Kant and Sexual Morality Essay

German Philosopher Immanuel Kant claimed that it is morally wrong to use a person merely as a means to your end. This judgement helps us to understand and determined sexual morality. Thomas A. Mappes supports Kant’s claims and helps to further explain Kant’s statement by defining it and introducing the idea that one must give their voluntary informed consent in order for certain actions to be moral. Mappes also illustrates that voluntary informed consent can be undermined through both deception and coercion. This helps us in the understanding of sexual morality. It is important to understand what Kant means when claiming that it is morally wrong to use another person merely as a means to your end when making the decision whether or not this statement is relevant when talking about sexual morality. The word merely is where this statement claims immorality to be. Merely meaning only and without any consideration of another person by not showing them any human respect. We use people as a means to our end in everyday situations. If we are hungry we go to a shop and buy food. We are using the shopkeepers as a means to our end, when hunger is our end. However, we are not merely using the shopkeeper as a means to our end. Thomas Mappes explains this by saying if we are treating someone merely as a means to our end, then we are not respecting him or her as human beings. Voluntary informed consent, according to Mappes (p. 73 of course book) is central to the notion of treating people merely as a means to an end. Voluntary informed consent is where the person who is being used as a means to an end has given their full permission and consent. They are aware of what the person is trying to achieve and are willing to give their consent to this. Mappes uses the example of a person who has a gun put to their head and are forced to hand over $200. Although the person has given them the money, they did not do this voluntarily, therefore did not give their voluntary informed consent. However, if the person had asked for $200 and they were given the option to give the money without being forced, and choose to hand it over as a gift, then they have given their voluntary informed consent. Voluntary informed consent is important when looking at sexual morality, as if one has not given their voluntary informed consent to a partner, then it is morally wrong to pursue any sexual acts with them. According to Mappes, Voluntary informed consent can be undermined in two ways: deception and coercion. Coercion meaning forced to make voluntary informed consent and deception being tricked into voluntary informed consent. When making a judgement on the morality of sexual behaviour it is important to consider whether deception or coercion have influenced the voluntary informed consent of the subject. If there is no voluntary informed consent, then a person is being used merely as a means to another persons end. This support Kant’s claim on morality, and is therefore immoral. Coercion into consent is easily to identify. As with the example of a person being forced to hand over $200 with the threat of a gun, they were being forced/coerced into their decision to hand over the money. When there is no voluntary informed consent, as the consent is not voluntary. Coercion can be important when determining the morality in sexual behaviour. If one is forced or blackmailed into having sex with another, this is coercive and using someone merely as a means to an end. Identifying Deception when looking at the morality of sexual behaviour, and determining whether or not it supports Kant’s claim is important before making a moral judgment. Deception is being tricked into making informed consent. And example of deception is subject A. telling subject B. that they love them, as subject A. knows that subject B. will only enter into a sexual relationship if both parties have a mutual love for one another. This is deceiving subject B. into giving their voluntary informed consent into entering a sexual relationship. This is immoral, as voluntary informed consent has been undermined by deception. When looking at Kant’s claim it is easy to determined the morality in this situation as subject as has merely used subject B in order to fulfil their sexual wants. It is also important to consider whether the decision was informed. 3. As seen in page. 76 of the course book, some could argue that a child or someone with severe learning difficulties is still able to give voluntary consent. This is true, but a child or person with severe learning difficulties is unable to give informed consent. If someone is to endeavour in sexual behaviours with a child or a person with learning difficulties, then it is clear they are using them for their own sexual gratification, and not respecting the person whom they are using. As Kant claims, this is morally unacceptable. When thinking about the morality of sexual behaviour it is hard to ignore that of homosexual relationships and/or homosexual sex. When looking at Kant’s statement that it is immoral to use another person merely as a means to your ends and Mappes further explanation of voluntary informed consent, we can establish he morality of homosexual behaviour. Michael Levin (1999 p. 125-126) claims homosexuality to be immoral. He also makes that statement that they are victims and have unflattering beliefs. Levin (1999 p. 126) claims â€Å"homosexuality is deviant†¦ [and] homosexuals have no place in the military if they weaken morale, and there are good reasons to think they do [weaken morale]† When looking at Kant’s philosophy, and his definition of morality, it becomes clear that Levins claims are assumptions, especially that homosexuals would weaken the morale in the military. There is nothing in his claims to suggest that homosexuals would coerce, deceive and use another merely as a means to their sexual ends within the military. Therefore, when looking at Kant’s claims, regardless whether a person is homosexual or heterosexual, the morality of sexual behaviour can only established when one is using another without human respect and merely as a means to their ends. John Corvino also refers to the morality of homosexual relationships. His views vary considerably from Levins. Corvino (1997 p,6) addresses the idea that homosexual sex is unnatural and therefore immoral. Corvino defends the right to a homosexual relationship by comparing the use of sexual organs to others. We have numerous uses for our mouth such as talking, eating, breathing, chewing gum etc and Corvino states that sexual organs may be useful in a relationship other than just procreation. Corvino makes reference to the churches view on sexual behaviour. Although the church disapproves of homosexual behaviour, Corvino (1997 p. 6) highlights that they do not see anything wrong with sterile couples having sex or couples who are pregnant as the church concedes that intimacy and pleasure are morally legitimate purposes for having sex. Corvino suggests that although there is no chance of procreation in homosexual sex, there is nothing immoral about it. Corvino’s view supports Kant’s claim of morality. Unless there is something to suggest one is merely being used by another sexually, then there are no grounds to suggest homosexuality is immoral. Kant’s claim that it is morally wrong to use someone merely as a means to your ends, helps us in our judgements regarding sexual morality. Through Thomas A. Mappes explanation of Kant’s claim and introducing the idea of voluntary informed consent, and how it can be undermined through deception and coercion, we are able to clearly distinguish whether or not a persons sexual behaviours are moral or not. Kant’s claim suggest that there is nothing immoral about homosexual behaviour, unless one is merely being used as an end, as in heterosexual relationships. The idea of homosexuality being unnatural had nothing to do with its morality when looking at Kant’s claim.

Marketing Strategies of Nestle and Unilever

CHAPTER – ONEConceptual framework and basic issues 1. 1 INTRODUCTION India is one of the largest economies in the world in terms of purchasing power and is among the fastest-growing, with a population of around 1. 12 billion people, with huge natural resources, and with costs that are at the very low end of the global average. All major consumer companies of India have sophisticated marketing and product development plans. Moreover, the multinationals that are operating in India have business models that are tailor-made to local markets and customs. After the economic liberalization of 1991, many MNCs have entered India. Today, global companies having subsidiaries in India include Unilever, Nestle, BATA, Colgate Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, General Electric, General Motors, Ford, Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Historically, the main reason for the entry of MNCs into India was to jump the tariff wall. High import duties ruled out the option of exporting finished goods from the home country to India. On the other hand, once they entered the country and set up operations, the country’s high tariffs guaranteed adequate protection. In some cases, the need to customize products necessitated a strong local presence. The multinational companies in India represent a diversified portfolio of companies from different countries. There are a number of reasons why the multinational companies are coming down to India. India has got a huge market. It has also got one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Besides, the policy of the government towards FDI has also played a major role in attracting the multinational companies in India. While several MNC’s have entered India, However, even within a given industry, some MNCs seem to be doing better than the others. Consider the automobile industry. Here, Suzuki and Hyundai are way ahead of formidable rivals such as General Motors, Honda and Ford. Similarly in the FMCG sector, even after allowing for its relative late entry, Hindustan Unilever Limited and Nestle remains a big player in the Indian market. FMCG are products that have a quick shelf turnover, at relatively low cost and don't require a lot of thought, time and financial nvestment to purchase. Three of the largest and best known examples of Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies in India are Nestle, Hindustan Unilever limited and Procter ; Gamble. The Indian FMCG sector is an important contributor to the country's GDP. It is the fourth largest sector in the economy. It has a strong MNC presence and is characterized by a well established distribution network, intense competition between the organized an d unorganized segments and low operational cost. The Indian FMCG sector is the fourth largest sector in the economy. It has a strong MNC presence and is characterized by a well-established distribution network, intense competition between the organized and unorganized segments and low operational cost. Availability of key raw materials, cheaper labour costs and presence across the entire value chain gives India a competitive advantage. The FMCG sector consists of three product categories, each with its own hosts of products that have relatively quick turnover and low costs: * Household Care * Personal care * Food and Beverages Food and Beverages * Health beverages; soft drinks Staples/cereals * Beverages bakery products (biscuits, bread, cakes) * Snack food * Chocolates * Ice cream * Tea * Coffee * Soft drinks * Processed fruits, vegetables * Dairy products * Bottled water * Branded flour Household care * Fabric wash (laundry soaps and synthetic detergents) * Household cleaners(dish/utensil cleaners, floor cleaners, toilet cleaners, air fresheners, insecticides and mosquito repellents, metal polish and furniture polish) Personal Care * Oral care, hair care, skin care, personal wash (soaps) * Cosmetics and toiletries deodorants Perfumes * Feminine hygiene * Paper product 1 †¢ Food & Beverage My project topic is on the study of Hindustan Unilever limited and Nestle India, which are major MNC’s (FMCG) in India. Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) goods are popularly named as consumer packaged goods. Items in this category include all consumables (other than groceries/pulses) people buy at regular intervals. The most common in the list are toilet soaps, detergents, shampoos, toothpaste, shaving products, shoe polish, packaged foodstuff, and household accessories. In India, companies like HUL, P& G and Nestle have been a dominant force in the FMCG sector . These companies were, therefore, able to charge a premium for their products. With the gradual opening up of the economy over the last decade, FMCG companies have been forced to fight for a market share. An average Indian spends around 40 per cent of the income on grocery and 8 per cent on personal care products. The large share of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) in total individual spending along with the large population base is another factor that makes India one of the largest FMCG markets. Source: KSA Technopak Consumer Outlook 2004. Figure:1. 1 Even on an international scale, total consumer expenditure on food in India at US$ 120 billion is amongst the largest in the emerging markets, next only to China. Figure 1. 2 TOP 10 Fmcg companies in India 1. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. 2. ITC (Indian Tobacco Company) 3. Nestle India 4. AMUL 5. Dabur India 6. Britannia 7. Cadbury India 8. Pepsico 9. Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care 10. Marico Industries The FMCG sector has traditionally grown at a very fast rate and has generally outperformed the rest of the industry. Given the large market and the requirement for continuous repurchase of these products, FMCG companies continue to do well . Moreover, most of the companies are concentrating on cost reduction and supply chain management and sustainable competitive advantage. FMCG must keep fine-tuning their strategy till they have a winning formula in place. It is FMCG’s which show both commitment and flexibility that are most likely to succeed in India 1. 2 Need of the study Marketing strategy is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its limited resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and chieve a sustainable competitive advantage. The need of the study of this project entitled ‘Comparative study on the marketing strategies of the HUL and Nestle in India’ is to understand whether the marketing strategies is suited to the Indian market because each markets in India follow different political and cultural environment, therefore different marketi ng practices are implemented to get the desired outcome, that is profit, so there is a need to study how these MNC’s adapt to Indian markets. 1. 3 Objective of the study To identify and compare the marketing strategies of Hindustan Unilever Limited and Nestle India * To identify the SWOT analysis. * To identify the marketing mix of both the companies * To analyse the various strategies adopted by both the companies to gain competitive advantage CHAPTER – TWO 2. 1 Profile of Unilever Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products and operates in around 100 countries. Unilever is a dual-listed company consisting of Unilever N. V. in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Unilever PLC in London, United Kingdom. Both Unilever companies have the same directors and effectively operate as a single business. The current non-executive Chairman of Unilever N. V. and PLC is Michael Treschow while Paul Polman is Group Chief 2. 1. 1 History of Unilever Unilever was created in 1930 by the amalgamation of the operations of British soap maker Lever Brothers and Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie, a merger as palm oil was a major raw material for both margarines and soaps and could be imported more efficiently in larger quantities. In the 1930s the Unilever business grew and new ventures were launched in Latin America. In 1972 Unilever purchased A;W Restaurants' Canadian division but sold its shares through a management buyout to former A&W Food Services of Canada CEO Jefferson J. Mooney in July 1996. By 1980 soap and edible fats contributed just 40% of profits, compared with an original 90%. In 1984 the company bought the brand Brooke Bond (maker of PG Tips tea). In 1987 Unilever strengthened its position in the world skin care market by acquiring Chesebrough-Ponds, the maker of Ragu, Pond's, Aqua-Net, Cutex Nail Polish, and Vaseline. In 1989 Unilever bought Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Faberge, and Elizabeth Arden, but the latter was later sold (in 2000) to FFI Fragrances In 1996 Unilever purchased Helene Curtis Industries, giving the company â€Å"a powerful new presence in the United States shampoo and deodorant market†. The purchase brought Unilever the Suave and Finesse hair-care product brands and Degree deodorant brand. In 2000 the company absorbed the American business Best Foods, strengthening its presence in North America and extending its portfolio of foods brands. In April 2000 it bought both Ben ; Jerry's and Slim Fast. The company is multinational with operating companies and factories on every continent (except Antarctica) and research laboratories at Colworth and Port Sunlight in England; Vlaardingen in the Netherlands; Trumbull, Connecticut, and Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey in the United States; Bangalore in India and Shanghai in China. The US division carried the Lever Brothers name until the 1990s, when it adopted that of the parent company. The American unit has headquarters in New Jersey, and no longer maintains a presence at Lever House, the iconic skyscraper on Park Avenue in New York City. The company is said to promote sustainability and started a sustainable agriculture programme in 1998. In May 2007 it became the first tea company to commit to sourcing all its tea in a sustainable manner, employing the Rainforest Alliance, an international environmental NGO, to certify its tea estates in East Africa, as well as third-party suppliers in Africa and other parts of the world. It declared its aim to have all Lipton Yellow Label and PG Tips tea bags sold in Western Europe certified by 2010, followed by all Lipton tea bags globally by 2015. In 2008 Unilever was honored at he 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for â€Å"Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Creation and Distribution of Interactive Commercial Advertising Delivered through Digital Set Top Boxes† for its program Axe: Boost Your ESP On September 24, 2010, Unilever announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its consumer tomato products business in Br azil to Cargill and on September 27, 2010, Unilever purchased Alberto-Culver, the maker of personal care and household products such as VO5, Nexxus, TRESemme, and Mrs. Dash for $US3. 7 billion. On September 28, 2010, Unilever and EVGA announced that they have signed an agreement under which Unilever will acquire EVGA’s ice cream brands (amongst others, Scandal, Variete and Karabola) and distribution network in Greece, for an undisclosed amount. 2. 1. 2 Mission Unilever's mission is to add Vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition; hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. 2. 1. Vision We work to create a better future every day, help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others and will inspire people to take small, everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world, develop new ways of doing business with the aim of doubling the size of our company while reducing our environmental impact and fully recognize that we will need to develop a new model for business growth. We are embarking on a long-term programme of work with our employees,  suppliers, customers and other partners to realize this goal. With our portfolio of strong brands, presence in emerging markets and long-standing commitment to shared value creation, we believe we are well placed to deliver on this ambition. 2. 1. 4 Brands * Food brands Becel, flora, Bertolli, Blue band Rama, Heartbrand, Hellmann’s, Amora, Knorr, Lipton, Slim-Fast * Homecare Brands Cif, Comfort, Domestos, Omo, Radiant, Sunlight, Surf * Personal Care brands Axe, Dove, Lux, Lifebuoy, Ponds’, Rexona, Signal, Close-up, Sunsilk, Tigi, Vaseline 2. 1. 5 Purpose ; principles Our corporate purpose states that to succeed requires â€Å"the highest standards of corporate behaviour towards everyone we work with, the communities we touch, and the environment on which we have an impact. † * Always working with integrity Conducting our operations with integrity and with respect for the many people, organizations and environments our business touch has always been at the heart of our corporate responsibility. Positive impact We aim to make a positive impact in many ways: through our brands, our commercial operations and relationships, through voluntary contributions, and through the various other ways in which we engage with society. * Continuous commitment We're also committed to continuously improving the way we manage our environmental impacts and are working towards our longer-term goal of developing a sustainable business. * Setting out our aspirations Our corporate purpose sets out our aspirations in running our business. It's underpinned by our code of business Principles which describes the operational standards that everyone at Unilever follows, wherever they are in the world. The code also supports our approach to governance and corporate responsibility. * Working with others We want to work with suppliers who have values similar to our own and work to the same standards we do. Our Business partner code, aligned to our own Code of business principles, comprises ten principles covering business integrity and responsibilities relating to employees, consumers and the environment. . 1. 6 Management Our  operating  model  is designed to  deliver faster decisions. Learn more about our senior corporate officers and  the  Unilever Executive. The Executive directors are those members of the Unilever executive (UEX), including the group chief executive, who are also directors of Unilever. NAME | DESIGNATIONS| Paul Polman | Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director to the Boards of Unilever PLC and Unilever NV | Jean-Marc Huet | Chief Financial Officer. | The Unilever executive (UEx) is responsible for managing profit and loss, and delivering growth across our regions, categories and functions NAME| DESIGNATION| Professor Genevieve Berger | Chief Research and Development Officer| Jean-Marc Huet| Chief financial officer| Pier Luigi Sigismondi| Chief Supply Chain Officer| Keith Weed | Chief Marketing and Communication Officer | Douglas Anderson Baillie Chief HR Officer| Chief HR Officer| Non-executive directors The non-executive directors are the independent element in Unilever's governance. NAME| DESIGNATIONS| Michael Treschow | Chairman Unilever N. V. and PLC, Member of Unilever’s Nomination and Remuneration Committees. | The Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind, MP| Chairman of the Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Committee| Hixonia Nyasulu | Member of Unilever’s Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Committee| Paul walsh| Member of Unilever’s Nomination and Remuneration Committees. | 2. 1. 7 Financials Items | Amounts | Revenue| â‚ ¬44,262  billion (2010)| Operating Income| â‚ ¬6,339  billion (2010)| Net Income | â‚ ¬4,598  billion (2010)| Source:-www. unilever. com 2. 2 HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods Company with a heritage of over 75 years in India and touches the lives of two out of three Indians. HUL works to create a better future every day and helps people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others. With over 58 brands spanning 20 distinct categories such as soaps, detergents, shampoos, skin care, toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, tea, coffee, packaged foods, ice cream, and water purifiers, the Company is a part of the everyday life of millions of consumers across India. Its portfolio includes leading household brands such as Lux, Lifebuoy, Surf Excel, Rin, Wheel, Fair ; Lovely, Pond’s, Vaseline, Lakme, Dove, Clinic Plus, Sunsilk, Pepsodent, Closeup, Axe, Brooke Bond, Bru, Knorr, Kissan, Kwality Wall’s and Pureit. The Company has over 15,000 employees and has an annual turnover of Rs. 17,873. 44 crores (financial year 2009 – 2010). HUL is a subsidiary of Unilever, one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong local roots in more than 100 countries across the globe with annual sales of about â‚ ¬44. billion in 2010. Unilever has about 52% shareholding in HUL. 2. 2. 1 History of Hindustan Unilever limited In the summer of 1888, visitors to the Kolkata harbor noticed crates full of Sunlight soap bars, embossed with the words â€Å"Made in England by Lever Brothers†. With it began an era of marketing branded Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). Soon after Lifebuoy was launched in 1895 a nd other famous brands like Pears, Lux and Vim. Vanaspati was launched in 1918 and the famous Dalda brand came to the market in 1937. In 1931, Unilever set up its first Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Company, followed by Lever Brothers India Limited (1933) and United Traders Limited (1935). These three companies merged to form HUL in November 1956; HUL offered 10% of its equity to the Indian public, being the first among the foreign subsidiaries to do so. Unilever now holds 52. 10% equity in the company. The rest of the shareholding is distributed among about 360,675 individual shareholders and financial institutions. The erstwhile Brooke Bond's presence in India dates back to 1900. By 1903, the company had launched Red Label tea in the country. In 1912, Brooke Bond & Co. India Limited was formed. Brooke Bond joined the Unilever fold in 1984 through an international acquisition. The erstwhile Lipton's links with India were forged in 1898. Unilever acquired Lipton in 1972 and in 1977 Lipton Tea (India) Limited was incorporated. Pond's (India) Limited had been present in India since 1947. It joined the Unilever fold through an international acquisition of Chesebrough Pond's USA in 1986. Since the very early years, HUL has vigorously responded to the stimulus of economic growth. The growth process has been accompanied by judicious diversification, always in line with Indian opinions and aspirations. The liberalization of the Indian economy, started in 1991, clearly marked an inflexion in HUL's and the Group's growth curve. Removal of the regulatory framework allowed the company to explore every single product and opportunity segment, without any constraints on production capacity. Simultaneously, deregulation permitted alliances, acquisitions and mergers. In one of the most visible and talked about events of India's corporate history, the erstwhile Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO) merged with HUL, effective from April 1, 1993. In 1996, HUL and yet another Tata company, Lakme Limited, formed a 50:50 joint venture, Lakme Unilever Limited, to market Lakme's market-leading cosmetics and other appropriate products of both the companies. Subsequently in 1998, Lakme Limited sold its brands to HUL and divested its 50% stake in the joint venture to the company. HUL formed a 50:50 Joint venture with the US-based Kimberly Clark Corporation in 1994, which markets Huggies Diapers and Kotex Sanitary Pads. HUL has also set up a subsidiary in Nepal, Unilever Nepal Limited (UNL), and its factory represents the largest manufacturing investment in the Himalayan kingdom. The UNL factory manufactures HUL's products like Soaps, Detergents and Personal Products both for the domestic market and exports to India. The 1990’s also witnessed a string of crucial mergers, acquisitions and alliances on the Foods and Beverages front. In 1992, the erstwhile Brooke Bond acquired Kothari General Foods, with significant interests in Instant Coffee. In 1993, it acquired the Kissan business from the UB Group and the Dollops Ice cream business from Cadbury India. As a measure of backward integration, Tea Estates and Doom Dooma, two plantation companies of Unilever, were merged with Brooke Bond. Then in 1994, Brooke Bond India and Lipton India merged to form Brooke Bond Lipton India Limited (BBLIL), enabling greater focus and ensuring synergy in the traditional Beverages business. 1994 witnessed BBLIL launching the Wall's range of Frozen Desserts. By the end of the year, the company entered into a strategic alliance with the Kwality Ice cream Group families and in 1995 the Milk food 100% Ice cream marketing and distribution rights too were acquired. Finally, BBLIL merged with HUL, with effect from January 1, 1996. The internal restructuring culminated in the merger of Pond's (India) Limited (PIL) with HUL in 1998. The two companies had significant overlaps in Personal Products, specialty Chemicals and Exports businesses, besides a common distribution system since 1993 for Personal Products. The two also had a common management pool and a technology base. The amalgamation was done to ensure for the Group, benefits from scale economies both in domestic and export markets and enable it to fund investments required for aggressively building new categories. In January 2000, in a historic step, the government decided to award 74 per cent equity in Modern Foods to HUL, thereby beginning the divestment of government equity in public sector undertakings (PSU) to private sector partners. HUL's entry into Bread is a strategic extension of the company's wheat business. In 2002, HUL acquired the government's remaining stake in Modern Foods. In 2003, HUL acquired the Cooked Shrimp and Pasteurized Crabmeat business of the Amalgam Group of Companies, a leader in value added Marine Products exports. HUL launched a slew of new business initiatives in the early part of 2000. Project Shakti was started in 2001. It is a rural initiative that targets small villages populated by less than 5000 individuals. It is a unique win-win initiative that catalyses rural affluence even as it benefits business. Currently, there are over 45,000 Shakti entrepreneurs covering over 100,000 villages across 15 states and reaching to over 3 million homes. In 2002, HUL made its foray into Ayurvedic health ; beauty centre category with the Ayush product range and Ayush Therapy Centres. Hindustan Unilever Network, Direct to home business was launched in 2003 and this was followed by the launch of ‘Pureit’ water purifier in 2004. In 2007, the Company name was formally changed to Hindustan Unilever Limited after receiving the approval of share holders during the 74th AGM on 18 May 2007. Brooke Bond and Surf Excel breached the Rs. 1,000 crore sales mark the same year followed by Wheel which crossed the Rs. 2,000 crore sales milestone in 2008 and on 17th October 2008, HUL completed 75 years of corporate existence in India. 2. 2. 2 Management The fundamental principle determining the organization structure is to infuse speed and flexibility in decision-making and implementation, with empowered managers across the company’s nationwide operations. Management Committee The day-to-day management of affairs of the Company is vested with the Management Committee which is subjected to the overall superintendence and control of the Board. The Management Committee is headed by Mr. Nitin . Paranjpe and has functional heads as its members representing various functions of the Company and Management committee includes the members in the Executive directors Executive directors The Executive directors are members of the HUL Management Committee as well as the Board of HUL. NAME| DESIGNATION| Nitin Paranjpe| CEO and Managing Director| R. Sridhar| Chief Financial Officer| Gopal Vittal| Executive Director, Home ; Personal Care| Pradeep Banerjee| Executive Director, Supply Chain| Shrijeet Mishra| Executive Director, Foods| Hemanth Bakshi| Executive Director| Ms. Leena Nair| Executive Director, HR| Dev Bajpai| Executive Director, Legal and company Secretary| Non-executive directors The non-executive directors are the independent directors in the HUL Board NAME| DESIGNATION| Mr. Harish Manwani| Chairman of the Company| Mr. D. S. Parekh| Indepedent  Director| Mr. A. Narayan| Independent  Director| S. Ramadorai| Independent  Director| Dr. R. A. Mashelkar| Independent  Director| 2. 2. 3Financials of HUL Items | Amounts | Revenue| 17,873. 44 crore (2009-2010)| Net income| 2,202. 03 crore (2009-2010)| Source:-www. hul. co. in 2. 3 Profile of Nestle 2. 3. 1 History Nestle with headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestle and is today the world's biggest food and beverage company and the world's leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company. Our mission  of â€Å"Good Food, Good Life†Ã‚  is to provide consumers with the best tasting, most nutritious choices in a wide range of food and beverage categories and eating occasions, from morning to night. Today, the company operates in 86 countries around the world and employs nearly 280,000 people and has factories or operations in almost every country in the world. The Company's strategy is guided by several fundamental principles. Nestle's existing products grow through innovation and renovation while maintaining a balance in geographic activities and product lines. Long-term potential is never sacrificed for short-term performance. The Company's priority is to bring the best and most relevant products to people, wherever they are, whatever their needs, throughout their lives The company dates to 1867, when two separate Swiss enterprises were founded that would later form the core of Nestle. In the succeeding decades the two competing enterprises aggressively expanded their businesses throughout Europe and the United States. In August 1867 Charles A and George Page, two brothers from Lee County, Illinois, USA established the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Cham. Their first British operation was opened at Chippenham, Wiltshire in 1873 and In September 1867, in Vevey, Henri Nestle developed a milk-based baby food and soon began marketing it. The following year, 1868 saw Daniel Peter begin seven years of work perfecting his invention, the milk chocolate manufacturing process; M. Nestle's was the crucial cooperation M. Peter needed to solve the problem of removing all the water from the milk added to his chocolate and thus preventing the product from developing mildew. Henri Nestle retired in 1875, but the company, under new ownership, retained his name as Farine Lactee Henri Nestle. In 1877 Anglo-Swiss added milk-based baby foods to its products, and in the following year the Nestle Company added condensed milk, so that the firms became direct and fierce rivals. In 1905 the companies merged to become the Nestle and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, retaining that name until 1947, when the name Nestle Alimentana SA was taken as a result of the acquisition of Fabrique de Produits Maggi SA (founded 1884) and its holding company, Alimentana SA of Kempttal, Switzerland. Maggi was a major manufacturer of soup mixes and related foodstuffs. The company’s current name was adopted in 1977. By the early 1900s, the company was operating factories in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. World War I created new demand for dairy products in the form of government contracts; by the end of the war, Nestle's production had more than doubled. After the war, government contracts dried up and consumers switched back to fresh milk. However, Nestle's management responded quickly, streamlining operations and reducing debt. The 1920s saw Nestle's first expansion into new products, with chocolate the company's second most important activity. Nestle felt the effects of World War II immediately. Profits dropped from US$20 million in 1938 to US$6 million in 1939. Factories were established in developing countries, particularly Latin America. Ironically, the war helped with the introduction of the company's newest product, Nescafe (â€Å"Nestle's Coffee†), which was a staple drink of the US military. Nestle's production and sales rose in the wartime economy. The end of World War II was the beginning of a dynamic phase for Nestle. Growth accelerated and companies were acquired. In 1947 came the merger with Maggi seasonings and soups. Crosse & Blackwell followed in 1950, as did Findus (1963), Libby's (1971) and Stouffer's (1973). Diversification came with a shareholding in L’Oreal in 1974. In 1977, Nestle made its second venture outside the food industry by acquiring Alcon Laboratories Inc. In 1984, Nestle's improved bottom line allowed the company to launch a new round of acquisitions, notably American food giant Carnation and the British confectionery company Rowntree Mackintosh in 1988, which brought the Willy Wonka Brand to Nestle. The first half of the 1990s proved to be favorable for Nestle: trade barriers crumbled and world markets developed into more or less integrated trading areas. Since 1996 there has been acquisitions including San Pellegrino (1997), Spillers Pet foods (1998), and Ralston Purina (2002). There were two major acquisitions in North America, both in 2002: in June, Nestle merged its U. S. ice cream business into Dreyer's, and in August a US$2. 6 billion acquisition was announced of Chef America, the creator of Hot Pockets. In the same time frame, Nestle came close to purchasing the iconic American company Hershey's, one of its fiercest confectionery competitors, though the deal fell through. Another recent purchase included the Jenny Craig weight loss program for US$600 million. In December of 2005, Nestle bought the Greek company Delta Ice Cream for â‚ ¬240 million. In January of 2006, it took full ownership of Dreyer's, thus becoming the world's biggest ice cream maker with a 17. 5% market share. In November of 2006, Nestle purchased the Medical Nutrition division of Novartis Pharmaceutical for $2. B, also acquiring in 2007 the milk flavoring product known as Oval tine. In April of 2007, returning to its roots, Nestle bought baby-food manufacturer Gerber for $5. 5 billion. In December of 2007, Nestle entered in a strategic partnership with a Belgian chocolate maker Pierre Marcolini. Nestle agreed to sell its controlling stake in Alcon to Novartis on 4 January, 2010. The sale was to form part of a broader US $39. 3 billion offer, by Novartis, for full acquisition of the world’s largest eye-care company 2. . 2 Mission Nestle strives to be a leader in nutrition, health and wellness, with the belief that  good food is central to health and wellness. At the Nestle Research Center, nutrition research meets food innovation to bring consumers of all ages and stages of life, foods and beverages that contribute to health and wellness, while offering remarkable taste and convenience 2. 3. 3 Vision At Nestle, we believe that research can help us make better food so that people live a better life. Good Food is the primary source of Good Health throughout life. We strive to bring consumers foods that are safe, of high quality and provide optimal nutrition to meet physiological needs. In addition to Nutrition, Health and Wellness, Nestle products bring consumers the vital ingredients of taste and pleasure. As consumers continue to make choices regarding foods and beverages they consume, Nestle helps provide selections for all individual taste and lifestyle preferences. Research is a key part of our heritage at Nestle and an essential element of our future. We know there is still much to discover about health, wellness and the role of food in our lives, and we continue to search for answers to bring consumers Good Food for Good Life† 2. 3. 4 Business Principles The Nestle Corporate Business Principles are at the basis of our company’s culture, which has developed over the span of 140 years. Corporate Business Principles will continue to evolve and adapt to a changing world, our basic foundation is unchanged from the time of the origins of our Company, and reflects the basic ideas of fairness, honesty, and a general concern for people. Nestle is committed to the following Business Principles in all countries, taking into account local legislation, cultural and religious practices: 1. Nutrition, Health and Wellness :-Our core aim is to enhance the quality of consumers lives every day, everywhere by offering tastier and healthier food and beverage choices and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. We express this via our corporate proposition Good Food, Good Life. 2. Quality Assurance and product safety everywhere in the world, the Nestle name represents a promise to the consumer that the product is safe and of high standard. . Consumer Communication :-We are committed to responsible, reliable consumer communication that empowers consumers to exercise their right to informed choice and promotes healthier diets. We respect consumer privacy. 4. Human rights in our business activities :-We fully support the United Nations Global Compact’s (UNGC) guiding principles on human rights and labor and aim to provide an example of good human rights’ and labor practices throughout our business activities. 5. Leadership and personal responsibility:- Our success is based on our people. We treat each other with respect and dignity and expect everyone to promote a sense of personal responsibility. We recruit competent and motivated people who respect our values, provide equal opportunities for their development and advancement, protect their privacy and do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination. 6. Safety and health at work:- We are committed to preventing accidents, injuries and illness related to work, and to protect employees, contractors and others involved along the value chain. 7. Supplier and customer relations:- We require our suppliers, agents, subcontractors and their employees to demonstrate honesty, integrity and fairness, and to adhere to our non-negotiable standards. In the same way, we are committed towards our own customers. 8. Agriculture and rural development :-We contribute to improvements in agricultural production, the social and economic status of farmers, rural communities and in production systems to make them more environmentally sustainable. 9. Environmental sustainability :-We commit ourselves to environmentally sustainable business practices. At all stages of the product life cycle we strive to use natural resources efficiently, favor the use of sustainably-managed renewable resources, and target zero waste. 10. Water:-We are committed to the sustainable use of water and continuous improvement in water management. We recognize that the world faces a growing water challenge and that responsible management of the world’s resources by all water users is an absolute necessity. 2. 3. 5 Management Nestle has a Board of Directors, led by our Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, who was the former Nestle CEO. There are 14 members of the Board of Directors. The day to day management of the Nestle business is taken care by the Executive Board members. The 13 designated Board Members manage diverse parts of the global business. Nestle Group is managed by geographies (Zones Europe, Americas and Asia/Oceania/Africa) for most of the food and beverage  business, with the exceptions of Nestle Waters, Nestle Nutrition, Nestle Purina Pet care, Nespresso, Nestle Professional and Nestle Health Science which are managed on a global basis – these we call the Globally Managed Businesses. We also have joint ventures such as Cereal Partners Worldwide and Beverage Partners Worldwide. NAME| DESIGNATIONS| Paul Bulcke | Chief Executive Officer, Nestle S. A. Member of Nestle Board of Directors: Chairman's and Corporate Governance Committee | Werner J. Bauer | Executive Vice President Chief Technology Officer Head of Innovation, Technology, Research and Development | Frits van Dijk | Executive Vice President Zone Director for Asia, Oceania, Africa and Middle East | Jose Lopez| Executive Vice President operations| John J. Harris| Executive Vice President Chairman and CEO of Nestle Waters| James Singh | Executive Vice President Finance and Control, Legal, IP, Tax, Treasury, Global Nestle Business Services | Laurent Freixe | Executive Vice President Zone Director for Europe| Petraea Heynike | Executive Vice President Responsible for the Strategic Business Units, Marketing, Sales and Nespresso | Chris Johnson| Executive Vice President Zone Director for United States of America, Canada, Latin America, Caribbean | Marc Caira | Deputy Executive Vice President CEO of Nestle Professional | Jean-Marc Duvoisin | Deputy Executive Vice President Head of Human Resources and Centre Administration | Nandu Nandkishore | Deputy Executive Vice President Head of Nestle Nutrition | David P. Frick | Senior  Vice PresidentCorporate Governance, Compliance and Corporate Services | Committees : Committees : Committees : Committees : 2. 3. 4 Financials Items | Amounts| Revenue| CHF 109. 72 billion (2010)| Operating Income| CHF 16. 19 billion (2010)| Profit | CHF 34. 23 billion (2010)| Source:-www. nestle. com 2. 4 Nestle India 2. 4. 1 History of Nestle India Nestle is one of the oldest food MNC operating in India, with a presence of over a century. For a long time, Nestle India’s operations were restricted to importing and trading of condensed milk and infant food. Over the years, the Company expanded its product range with new products in instant coffee, noodles, sauces, pickles, culinary aids, chocolates and confectionery, dairy products and mineral water. Nestle’s relationship with India dates back to 1912, when it began trading as The Nestle Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company (Export) Limited, importing and selling finished products in the Indian market. Nestle has been a partner in India's growth for over nine decades now and has built a very special relationship of trust and commitment with the people of India. The Company's activities in India have facilitated direct and indirect employment and provides livelihood to about one million people including farmers, suppliers of packaging materials, services and other goods. Nestle India Ltd, 51% subsidiary of Nestle SA of Switzerland, is among the leading branded food player in the country. It has a broad based presence in the foods sector with leading market shares in instant coffee, infant foods, milk products and noodles. It has also strengthened its presence in chocolates, confectioneries and other semi processed food products during the last few years. With seven factories and a large number of co-packers, Nestle India is a vibrant company that provides consumers in India with products of global standards and is committed to long-term sustainable growth and shareholder satisfaction. The Company insists on honesty, integrity and fairness in all aspects of its business and expects the same in its relationships. This has earned it the trust and respect of every strata of society that it comes in contact with and is acknowledged amongst India's ‘Most Respected Companies' and amongst the ‘Top Wealth Creators of India'. After nearly a century-old association with the country, today, Nestle India has presence across India with 7 manufacturing facilities and 4 branch offices spread across the region. Nestle India’s first production facility, set up in 1961 at Moga (Punjab), was followed soon after by its second plant, set up at Choladi (Tamil Nadu), in 1967. Consequently, Nestle India set up factories in Nanjangud (Karnataka), in 1989, and Samalkha (Haryana), in 1993. This was succeeded by the commissioning of two more factories – at Ponda and Bicholim, Goa, in 1995 and 1997 respectively. The seventh factory was set up at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, in 2006. The 4 branch offices in the country help facilitate the sales and marketing of its products. They are in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The Nestle India Head office is located in Gurgaon, Haryana. The Company continuously focuses its efforts to better understand the changing lifestyles of India and anticipate consumer needs in order to provide Taste, Nutrition, Health and Wellness through its product offerings. The culture of innovation and renovation within the Company and access to the Nestle Group's proprietary technology/Brands expertise and the extensive centralized Research and Development facilities gives it a distinct advantage in these efforts. It helps the Company to create value that can be sustained over the long term by offering consumers a wide variety of high quality, safe food products at affordable prices. Nestle India has products of truly international quality under internationally famous brand names such as NESCAFE, MAGGI, MILKYBAR, KIT KAT, BAR-ONE, MILKMAID and NESTEA and in recent years the Company has also introduced products of daily consumption and use such as NESTLE Milk, NESTLE SLIM Milk, NESTLE Fresh ‘n' Natural Dahi and NESTLE Jeera Raita. Nestle India is a responsible organization and facilitates initiatives that help to improve the quality of life in the communities where it operates. 2. 4. 2 Management NAME| DESIGNATIONS| Antonio Helio Waszyk| Chairman and Managing DirectorMember of the the Shareholder / Investor Grievance Committee| Shobinder Duggal| Director   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Finance & Control| Christian Schmid| Director – Technical| Michael W. O. Garrett| Non Executive DirectorMember of the Audit Committee| Dr. Rakesh Mohan| Non Executive Director| Ravinder Narain| Non Executive DirectorMember of the Audit CommitteeChairman of the Shareholder / Investor Grievance Committee| Dr. Swati A. Piramal| Non-Executive Director| Richard Sykes| Alternate Director to Mr. Michael W. O GarrettGeneral Counsel of Asia, Oceania ,Africa, Middle East Region| 2. 4. 3 Financials Items| Amounts | Revenue| 590102 lakhs (2009-2010)| Net income| 81866 lakhs(2009-2010)| Source:-www. nestle. in/financial statements CHAPTER – THREE 3. 1 THEORITICAL BACKGROUND International marketing (IM) refers to marketing carried out by companies overseas or across national borderlines. This strategy uses an extension of the techniques used in the home country of a firm. It refers to the firm-level marketing practices across the border including market identification and targeting, entry mode selection, marketing mix, and strategic decisions to compete in international markets. International marketing is more concerned with micro level of the market and uses the company as a unit of analysis. According to the American Marketing Association (AMA) â€Å"international marketing is the multinational process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives. † Marketing strategy is a process that can allow an organization to concentrate its limited resources on the greatest opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Marketing strategies serve as the fundamental underpinning of marketing plans designed to fill market needs and reach marketing objective. Marketing strategy involves careful scanning of the internal and external environments which are summarized in a SWOT analysis . Internal environmental factors include the marketing mix, plus performance analysis and strategic constraints External environmental factors include customer analysis, competitor analysis, target market analysis, as well as evaluation of any elements of the technological, economic, cultural or political/legal environment likely to impact success. A key component of marketing strategy is often to keep marketing in line with a company's overarching mission statement. Combination of marketing elements used in the sale of a particular product. The marketing elements center around four distinct functions, sometimes called the Four Ps: Product, Price, Place (of distribution), and Promotion. All these functions are considered in planning a marketing strategy, and any one may be enhanced, deducted, or changed in some degree in order to create the strategy necessary to efficiently and effectively sell a product. The term marketing mix refers to the four major areas of decision making in the marketing process that are blended to obtain the results desired by the organization. The four elements of the marketing mix are sometimes referred to the four Ps of marketing. The marketing mix shapes the role of marketing within all types of organizations, both profit and nonprofit. Each element in the marketing mix, product, price, promotion, and place consists of numerous sub elements. Marketing managers make numerous decisions based on the various sub elements of the marketing mix, all in an attempt to satisfy the needs and wants of consumers. FIGURE 1. 3 3. 2 Product The first element in the marketing mix is the product. A product is any combination of goods and services offered to satisfy the needs and wants of consumers. Thus, a product is anything tangible or intangible that can be offered for purchase or use by consumers. A tangible product is one that consumers can actually touch, such as a computer. An intangible product is a service that cannot be touched, such as computer repair, income tax preparation, or an office call. Other examples of products also include places and ideas The strategies involved in the product mix includes:- 3. 2. 1 Product strategies in international market Although products in the international industrial market are more homogeneous than consumer products, there are more product variations internationally than domestically due to the greater number of international economic, cultural, and political/legal variables. 3. 3 Market segmentation Is a Process of defining and sub-dividing a large homogenous market into clearly identifiable segments having similar needs, wants, or demand characteristics. Its objective is to design a marketing mix that precisely matches the expectations of customers in the targeted segment. Few firms are big enough to supply the needs of an entire market. The four basic market segmentation-strategies are based on (a) behavioural (b) demographic, (c) psychographic, and (d) geographical differences. 3. 3. 1 Market Segmentation Strategies. * Behavioural Segmentation: Behavioural segmentation is based on the customer's needs and subsequent reaction to those needs or toward the purchase of intended products and/or services. This study is conducted on all variables that are closely related to the product itself, like loyalty to a particular brand, cost effectiveness in terms of benefits and usage, circumstances responsible for the purchase, whether the customer is a regular, a first timer or and has the potential to become a customer, and whether the readiness to buy is linked to status. * Demographic Segmentation: Demographic segmentation refers to a wide study of the potential customers. While marketing a product many variables like age, gender, education, income, size of the family, occupation, socioeconomic status, culture and religion, language and nationality are taken into account. There are many instances where such a segmentation has worked very profitably, toys and clothes for every age group, certain food products that do well in certain counties and don't in some, either due to cultural or religious reasons. Demographic segmentation plays a vital role in determining whether a product can be mass marketed * Psychographic Segmentation: Segmenting people according to their lifestyles and values, and how they translate into consumption or purchases of products of services is what psychographic segmentation is all about. How one's interest, opinions, values, attitude and the activities they perform, all affects how and why a group of people would lean towards one product more than others. A high status would translate into an expensive flying habit, while a thrift value will translate into an economy flight. * Geographical Segmentation: Geographical segmentation is done by dividing people (markets) into different geographical locations. The country, state, or neighbourhood, the king of gentry, climate, and size of a place segmented into size of its age wise population, etc. all play a role in devising market strategies. This helps the producer and the marketers to understand what will sell and what won't, For example, a market for winter wear would definitely not work in warm regions. 3. 3. 2 International market segmentation Segmentation, in marketing, is usually done at the customer level. However, in international marketing, it may sometimes be useful to see countries as segments. This allows the decision maker to focus on common aspects of countries and avoid information overload. 3. 4 Positioning In marketing, positioning has come to mean the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization. Although there are different definitions of Positioning, probably the most common is: identifying a market niche for a brand, product or service utilizing traditional marketing placement strategies (i. e. price, promotion, distribution, packaging, and competition). Also positioning is defined as the way by which the marketers creates impression in the customers mind. 3. 5 Targeting Targeting is the next step in the sequential process and involves a business making choices about segment on which resources are to be focused. There are three major targeting strategies: undifferentiated, concentrated, and differentiated. During this process the business must balance its resources and capabilities against the attractiveness of different segments. Target Marketing involves breaking a market into segments and then concentrating the marketing efforts on one or a few key segments. Target marketing can be the key to a business’s success. 3. 6 Product standardization Product standardization means that a product originally designed for a local market is exported to other countries with virtually no change, except perhaps for translation of words and other changes. It is an efficient method to reduce costs and increase quality. By minimizing the differences in your products, you are able to rapidly increase production, streamline distribution, decrease raw material costs and reinforce product branding. The best product standardization strategies allow you to balance the need for targeted adaptation with the cost savings of standardization. 3. 6. 1Benefits of product standardization in international marketing * Projecting a global product image. * Catering to customers globally . * Cost savings in terms of economies of scale in production. * Designing and monitoring various components of marketing mix economically 3. 7 Packaging strategy An important part of the product decision making process surrounds the packaging of the product. An effective packaging strategy can contribute to the firm’s competitive advantage. Some points to consider when developing a packaging strategy include 1. Make sure the packaging is unique. 2. Make sure it performs the function required. 3. Make sure packaging promotes your product and brand. 4. Make sure packaging is identifiable and reinforces the brand. Although not a separate part of the marketing mix, having a good packaging strategy is an essential part of the marketing strategy of a firm. A good strategy will comprise of the packaging being unique, functional, promotes the brand, reinforces the brand and is easily identifiable by the consumer. 3. 8 Product adaptation Marketing strategy whereby new products are based on modification or some improvement on existing or competing products, and not on pioneering innovations. It is the strategy of a follower. The need to develop an adaptation strategy can lead to changes in pricing, delivery and packaging 3. 8. 1 Benefits of product adaptation in international markets * Enable a firm to tap markets which are not accessible due to mandatory requirements * Helps in gaining a market share * Increase sales leading to economies of scale 3. 9 PRICE The second element in marketing mix is price. Price is simply the amount of money that consumers are willing to pay for a product or service. In earlier times, the price was determined through a barter process between sellers and purchasers. In modern time Pricing new products and pricing existing products require the use of different strategies. For example, when pricing a new product, businesses can use either market-penetration pricing or a price-skimming strategy. A market-penetration pricing strategy involves establishing a low product price to attract a large number of customers. By contrast, a price-skimming strategy is used when a high price is established in order to recover the Cost of a new product development as quickly as possible. 3. 9. 1 Pricing strategy in international marketing Although pricing practices appear to be no different internationally than nationally, in some respects there is wide divergence. These differences occur in the areas of transfer pricing, dumping, and governmental influence over price. 3. 9. 2Transfer Pricing Transfer prices are the prices placed on products as they are transferred between units belonging to the same company. Transfer prices can be used to mitigate the effects of government regulation. 3. 9. 3 Dumping. Dumping is disposing of goods in a foreign country at less than their full cost. Goods will sometimes be exported at prices that only cover direct costs to dispose of excess inventories. Companies sell their excess inventories overseas to avoid disturbing their own national markets (e. g. , reducing prices or causing price wars at home. ) There are five price-adjustment strategies: * Discount pricing and allowances include cash discounts, functional discounts, seasonal discounts, trade-in allowances, and promotional allowances. * Discriminatory pricing occurs when companies sell products or services at two or more prices. These price differences may be based on variables such as age of the customer, location of sale, organization membership, time of day, or season. * Geographical pricing is based on the location of the customers. Products may be priced differently in distinct regions of a target area because of demand differences. * Promotional pricing happens when a company temporarily prices products below the list price or below cost. Products priced below cost are sometimes called loss leaders. The goal of promotional pricing is to increase short-term sales. * Psychological pricing considers prices by looking at the psychological aspects of price. For example, consumers frequently perceive a relationship between product price and product quality. 3. 10 PROMOTION Promotion is the third element in the marketing mix. Promotion is a communication Process that takes place between a business and its various public. Public are those individuals and organizations that have an interest in what the business produces and offers for sale. Thus, in order to be effective, businesses need to plan promotional activities with the communication process in mind. There are four basic promotion tools: Advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and personal selling. Each promotion tool has its own unique characteristics and function. 3. 10. 1Promotional strategy in international marketing In the international industrial market, the primary element of the promotional mix is personal selling, for only through personal selling can the coordination so essential to the industrial buyer-seller interface be effectively achieved. Sales promotion in the form of trade fairs is playing an increasingly important role in international marketing because so many prospects can be contacted in one place and because they enable quick comparisons of products. Direct mail is also becoming popular, although mailing lists are usually difficult to obtain. The use of publicity, although growing in popularity, is limited due to language difficulties and media coverage. Advertising is given little attention in the international industrial market, perhaps because of the difficulties in determining media coverage and numerous, widely varying, governmental regulations. 3. 10. 2 Advertising It is described as paid, non personal communication by an organization by using various media to reach its various publics. The purpose of advertising is to inform or persuade a targeted audience to purchase a product or service, visit a location, or adopt an idea. Advantages of advertising include the ability to reach a large group or audience at a relatively low cost per individual contacted. Further, advertising allows organizations to control the message, which means the message can be adapted to either a mass or a specific target audience. Disadvantages of advertising include difficulty in measuring results and the inability to close sales because there is no personal contact between the organization and consumers. 3. 10. 2. 1 Advertising media There is a huge variety of media available through which a business can conduct an advertising campaign. * Advertising media includes * Newspapers * Magazines * Internet * Television * Radio * Cinema * Posters * Billboards 3. 10. 2. 2 Advertising appeals There are various appeals in advertising which aims aim to influence the way consumers view themselves and how buying certain products can prove to be beneficial for them. The most important types of advertising appeals include emotional and rational appeals. Emotional appeals are often effective for the youth while rational appeals work well for products directed towards the older generation. * Emotional Appeal An emotional appeal is related to an individual’s psychological and social needs for purchasing certain products and services. Many consumers are emotionally motivated or driven to make certain purchases. Advertisers aim to cash in on the emotional appeal and this works particularly well where there is not much difference between multiple product brands and its offerings. Emotional appeal includes personal and social aspects. * Fear Appeal Fear is also an important factor that can have incredible influence on individuals. Fear is often used to good effect in advertising and marketing campaigns of beauty and health products including insurance. Advertising experts indicate that using moderate levels of fear in advertising can prove to be effective. * Rational appeal Rational appeals as the name suggests aims to focus on the individual’s functional, utilitarian or practical needs for particular products and services. Such appeals emphasize the characteristics and features of the product and the service and how it would be beneficial to own or use the particular brand. Print media is particularly well suited for rational appeals and is often used with good success. It is also suited for business to business advertisers and for products that are complex and that need high degree of attention and involvement. * Endorsement appeal Celebrities and well known personalities often endorse certain products and their pitching can help drive the sales. 3. 10. 3Sales promotion The second promotional tool is sales promotion. Sales promotions are short-term incentives used to encourage consumers to purchase a product or service. There are three basic categories of sales promotion: consumer, trade, and business. Consumer promotion tools include such items as free samples, coupons, rebates, price packs, premiums, patronage rewards, point-of-purchase coupons, contests, sweepstakes, and games. Trade-promotion tools include discounts and allowances directed at wholesalers and retailers. Business-promotion tools include conventions and trade shows. Sales promotion has several advantages over other promotional tools in that it can produce a more immediate consumer response, attract more attention and create product awareness, measure the results, and increase short-term sales. 3. 10. 3. 1 Sales promotion in international marketing Sales promotion refers to any consumer or trade program of limited duration that adds tangible value to a product or brand. Sales promotion techniques in the international market consist of the following: promotional pricing tactics, contests, sweepstakes and games, premium and specialties, dealer loaders, merchandising materials, tie-ins and cross promotions, packaging, trade shows 3. 10. 4 Public relation Public relation is the third promotional tool. An organization builds positive public relation with various groups by obtaining favourable publicity, establishing a good corporate image, and handling or heading off unfavourable rumours, stories, and events. Organizations have at their disposal a variety of tools, such as press releases, product Publicity, Official communications, lobbying, and counselling to develop image. Public relations tools are effective in developing a positive attitude toward the organization and enhance the credibility of a product. Public relations activities have the drawback that May not provide an accurate measure of their influence on sales. 3. 0. 4. 1 Public relation in international marketing A company’s public relations (PR) effort should-foster goodwill and understanding among constituents both inside and outside the company. The basic tools of PR include news releases, newsletters, press conferences, tours of plants and ether company faciliti es, articles in trade or professional journals, company publications and brochures, TV a Similar essay: Reed Supermarkets: a New Wave of Competitors

Biotechnology

Biotechnology Essay The welfare and development of todays student-athlete is central to the administration of Big Ten Conference intercollegiate athletics. Providing opportunity for young men and women to mature in a wholesome and healthy way is critically important to our universities. A commitment exists at all levels of our universities to providing the resources to support the welfare of Big Ten student-athletes. At the 1996 NCAA Convention, the Division I membership debated a number of issues related to financial assistance for student-athletes. Limitations on Pell Grants, stipends awarded by the federal government for educational purposes, were removed. Discussions took place, and continue to occur, on ways to liberalize rules on how student-athletes can earn money from work done during the off-season. Around the same time, the NCAA Executive Committee increased the annual funding of the special assistance fund from $3 million to $10 million. Big Ten institutions provide more than 6,400 young men and women opportunities to play on 250 intercollegiate teams. These young people receive more than $42 million annually from Big Ten institutions in grants-in-aid (tuition, room and board, books). While receiving the opportunity for a world-class education, they compete with and against some of the finest amateur athletes in the country. Needy student-athletes in the Big Ten may receive up to $2,000 annually above the value of their grant-in-aid via federal aid and are eligible for cash payments from the special assistance fund for items like clothing, emergency trips home and other special needs. Big Ten universities also assist student-athletes in identifying summer employment opportunities, career placement and catastrophic-injury insurance plans. They also assist with a $1 million insurance plan that financially protects student-athletes with professional sports aspirations in the event they suffer a disabling injury. Today, the system that served so many so well and for so long is being called into question by the media, the public and even by some coaches and student-athletes. They assert that some student-athletes in football and basketball should be paid for their participation. They believe that the market forces that drive professional sports, or any other private-sector activity, should provide the controlling principle for the relationship between the student-athlete and the university. This issue of financial assistance for student-athletes is critical to defining and examining the relationship between intercollegiate athletics and higher education as we approach the 21st century. While we must be open to novel approaches and new ideas, paying student-athletes to play is not supportable within the context of Big Ten intercollegiate athletics now or in the future. In my view, revenues derived from intercollegiate athletics are the sole property of the institution and should be expended in support of the broadest array of mens and womens educational and athletics opportunities. Thus, revenues are earned in private-sector activity and spent within the confines of the university for appropriate educational purposes. Some critics of college athletics cite the economic and educational exploitation of the student-athletes who participate in our major revenue sports as a major flaw in the system. We believe the educational and the lifetime economic benefits associated with a university education are the appropriate quid pro quo for any Big Ten student-athlete, regardless of the sport. For many decades, Big Ten intercollegiate athletics has been funded largely by revenues from mens basketball and football programs. This situation is not likely to change in the foreseeable future. Our institutions have sponsored sports programs that enabled outstanding athletes such as Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Red Grange, Archie Griffin, John Havlicek and Dick Butkus (the list is endless) to obtain an education and play their sport, in turn providing resources for educational and athletics opportunities for such people as Suzy Favor, Jesse Owens, Mark Spitz and Jack Nicklaus. Under this system, people like John Wooden and Gerald Ford played alongside student-athletes much less famous, but equally deserving of an intercollegiate athletics experience. Intercollegiate athletics has provided, and will continue to provide, opportunities for social mobility through education for future generations of young men and women. We must ensure that all young people admitted to our universities are prepared to compete academically so that the overall student-athlete academic outcomes are compatible with their peers within the general student population. Recent efforts to raise NCAA initial-eligibility standards are attempts to counter the argument that unprepared student-athletes are being admitted and then exploited for their athletics contributions. Ten mens basketball and football events and more than 300 million Americans watch these sports on television. Ticket and television revenues derived from those sources are shared among our members so that each university can sponsor the .

Career Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Career Counseling - Essay Example It is also evident from the case that Randall has always been competitive and career oriented in his approach. Thus it is a very hard for Randall to overcome the accident and lead a normal life. Even the effects of the accident have taken a greater toll on the physical as well as mental abilities of Randall. But still it can be viewed that Randall have the desire within himself that gave him much required confidence. Though life after the accident would not be the same again but his attitude made it lot easier for him to lead life. Personal performances and accomplishments have considerable connection with that of efficacy. Even outcome expectations and personal goals play great role. Randall wanted to become an aeronautical engineer and was preparing for it but the accident turned away his attention from studies because it was quite taxing for him. But still it is known that Randall opted for CADD (Computer Aided Drafting and Design) after the incident and wanted to lead a simple li fe. He also felt that he was not different from others in any aspect. His optimism was one factor that made him more strong and confident. Determination and achievement are the other foundations of the social cognitive learning theory. The determination of Randall to achieve something after going through so much of turbulence is one such example. The social cognitive learning theory has both strengths and limitations but with bilateral perceptions. It depends a lot on the situation as well as the mind frame of the learner. It provides a more flexible focus on the development of the learner. The three bases which are efficacy, expectations and goals are three internal factors of the learner. Thus it is only with the learner’s willingness along with proper counseling that could turn the limitations into the learner’s advantage. Cultural approach only comes to play when there is any problem in relation with that of culture and the environment in a broader aspect.

Virtue Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Virtue Ethics - Essay Example s of character make one a good man?† According to Christianity, morality is divine command; the fact of applying reason in identifying what’s moral and what isn’t. Jesus was on different occasions asked if there was a particular right way of doing things, like the proper method of worship, or what to do to gain eternal life. In His responses to all such questions, Jesus said there were no specific ways of doing things right; that there were not set of rules or laws. Renaissance came up with moral law, which is what determined the right or wrong thing to do. Many later day philosophers, such as Anscombe (1958), have disagreed with the renaissance view, insisting there shouldn’t be any law because, in any case, there can’t be a law without a lawgiver. Virtues are defined by Aristotle as character traits manifested in habitual action. He says no virtue exists in the extremes. Rather, virtue comes in between the two extremes. For instance, courage comes in between cowardice and foolhardiness. In both Christianity and philosophy, virtue ethics is not dictated by any set of laws. In both cases, virtue ethics is not in what one does or their action, but rather lies in their

Huyndai and Kya case study international business Research Paper

Huyndai and Kya case study international business - Research Paper Example The more value the won gains, the more expansion Hyundai should seek in the US. So far, although won is gaining strength in comparison to the US dollar, yet it is still below the value of US dollar (â€Å"Latest Exchange Rates†). So it would not be feasible to completely shift all of its manufacturing plants in the US. However, the point at which, if ever, won gains more value than the US dollar, then Hyundai should completely shift its manufacturing plant to the US. Besides, currency movement is not the only factor that drives Hyundai’s motivation to expand its presence in the US. The company might want to expand its presence because its main customer base happens to be the Americans. As it expands its presence in the US, reduced cost of transportation, more knowledge of the local market in the US, and availability of advanced technology would more than compensate for any costs incurred in the process of expansion in the long

Please help me pick one Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Please help me pick one - Research Paper Example It starts at its peak of $173 on 5th of October 2012 and by 2th of November the following month it’s at its lowest point of about $162.6.After 2nd of November the shares are gaining value to a stunning $166.3 by 6th of the same month. The same decline is shown by the trend line which indicates the average closing stock shares reducing from $172 on 5th October 2012 to about $163.5 on 6th of November. A different trend is exhibited for the United States Oil closing shares. Shares are stable as for 10 days with minimal fluctuations from 8th of October. This is after a rise from decline for previous days(shares are at 33.5 on 5th October).Between 18th and 24th of October, closing shares drop to about 31.7 from 34.1 after which they stabilize again though at about 31.7.Closing stocks hit their lowest value(about 31.3) on 2nd November after which it begins to gain value again. The value of Shares relates directly to value of gold/oil held by the Trust therefore fluctuations in gold/oil price materially affected investment in the Shares. The price of gold/oil fluctuated over these period. These were due to; Global gold/oil supply and demand, Purchases, sales, production and cost levels in key gold/oil-producing countries (i.e. South Africa, the United States and Australia for gold and Saudi Arabia, Iran and Nigeria for Oil),Investors’ anticipations with respect to inflation rate, Currency exchange rates, Rates of Interest, political, economic and financial instability worldwide The value of Shares relates directly to value of gold/oil held by the Trust therefore fluctuations in gold/oil price materially affected investment in the Shares. The price of gold/oil fluctuated over these period. These were due to; Global gold/oil supply and demand, Purchases, sales, production and cost levels in key gold/oil-producing countries (i.e. South Africa, the United States and Australia for gold and Saudi Arabia, Iran and

Race Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Race - Assignment Example Femininity is especially differentiated by masculinity in the means of their beauty and is seen as elements that help satisfy the masculine desire for sex and intimacy. They are not really devalued by the overall society and have an important role to play in the society, but the way they are controlled leads to their devaluation. The system of patriarchy views them as fragile and due to this perception they are mostly redeemed important to carry out functions such as caring for others and these functions carried out by females is recognized as Pink-collar labor and these jobs are even regarded as blue-collar labor as these jobs require lower amount of skills. According to Kimmel, manhood can be described as homophobia which is the fear of being unmasked by other males of failing to be a real man (Rothenberg 91). He even defines manhood as flight from feminine as boys tend to prove that they do not have traits that are shared by females and lastly Kimmel defines manhood as power relat ions in which males tend to exhibit behaviors that represent masculinity. 2. By the period of the 18th century, whiteness and the term white which was used to differentiate between the white races of America from other races became very popular and this kind of differentiation among people is recognized as overt racism. The term is used to give a certain population of America a better status in different spheres of life. Immigrants were never treated well in US and they have been exploited mainly due to Xenophobia which is regarded as the fear that a particular society experiences from foreign elements. Institutional racism was in practice and employees who migrated from foreign regions were treated differently as compared to the whites. Not only those already living in US were able to gain the status of being white, some immigrants such as the Jews were even regarded as white folks because of their excellence in the academic sphere during the 1920s (Rothenberg 38). There were other reasons due to which Jews were no longer seen as immigrants or people from the inferior class. One of the main reasons was the program of affirmative action which was not actually created for the purpose of decreasing discrimination against Jews. According to this program, even the migrants from the European nations such as Jews were categorized as whites. The black slaves in US were referred to as chattel slavery as they were recognized as assets owned by their owners by the law and these assets could be bought or sold. Restricted naturalized citizenship is a term used to refer to those individual who were recognized as citizens and were free white individuals and had lived in US for over two years and this citizenship was awarded under the Naturalization Act of 1970. It is quite difficult to define the national culture of America as there are huge numbers of people from different parts of the world and different religions who follow different practices. 3. Under legitimate chatte l slavery practiced in US, the black slaves were suppressed for several years and during this period the whites continue to increase their wealth and the blacks continued to experience worse economic conditions. The blacks were even suppressed by law as laws were made in the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson in which the court of law ruled that the blacks and whites of US had access to separate resources. Due to this, even today the whites have

A Study into the Process of Downsizing and Reengineering Essay - 1

A Study into the Process of Downsizing and Reengineering - Essay Example The business process re-engineering helps companies to restructure their organizations by emphasizing on the design of business processes. The business process can be defined as the tasks which are logically related and a defined business outcome can be achieved by these tasks. The process of re-engineering focuses on the objectives of business by encouraging the recreation of processes in a full scale rather than optimization of sub processes. Business process re-engineering is also called as business transformation, business process redesign and business process change management. Downsizing A concept incorporated into many models of reengineering is downsizing or reduction of staff. It refers to reducing the excess staff members and cut down costs. When it happens, it is required to handle the layoffs in a manner without striking fear into the main employee base. It loses the competitive edge of the company. It creates the employees to wonder for what is going to happen the next. If the majority of problems lie at the top of company, the managers will be the first to be let go. On occurrence of this situation, the new team of business management, in their reengineering efforts, is expected to lead the company forward. Their duty is to get the rest employees of the company with their new line of thinking on board. This participation requires cooperation, trust and commitment from everyone involved in it. Reengineering traits and downsizing To be successful in achieving the goal of downsizing, an internal team of reengineering is required to be formed. If people with different opinions could be selected for the team then chances for success will be greater. It can include such people who are familiar with the internal operations of the company, customers, those having little knowledge in the area and outside consultants. When choosing the members of team from within the company, if people having different areas of expertise could be selected, then the selectio n will be the best. This will facilitate the company to get numerous and diverse ideas from the members of team. It is suggested not to make a team of more than ten; otherwise, the team could become unmanageable. So the team should not get too big. The process of business reengineering can be drastic. The employees within the company can experience emotions like fear, anger, shock, anxiety and denial. Management of the company should be prompt and quick in noticing it and should try to calm such resentment growing within the company. The process of rebirth of organization should be stressed by them. Rather, they should try to create enthusiasm. If they become successful, replacement can be made to the fear of employees with anticipation as they help the company to grow into a competitive entity. The process of reengineering involves reinvention of company from its ground up. It involves abandonment of old habits and adoption of new ones. This should be implemented in rapid motions r ather than in smaller steps as initiating the same with smaller steps can fall back the company into its older habits. This can lead to mergers, liquidations and outsourcing of jobs. At the same time, history of company, relationship with customer, strength of past assets should also be considered.

Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Paper 2 - Essay Example For instance, Lauren Slater’s Metaphorical Memoir ‘Lying’, she chronicles her youth, how she struggled with epilepsy until she was cured through psychotherapy and medication; however, Slater also narrates how, when after being diagnosed with epilepsy, she developed the irresistible compulsion to lie. On the other hand, in her Autobiographical Memoir titled â€Å"The Kiss†, Kathryn Harrison reveals how, due toan unhealthy relationship with her mother, she became a victim of an incestuous relationship with her father. In this respect, we can posit that both Slater and Harrison had devised alternative ways of seeking attention to fill the emptiness from being neglected while growing up- compulsive lying and incestuous relationship respectively. Lauren Slater’s metaphorical memoir ‘Lying’ is an outright lie right from the title where she boldly and loudly announces that the contents of the book do not represent a true account of her life. As if that is not enough, Lauren Slater advertently imposes upon the reader a need to redraw the lines between factual truth and metaphorical truths; she achieves this by cunningly confusing facts and fiction throughout the book thus undermining the very essence of a memoir, which naturally is supposed to be a true account of events in one’s life. ... uring her adolescence, Lauren too begins lying, stealing and faking seizures as alternative ways of seeking attention from the people around her; this shows how neglected she was and how desperately she craved for the much needed attention. Later in her life, Slater begins an affair with a married man who was much older than she was but the relationship ends badly; Slater resorts to attending Alcoholics Anonymous sessions even though she was not alcoholic. However, Slater tells her story with so much conviction that even when she later confesses that she was not an alcoholic, everyone dismisses her true story as denial (Slater 207). The interplay between literal/factual with the Metaphorical/fictional is heightened even further when Slater suggests that epilepsy affects the memory thus, by confusing her emotional memory and factual memory, Slater raises concerns about the fundamental assumptions of the Memoir genre and all narrative self-disclosure. Kathryn Harrison develops an inces tuous relationship with her father as a way of courting the much needed attention due to her being neglected by her mother while growing up. In her autobiographical novel, â€Å"The Kiss†, Harrison reveals how her distant father figure coupled with the unhealthy relationship with her mother translates into a four-year incestuous affair; growing up, Harrison had close to no clue of her father until she recreates him in her own mind as someone bigger, faster and stronger than all other dads do. Harrison is raised by her grandparents because her parents divorced when she was only six months old (Harrison 5); her father appears ghostly, almost mythical because she is not allowed to discuss or talk about him. This causes the young Harrison to become extremely curious about her absent father, the

Courage (To Kill A Mockingbird) Essay Example for Free

Courage (To Kill A Mockingbird) Essay The dictionary definition for courage is- Courage is the quality of mind that enables one to face danger or difficulty with confidence, resolution, and gain a firm control of oneself. Many of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird show courage in their own way. Courage can come in many different forms: physical, mental, emotional and moral. Atticus shows courage throughout the novel while he stands up for what he believes is right even though he knows the majority of people disagree with his views. Atticus sees differently because he went to university and he got an education where he learnt about values and equality whereas the people of Maycomb who do not have the same education are basing their decision on what their family taught them and being from the south they have been taught to discriminate against which is why they treat Tom Robinson so unfairly. Atticus is also forced to shoot the mad dog (106-107) which is against his moral standards but he knew he had to kill it, not only to protect the people of Maycomb, he also had to put the dog out of its misery which took a lot of his strength and courage. Mrs Dubose shows courage and determination when she recognises that she has a flaw and that she has to fix it. She is addicted to Morphine and makes a goal to die free of her weakness. She goes through a time of withdrawal that is difficult to survive. She finishes her goal before she dies. She enlists Jem to read to her every Saturday as a way of distracting herself. It still takes a great amount of self-confidence to be able to recognise that one has a flaw and even more to do something about it. Scout shows a large amount of courage in the scene where Atticus goes down to the jailhouse in an attempt to try and protect Tom Robinson. After he arrives at the jail, a group of men appear in the jail with the intention of killing Robinson. Atticus is prepared to defend him, but he is thrown off guard when his children enter the situation. This makes Atticus nervous that his children are in danger. That was when Scout stepped up to the men and talked them down from attacking Tom and Atticus. Another example of courage is when Scout rolls the tire into the Radley yard. She is terrified when she realises where she is and her immediate reaction is to run straight back to the street. When she gets back Jem tells her to go back and get the tyre but Jem ends up doing it anyway. When Jem returns he accuses Scout of being a sissy girl. What he doesnt know because Scout decided not to tell him is that Scout heard laughter from inside the house. That is why she ran out so fast, forgetting the tyre. But she chose not to explain this to them.

7 Days of Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory Essay Example for Free

7 Days of Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory Essay PREPARATORY PRAYER My Jesus, by the sorrows You suffered in Your agony in the Garden, in Your scourging and crowning with thorns, in Your journey to Calvary, in Your crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; deliver them from the torments they endure; call them and admit them to Your most sweet embrace in paradise, where You live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen See more: Homeless satire essay Prayers from The Raccolta (Here say the prayer for the day) 0ur Father Our Father in Heaven, Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women; and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Eternal Rest Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. Concluding Prayer Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. SUNDAY O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood, which Your divine Son Jesus shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that one which is the most forsaken of all, and bring it into Your glory, where it may praise and bless You forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc. MONDAY O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood, which Your divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which is nearest to its entrance into Your glory, that it may soon begin to praise You and bless You forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc. TUESDAY O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood of Your divine Son Jesus that was shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among them all, particularly that soul which is in the greatest need of our prayers, in order that it may not long be delayed in praising You in Your glory and blessing You forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc. WEDNESDAY O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood of Your divine Son Jesus that was shed in the streets of Jerusalem while He carried on His sacred shoulders the heavy burden of the Cross, deliver the souls in purgatory and especially that one which is richest in merits in Your sight, so that, having soon attained the high place in glory to which it is destined, it may praise You triumphantly and bless You forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc. THURSDAY O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Body and Blood of Your divine Son Jesus, which He Himself on the night before His Passion gave as meat and drink to His beloved Apostles and bequeathed to His Holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people, deliver the souls in purgatory, but most of all, that soul which was most devoted to this Mystery of infinite love, in order that it may praise You therefore, together with Your divine Son and the Holy Spirit in Your glory forever. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc. FRIDAY O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood which Jesus Your divine Son did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred Hands and Feet, deliver the souls in purgatory, and particularly that soul for whom I am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders You from admitting it quickly to the possession of Your glory where it may praise You and bless You for evermore. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc. SATURDAY O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech You by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the sacred Side of Your divine Son Jesus in the presence and to the great sorrow of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in purgatory and among them all especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may come quickly into Your glory, there to praise You in her, and her in You through all the ages. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal rest, etc.

Expression of TDP43 in Development of ALS Model Zebrafish

Expression of TDP43 in Development of ALS Model Zebrafish Change in expression of TDP43 in various organs during development of ALS model zebrafish. Anuj Dhoj Raut Introduction Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the devastating motor neuron disease that is characterized by progressive degeneration of both upper and lower motor neuron that control voluntary movement of body. The degeneration of the neurons seen in ALS result in muscle weakness, spasticity and atrophy of both cranial and spinal nerves muscle groups. Since there is often respiratory muscle involvement, aspiration pneumonia is the most common cause of death for the patients with ALS. At present, ALS is invariably fatal disease with no absolute cure and patients usually die within 3-5 years after the clinical onset of symptoms. The mean age of onset of ALS is between 55 and 65 years with slightly more prevalence in male (Male: Female ratio ~ 1.5:1) (1). Even though, incidence rate of ALS are different in different countries of the world, globally average annual incident rate is between 1.5 and 2.5 per 100,000 populations. There has been an increase in death rate of ALS and current internatio nal death rates for ALS have be close to 1 per 100,000 population per year(1). Currently, riluzole, an inhibitor of glutamate release, is the only disease modifying treatment available for the disease and can extends life only for couple of months (2,3). The etiology of ALS is currently unknown. However, approximately 10% of ALS patients have family history for ALS (Familial ALS;FALS) and remaining 90% of case occur sporadically (Sporadic ALS; SALS)(4). Although definitive evidence for environmental factor that cause ALS has remain mostly unknown, the evidence of genetic alternation that cause ALS has been increasing. Till date, only known cause of ALS is mutation in the gene. Mutations in more than 13 different types of genes have already been identified that can cause FALS. FALS is often a Mendelian inheritance with high penetrance, although most cases are autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance, autosomal recessive pedigrees have also been reported (5,6). Even though, FALS are cause due to genetic alternation, FALS are indistinguishable from SALS form histopathological perspective and both the types’ presents with similar sign and symptoms, thus suggesting common intra-cellular processes that lead to the disease symptoms. Among those 13 different types of gene mutation that causes FALS, mutation in Transactive response DNA binding Protein 43kDa (TDP-43) gene is seen in approximately 4% of FALS and 2% of SALS (7). Transactive response DNA binding protein 43kDa (TDP-43) is a DNA/RNA-binding protein encode by the TARDBP gene on chromosome 1. TDP-43 is an ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein capable of shutting between the nucleus and cytoplasm (8). TDP43 is present in almost all the tissue of a body and have different roles in different tissues (9). Although the precise cellular function of TDP-43 is unknown, TDP-43 has been implicated in regulating of gene transcription (9),alternative exon splicing (10) and mRNA stability (11). Under normal physiological conditions, TDP-43 resides predominantly in the nucleus where it involved in gene expression. But, in abnormal pathological conditions such as ALS, TDP-43 is mislocalized in the cytoplasm as inclusions body (12,13) . Analysis of TDP-43 in the brain and spinal cord of ALS patients reveled that TDP-43 is pathologically modified and redistribution to the cytoplasm, which is accompanied by loss of normal nuclear function and a toxic gain-of-function in the cytoplasm (14,15). The mislocalization of TDP-43 into cytoplasm is believed to be cause of neuron loss in ALS patients. Moreover, TDP-43 positive inclusions are also found either independent or partially colocalize with the other characteristic inclusion, such as tau, ÃŽ ±-synuclei, ÃŽ ²-amyloid and polyglutamines, which are found in other neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s disease, Pick disease and Parkinson’s disease. Interestingly, TDP-43 positive cytoplasmic inclusion are found in almost all ALS patient along with other neurodegenerative disease (16). Although evidence suggest that there is a definitive association between ALS and TDP-43, above observations make it confusing to whether TDP-43 pathology is causative or a secondary response in this disease. Studies done to unravel if TDP-43 is pathology or secondary response to ALS have come with conflicting result. Moreover, the present of TDP-43 in inclusion body of another neurodegenerative has been a mystery. The precise role of TDP-43 in ALS and other neurodegenerative disease is not well known and needs further evaluation. Study, in the mouse has shown that TDP-43 protein is essential for normal prenatal development. Homozygous loss of TDP-43 in mouse cause early embryo death. But, in heterozygous loss TDP-43 mouse, the TDP-43 protein levels were nearly normal suggesting an auto-regulatory mechanism controlling this protein levels(17,18). Moreover, research on mRNA expression levels of TDP-43 protein in various tissues has shown that TDP-43 plays different roles in different tissue(9). Furthermore, about 40 different mutant in TDP-43 have already been identified so far that is associated with ALS (10). But all this various types of mutations in TDP43 have only affected motor nerve of spinal cord and brain. At the same time, mutation and/or overexpression of TDP-43 has not cause any pathology alternation in other cells and tissue of the body or has been found to be associated with diseases of other organ system. A protein that is so vital for a development of organisms that it’s absent cause deat h, but when there is mutation in its gene has only abnormalities in nervous system and that abnormalities are evidence after mid-life is yet to be understood. Moreover, within the nervous system mutation in TDP-43 seems to affect only motor neuron and at the same time spares other neuron such as sensory, autonomic nervous system. And this preference to the motor neuron by mutant TDP-43 is even seen till the late stage of the disease. Physiological roles of TDP-43 and early cellular pathogenic effects caused by disease associated mutations in differentiated neurons is yet to be fully understand. Causative link between TDP-43 positive inclusion and ALS can be well established, if nuclear to cytoplasmic expression of mutant TDP-43 could be study in vivo and in real time. And at the same time, will also be able to understand if TDP-43 pathology is causative or a secondary response to ALS and other neurodegenerative disease. Transgenic rodent models of ALS have been extremely valuable in providing some insight into biological mechanisms underlying ALS. But, due to difficulty in conducting in vivo real time study with rodent, change in intra cellular expression of TDP-43 has not being well understand. The zebrafish has recently emerged as powerful genetic model system for studying ALS. External development and transparency make it great tool to study the development stages of almost all the organ. External development of its eggs allows easy observation and manipulation of early development process. And, transparency makes is a powerful tool to observe the change at cellular level by using fluorescent reporters. With the help of fluorescent reporter, specific cell type and protein expression within those cells can be easily identify and study in vivo and in real time in zebrafish. In addition, zebrafish is a vertebrate and their nervous system is highly conserved with higher vertebrates including humans a nd many pertinent feature of the nervous system start to develop within 1 day of development. Moreover, genetic manipulations are comparatively easy in zebrafish. Therefore, zebrafish is a great model system to study the association of TDP-43 and ALS. In this study, I am trying to understand the change in expression of mutant and overexpressed TDP-43 protein in different tissue of zebrafish. At the same time also will be evaluating the change in expressions of TDP-43 as the zebrafish grow from embryo to adult. I will then compare the change in level of TDP-43 from asymptomatic stage of ALS zebrafish to that of symptomatic stage of ALS zebrafish. In order to conduct this experiment, transgenic zebrafish with human mutant TDP-43 will be created by genetic engineering. Human mutant TDP-43 will be fused with green florescent protein (GFP) before creating transgenic zebrafish. By combining human mutant TDP-43 with GFP will allow easy visualization of TDP-43 protein in zebrafish. Then, image of the fluorescent labeled TDP-43 at different stage of development of zebrafish period will be capture with fluorescent microscope. References 1.Logroscino, G., Traynor, B., Hardiman, O., Couratier, P., Mitchell, J., Swingler, R., and Beghi, E. (2008) Descriptive epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: new evidence and unsolved issues. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery Psychiatry 79, 6-11 2.Bensimon, G., Lacomblez, L., and Meininger, V. (1994) A controlled trial of riluzole in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS/Riluzole Study Group. The New England journal of medicine 330, 585-591 3.Miller, R., Mitchell, J., Lyon, M., and Moore, D. (2007) Riluzole for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 1 4.Pasinelli, P., and Brown, R. H. (2006) Molecular biology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: insights from genetics. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 7, 710-723 5.Mulder, D. W., Kurland, L. T., Offord, K. P., and Beard, C. M. (1986) Familial adult motor neuron disease: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurology 36, 511-517 6.Gros-Louis, F., Gaspar, C., and Rouleau, G. A. (2006) Genetics of familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biochimica et biophysica acta 1762, 956-972 7.Corrado, L., Ratti, A., Gellera, C., Buratti, E., Castellotti, B., Carlomagno, Y., Ticozzi, N., Mazzini, L., Testa, L., and Taroni, F. (2009) High frequency of TARDBP gene mutations in Italian patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Human mutation 30, 688-694 8.Winton, M. J., Igaz, L. M., Wong, M. M., Kwong, L. K., Trojanowski, J. Q., and Lee, V. M.-Y. 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Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 35, 320-327 12.Arai, T., Hasegawa, M., Akiyama, H., Ikeda, K., Nonaka, T., Mori, H., Mann, D., Tsuchiya, K., Yoshida, M., and Hashizume, Y. (2006) TDP-43 is a component of ubiquitin-positive tau-negative inclusions in frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biochemical and biophysical research communications 351, 602-611 13.Mackenzie, I. R. (2007) The neuropathology of FTD associated with ALS. Alzheimer Disease Associated Disorders 21, S44-S49 14.Kabashi, E., Lin, L., Tradewell, M. L., Dion, P. A., Bercier, V., Bourgouin, P., Rochefort, D., Hadj, S. B., Durham, H. D., and Velde, C. V. (2010) Gain and loss of function of ALS-related mutations of TARDBP (TDP-43) cause motor deficits in vivo. Human molecular genetics 19, 671-683 15.Neumann, M. (2009) Molecular neuropathology of TDP-43 proteinopathies. International journal of molecular sciences 10, 232-246 16.Da Cruz, S., and Cleveland, D. W. 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