Biblical Writing Paul And Sexuality Essay - 1665 Words

Paul and Sexuality Biblical writing tends to have strict laws about sex and sexuality and how it was expressed and universally accepted. The Pauline Epistles, or Paul’s views, had unique views on sex because he completely distrusted gender as a whole and because he believed that there would be an apocalypse. Many of Paul’s ideas were widely accepted back than because they explained may things that people could not, for instance it explains homosexuality. Today, the laws are seen differently and in some cases interpreted much more literally than they were back then. It is likely that ideas have changed either because people have become more understanding and accepting of others or because we no longer view sex and sexuality as a thing to be ashamed of. This new age of interpretation is seen in the way homosexuality is accepted today, submission of the wife to the husband in some religious dominations, and the ideal of marriage and its sexual implications. Generally, hom osexuality is known as sexual behaviors or attraction to members of the same sex or gender. Paul believed that this attraction was nothing but a myth, he did not think that it was natural or right for a man to be with a man or a woman to be with a woman. According to Paul, when â€Å"women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Romans 1:26-27; NRSV) since men needed sex and could notShow MoreRelatedMartins Argument On Homosexuality1526 Words   |  7 PagesIn recent years, Dale Martin has pioneered the idea that Paul did not, in fact, condemn the practice of homosexuality. Martin argues that Paul was too defamiliarized with the notion of â€Å"homosexuality† to pass a judgement on it. Thus, the apostle was neither supporting it, condemning it, or even taking a neutral stance on it. Paul was, according to Martin, completely oblivious to the concept. While Martin’s case is admittedly compelling, I would assert two major flaws in his argument. TraditionallyRead MoreExamining Firsthand Accounts Of Early Christians982 Words   |  4 Pagestexts. As such, a greater significance has been placed on the seven unequivocal letters by Paul. These texts represent the earliest of all Christian writings in existence. Yale s Professor of Biblical Studies, Wayne Meeks, suggests there are two characteristics that occasion these texts as decidedly fruitful for our social-historical inquiry. . In a literary style that loosely imitates the Markan sandwich, Paul moves quickly from the discourse of food - meat sacrificed for idols - to the conduct ofRead MoreFrank Wedekinds Spring Awakening And Atonement1568 Words   |  7 PagesFrank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening and Ian McEwan’s Atonement examine the notion that those who abuse power do so for personal gain. Through the use of themes such as: Power in sexuality, including notions of submission and dominance. Coming of age, regarding how children either don’t want to grow up, or contrastingly grow up too quickly. The power dichotomy between parents and children, contrasting children oppressed by their parents to those who act as a parental figure, and the use of guilt toRead MoreA Christian Approach to Homosexuality7265 Words   |  30 Pages 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I. BIBLE AND HOMOSEXUALITY 1. Biblical View of Sexuality 2. Old Testament on Homosexuality 2a. Stories of Sodom and Gibeah 2b. Levitical Texts 3. New Testament on Homosexuality 3a. Paul’s Statements in Romans 3b. Other Pauline Texts II. BIOLOGY AND HOMOSEXUALITY Read MoreA Great Debate Among The Christian And Biblical Society Essay2294 Words   |  10 PagesA great debate among the christian and biblical society is the nature of homosexuality. Many believe that it in all aspects in clearly sinful and will be condemned. My generation of millennials tends to believe that homosexuality is not a choice of the person but a affliction at birth just as much as heterosexuality is. That said with all the new discoveries about sexuality and sexual orientation being brought into the light so recently many are baffled on how to take in all this new informationRead MoreHomosexuality and God6017 Words   |  25 Pagesnot accurately represent all those to whom it referred. The initialism has become mainstream as a self-designation and has been adopted by the majority sexuality and gender identity-based community centers and media in the United States and some other English-speaking countries. The term LGBT is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures and is sometimes used to refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or cisgender instead of exclusively to people who areRead MoreEthical Principles Of Ethics And Corporate Ethics3491 Words   |  14 Pagesreligions and spiritual movements believe that their sacred texts are divinely or supernaturally revealed or inspire. Sacred People: People who are regarded with reverence The Ethic itself: Sexual ethics: Concern issues from all aspects of human sexuality, including human sexual behavior Human Reasoning: Generally refers to the human being s capacity to use logic and make judgments related to knowledge and ethics. (C) On approximately 2-3 pages (up to 750 words) you will need to outline the ethicalRead MoreReligious Homosexual Oppression4676 Words   |  19 Pagesconflict. As of 2003, the main areas of religious conflict are the origins of the universe, discipline of children through corporal punishment, and various human sexuality topics. Homosexuality is measurable and thus is a legitimate area for human sexuality researchers to study. They have generally concluded that adult human sexuality comes in three natural, normal, unchosen, and unchangeable orientations: • Heterosexuality: Most are sexually attracted to members of the opposite gender. • Homosexuality:Read MoreThe Bible Among The Myths3214 Words   |  13 PagesTheological Seminary, he went to Brandeis University. This is where his fascination with the subjects and Ideas of the ANE started to grow. Oswalt eventually went on to teach at Asbury Theological Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Wesley Biblical Seminary. In the beginning of the next paragraph Oswalt makes the attestation that while the information has stayed unaltered since the 1960s, the subject has changed. Researchers used to accept that the Old Testament was remarkable among alternateRead More New Testament Synopsis Essay2205 Words   |  9 Pagesletters to the early churches were written to assist God’s people in navigating life; providing instruction so that we may live in a way that is pleasing to our Savior and Lord, while we are actively awaiting His glorious return . While the Apostle Paul was in Corinth (ca. A.D. 57), he sent a letter in which greets at least twenty-six people by name and describes his plans to visit then in Rome, desiring their assistance with his upcoming mission trip to Spain. Romans was a letter to the church in

The Media Violence And Aggression - 1069 Words

Living in a world full of crime and violence, people begin to wonder what the cause of the violence is and how it can then be prevented. Unfortunately, there is not a single root cause that can be found when people attempt to decipher why children are deciding to bring guns to school and murder their peers. Some may believe that it was influenced by being exposed to a hostile family, violent films, or gory video games. Although sometimes this might be the case, a lot of the time it is not as black and white, making this topic very difficult to analyze and understand. Both Jonathan L. Freedman in â€Å"Villain or Scapegoat? Media Violence and Aggression† and L Rowell Huesmann and Laramie D. Taylor in â€Å"The Role of Media Violence in Violent†¦show more content†¦Huesmann and Taylor then begin to define violence in its various forms and stages. This seemed to be slightly redundant and useless information since it is obvious and is not specific to the topic in questio n. The authors then begin to obtain the reader’s attention as they begin to describe the issue faced by the youth having unlimited access to violence on television. A study done on children is then mentioned, where half of the group watches a violent movie and the other half a non-violent movie. The two groups of kids are then combined for a hockey game where levels of aggressive behavior are observed and compared. As expected, the research indicated that the kids who watched the violent movie demonstrated more violent behavior. The authors continue to point out the various influences that media violence is affecting the youth and studies that back up their arguments. Huesmann and Taylor then shift to another source of violent influence, videogames. The various ratings categories of video games, Everyone, Teen, and Mature, are mentioned and the fact that all three of them allow some sort of violence. It is mentioned that the Teen category consists of roughly 94% violent games which is astonishing. This turns out to become a major issue because of the amount of time that teenagers spend playing video games. The authors then mention studies that show that teenagers who play violent video games demonstratedShow MoreRelatedAggression and Violence in the Media Essay661 Words   |  3 PagesAssignment 2: Aggression and Violence in the Media Dr. Santiago Strayer University Social Psychology 110 May 30, 2015 1. Briefly describe at least one (1) episode of a television show in which you observed aggression or violence. Sons of Anarchy is a crime drama television series about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club in Charming, CA. In one episode, the mother of the president of the motorcycle club shows her aggression and violence towards her son’s wife. DuringRead MoreDoes Media Violence Cause Aggression in Children?2117 Words   |  9 PagesDoes Media Violence Cause Aggression in Children? Amber Holmberg Psych 204-01 March 23, 2011 The debate whether violence in the media increases aggression in children has been going on for decades. There have been hundreds of studies, experiments and articles supporting and opposing both sides of the argument. This essay is going to examine an article supporting and an article opposing the debate. The articles include â€Å"The Influence of Media Violence in Youth† which supports media violence causingRead MoreCorrelation Between Media Violence and Aggression Essay2342 Words   |  10 Pages The media in today’s society is very influential on children. There are many things that children at a very young age are learning, for example violence. Many children learn violent behavior and they become violent and aggressive children because they are exposed to so much mature content. Many parents are not aware of what their children are watching, and without knowing it, their children are raised by the media. Many television shows contain a lot of violence, for example kids fighting eachRead MoreMedia Violence And Its Effects1057 Words   |  5 Pages Media violence exposure has been investigated as a risk factor for aggression behavior for years. The impact of exposure to violence in the media the long term development and short term development of aggressive behavior has been documented. Aggression is caused by several factors, of which media violence is one. Research investigating the effects of media violence in conjunction with other predictors of aggression such as; environmental factors and dysfunction within the family household,Read MoreMedia Aggression And Aggressive Behavior Essay1033 Words   |  5 Pagesreview examined just how aggression and aggressive behavior is depicted in the media and how this impacts society’s perspectives and thoughts when it comes to aggression behavior. There was a review of the literature by the authors, in which they analyzed the relational and physical aspects of aggression in many media aspects (film, broadcast television, music, books, and video games). Findings across medi a types, the evidence finds that both physical and relational aggression are portrayed often andRead MoreMedia Violence and Its Effect on Children Essay1112 Words   |  5 Pagessociety that violence in the country is on the rise. It is easy to see why this is a strong argument among the American people, especially because of the rising popularity of violent video games and television programs. However, as these violent video games and television shows are creating their own place in our society, the reports of violence among children are escalating. This correlation has been studied extensively in the scientific community in an attempt to discover whether media violence does negativelyRead MoreVideo Game Violence And Its Effects On Gamers1205 Words   |  5 PagesVideo Game Violence and its effects on Gamers In recent years there has been a significant increase of shooting incidents, specifically in America. When there is a shooting event the media is quick to question if the suspect had a history of playing violent video games. There is already the initial connection between video game violence and aggression; but is this connection scientifically correct? This topic interests me because of the increase in school shootings and violence. I have personallyRead MoreThe Effects Of Media Violence On Behavioral Violence916 Words   |  4 PagesEffects of Media Violence on Behavioral Violence in Young Adults in America The influence of mass media has progressively increased in American society, but can the media have effects beyond mere entertainment and impartial information? American culture has become saturated with online news reports, social media, and media entertainment. Technology has become a major factor in America’s social environment. Much of the information gained from digital sources involves or portrays violence, and manyRead More`` Not Here : If We re Truly Serious About Stopping Massacres Like1687 Words   |  7 Pagesaddiction to evil† informs readers about the truth behind massacres. Metcalf says that violence performed in the form of mass killing have definite causes. People are fascinated by the violence. He further suggests that evil and mass killing incidents in Aurora and Port Arthur are just few examples of that evil. The evil in our society is growing in large portion and people are more attracted towards violence. The article discusses invention of superher oes during late 1930s in order to response toRead MoreIs Media Violence Pernicious?983 Words   |  4 PagesIs Media Violence Pernicious? In recent decades, the emergence of television and the internet have made information and entertainment alike more accessible than ever before. By extension, this increased availability encompasses violent entertainment as well. As access has risen, media violence has become a rather contentious issue. There is currently a stark division surrounding the topic between those who believe that violent media is pernicious, and those who believe it is harmless, or even cathartic

Toy Industry in India Free Essays

The r eport details the specifics of the global toy industry and the Indian perspective. The study also studies the trends, futur e growth patterns and challenges for the industry. For objectivity, and assessing consumer and market sentiments, two case analyses have also been presented from various major stores in Mumbai. We will write a custom essay sample on Toy Industry in India or any similar topic only for you Order Now Submitted to: Prof. Pramod Shetty Date: 23rd August 2010 1 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 ACKNOWLEDGMEN TAt the very outset, we would like to thank the management of ‘Hamley’s’, ‘Landmark Store’, ‘Mother and Me Store’ for helping us with various inputs during the research and allowing us to interact with the customers. Further, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Prof. Pramod Shetty for all his help and support during the research. This project would not have been realized without him. The Research Team Vaibhav Agrawal Meenal Dubey Rutuja Kshirsagar Akankssha Gupta Abhishek Sehgal Kavita Singh PGA Roll #6 PGA Roll #16 PGA Roll #26 PGA Roll #36 PGA Roll #46 PGA Roll #56 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010Welcome to the colorful world of teddy bears, singing dolls, miniature pianos that play nursery rhymes, battery operated cars and stuffed dogs and rabbits that walk, talk and shake hands. In one word: Toys. Toy merchants of yester years gave shape to the creative fancies and dreams of young ones and growups alike. The world market has seen various upheavals due to changing consumer preferences, new fads, technological advances and trade liberalization. Countries like China have marveled the world with their low ost manufacturing expertise while at the same time astonished them with their quick imitation, leading all the gigantic players of the world to act on their feet and formulate strategies to countera ttack them and safeguard their shares. India too has seen a shift in focus from traditional board games like Chess (Shatranj) and Ludo (Paasa) and sports like cricket to video games and consoles, puzzles, and Monopoly. The traditionally scattered market has shown signs of consolidation with the entry of companies like Reliance ADAG and Mahindra Mahindra who are both expanding the market and adding sheen to it. India as a developing economy is a hotspot for MNCs like Mattel and Hasbro which have now become household names with Barbie and Monopoly respectively. Big retailers of the world which exclusively cater to this segment include Toys R Us and Hamley’s, which house the best brands of the world and add a service dimension to toys. This document discusses the various classes of toys, the current global scenario for toys, how China has affected the global toy industry, India’s market and its growth prospects. CATEGORIZATION Toys and games can fall in one of four general categories:1.Traditional toys: the category is essentially stagnant with 6296 manufacturers and the growth being consistent over the years. In 2007 revenues were $21. 2. billion (US Market) and $22. 3 billion in 2006. It includes: – Action Figures Accessories (G. I. Joes) – Building Sets (Lego Sets) – Dolls (Barbies) – Games Puzzles (Monopoly) – Plush (Soft Toys) – Vehicles (HotWheels) 2. Video games: one of the fastest growing segments with revenues of $18. 9 billion which is 51,2% higher than its 2006 revenues. It includes:- Youth Electronics (PS2, X-Box) – Gaming Parlours (Jammin, TimeZone) 3.Casino Games: Slot machines were introduced by casino games manufacturers which have ultimately benefitted the video game industry. Mostly offered by hotels. 4 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 4. Accessories and Others: Includes traditional games including sports items and educational toys for infants, which is also a fast growing industry GLOBAL SCENARIO The US, China and Japan rank among the top 3 countries in terms of toy sales worldwide; their sales being US$21. 5 billion, US$4. 9 billion, and US$5. billion respectively. Other countries with a significant toy sector include Germany, Brazil, France, India, Australia and Canada. Though the recession influenced toy sales, the sector did witness growth of about 3. 6% with sales reaching $80 billion. The world’s largest toy manufacturer and exporter – China makes 2/3 of the world’s toys; the export value of Chinese toys in 2009 was US$7. 8 billion. Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Shandong are the foremost production and export bases for toys in China, accounting for more than 90% of the annual sales of Chinese toys. Chinas plush toys enjoy a large share of the total sales in European American market. But the low prices are also responsible for a low profit margin. However it entails high labor costs and therefore manufacturing costs are pretty high. Wooden toys also have a significant share of 10% and plastic toys are suffering due to the continuously rising price of raw materials, quality and safety issues, etc. China’s intellectual toys too have a broad prospect, but relevant standards need to be released so as to guarantee the healthy development of the market.In 2009, in pace with the upgrading of technology, the toy export industry has witnessed several changes: developed countries have diverted their demands of toys to toys such as adult toys, high-tech electric toys, intellectual educational toys from traditional medium and low-grade products like plastic toys and stuffed toys. Electric toys and online toys produced with high new technology have become the new development orient ation. MAJOR PLAYERS WORLDWIDE ? Mattel Inc. :- Mattel sells products under a host of well-known brand names such as Barbie, Matchbox, Fischer Price, and Hot Wheels.Hasbro :- Produces popular board games such as Clue, Monopoly, and Scrabble. Its other products include the Transformers, Mr. Potato Head, Play Doh as well as licensing agreements with brands such asStar Wars and Marvel. JAKKS Pacific:- Produces traditional toys under licenses for brands such as Cabbage Patch Kids, Care Bears, andHannah Montana, a particularly big earner for JAKKS in 2007. Other big names include Russ Berrie and Company, RC2, Action Products International and Corgi International. ? ? ? KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 2009 (Million $) $25,000. 00 $20,000. 00 $15,000. 00 $10,000. 00 $5,000. 00 2009 (Million $) $0. 00 Together, Mattel Inc. and Hasbro Inc. have less than 40% of the market, which analysts expect will grow at a compound rate of roughly 2% annually. INDIAN SCENARIO Currently there are about 800 Indian games and toy manufacturers, exporters and suppliers in the small sector of India, with a turnover nearly $2. 5 billion.This includes manufacturers of electronic toys, soft toys, educational games, toy cars, rattles, dolls, plush toys, computer games, brain teasers, children puzzles etc. The total toys and games market in India stands at around Rs. 2500 crore, of which Rs. 250 crore is in Chennai. Total Market Size: Market Structure: Rs. 2500 crore 35% Organized Sector, 65% Unorganised Sector Duties and Taxes: Excise Duty: 12. 5% CST(Central Sales Tax): 4% Global Export Contribution: Governing Body: 0. 4% Toys Association of India (TAI)Compared to European and American games and toy markets, Indian toy volumes are very low, mainly because toy buying is a relatively urban phenomenon. Most toy manufacturers are from the unorganised sector, who in turn sell their toys and games to big traders who market these toys. The total export market for toys and games is around Rs. 18 crore. The export volumes are low because of the quality norms abroad. Manufactured toys for export have to conform to EN 71 norms, the European standards. The toys have to be non-toxic and safe to sell abroad. KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 Mattel, Lego and Funskool are three of the major players in the Indian toy industry. The toys and games available in India are a mix of both fun toys and educational tools. They include dolls, puzzles, electronic games, handmade toys, soft toys, board games, computer games etc. Indian wooden toys are of good quality and comparable to international standards. The demand for fun toys is greater than that of educational toys since parents usually prefer buying educational toys for their children.MAJOR I NDIAN PLAYERS Zapak Games: It is a part of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. Zapak Games operates in two categories – Game CD Toys. It is the leader in Games CD in India. It holds licenses for leading kids properties from Cartoon Network, Nick, Disney, Pogo etc as well as represents some of the leading global toy companies in India. The product distribution is across all toy stores and retail chains in the country through the traditional mom – n – pop outlets as well as large format key account stores. We had the opportunity of seeing some of these toys with Landmark outlets across the city. It acts as the merchandizing and licensing arm of Zapak Digital Entertainment Ltd. They are also in an association with Spin Master Ltd. which according to NPD is the third largest toy company in North America. Mahindra and Mahindra – Mom Me outlets across the city are operated by Mahindra which hosts educational toys for children. It also has the marketing rights for Lego brand of toys and soft toys from Disney. Some small players are: Prasid Toys Pvt Ltd. – Delhi based Little Genius Toys Ltd. (Wooden Educational Toys) Leo Plast EFFECT OF CHI NA ON I NDI AN TOY I NDUSTRY From a 2,000 players a few years ago, barely 800 survive today, it is believed that nearly 40 per cent of toy companies have shut shop since Chinese products started flooding into the Indian market. Even as the unorganized sector has been most hit, some of the other players like Mattel, Funskool (joint venture between MRF Tyres Hasbro Intl), Mahindra Intertrade (markets the Lego and Disney range of toys) and a few others are forced to fight back with a string of innovative strategies.Compared with an average Rs 35 per kg a Chinese toy maker spends, an Indian manufacturer spends Rs 65 per kilogram for raw materials. High excise duties and taxes including local taxes that vary greatly add to their woes. Indian companies have not made efforts to market their products in a planned manner and while some Indian companies are trying to combat the threat from Chinese toys by slashing prices by 10 to 15%; others are strengthening their distribution skills in smaller towns, where the reach of imported toys is still limited. KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 I NDUSTRY GROWTH Finding the right niche – marketing limited to premium segment Indian consumers are gradually becoming less price sensitive, but are ready to pay for something they believe has a value proposition. They are realizing that toys help in the all round development of a child. Take the $6-billion Mattel Inc. for instance, after a runaway success with Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher Price, it has introduced the Harry Potter range of toys which caters to the premium segment.With its Fisher Price range, Mattel is also launching developmental activities along with toys associations, pediatricians and playschools to educate parents on how toys help the child in understanding the adult world better. Glocalization – Go Global Act Local Almost all major players, have launched an indigenous range of competitively priced soft toys range, to cater to the growing market. Mahindra Intertrade, for instance, launched Soft Wonders, to cater to the economically sensitive customers. Similarly, Mattel has launched Star Beanies for Indian market and Funskool has launched soft toys. Act Faster than the Fastest These players have also spruced up legal activities against spurious products and taken actions to make the vigilance stricter. They try to bring in designs faster than the Chinese can imitate. For instance, once the market gets flooded with fake products with Mickey or Donald motives, be it on cups, bottle, plates, tiffin boxes etc, Mahindra Intertrade would quickly launch Mickey in sportswear and shift the demand. Such marketing skills a range of strong brands have enabled them withstand the Chinese threat and allowed them to play a crucial role in growing the market. 83. 90 $84. 00 $82. 00 $80. 00 $78. 00 $76. 00 $74. 00 $80. 28 $78. 30 $77. 50 USD (Billion) 2007 2008 2009 2010 TRENDS Online Buying In 2004 when Mattel registered on Indiatimes, Rediff and Baazee, they discovered that when kids did not look for toys online, their parents (on the lookout of discounts) did. Also online shopping for toys accounted for approximately 2% of total sales, that is Rs 21. 24 crore in 2005-06. 8 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 Mall practice Malls are an undisguised blessing for the toy makers.In a mall one gets better shelf space to exhibit products, and the entire range can be displayed with the add ons which then have a good chance of being sold to the potential customers. Better sales tracking is another advantage one gets from the malls. In 2005, Mattel opened two 1,200 sq ft Barbie stores in Mumbai. Approximately 35% of the sales for Funskool and Mattel take place at the malls. Fusing Entertainment with toys Mattel has produced five movies to promote its existing range of toys, whereas Funskool, its rival has been using existing movies like batman to create a new range of toys for itself.Toys for Men Mattel has also launched toys for men. It featured models of premium cars including BMW 645 Ci, Ferrari Scaglietti; and Williams and Renault in its Hotwheels Collectibles; having a price ranging from Rs 999 to Rs 1,999. Changing Demographics Demographic variables like greater divorce rates, due to which kids get two sets of toys; increased buying power per child due to 2 income families; and increasing involvement of grandparents are all influencing the growth rate of the toys. THREATS/HI NDRANCES/CHALLENGESRaw Material Costs There is a rise in the raw material costs, due to an increase in the manufacturing costs for traditional toys Manufacturing Costs Most of the traditional toys are made from plastic resin. Petroleum, whose price is continuously increasing, is one of the main components of plastic resin. This has a negatively impact on the manufacturing costs . Changing Consumer preferences Nowadays, customers prefer electronic games to traditional table games. This trend is not beneficial for the traditional game equipment manufacturers.Revenue of the Video Games Industries and Traditional Toys ($ in billions) Industry 2004 2005 2006 2007 Video Games 9. 9 10. 5 12. 5 18. 9 Traditional Toys 22. 4 22. 2 22. 3 21. 2 9 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 In India, toys aren’t perceived as developmental. So toy manufacturers take advantage of impulse purchasing trends and the pester power of kids works in advantage for the toy manufacturers. Indian parents perceive expenditure on toys as a waste of money. Educational games like Scrabble and toys for pre-school children and infants are an exception to this belief. Impact of Recession Only when the consumers have enough disposable income to afford luxury goods, they buy toys. A struggling U. S. housing market, rising oil prices and other factors have limited their income. The toy industry was also affected by this trend, as its overall revenue decreased. Declining profits due to emphasis on product safety Product safety is another major concern of the toy industry. This was discovered when there was a rising number of product recalls in the second half of 2007.So while companies put more focus on their higher margin core brands, the positive margin implications from this shift are offset by quality and safety testing, as well as higher costs for raw materials. Competing with large brands Small manufacturers which form the bulk of the unorganized sector are unable to brand and market their products, which has been a critical disadvantage for them. With a large number of players in the market, only the international brands have a strong brand recall. Here, manufacturing competency isn’t the real concern since most of the branded players outsource their requirements from Indian manufacturers.However, lack of marketing acumen and an expertise to cultivate brands is found to be lacking in most indigenous companies. NEW STRATEGI ES Coupling toy launch with movies and vice versa Transformers, Shrek, etc Art Attack a Television series by Hit En tertainment has also entered the toy market. It showcases Do-It-Yourself arts and crafts in their videos and has now made them available in DVD formats across major stores. They also merchandise their creative works through books. Cradle catching: In 2005, Mattel entered into a partnership with diaper brand Huggies.By this move, Mattel targeted its potential audience at their birth place, and even before they were born at the maternity homes. When the mothers visit the doctor for the first time, they are given a medical file, as well as well as the information on the different phases that a child is likely to pass through as it grows which helps in selecting toys from the Fisher Price range that fits each growth phase ie. crawling, sitting, standing, etc. Within a very short period of time, they claimed to have targeted 600,000 mothers by having tie ups with 300 pediatricians and 50 gynecologists, across the top six Indian cities. Also, another innovative technique used by Mattel is a toy directory which is placed in retail outlets that informs parents about the best toy for each age group. 10 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies ; Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 CASE ANALYSIS: TOY INDUSTRY AND BUYING TRENDS CASE #1 HAMLEY’S, PHOENIX MILLS MALL, LOWER PAREL, MUMBAI Hamleys, the world’s iconic toy maker from UK, has set up a 21000 sq ft outlet spread over three floors in Mumbai, its first branch in India through franchise agreement with Reliance Retail. The tie-up is valid for 20 years. The company plans to invest Rs. 50 crore in the next seven years to set up 20 more stores across the country, including tier-II cities. Brands – Other than Hamleys’ own-brand range of toys, imported brands such as Mattel, Hasbro, Disney, Fisher-Price , Playmobil, Leapfrog, Mecchano ,, Scalextrics, Hornby , Maisto, Burrago, and Lego are also present in the store. Segments â₠¬â€œ The shop has been divided into segments catering to infants, young boys girls, teenagers and adults. 1. It has a Barbie Doll House and Barbie Salon and Spa for young girls. 2. Grand Racing Track for RC Cars, London Double Decker Bus, Safari Jeep for young boys. 3.Petals Pods-Play area and Bear Tree House are for infant and pre-school children. 4. Science Molecules, Candy Shop, Disney Castle, Experiential gaming stations, Party rooms area are for teenagers. 5. A KodakExpress studio has a shop-in-shop strategically placed in the center of the shop to capture moments at Hamleys. Prices – The price varies from as low as Rs 200 to as high as Rs 30,000 depending upon the requirements and preferences of the customer. Most products are priced on the higher end of the spectrum keeping the affluent urban folk in mind. Age Group – It caters to infants, young boys and girls and teenagers.Board Games are popular with adults also. 11 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 MANAGERS VIEWS The shop is one of its kinds in Mumbai, since it is an exclusive ‘toys only’ outlet with all kinds of toys under one roof. The trends noted by them are that parents are more interested in buying toys and games that offer educational value to their children; and children too are more interested in games that offer intellectual stimulation. Children have moved from the traditional sports of cricket and kabaddi to gaming consoles and Scrabble.Also adults are a growing segment with them fraying towards traditional games such as Mancala – a French board game, Monopoly, and Poker – for which they buy Poker chips. Workshops are organized to engage the children and merchandise related to new films are sold every now and then to offer something new to the customers. CUSTOMERS VIEWS Customers always find it a delight to visit Hamleys since it offers so m uch variety. A few of the customers just come with their children to provide some entertainment and spend time in the shop. They appreciate the display of the store and the hygiene maintained in the store.Also, though a few products were manufactured in China, they didn’t mind buying them if they were sold in Hamleys since the name offered credibility to the product. The range and variety of toys offered by them is also unmatched. ANALYSIS COMMENTS Layout: The layout of the store is very carefully planned with the store being divided into a girls section and a boys section. Educational board games, interior decoration kits and games for adults are placed in the center of the shop. The section which caters to toys for toddlers is separate, and the floor above only houses gaming consoles, CDs and educational books.Staff: A large number of staff take care of the customers’ needs and are specially trained to provide entertainment to their most important consumers – the kids! The manager himself caters to customers and entertains all doubts and queries to help them purchase what best sui ts their requirements. Store Aesthetics and marketing: A lot of effort has been taken to enhance the visual appeal of the store through visual merchandizing and display walls. Most toys are displayed and little remote controlled cars and helicopters zoom in and around the store†¦ ome of them hovering above one’s head or new cars that stick to the walls. The store has a facility for gift wrapping their products, and children and adults alike are allowed to touch and operate various toys in the store. 12 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 CASE #2 MOTHER AND ME, R CITY MALL, GHATKOPAR, MUMBAI Mother Me is a Retail store owned by Mahindra Group, which caters to the need of Pregnant women, infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers learners. Its toys section is huge and is gaining popularity day by day.Following are the details of its toys section:Brands:-Fischer price, Funskool, Mattel, Lego, Disney V-tech Segments:-Soft toys, Wooden toys, Metal toys Plastic toys Prices:- 350 – 5000 Age Group 0 – 9 Yrs MANAGER’S VIEWS Following are the points which Store Managers told us. They prefer to keep toys of price range 350 to 5000. Mother and Me use SAP for inventory replenishment. They have kept the toys according to their type (wooden toys at one place soft toys at another place) rather than age group wise (toys for 0-5 yrs at one place). According to them toys which are able to connect to Indian traditions are highly in demand, eg.Indian Barbies. Maximum complaints they receive are against Chinese toys and toys manufactured in China. CUSTOMER’S VIEWS We received the following feedbacks from customers. Most of them buy toys once a month. Fishcer price is preferred by most of them Most of them prefer plastic toys over metal Wooden toys Most of them are not in favour of Chinese toys despite of the low of cost. Most of them were in favour of interactive toys. Some Customers stressed the need of toys, which inculcate the values necessary in human society were against the toys, which resembles the violent figures or creature.ANALYSIS COMMENTS From the information provided by store Managers feedbacks from customers we analyzed that the Toy Industry has a bright future ahead but only if it meets the challenge of providing- 13 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 Better quality Interactive toys, which not only make learning easy but also help in cultivating the val ues necessary in human society. Light weight Plastic toys as they are easy to handle more resistant to wear tear. Value for money, as most of the parents feel toys overly priced. CASE #3LANDMARK, PHOENIX MILLS MALL, LOWER PAREL, MUMBA I Landmark is a one stop destination for shopping for today’s youth. It consists of books, stationery, garments, merchandize, music, toys, movies, gaming, Technology products and other gift items. Brands -There were various brands present in the store and a few of them are as follows Mattel, Disney, Fisher-Price , Zapak and Lego are also present in the store. Segments – The shop has been divided into segments where toys for infants, young boys and girls and teenagers can be found. It also has a sports section and board game section. Prices – The price varies from as low s Rs 200 to as high as Rs 15,000 depending upon the requirements and preferences of the customer. The pricing is not exorbitant in Landmark and most of the toys are priced by keeping the Indian customer in mind. Age Group – It caters to infants, young boys and girls and teenagers. Board Games are popular with adults also. MANAGERS VIEWS Maximum profit is generated from the infant’s toy section of the store. Selling one item from the infant section is equivalent to selling 3-4 items from the others sections. Boys prefer hotwheels,cricket kit and board games and girls are still hooked onto Barbie dolls. Toys are imported from France and Germany and most of them are made in India. CUSTOMERS VIEWS Toys are ideal gifts for young children and they don’t even cost a fortune when it comes to buying them. Customers don’t mind paying for the latest and most popular toys for the kids. ANALYSIS COMMENTS Landmark has been doing a good job of catering to the growing toys market and plans to introduce more imported toys in future. The Sports goods have a prominent place in Landmark and a lot of importance has been given to the sports and board game section. 14 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies ResearchToy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 FUTURE OF TOYS Predicting the future is never easy. The future of toys specially very difficult to predict . You never know when an old favorite toy will make a sudden resurgence into the mainstream or a new technology will bring about yet another revolution in toy technology. Generally speaking, video game consoles would predictably always rise to the top of wish lists. However, classic toys often come back to take over the lists for top toys. In recent years, we’ve seen old comic book characters and action heroes rise to the top again after being in the bottom of comic bins for years.This year’s Iron Man 2 brought back an old action favorite, and action figures and cars are available with an Iron Man twist. Other movies like Transformers have done the same. Old favorite cartoons are also being brought to the forefront. A few years ago, a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie in CGI was released, and this past year, Transformers were all the rage. It wouldn’t surprise me to see He-Man or the Thundercats rise up to become live action or CGI movies themselves. If they do, expect them to corner the toy market after the movie is released.It would also be prudent not to underestimate the power of toy fads that are still going strong even 12 years later. Pokemon first got big in 1998, and has been a huge hit with video games, playing cards, and T. V. shows ever since. It has been hard for toy manufacturers to dethrone Pokemon, because it’s such a huge hit among kids and even young adults who grew up playing the game. It’s very possible that it could last for another 12 years or more. (What do you think of Pokemon? Indeed, toy inventors are pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence, speech synthesis, wireless communications, and networked virtual reality.What’s more, they are figuring out how to cram huge chunks of realistic graphics, dialogue, and sensory cues onto tiny, inexpensive computer chips. The toy industry is really at the mercy of technology for the limits it can go to. There are only so many interesting ways for them to reinvent dolls like Mr. Potato Head before kids are no longer interested. Dolls like Furby were a step in the right direction, but the fad did not last for very long. Technology working its way into the toys of the future will bring in a wider audience of interested kids, but it has to be directed at toys that are more than just popular, but are fun too.The future of toys is bright and exciting. Any new innovation could shape the kinds of toys kids play with. You can bet that the toys of the future are going to have something of the past, however. AUGMENTED REALI TY: JET FUEL FOR THE I MAGINATION The future of toys almost undoubtedly belongs to augmented reality. Mattel’s i-Tags, will use Augmented Reality will be included with action figures the company will make for â€Å"Titanic† director James Cameron’s blockbuster film, â€Å"Avatar. † Augmented reality is an overlay of digital information or imagery on top of real-world objects.WIKIPEDIA: Augmented Reality is a field of computer research that deals with the combination of real15 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies ; Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 world and computer-generated data (virtual reality), where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real time. Think about it. The possibilities are just about endless, and could mean a whole new life for the kinds of toys that kids at first play with a lot, and then quickly abandon.By embedding special software in imagery that can be placed just about anywhere on a toy, toy makers will now have an incredibly wide range of virtual things to add to their physical toys. TOYS OF THE FUTURE ELECTRIC POP UP BOOK S Electronic Popables by Jie Qi is a pop-up book that lights up as you interact with it, producing the most beautiful and dynamic pop-up pages ever. As you begin t o go flip through the book – open pages, pull tabs, press pressure points and fold objects different LED lights will blink away on all over the page. They can be a very efficient means of connecting holistically with the technology savvy kids. HORIZON HYDROCAR TOY The hydro car is a case in point. It does not depend on batteries or electricity. Surprisingly this car produces its own energy, running entirely on water. It is not only Hydrocar’s functionality, but also its trendy, scientific design that sets it apart. SCRIBBLE BOTS Scribble Bots is just a concept at the moment, but the idea is that children can connect with their friends through the official website and share their drawings, artwork and also the artistic process.The Scribble bots toy can record and recreate movement so anyone with a scribble bot can download your drawing and their scribble bot will draw it right for them, then and there. 16 KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies ; Research Toy Industry : Present and the Future 2010 TOUCH SENSITIVE VIDEO GAMES Usually, a lot of people do not see any fun in playing with buttons and joysticks. This concept of touch sensitive games employs touch sensitive silicon that simulates the terrain in a game, empowering the users to feel their way through. No major video game manufacturers are using technology quite like this as of now, but we could How to cite Toy Industry in India, Papers

Camping Descriptive free essay sample

Every year my family and I take a camping trip somewhere in the Olympic National Park. As soon as I see that sign saying â€Å"Welcome to the Olympic National Park† I get a tingly feeling in my stomach that makes me happy. I roll down the window and smell that wonderful campfire smell of roasted hot dogs and smores, I finally know I have reached my wonderful destination. When we first arrive we set up our tents at the campsite faster than elves making presents on Christmas Eve. I could hear the nice clean, glistening lake calling my name so I go for a swim. Every year I learn something new up there and the best thing I learned was how to fish and clean their scaly bodies. As the day grows old the temperature would go down and we make a fire that puts some warmth in the cold night air. We will write a custom essay sample on Camping Descriptive or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We later cook some smores after we eat our hot dogs for dinner and oh man are those smores delicious. We tell stories before we go to bed and some of those stories are scary but I stopped getting scared after I was 11years old. The first night you always get the best sleep. The next day we always like to set up a game of horseshoes and have a little fun, just relaxing. The kids and I always go explore the campgrounds because we’re not at the same one every year. I always feel like the leader because I am the oldest kid out of all of the ones that go camping with us. After were done exploring we take a dip in the lake and call it a night. For the next couple days we always go hiking a little bit up in the mountains. I remember this one year we were hiking and I look up to my left and see a big black bear looked to weigh about 350 pounds. I was telling everyone to look and everybody got all freaked out but thankfully the bear wanted nothing to do with us and took off, from that day on we carry a gun with us every time we go hiking. As the week ends I get pretty sad but I still try to have a blast. There is this one rock that is like 60ft tall located towards the side of the lake and I always swim out to it and jump off it, it’s pretty fun but the lake water is so freezing because it runs off of a glacier. As we say goodbye to the campgrounds I leave with sadness but I also have to remember the good things and the fun things that we did while we were there. I also have to remember one very important thing; I’ll be back next year.