Brand Positioning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Brand Positioning - Essay ExampleThe Asiatic coffee bean market is the private road sale and likely to hold about 20% of the market pct of the global coffee bean market in 2016 and sales of chocolate in the Asian market is likely to boost up share from $15billion to $19.7billion in 2016. US leads the chocolate market with a market share of 86.3% in North America, japan has a market share of 39.7%, Europe with a market share of 16.4% and Germany accounts for 15.9% (Markets and Markets, Markets and Markets Global Chocolate Market worth $ 98.3 billion by 2016). Five major(ip) brands elect for the project in the chocolate industry includes Cadbury/Kraft, Mars, Nestle, Ferrero and Hershey. Cadbury/Kraft food generated total sales of $19,965 in 2011 and accounts for 15% of the market share in global chocolate industry Mars generates sales of $16,200 and has a market share of 15% in 2011 Nestle sales stood at $12,808 with a marker share of 13% Ferrero Group accounted for $9612 and mar ket share of 7% and finally Hershey foods generated sales of $6112 with market share of 7% (ICCO, The Chocolate Industry). Selection of characteristics Brand spot is based on certain characteristic depending on the product or the brands. The product chosen is chocolate and therefore four major characteristics of the product chosen are quality, taste, price and image of the brand. Quality forms an integral part and chocolate and quality goes hand in hand. In the chocolate industry ingredients like hot chocolate, cocoa butter, sugar, fats, flavorings and emulsifier plays an essential role in the quality of the product. Quality of chocolate is dependent on the quality of raw materials (Chocolate Source, What Makes a Good Quality Chocolate?). strain is another important factor in the positioning of the brand. Consumers tend to consume chocolate for taste. Dark chocolates are consumed only for its taste and all the brands take efficient measure in order to produce and manufacture cho colates with good taste. Price although is not that important when it comes to brand and brand name but cannot be control out completely. The top chocolate brands prices their products almost at par which implies stiff competition in the chocolate industry. Therefore the four characteristic will suffice to determine the positioning of each of the brands in the chocolate industry. Group selection justification In order to analyze the positioning of the chocolate brands two organise of groups are taken into considerations, the female person consumers and the male consumers. The sample size of male and female consumers taken into consideration is above the age group of 18 years. The female consumers group usually loves chocolates and loves to consumer variety of chocolates. The other set which are the male group will help to determine the reason behind the consumption of chocolate and the most preferred brand by the consumers. The female group of consumers will help to provide feed back regarding innovation, packaging, taste and other added feature required by a brand. Both the groups play an essential role in developing the brand name and image of the product and are core of any product. The males are taken into consideration to overrule the existing believe that chocolates are consumed and loved by females to a very high extend. The male segment of the society also prefers chocolate and to determine

Na Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Na - Essay ExampleWhen the stories begin, the general impression a reader receives is that the women were devoted to their conserves. For instance, in the lily-livered Wallpaper, the protagonist in referring to her husband states, He is very careful and loving and hardly lets me stir without special direction.(Gilman) In the case of The minute of arc, Mrs. Maillard initially appears heart broken at the news show of her husbands death she wept at once, with sudden wild abandonment, in her sisters arms. (Chopin). However, as the stories progress, this general impression is belied.The protagonist in The Yellow Wall Paper exhibits a subtle discontent with her husband John he laughs at her and the author satirically remarks one expects that in marriage.(Gilman). Moreover, despite universe a physician, he does not believe she is sick, he has not let her take the room downstairs with roses rather he has confined her in a room with horrible yellow wall paper. It is also apparent that t he author feels guilty about these subtle, underlying feelings of anger and resentment against her husband and would not be inclined to voice them aloud to anyone. She blames him for the fact that she is sick and feels helpless because despite being a physician, he has characterized her illness as a mere sick depression and his word is law. She admits, I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes Im sure I never used to be so sensitive. This reveals that she is aware of underlying feelings of resentment, but tries to mask it as an unpleasant side effect of her illness. As a woman, she is expected to be submissive and split up herself to home and hearth, living in obedience to her husbands will and as the story progresses, her anger against her husband becomes more and more apparent.In the Hour the protagonist has been living for so long in the state of captivity to her husbands dominion that she automatically

Social Marketing-Does the kindly reminder on the package of cigarette Research Proposal

Social Marketing-Does the kindly reminder on the package of cigarette can affect the customer buying cigarette - interrogation Proposal Example7). There are eight principles of social marketing namely customer orientation, insight, segmentation, behavioural goals, exchange, competition, methods mix, and social marketing is theory based (Janssen et al., 2013). Stead et al (2007) put together that social marketing can be used to develop an effective framework directed at interventions in behavioral change and can hang as a toolkit that can help organizations change health behaviors.One of the basic principles of social marketing is focus on the audience. Marketing mix cannot be useful until each of its four Ps are designed with the preferences, attitudes, behaviors, and characteristics of the target audience in mind. An example of the significance of perspective of the audience during the intersection point of environmental and cultural contexts is provided by Romer et al (2009) wh o have examined the mass medias contribution in a campaign for prevention of HIV in sexually active high-risk African American adolescents while addressing misconceptions regarding the use of contraception. The strategy of segmentation, like many marketing interventions, particularly addresses the social desires and norms of cultural subgroup.Behavioral change interventions can be classified according to a plethora of frameworks, though none can be considered as conceptually coherent and comprehensive (Michie, Stralen, and West, 2011). For example, the UKs Institute of Governments MINDSPACE is a very influential report meant to serve as a checklist to guide policymakers with the most important behavioral influences (Institute for Government, 2010). MINDSPACE is the acronym that represents the sign letters of these influences i.e. messenger, incentives, norms, defaults, salience, priming, affect, commitment, and ego (Michie, Stralen, and West, 2011). However, all important types of intervention are not

Economic Issues of KFC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economic Issues of KFC - Essay ExampleAs the report declares most of the lot already face budget constraints due to either decreasing salaries or increasing inflation. The point here is that towards the end of the day, in a recession, people think themselves with less disposable income, they take rational decisions and become thoughtful about ways for pass it. Customers become more and more price conscious and get wind for low priced products, low priced substitutes or discounts and others. This explains why despite of this brutal recession, low cost retailers like Wal-Mart, Target Corporation, Aldi and Asda have been able to actually pose self-coloured sales growth over the past four years. As mentioned earlier, during recessions, people look for low cost providers since they want more value for their money. Rather than spending on premium versions of the product, people shift to lower prices thus boosting the businesses of low cost providers.This essay stresses that quite unde rstandably, during recessions, people can cut down their purchases of luxury products or purchases, which can be delayed under normal circumstances such as alcohol, clothing, home equipment, automobiles, and others. However, food, grocery, medicine, and drinks do not come in this category. disrespect the fact that KFC is serving food but when faced with financial constraints, consumers avoid dine-in at restaurants or cafes and prefer to cook food at home, which can spare them money. (Hemerijck, Knapen & Doorne, pp. 230-234, 2010). They throw parities at home rather than celebrating at fast food chains. This attitude of the consumers means that the business of food retailers is more likely to grow and statistics register that food and grocery retail business has showed steady growth, but at the same time, revenues of fast food chains like KFC and other restaurants decreases significantly. This pattern has pushed some(prenominal) small restaurant chains at the brink of insolvency (Wit & Meyer, pp. 390-394, 2010). A careful analysis may reveal that during a recession, some of the competitors do not only if leave the marketplace due to bankruptcy or insolvency but these economic recessions also present a unique opportunity to upper middle categorize entrepreneurs who are willing to take the risk. The Bank of England has set the interest rate at 0.5 percent which the record low level in the history of UK

Philosophy of mind (Cognition) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy of mind (Cognition) - Essay Exampleoduction of the mind/body puzzle, philosophers have resorted to changing spotless metaphysical schemes in order to fit the newest levels of discourse relating to mind and consciousness. What the discourse has left philosophers in the current times are a variety of possibilities to each one inherently saddled with inadequacies and pitfalls, and supported by arguments and logic. Even though, as is often the case, philosophy has not provided a upshot to the mind/body problem, looking foreign the philosophy of mind to the realm of the neurosciences has not provided anyone with a sufficient answer either. Thus, the very thing which makes the philosophy of mind unattractive makes it irresistible the very incomprehensible nature of the mind/body problem, even while it repels people with irreducible and irresolvable intricacy, remains a completely necessary component of the entire philosophical enterprise. The solution to the problem will so lidify any and all work in metaphysics and epistemology, and grant theorists of different fields an opportunity to proceed. But to find this solution, one maiden needs a survey of the field in order to grasp the context of its potential existence.To understand the philosophy of mind, one needs a tauten grasp of the problem upon which the entire discipline was constructed. The mind/body problem is often presented actually as a series of problems slightly of which are epistemological, some metaphysical, some linguistic, and some pragmatic in nature (Goody, 1962, p. 362). In certain respects, this characterization is favorable insofar as it recognizes the very complex nature of the problem attempts to reduce the problem to matters of causes, or matters of ontologies, or matters of concepts, are fundamentally mistaken. What one can abstract from these various puzzles, however, is one recurring theme how does a non-physical something extend to to a material something? This question in volves many separate sub-inquiries into the natures of mental states,

Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Public Health - Essay ExampleIts objective is to offer conditions in which citizens can be fit and its focal point is one the complete populations (Chin, 2000). Therefore, public wellbeing is concerned with the whole government activity and not only the abolition of particular illnesses. relegation the task of the public wellbeing scheme comprises its objective at every point in moments and how, at the theoretical stage, these goals are prepared. At the start of the twenty-first era, the duty of community wellbeing is to guarantee situations that populaces can be fit. This task is conceptualized as being approved via the recital of the core purposes of evaluation, policy growth, and the declaration (Rugglero, 2007). The functions flip come to symbolize the universal conducts in which civic wellbeing difficulties are known and tackled via planned, communal labors.Structure the structural ability of the public welfare organization is the increasing capital and relations essential to take the vital processes of community fitness. Structural capacity comprises of the following basics organizational resources, information resources, fiscal, human and physiologic resources.Process the practice of community fitness can be considered in terms of primary processes via which practitioners look for to identify, prioritize, and address society heath difficulties. Also, it seeks to recognize resources and productiveness of the basic operations, policies, public health involvements, service, programs, and regulations. The means of general fitness are those that recognize and tackle health difficulties. In addition, the methods also identify and attend to agendas and services reliable to community priorities and mandates (Chin, 2000).Outcome an organizations outcomes are the immediate and lasting change knowledgeable by communities, families, providers, inhabitants and individuals. It is also the cumulative consequence of the strain of the communal wellbeing systems proce ss and structural capacity given

Critical Review of Related Literature Essay Example for Free

Critical Review of Related Literature EssayThe sparing tree trunk is the the method in which a country produces, distri just nowes and consumes goods and processs. An frugal system must answer quad basic scotch questions that go forth direct a nations economic activity (Pride, Hughes and Kapoor, 2010) What goods and services- and how much of each- will be produced? How will these goods and services be produced? For whom will these goods and services be produced? Who owns and who controls the major instruments of production? iv types of economic systems eat been formulated and implemented by dint of and throughout human history. These argon traditional providence, command sparing, capitalist/free economy and mixed economy. Traditional economy is root wordd on culture, tradition and rituals. This type of economy, which developed gradually characterized by slow productivity and low rising capital-labor ratios, usually consist of agriculture based societies (Moky r, 1989). Command economies ar economies in which the government owns and controls major factors of production. Also called centrally planned economy, the government decides on all issues regarding labor, mode of production and what goods and services to produce.Socialist and communist societies are examples of command economies. However, most leaders of these forms of government realise that although it was based on the principle of equality, the system was inefficient leading to shortages or surplus of products which usually resulted in political unrest (Taylor, 2007). Capitalist economic system is a system wherein individuals and private enterprises own and operate the major factors of production. Based on the lassiez-faire theories of Adam Smith in which individuals are given the freedom to apply resources as they deem fit.The role of the government is limited to regulation and creating economic rules. This system promotes competition and prices of goods and services are dete rmined by the mechanisms of supply and expect (Pride et. al. 2010). The last type of economy is the mixed economy wherein the advantages of capitalism or free commercialize economy is combined with some of the principles of a command economy. In this economic form, goods and services are deputised mingled with households and firms.The government, on the other hand still regulates and imposes rules, but ian signifi quite a littlet responsibility of it is to collect taxes from lineage owners and its citizens, which will enable to excessively provide goods and services such(prenominal) as education, infrastructure and security (Pride et. al. , 2010). In this stage setting, the market (producers of goods) answer the wants trance the government provides the expect. Economic Shift These economic systems have fixd economic shifts that determined the primary products of that economic era and the modes of production.In the traditional economies, agriculture was the main form of in dustry. In fact, economists estimate that the British economy in 1760 was comprised of almost 90% agriculture industries (Mokyr, 1989). However, the advent of the Industrial revolution changed the economic landscape from agriculture to industrial. The introduction of machines, scientific innovations and assembly lines in to the modes of production shifted the economy form producing agricultural products to manufactured products. Post-World War Two and increasing globalization would witness another global economic shift.Again, technology played key role in the rise of service economies. Service economies are not directly engaged in manufacturing but is regard in the provision of human value added in the form of labour, advice, managerial skill, entertainment, training, intermediation and the like (OECD, 2000). The rapid development of information and communication (ICT) technologies have allowed companies to hip-hop on the knowledge and intellectual properties of economies packagi ng them as a distinct economic output.This form of economy has bled into different industry sectors such as ICTs and healthcare, as companies are pressured to concentrate on core competencies, reduce costs, exploit external, specialized expertise, giving rise to melodic line process outsourcing companies. This has enabled exotic companies to tap into other foreign countries labor providing much contended jobs especially for developing countries. The shifting of economies, the development of technology and the success of mass production has led to the commodification of products and services.This has stripped away the personalization of products and services, mutating family relationships into an exchange relation or as Karl Marx (1978) called it callous cash payment. Pine and Gil more (1999), capitulum out that although commodification has led to cost-savings, it no longer breeds growth and profitability. Thus, they show that at that place is another aspect of economy that ha s not fully been researchd and tapped by businesses. They labelled this newfound approach as the hold economy. Companies that identify know as a distinct economic output are given new horizons to expand their businesses.Experience= Economic Output The judgment of an subsist economy is rooted in the principles of creating sensations between the consumer and the product creating memorable dates (Pine and Gilmore, 1999). This economic strategy engages the customer, customizing products and services tally to their needs and wants, turning the them into not just passive users of products but as important factors in the creation and market of the product. Pine and Gilmore (1999) refer to the coffee bean as a perfect example of the effect of experience as an economic output.The coffee bean is a commodity that if manufactured and sold as a good in a grocery sees a kickoff of between 5-10 percent in ts price from a raw commodity to a manufactured and packaged good. However, when a instill of coffee is sold in cafes and coffee shops, its effectively jumps to 100-300% percent of its raw price and people are still willing to pay for it? Why? Pine and Gilmore attribute this willingness to the experience factor that cafes and coffee shops add to the cup of coffee. The added experience of an ambiance of comfort, relaxation and satisfaction effectively raises the value of the cup of coffee.And merely, customers are willing to pay for that expensive cup of coffee because the drinking of one is no longer focused on the coffee itself (although the quality of the product still has the biggest percentage in the satisfaction criteria) but on the whole experience of drinking it. Experience itself is not a new concept, but economists and producers of goods have , in the past, attached it to the preservation of services that its motive is largely unappreciated and tapped (p. 2). However, Pine and Gilmore (1999) reiterate that experiences are as distinct from services as s ervices are from goods (p.3). When a person buys a service, he purchases a set of intangible activities carried out on his behalf. But when a buys an experience, he pays to spend time enjoying a series of memorable events that a confederacy stages-as in a theatrical play- to engage him in a personal way. (p. 2) It is through this concept of a theatre and stage that the authors initially frame the concept of experience economy. The consumers are the actors in theatres, stages and plays which are prepared, scripted and planned by companies.Thus, for the experience to be truly credible and believable, manufacturers and suppliers must change their perspective from further providers to stagers of events. Customers and clients are no longer viewed as just but are treated as guests. The stagers of events must therefore be flexible, ready to adapt to the demands of their guests. This relationship between the stager and guest is much more deeper than the callous payment of cash referred to by Marx (1978) but actually raises a relationship between both parties building on trust and quality service.Although experience economy have primarily been associated with the entertainment industry, with the efforts of theme parks and movies to deliver realistic and truly interactional attractions through the use of 3D technology, surround sound and, in the baptistery of Walt Disney theme parks, productions that immerse the sights, sounds, tastes, aromas and textures of their guests (Gilmore and Pine, p. 3). However, other industries have taken notice of this approach. Service industries such as restaurants are investing on ambiance and in services that engage all the sensations of their guests to cook grotesque dining experiences.IT companies are racing to create much more powerful processors to create ICT experiences that are interactive and life-like (Grove, 1996). It has also been adapted by parking lots, department stores, appliance repairmen, and increasingly by busine sses themselves to create much more dynamic and productive workplaces by bringing employees and the products closer. Evidently, the experience economy has become a philosophy for companies that seek to distinguish themselves from the competition.In this light, what industries have been greatly transformed by this philosophy? What strategies did they create in order to provide their guests with unique experiences? Did the adoption of this philosophy bring somewhat positive cause? Or did it further lead to consumer alienation? This paper will attempt to answer these questions by reviewing cases of experience cases and provide a limn of the effect of this strategies. A critique of the philosophy will attempt to reveal its strengths, weaknesses and limitations when use in the real world.Review of Related Literature The Cruise Ship Experience A doctoral dissertation get hold of by Hosany and Witham (2009) focused on the cruisers experiences and analyzed the relationships between tour ists experiences and personal evaluation of satisfaction and feedback. Based on the conceptualization of tourism experiences by Oh, Fiore and Jeoung (2007), the look at hoped to contribute on the experiential concept of tourism by enhancing its theoretical progress and advancing important implications for cruise markets (Hosany and Witham, 2009).Oh, Fiore and Jeoung (2007) conduced a need that sought to provide empirical evidences of the experience economy as posited by Pine and Gilmore (1999). Using the setting of a Bed and Breakfast Inn, which has been identified as highly experiential in nature (McIntosh and Siggs, 2005), guests were asked to measure their lodging experiences. Utilizing a rigorous and methodologically sound approach to scale development, Oh et. al.(2007) were able to create a sound and valid scale which measured tourism experiences. The main objective of Hosany and Whithams discipline therefore was to validate the measure developed by Oh et. al. (2007) by appl ying it to the context of cruise tourism. This main objective was supported by two specific objectives to identify the underlying dimensions of cruisers experiences to investigate the relationship between cruisers experiences, satisfaction and invention to root onThe study chose to examine the cruiser experience since these trips offered total escape, safe transportation to exotic finales, Vegas style entertainment, luxurious pampering service, quality food and beverage, innovative onboard features and awful aesthetics among others (p. 5). Cruise vacations are chosen because of their promise of luxurious care and entertainment (Cartwright and Baird, 1999) and are laden with experiential benefits that engage tourists in a unique social experience (Kwortnik, 2006). Employing survey method, the Oh et. al.(2007) tourism experience scale was reworked in order to apply to the context of the study. Variables such as cruisers experience, memory, arousal, overall sensed quality, inten tion to cheer and satisfaction were measured along with other variable of interest such as demographic variables that included gender, age, travel companion, number of past cruises taken, and nationality. The four dimensions of experience education, entertainment, aesthetics and escape were represented with four statements and were rated using a 7-point scale ranging from 1 strongly disagree to 7 strongly agree.Variables such as arousal and memories about the cruise experience were also measured using 7-point scales. Overall perceived quality and overall satisfaction were assessed through two items each (poor/excellent and low/superior, and extremely dissatisfied/extremely satisfied and terrible/delighted respectively). Finally, respondents intention to recommend were measured using the question How likely is it that you would recommend this cruise to family and friends or family members and through a scale of -3 extremely unlikely and +3 extremely likely.Data collection was done aboard the cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas which is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International Cruise Line. It was achieved by approaching the cruisers less than hour after disembarking from the ship and while waiting for their coach transfers. All in all, 169 questionnaires were accomplished out of the 1859 guests onboard. The study established the validity and generalisability of the Oh et. al. (2007) measure for tourism experience.Data also revealed that the four realms of experience (education, entertainment, aesthetics and escapism) stop be applied in the context of cruise experiences and still be proved authorized and valid. Although the four dimensions varied in their richness in explaining the variable outcomes of arousal, memory, overall perceived quality, satisfaction and intention to recommend, the results were similar with Oh et. al. (2007) which identified aesthetics as the main factor in experiential outcomes.This also agrees with Kwortniks (2008) conclu sions that a ships design and ambient features propel cruisers emotions and manners. Hosany and Withams (2009) findings on entertainment contradicted Oh et. al. (2007) in that it was found to be the second strongest determinant of outcome variables. The study attributes this to the reputation of cruise ships as entertainment havens. Education and escapism dimensions were found to be of little consequence to the cruise ship experience. The study also found out that the four dimensions of cruisers experiences have direct impacts on passengers intention to recommend.Overall, Hosany and Withams study provide tangible and empirical findings that back-up the concept of experience economy posited by Gilmore and Pine (1999). The studys initiative to investigate the concepts finishing on an industry that has yet to be fully explored but is a perfect setting for investigating experience economy is the its superlative strength. The lit review of the study provides rich, background compass point on the concepts of experience economy and other recent studies on the cruise ship industry.However, the sample of the study barely scratched the population of the its main study. The time diffidence (two weeks) and the focus on only one cruise ship could be seen as the superlative weaknesses of the study. It would have been interesting to see a comparison of experiences between two cruise ships that ply the same cruise route. A lack of the effect of cruise ship employee behavior on the overall experience is an field of view that should have been investigated but was overlooked.This should have been an important factor for the study since Gilmore and Pine reinforces the importance of the companys interaction in setting the feel for the stage of experience. the study also did not take into account the sociological aspect of the cruise, such as the effect of other cruisers behavior on the whole experience. Despite these, the findings of the study that revealed its greatest c ontribution by proving the validity of Oh et. al. s (2007) tourism measure. This is a giant step for the further investigation of experience economy by providing a reliable test that can be applied in different tourism contexts.Experience Economy in the Rural Context Isaac Kwamena Arthurs (2008) paper empower preparation of Experience Economy as Competitive Advantage for Rural Food Industry and Rural development sought to introduce a framework which can be applied to the country-style food industry in order for it to attain a competitive edge in an experience economy. The paper presents evidences that point to the positive implications of experience economy on business profits and community development.Studies have proven that experience economies add value to farming(prenominal) businesses (Fiore et. al, 2007), its usefulness in industries such as tourism (Richard, 2001 Hayes and Macleod, 2006 Oh et,al. 2007), small city development (Lorentzen et. al. , 2007) and its implicatio n on the development of urban sports and recreation settings (Howell, 2005). Despite most experience economists identifying its products as competitive (Lorentzen, 2008) and providing a higher degree of customer satisfaction and profitability (Sims et. al., 2007), they do not present any framework or opening to guide firms in maintaining this competitive advantage. Thus, Arthurs paper sought to provide a deeper understanding of experience economy through the presentation of strategic approaches that can be adapted by rustic food industries to maintain competitive advantage. Guided by the research question what is the experience economy and what strategic approaches exist for experience producers in the rural food industry to utilize in achieving competitive advantage? (Arthur 2008, p.2), the paper analyzed different views on strategic management concepts while adapting on Gilmore and Pine (1999) concept of experience economy. Employing an extensive literature review, Arthur (2008) explores the concepts of experience economy and its applications drawing mostly on the works of Gilmore and Pine (1999). he reveal that although earlier authors have identified the concept of experience industries (Toffler 1970, p. 221), it was Gilmore and Pine that indicated a new orientation of experience, which is central to creating events around products (Arthur 2008, p.3). This idea of creating events around products therefore create experiences (such as an educational show on how a product is manufactured) which becomes the package in which products are marketed and sold. In applying the experiential economy concept on rural food industry, Arthur (2008) focused on the two forms of experience realms customers passive or active involvement and the level of immersion or absorption. These two forms destine the individuals participation in the experience and the bond that is created between the consumer and the experience (Gilmore and Pine 1999, p.30-31). Arthur (2008) then enum erates different examples of experiential economy at work in the rural food industry, such as the local food producers organizing food processing festivals wherein consumers can watch how food products are prepared. For further immersion, Arthur (2008) suggests educational tours that introduce consumers to the cozy workings of food processing plants and by encouraging their participation in some of the processes. The escapist realm of experience can be attained by customers being engaged in the production and processing of their product (Arthur 2008, p.5). He also suggests the creation of theme parks and utilization of venues where consumers can purchase heterogeneous food products in order to engage the aesthetic realm of experience economy. In discovering a framework for maintaining competitive advantage, Arthur (2008) first defined the parameters of competitive advantage. He cites Besanko,et. al. (2007) definition as his basis for identifying competitive advantage as the firms specific abilities to do or achieve things which are superior over their competitors in the market (Arthur 2008, p. 7).Arthur identifies three models which can be utilized to attain competitive advantage in the rural food industry five-spot Force model, resource-base view, and the relational view. The five force model identifies an industrys profitability (Porter, 1985 Grant, 2002 and Xu et. al. , 2006) and offers an understanding that competition is not merely between competitors but involves the whole process of production and its players. The identification of these five forces are attributed to Porter (1985, p. 4) threat of new market entrants threat of substitute products or services bargaining power of suppliers bargaining power of buyers rivalry among competitors The resource base view looks at the internal organizational resources and capabilities to achieve competitive advancement in a selected environment (Douglas and Ryman, 2002). This framework looks at how a firms uniqueness can give it an edge against its competitors (Grant, 2002). Various management literatures identify relational view as the inter-firm relations which gives rise to a firms profitability (Dyer and Singh, 1998 Duschek, 2003 Douglas and Ryman, 2003).It sheds light on the importance of networking in creating competitive advantage. In combining these three models, Arthur (2008) provides a framework for rural food industries that builds upon the five force understanding of the prospects of obtaining competitive advantage through experience offerings in the rural food industry, strengthened by the firms identification and utilization of its capabilities and resources according to the resource base view model, and finally, through a seek out and building of strategic alliances (based on the relational view model) to cement its position in the industry.Although Arthur (2008) was able to identify the contribution and importance of experience economy in different industry sectors,it was not able to provide new insight on the topic. This can be attributed to the methodology adapted by the study and its heavy reliance on the works of Gilmore and Pine (1999). However, it was able to achieve its both its objectives with the discovery of a framework for maintaining competitive advantage in rural food industries by reviewing and combining three strategic management models.This is the study greatest strength since it pioneers initiatives towards the creation of frameworks which cater to the performance of industries in the experience economy. But, its the studys greatest strength is also its biggest pitfall. With the absence of a real data gathering research methodology and reliance on previous works, Arthurs (2008) suggested framework remains a hypothesis and not yet a valid theory as it remains to be tested and operationalized within the context of the rural food industry.On a positive note, the author does plan to test his conceptual framework in a empirical case study of the Thisted food industry in Denmark. Exploring the Inner Sanctum of Experience Mark van Doorn of Philips query presents a fresh look at the concept of experinec economy in his paper entitled An Inside Story on the Experience Economy (2006). In this paper, Doorn (2006) explores the concept of experience as a cognitive process that shapes the individuals consumption behavior and answers the need for psychological self-determination and well-being (p.1). An analysis of literature leads Doorn (2006) to cite Turners Literary Mind which explains that top understand the mind, one must dwell on the body and the primitive underpinnings of the mind (Doorn 2006, p. 2). Turner gives importance to the story or narrative imaging as the main component of thought, crucial for planning, evaluating, explaining, for recalling the past and imaging the succeeding(a) (Turner 1996, p. 4-5). Turner reveals that the human mind engages in experiences by creating narratives to explain even the sim plest of acts (p.13). This follows with Cognitive Science Theories that state that experiences are absorbed by the senses and processed by the mind. Doorn (2006) also explores the concept of ambient narratives wherein individuals are immersed in an interactive experience created from a mixture of virtual and real world concepts which they can change according to their own experiences. Doorns (2006) analysis of experience economy is such a departure from the usual studies on the topic.His paper reveals the connection between economics, psychology and literature by dispelling normal academic notions of experience economy as rooted in the delivery of personalized and highly specialized products and services. He posits that the melding of literature and performance with business and technology can actually lead to a much more interactive and effective experiential economy. However, Doorns (2006) analysis only reveals these connections and yet ends up with more questions regarding the cr eation of a grand unification theory (p. 10) that will answer and describe the cognitive processes of experience economy.Impacts of Experience Most studies undertaken under experience economy seeks to measure the experience, overlooking the impact of experience economy on the society in general and its effects on tourism. Joanie Willet answers this dearth of literature in her study entitled Cornwalls Experience of the Experience Economy Longitudinal impacts (2009). The paper will investigate the impact of experience economy on a selected area by evaluating socio-economic changes which have resulted from regional experience strategies and the impact of experience economy discourses on the area.Cornwall, England will be the case study of regional economies that in truth heavily on tourism. The paper is guided by the following objectives Review the Key Tenets of the Experience Economy according to Gilmore and Pine (1999) Discuss experience economy with regards to Cornwall Trace soc io-economic changes in Cornwall brought about by experience economy Findings of the study reveal that underneath Cornwalls image as a wealthy tourism destination is a society plagued by severe inequalities and deprivation (p. 10).Government efforts to create an idealized English setting to promote tourism has constrained the economic opportunities in Cornwall. Willet (2009) reveals that efforts to create a unique English experience for tourists have led to sociological impacts detrimental on the Cornish locals. However, Willet (2009) discovers that Gilmore and Pine (1999) provides a provision wherein the personalization of guests experiences require locals to adopt advanced skills and educational assessments which will balance out the detrimental effects of the experiential economy.Willets (2009) study provides a holistic picture on the true sociological impacts of the rise of experience economies. This study revealed that the ideals of Gilmore and Pines (1999) of customized service s and unique services does not necessarily lead to the development of both the consumer and producer. However, the study would have yielded deeper empirical evidence by employing research methods a such as surveys with both tourists and locales ad interviews with the key players in the Cornwall micro-economy. But overall, Willets study is a cautionary tale that reveals the two-sides of economic ideas.Lise Lycks lecture on Experience Economy as an Instrument to Create Economic Profitability presents the other side of Willets study. Employing case study to describe the hotel economic landscape of Copenhagen and analysis on three frontrunner hotels in Copenhagen, the investigation sought to answer two primary objectives Shall hotels invest in experience economy? and How do risk and business cycle development influence decision-making and profitability? The methods revealed that with the construction of the Oresund Bridge brought a large influx of clients in accommodations for Copenha gen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden.This led to an expansion in the number of hotels in the Oresund region, totaling to 196 hotels with 19,036 rooms in total. This economic expansion has led to hotels banking on a delivery of unique accommodations through the employment of experience economy. The case study focused on three hotels in particular Hotel Fox (formerly Old Park Hotel), Hotel Skt,. Petri and Guldsmeden Hotel. The utilization of unique marketing techniques, innovations in core values and hotel concepts and the focus on consumer behavior have indeed turned the hotels adoption of the experience economy into profits and the establishment of new and better images.The case study also revealed that there was a dependency to business cycle development, which guided the creation of a framework that was specifically catered to the enthronization in hotels. This model, when applied to the case studies, rendered useful decision-making insights in the context of experience economy invest ing projects. This study presents another framework that is useful in the application of experience economy in real world situations.The study was able to demonstrate that through innovative industry practices and a full commitment to the delivery of unique experiences can indeed yield profits especially for service sectors such as hotel chains. Once again, this study blurs the distinction between the delivery of service and experience. Is is however evident that in the context of hotels, the delivery services are much more effective and appreciated when packaged as an experiential product. Research Proposal The review of colligate literature revealed the different aspects in which the economics of experience have been investigated.The manner in which experience economy was investigated mirrored an outbound spiral model in which early studies focused on the description, distinction and investigation of the experience itself. Studies that focused on these were able to reveal the im portance of consumer behavior in influencing the type of experience to be delivered. Most early studies also sought to prove or disprove the initial principles posited by Gilmore and Pine in their assertion of the experience as a separate genre of economic output (Gilmore and Pine, introduction) distinct from services as services are from goods (p. 2).However, recent studies on the topic have led to a widening of horizons, and stepping out from the core of the spiral model of experiential economic research. These studies, such as Willet and Lyke, explore the socio-economic impacts of the real world implementation of experience economy. These studies have revealed the positive and negative impacts on businesses and communities, both cautioning and encouraging economic policy-makers and decision-makers. Useful data culled from the review of related experience economy literature for the research proposal would be the tourism experience measure of Oh et.al. (2007) discussed and adapted by Hosany and Witham (2009) in their own investigation of cruisers experiences. The study can utilize and adapt this tool in measuring tourist behavior and satisfaction towards Thai indigenous tourism products. Although Arthurs study is merely a proposal, its ideas on the local implementation of experience economy and its framework for competitive advantage can be applied on the case study of the Four Seasons hotel and the Rose Garden Hotel.The numerous case studies presented in the review of related literature can provide a useful guide for analyzing the economic viability of experience economy in the context of Thai tourism. Especially of value is the last case study of hotels in Copenhagen which provided a framework and guidelines in the implementation of investment projects based on experience economy. The research proposal can then prove or disprove the validity of the framework by applying it to experience economy investment projects in the context of Asian countries. Referenc es Taylor, John. (2007). Economics. Boston, MA Houghton Mifflin Company. Mokyr, Joel (ed. ). (1989). The Economics of Industrial Revolution. Lanham, MD Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. Pride, William, Hughes, Robert and Kapoor, Joey. (2010). Business. Mason, OH Cengage Learning. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (2000). The Service Economy. Science Technology Industry. OECD. Gilmore, Jim and Pine, Joe. (1999). The Experience Economy Work is Theatre and every Business is a Stage. Aurora, OH Strategic Horizons LLP. Grove, Andrew. (1996). Keynote Speech Comdex computer show. November 18, 1996.