Monday, May 25, 2020

Mentoring At Risk Youth Higher Risks Youth Need Mentoring

Mentoring At-Risk Youth: Higher Risk youth need mentoring â€Å"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches but to reveal to him his own. - Benjamin Disrael This quote is similar to a Chinese Proverb that says â€Å"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime†(Chinese Proverb). Both essentially say the same thing, and that is, you can only help someone so much until they need to realize they are capable of doing great things on their own. Higher Risk youth benefit from guidance, but once they have figured everything out they can move on alone. These two quotes apply to mentoring because, mentoring is like showing someone the way to life. More and more, mentoring programs are being asked to serve high-risk youth. Mentoring programs for high-risk youth are growing across the United States. In Portland, there are: The Boys and Girls Cubs, Big Brother Big Sister, Girls Inc., Human Solutions, Impact Northwest, and Open Mead ow just to name a few. Most of the programs are different, but all emphasize the relationship between a high-risk youth and a person who cares about them. Mentoring high-risk youth will have a positive impact on many lives. high-risk youth generally include : teen parenthood, substance abuse, criminal behavior, poor performance in school, absenteeism, no parental educational expectations, lack of social interaction and the foster care system. According to crimesoulution.gov â€Å"ViolentShow MoreRelatedMentoring Youth Programs : A Part Of Human Services1820 Words   |  8 PagesMentoring Youth Programs: A Part of Human Services Introduction There is a broad range of factors that might make the youth of any ethnicity to participate in antisocial behaviors. Notably, these factors include young people’s own feelings, family relationships and being brought up in communities with widespread alcohol and violence. In addition to this, young people engage in antisocial behaviors if they have been exposed to poor health, substance abuse, poor-quality housing as well as poor healthRead MoreThe Effects of Mentoring at-Risk Youth2277 Words   |  10 PagesTHE EFFECTS OF MENTORING AT-RISK YOUTH Abstract: Mentoring has arguments both for and against its effectiveness in relation to at-risk youth. These programs have been known to help in areas of self-esteem, attitudes toward drugs and alcohol, grades, attendance and disciplinary problems in school. Although, the scope of at-risk youth can be quite narrow, if administered correctly it can be inclusive of allRead MoreYouth Gang Prevention Efforts : A Two Pronged Prevention843 Words   |  4 PagesYouth Gang Prevention Efforts A two-pronged prevention approach has proven effective, with primary prevention strategies aimed at the community s general population and secondary prevention strategies targeting youth between the ages of 7 and 14 who are at high risk of joining gangs. Prevention efforts undertaken by law enforcement departments around the country include: â€Å"Participating in community awareness campaigns (e.g. developing public service announcements and poster campaigns). ContactingRead MoreHigh School Based Mentoring Programs3175 Words   |  13 PagesWhile the number of at-risk students attending public schools have continuously increased in recent years, school based mentoring programs have been identified as successful interventions to improve the academic, social, attendance, and behavioral performance of at-risk students. At-risk students generally possess certain characteristics that usually include but are not limited to, being from the lowest socioeconomic quartile, living in single parent households, having a sibling that failed to graduateRead MoreCrime in the United States4022 Words   |  17 Pages | |Violent Crime in America | |Street Violence and Boston’s Dorchester Youth: | |A Program Review | | Read MoreThe Russel County Middle School Situation Analysis861 Words   |  3 Pagesretained to get back on track. A consensus was reached that a lack of motivation was the underlying cause for students’ poor classroom performance and resulting retention. After brainstorming and evaluating options, the group decided to implement a mentoring program in whi ch faculty and staff members that did not teach the retained students would meet with them periodically to build relationships and encourage them. Challenges At the conclusion of the 2012-2013 school year, 28 students were retainedRead MoreM3 Research Design Critique Report1596 Words   |  7 PagesM3 Research Design Critique Report A correlational research design would be useful when studying the relationship of mentoring students in a reading class and the achievement on their Aims-web reading comprehension and fluency scores. The correlational design would be useful to determine to what degree if any exists. In a correlations study there can be a relationship between two or more variables. This type of research uses a correlation coefficient to explain relationships or show a lack ofRead MoreYouth Gang Membership : A Serious Problem Affecting Many Youths Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesYouth Gang membership is a serious problem affecting many youths in America. Per the National Youth Gang Survey by the U.S. Justice Department puts the number of youths in gangs at only about 302,000. But a 2015 study by G. Gately found that there are more than 1 million youth gang members. Many youth gang members join around 12 and 13 years old, peaking at 14 years of age (Tara Young, 2014). This review will detail t he main reasons youths enter gangs, outreach programs that are making a differenceRead MoreThe Center For Disease Control1218 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom the CDC website to discuss youth violence and sexual violence. I will also describe the relevance and application of this information to criminal justice professionals. Youth violence is a serious problem, not only in the United States, but across the globe. This violence ranges from non-fatal acts such as fighting to homicide. The WHO collects and maintains data from several countries around the world. According to the WHO (2015), an estimated 320,000 youth homicides took place worldwide inRead MoreNon Profit Business Plan6347 Words   |  26 PagesDeficit 4 Table: Cash Flow 5 Table: Cash Flow 5 Table: Balance Sheet 6 Table: Balance Sheet 6 1.0 Executive Summary Unite for Youth is a nonprofit agency providing mentoring programs for middle and high school youth in the Greater Claremont area. The program will form partnerships with local school districts and the juvenile court system. Unite for Youth s goal is to foster a commitment to young people that will  promote pro-social friendships, strong interpersonal skills, and  reassert  a

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Challenges Faced United Arb Emirates (UAE) Health Care System

UAE Health Care System Strategy To achieve anything you want it you must put strategy to how you can achieve it successfully, and thats what United Arab Emirates (UAE) health care system did. The ambition of the UAE health care system to become one of the favorite destinations for local patients as well as a center for international medical tourists require high quality and cost-effective procedure and treatment, thats what makes UAE put long-term strategy to achieve this aspiration (world health organization, 2005-2009). In order to support the health care system, the UAE government increasingly focused its effort to attract special high-level health care providers to the UAE. However, despite the strong support of the UAE government, health care providers, still facing major challenges to grow and operate in the Emarites. There are several challenges faced UAE health care system, but the government and the health care system reject Surrender and still confront challenges neither tiredness nor boredom from its sid e. Challenges One of the great challenges was faced health care development is the lack of standardization of instructions and regulations across the UAE and the various stages of health care development in each emirate. These challenges formed a huge handicap to the strategy of development of the health care system. Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Authority of Abu Dhabi (HADD), and The Ministry of Health are examples of the several

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Perversion of Religion Essays - 522 Words

Im not a tremendously religious person. I dont attend religious services, I dont say prayers before bedtime (or much of any other time), I dont read a section of my holy book on a regular schedule... you get the picture. The closest Id come to claiming a personal faith is to call myself a sort of armchair Daoist. And yet I find myself deeply offended by those who profane their own professed faith... the Jim Bakkers, Osama Bin Ladens, Paul Shanleys of the world. They seem like a special category of scum in the swirling pool of humanity. I may question the existence of a sentient God, but I cannot abide someone who claims to follow him and then violates the very tenets of the faith they claim to hold dear. To me the very†¦show more content†¦There are realms of existence beyond his control, and sometimes he simply needs help. How many of us would feel a great weight lifted off our shoulders if we admitted the same need to our spouses or friends? When someone writes a holy book or creates an inspired artwork, they are opening a private window onto their vision of mankinds higher potential. While most creation myths say man was created in a Gods image, what populates holy writings and artwork more than images of holy figures rendered in mans image? (Perhaps only as a function of mankinds limited imagination, but nonetheless an inspiration towards higher goals, no?) To see jaded, self-serving or megalomaniacal manipulations of one of humankinds purest impulses really deeply offends me. Its like using the Mona Lisa in a McDonalds commercial. Its the ultimate hypocrisy. To see someone claim belief in the loving ideals of Christianity, and then publicly verbally assault those who believe differently, or charismatically swindle the elderly out of their money, or rape and abuse their youngest parishioners... To see Islamic leaders, followers of the faith that almost single-handedly preserved the wisdom of the ancient world throughout the Dark Ages, who shepherded and protected the holy lands through bloody medieval crusades, now turn to repression of modern knowledge and culture and bloody international terrorism... ToShow MoreRelated Freedom from Religion: Perversion of the U.S. Constitution Essay2416 Words   |  10 PagesEnlightenment and spurred on by their own experiences in the perils of tyrannical oppression. Thus the preservation of America’s sacred freedoms has been the result of a strict adherence to the forefathers’ insights. It stands to reason, then, that the perversion of these freedoms would be the result of a deviation from the original intents of the Constitution’s framers. An attack on any amendment or clause of the Constitution is an attack on the whole. Such an attack has begun to deteriorate religiousRead MoreThe Religion Of Matthew Lewis s The Monk1225 Words   |  5 PagesPerversion of Religion in Matthew Lewis’s The Monk Matthew Lewis’s The Monk, published in 1796, depicts the Catholic Church in Madrid as the victim of religious perversion caused by the pride and lust of its leaders. The events of the novel, including the monk Ambrosio’s surrender to temptation, leading to the rape and murder of innocent Antonia, as well as Agnes’s imprisonment by the vain Prioress of St. Clare’s Convent, serve to emphasize the lack of true religious devotion in the city of MadridRead MoreAn Analysis Of Frederick Douglass s The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Essay1284 Words   |  6 Pagesmore of a contentious issue than it already is. In The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass presents the theme of perversion of Christianity by slaveholders as a way to bring out the contradiction that lie deep within slaveholders adulterated interpretation of the belief system. In this paper, I will highlight these perversions that Douglass discusses in his narrative an d explore why slaveholders form of Christianity make strong impression in his writing. Lastly, IRead MoreAraby tone1031 Words   |  5 Pagesdisillusionment with love and forced him into a position where he could no longer hide from the harsh realities of adult life. The love that blinded the protagonist also became as important to him as his religion, and as such, the story is rife with religious imagery that denotes the perversion of religion. For example, behind the boy’s house is a â€Å"wild garden [that] contained a central apple-tree,† a clear allusion to the Garden of Eden. However, the image is distorted by a â€Å"rusty bicycle-pump† that theRead MoreEssay on Water and Religious Motifs in The Waste Land, by T.S. Eliot1525 Words   |  7 Pagesgirl has either just been raped, or has had at least a negative sexual experience. Each of these references to water corresponds to the waste land; the usually pure symbolism of water is twisted to become negative, and in each scene there is some perversion such as rape. After the hyacinth scene comes Madame Sosostris, famous clairvoyante (43), who speaks of the Tarot cards and the Drowned Phoenician sailor (47) as well as Belladonna, the Lady of the Rocks (49). Sosostris advises the personRead MoreThe Perversion and Triumph of Christian Ideas in Dracula Essay1196 Words   |  5 Pagesand actions seem to display the perversion of various Christian ideals and symbols and Dr. Van Helsing uses various Christian symbols to defeat Count Dracula. Given that Van Helsing and his posse are able to use the Christian imagery to drive Dracula back to Castle Dracula and eventually defeat him, Stoker might be suggesting that the power of the Christianity and the Christian God will always prevail in a match against evil and the devil. In the Christian religion, the devil is the not-as-powerfulRead MoreHomosexuality Is A Form Of Emotional, Romantic, And Sexual Attraction858 Words   |  4 Pagesutilize our reason and human will, we would be swamped with diseases, naked, and without light. To prevail in the world against nature is human nature. In retort of labeling homosexual acts as a perversion in the name of nature, we might just as well say that using artificial sweeteners is a â€Å"perversion of our sense of taste† since they violate the natural taste of beverage. It is not clear why being unnatural is wrong or immoral. For example, one’s hands weren’t made for walking, so is it wrongRead MoreSocietys Fate in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley994 Words   |  4 Pagessociety. Although the future will introduce many useful tools for society, the damage done to society and personality is inevitable. Huxley’s predictions about the future focus mainly on the dealing with suffering, questioning true freedom, and perversion of spirituality. Humanity deals with suffering in many ways, and many reveal damaging side effects. Just as in today’s world, suffering in many cases leads to abuse of alcohol and drugs. More specifically in Brave New World soma offers all theRead MoreEssay on Supporting Gay Marriage991 Words   |  4 Pagesupon. Why does one person believe in equality while the other denies it to a certain person? Religion stands out as being one of the major contributing factors to the rejection of gay marriage, or homosexuality in general. Most popular religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) have religious text or proclamation that has been either misinterpreted or used incorrectly to justify the indecency and perversion of homosexuality. Religious views and homosexuality can also be related to cultural bias. Read MoreThe Good, the Bad and the Perverse549 Words   |  2 Pagesis immoral or moral in different situations. The actual meaning of perversion is an alteration or corruption of an original cau se, meaning or state. A perversion takes something from being originally good, to then being bad. Good or bad, a perversion has no connection to morality. A type of perversion is a sexual perversion. Different religions, a persons attitude towards things; may probably have different ideas on perversion. Any action that brings sexual pleasure, but has little or no chance

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Consumer Behavior

Question: Case Study about the consumer behavior. Answer: Introduction Consumer behavior is the study of individual or organization and the process, by which they select, secure, use, and then dispose of products, services, experiences or ideas to satisfy the customers (Claiborne Sirgy, 2015). People have different form of recreation. In recreation, people tend to do deeds that help them to relax and come out of the mundane of life. They can relax by reading a magazine, eat out with friends, or even sometimes go for vacation. Though going for a vacation can be relaxing, but preparing for the tour can be very hectic. Deciding a holiday tour consumes a great energy, and it takes a toll in the decision making process. Many reasons can influence the whole process. The marketers of the tourism field analyze such influences and make their marketing strategies (Lapierre Giroux, 2015). This report aims at analyzing and discussing the reason behind the particular consumer behavior. Choice of tour package based on personality theories Personality of a person is the result of an individuals trait. Different people show different traits. An individuals action is based on the personality that he or she has acquired. A persons personality develops from the environment they live in, their learned attitude, life values, etc. However, these traits do not remain same throughout the lifespan. The environment that surrounds the individual modifies the individuals personality. Thus, personality is often said to be dynamic. The oldest personality theory is the trait theory. In accordance to the theory, people have certain traits that define human beings, and people choose and act based on the traits (Sandy, Gosling Durant, 2013). Sigmund Freud, the founder of the Psychoanalytic School, stated that personalities are influenced by unconscious motive. These motives are the based on basic biological need. According to this theory, personality depends on the interaction between the id, ego, and superego. Id works mainly on the pl easure principle, whereas, the superego provides the guidelines for judgment, which should be socially acceptable and ego acts as the police maintaining the balance in-between the id and superego (Gabriel, 2013). The Neo-Freudian theorists stated that social interaction and relationship played important roles in the formation of the personality. Based on the notion the theorists divided personality traits into three types: the complaint personality, the aggressive personality, and the detached personality. The people having complaint personality prefer belonging, i.e., to feel loved and accepted, and thus, they prefer something that is secure. The aggressive personality people tend to be rebellious and they have a need to show the power they have, and they are manipulative. The detached personalities prefer to be independent and are self-reliant. Marketers mainly use the Neo-Freudian theories that help in marketing their products (Onu Garvey, 2014). Another concept that influences consumer behavior is that of Self-Concept. The Self-Concept states that consumers tend to buy and use that product, or accept a particular patronize to which their self-image matches and to which they can relate (Sirgy, 2015). Individuals organize a set of traits that they use to describe themselves, and people are reluctant to accept anything that does not match with their personality. This concept of self is learned and ever changing. Self-concept is a mixture of emotion, feeling, and attitude. To understand the aspect of personality, analysis of the response to questionnaire about choice of tour pack, by three subjects are done. The first subject chosen is a male student of age 19 years. He describes himself to be extrovert, craves adventure, has a need to gain self-esteem, and has a knack to earn quickly. His choice is based on pleasure principle, and he has a risk taking habit. Thus, he chooses Option 2, i.e., visit to Las Vegas, and try his hand at gambling. The second subject is a 43-year-old married woman. The womans characteristic are that of adventurous yet prefers security. She desires recognition among people. She also prefers not to take responsibility. This is witnessed in the fact; it is her husband who plans for the tours. Her choice of tour pack caters to all her traits. Option 6, provide a secure tour yet something that can provide affiliation and power to her. The package provides secure place to stay; sure food as well as have the power to taste different wines, which associates with power and affiliation. The third subject thrives for security and safety. He is a 51-year-old married man with children. Being married changes his priority (Yap, Anusic, Lucas, 2012). The thoughts and ideas of his spouse and children matter. He is sympathetic and pays heed to others choice. He has the tendency to judge carefully before taking any decision. This shows in his choice of holiday tour. He chooses Option 4, where the food and accommodation for his family are secure, and he has less to worry. From the discussed analysis, it can be inferred that every individual has different priority, and his or her characteristics are highlighted with this need (Vij, Carrel Walker, 2013). Thus, it is seen that the choice of destination depends on the personality characteristics of the individuals (Davies Cairncross, 2013). Choice of tour package based on individual demography In a study, Wong, Newton Newton (2014) proposed that individual demography influences consumer behavior. In this case, it can be seen that the three subjects are highly influenced by their demographic condition, which includes age, economy, ethnicity, family condition, etc. the choice of tour pack for the 19-year-old male student is at par with his demography. He being young, risk-taking behavior is common (Eaton et al., 2012). Since he is a student; money is a crucial factor. Therefore, he favors less expensive accommodation and wants to control the money spend after food. Since he is young and unmarried, he does not give importance to security and chooses the option where he can gamble. The 43-year-old married woman chooses her option of tourism pack is also influenced by the way she leads life. Since she is married and older than the first subject is, she prefers security. She earns a lot more, so she is not restricted to spend money. Her educational qualification also plays an i mportant role in her choice. Her high position makes her choose something that is expensive. The third subject is the 51-year-old family man from Chinese ethnicity. He chooses the package that covers the security of the family. His ethnicity also plays important role in the place he chooses, i.e., Hong Kong. Since he earns more than the other two subjects do, he spends accordingly but not lavishly. A study by Kardes, Cronley Cline (2014) shows economic condition plays an important role in choosing the option of tour. Marketing Recommendation From the above analysis, it can be said that a human beings choice of tour package depends on both the persons personality and his or her demography. Based on the above analysis, marketers can improve their marketing strategies, attracting more people to the particular pack. To explain it, let us consider the Option 4 (place: Hong Kong). The most likely people who will accept this tour option are mainly family oriented. The tourist would look for security, good food, good lodging, as well as something fun time with the family. If the marketer can introduce extracurricular, fun family recreation, the package will attract more people. The marketers can reduce the cost of the tour by removing the meal pack from the package and let the families manage their food cost. Thus, reduce the package cost can attract even more people for the tour. The marketers can also keep the cost same and increase the number of tour days. This will also increase the probability of the package. By making such changes, the tour organizers will attract more people. The increase in the tourist count will increase the profit of the organization. Conclusion In any business, where the organization needs to sell product to the general people, customers are held in the highest position. Marketers research in the field of what attracts the consumers to the products in the market. They research on how they can act as the honey so that general people consume their product. Study show that many reasons or factors influence the behavior of the consumer. Two of the major factors that influence people's behavior are their individual personality and their demography. Personality is the different traits that form the face of the individual. Demography includes the individual's age, gender, ethnicity, and economy. This report shows how these two factors influence tourism choice and how marketers can change their marketing strategies accordingly to gain profit. References Claiborne, C. B., Sirgy, M. J. (2015). Self-image congruence as a model of consumer attitude formation and behavior: A conceptual review and guide for future research. InProceedings of the 1990 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 1-7). Springer International Publishing. Davies, R., Cairncross, G. (2013). Student tourism and destination choice: exploring the influence of traditional, new, and social media: an Australian case study.Tourism Culture Communication,13(1), 29-42. Eaton, D. K., Kann, L., Kinchen, S., Shanklin, S., Flint, K. H., Hawkins, J., ... Whittle, L. (2012). Youth risk behavior surveillance-United States, 2011.Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Surveillance summaries (Washington, DC: 2002),61(4), 1-162. Gabriel, D. (2013). Models of Voter Behavior.Ovidius University Annals, Series Economic Sciences,13(1). Kardes, F., Cronley, M., Cline, T. (2014).Consumer behavior. Cengage Learning. Lapierre, J., Giroux, V. P. (2015). Customer-Perceived Value Heterogeneity. InProceedings of the 2000 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 393-393). Springer International Publishing. Onu, A. J., Garvey, M. (2014). Assessing the Relationship between Personality Factors and Consumer Buying Behavior in South Eastern Nigeria.International Journal of Business and Social Science,5(11). Sandy, C. J., Gosling, S. D., Durant, J. (2013). Predicting consumer behavior and media preferences: The comparative validity of personality traits and demographic variables.Psychology Marketing,30(11), 937-949. Sirgy, M. J. (2015). The Self-concept in relation to product preference and purchase intention. InMarketing Horizons: A 1980's Perspective(pp. 350-354). Springer International Publishing. Vij, A., Carrel, A., Walker, J. L. (2013). Incorporating the influence of latent modal preferences on travel mode choice behavior.Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice,54, 164-178. Wong, J., Newton, J. D., Newton, F. J. (2014). Effects of power and individual-level cultural orientation on preferences for volunteer tourism.Tourism Management,42, 132-140. Yap, S. C., Anusic, I., Lucas, R. E. (2012). Does personality moderate reaction and adaptation to major life events? Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey.Journal of research in personality,46(5), 477-488. Consumer Behavior Question: Discuss about the Consumer Behavior. Answer: Introduction Nowadays, companies focus on the buying behavior of consumers as rapid and frequent changes have been taking place in the tastes and preferences of the customers. It is the necessity of the companies to track changes taking place in the tastes and preferences of the customers and make huge investments in the research and development department to bring innovative products in the market to meet the demands of the customers (Ferrell and Hartline, 2013). Nowadays, customers are the top priority of the businesses as increase in the customer base results in an increase in the sales and profits of the company. Nowadays, it becomes a necessity to study the consumer buying behavior to remain competitive in the market. Adoption of new technologies by the companies provides an opportunity to consumers to make comparisons between the products offered by competitors in terms of price, discounts offered and features for the purpose of making appropriate buying decisions. In addition to this, usage of technology also facilitates in making order of the products online (Pride and Ferrell, 2004). Nowadays, due to such change in the social environment, companies deliver the products at the doorsteps of the customers at right time. Nowadays, customers prefer online shopping in place of visiting the brick and mortar shops or retail outlets to buy a product. This helps in reducing the cost of the product and providing value to the customer (Dibb and Simkin, 2008). Customers feel convenient to shop online as they can make comparisons between the products offered by different companies in less time as compared to traditional shopping. It is requisite for the companies to identify the unfulfilled demands of the customers and make efforts to fulfill them in an effective manner in comparison to its competitors. This results in attracting more number of customers and increase in the sales and profitability of the companies (Davis and Gschwandtner, 2011). Company Overview Apple is an multinational company established in the year 1977 headquartered in California. It operates in the technology sector and has a first mover advantage over other rivals in the industry. It deals in the manufacturing and distribution of the technology products such as portable computers, Mac line desktop, iPhone, Apple TV and so on. Besides this, it also deals in variety of related software, accessories, third party digital content and applications and networking solutions. Company operate its business operations in different countries such as Greater China, regions of Asia Pacific, Europe and America. Along with this, the company distribute its products through variety of outlets such as App Store, iTunes store, Mac App Store, iBooks Store and so on. These stores are in a form of retail stores, direct sales force through third party cellular network couriers and online stores (Yahoo Finance, 2016). Influence of social factors on the consumer buying behavior towards Apple Computers Consumer buying process There are several social factors that influence the consumer buying behavior towards the portable computers offered by the company such as social status, family, reference group and roles. Consumer behavior takes into consideration the purchase, selection and consumption of the goods and services by the customers for the purpose of satisfying their needs. For the purpose of making the buying decision, the customer recognizes the problem i.e. the purpose or the need for which there is a need to make a purchase decision (Hisrich, 2000). After this, the customer collects information regarding different products available in the market through their friends, role models and family members regarding the feasible product. This helps them to evaluate different alternatives available to them to purchase the product for the purpose of fulfillment of their needs. After this, the consumer make the decision to purchase a product by taking into consideration, its price, features, brand image, and availability. After making the purchase desion, customer also seeks to achieve after sales services offered by the companies so that the product purchased by the customer properly function after making a purchase from the buyer. There is a significant impact of the social factors on the consumer buying behavior (Stokes and Lomax, 2008). Social Factors Reference Group In context to Apple computer, reference group consists of the members such as opinion leader, people associated with its social origin, work, place of residence, leisure and hobbies which have a great influence on the attitude and behavior of a consumer towards buying decision. These members provide different aspects to a consumer to make comparisons of the product with other products so as to make purchase decisions (Meyer, 2015). Within a reference group, there are people who play different roles. The initiator is a person who suggests a consumer to buy a portable computer. The influencers, who influences the buying decision of the consumer by their opinion and thought regarding the portable computer. The decision maker is a person who decides which product to buy in order to fulfill their needs (Ferrell, et al. 2014). Social Roles and Status The other social factor that influences the buying behavior of the consumers towards portable computer is social roles and status. The buying decision of consumers is greatly influenced by their position within their family and social group which include work and friends. The attitude that consumers are supposed to have as per their profession, and position at work is referred to as social role (Wright, 2006). In case of Apple portable computer, consumers buy it for the quality of the computer and to portray social success that the computer represents. If a consumer uses Apple portable computer than it is considered that a person has a high status in the society as it is considered as a luxury product. Nowadays, brands create an image that reflects the social role or status of a consumer (Pride and Ferrell, 2013). Culture Another social factor is culture that influences the buying behavior of the customers towards the product. Culture of a country influences the behavior and needs of the customers. It is a significant cause of the changes occurred in the buying behavior of an individual. Culture differs in different countries due to which it is essential for the marketers to analyze the culture of different countries in order to provide products that meet the changing needs of the customers (Sokolowski, 2013). The behavior of individual is influenced by different factors such as family, friends and culture of the region. It is necessary for the company to study the cultural environment in order to include some of the norms in the organization to attract more number of customers to buy a product. This results in increasing the market share of the company. Besides this, society is also consists of suyb cukltures in which a group of customers share same value due to which there is an existence of sub cul tures in the form of religion, geographic regions, nationalities and racial groups that influences the buying behavior of customers in a significant manner (McGuffin, 2016). Family The customer buying behavior is significantly influenced by the attitudes and behavior of the family members towards the product and services offered by the company. Customer discusses and collect information from their friends and family members regarding the features, after sale services and price of the product for the purpose of making appropriate buying decision. In context to Apple, the customer search for the information related to the specifications of the product from the family members for the purpose of making purchase decisions (Kengthon, 2011). Application of social influences on consumer behavior for the enhancement of the marketing strategies 7 Ps Product: It is requisite to offer the product to a consumer that helps in fulfilling its demands. It is requisite for the marketer to provide the information related to its features, price and quality, and benefits to a consumer in order to persuade them to buy a product. It is essential for the marketer to give emphasis on the key features that differentiate its products from its rivals. Apple make huge investments in research and development department to produce innovative product which helps to attain a competitive advantage over its rivals. The introduction of the new technology helps in providing benefits to customers due to which more customers are attracted towards the product. Apple offers wide range of products such as portable computers, iPhone, Mac line desktop and Apple TV (Funk, 2008). Price: It is requisite for the companies to provide good value of money to customers. It is not necessary that the product is offered at low prices. If the customers are offered with high quality products that fulfill their needs and demands effectively then the consumers are ready to pay premium prices for the product. In context to Apple portable computers, consumers pay premium prices as the company provide innovative product with high quality. Besides this, it also provides after sales services in order to achieve high level of customer satisfaction. For this purpose, the company handle the objections of the customers in an effective manner. The company uses skimming pricing strategy to capture a large market share. Skimming pricing strategy refers to the pricing strategy in which the company offers its products at high price at the time of its launch in the market. Customers are also ready to pay high price for the unique features provided in the product to fulfill the needs of the customers in an effective manner (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2010). Place: It is required by the company to make easy availability of the product to customers in order to capture a large market share. Customers prefer to buy products that are easily available to them. Therefore it is mandatory for the companies to increase the reach of the product to customers. Due to emergence of internet and social media sites, customers prefer to buy product online as it facilitates in delivering of the products at their doorstep. Apple also provides an opportunity to its customers to buy a product online which in turn helps in increasing the customer base of the company (Lamb, 2012). Promotion: Increase in the competition results in the adoption of different promotional techniques for the purpose of spreading awareness of the products launched by the company. This also helps in creation of the brand image in the minds of the customers. In context to Apple, there is a use of different promotional techniques used by the company to provide knowledge about the products offered by the company such as advertisements on TV and social media sites. Besides this, there is also a positive word of mouth publicity of the products and services offered by the company due to the use of new technology. This helps in building positive brand image among its customers. Nowadays, companies also use different methods to promote their product such as provision of discounts, sponsor ships and many more (Cant, Strydom and Jooste, 2009). People: Human resources are the vital part of the organization as it facilitates in directing their efforts towards the achievement of the goals and objectives of the company. Apple also engages its people in the decision making process by taking feedback of the customers and employees related to the product in order to make changes in order to meet the changing demands of the customers (Doole and Lowe, 2005). Processes: Nowadays, companies also focuses on the processes and operations carried out in the organization. The company provides information related to different process adopted by the company to manufacture the product or service offered by the company. In context to Apple, it provides information related to different processes and procedures carried out in the business in order to establish transparency in the operations. This results in the increase in the number of customers and also affects their buying behavior. Apple uses eco-friendly processes to manufacture its products due to which it is well known in the technology industry. It provides information related to the processes on its website from where the customers get the knowledge about different aspects of the products (Nykiel, 2007). Physical Evidence: Apple has different outlets through which the company sells and distributes its products such as retail stores, App store, iBooks and so on. Besides this, the company distributes its products through different channels such as retailers like Wal-Mart and Best Buy by offering a minimum advertised price. This policy prohibits the resellers or dealers from advertising of a product below a certain minimum price. In addition to this, the company has many retail stores and factories where the product is manufactured. The company provides a good working environment to its employees. Physical evidence refers to the attributes of the company that customer see and touch to make its buying decision (Fyall and Garrod, 2005). Market Segmentation It is required for the company to identify the customers of the product being offered by it. Market segmentation is a process through which the customers are divided into different categories on the basis of shared characteristics. Market is divided into different segments for the purpose of identification of the high yield segments. Segmentation of the market into different groups facilitates in deciding the target market and preparation of effective marketing plans. Besides this, it also facilitates in meeting different needs and demands of the customers in an effective manner. This is because companies uses different pricing and promotional strategies to fulfill the demands of the customers effectively. Market segmentation is necessary as there is non- presence of homogeneity between different customers (Cant, Strydom and Jooste, 2009). Different buyers have different individual needs and preferences. Therefore it is impossible for the companies to cater to the differing needs of the customers. For the purpose of meeting the needs of the customers, they are divided into different categories in order to bring homogeneity among them. Division of the customers on the basis of common characteristics helps in the development of a standardized marketing mix for a particular segment of customers. Companies may satisfy the different needs of customers with limited product range by the use of different promotional activities, bundles and incentives. When customers are used to a particular product or service, then the company has an opportunity to up sell or cross sell its products to different customer segments (McGuffin, 2016). It is difficult for the companies to increase the prices or attain a premium prices from all the customers due to which a premium segment is developed in which customers are ready to pay premium prices and distinguishes it from the mass market in terms of additional services, product variations and exclusive point of sale. The market segmentation is done on the basis of demographics, geographic, psychographics and behavioral. The demographic segment of Apple portable computers includes gender, lifecycle stage, income and occupation. Besides the geographic segmentation include density and region and psychographic segmentation includes lifestyle. Besides this, behavioral segmentation is done on the basis of personality, social class and user status (Zimmerman and Blythe, 2013). The market segmentation of Apple portable computers are as follows: Basis Segmentation Possible market segments Psychographic Lifestyle Aspirer, succeeder and explorer Behavioral Social class User status Personality Middle and upper class Non-users and potential users Determined and ambitious Demographic Gender Lifecycle stage Income Occupation Male and female Newly married couples High earners Professionals, managers and executives Geographic Region Density US and International Urban Targeting After dividing the market into different segments, the company tries to focus on one or more segments to sell its products. It is necessary for the company to focus on the selected market segment to fulfill their needs and wants. In context to Apple portable computers, the company focuses on high earners, professionals and executives to sell its product. The company provides new technology in its products with high price due to which the target market of the company consists of professionals, high earners and executives who are ready to pay premium prices for the products of the company. Apple designs its product in a unique manner that differentiates it from other companies and helps in achieving first mover advantage over its competitors (Blythe, et al. 2005). In addition to this, Apple also targets teenagers, students of colleges and universities, children and adults by providing good customer experience. The usage of the portable computers by such target markets helps in fulfilling the needs of the customers as they can easily carry the computer at any place to fulfill their needs at an instant manner. Apple portable computers are designed in a unique manner for the purpose of achieving high level of customer satisfaction in order to attain competitive advantage over other players in the market (Iman, 2002). Positioning In order to fulfilling the needs and demands of its target market, the company launches the product with unique features that fulfill the demands of the customers. The company position its products as innovative and provide good customer experience. The logo of the company also attracts customers to buy the product. The portable computers facilitate users to carry it anywhere in order to complete their tasks in a quick manner. The computer has a large memory which results in storing of large chunks of data to be used in future by the target customers to make decisions effectively. The company promote its product as innovative products that helps in fulfilling the demands of the customers in a quick manner with high quality at reasonable cost. In addition to this, company uses different techniques to promote its products and create a positive image among its customers (Moore and Pareek, 2009). Conclusion It can be concluded that the buying behavior of the customers are greatly influenced by different business environmental factors. This report provides information related to different social factors that influence the buying behavior of customers such as reference group, family, culture and social roles. Besides this, it also provides information related to the segmentation, targeting and positioning strategy of Apple to enhance the consumer buying behavior towards the product. For the analysis, portable computers of Apple is selected. The company segments its market on the basis of four divisions namely geographic, demographic, behavioral and psychographic factors. This company targets high earners, students of universities, professionals, children and adults. The company has gain first mover advantage over its rivals. The company has used skimming pricing strategy to cater to the needs of niche market. References Blythe, J., et al. 2005. Strategic Marketing. 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