The Recommendation To Improve Market Research Marketing Essay

The Recommendation To Improve Market Research Marketing Essay Nike, Inc. is engaged in the design, development and worldwide marketing of footwear, apparel, equipment and accessory products. It sells its products to approximately 18,000 retail accounts in the United States and through a mix of independent distributors, licensees and subsidiaries in nearly 200 countries. Despite the fact Nike carrys out everlasting, basic research that benefits a number of facets of the sports and fitness industry, their primary focus is to deliver which in turn is directed towards applied research. Applied research emphasises on short-term action such as successfully bringing about a new product lines. This proves to be a strength as this method of research is less costly than basic research and less risky due to the short-term nature. Successful projects can feature instant profitability while unsuccessful projects may be abandoned without facing large losses. Focus Weakness Applied research can be a weakness as well. Many new, inventive ideas come into existence as a result of basic research. Nevertheless more risky and expensive, Nike would gain from the rise in the basic research which would strengthen the organization with potential opportunities and proper discoveries of which Nike could take advantage. Posture Strength Nike as a brand gives its posture a cutting edge over its other competitors, at the same time adapting to securing a place and at other instances to make an approach to secure a position. Nike self-satisfaction is of late being a premiere provider of high quality sports footwear and apparel. Variation in the product has been the key to support Nike in achieving its position as the leader in the market. Due to this very position of Nike in the footwear industry, it can afford to look ahead giving more emphasis on new products it wants to develop as compared to other companies with attempt to improve upon existing products and services. From time to time, it needs to adjust its posture in relation to a particular product line or area of products. Nike may also choose a defensive strategy to find a solution of some problem at that instant it may might as well use the strategy of using an idea which is well worked out for other companies and may implement the same for its own which in ot her words is mimic what is working well for other companies in the industry. Marketing Research Strength of Marketing Research Nikes core is depended on marketing research on a continuous basis to benefit in keeping up the companys position as the leader in athletic footwear and apparel industry. The result of such analysis enables Nike to make decisions regarding its different divisions. Its decision is benefitted to recondition the apparel division, an area where the company offers a number of possibilities. Nike will be arranging the internal business by gender instead of the sport category they are using now. They also plan to carry out more experiment concerning the buying habits of men, who are frequently item-driven and women who are more collection-driven. Limitations of Marketing Research Focusing on applied research can be a weakness as well. Many new, innovative ideas come into existence as a result of basic, unspecific research. Though more risky and expensive, Nike would benefit from increasing the amount of basic research we conduct with hopes of uncovering potential opportunities of which Nike could take advantage. Accurate, up-to-date information obtained by marketing research can be of enormous value to Nike as an organization in gaining and/or maintaining its competitive edge. However, there are a number of reasons why, in reality, these potential benefits may not be realized: Budgetary constraints   gathering and processing data can be very expensive. Nike may lack the expertise to conduct extensive surveys to gather primary data, whatever the potential benefits, and also lack the funds to pay specialist market research agencies to gather such data for them.   In these cases, Nike may be forced to rely on data that is less than perfect but that can be accessed more cheaply, e.g., from secondary sources. Time constraints   Nike are often forced to balance the need to build up as detailed a picture as possible regarding customer needs etc. against the desire to make decisions as quickly as possible, in order to maintain or improve their position in the market. Reliability of the data   the value  of any research findings depend critically on the accuracy of the data collected.   Data quality can be compromised via a number of potential routes, e.g., leading questions, unrepresentative samples, biased interviewers etc.   Efforts to ensure that data is accurate, samples are representative and interviewers are objective will all add to the costs of the research but such costs are necessary if poor decisions and expensive mistakes are to be avoided. Legal Ethical Constraints The Data Protection Act (1998) is a good example of a law that has a number of implications for market researchers collecting and holding personal data.   For instance, researchers must ensure that the data they obtain is kept secure, is only used for lawful purposes and is only kept for as long as it is necessary.   It must be made clear as to why data is being collected and the consent of participants must be obtained. In addition to this, there are a number of guidelines, laid down by Nike as the Market Research Society, that, although not legally binding, encourage Nike to behave ethically when dealing with members of the public. Recommendation to Improve Market Research: Nike should make a make a proper budget before implementing a market research. Nike should be give appropriate time to each market research. Nike should follow all the legal rules laid down to improve the market research. Nike should stay away from un ethical marketing research. Nike should identify it target market before each research. SWOT Analysis of Nike Strengths Nike is a very competitive organization. Phil Knight (Founder and CEO) is often quoted as saying that Business is war without bullets. Nike has a healthy dislike of its competitors. At the Atlanta Olympics, Reebok went to the expense of sponsoring the games. Nike did not. However Nike sponsored the top athletes and gained valuable coverage. Nike has no factories. It does not tie up cash in buildings and manufacturing workers. This makes a very lean organization. Nike is strong at research and development, as is evidenced by its evolving and innovative product range. They then manufacture wherever they can produce high quality product at the lowest possible price. If prices rise, and products can be made more cheaply elsewhere (to the same or better specification), Nike will move production. Nike is a global brand. It is the number one sports brand in the World. Its famous Swoosh is instantly recognizable, and Phil Knight even has it tattooed on his ankle. Weaknesses The organization does have a diversified range of sports products. However, the income of the business is still heavily dependent upon its share of the footwear market. This may leave it vulnerable if for any reason its market share erodes. The retail sector is very price sensitive. Nike does have its own retailer in Nike Town. However, most of its income is derived from selling into retailers. Retailers tend to offer a very similar experience to the consumer. Can you tell one sports retailer from another? So margins tend to get squeezed as retailers try to pass some of the low price competition pressure onto Nike. Opportunities Product development offers Nike many opportunities. The brand is fiercely defended by its owners whom truly believe that Nike is not a fashion brand. However, like it or not, consumers that wear Nike product do not always buy it to participate in sport. Some would argue that in youth culture especially, Nike is a fashion brand. This creates its own opportunities, since product could become unfashionable before it wears out i.e. consumers need to replace shoes. There is also the opportunity to develop products such as sport wear, sunglasses and jewelry. Such high value items do tend to have associated with them, high profits. The business could also be developed internationally, building upon its strong global brand recognition. There are many markets that have the disposable income to spend on high value sports goods. For example, emerging markets such as China and India have a new richer generation of consumers. There are also global marketing events that can be utilized to support the brand such as the World Cup (soccer) and The Olympics. Threats Nike is exposed to the international nature of trade. It buys and sells in different currencies and so costs and margins are not stable over long periods of time. Such an exposure could mean that Nike may be manufacturing and/or selling at a loss. This is an issue that faces all global brands. The market for sports shoes and garments is very competitive. The model developed by Phil Knight in his Stamford Business School days (high value branded product manufactured at a low cost) is now commonly used and to an extent is no longer a basis for sustainable competitive advantage. Competitors are developing alternative brands to take away Nikes market share. As discussed above in weaknesses, the retail sector is becoming price competitive. This ultimately means that consumers are shopping around for a better deal. So if one store charges a price for a pair of sports shoes, the consumer could go to the store along the street to compare prices for the exactly the same item, and buy the cheaper of the two. Such consumer price sensitivity is a potential external threat to Nike. PESTLE Analysis of Nike Political Analysis The government must create economic policies that will foster the growth of businesses. Nike, fortunately, has been helped by the US policies which enable it to advance its products. The support accorded to Nike by the US government, particularly in the general macroeconomic stability, low interest rates, stable currency conditions and the international competitiveness of the tax system, form the foundation critical to Nikes growth. Economic Analysis In economy, the biggest threat for Nike would be economic recession. During recession, Nikes growth will be adversely affected. The US economy is experiencing a downturn right now. Consumer purchases are slowing down. Currently, Nikes feeling the pinch of the economic recession. The Asian economic crisis also affects Nike since its goods are manufactured in Asia. The labor costs socially responsible   and material prices are going up. Nikes growth is not just affected by the local economy but also in the international economy. A weak Euro and an Asian recession could mean weak sales for Nike. The overall results in the sales generated by Nike in athletic footwear, however, remained stable. The global market makes up for the variances in sales particularly between peak and lean seasons. Society Analysis People are more health conscious nowadays. Diet and health are getting more prominence. Consequently, more and more people are joining fitness clubs. There is an accompanying demand for fitness products particularly exercise apparel, shoes and equipment. Nike is at the forefront of this surge in demand as people are looking for sports shoes, apparel and equipment. Nike, however, failed to foresee problems brought about by a sweatshop expose pertaining to labor and factory conditions at production locations in Asia. This caused bad publicity and declining sales as society and consumers demand more  companies. Technology Analysis Nike uses IT in its marketing information systems very effectively. Nike applies marketing information systems to the economics of innovation, segmentation and differentiation for most of its businesses. Nikes leadership status owes in large part to the use of extremely valuable Information Technology, and applying it to every aspect of the product from development to distribution. Nike, being the world leader in the athletic footwear industry, is able to effectively harness its environment to boost its marketing efforts. This strategy has translated into robust sales of Nikes products.

Indian Dances Essay

India shows a variety of dances which can be seen in various parts of the country. These dances are performed differently and are an important aspect in Indian dance because they bring the past in the present by telling us about ancient Indian history. Besides entertainment these dances are knowledgble. The Indian dance are divided in two types Indian classical dance and Indian folk dance. The Indian classical dance comprises of : Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohini attam, Manipuri and kathakali. The Indian folk dance contains Bhangra and special dance observed in regional festives. Besides giving us knowledge and entertaintment, these forms of dances shows unity in the diversity among people. Bharat Natyam was originated in a script called the Natya Shastra. This manuscript was written by Sage Bharata around 4000 B. C. This dance is first used to show energy and emotions and is one of the oldest form of dance among classical Indian dance. In this form of classical Indian dance called Bharata Natyam, performers can convey beliefs, legends, and ideas through movements, gestures, and expressions put to song. Bharat Natyam is the alternative way of storytelling, which has similar ideas to that which student read in today’s literature. It tells about the ancient literature of India. The Kathak dance derives its name from the community of Kathaks who are custodians of the art. The words Kathak and Kathakali are derived from katha meaning storytelling and kali meaning play. The Kathak means storytelling and Kathakali, story play. Kathak dancing performed by a dancer who stands and moves and lasya (the aspect) in which the dancer kneels or remains immobile the whole time except for the (gat) a descriptive passage, performed in a gentle rhythm and tells stories with his expressive powers only, with his face and hands. For kathakali special massage is given to the feet. The Kathakali technique of using the face expression is a pure marvel of accomplishment. Some ancient masters of this dance have such control of their facial muscles that they can laugh with one side and cry with the other. It is therefore understood that Indian dancing is not just physical movements of hands and legs; it is a form of physical art with body and mind for both men and women alike as well as a form of worship to the Almighty Divine Gods. Kuchipudi, a form of Indian classical dance, is the dance drama evolved into solo. In this the movement pattern are flowly and rounded. The performance usually begins with some stage rites, after then character comes on to the stage and introduces him/herself with a daru (a small composition of both song and dance) to introduce the identity, set the mood, of the character in the drama. The drama then begins. The dance is accompanied by song and the singer is accompanied by instument. Ornaments worn by the artists are made of a light weight wood. Manipuri dance is one of the major Indian classical dance forms. It originates from Manipur, a state in North-East India. The traditional Manipuri dance consists of lyrical and graceful movements. Tbe aim is to make rounded movements and avoid any jerks, sharp edges or straight lines. This gives soft appearance to Manipuri dance. Of course, behind this soft impressioon lies a tough body control. In this dance, the dancer’s feet should never strike the ground hard enough to interfere with the delicate flow of movemets. Every time the dancer puts down his or her feet, even during vigorous steps, it is the front part of the feet which touch the ground first. The ankle and knee joints are used as shock absorbers. Manipuri dancers do not wera ankle bells, whose purpose in other Indian dances are notice the beats tapped out by the feet.. Like the movemets of the body and feet, the facial expression in Manipuri should be subtle. The main point of the dance style are devotion and grace. Once in India I went to a show to watch Bharat Natyam with my parents and relatives.. The dance was going pretty good, but due to my ignorance about dance, I couldn’t figure what they mean by their movements. In India, the Indian classical dance is fading away with the arrival of Western Indian dance. The classical dance can’t compete with the fast music and body movents in Western Indian dance. Unlike western dance the Indian classical dance take about 12 years of learning which can’t be spent in today’s fast moving and modern generation. The present generation have a task to make these dances easy to learn for the future generation. Indian folk and tribal dances are simple dances, and are performed to express joy in every possible occasion, to celebrate the arrival of seasons, birth of a child, a wedding and festivals. Like Bhangra these dances have minimum of steps or movement. Men and women perform some dances exclusively, while in some perfomances men and women dance together. On most occasions, the dancers sing themselves, while being accompanied by artists on the instruments. Each form of dance has a specific costume. Bhangra is a fusion of music, singing and the beat of the dhol drum. Bhangra has always been popular amongst Punjabi people all over the world. Its traditional sound is often been together with musical styles. The dancers wear different colors of clothes and daces among themselves. In present, bhangra has been fused with disce, techno, house, rap, ragga, and now jungle. These new styles have been so successful that modern bhangra is now being re-exported bace to India. Altogether these forms of dances relate to harvest celebration, love, patriotism or current social issues. Many people do a lot of practice to master in these styles of dances. These dances are popular in India and most parts of the world and people are proud to perfom them. To make the past intact, these dances play a vital role in India. Many schools teach these dances in school to keep these dances through future. These dances bring unity among the people of India and tie them together to form a string of beads connected as people to have a country rich in dance called India.

Main Ideas In The Scarlet Ibis - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 1 Words: 380 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/08/02 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Scarlet Ibis Essay Did you like this example? In the short story, The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst the narrator says But all of us must have something or someone to be proud of, and Doodle had become mine. This statement means that pride can be a very good thing that can lead you to the road that gives life or the road that leads to death. In the story, the narrator is embarrassed by Doodle because of his weak body, so he teaches him how to walk. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Main Ideas In The Scarlet Ibis" essay for you Create order In the text, it says When Doodle was five years old, I was embarrassed at having a brother of that age who couldnt walk, so I set out to teach him. This is related to how pride bears a good vine, pride causes the narrator to teach Doodle how to walk, and how. At the end of the story, Doodle is killed. In the text, it says, Doodle! Doodle! I cried shaking him, but there was no answer but the ropy rain. This relates to how pride also bears a bad vine. Is pride has caused him to work Doodle so hard that it killed him. At the beginning of the story the narrator hated doodle, in fact, he even thought about killing him.In the text, it saysI began to make plans to kill him by smothering him with a pillow. The narrators life has been impacted ever since Doodle was born. Ever since he was born the narrator took him everywhere on the go-cart and spent a lot of time with him. From then his life was changed because he spent hours with him teaching him how to walk and do normal things kids do. This reinforces the overarching theme because ever since Doodle was born the narrator was embarrassed at the fact that Doodle could not walk so pride caused him to teach Doodle how to walk, and how the narrator spent many hours with Doodle teaching him how to do normal things children do reinforces that pride bears a good vine, a vine to life. It also reinforces the theme that pride bears a bad vine. Once again the narrator taught Doodle many things such as how to walk, and he spent a lot of time with Doodle. Which that lead to the death of Doodle.

The Epic of Gilgamesh - Story About Old Babylonian Hero King of Uruk and His Escapades - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 550 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/06/18 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Gilgamesh Essay Did you like this example? The discovery of the story was made in the library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh by a man called Hormuzd Rassam in the year 1853 (Jastrow and Clay 10). The Gilgameshs parents were a goddess and a priest-king, respectively. His mother was the goddess Ninsun and his father was the Lugaalbanda priest-king. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Epic of Gilgamesh Story About Old Babylonian Hero King of Uruk and His Escapades" essay for you Create order The story about Gilgamesh was much loved within Mesopotamia which portrayed the life of a young energetic and handsome man who liked challenging his fellow men into combat fights. However, the indecent character of the young king prompted the citizens of Uruk to beg their God known as Anu to bring him to order. The intervention was made through Enkidu, a man who challenged the king into combat fight and later became good friends. Their friendship later shaped the king into being a good person. After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh made so many adventures which were culminated by the wisdom offered by the women while he was seeking for immortality (Tomko). The story is an inclusion of the different roles and influences that women had on the king based on his various interactions. Subsequently, this means that he would not have achieved of all of his accomplishments without women. There is quite a number of female characters that Gilgamesh and Enkidu came across during their adventures, some of them were humans while others were divine. For instance, there are two notable women whose intervention was imperative in the fulfillment of Gilgameshs accomplishments. For instance, the priestess known as Shamhat, whose identity was much observed through offering wisdom, is known to have been the solution to the healing of a wild and uncivilized man known as Enkidu. When she made Enkidu a sane man, he moved to the capital of Uruk and encountered the king due to a combat fight. Therefore, Shamhat presents a role that made Enkidu a benevolent force whose role was intended to shape the king (Tomko). Another woman who plays an important role in Gilgameshs life is Shiduri. Shiduri and Gilgamesh met in the wilderness while in search of immortality after the death of Enkidu (Tomko). The goddess was very instrumental in offering wisdom to the king who was in grief. She asked the king to put his anger aside and enjoy all the things he has in his life (Tomko). The two women previously mentioned were so instrumental in the life of the king and he could not have achieved anything without them. However, another woman involved was a destroyer and a fountain of evil known as Ishtar. She is known for the source of all calamities that befell Gilgamesh because when she seduced him, and he refused, she asked the Gods to punish him. The Gods sent Humbaba against Gilgamesh and Enkidu. However, in the end, the Gods were the ones who killed Enkidu (Tomko). The Epic of Gilgamesh is a tale about various aspects of life to the ancient people of Mesopotamia. The mythical journey by Gilgamesh was intended to restore balance in Uruk. However, the journey is streamlined by the women characters he comes across while on his adventures that made him realize it was not all about him but his people of Uruk. After this realization, Gilagamesh goes back to his people and rules with wisdom and power till his last days.