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This paper will describe the differences in political structure and military strength between Sparta and Athens
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This paper will describe the differences in political structure and military strength between Sparta and Athens. It will focus on the Delian league as well as the Peloponnesian league in the problems the Sparta had to counter to defeat Athens. It will also address what killed Pericles and weakened Athens as well as the war between Athens and Sparta.
Introduction
The Delian and the Peloponnesian leagues
Athens formed a kind of agreement where people and states agreed to work together called the called the Delian League. The Delian League formation was initiated by the Persian invasions that seemed to threaten the independence and success of Athens. This led to many cities joining the Delian League as a defensive pact for their own protections of the cities from invasions. As the league grew, Athens became the most dominant member in the alliance and other cities were forces to pay monies to Athens for them to be offered protection from their army and all these government expenses, especially armies and wars required a great deal of money so the taxes had to be raised, (Pavlac, 86).
On the other hand, Sparta formed another alliance called the Peloponnesian league and by the sixth century, Sparta was the most powerful city in Peloponnesus. This alliance was created by around 550 Spartans as Sparta is located in south east Greece in the Peloponnesus region. The aim of creating this alliance was to protect Greece against its enemies and these alliances were instrumental in helping Athens defeat Persia during the Persian wars; as time went by, Athens continued to gain power which made Sparta feel threatened and hence the Peloponnesian league tried to find ways to hold back the influence the Athens already had.
The war between Athens and Sparta
There was the Peloponnesian war where Sparta fought against the Athens due to the growth of their rivalry; the Sparta issued an ultimatum to the Athens that they are to let go of all the cities they had control over or else they would be forcibly fought in a war to free the cities. This ultimatum was not taken lightly and Athens did not comply resulting into a war which lasted for 27 years. The war culminated to the loss of the Athens as they had to gather inside the city walls for protection where a plague struck that killed many people as well as soldiers. This weakened Athens in a great manner leading to their defeat and hence the collapse of the league they had built. Another attribute that made Sparta win the war was the help they got from the Persian Empire in building stronger ships for battle and after the Athens were defeated, they were forced to tear down walls that surrounded their city.
Despite their loss due to the epidemic, Athens fought on resiliently considering that they were low on manpower. A serious revolt in 428-427 in one of the islands led by the city-state of Mytilene was forcefully put down as an attack on the island of Melos ensued though they had not actively taken part in the war against Sparta. They refused to submit and had their women and children taken into slavery; Sicily too was up against a massive naval campaign as it had great riches, (Evans, 94).
Conclusion
It can be concluded that the roman urban culture was fostered by planting colonies of retired Latin soldiers and this helped diverse people become Romanised to various degrees. This is evident in the war that occurred between the Sparta and Athens that culminated in the defeat of Athen as the wars happened to conquer wealth as well as gain rich resources from neighbours as well as enemies.
Works cited
Pavlac, Brian A. A Concise Survey of Western Civilization: Supremacies and Diversities
Throughout History. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Internet resource
Evans, Nancy. Civic Rites: Democracy and Religion in Ancient Athens. Berkeley: University
of California Press, 2010. Internet resource
This paper will define and discuss consumer behavior, marketing strategy
MARKETING
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Introduction
Erich Fromm suggests that the producer creates consumer wishes and consumer behavior is increasingly crucial in any marketing strategy. This paper will define and discuss consumer behavior, marketing strategy, and show how producers manufacture consumer wishes through various marketing strategies.
Discussion
Consumer behavior is the study of people, teams or organizations and the procedures that they employ in selecting, securing, using and disposing goods, services, experiences, opinions, views and ideals to meet consumer needs and the effects that such procedures have on consumers and their beliefs. A marketing strategy is the means that the producer uses to focus and identify various ways he can influence the decision of his customers to purchase his products. The marketing concept to be used should satisfy consumer needs and help the producer to achieve in increasingly competitive markets. To achieve competitive advantage, in an increasingly competitive market place, the producer should establish an effective market strategy that will influence consumer wishes and win them into his side.
Erich claims that the manufacturing of various products factors in behavior and wishes of buyers because the producer wishes to influence and change buyers’ interests in production. This statement raises ethical concerns about whether marketing is ethically professional; this is because producers aim to manipulate consumer behaviors in various ways of marketing. Producers manufacture consumer behavior in various ways for instance, through packaging. Producers package their products in a way to attract attention of the buyers to a certain brand, promote its image, and influence the perception of buyers about the brand. Packaging can as well impart unique value to brands, and act as a differentiation tool – for instance, aid buyers select the brand from various same brands, stimulate buyers purchasing behavior. Producers use various packaging aspects such as packaging color, material, wrapper design, background image, creativity and printed information to tailor consumer wishes.
Packaging color attracts buyers’ attention through its attractiveness, while packaging materials prevents brand loss as high quality materials attracts more buyers. For instance, some water production companies’ offers a clear packaging; in fact, these packaging uses pale blue bottles and a plastic seal at the middle of its lid. Apparently, use of pale blue on the bottle is an indication of water purity. Moreover, the packaging entails a vivid logo; for example, mountains, and brand names aimed at representing the nature of the product offered to consumers.
Packaging and branding information assist in the process of building brand reputation and customers’ appeal; in fact, it serves as an indication that the brand is fit for human health and consumption. They also indicate the quality, purity, and safety of the brand creating a strong competitive advantage over competitor brands. The design of the wrapper attracts consumer wishes, for instance, children prefer wrappers that are more sensitive. Therefore, packaging plays a critical function in marketing communication; thus, could be considered as a critical way of manufacturing consumer wishes to demand and buy product.
Producers use their company reputation to tailor consumer wishes. Experts agree that every business, despite its competitiveness, trivial, or outsized, they chiefly rely on repute for triumph, survival, and customer satisfaction. Customers, personnel, vendors, financiers, communication networks, and monitors may have an elemental outcome. They all have essential perceptions regarding other businesses they interrelate with on a daily basis. These perceptions extensively influence their decisions on their interests to purchase from, work with, and market or support these companies. Therefore, producers strove to offer an effectual, responsive customer service, which is vital to product promotion and edifice of well-built and dependable customer foundation.
Image of producer is as valuable as its customer value, and the experience that clients have with an organization, and what information they hear from colleagues and family shape their view of the producer and their tendency to purchase from him. Therefore, producers strive to understand and improve clients experience with their products and overall business transactions and services, and streamline its resources without compromising its essentials.
Some producers also strive to uphold necessary contact with customers regularly; in fact, they update customers using freebies and service information. Moreover, they also make sure that customers are satisfied, because customers’ disposition and discernment really matters in any business dealings. For example, if a producer is in service of healthcare, they strive to comprehend customers by dealing with their poignant aspects such as prescription and sickness. Consequently, they try to provide services to their consumers with emotional hold up using empathy scope to inspire, influence their wishes, and retain patients.
A strategy of marketing is fundamental for producers to promote and sell their organization’s brands. Marketing concepts or structuring a business around prolific contentment based on customer’s expectations assists producers accomplish success through amplified growth and comparatively competitive markets and meet customers’ wishes. On the other hand, to attain victory in markets, economic opulence has to be balanced and where there are many competitors, and this calls for the utilization of extensive marketing strategy. The mechanism focuses on brand productivity and the expected competitors’ strategies and efforts in the marketplace and helps producers meet consumer demands to favor their productions.
For most producers and manufactures sales promotion, the marketing strategy will consist of packaging, pricing, supply, and branding; in fact, branding is expansively imperative for goods marketing. In some goods such as water products, marketers and producers can replica brands and accomplish characteristics or value, but competitors can eliminate such elements are easily attained. The important facet that segregates various goods is the brand; in fact, the water source provides a far-reaching foundation for demarcation. Therefore, focusing on the culture of the brand, source uniqueness promotes the product and manipulates buyers’ purchasing decisions. Creation of advertisements and brand labels should focus on principal advantages that customers seek. Marketers argue that customers looking for a good brand image while buying focus on well-packaged products, thus, designing labels that designate brand, purity of brand and basis will endorse product retailing.
Distribution strategy is another key marketing strategy that producers use to promote and manufacture consumer wishes and demands. Supply features the entire procedure of shifting brand from producers to end consumers; in fact, this involves a distribution channel form, which completely relies on the source and market expansion. The valuable means of persuading consumer judgment is to examine product competitors to ascertain their distribution channels, and fix on whether to alter the same channels, or use alternative channels to provide a strategic advantage to the company or producer. For example, some producers use a direct sale to customers, which is increasingly effective to promote the brand. Similarly, integrating brand into unique equipment and producers’ sales of their goods assists in the distribution process and building the brand image. Conversely, utilization of producer representative’s assists in dissemination of products. Intermediaries attain these products from manufactures; resell them to retailers, associated agents, who further break the bulk for further distribution.
With the strategy of distribution developed, some producers form an effective promotion strategy to tailor consumer demands for their products. This promotion mechanism is a essential type of monitored communication supply designed to advertise the brand. The promotion mechanism entails of marketing mechanisms utilized in communication effort, for instance, businesses are publicity their brand using a range of media outlets such as radio, TV channels, and other social media networks and online outlets such as Facebook, blogs, and others. Promoting products is critical to assist product supply and sales; this may comprise a plan of synchronized endorsement procedures such as exceptional sales, awards, sales campaigns among others. Some producers pack their products in a variety of lesser and superior packs to guarantee ease of use and affordability to all potential customers.
The pricing strategy is essential since it gives customers brand awareness and as a frivolous and accepted brand, some producers price their products at a premium – moderately cheap and moderately expensive; this point out the affordability of commodities to all customers. In this case, the public can purchase these products, despite the economic status, and it offers the organization a competitive advantage over other companies with similar brands, since it is more attractive compared to other brands. Brand placement and accessibility are crucial. Some producer makes their products available among numerous expediency retails outlets (both local and international markets) in bulky along with individual packs and this helps them influence consumer demands and purchasing behavior.
Conclusion
Customer behavior and wishes are met by the producers through an effectual marketing strategy, which is critical to facilitate growth of the brand, which will be attractive to customers and uphold the competitive progress of the business. Bearing in mind fundamentals of market mix and assessing exceptionality of the brand facilitate development of a well-built marketing strategy, which endorses brand value, and attract more customers’ producers control and manipulate.
Bibliography
Gruen, Claude, and Nina J. Gruen. Store Location and Customer Behavior; A Behavioral Research Approach to Optimum Store Location. [Washington]:Urban Land Institute, 2006.
Krishna, Aradhna. Customer Sense: How the 5 Senses Influence Buying Behavior. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
Lowenstein, Michael W. One Customer, Divisible: Linking Customer Insight to Loyalty and Advocacy Behavior. Mason, Ohio: Texere/Thomson, 2005.
Marder, Eric. The Laws of Choice: Predicting Customer Behavior. New York: Free Press, 1997.
Roos, Inger. Customer Switching Behavior in Retailing. Helsingfors: Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, 1998.
Sheth, Jagdish N., Banwari Mittal, and Bruce I. Newman. Customer Behavior: Consumer Behavior & Beyond. Fort Worth, TX: Dryden Press, 1999.
Sheth, Jagdish N., and Banwari Mittal. Customer Behavior: A Managerial Perspective. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western, 2004.
Weinstein, Art. Market Segmentation: Using Demographics, Psychographics, and Other Niche Marketing Techniques to Predict and Model Customer Behavior. Chicago, Ill: Probus Pub. Co, 1994.
This paper will analyse the situation in which the Dim lighting company finds itself in
Introduction
The Dim Light Company is a subsidiary of a major producer of electronic goods, which allows its subsidiaries to operate as profit centres. In the past one year, the company had a bad year due to reduction in its profit margins, therefore the management wants to reverse that trend in the coming year by increasing its profitability, however it is faced with several situations, which need to be resolved.
Thesis: This paper will analyse the situation in which the Dim lighting company finds itself in, the explanations for the situation and some of the best alternatives that the company can use to increase its profitability.
Macro and Micro Challenges
The Dim lighting company is faced with several problems that include macro and micro challenges, the macro challenges are those that are outside the reach of the company to solve them using internal mechanisms, in other words, they are the opportunities and threats that the company faces. One of the greatest threat that the company faces is the lack of adequate funds to support its research and development kitty which Mr Spinks, the director of research and development at the company puts at 1.2 million dollars per year for two years then an additional 500, 000 dollars to initiate production the micro miniaturization project (Brown, 2011, p81). Another threat that is facing the company is the decline in the profit margin for the last one year, which has an implication on the image of the business to the outsiders.
Strengths
The company however, is not without some opportunities, the major opportunity that the company has is that it acts as a profit centre therefore it is able to manage its resources with minimal interference from the corporate head office, in addition, this enables it to make its own decisions and implement them in order to remain competitive in the market. In addition, the fact that the company can be able to look for funds from the head office to invest in research and development is an opportunity that may not be available to all such firms.
Internally, the strength of the company is that it has Mr Spinks as the director of research and development; Mr Spinks is a respected person in research as he is considered as one of the best brains in research, this can be seen in the numerous awards that he has received from different science societies . With Mr Spinks as a director, Dim lighting company is likely to be always ahead of other companies in terms of technology and renovation; this is evident from the multimillion-research project that he wants to undertake on micro miniaturization of lighting to reduce energy requirements
Weaknesses
In the Dim lighting company, the weakness lies in the research and development since for the company to improve on its profits it has to keep on inventing new products otherwise it will be overtaken by its rivals but since the research budget that the director of research and development gave is beyond what the company can afford they may have to find alternatives. In addition, if the budget for the project is not approved, Mr Spinks may resign from the company, which will reduce the innovative edge of the company.
Solutions/Alternatives
The challenges that the company is facing have been caused by several events that are intertwined. First, the reduction in the profits that the company posted the previous year has put the pressure on the management to find quick solutions to the problem in order to avoid a repeat of the same. Secondly, the high research budget that Mr Spinks has made worsens the scenario since it has to be met if the company wants to remain competitive in future and if it wants to retain Mr Spinks, this is according to Brown (2011, 66) which argues that for organizations to remain competitive, they have to make dramatic changes such as the one Mr Spinks is proposing.
The systems that are affected by these changes are the goals of the company; this is because there are no clear goals on whether the company should prioritise profits over innovativeness, the company is faced with a dilemma on how to handle Mr Spinks demand of an annual research fund worth 1.2 million US dollars.
The alternatives that are available for Jim West, the general manager of Dim lighting company include asking for funding from the corporate headquarters in order to carry out the micro miniaturization project, the other alternative is concentrating on the project while ignoring more urgent concerns such as improving the performance of the company. The third alternative available is to suspend the micro miniaturization project and focus on increasing the company’s profits.
Recommendations
The best way for the Jim West to deal with this case is to ask for support from the headquarters since there is a high likelihood that the project will be successful, the support should be in terms of monetary forms nut also in technical expertise and other resources that will increase the probability of success for the project, however, the easiest, and the most common source of funding for innovation is through budgets(Brown, 2011, p68). Since some of the directors in Jim West case are pessimistic about Spinks project, West should have a discussion with them on the best way forward for the company, which would ensure all their concerns, are addressed, this will promote corporate culture and cohesion between the team members to work as team to achieve the company’s goals. According to Brown (2011, p67), the reason why some of the directors are not supporting Mr Spinks is lack of free flow of information between the various departments.
References
Brown, D. R. (2011). An experiential approach to organization development. Boston: Prentice Hall.
THE DIM LIGHTING CO. CASE ANALYSIS FORM
Problems
Macro
Lack of adequate research funds
Reduction in profit margins
Micro
Lack of consensus on research
Threat of Mr. Spinks resigning
Causes
Reduction in profits in the last year
The high research budget
Systems affected
Goals and values
Technical
Managerial
Alternatives
Ask for research funds from the head office
Suspend the research project and concentrate on improving profits
Fund Mr Spinks project and ignore expanding the company’s capacity
Recommendations
Mr Jim West should ask for research funding from the corporate headquarter and at the same time hold discussions with directors of various departments to build consensus on the way forward.
