The Subiaco Centro project (Transit-oriented develepments) Research Proposal

The Subiaco Centro project (Transit-oriented develepments) - Research Proposal Example The project is aimed to expand the land usage opportunities in the Subiaco area and balance and complement the existing community fabric, while promoting alternative transport usage. Following are some of planning innovations that went into the project: Transit oriented development Community engagement Affordable housing Heritage conservation Reason for the selection of the topic: In the past, developmental design in the city of Perth has largely been oriented towards mobility through cars and other automobiles. However, with the development of the Subiaco-Centro project, this focus has now shifted from car-friendly planning to development that is grounded not only in land usage policies but also on the principle of actively pursuing the opportunities of transit-oriented development. This shift in focus has come with a significant challenges as well as opportunities, and the primary reason that I have selected this subject for my research is the fact that it presents a wide array of topics that need exploration. Since this project is not only focused on the creation of a safe, sustainable and harmonious city, there is also a major emphasize on re-inventing the city’s transportation system and provide easy and equal access to different modes of transportation. In this regard, the concept of transit-oriented has given rise to a lot of issues and I intend to not only study and research the various opportunities that have arisen due to this, but also explore the various obstacles that have been a part of this project. In the course of my research, I intend to study the following: The vision behind this project and the significance of creating development around public transportation. Current transport infrastructure designs. The need and demand for transit-oriented development design in Perth. The Socio-Economic effects of this type of development. The opportunities presented by maintaining a balance between high level of transit accessibility and land usage providing affordable housing. The research paper will take from current existing literature on these topics and compare the trending opinions with what has happened/is happening in Perth, and how it will effect the population, environment and economy of the city. Potential Sources of Information: Journal Articles: Theoretical discussions about the topic, cast studies documenting other instances of TOD in different countries etc. Reports/Other Documents: SRA planning schemes, Subiaco Redevelopment Act 1994, project information, Scheme texts/maps Websites: Subiaco Redevelopment Authority, Western Australian Planning Commission, City of Subiaco Proposed Structure of the Paper: 1. Introduction – A discussion about the fundamentals issues examined in the paper 2. Transit-oriented development in the Subi-centro project - A discussion about the history of TOD, the motivation behind incorporating it into Perth’s developmental designs, the vision behind the plans. - The Key pl ayers (Dept. of planning, private investors, SRA) - The objectives of the Subi-Centro project (in terms of development centred around transit modes in Perth) 3. The Obstacles and Opportunities arising due to TOD - A discussion about the demand for TOD in Perth - The attitudes of the residents of the city about this change of developmental designs. (Through a discussion of stakeholder interviews conducted

A Brief History of Noise Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Brief History of Noise Music - Essay Example Understanding the truth behind noise music is indeed a practical sense of understanding the roots of music as it is and the connection that it has upon the development of modern music that entertains, informs and establishes the cultural and the traditional evolution of music from then until now. Referred to as atonality and dissonance, noise music is simply the collection of different ‘noise’ created through the plucking, the strumming or the picking of different instruments. Without the sounds created by the said instruments, music could not be given birth to at all. Yes, ‘noise’ is the raw production of sound from the different procedures of utilizing the different instruments that are available for use. Basically, the process of creating the said sound craft paves the way towards a more innovative sense of producing music. Of course, music when first produced is basically a raw compilation of meaningless sounds that could not be directly used by the creators or that of the listeners yet. The innovative ways by which the creators add in the arrangement of the ‘noise music’ and the lyrics that could jive with the rhythm m and the notes of the produced noise music are then recreated along with the said collection of sounds. It is through this that an entire music presentation is completed. The birth of noise music has given birth to a different genre of musical arrangement that is far more different from that of the traditional creations and presentations of sound such as Jazz and classical music. Basically, listeners could actually see through the imposed consideration on the existence of noise music as a particular separation of old music from that of the new genres of music. Noise music are usually more lively, more emotionally provocative and matters as such in comparison with that of the traditional music creations. The pop

Change Management and Leadership Research Paper

Change Management and Leadership - Research Paper Example Secondly, the leadership should have the power to motivate and empower the followers so that they become ready to adapt to changes without resistance. Also, they should be encouraged to accept the shared vision and get ready to accept challenging goals. Another important point is that the leadership should be able to enforce enough discipline to execute the plans and policies. Most of the time, organizations come up with impressive strategic plans but they lack the change management skills to properly operate the strategies to reach the expected goals. As Kaminski insists, whenever there is a plan, there should be properly developed performance measures and targets. Thirdly, the leadership should be fully prepared to change at any time as an organization might need to change as a result of environmental changes. So, only a fully prepared leadership can ensure that the organization has an environment that proactively observes and responds to changes in both external and internal facto rs. Finally, the leadership should understand change as a long and continuous process which has to be implemented over a long period of time. Leadership as the Visionary The first role of leadership is that of a visionary. ... Leadership as the Inspirer Leadership should have the ability to inspire and motivate the people under it. It is often achieved by identifying specific benefits to the people and minimizing potential losses. Also, there is participative decision making and open communication which will make the followers feel that there is a compelling reason for change. Leadership as Supporter In fact, leadership acts as supporter through providing enough resources, enough time, recognition and rewards. Also, from time to time, leadership will publicise vivid stories about the success of the change. Moreover, the leadership will provide such a picture that the success of all people is dependent on the success of the change. Leadership as Supporter Leadership also acts as supporter during changes. It actively listens to the problems and criticisms of people. Also, it offers as much empathy and care as possible to the people affected by the change. Leadership and Change Strategies There was a seminar named ‘Transforming Organisations’ organised by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in Madrid on 23 and 24 September 2003. In the seminar, all the participants agreed to the fact that change management is the most important role of leadership. In fact, most of the changes introduced in organizations are aimed at improving either performance or productivity. The various strategies the companies adopt to ensure transformation range from growth, innovation and skills development, downsizing, layoff, replacements, altering assets and resources, and so on and on (cited in Dhondt, Kraan and Sloten). June Kaminski

Obscenity and pornography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Obscenity and pornography - Essay Example For her, the court can discredit the victim’s rape allegation by â€Å"finding discrepancies in the victim’s story and assuming ulterior motives for reporting the assault†; for this the court can take into account such resources as the â€Å"official reports and records, typifications of rape-relevant behavior, and knowledge of the victim’s personal life and criminal connections† (Frohmann, 1991, p. 213). Thus, the prosecutor-victim complaint filling interview acts as a n integral part of the sexual case processing. Similarly, another major method employed by the legal system to discredit sexual assault cases is by analyzing the accusers mental health records and by offering the defendant an opportunity to prove his innocence. Cases are rejected once the court gets convinced that the victim does not have a good previous mental health record. This rape shield legislation plays a dominant role in sexual assault cases. Another widespread and common met hod employed by the legal systems to reject sexual assault cases is by identifying congruencies in the charges filed by police at arrest with the charge filed by the prosecutor. When there are such evident congruencies, the court can either reject sexual assault cases or discredit victims’ allegations of sexual assault. Therefore, one should bear in mind that mere allegations can easily be rejected by the courts in the case of sexual assaults. Frohmann, Lisa. ‘Discrediting Victims Allegations of Sexual Assault: Prosecutorial Accounts of Case Rejections’. Social Problems, Vol.38, No.2, May 1991. Retrieved 24 September 2010 from:

How Literature Displays Positive Character Trait Through Characters Essay Example for Free

How Literature Displays Positive Character Trait Through Characters Essay Traits Through Its Characters It is known that a piece of writing can do more than tell a story, but can also portray indirect ideas to the reader. A narrative piece is able to show positive traits, presented through its characters. Literature can display a variety of positive attributes, through different characters, and situations. This is demonstrated in the story, â€Å"The Blue Bead,† through Sibia’s acts of selflessness, and again in the text â€Å"Long, Long, After School,† through Miss Tretheway’s acts of kind-heartedness. In the story â€Å"The Blue Bead,† an example of how literature shows positive raits through its characters, is composed by Sibia’s displays of selflessness when saving a woman from an attacking crocodile. In the text, the narrator states, â€Å"Sometimes it had seemed difficult to cross these stones, especially with the big gap†¦ But now she came on wings†¦ and in a moment, she was beside the shrieking woman (pg. 61). † This shows selflessness because Sibia, usually hesitant on the slippery stones, flies across them making rapid footing decisions, throwing herself towards to woman being attacked, aware of the fact that if she falls, she could harm herself severely. Another piece of evidence is shown when the narrator states, â€Å"Its eyes rolled on to Sibia. One slap of the tail could kill her. (pg. 61). † This shows selflessness because the young girl willingly put her life at risk, to save one that was not her own. Through the young girl’s displays of selflessness, one can see how the text, â€Å"The Blue Bead† portrays a positive trait through Sibia. Throughout the text, â€Å"Long, Long After School,† Miss Tretheway shows kind- heartedness through acts presented in the story. An illustration of this is when a flashback occurs, back to when Miss Tretheway states, â€Å"Why, Marilyn, Wes’s hands re much cleaner than yours. Maybe Wes doesn’t like to get his hands dirty†¦ (pg. 114). † This shows kind-heartedness because though Miss Tretheway is Wes’ teacher, she stood up for him when his classmate insulted him in front of his peers. Another illustration of how Miss Tretheway shows ki nd-heartedness is when a character states, â€Å"She gave me a whole quart, just as soon as she found out that hers would match. † This shows kind-heartedness because one was willing to give up blood, an element that signifies life, almost immediately to save someone who with the woman shared a student-teacher relationship. Through the acts of kind- heartedness displayed through the story, â€Å"Long, Long, After School† shows that literature shows positive attributes through its characters. A piece of writing can portray positive traits through its developed characters. Sibia shows selflessness through her acts of saving the woman being attacked by the crocodile, putting one’s own life at risk. Miss Tretheway displays kind-heartedness by standing up for a student, and giving the aforementioned student a much needed blood transfusion. These examples show that positive traits can be demonstrated through characters presented in literature.

Omo Detergent In Nigeria

Omo Detergent In Nigeria Omo is manufactured and distributed by Unilever Nigeria Plc, which is a subsidiary of the multinational food and vitality company, Unilever whose corporate mission is to add vitality to life. They are manufacturers and suppliers of consumer goods in the foods, home care and personal care divisions. Unilever Nigeria Plc was incorporated on 11th April, 1923 as the Lever Brothers (West Africa) Ltd (OceanicPearl 2009). The company began as a trading organisation founded by Lord Leverhulme in Nigeria and West Africa. It started as a soap manufacturing organisation and has remained over the years to become one of Nigerias oldest surviving manufacturing organisations. The company has over the years diversified into the manufacture of foods, personal care products and non-soapy detergents. This was done through mergers and acquisitions, some of which include the acquisition of Lipton Nigeria Ltd in 1985 and Cheesebrough Pond Industries Ltd in 1988 (UnileverNigeria 2010a). In line with the ot her parts of the multinational group, the companys name was changed in 2001 to Unilever Nigeria Plc. It was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1973 and 49% of its equity are owned by Nigerians at the moment while 51% is held by Unilever Overseas Holdings BV (OceanicPearl 2009). KEY MARKET SEGMENTS AND SIZE OF MARKET Unilever Nigeria Plc is involved in three main market segments and they are: Foods The brands of Unilever in this segment are Blue Band margarine, Lipton tea, Knorr and Royco food seasonings. Blue band margarine dominates the margarine market with only few strong competitors. Lipton tea is also the dominant brand in the Nigerian tea market, with relatively little competition from local manufacturers. However, the Nigerian tea consumption is very small due to the hot climate and the fact that consumers prefer chocolate drinks to tea. Knorr and Royco are different brands of a glutamate-based food seasoning. Although they possess a considerable market share, they have very stiff competition from the Maggi brand of Nestlà © Nigeria which is the dominant seasoning brand in the market. Home care This segment of the fast moving consumer goods market is dominated by multinational companies like Unilever, Procter and Gamble and PZ Cussons although there is competition from other local manufacturers. This dominance is due to the large amount of capital assigned to marketing by the multinationals, which most local manufacturers ignore either due to lack of capital or ignorance. The key Unilever brands in this segment are Omo and Key. Omo comes in a powder form while Key is a green bar soap. The Omo detergent comes in various pack sizes while the bar soap come in two sizes. These products are mainly produced for hand washing although Omo may be used for machine wash. Personal care division Currently, Nigerian households spend US $5 billion annually in the personal care category (Tura 2010). It is a very competitive segment of the Nigerian market and boasts a lot of local manufacturers. Investors are drawn into this segment because of the low barriers to entry and exit. Also, government policies favour the establishment of small-scale factories in this segment with tax incentives granted the organisations. However, multinational organisations such as Unilever and PZ Cussons still control large portion of the segment. Unilevers brands in this segment include Lux, Pears and Sunsilk. Pears is a petroleum jelly brand while Lux and Sunsilk are brands that cover body and hair care products although Sunsilk is cheaper and was created to cater for the low income segment of the Nigerian society. Size of market Because food, home care and personal care are essential to all humans, the market for most of Unilever Nigerias products including Omo can be seen as the entire population of the country. The household consumer goods segment has been growing steadily due to the increased marketing by companies, stimulated by growing demand. Detergents for hand washing have not been left out. The unsteady power situation in Nigeria favour hand washing rather than machine washing and so most of the washing detergents produced in the country are made for hand-wash applications. With a population of over 140million people and an annual population growth rate of 1.999% according to the 2009 estimates (Indexmundi 2009), Nigeria presents a large market for powder detergents. With an urban population percentage of 48% (2008 census) and 97% of the population below 65years (Indexmundi 2009), the market potentials are huge. The Nigerian population is made up of an upper wealthy class that only constitutes about 10% of the population. The middle and lower class make up the remaining 90% with the lower class having the lion share. The chart below shows the Living Standard Measure (LSM) of the adult population in 2008. The Living Standard Measure is a wealth proxy calculated based on the ownership of certain goods and degree of urbanization and ranges from 1 (indigent and rural) to 10 (affluent and urban) (Ladipo 2008). PRODUCT DESCRIPTION AND KEY DATA Omo is a white detergent powder that is used for washing clothes. It is produced specifically for hand washing although it can be used for machine washing as well. Omo is a chemical-based detergent with excellent stain removal properties. It comes in 35 and 50grams sachets and also in 200, 400 and 900grams packs. Because of the relatively low income level of the average Nigerian family, the small product sachets have been favoured over the years. Omos brand colours are white, blue and red, with the word Omo written in blue and as uppercase characters on the packaging, which carries the brands colours. Omo is one of the oldest brand names in the household care category in Nigeria. For a long time, Omo was the generic name for non-soap detergents, in most parts of Nigeria. However, increased competition has changed this. MARKETING DATA OF OMO The turnover for the powder detergents segment and Omos market share are given in the table below. NGN represents the currency of Nigeria, the Nigerian naira. The overall sales volume/turnover decrease from 2008 to 2009 was due to fall in demand caused by a high inflation rate. The increase in sales value is as a result of higher product prices rather than an increase in sales volume. However, though there was a decrease in sales volume of powder detergents in 2009, turnover has increased greatly over figures from the early 90s due to the introduction of the more affordable economy-sized sachets of product and improvements in road network across the country which made rural markets more accessible. The turnover for Omo has experienced a gradual decline over the years as consumers now see it as an old and ineffective product and hence prefer the competitions products. The volume and value share of Omo also decreased over the year due to the wrong perception of the product by the consumers and very stiff competition in the segment with several players like Eko Resources Ltd., introducing cheaper alternatives into the market. Main competitors The ability to constantly innovate and make exciting offers to customers is a very important attribute needed to survive and excel in a competitive market (Jobber 1998) like the Nigerian detergent market. Detergents purchase has a low level of involvement and so consumers are quick to try something they perceive better. There are several products that compete in this market segment, their large numbers being due to the low barriers to entry and exit for this market segment. Of the many brands that exist, the three main competitors of Omo are: So Klin washing powder This is a leader in the mass market category of the powder detergents market. It is manufactured by Eko Supreme Resources Ltd., jointly owned by Nigerian and Asian investors and was introduced into the market in 1995. The manufacturers spotted a gap in the market since prior to this time, Omo and the other detergents did not come in economy packs (products came in packs of at least 200grams) and were beyond the reach of the greater populace. They introduced sachets of 15grams and 30grams to cater for the low income earners. This caused them to take over much of the competitors market share. Also, on entry, the white colour of the powder strengthened its claim to provide superior cleaning with just small amounts, at a time when the other players including Omo still came as blue powders. After gaining grounds with its economy-sized products, it also ventured into the realm of the existing main players of the industry by introducing products in 200g, 400g and 900g packs to cater for hig h-end customers. At the end of the 2008 retail year, So Klin emerged second in the powder detergent category mainly the 13 to 35kg segments but still undisputedly remain the first in the sachet (15 and 30grams) segment, which accounts for 50% of the powder detergent business in Nigeria (The Nation 2009). Ariel washing powder This product is manufactured by Procter Gamble Nigeria, which started operations in Nigeria in 1992. It also comes in the form of a white powder and occupies a sizeable share of the detergent market although it is a sort of premium detergent. It was introduced in comparatively large sized packs and cost on the average more than its other competitors for same-sized products. This greater price premium was perceived by most of the AB and C1 groups (using British social classification as given by White (2000)) as a sign of higher quality and became popular especially among Nigerians who knew of their operations outside the country. Procter Gamble Nigeria undertakes aggressive advertising and has over time gradually increased its market share. With the introduction of their economy sized products (15 and 30grams), their customer base increased making them the second major competitor of Omo. Elephant detergent This detergent is manufactured by PZ Cussons Nigeria, a company that commenced business in Nigeria as a West African merchant. Elephant detergent is the third major competitor of Omo in the detergents category. Prior to the entry of the Procter Gamble brand Ariel, it was the main competitor of Omo and together with Omo, occupied more than 40% of the detergents category. Elephant detergent over the years has grown into an umbrella brand that has several detergent products under it such as the Elephant Gold and Elephant colour. It started out as a blue detergent packaged in 200g packs but has transformed into a white detergent following the change in the Nigerian consumer preference. On the wake of the So Klin revolution, brands like Omo tried to quickly reposition while Elephant dawdled resulting in a severe loss of market share. It now comes in economy packs although its strongholds lie in the large sized packs (200grams and above). LIFECYCLE OF OMO WASHING POWDER Omo detergent powder is in its mature phase at the moment. It was introduced over 40 years ago and its early stage was marked with great acceptance as the market had very few players predominantly Elephant detergent. This established the brand and led to a very rapid growth phase through the 80s and early 90s. By the late 90s, the product entered its mature phase. Its market share has since been fairly constant with slight increases or decreases yearly depending on marketing activities. This is evidenced by the gradual fall in market share (from 17.4percent in 2008 to 16.3percent in 2009) as seen in Table 1. Unilever Nigeria constantly undertakes several activities to extend the life of the product. These include repackaging, resizing of packs, introduction of improved formulas and constant advertising. SWOT ANALYSIS FOR OMO DETERGENT Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Strong customer awareness of the brand Crowded and very competitive market Government vision 20/20 developmental policies Entrance of cheaper substitutes like Bonux (by Procter Gamble Nigeria) and Good Mama detergent (by Eko Supreme Resources Nigeria Ltd.) into the market. Large skilled marketing force Price sensitivity of product Improved road network in rural areas Re-launch of Ariel Enzymax as Ariel Prozim by Procter Gamble Nigeria Plc (M2weekly 2010) Access to home companys resources/technology Small brand product range offering specific advantages to different customer segments Increasing income of middle class Difficulty in accessing credit from local banks in the light the restructuring of the banking sector and global financial crisis. A large number of loyal nationwide distributors Improved electricity supply reducing production costs. Fall in local raw materials production Large local production capacity Growing population and market Increase in import duties on imported raw materials Wide product packaging size range High inflation rate(12 per cent in December 2009) (FreshPlaza 2010) Clear brand positioning Low entry barriers into business FUTURE TRENDS IN THE MARKET Nigerian consumers increasingly want more variety, freedom, quality and want to remove the hassle from washing and save time. With an annual population growth rate of 1.999% from 2009 estimates (Indexmundi 2009), the market for household care products is growing. In 2008, the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector in Nigeria of which detergents are a large share grew by over 15% to a market size of around 130 billionNGN ( £552 million) (TradeInvestNigeria 2009). Also, with the increase in the income of the middle class and the percentage of the population that constitute this class, the average disposable income per family is increasing at a steady pace. Therefore, over the next few decades, there will be a shift of demand from economy sized goods (15 and 30grams) to family sized goods (200grams and above) as the younger, more educated portion of the population, which form a greater part of the population, with a median age of 19years (Indexmundi 2009) grow older and establish families. Although infrastructural development (especially power supply) is slow on the average, it is quite faster in urban areas like Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano. These cities make up a large portion of the entire market. In addition, a larger proportion of married women now take up jobs in the private and public sectors, leaving very little time for activities like hand washing. For these reasons, there is a gradual growth in the market for machine wash powders and this is expected to continue over the next two decades. Finally, with government rigorously executing various projects and making policies in line with its plan for Nigeria to be among the first 20 economies in the world by the year 2020, a rapid growth in the infrastructural development especially rural roads is opening up the rural market thereby adding to market growth. ADVERTISING PHILOSOPHY Omo is advertised with a catch phrase Dirt is good, built around the belief that allowing children explore their environments ensures they grow and develop properly. The advertising of Omo is focused on the mother as the target considering she is the main decision maker for the purchase of household care products like detergents. From personal communication with Unilever Nigeria (February 2010), the primary target consumer description is given below. She is a mother in LSM 5 8, aged 23 45yrs. Her children are central to her world and she wants them to develop and explore the world. Laundry is an important part of her life she takes great pride in seeing her family looking good and wearing clean clothes. She cares about great laundry results and her childs development She lives in the urban and semi-urban parts of the country. Unilever Nigeria employs the television, posters and radio advertising to market Omo, each media used to a different degree. Television Omos main advertising is done on television since their target audience always watch television especially in the evenings. The adverts are run during a soap opera and a family breakfast show which run on Thursday (8-10pm) and Saturday mornings (9-10am) respectively weekly. These shows are almost religiously watched by most families and so have a great impact rate for the target audience. Posters These are the other most used media for advertising Omo. Posters are placed on billboards in markets and major roads all over the country. Since the target audience is the woman, and women are the ones who go to markets to do the family shopping, this is a highly effective method. Markets tend to be centralised and most women go shopping at least weekly and so are always exposed to the advert each time they go there. Using posters offers three main advantages for the marketing of this product. Firstly, since power is not constant in the country, posters present an ever visible advert, always present unlike television adverts that will not be seen if there is no power supply during the time when the advert is supposed to run. Secondly, posters also allow the message of the product to be passed to consumers who do not own television sets considering this is the case in certain parts of the country. Thirdly, posters are also made in the major languages of the different states in the cou ntry as Nigeria has over 200 indigenous languages. This is a very big advantage of using posters, as it reduces the cost of advertising which would be ridiculously high if TV commercials of the different languages were to be made. It ensures that the message of the advertising is effectively communicated to the consumers even if they are not very good in English language. Radio Local radio is also employed in the advertisement of Omo. However, it is used to a much lower extent than television and posters. It is mainly employed in the semi-urban and rural areas where most consumers do not watch much television but own radio sets. The adverts are made in either English language, Pidgin English or the major language of the region. The print media is normally not employed in the advertisement of Omo because very few of the women who are the target audience regularly read the dailies and magazines. ADVERTISING PLAN Current consumer perception of brand Most consumers see Omo as an old school (outdated and ineffective) product. believe detergents powders degrade the colours of clothes. Advertising objectives To alter perceptions about Omo. To reassure customers of product quality. To raise impulsive brand awareness from 75 percent to 85 percent. To raise the proportion of consumers describing the brand as effective and value for money to 75 percent. Selected media: Posters (on billboards because of its high perception-altering potential via repetition). Poster advert description The poster will carry a picture of a smiling woman (30-35years old) in brightly coloured Nigerian attire (attire will be changed to match the cultural and religious attire of women in different regions so as to cause the consumers in the region to identify with the advert) on a white background, carrying the brand colours (red, blue and white) on the left portion of the picture. Brand colours will be bold on poster to enable easy identification of the brand even before seeing its name. The right side of the poster will contain a picture of a large amount of colourful clean clothing folded in a stack (wide range of bright colours to be chosen to emphasize colour caring and preserving qualities of Omo). The woman in the picture will be holding an Omo 15grams sachet in her right hand next to the stack of folded clothing (to emphasize that a small amount can clean many clothes) while the products in their different sized packs are displayed at the bottom left of the poster (to show the c ustomer the range of choices available). The brand name Omo will be placed in the poster in large print, second in size only to the phrase Brilliant results always (to highlight the excellent cleaning and colour-preserving ability of Omo)which will run across the centre of a major part of the poster (but does not overlap the clothes). Response/what we want them to believe: Omo has super stain removing ability, A small amount washes a large quantity of clothes Omo does not deteriorate colours Languages to be used in adverts English, Pidgin English and the three main national languages (Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo). Where adverts will be displayed State capital city centres, major markets and roads in the cities and select towns. Timing Six months. Media scheduling Periodic over six months. Results expected Brand to come first in their mind when they think washing To establish the brand and position it in the market as the best for washing Criteria by which success will be judged Change in market share and turnover. Budget A budget of 250millionNGN ( £1.07million) is proposed for this advert. This is justified by the increase in revenue the advert will generate. A 10% increase in revenue (which is 969.2millionNGN from Table 1) will cover the advert and marketing costs and give a reasonable profit. CONCLUSION Omos strong brand presence has kept it over the years. However, a selling concept rather than a marketing concept has been employed for Omo over the years resulting in loss of market share. Constant research should be carried out to keep up with changes in consumer needs. With new emphasis on what consumers want from the product, effective marketing and product promotion, a turnaround can be expected.

Determinants of Health Insurance Choices

Determinants of Health Insurance Choices CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Background to the Problem Health care financing in developing countries remain a policy issue with few countries able to spend the $34 per capita recommended by the World Health Organisation as minimum requirement for basic health care. Lack of financial resources to adequately meet the increasing demand for health care needs of the African population remain a persistent problem, and is becoming more critical in the context of increasing incidences of non- communicable diseases. Consequently, there have been attempts by African governments to explore different methods of health care financing. The 2005 World Health Assembly encouraged its member states to move towards achieving universal coverage. Universal coverage does not only relate to generation of health care funds but implies equity in access and guaranteed financial risk protection. As it is the desire of all countries to move towards a system of universal coverage,6 it is argued that irrespective of the source of financing for the health system selected, prepayment and pooling of resources and risks arbasic principles in financial-risk protection. Further recognition of the importance of universal coverage for countries led to the WHO proposing the 2010 World Health Report to address financing for universal health coverage (UHC). Since independence, one of the overall objectives of the government of Kenya has been to promote and improve the health status of Kenyans. This objective is motivated by the evidence that investing in health produces positive outcomes in human capital that have long term impacts in the overall socio-economic development of a country (World Bank 1993; Mwabu 1998). In a number of government policy documents and in successive National Development Plans, the government has set forth that the provision of health services should be available, accessible and affordable to those in most need of healthcare (sessional paper No. 10 of 1965; KHPFP, various Development Plans). Different health financing policy initiatives have been undertaken in Kenya, all aimed largely at addressing affordability and access to health care services. Universalist free health for all policy saw a rapid expansion of the healthcare infrastructure, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, and advances in health and social indicators. During this period, health financing system was supported primarily via general tax revenue. With the growing population and worsening socio-economic and political factors, a severe crisis of health and social development unraveled in the 1990s (UNDP 2002). As a result of the crisis, the governments objectives and commitments to free healthcare provision for all eroded dramatically forcing it to implement a cost-sharing scheme in 1989. User fees were abolished for outpatient care in 1990, inspired by concerns about social justice, but re-introduced in 1992 because of budgetary constraints. Today, these fees have remained, with their impact on access to health care the subject of several empirical studies. The user fee system was significantly altered in June 2004, when the Ministry of Health stipulated that health care at dispensary and health centre level be free for all citizens, except for a minimal registration fee in government health facilities. Health financing in Kenya is characterized by a high out of pocket expenditure. The Annual Health Sector Statistics Report (2008), indicate that the out of pocket expenditure as a proportion of total expenditure stands at 36% while public expenditure as a proportion of total health expenditure is 29% per cent. 31 per cent of the total health expenditure comes from the development partners while the private companies contribute 3%. This kind of scenario makes access to health a big problem for the majority of the people below the poverty line that constitute about 45.9 per cent of the population. According to the 2007 Kenya Household Expenditure Survey, 37.7% of Kenyans who were ill and did not seek care were hindered by cost. Health insurance is emerging as the most preferred form of health financing mechanism in situations where private out-of-pocket expenditures on health are significantly high and cost recovery strategies affect the access to healthcare. The need for health insura nce in Kenya has been recognized by policymakers for quite some time now, as exemplified by the establishment of NHIF in 1966 through an Act of Parliament. The most significant event in the recent past has been the governments interest in social health insurance as a health financing method and its possible implementation in Kenya. The aim is to ensure equity and access to healthcare services by all Kenyans. Despite the recognition of the importance of health insurance by the government, the number of people in Kenya enrolled in health insurance schemes is low (KNBS, 2009). In view of this, there is need to carry out a study on factors determining choice of health insurance. Overview of Health Insurance in Kenya Kimani et al (2004) put forward that health insurance in Kenya has been provided by both private and public systems. The main objective of the health systems has been to insure Kenyans against health risks that they may encounter in future. The broad categories of health insurance in Kenya are as discussed below: Private Healthcare Insurance Health insurance is considered private when the third party (insurer) is a profit organisation (Republic of Kenya, 2003a). In private insurance, people pay premiums related to the expected cost of providing services to them, that is, people who are in high health risk groups pay more, and those at low risk pay less. Cross-subsidy between people with different risks of ill health is limited. Membership of a private insurance scheme is usually voluntary. Private health insurance has been offered by general insurance firms, which offer healthcare insurance as one of their portfolio of products. Therefore, their intention may be driven by the profit motive as business enterprises rather that the pursuit to promote the general health of Kenyans. Wangombe et al (1994) identify two categories of private health insurance in Kenya: direct private health insurance and, employment based insurance. Nderitu (2002) notes that direct private health insurance is very expensive and only the middle and high-income groups afford it In the employment-based plans, the employer provides care directly through employer-owned on site health facility, or through employer contracts with health facilities or healthcare organisations. These are both voluntary health schemes and are not legislated by the government. According to Techlink International Report (1999), few firms provide healthcare insurance in the strict sense of insurance in private healthcare insurance in Kenya. The general insurance firms offering healthcare insurance as one of their portfolio of products include American Life Insurance Company (ALICO), Apollo Insurance, GMD Kenya, Kenya Alliance Insurance Company Ltd, and UAP Provincial Insurance. Other firms run medical schemes and they are in two categories: the first category provides healthcare through own clinics and hospitals (these include AAR Health Services, Avenue Healthcare Ltd, Comprehensive Medical Services, Health Plan Services), while the other category provides healthcare through third party facilities (examples are Bupa International, Health Management Services and Health First International). These medical schemes are also known as Health Management Organisations (HMOs). HMOs are registered as companies under the Companies Act. The concept originated in the US , where HMOs also help the government to disseminate preventive messages to the public. They were introduced in Kenya a decade ago in response to a 1994 Government call on the private sector to assist in medical care. HMOs are filling a vacuum left by the public health insurance scheme. In HMOs, the patient pays a fixed annual fee, called a capitation fee, to cover the medical costs. Members of a HMO must go to the doctors of that HMO. In addition, to see a specialist, their HMO family doctor must refer them. HMOs have grown rapidly especially in the last few years, especially among those who are covered by employer-provided health plans, mainly because they have helped contain cost increases. National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) The NHIF was established by an Act of Parliament in 1966 as a department in the Ministry of Health, which oversaw its operations, but responsible to the government Treasury for fiscal matters. The Fund was set up to provide for a national contributory hospital insurance scheme for all residents in Kenya. The Act establishing the NHIF provided for the enrolment in the NHIF of all Kenyans between the ages of 18 and 65 and mandates employers to deduct premium from wages and salaries. Contributions and membership are compulsory for all salaried employees earning a net salary of Kshs. 1000 per month and above. The level of contribution is graduated according to income, ranging from Ksh 30 to Ksh 320 per month. The Fund covers up to 180 inpatient hospital days per member and his/her beneficiaries per year. Besides being self-financing and self-administering, the Fund monitors its own collections and distributes benefits to providers. The NHIF Act also provides for the Fund to make loans from its reserves to hospitals for service improvement. Over the years, the original Act of Parliament has been reviewed to accommodate the changing healthcare needs of the Kenyan population, employment and restructuring in the health sector. The government restructured the NHIF Act in 1998 to make the Fund an autonomous parastatal. The apex of NHIF is no longer the Ministry but a Board of Directors. The Fund was given the task of enabling as many Kenyans as possible to have access to quality and affordable healthcare against a background of rising medical costs and a dwindling share of resources. According to the amended NHIF Act, beneficiaries are both in-patients and outpatients (section 22 of NHIF Act, 1998), but outpatient services are not yet operational. NHIF Management Board pays benefits to declared hospitals for expenses incurred at those hospitals by any contributor, his/her named spouse, child or other named dependant. According to the NHIF Act, the benefits payable from the Fund are limited to expenses incurred in respect of drugs, laboratory tests and diagnostic services, surgical, dental, or medical procedures or equipment, physiotherapy care and doctors fees, food and boarding costs (Republic of Kenya, 1999). Though the NHIF is meant to be a health insurance scheme after the amendment of the NHIF Act in 1998, it is still a hospital insurance scheme since it only pays for inpatient services only. Currently, NHIF pays more than half of a typical inpatient bill in private-for-profit sector in urban areas. Although benefit rates have been increased since the onset of the cost-sharing programme, the Funds reimbursement levels remain a small proportion of the total costs of care in many for-profit facilities The relevance of NHIF has been questioned in the light of access and affordability of healthcare for the poor, together with its coverage. It is for this reason that the Kenyan Government has proposed a scheme that is supposed to address fundamental concerns regarding equity, access, affordability and quality in the provision of health services in Kenya. National Social Health Insurance Fund The proposed mandatory social health insurance scheme, seeks to transform the NHIF into a National Social Health Insurance Fund (NSHIF) to provide health insurance cover to both outpatients and inpatients. The main objective of the Fund is to facilitate the provision of accessible, affordable and quality healthcare services to all its members irrespective of their age, economic or social status (Republic of Kenya, 2003b). It will be compulsory for every Kenyan and every permanent resident to become a member through enrolment and payment of a subscription either monthly or annually, or as may be deemed convenient to different socio-economic groups. Subscriptions for the poor will be paid for with funds from the government and other sources. The current cost sharing fees will be replaced by pre-paid contribution into the new scheme. Some of the services that the members will enjoy under the new outpatient cover include: general consultation with general practitioners; prescribed laboratory tests/investigations; drugs/medicines; prescribed X-rays and ultra sound diagnosis; treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs); Treatment, dressing or diagnostic testing; family planning; ante-natal and post-natal care; clinical counseling services; health and wellness education (Ministry of Health, 2004a) Statement of the Problem Health insurance is an institutional and financial mechanism which is seen as one option of obtaining additional resources for the financing of health care without deterring the poor and the vulnerable group from seeking care when they need it. It has the potential of generating substantial funds for equitable health care. Governments funds so saved could then be diverted to the development and expansion of primary health care services and other infrastructure. It is a way of improving quality and access to health care as well as managing resources more efficiently. Health insurance helps households and private individuals to set aside financial resources to meet costs of medical care in event of illness. It is based on the principle of pooling funds and entrusting management of such funds to a third party (government, employer or insurance company or a provider) that pays for healthcare costs of members who contribute to the pool. Lack of health insurance promotes deferment in seeking care, non-compliance of the treatment regime and results in an overall poor health outcome (Hadley, 2002). Tropical diseases, especially malaria and tuberculosis have long been a public problem in Kenya. However, Beyond grappling with a persistent high burden of infectious disease, including malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, Kenya faces an emerging chronic diseases problem characterized by increasing rates of cardiovascular disease, cancers, and diabetes.   Since the 1990s some of Kenyas early achievements in health have begun to reverse: Over the past two decades life expectancy has declined to 53 years, and mortality among children under the age of five has risen slightly. In Kenya, only about 10% of the population has some form of health insurance (KNBS, 2010; Republic of Kenya, 2009; Kinuthia, 2002). Coverage has remained the same since 2003. This implies that a huge segment of Kenyans are still not covered hence the burden of paying bills lies with themselves or through fund raising. In addition, most of the insurance firms are located in urban areas where a substantial number of population can afford as compared to rural areas. With the current debate on the introduction of National Social Health insurance, there is need to examine the factors which affect individuals decisions of enrolling in health insurance scheme. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence choice of health insurance among Kenyans. Specific Objectives To evaluate socio-economic factors influencing choice of health insurance in Kenya. To determine the role of information on the choice factors of health insurance in Kenya. To determine how location factor influences the choice of health insurance in Kenya. Make policy recommendations Chapter two LITERATURE REVIEW Theoretical framework The theory of demand for health insurance is based on expected utility theory of The standard economic theory of behavior under uncertainty is well known; risk  averse individuals will pay to avoid severe financial consequences of the unfortunate  state of the world. In some markets, that willingness to pay to avoid risk leads to the  existence of contingent contracts, or insurance markets. In the health insurance context,  the unfortunate state of the world can be described as the event of illness or fear of  illness serious enough to require an individual or family to pay the full cost of necessary  and efficacious medical care solely out of current income or wealth. Risk averse  individuals facing actuarially fair prices will fully insure, but with unavoidable loading  costs in the real world, individuals prefer incomplete insurance. The optimal degree of  coverage in the face of loading costs is increasing in the degree of risk aversion. Ones degree or intensity of risk aversion to not having health insurance can be  reasonably posited to depend upon wealth (W), because the potential financial loss from  catastrophic illness is increasing in wealth, although after a very high threshold level of  wealth is reached, risk aversion may decline again; education (ED), because more  educated people know the consequences of not having insurance, they know the  likelihood of appropriate health care being efficacious, and they also may have more  confidence that they can obtain efficacious care within any insurance and delivery  system; income (Y), because financial protection both of wealth and of current income or consumption streams is a normal good; family status (FS), since parents and  married partners may be more likely to seek coverage for family members whom they  care about and/or for whom they feel responsible; other access to insurance  (OTHER_ESI, ELIG), since the value placed on any particul ar insurance option may be  different if one is married to a worker whose employer offers coverage, or if some family  member(s) is(are) eligible for public insurance; health status (HS) of everyone in the  family; perceived risk (RISK) to health status, increasing in age and other sometimes  observable clinical factors which we summarize with _, so that RISK = RISK(age,_);  gender (SEX), since men and women have different health use profiles; and then,  contingent on a health shock that requires an intervention, ones aversion to the risk of  illness also depends upon expected expenditures (EX) and the variance of possible  expenditures (_EX). These expenditure functions depend upon the quantity (C) and  quality (q) of medical care that may be necessary (and efficacious) as well as the  expected price of each unit of that medical care (PC). Note, when it comes to risk  aversion and demand for health insurance, the expected value of necessary medical care  is not more important than the variance of that potential demand or need for medical care,  i.e., the upper bound of potentially required medical care affects demand. In other words,  the first two moments of the health services utilization and expenditure distribution  matter, a priori, to insurance demand. We find it useful to think about an individuals demand for health insurance  having two classes of arguments: those that reflect influences on the subjective value of  insurance coverage per se, and those that determine the net price to the consumer. From  the above, one may summarize the value of a particular package of health benefits, V(Bi),  ERIU Working Paper 3 6 as: V(Bi) = V(W, ED, Y, FS, OTHER_ESI, ELIG, HS, RISK, SEX, EX(C,q,PC), _EX). Let the price of health insurance (to the individual) be P*. Health insurance demand for a  particular package of benefits is then: HId = 0 if V(Bi) HId > 0 if V(Bi) _ P*. Thus we have the truism, people will be uninsured if the value to them of the insurance  benefit package they can buy is less than the price they have to pay. We also note the  obvious that those which value health insurance the most are likely to buy the most of it,  conditional on a given price. This concept of V(B) is similar to Pauly and Herrings  notion of reservation price for health insurance (Pauly and Herring, 2002, forthcoming),  and V(B) P* is similar to consumer surplus. An interesting feature of health insurance markets is that some of those with the  highest V(B) are also those most likely to make choices such as seeking jobs from  employers that offer health insurance that lead them to find the lowest prices of health  insurance (P*). Thus purchasers of insurance are likely to obtain substantial consumer  surplus. Other people with high demand say those who expect to be very sick are  unable to work. They often either qualify for public programs or end up facing very high  prices in the private non-group insurance market, and sometimes can find no one willing  to sell insurance to them at any actuarially fair price.3 Therefore, it is difficult to sustain  the interpretation that observed prices paid in health insurance markets reflect  equilibrium marginal subjective values of having health insurance.{my argument is that  3Pollitz K, R Sorian, and K Thomas, How Accessible is Individual Health Insurance for Consumers in  L ess-Than-Perfect Health? Report to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2001.  buyers have CS, so nobodys marginal utility is revealed in these markets. I inserted a  new CS sentence above}. The arguments in our expressions of health insurance demand are useful for  general expressions of demand, but we also need to make clear that some eligible people  do not enroll in insurance even though the monetary cost is zero . This would not seem  possible from our characterization of health insurance demand. The important point is  that P* in our framework represents more than just monetary cost. P* includes time cost  and any disutility from an enrollment process that is perceived as burdensome or  embarrassing (e.g. some say a kind of stigma is associated with Medicaid since it was for  so long associated with people on cash assistance). We explain more in section 4 what is  known about the ways P* exceeds zero for various public insurance programs with zero  nominal fees. 2.2 Socially Empirical Literature Kirigia et al (2005), using data from the 1994 South African Health Inequalities Survey (SANHIS) examined the relationship between health insurance ownership and the demographic, economic and educational characteristics of South African women. Applying binary logistic regression technique, they found out that environmental rating, residence, smoking and marital status variables determined health insurance coverage. The 2002 Jamaican Survey of Living Conditions was used to model the determinants of private health insurance coverage. Bourne and Kerr-Campbell (2010), using logistic regression to estimate the determinants of health insurance coverage, found out that social standing, durable goods, income, marital status, area of residence, education, social support, crowding, psychological conditions, retirement benefits, living arrangements, the number of males in the household and good health determined health insurance coverage. Nketiah-Amponsah (2009) investigated the determinants of public health insurance among women aged 15-49 in Ghana using primary data collected in three districts in Ghana in 2008. Using the logit model the paper concludes that marital status, income, age, religion and access to television and newspapers are the most significant determinants of womens insurance coverage. In addition, health inputs like medical personnel and health infrastructure increase demand for health insurance and health care. Another study using primary data was conducted in Ghana by Sarpong et al (2010) to explore the association between socio-economic status and subscription to the Ghanaian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Applying logistic regression, they concluded that economic well being and distance to the closest health facility were important determinants of National health insurance coverage. Gius (2010), using data from the 2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) estimated the logistic model for determinants of health insurance coverage for young adults. They posit that socioeconomic factors among them, age, sex, race, employment, area of residence, cost of insurance and beliefs held about health insurance are important in determining the health insurance coverage. In Malawi, Makoka et al (2007), based on a logistic regression found income and education as significant determinants of private health care where public health services are free. This study used primary data collected from Blantyre and Zomba cities in 2003. A working paper study by Bhat and Jain (2006) examined factors affecting the demand for health insurance in a micro health insurance scheme setting. Estimating Takeuchi et al (1998) estimating the logistic model for factors associated with health insurance coverage among Chinese Americans in Los Angeles county found out that marital status, length of stay in the United States, education, employment and household income were important factors determining health insurance coverage. Hopkins and Kidd (1992), utilizing data from the 1989-90 National Health Survey examined the socio-economic variables which influence the demand for health insurance under medicare in Australia using the binary logit model. They conclude that age, income, health status, material wellbeing and geographical location are important determinants of decision to purchase insurance. Owando (2006) carried out a study on factors influencing the demand for health insurance in Kenya. Using the probit model, they found out that age, self evaluated health status, marital status, income, level of educational attainment, household size, risk behavior and employment status were important determinants of health insurance ownership in Kenya. CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY Theoretical Framework This study borrows heavily from the demand theory. Health Insurance is treated just like any other good. Hence, demand for health insurance should be affected by variables such as price of the commodity, price of related commodities, income, tastes and preferences among others. The demand equation for health insurance is modeled as follows: Model Specification The decision to buy health insurance will be formulated in two interrelated choices. First, the choice is related to the decision to buy or not the health insurance. Since the dependent variable takes two forms, will use binary logit model to study this choice. Theory and previous empirical work (Kirigia et al ,2005; Bourne and Kerr-Campbell, 2010) suggest that the probability that an individual owns a health insurance is conditional on several socio economic variables including age, education, area of residence, household size, occupation, marital status, health status among others. In this study, the relationship between the binary status variable and its determinants is specified as follows: Where are the following independent variables: age, sex, marital status, area of residence, level of education, proxy measures for economic welfare (land ownership availability of electricity, characteristics of dwelling place), knowledge (access to radio, television and newspaper), household size, occupation, health status (HIV and Tuberclosis), cigarette smoking. The second step, if the decision to buy insurance is positive is to focus attention to the types of health insurance, that is, community based health insurance, health insurance trough employer, social security and private health insurance. This can be handled by applying a polychotomous model, more in particular a multinomial logit model. This approach is justifiable because the categories refer to choices being made that are mutually exclusive. The regression model is expressed as follows: Data Sources and Variables The study will utilize survey methodology in which secondary data relating to the issue under investigation will be obtained from the 2008-09 Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS). This is a nationally representative sample survey of 8,444 women aged between 18-44 years and 3465 men aged between 15 and 54 years of age selected from 400 sample points (clusters) throughout Kenya. Data collection was done from the month of November, 2008 and February, 2009. Dependent and Independent variable The dependent variable will be health insurance ownership. For purposes of coding the health insurance ownership outcome