Abstract This paper looks at the history of packaging and then examines how PepsiCo., the producers of Pepsi Cola, have methodically utilized packaging as a key marketing initiative to maintain a competitive position in the industry. The paper discusses the various strengths of packaging as a marketing tool as well as the weaknesses of packaging that involve time and cost investment in an uncertain environment, an absence of quality assurance in the production process and increased volume of solid waste stream in landfills. The paper concludes that manufacturers are realizing the increasing importance of packaging in establishing and retaining customers.
Outline:
Abstract
History of Packaging Relevancy
PepsiCo.
Strengths of Packaging as a Marketing Tool
Weaknesses of Packaging as a Marketing Tool
Current Trends
Conclusion
From the Paper "The competitive nature of global business demands that companies develop innovative strategies to attract and retain customers. Researchers have illustrated how visual appearance is increasingly critical in harnessing consumers, particularly when customers are faced with a multitude of choices and limited shopping time (Centaur Communications Limited, 2007). It is estimated that products are judged for their value by customers in the first ninety seconds of viewing and ninety percent of the judgment is influenced by color. Hatch (2007) argued that packaging is a primary draw for consumers typically weighing more heavily than the product, its quality, and even product satisfaction following the purchase. This has led to the evolution of spin-marketing, or producing a sellable package, regardless of the product (Hatch, 2007)."
Abstract This paper explains that Premium Pork Products is seeking to shift its current company status from a commodity business to a business providing consumer-packaged goods. The author points out that pork's traditional role in a bacon-and-eggs breakfast, one the most tantalizing selling points of the Atkins Diet, creates an ideal tome for a potential rise in consumer interest in pork. Thus, by creating easy-to-prepare, high-protein, low-carbohydrate "comfort food" TV dinners or pre-prepared frozen foods, PPP can create a marketable niche for itself. The paper recommends that advertisement of PPP products should create a brand that is seen as sinfully rich and decadent, yet paradoxically, healthy, perhaps solidified in the image of a lean pig, fresh from working out, kicking away a bowl of cereal from the lunch table or outrunning a pudgy, dumpy, overstuffed turkey in a race.
Table of Contents
The Pork Industry and Its Major Competitors in the Frozen Food and Refrigerated Meat Sections
People's Needs and Wants Regarding Cooking with Meat Products and Convenience Food Products
Conflicting Desires for Quick Food Preparation vs. Meals from Scratch
Opportunities for Increasing Pork Consumption
Consumer Purchase Behavior of Meat
Recommendations of Developing the Business
From the Paper "Conventional dietary wisdom as of late has proclaimed America's lack of interest in consuming and purchasing pork products. Despite the supposed identity of pork as the "other" white meat, according to the industry's advertising campaign, for the past two decades, low fat and high carbohydrate eating has become the standard dietary recommendation for health-conscious consumers by both their physicians and by the federal government, in the form of the FDA. Turkey and chicken meat alone has benefited from this low-fat trend, as well as companies that sell meat alternatives, like soy and garden burgers."
Abstract This paper examines the history of the tourism industry, focusing on the revamping and revival of the so called 'package tour'. According to this paper, the package tour concept is that of an all-inclusive vacation in one.
From the Paper "The tourism industry in the early 21st century operates within a complex globalized marketplace in which it is subject to rapidly changing social, cultural and economic factors. Perhaps nowhere is this more apparent than in the package tour model which exerted significant dominance over the industry until the fragmentation of the market and the privileging of consumer choice and independence at each level of the tourism experience. However, given the influence of major corporate players it is perhaps not surprising that the recent innovation of dynamic packaging has led to a revival of the "package tour" concept in a carefully revised form."
Abstract This paper discusses the U.S. government and Senate's approach to revive the economy. However the writer concludes that from their stimulus packages, it seems that there is great discrepancy in both ideas of stimulus.
From the paper:
?The House was of the proponent that the government should cut down taxes so that the country would open up doors to investments thereby increase jobs. While the Senate proposed to cut down expenditure in order compensate for the emergency spending of the Attack of $ 40 billions.?
This paper uses a case study to examine United Kingdom Consumer Laws and Consumer criminal laws. The laws are meant to protect consumers against defective and unsafe products and services.
Abstract United Kingdom Consumer Laws and Consumer criminal Laws are meant to protect consumers against defective and unsafe products and services. They can be invoked if a consumer feels he was taken for a ride and given product or service, which did not meet his needs or was faulty in any sense. We need to understand that certain conditions apply when these laws are made use of to bring charges against a trader. For example, the nature of product or service doesn't count at all but the length of use; special seller instructions, representation of a product etc. play a dominant role in determining the exact nature of breach of contract between the seller and the consumer.
Proposal-Introduction
Executive Summary
-------Rights and Liabilities-Used car
-------Rights and Liabilities-Seat cover
-------Rights and Liabilities- Cell batteries
-------Rights and Liabilities-Re-roofing
-------Rights and liabilities-Dogs
Conclusions/Recommendations
From the Paper "Eleanor and Nicos needed to purchase a second-hand car and visited Solid Cars for this purpose. There they found a Range Rover, which was being offered for ?2,000. The salesman informed them the original engine of the Rover had been replaced with a reconditioned engine. After initial discussions with the salesman, they agreed to purchase the vehicle through their debit card. The salesman however told them few things, which later proved to be incorrect and caused them several problems during test-drive."
Tags:Consumers, Laws, United, Kingdom, Merchants, Legal, rights
Abstract This study investigates the decision process of consumers purchasing property in Spain. The paper focuses on the underlying reasons for purchasing a property in Spain, the methods used by the purchaser to gather information and the overall satisfaction with the purchase process. The paper links a report about current theories on consumer purchasing behaviour to the purchase of property abroad.
The investigation reveals a clear link between the level of satisfaction of the purchase process and the level of information and advice sought. The paper includes flow charts, tables, and graphs. It also appends the questionnaire used in the research and data analysis pages.
Outline:
Abstract
Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Appendices
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
1.1 Aspects and Foundation of the Research
1.2 Aim of the Research
1.3 Objectives of the Research
1.4 Hypothesis
2. Literature Review
2.1 Consumer Behaviour
2.2 The Consumer Decision Process
2.3 Problem Recognition
2.4 Information Search
2.4.1 Do Consumers Always Search Rationally?
2.4.2 Determinants of Information Search
2.4.3 Type of search
2.4.4 Evaluation of Alternatives
2.5 The Decision
2.5.1 Affect Referral Rules
2.5.2 Non Compensatory Decision Rules
2.5.3The Lexicographic Rule
2.5.4 Compensatory Decision Rules
2.5.5 Modified Rules for Research
3. Methodology
3.1 Methodology in Similar Research
3.2 Research Approach
3.3 Research Strategy
3.4 Method
3.4.1 Channels of Distribution
3.4.2 Ethics
3.4.3 Data Collection and Analysis
3.4.4 CHI-Square Test
3.4.5 Elements of Bias
3.4.6 Sampling
3.4.7 Pilot Study
3.4.8 Research Constraints
3.4.9 Response Rate
3.4.10 Variables
3.5 Null Hypothesis
4. Results
4.1 CHI Square Test
4.2 Data Interpretation
4.3 Summary of Key Findings
5. Discussion
5.1 Pre Purchase Process
5.1.1 Information Search
5.2 Purchase Process
5.3 Post Purchase Process
5.3.1 Consumer Behaviour Models
5.4 Consumer Profile
6. Conclusion
7. Recommendations and Further Research
8. References
9. Appendices
10. Glossary
From the Paper "Nicosia proposed a model that concentrated on the buying decision for a new product (illustrated in figure 2). The first stage of the model concentrated on the marketers' attempts to communicate with the consumer and the consumer's predisposition to act in a certain way. The scope of this research did not allow for the exploration of marketers' communication methods. However, the second stage of the model involved the consumer in a search evaluation process, which is influenced by attitudes. This follows a similar process to the Andreason model but it allowed the consumer to evaluate the process."
Abstract Marketers and business researchers are becoming increasingly aware of the way that emotional factors affect and influence consumer behavior. The paper's author contends that the term 'emotion" brings with it a great degree of ambiguity and misunderstanding that often confuses the way that this aspect is seen to relate to consumer behavior. The writer discusses some of the aspects of the interaction between emotion and consumer behavior in both a practical and theoretical sense.
Outline:
Introduction and Overview
Theoretical Perspectives
Practical Aspects
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "The theories of emotional behavior posited by Zajonc and others have very real practical implications for contemporary marketers and for the general understanding of consumer behavior. In essence, the significance of emotions or affective patterns of behavior, according to theorists like Zajonc, are that these feelings or emotional aspects of decision-making are the first and most primary component of consumer behavior. Another essential aspect is that in theory affective behavior takes place before reasoning and cognitive aspects. This has obvious repercussions in terms of understanding and determining consumer behavior patterns."
Abstract In this paper, the writer considers twelve articles focusing on consumer behavior, primarily in South Africa. The writer discusses factors that affect consumer behavior (such as, family values, peer pressure, cultural mores and economic trends).
From the Paper "There are many different factors that affect consumer behavior, family values, peer pressure, cultural mores, economic trends among others. Understanding how various factors affect consumer behavior is critical if companies are to be successful in their marketing efforts. These factors become both more complicated and more critical when international marketing is taken into account. This research considers the issues of need and motives values and attitudes and how these factors are both influenced and how they influence consumer behavior particularly with ..."
An essay on the rising health care costs associated with moral hazard and why, despite some skepticism, consumer driven health plans (CDHP) can provide a solution.
Abstract The paper discusses Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHP) and how these plans can reduce medical spending. The paper examines the rising cost of health care and how health insurers have developed new and innovative ways of dealing with the ever pressing issue moral hazard has had on overall medical spending. The paper further analyzes how through consumer driven health plans, health insurers hope to encourage more conservative and responsible consumerism as patients are forced to pay higher out of pocket costs for medical services.
From the Paper "Year after year, as the cost of health care continues to rise and the American public's frustration continues to grow, those with influence over the market have begun to offer new and innovative solutions in the hopes of curbing the ever rising prices a broken system has helped to create. In a flawed design where everyone but the consumer is picking up the tab - the employers, health insurers, and government, it's of no surprise that Americans have been more than indulgent in their consumption of medical services. Unfortunately, this careless consumption, driven by moral hazard, is what continues to drive the overall cost of health care up at a rate of inflation higher than that of other goods and services. Now, in an effort to reduce the most costly of effects attributing to the rising cost of medical services, health insurers have focused on reducing moral hazard through the introduction of consumer driven health plans (CDHP)."
Abstract This paper relates, that the history of big business enterprises in the United States is the sacrificing of consumer safety for profit. The author points out the example of the Corvair automobile of the 1960s. The paper reviews historic events that shaped the consumer protection movement of the American twentieth century.
From the Paper "There are a myriad of reasons why we need consumer protection in our modern world. Chiefly, we need consumer protection because those who profit from mass-consumption - and from cost-cutting measures at all levels of production - cannot be counted upon to put the interests of the consumer first unless compelled to do so. This paper explores why it is that consumer protection is so vitally important for American consumers by high-lighting instances when business avarice superseded concerns about the well-being of ordinary citizens."
Abstract The Consumer Advocacy Model Program (CAM) is a substance abuse program offered by the Substance Abuse Resources and Disabilities Issues program (SARDI) and the University Medical Services Association. It is a consumer-oriented program, with a team approach. This paper is an on-site evaluation and review of CAM. The paper argues that CAM does provide a valuable resource for the disabled population, but the success rate needs improvement before it can be called a viable treatment provider.
From the Paper "The person that I interviewed was Melissa Jones, CCDC-IIIE, clinical director at the program. Ms. Jones has a number of different certifications and professional qualifications, including a Masters of Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC). Program and Services Provided CAM is a consumer-oriented outpatient program that is also community based. According to the website, this program offers a large number of services to its clients, including "advocacy, support, case management, vocational services, and chemical dependency treatment for people with disabilities who are concurrently experiencing alcohol or other drug-use problems" (What is CAM?, 2003, par. 2)."
Abstract This paper examines Georgia Flight's brief article "Companies tap into consumer passion", and reviews what it portends for business customer relations. The paper explains that the article discusses a new type of relationship between the businesses and their customers, with the customer taking control of the innovation process as well as the creative process to produce work uniquely suited for their particular needs and concerns.
From the Paper "There can be little doubt that superior customer service is at the heart of any successful organization. With that in mind, it is increasingly apparent that customer service today entails something radically different than its predecessors. To wit, the effective customer service of the present and certainly the future will be focused upon reversing the flow of information. in short, it will now be the customer directing the creative process and marketers and advertisers who will merely be serving as conduits and receptors; incidentally, this new phenomenon also lies at the heart of the following paper."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the practices of banks and credit unions regarding different types of consumer loans. An argument is made that the types of products offered by these different institutions is driven by their institutional make-up and their operational goals. Some scenarios are considered to determine what consumers might expect from these product offerings.
From the Paper "When consumers decide to borrow money in today's financial marketplace, they face more choices and must navigate around more dangers than ever before. Not only are there numerous instruments available to people of different financial means, each marketed in various ways and with varying levels of disclosure, there are also many different types of institutions accessible to them. This paper will compare and contrast the two most common institutions that make consumer loans, banks and credit unions, in terms of their structure, general loan policies, and common instruments. After laying the groundwork for each type of institution, several generic scenarios will be presented for typical consumers wishing to obtain a loan, in order to determine what kinds of offers might be made by a typical bank or credit union."
Abstract This paper examines the differences and similarities of consumer behavior in Japan and Indonesia in terms of their natural system, political system, economic system, social system, knowledge system, educational system, executive system and marketing system. Marketing implications are also provided.
From the Paper "It can be argued that Indonesia and Japan are two of most attractive markets in Asia. Indonesia has a fast growing population and Japan can be considered as the most developed Asian country. This paper will analyze, evaluate and note differences and similarities of the natural system, political system, economic system, social system, knowledge system, educational system, executive system and marketing system of Indonesia and Japan. Consumer behavior topics and marketing implications relevant to the systems mentioned above will also be discussed in details. It is believed that changes in consumer behavior in both countries over the recent years will help marketers to analyze consumers? increasing influence, to educate and protect consumers, formulate public and personal policy."
