Restatement of Financials

Form 10-Q is lied quarterly by a company and Form 8-K contains current reports that disclose specific events. If a company is audited and weaknesses are found, restatements to these statements may be necessary. In the case of USA Mobility, auditors did identify some areas that warranted a restatement while conducting and audit in the first quarter of 2013 the company's financial statements for the 2012 reporting year.USA Mobility Audit Committee determined through the audit performed that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting and disclosure was identified within Amoco Software Incorporated that is owned and operated by USA Mobility. Amoco Software was acquired by USA Mobility on March 2, 2011. The auditors revealed Mammon's procedures in place for revenue recognition were poorly designed and did not allow for proper internal controls to be utilized. Revenue was being recognized by the company during quarters when it should not have been recognized.Upon this finding, USA Mobility had to determine the correct timeshare to recognize revenue for its software segment. Prior to the audit, the revenue for software operations was being recognized by using the residual method and the company would recognize revenue for software licenses upon completion of services. The company deemed services complete when the product was available for use by the customer. In addition, the company offered services after installations were completed for up to 90 days. Since the company offers post-install services, revenue recognition should be delayed until after that period expires.This determination was made when reviewing audit findings to erect prior reported revenue. The reported periods affected by this finding were the first three quarters of 2011. USA Mobility issued a press release which contained notification of the restatements for the first three quarters of 2011 and the late filing of the 2011 annual report for the company. Specifically, the compa ny addressed the changes to the financial statements in a press release. The main changes made to the financial statements affected software revenue and total revenue for the company.In the first quarter of 011 , the software segment revenue was adjusted from $4,799,000. 00 down to $2,146,000. 00. That is a decrease of 55%. In the second quarter, the software segment revenue was adjusted from down to $9,435,000. 00. That is a decrease of 28%. In the third quarter, the software segment revenue was adjusted from down to $11,191 ,OHO. O. That a decrease of 13%. USA Mobility also reported adjustments caused by the restatement to its total revenue for 2011. The first quarter revenue of $57,335,000. 00 was decreased by five percent because of the restatement.The second quarter revenue of $65,171 ,OHO. O was decreased by six percent and the third quarter revenue of $61 was decreased by three percent. The collective revenue of $242,907,000. 00 for 2011 was decreased by four percent as a res ult of the company's restatement. USA Mobility balance sheet also had to be adjusted. Deferred revenue was affected during each quarter during 2011. Each quarter showed a higher deferred revenue amount as a result of the correct method the company was using to recognize revenue to remain in compliance.The overall effects of the restatement were limited to the software segment of the company. In turn, these changes also affected the overall revenue numbers and the way the company reports deferred revenue for future purposes. The reduction in revenue did not have a negative impact on stockholders' earnings. The price of stock per share has remained steady prior to and since the announcement. USA Mobility did publish a press release to inform all parties with an interest about measures the company has taken to rectify the situation and will continue to use to remain in compliance for future audits.

Sex Discrimination in Poland

Eradication from sex discrimination on the Polish work market would favour development of women’s promotion prospects. Since becoming a full European Union member Poland has made headway in promoting gender equality into national policies and in gender discrimination in the workplace. However, this country still lags far behind the other countries of an old continent breaching women’s’ rights not openly. Poland is a country that cultivates its tradition and keep its values. Stereotypes regarding the model of Polish traditional family are deeply ingrained in Poles psyche and therefore women are not treated equally in the society because they have always been associated with fulfilling domestic activities. Also, a conservative attitude to women in Poland when it comes to work stems from the history. Polish women were identified with ‘Mother- Pole’ who protects the hearth and home. In connection to this the vast majority of men cannot imagine women’s forsaking their duties. Regardless Poland succeeds in making progress on different fields the problem of female manager’s promotion remains unsolved. The most industrialized countries such as Sweden, Germany or USA are willing to take advantage of women’s potential and experience. Reasons are numerous, for instance : more female workers are highly educated in comparison to male employees. Moreover women seem to be attractive workers in view of possessing features that are not typical of men. For example they better endure stressful situations and have better developed communication skills. Unfortunately many employers in Poland do not appreciate women’s aptitude like it is in other countries. Still women continue to occupy lower positions . Even if they put an enormous effort to perform their duties the salary for the same job is lower . I conclude that male employers are afraid of aligning women in responsible positions because they do not believe that women will manage to fulfill duties properly. Nevertheless, a plenty of amenities for female workers are being implemented in many European companies in order to facilitate their development. Also Poland should adjust their work market to women. First of all the Polish Government ought to take measures to protect women against discrimination at work. For instance they can levy fines on companies where women are sidelined from work due to their gender. Moreover, Poland should increase the access to care services like nursery schools. Thanks to it women will have an opportunity to join family duties with work and continue their carreers. In addition there should be implemented flexible working hours which are crucial for women on maternity leave . Introducing such solution will be profitable for her employer. On the whole Powers governing Polish work market are relentless and only few women who were entirely determined to break the glass ceiling managed to overcome the barriers. Women’s promotion prospects should be more widespread and the Government should introduce campaign encouraging male bosses to employ women.

TLE cooking session

Follow the instructions of the teacher. 2. Stay with your group and avoid going to the other groups. 3. Assign each task to every member. 4. Prepare the materials and ingredients needed. 5. Wash your hands before cooking. 6. Wear apron and for the girls, they should tie their hair. 7. Handle the sharp materials with care to avoid accidents. 8. Clean your place after cooking. 9. use the materials according to Its functions. 10. Turn off faucets and stoves when not used.TOCINO Ingredients: 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder rost cup lemon-lime soda (sprite or 7 up) 1/3 cup of soy sauce 2 cups brown sugar 1 h cups pineapple juice h ketchup 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 2 tablespoons of salt 1 teaspoon of black pepper Procedures: 1 . Cut h Inch slices of pork shoulder and place In a one gallon zip-lock plastic bag. 2. In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients and then add to the meat. Seal the bag, while trying to remove excess air. Let the pork cure Inside the refrigerator for 4-5 day s, turning the bag over every day. . After curing, you can either cook the meat or portion them off Into smaller bags and freeze. 4. To cook the Toclno, add a little water, marinade and a few slices of meat to a skillet. Over medium heat, let the liquid boll off and then fry the meat for a couple of minutes to carmellze It. Make sure not to burn the meat. PICKLED VEGGIES WITH CHILLIES white radish 3 carrots 3 chillies 2 cups vinegar sugar 1. 1 lbs salt 1 OF2 1 . Slice the carrots and radish vertically. (finger size) 2. Slice the chillies diagonally. 3.Put all the vegetable in a container. 4. Add some salt and leave it for 5 minutes. 5. Squeeze the vegetables to release its mixtures. 6. Rinse it with water. 7. Put sugar and boil it. 8. Cool it off for 5 minutes. MANGO JAM Mango ascorbic acid water 1. Prepare the materials and the ingredients. 2. Slice the Mango. 3. Mix the Mango, sugar, and water. 4. After mixing, boil it and add 2 tablespoons of ascorbic acid. 5. Mix it until it bec omes sticky and golden brown. 6. After 20-15 minutes, get it and it is ready to serve.

Demand Shock in Economy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Demand Shock in Economy - Assignment Example The movements from A to E represent the reactions of the parameters due to the demand shocks (Mankiw, 2006). At period t+4 since the DAS curve continues to move downwards as a result of the low inflationary pressure in the period t+3. As the negative demand shock that is described in this situation persists the DAD curve returns to its actual position which is DADt-1, t+4, thus the economy moves to point F. Since the DAS curve is lower than it was earlier, so a recovery process will cause the curve to move upwards to point A. This may be due the rise in employment level or an increase in the wage rate by the workers in the economy or a general rise in the output level owning to the inflation prevailing in the economy. Source: Mankiw, 2006 Answer to question 2 As the economy undergoes a demand shock, the central bank responds immediately to combat the ill effects of such a shock. Generally in real case scenario the shock persists for several time periods. A negative demand shock calls for a fall in the output and the inflation level. Therefore the Central bank responds by lowering the level of interest rate. Now as the interest rate falls, so the level of goods as well as services demanded rises. Thus the contractionary effect of demand shock is offset. As the inflation level falls, so does the expected inflation level. As a result of the demand shock the nominal and the real rate of interest falls, however as the shock disappears the interest rate too increases (Mankiw, 2006). From the adaptive expectation rule we have Et (?t+1) = ?t, so Et-1 =?t, or ?t = 2% i.e. 2 The nominal interest rate is given as i= ?t + ? + (?t –?*) + ?y (Yt – Y) i = 1.091+.02+0.5(1.091-0.2) + 0.5 (96.36 – 100) = -0.1745. Real rate of interest Rt =... As the economy undergoes a demand shock, the central bank responds immediately to combat the ill effects of such a shock. Generally, in real case scenario, the shock persists for several time periods. A negative demand shock calls for a fall in the output and the inflation level. Therefore the Central bank responds by lowering the level of interest rate. Now as the interest rate falls, so the level of goods, as well as services, demanded rises. Thus the contractionary effect of demand shock is offset. As the inflation level falls, so does the expected inflation level. As a result of the demand shock, the nominal and the real rate of interest falls, however as the shock disappears the interest rate to increases.Inflation targeting is basically an economic policy whereby the Central bank of the economy tries to project a targeted level of inflation and tries to drive the economy towards that level by using various monetary tools. If the prevailing rate of inflation is above the target then the Government raises its interest and the opposite happens when the inflation is below the target.A negative demand shock causes the inflation level of the economy to fall. Therefore the Central bank loosens the monetary policies so that the economy comes back to the targeted level of inflation, this further causes the economy to go back to the full employment level. Since the interest rate rises as the inflation are above the targeted level, this prompts the Central banks to go for inflation targeting.

Domestic Violence in New York City Research Paper

Domestic Violence in New York City - Research Paper Example Though the United States of America is a developed country where women’s freedom and equality is highly valued, the problem is rampant in this nation also. While the problem is highly significant as a social and legal issue, more important is its impact on the society as a challenging public health issue of far reaching consequences. The gravity of the problem can be understood from the fact that during 2005, â€Å"1,181 women† have been killed by an â€Å"intimate partner† and that females sustain â€Å"two million injuries from intimate partner violence each year† (The Facts on Domestic, Dating and Sexual Violence, 2009, p.1). Apart from the women who suffer due to the direct consequences of domestic violence, the children and other family members are also affected by domestic violence. However, most importantly, this menace is a serious public health problem which can have significant impacts on the community. The relevance of domestic violence as a maj or public health issue can be evidenced from the fact that females who become victims of this menace are â€Å"80 percent more likely† to suffer from a stroke and â€Å"70 percent more likely† to develop heart diseases (p.2). In addition, evidence also suggests that such women are more prone to diseases like asthma besides the possibility to â€Å"drink heavily† (p.2). In this context, it needs to be appreciated that healthcare costs can have a damaging effect not only on the family budget but also on community funding because when the government has to spend heavily on free medical services to those affected by domestic violence, the resources to be spent on developmental activities will be reduced. This becomes evident from the fact that New York State alone has spent â€Å"$227 million in 2005† on domestic violence, which could otherwise have been spent on developmental activities for the state (City Spending on Domestic Violence: A Review, 2007, p.1). In the specific context of the New York community, it transpires that as of 2005, nearly â€Å"13 percent of all murders† in this city are attributed to domestic violence and the total number of reported incidents comes to â€Å"226,000† (p.2). As stated before, the state spends a hefty sum on combating the problem and the expense primarily goes to â€Å"emergency social services† to females who fall victim to the menace, cost of law enforcement, preventive measures as well as other long term services (p.2). Healthcare is the most basic of the emergency social services provided to victims of domestic violence and community nurses have a key role to play in this effort. The service also needs to focus on preventing the recurrence of the incidence of domestic violence as well as â€Å"programs that assist victims† (p.2). Again, community health nurses have a significant role as a conduit between the healthcare systems and the victims or their families. Als o they can play a pivotal role in creating awareness about the problem within the community. Identifying potential families and providing counseling to them by the public healthcare nurses can go a long way in preventing recurrences. From the evidence emerging from various published materials, it transpires that domestic violence is a major public healthcare issue in the United States in general and New York State in particular. The problem not only costs heavy expenditure on an individual or family level but also places a hefty onus on the state as a result of which funding on developmental

Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Business Plan - Essay Example In the global market, computer and mobile demand has grown higher while in the local market, the demand is reducing. The Europe market has portrayed a more friendly environment and the hope for business development. Competitive analysis Being a new company in the market, Webcore has experienced a lot of competition from companies that sell computing products. The main competitors in the market include dominant companies such as Global Business Machines, Micro-Tech and Advance technology. The main strength of these companies is that they enjoy a good reputation for having built their name of the years. In addition, the companies have more than five products while Webcore has only two products. The ability of these companies to differentiate in the market have given them an advantage over Webcore. However, just like any other companies they are already feeling the pressure of competition within the market. However, while Webcore still has the opportunity to grow, these companies have r eached their optimal stage of the business cycle and are in verge of entering business recession. Webcore has the opportunity to penetrate deeper into both the local and international market, and to launch new products in the industry (Rhonda, 2003). The threat that exist in the market is the high number of new companies that they are entering the market and more expected in this financial year. Target Market and Customers Webcore has laid plans to satisfy its short term goals by expanding its market segment and creating new distribution channels. To extend its geographical scope, the company is going to establish a new branch in California to target the growing demands of computers in this city. In New York, there are plans to open new distribution channels in this city to target the high demand for Pro-book computers in this city among the middle level customers (Rhonda, 2003). Plans are underway to establish partnership with Whole Stock distributors in New York to develop a new c hannel for its products. It is expected that this move will optimize the sales in this country and hence increase the company marginal profit. Secondly, the company is establishing an on-line selling platform where customers can register as members and order their products on-line. Product or Service Line Currently, the company two main products include Webcore Pro and Webcore pro-book. The company intends to differentiate by investing in non-computing products whose demand is growing in the market. With introduction of printers and mobile phones in the market, the company aims at attracting satisfying the demand for these products that seems to grow each year. At the same time, the company intends to increase its production of Webcore Pro computers that seem to be attracting more customers into the business as compared to the Pro-book. Advertising Plan Webcore has laid strategies to roll out its products by investing $1000 in advertisement in the television media and newspaper. The expectation of this program is that the public will become aware of the products and services that Webcore will be offering during this financial quarter. The company advertisement will appear on the newspaper at least twice every week to allow and each day on all television service providers. By ensuring the public are aware of the products, the company will expect more buyers this year than any other years when little advertisement was evident (Rhonda,

Financial Advisor Career Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Financial Advisor Career Plan - Assignment Example For purposes of this career plan, I have used these two occupations interchangeably because these are two closely related entry-level occupations available in the financial services industry (Murdoch, 2005, p. 8). A financial analyst and a financial advisor can work at a commercial or investment bank, a stock brokerage, or for a private financial services company, analyse financial reports for the purpose of providing investment advice, and open up similar career opportunities within the diverse financial services sector. Both occupations also require similar personal and professional qualities such as good interpersonal, analytical, and decision-making skills. This section provides a thorough analysis of the labour market conditions of personal financial advisors, based on the situation in the U.K. where I plan to pursue the first ten years of my professional career. The main reason I chose U.K., more specifically London, is that this place is the generally acknowledged financial centre of the world. A recent article (Economist, 2006) confirmed this and cited geography as one of the main reasons for its success: it is between Tokyo and New York, the financial capitals of Japan and the United States, two of the world's economic superpowers. London's location means that it can trade with both cities every day, starting the day trading with Tokyo and, just as the workday is ending in London it can also start trading with New York. Throughout the day, it can also trade with other countries in Asia (China and Singapore), the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America. It is the ability of London to trade any time with any other country in the world during a normal working day that makes it attractive for financial companies to have a branch in the City, as it is called. This gives us another reason why London has become the financial capital of the world: the number of finance companies based in London is growing. This means that there are more opportunities to find employment and to gain experience because of the high demand for workers and the high supply of jobs available. This is confirmed by a recent study (Murdoch, 2005) of career prospects in the financial services sector. As the Economist (2006, p. 76) article points out, London is an economic cluster in the fast growing field of global financing. Globalisation Another reason why London provides more job opportunities is globalisation. Micklethwait and Wooldridge (2000, p. xvi) called globalisation "the most important economic, political, and cultural phenomenon of our time" characterised by the "integration of the world economy, reshaping business and reordering the lives of individuals, creating social classes, different jobs, unimaginable wealth and, occasionally, wretched poverty." The globalisation phenomenon is exerting pressure on companies and governments to adopt a global strategy, which Stiglitz (2002, p. 9) defined as "the way firms cope with globalisation, the integration of countries and peoples of the world brought about by the enormous

Whether it should be legalized to genetically choose the feature of Research Paper - 1

Whether it should be legalized to genetically choose the feature of your own child - Research Paper Example Human rights advocates have also stepped in saying that it is unlawful for the initial genetic structure and composition of a child to be altered or interfered with in any way. Lastly, religious leaders have also come up strongly against genetic intervention basing their arguments on various religious books. Educated and experienced researchers have gone further to compile literary articles that have been used in research fields by students who have shown upending a solution to the above question interests in learning and finding the solution to the above question. This research question is very crucial as it forms the basis of comprehension and cogent reasoning of various intellects to come up with a rational conclusion. Human genetics has always raised fundamental questions across a wide range or variety of disciplines. Due to this, there has been a continuous infusion of capital, talent, and time in a bid to come up with certain important characteristics of human genetic composition. Over the past two decades, researches in various matriculation institutions, government based organizations and at individual level have been in progress with an aim of coming up with or targeting the same goal. As understood, research is not always perfect, these researchers and organizations have always centered their research on the original theses by other researchers. For instance, most of the researches that have been done in this field have been based on the findings of the Dutch Monk, Gregory Mendel’s Genetic Determinism, for instance, the law of inheritance (Edelson 28). An example of a nation that has taken the matter to a greater height compared to other countries is the US. Research reveals that its government has invested approximately $3 billion over the past one and a half decade in the Human Genome project. This project is aimed at decoding or comprehending the language of human genes. Its final aim is to come up with identification of the genetic components of

The Benefits of NAFTA and CAFTA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Benefits of NAFTA and CAFTA - Essay Example Farmers, workers and manufacturers benefit from the reduction of arbitrary and discriminatory trade rules, while consumers enjoy lower prices and more choices. By strengthening the rules and procedures governing trade and investment on this continent, the NAFTA has allowed trade and investment flows in North America to skyrocket. According to figures of the International Monetary Fund, total trade among the three NAFTA countries has more than doubled, passing from US$306 billion in 1993 to almost US$621 billion in 2002. That's US$1.2 million every minute. NAFTA has been a huge success for the U.S. and its NAFTA partners. It has helped Americans work smarter, earn more and increase purchasing power. It has contributed to more trade, higher productivity, better jobs, and higher wages. In ten years of NAFTA, total trade among the three countries has more than doubled, from $306 billion to $621 billion in 2003. That's $1.7 billion in trade every day. U.S. exports to Canada and Mexico gre w from $142 billion to $263 billion in NAFTA's first ten years. And Mexican exports to the U.S. grew 242 percent, improving lives and reducing poverty in Mexico. The DR-CAFTA, the treaty originally encompassed the United States and the Central American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Then in 2005, the Dominican Republic joined the negotiations, and treaty became known as DR-CAFTA. The CAFTA-DR is the second largest U.S. export market in Latin America, behind only Mexico, buying more than $16 billion in U.S. exports. Successful CAFTA-DR implementation is critical to the broader U.S. policy goals for the Americas of strengthening democratic governance, expanding economic opportunity, and investing in people. CAFTA would require market liberalization for the majority of goods and services in Central America. In return, the U.S. has promised increased market access for certain sectors in Central America, including textiles and a limited increase in sugar quotas. To add, CAFTA is important to the DR-CAFTA countries' own businesses, enabling them to increase productivity and increasing the skills of millions of workers as new foreign businesses and new technologies enter their economies. With higher skills, workers will be more valuable and earn more money, increasing their living standards. As living standards rise and people enjoy better lives, their interest in preserving these benefits also increases. Because they have more to lose from a crisis, they strive to preserve peace and stability. As a result, the likelihood of civil conflict decreases. At the same time, the improved domestic situation reduces the incentives to leave home in search of a better life elsewhere.According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (1997) more workers in more firms in more countries derive their livelihood from cross-border trade and investment activity. Trade and investment have become major engines of growth in developed and developing countries alike. The volume of world merchandise trade is today about sixteen times what it was in 1950, a period during which the value of w orld output increased by a factor of 5.5. The period since 1950 saw a near doubling, from 8 to 15 per cent, of the ratio of world merchandise exports to global production. Most remarkable has been the

Volunteer Turnover of a Sporting Club Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Volunteer Turnover of a Sporting Club - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that football has successfully outmaneuvered many other team sports, such as ice hockey, basketball or handball, and has been accepted as the number one sport with regard to media attention and audience reception worldwide. The non-profit organization makes arrangements for the conducting of sports in order to generate money for some charitable purposes. Since these sports events are not conducted with any profit motifs behind them, volunteers are invited to participate in them for the recreation of the public on the one hand, and for some noble social cause on the other. Consequently, players, spectators and staff members attend the sporting club as regular participants and generate huge donations for the club. Since the staff and workforce play most important part in the development of an organization, decline in the volunteer turnover is really startling for the CEO, who has to make quick action in respect of exploring the reasons behind t he decrease in volunteer turnover. For this purpose, he should conduct interviews from the volunteers in order to extract the reasons behind their leaving the voluntary organization. The first question included in the interview would be decline in their interest as volunteers. The main reason behind asking the very question is the exploration of the causes that drift the fresh graduates away from the organization. The answer could be low salary, less growth opportunities and low social status as well. It is therefore the graduates will feel proud and delighted to work at Microsoft Corporation, but will not demonstrate any enthusiasm while working at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, though both are owned by the same person. Macionis states that the non-profit organizations provide limited growth and exposure opportunities, which are not attractive and fascinating for the youth. Another important reason behind leaving the non-profit organization is this that all staff members wo rk against almost the same positions, and there are very dismal chances of promotion and salary increase. Thirdly, the voluntary clubs require very hard efforts from the staff members in order to generate money from different contacts and sectors on the on hand, and to keep the ball of struggle rolling for the social welfare purposes on the other. Somehow, in order to retain the volunteers at the sporting club, the CEO will highlight the benefits of the welfare and development of society. He will infuse new spark of hope and courage in them by stating that they are the distinguished individuals that would bring positive changes and revolutionary alterations within their social establishment by dint of their innate talent, hard work and dedication to the noble cause. The CEO will also reveal the benefits of sports and games, which keep the society healthy, vigorous and efficient. In addition, he will encourage them by stating that they are accomplishing the Herculean task by promotin g sports and recreation on charity basis, which will earn name, fame and respect for them for the future years to come.

War in Iraq Essay Example for Free

War in Iraq Essay The United States Governments decision to invade Iraq was a mistake and so is the decision to continue to occupy the war-country. However, more than just a mistake, the war is of course wrong, and the reasons which the US declared for the rationale of the war are based on misinformed information. There are kinds of war that can be justified if the reasons behind them are morally right — the Iraq War is not one of them. The question whether the government knew this or not is not really known. Various sides claim different things regarding the rationality of the war, but one thing is for sure: This author is not for any kind of war, including the Iraq War. Iraq War in Under Fire There are a number of reasons why the war on Iraq is to be considered a bad judgment, if not a bad â€Å"scheme. † We could go on and on with a long list, but it would take a very long time. However, the main concern of the government was that Iraq had what they called â€Å"Weapons of Mass Destruction† (WMD) that are a threat to the security of not only America but also the rest of the world. There is reason to believe that misleading information influenced the decision of the president to go to war. In a press release posted on the Central Intelligence Agencys (CIA) website, Jay Rockefeller, chair of Intelligence committee said, â€Å"In making the case for war, the Administration repeatedly presented intelligence as fact when in reality it was unsubstantiated, contradicted, or even non-existent. As a result, the American people were led to believe that the threat from Iraq was much greater than actually existed† (qtd. in United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence 1). He was right; by the time the US and coalition forces was done ransacking the country, no WMD were found. There were also no threatening biological and chemical weapons found in Iraq. There were hints that Saddam wanted to create such devious weapons, but the findings suggest that the â€Å"imminent threats† that the government was so afraid about were non-existent. With these findings alone, the main justification of the US government for going to war with Iraq is nullified. Supposedly after the US was embarrassed by their Intelligence failure, the logical thing to do was to pull out of Iraq as quickly as possible and admit they have made a mistake. Yet, instead of doing this, the government even denied it, publicly declaring Iraq as an â€Å"imminent threat† to the US (Center for American Progress 1). Of course, pulling out of the Iraq would not be that easy especially because the coalition forces have done such a good job of virtually maiming the country. The chaos that the conflict created also meant that it would be morally wrong to just leave the devastated country after doing significant damage to it. The process of pulling out the troops, however, is taking longer than necessary. US troops have been in Iraq since 2003 and until now, tens of thousands of soldiers are still in the dangerous country. The longer the troops stay in Iraq, the more body bags the army have to ship back home. Apart from the unjustified nature of the Iraq War, the casualties that the conflict created and is still creating are one of the major reasons why this war is being contested. As of June 2, 2009, there have been 4,627 coalition deaths, and these only include the coalition forces that died (Cable News Network [CNN]). According to a recent research published in the New York Times, the civilian casualties that the conflict is causing may sum up to 600,000 since the war began (Tavernise and Mcneil). That is almost a hundred thousand deaths a year, which makes this war even more wrong because of the sheer number of casualties produced. Not everybody sees this war the same way. Some argue that if Iraq was not invaded by Coalition forces, Iraq may have developed the Weapons of Mass Destruction they were so eager to find inside Iraqi territory. However, since the time when Iraq was invaded up to this date, no Weapons of Mass Destruction have been detected, making this argument invalid. For others, the war on Iraq was a necessary move of the United States in order to defend itself from foreign threats, and it was a direct action to the seemingly increasing threat that Saddam supposedly had on the US. Former US President George W. Bush claimed that war was his last option. â€Å"I didnt want war, to assume that I wanted war is just flat wrong,† George Bush said in an interview (qtd. in Shakir). However, evidence suggests that he has already made up his mind long before the first coalition forces landed on Iraqi soil. Bush and then British Prime Minister Tony Blair have already met and decided on the matter as revealed in a memo dated January 31, 2003 (Norton-Taylor). Conclusion The Iraq War is just flat out wrong. The US government pretended and projected to the people that Iraq was an imminent threat despite the lack of real evidence. The rationality of the war is just based on misleading information, therefore making it a mistake. However, more important than the rationality of the war, the number of casualties that the conflict has created and is still creating is a strong enough reason to justify the immorality and irrationality of the war. Others may claim that the war was necessary, but the hard truth is that it was indeed a mistake. The failure to find WMD has caused critics to be suspicious of the real intent of the US why they invaded Iraq — Iraq is of course an oil well capable of generating enormous amounts of money that even the already rich US government could not resist. Works Cited Cable News Network. â€Å"US and Coalition Casualties: Iraq. † CNN. com/world. 2 June 2009. 4 June 2009. http://edition. cnn. com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/. Center for American Progress. â€Å"In Their Own Words: Iraqs Imminent Threat.† Center for American Progress. 29 Jan. 2004. 4 June 2009. http://www. americanprogress. org/kf/QUOTES. PDF. Norton-Taylor, Richard. â€Å"Blair-Bush Deal Before Iraq War Revealed in Secret Memo. † 3 Feb. 2006. Guardian News and Media. 4 June 2009. http://www. guardian. co. uk/world/2006/feb/03/iraq. usa. Shakir, Faiz. â€Å"Bush Insists I Didnt Want War, Overwhelming Evidence Suggests Otherwise. † Think Progress. 21 Mar. 2006. 4 June 2009. http://thinkprogress. org/2006/03/21/made-up-his-mind/.

Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination Essay Racial discrimination has long been an issue especially in the United States which is considered as a melting pot of different people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Black people have experienced extreme even radical form of discrimination for centuries, but now, the black people found an ally in the affirmative action policy. This policy, after some time of implementation sparked debate since some people, even the blacks themselves, say that giving racial preferences is never a good thing. The policy has affected admission aspects in schools and employment in jobs. Two job applicants, a white male and a black male, even with the same qualifications, the black male will likely get the job because of racial preference provided by affirmative action. Black people are being given a definite advantage and white people would find this an unfair treatment. The same goes for school admission policies where minorities are being given a higher preference over white people in order to maintain a diverse student body. Thesis Affirmative action laws were made to eliminate or reduce discriminatory acts but there are numerous claims that these laws have reversed the tide. Affirmative actions laws may no longer be considered fair in this current setting since it only results in reverse discrimination and it is no longer an effective means of providing opportunities for minority groups. This reverse discrimination is constituted by racial preferences for blacks. This racial preference clouds the judgment of many educational institutions and employers since racial background is being analyzed instead of just the plain qualifications which some white people might find inappropriate. Affirmative action was envisioned to put an end to racial discrimination especially against black people. Under this policy, black people were given higher preferences in job and in admission policies in universities. This is however not an answer to eliminating discrimination. Instead of giving higher preferences to those people who are being discriminated such as the black people, a better alternative solution to racial discrimination would be to find steps to eliminate discriminatory acts and leveling the field so that all people from different ethnic backgrounds will be presented with equal opportunities. Since the black people are being given higher preferences, this may appear as a form of discrimination against white people. Affirmative action, instead of fulfilling its intention of eliminating discrimination, rather contributes to it. One of the major focuses of the affirmative action debate is its inclusion in university admission policies which show higher preferences for black applicants. Many people have been calling for the ban of the use of affirmative action in the public arena. Voters in California, Washington and Michigan have already submitted amendments to their state constitutions that would prohibit the use of affirmative action in the public setting (Prince Ryan, 2007). According to actor and columnist Joseph Phillips, affirmative action is not an issue of nondiscrimination, it is now about racial preferences. He emphasized on the point that racial preferences is not an effective way of fighting racism, instead, it brings about negative stereotypes especially in the educational sector wherein it pertains to a person’s intellectual capacity and academic capabilities (Prince Ryan, 2007). In a Supreme Court ruling in 2003 which involves the University of Michigan which makes use of racial preferences in its admission policies, the court highlighted the goal of having a diverse student body which is brought about by affirmative action but critics say that this decision by the court would only spark more law suits and that the critics of affirmative action would continue to put pressure on the Department of Education to discontinue the use of the policy (Marklein, 2003). Evidences have been presented regarding the effects of affirmative action; however, these evidences always seem imperfect and ambiguous. A review of the policy during the Clinton administration indicated that active federal enforcement of the policy in the 1970s resulted in government contractors moderately increasing the hiring of minority workers. Studies have indicated that there is only a meager increase in the employment of black males. Employment share of black males in contractor firms in 1974 was 5. 8 percent and this figure only increased to 6. 7 percent in 1980. On the other hand, the increase in non-contractor firms was from 5. 3 percent to 5. 9 percent. Also, a substantial number of black government employees got their jobs or promotion to managerial rank because of affirmative action even if qualifications are questionable (Galston). In the education sector, it was only during the height of the affirmative action policy that the enrollment of black people was on a steady rise. From only 4. 9 percent in 1955, black enrollment went up to 7. 8 percent in 1970. The figure further increased to 9. 1 percent in 1980 and 11. 3 percent in 1990. On the other hand, according to a report from the Census Bureau, Hispanics holding bachelors degrees or other advanced degrees went up to 9 percent in 1994 from only 5 percent in 1970 while the rate for blacks is 12. 9 percent from 4. 5 percent (Galston). Another issue that rises with affirmative action is that minority groups may gain an image of inferiority since the whites may think that a black student was able to enter the university or a black person is able to get a job only because of affirmative action even if the black person has all the necessary qualifications (Hoffman). Overall, the past 30 years has been fruitful for the black people as they generally lived better lives with better education and income all because of racial preferences. This has resulted into what Seymour Martin Lipset classifies as a â€Å"growing differentiation† within the community of black people from the growing black middle class to the ghetto poor. The affirmative action program would work better if it would remove barriers for those who have the credentials to succeed instead of giving them a definite advantage in admissions. Anti-Thesis Supporters of affirmative action make use of the argument that it is necessary for the people compensate for years of discriminations against blacks. Many black people approve of affirmative action because it provides recompense against the discrimination that they have experienced and endured in the past but not all black people share this kind of insight. Steele said that, theoretically, affirmative action is in moral symmetry with fairness. She described the policy as reformist and corrective as well as repentant and redemptive. The country is trying to make up for its sins and wants to correct it but black people will lose more than what they will gain from the policy (Steele). Some also argue that it is difficult to remove stereotyping and discrimination without the policy and that it is needed to maintain diversity. Another argument states that affirmative action should continue because racism still exists in this society. The argument that affirmative action is needed for the white people to compensate for the discrimination against blacks is shrouded in hatred and appears as a form of retaliation against the white people. However, retaliation will not improve the situation. It might even spark more discrimination against black people if affirmative action policies continue to be implemented and this could lead to more hatred and discrimination against the minority groups. According to Kimberle Crenshaw, a professor of law at the University of California, affirmative actions removes the obstacles so that people from the minority groups can qualify and compete. With affirmative action, blacks, Hispanics and other minority group find it easier to get a job because of racial preferences geared toward these minorities (Prince Ryan, 2007). Affirmative action exists because there is discrimination, if there is no discriminations, affirmative action would not be needed in this society. The fact that affirmative action exists is because there is still discrimination and it is still needed in the current setting. Those who believe that affirmative action is in conflict with their interest must be made to see what benefits it provides to the society. Racism is still dominant in the United States which is why affirmative action must stay (Noguera, 1996). According to Linda Chavez, founder and president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, the Michigan University case speaks of admission and scholarship programs for minority groups which make use of substantially different standards and must include the racial background. People against the policy said that they will take their case to the ballots but the court has already made it clear that it is the universitys prerogative to include race in the admission policy to ensure the diversity of the student body (Marklein, 2003). The 2003 Supreme Court ruling allowed admission officials to consider race in the selection process. Colleges and universities have no obligation to use racial preferences but they may adopt such policies to meet a satisfactory level of student diversity. Arthur Coleman, a former official under the Department of Education said that adopting diversity is a choice and is not mandated by any law or policy. According to a survey by Public Agenda, 79 percent of Americans agreed that it is important for schools to have a diverse student body while only 54 percent approved of affirmative action programs. In a separate poll conducted by Gallup before the court handed out its ruling, only 49 percent said that they are in favor of affirmative action while 43 percent said that they are not in favor (Marklein, 2003). Synthesis Affirmative action was made to eliminate discrimination but discrimination would not likely be eliminated if the method used to eliminate it is discriminating in itself since it results in a reverse discrimination. Instead of blacks being discriminated, the white people are now the ones being discriminated because of racial preferences given to black people in school admission policies and employment opportunities. Arguing that affirmative action is fair because blacks were once discriminated to a great extent is not valid since it is only driven by hatred towards white people who were discriminating the blacks and other minorities (Steele). Also, continuing affirmative actions only causes white people to hate the blacks because of the racial preferences that they are being handed. White people who believe that they have the qualifications but are turned down while a black person gets in may think that affirmative action gave him a disadvantage and not because the black person is really qualified (Hoffman). Affirmative action will not eliminate racial discrimination but it rather contributes to it. The policy may have its benefits every now and then, but generally, it is no longer applicable in the current setting as more and more white people are feeling the negative effects of the policy. It does remove barriers so that people from minorities can compete but it comes with a price. They gain an image of inferiority because people may think that it is only because of affirmative action that they have reached a certain level of success and not because they are really qualified (Hoffman). The Supreme Court has handed out its decision in the Michigan University case and the decision maintained that the school may use the race as part of the admission policy to maintain the diversity of the student body. Even without affirmative action, colleges can use race as a basis of application to meet a desired rate of student diversity since having a diverse student body promotes a better learning environment (Marklein, 2003). Ultimately, data indicates that affirmative action is no longer effective which means that it is time to adopt an alternative policy (Galston). A better way of embracing diversity would be to encourage minorities from a young age to work for their goals and get a good education. Assisting people from poor socio-economic backgrounds to gain resources and motivation should also be done so that they will also be competent when it comes to school admission and job-seeking. This is a lot better than giving them preferential treatment because they would not be treated as inferiors (Hoffman). Conclusion To conclude, affirmative action may have been an effective way of reducing racial discrimination against minorities, but now, it is no longer applicable to be used in the current setting since it results in reverse discrimination. The white people are now put in a seat that was once held by other minorities. Affirmative action might trigger hate targeted towards the blacks and other minorities because of the reverse discrimination. The policy which gives racial preferences also connects inferiority with minority groups. A better way of eliminating discrimination is by leveling the playing field not by racial preferences but by providing equal opportunities for whites and minority groups. References Prince, Andrew Ryan, Erica. 21 November 2007. Is it Time to End Affirmative Action?. National Public Radio. Retrieved July 8, 2008 from http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=16337441 Marklein, Mary Beth. 24 June 2003. Despite ruling, affirmative action debate is far fr

A Comparative Study of Consumer Behaviour

A Comparative Study of Consumer Behaviour ABSTRACT: Consumer Behavior is an aspect that is given a lot of importance in the globe of marketing. A lot of products have been a sensation or a breakdown due to inappropriate analysis of consumer behaviour and motivation. Food is a basic requirement for all livelihoods and everybody who earns spends money on food without any second thought. To live we need to eat and therefore food is tremendously important in all our lives. Todays consumers are becoming increasingly displeased with GM (Genetically Modified) and conventional fruits and vegetables and therefore are stirring towards organic fruits and vegetables. Many consumers are going organic not only in the case of fruits and vegetables but also regarding skincare, beauty products, paper and also clothing! Organic fruits and vegetables are not only said to be healthier due to ethical ways of production which do not use man-made chemicals and unnecessary preservatives as opposed to conventional food. It is also said to be eco-friendly beca use of environment cognizant methods which are used for the production of organic food. The advantages of organic fruits and vegetables are more whereas the disadvantages (such as price premium) are negligible when compared to its better side. Regular buyers of organic fruits and vegetables are willing to overlook these minor disadvantages which are negligible when compared to its disadvantages. In this research work, the consumer behaviour in the United Kingdom regarding organic fruits and vegetables is studied and compared with that in India. The factors (such as consumer expectations, beliefs, criteria, concerns, quality, awareness etc) that affect marketing of organic fruits and vegetables in UK and India are also studied with relevance to consumer behaviour. INTRODUCTION: Background This research work revolves around the consumer behaviour and attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables in the United Kingdom and in India. A brief introduction will be given on consumer behavior and how important it is in the field of marketing. Secondly, a deeper understanding of the term organic will be given. Many theories and aspects related to organic fruits and vegetables will be discussed and reviewed as well in this dissertation. A number of consumers of organic and conventional food are consulted to get their views and opinions about organic fruits and vegetables. Not everyones attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables seem to be the same, therefore the application of certain statistics methods help us in further understanding the relation and patterns in the consumer behavior patterns and trends in organic fruits and vegetables in the two countries. This study helps understand how the consumers in UK and in India differ from each other and also help understand the ways they are similar in. On the whole, the differences and similarities between the consumers of organic fruits and vegetables in the two countries are studied. To get this information, many respondents were asked to answer questionnaires regarding this topic and these answers were analysed using statistics. In the end these are discussed and limitations and conclusions are given and suggested. Research Questions: How does the consumer behavior towards organic fruits and vegetables vary between India and UK? In what ways do consumers in the two countries expect the food to be different from convenience foods? What are the popular beliefs among consumers about organic fruits and vegetables? When will India accept organic fruits and vegetables widely, the way UK has? What makes organic fruits and vegetables to be preferred more than convenience fruits and vegetables? Why is there a variance between the preference rate and sales of organic fruits and vegetables in both India and UK? What are the factors owing to this? General Aim The aim of this study is to find the consumer behavior and attitudes towards consumption of organic fruits and vegetables in the UK and India. The elements and factors (health factors, eco-friendliness, ethics, taste, quality, safety standards etc) influencing the consumers decision making are also studied. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Introduction This section talks about the methodology used for this piece of research work. Methodologies vary from research work to work due to the difference in subjects, areas and study view. What methodology is used for one research purpose may not be suitable or applicable to another. Sometimes it might not be possible for a researcher to sit and observe all that he is researching. To collect primary data for this research study, survey research approach has been used. The non probability convenience sampling method has been used for this research primary data collection method. Therefore, the method of preparing a set of questions and selecting a group of people to get to answer them and studying these answers based on an already set theory or patterns, is common and a lot many researchers today are using this form of methodology. Application of statistics to these answers helps analyze and understand the trends, patterns and fashion that the study has proved using this method. â€Å"Potte r (1996, 2002) has roundly criticized researchers who use his own approach (discourse analysis) for depending too much on interview data and has argued for a greater use of naturally occurring data.† http://asksage.typepad.com/methods/. This section deals with the methodology used for this study and the course of action taken to complete the research study for the purpose of this dissertation. Purpose of this Research The obvious purpose of this research is to study the consumer behavior towards organic fruits and vegetables in India and in United Kingdom and to compare the two. While conducting the study, the marketing flaws and strengths of it, customers attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables in the two countries will be studied. The attitudes of customers towards organic fruits and vegetables will be studied and explored. It is important to identify the determinants of the success and failure of organic fruits and vegetables industry in India and the United Kingdom. The consumers of organic fruits and vegetables in India and the United Kingdom might differ a lot in their way of behavior as considered in the marketing field and their attitudes towards it might not be the same or might be the same. This research will help in understanding the consumer behavior towards organic fruits and vegetables in the two countries by conducting a comparative study of the consumer behaviors from the t wo countries. Research Questions How do the attitudes of Indian consumers differ from that of the British with respect to organic fruits and vegetables? The above given question is the main aim and the biggest question for this study and research work. There are of course many sub questions as well which will also be researched in the course of this study. The question speaks about finding out the attitude differences in the two countrys consumer behaviour but the study might also prove the similarities in the two countrys consumer behaviour patterns towards organic fruits and vegetables. Instrument This research work is conducted on a survey of consumers and non-consumers of organic fruits and vegetables in India and in the United Kingdom. The study (survey) questionnaire was distributed to customers of local supermarkets which sell both organic and conventional fruits and vegetables in India (Chennai and Delhi) and in the United Kingdom (London and Birmingham). The questionnaire included a brief note about the study being conducted and a variety of questions regarding the area of research. The questionnaire included a brief note about the study being conducted and a variety of questions regarding the area of research. The questionnaires were handed out in person by the student conducting the study and her friends outside supermarkets selling organic fruits and vegetables in India and in the United Kingdom. The questionnaire had 15 questions which took not more than 5 minutes to answer. Most respondents were happy to help out and were interested in the subject of organic food. Population The questionnaires were distributed in person to organic food consumers and non-consumers. It took a period of over (18 days in India to get respondents to answer the questionnaires and 22 days in the United Kingdom to get the respondents to answer the questionnaires related to organic fruits and vegetables). Sample While conducting a research study, it is not possible to take into consideration the whole population. For example when studying Indias consumers, it is not possible to take into consideration one billion plus consumers in India, therefore we take a selected sample to represent this entire population which is 100 from Chennai, 100 from Delhi (i.e 200 from India on the whole), and 100 from Birmingham and 100 from London (i.e 200 from the United Kingdom). These 400 respondents are taken as sample population and their answers are expected to correspond to all the consumers of the two countries (United Kingdom and India) respectively. The sample population consisted of 200 respondents from India and 200 respondents from the United Kingdom. Out of the 200 respondents from India, 76 were male and 124 were female and out of the 200 respondents from the United Kingdom, 84 were male and 116 were female. The other data about age, monthly earnings, occupation etc are given under the section of empirical findings and data analysis. Data Collection Every research study needs primary and secondary data. Secondary data is collected from already established and published information which has been studied, researched and verified by someone else. The use of such data for research purpose gives certified information provided it has been taken from reliable and referenced sources. Secondary data is collected from already published studies, papers, theories, articles etc. This data might not be valid in todays times and circumstances due to the fact that it must have been published or verified during the time when circumstances and states were different in simple terms, the data might be outdated. Therefore, it is important to verify if the secondary data collected is valid. It is advisable to use secondary data collected is valid. It is advisable to use secondary data for research which is well referenced and uses valid and checkable data. For this research study, books, journals, magazines and electronic databases have been used which are verifiable and authentic. Primary data was collected through the usage of questionnaire as explained under the sampling section. The primary data collected was statistically analyzed using statistical formulae and methods. The data used in this study from other studies, papers, theories, articles etc are referenced well so that the question of plagiarism does not arise. These data are used under the literature review section and they are reviewed and explained and discussed. Sampling Methods The non-probability convenience sample method was used for the purpose of this research study. The short-comings of time and resources are not a problem in the case of this method of sampling. Non probability sampling does not involve random sampling and therefore it might not represent the population well. But this does not have to be true in all cases though it depends upon the study area also. Convenience sampling is also referred to as haphazard sampling or accidental sampling and is named so because it is convenient for the researcher and easy to use. It might not be a good representative of the population but it is a good representative in case of a homogeneous sample population. Only a selective number of consumers are considered in this study who are taken and considered as representatives of the entire population (consumers of organic fruits and vegetables in this case) for the study and research purpose. The probability sampling method proves to be more expensive and time c onsuming, which are only two of the many short comings in that case. For primary data collection, the questionnaires prepared for the purpose of this research are e-mailed to 200 people in United Kingdom and 200 in India. Another 400 were distributed in supermarkets (200 in India and 200 in UK). More number of questionnaires were sent through e-mail but due to software and document problems, they were not considered for the study. Many people who wanted to participate in this questionnaire session were unfortunately not able to do so due to time constraints. Finally 400 respondents answered the questionnaires which were used for the purpose of this research work. Questionnaire Design The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions which had multiple choice of answers each. Each respondent had to select one out of the given answers with respect to each question. The four answers for each question were related to the same aspect but there might not be any relation to the other questions answers. This is because a variety of questions regarding the consumer behavior and attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables were considered. The first few questions were about personal details and background such as occupation, monthly earning, educational qualification etc which were followed by questions regarding organic fruits and vegetables and their opinions towards it. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK A theoretical framework basically lays down the guidelines for the research work. The concepts, theories, cases, models etc used for the presentation of the research are basically explained for understanding the study being carried out. In this dissertation, a few theories and models will be reviewed and discussed. Consumer Behaviour Consumer behaviour is a very widely studied subject in the field of marketing. Without consumers, it is very difficult for businesses of any sort to function normally. Consumers are the raison-d-etre for a business mere existence. The business may be based on profit or it might also be a non-profit organization. The field of consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use and dispose of products, services, experiences or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. Consumer behaviour mainly sheds light on how consumers decide to spend their various resources like time, money etc on various products so as to meet their needs and requirements. Consumer behaviour encompasses study of what, when, why and where the consumers will buy their products. It also focuses on how often the consumers use the products. Furthermore, it also sheds light on how the consumers evaluate the products after the purchase and the effect of evaluations on their future purchases. From the marketing point of view, it is very important to understand the consumer well and to attend to their needs, wants and demands to be successful. A consumer is the centre of attention in case of most marketing techniques; after all, it is the consumers a business needs to run. In the case of organic fruits and vegetables, a consumer might decide to buy it for its benefits on health or the environment or maybe because of the advertising for it is good. There are various factors that affect the consumer decision making process which is also discussed further. Models of Consumer Choice: The Cognitive model: When consumers make an important purchase for the first time, they may reflect on alternatives and discuss pros and cons with others with the intention of securing benefits and avoiding costs. This model is sometimes called the extended-problem solving model. (East, Wright and Vanhuele, 2008) The Reinforcement Model: Choice is controlled by factors in the environment that reward and facilitate some alternatives more than others. Managerial control is achieved by changing the consumers situation. However, what is rewarding to some persons may not be so to others and this limits influence. (East, Wright and Vanhuele , 2008) The habit model: Choice is controlled by managing stimuli (brand name, logo, pack features, etc) that have become associated with a product as a result of past purchases. Sometimes this is called stimulus control. (East, Wright and Vanhuele, 2008) Consumer Behaviour models: The purpose of consumer behaviour models is to provide description, explanation and prediction of purchase behaviour. At the same time the models provide a conceptual framework and so help researchers to set up and test new ideas so as to give even better explanations and predictions of behaviour. On the positive side, these models do help to organize research results and to demonstrate the complexity of decision processes involved in even a simple purchase, such as a can of soup in the local supermarket. On the negative side most of the models can be criticized as providing no more than a description of a range of influencing variables. There are four main clusters of factors that have an effect on purchase behaviour. They are political, economic and technical; cultural and social; psychological; and marketing influences. (Bareham, 1995) Theories make it easier to understand a concept as they outline causes and effects that are possible and what to anticipate provided the input (the happening circumstance) is given. In most cases, it is easy to analyze whether practical situations are normal and acceptable with the help of proven time tested theories. Marketing segmentation The market is divided into different groups or segments based on their needs, tastes, income, and a lot of other criteria. Marketing segmentation is based on a lot of research and important factors to suit the needs and purposes. Some of the marketing segmentation is as follows: Geographic segmentation: This involves segmenting the market by location on the assumption that people living in one location will have similar needs, wants and preferences and these will differ significantly from people living in other locations. There are some obvious limits to this assumption. People all over the world drink Coca-cola and buy Japanese electronic goods for instance. When you think about it from the viewpoint of the consumer, most buying behaviour is actually local. Localized consumer behaviour is often expressed through the presence of a significantly large cultural or sub cultural group that is different from the main stream. There are also geographically based differences between consumers for reasons that are more complex or obscure. It is not immediately obvious why some sections of consumers have different behaviour than the other sections. But knowing that, they will do, can be important to the marketing strategy. Demographic segmentation: Demographic segmentation deals with the many ways if statistically categorizing all the people in a national population. For example, a national population can be divided into subgroups based on age, sex, income, education, occupation, social class, family size, race and religion. In a sense, there are also different ways of looking at the same individual consumer, because of course we belong to each of these groups. Different aspects of our identity will be relevant to different products at different times. Baby foods can only be marketed to parents of young children, for example and a middle-class, middle aged, middle income, middle manager is more likely to be in the market for an exercise bike than a motor bike. Some of the important specifics of demographic segmentation are Age: Age is perhaps the most frequently used demographic variable in marketing segmentation. One reason for this is that the lifecycle has been divided up by society into what seem to be easily recognizable groups that are clearly differentiated from one another- infants, children, teenagers, young adults and so on. Sex: Dividing the market into male and female segments is another frequently used strategy. But even here, the old marketing certainties are breaking down. It used to be a safe bet for marketers to target do-it-yourself products exclusively at men and supermarket shopping at women. But with the larger increase in single occupant hose-holds and one parent families (most of them female), many more women are buying things that men would do if they were in a family. In addition, more women than men buy for other consumers. Socio-economic status: A persons socio economic status is determined by education, income and occupation. Though there are many exceptions of course, these are three factors often in alignment. More highly educated people tend to do managerial and professional jobs that bring a relatively high income, and vice-versa. For obvious reasons most marketers are more interested in people with high socio economic status rather than low. Income is often considered the most important variable in this case because it is so easy to quantify and because it dictates entry to certain markets. But income by itself can be very misleading. Psychological segmentation: The attempt to come up with a practical form of consumer profile has concentrated on three areas of behaviour: activities, interests, and opinions. Segmentation by usage: This form of segmentation is based on information about volume and frequency of purchase for a given product. It is a popular way of segmentation of markets because there is a lot of readily available information about patterns of usage for most goods and services. In fact, with so many transactions now electronically recorded, a great deal more of data is available than is actually used. Perhaps the most familiar usage data is provided by the electronic point of sale (EPOS) used by supermarket checkouts. Not only are all the purchased items listed, together with their prices, but so is the date and exact time of purchase and the method of payment used. Segmentation by benefit: This form of market segmentation is based on knowledge of the benefits that consumers seek from that particular product. The task of the marketer is to include the appropriate characteristics- or the impression of them in the design of particular goods or services. In a sense this kind of segmentation is at the entire marketing concept find out what people want and provide it for them. Segmentation is very important for a firm or an industry to market its products strategically and for it to be a success. In the case of organic fuits and vegetables, it comes under the category of food which is a basic necessity and therefore would appeal to and include a lot many segments in the markets. In this research study we are considering only the United Kingdom and India. So geographically these two countries are covered. Demographically the middle aged and the older people will be targeted age wise, both sexes, and the middle class and upper class levels will be targeted according to the socio economic status segmentation. Since the middle aged and older people usually are the ones who go shopping for fruits and vegetables, they are targeted age wise, both men and women shop for it, and when it comes to socio economic status, the middle and the upper income groups are targeted as organic fruits and vegetables are more expensive than conventional fruits and vegetables. Many shoppers especially in India will give up the idea of buying food when it comes to the price factor that is not acceptable for them. That is the reason why the middle and upper income groups are aimed at here. Most people both in India and United Kingdom consume fruits and vegetables everyday. In India, no meal is complete without fruits or vegetables and in the United Kingdom, people are encouraged to consume fruits and vegetables everyday with the healthy 5 a day concept though it is already a staple portion of a healthy meal. These segments are most suitable for being aimed at for marketing of organic fruits and vegetables and therefore they are the target segments. Decision making process There exist a number of factors which affect the consumer decision making process. Each of the factors has many sub-factors. Communication Situation The situation in which the consumer receives information about a product or service influences the buying decision of the consumer. For example, in the case of organic fruits and vegetables, an advertisement speaking about the bad impacts of the chemicals used in conventional foods right when the buyer is suffering from food poisoning might influence the consumer to buy food that is healthier and does not involve the usage of chemicals responsible for food poisoning and therefore influence the consumer to go in for purchase of organic fruits and vegetables in future. Purchase situation: The situation involved while a consumer is out to purchase will influence the buying process of the consumer. For example, a very health conscious friend is out with a consumer shopping for food, the friends suggestions of low cholesterol, high fiber food items will influence the consumer to buy healthier food products. Situations like when the consumer is very hungry and shopping for food might make the consumer end up purchasing food items that the consumer might have a craving for right then. Usage situation: Marketers need to understand the usage situations for which the products are meant. Using this knowledge, marketers can communicate how their products create consumer satisfaction in each relevant usage situation. For example, a recent study found that consuming 1.5 cup servings of oat based cereal a day could lower cholesterol. To increase sales, a Cheerios ad depicted the advantages of it. Disposition Situation Some consumers consider the case of disposition an important attribute towards the buying decision process. For example, if there was a rule stating that all the particular products from a household should only be disposed off at a particular point for a locality which is open only for a fixed time in the weekends, or they would be fined heavily, there would be a large decrease in the sales of that product. Situational characteristics Physical surroundings such as dà ©cor, sounds, aromas, lighting, weather and configurations of merchandise or other materials surrounding the stimulus object influences the buyer. Also, social surroundings, temporal perspectives, task definition And antecedent states influence the buyer decision making process. The marketer should influence these factors as largely as possible to influence the buyer in a favorable way to appeal to the customers. How decisions are made by people: The obvious point about decisions worth spelling out is that we are constantly making them. Form the moment we get up in the morning we are faced with deciding what to wear and what to have for breakfast and we make decisions throughout the rest of the day. Indeed we normally make so many decisions in the course of the day, every day, that only rarely do we realize that in fact we are making a decision. Decisions are just part of the business of living our lives, and are taken for granted. Rationality: Rationality is what you and I would like to think we use when making a decision. Moreover, we like to believe we are rational in both the psychological and the economic senses of the world. Psychologically, we make objective, dispassionate choices that are not influenced by prejudice or other irrational influences. Economically, we find out all the information there is on each of the alternatives, assess the advantages and disadvantages of each, and then choose the best one on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis. Most decisions are made in a state of incomplete information. Heuristics: A heuristic is simply a procedure or method or strategy for solving a problem or making a decision. It is similar to an algorithm, a procedure widely used in science, except that and algorithm is guaranteed to find the solution, or the best solution, whereas a heuristic is not. Perhaps, then it would be better for us to think of a heuristic as a rule-of-thumb. That is, a heuristic may be a good place to start if faced with a decision and it may provide a reasonable guide in the search for a solution, but no more than that. A heuristic may therefore be helpful, but it might also lead us totally astray. The reason we need heuristics when making decisions is simply that the world we live in turns us into misers-cognitive misers. Three forms of heuristic that psychologists have identified in the way people make decision: the representative heuristic, the attitude heuristic and the availability heuristic. Every step taken by anyone would require a decision to be made be it whether to put your right foot forward or your left, to eat spinach or a burger and so on. Some are taken with our conscious effort and some with our sub-conscious mind. When it comes to purchasing organic fruits and vegetables, a number of decisions need to be taken. For that matter the purchase making decision of any product is made based on several factors. For example, in the case of buying organic food, a consumer might think if he really needs to shell out 10% extra for a kg of organic onions or whether he is really doing himself any good by consuming organic potatoes. Questions such as these are answered in a heuristic pattern which leads to the purchase of organic fruits and vegetables or otherwise. Attitudes: The study of attitudes is one of the most intensively researched areas of psychology. Although there are over 100 different definitions of the term, a widely accepted definition of attitude would be: A stable, long lasting, learned predisposition to respond to certain things in a certain way. The concept has a cognitive (belief) aspect, an affective (feeling) aspect, and a conative (action) aspect. Characteristics and components of attitudes: Like a proprietary pain killer, attitudes contain not one, not two, but three active ingredients which are the cognitive component, the affective component, and the conative component. The cognitive component is mainly concerned with a consumers opinions about the products properties, for example whether it is crunchy, chewy, whether the price is reasonable, or whether the packaging is informative. The affective component deals with the consumers feelings about the products properties, for example if it is appealing or if it is un-appealing, is it liked or disliked? The conative component relates to the consumers likely behaviour in relation to the product. Sources of attitudes: The three main sources of attitudes are family, peers, and direct experience. Attitudes and behaviour: The commonsense notion that knowing someones attitudes towards a product will inform you of the likelihood of their buying it is quite a useful rule-of-thumbfor practical purposes. It is certainly A Comparative Study of Consumer Behaviour A Comparative Study of Consumer Behaviour ABSTRACT: Consumer Behavior is an aspect that is given a lot of importance in the globe of marketing. A lot of products have been a sensation or a breakdown due to inappropriate analysis of consumer behaviour and motivation. Food is a basic requirement for all livelihoods and everybody who earns spends money on food without any second thought. To live we need to eat and therefore food is tremendously important in all our lives. Todays consumers are becoming increasingly displeased with GM (Genetically Modified) and conventional fruits and vegetables and therefore are stirring towards organic fruits and vegetables. Many consumers are going organic not only in the case of fruits and vegetables but also regarding skincare, beauty products, paper and also clothing! Organic fruits and vegetables are not only said to be healthier due to ethical ways of production which do not use man-made chemicals and unnecessary preservatives as opposed to conventional food. It is also said to be eco-friendly beca use of environment cognizant methods which are used for the production of organic food. The advantages of organic fruits and vegetables are more whereas the disadvantages (such as price premium) are negligible when compared to its better side. Regular buyers of organic fruits and vegetables are willing to overlook these minor disadvantages which are negligible when compared to its disadvantages. In this research work, the consumer behaviour in the United Kingdom regarding organic fruits and vegetables is studied and compared with that in India. The factors (such as consumer expectations, beliefs, criteria, concerns, quality, awareness etc) that affect marketing of organic fruits and vegetables in UK and India are also studied with relevance to consumer behaviour. INTRODUCTION: Background This research work revolves around the consumer behaviour and attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables in the United Kingdom and in India. A brief introduction will be given on consumer behavior and how important it is in the field of marketing. Secondly, a deeper understanding of the term organic will be given. Many theories and aspects related to organic fruits and vegetables will be discussed and reviewed as well in this dissertation. A number of consumers of organic and conventional food are consulted to get their views and opinions about organic fruits and vegetables. Not everyones attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables seem to be the same, therefore the application of certain statistics methods help us in further understanding the relation and patterns in the consumer behavior patterns and trends in organic fruits and vegetables in the two countries. This study helps understand how the consumers in UK and in India differ from each other and also help understand the ways they are similar in. On the whole, the differences and similarities between the consumers of organic fruits and vegetables in the two countries are studied. To get this information, many respondents were asked to answer questionnaires regarding this topic and these answers were analysed using statistics. In the end these are discussed and limitations and conclusions are given and suggested. Research Questions: How does the consumer behavior towards organic fruits and vegetables vary between India and UK? In what ways do consumers in the two countries expect the food to be different from convenience foods? What are the popular beliefs among consumers about organic fruits and vegetables? When will India accept organic fruits and vegetables widely, the way UK has? What makes organic fruits and vegetables to be preferred more than convenience fruits and vegetables? Why is there a variance between the preference rate and sales of organic fruits and vegetables in both India and UK? What are the factors owing to this? General Aim The aim of this study is to find the consumer behavior and attitudes towards consumption of organic fruits and vegetables in the UK and India. The elements and factors (health factors, eco-friendliness, ethics, taste, quality, safety standards etc) influencing the consumers decision making are also studied. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Introduction This section talks about the methodology used for this piece of research work. Methodologies vary from research work to work due to the difference in subjects, areas and study view. What methodology is used for one research purpose may not be suitable or applicable to another. Sometimes it might not be possible for a researcher to sit and observe all that he is researching. To collect primary data for this research study, survey research approach has been used. The non probability convenience sampling method has been used for this research primary data collection method. Therefore, the method of preparing a set of questions and selecting a group of people to get to answer them and studying these answers based on an already set theory or patterns, is common and a lot many researchers today are using this form of methodology. Application of statistics to these answers helps analyze and understand the trends, patterns and fashion that the study has proved using this method. â€Å"Potte r (1996, 2002) has roundly criticized researchers who use his own approach (discourse analysis) for depending too much on interview data and has argued for a greater use of naturally occurring data.† http://asksage.typepad.com/methods/. This section deals with the methodology used for this study and the course of action taken to complete the research study for the purpose of this dissertation. Purpose of this Research The obvious purpose of this research is to study the consumer behavior towards organic fruits and vegetables in India and in United Kingdom and to compare the two. While conducting the study, the marketing flaws and strengths of it, customers attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables in the two countries will be studied. The attitudes of customers towards organic fruits and vegetables will be studied and explored. It is important to identify the determinants of the success and failure of organic fruits and vegetables industry in India and the United Kingdom. The consumers of organic fruits and vegetables in India and the United Kingdom might differ a lot in their way of behavior as considered in the marketing field and their attitudes towards it might not be the same or might be the same. This research will help in understanding the consumer behavior towards organic fruits and vegetables in the two countries by conducting a comparative study of the consumer behaviors from the t wo countries. Research Questions How do the attitudes of Indian consumers differ from that of the British with respect to organic fruits and vegetables? The above given question is the main aim and the biggest question for this study and research work. There are of course many sub questions as well which will also be researched in the course of this study. The question speaks about finding out the attitude differences in the two countrys consumer behaviour but the study might also prove the similarities in the two countrys consumer behaviour patterns towards organic fruits and vegetables. Instrument This research work is conducted on a survey of consumers and non-consumers of organic fruits and vegetables in India and in the United Kingdom. The study (survey) questionnaire was distributed to customers of local supermarkets which sell both organic and conventional fruits and vegetables in India (Chennai and Delhi) and in the United Kingdom (London and Birmingham). The questionnaire included a brief note about the study being conducted and a variety of questions regarding the area of research. The questionnaire included a brief note about the study being conducted and a variety of questions regarding the area of research. The questionnaires were handed out in person by the student conducting the study and her friends outside supermarkets selling organic fruits and vegetables in India and in the United Kingdom. The questionnaire had 15 questions which took not more than 5 minutes to answer. Most respondents were happy to help out and were interested in the subject of organic food. Population The questionnaires were distributed in person to organic food consumers and non-consumers. It took a period of over (18 days in India to get respondents to answer the questionnaires and 22 days in the United Kingdom to get the respondents to answer the questionnaires related to organic fruits and vegetables). Sample While conducting a research study, it is not possible to take into consideration the whole population. For example when studying Indias consumers, it is not possible to take into consideration one billion plus consumers in India, therefore we take a selected sample to represent this entire population which is 100 from Chennai, 100 from Delhi (i.e 200 from India on the whole), and 100 from Birmingham and 100 from London (i.e 200 from the United Kingdom). These 400 respondents are taken as sample population and their answers are expected to correspond to all the consumers of the two countries (United Kingdom and India) respectively. The sample population consisted of 200 respondents from India and 200 respondents from the United Kingdom. Out of the 200 respondents from India, 76 were male and 124 were female and out of the 200 respondents from the United Kingdom, 84 were male and 116 were female. The other data about age, monthly earnings, occupation etc are given under the section of empirical findings and data analysis. Data Collection Every research study needs primary and secondary data. Secondary data is collected from already established and published information which has been studied, researched and verified by someone else. The use of such data for research purpose gives certified information provided it has been taken from reliable and referenced sources. Secondary data is collected from already published studies, papers, theories, articles etc. This data might not be valid in todays times and circumstances due to the fact that it must have been published or verified during the time when circumstances and states were different in simple terms, the data might be outdated. Therefore, it is important to verify if the secondary data collected is valid. It is advisable to use secondary data collected is valid. It is advisable to use secondary data for research which is well referenced and uses valid and checkable data. For this research study, books, journals, magazines and electronic databases have been used which are verifiable and authentic. Primary data was collected through the usage of questionnaire as explained under the sampling section. The primary data collected was statistically analyzed using statistical formulae and methods. The data used in this study from other studies, papers, theories, articles etc are referenced well so that the question of plagiarism does not arise. These data are used under the literature review section and they are reviewed and explained and discussed. Sampling Methods The non-probability convenience sample method was used for the purpose of this research study. The short-comings of time and resources are not a problem in the case of this method of sampling. Non probability sampling does not involve random sampling and therefore it might not represent the population well. But this does not have to be true in all cases though it depends upon the study area also. Convenience sampling is also referred to as haphazard sampling or accidental sampling and is named so because it is convenient for the researcher and easy to use. It might not be a good representative of the population but it is a good representative in case of a homogeneous sample population. Only a selective number of consumers are considered in this study who are taken and considered as representatives of the entire population (consumers of organic fruits and vegetables in this case) for the study and research purpose. The probability sampling method proves to be more expensive and time c onsuming, which are only two of the many short comings in that case. For primary data collection, the questionnaires prepared for the purpose of this research are e-mailed to 200 people in United Kingdom and 200 in India. Another 400 were distributed in supermarkets (200 in India and 200 in UK). More number of questionnaires were sent through e-mail but due to software and document problems, they were not considered for the study. Many people who wanted to participate in this questionnaire session were unfortunately not able to do so due to time constraints. Finally 400 respondents answered the questionnaires which were used for the purpose of this research work. Questionnaire Design The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions which had multiple choice of answers each. Each respondent had to select one out of the given answers with respect to each question. The four answers for each question were related to the same aspect but there might not be any relation to the other questions answers. This is because a variety of questions regarding the consumer behavior and attitudes towards organic fruits and vegetables were considered. The first few questions were about personal details and background such as occupation, monthly earning, educational qualification etc which were followed by questions regarding organic fruits and vegetables and their opinions towards it. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK A theoretical framework basically lays down the guidelines for the research work. The concepts, theories, cases, models etc used for the presentation of the research are basically explained for understanding the study being carried out. In this dissertation, a few theories and models will be reviewed and discussed. Consumer Behaviour Consumer behaviour is a very widely studied subject in the field of marketing. Without consumers, it is very difficult for businesses of any sort to function normally. Consumers are the raison-d-etre for a business mere existence. The business may be based on profit or it might also be a non-profit organization. The field of consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use and dispose of products, services, experiences or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. Consumer behaviour mainly sheds light on how consumers decide to spend their various resources like time, money etc on various products so as to meet their needs and requirements. Consumer behaviour encompasses study of what, when, why and where the consumers will buy their products. It also focuses on how often the consumers use the products. Furthermore, it also sheds light on how the consumers evaluate the products after the purchase and the effect of evaluations on their future purchases. From the marketing point of view, it is very important to understand the consumer well and to attend to their needs, wants and demands to be successful. A consumer is the centre of attention in case of most marketing techniques; after all, it is the consumers a business needs to run. In the case of organic fruits and vegetables, a consumer might decide to buy it for its benefits on health or the environment or maybe because of the advertising for it is good. There are various factors that affect the consumer decision making process which is also discussed further. Models of Consumer Choice: The Cognitive model: When consumers make an important purchase for the first time, they may reflect on alternatives and discuss pros and cons with others with the intention of securing benefits and avoiding costs. This model is sometimes called the extended-problem solving model. (East, Wright and Vanhuele, 2008) The Reinforcement Model: Choice is controlled by factors in the environment that reward and facilitate some alternatives more than others. Managerial control is achieved by changing the consumers situation. However, what is rewarding to some persons may not be so to others and this limits influence. (East, Wright and Vanhuele , 2008) The habit model: Choice is controlled by managing stimuli (brand name, logo, pack features, etc) that have become associated with a product as a result of past purchases. Sometimes this is called stimulus control. (East, Wright and Vanhuele, 2008) Consumer Behaviour models: The purpose of consumer behaviour models is to provide description, explanation and prediction of purchase behaviour. At the same time the models provide a conceptual framework and so help researchers to set up and test new ideas so as to give even better explanations and predictions of behaviour. On the positive side, these models do help to organize research results and to demonstrate the complexity of decision processes involved in even a simple purchase, such as a can of soup in the local supermarket. On the negative side most of the models can be criticized as providing no more than a description of a range of influencing variables. There are four main clusters of factors that have an effect on purchase behaviour. They are political, economic and technical; cultural and social; psychological; and marketing influences. (Bareham, 1995) Theories make it easier to understand a concept as they outline causes and effects that are possible and what to anticipate provided the input (the happening circumstance) is given. In most cases, it is easy to analyze whether practical situations are normal and acceptable with the help of proven time tested theories. Marketing segmentation The market is divided into different groups or segments based on their needs, tastes, income, and a lot of other criteria. Marketing segmentation is based on a lot of research and important factors to suit the needs and purposes. Some of the marketing segmentation is as follows: Geographic segmentation: This involves segmenting the market by location on the assumption that people living in one location will have similar needs, wants and preferences and these will differ significantly from people living in other locations. There are some obvious limits to this assumption. People all over the world drink Coca-cola and buy Japanese electronic goods for instance. When you think about it from the viewpoint of the consumer, most buying behaviour is actually local. Localized consumer behaviour is often expressed through the presence of a significantly large cultural or sub cultural group that is different from the main stream. There are also geographically based differences between consumers for reasons that are more complex or obscure. It is not immediately obvious why some sections of consumers have different behaviour than the other sections. But knowing that, they will do, can be important to the marketing strategy. Demographic segmentation: Demographic segmentation deals with the many ways if statistically categorizing all the people in a national population. For example, a national population can be divided into subgroups based on age, sex, income, education, occupation, social class, family size, race and religion. In a sense, there are also different ways of looking at the same individual consumer, because of course we belong to each of these groups. Different aspects of our identity will be relevant to different products at different times. Baby foods can only be marketed to parents of young children, for example and a middle-class, middle aged, middle income, middle manager is more likely to be in the market for an exercise bike than a motor bike. Some of the important specifics of demographic segmentation are Age: Age is perhaps the most frequently used demographic variable in marketing segmentation. One reason for this is that the lifecycle has been divided up by society into what seem to be easily recognizable groups that are clearly differentiated from one another- infants, children, teenagers, young adults and so on. Sex: Dividing the market into male and female segments is another frequently used strategy. But even here, the old marketing certainties are breaking down. It used to be a safe bet for marketers to target do-it-yourself products exclusively at men and supermarket shopping at women. But with the larger increase in single occupant hose-holds and one parent families (most of them female), many more women are buying things that men would do if they were in a family. In addition, more women than men buy for other consumers. Socio-economic status: A persons socio economic status is determined by education, income and occupation. Though there are many exceptions of course, these are three factors often in alignment. More highly educated people tend to do managerial and professional jobs that bring a relatively high income, and vice-versa. For obvious reasons most marketers are more interested in people with high socio economic status rather than low. Income is often considered the most important variable in this case because it is so easy to quantify and because it dictates entry to certain markets. But income by itself can be very misleading. Psychological segmentation: The attempt to come up with a practical form of consumer profile has concentrated on three areas of behaviour: activities, interests, and opinions. Segmentation by usage: This form of segmentation is based on information about volume and frequency of purchase for a given product. It is a popular way of segmentation of markets because there is a lot of readily available information about patterns of usage for most goods and services. In fact, with so many transactions now electronically recorded, a great deal more of data is available than is actually used. Perhaps the most familiar usage data is provided by the electronic point of sale (EPOS) used by supermarket checkouts. Not only are all the purchased items listed, together with their prices, but so is the date and exact time of purchase and the method of payment used. Segmentation by benefit: This form of market segmentation is based on knowledge of the benefits that consumers seek from that particular product. The task of the marketer is to include the appropriate characteristics- or the impression of them in the design of particular goods or services. In a sense this kind of segmentation is at the entire marketing concept find out what people want and provide it for them. Segmentation is very important for a firm or an industry to market its products strategically and for it to be a success. In the case of organic fuits and vegetables, it comes under the category of food which is a basic necessity and therefore would appeal to and include a lot many segments in the markets. In this research study we are considering only the United Kingdom and India. So geographically these two countries are covered. Demographically the middle aged and the older people will be targeted age wise, both sexes, and the middle class and upper class levels will be targeted according to the socio economic status segmentation. Since the middle aged and older people usually are the ones who go shopping for fruits and vegetables, they are targeted age wise, both men and women shop for it, and when it comes to socio economic status, the middle and the upper income groups are targeted as organic fruits and vegetables are more expensive than conventional fruits and vegetables. Many shoppers especially in India will give up the idea of buying food when it comes to the price factor that is not acceptable for them. That is the reason why the middle and upper income groups are aimed at here. Most people both in India and United Kingdom consume fruits and vegetables everyday. In India, no meal is complete without fruits or vegetables and in the United Kingdom, people are encouraged to consume fruits and vegetables everyday with the healthy 5 a day concept though it is already a staple portion of a healthy meal. These segments are most suitable for being aimed at for marketing of organic fruits and vegetables and therefore they are the target segments. Decision making process There exist a number of factors which affect the consumer decision making process. Each of the factors has many sub-factors. Communication Situation The situation in which the consumer receives information about a product or service influences the buying decision of the consumer. For example, in the case of organic fruits and vegetables, an advertisement speaking about the bad impacts of the chemicals used in conventional foods right when the buyer is suffering from food poisoning might influence the consumer to buy food that is healthier and does not involve the usage of chemicals responsible for food poisoning and therefore influence the consumer to go in for purchase of organic fruits and vegetables in future. Purchase situation: The situation involved while a consumer is out to purchase will influence the buying process of the consumer. For example, a very health conscious friend is out with a consumer shopping for food, the friends suggestions of low cholesterol, high fiber food items will influence the consumer to buy healthier food products. Situations like when the consumer is very hungry and shopping for food might make the consumer end up purchasing food items that the consumer might have a craving for right then. Usage situation: Marketers need to understand the usage situations for which the products are meant. Using this knowledge, marketers can communicate how their products create consumer satisfaction in each relevant usage situation. For example, a recent study found that consuming 1.5 cup servings of oat based cereal a day could lower cholesterol. To increase sales, a Cheerios ad depicted the advantages of it. Disposition Situation Some consumers consider the case of disposition an important attribute towards the buying decision process. For example, if there was a rule stating that all the particular products from a household should only be disposed off at a particular point for a locality which is open only for a fixed time in the weekends, or they would be fined heavily, there would be a large decrease in the sales of that product. Situational characteristics Physical surroundings such as dà ©cor, sounds, aromas, lighting, weather and configurations of merchandise or other materials surrounding the stimulus object influences the buyer. Also, social surroundings, temporal perspectives, task definition And antecedent states influence the buyer decision making process. The marketer should influence these factors as largely as possible to influence the buyer in a favorable way to appeal to the customers. How decisions are made by people: The obvious point about decisions worth spelling out is that we are constantly making them. Form the moment we get up in the morning we are faced with deciding what to wear and what to have for breakfast and we make decisions throughout the rest of the day. Indeed we normally make so many decisions in the course of the day, every day, that only rarely do we realize that in fact we are making a decision. Decisions are just part of the business of living our lives, and are taken for granted. Rationality: Rationality is what you and I would like to think we use when making a decision. Moreover, we like to believe we are rational in both the psychological and the economic senses of the world. Psychologically, we make objective, dispassionate choices that are not influenced by prejudice or other irrational influences. Economically, we find out all the information there is on each of the alternatives, assess the advantages and disadvantages of each, and then choose the best one on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis. Most decisions are made in a state of incomplete information. Heuristics: A heuristic is simply a procedure or method or strategy for solving a problem or making a decision. It is similar to an algorithm, a procedure widely used in science, except that and algorithm is guaranteed to find the solution, or the best solution, whereas a heuristic is not. Perhaps, then it would be better for us to think of a heuristic as a rule-of-thumb. That is, a heuristic may be a good place to start if faced with a decision and it may provide a reasonable guide in the search for a solution, but no more than that. A heuristic may therefore be helpful, but it might also lead us totally astray. The reason we need heuristics when making decisions is simply that the world we live in turns us into misers-cognitive misers. Three forms of heuristic that psychologists have identified in the way people make decision: the representative heuristic, the attitude heuristic and the availability heuristic. Every step taken by anyone would require a decision to be made be it whether to put your right foot forward or your left, to eat spinach or a burger and so on. Some are taken with our conscious effort and some with our sub-conscious mind. When it comes to purchasing organic fruits and vegetables, a number of decisions need to be taken. For that matter the purchase making decision of any product is made based on several factors. For example, in the case of buying organic food, a consumer might think if he really needs to shell out 10% extra for a kg of organic onions or whether he is really doing himself any good by consuming organic potatoes. Questions such as these are answered in a heuristic pattern which leads to the purchase of organic fruits and vegetables or otherwise. Attitudes: The study of attitudes is one of the most intensively researched areas of psychology. Although there are over 100 different definitions of the term, a widely accepted definition of attitude would be: A stable, long lasting, learned predisposition to respond to certain things in a certain way. The concept has a cognitive (belief) aspect, an affective (feeling) aspect, and a conative (action) aspect. Characteristics and components of attitudes: Like a proprietary pain killer, attitudes contain not one, not two, but three active ingredients which are the cognitive component, the affective component, and the conative component. The cognitive component is mainly concerned with a consumers opinions about the products properties, for example whether it is crunchy, chewy, whether the price is reasonable, or whether the packaging is informative. The affective component deals with the consumers feelings about the products properties, for example if it is appealing or if it is un-appealing, is it liked or disliked? The conative component relates to the consumers likely behaviour in relation to the product. Sources of attitudes: The three main sources of attitudes are family, peers, and direct experience. Attitudes and behaviour: The commonsense notion that knowing someones attitudes towards a product will inform you of the likelihood of their buying it is quite a useful rule-of-thumbfor practical purposes. It is certainly