CASE STUDY ANALYSIS OF STATE BANK OF INDIA Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Investigation OF STATE BANK OF INDIA - Case Study Example As the name proposes, State bank of India or SBI is an open area bank which has branches in many pieces of India. Despite the fact that SBI despite everything controls a considerable segment of Indian financial industry, rivalry from private banks and outside banks is making enormous issues SBI. A portion of the serious issues looking by SBI at present, are identified with promoting, HR, client support and innovation. Private segment banks, for example, HDFC and ICICI contend emphatically with SBI now. ICICI Bank has just overwhelmed SBI regarding market capitalization. Country showcasing is another enormous issue for SBI. Despite the fact that SBI has numerous branches in India, the greater part of these branches are situated in urban zones. Country populace despite everything comprises of numerous unbanked individuals and SBI neglected to abuse this network. Absence of worker inspiration and correspondence issues are the significant HR issues in SBI. Helpless remuneration and substantial outstanding burdens are a portion of the explanations behind demotivation of SBI workers. Correspondence is generally occurring in SBI just through one way; from top to the base. Because of that, even skilled workers couldn't utilize their capacities appropriately. Client care is another territory wherein SBI is confronting issues now. A considerable lot of the SBI clients have the grievance that they were neither regarded nor rewarded appropriately by the SBI representatives. The high salary clients of the SBI accept that they are not getting enough acknowledgment from SBI despite the fact that they contribute over 80% of SBI’s turnover. Absence of item development and the advances plausible to misuse the financial prospects in rustic territories are a portion of the innovation related issues in SBI. SBI still uses old innovations and the organization doesn't trouble especially about building up an innovation reasonable for the country networks in India. SBI’s promoting issues can be understood with the assistance of devices, for example, 7Ps showcasing blend and General Electric Matrix

Their Eyes Were Watching God Quotes

'Their Eyes Were Watching God' Quotes Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel by Zora Neale Hurston. Its the account of Janie Crawford, who gets back and recounts to the tale of the most recent 20 years. Statements From the Novel These sitters had been tongueless, earless, eyeless comforts throughout the day. Donkeys and different savages had involved their skins. Be that as it may, presently, the sun and the bossman were gone, so the skins felt incredible and human. They became rulers of sounds and lesser things. They went countries through their mouths. They sat in judgment.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 1Janie saw her life like an incredible tree in leaf with the things endured, things delighted in, things done and fixed. First light and fate was in the branches.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 2You know, nectar, us hued people is branches without roots and that makes things come round in eccentric manners. You specifically. Ok was brought into the world back due in servitude so it wasnt for me to satisfy my fantasies of whut a lady oughta be and to do.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 2Ah needed to lecture an incredible message about hu ed ladies sittin on high, yet they wasnt no podium for me.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 2 Ok needs things sweet wid mah marriage lak when you sit under a pear tree and think. Ok.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 3Janie pulled back quite a while in light of the fact that he didn't speak to sun-up and dust and sprouting trees, however he represented far skyline. He represented change and possibility.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 4Thank yuh fuh yo praises, yet mah spouse dont know nothin session no discourse makin.. Ok never wedded her for nothin lak dat. Shes uh lady and her place is in de home.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 5Take for example that new place of his. It had two stories with yards, with rails and such things. The remainder of the town seemed as though hirelings quarters encompassing the large house. What's more, unique in relation to every other person in the town he put off moving in until it had been painted, in and out. Furthermore, take a gander at the manner in which he painted it-a gloaty, sparkly white.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 5 Janie adored the discussion and at times she brainstormed great stories on the donkey, however Joe had prohibited her to enjoy. He didnt need her talking after such trashy individuals.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 6Somebody got the chance to think for ladies and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho dont think none theirselves.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 6Janie did what she had never done, that is, push herself into the discussion.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 6When you pull down yo britches, you look lak de change uh life.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 7It was so insane burrowing worms by light and setting out for Lake Sabelia after 12 PM that she felt like a youngster defying norms. That is the thing that made Janie like it.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 11He could be a honey bee to a bloom a pear tree bloom in the spring. He was by all accounts squashing fragrance out of the world with his strides. Squashing sweet-smelling herbs with each progression he took. Flavors hung about him. He was a look from God.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 11 Before the week was over he had whipped Janie. Not on the grounds that her conduct supported his desire, however it calmed that terrible dread inside him. Having the option to whip her consoled him under lock and key. No fierce beating by any means. He just slapped her around a piece to show he was chief.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 17They clustered nearer and gazed at the entryway. They just didnt utilize another piece of their bodies, and they didnt take a gander at anything other than the entryway. The time was past for asking the white people what to search for through that entryway. Six eyes were addressing God.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 18Once upon uh time, Ah never spected nothin, Tea Cake, yet bein dead from substitute still and tryin tuh giggle. Be that as it may, you come long and made somethin outa me. So Ahm grateful fuh anything we come through together.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 18Janie held his head firmly to her bosom and sobbed and expressed gratitude toward him silently for giving her the possibility for adoring help. She needed to embrace him tight for soon he would be gone, and she needed to let him know once and for all. At that point the pain of external obscurity slid.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 19 So Ahm back home agin and Ahm fulfilled tuh be heah. Ok done been tuh de skyline and back and now Ah kinfolk set heah in mah house and live by correlations.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 20Here was harmony. She pulled in her frame of reference like an incredible fish-net. Pulled it from around the midsection of the world and hung it behind her. Such an extensive amount life in its cross sections! She brought in her spirit to come and see.- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ch. 20

The Violence of Video Games on Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Violence of Video Games on Children - Essay Example Vicious computer games can have a genuine negative impact on kids, by giving them forceful considerations and activities. Forceful acts are â€Å"acts that make an individual bound to submit a perilous or unsafe act† (McCormick, 2001, 279). Computer games make a few youngsters forceful in the entirety of their conduct. Kids who like to play computer games once in a while attempt to copy those things, in actuality. Computer games cause kids to get lost in the game and can be extremely addictive. Furthermore, computer games make youngsters terrified in light of the fact that they have difficulties with rivals in the game. Kids who play computer games may likewise encounter enthusiastic irregularity or awful dreams when they rest. In light of the utilization of computer games youngsters â€Å"behave more aggressively† with their kin and companions (Whitaker, 2009). At the point when a youngster plays computer games that have forceful conduct, they will need to rehash that conduct with their kin or companions. Youngsters commonly apply what they gain from brutal computer games to reality. Savage games fortify awful conduct in youngsters and can adversely influence the benevolent connection between kin. What's more, kids can likewise absence of a feeling of their sentiments. Youngsters become savage with their kin or companions since they can't control themselves and their sentiments of outrage. Kids who can't coexist with their companions without utilizing viciousness feel that they can generally get what they need. Likewise, they feel happy when they make somebody cry. Likewise, at times when they can’t win they will take it out on their kin or companions. Youngsters who play rough computer games would thus be able to turn out to be extremely solitary since they don’t realize how to coexist with their friends. Another reaction of fierce computer games is that youngsters may turn out to be less submissive to their folks and educators. Th ey may think they are more intelligent than those individuals and lie to them in the event that they want to pull off it. Youngsters frequently need to remain with their folks and kin so they can discuss genuine issues, however computer games can divert their consideration. This negative conduct can make youngsters obstinate. What's more, vicious computer games cause youngsters to pass up important exercises from their folks and educators. These youngsters regularly don’t keep school rules or regard the educators. When this occurs, it is just a short time before these kids experience the ill effects of less than stellar scores because of their diminished spotlight on examining. A portion of these equivalent kids will even go to class with having enough rest thus they will be extremely drained. Computer games can likewise demolish a child’s character since it will lead them to not do schoolwork. A few youngsters can neglect to do schoolwork since they are so bustling pl aying computer games. Understudies can likewise lose enthusiasm for different exercises. Computer games keep them from practicing in light of the fact that that time is spent playing computer games. These kids don’t read any longer since they have discovered something that is considerably more energizing than perusing. Along these lines, their perusing capacity starts to endure. These youngsters likewise can't go to play football outside with their companions since they are too caught up with appreciating time without anyone else when they play computer games. Besides, a few youngsters have drawing ability, yet when they at last get into computer games

U.S. Economy and Unemployment Rate - 275 Words

U.S. Economy and Unemployment Rate (Editing Sample) Content: U.S ECONOMY AND UNEMPLOYMENT RATENamesCourseTutorUniversityLocationDateU.S Economy and Unemployment RateThe U.S government has eased the worries of economical slowdown by stipulating that the job market had recovered back. With reference to the Department of Labor, more than 223, 000 new positions had been created, hence diminishing unemployment by 5.4%. A report supporting this recovery was equally made a U.S RBS economist Guy Berger. Prior this report, economists had predicted elevation of hourly wages by 0.2% which was to mark the end of recession period, however it elevated by 0.1% in April. A common agreement saw Fed being shifted from June to September, in the aim of affirming central bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s efforts. According to Berger salary increment would not typically entail rise in rates, but develop confidence accordingly. If such pace is going to be maintained, it is likely that the rate of joblessness will diminish by at least 4.9 by end-year. Participation r ate is yet another significant indicator of marketà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s overall health, which for some years has jammed, which had been equally depicted in president Obamaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s policies of economy.Both demographic and economic forces have been termed by Fed policy as watching the participation rate at a close range. With housing sector being healthy, construction has gained momentum where more builders have been contracted, hence hiring more workers. Equally, more than 62,000 positions have been added within business and professional services. Healthcare is yet another sector that has attained close to 125,000 new positions in a 3-month span. However, energy firms have been forced to retrench a significant number of their employees, loosing more than 10,000 jobs in a 1-month span. In conclusion, the government...

Valentina Tereshkova First Woman in Space - Biography

Space exploration is something that people routinely do today, without regard to their gender. However, there was a time more than half a century ago when access to space was considered a mans job. Women werent yet there, held back by requirements that they had to be test pilots with a certain amount of experience. In the U.S.  13 women went through astronaut training  in the early 1960s, only to be kept out of the corps by that pilot requirement. In the Soviet Union, the space agency actively sought a woman to fly, provided she could pass the training. And so it was that Valentina Tereshkova made her flight in the summer of 1963, a couple of years after the first Soviet and U.S. astronauts took their rides to space. She paved the way for other women to become astronauts, although the first American woman didnt fly to orbit until the 1980s. Early Life and Interest in Flight Valentina Tereshkova was born to a peasant family in the Yaroslavl  region of the former USSR on March 6, 1937. Soon after starting work in a textile mill at the age of 18, she joined an amateur parachuting club. That stoked her interest in flight, and at the age of 24, she applied to become a cosmonaut. Just earlier that year, 1961, the Soviet space program began to consider sending women into space. The Soviets were looking for another first at which to beat the United States, among many space firsts they achieved during the era. Overseen by  Yuri Gagarin  (the first man in space) the selection process for female cosmonauts began in mid-1961. Since there werent many female pilots in the Soviet air force, women parachutists were considered as a possible field of candidates. Tereshkova, along with three other women parachutists and a female pilot, was selected to train as a cosmonaut  in 1962. She began an intensive training program designed to help her withstand the rigors of launch and orbit.   From Jumping out of Planes to Spaceflight Due to the Soviet penchant for secrecy, the entire program was kept quiet, so very few people knew about the effort. When she left for training, Tereshkova reportedly told her mother she was going to a training camp for an elite skydiving team. It wasnt until the flight was announced on the radio that her mother learned the truth of her daughters achievement. The identities of the other women in the cosmonaut program were not revealed until the late 1980s. However, Valentina Tereshkova was the only one of the group to go into space at that point. Making History The historic first flight of a female cosmonaut was slated to concur with the second dual flight (a mission on which two craft would be in orbit at the same time, and ground control would maneuver them to within 5 km (3 miles) of each other). It was scheduled for June of the following year, which meant that Tereshkova had only about 15 months to get ready. Basic training for the women was very similar to that of the male cosmonauts. It included classroom study, parachute jumps, and time in an aerobatic jet. They were all commissioned as second lieutenants in the Soviet Air Force, which had control over the cosmonaut program at the time. Vostok 6 Rockets into History Valentina Tereshkova was chosen to fly aboard Vostok 6, scheduled for a June 16, 1963 launch date. Her training included at least two long simulations on the ground, of 6 days and 12 days duration. On June 14, 1963 cosmonaut Valeriy Bykovsky launched on Vostok 5. Tereshkova and Vostok 6 launched two days later, flying with the call sign Chaika (Seagull). Flying two different orbits, the spacecraft came within roughly 5 km (3 miles) of each other, and the cosmonauts exchanged brief communications. Tereshkova followed the Vostok procedure of ejecting from the capsule some 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) above the ground and descending under a parachute. She landed near Karaganda, Kazakhstan, on June 19, 1963. Her flight lasted 48 orbits totaling 70 hours and 50 minutes in space. She spent more time in orbit than all the U.S. Mercury astronauts combined. Its possible that Valentina may have trained for a   Voskhod  mission that was to include a spacewalk, but the flight never happened. The female cosmonaut program was disbanded in 1969 and wasnt until 1982 that the next woman flew in space. That was Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya, who went into space aboard a  Soyuz  flight. The U.S. did not send a woman into space until 1983, when  Sally Ride, an astronaut  and  physicist, flew aboard the space shuttle  Challenger. Personal Life and Accolades Tereshkova was married to fellow cosmonaut Andrian Nikolayev in November 1963. Rumors abounded at the time that the union was just for propaganda purposes, but those have never been proven. The two had a daughter, Yelena, who was born the following year, the first child of parents that had both been in space. The couple later divorced. Valentina Tereshkova received the Order of Lenin and Hero of the Soviet Union awards for her historic flight. Later she served as the president of the Soviet Womens Committee and became a member of the Supreme Soviet, the USSRs national parliament, and the Presidium, a special panel within the Soviet government. In recent years, she has led a quiet life in Moscow.   Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Socrates Argument Of Wisdom - 1673 Words

Life is full of contradictions, weather it is a situation where one person is happy but their friend is not or by meeting a good politician they are there. Contradictions are littered throughout life but are most usually sought out during lies and courtroom appearances. Contradictions are the way one discredits a defense or the way one undermines an argument, and sometimes they just bring things into question. A specific situation is Socrates’ defense in The Apology. One could assume that the gentlemen of the law were closely examining and judging Socrates’ words and statements, but possibly more than the gentlemen, philosophers examine Socrates’ words through the text. Many thinkers have found great and small contradictions throughout, one concerning Socrates’ statements of wisdom. In The Apology Socrates states that he has no claim to wisdom, yet he appears to have human wisdom. Wisdom is a very abstract term for a great deal of people and for the purpos e of this paper it is important to turn to Socrates himself to understand. There a few passages which can be referred to obtain a define idea of what wisdom is to Socrates. In passage 21d Socrates describes a resulting thought about wisdom on his journey to prove that he is not wise, â€Å"Well, I am certainly wiser than this man. It is only too likely that neither of us has any knowledge to boast of, but he thinks that he knows something which he does not know, whereas I am quite conscious of my ignorance. At any rate it seemsShow MoreRelatedThe Apology by Socrates1099 Words   |  4 PagesApology, in Socrates day, stood for defense rather than seeking forgiveness, as it is now commonly used. To Socrates, it did not matter to him whether or not he was persecuted, as long as he did what was correct. Socrates whole philosophy is that to know knowledge is to have wisdom, and to have wisdom is to know oneself. The people of Athens did not like Socrates due to both the early accusers and late accusers; however, Socrates provides an argument to put these fallacies to rest. Plato’s ApologyRead MoreThe Meno, Socrates And Meno1586 Words   |  7 Pages In the Meno, Socrates and Meno discuss the nature of virtue, the process of acquiring knowledge, and also the concept of the teachability of virtue. Throughout the text, Meno suggests many varying definitions for virtue, all of which Socrates is able to dismantle. The point is also raised that it may be impossible to know about something that was not previously understood, because the searcher would have no idea what to be looking for. To dispute this, Socrates makes a point that all knowledgeRead MoreThe Overlooked Gift of Knowledge823 Words   |  4 Pagesinfluential. He was a leader of the highest caliber. This is Socrates, arguably one of the most prominent men in philosophical history. Socrates is a figure of evolution, when referring to the way people think. He was sentenced to death by the Athenians for corrupting the youth, not believing in the gods recognized by the state, and for introducing supernatural beings. The Athenians were unjust in in their conviction and condemn ation to death of Socrates because he helped the youth rather than corrupt it,Read MorePlato and Socrates Anthology Essay1008 Words   |  5 PagesSocrates Anthology and Plato Plato: I: Apology 1. What are the charges brought against Socrates by his Athenian accusers and what is his reply concerning the sort of wisdom he in fact possesses? The charges that were brought against Socrates were corrupting the young and Impiety. Socrates says â€Å"If you ask me what kind of wisdom, I reply, wisdom such as may perhaps be attained by man, for to that extent I am inclined to believe that I am wise; Whereas the persons of whom I was speaking have aRead MorePlato s Euthyphro And Apology893 Words   |  4 Pagesconclusions. Plato’s Euthyphro and Apology, to no surprise, highlight one of such debate: the human characteristics of wisdom. Though Plato was one of the earliest philosophers, the topic of wisdom is still debated by modern philosophers today, contemplating questions such as â€Å"What are the classifications of ‘wisdom’?† According to Plato’s two dialogues, the characteristics of wisdom have a strong correlation with the characteristics of â€Å"being a good person†. This concept highlights the values of virtueRead MoreSocrates Virtuous Soul Analysis1234 Words   |  5 Pages philosophy study will argue against Socrates’ â€Å"virtuous soul† as the motivation for just acts in The Republic. Socrates’ argument for the â€Å"balanced soul† as a motivation for just acts is defined in relation to the contrasting arguments of his contemporaries, such as Thrasymachus, Glaucon, and Adeimantus. This ideological view of the â€Å"virtuous soul† does not provide a practical explanation for the motivation of a â€Å"just act† in a hierarchical society. The argument of Thrasymachus defines justice asRead MoreSocrates and Love Essay912 Words   |  4 PagesIn the Symposium, written by Plato, Socrates and others engage in a dialogue in the home of Agathon on love. Instead of singing the honours (94) of love like the other participants, Socrates uses a retelling of a discussion that he had with a woman named Diotima to tell the audience of what he perceives to be the truth of love. He first speaks to Agathon in order to be on the same wavelength with him. Socrates asks Agathon a series of questions - which leads to Agathon being thoroughlyRead MoreEssay about Socrates’ Trial Defense in Terms of His Values1414 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates’ Trial Defense in Terms of His Values In his Apology, Plato recounted the trial that led to the execution of his friend and mentor, Socrates. The account revealed that values of Socrates’ accusers and his own fundamentally differed, and that they had been angered because he tried to prove that they had misplaced theirs. Those differences created conflict between the two parties that culminated in his trial. With the understanding that a jury condemned Socrates to deathRead MorePlato Is One Of The Greatest And Well Known Philosophers1388 Words   |  6 PagesBorn around 428 BC, Plato grew up in Greece learning from Socrates, another well known philosopher. Later in life, Plato taught Aristotle who was also a well known philosopher. His works of writing and thoughts about life have significantly impacted the Western culture in numerous ways. In selected readings of Plato, he seems to place importance on wisdom, and how to attain wisdom. Plato argues that in order to attain pure knowledge, or wisdom, one must â€Å"escape from the body† and not fear the thoughtRead MoreArguments On Death And How The Human Condition1197 Words   |  5 PagesArguments on Death and How They Relate to the Human Condition In Plato’s â€Å"Five Dialogues†, Socrates argues what he believes death is and what it will bring, and then urges humans to not fear death and perhaps even embrace it. Though the arguments both aim to dispel the fear of death, only one, the Phaedo, truly provides insight into the meaning of death, the preparation for it, and goes on to expound the human condition. The Phaedo does this in a detailed way by offering a strong argument that

Checkers Marketing assignment free essay sample

Q. 1. 1-Checkers is a brand of stores that splits in two formats one smaller supermarket, having currently 171 stores and other larger the hyper resulting from the merger with another brand Hyperama and currently with 29 stores. The brand focuses its image in the lifestyle of customers with a higher income focusing primarily on the areas of cheeses, wines, coffees and cold meats. Its slogan is Better and Better which lets us know a bit of brand identity and strategy in its relentless effort to improve the various levels as confirmed on the official website of the brand available on the world wide web that says us: That although the current state of the economy puts most families with some monetary difficulties Checkers is expressing its concept in a way that makes its customers see that while the economy is unfavorable to maintain a level of life with higher standards this brand offers better savings offering the best prices on the products connoted with this standard of living, avoiding its customers to change lifestyle. Better quality offering their products with world variety and always with the high quality criteria however much the price is low. And finally the better services that focuses on improving relationships with customers and with the appreciation of the time and customer itself, the brand focuses on quality of life, and on a good standard for its customers, therefore, the brand that they prefer spend more time enjoying life than to spend time shopping or doing various subjects thus Moneymarket appeared, another service that can be found in the shops of the brand where customers can pay bills, buy electricity or even tickets for cultural events or to travel, all in one place and with a service that the brand tries to provide at its best. The mark Checkers in itself enhances the organization for the message that transmits through various channels to reach the consumer it creates a perception in their clients and increases the value of the organization as it becomes readily identifiable and distinct from their competitors through the values and strategy that the brand implemented in the market, and that this has connotations with their Target market of high income and living standards above the average putting the organization at a level of prestige or premium. Question 2 II Marketing Strategy: Q. 2. 1-Concerning the price strategy brands have to face a lot of factors that influence their own strategy to penetrate the market and to increase and or maintain the market share, the brand Checkers is not an exception to this, so following there is some of those factors that according to Cant and Heerden (2013: 235) we can subdivide in two main groups: Will influence the price, because their prices will be decided regarding the position that they want to occupy in the market or the target market they want in this case the prices will not be so low because as we can see in Checkers official web site their focus is on high income customers with high standards of lifestyle, but at the same time one of Checkers’ goals is to perform financially viability, because when we look to the history of the company we can see it already was close to end in 1991 when the biggest brand of the organization Shoprite bought Checkers and the brand grew up during 10 years on the shadow of the biggest brand Shoprite only in 2001 they went apart and the strategy since there is to become â€Å"better and better† as the slogan talks by itself and this applies to the pricing strategy as well in a way that the prices will be managed to obtain profit and viable financial results. THE COSTS OF THE ORGANIZATION, this is one of the most important fa ctors that Checkers should look before pricing their products, because, as it is mentioned above, the brand already went through a bad financial situation in 1991 and it went 10 years dependent on the main brand of the organization and looking carefully to the costs situations like that can be avoid in the future. And EXTERNAL FACTORS: those refer to the outside of the organization in sum the environment where Checkers is located these factors that will influence the price decisions of Checkers incorporate: The ECONOMIC CONDITIONS are one important factor that affect pricing decisions of Checkers, nowadays the economy of South Africa the main country where this brand operates was greatly affected by the global crisis, concerning this, Checkers implemented its marketing strategy exposing its concept that their customers don’t need to change their high standards of lifestyle because the brand Checkers will always offer â€Å"better quality† products and â€Å"better savings† even regarding the situation of the economy influencing the brand to put their prices lower than if the economy were more healthy. The factor of the economic conditions influence other factor in the price decision the NATURE OF MARKET DEMAND in times where the South African economy is being badly shaken by the crisis environment we live in a global level, creates on Checkers customers lower incomes and the trend to save because of the uncertain future to fight this Checkers has its strategy to create customer value and maintain the demand for higher standard products at affordable prices lower than in a normal economy where the customers will be more likely to consume the same items in the same quantity even if the price would be higher, thus this factor influence Checkers’ price decision putting the prices lower. In other hand we have the CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, which is about the perceptions that customers have of different prices, and how they connote the Checkers with their attitudes and lifestyles if the price of products is to low probably consumers will think that the products have less quality than they used to have, so Checkers has to be careful on its pricing strategy if in one side they have to regard the slow on the economy on the other side they can’t low its prices as much as its customers will think they have lower quality, this because as well the target market of the brand that is related with people with higher income and with high standards of lifestyle so they have to be very cautious managing this situation, in a way they can maintain and increasing their market share without loosing their concept connoted with their target market. Then we have the COMPETITORS, the other retailers that Checkers should be aware when defining its strategy to price their products, in this factor Checkers should compare itself with the others competitors’ prices and decide between two strategies as Cant and Heerden (2013: 246) tell us they can choose, if they will follow the price of the leader in the market or, if they decide their own price, that is what Checkers does not putting the price as low as some competitors but instead of that offering a concept of better quality and so higher prices because of the target market that they want and it is intrinsic to the brand. The SUPPLIERS will influence the price of Checkers in a logic way cause if they charge more to Checkers, the brand will have consequently to raise its prices and charge more to its costumers as well. Finally we have the AUTHORITIES AND THE GOVERNMENT, which Cant and Heerden (2013: 246) summarize to us the three main ways how this factor affect the price strategy of Checkers: They don’t allow any organization to decide together with their competitors to fix their price at the same amount ; In South Africa main country where Checkers operates there is the Act on Price Control, Act 25 of 1964 that states there is a maximum price for goods and services that one person or organization can sell to another, one of the products in this situation that Checkers sell is Sugar for example its maximum price is decided by one authority from time to time and not by the brand itself The third main one is the control that authorities can have in the way an organization gives the price information to consumers, Cant and Heerden (2013: 246) give us the example of medicines that since 2004 all of them sold in South Africa have their prices printed on their packages and Medicines is some of th e products available in some stores of the brand Checkers and so on they have to be excluded of their price strategy. Looking at the brand Checkers as a whole and analyzing the history of the company as well as the factors that influence their price strategy the price goal that appears best suit Checkers is the profit-oriented goal regarding that Checkers already went through a bad financial situation before being bought from Shoprite group and went under the umbrella of the main brand Shoprite for ten years until 2001 as the official website of the group tell us. After all the analysis did above, regarding all the factors that influences Checkers, the most likely goal of their price strategy and after an attentive of contact them with an answer that this matter is confidential in my point of view the strategy that possibly Checkers follow is based on cost, seeming that the Cost-plus pricing will suit better the brand concerning their history and the attempt of always trying to be â€Å"better and better† it seems to me that they have projected profits for the year and they price their products based on that to meet their financial goals. Q. 2. 2-As almost all the companies and brands in nowadays difficult times of the global economy have to communicate and have a relationship with their customers and remember or get known that they exist to their target market in a way they can maintain and increase their market share. Checkers to do that use a lot of promotional tools to create the exposure of their concept to their customers Cant and Heerden (2013: 326) tell us that this process should be called Integrated Brand Promotion (IBP) following you will see some of the marketing communication mix tools that the brand Checkers use and how and why they use them: This is one of the tools most used by retailers in general and Checkers is not an exception to the rule, Cant and Heerden (2013: 328) define this toll as â€Å"any paid form of mass presentation of ideas, products or services by an advertiser, addressed to selected target audiences with the objective of creating awareness, informing, reminding, influencing or persuading them to buy the product or service or to be favorably inclined towards these ideas products or services. † Checkers make use of this toll through many different channels on media those channels can be divided into two main groups: Above-the-line media which include many advertisement that the brand Checkers does for example on television, radio, magazines and newspapers where the brand expose messages to their customers such as promotions or to emphasize the brand value. The other group is the Digital media, which include all the World Wide Web this is a very cheap channel that Checkers use a lot as well and it will be discussed in more detail later in section 3. Checkers make use of this tool to make their customers to aware about their brand, to increase loyalty, to people associate their brand to the messages they want to transmit, to increase trust in the quality of the products they sell and finally to create a reputation in the market. SALES PROMOTION: this toll is an activity that Checkers use a lot this is designed to intensify the sales normally with results in the short-term and those results can be measured and accountable. Checkers use this toll with discount coupons for certain products in a determined time bound or when they promote some products in stores encouraging their customers to try a sample in a way that they would like it and then purchase it. The brand makes use of this toll to increase sales of slow-moving products or to sale products that the validity date is near to the end in a way that Checkers will not loose their investment on that product at least not 100% of it. DIRECT MARKETING RESPONSE: is the opposite of the mass media communication because they using this toll the brand will treat the customer as an individual and so the message that the brand wants to transmit is sent to a person normally they treat the customer by his name and sometimes they give them discounts on their favorite products in a way that the customer will fell recognition and valorized by the brand in question. Checkers use this strategy for example with the discount coupons that they send to individual customers directly to their own phones, their customers can subscribe to this kind of system by downloading their application for their smartphones for example or with other processes for the other phones. Checkers does this to increase the value of the relationship with their customers in an attempt to build brand loyalty and to maintain their market share, which is further more cheap than pick up new customers; another big advantage of this is that they can measure their campaigns and collect customers data. PUBLIC RELATIONS: is a toll that is used to enhance the brand it is related with publicity as well and a bit with social responsibility. Checkers makes use of this toll for example participating on the Cheese festival of South Africa or supporting the breast cancer in women. The brand does this to create visibility and to show to the public in general that they help the society as well and to interact with their costumers at the same time promoting their brand awareness. SPONSORSHIP: Cant and Heerden (2013: 344) describe us this activity as â€Å"the alignment of a brand with an activity in order to exploit the commercial potential created by the association, thereby positively impacting brand image and/or sales among the sponsor’s target market, in order to attain marketing and corporate objectives. † One good example of the using of this toll on the brand Checkers can be the contract they made with BBC lifestyle sponsoring a gastronomic series named â€Å"Full on Food† from popular chefs like Jamie Olivier where they were the exclusive sponsors even of BBC Lifestyle’s recipe planner, an online application, which allows consumers to plan their weekly meals and print their grocery lists and features exclusive Checkers recipes (BBC Worldwide Channels agrees sponsorship with Checkers 2009). The brand did this because in this way they have exposure on media and at the same time to the specific target market Checkers wants to reach. DIGITAL MEDIA MARKETING: this tool is extremely important these days and has become increasingly common, not only because it is very economic but also for being fast and personal, this tool was already mentioned in the part of advertisement and as mentioned above will be more detailed ahead in section 3. Q. 2. After the analyze done above to the brand marketing communication of Checkers we can see they are promoting there brand very well and using almost all of the tools of the marketing mix however, if we analyze their competitors as well we can see for example WoolWorths and Pick n pay they have loyalty cards to their customers. This is in my point of view one thing that Checkers can improve on their Marketing direct response toll this will allowed them to collect important data of its customers and knowing the favorite products of which individual for example when at the same time they would create more value to the consumers relationship and increasing the brand loyalty. Another thing that the brand could focus more would be in social responsibility, they are doing an amazing thing already helping women and supporting the fight to breast cancer but they can even explore more areas promoting their image as a brand. The brand could also improve the Public Relations putting a person in which store responsible to interact with the costumers and try to get opinions and feedback from them to improve the company or to figure out some new demand in different products that the store doesn’t have available or just to help them valuing in this way the relationship with the consumers. Question 3 III Cyber marketing and digital marketing: Q. 3. As mentioned above in this section we will see in detail the use of the digital media marketing of Checkers and evaluate it we are going through some of the opportunities types that the brand is making use on the World Wide Web: THE COMPANY WEBSITE: when we open the Checkers website it has a very clean and easy structure which is very important nowadays cause people want easy things and they don’t go through the site if its complicated or is it offers barriers to access it like subscription or putting the email to access it in this matter Checkers is going very well putting their site available to everybody. The website is also interesting providing some recipes, articles and news about the company this is an important point also because makes the costumers to spend time on the website and at the same time makes them to visit it again. In my perspective one of the things that I would improve in the site would be the section of online orders where you can just order wine or platters to a section where you can also order the normal list of the products that you use to buy on their stores; SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING: this is a very important thing fore a company Checkers is very well in this matter because it is very easy to find the brand once it is the first on the list of different search engines such as Google one of the most important and known in the world; ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT: links to the brand official site can be found in some banners in sites connoted with the lifestyle of the Checkers target market such as blogs talking about the Cheese festival for example, so the brand is taking advantage of this opportunity; E-MAIL MARKETING: on the site of the company Checkers on the Home page they have an easy questionnaire for the visitors where if they want to be abreast of the latest promotions they can subscribe that introducing basic data on that section and after that they will receive on the time basis that they decide the latest promotions, so they are taking advantage of this online opportunity because its quick and instantaneous and the costs of that is considerably low in comparison with traditional media and another thing that the company has and works very wee is the contact of the costumers with the company on the home page of their website there is a button section of â€Å"contact us† where you can choose the department that you want to contact and they will reply to you in a really short-term. MOBILE MARKETING: Checkers have an application for smartphones that their customers can download to be abreast of the promotions and to receive promotion coupons increasing this way the value of the consumer relationship with the company, and for normal phones they offer other options to people receive the promotional or discount codes and even for phones that don’t have access to internet they send it by SMS. In general, the brand is doing a great job concerning the opportunities they are using to reach their customers through the digital media marketing the only thing they should improve in my point of view is the online orders increasing the options of their customers so that they, besides wine or platters, can also make their normal purchases of the various products that the store offers. Q. 3. 2-SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: nowadays the internet has become an increasingly social platform, having been emerging more and more social networks, Checkers accompanies this trend, being present in the main such as facebook or twitter, which are interlinked with their official website. People who visit their website can instantly share the promotions with friends and followers on social networks while the brand can observe and gather opinions from different users of these social networks. The Checkers in my opinion is taking good advantage of this tool, interacting with their customers friends and followers on social networks, through various strategies such as posting news about the brand, and recipes that are shared and discussed offering to the brand greater visibility and a free advertising by word of mouth across the shares of interesting materials that customers interact with the brand on these social platforms do.