Thursday, December 26, 2019

Essay About Made In Nigeria Business - 997 Words

A two-day dialogue and sensitisation with stakeholders on the promotion of Made in Nigeria Products by CSOs Coalition for Made in Nigeria Products (CONMAP) in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) was held late June at Edinan Hotel, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The event, facilitated by the NGO Network, a national Not-for Profit entity, was a follow-up to the 2017 National Expo organised by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, held in April at the Eagle Square, Abuja. It was attended by representatives from the Akwa Ibom State Government, Ministerial Staff of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology; other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); Non-State Actors (NSAs) from different†¦show more content†¦Udoh Ekpeyong. There was a keynote address by the Minister, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, represented by the ministry’s Director, Science and Technology Promotion, Mr. Ekanem Udoh, who also declared the Dialogue open. There was also a visit to exhibition sites by the special guests and participants. Dialogue Objectives The objectives of the dialogue include; to strengthen the relationship between the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the fight against unemployment and poverty in Nigeria through the promotion of Made in Nigeria products; to increase CSOs’ voice on the effort on the Made in Nigeria products at all levels of the society; and to highlight the roles of the CSOs, governments and other stakeholders on Step-Down advocacy for Made in Nigeria products. Others include: to identify obstacles to patronage of Made in Nigeria products with a view to proffering solutions; and to complement the Federal Government`s economic recovery and growth plan. Vital Observations After successful deliberations on the subject matter by the participants, the forum observed that lack of patronage to Made in Nigeria Products was the root cause of the wide spread unemployment, poverty and economic crises in Nigeria; that the abundant human and material resources in Nigeria are grosslyShow MoreRelatedThe Viable Alternative of Mobile Payments1387 Words   |  6 Pagestransaction can be reasonably executed. In my home country of Nigeria, it is understood that this market is well established and is thriving. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate that mobile payments is a viable alternative for my groups proposed business site. Nigeria is a third world nation that has struggled socially, economically and intellectually over the period of its existence. New markets however have begun to emerge and Nigeria, perhaps due to long periods of conflict and stunted economicRead MoreSocial, Economic And Environmental Characteristics For Entrepreneurship1170 Words   |  5 PagesLagos. (LINES OF EXPLORATION) Nigeria faces vast inequality with a gini coefficient standing at 48. 8 (United Nations Development Programme, 2013). Lagos is home to the largest slum in the country, which is Ajungle. Nearly thirty kilometers away from the cities largest slum is a landfill where nearly 1000 people live and work. Despite being characterized as scavengers of garbage, they are actually entrepreneurs. These people have created a business from what they find in the dump and howRead MoreI Am Original From A New Canadian Community993 Words   |  4 Pagesconflicts among these attributes as they often contradict each other because two or more of these attributes are required for the daily routines. In this essay, I will be discussing my life and how it relates to my capitalist believes and how I can only achieve them by being a socialized member integrated into my new Canadian community. I’m original from Nigeria, a highly capitalist country, and I was also born into a family of capitalist, I was thought that the only way to true financial success it to beRead MoreImpact of Sales Promotion on Sales Volume, in Unilever (Nig.) Plc1171 Words   |  5 Pagesmarketing. Moreover, several companies began to go beyond conventional practice and used other promotional specialists to improve and implement their market plans. Benefits on Sales Volume in Unilever One of the companies operating in Nigeria is Unilever. The company provides different range of products. In order to gain customer response and large sales volume, the company has been able to use sales promotionm. 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Companies are also facing cultural differences when they enter into different countries. Culture is an important part of human society composing of knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, laws and other habits. 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What will be discussed about Nigeria is how they achieved their development, how they are now currently the African continent’s top economy. â€Å"The discussion that will be in this essay is the theories used after Independence in Nigeria to obtain development. Nigeria is also known for the country’s population growth; population growth has its advantage which has a positive impact onRead MoreColonialism and Its Effect in Nigeria Essay2111 Words   |  9 Pagesvarious economic, social, and cultural activities within the discussion. The Falade †© impact of colonialism – under effective analysis - is divided into social, cultural, political, and ecological assessment topics. Throughout the course of this essay, the various influences of colonialism in the various ecological and political settings of the third world countries are analyzed with the main aim of underscoring the stagnation that is caused because of colonialism and the influence therein. ThereRead MoreFactors Affecting Growth of Film Industry in Africa5242 Words   |  21 Pagesthe trend continued, more African filmmakers began involved and more African themes were incorporated into the films. Since its introduction in the 1960s, the African film industry has faced a number of challenges that are hindering its growth. This essay shall attempt to discuss the challenges that African filmmaker are facing in their attempt to boost the film industry. Among these challenges include: lack of funding, lack of technology, lack of well equipped training facilities, c ensorship, equipment

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Madness A Bipolar life Essay examples - 1755 Words

Fung 1 Jennifer Fung Professor Shal 1211 Section 18 October 13th, 2013 The â€Å"Promethic† Illness Circling a yellow wallpapered room, sticking your head in the oven, running wildly around town in the nude; these are the visions we associate with when the word madness comes to mind. Entering the taboo world of mental illness, stigmatized as the crazy and psychotic by decades of misunderstanding, Marya Hornbacher takes a step towards reversing those damages by telling her own story in a memoir titled Madness: A Bipolar Life, in an attempt to shed some light and insight on the world of manic depression. She details her struggle with the disease that spawned multitudes of problems for her all throughout her life. To examine how she†¦show more content†¦She depicted this through creating coherent sentences with a focus, content wise and structural wise, sentences with less comma splices. For example the author wrote: â€Å"I put myself back in Fung 3 my chair, as if I am a little kid who refuses to eat her peas and is not allowed to leave her place until she finishes every last bite. I take a swig, set the bottle down, and study it as the liquor burns a path down my throat† (124). The sentences are noticeably shorter with no manipulated structure for emphasis, per say contrary to how she portrayed her manic thought. In addition her focus was much more reigned in for she wasnt speeding through unrelated topics and stringing them together into a run on sentence. To speculate, her sentences focused solely on her immediate surroundings, she wrote of sitting in her chair and taking a drink out of her bottle as she described how it felt going down rather than jittering on going up and down, describing the sky, then the land and back again (122). Toying with sentence structure, Marya successfully reproduced the pace of her mental state into her writing. To illuminate how drastic her condition was, the author employed juxtaposition to emphasize the mania. Using a system of extreme contrariety, she effectively exemplified the magnitude of her mental state; the low to dramatize the high. In the previousShow MoreRelatedA Relationship Between Bipolar Disorder and Childhood Sexual Abuse1301 Words   |  6 PagesVirginia Quintana HSM 120 Fall 2, 2013 Research Paper A Relationship between Bipolar Disorder and Childhood Sexual Abuse Ever felt extremely happy one day and terribly depressed the next, as if you were on an emotional roller coaster? How about spontaneously spending $5,000 on a shopping spree that you have no use for? Imagine being so depressed that you want to commit suicide because dinner was not the meal you had in mind. Each of these actions may seem completely farfetched to the averageRead MoreThe Two Personalities of Edgar Allan Poe800 Words   |  4 Pagesliterary world. His stories and poems are known for their gothic style and having the common theme of death. This is certainly seen in his short story â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† It is speculated by many that Poe suffered from the mental illness known as bipolar disorder. In a letter to James Russell Lowell, Poe said, â€Å"I am excessively slothful, and wonderfully industrious — by fits. There are epochs when any kind of mental exercise is torture, and when nothing yields me pleasure but solitary communion withRead More Th e Bipolar Brain and the Creative Mind Essay1434 Words   |  6 PagesThe Bipolar Brain and the Creative Mind Our hospital was famous and had housed many great poets and singers. Did the hospital specialize in poets and singers, or was it that poets and singers specialized in madness? ... What is it about meter and cadence and rhythm that makes their makers mad? (1) The link between madness and creativity is one that has been hotly debated in both medical and literary circles for a long time. The two most common types of mental illness theorized to be anRead MoreEssay about Bipolar Disorder: Illness and Treatment693 Words   |  3 PagesBipolar disorder is characterized by unusual and sudden changes in mood, energy, activity levels affecting the ability to perform everyday tasks, impacting negatively relationships, professional life and often leading to suicide. Bipolar disorder usually show signs in adolescence or early adulthood and is a long term condition that must be appropriately treated in order to improve the life quality of the patient. Often people suffering from bipolar disorder also suffer addiction to drugs and alcoholRead MoreA Shocking Account Of The Mentally Ill1026 Words   |  5 PagesIn 2008, Marya Hornbacher decided to publish a shocking account of her battle with bipolar disorder. It is not a romantic, happy-ending story. It is the real life account of what many people with bipolar struggle with every day. Unlike many people, Hornbacher had her family by her side every step of the way. Throughout the book she reaches dark and dreary places that no one wants to live though, let alone read about. However she always emerges on the other side with the help of her family. This bookRead MoreKay Redfield Jamison s Life1096 Words   |  5 Pagesspecializes in mood disorders. In a very literal sense of the word, she is at the forefront of bipolar disorder. After leaving California, she contributed to the world of psychology in terms of her works as an author. Her writings focus on mood disorders, as well as suicidal and mental illnesses. Most specifically, her book, An Unquiet Mind: Memoir of Moods and Madness is a published best seller which focuses on bipolar disorder. Another published best seller Night Falls Fast looks at the relationship betweenRead MoreSchizophrenia And The Middle Of Creativity And Psychopathology2032 Words   |  9 PagesThe out-of-date issue of genius and madness has incited long standing open and clinical hobby among researchers. In spite of the fact that amiableness has different parts than creativity (e.g., insight) and is established in a social setting, it is hard to envision an uncreative genius. Creativity comprising of both oddities and effect is subsequently key for agreeableness (Cropley, 2010). The thought of a relationship in the middle of creativity and mental sick well-being has mostly been main tainedRead MoreThe Issue Of Genius And Madness3127 Words   |  13 Pages The wethered issue of genius and madness has induced a long blank and a clinical hobby among researchers. Although amiableness has a different meaning than creativity when established in a social environment, it is difficult to imagine a non-creative genius (Fink et al 1-10). creativity of two oddities and the result is the key to pleasantness (Cropley 2-14). The thought of a relationship amid creativity and prosperity of mentally diseased has mostly been maintained with rare stories of incredibleRead MoreHamlet : The Real Villain1406 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet’s uncle, Claudius, soon after the funeral. When the ghost of Hamlet’s father comes to Hamlet while roaming the castle grounds, telling him he was murdered by Claudius, Hamlet vows to use madness as a weapon to exact revenge upon Claudius and his mother. However, the idea that Hamlet descends into madness throughout the play is extremely debatable, as some of his actions have no logically beneficial explanation. In Hamlet Shakespeare describes a fictional world filled with spies, murder, and revengeRead MoreBipolar Disorder in Hamlet896 Words   |  4 PagesSara Koziol Ms. Samsa AP Literature and Composition 9 May 2016 Bipolar Disorder in Hamlet There are several reasons why one would suspect Prince Hamlet to have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder has five classifications, including: bipolar I, bipolar II, rapid cycling, mixed bipolar, and cyclothymia. It causes mood swings, severe depression, extreme feelings, and/or confusion. Hamlet, said to be about twenty years old, has been through so much more than the typical twenty year old has. In

Monday, December 9, 2019

EDGAR ALLAN POE AND BREAST CANCER Essay Example For Students

EDGAR ALLAN POE AND BREAST CANCER Essay Dealing with such a frightful disease like breast cancer can be very painful, being the love one of that unfortunate person can be just as painful. Edgar Allan Poe is an author best known for his tragic poetry and heart-wrenching tales of mystery. His past indicates that it had a huge impact on his life, contributing to his insanity. The enormous amount of tragedy that has surrounded Edgar Allan Poe, all his life, makes him a great candidate for writing a common love story struck by all the agonies of sudden death. With the loss of someone special in your life often comes that irreplaceable void, when losing them to a long-suffering battle like breast cancer, many tend to mourn uncontrollably which is normal. Breast cancer is a frightening disease. It can be fatal and while two thirds of the cases among mature women. It also strikes younger females and nine thousand males each year ( Landau 13). Many believe that cancer patients are the strongest persons alive, the loved ones try to be strong for them but eventually ends up losing there way. In this day and age Cancer has started become an epidemic. Doctors have diagnosed hundreds of different types of cancer which can strike at anytime. Soon everyone will suffer or will have suffered from this social problem. Cancer is a general term used to indicate more than 100 separate diseases, but all marked by the common characterists of abnormal cell growth regulating mechanisms ( Rodgers 14). Fortunately, with the advance in technology growing every day, many cancer diagnoses can be regulated or even cured with simple surgery. Tragedy and pain are two things known all too well by poet Edgar Allan Poe. While hed never suffered from any disease before he did from the severe feeling of loss. Edgar Allan Poe as a young man at the age of twenty- seven, he married his cousin Virginia Clemm in 1836, she was only thirteen years old ( Zachary 49). Eliza Arnold Hopkins was a skilled actress who charmed theater audiences throughout the eastern United States. Sadly , she died at the age of twenty-four and left her son Edgar an orphan (Ibid 10). In his lifetime Edgar Allan Poe lost almost all the women in his, from his Mother, Eliza Arnold Hopkins Poe, to his wife, Virginia Clemm Poe, who both died of tuberculosis. These events were thought to be the source of his pain. Poes ongoing emotional distress and self anguish might have contributed to his well known disturbing love stories such as Annabel Lee and The Brides Song or his mysterious short stories like The Tell-Tale Heart and The Black Cat . Edgar was quite the hopeless romantic showering his wife, Virginia, with loving gifts that he could afford but Poe had a notable different side to his personality believed to be his subconscious, where he kept all his dreadful thoughts and feelings. Only to have them resurface on paper through his creative writing. His atrocious personal beliefs of humans tortured, mamed and killed was a sign that Poe was experiencing huge amounts of pain in his inner core. The mystery behind telling a good tragic love story is to make the reader feel as though they are apart of the story, whether they are that charming prince falling in love with the radiant maiden or vice versa. Edgar Allan Poe is one of the few Tragic Poets who are qualified for this, but because of Poes past he could create a better story line. Stress, a bodily or mental reaction to demanding situations disrupts the operations of both the endocrine and the immune system. Some believe this has an impact on the occurrence of cancer ( Rodgers 16). .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 , .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .postImageUrl , .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 , .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446:hover , .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446:visited , .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446:active { border:0!important; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446:active , .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446 .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4a34311bc14a342a86a52d415f529446:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Why Should We Remember The Holocaust Essay Breast cancer is such a sensitive subject because of the simple fact that it is one of the two parts most sacred to women so to see that it is not in the least bit safe is psychologically discomforting. Whether or not Edgar Allan Poe take on a love story about breast cancer will make people more aware of it is unclear but it defiantly should make .

Monday, December 2, 2019

Marketing Approaches of Nike and Li-Ning Essay Example

Marketing Approaches of Nike and Li-Ning Paper Introduction  Nike Target Market Mature marketing approaches bring companies considerable fortune, especially in such a competitive market. Therefore, marketing people play an essential role in planning, decision-making, market segmenting, targeting, pricing and positioning. In the following report, it will explore the marketing theory and practice of two products of two famous companies, the world’s largest sports goods company Nike and China’s popular sports brand Li-Ning. This report focuses on Nike’s basketball shoes and Li-Ning’s running shoes. Industry background 2008 Olympic Games took place in Beijing last month, meanwhile, the Olympic spirit is broadcasting everywhere across the world. Increasingly individuals attend sports activities in order to keep healthy. As a result, the sports product industry has developed rapidly over the last two decades. Besides Nike and Li-Ning, there are many competitors such as Reebok, Adidas, Fila and Converse. These companies are the dominant leaders in the marketplace and lead this industry. The sports goods industry expecially footwear manufacturing, is currently experiencing intensive competition. Nike is one of the industry leaders, â€Å"with a 47% market share, followed by Reebok with a figure at 16%, and Adidas at 6%† (Hays, 2000, P. 31). Li-Ning Company Limited is one of the leading sports brand enterprises in the PRC which is one of the most popular sports brand in the world. â€Å"It has covered more than 90% market share of the world’s largest market—China, almost every thirty seconds Li-Ning running shoes will be sold† (Hays, 2000, P. 35). We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Approaches of Nike and Li-Ning specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Approaches of Nike and Li-Ning specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Approaches of Nike and Li-Ning specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This category of running shoes is facing decreasing demand because there is the rising popularity of alternative footwear, resulting in more pressure than ever before to achieve high profit through effective global sourcing practices. Company background Nike company Nike, Inc. is the worlds leading sports and fitness company, â€Å"with 2000 sales of $9 billion. † The company has made a strong commitment to sustainability in both word and deed over the past several years. Three core values of the company are â€Å"honesty, competitiveness, and teamwork†. Despite its size, Nike operates with a minimum of hierarchy. As a result, there is a lot of collaboration and consensus decision-making. Commonly held values are imperative in such a matrix organization. (Nike Official, 2008). Nike has a strong ability of Research and Development, its new style is always fashionable in appearance and professional in function, for example, Nike dunks, Jordan shoes, Nike air force one. Nike has been manufacturing around the Asian region for over twenty-five years and there are over 500,000 people today who participate in the production of their products directly. Li-Ning company As described on Li-Ning company’s website (2008), LI-Ning Company Ltd. was founded in Guangdong Province in 1990 by LI-Ning who was a Chinese Olympic gymnast. It is one of the leading sports brand enterprises in the PRC. It has its own branding, research and development, design, manufacturing, distribution and retail capabilities. Li-Nings logo design is based on its own initial letters L and N. The Groups products include sports footwear, apparel and accessories for sport and leisure use which are primarily sold under its own Li-Ning brand (Li-Ning Company, 2008). The products of Li Ning sports goods continue to be more popular in China than those of foreign competitors. Strategic marketing and planning Most marketing organizations operate according to formal plans. Pride, Thiele, Waller, Elliott, Paladino Ferrell, (2007) claim that strategic planning is the process of establishing an organizational mission and formulating goals, corporate strategy, marketing objectives, marketing strategy and a marketing plan. Based on Nike Official (2008), the mission of Nike is to be a company that better than all others in the sports footwear industry. They hope to maintain their position by providing high quality and new fashion comfortable footwear to consumers of all ages and lifestyles. They promise to make their products easily available worldwide through the use of retail outlets and their company web site. Nike’s management believes that their success lies in the hands of our teammates, customers, shareholders and the communities in which they operate. Meanwhile, the vision of Nike is to remain the leader in the industry. They continue to produce quality products that they have provided in the past and meet the ever-changing needs of their customers, through product innovation. In comparison, the primary objective of Li-Ning is to increase its overall market share â€Å"from the current 17% to 20% in 3 years time† and defend its first place in China sportswear market against strong competition (Li-Ning Company). To achieve this goal, Li-Ning has to improve the customers’ brand recognition, rationalize market segments and the mission of Li-Ning is through sports, they â€Å"inspire people’s desire and power to make breakthroughs. † The vision is to be the worlds leading brand in the sports goods industry. Macroenvironmental factors The organization and its suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customers, competitors and publics all operate in a large macroenvironment of forces that shape opportunities and pose threats to the organization†. The macroenvironment consists of six major forces, they are â€Å"demographic forces, economic forces, natural forces, technological forces, political forces, cultural forces† (Kolter, et al, 2006, P. 81). Demographic environment Assessing the demographic environment entails observing and monitoring population trends. The demographic profile includes the size, age, density, location, sex, race, occupation and other statistics of the population (Shank, 1999). The changing age structure of the population is one of the important aspects. Figure 1 shows a diagram in which the ages and sexes for the Chinese population structure. As can be seen from the diagram, there is a large population at the age of 10-50 years old. (U. S. Census Bureau, International Date Base, 2001). The movement of population is also a problem that both of these two companies should consider. Economic environment The economic environment is another uncontrollable factor for sports marketers to consider. â€Å"The purchasing power depends on the income condition and the consumer spending patterns† (Shank, 1999, P. 78). As figure 1. 2 showed that, the world’ s economy has grown rapidly in the past twenty years, as a result, people’s living standard and income have increased as well. However, consumers’ spending patterns are more varied. That means the consumers have different need and tastes. These factors can be a threat to sports shoes companies. Cultural and social trends Cultural and social trends also influence the market of sports products. Nowadays sports and youthfulness are symbolic of many people’s core values. More and more people pay attention to sports activities (figure 1. 3). Sports activity seems to be growing in popularity as a result of the renewed emphasis on family values. As a result of this the market of sports wear becomes larger and larger, at the same time the sale of running shoes is increasing quickly (Li-Ning Company). Microenvironmental factors The micro environment consists of the forces close to the organization that affects its ability to serve its customers—the organization, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customer markets competitors and various publics. † (Kolter, et al, 2006, P. 78) Suppliers The suppliers are an important link in the organisation’s overall customer ‘value delivery system’, they provide the resources needed by the organsiation to produce its goods and service. Nike and Li-Ning both chose developing countries the biggest supplier market because of the lower cost and huge amount of resources. As a company that wants to earn more profit, Nike reduces its costs as it also has some supplier market in South Africa where there is one of the cheapest labors force in the world. But at the same time Nike also is surrounded by some ethical issues. Competitors Competitor is one of the micro-environment factors need to consider. Davidson, Simon Gottschalk, Hunt, Wood and Griffin (2006) say that an organization that wants to be successful must have 3 distinct characteristics: They are of value to the customer They are better than that of the majority of other competitors They are difficult to imitate or replicate Nike and Li Ning have the same competitors such as Reebok, Adidas, Fila, Converse, and New Balance. All of them are playing an important part in the sports world. Kotler, et al(2006) define marketing intermediaries help company to promote, sell and distribute its products to final buyers. They include resellers, physical distribution firms, marketing service agencies and financial intermediaries. Nike maintains more than 100 countries targeting its primary market regions: United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. Furthermore, the public force expecially government policy is another component of microenvironment factors. Some policies are protecting domestic market such as Chinese government has made some policy to encourage Li-Ning which is Chinese brand. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is a very useful and popular planning tools that product manager use to determine the situation of the product. Pride, Sellit, Rundle-Thiele, Waller, Paladino and Ferrell (2006, p. 34) describe a SWOT analysis can assist with the marketing planning process by addressing issues that need to be considered in the creating of the marketing plan. By recognizing an organization’s strengths and weaknesses, it is possible to match capabilities with external opportunities and threats and develop strategic to assist the organization to compete effectively in the market place. Market segmentation Market segmentation is dividing the while market into direct groups of buyers who might require separate products or marketing mixes, and also it’s the process of analysis is customers into groups depend on their different needs, behavior or characteristics. (Kotler et al. 2006,P231). Geographical segmentation Demographic segmentation Psychographic segmentation Behavioral segmentation The importance of market segmentation results from the fact that the buyers of a product or service are no homogenous group. Actually, every buyer has individual needs, preferences, resources and behaviors. Since it is virtually impossible to cater for every customers individual characteristics, marketers group customers to market segments by variables they have in common. These common characteristics allow developing a standardized marketing mix for all customers in this segment. For basketball shoes the most important factor should be considered is the demographic segmentation. Shilbury, Quick and Westerbeek (2003 P. 66) believe that â€Å"most important demographic determinants being gender, age, religion, income, occupation, level of education, marital status, geography, and stage in the family life cycle†. Although all demographic variables are important, the age and life cycle, gender and income have the greatest impact on sport consumption. Base on the age and life cycle and gender factors Nike divide their basketball shoes into a few different groups such as 15-24 years old children and 24 years old male and female. The main market is the group at age of 15-24. Li-Ning also uses the same way to divide its running shoes market. Income can divide market into a few different groups, Nike focus on the middle and above middle class meanwhile, Li-Ning focus on the middle. Psychographic segmentation dividing a market into groups based on social class, lifestyle or personality characteristic (Kotler, Adam, Brown, Armstrong). Socioeconomic classes have a strong effect on performance in clothing. people’s economic situation will affect product choice, it will have a strong influence on people consider buying an expensive new basketball shoes or running shoes or buy cheaper one or do not buy it. Because of this Nike and Li Ning usually set up their shop in big city or some rich town. Behavioral segmentation dividing a market into groups based on consumers’ knowledge of, attitude towards, uses for and responses to a product. In order to creative high loyalty both Nike and Li-Ning set some VIP card for their high loyalty consumers that offer some special discount and service. Target markets Trying to sell to everyone can be wasteful, as not everyone would demand. Targeting offers the possibility of reducing waste and maximizing market response. â€Å"Target market is a specific group of customers on whom an organization focuses its marketing efforts† (Pride, Thiele, Waller, Elliott, Paladino, Ferrell, 2007). The selection of the appropriate target market follows the process of segmentation. Because of its main target market is young people, Nikes primary starting point for expanding the market will select the youth. Also the consumers on the market have personality characteristics such as love sports, strong sense of revered hero and sports stars, lively thinking and imagination. Meanwhile, Li-Ning concentrates on its domestic market which proves efficiently. Because China has the largest population across the world different nations have different tastes. Moreover, Li-Ning is China’s own brand that protect by Chinese government and consumers. Targeting Strategy A number of strategies can help guide a manager’s choice of target markets. â€Å"Three of the more common of these are mass-market, niche-market, and growth-market strategies†(Walker, Boyd, 1999, P187). The marketing organization can adopt one of three market-coverage strategies: â€Å"undifferentiated marketing differentiated marketing or concentrated marketing† (Keith, 2000, PP398-399). Both Nike and Li-Ning use differentiated marketing strategy, because basketball shoes and running shoes can vary in design, both of these two products are in the mature stage f product life cycle, for basketball shoes and running shoes market their customers’ needs are different. These factors above are all suitable for they to use differentiated marketing strategy, but at the same time their main competitors also use the same strategy that will bring some challenges for Nike and Li Ning. Positioning Strategy Marketers can follow several positioning strategies. They can position their product on specific product attributes, usage occasions as well or the need they fill or the benefits they offer. â€Å"A product can also be positioned directly against a competitor. Finally, the product can be positioned for different product classes†(Kotler, et al. 2006,P234). There are a few way of positioning, in the book principles of marketing Kotler, et al. (2006, p234) write that â€Å"Company can position products on specific product attributes, products can be positioned on the needs they fill or the benefits they offer, products can be positioned on the certain classes of users, a product can also be positioned directly against a competitor, finally the product can be positioned for different product class†. Choosing and implementing a positioning should identify a positional direction. â€Å"The positioning task consists of three steps: identifying a set of possible competitive advantages on which to build a position; selecting the right competitive advantages; and effectively communicating and delivering the chosen position to the market† (Kolter, et al. 2006, P235) Compare with other basketball companies Nike’s competitive advantage is the high brand reputation, good design and advanced technology. So Nike’s positioning strategy mixed by all these strategies has been outlined above and it is dominated by the strategy position the product for certain classes of users and specific product attributes. Li-Ning’s competitive advantage is the cheaper price and good quality, it also use all of the five strategies, but it is dominated by the approach of positioned on the benefits they offer. Conclusion In conclusion, for Nike and Li Ning to gain a successful market in the sportswear world is not so simple. There are so many factors they should consider, such as the macroenvironmental and microenvironmental forces. It is a good choice to work out a wonderful SWOT analysis in order to assist in building a smart strategic marketing and planning. Identify the market segments and then chose the right target market, then implement suitable targeting and positioning strategy are also the essential steps for Nike and Li Ning. Recommendations Nike and Li-Ning have already done some good efforts of these a few aspects, but for long time successful there are more they need to do. From this report it is easy to find there are still some drawbacks in Nike and Li-Ning. Nike as a ‘big brother’ in the sports good market also face some ethic issues that may deduct the reputation of its brand, such as the issue of using cheaper labor force. In the sensitive circumstance in nowadays Nike should try to avoid this debate issue. Nike also should abroad its target market to achieve more market share. Li-Ning as a leader of Chinese sports goods company, it also need to explore more new products to gain a bigger market scale and develop new technology in order to catch up with the fast development of the world. References Blois, K. , (2000), The Oxford textbook of marketing, New York:Oxford University Press Davidson, P. , Simon, A. , Gottdchalk, L. , Hunt, J. , Wood, G. Griffin, R. W. 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