Synovate Survey Shows Ascending Singaporean Spending Power free essay sample

Synovate survey shows ascending Singaporean spending power. Synovate, a leading global market intelligence company, today released information from the 2005 Synovate PAX media survey that showed rises in wealth, product and service ownership and improvements in lifestyle across Singapores affluent residents. The Synovate PAX survey tracks media, prosperity and influence in eleven markets across the Asia Pacific region – Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, India, Australia and Japan. Wanda Gill, Media Director for Synovate in Singapore said that the affluent of Singapore were enjoying high confidence and spending power. In just the last few months, our constantly-updated tracking has enabled us to watch Singapores ever–increasing confidence translate into higher product ownership, increasing purchase intentions and improving lifestyle. The Synovate PAX results for 2005 show that the average monthly household income of the Lion Citys affluent residents has risen from US$4,826 to US$5,456 – a 13% relative change. With greater household wealth, these Singaporeans are rewarding themselves with purchases of top tier luxury and consumer items and steady increases in property ownership and investment, Ms Gill said. We will write a custom essay sample on Synovate Survey Shows Ascending Singaporean Spending Power or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Synovate PAX survey allows marketers to get a full picture of Singapores affluent consumers – what they watch, read, buy and how they feel about advertising and branding – enabling them to target their marketing efforts. Ms Gill said that the 2005 results painted a picture of Singapore as the quiet powerhouse in relation to other markets in the region. While Hong Kongs wealthy are conspicuous consumers and buy items for their fashion status, Singaporeans tend to be more considered in distributing the fruits of their labours. Singapores elites still spend – and spend a lot – but our data shows they wont get their wallets out on a whim. Marketers must appeal to this lack of pretension and realise Singaporeans are not as status-conscious as people from Hong Kong or as acquisitive as the wealthy of other South East Asian economies which are less mature. Singaporeans are comfortable in their skins and are more likely to buy to make their lives easier, Ms Gill said. The Synovate PAX survey delves into peoples attitudes to brands and advertising via a series of psychographic statements. Some of the findings for Singapore were: * 11. 5% of Singapores elites agreed with the statement that they are among the first to buy a new product or gadget. This is below the regional average, showing that Singaporeans are less in a rush than other markets, waiting to see if the item fits into their lifestyle. More than two thirds of Singaporeans agree that paying for quality is worthwhile. * 46. 9% wealthy Singaporeans prefer to buy well known brands, well over the regional average of 41. 1%. * Singaporeans show a focus on lifestyle with 41. 5% agreeing that a home with modern appliances is important to them – this compares to the regional average of 38. 7% and 28. 9% in Hong Kong. Theres an indulgent streak across affluent Singaporeans, with one of the highest levels of agreement to the statement I sometimes like to treat myself to something special. 8. 2% of PAX respondents agreed in Singapore, with only Sydney-siders more indulgent (62%). The regional average is 48. 5%. Synovate PAX also covers product and service ownership, purchase intention over the twelve months to June 2006 and lifestyle. * As a major regional business hub of Asia, it would be expected that a great deal of business travel originates here. However, from June 2004 to June 2005, we have seen a 22% increase in Singapores affluent taking off on one or more business trips. Around 28% of these PAX respondents travel for business. But Singapores elite still find time to relax – more than 50% have taken one or more leisure trips in the year to June 2005 too. * An all-time high number of 38. 6% of affluent Singaporeans now own laptops or notebooks, up from 31. 9% in June 2004. * Likewise, ownership of a mobile phone with Internet access hits an all-time high – it stands at 37. 7% and shows steady increases for every quarter measured. This continuing trend is good news for mobile manufacturers and 3G networks and service offering planners. Indeed, more than 92% of affluent Singaporeans own a mobile with or without Internet access – they are here to stay and all these people will upgrade as mobile content becomes more and more compelling. * Digital dominance seems more and more inevitable as we observe relentless increases in Singaporean ownership of devices like MP3 players (up to 23. 1%, a rise of a quarter over the year before), digital video cameras (43. 7% now own these, up from 35. 9%) and digital still cameras (more than half of affluent Singaporeans own these an increase from 41% in 2004). Indeed, the love ffair with digital is truly blossoming. * Its fair to say that the marketers of LCD or plasma televisions have enjoyed a good year. They close to doubled their market size, with the number of wealthy Singaporeans already owning one of these TVs rising from 7. 6% to 12. 7%. And theres still a great deal of upside, with 10% expressing the intention to purchase this top tier item in the next 12 months. * Car ownership impressively jumped for the second consecutive year. At the end of June 2005, 60% of cashed up Singaporeans owned one, up from 56. 6% at the same time last year. This is an especially good sign of confidence in this very expensive place to own one – the reduction in COEs would play a significant role in this as well. And indicating that the trend is set to continue, 11. 7% of respondents intend to purchase a private vehicle over the next twelve months. * Singapores love affair with football / soccer continues – a third of PAX respondents read about it, watch it or attend games. This is up from 29. 5% last year. In fact, Singapore is really getting sporty tennis, badminton, basketball and golf all showed higher levels of interest too. With more disposable income, Singaporeans have also been getting cultural. More people have attended a concert, opera, ballet, live theatre, art gallery and museums. * The interest in quality wine continues to gain momentum. Spending on quality wine has dramatically increased from US$144 in 2004 to US$223 in 2005. This is a massive 55% relative increase. * The number of elites of the island state who own a second property is up to 10. 6%. Increases in people living in an owned property have been registered as well – 22. 9% of PAX respondents own their homes.

Avoiding Power Abuse When the Actions of the President Have to Be Restricted by the Congress

Avoiding Power Abuse When the Actions of the President Have to Be Restricted by the Congress There is no doubt that a state leader enjoys impressive power. With political, economical, financial and even social issues under control, a political leader can possibly turn into a dictator[1].Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Avoiding Power Abuse: When the Actions of the President Have to Be Restricted by the Congress specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the fact that in the resent-day world, the leader of a state controls every single sphere of the life of the state, the restrictions imposed on the leader by qualified exceptionalism principle allows for making sure that no power abuse is taking place. In his article, David Rudenstine explains where the power abuse that can be currently observed in a number of states stems from. According to Rudenstine, the seeds of constitutional dictatorship were planted in a governmental system since Ancient Rome. As Rudenstine explains, the principle in accordance with which the leader of a stat might consider authoritarian regime as a means to lead the state out of a crisis â€Å"is rooted in the Roman Republic.†[2] In their turn, Owens and Loomes analyze the work of the U.S. Congress without the references to earlier political practices, as well as without analyzing a particular political situation. According to Owens and Loomes, as long as the policy of qualified expectations persists in the U.S. government and the Congress has its impact on the President’s actions, democracy is safe.[3] Despite the work of the Congress, however, power abuse can possibly take place unless strong moral principles are established, which will help coordinate the steps of the government[4]. The aforementioned Congress does not necessarily speak from the perspective of people. Rather, Congress considers what will be most favorable for the state. After all, the members of the Congress often dispute and rarely come to terms: â€Å"American voters c an become frustrated by the inability of their leaders to move forward.†[5] However, it cannot be denied that the Congress controls the actions of the President, thus, preventing him/her from making the steps that conflict with the interests of the U.S. population: â€Å"Even today, Congress limits the Presidents powers.†[6] In addition, the way in which the Congress limits presidential power also leaves much room for thoughts. Stacey Kaper gives a very graphic example of the failure of the Congress to voice the opinion of the nation by explaining that the Congress should â€Å"provide the president with explicit self-defense authorization to address specific emerging threats,†[7] yet it never does. Perhaps, one of the key reasons for this is that â€Å"we expect too much of government†; however, it is the duty of the state representatives to take care of people, and it is necessary to make sure that they attend to their duties.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, it cannot be denied that for an average person, connecting with the Congress for the latter to translate their demands into reforms is extremely hard. As Independence Hall Associations explains, USA is â€Å"far too large a country to operate effectively as a direct democracy.†[8] With that being said, it can be assumed that the existence of Congress is justified, especially when such issues as waging war are at stake: â€Å"The implication often given is that these powers are somehow incompatible.†[9] Although there are a number of opportunities for abusing power for a man/woman in presidency, it seems that dictatorship is highly unlikely to occur in the states where restrictions are provided. While it is important to trust the person chosen democratically to rule the state, it is essential to show that gaining presidency mean s taking responsibilities. As long as the reminders of the responsibility of being a state leader exist, democracy is going to be the basic principle of governing the state. Bibliography Independence Hall Associations. â€Å"American Political Attitudes and Participation.† In  American Government. Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association, 2008. ushistory.org/gov/index.asp. Independence Hall Associations. â€Å"How Do Citizens Connect with Their Government?† In American Government. Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association, 2008. ushistory.org/gov/index.asp. Independence Hall Associations. â€Å"Congress: The People’s Branch?† In American  Government. Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association, 2008. ushistory.org/gov/index.asp. Independence Hall Associations. â€Å"The Presidency: The Leadership Branch?† In  American Government. Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association, 2008. ushistory.org/gov/index.asp. Kaper, Stacy. â€Å"How to Restrict the President’s Power to Wage War.† National  Journal 6, no. 15 (2013): 37.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Avoiding Power Abuse: When the Actions of the President Have to Be Restricted by the Congress specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Machiavelli, Nicolo. The Prince [Excerpts]. 1513. fordham.edu/halsall/source/prince-excerp.asp Owens, John E. and Burdett A. Looms. â€Å"Qualified Exceptionalism: The US Congress in Comparative Perspective.† The Journal of Legislative Studies 12, no. 3–4 (2006): 258–290. Rogers, William. â€Å"Congress, the President, and the War Powers.† California Law  Review 59, no. 5 (1971): 1194–1214. Rudenstine, David. â€Å"Roman Roots for an Imperial Presidency: Revisiting Clinton Rossiter’s 1948 Constitutional Dictatorship: Crisis Government in the Modern Democracies.† Cardozo Law Review 34, no. 3 (2013): 1063–1078. Footnotes Nicolo Machiavelli, The Prince [Excerpts], 1513, fordham.edu/halsall/source/prince-excerp.asp David Rudenstine, â€Å"Roman Roots for an Imperial Presidency: Revisiting Clinton Rossiter’s 1948 Constitutional Dictatorship: Crisis Government in the Modern Democracies,† Cardozo Law Review 34, no. 3 (2013): 1063. John E. Owens and Burdett A. Looms, â€Å"Qualified Exceptionalism: The US Congress in Comparative Perspective,† The Journal of Legislative Studies 12, no. 3–4 (2006): 258–290 Independence Hall Associations, â€Å"American Political Attitudes and Participation,† in American  Government, Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association, 2008. ushistory.org/gov/index.asp. Independence Hall Associations, â€Å"Congress: The People’s Branch?,† in AmericanGovernment, Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association, 2008, ushistory.org/gov/index.asp. Independence Hall Associations,  "The Presidency: The Leadership Branch?,† In  American Government, Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association, 2008. ushistory.org/gov/index.asp. Stacy Kaper, â€Å"How to Restrict the President’s Power to Wage War,† National  Journal 6, no. 15 (2013): 37. Independence Hall Associations, â€Å"How Do Citizens Connect with Their Government?,† in American Government. Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall Association, 2008, ushistory.org/gov/index.asp. William Rogers, â€Å"Congress, the President, and the War Powers,† California Law Review 59, no. 5 (1971): 1194–1214.