Web 2.0 Education

Web 2.0 has prompted an expansion in relaxation classes which has urged individuals to examine web based during their leisure time. They can do this unafraid that their understudy records might be hacked. It has likewise prompted opportunity in learning as individuals can gain proficiency with any theme or subject that they want.Advertising We will compose a custom evaluation test on Web 2.0: Education explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More The web 2.0 has made figuring out how to be helpful since it is simpler for one to get to their course exercises whenever. This urges more individuals to enlist for nothing on the web courses that are being given by numerous associations these days. Web 2.0 has additionally added to MOOC by making adaptability. It has caused it feasible for people to embrace their investigations whenever that is appropriate corresponding to their timetables. Individuals are additionally ready to pick who they study or in which bunches they can part icipate in conversations. The web 2.0 has guaranteed that what we realize can be recovered online by just finding them by means of web indexes. Thus, all that we learn is consistently accessible and this prompts the advancement of a deep rooted examining and learning as understudies can get to more data without the need to purchase books. The nearness of cutting edge web innovation has made free web based examining simpler which empowers individuals to get to new data in this way causing the world to appear as a worldwide town. It has likewise expanded the skyline to degrees that nobody could envision by making correspondence simpler since one can discuss his thoughts effortlessly through the web prompting edification to the dominant part. For the most part, web 2.0 has empowered individuals to complete their learning on the web calm. Instructions to utilize OER in building courses Open Educational Resources are a useful asset that gives fundamental training to all and guarantees th at instruction of people is advanced for a significant stretch of time. OER is utilized in various establishments of learning as it empowers the arrangement of a wide scope of courses to a huge since it is more affordable. Expanded utilization of OER has a probability of changing people’s decidedly by expanding the degrees of literacy.Advertising Looking for appraisal on training? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More OER widens access of training inside and outside foundations of learning since one can get to the required materials for their examination whether at home or in school. This prompts an improvement of the cooperation and advancement in scholastic systems through upgrade of value in learning as instructive assets have been discharged straightforwardly for selected students as well as for everybody keen on learning. It additionally supports the investigation of the individuals who make assets and their partners by guaranteeing that training assets are open around the world. OER Increases profitability as it guarantees that one has an away from of the course materials that they should have. This empowers understudies to get to various assets that make them very much educated. OER‘s proprietorship is secured by a copyright that grants foundations to deal with the accessible assets to forestall robbery. Depict how the game coordinates computerized innovations to the advantage of instructing and learning The game uses advanced correspondence to guarantee steady correspondence which is constant between the educator and the student consequently guaranteeing great relational relations between them. It likewise guarantees that before any learning happens the understudy is willing. This prompts a better as the degree of understudy commitment and inspiration during learning is elevated. Advanced advances quickens learning since it makes it simpler by guaranteeing the materials required are pro mptly accessible and can be gotten to freely by both the understudies and instructors. In this manner, it joins instructors and understudies and empowers the two educators and understudies get to the expert and solid scholarly assets. Besides, it has prompted expanded instructive profitability by expanding the nature of training. This happens on the grounds that it empowers by giving them materials that are solid and valid. There is additionally an expanded productivity since they can oversee dangers. Advanced innovation lessens the expense of buying the learning materials since they are sold inexpensively on the web. It likewise helps in using both teachers’ and learners’ time as there is no time wastage since the understudies and instructors can get to data effectively that they can't have the option to get to manually.Advertising We will compose a custom appraisal test on Web 2.0: Education explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Finally, the advanced advances guarantee there is double enrolment as understudies can select more than each course in turn. Educators can likewise do their training as they go on with their expert obligations because of the nearness of professional and online classes. This appraisal on Web 2.0: Education was composed and put together by client Derr1ck to help you with your own investigations. You are allowed to utilize it for exploration and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; be that as it may, you should refer to it as needs be. You can give your paper here.

Should Suicide Be Legal essays

Should Suicide Be Legal articles Self destruction is something we have needed to manage since the get-go. All through that timeframe it has been viewed as off-base. There is no motivation behind why we ought to acknowledge it now. It might be effortless, and put a few people out of a lot of wretchedness, however who the entirety of the abrupt gave us the option to execute. Individuals are presently campaigning for helped suicides and their sanctioning. I feel that self destruction and helped self destruction are presently being viewed as an accommodation. On the off chance that somebody is debilitated, or discouraged, murdering the person in question is viewed as the best approach to dispose of the issue. We should be more grounded than that in the public eye, and show we really care for these individuals by getting them legitimate assistance. Who gave us the option to murder? In America today, who realizes what number of individuals have kicked the bucket through premature birth, capital punishment, and self destruction? I accept that the legitimization of fetus removal has assumed a job is this absence of regard forever. On the off chance that we dont need to regard somebody when they are conceived, for what reason would it be a good idea for us to think about somebody who is going to kick the bucket? It appears that in the event that we have an adequate reason, or it is helpful, we have no issue advocating the pulverization of human life. Individuals just dont care what is good and bad. It is extremely tragic that numerous individuals imagine that they can end their own life or somebody elses life and genuinely accept that they are helping themselves or another. Self destruction is only a misuse of an actual existence. In the event that individuals figure they can circumvent slaughtering individuals for helping another, are society won't keep going long. Individuals like Dr. Kavorkian and his supporters are crazy. Numerous individuals are wiped out and in a great deal of torment. I can perceive how they would like to bite the dust, to remove the agony. Be that as it may, they must have enough regard for themselves and their families not to execute themselves. God didn't descend and instruct us to pass on at whatever point we need to. Murdering isn't the response to the issue. Living our lives to the ... <!

The Top 5 William Shakespeare Plays

The Top 5 William Shakespeare Plays Picking the best five plays by William Shakespeare makes certain to start a squabble among artistic pundits and theatergoers. In spite of the fact that many consider Hamlet the Bards best work, others incline toward King Lear or The Winters Tale. Tastes change, yet there is some basic accord about which plays have the most suffering scholarly worth. Hamlet Considered by numerous artistic pundits to be Shakespeare’s most prominent play, this profoundly moving story follows Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, as he laments for his dad and retaliates for his passing. Conceivably dependent on Shakespeare’s individual experience of losing his own child, Hamnet, in 1596, this catastrophe figures out how to investigate the intricate brain science of its young legend many years before the rise of brain science as an idea. For this by itself, Hamlet merits the main spot. Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare is maybe generally celebrated for Romeo and Juliet, the exemplary story of two â€Å"star-crossed lovers.† This play has saturated the awareness of mainstream society: in the event that we depict somebody as sentimental, we may portray him as â€Å"a Romeo,† and the overhang scene is potentially the world’s generally famous (and cited) sensational content. The unfortunate romantic tale unfurls against the background of the Montague-Capulet fight a subplot that gives a few noteworthy activity scenes. Shakespeare gets straight serious toward the beginning of the play and stages a battle between the Montagues and the Capulets serving men. The key explanation behind Romeo and Juliet’s prominence is its ageless topics; anybody of all ages today can identify with a tale around two individuals from totally different foundations falling head-over-heels in affection. Macbeth Macbeth-a short, punchy, extraordinary bit of show that diagrams the ascent and fall of Macbeth from fighter to lord to dictator includes some of Shakespeares best composition. Albeit the entirety of the characters are all around drawn and the plot is splendidly detailed, it is Lady Macbeth who gets everyone's attention. She is one of Shakespeares most suffering lowlifess, and it is her extreme aspiration that drives the play. This wrongdoing show is so famous with crowds that it has roused more than 10 film adjustments. Julius Caesar Adored by many, this play centers around Roman representative Marcus Brutus and his inclusion in the death of Roman sovereign Julius Caesar. The individuals who have not perused the play are regularly shocked to discover that Caesar just shows up in a bunch of scenes. Rather, the disaster fixates on Brutus clashing ethics and his mental disturbance as he weaves an intrigue that will change history. Pundit Harold Bloom has said that the play could have been known as The Tragedy of Marcus Brutus. A pointless furor about a pointless subject A pointless furor about a pointless subject is Shakespeare’s best-cherished parody. The play blends silliness and disaster and is one of the Bard’s most intriguing writings from a complex perspective. The way in to the play’s prominence lays on the fierce love-abhor connection among Benedick and Beatrice. All through the play, the two are secured a clash of brains and in spite of the fact that we realize they truly love one another, they just can’t let it out to themselves. A few pundits consider Much Ado About Nothing a parody of habits since it makes jokes about distinguished conduct and language.

In Murmuring Judges, David Hare uses Barry to represent the stereotypical bent policemen that were seen as typical in the late 1980s and early 90s

In Murmuring Judges, David Hare utilizes Barry to speak to the cliché ‘bent’ police officers that were viewed as run of the mill in the late 1980s and mid 90s. Through Barry, Hare shows not just defilement in the police power, as prove by Barry planting the Semtex, yet additionally recommends that the police were exhausted and under planned, â€Å"too much overtime†. Here, Hare shows the division of compassion toward the police close by debasement, as he demonstrates Barry to be attempting to do is work in troublesome occasions, nonetheless, the general job of Barry is to show defilement and impropriety in policing. All through the play, Hare shows the impact of the 1984 Criminal Evidence Act, planned to make policing progressively about desk work, and shows how the police feel it is subverting their activity; â€Å"we should all simply sit in the scratch and make arrangement drafts† features how this has changed the idea of approach. Barry is introduced as against this, and keeps on utilizing more seasoned strategies for policing, â€Å"It’ my strategy. † Through this, Hare depicts police defilement, as Barry’s techniques are regularly unethical and even illicit. Bunny likewise presents Barry to consider some to be as â€Å"boring† and â€Å"pointless†, which recommends he is just keen on violations he can get a decent outcome for, for example, cutting down Travis and Fielding in Gerard McKinnon’s wrongdoing. Bunny additionally shows Barry to think police assets are squandered by saying â€Å"and yet take a gander at us†, featuring his own disappointment as again appeared by â€Å"please let me know, what is the point? † Interest, Barry apparently has indistinguishable impression of legal counselors from the crowd have through Sir Peter, proposing they are â€Å"rich bastards† who take an interest in â€Å"tax evasion†. It could then be contended that Barry feels advocated in his debasement, as the administration is likewise degenerate, â€Å"the government joyfully lets rich mongrels leave with†. â€Å"You used to be smart† proposes Barry wasn’t constantly degenerate, which again recommends his activities are because of his dissatisfaction at the equity framework. The connection among Barry and Sandra gives the crowd understanding into both Barry’s character and sentiments towards ladies at that point. In spite of the fact that there is a distinction in rank between the pair, DC to PC, Barry is never appeared to treat men in a lesser situation with the equivalent belittling way he utilizes towards Sandra. Here, Hare depicts sexism inside the police at that point, which is assisted by Sandra and Barry’s undertaking, as it could be contended that Sandra is characteristically ‘sleeping her way to the top’. Rabbit shows Barry to â€Å"get a kick out of secrecy†, which is in reference to his undertaking but on the other hand is confirm in his debasement, as nobody else is depicted as such. The way that Barry is demonstrated to be â€Å"relieved at the difference in subject† from his defilement could recommend that he is embarrassed, as he is â€Å"able to relax† once they are talking about something different. In any case, Barry’s absence of individual ethics as featured in his relationship with Sandra, â€Å"I hung tight for you†¦I had a rugby match†, which proposes a general negligence could be utilized to contend that Barry no doubt is detached about having planted the Semtex. This portrayal of the police as wild and shameless recommends Hare sees the police in a negative light as they would permit blameless men to go to jail, as appeared by Gerard. This was without a doubt impacted by prominent cases, for example, the Guilford Four or the Birmingham Six, where men were unreasonably sent down for bombings. I did my stunt. It generally works† recommends the degree of Barry defilement, suggesting he has surrounded individuals previously, however more significantly, he realizes he can pull off it, through which Hare shows the threats of unethical behavior in the police. â€Å"You ought to go on Mastermind† in reference to Barry shows that he is a regarded fi gure in among the officials, with which Hare could propose that Barry was in a situation to spread defilement all through the power, as he is appreciated by the lower positions. Rabbit utilizes this again to feature the risk of indecency and debasement in the police. Prior, Barry is likewise introduced as a component of the ‘boys club’, as Hare shows chitchat between the male officials, â€Å"I was directing an interview†¦ with the barmaid†¦ horizontally†, recommending that Barry is one of the ‘lads’. Progressively, Barry is introduced as a sexist and a supremacist all through the play, towards Sandra as well as towards Irina and Gerard. This disposition is appeared through the exchange among Barry and Irina on pg101; â€Å"I don’t take lectures† towards Irina recommends he considers her to be underneath him. Be that as it may, Hare additionally utilizes this scene to reinforce the introduction of Barry’s loathing towards legal counselors, as appeared by â€Å"when was the last time anybody was wiped out on your wig†, which proposes Barry considers legal counselors to be withdrawn from the genuine activity of equity. This is facilitated by â€Å"why don’t you go sit on a board, amusing as Irina does precisely that toward the finish of the play, which demonstrates Barry to accept legal counselors to be bossy, and â€Å"something-must-be-done’rs†, as Beckett portrays them, at the end of the day to be pointless. Toward the finish of the play, as prior referenced, Irina chooses to attempt to change the equity framework; conversely, Barry is introduced as precisely the equivalent, as he is as yet baffled at the framework, â€Å"if they invested a large portion of the energy attempting to help the coppers†. In the prior scene, Hare depicts Jimmy as out of the club, which is featured by Barry saying â€Å"English feeling of humour†, again demonstrating Barry to be a piece of a, male commanded framework. Bunny likewise presents Barry as coolly supremacist here, as there is no proof that Jimmy isn't English, a demeanor which is additionally appeared by Barry towards Gerard, â€Å"he was somewhat Irish†, a reference to the negative perspective on the Irish at the time because of the IRA. This additionally demonstrates the framework to be coolly supremacist, as we see that in light of the fact that Gerard is Irish, it is substantially more trustworthy that he would plant explosives. Bunny demonstrates this to not be right through his depiction of Gerard, who is gigantically unique in relation to the generalization of a crook. To a lesser degree, police defilement is likewise appeared by Barry’s treatment of Keith, as Barry is proposed to have â€Å"promised him a caution† recommending Barry was utilizing pay off to get Keith to coordinate. By and large, regardless of the recommendation of compassion toward Barry as somebody attempting to make a troublesome showing, Barry is generally introduced as everything Hare disdains about the police, as he is demonstrated to be supremacist, degenerate, indecent and sexist. Bunny utilizes Barry for instance of more extensive police defilement, proposing that Barry isn’t a separated case yet the entire framework is degenerate. Barry is compared against Sandra who is demonstrated to be scrupulous and ready to have any kind of effect. In any case, Hare presents all characters attempting to improve the framework as segregated and seen as second rate, as appeared with Irina, while Barry is appeared as ‘one of the boys’, generally speaking proposing that individuals like Barry will at last proceed with â€Å"their method† while Sandra and such will neglect to have any kind of effect. This portrayal is demonstrated to be the well used result for Hare, who is a supporter of progress however this speaks to the truth of policing at that point.

New Student Photo Entry #8 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

New Student Photo Entry #8 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog The first two pictures were taken by Leona Verdadero, incoming MIA student. Where: Blue Lagoon, Coron Island, Philippines One of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines, Coron is located at the northern tip of the Palawan province. It is a well-known diving destination, with abundant Japanese shipwreck sites from   World War II . The contrast between the towering gray limestone cliffs and the clear aquamarine sea is simply stunning! Where: Banol Beach, Coron Island, Philippines Two little boys from the Tagbanua tribe docking at Banol Beach. The Tagbanua tribe is one of the oldest tribes in the Philippines and the first settlers on Coron Island.   To preserve their culture, they obtained land rights under the Philippine government’s ancestral domain program. The tribe has set guidelines in protecting the environment for visitors, promoting sustainable tourism in the country. ______________________________________________ These photos come from Emily Ingram, incoming MIA student. This photo was taken in Beijing during July 2005. I was struck by the contrast between the chaos of Chinese tourists walking through Tiananmen Square (including the guy in the foreground who is taking a photo of his family while unknowingly squatting right next to the policeman) and the policeman, who happens to be standing so that his head obscures the famous portrait of Mao that hangs at the entrance to the Forbidden City. In what most western tourists can only interpret as a constant reminder of the 1989 massacre, Tiananmen Square still has a very strong police presence and the guards frequently march around in groups, occasionally stopping only to tell people not to photograph them. This one was taken in Paris on Bastille Day 2008. Around lunchtime, there was a small but raucous crowd around what seemed to be impromptu Brazilian Capoeria. Nearby, picnickers arranged bread and fruit on blankets and sunbathers spread out on towels to reserve a space for that evenings concert and fireworks. It was unusual and exciting to see so many people participating and enjoying the music, acrobatics and excitement of this Brazilian sport on a French national holiday, in front of THE French architectural icon.

Customer Service And Transportation Management Research - 1100 Words

Demand Management, Order Management, And Customer Service And Transportation Management (Essay Sample) Content: Student's NameInstitution's AffiliationDate DueContemporary logistics Pearson eleventh edition is a book by Paul R. Murphy and A. Michael Knemeyer. It was originally published in two thousand and fourteen by the Prentice Hall publishers with an ISBN of 9780132953467. It has a number of chapters such as demand management; order management, custom service among others. The chapter focuses on one of the four features of order cycle which are order picking, development of customer service, the freight classification of products, bill of lading, shipment and the challenges faced by the transport managers.Pick to light is one of the most famous warehouse orders picking technology in the market. It is a system adapted to a number of warehousing technologies. Pick to light is an order fulfillment technological system responsible for directing light which aids the pickers ensures ultimate efficiency and increased speed. The workers follow the light from pick to pick without ca lculating any optional path to follow resulting in reduced errors and increase in picking rates. Order picking is a replacement of the paper picking, unlike the use of papers in paper picking, pick to light as a system uses computers to give the light direction of the pick location. The computers are also used to identify the items and specify the amount to be picked (Murphy Knemeyer, 2003). The ability to eliminate the use of paper works is one of the most important improvements of a pick to light system. By so doing, they minimize the time was taken and the manual labor of workers figuring out items to be picked in line one after the other and making them circulate in the entire warehouse for an order, hence improved productivity and accuracy. Besides, in a pick to the light system, the orders are easily downloaded from personal computers and later on optimized to minimize the cost of labor related to paperwork. Other than the two ways, it also increases the speed and productivit y of picking as well as to shorten the distance of travel.Despite an organization's potentiality, there are instances of it not meeting the actual expectation of the customers in terms of performance. Failure has risen in terms of service delivery and is greatly increasing in the recent years hence need for service recovery. Service recovery refers to a state of bringing back a customer to a state of perfection after a product has ceased to exist to its expectations. That notwithstanding, if an organization does so well in a particular product, high levels of customers service is not required. The reason being any person in need of the commodity is allowed to go for it under any customer service standard. Besides, when there is a new commodity in the market, the industries try so hard to meet the potential buyers by ensuring a constant supply of the goods. The companies struggle to protect the companies from going out of stock.The four major factors used in determining the freight o f a product are density, storability, handling, and liability. Density refers to the weight of a good in relation to its size. A majority of the shippers are informed of the weight, physical dimension and the value of the products to be shipped. Unfortunately, they forget to consider density as a factor in finding the freight class. Density is calculated as the total mass divided by the volume of the products. The values used must be accurate measures when that is assumed the products that are density based will incur losses if the density is not well calculated. It is the most important aspect in relation to the categorization of the commodities. Storability refers to the ease of a commodity to be packed in stacks. A good percentage of freights stores appropriately in trucks, boats, trains although there are some items whose transportations are regulated by the government. There are also items that cannot be transported together, such as hazardous materials (Murphy Knemeyer, 2003 ). To avoid the impossibilities of a freight pairing with the other, the goods must not have excessive weight and length and must have a load-bearing surface. There is a limit to the amount which should be carried. If there are technicalities in handling a product, one is required to be paying an additional amount to cater for the extra space it occupied.Handling requirement can either be difficult or an ease. The ease or the difficulty felt can be illustrated in terms of the challenges experienced in terms of weight, size, length and properties of the product among others. An example of an easily handled product is mechanical equipment; this is because they pose no threat to the workers. On the other hand, some freight poses a threat because of their weight, size and hazardous properties. Lastly, the liability of freight refers to its probability to incur loss or damage. It usually indicates the value of the products and its ability to the parish.The bill of lading is one of the mo st important documents in the transportation of commodities by sea. The basic function of bill lading is to be a delivery receipt. There are three types of bills of lading; the nominate, bearer and order bill of lading. Shortly, a nominated bill of landing refers to the delivery of ...

Labeling - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 34 Words: 10132 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Labeling An instrument to market Green goods Executive Summary The area of green marketing is on the verge of becoming a big business in India. In this regard, the objective of this project was to study one aspect of the same in detail and see how it could be used to market green goods more effectively. Labeling was this one aspect that formed the focal point. After a review of the existing literature, the knowledge gap that followed was as that; Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Labeling" essay for you Create order While several studies have been done in labeling of green products internationally, the same cannot be said in the Indian context. Partly, the reason for the same is recent emergence of green marketing. Based on this, certain key objectives were stated to define the scope of the study. They included studying the current trends of green goods labeling in India, some of the international practices in this area and finally the importance labeling is given by the consumer while purchasing a green product. Thought the study was not category specific, focus was more on consumer electronics, buildings, home appliances and IT. In the subsequent sections several tools and methodologies like secondary research, depth interviews, observational studies etc. were used to collect data for the above mentioned objectives. Based on the data, certain insights and conclusions were drawn which formed the basis for the recommendations for labeling in the future. Some of the broader findings, included, the low levels of awareness and understanding with regards to labels across the value chain from industry to consumer. In addition, a label is not a consideration for a consumer while purchasing a green good. The study ends with looking at alternate approaches/practices towards the concept of green marketing and labeling it particular. Introduction In the long term, the economy and the environment are the same thing. If its un-environmental, it is un-economical. That is the rule of nature. Mollie Beattie, Former Director, U.WS. Fish and Wildlife Service Despite the fact that the term green marketing has been floating around in management circles for quite some time now, it has had little impact on the industry as a whole. One of the key reasons for the same could be that we do not really understand what green stands for in the marketing parlance. Is it just about global warming, pollution control, carbon credits and eco-friendly products? Or is it something much more? Perhaps the need of the hour is look at certain aspects of green marketing in a manner never been done before and identify the reasons for the same. Eg: Ball point pens are extreme high technology however we use them in a very pedestrian fashion and consumer acceptance is total. What then is the problem with the other products /processes/technologies like light piping or solar water heaters? More importantly, do companies who manufacture and market green goods really understand what they are selling? These companies often use terms like recyclable, renewable, sustainable etc. to sell their product? Can they provide a proof for the environmental benefits they promise? If yes, how are they doing it, if not, why not? How can a consumer be assisted in identifying such a product? Do the consumers derive any value from an environmental seal? Does it play a part in their purchase decision? Though the trend of going green is much more evolved in the developed countries, it has slowly but surely started to gain ground in the developing countries as well. The outlook of India Inc. towards green goods and green marketing is continuously evolving with time. While earlier the focus of going green was solely on the basis of certain pre defined methods to manufacture goods, over time this has evolved into usage of green labels, green packaging etc. Fuelled by the media, companies today, understand the economic and the social importance of taking serious steps to become green. In addition, Indian consumers have become more quality and environment conscious. They would possibly be the ones who could drive the market for green products. The potential for a green market is huge. To exploit it to the fullest, businesses must not only adopt certain best practices and first themselves become sensitized to this new green revolution, but also, help consumers change their behavior by removing any mental blocks that might arise with regards to the purchase of green goods. In this regard, Labeling can serve as tool for educating as well as a way of making the consumer understand and connect to a very complex analysis. It can help solve the problem of asymmetric information between the sellers and the buyers. Also, if used tactfully, it can be used by the manufacturers and marketers as an instrument to market green goods. While some studies have been carried out in the developed countries in this area, not much can be said about the same in the Indian context. The objective of this project is to study the existing international practices with regards to labeling of green products; assess the current situation in the Indian market; understand the possibility of replication of some of the international practices in India and ultimately, suggest methods by which labeling could be used by marketers to sell green goods. While the focus of this report is purely from an industry perspective, certain elements from the consumers perspective, which could ultimately serve as cue for the industry would also be covered. Literature Review There are several key words associated with this topic say green, marketing, labeling, consumer etc. Based on these, a review of the existing literature is done primarily under the following broad heads:- * What does green mean? * Green marketing * Labeling and green marketing * Consumer and Eco labeling (Delise, 2009) What does green mean? Despite the mounting pressures on businesses to prove their faithfulness to the earth, managers share no common understanding of what this might mean in their own companies. Many continue to see environmentalism against the backdrop of adversarial public arena, as a struggle over stricter emissions codes and wildly varying punishments for misconduct. Industries (and nations, for that matter) cannot thrive if they sacrifice future quality of life for present economic again. In the long run, the principles of economic growth and environmental quality reinforce each other. (Kleiner, 1991) There are multiple ways in which a green product can be defined. An all encompassing definition would be something like A product that causes minimal damage to the environment throughout the various stages of its life cycle i.e. production, distribution and consumption. However, companies who claim to sell green products do not necessarily focus on the entire life cycle but only the final product, while making such claims. Thus, lately, there has been an increased focus on adopting a cradle to the grave approach with regards to anything that has the possibility of being classified as a green good. In addition, within most organizations, the level of understanding of what the firm is doing or what it wants to do is minimal. As a result, the idea of going green remains within the boardroom circles rather than cascading down to all the levels of management. Environmental claims must not be vague or non-specific (e.g., non-polluting and safe for the environment are too vague). Claims like environmentally friendly, eco and green are also vague terms that should only be used for products or services whose life cycles have been assessed and verified. Vague claims that are used as slogans and that are not based on demonstrated environmental benefit could be considered false or misleading. (Saxe, 2009) Most of the existing literature suggests that, in trying to become environmentally conscious, companies often define what is green in a linear fashion without much thought towards any alternate school of thought. Carbon credits, pollution free, renewable, recyclable, biodegradable etc. are some of the key words that companies focus on currently. But as more and more companies sign up to become green they would need to look at alternate forms of being green to differentiate themselves from the rest. Eg: Assume an Indian company manufacturing cigarette lighters. Is a cigarette lighter a green product? In a linear line of thought, perhaps no. But think about the match stick wastage that it avoids. Does it become green then? How can the company leverage upon this attribute? For this study, a green product would be defined as A product that has a net positive effect on the environment. The net effect is defined as the difference between the benefit and the harm that any product contributes towards the environment throughout its life cycle. Green Marketing Similar to a green product, there are multiple ways in which green marketing can be defined. According to the American Marketing Association, Green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. Polonsky (1994) states that This early definition has three key components, 1) It is a subset of the overall marketing activity; 2) It examines both positive and negative activities; 3) a narrow range of environmental issues are examined. While this is a useful starting point, to be comprehensive green marketing needs to be more broadly defined. My definition: Green or Environmental marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of those needs and wants occurs, with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environment. As green marketing has evolved over the years, there has been a need to relook at the above definition to incorporate an understanding that goes much beyond the environment. Literature also suggests that green marketing can be looked at both as a technique as well as a school of thought. While the technique part would focus on how to influence consumers to buy a green product say a fuel efficient car, the broader school of thought would focus on changes that can be brought about throughout the entire spectrum of firms operation to benefit the environment and thus eventually the society Firms orientations have centered on production, selling, costs, legislation and PR, whereas the customer has frequently been of marginal interest. Moreover, firms have compartmentalized green marketing rather than developing a holistic perspective that embraces all aspects of the company, the product, and the means of production, consumption, and disposal. Without changes, cynicism and accusations of hypocrisy will continue unabated. (Peattie Crane, 1995) Green marketing strategies employed by most of the firms are merely tactics to gain mileage of the commercial and social front. Some of the commonly used methods employed by firms to show their adoption of green practices are as follows:- Green spinning is a kind of self certification where in the company tries to project a green image by presenting their version of environmental facts and s through PR. Such practices can lead to asymmetric information in the market and harm the credibility of genuine environmental claims made by other firms. Green selling works on the basic premise that anything that is perceived to be green would sell. It refers to the projected product improvements done by the company to the same base product by introducing an additional environmental claim. However, in reality, the product does not undergo any significant change. This technique also depends on the persuasive skills of the individual at the point of sale. Green harvesting refers to the practice where in a firm recognizes that they might be able to manufacture green products at a lower cost. They could then sell these at a premium over the green claims. However, when the time comes to invest more in RD to make products sustainable, the higher costs attributed to this activity, is cited as one of the primary reasons for their non-perusal. Compliance Marketing as the name suggests refers to the practice of adopting green production and marketing techniques sufficient enough to meet the regulatory guidelines imposed by certain higher authorities. In reality, these firms have no intention to become green. Enviropreneur marketing is a technique wherein an individual or a company who is totally committed to the environment develops a product using state of the art engineering and technology. However, the product becomes redundant when it comes to commercial use either because of the high price or more importantly, the lack of application in daily life. As a result, we have a case of a solution being presented for a need gap that never existed. Another activity that can be classified as a subset of green marketing is green advertising. With media explosion in the 1990s, companies find this as one of the cheapest and most effective technique to market its goods. Green advertising varies in the extent to which it addresses environmental issues: from simple claims on the environmental friendliness of products, to corporate image campaigns stressing the environmental credential of large companies, to public campaigns promoting environmentally responsible behaviors. (Iyer, Easwar, Banerjee, Bobby, 1993) This technique, however, perennially suffers from the limitation that, in most cases, what is promised in the communication might not be delivered. In addition, the focus of the communication might be more on the company behind the idea rather than the idea itself. The current literature suggests that, in the race to project a greener image, companies often use tactics which are not necessarily an output of the firms attitude or philosophy towards a greener way of doing things but from a much narrow minded approach to gain market and mind share. The time seems right for firms to beyond some of the short term measures mentioned above and truly understand and adopt the green marketing concept. Once this happens, more thought could go into what a firm can do on a sustainable basis to contribute towards the environment. Labeling and green marketing While the main purpose of any label is provide requisite information to the consumers to assist them in the buying process, for green marketing, its purpose can be further extended to serve as an tool of communicating the effect of the manufacturing and the subsequent consumption that the product has on the environment. As interest in green products and green marketing evolved over the years, a method by which companies could validate their claims to be green was sought. In this regard, labeling or certification was an approach that started to come to the fore especially in the developed nations. There are several approaches to labeling that can be used by a firm for its products or services. A broad label classification would be as follows:- 1. Voluntary vs. Third party 2. Binary vs. Non binary Voluntary labeling refers to the individual company validating its product standards. Third party or independent labeling refers to the practice of an independent agency certifying whether a certain product meets the standards. Binary labeling is the kind where in it answers a yes/no question i.e. if the product has the label; it is fit for consumption, otherwise not. Non binary labeling refers to the extent to which a product meets the specification to classify as green. Eg: A one star rating vs. a two star rating Eco-labeling, defined as the practice of providing information to consumers about a product which is characterized by improved environmental performance and efficiency compared with similar products, has gained increasing popularity in recent years. (Basu, Chau, Grote, 2003) Eco-labeling is a voluntary process of meeting certain minimum environment standards. It is awarded by a third party. While several eco labels exist today, there is no common understanding on what is credible and what is not. Labels such as Green Seal, Ecologo, Energy Star etc. were introduced in the early 1990s. Today more the number of labels for green products has increased manifold. Some of the commonly used labels internationally are mentioned below:- Type of Product Labeling Variety of products Green Seal, Ecologo, SMART Buildings and building materials LEED Wood and Paper FSC Energy Energy Star Computers EPEAT Toys EPA Apart from firms/organizations/ third parties, the government also realized that there was a need to recognize and reward companies that manufacture products that cause minimal environmental damage. The eco labels in some of the countries that have been at the fore front with regards to labeling are listed in the table on the next page:- The eco-label The program objective Government role australia.jpg Australia To contribute to the growth of the environmental consumer market in Australia and add commercial value to companies and businesses which are preferable on environmental grounds. Run by a non-profit organization with little government involvement Canada Promote the efficient use of nonrenewable resources, including fossil fuels; Facilitate the reduction, reuse and recycling of industrial, commercial and consumer waste; Encourage the protection of ecosystems and species diversity Run by the government with the main services outsourced to a private sector company European Union Empowerment of the individual through consumer choice is a central principle of the scheme. By setting strict ecological criteria for product groups, the scheme enables consumers to make reliable and informed decisions. Each member state is required to designate a Competent Body to administer the scheme at a national level. The Competent Bodies must be independent and neutral but with no restriction on level of government involvement Germany The eco-label aims at not only environmental protection but also those of consumer protection. Certification is for those products and services which from a holistic point of view that are particularly environmentally friendly and at the same time up to high standards of industrial safety, health protection Government is heavily involved, together with an independent decision-making body called Environmental Label Jury representing various interests On similar lines, the government of India started a scheme called Eco mark in 1991 to increase consumer awareness and easy identification of environmentally friendly products. The main objectives of the program are:- 1 To provide an incentive for manufacturers and importers to reduce adverse environmental impact of products. 2 To reward genuine initiatives by companies to reduce adverse environmental impact of their products. 3 To assist consumers to become environmentally responsible in their daily lives by providing information to take account of environmental factors in their purchase decisions 4 To encourage citizens to purchase products which have less harmful environmental impacts 5 Ultimately to improve the quality of the environment and to encourage the sustainable management of resources. Source: https://www.envfor.nic.in/cpcb/ecomark/objects.html Though Eco mark was launched a good twenty years back, we really do not know how much of an impact it has had on the industry as a whole. Are companies really working towards this certification? Are consumers aware of this certification? If so, does it matter to them? Another government initiative launched in 2002 called the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) aims to in developing strategies with an emphasis on self regulation within the framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 with the sole focus on reducing the energy footprint of the Indian industry. BEE co-ordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies and other organizations and recognize, identify and utilize the existing resources and infrastructure, in performing the functions assigned to it under the Energy Conservation Act. The Energy Conservation Act provides for regulatory and promotional functions. In his paper on the future of green labels, (Case, 2009) mentions that there are three critical components of any labeling program the validity of the standard on which the label is based, the process used to set the standard and the verification processes used to determine if a product meets the standard. The process for setting the standard as well as subsequent validation rarely takes into consideration the interest of all the stakeholders i.e. manufactures, end users, suppliers etc. and is focused on only one aspect of the entire certification process. As the number of labels in the market keeps on increasing, it becomes more and more difficult to assess the credibility of each individual label. The lack of a single labeling program gives rise to false claims, false labels and a lot of information asymmetry which leads to market flooded with lemons or sub-standard goods. Another aspect that is often neglected is that of continuous verification and renewal. The shelf life of any certification awarded to a product is limited. Thus, for a green good, such certification should be renewed from time to time. But this is hardly practiced. As a result, may certified goods, though may start out as environment friendly, do not remain so, over their entire life cycle. The current literature thus suggests that, due to the lack of any single and encompassing standard, the necessity and effectiveness of labeling a green product has been marginalized. Due to the presence of a large number of labels across products categories, it becomes even more difficult to communicate genuine environmental claims that an individual or an organization might have with regards to their product or service. Consumer and Eco labeling Too many environmental labels are actually making it more challenging for both government purchasers and the average consumer. Not all labels are created equal. In fact, some of the labels are essentially meaningless. A few creative entrepreneurs have even set up websites to sell environmental certifications online without establishing an environmental standard, requiring any product testing or even reviewing the product. (Case, 2009) In such a situation, it becomes even more important to understand how a consumer reacts to a product label citing environmental claims. Is the consumer aware of the various labels? Does he understand what each label signifies? Even if he does, how much importance is given to the labeling in the overall purchase decision process? In their research on consumer perceptions towards labeling, (Tang, Fryxell, Greald, 2004) try to establish the relationship between the design of the eco-labels and its impact on purchase behavior. Their study concludes that a combination of visual and verbal communication is the much better than the visual only approach followed in most parts of the word. In her study, to establish whether the urban Indian population would show interest in eco-labeled apparel, (Goswami, 2008) concludes that there exists a segment of consumers who would be positively influenced by eco-labels. From the literature, it is evident that labeling could play an important part in the decision making process of a consumer. These consumers may be willing to pay a premium for green products that meet the standards and whose labels clearly explain the benefits of the product. However, more research needs to be carried out regarding the same to strengthen this argument. In addition, more efforts need to go into breaking any barriers that consumers might have in purchasing green products. Knowledge Gap While the international market for green goods is relatively developed, the Indian counterpart is still finding its feet. As the number of Indian companies trying to shift to greener methods of operation increases, the market would also see a steady increase of products which claim to be green. While traditional forms of communication like television or print might be cheap and effective to communicate this claim, it would have to be based on some concrete proof. In this regard, labeling or certification could play an important role. In India, the use of labeling to market green products is still a relatively unknown area. To differentiate in a cluttered green market, labeling if used tactfully could serve as a tool not only to sell but also to educate the consumer. It is this knowledge gap that this project tries to bridge. Research Objectives Carrying forward from the conclusions as drawn from the literature review and the knowledge gap the following research objectives have been identified: To analyze the current state of labeling certification in India with regards to green products To study the existing practices followed by the Indian firms To identify international best practices in the field of eco-labeling and analyze if some of them can be replicated in India To understand the impact labeling has on the purchase decision of the consumer Initial Hypothesis Labeling for green products is like a black box we all know it is important but do not really understand why, so far have not made any significant attempt to uncover this and thus never realized its true potential. This project would attempt to unravel and uncover various aspects linked with the above statement in the Indian context. Rationale This project would primarily look at labeling for green goods from an industry perspective. Some of the sectors that would be looked at are electronic goods refrigerators, ACs; building and building materials and toys. This list is only indicative. The reason for including different product categories is to develop a labeling framework/strategy that could be applied across verticals with minor customizations based on the product category. Any research done from the consumers viewpoint would be thus to help the industry understand of any alternate methods that could be employed to aid consumers purchase decision. Research Areas/Questions The two main areas that would be looked at from the companys view point would be: Labeling for the functional product characteristics Labeling as a tool of for differentiating between competing products How is a company using labeling to communicate any environmental claims that the product might have? From the consumers view point some of the questions that would looked at would be: Does labeling play a part in the purchase decision for a consumer? How can a consumer be assisted in identifying a green product? Do the consumers derive any value from an environmental seal? Research Methodology Research Design The research would be divided into two parts i.e. Primary and Secondary. The secondary data would be reviewed to build a base for the subsequent primary research. The literature review would provide an all round view on the current status of the labeling industry for green goods in India and internationally. In addition, some of the existing works with regards to consumers; labeling and purchase decision would help identify possible untapped areas. The primary research would look at the consumer as well as the industry perspective. The main objective of this research would be to uncover aspects of green labeling relevant to the Indian context that have limited literature support. Consumer The research would involve secondary research and quantitative methods. To establish the key areas that a consumer looks for in a green product label, existing literature would be reviewed. In addition, certain elements would be referenced from a parallel research on consumers and green marketing would be borrowed. This could help establish certain parameters that a consumer looks at while purchasing a green product and thus be further used in the quantitative study. Quantitative This would be done primarily to understand the current level of awareness and understanding of the consumer with respect to green labels. Consumers would be asked to rate the importance of certain parameters on the scale of 1-10. Industry The objective here would be to understand the industry perspective on labeling of green goods i.e. the current practices followed, implementation strategies, way for the future etc. It will help answer questions like why, how and when for the labeling industry in India with regards to green goods. The method used would be in-depth interviews with working professionals or industry experts. This technique would give a holistic view of the current situation. However, since a key part of this project is to look at the words green and labeling in a manner never done before, the above proposed research design might not serve any purpose in this regard. It would thus be important, to also include, certain newer methods/indicators which give a better understanding of an emerging or upcoming area like green labeling. Eg: Look at blogs, discussion forums etc. for key words that might indicate consumer preferences towards green products. Study company policies on environment to gauge their current level of understanding in this area and what they think the future holds for them. Sampling Plan Following are the sampling details for both the consumer and the industry. Consumer The sampling universe would be consumers in any one of the eight metros. The judgmental sampling technique would be used since it is convenient and less time consuming. In addition, the idea is here to study an emerging area. Thus, selecting consumers who could be potential beneficiaries of the changes that might come in the future would be one of the major criteria. Quantitative The aim would be conduct a survey for 80-100 people. A questionnaire would be administered either in person or online. Industry The sampling universe would be the experts from the industry based primarily in the cities of Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The purposive sampling technique would be used. This technique would take into account constraints availability and time when it comes to industry professionals. Data Collection Analysis The data collected from the industry in-depth interviews would firstly establish the current level of awareness and understanding with regards to labeling of green products. The data, once organized, could then be used to draw further insights and conclusions. These could help establish the possible solutions on how labeling could be used more effectively in the future. The technique used to analyze the data from the questionnaire would be multivariate regression analysis. This would help rank the key factors that a consumer looks for while purchasing a green product and thus establish where a label fits into the hierarchy. From an industry viewpoint, this study would aim to:- 1. List the potential advantages of using labeling as a tool to market green products 2. Recommend alternate methods to use labeling more effectively in terms of communicating product attributes and benefits 3. Suggest ways which could help companies differentiate their products on the basis of labeling From a theory viewpoint, this study would:- 1. Determine the position of labeling within a hierarchy of factors framework what are various factors that a consumer considers while buying a green product and where does labeling come into the picture. International Practices Indian Context This section focuses on some of the international practices in labeling and looks at how the same could be replicated or adopted in the Indian context. This section analyzes certain company initiatives, case studies etc. to illustrate ways in which labeling can be used differently and more effectively to reduce the carbon footprint. Wal-Mart sustainability index Wal-Mart is about to redefine the shopping experience. In order to determine social and environmental impact of each product present in its portfolio, Wal-Mart has launched a new project to develop a sustainability index. Soon, suppliers of Wal-Mart would need to submit an assessment form with the details of their carbon footprint, production techniques, energy and materials used etc. This data would then be used to create and index that would rate the product on various attributes. The goal is to create a universal rating system on the lines of an eco-label that certifies products on their environmental and social sustainability. Rand Waddoups, senior director of business strategy and sustainability at Wal-Mart said and I quote, Imagine one day when every product on the shelf has behind it enough information from a life-cycle-thinking perspective that allows us to be much, much more intelligent about how were buying, he said. And really, in the end, eventually, what consumers should be. The index is developed to serve as a tool to combat false or misleading claims. The details of how exactly the indexing system would work are not public yet. Wal-Mart is forming a consortium of sorts consisting of suppliers, other retailers, academicians, and environmentalists etc. to help them with the project. Consumer-goods companies Unilever, Procter Gamble and General Mills among others are partners in the consortium. And competing retailers including Costco and Target have been invited to join. The objective of forming the consortium is two-fold. One, it ensures that the index being developed is not a Wal-Mart index. Two, once the index is developed and accepted, it could then be used by the other retailers. As quoted by Mike Duke, CEO Wal-Mart This is not a Wal-Mart effort, our desire is for this to be a global standard. This Wal-Mart initiative offers both a huge business opportunity and could act as a catalyst to growth o of the environmental business. The suppliers of Wal-Mart may not be necessarily equipped to audit their entire supply chain for the carbon footprint. This has already and could potentially lead to several carbon accounting and auditing firms being formed for the same. Eg: Clear Carbon Consulting, is one of the many consulting firms stepping forward address the knowledge gap and act as a guide to thousands of Wal-Marts suppliers in their journey towards becoming more environment conscious. Clear Carbons method involves using multiple resources like an e-portal, webinars; white papers etc. which could give suppliers strategic insights into becoming environmentally sustainable. Wal-Marts massive reach and cash reserves form the backbone of such an initiative. Though some question Wal-Marts role and credentials to start such an initiative, the possible outcomes could be fruitful if everything goes to plan. Firstly, this initiative, being done by the worlds largest retailer would garner industry as well consumer attention. It could potentially make manufacturers by force and consumers by choice more sensitive towards the environment. As with any category, once one player and in this case the market leader starts an initiative, other in the same business are bound to follow. This Wal-Mart project has the potential to become a game changer in retailing by forcing manufactures do revisit their supply chains and analyze and if required modify certain aspects to meet certain environmental and social standards. While some suppliers might have been keeping a tab of the same for many years, they would now need to report is as per Wal-Marts requirements. Others would need to soon follow so as not to disappear from the retail shelf. There could be a day when the competition for shelf space in a Wal-Mart store is based on the sustainability index too rather than just the price a supplier is willing to pay. The move could start a new era christened Supply Chain Environmentalism. Businesses in this newly minted era of Supply Chain Environmentalism would have an additional tool at their disposal to garner market share and reduce market risks. At present, the differentiation occurs mainly on the basis of price, brand and other traditional techniques. This could change with factors like sustainability and carbon footprint adding to the list of competing factors. Can an Indian retailer do a Wal-Mart? As seen above, an initiative by a strong player in any business does not pass without notice and usually has long lasting effect. The question to be asked is if something similar can be done in the Indian market. Following are some of the Pros and Cons towards such an initiative to be start and eventually work in the Indian Market:- The pros are as below:- Organized is headed towards massive growth due to a booming economy, increasing per capita income and favorable demographic patterns. Government initiatives like relaxation in the FDI norms also are contributing to the retail growth. The Indian market is also characterized by the presence of the big names in the retail business like Reliance, Bharti and the Future Group. If these groups come together and develop a consensus on any issue then they could too use strong arm tactics with the other stakeholders like manufacturers, suppliers etc. More and more Indian companies want to go green. Though currently, it seems to be a fad and a sort of a CSR activity, going forward, these companies would want to incorporate practices that reduce the impact if their operations on the environment and eventually cut cost Entry of global giants like Wal-Mart, Tesco and thus their best green practices may force the local retailers to follow suit. If the trend for green consumerism catches on, the first player to launch such an initiative will attain maximum attention and thus eventually mind and market share. The cons are as below:- The organized retail market forms only 5 percent of the entire retail market. It is a value based model and not a volume one. Thus, introduction of such a label might not be sustainable at this point in time. If the next big wave in the retail market lies in the rural areas, then launching such an initiative in these areas would need massive investment in infrastructure, education, training and other such activities. Due to the presence of a large number of intermediaries in the retail supply chain, the very reason for a launch of such a label might be difficult to explain all the involved players. Case in Point: HP Eco highlights label Green computing or green IT refers to the practice of responsible and environmentally sustainable computing. It involves reducing the impact on the environment through the entire gamut of activities like design, manufacturing, packaging, disposal etc. Hewlett Packard (HP) has been in the forefront of green computing, In August 2008, HP launched a series of initiatives to help consumers reduce their environmental impact when using HPs documentation solutions i.e. copiers, printers etc. One of such initiatives was the launch of the HP Eco Highlights label. As with any label, it was launched to assist consumers in measuring the impact of the HP product on the environment. But there was something different. The label not just highlighted one or two aspects of the environmental impact that the product had but sort of certified it throughout its life cycle from manufacturing to purchase and even had instruction for post purchase usage. Some key highlights of the label included:- Recycled cartridges Recyclable packaging Auto-on/auto-off with deep-sleep modes HP Eco Highlights This case thus shows that a combination of text as well as imagery can be very effective in communicating environmental benefits. In addition, the label highlighted the attributes of the entire process rather than of just the final product. The fact of the matter is that HP adopted the green philosophy across its operations which it could put on this label. Labeling in India This section of the report looks at labeling/certification in the Indian scenario and the practices followed by certain firms in this area. Secondary research and depth interviews were the primary tools used for analysis. The research conducted was restricted to the following categories:- Consumer electronics/ Home Appliances Industrial energy solutions Information Technology Infrastructure and Buildings Organic Food The guidelines for the depth interview with industry experts and the excerpts from all the interviews are detailed in appendices A and B respectively. Case in Point: Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) The leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a building rating system. It was developed by the U.S. Green building council. The system certifies building based on their impact on the environment through the design, construction and maintenance phase. Based on LEED, the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) was established by the confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to rate buildings in India. The rating system followed by IGBC tries to maintain a balance between the established practices and the emerging concepts. The IGBC certification is much sought after by builders of newer projects. The IGBC certification brings with added benefits like the power to charge a premium for the property besides contributing to the environment. The real growth driver for the IGBC certification has been the spurt in the new constructions for the Indian corporate sector. Many corporate buildings today strive for IGBC certification. This not only gives them brownie points and PR but also acts as a step in their effort to become environmentally conscious. Some of the certified corporate buildings are:- Project Location Rating Wipro Technologies Gurgaon Platinum Microsoft Building 3 Hyderabad Gold Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Hyderabad Silver TCS Techno park Chennai Gold Cognizant green campus Coimbatore Gold Kohinoor Hospital Mumbai Platinum Cisco Bangalore Platinum The IGBC certification is poised for further growth as the real estate sector grows, builders look towards alternate methods to differentiate their properties and corporate India keeps expanding. But there rating system cannot be looked upon in isolation. IGBC rates IT parks and factories based on buildings and immediate premises alone. If such an IT park or a factory employs thousands of people who use one or modes of transportation to reach the place, then is it reducing the carbon footprint or increasing it? May be solution lies in revisiting urban planning and real estate development. Case in Point: Fab India Fab India has been a success story beyond measure. Fab India strives to act as a channel of marketing for diverse craft traditions in India. Its product portfolio includes:- Garments Accessories Home Products Organic food Personal care products Fabindia Organics carries several types of pulses, spices, sugar, tea, coffee, honey, fruit preserves and herbs. In India, Organic certification standards are set by the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). The basis for these standards is the International Federation of Organic Agriculture. Farmers need to tie-up with one of NPOPs accredited agencies to certify their farm. Full certification takes a process of around three years. Fab India classifies its organic food products on the basis of the following color codes:- Color Meaning GREEN Fully certified Organic farm. No chemicals used for a long time. The product is fully certified by an external accredited organic certifying agency BLUE In conversion. No chemicals used. The produce is from farms in conversion for organic certification YELLOW Natural. Farmed naturally without a history of chemical use. Certification process not yet started. Fab India thus has made an attempt to certify products based on their environmental impact an thereby help the user make an informed choice. Insights/Conclusions In India, labeling of green goods is still an under developed phenomenon. Consumer ignorance is cited as a main reason by the industry for the current state of labeling. Labeling of products is done mainly to comply with certain standards rather than look at it as a tool to communicate information to the consumer. Some companies consider certifications as added cost rather than an investment in building the brand. Infrastructure and IT are the two sectors which have started and could potentially use labeling to not just communicate impact of products on the environment but also a tool to differentiate their proposition. The major source of revenue for the IT industry comes from clients located in U.S. and Europe. Since in these parts of the world, the philosophy of green is much more evolved, the Indian companies are bound to investing heavily in the green initiative and get certification for their products and services to meet quality standards of the west. The green philosophy is not necessarily percolating down to all levels of management. If at the point of sale, there is a knowledge gap with regards to the certification/labeling, such an incident can send the entire green policy for a toss. Labeling the buying process One of the study areas of this project was to identify the role labeling plays in the purchase decision for a consumer. A questionnaire/score sheet was administered to 102 people wherein they were asked to give scores out of ten to the following five parameters:- Brand Packaging Label Price Communication The above 5 parameters were arrived at after exhaustive secondary research, assistance from colleague doing a study in the area of green consumerism and keeping the Indian context in mind with regards to green marketing. In addition, respondents were asked to give an overall rating out of fifty with regards to their intention to purchase a green product given that This primary research was subject to the following assumptions:- Assumptions A green product here is limited to the following product categories:- o Electronic goods computers, ACs, mobiles etc. o Alternate Energy devices Solar water heaters o Automobiles Hybrid Cars like the Toyota Prius The above five parameters are the only ones that a consumer considers while purchasing a green product. The factor communication is all inclusive of advertising, sales promotion, point of sale activities etc. The impact(positive) that a product has on the environment is constant for all the products Analysis After data cleansing, the data set was reduced to ninety two. A multivariate regression analysis was run on this data with the following results:- Model Variables Entered Variables Removed Method 1 Communication, Packaging, Brand, Label, Price(a) . Enter a All requested variables entered. b Dependent Variable: Overall Model Summary(b) Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate Durbin-Watson 1 .996(a) .992 .991 .590 1.950 a Predictors: (Constant), Communication, Packaging, Brand, Label, Price b Dependent Variable: Overall Coefficients(a) Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig. Collinearity Statistics B Std. Error Beta Tolerance VIF B Std. Error 1 (Constant) .364 .561 .649 .519 Brand 1.036 .037 .325 27.754 .000 .938 1.066 Packaging .981 .036 .321 27.421 .000 .937 1.067 Label .904 .061 .175 14.745 .000 .917 1.091 Price 1.044 .029 .462 36.014 .000 .781 1.280 Communication 1.009 .028 .461 35.624 .000 .768 1.302 a Dependent Variable: Overall The detailed regression output is attached in Appendix A. Based on the regression analysis, the following framework arises:- Hierarchy of Factors The above framework shows the relative importance of all the factors that a consumer considers while purchasing a green product. Though, through analysis done on the data, it is possible to associate a numerical value to the importance in terms of percentage, the same has not been done, due to limited sample available. Insights/Conclusion Price, communication and brand are the primary factors a consumer looks at while purchasing a green product. This is primarily because the market for green products is still in the developing stage and thus it is much easier for a consumer base his or her judgment on the popular parameters. Since green products are still bound by a limited audience, there is a perception that anything green is expensive. Thus, price becomes of primary importance while making a purchase. Once consumer acceptance for green products increases and such products achieve mass appeal, price will reduce further and thus may not remain of prime importance while making a buying decision. The reason why labeling comes at the bottom of the hierarchy is primarily because of the low awareness and understanding at this point in time. In addition, the focus of most of the brands is on the other communication tools like traditional advertising TV and print to which the audience is most exposed to. Conclusion The initial hypothesis of Labeling for green products being like a black box holds true for the Indian context. Most of the current certifications focus only on one attribute or the final product. As a result, the impact on the environment through the course of the product life cycle from manufacturing to consumption to disposal is lost and never addressed. A majority of the consumer product companies view certifications has a necessary evil. Certifications in most cases are done for the sake of it without any thought towards how they could be utilized to market the product. However, there are exceptions like Fab India. Some companies even consider it as cost that could affect their margins. Even those that invest in and want its products to meet certain quality standards do not have policies and procedures in place to ensure participation throughout the value chain. As a result, a green initiative that starts from the corporate head quarters does not have a cascading effect. Eg: Videocon has undergone a rebranding exercise to project a greener image and show their concern for the environment. However, no information is available easily on how exactly it plans to adopt this green thinking throughout its value chain. A major part of the communication spends for any green initiative is towards traditional advertising like print and television. This is primarily high reach of the medium and the low cost incurred per person. Not much thought is put into using this money at the point of sale by investing into activities like labeling. In addition, most of the current communication is campaign focused thus propagating the brand only. Eg: IDEAs latest campaign of propagating usage of mobile VAS services and thus saving paper. While usage of mobile phones would save paper, what about the carbon footprint its production, consumption (of electricity) and disposal imprint? The institutional market is much more aware and developed with regards to certification. Companies need to follow certain guidelines for which they need certification. IT and infrastructure companies are driving the growth here. IT companies look upon certifications as a source the boost their image. With more and more projects like Amby Valley, Sahara City etc. coming up, such projects vie for the latest green house certification. Consumer segmentation is nonexistent when it comes to marketing of green goods. This is because of the view of most companies that anything that is harmful to the environment is shared problem of the entire population. The only segmentation that is done as of now is based on geography i.e. urban and rural areas. There is a lack of awareness and understanding amongst the consumers with regards to green labels. Thus, it does not carry much weight in their selection of one product over the other. The government certification agencies like Eco Mark, BEE, MNRE, SEC etc. have been successful only to a point and for select product categories. Recommendations Labeling of green products need not become the primary factor while the purchasing process. In fact, it will always continue to act as a support function. However, it has the potential to shift higher in the hierarchy of effects framework described earlier to become the second or third criteria while buying a product. In India, for this to happen, following are some thoughts that could help achieve the same and drive the green movement forward:- Since the market for green goods is still in the introduction phase, no consumer database is available. As a result, companies do not follow any segmentation approach while talking to the consumers. A one size fits all approach is adopted. This needs to change with companies identifying how each consumer consumption habits can be mapped to the environment. A starting point for the same could be to look at proxy factors like Fab India sales data, companies promoting video conferencing etc. Green labels need to become much more visible in the retail landscape. In this regard, a Wal-Mart kind of sustainability index solution in the Indian market could help achieve this. A big player like Reliance can take the lead in such a case. To gain credibility, the labels should ideally communicate the impact on the environment through the life cycle of the product. The labels must carry visual as well as verbal communication to communicate this. The HP Eco-Highlights label is an example for the same. This not only educates the customer but also increases the effectiveness of the label. Increasing consumer participation can help spread awareness about labeling and certifications. Eg: A URL on the label inviting customers (and prospective customers) to learn and participate in any discussion on certifications will not only spread awareness but also give impetus to the green movement. To build consumer awareness, more initiatives like the NDTV-Toyota Greenathon can be launched. A single third party certification agency or body with all industries covered would be the ideal solution to solve the issue of credibility. Limitations The idea of a green good and green marketing is still very new in the Indian context. In addition, it is an area where in any company would always want to project its concern for the environment. An issue where all the correct things are said in the public domain, without any concrete proof for the same. In this regard, some of the research conducted as part of this study, especially the in-depth interviews might not show the complete picture. There are multiple factors that can either assist or deter the growth of green marketing and labeling in India. For this study, some assumptions have been made regarding the same. Eg: This study mainly focuses on the industry point of view. It does detail any factor from the consumer side that could act as a potential deterrent to the acceptance of green marketing and labeling. Future Scope The study conducted was primarily done with an urban focus. Rural India presents a huge opportunity for usage of alternate forms of energy and other green products. Currently, the largest market for solar panels is in the rural areas. As more and more companies shift their focus to rural India and start developing products for the same with a green mindset, someone other than the government would need to help them asses and certify the quality of the products. In such a scenario, especially in the media dark areas, labeling could help rural consumers identify eco-friendly products. This area presents tremendous opportunity and raises issues like what aspects should be labeled? Should it be done in the local language? Will only visual communication work? The Indian economy is a service economy. In the service industry, processes need to be certified. Right from restaurants, hospitals, airports etc. vie for the highest level of certification. Is this only for building an image or a well thought out plan to reduce the carbon footprint? What does ISO 9000 or 14000 mean to the consumer? Does he even bother about such certifications? Another potential area for this kind of study in the area of labeling/certifications. Out of the Box Redefining Green Since the study started with looking at green, green marketing and labeling in a manner never done before, I feel it should also end with something different. The following is not necessarily based on any kind of research but is an output of the work done during the course of this study. My analysis as described in the sections above uses a top-down approach to show the current state of labeling in India, what could be done to help it grow in the future etc. Now, in the section below, I suggest some thoughts that could be looked upon while approaching the topic of labeling and green marketing. A cigarette lighter could be potentially marketed as green product. Over the life cycle of a cigarette lighter, imagine the number of match sticks that could be done without and thus the wood and so on. If some study can be conducted in this area and this can be proved, then the lighter can carry a label communicating the same. A video conferencing is a green product. This is because it is possible to communicate with people at different locations without the need to be physically present at those locations thus reducing possible Co2 emissions from cars, planes and avoiding the usage of other allied places like hotels etc. Most of the current certifications on any video conferencing device are related to the four aspects audio, video, networks and standards. Perhaps, there can be an additional label stating the reduction in carbon footprint the device can cause. A popular beverage in India is coconut water. An unadulterated beverage, it can be considered as an effort to become green. Can there be a company that puts a label on this highlighting this fact? Appendix A Depth Interview Guideline Since, the interviews were done in conjunction with another research in the similar area of green marketing, only the questions pertinent to this study are mentioned below:- Some of the key issues/questions that the guideline addressed were:- What are the various certifications that the products you manufacture carry? Could you please describe the importance of each of the certification carried by your product? Do such certifications/ labeling programs help in the communicating what the company is doing for the environment? What role can labeling/certification play in promotion of green goods? Do you think labeling can serve as a tool to differentiate amongst competing products? If so, why and how? Rural areas and certification/labeling can we bridge the education gap? Appendix B Industry Interview Excerpts The excerpts of the interviews from the various industry experts are documented below. Interview 1 Name Mr Bhaskar Company XYZ (Name changed on request) A leading IT company Designation GM, Product Marketing Mr. Bhaskar said that since he was in the IT products business, labeling was extensively used. Labels like Energy Star were used to convey the energy saving for a computer and associated peripherals. He said that IT companies in particular were at the forefront of the green movement and thus use of labeling followed. Eg: Every leading manufacturer has a Please shut your laptop sticker. The reason why labeling is not given much importance is the additional cost involved in getting the certification or putting up a sticker and also due to consumer ignorance. He felt that there is a serious need for a single regulatory body to certify all products and thus eliminate any bias. Works Cited Babyak, R. (2008). The Meaning of Greening. Appliance Design , 4-4. Basu, K., Chau, N., Grote, U. (2003). Eco-Labeling and Stages of Development. Review of Development Economics , 228-247. Case, S. (2009). The Future of Green Labels. Government Procurement , 22-23. Delise, J. (2009). The Meaning of Green. DMI News Views , 6-15. Goswami, P. (2008). Is the urban Indian consumer ready for clothing with eco-labels? International Journal of Consumer Studies , 438-446. Iyer, Easwar, Banerjee, Bobby. (1993). Anatomy of green advertising. Advances in Consumer Research , 494-501. Jain, S., Gurmeet, K. (2004). Green Marketing: An Indian Perspective. Decision , 168-209. Kleiner, A. (1991). What does it mean to be Green? Harward Business Review , 38-47. Payne, H. (2006). Standardised description, A form os specification labeling. Journal of Marketing , 234-241. Saxe, D. (2009). What does Green mean? Pollution Engineering , 18-19. Tang, E., Fryxell, Greald, E. (2004). Visual and Verbal Communication in the design of Eco-Lable for Green Consumer products. Journal of International Consumer Marketing , 85-105. 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