Social Constructionism in Environmental Sociology Essay Example

Social Constructionism in Environmental Sociology Paper This construction of perceptions and meanings are what this essay is about. It is called social construction. The assay focuses more explicitly on the social construction Of environmental problems and issues. It does this by looking at examples of how and why certain societies can come to consider certain natural phenomena as environmental threats or issues, and asks the question of whether their perceptions are right or not. It focuses the concept of social constructionist and determines the relevance of it in environmental issues. It does this by looking at past findings of attempts at deconstructing the perceptions some societies have on their own identified environmental problems to be able to see if it helped with solutions to the problems. And lastly, it identifies criticism leveled against social constructionist in environmental sociology. All to support the following hypothesis: It is important to take the social construction aspect into consideration when looking at certain environmental problems to be able to identify hidden agendas when it comes to solving the perceived problems. But first, a brief definition of the social construction of environmental issues is necessary (As there are many- and some contradictory). It will serve as a foundation for building an understanding of what is going to be discussed. When something is socially constructed it then eggs the question of whether the threat or issue is in fact a real threat or issue because according to Hardballs and Holbrook a social construct is a product of social definitions, not natural, biological categories (2008: 752). We will write a custom essay sample on Social Constructionism in Environmental Sociology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Constructionism in Environmental Sociology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Constructionism in Environmental Sociology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Now according to Marsh, Keating, Punch and Harden (2009) the environment as a concept, is always contested and changing and he says that it means different things to different populations at different times. What the social construction of environmental issues and problems then means is that people in different populations perceive an issue on the environment differently from one another. An environmental issue for one society may not be one for another society. It is because they constructed their realities independent from each other. The independent development of perceptions allowed several dominant social constructs about the environment to emerge as separate independent realities. These realities were shaped and formed by power players in each society. The power players that shape a societys opinion in contemporary lifer and therefore its perspective on things are among others the media, activists, [and] scientists (Marsh et al, 2009). The following examples will illustrate how environmental issues may come to be instructed and considered important in one society, but not in another. When the media of a particular population informs its members about the poor condition of their local water, the water may have been of poor quality even before the media announced it, but since the announcement was made it has been added to the members environmental reality. In effect of the announcement the people may start buying bottled water, local government would start addressing the issue, they could create jobs to fight the issue, and certain entrepreneurs may see potential for business. All of which that loud not have happened if the media did not bring the knowledge of it into the societys reality. In another society, the media may be focusing on how behind they are economically rather than writing about water quality. Even though it has a quality similar to the other society, people does not worry about it because people arent aware of it. In both societies people dont get sick when drinking the Water, but the one society gave it an environmental issue label because of the media coverage it got. Another example is where scientists does research on something that is not considered dangerous to he environment, but after which it becomes an issue. It happens because scientists usually have an elite status. They are considered experts in their fields, and most people do not have the knowledge or qualified degree to grant them alternative knowledge which would enable them to disregard scientists opinions and findings. So when a scientist, based on his own interpretations and gained knowledge, in one society declare something as an environmental issue, the people generally respond with acceptance. Another example of a construct of an environmental issue is one from an article based n dingo management on an Australian island (Heathen, K. Burns G, 2007). They look at the Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy (FIDS) to deconstruct key assumptions about management of dingoes on Fraser Island. What they found was that the FIDS were trying to prevent dingo aggression towards humans, and that the FIDS constructed the issue of the aggression as deriving from human-dingo interactions via feeding. The prevention techniques were composed of many ways to prevent that type of interaction. Despite that, the dingoes remained as they were, still hurting people. Heathen ND Burns concluded that the management should take to account a wider range of interpretations of human-dingo interactions (2007: 55). One can see the importance the social construction aspect has in shaping priorities of societies when looking at the above examples. It is clear that when a society does not have knowledge on a subject, it is as if it does not exist. And when making the knowledge freely available as the only relevant knowledge, the society can do no different than to accept what they are being told by power players. The construction can be deliberately created by power players in society. The government or managing scientists in a particular field can use their power to change perceptions of the society by publishing rational substantiations for their claims on a matter so that they can employ a policy or action that will benefit themselves or one that will contribute to solving a related problem of the matter without the society complaining about why they do it. It is clear from these examples that some constructed environmental issues are not real in terms true intentions as there are additional economic or monetary goals often hidden it the actions to solve he environmental problems identified by power players. This is where social constructionist in environmental sociology comes in. When social environmentalists look at an environmental issue they try to consider the social construction aspect in the origin of the issue. By doing this they are able to deconstruct what has led to the construction of the problem, and thus identify the hidden agendas associated with policies claimed to solve the problem. They can then ask the question: is it really an environmental problem if the social, cultural and economic spheres of human life are not actively affected by it? The question may leave policy makers with a conscious thought about their true agendas, and enables them to determine for themselves whether or not they will be addressing a true environmental issue or not. The study on Dingo management shows how social constructionist has deconstructed a social construction of an environmental issue to bring hidden agendas to the surface. The notion that nature should be managed by humans has led to the notion that humans are in charge of it. Humans feel that they can use and manipulate nature to generate income (like tourism to wildlife parks etc. , and that is where the problem in management comes in. The wellbeing of the nature and the economic capital it may generate produce a mixture of interests. One that wants to be green and one that wants to gain monetary profits. These two interests are contradictory because a monetary gain is sometimes gained at the expense of a green environmental gain. Now at the dingo management park, social constructionist showed why dingoes may be aggressive against humans. It showed that humans may not even belong there, or try to manage the dingoes because the fact is that dingoes are just a wild animal that react on instinct, and humans trying to control them could be causing the aggressive incidents. It showed that the management is actually catering for the safety of the humans at the expense of the dingoes (they kill dingoes deliberately to reduce their population). They cater for their safety because they bring in money, and the more safe they can make it for them, the more money they may receive. The hidden agendas (to generate monetary wealth) in the management and conservation of dingoes are actually letting dingoes getting killed instead Of getting conserved (Heathen, K. Cooper, G, 2007:48-55). Even Hough social constructionist in environmental sociology may bring the question of whether an issue is real or not under discussion when policies need to be made, it still remains just that -a question. It does not provide an answer. It is not possible to give an answer because by stating that an environmental issue is not this, but it is that, would be contradictory to what social construction stands for. That is, that people construct definitions on matter by the available knowledge they have. But knowledge is limited by a persons senses.

The Advancement of the Mayan Civilization essays

The Advancement of the Mayan Civilization essays The highly advanced citizens of the ancient Mayan civilization used hieroglyphics to keep important historical records, made many advancements in mathematics, and had a highly accurate astronomy system. Throughout their years of existence, the Mayans proved to be one of the most advanced civilizations ever recorded. Their hieroglyphic writing skills have been documented to be some of the most sophisticated in all of ancient America. The Mayans also had an amazing understanding of mathematics and the workings of the universe. They have, through these things and more, to be on of the most advanced ancient civilizations in all of the world. The Mayan civilization had a rich and interesting history. The history of the Mayans has been classified into five historical periods. The first is the Formative Period, which lasted from 1500 BC to approximately 150 AD and saw the rapid development of its early people and the erection of its first temples. Another important period was the Classic Period. This period lasted from about 250 to 900 AD and included the rise royal rule, commerce, urban centers and ceremony. The Postclassic Period occurred from 900 to 1500 AD and whitened the fall of the Mayan civilization from its "Golden Age". The Mayan history is a remarkable documentation of a extremely advanced civilization. The Mayan hieroglyphic system of writing stands as one of the most remarkable displays of the advancements of a civilization in the history of the Americas due to its complexity in design and usage. Their system of writing was the only one developed before the arrival of Columbus and has been noted as the most advanced system developed in all of ancient America. The Mayan writing was based on independent sections called glyphs, which many times appear quite flashy and complex to outsiders eyes. Through research by scholars, about 800 glyphs have been discovered , which exceeds the number of signs need...

Business Communication

Identify characteristics of nonverbal communication Nonverbal communication refers to the interpretations that are made of bodily actions, vocal qualities, use of space, and self-presentation cues. 2 Identify channels through which we communicate nonverbally Nonverbal communication is continuous, multichanneled, intentional or unintentional, possibly ambiguous, and the primary means by which we convey our emotions. The sources of nonverbal messages include use of body motions (kinesics: gestures, eye contact, facial expression, posture, and touch); use of voice (vocalics: pitch, volume, rate, quality and intonation, vocalized pauses); and use of space (proxemics: personal space, physical space, use of artifacts). 3 Discuss how our self-presentation affects communication People gather information about us based on how they interpret our self-presentation cues. Self-presentation cues include physical appearance (for instance, body shape), clothing and grooming, and use of time (or our temporal orientation). Examine how nonverbal communication varies based on culture and gender The nonverbal behaviors that we enact and how we interpret the nonverbal messages of others depends on our culture and gender. Regardless of our cultural background or gender, however, we can become more adept at interpreting others’ nonverbal messages we receive by not jumping to conclusions, by considering cultural and gender differences, by paying attention to all aspects of nonverbal communication and their relationship to verbal communication, and by perception checking. Understand guidelines for improving nonverbal communication We can improve our encoding of nonverbal communication by being conscious of the nonverbal behavior we are displaying, by being purposeful or strategic in its use, by making sure that our nonverbal cues do not distract from our message, by making our nonverbal communication match our verbal messages, and by adapting our nonverbal behavior to the situation. Key Terms nonverbal communication behaviors |body orientation |proxemics | |kinesics |haptics |personal space | |gestures |vocalics |physical space | |illustrators |paralanguage |artifacts | |emblems |pitch |endomorph | |adaptors |volume |mesomorph | |eye contact or gaze |rate |ectomorph | |facial expression |quality |chronemics | |emoticons |intonation |monochronic time orientation | |posture |vocalized pauses |polychronic time orientation | Lesson Plan for Lecture The goal for this chapter is that students understand nonverbal communication, the types of nonverbal signals used, and how they are used to communicate along with verbal messages. In this chapter, students will identify the characteristics of nonverbal communication, describe the sources of nonverbal information, and explain how gender, sex, and cultural context affect how different nonverbal messages will be received. The chapter concludes by offering suggestions to improve both the construction and the interpretation of nonverbal messages. Chapter Outline with Accompanying Power Point Slides 1 Characteristics of Nonverbal Behavior (See Power Point Slides 3-5) A. Nonverbal communication is continuous B. Nonverbal communication is multi-channeled C. Nonverbal communication can be intentional or unintentional D. Nonverbal communication meaning can be ambiguous E. Nonverbal communication is the primary conveyor of our emotions 2 Sources of Nonverbal Communication (See Power Point Slides 6-7) A. Kinesics: the interpretation of body motions used in communication (See Power Point Slide 8) 1)Gestures: movements of our hands, arms, and fingers that we use to describe or to emphasize a. Illustrators: gestures that augment a verbal message b. Emblems: gestures that substitute for words c. Adaptors: gestures that respond to a physical need 2) Eye contact, or gaze: how and how much we look at people with whom we are communicating 3) Facial expression: the arrangement of facial muscles to communicate emotional states or reactions to messages 4)Emoticons: typed symbols that convey emotional aspects of an online message. 5)Posture: the position and movement of the body; body orientation: posture in relation to another person 6) Haptics: the interpretation of touch a. Reaction to touch is affected by individual preference, family background, and culture. b. Reaction to touch differs within context (public versus private) B. Vocalics: the interpretation of the message based on the paralinguistic features; paralanguage: the voiced but not verbal part of a spoken message. (See Power Point Slide 9) 1)Pitch: the highness or lowness of vocal tone 2)Volume: the loudness of softness of tone 3)Rate: the speed at which a person speaks 4) Quality: the sound of a person’s voice 5)Intonation: the variety, melody, or inflection in one’s voice 6)Vocalized pauses: extraneous sounds or words that interrupt fluent speech C. Proxemics: the interpretation of a person’s use of space (See Power Point Slide 10) )Personal space: the distance you try to maintain when you interact with other people 2)Physical space: the part of the physical environment over which you exert control 3)Artifacts: objects and possessions we use to decorate the physical space we control 3 Self-Presentation Cues (See Power Point Slides 11-13) A. Physical appearanc e 1)Endomorph: round and heavy body type 2)Mesomorph: muscular and athletic body type 3)Ectomorph: tall and thin body type B. Clothing and personal grooming: physical appearance sends a message and one should adapt their style of clothing and personal grooming techniques to the setting C. Use of time; chronemics: the way others interpret your use of time 1)Monochronic time orientation: a time orientation that emphasizes doing one thing at a time, adheres to schedules and rigid appointment times, and schedules interpersonal relationships )Polychronic time orientation: a time orientation that emphasizes doing multiple things at once, views schedules as flexible, and subordinates scheduled activities to interpersonal relationships 4 Cultural and Gender Variations in Nonverbal Communication (See Power Point Slides 14-16) A. Kinesics 1)Eye contact is not universally appropriate and differs in cultures and subcultures 2) Facial expressions and gestures a. Many similarities in facial expre ssions across cultures b. Gestures differ across cultures c. Displays of emotion differ based on culture and gender; gesture style is often used to label masculinity or femininity 3) Haptics, or touch, is closely linked to culture. Some cultures encourage contact and touch, others do not. The meaning of touch also differs by gender. B. Paralanguage 1)Volume varies greatly by culture 2)United States stereotypes masculine voices as low-pitched and loud, and feminine voices as high-pitched and expressive C. Proxemics and territory refer to the difference between individualistic and collectivistic concepts of personal space D. Artifacts and physical appearance: culture and gender influence clothing choices E. Chronemics: The dominant U. S. culture has a monochromic time orientation, while many Latin American and Arab cultures have polychronic orientation. 5 Guidelines for Improving Nonverbal Communication (See Power Point Slides 17-19) A. Interpreting nonverbal messages )Don’t automatically assume a particular behavior means something specific 2)Consider cultural, gender, and individual influences on behavior when interpreting nonverbal cues 3)Nonverbal messages should be interpreted in context 4)Use perception checking B. Sending nonverbal messages 1)Be conscious of your own nonverbal behavior 2)Be purposeful i n your use of nonverbal communication 3)Don’t let your nonverbal cues distract from your message 4)Make sure your nonverbal cues match your verbal communication 5)Adapt nonverbal behavior to the situation Lesson Plan for Group Work Discussion and Assignment Ideas 1Visit the website http://www. ree-hugs. com and read about the campaign to promote more conscious touch. Why do you think this campaign has received such a strong reaction? Do you think our society is more or less open to touch than a generation ago? Would this campaign have been possible 50 years ago? 100 years ago? 2Quotes: These can be used to introduce topics, questions perspectives, or gain individual opinion. Providing students with a quote and prompting them to write or reflect on their personal feelings about the quote can help to spark discussion and interest. Suggested prompts may include â€Å"Define this concept in your own words†; â€Å"Do you agree with this statement? Explain†; â€Å"What text material can be used to support or refute this idea? † Voices: I think they must go deeper into us than other things. —George Elliot The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said. —John Stuart Mill Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. —Leo Buscaglia 3At what age were you able to detect sarcasm? When is sarcasm inappropriate even if the intent of the paralanguage is known? How does sarcasm affect electronically mediated communication? Chapter Activities |4. : Gender and Nonverbal | | |Communication | | |Purpose: |To illustrate differing cultural rules regarding appropriate nonverbal behavior for males and | | |females | |Time: |50 minutes | |Process: |Have men and women reverse role-play (women playing men, men playing women) in the f ollowing | | |situations: | | |a. Two male friends who haven’t seen each other for some time meeting on the street. | | |b. Two female friends who haven’t seen each other for some time meeting on the street. | | |c. Three women sitting around a table in a bar and talking. | | |d. Three men sitting around a table in a bar and talking. | | |e. A male student telling his roommate about his significant other breaking up with him. | | |f. A female student telling her roommate about her significant other breaking up with her. | |When all simulations have been presented, discuss them in terms of proxemics, haptics, kinesics, | | |and paralanguage using the following questions: | | |1. What were women’s perceptions of men’s typical nonverbal behavior? | | |2. What were men’s perceptions of women’s typical nonverbal behavior? | | |3. What are the sources of these perceptions? Are they accurate or stereotypical? | | |4. Do such behaviors and perceptions of behaviors affect same-sex com munication? How? | | |5. If you could change anything about these perceptions, what would you change? Why? How? | |4. : Understanding Kinesics | | |Purpose: |To help students understand both the usefulness and the limitations of relying too heavily on | | |body language for meaning | |Time: |15 to 20 minutes | |Process: |Working in teams of two, three, and four, have students enact a two-minute conversation entirely | | |through body motions (such as gestures, facial expression, eye contact) and touch. You can have | | |them pick from the following scripts or make one up for themselves: | | |(3 students) Cheating student. Two group members don’t want to let you cheat. | | |(2 students) Someone is blind. Another person is in a rush, trying to sneak by the blind person, | | |not knowing that person is blind. | | |(4 students) Three people are in the waiting room of a hospital. One is a nurse, trying to get | | |ahead of the others in line. | | |(2 students) Two people are in church. One is falling asleep, and the other is embarrassed and | | |trying to keep that person awake. | | |(2 students) One is showing the other how to change a baby’s diaper. | | |Give the students a few minutes to work out how they will convey the message of their skit | | |without words. Make sure the groups do not share the scripts with one other, as you will be | | |asking the class to guess what each group’s message is. Ask for student volunteers to share a few| | |of the skits with the class. At the end of each skit, every student should write their own script| | |of what messages were conveyed and understood. Have the class compare scripts. How accurately did| | |the students communicate their messages? Which of the body motion categories were most helpful in| | |conveying meaning? When there were inaccuracies, can you identify why? What kinds of information | | |did you feel the greatest frustration in communicating? | |4. : The Versatility of | | |Paralanguage | | |Purpose: |To help students recognize that often it is the paralanguage that conveys the message | |Time: |15 minutes | |Process: |Provide students with a very generic dialogue involving two participants that relies on | | |historical context, emits descriptive words, and can be applied to many situations. Have two | | |students volunteer to perform the scene. Give these students a setting and situation (e. g. , you | | |meet an old friend in the grocery store). Have them use the dialogue and paralanguage to convey | | |this setting. Have other students guess what is going on. Continue to provide different | | |situations for different volunteers, allowing all students to see that a verbal message might | | |apply to any situation but that paralanguage is often the determining, descriptive factor. | |4. 4: Paralanguage Practice | |Purpose: |To have students practice using paralanguage to communicate emotion | |Time: |15 minutes | |Process: |Bring the following items to class: a DVD player manual, a bottle of bubbles, a cake mix box, a | | |shampoo bottle, and a drug prescription information sheet. Write the following emotions on small | | |pieces of paper: anger, disgust, embarrassment, elation, despair, contentment, and loneliness. | | |Have volunteer students select a product and an emotion. Instruct them to read the printed | | |material while communicating the assigned emotion through their paralanguage. Ask the class to | | |guess the emotion being communicated. | |4. 5: The Messages of Artifacts | | |Purpose: |For students to recognize the intentional and unconscious messages that artifacts convey | |Time: |15 minutes | |Process: |Ask students to get into pairs, and ask them to choose as a partner the person in class they know| | |least well. Each student will share one of the following personal artifacts with his or her | | |partner: key chain, wallet, or a purse. Without saying anything, both partners should take a few | | |minutes to silently familiarize themselves with the artifact that belongs to their partner. They | | |will then take turns and share with each other any conclusions they have drawn about the owner of| | |the artifact: Is this person organized? Romantic? Interested in politics? This exercise will | | |demonstrate the conscious and unconscious messages that our artifacts convey. | Video Materials Movies Movies and movie clips can be used to help students grasp concepts. Clips can be shown in class, or movies can be assigned as homework. Following the movie clips, ask students written or oral questions. These questions should address pertinent concepts, thereby actively engaging students in discussion. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) Rated: PG-13 (Language, mature themes) Synopsis: Daniel and Miranda are in the middle of divorce proceedings. When Daniel realizes he is about to lose access to his children, he takes action by enlisting the help of his make-up artist brother, Frank, to create a character, Mrs. Doubtfire, whom he uses to interview for the position of family housekeeper. In the process, he learns about himself and his family. Questions for discussion 1. What role does the song â€Å"Dude Looks Like a Lady† have on the interpretation of the nonverbal communication? 2. What is your reaction to the â€Å"dance†? Why do you think it has such an effect? 3. How does clothing affect the reactions of the bus driver? The purse snatcher? 4. How are Mrs. Doubtfire’s emotions communicated? Pleasantville (1998) Rated: PG13 (Mature themes, sexual situations, mild profanity) Synopsis: David and Jennifer, two children of a broken marriage, are mysteriously transported into the set of a fictional 1950s black-and-white TV series called Pleasantville. As they experience the quaint family-oriented reality of this fictional community, their attitudes and actions bring about a radical change to the landscape. Slowly but surely, the community’s veneer of perfection starts slipping away. As their presence introduces jealousy, anger, and passion, the movie slowly shifts from the monochromatic background into a vibrant landscape of color. Questions for discussion 1. How does the absence of color serve as a means of nonverbal expression throughout the movie? 2. This movie makes a very blatant statement about society and social changes through the use of color, but in real life the effects of the use of color are much more subtle. What are some examples of the effects of the use of color, whether subtle or blatant, in other movies? The use of color in society? Additional suggested movies: Philadelphia (1993) (perception, nonverbal); Before Sunrise (1994) (nonverbal); In and Out (1997) (nonverbal, co-culture, gender); Freaky Friday (2003) (personality expression via nonverbal communication); Tootsie (1982) (masculine and feminine nonverbal behaviors) Student Assignments The following activities can be assigned for students to work on independently or in some cases as in-class or group activities. Unless otherwise noted, students will have access to these assignments through the Critical Thinking Activities online. Activities marked with a yellow icon can also be found on the Instructor Prep Card. Some of these activities may have accompanying worksheets, which you will want to make available to students if you choose to assign them; these worksheets can be found in the Chapter 4 Handouts section online at www. 4ltrpress. cengage. com/comm. Case Assignment: What Would You Do? Use the following case assignment (also found on the Instructor Resource Card) to get your students to consider how different nonverbal behaviors convey different messages. You might use this as a handout, for which students can provide short answers, or you might use this to create an opportunity for class discussion. A Question of Ethics AFTER THE INTRAMURAL, MIXED-DOUBLES TENNIS MATCHES ON TUESDAY EVENING, MOST OF THE PLAYERS ADJOURNED TO THE CAMPUS GRILL FOR A DRINK AND A CHAT. MARQUEZ AND LISA SAT DOWN WITH BARRY AND ELANA, THE COUPLE THEY HAD LOST A MATCH TO THAT NIGHT LARGELY BECAUSE OF ELANA’S IMPROVED PLAY. ALTHOUGH MARQUEZ AND LISA WERE ONLY TENNIS FRIENDS, BARRY AND ELANA HAD BEEN GOING OUT TOGETHER FOR MUCH OF THE SEASON. After some general conversation about the tournament, Marquez said, â€Å"Elana, your serve today was the best I’ve seen it this year. † â€Å"Yeah, I was really impressed. And as you saw, I had trouble handling it,† Lisa added. â€Å"And you’re getting to the net a lot better too,† Marquez added. â€Å"Thanks, guys,† Elana said in a tone of gratitude, â€Å"I’ve really been working on it. † â€Å"Well, aren’t we getting the compliments today,† sneered Barry in a sarcastic tone. Then after a pause, he said, â€Å"Oh, Elana, would you get my sweater—I left it on that chair by the other table. † â€Å"Come on, Barry; you’re closer than I am,† Elana replied. Barry got a cold look on his face, moved slightly closer to Elana, and said emphatically, â€Å"Get my sweater for me, Elana—now. † Elana quickly backed away from Barry as she said, â€Å"OK, Barry—it’s cool,† and she then quickly got the sweater for him. â€Å"Gee, isn’t she sweet,† Barry said to Marquez and Lisa as he grabbed the sweater from Elana. Lisa and Marquez both looked down at the floor. Then Lisa glanced at Marquez and said, â€Å"Well, I’m out of here—I’ve got a lot to do this evening. † â€Å"Let me walk you to your car,† Marquez said as he stood up. See you next week,† they both said in unison as they hurried out the door, leaving Barry and Elana alone at the table. 1. Analyze Barry’s nonverbal behavior. What was he attempting to achieve? 2. How do you interpret Lisa’s and Marquez’s nonverbal reactions to Barry? 3. Was Barry’s behavior ethically acceptable? Explain. Journal Assignments A. Distracting Mannerisms Describe any distracting mannerisms that you may have. Ask someone who knows you well to provide input. Compare your perception with that of the person you asked. How aware of your nonverbal communication behaviors are you? What, if any, changes would you like to make? B. Touch Preferences and Personal Space Are you a person who likes or dislikes being touched? Why? How do you communicate your preference to others? How does this correlate to personal space? Through observation, see if you can distinguish your preferred distance for intimate space. How does your preference for personal space and touch change when interacting with acquaintances, friends, and strangers? C. Environment How does your home, apartment, or dorm room communicate information about you? What is it saying right now? Why? D. The Multi-Channeled nature of Nonverbal Communication For this assignment, select a popular syndicated talk show host who has both a radio and a TV or Internet broadcast. First listen to the host you chose speak on the radio. Then watch him or her on TV or the Internet. Pay attention to how you receive the message over the radio, when only paralanguage is available, versus when you watch the broadcast over a medium in which you can see facial expressions, eye contact, and other nonverbal channels. How is the message affected by the presence or absence of certain nonverbal channels? Do you interpret the message differently when you see it with paralanguage alone, or was the message the same when it was accompanied by other nonverbals? E. Body Motions Find a public setting (for example, a restaurant) where you can observe two people having a conversation. They should be close enough to you so that you can observe their eye contact, facial expression, and gestures, but not close enough that you can hear what they are saying. Carefully observe the interaction, with the goal of answering the following questions: What is their relationship? What seemed to be the nature of the conversation (social chitchat, plan making, problem solving, argument, intimate discussion)? How did each person feel about the conversation? Did feelings change over the course of the conversation? Was one person more dominant? Take note of the specific nonverbal behaviors that led you to each conclusion, and write a paragraph describing this experience and what you have learned. See Chapter 4 Handouts for accompanying Observation Form. Experiential Assignments 4. 1 Vocal Characteristics Spend a few hours listening to public or talk radio. If possible, listen to a station that broadcasts in a language with which you are unfamiliar. Attempt to block out your awareness of the speakers’ words and instead, focus on the meaning communicated by the pitch, volume, rate, and quality of their speech. Be sure to listen to a number of different speakers and record your results in a log. Can you detect any variations in the vocal characteristics of the different speakers? If so, what do you make of these variations and what they say about each speaker’s message? See Chapter 4 Handouts to find a list of observable vocal characteristics. 4. 2 Self-Presentation Audit The Self-Presentation Audit allows you to analyze the image you project, using the dimensions you have studied in your textbook. These include body type, clothing and personal grooming, poise, touch, and use of time. You can find the audit in your Student Workbook or online. Once you have completed the audit, review how you have described yourself with respect to each of the self-presentation dimensions. Then write a short essay in which you describe how you present yourself, evaluate how satisfied you are with this image, and list what, if any, adjustments to your self-presentation you would like to make so that your self-presentation matches the image you are trying to project. See Chapter 4 Handouts for accompanying Self-Presentation Audit Worksheet. 4. 3 Gender Variations in Body Motions Find a place in the cafeteria or another public spot where you can observe the conversation of others. You are to observe the nonverbal behaviors of three dyads for at least five minutes each. First, observe the interaction of two men, then the interaction of two women, and finally, the interaction of a man and a woman. Using the Observation Tally Sheet provided here, record each participant’s behavior and any other behavioral cues you note. Using these observation notes, review the material on male and female use of body motions. Did your observations confirm these trends? If they did not, evelop an explanation about why they didn’t, using the sheet that follows. See Chapter 4 Handouts for accompanying Gender Variations Observation Form. Using their observation notes, students may review the material on male and female use of body motions with the following questions in mind: †¢ Did your observations confirm these trends? †¢ If they did not, develop an explanation about why they didn’t? 4. 4 Vocal Interferences Tape record yourself talking for several minutes about any subject. When you finish, estimate the number of vocal interferences you used. Then replay the tape and compare the actual number with your estimate. How close was your estimate? Wait a day or two and try it again. As your ear becomes trained, your estimates will be closer to the actual number. Keep a record of your improvement using the worksheet provided. Now that you have raised your awareness, identify the vocal interference you use most frequently and develop a communication improvement plan (see sample in Chapter 1) to reduce your use of that vocal interference. See Chapter 4 Handouts for accompanying Vocal Interference Worksheet. 4. 5 Topical Research Touching behavior can be perceived as a sign of comforting, affection, or harassment. Using online resources or your campus library, locate the article â€Å"Just the Right Touch,† Patrick McCormick (June 1999) from U. S. Catholic for a discussion of the use of touch in providing comforting. Under what circumstances is touch most comforting? 4. 6 Researching Periodicals A great deal of research has been done on the importance of touch in healing and health care. Use databases found online or at the campus library to locate this article: â€Å"Studies Give New Meaning to Hands-on Healing†, Psychology Today, March 2000 v33 i2, p. 25. After reading the article, research other articles on the topic and summarize their findings. Were you surprised at what you found? 4. 7 Using Technology As you watch a tape or DVD of a movie or a television program, select a segment where two people are talking with each other for a couple of minutes. The first time you watch, mute the audio (turn off the sound). Based on nonverbal behaviors alone, determine the climate of the conversation (Are the people flirting? In conflict? Discussing an issue? Kidding around? Making small talk? ). What nonverbal behaviors and reactions led you that conclusion? Watch the video a second time, observing nonverbals but also listening to vocal variations in volume, pitch, and rate of speed. Do any of these vocal cues add to your assessment? Then watch it a third time, focusing on what the characters are saying. Now analyze the segment. What percentage of meaning came from nonverbal elements? What did you learn from this exercise? . 8 Using the Internet Using e-mail, chat room, discussion board or online instant messaging software, conduct a running conversation with a friend, classmate or other acquaintance. Do not use videoconferencing software. Be sure to discuss several issues, engaging in both serious and humorous interactions. Analyze the con versation and its outcomes. Were there any ambiguities or misunderstandings? Were there any moments when you could not tell if your partner was being funny, serious, sarcastic, or emotional? Were there any times when your partner could not tell your level of sarcasm, humor, or emotion? Were these problems resolved? If so, how? Would a face-to-face conversation have avoided some or all of these problems? Why? Online Resources http://www. csun. edu/~vcecn006/nonverb. html â€Å"Nonverbal Communication Helps Us Live† A helpful review of the importance of nonverbal communication in everyday life. From California State University Northridge. http://members. aol. com/nonverbal3/eyecon. htm Eye Contact This site that looks at eye contact from a variety of different perspectives, some with photos for examples. From the Center for Nonverbal Studies http://members. aol. com/nonverbal2/index. htm The Center for Nonverbal Studies homepage (Created by David Givens. ) http://www. natcom. org/ctronline/nonverb. tm ComResources Onlines provides information on the various nonverbal behaviors discussed in the textbook including some information on notable nonverbal communication scholars. http://members. aol. com/nonverbal2/center. htm The Center for Nonverbal Studies also includes a nonverbal dictionary. http:/ /www. geocities. com/marvin_hecht/nonverbal. html Nonverbal Communication Research Page http://www3. usal. es/~nonverbal/varios. htm Nonverbal Behavior: Nonverbal Communication Links http://www. free-hugs. com/ Free Hugs Campaign http://featuredreports. monster. com/firstimpression/actions/ Nonverbal Communication Tips for Interviews Supplementary Student Assignments The following activities are additional experiential exercises and assignments that students will not have access to online. Violating Intimate Space Norms Enter a crowded elevator. Get on it and face the back. Make direct eye contact with the person you are standing in front of. When you disembark, record the person’s reactions. On the return trip, introduce yourself to the person who is standing next to you and engage in an animated conversation. Record the reaction of the person and others around you. Get on an empty elevator and stand in the exact center. Do not move when others board. Record their reactions. Be prepared to share what you have observed with your classmates. See Chapter 4 Handouts to find a sheet for recording reactions. Cultural Differences in Self-Presentation Interview or converse with two international students from different countries. Try to select students whose cultures differ from one another and from the culture with which you are most familiar. Write down a list of questions related to the self-presentation behaviors discussed in your text. Try to understand how people in the international student’s country differ from you in their use of nonverbal self-presentation behaviors. Prepare to share what you have learned with your classmates. Essay Assignments 1. Discuss some cultural variations in self-presentation 2. Discuss how vocal interferences can influence the perception you make on others. 3. Describe the four distances of informal space found in Hall’s research. Give an example of when each would be appropriate. 4. What are the elements of paralanguage, and how does each element affect message meaning? Provide examples to illustrate your points. 5. Discuss why effective communicators need to understand cultural and gender differences in the interpretation of nonverbal behaviors. PART I:Self-Review Self-Review materials are designed to help students process and integrate the concepts from multiple chapters.

Strategic International Business Management Essay

Strategic International Business Management - Essay Example However, before going internationally, the company needs to address its weaknesses, including frequent product recalls, negative international publicity, and bad accounting practices. The potential target market for Tesco chosen for this paper was the Chilean market. Chile is a highly attractive market for Tesco due to its competitive position in the South American region in terms of economic ranking, openness to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), basic business requirements and other parameters. Retailing industry in Chile is growing and is forecasted to show positive growth in future. Also, there is a growth of demand for imported, exotic and sophisticated products among the urban population of Chile, which is a good business opportunity for Tesco. Hypermarkets and Supermarkets in Chile is one of the most popular establishments for grocery shopping as this segment has the highest % share. The number of supermarkets and hypermarkets is continuously growing in Chile and indicate that t here are growth opportunities for Tesco. Among three market entry strategies suggested, it was recommended to pursue acquisition strategy in order to enter the Chilean retail market. With the development of international logistics, information technology, global integration, and liberalization of markets more and more companies seek the opportunities for international expansion. One of such companies is the UK-based retailing chain, Tesco Plc. The company already operates in the European and some Asian markets. However, the firm seeks for other markets for international expansion. The aim of this paper is to suggest a potential international market for Tesco’s expansion, to analyze the external environment of the proposed country and to provide recommendations regarding the selection of a market entry strategy for Tesco. Tesco is a network of retail stores selling grocery, general merchandise, electrical products, apparel and other non-food items (MarketLine Advantage, 2015).

Science Integration is a better study Research Paper

Science Integration is a better study - Research Paper Example in making the students have a wider perspective of various fields of study, it is very cumbersome for those students who cannot effectively mentally cope with the variety of fields covered in the study (BermuÃŒ dez, 73). Some of the disciplinary perspectives include integrating science in politics, mathematics as well as economics. This makes it difficult for other students to understand some aspects of the course, thereby resulting to Demotivation of such students relevant to the study. Integration of sciences enable for flexibility in course selection relevant to the interests of the students (Slingerland and Mark, 65). In this manner, it is of crucial significance to note that the Integrated Sciences makes it possible for the students to establish their own individual course of study. In this manner, it is of critical importance to note that the integration of science as a study is critical in ensuring that students develop a wider scientific perspectives (BermuÃŒ dez, 38). This is very important in broadening their scope of understanding of the myriad of concepts covered in the study. This is important also in broadening the understanding between the links of science as well as society. In summary, Science Integration is a better study for students. It always focuses on molding students with the vast of knowledge that is necessary for application in various sectors within the society. Integration of sciences is critical in ensuring that the students appreciate the field of science. In addition, it ensures that students critically understand other fields of study involving the political realm, social as well as economic

World War II Essay Example for Free

World War II Essay II (WWII), 120,000 Japanese Americans, US citizens or not, were forced out of the west coast after the attack of Pearl Harbor. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 which allowed local military commanders to establish exclusion zones from which any or all persons may be excluded. Americans of Japanese descent were forcibly interned in different camps in the US. The military felt that this was a necessary action to prevent any espionage and pro-Japanese actions in the west coast. Regardless of the mass evacuation, a number of Japanese Americans served in the military forces. In fact, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) is the most highly decorated unit in US military history. Asian discrimination The discrimination against the Asians in the United States started even way before the incarceration of Japanese Americans in WWII. In the late 1900s, laws were passed that explicitly prohibited Japanese to become citizens of the US. They could not have a land of their own and were not allowed to marry outside their race. They could only buy homes in certain areas and were prohibited to work in certain industries. The Immigration Act of 1924 stated that aliens who were ineligible for citizenship would not be allowed to immigrate to the United States. When Japan had been establishing its colonial rule in the 20th century, news of brutality of Japan came into the US. In particular, Japans colonization of China was widely condemned by the US government. As a result, prohibitions on oil and supplies were placed on Japan. The Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 further strengthened the anti-Japanese sentiment of the Americans especially when eyewitness reports of violence reached the country. The anti-Japanese sentiment reached its peak when the appalling attack on Pearl Harbor transpired on December 7, 1941. This impelled the United States to wage war against the Japanese Empire. This anger was further fuelled by how Japanese treated American and other western prisoners of war, the Bataan Death March, and the Kamikaze attacks on American ships. Internment Executive Order 9066 Starting 1939, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had been compiling information on prominent members of the Japanese community. These data in the Custodial Detention Index (CDI) were used to classify the persons according to their possible danger to the country. A few hours after the Pearl Harbor attack, the Attorney General, given a presidential blanket authority, announced that the FBI, using the information in the CDI, would be detaining dangerous enemy aliens who may put the security of the nation in jeopardy. Some believed that Japan would launch an attack on the west coast. Many officials doubted the loyalty of the Japanese residing in this area, their judgments mostly based on racial bias. They also feared a possible tampering of water system or arson. The distrust to the ethnic Japanese was more strengthened by the fact that many of them were educated in Japan, where schools emphasized reverence for the Emperor. This planted suspicion of espionage by the Japanese Americans. On December 30, the Attorney General authorized raids even without search and warrant arrests to all houses of Japanese lineage provided that there is at least one Japanese alien. General John L. DeWitt, commanding officer of the Western Defense Command, advocated the removal of enemy aliens from zones in the west coast. He insisted that there were indications of sabotage by the Japanese Americans. Although various agencies, such as the FBI, found no evidence of such a claim, their reports were suppressed by high officials. DeWitts recommendation easily made its way to the War Department who readily approved it. When President Franklin Roosevelt was presented the order, he readily signed the order without consulting the Cabinet. His support of the internment was a great show of support to the Americans that would be rewarding in the coming election. Exclusion, removal, and detention On February 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 authorized the Army to designate military areas from which any person may be excluded. Although there was no explicit command to evacuate the Japanese Americans, the order was carried out only to people of Japanese ancestry. The Italians Americans and German Americans, whose countries of origin were also at war with the allies of the United States, did not experience the same fate as the Japanese Americans. On March 11, the Office of the Alien Property Custodian was given discretionary authority over alien property interests. Many of the assets were frozen, causing financial difficulty for the people affected and hindering them from moving out of the exclusion zones. On March 24, Public Proclamation No. 3 enforced a curfew from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am for all enemy aliens and people of Japanese ancestry within the military areas. A few days later, another proclamation prohibited them from leaving Military Area No. 1, which is the entire Pacific coast to about 100 miles inland, until an order allows them to leave. On May 3, Japanese Americans were ordered to live in the assembly centers until transferred to relocation centers. The unfounded mass removal of the Japanese Americans took place around 8 months. Japanese Americans lost most of their properties since they were allowed to bring only what they could carry, such as clothing and personal effects. Numbered tags were given to them as a means of their identification and their belongings. Residents of twelve Latin American countries with Japanese ancestry were also interned to US internment camps. After WWII, most of the Japanese Latin Americans were not allowed to return to their countries and instead were deported to Japan, where they suffered hardships as Japan was severely damaged by the war. Of more than a hundred thousand Japanese Americans subjected to the mass removal program of the government, two-thirds of them were US citizens by birth. Farming as a cause of anti-Japanese sentiments Much of the prejudice against the Japanese Americans was intensified due to the competence of the Japanese in the agriculture industry. Being ingenious people, they eventually had their own farms and other businesses. A number of thriving businesses owned by Japanese Americans were strong competitors in the agricultural industry. The Japanese Americans had developed sophisticated means of irrigation that allowed the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and flowers on lands that could not be used for farming previously. The first-generation Japanese Americans, the Issei, indeed prospered in the 20th century, but their fate turned when they lost their farm during the internment. This, however, pleased the white farmers as they could take over Japanese farms. Because the Japanese Americans were removed from their farms, laborers were needed to take over the lands of the Japanese. Immigrations from the Mexican border started coming to Mexico. However, thousands of Nisei, children of first-generation Japanese that were US-born, were still needed to save the farming industry so thousands of them were released from camps. But for the Japanese Americans who remained in camp, they strived to irrigate and cultivate barren lands in areas near the internment camps. Because of their hard work, they were able to build farm lands that are still productive until the present.

Essay --

In order to achieve the highest possible level of productivity, it is extremely important to have a good atmosphere at workplace. But what ´s of much more importance, if people feel well at work the possibility of depression or even suicide can decline. So the HR department, which is responsible for the overall well-being of the employees, should always try to create a sense of belonging together and understanding. There are many points to consider, talking of suicide prevention. The company and especially the HR department need to take over responsibility and play an active role in the process. 1. Create a good working environment Generally the company should work really hard to offer an agreeable and convenient work environment for everybody. Therefore you try to do a lot of team building activities and watch to have serious integration policies. Nobody should feel misunderstood and miserable at his workplace. Anyway making your employees happy will help you as well to meet your goals and enhance overall productivity. 2. Reduce potential stress factors Another factor is stress, it ´s not a real mental problem but it is the cause of many and also leads to some long and short term damages. In order to reduce stress, factors like too much work and lack of team work should be avoided. Moreover, Layoffs cause a lot of stress also on the ones remaining, as they are insecure about their own jobs and future. Employees should think of themselves and their work as being worthy for the company, good work should get promoted. â€Æ' 3. Treating mental health issues not as a stigma The suicide problem needs to be treated open and honest, so it ´s the HR ´s part to assure everybody that mental illness is as real as any physical one. Employees shoul... ...issues and teambuilding. Moreover France has a really high individualism score and is very short- term oriented, while Colombia in general tends to have a very collective approach. If you take a closer look at the typical management styles, the French ones also seem to favour depression and even suicide. So there ´s a very goal oriented style compared to the Colombian way of caring also about the way, things are done. In addition you don ´t experience such a strict, pressuring working discipline. All in all it ´s obvious that companies in Colombia focus a lot on their employees while in France business always seems to be more important than the wellbeing of the people. In the part focusing on the HR department we gave some strategies preventing and treating suicide cases, following this approach, French companies could perhaps avoid some suicide cases in the future.

Consumer Behaviour Analysis Essay

In this competitive market, high quality of products may not be sufficient for companies to gain competitive edges in market (Palmer, 2004). In addition, according to Moutinho et al (1996), it seems that the nature of marketing is to satisfy the needs and requirements of consumers rather than product oriented. Thus, consumers play a prominent role in market as contemporary marketing is customer-oriented. However, it should be noticed that consumer behaviour is unstable because psychological factors have impacts on consumer behaviour. Moreover, Evans et al (2006) indicate that social factors also affect consumer behaviour. Although many companies have drawn attention to the status of consumers in market, they lack of the knowledge of consumer behaviour and guidelines to analysis their consumers. Therefore, the study of consumer behavior is necessary for helping companies clearly understand consumer behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to observe the effects of consumer behavior on established and new companies. Factors affecting consumer behavior will first be presented. The discussion of consumer behaviour’s effect on two types of companies will then be displayed, with a focus on brand loyalty, dynamic demands, and online shopping channels. Furthermore, for future development, effective approaches will be given to reduce the negative effects of customer behavior. Indeed, this paper briefly discusses some main effects of consumer behaviour on established and new companies, and it aims to help companies clearly understand consumer behaviour and further development. 1. Consumer Behaviour 1.1 Psychological influences A company has spent amounts of time developing a new product; however, after the company launches the product to markets, it could realize its efforts is wasted because customers reject its product in a few minutes. The reason is the company fails or neglects to analyze the psychological factors of consumers. Understanding psychological factors is essential for designing and publicizing a product, as these factors tend to influence consumer behaviour. According to Hollensen (2003:122), psychological factors include: â€Å"needs, perception, memory, and attitude†. With regards to the needs of consumers, marketers often distinguish the needs by using Maslow’s famous classification (1970). The classification divides the needs of people into five grades based on hierarchy. The higher level needs cannot be realized unless lower level needs are satisfied. For example, most African countries suffer from starvation. If a marketer sells luxury goods to African consumers, the marketer tends to fail because the marketer cannot understand what African people urgently need. Baker (2006:204) says â€Å"Sensation occurs when a sense organ receives a stimulus, while perception is the interpretation of that stimulus†. From the marketer’s viewpoint, it is essential to attract attention of consumers, and consumers can respond the way marketers intend to. For example, if a marketer chooses red colour to package products, the consumer likes all commodities with red packaging by chance; then, perception arises as this packaging draws the consumer attention. In terms of memory, when consumers make decision among kinds of brands, they prefer to select the brand that they remember. Hollensen (2003) observes consumers store information that is frequently seen or heard. Therefore, marketers try their best to publicize their brand name as much as possible with a view to making consumers remember their brand name when consumers select a product. Attitude can be described as consumers have positive and negative feelings when they see a object that can be a brand, an action, or a person. For this reason, marketers formulate marketing strategy based on using the knowledge of consume attitude in order to associate with consumer’s tastes and preferences. This subsection focuses on psychological factors that influence consumer behavior. In the latter subsection, it concerns social factors that would influence consumer behaviour. 1.2 Social influences Baker (2006) points out that social influences can be divided into three categories including culture, social class, and life-style. In terms of culture, Bennett and Kassarjian (1972) define culture as a consecutive form that can be passed on from one generation to another mainly including habits, beliefs, values, and attitudes. However, culture tends to be relatively unstable, and it is in the process of changing and inducing new ideas because of environmental change and technological change. In addition, Evans et al (2006) note that marketing is a contributory factor in changing of culture. For example, in China, before fast food restaurants of McDonald opened, Chinese people prefer to eat their own food such as porridge, rice, and noodles; nevertheless, after the US lifestyle has transmitted to China through McDonald, the eating habits of Chinese has changed as most of them, especially the young people, would choose hamburgers or chips instead of rice and noodles. With regard to social classes, this classes are groups who have similar characteristics usually including education, income, occupation, and social status (Baker, 2006). Consumers’ behaviour tends to be influenced by the values of social classes, when consumers are divided into one of social classes (Palmer, 2004). In general, social classes consist of three groups including upper class, middle class, and lower class. For example, if individuals identify with the â€Å"upper class†, they prefer to purchase products that differ from universal goods such as luxury necklaces, and advanced cars. Another aspect of social influences is lifestyle that is a way of living of people or families. For example, how people plan leisure time, which interesting products people prefer to purchase. In consumption activities, through analyzing people’s lifestyles, marketers probably know which groups of people tend to be their targets, hence they can design a suitable marketing mix for their targets. 1.3 The buying decision process The above paragraphs introduce influential factors that affect consumers’ decision making. For better understanding consumer behaviour, the process of buying decision is divided into five steps (Hollensen, 2003). The first step tends to be problem identification. According to Hollensen (2003), the differences between current situation and desired situation motivate consumers to seek and purchase products that probably bring satisfaction in order to balance the current condition with the desire. The second step is information search. Consumers gain information from past experiences and long memories stored in mind. In addition, Hollensen (2003) states that memory seeks information from three sources including personal sources, commercial sources, and public sources. The commercial sources are information disseminated by marketers and dealers. Thus, marketers tend to take use of this source in order to make consumer remember and store their brand name in long memory. The third step is evaluation of alternative. In this step, Hollensen (2003) points out that consumers tend to evaluate products from four attributes including cost attributes, performance attributes, social attributes, and availability attributes. Fourthly, Palmer (2004) points out that the purchase decision is made by DMU (Decision Making Unit). This DMU consists of influencers, gatekeepers, buyers, users, and decision makers. Finally, the post-purchase evaluation stage tends to result in satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Also, in this stage, Palmer (2004) states that consumers tend to develop brand loyalty if they obtain satisfaction about their decision-making. Thus, marketers play an active role in developing customer’s brand loyalty. For example, marketers can provide all-weather after-sales services for customers with a view to assure later usage with satisfaction. 2. The Effects of Three Forms of Consumer Behaviour on Established and New Companies 2.1 Brand loyalty It seems that attitudes of consumers tend to build customer loyalty on the certain brand. Evans et al (2006) seem to support this view and point out that consumers’ attitude of one product is significantly different from their attitude of another product, and this attitude can contribute towards loyalty. Indeed, brand loyalty is a competitive marketing strategy for companies especially for established companies. According to Evans et al (2006), loyalty can result in a great number of advantages such as reduction in marketing budgets, expanding market share, and extension of existing brands. For example, in the UK, Tesco is an outstanding retailer. Relying on the success in the UK, Tesco not only extents its career from the retailer to the food manufacture and the clothing manufacture, but also expands its market to China, Korea, and also Thailand. Reichheld (1996) also reports that the longer time a customer is loyal to a company, the much more benefits the company obtains as consumers tend to purchase more products in that company. Furthermore, customers tend to neglect prices of the product in certain industries, so companies can double their profits. For example, the advent of Apple products has attracted many customers to purchase, and many customers has built their brand loyalty to Apple products no matter how high prices Apple products set. However, the brand loyalty of consumers tends not to be advantageous for new companies. Firstly, the new company should pay a considerable fund of marketing costs to publicize its product and brand name. Secondly, established companies already occupy large amounts of market share. Boush and Jones (2006) note that there are few appropriate positions for later entrants. Thus, it tends to be difficult to attract customers that have brand loyalty to a certain brand from competitors. For example, In spite of the fact that Carrefour is famous for its low price and high quality products, it exited from the South Korea eventually because it is a new company for Korea, failed to seize consumers from competitors. 2.2 Dynamic demands In terms of the dynamic demands of consumers, companies need update their products or services constantly because of the change of consumer demands, although Boush and Jones (2006) indicate that established companies already occupy large amounts of market share. Palmer (2004) proposes that established companies should reposition or extension their brand based on their growing strengths in order to meet the changeable needs of targets. From established companies aspects, Murphy (1998) argues that the extension of brand will has risks on diluting the existing brand. Then, Murphy (1998) provides a related example of Cadbury, a chocolate manufacture in Britain. The managers of Cadbury extended the Cadbury name to embrace non-chocolate products to attract new consumers with a view to reducing investments on developing a new brand such as mashed potatoes, dried milk, and beverages. Over the years, the managers of Cadbury realized this action not only diluted Cadbury’s reputation but also weakened its power in the chocolate area (ibid). Moreover, Andrew (1998) also observes that chances are limited to extent brands if the brand maintains its current product attributes. However, from new companies aspects, dynamic demands of consumers create opportunities for them. Joel and Michael (2010) cite a supporting example that Apple’s success due to the change in the mobile phone industry. Moreover, Hartman and Beck-Dudley (1999) provide empirical evidence to support that dynamic demands create opportunities for new companies. With the improvement of environmental awareness, current customers tend to purchase ecofriendly goods that have no detrimental effects on environment. The CEO of the body shop, Anita Roddick, realized this demand of consumers; therefore, in 1976, the first body shop opened and launched its brand with minimal package, natural products that have not been tested on animals. Based on these initiatives, the body shop became most successful company and remained one of the global brands till today in cosmetic industry (ibid). 2.3 New shopping channel: online With the rise of online shopping, internet has become a popular shopping platform. Today, shopping online tend to be a major shopping channel, compared with traditional shopping channel such as stores or shopping Hall. From established and new companies aspects, this condition has positive effects on them. Palmer (2004) gives supporting ideas that online marketing is not only less expensive to use, but also less time to communicate with consumersï ¼Å'compared with traditional marketing such as face-to-face marketing, and personal selling. The Oxford Associations astutely observes, that most companies receive over 50% reduction in transaction costs through the internet (ibid). Furthermore, internet help marketers improve conservation rate, and update rapidly after reviewing consumers’ feedback such as respond to demand change (ibid). Moreover, Baker (2006) seems to support this view and points out that online marketing can collect different requirements about products, and marketers can use these data to make customization for consumers. However, not only established companies, but also new companies should notice that the internet is not as a perfect platform for marketing. Palmer (2004) argues that challenges for companies are how to attract consumers when they face information overload because Millen (1994:303) reports that â€Å"individuals can process about seven chunks of information† at most. Chang and Wildt (1996) also indicate that price is becoming an important factor to choose products when consumer face large amounts of information. Thus, companies tend to use low-price strategy with a view to attracting consumers’ attention. The results of using this strategy lead to slight profit and enter in a vicious competition. Palmer (2004) also provides a related argument that the security of financial transaction and private information of consumers should be taken into consideration. Many consumers resist shopping online because they tend to have concerns over the safety of their transaction and private information. Thus, companies will probably lose these potential consumers. Additionally, Palmer (2004) also argues that consumers tend to lose confident to shopping online because they are unable to fell goods physically before purchase. For example, when shopping onlineï ¼Å'one consumer is attracted by a product with light red packaging; nevertheless, after receiving the product, the consumer is frustrating about the product because the colour is not same as showing online. After this shopping experience, this consumer tends not to purchase products in that brand. Thus, it seems that the company tend to lose this potential consumer because of the terrible experience by chance. This subsection discusses the effect of three forms of consumer behaviour on established and new companies. In the following subsection, the paper will focus on the future development of both types of companies. 3. Future Development Consumer behavior has become an essential factor to influence marketing strategies. To a certain extent, companies can derive benefits from consumer behaviour; however, it should be noticed that consumer behavior also tend to threaten companies. Thus, companies should adopt effective measures to avoid negative effects of consumer behavior with a view to future development. 3.1 Aspects of brand loyalty In terms of brand loyalty, new companies occupy an inferior position, compared with established companies. However, they can take advantage of marketing strategies to reserve this position. Firstly, they can fluctuate brand loyalty of consumers through changing consumers’ attitude because loyalty builds on the basis of attitudes. Evans, et al (2006:76) state, â€Å"Attitudes are essentially stable structures and are not easily modified†. However, Hovland and Weiss (1951) argue that attitude can be changed if consumers believe what experts say, as expert effects or star effects. For example, if Ming Yao, who is a popular basketball player in the world especially in China, endorse a nutrition brand, his opinion tends to be a strongly persuasive force that can change consumer attitude and make consumers establish a trust relationship with the brand. Moreover, if consumers are loyal to a certain brand, it shows that they are satisfied with it, and this brand loyalty is not easy to change. Thus, Murphy (1998) proposes that brand differentiation strategy is significant for new companies in terms of brand loyalty. Finally, low-price strategy plays a significant role in entering market for new companies, because Chang and Wildt (1996) indicate that price is one of important factors for consumers to choose product. After successfully attract consumers through low-price strategy, new companies can use other marketing mix such as promotion, and packaging to cultivate customer loyalty. However, With regard to price, it should be noticed that there should be a correspondence between the prices of a product and positioning. 3.2 Aspects of dynamic demands With regard to dynamic demands of consumers, established companies face a complex and multifaceted problem of reposition or extension with a view to retaining loyal customers and attracting new customers. Firstly, Andrew (1998) states that the core value of a brand is a significant basis for reposition or extension a brand. It seems that the reposition or extension of a brand tends to pose risks on diluting the existing brand if the company ignore the core value of the brand. The company of Cadbury mentioned in the second section is a good example. Furthermore, â€Å"the message/offering should be perceived and understood in the intended way† (Evans et al, 1996:51) by consumers. Thus, it is essential to communicating with current and potential customers when companies need reposition or extension of their brands. Finally, Gerstman (1998) indicates that packaging is an excellent starting point for established companies wishing to reposition or ext ension of their brands. 3.3 Aspects of online shopping channel With regards to disadvantages of shopping online, firstly, not only established companies, but also new companies should strengthen the security of finance transaction and privacy information and use of third-party platform of payment transaction that can improve the safety of online shopping such as paypal, alertpay in order to make consumers believe that their information is security when they shopping online. Secondly, in terms of information overload, Palmer (2004:513) proposes â€Å"Getting a high ranking in search engines has become a critical skill†. Finally, it seems that no practical approach tend to solve the problem that consumers cannot examine goods physically before purchase. However, the company can take pre-action in order to reduce dissatisfaction. For example, free samples can provide for potential customers to attempt. Conclusion Understanding consumer behavior is not only a necessary in the stage of attracting consumers, but also a process of sustainable development for companies. This paper supports consumer behavior having a significant effect on established and new companies, and this paper has presented three forms of consumer behavior. These included brand loyalty, dynamic demands, and online shopping channel. The discussion of consumer behaviour’ effects on two types companies have been highlighted. Moreover, factors affecting consumer behaviour are mentioned, including psychological factors, social factors, and buying process. Similarly, for future development, effective approaches have also been given in terms of aspects of brand loyalty, aspects of dynamic demands, and aspects of online shopping channel. In discussing effects of consumer behavior on companies, it may be concluded that established companies occupy dominant position in terms of brand loyalty, compared with new companies; from dynamic demands perspective, new companies reverse the inferior position, and get opportunities to develop and attract consumers from competitors; with regard to online shopping channel, established and new companies face same opportunities and threats. The future role of consumer behaviour has also been taken into consideration, based on research by Evans, et al (1996), and this suggests that consumer behaviour has become a basis to analysis market issues or future trend in market. It should be noted that this paper briefly discussed some effects of consumer behavior on companies and other effects is beyond of this paper and further work could be done in this area. This paper would be of particular interest to those companies who face a problem about consumer behavior.

Differentiating Between Market Structures Essay

We live in a world where a person is describe by the technological gear that they carry. Whether they carry a beepers, flip phones, or the revolutionized smart phones, people are always characterizing themselves and others with the cellular devices they carry. Apple has created a phenomena when they released the innovated iPhone to the world in 2008 which took this company to new heights. Apple Inc started its revolution of the technological industry in 1976 with its found Steve Jobs. Apple Inc has evolved throughout the many years; starting with motherboards for personal computers to later developing their own systems. Apple has always been making strides to becoming the leading provider for personal devices. Upon the success of the iPods, Steve Jobs developed a new pioneering product that would take the cell phone industry to the next level, in 2007 Steve Jobs stood in front of a panel of consumers and demonstrated his new creation of the iPhone First Generation. The crowd stood up and gave a roaring applauds that echoed throughout the room. After that day, he worked to perfect his creation with adapting it to many different functionalities through his various versions of the project. Apple has always been in a leauge of their own until other companies decide to compete with the iPhone. The smart phone uproar has begun with companies like Samsung, LG, Pantech, and HTC started to develop their own interpertation of a smart phone. Companies utilize their consumer’s different personality to find them a perfect suit for their needs. Apple started their smart phone as a monopoly for the first couple months until the release of the first Samsung smart phone to combat the epidemic of the phone that could do it all. Apple has created and released their phone in many different versions (iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S). The current phone is the iPhone 5S which sold over 6.5 million devices in the first month of it†s launch. Apple deemed this to be a huge success for the end of the quarter for their company. Apple’s strategy for the sales are to keep consumers cosntantly guessing to what the new phone will feature and when their device will launch; this tactic creates a massive demand for the product. Upon release, the iPhone was a monopoly for the simple fact that it was the first phone with the largest display screen as compared to the typical screen size on  the other phones. For the first time a phone did not incorperate a keypad and a full touch screen to include dialing and sms features. Apple also insured their products would reach new heights when they intergrated the iPod into their phones to allow whatever the consumer downloaded prior to the phone to be played all on the same device where they make phone calls. The smart device market is a oligopoly for the simple fact that few companies manafacture and distribute cellular phones. Their are many different tech companies but there are only a handful that are major competitors to Apple Inc. On the release of the device, AT&T was the first company to carry the device in the United States to make the company a monopoly of the phone which increased the business of the company and also developed a strong partnership until the release of the iPhone 4 where Apple Inc allowed most carriers to carry the device. Upon it’s release in 2007, Apple struggled to keep up with the demand of the device and they accepted they were faced with a increased demand with a limited supply With the proper reseach and manafacturing tactics being in place, Apple Inc released the iPhone 3G in 2008 and sold over one million phones. Although it was a major success to the company, it was speculated amongst their analyst that it could have became a bigger release if they had no restraint on the supply and distrubution aspects. The supply of the iPhone 3GS had room for improvement although the lessions of previous deevice should have been implemented. It took an unusual five business days for the phone to fully ship to consumers who preordered the device versus the promised 24 hours. This device has became a pioneer not only within the United States but it became a growning phenom amongst the major continents such as Asia and Europe. The reason behind the shortage was the increasing demand of the consumers outside of the United States. On average, a company has a gap of 100,000 units each year but it was driven up to one million units demanded due to the higher international demand. If Apple Inc had kept up with all their demand needs, they would have gained more sales over the many years. Throughout Apple Inc years of manafacturing iPhones, the demand and supply has affected the price of the devices. Normally when a company has a increase in demand they create a limited amount of inventory and sell the  units at a higher price, in Apple Inc they intially released the device at a full retail value when their pioneer device was released but they view the area of oppurtunity was to target the middle class. With that research, they allowed the iPhone 3G to be release with a contract in AT&T whcih allowed the device to nearly drop more than half of the price of the first device. This strategy was used to compete with competitors that were advertising their products as being more affordable to the average Americans versus Apple Inc. Apple’s price cut was a strategy to appeal to more buyers at a larger demographic and with that release they reduced the price of the previous one which gained the late bloomers for the device. Apple Inc’s iPhone price strategy can be defined as a inter-temporal price discrimination. Inter0temporal price discrimation is when a company sets a high price for a product to consumers in order to identify the success of a product with the highest willingness to purchase the products and then lower the price to attract the consumers with lower willingness to purchase it. Once Apple Inc has decrease their product they notice a increase of their products from 4.7 million to 15 million iPhone sold. Yes, Apple Inc has risen to their ranks by themselves but along the way they have partnered with many different companies. Apple Inc has embraced their very first partnership with AT&T communications to becoem the first carrier to carry the device. With the release of the iPhone 4S, Apple Inc has reached out to a company called SRI International who made a very interactive feature for the iPhone which elevated what a smart phone is capable of doing. They introduced SIRI, which is a personal assistant who can make notes, set alarms, make witty remarks and much more. This partnership soon became a merger where apple purchased the company and became an Apple Inc branded company. Where there were partnerships there were also enemies that have been made. With the release of the operating system IOS 6, Apple removed anything that had connections to Google and replaced it with their very own platforms. In conclusion, Apple Inc has revolutionized the communication business with the very esquisite device of the Apple iPhone. With the many companies that try to perfect the idea, Apple Inc took the cell phone industry to a whole  new level. In Microeconomics, its all about understanding consumers and why they make the decision in which they do. Apple Inc had discovered a new way to incorperate an entire market, formulate a way that everyone can be involved in this innovention and make this a revolutionizing product.

Rotary Rock Tumbler Instructions

Rotary Rock Tumbler Instructions The most common type of rock tumbler is a rotary drum tumbler. It polishes rocks by simulating the action of the ocean waves. Rotary tumblers polish rocks much more quickly than the ocean, but it still takes some time to go from rough rocks to polished stones! Expect the process to take at least a month from start to finish. Use these instructions as a starting point for your tumbling. Keep records of the type and quantity of rock and grit/polish, and duration of each step. Use this information to refine your technique for the best results. Rock Tumbler Materials List Rotary tumblerRocks (all the same approximate hardness in a load)Plastic PelletsSilicon Carbide Grits (You may add a 400 mesh SiC step, if desired, before polishing)Polishing Compounds (e.g. alumina, cerium oxide)Lots of Water How To Use a Rock Tumbler Fill the barrel 2/3 to 3/4 full of rocks. If you dont have enough rocks, you can add plastic pellets to make up the difference. Just make sure to use those pellets only for coarse polishing and use new pellets for the polishing stages. Keep in mind that some plastic pellets float, so make sure you add them to the proper volume before  adding water.Add water so that you can see it between the stones but do not completely cover the stones.Add grit (see chart below).Make sure your charged barrel falls within the weight allowance for the rotor to be used.Each step runs for at least a week. For the first step, remove the barrel after 12-24 hours and open it to release any gas buildup. Resume tumbling. Dont be afraid to open the barrel periodically to make sure a slurry is forming and to check the progress of the process. The tumbler should have a uniform tumbling sound, not sound like tennis shoes in a dryer. If the tumbling is not uniform, check the level of the load, formation of slur ry, or mixture of rock sizes, to make sure these things are optimal. Keep notes and have fun! Let the rough grind (60/90 mesh for hard stones, start with the 120/220 for soft stones) run until all of the sharp edges have been knocked off the stones and they are pretty smooth. You can expect to lose about 30% of each stone during the tumbling process, with almost all of the loss during this first step. If the stones are not smoothed after 10 days, you will need to repeat the step with fresh grit.After a step has been completed, rinse the stones and the barrel thoroughly to remove all traces of the grit. I use an old toothbrush to get into the hard-to-reach areas. Set aside any stones that are broken or have pits or cracks. You can add them to the first step of the next batch of stones, but they will diminish the quality of all of your stones if you leave them in for the next step.For the next step, you again want the rocks to fill the barrel 2/3 to 3/4 full. Add plastic pellets to make up the difference. Add water and grit/polish and proceed. The keys to success are making cer tain there is no contamination of steps with grit from the previous step and avoiding the temptation to move on to the next step too early. Barrel Grit Mesh 60/90 120/220 Prepolish Polish 1.5# 4 T 4 T 6 T 6 T 3# 4 T 4 T 6 T 6 T 4.5# 8 T 8 T 10 T 10 T 6# 10 T 12 T 12 T 12 T 12# 20 T 20 T 25 T 25 T Helpful Tips for Perfectly Polished Rocks Do not overload your tumbler! This is a leading cause of belt breakage and motor burn-out. When in doubt, weigh your barrel. A barrel for a 3-lb motor should not exceed a weight of 3 pounds when charged with rocks, grit, and water.Oil the tumbler bushings with a single drop of oil, but do not overdo it! You do not want oil on the belt, as this will cause it to slip and break.Resist the temptation to tumble rocks with cracks or pits. Grit will get into these pits and contaminate subsequent steps, ruining the polish of the entire load. No amount of scrubbing with a toothbrush will remove all of the grit inside a pit!Use a balanced load that includes both large and small rocks. This will improve the tumbling action.Make sure all rocks in a load are of the same approximate hardness. Otherwise, the softer stones will be worn away during the polishing process. An exception to this is when you are purposely using softer stones to fill/cushion a load.Dont wash grit down the drain! It will cr eate a clog that is impervious to drain cleaner. I rinse the grit steps outside using a garden hose. Another option is to rinse the grit into a bucket, for later disposal somewhere other than your plumbing. Dont reuse grit. Silicon carbide loses its sharp edges after about a weeks tumbling time and becomes useless for grinding.You can reuse plastic pellets, but take care to avoid contaminating the polishing stages with grit. Use separate plastic pellets for these stages!You can add baking soda, Alka-Seltzer, or a Tums to a load to prevent gas build-up.For smooth river rocks or for any softer stones (e.g. sodalite, fluorite, apatite), you may omit the first coarse grit step.For softer stones (especially obsidian or apache tears), you want to slow the tumbling action and prevent the stones from impacting each other during polishing. Some people have success adding corn syrup or sugar (twice as much as the amount of prepolish and polishing agent) to thicken the slurry. Another option is to polish the stones dry (as in no water) with cerium oxide and oatmeal. Are you interested in using a vibratory tumbler to polish rocks? Then try these instructions instead.

Discussion Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion - Movie Review Example The French flag on her hand reinforces values of revolution into the revolutionists. The flag carries message of equality, fraternity, and liberty amid struggle for change of governance system in France. Pictures on the foreground of deceased members of both sides of the political divide only serve to explain how catastrophic the effects of the revolution were. The paintings of dead bodies, most probably in their bedroom, also point to the severity of the adverse impacts of the revolutionary struggle. Furthermore, there is a sense of absolute unity portrayed by Delacroix in the painting. Beside the allegorical figure, there are two men; one is a member of the middle-class, and the other is an artisan. The two men, although not belonging to the same class, fight together and applauds the new monarch thereby portray the superiority of the people. On the paintings extreme right, the twin towers of Notre Dame rises above the thick battle smoke. The scene further explains what ensued during the revolution and the

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 37

Marketing - Essay Example Product differentiation is becoming more and more of a factor in restaurant services promotions. Restaurants like Houlihan’s can start out with a differentiation that is more externally based, relying on the uniqueness of its services to separate it from competitors. But due to marketing related factors such as market saturation, the company may also have to differentiate its services internally to keep up with an increasing focus on segmentation of consumers and product differentiation to meet this segmentation. Thus, Cebrzynski’s article shows how a restaurant should also move laterally to provide more choices to the consumer. Houlihan’s, like other restaurant services, should also show an increasing attention to service quality as well as incorporating extra-environmental trends such as vending into its traditional service line options of two differentiations.From a quality assurance standpoint of marketing and sales, Cebrzynski's article shows how restaurant company marketing success has thus far mainly been due to profitable and well-timed expansion and the use of clearly-defined segmentation bases to which marketing strategies are applied with a high degree of innovation. The company has established inroads into a frustrated customer base beginning with its expansion into consumer and environmentally friendly products. The company researched its customer base to find their biggest complaints and worked to serve them so that they would enjoy a higher degree of customer satisfaction and loyalty.