Institutionalized Stereotypes In The Simpsons - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2238 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/04/12 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Stereotypes Essay Did you like this example? The animated sitcom The Simpsons centers on a highly-dysfunctional, middle-class family living in the fictional town of Springfield. Since its premiere in 1989, The Simpsons has faced backlash for using racism, misogyny, cultural appropriation, and hyper-stereotypes to achieve its comedic goals. I am interested in seeing how this unconventional sitcom affects viewers perception of underrepresented individuals â€Å" namely, female characters. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Institutionalized Stereotypes In The Simpsons" essay for you Create order My research question is: Does The Simpsons challenge or perpetuate institutionalized female stereotypes? I have focused my research on Marge Simpson, the matriarch of the family, in order to develop an analysis on the representation of her character on the show. I have a hypothesis that the shows creators deliberately exaggerate her role as the housewife in order to invalidate prevalent female stereotypes and stigmas. My analysis of previous academic research conducted on this topic will be organized into four key ideas: the function of stereotypes on television, the stereotypes presented on The Simpsons, the way Marges character is complexified over time, and the intentions of the shows creators. Through researching previous analyses on the subject of stereotypes on The Simpsons, I have identified six relevant contributors. All six scholars highlight prevalent stereotypes enabled on The Simpsons and each attributes unique reasoning to this comedic convention. All six researchers utilize a Hermeneutic approach as they focus on particular parts of The Simpsons to develop a close reading of specific scenes and episodes; however, the nuances of their research differs. Daniela Virdis (2010) uses linguistic theoretical frameworks, conversation analysis, and stylistics to assess Marges representation as it fits into the traditional discourse of family dynamics, while John Alberti (2003) approaches The Simpsons with theoretical lenses, such as cultural studies, gender studies, and queer theory to evaluate the self-reflexive and hyperconscious nature of The Simpsons that exposes oppositional culture on the show. On the other hand, Edward Fink (2013) refers to psychoanalytic theory â⠂¬Å" specifically relief theory â€Å" to explain the importance of comedy in facilitating audiences laughter to function as a kind of catharsis of hidden feelings. Similarly, Paul Cantor unpacks popular elements of comedic writing to illustrate how The Simpsons is a self-aware, postmodern show that simultaneously focuses on the traditional representation of American family while presenting a paradox with its untraditional characteristics. Matthew Henry (2007) and Ruth Teer-Tomaselli (1994) both utilize feminist theory in their analysis of the female experience on The Simpsons as they deconstruct Marges fantasies of independence and freedom in the context of her role in the domestic realm. Despite the 20-year-range of these sources and the varying nuances of their research, all six analyses come to a similar conclusion involving an intentional exaggeration on the part of The Simpsons creators in constructing the shows characters. To begin a cohesive look at these six pieces of research, we must start with each researchers perspective on the function of stereotypes on television. Since the invention of television, programming has faced limited availability of space for content. This time constraint necessitates that narratives establish characters identities as quickly as possible; to fulfill this requirement, creators often use stereotypes in constructing their cast of characters (Cantor, 1999). A stereotype is an oversimplified image or idea intended to present viewers with easily recognizable kinds of characters; stereotypes can pertain to age, sex, job, culture, race, and position in the family. These stereotypes perpetuate preconceived notions about specific groups of people (Alberti, 2003). Comic writers often rely on stereotyping in the construction of quick gags when they lack the time or space in the narrative to create nuance through subtle characterization (Fink, 2013). Humor depends on identity, and while humor is based on real people, it often depends on stereotypes â€Å" reduced representations of characters that are generally conceptualized by a dominant cultural viewpoint (Teer-Tomaselli, 1994). In the television industry, stereotypes become a shorthand for presenting character traits as a source of humor (Cantor, 1999). In terms of female stereotypes, sitcoms rarely challenge gender-related traditions through the characters and situations presented. Since i ts inception, The Simpsons has engaged with the very political topic of family values, and therefore has provided countless examples of institutionalized stereotypes (Henry, 2007). The Simpsons has had multiple media identities (Fink, 2013). While the show has featured bitter political and social satire â€Å" which can prove fatal to mass public acceptance â€Å" The Simpsons has fully entered the mainstream (Virdis, 2010). The Simpsons is notably one of the only series to maintain its mass media appeal despite its countercultural and edgy nature (Alberti, 2003). The Simpsons writers utilize elements of comic theory and structure in the show, which explains why the series appeals to such large audiences (Fink, 2013). Despite the shows creative success, The Simpsons features common stereotypes on an episodic basis; Apu Nahasapeemapetilon represents the clich of a shy, socially-isolated immigrant, and John Waters episodes present homophobic language and careless bigotry. The most featured stereotype on the series is, of course, Marge (Alberti, 2003). The Simpsons frames Marges character as the quintessential wife, mother, and homemaker who is typified by a desire to maintain order (Virdis, 2010). Marge lives in a limina l space where she exists between social categories, behaviors, and spaces; therefore she embodies the ambivalence of female identity and its relation to the public and private spheres (Henry, 2007). Marges responsibility to care for her family is explicitly prioritized by the fact that her role as housewife appears to be her only pastime (Virdis, 2010). Although The Simpsons does not provide a full history of Marge, we do see enough glimpses of her past to see that she was raised with a proscriptive domestic ideology (Henry, 2007). Marge pacifies her husband and children as she brings understanding and order to the Simpson clan (Fink, 2013). While some researchers state that The Simpsons stereotypes demonstrate counterculture trends (Alberti, 2003), other scholars maintain that The Simpsons actually offers one of the most important images of the contemporary American family (Cantor, 1999). Although Marge is occasionally afforded the opportunity to exit her place in the home, these episodes routinely end with her being pulled out of her dangerous feminist fantasies of independence and freedom to be summoned back to take care of her family (Henry, 2007). The Simpsons continuously restores this proper order of the domestic realm in which Marge functions. Marges idealism about her role in the public sphere is ultimately tempered by a number of experiences that bring her back into the home setting (Fink, 2013). Marge is given a gendered identity based on cliched assumptions about womens roles and priorities (Virdis, 2010). While her character seems to perpetuate the status quo, it is possible that The Simpsons characterizatio n of Marge aims to call viewers attention to outdated gender roles. Over the many seasons of The Simpsons, Marge is given both a backstory and human flaws (Virdis, 2010). She begins the series as a simplified caricature that is then complexified over time. Her character grows into its own individual; she is uniquely Marge Simpson, rather than any old housewife (Cantor, 1999). Through this complexification, the tensions of contemporary femininity are presented on the show. The consequences that result from being in a perpetually liminal state are demonstrated in various episodes that illustrate Marge both inside and outside the home (Henry, 2007). By positioning Marge in this liminal space, The Simpsons makes her emblematic of the cultural contradictions of the female experience (Cantor, 1999). The Simpsons appears to be self-aware in its complexifying Marge over time. By crafting Marge into a multidimensional character, the series presents more complex characterization and therefore increases the opportunity for identification for female viewers (Fink, 2013). Critics of The Simpsons contend that the shows popularity is a testament to the decline of American family values; however, many scholars explain that these critics need to take a closer look at the series in order to understand its place in the context of television history (Cantor, 1999). Despite its slapstick nature and mocking of particular aspects of family life, The Simpsons has an affirmative side that celebrates the nuclear family (Alberti, 2003). In creating the show, Matt Groening used dramatic devices that combine elements of the bizarre and the predictable. The mix of realism and cartoon works well on television where humor is often visually-driven (Teer-Tomaselli, 1994). The Simpsons deliberately goes aga inst the conventions of realism in order to heighten the sense of realism in others; the show is portrayed as both unreal and universal, as an archetype of suburban life (Henry, 2007). The Simpsons effectively combines parody with mass media appeal to critique postmodern society (Alberti, 2003). Defining Marge by her domestic role, the series brings light to the societal expectations that determine what is normalized in television (Fink, 2013). The hyperbolized housebound wife represents a generation of women who were defined by their position in the home. Popular culture is a site of constant conflict â€Å" a place to create meaning for subordinated groups rather than the hegemonic groups producing the content (Teer-Tomaselli, 1994). The Simpsons representations of female identity are nuanced with a feminist sensibility (Alberti, 2003). The series offers an intellectual defense of an ordinary family against the elites, which explains the shows popularity and broad appeal to American viewers (Cantor, 1999). Even today, progressive representations of families in American television are rare (Henry, 2007). The Simpsons merits attention for its ability to complexify Marge and provide her with a sense of independence rarely found in female characters (Virdis, 2010). Although The Simpsons does not constitute a feminist text, it does demonstrate the way feminine culture can assert its values within and against patriarchal structures (Henry, 2007). The Simpsons offers a female identity that is a complex combination of strength and weakness (Cantor, 1999). The series is both a protest against and an acquiescence to male dominance (Henry, 2007). While The Simpsons creators might have positive intentions in their presenting institutionalized stereotypes, that does not necessarily lead audiences to interpret the narrative the way those creators intended. Given the substantial academic analyses of The Simpsons conducted over the last 20 years, I will continue this research with an in-depth study of textual evidence on The Simpsons. Like the six scholars cited above, I will also use a Hermeneutic approach to explore the details of particular episodes to find concrete examples of Marges character and how that representation challenges or perpetuates institutionalized stereotypes of the American housewife. To differentiate my research from previous analyses, I will draw on Stuart Halls Encoding/ Decoding model of communication to further identify creators intentions with the construction of Marge Simpson and to discover how viewers interpret her character. The differing responses from audiences illustrate how the series is polysem ic â€Å" not fixed in meaning â€Å" and can be interpreted in different ways. Cultural theorist Stuart Hall discusses this type of equivocality in the Encoding/Decoding model which provides a theoretical approach to analyzing how a particular text is encoded at the production level and then decoded by viewers (Hall). As Hall highlights in his communication model, it is the media markers â€Å" the producers, writers, and directors â€Å" who construct the message of a media text, often deliberately implanting a preferred meaning intended to be meaningfully decoded in a particular way (Hall). In my research, I will find out if this preferred meaning is the dominant reading of The Simpsons or if an oppositional decoding is more common. I hypothesize that The Simpsons media makers have constructive intentions with their exaggerated stereotypes, but I am interested to find out if audiences find the stereotypes distasteful and offensive or inflated and humorous. I will also refer to Reception Analysis in constructing my research method. Rather than using a standard questionnaire format in my research, I will use more small-scale, qualitative methods such as focus groups and in-depth individual interviews to deconstruct the interpretations made by viewers. Therefore, I will not create a complete set of categories such as the uses and gratifications list, because the reception and the production of meaning cannot be separated from the particular contexts in which they occur to be understood meaningfully. I believe that further research into The Simpsons creators intentions and a deep dive analysis of viewers interpretations will allow me to conclude whether Marge Simpsons character challenges or perpetuates institutionalized stereotypes. Bibliography Alberti, J. (2003). Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. Cantor, P. (1999). The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family. Political Theory, 27(6), 734-749. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/192244 Fink, E. (2013). Writing The Simpsons: A Case Study of Comic Theory. Journal of Film and Video, 65(1-2), 43-55. doi:10.5406/jfilmvideo.65.1-2.0043 Hall, S. (1980). Encoding/decoding. Culture, media, language: Working Papers in Cultural Studies, 128-138. Henry, M. (2007), ?Dont ask me, Im just a girl: Feminism, Female Identity, and The Simpsons, The Journal of Popular Culture, 40 (2), 272-303. Teer-Tomaselli, R. (1994). The Simpsons. Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity, (22), 52-56. doi:10.2307/4065736 Virdis, D. F. (2010). Marges Private Conflict in The Simpsons: A Linguistic Analysis. Caliban, 27. 2010, 295-304 Brunsdon, C., J. DAcci, L. Spiegel (1997). Feminist Television Criticism: A Reader, Oxford: Clarendon Press. Gray, J. (2006). Watching with The Simpsons: Television, Parody, and Intertextuality, London and New York: Routledge. Rhodes, C. (2001). Doh the simpsons, popular culture, and the organizational carnival. Journal of Management Inquiry, 10 (4), 374-383. Turner, C. (2004). Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press. Waltonen, K., Du Vernay, D. (2010). The Simpsons in the Classroom: Embiggening the Learning Experience with the Wisdom of Springfield. Jefferson, NC: McFarland Company. Maas, ?‘., L. Arcuri, Language and Stereotyping, Stereotypes and Stereotyping, C. N. Macrae, C. Stangor, M. Hewstone eds., London and New York: The Guilford Press, 1996, 193-226. Macrae, C. N., C. Stangor, M. Hewstone eds., Stereotypes and Stereotyping,London and New York: The Guilford Press, 1996

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( Adhd ) - 960 Words

Abstract This paper will focus on what is commonly known as Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a complex disorder that can affect people of any age, gender or ethnicity. This disorder impacts so many people that new studies are being done quite frequently. Because of this, it can be very difficult for mental health professionals to remain current with the most recent findings and know how best to respond to patient’s questions and apprehensions regarding the disorder and subsequent interventions. This paper will attempt to summarize significant findings from recent research regarding ADHD and its treatment. What is ADHD? The current definition of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been recently†¦show more content†¦2014). This large number may be because; more is being understood about ADHD than ever before. It is also because adults can now be diagnosed with ADHD as opposed to the prior belief that only children were at risk. It is becom ing easier to diagnose ADHD because of high public awareness of the disorder. More than ever before, parents and teachers are bringing young children to mental health professionals practically pre-diagnosed with ADHD. Because of this, it is extremely important for mental health professionals to take great care when diagnosing or prescribing medication to patients. Today, there is a growing number of concerns being generated by the public as well as some in the medical community regarding the validity of mental health professionals diagnosis of young children with ADHD. (Paris et al. 2015). There is also growing sentiment that many of the symptoms of ADHD are just normal adolescent behavior, thus many small children are being put on pharmaceuticals unnecessarily. There is also growing concern that the pharmaceutical treatment of ADHD creates other more serious complications for the patent than was previously suffered by living with ADHD in the first place. Causes of ADHD ADHD is one of the most studied psychiatric disorders. Even with all the attention given to ADHD, the exact cause of this disorder is still unknown. Because diving into what mental health professionals are studying as the cause

Process Essay Free Essays

Jeana Hughes English 101 Process Essay Draft February 19, 2013 No Bake Cookies Peanutbutter Chocolate No Bake Cookies recipe is one of the most easiest recipe I have ever made. My reason for saying this is because there is no baking involved. The steps for making is really quite easy. We will write a custom essay sample on Process Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now I am going to first start out with a list of ingredients and supplies I use. ? Cup Milk 2 sticks butter 2 Cups sugar ? Cup cocoa ? tsp vanilla 3 Cups quick oats ? Cup peanutbutter 8 Qt pan, 2 sheets waxpaper, and two spoons I start out going ahead and laying out waxpaper so that it is ready when the cookie dough is done. I then get my pan on the stove. I add the milk, sticks of butter, sugar and cocoa. Once I have added all the ingredients I turn the stove on high. I stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil. I then let it boil without stirring for 1 minute. Then I remove from heat. Thus will bring me to my second step. I will then add the vanilla, quick oats, and peanutbutter, stirring mixture well. I consider this my third step. I bring my pan with the cookie dough over to where I have my wax paper layed out. I then use two teaspoons one for scooping and one for scraping off. I start getting teaspoonfuls of cookie dough and dropping it on wax paper. I continue doing this till all cookie dough is used. My final step is waiting. Usually if I have boiled the ingredients long enough the cookies will be ready in 30 minutes to an hour. I can tell this by pulling one of the cookies off the wax paper and it does not stick. I find this recipe to be very quick and easy. I hope if you attempt this recipe you will feel the same way. How to cite Process Essay, Essays Process Essay Free Essays Kyoobyung Park October 10, 2012 EN101-06 Process Essay How do volcanoes erupt? Volcanoes are created whenever there is an excessive pressure inside the crust of the earth and the pressure of magma extends very high that it finds the way up, initiating an eruption. â€Å"Sometimes the magma chamber breaks its sides and only reaches to the flank or summit of volcano and sometimes reaches the surface causing an eruption. † That is why a volcano erupts when pressure on the magma chamber causes the magma to rise and come out together with gas, rocks and ashes. We will write a custom essay sample on Process Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Violence of an eruption depends on how much pressure the volcano is under before it erupts. (How do volcano erupt) â€Å"In a volcanic eruption, hot lava spews out from beneath the Earth’s crust up to the Earth’s surface. † The hot lava spewed out is actually magma, hot melted rock. (Why do volcanoes erupt) â€Å"Sometimes the magma chamber breaks its sides and only reaches to the flank or summit of volcano and sometimes reaches to the surface causing an eruption. In the volcanoes which are not much active supply the magma from the deeper parts of the earth is not sufficient to cause eruption so most of the times crystals forms and they go down at the bottom releasing gas in the form of bubbles which come to the top of chamber and sometimes the pressure created by these gas bubbles are enough to erupt a volcano or just wait there for a little more push which they get from the next new magma formed within the earth. † The heat just embarks the magma for an eruption, which existed there ever since. How do volcanoes erupt) â€Å"Magma is the melted rocks deep in the earth crust. † The rocks melt because of the intense fervor within and create a thick liquid called magma, and when the magma is spewed out to the surface, it is called as affective and flows into the air in the states of ashes etc. â€Å"If the volcanic eruption is explosive then the matter forms a cloud of hot tephron. † Anything that is in front of the incoming lava is occasionally terminated. Ashes, which are released in the sky, fell on the earth in the states of powdery snow, which doesn’t melts. A huge mass of snow can cause harm to the vegetation, living organism and human beings. The intensity of explosion depends upon the thickness of magma. † The gases cannot escape easily; hence, they are gathered inside until they get enough heat energy for the explosion. (How do volcano erupt) Works Cited: How do volcanoes erupt, http://www. letusfindout. com/how-do-volcano-erupt/ , Letusfindout. com. Why do volcanoes erupt, http://kids. discovery. com/tell-me/curiosity-corner/earth/natural-disasters/why-do-volcanoes-erupt, Discovery Kids. How to cite Process Essay, Essays

Study On Children With Abdominal Pain And Its Relationship To Mental I Essay Example For Students

Study On Children With Abdominal Pain And Its Relationship To Mental I Essay llnessBibliography: Hotopf, Matthew, ?Why Do Children Have Chronic Abdominal Pain, and What Happens to Them When They Grow Up British Medical Journal, April 1998Topic: ?Why Do Children Have Chronic Abdominal Pain, and What Happens to Them When They Grow UpPurpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that children who have persistent abdominal pain come from families with high rates of psychiatric disorder, neuroticism and physical illness. The study also analyzed whether these children will suffer from the previously mentioned illnesses in adulthood. Subjects: The study the based on a sample stratified for social class of all singe legitimate births (3637) that occurred in England, Wales, and Scotland in one week of March in 1946. All children born to non-manual workers and agricultural workers were surveyed, while those born to other laborers were sampled in a ratio of 1:4. Controls were defined as survey members who participated in the same waves of data collection during early childhood, but whom either no abdominal pain was reported or it occurred only once or twice. Methods:Information was based on hospital admissions of children who suffered from abdominal pain. Persistent abdominal pain was described as abdominal pain that was reported suggesting that the pain was chronic. Hospital records for these children were carefully reviewed by a pediatrician, and those with a defined organic cause of pain that was judged to have been present throughout childhood were excluded from the sample. Parental illness was accessed when the survey members were aged 15. The mother was asked if she or her husband had suffered from illnesses such as asthma, cough, rheumatism in joints, anemia, heart trouble, kidney trouble, and other health complaints. School attendance records of the children were assessed twice during childhood. Teachers were asked to rate whether the childs attendance was below average, or above average. This was done when the child was 13 years of age and again at 15 years of age. The Printer personality inventory was used when the child was 13 years of age to determine the childs personality and behavior in terms of neuroticism and extroversion. Again, the childs teacher was asked to evaluate the child. This time the teacher rated the child in terms of: lying, disobedience, being a disciplinary problem, restlessness, quality of work, and energy level. The standards used to measure these behaviors were below average, average, or above average. Fathers, at 36 years of age, were measured according to their occupation, sex, and social class in 1961 in terms of psychiatric disorder and physical symptoms. A semi-structured psychiatric interview generating levels of severity of psychiatric disorder and self-reported physical symptoms were conducted. Subjects who suffered from inflammatory bowel disease during adulthood were identified. Death records were analyzed to determine if persistent abdominal pain in childhood was related to increased mortality. Results:There were three main findings of the study. Firstly, children whose parents suffered from ill health were more likely to suffer from persistent abdominal pain. Secondly, although persistent abdominal pain in childhood did no predict abdominal pain in adulthood, abdominal pain was modestly associated with other common physical symptoms in adulthood. The study also found persistent abdominal pain in childhood was in indicator of psychiatric disorders in adulthood. At age 7, a fifth of the subjects had suffered abdominal pain; at 11 years it was 19%, and at 15 years it was 17%. Seventy-six of the 3637 children studied had recurrent abdominal pain. Of these, three had pain caused by chronic disease and 73 had persistent pain of unexplained origin. As it relates to the sexes, the children who participated in the study did not exhibit any difference in persistent abdominal pain (odds ratio to girls 0.97; 95%, 0.56 to 1.68). Children whose fathers had manual occupations were more likely to suffer from pain (1.75; to 1.02 to 3.03). The study revealed a connection between pain and parental health complaints, parental ratings of health, maternal nerves, maternal neuroticism, and families who were prone to colds. .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 , .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .postImageUrl , .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 , .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9:hover , .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9:visited , .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9:active { border:0!important; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9:active , .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9 .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucfadb7efaf3dda6c5c2bc6dda5964ce9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The go getter EssayThe survey conducted by teachers showed no relationship between persistent abdominal pain and children who were disobedient, liars, or those with disciplinary problems. Daydreaming in class and having low energy was found to be related to persistent abdominal pain, and children who were more frequently absent from school suffered from abdominal pain during their early years (6-10), but there was no significant increase of school absence when the child was 13 years of age. Psychology Essays

Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Mason free essay sample

Marilyn Manson’s album Antichrist Superstar, Produced by Trent Reznor of nine inch nails, is the album that took the late 90’s by its neck and opened it up to a beautifully Grotesque new era. Produced by the mainstream record companies Nothing and Interscope Records, Antichrist Superstar Produced multiple hits for Manson and his band including the ever so popular â€Å"The beautiful People†, â€Å"Tourniquet†, and â€Å"Irresponsible Hate Anthem†. Antichrist Superstar is my favorite album of all time because, unlike most of the records at its time that just made catchy meaning less lyrics, Antichrist Superstar has deep meaningful lyrics that just a causal reader wouldn’t understand. To understand the lyrics you have to understand Manson’s position on the lyrics. It takes intelligence instead of mindless babbling like most pop or â€Å"Mainstream† songs. Manson refers in multiple songs that the one’s that hate him are the one that built him up, that he didn’t even have to promote himself to be a â€Å"household name†. We will write a custom essay sample on Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Mason or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The order of Antichrist Superstar’s song tell a story of death and â€Å"The Worm† eating the body, this refers to the mindless Christian specifically Catholic’s being the worm infesting the government and forcing their views upon America, America being the dead body that lies dead and helpless from â€Å"The Worms† corruption. The album cover portrays the side of Manson’s face where he wears the white contact, and his face is pale white with red veins shooting up his face. The purpose of that is to add shock value. Manson has been very smart in the every aspect of creating this album to add shock value. So all in all I would recommend that if you can get past the shock and see Antichrist Superstar for its true value than you should buy it. I would recommend buying it with an open mind and intelligence. Mature audiences would enjoy listening to the album and taking it in for its true value. In rating I would rate Antichrist Superstar a 9 out of 10. The only reason I wouldnt give it a ten out of ten is for ease of understanding the lyrics but that is what makes it great.

Free Essays on Immagration Issues And Its History

Immigration Issues and it’s History With immigration on the rise, steps need to be taken to prevent illegal immigration into the United States without hindering the immigration rights of legal immigrants. Since the early 1800’s until the present, immigration has been a hot political topic, today more than ever. There are many reasons why people immigrate into the United States. These may include, seeking better opportunities, education, religious freedom, or to escape government control through dictatorships. Even though there are numerous reasons, there are only two ways. These are legal and illegal. Since the early 1800‘s, there have been billions of immigrants entering the United States both legally and illegally. There have also been many laws, treaties, and amendments in order to control the influx of immigrants. Some of these include the Immigration Act of 1917, the Immigration Act of 1924, The Bracero Program of 1942-1964, Operation Wetback, The Oriental Exclusion Act, The McCarren Walter Act, and the Temporary Quota Law of 1921(Plesser 2-3,10-11,13,16,38-42,65). These are only a few of many of the attempts to control immigration. American Citizens, both legal immigrants and natural born citizens, have been and are suffering from the rise in the population of illegal immigrants. It has been estimated that almost 5.1 million (as of January of 1997) of all immigrants are illegal. However, only around half of these are granted amnesty or permanent legal residency. However, the growth is replaced each year with a higher yield of illegal immigrants (Estimate of...). One of the main concerns with illegal immigrants is the fact that the American citizen has to pick up the extra costs that occur from the illegal population of immigrants. Therefore, steps must be taken to prevent illegal immigration without hindering the immigration of legal immigrants. Since the founding of James Town in 1607, immigrants have been co... Free Essays on Immagration Issues And Its History Free Essays on Immagration Issues And Its History Immigration Issues and it’s History With immigration on the rise, steps need to be taken to prevent illegal immigration into the United States without hindering the immigration rights of legal immigrants. Since the early 1800’s until the present, immigration has been a hot political topic, today more than ever. There are many reasons why people immigrate into the United States. These may include, seeking better opportunities, education, religious freedom, or to escape government control through dictatorships. Even though there are numerous reasons, there are only two ways. These are legal and illegal. Since the early 1800‘s, there have been billions of immigrants entering the United States both legally and illegally. There have also been many laws, treaties, and amendments in order to control the influx of immigrants. Some of these include the Immigration Act of 1917, the Immigration Act of 1924, The Bracero Program of 1942-1964, Operation Wetback, The Oriental Exclusion Act, The McCarren Walter Act, and the Temporary Quota Law of 1921(Plesser 2-3,10-11,13,16,38-42,65). These are only a few of many of the attempts to control immigration. American Citizens, both legal immigrants and natural born citizens, have been and are suffering from the rise in the population of illegal immigrants. It has been estimated that almost 5.1 million (as of January of 1997) of all immigrants are illegal. However, only around half of these are granted amnesty or permanent legal residency. However, the growth is replaced each year with a higher yield of illegal immigrants (Estimate of...). One of the main concerns with illegal immigrants is the fact that the American citizen has to pick up the extra costs that occur from the illegal population of immigrants. Therefore, steps must be taken to prevent illegal immigration without hindering the immigration of legal immigrants. Since the founding of James Town in 1607, immigrants have been co...

Oil Price and Petrochemical Manufacturing in UAE Essay

Oil Price and Petrochemical Manufacturing in UAE - Essay Example The research investigates the immediate impacts that falling oil prices pose to UAE’s economy. It explores the effects of falling oil prices on UAE’s economy. The relationship between oil production firms and petrochemical producing industries are essential to the research. The research will investigate the impacts and effects of falling oil prices on petrochemical manufacturing in UAE. The falling prices risk the survival of petrochemical manufacturing industries that also contribute to the economic stability and income of UAE. The risked survival may render some of the employees in Petrochemical sector jobless raising the level of unemployment in the country. The unemployment crisis lowers the per capita within the country reducing the country’s Gross Domestic Income (GDP) in turn. Finally, the research will draft and recommend possible solutions to the effects of falling oil prices on UAE’s economy. The International Energy Agency asserts that the fall in oil prices translates into a cut in the production of petrochemical products. The effect of this is a retard in the growth of the petrochemical industries, which are also a major contributor to the UAE’s economy. OPEC reports that a fall in oil prices slows the global growth. A decline in the oil prices increases demand for oil products at the expense of petrochemical products. The source explains the manner in which falling oil prices undermine the competitive advantage of petrochemical products. The reduced competitive advantage lowers the total sales of the products endangering the firms.

Privacy Concerns of Sensor Networks Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Privacy Concerns of Sensor Networks - Coursework Example This is necessary to protect the privacy of all involved. Information that is sent over the networks may be modified by hackers, rendering it unavailable. The time synchronization of sensor networks may also be thwarted by adversaries by masquerade attacks, replay attacks, and delay attacks. (Bojkovic, 2008, pp. 107, 112). An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is one way of combating threats. The IDS protects the WSN by monitoring it, alerting the user that an attack has occurred and reconfiguring the network and marking the root of the malicious problem. The IDS works either by preventing known attacks by matching attack signatures against the monitored system, or by anomaly detection, in which anomalies in data profiles are identified. The first of these solutions have the drawback of not recognizing new attacks; the second has the drawback of creating a high number of false alarms. One of the problems with sensor networks is the risk of data misrepresentation, as all relevant information is impossible to gather in the sensornet environment, as all data that is collected represents data from a discrete time and space, hence it might be taken out of context. Also, the readings are only approximate for the same reason – that the data collected represent the state of the world at a particular time and space, which is the time and space where the samples were acquired. Therefore, the accuracy of the data that is acquired is subject to misrepresentation and inaccuracies even in situations where security is not compromised.

Legal Issues and the Role of Nurse Manager Essay

Legal Issues and the Role of Nurse Manager - Essay Example Failure to use due care can be considered as negligent behavior. Failure to meet standard of care, which results in injury to the patient, can make the medical professional liable for resulting damages. The medical professional can be a doctor, a nurse, or a health care provider. Causation helps determine whether the medical professional's carelessness caused injury. It is the most difficult element of negligence to prove and so courts have sometimes resorted to the theory of res ipsa loquitor. Three conditions for the application of res ipsa loquitur are "Personal injury" cases are legal disputes that arise when one person suffers harm from an accident or injury, and someone else might be legally responsible for that harm. Injury, which occurs due to someone's negligence in the patient's treatment, forms the basis of claim and lawsuit Negligence is failure to guard against risk of harm to others and imposes liability on whoever is responsible for negligence. In order to prove that negligence has occurred, the following criterion needs to be met and proven in a court of law: In the given case harm has occurred to the patient who fractured her hand. The nurse, nurse manager and the hospital owe the duty of care to the patient and have failed in discharging their duty successfully. Who is liable and to what extent, demands an evaluation of the circumstances, which caused the injury to the patient. This idea of evaluation of circumstances is common in healthcare. It has been noted that, "although a particular action or omission may be the immediate cause of an incident, closer analysis usually reveals a series of events and departures from safe practice, each influenced by the working environment and the wider organisational context. This more complex picture is gaining acceptance in health care" (Vincent et al, 2000). The omission may or may not be purely an act of carelessness; it could be a result of how work processes are organised making the nurse manager and hospital more liable, than the nurse who may not be a direct cause of injury. The fact that in her chart the nurse has documented that "this would not have happened if I had been present to help her" establishes that the nurse made a mistake. However one also needs to consider whether this mistake is truly negligence. This calls for an evaluation of the circumstances in which the injury occurred. Two situations are discussed below: Situation 1.: Delay in response because nurse was gossiping/careless/did not see the call light or failed to stick to the

Summarization Of The Communication Process

Summarization Of The Communication Process Communication can best be summarized as the transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver in an understandable manner. The message may be verbal or non-verbal. Besides that, communication is the process of sharing our ideas, thoughts, and feelings with other people and having those ideas, thoughts, and feelings understood by the people we are talking with. When we communicate we speak , listen, and observe. A key to interpreting communication is to find the meanings of messages, and those meanings are found in people, not in words. Your friends meaning of trust or happiness may be quite different than yours. Communication is a continuous process that begins with a first encounter between people and does not end until the last encounter in their lives. These encounters may involve functional messages that serve practical purposes, or, in cases of close ties, the encounters may also involve nurturing messages that convey a sense of caring and personal connection. In addition, c ommunication is a complex, ongoing process that brings us into contact with the people in our world. Often communication is viewed as a straightforward exchange of messages between a speaker and a listener, but this is a na?ve view. Communication also is a dynamic, transactional (two-way) process that can be broken into six phases. The communication process is repeated until both parties have finished expressing themselves. This has shown in appendix in figure 1.1. 1 The sender has an idea. Senders conceive an idea and want to share it. The sender encodes the idea. When sender put an idea into a message that a receiver will understand, sender are encoding it: that is, deciding on the form, length, organization, tone, and styleall of which depend on sender idea, audience, and personal style or mood. The sender transmits the message. To physically transmit the message to receiver, senders select a communication channel (verbal or nonverbal, spoken or written) and a medium (telephone, letter, memo, e-mail, report, face-to-face). The receiver gets the message. For communication to occur, receiver must first get the message. The receiver decodes the message. Receiver must decode (absorb and understand) your message. The receiver sends feedback. After decoding sender message, the receiver responds and signals that response to sender. 2 Sender can anticipate problems, make decisions, coordinate work flow, supervise others, develop relationships, and promote products and services. Sender can shape the impressions and he/she company make on colleagues, employees, supervisors, investors, and customers in addition to perceiving and responding to the needs of these stakeholders (the various groups you interact with). Without effective communication, people misunderstand each other and misinterpret information. Ideas misfire or fail to gain attention, and people and companies flounder. Effective workplace communication can promote the following: ? Quicker problem solving ? Stronger decision making ? Increased productivity ? Steadier work flows ? Stronger business relationships ? Compelling promotional materials ? Enhanced professional image ? Improved stakeholder response 3 The importance of effective communication is immeasurable in the world of business and in personal life. From a business perspective, effective communication is an absolute must, because it commonly accounts for the difference between success and failure or profit and loss. It has become clear that effective business communication is critical to the successful operation of modern enterprise. Every business person needs to understand the fundamentals of effective communication. Effective communication involves a message being sent and received. Added to this however, is the element of feedback to ensure that the message sent was received exactly as intended. This concept may be illustrated using three-step communication model. This has shown in appendix in figure 1.2 Sending The Message There are four element involved in sending a message. First, as the instructor (sender), must formulate the message intend to communicate. Next, consider possible barriers that may affect the message. This includes sender experience, the terms that will use, and even the feeling toward the subject or the students. External barriers such as noise must also be considered. Third, senders encode the message; that is, put the message into the words that want to use. Last, clearly communicate (send) the message. 4 Receiving The Message There are also four elements involved in receiving a message. The student (receivers) will first hear and see the message u sent. Second, the message is affected by external barriers, if any, and the students own internal barriers. Possible internal barriers may include the students experience level, their understanding of the terms used, their attitude toward the material, or the way they feel about you. Third, your students decode the message through the use of mental images. Communication Barriers Physical barriers This barrier is particularly important when speaking to a group or audience. If the audience perceives you as distant from them, looking down on them, or simply not reachable, then they will not be as receptive to the message you are trying to share Language Barriers Buzzwords, jargon and slang are very specialized. Using them will always prevent some portion of the potential audience from understanding your message. That includes people who might benefit from your message, if it were presented in a way they understood. 5 Lack of Credibility If its evident that sender are speaking strictly from book knowledge, rather than personal experience, or if audience does not see how what sender are saying could possibly be true, this creates a credibility problem. The audience will suspect that sender dont know what he/she talking about. As a sender, need to make sure that the stories has been tell dont lead the audience to question sender credibility and authenticity. Gender Barrier It has been demonstrated in studies that women communicate more on a regular basis than men do. Though both sexes have both kinds of communicators, women are more likely to be right-brain communicators abstract and intuitive. Men are more likely to be left-brain communicators linear and logical. Depending on your own makeup, this could be a barrier. Both men and women have to learn how to communicate in a way that allows both sexes to receive and understand the message. Emotional barriers One of the chief barriers to open and free communications is the emotional barrier. It is comprised mainly of fear, mistrust and suspicion. The roots of our emotional mistrust of others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to be careful what we said to others. 6 Cultural barriers When we join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later we need to adopt the behaviour patterns of the group. These are the behaviours that the group accept as signs of belonging. The group rewards such behaviour through acts of recognition, approval and inclusion. In groups which are happy to accept, and where he/she are happy to conform, there is a mutuality of interest and a high level of win-win contact. Where, however, there are barriers to the membership of a group, a high level of game-playing replaces good communication. How does one ensure that the intended audience has received the right message In a speech, one must always present something that is related to the topic or focus of the speech. If talk about food, can speak about other related things like nutrition, malnutrition and benefits of foods but dont go too far away from subject. Since talk with nutrition in relation to food, always try to bring it close to the topic food. Also, make sure make statements that would make people turn their attention to the speaker, just not unnecessary unrelated ones. Skip the middle man If audience actually has another, larger audience, make sure they arent the real target. 7 Speak clearly This should be obvious enough, but clearly the President didnt get it this time. Speaker message needs to be clear Stay Relaxed To stay relaxed speaker should be prepared. Also, focus on the message and not the audience. Use gestures, including walking patterns. Practice the opening of the speech and plan exactly how to say it. The audience will judge speaker in the first 30 seconds they see it. Pay attention to all details Make sure speaker have the right location (school, hotel, room time). Make sure he/she know how to get to where to speaking. Ask how large an audience speaker will be speaking to. Make sure speaker bring all visual aids and plenty of handouts. Arrive early so speaker can check out where will be speaking and make any last minute adjustments. It is very important that speaker pay attention to even the smallest details 8

German Modernism Essay -- essays research papers

The Era of Modern Germany Throughout time, nations have attempted to become independent from one another by discovering means to help their citizens experience more fulfilling lives. The dilemma that troubled each of these countries is whether or not innovations, in technology and society, led to a higher quality of life. In the book, Rites of Spring, Modris Eksteins examines how innovation affected the citizens of Germany. Eksteins conveys that technological and industrial innovations paved the way for social transformations, throughout Germany. These social changes include a newfound appreciation for Art, tolerance of homosexuality, and a new approach towards warfare. The establishment of the German modern era began at the turn of the 20th century. Eksteins verifies this conviction by stating that Germany made tremendous industrial improvements, during this time. Among these industrial improvements was the introduction of a massive steel industry. Although Germany produced steel prior to 1900, it had never competed with the other European powers. â€Å"By 1914, Gergely, 2 German steel production equaled that of Britain, France, Russia combined? Along with a massive production of steel, other German industries such as iron, chemical, and electricity also flourished throughout this time. Germany finally had the foundation it desired for economic growth. According to Ecksteins, the formation of these industries gave Germany the opportunity to develop as a culture. Industry facilitated culture by shifting a large part of the population out of the countryside and into the city. â€Å"In 1870 Germany’s population was two thirds rural; by 1914 that relationship had been reversed? This gave German industry the possibility of transmitting their ideas to a large audience. The formation of the modern man and women was born. Also, one must conclude that the shift out of the countryside brought an influx of diverse beliefs into German cities. Germans who had previously lived under certain beliefs were introduced to several new convictions. Suddenly Germany transformed itself from a close-minded nation, to one, which was open to change. This newfound acceptance of change facilitated a general belief that Germany had become the most modern state of that time. Gergely, 3 One of the most prevalent examples of German modernism was their newfound attitude towards art. Ekstein... ...ncompass Eksteins argument that Germany was at the heart of the modern Gergely, 5 experience. I agree with Eksteins claim because he presents the reader with perspectives from all aspects of society. In reading other interpretations of modernism I received limited viewpoints, of how modernism influenced society. One example of this is Marshall Bermans, All That is Solid Melts Into Air. This text provides the reader with examples of modernism in different societies. It does not focus on one society, like Eksteins. This method does not allow the reader to get an accurate feel of how modernism encircled society. Instead one leaves with an understanding of how individual changes affected certain aspects of societies. Secondly, Eksteins argument is convincing because it gives various examples of how societies differed from Germany. One is able to comprehend why Eksteins believes Germany is the epitome of modernism, as opposed to other societies. This method is also valuable because it allows the reader to make his/her own decision of German modernism. After reading Rites of Spring, one agrees with Eksteins beliefs because of the outstanding methods he utilizes to deliver his argument.

Renminbi Case

662, Case 3 1. Do you think the Renminbi is overvalued against the US Dollar? 2. Why does the Chinese government want to keep its currency at an artificially low level against the US Dollar? What is the risk for China? For the US? 3. What would be the consequences of a 20% revaluation (increase in the value of the Renminbi) for China, western countries, Japan, and developing countries? How would it impact workers, exporters, and importers in China? Various studies have suggested that the RMB is undervalued, with recent estimates ranging from 15-50 percent. The greatest beneficiary from a gradual RMB revaluation, accompanied by measures to stimulate demand, will be China itself. Its growth is likely to be more balanced and resilient, and that will have a positive spillover on the rest of the world, including by reducing currency and trade tensions. RMB revaluation causes a loss to consumers outside China since they will confront higher prices of goods imported from China. These losses have to be offset against those of producers who will gain competitiveness. Moreover, China’s trading partners are more likely to gain from RMB revaluation if it comes with measures that accelerate China’s domestic demand relative to its GDP. Indeed, without those measures, the effect of RMB revaluation on China’s current account surplus is likely to be marginal or even to widen it. In the very long run, a revaluation of the RMB could help commodity-exporters to diversify into basic manufacturers. However, over the next few years, RMB revaluation is unlikely to affect these countries’ exports significantly because the prices of their commodity exports are determined in global markets (and denominated in dollars). However, the dollar prices of China’s exports to those countries are likely to rise, reflecting small profit margins in those sectors and the fact that China, as the biggest exporter of those goods, is the price-setter. Some middle-income manufacturing exporters running a trade surplus with China will benefit, too. Other middle-income exporters that import a lot from China could be net losers from the hike in China’s export prices in the short term, but gain as their export volumes expand at China’s expense. Low-income commodity exporters will generally be net losers from RMB revaluation alone and will only benefit if China’s growth accelerates because of accompanying measures taken by the Chinese authorities. Some high-income countries, such as Germany and Japan, which have an initial small trade deficit with China, may lose or gain a little from RMB revaluation alone. However, countries such as Italy and the United States—whose initial trade deficits with China are large and whose exports are not competitive with China’s—will very likely lose, and their lower-income consumers will suffer most as the price of Chinese goods rises. This conclusion does not imply a judgment that a large bilateral trade deficit in Italy and the United States with China is good or bad. It only implies that RMB revaluation is not the way to fix the deficit problem. Instead, increasing national savings rates in Italy and the United States, and increasing consumption in China would be more effective. Given China’s high dependence on price-sensitive exports, a large one-time RMB revaluation may carry unacceptable risks to its growth and stability. In the event of a sharp slowdown in China, those countries that are likely to lose from RMB revaluation anyway, starting with the United States.

Crowdfunding

Grounding is a virtual phenomenon that aims to promote the realization of projects as varied as possible through the financial contribution of people who are interested in the implementation of such initiatives, motivated by several factors. To better understand the concept, we can break down the name in that crowd, in English, means â€Å"crowd†; and funding, ‘financing† Thus, it can be considered that are projects carried out by financing of a crowd of an audience. But is not based on â€Å"public† in â€Å"public money†, but money invested by the public itself.The various projects such as, for example, ultra nature, such as the production of a CD of a band or the publication of a book, are hosted on a site geared to attract collective donations towards the realization of the submitted work. â€Å"(OCTET , Fluvial – Libber – So Paulo v 15, n 29, p 135-144, June 2012) The history Of Grounding in the Brazilian market: The pioneering the use grounding in Brazil was the Vagina site, which enables any type of project, from cultural to staff personal projects, such as buying a mobile phone or even a car.This idea has been widespread and well accepted by the domestic market, is a new way of achieving a project, wrought the collective funding, the taxpayer donates because there is an identification with the project, and there are various forms of return, for example, an audiovisual production company is in need of 40,000 areas for the post production of a documentary on Iris's velars January, from that are created various mechanisms for attraction of such a taxpayer as videos of the creators of the project inviting people to donate and be part of the project, establish quotas, up to a certain value the taxpayer can download the documentary before the release, the other value win tickets to watch the commentary in theaters, finally there are several ways to attract that donor. Reception: My perception is that the Groundi ng is only a reflection of the new project finance models, drawing a parallel with the current state of the music industry, where there are 10, 20 years ago the artist was completely dependent on a record company to manage to get a album released on the market, recording studios were very expensive, and with the evolution of technology that has changed, anyone can pay your own album with little investment or even at home recordings. Grounding is only a new way, a espouse to former entertainment chain in which the artist was dependent on labels or sponsors today with people who identify with the project, there is a good chance enables you through the collective funding. Example Grounding: catharsis: The Catharsis is an exchange space between individuals that together enable the realization of creative projects. We believe that connecting people who share value as to a cause, an idea, a project is one of the best ways to make them come true. Be very welcome!This space is as yours as o urs, after all, Catharsis happens every day the adhering of people looking for new ways to give life to more initiatives of society itself. We understand that this is a alternative to government resources, by sponsors and not the banks. Legal barriers: Another point to be discussed are the legal barriers that grounding can face, as is a new method, there are no laws regulating the practice in the Brazilian market, same problem faced by group buying sites. One example is that all capital made by donors can not leave the country, the project has to happen in the domestic market, many foreign companies grounding can not enter our market because of this barrier.

An Evaluation of the Strategic Application of Integrated Marketing Communications for Dove Essays

An Evaluation of the Strategic Application of Integrated Marketing Communications for Dove Essays An Evaluation of the Strategic Application of Integrated Marketing Communications for Dove Paper An Evaluation of the Strategic Application of Integrated Marketing Communications for Dove Paper An Evaluation of the Strategic Application of Integrated Marketing Communications for Dove Introduction The pace of change in the marketing communications industry has accelerated with the advent of the Internet and new media technologies. New technologies create new ways for marketers to reach consumers and are having an impact on the more traditional media, in terms of greater fragmentation of these media (Belch Belch). For the purpose of this report, the official website of Dove will be critically evaluated. With effective use of the response hierarchy models, an analysis will be conducted on how Dove is exploiting the Web for influencing consumers. The Role of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) â€Å"Marketing communications is a management process through which an organisation engages with its various audiences. Through understanding an audience’s communications environment, organisations seek to develop and present messages for their identified stakeholder groups, before evaluating and acting upon the responses. By conveying messages that are of significant value, audiences are encouraged to offer attitudinal and behavioural responses† (Fill 2005, pp. 7). It was during the 1980s that firms started moving towards IMC, which essentially acknowledges the added value of a comprehensive plan that strategically evaluates the roles of a variety of communications tools and effectively combines these tools to provide maximum impact of communications (Belch Belch, 2004). Traditionally there are five principal marketing communications tools which include advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, public relation and direct marketing. Purpose of the website The website of a company can be considered as a promotional event on its own. The web is a place for individuals to communicate with others, organisations and individual alike (Rowley, 2004). The primary purpose behind the Dove website is to act as a rich information source targeted at the consumer; essentially females of all age groups. Such websites are generally referred to as non-transactional brochure websites. The website aims to provide information about the Dove brand, Dove products, Real Beauty philosophy and tools to attract users and enabling them to interact with the company. Although Dove does not sell directly to the consumer, unlike Body Shop, the website is very customer-centric due to the nature of the creative communications strategy – ‘Real Beauty’. Communications Objectives The communication objectives can vary from creating and increasing brand awareness to changing perceptions about the philosophy of the company that would ultimately affect behaviour. Possible communications objectives may include education and information, branding and image building, affecting attitudes, and loyalty and reminding (Christopher et al, 1995). In the case of Dove, the umbrella communication objective is to provide information to effectively change the target consumer’s knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards the brand, which would eventually change behaviour. The content of the website is focused on the objective of branding, via brand building activities with the use of the marketing communications tools. The communication objectives also include dissemination of information about new and existing products, and about the Real Beauty campaign and the various activities and promotions that are linked with it, which are strongly aimed on changing mindsets of the target audience. Also included in the objectives is creating relationships (Rowley, 2004) and attaining customer loyalty, through direct interaction with customers and finding ways of making the brand more meaningful to them. Evaluation of the Response Hierarchy Models Belch Belch (2004) believe that perhaps the most important aspect of developing successful marketing communications programmes involves a comprehension of the response process the receiver may go through and how the promotional efforts of the marketer influence responses of the target consumers. The three renowned models of the response process include the AIDA model (Christopher et al, 1995; Fill, 2005; Belch Belch, 2004), hierarchy of effects model and the information-processing model (Fill, 2005; Belch Belch, 2004; Huizingh et al, 2003). The stages in all three models are represented by the cognitive, affective and behavioural stage. The hierarchy of effects model is based on the assumption that a consumer passes through a sequence of steps, which include awareness, knowledge, liking, preference, conviction and purchase. While most of the steps in the information-processing model are similar to those of the hierarchy of effects model, a new step introduced is that of retention, which pertains to a customer retaining relevant information. The hierarchy of effects model is known to be effective in advertising (Belch Belch, 2004; Fill, 2005) and Huizingh et al (2003) has proven through experiments, the effectiveness of the model to websites as a marketing tool. Linking Marketing Communications Tools to Response Stages An analysis is undertaken below to identify the tools that appear to be the most effective at each stage of response. Advertising The core theme of the website is to inform the target audience about Dove’s philosophy of beauty, which is that, â€Å"beauty comes in different shapes, sizes and colours†. The philosophy is aimed at touching a nerve of females of all age groups and is in stark contrast with the popular culture which bombards us with unrealistic images of physical perfection (www. unilever. com). The brand pyramid exhibited below shows what Dove, as a brand, stands for at a glance. The website contains a section dedicated to Real Beauty which contains TV ads, inspirational articles, health and beauty articles, campaign promotions, awards, Ask the Expert feature and interactive beauty tools. There has been an argument over the effectiveness of ESPs (Emotional Selling Points) versus USPs (Unique Selling Points), wherein the former focuses on brand values based on emotion and imagery and the latter on a more functional, rational approach (Fill, 2005). Dove’s campaign clearly highlights the ESPs, as they stir a chord in the women’s heart, therefore creating both cognitive and affective responses. A slight area of concern about the Real Beauty Campaign is that while Ad Age (Neff, 2004) might consider the campaign as a step forward, with Dove’s sales increasing over the years, it is still to be seen how the campaign will be received over the long-term. Dove was initially launched with a unique functional benefit strengthened by support from dermatologists and formed a strong emotional link through its one-fourth moisturising cream. That struck a chord with women who liked Doves qualities of simplicity, gentleness and truthfulness, thereby creating a strong bond of trust. The Real Beauty campaign focuses on an important issue that women are facing worldwide but it may well be seen slightly disconnected with the brand’s history and prior positioning. Sales Promotion The sales promotions offered at the website include giving out free samples of Calming Night, Ultimate Clean, Good Stuff shampoo and Real Beauty T-shirts (on ? 15 purchases). All the free sampling is done for new products which are launched within their own interactive sections on the website. These sections assume the role of interactive advertisements on the net. The tool of sales promotion is therefore effectively being used on the website to induce trial of new products and can lead to covering all the stages in the hierarchy of effects model, starting from brand awareness (cognitive stage) to leading them to the behavioural stage (ordering free samples or purchasing Dove products worth ? 15). Direct Marketing The browser is enticed to join â€Å"YourDove† and register for Dove Dimension e-newsletter or magazine. â€Å"YourDove† entitles the user to previews of special offers and product innovations, articles from â€Å"Opera. om†, access to beauty editors and expert’s advice and provides tips to create their own personalised beauty care routines. Toll free contact numbers are available on the website for customer support and emergency calls. The website provides a link to enable the browser to give feedback to Dove and â€Å"Add Your Details† option. The direct marketing on the Dove website influence the browser at the cognitive and affective stages in the model. Public Relations One of the most crucial aspects in the success of the Real Beauty campaign has been the effective use of PR to affect the consumers at the cognitive and then the affective stage. The â€Å"Dove in the News† section contains a number of press releases that were published in various newspapers and magazines. The Power of Word of Mouth (WoM) All product detail pages have a link to enable the browser to send the page to a friend by email. A link for the campaign for Real Beauty website (www. campaignforrealbeauty. com) is available in the Real Beauty section, which takes the browser into a detailed version of the activities related to the campaign (advertisements, surveys, Self Esteem Fund, voting by browsers on their notions of their beauty, message board for females etc. . This provides the browsers with an online platform to engage in meaningful dialogues about the campaign by sharing their views and experiences, which results in an overwhelming experience for the browsers. This takes the concept of the effectiveness and power of WoM to a new level, thereby affecting the browser at a cognitive level and possibly at the affective level in case of the onl ine forum, if he/she happens to read some really heart-warming experiences. Other important elements of the website There is consistency and clarity in the flow of the website and the use of brand colours, language and design aspects give a very welcoming feel to the browser. One aspect of peculiar interest in the website is the â€Å"We’re listening† section wherein the browser can find the FAQ, store locator and contact us sections. The FAQ section contains information on Dove’s promotions and offers, the availability of coupons in newspapers and magazines and the plans of making these coupons available to Dove subscribers. If a consumer has to track an order that he places, the only way is via emailing Dove, as they do not email the consumers about how the item is being tracked, which is a weakness of the website. It is intriguing to note that information about product ingredients, product lifetime and information about some of the brand values is in the FAQ section. Facts like Dove is committed with a limited number of organisations in donating products for charity, the company’s ethical stance on animal testing and its stance on recycling and environment are only available in the FAQ section. Other information about Dove’s beauty philosophy including the Self Esteem Fund etc. is also found in the FAQ section. The problem here is that vital information about the brand is lying in a section, which is quite invisible to the browser. Notably this information can play a key role at the cognitive stage. Conclusion Recommendations It has been noted that the Internet is having a huge impact on the marketing communications programmes of companies. The hierarchy of effects model was used to analyse how Dove is exploiting the Web for influencing consumers. In this analysis of the website, it is concluded that the marketing communications tools of advertising, sales promotion public relations, direct marketing and word of mouth have been effectively used to influence the browser at the cognitive and affective stages of response. It is seen that the tools can influence the browser at more than one stage at a particular time. It appears that the tools of advertising, direct marketing, public relations and word of mouth, in case of Dove’s website, influence the browser at the cognitive and affective levels. Sales promotion, however, seemingly has an influence on the cognitive, affective and behavioural stages of response. The website overall is quite focused on the creative communication platform of Real beauty, which is integrated into many features of the website, which influences the browser strongly at the affective stage. The weaknesses of the website include the lack of visibility of brand values to the browser, so it is recommended that a separate section for brand values should be created. Also, some of the aspects of the website are not integrated well, especially those pertaining to sales promotions, for which the browser has to visit another linked website. If these features were better integrated into the website, it would create a more synergising and integrated experience for the browser. Lastly, while the Real Beauty campaign, which is at the heart of Dove’s marketing communications strategy, is creating waves in the media presently, not much can be said about the future of the campaign as it deviates ever so slightly from the previous positioning of the brand. Never the less, Dove appears to be a very caring and supportive brand. The website achieves the communications objectives satisfactorily and can therefore be deemed as successful. It influences the browser more at the cognitive and affective stages of response and lesser at the behavioural stage, which is acceptable due to the non-transactional nature of the website. Appendix Screenshot 1 Screenshot 2 Screenshot 3 Screenshot 4 Screenshot 5 Screenshot 6 Screenshot 7 List of References Kotler, P. (2003), Marketing Management, 11th ed. , Pearson Education, Inc. Baker, J. M. (1996), Marketing: A introductory text, 6th ed. , MacMillan Books, pp. 50-66, 342-412. Belch, E. G. Belch, A. M. (2004), Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective, 6th ed. , McGraw-Hill. Berger, E. I. , Cunningham H. P. Kozinets, V. R. (1999), Consumer persuasion through Cause-Related Advertising, Advances in Consumer Research, Volume 26, pp. 491-497. Berthon, P. , Pitt, L. Watson, T. R. (1996), Marketing communication and the World Wide Web, Business Horizons, pp. 24-32. Brin? ol, P. , Petty, E. R. Tormala, L. Z. (2004),Self-Validation of Cognitive Responses to Advertisements, Journal of Consumer Research, Inc. , Vol. 30, pp. 559-573. Cartwright, R. (2002), Mastering Marketing Management, Palgrave Master Series. Chang, Y. Thorson, E. (2004), Television and Web advertising synergies, Journal of Advertising, Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 75-84. Christopher, M. McDonald, M. (1995), Marketing: An introductory text, MacMillan Press Ltd. , pp. 2 00-250. Elliott, R. (1998), A model of emotion-driven choice, Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. 14, pp. 95-108. Fill, C. 2005), Marketing Communications: Engagement, strategies and practice, 4th ed. , Prentice Hall Financial Times. Hansotia, J. B. Rukstales, B. (2002), Direct marketing for multi-channel retailers: Issues, challenges and solutions, Journal of Database Marketing, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 259–266. Huizingh, E. R. K. E. Hoekstra, C. J. (2003), Why do consumers like websites? , Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 350–361. Katrandjiev, I. H. (2000), Some aspects of measuring Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Economics and Organisation, Vol. , No. 8, pp. 87-93. Kolesar, B. M. Galbraith, W. R. (2000), A services-marketing perspective on e-retailing: implications for e-retailers and directions for further research, Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 424-43 8. Lagrosen, S. (2005), Effects of the internet on the marketing communication of service companies, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 63–69. Neff, J. (2004), A step forward: In Dove ads, normal is the new beautiful, Advertising Age, Crain Communications Inc. ampaignforrealbeauty. com/uploadedFiles/US/campaign_press/advertising_age_092704. pdf Priester, R. J. Petty, E. R. (2003), The influence of spokesperson trustworthiness on message elaboration, attitude strength, and advertising effectiveness, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 408–421. Rossiter, R. J. Bellman, S. (2005), Marketing communications: Theory and applications, Pearson Prentice Hall, pp. 3-40. Rowley, J. (2004), Just another channel? Marketing communications in e-business, Marketing Intelligence Planning, Vol. 22 No. , pp. 24-41. Rowley, J. (2001), Remodelling marketing communications in an Internet environment, Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications a nd Policy, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 203-21. Unilever website unilever. co. uk/ourbrands/casestudies/dove_casestudy. asp unilever. com/Images/2004%2018%20May%20Goldman%20Sachs%20Conference%20-%20Speech_tcm13-5247. pdf Wyer Jr. , S. R. (2005), Emergent moderators of affective response in consumer behaviour, Special session summary, Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 32, pp. 38-41.

Business Communications Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Communications - Case Study Example My problem came when we were supposed to purchase chemistry books for our new class. Since I lived near to the book store, my best friend asked me to purchase one for him too. I bought two books, one for myself and the other for my friend at $10 each. The next day I gave the book to my pal and told him that the book cost $15. I told him this price on the presumption that I can keep a $5 commission for getting him the book. My friend unknowingly paid me $15 and that was the end of matters when a day later my friend confronted me about the real price of the book. Feeling ashamed of myself I lied and told him it was for $15. Somehow he had found out the real price from somewhere and had come to me to ask for an explanation. Being a coward, I didn't tell him and then severed my friendship with him. I could have told him the real price and that might have solved my problem. However for two days I felt bad about this whole situation and finally gathered enough courage to go up to my friend and apologize to him and returned him the money. The company, Mugs and Cups, is in the specialty utensils industry with many competitors fighting to take a lead in the local market. Apart from cups and mugs, all kitchenware in huge verities is also available. Being in a Specialty industry means that only higher income groups are targeted by offering only Quality products but at a Premium rate. Ethical organizational development underpins all our activities thus our Customer-Oriented Attitude takes us a long way ahead of the competition. Conclusion Giving maximum value to our customers via our products and experience at our outlets, we aim to build a huge yet loyal customer base that is sustainable in the long term. 1) Introduction Our main competitor at the moment is coffee giant, Starbucks. Being the market leader, Starbucks business model has earned them huge revenues while taking out smaller coffee houses in the way. Crystal Mugs is a small and young company, but it is giving Starbucks a run for their lives in certain specific areas in New York City. (Source: www.starbucks.com) Body The Starbucks brand name is known globally and it is recognized by its logo by people of all ages. This is mainly due to high budgets for advertisements and marketing strategies. Being a global chain, they have the financial backing and the liberty to open a store in any area they want and they do this well with their blanketing strategy. Being located in every few blocks, they have built a walking to store culture for the customers and by giving them the 'Starbucks Experience', they have won the hearts of many. Conclusion The size of operations of Starbucks is so huge that it can wipe away any competitor in a jiffy. With huge expenditures on human resources, strategies and marketing etc., Starbucks is our most threatening competitor. But with increased vigor and passion, we at Crystal Mugs offer a difference for our valued customers. 2) Introduction With intense competition at our heels, we needed to have a strategic location so that competition could be beaten even with their reputation. The location is extremely important for every business which should be close to its target market. Body Located in New York NY, just around the Washington Park Square on the Greene Street, so that people who come for a hang out at the park can take a quick stop at Crystal Mugs for Coffee. We even cater to deliveries

Analysis on how healthcare is delivered in the United States as Essay

Analysis on how healthcare is delivered in the United States as compared to how healthcare is delivered in three other countries - Essay Example to healthcare delivery in United Kingdom (National Health System/Service), the Netherlands (Socialized Health Insurance), and Canada (National Health Insurance). The United States is a capitalist nation and this has been transferred to healthcare delivery, i.e., the patient has to pay for the service as they receive it from the doctor. According to Tanner (2008), this is an indicator that healthcare in the U.S is private-based with an estimated 85% of the population covered by insurance plans. Private companies exist in the U.S to provide health insurance where clients pay monthly fee for insurance and the company pays the client’s doctor for services rendered. Clients pay according to the risk they are willing to insure; thus, if a client pays more for an expense, then the company will charge less for the insurance and vice versa (Tanner, 2008). Most employers in the U.S pay for worker’s insurance which is considered as an employment benefit that adds up to the employee’s salary. However, few Americans can pay for their own insurance owing to high cost relative to their income. Another insurance provider is the government itself as it allocates considerable funds from the budget to healthcare programs. In addition, Tanner (2008) asserts that those who are not insured as a result of poverty receive medical cover via Medicaid which is funded by both the federal and state taxes. On the other hand, the aged and children receive medical cover via Medicare which is funded by taxes from federal income. Of all the developed countries, the U.S is believed to have the highest medical expenses (Tanner, 2008). This is another capitalist country which applies the fee-for-service system of medical delivery only that the administration of the plan is done by government entities (Tanner, 2008). This system sees the healthcare services of the country covered universally and coverage for all citizens is achieved for all ten provinces. In Canada, Tanner (2008) reveals that

Saudi Arabia Country Profile Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Saudi Arabia Country Profile - Research Paper Example The Saudi Arabian political spectrum is led by an absolute monarchy which is founded upon the principles of Islam. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the king is both the head of the government as well as the head of the state. It is relevant to public relations professionals to note that crucial decisions relating to the country, to a large extent, are formed only after consulting with religious leaders and senior princes of the royal family. Quran, the holy book of Islam, is considered to be the constitution of the country and the KSA is governed by the Islamic law Sharia. It is a key point to note that Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy even though the king is also required to abide by Sharia and the Quran according to the Basic Law of Saudi Arabia accepted by the royal decree in 1992. Quran and the Sunnah (the traditions of Muhammad) are central to KSA’s constitution and both remain subject to interpretation left to the powers of ulema, the country’s religious establishment. Neither political parties nor national elections are permitted in the country and the royal family dominates the government. According to the Democracy Index prepared by The Economist, Saudi Arabian government was rated as the seventh most authoritarian government among the 167 countries chosenii. Currently the Saudi government is led by the monarch King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Saudi Riyal is the currency of KSA. Saudi Arabia’s economy is greatly dependent on its oil sector, and hence the country’s economy is often referred to as an oil-based economy. The Saudi government exercises strict control over its key economic activities. To justify its status as an oil-based economy, Saudi Arabia possesses nearly 18 percent of the world’s discovered petroleum reserves and the country has a dominant role in OPECiii. Currently Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest

Lin Article Critique Essay Example for Free

Lin Article Critique Essay However, when splitting the forty patients into two treatment groups, the clients were split randomly. This places twenty participants in each subgroup. Pyrczak (2008) suggests that number of participants can be so small that generalizing would be inappropriate. At the conclusion of the study caution was given to the small sample size provided, but it was noted that â€Å"the sample size was more than sufficient to detect meaningful statistical differences, a major goal of all treatment studies† (Lin et al. , 2004). This indicates that a generalization was drawn from the target group of residential drug rehabilitation clients and was not drawn from a diverse source. Some participant dropped out of the study resulting in a 35% completion rate (Lin et al. , 2004). This low rate does effect generalizing the findings of the study. The participants were similar on relevant variables in that all of the patients were diagnosed with a mental disorder, had a history of a chronic addiction, a poor response to treatment and relapse, legal issue related to addiction and little motivation to change (Lin et al. 2004). Critique of Procedures The procedures followed in acquiring participants in this study initially were not chosen at random. The forty-three patients selected for the study were from a residential drug treatment center that had specific criteria preferred by the researchers. However, when the patients were separated into treatment groups, â€Å"they were randomly assigned to FT or ADC† (Linn et al. , 2004). The treatments described in this study are sufficiently explained in detail. The researchers describe ADC, alcohol and drug counseling as a common treatment plan for substance abuse. The article is written in more descriptive detail about forgiveness therapy for the reason that its effectiveness is being tested. The treatments were administered by a therapist trained in both FT and ADC therapy with more than twenty years of therapeutic counseling experience. The treatments that were administered were monitored by taping the therapy sessions with a member of the team arbitrarily selecting the tapings for review of â€Å"consistency between expected and delivered treatments† (Linn et al. 2004). The same therapist conducted all the therapy sessions so that the personal effect is eliminated as a factor from this study. The therapist used the same methodology in both types of treatment programs. The setting for the experiment was a natural setting in the sense that it was not conducted in a laboratory. The therapy sessions took place within the current living environment of the rehabilitation residential facility. The researcher considered attrition in this study stating that, â€Å"given the high levels of mobility and chaos that characterize the lives of this client population, this dropout rate is not unusual. However, the sample size was more than sufficient to detect meaningful statistical differences, a major goal of all treatment studies† (Linn et al. , 2004). Critique of Instrumentation The evaluating instruments for the research did not include actual items in the research, but did explain in great detail the description of each instrument. The researchers also included research that supported validity of each assessment. Specialized formatting and detail was used when the instruments were administered in random order and the response format was provided. Restrictions were placed upon the research when the patience were initially chosen with the three dispositions of a chronic addiction with relapse, psychiatric diagnoses, poor response to treatment with low motivation to change, and legal issues dealing with substance abuse (Linn et al. , 2004). Multiple methods are used to collect information on each variable within this research. The EFI, BDI-II, CSEI, STAI, SSTAEI and vulnerability to drug use scale were used to obtain data on each patient and use for statistical analysis (Linn et al. , 2004). The researchers provided sources and well researched information for each published instrument. The self-report assessments were not administered anonymously, therefore, there is some reason of doubt that information obtained from patients could have been influenced by â€Å"social desirability or response-style biases† (Linn et al. , 2004). This researcher believes steps were taken to keep the instrumentation from influencing any overt behaviors due to the fact that all patients were exposed to the same therapist as a constant, expected occurrence, causing little deviation from the expected schedule.

Traditional Concepts To Modern Knowledge Intensive Concepts Management Essay

Traditional Concepts To Modern Knowledge Intensive Concepts Management Essay Introduction: Innovation and Change are 2 of the most used buzz words in the modern corporate era. Some industries are entirely based on innovation. The survivability of companies operating in such industries are, to a large extent, based on their ability to innovate. The electronic consumer goods industry is a great example. The frequency in which firms like Apple and Google scrap their penultimate design and go for the new one is just alarming. On the other hand, Change is another equally important concept for companies in the modern era. Change becomes inevitable for firms operating in volatile industries as they have to respond quickly to the ripples in the market and adjust their own internal processes as a reaction. This necessitates effective change management every time an organization undergoes a change initiative. As Kotter(XXXX) observed rightly; The rate of change is not going to slow down anytime soon. If anything, competition in most industries will probably speed up even more in the next few decades. Through this piece of work, I would like to look at knowledge theory and how the concepts of innovation and change have evolved from traditional linear model to the modern knowledge intensive forms. The essay would be focusing mainly on information technology functions of firms and how they manage their innovation and change process. We would also explore the practical implications of widely used academic terms like knowledge management, knowledge workers, boundary objects, stickiness of knowledge etc with the help of some examples from the technology front. Knowledge theory: For the scope of this essay, we shall use the term Knowledge theory as the one which refers to the concepts of knowledge management and the appreciation of intellectual capital as an integral part of an organisations asset. As a broad term, this also includes the various terms frequently used in knowledge work like knowledge boundaries, boundary objects etc. During the industrial revolution, labour and capital were considered as the major resources to build an organisation. Management emphasis was on effectively handling these resources and the role of managers was limited largely to financial management and human resource management. However, with the advent of the information age, we have seen managers being increasingly aware of another major resource knowledge. This increasing importance of knowledge management is reflected in the works of several academics as well. Bell (1973) suggested that knowledge would be a central feature of post-industrial societies. The concept of knowledge management mainly revolves around 2 popular views on knowledge, the knowledge as possession view and the epistemology of practice. Knowledge as a possession considers knowledge as something that an individual/organisation can possess, and pass on to others seamlessly across different situations and contexts. However, the practice view of knowledge takes into account the importance of tacit knowledge and argues that knowledge is intrinsic to specific contexts and is created and negotiated through social interactions (Newell et al., 2009). Thus knowledge work could be defined as any work that deals with knowledge. However, for a specific spectrum of analysis, we shall limit our analysis only to the so called knowledge intensive firms. These are firms which have a high percentage of highly qualified staff who trade in knowledge itself (Starbuck, 1992). Consultancy firms like Ernst and Young or Deloitte are prime examples for knowledge intensive organisations. Co nsultants sell their knowledge to organisations or individual and organisations in need and quite evidently does knowledge work on a daily basis. Organisations like Google and Apple, where research and development is key to gaining competitive advantage over rivals are also knowledge intensive. Other examples of knowledge intensive professionals include pharmacists, educationists, doctors, accountants etc. The majority of knowledge intensive firms are under increasing pressure from the external environment in terms of staying competitive and profitable. Thus essentially, ability to innovate and change is integral to their success as organisations. We shall now briefly look at the traditional views on innovation and change through the work of some academics and the gradual shift in concept in the information era. This would set the stage for our analysis on how and where knowledge management fits in the processes of change and innovation. Definition of Innovation: Several academics have clearly differentiated the concepts of creativity and innovation. Organisational creativity refers to the generation of novel and useful ideas, whereas organisational innovation describes the realization of those ideas(Cook,1998; Jones, 1995). Thus innovation can be defined as the process by which a new element becomes available within the marketplace or is introduced into an organization with the intention of changing or challenging the status quo (King, 1995). The innovation process can be classified into 5 types (Andriopoulos and Dawson, 2009): Product innovation As the name suggests, this refers to the creation of a new product. Common examples include the ipod and the latest ipad devices from Apple, which took the market by storm. Innovative methods of computing are being released each year and this is changing the face of the IT arena. Service innovations This refers to the creation of new and improved services. Hotmail worlds first free web based email service is a prime example. Process innovations Here, the innovation is on the process rather than on the end product or service. In the United States, Netflix offers subscription based DVD rentals online. This is now the largest of its kind in the world due to several innovations in its process. The firm uses distributed warehouse system to deliver DVDs to its customers via post. The returned DVDs are scanned first if they are requested again before it goes back to the warehouse. This streamlined and fast delivery model has helped Netflix become the market leader.(Rappa, 2008) Management innovations The adoption of Japanese manufacturing techniques by American and European companies during the eighties and nineties is an example of Management innovation. Market or position innovation This refers to the creation of new markets as a result of innovation. With the advent of Second life, a whole new virtual reality market has sprung up and is fast growing. Before this, this market simply did not exist. Traditional view on innovation: The traditional view on innovation considers it as a linear process starting from creation of the innovation, going through several stages until the innovation is accepted or rejected by the adopting unit. Rogers (1995), in support of the linear approach, used the term diffusion for the process of communicating the innovation through the channels of a social system. The innovation-decision process according to this model can be depicted as below: Knowledge Persuasion Decision Implementation Confirmation Fig1.1 Innovation-Decision process (Rogers, 1995) Knowledge The manager or decision maker or more generally the adopting unit becomes aware of the innovation. Persuasion The unit develops either a favourable or unfavourable attitude towards the innovation. Decision The unit undergoes a series of activities leading to the choice of acceptance or rejection of the innovation. Implementation The unit puts the innovation to use. Confirmation The innovation is confirmed and the innovation becomes a routine if the overall feedback from the unit is favourable. Otherwise, the innovation is rejected. The traditional model also looks at innovation as a rational process in which managers use industry-wide accepted standards or best practises. This model revolves around the idea that best practises, once created, all that is left in the innovation process is the communication of this across the organisation. Thus the traditional model of innovation essentially proposed that innovation can be carried out in a linear fashion and can be overlooked with rational thinking. However, this models inability to explain the complex and dynamic innovations in the modern era has led to various criticisms, which would be discussed at a later stage in the essay. Definition of Organisational Change: Andriopoulos and Dawson (2009) define organisational change broadly as new ways of organizing and working. And more specifically(p14): Organizational change is the process of moving from some current state that, whether planned or unplanned, comprises the unexpected and unforeseen as well as the expected The definition clearly identifies 3 integral parts of organizational change (1) the as-is state, (2) the to-be state and (3) the transition path. However, the transition from as-is to to-be state, in the views of several academics, rarely takes the planned or expected path as evident from the above definition. Studies on organizational change process have been conducted extensively by academics. However, the dynamic nature of the topic itself has meant that we still dont have a prescriptive explanation in terms of theory and concept as far as the topic of Organization change is concerned, as evidently expressed by Pettigrew et al. (2003:p351): This constant process of change and renewal means that, whilst scholars and managers can take forward certain key messages, there will always be a need for more research on innovative forms of organizing Organizational change can be of varied degree and form from minor changes in the organizational processes to major organization wide re-structuring initiatives. Palmer et al. (2006) identifies 2 types of changes: Incremental adaptive change is when one firm plays catch-up in response to another firms activity in an incremental adaptive fashion. E.g Microsoft and Yahoo largely followed google applications like maps and videos. Reactive frame breaking change deals with a much larger scale of change. E.g Major restructuring and downsizing was required for investment banks like RBS as they came under increasing government and public control after the recession driven bailouts using taxpayer money. It is interesting to note that most banks havent cut down on their IT spending as they have identified IT as a tool to improve efficiency and cut costs. Outside these two more reactive changes, there is of course the strategy driven large scale operational changes that organizations undergo. Linear views on Organisational Change: The traditional theories on organisational change have been modelled mainly around the concept of unfreeze-change-refreeze put forward by Lewin (Collins, 1998). This 3-step model essentially looked at organisational change process as a linear one. In this model, Lewin(1958) also talks about the helping and restraining forces for and against the change. Unfreeze Change Freeze Fig1.2 Lewins 3-step change model (Lewin, 1958) An extended 7-step model was proposed by Lippitt, Watson and Westley (1958) which increasingly focussed on the role of the change agent than the actual change. The 7 stages were: Diagnosing the problem Assessing capacity and motivation for change Assess motivation and capacity of the change agent Choose progressive change objects Clear segregation of role of the change agent Maintain the change Termination of the change agent (Lippitt et, al. ,1958) Kotter(1995) later proposed his 8-step model for effective change management in his analysis on why most change projects fail. These change theories as we can see, largely revolves around a certain degree of predictability of the overall change process. They have invited criticism from the supporters of chaos or complexity theories as we would examine later in the piece. Criticisms on traditional views: The traditional linear view on innovation process has been fairly criticised by the advocates of process views on innovation. These academics argue that innovation is very rarely rational and linear and is in most times, a network based concept(Abrahamson, 1996; Swan and Scarbrough, 2005). The concept of best practices were deemed inappropriate by some academics as innovation is a highly context specific concept(Swan et al., 1999) Some other criticisms include: Scarbrough(2008) argues that innovation is not a linear process and that the importance of feedback into the process could not be neglected at any stage of the process. Rogers(1995) did speak about two-way communication between the original sender and receiver in a knowledge diffusion process, however, it is clear that the critics of the linear model propose a much wider network-based mesh-like communication process during innovation. Swan and Scarbrough(2005:p3) states that since knowledge is increasingly dispersed across organizational boundaries, it is at these interstices, through the operation of networks, that distributed networks can be brought together and integrated into new products, processes and services. Newell et al.(2009) observes that most innovation processes are not predictable and cannot be considered as a technical fix. Clark (2003) observed that innovation often required considerable re-engineering of the existing process and thus cannot be considered as an entity that can be used as an add-on to an organisational context. The linear freeze-change-unfreeze view of organisational change has been countered by supporters of complexity theory or chaos theory. According to the chaos theory, it has become impossible to predict the outcome of long term organisational changes as this would require knowledge of the present state at a very high accuracy (Tsoukas, 1998). Certainly, the high rate of failure of Enterprise Systems implementations (70%) reinforces the concept of unpredictable nature of change. It can also be seen from relevant literature that organisational change need not be segregated from innovation as such. Andriopoulos and Dawson (2009), maintains that there are no clear boundaries between the concepts of creativity, innovation and change as in practise, they interlock and overlap over time. Moreover, it can also be argued that their concept of process innovation is quite similar in some respects to the concept of organisational change. Thus we shall consider innovation and change as one broad area further in this work. Knowledge based innovation and change: As discussed earlier in the essay, the traditional liner view on the innovation process have been attacked and countered with the process view. The processual, network based view on innovation looks at the process as a set of iterative, overlapping and interdependent episodes rather than linear stages (Newell et al, 2009). This model as we can see, clearly addresses the unpredictability of the innovation process. The episodes overlap and iterate, leaving room for the occurrences of good or bad co-incidences and also takes into account the social and organisational factors that may affect the innovation process. The importance of knowledge work during innovation is also emphasized in this model. From agenda formation to routinization of the innovation, the success of the change lies in effective creation, diffusion, implementation and use of knowledge. Due to several reasons, we can see that such an open-ended framework is more appropriate when we look at some of the recent innovations in IT. Thus, understanding of knowledge concepts are critical to any innovation and change project in the modern era. The communication channel between the change agent and the unit undergoing a change is no longer the straightforward 2-way communication as seen in Rogers (1995). Innovation and change processes are increasingly becoming network based, spanning across practises, institutions and geographies. The success of Research in Motions blackberry phone can be hugely attributed to the innovative feature of email on a hand held. However, the product was actually just meant to be a start-up product, designed to enable the company to enter the wireless market. The huge popularity of this new way of working among its users resulted in immense pressure on the development team to refine and come up with the blackberry we know now. Thus it can be argued that the users were part of the innovation project as well. Further on this example, during the 9/11 strike on the world trade centre, there were several media reports that people trapped inside the building used their blackberry phones to keep in touch with their loved ones since all other forms of wired and mobile connectivity had gone down. Along with huge popularity, this event added even more social value to the otherwise technological product. This clearly qualifies for the external factor depicted in the Clark model. Other innovations like Open Source Software Development, Extreme programming(XP) and Agile methodologies are also examples for experimental innovation models including dynamic, planning, testing and regular releases (Beck, 2000; Highsmith, 2002). The open source developers community consists of developers from across the globe and from different functions of life. In spite of the existence of semantic, syntactic and pragmatic knowledge boundaries among them, they still manage to interact remarkable well and come up with innovative solutions. Information technology interestingly plays the role of a boundary object in the form of the Knowledge Management (KM) portal or forum. The open source KM forum is exceptionally well maintained and strictly moderated, just as well as the knowledge intensive firms, if not better. In a more organisational context, knowledge intensive firms like consulting and software services companies consider knowledge management as an integral part of innovation and change projects. The amount of money they spend on maintaining a centralised repository for knowledge management is testament to this fact. The consultancy firm Ernst and Young spends 6% of their revenue on knowledge management (HBS, 2001). It may seem that the abundance of knowledge workers and technology would automatically foster a favourable environment for KM in such companies; some academics believe that this is not always the case. Andriopoulos (2003) suggests that knowledge can be a double headed sword. Since knowledge workers in such organisations are highly specialized in their area, this may enslave them inside a pattern of thought, thus inhibiting innovation and change (Bengtson, 1982). Such a view of experts becoming not receptive to new ideas was shared by Starbuck (1992) as well. On similar lines , Carla ODell, president of American Productivity Quality Center said: The number-one reason KM initiatives may not function is that the evangelists fail to connect with the real business issues. Relevant academic literature suggest that such organizations try to work around this problem by creating a strong culture and by involving the specialists more and more in organisational dialogues (Blackler, 1995). Such enabling contexts created by the organisation would be an important factor for fostering knowledge creation for innovation and change. Google, for example, gives one day a week for its employees to work on their pet projects and ideas. The ideas can be posted by anyone on the repository via email. Rocket ride, as it is called, has also led its competitors to create similar projects like Microsofts Technorati and Yahoos Exalead (Business Week, 2005). The concepts of knowledge theory has indeed influenced the way organizations go about undertaking innovation projects as evident from the above illustrations. Conclusion: Through this piece, we have looked at knowledge theory as a term relevant to the scope of the topic. We have also looked the traditional view on innovation and change process via the works of several academics and some industry examples. Some of the criticisms against these views were also discussed. In the specific area of knowledge intensive firms, we analyzed how these knowledge theories affect the innovation and change process. Having looked at the modern unpredictable and network based modes of innovation and change, it may seem that the traditional concepts are now outdated. However, majority of knowledge management work is still based on the assumption that most forms of knowledge can be codified, stored and distributed. Change consultants still follow the step by step approach for organisational innovation and change. Thus the apt conclusion here would be one of a compromise between the two. It is imperative that organisations, especially the knowledge intensive ones cannot ignore the importance of knowledge management for innovation and change. However, the approach shall be decided upon considering the institutional context in detail.