Pumpkin Patch Was Established Marketing Essay

Pumpkin Patch Was Established Marketing Essay Pumpkin Patch was established in 1990 as a provider of children wear through mail order. Since then it has expanded into 4 countries. The organization works in apparel industry which has favorable conditions to grow with healthy rate as of 2005 except the demographics which are inclined towards developing countries. The industry is also highly competitive. Pumpkin Patch as a player of this industry has great core competencies like its design capabilities and brand recognition of being a niche player. The organization can further maintain its long term profitability if it can expand its logistics capabilities in developed markets and create brand recognition for itself in emerging economies which will help it in long run. Introduction Pumpkin Patch is an organization which is into business of children wear. Pumpkin Patch was established in 1990 in New Zealand and since then has expanded into other countries including Australia, UK and USA by the end of 2005. The organization has established itself as a brand which is known for great designs, large range, good quality and reasonable price of products. Though Pumpkin Patch is a small player if compared to major established players in the business but these features have helped grow at a high rate for all these years. In order to understand the organization, its functioning and the factors leading to it in a better way, this report will try to analyze its external environment, its internal environment, its current strategy. On the basis of the analysis finally the recommendations will be provided which can help it grow further in future. External Analysis The organization is basically into apparel industry but the organization majorly caters to a specific set of customers (children). Thus on more microscopic level, Pumpkin Patch is a part of children wear industry. The industry has been rapidly growing all these years and thus has been attractive to the players in this industry. It is also important to understand the general environment in which the industry works. The economic conditions in 2005 are pretty good which suggest that the industry will see a healthy demand from the customers in coming years and thus the industry will see observe a healthy growth rate in coming future. The global conditions in 2005 suggest that the globalization is further going to increase in the world which presents a very good opportunity for the players of the industry to expand in new markets and increase their revenue as well as profits. The technological conditions tell that though the conventional retail sales are preferred by the customers, the organizations are moving towards online sale as it is easier to maintain the catalogs and cater to the demands of customers who are in remote locations. From the political and legal conditions it can be seen that the import duties are going down in many countries which are helpful for those players of the industry which are not pr esent in these countries but export their products and thus expand their market (Thomas 2006, pp. 13-14). From demographic point of view, the future of children wear industry is not very bright in developed countries in long term, where the average age of population is higher than the emerging economies and this population is soon going to mature. Thus the industry has more opportunities demographically in emerging economies in long term. To understand the industry environment better it is also important to analyze the forces which operate in the environment. The major suppliers of the industry include the manufacturers of apparels in China, India and other Asian countries which manufacture the products on demand from players like Pumpkin Patch. The suppliers dont have significant clout over the industry players as there are many manufacturers who can provide the same products. Due to presence of large number of such manufacturers and the competition between them, their power is less. The competitors include major brands like GAP and discount stores like Wal-Mart. The competitors have captured a large market share across the world in terms of children wear and have a brand loyal customer base. Due to the sheer size and the brand, the competitors have great power over smaller players. The buyers also have a significant clout over the industry players as they have got a lot of choices from different players. With a lot of brands to choose from, the customers can move to some other brand if they are dissatisfied with the quality, price or designs of the apparels of one player. There are no exact substitutes of children wear, though customers who just buy the apparels for fun and not exactly need them can switch to other stuffs which can entertain children like games, etc. Thus there is no significant power for substitutes in the industry. Potential entrants also have a significant influence on the industry as it is lucrative at present and has healthy profit margins, especially on designer ranges. This means that the industry is attractive for new players to enter and make the environment more competitive. (Freeman McVea 2001, pp. 102-108) There are mainly three types of strategic groups in this industry. In the first group competitors like GAP are present. Players in this group compete on the basis of quality and brand recognition. The second group includes players like Mark Spencers and Wal-Mart which compete on price and discounts. The third group includes players like Pumpkin Patch which compete based on the number of designs, variety and quality of the products. The fourth group includes players like JK which compete based on the variety, design and price. Looking at the analysis on the industry it can be seen that the industry has good opportunities in emerging economies and has substantial threat from the competitive players which will eventually pull down the profit margins of the industry. Internal Analysis Pumpkin Patch has had sufficient resources which has enabled it to reach at the point it has reached till 2005. The organization has about 1700 employees who work for it in various departments including its design, warehousing, marketing and selling. Its resources dedicated to come up with new designs have done great job to create brand awareness among the customers (Reichheld 2006, pp. 5-7). As far as warehousing is concerned, the organization has one warehouse at Auckland which supplies the products to various locations. This has also helped it in reducing its inventory costs and channeling the products more smoothly. But organization lacks in having a proper supply chain abroad where still mostly the orders are sent through mail orders directly from Auckland. Further if the financial statements of the organization are observed, it can be seen that the assets of the organization have been increasing. In 2005, the current assets of the organization which determine the liquidity avai lable at hands stands at NZ$ 72 million while the assets related to property and plant stand at NZ$ 35 million which is tiny as compared to its bigger competitors but tell the story of high growth of the organization since its start. The organization has done justification to the capabilities it had and capabilities it developed in order to achieve the growth. For example, Pumpkin Patch gave special emphasis on designs which are liked by the customers. By combining its own capability to prepare attractive designs with buying other good designs from outside made its designs as its core competency. More over focus on majorly children wear gave the organization edge over the others as the whole potential and energy of the organization was directed towards providing the products for children wear. The analysis and research of the market is another capability which has helped improving the profitability of the organization as through it, it could regularly remove the failed designs and promote the successful designs. Similarly product sourcing from quality manufacturers of Asia was one of the major capabilities as it helped in reducing the cost of the product because of cheap labor cost in Asia. However, cheap product sourcing is not a competitive advantage as it is available to every competitor in the market. Pumpkin Patch also has good quality control in its supply chain where there is continuous monitoring of quality at each and every step. This capability also has helped the organization to build a brand for its products. But this is also not a core competency as other manufacturers like GAP and Benetton are known for equal if not better quality control. The organization also lacks in a more coordinated and smoother logistics as all the products have to be sourced from warehouse at Auckland which increases the time to respond and puts constraints on making use of the opportunities which its expanding customer base at abroad provides (Thompson McHugh 2002, pp. 37-43). Also the retailing capability of the organization is limited to New Zealand and Australia and has no significant presence in its other major markets like US. The value chain of the organization includes primary activities like RD for preparing designs for its new products. This activity adds the maximum value to Pumpkin Patchs products. It also includes product sourcing from manufacturers in Asia. This is also an important step as it helps to keep the product price lower and competitive. The quality control is another value addition which is done within the organization and outside organization as well. Here the products are checked for quality at every step. This also helps in adding value to the product as the lower quality of product can severely damage the brand image of Pumpkin Patch. With the current scale of operations, the next value adding activity of warehousing has provided good value to the organization as it has reduced the losses due to higher inventory (Barroso Galan 2006, pp. 54-56). But with increased scale of operations, this warehousing activity will cause a major constraint for the organization. Retailing is another m ajor value adding activity as the stores give an image of the trendiest children wear providers. Retailing also provides substantial value to Pumpkin Patch as it helps to bring more customers for it and also in increasing its brand recognition as the retail stores are designed and prepared in such a way to communicate the brand of the organization. The organization also has some weaknesses such as limited logistics capability to cater to the demands of customers from northern hemisphere, smaller size and financial power to compete with major brands like GAP and Benetton. Looking at the analysis above it can be said that the organization has strengths in its design capabilities and building brand through retail stores. The weaknesses of the organization include the lack of capable logistics to manage higher growth in northern hemisphere and smaller financial resources to compete in other established markets. The organization has more opportunities in expanding itself in Australia, New Zealand where its brand has good recognition and in emerging economies where there is thin presence of its established competitors. The threat to the organization is majorly due to its limited logistics capabilities because its competitors like JK can eat up its markets if Pumpkin Patch fails to act on it. Current Strategy The strategy currently followed by the organization is of differentiation focus. This means that the organization has a select category of customers to which it caters and also provides a differentiated product to the customers (Hoskisson Hitt 2006, pp. 23-27). In this case Pumpkin Patch is mostly catering to the children and pre-teen customers thus it has a focus approach or niche market. Also the organization is providing a great range of designer products to the customers thus it is also differentiating itself from the competitors on the basis of the varieties and range of designs it offers to its customers. The current strategy has been quite successful up till now when the organization has only expanded itself into selected markets. The success of this strategy comes from the fact that there are many players in the apparel market but only few have a complete focus towards children wear which is an all-weather market and provides great opportunity for profitability. By focusing itself towards this niche market, Pumpkin Patch was able to create a brand image of it which has complete focus towards children wear. On top of that the organizations high range of designs keeps it apart from the other players. Even GAP and Benetton dont have so many varieties of designs when it comes to children wear. Recommendations The organization must look into following recommendations and try to implement them in order to remain a profitable organization even in future. Pumpkin Patch must increase its capacity, especially logistics capacity in US and UK where due to these constraints the organization hasnt been able to establish itself in these markets. These two markets are too large and lucrative to be ignored thus it must try to increase its retail presence here. Even if the organization can capture a small share of market of these markets from GAP, Benetton or Wal-Mart, it will be a huge boost to its current revenues. Pumpkin Patch must also look at the markets in emerging economies like China, South Korea and South Africa where the disposable income is increasing for the people and demographically they will have a large number of their population as children. Thus for maintaining long term profitability the organization must also look at ways for entering these markets. Initially the organization can start with online selling and whole selling in departmental stores selling because that will require the least investment. (Jeannet Hennessey 2001, pp. 20-25) Pumpkin Patch must completely abandon its print catalogs as they consume a lot of resources (finances, time and attention). Anyhow the print catalogs are no more relevant with ever decreasing mail order selling. Instead for mail orders organization can have better and more detailed online catalogs. The customers who cant reach the retail stores can go to website and select the product they want. Conclusion Pumpkin Patch is operating in apparel industry but is mostly catering to children wear market. The industry in 2005 is operating in a good external environment but the demographics suggest that the children wear market will shift towards emerging economies in next few years. The environment also sees fierce competition among various players thus it is important for Pumpkin Patch to maintain and extend its presence by use of its competitive advantage of great range of designs and brand associated with children wear. In order to do that organization must strengthen its presence in countries like UK and US which hold lot of potential for its growth. Also it must try to start catering to customers from emerging economies which will help it in long run.

Dr. James Banks on Multicultural Education Essay -- Education

As we proceed further into the 21st century, multiculturalism becomes more relevant to obtaining a truly global society. Dr. James A. Banks defines the meaning of multicultural education and its potential impact on society when it is truly integrated into American classrooms. In his lecture, Democracy, Diversity and Social Justice: Education in a Global Age, Banks (2006) defines the five dimensions of multicultural education that serve as a guide to school reform when trying to implement multicultural education (Banks 2010). The goal of multicultural education is to encourage students to value their own cultures and the diverse cultures of those around them without politicizing their differences but rather, as Banks passionately explains in his lecture, â€Å"to actualize the ideals stated in the Constitution† (2006) forming â€Å"civil, moral, and just communities.† The first of the five dimensions of multicultural education is content integration. Teachers can identify exemplary people and information from diverse cultures and integrate it in a nontrivial into the curriculum so students can learn the effects of all cultures on the content they are studying. At the beginning of the school year in my Algebra class, I do a brief activity on the history of numbers. The students learn that we currently use the Arabic number system but there were many other number systems that existed in the history of numbers. We explore and try to represent quantities using various number systems such as Roman, Mayan, Chinese, and Egyptian number systems. The students are able to see the contributions made by people of diverse cultures to mathematics. The knowledge construction process, the second dimension of multicultural education, requires t... ... and administrators alike—must unite in a common plan to weave into all aspects of student life the recognition of diverse cultures and social groups. Dr. Banks (2010) explains the latent curriculum being â€Å"defined as the one that no teacher explicitly teaches but that all students learn.† These are the lessons that students remember long after they have left the school system. References Banks, J.A. (2006). Democracy, Diversity and Social Justice: Education in a Global Age. University Faculty Lecturers Podcast. Retrieved May 9, 2012, from http://www.uwtv.org/video/player.aspx?mediaid=1580263790 Banks, J.A., & McGee Banks, C.A. (2010). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives. (7th ed.) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Rothstein-Fisch, C., & Trumbull, E. (2008). Cultures in Harmony. Educational Leadership, 6 (1), 63-66.

Monster Energy Drink Target Audience and Company Objectives Essay

Consumer Behavior Monster Energy Target Market Because the energy drink is still part of a new and developing industry, the energy drink target market is different than in some of the other beverage industries. Monster energy drinks have become a very popular, â€Å"hip† part of society, but the market at which they are aimed is not as wide and expansive, or diverse, as some might think. Early in energy drink history, when they were first being sold in the United States, athletes were the primary consumers. This shows that even initially energy drinks were directed at a select crowd, a group of people with specific interests. Although the consumer base for energy drinks has now expanded beyond that of simply athletes, the target market is still more particular than in other industries. When thinking about the energy drink target market, it is important to consider who is most receptive to the purported effects of the beverages. Although everyone is susceptible to the fatigue of the super-charged, over-worked lifestyle, young people are especially vulnerable to persistent exhaustion and insufficient energy. This group of people, more specifically male teenagers and people in their 20s, are also most likely to believe in the veracity of the energy drinks’ claims. As a result, the majority of energy drinks are developed for and advertised to this younger generation. In addition to focusing on a specific age group, many energy drink companies are even more exclusive in their marketing efforts, gearing their products and advertising to appeal to very specialized groups, such as gamers, extreme sports enthusiasts, and the hip-hop crowd. The effects of this emphasis on such a target market can be seen in the advertising campaigns of the energy drinks. Many of the names of the beverages, such as Monster LoCarb appeal to these specific consumers and the marketing strategies that revolve around sponsoring public events or celebrity endorsements reflect this focus. The design and packaging of many energy drinks also relates to the target market. Although the energy drink industry currently caters to a very specific target market, as it continues to grow and develop, it is likely that marketing efforts and the focus consumer base will be more diverse and expansive. The Monster Energy Drink, distributed by Monster Beverages Co., uses concentrated targeting as a marketing strategy. Strong promotion strategies including product hand-outs by young attractive vendors in powerful trucks blasting music are common ways The Company promotes in cities. The Company also uses Ricky Carmichael, a motocross legend, to endorse their products. 40 foot posters are used to target motocross fans which are a major target market for Monster Beverages Co. (Murr, 2006). Other effective advertisements include using high contrast, recognizable posters in retail stores and high energy, adrenaline rushed TV ads. Advantages of concentrated marketing include concentration of resources, better meeting the needs of the target audience, and strong positioning. Disadvantages include segments being too small or changing, and large competitors such as red bull to more effectively market to niche. According to Rodney Sacks, CEO, the target audience is 18 – 25 year old males (Murr, 2006). This market is focused on a product which offers an energy boost, so any audience that is involved in sports, or high endurance activity is a clear target. The green claw marks resemble adrenaline, power, and testosterone, accompanying its motto, â€Å"unleash the monster within†. High schools and colleges are clear niches for these high energy markets. The demographics for the target market for Monster energy drink are: Major Cities 18-25 year olds Males Athletes/ High endurance activities Income ? middle class According to the 2000 census, there are approximately 10 million males who fall under Sacks’ audience of 18 – 25 year old males. But I believe the target market is expanding to be much wider than that including women and older men. Judging by the effectiveness of free handout promotions in hot locations such as South beach, Florida, I see a target market of males and females ages 12 – 35. According to the census this number is around 80 million (US Census Bureau, 2007). Hansen’s Monster Energy drinks offer giant doses of caffeine and sugar in big black cans adorned with neon-colored claw marks. The scary packaging, plus a bevy of extreme-sports sponsorships, positions Monster as an edgy alternative to Red Bull in the fast-growing, $2 billion a year energy-drink market. Monster’s slogan: Unleash the beast. † Monster has certainly energized Hansen. The company has seen its sales more than double since it introduced the brand in April, 2002. Last year, Hansen earned $20 million on sales of $180 million, up from just $3 million of profits on sales of $80 million in 2001. Sales nearly doubled, while profits quadrupled, in this year’s first quarter. Those results helped Hansen earn the No. 26 spot on BusinessWeek’s annual ranking of Hot Growth Companies. Monster Objectives Hansen has jolted the Monster brand with a dose of guerrilla marketing. Teams of Monster ambassadors† give out samples of the product at concerts, beach parties, and other events. The company also sponsors motocross, surfing, and skateboarding competitions. Hansen representatives in black Monster vans supplement the company’s network of 300 independent distributors by assembling store displays and restocking specially designed racks in convenience store coolers. Hansen now owns an 18% share of the energy-drink category, according to the trade publication _Beverage Digest_. While Red Bull remains the leader with nearly half of the market, Hansen’s energy-drink sales increased 162% last year — more than three times Red Bull’s growth rate. A small subset of consumers is going wild over these drinks,† says Beverage Digest editor and publisher John Sicher. Hansen is really riding a tiger. † It’s a jungle out there, though. Coca-Cola Co. ([**KO**](.. /javascript:%20void%20showTicker(‘KO’)) ) is promoting its new Full Throttle energy drink. PepsiCo Inc. ([**PFE**](../javascript:%20void%20showTicker(‘PFE’)) ) is marketing energy drinks under its SoBe and Mountain Dew brands. And independent entrepreneurs have elbowed their way in with products such as Rockstar and FUZE Mega Energy. Every month we pick up a new product or two,† says George Kalil, who runs an independent bottling company in Tucson. Sacks estimates that the energy-drink category is growing 50% a year and that there’s room in the market for everybody. These are the new soft drinks of the world,† he declares. Sacks and Schlosberg are fending off the attack by diversifying. They’ve launched Joker, an energy drink sold exclusively in Circle K convenience stores, and Rumba, a caffeine-laced juice drink designed to be a morning pick-me-up. And they introduced Monster Assault, which comes in a black-and-gray camouflage can that saysDeclare war on the ordinary! † It’s a slogan that could describe the juiced-up strategy of this formerly sleepy beverage player. It is apparent that Monster has become a major player in the energy beverage market. We hope to be the number one choice of energy drinks among consumers.   

Restoration Of Ecology Free Essay Example, 750 words

ï » ¿Restoration Of Ecology Reflective Paper Introduction The paper focuses on restoration of ecology after the field trips that we attended in Todmorden Mills in Toronto and Riverwood Conservancy, Mississauga. In the trips, the aim was to carry out ecological restoration of the areas that had been earlier degraded. Visit Todmorden Mills In Toronto Todmorden Mills in Toronto, we went to the park to see that activities that had gone through that could have led to degradation and to carry out restoration program. There are several themes that were held in the study to ensure the restoration program was successful. The degradation that occurred in the area was due to the culture that was held by those in the area. In the trip, the theme was to re-establish the link that the culture in the area had with the culture so that there are no more cutting down of trees and hunting of animals. Other themes of the restoration program in Todmorden Mills were to negotiate options for land use and enhancement of healthy economics network. The themes are to ensure that trees are not cut for agricultural or industrial purposes. We will write a custom essay sample on Restoration Of Ecology or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now During the study, there are activities that the class carried out to ensure that practices on restoration are initiated such as great teamwork through planting trees. Planting of trees in the area was to ensure that there are no activities that were accrued out in the area after the trip but was an implementation program to ensure the discussion of planting more trees in the area was implemented. The thinking on how the park can be restored is through strict follow on the policies that are available in forestry so that those offending the policies on protecting the park face charges. Ideas were shared with guidelines that have been used in other parks and parts to ensure there are development and management of ecological restoration projects(Pagiola, 2009). The guidelines were those that describe the procedures that are involved in conducting restoration procedures with accord on the norms of the discipline that was established by the class together with the park management. Each guideline was that stated in terms of a recommendation that leads restoration specialists and management of the project in steps to ensure the restoration ecological pro cess is achieved. The presentation that was made by the class was that with other practices that would enable the park to be free from erosion and other pollutions in the park. Planting of trees is an important process that was learned to be vital in the management of degradation caused by factors that reduce the population of trees in a forest. Planting of trees manages problems such as those caused as a result of fire breaks reducing the number of cutting down trees. Trip to Riverwood Conservancy, Mississauga The trip to Riverwood Conservancy, Mississauga was that with the presentation to the restoration of the forest and brings back the species that were becoming instinct in the area due to degradation. While in Riverwood Conservancy, Mississauga, the staff in the place told the history of Riverwood, the activities that they intended to take as part of the restoration and what they have been doing. There was learning about the ways to differentiate and distinguish species. The distinction was between poison ivy, garlic master, local species and invasive species. After the presentation they made to the class, the class got involved into activities to help with restoration. The class helped with garlic master which was explained to be an invasive species in the wood. Removal of invasive species from the wood is significant in making sure that the growth of certain wood species is affected by the invasive species. From the presentation, it was learned that invasive species are those that a re not native to a given ecosystem but are those that are likely to cause economic, socio-cultural and environmental harm to human health(Pagiola, 2009). It was brought out that the species are brought about as a result of movement of products and people around the world. The species are likely to be introduced to new environments from food, wood and wood products and household goods. The invasive species that have been challenging to management are those introduced to ecosystems to provide economic, environmental and social benefits. The introduction has become challenging to the forest's species and to other ecosystems. The problem has become a serious concern for the environment since most of the trees that are used in agroforestry, desert control, and commercial forestry is mainly alien and not the species of the particular area. In research, it is vital to ensure that the species that are imported serve the purposes that are intended in the area they are introduced and was implemented so that they do not cause negative effects to the ecosystem as it was observed at Riverwood Conservancy, Mississauga. There are still many debates on impacts that are caused by the invasive species, positively and negatively(Pagiola, 2009). In the context of management of forests, the management explained that initiatives have been implemented with most focusing on the damages that are caused to the local forests as a result of the species. Dealing with the species has been a problem of lack of information on the species on the right measures that can be taken to manage them. The lack of information is on a global scale. There is the necessity in sharing information in planning and implementation of any strategy for the management of invasive species. Several reviews are to be carried out on FAO initiatives to deal with the species. Reference Pagiola, S. (2009). The Global Environmental Benefits of Land Degradation Control on Agricultural Land. Washington, D.C. : World Bank.