The Real World Case mentions several organizations. For each organisation, discuss the business drivers for that organisation to expand globally. Essay Example

The Real World Case mentions several organizations. For each organisation, discuss the business drivers for that organisation to expand globally. Essay The main companies discussed in the Real World Case are Cadbury, Forrester Research and A.T.Kearney. The case of Cadbury’s expansion into emerging economies is discussed at length. As affluence levels increase in emerging markets, the consumer base for chocolate-based sweets also increases. Since chocolate-based sweets are not a subsistence commodity, its consumption is directly correlated to affluence levels. In the era of globalization, many suitable markets have opened up for companies such a Cadbury spanning different continents. The appeal of chocolates and sweets is universal and is not restricted by cultural sensibilities and norms. As a result, Cadbury is well placed to exploit a lucrative, erstwhile untapped, market for chocolates and sweets in developing countries. Forrester Research is a services company and not a products company. This could work to their advantage, as they could offer their services to a range of industries venturing into developing markets. Their experience in conducting extensive consumer research in emerging economies is a great strength. The inferences, insights and information databases assembled so far are valuable aides to products based companies which are trying to get a foothold in previously unexplored markets. For example, Forrester Research could be the perfect ally for companies such as Cadbury in setting in motion the latter’s vision for a global presence. The advantage for companies such as Forrester Research is that their domain expertise and country-specific experience is of value to a wide range of new entrants studying the market. So the company is set to prosper by establishing a presence in all the emerging economic hubs across the globe. We will write a custom essay sample on The Real World Case mentions several organizations. For each organisation, discuss the business drivers for that organisation to expand globally. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Real World Case mentions several organizations. For each organisation, discuss the business drivers for that organisation to expand globally. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Real World Case mentions several organizations. For each organisation, discuss the business drivers for that organisation to expand globally. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A.T. Kearney is another consultancy services firm that is a competitor to Forrester Researcher. In this respect, many of the opportunities available to Forrester Researcher are of interest to A.T. Kearney as well. A.T. Kearney has a specialization in IT consultancy, which puts it at an advantage over generic market consultancy firms. The company can tap into the need for new entrants to integrate their local information systems to the global system already in place. This is not a straight-forward process and requires a keen understanding of local infrastructure limitations, talent supply and legal regulations. Hence by developing an expertise in this niche domain, A.T. Kearney can garner a global presence as a consultancy and advisory firm. References Baugher, S. L. (2012). Cultural Competency: Globally and Locally. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 104(2), 10+. †¢ Curthoys, A., Johnson, C. (1998). Articulating the Future and the Past: Gender, Race and Globalisation in One Nation’s Self-Construction. Hecate, 24(2), 97. †¢ Kho, N. D. (2011, December). Multilingual Content: Challenges and Solutions.Information Today, 28(11), 1+. Retrieved from http://www.questia.com †¢ Low, L. (2007). Challenges to the Global Trading System: Adjustment to Globalization in the Asia-Pacific Region. ASEAN Economic Bulletin, 24(3), 378+. †¢ Roniger, L. (1995). Public Life and Globalization as Cultural Vision. The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 32(3), 259+. †¢ Schmidtke, C., Hughes, C. (2010). Meeting Organizational Global Challenges through Training. ATEA Journal, 38(1), 18+. †¢ Yeung, A., Lyngaas, J. (2005, March). Management Challenges with Banks in China: The Pace of Reform, Sound Corporate Governance Framework and Management Approach Must Take into Account the Environment in Which the Banks Operate. the General Health and Sustainability of the Economy Requires More Than Just Sound Business Acumen and Political Stability. the Evolution of a Strong and Stable Financial System Is Just as Crucial. Business Asia, 13(1), 36+. †¢ Stephanie Overby, Real World Case 2 – Cadbury, Forrester Research, A.T. Kearney, and Others: IT Leaders Face New Challenges in a Globalized World, adapted from â€Å"Globalization: New Management Challenges Facing IT Leaders,† CIO.com, November 12, 2009. The main companies discussed in the Real World Case are Cadbury, Forrester Research and A.T.Kearney. The case of Cadbury’s expansion into emerging economies is discussed at length. As affluence levels increase in emerging markets, the consumer base for chocolate-based sweets also increases. Since chocolate-based sweets are not a subsistence commodity, its consumption is directly correlated to affluence levels. In the era of globalization, many suitable markets have opened up for companies such a Cadbury spanning different continents. The appeal of chocolates and sweets is universal and is not restricted by cultural sensibilities and norms. As a result, Cadbury is well placed to exploit a lucrative, erstwhile untapped, market for chocolates and sweets in developing countries. Forrester Research is a services company and not a products company. This could work to their advantage, as they could offer their services to a range of industries venturing into developing .

Proper Nouns in English Grammar

Proper Nouns in English Grammar In English grammar, a  proper noun is a  noun belonging to the class of words used as names for specific or  unique individuals, events, or places, and may include real or fictional characters and settings. Unlike common nouns, which make up the vast majority of nouns in English, most proper nouns like Fred, New York, Mars, and Coca-Cola begin with a  capital letter. They may also be referred to as proper names for their function of naming specific things. Proper nouns are not typically  preceded by articles or other determiners, but there are numerous exceptions such as The Bronx or The Fourth of July. Furthermore, most proper nouns are singular, but again there are exceptions as in The United States and The Joneses. How Common Nouns Become Proper Oftentimes common nouns like river combine with the name of a specific person, location, or thing to form a proper noun phrase, such as the Colorado River or the Grand Canyon. When writing such a proper noun, it is correct to capitalize both when mentioned together, but also correct to repeat the common noun alone later in reference to the original proper noun while leaving the common one lowercase. In the example of the Colorado River, for instance, it would later be correct to refer to it as simply the river, if the writer has not mentioned another river. The primary difference between proper and common nouns stems from the uniqueness of reference for proper nouns wherein common nouns do not specifically reference any one particular person, place, or thing but rather the collective understanding of all of the persons, places, or things associated with the word. In that way, common nouns can become proper if they are colloquially used to specify one unique person, place, or thing. Take for instance the Colorado River, which runs through the center of Austin, Texas, and locals have taken to just calling the River. This common noun becomes a proper one because, in the geographic region of Austin, its used to name one specific river. The Lighter Side of Proper Nouns Many great authors have used the idea of capitalizing common nouns and making them proper to characterize specific inanimate objects or take a concept like Great Places and make them into a physical place in a fictional world. In Dr. Seuss Oh! The Places Youll Go! author Theodor Geisel makes the common unique, forming proper nouns to characterize and create fictional worlds for his zany characters to inhabit. Be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray / or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O-Shea, he offers, youre off to Great Places! // Today is your day! J. R. R. Tolkien personifies a simple gold ring in his epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings, wherein he always capitalized the Ring, signifying it as a specific, proper noun because it is the One Ring to Rule Them All.   On the other hand, famed poet e. e. cummings (note the lack of capitalization) never capitalizes anything at all, including names and places and even the beginning of sentences, signaling the writers disregard for the concept of proper nouns entirely.

13 Jobs With The Biggest Pay Increases in 2016

13 Jobs With The Biggest Pay Increases in 2016 in the past year, the average american worker’s salary has gone up 2.5%. but that’s the average. some workers in certain fields actually saw much larger increases in 2016. here are the 13Â  jobs that saw the highest pay increases.1. communications managercommunication managers saw an average salary increase from 2015 to 2016 of 5%, raising their median base pay from $80k to $84k. communications managers need a bachelor’s degree in communications or pr plus several years experience, and spend their time overseeing internal and external messaging for their organizations.2. underwriterunderwriters decide who gets a mortgage, based on the applicant’s credit, capacity, and collateral. the job requires a high school diploma, plus an education program and the passing of an exam. they also saw an average pay increase last year of 5%, from $57k to $60k.3. case managercase managers work in health care to provide guidance and action plans for people coping with comp lex medical situations. they can be rns, social workers, pts, and most employers prefer at least an associate’s degree in human services or social work. this position saw an average increase of 6%, from over $42k to $45k.4. marketing coordinatorthis position also saw an increase of 6%, from over $42k to $45k. these folks assist marketing managers in different ways, from company to company. to get this job, you’ll want a bachelor’s degree in marketing and have some experience at the entry-level or as an intern.5. claims adjusterclaims adjusters assess damages done to properties for insurance companies. they need a bachelor’s degree in finance, insurance, or business, plus intern or entry-level experience in the field, and to pass a licensure exam. but this position saw a 6% pay increase, from $45k to nearly $48k.6. admissions representativea bachelor’s degree (in education, admissions, customer services, or sales) is required to recruit and inform p otential applicants for colleges, but this position saw a 7% increase in median base pay, from $42k to nearly $45k.7. data analystdata analysts work across a wide variety of industries, interpreting data and providing insight to companies on how to make informed business decisions. the average pay increase last year was 7%, from just under $61k to $65k per year.8. media plannermedia planners are in charge of digital media campaigns- from soup to nuts- and often work within ad agencies. they need a bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts, plus experience starting out in the field, usually as an assistant media buyer. the average pay increase last year was 7%, from over $42k to $45k.9. registered nurse (rn)registered nurses also saw an average increase of 7%, from over $63k to $68k per year. this position requires an associate’s degree in nursing, and applicants must pass a national licensing exam.10. recruiterrecruiters put job seekers into jobs, working to please both fu ture employees and their employers. think of them as the matchmakers of the business world. they typically have a bachelor’s degree in hr, or a certification in that field, plus some experience. but their pay increase last year was 7%, from $42k to $45k per year.11. implementation consultantanother 7% increase, from $70k to $75k per year. this position requires several years’ experience, plus a bachelor’s degree in computer science or it, but can work across a wide variety of industries, helping them to develop their software or hardware applications.12. sales managersales managers saw a whopping 11% pay increase from 2015 to 2016, from ~$66k to $73k per year. they need a bachelor’s degree and a few years experience as a sales rep, but then they oversee their own teams and start raking in the cash.13. certified nursing assistant (cna)certified nursing assistants report to nurses, giving hands-on care to medical patients. they don’t need a college d egree, but they do need to go through an accredited cna program to get credentialed. they also saw an amazing 11% increase in pay, from $45k to $50k per year.

Non-Conventional Terrorism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Non-Conventional Terrorism - Assignment Example American Congress Office of Technological Assessment stated that the â€Å"the production of nuclear weapons is a more complicated process, it is most difficult to acquire such material and this process is more expensive (Levi, 2010).† Nuclear terrorism is a type of non-conventional terrorism in which terrorists use nuclear weapons in order to complete their mission of the savage and excessive killing of many people and mass destruction. It also the use of fissile materials in an attack, e.g., an attack on a nuclear energy plant with the aim of causing widespread and/or permanent harm to the environment. Studies show that biological weapon can be devastatingly easy. During the fourteenth century, the disease caused by the Tartars infected corpses over castle walls which results in the Black Death in which an approximated one-third of the whole population got killed (Mahan & Griset, 2008). As the United States is playing a leading role in the war against terrorism and confronti ng with the terrorist in different parts of the world. Therefore America might be the first target of the major terrorist organization which increases the risk of large-scale use of bacteria or viruses or toxins (biological weapons) as a weapon of mass destruction against U.S (Department of Homeland Security, 2008). These biological weapons could be used by the terrorist as it is believed that this capability is within their reach. According to the studies, the terrorist would probably use anthrax against the U.S; and if these terrorist organizations got succeeded in attacking any single city of America than this would kill hundreds of thousands of people (Department of Homeland Security, 2008).

Write an analysis on the story barn burning by William faulkner Essay

Write an analysis on the story barn burning by William faulkner - Essay Example Compelled by his habit, he gets annoyed with De Spain’s attitude and he drops some horse droppings on his very expensive carpet. De Spain asks him to give him 20 bushels of corn against the charge of the rug. Furious, Abner sues him and the court orders to give De Spain 10 bushels of corn instead of 20. Abner still furious decides to set the De Spain’s barn on fire. Sarty stops his father from doing wrong but when he does not listen, he warns De Spain and runs away and never looks back towards his family again (Wilson 434). The story has been one of the best selling of its time. It was also adapted to a short film in 1980, which was very much loved around the world. The story basically gives the idea of believing in what is right and never standing by lies and falsehood. It is pretty much proven that the Snopes’ family completely relies on each other in right or wrong decisions. The family seems to be living in their own world which is outside society values and even outside law, rather than on traditional values of right and wrong. Even though it’s your own father, one should stand what is right always even if they are standing alone. Family loyalty is very important but what is more important is that you never give anybody a chance to questions your honesty, integrity and truthfulness. This will make you away from your family once in a while, but there will come a time when the family will be reunited and you will get the reward of your good deeds. The story has decently listed characters, the main being the father, Abner Snopes and the son, Sarty Snopes. A peace demanding judge is mentioned twice at different occasions. The first person who complained was named Mr Harris and the second was the person that was sued who also was the new landlord De Spain. Mentioned only one are Sarty’s mother, his two sisters, his brother and his aunt. The characters have not been over done by the writer.

Marketing Essays Red Bull

Marketing Essays Red Bull Table of Contents Introduction Red Bull and Marketing Theory Introduction Market Entry Market Strategy Marketing Communications Company Analysis Analytical Methods Company Sales and Diversification Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Conclusions Future of Red Bull and Recommendations References Introduction Red Bull has created a strong brand image, using colourful icon with two bulls in opposition and a memorable tag line; ‘Red Bull gives you wings’. Through creative marketing and sponsorship it has linked itself with extreme sports, innovative music and art, all aimed squarely at the youth market (Dahlen, Lange and Smith, 2010). This brief examines brand development, which strategies have helped it to success and where the brand goes from here as it faces the prospect of losing its cutting-edge image while continuing largely with only one product. Red Bull is a European success story. The product was launched in 1987 in Austria. It faced opposition from the Food and Drink Administration (FDA), who refused to clear it for distribution but despite this it became an underground success through clubbers and snowboarders. This anti-establishment stance found synergy with consumers, even after it was cleared for sale. It quickly spread into neighbouring countries and into the US market (Franzen and Moriarty, 2009). Dahlen, Lange and Smith (2010) note that by 2004, it had gained 40% share of its market sector and 70% in Europe. However, the brand still faced problems; it was banned in Denmark and France following unsubstantiated rumours that people had died from drinking the product in Sweden and Ireland (Mail Online, 2001). The European market was stagnating, and it faced distribution problems from companies supporting their own-brand products. The ever-present competition from Pepsi and Coca-Cola limited the scope for expansion. With these pressures, the company developed a marketing strategy that avoided mainstream advertising, instead focusing on grass-roots promotion. The product was sold in trendy nightclubs and bars, and the credibility of those held in high regard by the young target audience, such as DJs (Boswijk, Thijssen and Peelen, 2007). Brand education was provided by high-profile visits to places where the company felt people ‘might need a lift’. Examples include offices, building sites and garages. Self-styled Red Bull distributors exploited their local knowledge to help sell the brand and its products. It terms of higher profile marketing, Red Bull has primarily focused on maintaining its links with extreme sports. It sponsors two Formula One teams (Red Bull and Toro Rosso), as well as snowboarding, kite-boarding, surfing and aircraft racing. All of these underline its commitment to its youthful, energetic target audience. The next part of the brief examines how its marketing strategy fits into contemporary marketing theory. Red Bull and Marketing Theory Introduction Red Bull is essentially a one-product brand, offered at a premium price in its market sector. Having started in Austria, it quickly spread to other markets including the USA and has become the market leader in its sector. It uses a novel approach to marketing, which is discussed later in this section. In terms of the traditional 4Ps of marketing, therefore, the company is easy to categorise. However, the 4P method has received criticism as being somewhat limited (Lee, 2001), and therefore the company is examined from a number of perspectives in this section, starting with market entry. Market Entry Any new company has to determine how they intend to enter a new market. This will be predicated by a number of factors such as the available resources, the sales objectives, product offered and existing competition (Fifield, 1998). In the case of Red Bull, the launch of the new product established a new category of product; that of energy drinks. Derived from a concept found by Dietrich Mateschitz in the Far East, the formula developed included large amounts of caffeine, sugars (glucose and sucrose) and taurine (Red Bull, 2014). Taurine is a ‘conditional amino acid’, which means it cannot be created by the body but needs to be provided in the diet. It is found in meat and fish (WebMD, 2014). It is used medically in the treatment of congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, among other conditions, and it is present in infant formulas. Taken together with the other ingredients, Red Bull claims that it provides an energy boost (Red Bull, 2014). Since no similar type of product existed on the market, there was no direct competitor. As an innovator, the company had to educate its target audience on the product’s benefits. If a mass market entry approach is used, this can be extremely expensive (Hill and Jones, 2012), since customers have to be convinced that the new product is safe, has unique benefits and is socially acceptable. Rather than attempting to do this on a large scale, Red Bull adopted a novel method based on introducing the product at a grass roots level. It is promoted as a trendy drink at events where its main target audience gathers; nightclubs, extreme sports events and even parties. In the latter, it encourages students to set up Red Bull parties and provides them with free cans to distribute to their friends. The company also uses cars in the corporate colour scheme – together with a gigantic can – which give out promotional samples (Onkvisit and Shaw, 2009). Initially, distribution is set up using small distributors. In some cases, the company has hired warehouses and set up young people to aggressively sell the product (Pride and O’Ferrell, 2006). As far as can be determined from the available literature, this approach is likely to continue to be used in addressing new markets in future. Market Strategy Its chosen strategy has led to strong word-of-mouth sales in new markets, and this provides a springboard for further success in those markets. As it grows, it invests further in creating events such as the Flugtag, in which competitors attempt to fly from a pier using homemade, unpowered aircraft – most of which are incapable of flight, and soapbox racing (Red Bull, 2014a). This draws both competitors and audiences. Most of the events the company sponsors are more professional in nature and cover an increasing range of activities, from spectacular air racing using stunt planes, to cliff diving, wingsuit racing, motorsports and adventures. The company has even moved into computer gaming and e-sports. The features that are common to all of these activities are their attraction to their target audience and their physical and mental requirements. Having identified this approach, the company appears to be keen to continue to exploit it. When considering the market positioning of the Red Bull energy drink, it almost appears that it has arisen organically from the properties of the product; it supports physical and mental exertion and therefore the market position supports this. However, this belies is underpinned by clever physical and psychological positioning. The physical positioning refers to the product’s unique characteristics (it provides energy from its unique formula) and the psychological positioning derives from its brand image as being youthful and energetic, and socially desirable to its twenty-something core audience (Lantos, 2011). From its original product offering (one product), the company has added a little to its portfolio through the introduction of Red Bull sugar-free, Red Bull zero-calories, Red Bull editions (in flavours of cranberry, lime and blueberry) and Red Bull cola. The cola is promoted as being the only cola drink made from 100% natural ingredients and makes the case that, unlike other brands that might be mentioned, it has no secret formula. The company follows the same basic branding approach for these additional products, presumably on the grounds that they will appeal to subsets of their existing target audience. Marketing Communications However impressive a brand is, it has no value unless it can communicate its unique characteristics to the consumer. On this basis, Red Bull has a highly effective marketing communications approach, it is currently recognised as the 74th most valuable brand in the world, with a value of $7.5 billion USD (Forbes, 2014). From grass roots marketing, these days the brand is more recognised through its sponsorship initiatives. This is backed up with a strong online presence that strongly reflects the brand image and provides a form of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). The company sees modern communications media as being critical to their success (Kotler and Keller, 2012). The reason Red Bull has achieved such success has been that it has successfully aligned its brand identity with that of its target audience in a way not achieved by its competitors (Urbany and Davis, 2010). Even when it uses traditional marketing media such as TV, it does so in a quirky ways that does not take itself too seriously. In doing so it maintains the image that appeals to its customers. It is this consistancy of message that is so important to IMC. Whatever channel is used to get the message across, it must be the same as those used on alternative channels. Digital media provides an increasingly important method of communicating with consumers, and Red Bull has identified this. As well as having a strong website that focuses on the sponsorship activities it is involved with, it also provides links to social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and You Tube. These sites provide consumers with a means of communicating with the company and with like-minded individuals across the world. This fosters a club-like experience that enhances the company’s alignment with its customers. The use of social media to build on relationship marketing is now well recognised, and Red Bull has been in the forefront of exploiting this (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2011). The company has also been active in the field of mobile marketing, launching its own app to allow subscribers to keep in touch with the company when on the move. Overall, Red Bull is one of the most effective marketing communications companies in the world, and it does so by offering interesting content to its customers. The actual advertising of the products forms a small part of this. However, the brand is intimately linked with its products and thus the message gets across clearly. The continually changing content prompts users to visit its sites frequently, and in doing so keeps the brand close to the user’s attention. Few companies have been so successful in doing so. The next section looks at the current state of the company in the market. Company Analysis Analytical Methods There are a variety of methods available for the analysis of a company. These include analyses on the external environment in which the company operates, such as PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technical, Legal and Environment), and those that examine the internal context such as SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) (Allen, 2001; Murray-Webster, 2010). Other techniques include VRIO (Value, Rarity, Imitability and Organisation), used to determine the level of competitive advantage a company has and how long it is likely to be retained (Peng, 2011). In this case, a PESTLE analysis would provide results indicative of the energy drinks market rather than being specific to Red Bull. A VRIO analysis lacks the depth of SWOT analysis in terms of a general assessment of the internal and external situation, and therefore a SWOT analysis was chosen for analysis of the company. This is shown later in the next section. Company Sales and Diversification Apart from its energy drinks, the company has diversified into other businesses that have synergy with its brand image. These include football clubs, youth academies, online clothing sales and even a construction company. It has moved into media ownership, with print magazines and the mobile phone service industry. Red Bull is privately owned and therefore does not need to report its performance publicly. However, it reported net sales of 4.9 billion Euros in 2012, with 5.2 billion cans of its primary product sold. This represented considerable growth on the previous year (15.9% on sales; 12.8% on number of cans). The company showed very strong net sales growth in South Africa (52%), Japan (51%), Saudi Arabia (38%) and strong continued growth in France (21%), the US (17%) and Germany (14%) (Euromonitor, 2012). The company attributed this to ongoing brand investment and efficient cost management (Euromonitor, 2012). Strengths The main strength of Red Bull is its brand, which is very valuable and has allowed it to grow a strong set of customers. It is synonymous with its energy drink, which is a positive factor (Park et al, 2013). The company has successfully developed new markets internationally using the same brand image. It can therefore be considered as a global company. This is important in that many of its current markets are at or near market saturation. Its use of social media to help to build its brand by relationship marketing is also a strength (Segrave, Carson and Merhout, 2011). Weaknesses The main weakness of the brand is its limited product portfolio. It primary relies on its single main product. This product is at risk of political or legal controls owing to the high levels of caffeine used, or it could just lose its appeal to the market (Aaker and McLoughlin, 2010). This could adversely affect the ability of the company to maintain its position in various markets. Opportunities The company has been effective in developing emerging markets, and if this continues it could largely offset poorer sales developments in the mature markets. Its global marketing message appears to be universally appealing to its target audience, despite cultural differences. It has also invested in new production facilities in Brazil to support domestic sales in the South American continent management (Euromonitor, 2012). This model could easily be extended to local production in Asia and other developing markets. This would both reduce cost of sales and provide a greater sense of community belonging. Threats A range of similar drinks have emerged following its success, increasing the level of competition within its market sector. Some of these competitors use natural ingredients, which may be seen as more desirable to its target audience. This includes the Monster product, which is pressuring sales particularly in North America management (Euromonitor, 2012). The company also faces competition from entrenched market leaders in the wider drinks market such as Coca Cola and Pepsi. These companies work continuously to reduce the threat level posed to themselves from Red Bull. With their huge marketing budgets and ability to develop new products, this could eventually prove decisive and reduce the success of Red Bull. The company also faces the law of diminishing returns in marketing in its mature market, in that the cost to reach the relatively small number of potential customers remaining in these markets becomes prohibitively high (Mike, 2004). The company invests considerable resources in its relationship marketing, and this ongoing cost may also become more onerous, should sales in its target market fall for any reason. Therefore the company faces the potential of having high marketing costs leading to smaller sales despite its dominant position in many markets. Conclusions Red Bull has demonstrated a novel approach to marketing and has introduced a new product to the market that has spawned an entire new category of product. Through its actions, the company has become very successful and has become the market leader in its sector. Its use of a marketing message that is light on selling the product but heavy on building the brand image and associating it with extreme sports and other activities of interest to its target audience has possibly shown the future direction of much marketing effort. The current position of Red Bull remains strong in its market sector. However, as it is now the leading brand in many markets, it will find it difficult to maintain its position due to increased competition from other brands that have seen the opportunities offered by the sector. The growing age of its original target audience may also prove a factor; the company has deliberately addressed a youthful market and as these original customers grow older, it remains to be seen whether the product will continue to appeal to newer generations. However, the company can n develop new markets, and it can potentially reduce costs by focusing on domestic production. These new markets may allow the development of complimentary new products. . It is possible that these could then be sold in its mature markets, widening its product portfolio. Whether the company remains successful will depend on a number of factors. Primarily, there is a question of whether the brand can continue to be trendy now that it is well established in the market. It faces increasing competition in its sector, and this will affect sales unless the company can successfully fend it off. However, it can still expand into new markets and streamline its production facilities to allow the business to continue to grow. Future of Red Bull and Recommendations In order to protect its position and continue to grow, the company should embrace the opportunities offered in emerging markets. It should also work to streamline its distribution to reduce costs. This could be through domestic production or through setting up alliances with existing distributors in those regions. The competition to Red Bull is only likely to increase as more manufacturers seek to exploit its market sector. Emerging products may replace the Red Bull brand image of being cutting edge and anti-establishment; one company cannot keep this mantle forever. The company should therefore consider adapting its message to existing consumers as they mature. The company is well placed to make this transition. However, it cannot simply rely on existing customers, but must appeal to new consumer groups. This could be assisted by the launching of additional products aimed at different demographics. Red Bull is used as a mixer for spirits such as vodka. This offers an additional opportunity to target the more mature audience by launching pre-mixed alcoholic drinks. Red Bull has shown itself adept at social media. The company should develop this as far as possible, embracing new technologies as they arise. This is vital for it to maintain its relationship marketing and also allow the brand to continue to spread through word-of-mouth and sharing of information online. Since the company has so much news to share from the events and teams it sponsors, it has a readymade store of information. This could prove to be important in maintaining brand loyalty in the future. References Aaker, D. A. McLoughlin, D. (2010), Strategic Market Management: Global Perspectives, UK: John Wiley Sons Allen, M. (2001), Analysing the Organisational Environment, UK: Select Knowledge Boswijk, A., Thijssen, T. Peelen, E. (2007), The Experience Economy: A New Perspective, Netherlands: Pearson Education Benelux Dahlen, M., Lange, F. Smith, T. (2010), Marketing Communications: A Brand Narrative Approach, UK: John Wiley Sons Euromonitor (2012), Red Bull GMBH in Soft Drinks (World), available from http://www.euromonitor.com/medialibrary/PDF/RedBull-Company-Profile-SWOT-Analysis.pdf , accessed 4th November 2014 Fifield, P. (1998), Marketing Strategy, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann Forbes, Red Bull, available from http://www.forbes.com/companies/red-bull/, accessed 6 th November 2014 Franzen, G. Moriarty, S. (2009), The Science and Art of Branding, USA: M. E. Sharpe Inc. Hill, C. Jones, G. (2012), Essentials of Strategic Management, USA: South-Western Cengage Learning Kotler, P. Keller, K. (2012), Marketing Management 14th Edition, USA: Pearson Education Lamb, C., Hair, J. McDaniel, C. (2011), Essentials of Marketing 11th Edition, USA: South-Western Cengage Learning Lantos, G. P. (2011), Consumer Behaviour in Action, USA: M. E. Sharpe Inc. Lee, O. (2001), Internet Marketing Research: Theory and Practice, USA: Idea Group Publishing Mail Online (2001), Three Deaths linked to energy drink, available from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-59862/Three-deaths-linked-energy-drink.html , accessed 6th November 2014 Mike, S. (2004), Marketing and Sales, India: Lotus Press Murray-Webster, R. (2010), Management of risk: guidance for practitioners, UK: The Stationery Office Onkvisit, S. Shaw, J. (2009), International Marketing: Strategy and Theory 5th Edition, UK: Routledge Park, C. W., Eisingerich, A. B., Pol,G. Park, J. W. (2013), The role of brand image in firm performance, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 66, 180-187 Peng, M. W. 92011), Global Business, USA: South-Western Cengage Learning Pride, W. O’Ferrell, O. C. 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Deception Point Page 24

In that same edition, paleobiologist Stephen Jay Gould summed up the problems with ALH84001 by pointing out that the evidence in it was chemical and inferential, rather than â€Å"solid,† like an unambiguous bone or shell. Now, however, Rachel realized NASA had found irrefutable proof. No skeptical scientist could possibly step forward and question these fossils. NASA was no longer touting blurry, enlarged photos of alleged microscopic bacteria-they were offering up real meteorite samples where bio-organisms visible to the naked eye had been embedded in the stone. Foot-long lice! Rachel had to laugh when she realized she'd been a childhood fan of a song by David Bowie that referred to â€Å"spiders from Mars.† Few would have guessed how close the androgynous British pop star would come to foreseeing astrobiology's greatest moment. As the distant strains of the song ran through Rachel's mind, Corky hurried up behind her. â€Å"Has Mike bragged about his documentary yet?† Rachel replied, â€Å"No, but I'd love to hear about it.† Corky slapped Tolland on the back. â€Å"Go for it, big boy. Tell her why the President decided that the most important moment in science history should be handed over to a snorkeling TV star.† Tolland groaned. â€Å"Corky, if you don't mind?† â€Å"Fine, I'll explain,† Corky said, prying his way in between them. â€Å"As you probably know, Ms. Sexton, the President will be giving a press conference tonight to tell the world about the meteorite. Because the vast majority of the world is made up of half-wits, the President asked Mike to come onboard and dumb everything down for them.† â€Å"Thanks, Corky,† Tolland said. â€Å"Very nice.† He looked at Rachel. â€Å"What Corky's trying to say is that because there's so much scientific data to convey, the President thought a short visual documentary about the meteorite might help make the information more accessible to mainstream America, many of whom, oddly, don't have advanced degrees in astrophysics.† â€Å"Did you know,† Corky said to Rachel, â€Å"that I've just learned our nation's President is a closet fan of Amazing Seas?† He shook his head in mock disgust. â€Å"Zach Herney-the ruler of the free world-has his secretary tape Mike's program so he can decompress after a long day.† Tolland shrugged. â€Å"The man's got taste, what can I say?† Rachel was now starting to realize just how masterful the President's plan was. Politics was a media game, and Rachel could already imagine the enthusiasm and scientific credibility the face of Michael Tolland on-screen would bring to the press conference. Zach Herney had recruited the ideal man to endorse his little NASA coup. Skeptics would be hard-pressed to challenge the President's data if it came from the nation's top television science personality as well as several respected civilian scientists. Corky said, â€Å"Mike's already taken video depositions from all of us civilians for his documentary, as well as from most of the top NASA specialists. And I'll bet my National Medal that you're next on his list.† Rachel turned and eyed him. â€Å"Me? What are you talking about? I have no credentials. I'm an intelligence liaison.† â€Å"Then why did the President send you up here?† â€Å"He hasn't told me yet.† An amused grin crossed Corky's lips. â€Å"You're a White House intelligence liaison who deals in clarification and authentication of data, right?† â€Å"Yes, but nothing scientific.† â€Å"And you're the daughter of the man who built a campaign around criticizing the money NASA has wasted in space?† Rachel could hear it coming. â€Å"You have to admit, Ms. Sexton,† Ming chimed in, â€Å"a deposition from you would give this documentary a whole new dimension of credibility. If the President sent you up here, he must want you to participate somehow.† Rachel again flashed on William Pickering's concern that she was being used. Tolland checked his watch. â€Å"We should probably head over,† he said, motioning toward the center of the habisphere. â€Å"They should be getting close.† â€Å"Close to what?† Rachel asked. â€Å"Extraction time. NASA is bringing the meteorite to the surface. It should be up any time now.† Rachel was stunned. â€Å"You guys are actually removing an eight-ton rock from under two hundred feet of solid ice?† Corky looked gleeful. â€Å"You didn't think NASA was going to leave a discovery like this buried in the ice, did you?† â€Å"No, but†¦,† Rachel had seen no signs of large-scale excavation equipment anywhere inside the habisphere. â€Å"How the heck is NASA planning on getting the meteorite out?† Corky puffed up. â€Å"No problem. You're in a room full of rocket scientists!† â€Å"Blather,† Ming scoffed, looking at Rachel. â€Å"Dr. Marlinson enjoys flexing other people's muscles. The truth is that everyone here was stumped about how to get the meteorite out. It was Dr. Mangor who proposed a viable solution.† â€Å"I haven't met Dr. Mangor.† â€Å"Glaciologist from the University of New Hampshire,† Tolland said. â€Å"The fourth and final civilian scientist recruited by the President. And Ming here is correct, it was Mangor who figured it out.† â€Å"Okay,† Rachel said. â€Å"So what did this guy propose?† â€Å"Gal,† Ming corrected, sounding smitten. â€Å"Dr. Mangor is a woman.† â€Å"Debatable,† Corky grumbled. He looked over at Rachel. â€Å"And by the way, Dr. Mangor is going to hate you.† Tolland shot Corky an angry look. â€Å"Well, she will!† Corky defended. â€Å"She'll hate the competition.† Rachel felt lost. â€Å"I'm sorry? Competition?† â€Å"Ignore him,† Tolland said. â€Å"Unfortunately, the fact that Corky is a total moron somehow escaped the National Science Committee. You and Dr. Mangor will get along fine. She is a professional. She's considered one of the world's top glaciologists. She actually moved to Antarctica for a few years to study glacial movement.† â€Å"Odd,† Corky said, â€Å"I heard UNH took up a donation and sent her there so they could get some peace and quiet on campus.† â€Å"Are you aware,† Ming snapped, seeming to have taken the comment personally, â€Å"that Dr. Mangor almost died down there! She got lost in a storm and lived on seal blubber for five weeks before anyone found her.† Corky whispered to Rachel, â€Å"I heard no one was looking.† 26 The limousine ride back from the CNN studio to Sexton's office felt long for Gabrielle Ashe. The senator sat across from her, gazing out the window, obviously gloating over the debate. â€Å"They sent Tench to an afternoon cable show,† he said, turning with a handsome smile. â€Å"The White House is getting frantic.† Gabrielle nodded, noncommittal. She'd sensed a look of smug satisfaction on Marjorie Tench's face as the woman drove off. It made her nervous. Sexton's personal cellphone rang, and he fished in his pocket to grab it. The senator, like most politicians, had a hierarchy of phone numbers at which his contacts could reach him, depending on how important they were. Whoever was calling him now was at the top of the list; the call was coming in on Sexton's private line, a number even Gabrielle was discouraged to call. â€Å"Senator Sedgewick Sexton,† he chimed, accentuating the musical quality of his name. Gabrielle couldn't hear the caller over the sound of the limo, but Sexton listened intently, replying with enthusiasm. â€Å"Fantastic. I'm so pleased you called. I'm thinking six o'clock? Super. I have an apartment here in D.C. Private. Comfortable. You have the address, right? Okay. Looking forward to meeting you. See you tonight then.†