Product Life Cycle Essay Example for Free

Product Life Cycle Essay â€Å"Products, like humans, no matter how successful, are mortals† (adopted from Batory, 2008). This interesting quote shows the fact that a product does have a lifespan in the marketplace. That’s why managers and marketers should understand the life cycle concept in order to effectively manage their products in each different stage. This essay aims at giving an idea about the Product Life Cycle (PLC) concept. It begins with defining the concept. Then, it gives an idea about the four different stages of the product life cycle (introduction- growth- maturity- decline) with example product in each stage. First of all, to understand the concept of ‘Product Life Cycle’ (PLC), it is better to start by defining the concept. According to Merriam Webster (2008), a product ‘life cycle’ term is defined as â€Å"a series of stages through which a product passes during its lifetime†. These four stages â€Å"begin with the introduction of the product to the market and end with the decline of this product or even the withdrawal of this product from the market† (Thompson, 2001). The life cycle of a product –generally- is divided into four main stages, (1) introduction, (2) growth, (3) maturity, and (4) decline. Obviously, the logic or analysis in this life cycle is based on the change or performance of sales, revenues or profitability of this product in the market. The â€Å"duration of products or brands could be few months or even centuries, such as gasoline powered automobile† (NetMBA, 2007). Now, to realize the importance of this concept, it is important to know what this concept exactly means for business managers or marketers. According to Kotler and Keller (2006), this life cycle shows that â€Å"products have main things in common, (1) a limited lifespan; (2) changes in sales/revenues/profits depending on each stage with different characteristics, challenges, and opportunities; and (3) the need to use different strategies (financial, human resources, manufacturing, marketing, and purchasing) in each stage†. (Cited in Papares4You, 2007) As a result, these different stages of the product life cycle could be used to effectively manage the product by using the appropriate strategies or even making any required changes in the marketing mix. The first stage is the introduction stage which begins after the product development, when the product is introduced to the market. The most important thing is to create ‘demand’ for this new product by creating ‘customer awareness’ of it. It is natural in this stage to have low growth in the sales (or profitability) of this product. That’s why promotion in the introduction stage should be intensive to create ‘customer awareness’. Companies should have a long-term marketing strategy for the product in this stage. For example, it is not important during this stage to have high revenues or profits; the company could adjust the pricing policy based on this long-term strategy and introduce the product at a low price to attract customers and make it easy for them take the purchasing decision. There are many examples for products in this stage such as iphones, virtual reality, digital cameras, mini computers, DVD, video phones. Some of these examples will remain in this stage longer than the others due to high prices such as video phones, and others won’t remain for too long –may be 5 or 10 years- such as digital cameras, mini computers, DVD, iphones due to the increasing awareness of the product along with the increasing demand from consumers. The second stage is the growth stage; when the product becomes available and sales begin to rapidly increase till the market approaches saturation. Competitors start to enter the market in this stage. Companies could succeed in this stage by –for example- â€Å"adding new product features or improve its quality and managing customer relationship†. (Papares4You, 2007) There are many examples for products in this stage such as CD player, personal or home computing, the internet and mobile or cellular phones. The sales of these products are growing faster and faster. However, a product such as CD player may be replaced by other products. But, the internet and personal computing are about to enter the maturity stage may be five or ten years. The third stage is the maturity stage; and this is when the market is saturated with this product. However, it is not necessary that the product reaches this stage. Sales in this stage continue to grow till their peaks but with a low growth rate. There are â€Å"some product categories which remain in this stage for decades or centuries such as automobiles, cigarettes, and refrigerators; sales for these categories may remain at their peak for decades† (Thompson, 2001). There are many examples for products in this stage such as automobiles, toothpaste (such as Crest and Colgate), Coca-Cola and Pepsi, batteries (such as Duracell). Batteries’ technologies are changing that’s why a product like traditional batteries will stay – may be for 20 years for maximum- until new batteries enters the market. There are some strategies such as intelligent branding, entering new markets, and adding significant changes to the product could make the product stay longer in this stage. The fourth stage is the decline stage; when the product withdraws from the market due to deterioration in sales and profits. The decline in sales could be due to â€Å"(1) technological developments, (2) changes in consumer behaviour, or (3) significant increases in competition† (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004 cited in Papares4You, 2007) There are many examples for products in this stage such as vinyl records, black and white T. V. , the yo-yo, the hula-hoop, the pet rock Now, after having an idea about the four stages of product life cycle, it is important to realize that the product could repeat this cycle over as the case in fashion for example. And the duration of the product in each stage isn’t fixed because there are products that stays for too long in the introduction stage (such as video phones- microwave ovens- automatic dishwashers) or in the maturity stage (such as refrigerator- T. V. Coca-Cola). Also, the product needs different strategies in each stage. For example, to use intensive promotion’ in the ‘introduction stage’ to create ‘customer awareness’ or to introduce products with low prices to increase customers; and to add more features to the product or decrease prices in the ‘growth stage’ to enter new markets and to still competitive. Finally, any product could be affected by many factors –mentioned previously- in its life cycle such as â€Å"(1) technological developments, (2) changes in consumer behavior, or (3) significant increases in competition† (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004 cited in Papares4You, 2007). That’s why business managers and marketers should continuously study the external environment along with the product life cycle to be able to effectively manage their products and in the marketplace.

Affects of Frontal Lobe Damage Essay -- essays research papers

Damage to the frontal lobe cortex of the brain can cause difficulty in everyday activities. The frontal lobes role in people’s behavior includes executive processes, language, emotional expression and movement. Ryan Godfrey has difficulties in some areas of executive processes due to the damage tumors caused in his brain. Ryan and others with frontal lobe damage can benefit from knowing these deficits by taking steps to reduce their impact. The brain tends to compensate for damaged parts and a faith in God brings power to overcome deficits. Thus, behavioral difficulties for frontal lobe damaged patients are only a guideline not a box, for nothing is impossible for God to accomplish.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A 23-year-old man, named Ryan Godfrey was observed in his everyday behaviors to understand how he deals with frontal lobe damage. When he was 7 years, old the doctors discovered a grapefruit size benign meningioma tumor in his brain. After this, he had six more surgeries and his last one left him paralyzed on his left side. This was because most of his tumors were found in the right hemisphere, prefrontal cortex with his last surgery towards the premotor and motor cortex causing his paralysis. Ryan overcame being paralyzed with a desire to play basketball and video games. Today he is running sound for church, working full time and helping with student ministries. People like him can benefit from understanding the brain and its functions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The frontal lobe comprises a third of the brain and it enables us to engage in higher cognitive functions such as planning and problem solving (Jonides & Smith, 1999). The frontal lobe is divided into 3 regions, the motor cortex, premotor cortex, and prefrontal cortex. The motor cortex is located in the precentral gyrus and directs fine motor coordination. The premotor cortex is involved in planning, organizing, and integrating body movements. The prefrontal is involved in executive functions, including short-term memory, working memory, decision making, and prioritizing behaviors (Wilson, 2003). Some of the frontal lobe disorders than can cause brain damage and behavioral changes are Huntington’s disease, infection, stroke, tourettes, dementia, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, tumors, closed head injury and traumatic brain injury (Chow, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People wi... ... Shimamura, A. (1995). Susceptibility to memory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  interference effects following frontal lobe damage: findings from tests of paired-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  associate learning. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 144-152. Humphreys, G. & Kumada, T. (2002). Early selection induced by perceptual load in a   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  patient with frontal lobe damage: external vs. internal modulation of processing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  control. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 49-65. Jonides, J. & Smith, E. (1999, March 12). Storage and executive processes in the frontal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  lobes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Science, 1657-1663. Lepage, M. & Richer, F. (2000). Frontal brain lesions affect the use of advance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  information during response planning. Behavioral Neuroscience, 1034-1040. Levine, B. & Stuss, D. (2002). Adult clinical neuropsychology: lessons from studies of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the frontal lobes. Annual Reviews Psychology, 401-433. Wilson, J. (2003). Biological foundations of human behavior. Belmont: Thomason   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Learning Publishers.

American Women in the 19th vs 20th Century Essay

For many of the American history, women were not considered equal to men and were denied equality in many areas in life. In the 19th century women had no legal identity, apart from their husband. Married women could not hold property in their own names, make contracts, sit on a jury, write a will, or vote. Nor did women have the same opportunities for education and careers that men had. Yet, many women found ways to show their intelligence, courage, and leadership. In the 20th century, women in most states won the right to vote and increased their education and job opportunities. Since early 19th century women have been underestimated by men. Women were longed considered weaker than men. They were unable to perform work requiring muscular or intellectual development. A lower-class woman job included working for higher class families doing household duties, such as cleaning and cooking. Unable to afford help in the house they were responsible of their household duties. Traditionally, a middle-class girl would tend to learn from her mother’s examples. Cooking, cleaning, and caring for children was the behavior expected of her when she grew up. A lot was expected from these women, and they were often tired and sick. An upper-class married woman, after having everything as a child, is to be responsible of her own household and slave plantation. Different from the lower-class, the upper-class could afford a slave that was needed to help with house duties. â€Å"Upper-class women responsibilities involved; running a slave plantation, being a nurse to the slaves, making the slaves clothes, overseeing the food preparation, and supervising the work plans. †(Women in 19th) Most women were excluded from most jobs. The 20th century produced dramatic changes and opportunities for women. The success of many manufacturing wholesale trade, banking, and services depended on women and grew rapidly. During WWI, many women were government used as a political tool, enfranchising army nurses and female relatives of soldiers serving overseas in order to secure an election victory. Securing a job was only the first step in the right direction for women, soon after they aimed for the right to vote. â€Å"Women won the right to vote on August 26, 1920, but this long fight wasn’t easily achieved. It formally began 72 years earlier at the Seneca Falls Convention, organized by Elizabeth Cady and Lucretia Mott. †(Dougas, 1999) During that time the suffrage movements in the United States were large and vigorous. After the Union winning the Civil War, women hoped their hard work would result in suffrage for women as well as for blacks. But the blacks were granted citizenship and suffrage, not to women. The struggle to win the vote was slow and frustrating. â€Å"Wyoming Territory in 1869, Utah Territory in 1870, and the states of Colorado in 1893 and Idaho in 1896 granted women the vote but the Eastern States resisted. (WIC, 1994) Many Organizations were created that develop many meetings to help gain rights for women. The National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA) came about after Elizabeth and Lucy Stone uniting their groups. Although they have not accomplished their goal, they continued to fight. â€Å"In 1907 international socialism decided to support women’s suffrage. Since bans against female party membership existed within most traditional political parties, Socialists, having to organize women separately from me, manage to create successful oriented movements in some countries. (Women’s Suffrage, 1996) Many other conventions and associations were form to help women to gain their rights. As the years advanced, women grew stronger and did not give up. Although they achieved the voting rights, they continued struggling to gain equal participation in political office alongside men. Winning the right to vote inspired the younger generation of women to go to school and gain the knowledge needed for a better life style. â€Å"Test made in the 1860’s that the scholastic achievement of girls was higher in the early grades than in high school. (WIC, 1994) This was caused by the lack of ambition given to the girls. Teachers and family did not expect the girls to achieve any educational skills. She was to anticipate in marriage and motherhood. Other girls who went to school were lucky, but not only because there was room for them. Generally, schools were open to girls during the summer. Summer was when the boys were working. However, colleges were still full of boys and very little of girls. Due to the Civil War an increase demand for higher education for women was needed. The reason of an eruption in the numbers of women entering higher education was the returning veterans and the later the baby boom. â€Å"During the 1960’s and 1970’s, due to social and legislative changes, several intuitions of higher education that had been previously all-male open doors to women. † (Harwarth) Numerous institutions and private schools became available to women. Men and women had arguments on the separation of genders but later the school converted to a coeducational public institution. After many disagreements and protests, women can now earn a degree alongside men who can no longer interfere with their education. The 19th and 20th century had different roles for women in the Unites States. In both centuries, women had to work hard to gain equality. Although women accomplished many goals, they still continue to strive for new ambitions, such as jobs. Women had the desire to vote and have equal rights with men, this gave them much respect. They were giving respect by having women institutions and public schools that directed them to join men. There will never be an ending to the equality between women and men. The competition among the two will always be there.

Mayans, Incas, And Aztecs Essay - 1586 Words

In 2012 everyone was convinced that the world was going to come to an end, there is one civilization that we can put the blame on, the Mayans. There were many myths and legends that come from the 3 major civilizations that we’ve all learned about; Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs. The Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs built great and legendary civilizations in Mexico, Central America, and South America and with understanding these three we get a better understanding of the early life in these places. The first of these three is the Maya civilization. Tracing back to the Mayans we go back approximately 3,000 years ago. They were centered in the lowlands Yucatan Peninsula where they lived in farming villages that is now what we call Guatemala. The Mayans set a high standard for pottery, architecture, mathematics, artwork, hieroglyphics, calendar making, and more... One of the most notable things they achieved were the many Mayan ruins, the Mayans built enormous and elaborate stone temples, stela, and other stone structures within their cities. It was unknown for some time how exactly they managed to quarry and move these large stones due to the fact at the time it was not known what tools they possessed or how they were transported because the Maya did not use the wheel. Many of the large structures in ancient Maya cities in Central America were constructed from limestone blocks. It was important to determine the process by which the Maya built these structures, and the effort put forth, inShow MoreRelatedMayans, Aztecs, And Incas Essay1540 Words   |  7 PagesThe Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas were civilizations that settled in Central and South America thousands of years ago. There are vastly similar to each other, but also very different. They each had their own ways of growing their civilizations into what they needed to be successful. They had their own cultures and ways of life, but the ideas of each of them similarly came together in one way or another. The Mayan civilization was located in Central America on the Yucatan peninsula and down into theRead MoreIncas Versus The Aztecs And Mayans Essay1315 Words   |  6 PagesIncas versus the Aztecs and Mayans The incas rose in 1438, they fell in 1533. They suffered the attacks of Spanish conquerors such as Spaniard Francisco Pizarro (1475-1541) and the spread of small box. At the peak of power the civilization extended 4,000 km (2,500 miles) and included 16 million people. They were extremely advanced, had an army, laws, roads, bridges, and tunnels. Inca’s were the most advanced civilization because of their government, agriculture, architecture and technology comparedRead MoreThe Decline Of The Mayan, Aztec, And Inca Empires837 Words   |  4 PagesThe Decline of the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca Empires From 250 A.D. to the late 1500’s A.D., three civilizations, the Mayans, the Aztecs, and the Incas controlled Central and South America. Their decline happened for many different reasons. The Spanish conquistadors was one of the most common and deadliest, due to their advanced weapons and diseases they brought. It seems that wherever the Spanish went, bad things always happened. Innocent people were killed for no reason, cities were massacred andRead MoreEssay about Mayan, Inca, and Aztec Civilizations788 Words   |  4 PagesMayan, Inca, and Aztec Civilizations The Mayan, Inca, and Aztec civilizations each originated from Latin America. The Mayans lived in southern and central Mexico, other Mayans lived in Central America in the present day countries of Belize, Guatemala, and ancient Honduras. The Incas lived along the long coastal strip, and in the high peaks and deep fertile valleys of the Andes Mountains, and along the edges of the tropical forest to the east; this would be the country of Peru, Ecuador, ChileRead MoreRoom 1 - The Magnificent Mayans1213 Words   |  5 PagesMagnificent Mayans Culture Artifact 1: Ceramic Bowl Picture/Source: Ceramic Bowl (Britannica 1) Description/Source: This artifact shows a ceramic bowl that was used by the Mayans in everyday life for pottery making and used in everyday art. Artifact 2: Ruins from a Mayan Temple Picture/Source: Ruins from a Mayan Temple (Britannica 1) Description/Source: The ruins from the temple show religion in Mayan culture because this is where the Mayans went as a place of worship. Artifact 3: Mayan SculptureRead MoreEconomy in Early American Civilizations: Maya, Aztecs and Inca865 Words   |  4 Pagessocieties were very similar. One of these societies, the Mayans, lived in southern Mexico and northern Central America from the 3rd to the 10th century CE, and they relied on the trade of goods such as obsidian and crops such as cacao beans. Another American civilization was the Aztec civilization. They were located in the Valley of Mexico around the 13th to 16th century CE, and they used slash-and-burn farming to plant crops to trade. The Inca Empire existed from the 13th to the 16th century CE alongRead MoreThe Aztecs Werelocated In Mexico, Built On A Series Of1180 Words   |  5 PagesThe aztecs were located in Mexico, Built on a series of islets in Lake Texcoco , and was divided in four cities. Itzcoatl successor Montezuma who took power in 1440 By the early 16th century founded in 1428. (found in the 13th century) Mexico-Tenochtitlan, commonly known as Tenochtitlan was a Mexica located on an island in Lake Texcoco, in the Valley of Mexico.Aztec Economy Trade and Currency. the aztec trade everything, it was really important to them they relied heavily on agriculture and farmingRead MoreIvilizations of the Americas: Mayan, Aztec, and Incan Civilizations786 Words   |  4 Pagesin 1539. The three most advanced civilizations were the Mayans, the Aztecs, and the Incas. All three civilizations made major accomplishments, all being added upon and used by other civilizations. For example, the Mayans had created a calendar with three hundred sixty-five and a quarter days. The Incas had created terrace farming to create better and a larger amount of crops. All of these civilizations have impacted the world today. Mayans developed a complex calendar with hieroglyphics as depictedRead MoreMayan, Aztec, Incan Dbq768 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilizations brought major accomplishments to the world today. These accomplishments established them as advanced societies during their time without the influence of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Some of these accomplishments ranged from agriculture to architecture and on to writing and trade. Such as, the Mayans with their agriculture system of chinampas and there monumental temple/pyramids, the Aztecs with their trading in the city of Tenochtitlan, and the IncasRead MoreDbq 9: Civilizations of the Americas1258 Words   |  6 PagesCivilizations of the Americas The Mayan, Aztec and Incan civilizations each contributed major accomplishments to the world today. These accomplishments established them as advanced societies during their time. The Incans built a large road system, devised a complex irrigation system and developed their own language. The Mayans constructed the largest structure known until modern times, made drastic accomplishments in mathematics, studied astronomy and formed a calendar. The Aztecs built well-organized cities