Calcium within the Human Body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Calcium within the Human Body - Essay Example A fascinating interplay of pathways and signals are involved in calcium regulation. As research and new technologies evolve, new aspects are elucidated in these complex mechanisms. Various animal models have been used in order to understand the cellular responses and the hormonal regulation (Eckermann 2008). Moe (2008) states "normal homeostatic regulation maintains serum levels, intracellular levels, and optimal mineral content in bone", summarizing the intricacy of structures and organs that contribute to "normal" levels. The major organs involved in the regulation of its metabolism are the parathyroid glands, the kidneys, the skeleton, and the gut (Wysolmerski & Insogna 2007). Our body obtains the necessary amount of calcium from two major sources: diet (through intestinal absorption) and bones (through calcium mobilization). Foods that include a high amount of calcium are diary milk, cheese yogurt, and green vegetables. The amount of calcium people need varies: young people need a high intake, so that growth and development are assured. Older women need calcium supplementation in order to prevent osteoporosis. Calcium is absorbed in the very beginning of the small bowel: duodenum and the first portion of the jejunum. The intestinal absorption is regulated by Vitamin D, and its mobil ization is tightly regulated by various hormones and signaling mechanisms, with a continuous remodeling of calcium storage. For example, if calcium is not adequately obtained from diet, a series of hormonal mechanisms are set off in order to get the necessary amount from bones; if this process is sustained for a long period of time, bones weaken. The kidneys are also important organs which regulate calcium metabolism and keep its blood levels (Choudhury & Levy 2007). In the different portions of the kidney, calcium is reabsorbed, so that equilibrium is achieved in the blood. Additionally, in both the proximal and distal nephrons, filtrated calcium is passively or actively absorbed into the bloodstream obtaining adequate levels in the urine. Those mechanisms can be modified with different drugs, which are used in certain conditions such as renal calculi. To review the impact of kidney disease in calcium metabolism, Hamdy (2007) has published an article where he explains the role of chronic kidney disease and the major disturbances seen in bone and mineral metabolism. A review of calcium metabolism would not be complete without addressing bone processes. Bone undergoes remodeling in all life stages, but certainly this process is faster in younger individuals, and more significant in trabecular bone than cortical bone. Normal bones are formed by different substances. Most of the body's calcium is stored in the bones, along with phosphorus and, mostly, as calcium phosphate salts. The great majority (almost 99%) of the calcium is found in the skeleton and approximately 1% moves freely from and into the bones (Matos 2008). Two principal cells regulate bone formation and destruction: osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Osteoclasts resorb bone and are formed by numerous monocytes that fuse and take shape of a multinucleated cell. On the other hand, osteoblasts deposit new bone and arise from mesenchymal cells. The remainder component of bone

Theories for Employee Motivation

Theories for Employee Motivation At the dawn of this millennium, Milner (2003) concluded that motivation continues to hold a significant position in eyes of scholars. It is a known fact that various organizations have resorted to different strategies to boost staff motivation, create a comfortable work environment and consequently, increase output. Motivation can be analyzed from various perspectives but for the purpose of this essay, it would be examined from a work related point of view. Work motivation is a set of energetic forces that originate both within as well as beyond an individuals being, to initiate work-related behaviour and to determine its form, direction, intensity, and duration (Pinder, 2005). We can therefore rightfully infer that motivation is a psychological process developing from contact between an individual and his environment. To understand motivation, one must understand the aspirations of a living being. Several motivation theories have been proposed to explain these human aspirations at different times and by diverse people. Motivation theories are broadly divided into two but for this essay, two theories, one from each broad group has selected for analysis. They are; Maslows hierarchy of needs theory (content theory) and Expectancy theory (process theory) They will be reviewed, evaluated and compared, highlighting individual strengths and limitations. They also would be used to determine the extent to which they influence individual motivation of people in the work place. Furthermore information collated from completed questionnaires by employees on what motivates them will be summarized and compared with the theory propositions to ascertain practical relevance. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW An appropriate starting note would be answering the question, what is motivation? A suitable definition would be the cognitive decision-making process, through which goal-directed behaviour is initiated, energized, directed and maintained (Buchanan Huczynski 2010, p. 267). The need to study motivation, its stimulators and extinguishers remain very vital. Its importance to managers cannot be over emphasized. Understanding the concept of motivation would equip managers with the right skills to encourage subordinates, accomplish organizational goals, increase output and also improve their quality of life. Motivation is a combination of choice and intention. It has come to a conclusion that individuals dissent to their motivational state and the elements that influence it. 2.1 MOTIVATION THEORIES Motivation theories are generally categorized under two broad groups content theory and process theory. Although there is no universally accepted theory that applies to everyone, each can help in different work scenarios. An attempt has been made to explain the variability noticed in the decisions people make about what they do at work, their commitment and the strength they utilize in achieving goals using motivational theories. Content theories of motivation question the perspective that views motivation in terms of individuals goals. Examples of content theories include Herzbergs Two-factor theory and Maslows hierarchy of needs theory. While process theories view motivation in terms of the decision making process influencing an individuals choice of goals. Examples are Equity Theory, Expectancy Theory and Goal Setting Theory. Different content and process theories have been formulated having specific application to motivation with reference to work context. 2.1.1 Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory (Content theory) According to R. Dailey (2008), Maslow proposed that people are motivated by the longing to gratify particular needs. He went on to arrange this needs in a given order starting with the most basic needs which he called lower level needs and rising to the higher level needs. He maintained that the lower level needs must be majorly satisfied before higher level needs and that a satisfied need seizes to be a motivator. Below are briefly described the different needs starting with the lower level needs. Physiological Needs these refer to basic needs required for survival and they include food, water, shelter, air. Some researchers have added money to this group arguing that it has the capacity to provide some of the needs. Security Needs these reefers to the general concern of an individual to feel safe, stable and the absence of pain in his environment both physically and psychologically. Social Belongingness Needs these refer to the desire for affiliation, friendship, love and being accepted by others as a result of interaction and association. Theoretically, people who reach this level have primarily satisfied physiological and safety needs and are now concerned with establishing satisfying relationships. (Hitt, Miller, and Colella, 2009). Esteem Needs these refer to perceptions of personal value as a result of admiration from fellow individuals. When employees have attained a certain level in the organizational hierarchy, they yearn for recognition, fame and power owing to previous achievements. Self-actualization Needs the need for self-actualization sits at the top of Maslows hierarchy and few people are deemed to have attained this level. They are generally driven by the desire to utilize their skill and maximize their potential. They always seek new ground breaking opportunities to bring into play their skills which greatly motivate them. Some other factors were originally included in Maslows needs but have been omitted by subsequent researchers. They are To know and to understand Aesthetics Transcendence Freedom of enquiry and expression They come in this order respectively between esteem needs and self-actualization needs. According to Maslow, the most potent way of motivating individuals is by provision of their primary needs which is the lowest unsatisfied need (Gordon, 1996). 2.2 Expectancy Theory (Process theory) People are motivated to work or involve in a process only when they are assured of or perceive personal benefit. The process through which outcomes become desirable is explained by the expectancy theory (Buchanan Huczynski, 2010). This theory thus goes along to prove that we act in manners that facilitate the accomplishment of appreciated goals. It helps in explaining employee behaviours relating to issues such as career choice, performance, joining a new organization, absenteeism, turnover and leadership effectiveness (Dailey, 2008). Expectancy theory was stated as a function of three concepts: valence, instrumentality and expectancy. Mathematically, it can be expressed as Motivation = V x I x E ( Valence x Instrumentality x Expectancy) If any of the values has zero value, then consequently, motivation is zero. Valence can be said to be personal value placed on a reward or the perceived value of an outcome. Since it is subjective, that means valence comes across to various people in different ways. Employees ascribe valences to specific outcomes and they can be either negative or positive. A negative valence can be linked to undesirable outcomes and consequently makes employee exhibit avoidance behaviours. Instrumentality is the personal belief that good performance would produce valued rewards. It can also be positive or negative. While positive instrumentality refers to the employee belief that good performance would lead to desired rewards, negative instrumentality means the opposite. Expectancy is the personal belief that effort would lead to good performance. When employees decide to dedicate time and energy to a job, they expect positive outcomes. Contrastingly, there would be no perceived effort if the employee believes that it would not bring about positive performance. It is also noteworthy that performance feedback would boost effort. Diagrammatically, expectancy theory can be summarized by the figure below. Motivational Force = Effort Performance Outcome 1 V1 Outcome 2 V2 Outcome 3 V3 E = Expectancy I = Instrumentality V = Valence 1 = Not valued at all 2 = Not strongly valued 3 = Strongly valued Fig 1.0: Expectancy Theory Model 2.3 STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES The strengths and weaknesses of Maslows hierarchy of needs theory and the Expectancy theory have been summarized in the tables below. STRENGTHS MASLOWS THEORY EXPECTANCY THEORY Shows the essence of consulting with employees and giving them a sense of belonging within the company. Strong empirical support. Shows a simple, reasonable description of human behaviour. Reflects importance of consistent rewards. It still remains very influential Recognizes individual differences. Encourages employee career development. Provides explicit ways to increase employee motivation. WEAKNESSES MASLOWS THEORY EXPECTANCY THEORY Lacks empirical validity. Using the components individually cannot strongly predict motivation. Focused only on positive growth without reflecting the possibility of a relapse in individuals. Assumes behaviour is rational. Does not hold universally Predictive power low for uncertain environments. Does not take individual differences into consideration. Questionable view of humans. 3.0 DATA ANALYSIS Those selected for the survey cut across multicultural backgrounds, different kinds of jobs ranging from white collar jobs to ordinary jobs and different organizational levels managers and subordinates. The questions were carefully selected to prove or disprove the validity of the theories. (See attached questionnaire in Appendix 1). Beginning with Maslows theory, the effect of physiological needs was undoubtedly reflected in the survey. 80% strongly agreed that the absence of physiological needs would adversely affect their motivation. Another issue is the contention over social needs. While 40% strongly accept the need to be socially accepted, a close 30% argue that the need to be accepted would not have any adverse on their output not because they lack emotions but owing to the nature of their work e.g. scientific research. Some others strongly underplayed the effect of social needs claiming that they boosted their self confidence by themselves and did not need to be accepted to be motivated which contradicts Maslows theory. The result also shows a very strong point that cut across the entire respondents which is the effect of pay. The survey results are summarized in the figure below. Fig 3.0 MASLOWS HIERARCHY OF NEEDS THEORY ANALYSIS For the expectancy theory, the components instrumentality, valence and expectancy were generally accepted though the percentage for those that strongly agreed was not overwhelming. 30% strongly agreed to the influence of instrumentality, 30% for valence and 40% for expectancy. Worthy of note is the feedback factor whose importance is overwhelmingly obvious from the figure below (80%). But most interestingly is the fact that even though 80% strongly subscribed to motivation from a good pay check, a stunning 60% agreed that they would accept a more interesting job for a pay cut (question 1). A general summary of the survey relating to the expectancy theory is shown in the figure below. Fig 3.1 EXPECTANCY THEORY RESULT ANALYSIS 3.1 EVALUATION OF THEORIES The answers to the questionnaire would seem to indicate that workers were not remarkably convinced that good performance would lead to valuable rewards which raise a strong concern about the motivation of workers in todays organizations. The argument is that if the employees do not see a clear pathway from excellent performance to valued rewards, motivation would be on the decline with the effects clearly obvious. Moreover, 60% of the respondents opted for a more interesting work with less pay. This shows a path to self-actualization and that more value placed on it. When the job is more interesting, that provides the employee with an atmosphere to exploit his potentials hoping for a valued reward. This further explains the concept of instrumentality because respondents placed more value on job satisfaction. The last two questions were intended to get firsthand the kind of rewards that truly appeal to individuals and to give them an opportunity to say what really motivates them. 70% of the respondents had financial rewards as their first choice and it was followed by recognition with a close score of 60%. This reflects Maslows social and belongings need and also his esteem needs on one hand and the valence component of the expectancy theory. This shows a relationship in both theories when compared. Also very prominent was the feedback factor equally portrayed by the two theories. Equally significant was the choice of promotion and self-actualization as valuable rewards. Promotion as an example of instrumentality can also boost esteem needs. The survey results highlighted show very close similarities between Maslows hierarchy of needs and the Expectancy theory. Even though they were proposed by various people and ages ago, they have stood the test of time and are still very valuable today. The results also prove that motivation is dependent on the individual and the environment. 3.2 PRACTICAL RELEVANCE Most work places meet the first two basic needs going by Maslows hierarchy needs theory. Employers meet physiological needs by paying wages and salaries which can provide food and shelter. In most countries, they are also obligated by law to meet the next level of needs by providing safe and secure work places. To meet the next level of needs, managers need to encourage team work. The work environment is a social place and at that team spirit should be developed. Managers should go a long way to foster socialization and a sense of belonging through effective internal communication, social gatherings, etc. If this is done, a better working environment would be created, social needs provided and motivation heading north. An appropriate reward system is very essential and would go a long way to meet esteem needs. Clear links should be made between efforts and goals and an appraisal system which recognizes achievement using valued rewards like pay rises, executive official cars and promotions should be put in place. These things also attach a status symbol to their office which promotes esteem. Evidently, the esteem of people in diverse jobs is boosted in different ways. If managers possess the ability to assess and channel instrumentality rightly, motivation would be surely achieved. All management policies that crack, resist, alter or bend instrumentalities should be looked into to avoid lowering employee effort and performance. Self-actualization, sitting on the top of Maslows hierarchy can be likened to valued reward instrumentality in the expectancy theory and this would not immediately come to everybody as achievable through work but it actually is. Managers should ensure quality training and support so as to achieve clear performance goals and provide an avenue to inspire innovation. When employees are faced with challenging goals and can see a clear path to positive instrumentality through expectancy then this objective is feasible and personal growth achieved. On the contrary, self-actualization has been found to play a marginal role in some cultures. Japanese cultures offer jobs for life which seem to meet only physiological needs and promotions based on seniority which diminishes the longing for self-actualization in the work place. Also in some highly collectivist cultures, attempts to be personally innovative may be deemed as aberrant (Hofstede, 1991). 4.0 CONCLUSION The present study attempts to crystallize certain factors which influence motivation by analyzing the relationship between employees, employers and the work environment. Both Maslows theory and Expectancy theory can explain motivation only to a certain magnitude from various view points. Maslows theory proposes that individuals are motivated based on drives and needs while expectancy theory postulates that choices are made based on how we make choices with respect to goals. The response from the questionnaires corroborated aspects of both theories but highlighted the great importance of pay and feedback in influencing motivation. It is recommended that managers and employers pay great attention to these factors amongst the rest. As hinted previously, no theory can conclusively explain the concept of motivation. The relevance of these theories cannot be over emphasized or neglected. They have had a substantial impact on managers directly and employers as a whole in helping to find out how and what to do to boost employee motivation. In addition, they have generated further interests in the area of specialization. The most significant limitation to this survey was the restriction to the number of people surveyed and the difficulty in convincing unskilled workers to partake in the survey.

Eutrophication Essay -- Geology

What is eutrophication? Eutrophication is, in the simplest terms, too much of a good thing. It occurs when too many nutrients are deposited into a body of water, throwing off the established balance of production and consumption of organic matter. Eutrophication can take place in ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans. At first, the overload of nutrients in the body of water encourages plant growth. However, soon this excess of organic material uses up most of the available oxygen in the water, taking it away from the other plants and animals. These other organisms can no longer survive with such depleted oxygen levels and die off, creating what is referred to sometimes as a "dead zone", devoid of life. Below is a table of the different trophic states, or levels of organic matter in relation to available oxygen, that a body of water traverses on its way to becoming a "dead zone". TROPHIC STATES Oligotrophic Clear waters with little organic matter or sediment and minimum biological activity. Mesotrophic Waters with more nutrients, and therefore, more biological productivity. Eutrophic Waters extremely rich in nutrients, with high biological productivity. Some species may be choked out. Hypereutrophic Murky, highly productive waters, closest to the wetland status. Many clearwater species cannot survive. Dystrophic Low in nutrients, highly colored with dissolved humic organic material. (Not necessarily a part of the natural trophic progression.) back to top What causes eutrophication? Eutrophication of bodies of water is a naturally occurring phenomenon. However, the process has been aggravated by the human population. Such man-made eutrophication is caused by excessive discharge of nutrien... ...less * and being a responsible boater by pumping out wastes. back to top Resources 1. Environmental Agency, http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ s-enviro/viewpoints/4health/3eutroph/4-3.html 2. Eutrophication, http://www.btnep.org/pages/eutrophication1.html 3. Fish Kills do to Harmful Algal Blooms, http://www.redtide.whoi.edu/ hab/foodweb/fishkills.html 4. Harmful Algal Bloom Photo Gallery, http://habserv1.whoi.edu/hab/ rtphotos/rtphotos.html 5. Impact of Phosphorus on Aquatic Life: Eutrophication, http://www. agnr.umd.edu/users/agron/nutrient/Factshee/Phosphorus/Eutrop.html 6. Marine Research on Eutrophication, http://www.mare.su.se/english/ index.html 7. Midatlantic Integrated Assessment, http://www.epa.gov/emfjulte/ tpmcmaia/html/eutroph.html 8. United Nations Environment Programme, http://www.grida.no Eutrophication Essay -- Geology What is eutrophication? Eutrophication is, in the simplest terms, too much of a good thing. It occurs when too many nutrients are deposited into a body of water, throwing off the established balance of production and consumption of organic matter. Eutrophication can take place in ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans. At first, the overload of nutrients in the body of water encourages plant growth. However, soon this excess of organic material uses up most of the available oxygen in the water, taking it away from the other plants and animals. These other organisms can no longer survive with such depleted oxygen levels and die off, creating what is referred to sometimes as a "dead zone", devoid of life. Below is a table of the different trophic states, or levels of organic matter in relation to available oxygen, that a body of water traverses on its way to becoming a "dead zone". TROPHIC STATES Oligotrophic Clear waters with little organic matter or sediment and minimum biological activity. Mesotrophic Waters with more nutrients, and therefore, more biological productivity. Eutrophic Waters extremely rich in nutrients, with high biological productivity. Some species may be choked out. Hypereutrophic Murky, highly productive waters, closest to the wetland status. Many clearwater species cannot survive. Dystrophic Low in nutrients, highly colored with dissolved humic organic material. (Not necessarily a part of the natural trophic progression.) back to top What causes eutrophication? Eutrophication of bodies of water is a naturally occurring phenomenon. However, the process has been aggravated by the human population. Such man-made eutrophication is caused by excessive discharge of nutrien... ...less * and being a responsible boater by pumping out wastes. back to top Resources 1. Environmental Agency, http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ s-enviro/viewpoints/4health/3eutroph/4-3.html 2. Eutrophication, http://www.btnep.org/pages/eutrophication1.html 3. Fish Kills do to Harmful Algal Blooms, http://www.redtide.whoi.edu/ hab/foodweb/fishkills.html 4. Harmful Algal Bloom Photo Gallery, http://habserv1.whoi.edu/hab/ rtphotos/rtphotos.html 5. Impact of Phosphorus on Aquatic Life: Eutrophication, http://www. agnr.umd.edu/users/agron/nutrient/Factshee/Phosphorus/Eutrop.html 6. Marine Research on Eutrophication, http://www.mare.su.se/english/ index.html 7. Midatlantic Integrated Assessment, http://www.epa.gov/emfjulte/ tpmcmaia/html/eutroph.html 8. United Nations Environment Programme, http://www.grida.no

B. Will the Economy Falter? Essay

The U. S. is now in its fifth straight year of economic growth. (There was a brief recession back in 2001. ) It has been observed over the last 60 years economic that recoveries on average last only five years. Once the five-year mark is reached, an economy typically runs into trouble. Cracks and strains start to appear. Inflation pressures build, interest rates move higher, housing weakens and business inventories begin to swell. On the media pundits utter the â€Å"R† word (recession) more frequently at this juncture. So the obvious question is: If the present recovery is five years old, is this economy now in jeopardy? The answer, fortunately, is no. Some sectors, like housing, are showing signs of tiring. Even the pace of job creation has been slowing the last four months. However, when diagnosing the health of an economy, it is vital to differentiate between an economy that is merely slowing to a more moderate and sustainable pace — from one where fundamentals have so deteriorated that a recession is all but inevitable. All evidence this time points to the former, namely that the economy remains in sound health with the business cycle far from over. The economy has indeed performed very well so far in 2006. Growth surged an estimated 4. 5% annual pace in the first half — despite high energy prices and rising interest rates. Inflation, though slightly higher than what the Federal Reserve prefers, is still quite benign. Companies continue to focus on operating more efficiently and raising productivity levels. Job creation, which has been disappointing recently, is still running at an average of nearly 150,000 a month, very near the level of 165,000 per month seen in 2005. S&P 500 earnings are expected to increase by 11% in the second quarter, after a 15% jump in the first three months (Baumohl).

Why digital marketing is imperative? Essay

Digital Marketing Introduction            Marketing has become of the vital aspects in business running. This is the method of communicating the worth of a service or a product to the customer by a producer or the seller with the main intention being selling the product or services. There are numerous types and forms of marketing. Digital marketing is one of them; this is marketing which makes use of electronic devices (computers). Digital marketing applies expertise’s or platforms such as websites, e-mail and social networks. Many organizations have resulted to combination of tradition and digital marketing channels. Digital marketing is the advertising of products or brands using different forms of electronic media. One of the major differences between the traditional marketing and the digital marketing is that, digital marketing uses methods or channels that allow a business to scrutinize marketing movements and comprehend what is functional and what is not (Ryan & Jones, 2012). Why digital marketing is imperative?            Digital marketing an all encompassing aspect that all customers have access to information at anytime and anyplace they want it. Past are the times when messages that people got about a product or service comes from the company and entailed only what the company wanted the customers to know (Wind &Mahajan, 2001). The world of digital world is an ever-rowing source of leisure, news, social interaction as well as consumers are now uncovered not just to what the business says about their product, but what the media, relatives, friends, etc., are saying as well. In addition, the customers are further probable to trust them than you are. People want products they can trust, companies that know them, personalized communications and relevant offers modified to their needs and preferences (Bird, 2007).            With the world rapidly shifting from analogue to the digital world, the digital marketing world is as well becoming one of the vital aspects in the business industry. People are becoming more and more consumers of the digital world through devices such as mobiles, computers, and laptops and in turn, the marketing sector is adapting fast. Digital marketing is becoming infinitely more affordable than the traditional offline marketing strategies or methods. For example, the social media can transmit a marketing message to a wide range of audience or consumers within a very short period and at an affordable cost (Fenwick & Wertime, 2013). In addition, another main benefit of conducting marketing digitally, us the fact that, one can be able to track and monitor the marketing results. This can be done through review of consumers response rates and in turn enable to measure the success of a marketing campaign in real time. Perhaps the strongest case for incorporating a di gital element in ones marketing intelligence campaign is that, there are numerous digital forms of media that are fast overtaking the traditional forms of information consumption. The bottom line is, the digital age is here, and those businesses that fail to adapt to the new marketing climate are at great risk of going extinct sooner rather than later (Ryan & Jones, 2011). Digital Marketing Methods Already In Use in the Company ABC            Despite the growing list of available digital marketing methods, ABC has already put in use some of the methods. Despite the need to deployment the new marketing channels, ABC Company had already deployed different and varying marketing channels. One of the major and key digital marketing that is already in use by the Pepsi Company is the use of Company Official Website. The company website is the chief gateway to the company’s products or services. Numerous businesses start with an eye-catching website as the primary step to advertising their business or the products and services and so does the Pepsi Company (Hemman, 2013). It does not look like the websites use technology is not departing away anytime soon. They are still the most effectual advertising channel, even though many business proprietors attribute the achievement of a sale to their website rather than the advertising actions that got public there in the first place (Rowan, 2001). This is a gene ral dilemma that can only be determined through analytics and education. A website on its own will fail to produce activity unless there is a dynamic program or advertising in place to welcome visitors to the website. A great looking website is a good start but very few websites can get results without many months of social media, search marketing, or advertising (Ryan & Jones, 2012).            The major merit associated with use of website marketing also known as online marketing is that, the company can reach to a large volume of customers globally. The internet is a powerful tool in connecting people. It’s also inexpensive when compared to other traditional methods if marketing, brings results quickly, invites consumers and clients to research for specific product of their interests (Rowley, 2008). Moreover, business growth statistics can be measured very easily. On the other hand, this method has limitations. One is the consumers are denied to feel, smell, taste or to try on the tangible goods before marketing or purchasing. For the method to be effective, customers and clients must be handy with the use of ‘Email Marketing Efficiently’ (Carter, 2011).            In addition to the company website, the company also has implemented email marketing method. This is whereby, the company captures the emails addresses of their website visitors when they subscribe to the website. In return, they use send emails to the customers with the desired messages about a product or a service. This can be done from the official company website or from the affiliate’s websites. The benefits of this method include low cost of conducting and running the marketing campaign, it’s also easy to create and also track. Moreover, it can be used to cover a large geographical area within a short period of time (Carter, 2012).            However, on the other hand the marketing method is incurred by shortcomings. One is that the method needs engagement as it calls for constant tweaking so as to keep the subscribers engaged. Spam is another demerit of the method. People’s inboxes are filled with emails and in order to cut down the amount of unwanted emails, servers have filters to lessen the number of spam emails to the customers and in return the information may fail to reach to the intended people in time (Friedlein, 2014). Digital marketing channels            In the ever growing digital marketing world, there are numerous and continues channels that can be deployed in digital marketing. The channel (s) used by any given business depends or varies from one business to the other as the business the most effective method depending on the target or objectives of the marketing campaign. Choosing the right channels to use for what purposes in the ABC, critical elements of business strategy is vital in choosing the most effective channels (Hendrix, 2014). Get it right and you can reap the rewards of reaching and retaining your customers. In the process of choosing marketing channels there are three keys to a successful digital marketing. (I). the channel should be able to manage complex customer relations with the company, products and services offered across a variety of other channels both digital and traditional. (II) The channel should respond and at the same time initiate dynamic customer relations. (III) Finally, the cha nnel should extract value from big data to make better decisions faster (Winterberg, 2013). As a marketing consultant the best digital channels that can be deployed by Pepsi Company include: Social Media Marketing            Social media marketing  refers to the practice of gaining  website traffic  or awareness through social media sites. It is a form of Internet marketing which utilizes  networking websites as a marketing tool. The main objective of this method is to produce content that users will share with their social network to help a company increase brand exposure and broaden customer reach. The social media phenomenon is gaining steam in recent times as the young and digital generations are frequently relying on for information (Farrar, 2010). One advantage of deploying social media is the fact that it’s free to use for the customers and the company so able to get the feedback from the customer instantly. Social media is the various activities which integrate technology, social interaction, and construction of pictures, words, videos and audio. This marketing channel creates connectedness between the company and the customer, maintains openness and promotes par ticipation of the customers in company activities. However, this digital marketing method requires the company to keep updating the social media accounts. This process takes time and effort. In addition, a person with knowledge about the company and its products should be deployed to manage the accounts (Ryan & Jones, 2012). Affiliate Digital Marketing            Another digital channel that would be of great help to ABC is through affiliate digital marketing. This is whereby a website owner places adverts on behalf of ABC (online merchant). The benefits from this affiliate marketing are through three ways. These are: pay per click policy. Pay per sale and pay per lead. Advantages of using this digital marketing channel are that, the merchant company only incurs a cost when the agreed action occurs. In addition, the company would get mass coverage at no additional cost and lastly, the more websites the ABC Company would be affiliated wit, the more exposure of its products and services it gets. Despite the scams and schemes in the trade, affiliate marketing is still one of the best ways to generate income on the Internet. It is especially beneficial for those wanting to earn without having to spend too much time and effort monitoring sales or client response (Bird, 2007).            For the success of the new digital campaign the information provided is vital for the customers and the company at large. The kind of information sent through the channels in marketing should relevant o the company, the product and the customer. One of the vital information exchanged through the marketing channels is the different types of products offered or produced by the company. This helps to identify a company in terms of goods or services produced. In addition, the geographical location of the business is also provided. This helps the customers to know the nearest location to find the company or their products. In other words, the channels provide information about the company and its business aspects. Moreover, the information passed or sent through the marketing methods includes promotions, payments methods and delivery of goods and services as well as all the information deemed vital to help the company increase the amount of sales or revenue gained (Bird , 2007).            In order for the digital marketing to be successful, there are numerous factors that must be met or observed by the new digital campaign, for the company. Objective attainability, this is the fact that, the new marketing campaign and the channels deployed should be applicable in achieving the company objectives and missions. Secondly, the new digital campaign should be dynamic and consumer engaging. Other key success factors include the engaging aspects of the marketing channels. The new designed marketing channels are customer engaging as it helps in determining the performance of the company through the number of positive responses from the customers. Finally, market information is sent through the channels (Bird, 2007). Conclusion            Over the recent times, there has been a dramatic increase in the intensity with which people business entities and companies use digital devices and platforms. Market analyst believes that worldwide mobile transaction volumes and value will see an average 42% yearly increase between 2011 and 2016. As customers shift online, it will become essential that businesses adopt the clear-cut rules of online and mobile targeting, personalization, engagement, conversion, and retention (Bird, 2007). Digital marketing represents about 25% of all marketing spending today. By 2020, it is believed that, it will dictate 50% of all marketing budgets. Businesses that prepare for and hone their digital marketing abilities now will begin to see instantaneous benefits and are likely to stay ahead of the curve. Interactive media will modernize business. 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