Strategy Assessment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategy Assessment 2 - Essay Example Current paper presents the strengths and weaknesses of a well-known theoretical framework, the Five Forces model of Porter in regard to industry competition. The Porter’s Five Forces model is based on the following rule: each organization is likely to face five forces; the ability of the organization to face these forces denotes the level of competitiveness of the particular organization (Onkvisit and Shaw 2004, p.33). The specific model is commonly used for estimating the level of competitiveness of organizations and nations. The Five Forces which each organization and nation have to face are the following: ‘industry competition, customers, suppliers, new entrants and substitute products’ (Onkvisit and Shaw 2004, p.32). The review of the literature related to this subject has led to the following assumption: the Five Forces model of Porter is a unique tool in measuring an organization’s or country’s competitiveness. Still, in the context of the inte rnational market, the use of the specific framework is not at the levels expected, a fact that it is rather related to the framework’s weaknesses, as discussed below. Moreover, the high level of criticism developed against the Five Forces model of Porter leads to the assumption that the particular framework should be reviewed and updated so that it responds to the current market conditions and demands. 2. Strengths and weaknesses of theories of competitive advantage – M. Porter’s Five Forces theory 2.1. Strengths The Five Forces model of Porter could be characterized as a unique strategic tool in terms of its value in measuring performance. The potentials of the specific model to be used as a tool for measuring performance are important, but not standardized, as also explained in the next section. One of the most important advantages of the particular model seems to be its simplicity. Indeed, as noted in Hill and Jones (2009) the Porter’s Five Forces mode l describes clearly the forces that each organization and nation is expected to face in regard to a particular industry/ market. There can be no misunderstanding in regard to the parts of the particular model since all these parts have certain characteristics that secure these parts’ uniqueness (Hill and Jones 2009). For example, when referring to the bargaining power of suppliers, a specific idea is implied: that suppliers can be more or less powerful in imposing particular prices, according to the level at which their products are unique or not (Hill and Jones 2009). In addition, the Five Forces model highlights the importance of ‘strategic position for the acquisition of a competitive advantage’ (Roy 2011, p.25). In fact, these two concepts, strategic position and competitive advantage are closely related to the Five Forces model that has emphasized, for the first time, on the potential value of strategic position for enhancing competitiveness, either at the l evel of organization or the level of nation (Roy 2011, p.25). Moreover, the Five Forces model refers, also for the first time, to the potentials of a nation to acquire a competitive advantage in the same context as an organization (Roy 2011, p.25). In other words, in regard to competitiveness, organizations are equalized to nations (Roy 2011, p.25). The above fact indicates the potentials of markets to act as bonds between frameworks of different characteristics, as in the case of organizations and nations (Roy 2011

The phenomenon of global jihad will cease with the elimination of Essay

The phenomenon of global jihad will cease with the elimination of Al-Qaeda. Discuss - Essay Example This is a possible act and one that shall bring in a great deal of tolerance and reason within the different affairs of the world. What is required now is a concerted effort to set things right and avoid the talk of global jihad because it is based on mere falsification and nothing else. This paper shall discuss the very reasons why Al-Qaeda has been instrumental at creating severe problems for the different regions of the world and what possible ideological claims could be made to thwart the essence of global jihad which has meant nothing else but tyranny for the 7 billion people in this world. Global jihad’s basis comes from the discussion of understanding that it is something which will create animosity within the people because there are fanatics and extremists which believe in the dictum of Al-Qaeda nonetheless. They are of the view that Al-Qaeda is a force to reckon with and that it has been playing a good role at instilling positive vibes about the Muslim religion in th e world, which is a thinking that is based on no grounds at all. Al-Qaeda has produced leaders like Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omar and others who are the source of tension and terror within the minds and hearts of the people. When the extremists think about jihad, they believe that these so-called leaders are their messiahs, which is not the case at all. However making these extremists understand the reality seems to be a very difficult task because they have been brainwashed at a very young age, and thus lack the skills to think on their own and analyze things which are important and make reason to them. If Al-Qaeda is disbanded today and the extremist leaders are caught either alive or dead, this issue will cease to exist in a very quick way. This is the reason why the allied forces are bent upon doing their best to exert the best possible force to stamp their authority and rid the world of the nuisance that exists with the name of Al-Qaeda. The Talibans who are the people that unde rstand the philosophy that terror can win them anything in this world, and that if they do their best, they can attain any heights only if they have the Muslim philosophy in their hands. The element of terrorism seems to be the only main highlight for their related understanding levels, which is a shame at the end of the day. What the Al-Qaeda and Taliban supporters should comprehend is the fact that the world has all forms and types of people living within its folds, and thinking of these people as the followers of the religion of Islam, and that too which is not accepted by these extremists yet coined in their own peculiar way is madness to the maximum possible levels (Rid 2010). There must be a definitive definition of what extremism is and what it does not entail, because this seems to be a significant factor when one comprehends the good and the bad, and the right and the wrong. It shall bring in the debate of global jihad within the fray and put an end to the discussions that center on the premise of bringing a change which is for the entire world, as the extremists dictate through their actions and terror activities. Al-Qaeda has to come to an end to bring about a change, which is there for the benefit of all and sundry, and which shall bring in a lot of incentives

Design of Phenomenological Research

Design of Phenomenological Research This is a philosophical movement concerned with the study of conscious experience, from the point of view of the first person (Moran, 2000). There is emphasis on the intentionality of experience – that is, the idea that conscious experience is directed towards some phenomena, rather than being merely aimless. Such purposefulness is usually contained in the meaning that the first person ascribes to his or her experience. Human experience is said to be conscious, meaning that we are somehow usually aware of an experience as it is happening, as opposed to for example Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic view in which experience isn’t always conscious. Conscious experience is defined in broad terms, incorporating a wide range of factors including sensation, perception, objects, events, time, self, others, space, sequence, emotion, logic, and so on, with particular emphasis on the meanings of these experiences (two individuals may have exactly the same experience, yet attac h completely different meanings). Historically, phenomenology has been a fragmented philosophy, with numerous variations emerging and becoming established especially since the early part of the 20th century, deriving from works of philosophers like Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Satre, Edmund Husserl, G.W.F Hegel, Max Scheler, and others. The basic tradition of Anglo-Saxon European philosophy as we know it has been dominated by phenomenology throughout the last century, and currently provides the philosophical basis for a major part of clinical studies, usually subsumed under the heading of qualitative research. EXPERIMENTAL (SCIENTIFIC) APPROACH Scientific experimentation forms part of the wider traditional positivist doctrine, developed by Auguste Comte during the early part of the nineteenth century (Coolican, 1994). Positivism dictates that only phenomena that can be quantified and measured, are worthy of scientific experimentation. Emerging from this philosophy is the hypothetico-deductive doctrine, which entails making observations, developing theories, formulating and testing predictions from those theories, and modifying or supporting the theory accordingly. This procedure is what many researchers refer to as the ‘scientific method’. Experimentation is often regarded as the ‘gold standard’ in scientific (clinical) research. It entails the deliberate manipulation of variables under controlled conditions, in order to establish causality, and important factor in clinical settings. Control is achieved primarily by random allocation of participants to conditions, effectively distributing any diffe rences between people evenly across the conditions, and hence ‘balancing things out’. Many experiments are also conducted in a controlled environment, such as laboratory. Experimentation is underpinned by a number of assumptions, including the idea that people can be isolated from their social environment and treated as a group rather than as individuals. Furthermore, it is possible for the researcher to remain objective, remaining distant from the subject and hence having no influence on their behaviour. RESEARCH METHODS Aims and Objectives Phenomenological research is exploratory, seeking to understand people’s conscious experiences through that persons’ own viewpoint, what ever it may be. By contrast experimentation focuses on testing specific hypotheses, which have usually been selected by the researcher, hence reflecting the researchers own perspectives, rather than those of the participant. For example, take the case of a patient who has recently being diagnosed as anorexic. She is receiving treatment but there is a need for research to establish whether the treatment is having the desired effect. Phenomenology will focus on the patient’s own conscious experience of anorexia and recovery, and the meaning she attaches to these experiences. For example, the individual may view anorexia as a devastating experience with feel that she is not recovering despite her treatment. The whole experience may have created a sense of revulsion about her condition and pessimism about the recovery. The phenomenologist will try to explore – to use Husserls Greek terms her â€Å"noesis† or intentional act of consciousness (e.g. her beliefs and feelings) and †Å"noematic†, meaning the object or phenomena (anorexia, recovery). By contrast, the experimenter will aim to test hypotheses that the treatment is or isn’t effective in eliciting recovery, which will be appraised in quantifiable terms, such as changes in body-mass index, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Given the different aims/objectives (i.e. exploration, hypothesis testing), the experimenter and phenomenologist could arrive at completely different conclusions. For example, the patient may feel and believe they are not getting better albeit experimental (medical) parameters suggest otherwise. Research Questions Hypotheses Phenomenological questions typically exploratory, asking how an individual has consciously experienced a phenomenon, such as illness or disease. There are no hypotheses. The question can take any one of several forms, depending on the area of phenomenology. For example, existential phenomenology will inquire about the persons’ experience of free choice (e.g. in selecting their treatment), generative phenomenology will explore the meaning of the phenomena to the individual with reference to historical factors (e.g. the way a disease has historically been interpreted in their society), while a transcendental phenomenology will ask about the person’s conscious experiences completely excluding questions about the external environment (e.g. how the disease is experienced, regardless the hospital environment, treatments, and other external factors). Experimental questions are often more precise, asking whether there is a relationship between two or more variables. The questio n is usually accompanied by testable hypotheses, which specify whether or not a relationship exists and the direction (i.e. positive or negative) of the relationship. So, for example the experimenter will ask whether a particular intervention will cure the illness, accompanied by a hypothesis (e.g. the intervention significantly improves health outcomes). Unlikely phenomenology, the experimental approach rarely involves exploratory or open-ended questions as it is a requirement that all variables (independent and dependent) are specified a priori. However, statements of hypotheses can be â€Å"two-tailed† whereby the precise relationship expected between two variables is left â€Å"open† (i.e. not specified). Design Phenomenological research is typically unstructured, with no specific ‘design’ or ‘format’. The researcher is at liberty to proceed as they see fit, merely ensuring that they conform to the basic tenets of philosophy, notably emphasising the first-person and targeting their conscious experience. The setting is usually realistic or naturalistic, so for example, no attempt is made to ‘remove’ the patient from their natural environment[1]. Experimental research is traditionally highly structured. There are specific designs available to the researcher, each with set parameters or protocols. Randomisation of subjects to conditions is critical, to minimise the counfounding effects of nuisance variables. Therefore it is essential to recruit a sample of individuals who serve as participants. They can either be exposed to all conditions of the experiment, leading to a within-groups design, or assigned to just one of the conditions, creating a between-gro ups design. Independent and dependent variables must be specified clearly, so that there is no uncertainty about the conditions being manipulated, the direction of causality, and outcome measures. The setting is typically artificial – for example a laboratory – with a low degree of realism. It is important to point out that some phenonemonological research assumes that conscious experience is a function of neurological activity in the brain, known as neurophenomenology. This overlap with physiological sciences means that an experimental design may be used to establish the authenticity of certain aspects of conscious experience (e.g. determining whether an experience of motor activity is accompanied by electrical activity in the appropriate regions of the brain). Data Collection Data is typically collected using one-to-one interviews between the researcher and the participant, rather similar to private sessions between a patient and their psychiatrist or psychotherapist. The interviews are typically open-ended, thereby letting things show themselves, to use Heidegger’s terms. Data collection in experimentation may involve one or more techniques including observational methods (participant and non-participant observation, role playing and simulation, the diary method, and naturalistic observation), interviews and surveys (psychometric tests, structured/semi-structured interviews, clinical method). Whatever technique is used, the goal is to generate quantitative data which would allow mathematical assessments of reliability and validity, and also statistical analysis. Reliability relates to the consistency of a participants responses, while validity indicates whether the appropriate phenomenon of interest is being measured in the first place. Questions in interviews and surveys are typically close-ended, so that the participant can only respond using a pre-determined range of options provided by the experimenter. Data Analysis The phenomenological method assumes first-person familiarity with the particular experience of interest to the researcher. Data analysis essentially entails description of a conscious experience exactly as it is lived by the participant and presented to the researcher, who does not interfere. The researcher may then attempt to interpret the experience from their particular phenomenological perspective. For example, hermeneutical phenomenologists, such as Heidegger, will try to make sense of the experience by placing it in a social and linguistic context (e.g. who else is involved, and how do the parties communicate). By contrast a naturalistic constitutive phenomenologist will relate the experience to nature, seeking out links with natural environment (e.g. climate, culture, ecology). Regardless of their area of phenomenology, it is essential for the researcher to analyse the type of experience presented, identifying any unique features for further investigation. More recently, data analysis may entail a logico-semantic approach that aims to identify the truth of an experience (e.g. â€Å"this disease can be cured†) and the conditions necessary to satisfy an intention (e.g. â€Å"I will feel better if I take my medicine†). Phenomenologists also use modern techniques for analysing qualitative data, such as thematic analysis, typologies, quotations, and so on. Data analysis in experimentation requires the use of statistical tests in order to establish the â€Å"significance† of any observed changes in the dependent variable, following manipulation of the independent variable. Usually, a ‘level of significance’ is set, depicting a specific probability (e.g. .05) that observed differences between groups or conditions occurred by chance. Typically, the probability of chance must be equal to or less than the chosen significance level in order for the test results to be regarded as significant. There is no attempt by the experimenter to â€Å"impose† any interpretation or subjective analysis on the data without the use of statistical tools, which introduce some mathematical objectivity. However, the likelihood of obtaining significant results is often affected by analytic and methodological considerations, such as the sample size and the sensitivity of the chosen statistical test. Furthermore, results that are statistically significant may nevertheless have little or no clinical significance, for example in terms of Quality Life Years, and morbidity and mortality rates. Table 1 Differences between phenomenological and experimental approaches (selected issues) Phenomenological Experimental Method Unstructured Structured Research Question Exploratory Hypothesis testing Perspective First-person Third-person Subject Matter Conscious experience Quantifiable phenomena Data Analysis Intuitive Statistical Setting Naturalistic Artificial Clinical Application Detailed insight Efficacy CLINICAL PRACTICE Phenomenological and experimental approaches both have an important role to play in clinical practice. Nevertheless, each method may offer very different perspectives on the same medical quandary, or may be more suited to certain problems rather than others. Consider the effectiveness of nurse-led thrombolysis on patients present at an Accidence Emergency unit with cardiac symptoms. A phenomenological approach would be suitable for obtaining detailed insights into nurses feelings about their effectiveness in administering the procedure, their confidence, doubts, anxieties, suspicions, resentments, and other feelings and beliefs that may explain their clinical competence or otherwise. This may provide managers and consultants with valued ideas about how to support nurses, hence improving service delivery. By contrast the experimental approach will be more amenable to establishing the clinical effectiveness of nurse-initiated thrombolysis, for example in terms of the percentage of fatalities and door-to-needle times. A E units could be randomly assigned to a condition in which nurses implement thrombolytic procedures, or a control condition in which the intervention is performed by busy consultants. Patient satisfaction rates and hospital delays could then be compared across both conditions using statistical procedures. Although phenomenology and experimentation approach the problem differently, findings from both paradigms will have some clinical benefit if service delivery is ultimately improved. BIBLIOGRAPHY Coolican, H. (1994) Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology. London: Hodder Stoughton. Moran, D. (2000) Introduction to Phenomenology. London and New York: Routledge. Smith, B. Smith, D.W. (eds.) (1995) The Cambridge Companion to Husserl Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press. Wikipedia (2006) Phenomenology [online]. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenology/ [Accessed 22 July 2006]. Footnotes [1] Although in the interest of privacy researcher and patient may seek a quiet location that may be somewhat atypical of the subjects’ usual setting.

Analysis of The Most Dangerous Game :: Most Dangerous Game Essays

Analysis of The Most Dangerous Game  Ã‚   Many people look at themselves in the mirror and say, " I know who I am."   But how many of them have done so after analyzing themselves through a story?   And if they have done that, how many of them were being honest with themselves? A Lacanian analysis can bring out sides of us that we didn't know existed. I found this to be true after reading "The Most Dangerous Game." By looking at the events in the story and the characters that play them out, I found that there is a part of me that has an insatiable curiosity and a love of danger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To begin with, by looking closely at the main characters and their actions, I found a small part of myself in each of them. When Rainsford heard gunshots from the yacht, he jumped up onto the ship's railing. My initial response was, "Why would you do such a thing when no one is there to help if you fall?" I believe that this was my logical, sensible reaction. However, if I look at the situation with a sense of curiosity I find that I would have done the same thing. I think this is because, even though I've always tried to be a responsible, reasoning person, I have always had a desire to be carefree and daring. I think that want comes from movies I've seen in the past and books I've read in which the female characters were adventurous and lived for danger. I can remember times when I would finish reading a book, perhaps, and try to be just like the adventuring character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I can also look at General Zaroff, too, and see a hidden facet to my person. What I first thought of the General was that he was disgusting, evil, and had no respect for human life. I thought, "Oh my gosh, what if there really are people like this in the world?" However, when General Zaroff laid all the cards on the table and stated his purpose, hunting people, specifically Rainsford, I was oddly intrigued. I was frustrated with myself for being interested in such an inhumane game. But upon further examination of my reaction, I found that it wasn't the game that literally that fascinated me, but the concept of it; the danger. I feel that this interested me because the very few tastes of danger that I've had in the past have appeared to me as fun, actually living life to the fullest extent.

Market Segmentation

Division of marketing for Kit Kat – chocolate bar, into geographic , demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation. Geographic segmentation The market is broadly divided into Urban (cities and towns) and Rural (villages). Kit Kat caters the high urban need by making products available that too with a variety with the help of which the rural crowd can be kept attracted. Rural needs are also kept in mind and there is nothing even required for Kit Kat to make an effort to attract rural crowd because of the price.Kit Kat’s price is very reasonable that attracts rural crowd and gives them proper quantity of chocolate as well be it the two-finger Kit Kat or the four-finger. Since Kit Kat has its price stable and has a very minor change in its price, it can still target the rural crowd by making them aware that compared to their competitors Cadbury their product is cheaper and much affordable. Demographic segmentation With the youth population getting larger, Kit Kat looks to take an advantage of that.They have also segmented the market for children, adults and aged people. Kit Kat is a type of a chocolate that is light and can be consumed by every age group. Majority of the customer base in market comprises of middle class and upper middle class. But income groups have never been a concern for Kit Kat, the prices of Kit Kat have been stable for decades and the prices are such that any income group can afford it. Psychographic segmentation Market Segmentation Market segmentation Market consists of large number of actual and potential customers. The process of splitting the market into different groups or segments based on the needs, characteristics or buyer behavior is called as Segmentation (Kotler, Brown, Adam, and Armstrong, 2007). Singapore Airlines (SIA) has used traditional approach adopted by legacy carriers for segmentation. SIA focuses on business travelers and the price sensitive leisure travelers. The business paradigm of SIA has clearly differentiated these two segments by catering to their heterogonous need. In order to penetrate their existing market and expand their revenue base they are also focusing on additional segment based on consumer loyalty. The increasing revenue of SIA has been depicted in appendix 1. Detailed analysis of segmentation strategy used by Singapore Airline is given as below: Psychographic variables Preferences: The two major groups of business and leisure travelers differ in their preferences. It’s believed that on an average in aviation industry elite travelers contribute up to 50% of revenue though they add up to less than 20% in passenger number (Brancatelli, 2009). Hence the preference of this particular segment (Business travelers) is given additional importance. They are given exclusive in-flight service with respect to variety of cuisines being served, exotic drinks and special seating comfort (Wirtz and Johnston, 2003). At the same time since the other segment i. e. the leisure travelers form the major chunk of passengers their preferences also cannot be ignored. They too are given in-flight services which can be termed best as per industry practices. Nature of demand: Since the nature of demand varies with respect to business and leisure travelers it is used as a parameter for discriminator analysis. Business travelers demand more working space, internet and telephone connections whereas leisure travelers demand more in-flight entertainment features (Singapore Airlines, 2009) Behavioral variables: Brand loyalty: Customer loyalty can also be used as a basis for market segmentation (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA has also segmented their market on the basis of customer loyalty. Retaining an existing customer goes a long way in bringing in additional revenues for the company and this is exactly the reason why SIA has chosen loyalty as a variable for segmentation. SIA gives KrisFlyer and PPS club membership to their loyal customers in a bid to retain their loyalty. KrisFlyer silver group members, enjoy certain privileges such as they are allowed to fly on short notice even if the reservation is not confirmed. Similarly PPS club members are given privileges like free accident and travel insurance, increased baggage allowance etc. Singapore Airlines, 2009) Targeting Target marketing basically refers to the division of the market into various different segments and then focusing on prominent and significant key segments (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA targets customers based on lifestyle, income group and social class. Lifestyle SIA targets segments based on lifestyle (Murali and Murali, 2008). SIA ensures that customers, who give more importance to comfort and luxury , have a great experience on board. SIA places special focus on high end and discerning customers and targets customers accordingly. Income Group Income group is also used as a parameter for targeting customers (Murali et al, 2008). SIA is a premium airline which focuses on providing value based flying experience to the customer and it comes with a heavy price tag. Hence, SIA aims to tap the high and middle income groups which are more likely to pay for quality. Social Class SIA also targets customers based on their social class. Every social class has beliefs and attitudes, which shapes their buying behavior (Kotler et al, 2007). People belonging to the elite class will go for a high end brand, so being a luxury airline SIA targets the high social classes. Positioning Positioning can be defined as the process of framing the image of a company in the view of the target market, based on the products and services offered (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA positions itself as a premium luxury carrier. SIA portrays itself as an airline that provides all the luxuries that one may desire while travelling, be it comforts, a hospitable crew or an overwhelming in-flight experience. The primary message used by SIA, is self explanatory; A Great Way to Fly (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The marketing strategy has been consistent all the way, the message that SIA wants to send across to the target market is that; it is the best airline in its segment. SIA joined the Star Alliance in 2000, which is the first and the largest airline alliance of its kind (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The â€Å"Singapore Girl† strategy was a very influential idea that gave SIA the push it needed and went on to become a very successful brand icon (Roll, 2009). This brand personality of â€Å"Singapore Girl† further helps them reaffirm their position as an airline which provides high level of hospitality. Brand positioning for SIA is depicted in the diagram shown below. The strategy adapted by SIA is to position themselves as a high quality and high value brand and especially with the â€Å"Singapore Girl† concept they show the level of hospitality offered to the customers. SIA positions itself away from the competitors in every class, be it economy class, business class or first class. In the above diagram; AIQ – AirAsia ALK – Srilankan Airlines DLH – Lufthansa SIA – Singapore Airlines In the current scenario, where premium airlines are cutting down onboard services to reduce prices in order to compete with the low-cost carriers, SIA continues to maintain their brand image. The management of SIA believes that there are customers willing to spend a good amount for quality products and services (Roll, 2009). So looking for high end customers is not an issue, rather their job is to position the brand in such a way that customers get attracted to fly on SIA, and so far SIA has been able to create, what they refer to as the Wow Effect (Wirtz et al, 2003). Market Segmentation Division of marketing for Kit Kat – chocolate bar, into geographic , demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation. Geographic segmentation The market is broadly divided into Urban (cities and towns) and Rural (villages). Kit Kat caters the high urban need by making products available that too with a variety with the help of which the rural crowd can be kept attracted. Rural needs are also kept in mind and there is nothing even required for Kit Kat to make an effort to attract rural crowd because of the price.Kit Kat’s price is very reasonable that attracts rural crowd and gives them proper quantity of chocolate as well be it the two-finger Kit Kat or the four-finger. Since Kit Kat has its price stable and has a very minor change in its price, it can still target the rural crowd by making them aware that compared to their competitors Cadbury their product is cheaper and much affordable. Demographic segmentation With the youth population getting larger, Kit Kat looks to take an advantage of that.They have also segmented the market for children, adults and aged people. Kit Kat is a type of a chocolate that is light and can be consumed by every age group. Majority of the customer base in market comprises of middle class and upper middle class. But income groups have never been a concern for Kit Kat, the prices of Kit Kat have been stable for decades and the prices are such that any income group can afford it. Psychographic segmentation Market Segmentation Market segmentation Market consists of large number of actual and potential customers. The process of splitting the market into different groups or segments based on the needs, characteristics or buyer behavior is called as Segmentation (Kotler, Brown, Adam, and Armstrong, 2007). Singapore Airlines (SIA) has used traditional approach adopted by legacy carriers for segmentation. SIA focuses on business travelers and the price sensitive leisure travelers. The business paradigm of SIA has clearly differentiated these two segments by catering to their heterogonous need. In order to penetrate their existing market and expand their revenue base they are also focusing on additional segment based on consumer loyalty. The increasing revenue of SIA has been depicted in appendix 1. Detailed analysis of segmentation strategy used by Singapore Airline is given as below: Psychographic variables Preferences: The two major groups of business and leisure travelers differ in their preferences. It’s believed that on an average in aviation industry elite travelers contribute up to 50% of revenue though they add up to less than 20% in passenger number (Brancatelli, 2009). Hence the preference of this particular segment (Business travelers) is given additional importance. They are given exclusive in-flight service with respect to variety of cuisines being served, exotic drinks and special seating comfort (Wirtz and Johnston, 2003). At the same time since the other segment i. e. the leisure travelers form the major chunk of passengers their preferences also cannot be ignored. They too are given in-flight services which can be termed best as per industry practices. Nature of demand: Since the nature of demand varies with respect to business and leisure travelers it is used as a parameter for discriminator analysis. Business travelers demand more working space, internet and telephone connections whereas leisure travelers demand more in-flight entertainment features (Singapore Airlines, 2009) Behavioral variables: Brand loyalty: Customer loyalty can also be used as a basis for market segmentation (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA has also segmented their market on the basis of customer loyalty. Retaining an existing customer goes a long way in bringing in additional revenues for the company and this is exactly the reason why SIA has chosen loyalty as a variable for segmentation. SIA gives KrisFlyer and PPS club membership to their loyal customers in a bid to retain their loyalty. KrisFlyer silver group members, enjoy certain privileges such as they are allowed to fly on short notice even if the reservation is not confirmed. Similarly PPS club members are given privileges like free accident and travel insurance, increased baggage allowance etc. Singapore Airlines, 2009) Targeting Target marketing basically refers to the division of the market into various different segments and then focusing on prominent and significant key segments (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA targets customers based on lifestyle, income group and social class. Lifestyle SIA targets segments based on lifestyle (Murali and Murali, 2008). SIA ensures that customers, who give more importance to comfort and luxury , have a great experience on board. SIA places special focus on high end and discerning customers and targets customers accordingly. Income Group Income group is also used as a parameter for targeting customers (Murali et al, 2008). SIA is a premium airline which focuses on providing value based flying experience to the customer and it comes with a heavy price tag. Hence, SIA aims to tap the high and middle income groups which are more likely to pay for quality. Social Class SIA also targets customers based on their social class. Every social class has beliefs and attitudes, which shapes their buying behavior (Kotler et al, 2007). People belonging to the elite class will go for a high end brand, so being a luxury airline SIA targets the high social classes. Positioning Positioning can be defined as the process of framing the image of a company in the view of the target market, based on the products and services offered (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA positions itself as a premium luxury carrier. SIA portrays itself as an airline that provides all the luxuries that one may desire while travelling, be it comforts, a hospitable crew or an overwhelming in-flight experience. The primary message used by SIA, is self explanatory; A Great Way to Fly (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The marketing strategy has been consistent all the way, the message that SIA wants to send across to the target market is that; it is the best airline in its segment. SIA joined the Star Alliance in 2000, which is the first and the largest airline alliance of its kind (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The â€Å"Singapore Girl† strategy was a very influential idea that gave SIA the push it needed and went on to become a very successful brand icon (Roll, 2009). This brand personality of â€Å"Singapore Girl† further helps them reaffirm their position as an airline which provides high level of hospitality. Brand positioning for SIA is depicted in the diagram shown below. The strategy adapted by SIA is to position themselves as a high quality and high value brand and especially with the â€Å"Singapore Girl† concept they show the level of hospitality offered to the customers. SIA positions itself away from the competitors in every class, be it economy class, business class or first class. In the above diagram; AIQ – AirAsia ALK – Srilankan Airlines DLH – Lufthansa SIA – Singapore Airlines In the current scenario, where premium airlines are cutting down onboard services to reduce prices in order to compete with the low-cost carriers, SIA continues to maintain their brand image. The management of SIA believes that there are customers willing to spend a good amount for quality products and services (Roll, 2009). So looking for high end customers is not an issue, rather their job is to position the brand in such a way that customers get attracted to fly on SIA, and so far SIA has been able to create, what they refer to as the Wow Effect (Wirtz et al, 2003). Market Segmentation Market segmentation Market consists of large number of actual and potential customers. The process of splitting the market into different groups or segments based on the needs, characteristics or buyer behavior is called as Segmentation (Kotler, Brown, Adam, and Armstrong, 2007). Singapore Airlines (SIA) has used traditional approach adopted by legacy carriers for segmentation. SIA focuses on business travelers and the price sensitive leisure travelers. The business paradigm of SIA has clearly differentiated these two segments by catering to their heterogonous need. In order to penetrate their existing market and expand their revenue base they are also focusing on additional segment based on consumer loyalty. The increasing revenue of SIA has been depicted in appendix 1. Detailed analysis of segmentation strategy used by Singapore Airline is given as below: Psychographic variables Preferences: The two major groups of business and leisure travelers differ in their preferences. It’s believed that on an average in aviation industry elite travelers contribute up to 50% of revenue though they add up to less than 20% in passenger number (Brancatelli, 2009). Hence the preference of this particular segment (Business travelers) is given additional importance. They are given exclusive in-flight service with respect to variety of cuisines being served, exotic drinks and special seating comfort (Wirtz and Johnston, 2003). At the same time since the other segment i. e. the leisure travelers form the major chunk of passengers their preferences also cannot be ignored. They too are given in-flight services which can be termed best as per industry practices. Nature of demand: Since the nature of demand varies with respect to business and leisure travelers it is used as a parameter for discriminator analysis. Business travelers demand more working space, internet and telephone connections whereas leisure travelers demand more in-flight entertainment features (Singapore Airlines, 2009) Behavioral variables: Brand loyalty: Customer loyalty can also be used as a basis for market segmentation (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA has also segmented their market on the basis of customer loyalty. Retaining an existing customer goes a long way in bringing in additional revenues for the company and this is exactly the reason why SIA has chosen loyalty as a variable for segmentation. SIA gives KrisFlyer and PPS club membership to their loyal customers in a bid to retain their loyalty. KrisFlyer silver group members, enjoy certain privileges such as they are allowed to fly on short notice even if the reservation is not confirmed. Similarly PPS club members are given privileges like free accident and travel insurance, increased baggage allowance etc. Singapore Airlines, 2009) Targeting Target marketing basically refers to the division of the market into various different segments and then focusing on prominent and significant key segments (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA targets customers based on lifestyle, income group and social class. Lifestyle SIA targets segments based on lifestyle (Murali and Murali, 2008). SIA ensures that customers, who give more importance to comfort and luxury , have a great experience on board. SIA places special focus on high end and discerning customers and targets customers accordingly. Income Group Income group is also used as a parameter for targeting customers (Murali et al, 2008). SIA is a premium airline which focuses on providing value based flying experience to the customer and it comes with a heavy price tag. Hence, SIA aims to tap the high and middle income groups which are more likely to pay for quality. Social Class SIA also targets customers based on their social class. Every social class has beliefs and attitudes, which shapes their buying behavior (Kotler et al, 2007). People belonging to the elite class will go for a high end brand, so being a luxury airline SIA targets the high social classes. Positioning Positioning can be defined as the process of framing the image of a company in the view of the target market, based on the products and services offered (Kotler et al, 2007). SIA positions itself as a premium luxury carrier. SIA portrays itself as an airline that provides all the luxuries that one may desire while travelling, be it comforts, a hospitable crew or an overwhelming in-flight experience. The primary message used by SIA, is self explanatory; A Great Way to Fly (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The marketing strategy has been consistent all the way, the message that SIA wants to send across to the target market is that; it is the best airline in its segment. SIA joined the Star Alliance in 2000, which is the first and the largest airline alliance of its kind (Singapore Airlines, 2009). The â€Å"Singapore Girl† strategy was a very influential idea that gave SIA the push it needed and went on to become a very successful brand icon (Roll, 2009). This brand personality of â€Å"Singapore Girl† further helps them reaffirm their position as an airline which provides high level of hospitality. Brand positioning for SIA is depicted in the diagram shown below. The strategy adapted by SIA is to position themselves as a high quality and high value brand and especially with the â€Å"Singapore Girl† concept they show the level of hospitality offered to the customers. SIA positions itself away from the competitors in every class, be it economy class, business class or first class. In the above diagram; AIQ – AirAsia ALK – Srilankan Airlines DLH – Lufthansa SIA – Singapore Airlines In the current scenario, where premium airlines are cutting down onboard services to reduce prices in order to compete with the low-cost carriers, SIA continues to maintain their brand image. The management of SIA believes that there are customers willing to spend a good amount for quality products and services (Roll, 2009). So looking for high end customers is not an issue, rather their job is to position the brand in such a way that customers get attracted to fly on SIA, and so far SIA has been able to create, what they refer to as the Wow Effect (Wirtz et al, 2003).

Forensic Psych

Forensic Psychology Psychology involves the scientific study of mental functions and behaviors of the human body. It can be looked as being broken down into two categories, basic psychology and applied psychology. Basic psychology is the use of theories and fundamentals to explain how attitudes, personalities, values, and behaviors are related while applied psychology is the use of these psychological principles and theories to overcome problems in real life situations.Some of the basic psychology studies include abnormal, cognitive, developmental, and social psychology. Applied psychology applies these studies in things like clinical, forensic, health, and educational psychology. I chose to explore the study of an applied type of psych, forensic psychology. Forensic psychology is the application of the science and profession of psychology to questions issues relating to law and the legal system. The word ‘forensic' comes from the Latin word ‘forensis,' meaning ‘of the forum,' where the law courts of ancient Rome were held.Not only does forensic psychology require understanding of the different psychological studies but also an understanding of the law and how it works. Looking at legal issues from a psychological standpoint combines psychology and the law. This form of psychology is used frequently in the legal system. Legal systems make use of forensic psychologists and their practice in evaluations of the mental status of defendants before, during and after trial proceedings.Most may think forensic psychology is only used in criminal matters but forensic psychologist may also assist in a wide variety of civil matters. Civil matters can include lawsuits or insurance claims where emotional affliction is a part of the claim. Determination of competency of an aged or ill person to make decisions, or whether a death was an accident or a â€Å"disguised suicide† in an insurance claim case are both examples of how forensic psychology can he lp aid certain legal cases.The idea of forensic psychology first came about in the late 1800’s. But it wasn’t until the 1900’s when a German psychologist by the name of Hugo Munsterberg claimed that psychology should be applied to the law. Even though this is a couple hundred years from today, it wasn’t until 2001 that the American Psychological Association recognized forensic psychology as a specialization under the study of psychology. In 1906, a defense attorney asked Hugo to review his convicted client’s investigation and trial records.This promoted his 1908 book â€Å"On the Witness Stand†. It detailed how psychological factors can influence the outcome of a trial. In the book, he discussed problems with eyewitness testimony, false confessions, and interrogations. Munsterberg points out that for various reasons why eye witness testimony is essentially unreliable, he describes how eye witness testimony is naturally susceptible to what he calls â€Å"illusions† where a subjects perceptions could be affected causing an inaccurate testimony.In the portion of the book that he calls â€Å"The Detection of Crime†, he discusses the many factors that can influence testimonies, gain confessions, and force confessions from those who are innocent. He explains some of the ways that police have of making suspects confess to crimes that they had not committed, some of these including making their life as uncomfortable as possible while in holding to be able to break down their energy, and â€Å"worst of all giving brutal shocks given with fiendish cruelty to the terrified imagination of the suspect. Later, in 1917 one of Munsterberg’s students, William Marston, discovered that systolic blood pressure and lying were directly correlated. This discovery helped lead the creation of the modern polygraph detector Forensic psychology was largely stagnant until the 1940s and 1950s, when psychologists began regularl y testifying in courts as experts on a range of psychological topics. They became able to conduct evaluations to help the court with mental statuses, the sanity of defendants, and legal competence. One of the first uses of forensic psychology in the court was in the landmark case Brown v.Board of Education (1954) that ended legal segregation in public schools. Psychologists showed that segregation had a negative effect on the self-esteem of young children and the court believed this was a persuasive argument. This proved that psychologists were an extremely useful form of testimony for both the plaintiffs and defendants. Another example of the importance of forensic psychologists came around in 1962 when psychologists serving as mental illness professionals were strongly supported by the court in the case Jenkins v. United States.Here the court ruled in support to psychologists being used as expert witnesses when mental illnesses are concerned. Following this example many other cour ts, both federal and local, began to accept the use of psychologists and psychological assessments more willingly. Psychological assessment refers to scientific methods used by psychologists for the purpose of understanding and explaining an individual’s, couple’s or family’s psychological functioning. Psychological assessments help to define and understand personality, behavior, emoti ons, intelligence, and how they come together.Such assessments help to answer diagnostic questions, to specify a person’s strengths, weaknesses and personality structure, and to explain and to predict behavior. Assessments that are used in the forensic setting are a leading activity for those whom are involved. Forensic psychological assessments are an in-depth process utilizing extensive interviewing, and standardized psychological tests, which produce reliable, valid and reproducible results. To be all-inclusive, an assessment needs to examine a range of psychological fac tors, such as cognitive and personality functioning, developmental history, and interpersonal relationships.These factors can be further broken down into emotional, cognitive, intellectual, developmental, executive, educational, social, neuropsychological, and physiological functioning. Information obtained from standardized psychological assessment has a normative, statistical scientific basis, as it compares the individual against data collected in samples of normal and clinically disordered individuals. It allows the evaluator to determine how similar or dissimilar this person is to people in these samples.While individuals may attempt to â€Å"look good† or â€Å"look bad† in interviews, depending on the case at hand, most test instruments contain multiple validity scales on which to evaluate the extent to which the individual is providing honest, candid, defensive, socially desirable, or exaggerated depictions of their psychological health or symptoms. An overall aim of forensic psychological assessment is to provide the basis for concluding both previous and active factors that can help to explain specific actions, and to make recommendations applicable to the legal issues at hand.The court appoints a psychologist to determine a range of things including mental state, diminished capacity, and competency. When it comes to mental state, a determination is made as to whether there is substantial evidence that the patient suffers a mental disorder. Emotions are not considered a mental disorder. The psychologist needs to consider psychological influences at the scene of the alleged crime. Depending on the outcome of the examination, the psychologist may testify in court how the impaired mental abilities â€Å"actually caused a malformation of the mental element of the crime. The psychologist does not have to be certain that the defendant's disorder caused him or her to be unable to form the intent or knowledge or the crime, but the expert must have some belief in the â€Å"probability or possibility† that it did. Experts need to testify with reasonable medical or psychological certainty. Three main areas of defense related to mental health include diminished capacity, competency, or mitigating (justifying) circumstances. A diminished capacity assessment focuses on whether or not a person was able to comprehend the alleged crime being committed.The psychologist assessed whether the individual, in his/her opinion, was organized, purposeful, and goal oriented. The main question is, whether the defendant's behavior was affected by a mental disorder of mood or thought, by alcohol and or drug intoxication or an irresistible impulse induced by a mental disease affecting the person so that the person is unable to resist the impulse to commit the act that he or she has been charged with. A competency evaluation assesses whether a person has the mental facility or ability to understand the legal proceedings against them.Also , the evaluation focuses on determining whether they are able to assist their attorney in their own defense. Mitigating circumstances are sometimes considered regarding the defendant's capacity to â€Å"appreciate the wrongfulness of their conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law. † Whether a person is charged with a misdemeanor or a felony, their mental state or mental illness is an issue to consider before conviction or before sentencing. The attorney representing the accused person may request a psychological evaluation or sometimes an evaluation is court ordered.Psychological expert witness testimony may also be used in a personal injury case when the plaintiff makes a case that they suffered undue  mental or emotional  pain and suffering. In family law cases, the parties may be evaluated with regard to the best interests of the child or children, and a custody and parenting-time recommendation is made. An in-depth evaluation of the parties, an assessment of their parenting and relationships with their children, and an assessment of their children's status and developmental needs is devised in terms of the children's best interests and a parenting and custody plan which best meets the children eeds. The following is a list of most widely known and commonly utilized psychological tests in forensic contexts: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) – The most recent of the adult Wechsler tests is a general test of intelligence, IQ (general measure of intellectual ability). There are 15 subtests that make up the WAIS-IV; at least 10 must be administered to derive an IQ score. In addition to providing an IQ, scores are derived on the following groups of the WAIS-IV subtests:   Verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed.For adolescents and children, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition is used. Rorschach Ink Blot Method – This is a performance-based test instrument. The examinee is presented with the Rorschach inkblots and asked, â€Å"What do you see? † Score results provide insight into the individual’s basic psychological processes such as thinking, impulse control, stress tolerance, reality testing, imagination, and interpersonal relationships.Compared to self-report measures, the Rorschach is not nearly as vulnerable to impression-management or attempts to exaggerate problems. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) –  A self-report personality inventory, and is the most commonly used test in forensic psychological assessment. The MMPI-2 provides information along multiple scopes including clinical syndromes, personality characteristics, psychosocial stressors and severity of disturbance. Scoring provides a number of validity scales.There are 10 primary clinical scales and a multitude of content and symptom scales. Psychology is a growing field and will continued to b e used in the legal content. It is an essential part of cases when dealing with the mentally ill and it aids in providing proper conviction, sentencing and rehabilitation. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Kitaeff, J. (2010). Forensic psychology. Pearson College Div. [ 2 ]. Fulero, S. M. , & Wrightsman, L. S. (2010). Forensic psychology. (3rd ed. ). New York, NY: Wadsworth Pub Co. 3 ]. Munsterberg, H. (1909). On the witness stand: Essays on psychology and crime. New York: Doubleday, Page (74). [ 4 ]. Costanzo, M. , & Krauss, D. (2011). Forensic and legal psychology. New York, NY: Worth Pub. [ 5 ]. Heilbrun, K. (2001). Principles of forensic mental health assessment. Springer. [ 6 ]. Wrightsman, L. (2001). Forensic psychology. Australia Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Thomson Learning. [ 7 ]. Rosenfeld, Barry, Steven Penrod, and Barry Rosenfeld. Research Methods in Forensic Psychology. Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2011