Simple Things in Life free essay sample

Simple things in life Have you smiled or said hi to someone today? If not you need to look back and wonder why not. Doing something simple as that makes someones day, or maybe even making then smile for a second, anything will mean something. There are many kinds of kind things you can do for someone, you have large actions that you can do for someone or there are smaller actions. No matter what size and kind action can go a long way. The smaller actions are ones that usually mean the most. When it comes to me when I am feeling down, I dont like to just complain, I feel that I will get n someones nerves.Therefore, if I ever see anyone not being there selves, I simply smile. To let them know I am here, maybe even say something to them to let them know Im here and I care. We will write a custom essay sample on Simple Things in Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lets say that someone simply was walking by and said something nice with a smile it would make my day. Then I would have a smile on my face therefore I would smile at someone else. Hopefully this will cause a chain reaction and go a long way to make everyone a little less tense. It really is mind blowing that you can make a deference In someones day Just listening or letting them know you are there.Have you ever been In the grocery store and the person In front of you says, hey Is It okay If I buy your Items for you? Well, If not It does not happen a lot. When It does It will make a difference In someone life. I say this because it has happened to me, it was like a couple of years ago, but to this day I remember this wonderful thing. Many people now days cant do these kinds of things, its understandable we are going times with this economy. This economy is making people even more stressed and down, this is why we need to remember to do good things.There are many deferent actions that you can take to make a change. There are those who can simply take a day off and go too hospital. Then there are those who have the chances to adopt a kid and change a life. Their not really hard thing to do but it means a lot. In the end when you see them smile, you see how much they really appreciate and Its the best feeling ever. Over all you have a choice to make a difference In someones life, or Just someones day. Rather It Is large or small It does not matter In the size, you being kind and caring Is all, Just trying to make the world a happier place is wonderful.As I said before, kind actions go a long way, which can alp make someone who had a hard day into a good day. Therefore the next time you see someone not smiling or down, make their day, smile or say hey. Simple Things in Life By athletically 234 comes to me when I am feeling down, I dont like to Just complain, I feel that I will get know Im here and I care. Lets say that someone simply was walking by and said blowing that you can make a difference in someones day Just listening or letting Have you ever been in the grocery store and the person in front of you says, hey is it okay if I buy your items for you? Well, if not it does not append a lot. When it does it will make a difference in someones life. I say this things. There are many different actions that you can take to make a change. There are those who can simply take a day off and go to a hospital. Then there are those really appreciate and its the best feeling ever. Over all you have a choice to make a difference in someones life, or Just someones day. Rather it is large or small it does not matter in the size, you being kind and caring is all, Just trying to make the world a happier place is wonderful. As I said before,

Dunkin Donuts Essay Example

Dunkin Donuts Paper Notre Dame University BAD 603 Presented to: Dr. Nicolas Khoury Presented by: Charbel Salameh Date: 02/06/10 Company Overview: Dunkin Donuts claims to be the worlds largest coffee and baked goods chain, serving 2. 7 million customers per day at approximately 8,800 stores in 31 countries which include approximately 6,400 Dunkin Donuts locations throughout the USA. This figure compares with the 15,011 stores of coffee chain Starbucks, whose baked goods are usually prepared out of shop. Most Dunkin Donuts stores are franchises. There are no Dunkin Donuts stores anywhere in the state of California, and a notice on the companys web site states that franchises are not being offered in that state. No explanation is given as to why. Only 75 franchisees exist west of the Mississippi River, mostly in Arizona, Nevada and Texas. Key Facts Business Description: Dunkin Donuts, along with Baskin-Robbins, is owned by Dunkin Brands Inc. (previously known as Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants, when it was a part of Allied Domecq). Dunkin Brands used to own the Togos chain, but sold this in late 2007 to a private equity firm. Dunkin Brands was owned by French Beverage Company, Pernod Ricard S. A. after it purchased Allied Domecq. They reached an agreement in December 2005 to sell the brand to a consortium of three private equity firms, Bain Capital Partners, the Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners. In the U. S. , Dunkin Donuts is sometimes paired with Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops. We will write a custom essay sample on Dunkin Donuts specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Dunkin Donuts specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Dunkin Donuts specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer While such locations usually have two counters set up for each chain (much like the Wendys/Tim Hortons co-branded locations), depending on business that day both products can be bought at the same counter (usually the Dunkin counter), much like the Yum! Brands stores. History of Dunkin Donuts: It all started in 1946 when William Rosenberg (founder of Dunkin Donuts and also the International Franchise Association) invested $5,000 to form Industrial Luncheon Services, a company that delivered meals and coffee break snacks to customers in the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. The success of Industrial Luncheon Services led Rosenberg to open his first coffee and donut shop, the Open Kettle. Then, in 1950, Rosenberg opened the first store known as Dunkin Donuts in Quincy, Massachusetts. Key Employees Executive leadership team is constituted of: Nigel Travis, Dunkin Brands Chief Executive Officer and President, Dunkin Donuts William Bode, Vice President, Northeast Randy Brashier, Vice President, Operating Systems John Costello, Chief Global Customer ; Marketing Officer John Dawson, Chief Development Officer Al Hodges, Vice President, South Central Tony Pavese, Chief Operating Officer, International Joe Scafido, Chief Innovation Officer, Dunkin Brands Major Products Services: Dunkin Donuts has more than 1,000 donut varieties along with other products. * Baked Goods * Donuts Various donuts * eclairs, cop fritters, crullers, bismarcks, and coffee rolls (9 varieties) * Munchkins * Stick donuts (Black)(6 varieties) * Bagels * Scones * Turnovers * Fruit Tarts * Muffins * Danish pastry * Cookies * Brownies * Cinnamon Twists Bagel twist * Breakfast sandwiches * Egg and cheese * Egg and cheese with ham, bacon or sausage * Supreme omelette * Ham and cheese * Hash browns * Oven toasted items * Flatbread sandwiches * Coffee * Bulk Coffee * Espresso, Cappuccino, and Lattes * Iced Coffee, in these flavors: * Blueberry * Caramel * Cinnamon * Hazelnut * Raspberry * Toasted Almond * French Vanilla * Coconut * Iced Lattes * Latte Lite Espresso * Turbo * Other hot beverages * Hot chocolate * Tea * Vanill a Chai * White Hot Chocolate * Dunkaccino * Cold beverages Coolattas * Coffee * Watermelon * Grape * Vanilla Bean * Tropicana Orange * Strawberry * Iced teas * Smoothies Dunkin Deli Dunkin Delis are found in some Dunkin Donuts in the United States. These delis offer a selection of sandwiches, salads, and soups, and are the result of the former ownership of the sandwich chain Togos by Dunkin Donuts parent company. Dietary concerns In August 2007, Dunkin Donuts announced plans to greatly reduce trans fats from its menu items by switching to a blend of palm, soybean, and cottonseed oils. In addition to 400 US stores that took part in a four-month blind test, the low trans fat menu is available nationwide since October 18, 2007. International locations are expected to begin using the new oil within the next few years. Dunkin’ Donuts has launched DDSMART, a healthy new menu. The new items are reduced in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar or sodium by at least 25%. SWOT Analysis: First of all, let us discuss what the company’s strengths are. Dunkin Donuts is a recognizable and trusted brand. With more than fifty years in the business, customers know Dunkin Donuts. This makes them more likely to try new offerings and return to franchises. It also makes advertising that uses the company name and logo more recognizable, particularly in mailings and in the newspaper. Dunkin Donuts is also recognized by business owners as a good franchise to buy and run, making it further poised for growth with entrepreneurs and in areas where there is little current competition. Finally, Dunkin Donuts is known for its speed of service, simplified menu and drink sizes, and its reasonable prices and fair trade. As for the eaknesses, consumer reviews have revealed that quality of food in certain franchises is not as good as others; hence there is inconsistent quality of Dunkins Donuts. In addition, it cannot be found on every street corner; it mainly dominates the West Coast. It also still needs to create more friendly and calm atmosphere when compared to other competitors. Next we have the opportunities. Coffee consumption is on the increase in Asia, especially in c ountries with rising disposable incomes such as China. There is also a donut craze in many Asian countries including Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia. With the rise of globalization, the speed of the flow of information quickens, so everything is moving at a faster pace. This is an opportunity for DD as it has positioned itself as a quick stopover to get your beverage or snack fix. There is also a growing acceptance of western influences in countries from the younger generation, where in Taiwan; youngsters would queue in line for hours for donuts. The possibility of a US recession is also an opportunity, because it seems that Americans like to drown their economic woes in rich sugary food, especially if that food is cheap. What else can you share with 12 people that cost fewer than six bucks? Finally, we will move to the threats facing the Dunkin Donuts. The first threat facing DD is the presence of many competitors, like Starbucks, McDonalds and krispy kreme. They can potentially cause a large reduction in DDs market share in coffee and baked foods. Another threat is that there are low barriers of entry into the coffee and donut industry, which actually gives rise to the threat above presence of many competitors. The price of raw ingredients is also increasing, like soybean. It is a threat as DD is now using reformulated cooking oil, made from soybean, for its donuts to eliminate Trans fats. The increase in raw material prices may result in an increase in DDs operating cost. There is also an increasing concern of health issues globally as people are becoming more aware. However this is not a big threat to DD as theyve removed Trans fats from their donuts, and in essence, donuts have been accepted to be popular comfort food. Top Competitors: Most of their business competition comes from small locally owned stores, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Starbucks; in Canada and parts of the Great Lakes region, Tim Hortons is a major competitor. Mister Donut had been its largest competitor in the United States before the company was bought by Dunkin Donuts parent company. The Mister Donut stores were rebranded as Dunkin Donuts. In the province of Quebec, Alimentation Couche-Tard owns the master franchise to Dunkin Donuts. In the United States, that companys Circle K convenience stores also share some locations with Dunkin Donuts. However, Dunkin Donuts began to close several locations in Quebec within the 2000s because of competitor Tim Hortons opening many Quebec locations. Some Dunkin Donuts locations continue to open in Quebec, most recently at the Lionel-Groulx metro station. Couche-Tard agreed in August 2008 to terminate its role as master franchisee within 12 to 18 months. Moreover, we will discuss the coffee wars that exist between Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. With its Free Iced Coffee Day promotion Tuesday, Dunkin Donuts appears to be taking on Starbucks happy hour Frappaccino promotional drive. As summer rolls around the corner, coffee shops around the country have ramped up their promotional efforts, offering consumers luring deals on discounted coffee drinks. With coffee shops plastered on every street corner and down every valley, competing brands such as Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks are coming on strong in a battle to win over the loyalties of consumers across the nation. Dunkin Donuts is partaking in Dunkin Donuts’ Free Iced Coffee Day celebrations in which it gives away free iced coffee to customers between the hours of 4 p. m. to 10 p. . (two hours left to go at the time of writing). Don’t get too excited, though, because if you don’t live in one of 14 locations in which the promotion is offered and aren’t in the mood for iced coffee on May 11, you aren’t getting free coffee. It seems that some may have mistakenly thought that Dunkin Donuts Free Iced Coffee Day is happening nationally, only to have their hopes shattered when they rea lized that iced coffee from Dunkin will be free only in 14 participating locations in Arizona, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. On the company’s Facebook page, donut dunkers around the country are expressing their anger for not being able to get their yearly dose of free iced coffee. Starbucks, in a calculated move, has been offering discounted frappuccinos at most locations from May 7 through May 16. Between the hours of 3 pm and 5 pm, participating locations will be offering a 50 percent discount on their frappuccinos, or 50% off $4. 75 on a large or venti size. Consumers around the country were thus faced the difficult question as they came off of work: to pay $2. 0 for a tasty frappuccino or pay nothing for a perhaps-less-tasty but always classic cup of iced coffee should you be lucky enough to be in the vicinity of a participating location. Other Competitors: * Caribou Coffee * Donut King in Australia * Honey Dew Donuts in New England * J. CO Donuts ; Coffee mainly in Indonesia * Happy Haus * The Whole Donut in New England * Country Style Company View: Dunkin Donuts today outlined its plans to fu rther expand its presence into Asia starting with the announcement of its first store in Taiwan. The new Dunkin Donuts will open today in Taipei City, Taiwan. The company recently granted franchise rights to Mercuries ; Associates to develop 100 stores in Taiwan over the next 10 years. Mercuries, the fifth largest market cap company in Taiwan, as well as one of the country’s largest retailers, brings 25 years of operating experience to the partnership. Taiwan represents the first step in Dunkin Donuts greater China strategy, said Anthony P. Pavese, Dunkin Brands Vice President of International Asia Pacific. †We are actively looking for Dunkin? Donuts partners in China, added Pavese. Dunkin Brands announcement comes on the heels of the company recently surpassing $1 billion in international system wide sales annually. The Dunkin Donuts restaurant in Taiwan will offer a complete menu of Dunkin Donuts internationally recognized coffee, baked goods and iced beverages. The restaurant will also serve items customized to suit local taste preferences such as sweet potato, green apple and pineapple doughnuts, mocha rings, which are cake doughnuts indigenous to the region, as well as iced fruit teas and sandwiches. The restaurant will be a welcoming environment for customers to connect with friends and family while discovering new food and beverage choices. Our success throughout the Asia Pacific region over the last 25 years gives us confidence that the Taiwanese people will embrace Dunkin Donuts. Locations ; Subsidiaries: With over 2,600 stores in 30 countries outside of the U. S. , Dunkin’ Donuts has been serving loyal customers around the globe for over 27 years. From Asia to Latin America and everywhere in between, you can count on Dunkin’ Donuts for delicious coffee and espresso, cool coolatta, delectable donuts, sandwiches and more. Below is a list of all countries where Dunkin’ Donuts operates: * Aruba * Algeria (2009) * Argentina (2009) * Bahrain * Bahamas * Brazil: (As Dunkin Donuts and as Cafe Donuts, with some different donuts and coffees added to the menu) * Bulgaria * Brunei * Canada * Cayman Islands (2006) * Chile * China (2008) * Colombia * Ecuador * Germany * Honduras * Indonesia * South Korea * Kuwait (2006)| * Lebanon * Malaysia * Mexico * New Zealand * Pakistan (2000) * Panama * Peru (1996) * Philippines (1981) * Russia [31] (1995–1996, 2010-) * Oman (2008) * Qatar * Saudi Arabia * Spain (Due to trademark issues, the brand used is Dunkin Coffee) * Republic of China (Taiwan) * Singapore * Thailand * Turkey * United Arab Emirates * United States *   Puerto Rico | Latest Company News: In the past seven years, Dunkin has added about 1,500 outlets, and that growth is set to accelerate, according to Jon Luther, chief executive of Dunkin Brands since 2003. Late last month, the company fetch ed $2. 43 billion from Thomas H. Lee Partners LP, Bain Capital Partners and the Carlyle Group. The deal, which is expected to close in March, means a hefty infusion of capital, which Luther said would go toward new prototypes and products, and more rapid expansion of the three concepts in Dunkin Brands portfolio. No doubt, the future looks bright for Dunkin Donuts. Dunkin Donuts is continuously striving to launch new products as well as to expand its subsidiaries all over the world. It has recently launched the DDSmart menu constituted of a light sandwich + a light Latte. Dunkin Donuts’ selection of better-for-consumers foods and beverages ensures that its restaurants offer great-tasting choices that fit consumers’ lifestyle and meet their dietary wants and needs.

Free Essays on Annie

Annie As I listened to the play I was brought back to my childhood. I remembered my sister singing, â€Å"The sun will come out tomorrow†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and was thankful she was not the one singing. A great deal of effort was put into what actors and actresses that was in this play. The actress that was playing Annie hit it right on the spot with her singing voice that filled the theatre. Judging by the spot that I had at this play, way up top, I could hear everything perfectly. The sound for the music also was the same, clear, and filled the theatre. Everyone was well prepared; knowing their lines and location on the set. I thought that their costumes also fit the characters very well. You got to see Annie go from the rags to riches, which is from the orphanage to live with the billionaire, which played out through every element of the play. Throughout this whole time she was on point with all of her costumes. I also feel that the costumes where well coordinated with the set. T he set matched where the characters were and what they were wearing. For example, when Annie escaped from the orphanage and made it to the city you knew that the people she ran into in the alley were bums. Yes, eventually the police came and told you that they were bums, but before that their status was quite clear. I truly enjoyed Annie, much more than I did at six years old. I felt it was much more of an experience to see the play than watch the movie. I look forward to going again.... Free Essays on Annie Free Essays on Annie Annie As I listened to the play I was brought back to my childhood. I remembered my sister singing, â€Å"The sun will come out tomorrow†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and was thankful she was not the one singing. A great deal of effort was put into what actors and actresses that was in this play. The actress that was playing Annie hit it right on the spot with her singing voice that filled the theatre. Judging by the spot that I had at this play, way up top, I could hear everything perfectly. The sound for the music also was the same, clear, and filled the theatre. Everyone was well prepared; knowing their lines and location on the set. I thought that their costumes also fit the characters very well. You got to see Annie go from the rags to riches, which is from the orphanage to live with the billionaire, which played out through every element of the play. Throughout this whole time she was on point with all of her costumes. I also feel that the costumes where well coordinated with the set. T he set matched where the characters were and what they were wearing. For example, when Annie escaped from the orphanage and made it to the city you knew that the people she ran into in the alley were bums. Yes, eventually the police came and told you that they were bums, but before that their status was quite clear. I truly enjoyed Annie, much more than I did at six years old. I felt it was much more of an experience to see the play than watch the movie. I look forward to going again....

Sociocultural influences on conflict resolution and post-war Research Paper

Sociocultural influences on conflict resolution and post-war reconstruction - Research Paper Example A good example is the United States election and especially the 2008 elections that pitted president Obama against senator McCain2. The nation has found itself in a reconstruction program in both Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of its anti-terrorism missions in the said countries. Elsewhere, there have been various peace-building projects, national building programs, political mediations and other post war and conflict reconstruction programs that are being undertaken by international bodies like the United Nations and other regional or supranational agencies. However, such efforts have not always been smooth and have been met with a lot of challenges both of logistical and ideological nature. The ever-changing global environment that has meant that the approach for conflict resolution and reconstruction has had to be varied has further compounded this situation. A major driver of this dynamism has been the constantly shifting international relations3 in what has been summed up by many scholars and foreign policy analysts as the â€Å"clash of civilizations†4. This paper will closely examine one of the major factors that has influenced post war and conflict reconstruction in the world today – socio cultural constructs. ... However, other nation building programs in the world shall also be mentioned for the purposes of providing a clearer picture of how socio cultural factors have been a major influence on post war reconstruction and conflict resolution. Most conflicts in the world have been down to the strategies that have been involved. By looking at the socio-cultural influences on nation building efforts, this paper will enable the appropriate formulation of strategies to tackle the dynamism in the global environment that has been largely pushed by this factor. With rising clamor for democracy among nations that were formerly communist in nature, there have been numerous conflicts that have come with such adjustments and this has sometimes led to intra and international tensions that have resulted into conflicts. The Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts These two countries have seen a lot of instability that dates back to a century with Afghanistan facing a larger share of this conflict. To begin, the U.S – Iraqi conflict dates back in the year 19905 when the country’s tyrannical forces led an invasion on its neighbor, Kuwait. The United States was at the forefront of resolving this conflict by demanding an immediate withdrawal of Iraqi troops from the Kuwaiti soil. President George H Bush decided to use military intervention after diplomatic efforts from the United Nations did not bear any fruit and this worked. Regardless of the intervention, internal conditions in the Saddam Hussein led state was worsening. There were concerns by the international community that the regime was oppressing the minority, developing both biological and mechanical weapons among other violations of human rights and

Acdamic skill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Acdamic skill - Essay Example Sources, such as Google sources, are not that reliable, because anybody can publicly do things on the internet. However, books are generally considered more trustworthy because the author and publisher are clearly stated and they are held responsibility for its truthfulness. One reliable resource, found by Erik, A.(2010), had introduced product strategies for the iPhone, including four successful ways which are markets, product cycles, pricing and software. However, the iPhone was not the first smartphone to have mobile Web, email, and touch-screen user interface capabilities, but it was designed to offer an improved experience compared to other smartphones. Firstly, this resource is reliable; because of its demand media. Secondly, it is useful for this research proposal. The significant aim of this article is exploring the iPhone product strategy, it was designed to offer an improved experience compared to other smartphones. Following the four product strategies for the iPhone which are markets, product cycles, pricing and software, we can clearly see the iPhone why can be successful. These four aspects are indispensable to the business strategies. According to Dorrell, E. (2007), more than half of the consumers in the UK stipulate that Apple iPhones are too expensive. Two weeks after the launch in the UK, the vote at the market research company GFK NOP showed that more than 70% of the consumers feel that the proposed retail price of  £269 was on the high side while only 2% of the respondents considered buying an iPhone. This resource, found by a newspaper, makes it reliable. And using customer interviews further increases its reliability. The main purpose of this paper is for customer surveys to getting the price of the iPhone to a more detailed study of the iPhone business strategy. Furthermore, collecting data is the important way to get a reliable source. Due to this fact received from this

Examining Prison And Its Alternative Institutions Criminology Essay

Examining Prison And Its Alternative Institutions Criminology Essay Prisons systems around the world have been pursuing an expansionist course for decades. There are more than 9.8 million people held in penal institutions around the world (Walmsley, 2008). Prison systems are having an increasingly difficult time dealing with the number of offenders that are sentenced to imprisonment as evident in the overcrowded living conditions and understaffed institutions. At a time when public expenditure is under pressure, governments are faced with the daunting task of finding funding to build new prisons and manage existing ones. Not surprisingly, prison is increasingly becoming regarded as a scarce and expensive resource. Some theorists have argued that there prisons should be abolished altogether given that they do not fulfil the justifications for punishment. Other theorists have contended that prisons are the only solution for the most serious crime but they are used much too often and for minor offences. The term reductionist refers to significant reductions in prison population size (Rutherford, 1984). While there have been recent increases in the incarceration rate in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, they have traditionally been regarded as successful examples of a reductionist policy. This essay will argue, not for the abolition of prisons, but for a drastic reduction in their use by using strategies proposed by Rutherford (1984) applied universally. Strategies to reduce the use of prison should start with the prison itself and substantially reduce the capacity of the prison so that prison is a scarce resource. Only then will alternatives to prison be used instead of prison and not in addition to prison. America has the highest incarceration rate in the world at 748 per 100,000 of the population (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009). There are approximately 2,297,400 people held in state and federal prisons and local jails throughout the U.S Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009). This is almost a quarter of the worlds prisoners and yet America is home to less than five-percent of the worlds population (Adam Liptak, 2008). The state of California houses around 171,275 prisoners which is more than any other U.S state Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009). California is a prime example of the countrys growing prison population and the unsustainable prison costs. In California alone, the prison system costs the government $10 billion a year (Trachtenberg, 2009). By 2012, the government will be spending more money on its prison system than its university system (Trachtenberg, 2009). The construction of new prisons has not reduced the unprecedented level of overcrowding or improved conditions in California prisons. There are 33 adult prisons in California and each prison is holding many more inmates than it was intended for (Specter, 2010). Some are reaching 300% of their capacity. The extreme overcrowding has meant that prison gymnasiums, hallways and cafeterias are being used to house inmates, and in some cases the inmates are triple-bunked (Specter, 2010). The inmates sleep in close confinement with one another, and there is nothing that protects them from being sexually and physically abused by fellow inmates. The crowded and unhygienic conditions, mean inmates are more likely to get sick, stay sick, and pass illnesses onto others. Prison overcrowding is directly related to the inhumane conditions that prisoners live in inside many of the worlds prisons. England and Wales also have a high prison population rate of 153 per 100,000 of the national population. Although the prison population rate in England and Wales is much lower than in America, many countries have rates of below 150 per 100,000. There are 83,392 people in prison in England and Wales and new and existing resources will need to accommodate a planned prison population of 96,000 by 2014 at an enormous cost (Walmsley, 2008; House of Commons, 2010). Recent research shows that prison expenditure in England and Wales increased dramatically between 2003 and 2009 from  £2.868 billion to  £3.982 billion respectively (Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, 2010). A large number of prisoners are sharing cells that were only intended for single use (Millie, Jacobsen Hough, 2003). If this forecast is realised then England and Wales will have the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe at 169.1 per 100,000 people (House of Commons, 2010). The public expenditure is under great pressure in England and Wales and the government needs to decide if it will continue with its prison building programme or invest in the prevention of crime (House of Commons Justice Committee, 2009). Overcrowded prisons like in America and England and Wales are a symptom of the expansionist movement. The prison population rates are likely to increase annually and because it takes years to bring a new prison into commission the existing prisons are filled over and above their capacity (Rutherford, 1984). To deal with the expected increase in the prison population rate expansionist systems tend to have prison-building programmes in place to increase the size of their existing prisons and build new ones (Rutherford, 1984). Rutherford (1988) argues that serious overcrowding can attract political attention and lead to closer inspection of the prison system. In California, attention has been drawn to the state of Californias prisons by the various lawsuits that have been filed against the governor and corrections officials by prisoners. In the case of Plata v. Davis in 2002, the state acknowledged that it had not been providing adequate medical care to meet the needs of prisoners throu ghout the prison system (Specter, 2010). Based on this and other cases, a court was set up to address Californias prison crisis which concluded that overcrowding in the prisons prevented the state of California from providing adequate mental and medical health care to its prisoners (Specter, 2010). Following the investigation, the court imposed a population cap of 137.5% of the prisons capacity (Specter, 2010). According to Rutherford (1984), these types of orders can have several types of consequences. First, prison overcrowding can initiate a reductionist movement. Policy makers could be encouraged to make use of early release mechanisms or set-up more community-based punishments. For example, in California the state has launched a programme to trial shortening the period of time that parolees remain under intensive supervision which can last for years following their release from prison (Muradyan, 2008). The strict parole conditions mean that offenders are often returned to prison for parole violations such as missing their appointments (Muradyan, 2008). If minor-offenders are able to stay clean for six-months after their release from prison then their supervision will end early (Muradyan, 2008). In England and Wales, a report on the overcrowding of prisons strongly recommends that the government reinvest in community based sanctions for prisoners who are only sentenced to prison for a short time to reduce the prison population and reduce re-offending (House of Commons Justice Co mmittee, 2009). Second, prison overcrowding can encourage officials to make use of prison facilities in neighbouring jurisdictions (Rutherford, 1984). When the court imposed a population cap on Californias prisons the state began to transfer around 8,000 of its prisoners to facilities outside of California. This solution only succeeds in shifting the problem of overcrowding elsewhere and as we will see in the case of California, it is a short-term solution to a larger problem. The authorization to transfer Californias inmates to facilities in other states expires in July of 2011 (Muradyan, 2008). Third, overcrowding can contribute to the expansion of prison systems. When resources are stretched it can help to secure more resources for the expansion of existing prisons and the creation of new ones (Rutherford, 1984). In response to the prison crisis in California, the state borrowed $7.4 billion make room for 40,000 more prisoners in state prisons and to create 13,000 new county jail beds (Muradyan, 2008). This was a controversial move because the government obtained the financing through lease-bonding, a move that saves the state from having to gain voter approval and costs more than other types of bonds (Muradyan, 2008). It is clear from this example that there is big money involved in the expansion of prison systems. Most prisons are built with borrowed money like in California. The funding for prisons can produce big profits for the private companies that are involved in prison systems throughout the world in one way or another (Christie, 1994). Health care, food services and construction are all sectors that are expanding fast and providing big profits for private firms (Christie, 1994). Private sector involvement can also be seen in the private-prison itself. In his book, Crime Control as a Product (1994), Nils Christie raises the important point that with this amount of interplay with private profit interests, even up to the level of private prisons, we are building an important growth factor into the system (pg. 111). The profits associated with private prisons mean big money for private companies who are able to build and run prisons for a fraction of what it costs the government and the gover nment is able to avoid asking the voters permission to build a new prison (Christie, 1994). Christie warns that an expansionist policy will lead to private prisons and in turn, a focus on financial rather than humanitarian aims. Although Governments have been geared towards expansion for decades, a large number are becoming increasingly aware that prison is a scarce resource that is too expensive to maintain. In some countries, this perception is based on the understanding that prison is not fulfilling its key aims of punishment. Perhaps other countries are not comfortable using the restriction of liberty as the main form of punishment. But for a lot of countries, it would seem that a reductionist policy makes more sense than an expansionist one in economic terms. For example, in the Netherlands the judiciary believe that prison is ineffective as a punishment and should be used as a last resort (Downes, 1988; 81). The Netherlands has maintained a low prison population in the post-war period, a time when other prison populations have sky-rocketed. This is likely due to the short length of sentences compared with countries like America (Downes, 1982). There are a number of factors that are likely to have helped to maintain a certain level of penal capacity in the Netherlands. First, penal sentencing and criminal justice policy in The Netherlands has traditionally enjoyed a culture of tolerance. The culture of tolerance lead to less prejudice, less discrimination, and reduced the need for harsh punishment (Downes, 1988). A glance at the history of the Netherlands illustrates the long tradition of Dutch tolerance towards minority groups, deviants, and religious beliefs and points of view that strayed from the norm. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries The Netherlands was less inclined to use capital and corporal punishment than its European counterparts and notably fewer wartime collaborators were killed after the war compared with countries such as Belgium and France (Downes, 1988). Second, the culture of tolerance in The Netherlands was allowed to operate in the setting of a politics of accommodation. Criminal justice policy, for the most part, operated out of the public eye and was free from public opinion. Criminal justice policy was largely determined by a small group of professional elites who made accommodations with other smaller groups to support tolerant policies. A range of different groups, even those that supported abolitionism, were a part of the penal reform. Although criminologists with extreme views such as Bianchi, would have been excluded from advisory roles in England and Wales or the United States, in The Netherlands radical views on criminal justice are welcomed and the participation of elites with such views serves to lead debates in a direction that would not have been considered otherwise. The criminal justice process also remained free from unnecessary public interaction. The criminal justice system was run by a small number of highly pr ofessional and well educated practitioners. Other theories assert that a combination of social developments contributed to the sentencing trends in the Netherlands. There are five major social developments that may have impacted on the situation; the comprehensive range of social services, a large number of youth centres, a large number of client-oriented welfare and social-service agencies, responsible reporting by the mass media, and the pressure group activities on behalf of the penal reform by the social service agencies (Hulsman, as cited in Downes, 1988; 344). Another factor could be that many Dutch people were imprisoned during the War and that this made the Dutch less inclined to administer sentences of imprisonment as they understood the pains that imprisonment can cause (Downes, 1988). Downes (1988) argues that these factors occurred alongside the sentencing trends but that they did not necessarily influence the trends. The trends in the sentencing policy of the Netherlands have remained rather constant. The mild reactions of the Dutch to crime and the co-operation of political parties made it easier for a small group of elites to implement criminal justice policies free from public opinion. welfare However, maintaining such a stable prison population would not have been possible without the co-operation of the judges. The legal training which places a negative value on imprisonment seems to be important in maintaining the use of imprisonment as a last resort. The reductionist policy was not peculiar to The Netherlands at this time. Scandinavian countries have also enjoyed low levels of imprisonment and humane prison conditions. Although the levels of imprisonment in Scandinavia are also on the rise, the rate of 66 per 100,000 of the population is still significantly lower than many countries around the world (Pratt, 2008; Walmsley, 2008). Pratt (2008) attributes the low prison population rates and humane prison conditions to a culture of equality and generous welfare state. The Scandinavian welfare state provided support for anybody that needs it. There were no limits to who could apply for assistance and no shame involved in asking for it (Pratt, 2008). The people of Scandinavia afforded the state a large amount of power and paid high taxes in exchange for high levels of security. The state provided security for its people by guaranteeing work and unemployment benefits, social services (medical care, care for the elderly, and improved li ving conditions for its citizens (Pratt, 2008). Peoples individual interests were secondary to shared common and political goals (Pratt, 2008). In Scandinavia, there was a generally held belief that a strong welfare state could reduce the problem of crime the way it had reduced other social problems (Pratt, 2008). Crime was viewed as an illness that could be treated like any other illness and so the rehabilitation of offenders was an important part of the criminal justice process (Pratt, 2008). The job of the criminal justice system was to treat offenders and then reintegrate offenders back into the community. While in prison, offenders were treated humanely and there was no need for further degradation because the loss of liberty was the punishment (Pratt, 2008). Furthermore, the social solidarity in Scandinavia meant that offenders were not seen as a dangerous class, merely as another group of welfare recipients (Pratt, 2008). The Scandinavian public seem to be an exception to the increasingly punitive attitudes and policy towards offenders that exists in many countries around the world. Although the support for the rehabilitation of offenders is on the decline, while the use of sentencing and the length of sentences is increasing they are still more inclined than their European counterparts to believe that prevention programmes can reduce crime (Demker, Towns, Duus-Otterstrà ¶m Sebring, 2008. In addition, less than half of the Swedish public still believe that tougher jail sentences can reduce crime (Demker et al., 2008). The Netherlands and Scandinavia demonstrate that prison populations can be reduced and sustained at low levels. Some general themes have emerged: the criminal justice policies are expert and research driven; the criminal justice system is not influenced by public opinion or political motives; a strong welfare state. Perhaps the most important conditions for a successful reductionist approach are a questioning of the prison system and the purposes it serves and an understanding that the prison population is less to do with the amount of crime that occurs than the response to crime by the criminal justice system (Rutherford, 1984). According to Rutherford (1984) the reductionist policy can be applied more universally. Before looking at the ways Rutherford (1984) has proposed to reduce the prison population it is important to acknowledge that the items on the agenda need political support. Politicians need to acknowledge that there are alternatives to prison available, as demonstrated in Scandinavia and the Netherlands. Instead of forecasting an increase in the number of people in prison, new low targets should be set. In addition, there must be a desire to push forward with the reductionist agenda even during hard times (Rutherford, 1984). Rutherford (1984) acknowledges that the ideological concerns of officials within the criminal justice system significantly influence the policies and procedures that are made. In many countries, there is a political consensus that an approach to crime and criminality should be tough. For example, in England and Wales, the prison system has expanded under both the Labour and Conservative governments. Both Labour and Conservative governments seems to ascribe to the Great Expectations  [1]  ideology as illustrated by their investment in the prison system. To gain political support for the reductionist agenda, people must be made not to like the great expectations approach so that it loses its vote-winning potential. Before any items on the reductionist agenda can be introduced there is a lot of work that will need to be done. Rutherford (1984) proposes nine ways to reduce the prison population according to the reductionist approach (Rutherford, 1984). They are as follows: The physical capacity of the prison system should be substantially reduced. There should be a precise statement of minimum standards as to the physical conditions of imprisonment and these should be legally enforceable. The optimal prison system staff-to-prisoner ratio should be determined and implemented. The prison system should have at its disposal early release mechanisms and use these to avoid overcrowding. Certain categories of persons sentenced to imprisonment should, if the space be not immediately available, wait until called-up by the prison system. Sentencing discretion should be structured towards use of the least restrictive sanction. Breach or default of non-custodial sanctions should only exceptionally be dealt with by imprisonment. The range of non-imprisonable offences should be widened to include certain categories of theft. The scope of the criminal law should be considerably narrowed (Rutherford, 1984: p. 175-176) To control overcrowding, Rutherford (1984) encourages the use of early release mechanisms. Parole as a form of early release can play a major part in determining sentence length and the size of the prison population. Parole is already being used in places like Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand (Ministry of Justice, 2010). Generally speaking, parole is the release of an offender on the grounds that they adhere to conditions decided upon prior to their release and that these conditions are in effect until the full term of their sentence is up. Narrowing the scope of the criminal law and widening the range of non-imprisonable offences is important because the majority of people in prison are not serious offenders, they are people who have committed minor crimes or created a social nuisance (Rutherford, 1984). Rutherford (1984) argues that as long as prison is used instead of providing welfare to these people, governments will not try to find more effective ways of dealing with this behaviour. At one point in time, social nuisances such as sleeping on the streets and begging were imprisonable offences. According to Rutherford (1984) certain categories of theft should also be made non-imprisonable. He proposes that: On economic and philosophic grounds, property offences where the amount involved is less than, say  £100, should be non-imprisonable. (Rutherford, 1988: 182). Perhaps the value of the property stolen is not the best way to decide whether an offence is serious or not especially when it is as random and subjective as Rutherford (1984) has suggested. It would make more sense to make all minor thefts non-imprisonable and would also be likely to have a more significant effect on the size of the prison population. An alternative suggestion is decriminalisation. Decriminalisation has the potential to reduce the prison population substantially if it is applied to drug use. In 2000, a report blamed the US drug contol policies for the soaring incarceration rate (Schiraldi, Holman Beatty, 2000). In that same year, nearly a quarter of people imprisoned were imprisoned for a non-violent drug-related offence (Schiraldi, Holman Beatty, 2000). These findings suggest that the decriminalisation of drugs and perhaps other minor non-violent offences could significantly reduce the number of people that enter the criminal justice system. Rutherford (1984) advocates the structuring of sentence discretion towards the use of the least restrictive sanction. To achieve this, Rutherford suggests a commission be set up to determine sentencing guidelines. A sentencing commission would have the difficult task of determining the seriousness of offences. The judiciary are generally given a lot of discretion when it comes to deciding sentences. For sentencing policy to have an impact on the prison population it requires the co-operation of the judiciary. Despite the introduction of non-custodial sentences prison populations have continued to rise. This raises doubts about whether non-custodial sentences are being used in the ways that they were intended. In some cases non-custodial sentences are used in addition to imprisonment or in instances where a custodial sentence would not have been handed down in the first place (Rutherford, 1984). Another concern is that strict conditions often accompany alternative sanctions. If the strict conditions are breached then the person can end up in prison anyway. An example of this is the suspended prison sentence which was introduced into English law in 1967 (Bottoms, 1981). The suspended prison sentence was supposed to be used instead of a prison sentence but it was largely used in cases where a fine or probation would have been previously handed out (Bottoms, 1981). Only about half of the people who received the suspended prison sentence would have actually been sentenced to prison if it were not for the suspended sentence (Bottoms, 1981). In addition, judges began to hand out longer sentences to people that received the suspended sentence than they would have if the same person was actually sentenced to prison (Bottoms, 1981). These figures provided a strong argument for the removal of the use of the suspended sentence in England. However, the suspended sentence was implemented in Japan and the Netherlands more successfully. An important difference is that in Japan and the Netherlands, a breach of the suspended sentence does not result in imprisonment (Rutherford, 1984). Rutherford (1984) suggests that this difference might explain why the suspended sentence has contributed to the prison population in England but not in the Netherlands or Japan. The inherent danger of alternative sanctions is that they will supplement rather than replace sentences of imprisonment. Rutherford (1984) recommends establishing a clear understanding of when the non-custodial sentence should be used and what will happen if further offending occurs while the non-custodial sentence is in place. Failure to pay attention to these important issues can have the unintended consequence, as seen in England, of widening the scope of the criminal justice system. Often, strategies to reduce the prison population focus on decisions at the rear of the criminal justice process that deal with the prosecution stage. It is important to note that the decision of who enters the criminal justice system is largely outside the control of the government (Rutherford, 1984). The police are involved in crime prevention, recording of crime, and investigating crime. They are the gatekeepers of the criminal justice system and are afforded a great deal of discretionary power in deciding who enters the criminal justice system and who does not. In England, the police decide who to stop and search, who is guilty, and who to prosecute (Poyser, 2004). The decisions that they make have a huge impact on prison practice and policy. Perhaps the best way to restrict the reach of the criminal justice system is to significantly reduce the physical capacity of the prison system. There are three main ways to reduce the prison capacity; cease new prison building, phased closing of existing prisons, and refurbish existing prisons. In the Netherlands, prior to 1975, there was a large reduction in the prison population from 6,500 inmates to less than 2,500 inmates. The decrease in prison population size was associated with the closure of sixteen of the countrys prisons. If prison capacity is reduced and no new prisons are built, provided countries do not tolerate overcrowding, prison will be a scarce resource that should be reserved for the most serious crime. A logical extension of the reductionist argument is that prisons should be abolished altogether. Although it may seem a radical idea, a glance at the history of the death penalty tells us that abolition is indeed possible (footnote). This idea has received considerable attention within the field of criminology especially by criminologist Thomas Mathiesen. Over the years, arguments in defence of prisons have focused on claims about the purposes of punishment and prison. According to these arguments the purposes of punishment are: rehabilitation, general prevention, collective and selective incapacitation, and justice (Mathiesen, 2000). Mathiesen addresses each one in turn in his book Prison on Trial (2000). First, Mathiesen (2000) examines recent research on rehabilitation in prisons. The CDATE project is a review of a large number of studies on the rehabilitation of offenders in prison and the effects of interventions on drug use and recidivism (Mathiesen, 2000). The project found that correctional interventions were not effective in reducing recidivism (Mathiesen, 2000). Interestingly, community based sentences such as parole and probation did not do much better at reducing recidivism. Some of the programmes included in the study actually produced more problems. It is worth noting that a number of studies on interventions with an emphasis on developing social skills found positive results (Mathiesen, 2000). However, these studies are few and far between. Rutherford (1984) and Matheisen (2000) both express concern over the use of correctional interventions in the prison context. The kind of ideology that supports the use of prison to rehabilitate offenders ignores the history of resear ch on the topic. Rutherford (1999) is also concerned that rehabilitation is based on the idea that prison works and that offenders can be diagnosed and then treated. Then, Mathiesen (2000) addresses the idea that prison serves the function of general prevention. The effectiveness of prisons in producing enough fear in people to convince them not to commit crimes has been hotly debated in criminology. Mathiesen refers to Richard Wrights (1994) review of studies on deterrence. Wright (1994) concludes that the greater a persons perceived and actual chances of getting caught are, the less likely they are to commit crime (Wright, 1994). This is also true for later crime. Changes in policy that increase the perceived chances of being caught will reduce crime in the short-term but will not have a lasting effect (Wright, 1994). Furthermore, the expected and actual severity of crime has no effect on offending (Wright, 1994). Taken together, these findings provide no evidence of a preventative effect of the severity of punishment. Next, Mathiesen (2000) looks at incarceration. There are two ways that prison can be used as incapacitation; collective incapacitation and selective incapacitation. Collective incapacitation refers to the use of prison to incapacitate offenders based on the seriousness of the crime and to a lesser extent, their prior convictions (Wright, 1994). Selective incapacitation refers to the use of prison to incapacitate certain offenders who continually offend and pose a risk to law-abiding citizens (Wright, 1994). Wright (1994) argues that a small group of chronic offenders are responsible for the majority of crime committed. Although, prisons do not deter the offenders from committing crime, it can atleast incapacitate them and protect society from the crime of the chronics (Wright, 1994: 112). On the other hand, Mathiesen (2000) contends that research provides no support for incapacitation in defence of prisons. Incapacitation does not have a significant effect on the rate of crime nor do es it increase the safety of citizens (Mathiesen, 2000). In a review of the related literature, prison and more specifically incapacitation only had marginal effects on crime (Mathieson, 2000). It is also important to note that even though new generation of criminals will only replace those that are incarcerated and incapacitated. To lock the new chronic offenders away would only serve to swell the prisons more. The idea of selective incapacitation is even more controversial. Selective incapacitation raises methodological, legal, and moral concerns about the accuracy of predictive measures used to estimate the probability of future behaviours. The problem of false positives (people predicted to continually reoffend that do not) is central to these arguments. The number of false positives, from prediction instruments, is still very high (Mathiesen, 2000). If the various instruments were put into practice despite their inaccuracy, they would influence the decision making process in co urt. The chance that a person will re-offend is only one feature that the courts take into account when making their decisions. Courts also need to consider mitigating circumstances, fairness, and history amongst other things. Finally, proponents of the prison system endorse retribution as an ethical and fair goal for prisons. These beliefs date back to the influential writings of Cesare Beccaria (1964) in On crimes and Punishments. Beccaria disagreed with the barbaric and extreme punishments that were so commonly used in 18th century Europe. Retributivists believe that punishment should be proportionate to the crime. In this case, offenders are punished not for rehabilitation, or to prevent them commiting more crimes, but to give them their just desserts. The just desserts model requires that crimes are ranked according to severity, punishments are ranked according to severity, and then the crimes and punishments are matched (Wright, 1994). Ranking punishment

Managing Price Discounting

A leading website defines Discounts as â€Å"Percentage reduction in the gross price given by a seller to a buyer who pays within a set period of time. Cash discounts are given to shorten the length of time the seller must wait to collect the amount due. Cash discounts are offered to buyers in most industries, including media buyers.A common business phrase for a cash discount is â€Å"2/10, net/30,† meaning that a 2% discount is offered if the amount due is paid within 10 days; otherwise 100% of the amount due is payable in 30 days. For example, if the amount due is $100, the buyer may pay $98 within 10 days or $100 within 30 days.†Discounting is becoming a popular mean to attract the customers. Simon Hathaway, managing director of retail specialist Saatchi & Saatchi X, says discounting has become part of the business model for many retailers, especially those in the furnishing sector. He believes that much of this is driven by retailers taking advantage of consumers' ignorance of the price of many products. ‘If you asked 20 people the price of a pint of milk, you would get 20 different answers,' he says.Mike Watkins, senior manager of retail services at A.C. Nielsen, says the potential rewards of tempting shoppers with discounting are huge. ‘Consumers are hooked on promotions,' he says. ‘On average, about 80% of UK shoppers are looking for price promotions — that's the highest in Europe. Low prices are now expected.' Merchants often advertise various types of price discounts in attempts to affect favorably the price-related evaluations and shopping intentions of consumers.Why does price discounting occur – why is it so prevalent?Kevin Cancy, chairman of Copernicus, a major marketing research and consulting firm found that only 5 to 35 percent of the customers are price sensitive. People with higher income and higher product involvement are ready to pay the price for features, customer service, quality , added conv enience and the brand name. Most companies will adjust their list price and give discounts and allowance for early payment, volume purchases and off-season buying.It is well-accepted fact that short-term promotion leads to an increase in the sales. Although the size of the discount determines absolute or relative prices, an important additional type of consumer behavior relating to the processing of information concerning the size of the discount, per se, may have to be addressed before predictions concerning the impact of size of discount can be made. Besides this there are many other objectives that a firm seeks to achieve with discounts. Some of them are:Keeping up with competition: a sale or a discount offer is likely to be perceived and accepted as a good value when the advertiser is perceived as price competitive (Fry and McDougall, 1974; Biswas and Blair, 1991). Occupying more shelf space in the retail showrooms: Keeping good relations with the dealer often causes discounts. This is more evident in the cases when the dealer is strong. Either he has strong brand value in the region or is a bulk buyer of the product.To promote a new innovationTo clear the decks for new stocks ( change of season/fashion)Price promotions showing tangible increase in SalesAttracting new customers to the brand which may result in increased brand switching.Also, Research has indicated that a sale or a discount offer is likely to be perceived and accepted as a good value when the advertiser is perceived as price competitive. One reason for such effects relating to store price image may be the nature of attributions for the price discount made by the consumers. For example, for a low-price image store, consumers may be more likely to make merchant-related attributions that indicate â€Å"meeting competitors' prices† or â€Å"passing on savings from bulk purchases from manufacturers† than for a high-price image store.Differences may also be observed in product-relat ed attributions between the stores. Because many consumers believe there is a positive relationship between price and product quality (Rao and Monroe, 1989; Lichtenstein and Burton, 1989), a price discount on merchandise at a store that has a low-price image may sometimes be perceived as related to something negative about the products (such as out-of-date models or inferior quality).The key reason often sighted by marketers is that it is done to is done to invite new users to try the product. If these people appreciate the product they may switch to your brand.  Does it work well to achieve the objectives that are typically set for it?Though the prices discounts do spike up the demands temporarily it is very rare cases that it actually spikes the demand in the long run. But there is a negative side to it, like:Long run price promotions make consumers more sensitive in both loyal and non-loyal segments. They also train non-loyal segments to seek price discounts, thereby making the m more sensitive to price promotion (Mela, Gupta and Lehmann, 1997).Discounting can be a useful tool if the company can gain some concessions in return, like an extended contract of bulk order.Short run price discounts also cause the loyal customers towards bulk buying. This means increase in customer inventories and thus may result in the reduction of subsequent buying.Research suggests that the price promotion more often then not is unsuccessful in brand switching. The reasons for that are very evident, perhaps one of them can be the price perception of the customer is set to the discounted price of the product.For a brand positioned as an aspiration brand the discounts can be suicidal. This may lead more people to buy the brand but it may result in the loss of loyal customers who constitute the major chunk of buyers in the normal course.The price discounts works well in a few cases like:Discounts offered in the time of needDiscounts towards the end of season achieve their objecti ve of clearing the decks for the new stocksAre there some objectives it is well suited for and others it is not suited for?There is lots of confusion on the impact of price discounts, Mela, Gupta and Lehmann in their paper â€Å"The long term effects of Promotion and Advertising on consumer brand choice† state that companies like Colgate Palmolive Ralston, P&G have curtailed the price based promotions but there are some like Heinz who continue to adhere to it.In a research M. P. MARTI ´ NEZ-RUIZ, A. MOLLA ´ -DESCALS, M. A. GO ´ MEZ-BORJA & J. L. ROJO-A ´ LVAREZ (May 2006)   found that for The high-priced brands of the storable category that promotional discounts had a bigger impact during the first days of the promotional period, whereas no special pattern was detected in the low-priced brands of this category.There are some places where the discounts are very well suited for like:Discounts to people visiting in lean season at resorts. This brings extends the brand to people who otherwise may not use it.In an attempt to divert competition attention from the innovations. A price discount leads competition to fight the discount and in the mean time you can position your new innovation.Though there is no research evidence to justify these observationsHow can a product manager or a brand manager plan a discounting strategy that does not harm brand value? Some guidelines can be suggested for the retailer to set adequate promotional discounts periods.Objective of Discounts: The Product manager should very clearly announce the objective of the discounts. Generally discounts offered for pumping the sagging sales should be avoided. A clear motive and the time frame to achieve that motive should be clear.Timing of the Discount: Timing of the discounts is very important. A end of season sale may not have that bad an impact on the brand as a sale in the peak season. A grocery store offering a discount in the year of drought is bound to have more loyal cus tomer’s that any other store around the neighborhood.Limit the Duration: In the first place, promotional periods for the high-priced brands of the storable category should not exceed 10 days; otherwise the promotion profitability could be reduced. In addition to this, discount levels should not exceed a certain magnitude, which depends on the considered brand.Add Value Added Services: An even better strategy than discounting your price is to add value to your goods or services – such as free installation, maintenance training, and longer product warranties. For example, â€Å"I can't lower my price but I am going to give you consulting which will save you the same amount of money, had you received the lower price.† As Mr. Kotler explained, there are some companies that are extremely knowledgeable about their customer's business, and able to point out to their customer ways in which they can save money. Baxter, a hospital supplies company, provides a good example of adding value.â€Å"They give credit points to hospitals who buy their products – just like airlines do.† These points can be redeemed for a cash rebate or for consulting days. Baxter has 12 key consulting teams, each with a different focus. One team, for example, will help the hospital improve its information management system while another team will help it better manage its wastes, elaborated Mr. Kotler. As it turns out, the consulting is so useful that the points are better used for consulting days.Avoid Frequent Discounts: Frequent discounts might influence the consumers’ reference price points and so produce a wear out effect.Evaluate other options like bundling instead of price discounts: Bundling leads to repackaging the products along with other products. Even in this case the frequency and duration should be kept in mind.Cited ReferencesM. P. MARTI ´ NEZ-RUIZ, A. MOLLA ´ -DESCALS, M. A. GO ´ MEZ-BORJA & J. L. ROJO-A ´ LVAREZ (May 2006) †˜Assessing the Impact of Temporary Retail Price Discounts Intervals Using SVM Semi-parametric Regression’ Int. Rev. of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research Vol. 16, No. 2, 181 – 197DONALD R. LICHTENSTEIN, ABHIJIT BISWAS, KATHERINE FRACCASTORO   (1994) ‘The Role of Attributions in Consumer Perceptions of Retail Advertisements Promoting Price Discounts’ Marketing Letters 5:2, (1994): 131-140, Kluwer Academic Publishers Carf Mela, Gupta Sunil, Lehmann Donald   (May 1997) ‘The long Term Impact of Promotion and Advertising on Consumer Brand Choice.’ Journal of Marketing Research 34 (May) p248-261 Quilter, James (March 2007) Marketing, p20-20, Kotler Philip (2003), Marketing Management Pearson Education p-489-490