Pauline Said:

Government help needed!!! Does anybody know any of these?

We Answered:

Do your own homework

Dana Said:

who can help me solve these questions about marketing ?

We Answered:

1. I'd conduct a Situation Analysis to ascertain the problem. Did a new, competing product enter the marketplace? Is your product considered obsolete? Are you customers awaiting an upgrade? What is happening in the marketplace that has suddenly and dramatically impacted your sales?

2. Qualitative Research. Unlike Quantitative Research which tells you HOW MANY, Qualitative Research provides more in-depth information as to WHO, WHAT, & WHY.

3. This is a toughie.
Focus Group Research can provide you an overview of how your coupon might perform among specific Customer bases. (For instance, if your Focus Group was comprised of 34-54 year old women, you might gain a pretty good idea of how your coupon would perform among that audience.)

On the other hand, Casual Research will provide you a broader overview of consumer acceptance of your concept. Casual Research might be less expensive to conduct. You could also conduct Casual Research among select existing customers to gain their approval level.

If it was me, I'd go with Casual Research.

Jenny Said:

Is Capitalism and Freedom synonymous? Does America as a case study prove this idea correct?

We Answered:

Capitalism is a necessary condition for freedom, but not a sufficient one. Yes, America is an example of this. Our rise as a country to the world's sole super power occurred because of the combination of freedoms we had: economic, political, social, etc. (and because of our and natural resources).

Currently, we are moving away from these founding ideals--fast. We are heading towards, if we're not already there, some sort of oligarchy/fascism/corporatism. We haven't had capitalism in the United States for a long time (~ 100yrs). Today, we have a mixture of corporatism and a welfare state. Our current economic system is not sustainable and will, at one point or another, collapse if left unchanged. The US is or is becoming an empire. We have soldiers in over 130 countries around the world and spend more on our military than all other nations' military/defense budgets combined. If this continues, we'll eventually be stretched too thin. The same can be said of domestic programs: Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and in the making, Universal Health Care. We must end these programs and not start universal health care if we don't want to become bankrupt or have our dollar collapse. We have to let the people keep their money and let them spend their money themselves.

Yes. Locke, by natural rights of property, meant our right to keep what we earn and what we buy with what we earn. Though some don't consider money property, it is. [Good] money is merely property in a different form; one which allows for ease of trade. Money is how one is compensated in the workplace, and what one takes to the marketplace to trade for goods or services. The only taking of property justified by the Constitution is to maintain very basic services: defense/military, courts, the Congress, the Post Office, etc.

If the Congress and the President did what they swore to do when they first took office, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the Untied State of America, we would be in a much better condition as a nation (in monetary policy, fiscal policy, and foreign policy).

Clifton Said:

Help- Starbucks Problem

We Answered:

One thing that causes Starbucks coffee to taste the way it does (and I mean this in a bad way) compared with local shops and even other coffee chains is that their "premium" beans used for "freshly" brewed coffee are roasted to a point far beyond what they should be, for three reasons: 1) the company thinks that this produces coffee that the consumers want, 2) nearly-burnt beans can be stored for an extremely long period of time, and 3) they've already been doing this for a long time, and so the flavor of those over-roasted beans has become part of their brand.

The special "atmosphere" of Starbucks is essentially the same as it would be for any other place that might simulate a busy market in the way it carries out its customer transactions: Long standing line, uneven lighting, noisy production, shouted jargon, and plenty of places to sit. I worked coffee for years and only left a year ago to go back to college. I've gotten the exact same "feel" in other coffee places, as well as in busy food establishments where there isn't a lot of room. The thing going for Starbucks (or that *used* to be going for Starbucks) as a place to go is that so many people (perhaps quite foolishly) see it as a "hip" place, or a place where they are likely to see/encounter attractive people. To some extent that's true, but only because people keep thinking so-- it's not a result of anything that Starbucks uniquely brings to the table. They're just lucky they started off that way-- and some locations aren't so lucky. They lose their perceived charm or just never really take off, and that's why you sometimes see dead Starbucks locations. The patron chain reaction just fizzles.

As the last answer mentioned-- yeah, the baristas of Starbucks have had a lot of their procedural wiggle-room obliterated by one-touch auto shot-grinding/measuring/tamping/pulling machines, but there're still room for personal style/quality to appear in coffee-making. Starbucks just needs to change a bit to appeal to customers who may be increasingly wary of being sold automated output.

BTW, "homely" means unappealing/nasty. "Homey" or "cozy" is probably what you're looking for. =)

Albert Said:

who can help me finish this Econ Assignment (part 2)?

We Answered:

I'm assuming these questions are coming from a textbook. if not I'm sure the answers could be found there if you read the chapter.