Best Toe Kick Dimensions for Cabinet Design

At the bottom of every base floor cabinet in your kitchen or bathroom, you will notice a notched profile below the front door of the cabinet. This notched profile, called a toe kick, is an ergonomic feature designed to make it safer and more comfortable to work at the cabinets countertop. This might seem like a small advantage, but long experience shows that this small amount makes it much easier for a user to stand for long periods without uncomfortable leaning and without struggling to maintain balance. As with many other standard features of home and furniture design, the toe kick follows a fairly common measurement standard.  So universal is this standard that factory-made stock cabinets always follow these standard dimensions for a toe kick,  and an experienced carpenter or woodworker who constructs  a base cabinet will include the toe kick with these standard dimensions. Standards such as these are neither  legal requirements nor mandated by building code. Rather, builders have established over time that such measurements make for greater comfort and safety, so it is wisest to follow these measurements unless specifically directed otherwise.   Standard Dimensions for Toe Kicks The optimal depth for a toe kick is 3 inches. This provides an adequate recess to stand comfortably and maintain balance while working at a countertop. Almost all factory-made stock cabinets will comply with this depth standard.   Toe-kick depths greater than 3 inches do not hurt the effectiveness of the toe kick, but depths less than 3 inches should usually be avoided, as they interfere with ergonomic effectiveness.   The optimal height for a toe kick is 3 1/2 inches, and heights up to 4 inches are common. Increasing the height over 3 1/2 inches does not hurt the effectiveness of the toe kick, but it may very slightly reduce the space in your base cabinet. Is There Any Reason to Change the Dimensions of Your Toe Kick? Its quite rare that a reason presents itself to vary from these standard dimensions for your base cabinet toe kicks. It is actually only possible at all in custom cabinets built to specifications or having a carpenter alter the installation of factory cabinets.   Family need for altered dimensions is generally the catalyst for requests for alteration of such specs. For example, a very tall person with large feet might find a larger toe kick more accommodating. The likelihood of a need to reduce the size of the toe kick is slim, although a very short person might consider this as a means of slightly lowering the countertop height to provide an added level of comfort to a workspace.

Language Development Is Vital For A Child s Life Essay

Introduction Language development is vital to a child s life. It can come in various ways; expressions, body language, visual and spoken. Language is diverse with many different types and sub-dialects and forever developing through the ages. To a child, language is divided into two different categories; the early stages and the later stages. The early stages consist of a child s life from zero to five in which they may not attend full-time schooling but their language is still being developed by the environments they are consistent with. The later stages are from five to eighteen in which children attend school full-time in both primary school and high school. Language development is not stopped when a child leaves school, it creates many benefits for them personally, in which will continue to grow and expand. These benefits are: intellectual, emotional and social. Thesis Statement Language is both seen and heard by a child. Additionally, language begins off as standard when a child is born but as the child develops so does language in which becomes very diverse as shown by the Australian Curriculum. This is demonstrated by exploring the differing environments during both the early stages and the later stages of a child s life. Early Stages The early stage is the most critical time for development of a child. From birth to the age of three, a child s mind is like a sponge, soaking up everything whilst using all their senses. From ages three to five, a child is stillShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of A Professional Workforce Working For Good Future Progress1230 Words   |  5 PagesEvery child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential (DfE, 2014). INTRODUCTION In order to ensure that all children receive the right foundation for good future progress (DfE 2014 p.5), current Government policy holds equality and individuality at its core. 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Job Searching and Social Media free essay sample

Social media allows users to connect with friends and family conveniently. Social media can be accessible anywhere with internet connection. And most people have internet connection. According to statista.com, â€Å"Social media can be used anywhere as long as there is internet connection.† This proves that kith and kin can connect through social media anywhere, so instead of texting next time, make sure to communicate via Snapchat or Instagram next time. Consequently, as ubiquitous social media is, the majority of the population has social media account. This adds convenience of finding most people on social media. This adds the convenience of finding most people on social media. Based on statistics from procon.org, 81% percent of Americans have social media. Social media’s frequent usage and popularity has made it an easy to use platform for many. Social media spreads information rapidly, make it suitable for sending fun moments. Social media is handy and highly relevant to our modern society. We will write a custom essay sample on Job Searching and Social Media or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The vast expanse of social media has both positive and negative impacts, but mostly positive. Employers and employees get to interact on LinkedIn while news media houses and individuals use Twitter to send and receive news and current information. Facebook is the most widely used social media as it is easy to use and has more users than the other platforms. Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Google+ among others are examples of web 2.0 applications that have enabled users to stay in touch and share various categories of information. The fact that social media applications provide for feedback makes them effective through for instance, â€Å"like† buttons, comment and messaging options among others which provide a chance for greater interaction. However, many shortcomings are equally associated with the use of social media, ranging from wastage of time to compromising on privacy. Writing an argumentative essay on social media is easy and enjoyable but it requires a settled, prepared, and confident mind.Social media is way of expressing feelings for many teens and young adults. Many people consider social media an â€Å"outlet† to their mundane daily life.

Lester Young Essay Example

Lester Young Paper In addition I will be describing comparisons with some other musicians of his time including Coleman Hawkins while using analysis of his solos. To further explore the development and maturity of Young style I will be analyzing his technique. Section Research and Analysis Lester Young is one of the most famous and influential saxophonist and his music play a very important role in the field of Jazz music. He has brought a strong personal solo. A cool modernism and a new rhythmic flexibility to traditional Jazz. Young was born in Woodpile Mississippi on August 27, 1909, and grew up in a musical family. He learned to play the violin, trumpet, drums as well as the saxophone from his father. Wakefield. 2012) Young has been a pessimistic lonely. He left his hometown and went to a band, because he wanted to get more knowledge of Jazz music in the north. Nobody wanted to be with him, because his music style was apart from the group. Whats more, he got a extraordinary sense of style. Young unique style affected hundreds of saxophone players. I believe that his personality and style of dress was also part of his legend life. After that, he looks for comfort from drugs and drinks. Due to the bitter experience of military service life, his Inside, spiritual had been badly influenced. Hence, he has got a serious disease and died on March 15, 1959. Section Influence and his legacy On Lester Young instrument he was one of the most influential players at that time, his style had much difference from other musicians. When he plays saxophone, he was always concentrate on his music world, because his plays were self-collected. We will write a custom essay sample on Lester Young specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lester Young specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lester Young specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As above, his style was called the Cool Jazz. Though his music style did not be appreciated, he never gives up and still insists upon his music style. I think behind many successful men, there are a lot of unsuccessful years. I was attracted by his USIA when I listen to his song. His l Want to Happy and Peg O My Heart leads me Into a feast of music and also makes me recall some unhappiness and happiness things. We cannot ignore is that he popularized a kind of saxophone style; it was called Swing. We can know more about his personal style from his solo. Young performance Ana Nils canal stormed Nils Tans. In Tact, Nils personal Innocence was overstepping his performance. All in all, Young solo style has influenced many tenor saxophonists. Such as, Stan Get and Dexter Gordon; they are the most famous and successful musicians around the world. However, he also influenced many people in cool Jazz styles, like Soot Sims, AY Cohn and Gerry Mulligan. At that time, all eyes were on Lester Young as he played saxophone. He had a smooth tone and subdued solos; he employed a syncopated rhythm with a strong driving force. He played delay an expected note by a fraction. However, some people thought he was not confident and they wished that more fireworks. (Vocation 5118,1939) Lester Young is the giant of Jazz. I think Young music is very gentle and bold, I never listen to Jazz music like that, his solo always gave me a big surprise because his USIA style was never out-fashion. Many people considered that Lester Young was the greatest tenor sax player from former till now. Actually,Len the mid sasss to mid sasss, he changed the way to play tenor saxophone and the art of Jazz itself. Lester Young based on George and Air Gershwins l Got Rhythm written Lester Leaps In. Like the bands other head arrangements, it features improvised solos built around a central riff, but where we might expect more of the bands usual free-for-all virtuosity, this record is a study in minimalism. (Vocation 5118, 1939) His tone is fine ND sounds quite sweet, at the end of his songs are always slow and full of perceptual statement, though in his early music career, his tenor saxophone was criticized for being too weak, but time proves that he can occupy an important position in music. Lester Young, who influenced cool Jazz more than other musician, His saxophone playing used gentle and light sound, in contrast to the clangorous detonation approach of players like Coleman Hawkins. Young was clever in its used of rhythm, instead of driving it. When he started his solos, he wanted to underscore hat melodic development, rather than hot phrases or rhythm change. (http:// en. Wisped. Org/wick/Cool_Jazz). Young music is the mixture of powerful, angry, brave, and beautiful and some free-thinking tradition of Jazz, which demonstrates a feast of music and shows the truly human feeling. He was certainly a spiritual guide. He was the one and only Lester Young?indisputably one of the most influential figures in post-swing Jazz and the effective creator of the Chicago tenor sound. Telling the truth, he expanded the language of music and leaves an indelible personal legacy for traditional Jazz. Young even influenced the way Jazz artists talk. In addition to his wonderful music, young most enduring the legacy has been his memorable persona. Although it was not his intention, Young became an early model for the modern-day (2003 13th studios, Chicago) In his short music life, Young has left a rich musical heritage. Section His solo Young had matured and his music style changed when he left the military. Some people thought that military changed his life and lose his craft. However, he was once again played with the style, and everyone changed their opinion. The theme of Lester Leaps In is based on Rhythm-change, vamps in the A-sections and have an improvised bridge over a circle of fifths. Young more or less disregards the chord changes in the A-sections and plays around the Ebb-chord. This transcription contains Young first two solo choruses, omitting his later chase with Basis. All muscular will express tenet Telling In Deterrent ways, Is not a matter AT won Is ten best. When I listened to his song sad eyes, I started to wonder what the story was behind it. Melody sounded in that moment, around the time and the air seems solidified general. Maybe young want to get a wonderful life, the expression of human civilization and seek peace and happiness. In fact, he had also some happy memories of his childhood. When he played The man I love . The man was his father on his mind, and it always brought back his happy memories. However, as the music goes on, his solo can makes complicated changes in low tone with large extent, it was different from the melody . With the fast paced rule changed, his emotional changed as well. He wanted to tell listeners his painful life, Like the war, poverty and racial injustice. In later works, Young solos sadder and wiser than before. After that, Young solos sadder and wiser than before. After that, he was both an alcoholic and addicted to cocaine.. During that time, he totally forgot himself and lost self-esteem. The reason why he wasted time and abused drugs, because of his military career. I believe that life is not fair, get on it. That contradictory thought was hard to express his emotion, he always held high his saxophone when he played solos. These way make the difference from others. Section Comparison I would draw some comparisons between Lester Young and other musicians. Comparisons with some musicians like Hawkins and Ben Webster. Young music can directly move our inner world. Instead Hawkins style that was very sharp and full of ambition and he was the most strongly associated with the swing music g band era, he had played important role in the development of bebop in the sass. Hawkins always had a keen ear for new talent and styles (Wakefield Foundation, 28 September 2012). He also had a great contribution on the period from the tradition Jazz to the Swing Era. And the three great musicians are considered the big three of swing tenors. Hawkins was a talking, walking Jazz composition?a living exercise in artistic improvisation. Lester Young thought Coleman Hawkins was the President first, he was the second one. Miles Davis once also said: When I heard Hawk, I learned to play ballads. To that extent, Hawkins is also a powerful person at music. But there is some different style between Hawkins and Young, Hawkins played around harmonic ways while Young played flurries of notes and had a huge tone that the other tenor players of the day emulated. As we all know, Lester Young was also called Prep, cause Billie Holiday felt that Americas greatest people, should be President Roosevelt, and in Jazz music, Young deserves the name Prep from the President is also a pr oper. And there are something in common between Hawkins and Young, they all wore the same uniform with difference on their collar and cap on stage, that has been part of Jazz tradition and the western blues ever since. Young accomplishments and playing skills helped define a generation and changed the Jazz field. Hawkins was hot, Young played was cool. And Young always came up with a completely different conception in his play. His play was simple and relaxed, not with the feeling of rocking Jazz but quite a melodious song.

California Schools and Teachers essays

California Schools and Teachers essays Are the California schools and teachers making the grade in regard to illiteracy' Illiteracy is a problem of hidden proportions. For example, the San Diego Business Journal recently quoted the San Diego's Council on Literacy and pointed out that 20% of the United States population is functionally illiterate and 26% in the San Diego County. So are the teachers missing the point or are there some other underlying problems' The entire educational system is being severely tested as administrators point out that smaller class sizes create a need for more classrooms and teachers. These demands for more teachers force the system to hire many unqualified individuals. "In terms of sheer statistics, the state is a national leader. State enrollment is adding about 100,000 students each year, meaning that California will be home to one-fifth of all US students in a few decades. As a result of this growth, an estimated 300,000 teachers will be needed here during the next decade - even as the nation is in the middle of a teacher shortage." (Unknown, "As California overhauls schools, America watches for lessons") With those statistics, I feel that qualified teachers for the most part will be doing an excellent job in the fight against illiteracy. However, I think that the school systems are not addressing the problem of illiteracy and the fact that so many new and unqualified teachers will be entering the process may cause irreparable damage. Unqualified teachers may not be able to distinguish if a child has Dyslexia or if that child is merely nearsighted for example. And with the system under such stress, even if a teacher discovers the problem, his or her hands may be tied with few options on getting the proper help with the illiteracy problem. Illiteracy is defined as a person having little to no education; or more specifically not being able to read or write. California d...

The Relationship of the United States With China

The Relationship of the United States With China The relationship between the U.S. and China traces back to the Treaty of Wanghia in 1844. Among other issues, the treaty fixed trade tariffs, granted U.S. nationals the right to build churches and hospitals in specific Chinese cities and stipulated that U.S. nationals cannot be tried in Chinese courts (instead they would be tried in U.S. consular offices). Since then the relationship has fluctuated coming closet to open conflict during the Korean War. Second Sino-Japanese War/World War II Beginning in 1937, China and Japan entered into conflict that would eventually combine with the Second World War. The bombing of Pearl Harbor officially brought the United States in the war on the Chinese side. During this period the United States funneled a great amount of aid to help the Chinese. The conflict ended simultaneously with the end of the Second World War and the surrender of the Japanese in 1945. Korean War Both China and the US got involved in the Korean War in support of the North and the South respectively. This was the only time when soldiers from both countries actually fought as the U.S./U.N. forces battled Chinese soldiers upon Chinas official entrance in the war to counter American involvement. The Taiwan Issue The end of the second world war saw the emergence of two Chinese factions: the nationalist Republic of China (ROC), headquartered in Taiwan and supported by the United States; and the communists in the Chinese mainland who, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, established the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). The U.S. supported and only recognized the ROC, working against the recognition of the PRC in the United Nations and amongst its allies until the rapprochement during the Nixon/Kissinger years. Old Frictions The United States and Russia have still found plenty over which to clash. The United States has pushed hard for further political and economic reforms in Russia, while Russia bristles at what they see as meddling in internal affairs. The United States and its allies in NATO have invited new, former Soviet, nations to join the alliance in the face of deep Russian opposition. Russia and the United States have clashed over how best to settle the final status of Kosovo and how to treat Irans efforts to gain nuclear weapons. Closer Relationship In the late 60s and at the height of the Cold War both countries had a reason to start negotiating in hopes of a rapprochement. For China, the border clashes with the Soviet Union in 1969 meant that a closer relationship with the U.S. might provide China with a good counterbalance to the Soviets. The same effect was important for the United States as it looked for ways to increase its alignments against the Soviet Union in the Cold War. The rapprochement was symbolized by the historic visit of Nixon and Kissinger to China. Post-Soviet Union The disintegration of the Soviet Union re-inserted a tension into the relationship as both countries lost a common enemy and the United States became an undisputed global hegemon. Adding to the tension is Chinas ascent as a global economic power and the expansion of its influence to resource-rich areas such as Africa, offering an alternative model to the United States, usually termed the Beijing consensus. The more recent opening of the Chinese economy has meant closer and increased trade relationships between both countries.

The Supreme Court case, Commissioner v. Tufts, 463 U.S. 1215 (1983) Essay

The Supreme Court case, Commissioner v. Tufts, 463 U.S. 1215 (1983) - Essay Example The court based its decision on a tax benefits theory. The taxpayer would have received untaxed income as at the time the loan was extended unless the amount of the mortgage shall be deemed to have been realized. The taxpayer would have therefore received untaxed income at that time when the loan was extended and would have been entitled to an increase in his basis in the property for depreciation purposes by the amount of his liability and would avoid taxation upon the ending of the obligation (Watson, 2011). i) The first is the fact that loan proceeds do not qualify as income to a taxpayer because he incurs an obligation to repay the loan at the agreed terms to the creditor. If and when the borrower is relieved of the liability for the loan, the proceeds of the loan will henceforth be included in his income as if he received the cash to satisfy the obligation. It takes us back to point the difference that is apparent when compared to Crane v. Commissioner: 331 U.S. 1 (1947). In this matter the petitioner had sought the Supreme Court‘s judicial review of an earlier decision by the court of appeal on how a taxpayer who acquired property subject to the unassumed mortgage. The taxpayer held the property for some time before selling so encumbered and was to account for taxable gains from the sale proceeds. The Supreme Court held by affirming the decision of the court of appeal that had held that the tax court’s use of equity as a basis for the determination of either a gain or l oss was, therefore, improper. ii) The second fact is that the recovery within a taxable year of a previously deducted item must, therefore, be included in gross income to the extent that it produced a tax benefit in that previous year. Deductions for the purposes of depreciation provide a shelter from tax. Therefore, a taxpayer’s basis in his

Q1) Discuss why the events of September 11 had such a global impact Essay

Q1) Discuss why the events of September 11 had such a global impact and did it justify the war in Afghanistan - Essay Example The discussion as to whether the events of that day justified the war on Afghanistan has been avoided extensively. Several issues should be look at when finding out the justifications of the war. Firstly, it is the legality of the war. The United Nation is an international body that was formed in the year 1945. In the UN charter, there are international laws that govern war; the war with Afghanistan was illegal. This is so since for any war to be authorized by the UN the dispute has to be presented to the council for discussion. Without authorization by this body, any military action against another country is termed as being illegal (Köchler,2008 p57). The only exception from this rule is when a nation has been subjected to armed attacks from another country, and as a result, then a country may declare an act of war through self-defense. This condition was not fulfilled by the United States because they were not carried out by another nation, but by an organization called al-Qaida (Köchler, 2008 p75). The second fact that can result in war is when a country feels threatened by military actions instigated by another country. The threatened country has the option of approaching the UN Security Council, to ask for authorization in order to act out of self-defense where the means on how to defend is not fixed. However, the government of the US at that time claimed that the attacks on Afghanistan were intended to protect the United States from any other attacks. However, this was not the case as the pentagon took its time to launch the attacks, and again this proved that the matter was not urgent, as the UN requires it. The United Nations did not authorize the attacks on Afghanistan thus the war was deemed as being illegal, and this has even been confirmed by some politicians who were government officials at the time (Buckley, 2003 p95). The third

How does Steinbeck prepare us for the tragic ending in Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

How does Steinbeck prepare us for the tragic ending in Of Mice and Men Essay Steinbeck prepares us for the tragic ending in of mice and men right the way through the book. Lenny is the focus of all bad things to come and is a central character in the novel. First up there was the incident in Weed where Lenny stroked a womans red dress and she accused Lenny of raping her. This shows they make a habit of running away from places and people when Lenny often gets into trouble. an you aint gonna do no bad things like you did in weed neither. they run us outta weed. Those things show situations for the future and also show the dire situation they are in at the present, they are fugitives with Lenny committing the crimes and George helping him to get away because of their solid companionship in which both are each others only companions. The situation in weed also shows that Lenny likes stroking anything and anyone that is soft and once he has hold of someone or an it he cant let go. This is also shown with the mice where Lenny pets them too hard. uh-uh jus a dead mouse. He doesnt seem to fully understand the value of life nor regret his murders. This is not because he is malicious but because he is in fact mentally ill. His strength is beyond his control and this can create very dangerous situations for him and others around him, maybe even for-seeing murder here. The pups yet another example, this animal is also part of Lennys worrying fetish, here it is shown that he is too dangerous for even bigger animals in chapter five where he kills a pup. Lenny shows violence here towards the pups which he seems to love and have affection for, he thinks if the pup had not died (through no fault of its own) then George wouldve let him tend the rabbits and everything would be smiley again. All Lenny cares about is the rabbits and this predicts that maybe Lenny will do something destructive with the rabbits welfare In mind because he cares about them that much. Ill break their (anyone) god damn necks if they touch the rabbits he says defensively showing aggression. The bad mood Lenny is in sets him up to be calmed down by someone/something. Unfortunately this somebody/something appears to be Curleys wife. Curleys wife is another central character in the preparation of an all tears ending, she messes things for everybody and everything, I knew shed do us in the end George says resignedly after her death. She doesnt show any sign of stopping when she on her role of misery-making and it all leads up to a climax of some sort, and ending maybe to all the pain and suffering each and everybody is going through, putting their minds at rest. Curleys wife flirts as a meaning of talking to normal people, this is because she has not talked to other females and has not obtained any other skill so far in her short life, the men dont like her and thinks shes a tart because of this but still find her attractive and Lenny is no different in this respect, shes purty (pretty) he says with delight while looking at her body up and down, listening to her tender voice and looking at her silky hair, instantly she becomes an obvious unintentional target for Lennys animals like affections and the antics what go with this along with her red dress and red mule feathers which also attracts Lenny. When Curleys wife soothes Lenny and calms him down she doesnt know what shes letting herself in for, she thinks hes a harmless dum-dum. She talks to him in the first place because she is lonely and in return for listening to her Curleys wife lets Lenny stroke her hair which in turn triggers Lennys cant let go approach and he eventually kills her. We almost knew this was going to happen before it did because it resembles the weed incident too closely. Lenny had done a really bad thing George says. A mistake of the highest degree. The death of a human being had occurred. After this George doesnt even consider them going on the run together, here Steinbeck spells out the end of Lennys life indefinitely. George knows that Lenny cant get away with it and says we cant let him get away with it this time showing whats coming up next. Lennys death is now inevitable, George doesnt want Lenny to get hunted down and lynched like a wild animal but wants Lenny to die painlessly and dignified. This calls for Gorge to take control as anyway Lennys death is inevitable George decides to kill Lenny himself, humanely. Candys dog also showed signs of what happened to people who had no use in the ranch-place of work and it got shot just like Lenny would later be. If anything was learnt by the shooting of Lennys dog then it would have to be not to let a stranger kill someone who you care about. George deliberately took Carlsons Luger as he set out of to kill Lenny himself. Steinbeck also uses the scenery to prepare us for the death of Lenny, the surrounding are beautiful, day turns to dusk and everything is moving along swiftly. The wind picks up in the background and a heron takes off this signifies an event is about to take place. The reader always knew that Lenny would die at the brush because thats the place where he would go when he got in trouble and thats how George would find him. George sensed it was going to be needed early on in the novel again preparing us for the ending. In the end the cards mapped out the future in a sad way, while George was playing solitaire which again signifies their loneliness playing a one man game, Lenny picks up a card and asks why the card looks the same both ways up. George replies thats jus the way they make em. He is saying that you cant change what is inevitable just like Lennys impending doom. It is ironic that Lenny asks this question and George gives the answer because that is exactly what happens in the end.

The Jersey Shore’s Mad Fame Essay -- Television Reality TV

It is evident that MTV’s The Jersey Shore is playing on the television when one hears the pervasive lyrics of the opening credits. The song, Get Crazy by LMFAO, portrays exactly what the show stands for, stupidity. A verse of the song states, â€Å"I got the goose alright ok, I'm feelin’ loose alright ok, she love the beat alright ok, we love them D's†. The â€Å"D’s† stated in the song refer to the size of a woman’s breasts. The song continues to discuss matters such as drinking, partying at clubs, women as â€Å"whores,† and the continued reference to women’s breasts. The opening song of a show usually invites the viewer in and presents a general concept of what a specific show is about. The Jersey Shore, a show mostly known because of its infamous characters, presents a different perspective on life, as the show follows eight young adults and their life of partying, drinking, sex, and idiotic views on life. Their carelessnes s has influenced viewers, especially the younger population, to follow their footsteps and live carefree lives by turning to alcohol, parties, and sex as escapes. Not only do they embarrass the younger population (mostly ages 17-27), but degrade women as well by portraying them to be â€Å"easy† and by being judged exclusively by their looks. These issues do have a solution though. One way my peers and I can address this problem is by not encouraging the ratings of these shows by not watching them and rather doing something productive with our time. Since these shows are generally watched by young adults and intended for them as well, another way my peers and I can address this problem is by requesting media companies to produce real shows with real people instead of shows that portray shocking views of young adults. Issues pr... ...n as a Model for Social Network Site Behavior." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 54.3 (2010): 508- 525. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. This study, also conducted by the Journal of Broadcasting, focuses on the effects reality based television programs have on the social networking behavior of people, primarily younger viewers. The study dedicates one section to how the behavior of a particular age group correlates directly with the type of reality shows they watch. Reality television programs, according to the study, portray nonprofessional actors as ordinary and regular people. People therefore confuse the behavior of these â€Å"actors† as normal and ordinary behavior. Behavior shown in the Jersey Shore can be easily misinterpreted as behavior of ordinary people and can induce people to do the same.

Consumer Attitude Toward Green Marketing

LITERATURE REVIEW Some literatures were reviewed in the course of this study. These include the previous researches which are as: 1. Sourabh Bhattacharya (2011) conducted research on â€Å"Consumer Attitude Towards Green Marketing In India†. According to him, Marketing is the process which begins with identifying the needs of the consumer and further includes product development, delivering products to the consumer and providing after sales service. The conventional marketing process is not specifically concerned or bothered about environmental safety.The contemporary green marketing concept, on the other hand, analyzes, ecological compatibility of the product. It emphasizes on the formulation of marketing strategies in conformation with environmental safety or protection. Conventional marketing paid little attention to the pollution caused to the environment from the actual usage of the products, the raw materials used in manufacturing or from the packaging materials used. Co nventional marketing concentrated on profit taking, while green marketing maintains the philosophy that doing business for a longer period is not possible without protecting the environmental.He concluded that the green marketers in India should carry out heavy promotional campaigns, because a majority of the Indian consumers are not sure about the quality of the green products. They are indecisive whether to pay premium for purchasing green products. They are highly suspicious regarding the real greenness of the eco-friendly products and tend to search for more information before buying. All these have a negative impact on the success of green marketing in India. Therefore, the green marketers must do heavy promotion, so that the target customers are convinced about the qualitative aspects of the green products.This is very important as the Indian consumers are in general price-sensitive and green products are costlier. If they are not convinced with the quality of the green produc ts, they remain suspicious and will not be willing to pay premium. 2. Meenakshi Verma & Anuj Verma (2011) conducted research on â€Å"Green Marketing-Strategy & Scope Of Growth In Indian Market†, According to him, Green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environ mentally safe. Thus green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production rocess, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. Green products balance environmental compatibility with performance, affordability, and convenience. They are typically durable, non-toxic, recyclable, and are often made from recycled materials. Green products have minimal packaging, and should carry low environmental impact. Green marketing not only focuses on advertisements and promotion of products with environmental characteristics, but it pervades all the activities of designing, production, packaging and promoting greener products. Green ma rketing thrives of the underlying philosophy ‘Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.It was concluded that as the demand for green products undoubtedly exist in growing economies, Green marketing provides an opportunity to the companies to increase their market-share by introducing eco-friendly products. Stricter environmental regulations across the world, growing consumer preference for eco-friendly companies, and the inherent cost advantages in lowering toxic waste are encouraging industries big and small to clean up. The research has revealed that awareness level among the consumers is pretty high and they are willing to adopt green products.However, the manufacturers need to improve the quality of the product and its after sales service. The consumers are concerned about the global warming and majority of them believe that green products shall help in reducing this cause however they are not overly committed to improving their environment and may be looking to lay too much responsibil ity on industry and government. Though it’s the responsibility of the firm to produce products, which are having minimum impact on the environment, but ultimately it’s the consumer who is having responsibility to use eco-friendly products. 3. Dr.Priyank Azad (2011) wrote an article â€Å"Green Marketing: The Innovative Mantra of Marketing†. This article discusses the notion of green marketing, its initiatives, challenges and probable strategies as conclusion. The mounting awareness about/on disturbed ecological balance and environmental consciousness has changed the behavioral patterns both in the individuals and business across the world. The apprehension towards global warming, harmful pollutants, non-biodegradable sold waste has sharply risen in the past decade. Now is the time of recyclable, non-toxic and environment-friendly green products that can help in preserving our nvironment and keeping it healthier. This has led the marketers to take a shift in prac tices and incorporates the concept of ‘Think Green’. The term ‘sustainability’ has become the keyword of this competitive era. As the resources are scarce and human wants are infinite, this broadening gap has augmented the interest among the consumers all over the world regarding fortification of environment. This increasing awareness and environmental consciousness has transformed the behavioral blueprints both in individuals and businesses.Now there is an era of recyclable, non-toxic and environment responsive green goods. This led to green marketing which speaks of mounting market for sustainable and socially accountable products and services. It contains a wide range of tasks such as product adjustment, transforming the production process, changed advertising, modifications in packaging, etc. , that aims at reducing the harmful impact of products and their consumption and disposal on the environment. Despite this world awareness, there are numerous pote ntial challenges and issues that are required to be surmounted. . Andrew Franklin Prince, Reuban Jacob and Jerrin M Philipose (2011) conducted a study on â€Å"Green Marketing: Recaliberation and Disposal of Exhausted Product Earns for Itself†. In this era of technologically-advanced educated world, products developed considering ecological aspects have more mileage than the regular products. Consumers’ awareness of proper disposal of exhausted products is need of the hour. The products demanded by the customers could be recaliberated to be used further as homogeneous or differentiated products.Meanwhile, the products which cross the bar of recaliberation could be disposed by the manufacturer. However, product disposal, is yet to find a prominent ground in India. The culture of corporate organizations trying to bag the sensible customers by providing the right kind of product with a tag line of ‘eco-friendly’, has just kick started. At this juncture one ma y think, is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) a good initiative only in papers? It was concluded that the strategy could bring revelation in the market. It is high time that we emphasize on the concept that â€Å"marketing begins and ends with manufacturer†.This however would need the background support of customers as well as policy makers for the effective implementation of the strategy. The flow of demand is expected to develop the customers’ buying preference for particular manufacturers who are following this strategy. Brand building effort could also be practiced to the maximum. The era of green market could be enhanced to the utmost. The waste in the Mother Nature will be minimized in the coming era, which shall provide better products for the better customers. Thus, providing recaliberation and disposal will earn itself for the company. 5.Deeksha Dave & Kartik Dave (2011) conducted a study on â€Å"Environmental Management Practices In The Hospitality Indu stry†. With their massive resource consumption and waste generation, big hotels quite literall function and pollute like a mini city. Hotels consume resources like energy, water, food, paper and pollute the environment in the form of smoke, noise and chemical pollutants. Keeping the above issues in view, the industry has come forward to save the environment and is playing a major role in environment protection by developing awareness and adopting environmental friendly practices.Since hotels occupy a central place in the tourism industry and its development does impact the environment considerably, it is believed that hotels should be more proactive in their managerial response concerning environmental performance. Keeping this in mind the study explores the environmental management practices among hotels operating in Udaipur. The results have shown that although hotel companies are concerned with environmental management issues, many are not proactive enough in their response s and prefer to only take management initiatives that have considerable financial benefits for their business.Focus has been mainly on cost-cutting management measures such as minimizing energy use and water conservation as this contributes directly towards a hotel’s profitability. 6. Dr. Ashish Chandra, Anoop Pandey and Navneet Kaur(2010) conducted a research on â€Å"Green Marketing: A tool to combat Environmental Challenges†. In this paper, the authors had taken a little attempt to academically examine environmental and green marketing issues and gray areas.This article introduces the terms and concepts of green marketing, briefly discuss why going green is important and also examine some of the reasons that organizatios are adopting a green marketing philosophy. He concluded that a successful marketer is one, who not only convinces the consumer, but also involves the consumer in marketing his products and delivering the services. Green marketing should not be consi dered as just one more approach to marketing, but has to be pursued with much greater vigor, as it has an environmental and social dimension to it.With the threat of global warming looming large, it is extremely important that green marketing becomes the norm rather than an exception or just a fad. Recycling of paper, metals, plastics, etc. , in a safe and environmentally harmless manner should become much more systematized and universal. It has to become the general norm to use energy-efficient lamps and other electrical goods. 7. Sunita Dahiya, Dr. Amita Charan & Vijay Kumar (2010) conducted a research on â€Å"Green Marketing, Emission Trading and Carbon Crediting In India†.Changing trade pattern, global recession, financial crisis, stock fluctuations, corporate governance, corporate laws, and many other upcoming global challenges are truly difficult to manage for corporate, environmentalists, economists, experts, manufacturers and even administrators at the top. Ecologist s, economists and financial planners are continuously debating for global sustainable development and steady economic growth. Most of the intellectuals and eminent personalities are releasing it is a right time to become â€Å"Globally Green† and protect environment by reducing pollution and emission.It was concluded that green marketing covers more issues than a firm’s marketing practices only. Green marketing is a requirement for our survival on this earth. India can set standards for others to lead in the area of carbon crediting and trading. From decades we are exploiting natural resources but now because of natural calamities: like global warming, Acidic rains, Tsunami, Earthquakes, floods, Drought and green house gases, we are realizing importance of green marketing.Globally there are number of environmental trading markets as have been explained above which provide for balance in period of environment and effect corporate competitiveness and profitability in ter ms of standards and final finished products. 8. Oyewole, P. (2001). Social Costs of Environmental Justice Associated with the Practice of Green Marketing. Journal of Business Ethics, 29(3), Feb, pp. 239-252. This paper presents a conceptual link among green marketing, environmental justice, and industrial ecology. It argues for greater awareness of environmental justice in the practice for green marketing.In contrast with the type of costs commonly discussed in the literature, the paper identified another type of costs, termed ‘costs with positive results,' that may be associated with the presence of environmental justice in green marketing. A research agenda is finally suggested to determine consumers' awareness of environmental justice, and their willingness to bear the costs associated with it. 9. Merilanen, S. , Moisander, J. & Personen, S. (2000). The Masculine Mindset of Environmental Management and Green Marketing. Business Strategy and the Environment, 9(3), pp. 51-162 . Environmental management systems and green marketing programmes have gained increasing popularity in western market economies. They are viewed as cost-efficient, effective and just means of tackling problems associated with the impact of economic activity on the environment. It is argued in this article, however, that these optimistic views are based on a number of ideas, images and metaphors that retain many androcentric and inadequate assumptions about self, society and nature that may be incompatible with long-term environmental protection goals. 0. Prothero, A. & Fitchett, J. A. (2000). Greening Capitalism: Opportunities for Green Community. Journal of Macromarketing, 20(1), pp. 46-56. In this paper, the authors argue that greater ecological enlightenment can be secured through capitalism by using the characteristics of commodity culture to further progress environmental goals. The authors reject both naive ecological romanticism and revolutionary idealism on the grounds that they fail to offer any pragmatic basis by which greater environmental responsibility can be achieved.Drawing on the now well-established theoretical tradition of post-Marxist cultural criticism, the authors offer a conceptual justification for the development and implementation of a green commodity discourse. For this to be achieved and implemented, prevailing paradigms regarding the structure, nature, and characteristics of capitalism must be revised. Marketing not only has the potential to contribute to the establishment of more sustainable forms of society but, as a principle agent in the operation and proliferation of commodity discourse, also has a considerable responsibility to do so. 11.Prothero, A. (1998). Green Marketing: The ‘Fad' That Won't Slip Slide Away. Journal of Marketing Management, 14(6), July, pp. 507-513. The author introduces several papers discussed in the July 1998 issue of ‘Journal of Marketing Management' focusing on green marketing. This includ es; a citation of the need to review existing literature on green marketing, an empirical study of United States and Australian marketing managers, a description of what a green alliance look like in practice in Great Britain, ecotourism and definitions of green marketing. 12. Kilbourne, W. E. & Beckman, S. C. (1998).Review and Critical Assessment of Research on Marketing and the Environment. Journal of Marketing Management, 14(6), July, pp. 513-533. This paper provides a review and categorization of the environmentally related research published in the major English language marketing journals over the period from 1971 to 1997. It traces the development from the early research which focused predominantly on the characterization of the â€Å"green† consumer, conceptualization of environmental consciousness, environmentally related behaviours such as recycling, and attitudes towards environmental problems such as pollution.This was followed by a period in which energy conserva tion, legislation, and public policy issues were added to the agenda which remained predominantly managerialist in perspective. While the same issues were studied within the 1990s, the research agenda was expanded again to include broader issues such as environmental values and institutions. Most recently, the macro issues of sustainable marketing and its relationship to the dominant social paradigm have been introduced into the literature.The paper concludes by arguing that the examination of the macro issues from an interdisciplinary perspective is necessary for further development of marketing thought in this area, and that a synthesis of the macro and micro perspectives is necessary for effective and enduring public policy regarding the marketing/environmental relationship. 13. Walker, R. H. & Hanson, D. J. (1998). Green Marketing and Green Places: A Taxonomy for the Destination Marketer. Journal of Marketing Management, 14(6), July, pp. 623-640.This paper highlights and discuss es green/environmental implications and imperatives associated with destination marketing as distinct from those related to product and services marketing. A comparative taxonomy has been developed to illustrate these, and to provide a framework for discussing their relevance, with reference to the particular case of Tasmania as a tourism destination. 14. Kilbourne, W. E. (1998). Green Marketing: A Theoretical Perspective. Journal of Marketing Management, 14(6), July, pp. 641-656. The author discusses the failure of green marketing to move beyond the limitations of the prevailing paradigm.While there are nascent macro developments in marketing thought that might lead to a truly green marketing considering sustainability, holistic thought, and the limitations of the prevailing paradigm, they remain thus far on the periphery of the discipline. This will remain so until a broader, multi-disciplinary approach incorporating the multiple dimensions of the DSP is developed. The author ide ntifies areas that must be examined for their effect in the marketing/environment relationship, namely economic, political and technological dimensions of the cultural frame of reference. 5. .Fisk, G. (1998). Green Marketing: Multiplier for Appropriate Technology Transfer? Journal of Marketing Management, 14(6), July, pp. 657-677. The effectiveness of â€Å"reward and reinforcement† strategy used in marketing activity is compared to a strategy of â€Å"mutual coercion mutually agreed upon† as a means for accelerating acceptance of environmentally appropriate production and consumption technologies. The risk and reward consequences of green marketing tactics are traced to identify their implications in pursuing globally sustainable development.Together, reward and reinforcement strategies and coercive regulatory activities are more promising for attaining sustainable development than either one alone. 16. Grove, S. J. & Fisk, R. P. (1996). Going green in the Service Sec tor. European Journal of Marketing, 30(5), pp. 56-67. The authors attempted to bring attention to the general and pervasive exclusion of service industries from discussions of green marketing practices. They explore why circumstance may exist, and provided arguments to support the adoption of environmental practices by services providers.Also in trying to identify how the service sector can contribute to the preservation of the environment, a greening of services matrix was presented. This matrix was designed to demonstrate through hypothetical examples the many ways that service industries can reduce, reuse or recycle resources, either collectively or individually, and thereby embrace the green initiative. Finally, the authors submitted a total quality/ benchmarking approach as a means by which services organizations may adopt environmental practices. 17.Menon and Menon (1997) Green marketing is a phenomenon which has developed particular import in the modern market. This concept h as enabled for the re-marketing and packaging of existing products which already adhere to such guidelines. Additionally, the development of green marketing has opened the door of opportunity for companies to co-brand their products into separate line, lauding the green-friendliness of some while ignoring that of others. Such marketing techniques as will be explained are as a direct result of movement in the minds of the consumer market.As a result of this businesses have increased their rate of targeting consumers who are concerned about the environment. These same consumers through their concern are interested in integrating environmental issues into their purchasing decisions through their incorporation into the process and content of the marketing strategy for whatever product may be required. 18. Banerjee, S. , Gulas, C. S. and Iyer E. (1995). Shades of green: A multidimensional analysis of environmental advertising. Journal of Advertising, 24(2), 21-32.This paper discusses how businesses have increased their rate of targeting green consumers, those who are concerned about the environment and allow it to affect their purchasing decisions. The paper identifies the three particular segments of green consumers and explores the opportunities businesses have with green marketing. The paper also examines the message of green marketing and describes the deceit of ‘green washing'. The paper considers three green campaigns of the New Leaf Paper Company, the Courier Corporation and Clorox bleach and concludes that green marketing is something that will continuously grow in both practice and demand.

Marketing Plan: Johnson & Johnson Essay

Marketing Plan: J & J DiaperOrganizational OverviewBackground on Johnson & JohnsonIn 1886, Robert Johnson joined his two brothers, James and Edward Johnson and went into business in 1886 in New Brunswick, New Jersey with 14 employees. They incorporated as Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) in 1887. One of JNJ’s most well known products was Johnson’s Baby Powder, which was originally to sooth skin irritation in 1890. This led to a line of baby products with the marketing slogan, â€Å"Best for your baby, best for you.† Some of JNJ’s most well known products are Band-aid, Tylenol and the antipsychotic drug, Haldol. JNJ has been a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange since 1944. The company’s ticker is JNJ. They boast 72 consecutive years of increased sales and 44 consecutive years of dividend increases. Part of JNJ’s success is contributed to their innovation and continued development of new products. Mission StatementJNJ does not have a simple mission statement but a one page document titled, â€Å"Our Credo.† The beginning paragraph of â€Å"Our Credo,† is as follows:We believe our first responsibility is to the doctors, nurses and patients, to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services. In meeting their needs everything we do must be of high quality. We must constantly strive to reduce our costs in order to maintain reasonable prices. Customers’ orders must be serviced promptly and accurately. Our suppliers and distributors must have an opportunity to make a fair profit. Geographic LocationCurrently JNJ is parent to 230 companies throughout the world, all of which currently and historically market health care products. The principal office is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey and employs 116,000 employees in 57 countries worldwide. Product MixThe business segments of Johnson & Johnson include consumer, medical devices and diagnostics, and pharmaceutical. Each segment has numerous companies and product lines. Our product will be part of the consumer segment and a product line of Johnson’s Baby. Product DescriptionAfter much research JNJ decided to create a diaper in conjunction with Balmex diaper rash cream. Balmex is a successful product of JNJ and has been pediatrician recommended for over 50 years. Balmex reduces redness from diaper rash within hours. (Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Inc. 2006) The question the research team faced was how to prevent diaper rash instead of treating diaper rash. The answer that they came to was to get Balmex to the skin before the rash had a chance to develop. This idea is behind the creation of the brand new JNJ diaper. SWOTT AnalysisThis SWOTT analysis will attempt to uncover the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and trends associated to this new product of JNJ diapers with Balmex. StrengthsJNJ is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of health care products. The company has a strong product portfolio and has developed a well recognized name amongst parents for their child care needs. This strong brand image puts the company at an advantage when it comes to launching new products. The company is in a healthy financial position that allows the company to provide the resources necessary to exploit opportunities and promote their products heavily. Balmex is a well established product and has been recommended by pediatricians for over 50 years. This type of trust will automatically generate sales for the company. Balmex treated diapers would not only treat a diaper rash but prevent one from occurring. This new product in not only more convenient, but much less messier than the alternative of applying a thick cream that is difficult to wash off the skin. The company already has developed the application process of this product through an existing product line, Carefree Panty liners. This will save the company from having to do the research from top to bottom for this new product line. WeaknessesLike any new product, time and money needs to be spent on researching, developing and marketing. Customer demand needs to be created for this new product and this will require plenty of resources to accomplish this task. The diaper industry is a new market for JNJ and it will be tough for the company to establish itself in this industry. Having a well established brand helps, however; Huggies and Pampers has dominated this industry for a very long time and breaking into this new territory is going to require a very expensive marketing campaign. OpportunityDisposable diapers make up an industry worth over $19 billion a year worldwide. This new diaper will allow JNJ to tap into this lucrative industry with a distinctive and innovative diaper that has not been developed up until now. This product has the possibility of being a huge success for JNJ and can contribute to the company’s financial position. ThreatsSafety concerns are always an issue especially when developing a product used by children. JNJ needs to be prepared for claims associated with misleading advertising, inappropriate use of the product and allergic reactions that some babies may develop. JNJ invests plenty of money on trials and developing their products, however; does not always guaranty that something will not go wrong. Competition is also a major threat for JNJ. Huggies and Pampers have dominated the diaper industry for quite sometime. If this new product establishes a new demand with the customers in this industry it will not take long for these companies to produce and distribute their own versions of these types of diapers. TrendsIn today’s society, consumers are always looking for a product that will make their lives much simpler. The majority of parent’s both work or even raise their children as a single parent. This product capitalizes on this demand to make lives as simple as possible by saving parents the hassle  of having to apply a messy heavy cream to prevent their children from developing or treating a diaper rash. This trend will only continue into the future and JNJ needs to keep this in mind when developing a new product. Market ResearchIn order for Johnson and Johnson to get a new product to the right consumer, they must first divide the market and then target a smaller portion of that market. The process of segmentation is basically those buyers JNJ is looking for that share the same needs and have same buying behaviors. The purpose of segmentation allows narrowing down the same needs and buying behaviors they are looking for in a target market. There are several ways segmentation can help JNJ to find their target consumers. They include the geography, the psychographics, social-cultural graphics, and demography. Johnson and Johnson will have to evaluate all four bases in order to find an ideal customer. The geographical base is probably the least important factor on the segmentation criteria, although it is important, there are other factors that are more crucial. Depending on where the consumers shop and live can also depend on availability of a product. If a consumer lives in a more rural area, there may not be a distribution of the new product. However, the internet has made it possible to reach consumers in remote areas and make it possible for them to buy products that are not available in their area. The psychographics of the targeted consumers is one of the most important aspects on what will make the consumer buy into the product. Since our new product is directed towards convenience and prevention, we want to know what the lifestyles of our consumers are like. Specifically, we are looking for parents who are on the go, but are still concerned for their child’s healthcare. This new product will better suit those parents who are very active in their daily lives. The behavior bases such as the social-graphics provide a sense of reassurance to all current JNJ customers. â€Å"The fundamental objective of Johnson & Johnson is to provide scientifically sound, high quality products and services to help heal, cure disease and improve the quality of life.†Ã‚  (Johnson and Johnson.com, 2002) Many people buy these products because JNJ is a well established company that has been around since 1886; therefore, some of these consumers will want to consider trying out a new and improved product. Also the fact that most of JNJ products are pediatrician recommended has in itself helped to establish the level of trust consumers feel towards the brand and know that these products will not harm their children. The demographics for this new product will be the most important factor for the targeted market. The consumer’s age will typically define what maturity level is buying the product. Typically older parents ranging in age from 25 years to 35 years have the means to take better of their children’s healthcare needs than younger parents ranging in age from 16 years to 25 years. The parents in the older age bracket are generally better established in their full-time careers, both working full-time jobs and are always on the go; whereas, the younger parents are barely trying to get a head start and can not afford the convenience. Family size is also another factor because the larger the family, the more likely the parents are concerned with the cost of the product. Studies have shown that smaller families are more willing to try new products and are not as concerned with the price as bigger families tend to be. Occupation is another important factor of demographics. With rising costs most families need dual incomes in order to cover their cost of living. As a result of both parents working, parents are more strapped for time; therefore, if a product proves to be more convenient they may be willing to pay a little extra for this convenience. After analyzing all the segmented bases we are closer to realizing the target market of consumers for this product. We have found that the target market for our product is the older parents as opposed to the very young ones who have one or two children. The majority of our market will be families with dual incomes looking for the convenience that our product will offer to them. This market will buy our product due to the level of trust they have in our brand from pediatrician recommendations and brand recognition. Most likely these parents will be from urban and metropolis areas who will have easy access to our product as a result of our distribution. However, most  importantly our target market will be parents who want to make sure their children are healthy and free from any infections or irritations due to diaper rashes, but at the same time looking for the convenience of this 2 in 1 product. Competitors and the Competitive LandscapeJNJ has created a revolutionary product, a 2-in-1 diaper with diaper rash cream that makes changing diapers easier for the consumer. This no mess, one step diaper promises to prevent non-fungal diaper rash instead of just treating it. JNJ already has over 50 years of experience with its current diaper rash product Balmex. JNJ decided to take its very effective, well known diaper rash cream and add a new twist. Now parents will not only treat a baby for diaper rash, but they will prevent non-fungal rashes from occurring. One problem that JNJ faces is anticipating who will buy this product and how much one will pay for this convenience this product offers. Since there is currently no item like this diaper on the market, there is no secondary research for JNJ to build upon. The only facts that JNJ has is the effectiveness and popularity of Balmex. Before JNJ can present this product to the public it must conduct primary research to determine whether or not the diaper can compete in the market of diapers and diaper rash creams. JNJ has a long history with its customers and has been able to successfully meet their needs over this period of time. JNJ first began in 1887 with creating sterile dressing for surgical procedures, reducing the risk of infection. By 1897 they were named â€Å"The Most Trusted Name in Surgical Dressings† (J&J, 2006). In 1890, JNJ baby powder, the original treatment of diaper rash was introduced. In 1948, JNJ was the first company to create the disposable diaper (GPOABS). In 1951, Balmex was created to treat diaper rash (J&J, 2006). It was not until 1961 that Pampers were introduced and in 1968 Huggies hit the market (GPOABS, 2005). JNJ has been caring for families for over a century in a variety of ways. Not only did JNJ produce over 90 percent of surgical dressings in the late 1800’s, but they protected families during the Great Depression by assuring none of the workers lost their jobs. JNJ has also protected families through its products and pharmaceuticals (J&J, 2006). This extensive history  provides JNJ with a loyal consumer base, and the knowledge of filling the needs and wants of its consumers. While JNJ does not currently market a diaper, it has made diapers in the past. JNJ also has the advantage of studying other companies’ diapers and understanding what works best and why. Through this secondary research that was available to JNJ we are able to create a diaper that could promise the same breathable, stretchable, compact fit that other diapers offer. Now JNJ can exceed what the other diapers promise, by being able to provide the first diaper that will prevent non-fungal diaper rashes. These new diapers will not only prevent diaper rash and be just as comfortable as other diapers, they will cost the same amount as Pampers, the current most expensive diapers. Since most families are always on-the-go, the hassle of applying messing diaper rash cream in neither convenient nor time saving. A baby with diaper rash also means a baby that is more irritable from skin irritation. JNJ diapers will prevent non-fungal rashes reducing a baby’s irritability from rashes. JNJ’s diapers will be both convenient by eliminating the need for excess messy products and provide the baby with healthier skin that is not provided by the competitors. It is crucial for a company such as JNJ to market their new product line accordingly to add to their success. They must be able to communicate their marketing message in such a way that their targeted group will be interested in what they have to offer. By using their available resources to the fullest extent, they will be able to generate more revenue. The goal to promoting the new product line is to be acquainted with the selected buyers. Since this will be a completely new product for this industry and company, JNJ has to take on a strong position and really be prepared to overcome the challenges that may arise. JNJ must consider what their consumers are looking for in a diaper. If they can successfully determine the needs and wants of those purchasing diapers, they will be able to expand their cliental. They should evaluate their current customer base and determine how to maintain their loyalty when purchasing diapers. By identifying their current market group and considering some of their demographics such as income and also looking into their life-style, how often will they need or use the product and the loyalty of their customer base. Another important factor for the marketing plan is to focus more on the benefits of the product. They must pay special attention to the direct needs of the purchaser. They must be able to understand and deliver how a customer will profit by this new product. Recognizing the needs of the consumers will help in convincing them to buy their products, which will lead to more sales revenue. Consumers are really buying products that will bring them convenience, save money and time. The more JNJ knows about their customers and competitors the more they will be successful. Since this product line will be completely new, they must work out all the negative drawbacks that may come up so it does not affect the company’s reputation as a family friendly organization. This product will be targeted to the type of parents that want convenience and with the least amount of hassle that will fit into their busy schedules of juggling work and raising a family at the same time. At JNJ the company understands the need to make life as easy as possible for these working parents and has discovered this new market opportunity that has the potential to be a highly demanded product in the disposable diaper industry. In the United States, $8.5 billion a year is spent on disposable diapers. Currently there are two big companies who own a large portion of this market, Procter & Gamble (Pampers) and Kimberly-Clark (Huggies). JNJ does not currently produce diapers; however, they have developed a brand association amongst parents of being a dependable and trustworthy company for their childcare needs. Obviously, the company’s main priority is to increase sales and profits for the company; however, they also wish to sustain the trust that has developed through the years with a new product that is what the consumer wants, needs and depends upon. Using the five-step marketing research approach, JNJ has developed the route for the new product; JNJ Diapers with Balmex. Step one requires that research objectives  are set by having a clear understanding about the type of research needed to introduce the product to the market. By using casual research, JNJ will try to determine if adding diaper rash cream to diapers will actually motivate consumers to buy the product. Casual research tries to determine if a change in one factor changes another one. This type of research would best suit the purpose of JNJ because Balmex is a product that already works; however, the company hopes to make that product even better and create the need and demand in the targeted market. Step two is to develop the research plan by specifying the constraints on the research activity, identifying the data needed for marketing decisions, and determining how to collect the data (Kerin, Hartley, Berkowitz & Rudelius, 2006). The constraints on this project fall heavily on time and money needed to do research; however, JNJ is a large corporation that can afford the necessary funds to develop and do the required R&D. Even so, it is important to establish the budget and time that will be allocated to this research. The type of data that is needed needs to be collected by sampling from a population that is most likely to use the diaper. This product is targeted to a specific market and for that reason there must be a parameter set up with precise rules to select that sample. This type of sampling is referred to as probability sampling. Step three is collecting relevant information. Since this product has never been developed before, it is important to collect primary data for this research by using questionnaire data placed in specific magazines targeted towards parents. Also Internet surveys will be conducted on JNJ websites. JNJ will offer incentives to those that participate in these surveys by sending free samples of existing product lines. By offering these types of incentives JNJ hope not only to target the specific diaper market, but possibly develop a wider consumer base for existing products. Step four is the development of the findings collected. After relevant information has been collected the data needs to be analyzed carefully. The last step will require JNJ to implement a marketing action once all data has been reviewed and possible recommendations have been considered. Finally, JNJ will need to constantly evaluate the results by comparing profits with goals established for this product. Positioning and DifferentiationJNJ’s new rash-free diaper will be more convenient and effective for parents compared to what is offered by the other leading brands. This will give JNJ a competitive advantage over the market place with a product that is differentiated amongst existing products and will help them to gain a customer base in a heavily dominated market. What differentiates JNJ’s product from all the other products is that the new diaper is a modification to an existing product. JNJ does not currently produce diapers, however; they do produce and sell diaper rash cream. This new product will be a combination of both products and will add efficiency and effectiveness for the parents when changing their baby’s diapers. It will also aid with the prevention of diaper rashes for small children and give parents a new option when choosing a diaper for their childcare needs. JNJ will have to continue to redesign and improve their product process. One of the key elements to positioning this new product is through the research and development. This is where they can solve any current problems they may have against the product and through technology help aid in new findings and possibly better the product with new inventions. Research and development needs to be an ongoing process that never stops because it won’t take long before the competitors are doing it better and more efficient than you are. JNJ has already positioned themselves as a common household name. Many consumers feel a certain level of trust when hearing or seeing their famous trademark because JNJ has been in the health and baby care business for the past 60 years. JNJ is committed to helping people live longer and healthier lives. Since JNJ has already established a large consumer base, the immediate challenge will be to heavily promote this new product into their existing product lines. Product Life CycleThe first step in the product life cycle of JNJ’s new baby diaper is the market introduction. The initial expectation is that sales  will be low as customers will not be aware of nor will they be looking for a diaper made by JNJ. Promotion will be essential during the introduction stage. Even with significant promotion, it may take some time for potential customers to learn about the availability and the advantages of using JNJ’s new diaper. JNJ further expects to experience a loss on this product during the initial market introduction due to product, promotion and place expenses. JNJ should expect a prolonged introduction phase because it is trying to take a share of an established market. Customers who are content with their current diaper choice may not be too eager to switch brands. The most likely customer will be people who have become recent parents and have received various types of promotion from JNJ. The next phase in JNJ’s new diaper life cycle is the market growth stage. JNJ expects both new and experienced parents to purchase the new rash free diaper. During the market growth stage, JNJ will experience rapid growth and exposure. The diaper will initially experience strong profits. During this phase, JNJ will experience its largest profits from this new product. It is JNJ’s expectation that the competitors will produce a similar product in approximately three months from the market introduction. If JNJ ignores the competition during this stage, it could be devastating to the success of this product. It will be essential to the success of this product to win over and maintain the customers who are already using JNJ baby care products by stressing and promoting the trust that they have developed through the years with their Balmex diaper rash cream. The third phase of JNJ’s new rash free diaper will be the maturity stage. During this stage the competition will get stiffer and JNJ should expect lower prices from the competitors. The competitors may also spend more money on promotion while fighting to keep their share of the market. The competitors have a lot at stake and will fight hard to keep their customers. During this stage JNJ needs to concentrate of reinventing the product by considering revisions to the marketing mix primarily focusing on promotion. The last stage in the new diapers life cycle will be the sales decline stage. The primary reason for sales to decline is a vigorous product war from the  competitors. They will essentially duplicate JNJ’s new diaper and try to make it better. They will lower their prices and spend more on promotion. At this stage, the competitors will usually drive the small organizations out of business. However, lucky for JNJ, the company is too large to be easily driven out of the marketplace; therefore, the other diaper companies will have to fight long and hard to hold on to as much of their customer base as possible by relying on generational experience and loyalty. The United States is experiencing rapid population growth which means new families are being created everyday. This is good news for JNJ as new families develop; new potential customers are born everyday. Between July 2004 and July 2005, the countries population grew by 2.8 million people. The southwest portion of the United States saw the most growth. California has remained the most populous state in the country with 36.1 million people. Nevada has been the fastest growing state for 19 consecutive years with a growth rate of 3.5%. Arizona is a close second with a growth rate of just under 3.5% (U.S. Census, 2005). JNJ must concentrate developing new life cycles and reinventing the product in areas with significant growth patterns. With the right strategy JNJ will overcome the sales decline phase by reintroducing the rash free diaper to new families by including the new diapers into the marketing mix already in place for other JNJ products. Marketing MixProduct StrategyThe JNJ pre-medicated diapers are made with the same high quality cotton as their sterile surgical supplies. The otter shell is soft to touch and breathable. There is elastic around the legs and back allowing for baby to move freely without the parents need to fear of leaking. There is a tab on either side of the waist that is re-adjustable. The center of the diaper is filled with a dry gelatin substance that is capable of absorbing 500 milliliters of fluid. The inner liner of the diaper is made of cotton and has a very thin layer of Balmex applied in a three inch by six inch area. Last there is a wax paper cover over the Balmex which must be removed before the diaper is applied. Each diaper is wrapped in an airtight thin plastic pouch. These pre-medicated diapers are designed with the concept of keeping a  babies’ skin healthy. For that reason all materials used are hypo-allergenic and have been tested of a variety of skin types. All materials used are breathable and latex free. None of the materials used have been tested on animals. The diapers are guaranteed to keep fresh as long as outer plastic bag is kept intact. If there should be some malfunction of the diaper or should the baby develop a reaction JNJ will refund the full purchase cost. Place StrategyJohnson & Johnson foresees the new rash free diaper being carried primarily as retail item. These retail stores would probably include baby care sections and a wide array of baby care products. These stores are usually located in or near densely populated areaswith a large and diverse customer base. Due to the explosion of urban sprawl and rapid population growth, more families shop at these types of retail outlets. Before organizational buyers begin to carry our unique product, we will conduct surveys to help us narrow down the right consumer groups. Data from the surveys taken will determine whether or not this product would be viable in a market that is diverse and unpredictable. Price, place, promotions, and our product must be considered. Targeting marketable locations through marketing surveys will help us to better understand the locations that we will make our product available and it will also enable us to create a reasonable price that will meet our costs and profit requirements and those of the consumers buying our product. Promotions through personal selling, sales promotions, public relations, direct mail, trade fairs, exhibitions, advertising and sponsorship will help us to create the demand and the awareness of our new product. Retail stores are mostly profit organizations that are concerned with revenue. If the organization is unable to make a certain amount of profit they simply choose not to carry our new product. That is why it is so important that we price this product correctly to not only meet the needs and wants of our own and those of our consumers, but also to meet the needs of the organizational buyer. These diapers must also be a product that is demanded by the consumer in order for the retail stores to continue stocking our products. If we are not successful in generating a significant amount of  demand, these retail stores will simply discontinue their purchasing of our new product line. Retail generally desires a high inventory turnover rate. They expect JNJ to heavily promote their new product in order to create the demand and if successful will continue to stock our product as long as they continue to move off of their shelves. Another retail concern is the availability of the product. Stores and their consumers do not like to be told that a particular item is on back order. When a store sells items they need to fill that spot on the shelf quickly so more items can be offered for sale. It is a very frustrating situation when the demand for a product can not be met not only for the consumer but the organizational buyer as well. This type of situation results in a significant loss of revenue for the organizational buyer and upsets the consumer that relies on the store to carry the product and will result in loss of business for all parties involved in the transaction. That is why it is very important for our company to understand what that demand will be and have the product available to meet those demands. The diaper has to be consistent with the stores existing product mix. Some retail stores and supermarkets consistently carry baby items while others tend to specialize in just a few specific items. Most important, the product must work and be free of defects. No retail store wants to be associated with a large-scale recall. Another prospective organizational buyer will be daycares and hospitals. These types of venues will offer a great opportunity to introduce our product to consumers. Hospitals will require diapers for newborn babies and ill baby patients. Not only will they desire a service contract but also hospitals tend to give out care packs to the babies’ families when they leave the hospital. Care packs contain baby products including diapers and coupons. Hospitals will expect a certain amount of promotional products. Daycare Centers commonly stock baby care products. Again, this is a great opportunity to establish a relationship with consumers. Daycares contract with companies such as Huggies or Pampers in order to purchase diapers in bulk. Diaper consumers will be family oriented men and woman from a wide range of social economic levels. Many first time parents will be in an experimental stage. They will try different diapers and see what appeals to them the most. Most new parents rely on care packages and samples at the start of parenthood until they form preferences. Children are expensive and parents quickly learn that price is a significant factor. Parents who have experienced diaper rash will want to prevent future occurrences. An experienced parent may be attracted to a diaper that has the cream included as opposed to one where the parent needs to get their hands messy with diaper rash cream. Due to this experience, it is easy to see how pre-medicated baby diapers can save time, money, and frustration; leading to happier moms, dads, and babies. Pricing StrategyIdentifying a pricing strategy for this new diaper will be based on what the competition is already doing in the marketplace. JNJ has decided to price the new diaper at the same price as other leading brands. This will give the company a competitive advantage since consumers can try the convenience that the new diaper offers without the cost of having to pay more. This diaper will understandably cost more to produce than the diapers produced by the competition resulting in a loss of profits, however; JNJ needs to gain a share of the marketplace and sometimes high markups do not always mean big profit (Perrerult & McCarthy, 2004). The pricing strategies will be closely tied to that of the competitors throughout the product cycle. JNJ is prepared for the competition to release their own version of the product; however, they will continue to base their marketing strategies on the experience and trust of Balmex that has been established for the past 50 years. The makers of Pampers and Huggies currently do not produce or have any experience with diaper rash cream and this will be a major advantage for JNJ. Discounts for the product will be offered to new mothers in part of the care package they receive from the hospitals. These discounts will result in a fair amount of profit loss, but hopefully help JNJ to establish a new consumer base. JNJ realizes competition will be intense amongst the other leading brands,  but JNJ has the advantage of being a successful and large organization that can withstand the heavy blows that will inevitably be thrown by its competitors. Through constant research, JNJ will continue to find new and innovative ideas to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Promotion StrategyIn July 2007, one month prior to the public launch of the champagne, JNJ will provide free samples to be distributed throughout hospitals and pediatricians offices. These samples will provide money saving coupons and an online diaper club membership. This online diaper club will allow parents to leave reviews and recommendations for the diaper, communicate with other parents, and entitle them to future promotional savings. The diaper club is free, but exclusively for JNJ customers. JNJ will then launch its public diaper champagne in August 2007. This is the usual time when school starts and parents become busier. The promotional angle will be to help simplify and expedite the care of infants and allowing more time with older children. This will allow for the new diaper to circulate for two months before the holiday season. During the holiday season, JNJ will offer addition coupons to increase sales as gift items and personal use purchases. Since the holidays are full of busy schedules and parties to attend, parents can find piece of mind knowing that the new JNJ diapers will grant them much needed time, by reducing the time of diaper changes and eliminating the need to carry excess supplies. JNJ is anticipating competition around April 2008, when other diaper manufactures will be producing their own pre-medicated diapers. At that time JNJ will have a promotional program to match the price of its competitors, should their diaper be less expensive. JNJ will already have a customer base by that time, and with the diaper club will be able to make any necessary changes to their product. After the introduction of competitors, JNJ will focus mainly on the trust that has been developed with their name. In August 2008, JNJ will offer all current customers a substantial money saving coupon, to help celebrate their one year birthday. After this one year mark, JNJ will continue to offer savings through mail and online diaper  program, and with the anniversary of their diapers. The diaper will be promoted the same way as the rest of their baby products. Hospitals that currently use JNJ baby products will also be provided with free sample diapers and coupons for all parents. Advertising PlanJNJ pre-medicated diaper advertising will first appear on their website four months prior to the release of the product. Parents can click on this advertisement a chose to be one of the first to use the product for free and provide feedback. Two months prior to release of the diaper, JNJ will begin advertising through commercials. These commercials will focus on the health of babies’ skin, how messy tradition diaper rash creams are, and the busy hectic lives of parents. One month before the product is launched samples of the diaper will be dispersed to parents in hospitals. Two weeks prior to product release, coupons will be sent out in all newspapers. On all sample products and coupons the website for the baby diaper club will be clearly printed. All parents signing-up in the diaper club will receive a welcome package with samples of diapers and other JNJ baby products. When diaper is released, large displays will be set up in major retail stores that already sell other JNJ products. Free samples will be provided along with information on diaper rashes and how to care for a babies’ sensitive skin. Knowledgeable JNJ staff will man each display for the first 3 weekends the product is sold to answer questions and provide information to parents. Pamphlets will be available showing the clinical results of the diapers as well as access to the website. After the initial launch of the product, JNJ will continue to advertise their diapers in the same fashion as they do their other baby products. Through commercials on television, to Internet advertisements, to newspaper circulars there will be a very limited number of Americans who have not heard of JNJ’s new pre-medicated diaper. After one year of use and exposure in the United States, JNJ will launch its diaper throughout the world. Public Relation OpportunityMedia coverage and endorsements from various groups such as First Five will boost the Company’s image. JNJ has had a long history of quality products and quality customer service. Some may say that developing an innovative improvement to the diaper is long over due for a prestigious corporation such as JNJ. The development of a diaper that prevents diaper rash will create a renewed awareness for the JNJ Corporation and all of its products. This product will remind people of JNJ commitment to quality and innovation. Channel ManagementChannel management is as important as setting a reasonable price, providing a quality product and having adequate promotion. JNJ must get the product to the customer in a convenient and timely fashion. Essentially JNJ must keep the selves stock wherever perspective customers expect to find diapers. JNJ will utilize a variety of distribution channels from direct to indirect. JNJ will use a mix of selective channels as well as extensive channels. JNJ will use direct and indirect channels to reach the consumer. For example: JNJ will sell directly to large hospitals and medical groups. Since hospitals and medical groups are going to be parent’s first introduction to baby products; JNJ will directly contact these organizations and attempt to form contracts with them. Having JNJ’s new diaper being used in hospitals and clinics is also a type of promotion for the new product. JNJ will not rely on a middleman to gain such an important business relationship. Another direct channel JNJ will use is their subsidiary, Baby Center. Through the website, Baby Center, JNJ has embrace technology as a form of reaching perspective customers. Baby Center is an interactive information center on the Internet. In addition to researching and networking with others; parents can order products directly from the Internet site. An indirect channel of distribution will be large retailer stores. JNJ will not deal with small stores, as they do not move enough inventory. These retail chains have huge distribution centers strategically located to service their stores. JNJ would deliver their product to these large  distribution centers and they the individual chains would worry about getting the product to the selves. Ideally, JNJ wants to move as much product as possible to as few locations as possible. Then the middlemen or retail chains would take it from that point forward. JNJ will practice intensive channel distribution. JNJ expects the majority of retail stores that historically carry baby products to carry JNJ’s baby diaper. Examples of retailer stores JNJ may use are: Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Costco, Sams Club, Walgreens, Sav-On and Rite-Aid. All large supermarket chains would also carry the new diaper. JNJ wants this new diaper to be as available to the consumer as any other diaper. JNJ’s position is not to make the diaper a specialty item that is difficult to locate. JNJ’s aim is to make their diaper a wise and simple alternative to the conventional diapers. JNJ will utilize contractual agreements whenever possible. Contracts will enable JNJ to monitor their inventories coming in from China. These inventories can be trucked directly from the docks to the various regional retailer distribution centers. Storing inventory is very expensive therefore JNJ will strategically plan production levels based on contractual agreements. JNJ will use the same distribution channels used for other baby products therefore shipping costs will be nominal. One way to create a channel is if the retailer is motivated to sell JNJ product. Initially JNJ may have to offer a better profit margin for their diapers than the competitors. This will create channel motivation where the retailers will push JNJ’s diaper over the competitors. By creating this channel motivation, some of the retailers may even promote the diaper on their own to make more sales. The other way to create a channel of motivation is if the consumer is asking for the product. This is why the marketing mix is integrated. If JNJ created a quality product, the price is right and it has been promoted well; then there will be a consumer demand for the product. This demand will pull the product through the distribution channel to the selves. When the customer  begins pulling the product through the distribution channels; JNJ will not have to push so much and lower the retailer’s profit margin. Fortunately JNJ already has a full range of baby products. JNJ will continue to use the same format for their diapers as they do for their other baby products. JNJ Sales and Logistics division will be the primary contact for JNJ retail customers. These teams will take orders and ship directly to the retailer’s regional distribution centers. Budget PlanIn 2005, JNJ spent approximately $6.5 billion in research and development for future products. The amount of this investment for research & development shows that JNJ deems it imperative to invest heavily in order to realize company goals and future growth. JNJ showed impressive sales at $50 billion in their 2005 Statement of Earnings, 29% of these sales were contributed to their consumer goods sector. Using this information and ratios to sales we will forecast a budget plan for the product development of Balmex Diapers. The following is a projected forecast for the Profit and Loss Statement of Balmex Diapers for Q1:Johnson & Johnson: Balmex Diapers (Dollars in Millions)Consolidated Statement of EarningsSales to customers $ 375Cost of products sold 104Gross profit 271Expenses:Selling, general, marketing andadministrative expenses 158Research expense 48Purchased in-process research anddevelopment 13219Net earnings 52Our projections take into account the heavy investment costs associated with product development like new capital assets, additional personnel, market research, patents and testing processes to launch the new product. We forecast that we will make a profit in the Q1 of $52 million. However, continuous research will be needed throughout the product cycle to gain superiority and growth in the diaper industry. MonitoringIt is critical in the marketing plan for researchers to continue to monitor the expectations, wants, and needs of their consumers since they change constantly. By having a monitoring process in place they are able to stay within the competitive market. However, this is not the only monitoring  process they will have, there are several other monitoring processes JNJ will have in place in order to achieve success with their new product. The use of the SWOTT analysis also helps to monitor the external and internal marketing environment and what factors affect it. Business behavior must also be monitored and evaluated periodically because it affects the production of the product. This new product will also be monitored through the pharmaceutical alliances in order to ensure they are within medical compliance standards. The internet has helped in the monitoring process. This is where the consumers will find out more about JNJ’s products and issues. They can also find opinions, other consumer insights, feedback on the products strengths and weaknesses, comparing prices, customer satisfaction, and distribution concerns. Because the internet has such a broad space for a marketing audience, the product must be clearly defined to the targeted audience. The audience will give continuous feedback so it will be critical for JNJ to keep the monitoring of the internet communication, maintenance, and sales results. Continually observing and analyzing the SWOT of JNJ will allow them to remain on the competitive market as a new product line is launched. Analyzing and preparing for the internal and external factors that are affecting their business with this new medicated diaper will put them into a lead position. Part of the monitoring process will also have them seek out potential sources that will provide them strength and filter through marketing weaknesses. The marketing environment is constantly changing therefore JNJ will have to develop knowledge on the current trends of their specific industry. Johnson and Johnson strongly believes in protecting the environment and the natural resources they use and in order to stay true to their promise they must continue environmental monitoring for their products. Monitoring consumer expectations and satisfaction is important to the success of a new product as well. The company will want to ensure the customers are satisfied with the product. By monitoring these results they will be able to determine whether production will need to make more or less of the item.  Sales results can be monitored through how many rebates or coupons have been redeemed during purchases. In the beginning phases of the new launch, more production will be needed in order to advertise it. But once it is being advertised, monitoring the satisfaction of the customer through surveys will give feedback. As feedback is being given, they are able to amend any errors or oversights right away. The company behavior is closely observed because this is where the ethical and social responsibilities of Johnson and Johnson employees are involved. All the focus has now turned to the consumers and JNJ needs to ensure their buyers are pleased with the service and quality of their products they have purchased. Johnson and Johnson will consider outsourcing a third party vendor such as an audit team to assess their customer performance versus the company’s performance. This can also be done through recent purchase surveys and having a customer satisfaction phone number on the product for a consumer to call in to voice their opinion about the product. It can be set up in an open forum to allow for comments, suggestions, or complaints. On the other hand an audit team can also be set up for the medical part of product. This audit will make certain JNJ is within medical guidelines since this new product will have medication. EvaluatingIn order for a large company such as JNJ to be successful with a new product, they must have adequate control processes in place. JNJ will have the four major control plans in place which are: annual-plan control, profitability control, efficiency control, and strategic control. There will be different job families responsible to ensure they have control over these. As they all work together it will meet the objectives to produce results. According to the textbook, Marketing Management, in chapter 2 is states companies can use Market Opportunity Analysis (MOA) to determine the attractiveness and probability of success. In this case JNJ will be able to exercise this feature in order to measure out the effectiveness of the  marketing plan they are looking for. They will be able to mostly narrow down the targeted audience and reach them more cost-effectively. JNJ will also be able to analyze whether they will be able to provide the best products for their consumers rather than the competitors and will it still meet the company’s budget. All these factors must be evaluated during the MOA. (Kotler and Keller 2006)It is clearly mostly important for JNJ to evaluate and consider their strengths and weakness in their SWOT analysis. They will want to improve on their weak points. If they are not aware of their major weaknesses and opportunities it can damage the brand element and image they have work so hard to set. If during an evaluation process they realize sales numbers are not coming in as they projected, they will have to analyze the corrective action to the problem. Some things they may want to consider might be to drop the production down on the item until they can figure out where the problem is and why people are not interested in it. Part of the evaluation process is the company must understand and evaluate what the consumer is looking for. Customers are always looking for benefit to satisfy a need. As consumers are making purchases they will go through a list of alternatives on which product they should purchase. As they are doing this, this is where JNJ must come in strong with they brand element such as their logo, symbol, character, and slogan. Since JNJ has been around for many years people are familiar with their products and services. Customers will also evaluate and associate one bad experience as a lifetime connection. If something ever went wrong, they would remember that when evaluating whether they would by a JNJ product. ControlMaking sure all controls are in place will ensure profitability and results. An annual-plan control ensures that JNJ stays within their goal according to their annual plan of sales, profits, and any other goals they might have set. Senior management will set a goal for the company as a whole and then goals will be dispersed between all other groups within the companies to stay within the group goal. Profitability control ensures they company is always making a profit. They is main responsibility of the marketing director since this person is who get the name and product out to the public which will generate more sales and profits for a company. If they  are able to create an excellent marketing strategy and consumers are consistently buying in, they will have successfully completed the job requirements. Efficiency control makes sure the entire staff is aware of the staying within a budget of marketing expenses which will increase the advertising campaigns, sales force, and distribution of the new item. Lastly, strategic control accounts for pursing the best opportunities on which markets to search for and the channels to get there can be done through a meticulous audit team. References GPOABS (2005). Diaper Evolution Time Line. Retrieved June18, 2006, from http://www.gpoabs.comJohnson & Johnson (2006). Johnson & Johnson. Retrieved June 18, 2006, from http://www.jnj.comKerin, R. A., Hartley, S. W., Rudelius, W., & Berdowitz, E. N. (2006). Marketing (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Kotler, K. (2006). Marketing Management (12th ed.). New York: Prentice-Hall. Perreault, W. D., & McCarthy, E. J. (2004). Basic Marketing (15th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. United States Department of Commerce Census Bureau (2005, December 22). Retrieved June 21, 2006, from http://www.census.gov