Identify women's role in any field of study related to MSE (Math, Essay

Identify women's role in any field of study related to MSE (Math, Science, and Engineering) in a selected country during a speci - Essay Example Ironically enough, there is no evidence in Quran and Sunnah that supports this absurd theory. In fact, Islam was one of the first religions to grant voting rights to women. One cannot ignore the fact that women are treated harshly in Middle East due to the egoistic and hostile attitudes of man. This is completely frustrating since Islam appreciates the beauty of women. Women are obligated to cover themselves in order to protect their chastity, which is no doubt essential even to women. However, men are considered to be a superior sex, and much abuse is embedded in society unfortunately. Women at times are forced to marry within cultures in arranged marriages. Although that is not the case in every situation, it is a common issue that plagues the society. Furthermore, women are limited towards education, wealth and power. The women’s inferiority has no doubt been the focal point in all the statutory laws in Middle East. Ironically enough, Islamic history shows that Khadija, the first wife of Muhammad, was an entrepreneur herself. She singlehandedly took over her father’s business interests in order to preserve the family fortune. Merchants would come from near and far because they heard of her fair business conduct. Her intelligence and grace also brought along many marriage proposals. It was actually through business that she met Mohammed and they got married. Nonetheless, it is nothing but ignorance towards the distinction between religion and the thirst for power. Hence, the lack of development of women progressing is clearly lacking. Women at times are forced to marry within a certain culture, race, and even nationality, for example arranged marriages. Although that is not the case in every situation, it is a common issue that sickens the society. In verse number nineteen of Surah four, Allah says â€Å"O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower ye have given them, except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.† It is clearly stated that Muslim men cannot marry Muslim women against their will, meaning a Muslim woman cannot be forced to marry someone just because the two have been arranged. The verse also states that a Muslim man must not treat Muslim women with harshness Saudi academics and scholars have raised concerns regarding the system of public education. Moreover, they have questioned the educational performance of the Ministry during the past decades in regards to the curriculum, which is inadequate for the education of females.   Given these conditions, women have always lacked in secular education in Saudi Arabia. A fine line has to be established between religion and culture that is dominated by the egoi stic male society. Since women cannot attend education, Saudi women in the past decades have been behind. Most women are unable to read and challenge their analytical skills at a higher level. The lingering social norms that plague the existing in the system has undoubtedly have limited the potential of women to excel in this society. Mona AlMunajjed, Senior Advisor at Booz & Company, Ideation Centre, explains this lack of developme

Forensic Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Forensic Science - Essay Example The evidence which is collected by forensic experts is tested in a forensic toxicology lab, which contains sophisticated instruments. These instruments, along with precise methodologies hold importance in producing a toxicology report, because these reports are presented in court and their results are important in determining the sentence of a person (Hagedorn, 2011). However, toxicology is not limited to criminal investigations only, in fact, they are used in cases which involve environmental contamination, to determine what would be the impact of a spill, if it is near a population. Forensic Toxicologist needs to be prepared to testify in court and justify his findings and to explain methodologies which may seem complex to the jury. Before toxicologists conduct their process, they would need samples from the body under consideration. Toxicology is useful because of how it helps, particularly, the law enforcement authorities. Toxicologists collect samples from the body and then study them in the lab; they give a report about all the chemicals found in the body, alcohol, prescription drugs and illegal drugs. In fact, toxicologists can also find out if the person’s death has resulted because of poison or not. For example, hair samples from a body could be tested to see if the person has been involved in drug abuse for a long time or a short time. Saliva can also be used to test for the use of drugs. The Death Investigation Toxicology is also known as the Postmortem technology, where forensic toxicologists work with examiners and coroners to determine if the cause of a death, there has been involvement of alcohol or drugs. Human performance toxicology is about the effects of alcohol and drugs on the behavior of people. This could include investigations related to impaired driving, sexual assault, which is facilitated by

Visual Arts and Film Studies Tests. Changes in exhibition from the Assignment

Visual Arts and Film Studies Tests. Changes in exhibition from the early 1900s through the 1940s - Assignment Example Moreover, cinema of attraction is based on shock, spectacle, and sensation. According to Gunning, cinema of attraction greatly differs with the contemporary narrative cinema that solicits a voyeuristic spectatorial gaze. It is an early exhibition where the spectators become overtly acknowledged, and invited to look. What is the PCA? In order to regulate morality and politics within films, the PCA (Production Code Administration), patrolled major issues that came about in the movies, moral barricades and the politics involved in movie productions. The government decided that wartime movies were very delicate to be left to the moviemakers thus the PCA, the Office of War Information, policing morality, and guarding politics made sure that the American screen was tightly regulated like no any other time in history. The PCA and its associated groups worked towards improvement in the film content in outright falsifications in others and evasions. What is a â€Å"star vehicle†? A ‘star vehicle refers to a movie, television show, or a play fabricated mainly to enhance a star’s career. The main aim of a star vehicle revolves around promoting a performer with the anticipation of inducting a bankable star. For instance, a bankable star compels the spectators to watch either the television show, play or even the film since he/she is featured in the project. Any successful star vehicle portrays unique talents exhibited y the star being promoted. In addition, a star vehicle can be created to showcase a star shifting from one genre to another. In a star vehicle, the young or inexperienced actor signs a long-term contract with a major studio. However, in some cases, the actor may produce for himself or herself a vehicle thus resulting to a form of self-promotion (Lewis, 2002). d. What does Jane Feuer mean when she refers to the â€Å"dual diegesis† of the backstage musical? Modernist cinema in association wi th Hollywood musical, use dual in the world of films in order to reflect the relationship of the spectator to the film. Dual diegesis in this sense parallels the use of internal audience. In other cases, dual diegesis calls attention to the discrepancy between reality and fiction, or history and fiction. According to Jane, Hollywood musicals are built upon a base of dual registers with the contrast between number and narrative defining musical comedy as a form. In the backstage, musical dual levels are apparent in contrast between the show or film and the backstage plot within the film, between the world offstage and world onstage. e. How was the production of Casablanca affected by U.S. entry into World War II? Scholarly research depicts that one of the main argument was that the government collaborated with the Hollywood industry to use film as propaganda during the Second World War. Due to the stigma that surrounded Hollywood in the early 20’s, directors and actors were co nvicted of outrage that led to public accusation of immorality within the film industry. Moreover, the government worked directly with Hollywood by using its films as a powerful tool to enhance the war. It was during t5his period that Casablanca was greatly affected. These films displayed anti-Japanese propaganda, grim images, and the sacrifices made by the American soldiers. Even after the war, the films continued to portray skewed sights of the war with glorifying efforts made by the soldiers to show the sacrifices they made were quite worthwhile. 2. What changes in exhibition took place

Critique and Development of Research Questions Essay

Critique and Development of Research Questions - Essay Example onsidered as a chief method of ensuring national security and the employment of Polygraph interviews as part of security clearance procedures in different branches of the American government has been widely criticized. Thus, in the background of ongoing debates on the utility of polygraph in national security, the scope and relevance of a profound research on the topic is categorical. In this research paper, the focal attempt has been to make a scrupulous investigation on ‘the utility of polygraph in national security’. The psycho-physiological detection of deception (PDD) including polygraph testing should be given more crucial attention in current researches. â€Å"In stark contrast to the scientific literature on forensic use of PDD, the use of FDD in employment and for screening, including screening for national security, is the subject of relatively little published research. Initial commentary on the use of polygraphs for national security screening focused on pro blems that all diagnostic tests experience when attempting to diagnose a rare condition.† (Granhag and Strà ¶mwall, 2004, p 118). In the background of serious debates on the question, it is of central implication to have a precise analysis of the matters and to come up with the most sagacious findings on the question. Therefore, the importance of this research paper is greater and the potential findings of this investigation on ‘the utility of polygraph in national security’ also justify the scope of the study. The utility of polygraph in national security has been a critical topic which has attained enormous focus and invited national interest in the modern American context. The paper attempts to undertake a profound investigation into the topic ‘The Utility of Polygraph in National Security’ and come up with the most sagacious findings on the questions which attract the current debates. Polygraph testing has been a serious technique of security assurance for a long time, in spite of the

Practicing the Backward Roll in the Gymnastics Term Paper

Practicing the Backward Roll in the Gymnastics - Term Paper Example Back rolling is usually a difficult rolling process because of the neck. This is more so for the young children. This is because a child’s head in comparison to the rest of the body is usually larger than that of an adult person. Therefore, a child requires a greater amount of push from the floor in order to perform the back rolling technique. This happens in order to help them clear their heads from the floor while preventing the unnecessary injuries to the neck. However, as an instructor, there is a need to ensure that the students have enough abdominal strength in helping them lift their hips over their heads. The students also need to have enough arm strength in order to help them push their heads from the mat. This will help them to relieve some stress from their necks. Rick Feeney (1990),   explains one of the skills of backrolling which involves the placing of the mats in a V-formation for the back rolling technique. It helps to serve several functions: 1. To protect the head from injuries 2. It teaches the students how to roll in an exact straight line 3. It teaches the students how to push using their hands and arms   However, as a rolling instructor, there is need not rush your students to perform the back rolling technique, especially on flat mats until when the students are ready to perform it. However, when they perform this skill, there is a need to help them lift their hips up an over their heads. Consciously keep the pressure from their necks. The back rolling skill is a great technique to master because it usually helps the students to develop strength and agility. It also assists the learners to grasp the technique of safe fall.   However, spotting a back roll in students takes a little more practicing than any other rolling. First, the students need to start in a squatting stance. Next, make sure that their chins tackle forward while their hands are by their shoulders. Their palms need to be facing the ceiling in this area. However, there is a need to stand slightly behind your students, as well as their sides.

Illegal Immigration and enforcement of laws Essay Example for Free

Illegal Immigration and enforcement of laws Essay America, as we know it today, is a melting pot of many nationalities, cultures, races, ethnic backgrounds, and religious pursuits. This is the result of the early massive immigration to American shores from countries across the globe seeking a new life inside the borders of the United States. This dream has not waned despite the march of time, with individuals coming from all walks of life, striving to fulfill their dreams of starting a new life for themselves and their families in the United States, or to send them financial support to alleviate the living conditions of their loved ones abroad. But recent times and events have turned the once open gates for these immigrants to closing windows of opportunity as the United States enforces some of the harshest laws primed to keep illegal immigrants from ever setting foot on American soil. The latest battleground for the enforcement of laws regarding the entry and stay of illegal immigrants in the United States is in the state of Arizona. Arizona Senate Bill 1070, the new debatable statute that empowers the police in the state to demand for the papers of any individual that they believe to have illegally entered the United States. Some of the laws main advocates include the chief of the Maricopa police department, Joe Arpaio and Russell Pearce, the chief sponsor of the bill in the state Senate. Pearce has a personal angle to work for the strict enactment of the bill-Pearces son was shot to death by an illegal immigrant (Nathan Thornburgh). As Arizona Governor Jan Brewer affixed his signature to the controversial bill, enacting the same into law within the borders of the state, critics and opponents of the measure guaranteed that the measures passage into law will be met with stiff opposition. Many of the opponents of the bill promised stiff legal sanctions and economic boycotts poised to train their guns at Arizona, an event that the state can ill afford as the state is still in the morass of the housing sector collapse that has buffeted the economy of the United States. In the moments before the bill was signed, protesters and police clashed in a rally that has led to minor clashes with authorities, with more than 1,500 people chanting, praying, criticizing or praising Brewer as he began to enact the law. Four of the protesters were taken into custody, after engaging police in a bottle throwing battle, with authorities clad in riot gear (Craig Harris, Alia Beard Rau and Glen Creno). The Republican governor is faced with a vigorous challenge in the primaries and will need the support of the Conservative bloc to hold on to her office, averred that the new statute is one of the new instruments that the state will use in addressing the crisis that they were not responsible in creating, and stated that the Federal government has refused to address this issue at their level. The new legislation has put Arizona squarely in the national spotlight, with no less than United States President weighing in on the matter and CNN broadcasting the signing of the law by Brewer live (Harris, Rau and Creno). In the opinion of Dr. George Weissinger, Ph. D. , the problem with the illegal immigrants coming through the widely porous border regions of the United States with its southern neighbor is a dilemma that is not confined to the problem with U. S. -Mexico immigration problems, and opines that the enforcement of the present set of immigration laws by the United States government only contributes to the ever-increasing illegal immigrant population of the United States. Weissinger (2003) argues that much of the societal perceptions of the illegal alien in the United States vary from the sympathetic to the bigoted. With this type of confusion on the response of the society to the true plight of the illegal immigrants entering the United States, the responses as mentioned above are to be expected (Weissinger). What is considered to be a prime catalyst in the formation of the opinions of the society against or for the illegal immigrants is the media; the media usually characterizes the illegal alien as one who crosses over the border of his own country to the next, with nothing more spurring him/her on than the possibility of being able to find a means of employment that will allow them to fend for their families back in their own native lands. But with the events that occurred that tragic day on the 11th of September, 2001, the image of the illegal alien has radically been transformed. The media is a powerful conveyor of the way that the illegal immigrant is portrayed in American or any other society. When the news broadcast images of immigrant day laborers, this image will serve as the standard by which society deems what it defines to be the image of the illegal aliens in the society (Weissinger). Many of these characterizations are more inclined on the aesthetics rather than the economic, health or issues that deal with conflicts with the law. Many residents in the area that illegal immigrant congregate usually fear a decrease in their property values, or even some have the notion that the illegal immigrants might become a hindrance to their business activities. These illegal immigrants flock to many locations in the United States where they hope that potential employers will hire them for the day, thus allowing them to send some financial aid to their families back home. But even without the Arizona and California laws, there is ample laws provided to the Federal government to deal with the problem of illegal immigrants (Weissinger). The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), under Title 8 USC Section 1357, has appointed officers and other personnel to implement the law on illegal immigrants, allowing them the mandate to question suspected illegal immigrants with regards to their continued stay in the United States, even without the benefit and requirement of a warrant. But unfortunately, the agency has been remiss in this duty to address this problem even before the enactment of the controversial Arizona statute. In the operating policy of the INS, now officially known as the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE), the target of the body is not the illegal immigrants themselves, but the employers who hire these illegal immigrants, removing the demand, and not the supply, in an effort to discourage illegal immigrants from coming to the United States to find employment. These operating policies developed as a result of the implementation of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (Weissinger). But Arizona is not alone among the states of the Union trying to address their problems with regards to the burgeoning number of illegal aliens in their states. The Washington Times, known as a conservative publication, has recently reported that the illegal immigrant statute in California is akin to the one being enacted and implemented in Arizona. The Post reports that in the Penal Code of California, section 834b, states that California law enforcement units should fully cooperate with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) with regards to any individual that is taken into custody if the person is allegedly in the United States under the premise on infringing existing United States immigration laws. Advocates of the Arizona law aver that the basis of the law in the state simply follows the gist of existing Federal statutes regarding illegal immigrants. Laws that have been implemented by the Federal government for the past seven decades. The text of the California section reads as follows: With respect to any such person who is arrested, and suspected of being present in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws, every law enforcement agency shall do the following: (1) Attempt to verify the legal status of such person as a citizen of the United States, an alien lawfully admitted as a permanent resident, an alien lawfully admitted for a temporary period of time or as an alien who is present in the United States in violation of immigration laws. The verification process may include, but shall not be limited to, questioning the person regarding his or her date and place of birth, and entry into the United States, and demanding documentation to indicate his or her legal status (Dennis Romero). George Orwell, author of such works as â€Å"Animal Farm† and â€Å"1984†, states that one of the great tragedies in crafting such important legislation, is that thousands of dollars in taxpayers money are wasted in crafting these laws. Many eagerly anticipate for the passage of the law, then downgrade the importance of actually enforcing the law itself. In the time that the debate on the need of the law in the first place, the very thing that the law was crafted for in the first place remains and grows, becoming part and parcel of the life of the society. Until such time that the issue has become too damaging to the society, it is only in that time that the law will be once again resurrected to address the problem, which could have been addressed if the law was enforced earlier (Arizona Immigration Laws). The law that empowered the INS/BICE to enforce the laws on immigration was originally crafted by the United States Congress, with both houses giving unanimous support to the immigration bills, as the laws were enacted in the early years of the 20th century. The laws against illegal immigration were rendered to the hands of the President of the United States, with the belief that the Executive branch will be able to faithfully execute the tenets of the law. The enforcement of the laws went smoothly until the 1960s, when the implementation of the civil rights laws in the United States and the rigorous enforcement of the laws regulating Hispanic immigration into America found themselves at loggerheads in the political circle. Unfortunately, the law against the entry of illegal immigrants coming from the southern American neighbors, particularly Hispanic immigrants, was overthrown to accommodate the caprices of United States Democrat senators, caring more for the support of the affluent farmers in their constituencies than assuring that the laws against the entry of illegal immigrants into the United States was conscientiously enforced (Arizona). But are immigrants actually those that are in violation of United States immigration laws? According to Dr. Weissinger (2003), those that violate immigration laws are not considered as immigrants. In his opinion, there is a wide degree of differentiation against those that willingly infringe on the laws of the United States, and those immigrants that apply for residency in the United States, faithfully complying with the many requirements needed to gain legal citizenship in the United States. The confusion between the two contributes to the illogical responses and connotations attached to the illegal issue and picturing these two as equal issues is the result of dubious logic (Weissinger). The emphasis of the current administration on the strict, unyielding enforcement of the immigration laws has given way to a increased number of deportations by the BICE. In the statement of ICE assistant secretary John Morton, ICE is expected to acquire the needed resources and logistics that will allow the agency to deport more than 400,000 illegal immigrants in 2010. This figure, according to Morton, is an increase of 10 percent over the figures posted the previous year. In addition, increasing numbers of raids on companies and businesses that are allegedly contracting the services of illegal immigrants have registered an increase of nearly four times than the entire administration of former President George W. Bush. In the statement of the ICE, the priority of the agency is the location, arrest and eventual deportation of convicted criminals and other lawless elements in the United States illegally (Jurist Legal News and Research Services, Inc. ). The Department of Homeland Security is also fine tuning its resources intended to enforce Federal immigration laws, revising its 287g program, that gave a mandate to local police authorities to implement immigration statutes, which is considered one of the more disputable aspects of American border policy. But critics of the program aver that the program, originally intended to determine the identity of criminals in the United States in violation of immigration laws, has led to racial profiling by the police authorities in the areas where immigrants abound. They aver that the law gave the power to law enforcement authorities to arrest illegal immigrants even om such minor citations as a broken tail light. But many of the supporters aver the efficaciousness of the program, saying the program has become an effective tool in addressing the problem of illegal immigration (Miriam Jordan). In the new policy to be released by the DHS, the powers of the police to interrogate and arrest illegal immigrants, with the intent of preventing sheriff and police personnel to accost suspected illegal immigrants on the premise that they have violated some fictitious infarction as a means of initiating deportation proceedings against the individual. In the last two years, according to the data released by the Homeland Security Department, approximately 120,000 alleged illegal immigrants were identified with the use of the program, with the majority of the cases ending in deportation of the suspected illegal immigrant. Arpaio, one of the staunchest supporters of the Arizona illegal immigrants law, is also considered one of the most active enforcers of the program on the local level. But the Maricopa sheriff is under investigation by no less than the United States Department of Justice, investigating claims that Maricopa sheriff deputies have utilized skin color as a front to detain Hispanics that they believe are illegal immigrants (Jordan). With approximately 10. 8 million illegal immigrants in the United States, the issue of immigration is considered to be one of the most heavily debated issues in the United States. The Arizona statute, regarded as the harshest measure enacted by a state in recent history against the problem of illegal immigrants, requires that local police establish the fact that a person is an illegal immigrant, that they have logical basis to do so, and to place under police custody those individuals who fail to prove or to present documents that they are in the United States legally. Under the law, the acts of transporting an illegal immigrant and to hire day laborers are also penalized. In the opinion of Senator Pearce, he believes that handcuffs, used on the right individuals, can be considered as an effective crime fighting tool (Tim Gaynor, David Schwartz). At present, there is a large number of undocumented illegal immigrants in the United States. Spread across such states as California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, the number of illegal immigrants, those that are here to find work and also those who are in America for more nefarious ends, continues to expand due to the reluctance of the Federal government to adequately and faithfully enforce United States laws on illegal immigration. As such, they are becoming burdensome on the systems of the United States; health care, welfare, education, employment and other programs of the Federal government, resources that should have been used for those that are in the United States legally and for its citizens (Arizona). Works Cited Arizona Immigration Law. The Dilemma of Illegal Immigrtion: Enforcment of Current Federal/ State Laws versus Reform. http://azimmigrationlaw. org/articles/the-dilemma-of-illegal-immigration- enforcement-of-current-federalstate-laws-versus-reform/ Gaynor, Tim, Schwartz, David. â€Å"Arizona passes tough illegal immigration law†. http://www. reuters. com/article/idUSTRE63I6TU20100419 Harris, Craig, Rau, Alia Beard, Creno, Glen, Arizona govenor signs immigration law; foes promise fight. Arizona Republic. 24 April 2010. Jordan, Miriam. â€Å"New Curbs Set on Arrests of Illegal Immigrants†. Wall Street Journal 11 July 2009. Jurist Legal News and Research Services, Inc. â€Å"US government increasing enforcement of immigration laws: report†. http://jurist. org/paperchase/2010/07/us-government-increasing-enforcement-of- immigration-laws-report. php Romero, Dennis. â€Å"Californias Illegal-Immigration Enforcement Law is Tougher than Arizonas†. http://blogs. laweekly. com/informer/city-news/california-mirror-arizona/ Thornburgh, Nathan. â€Å"Arizona Police Split on Immigration Crackdown†. Time Magazine 30 April 2010. Weissinger, George, Ph. D. â€Å"The Illegal Alien Problem: Enforcing the Immigration Laws†. http://www. immigration-usa. com/george_weissinger. html

Product analysis of Nestle

Product analysis of Nestle Nestlà © is the largest food company in the world, marketing over 8,500 brands and 30,000 products. It operates nearly 500 factories across 5 continents and employs over 200,000 employees worldwide. As the World Food Company, Nestlà © is the provider of the best food for whatever time of day and for whatever time of your life. Nestlà © RD Singapore plays an important role in the development of products for Nestlà © Nutrition, with focus on creating products with micronutrient fortification to address deficiencies. Nestlà © has an extensive product mix targeted at many different segments of the market. The chosen product category for in-depth analysis is Nestlà © milk products, which is targeted at parents of young children (age 1 5) and health conscious adult consumers who desire to retain heart and bone health. In the adult category in specific, the functional milks offer a range of functional benefits, from cholesterol management and heart health to bone health. A product mix is the set of all products a particular seller offers for sale. A product mix consists of various product lines and has a certain width, length, depth, and consistency. The table below shows the product-mix width and product-line length for Nestlà © products in Singapore. Product-Mix Width Baby Foods Milk Cereals Chilled Dairy Ice Cream Confec-tionery Choco-lates Beverages Culinary/ Foods Healthcare Nutrition Perfor-mance Nutrition Pet Care Product Line Length Junior Foods Growing Up Milk Breakfast Cereals Yogurt Drink Drumstick Kit Kat Milo Maggi Noodles Nutren PowerBar ALPO Dog Food Infant Cereals Full Cream Milk Yogurt MatKool Milkybar Nescafe Maggi Porridges Peptamen Pro Plan Dry Food Adult Milk Take Home Tubs Crunch Maggi Stock Nestle Ice Cream Smarties Sauces Seasonings Potong Milo Yang Sheng Le Nestle Gold Recipe Collections Uncle Tobys The width of a product mix refers to how many different product lines the company carries. Nestlà ©s range of product lines includes baby foods, milk, cereals, dairy products, confectionery, ice cream and chocolates, culinary foods and pet care products. Nestlà © also provides a broad range of nutritional and flavored beverages and offers product line with specific nutritional functions. The length of a product mix refers to the total number of items in the mix. Nestlà © had an average product length of 2.8. Within the range of Nestlà ©s milk products include growing up milk, full cream, filled milk and adult milk. The depth of a product mix refers to how many variants are offered of each product in the line. For instance, Nestlà © adult milk comes in two functional forms (bone and heart health). The consistency of the product mix refers to how closely related the various product lines are in end use, production requirements, distribution channels, or some other way. Nestlà ©s product lines are consistent insofar as they are consumer goods that go through the same distribution channels. Company can expand its business in four ways: it can add new product lines, thus widening its product mix; it can lengthen each product line; it can add more product variants to each product and deepen its product mix; or it can pursue more product-line consistency. To reach our targeted market, Nestlà © can add new product line in the area of elderly health food, thus widening its product mix. In Singapore, the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) conducted in 2003 reported a prevalence of dementia among the elderly as 5.2% for > 60 years, 6.0% for > 65 years, and 13.9% for > 75 years. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan expects the numbers to double by year 2020. According to research, nutritional deficiencies in elderly are one of the factors influencing their cognitive functioning. In the article Many over-50s not eating properly (The Straits Times, September 2, 2010), the columnist shared a recent survey results indicating that older Singaporeans are not getting enough nutrition, with only 1 per cent of 421 respondents aged 50 years old and above have a balanced diet that meets the recommendations of the Health Promotion Board (HPB). Contrary to common belief, dementia is not an inevitable part of the ageing process and preventive and protective factors can help reduce the risk or delay the onset of dementia (Health Promotion Board). The best way to fight dementia is to maintain a good cognitive function and having a healthy and balanced diet is essential. There is a growing need and market for Nestlà © to produce brain-healthy functional foods targeted at the segment of the silver market who desire to retain memory, brain health and have a balanced diet. In Singapore, although there are already a number of brain health supplements targeted at the elderly, fortified food products aimed at this group are lacking. The first reason why Nestlà ©s product may be modified to reach the targeted segment is because Nestlà © Research Centre (NRC) is internationally renowned for its work in the food and nutritional sciences. For instance, as milk is particularly sensitive to heat, Nestlà © developed a soft sterilization of milk that protects the delicate amino acid, lysine and etc in their dairy products. In the article Brain food (The Business Times, December 02, 2009), Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery and physiological science at UCLA Medical School shared his findings on how dietary factors affect brain function. And he emphasized that Omega-3 fatty acids, with DHA are essential for normal brain function, and has been proven to enhance synaptic plasticity. Through Prof Gomezs exploration, he has proven that folates and antioxidants also helped reduce age-related decline in cognitive function. Presently, Nestlà © offers different milk products fortified with iron, zinc, vitamin A and other micronutrients aimed at addressing specific health deficiencies and they have existing product such as NESTLÉ ® NAN ® infant milk formula that contains DHA and ARA, two important ingredients that support brain development of young children. Nestlà © Research teams can work on improving the ingredients used in their existing products and offer milk products fortified with Omega-3 fatty acids, folates and antioxidants aimed at maintaining the cognitive function of the aging population. What is needed is a marketing effort, advertising the new range of products as brain-boosting functional food to the elderly. Next, Nestlà © had distinctive product lines catering to the needs of infant, young children; adults who are concerned with their health; and athletics who wants a performance boost. Nestlà © RD Singapore has always been focusing on creating products with micronutrient fortification to address deficiencies, therefore, with Nestlà ©s expertise in the field and food and nutritional sciences, they can aim to develop an additional product line with a range of milk products cater for the management of elderly health, besides, the development of brain healthy fortified food is for the benefit of the aging population in Singapore. In the longer run, Nestlà © can also introduce a range of new food products such as elderly snacks, healthy food and drinks and healthier culinary products with a different positioning and target the different segments of the silver market. Question 2 (18 marks) In this section, I will move on to discuss how Nestlà © currently makes use of the marketing mix concepts of pricing, promotion and distribution channels to reach its key target market for Nestlà © adult milk products in specific. Their adult milk products are targeted at health-conscious adult consumers who desire to retain heart and bone health. Price is the one element of the marketing mix that produces revenue and communicates to the market the companys intended value positioning of its product or brand. Nestlà ©s consumers range from the poorest to the wealthiest, and those seeking for convenience food or specific alternatives with perceived consumer benefits. These offer opportunities for them to provide high quality nutritious products. (Nestle Management Report, 2007). Nestlà © has adopted value pricing through winning loyal customers by charging a fairly low price for a high-quality offering. For instance, Nestlà © targets the lower income group through their Popularly Positioned Products (PPP) strategy, which focuses on creating items that are both highly nutritious and affordable on a daily basis for low-income consumers. Value pricing involves re-engineering their companys operations to become a low-cost producer. Nestlà © set strategic price points for their products, considering the fact that those with lower incomes have an even greater need for highly nutritious foods. (Nestle Management Report, 2007). Nestlà © had developed product lines rather than single products and introduce price steps, known as their multi-price point strategy, aimed at capturing all market opportunities. In this way, their targeted consumers are able to trade up and down without trading out of Nestlà ©s products. An illustration of their multi-price point strategy for a packet of 900g of adult milk within the product line is estimated as follow: Nestlà © also stimulate purchase of their milk products through various promotional pricing. For instance, the Nestlà © milk powder promotion at FairPrice offers a redemption of $10 NTUC FairPrice gift vouchers when customer accumulate $100 worth of Nestlà © milk powders purchase. The promotion encourages purchase of Nestlà © milk products within a specified time. Nestlà © also establish special prices in certain events to draw more customers. Nestlà © had an unmatched geographic presence in many markets, including emerging markets. Nestlà © has created very close relationships between their brands and their consumers as well as an in-depth understanding of their consumers and an expertise in related trends. This has also enabled Nestlà © to develop local management teams, build local manufacturing and RD and establish local supply-chain initiatives including long-term relationships with suppliers. Internationally, Nestlà ©s milk product is available in more than 100 countries throughout the World. (Nestle Management Report, 2007) Nestlà © used intensive distribution strategy by placing their milk products in as many outlets as possible, knowing that their targeted consumer requires a great deal of location convenience. Intensive distribution increases product availability. In Singapore, we can find Nestlà ©s milk product in popular outlets like convenience stores, pharmacies, and all leading supermarkets. These places are situated within 10 minutes walking distance from consumers homes. Marketing communications is the means by which firms attempt to inform, persuade, and remind consumers about the products and brands that they sell and Nestlà © enhance consumer communication with nutritional messaging. The marketing communications mix consists of six major modes of communication: advertising; sales promotion; events and experiences; public relations and publicity; direct marketing; and personal selling. Advertising can be used to build up a long-term image for a product or trigger quick sales. Nestlà © employed the used of various media and methods to promote their milk products. Just recently, they started an integrated print/radio ad for Nestlà © Nesvita Omega plus Acticol milk, advertising it as Singapores 1st and only milk with plant sterols which are shown to lower blood cholesterol. Consumers have been hearing on the radios and seeing in the papers about the benefit of having a lower cholesterol levels associated with consuming Nesvita Omega plus Acticol mi lk daily. Nestlà © also drew attention to their products by arranging special events. Nestlà © held a health exhibition Nestlà © Presents Health and You 2010 which caters for the young and old. They had activities which appealed to all in the family at the event, including free cholesterol and bone density checks by Nestlà © Nesvita Omega plus Acticol for the health conscious and health seminars and talks by health professionals, nutritionists and doctors. In addition, Nestlà © had a strategic partnership with Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) known as Love Your Heart. The partnership allows Nestlà © to carry the SHF logo on the Nestlà © Omega Plus range, endorsing it as the preferred adult milk choice as it has the added benefit of heart health as well as calcium for bone health. Nestlà © also promotes heart health through the media, such as the Cholesterol Challenge in which the public are invited to lower their bad cholesterol. By becoming part of a special and more personally releva nt moment in consumers lives, Nestlà ©s involvement with events broadened and deepened the relationship with their target market. Question 3 (28 marks) The brand name for our new product is Nestlà © MindFit Silver, a fortified milk powder offering benefits as follow: maintain the cognitive function of elderly by slowing down and stabilizing age-related brain decline and provide specific nutritional food value for a balanced diet. Our target segment of the silver market for the Nestlà © MindFit Silver is elderly who desire to retain memory, brain health and have a balanced diet. This segment can be described demographically by age (50-55 and older). Nestlà © strategy is based on a positioning of product differentiation. Product is the first and most important element of the marketing mix. Packaging is a major styling weapon that provides the buyers first encounter with the product and is capable of either turning the buyer on or off (Kotler et al, 2009). Packaging is defined as all the activities of designing and producing the container for a product. We will introduce elegant gold and silver-trim packaging container as we wanted a sophisticated-looking package that reflects the quality of Nestlà © MindFit Silver. A good packaging helps to identify our brand and convey descriptive and persuasive information to our target consumers. Functionally, structural design is crucial. We make out that resealability, freshness and easy-to-open and close packaging are of huge importance to the elderly consumers, and has incorporated these packaging innovations in our new product. The label on our package will carry our brand name, logo and the Nestlà © nutritional compass that provides our consumers with tips and nutritional facts that guide them towards informed choices about their diet. We will also have a picture of a sharp-looking senior ambassador in his 50s on the product label; this makes it easier for the elderly to distinguish our product from other brands on the shelves. Pricing decisions must be consistent with the firms marketing strategy, target markets, and brand positioning. The Nestlà © MindFit Silver will be introduced at $18 estimated retail price per 400g tin and we will use several pricing techniques to stimulate purchases. In the first 6 months of product launch, we will offer a cash rebates of $4 to draw more first-time customers. We expect to come up with more variations of the Nestlà © MindFit Silver, such as cereals, infusion of more flavorings and priced them differently to meet the needs of more consumers. We will also establish special prices in conjunction with HPBs dementia campaign to draw more customers. Marketing channels are sets of interdependent organizations involved in the process of making a product available for use or consumption. Our channel strategy is to use selective distribution, marketing Nestlà © MindFit Silver through Hospital pharmacies, selected Unity Pharmacies, Guardian and Watsons stores, selected NTUC Fairprice, and selected Cold Storage outlets. By doing so, we can gain adequate market coverage with more control and less cost than intensive distribution. As we are targeting the elderly consumers, we implemented home delivery as an additional point of access. This is because we understand that some elderly has difficulty going out to buy groceries due to health problems. Since the awareness of nutrition service for cognitive health is our objective, other channels of distribution could include local broadcast media or public forums at community centre. Place should take into account the convenience of the product to the consumer and where the consumer can obta in it most readily. In support of channel partners, we will provide full-color posters displaying the picture and key benefits of Nestlà © MindFit Silver. Our training staff will work with retail sales personnel to explain the benefit of the product. Finally, we plan to arrange special payment terms for retailers that place volume orders with us. Marketers need to creatively employ multiple forms of communications to effectively reach and influence target markets. The marketing communications mix consists of six major modes of communication: advertising; sales promotion; events and experiences; public relations and publicity; direct marketing; and personal selling. We will make use of advertising; sales promotion; events and experiences; public relations and publicity to market Nestlà © MindFit Silver to the targeted segment of the silver market. We will start an integrated television, print and radio ads targeting the elderly. TV advertising is an effective means of vividly demonstrating our product attributes and persuasively explaining their corresponding benefits to the elderly. Our TV ad will show a smart looking elderly man sharing with his friends about the benefits of Nestlà © MindFit Silver, and how the milk product help him to stay sharp and alert. This is a creative way to reinforce the message that Nestlà © MindFit Silver help maintain the cognitive functions in elderly. Out print ads on newspaper and magazines can provide much more product details and can also effectively communicate user and usage imagery. Our radio ad will add a tag line promoting the Nestlà © MindFit Silver as a brain healthy food for the aged parents. As the multimedia advertising efforts continues, we will also distribute new point-of-purchase displays to support our retailers and increase the number of spontaneous buying decision. We will add consumer sales promotions such as distributing samples to elderly at the store and we will organize contest offering prizes such as cash and holiday trips as a result of purchasing our products within the specified time period. We will also participate in the 50plus Expo, a consumer fair for the elderly organized by the Council for Third Age. The expo is targeted for those aged 50 and above and is devoted to shopping, performances, talks, demonstrations and more. We will educate consumers on the benefits of drinking Nestlà © MindFit Silver as a daily healthy beverage and at the same time, generate channel support for our product launch. Nestlà © has been actively involved in sponsorships of a variety of causes. A sponsored event must meet the marketing objectives and communication strategy, and the audience delivered by the event must match the target market of our product. Nestlà © will sponsor the Health Promotion Board (HPB)s Dementia Awareness Campaign. To raise awareness of dementia, HPB has air on Channel 8 and Suria a short film on dementia that is being directed by local director, Royston Tan. Other activities in conjunction with the campaign include informative talks held at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, shopping centre, hotels, and public library. Nestlà © can strategically identify itself at the events using banners and signs advertising Nestlà © MindFit Silver as the top brain food choice for active seniors. Nestlà © will also provide free product samples at the events to generate buying crowds. Social network such as Facebook has become an important force in marketing. A key aspect of social networks is word of mouth. Consumers talk about dozens of brands each day and Facebook offer exposure and the targeted market are more likely to spread the brand message. IT classes have opened up a whole new world for the elderly who learn how to surf internet and use Facebook and these elderly are becoming more internet savvy and Facebook is a popular social network among them. To reach our targeted market, we will set up a Facebook page for Nestlà © MindFit Silver, and will post updates on our latest promotions, contests, events and generate thread discussion. Our aim is that more elderly can be linked to our Facebook page, to learn more about our products, and share their feedback on our product. We believed that an integrated marketing communications (IMC) can produce stronger message consistency and greater sales impacts as it forces management to think about every way the customers comes in contact with our product. IMC should improve our companys ability to reach the right customers with the right messages at the right time and in the right place. (Kotler et al, 2009).