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Caregiving information from agis.com-

December 28, 2007 – 9:54 am

I don’t know if you have ever been in a position where you were charged with the care of one of your family members, but depending on your circumstances it can be a difficult situation to find yourself in.  The Internet has opened up a world of information to us, and makes it easy to find information about any subject we could possibly want to find information on.  When you find yourself in a position where you need caregiving resources then agis.com is the place you need to go.  They have all of the caregiving information that you could ever possibly need.

Agis.com has all of the resources and information that you will ever need about what the legal and financial impacts that care giving will have for you and you family member.  Agis.com even has an online community where you can find help and answers from people in your same position.  Best of all agis.com has an ask the expert feature where you can get straight answers to your most pending issues.  When you find yourself in need of caregiving information agis.com is one of those places you will be very thankful you found.

Alan Hood | Business | Comments (0)

Need a Halloween costume?

October 3, 2007 – 11:42 pm

Of course it’s that time of year again and you don’t want to get caught in that dreaded used up costume that you have been wearing for years. It’s time for a fresh new look and I recommend that you check out xDN-toys for some really cool costumes. It’s the one day a year where even adults can dress up and pretend to be someone or something they are not. So take the time to poke around and find everything from a saloon girl costume to a hot dog like the ones you see at the ballpark. There is no time of year that is more fun than Halloween so take the time to do it right this year.

While you are at xDN-toys take the time to check out some of the great toys they have also. I found this really cool electric ATV; wouldn’t it make trick or treating with the little ones a lot easier? They have many other great toys to choose form, I am sure you will be able to find just the right gift for that special kid in your life. Do your self a favor and check out xDN-toys today.

Alan Hood | Blogging | Comments (0)

Scottish Culture

September 23, 2007 – 7:15 pm

Scotland’s culture is dynamic and diverse. Its long history has contributed much to the traditions that still stand today.

People
Scots appreciate the differences that set them apart from the English, and take pride in the distinctions that also differentiate them region by region.

Scots are feisty, opinionated and fiercely loyal. Most all Scots delight in self-deprecating humor and possess a very dry wit.

The Scots have been stereotyped as being thrifty, cautious, and careful of detail.

Scots also have a great respect for learning which has led to the large number of innovations.

Dialect
The Gaelic Language is spoken by around 86,000 individuals primarily in the North of Scotland and in the Western Isles.

The Scot’s have also developed many colloquial terms which can make it extremely difficult for an outsider to understand.

Tourists who visit find a rich vocabulary of old Scots words in everyday use and in books and poems. There is a large collection of resources to help “translate”. The two most popular resources are:

TV segment called “Parliamo Glasgow” that showed the Glaswegian habit of slurring words together, interspersed with the odd slang word.
Series of books called “The Patter” that gave a Scottish slang to English translation (including words and entire phrases).

Many parts of Scotland say ‘nicht’ for night, and ‘ken’ for know. That throaty ‘ch’ sound is featured a lot in Scots words such as loch, the Scottish word for a lake.

There is also the commonly used ‘wee’ meaning small, and “aye” meaning yes.

Scots language can best be heard in the works of the national poet Robert Burns, author of the world-famous “Auld Lang Syne”.

Some unique Scottish Words:
Bairn- Child
Lassie/lass — Girl
Blather/blether- Talk nonsense/talk too much
Braw - fine or handsome
Skint- no money
Bumphlie-Rumpled
Eejit- Idiot
Glaiket- Foolish

Food
Scottish dishes are traditionally simple. The preferred cooking method is braising and stewing where as in England it is frying and roasting.
Scottish cuisine has been known to be somewhat bland and overcooked, but this has changed in recent years.

Native specialties include:
Haggis: (liver, heart and lungs of a sheep boiled with Beef fat; fat is then skimmed off and the rest minced. Oatmeal, onion, salt, pepper, spices and gravy from the boiling are added before the mixture is put into a sheep stomach casing). It is actually really tasty!

Angus beef, lamb, pheasant, venison, steak-and-kidney pie and seafood (e.g. Salmon (posh) and fish-and-chips (not so posh)). Chips are fries!

Soup is a main staple as well as desserts and pastries such as shortbread and oatcakes.

Scottish breakfasts are known for generous portions, consisting of cereal, black pudding, fried egg, sausage, bacon, potato scone, fried tomato, beans, toast and tea or coffee.

Scottish Fish and chip shops were first to deep fry Mars bars, Snickers bars, and pizzas.

Aside from whisky the Scottish have a second national drink - Irn Bru. It is very sweet, very orange, and consistently outsells Coca Cola.

Comparisons
Education
Children attend Nursery school (3 to 5 years), Primary School until age 12, then Secondary school. Students may legally leave school at 16 but very few now do (most stay on for another 2 years). After 5 years in secondary school, pupils sit Highers - these can be used for applying to university.

Most School’s require uniforms.

University of Strathclyde in Glasgow is the largest University with ~15,000 students.

No fee’s for Scottish students attending University in Scotland.

Housing
Average home price in Scotland in 2003 was £95,000 ($185,000). US average was $245,000.

More than a quarter of homes are owned by a council or housing association and rented out.

30% of homes are semi-detached. Average home size in US is 2,200sq ft which is double the average European home size.
Income
Average annual income in 2003 was £24,700 ($47,000). US average was $43,000.

Healthcare: The National Health Service (NHS) was set up in 1948 to provide free healthcare for all the residents of the UK.

Taxes: Income tax rate of 22% up to £30,000 and then 40% over £30,000.

Cost of everyday items
Gas (petrol) in Scotland: £3.40/gallon ($6.50/gallon). US average $2.22/gallon
Clothes: Dept store Jeans= £35 ($65). 3 pack boxers= £15 ($27). Running shoes £45 ($85).

Beer: £2.15/pint ($4/pint)

Midrange Restaurant: £20/head ($38). Big Mac Meal £3.50 ($5.70). Fish and chips £3.50 ($6.50).

Car: Toyota Corolla: £9,000 ($17,000) just basic Spec. With added features average car price closer to £12,000 ($23,000).

Popular Sports
Football (US Soccer) is the national sport. Most cities and towns have a professional team. Huge rivalries exist between Glasgow’s Celtic’s and Rangers. This is known as the ‘Old Firm rivalry’ under pinned by religious and sociological differences.
Rugby. Only the amateur game (Rugby Union) is played in Scotland; the professional Rugby League is played exclusively in North of England. Scotland is a major force in international rugby, taking part in the “Six Nations” Championships (with England, Ireland, Wales and France and Italy) and regularly touring other Rugby nations.
Golf. Golf was invented in Scotland. Most towns have at least one golf course and Edinburgh has at least 21.

Traditional Highland Games (events such as stone-throwing, weight tossing, hammer-throwing, caber tossing).

Dealing with the Scottish-Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t call a Scot an Englishman (and don’t refer to the country as England). Scottish people dislike being referred to as an annex of England.

Do “queue up” (get in line) when waiting. If you don’t, no one will be shy to point out that you’re a queue jumper.

Do arrive on time.

Don’t be “too full of yourself”.

Don’t put ice in your whiskey.

lisaj66 | Diversity | Comments (2)

Echelon

September 18, 2007 – 10:16 am

The internet is not a private place, and even though we log on from the privacy of our home, once connected, we are in a public forum. It seems many people forget that and assume their communications are private or anonymous. The conjecture over Echelon, can serve as a reminder: we should always act as though someone were watching…..because they just may be.

According to Wikipedia, “ Echelon is a name used to describe a highly secretive world-wide signals intelligence and analysis network said to be run by the UKUSA Community (composed of intelligence agencies of five English-speaking nations), that has been reported by a number of sources including, in 2001, a committee of the European Parliament. “  There has been significant speculation regarding the capability of Echelon, such as the ability to “capture radio and satellite communications, telephone calls, faxes, e-mails and other data streams nearly anywhere in the world and includes computer automated analysis and sorting of intercepts.”  Experts conclude the technical capabilities are not nearly as extensive as suggested. 

Nonetheless, it is estimated that Echelon may intercept as many as 3 billion communications everyday.  Once received, the data is searched for key words.  While the primary intent may be to identify terrorist activities or other activities that pose a threat to our nation’s security, there are no limits to the type of activities that can be tracked, so it is just as likely to be used for foreign or business intelligence gathering.    In addition, surveillance has probably been conducted w/o proper warrants and sanctions.

According to European Parliament, Encryption and cryptosystems in electronic surveillance: a survey of the technology assessment issues, “Electronic surveillance is generally considered to be a weapon with which to fight organised (sic) crime or terrorism It can, however, have a darker side, namely that of industrial espionage, violation of privacy, or both.’ (Eprevost, 1999, p. 6) 

To counter the risk of political or corporate espionage, encryption of data must evolve from standard, public options.  ”In view of the fact that the NSA has managed to bring about a considerable reduction in the degree of security offered to non-US users of solutions developed by Microsoft, Netscape and Lotus for encrypting electronic messages, with the express intention of being systematically able to read the messages exchanged by these users (and probably being the only agency in the world able to do so), the European Parliament should actively promote the use, amongst European organizations (sic), firms and citizens, of e-mail encrypting solutions that actually provide the confidentiality promised.”  (Eprevost, 1999, p. 16)

We are connecting with people instantly, globally and exchanging information in real time.  The benefits we’ve realized have come with downsides.   Don’t assume the same laws that protect your privacy in the physical world are applicable in the digital world. 

Alan Hood | General | Comments (0)

Outsourcing - Consumers Decide

August 30, 2007 – 11:02 am

According the Daniel W. Drezner, the issue of outsourcing has been overblown to the point of hysteria and is not the “Boogyman” politicians would have us believe. Drezner reasons that the number of jobs lost to low cost markets are exaggerated and new jobs will be created: “The predictions of job losses in the millions are driving the current outsourcing hysteria. But it is crucial to note that these predictions are of gross, not net, losses.” So as long as there are more jobs created in US economy then jobs moved offshore, there is no consequence to moving jobs offshore. Further, he states: “Most jobs will remain unaffected altogether: close to 90 percent of jobs in the United States require geographic proximity.” Examples include: retail, food, personal care, and all service related industries “that have to be produced and consumed locally”.

Even those jobs that don’t require proximity may be so specialized and value added that the distance is counter productive. “The parts of production that are more complex, interactive, or innovative — including, but not limited to, marketing, research, and development — are much more difficult to shift abroad. As an International Data Corporation analysis on trends in Information Technology Services concluded, “the activities that will migrate offshore are predominantly those that can be viewed as requiring low skill since process and repeatability are key underpinnings of the work. Innovation and deep business expertise will continue to be delivered predominantly onshore.” Not coincidentally, these are also the tasks that generate high wages and large profits and drive the U.S. economy.” Even if the predictions are worse case at 200,000 jobs a year, the affect is minimal when compared with the total job market. “..total employment in the United States is roughly 130 million, and that about 22 million new jobs are expected to be added between now and 2010. Annually, outsourcing would affect less than .2 percent of employed Americans.”

Drezner also advises of benefits to outsourcing and increased globalization, such as: optimization of production and subsequent lower costs, knowledge transfer and technological advances. “Allowing countries to specialize accordingly increases productivity across all countries. This specialization translates into cheaper goods, and a greater variety of them, for all consumers.” The ongoing effect is US firms become more profitable, increase investments, increase productivity, reduce costs and investors, as well as, consumers will benefit in the long run. Foreign countries will demand more US goods as their incomes and standards of living improve, thus more US jobs, will be created.

Whereas Drezner clearly favors the move towards outsourcing and globalization, there are many organizations who believe US jobs should be protected. According to Save US Jobs, “Too many American companies have no allegiance to this country and actively undermine the Prime Consideration by transferring our jobs, skills and technologies to foreign countries for the sake of short-term profits.” The need to be profitable in today’s increasingly competitive market can not be disregarded. US workers earn more then their counterparts in other regions. While there may be a cost to quality or even productivity associated with moving jobs offshore, the overall cost savings in wages and benefits can not be ignored. Proponents of globalization will argue that the standard of living for all nations involved in trade will improve.

This does not appear to be the case. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts states “Trade implies reciprocity. It is a two-way street. There is no reciprocity in outsourcing, only the export of domestic jobs…if there are no given endowments because business know-how, capital and technology are globally mobile, the advantage lies with countries with untapped pools of educated and skilled low-wage labor. The advantage increases with the absence of…IRS, EPA, OSHA, EEOC and other regulatory bureaucracies…” (Roberts, March 7, 2003). US firms are also transferring technology with little regard to the potential ramifications. “To get a $900 million contract for electric turbines, GE agreed to give Chinese companies critical “9F” turbine specs that took GE years and more than $500 million to develop. The Chinese companies can now manufacture these leading-edge turbines without GE in the future.” When the majority of jobs being outsourced were manufacturing, the assets transferred were tangible. Now the majority of jobs are service related, and the assets at risk are intangible. Opponents to outsourcing (or off-shoring as it is called when jobs are moved to foreign countries) also argue that foreign workers are exploited in countries which do not recognize human rights. Labor laws of the US protect workers, ensuring they are paid for hours worked at a fair wage, that working conditions are safe and prohibit the exploitation of children. However, many low cost regions do not protect workers rights. There is also concern that countries may compromise their environment by relaxing environmental standards to attract firms.

The market system is not without casualties. The US has had a comparative advantage in the area of innovation, technology and education. As workers, we must offer employers value and skills they can not find elsewhere. This means we must be flexible, we must be educated and we must be competitive. The worker that will be most adversely affected by off shoring is the worker who is unable or unwilling to learn a new trade, the worker without a college degree who is unable or unwilling to return to school, or the worker who believes they are entitled while others, specific foreign workers, are not. According to Michael J. Mandel, Commentary: Outsourcing Jobs: Is It Bad, “The biggest danger to U.S. workers isn’t overseas competition. It’s that we worry too much about other countries climbing up the ladder and not enough about finding the next higher rung for ourselves.”

We are not victims to changing whims of corporate America. US firms are motivated by profits, so ultimately it is up to you, the consumer, to decide if jobs will or will not be moved offshore. How? Put your money where your heart is.

© Copyright 2005 Lisa Hood. All rights reserved

Alan Hood | Business | Comments (0)

Japanese Culture - Shogun

August 29, 2007 – 11:01 am

Shogun tells the story of an English explorer, John Blackthorne, who searches for the mythical beauty and wealth of the “Japans” and finds himself immersed in an unknown and deadly world. The political climate is unstable, as two leaders vie for the ultimate title of “Shogun”, the people are suspicious and the fate of Blackthorne and his men is precarious. Blackthorne is brought to Lord Toranaga where he learns of the political upheaval and influence of the Jesuits. The Japanese people are depicted as strict, unforgiving and bloodthirsty. Punishments are swift and merciless. Blackthorne sees the disregard for human life when a soldier is beheaded for refusing to bow to “Samurai”. The scene is shocking and confirms Blackthorn’s wariness of the Japanese people despite their smiles and bows. Blackthorne eventually develops respect for the Japanese culture, learning the language and customs, dressing, eating and bathing as Japanese.

A high power distance index is clearly shown in the feudal system. Peasants are at the mercy of their lords, with no power to choose where or how they live. In one scene, Lord Yabo declares the entire village will be killed if Blackthorne does not learn the language. When Blackthorne asks for Lord Yabo’s mercy, he is told the village is not important.

It is only the collective good that is important. Low individualism is demonstrated when Lady Toda Buntaro - Mariko is unable to fulfill her master’s request and she wants to kill herself because she can not face the shame. Her individual good is of no importance compared to that of her master.

The women have no significant power in Japanese society. Instead, they are treated as property. Mariko tells Blackthorne if a woman who belongs to a man where to lay with another, the punishment would be death. Mariko has no choice but to remain with her husband. The society is dominated by men.

This society has a very high uncertainty avoidance index. There is little tolerance for ambiguity. The society is structured around rules and failure to comply is met with harsh punishments. Upon capture, Blackthorne is allowed to speak to the lead Samurai and negotiate the release of his men. He is told he must cooperate. When he refuses, one of his men is boiled alive. Later Blackthorne is imprisoned while Lord Toranaga decides what to do with him. While he is in prison, another prisoner tells him the Japanese are a simple people, with only one punishment for rule breakers: death. When Blackthorne adds that imprisonment is an option, he is told that it is only a temporary situation until the jailors decide how they will be executed.

The Japanese culture depicted in Shogun has a high long term orientation with great importance placed on tradition. This is evidenced in a scene in which Lord Toranaga honored Blackthorne by making him a Samurai. During the ceremony, Toranaga tells Blackthorne that for a Samurai, their sword represents their soul, and it must never be lost. The other Samurai honor Tornanga’s decree and Blackthorne is no longer regarded as an outsider. He is accepted as Japanese.

The Japanese culture is high context, were more information is communicated by the context of the situation rather than the content. Mariko teaches Blackthorne Japanese and she tells him to speak Japanese, he must think like Japanese. This is because it is not the words that matter; it is the social context and interpersonal history that conveys meaning.
The characters of Shogun are based on historical figures, although the events are fictionalized. Many of the cultural representations are accurate, such as: the feudal system, the importance of Samurai as soldiers, the war mongers, the ceremonies and the regard for honor. Despite the historical accuracies, it would be unfair to compare 17th century Japanese culture to the culture of today. This is like comparing modern day Americans the Pilgrims. We come from these people, but this is not who we are today. However, some values are passed on, the esteem for elders, the emphasis on honor and the importance placed on the collective good.

© Copyright 2006 Lisa Hood. All rights reserved.

Alan Hood | Diversity | Comments (0)

Coca Cola Market Share

August 27, 2007 – 10:57 am

Coca Cola has struggled to maintain their market share in the growing beverage market while rival PepsiCo expands businesses into snack foods, sports drinks and bottled water. Coke’s failure to diversify its product offerings may be attributed to corporate culture, failed CEO’s and failed product introductions. According to “Gone Flat”, Business Week, 2002, former CEO Roberto C. Goizueta often discussed Coke’s market share as a “share of stomach”. Today’s consumers are selecting beverages other than sodas, so Coke must think beyond sodas to realize a dominate “share of stomach”.

It is time for Coke to expand their product line to include gourmet coffees, bottled in a container similar to the iconic Coke bottle and incorporating the Coca Cola trademark to capitalize on existing brand equity. Coffee flavors should be developed using extensive market research and taste tests, so Coca Cola can offer the most exciting and unique flavors of coffee. Two or three flavors should be launched to introduce the new brand. Similar to the hallowed four sodas: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Fanta, Coke must focus on a few varieties of coffee to capture market share.

In 2006, Coca Cola launched Coca Cola Blak, a coffee flavored soda. While some might view this as a move towards diversification, it will not open up new soda markets, but will likely cannibalize existing Coke sells. In addition, recent efforts to ban sodas from schools, entries of new competitors and health conscientious consumers, will continue to erode the soda market. According to a company press release, Starbucks’ total net revenue rose 20.3 percent, from 2004 to 2005. As of February 2006, Starbucks had 6,216 company-operated outlets worldwide: 5,028 of them in the United States and 1,188 in other countries and U.S. territories. There is clearly a demand for gourmet coffees. Starbucks has captured the retail portion, but there remains a vast market for prepared, take home, gourmet products.

Coke Coffees will be introductory so extensive advertising and promotions will be needed to generate interest. Guerilla marketing, through the internet, using humorous content such as that provided by JibJab.com, would ensure circulation and word of mouth interest. A coupon for a free sample should be included in all packs of Coca Cola products to recruit from existing customer base. Taste tests can be done at college campuses, sporting events, concerts, malls and at restaurants already partnered with Coca Cola. Co-marketing campaigns with Coke Classic and Coke Coffee can build on existing brand equity, by showing the two sides of Coke: past and future, classic and edgy, cool and hot.

The greatest barrier to overcome is the reluctance of the board to expand into new offerings, aside from soda products. Offering a new flavor, new package or new marketing strategy will not revitalize a declining market. Coke must develop their product line to include beverages other than sodas. It is clear that Coke’s current strategy is to offer even more flavors to entice soda drinkers back, such as: Vanilla, Cherry, Raspberry, Lemon and Lime Coke and Diet Coke flavors, as well as, Coke Zero, C2, Coke with Splenda, and most recently, Blak. It will be challenging to overcome a culture unable to accept changing market demands. According to “Gone Flat”, “the beliefs and attitudes that make up a culture filter into everything else….That’s why the problems at Coke have proven so intractable.” A cultural change must come from the top down and must include an unwavering intention to redefine Coca Cola as more than a soda pop company. Lastly, Coke must repair the damage done to relationships with business partners, such as bottlers and retailers. Coca Cola must be willing to share the rewards of success, as well as, the risks of thinking out of the (soda) box.

© Copyright 2006 Lisa Hood. All rights reserved.

Alan Hood | Business | Comments (1)

English/Japanese language barriers

August 27, 2007 – 10:35 am

Many of the sounds in English do not have Japanese alphabetic equivalent, so it is difficult to understand how to pronounce words. There are few opportunities to speak and Japanese learn reading and writing English, not listening and speaking.

Japanese has no plural form, so Japanese verbs do not change for number of person. English and German have many verb forms which is much to remember. In Japanese, I go, she go and all go. Not so in English.

Japanese does not have the same sentence structure as English. In Japanese, it is ok to say “kare wa agemasita” or “he gave.” English requires many more words. Japanese use subject-object-verb order, English use Subject-verb-object. It is difficult to think in different order. It is common to omit subjects and even objects so Japanese is very simple structure. Also, verbs and adjectives are used according to politeness in Japanese, but there is no difference in English. This was very hard to get used to.

It is hard to speak English when you do not want to be embarrassed. It is better to be quiet until you are sure of what you say.

2. Politeness is very important in Japanese. Speaker status is important to choose correct word or tone of voice and the ways a person presents themselves. English does not have these many choices. Instead the words are used for all purposes. Most verb forms have both a plain form and a polite form. The polite form is used for those we do not know well. English does not use polite form. It is very informal.

The Japanese culture also emphasises collective good and therefore Japanese language emphasizes groups rather than individuals. According to Alexander Schonfeld’s article, Manifestations of Gender Distinction in the Japanese Language (1999) “In the Japanese way of thinking, power is not a function of the individual but the role they play in society.[Wetzel] The American tendency to evaluate people based on wealth is not as prevalent.” Therefore, there are many nuances to the language related to “groups” of which individuals belong, such as work or family groups. When introductions are made, Japanese will identify themselves by their family name, rather than their given name. A “kenjyougo” or self-humbling, language system was developed for speaking to non-group members and elders so that individuals did not appear to be braggarts.

American culture emphasizes individualism and achievement. People will introduce themselves by their given name first. It is common to ask what people “do” for a living and people often identify themselves by their job title. He’s a salesman, she’s a doctor, he’s a lawyer, etc. American’s are also encouraged to brag about their personal accomplishments or the groups they belong to. One example is “name dropping”, an attempt to associate oneself to another for favorable treatment.

I do not believe that language determines our experience, but rather our language reflects our experience. We develop language necessary to express our ideas and values. Our language then reinforces these values. Language is dynamic so it evolves accordingly.

3. Gomasuri - “grinding sesame seeds” is said for those who try to look good. It is considered bad manners to call attention this way. Messy sesame seeds are sticking to everything/everyone.

u ga Hana - “Not waying is the flower” means it is good to be still. The flower is still and beautiful. It does not need to call attention to itself.
Minoru hodo Atama no Sagaru Inaho Kana - Wisdom of years brings humility to man. Japanese bow their heads to nature and respect for life.
These idioms reflect Japanese value of silence, conformity and humility.
“You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” This implies that you must make a choice and in doing so, sacrifice something else you want.
“The early bird gets the worm.” Encourages getting to work in order to gain reward, but also implies competition with others. This is representative of our individualistic culture, with little emphasis on collective good.
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Whoever complains gets the attention/reward. This sentiment is at odds w/ Japanese value of silence and cooperation.

4. Alternative forms of English include Old English, American English, European English, Ebonics, Spanglish and various regional dialects. According to Craig M. Carver, there are approximately two dozen dialect regions in the US, based mainly on vocabulary. Peter Trudgill, in his Dialects of England, identified sixteen dialect regions in England, based on grammar, vocabulary, and accent. Communication is complicated when unfamiliar words are introduced, words have different meanings or pronunciation makes words unidentifiable.

In the movie, My Cousin Vinnie, a New York lawyer finds himself defending a suspect in a southern courtroom. As he begins his opening argument, he says,

“Your honor, the two yoots….”
The judge interrupts him, asking, “The what?”
Vinnie responded, “Sorry, your Honor, the two You-THS.”

This is an example of a communication breakdown due to a language barrier, even though both individuals speak the same language.

© Copyright 2006 Lisa Hood. All rights reserved.

Alan Hood | Diversity | Comments (0)

Chinese Consumers

August 27, 2007 – 10:33 am

A common misconception of marketers planning to enter the Chinese market may be that Chinese consumers are most motivated by a strong desire to belong, traditionally found in collective societies. Workers surveyed by the Gallup Organization in 2004, indicated they are motivated by self expression and self fulfillment. This move from social needs to self actualization needs, as defined by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, may be attributed to economical growth and an improved standard of living. As basic needs are met, higher order needs become more important to consumers. Products which enhance one’s life, cater to comfort, enjoyment and self actualization may find a ready market among Chinese consumers. According to Gallup findings, “Self-satisfaction is now the number one motivator in the big cities….it is the principal objective among the young…18 to 24 year olds.”

Gallup also found that many Chinese workers, nearly 88%, are uninterested or unhappy with jobs. This level of apathy will likely impact the quality of goods produced by Chinese companies. Chinese consumers have expressed concern with the quality of domestic goods and “consumers’ preferences for domestic goods has dropped from 78% to 67% in the last five years.” The young and affluent, from urban areas, have demonstrated a growing preference for foreign goods. Generation Y, consumers in their teens and twenties, are highly educated, motivated and willing to spend on foreign products, especially those with a Western sensibility, such as clothing. Therefore, it may not be advisable to partner with a Chinese company to produce products.

A multi-domestic marketing strategy is necessary to address the specific needs of target audience. “Chinese consumers want more then just function.” So a mobile phone must be marketed as the latest and greatest with the most features and advancements. This same phone may be marketed differently in other markets, emphasizing the convenience and security of being able to make a phone call anytime, anywhere. Chinese consumers will not be motivated by the same factors that influence buyers in other countries. According to Gallup, “China is in many ways unlike any other developing market. The Chinese consumer is neither complacent nor compliant, and rapid change is now the norm.”

Pricing is a significant barrier in Chinese market. In 2004, the average yearly income was less than $1800 per family. Therefore, consumers must choose purchases carefully and competition for every dollar spent is fierce. Surprisingly, the Gallup report indicates that household goods, such as TV set, phone or vacuum cleaner, may not be as desirable as high tech products that enhance enjoyment and entertainment. Because quality and self fulfillment are so important to Chinese consumer, a higher price may be warranted. Justification will require brand recognition through advertising or word of mouth. Overcoming these barriers requires significant capital investments and patience. Marketing strategies such as: free samples, product tie-ins and celebrity endorsements can help achieve brand recognition and familiarity.

© Copyright 2006 Lisa Hood. All rights reserved.

Alan Hood | Diversity | Comments (0)

Buying Life insurance at age 50

August 26, 2007 – 10:14 am

Getting older is hard to deal with as I surly know. Some of us have yet to face the realities of life and our eventual death. I know for a fact that when you reach age 50 there is nothing more important to you than your loved ones, and you have a desire to protect them from the financial difficulties of a funeral and lose of income. Life insurance for people 50 and over can solve a lot of the problems faced by their loved ones after your death.

Don’t let your loved ones suffer more than they have to because of you death. Prepare now, and you will save them from the responsibility of paying for your funeral and more. I know that you wouldn’t want your loved one to lose their place to live or worse just because you didn’t prepare for the inevitable. Term life insurance for people 50 and over can be purchased at a very reasonable price so there is no reason to avoid it any longer. Get a quote and secure your loved ones futures today.

Alan Hood | General | Comments (0)