Marketing Strategies for SMEs Based on Product Life Cycle

Marketing Strategies for SMEs Based on Product Life Cycle Introduction: The journal article I have selected for my assignment is the MARKETING STRATEGIES OF SMEs BASED ON PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE A STUDY AMONG SMEs IN KOSOVO by Professor Bekim Marmullaku taken from the International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management published in the United Kingdom on 9th September 2015 (http://ijecm.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/3937.pdf) . The article has given me a unique insight into the practical aspects of marketing strategy implementation in a real world context. It has helped illustrate various instances of convergence as well as divergence from the marketing theory studied in class from the practical circumstances surrounding strategy implementation. It deals systematically from our understanding of the Product Life Cycle Model (PLC), which as stated in the paper is widely adopted by the Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of Kosovo, and analyses its stage by stage execution and management in this real-life setting. Â   Â   Key Points of the Article The paper builds upon theory and goes into the application of marketing models in general and the PLC model in specific, in marketing strategies adopted by SMEs in Kosovo. As per theory, we study the PLC almost as an industry standard as one of the prominent frameworks in marketing that influences strategy. The model in principal dwells down to the various stages a product goes through (figure 1) following product development and commercialisation. As traditional PLC theory specifies the stages as introduction, growth, maturity and decline; Professor Marmullaku studies these specific stages in the context of their practical implications for SMEs in Kosovo. The introduction stage is unique in that it is the stage subject to the most difficulties in strategy implementation. Marmullaku analyses that SMEs at this stage are most vulnerable as it is the point where the product has been investment intensive and not as yet churning over as much returns. Therefore for SMEs that do not have as deep pockets, the smallest toe out of line can deem to be critically damaging for the business. He argues the lack of innovation is unable to win the distributors and the general environment is not conducive enough in Kosovo to propagate great chances of success at this stage of marketing. This is courtesy of a number of socio-political and economic conditions including the lack of financial capital, malpractices, market specific circumstances and other external factors. Professor Marmullaku explains the market specific dynamics of a copy-cat culture amongst Kosovo SMEs has particularly impacted marketing strategy implementation. The premature reduction of the prices charged by the SME products in the growth phase of the PLC is a direct result of this as well as other competition from larger firms operating at greater economies of scale. This is usually coupled with premature product expansion response by SMEs in a desperate bid to differentiate and retain profits because imitators are quick to launch substitutes. Also, the difficulty in practice in accurately identifying the very phase of the PLC the product is going through further exasperates the problem. Furthermore, adhering to theoretical expectations of strategy when products are at maturity, Marmullaku explains that SMEs in Kosovo that are serious about the product and the business continue to bear advertising costs even at this stage in a bid to maintain market share to hold on to customer base whilst the others present in this market are inclined to leave with the falling profits. The author argues that by the time the decline phase arrives, most firms in Kosovo dont have much appetite for prolonging the products. Only a few SMEs that are prominent and have the financial might may indulge in tampering with the marketing mix further but not to a large extent due to the specific socio-economic and political obstacles in Kosovo including factors such as the availability of technology; the absorption po tential of the general market; as well as other critical external factors. The Rationale for Selecting this Paper and its Contribution to Marketing Theory and Practise The rationale for selecting this paper is in principle that it systematically puts a context to the PLC theory we studied in class and analyses it. It illustrates the application of the PLC model in a real-life setting, its successes as well as its failures, how it is relevant and to what extent it is not. Ones understanding of marketing and the PLC model matures a great deal after reading this paper as one learns to appreciate that there are a host of impediments in the real world setting as every scenario is different. Textbook models and theory do tend to be idealistic but nonetheless give a general sense of the way to go about. In practise, Professor Marmullakus work implies how marketing strategies are not homogenous in how they are implemented by firms across different geographical markets. For instance, he states how it is not uncommon for firms in Kosovo to latch onto one marketing strategy model such as the Product Life Cycle Model and not pay sway to other theoretical tools used in more advanced markets. This is principle can ignite ones appreciation of market to market dynamics on a case to case basis. Yoon wrote a great piece in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) in which he whilst appreciating the deferring nature of different markets stated more emphasis in strategy be placed on demand as opposed to the demographics when specifically catering to the culture of these different markets (Eddie Yoon, 2015). Marmullaku implies the pivotal role of innovation in PLC management and its lack thereof in the setting of Kosovo inhibits marketing policy. The importance of innovation in managing the PLC is also shared by the works of other research in marketing. It stresses that the changing taste of consumers in the various product offer levels across the cycle can be held into check by innovation (Gecevska, et al., 2010). The availability and access to technology is argued to be pivotal in managing the PLC as it assists innovation. The absence of this as seen in Kosvo can also perverse the very course of a product takes through the PLC. Technology therefore as a facilitator of product development and hence also PLC management is vital. Research in marketing has gone some way to appreciate how technological advances have simplified and sped up the process in the product development model (Morrel, 2015). Marmullakus emphasis on the importance of firms being financially sound in successfully executing a marketing strategy across the different stages is also enlightening. This is stressed as a key component of success particularly in the initial vulnerable introduction stages where the firm would have invested in the new product development stages. It is also implied how the general law and order as well as property rights as external factors are instrumental in marketing policy implementation. The me too.. culture in Kosovo is a prime example of this where the absence of patent protection forms a market that is not conducive to marketing strategy implementation. As stated by Professor Marmullaku, it harms the marketing strategy adopted by firms to the extent of forcing premature policy that is not in theoretical accordance to the stage the product is at in the PLC. The writ of the law and patents therefore in developed markets are used of a means of credible deterrence and go hand in hand with facilitating marketing goal ends (Russ Krajec , n.d.). Furthermore Professor Marmullakus appreciation of the scope of marketing strategy being limited to the nature of the specific market including but not limited to its absorption potential and the degree of international trade is particularly insightful. This is not to say that the specifics of the particular business such as its size and its location do not too play a crucial role. Professor Marmullaku sheds light on the difficulty in practically assessing the effects of different marketing strategies in the long-term. However it is interesting to note as Dhalla stated decades ago in the HBR of the then upcoming development of new econometric techniques for use in marketing to assess the secluded impacts of advertising and its payoffs over time (Dhalla, 1978). These techniques in this day and age are now widely deployed in many facets of strategy building such as using marketing mix modelling (Market Science Consulting, 2013) though naturally one would not expect such tools to be used due to the limitations in less developed markets as is the case in Kosovo. Finally, Professor Marmullakus recommendation of adopting a marketing strategy of focussing on specific products as well as differentiating strategies to differ from copy-cat competitors is innovative. This strategy in principle can be replicated in any relatively undisciplined market environment of the sort found in Kosovo as a means of circumventing the obstacles the PLC faces. Conclusion Professor Marmullakus work provided an invaluable insight in putting theory into context. It illustrates the application of the PLC in Kosovo that diverges away from idealistic textbook scenarios. His work particularly increases ones appreciation of the critical impact of external market characteristics stemming from the socio-political and economic context on the success of marketing strategy. One can take away that the application of marketing strategy should be tailored to the requirements of a market on a case to case basis and as discussed he has come up with an array of viable recommendations to this effect in his study of SMEs in Kosovo. References Anon., 2011. Product Life Cycle Stages. [Online] Available at: http://productlifecyclestages.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/product-life-cycle-stages.jpg Dhalla, N. K., 1978. Assessing the Long-Term Value of Advertising. Harvard Business Review. Eddie Yoon, 2015. The Mistake Companies Make When Marketing to Different Cultures. Harvard Business Review . Gecevska, V. et al., 2010. Product lifecycle management through innovative and competitive business environment. Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management. Market Science Consulting, 2013. Econometrics in marketing mix modelling. [Online] Available at: http://www.marketscienceconsulting.com/econometrics-in-marketing-mix-modelling/ Morrel, L., 2015. Technology could speed up new product development. marketingtechnew, 1 December. Russ Krajec , n.d. Advertising and Marketing Uses for Patents and the Deterrent Factor. [Online] Available at: http://krajec.com/advertising-and-marketing-uses-for-patents-and-the-deterrent-factor/

International Student Essay

Nowadays , Education play an important role in our life . However , there are some countries which have poor education , poor teaching and learning strategies . Actually , Those students will go to higher education institutions country . It calls ‘’ International Students ‘’ . More importantly , United Kingdom is the most famous about education . The term ‘’ international students ‘’ is taken here to mean those students who have been educated in a national education system outside the UK and who on the whole are likely to be non-native speakers of English . There is a real story in the UK ‘’ Nicos Story’’ http://www.economicsnetwork. ac. uk/showcase/bamford_international Nicos was a postgraduate student at the Business School. He was diligent and conscientious and achieved good marks on his MA programme. He was expected to gain an overall distinction grade. He had excellent English language skills. An excerpt from Nicos’ email: ‘I really wanted to finish my dissertation by September so that I would not have to go back to London again, but I broke down, I suddenly felt that I could not do it. I was going crazy and could not write a word anymore. I would stand in front of the computer for hours just writing a paragraph. So on Sunday I left and came to Greece. Today I went to the airport for the flight back, so that I could see you in the morning but as soon as I had to leave my parents and go to the boarding gate, I freezed and panicked. I could not picture myself alone again in the same places for even an hour. The last few days I have started feeling a human being again. I can talk with people and they are people who care about me, I go out with friends for coffee and I want to cry. The first morning I woke up, I started crying because my mother had washed my bag, someone had done something for me. ‘ Common diffiuculties for International students. According to this story , there are clearly challenges for international students studying at higher education institutions in the UK . As University City London adds that major problems for International students They go on to say that culture shock . ‘’ As well as having to cope with a new institution and educational environment, international students are having to adjust to a different national culture with often unfamiliar social customs and conventions. They may become very homesick. Where English is not the first language, having to converse with strangers all the time in a foreign language is a strain. Some women students come from cultures where they have had a sheltered life and spent little time on their own or in the company of males outside their family. They may be vulnerable in certain social situations or upset by conventions that they do not understand ‘’. Secondly , ‘’ Students for whom English is a second language may struggle with their courses, International students are often under considerable pressure to succeed academically and their expectations of themselves may be unrealistic. The transition to a different educational system and new approaches to study is often more challenging than to home students. For example, students from abroad are sometimes unaccustomed to active learning situations, such as participating in discussion and working on a team project. They may have had a much more formal relationship with their teachers and thus be less inclined than home students to seek help from their personal tutors ‘’ Thirdly, ‘’ The number of students experiencing financial difficulties has increased significantly in recent years and is likely to continue doing so. Some students are more or less permanently hard up; others create short-term difficulties for themselves by managing their money badly . It is expensive to come to university ‘’. More exactly , According to J. K Bamford ( 2008 ) ,’’ The first of the these challenges concerns English language ability, or rather consideration of the fact that many international students are non-native speakers of English. This has two aspects to it. Firstly, there is a minimum language requirement for entry for all overseas students and secondly, even if students have more than met this entry requirement they may not be familiar with technical terminology for a specialist subject area. For some students who have only just met the criterion for language, studying in English particularly at Masters level can prove onerous and stressful. In this case study this aspect of language ability , that is those students who had just met the language entry requirement, covered half of the students and the levels of independent study required at a very early stage of the course caused a lot of stress. Secondly, there are those that are confident in their language ability and who feel that language support classes do not meet their needs as the classes are too generic and what they are seeking is further explanation of specialised terminology, little time is spent in addressing the more specialist support required by these students. As a consequence, there is frustration expressed by these students as lecturers can mistake their lack of knowledge regarding technical or even political or cultural terminology as the students having difficulties with language, which is not the case. In addition the students have different levels of English, which can hinder the educational experience of the whole group. One student commented in a focus group that ‘there are some people who come from different backgrounds – I don’t know enough about how people are taught in China but we have different levels of English and different backgrounds – some people just receive and not give’. Not speaking up in class can also make it difficult for tutors to gain a clear picture of the levels of English language ability and the understanding of the students. ’’ The second issue is that of the social and cultural adjustments of the students. Volet and Ang (1998) comment that ‘tertiary institutions have a social responsibility to design learning  environments which foster students’ developments on intercultural adaptability’ (1998:21) While students did not feel that a lack of social and cultural knowledge of the UK had affected their ability to study, there was a feeling that lecturers should incorporate the knowledge of the students’ native cultures into their class discussion as this could benefit everyone. Class contribution can also be a traumatic experience but this can be facilitated by tutors who make the students feel more comfortable in discussing subjects with other students that they don’t know. The importance of class interaction for overseas students is reinforced by Jackson (2003) who comments on the necessity for building a ‘considerable rapport’ with the group. This rapport is seen as one of the most effective learning and teaching techniques for overseas students. As De Vita (2001) observes, different discourse styles create tensions that affect a students’ performance. Groupwork may also be an issue and the cultural diversity of groups requires students to use intercultural skills which require training. Understanding the International Student Experience. Moreover , Catherine Montgomery ( 2010 )has written a clear, small study of international students at one UK university, how they network and how they change. Its value lies in the depth of insight into student thinking. She has not drawn her conclusions from a one-off survey, which is the main research tool used to study international students. In surveys of students from non-English-speaking backgrounds, the prior assumptions of the researcher define the issues and pre-set the potential for discovery, the voices of the students are muted and anything different or unexpected is screened out in advance. In contrast, after a tour through part of the literature, Montgomery uses participant observation of the daily lives of seven networked students from China, India, Nepal, Indonesia, Italy and the Netherlands over a period of six months. The resulting picture challenges conventional thinking about international students. International students are often typecast as slow learners with poor English, limited class-participation skills, inability to think critically and a dodgy approach to referencing. In short, they are in learning deficit – if not social deficit. It is no wonder they are studying abroad, goes the thinking, because their home systems are of a poor standard. They badly need our help. Montgomery turns all of this on its head. Her students are mature, curious and quick to respond and to learn. They are high achievers – and a couple are truly exceptional within their milieu. After an initial period of academic adjustment, they learn to intervene and they power past the locals. They are conspicuously better motivated, focused and more aware of the benefits of higher education. These students are studying in an English-speaking country not because its culture is intrinsically superior but because English is the global language of business, professions and knowledge. They do not need to abandon the educational backgrounds and cultural identities that they brought to the UK, but they are eager to layer new learning and new identities on top. The effects of being a foreign student ‘’ Usually becoming a foreign student in order to study in another city can change your life in many aspects. Living in a city far away from home can bring many consequences and effects which almost always change a student’s form of life. When I became a foreign student, many things changed or had to change. You do not live with your family, so usually you have to learn how to live in harmony with others, how to do things by yourself, how to move to other places, etc. Being a foreign makes you learn a lot of things, but at the beginning it can be somewhat difficult, as it happened to me. That is why the purpose of this paper is to discuss the three main effects of being a foreign student. The main effect and the one that affects you most is the fact that you do not live with your parents and in your house, which means that you will not enjoy its commodities. It was so good when your mom cooked for you, and when the house maid used to make your bed. Your dad took you to school, and when classes finished, you returned to your room and made yourself completely comfortable. But becoming a foreign student implies that you will live in a dormitory or that you will rent an apartment . Usually you have to take care of dirty dishes, messy rooms, and cooking. This means you have to learn many new things, like how to cook several dishes. In a few words, you have to learn how to be independent. Another effect is that you have to find your way around the city, so you have to know the main parts of the city. If you have a car, it may be easier to explore the city. You can just get lost and see where each street takes you, and then find a way back home. But if you don’t have a car, you need to learn how to get around by walking, in buses, or with taxis. For this you may find out about bus routes or find out how much costs to use taxis, and in this way you can plan the time it will take you to get from your house to school, for example. This will force you to plan your time better, and maybe you will have less available time along the day. This may decrease the time you have to make homework or to hang out with your friends, for example. But over time, you learn how to plan your activities in a better way. A foreign student may also find himself feeling somewhat lonely, since arriving in a new city means you don’t know anyone. You may be lucky if another friend from your city comes with, but usually you are alone. It is important to start meeting people and making friends. In this way it will be much easier to get used to being a foreign student. You will have new people with who to hang with, with whom to go to parties. Besides you won’t have to be quiet all the time in classes like when you don’t know someone. Sometimes friends can also help you in a lot of situations, like when you have problems about running out of money, when you need to go to your house quickly but you don’t have a car, or when you need to get something that is not easily found. But most of all, with friends you can have a great time and learn a lot of things. Leaving your house and going to another city to study is an experience in your life that cannot be compared to any other experience in your life. You learn how to be independent, and you get to meet tons of people. It may be somewhat difficult to live without your parents and in another city, but this makes you learn how to live your life better and how to appreciate what you have, like your parents and your belongings. Besides, you get to appreciate the things you achieve during your life because you learn that your goals are not achieved easily, but that they cost a lot of work and effort. In conclusion, being a foreign student is great! ‘’

What You Need to Do About Long Essay Samples

What You Need to Do About Long Essay Samples Long Essay Samples and Long Essay Samples - The Perfect Combination Students shouldn't have to wear uniforms. They should not have to wear school uniforms because they limit students' ability to express their individuality. In some cases, they are normally assigned topics to write. In general, they are asked to write assignments that take between half an hour and a whole hour. After finishing the job, make certain you organize your paragraph. Following that, your thesis is finished and you may move straight into the very first body paragraph. In your introduction paragraph, it is sufficient to introduce the topic and supply meaningful background details. There are lots of free examples of appropriate formatting. The Lost Secret of Long Essay Samples As soon as you settle on the subject and select the position on which you will base your essay, the remainder of the job can then begin. The most important aspect which creates a pe rsuasive essay in English stand out from the remainder of assignments is the use of reasoning. For instance, if your essay is all about technology and its effects on the present generation, then an excellent thesis statement would be, social media has impacted the behavior of the present generation through the usage of video conferencing and Instagram. There's no ideal solution about how to compose an effective essay. The writer's intent needs to be made very apparent. The target of a persuasive essay is to convince your readers your viewpoint is the ideal viewpoint. Don't be concerned about a few of them being rather abstract their primary objective is to reveal to you the basic principles that you'll have the ability to transfer to your own writing. Long Essay Samples Options Essay writing is usually practiced is schools. Selecting a great topic for your essay is among the most significant and frequently tricky parts for many students. Writing an essay is a critical role in academe life. If you wish to figure out how to compose a very good persuasive essay, you're looking in the proper spot! You will need to understand how to compose an effective essay as it is a typical foundation for a student's grade. The significance of research in persuasive writing can't be overstated. Unlike topics for middle school or higher school, decent college topics are somewhat more challenging to discover. There are a lot of persuasive essay examples college students are able to make use of online. The Long Essay Samples Trap If you observe a few easy steps, you will discover that the essay almost writes itself. For instance, if your essay is an educative work, then select a subject you are in possession of a huge knowledge on or a subject which you have studied. The other essays will help give you an awareness of what score your essay may have gotten that year and any areas you might have overlooked. The most effective persuasive short essays often concentrate on controversial problems. As soon as your writing is finished, make sure to have an editor review your essay for you. Thus, there are numerous ways an essay can be written. Sample persuasive essays can also offer inspiration on topics to write on in addition to serve as examples about how to compose your essay. Just adhere to the guidelines stated above, and you'll be well on your way to writing a decent persuasive essay. Which is the reason why we here offer you some persuasive essay samples that may assist you with your own. You should think about the kind of paper you would like to produce whether the paper is an overall overview, a review or an analysis. Who Else Wants to Learn About Long Essay Samples? Click the one that you like to look at the most. Love can be destructive if it isn't contained, or expressed towards the suitable individual. While attempting to learn how to compose a persuasive essay step-by-step, students forget about another crucial activity. Long Essay Samples at a Glance No matter what you do or write you always require a program. You're able to get a decent medical cover and pay for the ideal treatment but cannot guarantee decent health. You may trust us to supply expert aid for many of your academic writing needs. The issue, nevertheless, is that not all businesses can be relied on to deliver quality essays on time so you need to be mindful in selecting one. What is Actually Happening with Long Essay Samples Persuasive writing can be hard, especially whenever you're made to face with a close-minded audience. A persuasive speech is provided with the aim of persuading the audience to feel a particular way, to take a particular action, or to support a particular view or cause. Short essays are important when one is hoping to present an important topic without needing to compose plenty of words or using several pages. A persuasive essay needs to be able to grab the interest of the folks reading it easily.

Titubas Raceâ€Black, Indian, Mixed

Tituba was a major figure in the initial phase of the Salem witch trials. She was a family slave owned by the Rev. Samuel Parris. She was implicated by Abigail Williams, who lived with the Parris family, and Betty Parris, daughter of Samuel Parris, along with Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good, the other first two accused witches. Tituba evaded execution by making a confession. Shes been depicted in historical writings and historical fiction as Indian, as black, and as of mixed race. What is the truth about Titubas race or ethnicity? In Contemporary Documents Documents of the Salem witch trials call Tituba an Indian. Her (likely) husband, John, was another Parris family slave, and was given the surname Indian. Tituba and John were bought (or won in a bet by one account) by Samuel Parris in Barbados. When Parris moved to Massachusetts, Tituba and John moved with him. Another slave, a young boy, also came with Parris from Barbados to Massachusetts. This young boy, who is not named in the records, is called a Negro in the records of the time. He had died by the time of the Salem witch trials. Another of the accused in the Salem witch trials, Mary Black, is explicitly identified as a Negro woman in the trials documents. Titubas Name The unusual name Tituba is similar, according to a variety of sources, to the following: a Yoruba (African) word titia Spanish (European) word titubeara 16th-century name of a Native American tribe, Tetebetana Depicted as African After the 1860s, Tituba is often described as black and connected with voodoo. Neither association is mentioned in documents from her time or until the middle of the 19th century, almost 200 years later. One argument for Tituba being a black African is the assertion that 17th century Puritans didnt differentiate between black and Indian individuals; that the third Parris slave and accused Salem witch Mary Black were consistently identified as Negro and Tituba consistently as an Indian does not lend credence to the theory of a black Tituba. So where did the idea come from? Charles Upham published Salem Witchcraft in 1867. Upham mentions that Tituba and John were from the Caribbean or New Spain. Because New Spain allowed racial mixing among the black Africans, Native Americans, and white Europeans, the assumption many drew was that Tituba was among those of mixed racial heritage. Henry Wadsworth Longfellows Giles of Salem Farms, a work of historical fiction published just after Uphams book, says that Titubas father was black and an Obi man. The implication of practicing African-based magic, sometimes identified with voodoo, is not consistent with documents of the Salem witch trials, which describe witchcraft customs known in British folk culture. Maryse Condà ©, in her novel I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem (1982), describes Tituba as black. Arthur Millers allegorical play, The Crucible, is based heavily on Charles Uphams book. Thought to Be Arawak Elaine G. Breslaw, in her book Tituba, Reluctant Witch of Salem, makes the argument that Tituba was an Arawak Indian from South America, as was John. They may have been in Barbados because theyd been kidnapped or, alternately, moved with their tribe to the island. So What Race Was Tituba? A definitive answer, one that convinces all parties, is unlikely to be found. All we have is circumstantial evidence. A slaves existence was not often noted; we hear little of Tituba before or after the Salem witch trials. As we can see from the third household slave of the Parris family, even the slaves name may be completely missing from history. The idea that the residents of Salem Village did not differentiate on the basis of race—lumping African American and Native American together—does not hold up with the consistency of identification of that third slave of the Parris household, or the records regarding Mary Black. My Conclusion I conclude that its most likely that Tituba was, indeed, a Native American woman. The question of Titubas race and how its been portrayed is further evidence of the social construction of race.