Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Marketing plan - Essay Example Since the customers go to Pizza Restaurant for quality, changes in prices are not that important to them. Therefore the price elasticity of demand is not important in this case. Demand for the products and services would be influenced to the minimal extent by price. The company is located in a rich city where the customers are richer than the customers in other parts of the country. Therefore the most influential demand factors are lifestyles and cultural considerations (Kotler and Keller, 2006, p. 65). The demand would be more influenced by price if the customers came to the company to get lower prices. However they purchase the products and services because the products and services deliver quality of taste. 60% of the customers are from rich families who will be more concerned about the quality. Therefore demand in this case will not be affected by price to any great extent. Answer to Question 2 The unique selling proposition is the quality of products and services. Therefore the recommended pricing strategy is premium pricing. This will ensure favorable perception among the customers (Armstrong and Kotler, 2005, p. 34). In this case, it is recommended that the management should maintain high prices in order to maintain the brand reputation which is the source of its unique selling proposition.

Green Bay Head Coach Essay Example for Free

Green Bay Head Coach Essay In the famous educational video about football in the NFL called The Winning Edge, Green Bay Head Coach Vince Lombardi, gave his famous saying: â€Å"Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. †(Lombardi, 1967) Lombardi would later go to say that this was the biggest mistake of his life. He wished to say that the attempt to win is what really counts; the hard work and effort that propels one to accept only the best from himself is what really counted. This is what I would stress to my little league teams as a coach and thus, an important role model for young boys as they try to discover themselves and how what morals and values they will accept and which they will reject. Millions of young kids play organized sports in this country and only a handful each year are allowed to reach the heights within that sport that would allow them to get paid for their efforts in the professional game. For the other 99% sports will end for them at a time when they are just coming into adulthood. And if that individual has not fully grasped the concept of fair play, sportsmanship and a hard work ethic, they will most likely be lost to a life of underachievement and sloth. Aristotle said† I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self. (Metcalf, 1999) As a little league coach, I would stress that winning is an important aspect of the game and than in winning, the game becomes more fun. I would not so idealistic to say that winning was of no consequence and that as long as one tried their hardest, that was all that was expected. That is true to some degree but for the older boys, such an ideology would serve as an impediment to their success in life. If one first envisions that he will succeed at a task, then the hard work will come naturally and that the ends don’t always justify the means. Winning at all costs for a young boy does nothing but stunt his emotional and mental growth. Fathers who try to live their dreams through their children serve as an unmistakable impediment for themselves, their sons and for the game as a whole. This is also true with regard to coaches. Babe Ruth starts at the age of thirteen so as a little league coach, I would be molding the minds of children possibly under the age of ten. Cutthroat tactics at such a young age could forever warp their sense of morals and worth ethic for the rest of their lives. For the vast majority of children who grow up playing organized sports, their careers will end at the time when the law regards them as adults and thus, their actions must resemble that definition. For the naturally gifted player whose glory on the field has come easily to him, all too often will elude him in real life situations. And without a strong work ethic behind him, it is unlikely that he will be able to shake off his upbringing which is now serving him as an impediment to his success in other areas of his life. A person who expects victory to come easily or to come through cheating, will be more likely to apply the same logic when it comes to earning a living or succeeding academically in college or in the workplace. Cheating in little league might cause the offender to be suspended for a game. In the real world, cheating can lead to expulsion from the university or even prison. The lessons that ten year old boys, many of them growing up without a father and who are desperately searching for a male role model, will listen intensely at what a coach has to say and will be greatly affected by the lessons that he learns on the field.

Analysis of the market position of Ikea

Analysis of the market position of Ikea Introduction Every industry tries to use an unparalleled, efficient, and effective business strategy that will allow them to remain at a progressive position in the competitive market, especially in the global market. With respect to this, the aim of this report is to present a position analysis for the furniture company IKEA. The position analysis will apply a pestle analysis, capabilities analysis, resource based view analysis, swot analysis and porters five forces along with IKEAs strategic issues and solutions to these issues. Company Overview IKEA was established in Sweden over 50 years ago back in 1943. Its founder Ingvar Kamprad still plays an important role in the company affairs today. IKEA is certainly one of the top furniture retailers in the world. Its core aspects are affordably, functionality and quality. Since their commencement, IKEA has persistently developed as a company throughout the years and are currently seen as a distinguished successful worldwide business entity in the furniture industry today. In 2010, IKEA opened 12 new stores in 7 countries which presently give them an overall record of 318 stores in over 38 countries. IKEA has certainly met their strategic goals by executing diverse strategic marketing tools that has made them the success that they are. Methodology IKEAs SWOT Analysis In this report, the analysis of the present situation of IKEA will be carried out by using different marketing tools.  With this, IKEA will be examined via the use of SWOT Analysis. The basis of external and internal analysis is to construe factors that can affect the said business to situate itself to take advantage of opportunities, and manage threats discovered via an analysis of external environments. Particularly, it also aids in spotting present weaknesses and strengths that may affect the organizations capabilities. Strengths (Internal factors) A strong worldwide brand that attracts key consumer groups. A Clear Vision to create a better everyday life for many people A strong concept. IKEA offers a wide range of well-designed products at a price, everyone can afford. Good product image. IKEA has an ideal balance between function, quality, design and price Weaknesses (Internal factors) Large global business. This makes quality control difficult to control and it signifies a weak link in the chain of supply. The necessity of low cost products. Although products are at a low price, consumers still need to feel that they are getting value for their money. Cultural differences. diversified markets Japan, China and the USA Restricted manufacturing  capabilities. IKEA relies on subcontracted manufacturers. Opportunities (External factors) An increased demand for low cost merchandise. Due to trends in the present financial state of the global economy, consumers opt for less expensive goods rather than shopping at expensive stores. The rapidly emergent Asian countries with wealthy middle-class population represent opportunities to enter and market the concept of affordable modern furniture to fit a particular lifestyle. Opportunity to enhance levels of customer service through E- Commerce as the added business capability. Threats (External factors) Social trends decelerate amount of first time buyers coming into the housing market. Market forces more competitors entering the low price household and furnishings markets. Imitated Concept -Within growing competitive retail markets mainstream retailers are beginning to mirror the model Economic factors the global financial crisis reduced disposable income and customer spending. We can see this from the table below. IKEAs turnover was the same in 2009 as it was in 2008. Source: www.ikea.com (2010) Porters Five Forces Market Entry Seeing that IKEA has such a unique concept and brand name it will be difficult to copy the IKEA way. However, another furniture company can enter the furniture industry with a low- cost strategy inclusive of home delivery, opposing to IKEA non-home delivery method. IKEAs stores are not very much located in small towns with small outlets so this is an opportunity for new competitors to enter small towns with another low cost strategy with smaller outlets. This may attract a new sector of consumers. Supplier Power According to IKEAs welcome inside yearly summary , IKEA had 1,074 suppliers in 55 countries in 2010 Most of the suppliers operate in the IKEA group and compete with other suppliers, and they have a modest bargaining power. Because of low pricing, IKEAs profit margin also affects the prices in raw materials than by prices in labour. The bargaining power of a supplier could be a threat for the profit of the company, and both IKEA is very much aware of it.   In light of this IKEA endeavours to maintain good relationships with its suppliers, in this IKEA ensure that the IKEA group benefits in the said contract while suppliers benefit from the mutual agreement. Competitive Rivalry IKEA is comfortable with its competitive position, and also trying to maintain its competitive edge among rivals. IKEA operates in a extremely competitive industry, characterized by other low priced furniture producers such as Galiform of England and retailers such as Wal-Mart of the United States. Internally, the group has seen differences of opinion regarding product offerings and positioning. Because of powerful global competition, IKEA has intelligently attempted to compete by entering the markets which typically pose the largest competition, such as China and Japan. power of the buyers Americans-the primary consumer base for IKEAs debut in the American Market. The most likely IKEA shopper are those sort of people who travel abroad, like taking risks, enjoy fine food and wine, have a frequent flier plan, and are early adopters of trendy consumer technologies such as Discmans, laptops, and cell phones (Lyne, 2009). IKEAs management ensures that their customers will be satisfied in all ways with the quality of service that they supply. Particularly, the company has focused their marketing approach on the demands and needs of the buyer for household furniture as well as food service sources that satisfies them, and heavily positioned their products in this segment. Threats of substitutes There is no particular furniture substitute however IKEA has to keep up with the latest trends and advances so that their quality furniture does not go out of style and become irrelevant. Wal-mart, Target, Office Depot and other low-cost suppliers are indirect competitors in the fact they do offer low-priced furniture that consumers pull together themselves. Conversely, these indirect substitutes vary in detail because these are general retailers instead of being a specific retailer as IKEA is a retailer of household furniture. PESTEL Analysis Political As part of the national or global trends and changes, IKEA is just one example of firms that are successful in both domestic and international business . The Swedish furniture retailer has found the Scandinavian style of furniture that was combined with do-it-youself flat packaging became popular and set a global cult brand . Economic The Company, due to the economic changes and trends are adopting different kind of strategies that will take an appeal on their customers and aiming to own the customer loyalty . Economically, IKEA is low cost. This is a big piece of breaking into the American market. IKEA had to focus and advertising campaign directed specifically to thwart Americans unwillingness to part with their styling of furniture. Social The IKEA contributed much in the society as they provide opportunities in people and the employees are entitled in different benefits such as insurance and pensions ( 2005). Moreover, the company promises to provide more high quality furniture that sticks to their original concept stylish furniture at low prices. Technological IKEA uses superior technology and systems to encourage shorter waiting times, accurate scheduling, tracking and trading patterns, and staffing. The system made the IKEA in a position to ensure the right number of staff in a right place and in a right time to match the unique trading pattern s at each stores of IKEA. The company view in optimizing everything from the supply chain is also optimizing and managing the workforce to create an efficient store environment and keep customers happy . Environmental Concerning the environmental factors such as the air, noise, and water, inspections are put in place to ensure the company provides remedial actions within a stipulated time. The environmental inspection consists of legal documents and environmental authorities as the business operations are continuing. Legal The legal compliance of IKEA is sternly implemented with pertinent laws and regulations that affect to the environment, social and working conditions. The company also scheduled the most demanding requirements to be specific in maintaining the list of laws and regulations and with the procedures. Analyzing IKEAs Capability Based on the given synopsis of the IKEA Company it is recognized that IKEA exerts a strategic approach in order to maintain their competitive edge in the furniture industry. The management of the company is able to identify the priorities of the business and make decisions in line with the strategic direction, by placing considerations of the business and its stakeholders. IKEA is competent as it focuses on the significance of both internal and external customers to guarantee that these customers remain satisfied and loyal.   The company also ensures that they motivate, coach, guide, and support their staff to realise the mission of the IKEA. Additionally, IKEAs capability to identify its suppliers is another factor that maintains the companys competitive advantage. The ability of management to differentiate and diversify their business strategy to dominate the global market can also be considered as major capabilities of IKEA Resource Based View Analysis IKEA selects the most feasible position when it comes to delivery of items. Their warehouse is smartly located with different sectors to have greater control of activities. This strategy analyses the deployment of resources, processing time and queue times for various actions. IKEAs staff is rotated in order to complete customers orders from each picking area. Resources are simulated at higher levels and are applied and detailed in applicable working schedules. Stakeholders Analysis Other than what is already known about IKEA, it is observed that besides the management of the business, IKEAs customers play an important role in the accomplishment of the organizational goals. The management skills and capabilities of the pioneers of the company have propelled IKEA into being a powerful entity in the furniture industry today. Furthermore, the loyalty of its customers has also greatly assisted IKEA in maintaining its competitive edge. Customers and workforce entities go hand in hand, as IKEAs employees are the ones who work effortlessly ensuring that the company satisfies the demands of its customers. Therefore, when customers are satisfied, as they get value for their money with IKEA, they will remain loyal and hence build IKEAs value chain. The suppliers and stakeholder s can be considered an additional factor that made IKEA the success they are at present. IKEAs Strategic Issues and Challenges Competition The IKEAs furniture competitors offers different styles and functionality. Conrin targets a new low cost in terms of furniture line; Cratel Barrel offers a furniture in a box which is subject in higher prices; Ethan Allen aimed at a more upscale market; Wal-Mart is equipped in a big box furniture that is categorized under the general store must-have-items, but dont have much of a style. IKEA is the most successful in delivering the complete package for the customers that reflects on weak rivalries.   Natural Resources IKEA is the biggest furnishing company world wide, so it needs al lot of wood. This implicates, that there are confrontations with nature protecting organisations. The IKEA Concept The IKEA concept is easy to take up. Companies like Bush Industries in the USA have taken over the concept of cheap furniture, but they adopted their products to the American habits. Reaching Limited Customers The fundamental problem which IKEA is currently facing is that they are only reaching a limited amount of customers due to their few store locations. Event that founder retires or dies Major challenge to keep the core values alive especially when the company becomes larger and more diverse and the founder retires from the business. Catalogue Distribution IKEA want to increase the return on investment for the catalogue distribution, which is a substantial investment, and remain ahead of the competition in terms of business strategy Solutions to IKEAs constraints Catalouge IKEA needs to make sure than they distribute their catalogues who can be potential IKEA customers in terms of where they are located and ther demographic attributes. IKEA can also sell its catalogue at a low price to help generate some revenue as its catalogue is its biggest marketing mechanism. Low price The company must ensure that it is always known for having the lowest prices on the market in the future. Communication plays an important role here. IKEA must main its low cost leadership by using the low cost leadership strategy. Market forces IKEA is large enough to enjoy economies of scale. This lowers average costs in the end through, for instance, better use of technology or outsoucing specialized managers. Economies of scale also gives a business a competitive edge if cost savings are then passed on to customers in the form of lower prices. This puts up high barriers to entry for smaller companies entering the market. Communications. IKEA needs to maintain communication with its consumers and other stakeholders about its environmental actions. Store Locations. IKEA needs to strategically place its outlets where it has never been before. IKEA usually has large outlets in large cities. However, a tactical approach will be to launch smaller outlets in smaller towns. This will attract a new sector of customers hence increasing IKEAs profitably in the furniture industry. A new organizational structure will be necessary because of moving the organization from a global perspective towards a transnational perspective. Where the global organization is designed as to increase production efficiencies using global economies of scale and scope concepts, the transnational organization combines efficiency, local responsiveness and organizational learning. In order to assist the transition process towards such an organization, the IKEA group has to drastically transform its approach on the function of its subsidiaries. At present, IKEAs subsidiaries are barely no more than expansions of the business head office in Sweden. The responsibility of the subsidiaries is not to sway parent company strategies, but moderately follow instructions from home country Sweden. High localization pressures emerging due to demographic and cultural differences will compel subsidiaries to take strategic initiatives to act in response to local market requirements. The new organization would be easier to follow and pass on more accountability to subsidiaries. The centralized research and development department would have form strategic in-house networks with these subsidiaries and, in a mutual approach, develop products that are adopted to match country level requirements. Strategic corporate direction has to be maintained, since there is a need to safeguard its market niche. The changes projected in the organizational structure will have promising impacts on the company culture, which is currently founded on the IKEA concept or the IKEA way. A reduced amount of management from Sweden will trigger the incursion of new principles, values, and measures into the IKEA way. This will boost the intricacy of the operational culture, but will improve decision-making based on a spot on international dimension. CONCLUSION To conclude, with this position analysis, appropriate evaluation has been considered using different marketing tools, which lead to the determination of the present position of the IKEA Company.   This analysis has revealed which parts of the IKEA business entity that requires development and altering in order to maintain the competitive edge. The IKEA strategy is unique but it works, as IKEA is a leader in the global market. IKEA places its focus on further profit creation and growth and development. It can be said that based on the given case, IKEA strategy is something which is different but effective to achieve their goal of dominating the global market. Giving value to their stakeholders is one of the vital approaches that the company had used. In addition, their ability to innovate and diversify their products has also been identified as part of the strategy of IKEA. In addition, because of the competitive situation of the company, there is a strong barrier to entry for a new household furniture as well as food market that would compete with IKEA.   As the company is competing in both local and large-scale market environment, IKEAs feasibility is to achieve more customers from altered areas of the world and to provide each customers quality and resourceful household furniture products and will satisfy their needs while enjoying reasonable and reasonable prices.   The company is looking forward to give the customers more from what they are expecting via technological innovations.  In addition, the strategy of the company also includes their ability to adapt to the changing needs and demands of their target market even in different parts of the world. IKEA is in a favourable position to carryon operations in the years ahead. Bibliography De Wit, Bob and Meyer, Ron (2005) Strategy Synthesis. Second edition. London: Thomson Learning. Print ISBN 1 86152 965 1. Johnson, Gerry; Scholes, Kevan; and Whittington, Richard (2005) Exploring Corporate Strategy. 7th edition. Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education. Print ISBN 0 273 68734 4. Available through Voyager (UH LIS main catalogue) as an electronic resource. Mintzberg, Henry; Ahlstrand, Bruce; and Lampel, Joseph (1998) Strategy Safari: The Complete Guide Through the Wilds of Strategic Management. Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education. Print ISBN 0 273 65636 8. Porter, Michael E (1979) How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review, March/ April, Volume 57, Issue 2. Available through UH LIS electronic journals (Business Source Complete). IKEA Sustainability Report for Fiscal Year 2009 and Fiscal Year 2010. Welcome Inside

Catcher In The Rye :: essays research papers

Catcher in the Rye The setting of this story takes place in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. The home of Pency boarding school. Pency is a college prep schools that advertises only the best things about it and never mentions how much the students will hate going there. On the brochure there is a fake, imaginary student that does not exist playing polo. In real life, there are a couple hundred spoiled little rich students whose parents do not want the trouble of raising them. In the beginning of the story Holden is watching the Friday night football game from a hill. He had just gotten back from a fencing match that had to be cut short in New York because the captain of the fencing team, which happened to be Holden, left all of the equipment on the subway. Needless to say it was a long trip home for Holden. After all of this has happened Holden gets back only to learn that he has been released from Pency and placed on academic probation. Holden was not stupid by any means but if he did not desire to learn what was being taught he refused to try. The professors on the other hand did not agree with Holden’s reasoning. Therefore, he was failing all but one of his classes. Holden had a friend that was a teacher at Pency. He was probably the only person that halfway understood him. The only problem was that Mr. Spencer was old and senile and did not have much pull with in the school board, which meant he did not serve as much help in Holden’s cur rent situation. Mr. Spencer was always trying to prepare Holden for life. Holden rarely listened but felt obligated to say good-bye to him because he had tried to understand him, which is more than most people had ever done for him. Holden went to visit Mr. Spencer before he left. Holden was a prime example of a spoiled little rich kid who had everything but acted as though he had nothing. He had no real friends to rely on, only other spoiled rich kids who were never deprived of anything. This time was different though. This was not the first time that Holden was removed from a school. Holden always knew there was always another boarding school that would be happy to accept him and his money. This time he was not going to just sit back and wait for the next school to pick him up, he was going to enjoy himself while he could.

Case of the Mysterous Roses

In our daily lives we interact with people from all walks of life. As individuals some of us set our own rules to live by, and as professionals we are given a set of guidelines to follow. Working in the Human Resource’s field there are many situations that may occur and we are forced to make difficult decisions. This ethics game simulation presented some examples that occur in the real world. There were two scenarios presented, â€Å"The Case of the Mysterious Roses†, and â€Å"The Case of the Cold Feet†. These cases were both difficult to deal with, and allowed the managers use critical thinking skills to address both situations. The first scenario â€Å"The Case of the Mysterious Roses† there were several issues that arose; one is when a female employee began receiving roses from a secret admirer. One problem is that she believed the roses are from a male coworker, which made her uncomfortable. The employee feels the need to go to her supervisor for advice, and sends an email requesting a confidential meeting. In this scenario I am the supervisor, which reveals the other problem. The issue at hand is how I will respond to the request. As the department supervisor I should respond to the request without compromising the integrity of myself or the company. As the supervisor and witnessing the activities that had taken place felt confident that there may be a possibility of sexual harassment accusation. In response to the email I felt that she could not give her a firm yes or no answer. The exercise allowed me to look at the situation and put my thoughts into perspective and ask myself what is my responsibility as a supervisor. The ethical lens helped me to identify the primary stake holders, though both lens rights and responsibility, and results lens. These lens enabled me to make the decision. I was able to advise Gayle that, I am able to maintain confidentially on any personal matter; however if the issue is work related I may have to report it. I informed Gayle of the company policy on sexual harassment and advised her of her rights as an employees. I based my decision on my own professional experience, as my company has a zero tolerance for such behavior. I could not guarantee 100% confidentially to the employee if there was an employee violating company policy. If I am aware of the situation and do not report it I would be just as guilty. In the second scenario â€Å"The Case of the Cold Feet† there was an issue in reference to an employee falsifying information on a report. The issue is brought to my attention and I must take a plan of action by using a different set of lenses, relationship and reputation lens. The exercise took me through multiple steps to identify how I would handle the situation. In the relationship lens I decided to perform an in house investigation in reference to the allegations. My choice did not agree with the program and I was advised to consider my colleague’s reputation and allow him to clean up his act. That made me realize that I need to give others a chance to correct their mistakes. In the reputation lens I made that decision which allowed me to hold others accountable for their actions. In my professional life I would have given the employee to redeem him or herself before I would involve a manager. In this scenario I believe I thought about it too long and chose an answer based on what I thought someone else wanted. After participating in both of these activities I believe that I can make better decisions when called up on. Using my critical thinking skills I can think outside the box and give others a chance while following company policy. Sexual harassment is a serious offence and it is a good idea to educate employees to avoid situations such as this. The company that I work for as well as other companies, do not take this matter lightly. In the situation regarding falsifying documents is also a concern with organizations. The company that I work for does not tolerate this type of activity. Our policy states that if an employee is falsifying documentation that is immediate ground for termination. There are many situations that occur within an organization and with the help of a strong management team and policy to follow the company can be successful.

Possessive or Genitive Case Definition and Examples

Possessive or Genitive Case Definition and Examples Also Known As: possessive determiner, genitive case, second case In English grammar, possessive case is the case (or function) of an inflected form of a noun (Santas, the bosss) showing ownership, measurement, or source. In addition to the -s ending (a clitic), the possessive can be expressed with of, particularly when the possessor is not alive (the top floor of the building, the base of the statue). Possessive case also refers to a type of pronoun (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs) or determiner (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) that indicates ownership, measurement, or source. (Note that his and its function as both pronouns and determiners.) Examples and Observations I will not hide the teachers Prozac.(Bart Simpson, The Simpsons)People who have given us their complete confidence believe that they have a right to ours. The inference is false: a gift confers no rights.(Friedrich Nietzsche)Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a persons character lies in their own hands.(Anne Frank)The winners edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude.(Denis Waitley)An Englishmans way of speaking absolutely classifies him.(Alan Jay Lerner)What precedes the possessive ending need not be a single-word compound but can be a phrase, as in my neighbor next doors dog, or even a clause, as in a woman I knows niece. (Laurel J. Brinton, The Structure of Modern English: A Linguistic Introduction. John Benjamins, 2000) Possessives Before Gerunds In your writing, when a pronoun appears before a gerund (an -ing verbal used as a noun), use the possessive case. We have tasted their cooking. In this example, cooking is used as a noun and is the direct object of have tasted. If a pronoun appears before a participle, use the objective case. We have watched them cooking. In this second example, cooking is used as a participle to describe them. (Robert DiYanni and Pat C. Hoy, The Scribner Handbook for Writers, 3rd ed. Allyn and Bacon, 2001) The Decline of the Possessive Apostrophe The apostrophe is the stepchild of English orthography. It is neither fish nor fowl, typographers convenience, nor true punctuation...The possessive apostrophe is a grammatical anomaly, a vestigial case marker- appropriately shaped like the human appendix- in a noun system that has otherwise dispensed with cases... Evidence of its demise is apparent in newspapers, on billboards, on menus. Our students, understandably confused, alternately abuse it and feel abused by it... ...Thus we may contemplate with relative equanimity the eventual loss- for such seems inevitable in time- of the possessive apostrophe. We may mourn its passing and, perhaps, armed with grammar texts and rules (poor weapons at best) prolong its stay for awhile. But we cannot, nor should we wish to, preserve it indefinitely. We would do well to recognize that the outrages perpetrated upon the apostrophe by our students reflect an increasingly common practice outside the classroom, and temper the insistence of our lessons... ...And, when all is said and done, the loss will not be a great one.(Elizabeth S. Sklar, The Possessive Apostrophe: The Development and Decline of a Crooked Mark. College English, October 1976) Possessive and Genitive The genitive has also been called the possessive, since one of its meanings has been to denote the possessor of what is referred to by the second noun phrase, as in The couples home. But possession has to be interpreted liberally if it is to cover many instances of the genitive and the of-phrase. In a liberal interpretation, we could count as possession any connections between the two nouns where the verbs possess or have can be used in a paraphrase; for example, family relationships: Toms son (the son that Tom has). Mexico Citys(Sidney Greenbaum, The Oxford English Grammar. Oxford Univ. Press, 1996) False Possessives The apostrophe generally should not be used after a word that is more descriptive than possessive, except for a plural not ending in s: Explorers Hall, Diners Club, the Department of Veterans Affairs, teachers college but teachers guide, St. Elizabeths Hospital, Teamsters Union, visitors center, childrens hospital. But the Ladies Home Journal, the National Governors Association.(The National Geographic Style Manual. National Geographic Society, 2012) The Lighter Side of Possessives Cartman: Give me back my kidney! Stan: Dude, please, Kyle needs it! Cartman: Its mine! Not yours, mine! Give it back right now or theres going to be Hell to pay!(Cherokee Hair Tampons. South Park, 2000) Danny Butterman: All right, Pete?Nicholas Angel: Do you know this man?Danny Butterman: Yeah. Hes Auntie Jackies sisters brothers boy.(Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, Hot Fuzz, 2007) My best friends sisters boyfriends brothers girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid whos going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess its pretty serious.(Kristy Swanson as Simone, Ferris Buellers Day Off, 1986)