Joan of Arc Research Paper

Joan the young warrior who created an impact on the world Joan was a brave warrior, a loving character to everyone around her. Joan of Arc is one of the many women who have created a major impact on the world; though she started very young, she followed the instructions given by God through Saint Catherine to help unite France and drive the English out. Joan, as a child, was very well disciplined. Her father Jacques d’ Arc, was the village’s central farmer and head chief; he had a way of running things very harshly.She shared a room with her three older brothers; they equally shared chores which included working in the fields, caring for animals, or cleaning the house. Her father preferred her older brothers in a way where he would always ignore Joan. Joan attended church more than an average person would. During her free time she would spend constant hours praying to God. She was a devout Christian, and true to her faith. The villagers of the town loved her, â€Å"she was such a good girl that almost everyone in Domremy loved her. † –Williamson pg. 3.Her constant praying, and attendance in the church, categorized her as the laughing stock of Joan’s age group. In the presence of her older brothers, and her mother she was loved. Joan’s Father didn’t favor her, because having a daughter in the family would bring higher taxes. The Friar of Domremy saw Joan enter the chapel, Notre Dame de Bermont, many times throughout the day. Joan would walk up to the altar and pray to God then recite â€Å"The Lord’s Prayer† Joan was said to have loved the church bells so much they gave her joy. This encouraged her to praise, and pray to God more than she ever did.Joan was so close to God that the Angel St. Catherine, St. Margret, and St. Michael appeared to her when she was seven years of age. They told her to be a good girl, and to always go to church. She followed their instructions and every time that she attend church she would hear their voices speak to her. Joan contributed majorly in the time of harvest to help bring in the crop. She helped her mother with sewing, cooking, and gathering the rest of the family from the field to come home when dusk was near. Though she wanted to tell her mother about the visits from the angels, she vowed never to tell anyone in the town of Domremy.Joan at the age of sixteen acquired an important mission by God. It required her to go to the town of Chinon, where she would appoint the Dauphin, Charles VII, to be King of France. Joan traveled to a nearby town called Vaucouleurs to ask the local military captain Robert de Bradricourt for an escort to escort her to Chinon to see Charles VII. Sir Robert refused Joan’s request, and sent her to her uncle, Durand, who was currently living in Vaucouleurs to take Joan back to her father and â€Å"box her ears† (to slap her with the palm of their hand up across her head to make her deaf for a while. Dur and saw that Joan noticed that Sir Robert did not want to send her to go and see the Dauphin. Returning back to Vaucouleurs Joan asked Sir Robert for a third time. He had agreed, yet Joan already knew the answer, St. Catherine had already told her that he would finally say yes to her request. Her uncle provided her with armor, Sir Robert supplied Joan with, horses, food, and he brought along some men to assist them if trouble were to come along the way to Chinon. On their halfway point of their journey to Chinon, they camped along side a small river. The night was cold, and the days were cool, being so close to the winter season.In the morning they awoke to the sound of horse’s hooves pounding on the floor. Burgundians have just raided a nearby village, and have taken some captives, along with items from the village, and money. Joan hearing the cries of the captives, she went and attacked the Burgundians even though she didn’t know how to fight. Sir Robert knowing took his men and fought the group of Burgundians, they killed them without suffering any loses, or injuries; sending the Captives home along with some of the stolen items they couldn’t return, for the Burgundians have burned their Village down as they raided it.As Joan arrived in Chinon, word had spread throughout France that a young girl would come and claim to be the Maid of Orleans, as said in prophecy. As she entered Chinon, the people started to call her the Maid of Orleans. Joan corrected them, and told them that she wasn’t the Maid; she was just a mere messenger from God with a mission. She came to a conclusion on her mission, where she would appoint Charles VII as King of France. All she needed to do was talk to Charles and show him the sign that God wanted him to see. Joan considered that she would need to have an audience that had to be accepted.She went to the chapel to pray to God one last time before she met Charles. Before Joan had entered the room where Char les was, he decided to put together a test for Joan to see if her God was real or not. He would place a man in royal clothing and have him sit upon the throne, while Charles wore common gentleman’s clothing and hide in the crowd. Joan’s audience with Charles was accepted; with the test prepared they allowed her to enter the room. Upon reaching the throne she turned and walked up to Charles hidden in the crowd dressed in commoners clothing. Joan kneeled replying â€Å"Gentle Dauphin, God give you long life. -Hall, pg. 4 The Dauphin declined being Charles, yet she says the one sitting on the throne is but a mere gentleman and that the man in front of her is Charles. She said God had shown her where Charles was located in the room. The town of Orleans was under Siege of England. Its forces were so great that all hope in retaking Orleans’s was lost. The Dauphin was very impressed with Joan that he allowed her to face the enemy and clear a way for him to get to Rhei ms where he would be crowned King of France. The guards and captains scoffed at the idea that a teenage girl would be leading their army.Joan argued with the men about them saying that God won’t lead them to victory against the English, yet Joan cried it is God who gives the victory, and the men are the one’s who must fight. With a small band of men she traveled to Orleans, she rose against the English forces and won the battle for Orleans. She then declared herself to be commanded by her Saints that she could do anything through God’s power. Before the band of men and Joan set their course for Orleans Saint Catherine instructed Joan to travel to a nearby town of Fierbois and go to the church that is located there.She followed Saint Catherine’s instructions and traveled to the town of Fierbois. She knelt at the altar and began to pray to God. A sword crimson and gold scabbard was given to her. Now she set her travels to raise arms at the town of Orleans, and reclaim the city. Joan entered the outskirts of the city of Orleans where she would plan a battle strategy to drive the English out, though the Lord did not want Joan to use her sword and avoid shedding blood. Following God’s instructions Joan sent a letter to the English saying that they should listen to the commands that God has, and leave France.England declined the response and killed the messenger who presented the letter to them. Joan not wanting to start a battle was forced to by their reply. Many lives were lost heavily on both sides and Joan was wounded in the process, yet with her wound she still pressed on showing her courage and will to carry on through the strength of God. The battle for Orleans was won, and the town was back in France’s hands. The Dauphin Charles VII was now on his way to Rheims to be crowned as king of France. Joan’s victory has brought much hope to the remaining towns, and cities in territory of France along with more men to fill up Joan’s army.Joan had fulfilled her promises to God that she would help Charles VII become King of France. In the mid summer of July Charles VII had become King of France, and he had helped complete Joan’s mission. Joan stated at the day of Charles’s coronation â€Å"Gentle King,† she cried, in a voice with broken tears, â€Å"now is God’s pleasure fulfilled, who willed that I should raise the siege of Orleans and lead you to Rheims to receive your consecration. Now has He shown that you are a true King, and that France belongs to you alone. †-Hall pg. 9.Joan was told that she had to last a year, and from now and onward she fought like a high general, but with a great inspiration. Her next instructions were to take over Paris, yet these instructions weren’t from God but from Charles VII. The taking of Paris was none compared to the struggle of Orleans, but much more difficult. The English along with the Burgundians held hostile Paris. They had only one weakness and that was the fear that the Maid of Orleans would come and over take them. They knew in order to still hold France’s territory they had to remove Joan from the picture.They meet with Charles VII and held an agreement that they would give France’s capitol, Paris, back if they would hand Joan over to the English. Charles thinking of the matter of gaining Frances major city back, utterly agreed to the offer. Charles told Joan to prepare the troops and march onward to the city of Paris. Joan began to have pride in herself, and began calling herself the Maid of Orleans. She began her Journey to Paris with an army behind her along with the man who helped her begging her Journey Sir Robert Bradricourt. With the Help of God, and Her staff she claimed they will take Paris.The battle was lost and Joan was captured by the English and many of her men’s lives were now gone. Joan now a prisoner was forced to obey everything. The queen of Burgundy saw Joan and treated her with respect for she was the Maid of Orleans. The Queen released Joan only to go back with the Queen to give her anything that Joan would ask for. Joan only wished to go back with her army, but the queen declined telling her she wouldn’t return to France and that she would fight for England. Joan still a prisoner under the Queen was soon no longer in good care.The queen had died and soon Joan was taken away as a captive under France only to be treated horribly. Joan was trialed to court and charged for heresy, and witchcraft. Joan was trialed by the church. The church linked that Charles VII was in association with the devil. The trial was held in the Chapel Royal at Rouen Castle. The judge’s job was to prove that Joan was a heretic by using the means of torturing her to confess her sins and return to the church. They asked her question which included â€Å"what language did Joan’s Saints use? Were they naked? †-Williamso n pg. 28.Joan laughed at the idea and replied to the questions truthfully. She had told the church everything that she had been through and everything that Saint Catherine, Saint Margret, and Saint Michael had told her. The church didn’t believe anything that Joan said and believe it was all blasphemy and the voices that she heard of were from the devil. They told her in order to escape the penalty of death she must recant everything that she said and say it was all a lie. Cauchon one of the judgers of the trial, threated Joan by burning her arm with fire, to give a feel at what burning on the stake was like.Out of fear Joan recanted everything she had said. Being alone in her prison cell she asked God for his forgiveness, and to take her sins away. She rebuked all of her pride, which she fell on at the battle to reclaim Paris. In the process of being in prison the guards had her their way with her, she was raped, beaten, and treated horribly. She again said she un recanted a nd she took back what she said. On May 30 Joan was taken to the Market of the towns center and she was burned at the steak. Many of Joan’s army men were there hidden in disguise.Sir Robert Bradricourt wept along with other men at the sight of the one they fought along side with , and believed in was dying in front of them. Witness at the scene said her heart never burned. A statue of Joan was place in Paris forever in memory of her. With Joan’s life being so short, she accomplished the mission that was appointed to her. She created an impact on both England, and France. Joan proved that with God all things are possible, even for a girl at sixteen. Joan’s actions will forever be in History, along with all of the other great women, and men of the world.

Courage and Bravery in Lord of the Flies Essay

In amidst of the tragic events that occurs in the town of Maycomb, one positive theme that stand out throughout the whole time is courage. Its presence is observed by the narrator Scout from the characterisations of the central character Atticus, his influence on his children’s upbringing and other the members of the community that displays such qualities e. g. Mrs Dubose and Boo Radley. Atticus Finch is one of the most prominent and respected people in the town who has strong views on courage. His role in the story serves as a moral backbone and fatherly figure to his children. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view†¦ until you climb into his skin and walk around in it† This quote shows his open-mindness for truth by understanding people through their perspective, and he was courageous enough to act on this philosophy. Atticus displays bravery when he takes Tom’s case despite the consequences of his town turning against him and his children. He represents Tom fairly in court for free, and in the face of criticism and threats of violence he stands for what he believes is right. Atticus is not only a brave man himself but also a strong influence to his children as he goes to great pains to instruct Jem and Scout to be better human beings. â€Å"You’re gonna hear some ugly talk about this in school. But I want you to promise me one thing: That you won’t get into fights over it, no matter what they say to you. † Although Scout fights other children who insult Atticus in an attempt to defend and stand up for him, she eventually learns that withholding violence is one of the highest forms of bravery. On another occasion in the face of danger when a mad dog is running down the street, Atticus shoots it perfectly yet he hides that he is the town’s best marksmen, but emphasises that he is not courageous for shooting a dog dead in one shot, but because he had to. He disproves of the children’s fascination with guns and believes that guns do not make men brave. As Scout tells, â€Å"My father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived. † One of the most significant lessons Jem learns was from Mrs Dubose, when he was made to go and read to her and her long-battled morphine addiction is revealed. Instead of spending the rest of her life and dying painlessly under the influence of morphine which as the easy and â€Å"acceptable† option, Mrs Dubose chooses to break free in an agonising way, despite of how far her sickness has become, knowing that she will die in the process. â€Å"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it though no matter what. † Atticus holds Mrs. Dubose as the ultimate definition of bravery and she is a person he admires as having â€Å"real courage†. This form of bravery can be reflected back to Atticus when he defends Tom Robinson. He argues the case to the best of his ability even though he knows it will be nearly impossible for a white jury’s verdict of a black man to be â€Å"not guilty†. A different take on courage is within the community, when the fire occurs. â€Å"The men of Maycomb, in all degrees or dress and undress, took furniture from Miss Maudie’s house to a yard across the street. The response that arises is immediate. The phrase â€Å"in all degrees of dress and undress† stresses that the men do not need time to think but come straight from their beds to help regardless of their attire. â€Å"Looks like all of Maycomb was out tonight† Even during this time, Boo left his place so Scout will not be cold. Then it turns out ironically later on that Boo who has been an object of fear and suspicion at the beginning, risks his own life to save Jem and Scout’s lives from Bob Ewell. His courage overrides the town’s prejudice to come their aid. Even Jem runs back to help Scout, knowing he stood no chance against a drunk adult, yet he succeeded by buying enough time for help. It is essential to note how the lack of courage influences many people. The character of Bob Ewell proves a foil for Atticus, where the later is a noble and virtuous man and the former a coward. Ewell never directly faces those whom he thought have wronged him and held grudges against everyone connected to the case. His actions give evidence of this when he vandalises Judge Taylor’s home and harasses Tom’s widow Helen Robinson at a distance. His need for petty revenge is his greatest cowardice, especially when he resorts to assaulting Atticus’ children in order to make himself feel more of a man, resulting in his own death. The characters fight for what they believe in throughout the entire book in one way or another and bravery is shown by almost everyone in times when the situation demands it. Although some events may turn out badly, courage is an essential and desirable quality which will always make the world a better place to live in.

Situational Leadership in Organizational Behavior and Relationship Management

SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND CONTINGENCY THEORIES Executive Summary This ensuing essay is a formal discussion on the need for leadership change based upon continuously evolving situations in modern day conglomerates . The introduction summarizes situational leadership followed by a critical analysis on the same. The latter presents various leadership styles which are respectively applied in specific types of situations and tasks. Recommendations are provided at the end along with the conclusion.Introduction The present day conglomerate story is strewn with complexities which are hard to define or comprehend . At the center stage of such complexities is the concept of staff welfare. Being the most significant connection between the company and the customer , successful employee relation is the cornerstone that every corporate wants to excel at . The way in which staff relate to clients is of paramount importance as ‘customer delight’ is a direct resultant of the same .Hence modern day literature on leadership has devoted considerable focus on comprehension of different leadership approaches adopted in specific sorts of situations. Better or worse employee management skills is the key differentiating factor as far as profitability gaps are considered. In the following writings, we try to evaluate the various concepts which provide us a detailed evaluation of staff management issues and application of the latter in present day management policy. Critical AnalysisWe are confronted by a scenario in which a manager at a particular company is conducting a meeting with his one downs. The number of such people is 10. The staff are disgusted and flabbergasted at the heinous manner in which senior management has been treating them. The manager overheard certain staff comment that they felt like ‘cogs in a machine’. However in the other divisions of the company , the situation is not as grim and staff are given their due recognition and respect.Henc e came in the need to preach and practice ‘situational leadership’ which would help in erasing such differentiated inter departmental behavioral patterns. But another manager by the name of William is completely averse to such idea and feels that employees should be thankful for being hired, in the first place. Wage income earned by the staff is their means of survival and provision of the same by the company entitles the latter to put in place tough work standards that need to be complied with .Thus arises the paramount importance which needs to be attributed to the concept of situational leadership , since the latter is the most effective tool which can bring an end to rigidities in leadership behavior that will ultimately see a contented workforce delivering on higher efficiency and productivity . Literature on leadership has been focusing more and more on a situational theme rather than the more traditional dictum of a traditional kind. The situational approach is f lexible and adaptive in character as opposed to the traditional variant that kills innovative thought in management.Leadership styles can be differentiated as – coaching , affiliative, commanding, pacesetting , visionary and democratic. A forward looking leader is one who appropriately adopts one or more of such styles depending upon the task and occasion in question. Goleman along with other colleagues, is of the belief that employee engagement and performance drive of the greatest magnitude can be achieved if one has a cautious concoction of the visionary approach, coaching, the affiliative approach and the democratic approach.Post the Goleman era ,further inroads into the phenomenon of corporate leadership suggest that leadership cannot be effectively defined by any one single approach . On the contrary , multiple styles describe leadership and such styles are contingent on varying situations. Thus came into existence, ‘contingency theories’ on leadership whic h elaborated on the adaptation of management styles to the requirements of a specific situation, group and the manager’s own personal values. We now make a humble attempt to investigate some of these theory hypotheses : )Fiedler’s contingency theory : During the course of his study on contingency theory literature between 1964 and 1967 , Fred Fiedler tried to establish the linkages between the leadership style and performance of a group , in changing situational circumstances. In his opinion , three basic situational variables alter the extent of ‘favorableness’ of a situation when we consider a leader: (i)Leader-Member connect in respect of trust ,confidence and respect. (ii) The definition and overall purview of the task in consideration. iii)The amount of leadership control exercised by the leader over his sub ordinates. ‘Very favorable’ or ‘Very unfavorable’ situations called for an authoritarian(task oriented) fashion of lead ership. On the contrary ,when unstructured tasks were investigated upon, low leadership control and good leader-member relations marked a ‘medium favorable’ situation . This situation would be best supported by a democratic (relationship oriented) style of leadership. However a standard criticism of this model, is the fact that the favorability variables are mostly qualitative in nature and difficult to be estimated.Also the least preferred co-worker(LPC) scale formulated by Fiedler to determine leadership patterns, with the help of a lucid questionnaire asking leaders to specify the individual they collaborate least with , in terms of sixteen extremes ,has been under the scanner in terms of the rationale . Studies concerning the LPC scale have elaborated that LPC scores of a particular leader can vary , thus not providing any conclusive evidence of leadership pattern. Nevertheless, Fiedler’s work has to be viewed as a catalyst that encouraged further studies in the contingencies of leadership. )Path-Goal theory : The Path Goal theory is a far more empirical research model on the concept of contingency theory . It was formulated as a correction to the previous Ohio State studies which presented the fact that though successful leaders tended to be optimistic with both the initiating structure and consideration sets of leadership, there were exceptions. The basic ground to this model is expectancy theory . This theory claims that definition of an unambiguous path to a particular achievable situation could act as a tool of motivation .But if such path is already chalked out, additional inputs from the leader to his one downs could be felt uncalled for and thus satisfaction with the leader would diminish. Thus higher consideration results in higher satisfaction in case the staff works on repetitive tasks and aiming to initiate structure gives greater results in ambiguous work situations. The Path-Goal theory of leadership has not been without i ts share of critics. Having predicted resultant scenarios of different task structures, it has also beeped upon inconsistent research outcomes.Apparently, such theory gives one greater insights in predicting leader-subordinate behaviors rather than leader-peer interactions. c)Life-Cycle Theory : A more relevant and present day theory of contingency which considers the points discussed till now and puts gives them a shared common perspective is the Life Cycle model. This theory was presented by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard , rests on three key variables – the amount of task-orientation that a leader exhibits , the amount of relationship-orientation along with the quantity of willingness that the staff throw out in the course of the task implementation.These variables combine with the historical and present performances of the sample staff as comprehended by the leader and also the interactions within their own selves are combine in order to determine the appropriate leadershi p style. The most interesting result of this model is that a particular leadership trend can come out (sometimes over a finite time horizon) hence pointing to a clear developmental phenomenon ,given delegation of decision-making and responsibility to seasoned team members .However ,the outcome is opposite in cases where leaders maintain great concern for tasks as well as employees. The above model has often been criticized being a ‘post hoc ‘concept ,unable to be utilized as a predictive framework. Thus the need for change in leadership We have argued in the preceding section of the essay using various models of contingency theories that there is in fact an imperative need for changes in leadership styles, according to varying situations.William, who in this write-up is all for an autocratic mode of leadership, has not considered certain pertinent issues that creep up silently when such style is enforced. Staff become scared and tense , dependency on the supervisor incre ases manifold , morale takes a bad hit and absenteeism at work increases. All of these result in low productivity levels and the organization faces trouble. Thus there is a strong requirement for this particular organization to have situational leadership in place , argues our pro-change manager.A democratic style should be used when the management wants staff to be participative in decision-making and problem-solving. Complex issues require diverse formulation of ideas and the latter is possible only if staff are encouraged to join in the related discussion forums. Such opportunity also provides the staff to form a greater sense of belonging , personal growth and job satisfaction. A ‘laissez-faire’ or a ‘hands-off’ mode of leadership is also effective at times when the sub ordinates in question are highly skilled , perfectly trained and well educated.Trustworthiness and self-pride in tasks undertaken are two important attributes which the staff should poss ess ,to make such style a success. We can also talk of the pacesetting or transformational leadership style that forms and retains a context which brings out the best in sub ordinates hence optimizing human and organizational competencies. This approach also helps in bringing about transformation at multiple levels and aligns staff with certain core values along with a common purpose.We can note from the above arguments that one particular leadership style is rarely effective in managing the present day complex corporation and we must adopt a mix and match of leadership styles in order to bring out the best results in terms of staff productivity and efficiency. Leadership needs to change Cautious self-probe and the ability to change given behavioral traits are key in being successful in altering a particular leadership style . Acclaimed leaders are usually the section of people that have managed to do so.We can elaborate on some ways in which the leader can alter his management meth ods: a) He should ask for quality feedback from his team of sub ordinates, such that he understands their unbiased response to the effect of his style on them , on his specific department as well as on the company at large. He should be able to accept truthful answers on his face and should refrain from being offensive at certain responses . Honest feedback by direct sub ordinates is one of the most relevant tools , that informs the leader of areas of improvement and helps him in changing his management style. )Small changes in leadership style should be brought about at the initial stage as opposed to swaying changes since the latter would sweep the staff off their feet. Influences to changes in leadership Some particular factors have a telling effect on leadership styles. These can be enumerated as follows : i)Positive office environment ii)Promoting creative thought iii)Low staff churning ratios iv)Staff Skill set v)Probing and Decisiveness vi)Managing , encouraging and rewarding performance viii)Team work ix)Deveolping both self and team through extensive quality tranings )Client Focus APPEALS TOWARDS CHANGE â€Å"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking. †Ã‚   ? Albert Einstein Conclusion: We have established with the help of the above essay that changes in leadership styles are quintessential to management today and if such approach is adopted we would see productivity and efficiency increase manifold . Recommendations: Thus it is strongly advocated that corporations instruct and encourage managers to participate fully in situational leadership styles.Democratic style of leadership appears to be the best option in most situations. References: A Primer on Organizational Behavior; Bowditch, Buono, Stewart Seventh Edition, Pages 220-226, Leadership Styles;www. unpan1. un. org retrieved from unpan1. un. org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/unssc/unpan024704. pdf, How To Change Lea dership Style; www. ehow. com retrieved from www. ehow. com/how_7579100_change-HYPERLINK â€Å"http://www. ehow. com/how_7579100_change-leadership-style. html†leadership-style. html, Factors that influence choice of leadership style; www. ukessays. com retrieved from www. kessays. com/essays/management/factors-that-influence-choice-of-leadership-style-management-style. php , Factors influencing leadership style; businesscasestudies. co. uk retrieved from businesscasestudies. co. uk/tesco/developing-appropriate-leadership-styles/factors-influencing-leadership-style. html#axzz2OyXVYv3j, Quotes about change www. goodreads. com retrieved from www. goodreads. com/quotes/tag/change On Managing People ;Harvard Business Review Press Pages 12-13 Leadership the Challenge; Kouzes and Posner Pages Third Edition Essentials Of Organizational Behavior ;Robbins and Judge Ninth Edition

US-Europe relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

US-Europe relations - Essay Example This paper demonstrates an insightful study of the Cold War and its impact on the growing relations between the US and the Europe. Europe is considered to be one of the greatest allies of US in the era of 'war on terrorism' first on Afghanistan and on Iraq.The Cold War played a great role in bringing the two countries together for their economic, geopolitical and security needs. While the Europe wants to remain as a close ally of United States, the United States wants to strengthen Europe to project the country as its strong global partner.Besides studying the impact of Cold War in shaping the economic, social and political relationship between United States and Europe, this paper also provides an overview to the background of the Cold War and the geographic and the strategic importance of the region for the United States and Soviet Union. The cold war was commenced in the late 1940s and ended in the late 1980s. The war broke out as an aftermath of the First and Second World War. Crockatt (1995) states that major cause behind the war was the increasing strength and dominance of United States in the global context after the First World War. The potency of United States and the continuing impuissance of Soviet Union Empire evoked a clash of two forces claiming to be super powers. The contentions between United States and Soviet Union erupted as the two countries began to perceive each others as enemies and competitors in global arena. After the First World War, the United States emerged as the global economic power and this continued to be a source of hostility on the part of the Soviet Union, which faced devastating consequences after the war. Gates (1996) propounds that the World War II further ignited the issue of dominance, which resulted into the debilitation of two giant global economic and geopolitical powers; British and French. Thus, as a consequence, the European rule came to an end and two new powers emerged on the global geopolitical screen; the United States and Soviet Union. The Second World War transformed the global geopolitical scenario as the two previous economic powers tumbled and two new contenders for global superiority emerged on the scene. Hence, the issues between United States and Soviet Union further aggravated and both the countries started to conspire against each other. European region was one of the regions in the world that attracted the grave attention of both the countries. Soviet Union faced imminent threats from the East European region with both the regions sharing the same borders. Leffler (1994) states that as the influence of Soviet Union grew into the East European region, the United States and Western European countries began to perceive it as a threat to their global dominance and security. Furthermore, the United States gave rise to policies curtailing the influence of Soviet Union in the region. In the same breath, the United states promoted its anti-communism policies in order to minimize the Soviet activities around the globe. In the Second World War, mass destructive nuclear weapons were used on the part of all the economic powers. It made other countries join the race for development in nuclear and missile technologies and considered it to be of significant essence to their security concerns. Kissinger (1994) illuminates that the Second World War, which led to the global competition for nuclear weapons, enhanced the potency of United States and accelerated the decline of Soviet Union as a global economic power. Having realized the pre-eminence of being an atomic power, the United States decided to strengthen itself as the giant nuclear power so as to maximize its influence globally. This was all the background of the consequences that led to the beginning of Cold War during 1940s, in which the United States and the Soviet Union remained as prominent players of the game. Walker (1993) expresses that the Cold War was permuted into a political war after the beginning of Korean War, which

Adoption process Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Adoption process - Research Paper Example The process is grueling and requires the completion of paper works which requires the evaluation of both the child’s and the foster parents background thus determining a common ground between the two parties. Additionally, the agreement requires the permission from the biological parents of the child who in this case must surrender all their parenting responsibilities and rights to the new parents. Adoption is a serious process that requires appropriate consideration of all the possible factors including the effects of the process on the child before inception as the essay below analyzes. The process differs from guardianship in that unlike in guardianship where one assumes the parenting rights and responsibilities for a period; in adoption, the transfer is permanent and irreversible. Guardianship occurs when a relation or a Good Samaritan offers to take care of a child for a specific duration before they either return the child to their biological parents or release them as a dults into the society (Jarratt 211). This is not the case in an adoption process since the transfer is permanent and the adopted children have specific privileges that parents accord their biological children. Such rights and privileges include the right to love, affection and fair treatment from the parents. Additionally, the children share equal inheritance rights from the adopting parents. The government safeguards such rights in the constitution thus giving adopted children an advantage in case of a contravention of any of such rights. Adoption is a contemporary necessity resulting from lifestyle relativities. Parents have varying reasons for adopting children. Among the most common reasons given by adopting parents, include the failure of such couples to have children. Such parents may therefore make the decision to adopt a child from any parent within the society willing to relinquish their biological parental rights. Despite the process being an agreement between the two par ties, the legislations safeguard the agreement by providing details that each party to ascribe to in order to maintain the subsequent conflict of interests that arise because of the complications of the process. In most cases, the government always denies certain parents their parenting rights in cases where the parents portray negligence. The state houses such children in homes and orphanages thus making the available for adoptions. Another fundamental reason that has contributed to the rise of adoption in the contemporary society is same sex marriages (Silverstein and Roszia 41). The rise of gay marriages has contributed to the increase of adoption cases since such parents cannot biologically bear children of their own. In retrospect, adoption is a personal decision that couples make on their own. In certain cases, the adopting parents always have children of their own but for reasons best known to them decide to adopt other children. The law therefore establishes the process and nature of adoption in order to protect the interests of each party involved in the adoption process. The adopted children must for example feel the parental love from their new parents and have their right and privileges protected. N case of a separation of the couples, the law explains whatever happens to the children owing to the fact that they are part of the family. The parents must provide for them despite their separations. There are two main types of adoption applicable in the modern societies. These include domestic and foreign adoptions. Domestic adoption refers to an adoption in which both the adopted child and the adopting paren

French Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

French Revolution - Essay Example The new order, or at least the aim of the new order, was the establishment of a peoples' republic where private property is owned by the feudal lord is berated, religion does not play any role in politics or in the lives of the people and a general will is represented by a group of bourgeois leftists. Although when the revolution ended, France was ruled by an emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. If we look at 1789 France and try to determine the causes of the French Revolution, one fails to identify any decadence of its system. For instance, it was the largest, wealthiest and most powerful state in Western Europe. Its intellectuals led the Renaissance and then the Enlightenment era. French bourgeoisie was prosperous and well-established. Peasants owned and cultivated 40 percent of the land. What reason was there for a revolution Norman Gash (1989) quoting Napoleon's statement argues that the reason for French Revolution was nothing but vanity and that liberty was just a pretext. "One can see the argument. The aristocracy, only 2 per cent of the population, enjoyed a privileged position which their actual services to the state hardly seemed to justify. What the urban and professional middle classes clearly wanted was greater social recognition, easier access to rank and power and wider careers for their talents. Ambition and envy are impelling motives. (Gash, 1989) Lefebvre (1939) on the other hand asserts that the reason why French Revolution took place was the rise of the bourgeoisie presented by the Enlightenment philosophes as a better alternative to absolute monarchy. The philosophes of Europe appeared to have turned against the age of empires and monarchical rules supported largely by the clergy and the aristocracy. In bourgeoisie, the intellectual community invested lot of hopes perhaps for the reason that they opposed the aristocracy and offered an economy that was more egalitarian and involved for the first time in Europe's history the people. This paper will make an attempt to examine the question whether Rousseau's Concept of the "Social Contract" had a foremost influence on the intellectual development of the French Revolution and inspired its leaders. The paper will describe the salient concepts of Rousseau's Social Contract theory and enlist the events that took place during the ten years of the French Revolution (1789-1799). An attempt will be made to answer the question by studying the development of the Revolution and comparing that with Rousseau's social contract theory. It is important to note that the French Revolution was not influenced by Rousseau alone but it would not as well be completely out of place to assert that he wrote down the manual and the revolutionaries built the revolution by following his step-by-step instructions. In fact, Rousseau was one of the philosophes of Enlightenment which basically pushed the idea of liberalism based on virtue, reason, toleration and so on. Other philosophes

Tell us about a time when you tried to reach a goal or complete a task Essay

Tell us about a time when you tried to reach a goal or complete a task that was challenging, difficult, or frustrating. What did you learn from this experience - Essay Example My role was to ensure that all the variables were working and that the bank registered additional clients as a result of the efforts of the sales department. The organization was experiencing stiff competition that called for aggressive sales strategy. As a sales representative, I was tasked with reaching prospective customers and make them register with the bank and deposit cash into their accounts. The move aimed at increasing the bank’s loanable funds and borrowing from the bank. Traditionally, the bank used personal selling and promotional camps to boost sales. With this in mind, the department arranged meetings with potential customers and gave them the details about the bank’s services. The meetings would also allow customers to ask questions regarding our products in order to contemplate making investment decisions (Pride & Ferrell, 2012). The sales representatives camped in several places to improve the visibility of the bank and its financial products. Despite our efforts, I realized that the realized sales were very few and did not make much impact to the bank’s portfolio. I noted that personal selling strategy was not ideal for the bank since it only reached a small segment of the market (Pride & Ferrell, 2012). As such, I concluded that the bank would require an elaborate marketing strategy to improve sales. The Board of Directors asked me to compile possible strategies that would enable the sales department achieve its mandate. I was determined to prove why personal selling alone was not ideal for the bank. I tabled the results of the study before the Board of Directors. I recommended that the bank overhauls its entire strategy and include advertising in mass media and online marketing. However, the Managing Director of the bank was conservative and determined to maintain the status quo. He argued that the new strategies would increase the cost of sales of the bank, thus

Positive Psych Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Positive Psych - Essay Example In any sphere of performance, this would require the leader to assume accountability for his role, provide appropriate guidance and coaching, and immense motivation. Applying situational leadership to Wiegand and Geller’s (2005) predicament on positive reinforcement gives this argument a stronger base. For instance, Wiegand and Geller (2005) emphasize the need for learning-based focus, goal-setting, planning, self-monitoring, and persistence to attain personal mastery, an important indicator for positive reinforcement. By adopting situational leadership, the leader assumes both directive and supportive roles depending upon the situation and the individual. For a starter, the leader is more directive as well as supportive thus providing a direction; guiding the individual through the task, and providing feedback. For an established performer, the leader will have to delegate tasks, monitor and acknowledge his/her performance. In both situations, the leader is being effective in achieving desired outcomes. Secondly, Wiegand and Geller (2005) indicate the need for personal control through tasks, opportunities and involvement in order for individuals to be motivated coupled with consistent feedback (Wiegand and Geller, 2005). Situational leadership explains when and why tasks and opportunities may be given to individuals; these aspects are not explained in both style and contingency approaches. Thirdly, reduction in anxiety and fear of failure is also accomplished by adopting a supportive role by the leader based on situation, which will enhance achievement motivation in individuals. The style approach explains nature and behavior of the leaders, but with little emphasis on situations and also does not consider developmental level of the followers. Northouse (2009) indicates that the style approach is only descriptive of leadership behavior but does not prescribe what

Risk assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Risk assessment - Essay Example One of the major man-made disasters in the Northern shore in Staten Island is the ship to ship oil transfer activities at St. George ferry terminal. For instance, on March 23, 2009, more than 3000 gallons of oil spilled into the ocean in the operation (Checker, 2009). Spillage of oil not only endangered the ecosystem in the area but also lives of people as waters and seafood become contaminated, in addition to ruining the beautiful beaches. The operation is a medium level risk that does not occur regularly, but may have serious repercussions. Another man-made hazard in the area is the many factories that operate near residential areas leaving traces of harmful and radioactive elements. For instance, On April 2 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA announced the discovery of lead levels ten times more than the acceptable limits on a site where the defunct Sedutto’s Ice Cream factory was located (Checker, 2009). This location is a few meters away from residential houses . Moreover, the urgency in the same day announced to have discovered high and alarming levels of lead and arsenic near the Veterans Park. Such materials do pose great danger to the lives of people and may be a serious predisposing factor of terminal diseases such as cancer and other respiratory diseases. The Fresh Kill, one of the largest landfills globally poses medium to high-level risk to the residents of North Shore Staten Island. The site contains all forms of hazardous materials buried to make the landfill. If the water from the landfill flows to the near residential areas the toxic materials might be a high risk. Considering the low-income class of people living next to the landfills, sanitation in these residential areas may not meet the required health standards, which is a high health risk. Moreover, a mix of factories and residential apartments in the Northern shore possess a high risk. Emissions from the factory may

Characteristics of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Characteristics of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Essay I am writing about the play called Macbeth. Macbeth is a play written by Shakespeare based on the lines of a true story, about Macbeth changing his whole personality throughout the play. He has many obstacles on his way up, from being king. Lady Macbeth, started in the play, very brave cunning and immoral, and felt that Macbeth was too moral and good-willed. She forced him to do many things in order for him to gain the title in the throne. As she helped him however, she became very self-conscious and ended up killing herself through guilt. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was brave and loyal to king Duncan, and Duncan thought greatly of him. Duncan quoted Brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name in; act 1 scene 2. He also quoted The service and the loyalty I owe, / in doing it, pays itself. In act 1 scene 3. In these quotations, it shows that Macbeth is known as brave- even others think he is. He does not expect to be paid; he only does things for loyalty. This shows that he is moral, and is polite to everyone and is popular and liked by pretty much everyone around him. However, Lady Macbeth feels he is too nice for his own good. Macbeth had strong moral values, and never agreed to murder someone in order to get himself a claim in the throne. Lady Macbeth quoted do I fear thy nature, it is too full othmilk of human kindness, in act 1 scene 5. This is showing that Macbeths own wife thinks he is too kind to do anything evil- the milk represents that he is natural and pure of heart, whereas Lady Macbeth is not, she is evil. At the end of the play, Macbeth seems brave, but too brave, almost insanely brave. Lady Macbeth does end up persuading Macbeth to kill Duncan, which turns Macbeth evil, and makes his own plans on killing other people, in order to make him self the highest and the place on the throne. Macbeth says I have almost forgotten the taste of fears in act 5 scene 5. This shows him to be over confident and does not fear anything. The witches predictions, which appeared at the beginning of the play, and gave, correct predictions every time, said that Macbeth cannot be killed by any man born of woman and when Burnham wood comes to his castle. This makes him feel that he cannot be defeated. His wife, Lady Macbeth, commits suicide as she became so full of guilt, but when he found out, he seemed that he doesnt seem to care much about lady Macbeth as he says She should have died hereafterlifes but a walking shadow, a poor player/ That struts and frets his hour upon the stage in act 5 scene 5. This seems to indicate that he does not care about anyone besides himself, and that he is selfish. He compares life to being in a theatre, he doesnt think he is going to die, hes like the actor, and thinks he knows exactly what is going to happen next. However, Macbeth is very wrong, as he comes face to face with reality, as Macduff and his army come to Macbeths castle, and Macbeth is told that Macduff is not born from woman, but he was a caesarean. Macbeth then becomes slightly worried. Macbeth still puts on a strong hard battle, but Macduff defeats him. Lady Macbeth At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth was a lot stronger and evil than Macbeth. She was more like the man of them both, and she always tried to make Macbeth stronger. She said to Macbeth Unsex me here/ and fill me from the crown to the toe top full/ of direst cruelty. Here, she I trying to say, make me more manly- she is asking to be filled with cruelty, so she can make Macbeth to have the title of the throne. She is trying to show that she will do anything bad in order to fill her ambitions. She is not maternal. Lady Macbeth was very good at being misleading, as she acted innocent in front of Duncan, but behind his back, she was plotting to get Macbeth to murder him. She says to Macbeth, look like thinnocent flower, but be the serpent udert. She is saying to be like a deadly flower, looks innocent but will snap at any unpredictable and unexpected moment. The serpent represents evil and temptation; in which, Macbeth has to have. After Macbeth and herself finally murdered Duncan, she begins to feel very guilty and insecure. She had many nightmares of when she murdered Duncan. One night when she started sleep walking, in act 5 scene 1 she said what will the hands neer be clean?, she is still left with the stains of her actions. This shows her feminine side breaking through. She was being constantly reminded of when her hands were covered in blood; her dreams are showing her that she does not have a clean conscience. Lady Macbeth becomes very ill, and emotionally mental. She has many more nightmares, which shows a shadow of her old self. She quoted in one of her nightmares, Old damned spotHell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeared. She is here, cursing the blood; she now has anxiety over everything. She spoke in short sentences, showing her being not at all confident, creating a tense atmosphere. The use of repetition in questions to her husband when she slept talked showed her anxiety. Throughout the whole of this play, the two characters seemed to have almost switched placed. Macbeth grew courageous and confident after killing Duncan and felt he was undefeatable, while Lady Macbeth became disillusioned and emotionally mental, after her first murder encounter. Macbeth became too full of him self and felt he was immortal. The play created very tense and frightening atmospheres and had a strong storyline, which became clearer further on through the play.

South African 1948 General Election

South African 1948 General Election The 1948 election in South Africa changed the country for 40 years. It caused apartheid to take effect in South Africa. It was between the United Party and the Reunited National Party. The United Party was led by Jan Smuts at the time, and the Reunited National Party was led by D.F.Malan(Rogers 47). These parties had different views. South Africans were looking for something new, which they found in the winner of this election, The Reunited National Party. The outcome of the 1948 general election in South Africa was affected by the two major parties in the election which were the Reunited National Party and the United Party. The United Party was opposing Reunited National Party in the election. It was created in 1933 and was South Africas leading political party from 1934 to 1948. In its creation Prime Minister Barry Hertzogs National Party, an Smuts South African Party, and what was left of the Unionist Party joined together. They had support from many groups including English, Afrikaners, and colored people (Alvarez-Rivera). Hertzog led until 1939 when he opposed helping Great Britain against Germany in World War 2. Jan Smuts took over the Party afterwards. The United Party sided with the Labour Party which was formed 1910. It was democratic socialist and represented the white working class. It had seats in South African House of Assembly from 1910 to 1958. It was always a minority, so it would usually support a majority party. In which in 1948 they supported the United Party. From 1910 to 1929 it was led by Colonel F.H.P. Creswell. After World War 1 a strike led to them siding with the United Party (P rice). The National Party was formed in 1915. It was created by Afrikaner Nationalists after the Union of South Africa was created. It was created from disagreements with Hertzog. It led South Africa from 1948-1994. Its policies were Apartheid, Republic, and promoting Afrikaner culture. It was originally called the National Party and was led by Hertzog until 1934 when he took it to form the United Party. He had made it where the coloreds votes were undermined. He did this by letting women vote, which made more whites be able to vote. When Hertzog planned on leaving Daniel Francois Malan and some Afrikaner Nationalists refused to merge and formed the Purified National party. They got support by opposing South Africa in World War 2. This reunified them with Purified Nationalists to form the Reunited National Party. Another name for the Reunited National Party is Herenigde Nasionale Party. In 1948 it sided with the Afrikaner Party. It was created back in 1948. It was a minority in joining with the Herenigde National Party ( Rogers 48-56, 94-102). In voting in 1948 the National Party removed colored voters from voting similar to black voters. In 1936 Representation of Natives Act was passed by Hertzog. This removed black voters from common voters rolls and were put on native voters rolls. Blacks couldnt vote in normal elections for Cape Provincial Council or House of Assembly. Now they voted separately for 2 members of the Cape Provincial Council and 3 members of House of Assembly. Four Senators would be elected by local councils, chiefs, or tribal councils for the native areas (Price). White men and women over 21 were able to vote in these elections also. The House of Assembly was what voters were voting for it was the lower part of parliament. The members were elected by first past the post voting which is where the election is won by the person with more votes than the other(s). It is used a lot but not everywhere. It used in mostly democratic governments with districts being single membered, and between 2 parties (Rogers 124-126). The House of Assembly was made up mostly of white men, but a woman was able to be in it also, and was made up of 153 seats at time of 1948 election. In the results of the election the Reunited National Party won 70 seats. The United Party won 65 seats. The Reunited National Partys alignment partner, Afrikaner party, won 9 votes to bring them and the Reunited National party to 79 seats. The United Partys alignment partner, Labour Party, won 6 seats to bring up a total 74 votes. There were also 3 independent votes which made it equal up to 153 seats. Even though the Reunited National Party won more seats than the United Party, the United Party had more votes. The United Party received 524, 230 votes in the election while the Reunited National Party received only 401, 834 votes, but still won more seats in the House of Assembly (Alvarez-Rivera). One of the issues in the country at the time was race. There are many reasons the Reunited National Party won the election. They realizes a lot of whites were feeling threatened by black people wanting to be part of government so they said that they would put strict racial segregation everywhere in the country and everywhere in peoples lives if they won. They would encourage blacks to stay in country areas and not move to cities. The United Party liked unclear movements of integrating South Africas different ethnicity groups. They thought that integration would happen anyways and so they should stop policies trying to stop blacks moving to city areas. They wanted to eventually let blacks take place in government. Other problems for the United Party were whites being unhappy with the economy and domestic things after World War 2. The Reunited National party used gerrymandering and organization as an advantage to win the election (Price). Another reason was the different sectors of the country. The farmers used inexpensive labor from blacks to raise profit. Also the white workers from urban areas were scared of blacks moving to cities and competing with their jobs. The United Party never realized the mood of these people. The Reunited National Party picked up these moods and easily made them join them and create more support. They put more fear into people by saying if United Party won then eventually Blacks would be part of government. The Reunited National Party used United Partys leader Smuts good relationship with Stalin to show how he favored communism (Rogers 178-181). The United Partys immigration program allowed British people to move to South Africa and were thought to take white South Africans homes and jobs. The 70 seats won by the Reunited National Party were mostly from country areas, and the 65 wins by the United Party were mostly from city areas. At this time there were more rural constituencies, electoral district, than urban ones which gave them more seats but less votes. Smuts and the United Party were blamed for the hard times of World War 2. They blamed them for rationing petroleum and wheat. Even after the war they still sent supplies to Great Britain and the Netherlands. This caused a local shortage for bread and meat. They also loaned 4 million ounces of gold to Great Britain (Alvarez-Rivera). At the time the Reunited National Party seemed energetic and prepared unlike the United Party who appeared lackadaisical. This causes people to be inspired and want change for better for a country going through a rough time as South Africa was during at this time after Word War 2. This caused a great deal of emotion and the result of the Reunited National Party reaching people scared of integration and losing jobs and homes. Instead they called for apartheid which separated the country from 1948 until 1994. This held the country back from it s full potential of being a leader of the world. The two parties in this election showed different attitudes and opinions, and this caused the Reunited National Party to beat the United Party in the South African 1948 general election.

Theories for superiority and success

Theories for superiority and success Adler felt behaviour was motivated mainly by social influences and by a striving for superiority or success; power being the basic drive, rather than sexuality as Freud suggested. Adler (1922) said it was an inferiority complex rather than Oedipus complex that was the determining factor in neurosis. Freud felt that society rose out of aggression and sexual repression, formulating his Oedipus theory to illustrate it. He assumed experience shaped personality and that present behaviour is caused by past experiences. Adlers view was that we are responsible for who we are and behaviour is shaped by our experiences and view of the future, the opposite to Freuds theory. Adler also believed that psychologically healthy people behave consciously, aware of what and why they do what they do, in contrast with Freud, who placed heavy emphasis on unconscious components of behaviour. (Anne Shyne 1942) Adler (1917) studied organ inferiority as a doctor and the physical compensations made for a part that wasnt working properly. He felt people are born with weak, inferior bodies that lead to feelings of inferiority and dependence on others. He said that if a person managed to compensate properly for inferior feelings then they will pass through this phase successfully and become a mentally healthy person. On the other hand if the person fails to compensate for their weakness they may develop an inferiority complex believing themselves less worthy than others. In his mind it was physical inferiorities, not sex, which formed the foundation of human motivation. Along with his inferiority theory he developed his aggression instinct theory; aggression begins with feelings of inferiority or anxiety within the family-our earliest social contacts. Freud disagreed at the time, however proposed a similar idea some years later: the death instinct, where self defeating behaviours, e.g. violence and aggression, are a product of this instinct. (Boeree 2006) Feist.J, Feist, G, (2008) wrote that both Freud and Adler were influenced by the horrors of World War I and both amended their theories; Freud promoted aggression as a basic human drive alongside the sex drive, whereas Adler, influenced by the war experience for himself and those around him, concluded that social interest and compassion drove human motivation and not aggression. He used the term masculine protest, which implied a power to dominate others. Boys wanted to be seen as masculine i.e. strong and in charge, not weak or dependent (feminine), but this was misinterpreted labelling men innately as more assertive, so Adler downgraded the phrase (Boeree 2006), minimising its role in his theory of abnormal development. Masculine assertiveness was not due to some innate superiority but a reflection of the fact that boys were socially encouraged to be assertive, and girls discouraged; seen with boys toys e.g. swords, guns and bow and arrows, and girls toys such as dolls, prams and d olls houses. Adler revised his idea to both boys and girls begin life with the capacity for protest. Feist, J., Feist, G. (2008). Adler (1964) identified certain factors of Individual Psychology to explain our behaviour: 1. Striving for success or superiority is the driving force. 2. Subjective perceptions shape behaviour and personality. 3. Personality is unified and self-consistent. 4. Social interest dictates activity. 5. The self-consistent personality structure develops into a persons style of life. 6. Creative power moulds this style of life. The one dynamic force behind peoples behaviour is the Striving for Superiority or Success: Adler (1956) proposed our behaviour is driven by only one motivating force striving for success or superiority. In his early theory, he used the term striving for superiority to describe psychologically unhealthy people who strive for personal superiority over others, but he later proposed the term striving for success, i.e. psychologically healthy people who are motivated by social interest, not just for themselves but for others around them. Individual psychology assumes that we have physical weaknesses that activate feelings of inferiority, and it is these feelings that drive us to superiority or success and enable us to fulfil our potential. This has similarities to Rogers theory of self-actualisation and the fully functioning person and reflects one of the philosophical roots of Friederich Nietzsches will to power i.e. human driving forces, such as ambition and achievement, to reach as high a position of in life as possible. (Boeree 2006). Inferiority complex, where an adult feels inferior to others, is only developed if a child thinks that he is less worthy than others. For example, if tall men are seen as better in a particular culture, then short men might develop inferiority complex because he feels that he is less important than others. But, if that same short man lived in a culture that made no difference between both tall and short men then he would have never developed inferiority complex. A more general form of inferiority is the inferiority of children who are smaller and less competent, socially and intellectually than adults, and so naturally feel inferior. An inferiority complex can be expressed as shy and timid, insecure, indecisive and submissive, reliance on others, even manipulating others to get support; the aim is to cover up ones inferiority by pretending to be superior, e.g. bullies who try to look hard or use their size or weapon to intimidate a smaller or unarmed person. More subtle examples include people who use attention-seeking behaviour, or power by committing crimes, or put others down for their gender, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, weight, height, etc. Even more subtle are those who hide their feelings of worthlessness in alcohol and drugs. People respond to inferiority by compensation ie making up for their shortcomings; a weak organ can be made stronger or other organs can be overdeveloped to compensate, similarly people with psychological inferiorities behave similarly: Some compensate by becoming good at their particular weakness, whilst others master something else. Children, who we know feel inferior around adults, have one thing in common: The desire to grow up, to be big, to be an adult. Most of us manage quite well (Boree 2006). People who see themselves as having more than their fair share of physical weaknesses overcompensate for them and often have exaggerated feelings of inferiority, strive for personal gain, and set unrealistic goals they are not team players, whereas those with normal feelings of inferiority compensate by co-operating with others and developing a good level of social interest. Peoples subjective perceptions shape their behaviour and personality: Adler was influenced by the philosopher Hans Vaihinger (1925) who said people live by fictional ideals that arent realistic and cant be tested or confirmed, eg Honesty is the best policy, All men are created equal, and The end justifies the means. Ideals such as these are usually fiction; fictionalisms can help us deal more effectively with reality, or they may block our attempts to accept it. For example, if we believe in heaven and hell, it will influence how we live. According to Adler (1956) we strive toward a final goal to achieve superiority or success. Although the final goal is fictional it is still significant because it unifies personality and makes our behaviour logical. We create our fictional goal, constructed by heredity and environment, using our creative power, i.e. our ability to shape our behaviour and create our own personality. By 4 or 5 years of age, childrens creative power has developed enough to create their final goal; they are small and powerless and to compensate they create their fictional goal to be big and strong e.g. children often play at being super heroes, or want to be a fireman when I grow up. A final goal reduces feelings of inferiority and points that person in the direction of either superiority or success. Although our final goal is relatively fixed during early childhood, we remain free to change our minds at any time. Because the goal is fictional and unconscious, we also create temporary goals i.e. sub-goals that are not rigidly bound to the final goal but are created as partial solutions. In other words, even though our final goal is set during childhood, we are capable of change at any point in life. However, Adler maintained that not all our choices are conscious and that style of life is created by conscious and unconscious choices; the unconscious being the unknown part of the goal. Sub- goals and final goals fit together in a self-consistent pattern. Adler (1956) used the analogy of the playwright who builds the characters and the subplots of the play to fit with the final goal of the drama. When the last scene is disclosed everything makes sense. When our final goal is known, our behaviour makes sense and each sub-goal takes on new significance. Adler (1956) said that lifestyle is not merely a mechanical reaction, but a result of our creative power, which differs from Freud who proposed that events from our past, such as childhood trauma, determine how we are now. Adler saw motivation, as not being driven by the past, but drawn towards our goals, our future, and our ideals, Teleology: Life is not mechanical, it is hard and uncertain but always has room for change (Boree 2006). Personality is unified and self-consistent: Adler didnt separate the parts of the personality as Freud did with Id, Ego and Super Ego, or conscious/pre-conscious/unconscious. He described a unified personality which cant be separated, not a series of drives and instincts, as proposed by Freud. He saw the unconscious and conscious as two cooperating parts of one unified system. A united personality being closely linked to the fictional final goal by which we organises our life to achieve a solution to a problem. I.e. a person has goal and a solution to get there, developed in childhood and handed to the adult as the major life task, all these parts work together self-consistently to achieve. Adler recognised different ways of operating with unity and self-consistency. One way was what he called Organ Dialect, where the individual strives in a self-consistent fashion toward a single goal, and all actions and functions are part of this goal, i.e. physicality, thoughts, feelings all affect the entire person. Adler (1956) said that through organ dialect, the bodys organs: Speak a language which is usually more expressive and discloses the individuals opinion more clearly than words are able to do (p. 223). He presented an example of organ dialect; a boy who wet the bed to convey a message that he doesnt want to obey his parents. His behaviour is: really a creative expression, for the child is speaking with his bladder instead of his mouth (p. 223). A person is not a different person when he is being a dad, a husband, working, or when he is with friends etc, he is the same person pursuing the same life goals and using the same tactics to achieve them; i.e. he is a single, unified, complete person. Unlike Freud, Adler did not view parts of the personality in conflict with each other; instead he saw actions, thoughts, and feelings working together. Human activity in terms of social Interest: Social interest is how we identify with society, i.e. care in families, community etc. Adler believed such social interest is not solely innate or solely learned, but a combination of the two: Its nature is innate but needs to be nurtured to survive (Boeree 2006). Adler (1927) felt it was the natural inferiority of individuals that directs their behaviour to form groups (society) for protection, support, love etc. That is, social interest is necessary for perpetuating the human race. Adler (1924) believed that we were social beings: The human being and all his capabilities and forms of expression are inseparably linked to the existence of others concluding that a social person is much closer to happiness than the isolated person striving for superiority. Adler (1933) cited the mutually beneficial relationship of mother and child as an example of the way social interest may originate. Adlers concept of the mother-child relationship was opposite to that of Freud, who described this relationship as based partly on oral, cannibalistic drives. The self-consistent personality structure develops into a Life Style: Life-Style refers to an individuals striving towards meaning and belonging. It is a pattern of behaviour that begins early in life and forms a theme there-on. It is the result of inferiorities, perceived or actual, and results in the implementation of schemes e.g. Adlers final goal to overcome death propelled him to become a doctor. (NCHC 2012) Life style is unique to each person and is the arrangement of our social, domestic and occupational activities. Although the final goal is fairly rigid, lifestyle need not be and flexibility and diversity is seen in psychologically healthy individuals, whereas, psychologically unhealthy people are more inflexible and are less able to choose new ways of responding to whats going on around them. Healthy people express their social interest through action; actively striving to solve what Adler called the three life tasks work, friendship and love, and whose behaviour represents the ideal characteristics for survival of society, and hence humankind. How we behave to achieve life style and final goal is supported by private logic, i.e. the private reasoning we invent to solve problems that is not understood by others. An individuals private logic consists of what he really believes and intends. It includes the long-range goals of the life style, the short range goals of the immediate situation, and the rationalisations he gives himself for what he is doing. The origin is in childhood; it explains ones own experiences to self, which is then used to justify ones actions, eg a child learns how to behave to get an adults attention which may be to misbehave. Private logic differs from what is commonly thought, i.e. common sense à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the degree of the discrepancy between private logic and common sense, what Adler called the iron logic of social living, is an indicator or measure of mental health. (Manaster, 2009, p. 5) Therapy draws awareness of mistaken beliefs or faulty interpretations, and hence, the errors in our private logic. Life Style is moulded by peoples creative power: The concept of the creative self means that the individual is responsible for himself, not blaming others or uncontrollable forces for his situation. The creative self interprets inferiority, creates the final goal and aligns life style and private logic. It can be flexible to whats going on around us, initiating and maintaining change. As Adler says, we are the masters of our own personalities and destinies-creators rather than passive reactors (NCHC 2012) Adler believed that we create patterns of behaviour, safeguarding tendencies, to protect our exaggerated sense of self-esteem against public disgrace. They enable us to hide an inflated self-image and maintain our life style, e.g. excuses, aggression and withdrawal. Freud called them ego defence mechanisms (EDMs). Both men agreed that they protect against anxiety, however, Freuds theory is that they are unconscious, protecting the ego from anxiety, whereas Adlers theory suggests they are largely conscious and protect our fragile self-esteem from public disgrace Family Constellations: as well as attributing parents and other adults as early influences on a child, Adler also include siblings as early influences as well. (Boeree 2006). He believed pampering and neglect were principal factors predisposing an inferiority complex and that a persons perceived role within a family was more important than the birth order itself. The only child is more likely to be pampered, denying opportunity to develop courage and self reliance. If the parents are abusive or neglectful the only child has to endure it alone, suffering a childhood full of humiliation and insecurity. The first child starts out as an only child, with lots of attention, but this all changes when a second child arrives. At first, he tries to regain his only child status by acting like the baby, but is quickly told to grow up, and so rebels, misbehaves and withdraws. According to Adler the first child is more likely to become a problem child who is solitary and more conservative than others in the family. The second child has the first child as a pace-setter and tends to compete with him. They often succeed, but often feel as if the race is never over, never quite getting there. Middle children behave in a similar way. The youngest child is often the most pampered, the baby of the family and is often treated as such. They are the second most likely problem child. Inferiority to anyone older and bigger than them themselves is common; however, they also have the advantage of older siblings to learn from, and can be driven to do better than them. Conditions such as illness or disability can be an over-riding factor, with the sickly child taking the youngest child position regardless of actual position. A major contribution of birth order research is that it has helped psychologists understand why brothers and sisters within the same family are no more similar in personality than are those from different families. According to Sulloway (1997), the family is not a single shared environment but a place of differing areas that provide siblings with different outlooks on life. The personalities of siblings differ because they adopt different strategies to achieve parental approval. Freuds Oedipal theory explains how he saw social development. He believed the childs behaviour is driven by an innate sexual and aggressive drive, completely ignoring the paternal behaviour that Adler believed shaped behaviour and development. It occurs during the phallic stage (around five years) of Freuds psycho-sexual theory of personality. The five year-old child feels hostile/incestuous towards the parent, feelings which cant be realised so instead they are repressed. Males repress their feelings for their mother fearing castration by their fathers, hiding their feelings in the unconscious, to enable them gain their fathers favour by becoming like him. The five year-old girl believes she has been castrated and blames her mother. The Oedipus Complex for her (sometimes called Electra Complex) is a desire for the father and fear/hatred of the mother, leading to repression of such feelings. Freud proposed that sex and aggression drives motivated behaviour whereas Adler believed that a sense of inferiority and a lifetime of compensation was the motivating factor. He believed in only one driving force behind our behaviour, the striving for perfection, that leads us closer to how we want to be. He believed that as adults we have the capacity to change and grow, allowing us to change what we dont like, whereas Freud suggested these were fixed in childhood. Adler looked at individuals in their individual social situation, looking at influences such as parenting styles, families and birth order, and how they compensated to overcome inferiorities. He believed that we become stable and useful human beings by success in the three life tasks of love, work and social interaction, of which we are in control. Neo-Freudians including Adler, Jung, and Erikson, known as Neo-Freudians because of their early associations with Freudian theory but later developing their own spin on things, also put emphasis on social relationships. Both individual psychology and humanistic psychology hold that the individual is the best influence of their needs, desires, interests, and growth within society.

Mauna Loa: The Fiery Mountain :: essays research papers fc

Mauna Loa: The Fiery Mountain Mauna Loa is Earth’s largest volcano and most massive mountain as it takes up nearly half of the flourishing landscape of the island of Hawai’i. This island is actually made up of five volcanoes, Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and Kilauea, all in such close proximity that they fused together to form one whole island. Mauna Loa is located in the south central area of Hawai’i, in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and its coordinates are 19 °5' N, 155 °6' W. It is 13,680 ft above sea level, but if one measures from its true base on the ocean floor, it is estimated to be 30,080 feet tall. Its name is quite fitting as it means â€Å"Tall Mountain†. Mauna Loa is located on a hot spot in the Pacific Ocean. It is not near a plate boundary, in fact it is 3,200 km from the nearest plate boundary, and is situated in the middle of the Pacific tectonic plate. This is actually a rarity, as 90% of volcanoes are along a tectonic plate boundary. A hot spot occurs where long, stationary vertical pools of magma rise up and towards the plate. Movement of the tectonic plates above the hot spot created Mauna Loa, along with the other Hawaiian volcanoes. The older Hawaiian Islands were once above this stationary hot spot, but have been carried northwest by the slowly moving Pacific plate. As the plate moves, it carries the previously formed, older, volcanoes with it, creating a trail of younger, new volcanoes behind. The islands are lined up along the Hawaiian Ridge-Emperor Seamounts chain, which is 3,750 miles and includes Kauai, Maui, Oahu and Hawai’i, from north to south, respectively. There are around 80 volcanoes in this chain; most of them underwater, consequently the term seamount refer to submarine volcanoes. Three volcanoes of Hawai’i, Mauna Loa, Kilauea and Loihi seamount, are all currently sharing the Hawaiian hot spot. Although, recent evidence has shown that all three volcanoes use have separate plumbing systems to expel the lava from the pool of magma deep below them. It has also been suggested that Loihi is slowly moving Mauna Loa from the center of the island, thus shifting directly over the hot spot. The closer to the hot spot a volcano is, the more active it will be. The Hawaiian hot spot has laid down layers of lava, building up enormous islands from the ocean floor.

The Cause Of Crime Today Essay -- essays research papers

The world is not the way it was. At one time people could sleep with their windows up and doors unlocked. In today's society people have to lock their doors and close their windows. Crime is at an ultimate high, and the world is slowly falling apart. This is not the work of the older generations, it is strictly the work of generation X.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teenagers are not what they use to be. A long time ago teenagers were loyal, respectful, and helpful to their parents, but not anymore. Today's teens live their own lives. They do what they want when they want, and they don't listen to anyone much less their parents. These teens drink, do drugs, steal, and murder. They also feel the need to be accepted by their own kinds. This is how gangs are formed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  &nb...

Peanut Butter in Germany

Jif Peanut Butter in Germany [pic] Man cannot live by bread alone. He must have peanut butter. – Bill Cosby Part 1: Executive Summary In order to maximize profit, J. M. Smucker could increase sales of Jif peanut butter, its best selling product, into growing markets. Prior to any expansion a full analysis of the market is necessary. The country with the largest market potential for peanut butter in Europe is Germany (ibid 79). The country climate of Germany gives a positive outlook for peanut butter, the primary option being as a breakfast option in the bread spread category. Daily patterns are malleable to suggest that peanut butter be a component, an additive, an ingredient, or a snack. Jif as a stand-alone brand is a U. S. -based product that has never, through company initiative, introduced any of their products internationally. Therefore there is no past experience in new market expansion. Jif has the branding business model. One main question is whether to copy the previous model for new entry (acquisition) or develop a new strategy that will better align with the targeted market. The target market for Jif in its home market of the US is families with children with the slogan â€Å"Choosy moms choose Jif. Based on the 360 degree profile of customer segments in Germany, the segments were evaluated on margin, persuasion, and volume potential. It was determined that the target market will also be families with children in Germany. Although the target market is the same, Jif will have a very different problem in Germany, getting users to switch to pean ut butter instead of Nutella and recognizing alternative uses. In comparison, the primary marketing challenge in the U. S. is getting users to switch from another peanut butter brand to Jif. The following report found multiple challenges of introducing Jif to a new market, including multiple points of resistance from the target market, such as: association of peanut butter with fatty American foods, current use is only as a bread spread, and entrenched competitors in the bread spread category such as Nutella and Ultje. Peanut butter is more nutritious than the leading bread spread. Peanut butter is high in monounsaturated fats, which actually reduce cholesterol. Peanut butter is also a good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans and is gluten-free and kosher. Therefore, the points of resistance can be addressed by clearly communicating the nutritional benefits of peanut butter as well as alternative uses. Options for alternative uses of peanut butter include integrating peanut butter as an ingredient in cooking. The communication of alternative uses could be through recipes. The main competition is in substitutes. Although it is identified as a substitute rather than a direct competitor, Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread, will be Jif’s primary competition in the German market. Holding 17% of the market share, Nutella is the number one choice of bread spreads. Peanut butter is currently not a large competitor in Germany in the bread spread category, as evidenced by its 1% market share. As a direct competitor, Ultje will present the most aggressive barriers to Jif’s entry. Ultje is a company that has been present for a long time, is locally based, and has a presence in the market due to its well-recognized cartoon figure, jingle, and celebrity endorsements. To combat both competitors the campaign should suggest peanut butter as a complement to the Nutella product. Selecting distributors and developing relationships with value chain members is also a challenge. There are several wholesalers of peanut butter in Germany, which can be used to distribute peanut butter to retailers where consumers can then purchase the product. In conclusion, while the German market has high potential, it will be a difficult venture into Germany. If the decision is to enter the market some changes will need to be made, but the basic business branding model will remain the same as in the U. S. Jif will have to be keenly aware of how their brand – their marketing message, tagline, jingle, label packaging, etc. – is perceived in the German market. Part 2: Company Background Jif’s flagship creamy peanut butter spread was first introduced in 1958. Since 1981, Jif has been the leading peanut butter brand in the United States. As of 1998, Jif had an estimated 42. 5% of the market share, dwarfing closest competitor Skippy at 28. 8% (Marigny 99). In 2002, The J. M. Smucker Company purchased the Jif brand from Proctor and Gamble. The purchase of the largest peanut butter brand in the U. S. by the famous jelly manufacturer was likely a strategic move to streamline distribution of the complementary products. Peanut butter is sold primarily as a bread spread, and secondarily as an ingredient for other meals. The distribution of peanut butter is about 70% creamy to 30% crunchy (Kellogg). In 2005, peanut butter had a U. S. household penetration rate of 93%, with an even higher percentage in households with children (see Exhibit 2A). Jif has historically averaged near 40% of the market share (Kellogg). Business Model. Branding is very important to Jif, and their branding efforts have been consistent over the years. Jif’s marketing program has been primarily family focused, with the popular tagline â€Å"Choosy Moms Choose Jif. † Also notable is brand-building of the widely recognizable Jif label, with its striking vertical bars in basic red, blue, and green. As an instantly-recognizable brand, Jif has enjoyed long-term customer loyalty. Jif’s brand portfolio includes the core brand – the original creamy spread – along with newer varieties such as Extra Crunchy, Reduced Fat, Natural, Simply Jif, Jif Omega-3, Peanut Butter & Honey, as well as complementary products such as to-go miniature containers (Jif website). The stage of business development in this market is very mature, and the competitive landscape is quite saturated. As a result, Jif does not emphasize margins, as their price is set very competitively. Rather, Jif emphasizes increasing volume among existing customers in two ways. First, they encourage increasing the quantity of product purchased by offering multiple varieties. Cannot decide between creamy or crunchy, omega-3 or reduced fat? Try one of each! Secondly, they encourage increasing the volume of product purchased by creating new uses and purchase occasions. Jif’s website is replete with recipes and serving suggestions, including an array of international dinners from Senegalese Beef Peanut Butter Stew to Mexican Chicken Peanut Mole. You can even sign up to have Jif recipes delivered to your Yahoo or Google page via RSS feed, downloaded to your iPod, or sent newsletter-style to your email. A final strategy to increase volume as well as exposure to the brand is an annual contest called the â€Å"Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest. † The winner receives a $25,000 dollar scholarship fund. The event draws a multitude of families and local media (Jif website). Target Market. Jif’s advertisements, tagline, and website clearly target mothers of young children. Jif’s label and homepage both boast an icon saying it is the â€Å"#1 Choice of Choosy Moms†, and the website includes a prominent link to a â€Å"Mom Advisor† page. Recently, Jif toyed with a more politically correct tagline, briefly updating it to â€Å"Choosy Moms, and Dads, Choose Jif†. In a comparison study with other leading brands, Jif’s consumers are clearly mothers or parents in the 35-44 year-old age range, and tend to be employed part-time in non-professional roles (see Exhibit 2B). Notably, the primary indicator of peanut butter purchasing for all three of the top brands is having a household of 5 or more people. Having kids age 2-5 is the second strongest indicator for Jif (Marigny 221). â€Å"Marketers have historically targeted children and their mothers in product advertising, and even the names of the major brands are childlike—Jif, Peter Pan, Skippy† (ibid 33). See Exhibit 2C for a 360-degree profile of common consumer segments, showing the â€Å"housewives† category as having the highest persuasion potential with Jif’s existing position in the U. S. market. Value Proposition. Jif creates value for their customers – the choosy moms segment – by assuring them that they are â€Å"America’s favorite peanut butter† because of their â€Å"fresh-roasted peanut taste. † This proposition allows busy moms to know that their choice at the supermarket is an easy one; it doesn’t require a lot of time or effort, and they will be satisfied with their purchase time and again. Secondarily, since this segment values healthful meals and having family dinner together, value is also created by providing creative recipes via RSS feed or email as described earlier. Strategy, Marketing Program and Positioning. Jif’s main competitors are Unilever’s Skippy and ConAgra’s Peter Pan, accounting for 60% of the category, plus a variety of private-label brands (Kellogg). Jif has several points-of-parity with their main competitors, namely in product attributes, price, and physical placement. All three companies offer similar varieties of peanut butter, similar sizes, and similar prices. They also have similar marketing techniques, mainly television ads featuring children shown during daytime programming. In the U. S. , peanut butter is firmly positioned in supermarkets, accounting for 95% of sales. Mass merchandisers (such as Costco and restaurant suppliers) make up another 4% (Marigny 199). Peanut butters are almost always positioned on the shelf next to complementary products such as jelly and honey. The companies do maintain points-of-difference, however, mainly in their positioning as described below. Skippy, the #2 brand in the U. S. , has traditionally positioned itself as the wholesome, healthful brand. Skippy has emphasized peanut butter’s high protein content more than the other brands, and has used celebrity endorsements such as former Mouseketeer Annette Funicello and athlete Derek Jeter (Gidman). Skippy claims to have less sugar than other brands, and in 1990 attempted to convince adults of the health benefits of peanut butter, using fresh vegetables and other foods in its advertising – which resulted in a dramatic decrease in market share. Since 1990 Skippy has repositioned itself as the â€Å"best testing peanut butter† (Kellogg). Today, Skippy’s website (with the enviable peanutbutter. com URL) is clearly kid-focused, with games, cartoons, and a â€Å"Kid’s Corner. † Skippy is also the highest-price per oz brand of the three- they package in the smallest container size at 16. 3 ounces. Peter Pan is positioned as the low-price brand. Advertising and information on their website is skimpy, and the company appears to prefer to â€Å"comfortably coast along in its third-place standing† (Gidman). In the past, Peter Pan has attempted to target kids, then adult non-users, and has also claimed to be â€Å"the best tasting peanut butter† (Kellogg). Peter Pan is the only brand in the top three to have been actually recalled by the FDA due to salmonella poisoning. Jif’s main point-of-difference from competitors is their obvious appeal to mothers as the target audience. As we have described, the tagline â€Å"Choosy Moms Choose Jif,† the company’s marketing efforts (recipes, contests, etc. , and the website are very much geared toward mothers with young children. After competing head-to-head throughout the 1980s and 1990s on which brand is the best-tasting, Jif has settled on a subtle yet specific difference: it has more of a â€Å"fresh roasted peanut taste. † Jif is also the large st advertiser of the three, but doesn’t use consumer promotions as much as their competitors. Although Jif has been able to claim the #1 spot since 1981, it maintains a price point below Skippy. They have also taken a swipe at Skippy by pointing out the difference in product sizes on their label, â€Å"We’re Still 18 oz. Refer to Exhibit 2D for a product positioning map. Part 3: Company Analysis Company’s capability in entering new market. Jif as a stand-alone brand is a U. S. -based product that has never, through company initiative, introduced any of their products internationally. So taking their peanut butter to Germany will be a first time experience for Jif. Therefore, the only predictability we can use here is that of the mother company: The J. M. Smucker Company. From their history, Smucker’s has penetrated various food industries in Canada, mostly through acquisition. None of these acquisitions were peanut butter related. So as they are preparing to enter Germany with one of their most popular brands, Jif peanut butter, the main question remains whether to copy the previous model for new entry (acquisition) or develop a new strategy that will better align with the targeted market. In order to assess the company’s capabilities in entering the German market with peanut butter, it is important to note that the Germans in their traditional cuisine do not use peanut butter. In Germany as in many other parts of the world, peanut butter is considered â€Å"an unpalatable American curiosity† (Kellogg). With the emerging immigrant population in Germany, the use of peanut butter has slowly established itself over the years, although the growth rate since 2004 has remained relatively stagnant  (see Exhibit 3A). But based on another study of the market in Europe, Germany has the largest potential market for peanut butter (see Exhibit 3B). One challenge in entering Germany for Smucker's Jif is a general reluctance to use American products as they are seen as high in fat (Avini). However, based on the Cultural Navigator, Germans use facts and empirical data in the decision making process and expert opinion plays a major role. In this regard, Jif may be able to enter the German market by emphasizing facts such as the nutritional benefits of their product line. Identification of business model. Since there are some very specific points of resistance in the German consumers’ perception of peanut butter, Jif’s primary responsibility will be to build brand awareness and break the points of resistance with effective communication. Jif will have to be keenly aware of how their brand – their marketing message, tagline, jingle, label packaging, etc. – is perceived in the German market. While some changes will need to be made to enter the German market, the basic business model will remain the same as in the U. S. for Jif. Core competency, activity management, innovation, and relationship management are also important to the company, but what they must absolutely positively get right is their branding. Controlling the largest domestic market share in the U. S. has enabled the company to guarantee some level of profitability through the years; not to mention their effort to always drive an increase in sales volume through programs that keep the Jif brand alive in the mind of their customers. Looking at the German peanut butter market today, it is clear that the sales volume and values have slightly decreased since 2008 (see Exhibit 3C). With volume potential as a main component in the profit impact equation, Jif in today’s German peanut butter market may have a hard time achieving market share and thus profitability. Therefore, increasing the overall nut-based market share (which increases the sales volume as well) will be necessary to ensure sustainable growth in that new market. Exhibit 3C also shows that the spread market share is large enough to provide a good market to Jif if the right marketing strategy is applied. In considering Jif’s aggressiveness in attacking the U. S. market today, it will be a good tool for them in the German market where there is large potential to tap into the competitor's market. Another avenue using the current market share may be to explore Blue Ocean that will result in lowering variable cost and may increase the sales volume; because considering increasing price to a market that is stagnant will only force the market to decrease. The success of penetrating the German peanut butter market will be very much dependent on the marketing/advertising program that is associated with it. Part 4: Customer Analysis Identification and 360-degree profile of customer segments. Segments of food consumption analyzed: young families with children, young families without children, seniors, young singles, restaurants, and hotels. A 360-Degree Profile was then performed for these segments with regard to Demographics, Psychographics, and Product Usage. Demographics: |Young Families |Young Families with No |Young Singles |Seniors | | |with Children |Children | | | |Barney’s Best |Bulk import |creamy or crunchy peanut|Company has very little information online |Depends on grocery store outlet | | | |butter | | | |Ultje |Premium |creamy, crunchy, or |Aggressive marketing, including pop |Pictures show these in a | | | |low-fat peanut butter |star/celebrity endorsements; promoted as |non-prominent position next to | | | | |heal thful, quality snack; company is |marshmallow fluff, applesauce, | | | | |promoted as an innovative expert in |etc. | | | | |nut-based snacks | |Algood Food Company|Bulk export |creamy or crunchy peanut|Company promoted as an expert: â€Å"Forgive us,|Depends on grocery store outlet | | | |butter, includes |but peanuts are our bread and butter† | | | | |specialty items such as | | | | | |No-Stir Natural and PB &| | | | | |J Stripe | | | |Calve Pindakaas |$5. 49 |creamy peanut butter |Product promoted as healthful and specialty|Only available online | |Rinatura |2. 9 EUR |organic peanut butter |Promoted as all-natural, organic, the |Elaborate displays of all types | | | | |choice for health-conscious consumers |of products from this company – | | | | | |peanut butter is one of many – | | | | | |all products have matching labels| |REWE/PENNY |â€Å"discount store |organic peanut butter |REWE has a corner on the market since they |â€Å"PENNY will display the org anic | | |pricing† | |own a large chain of grocery stores; |foods side-by-side with their | | | | |obviously their label will get prominent |counterparts from conventional | | | | |display and marketing |production. This will direct the | | | | | |attention of PENNY customers to | | | | | |ecological alternative products | | | | | |and new items in a targeted | | | | | |fashion. † | |Other private-label|3. 59 EUR (see |varies |varies |Pictures show these in a | | |Exhibit 5E) | | |non-prominent position next to | | | | | |marshmallow fluff, applesauce, | | | | | |etc. | |Nutella |1. 95-2. 9 Euro for|Chocolate-hazelnut |Promoted as â€Å"part of healthy breakfast† |Depends on grocery store outlet | | |400g |spread |targeted at children; sold in glass jars | | | | | |which can also be used for drinking; hosts | | | | | |an interactive online community | | | | | |(http://www. nutellaville. it/); sells | | | | | |t-shirts and other promotional products | | Positioning of competitors’ product/brand. Within the nut-based spreads subsector, the competitive landscape is not highly differentiated. Products have a similar price and position. In order to penetrate the market, however, J if will need to consider the broader-based spreads sector, which includes peanut butters alongside Nutella, honeys, jams, etc. See Exhibit 5F for these product positioning maps. As we have discussed, Jif will have to re-position peanut butter to be as useful in consumers’ minds as the better-selling spreads. Assessment of industry attractiveness and competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. The worldwide market potential of peanut butter in Germany is the largest in Europe. At the same time, sales and profits are declining. We attribute that to a lack of wide acceptance of the product, rather than being in the late-maturity stage of the product lifecycle. There are plenty of competitors in the nut-based spreads market, yet the market is not saturated. Of the competitors present, we believe Ultje will present the most aggressive barriers to Jif’s entry. Ultje is a company that has been present for a long time, is locally-based, and has a presence in the market due to its well-recognized cartoon figure, jingle, and celebrity endorsements. A review of online opinion polls, blogs, expatriates and former German nationals now living in the U. S. shows that of the products available locally, such as Ultje, none taste quite the same as that good old-fashioned American peanut butter. We are tasked with bringing the American taste and texture, but not the American image, since German consumers have a general reluctance to use American products. Part of the marketing challenge will be to dispel the myth that peanut butter is fatty; being high in monounsaturated fat actually reduces cholesterol. We will also need to remove the emphasis on being an American company and instead focus on creating a German image using local scenes and labeling. As we have learned, Germans use facts and empirical data in the decision making process, so we believe the right marketing and communication effort will succeed in overcoming these challenges. We believe the biggest competition will come from Ferrero’s Nutella, a chocolate-based spread or a â€Å"substitute† product, rather than other peanut butter spreads directly. Again, this indicates a lack of acceptance of peanut butter on its own merits – something Jif, with the right marketing plan, can correct. Part 6: Channel Analysis It is important to select channel partners that provide value to the relationship, which can be done through devoting resources to marketing Jif or helping to create a competitive difference. It is important that the selected channel partners serve the target market and have an image consistent with the positioning of the company. There are several channels that could be used to get the product from Smucker’s to the end consumer. These possible channels are shown in the channel map below. Channel Map 1) Jif -> Consumer 2) Jif -> Online Store (retailer) -> Consumer 3) Jif -> Grocery Store (retailer) -> Consumer ) Jif -> Wholesaler -> Grocery Store (retailer) -> Consumer 5) Jif -> Wholesaler -> Grocery Store (retailer) -> Agent -> Consumer The target market for Jif peanut butter shops in grocery stores, so in order to reach the target market, the channel selected should include a grocery store. Therefore, we can eliminate the first two channel options. A lthough the number of retail chains in Germany is increasing, there are still a vast number of independently grocery stores where the target market shops. Therefore, to improve efficiency in the value chain, a wholesaler could be used to distribute the Jif peanut butter to retailers who will then sell to the end consumer. However, the use of an agent may not be value added and does have a large additional cost. Therefore, we should select option four with the potential of adding an agent between the retailer and consumer in the future if necessary. However, we must know which retailers serve the target consumers in order to select the proper wholesaler. Evaluation of Potential Retailers Retail chain stores in Germany that contain food products are: Real, Galleria Kaufhof, Kaufhaus, Aldi, and Schlecker. It is beneficial to partner with a retail chain as once a relationship is developed, the product will be supported in several locations whereas with individual retailers there would be many more relationships to maintain. All of these retail chains serve the target market. However, Schlecker and Aldi do not have an image consistent with the quality image of Jif. Aldi is viewed as a discount chain and peanut butter is not a discount product. Schlecker is viewed as more of a drug store or convenience store and does not have a large variety of products, which is not consistent with the image of Jif. Evaluation of Potential Wholesalers There are 14 wholesalers of peanut butter currently in Germany as can be seen in Exhibit 6A. Wholesalers must be analyzed to determine who would provide the most value to the partnership, such as devoting resources to marketing peanut butter, a network to distribute across the country, supplier of target retailers defined above: Real, Galleria Kaufhof, and Kaufhaus in order to reach the target market. Several wholesalers can be eliminated from the list as they are more diversified and the focus should be on those with a peanut butter expertise. Part 7: Country Climate (Environmental) Analysis Profiling the environment is critical to marketing success. Utilizing the DEEPLIST method the German scenario was analyzed by trends in population, current economic and political stability, technology for advertising, the familial social institution, and food and daily life. Population. Germany is a country of 82. 3 million inhabitants of which 74% are urban dwellers; Germans have a 99% literacy rate with a growth rate of -. 053% (CIA World Fact Book). There are two primary trends affecting the population. The fertility remains well below the replacement ratio and net immigration is low†¦the population is ageing rapidly as a result of greater longevity and low fertility rates (EIU 13). † While the percentage of females to males, in the ‘productive age range of 15-64 years old is 66% to 34%,’ with an overall low replacement rate there are fewer women opting to have children (CIA World Fact Book). This will affect our long-term prospects of marketing peanut butter to mothers and children. As Germany has a negative population replacement rate there are less anticipated children to enter into and support our target market. We analyzed the opposite extreme of the prospectus, that the ageing population could potentially be a target market. The ratio of elderly population (>65 years of age) to the working-age population (20-64 years of age) is forecast to increase substantially from 32% in 2005 to 62% in 2050 (EIU 13). † Peanut butter could easily be integrated as an easily accessible, low cost, high-protein option for seniors; however, we found their margin potential measured low and declining, very unattractive. Economy & Politics. As the â€Å"world’s third largest economy†¦ (EIU 22)† Germany has emerged as a stable environment for business, both economically and politically. â€Å"The European Commission forecasts that the German economy will remain in positive territory for the coming months but that it will barely grow in the fourth quarter of 2009 at 0. 1% after expanding an anticipated 0. % in the third quarter (PRS Group). † This suggests continued stability and growth, albeit contracted, for the upcoming years. This works as an advantage for peanut butter positioning as a wholes ome product, at a lower cost. Introducing the product now can position peanut butter for the economic rebound. If families become accustomed to integrating peanut butter now it will continue to transition as a diet component when their income allocation changes. Politically, â€Å"Germany is a stable democracy organized on federal lines (EIU 3). † The democratic political infrastructure scored â€Å"Germany [as] 13th in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2006 democracy index. It scores highly in terms of electoral process and civil liberties, fairly high in terms of political culture and government functioning (the latter including accountability and absence of corruption†¦ (EIU 9) and little political risk. It is not anticipated that issues of nationalization or high repatriation percentages will play any role in disrupting the distribution – nor revenues – of peanut butter. Although the strong economy and stable political system will not contribute risk factors Germany has â€Å"†¦what is currently one of the most complex tax codes in the world (PRS Group). † Recent changes will affect supply chain costs and total purchase costs. For example, â€Å"a 3-percentage-point increase in value-added tax (VAT) was added in 2007 (EIU 11). † This affects the purchase price and may deter consumers. Other taxes will play a role in the consumer’s decision making. Most of our target market is from the middle class who has income taxes at top of mind – rightfully so as taxes subtract a large portion of disposable income. â€Å"The overall top income tax rate is now 47. 5% (EIU 20). † Although most families will not face as extreme a rate the income distribution, after tax, should be considered in pricing the product. Additionally, while overall corporate taxes have decreased they remain extremely high. â€Å"From 2008 the headline rate of corporation tax was cut from 25% to 15%, reducing the combined rates of corporation tax, local trade tax, and the Solidarity Tax from 38. 65% to 29. 8% (EIU 20). This could serve as the replacement to any currency risk or otherwise with repatriation taxes. Technology. Implementing marketing campaigns requires knowledge of how consumers receive messages. Since 1995 Germany has had a strong history of media communication and av ailability via television with 373 stations (CIA World Fact Book). The birth of the Internet provided faster delivery of information and availability to the 61. 97 million Internet users, ranking it as the 6th most connected country in the world (as of 2008, CIA World Fact Book). Having strong TV, and Internet availability ensures a range of publicity options and flexibility in reaching our target market. However, one potentially costly issue for a nationwide media presence is the â€Å"limited amount of advertising carried by public radio and television companies, which operate under the supervision of the authorities of the individual states (EIU 9). † Not only is advertising limited, it is fractured amongst the states. Contracts would need to be negotiated within each of the 16 states. Social/Cultural. The most critical environmental factors revolve around the family and its social structure. â€Å"The family is still the first and most important social group of people and one of the most significant social institutions (Hintereder). † Women play the most essential role in the structure. While women continue in a traditional role responsibilities are changing within the classes. Currently, they face the main obstacle in career advancement of the â€Å"fact that the network of childcare facilities particularly for small infants is not so good on a European comparison†¦ women, even those in employment, invest twice as much time looking after children as men. To date it was almost exclusively women who have taken parental leave (Hintereder). † This supports marketing to moms and their young children. Moms select the products in their household pantry and mold the taste likes and dislikes of their children. As the employment of women increases (either full-time working moms or part-time), â€Å"now at 64 percent,† peanut butter can play a likewise increasing role (Hintereder). Instead of only â€Å"Choosy Moms,† the marketing campaign can also publicize for â€Å"Busy Moms. † Yet, working mothers alter the size of families and can decrease demand. â€Å"Families have become smaller†¦single-child families [and] two-child families are typical. Almost one third of women born in 1965 still have no children today. As the social institution ebbs and flows marketing peanut butter will likewise have to ebb and flow. Food & Daily Life. After understanding the family structure the next most key element assesses diet, nutrition, and food patterns. â€Å"Most Germans acquire food from both supermarkets and specialty shops, such as bakeries and butcher shops (Every Culture). Staple daily food items include bread, cheese, pork, vegetables (mostly starches and root, CIA World Fact Book). Many meals are accompanied by beer. While the previous data in this report noted Germans appreciating a nutritious approach to their diet many of their staple items are carbohydrate based. This supports eating a heavier, more substance based product like peanut butter. The German meal pattern suggests positive angles for where to insert peanut butter into daily life. A primary option could be at breakfast to accompany bread and the afternoon Kaffee. â€Å"Bread is the main food at both breakfast and supper. The warm meal of the day is still often eaten at noon, though modern work routines seem to encourage assimilation to American patterns. Large family meals are still common at noontime on Saturdays and Sundays. These are often followed in mid-afternoon by Kaffee und Kuchen, the German version of tea time (Every Culture). † The meals identify which daily patterns are malleable in how to suggest peanut butter be a component, an additive, an ingredient, or snack. Hotels in Germany typically include breakfast. It is very common to find small packages of Nutella provided in hotels for breakfast. Jif currently has an â€Å"on the go† packaging currently in place, a 2. 25 oz container, which could be used to directly compete with small packets of Nutella. Part 8: Recommended Marketing Objectives and Strategy Marketing objective. Within 12 months, Jif will increase volume of peanut butter purchases among all consumer categories by providing a healthful, low-cost, convenient staple item which belongs in every kitchen pantry. †¢ Time period: There are several points of resistance to enter the German market. Enough time should be taken for Jif to be able to create awareness and change consumer attitudes, but we will recommend a time period of 12 months to evaluate success. †¢ Profit impact: By increasing awareness of peanut butter’s benefits across all consumer categories, volume will be increased both in the number of containers purchased, and the purchase occasion itself. †¢ Target market: All consumer categories have a need for peanut butter in their pantry. Whether young or old, peanut butter makes an excellent bread spread for breakfast or lunch; an easy snack item; a delicious ingredient in baked goods and ethnic meals; a fuel recharger for hikers; a protein substitute for vegetarians, vegans, and those with dental problems; a gluten-free product for those with wheat allergies; a kosher product; a delicious and filling product for those on a low-carbohydrate diet such as Atkins, South Beach, Zone, etc; the list goes on! †¢ Value proposition: From the customer’s perspective, peanut butter adds value because it is healthful, convenient, long-lived, inexpensive, and versatile. Very few consumer products can claim all those benefits! Marketing strategy and proposed positioning. Jif is an essential pantry product for all consumers among all staple food products because it is the only truly healthful, low-cost, convenient, delicious, and versatile product available on the market. Jif’s offerings are different from competitors in the following ways: †¢ It is much more healthful than Nutella, which is presumed to be healthful but is actually is high in added sugar and fats. †¢ It is much more versatile than Nutella, which is marketed as solely a bread spread. †¢ It is much more convenient than the natural peanut butters already available in Germany, which are not as long-lasting, must be refrigerated, must be brought to room temperature and stirred before useful as a spread. †¢ It is different from existing spreadable peanut butters available in Germany because it will be aggressively marketed as a quality, low-cost global brand with a million uses. Other competitors position it as bread spread only. Branding objective. Because of the points of resistance for German consumers, namely an unfavorable image of the product and country-of-origin, as well as a lack of awareness of the versatility of the product, the communication regarding the product will have to be changed quite significantly from the U. S. program. However, the product itself will remain the same, which will generate significant scale advantages. Our branding strategy then will be a combination of product extension and communication adaptation. The brand will need to portray that it is a sophisticated global product, yet de-emphasize its American roots. This is necessary due to the perception of the German consumer that American products are fattening. Part 9: Marketing Mix Program Product. Since we have identified a German perception of peanut butter as unhealthful, we need to combat that belief by marketing the peanut butter types that are more wholesome. Out of the Jif product line, we will take Creamy and Chunky have been the quintessential best-sellers. The smaller sizes would be introduced first, which is 18 oz. To compete with small packages of Nutella served in many restaurants and hotels for breakfast, the â€Å"Jif To Go† packages should also be introduced, which are 2. 25 oz cups. Ideally, Jif should have multiple product lines and sizes in Germany so that multiple facings of its containers will be seen on grocery store shelves. This repetition of name and pattern on the shelf will help to increase brand familiarity. However, the rest of the Jif product line will be withheld initially while the consumer is acclimated to the two main peanut butter choices. The other product lines such as Jif with honey, and Jif Omega-3 may be introduced later in small quantities; possibly as a consumer preference test. As peanut butter sales grow in Germany, Jif can plan to grandstand new product line introductions as well as the larger size containers, such as the 40 oz size. These campaigns will serve to reinforce peanut butter in the consumers mind, and entice consumers to try the hottest new flavor from Jif. Personal service. Jif will create and maintain a localized website for the German market, with an easy-to-remember URL which will be displayed prominently on all advertising. The website will be customer-focused, with clearly labeled sections for nutrition information, recipes, types of products, store locator, an FAQ section, a â€Å"contact us† link for questions or comments, and a money-back guarantee for customer satisfaction. The website should be functional yet elegant, as the Ferrero website is today. Each customer segment should be represented (a page specifically for kids, moms, vegetarians, etc. ) showing the benefits that peanut butter provides for them specifically. This will enable vegetarians doing a Google search in Germany to find a hit on the Jif website, for example. Price. Jif should be particularly cautious about pricing in Germany. The price should be maintained at an affordable level to spur consumer interest as a snack food, but not so low as to have unwanted perceptions of low-quality or that the product may be close to expiration. Any price reductions should be limited to sales with widespread advertising attached to gain customer awareness. The normal pricing level should be set very near to the level of Nutella, and with margins similar to that of the U. S. Comfortable margins should help the marketing team to convince grocers to provide superior shelving locations and multiple facings. Current peanut butter pricing is around 3-4 EU (see Exhibit 5E). Smaller containers are prevalent in Germany; therefore Jif will have a higher fixed cost due to the packaging. Price per gram will likely be higher than the Jif pricing in the U. S. to cover these costs. In Germany, we anticipate a similar price as the U. S. , only for a smaller container. Placement. Jif should strive to get the best shelving possible initially, to get large consumer attention. End caps of isles, and free product tasting tables should be used. At the tasting tables, peanut butter should be served on fresh bread as we anticipate the product will be used that way most. In addition, the service should contain other healthful ways of eating peanut butter, such as in a celery stock. All parts of the presentation should be arefully considered to create the perception of healthfulness. The placement should be put together to appeal to mothers, and to be highly attractive to kids in the cart as well. Promotion or Communication. Our number one goal is to increase awareness of the Jif product. Peanut butter has such a low penetration in the spreads market in Germany today; consumers just don’t consider the product as a necessary item in their pantry. Therefore, we recommend a startling, attention-grabbing promotion that runs via internet and television commercials for a short period, perhaps 30 days. The idea is to generate attention with ad that has the potential to generate excitement. After creating a buzz and an interest in the product, our next objective is to clearly communicate the benefits of peanut butter, including communication on the nutritional benefits, quality processing, and alternative uses. The advertisements will be done via television, internet and print ads that all show images of the various ways that peanut butter is enjoyed. Until a spoken segment at the end of the television or internet commercial, the images in the ads are displayed wordless. On television, the absence of words is an attention-grabber itself. Viewers who have â€Å"tuned out† during the commercial break may think their TV has stopped working, or their regular programming has resumed. If we can capture their attention and then hold it through a series of captivating images, we will have succeeded in creating awareness. Another benefit of the simple image campaign is that it can be easily reinforced in the product’s website and print ads such as magazines, billboards, newspaper coupons, mailers, etc. , by using the same images, thus tying the whole theme together. The website, which is clearly communicated in all advertisements, will prominently display the nutritional benefits, recipe ideas (see Exhibit 9B), and a store locator, as well as repeating the branding from the ad campaign. There are numerous examples of images that could be used. There’s the hiker who needs to refuel and pulls out a tube of peanut butter; the kid opening his lunchbox at school with a heart-shaped peanut butter sandwich from Mom, or making one for himself as an after-school snack; the hip cocktail party eaturing celery sticks and peanut sauce; the vegetarian (wearing an â€Å"I heart animals† sticker to show she’s vegetarian) getting her protein fix; the kosher individual; the dieter; the Germa n immigrants enjoying peanut sauce in a Thai dish, and mole in a Mexican dish; and finally, getting back to the roots of when the product was created, there’s the old toothless man with a huge smile, eating peanut butter right out of the jar. See Exhibit 9A for images of this cast of characters. At the end of the series of images, again the Jif jar is superimposed with the tagline (translated into German): â€Å"Peanut Butter: It’s more than you think. † The images are wordless, except at the very end when the tagline and a brief list of the nutritive benefits are spoken. The benefits include that the product is high in protein and monounsaturated fat which is good for your cholesterol, low in saturated fat and sugar, high in dietary fiber and other vitamins. Peanut butter is vegan, low-carbohydrate, gluten-free and kosher. Another popular promotion in the U. S. was a recipe contest in using Jif as an ingredient with a financial prize. This could be replicated in Germany. It should be noted that all advertising campaigns will require partnering with a local firm to choose the right wording, and to make sure that none of our taglines or acronyms could be misused in a non-flattering way. Professional Sales force. The sales force will be tasked first and foremost with getting entry to German grocery stores and getting the premium shelving during the peanut butter â€Å"awakening campaign. The sales force should be tasked with stocking the shelves, and working the free product testing tables. Peanut butter is not a discount product and the expert German salespeople should be therefore groomed to present the desired company image of quality. The Jif sales force will be tasked to develop recipes for caterers and restaurants, and to provide comprehensive sampling and product use education to chefs. Award winning chefs and restaurants may be compensated to develop German dishes using peanut butter. Jif may sponsor cookbook authors that include recipes with Jif. The sales force should exhaust all avenues to increase German familiarity with peanut butter. Part 10: SWOT Analysis External Analysis: Opportunities. The country with the largest market potential for peanut butter in Europe is Germany (ibid 79). Peanuts and peanut flavoring are already present and popular in Germany, such as in Thai Cuisine or the popular snack Erdnuss Flips. Therefore Germany can be looked at as a strong potential peanut butter target market. Peanut butter is more nutritious than the leading bread spread as it is high in monounsaturated fats, which actually reduce cholesterol. Peanut butter is also a good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Germany is a member of the European Union which will allow Jif to easily extend their target market to other parts of Europe as long term growth strategy. The infrastructure is also well advanced to facilitate the transportation of products from initial manufacturing plants to various distribution locations or for the easy transportations of required suppliers. External Analysis: Threats. With all the above mentioned opportunities, there are some challenges that Jif is called to highlight and be aware of in other to successfully execute in the German environment. There is the threat of a salmonella outbreak which would create a scare of consumers. One key element is the fact that Germans view American food as being high in fat. Jif being an American brand could pose a threat to the overall strategy if not well presented and the nutritional benefits presented. Also there is an existing peanut butter company that happens to be more local than Jif when starting, and it will require that Jif differentiate itself to the customer based as a way to establish their brand in that market. Going after Nutella could be challenging as they are well positioned internationally and in Germany; their brand is established and well known. Therefore, marketing Jif will require investment in time and energy to compete. Overall, the spread market in Germany is very limited therefore requires that Jif not only tap into the existing market but also strategize to increase it using non peanut butter company spread customer base. Particularly, they need to focus on stealing Nutella’s market share. Doing business at the international level will also raise other challenges that Jif will need to deal with such as hedging of the currency, the legal requirements of the host country (Germany) vs.. that of the mother country (USA); The company will have to opt for one way of presenting their financial statement, that may need to be converted into the mother currency with all the possible implications that comes with reporting their final profit at the end of each financial year. Jif also been a new product with Germany as their first international base, has no recognized trademark internationally. Internal Analysis: Strengths. The strengths of Jif when compared to substitute products is its nutritional benefits and versatility, when compared to direct industry rivals in peanut butter is convenience. Jif’s main point of difference from competitors is their obvious appeal to mothers as the target market with their focus on the nutritional benefits of peanut butter, in the established market in the U. S. and also in Germany. Jif has a strength in advertising nutritional benefits in their home market, which is experience that could be used in Germany as well. Jif peanut butter is not only more nutritious than the leading bread spread, it is also more versatile. Jif can create an internal strength by providing many recipes that demonstrate uses of peanut butter as more than a bread spread. In Germany, many of the peanut butter brands currently available are organic, or natural, peanut butter. Organic peanut butter is less convenient as it must be refrigerated, brought to room temperature, and then stirred prior to being used as a bread spread. Whereas Jif is shelf-stable. In Germany, the refrigerators are much smaller than American refrigerators and the space must be used sparingly. Another convenience factor for hotels is that Jif already has an â€Å"on the go† packaging currently in place, a 2. 25 oz container, which could be used to directly compete with small packets of Nutella. Internal Analysis: Weaknesses. Although this program has done a great deal in addressing the gap and defining a differentiation positioning as they enter the German market, there are still few elements that remains uncertain as for their impact to the outcome. The relationship with the wholesalers and retailers cannot quite be predicted. But it is important to focus in building it right from the beginning to ensure the sustainability of the business in the long term. We need to note that Jif strategy is coming from a competitive disadvantage to current competitors as most of them have been operating in that ground for many years and had grown to establish their brand in that market. There is also the fact that this whole program’s growth depend on the fact that Jif will be able to turn over the population’s old eating habit to more include peanut butter. Although well elaborated, there is no guarantee that this campaign will be successful in increasing the target market of spread in general and that of peanut butter in particular. Conclusion and Recommendation Considering the above analysis, there is great potential for sales of Jif peanut butter in Germany. To overcome points of resistance, a focus would need to be placed on the communication of nutritional benefits and alternative uses. One of the main challenges is selecting wholesalers to work with and developing relationships with wholesalers and retailers. In developing the Jif brand, a lot will be invested monetarily, and may not see clear signs that this market may increase for many months. The program that has been proposed requires massive spending. Therefore, Jif in Germany does not seem to be profitable in the short term but could be a great success in the long run; if successful in turning people’s behavior. Exhibit 2A: Household Penetration Rates in U. S. Market [pic] Source: Dairy and Food Communications, page 217 Exhibit 2B: Demographic Characteristics of Peanut Butter Brand Use in U. S. Market [pic] Source: Marigny, page 237 Exhibit 2C: 360-Degree Profile of Consumers in U. S. Market Demographics |Housewife |Single Parent |Senior |Young Professional | |Age |25-45 |20-40 |55+ |25-35 | |Gender |Female |N/A |N/A |N/A | |Income |Low to Mid |Low |Mid – Stable |Mid – Growing | |Education |HS Grad+ |HS Grad |College Grad |College Grad | |Occupation |None to part-time |Full-time; non professional |Retired or nea r; professional |Full-time; professional | |Marital/Family Status |Married with young children |Single with young children |Married with grown children |Single without kids | |Psychographics | | | | | |Spending Habits |Conservative; will cut coupons |Concerned; will buy cheapest |Confident; will take time to |Confident and Curious; will | | | |product; no time for coupons |find best value (not just |try new products | | | | |based on price) | | |Activities & Interests |Raising kids; preparing meals at|Not a lot of free time for |Wide variety of activities and|Focus on physical fitness and | | |home; eating dinner together |activities; rarely sit down to |hobbies; very news-focused and|outdoors; hobbies and | | | |dinner together |aware |experimentation with new | | | | |things such as exotic recipes | |Opinions & Values |Value quality and nutrition over|Value quick; convenient; cheap |Quality matters above all |Interested in gaining | | |convenience | | |experience and stories | |Pu rchase Characteristics | | | | | |Purchase Occasion |Will purchase on regular trips |Will purchase on regular trips |Will purchase on regular trips|Will purchase as needed; may | | |to grocery store whenever supply|to grocery store only if needed |to grocery store whenever |be inspired by interesting ads| | |at home is running low | |supply at home is running low |or new products | |Benefits Sought |Quality and Convenience – ready |Convenience – ready to use, |Quality and health benefits; |Convenience – ready to use, | | |to use, relatively healthful, |stable on shelf, makes quick |consistency also good for |stable on shelf, makes quick | | |stable on shelf; will pay for |meals |dentures |meals; Nutrition; Prestige | | |brand name to avoid cost of | | |(â€Å"have you tried†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) | | |experimentation with a new brand| | | | | |family may not like | | | | |Product Usage |Breakfast on toast; PB&J |Breakfast on toast; PB&J |Breakfast on toast; PB&J |As a staple; also as an | | |sandwiches for lunch; as a snack|sandwiches for lunch |sandwiches for lunch; as a |ingredient in exotic new dish | | |on crackers or celery sticks; | |snack on crackers or celery | | | |peanut-butter cookies; | sticks | | | |occasional dinner recipe | | | | |Margin Potential |Low |Low |Low |Low | |Volume Potential |High |Med |Med |Low | |Persuasion Potential |High |Low |Med |Med | Exhibit 2D: Product Positioning Map in U. S. Market [pic] Exhibit 3A: Sales Volume and Value Trends of Nut-Based Products in Germany [pic] Source: Euromonitor, page 3 Exhibit 3B: Market Potential for Peanut Butter in Europe [pic] [pic] Source: Parker, page 79 Exhibit 3C: Sales Volume and Value Trends of Spreads in Germany [pic] Source: Euromonitor, page 2-3 Exhibit 5A: Actual and Forecasted Sales of Spreads in Germany 2009 Sales |volume in ‘000 tonnes | |value in EUR millions | |% volume growth | |% value growth | | | | | | |2008/09 | |2008/09 | |Jams and preserves |138 |44| | 55|44% | |0. 4 | | | |% | |3. | | | | | | | | |4 | | | | |Jams and preserves |139. |45% | |Nutella |Ferrero |17. 1 | |Schwartau |Schwartauer Werke |9. 5 | |Breitsamer & Ulrich |Breitsamer & Ulrich |5. 0 | |Zentis |Zentis |4. 9 | |Langnese |Langnese Honig |4. | |Movenpick |Schwartauer Werke |3. 2 | |Nutoka |Aldi Einkauf |3. 0 | |Biophar |Fursten-Reform Dr Med Hans Plumer Nachf |2. 3 | |Bel Royal |Zentis |1. 8 | |BelFruit |Zentis |1. 0 | |Biogold Reformkost |Biogold Reformkost |0. | |Barney's Best |Dockhorn & Co |0. 7 | |Dr Kriegers |Fursten-Reform Dr Med Hans Plumer Nachf |0. 6 | |Nudossi |Vadossi |0. 4 | |Ultje |Ultje |0. 2 | |Milky Way |Mars Deutschland |0. 2 | |Snickers |Mars Deutschland |0. 2 | |Private label |30. 0 | |Others | |14. 5 | | | |100. 0 | Source: Euromonitor, page 4 Exhibit 5C: Nutella’s Nutrition Information [pic] Clicking â€Å"Ingredients†: [pic] Source: http://www. nutellausa. com/nutrition. htm Exhibit 5D: Nutrition Panels Compared Jif Cream y Peanut Butter: Nutella: [pic][pic] Source: Jif website Source: Nutella website Exhibit 5E: Local Competitors and Pricing [pic] [pic] Source: Photographs taken by team member Cesar Palma Perez in Germany store Exhibit 5F: Product Positioning Maps Nut-based subsector: [pic] Spreads market in general: [pic] Exhibit 6A: Peanut Butter Wholesalers in Germany |Wholesaler |Area of Expertise | |Jakob Distler Gmbh in Nurnberg, Bayern, Germany |Salted and roasted nuts and seeds, Nuts, glace, Confectionery, Roasted Nuts and Peanut| | |Butter Manufacturing, Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing, Confectionery Merchant| | |Wholesalers†¦ |Lauenburgische Gewurzmuhle Und Rosterei Gmbh & CoKg |Nuts: dried, dehydrated, salted or roasted, Packaging and Labeling Services, Roasted | |in Elmenhorst, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany |coffee, Roasted Nuts and Peanut Butter Manufacturing, Packaging and Labeling Services,| | |Coffee and Tea Manufacturing†¦ | |Irecge NussverarbeitungsgesMbh in Tornesch, |Salted and roasted nuts and seeds, Nuts, salted or roasted, Roasted Nuts and Peanut | |Schleswig-Holstein, Germany |Butter Manufact uring, Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers†¦ | |Schummer-Fruchthandelsgesellschaft Mbh in |Nuts: dried, dehydrated, salted or roasted, Roasted Nuts and Peanut Butter | |Birkenfeld, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany |Manufacturing†¦ |Rudolf Muller in Buchen (Odenwald), |Architectural Services, Architectural Services, Professional engineer, Engineering | |Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany |Services, Nuts: dried, dehydrated, salted or roasted, Nuts, Roasted Nuts and Peanut | | |Butter Manufacturing, Confectionery and Nut Stores, Photographic equipme