem. In order to win the war against Microsoft, Apple should seize the best time when Microsoft is busy introducing an entirely new version of its core product (RANDALL STROSS, 2007), Vista, which also faces the compatibility problem with many pieces of hardware in used to promote Apple’s operation system and give Microsoft a hard counterpunch. However the opportunity opened by Vista is temporary. Double the promotion effort, set up more experience centres, enhance the advertisement promotion and offer proper discount can be considered as good ways to help Apple to promote the products and gain from Microsoft. Apple has to struggle in the war against Microsoft. Meanwhile it also has to face other strong competitors in gaining the market share. In the worldwide desktop and portable market, Apple only takes respectively 1. 75% and 2. 93% of the total market share which is significantly less than what has been occupied by Dell ( Jim Dalrymple). The misleading of Apple’s strategy to shifting from retail towards direct sales results the low market share on a certain level. Randall Stross (2007) pointed out â€Å"If Apple had begun wooing Best Buy two years ago, and perhaps appointed an ambassador to look after the relationships with the chain and other resellers, the Mac would have been much better off†. Unlike Dell, Apple relies on existing channel partners to sell most of its computers. Apple cannot abandon the retailers to gain the market share all by itself. To increasing the market share, Apple should take care of the relationship with the retailers and balance between the retail and direct sales. Using the resources what the retailers have to promote the Apple’s products and at the same time to expand the direct sales network can be a good choice for Apple to gain from both sides. The monopolization of the operation system market by Microsoft has brought a great loss to Apple. However, Vista inescapably opens a window for Apple. This long-awaited but short chance, for Apple, should be valued, seized and regarded as a point to fight back. Apple’s misleading of shifting its target towards direct sales leads Apple a certain loss in market share. Balancing between retails and direct sales will sure be the activation for both the software and hardware market. Reference: 1. 1990-1995. Apple vs. Microsoft in the Enterprise. Roughlydrafted Retrieved October 7,2007,from https://www. roughlydrafted. com/RD/Q4. 06/9D82740A-139C-432C-8279-AD2D4E04892E. html 2. 2006, IT Report Retrieved October 7,2007,from ttp://www. itreport. com/ net/2006/1011/0710111421539HBF8H2H8764F0A39DEK. 3. September 16, 2007, A Window of Opportunity for Macs, Soon to Close. RANDALL STROSS Retrieved October 11,2007,from https://www. nytimes. com/2007/09/16/technology/16digi. html 4. Jim Dalrymple, Apple desktop market share on the rise; will the Mac mini, iPod help? Retrieved October 11, 2007,from https://www. macworld. com/news/2005/03/20/marketshare/index. php 5. Microsoft, Wikipedia Retrieved October 11,2007,from https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Microsoft 6. Apple Inc, Wikipedia Retrieved October 11,2007,from https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Apple_inc.