Research on Modern Grocery Market in Pakistan

â€Å"The Evolution of Modern Grocery Market in Pakistan. † A research project to study changing consumer buying patterns and opportunities for new entrants in the modern grocery sector. By Adavanced Research Methods MBA-Evening Program Section ‘E’ Submitted on November 19, 2012 Table of Contents Titles Page No. Prefatory Information Abstract Acknowledgements Executive Summary Introduction Methodology Research Findings Conclusion Recommendations Appendices References 02 03 04 05 06 08 09 13 14 15 22 Page | 1Prefatory Information Research Topic â€Å"The Evolution of Modern Grocery Market in Pakistan. † Research Background The traditional food retail sector (small neighborhood stores, street vendors, â€Å"general trade† stores, etc. ) comprise about 95% of all food retail stores in Pakistan while the modern retail sector (hypermarkets, supermarkets, discount stores, etc. ) make up the remaining 5%. Over the past few years international retailers have taken advantage of the growing opportunities in this market.Well-known European retail giants Makro, Metro, and Carrefour (Hyperstar) have opened stores in all major Pakistani metropolitan cities. The port city of Karachi alone has at least five large retail stores that serve more than 19 million people. With a growing middle-income class (estimated at about 25% of the total population), increasing urbanization, increasing popularity of international food products, and a growing number of international restaurants and fast food chains, Pakistan is emerging as an expanding market for U. S. high-value agricultural products.The overall food retail and wholesale business accounts for 17% of Pakistan? s GDP. These large retail stores have been able to tap into the changes in consumer lifestyles and higher disposable income. Emerging technologies have also contributed to the emergence of the large food retail superstores, which offer a wide range of value added products and services to p rice conscious middle income consumers. Convenience stores in Petrol/Gas stations are also providing an additional option for consumers and their popularity among Pakistani consumers is rising.To know precisely the driving forces that lead changes in the consumer buying behavior and furthermore to anticipate the future demand of modernized grocery stores and hypermarkets which would ultimately guide investors towards an opportunity and would let them know the critical market factors and consumer needs on the basis of which they should design their businesses to gain maximum market share in minimum amount of time and resources. Page | 2 Abstract â€Å"The Evolution of Modern Grocery Market in Pakistan. The core objectives of our research are comprehensively explained and backed by the results and interpretations, with graphical illustrations that clarify the main consumer tastes and preferences that are the agents of changing buying patterns being the reason behind the increased num ber of modern grocery stores in major cities of Pakistan which is linked to our second objective that is more towards the investment opportunity for local and foreign venture capitalists in the mentioned sector. Page | 3Acknowledgements First and foremost, we would like to thank Almighty Allah for enabling us to achieve the completion of our project report effectively, next we would like to thank to our course mentor of Advanced Research Methods-E, Mr. Salman Rabbani for the valuable guidance and advice. He inspired us greatly to work in this project. His willingness to motivate us contributed tremendously to our project. We also would like to thank him for showing us some examples that related to the topic of our project.Besides, we would like to thank all those participants, colleagues and class mates for providing us with their valuable insights and responses that enabled us to complete this project. Group Members Sandhya Talreja Talha Abid 1235220 1235182 Page | 4 Executive Summ ary The increasing number of modern grocery stores are rapidly increasing in Karachi and other cities of Pakistan which accounts for attracting majority of the customers and getting market share more than it was in the past few years.These larger stores make up 5% of all Pakistan? s retail food stores. There are two segments of modern food markets. One segment is dominated by the international groups and there are also domestic food retailers that are also utilizing new modern retail formats. For example, large food retail stores (Metro, Makro, and Hyperstar) comprise about 2% of all Pakistani food retail outlets with an estimated annual turnover of $176 million. The overall share of imported food products in the large retail stores is about 5. 6%.To analyze and figure out factors that have changed the buying patterns across the urban areas of Pakistan across all major population segments based on the demographical characteristics. The later part of the research well describes inves tment opportunity and growth indicators with rising purchasing power of people and increasing consumption patterns leading to impulse buying behavior. Appendices and annexes contain some useful facts that determine the future trends of retailing in Pakistan that how changes are anticipated in the years to come with respect to structure, marketing, supply chain management and customer servicesPage | 5 Introduction Consumer Food Purchasing Behavior The average Pakistani consumer spends 42% of his income on food. Consumption of imported processed and ready-to-eat food is greater in urban areas because of higher disposable incomes and access to modern style of food. A typical Pakistani household makes regular purchases of staple foods (i. e. , wheat flour, pulses, edible oils, fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, etc. ) several times per month from neighborhood stores due to convenience, perceived freshness, and limited storage space at home.A growing number of young Pakistani professionals (male/female) generally prefer making monthly food purchases from modern retail stores due to greater variety of products, satellite stores, and to enjoy food services all under one roof, thus providing the opportunity of combining „one stop shopping? with a family outing. Affluent Pakistani families are attracted towards modern retail stores due to their affordability, strategic locations, access to the imported processed food, and available choices for multiple product range.In comparison the rural consumer prefers homemade products, organic fruits & vegetables, and has limited access to processed food. The demand for imported food such as dates, cereals, beverages, chocolates, almonds, cakes, fruits and fruit juices reaches its peak during the festive season, especially at Eid and Ramadan. Moreover Pakistan has a large and growing middle-income class (estimated at about 25% of the total population).It also has a large and growing young population and over 55 percent Pakista ni? s are in the 10-40 years age bracket. The upper middle-income class is currently estimated at 17 million, with relatively high per capita income which favors consumer spending. Since 2000 demand for specialized products targeted at the middle-income consumers have increased significantly. The upcoming changes in the Pakistani consumer demographic will create opportunities and challenges for companies doing business in Pakistan.Keeping in view the above stated scenario and these facts the well described the consumer demographics in Pakistan, we decided to conduct a quantitative research to know the factors of changing buying patterns and also to gauge the magnitude of opportunity for the new entrants in the huge retail grocery market that estimates about US$ 42 billion per annum. Page | 6 Research Objectives ? ? To study the changes in buying patterns of consumers in metropolitan cities of Pakistan, after the advent of modern grocery stores.To what extent these retail chains have been successful and to analyze if there is an opportunity for new entrants in the current scenario. Research Question ? ? What factors are responsible for changing buying behavior of people belonging to urban areas of Pakistan? What is the size of opportunity that exists for new entrants in the current market? Page | 7 Methodology The research methodology comprised of an online survey and questionnaire that was conducted throughout the city of Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore and Islamabad. There were 10 option-based question that were designed to get the responses covering the two basic research objectives.Respondents were randomly selected and were asked to fill out a questionnaire which contained predetermined options and with other open-ended options as well, most of the participants were belonged to Karachi along with a significant number of online respondents from Hyderabad, Lahore and Islamabad adding a variety of responses from urban areas of Pakistan. Respondents were divided in to four main categories on the basis of their Gender, Age, Marital Status and Income to have a fair understanding of different types of needs and preferences of different consumer segments.Quantitative Research There was a need to quantify the number of consumer that opt or prefer a certain attribute, products or services at these different stores so in terms of percentages it was easy to present and interpret data that was collected as a result of survey- questionnaire. First of all there was a pre-test conducted to know the validity and effectiveness of the questionnaire and methodology and after that actual survey was launched online and respondents were asked to fill the survey.Online survey reduced the time and other costs associated to our research and proved to be a cost-effective tool to conduct our survey. Page | 8 Research Findings On the basis of two distinct objectives the research findings are included in this report, the initial objective to determine factors that infl uence consumer buying behavior are the overall services offered, quality and branded products, convenience of getting all items at a single point, no grocery items including fashion apparel, cosmetics, medicine, home decor and so on remained the key choices of the respondents.Regarding the second objective that was to know the size of opportunity for new entrants that was asked in a question to know precise demand of the modern grocery outlets in Karachi and other urban cities, the findings exhibit that a clear majority of the respondents want to have more modern grocery stores in their locality, exact figures are mentioned in the graphical representation section later in this report. Other quantitative results include the frequency of purchases, expenditure and preferred store type that are also useful to calculate the size of the opportunity in this sector.Moreover participants also provided very insightful responses in open-ended options that highlighted many other things that th ey prefer at these modern stores. Including improvement suggestions regarding, customer support and billing, loyalty and discount programs were dominant responses of the survey discussed in the detail in graphical representation section. Page | 9 Graphical Representation and Analysis 1. Grocery Store Type It? quite clear from the market share that supermarkets and hypermarkets have acquired during past couple of years is significantly improved up to 30% for each category. Grocery Store Type General stores 30% 30% 18% 22% Dept. Stores Super Markets Hypermarkets 2. Grocery Frequency Frequency as compared to past trend of weekly or daily grocery purchases has been shifted to monthly purchases leading towards impulse buying behavior after the advent of the modern hypermarkets and superstores 60% 40% 20% 0% Grocery Frequency Weekly Fortnightly Monthly others 3.Grocery Market Share Modernized supermarkets lead the market with 48% share of the grocery sector these markets are convenience t o people living in developed areas of Karachi catering their grocery needs effectively. Grocery Market Share Hyperstar 14% 18% 20% 48% Metro/Makro Naheed/Chaseup /Aghaz/Imtiaz others 4. Grocery Spending Most of the people that opted for modern grocery stores belong to higher income segment and majority spends more than Rs. 7000 on their grocery needs. This indicates a higher tendency of the people to consume in the society. 0% 30% 20% 10% 0% Grocery Spending (PKR) 26% 6% 32% 36% Page | 10 5. Appealing Factors The factors that were dominant among the responses were convenience of getting all items at a single stop and economical purchases thus lowering grocery budgets, this is the core reason that has changed buying patterns of consumers in the recent years. other factors Appealing Factors Economical Safe and†¦ Convenience Adequate†¦ Economical 0% 20% 40% Adequate Parking Convenience Safe and Secure other factors Non grocery items 6.Non-grocery items Out of the non-grocery items most people preferred cosmetics reason being the majority of female respondents in our sample. Rest of the people preferred medicines and ready to wear apparels. 0% 50% 46% 20% 16% 8% 10% 7. Additional Food Items Other than usual grocery items as food staples there was a significant rise in the demand and preference to ready-to-eat/ frozen-food, reason being the most of the married females are opting for careers and employments therefore frozen foods provides them convenience and quick food solutions. 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Additional Food Items 2% Fresh fruits and vegetables meat/chicken/p oultry Frozen food others 16% 16% 6% 8. Improvement Suggestions Discount cards were the most opted option by the respondents as people tend to buy in larger quantities they expect a significant amount off as a discount as well as the loyalty or privilege cards were also and added suggestion along with the speedy billing process due to the shortage of time in the busy schedule of peo ple living in the large cities. 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Improvement Suggestions 48% 28% 12% 12% Loyalty cards Discount cards Speedy billing process others Page | 11 9.More Grocery Stores So about 90% of the people responded in positive when they were asked about more grocery stores in their city mainly because the convenience these stores offer, while the remaining 10% who opted for No, further explained there are enough no of stores in their vicinity only need is to improve their service quality. 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% More Grocery Stores 90% 10% Yes No Yes No 10. Most preferred attribute Quality is the most opted attribute and mostly the quality products and services available at modern grocery store provide an added benefit to the customers and delight them in many ways. 0% 60% 40% 20% 0% Most preferred attribute Quality Pricing Brand Other Page | 12 Conclusions After studying the brief results and graphical illustrations we hereby conclude that major causes of change in cons umer purchase patterns are superior quality of products and services offered to customers at economical prices, thus elevating the overall value for customers when it comes to convenience shopping, hassle-free parking, pleasant environment, serene ambiance, safety and security which previously was not offered by any of the conventional grocery stores of their localities.Now majority of the consumers prefer going to modern supermarkets and hypermarkets rather than the wholesale markets, to avoid the long tiring grocery shopping which included stressful parking, lack of security and safety. Moreover people on weekends go for grocery shopping with their families which allows them to spend quality time with their family as an outing or entertainment and enjoy shopping with all the modern state-of-the-art facilities offered by malls and shopping centers.Furthermore, along with the basic grocery items people tend to shop additional items including garments, cosmetics, fashion products, fr ozen foods, medicines and so on that is again an appealing factor that directed majority of the customers towards these modernized grocery store thus offering more and more benefits and ease to customers.As it has been witnessed that in the past few years the retail market dynamics have changed dramatically with modern grocery stores capturing the 40% share in the sector it is therefore a lucrative sector for foreign investors in the sectors and source of high FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) that would increase employment opportunities for our population and also would add up to fiscal revenues for the government. Page | 13 RecommendationsAfter the completion of this research that was in response to previous researches on Emergence of Modern Retail in Pakistan and Market Transformation Due To Current Economic Turmoil (USA and European Retail Sectors) we suggest a comprehensive and more sophisticated research should be carried out on a commercial level to have an in-depth knowledge a nd insights about the market. Many of the indicators suggest the modern society in Pakistan are moving towards mass consumption and retail sector particular has been the key performer accounts for an annual turnover of about US$ 42 billion(estimated).So in response to it another research should carried out on Factors of Impulse Buying Behavior of consumer segments in Pakistan with respect to the modern grocery markets rapidly increasing and expanding the retail sector in Pakistan. The scope of our research was limited to few major cities of Pakistan i. e. Karachi Lahore Islamabad and Hyderabad, so its scope should be increased for future research also incorporating the useful insights of the key industry players of the modern grocery markets. Page | 14 Appendices Appendix-1 (Survey Questionnaire) ARM-Questionnaire Demographics: Age: ? 7-28 ? 29-40 ? 41 & above Gender: ? M ? F Marital Status: ? Single ? Married Average Household Income (PKR): ? 10,000-20,000 ? 20,001-50,000 ? 50,001 & above Area of Residence: ________________________________________________________ 1. What type of grocery store do you prefer for your grocery shopping? ? General stores ? Departmental stores ? Super market ? Hyper-markets 2. 3. 4. 5. How often you go for grocery shopping? ?Weekly ? fortnightly (every 15 days) ? Monthly ? others please specify_____ Which store do you often prefer for your grocery needs? ?Hyperstar ? Metro/Makro ?Naheed/Chase-up/Imtiaz/Agha's ? Others___ On average how much amount you spend on your grocery? (PKR) ? 1000-3000 ? 4000-7000 ? 7000-10000 ? Above 10000 Based on the prior selected store which factor makes you buy from that store? ?Economical ? Adequate Parking ? Convenience (all items under one-roof) ? Safe and secure environment ? Others please specify___________________ What type of items do you prefer to shop along-with grocery? ?Cosmetics ? Garments ? Medicines ? Electronic Appliances ? Others_____ What additional foods items do you like to buy form t he grocery stores? Fresh Fruits and Vegetable ? Meat/Chicken/Fish ? Frozen Foods ? Others__________ What improvements you like see as far as services are concerned? ?Loyalty cards ? Discount coupons ? Speedy billing process ? Others _______ Would like to have more stores and hyper markets? ?Yes ? No What do you prefer the most for your grocery items? ?Quality ? Pricing ? Brand ? Others please specify___________ 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Thank you for your time and attention. Page | 15 Appendix-2 FMCG Companies Profit From Rural Consumption Boom in Pakistan By Riaz Haq Higher crop prices have increased farmers? ncomes in Pakistan by Rs. 342 billion in the 12 months through June, according to a government economic survey. That was higher than the gain of Rs. 329 billion in the preceding eight years, according to a report by Bloomberg News. Companies like Millat tractors, Honda Atlas Motorcycles, Pak Suzuki Motors, Engro Foods, Telnor, Nestle, Colgate-Palmolive, Proctor and Gamble and Unilever h ave been big beneficiaries of the current rural consumption boom. Nestle Pakistan's chief Ian Donald has summed up the rising demand for his company's products as follows: â€Å"It? a common perception that China and India are much bigger in terms of growth than Pakistan. But for Nestle, the per capita consumption of our products in Pakistan is twice as much as we have in China and India. † It should be noted that Nestle is the world's largest packaged food company, and Pakistanis' per capita consumption of milk and dairy products is about 2. 5 times higher than in India. According to the FAO, the average dairy consumption of the developing countries is still very low (45 kg of all dairy products in liquid milk equivalent), compared with the average of 220 kg in the industrial countries.Few developing countries have per capita consumption exceeding 150 kg (Argentina, Uruguay and some pastoral countries in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Africa). Among the most populous countries, only Pakistan, at 153 kg per capita, has such a level. In South Asia, where milk and dairy products are preferred foods, India has only 64 kg and Bangladesh 14 kg. East Asia has only 10 kg. Here are a few key points excerpted from a recent Businessweek story on rise of the rural consumer in Pakistan: 1. Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive Co. re sending salespeople into rural areas of the world? s sixth most-populous nation, where demand for consumer goods such as Sunsilk shampoo, Pond? s moisturizers and Colgate toothpaste has boosted local units? revenue at least 15 percent. Page | 16 2. â€Å"The rural push is aimed at the boisterous youth in these areas, who have bountiful cash and resources to increase purchases,† Shazia Syed, vice president for customer development at Unilever Pakistan Ltd. , said in an interview. â€Å"Rural growth is more than double that of national sales. † 3.Consumer-goods companies forecast growth in Pakistan even as an increase in ethnic viole nce in Karachi has made 2011 the deadliest in 16 years for the country? s biggest city and financial center. 4. Nestle Pakistan Ltd. is spending 300 million Swiss francs ($326 million) to double dairy output in four years, boosted sales 29 percent to 33 billion rupees ($378 million) in the six months through June. â€Å"We have been focusing on rural areas very strongly,† Ian Donald, managing director of Nestle? s Pakistan unit, said in an interview in Lahore. â€Å"Our observation is that Pakistan? rural economy is doing better than urban areas. † 5. Haji Mirbar, who grows cotton on a 5-acre farm with his four brothers, said his family? s income grew fivefold in the year through June, allowing him to buy branded products. He uses Unilever? s Lifebuoy for his open-air baths under a hand pump, instead of the handmade soap he used before. â€Å"We had a great year because of cotton prices,† said Mirbar, 28, who lives in a village outside south Pakistan? s Matiari town. â€Å"As our income has risen, we want to buy nice things and live like kings. † 6.Sales for the Pakistan unit of Unilever rose 15 percent to 24. 8 billion rupees in the first half. Colgate-Palmolive Pakistan Ltd.? s sales increased 29 percent in the six months through June to 7. 6 billion rupees, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. â€Å"In a generally faltering economy, the double-digit growth in revenue for companies servicing the consumer sector has come almost entirely from the rural areas,† said Sakib Sherani, chief executive officer at Macroeconomic Insights Pvt. in Islamabad and a former economic adviser to Pakistan? s finance ministry. 7.Unilever is pushing beauty products in the countryside through a program called â€Å"Guddi Baji,† an Urdu phrase that literally means â€Å"doll sister. † It employs â€Å"beauty specialists who understand rural women,† providing them with vans filled with samples and equipment, Syed said. Wome n in villages are also employed as sales representatives, because â€Å"rural is the Page | 17 growth engine† for Unilever in Pakistan, she said in an interview in Karachi. While the bulk of spending for rural families goes to food, about 20 percent â€Å"is spent on looking beautiful and buying expensive clothes,† Syed said. . Colgate-Palmolive, the world? s largest toothpaste maker, aims to address a â€Å"huge gap† in sales outside Pakistan? s cities by more than tripling the number of villages where its products, such as Palmolive soap, are sold, from the current 5,000, said Syed Wasif Ali, rural operations manager at the local unit. 9. Its detergents Bonus Tristar and Brite are packed in sachets of 20 grams or less and priced as low as five rupees (6 cents), to boost sales among low-income consumers hurt by the fastest pace of inflation in Asia after Vietnam.Unilever plans to increase the number of villages where its products are sold to almost half of the total 34,000 within three years. Its merchandise, including Dove shampoo, Surf detergent and Brooke Bond Supreme tea, is available in about 11,000 villages now. 10. Pakistan, Asia? s third-largest wheat grower, in 2008 increased wheat prices by more than 50 percent as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sought to boost production of the staple. â€Å"The injection of purchasing power in the rural sector has been unprecedented,† said Sherani, who added that local prices for rice and sugarcane have also risen. 1. Telenor Pakistan Pvt. is also expanding in Pakistan? s rural areas, which already contribute 60 percent of sales, said Anjum Nida Rahman, corporate communications director for the local unit of the Nordic region? s largest phone company. While the presence of multinational consumer product giants like Nestle and Unilever receive more coverage in the western media, the Euromonitor report finds that Pakistani FMGC companies like Engro Foods, Haleeb Foods, Shezan, Tapal, Sh an and others dominate the packaged food business in Pakistan. Here's an excerpt from a recent Euromonitor report on Pakistan.Page | 18 Appendix- 3 Study of the International Retail Markets Drivers of Retail Change Internationally There are significant changes underway in the international retail sector. Some are already evident in the Irish retail market while others are now beginning to show an impact. The key drivers of change in the retail sector are: †¢ Consumer shopping habits and meal preparation habits are changing. This is driving the food retail structure to one of large stores for once-weekly shopping trips and smaller convenience stores for top-up purchases. Relatively low growth in retail spending across Europe, particularly in the food sector, which is generating substantial competition between retailers. †¢ A shift in the determinant of consumer demand from price consciousness to value for money. †¢ A stronger preference for service and convenience, bot h in retail service and also in product choice. †¢ The development of a more international outlook and a greater awareness of international brands. †¢ More focused marketing methods, referred to as „mass customization? and competition for consumer loyalty. †¢ The retail sector is still relatively highly regulated in many countries, specifically in the areas of planning regulations in respect of new store development and working hours. †¢ Developments in information and communications technologies (ICTs) are enabling improvements in market research and analysis, and supply chain management. This is driving significant change in international retail supply chains as retailers seek out increasing efficiencies and seek to reduce inventories. Page | 19 Appendix-4Future of Retail Sector in Pakistan The expected future trends in the retail sector in Pakistan are that: †¢ The retail sector can be expected to continue to grow in line with the overall growth of the economy, thereby providing further employment and an increasing contribution to economic activity. †¢ The level of concentration, i. e. , the market share held by major retailers, in both the food and clothing sectors, is expected to continue to increase. †¢ Further consolidation in the market can be expected through mergers and acquisitions of national retailers and foreign retailers in the current market.Acquisition is likely to be the mode of market entry for large scale foreign retailers into the future. Size & Structure The strucuture of the retail sector is changing as: †¢ Retailers are growing larger through mergers and acquisitions both in domestic and international markets; †¢ The number of large sized stores is increasing significantly; †¢ Levels of concentration in retail markets are increasing; †¢ Order sizes and deliveries from suppliers are growing; and †¢ Suppliers are increasing in scale. Customer Service Customer service is dev eloping rapidly through: †¢ Home hopping and delivery; †¢ Internet shopping; †¢ Longer opening hours; †¢ Loyalty card schemes; †¢ Better in-store service; †¢ Micro-marketing to individual customers; and †¢ Improved mail order. Page | 20 Diversification Retailers are pursuing growth through diversification into: †¢ New product areas, by food retailers into non-food goods, and into new markets such as apparel and music; †¢ New business sectors such as banking and insurance; and †¢ New geographic markets, nationally and internationally, mail order, teleshopping and ecommerce.Supply-Chain Management Retailers are increasing their control over the whole supply chain by implementing: †¢ Centralized distribution; †¢ Efficient consumer response (ECR) †¢ Increased traceability of goods †¢ Increased investment in Information Technology; †¢ Supplier rationalization programs †¢ Greater involvement in supplier operat ions. Page | 21 References Retail Sector Dynamics in Ireland-www. forfas. ie. European Journal of Scientific Research Euro Journals Publishing, Inc. 2009 http://www. eurojournals. com/ejsr. htm http://www. iazhaq. com/2011/10/fmcg-companies-profit-from-rural. html Retail markets planning guide-FAO Bulletin http://www. fao. org/docrep/v8390e/V8390E00. HTM New generation of retail markets By Ashfak Bokhari | From InpaperMagzine | 23rd July, 2012 http://dawn. com/2012/07/23/new-generation-of-retail-markets/ Retail’s Hottest Emerging Markets, 2012 http://www. cnbc. com/id/47782726/Retail_s_Hottest_Emerging_Markets_2012 Economic Impact of Retailing in Pakistan Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Business Management Page | 22

Gd Topics

Every candle has its shadow. †¢ Has computer revolution lead to unemployment in India? †¢ Tube lights are better than bulbs. †¢ Red. †¢ Everyone likes it hot. †¢ India – Sustained growth is a mirage. †¢ Globalizations – a boon or bane? †¢ Advertising – A necessary evil. †¢ One can make a difference. †¢ Indian youth – unemployed or unemployable? †¢ Corruption is the main outcome of democracy in India. †¢ Life is an onion. †¢ Human capital of India. †¢ Blue. †¢ The impact of TV on society? †¢ Has election lost its importance in India? †¢ Prohibition should be implemented across India. Media is a mixed blessing / how ethical is media? †¢ Television news channels cannot replace newspapers. †¢ Film stars should not smoke in public. †¢ Foreign television channels are destroying our culture. †¢ Are we responsible for environmental imbalance? †¢ Quality is a my th in India. †¢ Indian villages – our strength or our weakness? †¢ Cricket is destroying other sports in India.†¢ Mobile is a social evil. †¢ Are women really safe in India? †¢ Are marriages becoming a business in India? †¢ India should have a compulsory military training. †¢ Does banning fashion show and New Year parties save our culture? Responsibility of Politicians in Today’s Politics. †¢ The costs of war are incalculable. †¢ Man exploits nature for his own ends but nature often has the last word. †¢ The IPL will damage Indian cricket. †¢ Gandhism is not relevant today. †¢ Reservation in the education institutions for the OBCs is a welcome step. †¢ The western life – style is harming Indians. †¢ India shining – myth or reality. †¢ The changing face of youth in India. †¢ Success is all about attitude. †¢ Multinational Companies: a threat to Indian industries. †¢ W ould we be able to use our mental faculties or completely dependent on machines?

Kendrick Lamars Positive Influence Through His Song “Swimming Pools”

Jacob Standage Daniel Hogan English 99 5 November 2012 Swimming Pools by Kendrick Lamar Many people listen and like music just for the rhythm or the flow, but not many people realize what kind of a message some of these artists are trying to send to society through their lyrics. Kendrick Lamar or â€Å"K-dot†, the lyrical genius of today’s rap culture, is one of my all-time favorite artists in hip-hop and is one of the rappers that send these messages to their audience.Recently, one of K-dot’s popular new singles â€Å"swimming pools† got released rapidly throughout the world. This single impacted society positively inspiring teenagers and anyone else with a family member that has drinking problems to get through it and to never give up by relating himself in that same situation, and it also impacted older high school and college students by hazing the negative effects of alcohol and also by stating the false feelings alcohol portrays.Some of Kendrick Lama r’s lyrics can have positive effects for teenagers growing up with, or living with, parents and family that are irresponsible drinkers by inspiring the teens to push through it and not to give up when times could get bad. He is very successful at this because he can relate to anyone in this situation. I think that the name of â€Å"swimming pools† serves as a metaphor for how some people’s lives are so engulfed by alcohol that it’s like their constantly swimming in it.Kendrick himself in one of his lyrics states â€Å"now I done grew up round some people livin their life in bottles, granddaddy had the golden flask, backstroke every day in Chicago†. In stating â€Å"granddaddy had the golden flask† this is not to say that his grandpa is a classy drinker, but rather that he may be an enthusiastic drinker and with having enough time to pour liquor from a bottle into a flask, his granddaddy probably has a drinking problem. In other words, Kendri ck is explaining that his grandpa is one of those people that are engulfed in alcohol, relating to anyone else with this problem.Equally, â€Å"backstroke every day in Chicago†, explains how his grandpa is doing a backstroke in this swimming pool of liquor meaning that he is drinking every day and probably has a problem. Also, when he states â€Å"now I done grew up with some people living their life in bottles† he can be referring to his grandpa and everyone else around him being a bad influence. These two lyrics can inspire other teenagers in this situation to get through it and to inform them that they’re not the only ones dealing with these kinds of problems, also just not to give up when times get hard.Other than creating a positive impact on teenagers with alcoholic parents, Kendrick also sends a positive message to high school and college students by portraying how they may act, drinking at a party or anywhere else, by his own experiences. For example, â €Å"I was in the dark room, loud tunes, looking to make a vow soon, that imma get fucked up, fillin up my cup, I see the crowd move, changing by the minute, and the record on repeat†. Kendrick, by this lyric, puts the setting probably at a house party meaning he is probably targeting more of high school and college students.In this lyric, Kendrick is justifying that he is at a party and he is pretty much making a promise to himself that he is going to get irresponsibly drunk (just like college and high school students do when they’re at parties). Then, right after that lyric Kendrick finishes up with â€Å"took a sip and another sip, then somebody said to me, (hook) why are you only babysitting two or three shots? Imma show you how to turn it up a notch, first you get a pool full of liquor then you dive in it†.In other words, Kendrick is saying that he was sipping shots relatively moderately and then someone at the party sees him not slamming them down, so that person peer pressures him into taking more shots and not stopping until he is completely drunk. This is not to say that getting drunk is a good thing, but rather to inform high school and college students that getting peer pressured into drinking carelessly happens and precautions should be made. Getting peer pressured at parties happens because of the alcohol induced lifestyle reflecting itself onto others simply because it’s the cool thing to do.Kendrick also makes note of the false feelings alcohol can portray in his lyrics. In his second verse, this is proved by, â€Å"I think that im feelin the vibe, I see the love in her eyes†. Basically Kendrick is mocking the feeling of alcohol. He is probably one more shot away from death, but he is still â€Å"feelin the vibe†. He is telling his audience the false feelings alcohol gives people when they consume large amounts. In addition, he states â€Å"I see the love in her eyes† meaning this is another false feeling that alcohol may give people generally because when people are drunk , they are more attracted to women.These fake feelings can get anyone that consumes too much alcohol into danger simply because they think that they are ok but in reality no one is â€Å"ok† after consuming massive amounts of alcohol. This fake feeling can make people push themselves way past their limits and put their life at risk. In short, Kendrick is informing people that may not know what it’s like to be this drunk and encouraging them not to do so, affecting society positively. Believe it or not, the single â€Å"swimming pools† by Kendrick Lamar has a positive impact on society.People may disagree because of the negative context of the song, but if someone really looks into his lyrics, they might find themselves extremely surprised of what Kendrick is actually portraying. He inspires teens that have parents with drinking problems, portrays the negative effects of alcohol, and als o the false feelings alcohol gives drinkers. By doing this, he helps society become aware of the problems of drinking and also is a kind of inspiration to the teens and other people that abuse the use of alcohol. Works Cited Kendrick Lamar. â€Å"Swimming Pools (drank). † Good Kid m. A. A. d City. Interscope, 2012. CD.

A Common Question Recruiters Ask Prospective Candidates is How They Essay

A Common Question Recruiters Ask Prospective Candidates is How They Would Motivate Their Staff - Essay Example Introduction The success of any business primarily relies upon the performance of its staffs. They are treated as the vital resources of any organisation which tend to yield high productivity through their performances. For staffs or employees, motivation acts as a key towards enhancing their performances. Motivation is a force which encourages employees to render their best effort towards the job. This motivation can only be achieved when the requirements of employees are satisfied. These requirements can differ from person to person as every person has their personal needs which can help to inspire toward high performance and thus yield high productivity. It has often been argued in this context that effective motivation is one of the prime reasons which prompt certain positive behavioural aspects amid employees. Although motivation is regarded as a crucial factor for success of business, there are certain debaters who attempt contradicting this explanation. In broader terms, motiv ation is believed to be the determination to perform better. Motivated people are identified to commonly exhibit energy and enthusiasm in the work procedure. Based on this notion, the paper will describe motivation of people from different perspectives. The objective of the paper is to understand the aspects which can help to stimulate employees towards higher performance. Application of different theories along with challenges and success factors for motivation of employees has been illustrated in the discussion henceforth. 2.0. Literature Review 2.1. Traditional Motivational Theories There are three most commonly applied motivational theories which were developed in traditional period namely, ‘Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory’, ‘Hertzberg’s two factor theory’, and ‘Theory X and Theory Y’. Maslow had proposed that employees have different set of requirements through his Need Hierarchy Theory. He had identified five kinds of needs t o be effective for any and every individual from a generalised point of view which included ‘psychological needs’, ‘safety needs’, ‘social needs’, ‘esteem needs’, and ‘self-actualisation needs’. However, the earnestness of these different needs is likely to vary from person to person. In this regards, Maslow had described that when one need is fulfilled, the other need arises. Hence, the urge for satisfying different needs drive employees toward more effort. Thus, accomplishment of different needs can help to motivate employees toward higher performance in an organisation (Bryson, 2006). Fredric Herzberg had developed two aspects namely ‘motivators’ and ‘hygiene’ factors which certainly creates an impact on motivation of staffs. Hertzberg believed that there are certain aspects which result in satisfaction of staffs and certain other aspects which inhibit dissatisfaction amid them. According t o him, the hygiene aspects are essential for existence of motivation in the workplace. Although hygiene aspects do not result in positive satisfaction for long run, it is vital for preventing displeasure among employees. In other words, hygiene aspects are extrinsic factors in the job. Alternatively, motivational aspects can generate satisfaction for employees to a considerable extent. These aspects are fundamental in nature and motivate employees for providing superior performance on a consistent basis. Motivator aspects are often termed as satisfiers and represent the

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 5

Case study - Essay Example The study takes into account the implications of social media from the context of customer as well as employees. It also analyzes social media as a tool for Customer Relationship Management. The study also highlights ways to implement social media in organizations. It suggests certain guidelines that must be followed by organizations while implementing social media in organizations. Finally an effort is also taken to include the measurement of success of social media with the balanced scorecard approach. The term â€Å"Social Media† generally refers to media dedicated for social interactions. Social media makes use of various online and web technologies to transform the media monologues into their sociable forms. In the contemporary context social media can be appropriately defined as a collection of web based applications which build the foundations of the internet. Social media has come a long way from being an exclusive element of IT domain to everyday social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and blogs etc which command a huge reach and can drastically affect a firm’s business prospects. Social media has been effectively used by organizations as a tool for reaching out to their prospective customers. The growth of social media has been largely used by many organizations as a promotional tool. Moreover, with the advent of social networking and blogging sites, social media has become an important means of getting customer feedbacks about their products and services. These days many organizations have a dedicated department that handles social media related issues. Organizations need to frame their social media policies so that it provides them with the ways and means to deal with possible opportunities and threats. The spread and easy accessibility of the internet has taken away the luxury that used to exist when non web based sources were used as a social media tool (Kane, et al., n.d.). The use of social media enables organizations to get

U.K. GCSE Coursework- 19th Ghost Stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

U.K. GCSE Coursework- 19th Ghost Stories - Essay Example In The Judge’s House the reader is introduced to the character of Malcolm Malcolmson through an omniscient third person narrator. Malcolmson â€Å"feared the attractions of the seaside, and also he feared completely rural isolation.†1 So the dominant feature of this character, at least at first, is â€Å"fear†. He would thus seem to be not very well suited to dealing well with an encounter with a ghost. Malcolmson is deliberately removing himself from everyone and everything he knows in order to study for exams. He is obviously of middle or upper class origins and determined to do well in his academic work. Soon the reader discovers that he is a mathematician, and possesses the self-confidence (some might say arrogance) of a man of science who thinks that only things that can be measured in a scientific sense are worth considering. Thus when he is warned about the terrors of the judge’s house, he replies casually, â€Å" . . . but my dear Mrs. Witham, indeed you need not be concerned about me! A man who is reading for the Mathematical Tripos has too much to think of to be disturbed by any of these mysterious somethings . . . â€Å"2 He thus rejects the supernatural in a good-humored but essentially dismissive manner. He has the confidence of youth, of education and of science. The rest of the story reveals how this confidence is demolished piece by piece. On his initial encounter with the rats that swarm through the house, on his first night of study, Malcomson ends up feeling remarkably at home with the vermin: â€Å"for a little while the rats disturbed him somewhat with their perpetual scampering, but he got accustomed to the noise as one does to the ticking of the clock or the roar of moving water. . . â€Å"3. The rats, at least these non-supernatural rats, are part of the physical world that Malcolmson is studying and feels comfortable with, at least to a point. The fact that â€Å"his problem was still unsolved† at the

Environmental Issues in Dairy Processing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Environmental Issues in Dairy Processing - Essay Example The second important aspect to be considered is the soil inside and around Fonterra Tirau. This is necessary because the materials and processes that are used in the milk processing can be harmful to the environment (soil) if care is not taken in their handling. If leakages or spillages occur, they can foster the micro - organism spread. Nitrogen, which is a major byproduct in the lactalbumin processing can easily leach into underground water and result in contamination of underground water sources. The other concern is that the nature of milk by-products is such that it can hamper oxygen supply in the soil, or disrupt infiltration. These in general would affect soil quality by polluting it, and this would end up even into waterways (Barnett, Robertson& Russell, n.d.).Thirdly, although not much considered is the inconvenience that might be caused by the heavy commercial vehicles, which are constantly moving into or out of Fonterra Tirau. Owing to the fact that they are large, they ha ve the potential to cause much noise and congestion of traffic in the area around Tirau. This is the same case with the heavy plant machinery used. In the light of this, it is the mandate of Fonterra Tirau to ensure that the machinery and trucks accessing the area do not have negative effects to the surrounding (Lundie, Schulz, Peters, & Nebel, 2009).Finally, air quality should be a factor very sensitive, and should be considered as well. Plant processes such as fermenting of lactic casein, bad milk.

Contrast and Compare Absorption Costing With Marginal Costing Essay

Contrast and Compare Absorption Costing With Marginal Costing - Essay Example Marginal costing and absorption costing are the basic two methods of costing that are used for managerial decision making. This research paper outlines comparison and contrasting of marginal costing with absorption costing to be presented to the manager of Ball Dolbear Ltd that I recently joined as an accountant. This paper describes the meaning and basic principles of both marginal costing and absorption costing. The managerial concepts and significance of both these methods are detailed in this paper. Both absorption costing and marginal or variable costing are types of product costing systems. Absorption or full costing includes direct materials, direct labor and both variable and fixed manufacturing overhead in the product costs whereas variable costing doesn’t include manufacturing fixed costs along with direct material and direct labor (Weygandt, Keiso and Kimmel, 2005, p. 265),. Marginal costing is the basic tool that helps management in taking most appropriate decisions and understands accurate cost structures. Marginal costing or variable costing considers direct materials, direct labor and variable manufacturing overhead costs as product costs. Under marginal costing, variable costs are attributed to cost units for a fixed period and fixed costs are written off in full against the total contribution. (Lucey and Lucey, 2002, p. 296). Nigam, Nigam and Jain (2004) defined marginal costing as the costing technique that â€Å"charges only the variable costs to the cost units† (p. 398). According to CIMA terminology of marginal costing, â€Å"it is a principle whereby variable costs are charged to the cost units and fixed costs attributable to the relevant period is written off in full against the contribution of that period† (Bhattacharyya, 2005, p. 68). Cost of a unit consists only of out of pocket costs that are direct, variable or avoidable costs. These

AIIB Assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

AIIB Assignment - Coursework Example If conditions are met for unemployment benefits employee receives benefits based on contributions and welfare entitlements. This is calculated based on severity of illness and contributions or in the event of retirement, contributions made over the years while employed. Critical Analysis Over the past ten or so years more than 300 million workers in Great Britain were unable to work due to illness or injury (Doherty, 1979). In the absence of a national insurance system in which unemployment benefits are calculated on the basis of contributions, the financial burden on the state would be far too onerous to bear. In addition, the provision of public health services would be entirely underfinanced and this would impact the quality of health services that the government can afford to provide for workers who are unable to work due to illness or injury. According to Woolhandler and Himmmelstein (2002), spending on health is among the highest for governments all over the world, particularly with respect to those employed in the public sector. A study conductd by Nishino, Kuwahara, Watanabe, et al., (1998) is demonstrative of the problem for the public. The study was conductd in Japan and examined the nature of national health insurance benefits accruing to a cohort of claimants between the ages of 40 and 79. There were approximately 54,996 claimants that were eligible for health benefits over a period of one month alone (Nishino, et al., 2002). The need for a contribution system in which citizens share some form of responsibility for their own welfare is required to safeguard against a depleted and overburdened, and at the same time, underfunded public health system. As Lewis (1992) argues, the ideal welfare system is one that incorporates a link between â€Å"unpaid† welfare and paid welfare (p. 591). Dependency status is also taken into account as this ensures that those who are independent can take some responsibility for themselves and this will not only he lp to fund public welfare services, but will also aid in the support of those who have dependence status and those who are unable to work at all (Lewis, 1992). Realistically, there is a disparity in terms of access to education and therefore access to paid employment. Some individuals will have the education, age, health and skills to obtain higher paying jobs than other individuals. In many cases, there will be individuals who will not have the health, education or skills to find employment at all. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the employee’s specific personal attributes and health history to determine whether or not this individual qualifies for national insurance unemployment benefits. In other words, a particularly healthy individual with skills, youth and education would not be able to apply for unemployment benefits under the rules established in the first part of this exercise. Conversely, an individual who suffers from mental or physical disabilities and o bviously does not have the skills to find employment will be able to claim unemployment national insurance benefits under these rules. An individual who has a history of contributing to national insurance and has suffered an injury or becomes ill and as a result is unable to work, his or her history of national insurance contribution will amplify the amount of benefits he or she is entitled to. According to Blundell, Duncan, McCrae and Meghir (March 2000) whenever a working individual obtains some sort of tax credit or benefit for being actively employed

Is Ham correct that connection between science and naturalism is Thesis

Is Ham correct that connection between science and naturalism is arbitrary - Thesis Example Nye supports science by citing evolution theory to prove that creationism or naturalism is not connected to science. Scientists based their evidence on evolution theory that explains the origin of flora and fauna. Nye also confirms the arbitrary connection between science and naturalism when he says in the debate that creationism should not be offered in school alongside the scientific theory coursework. While Nye argues that the scientific theory is false, Ham arguments are based on religious beliefs that have been captured in the book of Genesis. Additionally, Ham’s interpretation about the creationism in Genesis shows that the earth was created 6,000 years ago through supernatural powers. On the other hand, Nye describes the earth that was formed 4.5 billion years ago by using proof such as homologies, fossil, and distribution of time and space. The disparities in Earth’s age brought forward by Ham and Nye confirms further that the link between naturalism and science is a random occurrence (Etchells). Scientific theories are essential because they are used to explain the historical origin of the phenomena under study. The criteria debunk myths when they provide consistent results to the public. Scientific theory is used in creating awareness through education about the essence of science as a whole. Students use the theories as point of reference when they are given scientific-based prompts. Additionally, scientific theories promote lessons of intelligence and research. Observations that are made are based on theories brought forward by ancient scientists. There would be limited knowledge about natural phenomena if there were no existing theories such as evolution. Ham makes his remarks by quoting importance of science and creationism in school. He reveals that researchers such as Stuart Burgess have embraced both science and creationism as separate entities. However, the professor uses scientific

Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis - Essay Example When affected these tissues are covered with a dirty yellow to gray smear. The gingiva is extremely red, swollen, inflamed, and excruciatingly painful. On examination, the patients may present the hallmark of the disease, necrosis and crater-like ulceration of the affected interdental papillae. These irritated tissues will induce salivation, and the offensive exudates can be seen and perceived by halitosis. In some cases, spontaneous hemorrhage is also encountered. This discrete clinical picture makes the feasibility of easy diagnosis by clinical examination alone. However, this simplicity is not always the case, where the disease may be generalized within the oral mucosa, rather than being generalized, and sometimes, acute oral pain is also associated with systemic symptoms of fever and malaise. Quite frequently, involvement of the regional lymph nodes is also seen in the form of painful lymphadenopathy. Generalized disease due to contiguity may involve the other areas of buccal muc osa. When involved, most commonly the oral mucosa opposite the third molar is involved. Although rare, sometimes this encompasses tongue, lips, palate. It has been shown that there is an association between plasma ascorbate deficiency and disease risk. When this clinical presentation happens as a part of necrotizing ulcerative stomatitis, it is better to err on the side of HIV infection and rule it out. In this article, the relevance of the condition to dental practice will be explained and explored based on evidence from current literature (Melnick, S. L., Alvarez, J. O., Navia, J. M., Cogen, R. B., and Roseman, J. M., 1988). Melnick and coworkers investigates the susceptibility of necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis and in doing so they build up their study on the knowledge that impaired immune defense mechanisms and genetic factors play a role in susceptibility of this disease. In the concise literature review, the authors summarize the current literature on this disease. Although oral anaerobic bacteria have been implicated in this disease, the exact role played by them has not been elucidated. The question whether this disease is etiologically related to a genetic basis, is still unanswered, although the authors mention a familial constellation of cases. Many factors such as poverty, stress, and malnutrition have been suggested, but these have not yet been established conclusively. Numerous other associated conditions have been described in the literature, and they are important from the clinical point of view as far as the practice of dentistry is concerned, since they may alert the clinician to take a dequate preventive measures when such patients are encountered. Many such conditions pathologically are related to impaired immune defense, and they are chronic cyclic granulocytopenia, agranulocytosis, cyclic neutropenia, and Down's syndrome. In all these conditions, there is either defective polymorphonuclear leukocyte functioning or secondary neutrophils deficiency. It has been suggested that these deficiencies result from presence of abnormal complement components. These complement defects are genetically controlled, and therefore, it can be inferred that these defects in complement synthesis, C3 and C4 may play some role in pathogenesis of necrotizing ul

Visiting Nurse Health System Essay Example for Free

Visiting Nurse Health System Essay I. Executive Summary Visiting Nurse Health System (VNHS) is experiencing difficulty in quantifying the benefits of their telemonitoring services used to provide care to patients recently discharged from hospitals. While the company believes these services provide real value to the patients, hospitals and insurance companies, VNHS is worried about the ability to provide future investment in the technology given the tenuous healthcare reimbursement environment. To continue to grow its telemonitoring services, VHNS should: †¢ Assess patient specific effectiveness of telemonitors †¢ Quantify the advantage of telemonitoring to insurance companies †¢ Reduce the technology’s accessibility limitations †¢ Find alternatives to the telemonitoring service †¢ Create and implement a marketing strategy In order to accomplish these goals, we recommend the following: Develop an electronic means of assessing telemonitoring usage and compliance with final clinician approval for removal of telemonitor. †¢ This will increase the effectiveness of telemonitors by eliminating patients who do not use telemonitors effectively. †¢ Automated analysis will be quick and simple. Lobby with FDA and government agencies to pass new act/regulation which forces insurance companies to reimburse for telemonitoring devices †¢ Benefits the entire health care industry and reduces cost at multiple levels. (Insurance companies, patients and hospitals) Create secure website and computer application to compliment Health Buddy. †¢ Gives patients a variety of choices to transmit data †¢ Inexpensive and effective, with no need to upgrade Health Buddy Integrate Health Buddy with alternative technologies †¢ Having options to do telemonitoring via internet, mobile application and voice based automated telephone systems will allow VNHS to keep the cost low. Create a marketing strategy that targets hospitals and insurance companies that do not have a preferred partner status with VNHS. †¢ Acquiring preferred status has a direct correlation to the future success of VNHS †¢ By targeting specific hospitals and insurance companies, the marketing message can be tailored to each individual client. II. Overview Visiting Nurse Health System (VNHS) is an accredited nonprofit home health company located in Atlanta, GA. As a home health company it depends on patient reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies to fund a majority of its operations. As the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) moved to a flat fee for reimbursement and also implemented initiatives to reduce the amount of hospital readmissions due to preventable causes, healthcare organizations are under increased pressure to lower costs while also delivering high quality health care. One way VNHS is trying to become more efficient and meet CMS goals is to use telemonitoring devices to assess a patient’s health remotely. By remotely monitoring patients, VNHS can reduce clinician visits to the patient location as well as monitor potentially important health information that can prevent the patient from having to be readmitted to the hospital. The Health Buddy telemonitoring device has the potential to improve patient outcomes while reducing VNHS cost. The downside is that while CMS encourages the use of telemonitors, VNHS does not receive reimbursement from CMS or insurance companies when it purchases telemonitors. With a limited supply of telemonitors and a significant cost associated with each, VNHS must decide if telemonitoring is the most cost effective way to increase patient health outcomes while also keeping its costs low.

Fashion and Rebellion In The 1960s

Fashion and Rebellion In The 1960s What are the main differences between subculture and counterculture and what do they tell us about fashion and the rebellion in the 1960s? I shall be studying about the difference between subculture and counterculture and what they tell us about fashion and rebellion in the 1960s. I shall do this by looking at the way how the 1960s influenced the generation of the hippies era in relation to fashion, music, media and photography. I am going start by exploring the definition of subculture and counterculture. Culture is the way, the forms, in which groups handle the raw material of their social and material existence. (Clarke et al, 1975: 10) Subcultures are sub-sets smaller, more localised and differentiated structures, within one or other of the larger cultural networks. (Clarke et al, 1975: 13) both references from (Populism, Jim McGuigan, Chapter 3, Youth Culture and Consumption, pg95) The 1960s were an immense time to be young. Youth culture and youth fashion, had begun to take shape in the fifties, blossomed as never before. Hippies culture became very popular in the 60s after the Beatniks.Hippie culture, with the new interest in vegetarianism, the environment and peace, proved ready not just for revival but for a permanent place in this endless youth culture. (Post Modernism and Popular Culture, Angela Mcrobbie, pg.159) As of Stuart Hall, he saw the hippy movement as an identification towards poverty. It was also politically informed in the sense of being determined to create an alternative society. This subculture was therefore able to develop an extensive semi-entrepreneurial network which came to be known as the counter-culture. (Post Modernism and Popular Culture, Angela Mcrobbie, pg.143, Subcultural Entreprenuers) Hippies popularised kaftans, Macrame bags and Afghan coats. the flares of the late 1960s widened out to bell-bottom proportions before high-waisted straight trousers and platform soles stepped into view. (Speak the Culture, Britain, Be Fluent In British Life and Culture, Neil Thomas, ThoroGood, Pg.253) The distinct style of hippie are mainly colourful and floral wear, a lot of accessories such as headbands, rings, necklaces and earrings, usual would wear flip flops for footwear. Carnaby street was where they would all shop, Hippie Land that is what I would call it. Summer of Love was associated with the hippies, known as the Swingin 60s Carnaby Street in 1966. During the 60s, Lord John was the hippest store. (Fashion of a Decade, The 1960s pg.41) This is where Twiggy comes in, famous model, with her long lashes, big eyes and bob, she became the British style icon of the 60s. Made it big for wearing the mini-skirt. And to this day she has brought a new life to fashion for the older person as they relate to her and connect her to Marks and Spencer, which has made profit to them. A new style then came into sight, by a new group of teenagers which they called Mods. The Mod style were inspired by the beatniks and from American fashion. The well known designers at that time were Mary Quant, Zandra Rhodes and Barbara Hulanicki. Mary Quant introduced Britain to mini-skirts, and that made a huge impact in fashion in the 60s. The mini-skirt was mainly worn by the young, most of the audience were shocked, others saw this as free will. Zandra Rhodes influenced by pop art, with her unconventional clothes and pink hair. Rhodes sold some of her first textiles work to Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin. Associated with pop art during this decade were artists such as Andy Warhol, the fact that this movement was unrealistic, the audience were interested from the use of expression and abstract, which made people feel free, this is how the hippies were seen as. Pop art became the parcel of fashion, which made clothing more fun and colourful. Barbara Hulanicki opened a clothing store with her husband in the early 60s, she later became known for the garments she had designed for Cathy McGowan, the TV presenter for the music show Ready, Steady, Go. Till this day these three designers are the icons of modern fashion. Retro fashion is always coming back with new and fresh looks. Many contemporary designers now such as Anna Sui, Diane von Furstenburg, Erdem are influenced by the hippie culture. Music in the 1960s has made a big impression in the lives of youth culture. They still have an appeal to old and young, they were the ones mainly responsible for the change in music and social change from the war and 50s onwards. For example, the Beatles, which created Beatlemania their style was a start of a new era, having long hair with long beards, Lennon known for wearing the granny glasses, this is where the Beatniks were introduced, which then led to the hippy movement. Elvis Presley known as the King Rock and Roll. Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. The Glastonbury Festival, would have varieties of artists, in an open field, which lasts up to 3-4 days, usually visited by hippies during the 70s when it was first held, the festival was an excuse for sex, drugs, socialising with others. And to this day The Glastonbury Festival is still a successful event. This is where technology comes in, it is rapidly progressing from records to cassettes, to cassette tape walkman, to cds, to cd walkmans, to mp3 players such as Ipods,mobile phones. Also being able to download music from the internet illegally, this is causing music stores, such as HMV to close down shops, due to not enough sales to keep the business afloat. During the 60s, youths from under 25 years of age regularly visited the cinema as entertainment before TV became more popular. Also it was another excuse to socialise with others when they take a visit to the movies. The theatre was also popular for the upper age group as a form of entertainment. Photography plays a big role in fashion advertisement in a form of magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair, which introduces the upper working-class to upcoming fashion trends, which is currently still happening today with many more magazine options to choose from such as Dazed and Confused, ID etc. Fashions and faces: Beaton, Bailey and Rankin As Britain pursued its passion for photojournalism in the mid 20th century a more affected genre of photography also evolved, set to explode in the 1960s. It embraced fashion, advertising and high society (in short, beautiful people) and found its outlet in magazines like Vanity Fair, Harpers Bazaar and Vogue. Cecil Beaton bore the torch with staged, glamorous images of Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn and the Royals from the 1920s through to the 60s. (Speak the Culture Britain Be Fluent in British Life and Culture, Neil Thomas, ThoroGood, pg.245) To conclude, I have discovered that the subculture of hippies in the 1960s, were free spirited, peace loving, rebellions against war, and also introduced a fashionable trend that are still current in some societies. What I think about the difference between subculture and counterculture is that subculture is the identity of an individual. You can show your personality through clothing, the music you listen to, where you get together in the environment, the region of a culture. E.g. When you think of Camden, you automatically think of punks and rockers. Notting Hill Gate, the Notting Hill carnival comes to your mind. Where as counterculture, as seen as the political part of the culture i.e hippies. A subculture is the way of defining and honouring the particular specification and demarcation of special or different interests of a group of people within a larger collectivity. (Culture, Chris Jenks, pg.10)

Evaluating Television Advertisements For Effectiveness

Evaluating Television Advertisements For Effectiveness Advertising is paid, nonpersonal communication that is designed to communicate in a creative manner, through the use of mass or information-directed media, the nature of products, services, and ideas. It is a form of persuasive communication that offers information about products, ideas, and services that serves the objectives determined by the advertiser. Advertising may influence consumers in many different ways, but the primary goal of advertising is to increase the probability that consumers exposed to an advertisement will behave or believe as the advertiser wishes. Thus, the ultimate objective of advertising is to sell things persuasively and creatively. Advertising is used by commercial firms trying to sell products and services; by politicians and political interest groups to sell ideas or persuade voters; by not-for-profit organizations to raise funds, solicit volunteers, or influence the actions of viewers; and by governments seeking to encourage or discourage particular ac tivities, such a wearing seatbelts, participating in the census, or ceasing to smoke. The forms that advertising takes and the media in which advertisements appear are as varied as the advertisers themselves and the messages that they wish to deliver. The word advertise originates from the Latin advertere , which means to turn toward or to take note of. Certainly, the visual and verbal commercial messages that are a part of advertising are intended to attract attention and produce some response by the viewer. Advertising is pervasive and virtually impossible to escape. Newspapers and magazines often have more advertisements than copy; radio and television provide entertainment but are also laden with advertisements; advertisements pop up on Internet sites; and the mail brings a variety of advertisements. Advertising also exists on billboards along the freeway, in subway and train stations, on benches at bus stops, and on the frames around car license plates. In shopping malls, there are prominent logos on designer clothes, moviegoers regularly view advertisements for local restaurants, hair salons, and so on, and live sporting and cultural events often include signage, logos, products, and related information about the event spons ors. The pervasiveness of advertising and its creative elements are designed to cause viewers to take note. Although the primary objective of advertising is to persuade, it may achieve this objective in many different ways. An important function of advertising is the identification function, that is, to identify a product and differentiate it from others; this creates an awareness of the product and provides a basis for consumers to choose the advertised product over other products. Another function of advertising is to communicate information about the product, its attributes, and its location of sale; this is the information function. The third function of advertising is to induce consumers to try new products and to suggest reuse of the product as well as new uses; this is the persuasion function. The identification function of advertising includes the ability of advertising to differentiate a product so that it has its own unique identity or personality. One famous example of this is found in the long-running advertising for Ivory Soap. In the late 1800s, a soap maker at Procter and Gamble left his machine running during his lunch period and returned to find a whipped soap that, when made into bars, floated. The company decided to capitalize on this mistake by advertising Ivory Soap with the phrase It Floats. This characteristic of Ivory Soap served to uniquely identify it and differentiate it from other bars of soap. The information function of advertising can also be found in advertising for Ivory Soap. For more than one hundred years, advertisements for Ivory Soap have focused on such product characteristics as purity of ingredients, child care, and soft skin. These characteristics, in turn, were often related to key benefits that could be obtained from using Ivory Soap. Thus, various advertisements emphasized That Ivory Look, which focused on the relationships between product characteristics and the benefits of obtaining a fresh and healthy appearance. The third and most important function of advertising, persuasion, is also evident in the long-running Ivory Soap advertising campaigns. The advertiser, Procter and Gamble, has linked Ivory Soap with obtaining benefits that are important to customers: a fresh and healthy appearance for women, a mild, nonirritating method for bathing babies, and a novelty for children in the tub (since it floats). The benefits of the product suggest reasons to buy and use Ivory Soap and thus provide a basis for persuading consumers. Different benefits are important to different customers. Thus, to realize its full potential as a persuasive tool, advertising must often be tailored to emphasize those benefits that are important and meaningful for a particular type of customer or a particular use of the product. Advertising has a very long history. It existed in ancient times in the form of signs that advertised wares in markets. In Europe and colonial America, criers were often employed by shopkeepers to shout a message throughout a town. Medicine shows, in which there was a combination of entertainment and an effort to sell a product, usually a patent medicine or elixir, presaged modern advertising by creating an entertainment context in which advertising was embedded. Advertising became especially important in the second half of the nineteenth century as retailers began to advertise products and prices that would bring customers to their stores. Advertising for patent medicines also played a prominent role in the development of advertising, and by the end of the nineteenth century, the firms that would become advertising agencies had already begun to form. Though user habits are rapidly changing, television advertising has long been considered the most effective mass-market advertising format. The introduction of digital video recorders such as TiVo, which allows viewers to skip advertisements, as well as the popularity of commercial-free cable channels, have begun to diminish the reach and effectiveness of TV advertising. Television advertisings crowning moment is the Super Bowl, where companies debut their very best television commercials, effectively putting them in competition with all of the other television commercials. With the cost of a single 30-second TV spot during the Super Bowl running into the millions, most companies opt instead for running their TV advertising in time slots that best match their advertising budget. Television is the most common and most wide spread advertising medium. Watching TV is the most common leisure activity among the consumers.They spend attentive time watching TV.It will not be an exaggeration to describe television as the giant advertising medium as a report shows that people spend 5 to 6 hours (average) a day watching TV. Showing your ad on TV has several advantages.TV reaches almost every household and it touches more people than any other medium can do.Even the most popular newspaper only covers the metropolitan area.However TV reaches every corner of your city, your state and your country.In fact some of the very popular channels reach the whole world. Reach Larger Audience than Newspaper Newspaper can only accommodate pictures and words.TV reaches much larger audience than newspaper can do and it can do this work within a very short span of time.Another thing that you should keep in mind is that people usually look only for the news and they overlook the ad in newspapers.However if you run your ad in the middle of the favorite TV commercials of the consumers they will surely watch the ad. TV Ads have Visual Appeal You can also go for radio ads,but again radio only captures sound.TV is the only medium that uses words,sounds,picture (both still and movie) and also music to motivate the consumers emotionally.With so many options it successfully captures the viewers complete attention. You can Take Your Audience Anywhere TV ads are so popular because with a camera you can take your audience almost anywhere you wish.You can show them anything. Not only the end result but also your factory,the procedure of making the product,the packaging and so on.It appeals to the viewers sight and hearing at the same time.With the application of color it turns the world of advertisement into a real world and it easily makes people believe in it. TV Ads can Emotionally Motivate the Consumers Television can show many people about your product or service at a time.Every time the consumers see the benefit of using your product or service they will get inspired to buy it.It will remind them of their desire to possess what you offer.It can instantly give your product or service the prominence it needs. Reach Targeted Audience TV ads can reach the target audience most easily.You can reach the housewives between the best commercials or soaps. You can make funny ads for children and reach them during they watch their favorite cartoon programs.You can reach the elderly people during some religious programming and the office goers during news. However remember a few things while making a TV ad.Make it simple so that people can easily remember it.Repeat your ad at regular intervals.Go for a single consistent message. Offer what the audience wants and focus on the consumer needs.You will surely make a successful ad. Being titled theKing of advertising medium television has the power to influence consumer behavior over and again. Despite the many entertainment options we have today, television remains the dominant medium in most U.S. households, according to a study by Ball State University. Americans on average spend over 4 1/2 hours watching TV each day. Advertising your product or business on television can be very effective, but there are also several drawbacks. Before you purchase ad time, you should be aware of the disadvantages of advertising on television. Expense Producing a television commercial and purchasing airtime is costlyit is the most expensive form of advertising there is. TV commercial production is often a complicated process which can involve a lot of manpower, time and equipment. Some ads are simplefor example, just graphics and a voiceover. Other ads involve renting a studio and equipment, hiring a director, writers, actors, light and camera operators and editors. Who you hire to produce your ad will also affect the overall cost. For a less expensive, albeit lower quality ad, use your local cable station, which often has the capability to produce ads. If you have more to spend and want a higher quality ad, hire a professional production company. And assuming youre not an advertising professional, its wise to hire an advertising agency to help you come up with a campaign, which will add further expense. Besides production, there are a number of other factors affecting the final cost of your ad. Once the commercial is completed, you must then purchase airtime on one or more TV stations. According to AllBusiness.com, the key with TV advertising is repetition, so youll want to air the commercial as many times as possible. This is why TV stations offer pricing in bulk. Another cost factor is the size of the market in which you run the commercial. Airtime in major markets such as New York, Los Angeles and Dallas is more expensive than in Eureka, California or Amarillo, Texas. And cost will also depend upon where the ad will be seen. Local advertising on cable TV is significantly less expensive than ads that run on major networks nationwide. Changes Because of the complex process of making TV commercials, it can be difficult to make changes once the ad is complete. If a sale price or special offer needs changing, it could take days or weeks to make the adjustment at additional cost. Meantime, you may be unable to run your ad if the information is no longer correct. This will cost you valuable time during which youre not reaching your audience, unfortunate especially if youre advertising an event or limited time offer. In comparison, a newspaper or radio ad can be changed almost overnight and will likely cost little or nothing to change. Ad Campaign Creating an effective advertising campaign is not an easy task. You want your ad to be memorable, informative and entertaining enough to keep the viewers attention. If you dont have prior experience writing ads, you should hire an advertising agency. You can present them with the information you want to use in the ad, as well as any creative ideas you may have. The advertising professional will help you shape your information and ideas into what will hopefully be an effective ad campaign. Just remember that even agency-created, high-quality campaigns dont always work. TV-viewing audiences can be fickle and hard to please; sometimes its difficult to tell whether your ad will bring them to your business or make them change the channel. Your best chance of creating an effective ad campaign is to leave it to professionals. Hitting the Target Finding the right viewers is critical to the ads success. If youre selling womens shoes, then buying ad time during Monday Night Football is unwise, as most of the viewing audience is male. Run your ad instead during shows mostly viewed by women. Your advertising agency or a TV stations advertising department can help you decide when and on what channels you should advertise. They have access to Nielsen ratings, which are compiled from surveys that ask TV viewers what they watch. These ratings also provide viewer demographicsinformation such as gender, age and economic class. These statistics make it easier to determine when your ad should air based upon audience makeup; if your ad misses its target audience, it may fail to increase your business. Avoiding Commercials For viewers, television advertising can be an annoyance. Many people use commercial breaks to go to the bathroom, get a snack or flip channels. Add to that all the other entertainment options they have such as video-on-demand, radio, the Internet, Mp3 players and video gamesopportunities abound to miss the ad altogether. All you can do as an advertiser is create the best ad you can, repeat it often and hope viewers watch it and patronize your business. DVR A relatively new technology that is making its way into households across the nation is the DVR or Digital Video Recorder. A more modern version of a VCR, a DVR allows users to digitally record TV shows easilyand automatically, and to record more than one show at a time. Unfortunately for the advertising industry, DVRs allow users to fast-forward through commercials. According to Cnet News, a March 2006 study by the Association of National Advertisers and Forrester Research said about 70 percent of advertisers surveyed believed that DVRs and video-on-demand will reduce or destroy the effectiveness of traditional 30-second commercials. It remains to be seen just what sort of effect DVRs will have on television advertising. Evaluating television advertisements for effectiveness is difficult since each viewer is affected by them in a different way. A general formula known by the acronym AIDCA is used by many advertisers to determine whether or not an ad will succeed in influencing viewers. The A in AIDCA stands for Attention, the I is for Interest, the D is for Desire, the C is for Credibility or Conviction, and the final A stands for Action. Each of these steps is believed to be key in creating a quality advertisement.

Chaucers Canterbury Tales and Enrique Iglesias :: Canterbury Tales Essays

The Canterbury Tales and Enrique Iglesias In Chaucer's epic poem, The Canterbury Tales, you get a real taste of different kinds of people of the Middle Ages. The Canterbury Tales are stories told by different characters to pass the time on the way to their destination. The character of the Squire, who is approximately twenty years old, and the son of a knight, is of average height, strong, agile, can read and write, and likes to impress the ladies by singing and dancing. Enrique Iglesias, a Latin Pop star, is much like the Squire in numerous ways. With their similarities in singing talent, appearance, and love life, the comparison is remarkable. One way the Squire and Enrique Iglesias both try to get the ladies is by singing and using their dance moves. The Squire is described as "singing.in hope to win the ladies grace." (Chaucer 107), It seems, as all he does is spend time trying to impress the girls. Since he gets so little sleep, the Squires singing and dancing obviously impresses the girls. Enrique Iglesias says his songs are "love songs". (Enrique's Great Escape 1) He has recorded his love songs in four different languages, trying to reach the hearts of women everywhere. Enrique Iglesias wants to impress people and, clearly is an icon. Enrique Iglesias and The Squire both use their singing talents to win women over. Another way the Squire and Enrique are similar is in their appearance. "Short was his gown, the sleeves were long and wide" and "with locks of curly hair" (Chaucer 107). For the time, the Squire's clothes were flashy and out of the ordinary. His gown was short, some say to show off his legs. Enrique is a "Twenty-six year old hunk." (Enrique's Great Escape 3) He wears flashy clothing, just like the Squire. In his steamy videos, Enrique likes to show off his body. Like his father, Enrique has the face of an angel, and the women know it! Both Enrique and the Squire dress to impress. The last main thing Enrique Iglesias and the Squire have in common is their love lives. Considered a "Latin Lover" from Rolling Stone Magazine, Enrique says his "sex life has defiantly grown," ('I'm sick of Casual Sex' 1).

The Ethical Dilemma of Euthanasia Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Ar

The Ethical Dilemma of Euthanasia An incredibly controversial issue clouds the minds of millions of people everyday as death confronts them. The problem revolves around the ethics of euthanasia. Should medical assisted suicide be outlawed in all situations or under certain circumstances, could it be considered ethical? Do humans violate nature’s course with science and advanced technology by playing God? Why should doctors and families witness their loved ones suffer when the solution of euthanasia promises a painless death? Authors Andrea E. Richardson and David Miller of the articles â€Å"Death with Dignity: The Ultimate Human Right† and â€Å"From Life to Death in a Peaceful Instant† reflect upon their experiences and feelings on these questions. In â€Å"Death with Dignity: The Ultimate Human Right,† Richardson introduces the reader to the depressing story about his father. His father, a good family man, had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which kept him in the hospital for weeks at a time. For this man, the painful and paralyzing experience destroyed both his joints and internal organs. Richardson sneaks the idea of euthanasia into his introduction by saying, â€Å"For others-for those like my father- death is an event clearly visible on the horizon. It is an event that is forecasted, feared, and at times yearned for† (Richardson, 42). Richardson then talks about the history of euthanasia by discussing the tribal ideals and medical techniques used thousands of years ago. â€Å"The discovery that certain berries had lethal effects was used as a means of humane euthanasia for people who were very ill or badly injured† (Richardson, 42). The author explains how medicine has evolved to the point where the... ...ge a person’s fate. Richardson supports his argument with various cases and concrete facts. He presents his case in both an interesting and informative manner because he didn’t just concentrate solely on his feelings of his father. Miller on the other hand focuses on his feelings towards his grandmother without supporting his cases with a sound argument. He makes his story too personal while ignoring the other side of the coin. This comes off as both arrogant and non-professional. Overall, these two articles support the pros of euthanasia, giving the reader a solid background to the ethical dilemma facing human beings today. Works Cited Miller, David. â€Å"From Life in Death in a Peaceful Instant.† The Humanist (May/ June 2000) 27 Richardson, Andrea E. â€Å"Death with Dignity: The Ultimate Human Right?† The Humanist (July/ Aug 2002) p. 42-43

Points of Machiavelli in “The Prince”

Part 15 of Machiavelli's The Prince, entitled Of the Things for WhichMen, and Especially Princes, Are Praised or Blamed, states that, in order for aman to maintain control of a government and better that territory, he mustengage in certain actions that may be deemed immoral by the public he serves. Machiavelli argues a valid point, that the nature of man is twofold,encompassing good and evil, right and wrong. The effectiveness of his argument,however, relies on the fact that the person reading his essay is an objectiveobserver of human nature. Not leaving this to chance, Machiavelli plays apsychological game with the reader in order to convince them of his argument. Machiavelli prefaces his thesis with commentary that attempts to placethe reader in a subordinate state-of-mind. He confesses to the reader that hefears sounding presumptuous for writing about a subject covered many timesbefore by others and differing from their opinion in the matter. This statementplaces the author at the mercy of the reader and prepares them to hear an ideathat may not be popular. Having been asked forgiveness for the pride of theauthor, the reader drops barriers that he may have against arguments driven byego and opens his mind to Machiavelli on a personal, sincere level. By placinghimself at the feet of the reader, Machiavelli puts himself and his argument ina position of power. He wastes no time in using this power to gain more controlover the reader. In the next sentence he states that his intention is to createan outline for behavior in public office † of use to those who understand†. Thisstatement compels the reader to agree with the points that the trustworthy,forthright Machiavelli argues, or be relegated the ranks of those ignorantdullards that do not understand. Machiavelli then presents his thesis, that aruler must use both good and evil in order to maintain his power over the state. The reader has almost no choice but to accept this idea before any proof hasbeen given. With the reader in the palm of his hand, Machiavelli needs only tomake a very general argument of his point to convince the reader of its validity. The author states that there are actions for which a prince is eitherpraised or blamed. He lists many examples of good qualities and their opposingattitudes. Instead of labeling them good and evil, however, Machiavelli titlesthem imaginary and real. By calling the good traits and the leader who possessesthem imaginary, he removes the bite that the mention of evil doing may have onthe reader. Removing this emotional punch makes his thesis, that evil behavioris necessary to properly rule, obvious. Machiavelli applies the rules he sets out for successful management of anation to his own writing. He is cautious not to offend the reader with a statement that is too specific. He manipulates the mind of the reader in orderto quell his emotions and make him more accepting of his opinion. He seems weakwhen he is most powerful and seems powerful when he has no legs to stand on. Heis cautious and polite when his foe's defenses are up and attacks with all ofhis resources at his foe's weaknesses. Machiavelli writes a strongly convincing essay. The proof for his opinion lies not only in the words he speaks but in the flow and believability of the work itself through the utilization of the very techniques he exhorts.

Murder Mystery story Essay

This is also securing the readers perspective on Sherlock Holmes. All through the Speckled Band Sherlock Holmes displays his distinct ability to decipher the exact meaning of a situation. At the same time that Holmes is doing this, the reader becomes more and more confused about the situation in hand. This is where Conan Doyle’s first person narrative becomes crucial to the story. He uses Dr. Watson as a translator of Holmes’ genius. Watson helps the readers understand exactly what’s going on and, in a way, puts their minds at ease. This is typical of Arthur Conan Doyle. He creates a psychological battle in the minds of the reader. He uses Holmes to create a trouble with interpretation of sequences past and to come and then simplifies it through Watson. This is what makes all Conan Doyle’s stories so brilliant for the reader. Conan Doyle uses Holmes to build up suspense with a possible flaw in Holmes’ brilliance when he declares that the committer of the crime is more cunning than himself. This is essential to the story. Holmes has been portrayed as the best detective in England up to this point and now he himself declares that he has been defeated. This creates extreme suspense for the reader. Also among Holmes’ abilities is his ability to disguise himself. He makes himself appear to be a person with distinct business at the Roylott estate. â€Å"This fellow should think that we had come as architects or on some definite business. † This adds to Holmes’ list of excellencies. He is now toying with the mind of the villain in order to accomplish he task he has been set. The unexpected ending. By the end of the Speckled band Doyle has created such suspense and confusion in the minds of the readers that they are waiting in dire anticipation to find out how it will end. The Speckled Band is, in fact, a poisonous snake native to India, the living place of Dr. Roylott for several years. Roylott used the snake to make its way through the ventilation and into the bedroom of Miss Stoner and poison her. No matter how intelligent the reader they would not have the ability to predict this ending. This is a classic ending because it surprises the reader and although the identity of the villain was obvious all the way through the story, it was never clear how he would have murdered his stepdaughter. This is again excellent writing by Conan Doyle. He builds up tension by repeating the events of the past death of Julia Stoner when Holmes re-enacts the sequences of that fateful night with Helen Stoner as a trap for Dr. Roylott. Arthur Conan Doyle uses vast imagery and description to keep the reader glued. It is with this imagery that he creates the tension and creates a sense of tragedy in the mind of the reader. The word black is repeated several times, and this gives a feeling of doom and imbalance. This, paired with nocturnal, silence, darkness and all the other words of sinister imagery creates more tension for the reader. It all builds up and gives the reader an incentive to carry on, to find out what will occur in the next sequence. All the way through there is a mysterious atmosphere and this only pushes the story further into the classic murder mystery genre. Everything down to he scenery and especially the buildings create a tense atmosphere. Conan Doyle wants to put a picture into the mind of the reader, such that they can almost see exactly they are reading about. â€Å"Grey, lichen-blotched stone†¦ windows broken†¦ picture of ruin. † All these are distinct factors of a house that can be picture in an infinite number of different ways for each individual reader. As this essay concludes the Speckled Band by sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a classic murder mystery story. All the criteria in the second paragraph have been fulfilled. There can be no argument that Sherlock Holmes is the greatest fictional detective in the whole of English literature and Arthur Conan Doyle is, without doubt, the most memorable writer of classic Murder Mystery stories up to the present day. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.

Pro and Anti Social Behaviour Essay

a) Outline two psychological theories of aggression (12 marks) b) Evaluate two theories of aggression that you outlined in part a) in terms of relevant research studies (12 marks) a) Outline and evaluate two psychological theories of aggression (24 marks) Aggression is an example of anti-social behaviour. It has been defined as ‘any form of behaviour directed towards the goal of harming or injuring another living being who is motivated to avoid such harm’. Social Psychological theories of aggression These explain aggression as a result of social interactions Social Learning Theory (SLT) One of the most influential theories of aggression is the Social Learning theory put forward by Bandura (1973). The nature of the theory suggests human aggression is learned either through direct experience or by observing aggressive behaviour in other people i. e. indirect experience. Bandura produced two assumptions in relation to the social learning theory. He stated that if a child acts aggressively against another child and as a result gets what they want, their aggressive behaviour has been reinforced. This is an example of learning by direct experience, derived from the principles of the traditional learning theory; operant and classical conditioning. Secondly, he stated that if a child observes another person behaving in an aggressive manner, they may imitate that behaviour them selves, particularly if they see the model reinforced for behaving in that way. This is an example of vicarious experience. Results from Bandura’s studies have shown that children are more likely to imitate models if they are similar to themselves, have some kind of status or who are seen to be rewarded for their actions. He also applied these factors to his Social Learning theory. Bobo Doll study Bandura (1961) Support for the Social Learning theory comes from studies using Bobo dolls (an inflatable toy). This was conducted by Bandura et al (1961). He carried out a study where Nursery school children watched a film where an adult model behaved aggressively or non-aggressively towards a Bobo doll. The adult model displayed some distinctive physical acts of aggression, for example kicking it and using verbal aggression such as Pow! Following this, the children were taken to a room and shown attractive toys that they were forbidden to play with. This created a sense of frustration within the children. They were then taken to a room containing a Bobo doll and other toys and were then rated for the amount of aggression they showed. Bandura found that children in the aggressive condition reproduced the physical and verbal behaviours modelled by the adult. In contrast children in the non-aggressive condition showed very little aggression towards the doll. This shows that children can acquire aggressive behaviours from watching the actions of others. Evidence that supports the Social Learning Theory Further research evidence has been carried out in relation to aggression which supports Bandura’s theory. Silvern and Williamson (1987) investigated the effect video games have on aggression. They found that aggression levels in children increased after playing violent games. This suggests that this was due to imitation or modelling. However, the study lacks validity because it only identifies short term aggression, not long term aggression therefore, it does not prove any permanent effects. Furthermore, Margeret and Mead (1935) studied aggression in relation to cross cultural differences. She studied three New Gunea tribes and found that each tribe behaved different in terms of aggressive tendencies. This suggests that the fact that some societies were more aggressive than others supports the role of social learning in aggression. However, the fact that the men were relatively more aggressive in each society suggests that some aspects of aggression are biologically determined. Evidence that challenges the Social Learning Theory However, this theory has been challenged by a number of psychologists. Johnston et al (1977) carried out another study in which he found that children who behaved most aggressively towards the doll were the ones rated by the teachers as most violent generally. Also, Durkin (1995) suggested that Bandura made no distinguish between aggressive behaviour and play fighting. These studies therefore suggest that the findings from the Bobo Doll study lack reliability. In addition, the study has ethical issues as it encourages aggression in children. Furthermore, the situation is unlike a lot of ‘real-life’ modeling as hitting a doll is no the same as hitting a person. This leads to the assumption that Bandura over exaggerated the extent to which children imitate the behaviour of models. This also leads to the criticism that the study lacks ecological validity due to its artificial setting; therefore the results may not apply to real life. Also, some critics argue that the children were manipulated into responding to the aggressive movie. This was because the children were teased and became aggressive because they could not touch the toys. Finally, there is a problem that the study suffers from high demand characteristics due to the children being given cues how to behave, resulting in the participants to behave in certain predictable ways. Alternative theories Alternative social psychological theories of aggression have also been produced, challenging the idea that aggression is solely based upon imitation, modelling and reinforcement. Deindividuation theory One of these is the Deindividuation theory proposed by Zimbardo (1969). Deindividuation refers to the loss of a sense of personality identity that can occur when we are for example, in a large crowd or wearing a mask. We then become more likely to engage in anti-social, un-socialised behaviour. Zimbardo (1969) distinguished between individual behaviour, which conforms to acceptable social standards, and deindividuated behaviour, which does not conform to society’s social norms. He claimed that people don’t normally act aggressively because they are easily identifiable in societies that have strong norms against aggressive behaviour. Being anonymous (and therefore effectively unaccountable) in a crowd has the consequence of reducing inner restraints and increasing behaviours that are usually inhibited. According to Zimbardo, being in part of a crowd can reduce awareness of our own individuality. In a large crowd, each person is faceless and anonymous (so the larger the group, the greater the anonymity), reducing the fear of negative evaluation of our actions and a diminishing the sense of guilt. Therefore, individuals feel less constrained by the norms of social behaviour and as a result, they may be more inclined to act in an anti-social way. This is supported by Mann (1981) who found evidence of Deindividuation in the ‘baiting crowd’ (crowds who frequently baited a potential suicide victim to jump). Mann found that baiting increased under conditions which increased the anonymity of the crowd (e. g. numbers, darkness and distance from the victim). This therefore supports the claim that deindividuation increases aggressive behaviour. The deindividuation theory is also supported by Zimbardo (1969) who left ‘abandoned’ cars in New York and a small town in California. He found the ‘abandoned’ car in the big city was stripped and vandalised very quickly whereas the one in the small town was left alone. This suggests that the larger the group, the more anonymous the individual is and, consequently, the more extreme the antisocial behaviour becomes. Futhermore, Zimbardo (1963) conducted a study specifically to demonstrate the effects of deindividuation on aggression. Participants were asked to shock a confederate. Some were deindividuated (wore a hood, no names were used and they sat in a dimly lit room) and others were easily identifiable (they wore name tags and sat in a bright room). The findings showed that the deindividuated students administered the most shocks, i. e. were most aggressive, suggesting that deindividuation plays a role in producing anti-social behaviour. However, the major difficulty with using Deindividuation as an explanation for aggression is the fact that it does not always lead to aggression. In some circumstances it can lead to high levels of pro-social behaviour, for example wearing a nurse’s uniform. Overall Evaluation Overall, the Social learning theory can account for the fact that a person’s aggressive behaviour may not be consistent across different situations. It may be reinforced in some situations, but punished in others (context-dependant learning). Furthermore, studies carried out into video games and aggressions are consistent with the Social Learning theory. However, alternative explanations such as the biological explanation (e. g. levels of testosterone are linked to aggressive behaviour) challenge the view that social learning is the primary causal factor in aggression. In addition, the social learning theory is limited in scope because aggression doesn’t just depend on observational learning. This is supported by cross cultural evidence which demonstrates that some aspects of aggression are innate. Effects of environmental stressors on aggressive behaviour Use for: Describe and evaluate research (theories or studies) into the effects of two or more environmental stressors on aggressive behaviour (24 marks) A number of environmental factors have been identified as triggers for aggression. Some of these possible environmental features are temperature, overcrowding and noise.