Sports and sporting activities are an integral part in human life, since they keep us healthy and fit both physically and mentally. Another significant benefit of sports is that, they do play an important role in enhancing social interactions among people of varied cultural tastes who are likely to come together and interact freely through sports activities.
These however, are some of the many benefits associated with sports, and are the reasons why many people fancy sports. Personally, I am a great fan of sports, and I like taking sports activities whenever it is possible. Among other reasons, I have always valued sports for two major reasons; first as a hobby and then as something which can help me improve my whole health in various ways.
Jogging and in-house gymnastic activities are my favorite sports programs, and in that case, I like going for the perfect sportswear that would enable me achieve my goals in these fields. Among the various sportswear categories in the market today, I have always had a strong liking for Nike products, particularly shoes, not because of their great popularity, but owing to the fact that they have served me better over the years.
The main reason why I have decided to evaluate this specific product is because it matters a lot to me and to other people across the world who have been using it for sports activities. For the purpose of this paper, the product would be evaluated in categories of cost, design or use, and durability.
The corporate mission for Nike is to emerge as the global leader in fitness and sports gear, particularly footwear. However, the American sportswear company has long achieved this goal, considering the fact that it has retained its position in the world, as a leader innovator and designer in sports footwear. As a matter of fact, this outstanding success of Nike in the global markets can be attributed to the quality of its footwear products and apparel for sports.
Today, the company is ranked among the biggest manufacturers and suppliers of sports shoes in the world, and this coupled with their highly valued brands has made Nike a giant among the global businesses in sports gear. Many people allover the world, especially the younger generation, view Nike shoes as a status symbol, and for that reason, they would like to be associated with them.
Having known Nike as a company that manufacturers and sells an assortment of high quality sports products, I have always seen them as a better choice for all my sports footwear needs. This however, would range from indoor to outdoor activities. Unlike other popular brands such as Fila, Puma, Reebok, and Adidas, Nike is an American brand and this home advantage increases the products availability in the country, thus making it easily accessible at a fair cost.
More importantly, and just what tends to impress many people, Nike brand sports footwear models are designed into various designs to comply with the current developments in fashion as they are generated by technological advancements among other trends of urbanization and industrialization.
As it would be observed, Nike products, just like any other brands in the world, are associated with both positive and negative attributes, whereby the positive attributes are more influential.
For instance, considering the issue of design, Nike, Inc has always ensured that it comes up with design styles that comply to current aspects of modernity to fit to the changing demands of athletes and sportsmen (Hausman & Thorbeck, 2010). This innovative nature has always contributed to introduction of various new features that have been designed to enhance performance and increase comfort.
In this regard, Nike footwear for different sports activities has been designed with the idea of stability and resilience in accordance with the intended purpose. As a matter of fact, design has been a key focus and a milestone in the company’s sustainability strategy, and for that reason, the company has always worked to accelerate the development of new designs for its footwear.
As a matter of fact, the comfort in Nike shoes can be found in the design style. For example, the LunarLite Foam used in the sole of most Nike shoes is a bit lighter, thus offering ultra-lightweight and soft cushioning. This plays a significant role in helping to minimize painful pressure to the foot, among other shoe-related discomforts.
The other advantage associated with Nike sports/athletic footwear would be in the materials used to manufacture the products. There is enough evidence that the company’s most-used materials are environmentally friendly. Moreover, these materials are highly sustainable and ones that can be recycled for future use. Some of the environmentally friendly materials that are used by the company include leather, environmentally preferred rubber, synthetic leather, recycled polyester, and organic cotton.
In this regard, there is no way Nike sports footwear can have a negative impact on the environment. Nice sneakers are also generally attractive, durable, and comfortable to wear. Nike’s design styles are meant for excellent performance of the products in various sporting environments, and in that case, natural materials such as leather are used to ensure strong and flexible sports shoes are manufactured.
Apart from the benefits expressed above, Nike athletic shoes have also been associated with a number of negative attributes. One common disadvantage of Nike sports shoes over other brands of compared quality is that, they are more expensive. Another important concern here is that, some Nike shoe models would tend to wear out after only a little use.
There have also been some cases of foot injuries resulting from the use of Nike shoes in sports activities. These, however, are some of the areas which the footwear company needs to focus on and make the necessary improvements in order to continue providing a competitive edge of its sports products in the global markets.
As it observed from this evaluation, Nike footwear is designed to meet the changing needs of athletes and sportsmen and women in almost all aspects. This suitability nature can be observed from a number of features associated with the products which include things such as their high quality status, durability, comfort, and nice appearance, among other aspects. These, coupled, with the company’s innovative nature as discussed in this paper, have accorded the brand unmatched competitive advantage in the sports industry.
Also as observed from this evaluation, the positive attributes associated with this particular brand have far exceeded the negativities, and this makes Nike footwear products a better choice over the other brands in the industry. Based on all these observations, I have every reason to urge those people who have not used Nike’s products, especially the footwear, to start going for them to realize enhanced sports performances and satisfaction in their respective sporting fields.
Reference
Hausman, W., & Thorbeck, J. (2010). Fast Fashion: Quantifying the Benefits. Innovative
Quick Response Programs in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 15(8), 315-319.