Louis XIV :: essays research papers

Louis XIV Greed is defined in the dictionary as selfish and grasping desire for possession; especially of wealth. It is also described as a noun. This definition can be directly related and best describes Louis XIV, the king of France in the sixteen hundreds. The effects of greed destroying peoples lives can be seen in the beginning of Louis XIV’s reign, during his reign, and after his reign had ended Louis XIV inherited the throne in 1643 when he was only five (Cairns 103). From the moment he entered power and his reign began he had greedy intentions and enormous ideas of divine rule (Cairns 112). In 1661, Louis chief advisor Cardinal Jules Mazarin died and Louis then decided that he would be the only ruler of France (Spielvagel 1). Louis once expressed, â€Å"It is now time that I govern them myself. I request and order you to seal no orders except my command,†¦ I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport†¦ without my command; to render account to me personally each day and to favor no one† (Spielvagel 1). This quote reveals Louis’s desire to have power over everything and control everyone around him. Louis used the sun as his symbol of power. He often quoted, â€Å"I am the state† (Cairns 35). Exposed in this quote is Louis mindset that he had all power. Using the sun as his symbol of power enforced his belief that he was the center of a ll things. Author of â€Å"Court Described by Duc De Saint Simon,† Elena Steingrad, stated the following when referring to King Louis’s life, â€Å"†¦ he compelled his courtiers to live beyond their income, and gradually reduced then to depend on his bounty for the means of subsistence. This was a plague which became a scourge to the whole country†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (4). The quote shows Louis’ greedy intentions, which eventually led to widespread confusion and an economic drop to the country of France (Steingrad 4). Louis XIV in the beginning of his reign was starting to show signs of his enormous, greedy intentions and his belief in divine rule. It was the start of his reign that France began to slowly crumble. In the beginning of Louis XIV’s reign he made an enormous decision, which revealed his greed for his own personal needs. The Palace of Versailles that he had constructed in 1682 is an excellent symbol of Louis over usage of the country’s money on himself.

Preference of Foreign Brands amongst Chinese People

The acceptance of products of foreign origin by Chinese consumers is with a genuine enthusiasm and due to various seasons: better quality, good reputation, greater diversity of choice, more attractive appearance, a feeling of liberty, new arrivals and so on. During the recent period everything that has a foreign name had to be of good quality, high price, and all those who consumed these products were regarded as rich and refined. This research paper consists of four main parts. Initially, we believe it is necessary to present the evolution of foreign brands in China, which allows us to have an overview of the context of our research.The second part will be devoted to the presentation of he conceptual framework of the issue of foreign brands. Then, we will trace the development of consumption in China. Last but not least, we propose, from all our lectures, methods of the research to solve our problem. We will conclude with the presentation of the contributions of our research and con sidered future developments. BODY 1 . The evolution of the foreign brands in China The Chinese economy was characterized by shortages, due to insufficient domestic production before the year 1979 (Guy, 2005).Indeed, during the Cultural Revolution (1968-1978), ‘ration tickets' have been distributed to buy products in China. Obviously, it was impossible for the Chinese to make a choice among competing brands. After 1979, a reform and opening policy to engage fully in building a modern economy allowed all industrial sectors to experience prodigious growth. At that time, many foreign companies have failed to penetrate because of their lack of knowledge of the Chinese market and local habits, but foreign brands remained very attractive for Chinese. However, the price of foreign products was so high that average employees could not afford them.In 1990, many Chinese have expressed a genuine enthusiasm or foreign products, from car to food and clothing. By purchasing a product that be ars a worldly famous name, Chinese consumer achieved a part of their dream. Some even saved intentionally to be able to buy foreign products. With the deepening of reform and opening up the economy and improving the investment environment, especially with its entry to WTFO, the enormous Chinese market has attracted more and more foreign products in China, and attracts more foreign companies coming to invest.The number of applications for registration and trademark registrations is increasing, so is their proportion in the annual applications compared to all existing brands. In 1982, applications for registration of foreign brands accounted for 8. 4% with 1 565 applications. In 2002, one year after the formal accession of China to the WTFO, they increased by 25. 2% over the previous year to reach the number of 50 902, which stood 13. 7% of applications. Before 1979, only 20 foreign countries and territories had registered trademarks in China, for a total of 5130 recordings.At the end of 2003, the number of countries and territories reached 129 and the number of registrations was 361 795, as 71 times more. The proportion of the cumulative number of foreign trademarks registered in relation to the total rose from 15. 7% in 1979 to 18. 3% in 2003, representing a growth of nearly three points (1). At the same time, Chinese consumers like foreign products because they demonstrate a higher life quality. Thus, some foreign products with special character are still quite requested.For example, European or American clothing are still in vogue, and very high-end foreign products are the new trends in consumption in China. According to a study cited recently by the Financial Times, China is the third oral market for luxury products with annual sales of two billion dollars and growth prospects annual 20% until 2008 and 10% up in 2015 (9). The influence of foreign brands on consumer behavior is a hot topic. It is first studied in the literature in terms of brand strategy to be adopted by enterprises (non- domestic customers).Motormen & Sharking (1998, (10) have noted three main points to understand: 1 . How consumers in each country consider the choice of brands, 2. How they evaluate them, 3. The different needs that drive their purchasing decision. In a context of globalization of markets, there are many studies about the alternatives f a marketing strategy, standardized or localized, which derives the question of a branding strategy standardized (global) vs. brand adapted (Seafarer, 2002 (5) , Roth, 1992 (1 1), and 1995 (12)).Research shows that it is important to identify potential obstacles, for example, some national characteristics, in the process of developing a global brand. Before looking at the value of a particular brand in a given market, it is also necessary to know the predisposition with which consumers of this market consider the brand in general, and then this brand in particular. 2. The concept of country of origin and its effects on consumer behavior Indeed, much has been said and written about the role of country of origin on the perception, evaluation and choice of foreign products.However, the effect of origin on brand has rarely been studied, and only in recent years it becomes an interesting subject for the researchers, with the rise of a movement that believes that the congruence between these two variables is more important than their effects taken separately (Airier and Fort, 2005). Our research intends to adopt this congruence approach to better understand the symbolic value and the practical value of the country of origin in the perception of foreign brand by Chinese consumers. There are a smaller number of researches studying the problem of countries of origin in the context of developing countries.Bator & AAA. (2000 (3)) showed that consumers in these countries perceive the country of origin as a factor indicating not only quality but also social values symbolic, and they give preference to tradema rk ‘non-local † compared to local brands. However, these proposals were rarely tested by empirical work. The study of Bator & AAA. 2000) among Indian consumers is an important reference on this point. Their results showed that consumers in developing countries have a more favorable attitude towards brands perceived as non-local, and for reasons that go beyond evaluating the quality of the brand.According to the authors, non-local brands are regarded as symbols of prestige, at least by certain categories of consumers and for categories of products with high symbolic value. These consumers are identified as those with a high degree of standard setting influence, one of the main influences that a reference group has on n individual. This group admires the lifestyles of economically developed countries. It is interesting to note that the brands are generally presented as non-local and non- associated with a given country, as in other more conventional research on the effect of country of origin. In sum, the study Bator & AAA. Mongo consumers in India provides us with the first clues for further research on the perception of foreign brand by consumers in developing countries. In this research, an interesting feature of Chinese consumers towards foreign brands in a society in transition is explored. Basing on this literature review and its limitations, we can assume that cultural orientation can influence consumer attitudes towards foreign brand in a positive way. Cultural values are considered as determinants of attitudes and behaviors and provide a more stable and domestic-oriented consumers (Kumara and Novak, 1992 (5)). . The Chinese culture and consumption of foreign brand 3. 1 The traditional Chinese culture and consumption of foreign brand The presentation of some of these principles will help us gain a better understanding of the behaviors of Chinese people. Some elements or values are respected, promoted and implemented in everyday life, includin g how to choose a brand. The features are introduced below: -The first feature of Chinese society is the collective nature The Chinese will adhere more easily to the standards of group than people in individualistic societies.An essential element in Western culture and consumer behavior, the desire to distinguish themselves, is also in China. It assumes a difference as a member of one group over another group, while respecting individual standards of his group. We therefore believe that the consumption of the product of reign origin is rather symbolic other than utilitarian to correspond to social status. Imitation is also a behavior used for identification as a member of the group. Moreover, it is obvious that luxury products are well sold in China in recent years.This means that the brand is in the process of buying decision because it meets the needs of good social status than personal needs (Guy, 2005). -The second characteristic feature is the concept of social interaction The relationship of trust leads the development of interpersonal relationships that underpin the functioning of many Chinese. The behaviors of Chinese consumers are more easily influenced by the existing trust between people who have a good personal relationship.It is assumed that the recommendations and comments from others play a very important role in the choice of brand. The Chinese consumers tend to regard the brand as part of their social life and their relationships to others. The exchange of gifts is considered as the most direct and most visible to cultivate social interaction. The way a person respects and implements the complex rules of gifts exchange is an essential element in assessing the social position of that person. For example, luxury products and international brands that can be gifts are well sold in China in recent years. The third feature is the concept of self-esteem In Chinese tradition, the concept of elf-esteem refers to the obligation of reciprocity. It is im portant to give oneself a positive image, reflecting his role, his status and is in line with the traits that respect his group membership†¦ Len view of the higher price and ostentatious function of the international brand compared to the local brand, consumers choose brands which is best known locally and do not want to take the sis of spending money for these brands anonymous on the market (Lu, 2004 (8)).The reputation of the brand foreign in domestic market is required for the reason of saving face. 3. 2 The modern Chinese culture and consumption of foreign brand The attitudes towards international brands of Chinese consumers are influenced by modern Chinese culture as well as traditional one. Specifically, modernity, youth, success and wealth allow Chinese consumers to pay greater importance to the brand, to develop a preference for foreign brands since it itself can constitute a social and symbolic universe (Lenitive and London, 1997 (7)).Modern consumers have more ways, c onsume more symbolically; they look for products with brand, either for their good quality or value for signs of the brand through research statute. Western Life influences consumer behavior of young Chinese. The admiration of the quality of life of developed countries exerts a positive influence on the attitude towards foreign brands. The relationship of Chinese consumers with foreign brands, which includes several aspects, manifests itself in a more or less depending on different social backgrounds, different categories of people.Elements such as age, sex, education level, and the tankard of living†¦ Certainly seem to influence the perception of foreign brands. A global study published by Accentuate shows that to attract Chinese consumers increasingly sensitive to foreign brands, companies must adjust their marketing strategies to the preferences of three categories of clientele. So the â€Å"golden youth†, I. E. Young urban graduates, mostly women, who have a high sta ndard of living and significant interest to the foreign brands is the first category with the most potential.According to the study, consumers in this class are two times more likely than others to only to buy new brands (28% against 14% maximum for others), but also to be the first to test (43% against 32% maximum). The other two categories are, on the one hand, â€Å"ambitious†, young people who are sensitive to brands and covet the latest and best products, but whose incomes do not allow them to realize their dreams. On the other hand, â€Å"high income†, who are also looking for exclusive products at the cutting edge of technology, but unlike the former, deserve the brands (14). 4. Guidelines for the management of foreign brands in China – Practical ValueNumerous studies on the problem of country of origin are interested in the influence of this concept on consumer preferences, and more specifically, preferences for foreign products or domestic products. The research in this field has highlighted a trend among consumers in developing countries to prefer foreign products to domestic products because of the superiority of foreign products in terms of quality. Long accustomed to basic products and very poor quality, Chinese consumers welcome these products of foreign origin with an enthusiasm, which may explain a better quality of these products.We therefore believe that the greater the perceived quality gap between the local brands and foreign brands is, the more Chinese consumers are sensitive to foreign brands. – Symbolic Value The importance of symbolic value tends to increase when society evolves socio economically from a low level to a higher level (Supplely and GarГÃ'‘enough, 2003 (13)). The Chinese consumers today are looking for brands capable of performing not only utilities functions but also symbolic functions and give them greater importance.The value of symbols and social standards of Chinese culture invites us to assume that it esters the perception of foreign brands by Chinese consumers. We also assume that the differences of the perceived symbolic value between local and foreign brands exert a positive influence on the perception of foreign brands. 4. 2 Perception of foreign brands – Integration of foreign brands in the Chinese culture The Chinese cultural characteristics influence the behavior of Chinese consumers.More precisely, Confucianism (the collective nature, the concept of social interaction, the notion of the self-esteem and modern Chinese culture exert a positive influence on the perception of foreign brand. Segmentation of the Chinese market In addition to the cultural differences that characterize Chinese consumers, their attitudes and behaviors appear closely related to other factors such as age, sex, education level, the standard of living†¦ Indeed, the evolution of the perception of foreign brand in China takes place at a very rapid pace.This can create signi ficant differences between groups of people more or less susceptible to the effects of opening up the country, for example, between cities and rural areas, between generations†¦ For the foreign firm, it is essential to find segments of Chinese nonusers who are more sensitive to brands. – The impact of competition China is entering a new phase of its economic development during which the foreign brands are no longer in the same position visit-Г-visit the Chinese consumers. The local competition may exert a negative influence on the perception of foreign brands.The Chinese brands have made progresses and become competitors for certain foreign brands. Faced with the improving quality of domestic products and the maturity of Chinese consumers, foreign companies must understand the symbolism of consumption that is implanted in the mind of Chinese consumers as a fundamental element of Chinese culture. In summary, the situation of foreign brands in China and Chinese consume r behavior visit-Г-visit foreign brands are discussed in this paper. The Chinese preference to foreign products seems to be an interesting feature in a society in transition to consumerism.The phenomenon of foreign brands in China appears somewhat different from what is often addressed in research in marketing, because of the complexity of the market situation and cultural characteristics of today's Chinese society and consumer behavior, closely related to the combined experience of generations of Chinese. Together with globalization and integration of markets, foreign investors wishing to work in China have to be aware of this reality. To have a good strategy of building brand image, it is important to understand the symbolic values of prestige required by the Chinese.To attract Chinese consumers, our study suggests several options: to highlight differences in terms of product quality and in terms of the symbolic value of brands; to strengthen orientation to Confucianism and to the theme of modernity and youth linked to consumption; to emphasize the importance of segmentation for the Chinese market; to emphasize the difference in hooch between categories of products with high symbolic value and low symbolic value and at last to identify new constraints imposed by local competition.Finally, we hope that this study makes a contribution to knowledge about the management of the brand in general and on the issue of foreign brands in the Chinese market in particular.

Childhood Obesity Among America s Children - 2074 Words

Childhood Obesity This essay inspects the segments of a communication campaign intended for the activity of the prevention of childhood obesity. It investigates techniques to achieve an intended interest group with a specific end goal to actualize change and support the activity proposed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Since the 1980s, obesity among America s children has just about tripled (Sarring, 2013). It is clear that childhood obesity is a developing pestilence in America. Obesity in childhood causes an extensive variety of genuine entanglements, and builds the danger of untimely disease and demise further down the road, raising open wellbeing concerns (Ebbeling, 2002). The Center for Disease Control is an essential hotspot for creating protection measures to plagues, for example, childhood obesity. The expanding predominance of childhood obesity through the United States has headed approach creators to rank it as a basic open wellbeing danger (Koplan, 2005). To help the Center for Disease Control in its drive a communication plan has been built to complete its mission of advertising wellbeing and forestalling disease. The objective of the arrangement is to give information in regards to counteractive action, recommendations mediation projects, support in bringing awareness, advertise solid living, and publicizing the impacts of childhood obesity. The underlying objective of the Center for Disease Control should be to furnish the gathering of people withShow MoreRelatedPrevalence Of Overweight And Obesity Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pagesoverweight/obesity among parents of children entering childhood obesity treatment and to evaluate changes in the parents’ weight during their child’s treatment (Trier, 2016). The study included the parents of 1,125 children and adolescents (aged 3-22) who were enrolled in a children obesity treatment program. They began by taking the heights and weights of the children and the BMI scores were calculated. After 2.5 years of treatment, the mean weight was taking from the parents of 664 children. The resultsRead MoreObesity : The Growing Pain1566 Words   |  7 PagesApril 10, 2015 Obesity: The Growing Pain in America Nowadays, people eat out a lot and not from a healthier perspective and food choice but from fast food restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King and among many others. Initially this was not so as parents found any time necessary to make meals at home rather than purchase any food at all which they considered to be the â€Å"last resort†. What has caused the increasing rate of childhood obesity in the past few decades? Obesity in children has become oneRead MoreChildhood Obesity : The Overbearing Truth1664 Words   |  7 PagesJayden Sadettan Schlesinger English 131 November 22nd 2015 Childhood Obesity; the Overbearing Truth. â€Å"Childhood obesity is best tackled at home through improved parental involvement, increased physical exercise, better diet and restraint from eating† – Bob Filner Imagine growing up in a household where one can eat anything. Whether an unlimited amount of sweets or entrees. This is happening now. Parents are unaware of their children eating and physical habits. Leading to the whopping amount of $190Read MoreChildhood Obesity : A Developing Problem1197 Words   |  5 PagesObesity in America is a developing problem, and not just in adults. Today, one in three American children and teens are either overweight or obese; almost triple the rate previously in 1963. Child obesity has expeditiously become one of the most genuine health challenges of the 21st century (â€Å"10 Surprising Facts About Childhood Obesity†). Physical inactivity, race, junk food in schools, the mass media, and the child’s parents flaws are all factors that have resulted in the prevalence of childhoodRead MoreThe Role Of The Government On Childhood Obesity Essay1321 Words   |  6 PagesGovernment in Preventing Childhood Obesity Specific Purpose Statement: To invite my audience to determine the role of the government in preventing childhood obesity. Thesis: With the number of obese children increasing, the government has to step in to reduce this number, but there are people who argue that it is not the government’s role to intervene in the way people raise their children. Introduction I. Attention Getter: According to healthiergeneration.org â€Å"1 in 3 children are overweight or obeseRead MoreObesity : Obesity And Obesity1554 Words   |  7 Pages2016 Obesity in America What is obesity? Obesity simply means to be overweight. There are 4 classifications of weight; underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese. Doctors classify the different types of weight by Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI measures body fat based on height and weight. Many people think that they are not overweight. But America has a very high percentage of obese people. America is the number one leading country of obesity. There are more obese children in America thanRead MoreThe Effects Of Processed Food On Obesity1490 Words   |  6 Pages The Effects of Processed Food on Obesity Larry Liu Westview High School Everyday in America the average citizen consumes three to five pounds of food each day (Andrew). The question is â€Å"What exactly are they eating?† The most common food an American consumes is processed food. At least 70 percent of our calories we intake come from processed foods (Warner, 2013, XV). Yes, processed foods are convenient. However, people tend to overlook how much sugar, sodium, and chemicals are inRead MoreThe Extraordinary Science Of Addictive Junk Food1248 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the biggest medical issues in America today is childhood obesity. A child is considered obese if that child is above the normal weight for their age and height. Childhood obesity is a â€Å"national epidemic† problem in America that needs major attention. In the article,†The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food,† by Michael Moss he acknowledges that â€Å"Among children, the rates had more than doubled since 1980, and the number of kids considered ob ese had shot past 12 million†(473). Moss’sRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity In America. Childhood1080 Words   |  5 PagesThe Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity In America Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that is affecting children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height and can result in serious medical conditions. The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased significantly over the past ten years. Childhood diabetes has been on the rise since the early 90’s and continues to rise. In the article, â€Å"Don’t Blame the Eater† David ZinczenkoRead MoreAre We Taking It Too Far by Blaming Fast Food Restaurant for Obesity?1285 Words   |  6 PagesAre we taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurant for obesity? Although throughout the years many people have claimed that obesity is a genetic disorder for the most part; results of recent studies strongly indicate that lifestyles rather than genetics are what are causing an obese society, because people choose to not exercise, not watch their diet, and eat fast food. For the past few decades, food companies had aimed their marketing at single meals, pushing to inflate portion sizes. That