Determine Appropriate Institutions for This Product in the Minds of Consumers

What types of retailers and intermediary institutions are available? What services do these institutions offer that are expected by the consumer? What alternatives are available for obtaining services needed for the product but not offered by existing institutions? How are various types of retailers regarded by consumers? Will changes in the distribution structure be readily accepted?

Base your decision on the information which is given below.

BRAZIL. A full complement of climates, topography, and population provides a wide variety of foods in Brazil. West African slaves ritualized food preparation on one end of the continuum, while American style hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza wedges for snacks balance the wide spectrum acceptable in Brazil. One of the major staples, beans, are considered good only when they are cooked in clay or earthenware pots. Ritual offerings to the gods of certain vegetable dishes are made even today, mostly because of the West African influence. Keep in mind, however, that such acts are limited to certain classes or religious groups. The major portion of Brazil is highly urbanized and upscale. Corn is considered to have special powers. Coffee is a symbol of hospitality, customarily taken sweet, as the coffee beans are coated with sugar.

CANADA. Food customs are difficult to define as so many ethnocultural groups reside in Canada. “Edibles” parallel those of the United States, and particular food traditions in certain areas are identical to adjacent U.S. areas (i.e., traditional Saturday night baked beans and steamed bread, boiled dinner, and fiddleheads in the Maritime provinces, just as in New England).

ENGLAND. Food preparation tends to be simple. Tea is a mainstay, if not an institution. Breads, cakes, pies, and puddings make up a large part of the British menu. Rabbit, eel, and goose are far common in England than in the United States. The English tradition of composure pervades their eating habits. Displaying an interest in food is considered ill-mannered, as is chewing anything more than a small bite of food at a time, or setting one’s knife down while eating with a fork. Breakfast is tea, perhaps with bread, lunch is often a thin sandwich at a pub, and a light supper is simple in both ingredients and preparation.

FRANCE. Polar to the English concept of disinterest, France’s appreciation of quality food and meticulous preparation is well known and well documented throughout historical publications. The French consider wine more basic and more appropriate than water at any time and for people of any age. Very little is wasted in food preparation. Vegetable water is not poured away but kept for stock. Trimming and waste all go to the compost pile. “Anything that lives is edible” in France; snails, sea urchins, frog legs, horsemeat, rabbits, and eels are all common foods. Bakeries emphasize white bread (anything else is “health” bread and considered second class). Wine is never taken with a green salad, as the vinegar would disturb the palate’s appreciation of the wine. Bread is the symbol of hospitality and used to cleanse the palate between courses. Smoking in many dining rooms is considered contemptuous of the food and drink offered. As the bread is hidden in the napkins in France, it is wise not to shake it out after sitting down.

GREECE. Greeks never drink without food, and food is always shared with friends. Contrary to the French opinion, water is a symbol of hospitality and the most popular beverage in Greece. Water is an element of socialization: women gather at wells to procure water; men socialize at tavernas where water is served. Refusal of any hospitable effort, including the sharing of much food, is an insult to both the host and hostess in Greece. The adage that “Greeks are either feasting or fasting” emphasizes the importance of food in the Greek Orthodox culture. Between Christmas and Epiphany all foods are hidden or disguised to prevent crippled ghosts (Kallikandari) from poisoning them. Modern Greeks will go to a pastry shop to eat and drink after a funeral as a form of ritual purification.

JAPAN. Traditional Japanese staples include fish, rice, vegetables, seafood, and tea. Although meat is permitted by religious custom, very little is consumed. Rice traditionally is believed to have medicinal qualities and is used in religious ceremonies as well. Sushi, although composed of vinegared rice and various other ingredients, is eaten with the fingers rather than with utensils. Buckwheat noodles are considered good luck and traditionally are shared on New Year’s Eve. Dining etiquette is important to the Japanese. The rice bowl is always received or removed with both hands. Rice is never eaten all at once, but between other foods. Tea is often served in the same rice dish, so it is important to finish your rice if you want tea. Chopsticks are to be picked up with your right hand laid one inch apart parallel to the place setting when not in use. It is polite to wait until older persons begin their meals before eating, and the sake cup is turned upside down to indicate politely that you’ve had enough.

INDIA. Complex food habits and traditions are characteristic of a country having diverse religious faiths and the attendant subgroups. Thus, a comprehensive summary of India’s various food habits is impossible. The following represents a small sampling. Kitchen and dining facilities of most homes are held in some degree of reverence, and shoes are not worn there. Because electrical appliances are not available in the majority of homes, food storage is not extensive and food preparation usually is limited to small stove cooking. Tea is favored in the north, coffee in the south. Religious taboos usually discourage the use of meat, even the intake of eggs. Pulse (a type of legume) is usually eaten in some form in one meal of the day and is referred to as Dal. A wide variety of available freshly ground seasonings further personalizes food preparation. Food is prepared and eaten only with the right hand, and knives are never used outside of the kitchen where food is prepared. An after-dinner custom of chewing paan is practiced nationwide. The paan consists of a heart-shaped leaf enclosing special spices.

IRAN. Very little seafood is used in Iran, and pork is forbidden by Muslim religion. Tea, coffee, and carbonated drinks are the leading beverages, while lamb, wheat bread, eggplant, and yogurt are staple foods. This is another country in which dining is accomplished with the right hand and knives are never seen in the dining room. Diners remove their shoes before entering the dining room and sit on soft cushions on the floor. Refusing coffee is taken as an insult, and coffee traditionally is offered and served three times to a quest in very small cups, during which noisy sipping is quite acceptable.

ISRAEL. Religious influences govern the diet of the Israeli, as well as the design of each kitchen. Varying degrees of religious observances determine the extent of kitchen utensil duplication (one for meat, one for dairy), and only meats from animals who chew their cud and have a cloven hoof as well as fish with scales and fins may be eaten. The menu for Israelis is also as diverse as the number of religious sects there.

ITALY. Plain bread and chicory are staples for Italian common people. Oil and pasta are cooking universals, and wine is treated as a food rather than an alcoholic medium. Green tomatoes are preferred over red tomatoes. It is against the rules of etiquette to leave a dining plate in front of a guest when it is obvious that the meal is finished.

MEXICO. Tortillas (flatbread) and frijoles (beans) are on the daily menu of Mexicans, and the really hot spices are prepared mostly for the tourists. Fresh milk is not popular, but is used to serve “café con leche”. Dinnertime can last from 2:00 to 5:00 P.M. in the afternoon in Mexico, which includes the traditional siesta.

SPAIN. Gazpacho is a good example of Spain’s staple foods - each region has it, and each region has its own way of preparing it the “correct” way. Spices tend to be more subtle commonly thought. Social dining tends to center in restaurants rather than in the home.

SWEDEN. Sweden has a very Americanized diet and ranks close to the United States in frozen food consumption. Processing foods by salting and smoking is quite common and desired. Reindeer meat is as common as pork and seafood. Strong, hot, black coffee is a part of every Swedish meal. The tradition of “skoal” is observed by a toast, a gulp, and a flash of your empty glass. Different courses during a meal are always served on fresh plates. The final ritual of a meal is to show appreciation for the hostess’s efforts; the individual to her left starts by thanking her first, and then all other participants follow in sequence.

VENEZUELA. Yucca, plantains, corn, and beans are staple foods. Varieties of ants are considered delicacy. Coffee, of course, is consumed daily.

Role-play № 2

Marketing is all the activities involved in facilitating exchanges between people and nations in order to satisfy human needs and wants. When an individual exchanges money for a product, that is marketing. When nations exchange products, the process involved is marketing - from finding out what the customer wants; to developing an appropriate product/service to meet the wants; to offering the product or service at an adequate price, at an appropriate place, and with proper promotion.

Marketing Concept

Marketing begins, and ends, with the customer. According to marketing concept, all business decisions should be customer-oriented, that is, the customer should be the focus of all activities. Marketing is a generic concept, a philosophy of running a business. Marketing should run an organization rather than be just one function of a business.

In some segments of business, the concept of marketing is narrowly understood as synonymous with selling. There can be no greater misconception. Marketing and selling have altogether different orientations. Selling centers on selling the product a company has. Marketing emphasizes selling but centers on what the customer wants. Selling is one of the promotional aspects of marketing.

Enact the meeting of Mr. Stone, director of the company and his employee David Kesler.

David Kesler. You have been working for Thomas company for 5 years. Now you understand that the company has the problem with selling products. You propose Mr. Stone use the concept of marketing and try to give him some differences between selling and marketing. Try to persuade him to build up a marketing department.

Make use of the following helpful phrases:

- to make suggestion:

· I was wondering if you’d ever thought of …

· Might be an idea to …

· If I were you, I’d …

· Why don’t you …

- to express intention:

· I have a strong desire to …

· What I personally want is …

- to persuade:

· What you don’t seem to understand is that …

· I see what you mean … but

· Try to look on the bright side

· Just imagine, if you …

Mr. Stone. You are director and you don’t like any changes. Besides, you have a Sales department and think that marketing is just a good word but absolutely unnecessary. But you spare time on David and listen to his point of view attentively. And after little hesitation you agree to make a marketing department:

Make use of the following helpful phrases:

- to check a point:

· Am I right in thinking that you are proposing …

· Right. If I am not mistaken, your policy is …

· Correct me if I’m wrong, but what you are proposing is …

- to express necessity:

· Do we need to …

· Do we have to …

- to disagree:

· I don’t think so.

· I am not sure, that we should …

· I don’t agree with you.

- to make agreement:

· OK. You are right.

· I can agree with …

Role-play № 3

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 903