Rhetorical analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Rhetorical analysis - Essay Example The executive summary provides a brief summary of the content of the report. According to the authors, the aim of the report was to support changes in the nature or state of on-campus restrooms. The report also sought to outline the unsanitary and unkempt nature of the restrooms, and gauge the opinions of the community on the condition of the rooms. The target audience of the business report included faculty heads, students and student leaders, parents, health officials and custodians of the restrooms. Students and student leaders were targeted because they are the main users and beneficiaries of the restroom. They have a responsibility of ensuring that the restrooms are in the best state for accommodation. Parents were targeted because they pay for the restrooms, and their children use the rooms. Therefore, it is important to provide them with information about the nature of the rooms (Kennedy 31). Teachers and custodians were targeted because they have a responsibility of ensuring that the on-campus restrooms are safe and clean for accommodation. The report targeted healthcare officials because of their role in providing safety and health standards. In order to ensure that the report provided the right information, the researchers used online surveys and questionnaires to collect information from faculty heads and students. The aim of the questionnaires was to understand the state of the restrooms, and the opinions of the respondents about the cleanliness of the rooms. The business report used formal and official language to pass information about the state of the restrooms. According to the report, the conditions of the facilities are below standards. In some of the instances, the authors use inflammatory language in order to invoke physical and emotional reactions. For instance, the authors state that the restrooms are â€Å"disgusting† in order to pass emotional messages that people should not be allowed to occupy the rooms. The main strength

Materials of Logistics in Management Essay Example for Free

Materials of Logistics in Management Essay The efficiency of any manufacturing organisation depends on the availability of component parts and materials in the proper quantity, quality, price, range and time. Failure in any of these areas increases costs and decreases profit as certainly as outmoded production methods or ineffective selling techniques. This simple but obvious point has only recently come to be properly understood. This book presents the principles, methods and strategies that represent the modern approach to materials management in all sectors of the economy. In analysing business operations, the phrase Value-added concept1 is often used to characterise the difference between the cost of component materials and the selling price of the finished product. This difference in value represents the unique contribution of each organisation to the production process. Many companies produce component parts and materials for other firms manufacturing specialised products Remanded by the customers. On an average, a manufacturing firm buys slightly more than half of the rupee value of its sales. In other words, the value added is typically less than 50 per cent of its sales. Conversely, the average company purchases materials valued at more than half of what it sells. Therefore, a firms profit is to a large extent determined by how effectively it procures and manages these materials. The organisational approach known as materials management has gained validity in recent years. Production and operations managers found it necessary to develop an organised body of knowledge related to planning, acquisition and utilisation of materials in the process of production and it has resulted in the discipline known as mate-rials management. All activities involved in bringing materials into and through the plant are combined under one head known as materials manager. By giving the materials manager overall authority, responsibility is centralised to assure that the overall cost of materials is kept at the lowest possible level. The basic rationale for this organisational change is to overcome the problems of conflicting objectives. For cample, purchase departments concern to ensure continuous supply of component materials may conflict with he inventory control departments objective to minimise inventory levels or the objective of shipping in full car load lots. Today organisations view procurement as a professional activity including activities involved in obtaining materials at minimum cost, transporting them and providing storage and moving toward the production process. It also includes economic analysis of supply (i. e. , purchase economics), demand and prices and the assessment of international events that affect materials. * evolution of materials management Historically, the five ‘M’s of manufacturing firms viz. Men, Materials, Machines, Money and Methods have shifted their positions from time to time in their relative importance. In the early days of industrialization, the focus was on men (labour) as they were the main source of productive power. Over a period of time, the emphasis shifted towards machines, which became the main source of industrial power after the Industrial Revolution. As the methods of production became more and more complex due to the increased customer demand for sophisticated products of high quality, there was greater need of efficient management to manage the complex production systems. In the early 1920s, purchasing and maintaining stock of materials was the responsibility of purchasing managers or chief controllers of purchasing and stores in many industries. During and immediately after World War II the focus shifted on various functions associated with materials such as purchasing, receiving, inspecting, storing, preserving, handling, issuing, accounting, transporting and disposing surplus and obsolete materials. These functions grouped under one common head known as materials manager and the department responsible for all these activities came to be known as materials management department. But the head of materials management department performed a staff function to support the production department and had to report to the production head (director of production) in the organizational hierarchy. The oil crisis of the 1970s changed the priorities of industries all over the world. The exorbitant hike in oil prices and the heavy budget allocations on oil made the industries to control their expenditure on the inputs, mainly materials of all kinds because of the large scope to reduce the expenses on materials. Since the beginning of 20th century, materials have been getting more and more attention and will continue to do so in the future also. Now a days material has* become an important and inevitable input of a production system since the cost of materials and cost on materials (cost incurred in purchasing and storing the materials) put together account for 50 to 85% of the production cost depending on the nature of the product and the type of the production system. Modern manufacturing organisations adopted systems approach to management, which resulted in the integrated materials management concept. All functions related to materials such as materials planning, purchasing, storing and inventory control were integrated under materials management function. The position of the head of the integrated materials management department was elevated to be on par with heads of other functional areas viz. production, finance and human resources. * importance of materials in manufacturing organisations Materials are any commodities used directly or indirectly in producing a product or service such as raw materials, component parts, assemblies and supplies. In the manufacturing organisations, the important inputs are referred to as 5 Ms viz. Men (Labour), Machines, Money, Materials and Methods. The relative importance among these five Ms have shifted from time to time. In the beginning of industrialisation the focus was on machines, men (labour) and methods, but from around 1970 onwards the emphasis is on materials. Material is an important and inevitable input gi J production system since the cost of materials and cost on materials (cost incurred in purchasing and storing the materials) put together account for 50 to 85* of the production cost depending on the nature of the product and the type of the production system * importance of materials management Management of materials in most organisations is crucial to their success because the cost of purchasing, storing, moving and shipping materials account for over half of the products cost. Improving productivity is a crucial factor in facing the challenge of competition and this involves driving down the cost of all aspects of business activities. Since there is maximum scope of cost reduction in the area of materials, doing the job of efficient and effective management of materials is seen as the key to higher productivity.

Patient Safety and Risk Management Essay -- Health Care

Patient safety and risk management should be intertwined in the organization. Patient safety is where the patient does not experience unnecessary harm or pain or other suffering during their treatment (Youngberg, 2011). Minimizing risk is to decrease unnecessary losses or improve or implement process that will decrease adverse event (Youngberg, 2011). The Samantha Jones adverse event is a perfect example to enhance patient safety through improved process or project. To understand the event a root analysis needs to be done and action items are created from this analysis. Taking time to conduct a proper analysis of the cause eliminates a premature conclusion that may lead to inadequate corrective actions (William, 2008). A root analysis is a systematic approach to collect information that may identify and evaluate hazards and risks (Williams, 2008). The root analysis provides a starting point on areas that may need changing. There are three areas to a root cause analysis of the adverse event which can enable the investigator to; 1) isolate the circumstances that increased the risk of an accident or incident from occurring; 2) determine who or what was involved in the situation; and (3) assess whether the facility might have control over the causes of the event (William, 2008). Using a report outline can help gather information consistency and completeness (Williams, 2008). The outline below evaluates the Samantha Jones adverse event. 1. Policy or Process (system) in Which the Event Occurred: a. The policy or process did not confirm the correct patient i. Nurses did not feel that they could voice their opinion about a proper time out b. Time out was not conducted thoroughly 2. Human Resources (factors and issues) a. No... ...004). Root cause analysis applied to the investigation of serious untoward incidents in mental health services Retrieved from. http://pb.rcpsych.org/content/28/3/75. Parker, D. (2008). Managing risk in healthcare: understanding your safety culture using the Manchester Patient Safety Framework (MaPSaF) Journal of Nursing Management; Mar2009, Vol. 17 Issue 2, p218-222. Ransom, E. R., Joshi, M. S., Nash, D. B., & Ransom, S. B. (2008). The healthcare quality book. (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press. Rooney, J.J. & Vanden Heuvel, L. N. (2004) Root Cause Analysis for Beginners. Retrieved from. https://servicelink.pinnacol.com/pinnacol_docs/lp/cdrom_web/safety/management/accident_investigation/Root_Cause.pdf Williams, L. (2008) The value of a root cause analysis. Long-Term Living: For the Continuing Care Professional, Nov2008, Vol. 57 Is

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions 3 Countries

Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture: An overview of Venezuela, Belgium and Japan International Business ADM 3155 Table of Contents Introduction to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture3 Individualism3 Masculinity3 Power Distance4 Uncertainty Avoidance4 Conclusion5 VENEZUELA5 Introduction to Venezuela6 Individualism6 Masculinity7 Power Distance7 Uncertainty Avoidance8 Conclusion8 BELGIUM11 Introduction to Belgium11 Individualism12 Masculinity12 Power Distance13 Uncertainty Avoidance14 Conclusion14 JAPAN16 Introduction to Japan16 Individualism16 Masculinity17 Power Distance18Uncertainty Avoidance18 Conclusion19 Conclusion to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture20 References23 Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture Introduction to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture In 1984, Geert Hofstede published a book called Culture’s Consequences. In this book, he divides cultures into four basic categories. These categories are individualism, masculinity, dower distance and u ncertainty avoidance. Hofstede assigns different cultures a number on a scale between 1 and 100 for each category depending on how their culture corresponds to the description.By analyzing how a country fits into each section a person can get a better understanding of how a culture operates in their daily lives and also in their business. Individualism Individualism refers to how people within a culture interact with one another. Knowing how people work with one another will help you to understand how they will work with you in a business setting. High individualism will display characteristics like importance of employees’ personal life, emotional independence from the company, calculative involvement and more importance attached to freedom and challenge in their jobs (Hofstede).People with high individualism prefer individual decisions as opposed to group decisions. Society encourages individuals to show their own initiative which relates to them finding smaller companies m ore attractive. High individualism can be seen as a more selfish and self-serving way of living (Nasierowski). This is very important when conducting business in a different culture. If you are looking for innovators, new ideas, and self-motivated people, who will contribute more than just labour to your company you should look for a country with high individualism.When conducting business in a high individualism society it is important to recognize individual achievements and reward people on an individual basis. Recognising individual differences and ideas is important as well as giving individual praise and recognition. This will keep employees satisfied and motivated. Individual workers want to chance to excel and they tend to look after themselves and their own needs and advancement and are not concerned with â€Å"stepping on others to get ahead†. Masculinity This dimension is not looking at gender roles specifically, but at the characteristics generally associated with masculinity and femininity.Masculinity is referring to aggressiveness, the desire for power, wealth and achievement. A country with a high masculinity will show traits including admiration for the strong, importance placed on earnings, recognition, advancement and challenge, employees attracted to larger organizations and higher job stress. They also find it acceptable for the company to interfere with their private life. This can be an advantage if you are looking for highly motivated individuals (Hofstede). High masculinity is good for doing business because these employees will be competitive, aggressive and driven for success.They are willing to make sacrifices in their personal lives to achieve success in their business. When working in this type of environment people are more willing to work over-time. You can easily get results from your employees by throwing money and power at them. These employees are not as concerned with ethics or the environment as they are with economi c growth (Nasierowski). Power Distance Inequality is the main issue that power distance addresses. Power distance measures how a culture, group or organization views themselves and each other in terms of authority and value.In a county with a high power distance value is placed on obedience to the person who is seen as in charge. Children obey parents, students obey teachers, employees obey employers, etc. , without question. There is a large amount of fear associated with high power distance and those seen as â€Å"lower† or â€Å"less important† show resentment towards those higher than them and also show distrust to one another. In business, employees do not have input into the company and simply follow orders. Employees are viewed as unmotivated and unhappy with their jobs (Hofstede). Uncertainty AvoidanceUncertainty avoidance is a fear of the unknown. If a culture has high uncertainty avoidance then they are looking to escape any type of difference or change that would occur in their lifestyle, job, culture, government, etc. Characteristics typical of high uncertainty avoidance include a fear of failure, higher job stress, frequent worry about the future and less achievement motivation. Loyalty to ones employer and a tendency to stay with that same employer are also characteristics. This could be viewed as a very positive or negative quality depending on your type of business (Nasierowski).In a business that requires controls and regulations, for example a factory. You would prefer a country with high uncertainty avoidance because you know that they will not try to change any of the products you are producing. They will be more likely to continue following the exact rules, regulations and policy that you have placed in front of them. In business, you will not have to worry about any radical changes or interference. If you want anything new it will have to be introduced slowly and carefully with clear direction. However, you know that once an idea is taken on it will not be tampered with.Conclusion As the world continues to â€Å"shrink†, we begin to experience more globalization and must interact more frequently with other cultures. Through Hofstede’s dimensions we can gain a greater understanding of how to integrate our business with other countries. Being able to understand a country’s culture and how it is different from your own is vital to success in international business. We can decide where would be the best place to do business and how to make it more successful. Before entering a new market the culture and values inside and outside the workplace need to be understood.Almost all businesses are to some degree impacted by globalisation and therefore having knowledge of other countries and other cultures is vital. In this paper we will address three countries from different culture groupings: Japan, from the Independent block, Belgium, from the Latin European block, and Venezuela from the Lat in American block. These blocks are clusters of countries that share common aspects of culture; including geographic location, language, and history. For example, the Latin European block includes not only Belgium but France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Nasierowski). By explaining how these three countries fall into Hofstede’s dimensions we will be able to help you understand some of the advantages and disadvantages of doing business with these cultures (Nasierowski). Advantages include being able to understand what will motivate your employees and business partners and how to communicate properly in different business settings. For example, depending on what country you were in, Hofstede’s dimensions of culture will help you to know the best way to communicate changes to your business partners and employees.VENEZUELA Introduction to Venezuela Venezuela is a Latin country that occupies most of the northern coast of South America on the Caribbean Sea. The rest of Venezue la is surrounded by Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana. Venezuela has a population over 27 million, which could be considered relatively small compared to other countries with thinking in terms of expanding business markets. The capital city is Caracas which has a population of over 3 million. After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, Venezuela continued to go through a period of unstable dictators.In the early 1900’s it became a major exporter of oil. The oil wealth contributed to the large gap between the countries extremely wealthy and extremely poor. Venezuela’s current President is Left wing Socialist Hugo Chavez who promised to even the gap between the rich and the poor. He is dedicated to loosing Venezuela’s dependence on the U. S. for oil exportation and is therefore trying to strengthen his oil shipping business with China. This could be attributed to his close friendship with Dictator Fidel Castro of Cuba. (â€Å"http://www. state. ov†) When revi ewing the country of Venezuela within Hofstede’s dimensions of culture we find that it falls into extremes with both very high scores and one very low score. (Hofstede) Individualism In contrast to the rest of the scores Venezuela has received in Hofstede’s rankings, in this dimension they are only a 12 out of 100. This means a very low individualism in this culture. Low individualism means that they are group oriented people. They are concerned about how decisions will affect everyone in the group. They have in-groups and out-groups and think of people in terms of how they fit into such groups (Hofstede).It is important when doing business to realize that they will be concerned with the training and physical conditions the organization provides. They have a moral involvement with the company and they place a great deal of emphasis on duty, expertness and prestige as life goals. This type of mind set is called collectivism. If you are doing business with a group of peo ple with high collectivism, you must understand that they are looking at the age of a person. Age is an indicator of knowledge and experience. Collectivists want to do business with people who have been around for a while and know them as a group.They do not like outsiders; you must earn your way into their trust and fit into their group the same way they want to fit in to their own group. For doing business with this group of people you must first learn to belong. You as an outsider will not be able to tell them anything or get them to follow you unless you first belong. The same can be considered when marketing or advertising to these countries as they will only want purchase things that will fit into their already preconceived ideas of life and work. Masculinity At 73 out of 100, Venezuela once again has a high ranking.This means that it tends to be a male dominated society and power structure. This can cause the female population to become more competitive and assertive; however , they are still not on the same level as the male population. Masculinity also means that they are looking for earnings, recognition, advancement and challenge (Hofstede). This would be important to keep in mind when doing business with a Venezuelan company or employees because it can help you identify how to appeal to them to get better work or dealings from them.You can recognize that they are looking for larger corporations and organizations and they are attracted to wealth and success. For countries with high masculinity you can easily motivate your employees with money and success. They are looking to own fancy material objects and have the latest technology and accessories. If you want your employees to do something or achieve something all you have to do is entice them with prestige and power. If you are having a business meeting, take them to an expensive restaurant, ear your best designer suit and pick them up in a flashy car. Power Distance This is Venezuela's highest ran king dimension with 81 out of 100. This is an indication of a high level of inequality of power and wealth which is accepted by the culture as a whole. Hofstede states that Venezuela is in the top 5 in the â€Å"employees afraid† category. This means that Venezuelans show a clear distinction between â€Å"boss† and â€Å"employee†. The boss makes all the rules and the employees follow. A Venezuelan employee would not offer their opinion or any ideas to management.They would not ask questions or for clarification of their job either. The large power distance means that people are concerned with getting favour by saying â€Å"yes† to whatever the boss says (Hofstede). This means that when you are doing business with them you must always remember that if they are looking at you as being the one â€Å"in power† they will not contradict you or tell you if they do not understand anything that you are telling them about how your business is going to be co nducted. They will not offer any suggestions.It also means that if they consider themselves to be the ones in power they are not looking for you to disagree with them or ask them any questions. They are also not looking for any suggestions or ideas either. They are only looking for a â€Å"yes sir†. There is also a large wage difference between the top employees and the labourers. Uncertainty Avoidance Venezuela scores 76 out of 100 on the Uncertainty Avoidance Index. This indicates a high level of uncertainty avoidance. As we have discussed earlier, high uncertainty avoidance indicates a resistance to change and new ideas.There are three indicators for uncertainty avoidance, rule orientation, employment stability and stress (Hofstede). Venezuela being a country with a long history of dictatorship and having a large gap between the rich and the poor can easily fit these three indicators and therefore explain the high uncertainty avoidance. People are used to having on leader and being forced to follow their rules. They are very concerned with their employment because there are not a lot of good jobs to be found. Stress can mean many different things and have many different triggers.For a citizen it could be fear of punishment for rebellion and for an employee, a fear of losing one’s job. When thinking about doing business with Venezuela, you would have to take into account that their high uncertainty avoidance would mean that your employees or business partner are looking for rules and regulations to follow. They want stability and are looking for a routine. They do not like change or progression in their jobs. They are not risk takers in business and would need reassurance. ConclusionWhen viewing the country of Venezuela through Hofstede's dimensions of culture, you can get a better understanding of how decisions are made in this culture and how you can create more profitable business dealings within this country or with companies from this coun try. For Venezuelan’s we see that there is a high power distance which means you should appeal to those who are in power if you are looking to create a business deal or if you are looking to make a change. It will also help you to know that you would have to accommodate your employees who would not be willing to contradict you or ask questions.You must also remember that no one appreciates change or is willing to initiate it, which can be very difficult to deal with in today’s ever changing society. Large corporations are more appealing to Venezuelans, as is money, power and appreciation, but Venezuelans live within groups and therefore are concerned about what is best for all those involved in their group. With these things in mind you would be able to create a successful business relationship as long as you are willing to show understanding for the differences in our shrinking world.Other things that need to be taken into account are the political factors. For Venezu ela this is a negative factor as the government has control over everything in this country. The banking process is very complex and so is the purchasing system. You require identification and verification for all purchases. The government is very concerned about citizens investing their money in other countries and would therefore be very involved in any business associations with companies in Venezuela.Your business would have to have some sort of gain for the country as well as your own profits (â€Å"BBC News†). Another indication of the possible difficulties in doing business in Venezuela is that of the ranking given to this country from the World Bank, International Finance Corporation. Each year they show the results from a series of questions they ask of each country for things like getting a permit, property rights, etc. ; all things that would be considered when starting a business in that country. With these results they rank the countries in order.Venezuela is ver y close to the bottom of the list, which means that obtaining permits, business rights, starting a business, paying taxes, and dealing outside of the borders are all more difficult compared to other countries. The official ranking is 177 out of 183 countries (â€Å"Doing Business: Measuring Business Regulations†). This is all an example of Porter’s Diamond which is a theory that helps you look at a country and see certain factors that affect business. Porter discusses how business has several different factors and government is a specific element that can make a difference at any one of the four points in the diamond.The four areas include: firm, strategy and structure; demand conditions; related and supporting industries; factor conditions (Nasierwoski). This country shows an example of how government is heavily involved in the firm, strategy and structure as well as the related and supporting industries. In fact, you could suggest that government is a factor in the e ntire diamond. This is why it is so difficult to do business in Venezuela. Not only is government involved in everything but it is a very strict and controlling government. BELGIUM Introduction to BelgiumBelgium is a small country surrounded by France, Germany, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. Located in one of the world’s most advanced continents and industrialised regions, Belgium is an important international trading partner and a powerful force in the world of international business. Belgium relies heavily on both imports and exports to fuel its growing economy. It was one of the founding countries of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The country also belongs to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.Currently it has the 9th largest GDP in Europe (World Bank) and its per capita GDP ranks among the worlds highest. The country is also home to Europe’s second largest port, importing and exporting goods internationally, in 2010 exports made up 261 billion dollars. The country has a large industrial sector which includes; steel, textiles, refining, chemicals, food processing, pharmaceuticals, automobile, electronics, and machinery fabrication. (â€Å"Belgium Europe†) It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with a population of over 10,400,000. â€Å"Belgium Facts†)Belgium has three official languages; Dutch, French and German although English is widely spoken. The country grants more new citizenships than any other country besides Canada. (â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide†)Belgium is one of the most economically and technologically advanced countries in the world and has very high standards of living. They were one of the first countries to legalise gay marriage and the first county to issue electronic passports. The country is number the one chocolate exporter in the world and ninety percent of raw diamonds are negotiated and distributed in Belgium.The country also has the highest proportion of female ministers in the world and the smallest salary gap between males and females in the EU. (â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide†) This small but powerful country continues to grow and expand its international reach. Individualism Belgium’s second highest dimension is individualism with a score of 80 which means that they put a strong emphasis on the individual rather than the group. There is a large focus on individual achievement, initiative and success. When doing business in Belgium it’s important to treat everyone as an individual who has their own ideas and personality.Individualism is something to be celebrated and standing out is important. Therefore, when working with this type of society, it is important to recognise individual achievements and give rewards and recognition to employees on an individual basis. Recognition and rewards are good ways to motivate employees. In this society personal time and personal freedom are highly valued and therefore it is important to give employees their space and freedom to work. It is important not to monitor employee’s work too closely as this can be interpreted negatively, and employees expect to have the freedom to work independently.Work life and personal life are two different and separate things and privacy in both are respected. High individualism is reflected on the emphasis of ‘I’ as opposed to ‘We’. Individuals look out for themselves and their immediate family and therefore look out for ways to better themselves and advance themselves and their immediate family. It is common to pursue individual goals and self advancement at the expense of others. When making decision people think about how the decision will affect them and do not always think of what is better for others.Employees will often change jobs and job loyalty is not very high. When working in this society it is important not to depend on others or on group s and to work on your own. Promotion and ranking often depend on individual performance and not on seniority. (â€Å"Individualism,†) (Hofstede) Masculinity Belgium’s lowest cultural dimension is Masculinity, at 49 putting it in twenty-second place. Belgium is almost right in the middle so therefore they don’t have any extremes towards masculinity or femininity. The country falls in the middle and value both femininity and masculinity equally.It is important to have both these traits. As a leader it is important to display the traits associate with both a masculine and a feminine work ethic in order to fit in and be accepted. A culture that is more masculine tends to focus more on advancement and earning whereas a culture that is more feminine tends to focus more on a friendly atmosphere and position security. Because Belgium is almost in the middle its important when conducting business to maintain both masculine and feminine characteristic and not bend toward extremes.Realise that although advancement, earnings and money are important it is also important in the Belgium business setting to have cooperation, security and a good work environment. High masculine societies prefer large businesses and high feminine societies prefer small busyness therefore the idea business size for Belgium’s is somewhere in the middle. Big enough to be competitive and aggressive, yet small enough to have a nurturing stable environment for the employees. In the Belgium society there is less of a distinction between genders and gender roles.Therefore when conducting business do not assume that someone has certain responsibilities or has a certain roles due to their gender. Support and friendliness are just as important as brilliance and performance in Belgium. To be successfully in business dealings with Belgium remember to display a mix both feminine and masculine qualities and to treat both genders as equally important. (Hofstede) Power Distance Belgi um’s third highest dimension is power distance. Belgium has a power distance of 60 which means that to some degree it is thought that power is not distributed evenly.Although Belgium has a higher power distance they do not have a really high power distance so people respect authority but are not always afraid to ask questions to superiors. Although there is some two way communication, it tends to be more one way communication. A high power distance means that decision making is more centralised and roles and responsibilities are more clearly defined. Organisations have more bureaucracy and larger pay difference exist between jobs and positions. In Belgian businesses there exists a more vertical organisational structure and more vertical communication.In an organisation with a vertical structure there tends to be more rules and policies and it is important to be aware of these rules and policies when conducting business in the country. Information and communication move upward and downward throughout the ranks. It is important when doing business to give clear and precis directions to insure that everyone understands because they might not be comfortable asking for clarification. The relationship between the member of the top of the hierarchy and the bottom of the hierarchy are limited and very professional.Relationships within organisations are more distant. Therefore in business it is important to know the different levels of jobs and who makes the decisions. Depending on what position you hold you will answer to others who hold higher positions of authority and make most of the rules and decisions. It is important to show respect to those in higher positions. If you are on a lower level you may be restricted to certain information. Problems are usually blamed on the people who work in lower positions. (â€Å"Power Distance Index. â€Å")(Hofstede) Uncertainty AvoidanceThe countries highest dimension is uncertainty avoidance, with a 94 which mean tha t Belgium as a society not mot like taking risks. This high level also indicates the country’s low tolerance for uncertainty. Belgium’s very high level of uncertainty avoidance affects how they do business and must be considered and understood before conducting business with a Belgium company or with someone from Belgium. If you think you can change a Belgian businesses way of thinking or doing something in a short period of time you will not be successful.One of the main aspects is that they like to avoid risk and stay away from uncertain and risky situations, including foreigners and foreign ways of doing business. Having things well planned out and prepared in advanced and having things clearly explained is important. Resistance to change is high and therefore changes must be slowly introduced. Laws of the workplace as well as all other laws tend to be carefully followed so it is very important to understand and abide by Belgium laws when doing business in Belgium. They rely heavily on rules, laws and regulation in order to avoid risky situations.When doing business in Belgium it is important to know your facts and be very organised. Belgians will move towards stable low risk investments and avoid unstable high risk investments. Unstructured and uncertain situations are avoided. Because they fear the unknown, foreigners and new ideas are regarded warily and foreigners who want to conduct business with the country must be careful. Because of the fear of the unknown employees are often stressed and anxious, if it is possible to reduce stress and anxiety you will be a lot more successful.Changing jobs is done less frequently and therefore employee turnover is much smaller and employee loyalty is much higher. (Hofstede) Conclusion When doing business in this country foreigners have to take the cultural dimensions of Belgium into careful consideration of they want to be successful. According to The International Finance Corporation 2011 economy ran kings, Belgium is in 28th place out of 183 countries. The countries are raked on various variables, such as permits and taxes, that look at the ease of doing business in the country.Belgium’s reasonably low score indicated that it is possible to enter the market without too many difficulties. Therefore it is a country that should be given much consideration when looking at foreign markets. Before conducting business with any foreign business it is important to look at the cultural differences and how these differences impact business. In order to understand the culture and values of a society it can be usefully to look at the country’s history and past. Belgium has some similar cultural dimensions to Canada and they are used to working with foreigners and different ways of doing business.Because of this Belgium tends to be fairly open and understanding of other cultural differences. However, in order to be successful and gain the trust and acceptance of local workers a nd businesses it is vital to understand the countries cultural dimensions and how to act inside and outside the boardroom. The biggest disadvantage to working with or in Belgium is their extremely high uncertainty avoidance. The Belgium’s avoid risk and unknown situations in order to protect themselves and their country. If there is anything new or risky it has to be introduced very carefully and slowly, the Belgians would never change overnight.This does not mean however that they are narrow minded or unwilling to change. If you are well prepare, respectful and follow the rules of the country and company you can be very successful in the Belgium market. JAPAN Introduction to Japan Japan is an island surrounded by Russia, China, and Korea. Japan has a population of 127. 08 million, this is a fairly large number considering Japan is only an island, as the population gets bigger the island stays the same size, creating a deficiency of land. The capital city of Japan is Tokyo. ( â€Å"U. S.Department of State†) After the second world war ended Japan started to prosper in their business doings, in 1956 they joined the United Nations, 70 percent of Japan's workforce is in services while the remainder 30 percent are in agricultural and industry. The agricultural good that they produce include rice, vegetables, fruit, milk, meat, and fish, they also export some of these items. The official language of Japan is Japanese, while their business language is English . The Japanese have a parliamentary government and a constitutional monarch. (â€Å"U. S.Department of State†) Japan has a free market economy, it is currently the third largest in the world, its economy is highly competitive and efficient in international trade. Productivity is low in agriculture, distribution, and services. Since Japan has few natural resources trading helps them to earn foreign exchange needed to purchase raw materials for its economy. (â€Å"U. S. Department of Stateâ⠂¬ ) Individualism When doing business with Japan it is important to remember that they have very low individualism and high collectivism. Japan does not believe in individual freedom or rights, it is all about the group and what is best for the group.When doing business with Japan, you must never address a single individual as the company, you must address the entire group. When working in Japan, your work becomes your life and whenever your work needs you must put everything else on hold. Japanese emphasize teamwork and loyalty, groups/colleagues learn to trust and work together at a young age. When entering the Japan market you must first be accepted by the group, once you have the groups support you will be able to trust them to your company good and they will be willing to work long hours for you if provide them with what they need.When working for a company in Japan, the likely-hood of you being promoted is based on your seniority in the company, someone who has been there lo nger than you is more likely to get the promotion, even if you are more qualified for the job. Masculinity During the IBM study for Hofstede's five dimensions Japan ranked number one out of all the countries for the highest masculinity, not only is the country masculine but the citizens are as well. It is unacceptable for a woman to wear pants in a business setting, the men find it extremely offensive. The women must either wear skirts or dresses when in a business environment.Men are the masculine ones of the society, during business discussions when things are not going as planned it is normal for individuals to become aggressive in order to get things completed. The women are the ones to calm the men down and provide comfort for them. Women who are in more qualifying jobs are very assertive, just so that they can be seen as equal to their male co-workers. The management structure of a business is built on rules and order among individuals, there is a hierarchy of power in Japan s ociety and in business'. An employee at the bottom of the ierarchy has no right to talk to someone higher up or even suggest ideas that they feel will benefit their company. It is the employees’ job to do what is told of them and to never question their employer. In Japan, one must sacrifice everything for their work, that includes family and social life, the term â€Å"karoshi† is Japanese for dying because one is overworked. Since the population in Japan is so large, the men and women learn to become competitive and have placed a high importance on achievements, if children were to do poorly in school it would be a disgrace to their family. Power DistanceJapan's power distance is a little higher than average. When doing business with them one must watch out for a few things. When working in Japan, for a Japanese company, it is unacceptable for an employee to talk to their superior with disrespect or talk to someone higher up in the working chain about their current m anager, doing such a thing is considered disgraceful and could cause you to lose your job. In Canada it is common for an employee to comment and try to make their company better, where in Japan if an employee were to make such a comment their employment with said company would be terminated.The employees are dependent on their managers, to tell them what to do and how to do it, it is not their responsibility to think for themselves, that is the job for their superiors. Finding a job in Japan could be difficult for people who are migrating to the country and do not already have a job lined up for them. Japan has a caste system in place, once you are born into a caste it is not very likely that you will move away from it, this being said, the occupation that your father has would be the occupation that you will take over.There is a large income difference in Japan, it is easy to tell what class you belong to. Business cards are very important for the Japanese, when going on business m eetings you should always have about 100 business cards on hand for a one week business trip. Having a double sided business card is very important, make sure that one side of the card is in Japanese and the other side is in English. When giving your business card to others you must hold it in both hands, with the Japanese side facing upwards, also, make sure to bow while passing on your business card.Never forget to pick up the business card and put them in your case, if you forget one of the business cards it is like a slap in the face for the other individual. You will have to bring a small notebook to write notes in and never write on the business cards, it is another sign of disrespect. (â€Å"Venture Japan†) Uncertainty Avoidance Hofstede gave Japan a score 92/100 for uncertainty avoidance, it is Japans most prominent cultural characteristic. Citizens do not like change so they tend to stay with the same company for the rest of their lives, staying loyal to their employ er.Individuals are willing to work if they are provided with job security in return. It is important to remember that Japan does not take well to foreign companies that they do not know, coming into their country and starting a business there. You must first gain the citizens trust and acceptance if you want to do well with your business venture. With uncertainty avoidance comes anxiety. Japanese individuals put up with a lot of anxiety about their work and colleagues. â€Å"In Japan there is the outlet of getting drunk along with colleagues after working hours.During these parties, men release their pent-up aggression, even towards their superiors; but the next day business continues as usual. Such drinking bouts represent one of the major institutionalized places and times for anxiety release† (Hofstede, 118) An important thing to remember is that if you want to work in Japan it is accepted to drink in the office after working hours, during the day it is unacceptable to rel ieve your aggression towards your superiors but it is accepted during â€Å"such drinking bouts†.In Japan it is common for others to ask straight forward questions like â€Å"how much do you make? † and â€Å"how big is your house? † such questions are asked so that they are able to assess what position of the hierarchy you at. Conclusion When viewing Japan through Hofstede's dimensions, you get a better understanding of how they do business based on cultural differences. Japan has a high masculinity, and low individualism, this is beneficial for companies seeking loyalty, and who wish to get tasks done on a timely basis. There are many advantages with doing business with Japan, when you gain heir trust and confidence then they will always be loyal to you and assist with what they can. They will get work done when asked and on time, as long as they are provided with instructions they will do the work to the best of their ability. Only a few disadvantages exist w ith doing business with Japan, a reason why someone would not want to do business with them would be that they consider work to be very important, you would not be able to be sarcastic with them or even try to discuss ways to better the company if you are positioned slightly lower than them on the hierarchical business poll.In the end, if you are doing business with Japan you will always be able to count on them, making Japan an excellent country to do business with. Another factor of doing business in Japan is based on the study that The World Bank does each year that addresses the ease of doing business within a country. Japan has a score of 18/183, they have a relatively low score which indicated that doing business with them would be easy and have benefits in the long run, such as obtaining permits, business rights, starting a business, paying taxes, and dealing outside of the borders is very easy for foreign companies to do in Japan.Japan ranked second as the most technological ly powerful economy in the world, after the U. S.. Technology innovation is very important for a countries development, having a company in Japan helps that company because of all the technology advancements that they make, helping them become first in a market and having an advantage above everyone else. Conclusion to Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture As the saying goes â€Å"our world is shrinking†. This means many different opportunities for businesses to grow and expand.It offers more opportunities to people for competition, access to new goods and services, new technology and knowledge. Everyday our world continues to gain new inventions and ideas. However, with this progress also comes a great responsibility. It is the responsibility of each individual to make sure that they have a respect and understanding for this new accessible world. Another saying is â€Å"knowledge is power†, in the world of business this is very true. In the world of globalization th is is even truer.The more knowledge you have about the customs and beliefs of a certain culture, the more successful your dealings with them will be. Geert Hofstede understood this thought and through his research we are able to gain a better understanding of many different cultures and how when we apply them to the business world we can become more successful. In this paper we reviewed three different cultures from three different areas of the world. Although, we did find many differences in the history, background and specifics of the cultures, we also found some similarities in the behaviours of the people who live in these different cultures.Through these observations we are able to understand that when doing business in Venezuela, if you want to be successful you must look and act as though you already are successful because the country has a high masculinity which means they value money, power and success. We also know that to succeed you must be ready to deal with the difficu lties and interference of the government. Venezuelans are collectivists and so they look out for one another inside their perceived groups however this also means that you must appeal to the group when marketing or dealing with them.They also have a high power distance and so they will not disagree with the boss nor will they let you know if they don’t understand. All of these differences are not necessarily bad things but they can make it more difficult to do business with this country. The important thing to remember is that if you know these things about them then you can work around these obstacles to achieve success. Japan is a very masculine country, making them more aggressive which helps to increase efficiency among employees which benefits the company that they work for.Japan also has high uncertainty avoidance, with high uncertainty avoidance employees do not take change very well, Japan has been doing business the same since World War II ended, some would see this as a bad thing but in reality it is very good, this is helpful because it provides a more secure environment and no one is afraid of what they already know. When doing business in Belgium it is important to keep in mind their high cultural dimensions and how this affects doing business.Their highest dimension is uncertainty avoidance flowed by individualism, therefore, it is important to introduce new ideas slowly and celebrate individuality. Although there are differences that must be considered if you do your research Belgium can be a warm and welcoming environment to do business in and to expand your international reach. We have presented in out paper three very different countries from different sides of the world. But which one is best to do business with? Venezuela, although it is the cheapest market to enter, has a very high rating on the WBI and is extremely difficult to enter and presents many obstacles.Also, as we have discussed earlier in this paper Hofstede’s dime nsions of culture outline the differences and difficulties that one would encounter when dealing with the work force in Venezuela. Japan, although the highest ranking on the WBI, has a very different culture and very different language when comparing it to Canada and therefore would present many different challenges also outlined in the paper according to Hofstede’s dimensions. Belgium is therefore our best choice when considering internationalising into a broader market.Its ranking is close to Japan, well above Venezuela however, it is also a lot similar in culture, demographics and attitudes to Canada. One of Belgium’s official languages is French, which is also a benefit to Canadian business people. However, Belgium would be definitely a smaller market expansion according to population size. References About Belgium. â€Å"Eupedia's Belgium Guide. Eupedia, 2010. Web. 21 Oct 2011. ;lt;http://www. eupedia. com/belgium/trivia. shtml;gt;. â€Å"Ease of Doing Business in Venezeula, RB. † Doing Business: Measuring Business Regulations. The World Bank, 2011. Web. 19 Nov 2011. ;lt;http://www. oingbusiness. org/data/exploreeconomies/venezuela/;gt;. â€Å"Economy. †Ã‚  Belgium Europe. Travel Document Systems, Inc. , 2011. Web. 7 Nov 2011. ;lt;http://www. traveldocs. com/be/economy. htm;gt;. â€Å"Facts about Belgium. †Ã‚  Belgium Facts. Greenwich2000. ltd. uk, 2011. Web. 20 Oct 2011. ;lt;http://wwp. greenwichmeanti me. com/time-zone/eu rope/european-union/belgium/facts/ ;gt;. â€Å"Interesting Facts Hofstede, Geert. â€Å"Itim International. † http://www. geert-hofstede. com. Itim International, n. d. Web. 19 Oct 2011. ;lt;http://www. geert-hofstede. com/hofstede_venezuela. shtml;gt;. Hofstede, Geert. Culture's Consequences. 1st.Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications Inc. , 1984. Print. Page 153, 158, 166 Hofstede, Geert. Culture's Consequences. 1st. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications Inc. , 1984. Print. Page 189, 200, 205, 207 Hofstede, Geert. Culture's Consequences. 1st. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications Inc. , 1984. Print. Page 65, 77, 92 Hofstede, Geert. Culture's Consequences. 1st. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications Inc. , 1984. Print. Page 110, 122, 132, 133 Hofstede, Geert. Culture's Conswquences. 2end. California: Sage Publications, 2001. Print. Hofstede, Geert. Cultures and organizations : software of the mind. 1st ed.New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991. Print. â€Å"Individualism. †Ã‚  KwintEssentials. N. p. , 2009. Web. 7 Nov 2011. <http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/intercultural/individualism. html>. â€Å"International Business Center. † Geert Hofstedeâ„ ¢ Cultural Dimensions. Geert Hofstede – itim , 2009. Web. 20 Nov 2011. <http://www. geert-hofstede. com/hofstede_japan. shtml> â€Å"Japan. † . InternationalBusinessCenter. org , 2008. Web. 20 Nov 2011. <http://www. cyborlink. com/besite/japan. htm>. â€Å"Japanese business etiquette. † Venture Japan. Venture Japan LLC, 2009. Web. 20 Nov 2011. <http://www. venturejapan. com/japanese-business-etiquette. tm>. Nasieroswki, Wojciech. â€Å"Communication is the Key. † International Business. University of New Brunswick. Tilley Hall, Fredericton. 24Oct2011. Lecture. Nasierwoski, Wojciech. â€Å"International Competitiveness. † International Business. University of New Brunswick. Tilley Hall, Fredericton. Lecture. â€Å"Power Distance Index. â€Å"Kwintessential. N. p. , 2009. Web. 7 Nov 2011. <http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/intercultural/power-distance- index. html>. â€Å"The Challenges of Doing Business in Venezuela. † BBC News. (2011): n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. <http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-us-canada-15486080>. U. S. Department of State. † http://www. state. gov. U. S. Government, n. d. Web. 19 Oct 2011. ;lt;http://www. state. gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35766. htm;gt;. â€Å"U. S. Department of State. † U. S. De partment of State. Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 23/08/2011. Web. 20 Nov 2011. ;lt;http://www. state. gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4142. htm;gt;. World Bank, . â€Å"Economy Statistics > European countries by GDP per capita > GDP Per Capita (most recent) by country. â€Å"NationMast N. p. , 2010. Web. 20 Oct 2011. ;lt;http://www. nationmaster. com/gr aph/eco_eur_cou_by_gdp_per_cap_gdp_per_cap-european-countr ies-gdp-per-capita;gt;.

Colors Tv Report

Colors TV Channel – Study of Marketing Strategy Presented By: Group 2 Gourav Dokania – 10P078 Rahul Kaushal – 10P100 Saaransh Malani – 10P106 Shalabh Arora – 10P109 Shivi Goel -10P112 Tisa Annie Paul – 10P117 Vivek Mogili – 10P120 Contents Introduction:3 Television environment: a brief study4 Marketing environment:4 The Genesis – The Launch and its effects7 The Silver Lining10 MARKET ENTRY STRATEGIES OF COLORS (PRE-LAUNCH)10 PROMOTION STRATEGIES for the launch:12 Analysing Colors based on marketing framework15 SWOT Analysis:17 Marketing Mix:18 Analyzing consumer behavior and developing targeting strategies:19 ADVERTISING POLICIES21 AD rates and Sources of Revenues:22 DISTRIBUTION POLICIES OF COLORS23 Pricing Policy24 INTERNATIONAL FORAY24 Areas of concern:25 Introduction: As part of our second project in Marketing Planning course, we would like to present a comprehensive study regarding the Colors TV channel. As part of the study, we would like to cover the following points: 1. The marketing environment revolving around TV channels in general This is divided into three parts during the course of the report: †¢ Pre-liberalization environment The immediate post-liberalization phase †¢ The environment preceding the launch of Colors channel †¢ The present marketing environment 2. The consumer target segment and their behaviour during the above phases 3. The launch strategies followed by Colors TV 4. The analysis of Colors TV channel based on various marketing frameworks Below are the frameworks, we would like to base our study on: †¢ SWOT analysis †¢ 5 C’s framework 5. The product and marketing strategies followed by the channel 6. The segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies as applicable. The study and analysis is backed by an online survey 7. The pricing policies taking into account the revenue model and AD rates 8. The distribution policies followed by the channel 9. Recommendations and conclusions Television environment: a brief study We will start our study by briefly explaining what we mean by a marketing environment and will then proceed to study the marketing environment of TV channels as discussed in the phases above. We will specifically focus our study in Hindi General Entertainment Channels. Marketing environment: A marketing environment consists of actors and forces outside the organization that affect management’s ability to build and maintain relationships with target customers. Two kinds of classification can be made: †¢ Microenvironment: actors close to the companies that affect its ability to serve its customers. †¢ Macroenvironment: larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment. Two points are worth noting at this stage: †¢ Studying the environment allows marketers to take advantage of opportunities as well as to combat threats. †¢ Marketing intelligence and research are used to collect information about the environment. Doordarshan era: Indian small screen programming started majorly in the early 1980s. At that time there was only one national channel Doordarshan, which was government owned. By the late 1980s more and more people started to own television sets. Though there was a single channel, television programming had reached saturation. Hence the government opened up another channel which had part national programming and part regional. This channel was known as DD 2 later DD Metro. Both channels were broadcast terrestrially. Liberalization era: In 1992, the government liberated the industry by opening them up to cable television. Five new channels belonging to the Hong Kong-based STAR TV gave Indians a fresh breath of life. MTV, STAR Plus, Star Movies, BBC, Prime Sports and STAR Chinese Channel were the 5 channels. Zee TV was the first private owned Indian channel to broadcast over cable. A few years later CNN, Discovery Channel and National Geographic Channel made their foray into India. Star expanded its bouquet introducing STAR World, STAR Sports, ESPN, Channel V and STAR Gold. Regional channels flourished along with a multitude of Hindi channels and a few English channels. By 2001 HBO and History Channel were the other international channels to enter India. By 1999–2003, other international channels such as Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, VH1, Disney and Toon Disney came into foray. In 2003 news channels started to boom. The most recent channels that have come up are UTV Movies, UTV Bindass, Zoom, Colours, 9X and 9XM. The growth post-liberalization: Starting with 41 sets in 1962 and one channel, by 1991 TV in India covered more than 70 million homes giving a viewing population of more than 400 million individuals through more than 100 channels. As per the TAM Annual Universe Update – 2010, India now has over 134 million households (out of 223 million) with television sets, of which over 103 million have access to Cable TV or Satellite TV, including 20 million households are DTH subscribers. In Urban India, 85% of all households have a TV and over 70% of all households have access to Satellite, Cable or DTH services. TV owning households have been growing at between 8-10%, while growth in Satellite/Cable homes exceeded 15% and DTH subscribers grew 28% over 2009. It is also estimated that India now has over 500 TV channels covering all the main languages spoken in the nation. A cursory glance at the TV offerings show the kind of diversity that Indian society has –channels for not just different languages, but also serving different niches within the broad umbrella of entertainment, spirituality, news, music & movies. The volatile tastes of India’s TV audience leads to ratings volatility and viewership fragmentation which can put pressure on ad rates, as ad volumes and rates are unlikely to move up simultaneously. Rising ad volumes will dent ad rates; hence, incumbents could see slower top-line growth. In addition we have analyzed the following factors – 1) Lack of entry barriers bringing new competition The pace at which channels are being launched is alarming and indicates the lack of significant entry barriers in television, compared to the stickiness of other media, such as print, where persuading readers to switch to another paper is not as easy as flipping channels. General entertainment channels command a 40% share of the total advertisement pie and have an estimated ad market size of US$1bn and have seen an increase in serious competition over the past few quarters, driven by new launches from entities funded by private equity investors and international media conglomerates 2) Building scale is critical, but could dent earnings momentum The entire broadcast sector wants to expand, as only companies with well-diversified exposure, a broad range of channels and control of strategic assets are well-positioned to fend off competition. This also ensures that advertisers are offered a spectrum of media choices, leading to growth through higher addressable ad volumes and reduced sensitivity to ad rates. This comes at a cost; however, as earnings performance deteriorates during the transition phase, when expansion TV18 is diversifying into unrelated assets, which could lead to significant losses in the initial phase due to lack of immediate synergies and the learning curve, required for reaching breakeven point. 3) Deviation in ad revenues as per the market conditions Research suggests a slowdown in economy directly affects the ad revenues being generated. While a worsening competitive environment, lower liquidity in financial markets and high interest rates can lead to a tough operating environment for broadcasters, we believe that strong market growth and pay revenue streams will ensure their survival of these channels in the near term. 4) Expect acceleration in organized pay revenues Expert estimate India’s organized subscriber base to expand at a 36% CAGR over the next three years, while the unorganized subscription pie is expected to witness a sharp contraction (-7% CAGR) due to ongoing efforts to switch customers onto the organized network. Subscription revenues directly add to profitability and should help broadcasters balance out margins pressure from competition and rising costs. The Genesis – The Launch and its effects Alliance formation between Network 18 Group and Viacom Inc. In May of 2007, the Network 18 Group and Viacom Inc, a New York-based global entertainment content company announced the creation of a 50:50 joint venture operation in India called Viacom 18. The strategic alliance includes television, film and digital media content across numerous brands to build India’s leading multi-platform entertainment company. Launch of Colors TV Channel In-spite of the tough competition and neither partner having any experience in operating a Hindi-language entertainment channel, Studio18, a new-age motion picture brand that produces, acquires and distributes Hindi films launched the Hindi General Entertainment Channel – COLORS on 21st June, 2008. Face Off Against a Decade Long Legacy of Star TV Colors TV Channel was the eleventh entrant into a market space that was already over-crowded and extremely competitive. Not only that, the battle for leadership in this market, which happened to be the Hindi general entertainment genre, the biggest segment in terms of both the viewership share as well as advertising revenue potential, on television had already been fought and won. The Hindi GEC space was dominated by Star plus, Zee and Sony. According to television audience measurement agency TAM Media research, four weeks prior to the launch of the channel, that is in June 2008, Star Plus was the clear leader with 351 GRPs, followed by Zee TV with 226 GRPs and Sony at number three with 102 GRPs. Intense Rivalry for the Second Spot Those at the middle and the bottom rung were not in a comfortable zone either. The other close rivals, Zee TV and Sony Entertainment Television, had been fighting tooth and nail to claim the number two slot but none could hold it for too long. Other New Entrants had Failed Most importantly, the industry response to some new entrants such as 9X and NDTV Imagine had not been too encouraging. And surprisingly, all other channels preceding and succeeding Colors had performed dismally. Colors’ immediate predecessor NDTV Imagine was far from breaking into the top three exclusive club and other new entrants such as 9X and Real, launched by Alva Brothers, of Miditech fame (the television content production company behind popular shows such as Roadies) and Turner International were struggling to keep themselves going. Colors TV Channel exceeded the general expectation setting new records Taking the above factors into account, Colors’ entry in this scenario did not seem like a sound business decision to most in the industry. Most industry watchers wrote it off even before they switched it on. The viewership ratings post-launch: [pic][pic] The viewership ratings after one year of launch [pic] [pic] ? Colors showed the maximum increase in viewership in the seven months preceding its launch. Its launch had expanded the GEC pie by 37%, maximum of which was taken by Colors as seen by the table below: [pic] ? Within 10 weeks Colors managed to gain more than 100 advertisers. The awareness transcended into unprecedented loyalty [pic] The Silver Lining In the past, it has taken a channel six to nine years to break even. Colors, according to the industry watchers, will be breaking even by end of 2010. MARKET ENTRY STRATEGIES OF COLORS (PRE-LAUNCH) 1) Colors – Jasbaat Ke Rang COLORS' is a positioned as a blend of 'emotions' and ‘variety', COLORS promises to offer an entire spectrum of emotions to the viewers that is well captured in its tagline – ‘Jasbaat Ke Rang'. The vibrant colours and leaf design used in the logo brought a new fresh perspective along with. 2) Use of existing network of Network 18 to market Colors Viacom 18 left no stone unturned to market Colors either. For a start, it made a smart use of Network 18’s news channels to cross promote the entertainment channel. 3) Not popularizing fiction shows before the launch To avoid confusing the viewer, it also cleverly pushed only its high-wattage show, and Akshay Kumar. In contrast, 9x advertised all its fiction shows during its launch. Akshay Kumar actually worked almost like a brand ambassador for Colors without the channel really having to rope him in that role. The star’s face helped the channel cut through the clutter. ) Deploying the falling popularity of K serials They also benefited from Star Plus’ own lethargy towards taking quick action against the falling popularity of its K-serials (the family soaps produced by content production house Balaji Telefilms. Since the titles of most shows produced by the company began with letter, K, they were referred to as K-serials) 5) Offering of differentiated TV programs The iron was hot to be stroked. While the popularity of s aas-bahu serials had been falling, Colors came out with a fresh and diversified mix. At one hand was Indian version of Fear Factor hosted by Akshay Kumar and at the other hand was Balika Vadhu based on the female oppression in India. Then, mythological serials, coming after a huge break greatly attracted the viewers. Mothers who were hooked on the Saas-bahu serials started switching channels during the break to check on what stunts the ravishing girls were doing on a particular episode of Khatron Ke Khiladi. The tendency to sneak into Colors Channel gradually developed into a habit for these folks and soon most of them were hooked on to Colors for their daily dose of entertainment in the evening. ) Roping in celebrities like Akshay Kumar To be sure, every aspect of Colors’ launch, be it the distribution, marketing or content had been well thought through. The channel started with only four hours of original programming but it got a competent viewership driver in the form of Khatron Ke Khiladi (KKK), which was hosted by Bollywood hottie Akshay Kumar. Akshay Kum ar was at his prime at that time. Bringing him to the small screen was sure to bring in eyeballs. It was, therefore, a good programming strategy. 7) Different days and timing of airing the programs The reality show Fear Factor was actually aired in Weekdays. Colors’ content head Ashwini Yarde, formerly at Zee, says the channel took a major risk in introducing an action-packed, male-skewed reality show with Akshay Kumar (and 13 daring pretty young things) on weekdays between 10 and 11 pm. It experimented with reality on week days against the popular trend of airing such shows during weekends. Also, it went against the tide as the 10-11 pm slot was historically oriented towards women-centric serials such as Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The shows in 7-10 pm band were targeted at kids and non-metros and then at 10pm, they had Fear Factor, which was targeted mainly at metro audience PROMOTION STRATEGIES for the launch: The launch of Colors has seen the most innovative and all-medium encompassing strategy, yet to be seen in this competitive and cluttered space. 1) Tie up with Mumbai Dabbawalas The team also tied up with the famous 250,000 dabbawallahs of Mumbai to plaster the channel’s and its various shows’ logos and snapshots on the tiffin boxes that are distributed among people across the city. 2) Tie up with Barista Lavazza They launched Khatron Ke Khiladi limited edition coffee in association retail chain Barista Lavazza. It was for the first time, a television channel had done such exciting campaigns for itself. 3) Public Relations It was the massive public relations exercise that put Colors on the GEC map. The channel focused sharply on editorial support and ensured that it generated enough reports on the channel. For Bigg Boss, we picked newsmakers and the single-line brief was how these people should be able to move the coverage of Colors from the entertainment pages to the front pages of newspapers ) Real time viewer involvement In a bid to attract and retain viewer interest, GECs are increasingly letting viewers get more and more involved with their various offerings – from selecting the name of a show to deciding on the lead protagonist after a leap in time. Colors’ show ‘Balika Vadhu’ is set to take a time leap and the channel is letting the viewers decide on which of the three actresses shown should become the grown up Anandi, one of television’s most popular characters. Viewers can vote for the new Anandi via SMS. 5) Healthy replacements of programs When KKK went off air after 16 weeks, it was replaced by Bigg Boss, the â€Å"highly-controversial† (by design, say media experts) show hosted by Shilpa Shetty, which is averaging a healthy TVR of 2. 8. 6) Live Hoardings Live hoarding in 20 cities were run for three days to promote another big-ticket show Bigg Boss. 7) Planning to enter merchandising At present, advertising and subscription are the two main sources of revenue for the channel, but the team is contemplating an entry into the merchandising space within the next one year. ) To begin with, it has used all media such as TV, radio, print, websites, mobiles, movie theaters and outdoor for promoting the channel. It has placed  1300 hoardings and launched road shows  across the country. 9) For a more concentrated campaign,  3000 taxis in Mumbai and 2000 auto rickshaws  in small towns along with  local trains and school buses  have been painted with Colors brand. 10) Along with this 65000 ad spots are booked on TV while 15 million SMS have been send across all telecom operators. 11) At  Big Bazaar  stores, helpers and counter-guys are wearing  Colors T-shirts  and giving out information about the channel. 2) In  McDonald’s,  the Colors brand is present on the menu while Fear Factor Khataron Ke Khiladi merchandise is available at  Pantaloons  and McDonalds. 13) For program specific advertising,  Colors has tied up with ISKCON  for promoting its mythological show Jai Sri Krishna at all ISKCON temples. Also, 1000 temples across Hindi speaking states are being used to promote the show by putting banners on banner stalls and giving Krishna merchandise, literature and calendars. 14) For the show Mohe Rang De, Colors has chosen Punjab and Delhi to  organise street plays  as these plays were the maximum witness to freedom struggle. We can summarise the communication strategies based on the the 6 M’s Model of communication: Market General Public MissionTo generate Curiosity about the channel & shows MessageWatch Colors Media TV, Newspapers, Hoardings, Dabbawalas, SMS MoneySpent more than Rs. 50 crore on initial promotion Measurement Initial viewership The marketing and communication strategies seemed to be quite aggressive and innovative but ultimately it was the programming quality and show placement which established its positioning in the Indian television space. Analysing Colors based on marketing framework In this section, we would be looking after the strategizing, segmentation, targeting, positioning of Colors based on established marketing frameworks: 5 C’s of marketing: Collaborators: †¢ Colors channel is a joint venture operation in India between Viacom Inc. and Network18 Group. †¢ Colors, earlier a free to air (FTA) channel, has recently gone pay. †¢ Paid 5-10 % more than the others on cable distribution so that Colors sat between the prime channels †¢ MSM Discovery Private Limited (â€Å"MSMD†) is the designated agent to distribute Colors in India as part of the coveted â€Å"TheOneAlliance† (â€Å"TOA†) bouquet. †¢ IPL ties up with Colors Competitors: †¢ Major competitors: Star Plus, Zee and Sony †¢ Power in the hands of the cable operator †¢ Pay carriage fee to view a channel Company: †¢ Product lines : fiction, mythology, reality †¢ Image in the market: entered as a challenger, now leader †¢ Skills: innovative content, disruptive scheduling †¢ Goal: to be a profitable market leader Customers: †¢ Created thought provoking subject-based shows like Balika Vadhu, Uttaran and Na Ana Is Des Laado †¢ Reality shows with a difference like Khatron Ke Khiladi, Big Boss and now the latest BINGO †¢ Gives the viewers an expanded choice Scientific scheduling for eg: Balika Vadhu (multiple entry points) Context: †¢ Political issues: notice was sent to Colors Channel for allegedly portraying the character of a district magistrate in negative light in the serial. †¢ Social Issues: shocking scenes of a girl child being immersed in a big bowl of milk , created a social outburs t †¢ Extra working hours of the children SWOT Analysis: Strengths †¢ Shows from all walks of life †¢ A fresh outlook on everything New themes and Ideas Weakness †¢ Strong competitors †¢ A new channel with teething problems †¢ Trying to capture an already captivated part of audience Opportunity A lot of untapped market †¢ A new generation with different taste in TV †¢ Brand Loyalty in Indians Threats †¢ Failure †¢ Immediate acceptance †¢ Difficulty in looking for new grounds †¢ Copy Cats Marketing Mix: Product †¢ Innovative Daily soaps touching altogether different emotional buds of women viewers Price †¢ Prices offered to advertisers were very attractive as the channel got more than 100 advertisers within 2 months of its launch Place †¢ Viacom18 is said to have given away Rs 100 crore as carriage fee for a year to get the best band for its channel Promotion Innovative promotion Analyzing consumer behavior and developing targeting strategies: The TV consumer of today, unlike that of the Doordarshan era is exposed to various programs and content formats. With profusion of interactive social media, all kinds of TV shows, movies, user generated content, nation and culture specific content is available at a click. Again with increasing march towards a global economy, retail boom in the form of super markets, increasing foray of global brands and culture, the young consumer of today is vastly different from the old. They are more demanding, time-pressed, seek instant gratification and look for fresh content. IPTV is the future of TV industry. At the same time, any GEC cannot ignore the women-centric content and in a nation of diversity and high religious sensibilities, mythological content too is needed. We try to understand these and various other factors to understand the consumer behavior central to Colors in particular and Hindi GEC in general. TARGETING †¢ Identification of markets with unfulfilled needs and trying to tap them. Some examples include socially sensitive issues, mythology & saas-bahu serials with a difference †¢ Discovering segments on the basis of consumer characteristics and ascertaining their potential. Colors has very aptly identified the difference between ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’ and designed contents to appeal to both. †¢ Differentiating product offering from competitors – Colors has successfully offered and marketed differentiated content with intelligent scheduling. Also they have been very quick in striking deals with latest Bollywood movies. We will look at the differentiation strategy in detail in the following sections. Creating a distinctive positioning in the minds of consumers – A mixture of both program content and promotional strategies has really situated the brand as one appealing to both youth and the family and created an image of one with the freshest perspective. SEGMENTATION The various parameters on which the market can be segmented is : Age †¢ 15-24 years – They are the key viewers especially in single family households. Reality and youth shows have really appealed to this section. †¢ Lady of the house – She is attracted to fiction and afternoon slots are designed keeping their tastes in mind Urban/Rural Target Bharat – The target is skewed towards smaller towns with 7-9 pm slots. †¢ India – Metro-centric focus in slots of 9-10 pm. Product Offerings: Having the segment and their behavior in mind, let us look at the major product offerings clubbed under three heads: †¢ Fiction: eg. Balika Vadhu,Uttaran, Na aana iss des laado †¢ Reality shows: eg. Khatron ke Khiladi, Big boss, National Bingo night †¢ Mythology: Jai shri Krishna, Mahavir hanuman Differentiation: The following table list some factors which has helped Colors differentiate itself from the other GECs | Other channels |Colors | |Started with regular fiction shows |Yes |No | |Starte d with 2 reality shows with a bang |No |Yes | |Promoted only 1 show on launch |No |Yes (KKK) | |Brand Ambassador |Mostly No |Yes | |Started socially sensitive shows |No |Yes | |Reality shows on weekends |Yes |No | Positioning: Positioning is how the brand is situated in the perceptual space of the consumer. So it is their perception which is of paramount importance here and not the intended position. So to understand the positioning it was essential that we go to the consumers. We floated an online survey to understand the perception consumers have of various Hindi GECs across various parameters. But still to get the other perspective we list below some intended positioning factors driving Colors: ? Colors. An arbitrary name at first glance, this is a self-descriptive. The use of the plural form itself distinguishes itself as a general entertainment channel – one which caters to multiple audiences. This is further emphasized by its tagline ‘Jasbaat Ke Rang’ (The colours of emotion) – which promises the shows that will target the entire spectrum of viewers. ? The logo also provides some intended positioning insights. In every society yellow is associated with the sun – and hence optimism, warmth and happiness. Pink is youthful, fun and exciting. Purple, a mix of the passionate red and tranquil blue, evokes mystery, spirituality and sentimentality. The leaf motif, is a connection to earth and a acknowledgment of roots and natural origin. The Viacom 18 rejoinder at the bottom of the logo indicates an effort by the promoters to promote the parent brand (something they have not done with their other offerings: MTV, Nick and VH1). Usually the name of such an established parent adds to the credibility of the offering and in this case also reflects the aggression and pace with which the brand plans to march ahead. ? The tagline of the channel is ‘Jasbaat Ke Rang’ signifying the universal appeal of its programmes. ADVERTISING POLICIES After the product, its promotion and even the distribution has been put in place, comes the question of earning the bread and butter. In India, more than 80% of most television channels’ revenues come from advertising. Colors TV Channel was launched at a time when global economic downturn had already set in and it had begun to impact the Indian market as well. †¢ Advertisers had begun holding their purse strings tight. Yet, within weeks of its launch, the channel had most premium advertisers on board. †¢ One thing that the team at Colors responsible for raising advertising was clear about was: It would not sell its ad slots cheap even if it meant, not getting any advertising. †¢ To sell advertising inventory in the kind of market that C olors stepped in wasn’t easy. There were rivals who were ready to cut their rates to wean away advertisers and the economic scenario also wasn’t too encouraging. They had done their home work before they stepped into the market. They did a lot of number crunching, decided on some rates and held on to them. Demanding premium rates may have been rendered easier by the good work done by the channel’s content creation team. They actually went in with lower inventories and did not sign the deals till they got their price. AD rates and Sources of Revenues: In general, the AD rates for various TV News channels range from Rs 2,500 to Rs. 8,000 and for the popular shows on GECs like Star, Zee, Sony the range will be from 1. 5 to 3 lakhs. These rates are for a ten second slot and they vary too as per the volume, duration, past records of the media buying agencies and advertisers. But as we have seen in the discussion above, Colors so far has successfully commanded premium rates. †¢ Brands such as Garnier Men Deodorant, Vodafone, Micromax Mobiles, Tic Tac (from Italy's Ferrero Group) and Sony Bravia are riding on Khatron Ke Khiladi (KKK3)–a stunt reality show. †¢ Title sponsorship for high-decibel celebrity shows–such as Bigg Boss to be anchored by Salman Khan on Colors fetch '15-20 crore. †¢ Associate sponsorships for such shows are kept at 7-8 crore †¢ Celebrity backed reality shows command higher rates than soaps †¢ On average, a 10-second ad spot on a top-rated reality show sold for between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh compared with the Rs 1-1. lakh a spot of similar length that's sold for a TV soap †¢ Another revenue earning mode in reality TV this year was in-branding of products in the shows. Networks usually charge a 200-300 per cent premium above regular advertising rates for product placements in reality shows. On offer are: passive product shots (with no interaction with the brand); an active placement (with limited interaction or activity around the brand); or a hyperactive placement (an aggressive use of product) in the show. Charges 5 to 10 lakhs DISTRIBUTION POLICIES OF COLORS As per a Delhi-based cable operator, â€Å"Distribution, in fact, is the most crucial element to the success of a television channel in today’s time,† says. A channel may have the best of content and it may burn a huge amount of money in promoting it, but if the channel doesn’t reach viewers, which means if the distribution is not in place, all these efforts will yield a naught. † Colors TV Channel has handled the distribution conundrum very well. Using its sharp distribution plan, Colors reached 36. 4 million viewers in its launch week. By end of 2009, Colors claims to have the maximum reach with 72. 5 million viewers in the GEC space . Promotional policies followed by Colors on its l aunch: †¢ It was an encrypted pay channel with a free-to-air window for first six months †¢ This was done to allow its viewers to sample it and be noticed Colors also distributed its channel by itself as gives them more flexibility in their operations. †¢ They planned to be seen in over 50 per cent of the cable homes from day one †¢ They were also to be present across the existing and the new direct-to-home (DTH) platforms. †¢ It was also encrypted on BizAsia. co. uk and hence increased its penetration throughout the world †¢ It is also available on Sky Digital channel 829. The channel in the UK and USA is being endorsed by Bollywood legend, Amitabh Bachchan. †¢ Viacom’s distribution strategy can be held to be 99 per cent responsible for the success of Colors. †¢ Colors have given away Rs 100 crore as carriage fee for a year to get the best band for its channel. Its budget was clearly much higher than the Rs 40-60 crore that NDTV Imagine and 9x reportedly invested in distribution. †¢ On 1st April, 2009, Colors’ became a paid channel, and its viewership fell. It lost market share from 298 GRPs to 292 but overall with a sustained rise in its share, it managed to beat Star Plus in the week ended 11 April, 2009 Pricing Policy 1. Colors charge around Rs21 each, excluding 10% service tax and it paid a hefty carriage fee of more than Rs90 crore to distributors when it was launched INTERNATIONAL FORAY †¢ On 21 January 2010, Colors became available on Dish Network in the US, where it is called Aapka Colors (Respectfully your Colors) because of a clash with Colours TV. Amitabh Bachchan served as brand ambassador for the UK and USA launches. †¢ Colors launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky on 25 January 2010. On 9 December 2009, INX Media confirmed that Colors had bought 9XM's Sky EPG slot on channel 829 and on 5 January 2010, Colors secured a deal to join the VIEWASIA subscription package. EPG tests began on 4 January 2010 using the 9XM stream, followed by Colors' own video and audio on 8 January. Initially the channel was available free-to-air and then subsequently was added to the VIEWASIA package on 19 April 2010. FIRST IN INTERNET TELEVISION †¢ â€Å"Colors† is the first ever global launch of an entertainment channel on IPTV. With colors, Viacom 18 has made its foray into the IPTV sector which will certainly be one of the biggest distribution mediums, with worldwide reach, in the near future. †¢ The launch has been made possible by a partnership between Viacom 18 and The New Media Group which owns â€Å"World-On- demand† IPTV platform. According to Sanjev Hiremath, Sr. Vice President, Network Development, and Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. Areas of concern: Despite the positive hype and sustained interest in its offerings, the reach of Colors in India is almost as wide as that of its competitors. Falling viewership shares 443 GRPs! That’s a number you usually associate with a channel that airs a cricketing extravaganza like the ‘Indian Premier League’ or the cricket world cup. However, this staggering number belongs to Star Plus that has extended its supremacy over other channels. Colors stands a distant second with 271 GRPS, followed by Zee TV (231) and Sony (125), according to the TAM data week 25 (June 13-19). [pic]Buzz up! Buzz up! The 443 GRPs is the highest by a Hindi GEC in the last 159 weeks. The previous record was held by the same channel too. The path ahead: 1. Maintain/increase market share 2. Continue with innovative content 3. Collaborate with diverse content providers from other countries to design and introduce new format shows and serials. 4. Exclusive screening of tele- films, short films at a particular slot to cater to a niche audience