The Marketing Strategies Of Kellogg Cornflakes Marketing Essay

The Marketing Strategies Of Kellogg Cornflakes Marketing Essay This is a report on the investigation and evaluation of the marketing strategies adopted by Kellogg Company for the marketing of Kellogg Cornflakes a popular household name among branded breakfast foodstuff. Kellogg cornflake is a cereal product which is highly consumed by children and adults as breakfast foods. Cereals are major popular items at the grocery store. Kellogg Company is a leading producer of cereal and a leading producer of convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavoured snacks, frozen waffles and veggie foods. The report explores the marketing strategies for Kellogg Cornflakes on the basis of the promotional methods and target consumer. It also makes some recommendation for the improvement of these marketing strategies. Marketing is a fundamental aspect of any organisation sustainable competiveness. It is at the heart of the organisation and a key driver of its financial and economy performances. As a result of its importance, organisation defines the best appropriate ways to market the company and its product. Kotler et al (1999, p. 7) notes that todays successful organisation is one that is dedicated to sensing, serving, and the satisfying of the needs of the customers in well-defined markets. Marketing is at the core of this. Marketing is simply the delivery of customer satisfaction at a profit (ibid, p. 7). Therefore, marketing involves the process to identify and satisfy the need of the consumers. These processes are made in several parts, and the main purpose of this short report is to identify, investigate and evaluate this process in regards to Kellogg Cornflakes. In this light, this report will investigate and evaluate the design of Kellogg Cornflakes to satisfy and attend to the needs of the consumer. The consumers as identified are parents and older adults; they represent the main buyer of this product. The transmission of the companys offers to the specific target is therefore very important in the process to meets consumers satisfaction. Specifically, it relates to the identification of target consumer, identification of objectives of the goods (Kellogg Cornflakes), evaluation of media options and identification of best possible media vehicle and the content of the message both in terms of the verbal and visual contents of the message. Therefore, the investigation and evaluation of the marketing strategies for Kellogg Cornflakes would be done on the basis of target consumer and the promotional methods. However, these are simultaneously examined in the context of traditional marketing mix within the customer perspectives of four Cs  [1]à ‚  of marketing. This section followed by recommendations on the best ways Kellogg Company needs to go about marketing Kellogg Cornflakes. It also serves as the conclusion. 3.0 Promotional methods/marketing tools The most noticeable contemporary marketing tool for Kellogg Cornflakes are the company newsletter which incorporates all its product and latest news on each, mass advertising i.e., TV and print media, and direct promotion i.e., coupons. The company is using the right marketing tools through such avenues as newsletter that kept updating the consumer on latest improvement and available offers by Kellogg Company; its television advert in United Kingdom which is based on the sunshine street breakfast and putting the good in good morning and its direct promotion by using coupons which enable consumers to redeem prices. The coupons allow customer to claim box of cereal. This is even made much easier by allowing the customers to claim the free box of cereal coupons on the Kelloggs promotional website (www.freecereal.co.uk). Kelloggs Company promotional methods show that it focus more on its target consumers so as to get in their minds. The company recognises the needs to get in the minds of its customers which are also important towards getting information from the customers. Kellogg Cornflakes is not only appealing in outlook and contents, its promotional offer of free cereal box are also appealing to customers. Therefore, through its coupons Kellogg management is aware of price sensitivity of consumers and gives out coupons that will enable the consumer redeem a free cereal box which is an indirect way of price reduction. The company has also been using the packaging of Kellogg Cornflakes to influence consumer beliefs about the product. Kellogg Cornflakes has colours green, purple and yellow which depict perceptions of green as wellness, natural and organic, purple as creativity and sensitivity and yellow as brightness, happy and uplifting. Colour plays an essential part of business and marketing at b oth strategic and tactical level since it affects consumer emotion and behaviours towards a particular product (Wright 2006, p. 115-116). Kellogg cereal promotional offers such as news and offers from Kellogg i.e., coupons, special offers and promotions, great tasting recipes, nutrition tips, product sneak peeks and getting great saving on their products ensure the company maintain its competitiveness. With its innovative promotional adverts, it is able to strengthening the company market shares and develops more focus organisation. Doyle (2000, p. 1) affirms that in todays rapidly changing environment, a company cannot long maintain market share of profits unless it is innovative. While, keeping abreast of competition in the food industry, it has not in any way compromise it products value. It consistently provides its teeming customers healthy food and as specified on the product packs. However, it is notable that Kellogg Cornflakes promotions are made according to the specification of targeted consumers, in this case mainly children. Therefore it has fancy phrases; fancy labels and pictures specifically to attract c hildren who as earlier stated are the highest consumer of cereals. 3.1 Target Consumer The target consumers for Kellogg Cornflakes are children. Therefore, this group of consumers should be able to identify Kellogg Cornflakes among the tens of cereal boxes in the grocery stores. Kellogg Company designs Kelloggs Cornflakes is such a way that is very attractive to children. The picture on the park is cork hen head, which is bold enough to attract children attention. Children are assumed to like chickens, it fascinates them. So the pack design with cork head will fascinates children to draw the attention of their parent to buy Kelloggs Cornflakes. It is a visual message that children understand easily. Therefore, for children as the consumer, it is convenience and an easy way to find a product they want as well as ensure their parents purchase it. The ability of a company to identify customers need and wants and design products that meet this need and wants is what Fifield describes as real marketing (2004, p.112). The graphics on the Kellogg Cornflakes box captures the c ustomer convenience and communication as it relates to children. The visual communication content explains how this product is advertised to children. On the part of the parents and older people who eat cornflakes, they are hardly concern about the visual contents of the adverts but rather the real contents in the cereal box. This has to do with the amount of cornflakes inside the box and the nutritional contents. In this regard, they will want to search for cereals that are healthy by looking at their nutrition fact labels. With the nutrition labels boldly inscribed on the side of the box of Kelloggs Cornflakes, the parents/ adults are able to check through the nutrition label, which is certainly to meet the nutrition standard for a healthy living. In essence, the product description as low in saturated fat and cholesterol and contains several vitamins will catch the attraction of this group of consumers. This shapes their perceived value of the product. Kotler and Keller (2006, p. 141) argues that customers estimate which offer will deliver the most perceived value and act on it. Consumers are more educated and informed than ever , and they have the tools to verify companies claims and seek out superior alternatives (Ibid, p.141). Certainly, a parent would not want to buy unhealthy product for the child likewise, an adult would not buy unhealthy foodstuff. By regularly updating the vitamin contents of this product therefore, Kellogg Company ensures that the product meets the changing consumer needs. It also has varieties of this product to satisfy different needs of consumer. This explains the promotional aspect of the marketing mix and where communication really matters. The product dimension shown in nutrition fact label explains what is good about Kellogg Cornflakes that is by providing healthy food with its fat specification near 0 and letting the target consumer aware of it easily. However, the possibility that an adult will not concern itself with the graphics on the Kellogg Cornflakes does not remove the fact that package graphic is very important in strengthening or weakening marketers explicit verbal claims (Bone and France, 2001). For instance, green is often used on a product package, particularly f oodstuffs to denote wellness because consumers associate the colour with fresh, natural and organic (Ibid, p. 468). 4.0 Recommendation Kellogg Company has more or less concentrate on marketing approaches that are meant to influence sale and turnover of the company. It has relegated to the background the need to make consumer happy, not just from the satisfaction derives from the product but also by developing a healthy customer relationships that seeks to secure customer loyalty. As a result of the lack of customer relationship aims at guaranteeing customer loyalty rather that directed mainly at product performance, this study recommends that the company upgrades its Kellogg Kids Club. The Kellogg Kids Club should be sponsor in all major primary school in the country. This club that will be taking place once a month will incorporates beautiful story telling about nutrition and wellness. This will ensure that Kelloggs Cereals are established in the minds of the kids and even if their parents have not been buying the product, the children will persuade them to doing so on the long run. Another important area that needs consideration is in the aspect of newsletter. Certainly, the purpose of a newsletter is to provide the necessary information that consumers need in regard to a product. However, considering that children are the major consumer of Kellogg Cornflakes, there should be a newsletter or children magazine that will covers such aspect on cartoons that children are most interested in. Corey, 1991 and; Kotler 1994 agree that market targeting implies major commitment to satisfying the needs of particular customer groups through the development of specific capability and investment in dedicated resources (Slater and Olson 2001, p. 1056). It should use striking and dramatic graphics that will draw the attention of children to want to read the magazine. Although they are children, the graphic pictures in the magazine should be to convey most of the advertorial messages. Hamilton states that we should never underestimate the readers intelligence but never overestim ate their interests (1996, p. 11). By regularly sending cartoon magazines to children, it will ensure their loyalty to Kellogg through to adulthood. In actual fact, creativity is the heart of new paradigm on customer relationship management, and it those organisations that adopt an effective, well-conceive customer relationship that will succeed in the 21st century (2003, p.3). The Kellogg Kids Club will be an avenue to let children sign up for the magazine and will be dispatch to them via regular mail. Apart from ensuring the loyalty of the children, it will ensure that the company have an encompassing database of its consumer, which is essential for the company to tapped into the value that is locked in that customer base outside of what it currently delivers. Therefore, by focusing on targets and keeping track of children and parents that are committed to Kelloggs line of products, it will be able use the database for future market forecast. This is important for the organisation performance. The fact that kids are central influencing factor on their parent necessitates that Kellogg should consider the location of its print media advert bill boards. Understanding and identifying who has influence on Kellogg Cereal products will enable the company to understand how such group apply their influence and how to turn that into the companys advantage. Therefore, given the impact the children can have on their parents buying decisions, it is essential that Kellogg Cornflakes advertorial be placed around children schools. Outdoor advertising is one of the main marketing tools that Kellogg Company should employ to win the attention of its target consumers. Advertising space is as important as the advert itself as such the adverts must reflect creativity that focuses on children sentiments. Hence, to focus on this sentiments and captures the attention of children, the billboards should be placed close and around children schools. At the same time, such outdoor adverts must reflect the product as affordable, best value for money and meets the standard requires in the industry. There are lots of cereal manufacturing companies and some other major brands that posed threats to Kelloggs share of the market using price competition and product proliferations. As a matter of facts, market competition is heated up in the breakfast cereal market as flat sales and low price are predominant. Simply, there are a lot of cereal boxes out at the grocery store and therefore Kellogg advertisement should focus on what differentiate and makes it product better than others. At the same time, the marketing of Kelloggs cereal product should also reflect optimum customer value through pricing and the contents in the boxes. This should be made clear to the consumer. It is also adviceable to get product catalogues to the customers. A regularly mailed catalogue is a direct way of marketing that can improve the sales volume and assist in customer loyalty base. The customer relationship marketing (CRM) involves a mix of marketing intervention such a direct mail, internet contacts, pe rsonal selling contacts, telephone contacts etc (Rust and Verhoef, 2005). In this way, the children would be able to compel their parents to always buy Kellogg Cornflakes since they will be able to say: mum please let us buy Kellogg, I love it and after all it is not expensive and good for health. 5.0 Conclusion Therefore, Kellogg market share is increasingly been challenged not only by other major brands but also by private label cereals product. Private labels cereals products are often more cheaper compare to the high price of branded cereal product. This underscored the need for Kellogg to have an effective marketing strategy so as to maintain its competitiveness in the industry. As stated by Slater and Olson (2001) marketing strategy is a crucial element that determines an organisation willingness to achieve it set objectives and goals. It is the set of integrated decisions and actions by which an organisation expects to achieve and meet its objectives and the value requirements of its customer (Ibid, p.1056). The study have shown that Kellogg Company concentrate of customer, that is it chooses the 4 Cs of consumer-side marketing by focusing on cost, customer value, consumer and communication. As Saunders et al have stated, relationships with customer is a significant advantage generating resources (2008, p.144). Kellogg Company has thus establishes a brand name not only in the minds of its customer but also in the industry that distinguishes and differentiates its product from those of others in the cereal breakfast markets. Kellogg Cornflakes brand allows allow the consumer to identify their desirable qualities and traits with the product. This enables the customer to have a relationship with the brand and thus they feel complete because of the brand. The company knows its target as well as the people that consume the product (mainly children). It capitalizes on this, and using its marketing approaches its product was able to get in the minds of its customers. Customer can even pay more because of the value they get from the brand since they have been associated with it.

Colonialism and Imperialism - A Post-colonial Study of Heart of Darknes

A Post-colonial Study of Heart of Darkness         Ã‚  In this paper, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness will be examined by using a recent movement, Post-colonial Study that mainly focuses on the relationship between the Self and the Other, always intertwined together in considering one’ identity.  Ã‚   The Other is commonly identified with the margin, which has been oppressed or ignored by Eurocentric, male-dominated history.  Ã‚   Conrad is also conscious of the Other's interrelated status with the Self, but his main concern is the Self, not the Other, even though he deals with the natives.  Ã‚   As Edward W. Said indicates in his Orientalism, the Orient (or the Other) has helped to define Europe (or the West) as its contrasting image, idea, personality, experience.1  Ã‚   For Conrad, the Other becomes meaningful only so far as it gives some insight or information for the construction of Eurocentric self-image.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Heart of Darkness, the story is set in the Congo, the literal battleground for colonial exploitation.  Ã‚   Marlow perceives natives along stereotyped Western lines, even though he also manifests a sense of sympathy towards suffering natives.  Ã‚   The natives cannot be understood or seen represented from their point of view.  Ã‚   The colonial aspects in Heart of Darkness begin to be explored through Marlow’ perspective of history.  Ã‚   Seeing history as cyclic, Marlow juxtaposes the Roman invasion with that of the present British imperial project.  Ã‚   According to Marlow, when Romans had first come to Britain, they might have felt the same way the British did in Africa: "the Romans first came here . . . darkness was here yesterday . . . savages, precious little to eat fit for a civilized man, nothing but Thames water to drink " (9-10). ... ...lism, Racism, or Impressionism?† Criticism (Fall, 1985) Burden, Robert. Heart of Darkness. London: Macmillan, 1991. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. ed. Robert Kimbrough. 3rd. edition. New York: Norton, 1988. Lionnet, Francoise. Autobiographical Voices. Cornell UP, 1988. Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Pantheon Books, 1978. ------------ The World, the Text, and the Critic. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1983 ------------ Joseph Conrad and the Fiction of Autobiography. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1966) Shaffer, Brian. â€Å". Rebabarizing Civilization: Conrad’s African Fiction and Spencerian Sociology,† PMLA 108 (1993): 45-58 Thomas, Brook. "Preserving and Keeping Order by Killing Time in Heart of Darkness," in Heart of Darkness, ed. Ross Murfin, (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989)

McDonald marketing planning Essay

The complexity of marketing planning means that when organizations embark on it, they should expect to encounter a number of organizational, attitudinal, process and cognitive problems (McDonald 2002). This essay is an attempt to outline some of those problems, however it is beyond this essay to clarify all possible barriers in implementing a marketing plan. After the potential barriers are of implementation are specified the essay will try and give possible solutions. The essay will first look at organizational constraints and then progress onto operational barriers. Organizational barriers It is not uncommon for marketing planners to experience difficulties in gaining wholehearted executive commitment for an ongoing programmed of, planning implementation and control. This is often due to a lack of evidence linking marketing planning to direct financial benefit. This problem is less prevalent in the other organisational disciplines of Management, Production, Finance and Human Resource. Although marketing describes itself as the key business discipline- and rightly so if properly applied-vested interests often prevail to obstruct its centrality (McDonald 2002). In practice the other strands are able to flex varying degrees of muscle with the result that is often marginalised. Part of the problem is that marketing is perceived as an abstract art form rather than a science. Although a new status- that of Chartered Marketer- has been accorded to qualifying members of the Chartered Institute of marketing (Ree.C. 2000), the level of public awareness is low. A major cause for concern is that many organisations separate the three disciplines of business (production, HR, AND marketing). The problem with separating the three disciplines is that there will be a lack of participation of the key functions of the company. This is why a market-orientated approach is needed. As far back as the 1960’s Lear (1963)  recognised the barriers involved and that, whilst marketing orientation was desirable from the point of view of customers, the efficiency based structure of most organisations limited what could be achieved. Morgan and Piercy (1991) cite lack of proper training as a major inhibitor of marketing orientation this in turn can lead to weak systems and therefore weak, poorly valued marketing. Marketing orientation is of course a cultural issue. Smircich (1983) sought to define organisational culture as â€Å"something, which may be influenced, changed and manipulated, and in turn influence, change and manipulate members and features of an organization†. (Smircich 1983 p359) In her article, Wilson (2000) quotes an assumption that â€Å"culture develops through problem solving within an organisation but suggests that the lack of clarity of definition leaves us with the conclusion that culture is formed from a variety of external manifestations (observed as behaviors and processes) backed up by belief systems. This complexity may be the main reason why culture moves slowly- it involves changing behaviors and shaking beliefs†. (Wilson 1998 p3) The slow acceptance of new cultural developments like market orientation and the convergence of departments could act as a barrier in the adoption and implementation of market planning techniques. Operational barriers The design and implementation process of marketing planning can be subject to numerous amounts of possible problems. Many companies have now opted for formalized marketing procedures, McDonald states that â€Å"introduction of formalized marketing planning systems have serious organizational and behavioral implications for a company as it requires a change in its approach to managing its business.† (McDonald, 2002, p79) Unless businesses recognize these implications and seek ways of coping with these changes their planning could fail. This essay is now going to focus on possible operational barriers a business may face, when designing and implementing a marketing plan. McDonald states, â€Å"A major cause of failure or partial failure of marketing planning systems is the belief that once a system is designed, it can be implemented immediately.† (McDonald 2002 p82) Businesses who subscribe to this view often fail to implement a timetable for their plans. This can cause them to not fully plan the planning process. The inadequate planning could cause ineffective plans as they are not tried and tested, it could also cause them not being communicated successfully. McDonald discuss how â€Å"planning the planning process above all gives a resolute sense of purpose, and dedication is required, tempered by patience and a willingness to appreciate the inevitable problems which will be encountered in its implementation†. (McDonald 2002 p82) Possible problems can occur in the presentation of the planning terms. Confusion between members of an organisation concerning the content of the marketing plan can be elevated due to perplex terminology and excessive amount of information and detail. Planners are usually highly skilled and use expressions, which can be perceived by operational managers as meaningless jargon (McDonald 2002). Elaborate systems can often be blamed for over planning. Over planning can create huge amount of data and information, which may not necessarily be needed. This can be de-motivating for all concerned and cause loss of focus to the main issues (McDonald 2002 p85). McDonald writes about how the once a year ritual culture is one of the most common weaknesses in the marketing planning systems (McDonald 2002). Some Managers see the writing of a marketing plan as a troublesome activity, which is only completed to satisfy headquarters. This could lead to the plans being thrown aside and not properly completed or followed. McDonald states that â€Å"whilst this is obviously closely related to other explanations as to why some planning systems are ineffective, a common feature of companies that treat marketing planning as a once a year ritual is the short lead time given for the completion of the process, managers tend to relegate it to secondary importance.† (McDonald 2002 p86) Manager’s confusion over tactics and strategy form the foundations of why so many businesses become less profitable. McDonald articulates that â€Å"a tactical `plan covers in quite a lot of detail the actions to be taken, by whom, during a short term planning period. This is usually for one year or less. A strategic plan is a plan, which covers a period beyond the next fiscal year. Usually this is for between three and five years†. (McDonald 2002 p31) Previous decades have seen businesses using short-term tactical marketing. Many businesses used their short-term tactical strategies as a justification as to why they had been successful. McDonald is in disagreement with this and believes firms using these tactics were largely successful in the 1970s and 80s due to the simple environment and the easy marketability of products and services (MacDonald 2002). The increased complexity of today’s markets has meant that businesses need to have a more strategic and long-term approach. However McDonald explains that even when several businesses realize they need to take a more strategic approach they implement strategies, which are more sales forecasting and budgeting (McDonald 2002). The reason for this misguidance is that managers can confuse operational planning and strategic planning; some even argue that the two are separate entities, whereas they are very much interlinked. The mistake made by many  mangers is that the figures that appear in the long-term corporate plan are little more than statistical extrapolations that satisfy boards of directors (McDonald 2002). This common misdemeanor subjects the operational and the long-term plans to begum divorced from each other. The short-term plans become reactionary and the long-term plans lose their relevance and much needed cohesion and logic. McDonald explains, â€Å"This separation positively discourages operational managers from thinking strategically, with the result that detailed operational plans are created in a vacuum†. (McDonald 2002 p88) A real life example of a business separating tactics and long-term strategy was Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Ben and Jerry’s had enjoyed good profitability until 1994 when their target market which consisted of exclusive high priced ice cream eaters shifted to more affordable ice cream. This lead Ben and Jerry’s to re-evaluate their once alluring pricing strategy and engage in a price war, which ultimately meant a loss of profitability. Ben and Jerry’s lost market share because they failed to change themselves and adapt to a new competitive environment because of organisational inertia. To overcome this Ben and jerry’s need to identify the changing tastes of consumers. To do this they need to develop a marketing plan, they showed no real evidence in doing this in the past. Ben and Jerry’s reliance on cause-generated marketing (short- term) had its benefits of adaptability, however long-term marketing planning has focus. (Gilbert.G. 2001) The implementation of marketing planning is very reliant upon good information. Poor information can erect possible barriers in achieving business objectives. Piper and Smith conclude, â€Å"The basic logic of strategic planning is the production of a system which allows the matching of internal strengths with external opportunities whilst offsetting internal weaknesses and outside threats†. (Piper and Smith 2002 p32) The barrier to affectively achieving this is obtaining the right information Piper and Smith state that â€Å"poor information can be as damaging as ones made on intuition and past experience† (Piper and Smith 2002,p32) A classic example of businesses gathering insufficient information was coca-cola. In the late 70s and early 80s coca-cola’s research found out that the taste of their product was not recognized as superior to the other cola drinks. This led coca-cola to change the taste. In testing the new and improved flavor they used blind test research. The test concluded that a larger percentage of people choosing the new flavored coca-cola drink over any other drink. This led them to dramatically introduce the new flavor instead of the old one. Although initially this went well, people started to complain that Americas symbol and long-term friend had betrayed them. People started to stockpile the old coke and turn down the new flavor. Coca-cola received over 40,000 complaint letters and America even laid plans to file a class action lawsuit against coca-cola (Hartley 1998). Obtaining adequate research information from audits is very problematic and expensive. Acquiring good information is often a barrier in the process of a good marketing plan. Solutions on design and implementation barriers Wicks writes an interesting article about how the marketing department within businesses must market themselves in order to gain good funding and support. Wicks argues that a too familiar story in business is that of marketing departments budgets being cut in poor times, which leaves a demoralized marketing team. To back this claim up a recent survey by the university of Warwick asked top managers if business was poor what would be the first thing cut. In number one spot came marketing with 23% (Wicks 2002). To solve this problem Wicks argued that a similar approach to that of focusing externally on customers must be adopted internally. The customer is senior management and the competition is other department’s who are also partners,  as they may share some of the budget if done correctly (Wicks 2002). Wicks states â€Å"the next step is to sell the department and relate everything to the goals of senior management and keep things simple†. (Wicks 2002 p4) The convergence and inter department co-operation is largely a cultural thing. McDonald states â€Å"marketing is a management process whereby the resources of the whole organisation are utilized to satisfy the needs of selected customer groups in order to achieve the objectives of both parties. Marketing, then, is first and foremost an attitude of mind rather than a series of functional activities†. (McDonald 2002 p565) Rose (1990) proffered that success lies in engaging the employee with the goals of the Company†¦ aligning the wishes, needs and aspirations of each individual who works for the organisation with the successful pursuit of its objectives. Hodgetts (2000) insist that companies seeking to survive in the `00s must create organisational design based on sharing authority, responsibility, and resources amongst people and divisions to achieve common goals. By this means, managers will be able to change their strategies, continually realigning their organisations with emerging opportunities, then articulating the new strategies so everyone knows what the organisation is about. The convergence of departments and non-isolation of marketing is crucial in the co-operation in marketing planning, Organisational culture has a significant impact on if and how hierarchical change can be implemented. By centering an organisation on its knowledge, and allowing free flow of that knowledge, it is possible to break down these barriers (Cive. E.2000). McDonald argues that one of the most debated issues in marketing planning today is where the responsibility for setting objectives and strategies should lie (McDonald 2002). What is not argued by McDonald is that  short-tactics and long-term strategy should not be separated or misunderstood. McDonald believes that operational planning and strategic planning should be very much part of the same process, he states that â€Å"wherever possible they should be completed at the same, using the same managers and the same information process†. (McDonald 2002 p88) The strategic plan should be completed first and cover a period of between three and five years and when this is completed the operational and more detailed plan should be created (McDonald 2002). McDonald concludes, â€Å"Never write the one year plan first and extrapolate it†. (McDonald 2002 p564) The integration of tactics and strategy should stop the divergence of the short-term thrust of a business at the operational level from the long-term objectives of the enterprise (McDonald 2002). It should also prevent the preoccupation with short-term results at operational level, which according to McDonald makes a business less effective in the long run (McDonald 2002). Once the planning system is designed and tested a major problem that has to be avoided is the excessive planning and detailed as mentioned earlier. McDonald maintains that in successful companies there is at all levels a wide spread understanding of the key objectives that have to be achieved and a means of achieving them. This cohesiveness is achieved by a means of layering. At each level management analysis is synthesized into a form that ensures that only the essential information needed for decision purposes reaches the next level (McDonald 2002). The presentation of strategic plans should be clear and concise. A good marketing plan should be no more than about a dozen PowerPoint slides that can be easily read, understood, and shared widely. It must support the overall business strategy and contain simple success metrics that link to the financial goals of senior management (Wicks 2002). As mentioned earlier the acquisition of good and reliable data can prove to be a barrier in the implementation of a marketing plan. Poor information could render a marketing plan unsuccessful. Alice Clegg argues that researchers need to apply judgment and to have a broad base of knowledge and know how to integrate evidence successfully, from both qualitative and quantitative sources. McDonald argues that a company should have good sound information flow and scan the environment thoroughly. This could be done through adequate sources of information and internal databases of information. This should lead to more detailed forecasting and limited possible problems. In concluding a business should strive for a culture, which embraces cross-departmental involvement in marketing. Marketing should be state of mind in every member of an organization. The marketing planning structure should be adequately planned and tested. A business should have a systematic procedure with a common format. The long-term strategic plan should cover between three and five years and be interlinked with the one-year operational plan. Within the plans a systematic system should be developed to prioritize objectives and interlinked them. The environment should be thoroughly scanned and information should be passed up the channels through a laying system, which only allow relevant information to be passed on. Conclusion Marketing planning is a series of activities concerning objectives, auditing, analysis and assumptions. The complexity of it renders it subject to possible problems and barriers. Organisational culture and management ignorance are major barriers in implementation of a marketing plan. Some organisation seem to not merit the possible benefits of strategic planning, they cut marketing budgets and isolate the department. Managers can confuse the short-term plans with the long-term plans. Short-term plans are often prepared first which regularly means they are reactionary and discourage managers thinking strategically. Organisations should create a culture, which embraces marketing, it is, and  should be a state of mind, with all departments involved. Organisations should develop the strategic long-term plan first and then create the short-term operational plans. The marketing planning process should be structured and planned extensively, with objectives listed in importance. Marketing planning and implementation face many barriers however following structured and planned models can avert and foresee potential problems.

Testing Is The Bane Of The United State s Educational System

Standardized testing is the bane of the United State’s educational system. It causes fear and stress in students and can cause confusion and teaching problems for teachers.It bankrups schools fires teachers and ruins kid lives.A standardized test is any form of test that (1) requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that (2) is scored in a â€Å"standard† or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual (Standardized Test Definition) To understand why over testing is harmful to students you must know the consequences of standardized testing. First you must know about the history of the standardized education movement and what is did to society.The losses of learning time,The losses of love and creativity of learning,The creation of a sterile/changes environment of a school day,week,or even month, and the physical and emotional eff ect on student and teachers. To truly understand the effect of standardized testing one must know its history.It all started with the clintion administration who plan for the begening was to standerdize testing and creat a national standers for teaching .One of the biggest problems was its bypassing of curriulum and standards.Another big problem was the large scale argument of Sentor Lynne VS Senator Cheney about the not yet established history standards(Ravitch). An argument that started over what the newShow MoreRelatedTesting Is The Bane Of The United State s Educational System2418 Words   |  10 Pages Standardized testing is the bane of the United State’s educational system. It causes fear and stress in students and can cause confusion and teaching problems fpr teachers.It bankrups schools fires teachers and ruins kid lives.A standardized test is any form of test that (1) requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that (2) is scored in a â€Å"standard† or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compareRead MoreThe Cold Truth ~ Cassidy Pena2043 Words   |  9 Pageswas the most dangerous boasting battle in the history of the world, and it created many problems that even today have yet to be solved. It was a 44-year war between two of the world’s superpowers: the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America. At one point during the war, nuclear weapons were mass-produced by both sides, mainly for the bragging rights of having more weapons than their opponents (this was called the â€Å"Nuclear Arms Race†). 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