Advanced technologies Essays

Advanced technologies Essays Advanced technologies Essay Advanced technologies Essay It was already mentioned that acquisition program made Wimm Bill Dann a vertically integrated company, which controlled the full production cycle. Thus, it made the company virtually invulnerable to any kind of changes on the market. With all power in hand and pioneering technologies, Wimm Bill Dann became a strong and powerful market player. Yet, all the changes that Wimm Bill Dann undertook made the sector attractive to competitors. That’s exactly why campina, Ehrman, Danone and Parmalat appeared. However, it’s necessary to say that with all the acquisition that Wimm Bill Dann made, for those companies-competitors it had become a required condition as well to ensure reliable supply in order to stay flexible and react quickly to any market changes. In the past, the sector had been fractured – some plants produced milk, other entrepreneurs distribute it, the third ones sold etc. WBD changed the structure of the industry making the necessary condition to have reliable supply. Thus, it is possible to say that WBD’s acquisition program made it more difficult for potential newcomers to enter the market. The entrance barriers became high, though the sector had become very attractive. The contemporary trends in marketing environment demand complete flexibility of the companies, i. e. an ability to react quickly to different market changes. This condition is especially relevant to Russia, where political and economic environment are very hard to predict. When Wimm Bill Dann entered the market, the personal income of the customers was very low. It was necessary for WBD to make its products cheaper so that Russian consumers could buy. Nowadays, the personal income of people had substantially increased, as did the demands. The consumption partners are different as well. At the moment, people prefer to pay more but to buy quality products. The quality can be ensured only by strong brand. Thus, brand loyalty had become the necessary condition of success. Companies spend millions of dollars to make their brands recognizable, to ensure brand’s awareness and therefore to ensure stable market position for their customers. It is not a secret, that it is cheaper to retain the existing customer than to get a new one. Yet, it is also important to say that strong brand can be built only when company focuses as much effort as possible on this given product. Therefore, specialization nowadays is becoming more and more important in order to achieve market success. Considering this factor, Wimm Bill Dann’s strategy of diversification doesn’t appear to remain sustainable. Wimm Bill Dann nowadays is associated to the larger extent with diary products, in lesser extent with juice, but not with mineral water, beer in may be something else in future. Thus, it is reasonable that the company focuses all its efforts in pursuing brand loyalty in its diary segment. According to Boston Consulting Group matrix, portfolio of every company might be composed of four main category of products: Stars – have big market share, which quickly rises; Cows – have big market share, which remain stable; Questions – their market share is small, but it also quickly rises. With adequate financial support, questions can either turn into cows or stars; Dogs – their market share is small and it doesn’t enlarge. Companies have to get rid of dogs in order to save money and invest it in other perspective products. Thus, diary product is cows for Wimm Bill Dann, as they generate the largest profit for the company and have the best potential for growth. Juices can be considered stars. They need adequate promotional campaign in order to compete with foreign producers. In such a way, it is important to notice that Wimm Bill Dann’s strategy of diversification had done well for the company in the past contributing to fast growth and adequate response to changing market conditions. Yet, nowadays with growing competition and the wide variety of different products, it is very easy for the customer to get lost. That is why strong brand building is recommended to serve as a guide for the customer and to differentiate the products of the given company from the products of the rest of the companies. With this regard brand extension doesn’t seem to be a relevant approach, since people tend to associate the company with certain type of a product. Thus, if the customers think that Wimm Bill Dann does diaries the best, they wouldn’t think so with regard to beer or any other product. That is why, brand extension can even create a threat for the company’s core competence products – diaries and juices. In such a way, specialization rather than diversification strategy seems more relevant and more useful. 2. What made Wimm Bill Dann a potentially attractive takeover target? Wimm Bill Dann is a pioneer company on the post soviet Russian market. It is the first company to use advanced technologies of packaging and product preservation, thus making the products look better and serve longer. It is also the first Russian company to use active marketing campaigns in order to create strong demand for its products and form strong customer loyalty. Moreover, Wimm Bill Dann is a vertically integrated company that doesn’t depend on suppliers. This provides additional competitive advantage and ensures company’s success. Thus, the most relevant competitive advantage of the company are: wide distribution network, which ensures availability of WBD’s products; Advanced technologies; full production cycle; strong brands. All thses factors make the company, as it was already mentioned, virtually invulnerable to any kind of market changes. The company is able to adapt quickly to any external changes, which makes Wimm Bill Dann very attractive as a potential takeover target. Moreover, Wimm Bill Dann extended its operations to foreign markets as well, thus it has excellent opportunities for growth. Being number one national producer in Russia, Wimm Bill Dann set high entrance barriers for newcomers and is able now to dictate own conditions on the market. Yet, what makes the company especially attractive target is its powerful brand equity. Wimm Bill Dann’s brand is what adds the most value to the company. WBD is one of the most expensive brands in Russia, which has great potential of becoming one of the most expensive brand in Europe and Asia. References 1. Brown S. (2000) â€Å"Imagining Marketing: Art, aesthetics and the avant-garde† Routledge, London 2. Debrah Y. (2002) â€Å"Globalization, Employment and the Workplace† Routledge, London 3. Cassing J. (1998) â€Å"Capital, Technology and Labor in the New Global Economy† American Enterprise Institute, Washington DC

Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment

Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment Free Online Research Papers The pros and cons of Capital Punishment. I will cover the United States citizen’s reaction towards using the death penalty as a form of punishment. Can criminals who commit murder actually be reformed? According to (Ballara Cushman, 2009), the cons greatly outweigh the pros. From their point of view, the death penalty is useless as a deterrent of crime, indefensible, discriminatory in practice, prone to errors, consumes an outrageous amount of money and resources, and is a form of cruel and unusual punishment that violates the Eighth Amendment. What a lot of people do not realize is, â€Å"the death penalty is not about deterring crime†, â€Å"it is about punishing a person for the crime they have committed†. In 1977 there were 1,100 convicted prisoners on death row and as of 2007 3,350 remain on death row in American prisons. Although New Jersey has totally abolished the death penalty, The United States is increasingly criticized for failing to keep in line with other civilized nations by abolishing Capital Punishment. Is this truly a question of being civilized, or is this about what is right or wrong? Capital Punishment has been a complicated issue for a long time and will continue to be an issue for American people for years to come. In 2007 nearly 40% of the inmates on death row are African American. Almost all of them come from impoverished backgrounds and have a much lower chance of their lives being spared from the death chamber. With flaws in investigations, trial procedures, and mistakes made by forensics, the death penalty is under immense scrutiny in the public’s eyes. According to (Bowman Dilasio, 2009) Capital Punishment is up for debate. Although they believe much of what (Ballaro Cushman) have to say, they have found that certain people’ beliefs in ancient forms of punishment for crimes committed and our standards of justice today, that criminals found guilty of murder should be given the death penalty for taking an innocent life. In both articles I found that people who are not in favor of the death penalty are mainly against it, because it is not only used for criminals who have committed murder, but for criminals who have committed rape and other less heinous crimes. (Newport, 2007) did a report on the Gallup Poll Briefing which showed that 69% of Americans were in favor of the death penalty. When the poll was first done back in the 1930’s 59%, were in favor which is surprisingly close to today’s findings. The question that comes to mind is should we worry about criminal’s rights? Especially the Eighth Amendment, when the person who has been murdered no longer has any rights? Many say the death penalty is costly. It is even more expensive to keep these barbaric criminals in prison for life. Murders can never be reformed, and even if they tried to reform the criminal it would cost even more money. In my eyes it is just not possible to reform a criminal who committed murder. How can they ever repay the family and society for what they have done? When that criminal chose to murder another human being, they gave up all their rights. Is it constitutional for one human being to take another human beings life? Doesn’t the Bible say and â€Å"eye for an eye†? Why should innocent Americans who work very hard every day to pay their bills, give their families the things they need, and abide by the laws suffer financially for the criminal who committed that murder? We the people of the United States pay a lot of taxes to keep these prisons running. I do not think it is fair or right in any way to spare the lives of these menus’ of society. If it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt with DNA and other substantial evidence, I believe the death penalty should remain in force. References Ballaro, B. Cushman, C. A.(2009). Point: Capital punishment should be abolished. Points of View: Death Penalty, p2. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=26612501site=pov-live Bowman, J. DiLascio, T. M.(2009). Counterpoint: The death penalty is necessary. Points of View: Death Penalty, , 3. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=26612346site=pov-live Newport, F.(2007). Sixty-nine percent of Americans support death penalty: Majority say death penalty is applied fairly. Gallup Poll Briefing, p3. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=27786494site=pov-live Research Papers on Pros and Cons of Capital PunishmentCapital PunishmentThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)The Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsThe Fifth HorsemanComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBringing Democracy to AfricaThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use