Exploring Customer Attitude Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Exploring Customer Attitude - Essay Example The pilot study will be undertaken to capture the attitude of a convenient sample in and around Hertfordshire, where Playful Times Toys which will be representative of the companies population. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques will be used. In the qualitative categories, in depth interviews of about 25 existing channel partners of the acquired company will be undertaken using the semi-structured interview technique. In the quantitative category, questionnaires will be administered both physically and using internet to about 500 potential customers comprising parents and grandparents of kids. The qualitative data will be analysed using subjective, interpretative techniques. The quantitative data will be analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques such as hypothesis testing, Chi-square testing, analysis of variance, correlational studies, and regression analysis. Subsequently conclusions will be drawn and recommendations will be made. 2. Introduct ion 2.1 Background Playful Times Toys’ decision to move away from the electronic toy market to traditional wooden toy market and consequent acquisition of a company that specialised in production of traditional wooden toys necessitated a market research to develop suitable promotional programme aimed at the potential customers in the wooden toys market. The research is significant for Playful Times Toys as the acquired company specialised in production of wooden building blocks, farmyard animals, train sets, and other vehicles for children aged 2-10. The company marketed these products on the basis of their perceived educational value. Playful Times Toys intention to develop promotional programmes aimed at the parents and grandparents customer segment signs a departure from its own and that of the acquired company’s marketing experience and infrastructure. 2.2 Overview of toy market Toy market is dependent on two factors (1) the number of children, and (2) gross domest ic product (GDP), which would enable to purchase. Usually toy products are categorised under 11 categories as (1) action figures & accessories; (2) arts & crafts; (3) building sets; (4) dolls; (5) games & puzzles; (6) infant/preschool toys; (7) youth electronics; (8) outdoor & sports toys; (9) plush; (10) vehicles; and (11) all other toys. World’s toy market can be divided into two categories (1) 0 to 14 years old, and (2) 15 + years based on based on the GDP/Inhabitant. 2.2.1 Top toy markets of the world In 2007, European region was the largest market with 32 per cent market share, closely followed by North American region with 31 per cent market share, while the Asiatic region accounted for 24 per cent market share. Latin America and the Caribbean markets accounted for 7 per cent, African region 4 per cent and the Oceania accounted for 2 per cent of the global market share. However, by the end of 2008, the Asiatic market grew by three per cent whereas both North American an d European markets registered decline. Latin American and the Caribbean markets grew by 1 per cent. The composition of world toy market by region is placed in the figure below. Figure 1: World toy market by region – 2008 Source: Guinaudeau, P., 2009. Toy Markets in the World. [Online] The NPD Group (2009 Edition) Available

The Effect of Ethnicity on Our Perception of the World around Us Essay

The Effect of Ethnicity on Our Perception of the World around Us - Essay Example It is therefore fair to say that physical matters aside, none of us are unique in our traits or qualities either. We are the result of the biases and perception of each one of those persons, collected into one big trend, and transmitted into us, which we will in turn transmit to another human. These biases and perceptions in turn affect the biases and perceptions of other such collective individuals, which we come to know as races. As a result, we find it an endless cycle, where our race affects our identity, and our perception of the world around us, and therefore the actions we take in that world. This in turn cements our identity and develops those traits that are the characteristic of our race, and in turn restarting the cycle. The effect of race or ethnicity on our identity and thereby perception of the world around is a theme explored in many of the stories and poems in Sherman Alexie's book, War Dances. As a Native-American himself, he drew out on many of his own experiences o f that fact and incorporated them into providing a personal insight into the unique stories and poems. There are many examples of this in the very first story, Breaking and Entering, where the protagonist of the story finds himself in a fix for killing a young African-American who attempted to break into his house. The effect of ethnicity upon perception is overwhelmingly prevalent throughout the story. For example, when the young man breaks into his house, the protagonist immediately assumes danger. As it is written, 'I didn't think, there's a black teenager stealing from me. I only remembered being afraid and wanting my fear to go away (Alexie, 2009, page10).' Did it make sense to be afraid of a 17 year old boy, who was stealing DVDs from the television rack? The protagonist himself states that he could not have been sure he had been breaking in with the intent to harm. He states that he had no reason to get violent and protective. Not only was his family out of town and therefore there being no one to protect, but also because the young man seemed to pose no certain threat. He had no weapons, he was not being violent. In fact, he entered the house only after making certain, in his view, that there was nobody home. Why then, would it make sense to harm him? Because as the author said, he was afraid. Perhaps if he had been in a white neighborhood and a black teenager had broken in he would have had the sense to talk to the boy. But being white in a prevalently black neighborhood might have played a subconscious role in the man's being afraid, even though it did not consciously cross his mind. Furthermore, when the protagonist ends up killing the boy and investigation is conducted into the crime, he is not charged guilty with anything, as it was a crime of self-defense. This fact, the fact that in their eyes, a white man was acquitted of the murder of a black man, makes it a matter of injustice and inequality in the eyes of the black boy's family. Would a prot est have been conducted if a white man was held innocent in the death of a white boy, under the assumption and likelihood of self-defense? It is unlikely that every death that occurs under the self-defense notion is met with protests, as the law would undoubtedly have been changed if it was. But this murder, because it seemed that a white man, living in a black neighborhood was allowed to walk free, after the death of a 17 year old boy who had no weapons, no criminal record, no intent to