Positioning and Communication

A large proportion of overweight people have been trying to lose their weight in every possible way. However, not every attempt was successful. Due to that, the pharmaceutical industry has been developing and testing a large variety of medicines that are specifically made to help people with weight issues. One of the newest drugs on the market is Metabical, a prescription drug developed by Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceuticals (CSP). Based on the results from clinical trials, Metabical has been proven effective for weight loss of overweight people.The question is how willMetabicalbe introduced to the market? PULL MARKETING The main idea was to advertise Metabical directly to consumers in order to increase the awareness of the product. This strategy was based on pull marketing where the purpose was to attract the customers and make them approach the supplier or seller tlrst It is not an assertive way ot marketing in comparison to push marketing where a seller calls potential customers on the telephone asking whether they would like to purchase a product they might not actually need.In 1997, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has reduced restrictions on direct-to-consumer-advertising concerning drugs. Therefore, the effect of the pull marketing was tremendously positive for the pharmaceutical industry. (Buckley 2003). It is also visible in a study made by Prevention magazine, where doctors whose patients came and asked for a medicine that they had previously seen being advertised, had the tendency to prescribe that same brand of medicine (even though they had different alternatives in mind). Following pull marketing, the strategy included: advertisements on the internet, television and radio.Moreover, print media was being distributed at the same time as the drug was being launched. This distributionwas continued in the same manner throughoutthe first year of the campaign in order to maintain the brand awareness on a high level. After the initial advertisement strategy, additional 100 000 health care pamphlets were distributed. These pamphletscontained a reply card which, if sent, would provide the sender with a sample of the product. The goal behind this campaign was to show the potential customers that Metabical is suitable for people belonging to the BMI range of 25-30.Body Mass index (BMI) is the most common index used for comparing weight and height. The calculations resents whether the weight is appropriate for the person's height. If the weight is not appropriate,the person can fall in the group of overweight or underfed (Tim J Cole 2000). As mentioned in the article, an abundanceof weight loss pills were made for obese or severely obese people. However, the group of people with the BMI ranging from 25-30 were not suitable for these pillswhich, consequently, did not have any effect on their weight loss.Additionally, CPS has developed a support programme which will not only help in weight reduction but also help maintaining the heal thy lifestyle. One of their key concepts in the campaign was: â€Å"Losing weight is tough. You don't have to do it alone. Let Metabical and your health care provider start you on the road to a healthy weight and better life. † Regarding the support programme, Printup has developed an online contest to attract more customers to buy theproduct and participate in the contest to win a prize. In this contest each user can Join in and compete with other users in reducing BMIs by the highest percentage.Not only Printup was making advertisements for consumers, she also developed a strategy to target medical community where advertisements were placed on online edical websites and also printed out in well-known medical Journals. Several events were organized especially for medical experts prior to the product launch, one of which was a roundtable discussion. In order to spread the word of the discussion, coverage of this event was done by leading news organizations.

Racial disparity Essay

Prevalence of racial disparity in the criminal justice system is most troubling and critical problem for criminal justice executives as it directly affects the people. The safety and liberty of American people depend on integrity of American justice system but racial discrimination in the criminal justice system impairs this integrity, which in turn harms American people directly. So this is the most critical dilemma facing the criminal justice system managers at present. The causes of this racial discrimination are both subtle and intricate and are not easy to locate. However it is obvious that fault does not lie with American criminal laws but these are implemented in a manner that is substantially and pervasively biased. Certain factors external to American criminal laws like personal discretion, natural proclivity and mental approach of the people that responsible to implement these laws, also collaborate rendering distortion of these laws. This institutional materialization of racial discrimination in the justice system is the most critical people predicament facing mangers of American criminal justice system. Although certain legal reform has been suggested by various sector but past history manifests that criminal justice manager cannot simply legislate to put an end to this problem. Some concrete measure should be undertaken by criminal justice manager to solve this problem rather than redefining criminal justice system.

Elements of the Marketing Mix Essay

This case will study describe the elements of the marketing mix. These four elements include product, place, price and promotion. This paper will include a description of how an organization’s marketing strategy is affected by the four elements of the marketing mix. Another aspect that this paper will include is a description of how each element is implemented in the company. One more topic that this paper will describe is the organizations name and industry in which it exists. The marketing mix is defined as a mixture of several ideas and plans followed by a marketing representative to promote a particular product or brand. Several concepts and ideas are combined together to formulate final strategies helpful in making a brand popular amongst the masses to form the marketing mix (â€Å"Marketing Mix – Meaning and Its Elements†, n.d.). The elements of the marketing mix are often called the four P’s of marketing (Perreault, Cannon, & McCarthy, 2011). First, Product is defined as goods that are manufactured by organizations for the consumer. Products can be two types, tangible and intangible. A product in a market place is something which a seller sells to the buyers in exchange for money. Price is defined as the money which a buyer pays for a product. The price of a product is indirectly proportional to its availability in the market. If a product is not readily available then the price goes up (â€Å"Marketing Mix – Meaning and Its Elements†, n.d.). Place refers to the location where the products are available and can be sold or purchased. Here one is exposed to a physical building, or store, or one can purchase items on the internet. Finally, the fourth element is promotion. Promotion refers to the various strategies and ideas implemented by the marketers to make the consumer aware of their product (â€Å"Marketing Mix – Meaning and Its Elements†, n.d.). Today’s market is huge and there is an abundant variety of products available. Frito Lay is a multi-national  corporation that is predominantly in the salty snack business. Frito Lay aims its market strategy at both the mass market and target markets alike. This food driven company does have some strengths such as its renowned reliability, high quality control and markets its product as convenient fun foods. The products that Frito Lay generates have consumers in mind that particularly buy snack foods as a leisure item. Their packing and branding is targeting a consumer that wants to snack on the go or during lunch with a sandwich. With this in mind, the organizations marketing strategy uses all four of the marketing mix very well. Frito Lay sells a wide variety of chips form Ruffles to Lays, Cheetos to Doritos and Tostitos to Funyions. These products satisfy many customers’ needs for fun snacking. In the Product element, packaging is also very important when keeping the consumer satisfied. Bright colors are used to catch the eye when they design the bags that carry all of their brands. In the Place element, the product is highly visible in that one can purchase said items and every convenience store in the marketplace. Not only is the product in just about every UDS store but in vending machines and supermarkets. The channel of distribution is very important to deliver these products to the consumer and Frito Lay has an excellent distribution system in place. The third element, Promotion, targets new customers and retaining current customers. Many people have heard the phrase â€Å"no one can eat just one.† This catch phrase was designed for Lays potato chips and hasn’t been used in years, but just about everybody has heard that. That is advertising at its finest. The use of mass selling techniques has been advantageous to Frito Lay. The fourth â€Å"P† is Price and that obviously plays an important part in Frito’s model. Frito Lays strategy is to stay competitive with other salty snack manufacturers and their price points. Their target price is also directed at young adults and children. Each element in the marketing mix is used very well by Frito Lay. The products that this corporation sells to the consumer vary from salty snacks to cookies and even beef jerky. Frito Lay guarantees freshness for its product and delivers a price point that is competitive to just about any consumer. In the channels of distribution process it is important to get a food item to the retailer in a timely manner as the food item can spoil. The freshness guarantee that Frito Lay offers dictates that the salty snack has a shelf life of about a month for most products and the  products need to be removed from the shelves if they do not sell. Because of this model, the delivery system promotes efficiency when sold and distributed to each retailer. Promotions are huge with Frito Lay as they spend millions for point of sale coupons and retail discounts. Not only is there retail push for sales but Frito Lay spends millions on advertising. Advertising can be seen in standard commercials to big budget commercials during super bowl ads. These methods of communication are geared at mass selling and are very effective. Finally, the Price element is important to Frito Lay as the market price for materials goes up so does the price of their products. To circumvent these price hikes, Frito Lay will lower the content volume in the bag and not raise the price. In other instances, they will raise the price by ten cents and remove the price on the bag for a short period of time. The idea is to trick the consumer into believing the price is the same. In all the instances, Frito Lay has a business model that is very effective and has endured for many years. By understanding the similarities and differences between these elements one can understand how a corporation uses the marketing mix to their advantage. The four elements are critical to understand the very nature of the consumer and the retailer. This case study shows that it is important to understand the marketing mix business model as it pertains everyone and final user. References Marketing Mix – Meaning and its Elements. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://managementstudyguide.com/marketing-mix.htm Perreault, W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, J. (2011). Basic Marketing. A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collectioon database.

Ebola Internet Scavenger Hunt Essay

Then click on the menu button Ebola Hemorragic Fever Distribution Map Where do most of the Ebola outbreaks seem to occur? Most seem to occur in the Congo and Uganda. Now go back to the first page and click on Information on Ebola hemorrhagic fever Read through this fact sheet. What did you find interesting about Ebola? I found it interesting that Ebola has no carrier stat and because of the natural reservoir of the virus is unknown, the manner in which it first appears in a human at the start of an outbreak has not been determined! On the first page again, click on the menu Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in the For Travelers section. What are some of the modes of transmission that are discussed? Some modes of transportation are On the first page again, click on the menu History of Ebola Outbreaks in Outbreak notices. Where and when were the most recent outbreaks? The most recent outbreak was in Uganda in May of 2011. How many people were affected? 1 person was affected. On the first page again, click on Info for Airline Personnel in the Prevention Information section. Read through this. What is the potential for airline workers, TSA screeners and passengers? It has the potential for person to person spread. Transmissions to humans may occur through direct contact with blood or body fluids. We are all familiar with the TSA pat down and screening procedures. It has been reported that TSA screeners do not often change gloves between pat downs unless the passenger specifically requests them to do so. What is the threat to passengers if screeners do not use good sanitary practices when screening passengers and luggage? What about other diseases like smallpox, MRSA, influenza, bird flu, and other deadly and potentially viruses and diseases? The threat to passengers to is very high and at a greater risk as well as other diseases. It best to ask the TSA screeners to obtain new gloves and wash hands when being screened. They should be switched from person to person but that does not happed everytime.

Project Report on Dabur Company Essay

Declaration By Candidate I wish to state that the work embodied in this project titled â€Å"Financial Modeling Of Dabur† forms my own contribution to management carried out at Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute Of Management Studies & Research Chembur, Mumbaiunder the guidance of Mr.DheerajVaidya, Director, Corporate Bridge Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. Wherever references have been made to intellectual properties of any individuals/ institute/ government/ private/ public bodies/ universities, research paper, text books, reference books, archives of newspapers, corporate, individuals, and any other source of intellectual properties viz., speeches, quotations, conference proceedings, extracts from the websites etc they have been clearly indicated, duly acknowledged and included in the Bibliography. Signature of the candidate Acknowledgment I would like to express my profound gratitude to all those who have been instrumental in the preparation of my project report. On the onset, I would like to thank the organization â€Å"Corporate Bridge Consultancy Pvt.Ltd.† for providing me the opportunity to undertake this summer internship and allowing me to explore the area of valuation and financial modeling, which was totally new for me and which would prove out to be very beneficial in my future assignments, studies and career. I wish to place on records, my deep sense of gratitude for my project guide, Mr.DheerajVaidya, director of corporate bridge consultancy pvt. Ltd. for continuous guidance and encouragement provided to me throughout my internship period. Table Of Contents SR. NO.| CONTENTS| PAGE NO.| 1| Executive Summary| | 2| About Corporate Bridge | | 3| Objective Of Study| | 4| | | 5| Industry Profile| | 6| Company Profile | | | Introduction Of Financial Modeling| | 7| Micro-Economical Factors| | 8| Understanding The Financial Statements | | 9| Research Methodology| | 10| Observations| | 11| Suggestions| | 12| Conclusion| | 13| Appendix| | 14| Bibliography| | 15| | | 16| | | 17| | | 18| | | 19| | | 20| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Indian economy is the fastest growing economy in the world. Indian companies are growing at faster rate in terms of revenue, expansion and global existence. Due to significant growth shareholders are benefitted by good dividend and return on investments in share market. In the last decade equity has given the best return and still the growth phase is continued. But retail investor has also lost his hard earned money due to lack of knowledge and awareness of the equity market. Without knowledge in equity market and trading on tips it become gambling instead of smart investment. Here the role of financial modeling and valuation of securities begins to find out the intrinsic value of the stock, whether it is overvalued or undervalued. Based on the research findings equity analyst recommends whether to buy, sell or hold the stock. In this report I have explained Financial Modeling of Dabur Company. This report begins with the understanding the present micro and macro-economic condition and how they affect the growth of the country. It discusses the present economic indicators and expected growth of India and FMCG industry in the future. The report further analyse financial statements of the Dabur Company. By using historical data and making some assumptions, calculations future earnings are forecasted. After that using DCF valuation we find out intrinsic value and Relative valuation used to compare Dabur with his peers. Hence, this report is an attempt to comprehensively study of Financial Modeling And Valuation Of Dabur Company. About Corporate Bridge Corporate Bridge Group is formed by graduates from leading institutes (IITs, IIMs & AIM). â€Å"Corporate Bridge† as the name suggest, helps in bridging the gap between the aspiring entrant and the corporate world. Corporate Bridge is globally recognized training firm, providing blend of instructor-led and online financial training programs along with e-learning services. With Corporate Bridge’s entrepreneurial spirit coupled with unparalleled experience (CLSA India, KPMG, YES Bank, JPMorgan, SBI Capital Markets, CRISIL etc) and comprehensive capabilities (MBA, CFA, FRM, CAs) across all industries and business functions, we commit to deliver a world class professional training and learning services that continues improving knowledge efficiency. Corporate Bridge Group; has two verticals â€Å"Educorporatebridge† and â€Å"Elearninglabz† *   EduCorporateBridge deals with Online and Instructor Lead Training Programs in various financial courses viz. Equity Research, Wealth Management, Technical Analysis Investment banking, Private Equity, Fundamental Analysis, Investment Research, Credit Research etc and preparatory courses like CFA Level I & II and FRM Level I & II, Campus Placement Trainings Elearninglabz solution portfolio consists of custom e-content development for training and learning needs in collaboration with our clients and subject matter specialist, custom Learning Management System (LMS) suite, Test & Assessment solutions. Industry Overview The Indian FMCG sector is the fourth largest in the Indian economy and has a market size of $13.1 billion. This industry primarily includes the production, distribution and marketing of consumer packaged goods, that is those categories of products which are consumed at regular intervals. The sector is growing at rapid pace with well-established distribution networks and intense competition between the organized and unorganized segments. It has a strong and competitive MNC presence across the entire value chain. The FMCG’s promising market includes middle class and the rural segments of the Indian population, and give brand makers the opportunity to convert them to branded products. It includes food and beverage, personal care, pharmaceuticals, plastic goods, paper and stationery and household products etc. India, Asia’s third largest economy, saw urban consumers spend less in calendar year 2012 due to high inflation, muted salary hikes, and slowing economic growth that affected both real wages and sentiment. During 2012, the overall slowdown in the economy has begun to affect the FMCG sector with companies posting deceleration in volume growth in the recent quarterly results. Discretionary spending has been hit severely due to the ongoing slowdown. The prevailing high inflation level is also a cause of concern for the sector. The trends seen in 2012 are likely to accelerate in 2013. Growth will come from rural dwellers that are expected to see a rise in disposable incomes due to the direct cash transfer scheme, while urban consumers will continue to be affected by the macroeconomic environment. The consumer products industry has been growing at a brisk pace in the past few years backed by robust economic growth and rising rural income. Growth drivers such as premiumization, rapid urbanization, evolving consumer lifestyles and emergence of modern trade have shielded the industry from the slowdown. The consumer products or the Fast Moving Consumer goods (FMCG) sector is valued at Rs 1.6 trillion (Source: Nielsen). The industry is urban-centric with 66% share of the goods being consumed by urban India. Metropolitan cities & small towns (population of 1-10 lakh) have been driving the FMCG consumption in urban India since 2002. In fact middle India, comprising of the small towns and consuming 20% of overall FMCG sales, has been growing the fastest across rural and urban segments. As per Nielsen, the FMCG market size of middle India is set to expand from Rs 287 bn in 2010 to over Rs 4 trillion by 2026. Rural India, where 70% of the population resides but only 34% consume FMCG goods, presents the biggest market potential for the industry. Backed by low unit packs and aggressive distribution reach, rural market size has expanded four times to Rs 564 bn since 2002. Companies such as Hindustan Unilever and Dabur which derive nearly half their sales from rural India have been increasing their reach. FMCG goods are retailed through two primary sales channels – General Trade and Modern Trade. General Trade comprising of the ubiquitous kirana stores is the largest sales channel forming 95% of overall retail sales. However, growth of consumer goods retailed through Modern Trade channel is outpacing the growth of FMCG products in General Trade. Factors such as a comfortable and modern store experience, access to a wide variety of categories and brands under a single roof and compelling value-for-money deals are attracting consumers to organized retail in a big way. But modern trade is still an urban phenomenon with 17 key metros contributing to 73% of overall modern trade in India. Product categories such as packaged rice, liquid toilet soaps, floor cleaners, breakfast cereals, air fresheners & mosquito repellent equipment have a higher penetration in modern trade channel. Despite the relatively recent performance of private label products in India, it is already close to 7% of modern trade sales. Modern Trade is expected to gain greater importance with opening up of foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail. The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is expected to benefit the sector immensely by reducing the overall incidence of taxation. GST aims to reduce the cascading effect by replacing a multitude of indirect taxes such as central excise, service tax, VAT and inter-state sales tax with a single GST rate. Moreover, FMCG companies will be able to optimize logistics and distribution costs in the GST era. The resulting cost savings by the companies can be passed on to the final consumer thereby boosting demand. However the implementation of GST has currently been put on the backburner by the government. FMCG Industry size (India) * Of the entire FMCG sector, Food is 52%, Non-Food at 45% and OTC 3% * Growth being driven by increasing consumption led by rise in incomes, changing lifestyles and favourable demographics. * FMCG industry expected  to grow in mid to high teens going ahead. * In the last decade the FMCG sector has grown at an average of 11% a year; in the last five years, annual growth accelerated to 17%. * FMCGs are slowly and gradually positioning and deeply penetrating in the fast growing rural market. The Rural mind set is open to consumption of newer, more contemporary food categories and as a result, drive consistent growth. FMCG industry to be Rs.4000-6000 billion industry by 2020. * Indian rural market currently worth US$ 9 bn is expected to become a US$ 100 bn opportunity by 2025. * By 2025, total consumption is likely to quadruple making India the 5th largest consumer market. * The FMCG sector in India continues on a strong growth path with both urban and rural India contributing to its growth. Rural India contributes one third of FMCG sales in India. * Growth driven by increasing consumption led by rise in incomes, changing lifestyles and favourable demographics. * Rural India accounts for more than 700 Million consumers or 70% of the Indian population andaccounts for 40% of the total FMCG market. * The Rural market is a large market space with very low organized player penetration. Across the globe, the Indian rural market is probably the single largest â€Å"unit† of opportunity also with changing lifestyle and increasing consumer demand, the Indian FMCG market is expected to cross $80 billion by 2026 in towns with population of up to 10 lakhs. * The sector has a tremendous opportunity for growth in India, with the growing population, the rising incomes, education and urbanization, the advent of modern retail, and a consumption driven society. Source: credit suisse * According to credit suisse report, FMCG growth was 14% in the rural market and 16% in the urban market during the quarter ended December 2011; for the quarter ended March 2013, while growth in the urban market improved to 17%, it rose even higher, to 18%, in the rural market. Industry Classification and Performance Three well-identified sets of players operate within a highly developed and intenselycompetitive landscape of the Indian FMCG market. 1. Foreign players who are present through their subsidiaries such as Unilever, P&G, Nestle and PepsiCo 2. Strong Indian players with established national presence such as Marico, Dabur and Godrej Consumer Products. 3. Regional or small domestic players, such as Ajanta, Anchor, CavinKare etc., who are presentin a few regions of the country apart from these, there are regional and small-scale FMCG players such as small teaproducers and organic food producers, who mainly compete by offering low-priced products withsimilar looks or packaging compared to the bigger brands, to the ‘right consumers’ typicallybased in rural areas or in small towns. These players with lower corporate overheads andclear focus on specific consumer requirements have a competitive edge over larger FMCG players. Growth Drivers Government Policies and Regulatory Framework * Investment Approval: Automatic investment approval up to 100 per cent foreign equity forNRI and overseas corporate bodies. These investments are allowed in food processingsegments such as coffee and tea. * FDI in organized retail: India currently allows 100 per cent FDI in Cash & Carry segment and51% in single-brand retail, which is expected to be further increased to 100%. India is also expected to allow 51% FDI in multi-brand retail, which will boost the nascent organized retail market in the country. * Priority Sector: The Government of India recognizes food processing and agro industries aspriority sectors. * Relaxation of license rules: Industrial licenses are not required for almost all food and agro-processing industries, barring certain items such as beer, potable alcohol and wines, cane sugar, and hydrogenated animal fats and oils as well as items reserved for exclusive manufacturing in the small-scale sector. * Statutory Minimum Price: In October 2009, the government amended the Sugarcane ControlOrder, 1966, and replaced the Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) of  sugarcane with Fair andRemunerative Price (FRP) and the State- Advised Price (SAP). Opportunities in the FMCG Sector: Segment Overview: Segment Overview: Household Care * The detergents segment dominates the household care segment and has been growing at an annual growth rate of 10- 11% in the past five years. * The Household care segment is plagued by intense competition and high level of penetration. With rapid urbanization, emergence of small pack sizes and sachets is picking up * Local and unorganized players account for a major share of the total volume ofthe detergent market. Segment Overview: Personal Care Local and unorganised players account for a major share of the total volume ofthe detergent market The detergent segment dominates the household care segment and has been growing at an annual growth rate of 10-11% in the past five years. The Household care segment is plaguedby intense competition and high level ofpenetration. With rapid urbanization,emergence of small pack sizes andsachets is picking up. Segment Overview: Food and Beverages The Food and Beverages segment comprises of the food processingindustry,health beverage industry, breadand biscuits, chocolates & confectionery,Mineral Water and ice creams. The three largest consumed categories ofpackaged foods are packed tea biscuitsand soft drinks. The Indian hot beverage market isdominated by tea and the major share ofthe tea market is dominated byunorganized players. Dabur India Limited overview * Established in 1884 – more than 127 years of Trust & Excellence * Among top 4 FMCG companies in India * World’s largest in Ayurveda and natural healthcare * Revenue of r US$1 Billion (Rs 5,283 Crore) and Market Capitalisation of US$4 Billion (Rs 20,000 Crore) * Wide distribution network covering 3.4 million retailers across the country * 23 world class manufacturing plants catering to needs of diverse markets * Strong overseas presence with 30% contribution to consolidated sales * Dabur India is also a world leader in Ayurveda with a portfolio of over 250 Herbal/Ayurvedic products. * Headquarters: Kaushambi Ghaziabad – 201010 Uttar Pradesh, India * Top management: Dr. AnandBurman (Chairman) Mr.AmitBurman (Vice-Chairman) Mr. Sunil Duggal (CEO) * Employees approximately 3000 Key players at FMCG: Company| Key categories| Hindustan Unilever Ltd| Soaps, Detergents, Personal Care, Foods| Nestle India Ltd| Food, Beverages, Infant Nutrition| Dabur India Ltd| Personal, Health &Homecare, Foods| Godrej Consumer| Hair Care, Soaps| Colgate Palmolive Ltd| Oral Care & Toiletries| GlaxoSmithkline Consumer| Consumer Health Care| Marico Ltd.| Hair care, Food, Skincare| Procter & Gamble | Feminine Hygiene personal care| Britannia Industries Ltd| Biscuits| PEST Analysis Political * Stable political government. * Restrictions in import policies. * Rise in customs duty on petrol & diesel. * Partial withdrawal of stimulus packages Economical * Inflation rate * Decreased GDP * Increase in disposable income. * Indian FMCG Recorded 16% Sales Growth in last fiscal. The FMCG sector is the4thlargest sector of Indian economy with market size of more than 60,000crore Social * Rising rural India. * Consumerism. * Demography Technological * Research and development intensity * Information technology COMPETITOR ANALYSIS The key competitors are KeoKarpin, Emami, Bajaj, Marico, HLL which together with Dabur have about 64% of India’s domestic market. Emami: HimaniNavratan oil and Himani Oil. Emami has taken Madhuri Dixit as brand ambassador for emami oil and Amitabh Bachchan for Himami Navratan Oil. Overall it has a share of 4% in hair oil market. Bajaj: Bajaj Brahmi Amla and Bajaj Almond Drops currently have a value share of 19 per cent and 12 per cent in their respective oil categories as per ORG-Marg. Besides, the company has also decided to enhance its retail presence by nearly 20 per cent from the existing 5 lakh retail outlets in an attempt to reach the rural parts. Maricos: Parachute is premium edible grade oil, a  market leader in its category. Synonymous with pure coconut oil in the market, Parachute is positioned on the platform of purity. In fact over time it has become the gold standard for purity. Parachute’s primary target has been women of all ages. The brand has a huge loyalty, not only in the urban sections of India but also in the rural sector. It has a market share of 28%. HUL It has two products, Clinic plus Hair Oil and All Clear Clinic Hair Oil. Overall it has a 3%share in hair oil market. The key competitors of Dabur in the Chyawanprash segment are Baidyanath, Zandu andHimani, which together with Dabur have about 85% of India’s domestic market. DaburChyawanprash (herbal honey) has a market share of 61%.We have tried to analyse the competition for Dabur in the Chyawanprash segment as follows: SWOT Analysis STRENGTH * Strong presence in well defined niches( like value added Hair Oil and Ayurveda specialties) * Core knowledge of Ayurveda * Strong Brand Image * Distribution Network, Extensive Supply Chain, IT Initiatives and R & D| WEAKNESS * Seasonal demand like chyawanprash in winter * High price Vatika * Limited differentiation in some products like vatika| OPPORTUNITIES * Export opportunities * Increasing demand by people * Market development| THREATS * Existing competition like Zandu, Himani, Baidyanath * New entrant threats from substitutes like Bryllcream for vatika hair oil| Dabur: Strong Presence in FMCG Categories Category| Position| Market share| Key Brands| Hair Care| 3| 12%| DaburAmla hair Oil, Vatika hair oil &Vatika Shampoos| Oral Care| 3| 13%| Red toothpaste, Babool, Meswak, Red toothpowder| Skin Care| 3| 7%| DaburGulabari, Fem| AyurvedicTonics| 1| 67%| DaburChyawanprash| Digestives| 1| 56%| Hajmola| Fruit Juices| 1| 52%| Real Fruit Juices, Real Activ| Honey| 1| 50%| Dabur Honey| Glucose| 2| 25%| Dabur Glucose| Segment wise Market share of Dabur International business * Focus markets: * Egypt * Nigeria * Turkey * Bangladesh * Nepal * U.S. * Leveraging the â€Å"Natural† preference among local consumers to increase share in personal care categories * High level of localization of manufacturing and sales and marketing * Sustained investments in brand building and marketing â€Å"Domestic FMCG companies such as Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL), Marico and Dabur have grown at a robust pace of 20% average annual growth over the last five years. In a bid to expand their businesses further, these companies acquired several foreign brands and companies. Consequently, the share of the international sales to their total revenue has increased. The chart of the day shows that between FY06 and FY12, the contribution of international sales has increased substantially for most FMCG companies. However, the benefit at the top line has failed to percolate at the bottom line. Sometimes, acquired brands take a long time to break-even. Hair-styling brand Code 10 acquired by Marico in 2010 and Dabur’s Namaste acquisition in 2011 continue to remain in red. However, GCPL has seen reasonable success with several acquisitions such as Megasari in Indonesia, Darling Group in Africa and Cosmetica National. This may be on account of the fact that GCPL has focused on product acquisitions in which it has a strong core presence. â€Å" Growth Strategy: Three Growth Strategies Acquire Innovate Expand Expand * Strengthening presence in existing categories and markets as well entering new geographies * Maintain dominant share in categories where we are category builders like Health Supplements, Honey etc. and expand market shares in other categories * Calibrated international expansion – local manufacturing pp y y g and supply chain to enhance flexibility/ reduce response time to change in market demands Innovate * Strong focus on innovation. Have rolled out new variants & products which have contributed to around 5-6% of our growth p.a. * Renovation of existing products to respond to changing demands (Toothpowder to Toothpaste) Acquire * Acquisitions critical for building scale in existing categories & markets * Should be synergistic and make a good strategic fit * Target opportunities in our focus markets Acquisitions of Hobi Group, Turkey * Acquisition of Hobi Group, Turkey for a total consideration of US$ 69 Million completed on October 7, 2010 * Hobi manufactures and markets hair, skin and body care products under the brands Hobby and New Era * Product range of the company is complementary to our product range * Acquisition provides an entry into another attractive emerging market and a good platform to leverage this across the region Acquisitions of Namaste Laboratories * Dabur India Limited through its subsidiary Dabur International Limited acquired 100% stake in Namaste Laboratories LLC for $100 million, in an all-cash deal on January 1, 2011 * Namaste is a leading ethnic hair care products company, having products for women of colour, with revenues of $95 million from US, Europe, Middle East and African markets * The company markets a portfolio of hair care products under the brand ‘Organic Root Stimulator’ and has a strong presence in ethnic hair care market for women of colour. * Acquisition to enable entry into Ethnic Hair Care products market valued at more than US$1.5 billion and tap into significant market opportunity in the fast growing * At an acquisition price of $100 million, the deal value is at 1.1x Sales and 8.3x EBITDA Porters Industry Analysis: Supply:| Abundant supply through a distribution network of over 8 m stores across the country. Distribution networks are being beefed up to penetrate the rural areas. HUL has tripled rural network in 2011 and Dabur wants to double rural reach by FY13.| Demand:| Being items of daily consumption, demand is least impacted by economic slowdown.| Barriers to entry:| Huge investments in setting up distribution networks and promoting brands and competition from established companies.| Bargaining power of suppliers:| Inputs being mostly agri-commodities, the suppliers are numerous and lack scale to wield bargaining power. Companies like ITC that are integrated backwards have lower dependence on suppliers. | Bargaining power of customers:| Customer does not have bargaining power in case of branded products but intense competition within the FMCG companies results in value for money deals for consumers. | Competition:| Competition is faced from domestic unorganized players and established MNC’s. Price wars are a common phenomenon. Private labels offered by retailers at a discount to mainframe brands act as competition to undifferentiated and weak brands.| | Financial year 2013-2014 | With consumer spending remaining healthy, value growth in FMCG sales were over 18% in 2012-13 (Source: Nielsen). All the frontline FMCG companies registered double-digit sales growth during the year. Companies like Dabur, Godrej Consumer Products and Marico posted over 25% topline growth aided by brisk rise in overseas revenues. | | The rural markets continued to lead demand in personal care and oral care products. According to Nielsen’s data, rural sales in washing powder, hair oil and shampoo each contributed more than a third of the overall category sales in FY2012-13. Sales growth in rural markets surpassed that in urban markets in more than 50% of the FMCG categories. Nielsen has projected the size of the rural market to grow ten folds to $ 100 bn by 2025. | | In FY2012-13, margins of FMCG companies were hit by unprecedented increase in price of crude and other commodities. As crude price spiralled above $100 a barrel, price of input crude-derivatives, transportation/freight and packaging costs increased sharply. Advertisement and promotional spends remained high on account of heightened competitive activity. The companies effected judicious price increases and also reduced the packet sizes and stock-keeping units (SKUs). Hence the growth seen by FMCG companies was mostly volume led. The reduction in surcharge from 7.5% to 5% and hike in the base MAT kept effective tax rates unchanged during the year.| | Prospects| | | Household spending on FMCG goods has not witnessed any pressure so far. But going forward, a deficient monsoon is likely to impact farm income and thereby rural spending in the short term. Even in urban India, discretionary spending can get impacted by lower salary hikes and food inflation re-surfacing on poor rainfall. This is more likely to result in down-trading by consumers. | | FMCG companies have been reaping the benefit of waning inflation and series of price-hikes taken earlier. But with the ‘New Standard Packaging’ rules coming into effect in November 2012, the companies will no longer be able to hold prices by reducing the grammage sold. High base-effect in price levels and fears of hurting demand is likely to prevent companies from raising prices substantially. Apart from absorbing higher input costs, FMCG companies may have to bear expenses to bring their  products in line with the new packaging rules. Additionally, even rising competition is expected to keep brand investments by companies high through increased ad-spends and promotional expenses. Therefore, profitability of FMCG companies may witness short-term pain. | | But long term demand potential of FMCG goods remains robust. According to International Labour Organisation, India will have the highest working age population in the world by 2020. The National Council of Applied Economic Research projects the proportion of middle class population to swell from 13.1% at present to 37.2% by 2025-26. Increase in working-age population and rising middle class will translate into higher purchasing power & boost consumerism. Higher penetration and evolution in consumption pattern will drive rural demand. The FMCG sector is expected to reach market size of $ 74 bn by 2018 (Source: FICCI).| | Introduction Of Financial ModelingFinancial modeling refers to the process through which a company builds up a financial representation of some, or even all aspects of the company or the given security. The financial model is generally featured by performing calculations, and making recommendations on the basis of that information. Moreover, the model might also prà ©cis specific events for the end user in addition to providing direction regarding possible alternatives or actions.Theoretically, a financial model is a set of assumptions about future business conditions that drive projections of a company’s revenue, earnings, cash flows and balance sheet accounts. In practice, a financial model is a spreadsheet (usually in Microsoft’s Excel software) that analysts use to forecast a company’s future financial performance. Properly projecting earnings and cash flows into the future is important since the intrinsic value of a stock depends largely on the outlook for financial performance of the issuing company. A financial model spreadsheet usually looks like a table of financial data organized into fiscal quarters and/or years. Each column of the table represents the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement of a  future quarter or year. The rows of the table represent all the line items of the company’s financial statements, such as revenue, expenses, share count, capital expenditures and balance sheet accounts. Like financial statements, one generally reads the model from the top to the bottom, or revenue through earnings and cash flows. History as a Guide When trying to predict the future, a good place to start is the past. Therefore, a good first step in building a model is to fully analyze a set of historical financial data and link projections to the historical data as a base for the model. If a company has generated gross margins in the 40% to 45% range for the past ten years, then it might be acceptable to assume that, with other things being equal, a margin of this level is sustainable into the future. Consequently, the historical track record of gross margin can become somewhat of a basis for a future income projection. Analysts are always smart to examine and analyze historical trends in revenue growth, expenses, capital expenditures and other financial metrics before attempting to project financial results into the future. For this reason, financial model spreadsheets usually incorporate a set of historical financial data and related analytical measures from which analysts derive assumptions and projections.Macro-economical Factors: 1. Mid-Quarter Monetary Policy Review: June 2013Monetary and Liquidity MeasuresOn the basis of an assessment of the current macroeconomic situation, RBI has been decided to: * keep the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks unchanged at 4.0 per cent of their net demand and time liabilities; and * keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 7.25 per cent.Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF wi ll remain unchanged at 6.25 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 8.25 per cent.2. The above monetary policy stance has been informed by the evolving growth-inflation dynamic, the balance of risks as well as recent developments in the external sector.3. Since the Reserve Bank’s Annual Policy statement in May, global economic activity has slowed and risks remain elevated, most recently on account of uncertainty over policies of systemic central banks. On the domestic front, macroeconomic conditions remain weak, hamstrung by infrastructure bottlenecks, supply constraints, lacklustre domestic demand and subdued investment sentiment. Inflation has  moderated as projected. However, upside pressures on the way forward from the pass-through of rupee depreciation, recent increases in administered prices and persisting imbalances, especially relating to food, pose risks of second-round effects. As recent experience has shown, shifts in global market sentiment can trigger sudden stop and reversal of capital from a broad swath of emerging economies, swiftly amplifying risks to the outlook. India is not an exception.Global Economy4. Global growth has been patchy and uneven. Among advanced economies (AEs), during Q1 of 2013, growth in US and Japan improved while that in the euro area contracted. Growth in most emerging and developing economies (EDEs) has been relatively resilient, although in some large emerging economies, sluggish external demand and stalled domestic investment are dragging down economic activity. Inflation has been easing in the AEs due to weak demand conditions. EDEs, however, present a mixed picture: inflation remains elevated in the BRICS except China. Commodity prices, other than the price of crude, have generally softened in recent months.Domestic EconomyGrowth In May, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) reported India’s GDP growth in Q4 of 2012-13 of 4.8 per cent, a marginal improvement over the previous quarter. During the current financial year, the growth of industrial production decelerated to 2.3 per cent in April after picking up in the preceding month. All constituent categories of industry have slowed, with a persistent contraction in mining activity. The sharp weakening in the growth of capital goods production points to still damped investment demand whereas a pick-up in consumer non-durables could be indicative of a fragile return of consumer confidence. On the other hand, the services sector purchasing managers’ index rose in May on order flows. The onset of the south-west monsoon has been strong and on time.InflationHeadline WPI inflation eased for three months in succession with the May reading at 4.7 per cent, down from an average of 7.4 per cent in 2012-13. All constituent categories, barring food, have moderated. In the fuel category, coal and mineral oil prices declined, partly offsetting the upward revision in administered prices of electricity. Non-food manufactured products inflation too ebbed, driven by metal prices which fell for the eighth successive month in response to softening of global prices. Still ele vated food inflation, particularly in respect of cereals and vegetables, sustained upside pressures on overall  inflation. Retail inflation, as measured by the new combined (rural and urban) CPI, edged down from an average of 10.2 per cent last fiscal year to 9.3 per cent in May.Liquidity Conditions Net average daily borrowings under the LAF have declined gradually, from ` 1.2 trillion in March 2013 to ` 0.7 trillion in June 2013 so far (up to June 14) reflecting the sizable injection of primary liquidity through the reduction in the cash reserve ratio (CRR) in January, open market operations (OMO) purchases during Q4 of 2012-13, a significant reduction in the government’s cash balances with the Reserve Bank as well as two OMOs of ` 0.2 trillion in the current financial year so far. External Factors: The most significant development in the external sector has been the movement in the exchange rate. The rupee depreciated by 5.8 per cent against the US dollar during the current financial year up to June 14. It fell by 6.6 per cent during May 22-June 11 due to sell-off by foreign institutional investors, reflecting risk-off sentiment triggered by apprehensions of possible tapering off of quantitative easing by the US Fed. While the trade deficit has widened sharply due to a surge in festival-related/seasonal gold imports, available evidence suggests that a moderation in gold imports could be underway in June. Capital flows, which met the external financing requirement during April-May, moderated in June.Outlook At the global level, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned of non-trivial risks of the global economy encountering a soft patch in the months ahead. On the domestic front, last year’s robust rabi production and the monsoon performance so fa r augur well for growth prospects. The spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall over the next three months will be crucial in determining the performance of agriculture. The continuing weakness in manufacturing activity needs to be urgently reversed. Key to reinvigorating growth is accelerating investment by creating a conducive environment for private investment, improving project clearance and implementation and leveraging on the crowding-in role of public investment. On the inflation front, easing commodity prices at the global level and weaker pricing power of corporates at the domestic level are having a softening influence. Given that food inflation remains high, the inflation outlook will be influenced by concerted efforts to break food inflation persistence. The inflation outlook going forward will be determined by suppressed inflation being released through revisions in  administered prices, including the minimum support prices (MSP) as well as the recent depreciation of the rupee. Softer global commodity prices and recent measures to dampen gold imports are expected to moderate the CAD in 2013-14 from its level last year. The main challenge is to reduce the CAD to a sustainable level; the near-term challenge is to finance it through stable flows. The most recent number on the Centre’s fiscal deficit, at 4.9 per cent of GDP for 2012-13, has turned out better than expected and instils confidence in the Government’s commitment to contain the fiscal deficit for 2013-14 at 4.8 per cent. Perseverance with this consolidation should help in mitigating the twin deficit risks to the outlook. These positive developments, which have been acknowledged by international credit rating agencies, should have a favourable impact on invest or confidence.Current Account Deficit (CAD) woes: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its monetary policy cut the cash-reserve ratio (CRR) and repo rates by 25 basis points (0.25%). But at the same time it made very clear the various risks that the Indian economy faces. While inflation is certainly one of the key risks, the other equally worrying factor is the current account deficit (CAD). Indeed, in the above chart shows, CAD (as a % of GDP) has been continuously increasing over five consecutive quarters from July-September 2011 (2QFY12) to July-September 2012 (2QFY13). This is bound to have an adverse impact on the stability of the country’s exchange rate at a time when domestic growth has also been slowing down. What is more, the rise in imports has largely been on account of fuel and gold imports. This is of more worrying to the RBI, than had the high CAD been on account of import of capital goods. | Understanding Financial StatementIncome StatementAn income statement (US English) or profit and loss account (UK English) (also referred to as a profit and loss statement (P&L), revenue statement,statement of financial performance, earnings statement, operating statement, or statement of operations) is one of the financial statementsof a company and shows the company’s revenuesand expenses during a particular period.It indicates how the revenues (money received from the sale of products and services before expenses are taken out, also known as the â€Å"top line†) are transformed into the net income(the result after all revenues and expenses have been accounted for, also known as â€Å"net profit† or the â€Å"bottom line†). It displays the revenues recognized for a specific period, and  the costand expenses charged against these revenues, including write-offs (e.g., depreciation and amortization of various assets) and taxes.The purpose of the income statement is to show managers and investors whether the company made or lost money during the period being reported. The important thing to remember about an income statement is that it represents a period of time. This contrasts with the balance sheet, which represents a single moment in time.Balance SheetIn financial accounting, a balance sheet or statement of financial position is a summary of the financial balances of a sole proprietorship, abusiness partnership, a corporation or other business organization, such as an LLC or an LLP. Assets, liabilities and ownership equity are listed as of a specific date, such as the end of its financial year. A balance sheet is often described as a â€Å"snapshot of a company’s financial condition†. Of the four basic financial statements, the balance sheet is the only statement which applies to a single point in time of a business’ calendar year.A standard company balance sheet has three parts: assets, liabilities and ownership equity. The main categories of assets are usually listed first and typically in order of liquidity.Assets are f ollowed by the liabilities. The difference between the assets and the liabilities is known as equity or the net assetsor the net worth or capital of the company and according to the accounting equation, net worth must equal assets minus liabilities.Another way to look at the same equation is that assets equal liabilities plus owner’s equity. Looking at the equation in this way shows how assets were financed: either by borrowing money (liability) or by using the owner’s money (owner’s equity). Balance sheets are usually presented with assets in one section and liabilities and net worth in the other section with the two sections â€Å"balancing†.Cash Flow StatementIn financial accounting, a cash flow statement, also known as statement of cash flows, is a financial statementthat shows how changes inbalance sheetaccounts and income affect cash and cash equivalents, and breaks the analysis down to operating, investing, and financing activities. Essentially, the cash flow statement is concerned with the flow of cash in and out of the business. The statement captures both the current operating results and the accompanying changes in the balance sheet. As an analytical tool, the statement of cash flows is useful in determining the short-term viability of a company,  particularly its ability to pay bills. International Accounting Standard 7 (IAS 7), is the International Accounting Standardthat deals with cash flow statements.People and groups interested in cash flow statements include: * Accounting personnel, who need to know whether the organization will be able to cover payroll and other immediate expenses * Potential lendersor creditors, who want a clear picture of a company’s ability to repay * Potential investors, who need to judge whether the company is financially sound * Potential employees or contractors, who need to know whether the company will be able to afford compensation * Shareholders of the business.Th e cash flow statement is intended to 1. provide information on a firm’s liquidity and solvency and its ability to change cash flows in future circumstances 2. provide additional information for evaluating changes in assets, liabilities and equity 3. improve the comparability of different firms’ operating performance by eliminating the effects of different accounting methods 4. It indicates the amount, timing and probability of future cash flows.Working CapitalWorking capital (abbreviated WC) is a financial metric which represents operating liquidity available to a business, organization or other entity, including governmental entity. Along with fixed assets such as plant and equipment, working capital is considered a part of operating capital. Net working capital is calculated as current assets minus current liabilities. It is a derivation of working capital that is commonly used in valuation techniques such as DCFs (Discounted cash flows). If current assets are less than current liabilities, an entity has a working capital deficiency, also called a working capital deficit.A company can be endowed with assets and profitability but short of liquidity if its assets cannot readily be converted into cash. Positive working capital is required to ensure that a firm is able to continue its operations and that it has sufficient funds to satisfy both maturing short-term debt and upcoming operational expenses. The management of working capital involves managing inventories, accounts receivable and payable, and cash.Horizontal AnalysisA procedure in fundamental analysis in which an analyst compares ratios or line items in a company’s financial statements over a certain period of time. The analyst will use his or her discretion when choosing a particular timeline; however, the decision is often based on the investing time horizon  under consideration.Formula,= current year-base yearbase year| Vertical AnalysisVertical analysis of financial statements is a technique in which the relationship between items in the same financial statement is identified by expressing all amounts as a percentage a total amount. This method compares different items to a single item in the same accounting p eriod. The financial statements prepared by using this technique are known as common size financial statements.Trend AnalysisTrend Analysis is the practice of collecting information and attempting to spot a pattern, or trend, in the information. Although trend analysis is often used to predict future events, it could be used to estimate uncertain events in the past, such as how many ancient kings probably ruled between two dates, based on data such as the average years which other known kings reigned.= Current year*100 Base yearDiscounted Cash Flow (DCF) AnalysisIn finance, discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis is a method of valuing a project, company, or asset using the concepts of the time value of money. All future cash flows are estimated and discounted to give their present values (PVs)—the sum of all future cash flows, both incoming and outgoing, is the net present value (NPV), which is taken as the value or price of the cash flows in question. Present value may also be expressed as a number of years’ purchase of the future undiscounted annual cash flows expected to arise.Using DCF analysis to compute the NPV takes as input cash flows and a discount rate and gives as output a price; the opposite process—taking cash flows and a price and inferring a discount rate, is called the yield.Discounted cash flow analysis is widely used in investment finance, real estate development, and corporate financial management.What is relative valuation? In relative valuation, the value of an asset is compared to the values assessed by the market for similar or comparable assets. To do relative valuation then, – we need to identify comparable assets and obtain market values for these assets – convert these market values into standardized values, since the absolute prices cannot be compared This process of standardizing creates price multiples. – compare the standardized value or multiple for the asset being analyzed to the standardized values for comparable asset, controlling for any differences between the firms that might affect the multiple, to judge whether the asset is under or over valuedInterpretation of DCF valuation and Relative valuation| Review of Literature Mostly financial modeling of dabur was done before by equity research analyst of various research agencies, mutual funds, investment banks and brokerage house. Generally they have done it quarterly and annually before and after the company’s financial results. Justification and Likely Benefits Why financial modelingis important? Financial modeling acts as a useful tool which enables business options and risks to be estimated in a cost-effective way against various assumptions, recognize optimal solutions in estimating financial returns and understand the effect of resource constraints thus leading to more effective business decisions. Financial modeling can be referred as an art and like any other art form, it requires constant [practice and commitment to develop expertise in this area. In the present day world, many companies are becoming globally integrated with the international economy through the way of acquiring/establishing international operations. This calls for the requirement of strong financial models which can assist in performing the evaluation of every country’s operations, reflect on multiple currencies in their model, estimate varying capacity utilizations to estimate the optimal capacity under changeable industry demand-supply scenarios and similar more cases. Scope of Financial Modeling? Financial Modelling is a key skill with application in several areas withinbanking and finance industry as well as within corporations. In financialmodelling you learn to gather historical information on companies andanalyze company / industry performance on various financialparameters. This analysis is then used to build a company’s financialmodel, which in turn is key to projecting a future financial performance.Based on this model companies investors can arrive at a suitableevaluation for the companies. Financial models are usually made for financing of a project intransactions like: PPP/PFI, Mergers & Acquisitions, Valuation ofbusinesses etc. across various industries & sectors which includes SolarPlants, Waste Management, Helicopter felt, Oil and Gas, Mining,Energy, Healthcare,  Services & Education etc to evaluate the viability ofthe project on various parameters. Key Financial of Dabur: Objectives To find out intrinsic value of dabur and take decision regarding investment in Dabur. Plan of Work and Methodology Prepared a Sector Analysis Report for the FMCG sector †¢ Performed Historical Ratio Analysis of Dabur †¢ Prepared a Financial Model for Dabur by forecasting its financials for the next five years (FY13E-FY17E) on the basis of a historical trend analysis and expected performance of the FMCG industry drivers. †¢ Estimated a Target Price for the stock of Dabur using a DCF Valuation Model as well as using Relative Valuation by peer comparison. †¢ Submitted a final Equity Research Report on Dabur with recommendations. References and Bibliography www.investopedia.com www.rbi.org.in www.moneycontrol.com www.equitymaster.com www.bloomberg.com www.bseindia.com www.dabur.com www.wikipedia.org Nielsen FMCG industry report

American Experiences Abroad - Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Experiences Abroad - Assignment - Essay Example Starting with the explorations of Gene Savoy and Christopher Gist, Americans have been able to travel far and wide in the search for the discovery of new worlds. At the inception of a more perspective based thought process, Americans were under the impression that the world was confined to their land; however, when their famous travellers set sail, they discovered and let the people know that there was more to life than just the piece of territory that a group of people were surviving upon. Discovery is an extremely interesting part of life because it talks about finding out information regarding the yesteryears; it involves looking at things that the past left behind, or finding out about new things in life. The best feeling involved with discovery is when one may understand it present on a different territory or land. Americans, like Gene Savoy, have been heavily influenced by archaeology; he alone has been able to discover 40 lost cities in Peru. Peru has history of the Mayan and Inca civilizations which were brought to light primarily under the guidance of Savoy, who discovered Vilacabamba, the place where the Incas had taken their last refuge during the time of the Spanish conquest and he has also been known to be named Gran Pajaten. His expeditions have been recorded in various books and journals which have proved to be extremely helpful for the purpose of both archaeology and exploration. He has, thus, been able to singlehandedly teach American people about the beauty of being able to discover more; he was able to condemn the notion of living with a single view regarding life and not going out and finding out more about life. In his wake, more and more explorers began to travel to far off destinations like India, Japan, China and other Asian countries, in order to settle with their lives there and find out more about the local extracts of these places. For example, there are a number of Americans that have settled in India today; this is because they hav e been able to find refuge in aspects of life like yoga, worship of the divine individual, self realization and actualization etc. Americans are also fascinated by the medicinal use of the marijuana plant in parts of India which helps them to think and wander around plains and foothills, meeting new people and living a new way of life. They say that this helps them to connect more with nature and helps to provide a stark difference from living within the hustle and bustle of the cities in America. Heavy industrialization, they say, has taken the charm of living for oneself away completely in the modern world, thus, they roam in order to change their lifestyle and live a more happy life, which they may find in ashrams in India, as depicted in the movie ‘Eat Pray Love’. Let’s move to modern forms of media: they have helped to show how Americans have abandoned their views about life restricted to their own country. In ‘Casablanca’, the backdrop of the S econd World War helps to depict a man torn inside -- whether or not he should listen to his heart or help his love’s husband fight against the Nazis in Casablanca, Morocco. The protagonist is an expatriate living in Casablanca and, thus, as an American, he is able to figure out new aspects of himself while living abroad altogether1. When people are forced to leave the country due to social or

The effects that globalization and technology on the job market Essay

The effects that globalization and technology on the job market - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Schumpeter’s article, â€Å"Angst for the educated†, talks about the new trends in the job market in relation to education. It has the notion that among people, education is the gate pass to a life of financial success and security in all parts of the world. This has made education, especially in the developed countries, to be highly regarded especially among the older generation. Most parents ensure that their children get university education because they believe that this is the way that they can increase the chance of getting a well-paying job.   Indeed, statistics show that educated people are expected to earn more money in their lifetime than their uneducated counterparts in the United States. The gap between the two keeps in increasing. There are now changes that are taking place the today world that is changing this. It is now emerging that this relationship between education and jobs is about to change due to n ew developments such as deregulation, globalization, and change in technology. The article highlights the effects that globalization has in the job market of the rich countries. Globalization has benefits such as increasing the market for company’s product thereby increasing job opportunities. The disadvantage, however, is the drain to developing countries. The graduates from universities of the rich countries have to compete with those of poorer countries. This has been enabled by globalization because firms are able to find employees from all over the world easily.... These graduates are willing to work more for less. Firms are finding it viable to switch to these countries in spite of the impact this has to the home countries. This is because the firms have to enhance their competitive advantage by lowering the costs of the firm. The other issue is the effect of technology on the job market. The article acknowledges that we are in age where technology is improving very fast. The technology is being used to perform tasks that were being performed by human beings, and, it is emerging that, in future, many of the jobs done by the educated people will be replaced by machines. This is mostly the repetitive jobs, therefore; the jobs that are likely to be affected are those in the mid level in factories. The new technology also enables an uneducated person to perform tasks that only an educated person could perform. This has greatly affected the professionals such as accountants where accounting programs are able to be handled by people with very little knowledge of accounting. Some of the jobs such that have been well paying and require high level of education such as medicine and law are also being affected. The effect of such jobs is in different forms but is due to advancement in technology. Some of the reason are due to the fact that the customers do not have to use the service of the these professions, for instance patients can get advice straight from the Internet on health, they, therefore, do not have to use a doctor for this service. This lowers the demand for doctors. Another reason is due to the outsourcing companies, for instance, many of the jobs in a hospital do not relate to treating patients alone. Just like in any other firm, the hospital has supporting functions such

MIH548 - Theory Based Research - Mod 5 SLP Essay

MIH548 - Theory Based Research - Mod 5 SLP - Essay Example The US spends billions of dollars on food assistance that is meant to provide healthy meals and subsidize present food purchases. The study that we will look at in this paper compares the Federal Assistance and the average BMI of those children who are receiving assistance. The current policy is meant to adhere to nutritional guidelines and assure that children are getting all of the basic nutrients that are needed for health (Kimbro, & Rigby, 2010). Recent studies have shown that in cities with high food prices, subsidizing purchases at the store may actually increase the purchase of high energy low cost foods while subsidizing school meals may provide the children with more healthy meals. As we think about this problem it has to be ask, is the higher energy low cost food always used by those on food stamps etc and if not what predicts healthy food? There is a scoring system that can determine how healthy food intake is. This is called the NuVal scoring system where each kind of food is given a value. This study should be a correlational study that is time dimensional. It is a Quantitative Research Design. The hypothesis for this study is that it is not income that relates to obesity but increased high energy foods and decreased exercise. . There will be two comparative groups that will receive a questionnaire with a food diary and then a follow up in 6 months with another questionnaire and food diary. The two groups will include one that is low income and one that is middle income. All of the participant children will be scored with a BMI in the beginning and a waist measurement. Parents will write in the food journal everything eaten each day for 6 months. The origi nal questionnaire will include questions about lifestyle such as exercise and TV time. Those foods eaten throughout the 6 months will be given a NuVal score and evaluated in the two groups. This will definitely need to be a

Social media plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social media plan - Essay Example In principle, numerous firms have embraced the intensive use of the internet for online business operations. The online market is already flooded with firms, which contest for brand recognition and customer loyalty. In addition, with the constant advancements in IT, internet marketing has opened numerous marketing prospects and has become the trend for a number of companies. Gaining competitive advantage being the target of every firm, a well-organized online marketing strategy is critical for the success of the French bookshop. The proposal assumes that the clients know the firm’s products and care about its products. The other assumption is that the Consumers know the products they want and have time to research on the available products. The plan also assumes that consumers will find the entire French Bookshop’s information on the digital landscape. In addition, the clients are assumed to make rational decisions in purchasing the firm’s products. The proposal also assumes that the clients will market the organization’s products by spreading the information about the products of the firm. Studies indicate increasing trends in the online markets within emerging economies. The use of the mobile devices and internet technology has also increased among the younger generation. The firm will take advantage of these inclinations to introduce new products in the target market and create a global brand for its new products (Kotler & Armstrong, 2013). Therefore, the target market for the French Bookshop will mainly consist of young people between the ages eighteen and forty years. The market will consist of individuals who are young, outgoing and full of life. In addition, the French Bookshop will utilize premium tactics to appeal to the specific consumer division thereby augmenting the volume of sales. Studies show that the younger populace between the ages of 24 and

Reflective Learning Nursing Personal Statement

Reflective Learning Nursing - Personal Statement Example Discussion During the actual encounter with the patient, I had to make the patient comfortable by introducing myself, and telling her I was her nurse, asking how the patient feels prior to inviting her to sit down and giving her instructions, with eye contact while we talk. I made sure that I was attentive, not only listening, but also mentally taking note of the patient’s body gestures, facial expression, and fears, if any. Through these gestures towards the patient, I was able to make her feel relaxed and comfortable (Tollefson, 2010). During the interview establishing identity of the patient and the reason for the visit, I had to note how the patient feels and limit the question and answer on matters with regards to her health, current condition and history. This way, I was able to maintain professionalism as well as make the patient feel safe and respected (Kuiper and Pesut, 2004). I also noted if there were communication problems, such as language barrier, or communicatio n discomfort on the part of the patient. Fortunately, the patient was easy to talk with. Throughout the interview, I encouraged her to talk about her health issue or issues but avoiding much prodding as well as repetition of topic. I was able to accomplish this by taking notes on her answers and with my focus on her alone. Where there was unclear information given by the patient, I had to paraphrase and ask through a question answerable by yes or no for confirmation. After sufficient information was provided by the patient, I summarize the information and confirm from her if the information was right. I also checked if the patient had identification band in order to compare data provided. I then proceed to take the vital signs but I failed to explain to the patient why these were needed. After getting her consent to perform the procedures, I washed my hands. I had to ask every step of the process if the patient felt comfortable, and make the right adjustment if not such as the posit ion of the chair, or even the air conditioning. Throughout, I maintained eye contact. I first took the temperature. I committed a slight error by not immediately taking note of her temperature or recorded in her chart. In taking the pulse rate, I had to prepare the equipment, prepare patient about the procedure, provide privacy, identify the landmarks, palpate lightly with finger pads in identifying pulse, then note the rhythm and strength. I counted then calculated the rate per minute, and made sure to note whether or not there was irregularity. I terminated the encounter, then replaced and disposed the equipment, wash my hands based on standard precautions, and then filled up the form or chart of the patient (Daly et al, 2006). Where there was irregularity of pulse, I had to inform the patient of my role. In taking the blood pressure, the same procedure of routine hand wash was undertaken. This will ensure sanitation and safety. I then check on the patient documentation then the p atient status. If the patient is new or whom I have not established familiarity, yet, I introduce myself and asks for her identity, too, such as how may I call her (O’Toole, 2010). Then, I informed her procedure to be done and why it is needed. I then ask for consent to perfo

Human Resource Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resource Management - Assignment Example This is manifested due to lack of funds and management will to implement these strategies (Sippola & Smale, 2007). The first process in designing a global cross-cultural policy for Lenovo Company is to learn the different laws, cultures, and policies of different local environments (Magala, 2005). Although the increasing diversity among employees makes it difficult, it is essential to learn them to ensure the creation of a design that caters to all cultures (Mor Barak, 2005). Secondly, it would be excellent to include employees in the creation of this policy to ensure there is no resistance (Summers, 2006). Finally, the management should consider taking advantage of the diverse cultures to enhance overall performance (Law, 2007). In designing a cross-cultural policy using the above facts, the management will be able to design a policy that accommodates the increasing diversity of employees (Fontaine, 2007). In order for Lenovo to attract employees from other cultures, they should consider performing corporate social responsibility in other societies apart from the Chinese society (Bhattacharya, Sen & Korschun, 2008). Secondly, they should campaign for quality improvement in their products in both the society and the company (Morgan, Pritchard, Pride & Morgan, 2011). In this case, the international human resources department should formulate measures that enhance all these strategies among the employees.

Demonstrate how your knowledge of contemporary families informs real Essay

Demonstrate how your knowledge of contemporary families informs real life experiences or issue - Essay Example John spent a good portion of his time managing the family business. Lastly, the house girl and the garden boy with the core activities of ensuring the entire house and the home compound business are at all times up to date. They are therefore regarded as the in-house and compound managers respectively. All my family members leave in peace and big harmony with one another. A family should ensure that children within the family are satisfactorily brought to meet the best social requirements, into the norms and values of the society. This is highly necessary due to the fact that children are born with believes that whatever is happening is because of them. To remove the egocentric mind in the children, the family has an obligation of teaching children how to socialize with other people and respect the societal rules (Williams, Stacey & Carl, 2005). My family is doing this through offering protection from the complicated society at all times. It also recognizes the importance of we being socially up right and thus ensuring that we attend peer meetings and plays in order for us to learn that other people exist and deserve fair treatment as we do. This act has been of great deal in developing and improving our social standards and understanding towards others. Grownups within my family also voluntarily take a teaching role by teaching us the right social behaviors and the importance of having the right norms in the society (Russon, 2003). The family should also provide economic support for other family members. This takes many forms ranging from provision of food, medical requirements and financial assistance and offering economic advices to each other during the hard economic times. It is through such economic support that family alleviates the suffering of its members resulting in a general reduction in human suffering during hard economic situations (Williams, Stacey & Carl, 2005). My family does

THE NATURE OF MANGERIAL WORK Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

THE NATURE OF MANGERIAL WORK - Case Study Example Beynon and Nicholas (1977) give an analysis of ideological tools employed by managers in resolving conflicts and contradictions within an organizational set up. Yukl, (2010), studied the contradictions of management between rationalization of organizational employment and planning to leave a job, individual performance ideology and cliques reality and concluded that circumstances that managers encounter in their managerial work are â€Å"schizoid† and hence, management is not a science, an art or skill. This is because, there is usually nothing to do at the base, a manager is hired to do what other firms do, what he thinks he can do, and what his superiors tell him to do. Prolonged highly political decision processes is likely when decisions involve important and complex problems for which no ready-made good solutions are available, when many affected parties have conflicting interest and when a diffusion of power exists among the parties. Such circumstances present the manage r in a contradicting situation between the demands of his role and the pressures of the situation that confront him as the organizational manager (Yukl, 2010), In this case, a good manager can get the best solution by understanding the demands of his role, what the organization and employees in the organization expects from him.

The Role of Mother Tongues in Second Language Learning Essay

The Role of Mother Tongues in Second Language Learning - Essay Example The impact of first language on second language can bring problems especially in intercultural communication where the speakers use a lingua franca such as English or another language, hence causing misunderstandings and problems in communication. This research will look at how second language is acquired with a close look at the impact of the first language on second language learning. Literature Review/Discussion Second language is any language that a person learns in addition to his/her first language. The term can also be used to refer to learning a third, fourth and subsequent languages. Second language acquisition is therefore the process in which people or learners study that language. Errors made by second language learners have been proved to originate from the speech of their first language by majority of linguists. This occurs as a result of influence of the first language commonly known as language transfer. The errors are mostly lexical or phonological. The learners†™ mother tongue influences the way the second language vocabulary is learnt and recalled for use. Learners at their disposal compensate their lack of knowledge by constructing difficult lexical items that are characterized with errors emanating from their first language. ... What happens in the classroom, for example, is greatly attributed to the social needs of both teachers and learners. According to Chomsky, human beings are endowed with the capability to acquire any language in the world since learning a language involves learning its rules. The rules are systematic for every language though learners make mistakes in the process. These mistakes have been attributed to mother tongue interference. This paper will also look at how mother tongue can enhance or hamper a learner who is using the vocabulary of a second language. This usually happens when a learner acquires a new vocabulary, when he/she is attempting to remember the already leant vocabulary or in the process of constructing a complex lexical item that has not been learnt. Comparison between Languages Different languages construct meanings in different ways and the equivalents only exist depending on what is exactly meant. Though different speakers tend to divide themselves from others, the c onceptualization of some lexical items remains the same. For example, the term dressing is conceived the same by various speakers, a term that generally serves all clothing including shoes, jewellery, glasses among others. Differences in conceptual organization can be as a result of ways in which words are assigned to parts of speech. For instance, Japanese equivalents of English are mostly nouns and verbs. Lado (103) notes that elements that are similar in the fist and second languages will be simple for the learner to grasp. On the other hand, those that have no correspondence will be more difficult to learn. Cross Linguistic Influence and Ease or Difficulty of Learning There are a

Information paper on the XM-25 Weapon And Ammunition Essay

Information paper on the XM-25 Weapon And Ammunition - Essay Example With the increase in caliber the weight of the module grenade and ammunition also increased, so that the mass of complex weapon XM29 became excessive and it was decided to divide it into two separate systems. In general it is possible that in future, by reducing the masses the components again will be combined into one compact machine gun, grenade launcher and aiming module. In the current configuration of XM25 the grenade launcher operator must have an individual self-defense weapon – a pistol or a shortened machine gun. The main purpose of XM25 is expansion and enhancement of opportunities of infantry firing at the squad level. It is assumed that this system will complement such existing means of fire support as 40mm grenade launcher (M203 or XM320) and machine guns M249SAW. Through the use of a combined aiming system XM104, combining day and night channels, laser rangefinder, ballistic computer, compass and external interfaces, XM25 will greatly increase the efficiency of hitting compared to the existing 40mm grenade launcher. Sighting range of 25mm grenade will be up to 500 meters against point targets (window of a house, machine-gun, etc.) and up to 700 m against area targets. The main type of ammunition will be XM25 HEAB (High Explosive Air Bursting) grenade type. Programming the distance of the explosion will occur automatically according to the laser range finder just before the shot. If necessary (e.g. due to refuse of sighting system) HEAB type grenades can be impact-detonated. In addition to grenades of HEAB type XM25 can use the shots with warheads of other types, including thermobaric (air explosives), armor-piercing cumulative (armor up to 50mm), cluster for close combat (filled with arrow-shaped striking elements), non-lethal (tear gas or rubber bullets). By the present time samples of XM25 grenade launcher has already being field tested under combat conditions in Afghanistan. XM25 grenade launcher is a magazine-fed

The Role of Strategic Entrepreneurship Dissertation

The Role of Strategic Entrepreneurship - Dissertation Example Particular attention would is given to how they are applied in detail. At the end of this chapter, the proponent carefully elaborates the need to use of structural equation modeling, as a tool to put finally everything in detail into a model with valid empirical implications. This research would want to find out more about strategic entrepreneurship in the midst of prevailing tough competition. Concerning this, it is the main goal of the proponent to identify information with empirical evidence if each firm could still consider achieving individual competitive edge even if they would employ relevant competitive strategies. However, in order to identify this point, the proponent should ensure identification of the relevant methodology that would serve the objective of the study while it also would ensure validity of the output of the research study. This research aims to understand more about strategic entrepreneurship in the midst of prevailing dynamic competition. The proponent would want to find out if a firm could still guarantee competitive advantage even if they would employ relevant competitive strategies. Therefore, the following general question should generate answer at the end. When firms engage in strategic entrepreneurship does it establish temporal competitive advantage in a dynamic environment when competing vis-Ã  -vis other competitors in the industry with the objective of creating value for the society as a whole, shareholder of the firms, and the individuals? As already stated, the proponent would want to employ both quantitative and qualitative information from the existing studies linked up with strategic entrepreneurship. Empirical investigation is therefore necessary in order to create substantial empirical evidence based on the existing theoretical concepts linked up with the subject matter that the proponent considers in this research study.

Fetal Homicide in Florida Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fetal Homicide in Florida - Research Paper Example In accordance with the issues discussed in the paper the law defines the death of a viable fetus as the death of unborn child and any fetus killed by a violent act against the pregnant woman is termed as manslaughter. Each person has the right to life and so is the fetus or the unborn child. The fetal homicide laws recognize all stages of the fetus as being victims of abortion and any abortion is termed as fetal homicide. The fetus is recognized as a developing human being from conception to birth. The killing of any unborn child has also been categorized as manslaughter in the fetal homicide laws just the same as the killing of the mother. Three standards are used in determining whether a fetus is a person. Born-alive standard is when the fetus is born alive, the viability standard is used when a fetus is capable of having a meaningful life outside the womb and the conceptions standard is that life begins at conception and that any conceived fetus qualifies to be a person. Under com mon law, a child is only considered as a person once it is delivered alive. However, life begins at conception and should any fetus should be considered a person. Death is the failure of the fetus to be born alive. The conception standard should be used in the modern statutes as this will prevent any abortion or homicide on unborn of the unborn child. Any unborn child should be left to grow in the mothers womb until it matures not unless there any medical conditions.

PsychologyTransacial Adoption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

PsychologyTransacial Adoption - Essay Example These figures have grown substantially since those days and are likely to increase in the future. Evidently, such major sociological phenomenon could not but attract the attention of scholarly community. Research has covered the issues of ethnocentric bias, adjustment of adopted children, appearance discomfort, but largely focused on the problem of racial and cultural identity formation. The debate revolving around the question of whether White American parents should adopt children of different racial background was fueled by a position paper issued by the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW). Simon and Alstein (1977) clearly expressed the negative attitude of the Association toward the problem of transracial adoption labeling the placement of African American children - the most widespread group of children waiting for adoption in the U.S. - with the Caucasian families as 'cultural genocide' (p. 202). The NABSW's attitude toward transracial adoption was brilliantly illustrated by the following statement: " Black children should be placed only with Black familie s for adoption. Black children belong, physically, psychologically and culturally in Black families in order they receive the total sense of themselves and develop a sound protection of their future The socialization process for every child begins at birth. Included in the socialization process is the child's cultural heritage which is an important segment of the total process. This must begin at the earliest moment; otherwise [Black] children will not have the background and knowledge which is necessary to survive in a racist society. This is impossible if the child is placed with White parents in a White environment" (Simon & Alstein, 1977: 50) Although the NABSW position expressed three decades ago was made in a seriously different environment characterized by higher degree of interracial tensions some of the key arguments on which it relied did not become outdated. Thus, several relatively recent studies have demonstrated that African American families are likely to have difficulties preparing their children to succeed in the U.S. society characterized by the residuals of racist attitudes toward representatives of the minorities. Racial messages from the authorities, lower expectations at school, and prejudiced attitude from the low-enforcement officers are often listed among the most essential factors of influence in this regard (Bradley, 1998; Robinson & Ginter, 1999; Tatum, 1997). Presently, the views expressed by the scholars and child support organizations regarding the issue of transracial adoption gradually shift toward a more positive stance. Thus, the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) that includes more than 400 Canadian and American child advocacy organizations believes that racial background and ethnicity do play an essential role in socialization of a child: a family of the same racial or ethnic background is preferable for a child in terms of developing a set of effective strategies to cope with the racist attitudes still adopted by many American citizens. However, the NACAC also believes that

William Shakespeare’s Othello Essay Example for Free

William Shakespeare’s Othello Essay William Shakespeare is a talented dramatist, actor and poet whose popularity remains unsurpassed until today.   Until now his plays are still being performed not only in Western countries but also in Asia and in other non-English speaking countries as well.   (â€Å"William Shakespeare 14)   Indeed he is recognized as one of the greatest dramatist of all time. William Shakespeare’s birth place is the town of Stratford-upon-Avon.   His exact date of birth is not accurately known since there are no existing records.   However, based on his baptismal record which is on April 26, 1564 appearing in the parish register of Holy Trinity Church, his birth date could probably be April 23, 1564.    This is because the baptism of children during William Shakespeare’s time happens just two or three days after birth. (Amanda Mabillard 4) The names of his parents are John Shakespeare, a prominent glove maker, and Mary Arden, the daughter of a wealthy landowner.   He is the third among the children of eight.   He started his education at the age of six (6) at the Stratford grammar school.   Latin is the primary language that school uses which is why he learned a great deal about Latin and the works of Latin authors.   (David Ross 2) His wife’s name is Anne Hathaway whom he married at the age of 18.   She is 26 years of age at the time and pregnant fueling speculation that the marriage may have been forced. Nevertheless, William Shakespeare had three children with her whose names are Susanna, Hamnet and Judith who are twins. (Folger Shakespeare Library 1) He eventually decides to leave Stratford and his family to pursue his dreams of becoming an actor.   Not much is known from him for several years until in 1592 where he attains sufficient success as an actor.   However, his rise to fame started because of his poems such as Venus and Adonius (1593), and Rape of Lucrece (1594).   Two years after, he gains recognition for his plays. It must however be stressed that Shakespeare’s fortune came not from acting or from writing poetry or plays.   Shakespeare’s fortune came from his investment in a theatrical company.   After he earns enough money, Shakespeare uses his earnings to invest in a theatrical company known as Lord Chamberlain’s men where he not only acts but also writes plays for the company. Shakespeare dies of a fever on April 23, 1616, the same month and day he is believed to have been born.   (Encarta MSN 1) He leaves to his two daughters Susana and Judith, the bulk of his estate and 300 pounds, respectively.   He gives his wife their â€Å"second-best bed with the furniture.† (Encarta MSN 1)

Epic of Gilgamesh - Brandon Barros Essay Example for Free

Epic of Gilgamesh Brandon Barros Essay The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered one of our first recorded literary pieces and I think it has shaped and influenced our present day lives in many ways. One thing that really caught my attention about this piece is the description of the main character, Gilgamesh. Very similar to movies and stories today, Gilgamesh, is described as a beautiful man. They mentioned him having the perfect body, â€Å"endowed† with beauty, courage†¦. and his beauty being perfect compared to others. He is described as being someone everyman wants to be, someone you can only dream of, they take it a step further and say he is two-thirds God and one-third man. He is the ultimate movie star. I think this began defining beauty and the type of person we would expect to see in stories, plays movies. Gilgamesh is a manly man who is not perfect, he is relatable but he is also something you could never be. It leaves you wanting to be like someone you never could. How might our stories and movies be different if we didn’t set this standard of beauty with our first piece of written literature? The story and quest is timeless and we see the same framework used today in many movies, novels†¦etc. The creation of friendships, enemies becoming friends, death, questioning life, all are common in books and movies today. Gilgamesh’s questions about life and dealing with death reminded me of books like, â€Å"Tuesdays with Morrie†, or the movie â€Å"My Girl.† Both of these movies deal with the lost of a friend and take you through a dark period of grief and reflection. Last year I watched a movie called â€Å"Percy Jackson the Olympians: The lighting thief.† I couldn’t help but notice a very similar concept†¦ a boy is part god and part man, defying the Gods, but also seeks the Gods for wisdom and later becomes a hero. Throughout the story he is questioning the problems in his own life, but at the end he realizes decisions were made in his best interest. It seems that this type of literature has heavily influenced the Greeks as well. Another influence that is mentioned when people talk about the Epic of Gilgamesh is the similarities between characters in the story and â€Å"characters† in a modern day Bible. Utnapishtim seems very similar to Noah, he tells a story of the human society being beyond redemption and being punished by a great flood. Utnapishtim is instructed to build a boat, bring on all creatures and becomes a hero after the great flood. If this story has influenced the modern day bible, then its influence on modern times is priceless. The story of Noah is one of the most popular bible stories ever and is still being reinterpreted today. Within the next 24 months there is a big budget movie called â€Å"Noah† starring Russell Crow and Anthony Hopkins coming out. Over time, I think we will continue to recreate these stories and see them retold from different perspectives. Something that I find particularly interesting is how popular this story has become with Ancient Alien Theorists. The History Channel show, Ancient Aliens, goes into great detail about the Epic of Gilgamesh. They believe that what we consider as old myths and stories were once considered stories about our actual past. Is it a coincidence that the book of Genesis in the Bible has a very similar flood story? A great flood, a man who is not perfect given the order to collect animals, abandon riches, the flood seems to punish mans sin. There is an obvious relationship, is it possible that the Hebrew bible â€Å"borrowed† from this mythological story? Years ago in Iraq they found what many people believe could be King Gilgamesh’s tomb. If he really existed, is there any truth to the story? Is it simply a myth? ~ Brandon Barros