Why fear big business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why fear big business - Essay Example Capitalism is said to have begun in 1834 in England, another reason the cartoonist would want to use a European Knight. The late nineteenth century saw the US thoroughly changed by the Industrial Revolution from a principally agricultural state that ranked well behind England, France, and Germany to the world’s most formidable industrial power by it is today (Keene et al., pg. 56). Whereas many Americans celebrated the Industrial Revolution for the unparalleled material wealth and growth it brought to the society, others became concerned by some of the dingy significances of industrializations. The consequence of these disagreeing visions was an extreme debate over the appropriate role of the state in regulating the economy, the workers’ rights to form unions and advocate for better pay and working conditions. The emergence of big corporations in the late nineteenth century during the period of rapid economic growth saw the rise of very powerful men. The choice of color and placement in the drawing provokes only appreciation of the cartoonist’s work. All the objects the cartoonist uses to depict the situation that presented the American worker are thought for. Whereas the average worker has only the strike as the weapon, the large corporations have the power to bribe not only the press for favorable coverage but also to state officials suppressing the government for laws that were good for business. The two different onlookers, the comfortably-seated and widely-smiling business tycoons and the standing hunger-stricken workers help the viewer see how much disparity existed in America. While the handful of the tycoons on the left sit under a shade, there is no shade for the seemingly endless crowd. It symbolizes how malnourished the people are- something that is father supported by the look on the children’s face (Keene et al.,

Study Abroad Benefits Essay Example for Free

Study Abroad Benefits Essay The opportunity to study abroad during my college years would be a great experience. I believe studying overseas is an important, perhaps even necessary, event during college. There are many benefits to studying in another country, which include gaining a broader global perspective and learning about different cultures, religions and people. Knowledge gained from books and studying is important, but experiencing the world for oneself and learning outside the classroom is just as important. I believe that studying abroad would allow me to have a more comprehensive education, as I would learn so much more than I could gain from books. According to an article from the School of International Training, there are many benefits to studying abroad. One benefit is that you can gain new perspective on the world. You are able to learn through a cultural and academic experience from the inside out. It allows you to explore issues related to globalization, development, poverty, and social inequity from many different perspectives. When a student returns to the US, they will almost always see things differently: They can put themselves in someone else’s shoes more easily and have a better understanding of the world. Another benefit pointed out by SIT is increased language skills. Programs typically offer language study at the intermediate and advanced levels and beginning instruction in a less commonly taught language spoken by the local community. Often, courses will incorporate formal classroom instruction, discussion, and field exercises designed to enhance student engagement and improve oral and written competence. By using language skills in daily life, students can discover that they not only can survive but flourish in another country. According to UNT-International, studying abroad can improve your academic, professional and financial potential. International experience is a critical and very impressive part of any resume. In addition to the personal growth youll undergo while overseas, the international and cross-cultural interpersonal skills that students develop can expand their employment opportunities and income potential. Globally-minded employees are in high demand. Many companies seek out individuals with multi-lingual and multi-cultural experience and skills. Even more, while studying abroad, students can also take advantage of internships for an international work experience that is highly valued among U.S. employers. Students who undergo this will be able to, with their newly acquired skills, strengthen their resume in Americas increasingly ethnically and culturally diverse workforce. Finally, students typically make great gains in personal confidence and gain valuable insights into their own culture.

Report On Military Applications Of Gnss Information Technology Essay

Report On Military Applications Of Gnss Information Technology Essay Recent years have witnessed an increasingly use of GNSS technologies in diverse areas of human endeavours. Governments, organisations, individuals etc. are beginning to rely upon GNSS technology in finding solutions to problems in different fields of life (Spirent, 2002: 17). One obvious area where GNSS technology has been deployed successfully since the launching of satellite navigation is in military applications. Military applications of GNSS date back in 1978 when the first Global Positioning System was launched by US Department of Defence. Since then, many GNSS and associated navigation systems are being used in military mission fields. This report examines past and present military applications of GNSS; it also attempts to look into future of military applications in the context of emerging trends and developments in GNSS world. 1.2 Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) is generic term encompassing all satellite navigation systems that allows users to determine their locations by observing radio signals transmitted by GNSS satellites. First among them is the US Navigation by Satellite Ranging and Timing (NAVSTAR) Global Positioning System (GPS). Russian Global Navigation Satellites System (GLONASS) is the second generation of GNSS, conceived also as a military system.. The next generation of GNSS is the European Unions Galileo which is expected to be in full operation by early 2014. GNSS market is poised for revolution with the full deployment of Galileo constellation of satellites. Other Regional GNSS include Beidou operated by China, although through its Compass, China has planned to launch satellite navigation system with global coverage. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is another GNSS in the development. Uncertainty still trail IRNSS project since India entered into partnership with Russian GLONASS. QZSS is another regional navigation system operated by Japan. It is developed to supplement GPS signals in Japan and neighbouring areas. Besides these, there are other regional GNSS space-based augmentation systems aim to improve the performance of GPS/GLONASS. The major regional augmentation systems are WAAS, EGNOS (European Geostationary National Overlay Service), MTSAT-Based Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) in Japan and Indian GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) GPS and GLONASS stand out among the list when it comes to military applications. GPS and GLONASS have been used in many military operations. 1.3 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) US Global Positioning System (GPS) was designed as a dual-use technology (civilian and military use). The positioning service available to civil users is called Standard Positioning Service, while that of the military is called Precise Positioning Service. GPSs Precise Positioning Service (PPS) is used for most military applications. Precise Positioning Service is restricted to only US military, NATO forces, and other users licensed by US Government. The encrypted precise code signals P(Y) and M-code are used for military applications. M- Code is a new signal being to realise the fundamental aim of achieving precise and accurate navigation services for military applications. These signals are broadcasted in link 1 (L1) and link 2 (L2) bands. L1C-d and L1C-p signals will be added to the PPS users under the GPS phased modernisation programme (Groves, 2008: 12). In times of navigation data messages, MNAV message broadcasts are broadcast on M-code signals. GPS is presently undergoing p hased restructuring and modernisation and it is expected that new programme will ensure that existing users are transmitted P(Y) code while the new users are transmitted new M code (Kaplan and Hegarty (2006: 654). 1.4. GLONASS Like GPS, GLONASS was conceived as a military system but designed to offer both military and civil positioning service (Groves 2008: 17). GLONASS P code signals are used for military applications and transmitted in both bands LI and L2 with frequencies 1592.95MHz 1613.86MHz and 1237.83 MHz 1256MHz respectively (Groves, 2008: 19). GLONASS K, fully modernised satellites are set to broadcast new signals that will improve the accuracy of military operations. 2.0 GNSS Positioning Requirements: The positioning principles are basically the same for GNSS systems. Generally, a GNSS receiver records three or more satellites signals to determine a 2 dimensional coordinates, while four or more signals are needed for 3 dimensional coordinates. The accuracy of GNSS position solution depends on the type of GNSS device used and application under consideration. Accuracy: Accuracy is a critical factor in military applications. GPS was launched because of the military requirements for high accurate global navigation (Len, 2007:185). In case of timing service, military operations require precise time transfer for synchronization of equipment and various operations (Len 2007: 184). The GPS PPS offers horizontal accuracy of 1.2m and vertical accuracy of 1.9m based on 24 satellite constellations (Groves, 2008). With its modernisation program, GLONASS is set to compete with GPS as it planned to achieve the same positioning accuracy with GPS. The Galileo Public-Regulated Service (PRS) has a lower accuracy when compared to that of GPS PPS; it has horizontal accuracy of 3m and vertical accuracy of 6m, much more lower to its Open Service (Groves, 2008: 20) Availability: Availability is also of the important characteristics of GNSS performance. Availability of navigation system is defined by US Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) as the percentage of time that the services of the system are within the required performance limits (Wang et al 2006: 1). Global availability of GNSS for military applications is expected to increase with the ongoing modernisation of GLONASS. GLONASS K satellites when fully launched will improve the accuracy of P code for military applications. India has partnered with Russia in the GLONASS project, and it is expected that India and other countries will have access GLONASS military signals for their mission operations and equipment testing. Aside from GPS military signals, more countries are today using civil signals in many military missions and equipment testing. Integrity: GPS will have full integrity monitoring and alert system as the fourth segment when the modernisation programme is completed. GLONASS K satellites will broadcast integrity information and differential corrections in L3 band. Similarly, Galileo will broadcast integrity alerts and some differential corrections. 2.1 GNSS Markets GNSS technology is naturally divided into two broad markets/applications civil / commercial markets and military markets. The user equipment used in military applications can be classified into two types: (i) GNSS receivers operated by human beings such as handheld type, human operated receivers on ships, aircrafts and vehicles (Len, 2007: 184 -185) (ii) Autonomous receivers these are not dependent of any human operation and usually integrated with inertial sensors. They are used in guided missile programs and newer military applications. Comparison between Military and Civil Receivers Military Civil Frequencies L1, L2 L1 and /or L1, L2 (L5 on 11F satellites Codes P(Y), M, C/A, C C/A and C (on modernised satellites Size/weight/power Card, handheld, receiver unit Chips, handheld, receiver unit Navigation accuracy 1m to 5m 5m to 10m Anti interference Greater than 54 dB Usually not more than 24 dB Integration A/J antennas, communications, inertial sensors Speed/heading sensors, communications, GIS, inertial sensors Adapted from (Len 2007: 183) 3.0 Military Applications of GNSS Of all GNSS, GPS has been most widely used in military applications. Essentially, GPS was developed to satisfy military requirements for a global positioning, navigation and timing service. (Kaplan, and Hegarty, 2006: 654). Military application of GPS started in late 1970s when GPS was used for weapon testing in the then US Navy Submarine Launched Ballistic Program (SLBM). GPS was used to track the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles from a ship as the missile travelled down the Atlantic (Len, 2007: 174). The GPS military equipment used for the missile testing then made use of translator. Subsequently, other weapon testing was conducted in the air and ground vehicles (Len, 2007: 177). Today, GPS can be deployed to variety of military applications. Some of these include: target acquisition; missile guidance, search and rescue; coordinate bombing; precision survey, instrument approach; antisubmarine warfare; range instrumentation; remotely piloted vehicle operations; barebase operati ons; close air support; en route navigation; command and control; field artillery and shore bombardment; rendezvous, sensor emplacement etc. (Len, 2007: 177 -178). Other military applications of GNSS include mine location, enemy radar location, Special Forces intelligence gathering etc (Dye and Baylin, 1997: 82). 3.1 GNSS/ Inertial Integration Systems: GNSS such as GPS has been proved to be weak in term of providing high quality and reliable position solution (Spirent, 2010). Thus inertial sensors are being used in many applications to complement GNSS. Inertial navigation system is a small, self contained device that uses inertial sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) to calculate position and velocity solution of a moving object (Logsdon, 1995: 39). It makes use of dead reckoning navigation system (Groves 2008: 7). Using GPS measurements, INS navigation solution is calibrated and corrected via integration algorithm (Groves and Long, 2005: 2). GPS/INS integration is popular in the guided weapons and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) where low cost sensors are used (Groves and Long, 2005: 2). INS function independently of GNSS signals susceptible to jamming, interference, enemy manipulation and other distortions and are therefore used in many military applications (Dye and Baylin, 1997: 13). Examples of practical applications of GNSS/ INS based solutions are given in the report. Advantages of GNSS/INS based solution: INS offers continuous navigation operations; it provides high-bandwidth output (50 Hz) and low short-term noise; it also provides attitude, angular rate, and acceleration measurements as well as position and velocity (Groves and Long 2005: 419) (Groves 2008: 8). GPS provides a high accuracy which does not drift with time(Groves and Long, 2005: 419) Disadvantages of GNSS/INS based solution: The accuracy of INS output is degraded with time thus necessitating the need to calibrate the errors (Groves 2008: 8). Unlike INS, GNSS has lower bandwidth (1Hz), more noisier than that INS and does not usually include altitude (Groves and Long 2005: 419, 420) One obvious challenge in the military use of GNSS is issue of deliberate jamming and interference by the enemies. GPS receivers have been found to be susceptible to jamming due to low signal power of GPS signal. This trend has raised a concern to US Department of Defence in the recent years thus signalling the programme of developing various anti-jamming techniques to mitigate these effects. Recent anti jamming technologies include nulling of antennas and ultra tight coupling of the GPS and the inertial sensors (Kaplan, and Hegarty (2006: 656). 3.2 Practical Applications of GPS in Precision Guidance In 1991, US army and its allies successfully deployed GPS in the attack to rescue oil rich Kuwait after its invasion by Iraq in an operation tagged Operation Desert Storm. GPS receivers were fitted in the military aircrafts and helicopters, bombs were dropped from these aircrafts as targeted thus eliminating unwanted casualties. GPS receivers were used to know the coordinates of the targets so that the weapons can be delivered accurately. In 1995, GPS was also deployed during the Bosnia war by the combined US and NATO forces in a campaign tagged Operation Deliberate Force. Military aircrafts operating from their base in Italy were fully equipped with GPS equipment in the strike against the Bosnia Serb forces. Perhaps, the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is the most impressive breakthrough GPS has achieved in area of precision guidance. JDAM is an independent, tail kit with gravity bomb; it is usually mounted on the military fighter jets and uses GPS/INS guidance to deliver the target (Cozzens, 2006). JDAM has the capability of working in all weather conditions and its accuracy is not dependent on the altitude (Cozzens, 2006). JDAM recorded 9.6m accuracy during their testing. JDAM have been successfully deployed in many operations. For example, in June 2006, US Air Force successfully used GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition equipped with GPS precision guidance to kill former Iraq terrorist leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi in his house (Cozzens, 2006). Once on the air, GPS/INS guidance enables the gravity bomb to be delivered accurately at the targets (Cozzens, 2006). In case of GLONASS, Russian military has deployed GLONASS military signals in many missions (Len, 2007: 189). Russian Federation Airforce recently developed latest KAB family of weapons called KAB 500S. KAB 500S is a guided bomb similar to that of US JDAM. KAB 500S can be dropped from aircraft at altitudes of 500 to 10,000 metres and airspeeds of 550 to 1,100 kilometres per hour (Deagel, 2007). It uses GLONASS Military code and INS to strike the targets (Len, 2007: 189). The third generation GNSS, Galileo has encrypted signal Public Regulated Service that may be used for military applications in the near future. 4.0 GNSS Future and Military Applications: The GNSS have made giant strides in military applications particularly in area of guided weaponry and smart bombs. GPS-aided munitions, ranging from artillery shells to smart shells have proved to be a reliable technology in recent time in times of accuracy (Lucio, (2002), (Wells, (2001). Countries all over the world will continue to embrace these technologies as cheaper GPS/INS coupled munitions are being produced to meet the requirements for accurate, precise timing and navigation solutions in the land, air and sea in near future. Current developments in GNSS industry like new signals and constellations acquisition will usher new era of high accurate military based satellite navigation. The separation of GPS signals for military and civilian use will lessen the effects of jamming and interference in military operations coupled with high signal power of new M code. GPS new military code will improve the anti-jamming capability of the system as current modernisation programme will make it autonomous. Non coherence integration of the acquisition circuit of the new military code will enhance the performance of the system in the presence of noise and jamming (Betz et al, 2005: 45, 46). In the area of system integrity, modernization programme of GPS and GLONASS will offer users more reliable measurements as they will have options to validate GNSS measurements. Presently, only GPS and GLONASS are used for military applications. I look at future where GNSS will be more available for military applications. More countries will be authorised to have access to GPS P(Y) code in near future and others will want develop their own SBASs. For example, Nigeria has developed its own SBAS called NIGCOMSAT with coverage only in Nigeria for now. Modernised GPS civil signals will continue to be used by countries not authorised to use P(Y) code. Only, recently, Russian Government announced that GLONASS military signals will be freely made available to any country that want to use them. Already, India and Russian have agreed to collaborate on GLONASS project (Len, 2007: 190). It is expected that more Countries will enter into agreements with Russian when GLONASS constellation of satellites are fully deployed in the orbit. China is making steady progress on its Compass project and is poised to use the system to strengthen its national security. Finally, GNSS industry is geared for revolution when Galileo is fully operationalised in next few years. Galileo has an encrypted signal PRS which has potentials for military applications. It is already been speculated that this may be used for military applications in the near future, although Galileo is purely conceived as a civilian system.

Photography Essay -- Film, Photo Identification, Photjournalism

It is hard to find an aspect of the humanities that photography did not impact. Throughout all of history and the advancements made in technology photography has been used to do everything from prove a theory in science, to record a special event in a person’s life. In today’s modern world the impact of photography can be seen daily. Developments such as Photo identification, films, photojournalism, and thousands of other advances in life have all come from photography. Though all these aspects of photography are amazing in themselves, the true element of photography that made it such an impactful advancement in the humanities was its ability to capture a moment in time, and give the middle-class an understandable and relatively cheap new artistic medium. Though the discovery that an image could reflect on to another surface came around in the early fifth century (Hirsh, 2000), it wasn’t until around the 1800’s that inventors started really trying to create something that both scientists and the middle-class could use to capture an accurate image of their subjects (Kleiner & Maymiam, 2005). During this period of time only the rich upper-class were able to capture images of their familes and important aspects of their lives through a type of art called realism. This technique involved many hours of painting and siting in one area for a long time, and was very expensive. Scientists were also having troubles with their studies because they had no accurate ways to record key discoveries, because of this, inventors realized that still photography would be an invention people would be willing to invest in. If they found a way to create a device that would capture images like a painting not only would they sell to scientists, t hey wou... ...ce and effect on how we view history, how we live today, and how we will live in the future cannot be denied. Photography brought new challenges for artists, created new artists, and with it new forms of artwork. Photography also recorded great moments in history and scientific discoveries that, if they had not been captured may have been lost forever. Photography has also helped develop advertising, and spread news throughout the world; it has helped in development of new inventions such as film and digital artwork. Like many other great advancements photography not only became more advanced as time went on, it spawned many new inventions and advancements in technology that may not have been found before it. These advancements have impacted the world of humanities in countless ways and will most likely continue to do so for all of mankind’s continued existence.

Faust- Romantic Hero Essay

In the intellectual history of Europe, Johann Wolfgang yon Goethe is central to the development of Romantic thinking, which was contemporary in his day. Goethe attempted to see the world in a new light; he reconsiders old questions of good and evil, as well as questions about human nature. The story of Faust allows such considerations. Romantics strive for something beyond their reach, beyond anyone’s reach. Contentment is not their goal. One place that we see Faust’s striving is in his conversation on â€Å"unrest† with Wagner (699-702). Just as Wagner illustrates the normal academic who thinks that books hold all the answers he needs, Faust as a Romantic has come both to realize the limitations of what’s in books and to be unwilling to accept those limitations. Wagner thinks Faust should enjoy the reputation he has as a doctor among the peasants, but Faust knows the reputation is a sham. He and his father were in truth helpless against the ravages of the plague (although they obviously at least comforted the sick). Faust’s aspirations permit him to make a bargain with Mephistopheles, especially since a part of the bet involves Mephistopheles’ belief that Faust will eventually enjoy contentment. Rather than seeking knowledge, which had been a goal of the Faust of German and English tradition, Goethe’s Faust seeks experience and feeling. This also makes his quest apart of the Romantic tradition. The Romantic hero must approach life’s mysteries by active participation, not by reflection. When Faust and Mephistopheles see the witch for her medicine, what Faust wants is youth, so that he can experience what he may have missed while he was absorbed in his studies. And what he comes to want then is Margaret, the peasant maid who looks like a beauty to the revitalized man. The Romantic has spiritual goals, but they’re usually outside of conventional religions. We see this most directly in the scene between Gretchen and Faust. She wants him to be a Christian, but Faust’s spirituality cannot be contained by dogma. To follow this Romantic thread, think of Christianity as a revealed religion, embraced by the European and German society of the time. It made many late eighteenths and early nineteenth century people feel safe and secure. You can see how this picture of comfort might fall outside of the Romantic’s striving, since he seeks a mystery beyond the conventional. The Romantic hero must be willing to break free of bounds, no matter the consequences. Another key romantic characteristic is a faith in nature as a creative source, as both a source of comfort and energy. Faust expresses his enthusiasm early when he contrasts the value of experiencing nature with the deadness of books (685). What impresses him about Easter is the revitalizing force of spring rather than the story of Jesus (695-6). It is the exalted spirit of nature that he credits with allowing him to penetrate Gretchens heart, and that he credits with giving him the companion Mephistopheles 747-48 -48). Conclusion Besides a faith in nature, romantics idealize childhood and women, seeing in them a purity and honesty of emotions that are difficult to attain in the intellectual and adult worlds. This romanticism can be seen in Goethe’s plotting, as he has the church bell remind Faust of his childhood so that the character does not commit suicide early in the play. Also, the love affair with Gretchen leads to the drama’s climax. References Faust Supplemented Study Guide: Retrieved from World Wide Web http://faculty. southwest. tn. edu/llipinski/ENGL2320T201/content/lesson18_handout. htm Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Faust, Publisher, Oxford University Press, 1998.

Life Is Beautiful Movie Essay

Toribio Part A All of the qoutations pretty much tells the same message. But for me Rabbi Barry H Block’s qoutation most strongly captures the essense of the film. As i read the qoutation †hope and laughter can bring light into even the darkest corner† affect me,it is because our country is in the list of poorest countries in the world. We need to work everyday under the sun just to buy food for our families. One thing that i am proud of being filipino is you can’t really tell if we have a problem because we are always smiling. One thing that makes every filipino happy is a karaoke machine,there is no family who doesn’t have one. I remember when I was still in the Philippines we sing for forever until we get the 100% score and we even sing until dawn. Thats why were proud of Jessica Sanchez 2nd runner up of American Idol because she get to show other people what filipinos got. Even if people don’t have any food or money in there we have our neighbours who shares what they have,that is love and were still smile and laugh even though deep inside were not. I focused more on the word †laughter† because it is really the best medicine. This response is more on emotional that intelectual because i experienced it before. Part B The three aspects of the film that illustrate the healing effect of story on human life are the direction,the funny scenes and the music. The way Roberto Benigni directed the film he is showing that life is not about laughter only. At first I didn’t expect the film to have a lonely part, in life you don’t know what is going to happen next and what to expect. One funny scene that i love is when Dora is been stung by a wasp and Guido asked her if she is stung in other places. The music of the movie is so calming and everytime I hear it I feel like I’m in a disco or a dance ball in the 90’s.

Marketing Plan for Sony Xpreia Essay

The following report is a marketing plan for Sony Ericson Mobile in Australia for the 2012-2013 financial year. The Sony Ericson brand continues to grow in unpopularity after several years of underperformance. This has occurred due to Sony Ericson trying desperately to hold onto its premium brand image that comes with a high cost and not focusing its resources on finding the right target market that suites its technology and innovation. The marketing plan will focus on the mobile market and critically analyse this market in Australia. Also analysing Sony Ericson as a company, as well as its competitors, customers and SWOT analysis. Sony Ericson has missed a critical market that its innovative technology would fit perfectly with. This report will argue that by incorporating the tween market through this marketing plan Sony Ericson will be able to stop the growth in unpopularity that it has created over the last few years. Introduction In this report the Sony xperaplay smart phone will be critically analysed in terms of its market segmentation, current objectives, the market it targets, Sony occupies an irreplaceable position in the gaming world, and its subsidiary, Sony Ericsson, also has strong competitiveness in the mobile phone industry. Sony combined mobile techniques with their own gaming technology, which created the Sony Ericson Xperia Play. Xperia Play is a mobile phone with incredible game function which is targeted at young adults and gamers, and has a good reputation within the customers. The marketing strategy that was implemented has directly targeted a specific market, young adults. As a result of this it has made the product have a fairly subjective target market which Sony can seek to increase potential target market by repositioning the Xpera Play phone towards a younger audience. This campaign will reposition it to focus on tweens. Situational Analysis Sony Ericson currently targets older teenagers through to young adults for its mobile phone. But it seems that the mobile phone is lost within this market as the market share the xperiaplay holds compared to many other smart phones in this market is very small, Even thou Sony Ericson is a well known and well respected brand. The drop is caused due to the fact that Sony have been targeting the wrong market. Company Analysis The marketing decision makers for Sony Ericson are the Senior Brand Marketing Manager. Sony Ericson has not been consistent in promotional activities for its mobile phones. Mostly the brand focuses on trying to hold its premium image with marketing mostly focusing on its premium range of smart phones. This has reflected in its sales, it has made consecutive losses since 2010. The most likely reason for its lack of successful campaigns is the lack of resources dedicated to designing and implementing campaigns to attract the right target audience, which is why the company continues to make losses and lose market share. PESTL Analysis Political Proposed legislation such as the carbon tax which will raise prices of shipping. Many businesses have had to raise the cost of their products to make a profit. Also this tax affects outlet stores in terms of electricity charges, which will again raise the prices of mobile phones as business tend to pass on the cost to consumers rather than bearing it themselves. Economic While the global financial crisis has affected a plethora of industries, The Australian economy has remained relatively strong with per capita households spending an average of $40000 (CIA 2010). Despite this consumers have cut back on spending, specifically on items such as food, entertainment, clothing, cars and mobile phones. Ergo the economy is slowing down because consumers are not spending enough money; This affects the sales of mobile phones majority because consumers are not spending enough money on replacing or updating their mobile phones or on entertainment. Also another economic factor is the high Aussie dollar causes imports to be cheaper because countries such as china which manufacture the product have a low rate currency. This means that the companies are able to import more products for a lower price. Socio-cultural Recent consumer trends within the gaming product market are driving a new theme of product innovation. Today’s society tends to be busy and on-the-move and want to increase their leisure time at their own discretion. To meet the needs of consumers, companies are innovating gaming products making it more mobile. In addition the functionality of the multiplayer platform has created a whole new range of social aspects where consumers are able to interact with each other. Technology Technology can be utilized as an advantage within the industry as it provides the ability to design and create new products and expand or promote to specific target markets via interacting with consumers on an online basis. Technology has allowed the ability of online shopping as consumers are leaning towards this option as the most popular option of shopping. The internet has opened up a whole new market with the use of social media networks and websites companies can easily target a global target market. As the rate of technology is increasing consumers are able to communicate with each other on a social multiplayer platform where content may be purchased online and downloaded straight to their device. Legal Sony company has always been one of the main victims of the piracy in game industry. The characteristics of this phone are powerful game function, but it also made it easy to create pirating games. Compared with Sony’s genuine products, pirated products have a huge price advantage, the fact that they are mostly free, and this does attract a lot of people try to obtain these game products illegally, and that is the reason Sony has to use the Copyright law to protect their game products, so their game products can make a maximum profit Rating System for games is required, Users are able to download a lot of games to this phone through the network, according to the Rating System, which these games have to limit the players from downloading content not suited to their age. This is needed to protect kids from Violence and pornography. SWOT Analysis Strengths Remains as a one of the kind device that could become a big hit Not many phones competing in the same category Tactile buttons provide more immersive gaming experience Delivering console quality games Designed portable gaming in mind Include a game pad with input controls and interface recognizable to hardcore gamers. Multi touch gadget powered by Android Gingerbread is one of best versions of Android OS†¦ Weakness’s Release of two more phones from the Xperia line during the same time Not many people buy just for gaming purposes Touch screen gaming controls are not as responsive and precise Suffer key hardware limitations Lacks 4G LTE, HDMI port Touch sensitive circle are not as responsive and don’t replace the precision of actual joysticks Touch sensitive circles are just not as responsive as we would like, and do not replace actual joysticks. Android games don’t support the controller buttons No backups for downloaded games/ purchased games CPU AND GUP not the best Display has poor viewing angles No smart dialing and shutter key†¦ Opportunities A new open market Parent company Sony owns EA and many other gaming companies games can be adapted to be able to be played on the xperia Can earn a lot of revenue from game purchases and applications Better quality Games compared to other phones Exceptional online experience to grow a customer base Strong customer demand High percentage of young adult market High disposable income in rising market Threats Chain stores not wanting to stock a new niche mobile phone independent stores not wanting to store Sony Ericsson phones Retail stores wanting bigger discounts to sell phone because of popularity of competitors models Competitor products such as iphone, htc, Motorola Aussie dollar going back down Retail stores having preferred suppliers or contracted with particular suppliers and having a non compete Competitors copying the innovation of PSP phone and supplying at a cheaper price Fully fledged gaming devices such as DS Objectives Mission Statement Sony Ericson mission statement: â€Å"To provide quality end to end communications services to both retail and small to medium corporate customers† and â€Å"To give them the most help we ever can in the most professional way†. Market Objectives Maintain and increase sales in specific target market. Advance and open up new market for kids and teenagers. Increase the brand awareness among the target market; to measure this objective, the organization will conduct interviewer-led surveys in shopping centers or on the street every three months. Increase the brand share by 1% within two years, which will be confirmed by periodically checking the brand share chart for growth indication. Establish multi-channel retail practice, especially focusing on internet retail, to expand sales. Adapt and respond to the wide consumer needs of products. Sales objectives Increase sales by 15% in first year. Increase sales by 30% over three years. Increase market share to 20% of the total target market segment within three years. Communication objectives Set up feedback section for Xplay on website Increasing Feedback questionnaire response rates Competition There are 100’s of companies which make thousands of mobiles phones. Which break down further into smart phones and non smart phones. This makes the mobile phone market very competitive. The average price of mobile phones in Australia range between $300 and $800. Sony Ericson phones tend to price in the premium range with their mobile phones ranging from 700 – 900 AUD, Which limits the retail segment for Sony Ericson even further. The main competitor for Sony Ericson is the Iphone, as it has the largest share market of any phone. A selection of the primary target market competitors is found in table 1. A secondary group of target can be found in figure 1.They are secondary only because of they are not as used as the primary competitors and others do not compete in the mobile phone market but in the game market. These are still considered competitors due to the type of phones Sony Ericson make which has a heavy focus on gaming. Primary Secondary Iphone Alcatel Samsung Blackberry Nokia Amoi HTC Sonim LG Playstation Portable Motorola Nintendo DS Competitive Advantage Sony Ericson currently is the only brand that is making a mobile phone combined with a portable gaming device. Sony Ericson mobile phones are made by Sony which is a multinational company owning many companies in many areas. Including gaming, Sony owns EA, one of the leading gaming brands in the world. Sony Ericson is one of the most well known mobile phone brands in the world. Sony Ericson has innovative designs and materials, which is appealing to the target market. Customer Analysis Even though the product is a smart phone, price is a major factor for the Australian consumer. The primary consumer is primarily young in age, and they demand value for money at a competitive price. The product must also fulfil their everyday needs. The other factors that are important to the consumer are quality, comfort, function, style, design, speed, image, status, power, and functionality, variety of apps and games and durability. Target market Segmentation and Positioning Profile market segments Geographic segmentation People can purchase the Xperia play anywhere in the world. Entire Australia will be the target market for this product, but mainly focuses on the three biggest cities, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Demographic segmentation Xperica Play targets this product for Tweens age between 12 to 15. Generally young people do not have a high income they may have to persuade parents to purchase this product. Psychographic segmentation These days’ young people are experiencing a rapid lifestyle which leads them to save time including spending time to play games. The sales potential for this specific product is high as little kids enjoy playing video games and interact with their school friends. Targeting Tweens (12 – 15) The sales potential for this specific market is high as little kids enjoy playing video games and with this product they are able to interact with their school friends. Tweens will be able use the ability of pester power to allow their parents to purchase the Xperia Play for them. There for the price of the product may be moderate as they consumers parents have the income to pay for the expenses. There is also a large market share as tweens receive their first phone and they will be influenced by the video game functions. Young Adults (16 – 25) The sales potential is for this specific market is high as the age group has a moderate income and will be likely paying for their own expenses therefore they will be able to make their own decisions on what product to purchase. The cost structure can be moderate as they will have sufficient funds to pay for the Xperia Play. The Market share for this market is high as the consumers are able to purchase their own applications at their discretion. Other 26+ The sales potential for this specific market is fairly low as the age group has inadequate time to pursue the leisure activity of gaming. Although this market may have greater income the phone may not have the functionality that this market is looking for. The competitive situation is not that good as this market may be looking for a product that provides better communication functions opposed to video game functions. Select Target Segments Tweens of the ages of 12 – 15 tend to have a large amount of leisure time; the large majority enjoys new technology. The specific Target market locations will be in Australian located in the major cities. The use of Pester Power amongst tweens may persuade parents to purchase this product increasing total sales. Tweens tend to be more social, opposed to older generations because they have more free time available, Tweens have the opportunity to react with each other, and this can be an opportunity to allow the consumers to utilize the multiplayer functions leading to multiple purchases by peers increasing the total revenue. Xperia play will attract the target market with the phones functionalities, lower price range as the target may have lower income, social benefits and essentially the video games. After careful analysis and evaluation, the target market segment chosen will offer the greatest potential for the product and consumers. It provides maximum sales potential increasing the sales revenue and total market share, and will have a competitive advantage within the young audience. Positioning The Sony Xperia play will undertake a market positioning strategy where the target market will perceive a valuable offering in relation to competitors. The experience that the Xperia can provide is of a fun nature opposed to a professional business nature as a fundamental aspect is the slide out gaming functionality. The phone has a very innovative design and functions; the price of the phone will be of a moderate price as the target market chosen tend to go for the cheaper options. Although the price of the mobile phone may not be expensive, a high quality must be met as customer generated media can play a vital role in the decision making process of consumers. The service that will be provided is comprehensive; it has a specific market where owners of an Xperia Play are able to purchase and download various games and applications which will be of high convenience in regards to the user’s discretion. Following these set of attributes will help position the Xperia play to the assigned target market and provide a competitive advantage in relation to other products. The target market segments will perceive this product as the dominant offering. Product Xperia Play is a gaming mobile phone with incredible function which is targeted at young adults (age 12 to 15) and gamers. The phone has a very innovative design and functions; the price of the phone will be of a moderate price as the target market chosen tend to go for the cheaper options. Brand name highly impact on the target market due to the variety of good quality related with technology. Sony’s slogan is meant to make people smile, so it tried to design mobiles like Xperia Play to deliver the Sony’s purpose. Sony encourages their customers to buy this mobile phone by giving guarantee for their high quality products. Place Mobile phones will be sold through online retail stores, big Australian retail stores such as JB HIFI, etc, as well as smaller retail stores, Telco’s such as Telstra, Optus etc online store as well as retail stores, Stores specializing in mobile phones such as crazy johns, all phones etc, Sony Ericson’s own retail stores and its online website, department stores and Technology stores. The opportunity exists to expand the distribution network in all areas listed. However the main outlets to target are Telco’s as this is the first stop where consumers go to buy mobile phones, the second would be bigger retail stores such as JB HIFI as they have a larger customer base and the ability to attract more customers, the third main outlet to target would be specialized mobile phone stores such as crazy johns and all phones as they constantly are advertising and attracting new customers as their main focus is mobile devices, these outlets must be targeted throughout Australia. A selection distribution policy will be undertaken for the Sony Ericson mobile phone range, the main focus will be on customers mainly tweens who have not owned a smart phone before and are upgrading to one, but the priority will remain with tweens who enjoy gaming. Price The Sony Xperia play phone ensures that a high standard of quality is present whilst having an appropriate selling price that is both beneficial for the company and contains a positive perceived value towards the customers. The mobile phone will be introduced through mobile phone service companies and their plans with additional costs, such as Telstra, Vodafone, Optus etc, and will provide a range of packages and discounts to create a satisfying option for the consumers. As consumers are aware of various other phones and deals that are arising within the market a mid-to-low price range that is competitive in relation to other phones will be evident, as it also relates to the target market of tweens. In addition various pricing policies will be needed according to different functionality of the device such as memory which can relate to a variety of customer’s needs. The price that is chosen will allow the company to maximize their benefits as well as customer satisfaction, the price may be reduced to allow for a competitive advantage and the revenue will be received through the use of the phones applications and video games designed specifically for the phone that may be purchased on the online market. Promotion The phone appears on Sony Ericsson’s official website as well as some mobile phone retailers’ Web sites, so re-set up a special introduction is necessary, set up some special entertainment features on the official website of the Xperia play, such as virtual phone system experience, the online game demos, in order to improve user interaction. Television Xperia play will spend $100,000 on television advertisements during peak times where tweens would be watching TV, this is justified as tweens spend on average about 35% of their time watching television, The time that is most suitable is before and after school, on such television channels featuring cartoons and such television shows such as The Shak, Total Girl, Toasted TV etc. The advertisement will be relative to the target market as they are presented during the specific time. Printed Media Xperia play will be promoted through magazines considering that tweens are the second largest market for magazines having a market share of 50%. Magazines such as K-zone, total girl, KIDS, M.A.D. will be sold with vouchers for the Play station network. When purchasing these particular style of magazines usually they customer will receive promotional items, therefore there will be available game demos within the magazine. Public Transport Various imagery of posters will be placed on public transport on specific bus routes located around the streets of primary schools. This will allow maximum awareness throughout the target market of tweens as they will be exposed to the media on buses trains and bus stops. Official website and Forums Gaming forums are popular amongst tweens due to the fact that they can provide information regarding the video games such as hints, cheats and walkthrough guides. The Xperia Play will be implemented throughout these particular websites containing imagery and videos related to the xperia play and contain various reviews. Consumers will be able to gain information about the xperia play and its applications, registered accounts will also receive weekly emails offering a range of discounts and download vouchers Evaluation and Control – Campaign evaluation is a critical component of the plan as is the justification for the overall effectiveness of the campaign in the core areas. There are a range of factors that can determine the effectiveness of a marketing plan as shown in figure 3, such as: ï‚ · Brand awareness – this will be achieved through surveys of the awareness of mobile phone brands on consumers ï‚ · Consumer attitudes – this can be achieved through surveys done on the general public in regards to Sony Ericson and if they’re brand is a good or bad brand. ï‚ · Test promotion activities – this can be achieved through evaluating if sales are on an upward trend as well as brand awareness since the launch of the plan ï‚ · Review marketing mix – this can be achieved through evaluating sales and profit to see if they have gone up, it means the marketing mix is effective ï‚ · Sales review – this can be achieved through evaluating sales to see if they have gone up, it means the marketing mix is effective ï‚ · Profit review – this can be achieved through evaluating profit to see if they have gone up, it means the marketing mix is effective ï‚ · Review company objectives reviews – this can be achieved through evaluating the entire marketing plan to see if it has been effective in achieving the original objective if not it has to be altered. ï‚ · Market share – this will be achieved through surveys on websites such as Facebook etc. of what brand of mobile phone individuals own. Figure 3 The marketing team will approach various kids’ magazines and the Sunday mail. Websites The Management team will contact various gaming websites in order to promote the product throughout their sites The website development team will edit the website to allow consumers to gain relative information. Public Transport The Marketing team will contact Translink in order to allow the approval of promotional items suitable posters will be placed at public transport areas Television advertisement The Marketing team will gather various information on the most appropriate times to view advertisements for the specific product, it will allow maximum brand awareness to the target market Bundle Pack The Management team will contact various mobile phone service companies and give acknowledgement of specific offers In store Testing The Management team will ship out testing devices to mobile phone service companies so that consumers are able to experience the device Evaluate campaign The main managers and CEO will go through intense analysis of the situation to evaluation every aspect of the marketing plan in order to provide additional help where needed to ensure that the objectives are met by the deadline. Conclusion/ Recommendation This report set outs the marketing plan for the Sony Xperia play mobile phone in Australia. As outlined in the report, the target market consists of the target market of tweens that are aged from 12 to 15. The sales objective was to increase sales by 15% within the first year and 30% within three years and increases the market share by 20% over three years. The main marketing objectives are to main and increase sales within the specific target market of tweens and increase the total brand awareness. Essentially the Xperia play will be reposition to adapt and respond to a wide consumer need of products. Promotion activities will include magazine, newspaper, websites, Public Transport areas, Television advertisements and mobile phone bundle packs References ^ The Definition of Marketing. American Marketing Association.http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Pages/DefinitionofMarketing.aspx. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 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