Arthur Miller’s Crucible? Essay

Even until the last few scenes of the play in Act VI Proctor still feels guilty. He states: â€Å"I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. † Just like in Act II he lets his guilt dictate his behaviour. He feels he has already condemned himself to Hell so doing any more lying will make no difference. It is only in the very last scene, when he refuses to allow his confession to be pinned to the church door, that he realises he can still be good and does the right thing. If the paper was nailed to the door the villagers would see that Proctor admitted to witchcraft and assume the others were liars. Some may argue that he is not a good man even at the end of the novel because when he does not allow for the confession to be nailed to the door this is showing his pride; he even shouts: ‘Because it is my name’ In his speech he repeats the word ‘name’ many times which shows how significant his good reputation still is to him and this could be seen as him having dishonourable intentions. However this could be interpreted, I think that the reason that Proctor does not want to have his name put on the church door is because he does not want to be the person who is calling his friends witches in the eyes of the villagers. He states: ‘I have given you my soul; leave me my name’. In signing the paper he has lied and committed a sin which due to his strict beliefs he would feel his soul was not worthy of heaven, however he does not want to commit the sin of tarnishing the reputation of the other honest villagers. I think this shows Proctor to be a good man because he does not care that he has committed a lie and so condemned his soul to hell but does care that he should blacken Rebecca Nurse’s. In the same way he does not care if he is hanged as long as Rebecca can die with her good reputation intact. He also places emphasis on his own name because he does not want to commit the sin of lying to the whole village- this shows that he values the morals he believes in and does not want to lie to so many people. I think Miller shows the struggle within Proctor to do the right thing and die or to do the wrong thing and live as a comparison with those who in the McCarthy regime wrongly accused others to save themselves from imprisonment. Miller is telling the audience that people like him who did get imprisoned were making the real sacrifice and doing the right thing whereas those who accused others were weak like Mary Warren and too cowardly to be imprisoned. John’s refusal to name other people who he has supposedly seen with the Devil also shows that he is a good man because he refuses to condemn others to the fate of death. Unlike the girls and many of the other accused witches he does not use this as an opportunity to dispense revenge on his enemies. In doing this he shows himself to be a moral superior to the other villagers and this also draws parallels with what Arthur Miller himself did when he was questioned by the House of Un- American Activities. He refused to be manipulated and went to prison for a short time rather than allowing himself to succumb to petty vengeance bred by the feeling of fear. Arthur Miller shows John as a hero here because he has done the right thing in the end and not lowered himself to the sinful acts of others in his community. Miller shows that people may act good and show good morals like Mary Warren when she shouts: ‘I believe in God’ but this is a facade because although to the society Mary looks like a reformed sinner in reality she is still sinning. However Proctor and others like Rebecca Nurse have to look like sinners and slaves of the Devil in order to keep to good morals. This irony shown by Miller helps him to illustrate how the McCarthy regime like the witch trials instead of causing goodness bred vengeance and evil. At the end of the play we know John Proctor to be a good man. His initial flaws of guilt and adultery were countered by his eventual admittance of his sins and standing up for the truth. His decisions to eventually tell the truth and die rather than lying and tarnishing the reputation of the villager’s show what a good person he was. His flaws were used by Miller to give his message to American society: people in their time who were being prosecuted by John McCarthy may have flaws just like Proctor but really the true evil lay within the House itself and that the people were innocent and just victims to jealousy and the injustice of hysteria just like Proctor was in Salem. The main technique of irony: the judges and accusers seemed like moral superiors yet the judges were manipulative and the accuser’ vengeful whereas Proctor who was flawed and thus seemed sinful did not succumb to either evils. This helps strengthen Miller’s message about the people who accused others of Communism and the House itself. The universal purpose is to remind people that jealousy and hysteria are dangerous things and that even ideal societies like the democracy of America and the theocracy of Salem can be unjust and uncivilised and this is shown brilliantly by the harsh and cruel manipulative manner of the judges. In Salem’s idea of goodness Proctor was a good man at the end of the play because he was sorry for his sins and believed in God; he even demonstrated this by refusing to lie at the end. Like all humans he had flaws but he overcame these by doing the right thing at the end. In Miller’s and modern times, he is also a good man because we respect people who stand up for what they believe in like Proctor did in the courts and also we value truth he stood for in an ever increasing world of media lies and propaganda. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

A Legacy to Education Essay

The philosophy of learning, leading and serving is a systematic approach to providing an educational experience that is developmental and individualized. To teach is to learn, to lead and to serve, colleagues, students, the community and to influence the world we live in with what we have learned. The philosophy of a learner is to have an instructive knowledge that is developmental and individualized. A learner with experiential, life-centered and a relevant learning educational experience will move toward self-directed learning. I will impact Learner’s lives with education that is valued as a resource where learning is driven, first by internal motivators rather than external motivators. (Western Michigan University Department of Therapy 1995) I will have a positive influence on learners by using the art of teaching. With my skills acquired by my experience and study and the science of my occupation, I will impact their learning experience and accelerate their abilities to its highest potential. I will be remembered for my emphases on creating an atmosphere for learning, bringing qualified data through presentation and innovation, of the highest quality, including unpredicted events into the lessons. Learners will remember me as a teacher, and an artist who’s medium of expression is spontaneous, unpredictable, unrehearsed, and a God created experience of learning between teacher and student. (Parkay and Stanford) The legacy I bring to learners in the field of education believes that all students can learn in an effective and collaborative way that will maximize my learned skills, as well as my student’s learning and ability to achieve. (COE Conceptual Framework) I will lead in the field of education by serving pupils, contemporaries, and the public with tenacity and appealing to a diverse global community in the practice of learning and achieving their highest God-given level, to achieve the highest values in life, that they may in turn, influence their shifting world with positive contributions. (GCU COE) I will lead by teaching learners to develop critical thinking skills, to develop a social support system for learning, and to be able to tap into their most operative learning styles and to develop lifelong learning skills. (Knowles, M. Holton, E. & Swanson R. 1998) I will lead in diverse educational settings and apply the theories and concepts learned in my program of study, to meet the needs of learners PK-12th grade. (COE Learner goal #6) My legacy and will in the field of education is to serve with my God-Given talents in a positive, purposed and passionate way that will instill value to the profession of teaching, that will be remembered by my students, colleagues and community as someone who made a difference in the lives of those I touched. I will make a difference in those lives while serving by exhibiting the highest professional disposition, demonstrating the art of teaching and the science of teaching that impact the educational community as well as my own professional growth and development. (COE Conceptual Framework) I will serve using teaching skills that reflect the HQT requirements of the state and Higher Education Learning Institution and my best professional development skills. (COE) The legacy I will leave with my students is imparted knowledge of critical thinking skills, analytical and evaluating skills, survival skills, that will live on and pass on from generation to generation. My legacy is a gift that will keep on giving, long after the career is over, learning and teaching will go on. I will leave a legacy of the passion to learn, to share to grow and thrive and to be an asset to the community. I leave a legacy of believing in myself, and believing in my students, and inspiring them to finish, completing what they have started and I have started within them. I leave the Legacy that they will remember that the fate of our world and humanity is in their hands, so learn and teach and teach and learn, from the cradle to the grave. (Sally Broughton of Montana (CCSSO Teacher of the year 2008) REFERENCES College of Education Conceptual Framework College of Educational Conceptual Framework (Learner goal #6) Sally Broughton of Montana (CCSSOS Teacher of year 2008) Western Michigan University (Department of Occupational Therapy 1995) Knowles, Malcolm, Holton, Elwood & Swann, Richard. (1998 The Adult Learner & Human Resource Development) Forrest Parkay & Beverly Hardcastle Stanford, (Becoming a Teacher)

Strategic Management Case Study Module 7

Strategic Management Module 7 Case Study Daryl L. Young Thomas Edison State College Strategic Management Module 7 Case Study Housing Bubble and Its Burst Case Study Question 1: Explain the cause of the housing bubble and its burst in the mid-2000s. To what extent is this problem the result of ethical failure? Housing Bubble No single cause can fully explain the crisis but, in my opinion, the two major bases were legislation that promoted homeownership and subprime mortgages. To fully understand the environment that spawned the housing bubble, we’ll have to travel back to the 1930s, when the country was in the midst of the Great Depression.During this time frame, homeownership represented only about 40 percent of the U. S. households (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble, Strickland, 2012, p. c-423). Following severe mortgage market disruptions, widespread foreclosures, and sinking homeownership rates, the government created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Fannie Mae, the Federa l Home Loan Bank (FHLB), and several decades later Freddie Mac to help promote secure and sustainable homeownership for future generation of Americans (Reforming America’s Housing Finance Market, A Report to Congress, 2011, P. 5).A Subprime Mortgage is a type of mortgage that is normally made out to borrowers with lower credit ratings; a conventional mortgage is not offered because the lender views the borrower as having a larger-than-average risk of defaulting on the loan; lending institutions often charge interest on subprime mortgages at a rate that is higher in order to compensate themselves for carrying more risk, as defined by Investopedia. com, 2013. In 1994, subprime mortgages represented approximately 6 percent of total mortgage loans originated but by 2005 the percentage grew to 37. (Thomson et al. , 2012). Private firms like Countrywide, and others, issued more than 84 percent of the subprime mortgages in 2006 (Swift, 2011). Fast-forward to the 2000s and the effect s of federal legislation over 60 years increased homeownership to nearly 70 percent (Thomson et al. , 2012) coupled with an explosion of subprime mortgages, and appreciation of homes values resulted in the housing bubble. Housing Bubble Burst As there are several factors that created the bubble, there are just as many that were responsible for its burst.The most significant factors were the repeal of a major component of the Glass-Steagall Act and a weakened housing market. First, lets look at the Glass-Steagall Act. One of the components in the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 separated investment (brokerage) and commercial banking activities (investopedia. com, 2009). The clause stipulated that banks would be allowed to take deposits and make loans, brokers would be allowed to underwrite and sell securities, but no firm would be allowed to do both due to the conflicts of interest and risks to insured deposits (Rickards, 2012). In 1999, President Bill Clinton and Republicans led by Sen.P hil Gramm repealed part of the Glass-Steagall Act, removing barriers that prohibited any one institution from acting as any combination, at the behest of big banks (Rickards, 2012). Secondly, the U. S. economy began to weaken, with declining demand for housing, which caused home prices to plummet and appreciation in home prices came to an end, and in most cases reversing (Thompson et al. , 2012). Homeowners, investors, and financial institutions did not have enough capital supporting their investments to absorb the resulting losses (Reforming America’s Housing Finance Market, A Report to Congress, 2011, P. ). Homeowners were faced with foreclosure when they lost income during the economy slowdown or seen their payment on Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) rise to a point of unaffordability (Thompson et al. , 2012). In 2008, credit markets froze. Our nation's financial system – which had outgrown and outmaneuvered a regulatory framework largely designed in the 1930s †“ was driven to the brink of collapse. Millions of Americans lost their jobs, families lost their homes, and small businesses shut down (Reforming America’s Housing Finance Market, A Report to Congress, 2011, P. 5). Countrywides’ RoleCase Study Question 2: Evaluate Countrywide’s role in the subprime mortgage debacle. Was the company’s conduct unethical or illegal? Countrywide’s Role From 2005 to 2007, Countrywide was the leading subprime lender in the country issuing $97. 2 billion in subprime mortgages (Bloomberg Business Week, 2009) but only led in market share by 2 percent. The bottom 16 subprime mortgage-issuing firms accounted for $363. 5 billion in mortgages (reference chart 1). Countrywide was responsible for 10 percent of a $1 trillion problem. Conduct Unethical or Illegal Countrywide practices were illegal.Countrywide was charged with predatory lending practices (Thompson et al. , 2012) and later reached a multi-state settlement for $8. 68 billion (Huffman, 2008). â€Å" Countrywide’s lending practices turned the American dream into a nightmare fore tens of thousands of families by putting them into loans they couldn’t understand and ultimately couldn’t afford,† said Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. , a co-leader of the negotiations for the states (Huffman, 2008). Countrywide settlement became the largest predatory lending settlement in history, dwarfing the nationwide $484 million settlement (Huffman, 2008).Case Study Question 3: Using this case as an example, who benefits and who gets hurt when a company engages in unethical or socially irresponsible behavior? In the long-term, no one benefits from this behavior. In this case study, the companies, shareholders, consumers, and global economy all suffered from the irresponsible behavior of many in the financial sector. Between June 2007 and November 2008, Americans lost more than a quarter of their net worth (Wikipedia. org, 2013). T otal retirement assets dropped by 22 percent, from $10. 3 trillion in 2006 to $8 trillion in mid-2008 (Wikipedia. org, 2013).As with most unethical or irresponsible corporate behavior there are no long-term winners. References Denning, S. (2001). Lest We Forget: Why We Had a Financial Crisis. Forbes. Retrieve from: http://www. forbes. com/sites/stevedenning/2011/11/22/5086/ Huffman, M. (2008). Countrywide Settles Predatory Lending Charges for $8. 68 Billion. Consumer Affairs. Retrieved from: http://www. consumeraffairs. com/news04/2008/10/ countrywide_settlement. html Investopedia. (2013). Definition of Housing Bubble. Retrieved from: http://www. investopedia. com/terms/h/housing_bubble. asp#axzz2NRrhirhT Rickards, J. (2012).Repeal of Glass-Steagall Caused the Financial Crisis. Economic Intelligence. Retrieved from: http://www. usnews. com/opinion/blogs/economic- intelligence/2012/08/27/repeal-of-glass-steagall-caused-the-financial-crisis The Department of the Treasury. (2011). Refo rming America’s Housing Finance Markets, A Report to Congress. Retrieved from: http://www. treasury. gov/initiatives/Documents/ Reforming%20America's%20Housing%20Finance%20Market. pdf Thompson, A. , Peteraf, M. , Gamble, J. , Strickland III, A. (2012). Crafting & Executing Strategy, The Quest for Competitive Advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Unethical decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unethical decisions - Essay Example The growing technological advancement has led to integration of the communication all over the world. Integrated information system has been a great relief to many people as well as organization when it comes to conducting electronic transactions. However, this development has been met and strained by serious unethical practices that have led to great loss of finances and jobs. Unethical practices and decisions made on the information systems have also led to disrepute to many organizations (Collier & Spaul, 1990). The integration of information system witnessed an advantageous introduction of credit cards that have been used to carry transactions involving purchasing and sales of goods and services. However, this system has since undergone intrusion occasioned by unending frauds (Shortland & Scarf, 2007). Credit cards of certain individuals have been stolen and used in purchase of goods and services by the fraudsters, thus leading loss of colossal amounts of money by the credit card companies. The same problem has been witnessed even with the use of virtual credit cards. Fraudsters have used complex techniques to get to know the secrete information of the credit cards of particular individuals and have been conducting transactions with such cards at the expense of the true holders. To confront, tackle and curb credit card frauds, Shortland and Scarf (2007) illustrate that various individuals have come with systems to assist achieve the alleviation of these widespread unethical practices. The ideas have included metalearning, and cardwatch among others that uses modifiers and classifiers to mine data and detect frauds in the system. Even though, these technologies have failed to bear desirable fruits as disorganized distribution of data and mixing of the genuine and fraudulent transactions that have complicated the functionality of the systems. Continuing research on this field has led to invention of the Hidden Markov Model (HMM) that works

For the New Intellectual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

For the New Intellectual - Essay Example He says that the conquering of the soul is already happening in the world today as man has been made to believe that altruism is the ideal human state. That way people are encouraged to suffer and personal progress stagnates collectively for the sake of others, that is; the will of all, subjugated to the will of all. According to him, by teaching men to unite, as they are currently being encouraged to do son in form of nation block and other groupings, mankind is being manipulated to morph into a single neck on which they can be collective manipulated and enslaved. He argues that collectivism is designed to subjugate the individual and elevate groups; he postulates that one man is held as evil while society is seen as God, thus through collectives, the soul of the individual are slaughtered and the rest follows meekly. The soul of and individualist is advanced in Roark’s defense before a court He disputes the popular assumption that selflessness and collective ideology is the most beneficial and progressive altitude by saying that it is only through individualism that great achievements and discoveries have been made in retrospect (Rand 71). He uses several analogies of men who made landmark discoveries in history, he speculates that; the man who discovered fire was probably leeched, he says, for the â€Å"evil† he did, yet since then mankind has benefited from fire, the same fate may have befallen the discoverer of the wheel. Speculation aside, he mentions some more verifiable truths such as the fact that Anesthesia which was an important discovery in medicine was initially considered sinful, he also mentions the fact that many scientists and inventors were persecuted for their knowledge which the world came to rely on. Upshot of his argument is that these men were not inspired by the desire to serve their community to do the great things they did, in-fact in most cases they were directly contravening what was expected of them. Yet by following t heir selfish egoistic individual desires and ambition, they came to benefit the society in its entirety. He claims that individualism is responsible for mankind achievement and America’s success and prosperity and greatness and that those who set out to do good for society often ended up causing blood baths. To a great extent, I agree with both arguments of both speakers, quintessentially, both paint individualism as the ideal human conditions, in Tahoohey’s he claims that subjugation of society can only be achieve if men are made to lose their individual identity and ascribe to a collective one. In essence he is saying that an oppression and individualism are mutually exclusive since for one to oppress a people, the needs must first eliminate the individual identity. This is true since even in prison, one is stripped off their name and give a number they also get uniform clothes and in some cases haircuts, this is because the best way to control people is to make them see themselves not as individuals but as members of a larger community. The second arguments paints individualism as being the stuff from which genius and creativity and innovation spawns, this is logical because in essence most people will achieve the greatest success if they are intrinsically motivated; not by the idea of monetary gain or public approval but simply because they personally desire i to do what they

See the attachment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

See the attachment - Research Paper Example According to Apple, the stringent measures have been introduced to shore up security. Online insecurity has been on the rise. Many unsuspecting persons have been swindled of thousands of dollars. Therefore, the decision by Apple to improve users’ security details is a step in the right direction. However, this move may not be as effective as hyped. Hackers are intelligent people who cannot be stopped by ordinary security questions. In fact, by issuing users with backup email addresses to use in case their primary addresses are compromised, they have indicated that a security breach is still possible. Apple faces a formidable legal challenge from Australia over the branding of its new 4G iPad. The iPad is not compatible with Australia’s 4G networks, and its launch in the market has been met with criticism and objections from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. According to the Commission, Apple should not use the term 4G, as the iPad does not support available 4G network. Apple labeled its tablets as "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G." This was a sales strategy, as 4G is the latest broadband with the highest speed known today. The commission’s contention is that many consumers are misled to purchase the gadgets with high expectations, yet their performance capabilities are not achievable given local network capabilities. In summary, the consumers purchase the â€Å"4Gs,† but end up with 3G performance. A series of negotiations between Apple and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has led to drastic measures such, advertisements warning consumers of the incompatibility and refunds to persons who had purchased the products. However, there is still contention regarding the use of the term 4G. Apple’s products contravene consumer rights. It is true that there is no malice in Apple’s 4G advertisement. However, consumers deserve and have a right to satisfactory quality. Additionally, any product sold to consumers must fit their

Autonomy-in regards to decision making in healthcare and research Essay

Autonomy-in regards to decision making in healthcare and research - Essay Example The medical professional is therefore within the confinements of ethical judgment that the individual autonomy is respected. Beauchamp and Childress (2008) highlighted the four main ethical principles as discussed below. Patients’ autonomy which entails their rights to be heard concerning their views on the treatment they are to be given must be considered. Even if the patients’ views may seem uninformed and unjustifiable in questioning a particular form of treatment that the medical professional is subjecting them to, they have a right to do so. The professional should go as far as possible to bear with the patient’s despite the possibility of the patient being unreasonable. For instance, a patient may resist the decision of the medical professional to apply an injection as a method of drug administration, without considerations on the options that the professional has for the same. But with the ethical considerations, autonomy exercised by the patient leaves some tolerance room on the part of the professional. Time should be taken to discern if the patients’ questioning of the decision to be injected has information of available options as well as the underlying reasons . Autonomy is uniquely possessed by different individuals as an element of independence in decision making. Self direction in decision making determines the level of autonomy that the individual exercises. Alternatively, human beings strive to be rational in making decisions that make their lives better. Every human being has an equal right of existence; hence autonomy is a measure of equality. An autonomous choice is allowed by medical professionals only to the extent that it do not endanger the life of the patient. This implies that if the patient does not make an informed decision when refusing the type of treatment proposed by the medical profession, the autonomy does not qualify. Human beings need to feel free in make decisions about their own lives but where issues arise on

It is personality profile about Jack Dorsey -my tittle is Square Research Paper

It is personality profile about Jack Dorsey -my tittle is Square changes the business world - Research Paper Example Jack Dorsey has a net worth of $2.1 Billion (Forbes, 2014), is one of the most influential people in the world, and was one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35. He won the Innovator of the Year Award in 2012 and joined the board of directors of The Walt Disney Company in 2013 (Forbes, 2014). While only 15 years old, Jack Dorsey wrote dispatch software for taxicab companies that coordinates taxi drivers and enhances effective communication in the taxi industry (Bio, 2014). Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Jack Dorsey is a catholic who studied at Missouri University of Science and Technology before transferring to New York University where he initiated an idea that transformed to the famous Twitter concept (Bio, 2014). He dropped out of New York University (Forbes, 2014) and moved to California in 2000 where he started providing his dispatch software through the internet (Bio, 2014). From the dispatch taxicab software, Jack Dorsey invented the Twitter concept that changed communication around the world. Jack Dorsey developed the idea of a Web-based instant messaging communication service in 2000. He approached Odeo Company to advance the idea of an instant messaging communication service (Bio, 2014). With Biz Stone and Noah Glass, Jack Dorsey founded and became the CEO of Twitter in 2006 (Bio, 2014). Jack Dorsey made a turning point in a global communication by Twitter. Indeed, Jack Dorsey surprised many with his twitter success. In November 2013, he launched Twitters initial public offering that made him a billionaire from his 23.4 million shares whose share price rose from $26 per share to $45 per share during the first day of trading (Bio, 2014). Initially, the company experienced frequent service outages (Bio, 2014). However, celebrities and CEOs begun using twitter thus promoting its importance. Soon, twitter revolutionized communication across the globe by becoming the dominant â€Å"micro blogging" movement

Reasearch Paper on the Book A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway Research

Reasearch on the Book A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway - Research Paper Example The work was published after Hemingway’s death and as a consequence is often considered unfinished. It was edited extensively before it was published with editors wanting the work to appear in a form which Hemingway would be proud of, rather than incomplete. It is likely that Hemingway would have written and edited the novel further had he lived. Written in simple sentences and with non-complex structure which is typical of Hemingway’s work, the book focuses on the content itself, telling a story of Hemingway as a young, often struggling, artist. Before examining the themes of the book it is important to understand how the two versions differ, as there is significant difference between the two published editions of the book. These differences can potentially blur the themes of the novel, despite the attempts of editors for both versions to stay true to Hemingway. The Restored Edition, which is the version which is being considered in this study, is an edited edition of the book which was released 45 years after the publication of the original work. The changes were made by Hemingway’s grandson, and consists of reordering of some of the stories, the restoration of some portions of the book that were cut from the original and the removal of some edits . In the forward by Sean Hemingway, he considers that the difference between the two editions is much like the differences between different versions of the Bible. There is no way of knowing what the original intent was of the author, thus both versions are different interpretations rather than one version being correct and the other not. The overarching theme of the novel which ties together the stories and the characters is that of hunger. This hunger is not just hunger in the physical sense, but also in the artistic and the emotional sense. The title of the book draws reference to this theme, suggesting that Paris itself acts in some measure to sate this hunger. Likewise, Paris can be conside red a moveable feast in the manner that the memories that are made in Paris stay with the person and influence them for the rest of their life. Paris is by many counts, a city of fantastic opportunities, of art, culture and food. Because of this, it can become a feast which one can deeply indulge in. Early in the book, the author extensively describes his physical hunger. He had given up journalism in order to focus on his art and as a consequence he had no money and little food. He spoke of the way that walking along the sidewalk one could smell the food that people were eating. He considered that being hungry was good for discipline and that it helped him to understand art. He had a clearer, sharper view when he was hungry and found that he saw beauty much clearer. At this point he is married, and hides from his wife the fact that he does not plan on eating for the day, instead telling her that he is eating out with friends. This physical hunger is not consistent across all the st ories, instead, the focus shifts to artistic and emotional senses of hunger. Throughout the stories, Hemingway wanders the city as an artist looking for inspiration and stimulation. He moves from one such event to another as if they were meals through which he is seeking to fill himself. He appears to feast on the gossip, the scandal and intrigue that surround him, using it as fuel for his writing, and for his passion.

Wine compnay Planning & Recruitment & Training Coursework

Wine compnay Planning & Recruitment & Training - Coursework Example This will significantly aid in reducing costs since the firm will not hire more staff in case the current ones resign or retire (Ford 10). Instead, our firm plans to promote the current employees, and mandate them with more promising tasks. Additionally, the concept of outsourcing within our firm ought to halt, since the firm has enough workforces. Besides, the firm intends to promote early retirements through provision of incentives to willing individuals. However, such retirements will not be mandatory, and will be in accordance with the set laws. Owing to the success of our firm, the organization has been extremely productive, as such, the firm perceives that the employees will experience some negatives. Among the negatives includes working at extra hours, and sometimes working under extreme conditions (Rothwell 289). However, it will be the firm’s task to ascertain that such employees facing such conditions receive compensation. It will also be critical to ascertain healthy working conditions within our firm (Ford 10). Our wine company also plans to organize training programs for our employees, in an endeavor to boost their competence and enhance improved productivity. Hired individuals will be acquainted with training in their respective departments. However, since the firm targets a boost in the production, the firm targets to invest more on the employees within the production line. The firm plans to purchase state-of-the-art machinery that will enhance increased production output at a reduced time. Additionally, the firm plans to incorporate technology within the production line through the use of automated machinery. As such, the firm will select qualified employees, and thoroughly retrain them in order to boost their proficiency, thereby significantly improving the production and enhancing profit maximization of the firm. The firm also foresees some challenges within the training program. For instance, the training and the purchasing of more

Plato Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Plato - Essay Example In an attempt to analyze the life and ideas of Plato, this paper thus purposes to reflect on chapter 4 of the book â€Å"Living Philosophy: A Historical Introduction to philosophical ideas†. Having been born around 428 BCE in Athens, Plato revolutionized the way of thinking both in Greece and the rest of the world. In his idea of rationalism, Plato regarded reasoning as the cornerstone source and test for knowledge. In his rationalism idea, Plato taught that there is existence of certain truths that cannot be changed, and there is a need for intellectual understanding to identify the truths. These truths were thus believed to be the governing forces of humanity and the universe. Drawing an analogy with the sleep to elaborate his viewpoint of Immortality, Morality, and the Soul, he understood immortality of the soul in terms of reincarnation. Just as a person can wake up after sleep, he believed the dead would wake up in another body (Vaughn, P. 52). Among Platos famous dialogues as depicted in the book â€Å"Living Philosophy: A Historical Introduction to philosophical ideas† is his notion of the Republic. He draws most of his inference of the Republic from the works of Socrates thus coming to an argument point that a republic is a society of people who are governed by justice and fulfilment in life in terms of happiness. Thus, members of the republic must all work together socially and economically to ensure every member is justly and fairly treated according to one’s contribution to the

Identification of Food Constituents Essay Example for Free

Identification of Food Constituents Essay Method (testing for reducing sugars) 1. Add 3cm? of whole milk, by using a pipette or syringe to the test tube. 2. Add 5cm? of Benedict’s reagent and place it in the boiling water bath for 8 minutes. Do the same for semi-skimmed milk and skimmed milk. 3. Once all 3 of the test tubes are left to cool in the air, observe the colours. It will be a good idea to set up a range of colour standards from glucose concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% so that you can relate the colours observed to these concentrations. 4. A positive result would be from green to yellow to brick-red colour. Method (testing for non-reducing sugars) 5. Make up the same solution as step 1 but this time, adding 3cm? of dilute hydrochloric acid to break the glycosidic bonds between the monosaccharides. 6. Then add 3cm? of sodium hydroxide solution to neutralise it. 7. Add 5cm? of Benedict’s reagent and place it in the water bath for 8 minutes. 8. Once it’s left to cool, it should now turn brick-red colour. 9. The concentration of a non-reducing sugar can be estimated by first adding a drop of 10% invertase (sucrase) concentrate to 2cm? of the solution to be tested and leaving for 30 minutes at room temperature. The solution is tested for the presence of a reducing sugar. This method is preferable to acid hydrolysis. Method (testing for starch) 10. On each of the three types of milk, just add a few drops of iodine which is dissolved in potassium iodide solution. 11. The sample should change from browny-orange, to a dark, blue-black colour. Method (testing for proteins) 12. Place 2cm? of the three different types of milks on each tube. 13. Then add 2cm? of Biuret reagent and you should see a purple-violet colour developing. The intensity of it is proportional to the protein content. Method (testing for fats) 14. Add 3cm? of the three different types of milk on each test tube and 3cm? of water. 15. Place 1 drop of Sudan III to each test tube and shake gently to mix. 16. Using a microscope, a slide and a cover slip, identify any emulsion of red fat droplets. 17. Alternatively, you could add a drop of each of the milk on a filter paper and see if there is a translucent stain for a positive result. Results table Solution (Milk)TestObservationsConclusion SkimmedBenedict’sLime green (lightest)A slight amount of monosaccharides or reducing sugars present Semi-skimmedBenedict’sLime green (lighter)A slight amount of monosaccharides or reducing sugars present WholeBenedict’sLime greenA slight amount of monosaccharides or reducing sugars present SkimmedInvertaseYellowish-greenHardly any monosaccharides or reducing sugars present Semi-skimmedInvertaseYellowish-greenHardly any monosaccharides or reducing sugars present WholeInvertaseYellowish-greenHardly any monosaccharides or reducing sugars present SkimmedBiuretViolet purpleProtein present. Semi-skimmedBiuretPurpleLot’s of protein present WholeBiuretLight purpleProtein present Conclusion If there were to be a fair amount of monosaccharides to be present all 3 different types of milk, then we would surely see a brick-red precipitate formed when adding the Benedict’s reagent. But according to my range of colour standards from glucose (monosaccharide) concentrations, the lime-green colour given out from each of the 3 milks shows us that it does contain a minor amount of monosaccharides (reducing sugars). Adding a drop of invertase normally should break the glycosidic bonds that are holding the disaccharides together to form monosaccharides. But my results show that it’s a yellowish-green colour instead of a brick-red colour after adding Benedict’s reagent. This shows us that there is hardly any disaccharides present which I thought there would be as lactose, a disaccharide, is mostly present in milks. But this result may have a different view on that. The fact that all 3 milks turned purple after adding Biuret reagent assures us that there is protein present. If there is protein present, that means there is starch present too because starch and proteins are polysaccharides. Evaluation It is noticeable that I haven’t done the test for starch and fats. This is simply due to the fact that I run out of time. Using a 5cm? micro syringe would be more accurate than a pipette. When a precipitate is settled, I could have used a ruler to measure it out (in mm) instead of just using my eyes. Even better, using colorimeter would have provide accurate measurements on the amount of colour present and therefore, give us an indication of how much of the food constituents were present.

Link Natural (Pvt) International Audit

Link Natural (Pvt) International Audit EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Link Natural (Pvt) Ltds decision to advance their business to France was apart of the economical and socio-cultural analysis carried out to identify the market potential for the product (Link Samahan) to be sustainable in the French herbal market. The company is already conducting their businesses in many locations around the world, and France was a further step taken to expand their global presence. The following report is the market audit conducted in order to identify some of the key factors that should be taken into consideration when expanding a business across borders. A brief description of the product Link Samahan is presented initially in the report followed by an analysis of the product acceptance as well as possibilities of product resistance by the French consumers. This was identified through considering factors such as trialability, complexity, relative advantage, observability and compatibility of the product in the French herbal beverage market. The report further analyses the market in which the product will be sold and the geographical regions in France that were chosen for the initial business operations, namely Paris, Nice and Marseille. The basic transportation systems and modes in the selected areas are also discussed followed by the main communication methods used by them. Furthermore the report provides a description on consumer buying habits, distribution of the products, pricing strategies and the advertising and media usually used to reach the target market. A comparison and contrast between Link Samahan and its competitors in the French market is also carried out in the report. The comparison includes the prices, product features, packaging differences along with the promotional methods and distribution channels utilized by Link Samahan and the other competitors. Moreover, the report extends to discuss the market size indicating the trend of the industry sales and the expected sales for Link Samahan in the coming year. Finally, the agencies that will benefit the company and the important government regulations that should be followed by the company are discussed at the latter part of the market audit. INTRODUCTION Link Natural Products (Pvt) Ltd. is a leading business entity in Sri Lanka that provides herbal, Ayurvedic pharmaceuticals as well as safe and effective herbal healthcare products. Some of the main products of Link Natural include, Link Kesha hair oil, Link Sudantha toothpaste, Gotukola Tea and Spa/Aroma products. As a result of extensive research carried out for years, Link Natural introduced Link Samahan, a 100% natural herbal product to the market for curing common colds and similar ailments. Currently Link Natural is exporting their products to countries such as Malaysia, USA, UK, Germany, Thailand, India etc. (Company Profile, 2009) France being a European Union country owns the largest land among the EU countries. As an expansion in the maturity level of the product (Link Samahan), Link Natural has decided to distribute the product to three different locations situated in France. According to (Bell, 1997), French people consider herbal beverages to be healthy and they are most commonly used in every day life in the French culture. The demand for herbal products in the European market has risen over the years and this can be considered as a great opportunity for Link Natural to expand their business to France. In order to identify the target market and their potential it is vital to carry out a detailed market analysis with regard to the product. Thus the main focus of the following report will be to evaluate a market plan and audit for the purpose of marketing Link Samahan in the French herbal beverages market. The market audit will comprise of a detailed description on the target market, geographical distribution, diffusion of innovation of the consumers as well as advertising, pricing and promotions in terms of the herbal beverages market in France. THE PRODUCT: LINK SAMAHAN Link Samahan is an authentic herbal product made in Sri Lanka and it is made of 14 natural plants which are generally used in Peyave formulations. As stated in (Product Data Sheet, n.d.), in ancient Sri Lanka Peyave was considered to be one of the most popular cures for viral fevers and influenza, and it consists of a mixture of herbs in boiling water. This instant herbal beverage is used for common colds as other similar ailments such as sneezing, itching eyes, running noses etc. Currently Link Samahan plays the leading role in the Sri Lankan herbal products market for colds and other related ailments, and Link Samahan is being distributed to 32 destinations in eight different countries around the world, (About Samahan, 2009). (Refer Appendix 1). Link Samahan will be expanding into the herbal beverage market in France for the first time. An innovation is any product or a service that consumers perceive to be new, as stated by (Solomon, 2004, pg.567). Therefore, the following section will focus on how the proposed target market will perceive Link Samahan and their levels of acceptance and resistance will be determined. LINK SAMAHAN AS AN INNOVATION (As perceived by the intended target market) Diffusion of innovation refers to the process whereby a new product, service, or idea spreads through a population, (Solomon, 2004, pg.567). The rate of adoption may differ from person to person even within the same culture. According to (Solomon, 2004, pg.567) a study of 11 European countries found that consumers in individualistic cultures are more innovative than consumers in collective cultures. Therefore to identify the acceptance rate of Link Samahan in France a few important factors will be analyzed apart from the consumer behavioural changes among the target market. These factors are as follows: Relative advantage It is important that the consumers believe that the product is important and more beneficial for them than the alternative brands in the market, as the new product adaption rate is directly proportional to the relative advantage of the new product. The main characteristic of Link Samahan is that it is an herbal drink, which can be prepared instantly by just dissolving in hot water. Furthermore it has the relative advantage of being a complete natural product that can not only be used to prevent colds and similar ailments, but also can be used as a hot beverage. Therefore, it can be said that Link Samahan has a 2-in-1 relative advantage compared to other herbal beverages. Compatibility According to (Solomon, 2004, pg.570), the innovation should be compatible with the lifestyle of the consumers. No matter how convenient the product is, sometimes the consumers may not accept the product due to ethical or cultural issues. But as mentioned before according to (Bell, 1997), the French have a popular demand for herbal beverages, and have over a 70% of herbal products in large grocery stores and hypermarkets. This is one of the core reasons that Link Natural has decided to distribute Link Samahan to France. It can be stated that Link Samahan is strongly compatible with the French market and will potentially have a high usage rate. Complexity Link Samahan is a moisture-proof, triple laminated sachet with a net weight of 4 gram per packet and contains a soluble powder that can be instantly made, which makes it very low in complexity. For the convenience of the French people the directions and other details will be indicated in French, as well as English as opposed to the Sinhala, Tamil and English product details used in Sri Lanka. Therefore the product will be easier to understand and use over the other competitor brands available in the market. Trialability Link Samahan is considered to be a fast moving consumer good (FMCG). Therefore with regard to trialability, promotions will be carried out at the initial stage at the supermarkets and retail stores for the consumers to taste the product through free samples. Since consumers have the ability to try out the product and evaluate it through the free samples, Link Samahan has a very high trialability factor. Observability An innovation should be high in observability for an adopter to be aware of its existence. Having promotions as mentioned above can be of use to a certain extent (i.e. taste) but the exact outcome of Link Samahan cannot be observed immediately after the consumption. MAJOR PROBLEMS RESISTANCES TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF LINK SAMAHAN, BASED ON THE PROCEEDING EVALUATION Any company when entering to a new market or introducing a new product is faced with a potential risk of failure no matter how favourable the circumstances are. Therefore it is essential to analyze the consumer acceptance for the product in order to survive in the market. Based on the proceeding evaluation, Link Samahan has a high potential of the consumers acceptance as there are high levels of relative advantage, compatibility, trialability and it is also low in complexity. THE MARKET MARKETS IN WHICH LINK SAMAHAN WILL BE SOLD Through the sociocultural and an economical analysis conducted previously, it was identified that there is a favourable market for Link Samahan to be introduced in France. According to (Bell,1997), approximately 2500 metric tons are sold annually in the herbal beverages market in which 60% is in sachet format, 36% in instant products and about 2% in bulk. One of the main reasons to penetrate the French market is their acceptance of herbal beverages. It is most commonly used in many households and is enjoyed by most French people. Thus there is a demand for herbal products, and in addition to this, Link Samahan can also be used as a cheap effective way to cure common colds as oppose to using Saunas which is also highly popular in France. Link Samahan is an FMCG which can be afforded by anyone ranging from lower-middle level to upper level income earners. France has an estimated population of 64,057,792 as mentioned in, (France Demography, n.d) Geographical regions France is a Western European country which borders countries such as Belgium, Spain and Italy in the Europe region. 77% of the total population has been urbanized as of 2008 and 65% of the total population falls in the 15-64 years age category, (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.) (Refer Appendix 2). The population is one of the main factors that have to be taken into consideration in deciding the main geographical regions for Link Samahan to be distributed and marketed to. According to research carried out by (Butler, 2009), the main cities in France with the highest populations are Paris (11,293,200 people), Marseille (1,532,400 people), Lyon (1,665,700 people), Toulouse (975,000 people), Nice (943,000 people) and Nantes (718,700 people). Furthermore, France is generally known to be a cold city and it is a country with typical seasonal changes through out the year. Also, according to (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.), France is faced with floods, midwinter windstorms etc. at certain times of the year. Hence, the probability of people being faced with the common cold is high in terms of climate changes. The company has selected Paris, Marseilles and Nice to distribute and market Link Samahan due to the above mentioned reasons. Another primary reason for selecting Marseilles and Nice is the easy access due to being situated in the coast of France bordering the Mediterranean sea. Hence geographically there is easy access to these cities and the products can be shipped conveniently from Sri Lanka. Forms of transportation available in these regions Paris There are many forms of transportation used in Paris. It consists of four airports, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly being the main two commercial airports and, Le Bourget, and Beauvais Tille being two smaller airports for budget airlines and private jets, (Paris Airports, n.d.) Gare de Lyon train station in Paris provides rail services to the south and east of where Marseilles and Nice are situates. Therefore, Link Samahan can easily be transported to and fro from Paris to the other 2 selected locations, (Gare de Lyon, n.d). Apart from this the Metropolitan underground train network and the two tramlines are also commonly used for transportation in the city of Paris. The bus network in Paris covers the Ile-de-France region and also it extends in the central Paris. However, traffic has to be taken into consideration when travelling by bus as Paris a busy city, (How to use Parisian transport networks, 2003). Marseille Marseille has one airport. Similar to Paris it consists of a bus network and two metro lines which are commonly used among passengers. It is convenient to travel using the Metro Line over the bus network due to the heavy traffic situation in the city. The main train station in Marseille is called Gare Saint Charles and it connects to Paris, which takes approximately 3 hours, (Marseille Transport, 2007). The Marseille Port, being the largest port in France, plays a major role in transporting of Link Samahan from Sri Lanka to France, as the company will be using Vieux Port in Marseilles as the main port to distribute the products to Marseille and Paris and Nice respectively, (Marseille Cruise Port, 2009). From Marseilles, Link Samahan will be transported via train from Gare Saint Charles Station to Paris. Nice The main concern of the company is transporting the product from Marseille to Nice. Therefore the Link Natural (Pvt) Ltd. will be using the railway system for the means of transporting the product to Nice. Communication available in these regions The most common methods in communicating in Paris are through telephone, Internet, and television. Some of the main telecommunication companies situated in Paris are Coriolis Tà ©là ©com, France Telecom, Orange (France Telecom), Bouygues Tà ©là ©com and SFR in which most provide the consumers with telephone as well as internet broadband facilities. (France Telecommunication Companies, 2009) According to (Internet World Stats, 2008) the main dominator of all telecommunication methods such mobile, fixed, Internet and broadband in France is France Telecom. Similar to Paris, Nice and Marseille also use Internet, Telephone and television as main methods of communication. 58.1 % of the population uses the Internet in France (Internet World Stats, 2008). Therefore, Link Natural can use Internet advertising to promote Link Samahan in France for wider reach of the target market. According to (Television Viewing by Country, n.d.), the average viewing rate of television in France is 23 hours per person per week, which indicates that accessibility for television is high among the consumers and therefore television media can be used as an effective means of communicating the product to the customers. Consumer buying habits Consumers buying habits may vary according to the type of products purchased by them. For instance, people may compare and contrast when purchasing a shopping good with the alternative products available in the market. Since Link Samahan is a consumer good, which needs little effort of the consumer in purchasing the product the consumers in the intended target market are not expected spend a lot of time in deciding on purchasing the product. However, since the herbal beverages market is considerably large in France it is vital to pay attention to the leading competitors brands purchased most frequently by the consumers. Product use patterns The herbal beverages market in the Europe has grown over the years due to health concerns of most consumers. People are more careful with their health as a result of their busy scheduled lifestyles. The French generally tend to consume herbal infusions daily in the night after dinner time. Therefore the usage of herbal beverages in France is regular and consistent in the current market. Product feature preferences Most people look for convenience when purchasing products and are more health conscious considering the health issues that they are exposed in the society as previously mentioned. Link Samahan is marketed as a two in one product, which is an herbal cure of colds, as well as a normal hot beverage to the consumers. Therefore the taste of the product is given special consideration so that the consumers will show a favourable response towards the product. It also an instant drink which can be prepared easily. Shopping habits According to the research carried out it was identified that the average consumer purchases herbal beverages approximately once in every three weeks. With the rise in health concerns among the people and herbal beverages being conveniently available in the local retail and supermarket outlets customers are bound to purchase them on a regular basis. Distribution of the product Most of the herbal beverage products are available all over France. They are mainly distributed in local grocery stores, retail outlets and many international supermarket and hypermarket chains located in the country. According to (Shopping in France, n.d.) some of the main supermarket chains are Champion, Carrefour, Auchan, Casino, Leclerc and Intermarchà ©. Advertising and Promotion Advertising media usually used to reach the target market The usual methods of advertising FMCG products are through television, radio, and newspaper/magazine advertisements, as they are targeted towards a mass market of all levels of income earners. Having the fourth highest television-viewing rate in the world, 99% of the households in France have access to televisions especially in the urban areas. According to (Press Reference France, n.d.), there are 584 television networks currently operating in France and marketers of FMCGs frequently use television advertisements. Another popular method of advertising is through Radio networks, as most people have access to radios. Considering the busy lifestyles of the people most companies have adopted this method as people in urban as well as rural areas are known to listen to the radio even when doing other work. Other methods used include newspapers and magazines. French are said to have a high literacy rate of 99% and newspapers and magazines are commonly used around the country. Apart from these methods, Internet is also widely used for advertising consumer products as most people purchase goods online, especially the younger generation. Sales promotions customarily used For most FMCG products, most commonly used sales promotions methods are buy one get one free promotions, in store promotions and free sampling promotions held at retail stores and supermarkets. Pricing Strategy Initially Link Natural will be using the price penetration strategy at a set price of â‚ ¬10.50 intending to attract more customers and capture a larger market share. However, the price maybe varied accordingly in the future depending on the purchasing trend of the consumers and discounts will be given during different seasons. COMPARISON CONTRAST OF LINK SAMAHAN WITH THE COMPETITORS PRODUCTS Link Samahan Brand Name: The name Link Samahan is a family brand name, which is derived from the company name Link Natural. This gives Samahan a special recognition for the consumers, as Link Natural is a well-reputed company in many countries in the EU. Features: Link Samahan is made using 14 natural Ayurvedic herbs, which were chosen through a comprehensive study done by Ayurvedic scientists for years. The main feature of the product is that it is a beverage, which can be made instantly by dissolving in hot water. The basic flavors of Samahan are Lime and Lemon, and will extend to include Mint and Linden (which is a common taste preference of the French people). Package: The 100g pack consists of 25 moisture-proof, triple laminated sachets with a net weight of 4 grams per packet. The details on the sachet will be indicated in both French and English for the convenience of the consumers. The sachet will be yellow and green in color to give a natural look and the colors will be differed accordingly when new flavors are introduced. The competitors products Link Samahan is mainly marketed as a medicine for curing common colds as well as a regular herbal beverage. Therefore there is no direct competitor for the product although there is a large market for herbal beverages in France. There are many herbal tea products available in the French market. The market leader is Lipton with more that 46% of the herbal sachet tea market. The Lipton Company brands Elephant and Saveurs du Soir, dominate the French herbal beverage market by providing various types of herbal tea flavors. The bulk herbal tea market is dominated by La Tisanerie brand, which is also a popular brand available in France. However, they also sell sachet packages in a variety of flavors. Apart from these competitors, Solinests Ricola brand of instant herbal infusions dominates 90% of its product area while 10% of the market represents other Store brands, (Bell, 1997) (Refer Appendix 3) Lipton Brand name: Lipton Elephant Brand Lipton Saveurs Du Soir Features: Both brands mentioned above are herbal teas and have different types of flavors ranging from mint to a wide range of fruit flavors. The price ranges from  £6.00 to  £7.00. Package: Each pack contains 25 sachets and is presented in their own unique color depending on each flavor. Foods International Brand name: La Tisanià ¨re Features: La Tisanià ¨re is also an herbal tea with various flavors such as Les Fruisanes range, which has a variety of fruit flavors, Trà ©sors de Nature range, which has a variety of flavors combining flowers and herbs and the Wellness range. (What about La Tisanià ¨re, n.d) Package: Different flavors are presented in different colors and packed in 25 sachet boxes. Ricola Brand name: Ricola Features: Ricola herbal tea is a popular hot beverage especially during the winter season and is commonly used as a remedy for colds and coughs, (Instant Teas, n.d.) Similar to other competitors, Ricola also offers a wide variety of flavors in their herbal tea range. Package: Ricola teas are generally packed in a plastic container ranging from 200g onwards and in presented in different colors according to the flavors. Comparison All competitors of Link Samahan fall under the herbal tea category. Therefore there is a relative advantage for Samahan as it will be marketed as an herbal beverage as well as a medical concoction used for common colds and similar ailments. Most competitor brands seem similar in appearance which makes it hard for the consumers to distinguish between them at a glance. However, Link Samahan will be presented in its own unique packaging so that it will be visible among rest of the products. The most significant difference between Link Samahan and other competitors is that the price of Link Samahan will be slightly higher due to the fact that it is more of a remedy to cure colds as well as a regular herbal beverage. The competitors price The following is a list of prices of the competitors available in the herbal beverages market. There is no significant difference between the prices of each brand. Competitors promotion and advertising methods The primary method of advertising used by Lipton is through newspaper advertisements. Lipton range consists of a wide range of brands. Thus, they advertise each brand separately rather than as a whole. Since most people have access to reading newspapers daily, they believe that it is the best way to capture the target market. La Tisanià ¨re on the other hand is mainly advertised through radio advertisements along with the Twininngs and Ovaltine, which are the other hot beverage products of their mother company Foods International. Ricolas main focus is on health magazines as they stress on health benefits of consuming Ricola herbal tea such as a cure for coughs and colds. However, Ricola products are also advertised through radio advertisements as well as newspapers through feature articles etc. Other main promotion methods used by these competitors are discounted prizes, special draws and competitions, sponsoring various events and coupon systems. Competitors distribution channels Lipton: Hypermarkets and supermarket chains Foods International: Supermarket chains and retail stores Ricola: Hypermarkets, supermarkets and retails stores MARKET SIZE Estimated industry sales for the planning year According to the research carried out in France, a rise in the industry sales is expected in 2010/2011 due to the regular consumption of herbal products among the consumers. The income level of the consumers may not affect them since herbal beverages are considered as an FMCG. Estimated sales for Link Samahan for the planning year The graph indicates the forecasted sales for Link Samahan for the year 2010 per city. According to the figures shown, approximately about 45,350 packets per city will to be sold and roughly about 3250 packets will be sold per month in average in the year 2010. Furthermore, Link Samahan is expected to detain the market share rapidly in the French market according to the number of estimated sales. All these details are further discussed in the preliminary marketing plan. GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN THE MARKET PLACE Agencies that can help Link Natural The herbal beverages industry especially herbal tea industry is a rapidly growing market in France. Apart from being sold mainly in hypermarkets and supermarkets, herbal beverages are commonly used in health care centers, hospitals, holiday spas as well as hotels around the country. The usage of herbal beverages can be highly encouraged among the consumers through most of these agencies which will benefit the sellers in the trade. For instance, Link Samahan can be made available in popular health spas and hotels such as George V-Buddha Bar Spa, Ban Thai Spa, Bleu comme Bleu and Spa Anne Fontaine in Paris, (Spas Whats New,n.d.), and SPA de lhotel Boscolo Exedra Doctor, sauna le cercle Nice Saint Maurice and Nyrvana Madeleine Nice, in Nice (Saunas and Spas in Nice, 2009). It will also enable brand recognition through making the products available in recognized organizations to grab the attention of the target market. Regulations that must be followed It is vital that all companies follow the rules and regulations of the country to avoid complications. France belongs to the European Union and according to (Gauthier, 2005, pg.7), the European Commission has decided to draft a legislation on herbal medicinal products, dietetic foods, nutritional and functional claims, and fortified foods. Also according to (Gauthier, 2005, pg.7), the French Research Center on Nutrition and Food has a recommended allowance of a percentage of ingredients in the products to be consumed daily, and if the product doesnt meet those requirements, a special authorization from the French Public Superior Council for Hygiene (CSHPF) should be obtained by the manufacturer to market the product. Also according to French regulations it is important that all information such as product definition, list of ingredients, shelf life, weight and volume etc. are labeled in French on the packaging of the product. (Gauthier, 2005, pg.7) Apart from these, according to (France Trade Regulations and Standards, n.d.), quality and ecological labels, bar code price labeling, and usage instructions should also be mentioned. In general it is important that the product does not portray any offensive material that is not accepted socially, religiously, ethically etc. in France as it will not be accepted under the government regulations. MARKETING PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The following preliminary marketing plan was prepared by Link Natural (Pvt) Ltd to present a comprehensible idea on their business expansion of Link Samahan to France after conducting an ample research on the feasibility of the product in the French market. The main objective of this report is to guarantee that the product will be successful in the French market when competing among the alternatives available. The report portrays a detailed description mainly on the intended target market focusing on geographical, sociological, demographical etc. aspects, which are relevant to B2B and B2C markets. It gives an insight to the expected sales and the profit expectations for the year 2010. Furthermore, it explains the penetration strategies used by the company to gain market share of the consumers of herbal beverages in the market. It is imperative to analyze the product adaptation and modification by using factors such as core components, packaging, and support services etc. to grasp a clear interpretation of the product, which is described with sufficient details in the analysis. The report also focuses on to one of the major components in the marketing the mix, the promotions of the product carried out in France. The overall promotion objectives are explained followed by advertising, sales promotions, personal selling and other promotional tools used by the company to promote Link Samahan among the French consumers. Moreover, it explains the distribution components from origin to destination, which includes port selection, mode selection, packing, important documentations, insurance claims etc. as well as channel of distribution and more importantly the price determination of the product. Finally the terms of sales and method payment used by the company are explained followed by the budget and the financial statement of the entire business plan. Therefore as mentioned above, the crucial factors are highlighted in this report to ensure the success of Link Samahans establishment in the French market. THE MARKETING PLAN MARKET OBJECTIVES Target Market France has been ranked the 19th most populated country in the world, with a population estimate of 64,057,792, as stated in (France Demography, n.d.). It is therefore impractical to target the entire population of the country. The company has taken into consideration factors such as demography and geography when selecting the target market for Link Samahan. Demographically, the variables that were taken into consideration when selecting the target market were age, sex and income status. 65% of Frances population falls within the age group 15-64 years (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.). Both males and females having a lower-middle to upper level income will be targeted since Link Samahan is an FMCG and is generally affordable to all the income groups mentioned above. Geographically, Paris, Marseilles and Nice are 3 of the most populated and metropolitan cities in France. Collectively in these 3 cities, the total population amounts to approximately 14.6 million (France People, 2006). Therefore, the primary business-to-consumer (B2C) target market for Link Samahan in France is: males females, from lower-middle to upper level income groups, between the ages of 15-64 who are primarily residing in the cities of Paris, Marseilles or Nice. There will also be a business-to-business (B2B) target market which would consist of the most visited retail stores, supermarket chains, hypermarkets and health holiday spas in the sele Link Natural (Pvt) International Audit Link Natural (Pvt) International Audit EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Link Natural (Pvt) Ltds decision to advance their business to France was apart of the economical and socio-cultural analysis carried out to identify the market potential for the product (Link Samahan) to be sustainable in the French herbal market. The company is already conducting their businesses in many locations around the world, and France was a further step taken to expand their global presence. The following report is the market audit conducted in order to identify some of the key factors that should be taken into consideration when expanding a business across borders. A brief description of the product Link Samahan is presented initially in the report followed by an analysis of the product acceptance as well as possibilities of product resistance by the French consumers. This was identified through considering factors such as trialability, complexity, relative advantage, observability and compatibility of the product in the French herbal beverage market. The report further analyses the market in which the product will be sold and the geographical regions in France that were chosen for the initial business operations, namely Paris, Nice and Marseille. The basic transportation systems and modes in the selected areas are also discussed followed by the main communication methods used by them. Furthermore the report provides a description on consumer buying habits, distribution of the products, pricing strategies and the advertising and media usually used to reach the target market. A comparison and contrast between Link Samahan and its competitors in the French market is also carried out in the report. The comparison includes the prices, product features, packaging differences along with the promotional methods and distribution channels utilized by Link Samahan and the other competitors. Moreover, the report extends to discuss the market size indicating the trend of the industry sales and the expected sales for Link Samahan in the coming year. Finally, the agencies that will benefit the company and the important government regulations that should be followed by the company are discussed at the latter part of the market audit. INTRODUCTION Link Natural Products (Pvt) Ltd. is a leading business entity in Sri Lanka that provides herbal, Ayurvedic pharmaceuticals as well as safe and effective herbal healthcare products. Some of the main products of Link Natural include, Link Kesha hair oil, Link Sudantha toothpaste, Gotukola Tea and Spa/Aroma products. As a result of extensive research carried out for years, Link Natural introduced Link Samahan, a 100% natural herbal product to the market for curing common colds and similar ailments. Currently Link Natural is exporting their products to countries such as Malaysia, USA, UK, Germany, Thailand, India etc. (Company Profile, 2009) France being a European Union country owns the largest land among the EU countries. As an expansion in the maturity level of the product (Link Samahan), Link Natural has decided to distribute the product to three different locations situated in France. According to (Bell, 1997), French people consider herbal beverages to be healthy and they are most commonly used in every day life in the French culture. The demand for herbal products in the European market has risen over the years and this can be considered as a great opportunity for Link Natural to expand their business to France. In order to identify the target market and their potential it is vital to carry out a detailed market analysis with regard to the product. Thus the main focus of the following report will be to evaluate a market plan and audit for the purpose of marketing Link Samahan in the French herbal beverages market. The market audit will comprise of a detailed description on the target market, geographical distribution, diffusion of innovation of the consumers as well as advertising, pricing and promotions in terms of the herbal beverages market in France. THE PRODUCT: LINK SAMAHAN Link Samahan is an authentic herbal product made in Sri Lanka and it is made of 14 natural plants which are generally used in Peyave formulations. As stated in (Product Data Sheet, n.d.), in ancient Sri Lanka Peyave was considered to be one of the most popular cures for viral fevers and influenza, and it consists of a mixture of herbs in boiling water. This instant herbal beverage is used for common colds as other similar ailments such as sneezing, itching eyes, running noses etc. Currently Link Samahan plays the leading role in the Sri Lankan herbal products market for colds and other related ailments, and Link Samahan is being distributed to 32 destinations in eight different countries around the world, (About Samahan, 2009). (Refer Appendix 1). Link Samahan will be expanding into the herbal beverage market in France for the first time. An innovation is any product or a service that consumers perceive to be new, as stated by (Solomon, 2004, pg.567). Therefore, the following section will focus on how the proposed target market will perceive Link Samahan and their levels of acceptance and resistance will be determined. LINK SAMAHAN AS AN INNOVATION (As perceived by the intended target market) Diffusion of innovation refers to the process whereby a new product, service, or idea spreads through a population, (Solomon, 2004, pg.567). The rate of adoption may differ from person to person even within the same culture. According to (Solomon, 2004, pg.567) a study of 11 European countries found that consumers in individualistic cultures are more innovative than consumers in collective cultures. Therefore to identify the acceptance rate of Link Samahan in France a few important factors will be analyzed apart from the consumer behavioural changes among the target market. These factors are as follows: Relative advantage It is important that the consumers believe that the product is important and more beneficial for them than the alternative brands in the market, as the new product adaption rate is directly proportional to the relative advantage of the new product. The main characteristic of Link Samahan is that it is an herbal drink, which can be prepared instantly by just dissolving in hot water. Furthermore it has the relative advantage of being a complete natural product that can not only be used to prevent colds and similar ailments, but also can be used as a hot beverage. Therefore, it can be said that Link Samahan has a 2-in-1 relative advantage compared to other herbal beverages. Compatibility According to (Solomon, 2004, pg.570), the innovation should be compatible with the lifestyle of the consumers. No matter how convenient the product is, sometimes the consumers may not accept the product due to ethical or cultural issues. But as mentioned before according to (Bell, 1997), the French have a popular demand for herbal beverages, and have over a 70% of herbal products in large grocery stores and hypermarkets. This is one of the core reasons that Link Natural has decided to distribute Link Samahan to France. It can be stated that Link Samahan is strongly compatible with the French market and will potentially have a high usage rate. Complexity Link Samahan is a moisture-proof, triple laminated sachet with a net weight of 4 gram per packet and contains a soluble powder that can be instantly made, which makes it very low in complexity. For the convenience of the French people the directions and other details will be indicated in French, as well as English as opposed to the Sinhala, Tamil and English product details used in Sri Lanka. Therefore the product will be easier to understand and use over the other competitor brands available in the market. Trialability Link Samahan is considered to be a fast moving consumer good (FMCG). Therefore with regard to trialability, promotions will be carried out at the initial stage at the supermarkets and retail stores for the consumers to taste the product through free samples. Since consumers have the ability to try out the product and evaluate it through the free samples, Link Samahan has a very high trialability factor. Observability An innovation should be high in observability for an adopter to be aware of its existence. Having promotions as mentioned above can be of use to a certain extent (i.e. taste) but the exact outcome of Link Samahan cannot be observed immediately after the consumption. MAJOR PROBLEMS RESISTANCES TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF LINK SAMAHAN, BASED ON THE PROCEEDING EVALUATION Any company when entering to a new market or introducing a new product is faced with a potential risk of failure no matter how favourable the circumstances are. Therefore it is essential to analyze the consumer acceptance for the product in order to survive in the market. Based on the proceeding evaluation, Link Samahan has a high potential of the consumers acceptance as there are high levels of relative advantage, compatibility, trialability and it is also low in complexity. THE MARKET MARKETS IN WHICH LINK SAMAHAN WILL BE SOLD Through the sociocultural and an economical analysis conducted previously, it was identified that there is a favourable market for Link Samahan to be introduced in France. According to (Bell,1997), approximately 2500 metric tons are sold annually in the herbal beverages market in which 60% is in sachet format, 36% in instant products and about 2% in bulk. One of the main reasons to penetrate the French market is their acceptance of herbal beverages. It is most commonly used in many households and is enjoyed by most French people. Thus there is a demand for herbal products, and in addition to this, Link Samahan can also be used as a cheap effective way to cure common colds as oppose to using Saunas which is also highly popular in France. Link Samahan is an FMCG which can be afforded by anyone ranging from lower-middle level to upper level income earners. France has an estimated population of 64,057,792 as mentioned in, (France Demography, n.d) Geographical regions France is a Western European country which borders countries such as Belgium, Spain and Italy in the Europe region. 77% of the total population has been urbanized as of 2008 and 65% of the total population falls in the 15-64 years age category, (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.) (Refer Appendix 2). The population is one of the main factors that have to be taken into consideration in deciding the main geographical regions for Link Samahan to be distributed and marketed to. According to research carried out by (Butler, 2009), the main cities in France with the highest populations are Paris (11,293,200 people), Marseille (1,532,400 people), Lyon (1,665,700 people), Toulouse (975,000 people), Nice (943,000 people) and Nantes (718,700 people). Furthermore, France is generally known to be a cold city and it is a country with typical seasonal changes through out the year. Also, according to (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.), France is faced with floods, midwinter windstorms etc. at certain times of the year. Hence, the probability of people being faced with the common cold is high in terms of climate changes. The company has selected Paris, Marseilles and Nice to distribute and market Link Samahan due to the above mentioned reasons. Another primary reason for selecting Marseilles and Nice is the easy access due to being situated in the coast of France bordering the Mediterranean sea. Hence geographically there is easy access to these cities and the products can be shipped conveniently from Sri Lanka. Forms of transportation available in these regions Paris There are many forms of transportation used in Paris. It consists of four airports, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly being the main two commercial airports and, Le Bourget, and Beauvais Tille being two smaller airports for budget airlines and private jets, (Paris Airports, n.d.) Gare de Lyon train station in Paris provides rail services to the south and east of where Marseilles and Nice are situates. Therefore, Link Samahan can easily be transported to and fro from Paris to the other 2 selected locations, (Gare de Lyon, n.d). Apart from this the Metropolitan underground train network and the two tramlines are also commonly used for transportation in the city of Paris. The bus network in Paris covers the Ile-de-France region and also it extends in the central Paris. However, traffic has to be taken into consideration when travelling by bus as Paris a busy city, (How to use Parisian transport networks, 2003). Marseille Marseille has one airport. Similar to Paris it consists of a bus network and two metro lines which are commonly used among passengers. It is convenient to travel using the Metro Line over the bus network due to the heavy traffic situation in the city. The main train station in Marseille is called Gare Saint Charles and it connects to Paris, which takes approximately 3 hours, (Marseille Transport, 2007). The Marseille Port, being the largest port in France, plays a major role in transporting of Link Samahan from Sri Lanka to France, as the company will be using Vieux Port in Marseilles as the main port to distribute the products to Marseille and Paris and Nice respectively, (Marseille Cruise Port, 2009). From Marseilles, Link Samahan will be transported via train from Gare Saint Charles Station to Paris. Nice The main concern of the company is transporting the product from Marseille to Nice. Therefore the Link Natural (Pvt) Ltd. will be using the railway system for the means of transporting the product to Nice. Communication available in these regions The most common methods in communicating in Paris are through telephone, Internet, and television. Some of the main telecommunication companies situated in Paris are Coriolis Tà ©là ©com, France Telecom, Orange (France Telecom), Bouygues Tà ©là ©com and SFR in which most provide the consumers with telephone as well as internet broadband facilities. (France Telecommunication Companies, 2009) According to (Internet World Stats, 2008) the main dominator of all telecommunication methods such mobile, fixed, Internet and broadband in France is France Telecom. Similar to Paris, Nice and Marseille also use Internet, Telephone and television as main methods of communication. 58.1 % of the population uses the Internet in France (Internet World Stats, 2008). Therefore, Link Natural can use Internet advertising to promote Link Samahan in France for wider reach of the target market. According to (Television Viewing by Country, n.d.), the average viewing rate of television in France is 23 hours per person per week, which indicates that accessibility for television is high among the consumers and therefore television media can be used as an effective means of communicating the product to the customers. Consumer buying habits Consumers buying habits may vary according to the type of products purchased by them. For instance, people may compare and contrast when purchasing a shopping good with the alternative products available in the market. Since Link Samahan is a consumer good, which needs little effort of the consumer in purchasing the product the consumers in the intended target market are not expected spend a lot of time in deciding on purchasing the product. However, since the herbal beverages market is considerably large in France it is vital to pay attention to the leading competitors brands purchased most frequently by the consumers. Product use patterns The herbal beverages market in the Europe has grown over the years due to health concerns of most consumers. People are more careful with their health as a result of their busy scheduled lifestyles. The French generally tend to consume herbal infusions daily in the night after dinner time. Therefore the usage of herbal beverages in France is regular and consistent in the current market. Product feature preferences Most people look for convenience when purchasing products and are more health conscious considering the health issues that they are exposed in the society as previously mentioned. Link Samahan is marketed as a two in one product, which is an herbal cure of colds, as well as a normal hot beverage to the consumers. Therefore the taste of the product is given special consideration so that the consumers will show a favourable response towards the product. It also an instant drink which can be prepared easily. Shopping habits According to the research carried out it was identified that the average consumer purchases herbal beverages approximately once in every three weeks. With the rise in health concerns among the people and herbal beverages being conveniently available in the local retail and supermarket outlets customers are bound to purchase them on a regular basis. Distribution of the product Most of the herbal beverage products are available all over France. They are mainly distributed in local grocery stores, retail outlets and many international supermarket and hypermarket chains located in the country. According to (Shopping in France, n.d.) some of the main supermarket chains are Champion, Carrefour, Auchan, Casino, Leclerc and Intermarchà ©. Advertising and Promotion Advertising media usually used to reach the target market The usual methods of advertising FMCG products are through television, radio, and newspaper/magazine advertisements, as they are targeted towards a mass market of all levels of income earners. Having the fourth highest television-viewing rate in the world, 99% of the households in France have access to televisions especially in the urban areas. According to (Press Reference France, n.d.), there are 584 television networks currently operating in France and marketers of FMCGs frequently use television advertisements. Another popular method of advertising is through Radio networks, as most people have access to radios. Considering the busy lifestyles of the people most companies have adopted this method as people in urban as well as rural areas are known to listen to the radio even when doing other work. Other methods used include newspapers and magazines. French are said to have a high literacy rate of 99% and newspapers and magazines are commonly used around the country. Apart from these methods, Internet is also widely used for advertising consumer products as most people purchase goods online, especially the younger generation. Sales promotions customarily used For most FMCG products, most commonly used sales promotions methods are buy one get one free promotions, in store promotions and free sampling promotions held at retail stores and supermarkets. Pricing Strategy Initially Link Natural will be using the price penetration strategy at a set price of â‚ ¬10.50 intending to attract more customers and capture a larger market share. However, the price maybe varied accordingly in the future depending on the purchasing trend of the consumers and discounts will be given during different seasons. COMPARISON CONTRAST OF LINK SAMAHAN WITH THE COMPETITORS PRODUCTS Link Samahan Brand Name: The name Link Samahan is a family brand name, which is derived from the company name Link Natural. This gives Samahan a special recognition for the consumers, as Link Natural is a well-reputed company in many countries in the EU. Features: Link Samahan is made using 14 natural Ayurvedic herbs, which were chosen through a comprehensive study done by Ayurvedic scientists for years. The main feature of the product is that it is a beverage, which can be made instantly by dissolving in hot water. The basic flavors of Samahan are Lime and Lemon, and will extend to include Mint and Linden (which is a common taste preference of the French people). Package: The 100g pack consists of 25 moisture-proof, triple laminated sachets with a net weight of 4 grams per packet. The details on the sachet will be indicated in both French and English for the convenience of the consumers. The sachet will be yellow and green in color to give a natural look and the colors will be differed accordingly when new flavors are introduced. The competitors products Link Samahan is mainly marketed as a medicine for curing common colds as well as a regular herbal beverage. Therefore there is no direct competitor for the product although there is a large market for herbal beverages in France. There are many herbal tea products available in the French market. The market leader is Lipton with more that 46% of the herbal sachet tea market. The Lipton Company brands Elephant and Saveurs du Soir, dominate the French herbal beverage market by providing various types of herbal tea flavors. The bulk herbal tea market is dominated by La Tisanerie brand, which is also a popular brand available in France. However, they also sell sachet packages in a variety of flavors. Apart from these competitors, Solinests Ricola brand of instant herbal infusions dominates 90% of its product area while 10% of the market represents other Store brands, (Bell, 1997) (Refer Appendix 3) Lipton Brand name: Lipton Elephant Brand Lipton Saveurs Du Soir Features: Both brands mentioned above are herbal teas and have different types of flavors ranging from mint to a wide range of fruit flavors. The price ranges from  £6.00 to  £7.00. Package: Each pack contains 25 sachets and is presented in their own unique color depending on each flavor. Foods International Brand name: La Tisanià ¨re Features: La Tisanià ¨re is also an herbal tea with various flavors such as Les Fruisanes range, which has a variety of fruit flavors, Trà ©sors de Nature range, which has a variety of flavors combining flowers and herbs and the Wellness range. (What about La Tisanià ¨re, n.d) Package: Different flavors are presented in different colors and packed in 25 sachet boxes. Ricola Brand name: Ricola Features: Ricola herbal tea is a popular hot beverage especially during the winter season and is commonly used as a remedy for colds and coughs, (Instant Teas, n.d.) Similar to other competitors, Ricola also offers a wide variety of flavors in their herbal tea range. Package: Ricola teas are generally packed in a plastic container ranging from 200g onwards and in presented in different colors according to the flavors. Comparison All competitors of Link Samahan fall under the herbal tea category. Therefore there is a relative advantage for Samahan as it will be marketed as an herbal beverage as well as a medical concoction used for common colds and similar ailments. Most competitor brands seem similar in appearance which makes it hard for the consumers to distinguish between them at a glance. However, Link Samahan will be presented in its own unique packaging so that it will be visible among rest of the products. The most significant difference between Link Samahan and other competitors is that the price of Link Samahan will be slightly higher due to the fact that it is more of a remedy to cure colds as well as a regular herbal beverage. The competitors price The following is a list of prices of the competitors available in the herbal beverages market. There is no significant difference between the prices of each brand. Competitors promotion and advertising methods The primary method of advertising used by Lipton is through newspaper advertisements. Lipton range consists of a wide range of brands. Thus, they advertise each brand separately rather than as a whole. Since most people have access to reading newspapers daily, they believe that it is the best way to capture the target market. La Tisanià ¨re on the other hand is mainly advertised through radio advertisements along with the Twininngs and Ovaltine, which are the other hot beverage products of their mother company Foods International. Ricolas main focus is on health magazines as they stress on health benefits of consuming Ricola herbal tea such as a cure for coughs and colds. However, Ricola products are also advertised through radio advertisements as well as newspapers through feature articles etc. Other main promotion methods used by these competitors are discounted prizes, special draws and competitions, sponsoring various events and coupon systems. Competitors distribution channels Lipton: Hypermarkets and supermarket chains Foods International: Supermarket chains and retail stores Ricola: Hypermarkets, supermarkets and retails stores MARKET SIZE Estimated industry sales for the planning year According to the research carried out in France, a rise in the industry sales is expected in 2010/2011 due to the regular consumption of herbal products among the consumers. The income level of the consumers may not affect them since herbal beverages are considered as an FMCG. Estimated sales for Link Samahan for the planning year The graph indicates the forecasted sales for Link Samahan for the year 2010 per city. According to the figures shown, approximately about 45,350 packets per city will to be sold and roughly about 3250 packets will be sold per month in average in the year 2010. Furthermore, Link Samahan is expected to detain the market share rapidly in the French market according to the number of estimated sales. All these details are further discussed in the preliminary marketing plan. GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN THE MARKET PLACE Agencies that can help Link Natural The herbal beverages industry especially herbal tea industry is a rapidly growing market in France. Apart from being sold mainly in hypermarkets and supermarkets, herbal beverages are commonly used in health care centers, hospitals, holiday spas as well as hotels around the country. The usage of herbal beverages can be highly encouraged among the consumers through most of these agencies which will benefit the sellers in the trade. For instance, Link Samahan can be made available in popular health spas and hotels such as George V-Buddha Bar Spa, Ban Thai Spa, Bleu comme Bleu and Spa Anne Fontaine in Paris, (Spas Whats New,n.d.), and SPA de lhotel Boscolo Exedra Doctor, sauna le cercle Nice Saint Maurice and Nyrvana Madeleine Nice, in Nice (Saunas and Spas in Nice, 2009). It will also enable brand recognition through making the products available in recognized organizations to grab the attention of the target market. Regulations that must be followed It is vital that all companies follow the rules and regulations of the country to avoid complications. France belongs to the European Union and according to (Gauthier, 2005, pg.7), the European Commission has decided to draft a legislation on herbal medicinal products, dietetic foods, nutritional and functional claims, and fortified foods. Also according to (Gauthier, 2005, pg.7), the French Research Center on Nutrition and Food has a recommended allowance of a percentage of ingredients in the products to be consumed daily, and if the product doesnt meet those requirements, a special authorization from the French Public Superior Council for Hygiene (CSHPF) should be obtained by the manufacturer to market the product. Also according to French regulations it is important that all information such as product definition, list of ingredients, shelf life, weight and volume etc. are labeled in French on the packaging of the product. (Gauthier, 2005, pg.7) Apart from these, according to (France Trade Regulations and Standards, n.d.), quality and ecological labels, bar code price labeling, and usage instructions should also be mentioned. In general it is important that the product does not portray any offensive material that is not accepted socially, religiously, ethically etc. in France as it will not be accepted under the government regulations. MARKETING PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The following preliminary marketing plan was prepared by Link Natural (Pvt) Ltd to present a comprehensible idea on their business expansion of Link Samahan to France after conducting an ample research on the feasibility of the product in the French market. The main objective of this report is to guarantee that the product will be successful in the French market when competing among the alternatives available. The report portrays a detailed description mainly on the intended target market focusing on geographical, sociological, demographical etc. aspects, which are relevant to B2B and B2C markets. It gives an insight to the expected sales and the profit expectations for the year 2010. Furthermore, it explains the penetration strategies used by the company to gain market share of the consumers of herbal beverages in the market. It is imperative to analyze the product adaptation and modification by using factors such as core components, packaging, and support services etc. to grasp a clear interpretation of the product, which is described with sufficient details in the analysis. The report also focuses on to one of the major components in the marketing the mix, the promotions of the product carried out in France. The overall promotion objectives are explained followed by advertising, sales promotions, personal selling and other promotional tools used by the company to promote Link Samahan among the French consumers. Moreover, it explains the distribution components from origin to destination, which includes port selection, mode selection, packing, important documentations, insurance claims etc. as well as channel of distribution and more importantly the price determination of the product. Finally the terms of sales and method payment used by the company are explained followed by the budget and the financial statement of the entire business plan. Therefore as mentioned above, the crucial factors are highlighted in this report to ensure the success of Link Samahans establishment in the French market. THE MARKETING PLAN MARKET OBJECTIVES Target Market France has been ranked the 19th most populated country in the world, with a population estimate of 64,057,792, as stated in (France Demography, n.d.). It is therefore impractical to target the entire population of the country. The company has taken into consideration factors such as demography and geography when selecting the target market for Link Samahan. Demographically, the variables that were taken into consideration when selecting the target market were age, sex and income status. 65% of Frances population falls within the age group 15-64 years (Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.). Both males and females having a lower-middle to upper level income will be targeted since Link Samahan is an FMCG and is generally affordable to all the income groups mentioned above. Geographically, Paris, Marseilles and Nice are 3 of the most populated and metropolitan cities in France. Collectively in these 3 cities, the total population amounts to approximately 14.6 million (France People, 2006). Therefore, the primary business-to-consumer (B2C) target market for Link Samahan in France is: males females, from lower-middle to upper level income groups, between the ages of 15-64 who are primarily residing in the cities of Paris, Marseilles or Nice. There will also be a business-to-business (B2B) target market which would consist of the most visited retail stores, supermarket chains, hypermarkets and health holiday spas in the sele