Introduction to Human Resource Management Essay - 2

Introduction to Human Resource Management - Essay Example From the report it is clear that induction training is one of the important and beginning steps for the new as well as the existing employees to revitalise their creative ideas and thus contribute to the overall efficiency of the organisation. It also intends to increase the employees’ willingness motivating them to be more enthusiastic at work emphasising on both the existing and fresh employees. This process intends to be highly beneficial for the new employees motivating them to become more productive cooperative towards the company statement as well as the vision of the company by generating awareness regarding the previous records and achievements by the organisation. This discussion stresses that the next step of the induction training is to provide the information about organisational structure to the employees indicating the overall structure of the organisation. This includes the different divisions as well as the briefing about the responsibilities possessed by the employee groups. The step following this process will intend to provide a briefing about the HR Policies of the company referring it to be one of the most important facets of induction training encompassing with the different processes in the working period excluding the operation level works. It is worth mentioning in this context that the involvement of effective HR policies of an organisation signifies the different phases of the employees from the reporting time to the time when the employee decides to resign from the organisation.

Fostering Ethical Behavior Essay Example for Free

Fostering Ethical Behavior Essay Ethical conduct in today’s work environment is extremely important as it not only affects the climate of the workplace but can also make a major impact on the output of the employees who work for you. As Kreitner and Kinicki state, â€Å"Improving workplace ethics is not just a nice thing to do; it also can have a positive impact on the bottom line† (Organizational Behavior, 2009, p. 25). But the discussion on how to foster more ethical conduct can oftentimes be a tricky question to answer. First, my firm belief is that you have to start from the top of an organization and work down. If a CEO or upper level manager acts unethically in his/her practices then how can you expect another employee to not react in the same manner? â€Å"Managers are potent role models whose habits and actual behavior send clear signals about the importance of ethical conduct. Ethical behavior is a top-to-bottom proposition†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Organizational Behavior, 2009, p. 25). Secondly, an organization should maintain a strong and respected code of ethics that all employees would be required to adhere, train and reinforce in the workplace. Unethical behavior to get ahead can be a poison to any organization. â€Å"Behavior that is reinforced tends to be repeated, whereas behavior that is not reinforced tends to disappear. Ethical conduct too often is ignored or even punished while unethical behavior is rewarded. † (Organizational Behavior, 2009, p. 25). It should be the number one goal of any top management to foster a working environment where ethical behavior is rewarded and I feel that leading by example from the top down will result in a positive outcome in the workplace.

Impact of Air Power Theory in WW2

Impact of Air Power Theory in WW2 Did â€Å"air power theory† do more harm than good before the outbreak of â€Å"and during† the Second World War? This essay will examine the meaning and impact of â€Å"air power theory†, a theory which took shape after World War One, which predicted that air power would be the single most important factor in the outcome of future wars. We will briefly examine the impact this theory had on the interwar Military planning and strategies of the major powers, as well as the influence of air power theory during the Second World War itself. The first part of our essay looks at what â€Å"air power theory† is, we shall look at the two major air power theorists, Giulio Douhet[1] and Billy Mitchell[2] and examine the differences and similarities between the two. Secondly we shall examine the negative impact of the â€Å"air power theory†, both in its implementation by the US and Britain and the shortcomings of the theory as demonstrated during the Second World War. The third part is concerned with the successful implementation of air power theory by the US and Britain before and dur ing the Second World War which led to positive military outcomes for the respective nations during the War. Finally we will attempt to conclude on whether the overall impact of â€Å"air power theory† during this time period can be judged positively or negatively. The most famous of the air power theorists, General Giulio Douhet was a passionate advocate on the fundamental importance and potentially revolutionary application of air power, specifically strategic bombing, as the most important means to win future wars. Douhet served with the Italian armed forces in Libya during the Italy – Turkey war of 1911 and during World War One, during which time aircraft were being used for the first time in military engagements. In 1921 he published â€Å"The Command of the Air† , arguably one of the most important works in air power theory and a endorsement of the power of precision bombing to win quick, decisive but devastating future wars. â€Å"I have maintained, and continue to do so, that in the wars to come the decisive field of action will be the aerial field†[3] It is not necessary to go into complex detail regarding Douhet’s theories of war, as we may summarise them into five key points. Firstly Douhet stated that modern and future warfare would give no distinction between civilian and combatant, that the previously taboo targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure would be a thing of the past. Secondly, Douhet believed, no doubt influenced by his experiences from the First World War, that a quick, decisive victory using purely ground forces was no longer possible. Thirdly, that there was at the time, and most importantly for Douhet, would never be an effective anti aircraft measure that could prevent heavy strategic bombing from destroying its target. â€Å"Consequently I say, no aerial defence, because it is practically useless†[4] . Following on from this point, and arguably the most controversial in terms of the suffering it was seen to have led to, Douhet stated that the only way to defend against an enemy strategic bombing and to ultimately win a war was to launch a massive bombing campaign that would devastate the target’s government, industrial infrastructure and ability to make war, as well as so demoralising the enemy population that the shattered civilian population would force their Government to sue for peace or surrender unconditionally. Finally, and sharing a similar viewpoint with Mitchell, [5] there was a need for a nation’s air force to be completely independent of both the army and navy, and to constantly maintain a state of readiness in the event of needing to deal the knockout blow to the enemy. [6] Although borrowing many of his ideas from Douhet and others, American General Billy Mitchell did combine many air power theories at the time to create a structured, well thought air power theory which some might argue was more comprehensive and realistic than the ideas of Douhet.[7] Like Douhet, Mitchell wanted a centralised, independent air force, but unlike Douhet Mitchell wanted a centralised structure for all types of airpower, each given equal importance, whereas Douhet was concerned primarily with strategic bombers, any other type of aircraft was for him possibly useful but certainly secondary to the importance of the bombers. Mitchell also did not share Douhet’s view of strategic bombing being impossible to defend against. Mitchell wanted equal resources dedicated to both offensive and defensive air capabilities, and envisioned a wider role for ground attack and fighter aircraft that could be used as bomber escorts.[8] What both theories have in common however is their firm belief that air power would be absolutely vital, indeed the most important factor, in any future wars. Both men died before seeing that in the awful carnage of the Second World War, their theories were far from entirely accurate. When looking at the use of air power in the Second World War, it is clear that air power, in particular strategic bombing, did not make land and navy forces obsolete, and that both Douhet and Mitchell had both overestimated the destructive and defensive capabilities of strategic bomber aircraft. â€Å"Successful warfare still depended upon the movement of armies to occupy land, and the movement of ships to provide supplies and men,†[9] Although it played an important role throughout the War, the majority of fighting in Europe, in particular on the Eastern front was done with conventional land armies. Douhet had predicted that Britain’s mighty navy would be useless against a co-ordinated air assault, yet the British navy and merchant fleet was the lifeline supported the war effort with supplies from America and beyond. And certainly Douhet’s assertion that land forces were no longer capable of achieving quick, decisive victories does not stand up when looking at t he German Blitzkrieg campaigns between 1939-1941. In the 1930s Britain had slashed military spending, partly as a result of having to support the mass of unemployed during the great depression and partly due to an increasing anti war feeling in some parts of British Society. The exception to this was spending on Bomber Command, the part of the RAF responsible for strategic bombing. Strategic bombing offered a solution to the horrors of the First World War’s trench warfare, a decisive, relatively humane way in which to fight and end a war. Before the beginning of the war the emphasis was fortunately shifted to air defence, investing in innovations such as radar and fighter interceptors to shoot down German bombers. Following through with Douhet’s theories, as Bomber Command wished to, could have been a disaster for the defence of the British Isles, leaving them literally defenceless in the face of the Luftwaffe. [10] Both the USAF and Bomber Command continued throughout the war, as well the interwar period, to seriously miscalculate both the destructive capabilities and accuracy of strategic bombing. Technology had not solved the problems that both Douhet and Mitchell had overlooked in their theories, which failed to seriously take into account weather conditions, inaccurate targeting of enemy targets, as well as being able to ascertain which type of industrial targets would cause the most damage to the enemy’s war making capabilities. Air power theory also seriously overestimated the ease to which Bombers could make their targets without being shot down. Even after Bombers were given fighter escorts, the losses to Bomber crews were horrific. â€Å"The night bombing offensive against German cities and transportation targets between 3 September 1943 and 2 September 1944 cost the command 17,479 flying personnel killed in action or dead of wounds†[11] When considering the harm inflicted by air power theories, undoubtedly we cannot ignore the huge loss of civilian life lost in strategic bombing raids, committed by German, British and American Bomber crews against civilian targets during the Second World War. It is estimated that more German civilians were killed by allied bombing, than the combined casualty rate of British servicemen during the war, a staggering 543,000 dead.[12] At the heart of this bombing campaign against civilians was one of the most important aspects of air power theory. The theory that a targeted bombing campaign designed to kill civilians and spread terror amongst a population that would then force its Government to capitulate. The theory was fatally flawed against a totalitarian regime where citizens knew that talk of surrender was likely to get one shot. The campaign undoubtedly affected German civilian morale, yet unlike the targeted bombing against industrial infrastructure it did not significantly affec t the Nazi war making capabilities nor convince them to consider surrender whilst Hitler was in power. [13] Despite many aspects of air power theory being flawed and causing what many consider a waste of lives and resources; I believe that the broad application of air power theory by both the British and the Americans played a serious impact in their final victory over the axis powers. Both Douhet and Mitchell believed that in order to maximise the potential of air power, a nation’s air force must be independent of both the army and navy. Williams in particular promoted the idea of a centralised, independent air command for all types of air power, equal in importance and as independent as the army and navy. Despite the near legendary status of the Luftwaffe, it was primarily meant and used as a support for the army, both in the interwar period and throughout the Second World War. The Germans had a limited air strategy, the Luftwaffe lacked complete independence and was not always given the same amount of resources as the army and navy. The British and the Americans both before and during the War placed a huge emphasis on a general air power strategy, giving the RAF and the USAF operational independence to formulate an independent strategy and the huge amount of investment, personnel and resources necessary to carry out that strategy successfully. [14] The comprehensive general air strategy that Britain possessed during the Battle of Britain, with equal emphasis on offence and defence, allowed it to resist the strategically limited Luftwaffe which from the beginning lacked the scientific air power knowledge of the better supported, more independent, RAF. When the allies went on the offensive, gaining air superiority over Europe was vital in both protecting allied land forces and speeding up the advance by inflicting serious damage on German forces of any kind. Once Germany lost control of the skies they were forced back onto the defensive, unable to effectively counter attack without sufficient air cover and with in adequate defence against air power. Although we have previously criticised the civilian bombing of German cities, strategic bombing of German industrial targets undoubtedly slowed down their ability to rebuild their forces and severely hampered the Nazi war economy. [15]Although enthusiastic advocates of air power, by not following through with the main principles of air power theory, the German war machine found itself at a distinct disadvantage against the Western allies. Once USA and Britain had gained domination of the skies, as Douhet and Mitchell had insisted was vital, it was never in doubt that the defeat of Nazi Germany was inevitable. â€Å"The influence of air power on the ability of one nation to impress its will on another in armed contest will be decisive.†[16] During the final stages of the War in the Pacific, the USAF demonstrated that one of Douhet’s most controversial theories, the use of strategic bombing to target not only military and industrial infrastructure but also civilians, could effectively bring a war to an end without the need for military conquest on land. Although the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were credited for ending the war, the conventional heavy bombing of Japan actually inflicted more casualties on Japanese civilians, and played a greater part in destroying Japan’s war making capabilities.[17] Undoubtedly the effect of heavy bombing and dropping of the atomic bombs was the single most important factor in forcing political pressure inside Japan to convince the leadership that surrender was the only option, Japan could simply not continue to fight the war.[18] The atomic bombs were the only time that the Douhet and Williams theories of the destructive potential of a short, decisive ove rwhelming bombing raid that could bring an enemy to its knees proved accurate. For many academics and observers, the strategic bombing of Japan is still considered one of the greatest crimes of the Second World War. Despite the awful suffering it caused however, I would argue that it ultimately did more good than harm, preventing a military land assault on Japan that would have cost potentially the lives of hundreds of thousands of American Soldiers and millions of Japanese citizens. Even without an invasion, conventional heavy bombing would have soon equalled then surpassed the amount killed in Nagasaki and Hiroshima in a relatively short space of time, so devastating was its effectiveness. The unconditional surrender was without doubt the best thing for both Japan and America, and it might never have happened if the atomic bombs had not been dropped. In conclusion then, I believe that ultimately, for the allies, the adoption of the broader aspects of air power theory was a positive thing. Many of what Douhet and Williams said about air power did not come true in the Second World War. It did not replace armies and navies as the pre-eminent factor in warfare. It did not lead to wars being settled in a matter of days with a short, destructive bombing campaign and their predictions of the destructive capabilities and accuracy of conventional strategic bombing, with the possible exception of Japan, were to prove ludicrously optimistic. Undoubtedly however, by adopting Mitchell’s theory of creating a centralised, independent air force that was given the necessary resources to achieve its strategic goals, the United States and Britain had a massive advantage over Nazi Germany’s more limited air strategy. This advantage allowed them to eventually gain air dominance, put the German forces on the back foot and never allow them to re-gain the initiative. Strategic bombing, although causing huge civilian casualties in both Germany and Japan, played a crucial role in crippling the German war machine, and the most important part in forcing an unconditional Japanese surrender. It is for these reasons that I believe that air power theory was overall, a positive and important body of work. Bibliography Collier, Basil – â€Å"A History of Air Power† – Wilmer Brothers (1974) DeSeversky, Alexander – â€Å"Victory Through Air Power† – New York, Simon and Schuster, (1942) Douhet, Giulio – â€Å"The Command of the Air†. – Faber and Faber (1927) Hurley, Alfred – Billy Mitchell, Crusader for Air Power – Bloomington IN: Indiana University Press, (1964). Lee, Asher – â€Å"Goering – Air Leader† Duckworth (1972) MacIsaac, David – â€Å"Voices from the central blue: The Air Power Theorists† In Paret, Peter â€Å"Makers of Modern Strategy- From Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age†. – Clarendon Press – Oxford (1986) Mitchell, Billy – Winged Defence – Dover Publications (1989) Murray, Williamson – â€Å"Strategic Bombing: The British, American and German experiences. In Murray, Williamson â€Å"Military Innovation in the Interwar Period.† Cambridge University Press (1998) Overy, R.J. – â€Å"The Air War 1939 – 1945† – Europa Publications Limited (1980) Warner, Edward – â€Å"Douhet, Mitchell, Seversky: Theories of Air Warfare† in â€Å"Makers of Modern Strategy† Princeton University Press (1952) 1 Footnotes [1] Douhet, G – â€Å" (1927) [2] Mitchell, B – (1989) [3] Douhet (ibid) p.199 [4] Douhet (ibid) p.157 [5] Mitchell, (ibid) [6] Warner, E – â€Å" (1952) p.630 [7] MacIsaac, D (1986) p .631 [8] Collier, B (1974) p.93 [9] Overy, R.J (1980) p203 [10] MacIsaac, D (ibid) p.633 [11] Murray, W (1998) p.99 [12] Overy, R.J. (ibid) p.207 [13] MacIsaac, D (ibid) p.637 [14] Overy, R.J. (ibid) p.204 [15] Overy, R.J. (ibid) p208 [16] Mitchell, B (ibid) p.7 [17] Overy, R.J (ibid) p.100 [18] Overy, R.J. (ibid) p.93

Robert E. Lee Essay -- Army American History Mexican War Essays

Robert E. Lee In 1861, on the eve of civil war, President Abraham Lincoln tapped I, Robert E. Lee to take command of the United States Army. being The fifty-five year old silver-haired veteran that had graduated second in my class at West Point, served valiantly during the Mexican War under General Winfield Scott, and had, with his forces, put down the insurrection at Harper’s Ferry, capturing abolitionist John Brown. By all accounts, i was the man to lead the Army, as renowned for his gentlemanly character as for his military skill and sense of duty. It came as no surprise however, that following the secession of his home state, Virginia, Lee declined the Appointment and resigned. He had written to his family, .With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen; I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home... Although opposed to secession, he would .return to [his] native state and shares the miseries of [his] people, and saves in defense. Draw [his] sword on none. His home, his relatives, and his children, all were rooted in a Virginia that had grown strong from the seeds planted by the American Revolution. Two of his ancestors had signed the Declaration of Independence. His father had eulogized George Washington as .first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen... (The actions of both men left indelible marks on Lee’s character. His debtor Father embodied the traits he would shun; Washington. Duty bound, disciplined, and humble.he sought to imitate.) On April 9, 1865, Lee and his men faced certain defeat in the misty dawn at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. He had commanded the Army of Northern Virginia since the beginning of the war. He had been appointed General in Chief of the Confederate States Army in February. His ragtag veterans, depleted corps once 70,000 strong, had tenaciously held. And at points, advanced. The line for four years against Union forces. Lee refused a persistently defensive posture. They had waged a bold, scrappy, underdog war, exacting victories at Seven Days, Chancellors Ville, Fredericksburg, and Cold Harbor. There had been staggering losses on both sides. Gettysburg handed them their most devastating defeat. (.It was my Fault, Lee humbly declared in the aftermath.) Now, they were hunkered down an... ...red rations. It was a generous and gentlemanly agreement, one that would allow agnation ravaged by war to begin to bind up its wounds. Lee stayed in Appomattox for the laying down of arms. He stayed long enough to commend his army’s unsurpassed courage and fortitude, and explain his desire to .avoid the useless sacrifice. Of more confederate lives. He bid an .affectionate farewell... With great weariness and sadness he was escorted part of the way back to Richmond. He received a hero’s welcome along the way. Later indicted for treason (a charge that was never pursued), and passed over for a pardon during his lifetime, Lee nevertheless remained a great man in the eyes of both the North and South. By deciding to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E. Lee had single-handedly set in motion the events that would signal the end of the war, the end of his military career, and the beginning of peace andreunification.Many years later, Woodrow Wilson voiced the widely-held view: .We use the word .great. Indiscriminately. But we reserve the word .noble. Carefully for those whose greatness is not spent in their own interest. That was the characteristic of General Lee’s life...

Satire: High School Students

Satire How to Succeed in School Being a high school student with a fair amount of experience and observation in the field of achieving good grades with minimal effort, I should like to bestow upon current and future high school students some advice that may lead to their success. Before doing so, I would like to make clear that I do not necessarily endorse these methods. It is just observed that the application of these methods is shown to have worked with some of the most highly ranked high school students, the â€Å"elite,† and here’s how they do it, and how you can too.Always wait until the last minute. This may seem counterintuitive, as teachers and parents are always telling students to not procrastinate. However, procrastination is what drives a student to success. Procrastination gives a student the drive to finish that assignment or project that was assigned weeks ago and is due tomorrow. As time boils down, a student’s senses become sharper, allowing the m to focus on the task at hand.How can one not enjoy the excitement of completing a project in the nick of time, or the pride felt when they have bested their friends in a competition of who can survive with the least amount of sleep? This brings me to my second piece of advice: sleep in school. High school life is extremely busy. Students must balance schoolwork, homework, recreation, sleep, and a social life. Since, logically, recreation can only be done outside of school, homework must be done at home, and a social life must include elements outside of school, schoolwork and sleep should be done in school.Students already spend a good eight hours in school. Then afterwards, they must complete hours of homework at home. Therefore, it is only logical that students use some school time to catch up on sleep, as they must be rejuvenated in order to deal with the massive amount of homework awaiting them after school. Study at the last minute as well. Teachers say that students should s tudy a little every day. However, that does not help. By the time of the test, one will already have forgotten what they have learned in the beginning of the unit.Instead, if a student were to study everything last minute, they would remember it all for the test because they have just looked at it. You should study the day before, and preferably, on the day of the test to obtain maximum scores. Pay attention in class. That means, get ready for the teacher to call on you at any minute. It is important to always know what is going on to avoid looking like a fool and getting yelled at. When the teacher is not paying attention to the class, feel free to doze off. You must learn to multitask.Multitasking will help you get a lot more done and make your life easier. A skilled high schooler can do homework, listen to their iPod, watch T. V, eat, and talk on the phone all at the same time. This maximizes productivity and efficiency, giving you time to do other, more important things, like ha nging out or playing video games. Lastly, you must remember that play is greater than work. Play first, and work later. Why, you ask? Well, the fun you have now will release anxiety and stress over the work that you have to do in the future.After all the fun and games, your mind will enter the â€Å"oh crap, I have to finish that project† state. This state of mind will help you keep focus as the deadline looms closer, and maximizes productivity and efficiency as well because you are working your hardest to finish. So there it is. I present to you six pieces of wisdom coming straight from my personal observation of those at the top. Follow my advice, and you will soon find out how much effort is required of those who aspire to be the best.

Free Rational in Buying Economics Essay

Free Rational in Buying Economics Essay Rational in Buying Introduction Branding is all about creating differences. Brands identify the source or marker of a product and allow consumers to assign responsibility to that particular manufacturer or service. The four steps to a strong brand are: Create brand identity. Establish brand meaning. Develop the correct customer response. Most importantly, create an intense, active loyalty relationship with customers. This is called brand relationship. A brand is judged by its salience, performance, imagery, judgment, and resonance. Advertising companies through their dedicated and professional work develops a brand. To understand the rationale in buying within the various demographics (the focus of this study will be on those in the 12-18, 30-45 and over 55 aged groups), this paper first takes a look at the role of brands and its position within the 4Ps of marketing, before evaluating its influence on the various demographics. The 4 Ps of marketing refer to Product, Place, Promotion, and Price. Each of these elements plays an important role in the success of a brand and has direct influence on the demographics mentioned herein. What is the concept of brand personality? No product or company can survive competition or sustain its identity without asserting itself on two basic components in marketing: Image, and people. If not managed properly, these components can break a brand. Brands and people have to be owned, nurtured and developed by an organisation. They are the ultimate differentiators and value creators. Companies such as Pepsi, Coca cola, Levis, and Cadburys are examples of well managed brand companies. So powerful is a brand, that unless harnessed properly, sustainability, popularity, and growth of the product can be at stake. Elements that affect an individual's relationship with a brand are: Relationship between the product and the customer, and the personality the brand associates itself with. The consumer obviously would like the personality traits to be that of his own. Characteristics that brands would like to associate with are a sense of dependability, understanding, and caring; a friend who is always there to care, respect, comfort, and enjoy (Brand Personality-The relationship Basis Model, groups.haas.berkeley.edu). It was thought that companies were responsible was the creation of a brand, or its managers and planners, but the reality is far from these. Brands are created by ordinary people like us. It is the extent to which it makes sense and the role it plays in a consumers life that builds a brand. There are two questions which should be asked: How different are these brands, and how relevant is it to us, as consumers? A product becomes a brand not when it talks about itself, but when people talk about it. Every single thing that one does builds a brand. Executive Summary The three key elements of demographic segmentation variables are age, gender and the life cycle. Age is an important demographic variable in brand development and sales, as purchases vary from one demographic to another. Those in the age group of 12-18 would have a different view of a product than those in the 30-45 age brackets. This can change again with those 50 and above. So, how do marketers identify the needs of these age groups, and what are the parameters by which they can gauge the right demographic for expanding their market and brand? Today, most consumers are aware of his/her rights and are well informed. Television, newspapers and magazines have only contributed to their better understanding of the world around them. Internet has gone a step ahead in educating and promoting awareness at the click of a button. So knowledgeable is todays consumer that it becomes difficult for manufacturers and producers to associate themselves with them. However, there are certain influenc es that demarcate these demographics, the 4Ps of marketing namely, product, place, promotion, and price. These elements have a direct impact on a consumers buying rationale. In order to understand the topic on a consumers buying rationale on the three demographics, this paper explores the importance of branding, and the role of the 4Ps in influencing the buying behaviour.. Three age groups are considered for this analysis; 12-18, 30-45 and those over 55. The primary objective of this paper will be to research the factors that contribute to consumer buying rationale, and then focus on the effect of this on those in the 12-18 ages demographic. Branding and the 4Ps of Marketing Branding is an integral part of marketing. Consumers rely on information to judge a product before buying it. A consumer would weigh the options available to suit his/her need. This is what branding does. Branding is a process employed by manufacturers to convince their customers that their product is about the only thing that provides a solution to their need. The objective of branding is to convey a clear message, ensure credibility, identify with the consumer, motivate the buyer, and develop a strong bond or product loyalty. For this, it is imperative that the company knows the needs and wants of its customers (Lake.L, Lesson 1 in the Developing your Brand's Strategy Course, What is Branding and How Important is it to Your Marketing Strategy? marketing.about.com). So, how do we define branding? Branding is the process by which both a brand and brand identity are developed. Brand stands for name, and brand identity for uniqueness. It is these traits that appeals to the consumer (Definition of Branding on the web, www.wompro.com). Customers have different tastes and not all have the same loyalty for a particular brand. The same is the case with demographics. A brand that may be popular to one segment of demographic need not necessarily be a favourite of another. When such a situation arises, market planners need to work overtime to identify their product to a particular segment of demographic and plan their strategy. This is where 4Ps of marketing come in. Product, product promotion, placing of the product, and pricing of the product are an intrinsic part of marketing. Brand alone will not help sell products, they need to be positioned and priced properly to attract greater market segment. The 4Ps of Marketing The 4 Ps of marketing are in more than one way interdependent. They together help customers in making purchase decisions. If planned properly, 4Ps can also help companies identify the right segment of customers. Consumer buying behaviour is dependent on the following factors: Culture influences: Influenced by parents, brothers, sisters and other family members, they are taught what is wrong or right. Personal References: Friends or people they look up to may influence their choices of purchasing a particular product or service Economical background: Do they have a secure job and a regular income to spend on goods? Marketing and Advertising: Product awareness and branding. Social Status: Can have deep impact on buying behaviour. Parents can influence their children; professionals will have their own opinion. (Factors influencing the behaviour of buyers, Learn Marketing.com, www.learnmarketing.net) In order overcome these factors and attract consumers, marketing gurus employ the 4Ps of marketing. This not only helps companies develop a brand and instigate consumer buying behaviour, it also helps companies identify their target audience. Cultural and social influences have a negative effect on the 12-18 demographic groups. Economically too, these youngsters are dependent. They have a strong understanding of the product and brands, yet their ability to take independent decisions is truncated. However, those in the 30-45 ages demographic are more independent and can pursue their personal preferences. They are economically, socially, and culturally independent. They can thus be targeted by companies easily. The only problem with this segment is that they are not brand loyal and not easily attracted by brand. Those in the 55 and above demographic are active buyers. Necessity is their forte. In the face of this revelation, market pundits find the young 12-18 demographic to be their v alued targeted customers. They are brand loyal. Thus 4Ps have a broader meaning in branding and consumer buying behaviour. A product must satisfy a consumers need. It comes with a cost. Production costs must be kept in check and at the same time quality should not be compromised on. A brand must keep its consumers interest in mind always. Price is next. Price escalation takes place when a product moves through the distribution channel. A manufacturer's selling price becomes a distributor's cost price. This hurts dealers who end up paying more to the distributor. Ultimately, this affects competition and sales. This escalation in prices forces many consumers to look elsewhere. There are many strategies employed by companies to beat competition. There are some who find it hard to offer at reduced price because of brand. There are others who reduce their price in the face of stiff competition. Then there are those who, while retaining their image, launch products that are branded but service a different segment of demographic. Thus, price plays an important role in a consumers buying behaviour. Place can also determine price. Factors like who the final consumer will be and what he or she looks for must be considered. Where does a consumer look when shopping? Having an automobile showroom far from the city may not be the ideal location. It could involve additional transportation costs leading to more price escalation. Is it well connected and accessible or will additional expenses accrue in moving the products to this place? Distribution is affected. Time and money is lost. These are questions that must be addressed to control cost escalation and service customers properly. Promotion relates to publicity. Promotion can take many forms: advertising in various media, events, press releases, trade shows, brochures, flyers, internet and so on. This is where a company focuses on projecting itself and its product. Promotion creates awareness, the first step to sales. Thus, branding and 4Ps play a vital role in consumer buying rationale. This paper focuses on Levis for its research on consumer buying rationale. Levis was selected for the research as its products serve all demographics in 12-18 age group, 30-45 age group, and those above 55. The outcome of the research reflects the influence of branding and 4ps on the various groups (Volker.M, Marketing 4Ps of Marketing, www.sfu.ca). The Company Sal Herman, the creator of Sloops Blue Jeans, would never have imagined that his denim jeans would take the world by storm. The most popular brand the world over denim caters to both the young and old since the 1960's. "Denim is one of the world's oldest fabrics, yet it remains eternally young" declared an American fashion magazine. Denim's popularity was on the rise. It was stronger and more expensive than jean, and though the two fabrics were very similar in many ways, they did have one major difference: denim was made of one colored thread and one white thread; jean was woven of two threads of the same color. Levi Strauss came to San Francisco to open a branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business. He spent time learning the fabric trade in New York before launching his own business that spelt success and made a name for himself. This even instigated people to consider him to be the founder of today's blue jeans, an acknowledgement that is well appreciated by millions of people the world over. Jacob Davis a regular customer of Levis, used to bolts of cloth from the wholesale house of Levi Strauss Co. He introduced metal rivets at the point of strains and looked to Levi Strauss as a business partner for this unique design. Levi, an astute businessman, saw the potential for this new product and agreed to Jacob's proposal. On May 20, 1873, the two men received patent #139,121 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Although denim pants had been around at work, worn for many years, it was the first use of rivets that created todays jeans. Jeans began to appear in western cowboy movies and this inculcated more interest in the wear. James Dean and Fonz can be credited for bringing the casuals into fashion for teenagers in the 60's. Jacob Davis took charge of manufacturing when Levi Strauss Co. opened its two factories in San Francisco. The denim for the riveted pants was brought from Amoskeag Mill in Manchester, New Hampshire. Durability was the magic word. People began to accept the denim jeans in a big way and began sporting them to work. Sometime in the 1890s, these pants were so popular that they were assigned the serial number 501 by Levi Strauss Co, a number that exists to this day. Levi Strauss Co. was the only company allowed to make riveted clothing (jean pants and jackets) until the patent went into the public domain around 1891. With the expiry of the patent, began a revolution that saw many garment manufacturers imitating the riveted clothing made by Levi Strauss Co. Sloops Jeans have these same pocket seam rivets and are a direct descendant of the original pair made in 1873. Thanks to Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis, the blue jean has become a household name today (History of the Blue Jeans, The h istory behind Sloops Blue denim jeans started in the 17th Century, www.sloops.com). Analysis Based on the Marketing Research figure No.1 in Appendix of Investigation into different age demographics and rational in the buying behaviour, Levis is an apparel company that launched their successful Levis brand of jeans in the United States in the early 1890s. The jeans have been popular wear with all, especially in age groups of 12-18 and 30-45. There are those die-hards who still swear their loyalty to Levis. It was stronger and more expensive than most other jean. There were two fabrics that were used to make these apparels. Denim was made of one colored thread and one white thread; jean was woven of two threads of the same color. Levis chose to wed the two fabrics milling techniques and used the best grade cotton, of which one thread was dyed indigo blue and the other white. This technique is synonymous of todays jeans. What was it that made Levis a success with all age groups? How and why was Levis accepted without a fight? The success of Levis can be attributed to three distinct features: Colour Reliability Style While blue is the hallmark of all jeans, Levis had used a mixture of indigo blue and laced it with white. This gave their product distinct uniqueness. The combination was an instant hit. People of all ages could relate their style and work by wearing this. School and college goers found jeans most suited to their lifestyle, rugged and carefree. The blue colour gave the students unlimited scope to innovate with other colour shirts and tops. Black, brown, green, white, orange, red, and yellow tops and T-shirts went well with the jeans. The rugged look also appealed to their senses. Thus, Levis had the measure of the youth with their branded product. Levis had created a brand image that reflected the youth. A Levis jean was known for its reliability. The jeans were made of very strong fabric that could resist pressure and strong wash. This appealed to the other age group of 30-45 office goers. Many people found that they could ill afford to work under trying conditions in ordinary pants. Many were faced with the prospect of working under severe physical condition and most wear restricted their movement. Also the fact that many had to be content with limited resources also made it impossible to fill their wardrobe. Thus, they found that Levis suited their demand and position and were immediately attracted to it. Thus, Levis could break into two age groups with their business acumen. A consumers buying behaviour is as intrinsic as a jigsaw puzzle. There are a lot of internal and external factors that propagate an individuals thought. It could be either an individual thought or it could be a result of their immediate surroundings. Consumers are aware of their need and will analyse a product before deciding on what to buy, where to buy, when and how to buy. In general, consumers look for quality, price, and other benefits before deciding on it. These are internal factors that consumers are knowledgeable of. External factors are decisions that are enforced on consumers. Brand plays an important part in a consumers buying pattern. Most consumers are strongly affected by brand imagery and quality of the product. To cater to the 12-18 aged consumers, Levis had to understand the rationale in their buying behaviours. It took them some time to understand the reason for their business decline. Levis had to deviate from their time-tested marketing strategies. What is brand equity? To understand the brand equity, the following pyramid shows how advertisers develop a brand. Brand Pyramid Brand Resonance Most reliable. Brand judgement/Feelings an attractive and comfortable piece of fabric woven to perfection. Brand Performance/Imagery A Quality product. Reassuringly Expensive Brand Salience Best jeans for your money. To achieve a Brand Resonance is the dream of all companies. Levis has grown from strength to strength over the years. Today, the jean is worn as a formal wear as well. This only goes to say that people have accepted Levis as a truly multifunctional product. Levis made adjustments to capture the younger generation by introducing a range of lower priced products to supplement the premium range because the premium market was definitely smaller in terms of size. This had to be done to sustain their presence in all the sectors. In America, Levis answer to expanding customer base and strengthening brand loyalty was to create an entirely new business within Levi Strauss Co that would build on the proven Levi heritage and address an unidentified market. They began by directing their premium jeans in value channels like Target and Wal-Mart. The 150-year-old Levi Strauss Co. was losing ground because of a weakening product and poor customer knowledge. The company was losing ground due to market lapses. They were not paying attention to customer needs. A brand needs to understand the consumer needs. No individual is alike, but to enjoy a better market share, the company needed to study the buying rationale of its customers. From adolescents to the middle aged, these were the people Levis was targeting. They had to plan a strategy to bring back their customers. New brands came along with sexier fits and better fabrics. This was done after they conducted surveys with these age groups to figure out the size of the existing market, their fit, styles and prices that would improve their share without hurting their parent brand. We had a different product and a different archetype, said Scott LaPorta, President and General Manager of US Levi Strauss Signature Brand. He is of the strong belief that the new Levis Strauss Signature jeans stood for strong family values; high quality at affordable price, while the older brand represented individuality and adventure ( Farah, CMO, The Resource for Marketing Executives, How the LPGA and Levi Strauss Signature Brands Built Customer Loyalty and New Brands, www.cmomagazine.com). The Image of a Brand, in the eyes of the consumer, may also act as a so called filter or perception of good or bad products. This is easily influenced by marketing variables and/or other social influences over which the commercial marketer has limited control. Premium Branding has enabled producers to establish consumer loyalty, increase consumer and customer awareness and develop and establish extensions of the brand. This makes branding a paramount element of Marketing Strategy, although it was always demanding a great deal of long-term investment, especially for advertising, promotion and packaging (Phillip Cotter 2003). Marketing What is marketing and how does marketing sustain the awareness of a brand? Can advertising agencies give a brand the impetus to grow and be a part of a household? Ask an OM executive and his immediate response would be yes. Companies are all the time competing with others for space, and to have that cutting edge in the market seek the guidance of professionals who can change the complex of a product by spicing it up. The consumer of today is well educated and knowledgeable. They expect and seek quality. So, do brands really sell by themselves? We come across numerous advertisements endorsed by celebrities. Celebrities like Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, David Beckham, and even Ronald Reagan to name a few, endorsed products to create a brand. What marketing gurus need to look at is the services that the company can offer its customers and at what price. We have seen that the needs of those in the age demographics of 12-18 and 30-45 are different. So, what is it that will sell and attra ct these groups? With competition getting bigger, companies are forced to seek new avenues to fight to sustain their image and product in the market. What do advertising agencies offer these companies to enhance their share of the market? Most advertising companies provide all or most of the services like PR, Strategic marketing, Media support, Client servicing, Creative writing, Account planning and Event Management. Public Relations relates to image makers. Advertising agencies offer constant monitoring of competitive advertisements and provide the much needed insights into market trends. Branding Branding is all about creating differences. When a product is given a name, logo, or a symbol it is said to be branded. Brands identify the source or marker of a product and allow consumers to assign responsibility to that particular manufacturer or service. A brand is judged by its salience, performance, imagery, judgment, feeling and finally resonance. Whether the brand ultimately became the number one is debatable. How does a product sustain itself? Simple! Get customers to buy the product over and over again. Is it that simple to have consumers buying the same product over a period of time, despite new products coming into the market? Definitely not! Levis shot to the top for a while before losing ground. Becoming the number one is one thing and sustaining that position is another. The fact is that every brand in every position, whether a number one or a number seven, needs to keep running at the same pace as the other, to remain where it is. No brand becomes a number one overnight unless, of course, it is like Milkmaid, which was a first of its kind in concept. All brands start at positions that are far below in the pecking hierarchy of brands in their respective category. Slowly, but steadily, through relevant inputs of the branding kind, brands raise higher and higher in their category stakes. What consumers look for is reliability and the assurance of a brand. For a brand to be considered number one, it should have high brand equity and high sales volume. It is these factors that determine the confidence in a consumer. It is nice to select number one brands. It should be done in a systematic fashion with inputs from consumers because brands are made for them. This is what advertising agencies strive to deliver for their clients. Every advertising agency strives to attain this goal for their clients. Retail Modern retail is supposed to be complicated business. And we are not just talking about managing a supply chain involving hundreds of suppliers or managing store inventory running into thousands of SKUs (stock-keeping units). Retail is supposed to be complicated for one simple reason: One can never really tell what your customers want. Thats why giant retailers like Wal-Mart and Target spend millions of dollars running sophisticated computer systems that not just track what gets and what doesnt get sold, but the time, place and identity of the buyer. That way, retailers get to push their stocks faster and better. The idea to good advertising and marketing is in studying consumer behaviour. Consumer behaviour is quite unpredictable at times, but on most cases, its just a question of getting the basics right. Advertising agencies draw up plans from time-to-time to woo consumers to these malls. Attractive gifts and discounts offered lure the middle-class strata of society. Strategy It is proven that those in the age bracket of 25-40 have more buying power than others, because of the fact that they are active earners, have relatively liberal social views, and this demographic segment of people outnumber the other age demographics. However, they are impulsive buyers with low brand loyalty. Levi's looked to tap into pop culture to move its merchandise. The move was seen necessary to attract the 12-18 age demographics. Retailers and Merchandisers teamed up to identify the music that was the perfect premium to entice their broad target market. BMG was entrusted the job to identify, confirm, and execute the program and recommend list of songs and artists specifically selected to excite the target market. The end product comprised of three discs for $1.99, with every purchase of $35 or more in Levi's merchandise. This ensured that the teens were receiving a quality product along with three good CDs. These CDs featured video enhancements, special codes allowing the experience of an online chat with Christina Aguilera (one of the artists) herself, game pieces and special links to Sears, Levi's and the artist's Web sites. According to Britton, these are the kind of extras that make promotional products span all age groups within the teen market. "These are successful because, not only is the activity fun, teens can associate it with hanging out with their friends, and if you can tie in something that is going to relate to them and their friends, it's going to hit much closer to home" he continued. It's certainly not hard to imagine a group of teens heading to Sears, not only to buy their clothes and get their CDs together, but also to head home to schedule their chat with their favorite music star together. The CD promotion was a great success for Sears and Levi's, with more than 750,000 CDs distributed over the lifespan of the program. Britton also said that concert tickets, entrances to festivals, a night on the town in a limo, were the kind of experiences teens dream of and get excited about. This does however have a legal tangle; "While teens are more tech-savvy these days, they are still not adults, and as a responsible brand, you have to raise the bar on your level of communication with younger people. "Companies need to be clear about the real ch ances to win and what teens really have to do to participate, and maybe the fine print should be a little bit bigger, so to speak". Companies dealing with kids below 14 years need to deal with their parents as well. If any kind of direct marketing is involved with children below 14 years, COPPA laws states clearly that they have to get their parents assent to get the e-mail address. By marketing to teens a lot more can be gained. It is here that greater opportunity to build a lifetime brand loyalty among teenagers begins. It may seem easy to say but the fact that in order to keep the targeted teens loyal to the brand, strategies need to develop simultaneously. Consumer behaviour and buying trend needs to be monitored from time-to-time. Coca-Cola, according to Britton, is an example to emulate. "Coke has done a great job. That company starts with the teens, takes them all the way up to adulthood, and back to nostalgia," he says (Back to School, September 2, 2003, potentialsmag.com) . Recommendations Thus, the research on the three age demographics revealed that by employing strategies, they could sustain their operations and profits. The outcome pointed to the following points in determining consumer buying rationale. These factors directly or indirectly led to the buying rationale of those in the age groups of 12-18, 30-45, and 50 and above. These factors are: Culture and society Consumers personal involvement in buying, and motivation patterns The consumers brand perception Social background Models of consumer behaviour need to be studied Motivation 4Ps Market planners must initiate action to identify consumer needs and want. Branding is a method to induce a purchase. Meticulous planning and the use of the 4Ps will help companies overcome difficulties and help sustain business. Companies need to identify their market segment and work to build on their image. Price, place, promotions, and product, not necessarily in that order, need to be made more consumers centric. This will only help overcome competition. Conclusion Companies can learn from the strategies adopted by Levis. Levis had from the beginning targeted the 12-18 ages demographic, and worked on bringing them into its strong consumer base. This age demographic is more brands loyal and this was a point of contention for Levis to target this segment. To win them over, Levis had to cut price and at the same time produce quality Levis brand jeans. This they did by cutting overheads, designing equally good jeans at lower costs, while at the same time maintaining their trademark brand for their more high class customers. They did away with franchise and opened their own outlets to minimise costs and made elaborate arrangements to cut into logistics. This way, Levis was able to control price escalation and maintain their loyal consumer base.