Strategic Decision Making using Positioning and Positioning Maps

Introduction The environment creates opportunities for business investors to satisfy the needs created in the society while at the same time earning returns for it. Since there are several people that see the same opportunity or seize an opportunity based on the prospects of already existing businesses, businesses owners need to make strategic decisions to remain relevant to the market and increase their market share. This requires strategies based on necessary information and statistics for dealing with a competitive market environment.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Strategic Decision Making using Positioning and Positioning Maps specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The basic strategies for market entry or positioning are based on the elements of place, price, people and promotion (the 4Ps). Positioning therefore creates value in decision making for marketing purposes as an individual concept and with the use of its elements of positioning maps. Since the positioning and positioning maps are valuable and relevant in strategic marketing decision making, they can be analyzed in the context of the brewing industry. Strategic Marketing Management Marketing is encompassed in promotion, advertising and other similar aspects. Effective marketing is mainly founded on the basis of a brand that needs to be strengthened, established or introduced in the market. Modern times are faced with competitive environment that requires marketing that succeeds in enabling a company attain a competitive advantage over its competitors by being distinguishable from them (Gordon, 2002). Marketing is thus a broad and dynamic concept which is of high consideration in competitive industries such as the beer industry. Strategic marketing enables the businesses to use strategic marketing mix, reinforce its visibility and capacity while obtaining necessary market information and acting on it. It relies on the aspects of Porter’s five force model for obtaining and analyzing information. The aspect of strategic marketing being dependent on the brand strength requires use of marketing as a tool for increasing its strength through identification of a market niche for it (Aaker, 2001). Strategic decision making in marketing relies on the attributes of positioning, segmentation and effective targeting policies. Positioning and positioning maps are therefore effective strategic marketing tools for making decisions because of their ability to provide up-to-date strategic information (Stuart et al., 2001). Summary of Positioning and Positioning Maps Positioning in marketing generally refers to the process of determining the manner of offering a product or service to the market. Positioning is very crucial since it determines the perceptions the target market receives of the company or organization (Johnson, 1995). This perception either attracts the target market or just does not interest them.Adv ertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Positioning goes hand in hand with segmentation and targeting aspects. Segmentation allows the marketers to narrow down a target market on characteristics such as geographical, psycho-graphical and demographical which enables the identification of their requirements or needs to allow for positioning with the advantage of predictability of the perceptions of the segmented market (Gordon, 2002). Positioning through targeting and segmentation takes into consideration changes that could affect the perceptions of the customers. Positioning of products or services thus entails providing product values and brands with features that are valued by the target customers and not able to be imitated by competitors (Aaker, 2001). Positioning being a broad aspect has elements that require the identification of the product opportunities, requirements of th e customers and other market considerations which can be effective through strategic representational forms. Positioning maps or perceptual maps provide comparisons of products or services based on quality and cost (Aaker, 2001). They are relevant in locating different products of the same category in a matrix of technology and style to show how value is added by incorporation of these elements (Gordon, 2002). The Value of Positioning in Strategic Marketing Decision Making Positioning is very crucial in marketing and the extent to which it is useful in making strategic marketing decisions cannot be undermined. It is crucial in decisions of product development. Strategic decision making in marketing relies on information. The positioning of a company creates provision for access to information through increased market research which makes decision making easier and more informed. Positioning enables an organization or company to address the needs and expectations of the target market which influence and add value to segmentation decisions. Further, the positioning of a company determines the strength of the brand whose outcome affects major decision making (Gordon, 2002). Positioning creates a brand community from the target market which not only creates customer retention, loyalty and profits, but also facilitates the brand management which is a core decision in strategic marketing. Strategic decisions in marketing that incorporate the changes in the market such as competitions, pricing mechanisms, improvement of quality, support services to offer, product launching are all dependent on the positioning level of an organization. The social trends, technical advances and economic factors that affect the perceptions of the customer are addressed through the positioning of the company (Aaker, 2001). The marketing tools are all related to positioning which lowers the marketing costs with better positioning and forms the foundation of major decisions such as reposit ioning of products or services (Stuart et al., 2001).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Strategic Decision Making using Positioning and Positioning Maps specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Value of Positioning Maps in Strategic Marketing Decision Making Positioning maps are important in strategic decision making for management since first and foremost they are relevant in the determination of the product or service positioning. This is also facilitated in the decisions of segmentation and market targeting (Gordon, 2002). Perceptual maps provide insight into the potential of the product or service in a competitive environment which facilitates decision making for the maintenance of a competitive advantage. They are also very important in the strategic marketing decision making of the identification of potential customers and other new market opportunities (Dickson, 1997). Additionally, the maps are important in the decision making process involving the marketing functions of analysis of market cluster, trends analysis to enable organizations adapt faster and objectively and in the evaluation of market concepts. Since the positioning maps are represented graphically, they make decision making easier since explanations and the location of relationship analysis is possible. While maps play a crucial role in positioning, they facilitate research of the market relative to the brand with comparisons to competitors which makes the process of brand management, establishment and repositioning easier and more efficient (Dickson, 1997). They help in the identification and analysis of social trends, technological advances, social factors and economic factors among others that form a major influence on the perceptions of the customers (Gordon, 2002). This is necessary for new product development that requires strategic marketing decision making. Conclusion The value of positioning of products and se rvices and the importance of positioning maps are crucial in strategic decision making. Positioning and positioning maps not only provide market and environment analysis, but they are also necessary in major marketing decision making and functions. This paper has provided a summary of strategic marketing and reviewed the values that positioning and positioning maps play in the strategic decision making process of management. Reference List Aaker, D., 2001. Strategic marketing management. New York: Wiley Publications. Dickson, P., 1997. Marketing management. New York: Dryden Press.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gordon, W., 2002. Segmentation architecture. Marketing management, 11(2), pp.6-7. Johnson, R., 1995. Market segmentation: A strategic management tool. Marketing Management, 3(4), pp.49-54. Stuart, J. Kinnear, T. Deighan, M., 2001. Pharmasim: Brand management simulation. Charlottesville: Interpretive Publications. This assessment on Strategic Decision Making using Positioning and Positioning Maps was written and submitted by user Daniel Pitts to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The River Between & Nectar in a Sieve essays

The River Between & Nectar in a Sieve essays Successful and highly praised novels always stand out because the literature has great characters, fascinating and sometime bitter ironies, clashes, conflicts, and noteworthy objectives that rise far above the actual plot structure and embrace much bigger worldly themes. Symbolism is always part of good literature, and the alert reader should be mindful that nearly every important situation presented in the novel could be placed on a bigger stage in terms that make the book more universal. In other words, in both of the novels reviewed in this paper, The River Between and Nectar in a Sieve, the characters are doing things that have application to people and cultures everywhere else on the planet. And in both novels, the struggle between and within cultures is not only against other cultures but also against the changing times and the modernization (globalization) of the planet. What a reader finds immediately profound and dramatic about The River Between is the symbolism of the two mountains (ridges) laying side by side with a river running between. In the story, the two cultures are dead set against one another, with opposing religious beliefs and values. The culture living on the Makuyu ridge subscribes to the Christian beliefs, having been affected and greatly influenced by the British colonial indoctrination; but the tribe living on the Kameno ridge where the storys protagonist, Waiyaki lives, wants to continue the old cultural traditions (like polytheism and circumcision). In fact Waiyaki is anxious for his circumcision to happen, notwithstanding the hideous feelings a reader gets as the author describes what it is like to be circumcised. This would mark his final initiation into manhood. Then he would prove his courage, his manly spirit, Ngugi writes on page 14. In every culture young men are seeking the path to manhood, to stability and a position of respect. The knife produced a ...

It Ends When…

It Ends When†¦ It Ends When It Ends When By Maeve Maddox A reader is puzzled by a line in a movie: While watching The Bourne Ultimatum, I observed a CIA officer saying It ends when weve won . [I’m] a bit confused with this construction as it does not indicate future though the context of sentence [indicates that] the officer is talking about some time in future. If the statement stood alone, one would expect the verb in one of the clauses to be in future tense: â€Å"The killing will end when we have won.† However, the statement â€Å"It ends when we’ve won† refers to a previous sentence that contains or implies the antecedent of the pronoun it. The example from the movie is the second half of this exchange: Pamela Landy: Noah, shes one of us. You start down this path, where does it end? Noah Vosen: It ends when weve won. â€Å"It ends when† + present perfect is a common idiom in such contexts as these: Each week we watch/review 2 films. When will it all end? It ends when we’ve seen all the movies. Affordability doesn’t end at the bottom of our pockets.  It ends when we’ve counted all the costs.   The weekend course starts at 2 pm on Friday and 9 am on Saturday and Sunday. It ends when we’ve covered the material. â€Å"It ends when† can also be followed by present tense: All right: where is the poison? The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both drink, and find out who is right and who is dead. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of LanguagePrecedent vs. PrecedenceEnglish Grammar 101: Sentences, Clauses and Phrases

The cost of short selling Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

The cost of short selling - Term Paper Example A short sale, in general, requires loaning a security and comprises two parties- the borrower and the lender. Stock lending can take place directly or through intermediate agents. The fee for lending is a factor of market demand and supply; low supply or high demand raises the fees. It is said that short selling also influences the market price of a stock; for this reason the regulatory bodies restrict short selling in times of depressed market conditions. Another argument that goes against short sale is the high costs associated with it in the form of margin interest, commission and bid/ask spread. Other than these short selling is also exposed to dangers like unlimited losses, uptick rule etc. Other proxies are available in the market such as options that can replicate short selling and are also said to be less costly. Short selling costs Collateral and margin requirements- Short selling a stock is the opposite of going long on a stock in a â€Å"margin account†. An investor borrows the shares from the brokerage firm. As the seller does not own the stock he has to furnish collateral such as T-bills or cash (AIMA Canada, 2007). These serve the margin requirements of short selling. The amount which the investor has to deposit in the account at the point of initiation of sale is known as ‘initial margin’. ... a total of $13500 (Investopedia, 2010). Bid and ask spread- In a stock quote there are two prices- bid and ask. In the case of a short sale an ordinary investor sells the security at the bid rate. For this kind of investor the broker transmits the order to the stock exchange. At this point the market maker or specialist sells the stock and makes a profit equivalent to difference between the bid and ask rate referred to as ‘spread’. Suppose the bid and ask of Microsoft is $25.95 and $26.05 respectively. Then on a short sale the market maker will enjoy a spread of 10 cents. The profits earned on each trade may be small but the market maker can make huge profits in the case of bulk trading volumes. The amount shelled out as ‘spread’ is borne by the ordinary investor. The ordinary investors fail to realize this and place trade using market orders. In this kind of trade an investor may not get a good return on trade. Margin interest- Most of the firms charge an i nterest on the amount of securities shorted in an account. Going by the low rate of interest this may appear to be small but this can in due course add up with time. Suppose if an investor shorts $8000 worth of security ABC and the interest charged on the account is 6 percent then the investor will have to pay $480 as fees for that year. In the case of highly liquid stocks an investor can also ask for waiver of margin interest. Commissions- The amount paid as commission varies as per discount brokerage firms and full service. An investor has to pay a higher rate of commission in the case of full service brokerage on account of the personal counselling and guidance. But this may not prove to be always

The mirror has two faces Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The mirror has two faces - Movie Review Example The Mirror Has Two Faces is about different views people hold about love,sex,relationships and marriage.The title represents how different insights are seen on the same topicwith the â€Å"mirror† being the topic of love and relationships and the â€Å"two faces† being the different views held by the characters of the movie,mainly Rose and Gregory. A mirror is supposed to be a reflection of the person standing in front of it, and the title of the movie mentions that it has two faces, most probably the person and its reflection, but these faces are not necessarily one and the same person thinking the same thoughts. Hence, the title makes one curious as to what it truly means. The characters’ ideas about sex, love, and marriage: The characters of the movie hold various perspectives on sex, love and marriage. Alex holds romantic views and showers Claire with affection to the point that it suffocates her. To him, he is like a romantic hero. Claire is so bent on using her beauty to attract men but when she gets them, she easily gets tired of them and is searching for another pursuit to keep her excited and interested. Hannah is kind of self-obsessed that to her, love should center on her own happiness and should boost her self-esteem. Henry is more down to earth and is a sounding board to Gregory’s ideas on love and sex and has a more grounded belief that a balance should be struck in order for a relationship to work, although he himself dates younger women not for their intelligence but mostly for their physical appeal. The central characters of Rose and Gregory provide the conflict in the story. For Rose, a romantic relationship should be fueled by passion and romance to support the deep love that the couple has for each other. They should know each other very well, including seemingly insignificant details and should be able to respond to each other’s needs even if help is not solicited. Gregory, on the other hand, burned severa l times from his previous romantic relationships, believe that sex complicates matters. He believes that relationships based on romantic love and physical attraction are worthless because it creates illusions that eventually end up disappointing people because they cannot keep up to the expectations of each other. Where the chief characters are on their relationship journey. The Whiteheads describe marriage both as an institution and as a journey. In the movie, marriage as an institution was not clearly agreed upon by the characters and was not depicted in such a way that it is a solid, immovable establishment. Instead, it would be more appropriate to describe the main characters’ marriage as a journey of friendship gone backwards. Theirs was founded on a deep friendship without the physical affection most man-woman relationships share even before marriage. Gregory claims that they are lucky to have reached their level of relationship to have skipped sexual tension and have g one straight to a meeting of minds and hearts. On the other hand, Rose thought differently. For her, the journey was just beginning and sexual intimacy is a necessary part of the journey towards the marital union, in the truest sense of the word. After they have cleared things with each other of what to expect from their marriage and are now looking at the same road and destination, they anticipate a smoother journey together with all the necessary ingredients to make their marriage stronger. The styles of communication & conflict used by the couples. It has always been known that communication is a key to successful relationships. In the movie, there were various communication styles that reflected the views of the characters. There were scenes wherein Gregory would voice out his passionate beliefs in his theories about a sexless relationship because it does not complicate matters and elevates the relationship to a higher level of respect, trust, admiration. Rose cannot put one wor d in. Because Rose was in love with Gregory, she tried to accept his beliefs, shunning aside her

African American Integration and Independence Essay -- Essays Papers

Integration and Independence In the latter half of 1885 several European empires gathered together for a conference in Berlin. At this meeting of utmost importance, the various European powers laid claim to their African colonial territories, thus dividing the continent like a birthday cake among themselves. The new boundaries now united thousands of cultures, nations and ethnicities under the banner of white ethno-centricity. Thus began the final colonial dominion of Europe which would last well into the 20th century. Although the white minority has relinquished it?s stranglehold on Africa, the ramifications of hundreds of years of political dominion can be found throughout the continent. In 1962 during the heat of these independence movements, the world?s black population watched intently to see if indeed the African race could overthrow their colonial oppressors to bring about a new world order. Half a world away, men of African descent were fighting for an independence of their own. With the American Civil Rights movement in full swing, blacks everywhere stood on the brink of bettering the world for themselves and their children. The American essayist James Baldwin states in his essay ?Down at the Cross? the meanings of the words integration and independence. (Baldwin 337) He claims that each word carried its own fiery meaning but the intent of the movements sparked by these words has not completely fulfilled its purpose. The colonization and political exploitation of Africa was rooted in extreme ethno-centric views. Integration and independence cannot manifest themselves as reality as long as there exists feelings of racial superiority. The colonization of the world by Europeans can be traced t... ...an inferiority lives on (James 34) and until it dies Africans will remain second rate citizens segregated from and dependent on the white world. Works Cited Baldwin, James. ?Down at the Cross.? 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 296-347 Ingalls, Leonard. ?Portuguese Back Rein over Africa.? New York Times: July 19, 1960. James, C.L.R. ?African Independence and the Myth of African Inferiority.? 1958. Education and Black Struggle: Notes from the Colonized World. Boston: Harvard Educational Review, 1974. 33-41 Vansina, Jan. ?African Resistance and the Liquidation of the European Empire.? 1978. African History. New York: Longman Group Limited, 1995. 513-530 White, William S. ?New World of Africa?s Gold Coast Arises from the Ashes of Colonialism.? New York Tines: May 15, 1951. African American Integration and Independence Essay -- Essays Papers Integration and Independence In the latter half of 1885 several European empires gathered together for a conference in Berlin. At this meeting of utmost importance, the various European powers laid claim to their African colonial territories, thus dividing the continent like a birthday cake among themselves. The new boundaries now united thousands of cultures, nations and ethnicities under the banner of white ethno-centricity. Thus began the final colonial dominion of Europe which would last well into the 20th century. Although the white minority has relinquished it?s stranglehold on Africa, the ramifications of hundreds of years of political dominion can be found throughout the continent. In 1962 during the heat of these independence movements, the world?s black population watched intently to see if indeed the African race could overthrow their colonial oppressors to bring about a new world order. Half a world away, men of African descent were fighting for an independence of their own. With the American Civil Rights movement in full swing, blacks everywhere stood on the brink of bettering the world for themselves and their children. The American essayist James Baldwin states in his essay ?Down at the Cross? the meanings of the words integration and independence. (Baldwin 337) He claims that each word carried its own fiery meaning but the intent of the movements sparked by these words has not completely fulfilled its purpose. The colonization and political exploitation of Africa was rooted in extreme ethno-centric views. Integration and independence cannot manifest themselves as reality as long as there exists feelings of racial superiority. The colonization of the world by Europeans can be traced t... ...an inferiority lives on (James 34) and until it dies Africans will remain second rate citizens segregated from and dependent on the white world. Works Cited Baldwin, James. ?Down at the Cross.? 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 296-347 Ingalls, Leonard. ?Portuguese Back Rein over Africa.? New York Times: July 19, 1960. James, C.L.R. ?African Independence and the Myth of African Inferiority.? 1958. Education and Black Struggle: Notes from the Colonized World. Boston: Harvard Educational Review, 1974. 33-41 Vansina, Jan. ?African Resistance and the Liquidation of the European Empire.? 1978. African History. New York: Longman Group Limited, 1995. 513-530 White, William S. ?New World of Africa?s Gold Coast Arises from the Ashes of Colonialism.? New York Tines: May 15, 1951.

Process and Outcome Evaluations

A Process Evaluation has three main components, which are program planning and development, program interventions, and database management system. These three main components are used to achieve these aims, describe program interventions’ development, implementation, and activities, provide quantitative and qualitative data on the services delivered and their effectiveness, and document the appropriateness and acceptability of the program within the target community. The Process Evaluation will answer the question â€Å"did you do what you said you were going to do?† (Yuen, ., & Terao, 2003). Examples of Process Evaluations are:1.The teacher takes attendance each day to find out which students are missing too much class. 2.Over the Christmas holiday the truck group Straight Six Mafia collected 13 boxes of food for the local food bank and $300 in donations for Labor of Love, by holding a truck show. 3.WIC employees pass out brochures containing information where its clie nts may receive other services. Outcome Evaluations are used to look at how effective the interventions are. Data before the intervention and after are collected and compared to yield this information. It assess the outcomes/effectiveness of the programs activities and the impacts the program has on the target population. This evaluation answers the questions â€Å"What benefits did the recipients of service obtain?† and â€Å"How well did you do?† (Yuen, ., & Terao, 2003). Examples of Outcome Evaluations are:1.Workforce Services asks that their clients complete a short interview/survey to see how their experience was and if their needs are being met. 2.Columbus Community Center compared the amount of services it provided last year to this year after they received the new grant to improve the employment program. 3.Career Step contacts alumni students to see if their programs help them receive permanent employment. Process and Outcome Evaluations A Process Evaluation has three main components, which are program planning and development, program interventions, and database management system. These three main components are used to achieve these aims, describe program interventions’ development, implementation, and activities, provide quantitative and qualitative data on the services delivered and their effectiveness, and document the appropriateness and acceptability of the program within the target community. The Process Evaluation will answer the question â€Å"did you do what you said you were going to do?† (Yuen, ., & Terao, 2003). Examples of Process Evaluations are:1.The teacher takes attendance each day to find out which students are missing too much class.2.Over the Christmas holiday the truck group Straight Six Mafia collected 13 boxes of food for the local food bank and $300 in donations for Labor of Love, by holding a truck show.3.WIC employees pass out brochures containing information where its client s may receive other services. Outcome Evaluations are used to look at how effective the interventions are. Data before the intervention and after are collected and compared to yield this information. It assess the outcomes/effectiveness of the programs activities and the impacts the program has on the target population. This evaluation answers the questions â€Å"What benefits did the recipients of service obtain?† and â€Å"How well did you do?† (Yuen, ., & Terao, 2003). Examples of Outcome Evaluations are:1.Workforce Services asks that their clients complete a short interview/survey to see how their experience was and if their needs are being met.2.Columbus Community Center compared the amount of services it provided last year to this year after they received the new grant to improve the employment program.3.Career Step contacts alumni students to see if their programs help them receive permanent employment.