Nintendo History Essay

Nintendo was founded in 1889. It was a poker card workshop. But now it’s Japan’s most famous game production company. Its production of electronic games are popular all around the world. Nintendo is the NO.1 of the world’s video game companies. With only 850 staffs, Nintendo used to beat such super enterprises as Toyota occasionally, thus becoming Japanese first profit-making company. Nintendo spells â€Å"Wii† with two lower-case â€Å"I† characters means: To resemble two people standing side by side, representing players gathering together.Wii sounds like ‘we’, which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. The Nintendo Wii is the 7th generation video game console of the Nintendo series. It plays Nintendo video games via discs, and detects movement in three dim ensions. The Wii is meant to stimulate interactivity and movement among its users, so that they play games and get exercise simultaneously. The primary wireless controller, the Wii remote, is a handheld pointing device which makes the on-screen player mimic the movements of the person possessing the Wii remote. Nintendo production of electronic games In 1983ï ¼Å¡NES In 1989ï ¼Å¡Game Boy In 1990ï ¼Å¡Super Famicom In 1996ï ¼Å¡Nintendo64 In 2001ï ¼Å¡Game Boy Advance In 2001ï ¼Å¡GameCube In 2004ï ¼Å¡Nintendo DS In 2006ï ¼Å¡Wii In 2012ï ¼Å¡Wii U http://game.people.com.cn/n/2012/1120/c49419-19633647-4.htmlhttp://blog.eio.com/2012/07/21/an-introduction-to-the-nintendo-wii/ 1. Was Nintendo just lucky, or does the Wii’s success have strategic merit? Nintendo’s strategy was very clear and clever. It thought that it could not survive in the competition with Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s Play Station 3. So, Nintendo do not try to compete to the competitor rather than it tried to rebuild the gaming system. Without concerning the more advanced technology, it tried to do more using less investment. They realized that they couldn’t make a better product, so by changing the way in which the product is used they created a whole new market at their control. By changing their focus away from the game but the experience Nintendo created a unique strategy that is now synonymous with their name. Nintendo developed the Wii with a very specific design and marketing strategy in place. So, Nintendo’s strategy was so resourceful and it worked like magic mix strategy.Their success with the Wii really stems from two sources. First, they have gained substantial market share with previously untapped demographics (elder ly, smallchildren, and families). Second, because they have eliminated many of the additional costs and features of the more advanced game systems, they have been able to better compete based on price.Even while they were struggling, Nintendo maintained a strong brand within the gaming industry. Marketing Strategies of Nintendo are through the product, pricing, promotion, and place. With the product, Nintendo redesigned the controller to make it easier and more nature to play games,e.g motion sensitivity, IR sensors. Nintendo keep price at $250.00 while XBOX and PS3 over $350.00. Wii games cheaper $10.00 than XBOX and PS3. It offering various accessories to generate revenue. Ninendo promotion through mass selling, uses intermediary (GameStop, hypermarket, mall), uses both push or pull techniques. Pushing is used by advertising through commercials, ads, circulars, magazines, and internet.Pulling is demonstrated by keeping on-hand inventory low leaving customers returning to check availability.Nintendo has included a free game with eachWii unit, other systems, they increase the price by $20-50. they offer the Nintendo WiFi connection. This allows you to play certain online games against friends and others. Nintendo's WiFi connection is free and offers many nice updates. A bout the place, Nintendo has distribution centers around the world. Each distributing the regions version of Nintendo’s systems or games. In the United States there are 2 distribution centers, that are Redmond, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia. Retailers get their inventory directly from Nintendo.Businesses are gaining approximately $10 per unit sold; however, they make their money through game and accessory sales. 2) In which stage of the product life cycle is theWii? Based on that stage, is Nintendo employing good marketing mix strategies? The sales of Nintendo keep increasing and last sales not significant. The stages is growh- early maturity. If a product is accepted by the marketplace, it enters the growth stage of the product life cycle. The growth stage is characterized by increasing sales, more competitors, and higher profits. Unfortunately for the firm, the growth stage attracts competitors who enter the market very quickly. For example, when Diet Coke experienced great success, Pepsi soon entered with Diet Pepsi. You’ll notice that both Coca-Cola and Pepsi have similar competitive offerings in the beverage industry, including their own brands of bottled water, juice, and sports drinks. As additional customers begin to buy the product, manufacturers must ensure that the product remains available to customers or run the risk of them buying competitors’ offerings. For example, the producers of video game systems such as Nintendo’s Wii could not keep up with consumer demand when the product was first launched. Consequently, some consumers purchased competing game systems such as Microsoft’s Xbox. A company sometimes increases its promotional spending on a product during its growth stage. However, instead of encouraging consumers to try the product, the promotions often focus on the specific benefits the product offers and its value relative to competitive offerings. In other words, although the company must still inform and educate customers, it must counter the competition. Emphasizing the advantages of the product’s brand name can help a company maintain its sales in the face of competition. Although different organizations produce personal computers, a highly recognized brand such as IBM strengthens a firm’s advantage when competitors enter the market. New offerings that utilize the same successful brand name as a company’s already existing offerings, which is what Black & Decker does with some of its products, can give a company a competitive advantage. Companies typically begin to make a profit during the growth stage because more units are being sold and more revenue is generated. The number of distribution outlets (stores and dealers) utilized to sell the product can also increase during the growth stage as a company tries to reach as much of the marketplace as possible. Expanding a product’s distribution and increasing its production to ensure its availability at different outlets usually results in a product’s costs remaining high during the growth stage. The price of the product itself typically remains at about the same level during the growth stage, although some companies reduce their prices slightly to attract additional buyers and meet the competitors’ prices. Companies hope by increasing their sales, they also improve their profits. The Maturity Stage After many competitors enter the market and the number of potential new customers declines, the sales of a product typically begin to level off. This indicates that a product has entered the maturity stage of its life cycle. Most consumer products are in the mature stage of their life cycle; their buyers are repeat purchasers versus new customers. Intense competition causes profits to fall until only the strongest players remain. The maturity stage lasts longer than other stages. Quaker Oats and Ivory Soap are products in the maturity stage—they have been on the market for over one hundred years. Given the competitive environment in the maturity stage, many products are promoted heavily to consumers by stronger competitors. The strategies used to promote the products often focus on value and benefits that give the offering a competitive advantage. The promotions aimed at a company’s distributors may also increase during the mature stage. Companies may decrease the price of mature products to counter the competition. However, they must be careful not to get into â€Å"price wars† with their competitors and destroy all the profit potential of their markets, threatening a firm’s survival. Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have engaged in several price wars with regard to their microprocessors. Likewise, Samsung added features and lowered the price on its Instinct mobile phone, engaging in a price war with Apple’s iPhone. With the weakened economy, many online retailers engaged in price wars during the 2008 holiday season by cutting prices on their products and shipping costs. Although large organizations such as Amazon.com can absorb shipping costs, price wars often hurt smaller retailers. Many retailers learned from their mistakes and ordered less inventory for the 2009 holiday season. Companies are challenged to develop strategies to extend the maturity stage of their products so they remain competitive. Many firms do so by modifying their target markets, their offerings, or their marketing strategies. Next, we look at each of these strategies. Modifying the target market helps a company attract different customers by seeking new users, going after different market segments, or finding new uses for a product in order to attract additional customers. Financial inst itutions and automobile dealers realized that women have increased buying power and now market to them. With the growth in the number of online shoppers, more organizations sell their products and services through the Internet. Entering new markets provides companies an opportunity to extend the product life cycles of their different offerings. Many companies enter different geographic markets or international markets as a strategy to get new users. A product that might be in the mature stage in one country might be in the introductory stage in another market. For example, when the U.S. market became saturated, McDonald’s began opening restaurants in foreign markets. Cell phones were very popular in Asia before they were introduced in the United States. Many cell phones in Asia are being used to scan coupons and to charge purchases. However, the market in the United States might not be ready for that type of technology. Modifying the product, such as changing its packaging, size, flavors, colors, or quality can also extend the product’s maturity stage. The 100 Calorie Packs created by Nabisco provide an example of how a company changed the packaging and size to provide convenience and one-hundred-calorie portions for consumers. While the sales of many packaged foods fell, the sales of the 100 Calorie Packs increased to over $200 million, prompting Nabisco to repackage more products. [5]Kraft Foods extended the mature stage of different crackers such as Wheat Thins and Triscuits by creating different flavors. Although not popular with consumers, many companies downsize (or decrease) the package sizes of their products or the amount of the product in the packages to save money and keep prices from rising too much. Car manufacturers modify their vehicles slightly each year to offer new styles and new safety features. Every three to five years, automobile manufacturers do more extensive modifications. Changing the package or adding variations or features are common ways to extend the mature stage of the life cycle. Pepsi recently changed the design and packaging of its soft drinks and Tropicana juice products. However, consumers thought the new juice package looked like a less expensive brand, which made the quality of the product look poorer. As a result, Pepsi resumed the use of the original Tropicana carton. Pepsi’s redesigned soda cans also received negative consumer reviews. Tropicana’s New Packaging Tropicana’s new (and now abandoned) packaging look didn’t compare well with the â€Å"orange and the straw† but is still used on the lower-calorie Tropicana. When introducing products to international markets, firms must decide if the product can be standardized (kept the same) or how much, if any,adaptation, or changing, of the product to meet the needs of the local culture is necessary. Although it is much less expensive to standardize products and promotional strategies, cultural and environmental differences usually require some adaptation. Product colors and packages as well as product names must often be changed because of cultural differences. For example, in many Asian and European countries, Coca-Cola’s diet drinks are called â€Å"light,† not diet. GE makes smaller appliances such as washers and dryers for the Japanese market. Hyundai Motor Company had to improve the quality of its automobiles in order to compete in the U.S. market. Compan ies must also examine the external environment in foreign markets since the regulations, competition, and economic conditions vary as well as the cultures. Figure 7.15 Some companies modify the marketing strategy for one or more marketing variables of their products. For example, many coffee shops and fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s now offer specialty coffee that competes with Starbucks. As a result, Starbucks’ managers a decided it was time to change the company’s strategy. Over the years, Starbucks had added lunch offerings and moved away from grinding coffee in the stores to provide faster service for its customers. However, customers missed the coffee shop atmosphere and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and didn’t like the smell of all the lunch items. As a result of falling market share, Starbucks’ former CEO and founder Howard Schultz returned to the company. Schultz hired consultants to determine how to modify the firm’s offering and extend the maturity stage of their life cycle. Subsequently, Starbucks changed the atmosphere of many of its stores back to that of traditional coffee shops, modified its lunch offerings in many stores, and resumed grinding coffee in stores to provide the aroma customers missed. The company also modified some of its offerings to provide health-conscious consumers lower-calorie alternatives. [6] After the U.S. economy weakened in 2009, Starbucks announced it would begin selling instant coffee for about a dollar a cup to appeal to customers who were struggling financially but still wanted a special cup of coffee. The firm also changed its communication with customers by utilizing more interactive media such as blogs. Whereas Starbucks might have overexpanded, McDonald’s plans to add fourteen thousand coffee bars to selected stores. [7] In addition to the coffee bars, many McDonald’s stores are remodeling their interiors to feature flat screen televisions, recessed lighting, and wireless Internet access. Other McDonald’s restaurants kept their original design, which customers still like. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Assignment-Case-Study-Of-Nintendo-878245.html http://www.papercamp.com/essay/46271/Nintendo-Case ï‚ · http://www.xbitlabs.com http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/2030?e=fwk-133234-ch07_s02

Cholesterol Research Paper

By: Diana Rivera| | Cholesterol is a fatty, soft substance found in all of your body. The body needs it to work properly such as holding cells together and to also make hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, vitamin D, and substances to help you digest foods. They body actually makes most of what it needs in the liver and the rest comes from food you eat such as meats, fish, eggs, butter, and whole milk. Bad cholesterol is considered when too much cholesterol circulates in the blood, it slowly builds up in the inner walls of the arteries which feeds the brain and heart.This can cause plaque when it comes together with other substances making it less flexible and narrowing the artery. If a clot is forms in a narrow artery this can cause a heart attack or stroke. The good cholesterol acts like scavengers in your body by picking up any excessive cholesterol and taking it back to the liver. Having high levels of good cholesterol also prevents you from having heart attack. Whe n blood is collected the test tube is then placed in a centrifuge, which separates the whole blood from the plasma.The blood cell settles at the bottom of the test tube, and the plasma spins to the top, if cholesterol is detected you will see a fatty, thick substance, this test will be considered a qualitative test. There is a variety of factors that can influence blood cholesterol levels which include your diet, weight, exercise, age and gender, diabetes, heredity and certain medications or medical conditions. Cholesterol can’t be dissolved in the blood; they have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoprotein.There are two types of lipoprotein one of them is the Low-Density Lipoproteins which are known as the bad cholesterol that a physician will advise you to keep low. When low-density lipoprotein is at a high level it combines with other substances and form plaque in your arteries. This will slow your blood flow to heart, brain, and other o rgans in your body which can cause blood clots. The range for low-density lipoprotein is more than 100 and border risk line is 130 and more than 190.Our body also has high-density lipoprotein which is good cholesterol; our body produces for our protection. They get their name because they are thought to carry excess cholesterol away from arteries to the liver, which the body can eliminate. Those who have higher levels of HDL have fewer problems with cardiovascular disease, while other with lower levels has increased for heart disease. Some things you can do if your HDL is low are aerobic exercise, quit smoking and having a good healthy weight.Triglycerides are a type of lipid found in the bloods which are used as a source of energy after being converted by the liver. They are the end product of digesting and breaking down fats in meals. Triglycerides is developed from fatty acids found in foods and they are transported by the LDL. Normal levels are below 150, levels of 200 are high. Over all maintain a good healthy lifestyle can help you balance your cholesterol and reduce your risk for heart disease or even a stroke. Many people have dealt with having chronic high blood cholesterol levels.

Christopher Harman’s “A Peoples History of the World” Essay

Chris Harman offers a unique optimistic observation of history from ancient times to present, where the needs in transformation in technology and relations between classes in the society are â€Å"set on†. In Section II of the writing the author emphasizes the importance of the ideas and makes a rather successful effort to create a well-liked history of the humanity, representing the interrelation between the progress of means of manufacturing as well as and the fight between classes. A People’s History of the World is a very optimistic writing. One of the most interesting arguments of the author is that human nature represents a construct: Human beings, we have been told, have always been greedy, competitive and aggressive, and that explains horrors like war, exploitation, slavery and oppression of women. I argue very differently. ‘Human nature’ as we know it today is a product of our history, not its cause (Harman, 2008). For the author, all the people have options. These options are different for each individual, depending on his/her position in the society or gender. The view of slavery seems very interesting: a master has more options, but slave also have them, notwithstanding that they are different. According to the author, this creates our history. This statement makes clear the author’s argument that the research of the material reasons of this or that event is very important, however it is not enough, it is just the first step necessary to be made in order to understand something deeper. The writing of Harman, namely Section II, tells the reader a very important thing: it not just describes historical events like other books do, but tries to explain to us where our history comes from. In the textbooks on history we usually find simple list of events and many facts remain not properly understood, while the given writing shows us the completely different view on what is happening is the world. Bibliography Harman, C. (2008). A People’s History of the World: From the Stone Age to the New Millennium. Verso Books

Maggie and Dee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Maggie and Dee - Essay Example Her dress, in striking shades of yellow and orange and her confident glide of a walk reflect her personality and, along with the gold earrings and bracelets, call out loudly for attention. Her hair, with its’ deliberately accentuated African style, is a defiant statement of identity. Maggie, with her burnt and scarred limbs and thin body is a poor contrast to her attractive sister. She is dressed in a nondescript pink skirt and red blouse. She does not walk, but shuffles, â€Å"chin on chest, eyes on ground.† She has a â€Å"dopey, hang dog look,† which is further accentuated by her use of checkerberry snuff. The sisters’ physical appearances are almost caricatures of their personalities. Dee’s personality exhibits an aggressive confidence and an assertive, individual style. She can â€Å"look anyone in the eye† and not back down. She is resolute, well-spoken and spirited. She adamantly faces life on her own terms. Even her style of reading is pitiless and more of an imposition than a narration. She is as â€Å"sweet as a bird† when she customarily gets her own way. When thwarted, her anger and hatred show through. It is revealing that she has a caustic humor, â€Å"that erupted like bubbles in lye,† and many admirers, but no friends. On the other hand, Maggie’s personality reflects her rather fatalistic acceptance of her inferior standing. Her scars, of which she is ashamed, have further undermined her confidence. She is shy, â€Å"stands hopelessly in corners,† hides behind doors and is nervous of strangers, backing away sweating and trembling in alarm from ‘Asalamalakim.’ When Maggie reads, she â€Å"stumbles along good naturedly†: the sister’s respective reading styles reflect their personalities. Dee’s attitude towards her identity as a black woman is to flaunt it as a badge of defiance to the world. She takes pictures of the house and her family, as if they were curiosities. For all the ostentatious

Medicaid in Texas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Medicaid in Texas - Essay Example While some states spend as much as 75 percent of every new tax dollar on Medicaid, in Texas the amount is just over 25 percent, still a substantial amount (Recap of 80th Texas Legislature). Budgetary concerns and federal mandates have forced the Texas legislature to successfully implement significant Medicaid reform in the last ten years. The overriding problem for Texas, and Medicaid's biggest impact, has been the escalating costs during the last ten years. Since 1998, the total Medicaid budget in Texas has nearly doubled, and the 80th legislature session in 2007 budgeted almost $20 billion dollars for the program for 2008 of which over $8 billion was from Texas state taxes (State & Federal Medicaid Spending in Texas; Recap of 80th Texas Legislature). Texas's biennial process, and their low level of per capita state taxes has presented Texas with significant financial challenges as they are forced to budget well in advance during uncertain economic times (Kaiser Commission 1). Affected by this uncertainty are the citizens in Texas where Medicaid, "provides health coverage for one out of every three children in Texas, pays for more than half of all births and covers two-thirds of all nursing home care" (State & Federal Medicaid Spending in Texas). The once simple program has expanded to become a complex institution w ith complicated eligibility requirements and federal guidelines. ... In an effort to bring more children under the Medicaid umbrella, the federal government enacted the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 1997 to cover children who lived in families that earned too much money to qualify for Medicaid assistance. By 2005, 72 percent of the non-elderly participants in Medicaid were children who were eligible for "a full range of health services including regular checkups, immunizations, prescription drugs, lab tests, X-rays, hospital visits and more" (State & Federal Medicaid Spending in Texas). In 2001, the 77th legislature further expanded access to the children's program by eliminating the "face-to-face interview requirements for application and recertification of children's Medicaid benefits in an effort to ensure that Texas Medicaid eligibility verification procedures will be no more difficult than those of the Children Health Insurance Program" (Stout 31). Today, children comprise the largest portion of aid recipients, but the majo rity of the costs are incurred by the elderly and nursing home care. This has prompted Texas to fully implement the SCHIP program and fundamentally change the way Texas finances their health care. Medicaid, and the SCHIP program, have helped move Texas from a system of public hospitals and county health support systems to a system of expanded public coverage (Kaiser Commission). In Texas more than 25 percent of the population is uninsured and their reliance on emergency room care and safety net providers has led to poorer health, higher cost of care, and an increase in insurance premiums in an effort to shift the cost of health care to insurance premium holders (Texas Health and Human Services Commission (1) 3). To alleviate these pressures, Texas has

Can the EU become an influential player in international political Essay

Can the EU become an influential player in international political economy - Essay Example 24). This paper will discuss EU and how it is an influential player in international political economy. European Union is a multinational government that is changing the initial role of the nation-state and sovereignty in the entire Europe. EU was formed willingly by several states that had similar goals and is unique in its design and idea to the European continent (Breherton & Vogler, 2002, pp. 213). EU is a unique economic and political partnership between twenty-eight countries that occupy much of the continent. The initial mission of the European Union was to encourage cooperation among the countries after the World War II and was presumed that the countries that were trading together were unlikely to attack each other. European Union has brought about so many advantages to the states that are members. The economic advantages include enabling the member states move capital and goods from place to place within the EU (Arull, 2004, pp. 505). In addition, the Entrepreneurs are free to give their services anywhere within the European Union, which is made possible since the European Union operates under a unified set of economic laws. These advantages have been designed to create a competitive marketplace and reduce the prices for the consumer especially those within the member states. European Union came up with one currency that is common in all the states; Euro, hence making it possible for the trade to take place between the countries. The European Union takes a step further and provides its members with protection against the challenges of volatility and inflation in the monetary market (Lucarelli & Fioramonti, 2010, pp. 64-68). Being part of the European Union also encompasses political advantages for the member states. As a member of the multinational organization, the countries are able to wield more influence on the world stage. The workers are protected from exploitive practices through the working tie directive that is controlled

Impacts of Gangsterism in USA 1919-1929 (History) Coursework

Impacts of Gangsterism in USA 1919-1929 (History) - Coursework Example ce there was widespread anxieties about the fears of the USA losing prospect of its traditional ways in the future.1 Tension heightened due to the epidemic of strikes that rose in the republic at the war’s end, majority of them resulted to high prices and various frustrated union-organization drives. The golden age of gangsterism was caught amidst sprawled shocking crimes. There were lush profits of illegal alcohol leading to mass police bribery. The republic experienced violent wars that broke up in its leading cities between several rival gangs-which were rooted in the immigrant neighborhoods. They were fighting to control the wealthy market of booze. The rival gangs used their sawed-off guns and machineguns to do away with the bootlegging competitors, who had attempted to muscle in on their premises. In 1920, a gang war broke up in Chicago leaving 500 mobsters dead.2 Few arrests were made, and the convictions were even lesser since the button-lipped gangsters took cover for one another with the underworlds policy of silence. Chicago was the most spectacular instance of lawlessness in America during this time. In the year 1925, â€Å"Scarface† Al Capone, who was a grasping and a murderous booze distributor, started six years of gang warfare, which netted him millions of dollars collected from blood-spattering.3 He drove through the streets in an armor-plated car which had bullet proof windows. He was a renowned public enemy number one, but he could not be convicted of the cold-blood massacres that took place in Chicago, on St. Valentine’s Day in 1929. He later served eleven years of detention in a federal penitentiary where he was accused of income tax evasion, and was later released as syphilitic wreck.4 Al Capone had six years of alcohol distribution, and this made him a millionaire. He may have looked like a businessman on vacation, but he had bigger and nastier businesses than most of the businessmen in Chicago. Gangsterism rapidly moved into other