Globalisation to Glocalistation

As a matter of fact, this means that people across the world can interchange merchandises and info more swiftly ND simply. This process is called globalization, where the worldwide coming together of countries and nation. (Screamers, K. 2009) For instance, companies such as Apple and Blackberry which produces smart phones in the united States. Their products are in ballot competition with each other, but both companies pay the same salary' and production cost. They have the same customers; uses the same suppliers and sell their products at similar prices. In short, the same condition applies to both companies.Due to technical, cultural and economic developments that come about through libations; other companies which manufacture products in a different country can now offer their products in the United States too. That is why; a company like Samsung in Korea can sell their products in the United States at a lower price because they were produced for less. The local companies like App le and Blackberry have to react and withstand the competition, and so, the world growth is stronger and there is an active exchange of goods between countries, more affordable products are available for more people.However, not only products and economical merchandises take place but also he services, knowledge, cultural groups and even languages. All these essentials are thoroughly connected and impact each another but when there's light, there's shadow because of globalization and the immense interchange of merchandises, public in the surroundings frequently suffers. When a corporation decide to transfer their productions into an economically disadvantage country, those in industrialized countries loses their jobs. On the contrary, job prospects opens up to many locals in the economically disadvantage countries.A vast number of people in these developing Mounties work for very low salaries as compared to those who work in developed countries. As a result, they go on being poor and do not have adequate social and health insurance attention. A further disadvantage in globalization is ecological problem such as immaculate variation. The usage of airplanes, vessels and lorries to transport merchandises over worldwide borders is continually increasing. These cause more carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere which consequently, is the key cause to global warming.Even international environmental standards are ignored. This is a further cause factor in worldwide international competition which should be kept as low as possible to remain attractive to companies. There are therefore many sides to globalization which affect almost all aspect of life and the variation of optimistic or undesirable effects will carry on to propagate further. What is imperative is to realism that globalization is neither morally correct nor immorally incorrect, it just hinge on how the society contract with all the new opportunities in the future. Hefted, G. 1980). Globalization has b een occurring for quite some time, mostly via the internet and media through an increasing media globalization and it has recreated what is known as globalization. From some critics, globalization is a nightmare, where a single global culture swifts the world, crumbling the ethnicities, values and beliefs in the pathway. Imagine a world where major organizations and international corporations manipulate powers alleged from only by the nation. People wearing the same apparels, drinking the same beverages, and hearing to the same songs.Globalization is a reality; it is an observable fact in which ethnicities, governments and economies from all rounds the globe appears to incorporate towards one universal structure. Global trade and travel, the media and Internet accessibility continue to make our world smaller. Major communications and oil corporations yield more than various nations' gross domestic product (GAP) and influence the controls of government politics. Yet, the world is sti ll in an immense variety of tradition society, beliefs and values; all the essentials that make up a local ethnicity.Clash of ethnicities has very much defined our past stories, from imperialism and colonialism to clash of lifestyles and religions where the differences in values met superscription and conflict can follow. The same continues as influential mufti-national corporations move into local areas while local areas reach out to various economic, Information and technology benefits. This is where globalization comes in, it is an uncertain problem of globalization. Globalization is made up of the words â€Å"globalization† and â€Å"localization†.Globalization had stabilized the rising world arena with localized everyday life, protecting our cultural heritage. (Screamers, K. 2006) According to the business world, where corporations ecological the global product to meet the market. The concept of globalization in business originated in Japan during the 1 9805, with an idea of acclimatizing a universal merchandise to fit into a local market. By the millennium year (2000), the word has become a thrilling word in the developed industries, with giant corporations seeking for ways to globalize everything from hamburgers to websites.Corporations from all over the world have to think of the finest way to convince local consumers to buy their international potential products, and not just introduce as it is but adapt it to meet its consumers' taste and needs. (Screamers, K. , & Tasking, M. 000) McDonald's is a classic example, individual of its restaurant, in more than 150 nations offers McDonald's labeling by the authentic menus vary to meet the preferences of local's sense of taste and nutritional requirements. McDonald's restaurants in Malaysia, offers mostly poultry dishes except pork since many Muslims do not eat pork due to their religion belief.Similarly, by walking into a Thai McDonald's and you can see a Ronald McDonald figuring with a †Å"Seesawed Kara† gesture with the idea to let the locals feel like it is home. Many global television network adapt their agenda to fit into the efferent market as well. For instance, American Idol, Britain's Got Talent, The X-Factor, America's Next Top Model and MET boost broadcasting in more than 20 countries. The broadcasting networks globalize every channels which resulted in delivery between a good mixture of regional and international artistes.Globalization applies to far more than fast food and prime time programming. (Ritzier G. 2000) With globalization changing the structure of global power, a global corporation's goal is not saying â€Å"here is a burger† but rather ask â€Å"here is a burger you like†. When globalization and culture connects, local communities alp to build more sustaining global policies. The marketing, funding and infrastructures behind a product may come from a global corporation but the local level defines the finished form of the p roduct.For instance, Lays Chips Thailand is a major corporation which produces potato chips has to listen to their locals, as the people in Thailand favors spicy basil, they blend into the local culture and produced a spicy Thai basil flavored potato chips. Globalization eliminates many various government and organizations that stand in between global resources and local communities. These gave cities ND local authorities an increased global growth closing the gap between geography and politics. Organizations such as The Global Forum gives a push to a more stabilized world through a series of global strategies.Encouraging free societies, emphasizing city-to-city diplomacy and developing local economies. Developing tourism and sporting opportunities for economies, social and health benefits and reevaluating and encouraging local cultures. Empowering youth with a ecological view of the world, using communication and information technology to foster social relationship and economic pla cement. In turn, results to all those strategies are all the same, evolving the world where local areas profits from global resources while holding onto their own cultural characteristics.Letting & Pickax (1996) says â€Å"The challenge here is not simple to use new techniques, but to adopt a radical spirit in their implementation; reversing traditional power dynamics, trusting participants and their ‘messy' lives to ultimately tell an alternative story about public relations that can inform our understanding. † In summary, different countries growth experience, which were supported y applicable science and technology policies, delivers a substantial example of the efficiency of globalization as a sensible advancement strategy.Although these strategies were not always flawless and there were lapses from time to time but generally, it has shown that cultural fusion can be an advantage if appropriately connected for the objective of reaching socioeconomic growth without c reating mass discrimination and social displacement. Under those circumstances, it is significant to take the local context and variables and not to fall into the trap of blind imitation or parroting of western philosophies and receptions.

Oedipus Rex Cosmic Trial

Caitlin Lacy AP English Literature 11/12/12 Persuasive Essay Everything happens for a reason. You were born for a reason, there’s a reason you got an F on your math quiz. Everything happens for a reason. Most of the time the reason for something bad happening might not be very clear to you, but it’s there. Everything that happens to you happens because it all leads up to your ultimate fate, you can’t change your fate because for one, you probably don’t know what it is, but if you happened to know, everything you do to prevent it will eventually lead up to it.Think back to why you got an F on your math quiz, you didn’t study at all. So, you get your quiz back and your teacher asks you to stay after class, after her lecture you walk out of class late and you bump into a guy, long story short, he’s your soul mate and fifteen years later you’re happily married. Imagine if you had studied. It was fate, you weren’t supposed to study. No one is to blame for Laius’s death, not even Oedipus, it was fate, and fate can’t be avoided.Before reading the play, we’re already aware of Oedipus’s story. We know what his ultimate fate is, so we know what that all of Oedipus’s actions led up to his ultimate fate. One of the first clues we are given is also one of the biggest clues proving that fate can’t be changed. King Laius didn’t kill Oedipus himself, he ordered the shepherd to do it for him. There was no way for Laius to know whether the shepherd would kill the infant or not because he wasn’t present.Naturally, the shepherd didn’t kill Oedipus because Oedipus was just an infant, and a person with a heart probably wouldn’t kill an infant just because, the shepherd then proceeded to give Oedipus to a messenger who then took the baby to Corinth where Oedipus was adopted by the king and queen. This leads to another clue, which is the fact that Oedipus was r aised to believe that the king and queen of Corinth were his biological parents. Had he known they were his adoptive parents he most likely wouldn’t have gone to the oracle to Apollo at Delphi.The very fact that he went to see the oracle is just another example of fate prevailing. Once Oedipus learned his fate he left Corinth because he obviously didn’t want the prophecy to come true. Fate is the strongest theme in the story, another reason why fate is to blame for King Laius’s death. He had to be killed by his son no matter what; every single action in the play shows that. From the very beginning there was a way around this terrible fate, but Laius lost the chance when he ordered someone else to do his dirty work for him.Also, Oedipus was a baby at the time so he had no control over what was happening to him, and it would also be ridiculous for Oedipus to be blamed for his father’s death, because he was destined to fulfill this prophecy from before he wa s even born. If there was no prophecy, and Oedipus had killed his father, then he could be blamed, but there is too much evidence suggesting otherwise. From the way everything plays out you can see that fate is the cause of the whole ordeal. The minute Oedipus found out what he was destined for, he fled Corinth, because, as mentioned before, he believed that his adoptive parents were his biological parents.If you found out that you were destined for something as terrible was what Oedipus was destined for, you’d probably leave home too. No one who is sane wants to marry their mother and kill their father, Oedipus found out and tried to prevent this from happening, one might argue that his efforts to prevent his fate led to his fate, which is true, but he had no way of knowing that among the men he killed in the road that one of them was his father, and that the woman he married was his mother. â€Å"Now my curse on the murderer.Whoever he is, a lone man unknown in his crime o r one among many, let that man drag out his life in agony, step by painful step-â€Å" Oedipus, 280-283. Although this quote is extremely ironic, it shows that Oedipus has no idea he killed his father, and also that he believes that the act was wrong, and that the murderer needs to be punished. We also know that Oedipus murdered his father and his father’s men at a triple crossroad, there were two other roads for Oedipus to follow after killing the men, but for some reason, fate, it happened to be the road that led to Thebes.Fate, once again. Oedipus, once again, had no way of knowing that he had chosen the path to Thebes, it was just supposed to be that way. At the time of Oedipus’s arrival in Thebes, there was a sphinx keeping people out of the city, anyone who guessed the sphinx’s riddle incorrectly was devoured. Also, Oedipus had already fulfilled half of the prophecy, which meant that he was going to answer the riddle correctly because he had to get to The bes to be able to wed Jocasta.Because Oedipus saved Thebes, and because the king was mysteriously murdered, it was custom for Oedipus to marry the widowed queen, it had always been that way and there was no reason for Oedipus to reject her, he had no idea that he was about to marry and have kids with his mother. By this time, the prophecy was then fulfilled, and no one had any idea about it. The prophecy ended here. There wasn’t anything anyone could do anymore. Many years passed and Oedipus came to be one of the greatest kings Thebes had ever seen.Until the city of Thebes fell under a terrible plague, and everything Oedipus knew went downhill from there. When Oedipus was informed that finding Laius’s murderer would help bring happiness back to Thebes, he was set on it, because he was a good king. â€Å"OEDIPUS: From whom of these our townsmen, and what house? ?SHEPHERD: Forbear for God's sake, master, ask no more. ?OEDIPUS: If I must question thee again, thou'rt lost . (1164-1167)† This exchange between Oedipus and the shepherd shows that Oedipus will stop at nothing to save his people and find the murderer.It wasn’t fate that led Oedipus to the truth, it was his own determination. He was completely blind to the truth, but when he figured out that all the clues pointed to him, he did something that most people wouldn’t do, he punished himself, he kept his word that Laius’s murderer would suffer, and Laius’s murderer did suffer indeed. He begged Creon to exile him; he gouged his own eyes out. Oedipus might be the one to blame for uncovering the truth, but he definitely isn’t the one to blame for killing Laius, it was set in stone for him, and there was no way around that.

Design for Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Design for Environment - Assignment Example Also the regulations for environmentally friendly cars, the improvements in design of these green cars, the emission characteristics have been discussed. I. Recyclable household items: According to an article by Kat Long (2010), the most commonly recyclable house hold items are paper , cardboard, plastic, metals, glass, E- wastes, printer cartridges and batteries. Plastics: Recycling of plastic wastes has become a prime concern due to poor biodegradability of the materials used. According to Achilias.D. et al (2008), â€Å"Polyolefins (LDPE, HDPE, PP) are a major type of thermoplastic used throughout the world in such applications as bags, toys, containers, pipes (LDPE), houswares, industrial wrappings and film, gas pipes (HDPE), film, battery cases, automotive parts, electrical components (PP).† While the condensation polymers can be easily recycled, the addition polymers like PET (Poly Ethylene Terephthalate) are difficult to recycle (Karayannidis and Achilias, 2007). Achili as and Karayannidis (2004), propose a thermochemical recycling called pyrolysis that produce liquid form like gasoline. Sustained Plastic waste management involves the mechanical or chemical methods in which the polypropylene and polyethylenes are converted into useful end products. In mechanical recycling, the polymer is dissolved in a solvent and is separated. Achilias.D. et al (2008) claim that the polymer recovery can be greater than 90% by the choice of proper solvents. The end product quality has been examined by Fourier Transform – Infra Red (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The end products of these recycling methods include hydrocarbon gases and oils, which can be again reused as feedstock in petrochemical plants. E – waste: E wastes are primarily the old unused computers, cell phones and other electronic gadgets. In the official website of Apple, ( iMac and the environment, ) , it is stated that the challenging task faced by the computer ind ustry with respect to environmentally friendly design is the use of materials involving mercury, arsenic, phthalates, brominated flame retardants (BFRs), PVC in their products and copper wires. The first E-waste recycling was introduced in Switzerland and later followed by the European Union with the â€Å"Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive† (WEEE Directive, 2002/96/EC). One crude method of recycling the wires include burning the wires together to extract copper from them. Researchers say that these crude methods may lead to more contamination of air, soil and water. This drives the manufacturers of electronic goods to opt for environmentally friendly materials like mercury free backlighting and display glasses that are free from arsenic. Also choosing materials that are thinner, smaller and lighter enables lesser materials to be used. This reduced usage of materials leads to lesser green gas emissions. (The story behind Apple’s environment footprint, www.apple.com/environment/ ). The manufacturers also undertake a complete life cycle assessment of the product with respect to environmental factors. They also use hybrid methods that save energy by reducing the consumption of energy. For example, Apple proposes three techniques for reduced energy consumption. They are efficient power supply, proper power management and using low

The Level of Service Inventory-Revised in Corrections Research Paper

The Level of Service Inventory-Revised in Corrections - Research Paper Example Using this tool, the government and other officials reduce cases of recidivism of certain offences in the society. In addition, through this tool various corrective institutions devise appropriate corrective measures and treatment practices for their inmates. LSI-R is a validated and recognized risk assessment tool that is highly efficient in identifying problem areas in various offenders’ lives. As a result, this tool helps reduce offender’s risk of recidivism. This quantitative survey tool offers offenders’ attributes and problems that are efficient in making vital decisions about relevant supervision and treatment method to be adopted. Furthermore, this instrument is useful in the allocation of various resources that are valid in solving the identified problems. Moreover, The Level of Service Inventory-Revised is a 54-item instrument, which is crucial and useful in assessing offenders across a range of 10 domains (Holsinger, Lowenkamp and Latessa 331). These areas are known to be closely related. This tool involves corrective measure such as prisons rehabilitative intervention that is useful in reducing the probability of offender ever engaging in crime. This practice is not complete without trained assessors. The se assessors examine offenders through interviews and validate the information and data collected through relevant external sources. The overall score from the structured interview and research is then used actuarially to associate the likelihood of reoccurrence of a behavior (Flores et al. 534). The last domain score is the most important since it is used to identify the most promising corrective measure for offenders to reduce and totally eliminate any chances of reoccurrence of a behavior. Due to its efficiency in assessing and predicting the probability of future reoccurrence of behavior, this tool is useful in

The Difference of DNP Program from a Traditional Ph.D. Program Essay

The Difference of DNP Program from a Traditional Ph.D. Program - Essay Example Healthcare is continually advancing, even as its delivery is becoming progressively complicated. Advancements in the nursing practice have been prompted due to the inability of the current nursing practice to meet these changes and complications (AACN, 2010). The DNP program has been set forth as a much-needed step towards the development of a non-research clinical doctorate program which can arm expert practitioners with the skills needed to serve as clinical faculty (AACN, 2010). In effect, it is different from the traditional Ph.D. program in the sense that it takes the learning process one step further towards a more clinical approach to nursing education and practice. The DNP program will also incorporate the APRN content which is already in the master’s programs. It will also highlight evidence-based nursing, as well as nurse competency in converting research into practice, in assessing evidence, in applying research in the decision-making process, and in employing feasi ble clinical advancements to the nursing practice (AACN, 2009).

Book Critique on The Geography of Genocide Essay

Book Critique on The Geography of Genocide - Essay Example In his book, Allan D. Cooper also focuses and provides due emphasis on a unique perspective of genocide, that was never researched before. In this book, he explains the reason of genocides occurring mostly from ‘territorial interiors’ and never originating from any urban cosmopolitan hub or centers. This precious book has been published by the United Press of America. The book is really a treasure of knowledge and the systematic representation of facts and research materials which Allan tried to portray makes it all the more interesting. The book is divided into six chapters and two appendices, which step by step, puts forward the thesis of the author presented in the book. The six chapters are very symmetrical in terms of content. Chapter 1 deals exclusively with the meaning and understanding of the term genocide and it is named as ‘Defining Genocide’. The chapter defines genocide both in its social as well as political perspective. Here, author reminds us about the contention put forward by Raphael Lemkin regarding the term ‘genocide’. Chapter 2 is named as ‘Constructing Difference’ and it focuses on the issue that is very much relevant to the entire topic of discussion. This chapter explains whether there is any certainty about the cons tructions of â€Å"social identity† and analyzes whether this social identity truly lead to genocide in reality or not. At the last segment of this chapter, Allan explains how the concept of â€Å"creating others† plays a vital role in committing genocide and how the â€Å"imagined communities† make genocide unavoidable. In this chapter, the author also pits forward another vital point that the process of creating â€Å"other† does not solely depend upon the structures of religion, nationality, and race or on ethnicity. What is more serious or the constant thread running down all

Market Segmentation in Healthcare Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Segmentation in Healthcare - Assignment Example With the development of many technologies, companies are benefiting from this strategy because they carry out due diligence to know the likely risk they are to encounter hence adapting to market segments. First, market segment helps organizations in reducing risk by knowing when, how and where to channel their products and services upon production (Kotler, 2003). It assists the organization to know when and how to market their products and serviced depending on their target markets. Secondly, segment marketing assists organizations in increasing marketing efficiency because it directs them to the target consumers, hence minimizing other wastages (Kotler, 2003). It allows organizations to produce or distribute goods and service according to a segments’ characteristics, which is very effective. In many cases, organizations make losses when they produce goods and offer services without knowing their target markets or audiences (Brown, 1996). Thirdly, market segmentation helps com panies to study consumer behavior, which is useful in pre-focusing of sales volumes and in making recommendations (Kotler, 2003). Organizations that conduct market segmentation knows the seasons when their target consumers are active in buying; hence, they can use this information in planning their productions as well as in focusing the sales volume (Walston, Kimberly & Burns, 1996). Market segmentation is divided into four levels, namely; geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioral segmentation, and they serve different purposes depending on different factors (Kotler, 2003). Geographic segmentation is a strategy where a company or an organization sells its products and services in certain places in the world or in a defined boundary where it perceives to impact its marketing mix (Nobel & Mokwa, 1999). Demographic segmentation is where an organization divides its market as per gender, age, income, and household income, as opposed to all consumers in the market (Nobel & Mok wa, 1999). In this case, an organization becomes specific to the target gender, age, and income when entering a market.

Program Improvement Status and Standardized Math Scores Essay - 1

Program Improvement Status and Standardized Math Scores - Essay Example The question of how and in what ways program improvement status schools are meeting their obligation of raising math achievement scores, as demonstrated by their students, will form the basis for this study. Â  It is important to first determine whether or not program status schools, as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act, are effectively servicing the academic needs of elementary aged children in the Los Angeles area. Â  Exemplary schools which effectively accomplish the goals of being removed from program improvement status serve as a model for sound recommendations to others in terms of their efforts to provide quality educational alternatives to the population that they serve.Specifically, the study will focus on such schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District and examine the impact that being on program improvement status has on standardized math scores. Â  The question of how and in what ways program improvement status schools are meeting their obligation of rais ing math achievement scores, as demonstrated by their students, will form the basis for this study. Â  It is important to first determine whether or not program status schools are effectively servicing the academic needs of elementary aged children in the Los Angeles area. Â  Exemplary schools which effectively accomplish the goals of being removed from program improvement status serve as a model for sound recommendations to others in terms of their efforts to provide quality educational alternatives to the population that they serve.

Animal experimentation Essay Example for Free

Animal experimentation Essay Animals should not be used for drug development ormedical research. Give your views for or against thisstatement. Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments (although some research about animals involves only natural behaviors or pure observation, such as a mouse running a maze or field studies of chimp troops). The research is conducted inside universities, medical schools, pharmaceutical companies, farms, defense establishments, and commercial facilities that provide animal-testing services to industry. [1] It includes pure research (such as genetics, developmental biology, and behavioral studies) as well as applied research (such as biomedical research, xenotransplantation, drug testing, and toxicology tests, including cosmetics testing). Animals are also used for education, breeding, and defense research. The practice is regulated to various degrees in different countries. Since Time immemorial, animals have been used to test drugs, and formedical research. Small animals such as rats, hamsters, guinea pigs,rabbits, and squirrels have been the main victims.For as long as he has existed, Man, has regarded himself as thegreatest among all sentient beings. Along with this self-proclaimed ³greatness ´ comes the arrogance and superiority complexes thatusually spoil ones character. As a result, Man has started taking hisintelligence and power for granted, plundering on through the world of redefined necessities and luxuries, leaving entire species of animalswrithing helplessly along in its wake. Man has been taking advantageof helpless little animals in many ways, the likes of which Bugs Bunnyand Jerry Mouse could never have dreamed of. Animals are cruellytreated, and forced to sacrifice themselves for the sake of tear-lessshampoo, mascara, artificial flavors, vaccines, or God-Forbid, pepperspray.Is this really fair? Do such deeds really qualify Man as  ³Gods MostImportant creature? ´ Granted, Man has  invented tear-less shampoo,mascara, artificial flavors, vaccines and pepper spray, but how manyrodents has it cost nature? Mixtures intended to become tear-lessshampoos are ruthlessly poured into the animals eyes, and it is leftwrithing in pain, unable to even blink the pain out. Tear-less, indeed.Didnt Man invent the concept of equal rights for all?  Didnt Manestablish himself as the just and  µall-powerful ruler of Earth? And justhow far has this claim been fulfilled?All this time, Man has asserted himself as the  µcaring ruler of Earth.Well, the time has come to show each other just how caring Man canbe, starting with our feathery/scaly/furry friends a few rungs down theLadder of Evolution.

Solution Exercise Essay Example for Free

Solution Exercise Essay AM by submitting on blackboard Guideline This homework is an â€Å"individual† data mining experiment. Plagiary is definitely not allowed. If any classmate or other person helps you on doing this homework, you need to specify who and which portion you got help from. You credit will be given to the helper (it is fair, right). The helper should also mention who get your assistant on this homework. Zero point will be given if your homework is found to be the same with others without any mention. You are required to use computer language (C, C++, or Java) or computer software (matlab or Weka) to do the data mining experiment and analysis. Other software or language is allowed based on the approval of the instructor. You need to specify which software or program you are using for this homework. If you use other person’s program or any program downloaded from internet, you need to address where you get it, and who is the author. If you decide to write your own program, please submit your source code. Extra credit will be given if you write your own program on any portion of this homework. No matter which kind of method you choose for this homework, you need to be careful on adjusting the parameter, if there is. Please do an experiment on how to obtain the better parameters and write down you analysis on this homework. You need to submit your homework written by MS Word through blackboard system. The homework should not longer than 10-page limit (source code should put in the appendix). No late homework is allowed! I. Congressional Voting Records (50%) http://archive.ics.uci.edu/ml/datasets/Congressional+Voting+Records Go to the UCI Machine Learning Repository to download the â€Å"Congressional Voting Records Data Set† or download house-votes-84.csv file from blackboard. Then, chose at least two different classification methods (decision tree, rule-based, Bayesian, ANN, SVM, Ensemble) to predict party affiliation (democrat or republican). You can use any kind of statistical software (such as mintab) or Excel to show the data exploration. Please PLOT it! How do you handle the missing values? The reasons of choosing classification methods Classification method implementation or software usage Specify how you do the experiment? Which software package you are using? Or, you write your own program? Also, you need to specify all the parameters you are using for the chosen methods, and explain how you make the adjustment. Result of 10-fold cross validation for each method Show your best result! Model comparison II. Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer (WDBC) (50%) http://archive.ics.uci.edu/ml/datasets/Breast+Cancer+Wisconsin+(Diagnostic) Go to the UCI Machine Learning Repository to download â€Å"Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer (WDBC)† dataset or download wdbc-data.csv file from blackboard. Please make sure you download wdbc.data not wpbc.data. Then, chose at least two different classification methods (decision tree, rule-based, Bayesian, ANN, SVM, Ensemble) to predict diagnostic result (malignant or benign). You homework should contains following sections. 1. Data exploration You can use any kind of statistical software (such as mintab) or Excel to show the data exploration. Please PLOT it! 2. The reasons of choosing classification methods 3. Apply one dimension reduction technique on the dataset 4. Classification method implementation or software usage Specify how you do the experiment? Which software package you are using? Or, you write your own program? Also, you need to specify all the parameters you are using for the chosen methods, and explain how you make the adjustment. 5. Result of 10-fold cross validation for each method Show your best result! 6. Model Comparison III. Extra credit (20%) Review some classification papers (at least one paper for each dataset) which use these two dataset for their experiment. Compare your result with them. Summarize what you found.

Constructing Luxury for Consumers

Constructing Luxury for Consumers WHAT IS LUXURY? The word ‘luxury derives from the Latin word ‘luxus , which according to the Latin Oxford dictionary signifies ‘soft or extravagant living, indulgence and ‘sumptuousness, luxuriousness, opulence (Christodoulides, Michaelidou, Li, 2008). THE TRADITIONAL, ECONOMIC VIEW There are two aspects to consider when defining luxury, the psychological value and the value of the product/service itself. The psychological value of luxury comes from its function as a status symbol and from a highly involved consumption experience that is strongly congruent to a persons self-concept. From a product perspective, luxury brands are frequently defined in terms of their excellent quality, high transaction value, distinctiveness, exclusivity and craftsmanship (Fionda Moore, 2008). In his paper on International Retail Marketing, T.B. Jackson proposes the following as the core characteristics of a luxury product: ‘†¦ exclusivity, premium prices, image and status which combine to make them more desirable for reasons other than function (Jackson, 2004). Dimitri Mortelmans, in his paper ‘The concept of luxury, says there are three main characteristics in [a narrow] definition of luxury: extra value, high quality and exclusivity. The fourth, derived, characteristic is high price. * Extra value Extra value here is loosely defined to include design, aesthetic value any innovation or attribute that makes the product unique. * High quality Superior quality is an essential component of luxury products. Luxury products have been typically been associated with fine craftsmanship, precision and skill. * Exclusivity Exclusivity in luxury products comes from two factors: (a) the goods are made in limited quantity and distribution is strictly controlled. Haute couture began when royal tailors custom made garments that were made only for one user. Till date, products belonging to the highest category of luxury are made in scant quantities. It is also crucial to decide where all these products will be available in order to make them rare. (b) Luxury goods are typically priced so high that they automatically exclude a majority of the population from their target group. In the world of luxury, rarity value sells, because it is the rarity that the customer wants to own. Owning such a product makes the consumer feel privileged to be part of a select group of people. High price When a product or service is superior in quality has extra value and also has to be exclusive, then the price automatically becomes high. (Mortelmans, 2005) Traditionally, there were four principal categories of luxury goods: fashion (couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories), perfumes and cosmetics, wines and spirits and watches and jewellery. Today, luxury has expanded to include many more categories such as luxury automobiles, hospitality (hotels, tourism, airlines) private banking and home furnishings among others. Among these, the luxury fashion goods category accounts for the largest proportion of luxury goods sales (with a 42 per cent share in 2003) and also showed the strongest product category growth in 2007 (Fionda Moore, 2008). NEED FOR LUXURY MOTIVES FOR CONSUMPTION In their paper ‘The specificity of luxury management: Turning marketing upside down Kapferer and Bastien express that for the outward oriented motivations, â€Å"Luxury converts the raw material that is money into a culturally sophisticated product that is social stratification†. Where the inward directed motivations are concerned, â€Å"luxury should have a very strong personal and hedonistic component; otherwise it is no longer luxury but simple snobbery†. (Kapferer Bastien, 2008) According to Wiedmann, Hennigs and Siebels, â€Å"luxury is a subjective and multidimensional construct†. When studying consumer motivations for consumption of luxury, both outward (conspicuousness, snobbery, status) and inward (hedonism, perfectionist) directed motivations need to be taken into account. Additionally, these must be placed the situational and cultural context of consumption. (Wiedmann, Hennigs, Siebels, 2007) Wiedmann, Hennigs and Siebels have proposed four dimensions that add value to luxury purchases in the consumers mind: Financial Dimension of Luxury Value Perception The financial dimension captures the monetary value that consumers are willing to put on the purchase. This will take into account aspects like price, return on investment, resale value and discount. Functional Dimension of Luxury Value Perception This is the core benefit or utility derived from the luxury product or service purchased. This will take into account the attributes of the product such as its quality, durability, reliability, usability etc. Individual Dimension of Luxury Value Perception The individual dimension addresses the inward oriented motivations or the personal value derived from luxury. This includes benefits like self identity, materialism and hedonism. Social Dimension of Luxury Value Perception This dimension has been the most researched and appears to be the largest contributor to the value derived from luxury. The social dimensions of luxury value include recognition or being identified as a part of a particular social group, conspicuousness and prestige value within a social group and a sense of power in a social context. (Wiedmann, Hennigs, Siebels, 2007) In â€Å"A Review and a Conceptual Framework of Prestige-Seeking Consumer Behavior†, Vigneron and Johnson have suggested that the primary driver for the purchase of luxury is prestige-seeking behaviour. The prestige benefits derived out of luxury purchases are of two types: inter-personal (outward oriented) and personal (inward oriented). (Vigneron Johnson, 1999) Interpersonal effects:  · The Veblen effect perceived conscious value Veblenian consumers attach greater importance to price as an indicator of prestige. This comes from the fact that these consumers often use price as evidence to judge quality. They also tend to perceive higher quality products as granting higher prestige.  · The Snob effect perceived unique value ‘Snobs have a need to be unique and seek prestige through differentiation. The snob effect manifests itself in two forms: (a) when a new product/collection is launched, these consumers will want to be the first to buy (innovators) (b) they will choose not to use a product once the general masses have adopted it. Snobs see higher price as an indicator of uniqueness and exclusivity.  · The Bandwagon effect perceived social value This is the reverse of the snob effect. These consumers, the followers, seek prestige through group affiliation. In the words of Vigneron and Johnson, â€Å"bandwagon consumers attach less importance to price as an indicator of prestige, but will put a greater emphasis on the effect they make on others while consuming prestige brands† Personal effects:  · The hedonic effect perceived emotional value Luxury purchases have emotional value attached to them beyond their functional utility. These emotions could be aesthetic appeal, sensory pleasure, excitement etc. The consumer here is more concerned about her own feelings than those of others around her. The luxury product could be fantasy or self rewarding behaviour.  · The perfectionist effect perceived quality value These consumers seek superior quality as an indicator of prestige. They rely on their own judgements about the quality of products and services. They may see higher price as an evidence of better quality. (Vigneron Johnson, 1999) (Husic Cicic, 2009) THE ESSENCE OF LUXURY In her book ‘Let them eat Cake: Marketing to the masses as well as the classes, Pamela N. Danzinger (Danziger, 2005) explains that consumers link luxury to fantasy fulfilment. They fantasize about how their life will change once they own a luxury product; â€Å"Luxury takes on a transcendent quality linked to the persons hopes, wishes and dreams†, she says. Once we have achieved this fantasy, bought that luxury product, after some time it becomes ordinary and then we wish for something else, something even more luxurious and unattainable which then becomes the new object of fantasy. As Danzinger puts it, â€Å"that which is unattainable is overwhelmingly attractive and desirable†; once we have attained something, it loses its mystique and charm and becomes ordinary. Thus, to consumers, luxury is ultimately the unattainable. OLD vs. NEW LUXURY (MASSTIGE) There was a time when â€Å"luxury† as a category was restricted in the hands of the affluent and was meant only for the crà ¨me de la crà ¨me of society. Today, however, the scenario has changed more and more people can now afford a small piece of the pie with the democratisation of luxury. According to a study done by IBM Business Consulting Services (2004), todays consumers are demanding lower prices on basic goods but at the same time, they are willing to pay premiums for products that matter more to them. (Florin, Callen, Mullen, Kropp, 2007) Traditional luxury, now commonly known as ‘old luxury, was all about conspicuous consumption and its appeal was derived from the status and prestige that came with the ownership of these products. The attributes and quality of the offering itself were of supreme importance as it was a cultural symbol of high taste. In the years after the Second World War, material wealth was highly sought after. The generation that witnessed World War II and subsequently the great depression had seen immense scarcity; this generation basked in the joy of material things and sought luxury as a symbol of wealth. (Danziger, 2005) While old luxury was about the thing itself, new luxury is about the experience. The economy, worldwide, improved continuously in the 80s and 90s leading to increasing disposable incomes, lower unemployment rates and a growing wealthy class in emerging countries. Simultaneously, the democratisation of luxury meant that luxury has now become more accessible to a larger population. Goods that fall under the ‘new luxury category are less expensive than traditional luxury goods yet, they have some confines in terms of their price as exclusivity. They are affordable, yet they enjoy a reasonable level of perceived prestige as compared to middle-range products. The prices of ‘new luxury items are kept only slightly above those of middle ranges. This helps in targeting a much larger segment than the traditional luxury niches. The consumers for this new luxury come from middle and upper middle classes for whom luxury purchase is a form of self reward and indulgence. Their focus is a desire for living the good life and private pleasure. As Twitchell says in his book ‘Living It Up: Our Love Affair With Luxury â€Å"These new customers for luxury are younger than clients of the old luxe used to be, they are far more numerous, they make their money far sooner, and they are far more flexible in financing and fickle in choice. They do not stay put. They now have money to burn. The competition for their attention is intense, and their consumption patterns if you havent noticed are changing life for the rest of us.† (Truong, McColl, Kitchen, 2009) The term masstige was introduced by Michael Silverstein and Neil Fiske to refer to a new category which aims at providing luxury to the masses. The term is derived from the words mass + prestige goods and services that occupy the space between mass and class (Silverstein Fiske, 2003). These products are priced at a premium over the convention but are not always positioned at the top of their category in price. A recent survey by the Boston Consulting Group (2004) said that the top four categories for ‘trading up are homes, cars, appliances and dining out (Florin, Callen, Mullen, Kropp, 2007). Examples of new luxury goods are the urban BMW 1-series starting at $ 19 000, Ralph Lauren Polo shirts sold in outlets for $ 9 and Swarovski crystals with prices as low as $ 20. (Truong, McColl, Kitchen, 2009) MASSTIGE TO MASS? Critics argue that brands which enjoy the tag of ‘masstige today, could become the ‘mass brand tomorrow. By definition, it is contradictory to sell prestige and exclusivity in mass (because when something is owned in mass, it would no longer be prestigious). These products may be successful at first, but their enchantment for the consumer would be inversely proportional to their success. The critical success factor, then, for masstige brands would lie in maintaining the equilibrium between prestige differentiation and a reasonable price premium. â€Å"In order for a masstige product to be successful in the long term, it must have a noticeable differentiation in design and/or technology compared to the regular products in the category. This differentiation must be real and marked. Promises of â€Å"improvements† are not enough if they dont really exist or are imperceptible to the consumer† (Smith, 2007). LONG LIVE LUXURY! With the advent of masstige, top end luxury houses like Armani and LVMH are entering into the affordable luxury arena. Critics argue that as luxury becomes more and more affordable, the concept itself will die out. Here is where understanding the sign-value of luxury is important the concept is not absolute but relative. Over the centuries, what constitutes luxury has changed, but the concept has endured. Brands that are at the top may not remain there, even objects that are considered to be part of luxury may change, but because of human social needs, the concept of luxury will persist. (Mortelmans, 2005) LUXURY vs. MASSTIGE Motivations for consumption When defining masstige, price is not the only criteria to differentiate between the realm of luxury and that of accessible luxury. An extremely important difference lies in the motivations for consumption. While the reasons for consumption of luxury can be both internally as well as externally driven, consumption of masstige is in most cases externally driven. Conspicuous consumption, which formed the basis of luxury when the concept originated, now forms the basis for the masstige category. Hence, a Valentino gown does not have a logo printed on it but a Tommy Hilfiger product will always have a label, logo and some visible identification mark on it so that others can see it. Global versus local Luxury is global, it remains the same across the world luxury brands target the elite who expect the same experience from their brands whether they are in the United States, Europe or in Asia. Although various brands have specific associations with the heritage of their countries of origin, a luxury brand is not modified to suit a particular geography. It is meant for people who are global, and hence the brand perception and delivery has to be ‘global in approach and consistent in delivery everywhere. Masstige on the other hand needs to be localised to an extent because the consumption of masstige is directed outwards. It has to adapt to the cultural ethos of the geography in order to remain relevant and in the process also gets absorbed into the culture of any society. LUXURY IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT TRACING THE ROOTS Luxury in India has its roots going back to the era of the Maharajas who, for centuries, splashed their enormous wealth and lived opulently. The Mughal dynastys wealth and power was a legend but as it waned, the old Indian maharajas began to re-emerge, and new ones began to rise. With the arrival of the British Raj, western influences began to show in the collections at the royal courts. Then began the romance with brands like LVMH, Cartier, Gerrard and Asprey. â€Å"Indian courts commissioned all sorts of fine art like jewellery, woodwork, painting, enamelling, inlaid weaponry and intricate floor coverings† (Gopinath, 2009). Jewellers like Cartier and Van Cleef Arpels, Louis Vuittons bags and luggage and watches by Jaeger-Le Coultre, which were the icons of luxury in Europe, were frequently commissioned by kings. At the same time, western styles of dressing were being adopted. (Forster) The Maharajas, who were patrons of music, arts, poetry and craftsmen, began to patronise European and Indian artists and designers as well. The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, has opened an exhibition ‘Maharaja: The Splendour of Indias Royal Courts in November, which will be on display till January 2010. The exhibition explores the lives of the Indian royals beginning from the 18th century till the end of the British rule. The exhibition showcases 250 items a number of which have been loaned from the private collections of the erstwhile royal families of India. Some of the objects on display are the Maharaja of Indores Modernist furniture, a Louis Vuitton travelling case, French designed sarees, a Rolls Royce Phantom and the studding diamond necklace of Maharaja Yadarendra Singh of Patiala. The necklace which was completed in 1928, originally contained 2930 diamonds, weighed almost 1000 carats and was part of the largest single commission that Paris jeweller Cartier has ever executed. Though Western brands are now flocking to India after its new found affluents, India has clearly been consuming western luxury since way before. LUXURIFICATION OF THE INDIAN SOCIETY The Indian luxury landscape is rapidly transforming owing to a combination of economic and social factors: Rising Affluence Merrill Lynch and Capgemini report that the number of high-net-worth individuals in India (at least US$1 million in financial assets) increased by 20.5% in 2006. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, consumers earning more than 1,000,000 rupees a year will total 24 million by 2025 larger than Chinas comparable segment. Their share of private consumption is projected to increase from 7% to 20% in 2025. However, it is the emergence and steady rise of ‘mass affluence of the Indian middle class coupled with aspirational mindsets and lifestyles that is driving consumer demand. The scope for luxury today is larger than it has ever been in India before owing to the strength of the population that can now afford luxury goods. According to sereval reports by McKinsey Global Institue, the Indian middle class (household disposable incomes from Rs. 200,000 to 1 million a year) will increase from approximately 5% to 41% of the population and will become the worlds fifth largest consumer market by 2025. (Foreign Policy) Exposure to Media Media explosion in the form of television, radio, internet and print has led to increased product knowledge and awareness of brands. Fashion and lifestyle media have established a strong following as mainstream media are taking greater interest in consumer lifestyles, fashion trends and luxury brands. A milestone here was the launch of the Indian edition of Vogue magazine in 2007. Along with the platforms available for advertising, the spending on advertising is also rising. According to ZenithOptimedia, advertising expenditures in India increased from US$1.1 billion in 1996 to US$4.7 billion in 2006 and forecasts suggest that this number will exceed $7 billion in 2009. Accessibility of luxury brands A couple of decades ago, in order to purchase luxury brands such as Gucci, Cartier and Chanel, Indian consumers had to travel to Europe or the U.S. Today, the biggest names of the world like LVMH, Armani and Tommy Hilfiger are present in not only Delhi and Mumbai, but are also setting shop in the upcoming metros like Pune and Hyderabad. Inadequate retail space has also been a challenge to luxury brands operating in India which have been, until recently, hidden in lobbies of five star hotels. The retail boom is changing this scenario. Organised retailing, which currently comprises 6% of the market, is expected to rise to 15% in the next two years. Retail space has increased from 22 mn sq ft in 2002 to 101 mn sq ft (almost 5 times) in 2007 and is predicted to increase by a further 200% to 300 mn sq ft by 2012. (Jindal, 2008) With the retail revolution, newer formats like luxury shopping malls are evolving. An example of these new avenues for luxury brands is the Delhi luxury-goods mall, Emporio which opened in March 2008 which houses over 70 international high-end brands. In 2006, again, AT Kearney has ranked India at the top of its Retail Development Index as the worlds most attractive market for mass international retail expansion. Brands like Marks Spencer, McDonalds and Tommy Hilfiger have entered the market with franchisees due to market regulations which are in the process of loosening up further. (Euromonitor International, 2007) Market Regulation The further liberalisation of the Indian economy has made the market attractive to international players despite heavy import duties on luxury goods and foreign investors are looking to make long-term investments in the country. (Atwal Khan, 2008) THE CHANGING FACE OF THE INDIAN LUXURY CONSUMER In an interview the Pitch magazine, Radha Chadha, author of the book ‘The Cult of the Luxury Brand said that India currently is at an early stage of the luxury brand culture. â€Å"Typically, it starts when a country goes through a rapid economic growth and that has been happening in our country for the past few years. It puts money into peoples hands, at some point they want to demonstrate that. The third stage is what I call the show-off stage, where China is today and some of India is moving towards. Then comes the fit-in stage where we see a large scale adoption of luxe fuelled by the need to conform. The last stage is way of life where people are habituated to luxe products; they become confident and discerning buyers, like in emerged markets†. (Chadha, 2008) The luxury market in India has traditionally been segmented according to two distinct customer groups the affluents and the non-affluents. With the pace of economic development, rise of the middle class and the transition towards a consumer society, the profile of the luxury consumer has also evolved. Clustering luxury consumers into segments based simply on socio-economic classifications is erroneous. Todays luxury consumer is much more diverse and hence the old segmentation and classifications need to be reassessed. The regular classifications of customers based on income or SEC are not sufficient today to gauge clearly who are the consumers who are actually consuming luxury (Pant, 2009). India has always had a small elite segment that has been shopping abroad and buying western brands for ages. This elite class consists of the descendants of the royal families, nawabs and small rulers and long standing industrial families like the Birlas, Tatas, Godrej, Bajaj, Mahindras, some tracing their roots back to pre independence days. (Chadha Husband, 2007). This was the select, privileged segment that was exposed to and could consume luxury. In todays scenario, a typical BPO operator in Mumbai or Delhi is spending a substantial proportion of their monthly salary on international brands of clothes, accessories and cosmetics. â€Å"These are consumers are not affluent in the traditional sense of originating from wealthy family backgrounds, but are ambitious and successful in their chosen professions. Personal performance based on merit has got them to where they are today. Todays luxury shopper could be a broker, an entrepreneur, IT specialist or a student† (Atwal Khan, 2008). They purchase luxury not simply to show off, but as a self-reward. As Atwal and Khan say in their paper ‘Luxury marketing in India: because Im worth it, this generation consumes brands, goes shopping and purchases luxury as they firmly believe in the sentiment â€Å"because Im worth it†. The Indian Affluents In her article in the Brand Reporters special issue on luxury marketing, Vatsala Pant says that it is to try and understand these diverse consumers that one such measure, the Nielsen UMAR (Upper and Middle Rich) survey has redefined affluence using lifestyle and ownership of consumer durables factors (Pant, 2009). On the basis of these factors, Nielsen has estimated that there are 2.6 million affluent households across 35 cities (metros and upcoming metros) of India. Affluent Households in India (Source: Nielsen UMAR survey) — LANGUAGE Luxury is no longer reserved for the English-speaking elite. The survey reveals that 51% of these affluents have been educated in languages other than English and dont speak English as a primary language at home. The primary language spoken, then, becomes the preferred language for media consumption. — FAMILY STRUCTURE Ninety percent of these households live in nuclear families or nuclear families with elders living with them. The average size of the family is 4 members with the chief wage earner typically over 35 years of age. — DURABLES While all the households have the basic durables like TV, refrigerator, washing machines and mobile phones, the Rich segment is seen to have more expensive double-door refrigerators, front loading washing machines and microwaves as well. 20% of the affluent households have two or more TV sets. — MEDIA CONSUMPTION While the most popular medium is TV (watched in 98% of the HH), the next most popular is print where 70% HH read English dailies. However, only 10% read English business dailies. Popularity of watching cinema outside the home is more (67%) than radio listenership (54% of HH). 55% of the HH browse the internet while only 38% read magazines. (Pant, 2009) Changing Trends of the Affluent Indian Consumer Indian consumers are value conscious and highly value driven. Not just products, but the delivery and experience are becoming increasingly important. With the advent of international luxury brands with a bang into the country, consumers want world-class brands, and expect world-class quality, service and experience. They expect the latest designs and most modern technologies available. As the purchasing power has gone up, so have aspirations. The concept of wealth to be enjoyed rather than just display and badge value has emerged. Indulgence and self-rewarding behaviour are on the rise rather than simply the need to show-off. (Raman, 2007) NEW LUXURY FOR INDIA In their paper ‘Luxury marketing in India: because Im worth it Glyn Atwal and Shaziya Khan say that â€Å"the establishment of different levels of luxury ranging from ultra luxury to affordable luxury is a reflection of luxurys increasing mass appeal in India†. The concept of masstige or new luxury is extremely relevant in the Indian context for two reasons firstly, the market for masstige is huge is India owing to rising disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class. Secondly, Indians are extremely value conscious and new luxury would, for many, be the first opportunity to experience luxury. This, then, could be the first step for a large population to move on to luxury. Rising incomes and the recent retail boom in the country coupled with increasing awareness has sparked off consumption of new luxury brands in India. At the same time, the arrival of international brands and players on the scene has provided accessibility to global resources and efficient supply chains. â€Å"The Indian society is moving towards NUF (Nuclear Urban Family) where each individual has their own tastes and preferences† (Marketing Funda: Masstige, 2007). The consumer is becoming more demanding in terms of value, quality and service. A Euromonitor report on India states that for the burgeoning middle class, the spending area is shopping for brand names. Consumerism is a significant aspect of the new, younger middle class which gives a lot of importance to lifestyle and branded goods. (Euromonitor International, 2007) A look into the Indian consumers luxury needs In their qualitative research of the Indian consumers, Glyn Atwal and Shaziya Khan discovered that the Indian consumer associates luxury with perceptions of not just quality and performance but with comfort, beauty, pleasure and style. The product is no longer the sole criteria for choice, the service and experience of shopping are crucial to the decision making process. When societies experience fast economic growth, the phenomenon of luxury usually gains popularity because the acquisition of luxury is a symbol of prestige and signifies how fast you have climbed up the ladder of social mobility. A similar phenomenon is being seen in India but the motivations to acquire luxury brands go beyond displaying social status. Consumers are moving on from an outward expression of luxury to an inward directed emotional experience. Luxury brands are helping people â€Å"define identities and express values†. (Atwal Khan, 2008) CHAPTER 2: INDIAN ADVERTISING- AESTHETICS CONTENT ADVERTISING INDIAN CULTURE William Mazzarellas ethnographic study of ‘globalizing consumerism in the context of Indian advertising talks about how advertising is produced in metropolitan India and transformations in the Indian public culture along with the rise of mass consumerism. As Mazzarella puts it: â€Å"As an aesthetic interface of post colonial capitalism, the everyday practice of advertising constantly calls into question the conceptual alignments that ground business discourse: local and global, culture and capital, particular and universal, content and form† (Mazzarella, 2003) Goods possess meaning of two kinds: 1. given and propagated by manufacturers and 2.that have been created by the users themselves because of the way they use them, symbolic meaning etc. Material culture is not simply about objects but about the â€Å"intimate connection between the object and its users†. The value of any material is co-constructed by the manufacturer/seller, the user and the society/social norms/perceptions/evaluations. While necessity is culturally associated with lower incomes and to an extent poverty, luxury stands at the other extreme being associated with wealth as well as taste. Comfort comes somewhere in between. Again, what we define as necessities or luxury comes from our cultural framework. In India, the cultural framework is defined largely by the middle class for whom, say, not just food, shelter and clothing but hygiene too may be necessity. (Nayar, 2009) The Indian culture has deeply embedded in it values of saving and economic prudence. This is why trade promotion deals like 25% extra on packs, free gifts etc. work so well in the market. This economic prudence is not just monetary, it also has a strong influence of moral economy i.e. economy that is good for the family as a whole. A married woman feels she has been a good mother and wife if she has saved money on her daily grocery shopping. The other fundamental values are those of safety and privacy of the family and to be aesthically and culturally presentable. (Nayar, 2009) With the rise of globalization and proliferation of MNCs into the country post 1991, ironically, a new movement began that of the New Swadeshi. In the increasingly ‘global scenario, Indians were searching for what is their own. The term swadeshi re-entered the vocabulary of India during 1996-97. Over the last decade, the swadeshi and the global have merged, adapted and evolved from the transnational media of the 1990s which were supposed to have an â€Å"Indian soul and international feel†. The formula here was to show stereotypical exotic imagery of the Indian â€Å"tradition† and place it in an international context. < Constructing Luxury for Consumers Constructing Luxury for Consumers WHAT IS LUXURY? The word ‘luxury derives from the Latin word ‘luxus , which according to the Latin Oxford dictionary signifies ‘soft or extravagant living, indulgence and ‘sumptuousness, luxuriousness, opulence (Christodoulides, Michaelidou, Li, 2008). THE TRADITIONAL, ECONOMIC VIEW There are two aspects to consider when defining luxury, the psychological value and the value of the product/service itself. The psychological value of luxury comes from its function as a status symbol and from a highly involved consumption experience that is strongly congruent to a persons self-concept. From a product perspective, luxury brands are frequently defined in terms of their excellent quality, high transaction value, distinctiveness, exclusivity and craftsmanship (Fionda Moore, 2008). In his paper on International Retail Marketing, T.B. Jackson proposes the following as the core characteristics of a luxury product: ‘†¦ exclusivity, premium prices, image and status which combine to make them more desirable for reasons other than function (Jackson, 2004). Dimitri Mortelmans, in his paper ‘The concept of luxury, says there are three main characteristics in [a narrow] definition of luxury: extra value, high quality and exclusivity. The fourth, derived, characteristic is high price. * Extra value Extra value here is loosely defined to include design, aesthetic value any innovation or attribute that makes the product unique. * High quality Superior quality is an essential component of luxury products. Luxury products have been typically been associated with fine craftsmanship, precision and skill. * Exclusivity Exclusivity in luxury products comes from two factors: (a) the goods are made in limited quantity and distribution is strictly controlled. Haute couture began when royal tailors custom made garments that were made only for one user. Till date, products belonging to the highest category of luxury are made in scant quantities. It is also crucial to decide where all these products will be available in order to make them rare. (b) Luxury goods are typically priced so high that they automatically exclude a majority of the population from their target group. In the world of luxury, rarity value sells, because it is the rarity that the customer wants to own. Owning such a product makes the consumer feel privileged to be part of a select group of people. High price When a product or service is superior in quality has extra value and also has to be exclusive, then the price automatically becomes high. (Mortelmans, 2005) Traditionally, there were four principal categories of luxury goods: fashion (couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories), perfumes and cosmetics, wines and spirits and watches and jewellery. Today, luxury has expanded to include many more categories such as luxury automobiles, hospitality (hotels, tourism, airlines) private banking and home furnishings among others. Among these, the luxury fashion goods category accounts for the largest proportion of luxury goods sales (with a 42 per cent share in 2003) and also showed the strongest product category growth in 2007 (Fionda Moore, 2008). NEED FOR LUXURY MOTIVES FOR CONSUMPTION In their paper ‘The specificity of luxury management: Turning marketing upside down Kapferer and Bastien express that for the outward oriented motivations, â€Å"Luxury converts the raw material that is money into a culturally sophisticated product that is social stratification†. Where the inward directed motivations are concerned, â€Å"luxury should have a very strong personal and hedonistic component; otherwise it is no longer luxury but simple snobbery†. (Kapferer Bastien, 2008) According to Wiedmann, Hennigs and Siebels, â€Å"luxury is a subjective and multidimensional construct†. When studying consumer motivations for consumption of luxury, both outward (conspicuousness, snobbery, status) and inward (hedonism, perfectionist) directed motivations need to be taken into account. Additionally, these must be placed the situational and cultural context of consumption. (Wiedmann, Hennigs, Siebels, 2007) Wiedmann, Hennigs and Siebels have proposed four dimensions that add value to luxury purchases in the consumers mind: Financial Dimension of Luxury Value Perception The financial dimension captures the monetary value that consumers are willing to put on the purchase. This will take into account aspects like price, return on investment, resale value and discount. Functional Dimension of Luxury Value Perception This is the core benefit or utility derived from the luxury product or service purchased. This will take into account the attributes of the product such as its quality, durability, reliability, usability etc. Individual Dimension of Luxury Value Perception The individual dimension addresses the inward oriented motivations or the personal value derived from luxury. This includes benefits like self identity, materialism and hedonism. Social Dimension of Luxury Value Perception This dimension has been the most researched and appears to be the largest contributor to the value derived from luxury. The social dimensions of luxury value include recognition or being identified as a part of a particular social group, conspicuousness and prestige value within a social group and a sense of power in a social context. (Wiedmann, Hennigs, Siebels, 2007) In â€Å"A Review and a Conceptual Framework of Prestige-Seeking Consumer Behavior†, Vigneron and Johnson have suggested that the primary driver for the purchase of luxury is prestige-seeking behaviour. The prestige benefits derived out of luxury purchases are of two types: inter-personal (outward oriented) and personal (inward oriented). (Vigneron Johnson, 1999) Interpersonal effects:  · The Veblen effect perceived conscious value Veblenian consumers attach greater importance to price as an indicator of prestige. This comes from the fact that these consumers often use price as evidence to judge quality. They also tend to perceive higher quality products as granting higher prestige.  · The Snob effect perceived unique value ‘Snobs have a need to be unique and seek prestige through differentiation. The snob effect manifests itself in two forms: (a) when a new product/collection is launched, these consumers will want to be the first to buy (innovators) (b) they will choose not to use a product once the general masses have adopted it. Snobs see higher price as an indicator of uniqueness and exclusivity.  · The Bandwagon effect perceived social value This is the reverse of the snob effect. These consumers, the followers, seek prestige through group affiliation. In the words of Vigneron and Johnson, â€Å"bandwagon consumers attach less importance to price as an indicator of prestige, but will put a greater emphasis on the effect they make on others while consuming prestige brands† Personal effects:  · The hedonic effect perceived emotional value Luxury purchases have emotional value attached to them beyond their functional utility. These emotions could be aesthetic appeal, sensory pleasure, excitement etc. The consumer here is more concerned about her own feelings than those of others around her. The luxury product could be fantasy or self rewarding behaviour.  · The perfectionist effect perceived quality value These consumers seek superior quality as an indicator of prestige. They rely on their own judgements about the quality of products and services. They may see higher price as an evidence of better quality. (Vigneron Johnson, 1999) (Husic Cicic, 2009) THE ESSENCE OF LUXURY In her book ‘Let them eat Cake: Marketing to the masses as well as the classes, Pamela N. Danzinger (Danziger, 2005) explains that consumers link luxury to fantasy fulfilment. They fantasize about how their life will change once they own a luxury product; â€Å"Luxury takes on a transcendent quality linked to the persons hopes, wishes and dreams†, she says. Once we have achieved this fantasy, bought that luxury product, after some time it becomes ordinary and then we wish for something else, something even more luxurious and unattainable which then becomes the new object of fantasy. As Danzinger puts it, â€Å"that which is unattainable is overwhelmingly attractive and desirable†; once we have attained something, it loses its mystique and charm and becomes ordinary. Thus, to consumers, luxury is ultimately the unattainable. OLD vs. NEW LUXURY (MASSTIGE) There was a time when â€Å"luxury† as a category was restricted in the hands of the affluent and was meant only for the crà ¨me de la crà ¨me of society. Today, however, the scenario has changed more and more people can now afford a small piece of the pie with the democratisation of luxury. According to a study done by IBM Business Consulting Services (2004), todays consumers are demanding lower prices on basic goods but at the same time, they are willing to pay premiums for products that matter more to them. (Florin, Callen, Mullen, Kropp, 2007) Traditional luxury, now commonly known as ‘old luxury, was all about conspicuous consumption and its appeal was derived from the status and prestige that came with the ownership of these products. The attributes and quality of the offering itself were of supreme importance as it was a cultural symbol of high taste. In the years after the Second World War, material wealth was highly sought after. The generation that witnessed World War II and subsequently the great depression had seen immense scarcity; this generation basked in the joy of material things and sought luxury as a symbol of wealth. (Danziger, 2005) While old luxury was about the thing itself, new luxury is about the experience. The economy, worldwide, improved continuously in the 80s and 90s leading to increasing disposable incomes, lower unemployment rates and a growing wealthy class in emerging countries. Simultaneously, the democratisation of luxury meant that luxury has now become more accessible to a larger population. Goods that fall under the ‘new luxury category are less expensive than traditional luxury goods yet, they have some confines in terms of their price as exclusivity. They are affordable, yet they enjoy a reasonable level of perceived prestige as compared to middle-range products. The prices of ‘new luxury items are kept only slightly above those of middle ranges. This helps in targeting a much larger segment than the traditional luxury niches. The consumers for this new luxury come from middle and upper middle classes for whom luxury purchase is a form of self reward and indulgence. Their focus is a desire for living the good life and private pleasure. As Twitchell says in his book ‘Living It Up: Our Love Affair With Luxury â€Å"These new customers for luxury are younger than clients of the old luxe used to be, they are far more numerous, they make their money far sooner, and they are far more flexible in financing and fickle in choice. They do not stay put. They now have money to burn. The competition for their attention is intense, and their consumption patterns if you havent noticed are changing life for the rest of us.† (Truong, McColl, Kitchen, 2009) The term masstige was introduced by Michael Silverstein and Neil Fiske to refer to a new category which aims at providing luxury to the masses. The term is derived from the words mass + prestige goods and services that occupy the space between mass and class (Silverstein Fiske, 2003). These products are priced at a premium over the convention but are not always positioned at the top of their category in price. A recent survey by the Boston Consulting Group (2004) said that the top four categories for ‘trading up are homes, cars, appliances and dining out (Florin, Callen, Mullen, Kropp, 2007). Examples of new luxury goods are the urban BMW 1-series starting at $ 19 000, Ralph Lauren Polo shirts sold in outlets for $ 9 and Swarovski crystals with prices as low as $ 20. (Truong, McColl, Kitchen, 2009) MASSTIGE TO MASS? Critics argue that brands which enjoy the tag of ‘masstige today, could become the ‘mass brand tomorrow. By definition, it is contradictory to sell prestige and exclusivity in mass (because when something is owned in mass, it would no longer be prestigious). These products may be successful at first, but their enchantment for the consumer would be inversely proportional to their success. The critical success factor, then, for masstige brands would lie in maintaining the equilibrium between prestige differentiation and a reasonable price premium. â€Å"In order for a masstige product to be successful in the long term, it must have a noticeable differentiation in design and/or technology compared to the regular products in the category. This differentiation must be real and marked. Promises of â€Å"improvements† are not enough if they dont really exist or are imperceptible to the consumer† (Smith, 2007). LONG LIVE LUXURY! With the advent of masstige, top end luxury houses like Armani and LVMH are entering into the affordable luxury arena. Critics argue that as luxury becomes more and more affordable, the concept itself will die out. Here is where understanding the sign-value of luxury is important the concept is not absolute but relative. Over the centuries, what constitutes luxury has changed, but the concept has endured. Brands that are at the top may not remain there, even objects that are considered to be part of luxury may change, but because of human social needs, the concept of luxury will persist. (Mortelmans, 2005) LUXURY vs. MASSTIGE Motivations for consumption When defining masstige, price is not the only criteria to differentiate between the realm of luxury and that of accessible luxury. An extremely important difference lies in the motivations for consumption. While the reasons for consumption of luxury can be both internally as well as externally driven, consumption of masstige is in most cases externally driven. Conspicuous consumption, which formed the basis of luxury when the concept originated, now forms the basis for the masstige category. Hence, a Valentino gown does not have a logo printed on it but a Tommy Hilfiger product will always have a label, logo and some visible identification mark on it so that others can see it. Global versus local Luxury is global, it remains the same across the world luxury brands target the elite who expect the same experience from their brands whether they are in the United States, Europe or in Asia. Although various brands have specific associations with the heritage of their countries of origin, a luxury brand is not modified to suit a particular geography. It is meant for people who are global, and hence the brand perception and delivery has to be ‘global in approach and consistent in delivery everywhere. Masstige on the other hand needs to be localised to an extent because the consumption of masstige is directed outwards. It has to adapt to the cultural ethos of the geography in order to remain relevant and in the process also gets absorbed into the culture of any society. LUXURY IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT TRACING THE ROOTS Luxury in India has its roots going back to the era of the Maharajas who, for centuries, splashed their enormous wealth and lived opulently. The Mughal dynastys wealth and power was a legend but as it waned, the old Indian maharajas began to re-emerge, and new ones began to rise. With the arrival of the British Raj, western influences began to show in the collections at the royal courts. Then began the romance with brands like LVMH, Cartier, Gerrard and Asprey. â€Å"Indian courts commissioned all sorts of fine art like jewellery, woodwork, painting, enamelling, inlaid weaponry and intricate floor coverings† (Gopinath, 2009). Jewellers like Cartier and Van Cleef Arpels, Louis Vuittons bags and luggage and watches by Jaeger-Le Coultre, which were the icons of luxury in Europe, were frequently commissioned by kings. At the same time, western styles of dressing were being adopted. (Forster) The Maharajas, who were patrons of music, arts, poetry and craftsmen, began to patronise European and Indian artists and designers as well. The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, has opened an exhibition ‘Maharaja: The Splendour of Indias Royal Courts in November, which will be on display till January 2010. The exhibition explores the lives of the Indian royals beginning from the 18th century till the end of the British rule. The exhibition showcases 250 items a number of which have been loaned from the private collections of the erstwhile royal families of India. Some of the objects on display are the Maharaja of Indores Modernist furniture, a Louis Vuitton travelling case, French designed sarees, a Rolls Royce Phantom and the studding diamond necklace of Maharaja Yadarendra Singh of Patiala. The necklace which was completed in 1928, originally contained 2930 diamonds, weighed almost 1000 carats and was part of the largest single commission that Paris jeweller Cartier has ever executed. Though Western brands are now flocking to India after its new found affluents, India has clearly been consuming western luxury since way before. LUXURIFICATION OF THE INDIAN SOCIETY The Indian luxury landscape is rapidly transforming owing to a combination of economic and social factors: Rising Affluence Merrill Lynch and Capgemini report that the number of high-net-worth individuals in India (at least US$1 million in financial assets) increased by 20.5% in 2006. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, consumers earning more than 1,000,000 rupees a year will total 24 million by 2025 larger than Chinas comparable segment. Their share of private consumption is projected to increase from 7% to 20% in 2025. However, it is the emergence and steady rise of ‘mass affluence of the Indian middle class coupled with aspirational mindsets and lifestyles that is driving consumer demand. The scope for luxury today is larger than it has ever been in India before owing to the strength of the population that can now afford luxury goods. According to sereval reports by McKinsey Global Institue, the Indian middle class (household disposable incomes from Rs. 200,000 to 1 million a year) will increase from approximately 5% to 41% of the population and will become the worlds fifth largest consumer market by 2025. (Foreign Policy) Exposure to Media Media explosion in the form of television, radio, internet and print has led to increased product knowledge and awareness of brands. Fashion and lifestyle media have established a strong following as mainstream media are taking greater interest in consumer lifestyles, fashion trends and luxury brands. A milestone here was the launch of the Indian edition of Vogue magazine in 2007. Along with the platforms available for advertising, the spending on advertising is also rising. According to ZenithOptimedia, advertising expenditures in India increased from US$1.1 billion in 1996 to US$4.7 billion in 2006 and forecasts suggest that this number will exceed $7 billion in 2009. Accessibility of luxury brands A couple of decades ago, in order to purchase luxury brands such as Gucci, Cartier and Chanel, Indian consumers had to travel to Europe or the U.S. Today, the biggest names of the world like LVMH, Armani and Tommy Hilfiger are present in not only Delhi and Mumbai, but are also setting shop in the upcoming metros like Pune and Hyderabad. Inadequate retail space has also been a challenge to luxury brands operating in India which have been, until recently, hidden in lobbies of five star hotels. The retail boom is changing this scenario. Organised retailing, which currently comprises 6% of the market, is expected to rise to 15% in the next two years. Retail space has increased from 22 mn sq ft in 2002 to 101 mn sq ft (almost 5 times) in 2007 and is predicted to increase by a further 200% to 300 mn sq ft by 2012. (Jindal, 2008) With the retail revolution, newer formats like luxury shopping malls are evolving. An example of these new avenues for luxury brands is the Delhi luxury-goods mall, Emporio which opened in March 2008 which houses over 70 international high-end brands. In 2006, again, AT Kearney has ranked India at the top of its Retail Development Index as the worlds most attractive market for mass international retail expansion. Brands like Marks Spencer, McDonalds and Tommy Hilfiger have entered the market with franchisees due to market regulations which are in the process of loosening up further. (Euromonitor International, 2007) Market Regulation The further liberalisation of the Indian economy has made the market attractive to international players despite heavy import duties on luxury goods and foreign investors are looking to make long-term investments in the country. (Atwal Khan, 2008) THE CHANGING FACE OF THE INDIAN LUXURY CONSUMER In an interview the Pitch magazine, Radha Chadha, author of the book ‘The Cult of the Luxury Brand said that India currently is at an early stage of the luxury brand culture. â€Å"Typically, it starts when a country goes through a rapid economic growth and that has been happening in our country for the past few years. It puts money into peoples hands, at some point they want to demonstrate that. The third stage is what I call the show-off stage, where China is today and some of India is moving towards. Then comes the fit-in stage where we see a large scale adoption of luxe fuelled by the need to conform. The last stage is way of life where people are habituated to luxe products; they become confident and discerning buyers, like in emerged markets†. (Chadha, 2008) The luxury market in India has traditionally been segmented according to two distinct customer groups the affluents and the non-affluents. With the pace of economic development, rise of the middle class and the transition towards a consumer society, the profile of the luxury consumer has also evolved. Clustering luxury consumers into segments based simply on socio-economic classifications is erroneous. Todays luxury consumer is much more diverse and hence the old segmentation and classifications need to be reassessed. The regular classifications of customers based on income or SEC are not sufficient today to gauge clearly who are the consumers who are actually consuming luxury (Pant, 2009). India has always had a small elite segment that has been shopping abroad and buying western brands for ages. This elite class consists of the descendants of the royal families, nawabs and small rulers and long standing industrial families like the Birlas, Tatas, Godrej, Bajaj, Mahindras, some tracing their roots back to pre independence days. (Chadha Husband, 2007). This was the select, privileged segment that was exposed to and could consume luxury. In todays scenario, a typical BPO operator in Mumbai or Delhi is spending a substantial proportion of their monthly salary on international brands of clothes, accessories and cosmetics. â€Å"These are consumers are not affluent in the traditional sense of originating from wealthy family backgrounds, but are ambitious and successful in their chosen professions. Personal performance based on merit has got them to where they are today. Todays luxury shopper could be a broker, an entrepreneur, IT specialist or a student† (Atwal Khan, 2008). They purchase luxury not simply to show off, but as a self-reward. As Atwal and Khan say in their paper ‘Luxury marketing in India: because Im worth it, this generation consumes brands, goes shopping and purchases luxury as they firmly believe in the sentiment â€Å"because Im worth it†. The Indian Affluents In her article in the Brand Reporters special issue on luxury marketing, Vatsala Pant says that it is to try and understand these diverse consumers that one such measure, the Nielsen UMAR (Upper and Middle Rich) survey has redefined affluence using lifestyle and ownership of consumer durables factors (Pant, 2009). On the basis of these factors, Nielsen has estimated that there are 2.6 million affluent households across 35 cities (metros and upcoming metros) of India. Affluent Households in India (Source: Nielsen UMAR survey) — LANGUAGE Luxury is no longer reserved for the English-speaking elite. The survey reveals that 51% of these affluents have been educated in languages other than English and dont speak English as a primary language at home. The primary language spoken, then, becomes the preferred language for media consumption. — FAMILY STRUCTURE Ninety percent of these households live in nuclear families or nuclear families with elders living with them. The average size of the family is 4 members with the chief wage earner typically over 35 years of age. — DURABLES While all the households have the basic durables like TV, refrigerator, washing machines and mobile phones, the Rich segment is seen to have more expensive double-door refrigerators, front loading washing machines and microwaves as well. 20% of the affluent households have two or more TV sets. — MEDIA CONSUMPTION While the most popular medium is TV (watched in 98% of the HH), the next most popular is print where 70% HH read English dailies. However, only 10% read English business dailies. Popularity of watching cinema outside the home is more (67%) than radio listenership (54% of HH). 55% of the HH browse the internet while only 38% read magazines. (Pant, 2009) Changing Trends of the Affluent Indian Consumer Indian consumers are value conscious and highly value driven. Not just products, but the delivery and experience are becoming increasingly important. With the advent of international luxury brands with a bang into the country, consumers want world-class brands, and expect world-class quality, service and experience. They expect the latest designs and most modern technologies available. As the purchasing power has gone up, so have aspirations. The concept of wealth to be enjoyed rather than just display and badge value has emerged. Indulgence and self-rewarding behaviour are on the rise rather than simply the need to show-off. (Raman, 2007) NEW LUXURY FOR INDIA In their paper ‘Luxury marketing in India: because Im worth it Glyn Atwal and Shaziya Khan say that â€Å"the establishment of different levels of luxury ranging from ultra luxury to affordable luxury is a reflection of luxurys increasing mass appeal in India†. The concept of masstige or new luxury is extremely relevant in the Indian context for two reasons firstly, the market for masstige is huge is India owing to rising disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class. Secondly, Indians are extremely value conscious and new luxury would, for many, be the first opportunity to experience luxury. This, then, could be the first step for a large population to move on to luxury. Rising incomes and the recent retail boom in the country coupled with increasing awareness has sparked off consumption of new luxury brands in India. At the same time, the arrival of international brands and players on the scene has provided accessibility to global resources and efficient supply chains. â€Å"The Indian society is moving towards NUF (Nuclear Urban Family) where each individual has their own tastes and preferences† (Marketing Funda: Masstige, 2007). The consumer is becoming more demanding in terms of value, quality and service. A Euromonitor report on India states that for the burgeoning middle class, the spending area is shopping for brand names. Consumerism is a significant aspect of the new, younger middle class which gives a lot of importance to lifestyle and branded goods. (Euromonitor International, 2007) A look into the Indian consumers luxury needs In their qualitative research of the Indian consumers, Glyn Atwal and Shaziya Khan discovered that the Indian consumer associates luxury with perceptions of not just quality and performance but with comfort, beauty, pleasure and style. The product is no longer the sole criteria for choice, the service and experience of shopping are crucial to the decision making process. When societies experience fast economic growth, the phenomenon of luxury usually gains popularity because the acquisition of luxury is a symbol of prestige and signifies how fast you have climbed up the ladder of social mobility. A similar phenomenon is being seen in India but the motivations to acquire luxury brands go beyond displaying social status. Consumers are moving on from an outward expression of luxury to an inward directed emotional experience. Luxury brands are helping people â€Å"define identities and express values†. (Atwal Khan, 2008) CHAPTER 2: INDIAN ADVERTISING- AESTHETICS CONTENT ADVERTISING INDIAN CULTURE William Mazzarellas ethnographic study of ‘globalizing consumerism in the context of Indian advertising talks about how advertising is produced in metropolitan India and transformations in the Indian public culture along with the rise of mass consumerism. As Mazzarella puts it: â€Å"As an aesthetic interface of post colonial capitalism, the everyday practice of advertising constantly calls into question the conceptual alignments that ground business discourse: local and global, culture and capital, particular and universal, content and form† (Mazzarella, 2003) Goods possess meaning of two kinds: 1. given and propagated by manufacturers and 2.that have been created by the users themselves because of the way they use them, symbolic meaning etc. Material culture is not simply about objects but about the â€Å"intimate connection between the object and its users†. The value of any material is co-constructed by the manufacturer/seller, the user and the society/social norms/perceptions/evaluations. While necessity is culturally associated with lower incomes and to an extent poverty, luxury stands at the other extreme being associated with wealth as well as taste. Comfort comes somewhere in between. Again, what we define as necessities or luxury comes from our cultural framework. In India, the cultural framework is defined largely by the middle class for whom, say, not just food, shelter and clothing but hygiene too may be necessity. (Nayar, 2009) The Indian culture has deeply embedded in it values of saving and economic prudence. This is why trade promotion deals like 25% extra on packs, free gifts etc. work so well in the market. This economic prudence is not just monetary, it also has a strong influence of moral economy i.e. economy that is good for the family as a whole. A married woman feels she has been a good mother and wife if she has saved money on her daily grocery shopping. The other fundamental values are those of safety and privacy of the family and to be aesthically and culturally presentable. (Nayar, 2009) With the rise of globalization and proliferation of MNCs into the country post 1991, ironically, a new movement began that of the New Swadeshi. In the increasingly ‘global scenario, Indians were searching for what is their own. The term swadeshi re-entered the vocabulary of India during 1996-97. Over the last decade, the swadeshi and the global have merged, adapted and evolved from the transnational media of the 1990s which were supposed to have an â€Å"Indian soul and international feel†. The formula here was to show stereotypical exotic imagery of the Indian â€Å"tradition† and place it in an international context. <

A Web Site to Promote a Chinese Restaurant :: Internet Computers Essays

A Web Site to Promote a Chinese Restaurant Whether it is a full-size buffet restaurant in the busiest section of town or an intimate bistro by the lake, restaurateurs hope that their businesses will attract and hold a solid base of repeat customers. Many restaurants do in fact thrive; while others find themselves struggling to keep their doors open a year after their debut. How to have a successful restaurant is always a tricky proposition for a business owner. Yes, there are ways for him to increase the chances of success. One way is to get the restaurant on the web. This essay will discuss how to create a web site to promote a Chinese restaurant named Pagoda. The web site for Pagoda restaurant has to be attractive, informative, and professional in order to increase the restaurant local exposure, and expand the market to tourists and traveling business people. The web site has 6 different pages that introduce various information about the restaurant. They are Home, About Us, Location, Menu, Special Occasions, and Contact Us. These six pages have the same set-up; they all have the logo of the restaurant on top of the page, then comes 6 links appearing right beneath the logo name. The contents of each page are different from other pages because they introduce to viewers specific aspects of the restaurant. Viewers can go back and forth between the pages by clicking on the links; they don’t have to go back to the home page to navigate to the next. This helps viewers to save time and energy. It’s also convenient. The main page or Home page of the web site has become a backbone for the information found on the restaurant’s site. It is significant because it is the first place people enter the web site. If people are attracted by the main page, they feel anxious to go further to other links of the site. If the main page is plain (dull), non-professional, and unattractive then people will not waste their time to look for more information. On this main page, I put the image of the restaurant at the center of the page, right after the restaurant logo. The reason why I did this is because it gives a first impression to viewers. As the name â€Å"Pagoda† restaurant, the building has a shape of a pagoda architecture, which stands out from other buildings in the area.