Philosophy of David Hume Essays - 1927 Words

The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public. –( George Jessel ). One can say or try and dissect the brain and try to figure what’s going on inside of it and that’s what Philosophers today try to accomplish, but a question can be raised from this. Why is that why must the brain be dissected? This question is raised for the simple fact that Philosophers really want to know what’s going on the human brain. This can also go back to â€Å"knowing† and believing in something that can be proven as a fact. We will also take a look into induction which is the process of deriving general principles from particular facts or instances, and generalization the act or process of perceiving†¦show more content†¦The two general problems posed by Hume is how do we, as human beings, form opinions about certain issues that we may or may have not personally observed. The second part of his argu ment questions various people that have drawn conclusions from something they haven’t seen. In the article, Hume rarely refers to this particular issue as induction; he uses the term generalization a lot to discuss the topic. This issue has been around for a very long time looking back into our world’s storied history. We look at our observations in the past to sometimes speculate things that we will see in the future. For example, all of our life’s we have only seen one particular type of species of squirrels. This is the typical brown squirrel that one would see on a daily basis. Everywhere and every time someone mentions a squirrel you would envision something brown. You wouldn’t think that it was any way possible for there to be another type/color squirrel. This â€Å"assumption† was believed to be true for a long time until someone discovered a black squirrel and also a gray squirrel which proved those initial thoughts to be in correct. Therefore there statement was invalid about squirrels, so we can see that this is something that can happen on a day to day basis. Another great point that arises from Hume is that all events in the future will be as they were in the past. This idea is only trueShow MoreRelatedDavid Hume Philosophy1172 Words   |  5 PagesDavid Hume, the Scottish philosopher, is recognized for his â€Å"philosophical empiricism and skepticism†. Of course, it is not all that surprising that an educated man, such as David Hume, would attempt to explain the human condition through experience, considering the fact that Hume lived during the Enlightenment period; a period during which science and reason dominated the world of thought. In his autobiography, My Own Life, the Scottish philosopher, takes notice of the fact that even women wereRead MoreDavid Hume ´s Philosophy Essay875 Words   |  4 Pages Hume’s Epistemology David Hume was a Scottish philosopher known for his ideas of skepticism and empiricism. Hume strived to better develop John Locke’s idea of empiricism by using a scientific study of our own human nature. We cannot lean on common sense to exemplify human conduct without offering any clarification to the subject. In other words, Hume says that since human beings do, as a matter of fact, live and function in this world, observation of how humans do so is imminent. The primaryRead MoreThis semester we have been studying various philosophers, and from those philosophers only one has1000 Words   |  4 Pagesphilosophers only one has been able to get ethics right and that would be David Hume. David Hume presents a very compelling argument to previous philosophers like St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine who tie their ethics to God, and in which Hume says we don’t need God to be ethical. David Hume goes on arguing that all humans have emotions and since we have emotions we s hould act on them instead of suppressing them. Another argument Hume presents is the way we are judged by our actions and how our actionsRead MoreComparing David Hume and Immanuel Kant Essay1356 Words   |  6 PagesComparing David Hume and Immanuel Kant David Hume and Immanuel Kant each made a significant break from other theorists in putting forward a morality that doesn’t require a higher being or god, for a man to recognize his moral duty. Although Hume and Kant shared some basic principals they differed on their view of morality. In comparing the different views on human will and the maxims established to determine moral worth by David Hume and Immanuel Kant, I find their theories on morality have someRead MoreKant And David Hume Views On The Matter1457 Words   |  6 Pagesthat lead to an individual to both reason and feel some sort of emotion. Objectively speaking, there is a no fine line between reasoning and how one feels, however there seems to be a distinct difference between the philosophers Immanuel Kant and David Hume views on the matter. Both are life changing philosophers with very opposing views. One sees the feelings in human nature while the other seems to see nothing but rationality. One can argue both ar e used but according to these two there is only oneRead MoreThe Philosophical Issue Of Knowledge1237 Words   |  5 Pagessuch as David Hume and Rene Descartes. This paper focuses on a philosophical issue: how we acquire knowledge, the philosophers who explored and talked about it, the concerns available and our present view on the current issue. Knowledge is having information, skills, facts and expertise regarding a particular concern or the world at general that increases the faculty of human beings. Well, in philosophy, Epistemology is the process by which knowledge is acquired. The two philosophers, Hume and DescartesRead MoreThe Inspiration of the Declaration of Independence1203 Words   |  5 Pagesin our American history. To really understand what influenced Thomas Jefferson, we must understand some of the men who inspired him when creating this document. Its also important for us to understand the philosophies these men went by, and why Thomas Jefferson wanted incorporate their philosophies in his grand ideas. We also need to understand what was happening at the time when the Declaration was written. These are all questions that we are going to dive into to understand why Thomas Jefferson wroteRead More Age of reason Essay1294 Words   |  6 Pagesopinions (Sartre4). David Hume was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on Ma y 7, 1711. Educated at home and then at the University of Edinburgh; here he studies law but then decides to pursue an independent study of his own ideas (Sartre 132). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;From 1734 to 1737 Hume was busy writing his book, A Treatise of Human Nature, which talked about the problems of thoughtful philosophy (Hampshire 105). However, the public ignored this important piece of work making Hume feel like he wasRead MorePersonal Identity : David Hume1133 Words   |  5 Pagesidentity is a concept within philosophy that has persisted throughout its history. In the eighteenth century this problem came to a head. David Hume dedicated a portion of his philosophy in the attempts to finally put what he saw as a fallacious claim concerning the soul to rest. In the skeptical wake of Hume, German idealist, beginning with Immanuel Kant, were left with a variety of epistemic and metaphysical problems, the least of which was personal identity. David Hume was a Scottish empiricistRead MoreDescartes and Hume: A Look at Skepticism and Finding Stability915 Words   |  4 Pagesfor something to be considered a true piece of knowledge, that â€Å"knowledge must have a certain stability,† (Cottingham 21). In his work, Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes concludes that in order to achieve this stability, he must start at the foundations for all of his opinions and find the basis of doubt in each of them. David Hume, however, holds a different position on skepticism in his work An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, for he criticizes Descartes’ claim because â€Å"‘it is impossible

Robins, Chatterjee, And Canda Described Erik Erikson Was

Robins, Chatterjee, and Canda described Erik Erikson was a forward-thinking psychologist who proposed one of the first stage theories of development that spanned birth to death. They shared that Erikson used Freud’s stages of psychosexual development as a starting point for his theory then expanded the stages to include development past the age of childhood. His theoretical model hinges on the resolution of tasks during each of his eight stages of development and rests on the assumption that a successful resolution results in a healthy ego development. Erikson basically felt that a person developed one stage successfully, or unsuccessfully, before delving into the next stage. A successful resolution of each stage was needed for the next†¦show more content†¦This sense of mistrust would be the first thing that the young child developed, based on the lack of adequate and appropriate caregiving. There are many life experiences that could impact how a child develops or do es not develop a sense of trust. One thing to consider is the level of parental neglect that is present when the infant is starting to develop a sense of trust. A parent that does not cue into their child s needs is less likely to meet those needs. This parent might be struggling with some type of mental illness such as post-partum depression or possibly abuse drugs. A substance using parent is one that might have a negative impact on the development of trust. When a parent is under the influence they are more likely to neglect diaper changes, cues for attention, or miss a feeding. One story made headlines not long ago about the discovery of a small child’s body. The child died of starvation after the mother overdosed in the house and died herself. When a parent is using drugs they are in an altered state, possibly passed out. They may not hear the child crying or could possibly yell or otherwise harm the child. Either instance mentioned could result in that child giving up hope that their needs are going to be met and foster that sense of mistrust. Erikson’s Autonomy Verses Shame and Doubt Erikson’s second stage of development takes place during an age span that would typically be associated with

Marcus Buckingham Ashley Goodall Management-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Marcus Buckingham Ashley Goodall Management? Answer: Introducation The article and the two unit videos talk about the role of HR, its dynamics and factors contributing to its effectiveness in organizational success. The fundamental similarity cutting across the three materials is that HR is critical for any organizations. It plays a significant role in helping the firm have the right workforce, policies and strategies that are supportive of achieving the set goals and objectives. Additionally, they both agree that the HR should not be administrative-oriented. The HR department should be a source of innovation of strategies outside the conventional roles such as recruiting. The materials also universally agree that the HR department should be at the forefront in understanding labor marketing trends and help the organization cope accordingly. Human Resource Discussion Forum One notable difference is the approach to modern HR functions. Capelli (2015) points out that HR profession cannot be like accounting which is guided by universal principles. HR functions have to be guided by the prevailing needs within the organization. On the other hand, What CEOs Want From HR Professionals asserts that there are universal traits and principles that HR professionals have to exhibit and which have to be the basis of their practice. Hiring Human Resource Professionals also gives a different perspective of the same by arguing that HR professionals execute their work in line with their skills, expertise and experience. One interesting concept I have learnt is that in 1920s, many small companies went under in the advent of the death of their CEOs since they could not be replaced! References Cappelli, Auditing, Marcus Buckingham Ashley Goodall, McCord, P. (2015, July 06). Why We Love to Hate HR...and What HR Can Do About It. Retrieved September 17, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2015/07/why-we-love-to-hate-hr-and-what-hr-can-do-about-it (2011, November 23). What CEOs want from HR. Retrieved September 17, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXdud_roXlE

Martin Luther King Jr. Essays (195 words) - Martin Luther King, Sr.

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin. His grandfather began the family's long tenure as pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, serving from 1914 to 1931; his father has served from then until the present, and from 1960 until his death Martin Luther acted as co-pastor. Martin Luther attended segregated public schools in Georgia, graduating from high school at the age of fifteen; he received the B. A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a distinguished Negro* institution of Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had graduated. After three years of theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he was elected president of a predominantly white senior class, he was awarded the B.D. in 1951. With a fellowship won at Crozer, he enrolled in graduate studies at Boston University, completing his residence for the doctorate in 1953 and receiving th e degree in 1955. In Boston he met and married Coretta Scott, a young woman of uncommon intellectual and artistic attainments. Two sons and two daughters were born into the family

privacy in America essays

privacy in America essays After viewing Enemy of the State, one can not help but feel vulnerable to the technological advances of our government. However, most Americans find it difficult to believe that they are being watched by agents of the United States government. When Americans do accept that their privacy is being invaded, they assume that only the United States government, or rich and powerful companies are responsible, yet with todays technology your next door neighbor could be listening. Americans believe that the right to privacy is a natural God given right, and that every American has the right to be left alone. Unfortunately, there are some individuals, usually labeled as terrorists, who would threaten the stability, and safety of America. Because of these select few the privacy of many must be compromised, and due to this compromise there is now controversy. Americans want to feel safe within their borders, free from foreign violence and terrorists attacks. We want our government to provide pro tection and security, however, with this protection we must be willing to surrender a certain amount of our privacy. The surrendering of our privacy brings about a debate, how much information does our government need. Americans have acknowledged and accepted that terrorism is a growing concern in our country, and that the United States government must utilize every possible option when battling this newest and deadliest foe. Terrorism poses a serious threat, requiring a serious government response. From 1990-1997 there have been 25 incidents of terrorism on U.S. soil, with two incidents occurring in 1997 (Center 1). Technology, Americas ally in the cold war has become the nations greatest national security vulnerability. Weapons of mass destruction may soon fall into the hands of terrorists, if they have not already (Thomas 78). The National Security Agency (NSA sometimes known as No Such Agency), claims it is rescuing...

A Report Into Consumer Behavioural Theory

Creating a psychological struggle for customers as well as curing it can be vital to increase market share and customer satisfaction. * Overcoming pre-purchase alternatives to Benecol is a great challenge due to the highly saturated market the brand finds itself in, although this is not impossible as promotion of the products health benefits can lift it. * Consumers can be conditioned to relate to Benecol both consciously and unconsciously through various marketing and production techniques. Marketing strategies can be put in place which are directly or indirectly linked to the purchase or use of the product that gain short or long term boosts in sales or customer satisfaction such as sales promotions or school giveaways to promote health in children which improves brand reputation. * Taking advantage of every point of interaction between the product and the consumer can greatly increase the likelihood that a customer will become loyal to the brand and perhaps even aid the increase of market share. Introduction Consumer behavioural theory gives marketing departments the opportunity to gain a more effective understanding of the customers they have or wish to attain. The theories attached to this subject emotional, cognitive and psychological reaction to marketing and brand management. The following is a report on consumer behaviour related to the Benecol brand with the intention to gain a better organisational understanding of marketing theories and methods relevant to the specific brand. Due to the market segmentation of Benecol, the report largely aims to focus on consumer behaviour closely linked to health and food products, as well as applying more general consumer behavioural theory where relevant. As the relevant theories to consumer behaviour in the case of Benecol are outlined, recommendations will be made in order to aid the company in customer acquisition, retention and satisfaction. Motivation and Need Recognition In assembling this report it was understood that many theories of behavioural aspects of marketing are derived from an organisation’s awareness and understand of its target markets’ needs and desires and those who utilise this most effectively are often the most successful brands. For instance, Coca-Cola has no health benefits, therefore it is marketed as hedonistic product and the more its target market become increasingly health-conscious the more Coke will play on its slogan ‘enjoy’, whilst also increasing its market share in other ways, i. e. hrough the purchase of shares in drinks companies that promote health (Macalister Teather, 2010). The need or desire that is recognised by Benecol’s products is clearly the reduction of cholesterol, the motivation for this is increased health as well as Benecol’s ease of use. The motivation for buying a product that increases the health of the consumer is self-evident in many ways. Value Theory Many researchers have suggested that consumers are ‘value driven’ and find that the enjoyment of a product is balanced between what is given and what is received (Torben, 2005). In short, this theory argues the following factors are counted when a future purchase is considered: From this, it could be argued that Benecol’s price and quality are subjective to the customer as the benefits from use of said product are only noticeable long-term and the economic cost of the range are noticeably, although not unreasonably, higher than alternatives. However, the value the product gives to the consumer from a marketing perspective will be discussed in greater details through other behavioural theories as the above chart is too rudimentary to give explicit argument to Benecol’s potential without more exploration. Information Processing Something highly intrinsic to the product value of Benecol is the emphasis on being ‘the only range of foods to contain Plant Stanol Ester, a unique cholesterol lowering ingredient. ’ (Rasio Plc. , 2011). Getting this information to the public through advertising happens through the brand website, but on television the advertising is focused on basic prompts that will motivate the audience into believing in the benefits of using the product. One example is the latest UK advert which places stress on the convenience of the product with a line in fairly small print about the plant stanol ester underneath the visual of how easy it can be to help lower cholesterol. The information of stanols is considered secondary in marketing the convenience product and therefore is only likely absorbed by those already interested in the product or the advertising. Dissonance This theory is based on a consumer’s cognitive struggle where two beliefs that are reasoned to be true are not consistent. This process of a cognitive clash brings about a motivation to come to a positive conclusion where a psychological compromise can occur to bring an end to the inconsistency, therefore ending the dissonance (Torben, 2005). By advertising the negative effects rival products can have on a consumer’s health, Benecol creates a struggle within the consumer’s mind that whilst they enjoy their regular food and dairy products, they are damaging to their health by creating large amounts of cholesterol. Benecol is then introduced as an alternative to health-damaging products that bridges the psychological inconsistencies in the consumer’s mind by offering a products that helps prevent cholesterol whilst not taking enjoyment away from eating. By offering advertisement reinforced with clinically proven information, the customer is also limited in averting the dissonance caused by Benecol’s initial information about rival product. Benecol therefore markets by initiating dissonance and then promoting a solution to end the consumer’s self-conflict. Balance Theory and Modelling This motivational theory argues that ‘people desire cognitive consistency in their drive to achieve psychological balance in their thoughts, feelings and social relationships’ (Dacko, 2008). In relation to marketing, consumer can be attracted or put off of a product due to a linked influencer even if it is not directly linked to the product, also known as modelling. For example, a woman could be attracted to an anti-wrinkle cream if she sees it endorsed by Dame Helen Mirren because she is a fan of the actress’ work and beauty. Similarly, if an organisation were thinking of using Accenture, a deal could have been negatively affected due to the unrelated infidelities of Tiger Woods, had the latter not ceased to sponsor him when they did. The theory promoted by Benecol is the trifecta of a person balancing convenience, taste and health. Ergo, Benecol is promoted as a product that does not impede on the consumer’s convenience from daily routine in preparing food, manages to taste as good as unhealthy products whilst being a product that promotes good health. Although it has done in the past with Carol Vorderman, Benecol currently does not market its product using celebrity endorsement, something that its rivals, Activia and Actimel do in the UK. Although these products are not exactly the same as Benecol, they produce many products in the same market advertising similar benefits, such as yoghurts and mini-drinks that aid well-being. Pre-purchase Alternative Evaluation This theory bases its argument on the focus that a customer makes a cognitive and emotional decision on the alternatives to the product in question before a purchase is made. Through judging the price, quality and branding of the products in question cognitively, a consumer will then make their decision based on the positive or negative effects that the previous factors will have on their life. As Benecol is marketed as an alternative to unhealthy dairy staples such as yoghurts and spreads, it is undeniable that the market that Benecol is placed in is highly competitive. Benecol spread is nearly twice as expensive as similar products including own brand olive spreads that cost under half the price for twice the weight of product (Ocado, 2011). The following is a statement from international brand analysts Datamonitor in a report for the UK dairy industry: ‘From the consumer’s point of view, dairy products may be used directly as food or beverages, or ingredients for other home-made foods. There are a wide range of foods and drinks that can be used in similar ways to dairy products, so if dairy prices raise too high, it is easy for consumers to replace them with alternatives. This reduces the pricing freedom of retailers and market players. Some of the alternatives may have advantages for retailers, such as cheaper storage or higher margins. The threat of substitutes is assessed here as strong, although dairy products are important parts of most peoples’ diet and are unlikely to be completely replaced’ (Datamonitor, 2008). From this we see that Benecol has the challenge to promote the positive effects it can have on a consumer’s life rather than any economic benefits it may possess, unless it was marketed in a way that suggested it could save customers money in the long-term as a prevention of high spending due to ill-health. This however is playing on consumer fear and would not be recommended as a means of increasing customer acquisition, retention or satisfaction. Classical Conditioning This theory refers to an argument that consumers can be programmed into acting without being conscious of their conditioning. Through classical conditioning it is argued that by stimulating different emotional states in a consumer through the use of marketing, product placement, packaging or use, the consumer’s approach to the product becomes altered to act immediately with a certain approach to a product that is involuntary (East, Wright, Vanhuele, 2008). With Benecol, it could be argued that consumers are conditioned into both positive and negative emotional reactions through our marketing. The deep mint green logo surrounded by a heart blended with soft, sky blue backgrounds in our packaging and advertising is warming and few products in the same or similar markets share the same colour scheme so not only are we unique in our packaging so when customers do see similar colours, they are quickly linked back to Benecol which aids them to buy more. As mentioned in relation to other theories of consumer behaviour, fear plays a large part in motivating one to purchase an item which promotes health. Although as a company it would not be ethical to play on fear to boost sales, there is no denying the very real possibility that consumers are motivated to purchase goods when they are conditioned to understand that not doing so could lead them to health problems down the line. A Report Into Consumer Behavioural Theory Creating a psychological struggle for customers as well as curing it can be vital to increase market share and customer satisfaction. * Overcoming pre-purchase alternatives to Benecol is a great challenge due to the highly saturated market the brand finds itself in, although this is not impossible as promotion of the products health benefits can lift it. * Consumers can be conditioned to relate to Benecol both consciously and unconsciously through various marketing and production techniques. Marketing strategies can be put in place which are directly or indirectly linked to the purchase or use of the product that gain short or long term boosts in sales or customer satisfaction such as sales promotions or school giveaways to promote health in children which improves brand reputation. * Taking advantage of every point of interaction between the product and the consumer can greatly increase the likelihood that a customer will become loyal to the brand and perhaps even aid the increase of market share. Introduction Consumer behavioural theory gives marketing departments the opportunity to gain a more effective understanding of the customers they have or wish to attain. The theories attached to this subject emotional, cognitive and psychological reaction to marketing and brand management. The following is a report on consumer behaviour related to the Benecol brand with the intention to gain a better organisational understanding of marketing theories and methods relevant to the specific brand. Due to the market segmentation of Benecol, the report largely aims to focus on consumer behaviour closely linked to health and food products, as well as applying more general consumer behavioural theory where relevant. As the relevant theories to consumer behaviour in the case of Benecol are outlined, recommendations will be made in order to aid the company in customer acquisition, retention and satisfaction. Motivation and Need Recognition In assembling this report it was understood that many theories of behavioural aspects of marketing are derived from an organisation’s awareness and understand of its target markets’ needs and desires and those who utilise this most effectively are often the most successful brands. For instance, Coca-Cola has no health benefits, therefore it is marketed as hedonistic product and the more its target market become increasingly health-conscious the more Coke will play on its slogan ‘enjoy’, whilst also increasing its market share in other ways, i. e. hrough the purchase of shares in drinks companies that promote health (Macalister Teather, 2010). The need or desire that is recognised by Benecol’s products is clearly the reduction of cholesterol, the motivation for this is increased health as well as Benecol’s ease of use. The motivation for buying a product that increases the health of the consumer is self-evident in many ways. Value Theory Many researchers have suggested that consumers are ‘value driven’ and find that the enjoyment of a product is balanced between what is given and what is received (Torben, 2005). In short, this theory argues the following factors are counted when a future purchase is considered: From this, it could be argued that Benecol’s price and quality are subjective to the customer as the benefits from use of said product are only noticeable long-term and the economic cost of the range are noticeably, although not unreasonably, higher than alternatives. However, the value the product gives to the consumer from a marketing perspective will be discussed in greater details through other behavioural theories as the above chart is too rudimentary to give explicit argument to Benecol’s potential without more exploration. Information Processing Something highly intrinsic to the product value of Benecol is the emphasis on being ‘the only range of foods to contain Plant Stanol Ester, a unique cholesterol lowering ingredient. ’ (Rasio Plc. , 2011). Getting this information to the public through advertising happens through the brand website, but on television the advertising is focused on basic prompts that will motivate the audience into believing in the benefits of using the product. One example is the latest UK advert which places stress on the convenience of the product with a line in fairly small print about the plant stanol ester underneath the visual of how easy it can be to help lower cholesterol. The information of stanols is considered secondary in marketing the convenience product and therefore is only likely absorbed by those already interested in the product or the advertising. Dissonance This theory is based on a consumer’s cognitive struggle where two beliefs that are reasoned to be true are not consistent. This process of a cognitive clash brings about a motivation to come to a positive conclusion where a psychological compromise can occur to bring an end to the inconsistency, therefore ending the dissonance (Torben, 2005). By advertising the negative effects rival products can have on a consumer’s health, Benecol creates a struggle within the consumer’s mind that whilst they enjoy their regular food and dairy products, they are damaging to their health by creating large amounts of cholesterol. Benecol is then introduced as an alternative to health-damaging products that bridges the psychological inconsistencies in the consumer’s mind by offering a products that helps prevent cholesterol whilst not taking enjoyment away from eating. By offering advertisement reinforced with clinically proven information, the customer is also limited in averting the dissonance caused by Benecol’s initial information about rival product. Benecol therefore markets by initiating dissonance and then promoting a solution to end the consumer’s self-conflict. Balance Theory and Modelling This motivational theory argues that ‘people desire cognitive consistency in their drive to achieve psychological balance in their thoughts, feelings and social relationships’ (Dacko, 2008). In relation to marketing, consumer can be attracted or put off of a product due to a linked influencer even if it is not directly linked to the product, also known as modelling. For example, a woman could be attracted to an anti-wrinkle cream if she sees it endorsed by Dame Helen Mirren because she is a fan of the actress’ work and beauty. Similarly, if an organisation were thinking of using Accenture, a deal could have been negatively affected due to the unrelated infidelities of Tiger Woods, had the latter not ceased to sponsor him when they did. The theory promoted by Benecol is the trifecta of a person balancing convenience, taste and health. Ergo, Benecol is promoted as a product that does not impede on the consumer’s convenience from daily routine in preparing food, manages to taste as good as unhealthy products whilst being a product that promotes good health. Although it has done in the past with Carol Vorderman, Benecol currently does not market its product using celebrity endorsement, something that its rivals, Activia and Actimel do in the UK. Although these products are not exactly the same as Benecol, they produce many products in the same market advertising similar benefits, such as yoghurts and mini-drinks that aid well-being. Pre-purchase Alternative Evaluation This theory bases its argument on the focus that a customer makes a cognitive and emotional decision on the alternatives to the product in question before a purchase is made. Through judging the price, quality and branding of the products in question cognitively, a consumer will then make their decision based on the positive or negative effects that the previous factors will have on their life. As Benecol is marketed as an alternative to unhealthy dairy staples such as yoghurts and spreads, it is undeniable that the market that Benecol is placed in is highly competitive. Benecol spread is nearly twice as expensive as similar products including own brand olive spreads that cost under half the price for twice the weight of product (Ocado, 2011). The following is a statement from international brand analysts Datamonitor in a report for the UK dairy industry: ‘From the consumer’s point of view, dairy products may be used directly as food or beverages, or ingredients for other home-made foods. There are a wide range of foods and drinks that can be used in similar ways to dairy products, so if dairy prices raise too high, it is easy for consumers to replace them with alternatives. This reduces the pricing freedom of retailers and market players. Some of the alternatives may have advantages for retailers, such as cheaper storage or higher margins. The threat of substitutes is assessed here as strong, although dairy products are important parts of most peoples’ diet and are unlikely to be completely replaced’ (Datamonitor, 2008). From this we see that Benecol has the challenge to promote the positive effects it can have on a consumer’s life rather than any economic benefits it may possess, unless it was marketed in a way that suggested it could save customers money in the long-term as a prevention of high spending due to ill-health. This however is playing on consumer fear and would not be recommended as a means of increasing customer acquisition, retention or satisfaction. Classical Conditioning This theory refers to an argument that consumers can be programmed into acting without being conscious of their conditioning. Through classical conditioning it is argued that by stimulating different emotional states in a consumer through the use of marketing, product placement, packaging or use, the consumer’s approach to the product becomes altered to act immediately with a certain approach to a product that is involuntary (East, Wright, Vanhuele, 2008). With Benecol, it could be argued that consumers are conditioned into both positive and negative emotional reactions through our marketing. The deep mint green logo surrounded by a heart blended with soft, sky blue backgrounds in our packaging and advertising is warming and few products in the same or similar markets share the same colour scheme so not only are we unique in our packaging so when customers do see similar colours, they are quickly linked back to Benecol which aids them to buy more. As mentioned in relation to other theories of consumer behaviour, fear plays a large part in motivating one to purchase an item which promotes health. Although as a company it would not be ethical to play on fear to boost sales, there is no denying the very real possibility that consumers are motivated to purchase goods when they are conditioned to understand that not doing so could lead them to health problems down the line.

IT - Operation Aurora Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

IT - Operation Aurora - Research Paper Example This cyber security and the increasing cyber crime had been the greatest concern for the present as well as for the future generation. A study made in the year 2003 in the United States of America revealed that 31 percent of the respondents considered this cyber security as the second most concern after the misappropriation of the individual assets. Moreover over 15 percent among the respondents have experienced the threat of cyber security in the last two years facing a loss which most of them could not quantify in actual. However on an average measurement of the total financial cost for the last two years incurred in cyber crime valued to be about 812,318, US dollars (Smith, Grabosky, & Urbas, 2004, p. 15). Thus the paper focus on cyber security with the main focuses on Operation Aurora. Type of breach Viruses in the computer system, defacement or the alteration of the websites along with system crashes and redirection or even misappropriation of the resources of the system are som e of the breaches generally reported in regards to the cyber security (Smith, Grabosky, an Urbas, 2004, p. 15). Morgan Stanley underwent a "sensitive breach" where hackers attempted to enter its complex for six months, starting from June 2009 (Rashid, 2011). Circumstances of the occurrence of breach Operation Aurora is a large scale hacking that victimized even Google and Morgan Stanley along with about 200 other companies with most of their identities not yet revealed. They had made the breach occurring in Google public in the month of January 2010. However they kept the hacking of the company of DuPont secret. Fear of the affect on the investors of the company in revealing the hacking or the breach was the reason behind the secrecy maintained by the company to the public. The seriousness of the issue of this cyber hacking forced the white house in engaging a senate task force for reporting and investigating in the security issues of this cyber world. The recent trend of the online attacks in targeting the renowned international companies reveals the cyber insecurity of the corporate world. In order to prevent the dangerous trend from persisting and even increasing the companies have to undertake own initiative in ensuring steps for the security of their own data served online. According to the Whitehouse, theft and piracy are engaging in the transfer of wealth that is the biggest in the planet history and the victim companies stands on the ultimate losing end. Another incident of an attack launched in the year 2009 that had the Chinese base had targeted the energy companies. The security firm of McAfee reported the attack named as â€Å"Night Dragon†. However the identity of the targeted company was not disclosed by the report published by McAfee. But the emails of the company of HBGary Federal had with it the lists of the name of the targeted companies. According to the lists the companies were Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, General Electric, Marath on oil along with ConocoPhillips and BP. (Liebowitz, 2011) Operation Aurora even imposes a break in the network security of the bank, Morgan Stanley. A company of cyber security working with the corporate bank had their very sensitive email stolen which indicates the experience of the hacking of the ‘China based hackers’