Demographics and World Commerce Term Paper

Demographics and World Commerce

The brave new worlds of globalization and cyberspace have met in an arena one might call geodemographics (Goss 1995). Goss, who apparently coined the term, refers to a specific, “hype-ridden” portion of the marketing industry, but his word is useful shorthand for the current state of demographics and world commerce in general. Regional differences between populations are, arguably, being diminished rapidly by virtue of Internet access worldwide to both information and goods, so it is fitting to discuss demographics in global parameters. It might be well to note, also, the inherent difficulties Goss raises in geodemographics: His concern, he says, is not that geodemographics can help in planning profitable marketing strategies for anything from ideas to soft drinks but rather than “geodemographics displays a strategic intent to control social life and that the ideological conception of identity and social space within the model may become real — in other words, that the assumptions will be validated as the strategies take effect” (Goss 1996, 171+).

Few would deny that the diffusion of ideas and technology has impacted global commerce. Just recalling the fall of the Soviet Union, based on the dissemination of ideas and arguably enhanced by the rising use of technology from broadcast to (at the time) limited use of the Internet among research facilities, makes clear the extent of the diffusion of ideas on global commerce. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany, the independence of the Baltic States and other geopolitical upheavals (probably fostered by technologically superior communications), those vast populations were not markets for the commercial goods and services of the rest of the nations of the world. Now they are. They are joined, finally, by China. Although it has not given up its communist political model, it has accepted enormous numbers of western ideas, and along with those, western goods. It is arguable that the ceding of Hong Kong to China hastened the adoption of that stance; it is also arguable that it was technology that helped diffuse the ideas that are slowly brining China into the world of commercial nations.

The “China Syndrome” also intimates at the relationships among ideas, events, social climate, and commerce.

While it is excellent in a commercial sense that commerce has become more global, along with that globalization has come the globalization of some less attractive ideas, as well. Goss makes the point that the technologies of geodemographics makes it easier for marketers to predict how customers will behavior using date based on statistical models of identity and residence. Rather than using locale-based demographics, geodemographics is oriented toward discovering new markets regardless of location, culture e or any other attribute that is typical measured. Instead, it uses other parameters to specifically identify potential customers, not wasting time or effort on marketing to any potential non-customers. Geodemographics has, then, changed demographics substantially. It has removed the marginal markets from the equation, and it has done so across national boundaries. There is a very clear relationship between ideas (whatever concept or product is being marketed) and events; the event is the fact that marketers now can, to a great degree, separate potential consumer groups into ever smaller ‘regional’ groups, a group, even, of one person if the object being marketed was a Van Gogh painting, for example, or a new mummy from the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.

In terms of geodemographics, it is difficult to identify a specific social climate, except perhaps to say that there are as many social climates in the global cyber universe as there are people. A relatively ubiquitous idea, however, is that of privacy. In a universe in which demographic research can access so much information about the target populations, it is a reasonable concern. Politicians have responded to it by drafting laws such as the Privacy Act, which regulates the federal government’s right to disclose individual records and the Right to Financial Privacy Act, limiting record disclosure by financial institutions.

These two concern subjects that seem weighty; seemingly less weighty are the Cable Communications Act requiring cable companies to inform subscribes of the records they keep, and the Video Privacy Protection Act, preventing disclosure of rental information to third parties. One must wonder how any of these fare in light of the USAPatriot Act, which allows access, at least to federal agencies, to one’s library records.

The social climate in the United States, then, is mixed regarding demographic information. On one hand, there is the putative government need for information to deter terrorists; on the other, the private citizen’s constitutional right to privacy.

As Goss points out, such laws protect procedural rights but do nothing to prevent the collection of information; thus, despite the demand for them by the public, they have little effect on geographic and world commerce. This is so obvious to consumer advocates that they argue “for more comprehensive measures that would establish the privacy of personal information as an inalienable right, or at the least ensure that statistical identities belong to the individual as personal property over which they have rights of alienation ” (Goss 1995, 171+).

Arguably, now that there are no communist monoliths except China, these same concerns help form the social/political climate in other global nations as well. Indeed, it would be very surprising if they did not exist in at least the G7 nations, which includes the important nations of Western Europe and Japan.

There is a great homogenizing effect in global geographics, fostered by the widespread access to the Internet and bombardment universally by other ‘message’ media, from television to recorded messages about new services on the bank’s 24-hour phone line menus. and, while regular Internet shoppers have, for one example, been found to be less conscious of brand and price — instead looking for the best deal — than non-Internet consumers, they are regional differences displayed quite well in the arena of Internet shopping. One of the unique findings concerning international consumer behavior, supporting Hofstede’s work in the 1990s concerning national characteristics, is that “Consumers in different countries may have more in common with one another than consumers in the same country” (Lynch and Beck 2001, 725+). If this is so, then simply knowing whether a nation scores high or low on the Hofstede parameters, Individualism, Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity, and Power Distance, would help in determining what form global commerce will assume in each country. This would also aid in determining the true ‘geodemographics’ of a region, rather than those predicated on geography alone. In fact, international surveys revealed that there were differences in trust in online purchasing depending on whether one came from a relatively collectivist culture, such as Israel, or an individualist culture, such as the United States, Great Britain, and so on.

However, the commonalities among Internet shoppers has also been found to be substantial, suggesting that regional demographics will play a more diminished role in commercial pursuits in the future. In fact, according to Lynch and Beck, “If the majority of Internet buyers share commonalties in age, sex, occupation, and salary, and are consistent internationally, it suggests the emergence of a ‘typical’ global Internet consumer” (2001, 725+). Those who agree with Beck and Lynch argue that Internet technology has crated a world culture based on parameters other than geographic location, depending more on attitudes. Beck and Lynch believe that this trend began long before the Internet, with television the central medium creating a ‘global mall’ and the Internet emerging as a second source (2001, 725+).

While the reach of new technologies is an important driver of marketing to specific locales and/or all locales, virtual communities created by the ability of marketers to separate communities on the basis of commonalities other than standard geographics or demographics can create a “market of one” (Armstrong and Hagel III 1997, 141+). That completely changes commercial patterns because customization becomes not special but standard. On the other hand, because reaching these markets of one is so direct and precise, it eliminates the waste involved in mass marketing. There is no need to send sales forces out in cars, or to waste untold hours cold-calling, in theory.

That, of course, raises one of the most significant advantages of the current trend toward increasingly technological sales and fulfillment to increasingly highly identified markets; less environmental damage. Granted, it may be that a buyer in Singapore wants an item only created in Istanbul, so shipping is involved. On the other hand, it is likely, applying Moore’s Law to commerce as well as technology, that before long, mini-factories will spring up across the globe to fulfill desires close to the locus of their creation. It will be demanding: Marketers in such a commercial environment “will have to be highly attuned to the needs of their users, as the hostess of a French salon understood the intellectual and cultural tastes of her guests” (Armstrong and Hagel III 1995, 127).

While no one expects Star Trek-style replicators, moving production closer to consumption will very likely increase, making manufacturing, selling and delivering goods and services infinitely more personal and infinitely less damaging to the environment.

References

Armstrong, a. And J. Hagel III. 1995. Real profits from virtual communities. The McKinsey Quarterly 3, 127. Retrieved 24 May 2005 from www.questia.com.

Armstrong, a.G. And J. Hagel III. 1997. Expanding markets through virtual communities, McKinsey Quarterly 1, 140+. Retrieved 24 May 2005 from www.questia.com.

Beck, J.C. And P.D. Lynch. 2001. Profiles of Internet buyers in 20 countries: Evidence of region-specific strategies. Journal of International Business Studies 32(4), 725+. Retrieved 24 May 2005 from www.questia.com.

Goss, J. 1995. ‘We know who you are and we know where you live’: The instrumental rationality of geodemographic systems. Economic Geography 71(2), 171+. Retrieved 24 May 2005 from www.questia.com.

Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply

Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?

Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.

Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?

• Plagiarism free papers
• Timely delivery
• Any deadline
• Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
• Subject-relevant academic writer
• Adherence to paper instructions
• Ability to tackle bulk assignments
• Reasonable prices
• 24/7 Customer Support
• Get superb grades consistently

Online Academic Help With Different Subjects

Literature

Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.

Finance

Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.

Computer science

Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!

Psychology

While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.

Engineering

Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.

Nursing

In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.

Sociology

Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.

Business

We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!

Statistics

We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.

Law

Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.

What discipline/subjects do you deal in?

We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.

Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?

Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.

What if I don’t like the paper?

There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.

Reasons being:

• When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
• We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.

In the event that you don’t like your paper:

• The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
• We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
• Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.

Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?

Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.

What if the paper is plagiarized?

We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.

When will I get my paper?

You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.

Will anyone find out that I used your services?

We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.

How our Assignment  Help Service Works

1.      Place an order

You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.

2.      Pay for the order

Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.

3.      Track the progress

You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.

4.      Download the paper

The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.

PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!