Social Programs for the Elderly - 1696 Words

Prior to 1935 there were no social programs in America for the elderly, and those that were not able to work. Those who were unable to work relied on friends and family or local charity for help. (Quadagno, 2014) pg 95. During the Depression in the 1930’s, banks failed and many people lost their savings and retirement money. Many older workers especially were let go from their jobs and unemployment among people over 45 years was high. Unemployment was about 25 percent for all workers and 37% for all non-farm workers. (Smiley, 2008). President Franklin D. Roosevelt saw a need for a national system to help the elderly and disabled. He created a Committee of Economic Security. This committee was assigned to study this need in more detail. In, January 1935 a report was sent to Roosevelt outlining a program which became the Social Security Act. The Social Security Act was sent to Congress and was passed in to law on August 14, 1935. (King T, 2006) This new law would provide a mon thly benefit or payment to people over the age of 65 and who were no longer working. The benefit would be paid when workers retired. The money would be collected from a person through a â€Å"payroll deduction†; so the amount a person would receive at retirement would be bases on the amount that had been collected throughout the years. The payroll deduction was 2% combined between the employee and employer. (Anders Hulse, 2006). The Social Security Act also would provide unemployment insurance, aid toShow MoreRelatedShould The United States Raise The Age For Social Security1616 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Age for Social Security Payouts? Currently, the United States is contemplating at a forthcoming Social Security crisis. If changes are not forged, the Social Security system will not be able to keep up with the demanded payouts and is estimated to empty the trust fund around the year 2037. In this paper I will review a brief history of the Social Security program, touch upon the eligibility requirements, discuss what economists believe about the future of the Social Security Program, and finallyRead MoreThe Increase Life Expectancy Has Created A Larger Population Of The Elderly972 Words   |  4 Pageslife expectancy has created a larger population of the elderly, which is a significant demographic change that the U.S. has begun to experience. It is projected that the increase in the life expectancy will continue to impact the amplified growth of the elderly population in the future. The increased elderly population, has created a need for the U.S. to implement policies that support and meet the developing number o f diverse needs the elderly population will require in order to age well. The lifeRead MorePublic Policy and Stakeholders840 Words   |  3 PagesStakeholders have an imperative role in public policy. They hold an interest in how a program is operating (266). They do not just apply to corporate America, but various places that people think of. They are present almost everywhere and everyone is stakeholder, whether it is a job, a school or in the government. A school could be a considered a program. A teacher is a stakeholder as teachers have an inducement to have high achieving in their classrooms because they could be denied tenure and theRead MoreDepression With Elderly Women1603 Words   |  7 Pages Depression with Elderly women Aremelder Johnson Steiner Leigh HDC 542 University of Illinois in Springfield, Illinois What do we still need to know about your vulnerable population and what programs address their needs? What programs and policies are needed? Social and demographic trends are making information and assistance services increasingly important to the average American family. Americans live longer and require more help to cope with chronic conditionsRead MoreNutrition And The Home Bound Elderly1394 Words   |  6 PagesNutrition and the Home Bound Elderly The provision of nutrition services is critical to all individuals as it ensures the access to healthy food as well as education on proper nutrition. However, the ill and the elderly have an increased need for nutrition services as this could facilitate disease management, improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Past studies and research have shown that nutritional support of the elderly and the ill could improve the quality of life in terms healthRead MoreFood Assistance Programs For Food Aid Programs1450 Words   |  6 Pagesimplement to meet the nutritional needs of the elderly. Food assistance programs can be a solution to address this problem. The importance of elders of having the appropriate foods for health and the struggles they have in acquiring these foods suggests that elderly food assistance programs might develop better ways of helping them obtained such foods (Wolfe et al., 2003). Food assistance program that exist currently is the Food Stamp Program. T his program provides benefits that can be used to purchaseRead MoreThe Social Determinants Of Food Deserts And Food Insecurity Essay1680 Words   |  7 PagesThe Social Determinants of Food Deserts and Food Insecurity Diverse groups in American society are often the most marginalized and therefore the most vulnerable to issues that undermine the fair and uncomplicated pursuit of health and wellbeing. One of those issues is the lack of access to affordable healthy food and, in many cases, the inaccessibility to food in general. Areas where affordable and healthy foods are largely unavailable are called food deserts and the members of the diverse groupsRead MoreD2- Evaluate the Influence of Two Major Theories of Ageing on Health and Social Care Provision.900 Words   |  4 PagesHealth and social care level 3- Unit 4- D2- Evaluate the influence of two major theories of ageing on health and social care provision. During the aging process, the elderly may take different approaches to aging and may apply to different theories of aging such as the disengagement theory and the activity theory. All elderly individuals will deal with aging in different ways, they may wish to stay active or they may wish to disengage themselves due to depression or they may be unable to dealRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Vascular Dementia1510 Words   |  7 PagesDementia is a disease that is seen to be affecting many of our elderly population nowadays. Dementia patients show progressive symptoms, which become severe with age. Some of the symptoms include memory loss, difficulty performing intellectual activities and overall lose of cognition. There are many causes of dementia so therefore the prevalence rate of it is increasing yearly. Dementia can be caused due to genetic vulnerability such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), lifestyle choices and from other chronicRead MoreThe History Of Medicare And The Socia l Security Act1686 Words   |  7 PagesOn July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation creating the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The passage of Medicare and Medicaid had a storied history before it crushed the walls that had separated the federal government and the U.S. healthcare system. Historically, the prevailing thought of many Americans up until the 1920’s and 1930’s was that medical care was largely a private transaction between a medical practitioner and a patient. This doctor-patient relationship was sacred

Family the Foundation of a Strong Society - 1167 Words

Family: The Foundation of a Strong Society â€Å"We the people of the Unites States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity (The Preamble to the American Constitution). Of the five principles that are stated in the Preamble, one is fundamentally unique and that is to promote the general Welfare. The responsibility to promote the common good rests not just with the government, but with all citizens. Our Founding Fathers established all the rights in the Constitution not for the individual s gain, but for the common good. Marriage is important because it affirms what†¦show more content†¦However, marriage is justified by the many social and economic benefits for children, adults and society and is therefore a foundation of a strong society. American automobile executive, Lee Iacocca, sums it up, â€Å"The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works is the family.† Works Cited Abortion Statistics. The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. . Who s having abortions (marital status)? 64.4% of all abortions are performed on never-married women; Married women account for 18.4% of all abortions and divorced women obtain 9.4%. Carlson, Marcia J., and Mary E. Corcoran. Family Structure and Children s Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes. Journal of Marriage and Family 63.3 (2001): 779-92. Print. For example studies have shown that fathers that are involved in their child’s life produce children who have better emotional health, do better academically, and attain higher job status as adults. Henshaw, S. K. Unintended Pregnancy in the United States. Family Planning Perspectives 30.1 (1998): 24-29. Web. Most women getting abortions (83%) are unmarried; 67% have never married, and 16% are separated, divorced, or widowed. Married women are significantly less likely than unmarried women to resolve unintended pregnancies through abortion. Hojat, Mohammadreza. Satisfaction With Early Relationships With Parents and Psychosocial Attributes inShow MoreRelatedInternational Perspectives on Early Childhood Education1070 Words   |  4 Pagesapproach, Te Whà £riki and compare the New Zealand educational system to the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum of the United Kingdom. The essay will include reflection upon the similarities and differences of these approaches upon my settings practice. Today’s society has recognised that significant investment in early year’s provision has valuable long term effects on young children, families and the wider community. Cited in (Papatheodorou and Moyles, p1) As a result governmentRead MoreEssay on Why Marriage Matters1549 Words   |  7 PagesMarriage, a Backbone to Civilization Marriage matters. If marriage did not matter, would it even be considered when growing up? The common child at some point thinks about getting married and having children. Our society has gone through monumental shifts throughout its history. A theme that has not changed however, marriage, has survived through it all due to its importance. Our children and our health are two of the most important aspects of life. Marriage will help in both of those categoriesRead MoreNeo-Nazism Essay547 Words   |  3 Pages Neo-Nazism Nazism might seem a distant memory to some in the modern day, but it still bubbles beneath the surface of our so-called civilised and accepting society. Nazism is currently seeping to the face of our civilization but under a different guise - Patriotism. There are many organisations hiding under the same disguise, but very few are brave enough to declare themselves openly racist. Currently, the main political leaders in this field are the British Read MoreFamily Relations : The And Structure Of Society1263 Words   |  6 Pagessignificance in the value of family because it is the main foundation and structure of society itself. The superiority of group relationships, such as in a family, is what lots of people critic the excellence and pleasure of their lives. Families in American society believe that connectivity fosters success in the lives within a family. Family relations offer individuals a good judgment of comfort and therefore form faithfulness and accountability towards others. The average family has problems but can beRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibilities Essay1603 Words   |  7 Pagescompany growth as a whole. When groups of people come together to form a small study group or a company, they are all able to accomplish something. They can achieve something small such as passing a test to something larger like, contributing to society. Investors use corporate performance evaluation to assess how well the company is doing over a period of time. In order to satisfy its investors, a company needs to be able to generate some profit. In order generate more profit; it is necessary forRead MorePolice Abuse And The Police1711 Words   |  7 Pageswith insulting people for no reason and escalate to police brutality since they never received a punishment to stop their behavior. â€Å"They want to deflect the focus of what’s going on. And they want to jam up the cop by making a complaint.† (Police Foundation) A survey done to police officers and those in higher ranks believe that citizens just file complaints against police officers as a way to be seen as a victim rather than an offender. If the authority believes this then complaints will not be takenRead MoreA Dolls House and Things Fall Apart Essay1603 Words   |  7 Pagesquietly by themselves, while the other is surrounded by the loving support of family and friends. When faced with challenges, many people seek to prove their strength by concealing their suffering. However, one can only carry so much pain and suffering on their own shoulders. Throughout society, these situations often appear in a person’s own life, and the lives of their family and friends. While this theme is visible in society, it is also evident throughout many works of literature. Within Henrik Ibsen’sRead MoreArranged Marriages869 Words   |  4 PagesArranged Marriages Within Modern Society Often times, the words arranged marriage evokes fear or even anger in one’s heart. For many people, especially those with a western mindset, the liberty to choose one’s own spouse remains utterly important and even a human right in our society today. While I strongly believe that every human owns the freedom to choose whether or not they want to marry someone, I also believe misconceptions form in some mind’s and in certain situations when the words, â€Å"arrangedRead MoreExposing The Weakness Of Confucianism1604 Words   |  7 Pageshelped shaped society during Ancient China from 551-479 B.C. A Chinese philosopher named Confucius developed the idea in hopes of eliminating China’s problem of disorder in society. The ideology of Confucianism helped Ancient China build a foundation to establish institution and social order. Confucius intent was to create social harmony in society, and in order achieve social harmony; individuals must live by moral exampl es of superiority. This entailed unequal relationship in human society: the fatherRead MoreWhich Ideal of the Declaration of Independence Is the Most Important?699 Words   |  3 Pagesstatement of ideals about government, a long list of grievances against the British, and a Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. Yet the four ideals; consent of governed, Equality, Unalienable Rights, and the right to alter or abolish, are the foundation of our government. Equality is the most important and the reason our government is so successful to this day. Today our equal rights give us the same opportunities as our neighbors. We have the right to vote, get an education, the freedom of

Dr. Martin Luther Kings “I Have a Dream” Overview Free Essays

â€Å"I Have a Dream Speech† continues to resonate with people all ever the world. These are the reasons why: 1 . We’re getting there, but the work is far from done People of all races still strive for equality. We will write a custom essay sample on Dr. Martin Luther Kings â€Å"I Have a Dream† Overview or any similar topic only for you Order Now As far as we’ve come, we still have a long way to go. The speech never gets old, instilling in us the powerful idea of brotherhood and that as diverse as we are, we are one. 2. A lesson In leadership Through his words, MILK Jar. Gave voice to the voiceless. Through his deeds he gave courage to the faint of heart. Through it all, he taught us the power of love and humanity. . We yearn for unwavering examples of human integrity MILK Jar. Endured the humiliation of arrest, the loneliness of a prison cell, and constant threats to his life which was ultimately sacrificed. In an era of false heroes and the all-too-common occurrence of being let down by those we once held In high esteem, we need people to look up to, to aspire to be and who make us say, â€Å"l want to be Like them!. † 4. Motivation to Inspire others The way King went about affecting change is a leadership and linguistic lesson in how to move mountains. The speech is one of the greatest examples of what we can do when we act on our hearts, and it gave us a benchmark to strive for: a country that acts on its own ideals and measures itself against how it treats its least fortunate. 5. A shining example of how one person can move others to action The speech reinforces that change begins with us and that any one of us can help transform the world. Martin Luther King, Jar. , one man, did nothing less than Inspire a nation to transform itself and begin living up to the meaning of its creed. 6. Economic injustices still exist Much is said about today’s economic â€Å"winners and losers. MILK,Jar. Deplored the idea that businesses should exploit workers by failing to pay a decent wage or laying off dedicated employees to squeeze more profits. Today’s Occupy Wall Street Movement Is one example of Just how passionate people still are about these Issues. 7. We have large-scale unemployment King believed human dignity could be re stored with federal works programs that trained and placed unemployed workers. This thinking still informs our current dilemma about what it will take to restore people’s livelihoods and dignity amidst the longest, deepest, global recession in a generations. . A reminder to serve others We too can strive to be better, serving our nation and our fellow brothers. It Is easy to implicated society. Martin Luther King, Jar. Inspired us to reach out to others in greater need. 9. Serves as a powerful presentation to our children about prejudice The speech is an influential classroom tool that still resonates with children today. Kids aren’t huge fans of black and white video clips, but it doesn’t take long for the magnificent words and charisma of King to transcend the limitations of any media. 0. We require reminders that make us look into our souls The United States believes it is a land in which strength is defined not simply by the capacity to wage war but by the d etermination to forge peace. The speech forces us to face these ideals and is still helpful today as we look in the mirror to determine if we like what we see. 11. It helps the rest of the world fight discrimination Fighting for what is right and Just are basic human impulses, yet oftentimes they are difficult to act on. The world has a long way to go before eradicating racial hatred, discrimination, segregation and ethnic strife. Anything that inspires people to action is a plus, let alone such a shining example as the â€Å"l Have a Dream† speech. 12. Powerfully reinforces the notion that progress is possible It is so easy to become assassinated, discouraged, disengaged and even depressed with the state of affairs in our society, our government and our world. Voter apathy is rampant. We need the â€Å"l Have a Dream Speech† to remind us of our better selves and all that we still aspire to be. Correct Scott King said â€Å"all Americans who believe in freedom, tolerance and human rights have a responsibility to oppose bigotry and prejudice,† including against sexual orientation. She institutionalized Martin Luther King’s â€Å"philosophy, his principles of nonviolence and his methodology of social change,† and helped push it forward. These worthy causes still exist today. Progress is being made, but it is up to each one of us to carry them forward, no matter how small or how large the gestures. We are busy, time is short and for most of us, the daily challenges are great. But we all must do our part. Why does Martin Luther King Jar have a holiday? Doctor King led the civil rights movement in the US. Taking his philosophy from Gandhi, he determined that the movement would be nonviolent†¦ At least from the point of the African American point. You see, in those times the Jim Crow laws were in effect. Schools were black and white, bus stops were segregated, even drinking fountains were labeled â€Å"white† and â€Å"colored†. While the Civil War had officially ended slavery, the black citizens were treated as second class citizens. They had to pay to vote, get up on a bus when a white passenger wanted their seat, wait to eat if there were not enough seats labeled â€Å"colored† at a lunch counter, in essence they were still treated as slaves. In the US, the laws had changed, but the attitudes had not. There was a small minority who still thought that people of color were not equal. They had been slaves, were stupid, and did not deserve the rights that white people had. Of the other people, most Just never thought about it. They lived their lives and didn’t think about how the black person felt trying to raise his/her family in dignity. Ere public and then pointed out that these people were war heroes, entertainers, and public servants. In short, he made white people face the very real fact that they were no better or worse than the African Americans and that they needed to change the laws†¦ And attitudes. It was a very troubling time in the US. There was news coverage from the national televi sion services showing peaceful African Americans protesting and being attacked by the police with water cannon, dogs, and the police themselves. We saw the footage from Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and were outraged. When Dry. King was assassinated, the country was shocked and dismayed. Laws were changed in short order, and the nation became more aware how it treated it’s citizens. Some short years later, the unofficial celebration of Dry. King’s birthday became a national holiday. The reason is that his was the most influential contribution to civil rights in the US in the 20th century. We remember his contributions on that day, and celebrate the man ho had the courage to speak out against laws which made second class citizens of a large minority of US citizens. Thoughts: In this persuasive speech which may be the best speech ever given. There are so many powerful points. The two things that stick out to me the most are the quotes â€Å"l have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be Judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. † Also, the quote â€Å"And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able o speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to Join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, â€Å"Free at last! Ere at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last! † (Martin Luther King Jar. ) The pure eulogy, rhetorical use, intellectuality, and genuine thoughts were conveyed in such a way throughout the speech that a person could not help, but take notice and be at the mercy of the history that was made that day. Dry . King said they were going to cash a check. This was not a check in the literal means, but the metaphorical representation of something that was promised to them, and that promise was not fulfilled. How to cite Dr. Martin Luther Kings â€Å"I Have a Dream† Overview, Papers

Importance of the Marketing Mix free essay sample

Introduction The term â€Å"marketing mix† was introduced by Neil Borden in his 1964 article â€Å"The Concept of the Marketing Mix†. Borden’s (1964) original marketing mix was a list of 12 elements that make up a marketing programme. McCarthy (1964) refined Borden’s list and reduced Borden’s 12 elements to four Ps: product, price, place and promotion. In addition, McCarthy (1964) defined the marketing mix as â€Å"a combination of all the factors at a marketing manager’s command to satisfy the target market† (Groucutt, Leadly and Forsyth, 2004: 17). For Grà ¶nroos (1994), the four Ps has become â€Å"the universal marketing model or even theory and an almost totally dominating paradigm for most academics†. In recent years, the concept of the four Ps has been faced with a lot of criticism due to its oversimplification (Lauterborn, 1990; Waterschoot van der Bulte, 1992; Kotler, 1984; Gummesson, 1997). The purpose of this essay will be to an alyse critically the four Ps of the marketing framework in view of its usefulness. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of the Marketing Mix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 1. The marketing mix framework Marketing is a broad and complex subject (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006). Therefore a model is needed which reflects the complex subject in a simplified form by mapping the essential elements and their relationships to each other, thus used for description, explanation and design in practice. This is achieved by the four Ps of the marketing concept. One of the main reasons why the framework has been extremely influential in marketing theory and practice is because of its simplicity and easy understanding (Grà ¶nroos, 1994). Nowadays, successful companies like â€Å"Diesel† rely on the marketing concept and underpin its utility (The Times 100, 2010). 2. Criticism of the four Ps of Marketing Borden’s (1964) intention was not to create a fixed framework. Quite the contrary, he assumed that others might build a different mix. But in fact, when comparing McCarthy’s (1964) four Ps with Borden’s (1964) 12 elements on theoretical base, it appears to be too limited. First of all it looks as if the concept of the four Ps focuses too much on product instead of customer. Dixon and Blois (1983, cited in Grà ¶nroos, 1994: 6) states: â€Å"The views implicit in the four P approach is that the customer is somebody to whom  something is done!†. This suggests, that the marketing mix rather manipulate than identify and satisfy customer needs. For Grà ¶nroos (1994), due to increasing globalization and competition, customer relationship and retention are essential elements of 21st century marketing. Essentially, it appears that the four Ps contain no personalized relationships between seller and customer. That leads to another problem, particularly in the fi elds of industrial and service marketing. The four Ps of the marketing concept seems to be orientated towards consumer goods and therefore it might fit well. But in industrial marketing, where the focus is on buyer-seller relationships and not products, the four Ps are not enough because of its lack of personal contacts (Webster, 1984 cited in Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995: 4). Industrial Marketing requires more coordination between buyer and seller due to its product and buying process complexity (Webster, 1984 cited in Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995: 4). Another sector, where the four Ps reaches its limits, is the growing service based economy. Services are quite different from consumer goods, because of their intangibility. Furthermore it is difficult to compare quality of related services and to set the right price. Thus, the four Ps appear inadequate and need to be modified for services and also extended (Booms Bitner, 1981, cited in Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995:6) 3. The seven Ps of service marketing Booms and Bitner (1981) developed a new framework, the seven Ps mix, by adding three elements to the traditional four Ps: participants, physical evidence and processes (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995). Participants in the Booms and Bitner (1981) framework are all people who are involved in the consumption of a service. The staff for example, plays a major role to guarantee quality and gives a service additional value. Physical evidence covers the environment in which the service is delivered (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995). It is important that services are made tangible for customers to determine the quality. Process is important to ensure that the consumer understands getting a service (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995). However, critics could argue that the additional three Ps are not necessary and could be assimilated into the four Ps of the marketing mix concept. But in fact it is essential to separate them from the basic four Ps, to highlight their importance (Bitner, 1990, cited in Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995: 7). Table 1 shows  the strengths and weaknesses of the two frameworks, according to a survey by Rafiq and Ahmed (1995). Table 1: Strengths and weaknesses of the 4Ps and 7Ps (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995: 13) modified by David Boersig The figure shows that the seven Ps provide some advantages to the four Ps and it is a good extension that should kept in mind. The results of the survey by Rafiq and Ahmed (1995) suggest that there might be a need for change towards the seven Ps framework. In any case, it is important that the Ps are not being seen as individual categories. The whole marketing concept must be internally coherent and each company will have to develop their individual marketing mix that creates competitive edge (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006). Conclusion The four Ps simplifies the complexity of marketing and has become influential in both theory and practice. However, it is important to remember that the marketing mix is a model and cannot include everything. The marketing mix  should not be seen as a fix. Today, in a changing world, the marketing mix has to be flexible and up to date. A company that is too much product focused and ignore customer needs, will get left behind by competitors. Nevertheless, in service marketing, the four Ps of the marketing concept reach its limits. The seven Ps framework of Booms and Bitner (1981) provide an appropriate extension to them. Finally, regardless of what the critics think about the four Ps framework, there is one thing that marketing can never be: Perfect. Importance of the Marketing Mix free essay sample Introduction The term â€Å"marketing mix† was introduced by Neil Borden in his 1964 article â€Å"The Concept of the Marketing Mix†. Borden’s (1964) original marketing mix was a list of 12 elements that make up a marketing programme. McCarthy (1964) refined Borden’s list and reduced Borden’s 12 elements to four Ps: product, price, place and promotion. In addition, McCarthy (1964) defined the marketing mix as â€Å"a combination of all the factors at a marketing manager’s command to satisfy the target market† (Groucutt, Leadly and Forsyth, 2004: 17). For Grà ¶nroos (1994), the four Ps has become â€Å"the universal marketing model or even theory and an almost totally dominating paradigm for most academics†. In recent years, the concept of the four Ps has been faced with a lot of criticism due to its oversimplification (Lauterborn, 1990; Waterschoot van der Bulte, 1992; Kotler, 1984; Gummesson, 1997). The purpose of this essay will be to analyse critically the four Ps of the marketing framework in view of its usefulness. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of the Marketing Mix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 1. The marketing mix framework Marketing is a broad and complex subject (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006). Therefore a model is needed which reflects the complex subject in a simplified form by mapping the essential elements and their relationships to each other, thus used for description, explanation and design in practice. This is achieved by the four Ps of the marketing concept. One of the main reasons why the framework has been extremely influential in marketing theory and practice is because of its simplicity and easy understanding (Grà ¶nroos, 1994). Nowadays, successful companies like â€Å"Diesel† rely on the marketing concept and underpin its utility (The Times 100, 2010). 2. Criticism of the four Ps of Marketing Borden’s (1964) intention was not to create a fixed framework. Quite the contrary, he assumed that others might build a different mix. But in fact, when comparing McCarthy’s (1964) four Ps with Borden’s (1964) 12 elements on theoretical base, it appears to be too limited. First of all it looks as if the concept of the four Ps focuses too much on product instead of customer. Dixon and Blois (1983, cited in Grà ¶nroos, 1994: 6) states: â€Å"The views implicit in the four P approach is that the customer is somebody to whom something is done!†. This suggests, that the marketing mix rather manipulate than identify and satisfy customer needs. For Grà ¶nroos (1994), due to increasing globalization and competition, customer relationship and retention are essential elements of 21st century marketing. Essentially, it appears that the four Ps contain no personalized relationships between seller and customer. That leads to another problem, particularly in the fields of industrial and service marketing. The four Ps of the marketing concept seems to be orientated towards consumer goods and therefore it might fit well. But in industrial marketing, where the focus is on buyer-seller relationships and not products, the four Ps are not enough because of its lack of personal contacts (Webster, 1984 cited in Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995: 4). Industrial Marketing requires more coordination between buyer and seller due to its product and buying process complexity (Webster, 1984 cited in Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995: 4). Another sector, where the four Ps reaches its limits, is the growing service based economy. Services are quite different from consumer goods, because of their intangibility. Furthermore it is difficult to compare quality of related services and to set the right price. Thus, the four Ps appear inadequate and need to be modified for services and also extended (Booms Bitner, 1981, cited in Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995:6) 3. The seven Ps of service marketing Booms and Bitner (1981) developed a new framework, the seven Ps mix, by adding three elements to the traditional four Ps: participants, physical evidence and processes (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995). Participants in the Booms and Bitner (1981) framework are all people who are involved in the consumption of a service. The staff for example, plays a major role to guarantee quality and gives a service additional value. Physical evidence covers the environment in which the service is delivered (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995). It is important that services are made tangible for customers to determine the quality. Process is important to ensure that the consumer understands getting a service (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995). However, critics could argue that the additional three Ps are not necessary and could be assimilated into the four Ps of the marketing mix concept. But in fact it is essential to separate them from the basic four Ps, to highlight their importance (Bitner, 1990, cited in Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995: 7). Table 1 shows the strengths and weaknesses of the two frameworks, according to a survey by Rafiq and Ahmed (1995). 7 Ps 4 Ps Strengths More comprehensive More refined Broader perspective Simplicity and ease of understanding Easy to memorize Good pedagogic tool, especially for introductory marketing Weaknesses More complicated Extra elements can be incorporated in 4Ps Controllability of the three new elements Too simple, not broad enough Service Relationship marketing Table 1: Strengths and weaknesses of the 4Ps and 7Ps (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995: 13) modified by David Boersig The figure shows that the seven Ps provide some advantages to the four Ps and it is a good extension that should kept in mind. The results of the survey by Rafiq and Ahmed (1995) suggest that there might be a need for change towards the seven Ps framework. In any case, it is important that the Ps are not being seen as individual categories. The whole marketing concept must be internally coherent and each company will have to develop their individual marketing mix that creates competitive edge (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006). Conclusion The four Ps simplifies the complexity of marketing and has become influential in both theory and practice. However, it is important to remember that the marketing mix is a model and cannot include everything. The marketing mix should not be seen as a fix. Today, in a changing world, the marketing mix has to be flexible and up to date. A company that is too much product focused and ignore customer needs, will get left behind by competitors. Nevertheless, in service marketing, the four Ps of the marketing concept reach its limits. The seven Ps framework of Booms and Bitner (1981) provide an appropriate extension to them. Finally, regardless of what the critics think about the four Ps framework, there is one thing that marketing can never be: Perfect.