Greenwashing free essay sample

Using the Greenwash approach regularly tests the gap between corporate social responsibility claims and actual practise (Font, et al. , 2012). People believe that organisations need to define their roles in society and apply social and ethical standards to their business (Lindgreen amp; Swaen, 2010). In other words, every company should demonstrate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) yet studies are showing a large percentage of environmental claims either mislead or deceive the public (Elizabeth, 2010), meaning they are not really demonstrating CSR at all. Forms of Greenwashing come in many different forms, such as reports, advertising, packaging, and campaigns. . The question is how do companies achieve this greenwashing effect? Companies attempt to whitewash consumers through false statements or by using biased presentations of data. Nowadays when companies announce a new product or service, consumers are Greenwashed by making subtle use of specific colours, images and fonts with a seemingly genuine storyline to do with the environment or nature. We will write a custom essay sample on Greenwashing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page According to Elizabeth (2010), businesses will consistently make claims that their products are benefiting consumers and the environment, usually by placing all marketing emphasis to make it seem environmentally friendly or green. For instance, PepsiCo in 2012 released a new product called Pepsi Next which claims to be naturally sweetened. This fact may be true, however the marketing campaign does not focus on all the additional chemicals and energy used to make the drink. By doing this consumer now believe that it is a good, natural product. This is an example of a greenwashing sin, identified by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing (2010). When companies decide to market in a Greenwash manner there are usually hidden trade-offs. Much like above, companies may promote a new product that is greener and better for the environment than previous products theyve sold. However making the new greener product may have a worse effect on the environment as making it may use more energy or pollution to the environment (Norman amp; Schneider, 2011). Similarly, businesses may make unsupported, inaccurate or vague environmental claims that cannot be backed up with hard evidence, another Greenwashing sin, identified by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing (2010). Companies may also claim that their product is organic or completely natural of which consumers may believe because lack of or limited knowledge of the product. Furthermore, companies trying to Greenwash a product often flood customers with irrelevant information, making a product seem more natural, organic or better for sustaining the environment (TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, 2010). As an example, packaging may have labels saying CFC-Free. CFC is Chlorofluorocarbon and has been illegal for years (Norman amp; Schneider, 2011). Consumers place trust in a company when making a decision to purchase their product. It is a companys corporate social responsibility to fulfil this trust and provide the consumer with a trustworthy, reliable product. When using a Greenwash approach, organisations mislead buyers which is a prime example of unethical business behaviour. Business ethics is known as the code of moral principle and values that governs the behaviour of an organisation with respect to what is right or wrong. Samson amp; Daft, 2012). When a business claims a product is green, good for the environment or natural, the product should be good for the environment, and natural. If an organisation focuses on one positive fact of the product and then bases its marketing campaign on it, it deceives the customers trust as it is misleading and untruthful. Likewise, when companies place irrelevant information throughout their marketing campaign. Consumers can come to believe that the companies’ product is superior then thers just because it has seemingly elaborate information which again deceives the trust between the consumer and business. To be ethical, businesses should be able to back up their environmental claims with proof and be able to use language the average human being can understand. An environmental claim should only be used if it is specific not just a vague statement such as, Its safe for the environment and if there is actually a real benefit. Lastly, an environmental claim should consider the whole product life cycle, not just one small part (Australian Competition amp; Consumer Commision, 2011). If a company in Australia is found to have misleading and deceptive advertising large fines could follow up to 1. 1 million dollars, hence why it is vital that consumers are provided with accurate information (Australian Competition amp; Consumer Commision, 2011). With the obvious negative impact greenwashing has on a business, it must be thought, why would a business try to Greenwash a product? Well, businesses make these claims to create a favourable corporate image (Elizabeth, 2010) or to differentiate themselves and their products from the competition. Companies have realised that consumers today have an increased awareness of the environmental impact that modern goods may have (Australian Competition amp; Consumer Commision, 2011). Organisations feel the pressure to meet consumer demands. Meeting consumer demands is vital to keep a business alive. Since 2009, the number of greener products has increased by 73% (TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, 2010). In todays world businesses feel the need to promote their products as green, environmental friendly, natural, organic and recyclable due to consumers interest of the state in the earth. To greenwash companies often resort to untruthful, misleading, deceiving and irrelevant information to either compete or differentiate themselves from fellow competitors and meet customer demands which is vital for a businesss survival. Companies will focus on small, positive environmental facts rather than focusing on the whole product life cycle. They give vague, nonspecific environmental claims that cannot be backed up by scientific evidence. Organisations may also use irrelevant information to make the product seem superior to competitors and to mislead the consumer in thinking that it may be better for the environment. Unethical business behaviour is strongly evident when business try to use a Greenwash approach. Research by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing (2010) indicates that 95% of greener products commit at least one greenwashing sin. This fact highlights the amounts of companies willing to lie and mislead the public about the products they offer. Companies can get away with this as people in the community are not aware of the techniques companies use, as many people assume that a business would have to truthful and honest of which they do but in a very misleading manner. Bibliography Australian Competition amp; Consumer Commision, 2011. Green Marketing and the Australian Consumer Law, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: s. n. Elizabeth, K. , 2010. Greenwashing Deluge: Who Will Rise above the Waters of Deceptive Advertising. University of Miami Law Review, Volume 64, pp. 1354,1357,1360,1361. Font, X. et al. , 2012. Corporate Social Responsibility: The disclosure performance gap. Tourism Management, 33(6). Lindgreen, A. amp; Swaen, V. , 2010. Corporate Social Responsibility. International Journal of Management Reviews, 12(1), pp. 1-7. Marketing, T. C. E. , 2010. The Sins of Greenwashing Home and Family Edition, s. l. : s. n. Norman, E. amp; Schneider, M. , 2011. Business Ethics for Dummies. Indianapolis, Indiana: Wiley Publishing. Samson, D. amp; Daft, R. L. , 2012. Fundamentals of Management: Fourth Asia Pacific Edition. 4th ed. Orlando, Florida: Dryden Press. TerraChoice Environmental Marketing (2010) The Sins of Greenwashing: Home and Family Edition, lt;http://sinsofgreenwashing. org/index35c6. pdfgt;

Journal and topic paper

Journal and topic paper Journal and topic paper Journal Entry 1- Myths 28/02/12 Today in class each group was given a different myth, which we all discussed. The one that was given to my group was, ‘Australia hosts more refugees than any other countries’. I felt very ignorant because I wasn’t aware of the actual statistics and facts about asylum seekers. This has to do with media influence. I wasn’t aware that over 90% of asylum seekers come by plane rather than by boat. I also wasn’t aware that Australia hosts less asylum seekers than other countries. I think that the media, especially the popular media has really influenced the way I think about wider issues such as asylum seekers. This has forced me to rethink and to question what is said in the paper, on TV and on the radio. The course facilitator, Sue, gave me information that SBS and the ABC actually reference their media stories unlike channels 7,9 and 10 who don’t need the validation as to where they get their information. This made me feel like watching the more popular TV stations was like reading a woman’s day magazine or a gossip magazine, which I never do. This made me think about the statistics that were meshed out in class as well. I learnt that Pakistan hosted 1.78 million refugees, Iran, Jordon, Chad all hosted many times over the amount of refugees that Australia hosts. This got me thinking as to why these countries host more when they are developing countries and economies themselves and are ill-equipped to take adequate care of the refugees that they host. Take for example Pakistan, the reason I think they host so many refugees is that they share a porous border that is easily breached with Afghanistan, Jordon hosts many millions of Palestinians now some of these I learnt in my own study are second or third generation refugees. Chad shares a border with war torn Sudan. Australia on the other hand is fortunate enough to not have war or massive civil unrest. In the end I took the exercise from class with a grain of salt. Yes Australia is outperformed by many developing countries but then again our geography and our neighbors have helped us keep asylum seekers down to a low amount. This probably has left me feeling more confused than before because everything isn’t black and white, there are definite shades of grey where you have to look at the motive behind everything and every topic. Another myth that challenged me was ‘refugees get all sorts of handouts from the government.’ I thought that this was true. I’ve always heard that refugees get more money than people on the aged or disability pension. Again this myth made me question the integrity of the wider media. I always thought that they get upwards of 70 000 dollars per person. This seems to me like a massive case of the Chinese whispers as I learnt that they essentially have the same rights and entitlements as permanent residents but don’t have to wait for handouts. They also get 510 hours of free English classes and some get access to post-arrival assistance, depending on their particular needs. To sum this class up as I mentioned before its never black and white, there are definite shades of grey. This knowledge has impacted my way of thinking, as I now know, I can’t just believe everything I hear or read like I have previously. Check the source and the motive of the person telling that story to better understand the true meaning and to see through the popular myths. I think that I have definitely learnt this concept in this class, which I will carry outside these four walls. Journal Entry 2- Babakiueria 13/03/12 Today in class we watched Babakueria. This mockumentary used role reversal to critique Australia’s treatment of its Indigenous people. Aboriginal actors play the colonisers and white actors play the Indigenous. I found that it was reported in a very sarcastic and condescending tone, which I must say, was very clever of the producers. I found that the mockumentary

Why is euripides hate woman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why is euripides hate woman - Essay Example Women in this era were expected to be homemakers, and make good wives and mothers, under the rule of their husbands. Therefore, a deviation from this norm would lead to strict sanctions against the women (Powell 4). In Euripides’ Medea, Medea serves as an ancient feminist, denouncing the strict gender roles imposed on women by the society. However, Euripides brings out the â€Å"feminist† as a lunatic, who even kills her own children. To an extent, Euripides portrayed women in negative light to emphasize that women should stick to their place in society, and not seek equality with men, as this makes them outcasts (Powell 8). Euripides’ hatred for women can also been associated with the events in his personal life. Euripides’ personal life was characterized by considerable controversies, judging from the different rumours about his parentage, youth, and marriage. For instance, it is believed that Euripides broke from his first and second marriages because of the infidelity of his wives (Powell 5). This successive unfaithfulness by his wives might have led him to perceive all women in the context of his wives, and therefore, portray them negatively in his plays. Therefore, Euripides hatred for women was influenced by the circumstances he faced in his personal life, the interactions he had with women, as well as the social conditioning from the society in which he

Setting Up a New Social Networking Site Assignment - 7

Setting Up a New Social Networking Site - Assignment Example The target of our social networking site should be the teenagers and early adults who have a severe interest within these community websites and programs. What this suggests is the way forward for the selected target audience because they exactly know how to make the social networking site a bigger one as their role is magnified nonetheless. The target of this social networking site must be based on the potential use of the teenagers and the young generation because they know how to have the best usage of the same. What is important to see is how these potential users come within the social networking site and display their enthusiasm and zeal by suggesting to their immediate family members and friends who are of their own age brackets (Daugherty, 2009). This will allow them to connect with one another as well as find new friends as and when they wish so. The target audience of the social networking site would comprise of the people who want to make it big within the social networkin g premise and for that, they are ready to go out of their way even. This is because they believe that it is their natural obligation towards their own self if they become a part of the social networking sites which are on offer in this day and age. However, for the sake of the social networking site that is talked about here, the focus must be set on how these young ones would be given the incentives that they so richly require within their folds (Topper, 2007). When they are given an incentive, then is the time that the young ones believe that it is for their own good and that they should believe in the dictum of the social networking sites bringing them close to their loved ones while making sure that they remain cool, hip and trendy all this while with their usage patterns of the social networking sites. These are our primary target users while the secondary ones might include the elders who would like to know what their younger generation is indulging into or how they are gettin g along with the people of their own age (Wennburg, 2006). This is in accordance with the parents and guardians being on the watch guard on a proactive basis. It allows them to grow exponentially and find out where their children are going wrong and what needs to be done to correct them all this while. However, the target group for this new and developing social networking site would be the teenagers and young generation alone because they are the best possible users of such social networking sites that have come about of age in the recent times. It is important that the focus should be tightened as much as possible on this age segment because this will make sure that there are no predicaments that might arise in the future as far as the social networking sites are concerned. The selection measures of these social networking sites must be pinpointed and on the dot. 2) As far as the requirements of the young ones and teenagers have from these social networking sites is concerned, the se must offer them a user-friendly platform from where they can grow and develop their social networking measures, and thus ask of the people around them to interact with them all this while (Berge, 2010). It gives them the incentive to go out there and make the vital difference within their lives because they require the same.

The Market Business Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Market Business Questions - Essay Example According to the article, the price of eggs has more than tripled and this may have a similar effect on the prices of biscuits. The market for biscuits will be affected in the sense that high prices caused by an increase in the cost of an input will increase the price of biscuits. The demand for biscuits will fall drastically given the fact consumers are price conscious. According to the rule of demand, customers are willing to buy more at fewer prices and buy less at higher prices. This is illustrated by the diagram below: P D P2 P1 D Q2 Q1 Q The sale of biscuits will no longer be lucrative because businesses will be recording low sales volumes. This will result in most of the business closing down such lines of businesses or resort to importing biscuits produced outside the British market. This can be explained by the fact that foreign biscuits are produced cheaply hence less expensive. Textbook economic theory would agree with the statement â€Å"it is no longer about price, it i s about supply.† According to the law of supply, all other factors being equal, as the price of a good or service increases, the quantity of goods or services offered by suppliers increases and vice versa (Altman, 2004, p. 39). Suppliers will be more willing to supply eggs given that they fetch very high prices in the market. This is to maximize profits from the supply of eggs. This is explained in the diagram below: P P2 S P1 S Q1 Q2 Q Q2. A mixed economy is characterized by the presence of both public and private institutions. The two institutions are involved in addressing the needs of consumers and solving economic challenges that may exist in the market. Consumer needs and demands can be addressed adequately when the institutions utilize existing opportunities in making goods and services available in the market. According to principles of economics, scarcity refers to a situation whereby the available resources in an economy are not adequate to meet the needs of the econ omy. This results in consumers having some of their needs unsatisfied. Depending on the demands of consumers, the government has the responsibility of analyzing and determining their level of importance in improving the welfare of the consumers. The government also determines the appropriate procedures to be used in addressing such needs. Opportunity cost can be defined as the cost of a foregone alternative. For instance, the concept opportunity is best illustrated in a situation whereby someone decides to become an entrepreneur after completing college. In such a case, the person gives up the chance of getting fulltime employment and the opportunity cost of his decision to become an entrepreneur is the monthly income and allowances attached to the fulltime job. The two concepts of scarcity and opportunity cost are very important to the government given that the government collects revenues and uses them in running the economy. The government has the responsibility of making sure th at the economy is running smoothly by spending its revenue on essential projects. Government spending should be influenced by a number of factors such as challenges, costs and benefits of such projects. The government needs to develop a list of all the projects it intends to put in place and determine their relevance to the economy (Cassel, 2002, p. 122). This means that the governme

Strengths And Weaknesses Found In Victoria Bc Tourism Essay

Strengths And Weaknesses Found In Victoria Bc Tourism Essay Australia is the 12th strongest economy in the world1 by GDP; it is also the 5th country with highest percentage of older population in the world and despite the worlds recession, Australia continues being a stable economy. The stability in this country makes it a good target for outbound tourism towards foreign destinations like Victoria, BC in Canada. By using a SWOT analysis, we will first evaluate the internal factors of our destination by outlining the strengths and weaknesses found in Victoria BC as a tourist site. In this investigation, we will identify the characteristics that will position Victoria in competitive advantages over other cities in Canada or other destinations overseas. Furthermore, in the same analysis, we will scan the external factors in Australia that will present opportunities or threats favouring or hindering the source of tourist outflow towards Victoria BC. In addition, through a segmentation analysis we will identify targets that will represent the primary and secondary segments that will become the focus for a tourism marketing strategy. Moreover, after performing a segment attractiveness examination, we will formulate a recommendation on the preferred segment to market and position Victoria BC as a tourist destination for senior Australian visitors. Strengths: As a tourist destination for Australians, Victoria has strong assets. First, it offers a variety of attractions that caters to everyone from local heritage and aboriginal attractions to outdoor and nature exploring opportunities. Second, Victoria climate is an advantage over other closer competitors. Being on opposite ends of the globe, seasons between Victoria and Australia are opposite in time. During winter period in Australia, Victoria will be enjoying the sunshine of June or July. In addition, Victoria is known for the best climate in Canada which makes it an ideal place for outdoor activities all year long. Third, the geographic location offers many opportunities for outdoor activities, exposure to wildlife, nature, trail and ocean site walks. Consists mainly of rolling lowlands interspersed with granite rocks of up to 300m/985ft in height. The city is bounded by ocean on three sides. In the north and west, cliffs, spits and lagoons formed by glacial action make up portions of the shoreline. Elsewhere, the shoreline consists of  beaches  of pebble and sand punctuated with coves. Several elevated viewpoints in and around the city provide a birds eye view of all this and more2. Fourth, it gives easy access to cosmopolitan and metropolitan cities like Vancouver and other tourist destinations like USA by ferry and airplanes in both English speaking locations. Furthermore, Victoria hosts authentic restaurants that represent the multicultural population of the island as well as central lodgings which are at walking distance from the heart of the city. SWOT ANALYSIS (SEE APENDIX I) Weakness Victorias main weaknesses come from the lack of awareness of the city as a tourist destination. Additionally, the high competition makes travel expenses higher and fewer direct international flights coming to and from victorias international Airport. Moreover, Canada as a whole does not support health services for temporary visitors. Lastly, shopping is made more difficult for tourist due to high taxes in Canada. Opportunity There are some opportunities that Victoria should consider in order to boost their number of visitors: Increase awareness through tour operators, Develop agreements with neighbour cities to promote affordable trip packages, Develop sustainable and cultural tourism. Victoria should also take advantage of the cities common characters with Australia and their resembling motivations for tourism3 (sceneries, access to nature and outdoor activities, wildlife and proximity to cosmopolitan cities) Threat Victorias tourism industry can be threatened by other competitive markets like the USA, which due to currency depreciation present themselves as more attractive and affordable destinations. Other closer competitors within Australia, in Asia or Europe may as well present a threat to the long and expensive trip to Victoria. Lastly, the unclear definition between Vancouver and Victoria may take away from the international outlook to Victoria as a preferred tourist destination. Segmentation Analysis The Target segments are 17% of the Australian population who are 60 years or older and are living in metropolitan areas which according to the department of community, Senior well living in Australia reported %73 on seniors live in metropolitan areas. In addition, the segment will be focused on couples with no children with account to %50 of the senior population in the country3. In addition, according to The Conference board of Canada %40 of seniors in Australia live in poverty4. This would leave a margin of %60 seniors that could potentially become the primary target for this tourism marketing proposal services4 Assumptions: There are different types of seniors that I am trying to target: the primary segments are those seniors, who have retired and feel they want to relax, take a trip with no rush and exposure to a healthy environment with ample access to Nature and Culture. The second segment are seniors who have either retired or are about to retire and feel life is starting and need to adventure now that they dont have the responsibility of work or family. -Metropolitan areas are more expensive to live in; therefore the target segment will have better financial stability and potentially be receiving retirement from service. The income source may indicate that a portion of this group have retirement plans savings and or investments. SEGMENTATION ANALYSIS Broad Market Segmentation Golden Age Traveler Cultural Heritage Interest Travelers Geographic Segmentation Australian senior citizens, baby boomers who have strongest interest in ecotourism and cultural heritage attractions such as historic sites, museums, nature, parks and wildlife exposure Australian senior citizens, who have the Interest in short trips with outdoor activities like sightseeing, golfing, shopping, gambling and easy access to cosmopolitan and other tourist destination Demographic Segmentation Retired married couples with graduate studies and no children living at home age 65 and over living in metropolitan areas High Income Married Couples with no children living at home age 60 and over living in metropolitan areas Psychographic Segmentation Self-sufficient individuals, family oriented, community values who enjoy peaceful traveling, exposure to nature and environmentally conscious with are interest in exploring other cultures High disposable income with active lifestyle, enjoy socializing with other people of same interest and look for outdoor activities, casinos, high-end restaurants, resorts and sports Behavioural Segmentation5 Occasion: Benefit Sought: User Status: Loyalty Status Buyer Readiness stage: Winter Vacations -Authentic experience that explores a destinations Natural and cultural heritage. First time visitors -Switchers Investigate options, costs and take time to decide Winter Vacations -Getaway with easy access to cosmopolitan cities and metropolises -Frequent visitors Soft Loyal Look for a short getaway no much investigation, they look, like and buy Segment Attractiveness Primary Secondary Segment Attractiveness Analysis The Segments are measureable because we have quantitative data of the subject in terms of demographics, age groups and financial conditions that could become our primarily target. %73 segments living in metropolitan areas give them easier access to mass media, technology and better income. However, there is no specific data describing the literacy rate of this specific group and it is for this reason that the assessment for this criterion is a 6. If specifically identified, the segments chosen are indeed substantial and profitable enough to serve. Graduates, affluent and high income seniors are highly inclined to use their savings, disposable income or retirement funds to enjoy their lives after retiring from the workforce. The segments are also highly distinguishable from other segments because they have specific geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural characteristics. Additionally, this group is accessible. Eeffective marketing, sales and service programs can be formulated for attracting and serving the segments because they are located in central areas exposed to technology and other marketing venues. Finally, this segment is ethically approachable because they are not presented as a vulnerable group that can potentially attract negative opinions. SEGMENT ATTRACTIVENESS CRITERIA ASSESSMENT (0-10) 1 Measurable 6 2 Substantial 8 3 Differentiable 9 4 Actionable 8 5 Accessible 8 6 Ethical 10 Total Assessment for Segment 49 Recommendations The primary target segment: Retired married Self-sufficient couples, 65 years or older (golden- age), no children living at home, located in metropolitan areas with strong sense of community values who enjoy peaceful traveling, exposure to nature and environment, interested in outdoor activities and exploring other cultures. Brand Positioning Statement: Australian Golden age couples, rest at ease in the colourful city of Victoria, Explore the aboriginal history and heritage of the city while walking through the most exuberant sceneries in all Canada Conclusion Having identified the economic and demographic assets of Australia as a powerful potential market for senior outbound tourism, the swot analysis, segmentation analysis and segment attractiveness analysis have narrowed down our target sector in order to exploit Victoria in competitive advantages over other cities in Canada or other destinations overseas and position it as a tourist destination of golden age travelers age 65 and older. If Opportunities are explored, we can promote victoria as an authentic experience that will allow natural, cultural and seasonal traveling for first time or frequent visitors. APENDIX 1 STRENGHTS WEAKNESSES Perceived as desirable destination (Ocean, Rocky mountains, gardens, beaches, lagoons) Museums Historic Sites Attractions and Entertainment Parks, wildlife, natural areas Outdoor activities Local Heritage Aboriginal Attractions Location and Safety (near cosmopolitan cities, bordered with USA) Same Language Seasons are opposite from Australia Brand is no very Recognized Not many international Flight go Directly out or into Victoria High Taxes for shopping Health Services are not available to temporary visitors Lack of high end shopping High prices for airfare, accommodation and tourist attractions OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Canada meets Australians market on motivations for visiting a country(sceneries, access to nature and outdoor activities, wildlife and proximity to cosmopolitan cities) Increase awareness through tour operators Develop sustainable and cultural tourism Develop agreements with neighbour cities to promote affordable trip packages Depreciation of USA dollar makes it a more attractive and affordable tourist destination. Closer are more affordable destinations in Europe and Asia could shift Australian visitors flow from Victoria Australia offers similar products in terms of tourist attractions, events and activities Not clear differentiation between Victoria and Vancouver. Notes 1. Wikipedia, List of countries by GDP (nominal). Last modified 2013. Accessed February 13, 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal). 2. Super Natural British Columbia , Victoria Geography. Last modified 2012. Accessed February 13, 2013. http://www.hellobc.com/victoria/geography.aspx. 3. Global Summary Report 2011.  Canadian Tourism Commission. : 27. http://en-corporate.canada.travel/sites/default/files/pdf/Research/Market-knowledge/Global-tourism-watch/global_summary_gtw_yr5_2011_en.pdf (accessed February 13, 2013). 4. Department for Communities. Western Australian, seniors Wellbeing Indicators 2012, Demographic Profile.Perth, Western Australia 2012. http://www.communities.wa.gov.au/serviceareas/seniors/research/Documents/SO46 SWI Demographic Profile.pdf (accessed February 13, 2013) 5. Exams Tutor, Behavioural Segmentation. Last modified 2012. Accessed February 13, 2013. http://www.examstutor.com/business/resources/studyroom/marketing/market_analysis/9_behavioural_segmentation.php.

Lack of Economic Equality in Society Essay -- Economics Wealth

"Everywhere in the world there are gross inequities of income and wealth. They offend most of us" stated Milton and Rose Friedman in "Created Equal" (280) . Economic inequalities cause poverty, this disparity fuels social conflict. This economic oppression thrives within the heart of all societies. Poverty is recognized in many forms: hunger, homelessness, being ill without the ability to seek medical attention. Poverty also includes powerlessness, lack of freedom, spurred on by lack of representation. During economic change, whether gradual or suddenly, the fallout has an effect on all people. Social inequality is deeply and tightly woven throughout the world, defined by race, ethnicity, gender, or age differences. These inherent traits can dictate wealth, education, power or prestige, unfortunately, the female gender is most victimized. Women represent a staggering 70 per cent of the populous living at poverty levels. Gender alone should not be the determining factor regarding placement within society, experience and equal productivity should dictate compensation especially for similar scopes of work. Throughout history, male and female positions have been subjected to an enduring binary placement relating to jobs, income, and wealth. Women's economic history exemplifies centuries of sex prescribed inequality within the labor markets, within the structure of political rights, human rights or civil rights. Recent advances have buffered these inequalities in part, but true balance of equality has yet to be reached. The economic experience of women reflects the paradox of inequality, distilled within the c... ...tatus, education, employment, wealth and political power. Some writers prefer the terms "subordinate group" and "dominant group" rather than "minority" and "majority?. Even though women make up the majority of people in a number, women are still considered a minority and hence will continue their struggle for equal recognition. Ultimately, until a balanced representation is complete the struggle will continue. Any notion that society can change overnight is not realistic. Progress has been made, more in some areas of the world as opposed to others. The world should recognize the power and strength that women have, further, the power and strength they have not abused. Women?s contribution to society as workers, companions, mothers should be honored as opposed to oppressed, without gender being a considering factor.

Paying Less for Fashion Essay

Payless ShoeSource, Inc. is the largest footwear retailer in the United States. The company operates about 4,700 stores in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Central America, the Caribbean, Ecuador, and Japan. It also sells footwear via the Internet at www.payless.com. Payless has built its success by offering a large selection of shoes at very low prices, most selling for less than $15 as of 2004. The company has been able to maintain its affordable prices by sticking exclusively to a self-service format, keeping a tight rein on cost structure, and insisting on efficient sourcing and inventory controls. Payless ShoeSource targets as its main customers women from 18 to 44 years of age with household incomes of less than $75,000, and it estimates that in any given year, 40 percent of the women in this target group buy at least one pair of footwear at a Payless store. The company remained a May subsidiary until 1996, when it was spun off to May shareholders as an independent, publicly traded firm. Payless ShoeSource founded in Topeka, Kansas in 1956 by brothers Louis and Shaol Pozez that is owned by Collective Brands, Inc, on a revolutionary idea – selling shoes in a self-select environment. In 1961, it became a public company as the Volume Shoe Corporation which merged with the May Department Stores Company in 1979. More than 50 years later, Payless continues the self-select model combined with leading customer service to provide a fun and engaging shopping experience for our customers. Today, Payless serves millions of consumers through its powerful global network of stores in all 50 U.S. states, as well as in Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. The company also has an expanding presence in the Eastern Hemisphere through franchising arrangements. UPDATING 1956: Pay-Less National is founded in Topeka, Kansas, by two cousins, Louis and Shaol Pozez, to open self-service stores selling budget footwear. 1962: The Company goes public as Volume Distributors. 1967: The company is renamed Volume Shoe Corporation; an accelerated expansion program is launched. 1978: The Payless ShoeSource name is adopted for the bulk of the company’s retail outlets. 1979: Volume Shoe is acquired by the May Department Stores Company. 1991: The company name is changed to Payless ShoeSource, Inc. 1996: May spins Payless off to shareholders, making it once again an independent, publicly traded firm. 1997: The mid-priced shoe chain Parade of Shoes is acquired from J. Baker, Inc.; the first Canadian Payless stores open. 1999: The firm launches e-commerce at payless.com. 2000: Payless enters into a joint venture to expand into the Central American region. 2004: As part of a major restructuring, Payless announces that it will close down the Parade chain and close hundreds of Payless ShoeSource outlets. PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED Matt Rubel: Nowadays he is Senior Advisor at TPG Capital, L.P. and TPG Growth and served as the Chief Executive Officer and President at Collective Brands. He served as the Chief Executive Officer and President at Payless Shoesource Inc., a subsidiary of Collective Brands. He served as the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cole Haan, Inc from February 1999 to July 2005, where he transformed it into a global lifestyle brand celebrating American luxury. Prior to joining Cole Haan, Mr. Rubel served as an Executive Vice President of J. Crew Group. He is responsible for the success of Payless, Cole Haan and J. Crew. His involvement in this case is vital to these brands. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=23134722&privcapId=23307 Cole Haan, J. Crew: specialty retailers throughout the United States. Matt Rubel is the one responsible for the success of this two brands. They are competitors of Payless, but they also sell clothing. Carrie Bradshaw: fictional character and lead character of the HBO romantic sitcom Sex and the City, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker. This character was the icon of the decade and every woman wanted to look like her and dress like her. She was a fashionista and the sitcom revolved around fashion and clothing. Payless understood this trend and tried to approach women who wanted to look just like her, without spending that much money. Kenneth Cole, Michael Kors: top designers who were hired to fulfill their places in the Payless Design Team. They both had their own clothing lines, but Payless created an alliance strategy with their names and brands, so women would buy their shoes. This was a smart move by Matt Rubel. Lela Rose, Stacey Bendet, Christian Siriano: Haute Coture up-and-coming designers from New York City. One of them actually won a competition show named Project Runway. Payless asked them to take over their collections, aiming for haute couture, in other words, avant garde designs. They intended to sell cheaper shoes, but with great innovative designs. The typical fashionista was in for it. Mardi Larson: principal, owner and chief Marketing & Communications consultant at Mardi Larson Communications and has served a range of clients with consulting services and as a contract associate for more than a decade. Also included in her roster of clients are footwear brands like Sperry Top-Sider, Keds and Stride Rite, among others. She was the head of public relations of Payless, and developed the target marker for them. Maxine Clark: Maxine Clark was born on March 6 of 1949 in Florida, had her degree in law from St. Louis University. In 1996, Maxine Clark found â€Å"Build-a-bear workshop†. Prior to founding Build-A-Bear Workshop in 1997, Ms. Clark served as the President and Chief Merchandising Officer at Payless Shoesource Inc. from November 1992 to January 1996. Recognized the strategy of Payless, as to sell cheap and chic. Marian Salzman: American advertising and public relations executive. She is currently president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR North America and a member of the holding company, Euro RSCG Worldwide’s Executive Committee, with brand reputation oversight for the company and key executives globally. She forecasted this trend that made Payless grow. Tiffany, Gucci, Armani: top brands that can be found in New York’s Fifth Avenue. They are the ones to set trends and women look forward to dress in their clothes. They are very expensive, and the middle class woman cannot buy them. This is where Payless supplies their demand of high fashion and affordable prices. Isaac Mizrahi: American fashion designer and TV presenter, best known for eponymous fashion lines. First big fashion designer to make an alliance with Payless. This made other brands and designers to focus on the company. They also wanted to work with Payless in a long-lasting alliance, with great benefits for both of the parts. Walmart, Kohl’s, Target: American retailers that were seen as great discount one-stop shops that had become the vendors of choice for tight budgets for buying shoes. Payless was competing with this major retailers and they needed something to differentiate from them. Their cheap and chic strategy was the solution to overcome this competitors. Elle, Vogue, W: fashion magazines that set the trends and state what is IN and what it’s not. Payless ran full-page ads featuring their new tagline â€Å"Look Again†. This was a strategy directed to fashionistas and frequent buyers of this magazines. They intended to show them that their shoes were so good that they were featured by this great magazines. Sophia Bush, Brittany Snow: both are actresses and fashion icons. Every teenager and young woman wanted to look like them. They were invited into the backstage of Lela Rose’s fashion show in New York Fashion Week, and were spotted wearing Payless shoes. They featured this Payless shoes and wore them proudly, announcing the fashion world that it was okay to wear something affordable and chic. Karl Lagerfeld & H&M, Vera Wang & Kohl’s, Ralph Lauren & JC Penney, Todd Oldham & Old Navy: this are examples of strategic alliances between great and recognized fashion designers and big retailers. This process of benchmarking made Payless realize that they also needed to make alliances with some big designers and brands. This is where Isaac Mizrahi decided to take the plunge with them, and design a whole collection of couture shoes. MAIN PROBLEM The main problem this company, Payless Shoesource, was facing was that in 2005 Payless was losing market share and began to close some stores. The retail landscape had changed and giant discount shops like Walmart, Target and Kohl’s had become the vendors of choice for budget conscious shopper’s buying shoes. With thrift as its positioning point, the company had lost its edge; they were producing the same shoes year after year hoping that price will bring customers to their doors. As we see the problem here was that Payless wasn’t innovating, they were pretending that the same styles would attract the same people to its stores because of the affordable price. STRATEGY When they noticed they have this problem Payless had to engineer a new strategy, it began with the new CEO Matt Rubel, he was hired because of its extensive experience with high-end brands, he knew that the company would have to design shoes that exclusive people would wear with prices that they could afford. Their new job was in charge of changing its image from the dusty cheap footwear into the fun, hip merchant of fashion. Rubel’s objective of their new strategy was not only give the brand image makeover but also position the company in such a way that the price increasing would seem like a bargain. Been more specific Rubel’s strategy plan was based on four major components. 1) Expanding the Brand Portfolio; this stage consisted in implementing what he calls â€Å"House of Brands† strategy instead of one product line create a well-known national brands. In terms to organize the new corporate structure and keep track of all its brands, he created a collective Brand. 2) The Payless Design Team; they want to develop products that would enter to the customers minds, that would resonate better with consumers, they were making emphasis on fashion, they Payless Design Team dedicated itself to develop original footwear and accessory designs to keep new styles on target with changing fashion trends. 3) Designer Collections; Payless created a strong relationship with some designers for the past, they have forged these three top New York based designers, so their homework was creating strong bonds with these designers, this benefits of this alliances are plentiful, because Payless gets brand cachà ©, making consumers get runway styles they can afford. 4) Fun Inspiring Store Formats; Payless redesigned its logo to reflect the new image and communicate change to consumers, they make some store formats, creating a new atmosphere, making a drastic improvement, stores more open, light and airy with a more satisfying consumer experience built around style and design rather than price. This new strategy implemented by the CEO Rubel will energize the old customers who they lost and also attract new ones. This trendy new image is perfect for existing customers. Payless has truck a formula for value that customers love. It remains confident that this strategy to democratize fashion will produce great results, regardless of future economic conditions. Furthermore of the implementation of the new strategy created by the CEO Rubel, Payless since its inception began with low prices or affordable prices, making a competitive advantage for the company, providing good profits. In 2008 when the global recession happened Payless took a hit, while other retailers were suffering because of its huge losses, Payless stores fared much better. Whereas the other retailers had loss many money in 2008, Payless gain a net profit of 88 million in 2009. To conclude, as well as the company manage two strategies to stay in the market and be competitive it would be great that for strengthen its strategy they can work in one of its four P ´s of the marketing mix, promotion, to attract more consumers, making more publicity of its brand and new designers that are part of the company, probably and we pretty sure they will bring more customers. If people know that those famous designers’ works for Payless, people are going to be more enthusiastic for buying good quality, good design for an affordable price. 1- Which of the different product mix pricing strategies discussed in the text applies best to Payless’s new strategy? From my point of view they are using a mix of different strategies. Firstly, skimming pricing. This is about selling a product at a high price, sacrificing high sales to gain a high profit, therefore ‘skimming’ the market. They have invested a lot of money to hire top notch designers, rebranding effort like remodeling stores etc. There needs to be some mechanism (read, strategy) to recover this cost. For some items they have even employed premium pricing. Interestingly, Payless came up with some really good product like Lela Rose, Abaete etc. On the other hand, they have products which are low as $12. As best strategy that they are employing; I would say that they are going for Product Line Pricing. They want their customers to get attracted by the big brands in their portfolio. In that way, other products will gain due importance too. So to customers, overall portfolio will look very attractive. The strategy for setting a product’s price often has to be changed when the product is part of a product mix. Companies usually develop product lines rather than single product. Product mix means in the same companies have many type product with they are brands it sold. Product mix pricing strategies consist of five elements which is product line pricing, product bundle pricing, by-product pricing, captive product pricing and optional-product pricing. In this case, the product mix pricing strategy Payless use is product line pricing. Product line pricing is setting the price steps between various products in the product line based on cost differences between the products, customer evaluations of different features and competitor’s prices. Payless has strategy product line, from one comprised almost entirely of store brands to one dominated by well-known national brands. Payless now sells shoes under numerous brand names that it either owns or licenses, including Airwalk, Champion, Spalding, Dexter, Shaquille O’Neal-endorsed Dunkman, and various Disney brands. Customer can buy many types of products with different prices by looking at size, width, color and design. For example, for boys’ shoes, they have many shapes, size, color, design, and numerous brands which they can get with difference price from $ 12.99 until $26.99. For girls, there are shoes in differences brand like Fioni, Amerian, Eagle, Dexter, Lela Rose, and Smartfit from $14.99 until $24.99. Most products Payless offers are under $50. Other than that, Payless has relationship with top New-York based designers Laura Poretzky, Lela Rose, Stacey Bendet and Patricia Field. The four are designing everything from pumps to boots to handbags for Payless. Payless sets most of the stores product line below $15. The company’s CEO, Matt Rubel also has suggested that in many cases, price increases may be as little as 50 cent per pair of shoes. But the expansion of its brand portfolio to include famous labels will certainly give payless greater pricing flexibility. 2- How do concepts such as psychological pricing and reference pricing apply to the Payless strategy? In what ways does Payless’s strategy deviate from these concepts? By definition, psychological pricing on the theory that certain prices has a psychological impact. The retail prices are often expressed as â€Å"odd prices†: a little less than a round number, e.g. $19.99 or  £2.98. There is no explicit reference given in the case where we see that they are using this strategy. As a matter of fact, we see that though Payless is increasing the price of their products. So, sudden upward movement of price may come as a shock to customers. This strategy of Psychological pricing can be employed in this scenario. Payless actually did not pay a heed to that and did not come up with any proper plan towards psychological pricing. In what ways does Payless’s strategy deviate from these concepts? By definition, psychological pricing is a pricing approach that considers the psychology of prices and not simply the economics. The price is used to say something about the product. Psychological pricing occurs when sellers consider the psychology of prices and not simply the economics. In the other hand, reference pricing is prices that buyers carry in their minds and refer to when they look at a given product. Consumers usually perceive higher-priced products as having higher quality. But what happen in Payless is, they did not increase the price of their product to gain higher quality product perception, but changed the image from dusty dungeon of cheap footwear into the fun, hip, merchant of fashion. In addition, Payless even re-designed their logo for the first time in 20 years. They then launched new â€Å"Fashion Lab and â€Å"Hot Zone† store format. It was a drastic improvement. As the result, Payless store now have more open, light, and airy thus creating a more satisfying consumer experience. Payless is now looking forward into style and design rather than price. This is where Payless’s strategy deviate from psychological pricing concept. Payless focuses more towards style and design of their product rather than price. They even upgrade their store environment into more comfortable places which then create customer satisfaction. With the new store environment, it makes the $12 shoe looks like a $20 shoe. However, Payless’s manipulating the reference pricing by implementing a drastic improvement in their store. They launched a new â€Å"Fashion Lab† and â€Å"Hot Zone† store format to create more open, light, and airy with a more satisfying consumer experience built around style and design rather than price. The new format not only attracts more customers, but they even make the customer willing to pay a little bit more than they have in the past. All new Payless stores now have one of the two new formats and old stores are being progressively remodeled. 3- Discuss the benefits and risks of the new strategy for both Payless and the designers with whom its partners. Which of these two stands to lose the most? Benefits of the new strategy would be for both, for the designers and for the company, those designers when working for Payless are going to be more recognized for most of the people, they are going to become more famous, they are going to outstand from the others, also people who really knows this designers would buy more frequently shoes on this store making this company richer. Now talking of the risks of the new strategy would be that for the designers maybe they are not well-paid for their work and also they lose status for working to a shoe retailer. Some people might not like these designers anymore because they are working on that company, so they lose credibility. A risk for the company would probably that maybe making these relationships with those designers they have more costs so it would not be sustainable for the company. We think that designers would go to lose more, because as we mentioned before they would lose credibility and consequently they are going to lose loyal customers. 4- Consider the scale on which Payless operates. How much of a price increase does Payless need to achieve to make this venture worthwhile? Payless was looking to move its average price point up a notch or two, due to the expansion of its brand portfolio to include famous labels that will certainly give Payless greater pricing flexibility. What they can do it’s a price adjustment strategy, looking for some variables they can apply to that specific company. For example they can use segmented pricing, they can segment their market. Psychological pricing, buyers have a reference of its price in their minds, also they can use geographical pricing; they can design different types of shoes for a different country depends on the fashion and the weather and also international pricing, analyzing some specific factors of the country, like laws and regulations, economic conditions. Looking all this price adjustments strategies they can achieve a good price depending on the place and making this venture worthwhile for the company and for the customers.

An Ultimatum IS Final

An Ultimatum IS Final An Ultimatum IS â€Å"Final† An Ultimatum IS â€Å"Final† By Maeve Maddox The noun ultimatum is one of those words that needs no modifiers. ultimatum: In diplomacy, the final terms presented by one power (or group of powers) to another, the rejection of which may lead to the severing of diplomatic relations, and eventually to a declaration of war. OED For ordinary people (i.e., non-diplomats), the word means a final condition or stipulation; ones last word on a matter. So why do so many writers insist on modifying this strong noun with the adjective â€Å"final†? Burger King gives final ultimatum to Aguilar Scott issues the Hood a final ultimatum; stop or be shot at. JEDDAH, November 23: Al-Ahly of Jeddah have officially issued a final ultimatum to manager Argentinian Edgardo Bauza After a string of wrists slaps and threats, toxin-lovin Babyshambles rocker Pete Doherty has been issued a final ultimatum from a London Judge: If he does not show the motivation in four weeks, it will be prison Either an ultimatum is ultimate or it isn’t. If a woman’s ultimatum to her boyfriend is, â€Å"Sober up or lose me,† then she can’t take him back if he fails to sober up. If she does, then she hasn’t issued an ultimatum. At most, she’s made an empty threat. â€Å"Final ultimatum† makes as much sense as â€Å"very unique.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About TalkingBest Websites to Learn English45 Idioms About the Number One

Free Essays on Oceania Vs The US

THE DARK SIDE The fictional world of Oceania was a horribly depressing place to live. The only freedom the people of Oceania had was freedom to live for Big Brother and his corrupt system. It’s hard to imagine a world like that if you’re from the United States of America where every citizen has the freedom to do anything within legal limits. Only actual bad conduct, irresponsible behavior, and poor judgment can lead to punishment here in the United States of America. In Oceania anything that wasn’t for the benefit of the system was wrong and punishable. Here we have the freedom to love, to have a family, and to have happiness through other things outside of the government. No one ever had privacy from the party in Oceania. The thought police were always watching through telescreens. In the United States we are free to complete privacy within our homes and limited privacy in public places. The Bill of Rights states that no one can enter and search a home without a warrant. In Oceania peoples’ homes were monitored constantly by camera. Winston Smith’s home was searched after being caught by the party for living with Julia and not living for Big Brother. Like Oceania there is still law enforcement monitoring citizens, but it’s in a completely different level. The party manipulated the people of Oceania with phrases like â€Å"freedom is slavery†, â€Å"war is peace† and â€Å"ignorance is strength†. This doesn’t happen here in the United States of America today. The meaning of a word is the meaning of the word. Double think doesn’t exist, opposite meanings aren’t the meaning itself. In the Ministry of love prisoners were tortured in many ways. They were broken down to nothing simply because they didn’t live good enough for Big Brother. This doesn’t seem like it should be called a Ministry of Love. Anyways, obeying the party’s exact wishes was impossible. How can you force ... Free Essays on Oceania Vs The US Free Essays on Oceania Vs The US THE DARK SIDE The fictional world of Oceania was a horribly depressing place to live. The only freedom the people of Oceania had was freedom to live for Big Brother and his corrupt system. It’s hard to imagine a world like that if you’re from the United States of America where every citizen has the freedom to do anything within legal limits. Only actual bad conduct, irresponsible behavior, and poor judgment can lead to punishment here in the United States of America. In Oceania anything that wasn’t for the benefit of the system was wrong and punishable. Here we have the freedom to love, to have a family, and to have happiness through other things outside of the government. No one ever had privacy from the party in Oceania. The thought police were always watching through telescreens. In the United States we are free to complete privacy within our homes and limited privacy in public places. The Bill of Rights states that no one can enter and search a home without a warrant. In Oceania peoples’ homes were monitored constantly by camera. Winston Smith’s home was searched after being caught by the party for living with Julia and not living for Big Brother. Like Oceania there is still law enforcement monitoring citizens, but it’s in a completely different level. The party manipulated the people of Oceania with phrases like â€Å"freedom is slavery†, â€Å"war is peace† and â€Å"ignorance is strength†. This doesn’t happen here in the United States of America today. The meaning of a word is the meaning of the word. Double think doesn’t exist, opposite meanings aren’t the meaning itself. In the Ministry of love prisoners were tortured in many ways. They were broken down to nothing simply because they didn’t live good enough for Big Brother. This doesn’t seem like it should be called a Ministry of Love. Anyways, obeying the party’s exact wishes was impossible. How can you force ...

The Principal Object of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

The Principal Object of Management - Essay Example Most scholars have proposed different models of organization management as well as different models of choosing the model that best fits an organization. He is fast to note the interests of both the employer and employee are the same, and one cannot prosper without the other. Both the employer and the employee should train each individual to produce at his highest possible level of efficiency In his book, â€Å"The Sociology of Organization: Classical, Critical and Contemporary Reading, Handel, Michael (2003) provides a collection of several scholarly articles on Organizational Theories. I will examine some of the models in the collection, highlighting their weaknesses and their strengths. Weber, (2009, pg 50) classifies authority basing on the allegiance pledged by the subjects to their leaders. He identifies three types of authority. In Rational Authority, the subjects submit to authority by virtue of legal issues. They don’t have any intimate relational issues with the senior. This system is common in firms which have established themselves over time such that the subjects submit to the leader by virtue of submitting to the firm. A good example is in today’s modern states, whereby the citizens are not directly loyal to the president, or the government, but the legal system of the nation. Traditional authority, in its part, features subjects who submit to traditions surrounding the authority. For instance, the subjects of a kingdom pledge their allegiance to the king’s son simply because he is of a certain bloodline. He contrasts both of these to Charismatic Authority, in which subjects devote themselves to an individual based on her expertise an d exceptional character. He argues that the most superior form of administration in any organization is bureaucracy, which in its part implies individual domination by knowledge. This attributes to the precision of decision making,  clarity and consistency of knowledge.  

Comprehensive analysis of yourself as a reader and writer Essay

Comprehensive analysis of yourself as a reader and writer - Essay Example After going through ENGL 101 and ENGL 102, I would consider myself more open minded to reading and types of reading because I am now able to approach reading objectively. Through the skills acquired in ENGL 101, I am now able to effectively respond to essays and from ENGL 102 I am able to develop research papers. I am able to confidently assert that I developed structure and exposition skills that I can use to systematically include evidence in research projects. From the experiences of both ENGL 101 and ENGL 102, I would define a good reader as one who exhibits the capacity to pay attention, memorize, sequence and process the content being read fast, accurately and efficiently. According to Berninger (186), reading may wrongly be thought of as a visual skill that builds on associating letters to sound. However, the definition I have of a good reader now differs from what I had before of the English courses because I consider the ability to read to be the foundation of reading to lea rn. Essentially, the English courses have developed in me an analytical and critical reading culture. On one hand, ENGL 101 taught me the application of strategies to generate writing ideas by basically organizing and planning material as well as identifying and considering the audience and purpose of writing. More significantly was the acquisition of intentional revising skills. Through ENGL 102, I now understand academic reading as a continuous inquiry process. However, on the other hand, some occasions bought out my worst and also best writing. On my worst writing, one of them was Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy mainly because it was from a genre I am unfamiliar with. Essentially, I could not relate most of the content of the poem to my personal experience, which resulted in numerous mistakes. My best writing experience was A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner in which I could predict the end. Therefore, through a comprehensive analysis