For more than half a century, marketers have bombarded customers with more and more choices in products and services. What is the result? Unprecedented anxiety. Our mental circuit breakers are on overload. In fact, pioneering brand strategists Steven M. Cristol and Peter Sealey assert that we have reached our manageable threshold for making decisions -- and a watershed in product proliferation. In this pathbreaking book, the authors argue with compelling evidence that the next generation of marketing successes will belong to those brands that simplify customers' lives or businesses in ways that are inextricably tied to brand and product positioning. They contend that if a brand is not reducing customer stress, it is creating it -- and it is vulnerable to losing market share to more customer-empathetic competitors. Writing especially for product or brand managers who are struggling to simplify their portfolios, Cristol and Sealey have created a breakthrough framework that is itself a lesson in simplicity. After presenting two essential guideposts for managers to assess where their brand sits on the stress spectrum, the authors turn to the heart of Simplicity Marketing -- the 4 R's of simplification: Replace, Repackage, Reposition, and Replenish. Using scores of real-world company examples, Cristol and Sealey show how each of the 4 R's interacts with the others in powerful ways to relieve customer stress and how these strategies may be executed individually or in combination to build brand loyalty. Here for the first time are ten specific strategies to relieve customer stress through consolidating, aggregating, or integrating products and services, repositioning brands for more relevance to stress reduction, and decluttering customers' decision-making requirements. The final pages of this brilliant manifesto for a simplicity revolution provide a guide to managing simplicity strategies, leveraging information technology to simplify rather than complicate customers' lives, and integrating all the tools in the book into an executional blueprint.

The number of Americans eligible to receive Social Security benefits will increase from forty-five million to nearly eighty million in the next twenty years. Retirement systems must therefore adapt to meet the demands of the largest aging population in our nation’s history. In Developments in the Economics of Aging, David A. Wise and a distinguished group of analysts examine the economic issues that will confront policy makers as they seek to design policies to protect the economic and physical health of these older Americans. The volume looks at such topics as factors influencing work and retirement decisions at older ages, changes in life satisfaction associated with retirement, and the shift in responsibility for managing retirement assets from professional money managers of traditional pension plans to individual account holders of 401(k)s. Developments in the Economics of Aging also addresses the complicated relationship between health and economic status, including why health behaviors vary across populations and how socioeconomic measures correlate with health outcomes.

A simpler life. In a shadow cast by the jarring beginning of the new millennium, simplicity has an undeniable appeal. Global conflicts, domestic security concerns, and a stalling economy can make keeping up with the Joneses feel like, at best, a misguided luxury. Now is not a time for excess; it is a time, it would seem, to focus on 'what really matters.' Thus the appeal of voluntary simplicity, a notion that combines the freedom of modernity with certain comforts and virtues of the past. The authors in this volume speak to the what, why, and how of voluntary simplicity (and even to some extent the where, when, and who). Those included range from contemporary academics to thinkers from the turn of the last century, from ardent supporters to staunch critics. They approach the subject from a variety of perspectives-economic, psychological, sociological, historical, and theological. Each either implicitly or explicitly helps us explore the desirability and feasibility of voluntary simplicity.

"The Art of Crafting Short Stories: A Guide to Writing and Publishing" is a comprehensive guide for writers of all levels. The book covers everything from understanding the short story genre and developing characters and plot to creating a compelling setting and using point of view to engage readers. It also includes chapters on writing dialogue that brings characters to life, building suspense and tension, crafting a satisfying conclusion, revising and editing your story, and submitting and publishing your work. The book also includes an additional chapter on Marketing and Promoting your short stories. This book is an essential guide for anyone looking to improve their short story writing skills and get their work published. It is easy to read, and it provides practical advice and examples for writers of all levels.

Contains administrative report only.

This handbook offers a tool for environmental managers and environmental officers alike. It contains ideas, case studies and methodologies which stimulate continuous improvement thinking and help train staff to implement sustainability and environmental management concepts.

Create a plan to connect with every family! There’s no doubt that family engagement makes a world of difference for teachers and students—but connecting with parents of various ethnic, socioeconomic, or cultural backgrounds can be challenging for educators. Calvalyn Day’s groundbreaking book offers clear instructions for building strong relationships, beginning effective dialogues, strategizing, and monitoring progress. Through the author’s perspective as a parent, counselor, and advisor to families at risk, readers will discover A step-by-step approach to family engagement developed for K-12 educators, including teachers, counselors, administrators and others Complete how-to’s for creating and carrying out a family engagement plan based on the author’s Vision, Plan, Action model Tools including a Parent Meeting Agenda, a Parent Empathy Map, an Educator Needs Assessment, and more Whether you work at a small rural school, in a large urban district, or anywhere in between, this invaluable book offers wisdom—and smart strategies—that will transform the experience for your students and their families, and lead to sustainable success. "Authentically Engaging Families is a wonderful guide for all those interested in engaging parents in the educational process in a variety of essential and creative ways." Nina Orellana, MTSS Coordinator Palm Bay Academy Charter School "This book presents a much-needed illustration of why educators MUST improve family engagement and how educators can put these evidence-based approaches into practice." Denise Michelle Voelker, Coordinator of Education and Training Programs University of Florida

Start and grow a durable business in the rapidly growing wellness industry! As we emerge from COVID-19 the world sits on the cusp of a massive wave of wellness industry growth. This "Fourth Wave of Wellness" will bring hundreds of millions more people into healthier, happier lifestyles, creating millions of jobs and producing massive entrepreneurial opportunities. Whether your goal is to work from home, open a neighborhood wellness studio or launch the next global wellness brand, Building a Wellness Business That Lasts is your definitive guide. Wellness has become one of the largest and most important business opportunities of our age, fueled by massive societal trends, rapid technology innovations, and hundreds of thousands of wellness business entrepreneurs. Independent teachers, trainers, and therapists and studio, gym, spa, and salon owners across the globe are transforming shopping malls and downtown districts with wellness experiences that help hundreds of millions of people live healthier, happier lives. Author Rick Stollmeyer is the co-founder and CEO of Mindbody, Inc., the leading technology platform for the wellness industry. Over more than two decades, Rick built Mindbody from a garage startup into a multi-billion-dollar technology platform for the wellness industry, helping thousands of wellness business owners achieve their visions in the process. This experience has given Rick a front row seat to the explosive growth of the wellness industry. He brings that unique experience and his passion for entrepreneurship to Building a Wellness Business That Lasts. This book will inspire and inform you at the same time and will serve as a powerful guide you can refer to on your path to success.

Explore the cutting-edge of marketing new products and services from leading businesses in Asia In Entrepreneurial Marketing 2: Inspirations From Asia, world-renowned marketing guru and bestselling author Philip Kotler delivers a groundbreaking book unveiling the transformative marketing strategies that have propelled Asia to the forefront of the global business arena. In this insightful text, Kotler explores the dynamic competition between Asia and the global West, revealing how it has catalyzed Asia's adoption of incisive and effective marketing practices. The book delves into various dimensions of marketing operations, including quality, cost, delivery, service, creativity, and innovation, highlighting the crucial role of entrepreneurship and leadership in achieving operational excellence. Kotler's analysis extends to significant developments within the global business ecosystem, showcasing how countries like Singapore, Japan, Korea, India, and China are redefining business efficiency and continuous improvement. You'll also find In-depth examinations of China's unique and competitive economic ecosystem Discussions of the increasingly foundational role played by Singapore as an international business hub An analysis of the latest economic developments in South Korea driving marketing excellence in that country Entrepreneurial Marketing 2: Inspirations From Asia is an essential guide for anyone involved in marketing, advertising, business operations, or entrepreneurship. This book is not just an analysis of Asian marketing prowess; it's a blueprint for harnessing these strategies to drive business growth and success in today's rapidly changing global market.