The Adventure of the Sperm and Egg Essay Example for Free

The Adventure of the Sperm and Egg Essay Let me introduce myself, I am Penny the Egg and today I will embark on one of the most exciting times in my life span. This has been a long expedition and now that I have reached the infundibulum, this is the outer portion of a female fallopian tube. The name I was in the medical word is â€Å"Ova†, most people just call me egg but my name again is Penny. I have been in contact with a germ cell named Seymour. His medical name is sperm and he lives inside the male human body. Seymour and I have been dreaming about this adventure for our whole lives. I am hope everything goes as planned and Seymour and I get to meet. After we meet, we will become one to create another male or female embryo which will grow into a human baby. As the â€Å"Great Change† occurs, medically that would be puberty for a female; I was one of 2 million ova that once lived inside the female. After the great change there are around 400,000 of my sisters and I left. We all live inside the follicle; these are thin capsules inside the ovaries. Out of the 400,000 of us that survived the great change, only 400 or so of us will reach fulfillment and become a ripened ova (Nevid, Rathus Fichner-Rathus, 2011). When I have ripened to fulfillment I will leave the safety of the ovary where I spent my childhood, I have made my way to where I am now, the fallopian tube. This is where I will wait for Seymour to arrive. It takes me some time to travel down the fallopian tube, and during this time is when my female host will ovulate, and then two weeks later my host will menstruate unless Seymour and I create life. The length of my travel is around 4 inches, but I must travel different parts of the tube in order to be totally ready to meet Seymour. As I travel the fallopian tube, I will come a crossed various small groups who call themselves Cilia. The Cilia groups have miniature hair-like projections that help me along my travels’. I could not make it an inch a day without the help of the Cilia. I dream about Seymour and our meeting day and worry that my female host will not allow me to be discharged with her menstruation. I have now been in the fallopian tube for just over a day now and I pray that Seymour is skillful enough to make it in enough time to help me create life. If Seymour does not arrive within two day of my leaving the ovary, I will not be here to meet him and no life will be created (Nevid, Rathus Fichner-Rathus, 2011). I am the type of egg to worry all the time, I wonder if Seymour’s trip is going according to plan? I just hope Seymour is strong and fast enough to out swim his brother’s taking this adventure also. Hello everyone my name is Seymour the sperm, I ‘m sure by now you know Penny and I am sure she told you I have millions of brothers’. Honestly, I cannot wait to take that adventure because it is too crowded and very uncomfortable for me in here. I just hope I am strong enough and can survive the adventure, why worry? You ask, because many of us do not survive and it can be a very fatal because it is a false adventure, but I know that to keep life going I must swim as fast and hard as I can to meet my Penny. My Life began in a place in the male host body called the testicles. This is where I went through a 72 days process of spermatogenesis. In order for me to meet Penny inside her female host, I had to endure this process. I have been told that Penny only holds the X chromosome (female), and I contain a Y chromosome (male) and the X chromosome. Once Penny and I meet our sex chromosome will connect and I have one of the most important jobs at this point I will decide if Penny and I will create the life of a male or female, because I alone can make I male with the Y chromosome (Nevid, Rathus Fichner-Rathus, 2011). After my preparation for my adventure, I make my way to the epididymis while in this transition, I continue to mature. It will take a few more weeks for me to be able to move to the Vans Deferens tube of my male host. I will continue my adventure to meet my Penny by making my way into the seminal vesicle; this is where I get all my nourishment from seminal fluid rich in fructose. The nutrition I receive from the fructose in the seminal fluids is what will make me strong enough to out swim my brothers’ to meet Penny. I have discovered I look a lot like a tadpole. I have a tail that whips back and forth to move me forward. Before I matured to this â€Å"tadpole† stage my movements were conducted by the contractions in the epididymis, Vans, Deferens, and just like Penny, I also had help from groups of cilia (Nevid, Rathus Fichner-Rathus, 2011). As the prostate and Cowper’s are making secretions, I continue my adventure. The secretions the other organs are making are what my brothers’ and I will mix with in the ejaculation proses. Yes, I made it to the point I am ready to be ejected from the male’s penis darning sexual intercourse. Once this happens I can begin a whole other adventure to meet Penny in the fallopian tube of her female host. My male host has ejected me and my brothers from his body to Penny’s female host. I must move faster than I have ever moved before. Millions of my brother s are trying to get to my Penny also and will race through the cervical canal, onto the uterus, we will continue to battle to be the first one to successfully reach an ovum (Penny) waiting just outside the opening to the fallopian tube. I did it! I was the first one to reach the ovum and penetrate Penny’s hard outer lining. Even thou many of my brothers’ might find her, once I am inside the lining Penny will go through a chemical change that will insure we become an embryo. We will travel together down the rest of the fallopian tube so we can implant ourselves into the uterus until birth as a human .

Reviewing The Issues Of Software Systems Information Technology Essay

Reviewing The Issues Of Software Systems Information Technology Essay In this paper I am particularly focus on the issue of failure in relation to that group of software systems known as information systems. Then I am going to discuss two well-known cases that of the London ambulance service computer-aided dispatch system (L ) project and The London stock exchange (TAURUS) project, and describe strong failure factors of information systems failure. My purpose is also to use the generic material on IS failure and the specific details of this particular case study to critique the issues of safety, Literature review Like most computing professionals in the UK we were aware of the failure, using this term broadly, of the computer aided dispatch (CAD) system deployed by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) in, or shortly after, For orientation a short sketch of the report follows. There have been a number of other analyses of the LAS CAD system failure of which Mellor (1994) is probably the most useful. The London Ambulance System Disaster, 1992 Overview The basic functionality of the intended LASCAD system was as follows: British Telecom (BT) operators would route all 999 calls concerning medical emergencies as a matter of routine to LAS headquarters (HQ) in Waterloo. 18 HQ receivers were then expected to record on the system the name, telephone number and address of the caller, and the name, destination address and brief details of the patient. This information would then be transmitted over a local area network to a locator. The system was lightly loaded at start-up on 26 October 1992. Any problems, caused particularly by the communications systems (such as ambulance crews pressing the wrong buttons, or ambulances being radioed in black spots), could be effectively managed by staff. However, as the number of ambulance incidents increased, the amount of incorrect vehicle information recorded by the system increased. This had a knock-on effect in that the system made incorrect allocations on the basis of the information it had. For example, multiple vehicles were sent to the same incident, or the closest vehicle was not chosen for dispatch. As a consequence, the system had fewer ambulance resources to allocate. The system also placed calls that had not gone through the appropriate protocol on a waiting list and generated exception messages for those incidents for which it had received incorrect status information. Indeed, the number of exception messages appears to have increased to such an extent the staf f were not able to clear the queue. It became increasingly difficult for staff to attend to messages that had scrolled off the screen. The increasing size of the queue slowed the system. Factors Contributed to Such a Disaster Managerial failure Technical failure Human failure Managerial failure LAS management ignored or chose not accept advice provided to it from many sources outside of the service on the time table or the high risk of the comprehensive systems requirement The project did not show, or discuss with, the LAS Board independence references on the lead CAD contractor, that raised doubts on their ability to handle such a major project The LAS boards were given a misleading impression, by the project team of the previous experience of the lead contractor in emergency service system In awarding the contract for CAD to a small software house, with no previous experience of similar systems, LAS management were taking higher risk Project management throughout the development and implantation process was inadequate and at times ambiguous. A major system integration project such as CAD requires full time. Professional, experienced project management, this was lacking There was incomplete ownership of the system by the majority of it users. The many problems identified with many of the system components over the preceding months had installed an atmosphere of system destruct in which staff expected system to fail rather than willing it to succeed LAS board and RHA management, whilst realizing that there were continuing problems with the implementation of CAD, consistently accepted assurances from executive directors that problems were being rectified and that successful implementation would be achieved at no time was a full independent review commissioned of the true state of the project Technical failure LAS fail to follow the PRINCE project Management Method in the set up and operation of an information Technology (IT) executive committee, project board, project management team and project assurance team: London Ambulance Service The CAD system relied on near perfect information on vehicle location and status being available to it at all times. The project team failed to appreciate fully the impact that a higher level of imperfection would have on the system The system was not fully tested to a satisfactory level of quality and resilience before full implementation on 26 October 1992 On 26 and 27 October 1992 the computer system itself did not fail in a technical sense. Response times did on occasions become unacceptable, but overall the system did what it had been designed to do. However, much of the design had fatal flaws that would, and did, cumulatively lead to all of the symptoms of systems failure On 4 November 1992 the system did fail. This was caused by a minor programming error that caused the system to crash The automatic change over to the backup system had not been adequately tested, those the whole system was brought down Human failure Training provided to CAD staff and to ambulance crews was incomplete and inconsistent LAS management consultancy attributed CAD problems to willful misuse of the system by some ambulance crews. There is no direct evidence of this, but the circumstantial evidence that does exist indirect to the Inquiry Team that it would have been only one of the many contributory factors that led to the CAD failure In the period leading up to an including 26 and27 October 1992 there were insufficient control assistants taking emergency call. This contributed to an unacceptable level of calling times. This has since been rectified Conclusion Failure was due to a complex mix of factors Participation alone is not sufficient but helps! Expectation of failure plays a part does not meet the needs of the stakeholders Systems should strive to meet the shared goals needs of the different stakeholders LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE (TAURUS) FAILURE Introduction The London stock exchange is one of the largest stock exchanges in the world with numerous foreign listings as well as British organizations In 1989 the London Stock Exchange (LSE) put forward a proposal for a computerized system to ensure that share certificates and cash changed hands between the interested parties after the trading transaction; implicit in this was the dematerialization of stock certificates. It was a big project with hundreds of staff contracted in and lots of external pressures from various different stakeholders. The initial goals of the system were 4 folded. Competitive Efficiency Cost Service What TAURUS Team did wrong? Lack of executive and stakeholders support Based on the problems encountered it seem that the project manager was not that experience Have a large expanding scope Went ahead with the implementation of a system with lack of user and stakeholders commitment. Lack of skilled resources and clear complete specs. Reason for TAURUS Collapse Poor monitoring and controlling Monitoring a project work includes collecting, measuring, and disseminating performance information. If TAURUS management had good monitoring and control practices they would have known when they project was not meeting project objectives Poor management of the nine project management knowledge areas Knowledge Areas TAURUS project managers managed the nine project management knowledge areas poorly Scope: If they had managed the scope of the project effective the huge scope creep would not have been encountered. Cost: If this was managed effectively the project would not have gone over budget 100% Time: If this area had been manage effective the project would not have had a schedule overrun by 100% Quality: If the quality area of the system was manage properly the specification was have been clear and complete Risk: If the risk had been managed effectively they might have been able to abundant the project earlier. Communication: If communication was managed all changes and delay would be communicated in a timely. Human resources: skilled resources would be acquired and utilized. Integrated Change Control If TAURUS had an integrated change control they might have been able to influence the factors that create changes to ensure that changes are beneficial and control the scope of the project. Changes would be communicated to top management and steering committee in a timely manner and they would be able to manage these changes as they occur because change control is a critical success factors. Project Management Issues Poor Management of triple constraints SCOPE TAURUS managers failed to control and monitor the scope of the project TIME Management failed to define maintain and utilize clear timetables with small milestones COST Management failed to maintain and track change to the project budget Additionally, the budget and time constraints of the projects were seen to be a differentiator to their success. Goulielmos (2003) states that of the four concepts of failure in Information Systems is process failure where the project over runs its budget or time constrictions. TAURUS did both incurring increasing media attention and scrutiny, which led to an increase in pressure on the project team (Head, 2001). Conclusion Throughout the project there were several warning signs that were missed. The project completion date was delayed 100% Constantly changing requirements Project not being accepted by major stakeholders Incomplete specifications 100% over cost. Fragmentation of the project (components to work together) Appraisal of leading system development methodologies Waterfall Model This is the most common and classic of life cycle models, also referred to as a linear-sequential life cycle model.   It is very simple to understand and use.   In a waterfall model, each phase must be completed in its entirety before the next phase can begin.   At the end of each phase, a review takes place to determine if the project is on the right path and whether or not to continue or discard the project.   Unlike what I mentioned in the general model, phases do not overlap in a waterfall model. Waterfall Life Cycle Model Advantages Simple and easy to use. One of the main advantages of the waterfall model is its simplicity. It is conceptually straightforward and divides the large task of building a software system into a series of cleanly divided phases, each phase dealing with a separate logical concern. It is also easy to administer in a contractual setup-as each phase is completed and its work product produced, some amount of money is given by the customer to the developing organization. The project management stakeholders are forced to correctly define the business requirements documentation (BRD) and the project management requirements. At the sometime the developers are forced to understand these thoroughly before they start writing the software requirements specification (SRS), high level design and code. It essentially requires documentation at every stage. This gives better understanding of the requirements, the logic of the codes and tests that were conducted on the software.   Disadvantages The project scope statement needs to be detailed in infinite depth from the start because changes are not possible when using waterfall methodology. This is because the only way to amend something which has been already developed is to go back and start again. This will cause huge problems on projects where the project sponsors are indecisive and quickly causes scope creep. Project communications with the client are extremely limited being either at the beginning or at the end of the development. In between, there is no way in which one can get feedback or potentially clarify any confusion over what the requirement actually means. The knock on effect is that it is up to the project team to make the key decisions on what requirements can be developed within the timeframes required, and what is developed later in a later deployment release by project planning in teams. This not only increases the overall time required to develop the software but also means that despite the teams best efforts, the customer may still be extremely unhappy with the end product delivered. Key team members stay idle for long durations. You see Waterfall does not operate on a matrix basis which makes project resource management an extremely rigid activity. Basically those allocated to the project stay on it until that phase is over. This as we can imagine, has a direct knock on effect on the project budget. It is a very inflexible method which does not entertain any change in requirements and which makes any subsequent functionality changes required extremely difficult and expensive to implement. As such the fast pace of changing requirements determined makes this methodology difficult to use and calls for more quick methods of software development such as agile methodology. Prototyping Model This is a cyclic version of the linear model. In this model, once the requirement analysis is done and the design for a prototype is made, the development process gets started. Once the prototype is created, it is given to the customer for evaluation. The customer tests the package and gives his/her feed back to the developer who refines the product according to the customers exact expectation. After a finite number of iterations, the final software package is given to the customer. In this methodology, the software is evolved as a result of periodic shuttling of information between the customer and developer. This is the most popular development model in the contemporary IT industry. Most of the successful software products have been developed using this model as it is very difficult to comprehend all the requirements of a customer in one shot. Advantages For example, design documents, a test plan, and a test case specification are not needed during the development of the prototype. Another important cost-cutting measure is to reduce testing. Because testing consumes a major part of development expenditure during regular software development, this has a considerable impact in reducing costs. By using these types of cost cutting methods, it is possible to keep the cost of the prototype to less than a few percent of the total development cost. Overall, prototyping is well suited for projects where requirements are hard to determine and the confidence in the stated requirements is low. In such projects where requirements are not properly understood in the beginning, using the prototyping process model can be the most effective method for developing the software. It is also an excellent technique for reducing some types of risks associated with a project. Agile Methodology Agile methodology is an approach to project management, typically used in software development. It helps teams respond to the unpredictability of building software through incremental, iterative work cadences, 10 Key Principles of Agile Software Development, Active user involvement is imperative 2. The team must be empowered to make decisions 3. Requirements evolve but the timescale is fixed 4. Capture requirements at a high level; lightweight visual 5. Develop small, incremental releases and iterate 6. Focus on frequent delivery of products 7. Complete each feature before moving on to the next 8. Apply the 80/20 rule 9. Testing is integrated throughout the project lifecycle test early and often 10. A collaborative cooperative approach between all stakeholders is essential IT/IS Projects Fail. And How Agile Principles Help Common cause of failure How agile helps Project Initiation Planning Issues Poor definition of project scope and objectives Agile projects also benefit from clear definition of scope and objectives, even though details are allowed to emerge throughout the development. Insufficient time or money given to project If only agile could solve this! Long or unrealistic timescales; forcing project end dates despite best estimates Agile projects encourage short and regular iterations, developing the software and delivering working product in small bite size pieces. Technical Requirements Issues Poor or no requirements definition; incomplete or changing requirements Agile projects expect requirements to be incomplete and changing. Thats the nature of software. Instead of resisting this, agile projects provide for it by allowing requirements are allowed to emerge and evolve. Requirements being produced on a feature-by-feature basis, just in time to be developed, help with definition because it breaks this intensive task into small pieces instead of being a mammoth effort up front. Unfamiliar or changing technologies; lack of required technical skills Agile methods dont help directly with this issue, although can help to surface such issues early, and make them visible. Stakeholder Management Team Issues Inadequate visibility of project status Agile projects provide clear visibility of measurable progress on a daily basis. Project team members lack experience and do not have the required skills Agile principles may help to surface such issues early, as they may well be evident in early iterations of the software. Frequent delivery of iterations and continuous testing can help to mitigate this risk when it might otherwise go unnoticed until much later in the project. Poor collaboration, communication and teamwork Close cooperation and collaboration between all stakeholders is essential. Project Management Issues Weak ongoing management; inadequately trained or inexperienced project managers Agile methods and principles are just management tools. A fool with a tool is still a fool! Ineffective time and cost management Daily visibility of measurable progress. Conclusion The most Causes for Software Projects to fail Changes in Requirements Classical Software Development life cycles assume that the requirements are fixed at the beginning of the project, Customer only sees the product at the end of the software development, Customer is not aware of the current status of the Software Development. This happens due to changes in the Business environment, as the customer uses a software module, he/she will see new features that are necessary All modern software development methodologies (such as Agile) encourage shorter iterations, usually iterations are measured in weeks, and the developers demo the new features during the meetings with the customer at the end of each iteration. The customer can provide valuable feedback that will ensure that the software developed will meet the customers actual requirements.

FMCG Market Analysis

FMCG Market Analysis EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. Penetration level as well as per capita consumption in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low indicating the untapped market potential. Burgeoning Indian population, particularly the middle class and the rural segments, presents an opportunity to makers of branded products to convert consumers to branded products. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading in the matured product categories. With 200 million people expected to shift to processed and packaged food by 2010, India needs around US$ 28 billion of investment in the food-processing industry. Rapid urbanization, increased literacy and rising per capita income, have all caused rapid growth and change in demand patterns, leading to an explosion of new opportunities. Around 45 per cent of the population in India is below 20 years of age and the young population is set to rise further. Aspiration levels in this age group have been fuelled by greater media exposure, unleashing a latent  demand with more money and a new mindset. The importance of consumer sales promotion in the marketing mix of the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) category throughout the world has increased. Companies spend considerable time in planning such activities. However, in order to enhance the effectiveness of these activities, manufacturers should understand consumer and retailer interpretations of their promotional activities so that appropriate differentiation can be used. Retailers stated that role of word of mouth and television advertising was very important in providing information inputs to the consumers regarding sales promotion activities. This perception of retailers was supported by the consumer unaided recall of sales promotion schemes which were widely advertised. The research concludes with the discussion of the results, managerial implications limitation of the study and future research directions. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION I. ABOUT THE DISSERTATION INTRODUCTION Advertisements convey brand differentiation and this may be important in several categories, which consist of several brands. In FMCG products like tea, coffee and detergents, â€Å"differentiation awareness† can be created by television advertising, but in certain categories there may be a need to demonstrate the effectiveness of brands. Differentiation with which consumers cannot â€Å"connect† may have a negative implication and if a brand â€Å"connects† consumers with its differentiation, it is likely to also differentiate itself in terms of getting identified with the consumer. A detergent or a washing machine, which claims â€Å"low water consumption† has to demonstrate this claim at a retail outlet especially given the fact that the quality of water varies across areas even in a specific geographical region. It is also essential that a good â€Å"differentiation proposition† result in a positive word-of-mouth. In a certain situation, the company may have two offerings in a product-line and there is a need to differentiate them clearly depending on the target segments involved. This is a complex situation where differentiation decides the growth of the brand and the perceived difference between the offerings. An added layer to the complexity is the same brand name being used for the offerings. Fairness cream is a category in which the benefit is the fairness of the complexion. A brand like Fair and Lovely built over the years still has a strong association with the category but under tremendous pressure from competitive brands and the most important criteria which these brands is the herbal touch associated with them. Herbal ingredients are becoming popular with consumers in several categories and personal care in India has a strong tradition of herbal care. Fair and Lovely had to launch its herbal variant (it used the same brand probably because of the brand equity built up over the years) . The interesting fact is the differentiation being conveyed by advertising. The original version uses an aspiration route in which the brands ultimate benefit is success through confidence. Estimates based on Chinas current per capita Consumption, the Indian FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. The dominance of Indian markets by unbranded products, change in eating habits and the increased affordability of the growing Indian population presents an opportunity to makers of branded products, who can convert  consumers to branded products. Penetration level in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low. The contrast is particularly striking between the rural and urban segments the average consumption by rural households is much lower than their urban counterparts. Low penetration indicates the existence of unsaturated markets, which are likely to expand as the income levels rise. This provides an excellent opportunity for the industry players in the form of a vastly untapped market. Moreover, per capita consumption in most of the FMCG categories (including the high penetration categories) in India is low as compared to both the developed markets and other emerging economies. A rise in per capita consumption, with improvement in incomes and affordability and change in tastes and preferences, is further expected to boost FMCG demand. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading, especially in the matured product categories. CHAPTER 2 I. LITERATURE REVIEW Impact of Effective Advertisement on Consumer Attitude Dr. F.R. Alexander Pravin Durai By going through this article I have come across some points which you should look upon. If you want to read the article it is present in the appendix. Following are some points:- Advertising is the only direct method which helps to reach masses of potential buyers. Advertising, being dynamic, changes with changing methods of distribution and consumption. In the present era of information explosion and media influence, these advertisements playa major role in changing the settled perception or thinking, which is otherwise called attitude, of the consumer and · also the consumption pattern of the society in general. Thus, the impact leads to cultural and social changes to a great extent. Why is there a need of advertising? Advertising is a way of communicating information to the consumer which enables him or her to compare and choose from the products and services available. Advertising is the most economical means by which a manufacturer or an Institutional body can communicate to an audience whether to sell a product or promote a cause of social welfare. Essentials of Effective Advertisement-the writer thinks that there are 4 important things for an advertisement to be effective. They are importance of claim, believable, uniqueness and repetition. The advertiser must constantly assess the situation to choose the right environment and ideal time for an advertisement to be launched. Some of the situations are as follows:- When there is a favorable primary demand of particular product. When there is a distinctive product differentiation from other competitive brands. When mass market is penetrated. In order to ensure that the advertisements reach the target consumers in a most effective way and gets right response from them, it has to be ensuring that such advertisements are presented in the right way. The following steps on the part of the consumer may ensure that the advertisements are on the right track. Getting attracted towards the advertisements. Listening and observing the contents of the advertisements in full. Continuous watching of the same over a period. Comparing the advertisements of similar products. Making a trial purchase as follow up activity. Assessing the level of utility of the product individually. Ascertaining the level of utility derived with other similar consumers. In the article Dr. Alexander Told about a model which exemplifies the attitude or response of a consumer to an advertisement. Techniques of advertising for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Dr. Archi Mathur- Assistant lecturer, Department of Management Studies, National Law University, Jodhpur Dr. HK Bedi- Professor, Dean, Department of Management Studies, National Law University, Jodhpur This article shows how an advertiser can use different techniques of advertisements to show FMCG products. The techniques are as follows: Value added ads- In addition to providing information about the product; Value-added advertising transforms a product into something more appealing to consumers than the physical object produced in the factory. Therefore, it is a missing link between brand attributes and the customer perception, between product features and need fulfillment, .between benefits and values. Comparative ads- the advertiser compares the 2 brands of the same product category. The ad can be copied as the Pepsi and sprite example in the case. They have used the same story but both have them had a different approach. Informative ads- these ads are used to provide information to the consumer about different products and services. Health and Hygiene ads- these ads show that the product is taking care of the consumers health. It is emphasizing of the physical attribute of the product. What does the product do? How does it help you? The ad tells you all. These are some of the techniques. Lifestyle ads- Another way to. nave an impact on the consumers mind is portraying the life-style of a successful person. Humorous ads- Humor in the advertisement is normally kept in order to create a light, jovial and likely kind of an atmosphere Demographic ads- these ads are meant for different segments based on age, sex etc. Farex Cereal Food for infants is an advertisement targeted directly towards the infants, as it comprises a healthy food for them. It is also targeted indirectly towards the mother. Packaging ads- Advertisement is trying to lure the customers to buy their products on the basis of the way they are brought in front of the consumers eyes ie. Packaging. Dabur has brought in different flavors in the market of fruit juice. E.g. Mango, Pineapple, Orange, Mixed Fruit Jete. All these are in different packages, i.e. 50 ml, 1000 ml, etc. They claim that unlike other juices, which have preservatives in them, these products are without preservatives. Hence, the punch line is Real Fruit Juice. Price ads- Marketers also lure the customers by showing in an advertisement that a product is available at a lesser price without any compromise on the standard. Cadbury India advertised the 5-Star chocolate by offering 30% more chocolate in its 5-Star bar for the same price. Celebrity ads- Celebrities are mainly used in the advertisement either to lure the rural people in buying a particular product or in forcing the young generation to buy the products. This is also called endorsement advertising.,{t is also used in portraying that a particular product is best inqtJality because a person who is also very well known in his/her field endorses it. The impact of these stars in advertisements enables the company to increase its sale. CHAPTER 3 I. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY II. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE The main objectives of the study are: 1. To assess current consumer sales promotion schemes in the market 2. To assess how consumers differentiate the products based on advertisements 3. To get an insight into retailers views regarding the schemes being offered in toilet soap category, and consumer perceptions 4. To study consumer perceptions regarding various schemes in this category and responses toward them. 5. To study the various methods of differentiation. 6. To analyze the methodology adopted by companies to target end consumers. 7. To address basic business questions like: Do companies have the right product/service to offer? How companies reach their customers? How the buying power can be created? To prepare new business strategies RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Methodology: Technique used for the survey is questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. In order to address the above questions an exploratory study was conducted. The idea was to probe and get deeper insight into sales promotion scenario in toilet soap market and to tap perceptions of retailers and consumers. In order to address above mentioned objectives (i) study of secondary sources was carried out, 10(ii) in-depth interview of six retailers was undertaken and 11(iii) structured questionnaire was designed to seek consumer responses. Convenience sampling was used for both retailers as well as consumer studies. Six retailers ranging from small kirana store to supermarket were approached. All the retailers were located in the Noida. The respondents for consumer study were postgraduate students in the age group of 19-24 belonging to middle and upper middle and upper class. The total respondents were 30 in number. They were residing in hostel or as PG hence sole decision-makers for t his category. Also this age-group being more experimental and likely to be more deal prone, so their perceptions, preferences would give some insights to companies planning sales promotions targeted at them. Scope and Limitations: The geographical scope of the study was restricted to the NOIDA city due to time and resource constraints. The study being exploratory in nature, the sample size was restricted to 30 consumers (student group) and 6 retailers. Focus being mainly on in-depth probing, the generalizations drawn are only indicative and not conclusive. CHAPTER 3 I. FMCG AN INTRODUCTION II. INDIAN CONTEXT III. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IV. EVOLUTION AND CHARECTERSTICS FMCG -FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS BRIEF DECRIPTION OF INDIA FMCG MARKET MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IN FMCG: According to Estimates based on Chinas current per capita Consumption, the Indian FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. The dominance of Indian markets by unbranded products, change in eating habits and the increased affordability of the growing Indian population presents an opportunity to makers of branded products, who can convert consumers to branded products. Penetration level in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low. The contrast is particularly striking between the rural and urban segments the average consumption by rural households is much lower than their urban counterparts. Low penetration indicates the existence of unsaturated markets, which are likely to expand as the income levels rise. This provides an excellent opportunity for the industry players in the form of a vastly untapped market. Moreover, per capita consumption in most of the FMCG categories (including the high penetration categories) in India is low as compared to both the developed markets and other emerging economies. A rise in per capita consumption, with improvement in incomes and affordability and change in tastes and preferences, is further expected to boost FMCG demand. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading, especially in the matured product categories EVOLUTION:  § 1950s-80s Low Investment in the sector Low purchasing power Govts emphasis on small scale sector HLL and other companys urbane focus  § Post liberalization Entry of MNCs Focus shifted to getting to rural consumer first Others, like Nestle, remained with the urban population Latest fad to hit the market is the ‘sachet bug.  § Mushrooming of regional brands Nirma enters and changes the focus to ‘Value for Money in the 70s Post liberalization, Jyothi Laboratories, ‘Ghari Detergent and ‘Anchor toothpaste giving the nation-wide brands a run for their money. CHARECTERSTICS: FORECAST 2010:  § Rural and semi-urban  § 128 million population thrice the urban  § Market size growth from 48k to 100k Crores (Growth of 50% at 10%CAGR)  § Increase penetration from the current less than 1%  § Problems in the rural sector * Low per capita disposable incomes * Large number of daily wage earners * Acute dependence on vagaries of monsoon * Seasonal consumption * Poor infrastructure roads and power supply  § Urban  § Market 16.5k to 35k Crores (Growth of 100% at 20%CAGR)  § Intense competition severe pressure on margins Focus on newer products, such as fruit juices Source: Assocham Report ‘Future Prospects of FMCG CHAPTER 5 I. UNDERSTANDING DIFFRENTIATION II. TYPES OF DIFFRENTIATION III. THE INDIAN CONTEXT I. II. UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENTIATION: Differentiation is the process of adding a set of meaningful and valued differences that distinguish a companys offering from those of its competitors. Differentiation is strongest when it satisfies all of the following criteria: 1. Important: the difference delivers a highly valued benefit to a sufficient number of buyers 2. Distinctive: the difference can be delivered in a clear way 3. Superior: the difference is a better way of obtaining a benefit 4. Pre-emptive: the difference cannot be easily copied 5. Affordable: the buyer can afford to pay for the difference 6. Profitable: the company will earn a return by maintaining the difference BRAND loyalty in fast moving consumer goods categories is a topical issue, with several brands resorting to price cuts across categories. More importantly, price cuts or sales promotion by themselves do not seem to have done much for brands in terms of sustaining brand loyalty. They may attract consumers in the short run: consumers may stock the brands and consumers new to the brand may try it. But over a period of time, a brands value may get diluted in consumers psyche, and will eventually lose a strong base of consumers. The following are some aspects of marketing mix elements and consumer behavior which could contribute to brand loyalty. Product differentiation If the products are differentiated in their characteristics and this difference is perceivable, there are chances of brand loyalty being formed based on satisfaction with greater performance or fit of product with needs. In this case, loyalty is driven by functional or symbolic benefits. Functional benefits would be specific tangible features of the product whereas symbolic benefits would be intangibles such as brand personality and `hedonistic value of purchase. Price differentiation If the price differentiation in the market is perceivable, price-led loyalty might exist in the market. Price-led loyalty is practised by supermarkets, airline companies and FMCG brands, which come out with frequent sales promotions based on freebies. Alternatively, price might be taken as an indicator of brand quality, and the customer might go in for higher priced options. Price-led loyalty has to be carefully considered with other marketing mix elements and the consumer should never perceive dilution, especially in low-priced bands. Hence, lower prices should create a sense of value through the product offerings as well as through communication. Branding activity If the category is organized and there is branding activity, there will be greater loyalty than there would have been if the category were unorganized. Branding activities can differentiate between brands on name, symbol, images and associations. Branding activity in this context refers to creating strong associations which will influence the consumers not only with regard to functional attributes but also with symbolism. Hamam soaps portrayal of its pure ingredients with the child and mother imagery is a good example of one of these dimensions. Branding activities in a broad sense could range from advertising to sales promotion and public relations involving several aspects. III. The Indian context The following were the observations from the literature survey and the examples chosen from the Indian context. The factors indicate that there will be a large segment of consumers for whom price-led loyalty will dominate. Hence there will be strong behavioural loyalty in the segment and only weak attitudinal loyalty. There is thus spurious loyalty in this sector. There is a moderate level of symbolic and functional differentiation which has been exploited by strong brands to build a loyal following. Examples of this include brands such as Dove, Ponds Dreamflower talcum powder, Gold Flake, Wills Navy Cut, Amul and Cadbury. These brands have probably built strong attitudinal loyalty through their brand personality and other brand building efforts. In the FMCG sector, brand habit is high whereas attitudinal loyalty is low. As creating attitudinal loyalty based on functional differentiation is difficult, symbolic differentiation is the key. Building strong brand personalities and associated symbolic benefits is important for crafting customer loyalty. The factors discussed cannot be treated in isolation: they are to provide a synergy to result in brand loyalty. The combination of these factors and the timing of the combination is the topical challenge which marketers face in an environment where loyalty is slowly eroding. Local challengers Some of the most successful FMCG brands in 2002 came, not from the stables of a Hindustan Lever and a Colgate, but from obscure regional players such as Kaleesuwari Refineries, Parakh Foods, Anchor Switchboards and Kanpur Detergents. Over the past couple of years, brands such as Gold Winner and Gemini in refined oils, Anchor White in toothpastes and Ghari in detergents have managed to sustain double digit growth rates, even as the market leaders have struggled to hold on to single digit growth rates for their brands. Yes, the comparison is unfair, as the local brands had a minuscule base to start with. But these brands have demonstrated it is not impossible for a new challenger to break into the traditional bastion of one or two large FMCG players. Traditionally, large FMCG categories in India have been dominated by just one or two players, who rule the roost by dint of their sheer financial muscle and distribution reach. But, of late, successful regional brands have been finding chinks in their armour. And how! Aggressive pricing In the edible oils market, as national players were forced to hike their selling prices in response to rising commodity prices, both Gemini and Gold Winner have used aggressive pricing to woo consumers away from the national brands. Packed tea too, has seen similar trends. The limited differentiation in grocery and the flexibility offered by a restricted area of operations have stood these companies in good stead. Anchor White, among the few debutants in the toothpaste market to garner a significant share, first wooed the retail trade with high distribution margins, and then used rock-bottom prices to lure consumers into trying the product. Though none of these companies can match the market leaders in adspend, they have used focused regional and local advertising to draw consumers attention to their brands. The mushrooming of local and regional media has undoubtedly helped the local players milk the most from their ad budgets. Banking on `power brands While the local brands have been adding to their brand portfolios, the market leaders have largely stayed off new product launches. In keeping with its power brand strategy, Hindustan Levers marketing strategies in 2002 revolved around rejigging and relaunching established brands such as Lifebuoy, Rin, Surf and Vim. The company phased out brands such as Sunlight in detergents, and Jai in toilet soaps, so as to focus better on its 30 power brands. The strategy appears to have worked, as brands such as Lifebuoy and Rin have moved into a higher growth trajectory after the relaunch. In fact, HLLs power brand strategy has found a few followers in the FMCG market, with companies such as Godrej Consumer also announcing plans to focus on a clutch of key brands. Streamlining and spend While the power brand strategy has helped the leading players put their marketing prowess behind their most important brands, it has not really helped them save on ad spend. For most FMCG companies, advertising and promotion spends in 2002 grew faster than their sales. In high penetration categories such as soaps, detergents and toothpastes, marketing efforts of the players revolved around persuading existing consumers to use more of the product or to upgrade to a higher-priced brand. The slew of 100 gm free for every 150 gm offers in toothpastes and the series of promos on the 2 kg packs of premium detergents were both intended to induce existing consumers of a product to pep up their usage of the brand. Companies operating in relatively low-penetration categories such as chocolates, shampoos and skin creams tailored their marketing strategies to bringing in new users, through scaled-down versions of their brands in affordable pack sizes. The low-priced Chocostik, a liquid chocolate in a small-sized pack, launched by Nestle India, has helped pep up the companys topline and is now a large contributor to the companys revenues. Nestle India is now trying out a similar small-sized Rs 5 pack for Maggi noodles. Shampoos have been among the few FMCG categories to register a positive growth rate in 2002, and growth in this category has been driven mainly by sachet packs and by scaled-down 50 ml bottles priced at less than Rs 10. Overall, the FMCG slowdown of the past three years has served a useful purpose. At one level, it has made sure that the dominant players in the market no longer enjoy unlimited pricing power, as they have in the past. There now appears to be a greater effort on the part of the players to hold selling prices and look at their own operations to save on cost. At another level, the emergence of the regional challengers has made sure that consumers of FMCG products have a few more choices in their purchases of essentials. Is selling soap the same as selling a TV? It isnt. The difference is how the particular product is sold and more importantly, how is it distributed. India is a unique market, where the manufacturers who deliver products at the doorstep, which is the ideal way to deliver anything, spoil our consumers. We have an extremely evolved distribution mechanism for most products. Different products are sent to the consumer differently. Depending on the number, the price of the product and the complexity of the selling process, they may vary from direct selling to selling through a channel that may have as many as four levels between the manufacturer and the consumer. A look at a few of them will show what it means to be a sales person of that product. Most FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) products are not hard-sold to the end consumers. Sales are built up largely by pull a technique using advertising and consumer promotion. The sell-in happens to the trade i.e. to various members of the distribution channel the CarryingForwarding/Super-stockist, the distributor, the wholesaler and most importantly the retailer, who is the interface with the end-consumer. This chain forms the most important link in getting the product economically to the consumers doorstep. A large MNC in the FMCG industry may be covering as many as 1 million outlets across the country with the help of thousands of distributors. Even a mid-sized company covers at the least 1 lakh outlets. Factoring in the vagaries of operating in more than 25 different states, each with its own sales tax complexities, different consumer needs, differences in the distribution structure, not forgetting differing octroi structures within a state, distribution is extremely complex in India. If the sell-in does not happen to this channel for whatever reason or is sub- optimal, a product is likely to fail. CHAPTER 3 I. UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISEMENT II. UNDERSTANDING SALES- PROMOTION III. CREATING DIFFRENTIATION THROUGH ADVERTISEMENT IV. PROBLEMS FACED BY MARKETERS I. UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISEMENTS Whether it is a serial in a regional satellite channel or a One Day International cricket match, there is a non-stop stream of advertisements, which clutter the commercial break. Well-established brands attempt to sustain brand recall while new ones try appealing to prospective consumers to get into their `consideration set. There are ads for children, housewives and youth. With advertising expenditure in the order of Rs. 8000 Crores per annum in the recent times and the proliferation of brands across categories, there is a strong need to consider the effectiveness of these advertisements. The idea is not to cease advertising but to consider how considering decisions would have to be considered with non-advertising alternatives. These non-advertising alternatives may also enable a brand to create and sustain consistent associations, which may be desirable in terms of long-term implications. A contemporary approach that creates a synergy between various aspects of a promotional mix (a dvertising included) provides a refreshing approach towards marketing communications. There may be several objectives of advertising and a promotional mix could be used in an innovative manner to address each of these objectives depending on the product category and target segment. Creating-brand-awareness When a new brand enters a category or creates a â€Å"new to the market† offering, it needs to create brand awareness. This would depend on whether the product is a consumable or a durable. The involvement level in a speci FMCG Market Analysis FMCG Market Analysis EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. Penetration level as well as per capita consumption in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low indicating the untapped market potential. Burgeoning Indian population, particularly the middle class and the rural segments, presents an opportunity to makers of branded products to convert consumers to branded products. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading in the matured product categories. With 200 million people expected to shift to processed and packaged food by 2010, India needs around US$ 28 billion of investment in the food-processing industry. Rapid urbanization, increased literacy and rising per capita income, have all caused rapid growth and change in demand patterns, leading to an explosion of new opportunities. Around 45 per cent of the population in India is below 20 years of age and the young population is set to rise further. Aspiration levels in this age group have been fuelled by greater media exposure, unleashing a latent  demand with more money and a new mindset. The importance of consumer sales promotion in the marketing mix of the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) category throughout the world has increased. Companies spend considerable time in planning such activities. However, in order to enhance the effectiveness of these activities, manufacturers should understand consumer and retailer interpretations of their promotional activities so that appropriate differentiation can be used. Retailers stated that role of word of mouth and television advertising was very important in providing information inputs to the consumers regarding sales promotion activities. This perception of retailers was supported by the consumer unaided recall of sales promotion schemes which were widely advertised. The research concludes with the discussion of the results, managerial implications limitation of the study and future research directions. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION I. ABOUT THE DISSERTATION INTRODUCTION Advertisements convey brand differentiation and this may be important in several categories, which consist of several brands. In FMCG products like tea, coffee and detergents, â€Å"differentiation awareness† can be created by television advertising, but in certain categories there may be a need to demonstrate the effectiveness of brands. Differentiation with which consumers cannot â€Å"connect† may have a negative implication and if a brand â€Å"connects† consumers with its differentiation, it is likely to also differentiate itself in terms of getting identified with the consumer. A detergent or a washing machine, which claims â€Å"low water consumption† has to demonstrate this claim at a retail outlet especially given the fact that the quality of water varies across areas even in a specific geographical region. It is also essential that a good â€Å"differentiation proposition† result in a positive word-of-mouth. In a certain situation, the company may have two offerings in a product-line and there is a need to differentiate them clearly depending on the target segments involved. This is a complex situation where differentiation decides the growth of the brand and the perceived difference between the offerings. An added layer to the complexity is the same brand name being used for the offerings. Fairness cream is a category in which the benefit is the fairness of the complexion. A brand like Fair and Lovely built over the years still has a strong association with the category but under tremendous pressure from competitive brands and the most important criteria which these brands is the herbal touch associated with them. Herbal ingredients are becoming popular with consumers in several categories and personal care in India has a strong tradition of herbal care. Fair and Lovely had to launch its herbal variant (it used the same brand probably because of the brand equity built up over the years) . The interesting fact is the differentiation being conveyed by advertising. The original version uses an aspiration route in which the brands ultimate benefit is success through confidence. Estimates based on Chinas current per capita Consumption, the Indian FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. The dominance of Indian markets by unbranded products, change in eating habits and the increased affordability of the growing Indian population presents an opportunity to makers of branded products, who can convert  consumers to branded products. Penetration level in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low. The contrast is particularly striking between the rural and urban segments the average consumption by rural households is much lower than their urban counterparts. Low penetration indicates the existence of unsaturated markets, which are likely to expand as the income levels rise. This provides an excellent opportunity for the industry players in the form of a vastly untapped market. Moreover, per capita consumption in most of the FMCG categories (including the high penetration categories) in India is low as compared to both the developed markets and other emerging economies. A rise in per capita consumption, with improvement in incomes and affordability and change in tastes and preferences, is further expected to boost FMCG demand. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading, especially in the matured product categories. CHAPTER 2 I. LITERATURE REVIEW Impact of Effective Advertisement on Consumer Attitude Dr. F.R. Alexander Pravin Durai By going through this article I have come across some points which you should look upon. If you want to read the article it is present in the appendix. Following are some points:- Advertising is the only direct method which helps to reach masses of potential buyers. Advertising, being dynamic, changes with changing methods of distribution and consumption. In the present era of information explosion and media influence, these advertisements playa major role in changing the settled perception or thinking, which is otherwise called attitude, of the consumer and · also the consumption pattern of the society in general. Thus, the impact leads to cultural and social changes to a great extent. Why is there a need of advertising? Advertising is a way of communicating information to the consumer which enables him or her to compare and choose from the products and services available. Advertising is the most economical means by which a manufacturer or an Institutional body can communicate to an audience whether to sell a product or promote a cause of social welfare. Essentials of Effective Advertisement-the writer thinks that there are 4 important things for an advertisement to be effective. They are importance of claim, believable, uniqueness and repetition. The advertiser must constantly assess the situation to choose the right environment and ideal time for an advertisement to be launched. Some of the situations are as follows:- When there is a favorable primary demand of particular product. When there is a distinctive product differentiation from other competitive brands. When mass market is penetrated. In order to ensure that the advertisements reach the target consumers in a most effective way and gets right response from them, it has to be ensuring that such advertisements are presented in the right way. The following steps on the part of the consumer may ensure that the advertisements are on the right track. Getting attracted towards the advertisements. Listening and observing the contents of the advertisements in full. Continuous watching of the same over a period. Comparing the advertisements of similar products. Making a trial purchase as follow up activity. Assessing the level of utility of the product individually. Ascertaining the level of utility derived with other similar consumers. In the article Dr. Alexander Told about a model which exemplifies the attitude or response of a consumer to an advertisement. Techniques of advertising for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Dr. Archi Mathur- Assistant lecturer, Department of Management Studies, National Law University, Jodhpur Dr. HK Bedi- Professor, Dean, Department of Management Studies, National Law University, Jodhpur This article shows how an advertiser can use different techniques of advertisements to show FMCG products. The techniques are as follows: Value added ads- In addition to providing information about the product; Value-added advertising transforms a product into something more appealing to consumers than the physical object produced in the factory. Therefore, it is a missing link between brand attributes and the customer perception, between product features and need fulfillment, .between benefits and values. Comparative ads- the advertiser compares the 2 brands of the same product category. The ad can be copied as the Pepsi and sprite example in the case. They have used the same story but both have them had a different approach. Informative ads- these ads are used to provide information to the consumer about different products and services. Health and Hygiene ads- these ads show that the product is taking care of the consumers health. It is emphasizing of the physical attribute of the product. What does the product do? How does it help you? The ad tells you all. These are some of the techniques. Lifestyle ads- Another way to. nave an impact on the consumers mind is portraying the life-style of a successful person. Humorous ads- Humor in the advertisement is normally kept in order to create a light, jovial and likely kind of an atmosphere Demographic ads- these ads are meant for different segments based on age, sex etc. Farex Cereal Food for infants is an advertisement targeted directly towards the infants, as it comprises a healthy food for them. It is also targeted indirectly towards the mother. Packaging ads- Advertisement is trying to lure the customers to buy their products on the basis of the way they are brought in front of the consumers eyes ie. Packaging. Dabur has brought in different flavors in the market of fruit juice. E.g. Mango, Pineapple, Orange, Mixed Fruit Jete. All these are in different packages, i.e. 50 ml, 1000 ml, etc. They claim that unlike other juices, which have preservatives in them, these products are without preservatives. Hence, the punch line is Real Fruit Juice. Price ads- Marketers also lure the customers by showing in an advertisement that a product is available at a lesser price without any compromise on the standard. Cadbury India advertised the 5-Star chocolate by offering 30% more chocolate in its 5-Star bar for the same price. Celebrity ads- Celebrities are mainly used in the advertisement either to lure the rural people in buying a particular product or in forcing the young generation to buy the products. This is also called endorsement advertising.,{t is also used in portraying that a particular product is best inqtJality because a person who is also very well known in his/her field endorses it. The impact of these stars in advertisements enables the company to increase its sale. CHAPTER 3 I. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY II. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE The main objectives of the study are: 1. To assess current consumer sales promotion schemes in the market 2. To assess how consumers differentiate the products based on advertisements 3. To get an insight into retailers views regarding the schemes being offered in toilet soap category, and consumer perceptions 4. To study consumer perceptions regarding various schemes in this category and responses toward them. 5. To study the various methods of differentiation. 6. To analyze the methodology adopted by companies to target end consumers. 7. To address basic business questions like: Do companies have the right product/service to offer? How companies reach their customers? How the buying power can be created? To prepare new business strategies RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Methodology: Technique used for the survey is questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. In order to address the above questions an exploratory study was conducted. The idea was to probe and get deeper insight into sales promotion scenario in toilet soap market and to tap perceptions of retailers and consumers. In order to address above mentioned objectives (i) study of secondary sources was carried out, 10(ii) in-depth interview of six retailers was undertaken and 11(iii) structured questionnaire was designed to seek consumer responses. Convenience sampling was used for both retailers as well as consumer studies. Six retailers ranging from small kirana store to supermarket were approached. All the retailers were located in the Noida. The respondents for consumer study were postgraduate students in the age group of 19-24 belonging to middle and upper middle and upper class. The total respondents were 30 in number. They were residing in hostel or as PG hence sole decision-makers for t his category. Also this age-group being more experimental and likely to be more deal prone, so their perceptions, preferences would give some insights to companies planning sales promotions targeted at them. Scope and Limitations: The geographical scope of the study was restricted to the NOIDA city due to time and resource constraints. The study being exploratory in nature, the sample size was restricted to 30 consumers (student group) and 6 retailers. Focus being mainly on in-depth probing, the generalizations drawn are only indicative and not conclusive. CHAPTER 3 I. FMCG AN INTRODUCTION II. INDIAN CONTEXT III. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IV. EVOLUTION AND CHARECTERSTICS FMCG -FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS BRIEF DECRIPTION OF INDIA FMCG MARKET MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IN FMCG: According to Estimates based on Chinas current per capita Consumption, the Indian FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. The dominance of Indian markets by unbranded products, change in eating habits and the increased affordability of the growing Indian population presents an opportunity to makers of branded products, who can convert consumers to branded products. Penetration level in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low. The contrast is particularly striking between the rural and urban segments the average consumption by rural households is much lower than their urban counterparts. Low penetration indicates the existence of unsaturated markets, which are likely to expand as the income levels rise. This provides an excellent opportunity for the industry players in the form of a vastly untapped market. Moreover, per capita consumption in most of the FMCG categories (including the high penetration categories) in India is low as compared to both the developed markets and other emerging economies. A rise in per capita consumption, with improvement in incomes and affordability and change in tastes and preferences, is further expected to boost FMCG demand. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading, especially in the matured product categories EVOLUTION:  § 1950s-80s Low Investment in the sector Low purchasing power Govts emphasis on small scale sector HLL and other companys urbane focus  § Post liberalization Entry of MNCs Focus shifted to getting to rural consumer first Others, like Nestle, remained with the urban population Latest fad to hit the market is the ‘sachet bug.  § Mushrooming of regional brands Nirma enters and changes the focus to ‘Value for Money in the 70s Post liberalization, Jyothi Laboratories, ‘Ghari Detergent and ‘Anchor toothpaste giving the nation-wide brands a run for their money. CHARECTERSTICS: FORECAST 2010:  § Rural and semi-urban  § 128 million population thrice the urban  § Market size growth from 48k to 100k Crores (Growth of 50% at 10%CAGR)  § Increase penetration from the current less than 1%  § Problems in the rural sector * Low per capita disposable incomes * Large number of daily wage earners * Acute dependence on vagaries of monsoon * Seasonal consumption * Poor infrastructure roads and power supply  § Urban  § Market 16.5k to 35k Crores (Growth of 100% at 20%CAGR)  § Intense competition severe pressure on margins Focus on newer products, such as fruit juices Source: Assocham Report ‘Future Prospects of FMCG CHAPTER 5 I. UNDERSTANDING DIFFRENTIATION II. TYPES OF DIFFRENTIATION III. THE INDIAN CONTEXT I. II. UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENTIATION: Differentiation is the process of adding a set of meaningful and valued differences that distinguish a companys offering from those of its competitors. Differentiation is strongest when it satisfies all of the following criteria: 1. Important: the difference delivers a highly valued benefit to a sufficient number of buyers 2. Distinctive: the difference can be delivered in a clear way 3. Superior: the difference is a better way of obtaining a benefit 4. Pre-emptive: the difference cannot be easily copied 5. Affordable: the buyer can afford to pay for the difference 6. Profitable: the company will earn a return by maintaining the difference BRAND loyalty in fast moving consumer goods categories is a topical issue, with several brands resorting to price cuts across categories. More importantly, price cuts or sales promotion by themselves do not seem to have done much for brands in terms of sustaining brand loyalty. They may attract consumers in the short run: consumers may stock the brands and consumers new to the brand may try it. But over a period of time, a brands value may get diluted in consumers psyche, and will eventually lose a strong base of consumers. The following are some aspects of marketing mix elements and consumer behavior which could contribute to brand loyalty. Product differentiation If the products are differentiated in their characteristics and this difference is perceivable, there are chances of brand loyalty being formed based on satisfaction with greater performance or fit of product with needs. In this case, loyalty is driven by functional or symbolic benefits. Functional benefits would be specific tangible features of the product whereas symbolic benefits would be intangibles such as brand personality and `hedonistic value of purchase. Price differentiation If the price differentiation in the market is perceivable, price-led loyalty might exist in the market. Price-led loyalty is practised by supermarkets, airline companies and FMCG brands, which come out with frequent sales promotions based on freebies. Alternatively, price might be taken as an indicator of brand quality, and the customer might go in for higher priced options. Price-led loyalty has to be carefully considered with other marketing mix elements and the consumer should never perceive dilution, especially in low-priced bands. Hence, lower prices should create a sense of value through the product offerings as well as through communication. Branding activity If the category is organized and there is branding activity, there will be greater loyalty than there would have been if the category were unorganized. Branding activities can differentiate between brands on name, symbol, images and associations. Branding activity in this context refers to creating strong associations which will influence the consumers not only with regard to functional attributes but also with symbolism. Hamam soaps portrayal of its pure ingredients with the child and mother imagery is a good example of one of these dimensions. Branding activities in a broad sense could range from advertising to sales promotion and public relations involving several aspects. III. The Indian context The following were the observations from the literature survey and the examples chosen from the Indian context. The factors indicate that there will be a large segment of consumers for whom price-led loyalty will dominate. Hence there will be strong behavioural loyalty in the segment and only weak attitudinal loyalty. There is thus spurious loyalty in this sector. There is a moderate level of symbolic and functional differentiation which has been exploited by strong brands to build a loyal following. Examples of this include brands such as Dove, Ponds Dreamflower talcum powder, Gold Flake, Wills Navy Cut, Amul and Cadbury. These brands have probably built strong attitudinal loyalty through their brand personality and other brand building efforts. In the FMCG sector, brand habit is high whereas attitudinal loyalty is low. As creating attitudinal loyalty based on functional differentiation is difficult, symbolic differentiation is the key. Building strong brand personalities and associated symbolic benefits is important for crafting customer loyalty. The factors discussed cannot be treated in isolation: they are to provide a synergy to result in brand loyalty. The combination of these factors and the timing of the combination is the topical challenge which marketers face in an environment where loyalty is slowly eroding. Local challengers Some of the most successful FMCG brands in 2002 came, not from the stables of a Hindustan Lever and a Colgate, but from obscure regional players such as Kaleesuwari Refineries, Parakh Foods, Anchor Switchboards and Kanpur Detergents. Over the past couple of years, brands such as Gold Winner and Gemini in refined oils, Anchor White in toothpastes and Ghari in detergents have managed to sustain double digit growth rates, even as the market leaders have struggled to hold on to single digit growth rates for their brands. Yes, the comparison is unfair, as the local brands had a minuscule base to start with. But these brands have demonstrated it is not impossible for a new challenger to break into the traditional bastion of one or two large FMCG players. Traditionally, large FMCG categories in India have been dominated by just one or two players, who rule the roost by dint of their sheer financial muscle and distribution reach. But, of late, successful regional brands have been finding chinks in their armour. And how! Aggressive pricing In the edible oils market, as national players were forced to hike their selling prices in response to rising commodity prices, both Gemini and Gold Winner have used aggressive pricing to woo consumers away from the national brands. Packed tea too, has seen similar trends. The limited differentiation in grocery and the flexibility offered by a restricted area of operations have stood these companies in good stead. Anchor White, among the few debutants in the toothpaste market to garner a significant share, first wooed the retail trade with high distribution margins, and then used rock-bottom prices to lure consumers into trying the product. Though none of these companies can match the market leaders in adspend, they have used focused regional and local advertising to draw consumers attention to their brands. The mushrooming of local and regional media has undoubtedly helped the local players milk the most from their ad budgets. Banking on `power brands While the local brands have been adding to their brand portfolios, the market leaders have largely stayed off new product launches. In keeping with its power brand strategy, Hindustan Levers marketing strategies in 2002 revolved around rejigging and relaunching established brands such as Lifebuoy, Rin, Surf and Vim. The company phased out brands such as Sunlight in detergents, and Jai in toilet soaps, so as to focus better on its 30 power brands. The strategy appears to have worked, as brands such as Lifebuoy and Rin have moved into a higher growth trajectory after the relaunch. In fact, HLLs power brand strategy has found a few followers in the FMCG market, with companies such as Godrej Consumer also announcing plans to focus on a clutch of key brands. Streamlining and spend While the power brand strategy has helped the leading players put their marketing prowess behind their most important brands, it has not really helped them save on ad spend. For most FMCG companies, advertising and promotion spends in 2002 grew faster than their sales. In high penetration categories such as soaps, detergents and toothpastes, marketing efforts of the players revolved around persuading existing consumers to use more of the product or to upgrade to a higher-priced brand. The slew of 100 gm free for every 150 gm offers in toothpastes and the series of promos on the 2 kg packs of premium detergents were both intended to induce existing consumers of a product to pep up their usage of the brand. Companies operating in relatively low-penetration categories such as chocolates, shampoos and skin creams tailored their marketing strategies to bringing in new users, through scaled-down versions of their brands in affordable pack sizes. The low-priced Chocostik, a liquid chocolate in a small-sized pack, launched by Nestle India, has helped pep up the companys topline and is now a large contributor to the companys revenues. Nestle India is now trying out a similar small-sized Rs 5 pack for Maggi noodles. Shampoos have been among the few FMCG categories to register a positive growth rate in 2002, and growth in this category has been driven mainly by sachet packs and by scaled-down 50 ml bottles priced at less than Rs 10. Overall, the FMCG slowdown of the past three years has served a useful purpose. At one level, it has made sure that the dominant players in the market no longer enjoy unlimited pricing power, as they have in the past. There now appears to be a greater effort on the part of the players to hold selling prices and look at their own operations to save on cost. At another level, the emergence of the regional challengers has made sure that consumers of FMCG products have a few more choices in their purchases of essentials. Is selling soap the same as selling a TV? It isnt. The difference is how the particular product is sold and more importantly, how is it distributed. India is a unique market, where the manufacturers who deliver products at the doorstep, which is the ideal way to deliver anything, spoil our consumers. We have an extremely evolved distribution mechanism for most products. Different products are sent to the consumer differently. Depending on the number, the price of the product and the complexity of the selling process, they may vary from direct selling to selling through a channel that may have as many as four levels between the manufacturer and the consumer. A look at a few of them will show what it means to be a sales person of that product. Most FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) products are not hard-sold to the end consumers. Sales are built up largely by pull a technique using advertising and consumer promotion. The sell-in happens to the trade i.e. to various members of the distribution channel the CarryingForwarding/Super-stockist, the distributor, the wholesaler and most importantly the retailer, who is the interface with the end-consumer. This chain forms the most important link in getting the product economically to the consumers doorstep. A large MNC in the FMCG industry may be covering as many as 1 million outlets across the country with the help of thousands of distributors. Even a mid-sized company covers at the least 1 lakh outlets. Factoring in the vagaries of operating in more than 25 different states, each with its own sales tax complexities, different consumer needs, differences in the distribution structure, not forgetting differing octroi structures within a state, distribution is extremely complex in India. If the sell-in does not happen to this channel for whatever reason or is sub- optimal, a product is likely to fail. CHAPTER 3 I. UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISEMENT II. UNDERSTANDING SALES- PROMOTION III. CREATING DIFFRENTIATION THROUGH ADVERTISEMENT IV. PROBLEMS FACED BY MARKETERS I. UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISEMENTS Whether it is a serial in a regional satellite channel or a One Day International cricket match, there is a non-stop stream of advertisements, which clutter the commercial break. Well-established brands attempt to sustain brand recall while new ones try appealing to prospective consumers to get into their `consideration set. There are ads for children, housewives and youth. With advertising expenditure in the order of Rs. 8000 Crores per annum in the recent times and the proliferation of brands across categories, there is a strong need to consider the effectiveness of these advertisements. The idea is not to cease advertising but to consider how considering decisions would have to be considered with non-advertising alternatives. These non-advertising alternatives may also enable a brand to create and sustain consistent associations, which may be desirable in terms of long-term implications. A contemporary approach that creates a synergy between various aspects of a promotional mix (a dvertising included) provides a refreshing approach towards marketing communications. There may be several objectives of advertising and a promotional mix could be used in an innovative manner to address each of these objectives depending on the product category and target segment. Creating-brand-awareness When a new brand enters a category or creates a â€Å"new to the market† offering, it needs to create brand awareness. This would depend on whether the product is a consumable or a durable. The involvement level in a speci

Edgar Allan Poe and His Works Essay -- Stories of Edgar Allan Poe

Thesis: Edgar Allan Poe was one of the most influential, yet misunderstood writers in American Literature. I. His Early Life A. His Adoption B. His Education II. His Later Life A. Books Published B. Military Life III. The Conclusion of His Life A. His Marriage B. His Death IV. His Works V. What Others Thought Of Him Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, known as a poet and critic but most famous as the first master of the short story form, especially tales of the mysterious and macabre. Since his early death, the literary qualities of Poe's writings have been disputed, but his works have remained popular and he influenced many major American and European writers. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Poe was orphaned in his early childhood and was raised by John Allan, a successful businessman of Richmond, Virginia. Taken by the Allan family to England at the age of six, Poe was enrolled in a private school. Upon returning to the United States in 1820, he continued to study in private schools. He attended the University of Virginia for a year, but in 1827 his foster father, displeased by the young man's drinking and gambling, refused to pay his debts and forced Poe to work as a bookkeeper. (Anderson, 9-22). Poe quit this job, which infuriated John Allan. Poe then left and moved to Boston. There he published his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems. After this, Poe enlisted in the U.S. Army and served a two-year term. Poe published his second book of poems, Al Araaf in 1829. Poe then reunited with Allan, who obtained him an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy. After only a few months at the academy, Poe was dismissed for neglect of duty, and John Allan disowned him permanently (Anderson, 23-34). P... ...nius." (Regan, 1) While some loved him, others despised him; almost all recognized the value of his works. WORKS CITED Anderson, Madelyn Klein. Edgar Allan Poe: A Mystery. New York: Justin Books, Ltd., 1993 Buranelli, Vincent. Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1961 The Collected Poems and Tales of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: The Modern Library, 1992. Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1966. Fisher, Benjamin F. The Cambridge Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Print. Kesterson, David B., ed. Critics on Poe. Coral Gables: University of Miami Press, 1973. Regan, Robert, ed. Poe. A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1967. Stoudt, Ashley, ed. "An Edgar Allan Poe Reader". State Street Press, 2000.

Caregivers Behavior Contributes to Offspring Behavior Essay example --

Caregivers' Behavior Contributes to Offspring Behavior The field of violence prediction research has advanced to the point where predictions about serious criminal violence by men who have already committed one violent offense can be made with a considerable degree of accuracy (Rice, 414). This group, although a small proportion of the population, is a group whose violence is the focus of much societal concern. Research on the nature of psychotherapy is yielding new insights into a group of offenders who are highly prone to violence. There is every reason to believe that applying the results of violence research to make policy changes in the criminal justice system would make society safer. Research conducted on treatment of psychopaths suggests that there may be little "wrong" with psychopaths for therapy to "fix". However, their research does suggest that certain treatments, such as the therapeutic community, may actually increase psychopath's future violence. This idea is supported by other research stating that programs that help increase self-esteem can increase aggression (Baumeister et al., 1996). Their theory about psychotherapy is that it is an adaption rather than a disorder. Violence by psychopaths might be reduced through careful monitoring and supervision therefore increasing the likelihood of detection. The researcher's theory begins to take a close look into a psychopath's childhood. The theorists determine that by means of close monitoring of the subject's aggressive and antisocial behavior by caretakers early in life it might shape the later behavior of persons with a genetic disposition to psychotherapy (Rice, 1997). The research demonstrated the importance of evaluating any interventions that are d... ...co; American Psychology Association, Incorporated. vol. 64 pgs. 5-7. February 1996. Lewis, M., Feiring, C., McGuffog, C., and Jaskir, J. (1984). Predicting psychopathology in six-year-olds from early social relations. Child Development, 55, 123-136. Main, M. (1991). Metacognitive knowledge, Metacognitive monitoring, and singular (coherent) versus multiple (incoherent) models of attachment. Findings and directions for future research. In C.M. Parker, J. Stevenson-Hinde, and P. Marris (Eds.) Attachment Across the Life Cycle. pgs. 127159 London: Routledge-Kigan Paul. Rice, Marine. American Psychologists. vol. 52. pgs. 414-423. April 1997. Rosenstein, Diana S., Horowitz, Harvey A. Adolescent Attachment and Psychopathology. Journal of Consulting and_ Clinical Psychology. co; American Psychology Association, Incorporated. vol. 64 pgs. 244-253. April 1996.

Frankenstein and Human Cloning Essay

What is life? What defines a person? Do you believe humans should have the right to create life? Are there any consequences? In 1831 Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein or; The Modern Prometheus, a magnificent depiction of a man taking up God’s role of creator of life. Victor wanted to achieve biological immortality. Yet, within the instance of success Victor outright rejected his creation as â€Å"monstrous†, a unit for being unworthy of human life. In this paper, I argue that Frankenstein and the idea cloning have a lot in common, because the two topics share pros and cons on behalf of their out coming result. Victor Frankenstein’s monster compared to cloning takes place without the act of a sexual union between a male and female. In general, cloning is the modern Frankenstein, just like Frankenstein is the modern Prometheus. Prometheus stole fire from the Gods; he had taken something that did not belong to the humans and given it to mankind and was essentially punished for his actions. In the same way, Victor Frankenstein lets his ambition overpower him. Victor took from God what was not his, and created a destructive monster in effect of his strong desire for creating human life. Human cloning is also a controversial subject stating that humans have no power by Gods to develop life or control death. According to the Human Genome Project, there are three types of cloning: DNA, therapeutic, and reproductive cloning. DNA cloning involves transferring DNA from a donor to another organism. Therapeutic cloning, known as embryo cloning; which involves harvesting stem cells from human embryos to grow new organs for transplant. Reproductive cloning creates a copy of the host. Victor Frankenstein created his monster using Reproductive cloning from distinctive body parts of different host organisms. To make his creature, Victor Frankenstein raided grave yards and spent a lot of his time in slaughter houses as well as dissecting rooms to borrow body parts from the dead to use for his creature. Cloning in relation to Frankenstein also uses the process of borrowing; by obtaining genetic materials from embryos to make identical duplicates. With all the allusions to fire and electricity found throughout the novel, to both â€Å"spark† and â€Å"glimmer† give the reader clues as to how Frankenstein used electric currents to stimulate the patched together dead body of his monster. Comparatively, cloning also employs the use of electricity to promote the division of cells also known as life. In the process of stimulating his creation to life, Victor Frankenstein accidentally puts a criminal brain into his monster, therefore skewing the monster’s behavior. Cloning is often unsuccessful. According to the Human Genome Project, it takes sometimes â€Å"100 attempts to create one successful clone†. Frankenstein’s monster had all components and feelings of a human being, but was not born out of a woman’s womb and was not sexually produced. The creature was created not in God’s image, but in Victor’s image. Today’s cloning process, like the methods of creating life used by Dr. Frankenstein, arouses a controversy of morals and ethics from religious viewpoints. Cloning has a lot to do with the desires of man. Frankenstein desired to create life. Desires, otherwise known as temptations in these cases, bring us to a great fault. By taking the place of God, to make their own definition of a â€Å"person†, Frankenstein and the creators of cloning are defying God and going against the Bible’s moral standards. In defining life we get a deep look into how Frankenstein and cloning compare. They are very alike in many ways. These things teach us that life and the universe are unknowable, and are not meant to be completely known. We are not meant to become boundless creators. Rather, we are the created – created by God.

Nationalized Health Care

The topic of nationalized healthcare evokes visceral reactions from supporters and foes alike. The rational argument for such a program is often lost in emotional rhetoric. Those who don’t have access to good health care want it. Those who can take advantage of the latest innovations want to continue to do so.The morality of the issue, however, is irrelevant until we answer a few basic questions. Would nationalized healthcare bankrupt America? Would the quality of care be good? Would innovation be stalled in a federally controlled system? These questions have been debated before, but it is rapidly becoming apparent that America will have to move toward such a system in order to have a healthy, productive workforce in the 21st century. Evidence shows that it can be done, and at a lower cost than what might be expected.Arguments against NHCOpponents of a nationalized health care system fear the creation of a vast federal bureaucracy. The bureaucracy itself would result in severe tax raises. By its nature, they say, a federal bureaucracy of this size cannot operate efficiently and effectively. Decisions on personal health care should not be put into the hands of the federal government.Profit drives innovation. For this reason, it is no surprise that the majority of medical advances have been made in the United States. A federally controlled system will, by its nature, restrict the profits of firms engaged in medical research. Harvard University economist Kenneth Rogoff was quoted in a recent issue of Reason Magazine:  If all countries squeezed profits in the health sector the way Europeand Canada do, there would be much less global innovation in  medical technology.(Bailey, 2005)Reports of long waiting times for care in nationalized systems such as Canada’s have further energized opponents of NHC. Americans deserve the best in healthcare. How can a system that relies on rationing of health care provide the best in care? Those who can afford it ha ve access to the best health care in the United States. For those who cannot, there are already many options. Health insurance pools, Medicare, Medicaid, hospital and corporate assistance programs provide a safety net for those without standard insurance. The overwhelming cost of heath care simply cannot be borne by the federal government. Tax increases will cause the loss of jobs and create a drag on the economy that benefits no one.Arguments for NHCMany Americans assume that they are getting the best health care in the world. This is not necessarily true. Mortality rates and other measures of overall health lag behind other countries that have nationalized single-payer systems.The cost of health care has also become a major issue that will have ripple effects through the economy. A recent article by Julie Appleby in USA Today cites evidence that should concern employers trying to maintain a productive workforce:Already the average yearly cost of the most popular type of insuranceà ‚  plan offered by employers hit $11,765 this year†¦Average premiums  have risen 87% since 2000, while workers earnings have risen 20%.  (2006)The multi-payer, multi-layered system of healthcare in the United States generates billions of dollars of waste. In fact, enough money could be saved by moving to a single-payer structure to pay for the health care of the 46 million Americans who are not insured.A New York Times article cites evidence from a New England Journal of Medicine study that a single-payer system could actually cost less:  Ã¢â‚¬ ¦administrative costs represented 31 percent of total health care  spending in the United States, about double the proportion in  Canada, which has a single-payer system.  (Lohr, 2004)In our current system, claims are shuffled back and forth between insurance agencies, employers and the government. The cost of this paper shuffling cannot be underestimated. The time involved also penalizes the provider who may have to wait for months to get paid for services as each agency tries to negotiate a favorable price.Dr. Himmelman, a co-author of the NEJM study concludes that:The savings from moving to a single-payer system, estimated, would  be roughly $375 billion a year. That allows you to cover everyone.  (Lohr, 2004)Spreading the risk among the entire population would also reduce costs. This, in fact, is how insurance companies make money. With the entire adult population paying premiums to the government in the form of taxes, the cost for any one individual is held to a minimum.Innovation can, and does, still exist under a single payer structure. Drug companies, for example, will still have access to federal funds for research and development. They still can reap tremendous profits by developing widely used medicines. Patient financial assistance programs, which most drug companies have, would no longer be necessary in a fully insured nation. They will also save money from only having to deal with one entity. That money can then be used for R & D.Innovation has not dried up in countries that have single-payer systems. For example, many of the recent advances in the treatment of juvenile diabetes have originated in Canada or Europe. The Edmonton protocol provides hope for a cure through islet cell transplants. Their studies are now being replicated in the United States. Profits are still enormous for innovative companies in those countries. In the U.S. the profits for these innovative firms are not necessarily as high as one might expect. The lions’ share of health care profits in our system goes to the insurance companies. Those companies make money, in effect, by rationing health care, thereby spreading their risk. Predictably, they are against a nationalized system that would cut them out of the loop.Analysis and ConclusionPowerful insurance companies and other lobbying interests have been able to forestall a nationalized health care system. The last major attempt was ma de early in the Clinton presidency. Our country has changed dramatically even since then. The robust economy has drawn millions of new workers. At the same time, health care costs have spiraled to unprecedented levels. Continued economic growth requires a productive, permanent workforce.The Census bureau estimates that 46.6 million Americans are without health insurance, greatly limiting their access to preventive care. Preventive care is the single most important element to maintaining long-term health. Millions more people are under insured. Who are the uninsured? According to the New York Times:  Eighty percent of the uninsured are members of working families.But either their employers do not offer health insurance or they find  their share of the employers’ plans too expensive.(Lohr, 2004)Some who resist a national system argue that individual health savings accounts can be an effective way of paying for health care. In some cases, this is true. A question arises, how ever: Can health savings accounts keep up with the spiraling cost of health care? For most people, it is unlikely.A single-payer, nationalized health care system would have multiple benefits for the United States. Employer costs would be reduced, freeing them to expand their businesses and create more jobs. The administrative costs of a single federal system would be enormous, but still less than the multi-payer system we have today.Individuals would have guaranteed access to preventive care, an act that has been proven to save money in the long run for both the person and the system.More healthy days for the workers means more production at work and more growth of business. That, in turn, brings more tax revenue to the government. If tax increases are necessary for the initial set-up of the system, they will be more than offset by the decreases, or elimination, of health care premiums.Given the nature of our global, competitive economy, it just makes good sense to keep as many peop le healthy and productive for as long as possible. This means that everyone has to have access to health care. Unfortunately, this is getting progressively more difficult. Eventually, the nation will pay an economic price for this.The good news is that the evidence shows us that national health care is not as expensive or substandard as we may think. The United States can afford a national health system. Instead of being a drag on the economy it would be a stimulant. Sooner or later it will become necessary.SourcesAppleby, Julie. â€Å"Consumer unease with U.S. health care grows†. USA Today, 16 Oct.2006.Bailey, Ronald. â€Å"2005 Medical Care Forever†. Reason Magazine, 15 Jun. 2005.Clancy, James. â€Å"U.S. should adopt Canada’s public health care model†. National Unionof Public and General Employees [online] 2004. Accessed 27 Nov. 2006 from   Lohr, Steve. â€Å"The Disparate Consensus on Health Care for All†. The New York Times[