Act of God and Vis Major

Act of God and Vis Major Act of God and Vis Major Act of God and Vis Major By Maeve Maddox In March of 1997, 16 tornados tore through Arkansas, killing 26 people and destroying homes and businesses. At the time I was living in Hot Springs, cowering in the closet. The twister missed us, but thirty miles away, the college town of Arkadelphia was nearly wiped off the map. That March the state legislature quickly drafted a bill intended to protect tornado victims from the possibility that insurance companies might deny their claims. It contained the following language: No insurance policy or contract covering damages to property shall be canceled nor the renewal thereof denied solely as a result of claims arising from acts of God.† Then governor Mike Huckabee refused to sign the bill because he objected to the phrase â€Å"act of God† to describe â€Å"a destructive and deadly force.† He preferred â€Å"natural disaster.† After about three weeks, the term â€Å"natural causes† was agreed upon and the governor signed the bill. The term â€Å"act of God† to describe an event beyond human control has long been used by insurance underwriters. Here are some definitions listed at the Business Dictionary: act of God: violent and catastrophic event caused by forces of nature, which could not have been prevented or avoided by foresight or prudence. An act of God that makes performance of a contractual duty impossible may excuse performance of that duty. Dictionary of Business Terms act of God: natural occurrence beyond human control or influence. Such acts of nature include hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. Dictionary of Insurance Terms act of God: an unpreventable destructive occurrence of the natural world. Example: A contract has a provision that allows the buyer to default if the property is damaged by an act of God. Examples of an act of God are: earthquake, flood, hurricane, lightning, tornado. Dictionary of Real Estate Terms An alternate term for â€Å"act of God† is the Latin term vis major, â€Å"an overpowering force†: vis major [vÄ ­s mÄ jÉ™r]: such a degree of superior force that no effective resistance can be made to it. OED Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†Homogeneous vs. HeterogeneousJanuary 1 Doesn't Need an "st"

Stephen F. Austin, Founding Father of Texan Independence

Stephen F. Austin, Founding Father of Texan Independence Stephen F. Austin (November 3, 1793–December 27, 1836) was a lawyer, settler, and administrator who played a key role in the secession of Texas from Mexico. He brought hundreds of U.S. families into Texas on behalf of the Mexican government, which wished to populate the isolated northern state. Fast Facts: Stephen F. Austin Known For: Key role in the U.S. colonization of Texas and its succession from MexicoBorn: November 3, 1793 in VirginiaParents: Moses Austin and Mary Brown AustinDied: December 27, 1836 in Austin TexasEducation: Bacon Academy, Transylvania UniversitySpouse: NoneChildren: None At first, Austin was a diligent agent for Mexico, but later he became a fierce fighter for Texas independence and is today remembered in Texas as one of the most important founding fathers of the state. Early  Life Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia on November 3, 1793, the third child and first of two sons of Moses Austin and Mary Brown. Moses was a businessman and lead mine owner, and he began his working life in Philadelphia, where he met in 1784 and married Mary Brown, known as Maria. Moses ran a mercantile business in Richmond, Virginia with his brother Stephen. Moses and Marys first daughter Anna Maria was born and died in Richmond in 1787. In 1788, Moses and Stephen and their families moved to Wythe County, Virginia to own and operate a lead mine. In a settlement which would become known as Austinville, Moses and Mary had Eliza (1790–1790), Stephen (1793–1836), and Emily (1795–1851). In 1796, Moses Austin traveled to the Spanish colony of St. Louis on the Mississippi River now in eastern Missouri, where he finagled permission from the commandant to search for a new lead mine near Ste. Genevieve. He moved his family to Ste. Genevieve in 1798, where the last Austin sibling, James Elijah Brown, was born (1803–1829). Education In 1804, Stephen, age 11, was sent off by himself to Connecticut, where relatives found him a good school to attend: the Bacon Academy in Colchester, where he studied English grammar and writing, logic, rhetoric, geometry, geography, and a little Latin and Greek. He graduated in 1807 and was then sent to Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, where he studied math, geography, and astronomy. He then in 1810 with a certificate. Stephen arrived back in Ste. Genevieve in 1810, where his father put him in a prominent role in the mercantile business. For the next several years, Stephen Austins informal education included time spent in New Orleans with a shipment of lead during the War of 1812, as a militiaman harassing Native Americans in what is today central Illinois, and taking over the lead mine when his father grew too ill to continue. In New Orleans, he contracted malaria, which he never fully recovered from. And, in 1815, Stephen Austin ran for a seat in what was now the Missouri territorial legislature, taking his position in the lower House in December. Moses Austin eventually lost his fortune in lead mining and traveled westward to Texas, where the elder Austin fell in love with the ruggedly beautiful lands of Texas and secured permission from Spanish authorities- Mexico was not yet independent- to bring a group of settlers there. Moses fell ill and died in 1821: His final wish was that Stephen complete his settlement project. Settlement of Texas Stephen Austin’s planned settlement of Texas hit many snags between 1821 and 1830, not the least of which was the fact that Mexico achieved independence in 1821, meaning he had to re-negotiate his father’s grant. Emperor Iturbide of Mexico came and went, leading to further confusion. Attacks by Native American tribes such as the Comanche were a constant problem, and Austin very nearly went broke meeting his obligations. Still, he persevered, and by 1830 he was in charge of a thriving colony of settlers, nearly all of whom had accepted Mexican citizenship and converted to Roman Catholicism. Although Austin remained staunchly pro-Mexican, Texas itself was becoming more and more American in nature. By 1830 or so, mostly Anglo-American settlers outnumbered Mexicans in the Texas territory by almost 10 to 1. The rich land drew not only legitimate settlers, such as those in Austin’s colony, but also squatters and other unauthorized settlers who simply moved in, selected some land, and set up a homestead. Austin’s colony was the most important settlement, however, and the families there had begun raising cotton, mules, and other goods for export, much of which went through New Orleans. These differences and others convinced many that Texas should leave Mexico and become part of the U.S. or independent. The Trip to Mexico City In 1833 Austin went to Mexico City to clear up some business with the Mexican Federal government. He was bringing new demands from the Texas settlers, including separation from Coahuila (Texas and Coahuila were one state at the time) and reduced taxes. Meanwhile, he sent letters home hoping to placate those Texans who favored outright separation from Mexico. Some of Austin’s letters home, including some telling Texans to go ahead and begin to declare statehood before the approval of the federal government, made their way to officials in Mexico City. While returning to Texas, Austin was arrested, brought back to Mexico City, and thrown into jail. Austin was in jail in Mexico City for a year and a half: he was never tried or even formally charged with anything. It is perhaps ironic that the Mexicans jailed one Texan who was at least initially inclined to keep Texas part of Mexico. As it was, Austin’s jailing probably sealed Texas’ fate. Released in August of 1835, Austin returned to Texas a changed man. His loyalty to Mexico had been ground out of him in prison, and he realized now that Mexico would never grant the rights his people desired. Also, by the time he returned in late 1835, it was clear that Texas was on a path destined for conflict with Mexico and that it was too late for a peaceful solution. When push came to shove, Austin would choose Texas over Mexico. The Texas Revolution Not long after Austins return, Texas rebels fired on Mexican soldiers in the town of Gonzales: the Battle of Gonzales, as it came to be known, marked the beginning of the military phase of the Texas Revolution. Not long after, Austin was named commander of all Texan military forces. Along with Jim Bowie and James Fannin, he marched on San Antonio, where Bowie and Fannin won the Battle of Concepcià ³n. Austin returned to the town of San Felipe, where delegates from all over Texas were meeting to determine its fate. At the convention, Austin was replaced as military commander by Sam Houston. Even Austin, whose health was still frail after 1812 bout with malaria, was in favor of the change: His brief stint as General had proven decisively that he was no military man. Instead, he was given a job much better suited to his abilities. He would be the Texas envoy to the United States, where he would seek official recognition if Texas declared independence, purchase and send weapons, encourage volunteers to take up arms and head to Texas, and see to other important tasks. Return to Texas Austin made his way to Washington, stopping along the way at key cities such as New Orleans and Memphis, where he gave speeches, encouraged volunteers to go to Texas, secured loans (usually to be repaid in Texas land after independence), and met with officials. He was a big hit and always drew a large crowd. Texas effectively gained independence on April 21, 1836, at the Battle of San Jacinto,  and Austin returned not long after. Death He lost the election to be the first president of the Republic of Texas to Sam Houston, who appointed him Secretary of State. Austin fell ill of pneumonia and died on December 27, 1836. Legacy Austin was a hardworking, honorable man caught up in times of sweeping change and chaos. He was a skillful colony administrator, a canny diplomat, and a diligent lawyer. The only thing he tried that he did not excel at was war. After leading the Texas army to San Antonio, he quickly and happily turned command over to Sam Houston, who was much more suited to the job. Austin was only 43 when he died: the young Republic of Texas could have used his guidance in the years of war and uncertainty that followed its independence. It is a little misleading that Austins name is usually associated with the Texas Revolution. Up until 1835, Austin was the leading proponent of working things out with Mexico, and at that time his was the most influential voice in Texas. Austin remained loyal to Mexico long after most men in Texas were rebelling. Only after a year and a half in jail and a first-hand look at the anarchy in Mexico City did he decide that Texas must set out on its own. Once he made the decision, he threw himself wholeheartedly into revolution. The people of Texas consider Austin one of their greatest heroes. The city of Austin is named after him, as are countless streets, parks, and schools, including Austin College and Stephen F. Austin State University. Sources: Brands, H.W. Lone Star Nation: The Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence.New York: Anchor Books, 2004.Cantrell, Gregg. Stephen F. Austin: Empresario of Texas. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 1999.Henderson, Timothy J. A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United StatesNew York: Hill and Wang, 2007.

Selling smarter with CRM by Dawson Chris Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Selling smarter with CRM by Dawson Chris - Essay Example It operates in a cycle that includes organizational management, sales and marketing teams, product generation departments and the customers. Organizations apply customer relationship management towards different benefits. One of such benefits is the establishment of a strong relationship between an organization and its customers through developing an understanding of the customers’ needs towards meeting the needs. Other benefits include managements of sales processes, improvement of sales strategies and evaluation of fundamental data including social data that affects an organization (Dawson, p. 3- 5). Achieving these benefits does not however require extensive investment of resources and efforts. This is because of existence of cheaper and efficient approaches such as Google enabled applications and social networks for reaching and interacting with customers and potential customers. Such approaches can further be cheaply implemented by using an organization’s interns t hat are another source of cheap resources. This is because of the changing environment in which everything is social, and a social approach to customer relationship management through Google based applications and social network that promises higher level of effectiveness. A number of computer-based applications exist for such CRM initiatives towards better management of product development and sales initiatives (Dawson, p. 6- 10). Achieving these benefits does not however require extensive investment of resources.

Personal Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Personal Development - Essay Example essed, I have had the chance to increase the amount of time that I spend with the instructors in terms of learning after class and made sure that I went over all the material that was delivered in class. In the event that there was a concept or point that needed to be clarified, I made the resolve to talk to the instructors before the next class so that I may understand the concept and catch up with the rest of the group. Social development has also been a considerable part of my personal development as I made the discovery that I was lacking soft skills in comparison to other people. The significance of these skills in the school and work environment cannot be ignored, therefore, I had to develop them so that I could avoid cases of skill mismatching in school as well as the workplace. (Zenger and Folkman 137). Improving interactions with other individuals was among the main goals of my personal development and as the semester progressed, I had to make changes on the ways I related to people through allowing more time for interactions. I was able to achieve this goal through seeking an elective position as a representative of one of the clubs in school and the acquisition of the leadership position was critical for the developing my leadership skills. Being elected for this post has also assisted me to enhance my communication skills as am tasked with communicating the needs and issues of the members of the club to the leaders of the club. This has also assisted me to become a better listener while developing more focus in my activities since I have other responsibilities apart from my schoolwork. I had also intended to better my social interaction both within and outside the school and among the most effective ways, that I chose to achieve this was through more involvement in extra-curricular programs. Settling on a particular activity was not easy as there were numerous programs to choose from, nevertheless, I had an awareness of the significance of this and

American History Essay Example for Free

American History Essay The civil war, according to President Abraham Lincoln, was not really fought to end the prolonged existence of slavery in the United States. The American Civil War was fought to preserve the Union and safeguard the interest of the American people but not of the slaves. Lincoln, who was not an absolute abolitionist himself, believe that the slaves should be free gradually and not on a one time big time basis. But as the civil war became lengthy, Lincoln and his administration has made colossal changes to the original plan and had to issue an Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves in the Confederacy. This action was well thought of Lincoln. When the congress has passed the Second Confiscation Act on July 17, 1862, Lincoln was prompted to respond. The Second Confiscation Act entailed that all slaves of everyone in rebellion to the United States were declared free. The act from the congress was not only what impelled Lincoln to act but also the peoples’ growing aversion of slavery. Lincoln has read his drafted â€Å"Preliminary Proclamation† to Secretary of State William H. Seward and Secretary of Navy Gideon Welles. Both were overwhelmed and were unable to respond quickly. On July 22, Lincoln discussed the matter to his cabinet and has received a lot of mix reactions but majority of the cabinet approved of the proclamation. Yet, it was only a consultation. The cabinet reviewed the contexts on September 22 and Lincoln has composed the final Emancipation Proclamation on New Year’s Day of 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation pronounced that â€Å"all slaves within any states or on a designated part of a State whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, henceforward, and forever free†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Emancipation Proclamation guaranteed freedom only of those slaves in the states not in the jurisdiction of the Union. Lincoln’s Secretary of State William H. Seward has criticized the irony of the emancipation. Seward pointed out that the Union might have been sympathetic to slavery by freeing the slaves on the states uncontrolled by the Union but holding them in servitude in places possible to be freed by the government. Lincoln has known this but he did not want to irritate the slaveholders in the Union. Moreover, the Emancipation Proclamation would have not been easily released if it were not a war necessity. The Union saw its last resort on freeing the slave to increase its army and to antagonize the farms and the industries in the South. The proclamation was not sympathy to the slaves but a remedy to the unending war. Yet, the Emancipation Proclamation was one of the greatest victories of the Lincoln administration and of American democracy. It has also stressed that the war is not all about preserving the Union but also on the pressing need to abolish slavery. It was also the foundation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which forever end slavery in the United States. On the other hand, after the Emancipation Proclamation the war did not ended soon. Many critics of the Lincoln administration supposed that the proclamation has only worsened the situation. The Union was still deficient of soldiers. Lincoln was prompted to create solutions by issuing the Enrollment Act of Conscription on March 3, 1863, which agitated many Northerners. The Union at the early stage of the war has relied on volunteerism but fewer men wanted to enlist. The Conscription Act imposed military duty to every capable man of 20 to 45 years old. Yet those who can find a substitute or pay $300 could be exempted from the draft. This exemption has angered the poor. Leslie M. Harris (2003) reported that antiwar newspaper in New York began criticizing the draft law citing the government’s interference on local affairs on behalf of the â€Å"nigger war. †The most unruly response to the act happened in New York City when unruly mobs appeared on July 11, 1963 when the draft took effect. Even though New York politicians have been very supportive of the Emancipation Proclamation, New Yorkers were divided on their stance towards the proclamation. Likewise, the mob consisted mostly of the poor Irish and German immigrants who lived on New York’s slum area. Irish and German immigrants in New York were told to prepare for the emancipated slaves who will flee to the North and would seek job. The immigrants did not think it was necessary for them to fight and they also have bigotry towards the African-American because they were usually their competitors to lowest-paying jobs. Yet, the main problem arose when the mob started to create commotions on the city. The first targets of the mob include military and government building, which instituted the inequitable draft. But after a while, the mob targeted the black people. First, they assaulted a black vendor and a nine year-old boy before burning to ashes the Colored Orphan Asylum on Fifth Avenue between Forty-Third and Forty-Fourth Streets. Luckily, no child was hurt in the attack. However, the mob has continued to attack Black people and sometimes killing them. Harris (2003) further reported that the mob singled out men for special violence. William Jones, a black man was hanged and his body burned afterward. Some group white men were even cheering when they kill William Williams, a black sailor, shouting: vengeance on every nigger in New York. The mayhem which lasted five days forced hundreds of Blacks to leave the city. Yet, not every Irish were sympathetic to the mob. There were reported cases were Irishmen helped black men. Irish neighbors of Philip White, a black drugstore owner at the corner of Gold and Frankfurt Street, help drove the mob away because White has been a good neighbor and creditor. However, this interracial cooperation was very least as compared to the havoc against the black people. However, the Union Army stationed at the Potomac were able to pacify the rioters and restore order in the city however they remained encamped around the city for several weeks. The Emancipation Proclamation and the Draft Riots embodied the bearing of the people during the Civil War. Though, only was a war measure, the Emancipation Proclamation was a great demonstration of democracy. The Draft Riots proved that not every person has the heart to fight for the Union and not everyone was in favor of the Emancipation. However, though Washington Times wrote, â€Å"The nation is at this time in a state of Revolution, North, South, East, and West, those who believed in the restoration of the Union and the rule of law never gave up hope but fought for what they believe was right. The New York Draft Riots, the Civil War and all its casualties were the price paid by the United States in order to protect and defend the Constitution, its people and those unalienable rights that were bestowed to each citizen which are â€Å"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. † References Harris, L. M. (2003). In the Shadow of Slavery: African Americans in New York City, 1626-1863. Chicago: University of Chicago. Smith, A. I. , (2007). The American civil war. Macmillan: New York.

Truths Exposed in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men Essay -- Steinbeck

Truths Exposed in Of Mice and Men  Ã‚        Ã‚   John Steinbeck's timeless novel Of Mice and Men is a somewhat controversial story of the hardships of life. To illustrate these hardships, Steinbeck takes the reader back to an era of bankruptcies, migrant workers, and drifters. Today, this time, the 1930's, is branded the Great Depression. The quest of George and Lennie, two migrant workers, is an example of the dilemma of thousands of homeless and unemployed men in America during the Great Depression era (Ito 39). The harsh circumstances presented by the Great Depression reveal a darker side of human nature. In order to survive, a man's priority had to be himself. Through his characters, Steinbeck exposes truths about people and life in general.    Through the character of Curley, Steinbeck mocks the insecurity that can develop in a person. This primary flaw in Curley displays a basic flaw of humanity. Howard Levant reiterates this point in saying, "The central theme is stated and restated - the good life is impossible because humanity is flawed" (Owens 146). Candy, an old swamper, tells George, "Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He's alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy" (Steinbeck 26). This insecurity is articulated through Curley's abhorrence for men bigger than he, or often men in general. Curley also relentlessly worries about the activities of his wife, which reemphasizes his apparent lack of self-confidence. He further demonstrates his diffidence by his frequent ganging up on Lennie. Curley shows this when he picks a fight with Lennie. Curley asks, "What the hell you laughin' at?" (Steinbeck 62). Not only was Lennie an immense man, but he ... ...s novel causes the characters to act to some extent selfishly, looking out for their own good. It would be wrong to blame them though. In the Depression Era world that Steinbeck recreates, this live and let die attitude was often the only way to endure. The point of the novel, however, is not who is right or wrong. The point is that, by the conclusion of the novel, everyone loses. Though it is often easier to fulfill one's basic needs on his or her own, in the long run, interaction with others is an essential part of human nature.    Works Cited Ito, Tom. The Importance of John Steinbeck. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1994. Owens, Louis. "Of Mice and Men: The Dream of Commitment." Modern Critical Views on John Steinbeck. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 145 - 149. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Group, 1993. Truths Exposed in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men Essay -- Steinbeck Truths Exposed in Of Mice and Men  Ã‚        Ã‚   John Steinbeck's timeless novel Of Mice and Men is a somewhat controversial story of the hardships of life. To illustrate these hardships, Steinbeck takes the reader back to an era of bankruptcies, migrant workers, and drifters. Today, this time, the 1930's, is branded the Great Depression. The quest of George and Lennie, two migrant workers, is an example of the dilemma of thousands of homeless and unemployed men in America during the Great Depression era (Ito 39). The harsh circumstances presented by the Great Depression reveal a darker side of human nature. In order to survive, a man's priority had to be himself. Through his characters, Steinbeck exposes truths about people and life in general.    Through the character of Curley, Steinbeck mocks the insecurity that can develop in a person. This primary flaw in Curley displays a basic flaw of humanity. Howard Levant reiterates this point in saying, "The central theme is stated and restated - the good life is impossible because humanity is flawed" (Owens 146). Candy, an old swamper, tells George, "Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He's alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy" (Steinbeck 26). This insecurity is articulated through Curley's abhorrence for men bigger than he, or often men in general. Curley also relentlessly worries about the activities of his wife, which reemphasizes his apparent lack of self-confidence. He further demonstrates his diffidence by his frequent ganging up on Lennie. Curley shows this when he picks a fight with Lennie. Curley asks, "What the hell you laughin' at?" (Steinbeck 62). Not only was Lennie an immense man, but he ... ...s novel causes the characters to act to some extent selfishly, looking out for their own good. It would be wrong to blame them though. In the Depression Era world that Steinbeck recreates, this live and let die attitude was often the only way to endure. The point of the novel, however, is not who is right or wrong. The point is that, by the conclusion of the novel, everyone loses. Though it is often easier to fulfill one's basic needs on his or her own, in the long run, interaction with others is an essential part of human nature.    Works Cited Ito, Tom. The Importance of John Steinbeck. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1994. Owens, Louis. "Of Mice and Men: The Dream of Commitment." Modern Critical Views on John Steinbeck. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 145 - 149. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Group, 1993.

Clean Edge Razor: Splitting Hairs in Product Positioning Essay

A well-known health and beauty company, Paramount is launching a high-technology nondisposable razor, Clean Edge. They are searching for the most efficient way to gain market share. Their concerns come down to three main problems: whether they should target niche market and price the product in the super-premium segment, or aim mainstream market and gain broad appeal, ;whether they should just emphasize the product name â€Å"Clean Edge† or add â€Å"Paramount† at the front to broaden brand image;whether they should sustain current market allocations and focus on niche market or increase the marketing budget for extensive advertisement in the mainstream market. Analysis In the past, nondisposable razors merely served as hair removing tool for the vast majority of the population. However, according to Exhibit 1, as personal images became important in social life, hair removing routine became a means of gaining confidence for some people. For this reason, customers started to seek nondisposable razor that not only effectively removes hair but also protects skin, and further gives them sense of luxury by utilizing the best technology. Understanding customers’ tendency to always search for newest and advanced products, Paramount developed Clean Edge using their unique technology. Although they were confident about quality of their product, their competitive position was not stable. They had two big competitors, Benet & Klein and Prince which already had loyal customers throughout the world, not to mention other new competitors that started to threaten Paramount with their groundbreaking products. Moreover, because Benet & Klein and Prince’ s expenditures in advertising exceeded those of Paramount, it was difficult for Paramount to take away the market share and brand recognition. Using 4P strategy to analyze Paramount’s potential was helpful. Clean Edge is a very competitive and advanced product that can attract a lot of men of all ages. They also have increasing retail channels that allow them to sell Clean Edge in a diversity  of venues. The problem occurs when determining the price of this product and finding promotional outlets. If the price of Clean Edge is lower than other existing nondisposable razors, it certainly would gain broader appeal, but will not be welcomed by customers who are looking for high-end products. This possibly would bring about cannibalization, eating out their own brand image. On the other hand, if the price is higher than other existing nondisposable razors, it may successfully enter niche market, but customers who are already loyal to Paramount may be wooed away to seek for other brands. Their decision on a proper price point also influences their promotional strategies. If they decide to remain in the niche market they only need to target a specific customer group who would be intrigued b y their products, thus, their expenditures in advertising would likely decrease. This is more effortless and direct, since Paramount is already aware of the demographic segment of the market. However, they would have to cultivate certain promotional strategies to build firm and intimate relationship with potentially would become loyal customers of Paramount. If they maintain a mainstream position, their revenue would increase since they would sell more, but they would have to conceive ways of getting more customers involved, from advertisements using media to discount promotions. This can be clearly seen in Exhibit 7. Although in niche positioning, production unit cost is higher and unit volume is much lower than in mainstream positioning, advertising and promotion costs are more than two times lower. Their effort of reaching out to more people is revealed in promotion costs. Recommendation Niche Market – From Exhibit 5, it is clear that Paramount’s market share is steadily increasing while other competitors’ market shares are slightly fluctuating. This is definitely the perfect timing for Paramount to improve their brand quality by entering to the niche market, at the same time slowing down strong growth of new competitors. According to financial data (see appendix 1), it is true that net profit is much higher in mainstream positioning, due to higher volume and lower unit cost. However, considering that Paramount’s nondisposable razor market share is continuously increasing from Paramount Pro and Avail, which are not super-premium products, suddenly introducing Clean Edge in the mainstream market to get mass appeal would  cannibalize Paramount’s existing brands, potentially degrading Paramount as a ‘cheap brand’. Do not keep â€Å"by the Paramount† label – Considering that Prince and Benet & Klein are stil l better known to customers not just for the razors but also for other health and beauty products, it is uneasy for Paramount to get their brand name widespread in the market, especially when they are spending less budget on advertising. Radiance, the new competitor that specifically targeted super-premium razor market and spent $16.1 million dollars on advertising in 2010, successfully entered and survived the competition, and gradually gained title of ‘super-premium’ brand. On the other hand, because Paramount originally started with mid-low priced value products, it is difficult to predict customers’ reaction when they launch Clean Edge with the name of Paramount. Predictions may vary but some customers would not trust the high-end products made by Paramount. Since some Paramount executives believe design is the major breakthrough that will differentiate Clean Edge from other nondisposable razors, Paramount can start off with a whole new image, without having to attach their brand name. A good example is Lexus, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. One of the biggest reasons why Lexus gained worldwide profit was because they did not emphasize the quotidian brand of Toyota. Sustain current allocations but partially increase advertising budget- Advertising is a necessity when it comes to launching new product. Nonetheless Clean Edge has a groundbreaking design, without the support of advertisement, it is impos sible to attract customers to try new products. It is reasonable to put more budget allocations, but using a completely different approach from mainstream positioning. Promotions such as free trials or cents-off coupons are for customer groups that are easily affected by fluctuating prices. What Paramount is aiming for is the customer groups that are seeking for high-end luxury products that would generate social and emotional satisfaction. Traditional TV and Newspaper advertisements may suit such a niche market, since a lot of customers who tend to use nondisposable razors are in older age groups. Accordingly, good customer service in making them feel special is essential to the niche market. Especially because involved razor users believe shaving is a way of improving their self-esteem, they would want to be treated in a way that they are being cared. Using social media to constantly connect with  the customers is a great approach to win over customers’ mind. Allocating budget in customer service therefore, is another w ay to gain loyal customers.