Response to Meghan

Meghan's post really makes so many good points. Entering a job market with a 10% unemployment rate is just down right terrible. Nowadays, just about everyone goes to college to get their undergrad, similar to what a high school degree was thirty or so years ago. So now what, how do you get ahead of the game? Maybe a double major, that is what I am doing now (econ and mgt). But then what, I think the most important thing you can do to boost your resume is to get an internship. I currently have a sports writing internship and in the process of getting a human resource mgt internship. Anyone can go to school, anyone can get at least a 3.0 gpa, but experience is everything. Going to college is just getting that diploma, a piece of paper. Experience is priceless. I firmly believe that a college degree is just a requirement, but learning the ropes of a company and fields have nothing to do with college, as long as you know the basics.

I want to get my CPA and be an accountant. The process of becoming a CPA involves many years of college and passing tests. Why can I not just pass the tests? If i know how to do it, what's the point of wasting all the time in school. Not saying school is a waste whatsoever because it is not, but it really shows that a college degree is just that, a degree; again that piece of paper.

I'm sure a lot of people do not agree with me, but it is what it is.

How do you feel about it?

Ending Blog Post

I would like to dedicate this blog post to the assignment we had for blogging this semester. I was just hired earlier today after a long process of interviews and emails to become a professional blogger. I will be writing for sportsofboston.com, as a sports writer as you can imagine. These blogging experiences we have done this semester have really helped me achieve my goal of really doing what I love, which is sports. I will be doing work on the Celtics and Bruins playoff series, and upon the ending of that I will be starting my own column after gaining a few weeks of experience. So, Mrs. Johnson, thank you for this assignment and giving me the experience that I needed to further my dreams and achieve a long goal I have been striving for.

Social media and networking is becoming the new thing this era, and doing this clearly proves it and I am glad to finally get on board this train before it passes. I suggest you all try to stay in touch with social media as job security is huge in this field.

Thanks for listening, and good luck.

Response to Chad

Chad's post was asking if we have ever been persuaded or pressured into buying something, just because of the logo or brand name that comes with it. I think to an extent just about every purchase I make comes from brand names and logos, so my answer would definitely be yes.

Every shoe I own is Nike, except for my Sperry boat shoes. I like Nike, I like the quality of the product, the reputation they have made for themselves, and the style of the shoe. If I saw identical shoes Nike and Adidas, without a doubt I would pick Nike. And even if I saw say a Reebok shoe I liked more than the Nike, I may still go with the Nike. I like Nike, I am a loyal customer, and I also know the quality product of Reebok is no where near Nike's.

Another example is clothes. I used to work at Abercrombie and Fitch in a mall back home. Everyone would come in and buy their stuff, which they were really just buying the logo of the moose with the preppy look clothing style. Then they go home and wear it, marketing the Abercrombie moose logo for others to see. Then the others that see and like go in the store, buy the goods, and it just keeps repeating itself, like a circle. The best form of advertising, and it is 100% free for the company.

Do you think you maybe self-consciously brand name shop?

facebook strikes again

Just yesterday on the news facebook yet again came up in conversation. This time it came up in local KEENE state college. There is supposedly a party room off one of the dorms through a 3'x3' panel door which has been around for years some students say. Well, the kids currently living there of course posted pictures on facebook about it, and according to KSC, some student or RA told the authorities at KSC about the pictures, knowing they were underage. Some were kicked out of dorms for the rest of their career at Keene, some just cannot live in suits.

Once again, facebook is the reason someone got in trouble. Knowng that facebook can get you in trouble either at school or your job, or even prevent you from a career... why do people still do it? Why do they still post these pictures online and market themself for failure? Is it to feel cool, and fit in maybe?

Do you do this, and maybe if you do and you're under 21 you should change it. I also plan on deleting my facebook when I graduate college. This way you can make a new one where you will not be tagged in all of those embarrassing pictures, and you can just be friends with the people that matter.

You think I'm totally crazy, or do you agree with me?

Case Study

John Smith owns a small marketing research firm in Cleveland, Ohio, which employs 75 people. Most employees are the sole breadwinners in their families. John’s firm has not fared well for past two years and is on the verge of bankruptcy. The company recently surveyed more than 2,000 people in Ohio about new care purchase plans for the Ohio Department of Economic Development. Because the study identified many hot prospects for new cars, a car dealer has offered John $8,000 for the names and phone numbers of people saying they are “likely” or “very likely” to buy a new car within the next 12 months. John needs the money to avoid laying off a number of employees.

Should John sell these names because he is in dire need of money?

I personally think that John should not sell these names. Although he is in dire need of money, what he would be doing is very unethical and morally incorrect. He would be giving a very bad reputation to his company if word leaked out of what he did if he did do it, and in turn could really hurt his business; if not put him out of a job. According to the AMA Statement of Ethics, it talks about loyalty and honesty to its customers, but more importantly as a company itself. By selling the names, that is not being loyal or honest at all, but being cheap and almost running a scam.

I am completely against John Smith doing this. This action is actually more common than people think in today's world that we live in, and I think it is so terrible and people that do it should be fined mass amounts of money to prevent it from continuously reoccurring.

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Artificial Intelligence

We watched this video in my Management Information Systems class last week about how far we have come in Artificial Intelligence. So far we have machines that are called at the level of expert systems. What this means is that they are programmed a setup of basic rules and knowledge, and then based on certain scenarios they make their own decisions. So although they are making their own decisions, they aren't quite thinking on their own because they are still working based off how they are programmed.

From here they talked about the future. In the future, not so far away, they think they will be developing technology of having robots think for themselves. Now, they are marketing about this in regards that there is a great fear that once the bots think for themselves, just like in all the futuristic science fiction movies, they could turn against the humans. Now, I felt that this was very prominent and morally strong of this company to come out and discuss this fear and how they are trying and spending billions of dollars alone just on this aspect in preventing it from ever happening.

Do you think we will eventually have robots that can think on their own? If so, do you think that they will turn against us at one point, just like in say the movie iRobot? Me personally, I think we will have these robots and at some point they will turn against us.

response to sam's ipad post

Sam asked the question if the new ipad is going to be a big hit or a bust. From the beginning I never really thought the ipad was going to be as big as expected, and so far it is turning out just the way I planned it too. Sure, when it first came out a lot of people were talking about it around campus... and now I don't hear it mentioned ever. If you really think about what an ipad does, it's basically a laptop but flat with no tilt screen. Imagine using your laptop but looking flat, it really would make life quite difficult. Now, the cheapest ipad is $500 (they have different versions based on size and if it is just wifi or you sign up for att's 3g internet). They sell laptops for $500, less for a matter of fact. If you want the apple macbook, you can get it for $1000. Sure $1000 is double $500, but if you really think about it, it really would be worth it. I really feel like althoug the ipad is a cool idea, I think it is a little on the pricey side, and just the only people that would really want them already have itouches or iphones, and macbooks (the true apple customers who have it all) probably realize they don't need the ipad.

Did you guys also expect it to not be such a big hit?

Advertising cost money

I didn't really know what to title this post, so I made it pretty general. I went to Mt. Sunapee today and while inside the lodge I noticed there was a big Under Armor sign in the window of the ski shop inside. The first thing that crossed my mind was how much money is Under Armor paying just for that meaningless sign there. Then I wondered if having that sign there really generates people to go in and buy Under Armor apparel. If I am going skiing, I am not going just to go shopping at the overpriced ski store. If I needed something desperately for that day then sure I would buy it, but knowing it was Under Armor wouldn't change my mind. Then it makes you think, since Mt. Sunapee has a good product, a well-respected mountain, Under Armor was interested in having their product sold there. So, not only is Mt. Sunapee successful financially with their own accomplishments, they also are paid by other companies to let them advertise at their mountain. So, it really does pay to be successful. Do you agree that people want to advertise where there is success?

In response to Doug's post about e-marketing

E-marketing is definitely taking over the world. It first started off with everyone getting one computer per household. Then it went to another, and another. Then every class room got a computer, and then computer labs per school, then per wing. Then more recently, people are now using phones for the internet. So, if the internet is so easily acceptable, of course marketing is going to be done on it.

E-marketing is huge, there is no other way to put it. Big companies pay websites to let them post their name on the site, for instance google makes all the money strictly on advertisements and people paying to have their names high up on the search list. Although advertising is huge, I feel like the reviews are a big part that is overlooked in these regards.

There are many websites out there that give reviews on products, what the people, us, the customers have to say that buy the product. If I want to know if something is good, what better what way than to see someone that already bought the product feels about it. For instance, when I am looking to buy an electronic item, especially cell phones, I go on www.cnet.com. They have workers that their job is to test products, give reviews and ratings, and also tell you how to use the product, and for an example with a phone, they tell you the features it has and who best to use it. So if there is a business phone for example like a blackberry, it will tell you this is mainly for a businessman, and tell you all the neat stuff it can do.

Of course reviews is marketing and advertising, because if it is a good review, it is good marketing of the product. The good thing about good reviews for companies is it is free advertising. What I mean by this is blackberry isn't paying cnet to give a good review, or tell it's customers how to use the phone, but they are...for free. This is similar to clothing companies. When someone wears an Abercrombie t-shirt, they are advertising Abercrombie and Fitch, just like when I wear a Boston Celtics jersey I am marketing for the Celtics.

Before I buy something, I always go online and read reviews, to see what people have to say. Even if I read a bad review though, it may not stop me from buying it. Do you also do this?

Toyota still trying to sell

I find it quite interesting that if you go on Toyota's homepage, the first thing you see is an ad for a new car. And the recall is on the bottom left, and the color of the box is red. The reason I am telling you that the color is red is because symmetrically on the other side is another red sox talking about special shopping offers. So they really didn't make this recall their number one priority on the web site, rather their brand new Sienna minivan or whatever car they decide to put on the site. I think Toyota really shouldn't have tried to cover this up, and now that it is out, should be making it their number one action to make it easy, find the problem and a solution for that matter, and get this squared away so they can earn their solid reputation back.

I don't know if everyone remembers what happened to Tylenol back in the early 1980s. Someone was taking the pills out and putting poison in the bottles instead. Because back then there was no seal over the bottle so you could easily switch them without a problem. Now, when Tylenol found out about this, they made mass amounts of announcements via television and radio and newspaper (the internet wasn't really around for the general public at that point) saying throw away or turn in your Tylenol no matter what, all Tylenol. They didn't try to hide it, knowing how much it will cost them (that is why car companies try to hide recalls, they'd rather just pay off a few settlements to families than fix the problem), they actually cared about the lives of their customers. Now, they didn't turn around over night, but today Tylenol has grown into one of the biggest medicine producing companies in the world; and many think that it is because of how they handled their crisis situation.

Don't you think Toyota should have handled their situation similar to Tylenol? Although I do think Toyota will get through this and eventually be back on top, I don't agree with anything they have done in regards to handling this awful dilemma. Do you think Toyota will get through this?

Response to Connar

Connar asked the question if companies change their ways in once not being environmentally friendly to becoming environmentally friendly, if this will help them in the long run. I definitely think that yes it will help them. Although I will not lie and say I am not one that believes in one person can make a difference, but if a bunch of "one persons" add up to a lot, then it can make a difference. And so yes it does literally have to start with one person, but it needs to be a mass amount to really make a difference... So yes by changing to going green will be a great move for a company. Especially in times like this, people think a lot higher of green companies. So maybe it will cost you a little more to convert your company green, but it will increase your sales because people will want your product knowing you are green, and it will also increase your respect and company name.

Don't you agree that your company reputation and brand name is worth spending a little more money?

Environmentalism: Hybrid cars

Hybrid cars have been a great impact on many parts of our society the past decade. The marketing of hybrid cars has been very good, with the help of the government, but it has slowly gone down. When hybrid cars first came out, the government offered tax returns of about $2,000 the first year of purchase, depending on the model they ranged from $1,500 to $2,000. Over the years the incentives have gone down to the point where most cars get little to nothing in regards of a tax return. Hybrid cars are still marketed by companies that you are saving a lot on gas money because they get much better gas mileage compared to normal gas-powered cars. But, it's funny because I have done the math out, and while factoring in how much more you are paying for the car, roughly about $8,000 varying by model, you actually have to drive the car about ten years until you even break even. There also is a problem with hybrid cars where after about six to eight years the battery dies and you need a new one, which of course isn't covered by most warranties. This battery is another $8,000, so breaking even if pretty much out of the question.

I am not against hybrid cars by any means, I just feel like they are marketing with misleading information. You are not really saving money, if anything you may break even at the end but you may be losing money also. I think that is hybrid cars were the same price as a normal gas-powered car, then everyone would be a lot better off and there would be a lot more proportionately on the road. I think the only way this will happen any time soon will be if the government gives not only a tax return again, but a lot better one so it evens out to break even before you leave the lot. I'm sure eventually there will only be hybrid cars offered from dealerships but that is probably sixty or so years away, so until then they government should offer full tax returns to compensate so can we really make a difference.

Do you guys agree with me, or am I talking crazy talk?

In Response to Meghan's post

A fellow peer of mine Meghan Hardy made a similar post to my original about the 4 P's in marketing. She ended her post with a question asking "what do you think the most important P is?" when dealing with looking for a job. Although such a simple question, it is much harder than you first expect if you really consider everything that comes into play. Again, I must decide, and I am going with Price. Although the location, your chance of advancement, and what the job is itself is all extremely important; price has the biggest and largest role in effect. When thinking about price, it has to do with the Promotion because job advancement means more money. It also has to deal with Place because depending on the location of the job factors into if the salary and commute is worth it or not. Lastly, it has to do with Product because if it is a good company or not will let you know if you expect to actually get your paychecks, and if you have job security or not. So, price is really a summary of the 4 P's in marketing. It is very important, and without price you cannot really make a solid decision on taking the job or not.

Do you think Price is the most important factor?

Marketing 4 P's and your career

When looking for a job, the Marketing Principle 4 P's can very well relate to the process. For example, the first P, Product, is the person looking for the job.

The second P on the list is Place. Place is this case would be the location of the job I will be working at. Is it in walking distance of my place of residence? Maybe not walking distance but can I talk public transportation, or will I have to drive. If I do have to drive, is it in a reasonable distance for me to commute there in regards to traffic and distance, etc... If the job is too far for me to drive to, would it be worth it to me to move closer, that all depends on the opportunity cost pros and cons.

The third P on the list is Promotion. Promotion comes into play when dealing with the advertising of the company itself. Is this a good company, are there a lot of customers? Is it a start-up company; and if so, will I be laid off if the company goes bad. Is there a chance of the company going bad, or does it have a good chance of being good. When hired, am I given stock options for when the company if the company does go public? As long as all of these look good, then the company seems like a sure bet, and you will get paid on time and keep your job and hopefully advance up the ladder of management.

The last P on the list is Price. Price has to do with your weekly or bi weekly paycheck, and that alone. Is the pay enough for me when considering all my expenses. Rent, food, entertainment, loans, the distance of transportation, and of course saving. Depending if it is your first job or not, that changes everything. If it is your first job right out of college, you cannot really expect to meet all of these requirements as you are lacking a huge factor, that being experience. You must assume that getting the experience in the long run helps you greatly. The last thing you have to put into play is benefits. Say your goal was to make $45,000 per year, but you are only making $38,000 per year; but you have an awesome full benefits plan. If you were making $45,000 a year with no benefits, overall you would be making probably equal to if not less than $38,000 depending on your situation.

Do you agree that considering a benefits plan is a huge factor when thinking about price, especially in todays time with the economic depression and many jobs are cutting benefit plans out of salaries because they can get away with it? Do you think morally and ethically that is fair of them, because they can get away with it?