Thursday, January 30, 2020
Key learning point Essay Example for Free
Key learning point Essay Power refers to the extent to which one can satisfy their target goals, needs or desires. Power can be used either to dominate or control the other, or can be used to work together with the other party involved. Whichever way power is used it gives one an edge over the other party in negotiations. Information provides an important source and a means of acquiring power. Reason for Selection: Informational power comes from a personââ¬â¢s ability to assemble data to support his positions, arguments, or desired outcomes. This resource provides an important tool in challenging the other partyââ¬â¢s position, or undermine their arguments or propositions during negotiations. Application to a business or personal situation: A year ago, I was talking to a doctor who was new at one of the centers I am marketing my pharmaceutical products. The doctor openly rubbished my product saying he had absolutely no scope for it in his medical practice basing his argument on the position of a respected doctor in the area of medicine in which my product is applied. What this doctor did not know is that from my market survey on my product and competitor brands momentum in the market, the doctor he claimed was the top prescriber of my product in that town . I provided the evidence and within a month I received a call from my manager that the doctor had placed an LPO for my product. Action or steps taken to improve: I read widely and extensively on new trends in my area of work; undertake market survey on different issues; seek the opinion of experts; attend seminars and conferences on various topics; and in general try to keep an open mind, maintain my curiosity about life and watch informative programs. References Squidoo (2010). A goldmine of journal Writing Prompts. Retrieved on 30th July, 2010, from http://www. squidoo. com/journalwritingprompts
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Gun Ownership and Gun Control in Canada Essay -- firearms weapons gun
Gun Ownership and Gun Control in Canada The Oscar-won documentary ââ¬ËBowling for Columbineââ¬â¢ has aroused peopleââ¬â¢s awareness of gun ownership and gun control issues. Should gun ownership be banned or should guns be controlled? Does gun ownership create a violent society? The answer is not measurable, however, from the firearm situation between America and Canada, the answer is more obvious. America probably has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world. In Canada, the percentage of Canadian households with a rifle is approximately equal to the level in United States. According to the statistics of gun murder rates around the world from ââ¬ËBowling for columbineââ¬â¢, America has 11,127 gun accidents while Canada merely has 165. Is the number of gun ownerships a main factor behind a violent society? Indeed weapon does not commit crimes, the perpetrator does. As well, most crimes do not involve licensed gun owners. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police estimated the pool of illegal handguns in Canada to be about 50,000. Shockingly, in New York City alone, conservative estimation put the number of illegal handguns at over 700,000. Well, it seems the firearm problem in United States is worsened by the illegal gun owners. So, who should own guns? To the members of NRA (National Rifle Association), anyone who interested in shooting should own a gun; however, guns are more destructive weapons than knives. Therefore guns should only be legalized for certain occupations or certain purposes. Occupations such as policemen, bank or airport security guards and farmers should be allowed to use guns. For leisure gun sport activities, guns should be o... ... law system, however not all illegal applicants can! Some politicians strongly support bans on gun uses will solve the firearm problems more effectively. Significantly, bans on guns will indeed raise the demand for illegal guns underground, which makes it harder for police to control gun uses. i.e. a FAC gun control system in Canada works very effectively due to the fact that fewer guns are traded in black market. ââ¬ËUseless laws weaken necessary laws.ââ¬â¢ --- Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1775) Importantly, gun ownership doesnââ¬â¢t create a violent society, but lenient gun control does. Nevertheless, bans do not make something disappear, rather harder to control! Therefore a strict, uniform federal gun control system is far more essential so as to ensure no collateral effects of any gun uses!
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Importance of Branding Essay
Introduction Successfully building an appropriate brand for a company does more than merely provide an appealing design, picture and slogan for a consumer to view. It provides a value that which is necessary to obtain in order to stay competitive in most industries in modern day society. This is both valid in Business to Consumer (B2C) marketing and Business to Business (B2B) marketing. The approach and importance of successfully branding ones service or product both tangible and intangible through B2C and B2B are similar, but also do have key differences. In this report, we will discuss the advantages of building a strong brand name and image, risks, and some techniques. Relative Literature Brand pundits refer to our modern day society, (that which strategic branding is necessary otherwise one will be faced with a competitive disadvantage) also as a branding world (Sarin). This is due to there being more than 2.5 million registered trademarks in the United States alone (Sarin). With such heavy competition, it is vital that ones company does everything possible to differentiate themselves. Building a strong brand is a great method of doing so. Obtaining a recognizable brand backed with a positive brand image make purchaserââ¬â¢s decisions much easier. It allows an abundant amount of information to be provided to the customer or business representative before any form of research (Robert Vitale). As much as bundling information for purchaserââ¬â¢s to make easier decisions assists businesses increase their sales, it also prevents the consumer or business representative from purchasing the wrong good. Active marketers aim to succeed at two different points of a sale: 1- properly market their product/service to be initially bought, 2- have the person or company be satisfied with the value purchased (Robert Vitale). After the second point, it is likely that the company has just gained a repeat, loyal customer. If an individual/company finds a good/service that meets their criteria, why risk purchasing something else that may not deliver? With a recognizable brand, one can ensure that every time this purchaser seeks the same product/service, they will come right back. Value has been created from the product/service, recognized by the brand, therefore creating a positive brand image. Brand image further establishes a reputation and as long as that is positive then one can expect to notice sales to exponentially increase. Due to extra value added onto companies with an established brand name, there is extra cost. The value added for the purchaser generally encompasses the predictability of getting the same product or service (less risk) and familiarity, in other words, ââ¬Å"the value of trust earned between the brand promise and the brand experienceâ⬠(Maruca). One CEO of an electrical business producing copper wire reported that he preferred brand products because of consistency (Sari n). Consistency is important for him because the materials purchased are then used by his company to create iron rods that they strive to have quality behind. If they cannot trust the quality of their supplies then they cannot confidently produce their own good. It is too much of a hassle for companies to constantly search for new suppliers, once one is found, it saves an enormous amount of effort to become a repeat customer. A massive steal producer in India explained that he would rather pay the increased premium price for a brand product because the initial cost might be high, but operation costs and maintenance is lower since the brand products purchased come with customer care and instill a workflow stability (Sarin). Companies aiming to establish a positive brand image must provide great customer care. It is hard to build a good reputation, but it is easy to destroy it (Philip Kotler). Strategizing how to properly build a good image for ones company must be consistent. Throughout all avenues of the media a clear message of ones company must be illustrated. A proper division within a company should assemble to do so. Brand management ââ¬Å"establishes a framework systematically managing the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of brand strategyâ⬠(Robert Vitale). Evaluation are key tools needed to ensure that the implemented strategy is actually going as planned. There are two ways of evaluating brand strategies. The first is a research-based evaluation. The aim of this approach is to put a financial value on the brand measured by customerââ¬â¢s behaviours and attitudes towards the brand itself. Components of the measurement are: awareness, knowledge, familiarity, relevance, satisfaction, and recommendation (Robert Vitale). Second approach is financially driven. This time brand valuation is used to approximate the value of the brand and it is based on subjective judgments of people within the organization in question. The earnings stream is estimated then divided by those attributable to the brand, to the fixed assets, and to other intangible assets. Next thereââ¬â¢s an estimation of value for the brand in the market (Robert Vitale). These tools are so important because without checking up on ones brand image, it could possible take a turn down a path in the minds of the market in a direction the company does not want to go. It takes a long time to successfully establish a brand because it takes a long time to establish trust and confidence in the customer (Robert Vitale). Here B2C and B2B marketing differ. Because B2B business is simply so much larger then B2C, gaining a trustworthy relationship proves to be much more challenging (Robert Vitale). Customers in B2C interactions have less to risk while representatives of companies have to ensure that what they are purchasing is the standard of quality acceptable for their organization. If they fail it is not just a waste of money, they could face much more drastic consequences such as loosing contracts, dropping stocks, investors, or even the purchasing representatives job security. Of course the way that purchase decisions are handled vary around the world. For instance, in South American cultures, any kind of major purchasing decision takes extended periods of time to make (John Daniels). Before people even begin to discuss business the first establish a relationship. To them this builds trust that which is necessary for their way of life otherwise they cannot comfortably move onto negotiations. In B2C interactions however, one can notice that many purchases seem to occur more spontaneously (John Daniels). What this shows us is that is imperative to take into consideration cultural differences when marketing into different countries, constantly evaluate how the market perceives ones brand, but never have contradict the brand image, consistency is necessary or it will have no effect at all. Discussion I believe in terms of importance of brand names, there is a massive factor that which was barely discussed in any of my sources. Income is one the largest, if not the largest factor influencing buying behaviour. This would affect B2C business more, but it would still affect small to medium sized businesses. If they cannot afford the brand name products/services then they would get a lesser-known product/service. This is because value and quality are not synonyms for each other. Yes a brand adds value to a company, but that does not mean it adds quality to the product/service. Furthermore, I would even go as far as to disagree with large companies insisting to buy brand names. If anything they should have a well-experienced purchasing division whom can find suppliers whom can deliver the quality products/services needed and avoid the premium cost that which branded companies incur. Lastly, I also noticed throughout all the academic sources I read through for this thought paper, I couldnââ¬â¢t help but realize that there did not seem to be a large enough focus on the difference between B2C and B2B marketing. Minus the degree of speed it takes to win over a customers trust in B2C marketing, it appeared to myself that marketing in both avenues almost seemed to be the same. I need to disagree with this to some degree. Lastly I would have to disagree with the mentality I observed in all of the academic sources I went through in regards that branding is good for everyone. Based on different people I have met throughout my life, I am confident that there are people whom go out of their way NOT to purchase brand names (or at least big brand names). They believe that local business needs the money and that they should be supported since they are the businesses that bring true culture to the region. On these people, brand names have the inverse affect Suggestions for further Research I suggest that more research be carried out on the contrast of satisfaction levels of companies purchasing brand name products/services and ones who find other less known suppliers. Earlier in this paper we discussed was of evaluating the brand name, there must be another way of evaluating satisfaction of purchases in general and discovering this difference should bring light to how much brands actually matter for B2B marketing. In regards to B2C marketing, I completely agree that having a brand brings value to the company and helps attract and retain customers, but I do not believe that it is the same for B2B. Further research on the differences of B2B and B2C brand awareness would be great as well. While research the differences of B2B and B2C, plunging further into techniques of appealing to the portions of the market who actively seek alternate companies to purchase from who do not have a big brand name. Through this research companies would be able to more accurately direct marketing efforts towards the audience where it matters most, and the best result demonstrated in a favourable Return on Investment (ROI). Conclusion Corporate branding is necessary for any most companies to compete in their industry. In the B2C avenues (minus those who actively look for lesser known names to purchase from) branding is very successful. In regards to B2B avenues of business, many professionals believe that purchasing brand name products/services is still the best option though I am not convinced. Until further research is done comparing general satisfaction levels between brand name purchases and lesser-known product/service purchases on a mass scale of small to large sized companies, I will remain under the impression that B2B branding is not ALWAYS the best way. Of course there are frequent times that brand name companies deliver great value (that is how they usually form their great brand image), but I cannot believe that the ââ¬Å"brand name worldâ⬠that which we live in is the way of the future just yet. Bibliography John Daniels, L. R. International Business Environments and Operations. Pearson. Maruca, R. F. The Way We Work An Encyclopedia of Business Culture. Philip Kotler, W. P. B2B Brand Management. Springer. Robert Vitale, J. G. Business to Busines Marketing Analysis and Practice. Pearson. Sarin, S. Strategic Brand Management for B2B Markets A Road Map for Organizational Transformation. Response Business Books from SAGE.
Monday, January 6, 2020
Babe Ruths 1927 Home Run Record
Babe Ruth was known as the Home Run King and the Sultan of Swat because of his powerful and effective swing. In 1927, Babe Ruth was playing for the New York Yankees. The Competition Throughout the 1927 season, teammates Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig competed for who was going to end the season with the most home runs. The competition lasted until September when both men reached their 45th home run of the season. Then, unexpectedly, Gehrig slowed down and all that was left was for Babe Ruth to hit the incredibly high number of 60 home runs. It got down to the last three games of the season and Babe Ruth still needed three home runs. In the second to last game, on September 30, 1927, Babe Ruth hit his 60th home run. The crowd cheered wildly. Fans threw their hats in the air and confetti rained down on the field. Babe Ruth, a man known around the world as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, had done the impossibleââ¬âhit 60 home runs in one season. Gehrig finished the season with 47. Babe Ruths single-season home run record would not be broken for 34 years. Previous Records The previous highest number of Home-Runs in a single season belonged to Babe Ruth at 59 home-runs hit during the 1921 season. Before that, Babe Ruth also held the record in 1920 with 54 HRs and in 1919 at 29 (when he played for the Boston Red Sox). The earliest single-season record was held by George Hall of the Philadelphia Athletics with 5 home runs in 1876. In 1879, Charley Jones batted 9; in 1883 Harry Stovey batted 14; in 1884 Ned Williamson batted 27 and held the record for 35 years until Babe Ruth burst onto the scene in 1919.à Current Record Although Babe Ruth remained the reigning Home Run King for 34 years, several notable athletes have since broken the record. The first of which happened during the 1961 season wherein New York Yankees star Roger Maris batted 61 home runs in the season. 37 years later, in 1998, Arizona Cardinals play Mark McGuire revitalized the competition with an impressive 70-home-run season. Despite impressive seasons from Sammy Sosa in 1998, 1999, and 2001 (66, 63, and 64 HRs respectively), he never held the title of Home Run King because of Mark McGuire slightly edging him out for the record. The reigning Home Run King in 2017 is Barry Bonds who hit 73 home runs during his 2001 season with the San Francisco Giants.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
The Features Of Corruption Of Latin America - 876 Words
Corruption exists to some extent in all countries. But in Latin America, corruption seems an inextricable part of life. Some schools of thought, particularly those in the political science circle, view corruption as functional to the maintenance of a political system. Meaning, corruption may not be ideal, but it represents a way for people to access resources that would otherwise be unavailable to them. In sharp contrast, economists point to the many downfalls of corruption: a climate of fear and lack of trust in public institutions, a weakening of the democratic system, increased inequality and violence, diminished economic growth, and so on. This paper examines the features of corruption in Latin America and discusses their implications. To begin, it is useful to understand what precisely corruption entails. Many definitions exist, but a classic one is that of Joseph Nye, formulated in 1967: ââ¬Å"Corruption is behavior which deviates from the formal duties of a public role beca use of private-regarding (personal, close family, private clique) pecuniary or status gains; or violates rules against the exercise of certain types of private-regarding influence.â⬠From this definition alone, we glimpse the problems associated with corruption. In any organization, institution or group, rules exist to guide and facilitate interactions. In an environment where rules can be circumvented, stakeholders have little incentive to act fairly or honestly. Indeed, this has been theShow MoreRelatedEssay On Investigative Journalism1366 Words à |à 6 PagesComplicating definitions: Latin American watchdogs [en] el periodismo de investigacià ³nâ⬠¦, sos tan grande como el enemigo que elegà s o como el desafà o que elegà sâ⬠¦ eso es lo que define tu capacidad de grandeza Eduardo Galeano (interviewed by Faà ºndez, 2002: 11) The narratives and the evidence about the status of IJ in Latin America are contradictory. For some, there is an increasing practice of this genre of journalism (Alves, 2005; Castillo, 2016; Joyce, Saldaà ±a, Schmitz Weiss, Alves, 2017) whileRead MoreMilitary Interventions During Latin America1363 Words à |à 6 PagesInterventions in Latin America During the 1960s and 1970s in Latin America, countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Chile all experienced some sort of authoritarian regime. According to Oââ¬â¢ Donnell this new type of bureaucratic authoritarian military regime left many political scientists puzzled because of its quick ability to take over these countries. His prediction of what would happen to these countries were astonishing because it was pretty accurate. Larger countries in Latin America such as ArgentinaRead MoreRussian Economic Overview1278 Words à |à 5 Pagespolitical uncertainty combined with the weak economy that Russia is presenting for a forging investors, we conclude that better options of the BRICââ¬â¢s countries would be suggested to BFSI invest its money instead investing in the Russia market. Latin America: Venezuela: Political overview for forging companies: Since the adoption of a bilateral government and the differences in a variety of polices, made the political relationship between the United States and Venezuela become tense. Venezuelaââ¬â¢s presidentRead MoreFrom Movements to Parties in Latin America. 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I will then talk about, ââ¬Å"conflict analysisà ¬Ã ¬Ã ¬Ã ¬, a lens for viewing conflict that brings into focus a multilevel, integrative diagnosis of the violence in Mexico and supports recent evolutions in Plan Merida toward a more holisticRead MoreDemocracy in Latin America Essay2761 Words à |à 12 Pagesdemocracy has been establish in every Latin America country except Cuba, which is still a socialist state. It seemed that every other alternative form of government such as Marxism or Leninism has failed and been replaced by democracy. Furthermore it looks like people in Latin American really enjoy democracy and itsââ¬â¢ benefits, as they also consider it to be the best form of go vernment. After the failure of authoritarian leaders and the military intervene their lives, Latin American citizens wanted to changeRead MoreLatin American Watchdogs Essay743 Words à |à 3 PagesNonetheless, this is a novel, but interesting experience for Latin American watchdogs. Indeed, more than a decade ago regional and national networks have been developed for strength both individual professional skills and media performance, particularly investigative proficiency. Among the institutions devoted to improving the crafting of journalism can be counted the Colombian-based Fundacià ³n para el Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano (FNPI) and the Peruvian-based Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS)Read MoreDeveloped and Developing Countries1618 Words à |à 7 Pagesbasic overview before I go into detail, developed countries have a matured financial system, this includes the US and Canada, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. Developing countries are emerging ma rkets across Asia, Latin America and Africa. And undeveloped countries are mainly African nations which remain vastly poor, such as Mali and Somalia. Before I go on about the BRICS countries of the future, I will start with todayââ¬â¢s BRICS nations why they are in BRICS. First,Read MoreFree Trade Agreements And Its Effects On Latin American Nations1187 Words à |à 5 PagesFree-Trade agreements, most notably with nations throughout the Latin American region. Latin American countries are geographically and economically similar to the U.S., which makes them valuable partners in furthering Americaââ¬â¢s global initiatives. The United States has seen considerable economic returns since the advent of these free-trade agreements; however, there is a sense of uncertainty when the analysts examine the effects of FTAs on Latin American nations. The most apparent benefit for nations that
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Influences on Designers Mies Van Der Rohe and Breuer,...
To what extent did external influences shape what modernist design became in Europe in the 1920ââ¬â¢s? Focusing on chair designs by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer. In design, external influences have always played a vital role in any given trend. In the 1920ââ¬â¢s, an era commonly referred to as the Machine Age , modernist design followed a very focused approach: a desire to create a better world. In this essay, I will make a brief overview of the socio-economic situation of this time period, with a short introduction to the life of the two practitioners whose work I will analyse: Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. I will deliver an examination of their most famous designs, by considering three major themes: rejection ofâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The choice of using only the essential materials to create a bold, unconventional structure made this one of the most well-known chairs in the world. He also came up with the B 32; an alternative design of this chair, with no armrest to suit other preferences. Breuer also created the B 3 (Image 2); a design that minimised the usual heavy armchair into its most vital features, while keep ing its function and commodity with this clean geometrical design. ââ¬ËTruth to materialsââ¬â¢ Although a rejection to ornamentation had been taken, it did not mean that pleasing aesthetics were ignored. Designers chose to take a brave path of making objects that shone through their bare appearance and intention. By doing this, they were incorporating art into the industry. Breuerââ¬â¢s design of the steel armchair (Image 2); was the first chair to be made with tubular steel as its frame material; a revolutionary advance in furniture design. This revealed the honest and true nature of the materials; the tubular steel and polished yarn fabric gave this piece lightness, resistance, and hygienic features. The fabric was positioned to avoid the userââ¬â¢s contact with the coolness of the steel, which additionally highlighted the geometrical look. With this, Breuer was also accomplishing a celebration of industrial imagery. ââ¬ËForm follows functionââ¬â¢ ââ¬ËForm follows functionââ¬â¢ incorporates the previous two themes in itself; design must be in directShow MoreRelatedThe Bauhaus : Art Education By Influencing Graphic, Interior, And Typography Design1096 Words à |à 5 Pagesarchitect, which studied architecture at the technical institute in Munich from (1903ââ¬â04) and in Berlinââ¬âCharlottenburg from (1905ââ¬â07). During 1919-1928, German American architect and educator Walter Gropius, as director of the Bauhaus had a major influence on the development of modern architecture. Much of his work, was in collaboration with other architects. Which included the school building, and faculty housing at the Bauhaus from 1925 at the Harvard University Graduate Center, and the United States
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Design Thinking and Innovation at Apple free essay sample
The purpose of this assignment is to access the ââ¬Å"Apple wayâ⬠and understand the source of their systematic innovation and the way to sustain it. The major source of innovation is design thinking, which is also discussed based on Apple case. Finally, Steve Jobs is compared to other major industry player, Bill Gates, in order to understand their major difference and compare their success stories. Is there a systematic approach to Innovation at Apple? How would you characterize it? List at least 3 examples from the case. 1. From the start Apple has been extremely systematic in its approach to innovation. Fine products do not materialize out of thin air; they are a direct result of creative thinking policies and practices. Continuous commitment to improve product design made Apple products more attractive to the consumer. One of Appleââ¬â¢s most important innovation drivers is a policy to put design and interface, ââ¬Å"user experienceâ⬠, above all. Rather than creating a language or operating system and then ââ¬Å"overlayingâ⬠an interface, Apple started with an intuitive and simple interface, and then designed the operating system to accommodate it. In order to do so, programmers and engineers were forced to think as creative designers. This system forced product design team to be innovative in all areas of development. Apple systematically built retail stores network when common wisdom said that technology companies should abandon retail and move online. As a result, Apple ended up with the best of both worlds: a fashionable space for ââ¬Å"hands-onâ⬠consumers, including the hip younger generation, and a fully functional online system for the no-nonsense consumer. Appleââ¬â¢s retail outlets have set records for profitability per square foot of retail space, an evident success of ââ¬Å"think differentlyâ⬠philosophy. Perhaps the best example of a systematic approach to innovation is in the ongoing evolution of Appleââ¬â¢s flagship products. The modus operandi is clear: create triumph product and then make small but meaningful improvements every 12 to 18 months. Roll out the new product and sit back while each buyer of the first product rushes to purchase the new version. Sales are generated not only by the product improvements but also by the companyââ¬â¢s smart use of generational psychology (ââ¬Å"gotta have the latest! â⬠) and a relentless public relations campaigns culminating in the slick invitation-only rollout featuring Mr. Jobs himself. This system, while not revolutionary (ââ¬Å"marginal improvement systemâ⬠was discovered by automobile industry 60 years ago), results in steady products improvements coupling each relatively minor enhancement with high revenues nearly as strong as the original productââ¬â¢s ones. Systematic innovation is also demonstrated in ââ¬Å"design senseâ⬠Appleââ¬â¢s tendency to design what seems simple and intuitive to the consumer. The introduction of the iPod Mini, which would not have been supported by classic marketing principles, is an excellent example of this. Apple bet that the public would purchase the sleeker, flashier, more compact version of its iPod even though the small size meant sacrificing the amount of music that could be stored. They based this assumption on the fact that consumers crave first and foremost simplicity and functionality. The Mini was a tremendous success and not only because of its reduced size, but also due to its myriad of colors. ââ¬Å"Design senseâ⬠allowed Apple to produce a lighter more portable product with enhanced aesthetic qualities, while sacrificing something that turned out not to be crucial to the consumer. While the answer to the question ââ¬Å"Is there a systematic approach to innovation at Apple? â⬠must clearly be ââ¬Å"yesâ⬠, ironically Jobs would likely have disagreed with that. Jobs was touting the lack of a system as one of Appleââ¬â¢s greatest strengths. The quote, however, shows that Jobs was aware that systems were in place and functioning, but he calls them ââ¬Å"processesâ⬠to avoid stifling connotation of the word ââ¬Å"systemâ⬠. As shown in the examples above, however, Appleââ¬â¢s system is anything but stifling. The systems fostered by Jobs from the very beginning have fostered a strong creative spirit leading to a superior product line and outstanding sales. That made Apple the leading technology company and confirmed Jobsââ¬â¢s place in history as a visionary who brought man and machine together. 2. To what extent does Apple demonstrate Design Thinking? State your point of view and provide 3 examples from the case to support your argument. Apple products utilize all principles of design thinking: creating products to satisfy human needs, experimenting with products, crafting clear vision, and communicating this vision visually. First of all, Apple products were designed to satisfy human needs by combining simplicity, fun and play with practical use of clever machines. In that way Apple became the pioneer in creating mind-blowing user experiences through its creations: personal computers, iPods, iPads and iPhones. A good example of this is its experimentation and product diversification of the iPod family though the iPod Mini, which is smaller and has unusual colors. Second, Apple continues to experiment, learns from its mistakes, and continually builds on and improves its existing product line. This way it creates a series of products, each only slightly different from its predecessor, but still perceived as indispensible to the ââ¬Å"hipâ⬠consumer. This segment remains excited to buy Apple products because they feed on curiosity, targeting buyers who crave something new, useful, and fashionable. Third, Steve Jobs is famous for its enthusiastic speeches and clear communication of his vision. His speeches and Apple commercials create an emotional connection with the audience through persuasive storytelling and mind-blowing visuals, which while not always showing the product, still make customers associate them with well-known creative individuals or outstanding experimenters and innovative products. The company builds a strong emotional connection with contemporary audiences that like to enjoy life, think differently and try new experiences. 3. Extra credit for 5%: Compare Steve Jobs as an innovation leader to other leaders in industry. On the surface the two greatest IT geniuses of our age have plenty in common. They were both college dropouts who went on to develop world-changing technologies and found multi-billiondollar companies as a result. They were both among the wealthiest individuals of the modern era. They were both innovators and could both been termed ââ¬Å"revolutionaryâ⬠in terms of their affect on society. They were both in committed relationships with strong families. And they both had a hand in bringing computers out of the punch-card age and into the living room, Jobs by designing a computer and Gates by designing software to run one. There are, however, significant differences between the two men. Jobs was always more flashy, more charismatic, and certainly more of a showman. He was a master at public relations and relished time in front of the cameras, at least when unveiling or demonstrating the products of his company. Gates was never considered a master at public relations. However, Gates has a better public image than Jobs thanks to his strong belief and deep involvement in philanthropy. He is actively and passionately involved in his Bill and Melinda Foundation and tours the world encouraging wealthy individuals to support worthy causes. He has joined forces with other billionaires like Warren Buffet to drive his point home and is now widely perceived to be more concerned with how to distribute his fortune than how to increase it. Jobs also had the greater sales and marketing expertise, receiving sole credit for the rags-to-riches story of his company Apple Computers and then for repeating the feat 12 years later. Gates and Jobs were both CEOs of their companies, but the success of Gatesââ¬â¢s company Microsoft is often attributed as much to his multi-talented Business Manager Steve Ballmer as to Gates himself. Indeed Ballmer eventually replaced Gates as CEO in a less-than-smooth transition that many believe Gates resented. Interestingly Jobs was forced out of his CEO role as well (and also forced out of his company, unlike Gates), only to be re-invited to the helm twelve years later and restore Apple to a preeminent position among the worldââ¬â¢s technology companies. Microsoft never floundered like Apple did in the late 80s and early 90s so Gates never had the opportunity to return as a white knight and ââ¬Å"rescueâ⬠his company. Conversely Microsoft has not experienced the exponential growth that Apple saw between Jobsââ¬â¢s return in 1997 and his death in 2011.
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