Strengths and Drawbacks of Participant Observation free essay sample

A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of participant observation in research. This paper presents a detailed examination of the methodological strengths and drawbacks of participation observation. The writer uses examples to introduce the link between ethnography and participant observation. In addition, several practical issues including gaining access to and being accepted by the group are highlighted. Many of the things we now know about life were derived from research that was done to discover the answers. The things we like, the products we purchase, the way therapy is handled, and thousands of other decisions are made in part because research determined what would be best or what we want most. Research is the cornerstone of civilized society and there are many approaches that can be used.

Advanced technologies Essays

Advanced technologies Essays Advanced technologies Essay Advanced technologies Essay It was already mentioned that acquisition program made Wimm Bill Dann a vertically integrated company, which controlled the full production cycle. Thus, it made the company virtually invulnerable to any kind of changes on the market. With all power in hand and pioneering technologies, Wimm Bill Dann became a strong and powerful market player. Yet, all the changes that Wimm Bill Dann undertook made the sector attractive to competitors. That’s exactly why campina, Ehrman, Danone and Parmalat appeared. However, it’s necessary to say that with all the acquisition that Wimm Bill Dann made, for those companies-competitors it had become a required condition as well to ensure reliable supply in order to stay flexible and react quickly to any market changes. In the past, the sector had been fractured – some plants produced milk, other entrepreneurs distribute it, the third ones sold etc. WBD changed the structure of the industry making the necessary condition to have reliable supply. Thus, it is possible to say that WBD’s acquisition program made it more difficult for potential newcomers to enter the market. The entrance barriers became high, though the sector had become very attractive. The contemporary trends in marketing environment demand complete flexibility of the companies, i. e. an ability to react quickly to different market changes. This condition is especially relevant to Russia, where political and economic environment are very hard to predict. When Wimm Bill Dann entered the market, the personal income of the customers was very low. It was necessary for WBD to make its products cheaper so that Russian consumers could buy. Nowadays, the personal income of people had substantially increased, as did the demands. The consumption partners are different as well. At the moment, people prefer to pay more but to buy quality products. The quality can be ensured only by strong brand. Thus, brand loyalty had become the necessary condition of success. Companies spend millions of dollars to make their brands recognizable, to ensure brand’s awareness and therefore to ensure stable market position for their customers. It is not a secret, that it is cheaper to retain the existing customer than to get a new one. Yet, it is also important to say that strong brand can be built only when company focuses as much effort as possible on this given product. Therefore, specialization nowadays is becoming more and more important in order to achieve market success. Considering this factor, Wimm Bill Dann’s strategy of diversification doesn’t appear to remain sustainable. Wimm Bill Dann nowadays is associated to the larger extent with diary products, in lesser extent with juice, but not with mineral water, beer in may be something else in future. Thus, it is reasonable that the company focuses all its efforts in pursuing brand loyalty in its diary segment. According to Boston Consulting Group matrix, portfolio of every company might be composed of four main category of products: Stars – have big market share, which quickly rises; Cows – have big market share, which remain stable; Questions – their market share is small, but it also quickly rises. With adequate financial support, questions can either turn into cows or stars; Dogs – their market share is small and it doesn’t enlarge. Companies have to get rid of dogs in order to save money and invest it in other perspective products. Thus, diary product is cows for Wimm Bill Dann, as they generate the largest profit for the company and have the best potential for growth. Juices can be considered stars. They need adequate promotional campaign in order to compete with foreign producers. In such a way, it is important to notice that Wimm Bill Dann’s strategy of diversification had done well for the company in the past contributing to fast growth and adequate response to changing market conditions. Yet, nowadays with growing competition and the wide variety of different products, it is very easy for the customer to get lost. That is why strong brand building is recommended to serve as a guide for the customer and to differentiate the products of the given company from the products of the rest of the companies. With this regard brand extension doesn’t seem to be a relevant approach, since people tend to associate the company with certain type of a product. Thus, if the customers think that Wimm Bill Dann does diaries the best, they wouldn’t think so with regard to beer or any other product. That is why, brand extension can even create a threat for the company’s core competence products – diaries and juices. In such a way, specialization rather than diversification strategy seems more relevant and more useful. 2. What made Wimm Bill Dann a potentially attractive takeover target? Wimm Bill Dann is a pioneer company on the post soviet Russian market. It is the first company to use advanced technologies of packaging and product preservation, thus making the products look better and serve longer. It is also the first Russian company to use active marketing campaigns in order to create strong demand for its products and form strong customer loyalty. Moreover, Wimm Bill Dann is a vertically integrated company that doesn’t depend on suppliers. This provides additional competitive advantage and ensures company’s success. Thus, the most relevant competitive advantage of the company are: wide distribution network, which ensures availability of WBD’s products; Advanced technologies; full production cycle; strong brands. All thses factors make the company, as it was already mentioned, virtually invulnerable to any kind of market changes. The company is able to adapt quickly to any external changes, which makes Wimm Bill Dann very attractive as a potential takeover target. Moreover, Wimm Bill Dann extended its operations to foreign markets as well, thus it has excellent opportunities for growth. Being number one national producer in Russia, Wimm Bill Dann set high entrance barriers for newcomers and is able now to dictate own conditions on the market. Yet, what makes the company especially attractive target is its powerful brand equity. Wimm Bill Dann’s brand is what adds the most value to the company. WBD is one of the most expensive brands in Russia, which has great potential of becoming one of the most expensive brand in Europe and Asia. References 1. Brown S. (2000) â€Å"Imagining Marketing: Art, aesthetics and the avant-garde† Routledge, London 2. Debrah Y. (2002) â€Å"Globalization, Employment and the Workplace† Routledge, London 3. Cassing J. (1998) â€Å"Capital, Technology and Labor in the New Global Economy† American Enterprise Institute, Washington DC

(Dear #2996) Essay in Philosophy class Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

(Dear #2996) in Philosophy class - Essay Example This short paper focuses for the main part on the subject of God in addition to the soul, rebirth and the more mundane affair of marriage. We also discuss points that would help to explain this situation that is peculiar to the Buddhist religion. In relation to mundane life, the noble Buddha did not delve extensively on the topic of marriage for example, so no rules were laid down dealing with married life although he did give some basic advice to ensure that people would lead happily married lives. Similarly, there are no direct references to related issues such as divorce or birth control. Nonetheless, worldly concerns were addressed but the focus was on liberation from suffering in this world and general guidance on how to live a good life. The most notable absences however, that one would expect to have been talked about by the founder of a religion, are the subjects of God and soul. A common fallacy is that buddhists deny the existence of both. Some would differ saying that by not proclaiming the existence of God, the noble Buddha in effect denied the existence of God, but even with this position, they cannot claim this with certainty for the very reason that no clear statement was made accepting the existence of God. At the same time, we could also argue that God does exist because there are sufficient records of noble Buddha discussing God in the Buddhist scriptures. In regard to the soul, the position of Buddhism is similar to Islam wherein God responded to a question concerning the soul; that people have only been given a little knowledge. The noble Buddha however was more strict in ensuring that his teachings were kept simple, and he did not intend to cause any confusion. In actual fact, the noble Buddha neither categorically denied God or the soul, nor did he affirm their existence. What the noble Buddha discouraged was speculating on such subjects on which one does not have proper knowledge. The noble Buddhas position was to either remain