European Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

European Studies - Essay Example However, this is not the only reason as to why Europe is further divided into different areas such as the eastern and western Europe. One of the primary elements that make this particular situation worse is the political divide in the country. As noted earlier, besides geographical divisions, there are certain measures of political factors that make the unity among European countries effectively possible. Understandably, it is through this particular factor that the European people are now living in different status of opinions about their governments and the status of life that they are living in. With the history that covers the European territories, it could not be denied that the entire civilization of the European generations have come into different essential understanding as to what has happened to their country to the years. Each individual is sure to gave a different point of view with regards the must's and the must-not's of the past leaders and rulership in the continent as applied in the present situation of the political status of the entire continent. Throughout its history, Europe has had a great influence on world politics. It was the ancient Greeks who first created a democracy, in about 450 B.C. This system, where the people choose the government, is widespread today. During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church held great political influence across Europe. By the 1700's power had shifted away from the church into the hands if a few nations such as Spain and Great Britain. They grew rich from exploring Asia, Africa and the Americas. Many of these colonies did not gain their independence until the present century. Both WWI and WWII began in Europe. After the Second World War, the continent split into Communist countries in the east and Non-Communist countries in the west. Since then, Europe became the center of power struggle, known in history as the Cold War that existed between the Communist and the Non-Communist countries within the European continent. In the 1980's, reforms in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe led to the collapse of communism there. New states emerged when the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia broke up. The Cold War ended but the conflict between ethnic groups and economic problems caused new tensions in Eastern Europe. In An Aim of Reuniting Every Country in Europe FOLLOWING World War II the countries of western Europe faced a tremendous job of economic reconstruction. Their industries were in ruins and their people were poor. The establishment of freer international trade and closer cooperation was a logical response to the situation. During the 1950's an added incentive for these countries to unite was the fear of many Europeans that the threat of Soviet aggression was growing. What steps were taken to achieve this unity of western European countries Have the organizations established for this purpose proved successful What prospects are there now for greater unity in the future After long preparation, the Council of Europe was established in May of 1949. The goal of this organization is to promote closer unity among its some eighteen-member nations so that economic and social progress might be achieved. (Drake, 2005, 87)The

Creating a sense of community Essay Example for Free

Creating a sense of community Essay Introduction Organizations, leaders and employees often need to be commended on a job well done and celebrate it with some exceptional time off from work. This is a positive step for the organization because it not only shows appreciation for those individuals who come to work every day to make sure that their organization achieve all of its goals, but illustrates the organizations appreciation for it valuable staff and employees. This can be done by simply honoring most federal and calendar year holidays throughout the year, company holidays including time off for birthdays and banquet celebrations as well. In addition, on a dismal note, sometimes an organization may have to honor its employees and staff for tragic circumstances that may occur throughout the year. Celebrating the community is key for an organization in terms of keeping their employees motivated and excited about giving their best effort on each task at hand. Kouzes Posner mentions that celebrations serve as important a purpose in the long-term of an organization as does the daily performance of tasks ( Kouzes Posner, p.310, 2013). Celebrating the community serves as a medicine that brings an organizations and its employees together in each prospective shared values and commitments. Overview of community building practices Kouzes Posner states that In acknowledging the community (†common unity†) that individuals share with each other, a sense of team spirit is created among leaders who build and maintain the social support that is required for individuals to thrive and excel during tough times ( Kouzes   Posner, p.310, 2013). Organizations must have in place an supportive structure that will support the employees and enhance their opportunities for appreciation for their hard work. Communities that have a strong commitment for connecting celebrations, community and commitment will set themselves far above average organizations. An outstanding leader who has made the vow to help renew those employees’ commitments will be headed in a positive direction. This approach will serve as a motivational and retention tool for the leaders and organization. Organizations should commit themselves on building fun activities and socials that are fitted for those employees, it’s a celebration of appreciation and respect. Celebrating those outstanding deeds that each employee exemplified should not be kept in house. The good news should be shared with the community, the public. Kouzes Posner suggest that private rewards do little to set an example for the organization ( Kouzes Posner, p.313, 2013). However, having the opportunity to share someone’s story of success is worth celebrating and it will also highlight the individual and the organization in a positive manner. Organizations that connect celebration, community and commitment for the long haul will undoubtedly be successful. Organizations that ensure that their employees understand that they are part of the big picture know that shared values, destiny and victories are important to securing a sense of community. Leaders should make sure that all employees have the opportunity to play a functional role in the celebrations and the framework that support the organizations values. Celebrations can come in all forms such as cyclical celebrations, celebrations of triumph, personal transitions, workplace altruism, events and ritual for comfort and letting go. Not every celebration is upbeat and enjoyable. There are times when a employee may have a sick family member or even suffered a loss of a loved one. Author Colleen Young mentioneds that in ttoday’s organization, the fledgling, but active, community continues to grow, providing peer-to-peer support and information for a very specific point in the health continuum, namely for people living with life-threatening disease, for friends and family who care about and for them, and for people dealing with grief and loss (Young, C. 2013). Different cultures There are many different cultures all around the world that handle  their employees differently. Individuals take time to celebrate their prospective cultures that have a particular meaning for them. Leaders that do not implement group interactions or celebrations could lack the reinforcement of a common purpose for different cultures. The organization have to get involved in each culture collaboration. The cultures in communities are many, such as the Chinese community which is the largest and the fastest growing group among Asian and Pacific Islander populations. It also has many different dialects that a leader and organization must understand. Furthermore, there’s the African American Community and the Central American Community. The African American Community has a group history of oppression and survival also affects the way it is organized. The networks and organizations that form to protect the rights of their members influence the way in which members of the group organize for self-help. It is important for an organization to know about their history and celebrated it accordingly. Lastly, there is the Central Americans who fled from poverty and oppression in their countries to seek a more secure and better life in a new place here in the United States. Challenges that leaders face in respecting the cultural differences Some of the challenges that a leader may encounter are not knowing the unknown and how to deal with tension among the groups when resources are limited. Another challenging situation that will likely to confront the leader is struggling with immigrants whose culture, institution and tradition are not readily familiar to most mainstream groups. Some of those cultures may not have community groups with leaders. Therefore, there is no organization or guidance. Culture typically refers to a set of symbols, rituals, values, and beliefs that make one group different from another. Culture is learned and shared with people who live or lived in the same social environment for a long time. Provide best practices for overcoming these challenges There are several best practices that can help the leader to overcome those cultural challenges. Kouzes Posner discusses that Reflection and Action can help when social interactions required to uphold individuals or groups to a high standard. People are asked to go beyond their comfort zone, so as a leader you should set the example by getting personally involved in the celebrations of varies cultures ( Kouzes Posner, p.329, 2013). Some other  best practices may include Plan a celebration today, reinforce core values in your celebrations. A leader need to start the celebration right now and don’t procrastinate. Understanding those cultures now will make for a better transition of understanding. Lastly, a leader should understand the cultures values and what they aspire to realize ( Kouzes Posner, p.331, 2013). Being innovative and obtaining values and loyalty are key factors that will enable a leader to be successful in dealing with multiple cultures. SDLP I will implement my understanding of connecting celebration, community and commitment to my professional career. I have a clearer picture of how to bond and recognize those employees who work hard and treat them like an individual should be treated. I will go a step further in implementing a framework that will celebrate the key values of my staff when they go the extra mile to achieve their goals. My commitment to them will highlight and reward them not just internally, but publically as well. I know that this will be a motivation tool that can help shape the future of me as a leader and my organization. I will document my newly found knowledge of celebrating a community in my SDLP.

The Rule :: essays research papers

The Rule   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When one turns eighteen years old they are looked at, by many, as an adult. They can vote, probably stay out later, receive more responsibilities because now those responsibilities can be handled. They will soon leave home and start a journey to college. They will be on their own, free to make their own decisions. They will rely on no one but themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If we are given in college the freedom to do as we please then why are their rules when we get there? I am not talking about drinking, or smoking in the rooms. Or how much noise we can make after a certain hour. Colleges have to be strict on those issues because they can be unsafe to the individual or people around them. By keeping the noise down we are only being considerate to other people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The rule that I feel is ridiculous is the visitation rule. Why can a guy be in a girls room all day, or a girl be in a guys room all day, but must leave at night? Their is no harm being done if he or she stays. If your roommate doesn't mind then their shouldn't be a problem. If we are told that we are responsible enough to go and live away from home, then why does it matter who we live with? Why aren't we trusted when it comes to that issue? I feel that one should be trusted until one proves otherwise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The rule may forbid boyfriends, girlfriends, or just friends to stay in a room, but why family members? Have a heart. Your family member drives all the way to your school to see you and they must sleep some where else, why? Didn't your brother or sister come to visit you in college? Didn't you want him or her to stay with you? If they were a younger sibling wouldn't it make you feel safer if they were by your side all night?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Listen, I am not attacking your decision pertaining to this issue. I am simply asking reasonable questions and stating reasonable ideas on why I feel

Identities And How They Are Formed Essay -- Sociology

Identities and How they are Formed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From this section of the course I have learned about different philosophies and ideas about how identities are formed. The philosophies that make the most sense to me are the ideas of John Locke, Jean- Jacues Rousseau, Charles Harton Cooley and George Herburt Mead. Also the ideas focused on in my exercise have as well helped me to form an idea where identities come from and what they mean socially.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Locke had the idea that people in a society truly want to live together in harmony and that people are not aggressive by nature. That people are born with a "blank slate" and that anything can be learned. I completely agree with this statement. How people are brought up and what they are exposed to defines their identity and intentions in society. I was brought up by loving parents that among others things taught me to be true to my feelings and to express them truthfully. Jean-Jacues Rousseau's theory about corruption relates to the "clean slate" idea. He stated that corruption come from society. So if one is not influenced positively they may end up corrupt and be a hindrance on society. If a child grows up in a "dysfunctional family" they may be at a disadvantage to a child like my brother who is getting the same social education from my parents and the society we live in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Charles Harton Cooley also touched on the idea of identities. He believed that identities are formed from interactions with people...

The Barnhouse Effect

Let me begin by saying that I don't know any more about where Professor Arthur Barnhouse is hiding than anyone else does. Save for one short, enigmatic message left in my mailbox on Christmas Eve, I have not heard from him since his disappearance a year and a half ago. What's more, readers of this article will be disappointed if they expect to learn how they can bring about the so-called â€Å"Barnhouse Effect. † If I were able and willing to give away that secret, I would certainly be something more important than a psychology instructor.I have been urged to write this report because I did research under the professor's direction and because I was the first to learn of his astonishing discovery. But while I was his student I was never entrusted with knowledge of how the mental forces could be released and directed. He was unwilling to trust anyone with that information. I would like to point out that the term â€Å"Barnhouse Effect† is a creation of the popular press, and was never used by Professor Barnhouse. The name he chose for the phenomenon was â€Å"dynamopsychism,† or force of the mind.I cannot believe that there is a civilized person yet to be convinced that such a force exists, what with its destructive effects on display in every national capital. I think humanity has always had an inkling that this sort of force does exist. It has been common knowledge that some people are luckier than others with inanimate objects like dice. What Professor Barnhouse did was to show that such â€Å"luck† was a measurable force, which in his case could be enormous. By my calculations, the professor was about fifty-five times more powerful than a Nagasaki-type atomic bomb at the time he went into hiding. Read aslo  The Professor is a Dropout.He was not bluffing when, on the eve of â€Å"Operation Brainstorm,† he told General Honus Barker: â€Å"Sitting here at the dinner table, I'm pretty sure I can flatten anything on earth—from Joe Louis to the Great Wall of China. † There is an understandable tendency to look upon Professor Barnhouse as a supernatural visitation. The First Church of Barnhouse in Los Angeles has a congregation numbering in the thousands. He is godlike in neither appearance nor intellect. The man who disarms the world is single, shorter than the average American male, stout, and averse to exercise. His I.Q. is 143, which is good but certainly not sensational. He is quite mortal, about to celebrate his fortieth birthday, and in good health. If he is alone now, the isolation won't bother him too much. He was quiet and shy when I knew him, and seemed to find more companionship in books and music than in his associations at the college. Neither he nor his powers fall outside the sphere of Nature. His dynamopsychic radiations are subject to many known physical laws that apply in the field of radio. Hardly a person has not now heard the snarl of â€Å"Barnhouse static† on his home receiver.The radiations are affected by sunspots and variations in the ionosphere. However, they differ from ordinary broadcast waves, in several important ways. Their total energy can be brought to bear on any single point the professor chooses, and that energy is undiminished by distance. As a weapon, then, dynamopsychism has an impressive advantage over bacteria and atomic bombs, beyond the fact that it costs nothing to use: it enables the professor to single out critical individuals and objects instead of slaughtering whole populations in the process of maintaining international equilibrium.As General Honus Barker told the House Military Affairs Committee: â€Å"Until someone finds Barnhouse, there is no defense against the Barnhouse Effe ct. † Efforts to â€Å"jam† or block the radiations have failed. Premier Slezak could have saved himself the fantastic expense of his â€Å"Barnhouseproof' shelter. Despite the shelter's twelve-foot-thick lead armor, the premier has been floored twice while in it. There is talk of screening the population for men potentially as powerful dynamopsychically as the professor.Senator Warren Foust demanded funds for this purpose last month, with the passionate declaration: â€Å"He who rules the Barnhouse Effect rules the world! † Commissar Kropotnik said much the same thing, so another costly armaments race, with a new twist, has begun. This race at least has its comical aspects. The world's best gamblers are being coddled by governments like so many nuclear physicists. There may be several hundred persons with dynamopsychic talent on earth, myself included. But, without knowledge of the professor's technique, they can never be anything but dice-table despots.With th e secret, it would probably take them ten years to become dangerous weapons. It took the professor that long. He who rules the Barnhouse Effect is Barnhouse and will be for some time. Popularly, the â€Å"Age of Barnhouse† is said to have begun a year and a half ago, on the day of Operation Brainstorm. That was when dynamopsychism became significant politically. Actually, the phenomenon was discovered in May, 1942, shortly after the professor turned down a direct commission in the Army and enlisted as an artillery private. Like X-rays and vulcanized rubber, dynamopsychism was discovered by accident.From time to time Private Barnhouse was invited to take part in games of chance by his barrack mates. He knew nothing about the games, and usually begged off. But one evening, out of social grace, he agreed to shoot craps. It was either terrible or wonderful that he played, depending upon whether or not you like the world as it now is. â€Å"Shoot sevens, Pop,† someone said. So â€Å"Pop† shot sevens—ten in a row to bankrupt the barracks. He retired to his bunk and, as a mathematical exercise, calculated the odds against his feat on the back of a laundry slip.His chances of doing it, he found, were one in almost ten million! Bewildered, he borrowed a pair of dice from the man in the bunk next to his. He tried to roll sevens again, but got only the usual assortment of numbers. He lay back for a moment, then resumed his toying with the dice. He rolled ten more sevens in a row. He might have dismissed the phenomenon with a low whistle. But the professor instead mulled over the circumstances surrounding his two lucky streaks. There was one single factor in common: on both occasions, the same thought train had flashed through his mind just before he threw the dice.It was that thought train which aligned the professor's brain cells into what has since become the most powerful weapon on earth. The soldier in the next bunk gave dynamopsychism its first token of respect. In an understatement certain to bring wry smiles to the faces of the world's dejected demagogues, the soldier said, â€Å"You're hotter'n a two-dollar pistol, Pop. † Professor Barnhouse was all of that. The dice that did his bidding weighed but a few grams, so the forces involved were minute; but the unmistakable fact that there were such forces was earth-shaking.Professional caution kept him from revealing his discovery immediately. He wanted more facts and a body of theory to go with them. Later, when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, it was fear that made him hold his peace. At no time were his experiments, as Premier Slezak called them, â€Å"a bourgeois plot to shackle the true democracies of the world. † The professor didn't know where they were leading. In time, he came to recognize another startling feature of dynamopsychism: its strength increased with use. Within six months, he was able to govern dice thrown by men the length of a barracks distant.By the time of his discharge in 1945, he could knock bricks loose from chimneys three miles away. Charges that Professor Barnhouse could have won the last war in a minute, but did not care to do so, are perfectly senseless. When the war ended, he had the range and power of a 37-millimeter cannon, perhaps—certainly no more. His dynamopsychic powers graduated from the small-arms class only after his discharge and return to Wyandotte College. I enrolled in the Wyandotte Graduate School two years after the professor had rejoined the faculty. By chance, he was assigned as my thesis adviser.I was unhappy about the assignment, for the professor was, in the eyes of both colleagues and students, a somewhat ridiculous figure. He missed classes or had lapses of memory during lectures. When I arrived, in fact, his shortcomings had passed from the ridiculous to the intolerable. â€Å"We're assigning you to Barnhouse as a sort of temporary thing,† the dean of s ocial studies told me. He looked apologetic and perplexed. â€Å"Brilliant man, Barnhouse, I guess. Difficult to know since his return, perhaps, but his work before the war brought a great deal of credit to our little school. When I reported to the professor's laboratory for the first time, what I saw was more distressing than the gossip. Every surface in the room was covered with dust; books and apparatus had not been disturbed for months. The professor sat napping at his desk when I entered. The only signs of recent activity were three overflowing ashtrays, a pair of scissors, and a morning paper with several items clipped from its front page. As he raised his head to look at me, I saw that his eyes were clouded with fatigue. â€Å"Hi,† he said, â€Å"just can't seem to get my sleeping done at night. He lighted a cigarette, his hands trembling slightly. â€Å"You the young man I'm supposed to help with a thesis? † â€Å"Yes, sir,† I said. In minutes he conve rted my misgivings to alarm. â€Å"You an overseas veteran? † he asked. â€Å"Yes, sir. † â€Å"Not much left over there, is there? † He frowned. â€Å"Enjoy the last war? † â€Å"No, sir. † â€Å"Look like another war to you? † â€Å"Kind of, sir. † â€Å"What can be done about it? † I shrugged. â€Å"Looks pretty hopeless. † He peered at me intently. â€Å"Know anything about international law, the U. N. , and all that? † â€Å"Only what I pick up from the papers. â€Å"Same here,† he sighed. He showed me a fat scrapbook packed with newspaper clippings. â€Å"Never used to pay any attention to international politics. Now I study them the way I used to study rats in mazes. Everybody tells me the same thing—'Looks hopeless. ‘ † â€Å"Nothing short of a miracle—† I began. â€Å"Believe in magic? † he asked sharply. The professor fished two dice from his vest pocket. â€Å"I will try to roll twos,† he said. He rolled twos three times in a row. â€Å"One chance in about 47,000 of that happening. There's a miracle for you. He beamed for an instant, then brought the interview to an end, remarking that he had a class which had begun ten minutes ago. He was not quick to take me into his confidence, and he said no more about his trick with the dice. I assumed they were loaded, and forgot about them. He set me the task of watching male rats cross electrified metal strips to get to food or female rats—an experiment that had been done to everyone's satisfaction in the nineteen-thirties. As though the pointlessness of my work were not bad enough, the professor annoyed me further with irrelevant questions.His favorites were: â€Å"Think we should have dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima? † and â€Å"Think every new piece of scientific information is a good thing for humanity? † However, I did not feel put upon for long.  "Give those poor animals a holiday,† he said one morning, after I had been with him only a month. â€Å"I wish you'd help me look into a more interesting problem—namely, my sanity. † I returned the rats to their cages. â€Å"What you must do is simple,† he said, speaking softly. â€Å"Watch the inkwell on my desk. If you see nothing happen to it, say so, and I'll go quietly—relieved, I might add—to the nearest sanitarium.I nodded uncertainly. He locked the laboratory door and drew the blinds, so that we were in twilight for a moment. â€Å"I'm odd, I know,† he said. â€Å"It's fear of myself that's made me odd. † â€Å"I've found you somewhat eccentric, perhaps, but certainly not—† â€Å"If nothing happens to that inkwell, ‘crazy as a bedbug' is the only description of me that will do,† he interrupted, turning on the overhead lights. His eyes narrowed. â€Å"To give you an idea of how crazy, I'll tel l you what's been running through my mind when I should have been sleeping. I think maybe I can save the world.I think maybe I can make every nation a have nation, and do away with war for good. I think maybe I can clear roads through jungles, irrigate deserts, build dams overnight. † â€Å"Yes, sir. † â€Å"Watch the inkwell! † Dutifully and fearfully I watched. A high-pitched humming seemed to come from the inkwell; then it began to vibrate alarmingly, and finally to bound about the top of the desk, making two noisy circuits. It stopped, hummed again, glowed red, then popped in splinters with a blue-green flash. Perhaps my hair stood on end. The professor laughed gently. â€Å"Magnets? † I managed to say at last. Wish to heaven it were magnets,† he murmured. It was then that he told me of dynamopsychism. He knew only that there was such a force; he could not explain it. â€Å"It's me and me alone—and it's awful. † â€Å"I'd say it wa s amazing and wonderful! † I cried. â€Å"If all I could do was make inkwells dance, I'd be tickled silly with the whole business. † He shrugged disconsolately. â€Å"But I'm no toy, my boy. If you like, we can drive around the neighborhood, and I'll show you what I mean. † He told me about pulverized boulders, shattered oaks, and abandoned farm buildings demolished within a fifty-mile radius of the campus. Did every bit of it sitting right here, just thinking—not even thinking hard. † He scratched his head nervously. â€Å"I have never dared to concentrate as hard as I can for fear of the damage I might do. I'm to the point where a mere whim is a blockbuster. † There was a depressing pause. â€Å"Up until a few days ago, I've thought it best to keep my secret for fear of what use it might be put to,† he continued. â€Å"Now I realize that I haven't any more right to it than a man has a right to own an atomic bomb. † He fumbled t hrough a heap of papers. â€Å"This says about all that needs to be said, I think. He handed me a draft of a letter to the Secretary of State. Dear Sir: I have discovered a new force which costs nothing to use, and which is probably more important than atomic energy. I should like to see it used most effectively in the cause of peace, and am, therefore, requesting your advice as to how this might best be done. Yours truly, A. Barnhouse. â€Å"I have no idea what will happen next,† said the professor. There followed three months of perpetual nightmare, wherein the nation's political and military great came at all hours to watch the professor's tricks.We were quartered in an old mansion near Charlottesville, Virginia, to which we had been whisked five days after the letter was mailed. Surrounded by barbed wire and twenty guards, we were labeled â€Å"Project Wishing Well,† and were classified as Top Secret. For companionship we had General Honus Barker and the State Dep artment's William K. Cuthrell. For the professor's talk of peace-through-plenty they had indulgent smiles and much discourse on practical measures and realistic thinking. So treated, the professor, who had at first been almost meek, rogressed in a matter of weeks toward stubbornness. He had agreed to reveal the thought train by means of which he aligned his mind into a dynamopsychic transmitter. But, under Cuthrell's and Barker's nagging to do so, he began to hedge. At first he declared that the information could be passed on simply by word of mouth. Later he said that it would have to be written up in a long report. Finally, at dinner one night, just after General Barker had read the secret orders for Operation Brainstorm, the professor announced, â€Å"The report may take as long as five years to write. He looked fiercely at the general. â€Å"Maybe twenty. † The dismay occasioned by this flat announcement was offset somewhat by the exciting anticipation of Operation Brain storm. The general was in a holiday mood. â€Å"The target ships are on their way to the Caroline Islands at this very moment,† he declared ecstatically. â€Å"One hundred and twenty of them! At the same time, ten V-2s are being readied for firing in New Mexico, and fifty radio-controlled jet bombers are being equipped for a mock attack on the Aleutians. Just think of it! † Happily he reviewed his orders. At exactly 1100 hours next Wednesday, I will give you the order to concentrate; and you, professor, will think as hard as you can about sinking the target ships, destroying the V-2s before they hit the ground, and knocking down bombers before they reach the Aleutians! Think you can handle it? † The professor turned gray and closed his eyes. â€Å"As I told you before, my friend, I don't know what I can do. † He added bitterly, â€Å"As for this Operation Brainstorm, I was never consulted about it, and it strikes me as childish and in insanely expensive. General Barker bridled. â€Å"Sir,† he said, â€Å"your field is psychology, and I wouldn't presume to give you advice in that field. Mine is national defense. I have had thirty years of experience and success, Professor, and I'll ask you not to criticize my judgment. † The professor appealed to Mr. Cuthrell. â€Å"Look,† he pleaded, â€Å"isn't it war and military matters we're all trying to get rid of? Wouldn't it be a whole lot more significant and lots cheaper for me to try moving cloud masses into drought areas, and things like that?I admit I know next to nothing about international politics, but it seems reasonable to suppose that nobody would want to fight wars if there were enough of everything to go around. Mr. Cuthrell, I'd like to try running generators where there isn't any coal or water power, irrigating deserts, and so on. Why, you could figure out what each country needs to make the most of its resources, and I could give it to them without costi ng American taxpayers a penny. † â€Å"Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom,† said the general heavily. Mr. Cuthrell threw the general a look of mild distaste. Unfortunately, the general is right in his own way,† he said. â€Å"I wish to heaven the world were ready for ideals like yours, but it simply isn't. We aren't surrounded by brothers, but by enemies. It isn't a lack of food or resources that has us on the brink of war—it's a struggle for power. Who's going to be in charge of the world, our kind of people or theirs? † The professor nodded in reluctant agreement and arose from the table. â€Å"I beg your pardon, gentlemen. You are, after all, better qualified to judge what is best for the country. I'll do whatever you say. He turned to me. â€Å"Don't forget to wind the restricted clock and put the confidential cat out,† he said gloomily, and ascended the stairs to his bedroom. For reasons of national security, Operation Brainstorm was carried on without the knowledge of the American citizenry which was paying the bill. The observers, technicians, and military men involved in the activity knew that a test was under way—a test of what, they had no idea. Only thirty-seven key men, myself included, knew what was afoot. In Virginia, the day for Operation Brainstorm was unseasonably cool.Inside, a log fire crackled in the fireplace, and the flames were reflected in the polished metal cabinets that lined the living room. All that remained of the room's lovely old furniture was a Victorian love seat, set squarely in the center of the floor, facing three television receivers. One long bench had been brought in for the ten of us privileged to watch. The television screens showed, from left to right, the stretch of desert which was the rocket target, the guinea-pig fleet, and a section of the Aleutian sky through which the radio-controlled bomber formation would roar.Ninety minutes before H-hour the radios announ ced that the rockets were ready, that the observation ships had backed away to what was thought to be a safe distance, and that the bombers were on their way. The small Virginia audience lined up on the bench in order of rank, smoked a great deal, and said little. Professor Barnhouse was in his bedroom. General Barker bustled about the house like a woman preparing Thanksgiving dinner for twenty. At ten minutes before H-hour the general came in, shepherding the professor before him.The professor was comfortably attired in sneakers, gray flannels, a blue sweater, and a white shirt open at the neck. The two of them sat side by side on the love seat. The general was rigid and perspiring; the professor was cheerful. He looked at each of the screens, lighted a cigarette and settled back. â€Å"Bombers sighted! † cried the Aleutian observers. â€Å"Rockets away! † barked the New Mexico radio operator. All of us looked quickly at the big electric clock over the mantel, while t he professor, a half-smile on his face, continued to watch the television sets. In hollow tones, the general counted away the seconds remaining. Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one . . . Concentrate! † Professor Barnhouse closed his eyes, pursed his lips, and stroked his temples. He held the position for a minute. The television images were scrambled, and the radio signals were drowned in the din of Barnhouse static. The professor sighed, opened his eyes, and smiled confidently. â€Å"Did you give it everything you had? † asked the general dubiously. â€Å"I was wide open,† the professor replied. The television images pulled themselves together, and mingled cries of amazement came over the radios tuned to the observers.The Aleutian sky was streaked with the smoke trails of bombers screaming down in flames. Simultaneously, there appeared high over the rocket target a cluster of white puffs, followed by faint thunder. General Barker shook his head happi ly. â€Å"By George! † he crowed. â€Å"Well, sir, by George, by George, by George! † â€Å"Look! † shouted the admiral seated next to me. â€Å"The fleet-it wasn't touched! † â€Å"The guns seem to be drooping,† said Mr. Cuthrell. We left the bench and clustered about the television set to examine the damage more closely. What Mr. Cuthrell had said was true.The ships' guns curved downward, their muzzles resting on the steel decks. We in Virginia were making such a hullabaloo that it was impossible to hear the radio reports. We were so engrossed, in fact, that we didn't miss the professor until two short snarls of Barnhouse static shocked us into sudden silence. The radios went dead. We looked around apprehensively. The professor was gone. A harassed guard threw open the front door from the outside to yell that the professor had escaped. He brandished his pistol in the direction of the gates, which hung open, limp and twisted.In the distance, a spe eding government station wagon topped a ridge and dropped from sight into the valley beyond. The air was filled with choking smoke, for every vehicle on the grounds was ablaze. Pursuit was impossible. â€Å"What in God's name got into him? † bellowed the general. Mr. Cuthrell, who had rushed out onto the front porch, now slouched back into the room, reading a penciled note as he came. He thrust the note into my hands. â€Å"The good man left this billet-doux under the door knocker. Perhaps our young friend here will be kind enough to read it to you gentlemen, while I take a restful walk through the woods. â€Å"Gentlemen,† I read aloud, ‘as the first superweapon with a conscience, I am removing myself from your national defense stockpile. Setting a new precedent in the behavior of ordnance, I have humane reasons for going off. A. Barnhouse. † Since that day, of course, the professor has been systematically destroying the world's armaments, until there is n ow little with which to equip an army other than rocks and sharp sticks. His activities haven't exactly resulted in peace, but have, rather, precipitated a bloodless and entertaining sort of war that might be called the â€Å"War of the Tattletales. Every nation is flooded with enemy agents whose sole mission is to locate military equipment, which is promptly wrecked when it is brought to the professor's attention in the press. Just as every day brings news of more armaments pulverized by dynamopsychism, so has it brought rumors of the professor's whereabouts. During last week alone, three publications carried articles proving variously that he was hiding in an Inca ruin in the Andes, in the sewers of Paris, and in the unexplored lower chambers of Carlsbad Caverns.Knowing the man, I am inclined to regard such hiding places as unnecessarily romantic and uncomfortable. While there are numerous persons eager to kill him, there must be millions who would care for him and hide him. I li ke to think that he is in the home of such a person. One thing is certain: at this writing, Professor Barnhouse is not dead. Barnhouse static jammed broadcasts not ten minutes ago. In the eighteen months since his disappearance, he has been reported dead some half-dozen times. Each report has stemmed from the death of an unidentified man resembling the professor, during a period free of the static.The first three reports were followed at once by renewed talk of rearmament and recourse to war. The saber-rattlers have learned how imprudent premature celebrations of the professor's demise can be. Many a stouthearted patriot has found himself prone in the tangled bunting and timbers of a smashed reviewing stand, seconds after having announced that the arch-tyranny of Barnhouse was at an end. But those who would make war if they could, in every country in the world, wait in sullen silence for what must come—the passing of Professor Barnhouse.To ask how much longer the professor wi ll live is to ask how much longer we must wait for the blessings of another world war. He is of short-lived stock: his mother lived to be fifty-three, his father to be forty-nine; and the life-spans of his grandparents on both sides were of the same order. He might be expected to live, then, for perhaps fifteen years more, if he can remain hidden from his enemies. When one considers the number and vigor of these enemies, however, fifteen years seems an extraordinary length of time, which might better be revised to fifteen days, hours, or minutes.The professor knows that he cannot live much longer. I say this because of the message left in my mailbox on Christmas Eve. Unsigned, typewritten on a soiled scrap of paper, the note consisted of ten sentences. The first nine of these, each a bewildering tangle of psychological jargon and references to obscure texts, made no sense to me at first reading. The tenth, unlike the rest, was simply constructed and contained no large words—b ut its irrational content made it the most puzzling and bizarre sentence of all. I nearly threw the note away, thinking it a colleague's warped notion of a practical joke.For some reason, though, I added it to the clutter on top of my desk, which included, among other mementos, the professor's dice. It took me several weeks to realize that the message really meant something, that the first nine sentences, when unsnarled, could be taken as instructions. The tenth still told me nothing. It was only last night that I discovered how it fitted in with the rest. The sentence appeared in my thoughts last night, while I was toying absently with the professor's dice. I promised to have this report on its way to the publishers today.In view of what has happened, I am obliged to break that promise, or release the report incomplete. The delay will not be a long one, for one of the few blessings accorded a bachelor like myself is the ability to move quickly from one abode to another, or from one way of life to another. What property I want to take with me can be packed in a few hours. Fortunately, I am not without substantial private means, which may take as long as a week to realize in liquid and anonymous form. When this is done, I shall mail the report. I have just returned from a visit to my doctor, who tells me my health is excellent.I am young, and, with any luck at all, I shall live to a ripe old age indeed, for my family on both sides is noted for longevity. Briefly, I propose to vanish. Sooner or later, Professor Barnhouse must die. But long before then I shall be ready. So, to the saber-rattlers of today and even, I hope, of tomorrow—I say: Be advised. Barnhouse will die. But not the Barnhouse Effect. Last night, I tried once more to follow the oblique instructions on the scrap of paper. I took the professor's dice, and then, with the last, nightmarish sentence flitting through my mind, I rolled fifty consecutive sevens.

James Bond films Essays

James Bond films Essays James Bond films Essay James Bond films Essay Essay Topic: Film James Bond is a simple secret agent based on the books by Ian Fleming that were first created in the early 1950s, but has become an international British legend and the most successful film franchise ever. In forty years, twenty films have been made starring five different actors, each film being as brilliant and unique as the previous one. The Bond formula has remained successful because of the large number of differences and similarities between each film as well as the many simple characteristics of the Bond franchise. The charm, wit and heroic figure of James Bond has for many years made men want to be Bond and women want to be with Bond. Over the forty years, James Bond has developed many trademarks which are due to the effects of music, action, special editing and of course the unique plot of each film thought up by Ian Fleming. The opening sequence of every Bond film starts off with Bond in a dinner suit walking across the screen with a point-of-view shot from the barrel of a gun. Bond then abruptly turns and shoots the person aiming the gun; blood pours down the screen, and then cuts to the next shot. Every time a person watches this sequence, they can immediately establish that it is a James Bond film not only due to the special editing, but also the music. Bond has a world famous theme tune which is another trademark. In both the credit scenes of Goldfinger and Goldeneye, the soundtrack is sung by women with very strong, powerful voices who are Tina Turner and Shirley Bassie. The title of the film is continuously mentioned in the song and onscreen, there are silhouettes of girls or reflections of them on gold. This effect helps the audience to establish the genre of the film. The way Bond is introduced into each film usually has an impact on the audience. In Goldeneye, the audience sees a man on a mission dressed in black, however they are denied the mans identity, therefore many questions are raised such as Who is that? and What is he doing? . Suspense builds when the man does a bungee jump and the audience wonders why and whether he will survive or not. During this sequence, sound effects also add to the tension with plenty of diagetic sounds such as his footsteps, the plane and the loud gate. As the bungee jump is performed, there is a long silent and dramatic pause that is then broken by the sound of a gunshot which turns out to be one of Bonds numerous gadgets to draw him safely towards the ground. These all give the effect of action, drama and mystery which thrill the audience because it is exactly what they expect from a Bond film. In other films, Bond does not always appear in the opening sequence, and for instance, other men, whose identities are denied, will appear during the action and then may get killed to mislead the audience to wonder whether that was Bond who just died. However in Goldfinger, Bond enters in a wetsuit underwater, in low key lighting with a seagull on his head as a disguise. This time the only mystery is what Bond is up to but the use of a seagull creates humour and cuts any tension there may be within the audience. The audience then simply has to watch as Bond typically plants a bomb in the building. Once he completes this task, he simply removes his wetsuit to reveal an immaculately dressed secret agent in a dinner suit. This is a typical image of James Bond tiny characteristics such as his sartorial elegance is exactly what makes him such a unique character. In the opening sequence of Goldeneye, the loud diagetic sound of a plane is heard from a helicopter shot of an enormous dam which cuts straight to the man on a mission. The helicopter shot achieves the image of one man against an immense monolithic adversary which emphasises Bonds heroic figure. It is also clear to see that James Bond is typically British with his unusual politeness as well as his accent and dialogue. For example, in Goldeneye, he sneaks up on an enemy in the toilets and just before he punches the man, Bond says, Beg your pardon, forgot to knock. It is his iconic Englishness that also makes Bond a unique and memorable secret agent. James Bond is admired by women for his good looks and charms; however he does not always appear to be the perfect gentleman. Bond easily knows how to seduce a woman, by simply using his charms, although the audience does notice how quickly his behaviour changes in different situations. In Goldfinger, he is seen with three different women in the first few scenes alone. After seducing each one, he first uses one woman as a shield against an attacking enemy, and then later dismisses a woman in a rude and sexist manner. He appears to be charming but is remorselessly brutal when he needs to be. The way Bond quickly seduces different women, but never thinks about a more long-term partner emphasises the idea of working alone. James Bond is always working by himself never as part of a team and this also adds to his brave and heroic figure. There is always a villain in every Bond film, usually just as brutal as Bond and will do anything to defeat him. In Goldeneye the smartly dressed villain enters with an army of men aiming guns at Bond. When one of the men try to shoot Bond after being ordered not to, he is immediately shot by the villain. Similarly to Bond, the villain is brutal and feels no remorse for his actions. It seems the villain can never be any real threat towards Bond because all James Bond films have become predictable to a certain extent and the audience knows that the chances of Bond being killed are almost impossible. It is the special features of every Bond film such as the character of Bond, girls, villains, cars, gadgets, his iconic Englishness and of course the plot, which is what makes the Bond formula so successful. The James Bond franchise is so successful that spoofs have been created to try and match its fame, such as Austin Powers, but of course these could never match the success achieved by Bond.

Treatment of Women essays

Treatment of Women essays History has been known to treat men and women unfairly. It has weighed them not as equals, and for this they were given different standards by which to live. The only real difference between men and women is physical, yet emotionally and mentally they remain the same. Todays society is beginning to understand this equality better as we progress further into the future. Neither males nor females have it harder than one another. There, of course, remain some areas that are more difficult for women, yet these areas are shrinking, and there are areas that are difficult for men as well. In certain aspects of life, women may appear to have unfair advantages, such as how they are treated in schools, while men appear to have advantages in having less responsibility in raising a family. These areas will all eventually improve. Seeing as we each have our own problems and seeing they are improving, it is only logical to state that neither gender has any advantage over another. For a long time, women were not offered the same educational opportunities as those of their male counterparts. Over time this has changed substantially, yet the idea still exists, That girls are treated as the second sex in school and consequently suffer, that boys are accorded privileges and consequently benefit (Sommers 380). An overabundance of evidence exists to support that this belief is not true, that in fact boys are the ones who have an unfair advantage in the school system. In reality, Girls outshine boys. They get better grades. (381). There are numerous statistics to support the claim that boys are treated unfairly in schools, and that girls excel because teachers are more lenient on them. Perhaps statistics are little more than numbers on paper. In saying that boys do not succeed as well as girls educationally is similar to stereo-typing, regardless of what numbers might indicate. ...

Chalk It Up

Chalk It Up Chalk It Up Chalk It Up By Maeve Maddox Having read the post about the expression chock-full, a reader asks, Could you also clarify and explain the origins of â€Å"chalk it up.† I’ve also seen â€Å"chock it up† which I assume is an error.   I’ve also heard â€Å"chop it up† in the same context. The expression â€Å"chalk it up† is one of several English idioms that contain the word chalk. The noun chalk, denoting â€Å"an opaque white soft earthy limestone,† has been in the language since the 10th century. The verb arose from the uses to which chalk can be put, especially for writing, drawing, and marking on a variety of surfaces, from walls to grassy fields. In the past, as now, sports enthusiasts used chalk to mark the field of play and to keep score. Tavern keepers kept track of customers’ accounts by writing amounts owed on the wall or on a slate. Scores for tavern games were also â€Å"chalked up† by the players. Other business owners kept track of accounts in the same way. Amounts owed were â€Å"chalked up.† When a bill was paid, the amount owed was â€Å"chalked off.† Then as now, people sometimes depended upon credit to get by. One of the OED citations given for chalk in the sense of credit is from a song sung by apprentices: â€Å"When we have no mony [sic], We shall find chalk.† Today they might sing, â€Å"When we have no money, We shall find plastic.† Here are a few examples of the use of chalk expressions on the Web: Much of  his  elementary school mischief can be  chalked up  to  boyish enthusiasm. (â€Å"attributed†) I wasnt ready for that so I just  chalked him off  as another friend gone wrong.  (â€Å"dismissed him from my mind†) If it works youll make money, if not,  chalk it up to experience. (â€Å"Consider it to be a lesson learned.†) This is my plan. If  you  can  chalk out  a better, pray  let me  have it. (â€Å"explain, devise†) Many Clouds chalks up win in Grand National (earns) We chalked up his  bad manners  to too much sugar.  (â€Å"attributed†) Our live text reporting on the Conservative Party conference finishes here. But thats not the end of the BBCs coverage by a long chalk.  (â€Å"by any means†) The OED explains the idiom â€Å"by a long chalk† this way: â€Å"in a great degree, by far (in allusion to the use of chalk in scoring ‘points’, etc.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Meaning of "To a T"40 Fish IdiomsDealing With A Character's Internal Thoughts

Devotion to God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Devotion to God - Essay Example The song depicts that the God is not egocentric and with his presence, there is no ego in men. It admits that there is only one God, who is obtained by the grace of the guru. In the song, the Guru quotes, ‘what we deem a thing to be, in reality it is not like that’ (Fisher & Bailey 2012, p.81). This quote expresses that the God is ‘all-knowing’. He is omniscient and that men can think what they may and perceive things the way the can, but God has the only power that can perceive things correctly. Humans are prone to errors but God cannot make a mistake and his perception is always real. Ravi Das quotes that, ‘the lord is nearer to us than our hands and feet’ (Fisher & Bailey 2012, p.81). This confirms that the God he implies is omnipresent and his presence and manifestation is always with men whenever they are. He uses praise and submissiveness to show his devotion to God. He says the one Lord has assumed many forms but enjoys within all hearts. This figurative expression and style devotes to the Lord that he is omnipotent and omnipresent that he can assume be anything and still experience the hearts of every man. The relationship between the devotee and the God in the context of the saint song is close. He had even quoted that the presence of the lord was in a close proximity to a man than hands and feet. The devotee, Ravi Das is less resourceful as his caste class demands and being in the position to interact with the ‘Lord of wealth’ insinuates the close and non-discriminative relationship he had with the Lord.

Learning from Mentors Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Learning from Mentors - Research Paper Example ed as â€Å"the intellectual and moral empowerment of human beings to achieve personal goals that matter, not only for oneself, but for a pluralistic and just future.† (Wlodkowski, 2008) Mentoring is a learning process between a mentor who is usually a senior or someone more experienced in the job, and a mentee who is usually a junior or someone in need of training. Recent studies tackle this process as something that is not limited between just two people. There are three types of which is discussed in a recent study namely one- on- one mentoring, group mentoring and training and encouragement toward mentoring. It is a process which improves members to be more proficient for the organization. (Goodyear, 2006) As aforementioned, mentoring has long been known as a one- on- one process between to people but it no longer stands only as such. A recent breakthrough by Kathleen Kram conceptualized â€Å"development network† in mentoring. In this process mentees can seek guidance not only from one specific mentor, but from a number of mentors. It also allows a mutual learning process for both mentor and mentee, in such a way that even seniors (mentors) can consult mentees (juniors) on topics and areas that they need to gain more knowledge from. In addition to this, learning is not limited in knowledge and skills training for work but also role modeling and psychosocial support. This â€Å"development network† is indeed a social adult learning venue in nurturance to individuals in the company. (Goodyear, 2006) Mentoring has become more positively susceptible to adult learning because of the recent advancements in its structure. It has become a continuous absorption of knowledge, skills and values in a setting conducive for the social health of any company’s work force. The new structure also debunks problems that were observed in the past such as complications with mentor responsibilities over assigned mentee. Focus on mentor to mentee and mutual learning is especially

National Exhibition Centre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

National Exhibition Centre - Essay Example It is recognized for its leadership initiatives in the arena of event management that provides quality customer service and optimal operational performance outcome for various events that are held in the two venues. Since its inception, more than 2,500 events have been held, generating ore than $20 billion of revenues and entertaining over 90 millions visitors (necbirmingham.com). In the fast changing environment of business paradigm and global compulsions, the scope of accountability has widened to include the emerging new paradigms of changing social values and issues which have significant impact on the overall socio-economic development of the society. NEC Birmingham has acknowledged the changing values and has made CSR an integral part of its business strategy. The changing environment of values and work ethics has necessitated that the organizations must be responsive to the impact that their decisions, actions and behavior have on the people at large. Through a well planned corporate social responsibility strategy, NEC meets the challenges of the time. Vision Statement The organization vision is to be recognized as the most preferred venue to hold all types of events where people ‘come to discover the future’.

Change Process and Models Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Change Process and Models - Coursework Example Without any iota of difficulty, the change that took place can be explained using three change process theories. These change process theories have carefully been enumerated below; in relation to the change that took place within the organization. The first theory that explains the change that took place is the expectancy theory. In an expectancy theory, it is generally said that people are induced to act in specific ways because they are motivated to act as such (Johnson, 2012). What this means is that expectancy theory demands that people pay off the motivation they receive by giving back excellent delivery. Looking at the fact that two people were promoted as a form of intrinsic motivation (Homik et al, 2008), it can be said that the expectancy theory was applied in this instance. This is because by motivating these two employees with the promotions, they will become obliged and expected to work with certain levels of output expectations. If for nothing at all, they will be expected to work above their means as a way of proving to their superiors that they deserve the promotions that were granted them. Another change process theory that comes to play in this instance is that of equity theory. According to the equity theory, people within an organization will be expecting to judge whether or not there is being fair distribution of available resources (Fuchs et al, 1997). With the present scenario, fairness and equity can be judged from the fact that the employees of the organization who were promoted can be labeled as resources because they form the basis of the human resource of their organization (Gardener, 2008). Secondly, fairness was attained because their hard work for their organization was acknowledged and rewarded. Indeed, there had been situations within the same organization whereby some employees were very aggrieved because they felt that their efforts were not recognized

The Management of a Student whose Standard of Practice is Cause for Essay

The Management of a Student whose Standard of Practice is Cause for Concern - Essay Example Although the standards of practice have been set by the academic setting, nurse educators and mentors can however find it difficult to fail students who are actually failing. Some of them often pass these students, sometimes, encouraging them to persist in their studies. This practice can however lead to various issues in nursing where incompetent nurses may be allowed to test their skills in the clinical setting. This paper shall critically explore the management of a student/learner whose standard of practice are cause for concern. This analysis shall include how the individual should be managed in terms of fitness for practice accountability, responsibility of the mentor and how this event would be documented. The implications of failing to fail learners who do not meet with the required standards to practice both personally and professionally will also be discussed. This study shall also consider when an action plan would be developed, whether or not I would get involved, and the assessment strategies which would be considered. This paper is being undertaken in order to establish ways by which the nursing profession can be whittled down academically and objectively in order to ensure that only competent nurses are to be allowed to practice. Body Undoubtedly, failing students can be a difficult and stressful experience for students and mentors. However, a nurse’s knowledge of one’s accountability as a mentor and supervisor and the complex process of crafting failing students imply that these decisions can still be made with utmost confidence (NHS, 2010). Mentors are considered gatekeepers because they guarantee that students who cannot comply with the standards of the practice are not allowed to enter the practice. The crucial stage of the assessment process seeks to protect the general public and the patients from incompetent nurses (NHS, 2010). Various concerns on how effective the gate keeping role is being carried out have been expressed by various practitioners. Failing to fail can have dire consequences to the general public (NHS, 2010). A 2004-2005 survey established that out of about 1400 issues of misconduct, poor practice was cited in majority of these incidents. Incidents of poor practice included errors in drug administration, inadequate record keeping, unsafe clinical practice, and failure to care for basic needs (NMC, 2005). According to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 2007), the mentor’s role is to generally offer support and guidance to the student and to help the patient understand the practice and to help him apply theory. The mentor’s role is also to assess, evaluate and provide feedback to the student; and to supervise reflective practice (RCN, 2007). These mentors are also tasked with ensuring that the students: are fit for the purpose of the practice, can fulfil the needs of registration, and have the depth of learning in order to be granted a diploma or a higher degree (RCN, 2007). These mentors are also considered positive role models and are there to assist students in gaining confidence; to promote professional relations with students; to assist appropriate supervision; and to offer honest, yet constructive feedback (RCN, 2007). The registered nurses’ role as a mentor is crucial because it ensures the protection of public health and interest (RCN, 2007). It is the responsibility of mentors to

Change Process and Models Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Change Process and Models - Coursework Example Without any iota of difficulty, the change that took place can be explained using three change process theories. These change process theories have carefully been enumerated below; in relation to the change that took place within the organization. The first theory that explains the change that took place is the expectancy theory. In an expectancy theory, it is generally said that people are induced to act in specific ways because they are motivated to act as such (Johnson, 2012). What this means is that expectancy theory demands that people pay off the motivation they receive by giving back excellent delivery. Looking at the fact that two people were promoted as a form of intrinsic motivation (Homik et al, 2008), it can be said that the expectancy theory was applied in this instance. This is because by motivating these two employees with the promotions, they will become obliged and expected to work with certain levels of output expectations. If for nothing at all, they will be expected to work above their means as a way of proving to their superiors that they deserve the promotions that were granted them. Another change process theory that comes to play in this instance is that of equity theory. According to the equity theory, people within an organization will be expecting to judge whether or not there is being fair distribution of available resources (Fuchs et al, 1997). With the present scenario, fairness and equity can be judged from the fact that the employees of the organization who were promoted can be labeled as resources because they form the basis of the human resource of their organization (Gardener, 2008). Secondly, fairness was attained because their hard work for their organization was acknowledged and rewarded. Indeed, there had been situations within the same organization whereby some employees were very aggrieved because they felt that their efforts were not recognized

Christian Stewardship and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Christian Stewardship and Sustainability - Essay Example When God created man in the Garden of Eden, He gave him authority over all the earth. This authority involves taking care of the environment, and all its constituents. Consequently, Christian stewardship refers to a moral obligation conferred on human beings by God over the natural resources. It includes using the natural resources in ways that benefit humanity, and the perpetuation of such resources. Promoting the continuity of the resources maintains order in the universe as the resources allow man to meet his various needs and aspirations successfully. In addition, future generations get to enjoy quality resources in abundance, thus boosting their earthly experiences. God holds Christians accountable for their actions on earth. The accountability falls in many categories, including the environment. God ordained man to take care of the earth, and the responsibility goes with accountability. Consequently, Christians endeavor to safeguard the biodiversity in a compassionate and respectful manner. These attitudes also characterize the concept of sustainability as it bears the future generations in mind. More to this, sustainability aims at countering the environmental crisis, and ensuring that humanity enjoys the goodness of nature in future. Christian stewardship recognizes that natural resources serve as resources (Robinson, 20). Resources help in fulfilling the daily needs of humanity, hence the need for their conservation. Absence of such resources would lead to inadequate provision of the required needs, which would contravene God’s will for our lives. Likewise, sustainability realizes the need for resource protection. It encourages the proper utilization of such resources with an intention of providing the current and future society with a good life. More to this, Robinson (21) asserts that â€Å"stewardship is a value to be passed from generation to generation†. This means that Christian stewardship, just like

Middle Ages vs Renaissance Art Periods Essay Example for Free

Middle Ages vs Renaissance Art Periods Essay When seeking two art periods to compare and contrast, fewer artistic examples provide a starker depiction of radically changing ideas and mentality than the art of the Middle Ages against that of art from the Renaissance. First, art originating from the Middle Age will be thoroughly analyzed for context. Afterward, art from the Renaissance period art will be analyzed next to it for its departures on from Middle Age techniques and thinking, before the two are finally systematically compared and contrasted. First, art from the Middle Ages, also called art from the Medieval period, characterized a European period of little social change, general poverty, and few scientific advances. The Catholic Church remained an imposing force upon Midieval society, and dominated much of daily life. Art clearly served the role of worship above all else, and the Catholic Church actually commissioned much of the artwork of the period. Much of this art filled churches and monasteries, and took the form of sculptures, paintings and drawings, stained-glass windows, metalwork and mosaics, among other forms. The iconographical nature of the art is substantial, as it above all served the purpose of perpetuating the Catholicism of the early church. It was largely confined to Europe and areas that the Byzantine and Roman empires had once occupied, such as parts of northern Africa. It lasted almost a thousand years, from approximately around 500 C.E. to perhaps as late as 1400 C.E. The depictions within the art reflected its purpose – worship. Religious icons such as saints, the Virgin Mary, Jesus and his disciples, and other depictions provided clarity and images for believers. The images portrayed onto the media arguably reflect the times, lacking in brightness, movement, or attitude. The characters shown rarely appear upbeat. An excellent example that validates some of these generalities is Pietro Cavallini’s The Last Judgment. This painting in the Santa Cecilia in Rome uses drab colours to show what appears to be an angry Jesus overlooked by six angels, three on each side. While a beautiful work of art no doubt, the painting has little passion or movement and does not inspire anything more than fear from a fiery God. This Medieval Art from the Middle Ages contrasts sharply with the Renaissance-era works in many key ways. First, Renaissance Art, while not entirely secular to be sure, had certain overtones of the humanism sweeping Europe. Next, its style exuberates brightness, passion, and an appetite for life that cannot be found easily in Middle Age art. Renaissance Art effectively superseded and ended art period progressing during the Middle Ages, and this mirrored social trends of increasing wealth and prosperity, upward mobility, and technological advances of the time. While no doubt heavily influenced by the preceding art of the Middle Ages and often building off of some of its topic such as Christianity, Renaissance Art has a strong hint of humanism which afflicted its artists. This philosophy sought to change the nature of man’s relationship with God to exist outside the church’s realm, and the â€Å"Renaissance men† often meaning that these artists were not only artists but commonly philosophers and scientists as well. Michelangelo, who was a painter, architect, poet, engineer, and sculptor, exemplified these characteristics. His masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel, The Last Judgment, provides us a great comparison to Cavallini’s work on the same topic and contrasts the vastly different techniques and focuses of the two art periods. While Cavallini’s work lacks a variety of colours and could be described even as plain, Michelangelo’s work gives a clear view into his mind’s eye, filled with numerous angels and men moving through the heavens. While Jesus is still at the top and the Madonna next to him seems to cower in fear at his wrath, many nonetheless are lifted upward. The bright colours, quick movements, and in fact original nakedness of the characters (later covered up, at the church’s request) reflect the technique and thought process of Renaissance-era art. So taking the topic of the Last Judgment, the second coming of Christ as a comparison subject matter for extrapolation between Medieval and Renaissance art periods, the Renaissance’s brightness, liveliness and energy shine clearly. First, we saw that Middle Age art was dreary, using drab colours and little dynamism that reflected the harsh realities of life in Europe at the time. Second, Renaissance Art ended this period with the new opportunities and advances made during the Renaissance, reflected in art from the period. Multitalented Renaissance men of the period such as Michelangelo contributed simultaneously to multiple artistic fields at once. Their art reflected the optimism of the times, the great advances being made philosophically and technologically, and their work captured their excitement for mankind’s newfound humanist relationship with God. What was once seen as an angry God hell-bent on punishment was now an opportunity for a chance into the heavens, and often Renaissance Art was even entirely secular, such as masterpieces like the Mona Lisa. Therefore, the Renaissance period of art departed from the Middle Ages period of Medieval Art not simply in technique or media, but also in subject matter, philosophy, and use. The art periods correspondingly reflected their equivalent time frame as either bleak and dowdy or upbeat and energetic. References Finnan, V. (2013). The last judgement. Retrieved from http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Last-Judgement.html Gortais, B. (2003). Abstraction and art. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences , 358(14-135), 1241-1249 . Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3558216 The last judgement. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/8284-the-last-judgement-pietro-cavallini.html

Above and below the line promotion

Above and below the line promotion 1 Introduction In terms of the general perception of all of the marketing mix elements that a firm may employ, it is perhaps promotion that is the most prominent P in the 4 Ps. In fact to many people promotion is marketing. Promotion is a part of a firms overall effort to communicate with consumers and others about its product or service offering. Both the company and the consumer have needs which they aim to fulfill; the profit making company wishes to improve or maintain profits and market share, and gain a better reputation than its competitors, and the consumer aims to reach his or her personal goals. The total product offering allows each party to move towards these goals, offering a bundle of satisfactions which fulfill needs in an instrumental and a psychological sense. The phrase Marketing Communications is generally preferred to the term promotion, this term being reserved for a branch of communications called below-the-line sales promotion. 2 Promotion or Marketing Communication? In a sense all marketing communication activity is a form of promotion, that is in one way or another is attempting to promote the interest of the brand, product range and/or company. What differentiates above the line activity from below the line activity is a somewhat arbitrary division. There is no universally accepted definition of either. Below the line activity is loosely classed as non-media advertising. Basically if an advertisement is submitted to a publication and a commission is paid to the advertising agency to feature the piece then this is deemed to be above the line communication. If no commission has been paid, for example in the case of a public relations press release, a trade exhibition or a sponsored sports event, this is referred to as below the line activity. This distinction is accepted by most and is the distinction adopted here. 3 Real and implied product attributes The role of marketing communications is to communicate the benefits of the product, service or firm to potential consumers and indeed the same process is undertaken in not for profit situations like political parties. The benefits marketing communicators try to convey can be real although many of attributes are implied through association or suggestion. This has been described as a total bundle of attributes that the consumer perceives in a holistic manner. In other words, consumers see the product or service offering as a unified whole, rather than a bundle of separate component parts such as its price, packaging, shape and so on. In this way, marketing communications conveys the meaning of the companys total product offering, helping consumers attain their goals and moving the company closer to its own goals. Many products, particularly in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) category, are very similar to other products in their class. For example margarines are basically similar no matter what brand is selected, and the same goes for many fmcg products. In times of shortage, such as during the war years, goods were treated as homogenous commodities, and basically soap was soap! In less developed countries the same is true today. From the study of buyer behaviour it was noted that Maslow described the different needs of human beings as being hierarchical in nature. At the bottom of the pyramid physiological needs such as hunger and thirst are of primary concern to the individual, almost to the exclusion in fact of anything else. Marketers can make use of this phenomenon and this can be witnessed in advertising soft drinks such as Coca Cola or fast food such as Burger King, McDonalds or KFC. Only when these basic, but important, physiological needs are satisfied will the individual turn his or her attention to the next category of need in the hierarchy. Their next need is safety and that of their family. In modern society these needs are reflected in goods and services such as burglar alarms, car locks and alarms, double glazing, external lighting, insurance, saving schemes etc. Marketers use the motive of fear in order to market such products. Thereafter loftier concerns assume more importance. People need to feel part of a group, appreciated by others and have the opportunity to both give and receive love. Fashion items like perfume, supporting the same pop group or sports team are all examples of how marketing uses social needs to sell products and services. Esteem needs can be translated into products and services through high status marquee cars, designer clothes or expensive holidays. Finally we reach the higher order need of self-actualisation. Only in very wealthy countries is it possible to have large sections in this category. The best example here is probably in California, especially in cities such as San Francisco where people can indulge in a variety of alternative life styles. Books by self help gurus, health supplements exercise videos are examples of products aimed at this motive. 4 The marketing communications mix Promotion describes the communications activities of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and publicity/public relations. Advertising is a non-personal form of mass communication, paid for by an identified sponsor. Personal selling involves a seller attempting to persuade a potential buyer to make a purchase. Sales promotion encompasses short-term activities such as giving coupons, free samples, etc. that encourage quick action by buyers. The company has control over these three variables, but has little control over the fourth variable, publicity/public relations. This is another non-personal communication method that reaches a large number of people, but it is not paid for by the company and is usually in the form of news or editorial comment regarding a companys product or service. Companies can gain some control over the publicity it receives by the release of news items. Put together, these promotional activities make up the promotional or communications mix with varying emphasis on each element according to the type of product or service, characteristics of consumers and company resources. Company size, competitive strengths and weaknesses and style of management all influence the promotional mix. Other communications elements with which promotion must be coordinated are the product itself, price and distribution channels used. Product communication, including brand name, design of packaging and trade-marks are all product cues which convey a message about the total product offering. Price can communicate different things under varying circumstances, for instance conveying prestige appeal for those buyers who perceive that a high price is equal to quality and prestige. The place in which the products are to be found also has notable communications value. Retail stores have personalities that consumers associate with the products they sell. Products receive a halo effect from the outlets in which they can be found and two stores selling similar products can project entirely different product images. For example, a perfume sold through an upmarket store will have a much higher quality image than one sold through supermarkets. 5 The Marketing Communications Process Effective communication means effective marketing. Buyers perceptions of market offerings are influenced by the amount and type of information they receive as well as their reaction to that information. There must be a good flow of information between seller and buyer to assist decision-making that precedes a purchase. An effective marketing communications system also allows feedback from the consumer to the seller. Some people have a psychological predisposition to buy products and services that are new to the market. This predisposition can be modeled with the use of a normal distribution. Certain people derive a great deal of pleasure from acquiring new products and being first in the market. Such people have a low level of perceived risk and in fact they positively like the risk and excitement associated with the purchase of new, innovative products. These people are referred to as innovators and, according to Everett Rogers account for about 2.5 % of the population. The next group of people displaying a tendency to buy new products are known as early adopters and account for approximately 13.5 % of the market. These are still highly adventurous purchasers and the possession of innovative new products gives them a high present value. They still have a low level of perceived risk but are slightly more risk adverse than the innovator category. The next two groups, Early Majority and Late Major ity account for the bulk of the potential market, 64% in all. Most people fall in to one of these categories. Finally the Laggards are people who are not really infested in new product development and tend to purchase products only when their old product is worn out and stops working. This theme is returned to later under product issues. A key question for the marketing communicator is: Are the innovators and early adopters also opinion leaders? The majority of potential customers are too risk adverse or too disinterested to be first in the market for an innovation. They are largely unaffected by the media communication about the innovation. Instead, they are influenced by people that they know who they regard as opinion leaders. Although some individuals my be innovators for many products and services, it is more likely that they will be classified as such for a limited range of products. For example a computer enthusiast may be regarded as a innovator for new computer products. Similarly, someone who is interested in photography may be regarded as opinion leaders in relation to this product but not others. A new brand of toothpaste containing baking soda is not really that new to people; after all, it is still just toothpaste. A vacuum cleaner for your garden is on the other hand quite a radical innovation. These products have recently come on to the market although most people, even keen gardeners seem a little unsure as to whether they should buy one or not. If these products are good, then the message will soon circulate by word of mouth and soon most households will own one, just as most own a lawn mower or a lawn edger and indeed these latter products were considered to be a radical innovation only a few years ago. 6 Marketing related messages. Marketing communications can be defined as the process of: presenting an integrated set of stimuli to a market target with the aim of raising a desired set of responses within that market target; setting up channels to receive, interpret and act on messages from the market to modify present company messages and identify new communications opportunities. As both a sender and a receiver of market-related messages, a company can influence customers to buy its brands in order to make profit. At the same time it can stay in touch with its market so that it can adjust to changing market conditions and take advantage of new communications opportunities. 6.1 The source of the message Receivers of a message are often greatly influenced by the nature of its source. If an audience perceives a communicator as credible, then they will be more likely to accept his or her views. If, on the other hand, the audience believes that the communicator has underlying motives, particularly ones of personal gain, then he or she will be less persuasive than someone the audience perceives as being objective. Some advertisers use candid television interviews with homemakers in order to enhance their credibility and eliminate intent to persuade, sometimes asking consumers to explain why they buy a particular brand or asking them to trade their chosen brand for another. Another method used by companies to increase credibility is to have the product endorsed by an expert with appropriate education and knowledge on a given subject. This source will be more successful in changing audience opinions. Specialized sources of information are often perceived as expert sources, and are successful due to the fact that messages are aimed at selected audiences, for example the use of sports professionals as promoters for brands. The credibility of a source is also a function of its perceived status or prestige. The higher the perceived status of a source, the more persuasive it will be. If a receiver likes a source, it will be more persuasive. It is clear that age, sex, dress, mannerisms, accent and voice inflection all affect source credibility and subtly influence the way an audience judges a communicator and his/her message. A source high in credibility can change the opinion of receivers, but available evidence suggests that this influence disperses in a short time after the message is received. It has also been observed that where an audience initially receives a message from a low-credibility source, their opinion change increases over time in the direction promoted by the source. This is referred to as the sleeper effect. Another aspect of this is that when a high-credibility source is reinstated, for example by a repeat advertisement, it has been found that audience agreement with the source is higher after a period of time than if the source had not been reinstated. For a low-credibility source, reinstatement results in less agreement with the source than with no reinstatement, and it is said that under these circumstances reinstatement negates the sleeper effect. 7 Media Advertising Media advertising communicates information to a large number of recipients, paid for by a sponsor. It has three main aims: To impart information To develop attitudes To induce action beneficial to the advertiser (generally the purchase of a product or service). An advertisement for washing powder is paid for by the manufacturer to achieve greater sales; a party political broadcast aims to increase votes. It must be remembered that advertising is only one element of the communications mix, but it does perform certain parts of the communicating task faster and with greater economy and volume than other means. How large a part advertising plays depends on the nature of the product and its frequency of purchase. It contributes the greatest part when: Buyer awareness of the product is low Industry sales are rising rather than remaining stable or declining The product has features which are not obvious to the buyer The opportunities for product differentiation are strong Discretionary incomes are high A new product or new service idea is being introduced. 8 Advertising models These have been drawn from several sources, particularly psychology, and from advertising practitioners in order to explain how advertising works. 8.1 The stimulus/response formula This was used at first, later models taking into consideration the environment in which the decision to buy is made. Daniel Starch said in 1925 for an advertisement to be successful it must be seen, must be read, must be believed, must be remembered and must be acted upon. This model assumed that the advertisement is the main influence on the state of mind of the consumer in respect of the product and makes no allowance for combined or multiple effects of advertisements. 8.2 The DAGMAR philosophy Colleys DAGMAR model in 1961 (Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results) allows for the cumulative impact of advertisements and also maps out the states of mind consumers pass through: From unawareness to awareness; to comprehension; to conviction; to action. This is described as the marketing communications spectrum. Advertising, along with promotion, personal selling, publicity, price, packaging and distribution, move the consumer through the various levels of the spectrum as follows: Unawareness/awareness The advertisement tries to make potential customers aware of the products existence. Comprehension The customer recognizes the brand name and trademark and also knows what the product is and what it does; knowledge gained from the advertisement or from an information search prompted by it. Conviction The customer has a firm attitude, preferring a particular brand over all others. Preferences may have an emotional rather than rational basis. Action Some move is made towards purchase, thus the advertisement has been acted upon. This illustrates the concept that the purpose of advertising is to cause a change of mind leading toward purchase, but it is rare for a single advertisement to have the power to move a prospect from complete unawareness to action. Effectiveness is judged by how far an advertisement moves people along the spectrum. 8.3 The Lavidge and Steiner model This consists of a hierarchical sequence of events on six levels: Awareness Knowledge Liking Preference Conviction Purchase These steps divide behaviour into three dimensions: cognitive (the first two), affective (the second two) and motivational (the third two). Although this differs from the DAGMAR model in the number and nature of stages, there is agreement that purchase is the result of the persuasion elements, making the assumption between changes in knowledge and attitude towards a product and changes in buying behaviour there is a predictable outcome. Dissonance theory, however, illustrates a two-way relationship, with behaviour influencing attitudes as well as attitudes influencing behaviour. After making a decision to purchase, the prospect will be involved in cognitive dissonance and will actively seek information to reinforce the decision, focusing on attractive features and filtering out unfavourable data. The major implication of this is that advertising for existing brands in the repeat purchase market should be aimed at existing users to reassure them in the continuation of the buying habit at the expense of the competition. 8.4 The Unique Selling Proposition This was developed by Rosser Reeves (1961) who reported the principles his agency had adopted for 30 years. This states that the consumer remembers one key element of an advertisement a strong claim or concept. This proposition must be one that the competition does not offer, which will be recalled by the consumer and will result in purchase at the appropriate time. 8.5 The brand-image school This was led by advertising practitioner David Ogilvy who focused on non-verbal methods of communication to invest a brand with agreeable connotations aside from its actual properties in use, such as prestige and quality. It must be remembered that an advertisement is the channel through which the sponsor communicates their message. The encoded message reaches recipients, through advertising or salespeople, who then decode and absorb it either fully or partly. The quality of the transmission can be distorted by noise occurring because the receiver does not interpret the message in the way the source intended (due perhaps to differences in cultural backgrounds of the two parties). It may however be because of cognitive dissonance which occurs when peoples receipt of the message does not agree with what they previously believed. Dissonance may cause a number of different reactions by the receiver: Rejecting the message Ignoring the message Altering the previous opinion Searching for justifications The first two reactions are of course negative, and from this feedback the source may change the message or stop communicating altogether with a particular receiver who is not receptive to the sources ideas. It can, therefore, be seen that advertising does not always convert people into users of a particular product. It can, however, have a positive effect in preventing loss of users, and increasing their loyalty. 8.6 Advertising by objectives Advertising situations are so varied and unique that it is not possible to generalize about how advertising works. Any potential advertiser should therefore adopt an advertising-by-objectives approach that will make clear what they are trying to achieve, how they will achieve it and how they are going to measure its effects. Few companies give any detailed scientific thought to exactly what they are trying to achieve through advertising. Clear objectives are needed to aid operational decisions, which include: The amount to be spent on a particular campaign The content and presentation of the advertisement The most appropriate media The frequency of display of advertisements or campaigns Any special geographical weighting of effort The best methods of evaluating the effects of the advertising. Corkindale and Kennedy (1976) found that systematically setting and evaluating objectives provided the following benefits. Marketing management has to consider and define in advance what each element in the programme is expected to accomplish. An information system can be set up to monitor ongoing performance, with the nature of information required clearly defined. Marketing management will learn about the system it is operating from accumulated experience of success (and failure) and can use this knowledge to improve future performance. Majaros (1970) major study on objective setting revealed that most managers saw increasing sales or market share as their main advertising objective. In fact, this is a total marketing objective and it is unreasonable to expect to achieve this objective through advertising alone (unless it was the only element of the marketing mix used, as in direct mail and mail order businesses). Majaros study also revealed that methods of evaluation used by most companies were not relevant, and that clear, precise advertising objectives, known to all involved, would rectify this situation. The following advantages of the advertising-by-objectives approach became clear. It helps to integrate the advertising effort with other ingredients of the marketing mix, thus setting a consistent and logical marketing plan. It facilitates the task of the advertising agency in preparing and evaluating creative work and recommending the most suitable media. It assists in determining advertising budgets. It enables marketing executives and top management to appraise the advertising plan realistically. It permits meaningful measurement of advertising results. When setting objectives, all personnel in a company who have an interest in, and influence on, advertising decisions have different ideas of the purpose of advertising. The Chairman may be concerned with corporate image, whilst the Advertising Manager may see it as an investment direct toward building a brand image and increasing market share. Marketing objectives have to be separated from advertising objectives. Overall marketing objectives should be defined, and the next step is to determine the contribution that advertising can efficiently make to each of these. An advertising objective is one that advertising alone is expected to achieve. Advertising objectives should be set with the following points in mind. They should fit in with broader corporate objectives. They should be realistic, taking into account internal resources and external opportunities, threats and constraints. They should be universally known within the company, so that everyone can relate them to his or her own work and to the broader corporate objectives. They need to be flexible, since all business decisions have to be made in conditions of partial ignorance. They should be reviewed and adapted from time to time to take account of changing conditions. Setting advertising objectives should not be undertaken until all relevant information on the product, the market and the consumer is available. Consumer behaviour and motivation must be thoroughly assessed, particularly that of the companys target group of customers. The statement of an advertising objective should then make clear what basic message is intended to be delivered, to what audience, with what intended effects and the specific criteria to be used to measure success. Corkindale and Kennedy used five key words to summarize the elements of setting advertising objectives: WHAT What role is advertising expected to fulfill in the total marketing effort? WHY Why is it believed that advertising can achieve this role? (What evidence is there and what assumptions are necessary?) WHO Who should be involved in setting objectives; who should be responsible for agreeing the objectives, coordinating their implementation and subsequent evaluation? Who is the intended audience? HOW How are the advertising objectives to be put into practice? WHEN When are various parts of the programme to be implemented? When can response be expected to each stage of the programme? 9 Below-the-line promotion. The terms below-the-line promotion or communications, refers to forms of non-media communication, even non-media advertising. Examples of non-media promotions are exhibitions, sponsorship activities, public relations and sales promotions such as competitions, banded packs and price promotions. Below-the-line promotions are becoming increasingly important within the communications mix of many companies, not only those involved in fmcg products, but also for industrial goods. For example dealer incentives, exhibitions and sponsorship activities are all growing in popularity. All forms of non-media communications are a form of promotion if we use the word in the broadest sense. Specific forms of below-the-line sales promotion are discussed below. 9.1 Below the line sales promotion Below the line sales promotions are short term incentives, largely aimed at consumers, but also aimed at the trade e.g. wholesalers, retailers, distributors, etc., along with company employees, usually the sales force. Over the past 20 years or so there has been greater pressure on marketing budgets and a greater demand on marketing management to achieve marketing communications objectives more efficiently. Hence marketers have been searching for a more cost-effective way to communicate with their target markets than conventional media advertising. A move to below the line promotion is one result of this. A definition of below-the-line sales promotion is given by Hugh Davidson: An immediate or delayed incentive to purchase, expressed in cash or in kind, and having only a short term or temporary duration. This definition highlights one important characteristic of below-the-line sales promotion that is its short term nature. Most conventional above the line advertising campaigns are medium to long term in nature. Below the line sales promotions tend to be short term in nature. Rarely does a sales promotion last for more than six months, and the majority last for much shorter periods. All promotions are variations of one basic type or another, but since the sales promotion is dynamic by nature new types will be developed in the future. The sphere of sales promotions generally include the following: Display materials (stands, header boards, shelf strips, wobblers) Packaging (coupons, premium offers, pack flashes) Merchandising (demonstrations, auxiliary sales forces, display arrangements) Direct mail (coupons, competitions, premiums) Exhibitions Industrial promotions also include the above elements, but with modifications to make them closer in type to those used by manufacturers of consumer goods for their retailers; designed to gain orders over long periods. 9.2 Sales promotion planning A full plan is needed to ensure that each stage of a promotion is reached: Analyse the problem task Define objectives Consider and/or set the budget Examine the types of promotion likely to be of use Define the support activities (e.g. advertising, incentives, auxiliaries) Testing (e.g. a limited store or panel test) Decide measurements required Plan timetable Present details to sales force, retailers, etc. Implement the promotion Evaluate the result 9.3 Advantages and disadvantages of sales promotions Advantages Easily measured response Quick achievement of objectives Flexible application Can be extremely cheap Direct support of sales force Disadvantages Price-discounting can cheapen brand image Short-term advantages only Can cause stress with retailers Difficulty in communicating brand message 9.4 The importance of sales promotion It is often difficult to know which marketing expenditures can be attributed to sales promotion. For example price reduction can cause confusion 10% off a packet of biscuits is a sales promotion, but what about price discounting by manufacturers? 10 Telephone marketing Telemarketing can be defined as any measurable activity that creates and exploits a direct relationship between supplier and customer by the interactive use of the telephone. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company define it as the marketing of telecommunications technology and direct marketing techniques. Telephone marketing can take the forms of in-coming call and out-going call. In-coming call telephone marketing usually makes use of special numbers, which enables the caller to call free-phone or at local call rates. Such campaigns are usually used in conjunction with other marketing communications tools. 11 Direct mail and direct marketing Direct mailing is the use of the postal service to distribute promotional material directly to a particular person, household or firm. It is often confused with the following related activities, which all fall under the general heading of direct marketing. Direct advertising One of the oldest methods of reaching the consumer, with printed matter being sent directly to the prospect by the advertiser, often by mail, but sometimes by through the letter box personal delivery, handing out to passers-by or left under the screen wiper of a car. Mail order Mail order advertising aims to persuade recipients to purchase a product or service by post, with deliveries being made through the mail or other carrier or through a local agent. Thus it is a special form of direct mail, seeking to complete the sale entirely by mail and being a complete plan in itself. Mail order is a type of direct mail, but not all direct mail is mail order. Direct response advertising This is a strategy of using specially designed advertisements, usually in magazines or newspapers, to invoke a direct response, such as the coupon-response press ad, which the reader uses to order the advertised product or request further information. Other variants offer money-off coupons and incentives to visit the retail outlet. The usage and acceptance of direct mail