Spectrum Brands Essay Example for Free

Spectrum Brands Essay -Remington leader on shaving and personal care products generates global revenue of US$350 million with 8 sales reps assigned to specific retailers. -United/Nu-Gro leaders in the lawn and garden care with sales US$550 million and insect control products with sales US$150 million, target customers who desire comparable products with lower prices than premium-prices. -Distributors offer same services than an internal sales force could and are responsible for the sales in the diverse geographical locations of pet retailer markets. Weaknesses -Spectrum through Rayovac have been able to secure space shelf space in a small number of retailers while competitors gain market share through greater control over distribution channels, retailers, and prices. -The United/Nu-Gro professional division has its own dedicated sales force that creates a lack and dependency on sales reps expertise. -The lawn and garden care, insect control and pet foods industries Spectrum is in have different seasons that the new sales force must balance. Opportunities -The sales force from competitors offers retail discounts and promotional discounts to retailers, distributors and wholesalers creating a competitive advantage that Spectrum may add as value to its new sales force. -A restructured sales force can focus on the sales growth with greater benefits for the company -Room for greater retail presence by offering product discounts and stealing market share from competition if the sales costs are better managed. Threats -That the new sales force would end up doing significant duplication of efforts if sales reps would call same retailers at the same time. -An ineffective selection process of the new sales force could disrupt the growth momentum of Spectrum’s individual brands and the relationships with retailers, wholesalers and customers. Competitors get the benefit. -The sales in the lawn and garden division may be a risk of having a poor season since sales depend on weather conditions. SWOT analysis In general, the current sales force is not efficient as it needs to be. Although the total sales of all divisions are steady, competitors are gaining shelf space through channels of distribution that Spectrum is not able to reach due to the lack of sales focus by its sales force. Inspite of the market share challenge, Spectrum is in a great position to increase the market share by carefully creating a sales force that would increase its market visibility. Market Analysis Battery Market Consumers rely on convenience and quality when purchasing batteries and tend to gravitate towards the brand names. Spectrum’s competitors are Procter Gamble 40% and Energizer battery brand with 40% of the market share. The alkaline battery is expected to dominate the market in 5 years. In Canada, the alkaline battery market is above CAD $300 million. Rayovac holds 20% of the market. It is a household seasonal product and 70% of the sales primary done during and after Christmas. Mass merchandisers, home garden centers and niche electronic stores are used as retailers generate 60% of sales, while 40% of sales are with wholesalers, distributors, especially in Wal-Mart with 40% of shelf space. Shaving and grooming products market. A combination of electronic grooming products and hair care applications with a growth of 3% and expected to continue. It has a sales cycle as gift giving season, shaving and grooming products are in high demand on Christmas, father’s day and mother’s day. Remington merged with Rayovacin2003; Remington (Now Spectrum) has secured 30% in USA and 21% in UK of the market share with global revenue US$350 million in 2003. The major competitors in the shaving market are Norelco (Philips) with rotary shavers and Braun-Gillette (Now Procter Gamble), while in hair care industry are Conair Corporation and Norelco that competes on quality and price. Sales reps have a direct presence in the success of sales since they manage sales directly with small niche retailers like salons, specialty hair and body care. It generates 35% of total sales. Wal-Mart retail generates 40% of sales as a traditional retail channel. Lawn and Garden Market It is driven by the baby boomers population. In North America more than 80% of household’s participants in garden activities generate a US$4 billion industry in sales and a potential annual growth of between 4% and 5%. The insect control products play an important role in this market. When new diseases appeared like West Nile virus and bone diseases, it increases demand for more insect control product raising the market in about 7% to 8% in sales. Scotts and Johnson Son, Inc are the market leaders with products like Ortho and Roundup. United/Nu-Gro company a Canadian subsidiary of United Industries Corporation in USA, is the number 2 company in lawn and garden products with a 23% market share and US$550 million in sales. The key of its success is in offering brand names such as Vigoro, Shultz, and CIL to targeted consumers  who want products at a low price. In the Insect control market, United/Nu-Gro is number 2 with 24% of market share and US$150 million on sales. Mass merchandisers and garden and home centers are the channels used generating 60% of sales in the consumer division. The professional division has its own sales team specialized in professional products for specific customers like golf courses and pest control operators generating 25% and 15% of sales respectively.

Vietnam - And Domino Theory Essay -- essays research papers fc

The revolutionary worldwide spread of communism has always been a great fear to the USA. In the past, America has gone to many wars to psychologically protect its ideology against powerful nations. That the ‘domino theory’ and the cold war mentality held by the USA, primarily justified their involvement in Vietnam. It was after World War Two that the USA’s interest in Vietnam came about. Eisenhower and Dulles contrevsial ‘ domino theory’ with the fear of a communist-dominated government in Vietnam and surrounding countries sparked an increase in America’s involvement. There were also secondary factors that influence the Americans such as, political and economic interests over raw materials, etc. The USA and France had separate and completely different aims, ideas and interests regarding Vietnam and Indo-china. The US’s involvement began with supplying the French with military aid to a full-scale conscript defense force, fighting battles on the ground. At a time, when the cold war was at a peak between the US and the USSR, and after the victory of stopping South Korea becoming a communist state. The USA out of all the allies in the Vietnam War was the only country involved primarily because of the ‘domino theory’. The history of the domino theory played a significant role throughout the cold war and was America’s greatest fear and motivation. The history of the Vietnamese people is marked by their continual struggle for independence. They resisted Chinese domination for one thousand years, only to see the French gain control in 1884. For seventy years the French ruled Vietnam, and for seventy years the Vietnamese resisted. When the French, in the mid-19th century, established tentative control over the southernmost provinces of Vietnam (which they called Cochin China), Vietnamese government officials ("mandarins") withdrew and refused to serve them. When the French expanded to central and northern Vietnam (Annam and Tonkin), they were met by a forceful resistance movement led by the educated elite of the country, who mobilized peasants to fight the French in pitched battles and guerrilla raids. Even after Emperor Ham Nghi -- in whose name the Vietnamese struggled -- was captured and exiled to Algeria in 1888, the movement continued. Ultimately, sheer military force enabled the French to subdue the land, if not t he people. After the defeat of the ... ...; Vietnam: A dragon embattled. New York; Praeger, 1967. Buttinger, Joseph. The Two Vietnams. New York, Praeger 1967. American policy in South East Asia, New York; Institute of pacific relations, 1950. The struggle for Indo-china. Stanford; Stanford University press, 1966. Internet resources-: Vietnam Veterans: http://www.nps.gov/vive/index2.htm U.S. History Pages: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/history.learn-teach/VietnamPage.htm The Vietnam Alliance: http://www.fva.org/

Chicken Ala Carte Essay

Thousands of people die every day due to hunger and malnutrition. This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society. The people who live on the refuse of men to survive. What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people. It clearly displayed that hunger and poverty kicks as main problem of the society and some people are too blind to see it. The videography of the film was too shaky and some parts are blurry. This is actually effective for me as for the fact that it is a documentary and it made me feel like I am in the real setting of the event. Another element is the actors in the film. They portrayed their roles truly and they were really convincing which made the film so sympathetic and melancholic. The songs used in the later part of the film also added to the mood. The setting of the film was very dirty and crowded, enough components to represent a place where poverty is happening. The kids in the squatters’ area were also good representations of hunger and malnutrition in an isolated community. The most powerful part of the story, for me, was when the father tapped his kid on his hands, which cannot wait to eat, just because he forgot to pray. This showed me that even though things are getting to worse than expected, we still have to give thanks to Him for we are blessed that we still live this life with His spirit guiding us. It also displayed to me the spirituality of a man and his faith that is strong enough to continue living their lives. Furthermore, this film made me realize that I am so blessed. Many people out there struggle for food while I can easily buy them anywhere I wanted to. I can choose where to live while they cannot because they cannot afford a concrete shelter. These people are the ones in need and we must have time to reach out for them to have their chance of having a life with comfort. In addition, I couldn’t stop myself from having sympathy for those who are on the overlooked portion of our country for they are the ones who deserve to benefit the profit our country has earned. In this kind of situation, you can’t really avoid to demand that those people should be the one our government should be focusing on improving one’s life due to the fact that since they pursue themselves to the politics, it is their duty to serve their countrymen first before anything else. Aside from scarcity, I believe education is also the key to keep away from those kinds of circumstances in life because if you are a well-educated person, you will be aware of family planning and most especially you have the capability to earn money and buy foods in order for you and your family to survive.

Od in Hoosiers - 931 Words

OD in the movie Hoosiers Organizational Change Professor R. Conejo October 19, 2010 OD in the movie Hoosiers The movie Hoosiers was a great story that dealt with many of the topics covered in our readings for the week. The story is about a small-town Indiana basketball team that overcomes many challenges to win the state championship. The main character of the movie is Norman Dale, a passionate basketball coach that faces many obstacles in his attempt to teach his players about the benefits of working together as a team. The movie dealt with many team oriented topics such as team development, interdependence, group cohesiveness, intergroup problems, and confrontation. The movie begins with Dale making his way to the†¦show more content†¦After confronting her he explained his position and over time eventually gained her respect. He did the same with the townspeople, attending their meetings to confront them and to defend his methods. The movie Hoosiers was a great example of how success can be found through teamwork and cohesiveness. Many of the lessons that are found within the movie directly relate to the lesson we learned in our readings for the week. The importance of each and every member of the team and the realization that no one member is more important than the next is a valuable lesson to be learned from the movie. Another important lesson to be learned from the movie is that while the results of a change may not be immediately noticed, believing in each other and in the team can be beneficial in the long run. Changes may not always have immediate results that are favorable, but sticking with the planned change and having each team member fully committed to it can be beneficial in the long run. Not only will the performance of the team improve, but the performance of each individual member of that team will improve as well. References Brown, D. (2011). An Experimental Approach to Organizational Development (8th ed). New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. De Haven, C., Pizzo, A. (Producers) Anspaugh, D. (Director). (1986). Hoosiers. [Motion Picture]. United States:

The Nature of Perceived Ultimacy in Zen Buddhism Essay

This paper will explore the question of how to understand the nature of perceived ultimacy in Zen Buddhism. This will be achieved through providing a justification for why this question should be of any interest and then hypothesizing about possible implications of the results. Next, the framework that is to be used in categorizing the core beliefs in Zen will be explained and made clear. After this description is complete the author will proceed to fit Zen Buddhism into this framework and will demonstrate that the Zen religion is no exception to the employed framework. Finally the author will describe the perceived ultimacy of Zen Buddhism. The topic of Zen Buddhism and understanding how it fits into a framework that was designed to†¦show more content†¦Even when we are presented with answers or guides to the many questions we have about life and to how we should live, as inquisitive animals, we strive to enhance our understanding and so begin to learn that perhaps, ultimately, the answers don’t simply come from outside but also from within us. This is then perhaps the greatest implication of this paper, finding new ways in understanding what the true way of life is for human beings and what the true way of life is for ourselves. In the discussion of Zen Buddhism, William A. Young’s framework’s itself must first be explained and understood. Young employs a descriptive framework in his book The World’s Religions that is used to understand religion and the ways in which religion plays various roles in human life (Young 12). The framework was developed from the definition of religion he describes in his book. Young defines religion as being, â€Å"human transformation in response to perceived ultimacy† (4). This framework developed by Young was a tool of analysis he employed to compare religions through seven questions that formulate a basic understanding of a particular religion’s worldview. The seven questions that make up Young’s framework are as follows: what does it mean to be human, what is the basic human problem, what is the cause of the problem, what is the end or goal of transformation, what are the means of transformation, what is the nature of reality, and what

The Role Of Media Images Influence Children s Self Image

My research assignment will be on sexulization of children. I will explore the issue of the increasingly early onset of sexualized bodies and the social expectations that go along with it. Most of my paper will be about girls, but boys will also be discussed. I will discuss and explore how media comes into effect and examine how media images influence children s self-image. My title will likely be: Ticking Time Bomb: The Early Onset of Sexualized Bodies. In our society we are conditioning children to be obsessed with their appearance. We teach girls that their beauty is the most important factor of them. How media, advertising, film, pop music, magazines does are all included under this topic, relate to issues of overly sexual people? I†¦show more content†¦In Bartlett, Myke. Sex Sells: Child Sexulization and the Media, one of my sources, makes references a portrait of a thirteen year old girl painted nude. Does this fall under a sexulizased, pornographic image or is it simply art? How and where do we draw the boundaries? This broad definition leads to much controversy over whether something is truly hyper sexulization or not. Because of this many scholars have tackled this phenomenon already. It is a commonly talked about topic, yet no solution is in sight. Children are facing these issues on a day to day biases. Girls go to the mall and pick out clothing with the words flirt, juicy, even gangbanger or open magazines to read about how to get a boyfriend in 4 easy steps. Adults may see this and understand the harm but children, or even teenagers may not fully understand. We see the playboy logo, they may see a cute bunny. How do we balance their innocence with our sexual knowledge? Is it fair to them for us to shatter their innocence? With our rapidly accelerating technology will the youth reach new media before their parents can explain it to them? Pornography and adult media content also affect children and how we, as a society view people. 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Effects of Job Rotation free essay sample

Discuss the various issues of managerial behaviour and related matters raised by this case study Laurie J. Mullins argues that A fist step in the effective management of other people is confidence in your own ability, and awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses. We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Job Rotation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Why is it then that managers find it difficult to admit their mistakes, to say sorry or to laugh at themselves? 1 In the building society case study, there are examples of bad managerial behaviour on the part of both Mary Rodgers, the branch manager and Jane Taylor, the senior branch assistant. Jane Taylor was clearly good at her job if, after four years, she was promoted to this new role, yet within a short period of time, she was having trouble with Tony Jackson. Looking back at what Mullins said, Miss Taylor doesnt appear to have confidence in her own ability or indeed awareness in her own strengths and weaknesses. According to Thompson amp; McHugh control is not an end in itself, but a means to transform the capacity to work established by the wage relation into profitable production, and Jane is unable to control her sub-ordinate what are the reasons for this? Part of the problem stems from the beginning of the case study and the relationship between Jane and her manager. Mary Rogers does not instil any confidence in Jane when she effectively dumps this new role. Up until now, Jane has been performing specific task functions and has no real knowledge of how to manage people as she has previously been performing the duties of a cashier and looking after mortgage advice accounts more task orientated skills rather than managerial ones. The refresher course she attends includes nothing on this either and Jane immediately falls into what McGregor calls the Theory X assumption of human nature. The central principle of Theory X is direction and control through a centralised system of organisation and exercise of authority2 and Jane automatically tries to coerce and direct Tony Jackson. The inability of Mary Rodgers to provide effective support and development for Jane shows a clear ineptitude on her part. She admits herself that the reason for Janes promotion is that I [Mary] need someone to take some of the weight off my shoulders and she seems to be reluctant to help intervene and solve