Digital Music Case Study Media Essay

Digital Music Case Study Media EssayThe industry condition that conduct to the revolution in audio distribution was the transformation of music from conventional songs and albums to untried digitally scripted formats. The MP3 format non only provided the representation to reposition more songs in a given media by reducing the size of each song but it also enabled digital music players to play these songs with comparatively high levels of clarity. The new format also enabled the songs to be downloaded and played on personal computers. Another aspect of the revolution in digital music was the baron of the software to convert existing CDs to the new MP3 format. On a broader scale, the industry condition witnessed the advent of media sharing applications which enabled the users to freely share as well as distribute songs in MP3 format with users who possessed the same file sharing application. Napster was the most popular among such media file sharing applications (Protecting Inno vation The Digitial Music scattering alteration ).The stakeholder who would be benefitted the most from this digital revolution would be the consumers of the music, especially those who have a personal computer as well as an approach shot to the internet. With the increased feasibility of sharing media files in the new MP3 format had increased the possibility of users with respect to the acquisition of freely available media files (Protecting Innovation The Digitial Music distribution Revolution ).Question 2Why did the music stores take a crapd by the record labels fail to attract many subscribers? What, if anything, should the record labels have done differently? resultant roleThe music stores created by the record labels fail to attract many subscribers due to their utilization of proprietary file formats. These file formats meant that the songs would have limited playability in damage of the music playing devices. It also drastically limited the digital rights servement sch emes and this was further subjected to limited offering of media selection. However the unrestricted peer to peer operate such as Napster, Gnutella and Kaazaa provided a large selection of free media in the new format which did not incur costs that were commonly incident on media obtained from authorized stores. It is this feature of the unrestricted media sharing applications which led to the music stores created by record labels being rendered as ineffective (Protecting Innovation The Digitial Music Distribution Revolution ).The record labels should have at least considered the option of changing the format of their offered media to MP3 format in keeping with the current environmental trends and consumer preferences. This would have enabled the record labels to manage the competition by free sharing apps to some extent by providing the popular media format to the consumers (Protecting Innovation The Digitial Music Distribution Revolution ).Question 3What will determine how long t he triumph of the iPod and iTunes endures? Should Apple allow its iPods to play non-iTunes songs? Should Apple allow iTunes songs to play on non-iPod MP3 players? make outThe factors which would determine the higher rank of the success of the iPod and iTunes pertain fundamentally to the appeal of the product / service offerings of Apple. One of the main factors is the coolness of the products which has been successful in appealing to the younger faction of the target segment. comely emphasis also needs to be maintained on the smart strategies adopted by Apple which has been instrumental in developing strong relationships with the record labels. These record labels had accurately identified the cool factor of Apples products and were able to foresee viable prospects if an association were to be established with it. Other factors which would contribute to the determination of the longevity of the success of the iPod and iTunes would relate to the use of widely adopted and popular m edia formats, competitive set of the media products (purchase as well as downloads) and the possibility of licensing agreements with the record labels by means of which a comprehensive solution could be provided wherein a one-stop music shopping portal would be offered to the consumers (Protecting Innovation The Digitial Music Distribution Revolution ).Apple shortly permits the playing of non-iTunes songs on its iPod. The restriction in this regard is experienced when the users burn music to blank CDs. In this case the non iTunes songs would not be written on the storage media due to restrictions imposed by Apple with respect to non-iTunes songs. Apple should permit iTunes songs to be played on non iTunes compatible MP3 devices. Currently the imposition of this finish would not hold much relevance as Apple has already achieved 73% of the MP3 players market share due to the relaxation in the restrictions which were imposed on the playability of the media formats (Protecting Innovat ion The Digitial Music Distribution Revolution ).Question 4Why would musicians brand away their copyright privileges to their songs through Creative Commons?AnswerMusicians sign away their copyright privileges to their songs through Creative Commons due to the varying classs of openness which would have an impact on the extent of sharing of media undertaken by the consumers. This degree of openness has been deemed as highly successful for the file sharing applications and the same could be utilized by the musicians for promoting that their music was ready and available for downloading. A significant aspect of this approach is that musicians have been enabled to promote their music for downloading without bearing any risk of infringement lawsuits that would otherwise have been imposed by record labels in such situations (Protecting Innovation The Digitial Music Distribution Revolution ).Question 5How is podcasting likely to impact the appropriability of recorded music, radio broad casting, or other types of audio transmissions?AnswerPodcasts are likely to impact the appropriability of recorded music, broadcasting and other types of audio transmission in terms of the creation rights of such media. Users can freely create and develop the podcasts and share the same with users on the internet. The boundaries of recording have been removed with the possibility of sharing free MP3 media on the net without the presence of restrictions and barriers. The musicians who utilize this mode do not approach music labels for obtaining the legal rights to their compositions. Users of such applications have no labels but they are able to generate the require popularity levels in the public. This would straight off result in the incurrence of heavy loss to the record labels and would in fact pose a threat to the already existing music productions which have been authentic by them. The trend in this regard has already commenced though in its infancy stages, and has gained po pularity especially with music bands. An apt example of this the initiatives of the famous rock band, Motorhead which had released its new album with download permission being provided to the users. Some of the features of their offering wereThe songs were provided in the currently popular MP3 format and this was beneficial for appealing to the consumers preferences.Moreover the standard pricing for albums ($.99 a song) was not imposed on the songs. The band had provisioned that the consumers would be permitted to pay whatever amount that they felt to be nominal in their opinion.The band had not used any record label for distributing this release, but still they managed to get the required reach as desired for their songs.The above features exhibit the manner in which podcasting has affected and will continue to influence the appropriability of recorded music, broadcasting and other types of audio transmission (Protecting Innovation The Digitial Music Distribution Revolution ).

Louis Vuitton Commercial Analysis

Louis Vuitton Commercial AnalysisThe Louis Vuitton mercenary describes a wide wave of visuals from India, China and France (Duncan 2008) that fuck offs the real essence of travel and the journey by dint of life while trying to simultaneously explore the true meaning of the word journey. The visuals ar backed by textual messages aimed at resultant roleing What is a Journey? (Paris 2008) against a soulful melodyal score. The commercial in itself seeks to sell the Louis Vuitton brand across 13 nations rather than a particular collection (Duncan 2008). The fact that only the monogram is shown in the advertisement bears testimony to the same. With regard to the target audience, the commercial targets all both-year-old loers of opulence and travel in particular and hunchrs of life in general. or so of the travelers in the video atomic number 18 young people although the local crowd is do up of people of all ages. The commercial sought to capture beautiful moments that trave l with one and only(a) beyond physical journey. The goal was to connect Louis Vuittons brand vexation in assisting its clients to achieve true pleasure and luxury during journeys in particular and across life in general in accordance with brand determine of luxury and travel. The advertisement is 90 seconds in direction to allow it to convey the true and rich essence of travel as a process of both discovery and self-discovery as per the head of communications at Louis Vuitton, Antoine Arnault (Brent 2008). through a combination of visuals, medicational score and subtitles, the video effectively communicates the same and reveals the brands hotness for providing luxury to its customers as they journey through life.The Journey commercial by Louis Vuitton relies on the use of numerous visual proficiencys including slow motion, special effects, selective focus through telephoto lenses, blurring, silhouetting, lens flare and superimposition. The commercial is a visual marvel created by Bruno Aveillan (Duncan 2008). According to the Louis Vuitton press release the advertisement captures those quintessential travel moments where our dispositions and sense of awe are surpassed by the absolute sweetie of a place, of a moment (Duncan 2008). The same is essentially true of to the highest degree visuals in the commercial. The visuals endeavor to hassle a sense of awe and a sense of serenity in the viewer through depiction of the passion and art of travel (Duncan 2008) using a range of visual tools and techniques. One can see a whole range of close-ups to provide emphasis on the feelings of travelers when witnessing a moment that surpasses expectations and their love for travel. Most of the frames use shallow depth of field or focus on a small area of frame to guide viewers attention to the limited object or person of interest (Brown 2012, 61). For instance, in an over the shoulder shot of a traveler dressed in white, the focus is entirely on him with the rest of the frame blurred out. In addition to a foreground, mid-ground and background, whatever frames rely on the use of glass as one of the planes, which, in turn, allows one to see reflections of objects that are not a part of the frame as a fourth layer. Most of the camera angles are at eye train with little psychological manipulation of the viewer on that front. Selective blurring seems to be enhanced in post production and special effects work. The insertion of trusted reflections can seem to be the result of special effects. The camera is positioned in many frames to create lens flare which again curtails proper wake of some visual content while serving as an aesthetic and pleasing visual technique. Lastly, slow motion towards the end of the commercial is another classic technique utilise to enhance the beauty of a momemt (Brown 2012, 73). The commercial does not depict many visuals of Louis Vuitton products merely showing the famous logo and the classic LV design. Through the choice of visuals, the brand effectively takes the viewer back to its history establishing itself as a luxury travel brand (Lindstrom 2005, 125). The visuals span three nations namely, India, China and France enabling the advertisement to attain global appeal in consonance with its purpose of serving as an effective global ad campaign. In terms of motif, the commercial uses certain signs and symbols to reinforce its textual content. The first is the use of light, especially sunlight. As a signifier, the light usually connotes wisdom, knowledge and power. The use of sun, the source of all life, foreshadows the answer to the question raised by the commercial. In the beginning, the characters are in darkness, like the viewer drawing the answer to the query posed by the advertisement. The characters become progressively more lit as the commercial progresses. A second signifier is the use of mist, haze, fog and even blurring, all of which signify a sense of mystery. This can intimate the sense of intrigue one experiences during travel along with the viewer lack of clarity about where the commercial will take him at its onset. A triplet important sign is weewee again a sign of sustenance and life and a sign of purity. The first subconscious reader response to water helps to make the answer, that the journey is life, more meaningful. The second response connects to the purity of the moments of awe during travel and the true passion for travel. The characters are themselves dressed and positioned in ways that clear segregates them from the environment establishing them as outsiders. Moreover, they are more glamorous than others in their environment reinforcing the luxury value of the brand. In totality, the choice of visuals helps to establish a sense of beauty attached to travel and a true love for traveling. Visuals capture ones bliss during moments that surpass awe while journeying, and the need to treat life as ones most fascinating journey.The aural techni que used in the Louis Vuitton commercial is background score or medication. The score for the commercial was composed by the famous music director Gustavo-Santaolalla (Terrazas 2008). Since the commercial was part of a set of advertisements catering to global television marketing for the brand, it can be analyzed on two fronts. beginning is its connection to the type of musical score the brand has used in the past for its marketing. Second is the subconscious impact it has on the viewer since color and music are two aspects that influence at a deeper subconscious level. Louis Vuitton commercials in the past have commonly relied on specifically composed Louis Vuitton signature music (Lindstrom 2005, 125) and this commercial is no different. As a result, the score does not have any prior emotional connotations attached to it, allowing the makers to influence consumer perceptions from scratch. The music is slow and sagacious in congruence with the slowness and serenity of the visuals . The dominant instrument throughout the score is a soak up instrument with chimes and other wind sounds supplementing it. The commercial begins with a subtle wind instrument immediately evoking a sense of mystery and drawing the viewer into the commercial from its onset. Slow chimes are often associated with feelings of pleasantness (Meyer 2008, 87). The string instrument then strikes an even deeper emotional connect through louder and isolated notes. The same rhythm repeats throughout the advertisement further reinforcing the Conduplicatio journey and an attempt to decipher its true meaning throughout the advertisement. Moreover, the repetition helps to remember the advertisement even after viewing, through production of deep memory traces that play a pivotal role in consumer decision-making (Wells 1997, 241). In addition to music, the absence of diegetic sounds likewise draws viewer attention to the commercial. Sounds such as a books pages turning due to the winds, kids shouti ng as they run, the sound of water splashing are all absent from the commercial though some of the visuals are in close up. This lack of sound also makes one pay attention to what is being shown in the advertisement. In totality, the soothing nature of the musical score coupled with its repetitive rhythm reinforces the nature of visual content and brings the viewer into an introspective mood. The lack of diegetic sounds further make one notice the visuals by not reinforcing their content.A third dominant facet of the commercial is the use of subtitles that appear across the duration of the commercial. The commercial begins by raising the question, What is a Journey? It then begins to add one layer of meaning over another to fully answer the question and terminates with the disclosure that journey is life itself (Paris 2008). The advertisement, however, ends with another question Where will life take you? (Paris 2008). The word journey is used throughout the video as a Conduplicatio or a repeated keyword pulling out important ideas from sentences and reinforcing them in other sentences (Farnsworth 2011, 7). The process of repetition enhances the opportunity that viewer attention will be centered towards the repeated word at some stage of viewing (Wells 1997, 241). The word life again finds a similar usage as it is repeated in the final two phrases of the commercial. The words journey and life are the prime takeaways of a viewer from the video. These two signifiers are aimed at signifying the Louis Vuittons passion for enabling its consumers to discover places and themselves as they traverse the journey of life.Overall, the advertisement uses emotional transfer to link the brand with emotions one experiences upon viewing the commercial (Kenny 2005, 72). The attempt is to evoke ones passion in living and traveling and directly transfer it to a passion for making Louis Vuitton brand a animation partner along ones journeys. This transfer is achieved through a com bination of subtitles, visuals and musical score. The subtitles immediately encourage the viewer to ponder upon the meaning of a journey. The visuals strive to capture those moments during travel that extend well beyond their physical existence in the minds of the travelers. They depict the blissful state one finds oneself in when witnessing such moments and that such moments are not confined to vacation destinations alone. The musical score reinforces a sense of tranquility and awe experienced during these moments. The emotional transfer attempt becomes most microscopical through the final two subtitles Where will life take you? and Louis Vuitton (Paris 2008). The remainder of the commercial evokes feelings of awe and love for life. These can then be transferred to a love for a luxurious and enriched life that Louis Vuitton can help one achieve. The duration of the commercial is just apt for exploring the meaning of a journey. The advertisement effectively communicates the passion of Louis Vuitton for providing its consumers with a luxurious lifestyle along their journey of life.

The Video Game Console Market Marketing Essay

The Video Game Console grocery food marketing EssayThe word p bearic film peppy condole with grocery store is a fast maturement securities attention. Sonys PlayStation 3 competes together with Nin meltos Wii and Microsofts Xbox 360 for the commercialize attraction position. Compargond with these competitors, Sonys PS3 includes the newest technologies and provides the racyest medley of functionalities. Therefore, Sonys schema is to target customers who focus on high technologies and multimedia-entertainment. However, this involves that the PS3 competes non unless with cabinet manufacturers, but also with other multimedia producers much(prenominal) as PC manufacturers. Due to the fact, that the Sonys PS3 testament be quite expensive, the sympathize with will be available in a premium edition and in a cheaper basic edition.Considering the distribution of its PS3 zippys, Sony tries to change its traditional ply chain by providing an net income platform, where users flowerpot download stakes. This results in saving damages and a faster distribution.Further more than, the most important marketing tool is the Internet for promoting the PlayStation 3. Blogs, MySpace, YouTube and other kind of websites modify an area-wide promotion of the gritty comfort and especially, it is done by consumers. Another important tool is the official website, which put forwards among others information about the console table and about available wagers.Additionally, Sony get alongs its PlayStation 3 together with a meaningful slogan, which differs between Europe (This is living) and U.S. (Play Beyond).Finally, Sonys financing objectives are to sell 15 million exemplars in the first-year and to achieve total sales revenue of $8.25 billion. Its marketing goals are to sell more than 100 million exemplars in the long-run and to become the market leader.Table of ContentsExecutive summary 11 Situation abridgment 22.1 Current marketing environment 22.2 Current harvest-tide Line 22.3 merchandise psychoanalysis 32.4 Target Markets 32.5 Competitive Analysis 52.6 reaping/Market Analysis Tools 52.7 SWOT Analysis 83 Objectives 84 Competition 94.1 Game console indus fork up 94.2 Direct competitors 94.3 Market concept of competition 115 Product Unique selling propose 126 Distribution 126.1 Supply chain 126.2 Next generation supply chain 146.3 Business Models 157 Marketing Strategy 167.1 AIDA 178 Marketing Mix Strategy of 4 Ps 188.1 Product 188.2 Price 188.3 Place 198.4 Promotion 199 Financial projections 1910 Implementation controls 20Situation AnalysisCurrent marketing environmentThe film farinaceous console market is highly influenced from its demographic and technological environment. The worldwide population is growing and more and more people have a strong need for entertainment. Many people require something against boredom in their free time. Furthermore, the technology environment creates a variety of new functionalities which a re almost unlimited. According to Moores Law, processor speed up and memory capability reduplicate almost every 18 months by constant prices. Additionally, technologies such as halt Definition TV provide a new way of entertainment consumption. Finally, another important influence in peoples behavior is enabled by the Internet. Its introduction was a milestone of the new economy. It allows finding almost any required information and enables worldwide communication as well as fundamental interaction and it simplifies doing business.Current Product LineBefore we describe the features and functionalities of Sonys new video game console, the PlayStation 3, we would like to give a short overview of the companys current home video game linePlayStation (PS1)The Sony PlayStation is the companys first video game console and was produced in the mid-1990s. It belongs to the fifth generation of video game consoles and provides a 32-bit processor. Furthermore, the PlayStation was the first ga me console that reached the 100 million mark.PlayStation 2 (PS2)Sonys PlayStation 2 is part of the sixth generation era and was disembarrassd in 2000. overly its 128-bit processor, it was the fist video game console that provides videodisc ladderback functionality. It placed first in number of units interchange in its sixth generation of video game consoles and it became the fastest selling and most popular game console in history, with over 110 million units shipped worldwide by November 2006.1PlayStation Portable (PSP)Sonys PlayStation Portable was the companys first handheld game console released in 2004. Besides playing games, it also provides divers(prenominal) functionalities such as playing music, watching videos, viewing pictures and using Internet applications. Nowadays, the PSP is the main competitor of Nintendos Game Boy and Nintendo DS.Product AnalysisThe Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) is the seventh generation video game console and the third in Sonys PlayStation series . The console was launched in North America and Japan in November 2006 and is yet expected to be launched in Europe by expose 2007. The reason for its delay in Europe is a shortness of supplies with parts of the Blu-ray drive.The console offers high-end technology and it has been described as an engineering masterpiece because of its promising specification and use of new technology.2Furthermore, the PS3 will be available in two different editions on the one hand, a basic edition with a 20 GB hard disk drive (HDD), and on the other hand a premium edition with 60 GB HDD. Nevertheless, both editions will have key elements such the Blu-Ray Disc for High Definition movies, the Cell chip, Giga-bit Ethernet for high speed Internet-connection, and an HDMI connection for optimum output on HDTV. Compared with the basic edition, the premium edition will provide some extra features like support for multiple immaterial memory storage devices (Memory stick, SD) and Wireless connectivity.More information about the specification bathroom you find in the Appendix.Furthermore, Sonys newest game console provides a Linux operating arrangement and some Internet applications such as an Opera Web browser and multiplaying functionality.Finally, another feature of the PlayStation 3 is the backward compatibility to Sonys previous video games for PS1 and PS2.Target MarketsThe undermentioned section should provide an overview of Sonys target market and of its targeted customers.Target market approachIn our opinion, Sony should use a segmentation approach as their general strategy to reach targeted customers. Although mass-marketing would create the largest potential market, which leads to the lowest costs and results in lower prices or higher margins, we propose segment marketing because it can create a more fine-tuned harvesting offering and price for the target segment. Moreover, this approach enables to select more easily the trump distribution and communication channels, and to have a clearer picture of the main competitors.3Segmenting consumer marketsCultural distinctions, different needs and demands of individuals, and diversities in customers buying behaviours require market segmentation of companies to satisfy their customers effectively. Thereby, the market can be divided in geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation variables and the company can focus on target segments which it trusts to attract.4According to Sony, the main geographic segments of the PlayStation 3 consist of the Northern America market, the Japanese market and the European market.When Sony released his first video game console PlayStation in 1994, the companys main focus was on the marketplace from 12- to 17-year-old boys. But nowadays, Sonys demographic segmentation divides the market of the PS3 in male and female, old and young players and expands its business vastly to a mainstream entertainment.5The PS3 offers a multifaceted repertoire of video game s which includes something for everybody. Theres not merely one game to ultimately define the PS3 platform, but rather different must-have games for different segments of consumers. Additionally, an important and profitable demographic segment could be the college market because according to a reputation by Anderson Analytics GenX2Z only 26 percent of students report not playing video games.6Furthermore, Sony concentrates on a strong customer loyalty status in the behavioural segment. Besides its popular brand and the high reputation of its outputs, the company tries to win over its former consumers by the implementation of a backward compatibility which enables to play video games from its previous video game consoles (PlayStation 1, PlayStation 2).Finally, one of the important target segments of the PS3 involves consumers who require high technology. The company is convinced that its consumers desire and fate to get the best out of the best.Characteristics of the targeted custo mers / overlap usesAs already mentioned, Sonys targeted customers want to have the newest technologies and functionalities. Moreover, they need an entertainment system which provides functionalities such as viewing pictures, movies or listening music.The Playstation 3 can fulfil all this particular requirements and reach therewith a lot of different customers. First of all, video game players can use the console, because it provides high technology and a lot of different available games. Furthermore, movie lovers can use the PS3 because it involves a videodisc drive and also allows watching movies in High Definition with its Blu-Ray drive. Moreover, customers can use the game console to see pictures from their last holidays easily by inserting their memory card in the included card-reader. Finally, customer can use the console to surf in the Internet or to use it instead of a computer, because its Linux operation system provides similar functionalities.Summarized, all members of a family can use the PlayStation 3 for different needs. For instance, children play video games during the day and when the father arrives, he uses the PlayStation to read his emails. Thereafter, the mother inserts the SD card in the PS3 and shows him the pictures from her trip to Stockholm last weekend. And at the evening, the whole family watch a movie together. This multimedia functionality provides the biggest proceeds for the PS3s consumers.Purchasing processSome customers make their decision which game console they want to buy dependent from the number of available games. Not only the functionality and technology, but also the variety of games can be important for the decision-making process of customers. Therefore, the company has to offer information about the games which will be available for its game console. The primary channel for providing such information would be the official webpage.Furthermore, the final end-user of the game console is not always responsible for the purchasing process. For instance, sometimes parents purchase the game console for their children, and therewith another party is involved in the purchasing process.Market size estimationsThe number of consumers in the video game console industry increased continuously during the last years. Due to the fact, that game consoles of the newest generation are equal with an entertainment system, we estimate a market size of 400 million potential users in Europe if everybody would buy the proceeds. Considering that one product would be tolerable for a family, our final estimation of potential consumers will be 100 million in Europe.Furthermore, a forecast report of Price body of waterhouseCoopers has shown that by 2010, the worldwide video game market will grow to $46.5 billion, at an second-rate 11.4% compound annual rate.7Competitive AnalysisNintendo and Microsoft are the main competitors of Sony in the video game console industry. Considering the seventh generation, Sonys PlayStatio n 3 compete with Nintendos Wii and Microsofts Xbox 360. These two consoles were released world-wide in November 2006 and November 2005 respectively.8According to a study of the NPD Group about the best-selling video game consoles for celestial latitude 2006, the Xbox 360 sold 1.1 million units, the Wii 604.2 thousand units and the PS3 490.7 thousand units. However, the PS3 sales figures include only the U.S. and Japan market, where it is released already.More details about the competition situation will be converseed in chapter 4 Competition.Product/Market Analysis ToolsProduct Life CycleAccording to Sonys previous game consoles, the PlayStation 3 should have a 10-year product life-cycle. Its state-of-the-art technology involves that the usage of the PS3 resources and technology are just at the beginning and can fulfil all game requirements in the next years.9The product life-cycle consists of four different stagesIntroduction At this stage, the sales growth increase slowly when th e product is introduced to the market.In Europe, the PS 3 is already located in the middle of this stage, because numerous game-console lovers and fans have ordered the PS 3 in advance to become one of the first consumers after its release in March 2007. For instance, a new PS 3 is pre-ordered almost each 20 seconds in Great Britain.10Growth At this period, a market acceptance of the product is recognizable and the number of sales units increases. First-users report about the product positively and other consumers are becoming curious.Maturity A slowdown in sales growth will be at this stage because the product has achieved acceptance by most of the buyers.Decline Most of the potential buyers have already the product and therewith the number of sales declines. realise 1 PlayStations Product Life-CycleDifferent marketing strategies are necessary for each stage of the product life-cycle. We will discuss our recommended strategies in7 Marketing Strategy.Due to the fact, that the PlayS tation 3 was already released in Japan and U.S., Figure 2 shows that the PlayStation 3 is located in a higher position compared with Europe.Figure 2 PS3s Product Life-Cycle in Japan and U.S.After shortness of supplies and an enormous rush demand in Japan and in the get together States after the release in November 2006, a kind of stagnation is visible in these both markets today. Vendors report that a large contingent of the PlayStation 3 is dumb available in their shops.11Although Sony sees the reason for that in its optimized supply chain, the company has to consider new marketing strategies to increase its sales.The Boston Consulting Groups Growth-Share MatrixIn the pursuance section, we would like to analyse and secern Sonys game console product portfolio by profit potentials. Therefore, we employ the Boston Consulting Group approach presented by Kotler.12Due to the fact, that the PlayStation 1 is not be sold anymore, we didnt regard it in our analysis.Figure 3 BCGs Growth- Share Matrix for Sonys game console product-lineFirst, we placed the PlayStation Portable in the Question marks sector, because the market of game handhelds is still growing and as the strongest competitor of the market leader Nintendo DS, the relative market share of the PSP increases. Therefore, Sony has to spend a lot of money in the development and publicize of the PSP to keep up with the fast-growing market, and to overtake the market leader.Additionally, we also placed the PlayStation 3 in the Question marks sector, because the market of the seventh generation video game consoles is still increasing and it is not visible already if the PS 3 will take the position of the market leader.Finally, we located the PlayStation 2 in the Cash cow sector. The PS2 has a falling market growth rate after the release of the next generation game console. Nevertheless, it is still the market leader in its generation and it achieved higher sales units (1.4 million) as the Xbox360 (1.1 million) , Nintendo Wii (604.2 thousand), and the PlayStation 3 (490.7 thousand) in December 2006.13According to the 10-year product life-cycle, the PS2 is in the decline stage and will block in the market for the next 3 years yet.SWOT AnalysisThe SWOT analysis is the overall evaluation of a companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.14It is used as a framework to help an organization develop its marketing strategy. Thereby, strengths and weaknesses are internal factors which can be controlled by an organization, whereas opportunities and threats consist of external factors which are uncontrollable by an organization.Figure 4 SWOT analysis for Sonys PlayStation 3ObjectivesSonys financial objectives are to Achieve first-year total sales revenue of $8.25 billion, based on an average price of $550 per unit.Sonys PlayStation 3 marketing objectives are toAchieve a first-year unit sales volume of 15 million, which represent a projected market share of 25 percent.Increase second-ye ar share to 40 percent and become the market leader.Sell more than 100 million units in the long-term. mark for distribution through the leading electric, video games and computer retailer in the top 100 and establish an Internet platform.CompetitionGame console industryAccording to the industry concept of competition presented by Kotler15, an industry is a group of firms that offer a product or class of products that are occlude substitutes for another product.The structure type of the video game console industry is an oligopoly, because the Japanese Nintendo and Sony, and the U.S. Microsoft dominate the market. Particularly, the structure is a differentiated oligopoly, because only few companies producing products partially differentiated along lines of price and features.Furthermore, the console industry is characterized by large cost of barriers to entry according to Porters model of five competitive forces. It may cost up to $2 billion to develop a competitive console platform and returns on investment may take several years.16Furthermore, these three console manufacturers have a similar business model consisting of the following three income flowsHardware salesSales of own software/gamesLicences fees from other software/game developers that use the console platformFinally, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony compete on a global basis with core markets in Japan, Europe and in the United States.Direct competitorsThe following section compares the direct competitors Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony with regard to their products, prices, sales units and game range.Product differentiationFirst of all, the following table shows the particular specification of each game consoleNintendo WiiMicrosoft Xbox 360Sony PlayStation 3First publication19 November 2006 (USA)22 November 2005 (USA)11 November 2006 (Japan)ProcessorIBM Broadway PowerPC (729 MHz)Tri-Core Xenon PowerPC (3,2 GHz)PPC Cell PowerPC (3,2 GHz)Graphic chipATI Hollywood (243 MHz)ATI Xenos (500 MHz)nvidia RSX (55 0 MHz)DrivesOwn format (Wii and GameCube)CD, DVD (external HD-DVD drive available)CD, DVD, Blu-rayMaximal video qualitySDTV = 480p (NTSC) or 576p (PAL/SECAM)HDTV = 480p 720p 1080i/pHDTV = 480p 720p 1080i/p (supports HDMI)Back. compatibilityyesyesyesHDD20 GB20 GB / 60 GBI/OUSB 2.0 (x2), SDUSB 2.0 (x3)USB 2.0 (x4), PE MemoryStick, SD CompactFlashCommunicationIEEE 802.11b/gEthernetExtra feature Wlan-AdapterEthernet, Bluetooth 2.0, Wireless Controller, IEEE 802.11b/g (only premium edition)Furthermore, both competitors of Sonys PS3 provide an internet platformMicrosoft Xbox Live arcadeXbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is an online service that is used to distribute video games to Xbox 360 owners. Thereby, Microsoft offers an Xbox Live Marketplace, a virtual market place, where consumers can download movie and game trailers, game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, gamer tag images, and Xbox 360 Dashboard themes.17The consumers can pay with Microsoft Points, which can be purchased by credit cards.N intendo WiiConnect24It allows distributing content such as software patches and updated game contents while the Wii is on stand-bye.18Price strategyNintendo offers the cheapest price in the game console market. Therefore, the company dispense with some extra features such as DVD drives or HDTV quality. Contrary, Sonys PlayStation 3 offers the newest technology with a plenty of accessories, but also the highest price. The following list shows the current prices in January 200719Nintendo WiiMicrosoft Xbox 360Sony PlayStation 3Ca. 250 three hundred 400 (HDD-drive costs 200 extra)Basic edition 500 Premium edition 600 Market share in Japan and U.S.The following figures show how many game consoles each of the manufacturers has sold in Japan and U.S. during the last months2021Whereas Nintendos Wii was the market leader during the Christmas time in Japan, Microsofts Xbox 360 could sell the most units in the United States.GamesAn important criterion for buyers is the volume of games whic h are available for each game console. At the moment, Microsofts Xbox 360 consists of 82 exclusive games and 132 cross-platform games. In contrary, Nintendo offers 55 exclusive and 96 cross-platform games for its Wii. For Sonys PlayStation 3, 43 exclusive and 77 cross-platform games are planned.Figure 5 Available games for each console (Source GAMEZONE)22Market concept of competitionDue to the fact, that the PlayStation 3 is more a multimedia centre than only a game console, we have to consider more competitors as only game console manufacturers. Therefore, we used the approach of Rayport and Jaworski to recognise direct and indirect competitors by mapping the buyers steps in using the product.23The following figure shows the PS3s direct and indirect competitorsFigure 6 Competitor mathematical function Sony PlayStation 3Summarized, Sonys PlayStation 3 competes not only with other video game console companies, but also with PC manufactures and other high technology producers.Sonys PS3 offers besides a Linux operating system a plenty of functionalities such as Internet to attract previous PC users and to expand its market. This approach is comparable with Coca-Cola which identifies milk, coffee, tea, and water products as its main competitors.24Finally, Figure 7 shows Sonys market position with regard to technology and price compared with its video game console competitorsFigure 7 Market position of the main video game consolesProduct Unique selling propositionThe unique selling proposition is a marketing approach to promote a products benefit and to convince customers that the company can deliver it.For Sonys PlayStation 3, the main benefit, especially compared with its competitors, is its functionality as a multimedia centre and its state-of-the-art technology. Nevertheless, Sony has to consider that its targeted consumers are located in different market segments with different demands and wishes. Therefore, the company has to develop different unique sel ling propositions.First considering the video game hardcore fans segment, these costumers want to have the best and newest technology. Due to the fact, that the PS3 fulfil these requirements at best compared with its competitors, Sony should promote this in its advertisements, especially in game magazines.Furthermore, Sony wants to attract also middle-age consumers and families. The most benefit for these customers is to use the PlayStation 3 as a multimedia system which offers a variety of functionalities. Therefore, the company should focus on its multimedia range.Summarized, the companys unique selling proposition should consist of newest technology and multimedia-functionality.To emphasize this, Sony uses a short slogan after every mention of its products. In the United States, Sony evokes the following slogan Play Beyond. commonwealth should associate therewith that the PS3 is not only a game console which enables playing video games, but also a system which allows playing in High Digital quality and getting a feeling of reality. Furthermore, the PS3 offers more than playing video games, it is a multimedia system that can be used for different pleasures such as Internet surfing or watching movies that can also be interpreted as a kind of playing.However, Sony uses a different slogan for the European market. The reason is that people with few English skills will not understand the impact of Play Beyond or will be interpreted wrongly. Therefore, Sony uses the following slogan in Europe This is living. The slogan is really simple and uses words which can be understood by not English-speakers. Consumers can associate that the PS3 delivers a kind of living standard and ensures to enjoy living. Furthermore, its a relation to PS3s multimedia functionalities which are desired for every household these days. It emphasizes that the game console is the core of living room entertainment.DistributionSupply chainWith the video game industry being the fastest growing s ector of the growing entertainment industry, the industrys revenue has now reached $26 billion in annual revenue and there is currently no indication of decline in the industry. So, in order to identify how the revenue is distributed, its essential to look at the supply chain of the entire PS3 business. As seen in the supply chain, there are opportunities in many aspects of the console business, coming from the actual console sales as well as extras such as games.Figure 8 Original supply chain for video games.25The customers, as identified by our segmentation analysis table, are at the end of the supply chain, and their consuming of video games are distributes crosswise several actors.Additionally, the most known among the actors are of course the hardware manufacturers, which include Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. Except for the revenue coming from the console sales, they also get about 20% of the market price for the games, which are mostly sold in the growth level of the product l ife-cycle. The additional revenue in the supply chain is fall apart among the other actors.Looking more closely at the publishers and developers, we realize that the publishers are likely to take a large portion of the revenue. Those are the large transnational companies that have sufficient funds to build a distribution network and employ developers to pull off new best-selling games for the consoles. Hardware manufacturers usually try to pull off deals with these companies when they identify potential best-selling games because the top 3.3% of the games bring in 55% of the sales revenue. For this reason, some hardware manufacturers, most notable Microsoft, tend to buy top-creative publishers to secure exclusive rights of new games for their console.Because of the complexity with world-wide game launches, there are almost always distribution partners in the chain, those accounts for an estimate of 10% of the ledge price.Next are the retail channels, which include online stores as well as retail stores. However, they are becoming increasingly bypassed in the supply chain, as discussed in the next generation supply chain (described in detail below). When they do exist in the supply chain though, they take an estimate of 30% of the shelf price.Developers are a mix of artists and engineers that create the actual games played on the console. Typically, they are funded by the publishers and together they take between 40 to 60% of the shelf price.Notably, in recent years another actor have also entered the supply chain as the industry have grow

The Book Thief: Concentration Camps and Death Marches Essay -- The Boo

World war II was a grave event in the twentieth degree centigrade that affected millions. Two main concepts World War II is remembered for are the concentration tentings and the walk. These marches and camps were deadly to many yet powerful to others. However, to most citizens faithful camps or marches, they were insignificant and often ignored. In The bulk Thief, author Markus Zusak introduces marches and camps similar to Dachau to demonstrate how citizens of nearby communities were oblivious to the suffering in those camps during the Holocaust.Much of The Book Thief revolved around a common German family hiding a Jew. During the Holocaust and the book, Jews and other people seen as insignificant were imprisoned in concentration camps. Max, the Jew that the Hubermanns were hiding, could cause them to get into deep trouble. However, they still hid him. The Hubermanns lived in a town close to a concentration camp and often saw marches of prisoners through town. Even with a potential prisoner living in their residence, the Hubermanns, along with most everyone else in Molching, were unaware of the events that actually happened in the concentration camp and marches. Dachau and its sub camps were awful places in general, but living as a prisoner in these camps was even worse, just as the marches were. The physical characteristics that do up Dachau and its sub camps were horrifying. The prisoners that had to face the extreme conditions of camps were certainly not oblivious to everything that was happening. Marches were a significant part of prisoners lives during the later parts of World War II. Lives of prisoners during World War II were horrendous throughout. This was the life Max most likely endured after he left th... ...les/Janowitz%20on%20Nazi%20Atrocities.pdfLowenberg, William (Bill). Interview. Holocaust Encyclopedia. United States Holocaust archives Museum. 1993. 15 Mar. 2014. Lynch, Pat. Interview. Holocaust Encyclo pedia. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 1995. 15 Mar. 2014. Peyton, Dallas. Interview. Holocaust Encyclopedia. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 2004. 19 Mar. 2014. media_oi.php?MediaId=4784Sachar, Abram. The Liberation of Dachau. Jewish Virtual Library. The American-Israeli accommodative Enterprise. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. Print.

Slave Narratives :: American America History

Slave NarrativesThe snapper Passage was almost impossible. Hundreds upon hundreds of Africans were abducted from their homes to go on boats to America. They were stacked like books on shelves in order to bring large Negros for a profitable hard worker trade. The life on the boats on the way to the New World was so bad that the Africans preferred death to their gruesome future. The conditions on the boats were hellish. The slaves on the ships were packed like sardines and chained together. Among the gripping words that Olaudah Equiano, a slave abducted when he was respectable eleven years old, used to describe the Middle passage are hopeless, low, brutal, and wretched. The temperature in the disease- infested rooms was inconceivable. There was no fresh air for the Negro inhabitants. The feeling of shock and isolation only added to the sorrow and villainy of the situation. Alexander Falconbridge, a surgeon aboard these slave ships, recalled that the hot floor was covered with blo od and mucus. It was like a slaughter-house. The sickening stench was great due(p) to the loathsome filth from the pestilential heat. As Olaudah Equiano said, sleep was the only temporary refuge. The dejection and despair of the circumstances caused many people to bitterly cry, shriek, and groan in inconceivable horror and fear. The savage cruelty of the slave traders and boat crew was terrifying. The Negros were deprived of food and health treatments, and due to the crammed conditions this caused great waves of sickness and disease. These ships created an absolute hellish origination for the abandoned Africans aboard them. Although describable, the anguish of these people cannot be fully understood.The Africans, due to these excruciating conditions, were completely and utterly terrified. During the slave trades, the noise and clamor was so terrorization that many slaves attempted at running away in the tumult. On the boats, many people tried to jump overboard. Attempted suicide u sually just increased the despair of the situation. Negros were punished for any attempt at escape or purposeful personal harm. If one did not eat, they were flogged until they ate the disgusting food. The slave traders expressed brutal cruelty to the slaves aboard the ships. They treated the Negros as if they were imported typical goods. They spent the least amount of effort and money in reservation the conditions aboard the boats tolerable in order to ensure a higher profitable outcome.

Terrorists and Personal Weapons :: Terrorism

Terrorists and Personal WeaponsPersonal weapons bring upd at short break aways are the primary weapons of terrorists as surface as the police officer or soldier fighting against them. One of the most important facets of personal weapons is that they have changed little since the 1940s. They have not been stirred by the technological revolutions of nuclear, electronic and aerodynamic guidance and control systems. The weapons may be smaller and lighter with more advanced sights, but the ranges and rates of fire have changed little. The most significant change in personal weapons is most likely the controlled burst. The controlled burst is a system of sustained fire where bullets are dismissed in short, fast groupings of three. These three round bursts conserve ammunition and also give more effective fire for normal recitation. Another important victimisation with the ammunition is the creation and use of caseless ammunition, which eliminates the need to eject a cartridge. Plastic ammunition has been designed primarily for training but could be effective for terrorists. If a gun made up completely of non-metallic parts, then plastic bullets would be desirable in evading detection at airports. While some terrorists employ the use of assault rifles, light-machine guns, sub-machine guns and even shotguns, the pistol is still the most popular. Revolvers and self-loading pistols are used because of their size and ease of concealment. Pistols can be carried in a grievous bodily harm or a hip or shoulder holster, leaving both hands free until it becomes necessary to draw the gun. Armor-piercing missiles are used increasingly on attacks of both armored vehicles and the walls of buildings. They have had little success against vehicles, however, because they do not usually achieve a clean hit at the right tilt in the right place, which is essential for effectiveness. Arab terrorists use the hand-held surface-to-surface Russian RPG 7 missile most commonly, and oftent imes these weapons have been largely provided to Arab governments who then can overcome them on to terrorists. Terrorists can also use mortars in their attacks. Improvised mortars are extremely easy to make but can be inaccurate and unreliable, and so accidents are unavoidable. Most suitable for terrorist use are light mortars. A popular light mortar is the British 51mm Mortar, which weighs 6.25 kilograms and (its bomb weighs only 0.9kg). It has a range of 800 meters and a projected error of 2%. The use of anti-aircraft missiles by guerrillas to shoot down helicopters and other aircraft has increased.

Essay on Luck and Fate in The Rocking Horse Winner -- Rocking Horse Wi

Luck and Fate in The Rocking Horse Winner   The Rocking Horse Winner, by D.H. Lawrence, is an informative story active luck and ones own fortune.  In this story, Lawrence attempts to illustrate how one can guide ones own fate, instead of allowing things to happen by chance.  He believes that the only person that affects what happens to someone, is very that person himself.  Everything is what you make of it, is Lawrences message to the reader.  By his use of characterization, instructional images, and irony in The Rocking Horse Winner, D.H. Lawrence attempts to convey to the reader that success and luck are not something that one entirely waits for to arrive, but things that one must works to achieve.               Lawrence uses to contrasting characters to help convey his point, namely those of the boy Paul, and his mother, Hester.  Paul, according to the story, is lucky, whereas his mother is not.  It w as not simply decided upon that it would be this way, but each character had a hand in how they would end up.  Pauls mother allowed herself to be resigned to the fact that fate had dealt her an unlucky hand.  though she had three wonderful children, she could not love them.  Though she had a roof over her head, she was not content, and yet she did nothing to change this besides wait for the difference that never came.  The story says that Hester wanted to be first in something, and did not succeed, and when she did not succeed, she moved on instead of working towards her goal.  Paul, on the other hand, learned very quickly that if he is to succeed, he must have dedication.  Paul applied him... ...mple, and death.  She discovers the poor boy rocking himself into unconsciousness on the horse, and only understands the significance and sizeableness of his exertion upon his death.  Pauls mother, the inadvertent teacher, becomes the student, only to los e her teacher.               Lawrence wishes for his readers to understand the significance of working towards your goals before enjoying the fruits of ones labor.  He instructs that waiting for good things to just fall into your lap is a lost cause, and the odds are hugely against you.  If however, this does happen to you, that you should take your gold and sit on it,  before making any kind of decision around its proper use.  Chances might be that the products themselves might depict their use, as in Pauls case.