Physical Disorders and Health Psychology

Chapter 9: Physical Disorders and Health Psychology †¢psychosomatic medicine- psych factors affect physical function †¢behavioral medicine- applied to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of medical problems †¢health psychology- psych factors that are important to the maintenance and promotion of health opsych and social factors: †¢(1) affect biological processes †¢(2) long-standing behavior patterns put ppl at risk for certain disorders o50% of deaths from top 10 leading causes in US can be traced to lifestyle behaviors †¢poor eating habits, smoking, lack of exercise, General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)- Selye oalarm- response to immediate danger or threat oresistance- mobilize coping mechanisms to respond oexhaustion- body suffers permanent damage †¢chronic stress may cause permanent body damage and contribute to disease †¢stress= physiological response to stressor †¢HPA Axis ohypothalamus- pituitary gland- adrenal gland oimportant for stress ocortisol= stress hormone †¢baboon case study odominant males have less stressful lives due to predictability + controllability olower males experience stress from bullying, higher cortisol levels osense of control important stress, anxiety, depression related osimilar underlying physiological processes oself-efficacy: sense of control and confidence that one can cope with stress or challenges †¢stress can lead to decreased immune system functioning oincreased rates of infectious diseases, mono, colds, flu, †¢Immune system oeliminates antigens- foreign maerials, bacteria, viruses, parasites o2 main parts: †¢humoral> B cells, antibodies neutralize antigens †¢cellular> T cells, destroy viral infections + cancerous processes owhite blood cells do most of the work (leukocytes) microphages= first line of defense †¢autoimmune disease oimmune system overactive, attacks body cells †¢rheumatoid arthritis- too many suppressor T cells, body subject to invasi on by antigens †¢HIV- human immunodeficiency virus ?AIDS-related complex first: minor health problems before AIDS diagnosis w. pneumonia, cancer, dementia, wasting syndrome†¦ ? treated w/ highly active antiretroviral therapy †¢reducing stress, social support, CBT help †¢psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) opsych influences on neurological responding implicated in immune response †¢Cancer psychoncology- psych influences in development of cancer otherapy can help treatment to reduce stress, improve mood, alter important health behaviors, supportive relationships †¢reduce cancer recurrence and dying †¢influence support + development of cancer oâ€Å"benefit finding†- deepening spirituality, changes in life priorities, closer ties to others, enhanced sense of purpose opsych procedures important to manage stress especially w/ children who undergo surgery †¢Cardiovascular problems ocompromise heart, blood vessels and control mechanisms cardiovascular disease ostrokes ocerebral vascular accidents- temporary blockages of blood vessels to brain cause temporary/ permanent damage ohypertension- high blood pressure, risk factor for other heart probs †¢blood vessels constrict, heart works harder, pressure †¢essential hypertension- no verifiable physical cause †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"silent killer† †¢blacks more at risk than whites †¢genetic influences †¢anger + hostility increase blood pressure ocoronary heart disease †¢heart disease in #1 cause of death in western cultures †¢blockage of arteries supplying blood to heart muscle chest pain †¢plaque †¢deficiency of blood to a body part †¢heart attack- death of heart tissue when artery clogged †¢stress, anxiety, anger contribute (+lack of coping skills and low social support) †¢myocardial stunning- heart failure as a result of severe stress oType A behavior pattern †¢excessive competitive drive, sense of pressured for time, imp atience, high E, angry outbursts †¢at risk for CHD (although cultural diffs significant) oType B behavior pattern †¢more relaxed, less concerned about deadlines, seldom pressured, †¢Reserve capacity model associations among environments of low socioeconomic status, stressful experiences, psychosocial resources, emotions and cognitions> increase risk for CHD †¢Pain oacute- follows an injury, disappears once injury heals ochronic- begins w/ acute episode but does not go away osubjective term pain vs. pain behaviors= manifestations of exp oemotional component= suffering oseverity of pain doesn’t predict reaction b/c of psych factors †¢Phantom limb pain oppl who have lost an arm or leg feel excruciating pain in the missing limb †¢operant control of pain pain behavior under control of social consequences oie critical family members may become sympathetic †¢gate control theory of pain onerve impulses from painful stimuli travel to spinal column th en to brain odorsal horns of spinal column= gate osmall fibers open gate, large fibers close †¢brain inhibits pain oendogenous opiods- naturally exist within body> endorphins oshut down pain, runner’s high after exercise, †¢men and women exp pain differently omen have stronger endogenous opiod systems owomen have additional pain-regulating mechanisms odiff areas more prone to pain Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) olack of E, fatigue, variety of aches and pains oneurasthenia- lack of nerve strength, old diagnosis oprevalent in western world and China †¢Pain can kill you†¦ oincreases rate at which certain cancers metastasize ocan weaken immune system response by reducing natural killer cells opain> stress>vicious cycle †¢Biofeedback omake patients aware of specific physiological functions that ordinarily not be consciously aware of †¢heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension in specific areas, electroencephalogram rhythms, patterns of blood flow â⠂¬ ¢(1) conscious awareness (2) learn to control them oinstill sense of control over pain †¢progressive relaxation obecome acutely aware of tension, relax specific muscle groups †¢transcendental meditation ofocus attention on repeated syllable, or mantra †¢relaxation response- silently repeat mantra to minimize distraction by closing mind to intruding thoughts †¢Coping mechanisms oprescription drugs, reduced effectiveness over time odenial oimproved attitudes, realistic appraisals thru CBT †¢4 leading causes of death in Us oheart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disease AIDS prevention ocontraception ochanging high-risk behavior is only effective prevention strategy †¢smoking is epidemic in china omyths: tobacco is symbol of personal freedom, important for social interactions, health effects can be controlled, important to economy, †¢Stanford Three Community Study o1 community- assessed risk factors for CHD and smoking o2 community- media blitz on risk factors o3 community- face to face interventions, most successful at reducing CHD risk factors Chapter 10: Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders gender identity disorder- psych dissatisfaction w/ one’s biological sex, disturbance in identity †¢sexual dysfunction- difficult to function while having sex, ie no orgasm †¢paraphilia- arousal due to inappropriate objects/ individuals ophilia- strong attraction opara- abnormal †¢male female sex differences omen masturbate more and admit it ofemales associate sex w/ romance + intimacy rather than male physical gratification omen have diff attitude toward casual premarital sex omen show more sexual desire/arousal omen’s self-concept characterized more by power, independence, aggression owomen’s sex beliefs are more plastic/ changeable women emphasize relaitonships †¢sexual self schemas- core beliefs about sexuality †¢Cultural differences oSambia in Papua New Guinea †¢adolescent boys encouraged to engage in homosexual oral sex b/c semen valued†¦ wtf †¢Homosexuality omight run in families, genetic component? odifferential hormone exposure in utero ogreater probably of being left handed or ambidextrous olonger ring finger than index ofraternal birth order hypothesis- each additional older brother increased odds of being gay by one third †¢Gender identity disorder oa persons physical gender is not consistent with persons sense of identity tapper in a body of the wrong sex otranssexualism odifferent from transvestic fetishism- sexually aroused by wearing clothing of opposite sex odifferent from intersex individuals- hermaphrodites, born with ambiguous genitalia, hormonal or physical abnormalities oautogynephilia- when gender identity disorder begins with strong sexual attraction to fantasy of oneself as a female, then progresses to becoming a woman ogenetic component suspected †¢gender nonconformity oboys behaving femininely or females behaving m asculinely †¢sex reassignment surgery controversial to directly alter gender identity to match physical anatomy oin order to qualify, must live in opposite sex role for 1-2 yrs to be sure omust be stable psychologically, financially, socially ogynecomastia- growth of breasts †¢intersex individuals- born w/ physical charactersitics of both sexes o5 sexes: †¢males †¢females †¢herms †¢merms- more male than female but have some femal genitalia †¢ferms- ovaries but possess some male genitalia †¢Sexual dysfunction oinability to become aroused or reach orgasm o3 stages of sexual response cycle: desire, arousal, orgasm opremature ejaculation vaginismus- painful contractions in vagina during attempted penetration olifelong or acquired ogeneralized or situational odue to psych factors or medical condition †¢Hypoactive sexual desire disorder olittle or no interest in any type of sexual activity †¢sexual aversion disorder othought of sex or brie f casual touch may evoke fear, panic or disgust †¢male erectile disorder and female sexual arousal disorder oproblem is not desire, problem is physically becoming aroused †¢inhibited orgasm oinability to achieve orgasm despite adequate desire and arousal (common in women) ofemale orgasmic disorder- difficulty reaching orgasm retarded ejaculation- cumming delayed oretrograde ejaculation- shoot back into bladder rather than forward †¢premature ejaculation- more common, 20% of males †¢sexual pain disorders odesire, arousal, orgasm present opain so severe that behavior disrupted odyspareunia- no medical reason found for pain †¢vaginismus- pelvic muscles in outer third of vagina involuntarily spasm oripping, burning, tearing sensations during sex †¢Assessing Sexual behavior o(1) interviews- and questionnaires o(2) thorough medical eval- rule out medical conditions o(3) psychophysiological assessment penile strain gauge- picks up changes as penis expands â₠¬ ¢vaginal photoplethysmograph- measures light reflected from vaginal walls †¢Causes of sexual disorders obiological contributions †¢nuerological diseases †¢diabetes †¢arterial insufficiency- constricted arteries †¢venous leakage- blood flows out too quickly for a good boner †¢prescription drugs ?anti-hypertensive medications for high blood pressure ?antidepressants ?SSRIs mess w/ arousal and desire †¢elicit drugs- cocaine †¢cigarettes opsych contributions †¢anxiety- can increase or decrease desire †¢distraction men who are dysfunctional report less sexual arousal †¢inducing positive or negative mood directly affects arousal †¢performance anxiety, 3 parts: ?arousal, cognitive processes, negative affect †¢erotophobia- negative cognitive set about sexuality, viewed as negative or threating ? learned early in childhood from families, religious authorities ? early sexual trauma, rape victims †¢script theory- we all op erate by following â€Å"scripts† that reflect social and cultural expectations and guide our behavior †¢sexual myths/ misperceptions †¢Treatment for sexual dysfunction education is very effective, dispel myths and ignorance about sexual response cycle otherapy, increase communication b/t dysfunctional partners osensate focus and nondemand pleasuring- exploring and enjoying each others bodies thru touching, kissing, hugging, massaging †¢1st phase no genitals or boobs †¢2nd phase genitals but no sex or orgasm †¢3rd sex once aroused osqueeze technique- squeezing tip of penis to reduce arousal and gain control over ejaculation omasturbation training and porn! omedical treatments †¢oral medication (Viagra) †¢injection of vasoactive substances directly into the penis? †¢surgery †¢vacuum device therapy †¢Paraphilia if exists, individuals normally exhibit multiple paraphillic patterns oassociated w/ deficiencies in consensual adult s exual arousal, social skills, sexual fantasies †¢frotteurism orubbing against someone in a crowded public place until point of ejaculation †¢festishism operson sexually attracted to nonliving objects o(1) inanimate object o(2) source of specific tactile stimulation†¦ rubber o(3) body part†¦ foot †¢voyeurism obeing aroused by observing unsuspecting individuals undressing or naked †¢exhibitionism osexual gratification from exposing genitals to strangers orisk + anxiety can increase arousal oassociated w/ lower levels of edu transvestic fetishism osexual arousal from cross-dressing †¢sexual sadism oinflicting pain or humiliation †¢sexual masochism osuffering pain or humiliation †¢hypoxiphilia- oself strangulation to reduce flow of oxygen to brain to enhance orgasm †¢pedophilia osexual attraction to kids oincest when own family †¢Psychological treatment ocovert sensitization- carried out in imagination of patient, associate sexually arousing images w/ reasons why behavior is harmful or dangerous †¢orgasmic reconditioning opatients instructed to masturbate to usual fantasies but substitute more desirable ones just before ejaculation †¢Drug treatments â€Å"chemical castration†- eliminates sexual desire + fantasy by greatly reducing testosterone levels ocyproterone acetate + medroxyprogesterone ouseful for dangerous sexual offenders who do not respond to alternative treatmens Chapter 11: Substance-related and Impulse-control disorders †¢impulse control disorders- inability to resist acting on a drive or temptation osteal, gamble, set fires, pull out hair †¢polysubstance abuse- using multiple substances †¢substance use oingestion of psychoactive substances in moderate amounts that does not impair social, educational or occupational functioning †¢intoxication- getting high or drunk oimpairs judgment, mood changes, lowered motor ability †¢substance abuse ohow much ingested is problematic †¢addiction- substance dependence ophysiologically dependent on the drug requires increasing amounts to experience same effect (tolerance) onegative physical response when substance no longer ingested (withdrawal) oNicotine is arguably most addictive drug in the world, more so than meth! †¢5 substance categories o(1) depressants- sedation + relaxation†¦ alcohol o(2) stimulants- active + alert†¦ caffeine o(3) opiates- analgesia + euphoria†¦ morphine o(4) hallucinogens- alter sensory perception†¦ weed, LSD (5) other drugs- don’t fit neatly into categories†¦ steroids †¢Depressants odecrease central nervous system activity, reduce levels of physiological arousal omost likely to produce dependence, tolerance, withdrawal oalcohol †¢reduces inhibition, motor coordination, reaction time, judgement †¢esophagus>stomach>small intestines>bloodstream>heart (+other major organs)> liver †¢influences GABA receptors  œanxiety †¢influences glutamate system- excitatory, memory, blackouts †¢withdrawal delirium- frightening hallucinations, body tremors †¢liver disease, pancreatitis, cardiovascular disorders, brain damage †¢dementia- loss of intellectual abilities Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome- loss of muscle coordination, confusion, unintelligible speech †¢fetal alcohol syndrome- when pregnant mothers drink, fetal growth retardation, behavior problems, learning difficulties, physical signs †¢alcohol dehydrogenase- enzyme that breaks down alcohol †¢3 million ppl dependent in US ostages of alcoholism †¢pre alcoholic- drinking occasionally, few consequences †¢prodromal stage- drinking heavily, outward signs of a problem †¢crucial stage- loss of control, binges †¢chronic stage- primary daily activities involve drinking odrinking at early age is predictive of later abuse alcohol linked to violent behavior oBarbiturates †¢sedatives, help ppl sleep †¢highly addictive †¢overdosing> suicide †¢influence GABA obenzodiazepines †¢reduce anxiety †¢highly prescribed in US †¢alcohol amplifies effect oStimulants †¢most commonly used psychoactive drugs in US †¢amphetamine use disorders ?reduce appetite ?narcolepsy, ADHD, Ritalin ?stimulants illegally abused by college students†¦ no shit †¢crystal meth †¢MDMA- ecstasy ococaine use disorders †¢alertness, euphoria, increase blood pressure + pulse, insomnia, loss of appetite †¢paranoia, heart probs nicotine use disroders †¢withdrawal- depression, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, increased appetite †¢more prone to depression †¢Opioids oopiate natural chemicals in opium poppy have narcotic effect oâ€Å"downers† †¢Hallucinogens ochange sensory perception osight, sound, feelings, taste, smell omarijuana oLSD †¢Other drugs oSpecial K osteroids oPCP †¢Family and genetic influence †¢neurobiol ogical influence opleasure pathway in brain mediates experience of reward odopamine- pleasure oGABA- inhibitory NT †¢Psych dimensions opositive reinforcement negative reinforcement- use drugs to cope/escape from bad feelings and difficult life circumstances oopponent-process theory- an increase in positive feelings will be followed shortly by an increase in negative feelings and vice versa †¢cognitive factors oplacebo effect oexpectancy theory †¢social dimensions opeer pressure omarketing omoral weakness model of chemical dependence- drug use is seen as a failure of self-control in the face of temptation odisease model of dependence- drug dependence cause by an underlying physiological disorder †¢cultural factors oacculturation- adapt to new culture omachismo †¢neuroplasticity brains tendency to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections ocontinued use of substance†¦. decreased desire for nondrug experiences †¢Treatment obiological †¢ agonist substitution- take a safe drug that has a chemical makeup similar to the addictive drug ? methadone instead of heroin ?cross-tolerance: they act on same NTs †¢substitution ?nicotine gum instead of cigs †¢antagonist drugs- block or counteract effects of psychoactive drugs †¢aversive treatment- prescribe drugs that make ingesting abused substance extremely unpleasant opsychosocial †¢therapy †¢inpatient facilities †¢alcoholics anonymous- 12 steps †¢controlled use- controversial covert sensitization- negative associations by imagining unpleasant scenes †¢contingency management- decide on reinforces that will reward certain behaviors †¢community reinforcement approach †¢motivational interviewing- empathetic and optimistic counseling †¢CBT †¢relapse prevention †¢Impulse control disorders ointermittent explosive disorder- episodes where act on aggressive impulses †¢serious assaults or destruction of property â₠¬ ¢influenced by NT levels okleptomania †¢recurrent failure to resist urge to steal things not needed for personal use or monetary value †¢high comorbidity with mood disorders opyromania †¢irresistible urge to set fires pathological gambling otrichotillomania †¢pulling out ones hair from anywhere on body oothers †¢compulsive shopping-oniomania †¢skin picking †¢self mutilation †¢computer addiction Chapter 12: Personality Disorders †¢personality disorders- enduring patterns of thinking about ones environment and self that are exhibited in a wide range of social and personal contexts oinflexible, maladaptive and cause significant impairment or distress ohigh comorbidity †¢Axis I= current disorder †¢Axis II= chronic problem †¢5 Factor model oextroversion- talkative + assertive vs passive and reserved oagree-ableness- kind trusting vs hostile selfish conscientiousness- organized thorough, reliable oneuroticism- even tempered vs nervousness moody oopenness to experience- imaginative curious †¢Cluster A: odd or eccentric oparanoid oschizoid oschizotypal †¢Cluster B: dramatic, emotional, erratic oantisocial (m)- irresponsible, reckless behavior oborderline (f) ohistrionic (f)- excessive emotionality and attention seeking onarcissistic †¢Cluster C: fearful, anxious oavoidant odependent oobsessive compulsive †¢Biases ocriterion gender bias- criteria biased oassessment gender bias- assessment measures biased

Poverty in the United States Essay

In the United States, poverty is mainly classified into two categories, absolute poverty and relative poverty. It is measured in terms of poverty threshold which comprehend poverty as a lack of those goods and services that most of conventional people in the society take them for granted. Absolute poverty is defined as the lack of least amount of food and shelter indispensable for maintaining life. On the other hand, relative poverty exemplifies how income relates to the median income and not necessarily that a person is lacking anything. The results from the statistics indicate that approximately 20 percent of the American population lives in poverty. One main cause of poverty in America is existence of culture of poverty which passes from generation to another generation (Mink, O’Connor, 2004). Based on the conception that anything is possible in America, the poor are thus said to be the source of their poverty. They always prefer to live life for the moment and show less interest about the future. As a result, poverty continues to increase as the underprivileged people feel lesser, unreceptive, desperate and incapable. Fluctuations of economic performance in U. S have necessitated the high rate of poverty. For instance, during recessions, the rate of unemployment increases, working hours are abridged and family incomes stagnates thus leading to poverty. Various aspects of educational system can play a major role in curbing this problem. For instance, teachers need to be tuned in to the culture of poverty and be sensitive to the enormous assortment of needs that children of poverty bring to the classroom (Mink, O’Connor, 2004). Educational systems operate in various rules and norms that will allow harmonious relationship between the cultural values of the affected children and values of prosperity and wealth emphasized in schools. References Mink, G. & O’Connor, A. (2004). Poverty in the United States: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics and Policy, Volume 1. London: Routledge

Joesph’s Story

Joseph’s Story The Cellular lever is essential to the homeostasis of an entire organism. In this case study you will learn the impact that a Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack) has on heart cells. The Patient (Joseph) is a 38 year old male who started back smoking after quitting for 3 years. He has been busy working long hours and the stress of his job was wearing on his body. Joseph was playing catch with his 12 year old Marcus when his heart stopped beating.Do to the loss of Oxygen, Blood Glucose, and waste removal the cellular process and membrane function will be affected. The cellular process when the heart stops is called Aerobic Respiration. Blood Glucose starts the glycolysis process and for a reaction in the mitochondria it requires Oxygen. Without exhalation Carbon Dioxide can’t be excreted. In the intracellular organelles all have membranes in their structure except Ribosome’s.The instructions Joseph’s body needs to repair it and his predisposi tion for vascular disease are two very important pieces of information. The DNA & RNA contain this important information which is all in one small cell. The cell functions have changed in reaction to three types of proteins: Glycoprotein’s, Peripheral proteins, and Channel proteins. All three proteins were involved in the homeostatic imbalance in patient Joseph’s heart cells.It is very important to reestablish Oxygen flow as soon as possible due to all the processes that have been interrupted. In order for cells to function correctly they need Oxygen and without it the cells die. If Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation isn’t started with in the first 4 minutes of Collapse and Defibrillation provided with in the first 10 minutes, a person has a 40% chance of permanent damage and in some cases could be fatal. CPR was started almost instantly and Joseph’s body will save Oxygen for the Brain, heart, & Lungs as much as possible.

Sound and visual media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sound and visual media - Essay Example Other architectural configurations in arena stages allow for podiums with lifting and dropping abilities. In such cases, the audience often rests on temporary seats that facilitate more flexibility. This configuration allows performers to understand the conditions their viewers are in while performing. Engaging the audience based on these conditions makes the performance better (Condee 9). Better detail and expressiveness is necessary for all production factors (Collins and Kapralos). Even though the audience configuration in an arena stage is raised above the stage, their scenery is often limited to cover optimum lines of sight for viewers on all sides. This condition is different for viewers in a Proscenium Arch Stage whose lines of sight are level before a raised platform. Arena theatres often lack a fly system apart from possibly lighting purposes (Hischak 147). The requirement of giving equal lines of sight for all viewers puts distinct limits on the kind of scenery used and on the activities of the performers. This is because, certain audiences in an arena stage will inevitably be seeing an actor’s back at all times. This configuration allows for good recording and production of sound from real sources. However, certain sounds appear false when produced electronically in an arena theatre. As a result, a surrounding architectural configuration for audience s in an arena call for the building of mechanical instruments that mimic sounds like thunder and rain. Architectural configurations carve up an understanding of the conditions audiences are in through sound reflection (Hischak 147). Sound reflection rare occurs in isolation since sound usually finds a surface on its path where refection is takes place. Knowing the arrangement of audience seats in a theatre is imperative for making predictions of the behavior of sound within that theatre. All surfaces echo and absorb sound to some

Contingency Model (IP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Contingency Model (IP) - Essay Example Organizational behavior is quite a complex phenomenon as it not only requires careful management of difficult and somewhat complicated behaviors on individual level but at the group level also. The existence of groups within organizations therefore is not a new concept and researchers, over the period of time, have been able to produce considerable research studies which shed light on the different organizational dynamics of the groups within organizations. The concept of In Groups and Out Groups is one such important concept of group dynamics which deals with the dynamics of how groups interact and exist with each other. The formation of such groups can be based on tasks related or non-task related performance factors. This research paper will present an analysis of the In Groups and Out Groups while at the same time attempt to provide real life examples of both the Groups while at the same time discussing the implications for the leadership of the organization. In Group is a group with which people attempt to identify themselves as members. Within an organizational context, In Groups are formed by those employees who share common goal or objective and than they wish to associate themselves as members of that group. ... The basic difference between the two is the fact that they differ in level of association with each group. Example of In Groups For example, employees working in different departments may form different In Groups because they share something common like their overall performance will be reflected at the same level if it is considered on organization wide level. Another example of in group would be members belonging to certain unions i.e. may be one union of labor or employees advocating certain cause whereas another union focuses on other objectives. Example of Out Group Similarly, an example of Out Group would include those employees or individuals who do not form wish to be part of certain specific union or group advocating certain other causes. Major difference on the two situations As discussed above that the basic difference between the situations is the level of association with each group. Due to association with in group, members provide tend to show in group bias by showing a favorable attitude towards members no matter if out group exist within that department. Further, In Group formation give rise to the collectivism i.e. people start to share common perceptions and attitudes no matter if initially they had some disagreement. Therefore the major and basic difference between the two situations is how people show their attitude to each other within the groups. How the Two Groups Affected the Groups & the Organization As discussed above that the formation of In Group and Out Group give rise to the collective thinking and attitudes therefore their formation can influence the organization as well as groups in negative as well as positive way. What is however more important is the fact that formation

An Analysis of Japan and China Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

An Analysis of Japan and China - Assignment Example China is the world’s second largest market for consumer goods after the US (Martinsons, 2002). On average, consumers spent an annual average of US$61 on FMCG online an increase of 9.8% from 2010. In 2011, on average, shoppers for FMCG products made three trips while shopping online against 97 offline shopping trips over the same period. The average online transaction amount per trip was US$21, 80% greater than an offline transaction that averaged US$11.50. Attitudes related to e commerce showed that 29.9% of people doing online shopping are comfortable while 17.9% felt it is safe to purchase online. This indicates that there is large potential in China’s e-commerce markets (Ke, 2010). Japan has been innovative in technology with shopping lists growing significantly due to lower costs of setting up businesses online. Japanese consumers who previously were reluctant to do online shopping have grown the online retailing business to a multi-billion dollar market (Fitzsimmon s &Okada, 2002). According to Hamburg market research, the Japans B2C e commerce revenues are forecasted to grog annually by a low double digit percentage between 2012 and 2016 due to high average spending and growth in online shoppers (Herbig & Milam, 1994). Environmental analysis China’s environment has suffered degradation as the country reform its economy because of urbanization and industrial development. The environmental damage costs up to 8% of China’s GDP thus the development of China’s environment protection industry to respond to the environment degrading over the past two decades (Takao, 2012). China focuses its investment to environmentally friendly projects a shift form infrastructure. Energy... This essay stresses that Japan’s legal structures to foreign investors are bureaucratic and present legal hurdles. The main business structures that foreign companies open in Japan are representative office, branch office, and subsidiary company and limited liability partnerships. Representative offices are not allowed to engage in sales activities. Branch offices do not have independent decision-making abilities since they do not have legal corporate statuses. However, foreign investors can invest in Japan through joint ventures with Japanese companies. Corporate enterprise tax is the local tax levied on foreign companies conducting business in Japan. Corporate taxes levied on taxable income. This paper makes a conclusion that the researcher recommends interested Australian companies wishing to go international to invest in China. China is the world most populated nation with over 1.3 billion people compared to Japan, which has a population of approximately 128 million people. As such, China presents more chances of cheap labor and a ready market for the produced products and services. Growth in ecommerce is high in China than in Japan presenting an opportunity for investment. Both Japan and China have stringent environmental regulations. However, Japan being the most affected in emissions is more likely to pass stringent rules regarding pollution than China. China is well adapted for globalization by enacting laws that are in line with WTO guidelines. This puts it in a better position to attract foreign investment than Japan.

Accounting Principle homework questions Coursework

Accounting Principle homework questions - Coursework Example Companies usually issue two different types of stock, common and preferred. The major difference between common and preferred stock is that common stock results in ownership for the buyer whilst a preferred stock does not. The common stock is traded within the stock market within a country, preferred stock, on the other hand are not traded within such markets. The basic essence and nature of a preferred stock is that it is usually considered a loan, which has to be repaid after a certain period of time. A preferred stock holder gets preference over a common stock holder with respect to the payment of dividends. A common stock holder receives dividend only after all the company’s dues are cleared off. Issuance of bond is similar in nature to receiving a loan. The par/face value of the bond is credited within the Bonds Payable account. If the market interest rate on the bond would be higher coupon rate, it would result in a premium on the bond. 4. Discuss the controversy surrounding the Fair-Value vs. Amortized Cost presentation of the value of stocks, bonds and all other investment securities on the Financial Statement. US GAAP uses Fair Value, US Statutory uses Amortized Cost and IFRS uses a mix of both depending on the security. What are the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches, and what do you feel is the best way to value this type of asset? The controversy surrounding Fair Value Accounting and Accrual accounting has been prevalent for quite some time now. The major debate is that when to record the profit or loss on any particular security. According to the Fair Value accounting, gains or losses should be recorded whenever is seems that any security has lost its value i.e. if that security is sold at the current moment. Amortized cost accounting on the other hand favors the recording of gains and losses on the actual happening of the event i.e. when the security is disposed. The major advantage of Fair Value

MBA Business and Economic Evironment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MBA Business and Economic Evironment - Essay Example As the interest rates change, so do the spending and saving patterns of the people. When interest rates increase the cost of borrowing money increases and hence people borrow lesser where as when there is a decrease in interest rates people are more inclined to borrowing money because the cost of borrowing is lower. This affects the aggregate demand and aggregate supply of a country because money is the basis of all transactions that take place in an economy and if the cost of borrowing money decreases the money demand in the economy would tend to increase and people will be more inclined to spend that money and hence the aggregate demand would increase and this would lead to more people being employed if the economy is not already operating at optimum level of productivity. On the other if interest rates tend to increase then the cost of borrowing increases and people are not willing to borrow, hence the aggregate demand for the economy would decrease and the would have adverse effe cts on the labor as well. An increase in the interest rates in Australia would definitely have the same effects as well and a decrease in aggregate demand is expected. Industrial point of View: If the interest rates are increasing the cost of borrowing for industries would go sky high because industrialists require huge sums of loans because of the industry and the operations that they need to carry out. A very important decision for the firms is based on the interest rates and their trends, the question is: to expand or not to expand The answer lies with the interest rates, if they are very high then the company might postpone their expansionary plans but if they are lower and within a safe limit then the company can go and expand. This applies to whole industries, if industries expand there would be much more labor required and there would be an increase in employment leading to an increase in aggregate demand. Hence if any government is looking to give a boost to its industrial set up it should take special care when dealing with interest rates because it might charter the course of a whole industry and any industry is important to the economy because it has a lot of oth er units such as labor and exports dependent upon such industries, though some governments have come up with industrial interest rates but still they serve the same function. Exchange Rates: The exchange rates of a country play an integral part in determining where the country is heading in the near future and also has far reaching consequences in policy making. Interest rates play a very important role in determining what a country's exchange rates would be, in fact they are also a tool to tamper with the exchange rates. If the interest rates are increasing in an economy, ceteris paribus, then there would be an inflow of foreign currency into that country because people would want to save their money in that country's banks because that would give them a higher return on their investments, when this takes place the demand for a country's currency on the foreign exchange market increases. On the other hand if the interest rat

Maryland Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Maryland - Research Paper Example ack Obama, in proclaiming the $4.35 billion Race to the Top activity a year ago, said the project is dependent upon a basic standard: "whether a state is primed to do what meets expectations." Maryland is prepared, as well as ready and equipped to proceed with the advancement that has been made. MSDE worked with our nearby school frameworks and a mixture of accomplices to assemble Marylands winning arrangement. We are resolved to proceed with our States energy since Race to the Top is an element of the federal governments American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Program. Marylands vision for change is to revise the Prek-12 Maryland State Curriculum, appraisals, and responsibility framework dependent upon the Common Core Standards to guarantee that all graduates are school and vocation prepared. It also has a vision to build a statewide innovation foundation that connections all information components with investigative and instructional instruments to screen and push understudy accomplishment. Another vision is to redesign the model for arrangement, advancement, maintenance, and assessment of instructors and principals. Finally, Maryland has a vision of fully actualizing the inventive Breakthrough Center methodology for changing low-performing schools and

Describe a situation where you saw an opportunity to affect change Essay

Describe a situation where you saw an opportunity to affect change. Explain the change, your stategy, and the final outcome of t - Essay Example Sometimes, persons like me who are students and have to manage within small budget feel really bad if they are not able to contribute to the cause. So I wrote to the head of the supermarket regarding the issue. I was advised to raise the issue through a petition where signatures of people are required to make significant change. I started the petition with few of my friends and collected signatures from people who believed in our cause. Though my petition failed to get the requisite number of signatures, it taught me very important lesson in collective work and significance of people’s voice. The collective voice of people is a powerful factor that can force organizations to change their strategies. Organizations like YBWS that work towards socially relevant issues and community development can greatly facilitate in implementing changes within society. As a member, I can contribute through my personal experience and professional expertise. I believe that my deep understanding of human psychology and leadership initiatives would provide the organization with new perspectives to change and greater organizational skill. (words: 281)

Reserach Proposal on Leadership Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reserach on Leadership - Research Proposal Example Transformational leadership is increasingly seen as critical, not only in the competitive landscape of an organization, but also to the leader’s impact on team effectiveness (Grant, 2012; Ozaralli, 2003). Increasingly, leaders are not only faced with the challenge of how to introduce change, but also how to manage change (Watkins, 2004), which seems especially important when the introduction of the new leader is the change. Watkins (2003) notes that on average twelve employees are impacted by a new manager. This finding implies that what the new leader in transition does would affect a wide network of employees and, hence, performance within the organization. Since transformational leadership is deemed as critical for team performance, this research study seeks to examine the relationship between transformational leadership style and team effectiveness for new leaders in transition, with a special focus on professional knowledge-based work teams Problem / Opportunity Statement Most organizations in the current business climate are highly dependent on leaders to lead organizations to success. This dependence is especially so in the current high competitive business environment characterized by high leader turnover, frequent change, and high accountability to stakeholders (Grant, 2012; Hoffman, Bynum, Piccolo, & Sutton, 2011; Stewart, 1992). The problem is that organizations and leaders have failed to execute effective leadership transition action plans, which may lead to negative effects, such as leader stress, decreased productivity, higher turnover, and ineffective team performance (Gilmore, 2003). Understanding the role of transformational leadership in leadership transition and the impact that it has on team effectiveness would be an essential resource in understanding develop effective leadership transition plan. Both Wageman, Hackman, and Lehmen (2005), who proposed a model of team effectiveness in an organizational context, and Manderscheid and Ard ichvili (2008), who proposed a paired model integrating leadership transition theory that proposes effective team relationships are the result of successful leadership transitions, posit that transformational leadership style may be a critical success factor for team effectiveness and the success of new leaders (Appelbaum & Valero, 2007). Watkins (2004) maintained that, to accelerate the transition and build momentum, the new leader must have the ability to engage and influence many individuals throughout the organization â€Å"using vision, expertise and drive† (p. 16). Unlike well seasoned leaders who may have some understanding on what works in teams or how to handle various challenges that arise in newer teams that they are faced with, new leaders lack the experience of having to deal with such challenges. Most only have theoretical knowledge. Past literature have depicted transformational leadership as the most effective in enabling team performance and effectiveness (Wa geman, Hackman, and Lehmen, 2005). Although there is substantive research on leadership style and team effectiveness, there is less on new leader transition (Manderscheid & Ardichvili, 2008). Most of the research have focused on strategies to be employed in transitioning a leader (Manderscheid, 2008), formal interventions that organisations need to undertake in helping

The Benefits of Healthy Eating Essay Example for Free

The Benefits of Healthy Eating Essay Food is the key to life. We need food for the basics of everyday life to pump blood, move our body, and think thoughts. We can eat to live well, live longer, and extend the quality of life. Eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It is also a powerful way to enhance or impair your health. Most of us are aware that food choices are important to health; very few people truly realize that foods can promote health. Western medicine is so focused on treating disease that prevention is often ignored. Part of disease prevention is making sure you are eating foods that are healthy and nutrient dense. To function to the best of our body’s ability it requires balance and harmony. The best place to start is with healthy eating. The benefits of healthy eating are exceptional and there are many far- reaching health advantages and gains that cannot be overlooked. Healthy eating practices are important in shaping lifelong behaviors, as well as affecting ones’ health and wellness. Harvard School of Public Health challenges us all to follow a healthy foods diet to see how it can make a positive impact on your health. Vegetables and fruits are clearly an important part of a good diet. Most everyone can benefit from eating ore of them, but variety is as important as quantity. No single fruit or vegetable provides all the nutrients you need to be healthy. The key lies in the variety of different vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins that you eat daily(Vegetables And Fruits: Get Plenty Everyday,  ). Everyone from a small child to a mature adult requires a healthy eating habit to be physically in peak form. The food you eat can influence how you feel and how you look they can affect your health. The health benefits associated with healthy eating include maintain a healthy body weight, lower blood pressure, ower cholesterol, healthy blood sugar levels, and a decreased risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. These health benefits will also allow you to have more energy, think more clearly, and have an improved quality of life. Your body runs on fuel in the form of food, and if the fuel you put in your body is not high grade, you should not expect your body to give you peak performance. To keep your body running to the best of its ability, it is up to you to feed it healthy foods (Covelli, 2011). As noted in the book Eating Well For Optimum Health Weil, 2000, p5), â€Å" healthy eating is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. † Hippocrates advised people to â€Å"let food be your medicine and medicine be your food. † Healthy eating is not just about extendin g life but about extending the quality of life. It is probably the easiest and most important way in which you can keep active and shield yourself from the many diseases that have become more common, as we grow older. By eating healthy you will boost your energy levels, improve your bodily functions, help to improve your immune system, get better sleep, and even have more radiant skin. Who does not want to feel more energetic and lively? You will be able to manage more tasks and more importantly, you will live life to the fullest. I do not know about you but having radiant skin sounds wonderful, instead of having gross cellulite. What you put on your plate, day after day, will play a major role, along with your genes, in determining whether you will live a long healthy life or succumb to a heart attack, a stroke, type 2 diabetes, or cancer. If you look closely at all diseases, one thing pops out at you; they are all reversible. In addition to supplying the basic needs of the body for calories and utrition, a healthy diet should also reduce risks of disease and fortify the body’s defenses and intrinsic mechanisms of healing. Even small changes in your eating habits can make a big difference in your body and the way you feel. A healthy diet leads to a better performance of the body and mind. What you put into your body not only affects your physical well being, but also can impact your psychological well-being. Foods influence mood and contribute to both positive and negative feelings. Therefore, making healthy good choices can contribute to a variety of improvements to your mental and sychological well-being. Eating a healthy, well balanced diet has been shown to impact a number of mental health conditions positively. It can help reduce the negative symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, reduce depression symptoms, reduce anxiety, and reduce chances of bi polar episodes. The typical â€Å"Western† diet that is high in sugar, processed foods, and alcohol tends to aggravate these disorders. According to Andrew Weil, MD (2012), many studies link specific nutrient deficiencies to suboptimal brain function and mental / emotional health. The most important by far is the lack of omega-3 fatty cids. These special fats are critically important for mental health. The body needs regular daily intake of adequate amounts of both EPA and DHA, two long chain omega-3 fats. Low levels of DHA might increase the chances of developing dementia. The lack of vital nutrients in our diet can be responsible for exacerbating the symptoms of some pre existing mental health conditions. Keeping your brain sharp and functioning at its best can make you feel better about your abilities as you age and will help you remain active, which can also help reduce your chances of experiencing depression. Following a healthy ating regime leads to engaging in a lifestyle that is fulfi lling, beneficial, and might possibly offset the desire to change any other harmful habits. Our bodies and our minds are connected. Stress can take a toll on our physical health. By understanding that unhealthy eating causes more stress on our bodies and how that impacts our health, we can begin to take steps to laying the foundation for complete health by changing our eating from unhealthy to healthy. It is important to know how eating healthy and unhealthy foods affects your body. The brain is one of the most important organs in the body to keep well ed, and a healthful diet is essential to keep it running at full capacity. Your brain cells require twice as much chemical energy from your diet as any other cell in your body. When you are eating unhealthy it hinders brain function and causes reduced self-esteem, stress, foggy thinking, mood swings, and confusion. If you are not eating nutrient rich foods most of the time, your brain cannot produce substances required to maintain a healthy mood. The foods you eat can have an immediate impact on your mood. Certain foods trigger neurotransmitters in the brain that can reduce stress and promote calmness. Eating foods high in vitamin D, serotonin, folate, B3, and B12 are excellent for your emotional well being. When you are feeling emotionally well you are also able to handle stress in a positive manner. Choosing foods healthy and nutritious can give you a sense of control and allow you to feel proud of yourself. These increases in positive feelings for yourself and improvements in your appearance can result in your overall self esteem. The foods you eat now can result in good or bad health in the future. As Dr. Gillian McKeith (2006), has said many times in her book and on her television show â€Å"You Are What You Eat†. Healthy eating simply means having foods that aid in the growth of the body, improve many functions, provide protection from diseases, and help in building a strong immune system. To eat healthy is much easier than you think. Taking small simple steps that together add up to a huge leap forward in your health. Diet has a special significance among lifestyle factors in that people have total control over it. Being able to function better is something that everyone wants to see happen in their bodies. You are only as healthy as the natural world in which you live. The gains from ealthy eating are tremendous and more than worth it. So go ahead follow a diet full of healthy foods and see how it can make a positive impact on your health and life. References Covelli, G. (2011). How Eating Healthy amp; Unhealthy Foods Affect Your Body. Retrieved from http://www. livestrong. com/article/41294-eating-unhealthy-foods-affects/ McKeith, Dr. G. (2006). You Are What You Eat Vegetables and Fruits: Get Plenty Everyday. (). Retrieved from http://www. hsph. harvard. edu/nutritionsource/vegetables-full-story/#bottom_line Weil, MD, A. (2000). Eating Well For Optimum Health Weil, MD, A. (2012). Spontaneous Happiness

Brand Equity And The Market Mix Marketing Essay

Brand Equity And The Market Mix Marketing Essay Introduction Marketers rack their brains to compose the variable ingredients to construct their stunning recipesconceptual frameworks, which are made up of the marketing mix, in an effort to deliver the differentiated products or services that can outshine their competitors. Currently few companies could afford to set aside the marketing mix and audaciously break into the market. Having a birds eye view of those prominent companies evolutionary histories , namely Coca Cola, Nike, Fuji, and Virgin, their iconic brands, one of their success indicators, work hand in hand with creative and effective execution of the marketing mix. The Marketing Mix McCarthy (1960, pp.7-8) first put forward classification of four basic ingredients: product, place, price and promotion. With the progression of time, dimensions of the marketing mix have been nourishing, as ideas of personnel promotions, storage facilities, display and so forth have been presented successively (Lipson and Darling, 1971:p.17; Borden, 1975:pp.72-75). The Four Ps of the marketing mix have been prostrated as the cornerstone or convincing paradigm in the business practice, thanks to their well-known validity (Grà ¶nroos , 1989: pp.52-60, Grà ¶nroos,1994: p.5). However, over preoccupation with the marketing mix would possibly isolate marketers from customers owing to its dependence on mass marketing ,which indicates that customers are the superficial numbers for the marketers and marketers may loose touch with the real customers(Grà ¶nroos,1994: p.4). Furthermore, acting as the simplified remedy for the marketing problem, the marketing mix paradigm makes the seller occupy the dominant position and the buyer inferior standing, which can hardly apply to the marketing of service (Grà ¶nroos, 1994: p.6). The burgeoning service industry gave birth to the relationship marketing (Gummesson, 1991: pp.60-67). Establishment and fulfilment of promise play a pivotal role in the relationship marketing, which nurtures the quality interaction between marketer and customer (Reichheld et al., 1990: pp. 105-111). Despite these drawbacks of the marketing mix, the effective orchestration of its elements is proven to be applicable to attain the set objectives under many circumstances. (Baker, 2007:p.329). The aim of this essay is to elaborate on the contribution the marketing mix makes to an organizations brand equity through in-depth analysis of the outstanding paragon, Yum! Brands, China Division. Brand Equity Aaker(1991,1996:p.103) once indicated that connotation of brand equity is multifaceted, which consists of brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality, brand associations and other proprietary brand assets. The name of product is deeply imprinted with the value conferred by the brand equity (Yoo et al., 2000:p.197). Thus, the brand enjoying relatively high brand equity more probably wins customers positive and strong association (Yoo et al., 2000:p.196). In terms of the functionality of brand equity, it enriches brand alternatives, enhances the preference to pay the premium prices, intensifies the marketing communication effectiveness as well as the brand licensing opportunities and strengthens capabilities towards the marketing competition and price fluctuation (Keller, 1993:pp.4-8; Simon and Sullivan, 1993:pp.28-37; Smith, 1992:pp.13-16; Yoo et al., 2000:p.196). An unparalleled brand, as the intangible asset, consists of such features as name, design, symbol which indentifies the product of a particular organisation that has a lasting differential advantage (Doyle, 1999:p.292). At the first mention of fast food, Chinese people would instantly shortlist a bundle of names with KFC topping on their lists, due to its immense brand power. According to the ranking of 50 Best Chinese Quick-Service Companies in 2009, Yum! Brands, China Division with the annual profits of  ¿Ã‚ ¡2.88b and strong momentum of expanding its business empire in Chinas second and third tier cities, surpassing another tycoon McDonalds, ranked the first, thanks to its two household brands, KFC and Pizza Hut (Anonymous, 2010). In compliance with Yum! Brands global vision to define global company that feeds the world, Yum! Brands, China Division is also committed to creating traditional Chinese quick-service restaurant chain, East Dawning, which is targeted specially at those diehards of traditional Chinese food (Novak, 2009) .Furthermore, China Division became one of the stakeholders of Little Sheep, a popular Chinese hot pot concept, with 27% proportion of share in 2009 (Novak,2009).The ab ove efforts imply China Divisions ambition to develop diversified customer bases and make it elastic towards its competitors challenges. In 2009, the four brands synergistically contributes to its operating profits growth of 25% in China (Anonymous, 2009).What underpins their astounding performances is its China Divisions superb mastery of the marketing mix. Brand Equity and the Marketing Mix According to Yoo et al. (2000:p.196), if marketing effort could give rise to more favourable behaviour towards the branded products than the unbranded ones, positive relationship between marketing effort and brand equity would be established. Yoo et al. (2000:p.198) also suggest that creation and exploitation of the marketing mix is decisive in shaping dimensions of brand equity. For instance, Yum!Brands China Division successfully introduced the casual dining category Pizza Hut and KFC Home Service, making its products available around the clock whenever customer places an order(Anonymous,2008). Such intense distribution enables consumers to perceive more value for the two brands, subsequently resulting in the increased customer satisfaction and brand loyalty (Yoo et al., 2000:p.199). Given that the marketing mix encompasses many elements, this essay primarily selects four perspectives: product, price, servicescapes, promotion tactics to demonstrate the intertwining relationship between application of the marketing mix and formation of brand equity. Product Henry Ford (1908) once commented A market is never saturated with a good product, but it is very quickly saturated with a bad one. (Anonymous, 2006). Instead of technically importing its international menu and faithfully sticking to its cash cows such as New Orleans Roasted Burgers, Extra-tasty Crispy Burgers, Popcorn Chicken, and Pepperoni Lover, China Division has made considerable adaptation and innovation on its menu to cater to Chinese peoples tastes and flavour. Some specialties that could never appear on other countries KFC menus are Dragon Twister, and Beef Wrap with the Sichuan Sauce to name just a few(Anonynmous,2007). Additionally, the freshness and nutrients of the food are under the stringent supervision (Anonymous, 2010). From KFCs official website, customer can be informed of products accurate composition of nutrition (Anonymous, 2009). Therefore, products are procured in a transparent manner, winning trust and loyalty from customers and generating repeat buyers. Besides, its menu changes with the alteration of seasons and emergence of events and holidays. Pizza Hut Casual Dining Restaurant recently put forward 22 new courses before the upcoming autumn (Anonymous, 2010). This summer, KFC witnessed enormous profits made by its activity of watching World Cup and winning prizes through purchasing the bucket (Anonymous, 2010). In addition to its constant development of tangible products, Pizza Hut puts out a unique and added-value service, party-hosting. It would be in charge of preparing a theme party from the scratch, including designing and organizing (Anonymous, 2008).This move vindicates Millers et al. view (1998:pp.19-25) that shopping should not be considered as a mere product acquisition but a part of social relationship which provides their social identity. Guanxi or social networking plays an important role in Chinese society (Eric Tsang, 1998:p.64). Party occasion is an ideal opportunity to accommodate such need. Pizza Huts enticing se rvice could spare people from worrying about the trivialities of throwing party and promote its products and brand value in the meantime. All moves carried out by Chinese division perfectly coincide with Yum! Brands philosophy-feed the world, both physically and mentally. Price Yoo et al. (2000:p.200) once commented that price promotion in the form of special sales, media-distributed coupons, package coupons, and rebates would undermine brand equity in spite of the short-term returns. Subsequently, sales promotion could be easily emulated by the competitors (Aaker, 1991). Worse still, an inferior brand image could be displayed through the sales promotion (Yoo et al., 2000:p.200). However, KFC, Pizza Hut and East Dawnings pricing strategies just run counter to the above theories. Every day, over three kinds of KFC food are on sale and coupons can be easily downloaded from its official website (Anonymous, 2008). As for Pizza Hut Casual Dining Restaurant, it recently put forward business set meal of  ¿Ã‚ ¡2.8 to attract those office workers with limited coffee break and keen on the balanced diet(Anonymous,2010). Such deed has now been warmly received by the target customers. The reason behind their consistent low pricing strategy rightly conforms to the status quo of Chinese fast food industry where consumers are price-sensitive and major consumption segment is student and young people with finite disposable money (Anderson et al., 1998:pp.152-162).The theory proposed by Avlonitis (1980) appropriately backs up Yums pricing strategy that selling convenience goods should employ heavy advertising and competitive pricing policy to achieve product differentiation. As a consequence, one of the effective ways to appeal to Chinese people who are bombarded with hundreds of fast food alternatives is the competitive pricing strategy. Simon H. (1989:p.319) pointed out that sale effect of a price change shows up more quickly compared with other tactics, namely advertising. KFC and Pizza Hut have already benefited from this strategy and cultivated their respective regular customer base, as KFC targets at the mass consumers and Pizza Hut Casual Dining Restaurant is pos itioned as the refined business dining restaurant (Anonymous, 2008). Their varied price ranges are set accordingly, making China Division more flexible to the pricing competition. Servicecapes Servicescapes refer to the physical settings of the point of sale, which involve three dimensions: ambient conditions, spatial layout and functionality and signs, symbols, and artefacts (Bitner, 1992: pp.66-67). These would influence not only the first impression on customers but also employee satisfaction, productivity and motivation (Becker, 1981). KFC, Pizza Hut and East Dawning spare no effort to do the furnishing at their own points of sale in accordance with their respective bands images. As for KFC, warm bright yellow and red intrigue the customers appetite and lower personalized counter intends to make employees intimately interact with children (Cai, 1998). As to Pizza Hut, elegant oil paintings and sedate brown tables and wallpaper make customer feel serene in the cities forests of concrete(Cai, 1998). The consumer would be embraced with soft Chinese music and traditional Chinese table sets at East Dawning (Cai, 1998).Such highly identified decoration vividly exemplifies three different brands focuses. It would be no surprise to see the heavy customer traffic in those restaurants (Yoo et al., 2000: p.199). Good-image stores do invite more attention, contacts and visits from the prospective customers. Furthermore, positive word -of-mouth propaganda can come into being (Rao and Monroe, 1989:pp.351-356). Promotion Tactics Advertising spending accounts for substantial investment for KFC and Pizza Hut, as the money channelled for advertising exerts positive impact on brand equity and perspectives (Cobb-Walgren et al., 1995). Besides, advertising would be conducive to generating favourable impression on brand equity, increasing brand awareness and creating strong brand associations (Shimp, 1997:pp.25-35). Although people would feel annoyed by interruption of commercials of KFCs bucket and Pizza Huts Super Supreme when appreciating films, the intensely repetitive advertising would make KFC or Pizza Hut automatically top on their personal fast food alternatives when they are starved(Anonymous,2008). Subsequently, such habitual choice could elevate their brand equity (Hauser and Werfeldt, 1990:pp.398-404). Besides advertising, KFC is also adept at making the most of sponsorship to enhance its brand equity, such as organizing national three-player basketball contest in conjunction with Chinese Basketball Association (Anonymous, 2004 ),which vividly showcases its dynamic brand image, and working in partnership with 2010 Shanghai World Exposition, (Wuyu,2009). Its old enemy McDonalds has never made foray in such field. However, the sponsorship does make a difference. For example, Fuji committed$7 million in sponsoring the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, which just received refusal of sponsorship from Kodak (Desmond, 1997). According to Desmond (27 October, 1997), Fuji landed 50,000 new distributor outlets thanks to its sponsorship. Such marketing investment generated the enviable returns (Desmond, 1997). It is difficult to make accurate estimation on KFC economic returns from its sponsorship, but elevated social impact and subsequent enhanced brand value could be figured out. Additionally , China Division has been identified as the corporate with distinct social responsibility through doing Hunger Relief Programme with Chinese Children Fund and setting up fund for supporting the natural disaster relief and the financially-challenged students to further education (Anonymous, 2006). All these contribute to reputable brand image of Yum! Brands China Division. Discussion Besides the above classical 4Ps, other elements of the marketing mix such as packaging and personal selling jointly nourish China Divisions brand marvel. The package as the forefront of brand strategy would communicate the value of convenience, environmental consciousness, Conclusion Relationships between the selected the marketing mix and brand equity have been excavated in this essay. Particular attention has been drawn to four aspects of marketing efforts made by Yum! Brands China Division. The establishment and enrichment of brand equity is achieved by thorough execution of the marketing mix. It is through fully capitalizing on the variable parts of marketing strategy accompanied with the utilization and exploitation of brand resources that brand owner can probably withstand the acid test and enjoy the everlasting prosperity.

The Consumer Preference On Green Product Marketing Essay

The Consumer Preference On Green Product Marketing Essay There has been a rising concern on environmental issues worldwide nowadays. Ministry of foreign affairs statistic shows that over the years, the temperature has been rise because of carbon dioxide trapped and green house gases have affected the global climate. This change will affect the people live all over the world. This also includes access to water, health, food and the well being of the environment. Todays consumers have started to recognize that their purchasing behaviors actually cause a big impact to the environment. Therefore, companies should practice offering environmentally friendly products and service to people to prevent this world become worse. Although, Malaysia has undergone an excellent development followed governmental efforts to attract foreign investor to come and invest for a green product development in Malaysia, the action of environmental responsible behavior among Malaysian consumers are still low. One of the examples of the lack of environmental responsible behavior is shown in an article in Bernama whereby garbage thrown by one of the state in Malaysia residents is the main cause of river pollution in the state. According to a survey which was handled on by global market insight and information group, only 8% of Malaysian respondents responded that they have changed their behavior in a greatest deal to benefit the environment on the aspect of eco-friendliness of habits and behaviors In addition 83% respondents reported that their views on a companys and their Colleges friendliness to the environment would influence them to purchases a green products and services. Studying the determinants of generation-Y consumers green purchase behavior will be definitely benefit green marketers. Generation-Y (also known as a millennial) is defined as A label attributed to people born during the 1980s and early 1990s. Members of Generation Y are often referred to as echo boomers because they are the children of parents born during the baby boom (baby boomers). Because children born during this time period have had constant access to technology (computers, cell phones) in their youth, they have required many employers to update their hiring strategy in order to incorporate updated forms of technology. In a simple word, generation-Y grew up with a technology and relies on those things to perform their job and their task. In addition, when going through a literature review in Malaysian context, there are still a gap existed between environmental knowledge, intention and behavior towards green product. [Said et al. (2005)]. Even though people that have vast knowledge about green products are not necessarily would buy a green product. Therefore, factors those determine and affect Generation-Y to purchase a green product would be worth to find out. 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH Environment is defined as what surrounds a thing or an item or in other words it means the surrounding. It could be a physical element which is physical environment, that includes the built environment, natural environment such as air, water, land, atmosphere and etc or it could be human environment where people surrounding the item or thing which also known as the social environment. Today environment is getting worst and worst. Many environmental issues arise. Environmental concerns have been growing in recent years. One of the examples of environmental issue is global warming. Global warming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures. Natural events and human activities such as burning garbage and waste are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global temperatures. This is caused primarily by increases in greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide. The greenhouse effect keeps the earth warm when functioning normally. For the first time in h istory, human activities are altering the climate of our entire planet. According to (Jack, 2010), in less than 2 centuries, humans have increased the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 25% from the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests. In addition to the natural fluxes of carbon through the Earth system, human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning and deforestation, are also releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (The Carbon Cycle; the Human Role, Earth Observatory, NASA). Green product is define as a product that produce limited carbon footprints; they may require fewer resources to produce, consume less energy or emit fewer hazardous emissions.  Green product is also a product that is non toxic, water-efficient, and also recyclable and biodegradable. There are many green products that have been produce for people in the market. For example, a household cleaner. Nowadays its nearly impossible to go shopping without finding a plethora of products that claim to be environmentally and consumer friendly. Oddly enough, many cheap and eco-friendly substances, such as vinegar, have been used for years as home cleaners. Whether you buy a green cleaning product at a store or use something on hand in your pantry, you can reap the benefits of choosing products that are gentler on you and the environment. Phosphate-free dishwasher and laundry detergents are also consider a green product because they do not discharge environment-damaging phosphates into waterway s. Other examples of green cleaning products are those labeled certified biodegradable; these have passed several stringent tests relating to biodegradability and environmental impact conducted by an independent certifying agency. According to Consumer Reports, the certified biodegradable label is more meaningful than a general biodegradable label. Glass and metal cleaners, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, and laundry detergents are products that might carry this label. The rationale for going green is twofold. Clearly, the positive effects on the environment are a key driver for purchasing green product.  Green product provides myriad environmental benefits. They can replace toxic materials that may be harmful to people or animals. Also, some products save energy and water, while others limit solid waste and manufacturing releases. Green products create a healthier environment for people through reduced exposure to cleaners, solvents, paints and other hazardous substances. Green product also can reduce allergies. Many families find that their children are suffering from allergies, even though their family history does not necessary say that there are no allergies. In some situations, chemicals found within cleaning products contain allergens. Bleaches, toxic cleaning sprays and other chemicals used to clean the home commonly contain a variety of ingredients specifically able to cause or trigger allergies in people.   Generation Y are the cool generation, they embrace brand and live in the new world of digitize communication. Thus that might be interesting to find their perception and their level of awareness towards environmental issues that the world is facing nowadays. Gen Y has grown up in a very structure, busy and over planned world. Also, Gen Y is made up of confident, optimistic young people who feel valued and wanted. In a article of science daily, Gen-Y is a people that will go all the way when it comes to saving the environment as long as it benefit to world economic and environment. They are maturing into a pragmatic generation that wants to do the right thing for the environment but also has real economic concerns 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT Consumers or practically customers are the sellers and buyers that boost the countrys economy. Therefore, many firms are actually putting many efforts in order to attract more customers because these customers create businesses opportunities and generate profits to them. As the world nowadays facing so many problems regarding to an environmental issue, the consumers and their attitudes or behaviors to purchase a green product are the important factors to be considered. Consumers nowadays have more choices due to the effects of globalization. They will prefer the function of the product rather than the brand or whatsoever to ensure a healthier future. To determine the current level of Gen-y consumers preference towards the green products. To determine what are the determinants or factors of Gen-y consumer preferences towards the green product. To determine the consequences or effects of Gen-y consumer preferences towards the green product. To determine consumer level of awareness of Gen-y consumer towards green product. 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Awareness towards environmental issue that the world nowadays facing play a major role encourage people to purchase a green product. Thus, this study is attempts to relate on the various variables that influence consumer especially generation-Y to purchase a green product. The objectives are as the following: * To study the factors affecting the consumer especially Gen-Y to purchase green product. Gen-y is a new generation and It is crucial to understand as they are more advance and modernize. Thus, several researches have been conducted in order to understand consumers in a way that how they behave, and what are the factors that cause them to behave or react to the responses of the products. Leading factors such as price and quality are always the top concerns to the consumers. Product attributes will moderate the effects of price on quality judgments. Partial of the consumers may focus on buying low prices goods and neglect the quality of the products. This group of consumers takes the price as a measure of sacrifice. For instance, consumers take the price served as the benchmark for comparing utility gains from the quality of the product. One the other hand, some portion of the consumers will be willing to pay a premium price for the quality and function of the products, as they are very sensitive to the signals of the quality of one product. Thus, it is hope that this stud y will contribute further to the understanding of factors of price and quality that may lead to the consumers prefer for a green product * To understand the awareness level of people about Go Green campaign. Nowadays, there are many environmental campaign have been organized by a government and private sector. This campaign is aim to encourage people to more concern about the environment. Thus, it is hope that this study will explore how people react to a environmental campaign and what is their level of awareness about the awareness campaign. * To examine the benefit for people involvement in Go Green program. We might be asking, how we will benefit from getting involved in this environmental campaign. Well, recently there has been an increase in events directly related to the availability of natural resources. For example energy shortages that resulted to load shedding, change in weather patterns and water shortages. As a result, civil society is recognizing the need to manage our natural resources more effectively and responsibly. In doing so, we can ensure positive effects on our health, quality of life and even the cost of living. Thus, this study will help people to getting known more about what they will gain if they participate in the environmental campaign. *To discover what consumer perception towards green product. In curiosity to identify what are the main components or criteria that consumer especially gen-Y are looking forward in order to purchase a green product. It is true that each and every one of us are special and unique in the way we are, thus, every consumer has their very own perception in purchasing a green product. Different people from different backgrounds may have different perceptions on these products. In addition to that, different demographic groups may have different perceptions to this kind of product as well. Thus, this study will help to identify whether the consumer especially gen-y prefer to buy a green product or not to safe a mother of earth. 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study is crucial as there are a lot of green products have been selling nowadays. Obviously, when we talk about green product, the price for that particular item might be so expensive. The study on factors affecting consumer especially Gen-Y buying a green product may allow us to know in depth why are previous efforts taken does not produce as it is thought it would be. Based on the study conducted, motivations towards the environment, knowledge on green product, social norm, awareness and self-image have an impact on the consumer especially Gen-Y buying a green product. Government may need to enhance its program in educating people green product. New and more interesting Go Green program and method is a definite necessity in motivating people to increase their interest/awareness on a green product and indirectly motivates them to purchase it. 1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY The research focus on students in Multimedia University (MMU) Melaka campus and teenagers from outside the campus which comes from various demographic backgrounds such as the faculty, ethnicity and nationality. The focused respondents are a great resemblance on the exact population in Malaysia. 1.6 ORGANIZATIONAL OF RESEARCH 1.6.1 Chapter 1: Introduction Regarding this chapter, it introduce the background of this research such as why do people as a consumer buy a green product. Thus, this will create a strong preference among the gen-y consumers locally and abroad to consume and purchase green products. These sections will explain in details in the of consumers preferences from the Malaysian perspective and as well from the global view for green products. This chapter also recognized the problem statement and the research objectives for this research. Finally, the justification of the research will help to justify the benefits and those who will gain in this research. Chapter 2 : Literature Review A thorough study will be conducted on the dependent variable and independent variables. The main purpose for this chapter is to weigh the pros and cons of the topic and to discuss in details on the ideas and knowledge concerned. In this chapter, every definition of the dependent variable and independent variables will be cited from the journals in order to strengthen every point mentioned. Several of arguments and various points of views from different authors in order to provide a stronger formation of each point can be founded in this chapter. In addition to that, this chapter explains the relationships on several independent variables relate to the dependent variables. 1.6.2 Chapter 3 : Research Methodology Research methodology is usually conducted after the thorough study of literature review. In this chapter, theoretical framework will be form to illustrate the relationships between the dependent variable and the independent variables. Hypotheses or a proposed explanation which were made on the basis of limited evidences will explain the relationships between two or more variables. All the hypotheses stated will be tested together with empirical data. This chapter also includes the description of the sampling data, data collections and as well as the development of the questionnaire for this research. Chapter 4 : Data Analysis After questionnaires are collected from all the respondents, then few tests will be conducted to test on the validity and reliability of the results. The responds of the questionnaires from the respondents are represented by a set of numbers that symbolize their own significant meanings. Whereas the tests that will be carry out are to analyze the responses from the respondents so that it will derive to a stronger conclusion at the end of this research. Chapter 5 : Conclusion This chapter will provide the final outcome of this research. Thus, the final results will be explained and we will be able to identify how the exact hypotheses that formed earlier are hold. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Environmental quality in Malaysia According to report from Department of Environment Malaysia, 2006, Malaysia experienced a short period of slight to moderate haze due to trans-boundary pollution from neighboring countries. Different states have the differed air quality status according to the geographical locations, the industrial and commercial activities, populated areas and the traffic conditions. During that period, especially in Klang Valley, one of the area in Malaysia was more exposed to be effects to air pollution than any other areas. Statistic shows that, the air quality there was good only 23% of the time, moderate 70% of the time and the remaining 7% at an unhealthy level. As a developing country, Malaysia faced in a numerous challenge to ensure a balance between environmental sustainability and development. River quality, urban air, deforestation, household and hazardous waste are some of the major serious and worrying environmental problems faced by the country According to The Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010) report, Malaysian government allocated RM510 million for cleaning, preserving and beautifying rivers; RM530 million for coastal management; RM200 million for reforestation; and another RM70 million for the management of wildfire and protected areas to ensure environmental sustainability and resource management. In a global environment article stated that, Solid waste is one of the three major environmental problems in Malaysia. It plays a significant role in the ability of Nature to sustain life within its capacity. Currently, over 23,000 tonnes of waste is produced each day in Malaysia. However, this amount is expected to rise to 30,000 tonnes by the year 2020. The amount of waste generated will continues to increase. It is because due to the increasing population and development in this country. It will be assume that, it will be only less than 5% of the waste is being recycled. Rivers represent the lease of life which pulses through the earth. It is a finite and only source of water. In Malaysia, there are almost 1800 rivers. Sadly, more than half of these rivers have been polluted and destroyed. Improper solid waste management contributes greatly to river pollution. Improper solid waste management also contributes to climate change decomposing waste produces methane and production of new products to meet demand emits greenhouse gases and utilizes natural resources. Therefore, a change towards more sustainable consumption patterns is required. 2.1.1 Concern of environment There are many reasons and factors that affect consumer especially Gen-Y to buy a green product. According to  Mostafa (2007), green purchase behavior or environmental friendly buying behavior is the ingesting of products that are beneficial to the environment, recyclable or conservable, Sensitive and responsive to ecological concerns. Concern for the environment is perceived to be important in encouraging consumer to participate in green program and also buying a green product. Research finding suggest that, moral concerns determine several curtailment behaviors (Goldstein et al., 2008; Hage et al., 2009). However, studies on the influence of moral concerns on consumer high involvement buying decisions with environmental implications are rare (Thà ¸gersen, 2005). This is a problem since overlooking an influential determinant might hinder or delay successful diffusion of environmentally friendlier products and innovations. Consumer identify environmental protection as a priority f or governmental policies and this interest has led to an increase in ethical production-for both consumer and non-consumer products (  Finisterra do Paà §o  et al., 2009). Sensitivity to environmental issues shifts consumer behavior towards supporting the growth and diffusion of green marketing and ecologically-conscious consumer behavior including: consumer preference for greener firms, increase in demand for greener products. (Alsmadi, 2008; Finisterra do Pacao et al.,2009) found that greater awareness of environmental problems, increased media coverage, impact of major industrial disasters on public opinion, and the rise of pressure group activities are among the factors driving environmental concerns. 2.2 Green marketing Grant, John.(2008)define the green as a brand that that offers a significant eco-advantage over the incumbents and which hence appeals to those who are willing to making green a high priority. Soonthonsmai (2008) defined a green marketing as the activities that have been action by firms that are really concern about the environment by convey the environmentally sound goods or services to build and create consumers satisfaction. Other definitions of green marketing as suggested by marketing scholars are include social marketing, ecological marketing or environmental marketing. Harrison (2008) suggest that green marketing strategy by firms through positioning the environmental benefits of green products to consumers perception to influence their purchasing decision. Peatitie (2007) and Welford (2000) defined green marketing as the management process responsible for identifying and satisfying the requirements of customers and society in a profitable and sustainable way. In reality, comp anies that are going to pursue green marketing encounter various challenges mainly from the variability of demand, un-favorable consumer perception and high cost (Gurau and Ranchhod, 2008). The most key concern lies in an understanding of green consumers and their characteristics and it will help firm to enable and to develop a new target and segmentation strategies (DSouza et al., 2008). Dwyer (2009) defined green as the products to be designed, commercialized, and used which are capable of reducing sources of pollution and minimizing risks to human health and the environment. On the other hand, there are product sector speci ¬Ã‚ c examples of research on green buying process, such as food and household products (Vantomme et al., 2005) and clothes (Shaw et al., 2006) 2.2.1 Consumer preference on green product The dependent variable in this study is the factor that affecting consumer preferences for green products. Everyone in this Earth, play a major role as a consumer. Consumers are the main factors that boost a countrys economy. Each and every consumer has their very own perspective and preferences towards what they consume. Consumer from different demographic factors such as background and society may influence their behavior in making decisions while to purchase products. Thus, it is undeniable that consumers preferences and their perspective towards goods and services are hard to predict. DSouza  et al.  (2006a)  found out in their research that consumers perception on green products did not influence by any criteria such as packaging, label and ingredient of a product. The important finding from  DSouza  et al.  (2006)  was that green consumers will be rely more on their personal experience in using the green product rather than assess a green product base on marketers provided information. Interestingly, this finding however contradicts to Taghian and Lambs finding. They found that consumers are getting more environmental information by look at a product labels before deciding to purchase it. It is mean that, labels are important to capture consumer impression to buy a green product. Rashid (2009)  in his study stated that eco label is an important factor that would enable consumers to make the right purchase choice if they faced with a situation that required them to taking their consideration of the environmental impact on a product that they wish to purchase. The importance of consumers has lead to many researches to be conducted in order to study on their behavior and attitudes towards what they perceived on the products. Barr and Gilg (2006) was found that green purchasing behavior was the least popular activity alongside activities such as recycling and habitual household activities. However, not surprisingly, green consumers do consider environmental factors when purchasing products, but engaged more frequently in activities such as switching off lights and recycling paper (daily activities). Wheale and Hinton (2007) suggested that amongst the population of green consumers there is a hierarchy of importance of ethical drivers in the purchase decision-making process. The environment and the quality of the product was rated as the most important ethical driver during purchasing decisions. The finding from  DSouza  et al.  (2006)  was if product is lower in quality, consumers would not have interested to purchase the products eve n though they were always reading labels outside the product. Furthermore, if ordinary product is more expensive compared to a green product, consumers might have intention to buy green products because of the benefit and the cost. Therefore,  DSouza  et al.  (2006)  concluded from their study that consumers were not compromised to lower product quality. 2.3 Knowledge and attitude towards environment and green product Knowledge and attitude towards environment are very important to influcence consumer especially Gen-Y To purchase green products. There is a general belief among the researchers and also the environmental activists that by purchasing environmentally friendly products or green products, products with a recyclable packaging or properly disposing of non-biodegradable garbage, consumers indirectly can contribute significantly in order to enhance the quality of the environment (Abdul-Muhmim, 2007). The quality of the environment depends critically on the level of knowledge, attitudes, values and practices of consumers (Mansaray and Abijoye, 2005). Attitudes are the most consistent clarifying factor in predicting consumers willingness to pay for green products (Chyong et al., 2006). This means, price is not the main cause in avert consumers from purchasing green products if they are pro-environment. Researcher also found that Influencing consumer behaviour is a complex and difficult task r equiring knowledge of its determinants. The most convincing support of the growing influence of the ecologically-friendly consumer is the increase in the number of individuals that are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products (Bang et al., 2005). 2.4 Social norm and value perception influence consumer to buy green product. Studies have also investigated the effect social influence has affect consumer especially Gen-Y purchase green product.The interest in green initiatives is not expected to emanate only from external impositions and inducements but also from the internal sense of responsibility of a firm towards the society in which it exists. For green issues, such sensitivity is intensified by increasing environmental problems such as global warming and pollution. Such problems may also raise awareness and interest of a firm to behave in a more socially responsible manner and reflect an image of due diligence and commitment to sustainability. Green purchasing is primarily motivated by a certain degree of consumer ecological consciousness. Frey and Stutzer (2006) identify a number reasons behind environmental motivation: intrinsic motivations, altruism, internalized norms and social norms. Social norms lead individuals to take into consideration the opinions of the other members of society when choosing a green product over another: if they think that their acquaintances approve of green product purchase and disapprove of standard product purchase, there are encouraged to buy green products. (Ewing, 2005) stated that social norms are an important motivator of ecologically responsible behaviour. The strength of the normative influence of the consumers family and social groups on purchasing decisions depends on the characteristics of the product (e.g. luxury rather than a necessity). Value perception is the conception one has of oneself. Study in marketing influence on consumer purchase decision on green product, value perception was influencing green behaviours. This agrees to Lee(2008) finding value perception as the third predictor of her study. Apart from behavioral aspects, numerous studies have also looked at the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic variables and purchase green product involvement. Kinnear, T. and Taylor, J. (1973) stated that there has been no signi ¬Ã‚ cant link found between demographic segmentation and green purchase. This could be due to the notion that different groups of people relate to different parts of the environmental agenda Peattie, K. (1995). There have been contradictory results of younger and older age groups concerns about environmental issues Peattie, K. (1995). There is, however, a belief that environmental concern is directly related to a consumers level of education Balderjahn, I. (1988). Based on four surveys, Hines et al. found no relationship with gender. Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Overview Methodology is a system of methods used in a particular research. Research methodology normally comes after defining the problems and completing the thorough of the literature review. Research methodology which has been implemented to collect, investigate and as well as interpreting data obtained for the testing of the hypothesis will be discussed. Theoretical framework will be formed in this chapter in order to illustrate the relationships in between the dependent variable and independent variables. Besides that, hypotheses were developed and will be discussed together with the explanations in conjunction with the dependent variable and the independent variables. On top of that, plans of the sampling method, data collection methods and as well as the development of the questionnaires are included in this chapter. Finally, the data analysis and the hypotheses testing will carry out to analyze the responses from the respondents so that it will derive to a stronger conclusion at the en d of this research. 3.2 Theoretical Framework Figure 3.1 below illustrates a theoretical framework that shows the relationships in between the dependent variable and the independent variables. Knowledge Country Factors affecting Gen-y consumer in Malaysia buying a green product Attitude Social Norm Value Perception 3.3 Explanation of Framework The preferences of consumers for green products are subjective. Consumer from different demographic factors such as background and society may influence their behavior in making decisions while to purchase products. Whether they have a greater of favor to green products or to ordinary products are just hard to predict. Thus, it is undeniable that consumers preferences and their perspective towards goods and services are hard to predict. The importances of consumers have lead to many researches to be conducted in order to study on their behavior and attitudes towards what they perceived on the products. The knowledge, which is one of the factors that might cause preferences for consumers to make purchases for green products. The first thing that came across consumers mind is the brands and firms that produce a green product. Thus, the brand image of the company has help by providing hints to the consumers in summarizing the information from that certain product. According to Grunert (1993), knowledge of the benefits of a green products use on the environment may have an impact on whether or not that product is purchased and used. Besides that, consumers also prefer to purchase a green product with a lower cost. The attitude is another most influential factor in consumer preferences for green products. Consumers normally are not really aware about our environment is