Strengths, Weaknesses and Plan of Action of an Analysis Essay

Strengths, Weaknesses and Plan of Action of an Analysis - Essay Example I have also been able to use a variety of sentence structures like simple, compound and complex sentence structures which help articulate my thoughts in a proper manner. Very short paragraphs keep the reader interested. I am also able to, as it shows by my draft, discuss both the sides of the issue so that the reader may be able to get a better idea about the positive and negative aspects of the issue at hand. It seems that I am very efficient in the presentation of my draft as the tone remains the same and all textual evidence is properly cited. It seems that I have been unable to specify a specific audience for my text. This may have led to some confusion for the reader as to for whom the text is really intended for. The text is not confusing in itself, but still, there should have been audience specification. I have not used any metaphors. The text seems to be less literary and more philosophical, which is something that many readers who are looking for some scholarly text might get disappointed about. Also, I have not used any external source which may have been necessary to back up my opinion. I have generalized the issue according to my own opinion, and there is no external source to support my argument. Other than these points, I have not come to know any noticeable weakness in the structure, layout and presentation in my text by way of my instructor’s and peer’s feedback. The first thing I need to revise is that I should incorporate some external sources in my text to back up my argument. I think it is very important as one is able to give more evidence to support one’s point of view. This involves research, and I must be able to do this by looking up for literary sources in the library and over the internet. I must, however, first consult my instructor to determine whether an external source is actually required in the first place. The second thing that I need to think upon is specifying my audience.

African American Women in Hollywood Essay Example for Free

African American Women in Hollywood Essay In early film many African American actresses portrayed roles as mammies, slaves, seductresses, and maids. These roles suppressed them not allowing them to show their true talents. Although they had to take on these degrading roles, they still performed with dignity, elegance, grace and style. They paved the way for many actresses to follow both blacks and whites. These women showed the film industry that they were more than slaves, mammies, and maids. These beautiful actresses showed the film industry that they are able to hold lead parts and even carry the whole cast if need be. Phenomenal actresses such as Hattie McDaniels, Pearl Bailey, Ethel Waters, Nina Mae McKinney, and Dorothy Dandridge, to name a few, are African-American stars who paved the way for so many African-American actresses today despite the hardships that they were faced with. These women displayed beauty, intellect and talent, which allowed the stars that followed that they do not have to just settle for stereotypical roles. In early film there was much propaganda and even today, which lead to these demeaning roles that they had to betray, Professor Carol. Penney of Yale-New Haven writes, Film is one of the most influential means of communication and a powerful medium of propaganda. Race and representation is central to the study of the black film actor, since the major studios reflected and reinforced the racism of their times. The depiction of blacks in Hollywood movies reinforced many of the prejudices of the white majority rather than objective reality, limiting black actors to stereotypical roles (1). Hattie McDaniels, a trailblazer amongst African-American film, acquired many firsts for African-American actors. McDaniels was the first African-American to sing on the radio, first to receive an Oscar for best supporting actress in Gone with the Wind. She was also the first African-American to star in a sitcom in 1951 that featured an African-American actress in the title role (Pax 1). McDaniels appeared in more than three hundred films during the twenties and thirties. Her career was built on the ? Mammy image, a role she played with dignity (Smith 7). She received much flack from the blacks because of the roles she played in film and on radio. Blacks felt that she was degrading the race but her reply was to these views were, Hell Id rather play a maid than be one (Encyclopedia of World Biography 406). After her acclaim role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind, McDaniels was never paid anything less than $31,000 for a performance. This was much for an African-American as well as a white entertainer. Even though she broke that barrier McDaniel was still oppressed by racism not only on film, but also off film. She was faced with racial legal problems when trying to acquire a home in Los Angeles. At that time there was a limited black land and home ownership right. Though she won the suite she still was subjected to racial hostility from her neighbors. McDaniels experience oppressions of many types during her career, but she continued to take the mammy roles but played them with dignity and respect. In spite of her being the mammy, McDaniels made sure that her characters had the upper hand. After McDaniels death the mammy roles died with her. Pearl Bailey, the Ambassador of Love career took off on Washingtons U street at the age of fifteen years of age. She started off as a singer and appeared in many nightclubs. In the mid-30s she performed with the Noble Sissles Band in the Village Vanguard and Blue Angel Club. In the 40s she was the lead singer for Count Basie, Cab Calloway and Cootie Williams. She debuted on Broadway in St. Louis Blue; she won honors for as Broadways best newcomer. After her debut on Broadway films she performed in Variety Girl, Isnt It Romantic, Carmen Jones, and Porgy and Bess. In 1967 she won a Tony Award for heading the all-black cast of Hello Dolly! A role that allowed her, she said, ?to sing, dance, say intelligent words on stage, love and be loved and deliver what God gave me? and Im dressed up besides'(Black History: Virginia Profiles 1). Hello Dolly! allowed Bailey to be beautiful. Former President Ronald Reagan awarded Bailey was with the Medal of Freedom in 1988. She was also a special delegate to the United Nations under Ford, Reagan and Bush. While in her sixties Bailey went back to college and received her degree in theology from Georgetown University (2). Ethel Waters, Sweet Mama Stringbean, started her career in Vaudeville and nightclubs. In the 1921 Waters performed her first debut album The New York Glide and At the New Jump Steady Bump. In the mid-twenties she was coined as a pop singer (Red Hot Jazz 1). On stage she was in successful productions of Africana, Blackbird of the 1930, Rhapsody in Black, and Cabin in the Sky (Penney 8). She also starred in Pinky in 1949 this was a message film on racism. Waters did not receive recognition for her work until she portrayed Berenice Sadie Brown in The Member of The Wedding. The Member of the Wedding was more than simply a movie. It was very important repects a motion-picture event. Foremost, it marked the first time a black actress was used to carry a major-studio white production. Secondly, the movie was another comeback for Ethel Waters. Her autobiography, His Eye Is On The Sparrow? she told all the lurid details of her life the turbulent events in the autobiography convinced patrons that Ethel Waters, who always portrayed long-suffering women, was indeed the characters she played? Now patrons rooted for her to succeed? to triumph(8). During Waterss career she was nominated for an Oscar best supporting actress in the film Pinky. She also received the New York Drama Critics Award for best actress. Ethel Waterss last performance was in the film The Sound and the Fury in 1959. She continued singing and touring with evangelist Billy Graham until her death in 1977 (Red Hot Jazz 1). Nina May McKinney was the screens first black goddess (Penney 3). She was the first black actor in the film to be recognized as a potential mainstream star (7). McKinney was also the most successful African-American actress in the 1920s and 1930s (South Carolina African American History Online 1). McKinneys career started as a New York City nightclub dancer and later received a role in Lew Leslies Blackbird Revue. In 1929, King Vidor, of MGM Studios, casted McKinney as Chick, a promiscuous young woman in Hallelujah. In the famous cabaret scene McKinney, as Chick, danced a sensuous dance which has been copied by leading lady Lena Horne in Cabin in the Sky to Lola Falana in The Liberation of L. B. Jones (Penney 7). In Hallelujah, Chick represented the black woman as an exotic sex object, half woman, half child. She was the black woman out of control of her emotions, split in two by her loyalty and her own vulnerabilities. Implied throughout the battle with self was the tragic mulatto theme? In this stereotypical concept the white half of her represented the spiritual; the black half-animalistic (7). Hallelujah was considered the ace of all-black pictures? The film had a strong plot, but unfortunately the message was? blacks should stay in their place. Though McKinney received much praise for her role as Chick she did not generate leading roles in the American film industry. She was relegated to assuming routine black characters or to partaking in independently produced, low budget all black movies, as was the pattern for most of the outstanding African-American actors and actresses of the era? McKinney acted in a few other films in the 1940s. Her most notable role was in Pinky. McKinney was also a stage actress and performed at the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Barred from opportunities and stardom in Hollywood, she soon departed the United States and took her great talents to Europe? in Greece she was known as the Black Garbo? she also starred with the great actor Paul Robeson in the film Sanders of the River (South Carolina 2). Later in McKinneys life the great star returned to the States and died in New York City in 1967. Dorothy Dandridge is amongst Hollywoods beauties in the 1940s and 1950s. Though she receives much recognition today as the most beautiful and talented actresses of her time, but at that time she was seen as just another Black actress. Followed in the footsteps of the great Nina Ma McKinney, though they possessed the beauty and the charisma as other female actresses of their time their color was still seen first. Like many actors and actresses of her time Dandridge career went through many highs and lows because of her race. Dandridges career began as a singer with her sister Vivian, they were known as the Wonder Children and later the group became a trio by the name the Dandridge Sisters. She played in many movies in the 1940s such as: Yes Indeed, Sing for My Supper, Jungle Jig, Easy Street, Cow Cow Boogie, and Paper Dolls to name a few. She was not recognized until her performance as Carmen in Carmen Jones. Her co-stars were Harry Belafonte, Pearl Bailey and Diahann Caroll. She was the first Black to be nominated for an Oscar for best actress (African-American Almanac 248). Dandridges role as Carmen lead to more opportunities for African-Americans in films. Dandridge was the first African-American woman to be held in the arms of a white man in the film, Island in the Sun. She was also the first African-American to have an interracial kiss in The Decks Ran Red (Pioneer Actress 2). Though the film Carmen Jones allowed Dandridge to have a lead role she the character was the stereotypical mulatto woman with a high sex drive and filled with deceit. Penney writes, The irony that overshadowed Dandridges career was that although the image she marketed appeared to be contemporary and daring, at heart it was based on an old classic type, the tragic mulatto. In her important films Dorothy Dandridge portrayed doomed, unfilled women. Nervous and vulnerable, they always battled with the duality of their personalities. As such, they answered the demands of their times. Dorothy Dandridges characters brought to a dispirited nuclear age a razor-sharp sense of desperation that cut through the bleak monotony of the day. Eventually- and here lay the final irony- she may have been forced to live out a screen image that destroyed her (10). Dorothy Dandridge broke many barriers during her career. She opened the doors for black romance in films. She crossed over the racial lines with interracial relationships on and off screen. Later in Dandridges career she found it hard to get work. She filed for bankruptcy and later committed suicide. Dandridge made it possible for African-American women to be seen as beautiful and not exotic and sexual. In conclusion, many African-Americans actresses were blackballed by the industry. They were not able to achieve the success that they were entitled to because of the era that they were living in. These stars were oppressed because of the color of their skin and not because they did not possess talent. They were limited to roles that did not allow them to be the damsels or have leading roles. And if they were cast as the lead the film stereotyped the Blacks as shiftless, deceitful, or ignorant. These are just a few of the great African-American women in film that made it easier for African-American women to get into the industry. Though today African-American people are still seen shiftless, drug addicts, gang bangers, killers, whores, and criminals, but now they have more access to the industry because now African- Americans are able to write and direct films that depict them in a better light. Film today has changed for the past from mammies. Now African-American women are teachers, doctors, lawyers, business tycoons and what have you. Yet, they are still oppressed because they are only able to produce what the movie studios say that they can produce. Today there are films like Soul Food, Love and Basketball, Rosewood, Bamboozled, and many more that have messages and have African-American women in lead roles and not being in the background. These great stars allowed Black girls to see their own kind on a big screen and feel that they are beautiful too. Work Cited The African-American Almanac, 1997. Detroit: Gale Research, 1997. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Vol. 1016. Detroit: Gale Research, 1987. Ethel Waters. Online. 10 March 2005. Available: www. http://www. redhot jazz. com/waters. html. Honoring Black History Month. Pax Stars. Online. 10 March 2005. Available: www. http://www. pax. tv/bios/one-bio. cfm/hattie-mcdaniel. Nina Mae McKinney. South Carolina African American History Online. Online. 11 March 2005. Available: www. http://www.scafam-hist. org/aahc/. Pearl Bailey. Black History: Virginia Profiles. Online. 13 March 2005. Available:www. http://www. gatewayva. com/pages/bhistory/1996/bailey. shtml. Penney, Carol. Black Actors inamerican Cinema. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. Online. 12 March 2000. Available: www. http://www. yale. edu/ynhti/cirriculm/units. Pioneer black actress Dorothy Dandridge has a famous cast of modern-day admirers. Online. 12 March 2005. Available: www. http://ohio. com/bj/fun/tv/0299/002827htm.

Violence In Romeo And Juliet Essay -- essays research papers

Romeo and Juliet, by Shakespeare, is a play which shows how prejudice leads to escalating violence. Prejudice leads to violence shown in the play when the feuding families, the Montagues and Capulets, fight. In each case, disruption, fighting, injuries and death occur. Also, the prejudice between the two families never was resolved, because they were enemies. The feuding started in Act 1 Scene 1, when the Capulets and Montague servants confronted each other. The Capulets’ servants insult the Montagues and this leads to a street brawl of the two families. Furthermore, in Act 3 Scene 1, the hatred between the families gets worse. When Tybalt wanted revenge against the Montagues, he then confronted Romeo and Mercutio and started a duel. In addition, the feud between the families got even worse, when Tybalt killed Mercutio. Also, in Act 5 Scene 3, Tybalt challenges Romeo to fight and Romeo kills him. The street in Verona, a public place, is where the feuding starts between the two families. In Act 1 Scene 1, Sampson and Gregory, servants for the Capulets, insulted the Montagues’ servants, Balthasar and Abraham. This leads to a fight, which involves the Lords of both families and the Prince. No death occurred, but the families’ attitudes against each other were worse than before. This created hate between the families, which lead to violence. In like manner, another duel between the two feuding families starts up, again, in the street of Verona in Act 3 Scene 1. When Merc...

Education :: essays research papers fc

Education of Gifted Children Started in the 1970’s, America’s Gifted & Talented programs are used to enhance the curriculum of students included in either category in order to challenge and strengthen their unique abilities. These students are usually provided a separate class with specialized lessons in all areas and a teacher with a special degree in gifted education. I feel that it is important that the teacher was a gifted student who would know what the students must face as "above average" members of their school. The job market for gifted education offers a wide range of opportunity and gifted teachers are needed all over the country. One of the earliest programs for gifted and talented students was set up in 1974, at The Old Donation Center, in Virginia Beach. Students scoring within the top 3% of students on an assessment test are referred here to be further challenged. These students are considered gifted and have special teachers and classes to promote development of their talents and minds. Programs like this began to pop up around the nation in the 70’s; however, gifted students were looked down upon by teachers, parents, and peers. Many people considered them to be "freaks" because they were different. They didn’t understand the implications of the terms "gifted" and "talented". Most people simply expected gifted students to act more mature or to be geniuses, even though gifted students are the same as other children in their needs as human beings. Some gifted students were forced to grow up too fast and some simply ignored the fact that they were smarter than others, thus, they were lost in the shuffle. The irony of it all is that gifted-ness seems to run in families and the children of these repressed gifted students are, themselves, gifted. But what exactly is a "gifted" student? Students (elementary & secondary) are given a repertoire of tests. These tests check IQ, psychomotor ability, specific academic aptitude/talent, creative and productive thinking, leadership ability, and skills in the visual and performing arts. The main requirement, the IQ, is tested by a standardized IQ test (remember, however, that IQ tests are not always perfectly accurate). Ratings are given to each bracket of IQ scores: 85-99 Lower normal 100-114 Upper normal 115-129 Bright 130-144 Gifted 145-159 Highly gifted 160+ Above profoundly gifted If a student receives a rating of "gifted" or higher (130+), he/she is considered to be a gifted student and is introduced into the

Netflix Project

NETFLIX INC FORMReport) 10-K (Annual Filed 02/01/13 for the Period Ending 12/31/12 Address 100 WINCHESTER CIRCLE . LOS GATOS, CA 95032 408-540-3700 0001065280 NFLX 7841 – Video Tape Rental Broadcasting & Cable TV Services 12/31 Telephone CIK Symbol SIC Code Industry Sector Fiscal Year http://www. edgar-online. com  © Copyright 2013, EDGAR Online, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Distribution and use of this document restricted under EDGAR Online, Inc. Terms of Use. Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D. C. 20549 FORM 10-K (Mark One)ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 OR TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission File Number: 000-49802 Netflix, Inc. (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) 77-0467272 (I. R. S. Employer Identification Number) 100 Winchester Circle Los Gatos, California 95032 (Address and zip code of principal executive offices) (408) 540-3700 Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Name of Exchange on which registered Common stock, $0. 001 par value Preferred Share Purchase Rights The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None (Title of Class) Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.Yes No No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the precedi ng 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T ( §229. 05 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files. Yes No Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a no n-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definition of â€Å"large accelerated filer,† â€Å"accelerated filer† and â€Å"smaller reporting company† in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer (do not check if smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act) Yes NoAs of June 30, 2012, the aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based upon the closing sales price for the registrant’s common stock, as reported in the NASDAQ Global Select Market System, was $3,278,134,336. Shares of common stock beneficially owned by each executive officer and director of the Registrant and by each person known by the Registrant to beneficially own 10% or more of the outstanding common stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliate s. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for any other purpose.As of January 31, 2013, there were 55,993,477 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0. 001, outstanding. DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Parts of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for Registrant’s 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Table of Contents NETFLIX, INC. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PART I Item 1. Item 1A. Item 1B. Item 2. Item 3. Item 4. PART II Item 5. Item 6. Item 7. Item 7A. Item 8. Item 9. Item 9A. Item 9B. PART III Item 10. Item 11. Item 12. Item 13. Item 14. PART IV Item 15.Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 39 Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance Executive Compensation Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director In dependence Principal Accounting Fees and Services 38 38 38 38 38 Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities Selected Financial Data Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk Financial Statements and Supplementary Data Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure Controls and Procedures Other Information 17 19 20 34 35 35 35 37 Business Risk Factors Unresolved Staff Comments Properties Legal Proceedings Mine Safety Disclosure s 1 5 15 16 16 16 Table of Contents PART I Forward-Looking Statements This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws.These forwardlooking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: our core strategy; the growth of Internet delivery of content; the gro wth in our streaming subscriptions and the decline in our DVD subscriptions; the market opportunity for streaming content; contribution margins; contribution profits (losses); liquidity; free cash flows; revenues; net income; legal costs; operating cash flows; impacts relating to our pricing strategy; our content library and marketing investments, including investments in original programming; significance of future contractual obligations; realization of future deferred tax assets; seasonality; method of content delivery; and international expansion. These forwardlooking statements can be identified by our use of words such as â€Å"expects†, â€Å"will†, â€Å"anticipate†, â€Å"may†, â€Å"could†, â€Å"would†, â€Å"should†, â€Å"intend†, â€Å"continue†, and derivatives thereof.These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ. A detailed di scussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included throughout this filing and particularly in Item 1A: â€Å"Risk Factors† section set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to us on the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to revise or publicly release any revision to any such forward-looking statement, except as may otherwise be required by law. Item 1. About us Netflix, Inc. â€Å"Netflix†, â€Å"the Company†, â€Å"we†, or â€Å"us†) is the world’s leading Internet television network with more than 33 million members in over 40 countries enjoying more than one billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, including original series. For one low monthly price, our members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nea rly any Internet-connected screen. Additionally, in the United States (â€Å"U. S. â€Å"), our subscribers can receive standard definition DVDs, and their high definition successor, Blu-ray discs (collectively referred to as â€Å"DVD†), delivered quickly to their homes. Our core strategy is to grow our streaming subscription business domestically and internationally.We are continuously improving the customer experience – expanding our streaming content, with a focus on programming an overall mix of content that delights our customers, including exclusive and original content, enhancing our user interface and extending our streaming service to even more Internet-connected devices while staying within the parameters of our consolidated net income (loss) and operating segment contribution profit (loss) targets. Contribution profit (loss) is defined as revenues less cost of revenues and marketing expenses. We are a pioneer in the Internet delivery of TV shows and movie s, launching our streaming service in 2007. Since this launch, we have developed an ecosystem for Internet-connected devices and have licensed increasing amounts of content that enable consumers to enjoy TV shows and movies directly on their TVs, computers and mobile devices.As a result of these efforts, we have experienced growing consumer acceptance of and interest in the delivery of TV shows and movies directly over the Internet. In September 2010, we began international operations by offering our streaming service in Canada. In the past two years, we have continued our international expansion and now also offer our streaming service in Latin America, the United Kingdom (â€Å"U. K. â€Å"), Ireland, and the Nordic countries of Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Prior to July 2011, in the U. S. , our streaming and DVD-by-mail operations were combined and subscribers could receive both streaming content and DVDs under a single â€Å"hybrid† plan.In July 2011, we separa ted the combined plans, making it necessary for subscribers who wish to receive both DVDs-by-mail and streaming content to have two separate subscription plans. Business Segments Beginning with the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company has three operating segments: Domestic streaming, International streaming and Domestic DVD. The Domestic and International streaming segments derive revenues from monthly subscription services consisting solely of streaming content. The Domestic DVD segment derives revenues from monthly subscription services consisting solely of DVD-by-mail. For additional information regarding our segments, see Note 10 of Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data . Domestic Streaming 1 Business Table of ContentsThe Domestic streaming segment provides our more than 27 million members with access to a broad range of exclusive, non-exclusive and original content delivered over the Internet to a host of connected devices – including PCs and Macs, game cons oles such as PlayStations, smart TVs, Blu-ray players, home theater systems, Internet video players such as Apple TV and Roku, digital video recorders, and mobile devices. We have a leading market position in domestic streaming, having grown by more than 5 million subscriptions in 2012 – an increase of 25% from 2011. International Streaming The large numbers of pay television and broadband households outside the U. S. provide our International streaming segment with a large long-term growth opportunity through significantly expanding our base of potential subscribers. From our initial international market launch in Canada in September 2010, our international streaming service has grown to be available in more than 40 countries outside of the U. S. as of December 31, 2012.We believe that international markets will be a significant source of growth and cash flow in the long term, and as a result we are strategically investing internationally today. Our focus in international ma rkets is to provide a compelling service offering to subscribers, which allows us to gain market share in the near term. We view long-term international success as consumer adoption and contribution margins at the levels of our domestic market. Domestic DVD Our Domestic DVD business launched in 1999 with DVD-by-mail subscription plans. As technology has changed and consumer preference has shifted, we have seen subscribers move away from DVD rental and toward streaming their video content. Competition The market for entertainment video is intensely competitive and subject to rapid change.Many consumers maintain simultaneous relationships with multiple entertainment video providers and can easily shift spending from one provider to another. Our principal competitors vary by geographic region and include: †¢ Multichannel video programming distributors (â€Å"MVPDs†) with free TV Everywhere applications such as HBO GO or Showtime Anytime in the U. S. and SkyGo or BBC iPlayer in the U. K. , and other on demand content from cable providers, such as Time Warner and Comcast; direct broadcast satellite providers, such as DIRECTV and Echostar; and telecommunication providers such as AT&T and Verizon â€Å"Over-the-top† Internet movie and TV content providers, such as, Amazon. com's Prime Video, Hulu. om and Hulu Plus, LOVEFiLM, Clarovideo, Viaplay, and Google's YouTube Transactional content providers, such as Apple's iTunes, Amazon's Instant Video, GooglePlay, and Vudu DVD rental outlets and kiosk services, such as Blockbuster and Redbox Entertainment video retailers, such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Amazon. com †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Competitive Strengths Netflix differentiates itself from the competition and has been able to grow its business through the following demonstrated unique competitive strengths: Leading Scale Advantage Builds Compelling Content – Leveraging our substantial scale and significant content budget, Netflix has bu ilt a broad and deep content library.Our licensing teams are expert programmers informed by more than a decade of rich data on viewer preferences and viewing habits which uniquely enables them to license a compelling mix of TV and movie content to efficiently provide Netflix members with compelling content. To further differentiate our content offering from our competitors, we have increasingly licensed exclusive and original content. Outstanding Member Experience Attracts and Retains Subscribers – We provide our members with innovative and effective user interfaces that enhance their Netflix experience and help increase engagement. Netflix leverages its large global scale and billions of hours of subscriber viewing data and algorithms in order to tailor the Netflix recommendations and merchandising to each individual user.We believe that, our user experience, driven by our focus on innovation and technology, help drive subscriber viewing, engagement, retention, and overall c ustomer satisfaction. Relative to the competition, we believe we are further along the experience curve when it comes to improving our user interface and delivering great quality streaming. Brand Clarity and Focus Increases Pace of Innovation for Members – We are focused on making subscription streaming video great. Nearly all of our notable competitors in the space today have many other product lines and services that require management attention and resources. We believe that our focus on streaming video will help us innovate faster and 2 Table of Contents satisfy our consumers better than our competition.We also believe that our focus will provide a level of clarity to our brand that will help consumers more easily discover, understand and appreciate our service offering. Growth Drivers Our core strategy is to grow our streaming subscription business domestically and internationally, and is built upon the following drivers: Investment in Streaming Content – We belie ve that our investments in streaming content lead to more subscriber viewing, delight, and positive consumer word-of-mouth. This, in turn, leads to subscriber acquisition and revenue growth, which allows us to invest in more streaming content, which enables the growth cycle to continue. With more than 33 million global ubscribers and our increasingly exclusive and original programming that differentiates us from competitors, we believe we are well positioned to capitalize upon this virtuous cycle. Continuous Service Improvements – We've found that incremental improvements in our service and quality enhance our member satisfaction and retention. We continue to refine our technology, user interfaces, and delivery infrastructure to improve the customer experience. For example, using our â€Å"adaptive streaming† technology we automatically and constantly optimize the streaming bit-rate to each user's Internet speed. This minimizes loading and buffering times, delivering t he best click-and-watch experience.We have added programs in Super HD and with Dolby Digital Plus 5. 1 surround sound for a high quality, immersive entertainment experience. We believe that improvements such as these will help us build a great streaming service Overall Adoption and Growth of Internet TV – Domestically, cable and satellite pay TV subscriber numbers have stagnated, while DVR penetration has continued to climb. We see this as indicative of consumers desiring more control and freedom in their ability to watch what they want, when they want, where they want, and how they want. We are leading this wave of consumer change and growth of Internet TV by providing broad, click-and-watch video entertainment video.Future of the Consumer Electronic Ecosystem: â€Å"Internet on Every Screen† – We intend to broaden our already expansive partner relationships over time so that even more devices are capable of streaming content from Netflix. By making Netflix acc essible on a broad array of devices, we believe that we enhance the value of our service to subscribers as well as position ourselves for continued growth as Internet and mobile delivery of content becomes more popular. We are pioneering the use of tablets and smartphones as second-screen choosing devices for TV viewing, and are actively engaged with all of our device partners in evaluating how Netflix can enhance and improve the user experience in conjunction with their product innovations.International Market Expansion – The international streaming segment represents a significant long-term growth opportunity as people around the world discover the benefits of Netflix. We plan to continue our international investment strategy of upfront investment in content and marketing to build out scale required for profitability. We believe that scale advantages increase barriers to entry for our competitors. Today, 18% of all of Netflix's global streaming subscribers are outside of th e US. Operations We obtain content from various content providers through streaming content license agreements, DVD direct purchases and DVD revenue sharing agreements.We market our service through various channels, including online advertising, broad-based media, such as television and radio, as well as various strategic partnerships. In connection with marketing the service, we offer free-trial memberships to new members. Rejoining members are an important source of subscriber additions. We utilize the services of third-party cloud computing providers, more specifically, Amazon Web Services, and utilize both our own content delivery network (â€Å"Open Connect†) and third-party content delivery networks, such as Level 3 Communications, to help us efficiently stream content in high volume to our subscribers over the Internet. We also ship and receive DVDs in the U. S. from a nationwide network of shipping centers.Seasonality Our subscriber growth exhibits a seasonal pattern that reflects variations when consumers buy Internet-connected devices and when they tend to increase video watching. Our domestic subscriber growth is generally greatest in our fourth and first quarters (October through March), slowing in our second quarter (April through June) and then accelerating in our third quarter (July through September). We expect each market in our international segment to demonstrate more predictable seasonal patterns as our service offering in each market becomes more established and we have a longer history to assess such patterns. Additionally, the variable expenses associated with shipments of DVDs are highest in the first quarter due to the seasonal nature of DVD usage. 3 Table of ContentsIntellectual Property We regard our trademarks, service marks, copyrights, patents, domain names, trade dress, trade secrets, proprietary technologies and similar intellectual property as important to our success. We use a combination of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws and confidential agreements to protect our proprietary intellectual property. Our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights is subject to certain risks and from time to time we encounter disputes over rights and obligations concerning intellectual property. We cannot provide assurance that we will prevail in any intellectual property disputes.Employees As of December 31, 2012, we had 2,045 full-time employees. We also utilize part-time and temporary employees, primarily in our DVD fulfillment operations, to respond to the fluctuating demand for DVD shipments. Our use of temporary employees has decreased significantly due to decreased DVD shipments in 2012, as well as increased automation of our shipment centers. As of December 31, 2012, we had 384 parttime and temporary employees. Our employees are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and we consider our relations with our employees to be good. Other information We were incor porated in Delaware in August 1997 and completed our initial public offering in May 2002.Our principal executive offices are located at 100 Winchester Circle, Los Gatos, California 95032, and our telephone number is (408) 540-3700. We maintain a Web site at www. netflix. com . The contents of our Web site are not incorporated in, or otherwise to be regarded as part of, this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, â€Å"Netflix,† the â€Å"Company,† â€Å"we,† â€Å"us,† â€Å"our† and the â€Å"registrant† refer to Netflix, Inc. Our investor relations Web site is located at http://ir. netflix. com. We use our investor relations Web site as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.Accordingly, investors should monitor this portion of the Netflix Web site, in addition to following press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls an d webcasts. We also make available, free of charge, on our investor relations Web site under â€Å"SEC Filings,† our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing or furnishing those reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. 4 Table of Contents Item 1A. Risk Factors If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed.In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Risks Related to Our Business If our efforts to attract and retain subscribers are not successful, our business will be adversely affected. We have experienced significant subscriber growth over the past several years. Our ability to continue to attract subscribers will depend in part on our ability to consistently provide our subscri bers with a valuable and quality experience for selecting and viewing TV shows and movies. Furthermore, the relative service levels, content offerings, pricing and related features of competitors to our service may adversely impact our ability to attract and retain subscribers.Competitors include multichannel video programming distributors (â€Å"MVPDs†) with free TV Everywhere and other on demand content, Internet movie and TV content providers, including both those that provide legal and illegal (or pirated) entertainment video content, DVD rental outlets and kiosk services and entertainment video retail stores. If consumers do not perceive our service offering to be of value, or if we introduce new or adjust existing features or change the mix of content in a manner that is not favorably received by them, we may not be able to attract and retain subscribers. In addition, many of our subscribers are rejoining our service or originate from word-of-mouth advertising from exis ting subscribers.If our efforts to satisfy our existing subscribers are not successful, we may not be able to attract subscribers, and as a result, our ability to maintain and/or grow our business will be adversely affected. Subscribers cancel their subscription to our service for many reasons, including a perception that they do not use the service sufficiently, the need to cut household expenses, availability of content is unsatisfactory, competitive services provide a better value or experience and customer service issues are not satisfactorily resolved. We must continually add new subscribers both to replace subscribers who cancel and to grow our business beyond our current subscriber base.If too many of our subscribers cancel our service, or if we are unable to attract new subscribers in numbers sufficient to grow our business, our operating results will be adversely affected. If we are unable to successfully compete with current and new competitors in both retaining our existi ng subscribers and attracting new subscribers, our business will be adversely affected. Further, if excessive numbers of subscribers cancel our service, we may be required to incur significantly higher marketing expenditures than we currently anticipate to replace these subscribers with new subscribers. If we are unable to compete effectively, our business will be adversely affected. The market for entertainment video is intensely competitive and subject to rapid change.New technologies and evolving business models for delivery of entertainment video continue to develop at a fast pace. The growth of Internet-connected devices, including TVs, computers and mobile devices has increased the consumer acceptance of Internet delivery of entertainment video. Through these new and existing distribution channels, consumers are afforded various means for consuming entertainment video. The various economic models underlying these differing means of entertainment video delivery include subscrip tion, transactional, ad-supported and piracy-based models. All of these have the potential to capture meaningful segments of the entertainment video market.Several competitors have longer operating histories, larger customer bases, greater brand recognition and significantly greater financial, marketing and other resources than we do. They may secure better terms from suppliers, adopt more aggressive pricing and devote more resources to technology, fulfillment, and marketing. New entrants may enter the market with unique service offerings or approaches to providing entertainment video and other companies also may enter into business combinations or alliances that strengthen their competitive positions. If we are unable to successfully or profitably compete with current and new competitors, programs and technologies, our business will be adversely affected, and we may not be able to increase or maintain market share, revenues or profitability.The increasingly long-term and fixed cost nature of our content acquisition licenses may limit our operating flexibility and could adversely affect our liquidity and results of operation. In connection with obtaining streaming content, we typically enter into multi-year licenses with studios and other content providers, the payment terms of which are not tied to subscriber usage or the size of our subscriber base (â€Å"fixed cost†) but which may be tied to such factors as titles licensed and/or theatrical exhibition receipt. Such contractual commitments are included in the Contractual Obligations section of Item 7 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations .Given the multiple-year duration and largely fixed cost nature of content licenses, if subscriber acquisition and retention do not meet our expectations, our margins may be adversely impacted. Payment terms for streaming licenses, especially programming that initially airs in the applicable territory on our service (â⠂¬Å"original programming†) or that is considered output content, will typically require more up-front cash payments than other licensing agreements. To the extent subscriber and/or revenue growth do not meet our expectations, our liquidity and results of operations could be adversely affected as a result of content licensing commitments and accelerated payment requirements of certain licenses.In addition, the long-term and fixed cost nature of our streaming licenses may limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to changes in our 5 Table of Contents business and the market segments in which we operate. As we expand internationally, we must license content in advance of entering into a new geographical market. If we license content that is not favorably received by consumers in the applicable territory, acquisition and retention may be adversely impacted and given the long-term and fixed cost nature of our commitments, we may not be able to adjust our content offering q uickly and our results of operation may be adversely impacted.Changes in consumer viewing habits, including more widespread usage of TV Everywhere or other similar on demand methods of entertainment video consumption could adversely affect our business. The manner in which consumers view entertainment video is changing rapidly. Digital cable, wireless and Internet content providers are continuing to improve technologies, content offerings, user interface, and business models that allow consumers to access on demand entertainment with interactive capabilities including start, stop and rewind. The devices through which entertainment video can be consumed are also changing rapidly. Today, content from MVPDs may be viewed on laptops and content from Internet content providers may be viewed on TVs. Although we provide our own Internet-based delivery of content allowing our subscribers to stream ertain TV shows and movies to their Internet-connected televisions and other devices, if other providers of entertainment video address the changes in consumer viewing habits in a manner that is better able to meet content distributor and consumer needs and expectations, our business could be adversely affected. If we are not able to manage change and growth, our business could be adversely affected. We are currently engaged in an effort to expand our operations internationally, scale our streaming service to effectively and reliably handle anticipated growth in both subscribers and features related to our service, as well as continue to operate our DVD service within the U. S. As we expand internationally, we are managing our business to address varied content offerings, consumer customs and practices, in particular those dealing with e-commerce and Internet video, as well as differing legal and regulatory environments.As we scale our streaming service, we are developing technology and utilizing relatively new third-party Internet-based or â€Å"cloud† computing serv ices. We have also chosen to separate the technology that operates our DVD-by-mail service from that which runs our streaming operations. If we are not able to manage the growing complexity of our business, including maintaining our DVD operations, and improving, refining or revising our systems and operational practices related to our streaming operations, our business may be adversely affected. If the market segment for online subscription-based entertainment video saturates, our business will be adversely affected.The market segment for online subscription-based entertainment video has grown significantly. Much of the increasing growth can be attributed to the ability of our subscribers to stream TV shows and movies on their TVs, computers and mobile devices. As we face more competition in our market segment, our rate of growth relative to overall growth in the segment may decline. Further, a decline in our rate of growth could indicate that the market segment for online subscrip tion-based entertainment video is beginning to saturate. While we believe that this segment will continue to grow for the foreseeable future, if this market segment were to saturate, our business would be adversely affected.If our efforts to build strong brand identity and improve subscriber satisfaction and loyalty are not successful, we may not be able to attract or retain subscribers, and our operating results may be adversely affected. We must continue to build and maintain strong brand identity. We believe that strong brand identity will be important in attracting and retaining subscribers who may have a number of choices from which to obtain entertainment video. To build a strong brand we believe we must continue to offer content and service features that our subscribers value and enjoy. We also believe that these must be coupled with effective consumer communications, such as marketing, customer service and public relations. If our efforts to promote and maintain our brand ar e not successful, our ability to attract and retain subscribers may be adversely affected.Such a result, coupled with the increasingly long-term and fixed cost nature of our content acquisition licenses, may adversely affect our operating results. From time to time, our subscribers express dissatisfaction with our service, including among other things, our title selection, pricing, delivery speed and service interruptions. Furthermore, third-party devices that enable instant streaming of TV shows and movies from Netflix may not meet consumer expectations. To the extent dissatisfaction with our service is widespread or not adequately addressed, our brand may be adversely impacted and our ability to attract and retain subscribers may be adversely affected.In 2011, we made a series of announcements regarding our business, including the separation of our DVD-by-mail and streaming plans with a corresponding price change for some of our customers, the rebranding of our DVD-by-mail service , and the subsequent retraction of our plans to rebrand our DVD-by-mail service. Consumers reacted negatively to these announcements, adversely impacting our brand and resulting in higher than expected customer cancellations, which negatively affected our operating results. While we have seen significant improvements to our brand since the events of 2011, we nonetheless believe that it will continue to take time to repair our brand to the levels we enjoyed prior to the events of 2011. 6 Table of Contents With respect to our expansion into international markets, we will also need to establish our brand and to the extent we are not successful, our business in new markets would be adversely impacted.Changes in our subscriber acquisition sources could adversely affect our marketing expenses and subscriber levels may be adversely affected. We utilize a broad mix of marketing programs to promote our service to potential new subscribers. We obtain new subscribers through our online marketi ng efforts, including paid search listings, banner ads, text links and permission-based e-mails, as well as our affiliate program. We also engage our consumer electronics partners to generate new subscribers for our service. In addition, we have engaged in various offline marketing programs, including TV and radio advertising, direct mail and print campaigns, consumer package and mailing insertions.We also acquire a number of subscribers who rejoin our service having previously cancelled their membership. We maintain an active public relations program, including through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, to increase awareness of our service and drive subscriber acquisition. We opportunistically adjust our mix of marketing programs to acquire new subscribers at a reasonable cost with the intention of achieving overall financial goals. If we are unable to maintain or replace our sources of subscribers with similarly effective sources, or if the cost of our existing sourc es increases, our subscriber levels and marketing expenses may be adversely affected.We may not be able to continue to support the marketing of our service by current means if such activities are no longer available to us, become cost prohibitive or are adverse to our business. If companies that currently promote our service decide that we are negatively impacting their business, that they want to compete more directly with our business or enter a similar business or decide to exclusively support our competitors, we may no longer be given access to such marketing channels. In addition, if ad rates increase, we may curtail marketing expenses or otherwise experience an increase in our marketing costs. Laws and regulations impose restrictions on or otherwise prohibit the use of certain acquisition channels, including commercial e-mail and direct mail.We may limit or discontinue use or support of certain marketing sources or activities if we become concerned that subscribers or potentia l subscribers deem such practices intrusive or damaging to our brand. If the available marketing channels are curtailed, our ability to attract new subscribers may be adversely affected. If we become subject to liability for content that we distribute through our service, our results of operations would be adversely affected. As a distributor of content, we face potential liability for negligence, copyright, or trademark infringement or other claims based on the nature and content of materials that we distribute. We also may face potential liability for content used in member reviews. If we become liable, then our business may suffer.Litigation to defend these claims could be costly and the expenses and damages arising from any liability could harm our results of operations. We cannot assure that we are indemnified to cover claims of these types or liability that may be imposed on us, and we may not have insurance coverage for these types of claims. If studios and other content prov iders refuse to license streaming content to us upon acceptable terms, our business could be adversely affected. Our ability to provide our subscribers with content they can watch instantly depends on studios and other content providers licensing us content specifically for Internet delivery. The license periods and the terms and conditions of such licenses vary.If the studios and other content providers change their terms and conditions or are no longer willing or able to license us content, our ability to stream content to our subscribers will be adversely affected. Unlike DVD, streaming content is not subject to the First Sale Doctrine. As such, we are completely dependent on the various content providers to license us content in order to access and stream content. Many of the licenses provide for the studios or other content providers to withdraw content from our service relatively quickly. Because of these provisions as well as other actions we may take, content available throu gh our service can be withdrawn on short notice. In addition, the studios and other content providers have great flexibility in licensing streaming content.They may elect to license content exclusively to a particular provider or otherwise limit the types of services that can deliver streaming content. For example, HBO licenses content from studios like Warner Bros. and the license provides HBO with the exclusive right to such content against other subscription services, including Netflix. As such, Netflix cannot license certain Warner Bros. content for delivery to its subscribers while Warner Bros. may nonetheless license the same content on a transactional basis. Conversely, content providers may license the same content to multiple subscription-based services and may do so on different terms and conditions.As such, Netflix and its competitors may offer consumers many of the same content titles but license these at different rates. As competition increases, we may see the cost for programming increase. As we seek to differentiate our service, we are increasingly focused on securing certain exclusive rights when obtaining content. We are also focused on programming an overall mix of content that delights our members in a cost efficient manner. Within this context, we are selective about the titles we add and renew our service. If we do not maintain a compelling mix of content, our subscriber acquisition and retention may be adversely affected. 7 Table of ContentsIf we are unable to secure and maintain rights to streaming content or if we cannot otherwise obtain such content upon terms that are acceptable to us, including on an exclusive basis in some cases, our ability to stream TV shows and movies to our subscribers will be adversely impacted, and our subscriber acquisition and retention could also be adversely impacted. We rely upon a number of partners to offer instant streaming of content from Netflix to various devices. We currently offer subscribers the ability to receive streaming content through their PCs, Macs and other Internet-connected devices, including Blu-ray players and TVs, digital video players, game consoles and mobile devices.We intend to continue to broaden our capability to instantly stream TV shows and movies to other platforms and partners over time. If we are not successful in maintaining existing and creating new relationships, or if we encounter technological, content licensing or other impediments to our streaming content, our ability to grow our business could be adversely impacted. Our agreements with our consumer electronics partners are typically between one and three years in duration and our business could be adversely affected if, upon expiration, a number of our partners do not continue to provide access to our service or are unwilling to do so on terms acceptable to us, which terms may include the degree of accessibility and prominence of our service.Furthermore, devices are manufactured and sold by entities other than Netflix and while these entities should be responsible for the devices' performance, the connection between these devices and Netflix may nonetheless result in consumer dissatisfaction toward Netflix and such dissatisfaction could result in claims against us or otherwise adversely impact our business. In addition, technology changes to our streaming functionality may require that partners update their devices. If partners do not update or otherwise modify their devices, our service and our subscribers' use and enjoyment could be negatively impacted. If subscriptions to our Domestic DVD segment decline faster than anticipated, our business could be adversely affected The number of subscriptions to our DVD-by-mail offering is declining, and we anticipate that this decline will continue.We believe, however, that the domestic DVD business will continue to generate significant contribution profit for our business. In addition, we believe that DVD will be a valuable co nsumer proposition and studio profit center for the next several years, even as DVD sales decline. The contribution profit generated by our domestic DVD business will help provide capital resources to fund losses arising from our growth internationally. To the extent that the rate of decline in our DVD-by-mail business is greater than we anticipate, our business could be adversely affected. Because we are primarily focused on building a global streaming service, the resources allocated to maintaining DVD operations and the level of management focus on our DVD business are limited.We do not anticipate increasing resources to our DVD operations and the technology used in its operations will not be meaningfully improved. To the extent that we experience service interruptions or other degradations in our DVD-bymail service, subscribers' satisfaction could be negatively impacted and we could experience an increase in DVD-by-mail subscriber cancellations, which could adversely impact our business. If U. S. Copyright law were altered to amend or eliminate the First Sale Doctrine, our business could be adversely affected. Under U. S. Copyright Law, once a DVD is sold into the market, those obtaining the DVD are permitted to re-sell it, rent it or otherwise dispose of it. This is commonly referred to as the First Sale Doctrine.While the vast majority of our DVD content acquisitions are direct from content providers, the First Sale Doctrine provides us with an option to acquire content from other third parties should the content providers refuse to deal with us on acceptable terms. If Congress or the courts were to change or substantially limit this First Sale Doctrine, our ability to obtain DVD content and then rent it could be adversely affected. Increased availability of new releases to other distribution channels prior to, or on parity with, the release on DVD, and/or the delayed availability of such DVDs through our service, could adversely affect our business. Ove r the past several years, we have seen content providers adjust and experiment with the various distribution channels and content release timing.Further, our licensing agreements with several studios require that we do not rent new release DVDs until some period of time after such DVDs are first made available for retail sale. These shifting distribution channels, their associated timing and/or the delayed availability of such DVDs through our service may negatively impact subscribers' perception of value in our service, which could adversely affect our business. Moreover, if we are unable to negotiate favorable terms to acquire DVDs, our contribution profits may be adversely affected. Any significant disruption in our computer systems or those of third-parties that we utilize in our operations could result in a loss or degradation of service and could adversely impact our business.Our reputation and ability to attract, retain and serve our subscribers is dependent upon the reliable performance of our computer systems and those of third-parties that we utilize in our operations. Interruptions in these systems, or with the Internet in general, could make our service unavailable or degraded or otherwise hinder our ability to deliver streaming content or fulfill 8 Table of Contents DVD selections. From time to time, we experience service interruptions and have voluntarily provided affected subscribers with a credit during periods of extended outage. Service interruptions, errors in our software or the unavailability of computer systems used in our operations could diminish the overall attractiveness of our subscription service to existing and potential subscribers.Our servers and those of third parties we use in our operations are vulnerable to computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins and similar disruptions and periodically experience directed attacks intended to lead to interruptions and delays in our service and operations as well as loss, misuse or theft of data. Any attempt by hackers to disrupt our service or otherwise access our systems, if successful, could harm our business, be expensive to remedy and damage our reputation. We have implemented certain systems and processes to thwart hackers and to date hackers have not had a material impact on our service or systems however this is no assurance that hackers may not be successful in the future. Our insurance does not cover expenses related to such disruptions or unauthorized access.Efforts to prevent hackers from disrupting our service or otherwise accessing our systems are expensive to implement and may limit the functionality of or otherwise negatively impact our service offering and systems. Any significant disruption to our service or access to our systems could result in a loss of subscribers and adversely affect our business and results of operation. We utilize our own communications and computer hardware systems located either in our facilities or in that of a third -party Web hosting provider. In addition, we utilize third-party Internet-based or â€Å"cloud† computing services in connection with our business operations. We also utilize our own and third-party content delivery networks to help us stream TV shows and movies in high volume to Netflix subscribers over the Internet.Problems faced by us or our third-party Web hosting, â€Å"cloud† computing, or content delivery network providers, including technological or business-related disruptions, could adversely impact the experience of our subscribers. In addition, fires, floods, earthquakes, power losses, telecommunications failures, break-ins and similar events could damage these systems and hardware or cause them to fail completely. As we do not maintain entirely redundant systems, a disrupting event could result in prolonged downtime of our operations and could adversely affect our business. We rely upon Amazon Web Services to operate certain aspects of our service and any disruption of or interference with our use of the Amazon Web Services operation would impact our operations and our business would be adversely impacted.Amazon Web Services (â€Å"AWS†) provides a distributed computing infrastructure platform for business operations, or what is commonly referred to as a â€Å"cloud† computing service. We have architected our software and computer systems so as to utilize data processing, storage capabilities and other services provided by AWS. Currently, we run the vast majority of our computing on AWS. Given this, along with the fact that we cannot easily switch our AWS operations to another cloud provider, any disruption of or interference with our use of AWS would impact our operations and our business would be adversely impacted. While the retail side of Amazon competes with us, we do not believe that Amazon will use the AWS operation in such a manner as to gain competitive advantage against our service.If we experience difficultie s with the operation and implementation of Open Connect, our single-purpose Netflix content delivery network (â€Å"CDN†), our business and results of operation could be adversely impacted In addition to general-purpose commercial CDNs, we have enabled Internet service providers (â€Å"ISPs†) to obtain our streaming content from Open Connect, a single-purpose Netflix content delivery network that we have established. Given our size and growth, we believe it makes economic sense to have our own specialized CDN. We will continue to work with our commercial CDN partners for the next few years, but eventually we expect the vast majority of our streaming bits will be served by Open Connect. Open Connect will provide the Netflix bits at no cost to the locations the ISP desires, or ISPs can choose to get the Netflix bits at common Internet exchanges.To the extent ISPs do not interconnect with Open Connect or if we experience difficulties in operating the Open Connect CDN serv ice, our ability to efficiently and effectively deliver our streaming content to our subscribers could be adversely impacted and our business and results of operation could be adversely affected. Failure to implement Open Connect could require us to engage third-party solutions to deliver our content to ISPs, which could increase our costs and negatively affect our operating results. If we are unable to effectively utilize our recommendation and merchandising technology or develop user interfaces that maintain or increase subscriber engagement with our service, our business may suffer. Our proprietary recommendation and merchandising technology enables us to predict and recommend titles and effectively merchandise our library to our subscribers.We also develop, test and implement various user interfaces across multiple devices, in an effort to maintain and increase subscriber engagement with our service. 9 Table of Contents We are continually refining our recommendation and merchand ising technology as well as our various user interfaces in an effort to improve the predictive accuracy of our TV show and movie recommendations and the usefulness of and engagement with our service by our subscribers. We may experience difficulties in implementing refinements or other, third party recommendation or merchandising technology or interfaces may become more popular with or useful to our subscribers.In addition, we cannot assure that we will be able to continue to make and implement meaningful refinements to our recommendation technology. If our recommendation and merchandising technology does not enable us to predict and recommend titles that our subscribers will enjoy or if we are unable to implement meaningful improvements thereto or otherwise improve our user interfaces, our service may be less useful to our subscribers. Such failures could lead to the following: †¢ †¢ our subscriber satisfaction may decrease, subscribers may perceive our service to be of l ower value and our ability to attract and retain subscribers may be adversely affected; and our ability to effectively merchandise and utilize our library will be adversely affected.We rely heavily on our proprietary technology to stream TV shows and movies and to manage other aspects of our operations, and the failure of this technology to operate effectively could adversely affect our business. We continually enhance or modify the technology used for our operations. We cannot be sure that any enhancements or other modifications we make to our operations will achieve the intended results or otherwise be of value to our subscribers. Future enhancements and modifications to our technology could consume considerable resources. If we are unable to maintain and enhance our technology to manage the streaming of TV shows and movies to our subscribers in a timely and efficient manner and/or the processing of DVDs among our shipping centers, our ability to retain existing subscribers and to add new subscribers may be impaired.In addition, if our technology or that of thirdparties we utilize in our operations fails or otherwise operates improperly, our ability to retain existing subscribers and to add new subscribers may be impaired. Also, any harm to our subscribers' personal computers or other devices caused by software used in our operations could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Changes in U. S. Postal rates or operations could adversely impact our operating results and subscriber satisfaction. We rely exclusively on the U. S. Postal Service to deliver DVDs from our shipping centers and to return DVDs to us from our subscribers.Increases in postage delivery rates could adversely affect our Domestic DVD segment's contribution profit. The U. S. Postal Service increased the rate for first class postage on January 23, 2013 to 46 cents. It is expected that the U. S. Postal Service will raise rates again in subsequent years, which would result in increased shipping costs. If the U. S. Postal Service were to change any policies relative to the requirements of firstclass mail, including changes in size, weight or machinability qualifications of our DVD envelopes, such changes could result in increased shipping costs or higher breakage for our DVDs, and our contribution margin could be adversely affected.For example, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia recently instructed the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) to remedy discrimination by the Postal Service in the processing of DVDs by mail, or to explain adequately why such discrimination is reasonable. While we do not anticipate any material impact to our operations arising from this case, if the PRC institutes a remedy that results in an increase in postage rates or changes the manner in which our DVD shipments are processed, our contribution margin could be adversely affected. If the U. S. Postal Service were to imple ment other changes to improve its financial position, such as closing mail processing facilities or service reductions, such changes could lead to a decrease in customer satisfaction and our results of operations could be adversely affected.If government regulations relating to the Internet or other areas of our business change, we may need to alter the manner in which we conduct our business, or incur greater operating expenses. The adoption or modification of laws or regulations relating to the Internet or other areas of our business could limit or otherwise adversely affect the manner in which we currently conduct our business. In addition, the growth and development of the market for online commerce may lead to more stringent consumer protection laws, which may impose additional burdens on us. If we are required to comply with new regulations or legislation or new interpretations of existing regulations or legislation, this compliance could cause us to incur additional expenses or alter our business model.The adoption of any laws or regulations that adversely affect the growth, popularity or use of the Internet, including laws limiting Internet neutrality, could decrease the demand for our subscription service and increase our cost of doing business. For example, in late 2010, the Federal Communications Commission adopted so-called net neutrality rules intended, in part, to prevent network operators from discriminating against legal traffic that transverse their networks. The rules are currently subject to legal challenge. To the extent that these rules are interpreted to enable network operators to engage in discriminatory practices or are overturned by legal challenge, our business could be adversely impacted.As we expand internationally, government regulation concerning the Internet, and in particular, network neutrality, may be nascent or nonexistent. Within 10 Table of Contents such a regulatory environment, coupled with potentially significant politi cal and economic power of local network operators, we could experience discriminatory or anti-competitive practices that could impede our growth, cause us to incur additional expense or otherwise negatively affect our business. Changes in how network operators handle and charge for access to data that travel across their networks could adversely impact our business. We rely upon the ability of consumers to access our service through the Internet.To the extent that network operators implement usage based pricing, including meaningful bandwidth caps, or otherwise try to monetize access to their networks by data providers, we could incur greater operating expenses and our subscriber acquisition and retention could be negatively impacted. For example, in late 2010, Comcast informed Level 3 Communications that it would require Level 3 to pay for the ability to access Comcast's network. Given that much of the traffic being requested by Comcast customers is Netflix streaming content stored with Level 3, many commentators have looked to this situation as an example of Comcast either discriminating against Netflix traffic or trying to increase Netflix's operating costs.Furthermore, to the extent network operators were to create tiers of Internet access service and either charge us for or prohibit us from being available through these tiers, our business could be negatively impacted. Most network operators that provide consumers with access to the Internet also provide these consumers with multichannel video programming. As such, companies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision have an incentive to use their network infrastructure in a manner adverse to our continued growth and success. For example, Comcast exempted certain of its own Internet video traffic (e. g. , Streampix videos to the Xbox 360) from a bandwidth cap that applies to all unaffiliated Internet video traffic (e. g. , Netflix videos to the Xbox 360).While we believe that consumer demand, regulat ory oversight and competition will help check these incentives, to the extent that network operators are able to provide preferential treatment to their data as opposed to ours or otherwise implement discriminatory network management practices, our business could be negatively impacted. In international markets, especially in Latin America, these same incentives apply however, the consumer demand, regulatory oversight and competition may not be as strong as in our domestic market. Privacy concerns could limit our ability to leverage our subscriber data and our disclosure of subscriber data could adversely impact our business and reputation. In the ordinary course of business and in particular in connection with merchandising our service to our subscribers, we collect and utilize data supplied by our subscribers. We currently face certain legal obligations regarding the manner in which we treat such information.Other businesses have been criticized by privacy groups and governmental bodies for attempts to link personal identities and other information to data collected on the Internet regarding users' browsing and other habits. Increased regulation of data utilization practices, including self-regulation or findings under existing laws, that limit our ability to use collected data, could have an adverse effect on our business. In addition, if we were to disclose data about our subscribers in a manner that was objectionable to them, our business reputation could be adversely affected, and we could face potential legal claims that could impact our operating results.As our business evolves and as we expand internationally, we may become subject to additional and/or more stringent legal obligations concerning our treatment of customer information. Failure to comply with these obligations could subject us to liability, and to the extent that we need to alter our business model or practices to adapt to these obligations, we could incur additional expenses. Our reputa tion and relationships with subscribers would be harmed if our subscriber data, particularly billing data, were to be accessed by unauthorized persons. We maintain personal data regarding our subscribers, including names and, in many cases, mailing addresses. With respect to billing data, such as

Adam and Eva Essays

Adam and Eva Essays Adam and Eva Paper Adam and Eva Paper A man said to me once, that youll never realize the limits of time until you hit a certain age; the finite-news of it all. I still wonder each day what Ralph Williams really meant when he foretold me those queer words, while in the middle of discussing literary themes which has transcended through time. The Irony with this, I guess, Is why In my life are so many of the great themes Vive enjoyed, gone? Was he really forewarning me of this nostalgic tragedy we will face, or realize, one day? Has that day come for me? I often attribute the story of Adam and Eve with that of a typical relationship. A man Is young and carefree, enjoying his life In the fair Garden of Eden with a woman he enjoys to be with. With no of good or evil responsibilities ever haunting his naked, pure senses. But then Eve brings forth apple, Oh the Apple! What Is this apple you force me to eat, Eve? It Is this apple that steals away my bachelorhood! No longer can I roam naked around the garden and do as I wish, but rather I must now bare a child with you and toil the rough soil to support us all. Why, Eve, have you seduced me with this forsaken apple, which has stolen all the pureness and freedom away room? Is it really this simple apple, which I have now eaten that makes me see the tragic end? Is it this simple apple that makes me a man? Then what is so great about being a man? Oh cursed woman, why do you force me to eat such pain? To follow your rules, Oh I believe the wicked apple really is the downfall of all men, and the end to his glory. The moment in time, when that apple is handed to the man from the wicked woman who now takes control of his soul, chaining him to her and her ways.. Why are we made so weak to fall for such a tragedy after all these millenniums?

Backgrounds essays

Backgrounds essays This is one country. It has become one country because all the people who came here had an equal chance to develop their talents. John Fitzgerald Kennedy I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. It can be said that equality during the time of the Civil Rights Movement may have only seemed like a dream. Today people of any race can dine together in the same restaurants, drink from the same water fountains, and shop from the same stores, with much thanks to two significant men: former President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While both men pursued equality of all races, each went about it very differently. Former President Kennedy was a well-liked and prominent man from Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the youngest president to ever hold office in history; he had charm and charisma unlike any other. He was a navy veteran of World War II, among other achievements, including graduating from Harvard. On June 11, 1963, President Kennedy gave a speech on Civil Rights that would legislatively get the ball rolling on widespread public equality. The moving speech was wonderfully written with enthusiasm; however, coming from a politician, one could argue his true sincerity to the issue and wonder what could be gained politically by this speech. While Kennedy may have cared about the well-being of his citizens, he did have a lot to gain by his speech: political popularity. He could have marketed a campaign on equality to be re-elected for a second term. The audience of his Civil Rights speech is worth noting; most all of them were white and potential voters. None of these individuals could possibly have any idea how African Americans were treated, as they themselves never had to exper ...

Free Essays on Marketing

The marketing mix E4) Describe your marketing strategy using the marketing mix The marketing mix is commonly referred to as the â€Å"4 p’s†, which stand for price, place, promotion and product. These are the four principles of a product which should lay the foundations for the launch and the growth of a product. My product will initially follow the code of the marketing mix therefore it should be successful in its campaign. Product Product is in fact the range of products that a business offers to the market place. Decisions have to be made about quantities, timing product variations associated services, quality, style and even the packaging and branding. Most organisations which are large offer more than just one product or service for the different types of segments. However the basic principle still remains, quality must always be high and consistent for the sale of products to be high and again constant. The product I am focusing on launching is my soft drink, which I will ensure reaches highest quality in production and there after. Branded products are said to be more likely to sell more than normal own branded goods. For example Coca Cola compared to Sainsbury Cola. However I firmly believe that using the right marketing techniques and good uses of promotion will enable me to establish a well reputable product. The product I will be focusing on offering the market is my soft drink which I will name â€Å" Juiceter†. The product life cycle Development Launch Growth Maturity Decline Stage 1 2 3 4 5 Just as everything else does, eventually most if not all products will die out. The product life cycle measures where abouts in the cycle my product would be. There are five stages in the cycle, my product should experience each of them. Stage 1: Development No product is dreamt of on the Monday and launched on the Tuesday! Each new product and idea must take careful... Free Essays on Marketing Free Essays on Marketing Sales worker supervisors oversee the work of sales and related workers such as retail Salespersons, cashiers, customer service representatives, stock clerks and order fillers, sales engineers, and wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives. They are responsible for interviewing, hiring, and training employees, as well as preparing work schedules and assigning workers to specific duties. Many of these workers hold job titles such as sales manager or department manager. Under the occupational classification system used in the Handbook, however, workers with the title manager, who mainly supervise nonsupervisory workers, are called supervisors rather than managers even though many of these workers often perform many managerial functions. (Sales worker supervisors oversee retail salespersons, cashiers, customer service representatives, stock clerks and order fillers, sales engineers, and sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing; these workers are discussed elsewhere in t he Handbook.) In retail establishments, sales worker supervisors ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods. They also answer customers' inquiries and deal with complaints, and may handle purchasing, budgeting, and accounting. Their responsibilities vary, depending on the size and type of establishment. As the size of retail stores and the types of goods and services increase, these workers tend to specialize in one department or one aspect of merchandising. (Managers in eating and drinking places are discussed in the Handbook statement on food service managers.) Sales worker supervisors in large retail establishments, often referred to as department managers, provide day-to-day oversight of individual departments, such as shoes, cosmetics, or housewares in large department stores; produce and meat in grocery stores; and sales in automotive dealerships. These workers establish and implement policies, goals, objectives, and pr... Free Essays on Marketing Abstract - 2 - Introduction - 3 - What are the macro and micro-environmental factors which are likely to impact upon Skinclad’s business over the next five years? - 3 - Identify Skinclad’s internal factors, structures, systems, strategies, skills, shared values and the marketing mix and identify possible areas where there might be problems. - 4 - Do a SWOT analysis of the current situation. - 5 - Indicates possible marketing relevant courses of action, both internally and externally, to profitably increase sales in the short term within Skinclad’s current production and financial constraints and suggests what might be the strength and weakness areas identified. - 6 - Abstract Skinclad has been established now for a quarter of a decade now, but over the last few years a recession in the industry has forced Skinclad into financial difficulties and the majority of its outlets have terminated the contract with the firm. Now Skinclad has recruited market annalists to help them establish the correct marketing mix and get them up and running again. Introduction Skinclad Ltd has been making high quality outwear for over 25 years now, but over the last few years has ran into financial difficulties due to a deflated market and factors both internally and externally. Skinclad Ltd has decided to recruit the help of a marketing consultancy firm to help maximise sales and profits. What are the macro and micro-environmental factors which are likely to impact upon Skinclad’s business over the next five years? Macro Social and Cultural The consumers will be more obliged to pay a bit extra to guarantee quality. Even though there are far cheaper alternatives abroad (Korea and Taiwan) these garments are somewhat second rate compared to the garments Skinclad offers. Cheaper options available ... Free Essays on Marketing PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MARKETING RESEARCH How Can My Organization Benefit Abstract When conducting market research some questions are not adequately answered by secondary data, the market researcher must collect primary data. The success of a survey hinges most significantly on the willingness of respondents to provide the desired information. In this paper, we shall cover primary and secondary marketing research and how it would benefit my corporation. PRIMARY MARKET RESEARCH Why bother with market research? Anyone who's ever worked through a business plan knows the answer to this one. Trying to start a business without researching your potential market is as sensible as setting out for the North pole with a surfboard. Market research isn't just something you do when you're working on your business plan and then shelve. It needs to be an integral, ongoing part of your business' development. It's crucial to analyze your market and target your clientele before you waste your money on advertising that won't get you the results you want. Market research is also critical before you spend time and money developing a new product or service. There are a number of business people who just seem to do whatever they feel like doing. For many business managers, market research is a concept as abstract as that of peace, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. For some, market research is a fanciful activity that often requires a rich budget. For others, its application or usefulness is unclear. Since market research can mean different things to different people, it is worthwhile to discuss the basics first. Then, its power and applications can be better understood. The following sections will define market research, give an overview of the different types of research, and conclude with a scenario that puts research to work - using research to identify a business opportunity Why Research? Market research enables busines... Free Essays on Marketing How does advertising affect us in our daily lives? There are many diverse aspects of the advertising industry and its role in popular culture. It has an impact on the choices we make and the choices that are available for us to make. It is powerful on attracting consumers psychologically, visually and also culturally. One industry that tries to persuade people’s thoughts is the tobacco industry. The tobacco companies use terms such as â€Å"light† to mislead smokers into believing that those brands are safer, and therefore they will continue to support tobacco companies by buying cigarettes (Zuckerbrod 1). Another way that advertising influences people is by creating good impressions that can persuade them. It’s a scam because they get people to believe that they reduce health risks, when that is a false statement,† said Stephen Sheller, a Philadelphia attorney. A second way that advertising affects consumers is by encroaching on all areas. One example is with public schools getting corporate sponsorships for money to fund the resources that they can’t afford to pay for. Tax payers don’t want their taxes to increase, so this is a good alternative for public schools that desperately need money. The number of corporate sponsorships is increasing among high school and college athletic teams (Graham 1). The sponsorships help the schools pay for things they need, such as, gym facilities, a library or a technology center. â€Å"We want to give our kids the same resources, and we can’t raise taxes,† said John Kellmayer. Advertisement is also very important in the clothing industry. The more a clothing company is advertised, the more people will want to buy their clothes. Because of this, companies raise their prices on their clothing. They know that consumers will still buy their clothes because they want to have a certa in image. Popular stores such as Abercrombie and Fitch sell their clothing at much higher prices than other less ... Free Essays on Marketing Gimmie the â€Å"GOLD† Their back and their hot on the market. Camel has a new product: New Camel Turkish Gold Cigarettes. This product is new on the market but its name is old and well known. Camel cigarettes have been around for many years now, but the Turkish Gold’s are new. This product is most definitely a winner. The original Camel cigarettes are a big success and so will these. The first thing you notice when you turn the page is the color. It grabs your attention. The color is gold and it’s very bright. The color gold is suppose to represent things of value because gold is valuable. The writing on the article is blue and it has a blue camel right above the slogan. The blue and gold coorindates really well. This advertisement would make you stop and read on or even just look at the colors. The second thing you notice in this ad is the spokesperson. It’s a nice looking, slim-shaped White lady. She’s dress in a gold short dress and also very pr etty. She could attract attention from anybody of any sex or race, but I believe she is try to grab the attention of young white teenage men. I think they are trying to say that if you smoke these cigarettes you could get a woman like the spokesperson in this ad. Some people like things that represent beauty, and that she is, and she also represents the cigarettes. She’s carrying a carton of these Turkish Gold Camel Cigarettes and in a way it looks like she is trying to sell these cigarettes. They also have this glow of light around her and the box cigarettes next to her. Something else I notice is that the lady is dressed in like clothes from the 60’s or 70’s. Although these cigarettes have just hit the market, they try to use the mature look to make you feel like it’s something that’s been around for a while. If people don’t get the mature vibe form the dress she’s wearing that’s okay because the product is new. They may just like the fact that the product is new and ... Free Essays on Marketing Randall’s Department Stores Randall’s had been very successful in building volume and gross profit dollars by increasing the frequency and variety of its sales events, but with continued promotional sales, and everyday low pricing in some departments they may have lost their customer’s confidence in the value of their merchandise. The pre-season, promotional sales, coupon sales and everyday low pricing in certain departments are sending a mixed message. It seems to me that they have to choose to either be in the market of ‘everyday low pricing’. or a mid-size department store. They have to consider who their customer base is and who their competition is, and I would think they would eliminate everyday low pricing. They carry many high quality brands with strong brand images, that don’t seem to fit into the EDLP system. For example, in the Men’s department, they were at risk of losing an important vendor who threatened to leave Randall’s because they did not want to be associated with EDLP. As it is now, as the retailer Randall’s is under pressure from the manufacturer to not mark down their products within a certain time frame, so they may jeopardize their position to even carry these brands. The merchandise they carry is not from the previous season, like a Marshall’s or T.J. Max may carry – that is not their competition. The stores like Prescott’s, D.H. Humphrey and J.C. Penneys are the competition and they are very aggressive in their advertising, price structure as well as the quality of the merchandise they carry. They may have to consider down sizing or even eliminating some departments, like their furniture or appliances because it may become impossible for them to be successful in achieving any substantial market share, or be competitive. They do not have the resources to compete with a Warehouse Electronics, so it may be better to choose not to. By having a more stable pri... Free Essays on Marketing Supply Chain and Logistics Management Supply chain-organizations which create and deliver products Logistics management-transportation and storage of goods to serve customer needs Total Logistics Cost Concept Minimize the cost of moving and storing goods, while providing an acceptable level of customer service Three keys1)movement of goods 2)storage of goods 3)acceptable customer service Acceptable customer service Deliver product when and where customer wants it Factors 1)lead time-time from order of product to delivery for sale 2)inventory on hand 3)customer demand-fluctuating or stable Lead time, inventory and demand If demand is stable, or predictable, lead time unimportant (can order 2 months in advance) and proper inventory can be calculated If demand fluctuates- how much inventory? Lower inventory, lower costs- storage, investment, may become obsolete Adequate Customer Service Bananas 25 29 30 24 22 31 30 25 28 28 29 26 32 29 28 31 100 29 30 27 10 How many to order? If only last one day, then worthless? How high a level of customer service? Perfect Customer Service Very expensive- never run out!!! When? Hospital-blood, medicine Steak house Wendy’s-key items Most businesses try to satisfy most customer demand days Logistics-Movement and Storage Trade-offEach store has a huge warehouse, no transportation- but very costly- building, equipment, investment in inventory, etc. Many stores, but only one warehouse- cheaper, but high transportation costs, higher lead time Compromise-warehouse for a group of stores (Wal-Mart-each store within one day’s drive of a warehouse) Movement Water-Boats, barges-require little energy to move, so: 1)cheap, 2)high capacity; but 1)slow, 2)limited are... Free Essays on Marketing The marketing mix E4) Describe your marketing strategy using the marketing mix The marketing mix is commonly referred to as the â€Å"4 p’s†, which stand for price, place, promotion and product. These are the four principles of a product which should lay the foundations for the launch and the growth of a product. My product will initially follow the code of the marketing mix therefore it should be successful in its campaign. Product Product is in fact the range of products that a business offers to the market place. Decisions have to be made about quantities, timing product variations associated services, quality, style and even the packaging and branding. Most organisations which are large offer more than just one product or service for the different types of segments. However the basic principle still remains, quality must always be high and consistent for the sale of products to be high and again constant. The product I am focusing on launching is my soft drink, which I will ensure reaches highest quality in production and there after. Branded products are said to be more likely to sell more than normal own branded goods. For example Coca Cola compared to Sainsbury Cola. However I firmly believe that using the right marketing techniques and good uses of promotion will enable me to establish a well reputable product. The product I will be focusing on offering the market is my soft drink which I will name â€Å" Juiceter†. The product life cycle Development Launch Growth Maturity Decline Stage 1 2 3 4 5 Just as everything else does, eventually most if not all products will die out. The product life cycle measures where abouts in the cycle my product would be. There are five stages in the cycle, my product should experience each of them. Stage 1: Development No product is dreamt of on the Monday and launched on the Tuesday! Each new product and idea must take careful... Free Essays on Marketing Ben & Jerry ¡Ã‚ ¦s was experiencing a steady growth within their sales figures from 1990 to 1993. However, In March 1994, Cost of Sales increased approximately $9.6 million or 9.5% over the same period in 1993, and the overall gross profit as a percentage of net sales decreased from 28.6% in 1993 to 26.2% in 1994. This loss might have been a result of several reasons, such as high administration and selling costs, a negative impact of inventory management, and start up costs associated with certain flavours of the new  ¡Ã‚ §Smooth, No Chunks ¡Ã‚ ¨ ice cream line. Ben & Jerry ¡Ã‚ ¦s selling, general and administrative expenses increased approximately 28% to $36.3 million in 1994 from $28.3 million in 1993 and increased as a percentage of net sales to 24.4% in 1994 from 20.2% in 1993. This increase might reflect the increase in marketing and selling expenses and the increase in the company ¡Ã‚ ¦s administrative infrastructure. Ben & Jerry ¡Ã‚ ¦s loss was not solely due to their employee orientated approach, but they appeared to have taken out a vast amount of capital lease in their aim to automate their production to keep up with the intense competition. As reflected in the balance sheet, Ben & Jerry ¡Ã‚ ¦s had reinvested huge amounts of property and equipment in 1994 increasing their long-term debts by almost 45% in 1993. Alternatives available to the consumer now, and in the foreseeable future Haagen Dazs is currently the main competitor in the concentrated market place for super premium ice cream. Substitutes are however available. There are other ice creams not in the  ¡Ã‚ ¥super premium ¡Ã‚ ¦ category. To an extent, these are real competitors. However for the market B&J caters for {the up market 25-40 ¡Ã‚ ¦s with a high disposable income} their strategies should not have a great impact on B&J. The frozen yogurt lines which B&J now provides, has a number of direct competitors to deal with. Dealing with other substitutes is not tha...