Internet And The World Wide Web - 990 Words

Internet Privacy The term Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) are words that not only are familiar to people all over the globe but their technology is ubiquitous. Aside from the availability of the Internet, several spin-off technologies have been possible such as mobile Internet service via the mobile telephone, PDA or even â€Å"netbooks† – those subnotebooks that are small-sized, low-cost and lightweight optimized for mobile Internet access and core computing functions. No doubt, it is difficult to do day-to-day personal chores nor business transactions without relying on the power of the Internet. Personal communications between relatives, family and friends are made possible at the touch of a button, and can be done regularly via emails, chat or even web cameras. Business and industry are not left behind considering strategic, tactical and operational processes have been automated, which helped commerce streamline operations. Indeed, a whole way of life for today’s genera tion has been changed because of the Internet. On the other side of the coin though, the convenience, availability and ease of use provided by the Internet could be looked at as a double-edged sword – one side provides protection while the other could do harm. Thus, one of the harms attributed to the use of the Internet is the loss of privacy by anyone using it. â€Å"In a world where literally everything you do can leave a digital fingerprint, nothing strikes a visceral chord among web users more than theShow MoreRelatedThe Internet And The World Wide Web1697 Words   |  7 PagesThe Internet is a unique place where all different nationalities, social groups and age groups with different values and characteristics, meet and interact. All spheres of media are being represented on the world wide web. Some of the relations are being mirrored from those present in real life, but the internet was never the same. As with real life, not everyone on the internet is equal and there are numerous differences between the users of t his medium of mass communication. Even though the inequalitiesRead MoreThe Internet : The World Wide Web873 Words   |  4 PagesThe internet, otherwise known as the world wide web, was discovered and popularized in 1969, along with a new way of thinking. The internet has become our TV, maps, clocks, radios, and our typewriters, revolutionizing the technology world. Nowadays, people can go onto their personal computers and find anything and everything they were looking for simply at a click of a button. Although some critique the internet for making our population dumb, the internet is full of available and efficient resourcesRead MoreThe Internet And The World Wide Web1490 Words   |  6 Pagesplace in society. The major one was the introduction of the internet and the World Wide Web. Around the 1950 s the first network called ARPANET was created and through research the internet was later on produced in the late 1970 s. Within two decades the internet went from being a new form of communication technology, to being, for most people a very important part of their culture and daily life. Many once held an optimism that the Internet would for example revolutionise work and office life, createRead MoreInternet And The World Wide Web2058 Words   |  9 Pagesuse the internet. The internet is a global communication network that allows all computers to exchange information. The internet has social benefits, it helps us in the classroom, it enhances our creativity, and it also has long term effects on our brain that actually help us. Of course, there are cons about the internet, but the bad parts are controllable. The internet changes the way we think for the better, and connects us to people all around the world. The internet and the world wide web are veryRead MoreThe Internet And World Wide Web Essay2237 Words   |  9 PagesCerf invented the Internet and just a few years later in 1990 Tim Berners-Lee changed the world forever by inventing the beautiful and ever useful World Wide Web. Most would use the terms ‘internet’ and ‘World Wide Web’ interchangeably, however they are not the same at all. The Internet is an indescribably large network of networks while the World Wide Web is a refined way of gaining access to information on the internet. A really easy way to think about it is that the internet is connecting computersRead MoreWeb 2.0 : Internet, World Wide Web1988 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction With the introduction of the ultimate business disruptors: Internet, World Wide Web (Web) and communication technologies have revolutionized the way business operates by improving the ways people and organizations communicate and collaborate. The concept of Web 2.0 (Business 2.0) has earned a lot of prominence in recent years by positively influencing and changing the global landscape of businesses. Web 2.0 serves as a distinctive communications platform enabling and enhancing collaborationRead MoreThe Impact Of Internet On The World Wide Web1320 Words   |  6 PagesSince its introduction, the World Wide Web has been an electronic hub for people to share thoughts anonymously with others all over the globe, however the internet has been used for activities deemed illicit. Governments have responded by limiting the access people have to certain parts of the web and monitoring people’s internet activities. There are people who believe that these governments’ actions have violated civil rights. In order to protect their anonymity, people have turned to The OnionRead MoreThe Internet And The Development Of The World Wide Web1045 Words   |  5 Pageshas changed how individuals use the Internet may access the World Wide Web. This presented paper highlights the history of the Internet and the development of the World Wide Web. It also describes the masterminds who created and developed the Web, enabled its popularization through the Web browser, and greatly improved its value by enabling web search. With the whole technology advances and changes, the differences between the first generation, Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 is also important to consider becauseRead MoreThe Impact Of Internet On The World Wide Web1767 Words   |  8 Pages Globally, the estimate for Internet users in 2016 comes to around 46.1 percent, a three percent increase from 2015 (â€Å"Internet Users in the World,† Internet Live Stats). In a world where almost half of the population has Internet most people cannot imagine their lives without constant access to news sources. In this, different platforms that involve the sharing of information include: physical newspaper, online news sources, Facebook, and other social media platforms. The sharing of news storiesRead MoreThe Impact Of Internet On The World Wide Web2353 Words   |  10 PagesSince the invention of the internet via the World Wide Web (WWW) in the 1990s, numerous communication methods among individuals have improved. Friends, families, acquaintances have the capability to interact and connect at no charge disregarding of their locations as a result of the Computer-Mediated-Communication (CMC). With the improvement of the social media platforms such as Twitter, Myspace, Fac ebook, IM, Instagram and LinkedIn, youths have become hooked to online socialization. They have been

Occupational Therapy Is An Art - 1204 Words

Occupational therapy by definition is a health profession whose goal is to help people achieve independence, meaning and satisfaction in all aspects of their lives.(steinhardt.nyu.edu) Occupational therapy is an art, an art that begins by first viewing the patient through a lens of empathy. Occupational therapist must not only recognize a patient s condition, but asses them as a whole, taking into account all aspects of their being. Occupational therapist provide treatment that is intrinsic in nature, while also satisfying the client s desires, and needs. Occupational therapy is used as a form of treatment in many illness s both physical and cognitive. Cognitive disorders can be some of the hardest to cope with, as they affect all levels on function. Dementia is a cognitive disorder that affects neurological function. There are many types of dementia, for the purpose of this paper the focus will be on the most common form of dementia known as Alzheimer s disease. Alzheimer s disease affects 5.3 million Americans, with 5.1 million age 65 an older. Though early onset Alzheimer s has been seen in people as young as 30 it is very uncommon. Alzheimer s disease is a non curable progressive condition caused by the degeneration of neurons, the main cellular component of the central nervous system. This degeneration is believed to be caused by a build up and entanglement of the functional proteins within and around the neuron. However, the exact cause of neuronShow MoreRelatedEssay on Introduction to Purposeful Activity1433 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction to Purposeful Activity In Occupational Therapy (OT), ideas and theories go through various modifications. Practitioners dealing with Occupational therapy use craft as therapeutic mechanisms because people do feel that they are capable of accomplishing anything when they prove to themselves that they can do an art and compete it on their own. Crafts vary in their purpose; some deal with self care such as cooking, sewing, cleaning, and mending. Other crafts are generally meant to dealRead MoreBushwick Center For Rehabilitation And Healthcare Essay982 Words   |  4 PagesHealthcare The Facility The Bushwick Center is a skilled nursing facility (SNF). It is both rehabilitation and nursing facility. Clients typically get occupational and physical therapy services in the facility. Other support services include social services, medical, and dietary/nutrition. Fieldwork Assignment Bushwick Center has a recreational therapy department. I was assigned to that department for my level 1 fieldwork. The activities director together with several recreational therapist staffRead MoreSocial Cognitive Modeling Characteristics : Analysis1062 Words   |  5 Pagestakes place when the learner is provided with behavioral, cognitive and affective modeling. The characteristics of effective modeling includes: competence, perceived similarity, credibility, and enthusiast. Looking at competency, within the occupational therapy profession, the process starts during the educational experience and flows into the clinical practice. Through the educational setting, theory is infused by using lab time, role play and hands on practice. Students are thought by practicingRead MoreThe Use And Benefits Of Art In Special Education And Special1420 Words   |  6 PagesThe Use and Benefits of Art in Special Education and Special Education Services In the early half of the 20th Century, education for children with special needs was near non-existent. With the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975, however, it became mandatory for schools to provide students with special needs Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) (IDEA, 1975). Since the IDEA law was enacted, special education has expanded to include a wide variety of programsRead MoreOccupational Therapy Philosophy1209 Words   |  5 Pages------------------------------------------------- Occupational Therapy: Integrating Art and Science * ------------------------------------------------- * ------------------------------------------------- What is occupational therapy? How does one define the profession and validate its worth in the medical field? Since its conception as an established health care profession, occupational therapy’s philosophy has been defined, redefined, and refined. In their writings esteemed Occupational Therapists Mary ReillyRead MoreOccupational Therapy And Occupational Therapists1243 Words   |  5 Pagesof qualified occupational therapists. There now was a minimal standard of training that had to be met before an individual was put in the directory (AOTA, 2009). The name was changed to the American Occupational Therapy Association. The American Medical Association worked with the American Occupational Therapy Association starting in 1933 on getting improved education programs for occupational therapists (AOTA, 2009). World War II was a very influential event on occupational therapy. There was aRead MoreThe Block Institute Of New York Supplies Services For Individuals With Developmental Disabilities1226 Words   |  5 PagesMedication Management, Psychotherapy, Psychosexuality Counseling, Cogitative Behavioral Therapy, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Speech and Language Pathology, twelve and twenty four Week Intensive Nutritional Counseling, Comprehensive Evaluations and Specialized Group Therapy. Block Institute Clinical Services. Retrieved from http://blockinstitute.org/clinical_services.htm. Sensory processing and physical therapy are main concentrations of The Block Institute. Accommodations for these activitiesRead MoreThe Secret Of Getting By Mark Twain1134 Words   |  5 Pagesoften forget about these smaller steps because they grow accustomed to only thinking about the outcome. However, people are often forced to pay attention to these smaller actions when there s a disruption in performing the end goal. Thus, occupational therapy helps individuals develop, recover, or maintain skills that are required to carry out the smatter steps so individuals can then achieve other things. I intended to become a pharmacist to please my parents who have high expectations for meRead MoreTherapies For Autistic Children.Individuals Take For Granted1678 Words   |  7 PagesTherapies for Autistic Children Individuals take for granted the luxury of embodying qualities such as communication, interaction, and social and motor skills. Although, individuals may determine the aforementioned skills are more difficult to obtain because of a disability. Autism or autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that effects many children in the United States of America. Communication, interaction, and motor and social skills are usually effected in the autistic child. Read More Heart Actions: Stroke 1240 Words   |  5 Pagesback again. Arteries supply fresh blood and veins return old blood. By one artery or blood vessel being blocked or damaged the flow of blood to the brain will suddenly stop and result of a stroke. Many consequences will come with a stroke but occupational therapy practitioners make stroke patients lives easier to live with purposeful and innovated interventions. Generally speaking, the force required to circulate blood is given by an engine which is housed almost in the middle of the chest: the heart

Change Management in Multi-National Firm-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Prepare a report that Critically evaluates the utility of theoretical models of change for executives who are looking to transform ways of working within their Multinational Firms. Answer: Introduction In the initial stage of strategic history of the company Wal-Mart that it always had an unchanged vision to offer low prices for the consumers. In fact, in 1990s the company also announced to go international. The company started looking for the global markets for many reasons discussed as following: - The company faced a very strong competition in US like Target or K mart. These two companies were very aggressive in expansion of the business and had also initiated the market share of Wal-Mart (ten Have et al., 2016). The market of US is a saturated market and it was also becoming challenging for the company to continue with its present development rate. The population of US is based on just 4% of the population of the world and if the company wants to expand the international market, the country like China has the potential and huge development because of the huge population of over one billion of people (ten Have et al., 2016). The concept of globalization has opened up different and diverse market in China which has also developed number of options for discount stores like Wal-Mart. Company like Wal-Mart is utilizing the present strategy that can also cooperated with domestic suppliers to buy the products, even thought the culture of the organization can be standardized with the home country. This strategy is not just to utilize to purchasing products since they also adapted the domestic cultures and the decoration of the stores and designs are also transformed to meet the domestic taste worldwide (Fawcett et al., 2013). Wal-Mart- an Introduction As mentioned, the company discussed here is Wal-Mart Inc. which is not just a retail giant however it is also considered as largest chain of grocery worldwide. The company was founded in the year 1962. The company was founded by Samuel Walton along with his brother J.L Walton established there first Wal-Mart discount store in Arkansas. The common mission of the company is saving the money of people so that they can live in a better manner. The main competition like Target and K-Mart the sales were up by fifty more since the giant size as well as purchasing power (Helms and Oliver, 2015). The company has the capacity to buy its products at less prices where exchange is based on high purchases volumes for comparatively less cost where saving is passed to the consumers. The company presently has over eight thousands stores worldwide with three distinct business sections associated with retail stores which also include Sams Club, Wal-Mart Store and International chain of Wal-Mart. All th e stores provides so many kinds of merchandises which also include the section of electronic appliances, furnitures, apparels and groceries and many more. The organization usually aims on providing the low price to gain the customers. Change management in multi-national firm The concept of globalization has transformed forever in the form as well as with different substance of the present business. It is important to understand here that it is not sufficient to develop in an organic manner or expand on a local level. The options lie in addition and with competitiveness on a global scale that needs new skill set and it should also be in tune all across the world. The issues are important where managing the overall risk in global market is based on the development of the market and the overall entry with growth strategies and building an agile form of international teams and also overcoming the physical as well as all kinds of cultural barriers to gain some kind of success (Helms and Oliver, 2015). The volume of global business has also overtaken the local business and this is why it is important to gain some clarity on how critical global business is for the survival and the overall success of MNC. The culture, political systems, socio-economic characteri stics, geographic boundaries and language impacts the business practices of an organization. Research the businesses when one wish to do the business which consist of the business practices with right culture and tradition which is crucial for the success of the business in the international market. This is why, for any kind of global business and its success, these are the key issues in marketplaces including different trade agreements, degradation of environment, supply chain management and barriers in cultural boundaries (Helms and Oliver, 2015). Marketing environment of Wal-Mart Wal-Mart and all related actors that function in large macro environment of forces that can shape options and also pose different kinds of threats for the organization. Following are six important forces: - Economic environment: the present environment of Wal-Mart is some of those characteristic that can impact the purchasing power of consumer and expenditure patterns. Demographic Environment: the concept of demography is actually a study of the populations which is in term of density, location, size, age and many other similar statistics. It is an important interest for the marketer since it consist of people and make up market of people with demographic trend which is changing continuously (Frynas and Mellahi, 2015). Natural environment: the present natural environment consist of different natural base of resources that are required as some inputs by the marketing manager or people that are impacted by different marketing activities. In last twenty years, environment is related to steady development. There are some important analysis of trends which are labeled the particular concern which are discussed in detail below: - Shortage in raw material: factors like air, wood products and water that have been damaging the non-renewable products like oil, various minerals and coals that have been depleted in a serious manner and it also impacts the industrial expansion. Rise in pollution all across the world issues and industrial level damage for the environment is a serious matter. The intervention from the government is related to management of natural resources that has caused a lot of concerns of environment and it is important to be more practical and important in business as well as industry. The concept of leadership is not about punishing especially for sustaining or attaining long term outcomes (Frynas and Mellahi, 2015). Despite of so many opposing rules as well as regulations, the marketers must also provide some help in providing outcomes for the material and all the energy related issues faces by the world. Political: the political surrounding consist of laws, pressure groups and government agencies that impacts and also restricts many companies and people in the present society. There are many kind of legislation which properly regulates the business. Technological: the technological surrounding consists of forces that can develop new kind of technologies, developing new base for products and market options. Marketing strategy the market strategy of the company primarily based two important goals that have worked as guidelines for the firm through their developing years. The consumers here are characterized in first goal which says that customers will be given what they need, when they need it and all of it with a value. The team spirit of the company is mainly focused on the second set of goals where the importance of equal treatment is emphasized. The goal of the customer consists of providing the consumer with what can be reasonable and with right values. The second goal is actually the foundation of the organization and its members (Johnston and Marshall, 2016). The workforce of any company is basis for the success of the company and it drives the routine functions. The employees of the company are the associate partners which provide them a feeling based on empowering them with pride that literally drive the culture of the company. The company has launched successful marketing strat egies that are based on factors associated with environment and social issues. Change management for Wal-Mart The company has enjoyed the success by agreeing to three important principles since its inception. The first or basic principle is based on the concept of providing right value along with services to the customer by providing the high quality merchandise at low prices each day. The company has built the association with the customer on this basis and there is a belief it is base reason for the quick development of the companys success and development. The second principle followed by the company is based on dedication to partnership that exists between the associates of the company along with management and ownership. The basic concept is further extended to the companys vendors who have expanded the business as the company is growing. The basic principle is based on commitment by the company to US and the communities where the stores as well as distribution centers on different location (Johnston and Marshall, 2016). The company also strives to conduct the business in a manner which shows these three basic principles and the outcomes fundamental values. Every vendor partners containing the varied Vendor Partners which is external of US and are expected to conform to those approaches and values to make sure that there is compliance in all base for contracting and other associations. The process of change is very complicated by nature and is also consist with anxiety based on time and there is an uncertainty for the employees. Company also needs to understand as well as articulate the advantages of changes and a clear process for accomplishing the change when they are winning the overall commitment (Surmann et al., 2016). Business process transformational model The concept of business process modeling is based on the technology aiming at modeling the processes of business and also evaluating them with the goal of utilizing the analysis in order to drive the process based transformations. The concept of business process modeling is actually a tool that has some important capabilities like simulating the help of business analysts to gain clarity and also quantifying the present impact of different kind of process of KPIs which is also known as Key Performance Indicators. Business model process modeling can be use widely with the right analytic capacities like stimulating the less degree since development and functioning on the simulation models and also interpreting the current outcomes which can be seen as a complex process by so many business analysts. Business process changes or the transformational model is the base of rethinking as well as radical amount of redesign of the present business processes to accomplish dramatically improving i n a critical manner with contemporary measures based on performance like cost, service and quality (Surmann et al., 2016). The model is actually top-down approach and it was never about the projects which were carried from isolation to evaluate a specific function. Business process model of transformation is all about looking for the complete processes rather than a particular function. It also requires to be customer based or centric approach and look at the chain of functions which lead by the consumer results. The mission of the company is to increase as well as integrating the supplier based diversity programs into every of our procurement activities and it is based on advocating for minor as well as a business owned by women (Benn et al., 2014). System modeling The 7-S model is also known as McKinsey 7-S model because the two individuals who progressed this model, Robert Waterman and Tom Peters. Following is the detail discussion of 7-S model for Wal-Mart: - Strategy: there are activities with a plan of a company which is actually in response to with an interference of transformation in it external environment of the company. Wal-Mart has always responded and formed strategies as per the change in the market condition and diverse market. Structure: on the basis of the present specialization as well as co-ordination that was primarily impact by the strategy and the size of the company and its diversity. There are number formal system along with informal process that provides support the structure and strategy. Wal-Mart follows a basic structure however, the company adapts with the change in the market as well as the localities (Benn et al., 2014). Style: the culture of the company like Wal-Mart consists of two elements. These elements are organizational culture which is related to dominant set of values along with beliefs as well as norms are developed over a period of time. It is further becoming relative with endured characteristics of the organization. Staff: the human resource management follows a process which is mainly used to develop the socialization procedure with number of different skilled managers and it also consist of methods to shape the base values for the management and ways to introduce the new recruits to the company and many more (Benn et al., 2014). Skills: this consists of unique or different set of competences where the company is able to perform in best manner and with varied ways to expand or move competences. Super ordinate objectives: these shows as the aspiration of the company like Wal-Mart has the right beliefs, principles and has an aim which must take the company towards the success. Wal-Mart has the shared views and is based on strong competitive benefits for a huge company like this to grow and develop (Hallinger et al., 2017). Conclusion The most challenging issue for Wal-Mart involves the resentment from the public. The company in addition to it has completely wiped so many establishments in retail industry. This far the big box competitors have completely stopped the company from particular expansion since the company is tried to fight back. As per the point of view of the company, it is important to focus on expansion on international platform. If a particular areas are completely against the company that can pass different laws in order to stop the company from manufacturing in the present area. It is important that the company understand this and consider staying away. For instance, the company will have bad time that expanded in places like Oakland. It is important base this assumption on the laws that were executed and have a great deal of bad publicity (Sullivan and Gouldson, 2016). The company is primarily aiming to expand on global platform. Another important issue which Wal-Mart is facing is the federal la wsuit associated with discrimination. As per the number quoted in different studies, the company is facing discrimination charges against females. These charges came as a shock but the company is trying to fix it and the company is very detailed in their strategy and the company also requires being more detailed and it is as per the compensation and many additional incentives policies. The company also needs to stop the discrimination charges. This is why, it is important to ignore the discrimination while supervising the wages as well as salaries set up by the company. This is specifically right for the managers and top level recruitment where female employees are not provided with many opportunities (Sullivan and Gouldson, 2016). References Benn, S., Dunphy, D. and Griffiths, A., 2014.Organizational change for corporate sustainability. Routledge. Bolman, L.G. and Deal, T.E., 2017.Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. John Wiley Sons. Drucker, P.F., 2017.The Theory of the Business (Harvard Business Review Classics). Harvard Business Press. Fawcett, S.E., Ellram, L.M. and Ogden, J.A., 2013.Supply Chain Management: Pearson New International Edition: From Vision to Implementation. Pearson Higher Ed. Frynas, J.G. and Mellahi, K., 2015.Global strategic management. Oxford University Press, USA. Hallinger, P., Shaobing, T. and Jiafang, L., 2017. Learning to make change happen in Chinese schools: adapting a problem-based computer simulation for developing school leaders.School Leadership Management,37(1-2), pp.162-187. Helms, W.S. and Oliver, C., 2015. Radical settlements to conflict: Conflict management and its implications for institutional change.Journal of Management Organization,21(4), pp.471-494. Johnston, M.W. and Marshall, G.W., 2016.Sales force management: Leadership, innovation, technology. Routledge. Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J.P., 2016.Management information system. Pearson Education India. Sullivan, R. and Gouldson, A., 2016. Comparing the climate change actions, targets and performance of UK and US retailers.Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management,23(3), pp.129-139. Surmann, M., Surmann, M., Brunauer, W.A., Brunauer, W.A., Bienert, S. and Bienert, S., 2016. The energy efficiency of corporate real estate assets: The role of energy management for corporate environmental performance.Journal of Corporate Real Estate,18(2), pp.68-101. ten Have, S., ten Have, W., Huijsmans, A.B. and Otto, M., 2016.Reconsidering change management: Applying evidence-based insights in change management practice(Vol. 16). Routledge

Voss Essay Example

Voss Essay VOSS Bottled Water Voss Inc. is a company established in 1999 which bottles and distributes Artesan water. The source of this water is a pristine aquifer in South Norway. It is packaged in a uniquely designed and patented cylindrical shaped glass bottle and sold at a premium price. Some of the Hollywood actors and celebrities have been spotted using this premium bottled water. Its close competitors are Fiji and Perrier who offer pure water at a premium price. Differentiation Based Strategy The founders of Voss, Christian Sandberg and Chris Harlem, recognized enormous potential for ultra premium bottled water from Norway after doing an extensive around the world research. Artesan water is the most purest form of water available and thus used as a unique value proposition to target the ultra premium segment. Differentiation point 1 : Purest Water It is recognised as the purest form of water by FDA and has recorded the lowest TDS of any bottled water ever tested by FDA. So, in a way it is a unctional product that is uniquely different from any other product in the market. Differentiation point 2 : Unique and patented packaging – Luxury Image According to a study, in the ultra premium bottled water segment, when people buy water it is for image and not just water. Voss roped in Calvin Klein’s former creative director Neil Kraft to design the packaging. He came out with a sleek cylindrically designed glass bottle when everybody else was offering plastic bottle s in traditional bottle shapes. The design was later patented by Voss. We will write a custom essay sample on Voss specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Voss specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Voss specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Voss, through its product offering, provides a unique value (purest water and image of Luxury /Exclusivity) which other competitors were not able to offer in the ultra premium segment. Value Creation and Delivery (Mechanisms) Value 1 Product offering : Purest water drawn from Artesan well in pristine South Norway. No human intervention. The water is drawn from an aquifer by pressurizing the impermeable layer of rock and ice without the use of mechanical pumps. Product Quality and consistency is unquestionable since no mechanical/manual process is required to purify water. Customer is always certain to get purest water when they buy VOSS. Value 2 – Luxury Image/Exclusivity : It is a market driving product. The strategy is to create exclusivity and associate luxury with the product. This is achieved by aligning all the marketing processes in a way that this value of luxury and exclusivity is delivered effectively. Price – Ultra premium pricing helps in targeting the right segment i. e. rich and affluent (exclusivity). Patented Designer Glass bottle – Unique packaging gives it an edge over others and helps in positioning and targeting the ultra premium segment Controlled Supply Sold almost exclusively through high-end hotels, restaurants, clubs and speciality stores (VOSS Red PET bottle). Voss‘s exclusivity is derived from the fact that Voss is served on the tables of the finest restaurant and lounges in the rooms of the most luxurious hotels and beachside at the trendiest resorts around the world. Voss is not available at retail outlets like 7-11 or corner convenience stores. Promotions – No discounts or giveaways to maintain its brand image of luxury. Advertisements Heavily relies on PR activities and viral promotion which further reinforces its positioning of unique brand. It does not engage in run of the mill advertising like other water companies and stays away from the crowd. Associations with Ultra premium brand ambassadors like Madonna, George Clooney, Lindsay Lohan are used as promotional activities. The product offering as well as the aura of exclusivity/luxury gives customer a feeling of pride to consume Voss water and pay a premium price for the same. Key Resources that create value Source of Water : The source of water in Norway is a unique and sustainable resource in itself. Target Segment : Targeting the ultra premium segment is a key to the strategy as the product has most value to this segment. The competition in this segment is not as intense as it is in the bigger mass market. This means less investment in promotions / discounts / advertisements. This is a sustainable strategy as this segment will always value a quality product that gives them image value as well. Distribution Channels : Controlled distribution follows from its strategy of targeting. By availing its product in upscale restaurant / bars / peciality stores gives them advantages as under: 1. Signals that it is not part of the crowd (mass market) 2. Developing strong relationship with the premium restaurants and bars 3. Helps in controlling the price Bottle design: They have a first mover advantage in introducing a patented designer bottle in the market. This is patented and hence cannot be copied. Advertisement/promotions/brand associations: No TV advt. and no discounts. Brand associat ions and viral campiagns are a very important part of the strategy and that is the only promotion method that VOSS uses. Run of the mill advt. will put in the same league as other bottled waters in the market. Strategic Alignment: It is critical to note that the strategic alignment of all elements of strategy is what makes the marketing strategy of VOSS extremely successful. The strategy driven by differentiation (purest water and associating it with image – great design) is ably support by targeting/segmentation of premium segment. This combined with premium pricing and controlled supply helps in positioning. This then followed up with appropriate promotional strategy makes their mkt strategy work. This alignment gives them a distinct advantage which is sustainable and difficult to copy. As rightly pointed out in Business strategy, the competitive advantage emanates from management of the core resources of the firm and VOSS seems to be doing it pretty well. Opportunities and Challenges Growth is one of the biggest challenge for VOSS as the ultra premium segment is not a very fast growing segment. Some options for growth are :- Expand internationally in Emerging markets : The ultra rich segment is growing very rapidly in emerging economies like India and China. It may be a good opportunity for VOSS to enter these markets. Though there are challenges of imitation and localisation. Also, will that mean that it will affect its brand as may be people may start doubting its exclusivity? Enter the lower end of market : This is a tricky one. This is the fastest growing and biggest segment of the market. However, capturing this means going against its core segment and strategy. Though it may choose to develop its separate brand (VOSS Red) and push it in the Retail channel. However, before doing that it has to do a proper study and research on whether this will impact its premium brand (VOSS silver) or not. Flavoured Water : This is another option where it can do product enhancements and enter the flavoured water market. However, this may put it in the same league as other flavoured waters (no differentiation point-cannot claim it as purest flavoured water) Whatever is done, one thing is for sure that it is very difficult for VOSS to deviate from its core strategy of superior product offering which right now sets it apart.