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Cultural hyrbidity Essay

The combination of social and ethnic characters alludes to hybridisation. A great many people recognize that they can be subsidiary with an ...

Friday, December 27, 2019

Leadership Is Crucial Make Or Break Issue For Feminism

In this case, the Leadership process is aimed to understand how women used leadership as a goal to achieve their means. There is a general agreement on the idea that women have more obstacles to become leaders . The Liberian case is an example of how this paradigm could be shifted though gender solidarity and strong mutuality in this specific cultural context. These women managed to understand their strength and their interests. Understanding the principles of the feminist leadership will be attempted. Firstly, it is important to comprehend the difference existing between the â€Å"feminine leadership† and the â€Å"feminist leadership†. The attributes of the â€Å"feminine leadership† type include the general assumptions affiliated to the accepted gendered roles of women , women are supposed to be caring, sensitive, cooperative and inclusive . Despite that, researches believe that â€Å"leadership is crucial make or break issue for feminism† . Defining feminist leadership is challenging, first of all, homogenizing the feminist discourse is quite inconceivable and many studies remain oriented towards western societies. However, many scholars agree on several points. Feminist leadership is driven by feminist ideologies where leaders are motivated by fairness, justice, equity and willing to bring oppressed and marginalized voices in the heart of the conversation . Moreover, feminist leaders tend to support social, political and economic questions. The issue of gender equality is a highShow MoreRelatedFeminism And Mad Max : Fury Road2487 Words   |  10 PagesFeminism and Mad Max: Fury Road George Miller’s action packed film Mad Max: Fury Road, shines a new light on the role of women in contemporary culture. Mad Max takes place in what is called the â€Å"The Citadel†, a post apocalyptic wasteland, where an infamous tyrant by the name of Immortan Joe rules all women and war boys as servants. As the fourth installment in the Mad Max trilogy and an honorable rating of 8.1/10 (Imbd.com), what really makes the film one of a kind is that the movie, usually leadRead MoreSupport For Women s Leadership1712 Words   |  7 PagesIn order to show support for women in leadership, I will examine several different online resources. Within these sources, I will meticulously pull out key contexts in order to help better articulate the idea of women in leadership roles. As apart of my paper, I will include in my first section of the paper the misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:34. In order to do so, I will be examining the text itself first, then going on to various on line resources to gain a better idea of why Paul wrote thisRead MoreFeminism, By William Lloyd Garrison2187 Words   |  9 PagesFeminism has become an ugly word. Some say it does not even live up to its definition anymore. However, the definition remains unchanged in the pages of history. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary’s definition of Feminism reads, â€Å"The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.† If one digs deep into this definition, beyond the surface of society’s view on feminism today, one can see that feminism would benefit both sexes. The true ideals of feminism break down genderRead MoreFeminism in the Indian2997 Words   |  12 PagesThe history of feminism in India is regarded as mainly a practical effort and very limited in scope. Compared to some other countries, there has been only sparse theoretical writing on feminism in India. Contents [hide] 1 Defining Feminism in the Indian context 2 History 2.1 First phase: 1850–1915 2.2 Second Phase: 1915–1947 3 The Concepts of Feminism and Equality 4 Beginnings of the â€Å"Feminist† Movement in India 5 Obstacles 6 Hindu Women in India 7 Muslim Women in India 8 Women at Work Read MoreSociology Interpretivism versus structuralism1780 Words   |  8 Pagesof large institutions or groups of people. However, they ignore the influence individuals have on social change and the way individuals react to it. The fact that interpretivism acknowledges and explains how individuals influence social change may make it more relevant in modern society. Max Weber, the founding father of interpretivism, believed that it was social actions that should be the focus of study in sociology. To Weber, a ‘social action’ was an action carried out by an individual to whichRead More Assessing Issues of Gender in Social Work Practice: An Overview of the De-feminization of the Female3063 Words   |  13 PagesAssessing Issues of Gender in Social Work Practice: An Overview of the De-feminization of the Female A better question would be to ask what we as a society can do to ensure that gender equality is not just an issue about men and women, but also an issue about the quality of humanity. Every woman is birth-defective, an imperfect male begotten because her father happened to be ill, weakened, or in a state of sin at the time of her conception. ~ St. Thomas Aquinas Simone de BeauvoirsRead MoreSocial Movements Can Be Defined As Being A General Organized Group Of People3606 Words   |  15 PagesSocial movements can be defined as being a general organized group of people who are concerned about the same general issues, and take action to affect political and/or cultural change (Staggenborg, 2). As Staggenborg (2) explains, â€Å"movements have organized to protect the environment, oppose wars, and advocate the rights of more and more groups, including workers, women, gay men and lesbians, students, disabled people, senior citizens, and many racial and ethnic groups.† Many social movements haveRead MoreWomen s Influence On Society2971 Words   |  12 Pagesstronger meaning in life was able to really get the idea of feminism going. But unfortunately, the ideas weren’t being produced enough, and the problems still occur today. They were able to start the movement for gender equality in a very strong way, but there’s only so m uch they could do without being heard as much as they deserved to be. As society was starting to progress, women were able to strive for their own independence, and take leadership in many different situations, one being gender equalityRead MoreEssay on Eating Disorders and the Media6828 Words   |  28 Pagescontent analysis of 28 prime time comedies revealed that thinner female characters earned more positive comments from males (Hendriks, 2002). Many adolescents use popular media, such as prime time comedies, to help them construct self-identities and make sense of their world (Butler Zaslow, 2002). The construction of identities through media is why most scholars believe media has a profound influence on young women’s concerns with their body (Posavac, Posavac Weigel, 2001; Slater Tiggemann,Read MoreWomen Leadership5209 Words   |  21 PagesWOMEN AND LEADERSHIP Leadership: A simple definition of leadership is that leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Put even more simply, the leader is the inspiration and director of the action. He or she is the person in the group that possesses the combination of personality and skills that makes others want to follow his or her direction. In business, leadership is welded to performance. Effective leaders are those who increase their companies‘

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Homelessness And Poverty Are Inextricably Linked - 920 Words

Identify the problem â€Å"Homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked. Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care, and education. Difficult choices must be made when limited resources cover only some of these necessities. Often it is housing, which absorbs a high proportion of income that must be dropped. If you are poor, you are essentially an illness, an accident, or a paycheck away from living on the streets. Two factors help account for increasing poverty: eroding employment opportunities for large segments of the workforce and the declining value and availability of public assistance† (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). â€Å"A homeless individual is defined as â€Å"an individual who lacks housing, including an individual whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private facility (e.g., shelters) that provides temporary living accommodations, and an individual who is a resident in transitional housing.† A homeless person is an individual without permanent housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, mission, single room occupancy facilities, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable or non-permanent situation† [Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C., 254b)]. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), on any night over 600,000 people are homeless; it is estimated that approximately 2.3 to 3.5 million Americans experience homelessnessShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects Of Poverty1062 Words   |  5 Pagesimpression.† According to Yoshikawa, H., Aber, J. L., Beardslee, W. R. (2012), Poverty is a critical risk factor for many of the mental, emotional and behavioral disorders of children and youth. Across many studies, poverty is associated with a range of negative outcomes for children in the realms of physical health, language, and cognitive development, academic achievement and educational attainment. Th e problem is that poverty is affecting our children physically, mentally and emotionally. In order toRead MoreThe Problem Of Living Without A Home972 Words   |  4 Pagesbe provided with temporary living like homeless shelters. However, these shelters are usually full to and are always in demand. According to Ned Resnikoff, â€Å"The largest increase came in Washington, D.C., where the number of people experiencing homelessness rose by 28 percent and the number of homeless families went up by 60 percent. Meanwhile, requests for emergency food assistance in the city rose by 27 percent during the same period.† The United States is a rich nation, but still has yet to comeRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Homelessness1482 Words   |  6 PagesHomelessness, what is homelessness? Well, there is no official definition of the word homelessness. According to Health centers funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) use the following:† A homeless person is an individual without permanent housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, mission, single room occupancy facilities, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable or non-permanent situation.† - Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. AcrossRead MoreEssay on Homelessness in The Glass Castle1264 Words   |  6 Pagesare rarely exposed to miseries in society. One of these conflicts is homelessness. When living in an environment surrounded by homes, individuals often have difficulty imagining not being able to sleep in a warm bed, eat a proper meal or even receive necessary medical attention. This grim situation is depicted in the writings of Jeannette Walls. In the autobiography The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls accurately portrays homelessness by explaining its causes, its impact upon daily life, and its effectRead MoreHomelessness1449 Words   |  6 PagesHomelessness Home has become such a scattered, damaged, various concept in our present travails. There is so much yearn for#8230;How hard can we expect even a pair of magic shoes to work? They promise to take us home, but#8230; will they permit us to redefine the blessed word? -Salman Rushdie (HopperBaumohl p.3). Homeless people all around the world, stopped believing in ruby slippers a long time ago, because they know that fairy tales will not get them out of their predicament. They must struggleRead MoreIs Homelessness Not Just A Problem?1714 Words   |  7 Pagessignificance of the advances in technology is the fact that homelessness is not just a problem in the United States, it has global implications. The people that die and are displaced as a result of homelessness is a major challenge to social justice. Through the tenets of the Critical Race Theory, it’s been statistically qualified and quantified that minority groups are frequently targeted and suffer from socioeconomic neglec t, resulting in homelessness. The Lack of equal access to supportive politicalRead MoreHomelessness1962 Words   |  8 Pages Homelessness Dewayne Henderson BSHS/465 July 21, 2014 Tanisha Laidler Homelessness Introduction Human service workers help people who are homeless to meet basic needs. Human service workers may refer clients to a variety of providers, such as temporary or permanent housing facilities, organizations that serve meals, and job centers that can assist the client in learning new skills or finding jobs. Some clients can need help finding treatment to address and underlying cause of homelessness. WorkingRead MorePoverty Essay1399 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s world, poverty is happening throughout many societies. Poverty is defined as a person who is living of off of paychecks to pay checks; or not having enough money to meet basic needs such as, food, shelter, and clothing. Poverty has been a social issue that has been around for many years in the United States, and as the years continue to pass by poverty tends to get worse. Despite being one of the most popular countries in the world, the United States has families and communities who areRead MoreSocial deprivation and crime are inextricably linked3474 Words   |  14 PagesSocial deprivation and crime are inextricably linked Almost half of the 83,000 people in prison ran away from home as a child and cannot read as well as an 11 year old. Almost 30 per cent have been through the care system and similar proportions were homeless before entering prison. Today’s prison population shows that an overwhelming majority of prisoners are the product of social breakdown. Prisoners are far more likely to have lived in poverty, to come from broken families, to be unemployed andRead MoreLash Essay In English1631 Words   |  7 PageshappÐ µnÃ'â€"ng. ОthÐ µrs may thÃ'â€"nk thÐ µy want mÐ ¾nÐ µy fÐ ¾r fÐ ¾Ã ¾d.ThÐ µ rÐ µasÐ ¾n І thÃ'â€"nk thÐ µ pÐ µÃ ¾plÐ µ thÃ'â€"nk thÐ µ hÐ ¾mÐ µlÐ µss want thÐ µ mÐ ¾nÐ µy fÐ ¾r thÐ µ fÐ ¾Ã ¾d bÐ µÃ' ausÐ µ thÐ µ pÐ µÃ ¾plÐ µ thÃ'â€"nk thÐ µ hÐ ¾mÐ µlÐ µss Ã' an gÐ µt baÃ' k Ð ¾n thÐ µÃ'â€"r fÐ µÃ µt. SÐ ¾mÐ µ pÐ µÃ ¾plÐ µ brÃ'â€"ng fÐ ¾Ã ¾d tÐ ¾ thÐ µm. Although homelessness has fallen almost continuously since 2007, about 1.5 million Americans use a shelter in a given year -- and advocates for the homeless say that figure badly understates the problem. SÐ ¾ thÐ ¾sÐ µ last 7 paragraphs wÐ µrÐ µ abÐ ¾ut what Ã' ausÐ µs hÐ ¾mÐ µlÐ µssnÐ µss

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Innovative Link Advertising Business Structures

Question: Discuss about the Innovative Link Advertising Business Structures. Answer: Introduction: It is apparent that Qantas Airlines troubles vary from external and unavoidable circumstances such as the abrupt engine breakdowns; to very avoidable cases of less strategic public communications department that is responsible for the upholding of the corporations image. From the study, there are three key issues affecting Qantas Airlines performance. Poor Public Relations Strategy Poorly timed public relations activities may lead to epic fails, especially when the company is going through turbulent times (Kim Cha, 2013). Qantas Airlines decision to offer its online twitter participants a chance to win luxury pairs of Qantas pyjamas and amenity kits was so ill-advised at the moment when the company was down to its knees with challenges. Poor Service Delivery Qantas Airlines inconsistencies in service delivery have negatively affected the companys brand name. Frequent engine breakdowns has become a common characteristic leading to travel delays and stranded passengers, a repetitive issue that has taken long to get rectified by the Airlines management leading to damages. Management Complacencies The Qantas Airlines apparent management failure to address its workers unions demands much earlier led to the grounding of the aircrafts and service delivery. The managements slow reaction saw the airline lose $20 million per day, stranded passengers and competitors such as Virgin Air start gaining a competitive edge over them. Recommended Future Remedies Given the tabloid period Qantas Airlines has gone through, their prospective customers need to see something unique to regain their trust in the airline again. Therefore, embarking on rebranding is the only best way of staying relevant in the market(Advantage Communications, Inc). Secondly, the airline needs to engage in purposeful advertising, and aggressive marketing through all the media. Internet provides a good platform for this activity (Kostinsky, 2011);(Henderson Bowley, 2010). Above all Qantas Airlines should invest in strengthened service delivery by obtaining new planes and engines that would reduce on mechanical drawbacks. Important Factors to Consider When Using Social Media Social media can make or break a business brand. One little perfect PR stunt, and your brand is all over flourishing, similarly one little PR blunder and your brand is torn down in to pieces by the social media users (Farzana, 2012);(Cha Kim, 2010). Therefore some factors need to be considered in the use of social media. Firstly, one should consider the impact the social media would have on the business in gauging customer satisfaction (Cole, 2014). Secondly, the timing of the social media usage, which type of the social media e.g. Twitter or Facebook and lastly, the appropriateness of the message in regard to social media standards(Vocus Whitepaper). Communication Course of Action for Qantas Airlines Management Timing:- The most appropriate time for devising a message for Qantas Airline customers is when the Airline is resuming full operations after sorting out all of its setbacks. It would make more sense telling customers about that comeback they have been waiting for than engaging in promotional activities when your brand is wading through murky waters. Audience:- The audience for this purposes are the prospective customers of Qantas Airline across Australia and other parts of the world. They include all the people from different social spectrum who would be glad using Qantas Airlines services. Sender:- The message is best sent by the communications team, under the companys airlines name; Qantas Airlines for clarity purposes. The airline should own the message and the recipients must read the message as sent by Qantas Airlines not the communications team. Key Message:- The main message should be the information about Qantas Airlines resuming to normal operations in even a better shape. It is what people want to hear the most. Promotional messages at the moment when the company is facing troubled times is only a recipe for negative criticism and backlash from the expectant customers. Desired Outcome:- The target result for this communication process is to try and win back customers trust and change negative perceptions about Qantas Airlines brand. A communications blunder founded by the companys failing management means that the airlines customers need something new from the management other than promotions. Hence the message should serve as the catalyst for change. Medium:- Companys official website would serve as the best medium, supported and spread by social media for wider reach. Press release is also important formal way of spreading the message. The wider reach of the message depends on the number of the media used. Using more than one medium will give the message a wider audience reach. Social media is a great communication channel just as important as the mainstream media in marketing. Materials:- The message aims to get over the tabloid moments the Airline has gone through, leave all the mechanical setbacks, workers unions standoff and passenger delay as the troubles of the past. Qantas Airlines should look ahead for the future opportunities and try to move away from their past challenges as quickly as possible. Frequency:- This message should be relayed as long as possible to ensure wider reach to wider audiences all over Australia and the world at large. Frequent relay of the message will give it a better reach, and will also contribute to its effectiveness. Persistent frequency increases the messages impact on the recipient. References: Advantage Communications, Inc. (n.d.). Rebranding: Connecting with Your Audience to Remain Relevant. Cha, H., Kim, C. (2010). A study on the development of corporate communication capital index. Korean Journal of Journalism and Communication, 5786. Cole, C. (2014). Social Media Best Practices for Non Profit Organizations. CCGHR. Farzana, P. (2012). Impact Of Social Media Usage On Organizations . Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems . (PACIS). Henderson, A., Bowley, R. (2010). Authentic dialogue? The role of friendship in a social media recruitment campaign. Journal of Communication Management , 237-257. Kim, R., Cha, H. (2013). The Effect of Public Relations and Corporate Reputation on Return on Investment. Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal , 108-127. Kostinsky, V. (2011). Online advertising as an innovative link advertising business structures. Tomsk: Tomsk University Press. Vocus Whitepaper. (n.d.). Analyzing the Impact of Social Media: From Twitter to Facebook .

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Luxury Sectoral Analysis

Introduction This paper will present a detailed sectoral analysis, which focuses on the luxury wine industry in the US. Russian River Ranches Chardonnay is the luxury wine brand that will be analyzed. The brand is manufactured and distributed by Sonoma-Cutrer in the US.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Luxury Sectoral Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Russian River Ranches is a luxury brand because it is made of high quality grapes and advanced brewing technologies (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). As a premium product, Russian River Ranches is sold in luxury restaurants and hotels in the US. In addition, it was the second most expensive among the top 20 luxury wine brands in the US in 2013 (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). Porter’s five forces model will be used to analyze the competitiveness of Russian River Ranches in its industry. Other elements of the brand that will be analyzed include price aesthetics, product, com munications, and branding. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Suppliers’ Bargaining Power The luxury wine industry has several suppliers, which include manufacturers of packaging materials, producers of labeling materials, producers of grapes, and shipping companies. The suppliers have a high bargaining power due to the following reasons. First, there are more wine producers than suppliers of key inputs such packaging materials. In the last five years, vineyard acreage reduced significantly as famers used their land to produce more profitable crops such as almonds. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that there are no substitutes for grapes in luxury wine production (Demeter Group 2013).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The demand for grapes has significantly increased as producers of high-end wine increase their production capacities. The resulting shortage of grapes has significantly increased farmers’ bargaining power. Second, differentiation of inputs is a key determinant of the quality of luxury wine. Producers of high-end wine must consistently use the best grapes and packaging materials to attract customers (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). Third, most suppliers in the industry have low switching costs since there are many buyers for their products. For example, suppliers of packaging materials also sell to manufacturers in the soft drinks industry. Thus, they give priority to buyers who are able to offer high prices and to make bulk purchases. The high bargaining power of the suppliers means that they can easily increase their prices, thereby reducing the competitiveness of Russian River Ranches and other brands. Buyers’ Bargaining Power The buyers (consumers of wine) have a high bargaining power due to the following reasons. First, brand loyalty is very low since customers are interested in trying new products (Brun Castelli 20 13, pp. 823-847). This limits the ability of producers of luxury wine to retain their customers. Second, nearly all manufacturers of wine are focusing on product differentiation. This increases the number of products that are available in the market, thereby increasing buyers’ bargaining power. Third, buyers of luxury wine have low switching costs. Thus, they can easily change brands in order to satisfy their needs. The high power of consumers of luxury wine means that producers have to focus on product differentiation and aggressive marketing to retain their customers.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Luxury Sectoral Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The producers of luxury wine have a moderate bargaining power. One of the factors that improve their bargaining power is ability to make bulk purchases. This enables producers to negotiate for favorable prices for their supplies. The threat of backwa rd integration is also high since companies such as Sonoma-Cutrer produce grapes on their own (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). The main factor that reduces the bargaining power of wine producers is the mismatch between the demand and supply of their inputs (Demeter Group 2013). Specifically, undersupply limits manufacturers’ ability to bargain since the available inputs have to be rationed through high prices. Threat of Substitutes The main substitutes of luxury wine include soft drinks, beer, and spirits. Luxury wine also competes with the regular wine brands. The threat of substitutes is low due to the following reasons. To begin with, luxury wine performs better than other alcoholic drinks in terms of quality. Specifically, the people who drink alcohol prefer wine because of its superior taste. Consumption of luxury wine is also associated with high social status in the society (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). Apart from taste, wine has several health benefits that cannot be enjoy ed through consumption of other alcoholic beverages. Specifically, moderate consumption of wine helps in prevention of heart diseases, stroke, anxiety, and lose of memory in old age (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). These benefits make wine the best option among consumers of alcohol.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, excessive consumption of wine can have negative health effects. Moreover, some religions prohibit consumption of alcohol. These factors reduce the competitiveness of luxury wine as customers opt for soft drinks. Generally, luxury wine is more expensive than other alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). However, the high price does not have negative effects on the demand for luxury wine, especially, in the affluent market segment where customers are not price sensitive. Since Russian River Ranches has a superior quality, it is likely to overcome the low threat of substitutes in the market. Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants is low because of the following factors. First, the cost of entering the luxury wine industry is prohibitive. New companies that intend to establish production plants require significantly high financial capital, which is not easily available. Second, the incumbents have high economies of scale (Demeter Group 2013). In the last decade, major producers of luxury wine focused on consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. This has enabled them to achieve â€Å"economies of scale in production and distribution† (Chevalier Mazzalovo 2012, p. 56). As a result, they have high production capacities and cost advantages that make them more competitive than new entrants. Third, the incumbents have control over the distribution channels. In the last five years, distributors of luxury wine such as wholesalers, specialty restaurants, and retailers embarked on consolidation to strengthen their market power (Demeter Group 2013). The incumbents in the wine industry have long-term distribution contracts with the available distributors. This means that new entrants will have to incur high costs to access the distribution system. Finally, access to inputs such grapes is difficult, since the incumbents have long-term supply contracts with famers. The low threat of new entrants is a growth oppor tunity to Russian River Ranches as demand continues to rise. Threat of Competitive Rivalry High competition in the US luxury wine market is explained by the following factors. First, the industry is highly concentrated. In 2013, the top 4 largest producers of luxury win accounted for 70% of the market share (Demeter Group 2013). This means that only 30% of the market is left for the remaining producers. Second, the industry is characterized by high fixed costs. Specifically, the cost of labor and warehousing is on the rise, thereby reducing the profits of producers of luxury wine. Third, there is overcapacity in the industry. This is explained by the fact that liberalization of the US wine industry has resulted into an increase in importation of luxury wine from countries such as China, Italy, and France (Demeter Group 2013). Wine products from countries such as China are sold at low prices since their producers have production cost advantages. Although the industry is characterized by high competition, it is still experiencing strong growth. In the last three years, the market for luxury wine in the US grew at an average annual rate of 12% (Demeter Group 2013). This strong growth is expected to continue in the next four years as economic growth improves. The implication of the high competitive rivalry is that Russian River Ranches must be able to satisfy customers’ needs in order to maintain its competitiveness. Specifically, the marketing mix strategy that is used to market it must be aligned to customers’ needs. Success of Russian River Ranches The factors that account for the success of Russian River Ranches in the luxury wine market include the following. First, the brand is successful because of its unrivaled quality. Since its inception, Sonoma-Cutrer acknowledged the fact that high quality is one of the major factors that determine the success of luxury wine brands. Consequently, the company strategically chose to produce its own grapes. This enables it to improve the quality of Russian River Ranches by selecting the best grapes to manufacture it (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). Moreover, the company focuses on incremental product innovation to improve the quality of its wine. As a result, it has been able to produce several flavors that meet the expectations of its customers. As a premium brand that is known for high quality, Russian River Ranches is able to achieve high sales despite being one of the most expensive brands in the market (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). Second, Russian River Ranches is successful because of its strong brand image. It has been rated as the most popular luxury wine brand in the US for over ten consecutive years (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). The brand personality of Russian River Ranches reflects the attributes that customers in the luxury wine market look for. These include authenticity, premium quality, good reputation, and excusive brand history (Brun, Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). These attributes have enabled R ussian River Ranches to command a high brand loyalty in a market where customers are constantly shifting to new products. High brand loyalty enables the brand to overcome competition from other luxury brands and substitute products. Third, Russian River Ranches owes its success to the multi-level distribution channel that is being used to distribute it in the US. As the most popular luxury brand, all high-end restaurants and hotels strive to serve Russian River Ranches to maintain their competitiveness (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). The wholesalers also have the incentive to distribute the brand because its premium price enables them to earn a decent profit margin. This enables Russian River Ranches to overcome competition by denying its competitors access to third-party distribution channels. In addition, Sonoma-Cutrer has its own retail and online stores that it uses to distribute the brand. This enables its sales team to offer excellent customer service, which in turn improves brand loyal ty and sales. Finally, Russian River Ranches is successful in the luxury market because of the marketing strategies that have been adopted by its producer. The brand’s premium positioning strategy has been reinforced through innovative marketing communications initiatives. The brand is marketed through digital platforms such as the social media, the internet, and smartphones that allow its marketers to convey personalized messages to a niche market segment rather than the mass market (Sonoma-Cutrer 2014). This enables customers to identify with the brand and to recommend it to their colleagues, thereby increasing its sales and brand credibility (Reyneke, Pitt Berthon 2011, pp. 21-35). In addition, Russian River Ranches is marketed based on value rather than price. Although most companies are trying to gain market share by reducing the prices of their wine, Sonoma-Cutrer has focused on marketing the benefits that are provided by its brand. As a result, Russian River Ranches h as been able to overcome brand dilution in the market. Key Elements of a Luxury Brand Price Pricing has a significant influence on the way customers perceive luxury brands. Consciously or sub-consciously, customers often develop a psychological luxury image based on the price range that is used to market a brand (Chevalier Mazzalovo 2012, p. 78). Most consumers of luxury brands believe that price has a positive correlation with value. This explains the high price of Russian River Ranches in the luxury wine industry. Specifically, the high price is meant to protect its brand image from being compromised. Undoubtedly, consumers of luxury brands are interested in obtaining high value for their money (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). They will not pay more for a product that has no superior functionality. As a result, the high price of Russian River Ranches is justified by its premium quality and good reputation. Apart from compensating producers for the high product quality, pricing in the luxury wine industry is used to ensure exclusivity. This perspective is based on the fact that consumers of luxury products focus on maintaining their self-esteem by purchasing products that others cannot afford. Since Russian River Ranches targets affluent customers, its high price serves as a mechanism for excluding the mass market from consuming it. Product A luxury brand must have a high quality (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). This requirement is justified by the fact that a luxury brand must achieve superior performance at the product level and experiential level. This explains Sonoma-Cutrer’s focus on product innovation to maintain the high quality of Russian River Ranches. At the product level, the brand satisfies functional and utilitarian attributes of wine in terms of taste, packaging, alcohol content, and acidity. As a luxury brand, Russian River Ranches also performs at the experiential level by creating an emotional appeal to customers. The emotional appeal distinguishes the brand from the regular brands of wine. The high quality of Russian River Ranches has to be maintained because its consumption signifies high status. The affluent customers consume the brand partly to express their status in the society (Brun Castelli 2013, pp. 823-847). For instance, the brand is often bought as a special gift for loved ones or during special occasions such as weddings as a way of expressing appreciation. Communications Luxury brand communications must be dynamic and versatile in order to attract the attention of the market without hurting brand image (Reyneke, Pitt Berthon 2011, pp. 21-35). Adopting a dynamic marketing communications strategy is justified by the fact that a luxury brand must retain its pedigree status while keeping up with contemporary trends and newness. In a nutshell, the brand must adjust to emerging tastes and preferences without compromising its original attributes that make it unique. This enables the luxury brand t o remain desirable and inspirational. Russian River Ranches has been able to maintain its brand relevance because its adverts focus on conveying emotional and sensual messages. This creates a distinction between the brand and its competitors that target the mass market. In addition, the adverts focus on creating an aura that is genuinely exceptional to the brand image. In the digital marketing platform, Russian River Ranches is advertised using long-form commercials to attract customers’ attention. The main strength of this strategy is that it improves brand awareness and motivates customers to take action by purchasing the wine. Branding In the luxury market, brand presence focuses on creating memorable shopping experiences. A luxury brand has to be retailed in a high-end store that reflects its superior attributes. Every customer touch-point has to enhance the brand experience to strengthen the aura of luxury (Chevalier Mazzalovo 2012, p. 98). In this regard, the marketers of Russian River Ranches utilize great aesthetics and craftsmanship to improve the ambiance of the stores where the wine is sold. Public relations also â€Å"plays an important role in branding luxury brands† (Chevalier Mazzalovo 2012, p. 102). The use of public relations is justified by the fact that it enables marketers to influence public opinion favorably in order to strengthen brand image. In addition, it helps in enhancing the credibility of luxury brands, especially, if the brands are reviewed by renowned public figures. As a result, the marketers of Russian River Ranches use celebrity endorsements to influence public opinion about the brand. Specifically, the public associates the brand with the superior qualities of the celebrities that endorse it. This strategy has significantly improved customers’ confidence in Russian River Ranches, thereby making it the luxury brand of choice in the US. Conclusion The main threats to the competitiveness of Russian River Ranches are the high bargaining power of suppliers, high bargaining power of consumers of wine, and high competition in the luxury wine industry. The suppliers have a high bargaining power because of the shortage of key inputs such as grapes and the large number of producers of wine. The consumers of wine have a high bargaining power because of their low switching costs and access to a variety of brands. Competition is high in the market because of the high concentration of the industry and increased importation of luxury wine. The opportunities that are available to Russian River Ranches include the strong growth of the luxury wine market, as well as, the low threat of substitutes and new entrants. The factors that account for Russian River Ranches’ success include its high quality, strong brand image, and access to established distribution networks. In order to overcome competition in future, the quality of the brand should be improved consistently through product innovatio n. References Brun, A Castelli, C 2013, ‘The nature of luxury: a consumer perspective’, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, vol. 41. no. 11, pp. 823-847. Chevalier, M Mazzalovo, G 2012, Luxury brand management, McGraw-Hill, New York. Demeter Group 2013, State of the wine industry. Web. Reyneke, M, Pitt, L Berthon, P 2011, ‘Luxury wine brand visibility in social media: an exploratory study’, International Journal of Wine Business Research, vol. 23. no. 1, pp. 21-35. Sonoma-Cutrer 2014, Our craft. Web. This report on Luxury Sectoral Analysis was written and submitted by user Keaton Irwin to help you with your own studies. 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