Macro Enviroment

Contents Topic PRELIMINARY MATEIALS1. Cover Page2. Table of Contents3. Summary2. 0 BODY OF REPORT Analysis of Mars:2. 1 Introduction2. 2 Introduction to Mars description2. 3 Mars history and development2. 4 The Macro environment2. 4. 1 Demographic forces2. 4. 2 Economic Forces2. 4. 3 Natural Forces2. 4. 4 Technological Forces2. 4. 5 Political Forces2. 4. 6 Cultural Forces2. 5 Organizations within the industry2. 5. 1 Market Position2. 5. 2 Target Markets2. 5. 3 The Marketing Mix (4P’s)2. 5. 3. 1 Product2. 5. 3. 2 Price2. 5. 3. 3 Promotion2. 5. 3. Place2. 6. Strength and weakness of Mars2. 6. 1 Strengths2. 6. 2 Weaknesses2. 6. 3 Opportunities2. 6. 4 Threads2. 7 Conclusion2. 8 References3. 0 BODY OF REPORT   Analysis of Kit Kat:3. 1 Introduction3. 2 Introduction of Kit Kat description:3. 3 Kit Kat history and brand development3. 3. 1 Varieties product of Kit Kat3. 4 Macro environment:3. 4. 1 Demographic Force3. 4. 2 Economic Force3. 4. 3 Natural Force3. 4. 4 Technological Force 3. 4. 5 Political Force3. 4. 6 Cultural Force3. 5 Organizations within the industry3. 5. 1 Market Position3. 5. 2 Target Markets3. 5. 3 The Marketing Mix (4P’s)3. 5. 3. 1 Product3. 5. 3. 2 Price3. 5. 3. 3 Promotion3. 5. 3. 4 Place3. 6 The analysis of the business environment3. 6. 1 Strength3. 6. 2 Weaknesses3. 6. 3 Opportunities3. 6. 4 Threat3. 7 Conclusion3. 8 References1. 4 SummaryIn this assignment of brand analysis and information, products that I choose are chocolate brands. Two brand that been analyze is Mars and Kit Kat in China’s Market. Basically, Mars Incorporated is a family owned company that produces some of the world’s leading confectionery; food and pet care products and has a growing beverage and health & nutrition businesses. Mars incorporated was founded in 1911. It operates in more than 65 countries and employed more than 40,000 associates worldwide. The company’s global sales are approximately $21 billion annually. SWOT analysis is taken in consideration to match the company’s strength to attractive opportunities in the environment, while estimating or overcoming the weakness and minimizing the threats Besides that, Kit Kat products are under Nestle Company. Nestle is the largest food company in the world measured by revenue. Nestle was formed in 1905 by the merger of the Anglo-Swiss Company. Nestle set several qualitative objectives on people who consume Kit Kat, with the vision that Kit Kat would be the natural choice for all breaks. Kit Kat is one of the world’s leading chocolate brands. There were different variety of flavour and shape of Kit Kat products being develop. In macro environment, there are some factor that can have a big impact in it which includes demographic force, economic force, natural force, technological force, political force and cultural force. SWOT analysis is taken in consideration to match the company’s strength to attractive opportunities in the environment, while estimating or overcoming the weakness and minimizing the threats. ANALYSIS OF MARS 2. 1 INTRODUCTION Mars  which is also  called Mars bar is a  chocolate bar  manufactured by  Mars, Incorporated. It was first manufactured in  Slough,  Berkshirein the United Kingdom in 1932 as a sweeter version of the US  Milky Way bar  which Mars, Inc. Produced. It was advertised to the trade as being made with Cadbury's chocolate as ‘couverture'. In the United States, a different confection bears the Mars bar name. Featuring nougat, soft caramel, and almonds coated in milk chocolate, the American Mars bar was relaunched in 2010 after being discontinued in 2002. Mars is a very private company, which rarely interacts with the media because it wants to be known for its products rather than its executives. The company’s secrecy is legendary, and many rumors have circulated about the Mars’ management skills and other business factors. The business’ structure is unconventional with no executive offices and no executive parking spaces. Low ranking and high ranking executives sit together to improve functionality and communication. Mars runs its business based on the philosophy of five principals: Quality:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal. Responsibility: â€Å"As individuals we demand the total responsibility from ourselves; as associates we support the responsibilities of others. † Mutuality:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A mutual benefit is a shared benefit; a shared benefit will endure. † Efficiency:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"We use resources to the full, waste nothing and do only what we can do best. † Freedom:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"We need freedom to shape our future; we need profit to remain free. † 2. 2 INTRODUCTION TO MARS DESCRIPTION Mars, Incorporated  is an American manufacturer of  confectionery, pet food, and other food products with  US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Mars, Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, engages in producing and selling chocolates, pet care, and food products in the United States and internationally. It provides pet medicine, nutrition, and food products; ready-made meals, sauces, relishes, and cooking aids; chocolates, chewing gums, candies, and mints; and drinks, including hot chocolate drinks, teas, and coffees. The company also offers insights to dog owners; DNA testing kits for canines; natural substrates to grow plants; and CocoaVia, which provides products that allow cocoa flavanols for healthy lifestyle. Mars believes in implementing their five guiding principles like quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency and freedom at all levels of choices made by the company, and the manner in which Mars does business. Mars, Incorporated is generating global sales of more than $28 billion annually and operating in six business segments: Chocolate, Petcare, Wrigley Gum and Confections, Food, Drinks, and Symbioscience. These sections produce some of the world’s leading brands: Chocolate – M&M’S ®, SNICKERS ®, DOVE ®, GALAXY ®, MARS ®, MILKY WAY ® and TWIX ®; Petcare – PEDIGREE ®, WHISKAS ®, SHEBA ®, CESAR ®, NUTRO ®, GREENIES ®, and ROYAL CANIN ®; Wrigley – ORBIT ®, EXTRA ®, STARBURST ®, DOUBLEMINT ® and SKITTLES ®; Food – UNCLE BEN’S ®, DOLMIO ®, EBLY ®, MASTERFOODS ® and SEEDS OF CHANGE ®; Drinks – KLIX ® and FLAVIA ®; Symbioscience – WISDOM PANELâ„ ¢, SERAMIS ®, CIRKUHEALTHâ„ ¢ and COCOAPRO ®. 2. 3 MARS HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT Mars Incorporated is a family owned company that produces some of the world’s leading confectionery; food and pet care products and has a growing beverage and health & nutrition businesses. It was founded in 1911, the company manufactures and markets a variety of products under many of the world’s most recognizable trademarks, including MILKYWAY ®, M&M’s ®, SNICKERS ®, MARS ®, UNCLE BEN’S ® Rice, and PEDIGREE ® and WHISKAS ® pet care products. Its headquartered are in McLean, Virginia, Mars Incorporated operates in more than 65 countries and employed more than 40,000 associates worldwide. The company’s global sales are approximately $21 billion annually. Frank Mars was born in Minnesota, USA in 1882. Due to mild polio his walking was impaired. His mother taught him to hand dip chocolate as a means to keep him entertained. Frank married in 1902 and in 1904, Forrest Mars Sr. was born, in Minnesota. Frank Mars and his second wife started making and selling butter cream candies from their third home in Washington, in 1911. This led them to renting their first candy factory, the Mars Candy factory Inc, which employed 125 staff. In 1920, Frank moved to a larger site in Minnesota, which he called nougat house. The Mar-o-bar was introduced to the candy range in 1922. With a larger site for distribution of this candy the Mar-o-bar company was launched. After three years of researching, the Milky Way candy bar was introduced and was an instant success. Sales increased and more staff was hired. In 1929 Mars incorporated, now with 200 staff, relocated from Minneapolis to Chicago. The central location of Chicago offered a better railroad access to the rest of the country. The Snickers bar was launched in 1930. Forrest Mars Snr arrived in the UK in Slough to start his own business in 1932. The Mars confectionary business diversifies with the acquisition of the dog food business in the UK. M&M’S ® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies were initially sold to the general public in 1941 and gained popularity from the American GIs serving in World War II. The delicious confection was packed in a tube and served with their food rations. M&M’S ® Milk Chocolate Candies were sold in the military as a neat, convenient snack that traveled well in any climate. By the late 1940s, M&M’S ® Milk Chocolate Candies became widely available to the public and the reception was excellent. As America entered the 1950s, M&M’S ® Milk Chocolate Candies became a household name, particularly with the growth of television. In 1954, M&M’S ® Peanut Chocolate Candies were introduced and the sales of both varieties continued to grow. That same year the universally loved M&M’S ® Brand Characters and the famous slogan, â€Å"The Milk Chocolate Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hand ®,† debuted in the brand’s initial TV advertising. The popularity of M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s as the brand firmly established itself as an icon of American culture. Even with decades of phenomenal success behind it, Mars North America never forgot that quality and consumer satisfaction were paramount. M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies have continued to be a part of recent American history. In 1982, M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies were the first candy chosen by space shuttle astronauts to be included in their food supply. M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies are now on permanent display at the space food exhibit of the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D. C. In 1984, M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies supported international athletes as the Official Snack of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The 1990s brought two new products to the M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies family. In 1990, the company began selling M&M’S ® Peanut Butter Candies. M&M’S ® Almond Chocolate Candies, first introduced as a seasonal product in 1988, went national in 1992. For many years, M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies have offered a variety of vivid seasonal blends to highlight the holidays, including Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween. In 1995, consumers across the country became a part of M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies history by voting the addition of a new color to the mix. Americans chose between pink, purple, blue or no change. An astounding 10,234,142 votes later, the color blue won by a landslide and appeared in packages everywhere in September of that year. The year 1996 will be remembered as the year M&M’S ® lovers began to customize their color combinations with 21 colors in special dispensers located in selected specialty stores across the country. In 2005, MY M&M’S ® launched as a personalized printing option online at mymms. com, providing consumers the opportunity to print custom messages on a selection of 22 different colored M&M’S ® to celebrate everyday occasions. The historic moment in 1997 was the debut of Ms. Green, the first femM&M’S ® Character. Ms. Green has starred in a number of commercials with the popular Emmy Award-winning comedian Dennis Miller. A multi-faceted motivational speaker and author, Green was on tour promoting her autobiography, I Melt For No One, and has quickly achieved the celebrity status of her male live-action colleagues – Red, Yellow and Blue M&M’S ® Characters. In 1998, the M&M’S ® Brand Spokescandies declared themselves the â€Å"Official Candy of the New Millenniumâ„ ¢. † Since MM means 2000 in Roman Numerals, M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies was the only candy brand that could make that connection, leveraging the Millennium fever for all it as worth. Another major milestone for the M&M’S ® Brand occurred in early January 1999 with the national introduction of M&M’S ® Crispy Chocolate Candies, a crispy rice center surrounded by milk chocolate and covered with a chocolate candy shell. At the same time, the M&M’S ® Crispy Character made his debut for the 1999 Super Bowl. Crispy, the neurotic, orange Character, starred in seven different television spots featuring famous celebrities Halle Berry, Diedrich Bader and Patrick Warburton. In June of 2000, Red, the famous M&M’S ® Spokescandy, had a celebration of his own. After years of trying, Red finally convinced the company he didn’t want to be called â€Å"Plain,† anymore. As a result, the No. 1 candy brand in the world is now known as M&M’S ® Milk Chocolate. M&M’S ® Milk Chocolate Candies, its tagline now said, have the â€Å"Same Great Taste, Much Better Name. † In 2002, M&M’S ® asked the world, â€Å"What color would you choose? † in the first-ever GLOBAL COLOR VOTEâ„ ¢. The GLOBAL COLOR VOTEâ„ ¢ marked the largest promotion ever in the 61-year history of M&M’S ®. Voters in more than 200 countries voted on which color – pink, purple or aqua – would join the famous M&M’S ® mix. Voters hailed from all ends of the Earth. Approximately 10 million votes were cast and purple was crowned the winning color. In 2004, the M&M’S ® Brand experienced a color disruption where all M&M’S ® turned black and white. The company launched the Great Color Quest contest, which led consumers to collect black and white M&M’S ® bags. Six bags featuring all the colors were scattered across the country waiting to be found. Eventually the colors returned with a larger signature â€Å"m† on each candy and a new blend of color for a brighter mix. The year 2006 marked the permanent introduction of M&M’S ® Dark. The brand declared â€Å"Dark Just Got Fun† by having the spokescandy Red appear in famous art masterpieces. Red first appeared playing hopscotch on Edvard Munch’s famous existential masterpiece, â€Å"The Scream,† which had been stolen from the Oslo Museum one year earlier in a highly publicized international art theft. The brand announced a reward of 2 million dark chocolate M&M’S ® for the recovery. Just days after the announcement, the painting was found by Norwegian police, which begged the questions, â€Å"Was it the M&M’S ®? † In 2007, M&M’S ® revealed â€Å"Lady Liberty’s† fun side with a 50-foot statue in New York Harbor. The smiling statue kicked off a new campaign encouraging all Americans to find their Inner M&M (or fun side) inside of them at mms. com. The M&M’S ® Brand has represented superior quality and enjoyment to consumers since Mr. Frank C. Mars founded the brand in 1940. The appeal of M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies is universal, crossing age, gender and national boundaries and bringing colorful chocolate fun to everyone. On Valentine’s Day 2008, Ms. Green fanned the flames on decades of speculation that The Green Ones hold special aphrodisiac powers. The brand celebrated the myths, rumors and innuendo surrounding The Green Ones by displaying limited-edition all-green M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies amidst the holiday’s traditional sea of red and pink. Packages of the candies included the following disclaimer: â€Å"Consumption of The Green Ones ® may result in elevated Romance Levels. If you experience this effect, contact your Significant Other immediately. † An online campaign encouraged American fans to interact and show their support for Ms. Green in her quest to make green the new color of love. Later in 2008, M&M’S ® introduced a fun new way to experience premium chocolate through the introduction of M&M’S ® Premiums – from the shimmering gem-like way the chocolate candy looked to the variety of exotic tastes, M&M’S ® Premiums redefined the premium chocolate experience. Today, there are more than nine permanent varieties of M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies, and then Seasonal Candies made for special occasions including Easter, Halloween and Valentine’s Day. Customers seem to be most passionate about the color found in each bag of M&M’S ® Chocolate Candies. Existing product lines include: M&M’S ® Milk Chocolate Candies, M&M’S ® Dark Chocolate Candies, M&M’S ® Premiums, M&M’S ® Peanut Chocolate Candies, M&M’S ® Dark Chocolate Peanut Candies, M&M’S ® Almond Chocolate Candies, M&M’S ® Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies, M&M’ ®Chocolate Mini Baking Bits, MY M&M’S ® Milk Chocolate Candies, and M&M’S ® MINIS ® Milk Chocolate Candies. SNICKERS The SNICKERS ® Bar was first introduced to the public in 1930. The SNICKERS ® name came from a favorite horse of the Mars family. SNICKERS ® Bar is made of peanut butter nougat topped with caramel and roasted peanuts and covered with milk chocolate. The peanuts are crisp-textured special grade, which have great flavor and stay fresh. From 1933 to 1935, SNICKERS ® Bar was a two-piece bar and was called â€Å"Double SNICKERS. † In 1936, the bar returned to a single format. During the next 50 years, the SNICKERS ® Bar evolved into various sizes. In 1953, handy Snickers six-packs were created for in-home consumption. In 1979, â€Å"Fun-Size† SNICKERS ® Bars hit candy shelves nationwide. In 1990, the introduction of bite-size SNICKERS ® â€Å"Miniatures† proved satisfying to even the slightest of appetites. In 1984, SNICKERS ® Bar became the Official Snack Food sponsor of the Olympics in Los Angeles. SNICKERS ® Brand launched its first ice cream product, the SNICKERS ® Ice Cream Cone, during National Ice Cream Month in July 1994. The SNICKERS ® Ice Cream Bar was introduced two years later in 1996. SNICKERS ® Bar is currently the number-one-selling candy bar in the United States and is consistently named as the â€Å"Favorite Candy Brand† across all age groups in the U. S. SNICKERS ® is sold in more than 70 countries around the world. In 2002, the UK Mars bar was reformulated and repackaged. This made it sell for more money. The nougat was made lighter, the chocolate on top became thinner, and the overall weight of the bar was reduced slightly. This was met with outrage from Mars purists, as in a sales pitch to local media in Slough, the change in ingredients was to follow the trend of its sister the Milky Way bar and 5 Star bars. Product designers at The Mars Candy Company in the US put this down to nostalgia over the past hugely popular  Starbar, which also contained the same reinvented ‘light whipped nougatine. The packaging was also redesigned with a less-bold and a more cursive logo. The slogan â€Å"Pleasure you can't measure†, was intended to appeal to a more feminine, youthful market. M&Ms Chocolate Candies were first sold in the year 1941. The candies were consumed by World War II soldiers, as the candies were an easily packaged energy snack. Forrest Mars Sr. invented the M&Ms recipe after witnessing soldiers from the Spanish Civil War â€Å"eati ng pellets of chocolate encased in a hard sugary coating† (Mars Incorporated, 2008). These candies were easy to take along, as they id not melt easily. M&Ms Plain Chocolate Candies were very popular in the 1940s and 50s. Mars introduced M&Ms Peanut Chocolate Candies in 1954, along with the characters and slogan, â€Å"The milk chocolate melts in your mouth—not in your hand†Ã‚ ®. The original candies were chocolate colored, with red, yellow and green introduced in 1960, and orange in 1976. In 2000, the name â€Å"M&Ms Plain Chocolate Candies† was changed to â€Å"M&Ms Milk Chocolate Candies†. Mars's purchase of Doane Petcare Company in June 2007 significantly increased its position in the U. S. dry pet food category. In addition to these businesses, Mars also operates a chain of premium chocolate shops across the United States called Ethel's. These shops are an outgrowth of the Ethel M premium chocolate business that Forrest Mars started in Las Vegas in 1980 when he became bored with retirement. On April 28, 2008, Mars, Incorporated, together with  Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated, announced the buyout of  Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, the world's largest chewing gum producer, for $23 billion in an all-cash deal. The two companies together are expected to generate sales in excess of $27 billion. The company spent more than $1. 8 million on lobbying during 2008, almost all of it at  Patton Boggs, where it has long been one of the largest lobbying clients. Mars also spent $10,000 atSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. In 2009, Mars also hired  Ernst & Young  to lobby on corporate and international tax issues, including issues related to tax changes proposed by the Obama administration. The company spent another $1,655,000 that year. Until sold in June 2006, a division of Mars known as  Mars Electronics International  produced, among other products, coin mechanisms such as those used in vending machines. MEI also manufactured  bill validators, which were among the most common bill validators found in the US. A further Mars business  Four Square   utilize those products formerly made at MEI in their vending machines. Four Square comprises the  Flavia  and  Klix  brands. Flavia  operates within the US, UK and Japanese markets, while  Klix  operates within UK, Germany and France. In 2007, Mars, Incorporated undertook a major rebranding operation which saw, among other global changes, Four Square being renamed to  Mars Drinks, the pet food division that is formerly part of Masterfoods being renamed to Mars Petfoods and Masterfoods itself (the largest division of Mars, Incorporated) being renamed to Mars Snacks. Mars has taken upon itself the responsibility of seeking to ensure that the company delivers mutual benefit to all with whom it interacts: associates, consumers, trade partners, our communities, and last but not least our planet. With a firm belief that the company’s actions should never be at the expense, economic or otherwise, of others with whom they work, Mars strongly believes that only success that is shared can be sustained and it is their goal to achieve this in all that they do. Mars firmly believes that contributing positively to the environment and local communities is critical to the way the company does business. This includes the company’s products, brands and operations. Mars formulates and implements its business plan with a full understanding of the fact that the company’s social, environmental and economic values and practices impact where Mars does business and how it operates, particularly given the scope and scale of the global environmental challenges. Mars also recognizes that their long-term economic growth is inter-linked with their ability to adhere to the definition of sustainability produced by the UN World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 ; â€Å"development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Mars’ commitment to sustainability builds on the company’s long-standing ethical commitment to the individual and the larger community. With the company’s fundamental belief being that the only lasting success is shared success, this means success across the social, economic and environmental spectrum. The Mars Scientific A dvisory Council (MSAC), established in 2007, extends the expertise and builds on the significant contributions of scientific advice provided through the Mars Nutrition Research Council which operated from 1998-2007. Composed of highly recognized researchers from all over the world and operating as an independent, external source of expert advice to Mars, Incorporated, the MSAC provides objective, expert scientific advice to Mars, Incorporated on advances, opportunities, and barriers to progress in human and animal health and nutrition research, plant sciences and sustainability, and in other areas of research relevant to the Company’s current and potential future product lines. A global leader among snackfood and food brands, Mars, Incorporated has a long history of marketing its products responsibly. Over the years Mars has adopted guidelines and policies for their advertising and marketing activities, reviewing and updating them periodically to reflect consumer feedback, new technologies, and the latest thinking by advertising self-regulatory bodies. The hallmark of Mars’ marketing commitments is their industry-leading policy to not advertise their snack and other food products to children under the age of 12. Mars also aims to promote the consumption of their products in the context of a healthy, active lifestyle and a balanced diet. 2. 4 The Macro Environment 2. 4. 1 Demographic forces This is attempted in terms of the consumers. The advertisements are aimed exclusively at the young and vigorous and almost exclusively at males. High income customers – it is estimated the age group buying the chocolates will be 22 onwards.. The customers are mostly urban, and are mostly professionals (engineers, doctors and executives. The psychographic profile: They can either be individuals indulging themselves, or they could be indulging their children. They are inner directed people who form their own values and norms and believe in not adhering blindly to social norms. They are somewhat occasion driven in their buying behaviour. Middle income customers – it is estimated that the age group in this segment will be 15 plus. The consumers can be urban, semi urban, and is currently spreading to rural areas. The psychographic profile: they are likely to be variety seeking in their behaviour. They are self expressing by nature and inner directed to an extent. They like to indulge themselves. Children – the upper age limit is estimated to be 12 years. They mostly purchase their chocolates with their pocket money. The consumers can be urban, semi urban, and rural, though their is a somewhat greater emphasis on urban. The psychographic profile: they are novelty seeking in behaviour but they are also fun loving. 2. 4. 2 Economic forces In August last year the price of cocoa was threatening to sky rocket as large swathes of the cocoa plantations in Papua New Guinea were infested by the Asian Moth. The region produces some 17% of the world’s cocoa. An infestation of a similar nature in Indonesia in 1998 caused some ? 13 million of damage. Mars were affected to such an extent that they sent out their own team to help eradicate the infestation. Mars are continuing to test a number of anti moth measures. (www. metro. co. uk 2006). The recent business decision to begin producing and using animal based rennet in the Mars bar has been disastrous. The resulting back lash from consumers in the Islamic faith, vegetarians and those with a strong social view on the use of rennet extracted from the lining of a calf’s stomach, has led to Mars making a U-turn on a business decision, apologising for its decision and giving an undertaking that they will return to producing a vegetarian product. Although this issue could be regarded as a social factor, it is in fact an issue of economics as Mars have identified the effect this decision would have on its sales (www. bbc. co. uk 2007). There has been a growth in the chocolate market, the majority of which has been with the high quality, high value products associated to some extent with the growth in disposable income across the developed world. The growth in the market has not necessarily had a positive effect on the sales of Mars due to the inexpensive and generic nature of the product. However, this nexpensive nature of the Mars Bar makes purchasing it an uncomplicated decision for consumers with no financial consequences that could lead the purchaser to regret making the original decision to purchase a Mars bar or to restrict the quantity or frequency of purchases. The largest markets for Mars are generally the more affluent and developed markets with little room for growth such as UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealan d. The emerging and developing markets of India and China with a combined population of nearly 2 Billion individuals is a virtually untapped market of consumers. These markets would require a unique marketing strategy as although it has great potential, the regions are not known as great consumers of chocolate. Although a US product it is not known if the markets in India and China would take to it. For many geographic areas of both countries there would be concerns about refrigeration and chocolate melting, which would limit sales areas to main cities, and maybe bigger stores. nevertheless with the present level of mutual trade and the world’s general love of all things western it may not be a cause for concern. . 4. 3 Natural forces The  natural environment  involves natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities. The green movement has encouraged and even demanded that firms produce strategies that are not only environmentally friendly but are also environmentally proactive. Firms are beginning to recognize the link between a healthy economy and a healthy environment. There are large quantities of waste associated with the production of chocolate which includes waste chocolate product. Over the last five years the Mars manufacturing plant in Australia has reduced the amount of waste it sends to landfill by 90%. For every 3000 tonnes of product produced every month, 220 tonnes of waste is produced. This is now fed to piglets. The animal waste is collected as fertilizer and the gases produced by the fermenting animal waste is burnt and used to generate electricity. These initiatives are reducing the costs to the business. However any positives are offset by the amount of waste that is being produced across the entire industry and at all the other Mars plants. Mars also worked to reduce the quantity of plastic in its packaging. The most recent issue that has affected the Mars bar has been the disastrous business decision to introduce the use of animal rennet as an ingredient in its chocolate the resulting backlash as discussed earlier not only from those with personal and lifestyle sensibilities but also from those with a social conscience with regard to the treatment of animals. This led to Master foods making a U turn on a business decision. The chocolate industry as a whole has been under a political and social spotlight as discussed earlier. Consumers are becoming more ethically aware and are questioning the practices of those associated with the production of cocoa. The industry was heavily criticised over the use of â€Å"child slave labour†. Master foods along with its two rivals Nestle and Cadbury do not perform well when examined for their ethical practices. Mars does not even feature on the league table of those products that are deemed ethical, although it’s fair to say that the ethical names on the list are not household names (www. ethiscore. org 2007). The Mars bar is not produced under a fair trade or ethical banner, thus depriving consumers of a choice. They have a choice – they can buy Green and Blacks, or do without! The market in ethical or fair-trade usually caters for the higher quality chocolates which are priced at a premium. With the continued affluent western lifestyle leading to chronic obesity and ill health there has been a drive to improve the nutritional value of food and to reduce the quantity of high fat and high sugar food groups such as chocolates in our diets. Some members of the health and nutrition lobby are looking for draconian steps to be taken against the chocolate manufacturers to reduce their influence upon diets in a similar way that steps were taken against the tobacco industry. The chocolate industry has received threats about the banning of advertisements aimed at children and at peak times and on children’s television channels. Pre-empting this, Mars has declared that they are moving away from targeting children with their product, a positive social action of their own (www. bbc. co. k 2007). Any reduction in the use of Cocoa will ultimately affect some 26 million people around the world who are reliant upon the chocolate industry, which includes some six million cocoa farmers (www. mars. com 2007). 2. 4. 4 Technological forces To improve cocoa production yields and to guarantee production levels for the future, Mars is investing in research to produce disease resistant cocoa trees to prevent such catastrophes such as t he introduction of the disease â€Å"Witches Broom† which decimated the cocoa industry in Brazil in the 1990’s. Should cocoa supplies be affected, the manufacturer with a guaranteed supply of good quality cocoa should corner the market at the expense of its competitors (www. mars. com 2007). 2. 4. 5 Political forces Should the lobbyists become successful in their campaigns to restrict advertising of chocolates or force changes to reduce fat and sugar content of chocolate, or to have health warnings placed upon labels then this may not be through a voluntary code but through the introduction of legislation. This may denigrate chocolate and make it as socially unacceptable as cigarettes, which may have a profound effect on sales. The safe production of chocolate and how it is presented for sale is governed at present by food safety and trading standards legislation, which is enacted by both national and European legislatures. Nestle and Master Foods with its main brand the Mars bar received criticism for sourcing it chocolate from the West African countries such as Ivory Coast where the cocoa trade is being used to fund conflict to the tune of ? 0 million a year. The Ivory Coast provides some 40% of the world’s cocoa, since 2002 it has been torn apart by civil war. The allegations are that the profit from cocoa has been directly siphoned into government funds and used to finance their conflict with the rebels. In addition the rebels extorted money directly from the industry trying to transport the cocoa through its region. Gentle pressure is being applied on Mars to identify how m uch of its product contains cocoa from the Ivory Coast and strive to become free from â€Å"Conflict Cocoa†. Independent News and Media Ltd 2007). Sustainability and fair trade with regard to cocoa has become a political â€Å"hot potato† with the manufacturers of the Mars bar being criticized for employing tactics that puts cocoa farmers into virtual slavery, forcing them to turn more of their land over to production of cocoa rather than traditional arable farming and then making entire communities reliant on the cocoa market. The power of the global corporation can then manipulate the price of cocoa, ultimately depriving the producer of a fair price for the raw ingredient. The close association of the Mars bar as a product of the United States may cause some with a dislike of all things American to boycott the product; however there does not seem to be any evidence that this has actually occurred. Due to the global use of the product and its association through manufacture and distribution with other countries like the UK, it does not lend itself to being an exclusive American product such as is for the Hershey Bar. In the UK as in other nations where the Mars Bar is manufactured, there is some influence on the processes involved in its production by the legislative requirements of the host nation or other bodies such as the European Union. These relate in the main to food safety and trading standards legislation relating to the safety and standards that the Mars bar must meet in order to be sold to the consumer. Lately this has being more influenced by legislation that relates to advertising, such as the advertising of the product to children. Due to the nature of free market economies, free markets and the established nature of the Mars Bar with its global distribution network it is not felt that the Mars bar is overly influenced by external political factors. 2. 4. 6 Cultural forces The  cultural environment  is made up of institutions and other forces that affect society’s basic values, perceptions, preferences, and behaviors. Certain cultural characteristics can affect marketing decision-making. There was a real team spirit at Mars Chocolate, with a huge number of talented people all sharing the same goal of building on our longstanding reputation or world class products. Throughout, they made sure there’s a business strategy in place that inspires, motivates, develops and engages. Working in a sustainable, ethical and people-focused way generates outstanding results and also produces high quality talent. Mars Chocolate has been a training ground for some of British industry’s most successful l eaders, from Justin King (now the Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s) to Allan Leighton (former Chairman of Royal Mail). Mars has books and football clubs, and as an addition to this, they have their own on-site wellness coordinator who helps associates to enjoy chocolate as part of a healthy active lifestyle with pilates classes, circuit training and sports clubs. 2. 5 Organization within the industry 2. 5. 1 Market Position Although there are different definitions of brand positioning, probably the most common is: identifying a market niche for a brand, product or service utilizing traditional marketing placement strategies. Mars Inc. Market Positioning is similar products on the state of competition in the target market for the customer of the products of certain characteristics or attributes importance for the enterprise products shaping strong, unique and distinctive personality and vivid delivery to the customer, to obtain customer identification. The market positioning of the essence of the enterprise and other enterprises strictly separate, so that customers clearly feel and recognize this difference, and thus occupies a special place in the minds of customers From the slogan for Mars, we can see two points: 1, Mars simply locate a business of chocolate, candy and pet food manufacturing-oriented enterprises; 2, Mars also hoping to start a new business. In fact, market positioning and product differentiation is closely related, but are essentially different. Market positioning is the creation of a distinct personality, their products and thus creates a unique market image. A product is a comprehensive reflection of a number of factors, including the performance, structure, composition, packaging, shape, quality, market position is to strengthen or enlarge certain products of factors to form a different unique image. Product differentiation is the real market positioning means, but does not and the whole of market positioning. Market position is not only emphasis on product differentiation through product differentiation, but also to establish a unique market image, and win customer recognition. [pic] Dove, Mars classic chocolate brand, MADE WITH 100% PURE COCOA BUTTER, DOVE Chocolate has an intoxicating scent, a glossy hue and a rich taste unsurpassed by other bars. Always silky smooth on the tongue with a complex flavor, each DOVE Chocolate product starts with only the best cacao beans, tested twice by expert Mars technicians for quality and flavor. The perfect combination of chocolate liquor and cocoa butter, DOVE has a balanced taste that is never too sweet or too bitter. Because DOVE cares about every detail of the chocolate making process; you are always assured of delicious, lingering chocolate flavor. Mars takes great care and maintains the highest standard of quality in manufacturing DOVE Chocolate from the bean to bar, coupled with its special roasting and grinding – resulting in the signature silky smooth signature taste of DOVE Chocolate. ( Dove Chocolate, 2011) Chocolate consumers are more fashion crowd, is an important part of this population living. Chocolate as a special kind of nutritious food, in people's daily lives, occupy a very important position. Therefore, the quality and taste of chocolate has become the first choice when consumers buy. Dove† is the brand consumers are very familiar with their products in the production of a blend of the base material with puffed cereal products, the LHV sugar body or fruit and vegetable products not only taste good, and its unit calorific value is lower 30% ~ 60%, and quality assured, I believe this is also easier to meet our target customer choice. To meet consumer demand for chocolate while also addressing the cons umers worry about health issues, this is the world's chocolate companies cannot compete with the Dove brand and could win about it. . 5. 2 Target markets Target market analysis: Industry Supportive & Unshakable Facts. For example drinks. (All information below attained from Slideshare, 2012) 2006 Sports Drink Industry Break Down †¢ $300 billion sales worldwide in 2005 †¢ Market increased 10% to 9. 71 million liters in 2005 †¢ North American accounted for roughly 49% consumption in 2005 †¢ Asia Pacific region accounted for a 38% share in global consumption in 2005 †¢ Japan ranked second to the U. S. t terms for per capita consumption, but China is assumed to overtake Japan as Asia Pacific’s leading consumer by volume in year 2010 †¢ 2003, Germany was the leading market for sports drinks in Western Europe follow by Italy then the U. K. This is only the Drink example and except other products to analyze the Mars share in the global world. Market Met rics Global functional drink volume (millions of liters) CATEGORY 2006 FORECAST 2011 SPORTS DRINKS 9,870. 6 13,301. 70 ENERGY DRINKS 2,429. 4 3,534. 10 ELIXRS 320. 7 366. 10 TOTAL 12,620. 7 17,201. 9 (Source: Eouromonitor International. 2007) Demographics The characteristics of this section are very crucial to properly segment the market and determine where these traits fall in a SWOT analysis. Furthermore, the following information breaks down the market. Psychographics †¢ Physical Activity †¢ Healthy Products †¢ Modern Supplement †¢ Relevant Merchandise †¢ Athletes: Age from 5 to 50 Jr. High High School Collegiate Minor League Professional Hobby So from the target market there are two factors: 1) the company’s goal and resources; 2) the marketing strategies power and segment. The Mars has the resources more another competitors and each of every product have complete Marketing strategies and plan. That is why Mars Company can be the top5 in the Food’s Market in the worldwide. 2. 5. 3 The Marketing Mix (4P’s) 4P’s: The marketer, E. Jerome McCarthy, proposed a four Ps classification in 1960, which has since been used by marketers throughout the world. †¢ Product – A product is seen as an item that satisfies what a consumer needs or wants. It is a tangible good or an intangible service. Intangible products are service based like the tourism industry, the hotel industry and the financial industry. Tangible products are those that have an independent physical existence. Typical examples of mass-produced, tangible objects are the motor car and the disposable razor. A less obvious but ubiquitous mass produced service is a computer operating system †¢ Price – The price is the amount a customer pays for the product. The price is very important as it determines the company's profit and hence, survival. Adjusting the price has a profound impact on the marketing strategy, and depending on the price elasticity of the product, often it will affect the demand and sales as well. The marketer should set a price that complements the other elements of the marketing mix. †¢ Promotion – represents all of the methods of communication that a marketer may use to provide information to different parties about the product. Promotion comprises elements such as: advertising, public relations, personal selling and sales promotion. †¢ Place – refers to providing the product at a place which is convenient for consumers to access. Place is synonymous with distribution. Various strategies such as intensive distribution, selective distribution, exclusive distribution and franchising can be used by the marketer to complement the other aspects of the marketing mix. 2. 5. 3. 1 Product Most of the products are popular and famous, Dove and M&M’s has big market share in the global and impact of in the world. 2. 5. 3. 2 Price Mars price: the terminal operator to brand building as the ultimate goal. In the context of today's terminal winning times, product positioning is based on market demand, the Chinese market, for example, the MARS's major brands are both market and customer needs the road. For example: in the Dooyoo website we can easy find the price about the MARS products, all the price are at 5$~10$, the pricing strategies help Mars to be more positive in the competitions. [pic] Compare the different marketing, the price are follow the customers and the market, to position the price there are two big part to consider, the internal and external environmental, to think the outside factors the cultural, income, political, education ect. And the inside factors is the product’s self, the quality and packaging. That is all about the Mars Inc. . 5. 3. 3 Promotion Mars Chocolate North America launched several retailer promotions, Promotions and sponsorships include: 1. Consumers and retailers will score big this season when Mars Brands and the NFL team up for the 2012 Super Bowl sweepstakes and instant-win game â€Å"Celebrate on the Field. † Consumers will have the chance to win one of 5,000 instant-win prizes a day from December 19, 2011, to February 5, 2012 . 2. In January, Mars will showcase a â€Å"Take Your Peanut Butter Pick† cross-brand event featuring flavours from M&M's, Snickers and Twix Brands. The Mixed Singles Shipper and Mixed Singles Counter Unit will encourage consumers to taste a variety of Mars brands. 3. Mars Chocolate North America is shifting its NASCAR sponsorship into high gear with a full year of M's Makes Race Day More Fun, giving M&M's brand fans numerous opportunities to connect with the brand from January to November. 4. The sweepstakes promotion â€Å"When We Win, You Win! † engages NASCAR fans by linking the victorious performance of the M's Racing Team with chances to win great prizes, including new cars and instant-win prizes, from January to November. . Marathon brand will be the Official Energy Bar for the 2012 Rock ‘n' Roll Marathon Race Series, gaining brand exposure at 25 race events, reaching more than two million consumers. 6. Mras created a website as http://www. realchocolate. com in this website Mars claim that it’s the only company that use real cocoa butter not vegetable oil. In this website consumers can read about the h istory and processing of chocolate and if they register in website they can receive a free chocolate. It’s a great point that Mars said in this website that: For nearly 100 years, Mars Chocolate North America has been committed to producing  real chocolate. Mars Chocolate North America defines real chocolate as chocolate produced with cocoa butter per the U. S. Standards. The illustrated processing showed as below: [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. Cacao Tree 2. Cacao Pod 3. Raw Cacao Beans 4. Cacao Beans Drying 5. Cacao Beans 6. Fermentation 7. Cacao Powder 8. Chocolate Liquor 7. US confectionery giant  Mars  has launched a ‘Chocolate Relief' campaign in a bid to bring â€Å"sweet smiles† to millions of Americans. The Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act will offer consumers full-sized samples of Mars chocolate, product discounts and coupons along with ‘Free Chocolate Fridays'. Throughout September 2011, Mars gave away around seven million full-size packages of its M&M's, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, Dove, and 3 Musketeers chocolates in the US. Mars gave away a quarter-of-a- million full-size packages of ‘real' chocolate on Free Chocolate Fridays. US consumers can claim one of 250,000 full-value coupons each Friday from 8 May by visiting realchocolate. com. â€Å"Brands like M&M's, Snickers, Dove Chocolate, Twix, Milky Way and 3 Musketeers are loved by Americans,† said Michele Kessler, vice president, Mars Snackfood US. â€Å"That's why we've created the Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act. It's our way of giving Americans a small treat during challenging times. † (Aroq, 2012). 2. 5. 3. 4 Place As an example the distribution channels of china was discovered to have a big picture from the whole place policy in Mars Corporation. Mars has a unique approach to China it sells directly to the retailers without benefit of a joint venture or any other type of on-site business. M are sold directly to consumers in China through two different distribution channels: the China National Duty Free Import Corporation for its airport duty-free shops and, more significantly, key local wholesalers for distribution to neighborhood stores in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. East Asiatic Company (of Hong Kong) has successfully developed a way to distribute the well-known U. S. chocolate product in the city. In the normal distribution system, retailers are used to having to go calling on the wholesaler to try and obtain the product and then figure out a way to transport it to the store. East Asiatic has turned this old practice on its head: M wholesalers sell and transport their goods directly to the retailers. East Asiatic, a Hong Kong-based company has a distribution agreement with Mars for M candies in China. The candies are brought into Shanghai by the container-load from the U. S. or Australia or in smaller shipments via Hong Kong. East Asiatic then sells the chocolates to wholesalers/distributors in Shanghai. The wholesaler has five vans that deliver M throughout Shanghai, either to sub-wholesalers or retail outlets. The Hong Kong agent also has a van in the city. Painted with M advertisements, the vehicle serves as both an advertising and distribution medium. Choosing the right wholesalers and monitoring them closely are very important to the distribution effort's success. Besides having a warehouse for storing M&Ms properly, wholesalers must be committed to making frequent deliveries so that retail outlets receive fresh stock regularly. If a store has a quick turnover, a wholesaler should visit it once or twice a week; if turnover is slower, visits may occur every 1 0 to 14 days. The company works with wholesalers to select sub-wholesalers and hires salespeople directly by running advertisements in Shanghai newspapers. The sales team visits retail outlets regularly to check displays, advertising, and inventory needs. It encourages store managers to put up M&M fliers and sometimes conducts taste tests or other promotions, like giving away trial packages of Skittles (another Mars candy) or balloons decorated with the M&M logo. Salespeople benefit from successful promotion work by earning performance bonuses in addition to their straight salary. The Hong Kong Company informally oversees and coordinates the entire distribution process-from wholesalers to sub-wholesalers to sales staff to retail outlets. It teaches all levels to sell M&Ms into the market, instead of waiting for the market to come to them, as is the traditional practice in China. Coordination is handled by the company's representative office in Shanghai, with personnel in Hong Kong visiting from time to time in order to deal with specific issues. To select the proper retail outlets, East Asiatic set out a list of criteria and commissioned a Hong Kong market research firm that had connections with a Shanghai research firm to help identify stores in selected sales districts. At present, the distribution effort primarily targets state-run stores. Payment terms normally require settlement within one to two weeks after delivery. The Hong Kong agent sells through some private entrepreneurs in Shanghai even though they are somewhat less credit-worthy than state stores, and hopes to expand this network gradually. The company's Shanghai distribution system went into effect in late 1989 and M&Ms are now widely available-both in large outlets and in roadside shops decorated with M&M fliers. A similar system went into effect in Beijing in 1991, boosted by a major advertising campaign in connection with the 1990 Asian Games. The firm also distributes M&Ms in Guangzhou, although the network there is not as developed. Other points in China are covered via these three cities. A major issue for the company has been a fight to protect its trademark rights. Other than that, customers seem to like the chocolate (Shanghainese in particular have a taste for Western sweets), even though domestically-produced chocolate is one-fifth the price of the import (Ernst R. 2008). In Malaysia Mars focused on chain supermarkets and malls and mega malls, they use these channels as high potential channels and send the products to the end user and although its risky that consumer has a lot of other choice from mars competitors, but because high brand awareness and cheaper marketing strategy they use this strategy for Malaysia. 2. 6 The strength and weaknesses of the Brand SWOT Analysis A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strategic planning process. Environmental factors internal to the firm usually can be classified as strengths (S) or weaknesses (W), and those external to the firm can be classified as opportunities (O) or threats (T). Such an analysis of the strategic environment is referred to as a SWOT analysis (wiliams, 2008). The SWOT analysis provides information that is helpful in matching the firm's resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates. As such, it is instrumental in strategy formulation and selection. The below diagram shows how a SWOT analysis fits into an environmental scan: Framework Environmental Scanning | | | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   | | | |Internal Analysis  Ã‚  Ã‚   | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  External Analysis | | | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   | | | |Strengths  Ã‚  Ã‚  Weaknesses  Ã‚  Ã‚   | |  Ã‚  Ã‚  Opportunities  Ã‚  Ã‚  Threats | | | | | | | | | | | SWOT asks qu estions in these four areas and try to answer them to have a big picture of company. 2. 6. 1Strengths: 1. Strong demand for confectionery: the market has grown consistently at around 5% every year for the last four years. So it will bring bloom to the confectionery market. People tend to use computers and video games or all in all they use their brain more. Glucose is like the fuel for brain and chocolate is a relevant solution. People use chocolate more recently and it’s a power point for chocolate industries like mars. In Malaysia people like to eat sweat foods and snacks and even in some of their food they use sugar, Malaysia is a potential market for chocolate. Mars chocolates nearly can be seen in all malls and supermarkets in Malaysia. (Edward, 2012). 2. Good brand position and quality which is consumer favourites and High brand awareness. Mars is well-known among sportspeople that they use it as energetic meal and is well-known among children and families. The quality of products is elevated and its brand position is high. People know it as a famous and high standard brand. 3. Strong partnerships with retailers. That’s why we can see mars products in the majority of supermarkets and malls in Malaysia and all over the world. [pic] 4. Price kept that it should be in the range of every one purchase. It’s a qualified brand with huge name but the price policy was designed in a way that different layers of society can buy and use it (Gudehus, 2009). 5. Stores are available in almost every market. Mars offers chocolate stores that are kind of brand shops in different countries that are powerful ways for connecting with concentration with customers. In Malaysia it’s not very common that is not under mars marketing strategies, but mars focus on huge malls, supermarkets and chain supermarkets like 101 and seven eleven. 6. More emphasis on sales promotion like surprise gifts and scheme cards. 7. Memorable Slogans. Like on to Unimaginable Heights, Go for the Max! , Mars is Waiting†¦ (mars society, 2009). 8. Creative and simple advertising. That some of them are designed deeply for motivating people psychologically. 9. High Consumer Loyalty. Because nearly all children like chocolates and human pleasurable memories can be hardly forgotten. The image of brand, its taste and good memory of it is recorded in human’s deep conscious mind and people are loyal to what they like and admire. [pic] 10. Leader in UK, Japan and South Africa. Being leader in Asian, European and African context show the multicultural and international face of brand that different races and culture like the taste of products. 11. Innovative chocolate producers. 12. High advertising budget. Because the company is really marketing oriented and work with modern strategies. 13. Great packaging. Designs of packaging have influential effects on consumers and motivate them to buy the products. 14. Sponsors global football teams like England football team that is a great sign for remembering and memorizing Mars brand. 15. Mars Chocolate North America is the North American chocolate operations of Mars Inc. Based in McLean, Va. Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion and six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience. 2. Weaknesses: 1. Mars products causes health problems for consumers. Cocoa contains fairly high levels of the mineral copper, and too much copper can inhibit certain chemical processes in the body and lead to several kinds of health problems (burger, 2008). Dark chocolate contains the three elements of cocoa liquor or cocoa mass (cocoa cake), cocoa butter, and sugar. Cocoa butter is a fat that is found naturally in cocoa beans (burger, 2008). These elements according to medical research produce different kind of health problems if use to extreme. It’s a weakness for Mars that chocolate products are not really under healthy products. 2. Dental problems by consuming Mars products. Dental problems are very expensive to cure. People have some phobias to eat chocolate like obesity, teeth problems and other health problems; it can be a weakness point for mars that their products produce certain problems in future for consumers and specially children. Causing pain and expense for consumers is not a good point for mars. 3. Mars has many different products in which it has to promote. Having different products show the product orientation in the company, but the problem is the variety of products that need to promote and develop and it cause too much expenditure for the company and can reduce the benefits. Mars brands include Chocolate: M's, Snickers, Dove, Galaxy, Mars, Milky Way and Twix; Petcare: Pedigree, Whiskas, Sheba, Cesar and Royal Canin; Wrigley – Orbit, Extra, Starburst, Doublemint and Skittles; Food: Uncle Ben's, Dolmio, Ebly, Masterfoods and Seeds of Change; Drinks: Alterra Coffee Roasters, The Bright Tea Co. , Klix and Flavia; and Symbioscience: Seramis, Cirku and Cocoavia. 4. M is the number one selling candy in the chocolate market; however this product steals most of the promotion and advertising money and it’s not really a balanced strategy. 5. Milky Way has a low sales percentage of Mars domestic market share Because of constantly changing campaigns, people are not aware of Milky Way’s positioning in the market. 6. Mars incorporated are not present online. According to the electronic era and the tendency of market to choose new technology for business exchange among nearly the majority of society, its weakness for Mars incorporated that they are not present online. Finding information about this company and its product on the net is not very convenient. 7. Bad communication, Low market share, Weak management team are other weaknesses of Mars in the world market. 2. 6. 3 Opportunities: 1. Universal demographic development and change is a continuous growth of the world population is an advantage for Mars because more products would be eaten by consumers. People have more tendency to eat candy, chocolate and fast foods in this era. 2. Having more focus on small countries, increasing personal relation even to villages. Heading to huge market share that is waiting for this brand, because in the entire world we can find children and families who are interested in the taste of chocolate and candy. 3. Increase the product range as Jellies, Toffees, Bars, Lollipops, Gums, Unsweetened baked chocolates for garnishing. Same content and in different forms can increase the market share. 4. 1% of households consume chocolate candy. Just mars need to remind them using chocolate regularly. Mars products are so familiar in the mind of people and if you offer people Mars products they won’t reject it. They only need

Favorite Teacher Essay

Choosing a favorite teacher is fairly difficult when one puts into account all the types of teachers they have known, all of them are important. Teachers are the second most important people in our lives, right after our parents. Teachers are persuasive and have the power to build a child up from an immature student to become a responsible adult; or they can completely and utterly crush a students hopes and dreams. As an identical twin my mother has always pulled a few strings to have my sister and me in the same classes throughout elementary school. We were absolutely inseparable. Transitioning from elementary to middle school was a milestone for me. Every class I was placed in was different from my sister’s. I was friendless, and at times I felt hopeless scrambling to find friends; I was overwhelmed by the turmoil of the middle school system. At my locker I forgot a key ingredient, the combination; completely overloaded with homework, tests and loneliness, I sat at my locker and sobbed. It was there I crossed paths with one of the most important people I have ever known. The first time I met Ms. Reagan was when she gave the upcoming middle-schoolers a tour of the school the summer before my sixth grade year. She was short, thin and had an intelligent look. She seemed truly interested in me, given my mother had met her on vacation a few years back. Ms. Reagan assured my worried mother I would do perfectly fine in a new environment without my sister. However, when school began, so did my problems. Mr. Wolff was my sixth grade English teacher, as an advanced English student the first essay he assigned was rather demanding. Struck by writer’s block, I was only able to conquer five pages of the assigned six-page essay. Mr. Wolff asked for a word after class; obliging I listened to him rant about how he expected more out of me than five pages of redundancy. I left the classroom with a rigid, seemingly emotionless expression. I went to my only friend, my locker, and began to sob when I remembered I had forgotten my combination. Walking back from the teachers’ lounge, Ms. Reagan calmly asked me to explain my dilemma; she offered support and assured me I would do well, promising me I would make friends. I left school that day consoled and filled with a newborn hope that I would progress through the sixth grade successfully; after all it was just the third day of school. After a few weeks of attending middle school, I began to gain friends; they were not comparable to my twin, but they were accepting. I listened to what Ms. Reagan had mentioned to me and I was able to gain more and more friends I today refer to as my closest friends. With Ms. Reagan’s advice I was able to conquer my fears of having no friends, and I finally was able to master the dreaded locker combination. Ms. Reagan is the embodiment of a leader and sets an endless example of respect and commitment for her current students and students of years prior. She treats everyone with kindness and compassion and is always willing to give advice to anyone. Most importantly, she believes in herself as a teacher and, in turn, her students learn to believe in themselves. I have been able to acquire this knowledge of Ms. Reagan through various lunch visits when I was unable to find a table. We spoke of our families, futures, travels and opinions. Although it has been years since I sat in her classroom, Ms. Reagan continues to affect me in a very meaningful way. In the summer we often go to the same part of Newport during the same time; she often walks past my house, and even on the hottest of days, she will always stop at the end of my driveway just to chat. In return, when I get the chance, I like to stop by to visit her after school lets out just to catch up for a little bit and fill her in on the latest news in my life. However, although our conversations may be few and far between, they always make for memorable moments. As I continue to get older, I cannot help looking back and reminiscing about my days as an elementary student. I feel lucky for having such an unforgettable childhood and thankful for the people that were apart of it. Ms. Reagan has always been more than an educator to me, and I am so blessed to have her as a part of my life.

Christopher Harman’s “A Peoples History of the World” Essay

Chris Harman offers a unique optimistic observation of history from ancient times to present, where the needs in transformation in technology and relations between classes in the society are â€Å"set on†. In Section II of the writing the author emphasizes the importance of the ideas and makes a rather successful effort to create a well-liked history of the humanity, representing the interrelation between the progress of means of manufacturing as well as and the fight between classes. A People’s History of the World is a very optimistic writing. One of the most interesting arguments of the author is that human nature represents a construct: Human beings, we have been told, have always been greedy, competitive and aggressive, and that explains horrors like war, exploitation, slavery and oppression of women. I argue very differently. ‘Human nature’ as we know it today is a product of our history, not its cause (Harman, 2008). For the author, all the people have options. These options are different for each individual, depending on his/her position in the society or gender. The view of slavery seems very interesting: a master has more options, but slave also have them, notwithstanding that they are different. According to the author, this creates our history. This statement makes clear the author’s argument that the research of the material reasons of this or that event is very important, however it is not enough, it is just the first step necessary to be made in order to understand something deeper. The writing of Harman, namely Section II, tells the reader a very important thing: it not just describes historical events like other books do, but tries to explain to us where our history comes from. In the textbooks on history we usually find simple list of events and many facts remain not properly understood, while the given writing shows us the completely different view on what is happening is the world. Bibliography Harman, C. (2008). A People’s History of the World: From the Stone Age to the New Millennium. Verso Books

The Relationship Between Objectivity and Subjectivity in Essay Writing Research Paper

The Relationship Between Objectivity and Subjectivity in Essay Writing - Research Paper Example Essay writing involves a writer expressing themselves on a presentation that was based on the five human senses. This chapter is an emphasis on the fact that writers are required to write essays that describe various phenomena, which they should explain in a manner that helped the reader understand the content of the essay. In line with this, the chapter essentially underlines that different essays have varied writing styles with each style focusing on a particular level of description that a writer should use. One other noteworthy point highlighted by the chapter regards the relationship between objectivity and subjectivity in essay writing and with regard to the underlying principles that guide description. In this case, a writer can describe an object without relying on their personal experiences and emotions about the object they described. In effect, the writer is objective in their description. Conversely, a writer may express their personal feeling and opinion regarding an obj ect, which makes the subjective in their description. Overall, the chapter is crucial in outlining the various ways that a writer can use the description in writing quality essays. First, the chapter highlights the importance of focusing on a particular line of thought regarding the subject of discussion. In this case, writers are supposed to base the content of their essay on a thesis statement, which becomes the line of thought throughout the essay. Conversely, the chapter highlights the use of description in choosing content that a writer should include in their essay while ensuring that the content of the essay is in line with the thesis statement, which is the essay’s dominant impression.

Evaluation of the national energy investment opportunities in wind Essay

Evaluation of the national energy investment opportunities in wind generation in Uk - Essay Example The current energy market consists of nuclear energy technology, hydroelectric systems, fossil fuels (i.e. coal and petroleum), with a sudden emergence in recent years of wind power development processes. This research project will focus specifically on electrical energy, with major players including nPower, E-On, Scottish Power and EDF (Boilers Prices, 2012). Currently, 91.4 percent of all electricity utilised in the UK come from traditional, non-renewable sources which indicates a need for further growth in renewable technology in this market. The entire UK energy market is currently valued at over ?28 billion (Research and Markets, 2008), which represents significant profit opportunities for the Big 6 energy providers, corporate investment and various venture capitalists looking for return on investment in energy. Passing of the Planning Act in 2008 provided new opportunities for all of these firms and independent investors to contribute more capital to infrastructure development by establishing a singular consent regime advocating more liberal government-mandated policies for what is referred to as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (Sustainable Development Commission, 2012). 3. UK renewable energy strategy The European Union has been integral in dictating policy regarding the renewable energy strategies for member nations. In 2001, the EU Renewables Directive proposed a target for member nations to achieve 22.1 percent development of renewable electricity (Dept of Energy and Climate Change, 2010). This Renewables Directive highlights specific, incremental steps necessary to achieve this target including solar photovoltaic, hydroelectricity and wind power. The UK share of this directive was to be 10 percent renewable electricity by 2010 (DECC, 2012), a target met when including wind and other renewable project developments in the UK. Currently, renewable electricity accounts for 9.6 percent of total UK renewable delivery with a significant surge in wind technology since 2007, a rise in output of 120 percent annually (Guardian.co.uk, 2011). Figure 1 illustrates the significant growth in renewable with an emphasis on wind power from 1997 to 2007. Figure 1: National Statistics Illustrating Growth in Renewable Energy Sources Source: uk-air.defra.gov.uk/reports (2009). Statistics on Renewable Energy Improvements 1997-2007. Growth in renewable technology is being promoted by national government, local community government, corporate investment, and even consumer sentiment about sustainable living that influences both policy makers and development of investment firms dedicated to improving renewable energy source production. For instance, the Carbon Trust, an independent yet governmentally funded company is currently a major advocate for renewable energy sources, reinvesting capital from various commercial activities and reapplying this capital to achieve this mission (Carbon Trust, 2012). Partnerships between governmental actors , corporate investors, and independent companies like Carbon Trust have assisted in making progress to have more transparent renewable markets internationally and domestically. They have influenced the implementation of the Climate Change Bill, a measure providing liberalisation, incentives

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT PAPER - Essay Example For example, paying a government functionary in the home country a tip in order to facilitate licensing can be interpreted as bribery and subject to legal consequences or sanctions. In some foreign countries such payments are standard procedures of facilitating and expediting work, and failure to conform to such practices can often produce costly delays and probably significant losses. When there is a conflict between practices abroad and ethical and legal norms in the home country, the question that can arise is whether one should impose one’s ethical standard and values in a foreign country. Shouldn’t firms acknowledge ethical deviations for the sake of cultural sensitivity so as to avoid offending the officials and residents of the host country in the course of conducting its business? But first before going further let us attempt to define some terms and perhaps illustrate some basic concepts. The situation described above gives rise to some questions about corruption and bribery. Corruption, as defined by Joseph Nye more than 30 years ago, refers to the misuse of authority or a position of authority for some self-interested purpose (Nichols, P.M. (1997). And self-interest is not limited to pecuniary gain but may also include enhanced status, benefits to family and social circle, or any other perceived benefit. A bribe is a transaction which occurs when a good or service is transferred â€Å"across a technologically separable boundary.† (ibid). In bribery, the parties exchange benefits in an extra-legal setting, and, in most cases, the benefits conferred by the bribe giver is a quid pro quo for the benefit expected by the bribe giver.. The benefit may be anything of value to the bribe taker, made in the expectation of preferential treatment. From the economic and utilitarian perspective, bribery is objectionable because it distorts markets and

Government intervention in the market for raisins Assignment

Government intervention in the market for raisins - Assignment Example Producers of specialty crops like raisin in California structured themselves into marketing associations. This essay paper will look into the broad subject relating with marketing orders, and narrow down into marketing order for raisins in the US. Discussion In 1949, following twenty years of ceaseless agitation, discouragement, bitter struggle, pools, forced combinations and raisin exchanges, raisin growers from California voted to come up with a federal marketing order based on the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1937. Critical components of this marketing order have brought a number of economic impacts, a program of price discrimination and a program of supply control. The Agriculture Secretary, in line with the provisions of the law, issues and carries out amendments on the same from time to time. Such orders are intended to regulate handling of specified agricultural commodities in line with the legal framework in place (Clary 23). A board that consists of growers and packers, cal led Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC) is bestowed with the mandate of watching over the marketing order. RAC is a federal marketing order which is led by packers, 47 growers and a public member. This authority is directly supervised by the United States Department of Agriculture which was established in 1949 due to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. ... isin growers have brought complaint regarding Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 which empowers government to confiscate some portion of the yearly raisin crop, the initiative which, for instance, saw 47% being confiscated in 2003 and 30% in 2004. Farmers who don’t cooperate in surrendering their raisins are penalized. The amount that should be surrendered to the government is based on the annual production volume and other factors like production by competing countries. Taxpayers are not left out in analysis of the potential effects of this surrender. The surrender minimizes the available share of raisin supply which in return causes the consumers of the product to buy it at higher prices. RAC does not pay any consideration to farmers upon expropriations. Actually much of the raisin is given away and others sold for export at low prices. It is only after it has covered its costs that the remaining profits, if any, are given to the farmers. Farmers who disregard this marketing order are fined. Raisin is not the only fruit that is federally regulated. In total, close to thirty products are subject to the ‘marketing orders’, overseeing of which is conducted by the Department of Agriculture. In other products like milk, the system of Federal Milk Marketing Order does set the lowest prices for milk and milk products. Farmers, if they were given an opportunity, would vote in abolishment of the marketing order rule. It is plain that the pronouncements of this rule have economically affected them. It is rational to produce more and reap more from the same but if the rule denies farmers of reaping what they have produced and unfairly handing the same to government, which is seen as wasteful decision (Agriculture.). On the other hand, farmers can still vote for

Reactivity of M-C bonds and catalytic formation of heterocycles Essay

Reactivity of M-C bonds and catalytic formation of heterocycles - Essay Example This branch deals with the synthesis, properties and application of heterocyclic compounds and their derivatives. Heterocyclics are largely categorized as unsaturated and saturated heterocyclics, depending on their structures(Pfaltz&Drury, 2004). The saturated heterocyclics have been noticed to behave like their acyclic derivatives. The core focuses of heterocyclic compound studies are the unsaturated derivatives of 5- and 6- membered rings, their applications and their predominance of low-numbered rings. Among the 5- and 6-membered unsaturated heterocyclics are pyridine, thiophene, pyrrole and furan. Similarly studied to a large extent are benzene-fused rings of these 5- and 6- membered unsaturated heterocyclics(Nakamura et al., 1998). These benzene-fused derivatives are quinoline, benzothiophene, indole, and  benzofuran for pyridine, thiophene, pyrrole, and furan respectively. The following are structures of a heterocyclic and a homocyclic compounds namely pyridine, a heterocycli c and cyclo-octasulfur, a homocyclic compound. From the structures of these compounds it is evident that the C-H bond is quite important in their reactions. In fact, it is the activation of this C-H bond that allows for the formation and introduction of other functionality groups/bonds such as M-C or C-C bonds to heterocyclic compounds(Benudhar et al., 2013). Pyridine Cyclo-octasulfur, The core theme in organometallic chemistry is the construction and transformation of metal-carbon bonds. Consequently, most of researches and literatures seem to focus on the traditional M-C bonds formed using the tetravalent carbon bond. However, fewer researchers have concentrated on non-traditional M-C bonds, often referred to as M-C cage bonds, which are found in carborane cages in which the carbon is hypervalent(Nakamura et al., 1998). This paper explores the reactivity of M-C bonds and outlines a plan for the catalytic formation of heterocyclics via the catalytic activation of the M-C bond. Spec ifically, the aim of this paper is the synthesis of some ligands that contain heterocycles or vinyl groups that can undergo C-H activation to form cyclometallated complexes(Benudhar et al., 2013). Further, the paper investigates the reactivity of the cyclometallated complexes with alkynes and alkenes. Thus, the goal is to assess the relative reactivity of different types of M-C bonds. One of the methods used in the catalytic synthesis of heterocycles is the amphibilic metal ligand activation (AMLA). In the AMLA process, the steps in the activation of the C-H bond entail the use of an electrophilic metal in combination with a deprotonation using an intramolecular base, frequently acetate. Chiral ligands are chemical compounds adapted for and largely used in the asymmetric synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. Chiral ligands are pure organic enantiomers that combine with metallic centers through the process of chelation to yield asymmetric catalysts(Nakamura et al., 1998). It is this c atalyst that later engages in the chemical reaction in which the chirality of a ligand is transferred to the product of the reaction. That is, while initially the ligand is chiral, at the end of the reaction, it is the product, which is chiral. In model situations or reactions, one equivalent catalyst

Leadership Analysis Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership Analysis - Research Paper Example These grand challenges however, also highlight the overall human element involved in achieving the superior performance as well as manage the modern organizations in most professional manner. What is also significant to understand that increasingly complex organizations at the global level have also created challenges for the firms to manage their expenses while at the same time ensure that employees remain motivated. This has only become possible due to the increasing level of insecurity related with the job and fear of unemployment. Organizations like Wal-Mart has been accused of discriminating on pay issues especially with women and as such the overall impression of such global organizations is not considered as favorable. This paper will therefore attempt to discuss and explore human side of the leadership and provide a leadership and motivation analysis of the issues identified above. The Human side of Management’s Grand Challenges One of the key challenges faced by the o rganizations is to ensure that organization delivers socially significant goals. This should also be considered along with full embodiment of community and citizenship ideas of the organization. ... Reduction of fear and insecurity is another critical important element to be considered because fear and insecurity may not allow employees to become creative and innovative in nature. Besides, this can also force them to resist any change for the betterment of the organization as a whole. Creation of diversity and allowing disagreement is also another element to be considered in order to become effective leader. This should allow the employees to not only feel themselves as part of the organization but also contribute positively towards the achievement of organizational goals. This also could be associated with the unleashing of the human imagination and achievement of desired level of performance through developing holistic performance measures. Leaders of today are also required to share the responsibility of goal setting under which sharing an employee’s voice to be considered as productive rather than a sign of power. Leaders therefore have to ensure that they achieve the desired level of commitment from their employees by giving thorough consideration to the voice of the employees and making them part of the overall process of setting the direction for the firm. This process will allow the leaders to have access to diversified range of creative ideas also. Finally, in order to achieve better performance, it is critical that the management must be able to overcome complacency and allow autonomy to the employees so that decisions can be made at local level. Unemployment and its Impact on Motivation: Motivation can arise at two levels i.e. explicit as well as implicit motivation and organizations can actually design and develop policies to

Selective Lit Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Selective Lit Review - Assignment Example Continually, organizations are recognizing that their employees are a base for competitive advantage. As a result, HR departments are changing from being administrative, to become strategic partners – answerable to the achievement of business goals. This approach requires the development of new evaluation and defining models for the success of their HR. Through such models, they will be able to demonstrate the value of their strategic contribution. This review will discuss different errors in the current models of evaluation (Cousins, Donohue and Bloom, 1996). Cousins, Donohue and Bloom (1996) insist that despite developments in participatory and collaborative evaluation, little has been explored, over the perception of the evaluators, with regards to evaluation practices and their practicality. This was be explored using a survey of American and Canadian evaluators – in the area of their perceptions. From the 564 evaluators surveyed, a subsample of 348, apart from expressing their opinions over collaborative evaluation, they described collaborative evaluation projects they had participated in. From the survey of the 564 evaluators, over their views of evaluation, it was evident that they support a utilization-focused, service orientation to the function, and that the evaluator holds the responsibility of maximizing proposed use among the users. The practices of evaluators, show that most of them engage collaboratively – which is not intended to support either side of the professional discussion, but add to the knowledge-bas e on evaluation. Holton (1996) the lack of further study to advance the theory of evaluation is a primary deficiency for HRD (human resource development). In this regard, the four-level model of training evaluation is a classification of results, and erratic as a model of evaluation.

Human resources assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Human resources - Assignment Example At my previous place of work, different strategies were used to manage the human resource planning particularly identifying the skills as well as implementing certain measures to improve these skills. Basically, skills are visible in behaviours of human beings (Werner, 2007). From my previous workplace, employees were observed for certain skills during work. This constituted skills audits where the available skills were observed and the required skills to perform a certain task were also outlined. In some cases, competency testing measures were taken were the employees were given certain tasks to perform. Their performance was gauged against the required skills competencies. The skills of the employees were also identified during the job interview process. The prospective candidates were asked to narrate their experiences, competencies as well as skills. Skills audits and competency tests are useful in identifying personal, hard and transferable skills in an organization. In most cases, skills are identified through observing the employees while performing different tasks at their workplace. On the other hand, a competency test can be used to establish if the employee is competent enough to perform a certain task. The current performance is measured against the required level of performance and this helps the responsible authorities to implement effective measures that can help improve the skills of the employees. According to Robbins (1993), the employer can immensely benefit from a skills audit in that he is able to identify the skills of the employees as well as to use this knowledge to predict the changes that may be required in these skills in order to improve the performance of the employees. The skills audit is used to identify the gap between availability and requirements of the skills in the organization. This helps to design a program that can be used to

Visual Evidences on the Genocide in Darfur Essay Example for Free

Visual Evidences on the Genocide in Darfur Essay There is an old saying that goes â€Å"a picture paints a thousand words. † There is almost perfect truth in this proverb. Images are worth more than the medium on which they were created, the colors they show, the shapes and textures they protrude and the subjects they portray. They keep inside literally a million of information. In fact, the human mind registers images better than words or sounds. This concept can be seen in teaching grade school students, where images are used a lot. Also, presenters use a lot of pictures in their slides to illustrate points and mark their theses. Ultimately, photographs are tools used not only to capture still life images, but also to relay messages and thoughts. Sometimes these informations are vague, and hard to understand. Such as that in abstract paintings, where different observers and art critics can have varying interpretations, each having perfect sense. But there are images that have straightforward notes, photographs that have only one perfect meaning and description. These clear cut photographs were used by Nick Kristof in one of his works. These were just a few taken from an archive of photographs on the genocide in Darfur (Kristof, 2005). He posted these on a website, available to the masses, with some paragraphs of his own editorial. By doing so, his article gained a huge advantage over other essays found regarding the same topic. This is due to the attention catching theme of the photographs. Kristof posted pictures of dead humans, killed in bizarre and very disturbing ways. An onlooker would immediately notice the article as something unusual, something catchy and probably worth their time. But the real essence of these photographs was their ability to portray several principles and concepts about the genocide happening in Darfur. First it gives an idea of who are killed. Of course, the editorial gives us information about it. The author wrote all about the Arabs driving out the Africans (Kristof, 2005). But by the pictures themselves, one can decipher that fact without prior knowledge of the genocide – the four photos show four corpses of Africans. These images are powerful enough to stir a looker’s consciousness towards these Africans. Another is the idea of mercilessly killing anybody. The first picture greatly stresses this point. In this image one can see a young boy, lying dead and facing the ground. From his small body one can estimate his age to be no higher than about 4 years old. At a very young age, he was attacked, as the editorial notes, together with his brother and mother. He was still wearing his home clothes, and even had a pair of shoes on his feet when he was killed. This represents one of the many child killings that happened during the genocide. There was no space to spare anyone, and every African was subjected to death. The photographs also show the mutilations and tortures the victims endure before finally being put down. On one image, a skeleton lies with the hands tied together with pants pulled down up to the knees. This suggests the possibility of sexual torture before killing the victim (Kristof, 2005). This image in particular tends to stick out because of the skeleton corpse. This shows the lack of proper burial, and that the dead bodies of the Africans are just left to rot and decompose on the hot sand. These pictures do tell their own story. As a matter of fact, I think the four images are enough to portray the misery and darkness in Darfur. By themselves, a lot of information can be taken about the mistreatment and inhuman actions of the Sudan government towards the Africans. The author’s action in accompanying his editorial with these photographs took his subject a level higher. Not only did the pictures catch all important attention, they also created a kind of tension that tends to spark feelings on observers. These visual evidences on the genocide in Darfur are very strong and more effective compared to voices and texts describing it. By placing photographs, the author created a face-to-face frame, where the audiences are faced with the dark truth and evidence about the slaughter. References Kristof, N. D. (2005). The secret genocide archive. The New York Times website. Retrieved March 11, 2008 from http://www. nytimes. com/2005/02/23/opinion/23kristof. html? _r=2oref=sloginoref=slogin

Lephalale Exxaro Training Centre

Lephalale Exxaro Training Centre The purpose of this report is to provide a description of the period of vacation work spent at Exxaro Resources Grootegeluk mine. The requirement was set to the student to spend time with and work with artisans in their everyday environment to gain valuable practical training and experience. The training provided a broad overview of the environment that an engineer can be exposed to and must be able to handle during his or her practice. A comprehensive understanding of different disciplines was attained by working with diesel mechanics, millwrights, electricians and fitters. Tasks completed range from the manufacturing and assembly of components to the maintenance of existing systems and troubleshooting of systems that dont function as expected. The incorporation of a study of personnel management added another dimension to the training period by informing the student about the enabling, employee lifecycle and supportive services offered to the employee to ensure a satisfying and adv ancing working environment. INTRODUCTION Exxaro Resources Ltd is a South African mining company that owns coal, mineral sands, base metals as well as industrial metal related assets. The majority of its revenue is however generated by its coal mining business units. Exxaros Coal Mining Division is established as the fourth largest producer of coal in South Africa with eight different coal mines throughout the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces under their control. Exxaros Grootegeluk Coal mine in Ellisras in the Limpopo province is an open-cast coal mine with the largest coal beneficiation facility in the world. It supplies power station coal to the Matimba Power Station and also produces coking coal for use in the production of steel, as well as high quality metallurgical coal. It is also the home of the Medupi power station expansion project which, after completion will lead to Grootegeluk being the largest open-cast mining facility in the world. CONTENT 2.1. PRACTICAL TRAINING 2.1.1. SECONDARY MINING MAINTENANCE 2.1.1.1. INTRODUCTION The central workshop on the Grootegeluk site is responsible for tasks such as repair, maintenance, assembly and fabrication. The workshop is divided into three sections, namely Mining Maintenance, Plating and Refurbishment. The secondary mining maintenance section situated in the central workshop on the Grootegeluk site is primarily responsible for the maintenance of the water trucks, tippers, low-beds and smaller trackless mobile machinery. Time was spent working in this section, in cooperation with diesel mechanics, to acquire knowledge of the maintenance and operation of the trucks. 2.1.1.2. TRUCK INVENTORY 3 water trucks and 3 tippers are required to operate at any time. The trucks used are supplied by Caterpillar and are classified as the CAT 777 models. The models that operate on the mine currently are the CAT 777D and CAT 777F models. The plan at the moment is to phase out the CAT 777D trucks and incorporate the newer CAT 777F models. 2.1.1.3. LAYOUT OF CHASSIS AND POWER TRAINs A major advantage of the fact that the CAT 777 models are being used is the fact that the chassis and power train can be used interchangeably between trucks that are of the same model. Depending on what is required, either a water tank or bucket can be mounted on the chassis making it a versatile alternative to the purchasing of trucks manufactured for specific purposes only. The trucks are powered by an 870 horsepower, 27.9 litre engine. The power from the engine is sent through a torque converter, which is followed by a prop shaft leading to a semi-automatic transmission, differential and the left and right rear final drives. The basic layout of the truck can be shown as follows: 2 2.1.1.4. WATER TRUCKS Responsibility of water trucks: Spray water on the mine roads to reduce the amount of dust caused by the passing of trucks and mine machinery In the event of a fire on the mine, the water trucks may be used to extinguish the fire by use of a nozzle mounted on the front Capacity: The total load carrying capacity of the water trucks depends on the model. The capacity of the tank on the older CAT 777D trucks is 80000 litres while the tank on the newer CAT 777F has a slightly larger capacity of 82000 litres. Pump and spray system: A centrifugal pump system is used at the back of the truck to pump water from the tank to the spray nozzles. Water flows down from the tank into the pump where it is then rerouted upwards into the piping system leading to the spray nozzles. The spray nozzles then project a jet of water at a small obstruction which again changes the direction of travel causing the water to disperse Diagram of piping: Diagram of side view of spray nozzles 2.1.1.5. TIPPERS Responsibility of tippers: Waste and overburden in the mine is defined as rock and soil that cannot be used for the extraction of product. It also includes the waste produced during the extraction of the product. Because of the small amount of coal content that might still be present in the waste there is always a risk of spontaneous combustion. The tippers are responsible for moving and dumping red sand and topsoil on the waste dumps and the areas around the pit to shield the area from intense direct sunlight and reduce the probability of spontaneous combustion. The tippers also operate occasionally in the pit together with front-end loaders to clean out small amounts of material that the shovels and larger trucks are unable to collect because of the lack of space for operation. Capacity: The load carrying capacity of the tippers is dependent upon the condition of the hydraulic system used to lift the bucket. Two hydraulic cylinders are used to lift the bucket and tip the load. In a brand new condition, the tippers are able to handle a load of 120 tons while a tipper that has been in service is typically only loaded up to 100 tons to ensure that the system will be able to dump the load. 2.1.1.6. SERVICING THE TRUCKS In the coal mining environment, the trucks are required to be serviced after every 300 hours of operation. During the training period, both the CAT 777F and CAT 777D models were serviced. The 300 hour service on the CAT 777D truck entails the following: Sampling 3 different samples of fluids were taken while the engine was still running Engine oil Transmission fluid Hydraulic fluid 6 more samples were taken after the engine was switched off Left front hub oil Right front hub oil Left final drive oil Right final drive oil Steering fluid Differential oil These samples were then sent to the mine laboratory. The samples are then analysed to check for the presence of iron filings or debris that could indicate the presence of wear on the components. Replacement of filters The sump plugs and used oil filters were removed to drain the engine oil Although the primary sump is the most important to be drained, the engine also has a small secondary sump that was also drained Used oil was caught in an oil trolley New oil filters were installed Diesel filters were removed New diesel filters were installed New steering filter was installed Checking the fluid levels The level of the oil in the final drives, front hubs, differential, hydraulic system and transmission were checked Transmission fluid was filled up Engine oil was filled up The servicing of the CAT 777F trucks was handled by certified Barloworld technicians, since the trucks have only been operating on the mine for a short time. Mechanics present in the workshop had to thoroughly observe the tasks that the technicians were performing in order to learn what needs to be done. Eventually the task of servicing will be handed over to the diesel mechanics. 2.1.1.7. DRIVING THE TRUCKS The trucks operate using as semi-automatic transmission. This transmission eliminates the need for a clutch pedal, leaving only a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal. A torque converter is however incorporated with the gearbox to fulfil the purpose of the clutch. Three different braking systems are available on the trucks. Operators seldom use the foot brake which exerts a braking force on the all four wheels of the truck because of the heat generated. The steering column is fitted with levers to operate two other braking systems. The retarder lever is primarily used to slow the truck down by exerting a braking force on the rear wheels. The secondary lever is a last resort for operators and, when pulled, exerts a braking force on all four of the trucks wheels simultaneously. When the trucks are stationary and the engine switched off, the park brake has to be engaged. Additional stop blocks are placed behind the wheels of the trucks to prevent them from rolling. When the truck needs to be driven the following steps are taken: Engage the park brake Engage the retarder lever Select the number of gears required from the transmission Disengage the park brake Disengage the retarder lever Press the accelerator pedal The transmission will shift through the number of gears selected Steer the truck 2.1.2. CENTRAL WORKSHOP: PLATING 2.1.2.1. INTRODUCTION The central plating workshop at Grootegeluk mine is responsible for the majority of the sheet metal work that needs to be done on the mine. Artisans in this section have the task of manufacturing and assembling components of structures or machinery in and around the mine. The plating workshop also has facilities to sandblast and spray the components manufactured. The majority of the workload of the workshop finds application in the production and beneficiation plants. Time was spent with boilermakers in order to gain an understanding of sheet metal work. 2.1.2.2. MATERIAL Mild steel and stainless steel are the dominating types of steel used in the workshop. The type of material used for an application is in some instances limited by the capabilities of the available machinery. 2.1.2.3. PREHEATING Preheating of materials is an advantageous process when welding has to be performed and aids in the assurance of a strong, quality weld. Four main reasons for preheating exist. Preheating of the metal reduces the rate at which the welded component cools down. Rapid cooling of the welded joint could cause shrinkage of the metal in the vicinity of the weld which eventually leads to the formation of cracks and reduces the strength of the weld. In materials with low ductility, the shrinkage stress in the weld area could cause extensive deformation of the component after welding. Preheating lessens the effect of distortion by giving the welder the opportunity to utilise a momentary increase in ductility during the welding process. When the temperature of the parent material that is being used is too low, it can cause the deposited electrode metal to cool rapidly, leading to the prevention of the fusion of the metals. Preheating lowers the risk of this situation occurring. The amount of preheating required is dependent upon the thickness and configuration of the plates to be welded. The final reason for preheating relates to the presence of moisture on the surface of the metal. If the surface of the metal is wet during the welding process it could lead to the rejection of the weld or an accelerated tempo of surface crack formation in the welding region. 2.1.2.4. TIPS FOR FLUX-CORED ARC WELDING The flux-cored arc welding used in the workshop uses a wire electrode which is shielded by an appropriate gas. In general, flux-cored wires are manufactured to function with either carbon dioxide or a mixture of argon and carbon dioxide as shielding gas. The shielding gas prevents the spark from causing the uncontrolled dispersion or oxidation of the electrode metal. Flux-cored arc welding is generally performed by dragging the welding gun along the joint that needs to be welded. When welding t-joints it is important to maintain the welding gun at a 45à ¡Ã‚ ´Ã‚ ¼ angle to ensure that the electrode metal is evenly deposited in both pieces of metal. When completing butt welds the torch needs to remain in an upright position and should not deviate from the upright position by more than 15à ¡Ã‚ ´Ã‚ ¼. This will also ensure even distribution of the electrode metal during the welding process. 75à ¡Ã‚ ´Ã‚ ¼ 2.1.2.5. EQUIPMENT Welding Lincoln electric Idealarc DC-600 power source Direct current welding power source with a maximum current output of 850 A and maximum voltage output of 44 V Lincoln electric LN-25 PRO semi-automatic wire feeder Wire feeders are connected to the power source to feed electrode wire through the welding gun Tri-mark TM-791 Flux-cored electrode wire used in conjunction with CO2 as shielding gas Matweld Anti-spatter Silicone mat 0810 Spray canister that is used to prevent the spatter of electrode metal during the welding process The spray is applied to the welding gun Cutting torches: Two combinations of gases are used in the cutting torches. LP gas and oxygen are used together, or acetylene and oxygen Lighting the torch The operator opens the LPG or acetylene feed and lights the gas After the LPG or acetylene has been lit, the oxygen supply is opened to enhance the flame An optimal flame to cut metal with is a quiet flame of blue colour with no visible or distortions Application of torches Torches are primarily used to cut mild steel in the workshop. Torches cannot be used to cut stainless steel. Technically speaking torches do not cut, they burn the metal. Burning involves oxidation of the metal. The high temperature of the flame accelerates this oxidation process. Stainless steel has low iron content and will not rust in the presence of the flame. Automated cutting torch This machine has the ability to follow a shape by means of a proximity eye on a table at the left side of the machine, while simultaneously moving the torch in the exact same pattern to cut a component from metal plates on the right side of the machine. Shapes are drawn and cut out on a yellow plastic sheet. The edges of the shape are then painted white. The shape is then placed under the eye which follows the outline of the shape while cutting the metal in the same way. Plasma cutter: Cebora Plasma Prof 80 art 947 Uses only compressed air to make accurate cuts in metal up to a thickness of 20 mm and rough severance cuts up to 30 mm Operation: The plasma cutter used in the workshop utilises high pressure gas which is sent through a small tubular gun. The small tubular gun contains a negative electrode that creates a circuit when the gun is brought close to the metal. This electric spark caused by the circuit causes the gas to be heated into the plasma state of matter and reaches a temperature of about 16000à ¡Ã‚ ´Ã‚ ¼C. This extremely hot plasma then melts the metal that is being cut. The plasma cutter can be used to cut any metal. In the workshop it is used to cut stainless steel plates. Sandblasting equipment: Spartan engineering 800M pressure vessel 200 L capacity The purpose of the sandblasting equipment is to clean and remove paint from the surface of metal components which then prepares the surface to be spray painted. 2.1.2.6. TASKS OBSERVED Due to the nature of the precision and accuracy required to complete the jobs, most of the time in the workshop was spent observing and assisting. The following jobs were in progress: Manufacturing and assembly of waste buckets Waste buckets are used around the mine for different waste material. These waste buckets are made by the mine boilermakers. Three waste buckets were being built for use around the mine. Plates for the structure had to be cut, bent and welded together using a cutting torch, bending machine and welding machine. Basic side layout Basic front layout Wear plates Two sets of wear plates are used as sections of a vibrating beam in one of the assemblies in the plants One set of plates have six holes through which it fastens the beam The second set of plates are rectangular and support two springs Because of the magnitude of the forces acting on these wear plates, bearing failure of the plates occurs during operation. This wear is however allowed and monitored for a period of time before the beams are then removed and the worn out plates cut off New wear plates were manufactured according to specification Clamps for pipes Clamps were manufactured to fasten the pipes used in the plants Haulpak truck operators cab Boilermakers assembled the frame of an operators cab for one of the Haulpak trucks. Drawings were supplied giving detail of the cover plates that had to be fabricated, as well as assembly drawings to show the final required layout. The welds utilised were to be either 3 or 6 mm one-sided fillet welds. The M12 nuts that were used to assemble the frame also had to be tag welded. Extractor fan piping system Maintenance on the plants requires occasional replacement of the piping on the extractor fan system. A 6 pipe assembly was manufactured to replace the old system. Flanges were cut and holes for bolts were punched. Pipes were cut to the appropriate lengths and shapes after which flanges were welded onto the pipes. 2.1.3. GG 3/4/5 AND WASTE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP 2.1.3.1. INTRODUCTION The GG 3/4/5 and waste management workshop at Grootegeluk mine is responsible for the mechanical and electrical maintenance of the GG 3,4 and 5 plants as well as the system set up to convey waste to the dumps. A wide variety of systems, from substations to conveyor belts, are the responsibility of the artisans in this workshop. Time was spent with fitters and electricians to gain an understanding of the tasks required. 2.1.3.2. TASKS COMPLETED Replacement of motors in GG 5 tunnel: After completing the necessary safety protocol the first task was to replace two 380 V electric motors in the GG 5 feeder tunnel. The job required both electricians and fitters to complete and was completed by these steps: Since the motors operate on a 380 V control voltage, the first task was to cut the electricity supply to the motors by isolating the breaker in the substation The new motors, weighing in at 118 kg each were carried down into the tunnel using a sling wound around the motors The electrical supply wires in the cable box were disconnected After disconnection, the bolts on the old motors were loosened and the old motors were removed The new motors were then hoisted into place by a small handheld portable crane The bolts were fastened to keep the motors in place The electrical supply wires in the cable box were reconnected The supply to the motors in the substation was switched on The final step was to check if the motors were in fact turning in the right direction Proximity sensors: The job relating to the proximity sensors required the attention of electricians and required thorough investigation into and troubleshooting of the wiring circuit leading to the sensor on the feeder motors. The proximity sensors kept burning when they switch after connection. The function of a proximity sensor is to detect the presence of a metal component within 5 mm of its periphery and takes the form of a small circular cylinder with a threaded outer casing and electronic components inside. These sensors are used to indicate to the operator whether the lever at the electric motors has been engaged. This prevents the motor from running without being engaged to the feeders. The troubleshooting followed a sequential path: First the cable leading from the junction box at the motors was followed back to the PLC in the substation The basic function of a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is to provide an electronic interface between the supply and the components The PLC can be set up to perform certain tasks during certain time intervals and can also receive and respond to inputs from other electronic components From the PLC the total length of the cable was divided into 4 sections PLC to distribution panel Distribution panel to junction box Junction box to cable box Cable box to proximity sensor The connection at the proximity sensor requires the presence of a live and neutral wire At first glance the suspicion was that both the wires available were live wires, thereby causing a short circuit when the proximity sensor switches A Meggar insulation tester was then used to test each length of cable The basic function of a Meggar is to test the magnitude of insulation between the conductor and the earth A low reading on the Meggar indicates the possible presence of a short circuit or damage to the wire insulation After the use of the Meggar the proximity sensor was sequentially wired into the circuit at each section and tested Eventually the short circuit was found between the cable box and the proximity sensor Servicing of slip ring motors; The high voltage electric motors used to drive the waste conveyor belt system are 6.6 kV slip ring motors. These motors need to be serviced regularly to ensure efficient functioning of the system and to prevent the motors from being damaged. Equipment needed: Meggar insulation tester Blower Cleaning solvent Extension cord In order to complete the service of the slip ring motor, the following steps had to be taken: The electrical supply to the motor was cut off by isolating the breaker in the substation The side cover panels of the electric motor were removed Twelve brushes inside the motor were then removed from the brush holders Special care had to be taken to make sure that the brushes dont touch each other The Meggar insulation tester was then connected to the slip rings Negative terminal connects to the body of the motor Positive terminal connects to the slip rings An initial reading of 640 MÃŽ © was recorded The control voltage on the motor is an indication of the reading required from the Meggar For a 6.6 kV motor the reading from the Meggar should at least be 6.6 kÃŽ © The Meggar was removed and the inside of the slip ring and brush casing was blown out with the blower After blowing out dust and fine copper, the slip rings and the inside of the casing were wiped with a cloth and solvent to remove the last bit of fine copper The Meggar was reconnected and a reading of 3.22 GÃŽ © was obtained which was adequate The side cover panels were replaced and the electrical supply to the motor was switched back on Replacement of a 6.6 kV slip ring motor: The 6.6 kV electric motors used for the conveyor system eventually deteriorate in such a manner that they cannot be brought back to an acceptable operating state by means of a service only. These motors then need to be replaced and are sent away to be properly refurbished if it is possible. The following steps were followed: The electric supply to the motor was cut off by isolating the breaker in the substation The electromagnetic drum brake was released and moved out of the way The shaft coupling (jaw coupling) between the shaft on the motor and the shaft on the gearbox was disengaged The panels covering the electrical phase terminals and winding terminals were removed and the supply cables were disconnected The next step was to loosen the bolts at the bottom that fasten the motor to the structural frame The old motor was then hoisted by means of a forklift and removed The new motor was then put in place The electric supply was reconnected to the phase and winding terminals The bolts at the bottom of the motor were fastened slightly and the shaft coupling replaced to prevent excessive movement of the motor Alignment of the shafts was then done Shaft coupling was properly engaged The bolts on the structural frame were fastened 2.1.4. CONVEYOR BELTS 2.1.4.1. INTRODUCTION A brief introduction was given to a typical engineering problem to provide insight into what is often required from engineers. The belt on the waste management system leading to the dump needs to be extended. This is causing problems in terms of the power required from the slip ring motors. The extension of the belt causes additional load to be hauled by the motors. The motors that are currently installed trip when started up on full load. Time was spent studying and applying calculation to determine the power required from the motors to drive the conveyor belt system. 2.1.4.2. POWER REQUIREMENTS OF CONVEYOR BELT SYSTEMS The governing factors relating to the power requirements of a conveyor belt system concerns the provision of the necessary force to overcome the resistances posed by the entire system. These resistances can be divided into 5 subsections: Main resistances FH Secondary resistances FN Special main resistances Fs1 Special secondary resistances Fs2 Slope resistance Fst Main resistances: The main resistances that the motors have to overcome relate to the resistance of the rotating idlers, the resistance by the movement of the empty belt, the resistance of the material to horizontal movement as well as the resistance of the belt due to a slope along its conveying length. The resistance posed by the rotation of the idlers is manifested in the form of the frictional resistance of the idler bearings and seals. Rotational inertia of the idlers also contributes to the resistance posed. The belt creates resistance by means of the indentation resistance of the belt on the rollers. The flexure of the belt and the material that the belt is made of also resists the movement of the belt. An overall calculation to determine the resistance due to rotation of idlers and movement of the empty belt takes the following form: FH1 = (qro + qru + 2qb cos ÃŽ ±) x f x L x g qro Mass per unit length of rotating idler parts on the carrying side [kg/m] qru Mass per unit length of rotating idler parts on the return side [kg/m] qb Mass per unit length of the belt [kg/m] ÃŽ ± Angle of inclination [degrees/radians] L Centre to centre conveyor length [m] g Gravitational acceleration [m/s2] f Friction factor due to idlers The mass of rotating idler parts and the mass per unit length of the belt itself is determined by means of the tables of specifications given in the design catalogue or procedure followed. This requires the belt width which can be decided upon or determined mathematically. These masses are then converted into mass per unit length by means of the following formulas: qro = mro/ao [kg/m] qru = mru/au [kg/m] ao carry side idler spacing au return side idler spacing The decision then needs to be made with regard to the selection of a friction factor. This is also specified by the design catalogue. The Phoenix Conveyor Belt Design Fundamentals catalogue provides the following guidelines for selection: f = 0.017 for well aligned belts with smooth running idlers and low friction f = 0.02 for normal applications f = 0.023 to 0.027 for harsh operating environments, high frictional forces and the occasional overloading of the belt The centre to centre distance can be described as the distance from the head to the tail of the conveying system and encompasses the total possible length over which material can be conveyed. This is usually a parameter that is pre-determined by the specific situation. Finally the calculation of the resistance due to the rotation of the idlers and the empty belt force can be done. The next calculation that needs to be done relates to the resistance of the material to being conveyed horizontally. FH2 = qm x L x g x f x cos ÃŽ ± [N] qm mass of the material per unit length that is being conveyed To calculate the value of qm needed in the above formula, the total capacity or throughput of the belt needs to known. qm = Qm/v [kg/m] Qm The capacity or thoughput of the conveyor system [kg/s] v velocity of the belt [m/s] The calculation for the resistance of the material to horizontal movement can now be done. The resistance posed by gravity due to a slope/gradient along the conveying length also needs to be taken into consideration. Fst = qm x H x g [N] H change in the elevation of the belt along the length [m] After this calculation, all the major primary resistances needed have been calculated Special main resistances: The friction caused by the movement of the belt past the chute flaps is regarded as an important factor that needs to be calculated as part of the power requirements. Secondary resistances: Secondary resistance to the movement of the belt takes into consideration the detail relating to the operation and design of the belt. When material is deposited onto the conveyor belt system, a force is required to accelerate the material in the direction of conveying. This force is manifested in the form of the change of momentum of the material when dropped onto the belt and. Additional resistance to movement is then imposed on the drive system. The presence of skirt plates in the vicinity of the chute to keep material from dropping off the belt causes more resistance to the movement of the belt. This resistance depends on the magnitude of the friction force between the belt and the plate as well as the length of belt in contact with the plate. Occasionally the skirt plates also cause the material to exert a force on the belt which leads to additional frictional resistance. Other secondary resistances also include the resistance caused by the pulley bearings and the wrap of the belt around the pulleys. Special secondary resistances: Additional systems installed on the belt can also cause resistance to the movement of the belt. The basic operation of belt cleaners leads to friction forces being present between the belt and the material as well as between the material and cleaners. These friction forces, combined with the forces of the discharge ploughs, impose an additional load that need to be overcome. The inversion of the belt at the head and tail causes resistance to movement due to the combined effect of the flexure of the belt material and the friction of the pulleys. When designing a long conveyor belt system, the magnitude of the primary resistances generally exceeds the magnitude of the secondary resistances. To simplify the resistance calculations, the secondary resistances are simply accounted for by means of a correction factor on the primary resistances. C = 0.85 + 13.31L-0.576 for 10 < L < 1500 C = 1.025 for 1500 < L < 5000 L Conveying length [m] When this factor has bee