Marketing and the Apple global organization Research Paper

Marketing and the Apple global organization - Research Paper Example The history of Apple Inc. dates back to the early 1970’s when Steve Jobs along with Ronald Wayne and Steve Wozniak established the technology firm. Apple is presently headquartered in California, USA. The company together with its subsidiaries develops and markets laptops, portable music players, desktop computers, mobile communication devices and several other gadgets. Apple has a global presence and functions with around 370 Apple exclusive stores. As of 2011 the company employed 60,400 people throughout the world (â€Å"Apple Inc.†). Some of the evident products that have made Apple one of the biggest technical giants of the world are I-Phone, I-Pad, I-Pod and various software products. The Mac OS X in the software category has been able to revolutionize the computing experience of the users. If reports are to be believed, within few years from now the company will be launching I-car, a four wheeler car with unique style and design resembling the official logo of App le. From the days of its inception Apple is highly sensitive towards its marketing strategies. The company tactically develops its business strategies for the purpose of retaining and gaining customers. This is the reason why we find Apple launching new products in every 2-3 years. Apple mainly distributes its product through whole sellers, retailers and Apple owned exclusive stores. The company has large number of competitors in direct and indirect form. Hewlett Packard, Dell, Google and Research in Motion Limited are the direct competitors of the company (â€Å"AAPL Competitors†).... In this article the author discussed about the unique marketing initiatives of Apple Inc. Furthermore the article highlighted some interesting facts about the company. In the introduction part of the article the author demonstrated about the hype that Apple creates before launching a product in the market place. To cite an instance it showcased how the brand loyal customers of Apple spend a night outside an Apple store, just for the purpose of buying the new product from the company. The article offered a number of unique marketing strategies of the company. Some of the evident among them are as follows: - Apple has been long facing issues with the product knowledge of its sales staffs. This problem made it more complex for the company to notify the potential customers about the unique features that it offers. Hence the company decided to open ‘a store just for Apple’ or an Apple exclusive store. In this article it has been also highlighted that the products of Apple com es in the form of a complete package, so that users do not have to search for any add-ons. In accordance to this statement the author mentioned the example of I-Pod and free music via Apple I-tunes. The product strategy of the company has been also emphasized in this article. Apple uses a varied product strategy, in which they offer various portable gadgets at a low cost to the consumer, with a feeling that these customers may consider buying an Apple computer in the near future. The author also clearly explains about the extensive research and development that the company carries out for the purpose of offering quality products. Furthermore in the article few promotional

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Microeconomics - Essay Example The price of a one carrot diamond is $10,000, while the price of 100 gallons of tap water is $0.50 (Textbook, 2007). The diamond – water paradox proves that the utility of a resource does not necessarily affect its price. The economical explanation of the diamond – water paradox is based on the law of demand and supply. The application of this law implies the reason the prices of diamonds are so high is based on the short supply of diamonds across the world (Varian, 2003). The prices of purified water sold in 20 ounce bottle units follow to certain extend same logic as the diamond – tap water paradox. Bottle water’s price is much higher than the water that comes into people’s home through its pluming system. To put the price in perspective with 100 gallons of water a company could prepare 640 twenty once bottles of water which retails at $1 a piece implying the market value of purified bottle water is 1040 times than the value of tap water. The quality of the product, its positive health benefit, its good refreshing taste and the formula that provides drinkable water at its optimum state of quality it can be to be consumed by humans. The marginal utility of bottle water is very suspect in comparison to tap water. The water in bottles has a market value which makes it an item that can only be used to be drank by a person, on the other hand tap water can used consumed orally by humans as well as a variety of other uses such as fro c leaning, to run machinery as a cooling agent, and many other uses. Tap water is way cheaper and has more used than bottle water. Water is a valuable liquid that is generally available at very low prices for most of the world’s population. In the continent of Africa in general water is not readily available for many villages across the African nation. The utility and value of water for a community is tremendous. If water is in a state of scarcity in a region the social political system is destroyed and a chaotic

Porters Five Forces Analysis of Yahoo!

Porters Five Forces Analysis of Yahoo! The World Wide Web brings about new products and services every day for any consumer to access at any time with the simple click of a mouse. Consumers may look at the local weather forecast, find address and phone number of a business, or simply use the Internet for entertainment. All of these activities and many more are all accessible on Yahoo!s website. Terry S. Semel, Chief Executive Officer at Yahoo! and the Porters Five Forces analysis model along with Porters Differentiation strategy helps Yahoo! compete intensely among its competitors. From an internal perspective, Porters Five Forces gives Yahoo! a sustainable competitive advantage by analyzing the Threat of New Entrants, the Bargaining Power of Buyers, the Bargaining Power of Suppliers, the Threat of Substitute Products and Services, and the Intensity of Rivalry among Competitors in an industry. Semel analyzes each piece of Porters Five Forces model to determine the best route for Yahoo! to boost its competitive advantage in the Internet industry. First, Yahoo! analyzes the Threat of New Entrants coming into the Web industry. The Threat of New Entrants refers to the possibility that the profits of established firms in the industry may be eroded by new competitors (Dess, Lumpkin, Eisner, 2007, pg. 59). In Yahoo!s industry, it is relatively easy for any firm to have an eye-catching website. A new entrant can be a firm in its beginning years who does not have a significantly large budget, but could better serve consumers wanting specific products or services because of new technology it owns. Distributors and manufacturers may also reach more consumers through the Internet, so they enter the market. Semel bought technology such as the Inktomi search engine for Yahoo! to better serve the Internet world and keep a sustainable competitive advantage using product differentiation to create a higher barrier of entry for those smaller or newly established firms. The second of Porters Five Forces discusses the Bargaining Power of Buyers in an industry. Buyers threaten an industry by forcing down prices, bargaining for higher quality or more services, and playing competitors against each other (Dess, Lumpkin Eisner, 2007, pg. 61). Buyers are generally not loyal to a specific brand of product or service. Buyers have any information available to them 24 hours a day and they use this to their advantage. Consumers want the best deal for them at that time, so they will take a few minutes, click the mouse a few times, and find the best opportunity for their needs. Buyers use this tool to their advantage. It is difficult for suppliers to retain repeat customers because the customers have the opportunity to shop around to best satisfy their quality and price needs. With Yahoo! expanding their search capabilities by adding new features like its alliance with SBC communications, adding WUF Networks Inc., and HotJobs.com, Semel is aiming to keep more of Yahoo!s consumers within the Yahoo! website and prevent them from exiting to search on a competitors sites. The Bargaining Power of Suppliers is another of Porters Forces that Yahoo! needs to keep in mind. Suppliers involve providing products or services to other businesses, therefore use the term B2B-that is, business-to-business (Dess, Lumpkin Eisner, 2007, pg. 285). Yahoo! is an intermediary between some buyers (consumers) and sellers (advertisers) and is business-to-business oriented. Suppliers can make arrangements on the Internet to make searching and buying easier for consumers and prevent them from switching. Yahoo! relies heavily on several different advertisers to keep consumers searching on the Yahoo! site. Semel has built Yahoo! into a site that can offer surfers many different services, with several of them requiring the customer to pay a small fee (Shamsie, pg. 795). The customer is more likely to stay on one site if everything he/she is searching for is there, letting Yahoo! and the advertising supplier profit. Any company in an industry needs to keep a watchful eye for the Threat of Substitute Products and Services. This may be the most important of Porters Five Forces for Yahoo! to stay on top of. Substitutes limit the potential returns of an industry by placing a ceiling on the prices that firms in that industry can profitably charge (Dess, Lumpkin Eisner, 2007, pg. 63). Again, consumers can compare prices, quality, and customer service between companies, but companies can do the same. A firm can research what products and services other firms are selling and make substitute products or services. This is the case for Yahoo!s digital theme part Semel is pushing into effect. AOL and MSN are also envisioning a digital theme part and they have many substantial advantages from competitive software and programs to money on hand. Semel has pushed through with new advanced technology to give Yahoo! the edge they need to compete with companies such as AOL and MSN (Shamsie). The last of Porters Five Forces Model is the Intensity of Rivalry Among Competitors in an Industry (Dess, Lumpkin Eisner, 2007). Because the Internet creates more tools and means for competing, rivalry among competitors is likely to be more intense (Dess, Lumpkin Eisner, 2007, pg. 288). Rivalry among competitors on the Internet is extremely high because technology is constantly changing. New, better software is being introduced every day to give certain companies a competitive advantage and leave others trying to catch up. Google is Yahoo!s biggest competitor, and is regarded as the most prominent search engine in most parts of the world (Shamsie, pg. 796). Semel and his team have been dedicated to increase Yahoo!s search engine capabilities to compete with competitors like Google, MSN, and AOL. Semel has done a wonderful job turning Yahoo! around from the falling company it was before he joined the team. Using Porters Five Forces, Semel has wisely used the companys funds and resources to gain new technology to push Yahoo! to the top of the bar. Implementing Porters Differentiation strategy by building an animated theme park as Yahoo!s Web site to keep people wanting more from Yahoo! might just give Yahoo! the edge it needs to move forward and take over the number one spot for search engines. Differentiation consists of creating differences in the firms product or service offering by creating something that is perceived industrywide as unique and valued by customers (Dess, Lumpkin Eisner, 2007, pg. 169). Differentiation can have a huge influence on customers because of unique service and product offerings and positive brand image (Dess, Lumpkin Eisner, 2007). Semel is creating differentiation through features and technology with Yahoo! having multiple services in one location in Yahoo!s digital theme park. He is building brand image by investing in billion dollar companies like SBC Communications and Inktomi so Yahoo! will have the technology and the freedom to adapt to changes in the fast-paced Internet industry by owning their own technology. Semel is aiming for Yahoo! to be a whole, small world in itself and enticing customers to stay in Yahoo!s website for all of their service and product needs. Semel comments, The more time you spend on Yahoo!, the more apt you are to sample both free and paid services, (Shamsie, pg. 795). The total revenue for Yahoo! leaped tremendously from 2002 to 2003 and continues to rise because of Yahoo!s CEO Terry Semel. Yahoo! hired Semel to pull the company out of ruins and he did so successfully with Michael Porters Five Forces Analysis model and by implementing Porters Differentiation strategy. He acquired excellent technology and made strategic alliances with companies to give Yahoo! a step-up from its competition. Semel is differentiating Yahoo! by building a digital Disneyland-a souped-up theme park for the Internet Age (Shamsie, pg. 792). His goal is to keep current customers in Yahoo!s site by offering everything to fill their needs. The more time a customer spends on a specific site, the more likely he/she is to do business on that sight, letting Yahoo! profit from his/her requests. Semel using Porters Five Forces and the Differentiation strategy continues to push Yahoo! to the top of the leader board. References Dess, G. Gregory, Lumpkin, G.T., Eisner (2007). Strategic Management 3e. McGraw-Hill. Shamsie, Jamal. Yahoo!. Michigan State University, 792-797. Porters Five Forces and Differentiation The Threat of New Entrants Easy for anyone to have eye-catching websites that compete with large companies New entrant can be any firm who will do well because of technological advances Distributors and manufacturers can reach more consumers through the Internet, so they enter the market The Bargaining Power of Buyers Buyers can get information off of Internet about competing products and services Most Internet buyers are not loyal to a specific brand. Want what is good now Suppliers have a hard time keeping loyal customers because they shop around for the best quality, prices, and customer service The Bargaining Power of Suppliers Yahoo! is intermediary between some buyers and sellers B2B oriented Suppliers can make arrangements on the Internet to make searching and buying easier to prevent customers from switching Yahoo! is intermediary between some buyers and sellers B2B oriented Suppliers can make arrangements on the Internet to make searching and buying easier to prevent customers from switching Yahoo! uses several different types of suppliers on their site to keep customers within their walls The Threat of Substitute Products and Services Any company can research and find a better way to accomplish the same task Yahoo! was threatened by AOL and MSN for the theme park The Intensity of Rivalry among Competitors in an Industry Rivalry is very intense because there are many tools and excellent technology for competing firms Google, MSN, and AOL are major rivals Differentiation Huge influence because of the unique services and products Yahoo!s alliance with big companies Yahoo!s buying of outstanding technology Yahoo! wants to keep people in their site. They are more apt to pay a small fee for something if they can stay in one place

Toys R Us and Subsidiaries Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Toys R Us and Subsidiaries Running Head: Toys "R" Us Financial Analysis Note: Consistent with the financial report, all amounts are expressed in millions except per share data. Ernst & Young, LLP, independent auditors for Toys "R" Us Inc. and Subsidiaries issued an unqualified opinion on the company’s financial statements as of February 1, 1997 and on the consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the three years ending February 1, 1997, February 3, 1996 and January 28, 1995. The report by the independent auditors and their issuance of an unqualified opinion serves to provide reasonable assurance to stockholders, management, regulatory agencies and the public, that the financial statements are materially correct. Materiality is interpreted to mean that there are no unrecorded adjustments which would impact the decisions or opinions of the readers of these financial statements. The inclusion of the auditors’ report in the year-end financial report lends credibility to the presentation and allows the users including investors and potential investors to rely on the information as presented. Common Stock & Treasury Stock The company does not have preferred stock and has not declared or paid dividends on its common stock. As of February 1, 1997, Toys "R" Us, Inc. and subsidiaries had authorized 650 shares of par value $.10 common stock, of which 300.4 shares were issued. 12.6 shares were held in treasury stock leaving 287.8 shares issued and outstanding. The book value of the common stock issued and outstanding was $14.56 which is down from February 3, 1996 at which time the book value was $18.8. The total paid-in capital for common stock was $ 518.8 as of February 1, 1997 and $572.8 as of February 3, 1996. The average price per share received by the company for all common stock issued since inception of the corporation as of February 1, 1997 was $ 1.73. Ratio Analysis "There’s a saying that the nice thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from." (Maciag, 1998) It is important to choose carefully the ratios to be analyzed to be sure that there is relevance between the data and the conclusions drawn from it. When choosing industry standards, it is important to select like industries with commonalties that support comparison of results. It would not be appropriate to compare the financial statement of t... ... beating the industry averages for inventory turns. In addition their receivables consistently exceed industry standard by a significant amount. References Enhanced Analytics. (May 16, 1999). S&P Personal Wealth. Available: http://www.personalwealth.com. Industry Info. (May 16, 1999). S&P Personal Wealth. Available: http://www.personalwealth.com. Maciag, Gregory, A. (April 13, 1998). A wake-up cal for industry standards. National Underwriter. P29. Meigs, Robert F.; Williams, Jan R.; Haka, Susan F.; Bettner, Mark S., (1999) Accounting. p 619. Mills, John R.; Yamamura, Jeanne H. (October 1998). The power of cash flow ratios. Journal of Accountancy. V186 n4 p53(7). Stocksheet: Media General Quick Source Data-One Wev Page—Toys R Us INC. (5/16/99) Available: http://www.stocksheet.com. Thomson Investors Network Company Report: Toys "R" Us Inc. (5/15/99). Available: http://www.thomson.com. Vital Stats. (May 16, 1999). S&P Personal Wealth. Available: http://www.personalwealth.com. Wallstreet Research Net Report: Toys R Us Inc. (May 7, 1999). Available: http://www.wsrn.com. Berry, Donna Gorski. (Mid-Oct 1998). Mouths of the millennium. Dairy Foods. 73.74.

Medicaid Essay Essay

As I understood Medicaid are those personal cares services which are fundamental, non-acute services provided to facilitate recipients who require assistance with the activities of daily living to remain in their home or community, maintain their current health status and prevent, delay, or minimize deterioration of their condition. Personal care services are intended to supplement care provided by a recipient’s family or primary caregiver, not replace it. Services may be provided in the home or in setting outside the home, when necessary. The government took an active role in the economy during the 1960’s and 1970’s. In order to stimulate the economy, they ran annual budgets in a conscious attempt to spend more than they collected in revenue. Spending, inflation, and budget deficits were viewed as calculated efforts in expanding the economy. As a result this application Medicaid was created in 1965. Medicaid is a social program which provides health and medical assistance to families with low incomes and resources. Medicaid is funded by both the Federal Government and individual states. Each state is responsible for developing its own guidelines which must include: legibility, amount of services to be available, rate of payments for services, and administering its own programs. These conditions vary from state to state and are subject to change on a yearly basis. The qualifications of Medicaid recipients may differ according to each state’s guidelines Medicaid is the largest program run by the Federal Government and states that assists low income families that can not otherwise afford the high costs of health care. Medicaid pays for more services for which Medicare does not. Medicaid rules vary depend on each state. Medicaid information is accessible at your local district social services, interests or Department of Human Services Offices. In many states, Medicaid covers services and costs Medicare do not cover, including prescription drugs, diagnostic and  preventive care and eyeglasses. In some states, Medicaid charges consumers small amounts for certain services. In New England, for example the deficits are causing government directors to turn to cuts in many critical areas, including health department budgets. The states are in the point of making difficult decisions that will certainly have lethal affects on the health care system. The Congress should support short term fiscal relief to help the state through this budget crisis. Through fiscal year in 2003 Budget Ax hit Medicaid for second time, approximately every state has targeted health insurance programs for the poor, elderly and disabled to balance sever budget deficits, and two thirds of those states are on their second round of such cuts. One of the reason states are targeting Medicaid programs for cuts, is because health care programs are the most likely to be over budget. A proposition of eliminating health care coverage for about 300,000 low income parents by lowering the eligibility sill from 100% of the poverty level to 61% was held in California. Also New Jersey has started the phase out conscription for stumpy profits parents in the state’s joint Medicaid. Tennessee has already implemented changes that will abolish health care treatment for between 160,000 and 250,000 adults and children. Oklahoma lawmakers have accepted cuts to Medicaid that will quickly cause about 80,000 children, adults, seniors, and disabled people to be dropped from coverage, as well as near elimination of the state’s plan. More than one quarter of adult Medicaid enrolls have at least one chronic condition. They often finish taking conflicting medications. Florida is a good example of heavily touted cost savings are proving elusive in several states that have tried the approach. There are so many poor and disabled people on Missouri’s Medicaid program that would chip in for their medical costs under one money saving measure proposed by Governor Bob Holden. He recommended $280 million in budget cuts and savings and a part of it to changes related to the Medicaid health insurance program. Most of the Missouri’s Medicaid recipients do not pay for doctor’s visits, although many do pay co payments on prescription drugs. The Missouri Medicaid Program  provides health care access to low income people who are 65’s or over, blind, disabled, or members of families with dependent children. The Missouri Medicaid program is jointly financed by the federal government and Missouri State Government, and is administered by the State of Missouri, charged with administration of the Medicaid program is the Division of Medical Services, a division within the Department of Social Services. The state also has a limited medical assistance program which is funded with General Revenue and Blind Pension funds. In Washington, said that two thirds of the states are cutting Medical benefits, increasing co payments, restricting eligibility or removing poor people from the rolls because of soaring costs and plunging revenues. A new survey of all fifty states, finds that 16 are cutting Medicaid benefits, fifteen are restricting or reducing eligibility and four are increasing the co payments charged to beneficiaries. Medicaid provides health care for more than 40 million people, at an annual cost of more that $250 billion. The federal government and the states share cost, which rose 13 percent in the last fiscal year, the biggest increase. Washington State and Oregon took pride in expanding Medicaid and other health programs a decade ago, but now are wrestling with the unlikable alternative of whether to cut benefits or end legibility for some recipients. In California, proposed cutbacks that would remove nearly 500,000 low income parents from Medicaid, and state officials say even more saving will be needed. New Jersey is curtailing coverage for low income parents, by stridently dropping the greatest profits for new applicants. In Connecticut, the governs, recently planned eliminating coverage for thousands of parents in households with incomes from 100 percent to 150 percent of the deficiency level. States are giving some flexibility in providing coverage to its needy citizens because of the cost of the Medicaid program is shared by the state and federal governments. An individual who is chosen in South Carolina is not necessarily eligible in another state. South Carolina pays its physicians among the lowest Medicaid fees in the country, which is especially hard on doctors who treat a high proportion of patients who are enrolled in the program. Medicaid is already the largest and the fastest  growing element of most state budgets. This had made it a prime target of cost cutting efforts that nearly every states is now undertaking to make up for large budget shortfalls. Some states like South Carolina, have included, Medicaid cuts as part of across the board spending reductions. Others, such as Indiana and Illinois, have specifically targeted their Medicaid programs for reduction of hundreds of millions of dollars. There are many reasons for variation in Medicaid coverage and expenditures, these variations incentives that are inherent in the federal matching formula. But they also reflect a state’s ability to pay for these services, its political philosophy toward welfare families, and its recent efforts to expand coverage to pregnant women and children. The states make different decision with regard to coverage and benefits in both acute and long term care. Medicaid financed together by the federal government and the states, is the major foundation of health care funding for the low profits population in the United States. While states have considerable flexibility within federal guidelines, Medicaid programs differ across states in the numbers of community they cover and the amounts they splurge on services.

Health Care Hall of Fame Museum Proposal Essay

Healthcare has existed for centuries. As a society we have gone from primitive treatments like casting spells to revolutionary disease breakthroughs. The United States has held steadfast in the evolution of healthcare delivery causing the delivery of healthcare to increase by magnitude proportions. The 1900’s was a time that changes in healthcare and the delivery of it began to emerge in the United States. Scientists started taking an increase interest in diseases. Cardiology developments have helped with the treatment of heart disease, monitoring and prevention. â€Å"Heart Disease is the number one leading cause of death in America.† (American Heart Association, www.heart.org). Heart disease goes as far back as Egyptian Pharaohs, British monarchs and American Presidents. Unhealthy behaviors causing an increase in the risk factors amongst Americans have greatly affected the health of our society as a whole. Americans lead with sedentary lifestyles and the â€Å"supers ize mentality†. Early interventions to reduce the risk factors that cause heart disease are essential. Mental illness has been frowned upon since ancient history. The United States was no different. Some people feel that mental illness is not a physical problem and is just a behavioral or spiritual problem that can be controlled. The mentally ill have been maltreated and put through deplorable, inhumane conditions. Introduction of antipsychotic medication in the 1950’s helped in the recovery and helped those who were mentally ill live in the community. Mental health became a priority and care in institutions and hospitals started to improve. â€Å"The Mental Health Act 1986 (the Act) provides a legislative framework for the care, treatment and protection of people with mental illness for psychiatrists to implement.† (Treatment plans under the Mental Health Act). The National Institute of Mental health has a mission to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses. Better healthcare choices can be made with the use of biotechnology. Biotechnology is not a new science. It goes as far back as 500 B.C. It is beneficial with the development of medication, research on drugs, stem cell research, gene testing and therapy. â€Å"Modern biotechnology provides breakthrough products and technologies to combat debilitating and rare diseases, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, use less and cleaner energy, and have safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes.† (What is Biotechnology? http://www.bio.org/articles/what-biotechnology). Biotechnology has made major strides in healthcare like the eradication of small pox or gene therapy to help people battle auto immune diseases. Public Health is concerned with disease prevention and wellness promotion for the community as a whole. Epidemics, pand emic and outbreaks make public health an essential part of healthcare. Public health dates back to Biblical times. An example of this is the isolation of a contagious disease like leprosy. Lillian Wald the mother of Public Health Nursing led the crusade of helping provide medical care to the poor in the United States. The increase awareness of health and the healthcare coverage that would be needed led the United States to develop HMOs. HMOs provide medical treatment for patients on a prepaid basis. HMO members pay a fixed monthly fee, more often than not through an employer regardless of how much medical care is needed in a given month. A wide variety of medical services are provided after the fee is paid, from office visits to hospitalization and surgery. There are benefits to having an HMO. â€Å"Preventive and well-care services, such as routine physicals and pediatric care, are provided at no additional cost. Co-payments apply to doctor’s office visits, prescriptions, hospital admissions, emergency room visits and some other services. You generally do not need to submit claim forms, except in cases when emergency care takes place outside of your coverage area.† Research on diseases, health maintenance, and wellness continues to progress. Public Health continues to be an advocate for health and safety in the community. The United States continues to evolve in healthcare delivery. References American Heart Association, Disease Information. (2000). Retrieved from http://my.americanheart.org/professional/Research/Disease-Information_UCM_459537_Article.jsp Future of Biotechnology in Healthcare, Chapter Nine. (2011, August). Retrieved from http://www.amgenscholars.com/images/uploads/contentImages/biotechnology-future.pdf Institute of Mental Health. About NIMH. (October 6, 2014). Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/index.shtml Public health history time line. (2014, September 6). Retrieved from http://www.sphtc.org/resources.html