Analysis Of Dante s The Of Hell - 1621 Words

The Crucial Role of Symbolism I think Dante’s description of Hell is a wonderful work of literature. Dante uses numerous literary techniques to describe his vision of Hell to the reader. In my opinion, one of the most affective techniques used by Dante is symbolism. It would be a very difficult task to compile a brief list of significant symbols from the Cantos that we read in class. Dante utilized many symbols throughout each canto. Some of the symbols that Dante used in Inferno are well defined and easy to interpret, while other symbols are much more difficult to recognize and understand. For this paper, I will be analyzing multiple symbols from Dante’s Inferno. Some of the symbols came from the Canto’s that were included in class†¦show more content†¦Many times while traveling through hell, Dante is found hanging back so he can talk to the souls about their punishments or he remains behind due to his pity and fear for the souls in hell. During these times Virgil has to repeatedly encourage Dante to stay on the path of the journey that they were intended to travel on. The fact that Vergil has to lead Dante along is, in a way, motivating Dante not to stray from the path of righteousness. The numerous stumbling blocks that threatened to interrupt Dante s journey were not just physical barriers, â€Å"but can be seen as agents of hell that threaten to keep Dante from a pious life.† Dante s deliberate journey toward heaven can also be looked at in contrast with the pointless wandering signified by to and fro movement of many condemned souls that were in hell. Theses souls have completely lost the path of righteousness and literally have no direction in the afterlife. In contrast, Dante has the ultimate goal of reaching heaven in front of him and a motivating force in Virgil, which gives a purpose and direction to his continuing journey. Another symbol that occurs throughout The Inferno is the idea of light and dark. Hell is obviously associated with darkness. Dante remarks many times about the darkness of hell and how some areas of hell are completely

Single Parent Homes Essay - 1298 Words

Single Parent Homes A single parent is one who is living without a spouse and/or partner. This individual takes on all of the daily responsibilities that comes with raising a child(ren). Furthermore, consider the single parent the one who provides solely for the child as they are the ones with them most of the time throughout the stint of their entire life. Even when discussing the separation of parents and/or divorce, children live with one parent who is also known as the custodial parent. While the second parent normally has visitation of their child, too. However, in many cases, the second parent is either only seeing the child sometimes or has disappeared from the childs life completely, altogether. Years back, the death of your†¦show more content†¦To begin, single parent families are at a rise in America year after year. The census now shows within a 50 year span single parent families have doubled. If you think about it, that is a substantial amount of growth. At this rate, 50 years from now there will be a shocking amount of single parent families all around the world. 24 percent of white families with children under 18, 37 percent of Hispanic families with children, and 62 percent of African American families are single parented (Schaefer). With that being said, the amount of single parent families is truly growing at a rapid rate. Nearly 160 thousand children are living with single parent families within a year. The census also sees a devastating 1.2 million fall of both parent households. The social problem becomes only greater with the struggle when the situation grows. The only thing to blame for the growing amount of single families is society itself. The way to deal with drugs, crime, poverty, and many other cultural issues is very easy; strengthen actual families. Fix households without fathers and all of the above slowly but surely begins to slow down. Seems a bit far-fetched but is definitively feasible. Studies now a days show that fatherless households cause a major negative impact on the development of children; both socially and emotionally.Show MoreRelatedKids : A Single Parent Home866 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom a single parent home, kids really are less fortunate than those staying in a two parent household. Children in a single parent home don’t have as many option as the children do in a two parent household. The reason I say that is because they are less fortunate and their options on things are low because their isn’t a stable income. Choosing this topic was a good pick for me because I can relate more on the situation and the struggle of being raised with just my mom doing everything. Single parentsRead MoreChildren With A Single Parent Home1689 Words   |  7 PagesToday children that are raised in a single parent home are viewed differently than those who have both parents when being raised. Many think that having both parents at home is very important and the ideal family. â€Å"I n the world today more than a third of the population is being raised with only a mother. These calculations have doubled over time and keeps growing as the days go on (Anderson, 2013).† Some say that being raised by only one parent is impossible, but by statistics it is proven wrongRead MoreEssay on Single Parent Homes2036 Words   |  9 PagesSingle parent homes: How are they affecting our youth? The cause of behavioral and/or emotional problems among our youth could come from being raised in a single parent home. Many children resort to negative acts of behavior because of limited parental supervision within the single parent household. Children are two to three times more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems in single parent homes (Maginnis, 1997). Research and etiology on the problem behaviors in childhood and adolescenceRead MoreSingle Parent Vs. Two Parent Homes1830 Words   |  8 PagesSingle parent vs. two parent homes and the effect it has on their child’s viability, intimacy and conflict in their intimate relationships. Introduction Several years ago mothers normally stayed in the home with their children while the fathers took on the role as sole provider. Family life has changed dramatically over the years. Most families now being dual-income families where both the mother and father work, today it is much more common to see a child being raised by an outside caregiver orRead MoreThe Effects Of Single Parent Home Research961 Words   |  4 PagesFor several years, the focus of much single parent home research has been concentrated on households where the father is not present. Due to the prevalent influence of various psychoanalytical theories, and the enormous amounts of female headed households. Research shows that there are six general effects bestowed upon children who live in single parent homes; regardless of the reason for the single parent status. The six general effects are: †¢ Loss of concentration or attention †¢ DelinquencyRead MoreSingle Parent Homes and Academic Achievement3189 Words   |  13 Pages| Single-Parent Homes | The Effect of Single-Parent Homes on Academic Achievement | | | Abstract Children from single parent homes are not as negatively impacted academically as some in the popular media suggest. The number of children living in single-parent homes has risen dramatically over the last 10 years. Despite prior research stating that single-parenting itself has a negative impact on academic achievement, new findings show that it is other social and environmental factors thatRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency and Single Parent Homes1345 Words   |  6 Pagesamp; Single Parent Homes Juvenile delinquency and single parent homes is an important topic in today’s society given the fact that more and more children are growing up in a home without one parent, whether it be the mother or the father. After all the rate of divorce for first time marriages in America is about 56% and many children growing up sometimes do not even know one parent, typically the father. I chose the subject of juvenile delinquency and single parent homes becauseRead MoreAdvantages and Disadvantages of Single Parent Homes1394 Words   |  6 Pagesof single parent homes. As compared to over forty to fifty years ago, single-parent families are common in today’s world. A single parent is a parent with one or more children, who is not living with any of the children’s other parents. The percentage of children who live with two parents has been declining among all racial and ethnic groups throughout the years. It has been found that children in single-parent homes generally fare worse than those in homes with two parents. In today’s single parentRead MoreSingle Parent Families Vs. Two Parent Homes3398 Words   |  14 Pages 2014 CRJS 490 Single parent homes vs. two parent homes to The increase of Juvenile delinquency It is not uncommon for a child in today’s society to be raised in a single-parent household Compared to peers in intact families, adolescents in single-parent families and stepfamilies seem more likely to engage in delinquency as I research. This relationship appears to be operating through differences in family processes parental involvement, supervision, monitoring, and parent child closeness—betweenRead MoreAre Single Parent Homes a Dysfunctional Model of Family?726 Words   |  3 PagesAre Single Parent Homes a Dysfunctional Model of Family? According to a recent study from CBS, the United States has the highest divorce rate of any country at 45%. Due to this high rate of divorce, many families find that there is an imbalance of family roles in these newly created single parent households. Being a single parent has its own set of challenges for the individual and creates challenges for the family such as, spending smaller amounts of time with your children, having an excessive

Swimming History Essay Example For Students

Swimming History Essay Swimming was invented before recorded history. Humans discovered how to swim by accident. A person probably fell into the water and struggled to shore using a dog-paddle stroke. There was an Egyptian hieroglyph for swimming dating from 2500 BC. The ancient Greeks and Romans made swimming an important part of their military training programs. There have been known swimming contests that were organized in Japan as early as the 1st century BC. During the Middle Ages in Europe, swimming declined in popularity. People felt that the water was contaminated and a source of disease. Not everyone feared the water, however, Louis XI reportedly swam daily in the Seine. During the early 19th century, swimming enjoyed a revival, especially in England, Lord Byron swam the Dardanelles river, to prove that the mythological hero Leander could have done it. Organized competitive swimming began in England in the 1840s. In 1844 the British were surprised when two American Indians demonstrated the efficiency of a method of swimming similar to the modern crawl. The British still swam with the head above the water, a holdover from the days when people believed that the water was contaminated. An overhand stroke was introduced into England in 1873 by J. Arthur Trudgen, who had seen South American Indians using this method to swim really fast. When the flutter kick was introduced, the modern Australian crawl was born, and this stroke has since become the most common and most important swimming stroke. FITNESS COMPONENTS To swim well u need to know how to coordinate your arms and legs to get you through the water. At first you will probably need to have lessons. Also to swim u need agility and just gravity. Swimming also requires balance and quickness in some cases. Not much is needed to know if you want to swim. Swimming improves heart and lung efficiency, enhances muscle strength and endurance, improves flexibility, and reduces stress. Its easy on the joints, and uses more muscles than most other forms of exercise. Although swimming burns a great deal of calories, recreational swimmers tend to lose less weight than would be expected from other types of aerobic activity. Scientists say that cold water removes heat from the body, stimulating appetite to keep the body warm. Exposure to cold water may encourage the body to maintain fat stores for insulation. To lose weight by swimming, its necessary to cut down on the calories you eat, and to swim fast enough and long enough. Swimming can burn more than 660 calories an hour when performed correctly and causes less injuries to joints and muscles than aerobics or jogging. It takes only three hours a week of strenuous swimming to improve flexibility, increase strength and build cardiovascular endurance. Swimming provides a good aerobic workout if 25% of the total laps are performed at maximum intensity. However, only 5% of those who swim do so at an aerobic pace. Although few doubt the aerobic benefits of swimming, studies comparing swimming with jogging, results found that swimmers lost less body fat than joggers. Apparently swimming causes an adjustment in how energy is burned, resulting in the burning of more carbohydrates than body fat. One reason might be that swimmers retain more body fat to insulate and maintain body heat. However, swimming works both the upper and lower body which jogging does not. WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO MASTER IN YOUR SPORT? EXPLAIN HOW THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED. More than half of all Americans cant swim. Drownings claimed 5,200 American lives in 1990 and is the fourth leading cause of accidental deaths for children under 5. Many feel figures are actually higher, since deaths occurring after resuscitation or hospitalization usually arent attributed to the original drowning. Many lives could be saved if people would just learn to swim. Correct swimming doesnt come naturally to the body and cant be learned overnight. .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e , .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .postImageUrl , .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e , .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e:hover , .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e:visited , .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e:active { border:0!important; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e { 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; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e:active , .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .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; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u37ffc010d6d7208af6ac89d42b191b1e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Metamorphosis Essay Those swimmers who are exhausted after half a lap need more instruction. The most common swimming problem is incorrect breathing which causes individuals to expend more energy than necessary. Coordinating breathing with proper head rotation is the key to proficient swimming. Proper instruction is the only way you can learn this, it is the key component to swim well. WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR SPORT? The most unique thing about swimming is the actual racing in the water, you dive off blocks and swim as fast as u can in as many different styles and lengths. BIBLIOGRAPHY Swimming. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. 1996 ed Total immersion swimming Arcticles by Terry Luaghlin .

Professional Wrestling Essays - Professional Wrestling,

Professional Wrestling The topic I have chosen to write about is the world of professional wrestling. There are many reasons as to why this subject has interested me. One major reason is that I grew up watching pro-wrestling on television. As a child, I was fascinated with the spectacle of the wrestling matches and wondered at the wrestlers themselves. At that age, I took wrestling for what it was. It was a full-contact gladiator sport filled with exaggerated and extravagant wrestlers, cocky commentators, and interesting "one-of-a kind" personalities which added up to a high entertainment value. As I got older and more aware of the sport, I did not just see it as another part of sports entertainment but also as a multi-million dollar business which catered to a wide audience. I began to wonder what was it that made this popular genere work and how it was able to attract the crowds of people, young and old. I also wanted to know the history of pro-wrestling. How did it get started and how it became a part o f the American culture? As a fan for several of my childhood years, I now wanted to know the real deal behind wrestling. The professional wrestling sport is a very secretive business. It is on a "what you see is what you get" basis. Many of the fans take the sport for face value and enjoy it for what it is, even if many of them are uninformed on the inside workings of it all. Although many books have been published about wrestling, a high number of them are as cryptic and secretive as the business itself. That is why I am motivated to go into an in-depth research to answer and unravel the questions of the professional wrestling world. Professional Wrestling. Part II: Knowledge andPreconceptions After being exposed to professional wrestling for quite sometime, I became somewhat knowledgeable of the sport. I became familiar with most of the wrestling superstars it produced, notably Hulk Hogan which many consider the icon of pro- wrestling. I was also mindful of the wrestling maneuvers and techniques that were used. Although I knew all this, it was all common knowledge. Through personal experience, the people I know who are fans of the sport only know this basic ideology of its premise. I feel that one major reason for the scarce information on pro- wrestling is due to the lack of media coverage. Wrestling is infamous for blurring the lines between true sport and pure entertainment. Many major news, magazines, and articles rarely cover the wrestling world because of its lack of believability. It is this secrecy and "figure it out for yourself" attitude of the business that brings rise to many enticingquestions. Probably the million dollar question for wrestling is whether of not it is "fake". Many people find the meaning of the word as something being completely unreal. It's things like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy that are fake since they don't exist in real life. Pro-wrestling is part of real life and real life is in no way fake. Furthermore, even if wrestli ng was a staged event, why does it continue to attract its fans for as long as it has? These aren't just ten-year olds who can be easily fooled, but grown adults who spend their hard earned money on live shows, merchandise, and pay-per-view showings. Still, there lies the questions about the wrestlers themselves. These are people who are out there doing a job. There are questions like how much money does a professional wrestler get paid and how does one even get into the business to begin with? These are all the questions, along with many others, that I hope to discover and will hopefully bring arise to many interesting and surprising answers to professional wrestling. Professional Wrestling. Part III: Resources The main resource for professional wrestling have been the wrestling shows themselves. Resources on written text and literature have been quite limited. Many books that have been written are very uninformative or "watered down" because they respect the secrecy of the busines s. Many fans can now turn to "sheets". These are newsletters that contain good information and deal with wrestling

Time Warner Essay

Time Warner Essay Time Warner Essay Time Warner EssayIn actuality, Time Warner is one of the leading media companies in the US holding a strong position in the publishing and cable television. However, at the moment, the company undergoes considerable changes and restructuring in terms of the development of new effective marketing strategies which can help Time Warner to enhance its competitive position and provide the company with an opportunity to accelerate its business development. At this point, one of the main issues that the company faces at the moment is the merger of Time Warner Cable with Comcast, which opens wider opportunities for the further business development of the company. At the same time, the company attempts to separate its publishing business, which has become unprofitable for the company in recent years and now is one of the major causes of the slowdown of its business development. Therefore, Time Warner undergoes consistent changes aiming at the improvement of its marketing performance through r eorganisation, structural changes, separation and the merger that the company expects to lead Time Warner to the new stage in its business development and help the company to break through in the highly competitive business environment.Recently, Time Warner has announced the merger of its Time Warner Cable with Comcast, the leader of the cable television (Quain, 2). In fact, the deal will involve the sale of Time Warner Cable to Comcast. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that, at the moment Time Warner still consist of two major units, the publishing business and cable television unit. Time Warner Cable represents the cable television unit of the company and this unit plans to merge with Comcast. This is an important decision in the business development of the company because it opens new opportunities for the business development of the company after the merger. The merger will involve Comcast, the largest cable television company of the US, and Time Warner Cable, the second largest cable television company in the US (Quain 2). Therefore, their merger will put them in the advantageous position in the US market, while their rivals will hardly be able to reach such a market share as the merged company uniting two behemoths of the industry.In fact, consequences of the merger are apparently very attractive for both Comcast and Time Warner Cable because the new company will have about 70 million subscribers nationwide that is about 30% of the total market share in the US (Quain, 3). The consistent market expansion opens wider opportunities for Time Warner Cable after the merger because the new company will control almost a third of the US cable television market. Therefore, the company can set the pace in the industry, while its further growth and expansion will enhance the position of the new company in the market even more.In such a situation, rivals of the company turn out to be in the absolutely disadvantageous position because not a single rival of the merged company, such as Charter Communications for instance, can even challenge the position of the merged company, while outpacing it is virtually impossible, at least in a short-run perspective. The dominant position of the new company opens wider opportunities for the faster market expansion and taking even a larger share of the market. As a result, Time Warner Cable can make a breakthrough in its business development in the cable television market, in case the merger with Comcast completes successfully. This is why both companies are so interested in the merger because, instead of the fierce rivalry, they can unite their efforts to take not just the lead in the industry but to become the company dominating over the cable television industry.Furthermore, the merger apparently secures the position of the company in the market because rivals will be unable to outpace the company, unless they introduce innovations that will revolutionize the industry. At the moment, there are no such rivals of the company and Time Warner Cable can take the lead after the merger with Comcast. The company can also raise barriers to entry that will decrease the risk of the emergence of new rivals that can potentially threaten to the position in the company and tighten the competition in the industry.On the other hand, the merger may raise the problem of the possible monopolization of the cable television market by the merged company since the company will take the consistently higher share of the market compared to rivals. Moreover, in a long-run perspective the company can increase its market share even more and take dominant or monopolistic position in the market. The monopolization can occur faster, if the company continues the strategy of mergers. However, the monopolization of the market or taking the absolutely dominant position raises the risk of the violation of the anti-trust law and investigation of policies conducted by the company. Therefore, in case of unfair on unreasonable policies of the company, when it takes the dominant position in the market, the company can face the risk of the investigation of its policies under the anti-trust legislation. The company may also face the risk of lawsuits, if its policies will breach existing anti-trust regulations and legal norms. If the company sets unreasonably high price or forces customers to buy extra-products which they do not want to buy, the company is likely to face considerable problems because of the violation of the anti-trust law, as was the case of Microsoft, for instance.However, Time Warner attempts to optimize its performance not only through the merger with Comcast but also through restructuring. For instance, Time Warner Cable spinoff has actually nothing to do with Time Warner since Time Warner Cable has focused on its own development, while Time Warner is a different company now (Flint, 1). Nevertheless, neither company plan to change their name so far, unless the merger agree ment of Time Warner Cable and Comcast may require such a change (Flint, 3). At the same time, the merger is a part of the large scale plan of Time Warner to undergo consistent restructuring. The merger is one of the key elements of the restructuring which allows the company to accelerate its business development through focusing on the cable television market mainly and taking the lead in the market through the merger. This strategy is efficient because Time Warner prioritizes the most profitable part of its business and, more important, enhances its position in the market through the merger.Moreover, Time Warner is also considering the separation of its publishing business, although at the moment, the company is the largest magazine publisher in the US. Nevertheless, the company decided to separate Time Inc. last year (Team, 2). This decision complements the decision of the company to merge Time Warner Cable with Comcast. To put it more precisely, the company refuses from its publi shing business which future may be uncertain for the company and focuses on cable television market entirely. Such a shift maximizes profits and benefits of the company.At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that the move to separate Time Inc. was, in all probability determined by the steady decline of the publishing business of the company. In such a way, the decision to separate Time Inc. from Time Warner was driven by the attempt of the company to preserve only the most prospective elements of its business and become a pure media company. In fact, this means the separation of Time Inc. from Time Warner is a strategically important step, especially in the light of the upcoming merger with Comcast. When the company has just started the procedure of separation, experts (Team 6) believed the separation was driven by pragmatic concerns of Time Warner and its attempts to save costs and attract investors due the better financial performance of the company free of the publishing business burden. What is meant here is the fact that initially, experts (Team, 6) stood on the ground that Team Warner is just trying to save costs and make its financial performance healthier. The step was quite reasonable in light of the declining publishing business which slowed down the business development of Time Warner.On the other hand, cable television was and still is profitable business for the company. More important, cable television is more attractive market for the company and the business of Time Warner in this market keeps growing (Flint, 5). This is why the refusal from the publishing business of the company allows Time Warner to focus entirely on the cable television market. At the moment, the separation of Time Inc. is not completed so far but the company has already started negotiations on the merger with Comcast and this step reveals the intention of the company to accelerate its business development through the enhancement of its position in the most profitabl e industry. Moreover, unlike publishing business, cable television is likely to keep growing in the future. This is why the company can maximize benefits from the merger and shifting its business to the cable television industry mainly.In such a context, the recent merger of Time Warner Cable is a reasonable step since after the completion of the separation of Time Inc. which is likely to be completed this year, the company will merge its more perspective unit, Time Warner Cable, with Comcast becoming one of the leaders in the industry and enhancing its position in the market. This step is strategically important for the company because it elevates the company to the new level in its business development and helps the company to take the lead in the industry and keep growing in the future since the cable television industry is growing.However the merger with Comcast is driven not only by business concerns but also by the lobbying power of Comcast which can accelerate the further bus iness development of Time Warner Cable after the merger (Shields, 3).At the moment Comcast invests abundantly into lobbying and the company has increased the number of lobbyists in the 2000s consistently. The merger with such a company opens new opportunities for Timer Warner Cable to enhance its marketing position, enter new markets and increase its market share.In such a context, there is no surprise that Charter Communications, another behemoth of the media industry, has failed to negotiate the merger with Time Warner Cable and has lost the deal to Comcast (Fung, 4). Charter Communications does not have such a strong lobby as Comcast and, therefore, cannot offer Time Warner Cable such good prospects for the further business development as Comcast does.On the other hand, the merger of Time Warner Cable and Comcast can raise substantial difficulties in face of both companies because the merger will inevitably involve the restructuring of the new company. Comcast and Time Warner Cab le have their own organizational structure and culture, while the merger will raise the problem of their mutual integration. In such a situation, the risk of conflicts within the new, merged company arises because employees working in the company may be resistant to changes or oppose to changes. As a result, the risk of the failure of the merger arises because if employees of the company resist to the change, the company may face substantial difficulties with the overall successful implementation of the change.Furthermore, the restructuring of the company may raise the problem of job cuts and loss of well-qualified professionals, who, in face of the uncertainty in their future after the merger, may just transfer to another company, where they can be absolutely certain in their future. The loss of well-qualified professionals may also create substantial difficulties which the new company will have to overcome. Therefore, the merger is not always the right choice and, in spite of the obvious certainty of Comcast and Time Warner Cable in the overall success of the merger, there are still some risks and threats which may lead to the failure of the merger. At this point, it is possible to refer to other cases when mergers have failed, such as the case of Daimler-Chrysler which was considered to be one of the most prospective and strong alliances in the automotive industry but eventually ended up into the split of the two companies.Thus, at the moment, Time Warner undergoes substantial changes. The company has initiated the separation of Time Inc. which comprises the publishing business of the company. At the same time, the company is about to merge with Comcast that means the shift of Time Warner from diverse business to the relatively narrow focus of the company on cable television business mainly. In such a situation, the refusal from the publishing business is reasonable to enhance the financial performance of the company. Moreover, the merger with Comcast will allow Time Warner Cable to take the leading position in the cable television industry that keeps growing. Therefore, the company will not only optimize its performance but also become the leader of the fast growing industry that will shift the business development of Time Warner to the new, upper level.

How to Water a Tree and When You Shouldnt

How to Water a Tree and When You Shouldn't Few tasks for homeowners are more complicated than knowing if, when and how to water a landscape tree. Much of it depends on the type of tree, your climate, current weather conditions, and a host of other variables. A watering schedule that works well for one tree species in one region of the country can be disastrous for a different tree species or in a different climate region.   Water is the single most essential resource for a trees survival and growth, far more important than fertilizing, disease and pest control, or any other biological need.  Most of us understand the need to water trees during dry times, but what we often forget is that a tree can also be harmed by too much water. Unfortunately, the symptoms for a water-starved tree can appear to be the same as symptoms caused by water-logged tree roots. A tree that is beginning to wilt may be shutting down because too much water has introduced a vascular fungal disease into the roots, for example. In many cases, a homeowner then responds by watering more frequently and more heavily, which can lead to much bigger problems.   Symptoms for both under-watering and over-watering can be the appearance of wilted and scorched leaves. Both conditions can prevent tree roots from effectively transporting water to the top of the tree and the tree will react by wilting. In addition, too much tree water can also shut down sufficient oxygen to the roots. Some tree species can handle wet feet but many trees can not. Always read up on your tree species and learn what it wants and doesnt want in terms of its environment and watering needs.   Trees known for vibrant fall color will show disappointing color in the fall if you overwater them. Bright leaf color is triggered by the naturally dry conditions that occur in the early fall, and a tree that receives too much water during this time of year may respond by disappointing you with its leaf color. To maximize the fall display, keep the tree well-watered during the main part of the growing season, but withhold water in the late summer and early fall. Once the trees leaves have fallen, do water the soil adequately, because you want good soil moisture to be present in the ground going into winter.   How To Water a Tree Supplemental watering during drought conditions can prevent tree decline, pest problems, and non-recoverable damage to tree roots and the  canopy. Young trees recently planted in the landscape and certain drought-prone species need regular watering during dry periods. This essentially means that most trees that have seen no rainfall in a given week should get a hand watering. This is not a hard and fast rule, though, because many native species are adapted to local conditions and may not need extra watering. Consult with a nursery specialist or a member of your state universitys Extension service to learn the needs of your trees.   Depending upon soil texture, the density of water-competing plants found around the tree, daily temperatures, and recent rainfall amounts, about one inch of water per week should keep a tree healthy. Trees should be watered once or at most twice a week in the growing season if there has been no significant rainfall. A few slow, heavy (high-volume) waterings are much better than many short, shallow waterings, because long, infrequent waterings encourage the tree to send out deep, robust roots. Frequent shallow waterings will encourage the tree to rely on shallow, weak roots, which is not to the long-term benefit of the tree.   However, to say that a tree needs deep watering does not mean dumping huge quantities of water on it in within a few minutes. When this is done, much of the water simply sinks through the soil layer past the trees roots and is never taken up by the roots at all. The best deep watering is a slow watering left in place for an hour or so. Turning a garden hose on so it produces a small trickle and leaving the end of the hose a foot or so away from the trunk is ideal. Another excellent method for watering young trees is to use one of the tree-watering bags available. Made from dense flexible plastic or rubber, these bags fit around the lower tree trunk, and when they are filled with water, they allow a slow, steady trickle of water to run down into the earth. This provides the deep, slow watering that is ideal for trees.   All landscape trees should be properly mulched, which means blanketing the area directly under the tree canopy with a 2- or 3-inch layer of organic material, such as shredded wood or compost. This layer of mulch will cool the soil and keep moisture trapped in place. But dont pile the mulch up against the tree trunk, because this will encourage pests and fungal diseases.   Dont Over-Water a Tree! As mentioned, if the trees leaves look wilted or scorched even though you have faithfully been watering, its quite possible that there is too much soil moisture for the tree to handle. This can be a problem in landscape with automatic watering systems that apply water by timer even during weeks when rainfall amounts have been good. The best way to check for wet soil is to dig down 6 to 8 inches and feel the soil. The soil should be cool and slightly moist but not soaking wet. Examining the soil with your hands may also tell you much. You should be able to press most non-sandy soils into a ball with your hands and have it stay together without falling apartthis indicates proper soil moisture.  If the soil ball falls apart when squeezed, then the soil may not have sufficient moisture. If the soil ball you just made will not crumble when rubbed, you either have clay soil or soil that is too wet to crumble. This is an indication of too much water, so watering should be stopped. Neither loose sandy soils nor dense clay soils are ideal for growing most trees, although you may be able to find species well adapted to these soil conditions. In general,  sandy soils will adequately support trees adapted to droughty, low-moisture conditions, while clay soils will work well with trees known to thrive in wet, boggy environments.

Cynthia Cooper and WorldCom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cynthia Cooper and WorldCom - Essay Example This expose elucidates on the appropriate decision that Cynthia should take to deal with this issue. From the onset, it is crucial to point out that the right decision for Cynthia would be reporting these fraudulent acts to her superiors without making the information public. In order to make her case strong, Cynthia should use the findings from the additional investigations she carried out in order to ensure that the exposure has enough merit. However, it is crucial for her to seek another job before taking any action since the decision taken might leave her jobless. Any decision that one might take in such a situation has various implications. One such implication would be on the families affected by the whistle blowing in case of termination of careers and effectively the source of livelihood. Cynthia Hooper is no exceptional and has to consider her career and family and the careers of other employees, something I would do in her shoes. According to Sissela Bok, â€Å"Would-be whistleblowers confront the conflict inherent in all dissent: between conforming and sticking their ne cks out. The more repressive the authority they challenge, the greater the personal risk they take in speaking out† (as cited in Donaldson & Werhane, 2007). In this regard, there is a big risk of one’s livelihood and that of the family and the career of the whistleblower in case the superiors view such acts as dissent. Donaldson and Werhane (2007) further support this idea by stating that, â€Å"When audiences are not free to receive or to act on the information-when censorship or fear of retribution stifles response-then the message rebounds to injure the whistleblower.† The most important reason for reporting the extra findings indicate that Cynthia is showing responsibility by indicating the extra steps taken towards unearthing the truth. When making this decision however, it is crucial for her to remember that she may face accusations

Worker attributes needed in the new economy Assignment

Worker attributes needed in the new economy - Assignment Example However, that is not the case for a large number of students who clear from college or university as hopefuls. There are a number of attributes that have contributed to this job decreasing trend, the major one being the global economy. The global economy in most countries had taken a turn for the worse and in some instances, some nations’ economies have become worst where the labour market has been completely affected and there are no jobs that come by easily. A good example is the USA; over the past few years the economy has been affected by a variety of events such as financing of US soldiers to different parts of the world in a bid to propagate peace, interest accumulations from debts and the changing trends of the global economy in terms of access to energy and natural resources. The extent to which the labour market has been affected is not reversible. This is due to the reason that more and more graduates are completing school and falling into the same problem. Additiona lly, a majority of graduates who graduated almost two years ago are still looking for their preferred jobs. Even those who manage to get their first job out of campus still do not get satisfied with the salaries scale. In a 2009 to 2010 study that was conducted based on the salaries that fresh graduates received after a four year college course, it was realized that on an annual scale, a majority of these graduates earn approximately $ 27,000. When compared to the same survey that was conducted in 2006 to 2008, there was a $ 3,000 decline (Rampell, 2013, p. 175).

Bill Gates And Steve Jobs Essay Example for Free

Bill Gates And Steve Jobs Essay Many people look at Steve Jobs and Bill Gates as two rivals. A lot of opinions can be expressed regarding these two geniuses. The two are celebrities at their own right. Their similarities and differences are emphasized probably because their contributions to the society are both important but are different relative to the other. People were divided as fan of PC and as a fan of Mac. Many people argue that one is better than the other. One type of computer-user says that one is better depending on how you use your computer. For example, gamers find it troublesome to use the Mac while other computer-users find the PC more troublesome than Mac. Although Gates is not Microsoft, as Jobs is not Apple, people commonly think of Gates when we talk of Microsoft, and of Microsoft when we talk about Gates. The same is true for Jobs and his Apple. But how do Gates and Jobs differ from each other? Both were not able to get a college diploma. Despite of that, they were able to become successful and are now household names. They created their own companies which are big companies now, and that goes to show that the two has excellent leadership and managerial skills. Perhaps, their difference lies on their personality and on how they drive their companies to suit the needs of the people. Jobs went to Reed College while Gates went to Harvard. Both Jobs and Gates were college drop-outs. After dropping out from college, Jobs got a job as a technician in a video game manufacturer, Atari. Jobs was given a break when Atari gave him the task to create a circuit board for a video game and he was able to fulfill this task with his friend Wozniak. He got a nice pay with this work. Gates first experience with computers was when he and his friends hack Computer Center Corporation (CCC) to get extra time with the computers. They were caught and were banned by the CCC but, later, CCC hired them to find bugs for their system. Although their job was only to find bugs all over the system, they use their spare time to study about the machines. Jobs did Apple while Gates created Microsoft. The Apple was the first computer to have a graphical user interface and an on-board ROM. Microsoft, as we all know, is very popular software. Both, now, are very wealthy since the day they established their companies. Jobs has CEO position of his company which is a large innovator when it comes to computers, operating systems and softwares. During the beginnings of the apple, Jobs was only a shareholder. Although he was seated as the chairman, the decision of the company was not solely his. He has once left the company to focus not on hardwares but on softwares so he built NextStep. He wanted to have a solution to some computer problems at that time. He wanted to satisfy the needs of education with computers and has once envisioned his new sets of computers to be the computers of college students. He failed on this in a way that the consumers did not want to spend for the latest technology at that time and the NeXTstep computers were really expensive. But the software really helped out programmers so he got good reviews. He, then, formed partnerships with different companies. Apple, then, was getting weaker when Jobs left it. Jobs later returned to Apple some reconsideration. Gates, meanwhile, is a major shareholder of Microsoft. He had never left Microsoft in any way. He was focused on making it big on the market and he was very successful in that. Jobs was focused on innovating. He wanted solutions to problems. He is thinking of the needs of the people when he does his creations. This is his biggest difference with Gates. Gates and Microsoft are interested on marketing. Microsoft is concern on, at least, getting at par with their competitors. If a competitor has done something brilliant, Microsoft would find its way to have a better version of that something brilliant. Gates was often criticized as being more of a businessman than a computer genius. Jobs has once said that it is hurting the computer industry that Microsoft is killing its competitors because that also kills innovation. In fairness to Gates, he gives a lot to those who are needy. He gave millions to institutions in which he believed in. They call Gates a philanthropist for all of his donations to charity. This is one thing admirable to Gates. He has not forgotten about other people. He was sensitive. He gives back what he receives. As a leader, they are both very efficient to create such big companies. They were both able to drive these two companies to success in spite of the many competitions that are coming. They were very good in analyzing the needs of the company and the market. These two individuals show that success comes from determination, right timing, and the drive to attain it. We now have MacBooks with Microsoft in it. In their TV interview, Jobs said that the competition is over between them and that it is time to think of innovations for the future. We should be thankful to these two individuals, who have changed things since their time. We may find them as competitors, but that would be fine for competitions are healthy and it has really made them strive harder to be on top. The competition between the two, if there is, has benefited us. We can expect more from these companies in the near future. Hopefully, they would come up for more things that will make everything more convenient and a solution to security problems. Work Cited: Apple Inc. 2008. Steve Jobs. Retrieved from http://www. apple. com/pr/bios/jobs. html. Brightman, Jason. 2007. After Bill Gates, Five Possible Futures for Microsoft. Retrieved from http://www. pcworld. com/businesscenter/article/147518/after_bill_gates_five_possible_futures_for_microsoft. html. Cobweb Publishing Inc. 2008. The NeXT Years: Steve Jobs Before His Triumphant Return To Apple. Retrieved from http://lowendmac. com/orchard/06/steve-jobs-next-years. html. Mirick, John. 1996. William H. Gates III Before Microsoft. Retrieved from http://ei. cs. vt. edu/~history/Gates. Mirick. html#microsoft.

Television as We Know it Today Essay -- Essays Papers

Television as We Know it Today The Power Rangers, RoadRunner, Bugs Bunny and Yo Sammity Sam. What do all of these have in common? They are all shows upon which we build our child’s playtime. You sit your child in front of the television for hours at a time. They stair at the screen with glossy eyes and total amazement. Yet what is it that they are learning from these shows? It is the hidden message of violence and dysfunction, which keeps children entertained. If you look at all of the shows, which I have mentioned above, they seem to have a common theme. Violence. Whether this message is intended or not is another issue, however, the violence is there. The Power Rangers for example, their mission is to save the planet from evil space monsters. How do they achieve this? By killing the monsters, thus becoming heroes. The RoadRunner, every week he tries to kill Wielly Coyote. He instead gets killed each time, but it is only temporary. Finally we come to Bugs Bunny and Yo Sammity Sam. Each time, Yo Sammity Sam, tries to kill Bugs Bunny, chasing after him with a shotgun. What type of message is this sending to our youth? Children see violence as their entertainment. As adults we know the difference between what is real and what isn’t. Do children know this difference as well? When a character dies but only for a second, do children know this is not how it really is? In one study by a scientist named Linne (Condry p.89) it was found that television these cartoons do effect how children think. Cartoons how the person with power to come out on top as the triumphant winner-of - all. After exposure to violent cartoons children were less likely to share with one another and more likely to use aggression as a means to... ...following that pattern out of belief that we too posses these characteristics. By constantly viewing violent shows we have learned to believe that we live in a violent culture. It allows us to view our own acts of violence as well as others as being normal and acceptable. When we turn on the television we turn on more than just entertainment. We turn on a part of ourselves that is almost subliminally derived. We allow ourselves be impressed upon by the notions of violence being common and acceptable. This notion is something that we keep with us. You may push a button on your television set and watch the screen go dim. However the ideas in your head will long remain once the show is done. Works Cited Condry, John C., The Psychology of Television. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc., New Jersey. 1989. www.geocities.com/dreampackers, April 20, 2000

Leni Riefenstahl: Took advantage of events or swept along Essay

People are swept along by events. Some individuals use events to advantage. This is evident with Leni Riefenstahl as from the earliest accounts of her career it is clear that she was prepared to use others to benefit herself, although while at other times such advancements were not within her control. Historian Steven Bach argues in his book, ‘The Life and work of Leni Riefenstahl’ that Riefenstahl was obsessed with her career and moulding her image. He believes she knew more about Nazism than she would have liked people to believe. Riefenstahl was so driven to be worldly famous and recognised that she didn’t care what the cost. Through the exploitation of people and their money and the use of her beauty and charm Riefenstahl would never have been so artistically successful and innovative. Riefenstahl was willing to do whatever it takes in order to achieve success and accomplished this by exploiting people for their money. In 1923, Riefenstahl acquainted herself with a Jewish banker, Harry Sokal, who manipulated exchange rates. Sokal continually asked Riefenstahl to marry him, but she had no desire to although she acknowledged his wealth and continued the relationship. Riefenstahl used Sokal to finance her dancing career by paying for halls, advertising, and the musicians. Sokal also paid critics to sit in the audience in attempts to gain positive reviews. In order to achieve success Riefenstahl acknowledged that she needed to allow Sokal to finance her and therefore, she took advantage of Sokal when it suited her best. Sokal financed her dance career, but Riefenstahl wanted to get rid of him. Although this would not be the last time she exploits him and his money. Therefore, while Riefenstahl allowed Sokal to finance her movements she was clearly being opportunistic and used events to her advantage. Further evidence of Riefenstahl’s exploitation of people is shown with her clear intentions to succeed within the creative arts industry. After seeing the film, ‘Mountain of Destiny’, Riefenstahl sought out famous film director Arnold Fanck in attempts to establish a career as an actress. Once again financed by Sokal, she travelled to the Dolomite Mountains in order to find Dr. Fanck. Riefenstahl met one of the film’s actors, Luis Trenker, and claimed that â€Å"I’m going to be in your next picture†. Someone who is swept  along by events does not, as Riefenstahl did, plan future actions. Even though she was not in a relationship with Sokal, she further exploited him for his money in order to find Fanck and would again turn to Sokal at times when it was beneficial for advancing her career. Historian Audrey Salkeld offers a different account of events and she doesn’t mention Riefenstahl travelling to the Dolomite Mountains using Sokal’s finance. She says it was a sightseeing tour that turned out to be her â€Å"destiny†. Salkeld suggests that this was Riefenstahl being swept along; opposing the more credible argument that Riefenstahl exploited Sokal in order to find Fanck. Riefenstahl’s willing independence to seek out Fanck and exploit those around her supports her opportunism, however, Riefenstahl’s early relationship with Fanck also acknowledges Salkeld’s claims of being swept along by events. Riefenstahl was not hesitant to exploit tennis pro, Gunther Rahn, who was â€Å"hopelessly in love† with her. She used him to her advantage in arranging the meeting with Fanck that would launch her into the film industry. Fanck instantly admired Riefenstahl’s beauty and, according to Riefenstahl, just three days later he visited her in hospital with a script titled ‘The Holy Mountain, written for the dancer, Leni Riefenstahl’. Once again, Riefenstahl used Sokal to finance the film. Although in Riefenstahl’s defence, Salkald suggests the degree of Fanck’s fascination with her was not within her control. He considered himself her â€Å"Pygmalion† or sculptor, who hoped to make her the â€Å"most famous woman in Germany†. Without Fanck’s dedication to Riefenstahl she would never have been successful in her acting career and would not have learnt how to direct films, thus never being projected to Hitler’s attention. Therefore, in this way Riefenstahl was swept along by events. Some historical perspectives of Riefenstahl, concerning her first project as director on The Blue Light, present her as an opportunist. Riefenstahl exploited scriptwriter Bela Balacs, Fanck as editor and once again Sokal for finance. In order to ensure all creative control was with her, Riefenstahl created Leni-Riefenstahl-Studio-Film GmbH. By making the film through this new company Riefenstahl was ensured all copyrights and credit. Then, while admitting she could not pay him Riefenstahl sought the work from film  theorist Bela Balacs to write the script. Balacs was not resistant to her feminie charm and beauty, which Riefenstahl was never hesitant to use to achieve her goals. When Balacs threatened to sue her over debts, Riefenstahl referred the case to anti-Semitic Julius Streicher. Her letter to the district administrator transferred â€Å"power of attorney in the matter of the claims of the Jew Bela Balacs.† (Bach) This shows that Riefenstahl was opportunistic by playing on the fact that Balacs was Jewish and ensured she would never have to pay him. Therefore, Riefenstahl exploited whomever she could for her own personal gain. Riefenstahl’s willing attendance at a Hitler rally supports her opportunism, discrediting claims that she was swept along by events. At the rally she found Hitler intriguing, describing the experience â€Å"like being struck by lightning† (Bach). While Riefenstahl claimed she â€Å"rejected his racial ideas† she wrote to Hitler just days before an important press event on her film ‘S.O.S Iceberg’. Riefenstahl agreed to meet with Hitler on May 22 at Wilhelmshaven. This excitement to meet with Hitler supports the idea that she saw within the Nazis an opportunity, whether it was based on anti-Semitic ideals or purely artistic. Riefenstahl says that during the meeting Hitler announced â€Å"once we come to power you must make my films.† Riefenstahl claims to have denied the request, but it is unlikely as she fought and seduced to get the film role. Salkeld says that Riefenstahl was being an opportunist as this stage, commenting â€Å"she had the ability to create opportunities for herself, to fashion her own destiny†. Therefore, Riefenstahl was caught up in the exhilaration of the Nazi movement, however, exploited the momentum to establish her position within the Nazi movement for the time when Hitler would take power. Riefenstahl’s self-interested motives continue to be exposed during her direction of the award winning Triumph of the Will. From Riefenstahl’s first meeting with Hitler in 1932, she claimed she could not make his films because she needed â€Å"a very personal relationship with the subject matter. Otherwise she couldn’t be creative†. (Bach) Riefenstahl’s direction of Triumph of the Will would suggest that she did have that â€Å"personal relationship with the subject† which is supported by historian Susan Sontag,  arguing that â€Å"Riefenstahl was glorying Nazism not only from direction of her superiors but from her own personal fondness for the party and their ideals.† This explains why Riefenstahl acted so opportunistically to accept the project months in advance. Walter Traut, production manager on Triumph of the Will, also supports this idea in stating â€Å"Leni Riefenstahl was not ordered†¦ She asked to do this picture.â €  (Bach) Therefore, Riefenstahl used events for her own benefit. Riefenstahl exploited both Hitler and Goebbels in order to receive the huge budgets she demanded which is presented through her film of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, Olympia, where she negotiated with Goebbels and the Propaganda Ministry to secure 1.5 million reichsmarks. Due to her bad book keeping and unnecessary expenditure she spent all of the money before production of the film had concluded. In attempts to secure more money, Riefenstahl exploited her ability to go directly to Hitler himself. She â€Å"wept unrestrainedly† to persuade him to give her an additional half a million reichsmarks. Therefore, this shows her using events for her own benefit by exploiting others around her, including the Fuhrer himself. Varying historians’ perspectives present Leni Riefenstahl in many ways. While many regard Riefenstahl a Nazi propagandist, an opportunist, others see Riefenstahl as a female pioneer, responsible for incredible cinematic innovation. Within her life there are many occasions where Riefenstahl showed opportunism in order to advance herself, while at other times such advancements were not within her control.

My First Morning At School

It was the 17th March 1997. My first day of school. I dragged myself out of bed at 7:30 am. I went to the toilet to wash my face, where I saw a big red spot on my forehead: that was the first sign of bad luck. I heard my mum coming out of her room:, â€Å"Are you ready for your big day?† â€Å"No†, I moaned anxiously, pretending to be sick. â€Å"You are going to school today, so don't even try it!†. My mum could see right through me, and knew I wasn't sick. I was really scared as I stepped through the front gates of what was about to be my new school, counting every step I took. My mum led me to the general office; we were 20 minutes late. I was really scared. I started to shake. My heart started beating twice as fast. I knew all of the children were already inside the classroom. They were going to watch every move I made. We were kept inside the office for about half an hour. Shortly after came a frightening old women with grey hair, who looked remarkably like Cinderella's step mother. She came in and said to my mother, â€Å"Are you Miss Omar?† â€Å"Yes†, my mum said, sounding like a robot boring and repetitive, a blank expression on her face. â€Å"Come follow me. Right this way,† the women said, very happily. My mum and I followed her as she led us to my new classroom. She opened the door really slowly, causing the old and rotten door to make a terrifying noise. This attracted all the students' attention. I was really embarrassed as I stood outside of the classroom. She went in and called the leading classroom teacher outside for a moment, to have a word with my mum. I was told to introduce my mother and myself, and teacher introduced herself; her name was Ms.Willis. I went inside the classroom with my teacher. Even though I was taller than most of them I felt as though I was surrounded by giants. Ms. Willis told everyone to sit on a nasty dirty carpet that had chewing gum all over it, which was at the back of the classroom, and told me to introduce myself to introduce myself to everyone. We were told to sit in alphabetical order: I was told to sit next to three girls. I was really nervous because they kept on looking at my forehead. I got really angry, and said, â€Å"Stop it!† in a really deep and angry voice. They were shocked and had puzzled expressions. My teacher came to me with a blank exercise book and a reading book, â€Å"Can you read?† I nodded my head knowing little of what she meant. â€Å"Read this book for me†, Ms. Willis said. I read the book with an awkward accent. She gave me the exercise book and told me to write my name, maths and 5W, because that was my class's name. It was 12:00 pm. My teacher shouted out, â€Å"Stop what you are doing and line up outside†. I followed everyone as they stopped and lined up outside, and stood at the back of the line. My teacher came out locked the door and led us to this big shiny stairwell. It was so clean and shiny you could see your reflection on the floor. I stepped inside the stairwell: it was reeking of expired food. Every step I took, the smell was getting worse and worse. We finally got inside the dinner hall. It was big: there were 14 long tables inside it. You would have to be quiet to get your lunch but my table was noisy so we didn't get to go first. We eventually got there I felt humiliated by the food the school was offering. It looked like food that was cooked yesterday. That was the final humiliation of the day.

Definition and Examples of Common Case in English

Definition and Examples of Common Case in English In English grammar, common case is the ordinary base form of a noun- such as a cat, moon, house. Nouns in English have only one case inflection: the possessive (or genitive). The case of nouns other than the possessive is regarded as the common case. (In English, the forms of the subjective [or nominative] case and the objective [or accusative] case are identical.) See Examples and Observations below. Also, see: CaseInflectionNotes on Nouns Examples and Observations The one thing that doesnt abide by majority rule is a persons conscience.(Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960)A mans character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.(Mark Twain)Peoples backyards are much more interesting than their front gardens, and houses that back on to railways are public benefactors.(John Betjeman)Common Case and Possessive CaseNouns such as man inflect not only for number but also for the distinction between genitive case and common case. The uninflected form man is in the common case. By contrast, in the mans hat, mans is said to be in the genitive (or possessive) case. The term case is a traditional term in the description of classical languages, where it is a topic of much greater complexity than it is in English. For instance, in Latin, there are as many as six different case distinctions for nouns. English nouns have very little variability of this kind; we must guard against attributing to English nouns as many ca ses as there are for Latin ones.(David J. Young, Introducing English Grammar. Hutchinson Education, 1984) The Vanished Case[A]ll nouns are said to be in the common case- the grammarians way of pronouncing them caseless. His common means that the one form serves every possible use- subject, object of verb, indirect object, object of preposition, predicate complement, appositive, vocative, and even interjection. The grammarian is in effect asserting that case, except as it survives vestigially in a few pronouns, has disappeared from English. . . .Common case describes nothing and analyzes nothing. But grammar is essentially analytic; it names things not for the fun of having a nomenclature but so as to understand the relations of working parts. One can analyze an English sentence without using the word case; what matters is to know that a given word is subject or object, and of what it is the one or the other.(Wilson Follett, Modern American Usage, revised by Erik Wensberg. Hill and Wang, 1998)

Hierakonpolis (Egypt) - Largest Predynastic Community in Egypt

Hierakonpolis (Egypt) - Largest Predynastic Community in Egypt Hierakonpolis (City of the Hawk and known anciently as Nekhen) is a large predynastic and later town site located 113 kilometers (70 miles) north of Aswan on a 1.5 km (.9 mi) stretch of the west bank of the Nile river in Upper Egypt. It is the largest pre- and proto-dynastic Egyptian site discovered to date. Hierakonpolis was first occupied at least as long ago as the Badarian period beginning about 4000 BC. The predynastic part of the site includes cemeteries, domestic areas, industrial zones and a ceremonial center, called prosaically HK29A. The city contained multiple complex settlements, with dwellings, temples, and cemeteries. Most of the Predynastic occupation of the site dates between about 3800 and 2890 BC, during the periods known as the Naqada I-III and the first dynasty of Old Kingdom Egypt. It reached its maximum size and importance during Naqada II (Naqada is sometimes spelled Nagada). Predynastic Chronology Terminal Predynastic (Naqada III or Proto-Dynastic) (ca 3300-3050 BC)Late Predynastic (Naqada II or Gerzean) (ca 3650-3300 BC)Middle Predynastic (Naqada I or Amratian) (ca 3900-3650 BC)Early Predynastic (Badarian) (ca 5000-3900 BC) Buildings at Hierakonpolis Perhaps the most famous building in Hierakonpolis is an elaborate Gerzean period tomb (3500-3200 BC), called the Painted Tomb. This tomb was cut into the ground, lined with adobe mud brick and its walls were then elaborately paintedit represents the earliest example of painted walls known to date in Egypt. On the tomb walls were painted images of Mesopotamian reed boats, attesting to Predynastic contacts with the eastern Mediterranean. The Painted Tomb likely represents the burial place of a proto-pharaoh. The more typical residential structures at Hierakonpolis are partly intact mudbrick-constructed pottery kilns and post/wattle-construction houses. One particular rectangular Amratian house excavated in the 1970s was built of posts with wattle and daub walls. This dwelling was small and semi-subterranean, measuring roughly 4x3.5 m (13x11.5 ft). Ritual Structure HK29A Discovered in the 1985-1989 excavations by Michael Hoffman, HK29A is a complex of rooms surrounding an oval open space, believed to represent a predynastic ceremonial center. This set of structures was renovated at least three times over its uselife during the Naqada II period. The central courtyard measures 45x13 m (148x43 ft) and was surrounded by a fence of substantial wooden posts, which was later augmented or replaced by mud-brick walls. A pillared hall and a tremendous number of animal bone suggests to researchers that feasting took place here; the associated refuse pits include evidence of a flint workshop and nearly 70,000 potsherds. Animals The wild animals found in and around HK29A include moslluscs, fish, reptiles (crocodile and turtle), birds, Dorcas gazelle, hare, small bovids (sheep, ibex and dama gazelle), hartebeest and aurochs, hippotamus, dogs and jackals. Domestic animals include cattle, sheep and goats, pigs, and donkeys. While ceremonial feasting almost certainly did occur within the halls of KH29A, Linseele et al. (2009) argue that the presence of large, dangerous and rare animals suggests a ritual or ceremonial presence as well. Additionally, healed fractures on some of the wild animal bone indicate they were held in captivity for a prolonged period after their capture. Cemetery at Locality 6 The Pre-dynastic cemetery at Locality 6 in Hierakonpolis contains not just Egyptians but a wide variety of animal burials, including wild anubis baboon, elephant, hartebeest, jungle cat (Felis chaus), wild donkey, leopard, crocodile, hippopotamus, auroch and ostrich, as well as domesticated donkey, sheep, goat, cattle, and cat. Many of the animal graves are near to or within larger tombs of the human elite of the early Naqada II period. Some were buried deliberately and carefully in their own graves either singly or groups of the same species. Single or multiple animal graves are found within the cemetery itself, but others are near architectural features of the cemetery, such as enclosure walls and funerary temples. More rarely, they are buried within a human tomb. Some of the other cemeteries at Hierakonpolis were used for burying elite personages between the Amratian through Protodynastic periods, a consistent use of almost 700 years. By about 2050 BC, during Egypts Middle Kingdom, a small community of Nubians (called C-Group culture in the archaeological literature) were residing at Hierakonpolis, and their descendants live there today. A C-Group cemetery at Locality HK27C is the northernmost physical presence of Nubian culture identified in Egypt to date. Excavated in the early 21st century, the cemetery has at least 60 known tombs, including a few mummified individuals, within an area measuring 40x25 m (130x82 ft). The cemetery shows distinctive architectural features of Nubian society: a stone or brick-ring around the burial shaft; the placement of of Egyptian and hand-made Nubian pottery above ground; and remnants of traditional Nubian dress, including jewelry, hairstyles, and fine colored and perforated leather garments. Nubian Cemetery The Nubians were enemies of the Middle Kingdom elite Egyptian power source: one of the puzzles is why they were living in the city of their enemy. Few signs of interpersonal violence are evident on the skeletons. Further, the Nubians were as well fed and healthy as the Egyptians living at Hierakonpolis, in fact both males and females were more physically fit than the Egyptians. Dental data supports this group as being from Nubia, although their material culture, like that of their home country, became Egyptianized over time. The HK27C cemetery was used between the early 11th Dynasty through the early 13th, with the most burials dated to the early 12th Dynasty, C-Group phases Ib-IIa. The cemetery is to the northwest of the rock-cut elite Egyptian burials. Hierakonpolis and Archaeology Hierakonpolis was first excavated in the 1970s and 1980s by the American Museum of Natural History and Vassar College under the direction of Walter Fairservis. An international team led by Renee Friedman has been working at the site, detailed in  Archaeology  magazines  Interactive Dig. The famous  Narmer palette  was found in the foundation of an ancient temple at Hierakonpolis, and is thought to have been a dedicatory offering. A life-sized hollow copper statue of Pepi I, the last ruler of the 6th Dynasty  Old Kingdom, was discovered buried beneath the floor of a chapel (Illustrated in the photo). Sources By all means, see the  Hierakonpolis project site  for detailed information about ongoing studies at the site. This article is part of the guide to the  Egyptian Predynastic period. Friedman R. 2009.  Hierakonpolis Locality HK29A: The Predynastic Ceremonial Center Revisited.  Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt  45:79-103. Friedman R, Judd M, and Irish JD. 2007. The Nubian cemetery at Hierarkonpolis, Egypt. Results of the 2007 Season.  Sudan Nubia: The Sudan Archaeological Research Society  11:57-72. Hoffman MA. 1980.  A Rectangular Amratian House from Hierakonpolis and Its Significance for Predynastic Research.  Journal of Near Eastern Studies  39(2):119-137. Irish JD, and Friedman R. 2010.  Dental affinities of the C-group inhabitants of Hierakonpolis, Egypt: Nubian, Egyptian, or both?  HOMO - Journal of Comparative Human Biology  61(2):81-101. Linseele V, Van Neer W, and Friedman R. 2009.  Special Animals from a Special Place? The Fauna from HK29A at Predynastic Hierakonpolis.  Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt  45:105-136. Marinova E, Ryan P, Van Neer W, and Friedman R. 2013.  Animal dung from arid environments and archaeobotanical methodologies for its analysis: An example from animal burials of the Predynastic elite cemetery HK6 at Hierakonpolis, Egypt.  Environmental Archaeology  18(1):58-71. Van Neer W, Linseele V, Friedman R, and De Cupere B. 2014.  More evidence for cat taming at the Predynastic elite cemetery of Hierakonpolis (Upper Egypt).  Journal of Archaeological Science 45:103-111. Van Neer W, Udrescu M, Linseele V, De Cupere B, and Friedman R. in press.  Traumatism in the Wild Animals Kept and Offered at Predynastic Hierakonpolis, Upper Egypt.  International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.

Fundamentals of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

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The rewards of living a solitary life by May sarton Research Paper

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Effect of Product Placement in Films

Effect of Product Placement in Films CHAPTER II: Literature Review Product placement Product placement in movies is no new phenomenon as Lehu (2007), describes product placement as the location or more accurately the integration of a product or a brand into a film or televised series. This form of advertising has been around for sometime although its not traditional advertising it speaks to an audience in a different form of communication which is either in your face or subliminal messages. Product placement comes in a number of different forms including visual, audio and a combination of the two combined. Visual product placement Is a visual representation of a brand in a movie, This includes strategically positioning a brand in the background or being used by the actor of a scene, displaying a billboard or some other form of visual advertisement in a scene, and any other visual representation of a brand-name product without any relevant message or sounds on the audio track which draw attention to the product (Gupta Lord, 1998). An example of this is Daniel Craig u sing a Sony Vaio in the movie Casino Royal (2006). See Appendix A. Audio representation of a brand can be the mention of the product in script but not necessarily shown on screen for example the movie Wall Street (1987) where Martin Sheens character says to a server, Get this kid a Molson Light (Gupta Lord, 1998). In combining these two formats Gupta and Lord (1998) defines audio-visual placement as the visual appearance of a brand with a verbal mention of the brand name or a brand- relevant message for example The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas is seen and talked about in the movie Oceans eleven (2001) (Lehu 2007). Product placement, as a marketing tool, has many advantages due to its captive audience, the social nature that it is being viewed in and the lack of clutter, such as other advertisements (Dunnett Hoek, 1996). This form of communication is described as being an effective technique as Jhonson (2009) explains For subliminal suggestion to be effective an individual must be relaxed and open to suggestion. The subconscious mind is more open to suggestion when a person is relaxed. This practice has not gone without controversy, however, as its use is often debated by moviegoers and media experts. While some moviegoers feel that the use of product placement enhances a film by adding to its realism (Govani 1999). Others see the practice as an invasive one that sews itself a new seam in the blanket of brands that covers a strong consumer-based society (Phillips Purdie 1993). Some supporters of the practice argue that product placement allows them to relate to the characters (DeLorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999) Product placement strategy Strategy Dates back a few decades, in an example where Joan Crawford is drinking Jack Daniels whisky in the 1945 production Mildred pierce (Wasko 1995). Back in these earlier times product placement was a casual affair, property masters would contact a local Jack Daniels distributer asking for the product to be used in the film. Today the product placement is more deliberate and sophisticated, Divisions dedicated to paying to have their goods inserted strategically into movies are of the norm for large corporations this is to gain access to what is seen as a glamorous medium with a relatively captive audience. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are amongst a number of companies who have formed in house divisions dedicated directly to product placement or Hollywood advertising (Wasko 1995). The belief of companies associated with product placement is that if a movie grosses $50 million, the advertiser has reached an audience of 13.7 million in theatre viewers, assuming this the movie will likely sell in DVDS/Videos adding additional impressions per placement along with celebrity credibility bought by the use of the product. (Wasko 1995). Kardes (2008) adds to the argument by stating that When a brand is shown in a movie it is definitely seen but a broadcast commercial can be skipped via the fast forward button on a DVR. However narrative coherence can be disrupted by strategies used to market products. Music videos related to films is used as an example The promotion of some features is helped by the use of videos featuring music from the film, examples include Flashdance (1983) , Footloose (1984), Purple Rain (1984), staying alive (1983) and The Bodyguard (1992) (King 2002). In these films the excess created by the conjunction of music and image creates a module separa te from the narrative, working against the sequential structuring of the film. Product placement within the Hollywood film industry Product placement increased dramatically since the appearance of Reeses Pieces in the 1982 Movie E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial caused the sales of the product to increase by 68%. (Balasubramanian et al 2006). Today product placement in movies is highly noticeable. In the film Minority Report (2002) at least 15 brands where placed, including Nokia, Pepsi and Lexus. In Die Another Day (2002) there were cameos from Jaguar, Aston Martin and Thunderbird, which are all owned by the Ford motor group (Jobber 2004). However alongside soft drinks one of the most common products placed in movies are cars. BMW invested ÂÂ £20 million on the placement of its Z3 roadster within the movie Goldeneye (1995) and the use of other advertising media to support the placement and create awareness (Fill 2005) Gupta and lord (1998) focus on studies concerning recall of brands placed within movies that have been undertaken; they found that prominent placements achieved higher levels of recall. Morton and Friedman (2002) mention that any contact with a brand in a film will help influence purchasing decisions. It is argued by Joachimsthaler and Aker (1997) that visibility of brands are underestimated as it signals leadership, quality and success, people like to know brands even if they have never used them. This appears to indicate that the primary benefit of placement in movies is the increase of brand recognition. Consumer behaviour Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups or organisations and the process they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. (Sharma, A. 2006). The study of consumer behaviour helps organisations improve their marketing strategies by understanding the psychology behind consumer thoughts, feelings and by understanding his or her environment all which have an effect on the action towards a brand or product. Tyagi and Kumar (2004) state that there is a relationship between consumer behaviour and his attitudes, communication with him and how to motivate him. Family, social and cultural dimensions of consumer behaviour have a role to play. Product placement isnt about sales its about brand awareness claims expert Samuel Turcotte. (Galician 2004). Whilst awareness may be generated attitudes and perception also start to form towards the brand. Attitude formation can be on the bases of cognitive responses to stimuli or information of other sources; cognitive thoughts are responses we have to a communication. Positive thoughts will generally have a positive affect on attitudes whereas negative thoughts will have negative attitude formation (Hoyer Macinnis, 2008). Age has another implication on attitudes and perceptions of product placement. In their 1999 study, DeLorme, Reid, and Zimmer interviewed younger audiences (aged 18-21) and older audiences (aged 35-48) in a bid to compare different views on product placement. A number of focus groups resulted in the finding of distinct and diverse perspectives among many of the study samples. According to their research, (DeLorme, Reid, and Zimmer 1999) found that older audiences generally perceive product placements as implications of a changing society and the current use of product placement was an indication of a major cultural shift, according to the study older moviegoers associated brand props with feelings of insecurity, frustration, and fear of change (DeLorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999, p.24) various examples of such feelings were provided. On the other hand younger moviegoers perceive product placement as Associated with an invitation to cultural belonging and feelings of emotional security. (De Lorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999, p. 28) The younger generation grew up in a consumer-based society that is bombarded with advertisements and other promotional items, the younger generation does not generally place a heavy emphasis on product placements. However viewers are generally positive about the placement of product in movies. GÃÆ'Â ¼nnemann (2008) explains that product placement for the automobile industry can positively affect consumers perception of certain automobile brands image as a purchasing factor. He also looked at preference of product placement over advertising for automobiles, which showed European consumers have greater preference of product placement than their American and Asian counterparts where as American consumers on the other hand are the strongest proponents of product placement being more authentic than advertising, whilst Asian consumers have the lowest value in both categories. A study by Nebenzahl, Secunda (1993) on the attitude of film audiences showed that the majority of those interviewed preferred product placement over other forms of promotions because it was unobtrusively integrated into the film. The small minority who object are on ethical grounds. They perceive product placement as a clandestine approach which deludes the consumer and they believe this practice should be forbidden. (Pattyn, 2000). Brand Association: Contexts and Celebrities Williams (2004) shows that placements are contextually integrated and therefore are non-invasive, placement are therefore seen as an experience rather than an advertisement. Contextual integration can be achieved by product placement through character development and plot advancement in films, and product placement can also offer the chance of celebrity endorsement. Nelson and McLeod (2005) show that the credibility of an advertisement depends on the sources credibility; differing views on differing sources can alter the way in which a brand is perceived. The use of celebrities has the ability to influence the source credibility of a brand (Sawyer 2006). This can be achieved by tapping into the celebritys equity (Zyman 2002). Such use of celebrities or actors enables their personality to rub off on the product. (Rust and Varki 1996). This will have the effect of enhancing the brand personality. The use of a highly credible and recognised person can therefore influence levels of exper tise and trust worthiness. Ohanian (1991) found that the perceived expertise of celebritys actually increased purchase intentions, even though the celebrity may have no actual knowledge of the product. It appears here that the product placement allows the attractiveness of a brand to be increased through association with a particular individual, even if that individual would have little actual knowledge or expertise in relation to the product or brand. Ethicality behind product placement Gupta and Gould (1997) define ethically-charged products (or emotionally charged products) as products which especially arouse ethical concern and differences across consumers regarding their marketing and consumption the practice of product placement is sometimes referred to as unethical since audiences are rarely informed that they are watching paid advertising when they presume they are watching creative programming playing on peoples susceptibility (Plaisance 2009). The common ethical concern in many articles is the notion that product placement constitutes a form of subliminal advertising, since products are integrated into films, but no disclaimer is present that warns the viewer of any form of advertising in the film (Gupta Gould, 1997; Snyder, 1992; Nebenzahl Secunda,1993). The practice of product placement could be described as misleading as advertisers interest and intention to influence the viewer may be concealed behind something else, in the case of movies, the context of the story. Among the most controversial subjects, however, is the use of ethically-charged products in film. The most common discussed are the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and guns, this due to the potentially harmful implications their exposure can have on someone. A 1997 study shows some individuals impressions of such placements in films. The study measures undergraduate college students views regarding the acceptability of placing cigarettes, alcohol, and guns in movies. Results indicate that the acceptability of cigarettes, alcohol, and guns are 41.3%, 60.3%, and 38.7%, respectively (Gupta Gould, 1997). There is much concern over cigarette brands being placed in movies, a common argument cites a mandate made and enforced by the United States Surgeon General. It requires that all cigarette ads feature a health warning, making known the products potential hazards to the viewer. Surgeon General health warnings, however, are not found on films that feature these placements (Basil, 1997). Another common concern is that the use of these products will encourage the movies viewers to adopt smoking as a habit. (Basil 1997) and Everett, Schnuth, and Tribble (1998) cite Social Cognitive Theory in their respective articles. This states that through observation we learn a lot. Since moviegoers are actors smoking cigarettes (and in some cases adopting specific brands), and since this is usually portrayed in movies as glamorous the moviegoers may possibly be drawn to the habit (Basil,1997; Everett, Schnuth, Tribble, 1998). Research objectives Investigate attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of viewers towards products and brands after exposure to product placement in movies. Analyse viewers opinions on the ethical issues of product placement in movies. Examine the role of products in movies as a strategic marketing tool. CHAPTER III: Methodology This chapter refines and justifies the methodology deployed in this study. The process for gathering data focused more on that of a qualitative strategy however a quantitative means was also implemented, with the focus on consumer research and understanding consumer thoughts and feelings. The research identified issues such as why consumers have the attitude or perception towards a product or brand which they have experienced through viewing product placement in movies, underlining issues such as acknowledgement, deciphering the message, and even perceptions and attitudes that are based on emotional and cultural feelings sometimes we have a favourable attitude toward an offering simply because it feels good or seems right (Hoyer Macinnis 2008). The quantitative approach was in the form of a questionnaire distributed to 18-25 year olds, the questionnaires allowed data from the focus groups to be tested and extended by from input from a wider range of participents, results are discussed in chapter 4. Qualitative approach Focus groups Focus groups are a form of group interviewing that allows data to be generated through the benefit of communication between research participants (Pope Mays). The qualitative approach was incorporated because of its ability to capitalise on group interaction that provided distinctive types of data. This study is based on consumer attitude and perceptions towards products placement and arising ethical issues, therefore it is only suited that this approach was used as it allows for deeper discussion to take place with point of views coming across from different backgrounds and cultural values and group norms are emphasised. using a qualitative focus groups would produce a greater depth of information rather than just relying on the questionaire with pre-determined responses The two focus groups were used to achieve the following: Investigate attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of viewers towards products and brands after exposure to product placement in movies. Analyse viewers opinions on the ethical issues of product placement in movies. Participants Two focus groups were conducted in an attempt to gather data on consumer attitudes and perceptions and the other on a discussion around ethics. Both focus groups followed the same procedure however groups were split into two, Group A and Group B. This was done to ensure that every subject got the chance to participate and wasnt overshadowed by the over enthusiastic; small groups offer more of an opportunity for people to talk and are more practical to set up and manage (Litosseliti 2003). 6 individuals were selected for each group, Participants from Both Group A and B were selected on the bases of being from different cultural backgrounds and being socially connected. This is because it is important to understand that cultural backgrounds can have an effect on opinions, and it maximises the possibility of exploring the subject from different perspectives (Kitzinger 1995 cited in Litosseliti 2003 P4). It was important for participants to be socially connected to ensure good group dyna mics, this helped the participants be more comfortable and open towards discussion. The selection criteria was18-25 male and females, Gupta and Gould (1997) noted that many products possess gender identifications (p.39). The researchers hypothesized that males generate more favourable responses to products that are depicted as possessing masculine qualities. Therefore the ratio of male to female will be 50:50. This will allow data to be gathered and discussed from both point of views. The advantages of focus groups as shown by Patton (1990) are the checking that takes place within the group that eliminates false views and it is easy to establish consistent views. Group A focused on discussion and questions targeted towards viewers attitudes and perceptions whilst Group B was a discussion on ethical issues. Both groups were shown two movies in one sitting this was time efficient as opposed to showing both movies twice. The movies shown were Iron Man 2 (2010) and Transformers (2007), the movies were chosen for the large amount of products placed with over 45 placements in each movie. The movies were shown in whole as opposed to clips containing products placed, this was to show the product placements in the context of the movie rather than showing clips where the products were dominant. Showing clips of the movie where products were dominant would have emphasised on the product this could have misrepresent the findings as the goal was to evaluate them within the who le movie experience. At the end of both movies the discussion commenced on consumer attitudes and perceptions with Group A, followed by the discussion with Group B on ethical issues. Participents were encouraged to use product placement in other movies as well as the two shown as examples for discussion if they could recall them and the discussion was not based entirely on the movies shown. This allowed participents to discuss product placement that may have been potryaed in a different fashion for example: the use of different actors, characters or setting. It was taken into consideration that the time difference between conducted Group A and B could have an impact on the level of debate given that Group B had to wait, however all participants were University students on the same campus and the study was conducted on University grounds giving the other group time to go elsewhere and continue with other activities whilst they waited. There were a set number of questions used for each focus group and Each individual was required to participate and provide some input to increase the depth of discussion. A simple format of question then discussion was used, questions that arose from discussion would keep the conversation flowing. Conversation flowed freely in order to discover what the subjects found to be interesting and to explore wider attitudes but conversation was re-directed by the moderator when it was felt to be unproductive or pointless (Bryman 2004). It was made clear to participants prior to the discussion that there was no right or wrong answer in an effort to remove social desirability, what the respondent thinks they should say rather than feel (Black 1999). Both discussions were recorded using a CD recorder and were later analysed with key points noted for each discussion. A full play by play transcription was not practical due to the large amount of dialogue and it is felt that a full transcript woul d have broken up narrative flow, however a shorter version of the transcript highlighting key points and questions asked is available in the appendix (())))) by noting key points only it is felt that analysing content is much easier, Bryman (2001) claims that transcribing and coding leads to a loss of context. Quantitative research Questionnaires Questionnaires allow the participant to respond to a set number of questions, questions can be open ended or closed ended, and for the purpose of this particular research aspect closed ended questions were used. A closed ended question is amicable when the dimensions of a variable have been diagnosed. Closed ended questions expose participants to the same response categories and allow standardized quantitative statistical analysis (Johnson Christensen 2010). The purpose of the questionnaire was to expand further on the data that was concluded from the focus groups (this will be discussed further in chapter 4). The questionaires focused on getting participant responses for the purpose of conformatory research (Johnson Christensen 2010) in which specific data from the focus groups was tested. This gave the results more creadability and the questionnaire would allow the study to benefit from areas of investigation that the focus groups may have failed to answer or provide enough infor mation on. 100 questionnaires were distributed around university campuses as this was the most convienent location to find participents that meet the 18-25 demographic, however it was guaranteed that that all participents would be of the age 15 questions were composed and pre, the questionnaire can be viewed in the appendix (p)))) One to one interviews Interviews will aim to meet objective The research method that will be used here is one to one interviews with either product placement agencies or companies such as Sony. These interviews will be telephone based as availability to meet face to face with businesses is a little tricky given the time frame. Given the tendency for businesses to turn down students the agency or business that is to be selected will depend on the rate at which each representative replies. The Interviews will allow these companies to convey product placement from a strategic point of view and explain the practice from their own situation, perspective and in their own words. The interviews are based on not only conversation of product placement but with an aim to generate responses from the interviewee on intended consumer behaviour. The procedure will be to follow a script for the interview investigation which can be outlined by characterising a methodological awareness of questions, a focus on the dynamics of interaction between interviewer and interviewee, and also critical attention to what is said. CHAPTER IV: Results, analysis and discussion Introduction This chapter will focus on presenting and discussing the findings from the research conducted. Due to the large amount of field work that was employed for the purpose of the study, results from both the focus groups and the questionnaires will be compared and contrasted leading to the denouement of the findings. Analysis will be based on the most pertinent data that was found. qualitative researchers needs to communicate the findings in an honest and systematic manner, disseminating the richness of the findings and hence the experience of the researchers. (Easterby-Smith et al. 2002). Discussion has been categorised in three sections, each section will address the research objectives of this study and how the findings have helped in achieving those objectives. Attitudes and perceptions towards product placement will be analysed and discussed first highlighting the points that were extracted from both quantitative and qualitative research, followed by the discussion on ethical issues towards product placement practice. Finally the interview with the industry specialist will be discussed, analysing the role of product placement in moves as a strategic marketing tool. The data that formed this discussion can be viewed in the appendix ( ) Consumer attitudes and perceptions The first area of study was the attitudes and perceptions of viewers between the ages of 18-25 towards product placement in Hollywood movies and the products or brands that are being placed. Brand recall The first focus group identified that it was hard to recall a lot of the products that were placed within the movies. It was felt that this is because of the large amount of placements in the movies to begin with. participants claimed that they could only recall the placements that were dominant and showed a stronger on screen presence than other brands or products. Amongst the placements that were most effective were car brands, it was made clear that cars were amongst the top to be noticed because its repetition in the movies made it a strong focus of the overall viewing experience. The most noticeable examples were Audi in Iron Man 2 and Cadillac in Transformers. brands in other movies were also identified as being memorable such as Toyota In fast and furious and Aston Martin in Die Another Day. Brands that somehow were incorporated into the story of the movie had greater recognition; this is because they stood out more. As mentioned in chapter 2, prominent placements achieve high er levels of recall in movies (Gupta and lord 1998). Other placements that were regarded as being effective in terms of prominence were those that had audio presence as well as physical, Oracle and Vanity Affair from Iron Man 2 where amongst the ones that were recalled. Participants revealed that the audio presence and physical presence (placement being used) generated more attention as opposed to having a brand name in the foreground. A combined 66%percent of the respondents to the questionnaire that was carried out following the focus group agreed that products stand out more when a character uses or mentions the product/brand (see table.1). Whilst the recall of a brand is an important factor in how effective the placement is, the pace or complexity of the movie can cause a distraction from the placements. The focus group suggested that some of the placements were lost due to the pace of the movies shown. One participant commented that placements in the background of slower paced movies were more effective than those placed in action movies or those with a faster pace. It was later commented that products placed within faster paced movies needed to be emphasised on more to be noticed. It therefore appears that the genre of the movie will have an effect on the product placement with in it. The research suggests that viewers will have difficulty to recall brands/products that are placed in the background or foreground of a fast past movie. However if a product is used or mentioned by a character then this increases the chances of the viewer recall. On the other hand placements within slower paced movies are easier to recal l increasing brand awareness. This indicates that positioning of the product is a valuable consideration when the goal is to increase awareness Attitude product placement The overall suggestion from this study in regards to attitudes towards product placement within the movie is that the group members strongly appreciated the presence of products within movies. The research suggests that viewers acceptability of product placement within movies is on the basis that it enhances the realism of the movie by combining products that are seen on a daily bases. One example of this found in the Movie Iron Man 2 with the insertion of CNN and Larry King, the focus group agreed that these placements gave them the feeling that the event of the movie was taking place in our world as appose to a fantasy setting. They felt that these types of placements amplified the movies realism. The group compared the differences between having placements in movie to not having any. The findings suggested that having no product placement or having fictitious products in a movie reflected on the setting of the movie, it would create a fantasy world for viewers which was fine if it was a movie in the category of Lord of the Rings or Avatar. Williams (2004) suggested that product placements are contextually integrated into movies. Therefore It is important to note that placements are deemed to be acceptable by viewers because of the reflection these products have on real life. In the survey questionnaire that was carried out, a combined 63 out of 100 respondents agreed and strongly agreed that placements add to the realism of the movie (see table.2). TABLE 2: Viewers opinion on products adding realism to movies This confirms the findings from the focus group; however there are a large number of respondents that validate that they disagree with the statement. It is mentioned in the literature that some see product placement practice as an invasive one that sews itself a new seam in the blanket of brands that covers a strong consumer-based society (Phillips Purdie 1993). This is one suggestion as to why respondents to the survey questions may have disagreed. It could be argued that some viewers find placements invasive. however the findings from the focus group indicates that whilst placements add realism, the ones that appear without contributing to the story line or are emphasised in a way that seems to be out of context in regards to the movie can be described as annoying or blatant advertising. The views of the group were not that this was invasive but more or on the line of annoying. Examples that were noticeable were the Panasonic placement in Transformers. In a scene that was devoted to show a Branded memory chip, the character tilts the product towards the camera revealing the brand name. It was suggested that this had no association to the story line nor was it placed to emphasis realism; one participant described it as being an obvious plug. The common theme was the emphasis on the annoyance of pushy advertising, this research commends Balsubramanian et al (2006) who suggested that blatant placements have the ability to irritate. Therefore if product placement is to appear, the product needs to contribute to the content of the movie in order to generate positive attitudes and acceptability from the viewers. But it is important to distinguish between attitudes towards product placement practice (discussed here) and attitudes towards the brands being placed. This leads us to the next area of this study. Attitudes and perception towards brands In the previous paragraph we discussed the attitudes towards product placement; we will now discuss viewer attitudes and perceptions towards the product/brands that are placed. A common theme that was identified from the focus group discussion was that viewers did not generate a positive or negative attitude towards a product or brand because of the way it was placed in the movie. The findings from this study suggest that whilst awareness was created there was little change in attitudes towards the brands that were placed. one viewer generated a positive attitude towards the use of the Everlast in Iron Man 2 in a scene where Robert Downey Jr is boxing whilst exhibiting the branded clothing. The viewer associated with the bra Effect of Product Placement in Films Effect of Product Placement in Films CHAPTER II: Literature Review Product placement Product placement in movies is no new phenomenon as Lehu (2007), describes product placement as the location or more accurately the integration of a product or a brand into a film or televised series. This form of advertising has been around for sometime although its not traditional advertising it speaks to an audience in a different form of communication which is either in your face or subliminal messages. Product placement comes in a number of different forms including visual, audio and a combination of the two combined. Visual product placement Is a visual representation of a brand in a movie, This includes strategically positioning a brand in the background or being used by the actor of a scene, displaying a billboard or some other form of visual advertisement in a scene, and any other visual representation of a brand-name product without any relevant message or sounds on the audio track which draw attention to the product (Gupta Lord, 1998). An example of this is Daniel Craig u sing a Sony Vaio in the movie Casino Royal (2006). See Appendix A. Audio representation of a brand can be the mention of the product in script but not necessarily shown on screen for example the movie Wall Street (1987) where Martin Sheens character says to a server, Get this kid a Molson Light (Gupta Lord, 1998). In combining these two formats Gupta and Lord (1998) defines audio-visual placement as the visual appearance of a brand with a verbal mention of the brand name or a brand- relevant message for example The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas is seen and talked about in the movie Oceans eleven (2001) (Lehu 2007). Product placement, as a marketing tool, has many advantages due to its captive audience, the social nature that it is being viewed in and the lack of clutter, such as other advertisements (Dunnett Hoek, 1996). This form of communication is described as being an effective technique as Jhonson (2009) explains For subliminal suggestion to be effective an individual must be relaxed and open to suggestion. The subconscious mind is more open to suggestion when a person is relaxed. This practice has not gone without controversy, however, as its use is often debated by moviegoers and media experts. While some moviegoers feel that the use of product placement enhances a film by adding to its realism (Govani 1999). Others see the practice as an invasive one that sews itself a new seam in the blanket of brands that covers a strong consumer-based society (Phillips Purdie 1993). Some supporters of the practice argue that product placement allows them to relate to the characters (DeLorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999) Product placement strategy Strategy Dates back a few decades, in an example where Joan Crawford is drinking Jack Daniels whisky in the 1945 production Mildred pierce (Wasko 1995). Back in these earlier times product placement was a casual affair, property masters would contact a local Jack Daniels distributer asking for the product to be used in the film. Today the product placement is more deliberate and sophisticated, Divisions dedicated to paying to have their goods inserted strategically into movies are of the norm for large corporations this is to gain access to what is seen as a glamorous medium with a relatively captive audience. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are amongst a number of companies who have formed in house divisions dedicated directly to product placement or Hollywood advertising (Wasko 1995). The belief of companies associated with product placement is that if a movie grosses $50 million, the advertiser has reached an audience of 13.7 million in theatre viewers, assuming this the movie will likely sell in DVDS/Videos adding additional impressions per placement along with celebrity credibility bought by the use of the product. (Wasko 1995). Kardes (2008) adds to the argument by stating that When a brand is shown in a movie it is definitely seen but a broadcast commercial can be skipped via the fast forward button on a DVR. However narrative coherence can be disrupted by strategies used to market products. Music videos related to films is used as an example The promotion of some features is helped by the use of videos featuring music from the film, examples include Flashdance (1983) , Footloose (1984), Purple Rain (1984), staying alive (1983) and The Bodyguard (1992) (King 2002). In these films the excess created by the conjunction of music and image creates a module separa te from the narrative, working against the sequential structuring of the film. Product placement within the Hollywood film industry Product placement increased dramatically since the appearance of Reeses Pieces in the 1982 Movie E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial caused the sales of the product to increase by 68%. (Balasubramanian et al 2006). Today product placement in movies is highly noticeable. In the film Minority Report (2002) at least 15 brands where placed, including Nokia, Pepsi and Lexus. In Die Another Day (2002) there were cameos from Jaguar, Aston Martin and Thunderbird, which are all owned by the Ford motor group (Jobber 2004). However alongside soft drinks one of the most common products placed in movies are cars. BMW invested ÂÂ £20 million on the placement of its Z3 roadster within the movie Goldeneye (1995) and the use of other advertising media to support the placement and create awareness (Fill 2005) Gupta and lord (1998) focus on studies concerning recall of brands placed within movies that have been undertaken; they found that prominent placements achieved higher levels of recall. Morton and Friedman (2002) mention that any contact with a brand in a film will help influence purchasing decisions. It is argued by Joachimsthaler and Aker (1997) that visibility of brands are underestimated as it signals leadership, quality and success, people like to know brands even if they have never used them. This appears to indicate that the primary benefit of placement in movies is the increase of brand recognition. Consumer behaviour Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups or organisations and the process they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. (Sharma, A. 2006). The study of consumer behaviour helps organisations improve their marketing strategies by understanding the psychology behind consumer thoughts, feelings and by understanding his or her environment all which have an effect on the action towards a brand or product. Tyagi and Kumar (2004) state that there is a relationship between consumer behaviour and his attitudes, communication with him and how to motivate him. Family, social and cultural dimensions of consumer behaviour have a role to play. Product placement isnt about sales its about brand awareness claims expert Samuel Turcotte. (Galician 2004). Whilst awareness may be generated attitudes and perception also start to form towards the brand. Attitude formation can be on the bases of cognitive responses to stimuli or information of other sources; cognitive thoughts are responses we have to a communication. Positive thoughts will generally have a positive affect on attitudes whereas negative thoughts will have negative attitude formation (Hoyer Macinnis, 2008). Age has another implication on attitudes and perceptions of product placement. In their 1999 study, DeLorme, Reid, and Zimmer interviewed younger audiences (aged 18-21) and older audiences (aged 35-48) in a bid to compare different views on product placement. A number of focus groups resulted in the finding of distinct and diverse perspectives among many of the study samples. According to their research, (DeLorme, Reid, and Zimmer 1999) found that older audiences generally perceive product placements as implications of a changing society and the current use of product placement was an indication of a major cultural shift, according to the study older moviegoers associated brand props with feelings of insecurity, frustration, and fear of change (DeLorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999, p.24) various examples of such feelings were provided. On the other hand younger moviegoers perceive product placement as Associated with an invitation to cultural belonging and feelings of emotional security. (De Lorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999, p. 28) The younger generation grew up in a consumer-based society that is bombarded with advertisements and other promotional items, the younger generation does not generally place a heavy emphasis on product placements. However viewers are generally positive about the placement of product in movies. GÃÆ'Â ¼nnemann (2008) explains that product placement for the automobile industry can positively affect consumers perception of certain automobile brands image as a purchasing factor. He also looked at preference of product placement over advertising for automobiles, which showed European consumers have greater preference of product placement than their American and Asian counterparts where as American consumers on the other hand are the strongest proponents of product placement being more authentic than advertising, whilst Asian consumers have the lowest value in both categories. A study by Nebenzahl, Secunda (1993) on the attitude of film audiences showed that the majority of those interviewed preferred product placement over other forms of promotions because it was unobtrusively integrated into the film. The small minority who object are on ethical grounds. They perceive product placement as a clandestine approach which deludes the consumer and they believe this practice should be forbidden. (Pattyn, 2000). Brand Association: Contexts and Celebrities Williams (2004) shows that placements are contextually integrated and therefore are non-invasive, placement are therefore seen as an experience rather than an advertisement. Contextual integration can be achieved by product placement through character development and plot advancement in films, and product placement can also offer the chance of celebrity endorsement. Nelson and McLeod (2005) show that the credibility of an advertisement depends on the sources credibility; differing views on differing sources can alter the way in which a brand is perceived. The use of celebrities has the ability to influence the source credibility of a brand (Sawyer 2006). This can be achieved by tapping into the celebritys equity (Zyman 2002). Such use of celebrities or actors enables their personality to rub off on the product. (Rust and Varki 1996). This will have the effect of enhancing the brand personality. The use of a highly credible and recognised person can therefore influence levels of exper tise and trust worthiness. Ohanian (1991) found that the perceived expertise of celebritys actually increased purchase intentions, even though the celebrity may have no actual knowledge of the product. It appears here that the product placement allows the attractiveness of a brand to be increased through association with a particular individual, even if that individual would have little actual knowledge or expertise in relation to the product or brand. Ethicality behind product placement Gupta and Gould (1997) define ethically-charged products (or emotionally charged products) as products which especially arouse ethical concern and differences across consumers regarding their marketing and consumption the practice of product placement is sometimes referred to as unethical since audiences are rarely informed that they are watching paid advertising when they presume they are watching creative programming playing on peoples susceptibility (Plaisance 2009). The common ethical concern in many articles is the notion that product placement constitutes a form of subliminal advertising, since products are integrated into films, but no disclaimer is present that warns the viewer of any form of advertising in the film (Gupta Gould, 1997; Snyder, 1992; Nebenzahl Secunda,1993). The practice of product placement could be described as misleading as advertisers interest and intention to influence the viewer may be concealed behind something else, in the case of movies, the context of the story. Among the most controversial subjects, however, is the use of ethically-charged products in film. The most common discussed are the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and guns, this due to the potentially harmful implications their exposure can have on someone. A 1997 study shows some individuals impressions of such placements in films. The study measures undergraduate college students views regarding the acceptability of placing cigarettes, alcohol, and guns in movies. Results indicate that the acceptability of cigarettes, alcohol, and guns are 41.3%, 60.3%, and 38.7%, respectively (Gupta Gould, 1997). There is much concern over cigarette brands being placed in movies, a common argument cites a mandate made and enforced by the United States Surgeon General. It requires that all cigarette ads feature a health warning, making known the products potential hazards to the viewer. Surgeon General health warnings, however, are not found on films that feature these placements (Basil, 1997). Another common concern is that the use of these products will encourage the movies viewers to adopt smoking as a habit. (Basil 1997) and Everett, Schnuth, and Tribble (1998) cite Social Cognitive Theory in their respective articles. This states that through observation we learn a lot. Since moviegoers are actors smoking cigarettes (and in some cases adopting specific brands), and since this is usually portrayed in movies as glamorous the moviegoers may possibly be drawn to the habit (Basil,1997; Everett, Schnuth, Tribble, 1998). Research objectives Investigate attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of viewers towards products and brands after exposure to product placement in movies. Analyse viewers opinions on the ethical issues of product placement in movies. Examine the role of products in movies as a strategic marketing tool. CHAPTER III: Methodology This chapter refines and justifies the methodology deployed in this study. The process for gathering data focused more on that of a qualitative strategy however a quantitative means was also implemented, with the focus on consumer research and understanding consumer thoughts and feelings. The research identified issues such as why consumers have the attitude or perception towards a product or brand which they have experienced through viewing product placement in movies, underlining issues such as acknowledgement, deciphering the message, and even perceptions and attitudes that are based on emotional and cultural feelings sometimes we have a favourable attitude toward an offering simply because it feels good or seems right (Hoyer Macinnis 2008). The quantitative approach was in the form of a questionnaire distributed to 18-25 year olds, the questionnaires allowed data from the focus groups to be tested and extended by from input from a wider range of participents, results are discussed in chapter 4. Qualitative approach Focus groups Focus groups are a form of group interviewing that allows data to be generated through the benefit of communication between research participants (Pope Mays). The qualitative approach was incorporated because of its ability to capitalise on group interaction that provided distinctive types of data. This study is based on consumer attitude and perceptions towards products placement and arising ethical issues, therefore it is only suited that this approach was used as it allows for deeper discussion to take place with point of views coming across from different backgrounds and cultural values and group norms are emphasised. using a qualitative focus groups would produce a greater depth of information rather than just relying on the questionaire with pre-determined responses The two focus groups were used to achieve the following: Investigate attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of viewers towards products and brands after exposure to product placement in movies. Analyse viewers opinions on the ethical issues of product placement in movies. Participants Two focus groups were conducted in an attempt to gather data on consumer attitudes and perceptions and the other on a discussion around ethics. Both focus groups followed the same procedure however groups were split into two, Group A and Group B. This was done to ensure that every subject got the chance to participate and wasnt overshadowed by the over enthusiastic; small groups offer more of an opportunity for people to talk and are more practical to set up and manage (Litosseliti 2003). 6 individuals were selected for each group, Participants from Both Group A and B were selected on the bases of being from different cultural backgrounds and being socially connected. This is because it is important to understand that cultural backgrounds can have an effect on opinions, and it maximises the possibility of exploring the subject from different perspectives (Kitzinger 1995 cited in Litosseliti 2003 P4). It was important for participants to be socially connected to ensure good group dyna mics, this helped the participants be more comfortable and open towards discussion. The selection criteria was18-25 male and females, Gupta and Gould (1997) noted that many products possess gender identifications (p.39). The researchers hypothesized that males generate more favourable responses to products that are depicted as possessing masculine qualities. Therefore the ratio of male to female will be 50:50. This will allow data to be gathered and discussed from both point of views. The advantages of focus groups as shown by Patton (1990) are the checking that takes place within the group that eliminates false views and it is easy to establish consistent views. Group A focused on discussion and questions targeted towards viewers attitudes and perceptions whilst Group B was a discussion on ethical issues. Both groups were shown two movies in one sitting this was time efficient as opposed to showing both movies twice. The movies shown were Iron Man 2 (2010) and Transformers (2007), the movies were chosen for the large amount of products placed with over 45 placements in each movie. The movies were shown in whole as opposed to clips containing products placed, this was to show the product placements in the context of the movie rather than showing clips where the products were dominant. Showing clips of the movie where products were dominant would have emphasised on the product this could have misrepresent the findings as the goal was to evaluate them within the who le movie experience. At the end of both movies the discussion commenced on consumer attitudes and perceptions with Group A, followed by the discussion with Group B on ethical issues. Participents were encouraged to use product placement in other movies as well as the two shown as examples for discussion if they could recall them and the discussion was not based entirely on the movies shown. This allowed participents to discuss product placement that may have been potryaed in a different fashion for example: the use of different actors, characters or setting. It was taken into consideration that the time difference between conducted Group A and B could have an impact on the level of debate given that Group B had to wait, however all participants were University students on the same campus and the study was conducted on University grounds giving the other group time to go elsewhere and continue with other activities whilst they waited. There were a set number of questions used for each focus group and Each individual was required to participate and provide some input to increase the depth of discussion. A simple format of question then discussion was used, questions that arose from discussion would keep the conversation flowing. Conversation flowed freely in order to discover what the subjects found to be interesting and to explore wider attitudes but conversation was re-directed by the moderator when it was felt to be unproductive or pointless (Bryman 2004). It was made clear to participants prior to the discussion that there was no right or wrong answer in an effort to remove social desirability, what the respondent thinks they should say rather than feel (Black 1999). Both discussions were recorded using a CD recorder and were later analysed with key points noted for each discussion. A full play by play transcription was not practical due to the large amount of dialogue and it is felt that a full transcript woul d have broken up narrative flow, however a shorter version of the transcript highlighting key points and questions asked is available in the appendix (())))) by noting key points only it is felt that analysing content is much easier, Bryman (2001) claims that transcribing and coding leads to a loss of context. Quantitative research Questionnaires Questionnaires allow the participant to respond to a set number of questions, questions can be open ended or closed ended, and for the purpose of this particular research aspect closed ended questions were used. A closed ended question is amicable when the dimensions of a variable have been diagnosed. Closed ended questions expose participants to the same response categories and allow standardized quantitative statistical analysis (Johnson Christensen 2010). The purpose of the questionnaire was to expand further on the data that was concluded from the focus groups (this will be discussed further in chapter 4). The questionaires focused on getting participant responses for the purpose of conformatory research (Johnson Christensen 2010) in which specific data from the focus groups was tested. This gave the results more creadability and the questionnaire would allow the study to benefit from areas of investigation that the focus groups may have failed to answer or provide enough infor mation on. 100 questionnaires were distributed around university campuses as this was the most convienent location to find participents that meet the 18-25 demographic, however it was guaranteed that that all participents would be of the age 15 questions were composed and pre, the questionnaire can be viewed in the appendix (p)))) One to one interviews Interviews will aim to meet objective The research method that will be used here is one to one interviews with either product placement agencies or companies such as Sony. These interviews will be telephone based as availability to meet face to face with businesses is a little tricky given the time frame. Given the tendency for businesses to turn down students the agency or business that is to be selected will depend on the rate at which each representative replies. The Interviews will allow these companies to convey product placement from a strategic point of view and explain the practice from their own situation, perspective and in their own words. The interviews are based on not only conversation of product placement but with an aim to generate responses from the interviewee on intended consumer behaviour. The procedure will be to follow a script for the interview investigation which can be outlined by characterising a methodological awareness of questions, a focus on the dynamics of interaction between interviewer and interviewee, and also critical attention to what is said. CHAPTER IV: Results, analysis and discussion Introduction This chapter will focus on presenting and discussing the findings from the research conducted. Due to the large amount of field work that was employed for the purpose of the study, results from both the focus groups and the questionnaires will be compared and contrasted leading to the denouement of the findings. Analysis will be based on the most pertinent data that was found. qualitative researchers needs to communicate the findings in an honest and systematic manner, disseminating the richness of the findings and hence the experience of the researchers. (Easterby-Smith et al. 2002). Discussion has been categorised in three sections, each section will address the research objectives of this study and how the findings have helped in achieving those objectives. Attitudes and perceptions towards product placement will be analysed and discussed first highlighting the points that were extracted from both quantitative and qualitative research, followed by the discussion on ethical issues towards product placement practice. Finally the interview with the industry specialist will be discussed, analysing the role of product placement in moves as a strategic marketing tool. The data that formed this discussion can be viewed in the appendix ( ) Consumer attitudes and perceptions The first area of study was the attitudes and perceptions of viewers between the ages of 18-25 towards product placement in Hollywood movies and the products or brands that are being placed. Brand recall The first focus group identified that it was hard to recall a lot of the products that were placed within the movies. It was felt that this is because of the large amount of placements in the movies to begin with. participants claimed that they could only recall the placements that were dominant and showed a stronger on screen presence than other brands or products. Amongst the placements that were most effective were car brands, it was made clear that cars were amongst the top to be noticed because its repetition in the movies made it a strong focus of the overall viewing experience. The most noticeable examples were Audi in Iron Man 2 and Cadillac in Transformers. brands in other movies were also identified as being memorable such as Toyota In fast and furious and Aston Martin in Die Another Day. Brands that somehow were incorporated into the story of the movie had greater recognition; this is because they stood out more. As mentioned in chapter 2, prominent placements achieve high er levels of recall in movies (Gupta and lord 1998). Other placements that were regarded as being effective in terms of prominence were those that had audio presence as well as physical, Oracle and Vanity Affair from Iron Man 2 where amongst the ones that were recalled. Participants revealed that the audio presence and physical presence (placement being used) generated more attention as opposed to having a brand name in the foreground. A combined 66%percent of the respondents to the questionnaire that was carried out following the focus group agreed that products stand out more when a character uses or mentions the product/brand (see table.1). Whilst the recall of a brand is an important factor in how effective the placement is, the pace or complexity of the movie can cause a distraction from the placements. The focus group suggested that some of the placements were lost due to the pace of the movies shown. One participant commented that placements in the background of slower paced movies were more effective than those placed in action movies or those with a faster pace. It was later commented that products placed within faster paced movies needed to be emphasised on more to be noticed. It therefore appears that the genre of the movie will have an effect on the product placement with in it. The research suggests that viewers will have difficulty to recall brands/products that are placed in the background or foreground of a fast past movie. However if a product is used or mentioned by a character then this increases the chances of the viewer recall. On the other hand placements within slower paced movies are easier to recal l increasing brand awareness. This indicates that positioning of the product is a valuable consideration when the goal is to increase awareness Attitude product placement The overall suggestion from this study in regards to attitudes towards product placement within the movie is that the group members strongly appreciated the presence of products within movies. The research suggests that viewers acceptability of product placement within movies is on the basis that it enhances the realism of the movie by combining products that are seen on a daily bases. One example of this found in the Movie Iron Man 2 with the insertion of CNN and Larry King, the focus group agreed that these placements gave them the feeling that the event of the movie was taking place in our world as appose to a fantasy setting. They felt that these types of placements amplified the movies realism. The group compared the differences between having placements in movie to not having any. The findings suggested that having no product placement or having fictitious products in a movie reflected on the setting of the movie, it would create a fantasy world for viewers which was fine if it was a movie in the category of Lord of the Rings or Avatar. Williams (2004) suggested that product placements are contextually integrated into movies. Therefore It is important to note that placements are deemed to be acceptable by viewers because of the reflection these products have on real life. In the survey questionnaire that was carried out, a combined 63 out of 100 respondents agreed and strongly agreed that placements add to the realism of the movie (see table.2). TABLE 2: Viewers opinion on products adding realism to movies This confirms the findings from the focus group; however there are a large number of respondents that validate that they disagree with the statement. It is mentioned in the literature that some see product placement practice as an invasive one that sews itself a new seam in the blanket of brands that covers a strong consumer-based society (Phillips Purdie 1993). This is one suggestion as to why respondents to the survey questions may have disagreed. It could be argued that some viewers find placements invasive. however the findings from the focus group indicates that whilst placements add realism, the ones that appear without contributing to the story line or are emphasised in a way that seems to be out of context in regards to the movie can be described as annoying or blatant advertising. The views of the group were not that this was invasive but more or on the line of annoying. Examples that were noticeable were the Panasonic placement in Transformers. In a scene that was devoted to show a Branded memory chip, the character tilts the product towards the camera revealing the brand name. It was suggested that this had no association to the story line nor was it placed to emphasis realism; one participant described it as being an obvious plug. The common theme was the emphasis on the annoyance of pushy advertising, this research commends Balsubramanian et al (2006) who suggested that blatant placements have the ability to irritate. Therefore if product placement is to appear, the product needs to contribute to the content of the movie in order to generate positive attitudes and acceptability from the viewers. But it is important to distinguish between attitudes towards product placement practice (discussed here) and attitudes towards the brands being placed. This leads us to the next area of this study. Attitudes and perception towards brands In the previous paragraph we discussed the attitudes towards product placement; we will now discuss viewer attitudes and perceptions towards the product/brands that are placed. A common theme that was identified from the focus group discussion was that viewers did not generate a positive or negative attitude towards a product or brand because of the way it was placed in the movie. The findings from this study suggest that whilst awareness was created there was little change in attitudes towards the brands that were placed. one viewer generated a positive attitude towards the use of the Everlast in Iron Man 2 in a scene where Robert Downey Jr is boxing whilst exhibiting the branded clothing. The viewer associated with the bra