Tourism Industry in India Essay Example for Free

Tourism Industry in India Essay This gave India the fifth rank among countries with the fastest growing tourism industry. India has a large medical tourism sector which is expected to grow at an estimated rate of 30% annually to reach about ? 9,500 crore by 2015. In the year 2011, there were nearly 6. 29 million foreign tourist arrivals in India, up by over 8% from the year 2010 when 5. 78 million foreign tourists arrived in India. Domestic tourist visits to all states and Union Territories numbered 747. 70 million. The majority of foreign tourists come from the United States (16%) and the United Kingdom (12. %). In 2011 Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi were the most popular states for foreign tourists. Domestic tourists visited the states Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu most frequently. Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Agra have been the four most visited cities of India by foreign tourists during the year 2011. Worldwide, Chennai is ranked 41 by the number of foreign tourists, while Delhi is ranked at 50, Mumbai at 57 and Agra at 65. The Travel amp; Tourism Competitiveness Report 2011 ranked the price competitiveness of Indias tourism sector 28th out of 139 countries. It mentions that India has quite good air transport (ranked 39th), particularly given the country’s stage of development, and reasonable ground transport infrastructure (ranked 43rd). Some other aspects of its tourism infrastructure remain somewhat underdeveloped however. The nation has very few hotel rooms per capita by international comparison and low ATM penetration. The Indian government has identified a shortage of 150,000 hotel rooms, with most of the undersupply in the budget sector. The Ministry of Tourism designs national policies for the development and promotion of tourism. In the process, the Ministry consults and collaborates with other stakeholders in the sector including various Central Ministries/agencies, state governments, Union Territories and the representatives of the private sector. Concerted efforts are being made to promote new forms of tourism such as rural, cruise, medical and eco-tourism. The Ministry also maintains the Incredible India campaign. Indias rich history and its cultural and geographical diversity make its international tourism appeal large and diverse. It presents heritage and cultural tourism along with medical, business and sports tourism. ABSTRACT Tourism today is the most vibrant tertiary activity and a multi-billion industry in India. Traditionally known largely for its historical and cultural dimensions, tourism today is highlighted for its immense business opportunities. With its lucrative linkages with transport, hotel industry etc. , the potential and performance of India’s tourism industry needs to be gauged in terms of its socio-economic magnitudes. This paper traces the progress made by India’s tourism industry in the planning era, and the emerging issues (like alternative tourism) under globalization. It examines the problems and challenges of the country as well as the pitfalls in tourism planning in India. The paper also makes some policy suggestions to address the constraints in promoting sustainable tourism in India. The Indian governments Incredible India tourism campaign and the information technology growth in India have been attracting millions of foreign tourists and business tourists to India. Medical tourism has also recently mushroomed in India. Tourism industry is a big foreign exchange earner in India, yet the industry still is hampered by Tourism development has always has been an integral part of the country’s five-year plans. Initially allocations were meager: Rs. 3. 36 crore in the Second Plan,Rs. 5 crore in the Third Plan ;amp; Rs. 36 crore in the Fourth Plan. It was doubled in the Fifth Plan. The National Tourism Policy in 1982 gave a momentum to this sector. Expenditure rose from about Rs. 187 crore in the Seventh Plan to Rs. 95 crore in the Ninth Plan and further to Rs. 2900 crore in the Tenth five-year Plan. The Tourism Development Corporation, Tourism Finance Corporation, Hotel Management and Catering Technology Institutes, Food Craft Institutes, Indian Institute Tourism and Travel Management, India Tourism Development Corporation, Indian Association of Tour Operators, Travel Agents Association of India and a large number of hotel management colleges, sports and adventure clubs, beach resorts etc have also contributed to the growth and development of this industry. Emphasis laid on HRD is clear. The first major effort to promote the industry was launched with the announcement of 1991 as the ‘Visit India Year’. Enormous tourist resources were commercialized. The first ever Indian Tourism Day was celebrated on January 25, 1998. The year 1999 was celebrated as ‘Explore India Millennium Year’ with a host of shows, exhibitions etc. The next decade saw the restructuring of the schemes of Integrated Development of Tourist Circuits, and Product/Infrastructure Destination Development. Additional schemes/incentives were announced for service providers. Upgrading of beaches, airports, tax incentives were also introduced. Besides creating an official website for the Tourism Ministry, now the calendar of events is planned. Even the new initiatives to encourage the NRIs and PIOs, through visit India programmes, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebration, Dual Citizenship to certain categories of diasporic Indians have given much fillip to tourism in India. Thanks also to the booming IT and outsourcing industry a growing number of business trips are made by foreigners to India, who will often add a weekend break or longer holiday to their trip. Foreign tourists, generally spend more in India than almost any other country worldwide. Tourist arrivals are projected to increase by over 22 per cent per year through till 2010, with a 33 per cent increase in foreign exchange earnings recorded in 2004. The Tourism Ministry has also played an important role in the development of the industry, initiating advertising campaigns such as the â€Å"Incredible India† campaign, which promoted India’s culture and tourist attractions in a fresh and emorable way. The tourism industry has helped growth in other sectors as diverse as horticulture, handicrafts, agriculture, construction and even poultry. India’s governmental bodies have also made a significant impact in tourism by requiring that each and every state of India have a corporation to administer support issues related to tourism. The tourism industry of India is based on certain core nationalistic ideals and standards which are: Swaagat or welcome, Sahyog or cooperation, Soochanaa or information, Sanrachanaa or infrastructure, Suvidha or facilitation, Safaai or cleanliness and Surakshaa or security. Commonwealth Games is the additional opportunity for the Travel Industry to gain some additional business, by offering special tour packages to the tourists. As per the reports, it is estimated that more than 3. 5 million tourists are going to reach India in 2010 to be a part of the eminent Commonwealth Games that are scheduled to be held in Delhi the capital city of India. It is the high time for the Indias Tourism Industry, as the foreign tourists will be heavily dependent upon them for the flight bookings, hotel reservations, travel itineraries and visas. The growth of India Tourism market is also equally beneficial for the several associated industries such as the aviation industry, medical tourism industry and hotel industry. However year 2008, sees a whopping rise in the arrival of eco tourists in the country. Recently a new concept Rural Tourism has been launched by the government in India, which is equally doing very well. It is believed that in the next few years India Tour Industry will gain new heights and the percentage of Indias share in the global tourism will grow 1. 5% by 2010. Industry is going to fetch maximum business from the Agra (Taj Mahal), Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala , Gujarat and Rajasthan, that are expected to receive maximum number of tourists.

Models Regarding the Emergence of Bipedalism

Models Regarding the Emergence of Bipedalism There are over ten hypotheses as to how and why bipedalism evolved in humans and when. Bipedalism evolved well before the large human brain or the development of stone tools. Bipedal specializations are found in australopithecus fossils from 4.2-3.9 million years ago. The different hypotheses are not necessarily mutually exclusive and a number of selective forces may have acted together to lead to human bipedalism. Possible reasons for the evolution of human bipedalism include freeing the hands for tool use and carrying, sexual dimorphism in food gathering, changes in climate and habitat (from jungle to savanna) and to reduce the amount of skin exposed to the tropical sun. Another explanation is the mixture of savanna and scattered forests forced the first humans to travel between clusters of trees and bipedalism offered greater efficiency for long-distance travel between these clusters than knuckle-walking quadrupedism. Step One: Tool Use Evidence for use of stone tools first came from Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. These tools were found in the lowest levels dating to nearly 2.0 million years ago. In southern Ethiopia, stone tools dating to as early as 2.3 to 2.4 million years ago have been discovered. Someone or something has modified the. There are different kinds of tools as well. The overall evidence suggests that between 2.3 and 2.5 million years ago hominids began to use stone materials as tools. The first stone tools were probably made for two purposes: cutting something and pounding on something. Obviously you can cut and pound plant materials or use stone tools to dig for roots and such things. However, it is far more likely that some hominids began to cut hides and meat and chop on bones to extract protein rich marrow. Of all of the tools made, the most important was probably the sharp flake that provided the edge by which one could cut even the toughest hides. It is probably unfortunate that the first stone to ol tradition, the Oldowan Tool Tradition, is defined as a core-chopper tradition. Cores are the means to detach flakes and it is these that were so vital to early hominid stone tool users. Step Two: Bigger Brains About one million years ago, hominoid mammals started to exhibit rational thought, a mental process that represented an important advance over simple natural and emotional reactions. Rational thought or is the conscious ability to add sensory input with memory by the use of logical thought processes. Also, morality emerged, which was reliant on the emergence of intelligence.Modern humans (homo sapiens) appeared approximately 160,000 years ago. And until about 12,000 years ago, when agriculture developed, they lived in small groups as hunters and gatherers. They had large brains that had evolved like everything else because it gave the individual and the group, as well as the individual within the group, a competitive advantage: Language allowed better communication within the group and higher forms of thinking. The passing on of knowledge from generation to generation, culture, evolved simultaneously or sometime later. The transfer of more complex information, ideas and concepts from one individual to another, or to a group, was probably the single most advantageous evolutionary adaptation for species preservation. The advantage of learning from passed on knowledge is it allowed foresight and planning. This gave them the ability to adapt to various environments and move to the top of the food chain. With these developments, social survival skills within the group became more important, for the socially fittest produced more offspring. Hence, the larger-brain-yielding genes were more successfully passed on. Step Three: Thermoregulatory Advantages Wheelers thermoregulatory model proposes, as the selective pressure, bipedalism conferring reduction in heat gain and facilitation of heat dissipation. Bipedalism raises the mean body surface higher above the ground, where more favorable wind speeds and temperatures prevail. Greater wind flow translates to higher convective heat loss. Bipedalism reduces evaporative cooling requirements and conserves body water. Vertical orientation also minimizes direct solar exposure during the time of day when the solar radiation is most intense. This basically says that by being upright, hominids were exposed less to harmful elements yet gained the benefits of others. Step Four: Travel For Food More specific causes for the adoption of upright posture could be things such as carrying, display or warning, new feeding adaptations, tools, or a combination of these. A conservative view is that the hominid ancestor maintained the typical hominoid foraging regime in a Miocene habitat in which food was becoming more and more widely dispersed and required greater terrestrial travel to harvest. Bipedalism could easily have been the mode of terrestrial travel for this tree adapted hominoid, as it is in all of the modern species of lesser apes, since modern hominoids are equally efficient as bipeds or as quadrupeds at normal speeds. Given the added advantage of free forelimbs, bipedalism for a small hominoid seems likely. The adoption of bipedalism by a Miocene hominoid need not be taken as such an unlikely occurrence, especially given the fact that all lesser apes today are habitual bipeds and bipedalism can easily be adopted by modern chimpanzees in the wild. Step Five: Avoid Predators During the terminal phase of the Miocene era, or around five million years ago, the climate began to shift from wet subtropical to much more arid, grassland conditions. Over the next three million years, the heavy forest cover gradually died out and tree based hominid ancestors were forced down onto ground. There, they faced the most brutal lineup of predators in the world, including lions, leopards, hyenas, and possibly wild dogs in large packs. Survival in such environments is limited to either predator avoidance or running and hominids such as A.afarensis would have been vulnerable due to lack of swift movements necessary to escape predators. Bipedalism also exposed early hominids to predators by making them upright. They were forced to rely on binocular vision for predatory avoidance, but in cases where a predator was not seen, they were easy prey for ambush hunters. Also, their plant food diet increased their exposure to predators. The combination of other factors such as smalle r body size, and lack of sharp teeth or claws also increased vulnerability of hominids to this fate. Only a few fossilised examples are available; according to the taphonomic studies of Hart and Sussman(2005), 5% of A. afarensis fossils show evidence of having been eaten. Conclusion The emergence of hominids become bipedal has without question was one of the biggest factors in the development of civilization. If our early ancestors had never left the trees, we would not be where we are today, or they wouldnt have developed the way they did. By becoming bipedal it allowed them to travel greater distances and use their bodies in different ways. The bigger brain and the use of tools really allowed hominids to further the range of their existence and become more well rounded. There really cannot be enough said about the emergence of bipedalism. Civilization is directly a result of everything this ability allowed hominids to do.

Scarlet Letter :: Essays Papers

Scarlet Letter In the novel The Scarlet Letter, the scarlet letter â€Å"A† has several meanings throughout the novel. For each character the scarlet letter stands for something different. Each of the main characters interprets the letter in different forms. The townspeople observe the letter as a form of shame and embarrassment. For Hester the letter takes on several different forms. Arthur Dimmesdale, the Reverend, sees the letter on Hester’s breast as a constant torture of his sin and secrete. He goes through terrible ordeals throughout the novel. For Roger Chillingworth (Hester’s husband), the letter stands for power. The Townspeople see the scarlet letter â€Å"A† as a form of embarrassment for Hester and a way of keeping order and peace within the colony. The story begins with Hester having to go on the scaffold and stand there for three hours with her two shameful sins, the letter A (which stands for Adulteress) and her illegitimate child. The magistrates feel as though constant public embarrassment will disclose the secret of the child’s father. On the scaffold Hester experiences harsh words. A group of women are having a discussion in the crowd and one-woman states, â€Å"At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne’s forehead. She may cover it with a brooch, or such like heathenish adornment, and so walk the streets as brave as ever† (1332). This statement shows that it was not enough that the townspeople knew she committed a sin, but they wanted to see the sin on her chest constantly. This letter somehow gave them power over Hester and made them feel more superior. Without them seeing the letter they felt that her sin was not being seen. Even after Hester moves away from the town, into the forest, children go there to get a glimpse of her; this continues the embarrassment for Hester. Also, the ministers of the town use Hester’s sin in their sermons. Another way in which the town punishes Hester and tries to have some type of power over her is when they try to take her child. As the novel progresses and Hester becomes a helpful person in the community, people begin to accept her in society again but the scarlet letter is never overseen.

A Letter From Romeo and Juliets Lawyer :: William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet

Rosaline CapuletVerona, ItalyDear Madam Capulet:I am writing to inform you that you are hereby charged with the hannus crime of murder, as the cause of many deaths and misery. You are at fault for all that has happened in the fair Verona, Italy, and are now dually charged with the following crimes: Two counts of murder in the first degree, one count of false banishment, and a high amount of counts of disturbing the peace. The reason for this is lengthy and will be described in the following letter. First of all, you were the first love of the young Romeo Montague, my client. Because you refused to marry anyone, let alone my client, you cause him tremendous grief and suffering. You turned my client into the epitome of melancholy and depression. If not for his love of you, he would never have been so mournful.Second, you, unknowingly, forced him to meet up with his future wife, Juliet Capulet, your cousin, daughter of the Lord Capulet. The Lord Capulet sent a messenger to announce the celebration to all his guests. This messenger, being illiterate, turned to Romeo and his cousin Benvolio Montague, for help reading the list. When Romeo saw that you were to attend, he decided to attend also. Out of his love for you, he came to that party, and at this party, he met Juliet, his future wife.Now, we cannot put the blame for them falling in love on you. However, it is of the opinion of the court that you, Rosaline, tendered Romeo's heart, making him prone to fall in love easily. This may also have caused his easiness to slip in and out of moods. This is shown when he, at first was against all fights and was trying to keep the peace between his friend Mercutio, and enemy Tybalt. Soon after Tybalt slay Mercutio, Romeo suddenly had a change of heart and avenged his friends death, and for this reason was banished from his hometown Verona.

History of the Museum :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From as early as the 3rd century bc, there have been examples of museum concepts. Ptolomy Soter, known as â€Å"The Preserver†, founded the great Museon at Alexandria. After six centuries, it was destroyed, ending centuries of intellectual research and collected statues. In ancient Greece, temples of objects, including the Parthenon and the Acropolis housed cult statues in cellas, rooms dedicated to this purpose. A keeper, similarly to a curator, would oversee the temple activities. In addition, an early example of conservation is documented by the placement of oil vats by ivory statues to prevent drying out and cracking. At the Treasury of the Athenians at Delphi, votive objects were stored for the purpose of conservation. Documenting exhibition is the site at Propileo. On the right side, there is a library, and on the left, a pinakotheke, which are panel paintings open to the public. This shows early interest in exhibition and galleries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the Hellenistic period (Greek), Alexander the Great gathered a library of 600,000 volumes in scrolls, as well as statues of poets and philosophers. The concept was similar to a history museum. Under the leadership of Trajan, the 2nd century Romans displayed statues in temples, forums, theaters, and baths. These people were much more public with their collections than the Greeks were, however, evidence of Greek influence is shown for example in the stature of Caesar Augustus (think Primaporta). Also, statues were in homes for private viewing. Under Hadrian, the open air concept was born, at least for private consumption. He borrowed building ideas for his villa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Middle Ages, Catholic cathedrals housed treasuries full of original objects from pilgrimages and crusades, donated by people to the church for salvation purposes, on the notion â€Å"absorb and purchase: donate†. There was an emphasis on preservation. In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, private collections were emerging. Jean, the Duke of Berry, (a territory of France), loved books and had a library and antique coins, and a zoo, which included bezoars. Those were an antidote found in the stomachs of wild goats.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries brought about an emergence of private collections in Florence. Paolo Giovio, from Como, a humanist, was a pioneer of the private historical museum. In it, contained objects and books, all preserved and collected. Andrea Odoni commissioned Lorenzo Lotto to paint him as a collector. The Belvedaire Gardens in Rome was the private hideaway of the Pope and his visitors.

Themes…. monsters are due on maple street

People who persevere are not stubborn. 4. Fear a. Fear Is powerful and can take over your mind. B. Sometimes fear Is a reasonable reaction. Other times, fear can be Irrational. C. We should fear Ignorant people with the power and authority. D. Ignorant people with power and authority can harm others. E. Fear tends to happen when your rights are gone. F. Fear can cause people to limit your rights. G. Sometimes you have to face your fears. 5. Trust/mistrust a. Mistrust can lead to confusion. B. Trust takes courage. Sometimes we can trust the wrong person (people). Ere (The Obsolete Man) 6. Leadership a. Don't always trust your leaders. B. Not all leaders are trustworthy. C. Don't follow bad leaders who take away your natural rights to life, liberty, and property. 7. Worthiness a. People who are worthy of leadership are fair, respectful, trustworthy, do what's best for the common good, and don't always make the popular decision, but they try to make the right decision. 8. Ignorance 9. A bsurdity 10. Confusion 11. Judgment 2.Curiosity 13. Manipulation 14. Truth/lees 15. Misunderstanding 16. Change 18. Blame Have you ever stood on your front porch, looking at a mob of people accusing you of being an alien? Less Goodman, a resident of Maple Street, knows exactly how this feels. In the short story, The Monsters are Due on Maple Street, by Rod Serving there is a strong theme of Summary of story here. Ladled;Jeff;alkyds;asked;saddle;saddle;fjords;Sofas;JDK;Alasdair;aside;fjords;Sofas Thematic statement here. Explanation of statement.

List and define the steps in the new-product development process Essay

By its very nature, marketing requires companies and organisations to develop new ideas and make adjustments to their marketing efforts. New concepts, designs and products are essential for responding to the ever-changing demands of the target market/s, and are crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction, which ultimately leads to increased revenues and profits for the firm. New-product development dictates the company’s future in the market. Every person’s wants are unlimited; however, a person’s needs are narrowed to a limited amount. A product is something that can satisfy people’s wants and needs. It is one of the variables in the marketing mix (one of the ‘7P’s’). A product can be considered as the most important item in the marketing mix, since ultimately the marketing mix revolves around the Product. It can be offered to the market in the form of goods, services, ideas, events etc, The following are the classification of goods . This is crucial information for marketers as market segmentation exercises are carried out within the company in order to target certain groups of customers with specific use-related and use-situated needs. Below are four main classifications of goods; Convenience Goods – these are those goods which are bought on a daily basis, products of this type are usually considered as needs. These are goods such as milk, bread, detergents etc†¦ Shopping Goods – these are mostly semi-durable goods which are purchased less frequently then convenience goods. These cost more than convenience goods, thus people tend to choose products over others in a process of choosing the preferred alternative. Clothes and white goods are ordinary examples Specialty Goods – these are goods which are bought infrequently. If a person decides to purchase a specialty good, one will take time on choosing the good, since these goods are much more costly than the two previously mentioned. When this type of good is bought after sales service is usually provided. Example of this type of goods includes property & motor vehicles & a Luxury holiday in a high standard hotel. Impulse Goods – these goods are not actively searched by customers when one is making a purchase. However, a last minute impulse makes a customer purchase goods. Impulse goods usually occur in supermarkets or department stores. Idea Markets – The creation and evaluation of new product ideas are important procedures in the new product development process. Idea markets help companies by using virtual stocks to represent product ideas, introducing a virtual marketplace for these ideas to interact and use the forces of the market to generate certain stock prices that will indicate whether a product idea could be successful or not. Thus, the concept of idea markets has been considered as one of the leading methods of creating and evaluating new product ideas. Both the creation and evaluation of ideas require certain things such as creativity and long-range forecasting abilities, but they also suffer from a great deal of uncertainty (Creative Trainer: 2007) . The following three factors show why idea markets have been proposed as the new method of creating and evaluating product idea, mainly because they positively influence the quality of new product ideas: 1.Large Number of Ideas and Idea Creators It is essential that the quality of product ideas is given importance, as this determines the commercial success of the product. However, it is not quite that easy to determine the people that should be involved in the product creation as well as the main characteristics of the product idea. A wide pool of ideas might give rise to some unexpectedly good concepts that aren’t in demand at the moment but might be the breakthrough product idea sometime in the future. To broaden the scope of the search of the next best product idea, companies consult with several diverse and external sources such as employees, suppliers and researchers . Due to its uncertainty, participants of idea creation should come up with a substantial amount of product ideas. It follows that a high quantity of idea correlates to a high quality of positive product ideas, thus, creativity is an important element that shouldn’t be under-valued or diminished. Activities of idea creation, such as brainstorm ing, should promote individual creativity. Companies nowadays are creating and innovation friendly and relaxed office environment so as to enhance the innovative performance and creative thinking. Innovation leads to the development of new ideas in order to sustain present customer needs within the market. This can be achieved with the support of many different processes that help the company to expand into something different instead of building on something that they already have. One of  the many methods of innovation is symbiotic ideas, where multiple ideas are combined, adding the pros of all ideas without incurring all the cons, to make a better general idea. The second method, targeted innovation, is highly used in large scale companies and deals with the idea of a direct path that leads to a result that is not only known from the beginning of the process but also expected. Finally, the revolutionary idea is one that portrays a whole new different perspective which sets it apart from traditional school of thought. An example of this ideology is Marxism . 2.Group decisions instead of individual decisions When companies engage in finding a new product to develop, ideas about a new product can be established from a group of idea creators and by means of a discussion and exchange of opinions. This will result in high quality ideas that can prove useful to the company when deciding what product to produce. Ideas formed through group discussion can be generated through several activities such as idea competitions and ideation games, this will cause the participants to widen their thoughts and observe other participants ideas before acting. It is also ideal that the persons that will evaluate the product work as a group, this will improve the quality of their evaluations due to the fact that one person might see something that the other person missed and even one can also criticise the other until a compromise is found. Interactive and iterative evaluation techniques allow participants to widen their knowledge and continuously learn more and more, thereby improving the quality of the decis ion taken . 3.Combining the creation of ideas with their evaluation Most of the ideas generated will support either the creation of the new product or the evaluation of the new product. This will be beneficial due to the fact that participants can focus more towards the creation process. The problem that arises may be the fact that idea creators will not receive immediate feedback regarding their ideas, this may result in the ideas being vague or even out of the range intended for them to be in. The ideas generated are usually split into three main criteria; mainly being in respect of their quality, commercial success and new to the world. The  criteria usually provide skewed results and only few of the ideas turn out to be of a high quality. Another problem that may arise is the fact that companies review a large number of ideas from which only a moderate portion are processed for further development. Participants who have knowledge of the product and are able to create new product ideas are usually even capable of evaluating the product ideas generated. Combing these participants’ together results in a positive and successful evaluation of new product ideas. Levels of product – When searching for new product ideas one must also keep in mind that the product is made up of three components; Core product, Actual product and Augmented product. The core product is the part of the product that makes it beneficial to the consumer and answers the question â€Å"What is the buyer really buying?† The actual product is the tangible, physical product. The Augmented product on the other hand refers to the non-physical part of the product, the added value one gets from purchasing the product, such as customer service, after sales support, delivery, installation etc . Product Characteristics – When finding and developing new product ideas one should incorporate and think about the product attributes, branding, packaging and labelling. One must consider the quality level and quality consistency of the product. This refers to how the product is perceived and how the product will be expected to perform during its life. One should also think about the features that are expected to flow from the product and the characteristics of the product that contribute to the benefits it offers. Substantial thought should also be given regarding the design of the product. Another important aspect of the product that requires rational, especially in new companies, is the brand of the product. This usually incorporates a name to the product, sign, symbol or a combination of the above mentioned. Branding provides a unique attribute to the product therefore it should be attractive and easy to recognise and remember. Many people buy a product solely on the strength of the brand. The packaging o f the product is yet another important factor. It includes the wrapper or container for the product. The packaging should  protect the product and ensure it reaches the buyer in the condition it is intended to and also incorporated with the packaging should be a set of instructions and safety labels on how to handle the product . Managing the New-Product Development Process – The need for new product development may arise due to other external forces such as competition from rival firms. Innovation and new ideas are forced into play within the market as firms compete for a bigger customer base and market share. In addition, new product development may occur due to the actual product becoming obsolete and/or inadequate for present customer’s needs. There are many other reasons why new product development is vital. These may include: -Innovative/unique products earn higher profits than older products. -New products can help reposition the company in customer’s minds and shift their perception about the new product/s -Some firms market seasonal products that reap their highest sales during a certain time of the year (for example, ice-cream vendors). Expanding the firm’s product mix into new areas may help offset these fluctuations. The development method may take two forms. The company can develop new products in its own laboratories or it may contract independent researchers or firms to develop specific original products. Furthermore, we can identify six categories of new products ; 1.New-to-the-world products. (Such as the first Microsoft tablets were in 2002) 2.New product lines (new products that allow a company to enter an established market) 3.Additions to existing product lines (New product that supplement existing products, eg new flavours, sizes etc) 4.Improvements and revisions of existing products 5.Repositioning ( existing products that are targeted to new markets) 6.Cost Reductions Before we get to the new product development process there are few decisions a company must take. It must decide on how to segment the market, which will be the target customers, identify their needs and determine its market positioning for the new product. Nowadays, companies use customer-driven engineering, which is the process whereby the design of the final (new) product incorporates its target customer’s preferences. These preferences are determined through market research methods, such as the collection of  primary and secondary data. Lastly, the company must set a budget for the new product. Management must decide what proportion of investment will be necessary for research and development activities as well as the gathering of market intelligence and market research. Once this is set, the New-Product Development process may begin. There are 8 steps in the New-Product Development process as defined by kotler. 1. Idea Generation The process starts with the hunt for new ideas. The key to successful ideas, is understanding customer’s present or unmet needs in the market. For example , Procter &Gamble’s efforts in 1985 to create a bold new advertising campaign for Folgers to catapult it into market leadership began by watching consumers make coffee and by listening to their descriptions of their process of waking up in the morning. From these efforts came the insight that people actually wake up to the smell of coffee before they get to the taste And, thus was born â€Å"The best part of waking up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The insight worked so well, it’s still guiding the marketing campaign today – twenty years later. Ideas for new products can be obtained from customers, the company’s R&D department, focus groups, competitors, salespersons, employees, trade shows and events etc†¦ 2. Idea Screening The second stage is to get rid of unsound ideas prior to dedicating resources to them. The ‘screeners’ must ask at least three questions : Will the customer in the target market benefit from the product? Is it technically feasible to manufacture the product?, Will the product be profitable when manufactured and delivered to the customer at the target price? An important consideration must be made in screening ideas. This stage is crucial for companies as they must avoid two types of errors ; A Drop-error – which occurs when a company dismisses a good concept for the new product A Go- error – occurs when a company goes forward with a poor idea up until the last new-product development stage, commercialization. This can prove to be extremely costly is the idea is not received well in the market. A recent example of this is when in 2010, GAP launched a new logo in an attempt to be more modern This only lasted two days as GAP received an unbelievable criticism from the public, who expressed felt that GAP was changing their image for the worse. 3. Concept Development and Testing Having identified the right product idea, a product concept must follow – this is an elaborated version of the screened idea. The notion here is that a product idea can be turned into numerous product concepts. These concepts are developed with marketing and engineering specifics. Before the next step, the product concept must be tested. This follows by ‘giving’ the concept and all information about the product to a group of target customers and obtaining feedback and responses from them. The reactions obtained would indicate whether the customers in the target market would welcome concept or not. 4. Marketing Strategy development In this stage, the new product formation will begin as a result of the conclusions derived from the concept development and testing stage. A strategy-plan would be drawn up as to how best to introduce the new product into the segmented target market. The plan describes three parts , The first part describes the market’s structure, size and behaviour, as well as the planned positioning of the product and the market share. The second part shapes the expected price, distribution approach and marketing financial plan. The last part of the marketing strategy outlines the sales and profit targets as well as the marketing-mix strategy. 5. Business analysis This is an important step in new product development. The firm must analyse different aspects of the new product. It should find out whether the product is profitable or not and what the cost of the new product will be. Under this stage, the demand for the new product should be established and whether the demand is seasonal or regular while also gathering information re any competitors of this new product. Estimations of sales and expenses such as; advertising and sales promotion should be made to provide calculations for the approximate profit which the  new product should render. Hence, the new product is studied from a business aspect. If the new product should earn a profit, it will be accepted, otherwise it will be rejected. 6. Product development In this product development stage, the company takes the necessary steps to produce and distribute this product since the company would have already decided to introduce this new product in the market. The production development department will make strategies to produce one or more physical versions of the product concept, while the marketing department will make plans on how to distribute the product. The financial department will provide all the finances required to introduce the new product. Before the test marketing stage, plans for the advertisements for the new product will be made on a small scale. 7. Test marketing Test marketing is introducing this new product on a small scale and in a small market, in a more realistic setting. If this product is a success in the small market, then it is later introduced on a larger scale. However, if this new product fails in the small market, then the company will test for reasons for its failure. There are different types of test marketing which include the following; sales-wave research, simulated test marketing, controlled test marketing and test markets . In sales-wave research, the company gives customers the opportunity to use the product at no cost. At a later stage the company then reoffers the same product or a competitor’s product at a slightly cheaper price and notes the number of times (sales-waves) each customer selects each product. The simulated test market is a cheaper and faster method when compared to the other methods, but it is not considered as the most accurate due to the controlled setting. The company will make necessary amendments in the new product and will then introduce it again in the small market. If the new product fails for the second time, the firm will reject it. Test marketing is a safety device which reduces risk from large-scale marketing. Although this is a very time-consuming stage, it must be done especially for costly  products. 8. Commercialization If the test marketing performed on the new product is successful, then the company introduces their product on a larger scale, which is known as commercialization. The firm will make a large investment in the new product. It will plan when to launch the product in a larger market and where since the market-entry timing and location are very critical. First entry has its advantage of being on the market before its competitors but might backfire if it is rushed. When a firm coincides its product’s entry with its competitors, known as parallel entry, this will enhance the market’s attention on analysing and comparing products. Whilst a late entry launch will reduce costs while also gathering further knowledge on the size of the market. Companies usually wait for the ‘killer application’ to occur; this may depend on the season or for the older product to be drawn down and to be replaced. The company will produce and distribute the new product on a larger scale where it will advertise the new product on mass media such as; Radio, TV, Magazine and Newspapers. The Consumer Adoption Process – This is the process by which potential customers learn about the new product, tests it out and adopts or rejects it. This process begins from when the consumer first hears about the new innovation up until final adoption of the product. Adoption is a decision made by an individual to become a regular user of a product. There are five stages which adopters of new products have been observed to pass through ; 1.Awareness – consumer becomes aware of the new innovation 2.Interest – the consumer seeks more information about the new innovation 3.Evaluation – the consumer considers whether or not to try the product 4.Trial – the consumer actually tries the product so as to enhance his/her evaluation of it. 5.Adoption – the consumer becomes a customer and decides to make regular use of the product. It is the task of the new-product marketer to make this process as easy and swift as possible so as to capture the consumer’s interest and turn it into th e action of actually adopting the product. Conclusion – In conclusion, companies must realise the importance that the product has in the marketing mix. Improved and replaced products will expand and maintain sales and profits for the company. However, when coming to develop a new product, companies must realise the importance and relevance of the steps involved in creating and introducing new products into the market. The key is to develop a product which is innovative, up to standard, meets the customer’s present needs and which ultimately has the ability to penetrate the market and claim a place in the customer’s minds. Thus by following the New Product Development process, as we have discussed in this assignment, companies will be able develop a product which has a high probability of being successful in the market and which will be demanded by its customers.