MGA Entertainment, Consumer Entertainment Products Company: Marketing Strategies for ‘Bratz’

YesToy industry in the US is product driven and full of challenges. This case presents an overview of the California-based Micro Games of America (MGA) Entertainment, which is a consumer entertainment products company, engaged in innovative lines of proprietary and licensed products including toys and games, dolls, consumer electronics, home decor, stationery and sporting goods. It had more than 200 licences. In 2001, MGA launched a fashion doll called ‘Bratz’, and it sold 150 million Bratz dolls all over the world. Bratz line surpassed the legendary brand ‘Barbie’—Mattel, Inc.’s flagship brand—in a short span of time through many innovative marketing strategies and different product placement, roll-outs, tie-ins and other promotional tactics, despite facing many challenges, such as, fast-changing demographics, shorter product life cycle (PLC) and negative perceptions about brand. This case can be used to address two issues: first, structural change drivers and trends that shaped the toy industry in developed economies and, second, how to develop effective marketing strategies for product with shorter PLC in highly product-driven market

The BG News September 8, 2005

The BGSU campus student newspaper September 8, 2005. Volume 96 - Issue 14https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/8471/thumbnail.jp

Investigation of interaction design principles, for use in the design of online galleries

This research is the culmination of a four-year investigation and analysis into the principles of Interaction Design, particularly those that are found to be most suitable when designing and developing interactive navigation systems. The research was undertaken as a Masters degree by project. The project consists of a CD containing an online gallery showcasing works of art and an accompanying exegesis. The exegesis is structured into seven chapters, which consider, analyse and define what the key characteristics of Interaction Design are, where it comes from, and how it improves the quality of interactive multimedia applications. The exegesis includes four case studies that look at how other practitioners in the digital realm have created systems for showcasing narrative or creative content online. I examine alternative artworks and how they have shaped the development of creative media. I investigate what experts in the field define as good Interaction Design and what guidelines and principles they recommend. I show how these guidelines conflict with more creative approaches and how good design and creativity can be merged to be usable and friendly to users. I also look at the history of opponents of guidelines and principles and how their contribution helps make design better. By creating the example gallery I aim to help designers working within the field of ID to understand the principles behind good design in order that they may deliver higher-quality user experiences relevant to the content they are displaying. By creating this gallery I also hope to help artists understand the principles behind good design in order that they may showcase their artworks in ways appropriate to their artwork. By designing and building an example I aim to provide a better understanding of how to construct a feature-rich application in an easy to use and understandable environment

Young Children\u27s Fine Motor iPad Gestures When Performed Alone and in Dyads

Since the release of the first iPad in 2010, over 200 million have been sold worldwide. In the short time since the iPad\u27s release, the devices have become popular in classrooms. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to document the fine motor iPad gestures of 2 , 3-, and 4-year-old children who used iPads by themselves and in dyads and 2) to conduct international comparisons regarding such observed fine motor iPad gestures. In this study, I examined seven iPad gestures: (a) tap, (b) drag/slide, (c) free rotate, (d) drag and drop, (e) pinch, (f) spread, and (g) flick. This study had five components. The first component involved observations of the iPad gestures of a sample of Orlando, Florida, children operating iPads by themselves. The first component was a partial replication of the 2013 and 2014 studies conducted by Aziz et al. The second component of this study involved observations of the iPad gestures of the Orlando children operating iPads in dyads. In the third component of this study, I compared the iPad gestures of the Orlando children with the gestures of a sample of 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old children from London. In the fourth component of this study, I compared the iPad gestures of the Orlando children with the gestures of a sample of 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old children from Malaysia. In the fifth component, I compared the iPad gestures of the Orlando sample when the children were paired with classmates and asked to play with the iPads in dyads, rather than operating iPads by themselves. Biographical information was collected, including (a) child\u27s age, (b) household income, (c) child\u27s gender, (d) child\u27s ethnic origin, (e) types of mobile devices in the household, (f) daily usage of mobile devices, (g) people with whom the child used mobile devices, (h) earliest age of device usage, and (i) the primary language spoken at home

All-Women Initiatives in Art and Technology 1986-2020. Atenea: Mentoring and Networking Project in Steam

[ES] La presente tesis doctoral es una exploración sobre las iniciativas auto-organizadas de mujeres que han surgido en la intersección del arte y la tecnología a nivel internacional. Estas iniciativas comunitarias han ido apareciendo en lugares donde existe una escena de arte y nuevos medios, la cual es generalmente de dominación masculina y baja en diversidad. Este trabajo de investigación es un mapeo de este fenómeno tecno-social y artístico, tratando de identificar las primeras prácticas. A través de entrevistas, encuestas y métodos de investigación etnográfica, esta tesis aspira a comprender el contexto que ha dado lugar a semejantes iniciativas a lo largo de tres décadas y media, examinando las diferentes tipologías por los formatos, extensión, espacio y estructura que éstas han adoptado para afrontar la situación de las mujeres en estas áreas. Existe un vació de referencias sobre formas organizativas y de comisariado en las áreas de arte y tecnología. Además, la literatura general señala las subculturas digitales de los noventa, tales como el ciberfeminismo y el movimiento DIY, como los primeros y principales referentes para las alianzas de mujeres y el activismo translocal en la era digital. Sin embargo, las estrategias de colaboración y segregación en áreas de arte y tecnología no han sido analizadas desde los estudios feministas desde una perspectiva histórica en profundidad. Por lo tanto, esta tesis establece la relación entre dichas iniciativas con la historia de los grupos de mujeres artistas y espacios de arte alternativos, la historia de las mujeres en el arte de nuevos medios y la cultura de redes. Las nuevas tecnologías de la información y comunicación han permitido nuevas formas de comunicación y conectividad transfronterizas; sin embargo, este trabajo investiga en qué medida estas iniciativas dependen de las TIC para el establecimiento de su comunidad, comparado con los formatos analógicos. Con los resultados, esta tesis aspira a convertirse en una fuente de referencias que enriquezca la escasa bibliografía de la temática, proporcionando una lista de formas organizativas y de comisariado, así como las practicas más tempranas nunca publicadas, y en conjunto contribuir a la historiografía actual sobre mujeres. Por último, a la vez que se comenta la situación actual de las mujeres en las áreas de arte y tecnología, este trabajo presenta Atenea, un proyecto de mentorización y networking para mujeres en las artes y carreras STEM. Atenea está compuesto de un programa de actividades con diferentes actividades organizativas y de comisariado, así como una plataforma de networking. Adicionalmente, el proyecto tiene un programa enfocado en transmitir conocimientos STEM a niñas a través de prácticas artísticas con tecnología de la mano de mujeres artistas nacionales como mentoras.[CAT] La present tesi doctoral és una exploració sobre les iniciatives autoorganitzades de dones que han sorgit en la intersecció de l'art i la tecnologia a nivell internacional. Aquestes iniciatives comunitàries han anat apareixent en llocs on hi ha una escena d'art i nous mitjans, la qual és generalment de dominació masculina i baixa en diversitat. Aquest treball de recerca és un mapeig d'aquest fenomen tecno-social i artístic, tractant d'identificar les primeres pràctiques. A través d'entrevistes, enquestes i mètodes d'investigació etnogràfica, aquesta tesi aspira a comprendre el context que ha donat lloc a semblants iniciatives al llarg de tres dècades i mig, examinant les diferents tipologies pels formats, extensió, espai i estructura que aquestes han adoptat per afrontar la situació de les dones en aquestes àrees. Hi ha un buit de referències sobre formes organitzatives i de comissariat en les àrees d'art i tecnologia. A més, la literatura general assenyala les subcultures digitals dels noranta, com ara el ciberfeminisme i el moviment DIY, com els primers i principals referents per a les aliances de dones i l'activisme translocal en l'era digital. No obstant això, les estratègies de col·laboració i segregació en àrees d'art i tecnologia no han estat analitzades des dels estudis feministes des d'una perspectiva històrica en profunditat. Per tant, aquesta tesi estableix la relació entre aquestes iniciatives amb la història dels grups de dones artistes i espais d'art alternatius, la història de les dones en l'art de nous mitjans i la cultura de xarxes. Les noves tecnologies de la informació i comunicació han permès noves formes de comunicació i connectivitat transfrontereres; però, aquest treball investiga en quina mesura aquestes iniciatives depenen de les TIC per a l'establiment de la seva comunitat, comparat amb els formats analògics. Amb els resultats, aquesta tesi aspira a convertir-se en una font de referències que enriqueixi l'escassa bibliografia de la temàtica, proporcionant una llista de formes organitzatives i de comissariat, així com les pràctiques més primerenques mai publicades, i en conjunt contribuir a la historiografia actual sobre dones. Finalment, alhora que es comenta la situació actual de les dones en les àrees d'art i tecnologia, aquest treball presenta Atenea, un projecte de mentorització i networking per a dones en les arts i carreres STEM. Atenea està compost d'un programmea d'activitats amb diferents activitats organitzatives i de comissariat, així com una plataforma de networking. Addicionalment, el projecte té un programmea enfocat a transmetre coneixements STEM a nenes a través de pràctiques artístiques amb tecnologia de la mà de dones artistes nacionals com mentores.[EN] This dissertation explores a series of all-women self-organised initiatives that have emerged at the intersection of art and technology internationally. These grassroot initiatives have continued to appear in places where there is a new media arts scene, generally male-dominated and low in diversity. This research work is a mapping of this techno-social and artistic phenomenon, attempting to identify its earliest practices. Through interviews, surveys and ethnographic research, this thesis seeks to comprehend the context that has given rise to such initiatives over three decades and half, examining the different typologies by formats, extension, space and structure that they have adopted to address the situation of women in these fields. There is a void of references on all-women curatorial and organisational forms in art and technology. Moreover, general literature points at digital subcultures of the 1990s such as cyberfeminism and DIY movement as first referents for women's alliance and translocal activism in the digital age. However, collaboration and segregation strategies in new media arts have not been discussed in feminist scholarship from a deeper historical perspective. Therefore, this dissertation elaborates the linkage of such initiatives to early history of all-women art groups and alternative art spaces, history of women in new media arts and to network cultures. New information and communication technologies have enabled new forms of communication and connectivity cross-borders; however, this work investigates in which measure these initiatives are dependent upon ICT for the establishment of a community, compared to analog formats. With the results, this dissertation aims to become a source of references that enriches the scarce bibliography on the topic, providing a list of curatorial and organisational forms with the earliest and unpublished practices that altogether contribute to current women's historiography. Lastly, while discussing the current situation of women in art and technology fields, this works presents Atenea, a mentoring and networking platform for women in Arts and STEM careers. Atenea is comprised of a programme having different organizational, curatorial and networking activities. Additionally, the platform has a project focused on teaching STEM skills to girls through new media arts with female artists as mentors. Keywords: All-women, self-organised, initiatives, new media arts, digital arts, electronic arts, art, technology, activism, mapping, alternative art spaces, collaboration, segregation, ICT, digital age, virtual, community, network cultures, feminism, cyberfeminism, Atenea, STEM, STEAM, girls, organisational, curatorial, networking platform, mentoring,Robles Mateo, E. (2020). All-Women Initiatives in Art and Technology 1986-2020. Atenea: Mentoring and Networking Project in Steam [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/159248TESI

Beyond the Beauty Salon: Sport, Women of Color and Their Hair

Research concerning women of color in sport tends to center around several topics: barriers to participation, racial stereotyping, symbolic annihilation, and the intersecting axes of power that influence their involvement and representation. Furthermore, while there exists a rich body of literature that hair has inspired in black feminist scholarship, these works have overlooked the experiences of black female athletes. In this project I seek to bridge these two bodies of knowledge through focus groups and personal interviews with black female collegiate athletes. Specifically, I examine three issues related to hair in the context of black women's athletic experiences: 1) as a particular racialized, gendered, and sexualized expression of self; 2) as a signifier of "other" in sport and society; and 3) as a possible cultural barrier to specific athletic endeavors. By bridging the disconnect between the two fields, I will address the ways that hair is an embodied cultural form influencing the physical culture of women of color

Exploring a Culture of Learning with Technology: An Ethnographic Content Analysis of the Activity of Learning with Educational iPad Apps

This study explored the culture of learning with educational iPad apps using activity theory as a guiding framework. First, the top nine educational apps were tracked in the Top Charts section of Apple’s App Store for a duration of four months. The nine sampled apps, selected based on their frequency of appearance, included Toca Hair Salon 2, Stack the States, Endless Alphabet, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Wildlife Count Along, Wild Kratts Creature Power World Adventure, Wallykazam! Letter and Word Magic, Starfall Learn to Read, Dr. Panda’s Restaurant 2, and Bug Art. The descriptions, version updates, app content, and customer reviews for each app were digitized, coded, and analyzed in Dedoose using the Activity Checklist. Additionally instructional analysis diagrams were developed to provide insight into the user interface and actions. Results of the study were presented in the form of nine portraits. The overview and relevant instructional characteristics were detailed for each app. The final chapter examined the broader implications of the app experience. The technology, the instruction, the adult guide, and the App Store were identified as mediating factors that contributed to the dynamic app culture