Aids Awareness – 2

World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS  pandemic  caused by the spread of HIV infection. Government and health officials observe the day, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an official  proclamation  on World AIDS Day. Governments of other nations have followed suit and issued similar announcements. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007,[1]  and an estimated 33. million people worldwide live with HIV as of 2007,[2]  making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2 million lives in 2007,[3]  of which about 270,000 were children. [4] World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Glo bal Programme on AIDS at the  World Health Organization  in Geneva, Switzerland. [5][6]  Bunn and Netter took their idea to Dr.Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global Programme on AIDS (now known as  UNAIDS). Dr. Mann liked the concept, approved it, and agreed with the recommendation that the first observance of World AIDS Day should be 1 December 1988. Bunn, a broadcast journalist on a leave-of-absence from his reporting duties at KPIX-TV in San Francisco, recommended the date of 1 December believing it would maximize coverage by western news media. Since 1988 was an election year in the U. S. , Bunn suggested that media outlets would be weary of their post-election coverage and eager to find a fresh story to cover.Bunn and Netter determined that 1 December was long enough after the election and soon enough before the Christmas holidays that it was, in effect, a dead spot in the news calendar and thus perfect timing for World AIDS Day. On 18 June 1986 KPIX'S â€Å"AIDS Lifel ine† (a community education project initiated by Bunn and KPIX Special Projects Producer Nancy Saslow) was honored with a Presidential Citation for Private Sector Initiatives presented by President Ronald Reagan. Because of his role in â€Å"AIDS Lifeline† Bunn was asked by Dr. Mann, on behalf of the U. S. government, to take a two-year leave-of-absence to join Dr.Mann, an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control, and assist in the creation of the Global Programme on AIDS for the United Nations' World Health Organization. Mr. Bunn accepted and was named the first Public Information Officer for the Global Programme on AIDS. Bunn and Netter conceived, designed, and implemented the inaugural World AIDS Day observance – now the longest-running disease awareness and prevention initiative of its kind in the history of public health. The  Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS  (UNAIDS) became operational in 1996, and it took over the planning and prom otion of World AIDS Day. 7]  Rather than focus on a single day, UNAIDS created the World AIDS Campaign in 1997 to focus on year-round communications, prevention and education. [7][8] In its first two years, the theme of World AIDS Day focused on children and young people. These themes were strongly criticized at the time for ignoring the fact that people of all ages may become infected with HIV and suffer from AIDS. [7]  But the themes drew attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, helped alleviate some of the stigma surrounding the disease, and helped boost recognition of the problem as a family disease. 7] In 2004, the World AIDS Campaign became an independent organization. [7][8][9] Each year, Popes  John Paul II  and  Benedict XVI  have released a greeting message for patients and doctors on World AIDS Day. [10][11][12][13][14][15] In 2007, the  White House  began marking World AIDS Day with the iconic display of a 28-foot AIDS Ribbon on the building's North Portico. [ 16]  The display, now an annual tradition, quickly garnered attention, as it was the first banner, sign or symbol to prominently hang from the White House since the  Abraham Lincoln  administration. ———————————————— [edit]Choosing the theme From its inception until 2004,  UNAIDS  spearheaded the World AIDS Day campaign, choosing annual themes in consultation with other global health organizations. As of 2008, each year's World AIDS Day theme is chosen by the World AIDS Campaign's Global Steering Committee after extensive consultation with people, organizations and government agencies involved in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. [7]  For each World AIDS Day from 2005 through 2010, the theme will be â€Å"Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise. â€Å", with a yearly sub-theme. 7]  This overarching theme is designed to encourage political leaders to keep their c ommitment to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support by the year 2010. [7] This theme is not specific to World AIDS Day, but is used year-round in WAC's efforts to highlight HIV/AIDS awareness within the context of other major global events including the  G8 Summit. World AIDS Campaign also conducts â€Å"in-country† campaigns throughout the world, like the  Student Stop AIDS Campaign, an infection-awareness campaign targeting young people throughout the UK.Today many people around the world are infected with a serious disease called  AIDS. Unfortunately, the disease has led to many deaths worldwide and yet it still remains untreatable. Many Public Health Departments are now taking the lead in publicizing education about AIDS. Public awareness and prevention programs are possible solutions to the spread of AIDS. The issue of this paper is on AIDS Prevention Programs that target women. One outlook is that prevention programs that tar get women will reduce the number of infections around the world.People opposed to this believe that prevention programs should aim more towards males. The disease is obviously an important social issue which impacts people worldwide. Certain associations and studies believe that women are more at danger then men for contracting HIV/AIDS. They believe prevention programs should be focused merely on women. AIDS cases for women are increasing each year and women are one of the fastest growing populations being infected. At the end of 2002, UNAIDS, a Joint United Nations Progamme on HIV/AIDS, reported that 38. 6 million adults are infected with HIV or AIDS worldwide.Roughly 50% or 19. 2 million are women. Globally speaking, most women infected with HIV or AIDS are from developing countries. The fastest spread of AIDS among women is in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1999, for the first time more women than men were infected with HIV. Out of 22. 3 million people infected in sub Saharan Africa 12. 2 million, or 55%, are female. Of the 1. 1 million youth infected in south Asia, 62% are female. According to research by the CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the amount of AIDS cases in women have more than tripled in the United States.Since 1985, 7% of women were affected to 25% in 1999. With the number of AIDS cases in women increasing, organizations are relying on prevention programs aimed towards women to be the effective solution to prevent the spread of the virus amongst men and women. We can write a custom essay on AIDS for you! In contrary to the opposing viewpoint, reports by UNAIDS felt that men should be the main focus in the prevention programs. In 2000, UNAIDS commenced a World AIDS Campaign which pushed for men to become more involved in preventing the spread of the AIDS outbreak. We must stop seeing men as some kind of problem and begin seeing them as part of the solution,† according to Dr Peter Piot, the head director of UNAIDS. â€Å"Working with men to change their behavior and attitudes has tremendous potential to slow down the epidemic. It will also improve the lives of men themselves, not to mention those of their families. † There are several reasons why men should remain the main target to the prevention of the epidemic. The focus is mainly on changing sexual behaviors amongst men. Men grow up with certain beliefs and attitudes on how they should behave when dealing with intercourse.Dr. Elvira Belingon, Department of Health STD/AIDS Coordinator in Cordillera explained that worldwide studies prove that men are at a greater risk of spreading the disease because they are likely to have more unprotected intercourse and sexual partners than women do. â€Å"Too often, it is seen as ‘unmanly' to worry about avoiding drug-related risks, or to bother with condoms,† said Dr Piot. UNAIDS feel these cultural beliefs and expectations allow men to become vulunerable to AIDS which endangers their own health or the health of their partners and family.This vulnerability has already affected gay and bisexual men in the United States. Sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis have rose for the second year in a row. The government feels that gays and bisexuals are more susceptible to these sexually transmitted diseases and with the help of these prevention programs they can decrease that number. In order to help control the AIDS epidemic, organization’s feel prevention programs should focus more on men’s behavior. I believe that prevention programs should be aimed towards women because of he steady increase of infections year to year. Women are more susceptible to HIV infection for several reasons. Biologically, females are estimated to be eight times more likely of receiving and HIV transmission from a male compared to female-to-male transmission. In 1997, the CDC reported that 38% of women received HIV through heterosexual intercourse opposed to 7% of men. Women are more at risk because the surface area in a female’s genital tract is greater exposed than in males. During intercourse larger amounts of semen fluids are released than in vaginal fluids.This puts women at risk because semen contains a higher amount of HIV. Also, women often have sexually transmitted infections that are left untreated, which increases exposure to HIV. Women who have STDs, sexually transmitted diseases, especially those that cause ulcerations make it easier for HIV to enter the body. Genital sores and immune reactions related with STDs face a greater risk of HIV infection. Treatment of STDs can be an efficient HIV prevention tactic if prevention programs educate women on this exposure. Other biological factors deal with young women among the ages of 13 to 19.Girls in Charge coordinator, Judah-Abijah Dorrington, explained that 49% of all the AIDS cases reported in the United States since 1997 were among these young women. This age group is infected because they have not fully completed their biological development. Many of the women obtained HIV in their teens because of â€Å"having an underdeveloped cervix and low vaginal mucus production. † In the report by AIDS Weekly, young women are found to have three to five times higher HIV infections than among boys. â€Å"Young women really are being viewed as the population with the largest number of new infections,† said Dr.Cynthia Gomez, professor for the AIDS Prevention Center at the University of California at San Francisco. â€Å"They don't realize they're at risk, partly because we've only emphasized certain groups, rather than behaviors. † Women are vulnerable to infection for their lack of power within sexual relationships and sexual violence. Women’s lack of power makes it difficult for them to negotiate safer sex with partners. Women tend not to discuss condom use within relationships in fear of rejection or loss of economic support. When women are in committed relationships, they mainly focus on the intimacy in their relationship.They assume they are in a monogamous relationship with their partner. Unsafe sex becomes more important than protection against HIV. This dependence of men increases the risk of AIDS for women. A report from Secretary General of the United Nation, Kofi Annan concluded, â€Å"The gender dynamics of the epidemic are far-reaching due to women's weaker ability to negotiate safe sex, and their generally lower social and economic status. † Studies in Africa have uncovered that many married women have been infected by their husband. The powerlessness of women to reject sex with their husband has been a major cause of transmission to women.Women's dependence on men makes women less able to protect themselves against AIDS. Typically, men make most decisions about when, where, and how to have sex. In developing countries, women usually maintain little control over their bodies and hold little decision-making power. Violence against women increases their helplessness to HIV and decreases their ability to defend themselves against infection. According to a study, â€Å"physical and sexual abuse were ‘disturbingly common’ throughout life among women at high risk for HIV infection†¦women who have been abused are more likely to use crack cocaine and have multiple sex partners. This puts women are at greater risk for rape or sexual force. Also, some women are forced to enter into sex work or short-term partnerships to exchange sex for economic gain or survival including food, refuge, and security. In many cases, women are in danger merely because they are reliant on their husbands for survival and support. This hinders and restricts their decision making and negotiating control. Sex workers are at a high risk for infection, mainly when they do not have the ability to negotiate with customers who refuse to wear a condom.In order to prevent the spread of AIDS I feel public health ag encies need to raise public awareness by promoting prevention programs for women. If women are educated on the biological and social factors of AIDS, women may have more of a chance to change their behaviors before the possibility of becoming infected with HIV. Programs that specifically target women will have a positive impact on women in the long-run. As new AIDS cases are increasing quickly through heterosexual contact focus on the prevention programs will take on even greater importance.People that agree with the statement that AIDS prevention programs should target women believe that women are vulnerable to HIV infection biologically and socially. To decrease infections of the AIDS virus women change their standard of living especially for women in developing countries through these prevention programs. Those that disagree focus HIV prevention efforts on heterosexual male sexual behavior. By changing male cultural and socialization patterns interventions can be effective. A wid espread HIV prevention policy uses many essentials to protect as many people at risk for HIV as possible.

Panera Bread Marketing Mix Proposal

Signature Frozen Yogurt Table of Contents Executive Summary For the past 28 years we have been committed to offering a wide variety of healthy entree options at the highest quality for a reasonable price, however, we have never offered a selection of healthy option desserts and therefore have decided to launch a new product, the Signature Frozen Yogurt. This product is a secret blend of all-natural ingredients. One of the most important ingredients is real nonfat milk, which has been certified by the National Yogurt Association to carry the Live and Active Cultures. Regardless of the flavor, our crispy and tangy yogurt is designed to awaken the senses and blend perfectly with each of our freshly cut fruit toppings. It is low in fat, contains no cholesterol, no preservatives, is fortified with calcium, and is made of the highest ingredients. The competitive advantage of this product is the place the product will be sold, at our already established cafes. The cafe already draws in customers and now to complete their meal, instead of having to travel elsewhere for a healthy option desert, they have it already where they are eating, which means no extra traveling costs, or planning is required. The convenience factor is now added which is a very important in the American lifestyle today. Unlike the fast food competitors, our new dessert will keep us at the top of the fast-casual, bakery-cafe industry by continuing to provide for the millions of Americans who are looking to eat healthy. While competitors are struggling to keep up with today’s prominent healthy-eating trend, we remain a valuable asset to the cause. We will use mass marketing techniques in order to target our chosen market for the newly created Signature Frozen Yogurt . The initial market will consist of New York and California, two places which have seen a growing trend in the market for frozen dessert. The population will consist of individuals roughly between 19-35 years of age, both male and female individuals that come from the upper middle class, are health-oriented, and currently frequent Panera Bread, but rarely eat dessert because of the poor healthy choices currently offered, and is currently measured at approximately 7, 927, 516 individuals. We will use price skimming for our pricing strategy. In the past we have not needed to cut the prices of our food as a way to bring in customers. Our company is known to have great quality, and you may have to pay a little extra for it. Since we are an already well-established bakery chain, we have the ability to have the product enter the market with the price skimming strategy. We feel like this strategy best fits our company image as a whole, and will fit in with the prices of our other products. For the communications strategy, our media mix will be fairly standard for a new product being introduced at the national level. We will use mass media exposure. We will use TV, Magazines, Internet, and Outdoors. With TV we will have a wide reach, and will be able to target our demographic specifically through certain TV shows and time slots. We have written, shot and edited our own TV spot for the new product. We have used our original slogan â€Å"A loaf of bread in every arm†¦Signature Frozen Yogurt in every hand†, as well as a summertime theme associated with our frozen yogurt. We will also use magazines, the Internet with our website, Facebook, Twitter, sales promotions including coupons and samples. We pride ourselves in making our bread, salads, sandwiches, and all desserts fresh daily. The actual ingredients used to make these delicious entrees, however, are provided by our own distribution center. We use a vertical marketing channel in which the members act as a unified system in all three stages- manufacturing, wholesaler, and retailer, and each level has an increase of formalization and control. Our goal in introducing the Signature Frozen Yogurt into the described market is to increase our current market share for healthy option dessert and create top of mind awareness of our brand. The goal is to have customers name Panera Bread as their number one option when asked about their preferences of frozen yogurt. Along with the introduction of the Frozen Yogurt into the New York and California store locations will be an initial investment of $685,816, which consists of all the machinery, installation and training costs for all 154 cafes located in the mentioned states. The forecasted return on investment is predicted to be 0. 16, and to break even we would have to obtain sales of 152,765 units at an averaged out price of $4. 9, which takes in account all variations for the different prices for different size containers. Based on our established customer list, we expect that 40% of all the people in the states of California and New York will be our customers and that 30% of these customers will be likely to purchase dessert and one of their store visits throughout the year, which we have calculated to be roughly 12-20 times for each individual. In the first year of im plementation, from April 2010 to December 2010, we expect to have sell approximately 14,408 units and double sales volume by year end 2011. We expect that this project will increase Earnings Before Tax and Interest (EBIT) by approximately $30,593 and increase Net Income by approximately $18, 968. Business Mission and Vision Our mission statement is â€Å"A loaf of bread in every arm and frozen yogurt in each hand. † Our commitment is to actively contribute to the community today through donation of our daily extras to the local community in need, one loaf at a time, feeding the community and wasting not a crumb. We not only have a commitment to giving back to the community but consistently holding the highest standards of quality for every customer regardless of which Panera you dine at. Finally, we also commit to providing a sound environment with integrity present for our employees. Goals and Objectives By entering the frozen dessert market, we will further increase our distinctive qualities because no other competitor in the restaurant industry has a similar frozen yogurt product. The Signature Frozen Yogurt will take on the familiar qualities of all other products by use of the â€Å"Signature† title. This consistence will remind consumers that all our â€Å"Signature† products are similar in an important aspect: quality. Also, our company is creating more value for the new product itself by displaying the ingredients and nutrition facts to prove to consumers that the dessert is a truly healthy one. Finally, our decision to enter this new market gives consumers a much more accessible product. Currently, there are only a few big-name frozen dessert foodservice venues that offer a frozen yogurt product, including TCBY and Baskin Robbins. Our company recognizes the great potential in this growing market, in great thanks to society’s healthy eating trends. The frozen yogurt market is being revitalized now that consumers have realized that with healthy eating comes a great need to satisfy the sweet-tooth cravings, and that is where our Signature Frozen Yogurt comes into play. Our company is introducing a product that satisfies two consumer needs: a truly healthy, low-fat, low-calorie dessert, and a reinvented, flavorful product that used to have an image of plain and boring. So long as Panera Bread keeps these important attributes of our new product in mind, we are sure to be a unique success. The goal for our entire company is to become a leading national brand in the restaurant industry, as well as a leader in the frozen dessert market. The new market expansion will initially include New York and California, and eventually all 50 states, including the western states which we do not have a very strong presence in and can use popularity of the frozen yogurt as an advantage for entry. The global expansion, to be started approximately a year after the successful frozen yogurt introduction in the United States market is also a future goal for the company. In addition, we hope to maintain strong relationships with our franchises to continue working together in efforts to satisfy changing consumer needs. For different regions, our franchises will lend their customer feedback to our company to inform us of new possible flavors and toppings for the Signature Frozen Yogurt that can be introduced in those particular regions. Our goal in introducing the Signature Frozen Yogurt into the described market is to increase our current market share for healthy option dessert and create top of mind awareness of our brand. The goal is to have customers name Panera Bread as their number one option when asked about their preferences of frozen yogurt. We are also looking to increase consumption of desserts at our locations, considering that we acknowledge that the current desserts offered do not accurately fit in the healthy option category. The frozen yogurt will be low fat and encompass fresh fruit among other indulgent toppings that are guaranteed to satisfy every palate. Customers want healthier dessert options that they can trust to be of the highest quality, thus they will have no trouble purchasing our Signature Frozen Yogurt. Our current customers, especially, will perceive the new product as valuable enough to buy because of the firm’s commitment towards providing excellent customer service and a quality experience for any meal served, no matter if it is eaten in the restaurant or taken to go. For new and old customers alike, this product will be received well because few other restaurants in our industry offer a healthy dessert option that can prove its caloric or sugar levels. As to price and value capture, we have been able to build our name and image over the past few decades, all the while having prices set above those of fast food competitors. We have also been able to continuously increase profits because of the perceived value that we offer in making specialty products, as well as hand-made and made-to-order meals, the moment a customer walks in to the establishment. This value-based pricing strategy has worked in our favor as customers feel they are getting a higher quality meal at a slightly higher cost. In addition, we are also looking to increase EBIT constantly through the next three years. The capital investment required will be approximately $686, 916 for the initial cost of the machines to be installed at each of the 86 cafes located in California and the 68 cafes located in New York, their installation cost and training procedures. This will increase cost of goods sold, labor, and other general operating costs by fifteen percent. The projected ROI will be 0. 16 SWOT ANALYSIS COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS We compete in the firm-intensive restaurant industry within multiple markets, including fast food, casual dining, specialty dining, and bakery-cafe. We even compete on a time basis, in other words, breakfast, lunch, PM â€Å"chill out†, lunch at night, and take-home. Competitors include both national chain restaurants, as well as independent local firms. Our recent, most threatening competition comes from restaurant chains that have begun to align their menus with society’s increasing trend for healthy eating. Some of the â€Å"big-name† competitors include McDonald’s, Starbucks, Subway, and Chipotle Mexican Grille, among others. Even with their menu changes, however, we have been successful in maintaining and promoting an image of healthy eating on a higher scale of quality. This particular reputation has helped acknowledge our firm as a leader in the restaurant industry. McDonald’s is one of our largest competitors in the fast food industry. With almost 32,000 establishments operating globally, McDonald’s switch to a new focus on healthier eating habits has helped its company strengthen its position among health-conscious consumers. The chain has introduced menu items that serve as alternatives for their popular, but unhealthy, longstanding products. For instance, McDonald’s offers wraps in place of white bread, grilled chicken instead of fried, and apple slices in place of French fries. Wendy’s and Burger King, as well as many other fast food chains, followed suit after McDonald’s menu changes, further increasing our competition. We are not too concerned about the fast food industry’s push towards healthy food, however, because McDonald’s has been intensely focused on expansion into global markets. Therefore, their attention to the healthy consumer market is nowhere near as intense as it could be. Also, each of these fast food firms are known to be â€Å"hamburger-based,† giving us the competitive edge of offering made-to-order, specialty items of a much healthier caliber. We have not been impacted significantly enough by the fast food giant’s healthy initiatives to feel it necessary to react with our own menu or company changes. Within the fast-casual dining market, Chipotle Mexican Grill, a company of over 800 establishments nationwide, has become a one of our direct competitor, as the company offers some healthier eating selections, quick service, and a casual environment. The main distinction between these two restaurants is their very different menu styles. Chipotle offers Mexican style food, including burritos, tacos, and enchiladas. While Chipotle is now recognized for its healthy veggie options from local supplies and fresh grilled chicken salads as a replacement for the high-calorie burritos, we have the obvious advantage of a menu that is appealing to multiple target markets, rather than just the one market for Mexican-style food lovers that Chipotle caters to. Subway, of the Doctor’s Associates Incorporation, is yet another restaurant competing in the mix of a healthy, fast food type of market. Subway has had a successful impact on health-conscious fast food consumers ever since â€Å"The Subway Guy,† also known as â€Å"Subway Jared† revealed to society that he lost a couple hundred pounds from simple exercising, and most importantly, from eating Subway subs every day. Subway’s profits surged after these commercials featuring Jared were released across the country. While Subway has a presence in our health-conscious target market, their primary competition is more likely to be Chipotle Mexican Grille, instead of Panera Bread. This is due to the fact that both restaurant chains have buffet-style ordering, where customers have complete and total control over their meal. Unlike these firms, we at Panera Bread are in favor of offering our customers a choice of unique, specialty menu items that have been pre-tested in multiple variations until the perfect combinations were found. We want our customers to enter or establishment and enjoy the meal itself and all of its uniqueness, rather han have to create their own. In the specialty cafe market, Starbucks, a company of over 16,000 global establishments, is our foremost competitor. This firm is renowned for its distinctive features, which are similar to our company. Starbucks has the uniqueness of an intimate, yet casual environment, as well as a vast array of specialty coffee products. The main diffe rence is that Starbucks focuses primarily on the beverage market, whereas Panera Bread’s focus is on our variety of food products and specialty breads. Starbucks is an important competitor to watch because much like our firm, their customers perceive the business to be of very high quality. Thus, Starbucks has a similar advantage in having the ability to retain a very loyal customer base. They also have an edge on Panera Bread in terms of their larger company size, for they have more market penetration and therefore a greater influence within the specialty cafe market. Finally, although Starbucks specializes in gourmet coffee beverages, they do have a pastry selection that is comparable to ours. Our firm believes that in the short-term future, Starbucks will not have a presence as strong as that of Panera Bread in the bakery market. In review of the frozen yogurt market, the number one competitor is actually the first ever national frozen yogurt restaurant chain. TCBY, also known as â€Å"The Country’s Best Yogurt,† has been the major source for frozen yogurt for many decades, and thus, their brand recognition is incredibly strong. This firm’s product has always been a favorite frozen dessert alternative for the health-conscious consumer. We believe our competitive advantage lies in the fact that in today’s society, consumers of all demographics are looking for everything they want and need at the reach of their fingertips. TCBY only offers frozen desserts, and while their innovative and specialized dessert options are noticeably unique, the firm simply does not have the vast variety of menu selections that we offer. Our company satisfies much more than just the sweet-tooth cravings of our customers, and this makes us even more distinct than TCBY and similar frozen yogurt competitors. The new Signature Frozen Yogurt is a type of healthy frozen dessert that is not found at our most comparable restaurant competitors. The closest comparison from the fast food industry would be McDonalds’ McFlurry and Wendys’ Frosty, two ice cream-based products that are not low-fat, low-calorie, nor nutritious. Previously mentioned competitors in the fast-casual restaurant industry, however, have no product like the Signature Frozen Yogurt. Our company also has very few competitors in the frozen yogurt market. TCBY is the leading brand for companies selling only frozen yogurt. Other competition in this market comes from small, localized firms that have entered the market within the past ten years, for example, Yogurbella and Red Kiwi in the Southern Florida region and Pinkberry in New York. Overall, the introduction of our Signature Frozen Yogurt is perfectly timed for our firm, as well as society’s growing trend of healthy eating. We have countless unique advantages over the competition. Our strong brand name is an immediate competitive edge because it is associated with our high quality products. The slightly higher prices are reflective of the quality product and overall experience that each consumer receives when he visits a Panera Bread location. This experience can in great part be attributed to the casual, inviting, and relaxing ambience of every establishment. Of course, our bakery expertise, healthy menu options, and artisan breads are a founding pierce of our company’s success. Therefore, our introduction of new products, including the Signature Frozen Yogurt, will have an easier time of gaining market acceptance, as well as our consumer’s confidence. Marketing Strategy Research The U. S. Market for Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts According to trend data, the sales of low fat or diet ice cream are increasing while the sale of regular is decreasing. This shows that the market for healthy frozen desserts is rapidly growing. In addition, consumers are looking for different flavors and type of frozen desserts that will give them a surprise factor. Frozen yogurt which was more popular in the 1980’s and 90’s is making a comeback in more cafe settings that resemble coffee shops. These cafes would offer healthy yogurt as well as premium healthy toppings for the yogurt. They cater to consumers that want the same atmosphere and effect as Starbucks The trend for ice cream in the food service industry is that consumers will pay a little more and wait a little longer for the upscale experience and the atmosphere. In the next three years, frozen yogurt is the one frozen dessert that will experience the highest growth in sales in the food service industry. Projected U. S. Foodservice Sales of Frozen Desserts (in millions) Along with the nformation gathered from secondary research, we also used primary research techniques including a survey (see appendix), of which the results were as follows: Do you like frozen yogurt? {draw:frame} Yes =44 Indifferent =8 No =0 How Often do you go to Panera Bread every three months? {draw:frame} Often (7+ Times) =4 Sometimes (3-6 times) =39 Rarely (0-2 times) =9 Do you think that Panera Bread’s current desserts are healthy opt ions? (Current dessert menu items include: cookies, brownies, pastries, scones, cinnamon rolls, muffins) {draw:frame} Yes =2 Somewhat =16 No =34 Would you be more willing to get dessert at Panera if there were healthier options? {draw:frame} Yes =32 Indifferent =22 No =4 Target Market Strategy Panera has found a home in the niche market of suburban regions, where consumers are looking for quick, convenient, and high quality menu options. We have designed our establishments to allow for a relaxing, lounging environment, as well as just the opposite- a fast moving order line that will have a consumer and his packed to-go meal out the door in just a couple of minutes. We will use mass marketing techniques in order to target our chosen market for the newly created Signature Frozen Yogurt . The initial market will consist of New York and California, two places which have seen a growing trend in the market for frozen dessert. The population will consist of individuals roughly between 19-35 years of age, both male and female individuals that come from the upper middle class, are health-oriented, and currently frequent Panera Bread, but rarely eat dessert because of the poor healthy choices currently offered, and is currently measured at approximately 7, 927, 516 individuals. Ranked the number one option in the cafe/bakery market, we have the highest level of customer loyalty among quick/casual restaurants, according to the Wall Street Journal. We have also received several awards for excellence, and have been named the number one fast food chain for popular salad and healthy option facilities. The introduction of the Frozen Yogurt will The Signature Frozen Yogurt will strengthen our current competitive advantage over the cafe industry and add value to ourcurrent menu. The dessert will be freshly made at each location; it will not be an industrialized food product, thus always guaranteeing its freshness. Customers will be able to customize their choice; they will be able to choose the flavor of the yogurt and what toppings they’d like, therefore always allowing them to have their way. Positioning Statement For the health-conscious consumer, Panera Bread present the Signature Frozen Yogurt, an all-natural, low-fat, low-calorie dessert that will remind consumers why our copmany is such a trusted brand and is nationally recognized for our quality products. The nutritious, low-fat, low-calorie treat is yet another specialty product produced by a company who loves their bread, their employees, and their customers. Unlike the fast food competitors, our new dessert will keep us at the top of the fast-casual, bakery-cafe industry by continuing to provide for the millions of Americans who are looking to eat healthy. While competitors are struggling to keep up with today’s prominent healthy-eating trend, we remain a valuable asset to the cause. Marketing Mix Product The signature frozen yogurt is a convenience type of product. Since it is a dessert the consumer will not put much time in researching where to purchase the product. There are five product flavors: four that are classic flavors and on that is a seasonal flavor and will change every three months. The flavors are as follows: Macadamia Nut, Chai Tea, Dulce de Leche, and Orange Scone. The first seasonal flavored launched will be pineapple upside downflavor. The topping options will be as follows: fresh cut fruit bits (strawberry, pineapple, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and banana), pecans, walnuts, chocolate chips, coconut, heath bar crunch, cookie dough, and drizzles (caramel, chocolate, and peanut butter). The signature frozen brand features ingredients including real nonfat milk, so you get all of the benefits derived from dairy, at a fraction of the caloric intake. This differs from other frozen yogurts in the marketplace, which are created using predominantly water, milk and sugar. At Panera, the proof is in the taste. We strive to make each cup of yogurt from the highest quality of ingredients. You know you can tell the difference from the very first spoonful. Our frozen yogurt is a secret blend of all-natural ingredients. One of the most important ingredients is real nonfat milk, which has been certified by the National Yogurt Association to carry the Live & Active Cultures seal. Regardless of the flavor, our crisp and tangy yogurt is designed to awaken the senses and blend perfectly with each of our freshly cut fruit toppings. There are only 90 calories in each 8-ounce serving of Signature Frozen Yogurt. It is low in fat, contains no cholesterol, no preservatives, is fortified with calcium, and is made with the highest quality ingredients. Children, adults and the elderly can enjoy this great tasting healthy option dessert! The product itself is packaged from the distribution warehouse and brought directly to each Panera cafe. There is it dispensed into the frozen yogurt machines at each site. When served to the customer, the yogurt can be served in three different size cups, which will include small (8 ounces), medium (10 ounces), and large (12 ounces). This product is considered a brand extension. The Signature frozen yogurt is adding another product category, which is the category of frozen yogurt under the product line of dessert. Essentially it is adding product depth. We currently have several different product categories under this product line including pastries, cookies, brownies, coffee drinks, and smoothies. Currently, we have not encountered any special issues involved with this product. Since we are striving to provide a healthier item for our dessert menu in order to reach out to those who are conscious about their health, below is the label containing the nutrition facts for the Signature Frozen Yogurt, which will be readily available in all stores and in our company website in the occasion that the customer wishes to inquire about their intake of calories when consuming this item. Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 8 oz Est. Percent of Calories from: Place/ Distribution We pride ourselves in making our bread, salads, sandwiches, and all desserts fresh daily. The actual ingredients used to make these delicious entrees, however, are provided by our own distribution center. We use a vertical marketing channel in which the members act as a unified system in all three stages- manufacturing, wholesaler, and retailer- and each level has an increase of formalization and control. We use product pooling where there is one main distribution center within driving distance from a store. Each store is normally re-stocked twice a week and is delivered the ingredients from our privately owned trucks. Inventory can be delivered on an as needed business if demand is higher than expected. Once the product arrives in the store then the frozen yogurt will be placed in the dispensing machine and ready to be served to the customer. Price We will use price skimming for our pricing strategy. In the past we have not needed to cut the prices of our food as a way to bring in customers. Our company is known to have great quality, and you may have to pay a little extra for it. Since we are an already well-established bakery chain, we have the ability to have the product enter the market with the price skimming strategy. We feel like this strategy best fits our company image as a whole, and will fit in with the prices of our other products. The pricing is as follows, small for $3. 99, medium for $4. 50, large for $4. 99. Each topping is an additional $. 99 cents. Both internal and external factors have been considered when setting the prices. First, we have chosen selective distribution when it comes to the place. We are a well-distributed chain, but not massively distributed across the country and not distributed at all outside the United States. Also, a survey was performed in a randomized sample of 50 individuals who were asked what their maximum willingness to pay would be for the Signature Frozen Yogurt. About 40% of the individuals surveyed said they would be willing to pay at most $5 for a 10 ounce serving of frozen yogurt, thus we priced the product accordingly. We also considered internal factors such as relative dessert prices currently sold at our locations. Some prices for comparison are as follows: chocolate chip cookie: $1. 99, orange scone: $2. 99, and chocolate brownie:$3. 50. In order for the product launch successfully the product must be priced according to the other products offered by Panera. The prices for the products are on the more expensive side but not overly expensive. The higher price of the good is a way to hold up the reputation we have built that we do not sacrifice quality for price. An external factor that has been considered is our current competition. The introduction of frozen yogurt will drive the company to compete with local frozen yogurt vendors, TCBY, and developing yogurt chains such as Yogurbella and Chicberry. Although our product is priced slightly higher than TCBY and about the same as Yogurbella and Chicberry, we wanted this product to be competitively priced but at the same time hold a standard of higher quality, therefore a little higher priced than TCBY. The frozen yogurt industry itself instigates monopolistic competition. There are several competitors and therefore competition is very tough. The key to survival in this market is differentiation. The product itself may not be that different than other local current local vendors beside certain flavors offered or the quality of the taste, but the key to successfully positioning the product in the chosen market is the place. The yogurt will be sold at a cafe that already draws customers in for lunch or dinner, and now to complete their meal, instead of having to travel elsewhere for a healthy option dessert, they have it already where they are eating, which means no extra traveling costs, or planning is required. The convenience factor is now added, which is a huge factor in the American lifestyle today. This will add the competitive advantage to purchasing frozen yogurt at one of our locations, and not elsewhere. The competitors, in response may respond by dropping their prices in hopes that lower prices will make up for the inconvenience factor of having to travel to get your dessert after dinner. Although the competition may be able to lower their price and still make a profit, this may not be enough to sway the competition. Promotion and Communications Advertising The advertising objectives of this new product are to inform consumers about the new frozen yogurt product line that we are beginning to sell. We will emphasize that this is a new product being offered at our locations. We will also emphasize the unique and fresh aspects of ourSignature Frozen Yogurt. Some aspects that make this product ‘unique and fresh’ are the healthy nature of the product, the high quality materials used to produce it, and the relatively expensive price. The message execution of the advertising will be a lifestyle choice; we want to introduce the idea of getting a healthy good tasting dessert at Panera Bread. Our media mix will be fairly standard for a new product being introduced at the national level. We will use mass media exposure. We will use TV, Magazines, Internet, and Outdoors. We will also place a picture of the Signature Frozen Yogurt in all company owned delivery trucks; since all food is delivered via them and it can reach a wide audience while driving. With TV we will have a wide reach, and will be able totarget our demographic specifically through certain TV shows and time slots. We have written, shot and edited our own TV spot for the new product. We have used our original slogan â€Å"A loaf of bread in every arm†¦Signature Frozen Yogurt in every hand†, as well as a summertime theme associated with our frozen yogurt. With the magazines,we can hone in our message to specific demographics that will be interested in our product. The subscribers will also most likely pass along our message to others, and we consider word of mouth to be a powerful, free, advertising tool that can certainly be used to our advantage. We will use our logo to create brand recognition among consumers, and we will use our slogan to create interest. The main message encoded to the consumer will emphasize how this product has a healthy advantage in comparison to other frozen yogurts, and it will emphasize the variety that our product has. With the Internet we can have a wide reach;we can link to detailed content, we can hone into our demographic and we can have interactive features. Through the internet will also use our slogan and logo to foster brand recognition and toemphasize the healthy advantage and the variety of the product. It will have similar encoding and message as our magazine ads. We will advertise our website through print ads and TV, but will also have links to our website from other company websites that appeal to our target audiences. Some types of sites we would like to buy ad space from are health websites, fitness websites, food and entertainment websites, and search engines. We already have a really well established and well formatted website. It is easy to use and readily accessible, meaning we would simply add to its current featuresto include information about Signature Frozen Yogurt. This information would include all sales promotion information as well as details about the product and where it can be found. Outdoors advertising is cheap;we can gain repeat exposure, and we can direct customers to a local store off of the road. The style of this advertising will be more along the lines of flashy and fancy, we want to emphasize the status and the quality of our company. Our timing will incorporate a flighting strategy; we want to initially attack our consumers with our message aggressively and consistently to build a base of consumers that know and understand our message and our new product. This will serve the purpose of informing the customer of our product. Once we feel that our product has become commonplace for our consumer we will convert to a less aggressive strategy, slowing down our advertising. We will increase our advertising once again once we have a new twist on the product or a new feature, such as a new season flavor, that needs to be expressed and told to the consumers. Public Relations Public Relations tools that will be used will be annual reports, electronic media, and media relations. Annual reports will be used to give financial performance information to investors and others about what is going on in the organization. This can provide us with projections for the new product, as well as give us results and an opportunity for analysis in accordance with Signature Frozen Yogurt. Media relations will be used to create news coverage and public awareness of the new product for our company; this will be done by news releases and event sponsorships. In addition, electronic Media will be used to inform, interact and generate a buzz about our new product; this will be done through web sites and email campaigns. Press Release Panera Bread Launches New â€Å"Healthy Option† Signature Frozen Yogurt in Select Markets NEW YORK— April 18, 2010—Panera Bread? officially announced the launch of a new product into select cafe’s in the beginning of May. The product will put a new spin on dessert options offered in their bakery. In the past, Panera? has been known to have indulgent pastries, brownies, and cookies high in calories, sugar, and fat. However, they have also been known to have several healthy options for lunch or dinner, including a wide selection of salads, sandwiches, and soups. So, why aren’t their healthy dessert options as well? This question was raised when the development of the signature frozen yogurt was originally brought up in corporate back in September of 2009. â€Å" We wanted to innovate our selection of dessert. We pride our company on being one of high quality and healthy options, but we weren’t following through with that in our dessert section of our menu,† comments Ronald Shaich,CEO. With the implementation of this new product into the product line we hope to keep our very health conscious customers around for dessert and not travel elsewhere to satisfy their sweet tooth,† says Ronald Shaich. The frozen yogurt is a secret blend of all-natural ingredients. Probably one of the most important ingredients is real nonfat milk, which has been certified by the National Yogurt Association to carry the Live & Active Cultures seal. Regardless the flavor, our crisp and tangy yogurt is designed to awaken the senses and blend perfectly with each of our freshly cut fruit toppings. There are only 100 calories in each 5-ounce serving of Signature Frozen Yogurt. It is low in fat, no cholesterol, low in calories, no preservatives, fortified with calcium, and made with the highest quality ingredients. Panera? plans to launch the product first regionally in the New York and California corporate stores. â€Å" We picked these locations first to test the success of this product because research shows that frozen yogurt is on a rise in these areas especially in cafe like settings,† explains Domenic Colasacc, Lead Independent Director. If the product reaches their goal of sales then it will be released nationwide in the corporate stores and eventually offered to the franchises. Press Contacts: Deidre Novotny [email  protected] com (727) 692-2194 Sales Promotion We are not known for using a variety of advertising on television, such is the case for competitor McDonalds. We choose not to spend large amounts of money on advertising because our loyal customer base is so strong and has so rapidly grown over the years that we feel our brand is well established without enormous advertising campaigns. Since we are introducing a new product that has never been on the menu before, we will strengthen the quantity of advertising so that consumers will be aware of its existence. As always, in-store marketing efforts will be effective for visiting consumers, and as always, their positive word-of-mouth is a great promotion tool. We will use sales promotion tools to create awareness and a buzz about our Signature FrozenYogurt. We will use coupons, samples, and deals. We will use the coupons to give the consumers a discount; this will stimulate demand, and also allowus to directly track sales. This would be active only during our initial campaign for the ad to spread awareness and create an incentive to purchase the newest addition to our menu. The initial coupons will consist of a half off for any Signature Frozen Yogurt. This will establish a customer base, word of mouth, and reduce the risk of our consumer in trying to product. We will use samples to encourage trial, andoffer direct involvement. This method of sales promotion will also create an opportunity to attract consumers, get them to try and enjoy the new product, and if they enjoy the production will create positive word of mouth. This will be standard for the first week after the launch of the product at all Panera Bread stores located in New York and California, and then will cease immediately. This will flood consumers who attend the store regularly with the product, hopefully creating word of mouth and another reason for them to keep coming back to Panera Bread. We will also create deals, for example, buy a sandwich and get a free signature frozen yogurt with your sandwich. This will encourage trial and reduce customer risk. A deal like this will only be implemented in the first two weeks after the launch of the product. Personal Selling There will not be any personal selling necessary for this product, but we will push at the registers for our special sales promotions and educate the customer on the qualities of the Signature Frozen Yogurt if needed, hoping that this will promote the trial and purchase of signature frozen yogurts. Direct and Online Marketing Most of our direct marketing will be done through the internet. Telephone, mail, infomercials, and catalogs as well as other non-internet based marketing did not seem like it would be appropriate or effective. Through internet based direct marketing we can use email to inform our target consumer of our new product. We can also use email to establish our promotional sweepstakes for Signature Frozen Yogurt. Budget Our current market consists of 7, 927, 516 individuals between the ages of 19-35 years of age currently residing in California and New York. Assuming that 25% of these individuals frequent Panera Bread and 30% purchase the Signature Frozen Yogurt , the introduction of this product in the market will affect sales in the following manner: * * 2010* * * * 2011* * * 2012* Return on Investment (ROI): $111,701/$685,916=0. 16 Payback Period (without taking in consideration variable present value): $685,916/111,701=6. 14 years Break Even Analysis: In order to break even, our company would have to sell 152,765 units of Signature Frozen Yogurt, averagely price at $4. 49 per unit. Communications Budget: Advertising will take 2. 6% of annual sales. Therefore, the advertising expense to implement the project will use approximately 40% of the overall communication budget and will be distributed as follows: Magazine/ Newspaper Expense: $1918 Internet/ Search Engine Expense: $1918 TV Commercials Expense: $5,753 Outdoor Commercial Expense: $1918 Total Communication Budget: $11,506 $1,106,295x. 026=$28,764 for the year of 2010 and a forecasted value of $1,194,799x. 026=$31065 for the year of 2011. Implementation Our company has great proficiency in developing, testing, and launching new products. This can be credited to our goal of continuously creating new products to satisfy changing consumer tastes, as well as to reposition ourselves, all the while getting our customers excited about new and improved products for their enjoyment. Our new or reinvented products are introduced on a periodic or seasonal basis, and we call them Celebrations. The most important part of our growth strategy is to carefully evaluate these product launches. For the Signature Frozen Yogurt, we spent our best efforts developing our marketing strategy based on what we believe and know about our consumers’ preferences and what they value. Our product has been chosen; our price has been decided; our places have been selected; and our promotions are ready to be released. The next step is to launch our new product. We will be sending out the press release for our latest Celebration, the Signature Frozen Yogurt, on April 18, 2010. On this date, we will begin executing our various promotional tools as previously discussed, including our product commercial, print ads, and online media outlets, such as Twitter and Facebook, among popular search engines. We will launch the Signature Frozen Yogurt on May 10, 2010. Using test marketing, our company will be launching the product in specified regions. We choose not to launch new products nationwide because it is a very costly decision that cannot guarantee exceptional returns. The regions chosen for this particular mini-launch are New York and California. Our company establishments, as well as franchise establishments, will be adding the Signature Frozen Yogurt to their menus for a specified time period. We have chosen these regions because they are welcoming in a newly revamped, ultra-healthy frozen yogurt market, currently consisting of smaller independent firms. This provides our company with a unique opportunity to take advantage of. Based on various results in a three-month period from the mini-launch, we will then decide whether or not to launch the product nationwide. Customer reactions from regional launches will verify if the marketing plan and strategy chosen for this product were the best choices. Consumers will be questioned and surveyed regarding the new product’s consistency and level of quality, in comparison to our current standards. If customers do not react well, the product will not be launched on May 10, 2010 as according to plan. Instead, the marketing team will revise the marketing mix and strategy, as well as refocus on determining exactly what consumer need they were trying to satisfy. Assuming the mini-product launch is a success, the company will introduce the product nationally. Launches will be put into effect on either a periodic or seasonal rotation, a choice made while keeping in mind the time frame at hand. Competitors, namely fast food firms such as McDonalds and Wendy’s, have recently begun to alter their menus in an attempt to fulfill consumer demand for healthier eating options, therefore, our Signature Frozen Yogurt comes at a possibly risky time, as competing firms are stepping up to participate in society’s healthy-eating trend. Fortunately, we have a sustainable competitive edge because of our long-standing image of a business serving nutritious, quality food, an image that no other firm has in the fast food segment of the restaurant industry. We also maintain our competitive advantages because of our position in a niche market known as â€Å"quick-casual† and â€Å"bakery cafe†. This niche protects our company from competitors; actions regarding menu changes, as well as new product developments, although the recent economic recession in the United States has severely impacted the restaurant industry, mainly because consumers immediately decrease their restaurant outings. For us, our loyal customers have helped the firm verify the strength of their brand and image, even in these tough economic times. We have chosen to not change or lower menu prices because of the recession, instead focusing on further improving the quality of what is offered. As a result of this initiative, it is harder for consumers to completely give up healthier quality food in this economy, especially when it is provided in such a convenient and quick manner. We employ a growth strategy by continuously reinventing the menu, completed through rotations of new and old products, followed by careful evaluation of their performance. Such products are introduced on a regular periodic basis, or on a seasonal basis. It is the hope of the company that the new Signature Frozen Yogurt will find a place on the menu indefinitely. As our brand is already well established, the company will work to increase popularity for the frozen yogurt product. This will be achieved through prominent in-store promotions and sample testing. Advertisements will range from television commercials, to print ads in magazines and newspapers to outdoor advertising. We strive to remain in the evoked mindsets of our loyal customers whenever they think about where they will go for a healthy, guilt-free dessert. No matter what product is introduced and how it performs, our main focus will continue to remain on our employees, channel members, society at large, and most of all, our customers. We strive to provide a fully satisfactory experience each and every time a customer enters a Panera Bread establishment. We offer more than just food; we seek to offer a valuable way to spend time, which is especially precious to each individual customer. Evaluation and Control Ourimplementation approach will have our company focusing on various results from the test marketing stage. For the launch of the Signature Frozen Yogurt, we have chosen to conduct the first performance evaluation after the product’s first three months on the regional menus. Customer reactions from these launches will help us verify whether or not the marketing strategy chosen for the Signature Frozen Yogurt were the best and most efficient choices. Consumers will be questioned and surveyed regarding the new product’s consistency and level of quality, in regards to other products and standards. We then combine these results and information with past sales of comparable products, as well as the projected expectations of the new product. The company then will decide if the product remains on the menu or is taken off. There are two obvious situations that can result from a new product launch; to put it simply, consumers will either accept the product, or consumers will reject the product. If our customers do not react positively to the frozen yogurt, the product will not be launched nationally just yet. The product will be removed from all establishments it was featured in and then the company has two possible plans of action to choose from. One option in this scenario would involve having our marketing team immediately revise the marketing mix and strategy of the new product after it is pulled from the menu, as well as reassess exactly what unfulfilled consumer need they were trying to satisfy. After completing intensive revisions, a new marketing strategy is prepared and the product can be re-launched for the next round of Celebrations. A second option entails putting the product away for at least a three-month period before attempting to reconfigure a new marketing strategy. With this option, members of our marketing and development teams will have an extended period of time to let the failed product concept settle, so team members can recoup and come back to the drawing tables with a refreshed mind. From there, they will begin revising and making the necessary adjustments on the product’s original marketing strategy. A third option, the most drastic one, involves scrapping the new product completely. This occurs in rare situations when a new product fails miserably in the launch regions, to the point where the entire cumulative sales of an individual establishment are negatively affected from the single, new product. In the anticipated case that consumers accept and then demand our Signature Frozen Yogurt, we will launch the product nationwide, in all establishments, in all regions of the country. For the first year of the new product’s life, we will measure its performance every three months. In the product’s second year of life, we will scale back evaluations to every six months. If a new product, including the Signature Frozen Yogurt, has remained on the menu for a third year, performance evaluations will be conducted after 9 months, and this evaluation will be strictly compared against its’ past two years of performance. In evaluating the new Signature Frozen Yogurt product, Panera Bread’s marketing strategy, marketing mix, media mix, and implementation plans will be continuously reviewed and evaluated using a few different methods. Marketing metrics will be used to quantify the trends, dynamics, and characteristics of the frozen yogurt consumption. We will use sales and profits as a measurement tool by comparing our new product’s results to the financial performances of TCBY’s frozen yogurt. We have chosen TCBY as a benchmark company to compare our performance to because although it specializes in only the frozen dessert industry, it is a large, established brand that has been a leader in its industry for many years. We can also compare product performance to the frozen desserts of fast food firms, such as McDonald’s or Wendy’s, because although they are very different types of desserts, these chain restaurants have been competing in the same market for a long period of time. It will be important to factor in the differences of company size and market share of the industry when using these metric tools. The most important measurement tool for our new product will be customer satisfaction. It will be measured using in-store, online, and direct email surveys. This particular evaluation can become more in-depth if deemed necessary. After our managers gather these results, they will make necessary modifications based on why our goals for the new product were, or were not, achieved. Throughout the evaluation process, the current economy conditions will remain factor in actual performance of products. Finally, the managers at each individual location will conduct a portfolio analysis to ensure that if the new product is a success, a proper amount of resources will be allocated to that particular product. Product performances must be strictly controlled for multiple reasons. First, a failing product left on the menu for a time past the set period of three months may result in an unusually difficult task of turning around more than one financial quarter’s declining profits. Second, a failing product that is strongly disliked by consumers may hurt the company’s brand image, and negative word-of-mouth may be spread. Third, a failing product that is harshly criticized by the media will severely hurt the firm’s brand name, image, and reputation, and this would occur in a much more public fashion. Finally, for the opposite situation, an excessively successful product can result in the cannibalization of other products that we offer. In regards to the Signature Frozen Dessert, there is a possibility of the product casting other desserts on our menu into obscurity. By preparing for future possible scenarios before the implementation process begins, we minimize the chance of having to take future corrective actions, and thus, this is the importance of continuous product review, evaluation, and control. For evaluation of our new Signature Frozen Yogurt, the first product review will be conducted on August 10, 2010, three months after the launch date of May 10, 2010. We will gather the financial performance results per location, including sales, costs, and profits. We will then factor in the customer feedback. Managers and marketing team members will also be focusing on evaluations of the strengths, weaknesses, customer satisfaction and acceptance of our new product. After compiling this information, the company has multiple options as to which step to take next. We can launch the frozen yogurt nationally, make improvements on the product and re-launch it in the same or different regions, or we can take the product off the menu completely. We are confident that our upcoming launch of the Signature Frozen Yogurt will be an immediate success, solidifying our entry into the frozen dessert market. Works Cited â€Å"Datamonitor Industry Market Research: United States – Fast Food. † Business & Company Resource Center. DatamonitorMarket Definition, 15 Aug. 2007. Web. 25 Oct. 2009. http://iiiprxy. library. miami. edu:2309/servlet/BCRC? rsn=unknown&rcd=naics&locID=miami_richter&brv=722211&srchtp=ind&ids=restaurant&c=2&iType=naics&mode=i&ste=87&tbst=tsIS&cind=722211+-+Limited-Service+Restaurants&tab=2048&docNum=A169919235&bConts=2306. Jargon, Julie. â€Å"Wall Street Journal: Slicing the Bread but Not the Prices. † Panera. com. Panera Bread, 19 Aug. 2009. Web. 12 Oct. 2009. Minkin, Tracy, and Brittani Renaud. â€Å"America’ s Top 10 Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants. † Health. com. Health magazine, 15 July 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2009. . â€Å"Panera Bread Co. (NMS: PNRA), Property . † Mergent Online.

Analysis of Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address Essay

When Abraham Lincoln won the presidency in 1860 the Union was divided. He accepted his presidential duties knowing that he was working with a nation that no longer remained united. Seven of the southern states had already seceded from the Union and were beginning to refer to themselves as the Confederates. What he had now were free states and slave states. When Lincoln gave his Inaugural Address he attempted to do so in a way that would not dissuade his chances of gaining support in the southern states, especially when it involved the institution of slavery. However, he also made it clear in his address that he believed a secure and united nation was of utmost importance and he rejected the ideas of secession and minority rule, and he did not endorse the separation of his nation. Abraham Lincoln was elected without the support of a single southern state. The states in the south were fearful that Lincoln, who openly discouraged slavery, would establish anti-slavery laws and equality for all citizens, including blacks. However, in his address Lincoln did the opposite. Lincoln knew the southern states were apprehensive of him being the man in charge and assumed their rights may be endangered and he wanted to ease their mind. He let those in the South know that he had no purpose to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states it currently exists, and that he had no lawful right to do so (669). Lincoln had said this repeatedly in many speeches he made before this address, and he never intended to change his position on this. He believed each state had the right to control their domestic affairs, and the federal government will do its best not to interfere with state sovereignty. That balance of power is what makes the political system in the United States so successful and Lincoln really attempts to respect that. Lincoln then addresses the controversy about the delivering up of slaves after they have escaped. He refers directly to a passage in the Constitution that says any person who is held to a service or labor in one State and escapes to another cannot by law by pardoned from said job, but must be returned to whoever the service or labor is due (670). Lincoln does question if this was only put in the Constitution by those who hoped to reclaim fugitive slaves who have escaped, but he does acknowledge the fact that because it is in the Constitution himself and members of Congress support it. Although it is not clear who will enforce this policy, the national or State authorities, Lincoln suggests that it is in all States best interest to abide by the laws in the Constitution that have yet to be repealed. Although Lincoln was very tolerant of the institution of slavery in the Southern States even though he did not fully support it, he did not stand for a nation divided. As the southern states continued to remove themselves from the Union, Lincoln feared they were attempting to disrupt the order of things in the nation. The Union of States is considered to be perpetual. It is the fundamental law of all national governments; no government would allow provisions in its constitution that would allow for it to be terminated. He states that since the beginning of the Union there has been progression only towards strengthening the Union and the establishment of the Constitution was to â€Å"form a more perfect Union† (671). As States continue to secede the nation is becoming less perfect because the vital element of perpetuity is lost. States are legally bound to remain a part of the Union, and those who attempt to work against the national authority are insurrectionary (671). As the president of the United States Lincoln believes he has an important duty in taking whatever means necessary to keep the Union in place. He makes it very clear though, that in his attempt to defend and maintain the Union he plans to do so without bloodshed or the use of violence unless he is forced to do so. Lincoln strives to resolve these national issues in a peaceful manner. Abraham Lincoln stands firm in his belief that the separation of the Union will have definite consequences. He believes that before the southern states carry out a matter as great as the destruction of the Union they are a part of they consider the gravity of their decision. Lincoln states that there is not any time when any right plainly written in the Constitution has been denied. If there was a time when the majority deprived a minority of his constitutional rights then there may be cause or justification for a revolution, but this is not the case in this situation (673). The Constitution ensures that all of the fundamental rights of individuals are covered so there should never be and questions concerning them. However, the Constitution cannot possibly cover all questions and issues brought before it, and this is where the division between the minority and majority derive. If a minority chooses to secede from the majority rather than attempt to comply they are setting themselves up for disaster. A minority of their own will secede from them after the majority refuses to be controlled by them, and there a destructive pattern begins (673). Lincoln expresses in his Address how important it is that the nation does not separate. All of the States must share the same nation, the same land, and that is not going to change. A wall cannot just be built and all problems and issues forgot. All States must work together to solve the issues and remain a united nation. Lincoln is aware that when individuals or States are unhappy with the existing government they the ability to exercise their rights of amending the Constitution or attempting to overthrow it (675). He believes that if the citizens of his nation want a change or hope to make amendments to the Constitution they do so in a more proper and convention manner than to rebel against the national government or to separate from the Union, very extreme and destructive measures. The most pressing issue is that of slavery, that is the only substantial dispute between the States. One half of the nation is against it, the other half believe it is right and want to extend their right to keep slaves. The provisions in the Constitution involving slavery, the fugitive-slave clause and the suppression of the foreign slave trade are well enforced and in some ways work to please both sides of the dispute (673). This is not an issue that can be easily solved but the separation of the Union will make things much worse off than they were before. The foreign slave trade would be revived, angering the anti-slave states, and those states would ultimately refuse to return slaves who escape (673). Lincoln believes that the fate of the Union lies in the hands of his fellow-countrymen. The issue of civil war is prevalent and will be the greatest consequence of secession. He assures his citizens that the government will not be the assailant and there will be no conflict unless they are the aggressors. Lincoln makes it very clear in his address how important he believes the unity of the nation is. No problems will be solved by separating and he wants the citizens of his nation to know where he stands on the issue. It was known that Abraham Lincoln supported the Northern, anti-slave states but in this Address he focuses on trying to persuade them that secession is not the answer, and ttempts to do so without further alienating them. Any president beginning their first term wants to clearly state his position on the most pressing issues at the time of their election, and how he plans to tackle them. Although, Lincoln does not specifically list the ways in which he plans to reunite his nation he does warn them of the eventual consequences if the problem is not addresses and solved. Lincoln knew what was to come if the two sides could not reach an agreement, and he was right.

Progressive Movement and the New Deal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Progressive Movement and the New Deal - Essay Example Social and economic change was not only necessary but vital towards the success of America itself as the government was extremely ambitious to implement these reforms. While recession continued to haunt countries worldwide, the progressive movement and the new deal established a solid ground for fundamental change. The progressive movement and new deal were similar because they introduced new programs, embedded reform and paved the way for greatness for the nation. The progressive movement and the new deal in essence were similar in many ways. First and foremost was the fact that it halted the progress of rebellion that was about to up heal during the industrial era. The progressive movement introduced new economic programs partly due to the fact that the muckrakers quest to address the ills of the society that were ruining the nation. The effort to improve society was a major push that was new to the nation as key issues such as reforming working conditions and assisting the mentall y ill people challenged the whole notion of old traditions. The era of progressivism movement can be Progressivism at its best aimed to remove corruption by imposing child labor laws, addressing lynching based on racism, and removing politicians that were involved in illegal business practices. At the local level, progressivism continued to display brilliant signs of reform as the construction of schools was pushed, political machines were dissolved, and politics was addressed in an efficient manner. Similarly, the new deal, was a focal point of domestic reform. Roosevelt’s New Deal was considered of two phases that were planned to recovery and relief. The first phase concentrated on to heal society from Great Depression through different channels. Acts such as the Agricultural Adjust Administration clearly boosted agriculture reform. Bank reform occurred in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which installed a limit and tightened finance regulations.  

The book YO by julia alvarez Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The book YO by julia alvarez - Essay Example Because her family members and a couple of her friends are incapable of doing anything but rail at their depiction in the â€Å"fiction story†, they each find an opportunity to redeem their images by telling their own tales and giving their sincere opinions about Yo. They give tales about her not mincing to reveal how she was always deceitful, how she stole the plot for a story from a fellow scholar (plagiarist) and not forgetting how her professor endlessly struggled to stop her from destroying her life and talent. In Alvarez’s Yo, she narrates Yolanda’s story through different characters, while Yo is given no slightest chance to shield herself from all the â€Å"venoms† spat in her way. It is quite paradoxical in that the novel initially has Yo as the central focus and her family and close friends, who become angry when she publishes information about them, consequently uncovering private life of each one of them. Different characters are striving to set the story straight and portray the exact Yolanda Garcia they know. Yo’s mother is depicted saying that Yo’s murky tales have endangered her life. The family is quite infuriated, especially because their associates and acquaintances keep asking them which character corresponds to them in the book. Yolanda’s mother is ominous to take legal action against her while her sisters vehemently avoid talking to her. It is true that Yo-yo loves telling stories as is confirmed by her teacher but it is this attitude that glides her into trouble. With rumors of disappearing friends, house apprehension in the middle of the night, narrow escapes as well as stories of torture chambers, Yo’s family had a reason to worry about their father’s subversive activities, let alone the likelihood of snooping Yo narrating her â€Å"stories† to the authorities. Yo’s parents make known to her that her stories could end their lives. Did they imagine that telling Y o that her story could spell their destiny would be a punch line to the narrator? Even after leaving for the United States, Yo’s mother cannot disentangle her self from her worries about Yo’s stories. Why the visit by a case worker in school? Was Yo unleashing something about the family behind doors? Well, perhaps it is Yo’s strategy of making her family to bite a humble pie. Lou Castellucci is another character that exposes Yo true identity in self defense. He is Yo’s student, pursuing a writing course. In the entire course, Yo criticized Castellucci’s writing. However, she motivated and assisted him to improve. Yo was very happy by the end of the course, particularly by the stories Lou could write. She takes Lou’s story and refurbishes it by changing the characters and also altered the sport from bawling to baseball. This brings out the nature of Yo as a great plagiarist. Professor Garfield is one individual who never ditched Yo. College p rofessor is destined to reiterate the phrase â€Å"once in a career comes a student† (Alvarez 1997, pg 73) in trying to assist Yo to get through with her doctoral program in order to uncurl her already tainted life. In many occasions, Yo would ask for his approvals or any form of assistance to bring her life back on to the right track. In fact, the professor would never let her down. Garfield got inspired by Yo and had gigantic dreams for her than she held for herself. As a tradition, many teachers usually give up on students who quit

The meaning and influence of leadership to SAMSUNG Essay

The meaning and influence of leadership to SAMSUNG - Essay Example This document focuses on the different leadership theories and tools. It further illustrates the implementation of these leadership theories in Samsung to understand the importance of leadership management. 2- Background of Samsung Samsung Group is a multinational conglomerate organization having numerous of business subsidiaries and affiliation (Samsung, 2013). Samsung is one of the prominent information technology leaders globally. The organization operates and manages more than 200 hundred subsidiaries (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2012). The organization has successfully sustains it market positioning in the global IT market and economy. Samsung is reported to have the largest annual growth and profits (Samsung, 2013). The prominent Samsung industrial subsidiaries includes, Samsung Electronics (ranks fourth largest information Technology Organization), Samsung Engineering and Samsung C & T (13th and 36th largest construction companies in the world), Samsung Life Insurance (14th largest insurance organization of the world), Cheil Worldwide (15th largest advertising agency) and Samsung Everland (the oldest theme park and Everland in South Korea). The success of the organization lies in its strong leadership and strategic management. 3- Literature review Trait Theory of Leadership Trait theory primarily focuses on the heritable attributes, behavior patterns and personal characteristics of the leader (Northouse, 2010). The theory defines that the different personal characteristics and patterns fosters the leader effectiveness in the different groups and organizational situations (Northouse, 2010). Some of the scholars argue that the leadership traits are not acquired; perhaps individuals possess leadership traits that cannot be developed whereas this perspective has been criticized over the period as some of the scholars believe that the leadership traits can be acquired. Leadership behavior Ethical Leadership is the approach of the leaders to develop awareness about the right and wrong. It develops code of conduct for the leaders to make decisions and embed ethical attitudes and behavior (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2007). Ethical leadership allows to influences the attitudes and values, foster leader’s behavior and the empowerment of employee. Contingency theory believes that the leadership style shall be appropriate with the dynamic conditions. Fielder’s Contingency theory states that the effective leadership is dependent on the leadership style that is changed with the changing conditions. (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2012) The theory assumes that either the leaders are task oriented or relationship oriented; the style leadership adopts shall be according to the preferences of its orientation. It suggests that the task oriented leaders are more focused on the accomplishment of the tasks, whereas the relationship oriented leader’s aims to develop effective communication and interpersonal relationship with its employee (Lunenburg & Orn stein, 2012). Therefore, the leader’s favorability in every situation is the major concerns to develop effective leadership (Daft & Lane, 2008). Fielder’s contingency theory primary focuses on the leader’s personality and the psychological disposition. It further suggests that it is necessary to focus on at least one element of the leader-led situations, though it does not provide a complete description about the issues, but it allows

Why is Family Important Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why is Family Important - Research Paper Example ly is a combination of the people, their individual personalities, their financial and emotional relations and interdependence, and how they interact with each other -Families provide legal protection to the right of inheritance -Family history in medicine is a useful tool for diagnosis and treatment planning -Positive families lead to creation of positive individuals, who accomplish more as individuals -Families give emotional strength when positive relations exist, and create important examples for children to follow as adults -Controversy exists between schools of thoughts in individualism and collectivism over the importance and role of family CONCLUSION Families in all of its form remain an essential unit of society. a positive family environment translates in to well protected and emotionally sound individuals, who become better contributors to society The current debate in sociology regarding family and family systems is far more complex, with its implications even more so. Th e most important question that has risen is the simple question whether family is important in human society or not. Individualism and collectivism come at a deadlock here, for each group stands to demonstrate two different concepts of self and roles in societies. Family sadly suffers from the tug and pull of these two ideologies, which is easily seen by the many new family systems that have currently developed. Therefore, the most important question that arises before impact of different family systems is whether family is important in current societies. Although appearing as a simple term, the word family is often the most difficult to describe and define. This is because the word family has come to identify many close emotional, physical and biological social interactions, which take...Family sadly suffers from the tug and pull of these two ideologies, which is easily seen by the many new family systems that have currently developed. Therefore, the most important question that ar ises before impact of different family systems is whether family is important in current societies. Although appearing as a simple term, the word family is often the most difficult to describe and define. This is because the word family has come to identify many close emotional, physical and biological social interactions, which take different meanings in separate cultures (Allan and Allan, 1999, pp 21). The definitions therefore, vary, depending upon the context in which family is defined.

Analysis with an Introduction to Proof Research Paper

Analysis with an Introduction to Proof - Research Paper Example Logical connectives develop rationale for verifying statements and for joining statements into compound scenarios that require decision-making. In introducing the concept of truth-value, the chapter’s logics concept improves people’s rationale in decision-making and is therefore fundamental to every person for real life decision. Professionally, the logics’ concepts are applicable to most people such as managers and health care personnel whose decision yield consequences that can be used to evaluate ability to perform as a professional. Quantifiers also play a critical role in rational decision as they establish bases for identifying variables upon which decisions can be made. Understanding nature of a quantifier in a situation also facilitates decision making through defining scope of a variable on which decision should be made. Proof techniques is another important section of the chapter that supports application of logics in decision making, as it establishes bases for verifying truth values of statements and scenarios. Exploring various techniques also improves the audience’s rational competence. Consequently, I feel the chapter is informative and equips people with competence to tackle real life problems (Lay 1- 34). Reading chapter two of the book also develops the feeling that mathematical concepts are the basis of real life experiences and decisions. The scope of sets, definition of sets and elements of a set, for example, identify with the first step of decision-making that defines a problem and its scope. Consequently, concepts of sets and elements of sets can help in establishing boundaries for problems and therefore focus analysis for generation of solutions. Basic sets operations of union and intersection further facilitates this application of sets in real life experience and is consistent with chapter one’s concept of connectives that can help in

Loyal Nine or The Sons of Liberty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Loyal Nine or The Sons of Liberty - Essay Example 1765:-The beginning of our activities first unfolded by the group hanging an effigy of Andrew Oliver on a tree along Newbury Street. Oliver was the one who was to commission the stamps for Massachusetts. Alongside the effigy, there were large boots with a kind of a devil picture hanging out of it. The whole idea of the group was to show that public that Oliver was deeply associated with the Stamp Act. The outcome of this act was disastrous to Oliver and everything that belonged to him. 1766:-It was an open secret that the group ruled the entire Boston by end 1766...all the Sheriffs kept it low. We had a common purpose, that was to force all the Stamp Distributors to Resign. All the Merchants who declined to cooperate with our idea to â€Å"Non-Importation Act† had pressure applied to them to do so or face our wrath. It was a great success. 1768:-Lucky enough a good number of our members were printers and publishers. This made it easy for us to employ what we simply call â€Å"newsprint propaganda† especially in 1768. Where our achievement and activities were made known to all readers. By the time the Stamp Congress had concluded their business we had developed into a very large organization and it was not easy to just brush us off like a simple militia group. 1770:-We had succeeded in attacking most symbols of the British Authority like the Custom's officers, Gentry, and Companies. During this active Decade of operation, we made sure that all the Stamp Officers in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey underwent a lot of intimidation and had either resigned or if they persist they would be seized and burned. 1775:-We had a well-organized group at this time. All the way we operated with great confidence and Loyalty to our officials with high hopes that parliament would yield to the pressure and repeal the tax.  

Lesson 12 DIscussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lesson 12 DIscussion - Assignment Example David Bowie who established himself purely as rock and rock artist started infusing disco flavor in his music like his 1975 song â€Å"Fame†. This has disappointed millions of his fans as it was sign of some artists attempting to adapt to an emerging style of music. It is natural that music lovers who were rock fans in the 1970s were prone to dislike disco but that did not automatically mean that these people disliked disco in the 1970s just because it is another genre. If disco would have remained as just another kind of music the rock fans would have ignored it. However, disco was begun to be included in rock stations which previously played only rock music. Even rock players like David Bowie and Rolling Stones responded to the disco movement which angered their fans. The eleventh Grammy awards in 2010 presented awards in 18 categories including diverse genres like pop, urban rock, jazz, and also regional like salsa and Brazilian. The Billboard listed Regional Mexican and tr opical albums. These emphasize variations in Latin music with differential approaches in instrumentation, rhythm, melody and harmony. There is also cross-pollination of international musical styles. For instance, Cuban percussion instruments can often be heard in regional Mexican music. Latin music is rapidly gaining strong foothold in America. In Billboard, Latin charts made their place for the first time in 1985, and then they became common in the list during 1990s and

United States History from 1865 - 1929 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

United States History from 1865 - 1929 - Essay Example 1865 marked the death of slavery and birth of racism in US which appalled as decades passed by while the 20th century highlighted the diplomatic side of US. Slavery in US was officially banned after 1865, yet that was the time of birth of racism in US. African Americans, Asian Americans and Chinese were some of the minorities in US between 1865 and 1929. White Americans formed the majority of US. 1865 and onwards was the era when US opened the gates to immigration and people started to pour into US from all parts of the world. That was also the time when slavery was considerably abolished from US after a long struggle of the states and US had been proven indivisible. Nevertheless, the abolition of slavery gave birth to racism because not all Americans were pleased to see the past slaves acquire the right to vote and fill positions in the government. This raised new challenges not only for the African Americans, but also for all other migrants that were in a minority in the US. After the slavery was legally abolished and the rich culture of America was eradicated, African Americans felt uncomfortable while using their right to vote. Although they had physically been released from the chains of slavery, yet they required decades of psychological therapy to break free of the hold of the trauma of slavery. However, things changed for the better as time passed. Many of them introduced the black codes with puts constraints on their freedom. By 1870, a lot of African Americans were allowed entry into politics and the Congress. But a vast majority of the white Southerners was not in the favor of reconstruction. The culmination of the Reconstruction Period in 1877 sanctioned a new constitution. In spite of the guarantees made by the new constitution, African-Americans and the immigrants had the status of second-class citizens in US. With limited civil rights, they made subordinates to the white Americans that were in majority. Racism was omnipresent in schools, off ices, hospitals, recreational spots and public stations. As the 19th century approached its end, racism in US reached its apogee. Strict segregation in public places, sports, theaters, transportation and cemeteries was supported by law. A vast majority of the African Americans had been denied the right to vote as a result of their inability to pay the poll taxes, which had been primarily enforced to keep them from participating in the policy. African Americans were subject to violence by the mobs and they were put into forced labor in jails if they were made complaint against. Although law had declared them free, yet the majority of African Americans had hardly managed to escape slavery. Start of the 20th century brought industrial revolution to the US. In fact, things had started to change in favor of technological advancement right from the last two decades of the 19th century. Industrialization also made more room for the workers. The American Federation of Labor was established in 1882. Workers were dissatisfied with the low wages and long working hours till the end of the 19th century. Immigrants made a significant proportion of the industrial workforce. Almost 25 million immigrants had settled in different cities of America between 1865 and 1910. Although immigrants were offered lower wages than the native Americans and they had to worker more than them, yet the living conditions in America were better than those in their homelands. Immigrants in America had

Technology and Bullying Essay Example for Free

Technology and Bullying Essay I don’t know much about the topic I chose and I have never personally experienced bullying or cyber bullying myself. I have, however, seen on the news and read about cyber bullying and the growing trend it is becoming. I remember a very specific case that happened two years ago at Rutgers University where a closeted-gay college student’s roommate secretly videotaped him performing sexual acts. The roommate then released the video on the Internet and the gay college student committed suicide two days later. The case had just finished last month and the defendant was found guilty of a hate crime and sentenced to 30 days in jail. This definitely caught my interest toward cyber bullying and I started to take notice that it is happening frequently across the nation. I also know that currently forty-nine states have an anti-bullying law in effect. Part II – What I Want to Find Out From the research, I want to find out how technology is contributing to cyber bullying, or bullying. * How frequently do students bully other students? * When and where did the first cases of cyber bullying take place? * Is it just in the United States that cyber bullying exists? * Can bullying be prevented, and if so, how? Part III – The Search The word â€Å"bullying† is defined as using strength or influence to intimidate someone, forcing them to do what one wants. It is also used as a theme in many children and adolescent books such as Oliver Twist and The Chocolate War. Bullying has been around for as long as anyone can remember, possibly since the age of humanity began. However, only recently has bullying caught the attention of the public and scientific community. Dan Olweus, a Norwegian researcher, emerged with the first scientific studies on bullying in the 1970s. Bullying is now acknowledged throughout the world as an issue among children and youth, and research on the topic is increasing (Hymel, and Swearer). There is still scientific dispute as to the nature of bullying and why it begins. There are a multitude of reasons why someone feels the need or want to bully another person. Nevertheless, most researchers believe the aggression starts with wanting to cause deliberate harm to the victim, having the bullying occur repeatedly, and the difference of power between the bully and the victim (Olweus 422). One of the reasons may be because the person behind the bullying feels a â€Å"sense of power† when they harass someone. They like to become dominant in this situation and if the victim does become submissive, the bully feels as if they’ve fulfilled their goal and may repeat this process for a long time. Another reason may be that the bully wishes to befriend and feel close with the victim; to have a sense of belonging. As Dagmar Strohmeier states in her article Bullying and its Underlying Mechanisms, â€Å"If this wish for affiliation is a motive for bullying, the victim pl ays an important role in establishing and maintaining group coherence. If the harassment of the victim leads to a closer bond within the bullying group, the perpetrator reaches his goal and the negative behavior is reinforced.† As long as the victim is still submissive, the bully will constantly harass them until the bully is content (Strohmeier). When thinking of bullying, usually people think of a sort of physical interaction – the big kid picking a fight with a smaller kid. However, there are cases where numbers come into play; groups of students will pick on one individual. This is not uncommon and in fact, happens as often as one-on-one bullying (Hymel, and Swearer). There are, essentially, two types of bullying: physical and mental. Physical bullying is direct contact between the aggressor and the victim, and includes punching, kicking, pushing, or any physical contact with the bully and victim. The bully will not stop the violence until his or her victim is unable to retaliate back. Physical bullying is also not limited to school, and can occur at home, the office, or anywhere the bully chooses. Mental bullying may seem less harsh than physical bullying and may not physically damage the victim, but it can emotionally. Mental, or verbal, bullying involves name calling, making fun of a person’s appearance, a nd making offensive remarks to the victim. Making verbal threats of violence is also verbal bullying. There is also indirect bullying where the person will spread rumors and stories about someone else although it may not be true. This type of bullying accounts for 18.5% of bullying. Social alienation is another where the bully will intentionally exclude another from a group. But the type of bullying that is gaining ground is cyber bullying (Time for Tolerance). Cyber bullying is when a child or teen is being harassed, threatened, or embarrassed by usually another teen, and the bully is using the Internet, cell phones, or any other technologies. It includes sending threats or cruel messages to a person’s email account and cell phone. Cyber bullies also spread rumors online or through texts, and post unkind messages on web sites or social networking sites. Pretending to be another person using someone else’s account or making a fake account and sending harmful messages is another form of cyber bullying. Boys are more prone to take part in tradition bullying, physical bullying, whereas girls are more likely to cyber bully. (Bullying Statistics). Most cyber bullies and their victims are teens, and there are numerous cases where the victim being cyber bullied will harm themselves, and even commit suicide. Cyber bullying â€Å"has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyber stalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyber stalking is NEVER called cyber bullying† (â€Å"Stop Cyberbullying†). In 2007, a mother created a fake account and posed as a boy to befriend a former friend of her daughter. The mother then began posting insults and creating posts about the daughter’s former friend which were hurtful and untrue. The teen, who was battling depression, soon committed suicide. It is hard to believe a parent or adult will do that to a child but there have been several cases where a parent will actually be the person cyber bully. Majority of the reason why a parent will cyber bully anoth er teen is because they believe they are protecting their children, but are, instead, harming another (â€Å"Stop Cyberbullying†). There are various reasons as to why teens feel the need to cyber bully someone. Sometimes the cyber bully is motivated by resentment or jealousy, and sometimes they do it for entertainment. Another reason may be because they are bored and have nothing to occupy themselves with. Some may do it unintentionally, and others do it for torment and to get a reaction from the victim. Although traditional bullying still occurs more than cyber bullying, the amount of cyber bullying happening in today’s world is consistently growing because of all the technologies being available. This means that cyber bullying happens worldwide and cyber bullies are sometimes strangers from halfway around the globe. (Patchin). Despite the seriousness and harmful effects of cyber bullying, it is common among teens and youth. According to a study done by the i-SAFE foundation in 2003, more than one in three teens have received and experienced cyber threats, and over 23 percent of teens are repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet. Cyber threats are when teens post messages about harming themselves or another person and are sometimes followed by actual acts of violence. There have also been reports that cyber bullies will make FaceBook pages or web pages dedicated to insulting and bashing their victim, and 75 percent of teens have visited these sites. According to a UCLA study on cyber bullying, one in five teens report having been cyber bullied by someone they know or a complete stranger, and the study also found that 85 percent of teens that were bullied online are still bullied at school. Still, only 1 in 10 teens who have been cyber bullied tell a parent or adult and only 1 in 5 cyber bullying incidents are reported to law enforcement (Cyber Bully Alert). Currently, forty nine states have passed anti-bullying laws, and a number of state legislatures are proposing laws to require schools to have anti-bullying policies and programs. If someone is charged and convicted of bullying someone, they are charged with a misdemeanor and possibly serve time in jail. Cyber bullying is against the law but most of the laws in many states are not enforced because cyber bullying usually takes place outside of school. Still, that hasn’t stopped lawmakers from trying to enact and stiffen cyber bullying laws. At least five states want to add penalties to cyber bullying, and in 2009 North Carolina passed a law that criminalizes cyber bullying, making it a misdemeanor for youth under 18. Senator Jeffrey Klein of New York is one of the law makers that want to make sure cyber bullying can be punishable by law. Klein stated that â€Å"When I was growing up, you had a tangible bully and a fight after school. Now you have hordes of bullies who are terrorizing over the Internet or other forms of social media.† Under his proposed law, anyone that uses technologies to harass or stalk someone could be convicted of a misdemeanor or felony and face prison time. Some, however, oppose these laws believing that it limits freedom of speech (Alcindor). Although it may seem unlikely for anyone to not support anti-bullying laws, there are a few groups that are no in favor with the law at all. A group called Focus on the Family, a global Christian ministry, believes that these anti-bullying laws cross â€Å"the line in a lot of ways beyond bullying into indoctrination, just promoting homosexuality and transgenderism† (Hall). Focus on the Family has been a supporter anti-anti-bullying laws because they believe that these laws are a reason to teach children about gay marriage and not about bullying. Most of the groups that oppose anti-bullying laws are religious groups, and most agree with Focus on the Family. There have been a few states that have passed or tried to pass anti-bullying laws that protect bullies who use their religion as to why they bully others. This caused outrage among the public and most of these supposed anti-bullying laws have since been voted out or the specific clause has been removed (Hall). There are several ways to prevent bullying, or cyber bullying, from happening. First is beginning an educational campaign with children and teens, and informing others what exactly is cyber bullying and the steps to prevent it from happening to them. Teaching youth how not to unintentionally become part of cyber bullying will help slow down cyber bullies. Children need to be taught that being silent while another is being hurt is not alright, and if they stand up with the victims, cyber bullies can be stopped. Another way is keep personal information private. Children and teens should not share passwords with friends or strangers to keep themselves safe. Sharing this personal information can give cyber bullies the opportunity to hack into personal emails and social sites, and post damaging things online. And once things are posted on the Internet, it may be impossible to delete it permanently. Adolescents should also know that if they are targeted by a cyber bully to not respond and instead block the cyber bully and inform a parent or adult that can help them. Checking to see who they are sending messages and emails to is another way of preventing cyber bullying. Making sure that they are sending it to the right person and place will help stop cyber bullies from receiving private messages. Also, teens should know that it is not alright to forward and send other people’s emails and personal information without their permission. Teenagers also should not send emails or post messages online if they are angry. If they do, they may provoke the cyber bully and turn into a cyber bully themselves (â€Å"Stop Cyberbullying†). Part IV – What I Learned Through this research, I learned that cyber bullying is persistently becoming more known, and although traditional bullying still happens, cyber bullying is growing. Because of all the new technology becoming available to people of all ages, especially adolescent teens, it is easier for someone to become a cyber bully victim. Cyber bullying is also common in the lives of teens today, and happens worldwide. There are several effective ways to prevent cyber bullying and states in the United States are recognizing that bullying is a serious matter. Although bullying and cyber bullying cannot be stopped in a day, it is possible to stop bullies from hurting another person. Works Cited Alcindor, Yamiche. States look to enact cyberbully law. USA TODAY. Gannett Co. Inc., 19 Mar 2012. Web. 9 Jun 2012. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-18/state-cyberbullying-laws/53626736/1 Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York: Dell Publishing, 1974. Print. Cyber Bully Data, Statistics, and Facts. Cyber Bully Alert. Vanden Corporation, 23 May 2012. Web. 7 Jun 2012. http://www.cyberbullyalert.com/blog/2012/05/cyber-bully-data-statistics-and-facts/ Cyber Bully Statistics. Bullying Statistics. Bullying Statistics, 2009. Web. 7 Jun 2012.