Horrors of War

|Explain how R. C Sherriff conveys the horrors of war to the audience of â€Å"Journey’s End† | | | |English | | | |2/28/2010 | | | |Chloe Archer | Explain how R. C Sheriff conveys the horrors of war to the audience of â€Å"Journey’s End† Journey’s End† is a play written by R. C Sheriff, who had fought during the First World War. This enabled him to bring his experiences into the play which adds to the realism of the French trenches in 1918. First premiered in the year 1928 (10 years after the end of WW1), the audience would have been sensitive to the play because there was a real possibility that they’d lost friends and family in the war. The entire action of â€Å"Journey’s End† does not leave the dugout where the men are based; which allows the audience an insight of how life was for British companies during WW1 and how they coped with war. Although Sheriff did not intend his play to be focused on the horrors of war, his depiction of a realistic setting and characters convey this. We are given information about the war and the men’s way of life by the setting. ‘Through the doorway can be seen the misty grey parapet of a trench and a narrow strip of starlit sky. ’ This shows that the dugout was claustrophobic and frightening since they were so close to no man’s land where so many lives were lost like Raleigh’s. During Raleigh’s death scene, R. C Sheriff uses the stage directions to metaphorically describe Raleigh’s gradual death. The solitary candle burns with a steady flame†¦.. The shock stabs out the candle flame. ’ The stage directions help to describe what is happening outside of the dugout such as ‘The shelling had risen to a great fury’. The writer has personified the shelling for the effect that war has a life of its own which cannot be contr olled by the men, ‘stretcher-bearers’ can be heard by the audience off stage, this shows that people are being injured by the ‘fury’ of the shelling. Hardy and Osborne’s handover lists facts to explain to the audience what happened previously when ‘a dug-out got blown up and came down in the men’s tea. They were frightfully annoyed. ’ R. C Sheriff has used dark humour to show how the men cope with the war. Also Hardy gives important information on the artillery â€Å"We’ve got a Lewis gun just here-â€Å". To deter away from the uncontrollable war the men would talk about the things that could be altered or controlled; for instance Trotter enjoys controlling what they eat ‘Keep ‘em and use ‘em for dumplings next time we ‘ave boiled beef. ’ This helps the men feel secure knowing that there are some things that are controllable and that they have a future albeit only in the short term. A few of the characters are deeply affected by the war; one of them being Hibbert who attempts to use ‘neuralgia’ as an excuse to be discharged from the frontline. This is deemed cowardice by the rest of the soldiers ‘Better die of the pain than be shot for deserting. ’ This is said by Stanhope when Hibbert tries to leave before the German attack. This quote also shows how cowardice was dealt with during the First World War and why it drove other men to cope with war in different ways. For example, Stanhope, turns to drink (alcohol) and soldiers are heard saying that he ’gets a reputation out here for drinking’. This quote shows that most of the men know Stanhope drinks and accept it even though he is a commanding officer. As an audience we are told that he didn’t drink before he joined the war. This is shown by the conversation Osborne has with Raleigh, in which he says Stanhope ‘caught some chaps in a study with a bottle of whisky. Lord! The roof nearly blew off. ’ This quote shows the irony of the situation because when Raleigh knew Stanhope he used to confiscate alcohol off of students but now he has found comfort in drinking it. However Raleigh himself realised the horror of war when Osborne was killed post raid, ‘How can I sit down and eat that-when-when†¦. -when Osborne’s†¦ ’ this quote shows that Raleigh does not know how to cope with Osborne’s death. As Stanhope hasn’t mentioned Osborne after the raid Raleigh thinks that he doesn’t care but he has ‘to forget’ so that he can bear to carry on fighting in the futile war. One of Journey’s End’s main themes is the futility of war; we are shown the uselessness of it when the raid-men returned 7 fewer than when they left. Including Osborne, the fallen men had sacrificed their lives for important information from a German officer which they never got as the German was only ‘a bare headed German boy†¦. ’ who told them what they already knew. So the raid was wasted as the only new information they discovered was that a German soldier carries a pocket knife as well as other ‘oddments’. Stanhope emphasizes this when he ‘speaks in a dead voice’ after the general celebrated ‘how awfully nice- if the brigadier’s pleased. ’ These quotes also indicate that the soldier’s actions are at the general’s whim. The audience saw the war transform Raleigh from a strong eager boy, who was clearly inexperienced as he was unsure of how to address other officers ‘Good evening (he notices Osborne’s grey hair and adds:)sir. ’ Another example of his inexperience is when he states ‘how frightfully quiet it is†¦.. i thought there would be an awful row here’ this shows that he has no concept of the reality of war. However, as time moves on and the play progresses we see Raleigh develops in maturity. We see this when Raleigh and Osborne are having their last drink before the raid; ‘I wonder what the Boche are doing over there now?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. I don’t know. D’you like Coffee†¦? ’ the author shows here that Raleigh is keen to know as much as possible about the raid whilst Osborne is trying to put it off for as long as possible as he is worried about the ‘millions of bullets’. We, as an audience, see Raleigh become deeply affected by the war, succeeding the raid, (when he had left Osborne dead, in no man’s land). His appearance is more rugged and dismal in comparison to his previous shining uniform this could be a reflection of his emotions as well as just war worn; this would be seen as a landmark in Raleigh’s life in the trenches. The audience is taken through Raleigh’s experience of war and his relationship with his fellow men and officers. He became a steadfast part of the story with which the audience could relate and he formed a connection between the characters and action taking place. It is therefore a loss when he dies that is felt by everyone absorbed in the play. His and the play’s final scene portrays a young man alone in a dark place, with a solitary candle burning for company but is extinguished in a raid that collapses the men’s shelter and snuffs out his life just like the candle. The men’s way of life in the trenches was isolated and boring, which left them to find ways of entertaining themselves: from the opening conversation between Hardy and Osborne we are told one of the ways that they amused themselves, ‘Ever had earwig races?†¦ We’ve had ‘em every evening. ’ Mason is seen as a main source of humour and light relief for the men a good example of this is when he has an ‘unpleasant surprise’ which is a tin of apricot chunks labelled pineapple chunks. This light humour helps the men to cope with the dire way of life; this is in contrast to the dark humour. The men have to live with ‘about two million’ rats which they have to shoot otherwise they ‘gnaw at your boots’ rats also carried many lice and fleas which then infected the men so personal hygiene was hard to maintain. Stanhope talks about imagination ‘He doesn’t see into the earth beyond – the worms wandering about round the stones and roots of trees’. This quote was about Trotter and his lack of imagination which ‘sharpens the mind’ the quote also adds to the claustrophobic living conditions knowing that they are at the same level as worms in the earth. The men also told stories to keep themselves occupied whether from war life or home life, ‘I spent all the time in the garden making a rockery. In the evenings I used to sit and smoke and read – and my wife used to knit socks and play the piano a bit. ’ This was said by Osborne who is known to be the ‘family man’. We are given several images of war throughout the play, Osborne the family man who passed his belongings onto Stanhope to give to his wife before the raid with the possibility that he mightn’t return. This shows his love for his family giving them his personal belongings as a reminder of him and his compassion. Raleigh is seen as stereotypical, eager to fight for his country, recruit. ‘full of guts’ which was one of the reasons why he was selected for the raid. Also he idolised Captain Stanhope from his school memories and was eager to meet him again. The audience are prepared for tragedy at the end of the play because a main character had already died, who was likeable so it showed that no matter how popular the character was he could still be killed. Also when R. C. Sheriff personified the stage directions to give the shelling a life of it’s own from ‘the lighter â€Å"crush† f the smaller shells, there comes the deep resounding â€Å"boom† of Minenwerfer. ’ The noise created from the booms and crushes would also create tension. In conclusion I believe that R. C. Sheriff best shows the horrors of war through the character Raleigh because i feel that he represents war because war starts with an innocence and as the play progresses it is slowly lost this his character could also be representitive of the human race starting with innocence and as the play pshows the affect war can have on a person and the gradual burden of it. The stage directions are a main factor as well because you can not see further than the dug-out, which isolates you away from the ‘front-line’ and the stage directions show war itself with the crashing and booming of bombs and bullets; they also tell the story and help set the scene. I personally feel that war is useless

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Hamlet Quotations Act 1 Essay Hamlet Quotations Act 1 INSTRUCTIONS:î€Æ' Forî€Æ'eachî€Æ'quote:î€Æ' (a)î€Æ'î€Æ'Identifyî€Æ'theî€Æ'speaker,î€Æ'toî€Æ'whomî€Æ'itî€Æ'isî€Æ'addressed,î€Æ'andî€Æ'theî€Æ'situation,î€Æ' (b)î€Æ'î€Æ'Explainî€Æ'(inî€Æ'detail)î€Æ'theî€Æ'significanceî€Æ'ofî€Æ'theî€Æ'quoteî€Æ'inî€Æ'termsî€Æ'ofî€Æ'allî€Æ'thatî€Æ'apply:î€Æ'î€Æ'themes,î€Æ'characterî€Æ'revelation,î€Æ'plotî€Æ' development,î€Æ'dramaticî€Æ'devicesî€Æ'(irony,î€Æ'foreshadowing†¦),î€Æ'poeticî€Æ'devicesî€Æ'(simile,î€Æ'metaphor,î€Æ'alliteration†¦),î€Æ'etc.î€Æ' (c)î€Æ'î€Æ'Uploadî€Æ'toî€Æ'turnitin.comî€Æ' EXAMPLE:î€Æ' â€Å"Thisî€Æ'bodesî€Æ'someî€Æ'strangeî€Æ'eruptionî€Æ'toî€Æ'ourî€Æ'state.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' (a)​î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'Horatioî€Æ'isî€Æ'speakingî€Æ'toî€Æ'MarcellusÍ ¾Ã®â‚¬Æ'Horatioî€Æ'isî€Æ'referringî€Æ'toî€Æ'theî€Æ'ghostî€Æ'ofî€Æ'Hamletî€Æ'Sr.î€Æ'thatî€Æ'theyî€Æ'haveî€Æ'justî€Æ'witnessed.î€Æ'î€Æ' (b)​î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'Horatioî€Æ'believesî€Æ'thatî€Æ'theî€Æ'ghostî€Æ'isî€Æ'appearingî€Æ'becauseî€Æ'foulî€Æ'playî€Æ'wasî€Æ'involvedî€Æ'withî€Æ'Hamletî€Æ'Sr.’sî€Æ'death.î€Æ'î€Æ'Heî€Æ'isî€Æ'notî€Æ'positiveî€Æ' aboutî€Æ'it,î€Æ'butî€Æ'heî€Æ'knowsî€Æ'thatî€Æ'somethingî€Æ'â€Å"strange†Ã®â‚¬Æ'isî€Æ'happening.î€Æ'î€Æ'Thisî€Æ'eventî€Æ'putsî€Æ'theî€Æ'actionî€Æ'ofî€Æ'theî€Æ'playî€Æ'inî€Æ'motionî€Æ'(plotî€Æ' development).î€Æ'î€Æ'Also,î€Æ'theî€Æ'commentî€Æ'foreshadowsî€Æ'theî€Æ'impendingî€Æ'doomî€Æ'thatî€Æ'Denmarkî€Æ'mayî€Æ'beî€Æ'facing.î€Æ' 1.î€Æ' â€Å"Aî€Æ'littleî€Æ'moreî€Æ'thanî€Æ'kin,î€Æ'andî€Æ'lessî€Æ'thanî€Æ'kind.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 2.î€Æ' â€Å"Weî€Æ'prayî€Æ'youî€Æ'throwî€Æ'toî€Æ'earthî€Æ'thisî€Æ'unprevailingî€Æ'woe,î€Æ'andî€Æ'thinkî€Æ'ofî€Æ'usî€Æ'asî€Æ'aî€Æ'father†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã®â‚¬Æ' 3.î€Æ' â€Å"Oî€Æ'thatî€Æ'thisî€Æ'tooî€Æ'tooî€Æ'sulliedî€Æ'fleshî€Æ'wouldî€Æ'melt†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã®â‚¬Æ' 4.î€Æ' î€Æ'â€Å"Frailty,î€Æ'thyî€Æ'nameî€Æ'isî€Æ'woman†¦Oî€Æ'mostî€Æ'wickedî€Æ'speed!î€Æ'Toî€Æ'postî€Æ'withî€Æ'suchî€Æ'dexterityî€Æ'toî€Æ'incestuousî€Æ'sheets!†Ã®â‚¬Æ' â€Å"Doî€Æ'notî€Æ'asî€Æ'someî€Æ'ungraciousî€Æ'pastorsî€Æ'do,î€Æ'showî€Æ'meî€Æ'theî€Æ'steepî€Æ'andî€Æ'thornyî€Æ'wayî€Æ'toî€Æ'heaven,î€Æ'whileî€Æ'likeî€Æ'aî€Æ'puff’dî€Æ' andî€Æ'recklessî€Æ'libertineî€Æ'himselfî€Æ'theî€Æ'primroseî€Æ'pathî€Æ'ofî€Æ'dallianceî€Æ'treads†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã®â‚¬Æ' 6.î€Æ' î€Æ'â€Å"Thisî€Æ'aboveî€Æ'all:î€Æ'toî€Æ'thineî€Æ'ownî€Æ'selfî€Æ'beî€Æ'true†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã®â‚¬Æ' 7.î€Æ' î€Æ'â€Å"Whenî€Æ'theî€Æ'bloodî€Æ'burns,î€Æ'howî€Æ'prodigalî€Æ'theî€Æ'soulî€Æ'lendsî€Æ'theî€Æ'tongueî€Æ'vows.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 8.î€Æ' î€Æ'â€Å"Theî€Æ'dramî€Æ'ofî€Æ'evilî€Æ'dothî€Æ'allî€Æ'theî€Æ'nobleî€Æ'substanceî€Æ'î€Æ'oftenî€Æ'doutî€Æ'toî€Æ'hisî€Æ'ownî€Æ'scandal.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 9.î€Æ' î€Æ'â€Å"Somethingî€Æ'isî€Æ'rottenî€Æ'inî€Æ'theî€Æ'stateî€Æ'ofî€Æ'Denmark.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 10.î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'â€Å"Revengeî€Æ'hisî€Æ'foulî€Æ'andî€Æ'mostî€Æ'unnaturalî€Æ'murder.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 11.î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'â€Å"Hasteî€Æ'meî€Æ'toî€Æ'know’t,î€Æ'thatî€Æ'Iî€Æ'withî€Æ'wingsî€Æ'asî€Æ'swiftî€Æ'asî€Æ'meditationî€Æ'orî€Æ'theî€Æ'thoughtsî€Æ'ofî€Æ'loveî€Æ'mayî€Æ'sweepî€Æ'toî€Æ'myî€Æ'revenge.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 12.î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'â€Å"Theî€Æ'serpentî€Æ'thatî€Æ'didî€Æ'stingî€Æ'yourî€Æ'father’sî€Æ'lifeî€Æ'nowî€Æ'wearsî€Æ'hisî€Æ'crown.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Oî€Æ'myî€Æ'propheticî€Æ'soul!î€Æ'Myî€Æ'uncle!†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 13.î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'â€Å"Oî€Æ'mostî€Æ'perniciousî€Æ'woman!î€Æ'î€Æ'Oî€Æ'villain,î€Æ'villain,î€Æ'smilingî€Æ'damnedî€Æ'villain!†¦Thatî€Æ'oneî€Æ'mayî€Æ'smile,î€Æ'andî€Æ'smile,î€Æ'andî€Æ'beî€Æ'aî€Æ' villain.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 14.î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'â€Å"Thereî€Æ'areî€Æ'moreî€Æ'thingsî€Æ'inî€Æ'heavenî€Æ'andî€Æ'earth,î€Æ'†¦Thanî€Æ'areî€Æ'dreamtî€Æ'ofî€Æ'inî€Æ'yourî€Æ'philosophy.†Ã®â‚¬Æ' 15.î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'î€Æ'â€Å"Theî€Æ'timeî€Æ'isî€Æ'outî€Æ'ofî€Æ'joint.î€Æ'î€Æ'Oî€Æ'cursedî€Æ'spite,î€Æ'thatî€Æ'Iî€Æ'wasî€Æ'bornî€Æ'toî€Æ'setî€Æ'itî€Æ'right.†Ã®â‚¬Æ'

Programs Associated With Behavior Modification Psychology Essay

Programs Associated With Behavior Modification Psychology Essay This papers intent is not to address all of the programs associated with behavior modification, But simply to establish the some of the types of behavior modification programs available to probation and parole authorities. This report covers the basics of behavior modification, the theory behind it, as well as cognitive behavior modification. It touches on the use of evidence-based practices, motivational interviewing, as well as some of the types of programs available. Such as Boot Camps, Community Correction Centers, Day Reporting Centers, substance abuse programs, and lastly it talks about the very successful HOPE program in the state of Hawaii. Understanding behavior modification begins with the understanding of what is called Learning Theory. Learning Theory generally focuses on Ivan Pavlovs classical conditioning and B.F. Skinners operant conditioning. Both theories relay on the common belief that either through a stimulus or a strategic reinforcement, learned behavior could be altered. Under the belief of classical or reflex conditioning, the desired learning outcome is achieved through the creation of a conditioned response. Pavlov was able to create a conditioned response in dogs by associating the ringing of a bell with salivation. Every time the dogs were fed, a bell was rung. Soon the dogs were conditioned to expect food when the bell rang regardless of any food being present. You have to understand that Pavlov was actually studying the digestion of dogs, when he discovered that his dogs salivated when anyone walked in with a lab coat on. What he discovered was that whenever they fed the dogs, the person was wearing a lab. Pavlov followed up with the idea of ringing a bell whenever they were going to feed the dogs, the dogs soon learned to associate the bell ringing to them getting food. Hence, reflex conditioning. Although loosely related, operant conditioning is different from classical conditioning, in that a stimulus is not given for a conditioned response. Instead, operant conditioning applies a reward or a punishment after certain behaviors are observed. B.F. Skinner believed that behaviors in an individual were the result of contact with rewards and punishments within an environment. Operand conditioning happens when an animal learns to perform particular behaviors in order to obtain a fundamentally rewarding stimulus. B.F. Skinners work was in the field of psychology. He conditioned a pigeon to raise his head above a certain point in order to receive food. To put it another way, it is when a trained dog repeatedly comes when called in order to obtain a treat or reward. The down side to this type of learning is that after a while the dog expects a treat every time he comes when called. When he no longer receives the treat, with any type of frequency, the response becomes less and less fr equent this is called operant extinction. In general, when we engage in behavior that no longer pays off, we find ourselves less inclined to behave in that way again. Putting it another way, let us say we wear a wristwatch all the time, we do not notice that we look at it often. Now if you forgot that wristwatch we still look at our wrist, to see the time, after a while of not wearing the watch we look less and less at our wrist for the time. That is operant extinction. The majority of behavior modification in parole and probation is based on the principles of operant conditioning. Therefor I will discuss operant condition more in depth. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior. In other words, behavior modification uses systematic reinforcement in order to encourage the learning of a desired behavior. Operant conditioning, works whether it is through reinforcement or through punishment. Anything that increases a behavior is considered reinforcement and anything that decreases behavior is considered punishment. The promise or possibility of a reward causes an increase in behavior, but operant conditioning can also be used to decrease a behavior as well. The elimination of an unwanted behavior thru the use of a punishment is often what is used in raising children, along with the reward system or the positive reinforcement. Unfortunately, most often than not the focus of attention is o n the child thru negative reinforcement, and not the positive reinforcement. It is the idea or the potential for punishment, which may lead the child to a decrease any disruptive behaviors. Through operant conditioning the environment builds the basic repertoire with which we keep our balance, walk, play games, handle instruments and tools, talk, write, sail a boat, drive a car, or fly a plane. A change in the environment-a new car, a new friend, a new field of interest, a new job, a new location-may find us unprepared, but our behavior usually adjusts quickly as we acquire new responses and discard old. (Skinner, 1953) There are four types of operant conditioning: Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Punishment, and Extinction. Both Positive and Negative Reinforcement strengthen behavior while both Punishment and Extinction weaken behavior. (Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction, 1999) In Positive Reinforcement, a particular behavior is strengthened by the consequence of experiencing a positive condition. For example, a hungry rat presses a bar in its cage and receives food. The food is a positive condition for the hungry rat. The rat presses the bar again, and again receives food. The rats behavior of pressing the bar is strengthened by the consequence of receiving food. In Negative Reinforcement, a particular behavior is strengthened by the consequence of stopping or avoiding a negative condition. For example, another a rat is placed in a cage and immediately receives a mild electrical shock on its feet. The shock is a negative condition for the rat. The rat presses a bar and the shock stops. The rat receives another shock, presses the bar again, and again the shock stops. The rats behavior of pressing the bar is strengthened by the consequence of stopping the shock. In Punishment, a particular behavior is weakened by the consequence of experiencing a negative condition. For example, yet another rat presses a bar in its cage and receives a mild electrical shock on its feet. The shock is a negative condition for the rat. The rat presses the bar again and again receives a shock. The rats behavior of pressing the bar is weakened by the consequence of receiving a shock. In Extinction, a particular behavior is weakened by the consequence of not experiencing a positive condition or stopping a negative condition. For example, a rat presses a bar in its cage and nothing happens. Neither a positive nor a negative condition exists for the rat. The rat presses the bar again and again nothing happens. The rats behavior of pressing the bar is weakened by the consequence of not experiencing anything positive or stopping anything negative. The mission statements of most corrections agencies emphasize two main tasks: holding offenders accountable to conditions (compliance), and encouraging positive behavior change (rehabilitation). (Walters, Clark, Gingerich, Meltzer, 2007) Methods include increasing a persons opportunities and capacity for positive actions (e.g., skills training, education, employment) or helping the person succeed at some new behavior (e.g., drug treatment). Many shifts in correctional philosophy have occurred over the years. During some periods, corrections professionals have emphasized deterrence strategies; during others, they have relied more on treatment and constructional strategies. No period has emphasized one strategy alone; the difference has been in the degree to which they relied on one or the other. (Walters, Clark, Gingerich, Meltzer, 2007) Among the range of offender programs designed to reintegrate offenders into society, those that are most common, seek to address the offenders way of thinking, their reasoning and their associated behaviors through what is termed cognitive behavioral techniques. Cognitive behaviorism is an approach that applies learning theory to mental events like thoughts and feelings. Cognitive behavior programs teach people new ways of thinking, and in so doing, help them to overcome various problems that stem from dysfunctional or bad thinking. Cognitive behavior techniques are widely viewed as offering considerable advantages over more traditional forms of intervention. Because this term is so broad it is difficult to define precisely, but it involves helping offenders to face up to the consequences of their actions, to understand their motives, and to develop new ways of controlling their behavior. (Vennard, Sugg, Hedderman, 1997) Cognitive behaviorism is not a separate psychological theory nor is it a method, it is a term given to a range of mediations or interventions derived from the following three psychological theories, Behaviorism, Cognitive theory, and Social learning theory. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Behaviorism, which stresses the role of external or environmental factors that shape an individuals actions so that, for offenders, for example, encouragement from peers and/or the lack of immediate punishment from authority figures rein forces criminal behavior à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cognitive theory is concerned with the development of a persons thought processes. It also looks at how these thought processes influence how we understand and interact with the world. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Social learning theory emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Thus, it focuses on learning by observation and modeling. Cognitive behavioral modification assumes that offenders are shaped by their environment and they have failed to acquire certain cognitive skills or have learned inappropriate ways of behaving. The therapy assumes that most people can become conscious of their own thoughts and behaviors and then make positive changes to them. A persons thoughts are often the result of experience, and behavior is often influenced and prompted by these thoughts. (Clark, 2010) The Cognitive behavioral approach does not attribute the causes of criminal behavior solely to individual or psychological factors. It also takes into account the social conditions, which affect individual development, and is not in conflict with sociological explanations of criminal activity, such as those, which view such behavior as acquired from influential delinquent peer groups. (Vennard, Sugg, Hedderman, 1997) Since it is considered that such these behaviors are learned rather than inherited, offender programs that are cog nitive based are intended to teach offenders to face up to what they have done, to understand their motives and to develop new coping strategies and ways of controlling their behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been found effective with juvenile and adult offenders; substance abusing and violent offenders; and probationers, prisoners and parolees. In most cognitive behavioral therapy programs, offenders improve skills, means-ends problem solving, critical reasoning, moral reasoning, cognitive style, self-control, impulse management and self-efficacy. (Clark, 2010) Evidence-based practice (EBP) highlights the important role that agents have in offender outcome. For a treatment or program to be called evidence based, its effectiveness must be substantiated by a measurable outcome (e.g., decreased recidivism, increased public safety). In the past, rehabilitation was primarily the domain of mental health professionals, but EBP emphasizes that frontline staff, such as probation and parole officers, also have the opportunity to influence the change process. (Walters, Clark, Gingerich, Meltzer, 2007) Chronic behaviors are not resolved with some fixed amount or duration of treatment. As with substance abuse and mental health treatment, for example, an interim goal is to engage and retain the offender in treatment at an appropriate level of care and monitoring until the offender can successfully manage his or her own care and behavior. For many chronic offenders continuing care spans the period of at least six to nine months of intensive treatment fol lowed by a period of often longer aftercare. (Warren, 2007) The six principles of an effective EBP are: 1. The Risk Principle- The risk principle of effective intervention refers to the risk or probability that an offender will reoffend. It also identifies the risk level of those offenders who are the most appropriate targets of recidivism. Risk in this context does not refer to the seriousness of the crime or the likelihood that an offender will incur technical violations, but to the likelihood that the offender will commit another crime. 2. The Need Principle- Offenders typically have many needs, only some of which are associated with the risk of criminal behavior. The need principle of EBP identifies the most appropriate needs of offenders to target. Effective programs must target their criminogenic needs, i.e., those values, attitudes, or behaviors of the offender that are most closely associated with the likelihood of committing crime. The criminogenic needs most predictive of the likelihood of criminal behavior are: Low self-control, i.e., impulsive behavior Anti-social personality, i.e., callousness, lack of empathy Anti-social values, i.e., disassociation from the law-abiding community Criminal peers Substance abuse Dysfunctional family 3. Use of Risk/Needs Assessment Instruments-Determination of the degree of risk of reoffending that an offender presents, and of the offenders criminogenic needs, requires a careful assessment of relevant information about each offender. Often, determinations of risk are based solely on the nature of the offense committed and prior criminal history. Although both of these factors are legitimate risk factors, especially prior criminal history, they are not a sufficient basis for an accurate assessment. Offender characteristics are usually more predictive of whether an individual is likely to commit a future crime than offense characteristics. 4. The Treatment and Responsivity Principles- The treatment principle of EBP combines the research findings that cognitive-behavioral programs rooted in social-learning theory are the most effective in reducing recidivism. A clear set of consequences, both positive and negative, is helpful to people in developing their sense of self-control, of responsibility for their own behaviors. Related research on human behavior indicates that people respond better, and maintain learned behaviors longer, when approached with carrots rather than sticks, rewards rather than punishments. 5. Motivation and Trust- Motivation to change on the part of the offender is an important starting place for behavioral change. Behavior change will only take place if the offender chooses to do so. Effective treatment professionals and probation officers are therefore often trained in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢motivational interviewingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- (MI), a set of interpersonally sensitive communications techniques that effectively enhance intrinsic motivation for behavioral change by helping clients explore and resolve their ambivalence in a positive way. 6. Integration of Treatment and Community-Based Sanctions- Effectively utilize rehabilitation and treatment programs to reduce offender recidivism and promote public safety. Research clearly demonstrates that in the absence of treatment, neither punishment, nor incarceration, nor any other criminal sanction reduces recidivism, beyond the period of confinement, restraint, or surveillance. In fact, punishment and sanctions increase the likelihood of recidivism slightly, even when controlling for respective offender risk levels. Community-corrections programs based on EBP are not an alternative to appropriate punishment; they can often be combined with appropriate punishment. (Warren, 2007) Motivational interviewing grew out of the substance abuse and addiction treatment fields in the 1980s. At that time, research began to show that the widely accepted confrontational approaches to dealing with addicts simply were not successful. (Walters, Clark, Gingerich, Meltzer, 2007) Instead of confrontation, MI is a collaboration or partnership that is formed between the therapist and the person with the addiction, based on the addicts point of view and their experiences. This view of MI differences with earlier views on interventions. Previously, the idea was to confront the person with the addiction, and impose societys point of view about the persons addictive behavior. Today, this collaboration or partnership has the effect of building a rapport between the counselor and the person with the addiction, and allows the person with the addiction to develop trust towards the counselor, which was difficult in a confrontational atmosphere of the past. This does not mean that the cou nselor automatically agrees with the person with the addiction. Although the person with the addiction and their counselor may see things differently, the therapeutic process is focused on mutual understanding, not the counselor being right and the person with the addiction being wrong. A person is more likely to follow through with behavior he believes he has freely chosen and believes he can accomplish. MI is a person-centered method of fostering change by helping a person explore and resolve ambivalence. Rather than using external pressure, MI looks for ways to access internal motivation for change. It borrows from client-centered counseling in its emphasis on empathy, optimism, and respect for client choice. MI also draws from self-perception theory, which says that a person becomes more or less committed to an action based on the verbal stance he or she takes. Thus, an offender who talks about the benefits of change is more likely to make that change, whereas an offender who argues and defends the status quo is more likely to continue his present behavior. (Walters, Clark, Gingerich, Meltzer, 2007) Although MI suggests some tangible strategies, it is better thought of as a style of interaction that follows these basic principles: Express empathy. Empathy is about good rapport and a positive working environment. It is an attempt to understand the offenders mindset, even though the agent may not agree with the offenders point of view. Empathy also involves an effort to draw out concerns and reasons for change from the offender, instead of relying on the agents (or courts/boards) agenda as the sole persuasion strategy. Roll with resistance. Rolling with resistance means finding other ways to respond when the offender challenges the need for change. It is normal to have mixed feelings when thinking about change. Therefore, the agent does not argue with the offender. Develop discrepancy. Discrepancy is the feeling that ones current behavior is out of line with ones goals or values. Rather than telling the offender why he should change, the agent asks questions and makes statements to help the offender identify his own reasons for change. Support self-efficacy. A person is more likely to follow through with behavior that they believe they have freely chosen and believes they can accomplish. Therefore, the agent remains optimistic, reminds the offender of personal strengths and past successes, and affirms all efforts toward change. (Walters, Clark, Gingerich, Meltzer, 2007) The success of motivational interviewing is based on the belief that an offender that who talks about the benefits of change is more likely to make that change, whereas an offender who argues and defends the status quo is more likely to continue his present behavior. Shock Incarceration programs, popularly known as boot camps, are one of the most publicized intermediate sanction programs. Since the 1980s society has looked for ways to reduce the cost of housing offenders. The office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) thought they had the answer for teen offenders with juvenile boot camps. By 1996, 48 camps were in operation in several states. Congress had authorized $24.5 million for the states to open boot camps. By 1995, 52 juvenile boot camps were in operation housing an estimated 4,500 juveniles. (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) These boot camps have five main purposes: Deterrence Incapacitation Rehabilitation Punishment Cost control. Programs vary in size, duration, location, control of entry, the level of post-program supervision and in the level of training, education, or treatment programming provided. All are relatively brief (most are three to four months) and are designed for offenders who have not yet served time in a state prison. The programs draw on the model of a military style of boot camp. They stress strict discipline, obedience, regimentation, drill and ceremony, and physical conditioning, sometimes including manual labor. Shock programs participants are expected to learn self-discipline, teamwork and develop improved self-respect. Program participants are housed separately from the general prison population, although in some programs they are within sight and earshot of general population inmates. Often times these programs also incorporate drug and alcohol counseling, GED requirements, and anger management programs, social skill building, etc. Community corrections center are non-prison sanctions that are imposed on convicted adults or adjudicated juveniles by a court instead of a prison sentence or by a parole board following release from prison. Community corrections programs are usually operated by probation and parole agencies and the programs can include general community supervision as well as day reporting centers, halfway houses and other residential facilities, work release, and other community programs. The centers ease the transition for parolees and inmates who are nearing release. The centers provide a structured environment and a variety of supportive services, including counseling, employment assistance and drug and alcohol treatment. Community-based residential settings offering structure, supervision, surveillance, drug/alcohol treatment, educational and vocational programs, employment counseling, socialization and life skills programs, and community work transition, and/or forms of treatment and programs. Housing stability has long been related to success for persons who are on probation and parole. Experts have debated whether homelessness contributes to arrests and vice versa, but most agree that procuring offenders housing decreases recidivism and increases offender compliance. Housing stability has been related to preventing relapse for persons with a substance abuse history. Reentry projects that have helped create housing options for offenders are finding that obtaining housing is related to employment, sobriety and other individual assets. The ability of individuals to obtain housing, sobriety and employment builds personal resiliency and community assets. (Shilton Vail, 2005) Common reentry services include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Housing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Education à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Employment assistance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Peer mentoring or case management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Physical and mental health services à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Family reunification Over the last two decades, states have turned to community corrections programs to manage more offenders in the community in an effort to reduce prison and jail populations, reduce recidivism, and reduce costs within the criminal justice system. One type of community corrections program known as a day reporting center (DRC) has gained popularity as an alternative to incarceration as evidenced by the rapid increase in the number of programs operating nationwide. DRCs bring groups of parolees together from throughout a municipality or larger geographic area for supervision, services, and programming, and requires them to spend significant amounts of time together on a daily basis. (Boyle, Ragusa, Lanterman, Marcus, 2011) DRCs are non-residential facilities that offer offenders rehabilitative programming and daily supervision. Offenders assigned to DRCs generally report to the facility during daytime hours and return home at night when programming is complete. Typical DRCs can save age ncies on average of about $1,000 per offender, compared to the cost of incarceration. (Jones Lacey, 1999) To aid in reentry and reintegration, treatment programming available to offenders can include educational and/or vocational training, job placement services, drug abuse education and treatment, and life-skills training, among others. DRC programs offer an array of services designed to increase the success of the parolees reintegration into the community and parole adjustment. The services include, but are not limited to: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Transitional/sober living environments (housing shall not exceed 6 months and is provided to ten-percent of the parolees served) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Individual and group counseling à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Random breathalyzer and urinalysis testing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Substance abuse education à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Anger management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Domestic violence prevention and awareness à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Educational/GED preparation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Job readiness and job search assistance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Cognitive and life skills development à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Budgeting and money management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Aftercare Commonly as a condition of probation or parole, offenders are required to participate in community-based substance abuse treatment programs. The most common substances of abuse reported by probation or parole admissions were alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamines; more than one half reported more than one substance of abuse at admission. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration , 2011) According to recent reports, 60 to 80 percent of prison and jail inmates, parolees, probationers, and arrestees were under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the commission of their offense, committed the offense to support a drug addiction, were charged with a drug- or alcohol-related crime, or are regular substance users. (Marlowe, 2003) Residential or In-Patient Programs usually require a commitment of at least 30 days and typically include room and board. Through intensive counseling and group interactions, addicts/alcoholics learn how to regain control of their lives using key recovery tools. Often, clients who have attempted outpatient treatment programs but have ultimately relapsed back into drug and alcohol use, or have found outpatient programs difficult to complete, achieve success in a residential program. Clients who require detoxification services due to concerns about withdrawal also benefit from residential programs, as detox services are often included as a part of a residential treatment program. The most effective programs regularly monitor clients substance use through random breathalyzer tests and urinalyses. Drug-free test results are met with rewards, such as reduced monitoring requirements, reduced criminal sanctions, or goods and services that support a productive lifestyle. Drug-positive results, on the other hand, are met with such sanctions as loss of privileges, increased counseling requirements, or a brief return to detention. Most drug and alcohol programs follow the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Drug Courts are a court supervised, treatment oriented program that targets non-violent participants whose major problems stem from substance abuse. The Drug Court Program is a voluntary program, which includes regular court appearances before the Drug Court Judge. Treatment includes drug testing, individual and group counseling, and regular attendance at 12-Step meetings. The probation officer and the treatment team may also assist with obtaining education and skills assessments and will provide referrals for vocational training, education, and/or job placement services. The program length, is usually determined by the participants progress, however should be no less than one year. Successful completion and graduation from the Drug Court Program may result in having probation terminated early. Hawaiis Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE), launched in 2004, by First Circuit Judge Steven Alm, is an experimental probation program that emphasizes the delivery of swift and certain punishment when a probationer violates conditions of probation. The HOPE program has seen remarkable success, and has gained the attention of several states, as a possible cost saving alternative in their states. The HOPE program has a strong theoretical basis. That swiftness and certainty outperform severity in the management of offending is a concept that dates back to 1764 to Cesar Beccarias, On Crimes and Punishment. The formula H.O.P.E. follows for controlling hard-drug use in the criminally active population is simple: (Hawkin, H.O.P.E. for Reform, 2007) Weekly randomized testing (or twice weekly scheduled testing), to eliminate any safe window for undetected drug use. Fixed sanctions on a set schedule: As little as two days in jail is adequate, so long as enforcement is reliable, with sentence length increasing gradually for successive violations. A formal warning to the probationer in open court, putting him on notice that violations have consequences. As short a time as possible between violations and sanctions. (For offenders with paycheck jobs, the first sanction could be deferred to the following weekend.) Quick service of bench warrants on those who abscond. Treatment services for those who prove unable to comply on their own. Under HOPE, probationers are given a color code at the warning hearing. Every morning, they must call a hot line to hear which color has been selected for that day. If it is their color, they must appear at the probation office before 2 p.m. for a drug test. If a HOPE probationer fails to appear for the drug test, a bench warrant is issued and served immediately. A probationer who fails the random drug test is immediately arrested and within 72 hours is brought before a judge. If the probationer is found to have violated the terms of probation, he or she is immediately sentenced to a short jail stay. Typically, the term is several days, servable on the weekend if the probationer is employed; sentences increase for successive violations. Violating terms of probation sends a consistent message to probationers about personal responsibility and accountability. (Hawkin Kleiman, 2009) HOPE has proven itself to be effective. While the program isnt perfect, its offenders have had a better track record than those in regular probation. NIJ-funded researchers evaluated HOPE to determine if it worked and results were positive. (Hawkin Kleiman, Managing Drug Involved Probationers with Swift and Certain Sanctions: Evaluating Hawaiis HOPE, 2009) Compared to probationers in a control group, after one year the HOPE probationers were: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Fifty-five percent less likely to be arrested for a new crime. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Seventy-two percent less likely to use drugs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Sixty-one percent less likely to skip appointments with their supervisory officer. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Fifty-three percent less likely to have their probation revoked. In Conclusion, this report only touches on the basics of Behavior modifications in use in probation and parole today. There is much more to the concept of behavior modification than meets the eye. While the success of behavior modification is not a new concept. In

Marks and Spencer: Human Resource Management

Marks and Spencer: Human Resource Management In 1998 it became the first British retailer to make a pre-tax profit of over  £1  billion, though a few years later it plunged into a crisis which lasted for several years. In November 2009, it was announced that Marc Bolland, formerly of Morrisons, will take over as chief executive from Stuart Rose in early 2010; Rose will continue as chairman until mid-2011. MSs Present situation of Recruitment, selection and training: As MS persist to grow the business and invest for the future, it is more essential than ever to keep amplification the team of employees at every level, from the shop-floor through to management. To attract and retain the best talent in the industry, HRM has to exhibit each day that MS is a good employer, dedicated to creating all the people feel respected and providing them with career opportunities and quality training. Recruitment and retention: The company employs around 71,000 people in the UK, 75,000 worldwide. MS has one of the lowest employee turnover rates in UK retail, at 27% for customer assistants and 12% for management. Around 40% of the people have been with it for over 5 years and 22% for more than ten years. MS can offer graduates a fast track into management and last year HRM received a record 8,500 applications in just over two months. Each year the company employ between 150 and 200 graduates and business placement programmed undergraduates for positions in retail, food technology, design, HR, buying, IT and other specialist roles. MS won four major graduate recruitment awards, including the 2008 Times Graduate Employer of Choice for retail. Training and development: The company needs to train people comprehensively to do their jobs, but also want to keep their skills and experience by giving them real opportunities to plan and build a career with Marks Spencer. MS has defined career paths in place for many of its people, including Customer Assistants and store management. During the year it introduced new career paths for store Section Managers and HR and marketing teams. Everyone joining in the stores completes a thorough induction and up to 26 weeks ongoing training the longest on the high street. MS has over 7,500 people in stores who act as coaches to train and support their less experienced colleagues. This year the company has also run specialist training for people moving into senior management roles or taking up international assignments. Additionally, more than 4,000 people completed Buying Academy and Food Academy courses. MS now testing similar types of academies for womenswear and merchandisers. MSs Ethics and Code is communicated across the company and senior management is asked to confirm acceptance annually with breaches reported to the Audit Committee. The recruitment and selection process of human resource in the company go through in two parts, Store and Head Office. Store Retail Sales MS has two schemes available in the stores: Selling and HR. Selling is where most of the graduates join, and offers the chance to be fast-tracked into senior level retail management. HR is where personnel train to be an HR manager, gaining experience into everything from managing recruitment to carrying out disciplinary procedures. Figure 4 Store Roles Store management Managing HR in store Store stock management Head office In a head office role, the personnel get the opportunity to develop professional skills and capabilities, and then use that acquaintance to influence strategies and confine growth across the rest of the business. MS provides opportunities in  IT, design, merchandising, garment, buying and food technology and product development. Figure 5 Designing Store development Accounts and finance Head office Roles Procurement Product development Information technology UK and International marketing Information technology Human resource management Recruitment and Selection Procedure of MS Job centre Recruitment Agencies Recruitment Sources Advertisements On-line application Schools, colleges, universities Friends and relatives of existing employees Executive search agencies Interviews Work-based tests Selection Procedures Bio-data analysis Psychological analysis References Analytical ability test Training and development process: MS wants its people to enjoy their work and feel they have all the skills they need to do their job to the best of their ability. Therefore, the company offers in-depth training and performance coaching, and regularly assess the peoples development needs to ensure everyone has the support to achieve their potential. For once in my life I can truly say that I enjoy going to work every day and I really like the buzz you feel all around the store. Brian MS Staff It does not a matter in which area of the business someone joins, he/she will receive an induction that will help to settle into the team, giving a feel for what role will involve and leave to feel passionate, inspired and excited about the career with Marks Spencer. The following provides the nature of training one can expect in MSs stores and at head office, and how the company looks at developing future leaders of the business. Marks Spencer offers the majority of the training for store teams is on-the-job. It helps them learn in  real life situations. The section managers also receive specific training on stock management, driving sales and motivating their teams, while the store managers are regularly assessed to address any senior level development needs they may have. Finally, the retail business transforms fast and making sure each of the employees has a flexible and diverse range of skills is as significant to the future of MSs business as it is to the people who work in it. That is true whether an employee joins the company for a short period of time or to pursue a long-term career. The training MS offer is designed to help individuals build up their talents and capabilities, develop their experience and fulfill their career ambitions. MS aim is to ensure that the employees have the skills they need to deliver the kind of service that customers expect from MS. Evaluation of the Human Relations School of management in relation to Motivation of staff: In 1920 an experiment conducted by the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric (in Cicero, IL) known as the Hawthorne Experiments from which the human relations management evolved. This human relations management approach includes different models, ways and ideas. Through this experiment an important observation was noted. As the employees were divided in to two groups for the purpose of experiment groups got varied attention from the management. And it was found that the group which got majority of attention got highly motivated and seemed their work as significant one and turn out to be more productive. Because of this particular work people understood that workers also need special attention as they were treated as some force which will do the job otherwise would be terminated at that era. And this observation helped to introduce a new horizon in the outlook of managers and help come into view human relations management. This school of management is now there for quite a long time and withstands the test of time. This view is sometimes regarded as theory of motivation and the treat people working in the organization quite differently than other theories such as autocratic. Among different theories McGregors X and Y Theories presume workers can act in both ways that is some workers may be unmotivated and reluctant about the work imposed on them (Theory-X) and some may seem motivated and treat the work as trust vested upon them (Theory-Y). So management needs to be pretty much careful in handling workers. Management should design its different program by keeping human relations management. In this modern world workers are not only used like machines to make the job done rather they will have to nourish which will in turn provide nourishment to the organization. To motivate employees to the work this approach recommends some steps that management can follow: To treat employees as if work is as common as doing daily activities in normal mode. The target of the employees work is aimed share those objectives to make the work more acquainted with the employees. Make sure employees can take major decision on their own and can prove their own potential. Provide proper training and increase work load as they become more capable. Appreciate and motivate employees on doing successful projects and set standards which are achievable. This approach tells us that employees are not motivated only by monetary benefit but also by different fringe benefits such as appreciation, sense of togetherness etc. Program of Motivational Factors for a Small to Medium Sized Business:. Motivational program is set to achieve the following objectives: To Perform jobs as efficiently and timely as possible and Be ready to take latest challenges as they are presented to them and stood confident to cope with those challenges. So to design a program for a small to medium business the following factors or observations need to be addressed: Ability and motivation: The program designed must be able to locate the areas which will motivate employees and the purpose of the program will be to motivate employees. The program should include something that increases employees eagerness to do the job willingly. Reinforce employees positively and train them as it becomes necessary. Always maintain and ensure fairness, respect, and honesty in treating employees. It is one of essentials of the program. Identify, understand and talk to employees about their miseries, provide assistance if needed. Job rotation, job redesign, restructuring or reorganizing job descriptions when necessary will make the employees more capable of doing different jobs and will reduce dependency on some key employees. Based on the performance establish reward system which may range from providing monetary to non monetary benefits. After the inclusion of all these factors or observations there will be a turnaround in the way of doing things in a small or medium sized business. Classical and Scientific School of Management: To manage work and train the workers to reduce dissatisfaction of the workers Classical management theory evolved during the Industrial Revolution. It mainly find the best way to perform the job assigned. There are two branches of Classical School of Management: classical scientific and classical administrative. Classical scientific school: The  classical scientific branch  deals with the process of work and the skills of the workers and to increase productivity. Taylor, Henry Gantt, and Frank and Lillian Gilbreth were the main contributors of this school. Taylor believed that organizations should study tasks and develop precise procedures. Henry Gantt is the creator of the Gantt chart, a bar graph that measures planned and completed work along each stage of production. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth,  studied job motions. Frank was an apprentice bricklayer, he was interested in standardization and method study. He studied about the workers slowness and inefficiency. The scientific management was developed to divide work between employees, methods of doing jobs, the teamwork building and training and developing workers. Classical administrative school: The classical administrative School deals on the total organization such as the development of managerial principles rather than work methods. Max Weber, Henri Fayol, Mary Parker Follett, and Chester I. Barnard were the main contributors.   Max Weber  believed that the organization should be run by structured rules and it should not be run as family-like basis. He didnt think that authority should be based on a persons personality. He thought authority should be something that was part of a persons job and passed from individual to individual as one person left and another took over. This nonpersonal, objective form of organization was called a  bureaucracy. All bureaucracies have the characteristics as Division of work, A good hierarchy and Rule and regulations, competence and the relationships between managers and employees. Henri Fayols 14 principles of management gives clear idea how a manager manage his department and staff. The 14 principles are: Division of work, Authority and responsibility, Discipline, Unity of command, Unity of direction, Subordination of individual interest to general interest, Remuneration of personnel, Centralization, Scalar chain, Order, Equity, Stability of tenure of personnel, Initiative, Esprit de corps. Mary Parker Follett   encouraged managers to share their power with the employees. She began to talk about such things as ethics, power, and leadership. She stressed the importance of people rather than techniques a concept very much before her time. As a result, she was a pioneer and often not taken seriously by management scholars of her time. But times change, and innovative ideas from the past suddenly take on new meanings. Much of what managers do today is based on the fundamentals that Follett established more than 80 years ago. Relevance of Maslows Theory in Todays Workforce: The dynamic world of business needs to motivate employees which contradict the past dictatorship by the top management. Through this process of development different perspectives arise and made their mark in motivating employees. Maslows hierarchy of needs alternatively known as the theory Z is one such remarkable innovation that never lost its eminent prospect in motivating employees and still followed all around the world. The Maslows hierarchy calls for the meet up of employees physiological needs on the first hand. In todays world firms focus on issues such as food, housing etc which falls in the physiological category to motivate employees. In USA Toyota has a village for its employees that provide housing facilities for its employees. The second parameter is safety. Employees need job security, health support for them and for their families so if this can be ensured employees will surely be motivated. The example of Toyota village can be mentioned once again here. People are by nature hungry for love and as human beings employees also need love and affection. So the insurance of appreciation, sense of belongingness will motivate them and theory Z is very much appropriate in identifying it. In self esteem case employees act as confident contenders in performing a job. They will want achieve something for them and to obtain respect from others. Maslow rightly identified this need as low and mid level managers always try to be achievers. And they want top management to believe in them to take some decisions for which they will be responsible. Employees at certain time become more creative in what they usually do. In this process of self actualization employees will need to be handled carefully as they can take the business to a whole new level. So Maslows theory is very much in line with the todays workforce. Evaluation of the autocratic and democratic ways of implementing changes within the organization: Every company always tries to manage the changes by using democratic or participatory managerial style. Change management is a personal journey along with the organization changes. So each stakeholders views, complaints and concerns needed to be heard and this input needs to be incorporated into the change management process. If the organizational changes are imposed on the individuals without showing much respect towards the individual employees the firm should at the same time be prepared for a lot resistance. Change management is difficult as there are negative reaction from the employees. The managers should be very much intelligent and competent to change and they must manage employees that they will not be affected badly. People should be given information be open and honest about the facts, but dont give overoptimistic speculation. The information should be given everyone in the organization. People should be given time, to express their views, and support their decision making, providing coaching, counseling or information as appropriate. Where the change involves a loss, identifies what will or might replace that loss loss is easier to cope with if there is something to replace it. This will help assuage potential fears. Where it is possible to do so, give individuals opportunity to express their concerns and provide reassurances also to help assuage potential fears. Linkage between management style and motivational programs: Generally with the democratic style of management, employees are highly motivated and inverse is the case with the autocratic style of leadership. But this simple statement needs better modification. While answering this question I will try to focus on the different motivational practice backed by the motivational theory and its linkage with the management style. According to the Maslows hierarchy of need theory people at a specific point of time has a specific level of need. After the fulfillment of that need a second stage need occurs. Employee who currently has safety and psychological needs will not care about the style of management for getting motivated. But in case of employees, who have love, esteem or self- actualization needs cares about the motivational level at the workforce and they will be much motivated with the scientific style of management. According to Douglas McGregor of MIT Sloan School of Management Employees can be narrowly divided into two generic classes- one set of people who are innovative and love to work as to them working is equivalent to play. For motivating them he proposed democratic leadership, flatten hierarchy and team work (components of modem management technique). According to McGregor, another set of employee do not work hard since they find no real interest in the job and like to follow the command instead of thinking creatively. For motivating those types of employees he proposed autocratic leadership, strong chain of command (components of classical management technique). Frederick Herzberg, a psychologist, has segregated different factors at the workplace that affect the productivity motivators and hygiene factors. If there are no motivators like challenging work, responsibility, good management although he doesnt leave the job but still he is not motivated. Firms which are more concerned about the efficiency not retention should incorporate scientific management to motivate the people. Should Higher Education be free to students? Should Higher Education be free to students? Introduction By the end of this essay I will be explain how the system work I will be talking about how education can effect people i will also carry out a research on the background history of how the higher education system and its funding in UK over past years and I will analyse some off the point which I have researched over the internet and analysed .I will show the advantages and disadvantages if higher education should be free Higher Education University is an important right of passage an opportunity to establish independence, to study on areas of interest and hopefully to do so in, stimulating environment meeting new people, and considering new ideas and .I think it is important that everyone should attend this stage Higher education is provided for free in by most off the countries, or maybe at a a considerate price , but not in the UK, The UK has presumably more money at the institutions disposal. However, it also means that higher education may be not that unaffordable to many people at a lower circumstances. Scholarships and loans As we how that there is scholarships and loans available now but scholarships are obviously not going to be available to everyone and the loans are the loan is a big debt after graduating so as you can see the student dont have a chance in either however to soclize the higher education in the U.K we will need a big overhaul system that will handled with care. The Government has said half of young people are getting into higher education is failing. Far from rising by around 4 per cent a year. maybe this is why higher education is not free the government cant afford to invest money on student education and student are failing . Well we should consider education to be an investment. Statistics suggest that, on average, these with a higher education earn higher incomes. THE Background When the New Labour took power in 1997, students had means-tested maintenance grants and no fees. After a year they took off the grant was gone and a means-tested fee regime of up to  £1,000 a year after 2004 the higher education pushed it up to  £3,000 and this will increase very academic year. As you see that huge increase from 1997 to 2009 the normal fees was 1,000 than was increased to  £3250 The means testing will allow poor people and people with low income to go university .Those how are from low income families should still be able to attend university however the middle classes benefits the most from university education At the moment there has been a very high drop out rate from university and the reason is because students have to drop out because they cant afford the fee Funding Must universities in Britain are state financed, with only one private university à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“University of Buckinghamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  where the government does not support the tuition fees. Undergraduate and posgradute Undergraduate students and the students from EU countries have to pay university fees up to a maximum of  £3,225 09/10. Loans are available to students depending on there income assist. This may only be used for tuition fee costs. However in Scotland it different they have their fees paid by the students awards agency for Scotland rather than student Finance.. However postgraduate students are responsible for all there fees but however postgraduate have a variety of scholarship and assistantship schemes they might chooses from that may provide support e.g Economic and social research council and many more .The main sources of funding for postgraduate students are through research councils Advantages of making Higher Education Free Here are some off the advantages points * Higher Education leads to situations this is when students graduating end up having extremely high debt on them this was lead to the student loan . Also if higher education was free student will take extra courses which is more effectively * It will decrease the students from drop out ,and push up the passing rate This will than boost the economy with the amount off student graduating from there universities with a degree * There will be equal opportunity to everyone to attend higher education this means the poor people and the low-income families will have the right to apply .As you can see that the middle class people are using this opportunity using the money and leaving the poor and low incomes missing the opportunity Disadvantages of making Higher Education Free * There will be less jobs available for everyone the reason because the people who didnt attend university was a high number and by making the higher education free it will increases the graduates and will than decreases the amount of jobs available * The disadvantage about free higher education is that the government will be paying it but however the stistics shows that half off the higher education student fail there course every year this will than show an down decrease in the economic structure Supply and demand The Supply and demand is an economic of price in a market. It explains that in a market, price will function to equal the quantity demanded by consumers, and the quantity supplied by producers, resulting in economic equilibrium of price and quantity. The demand schedule, shows a graphically as the demand curves , represents the amount of goods that buyers who wants to purchase at different prices. The price of goods remain the same however Following the law demand the demand curve is almost always represented as downward line this means that if the price decreases the consumers will buy more of the good. This means that if higher education was to be free the demand on the education will increase .The reason because the people who didnt mange to go for reasons like the fees for the courses they will have an opportunity to apply however there will be a very high demand as because the students use to pay for it now it free. As you can see on the graph Excess Supply If the price is set too high, excess supply will be created within the economy and there will be allocative inefficiency. , but those consuming the goods will find the product less attractive andpurchase less because the price is too high This is how it looks like when higher education is not free ,the fees are too high and student will not be able to attend just how it shown on the graph Shifts A shift in a demand or supply curve occurs when a goods quantity demanded or supplied changes even though price remains the same. For example if the fees for the university was FREE and the quantity of off student applying shows the demanded However this shows that if higher education was free there will be an increase in demand Conclusion In conclusion I have identified how higher education should be free to students managed to find out what the student thought about free education I also showed what the advantages was for the free education and the disadvantages I managed to get some ideas however I also used the supply and demand and excess supply I managed to compare them and analysed them .I researched the background of the higher education and got some important information which I also analysed . http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26storycode=403698c=2 http://ingrimayne.com/econ/Introduction/ScarcityNChoice.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/mar/04/highereducation.tuitionfees http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universities_in_the_United_Kingdom http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2337183.stm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_and_demand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universities_in_the_United_Kingdom http://www.economicshelp.org/2007/10/why-top-up-fees-are-good-idea.html

The Airline Industry :: essays research papers

The topic in which I chose to do a scrapbook on was â€Å"How the government affects the airline industry in Canada†. Specifically I chose articles that related to the aftermaths of the September 11th tragedy. This event affected airlines in an enormous manner. Many airlines were facing economical problems and in turned asked the government for assistance. As a result, Canada 3000, which was Canada’s second largest airline carrier filed for bankruptcy protection on October 11th. Air Canada was also faced with many hard to make decisions. They turned to the Canadian government and asked for financial assistance. The Problem Solving Method will be examined to determine how the government came to the decision of actually granting Air Canada some assistance. Problem Solving Method 1. Decide on the "Issue" (Define it carefully to avoid arguments later.) The issue that is being discussed in whether or not the government should help Air Canada out financially. As can be seen in the articles presented in the scrapbook, it is known that the government controls many of the operations at Air Canada. 2. Examine various points of view and the opinions they have.  · Your own In my opinion, I think that the Canadian government should help Air Canada with financial assistance. I believe that if the government wants to have control over their fare prices, whether or not they can open a discount airline, and the amount of workers they are able to hire, that they have an obligation to the airline to help them out in these types of situations.  · Those of key groups or individuals (stakeholders) a) Air Canada Union Representatives – This group feels that the government should be active in financial aid relief. During the events after September 11th, the union stated in many national papers, that they felt that they deserved the same amount of support and relief that the US government was giving their airlines. b) The Canadian Government – The government had essentially three choices: i) They could help the airline. ii) They could do nothing and let the airline claim bankruptcy. iii) They could buy back into Air Canada. With the first choice, the government has to allocate some of their resources to the airline. The second option was not feasible for the government to partake in because of the fact that Canadian citizens would be loosing the biggest airline carrier. The third option, which the government did consider, involved two options. The government could either buy a minority of the shares or they could buy the entire operation and that would result in Air Canada becoming a crown corporation.

Stephen Kings Why We Crave Horror Films Essay -- essays research paper

As I was lying in bed recalling the event happened an hour before I was thinking to myself that I will never look at lightning the same way again. Thunder and lightning was still present in the night sky as I lay there in bed thanking God I was alive and well. Each flash of lightning lit the entire room and each clap of thunder rattled the windows of my hotel room. Lightning can seem much more terrifying when you’re up 20,000 ft in the mountains, and the thunder sounds a lot louder too. The sound of nature’s fury seemed to slowly descend as the night went on, but my nerves did not. I was still stunned and in shock of being stuck in a lightning storm high in the mountains. I never thought about the power and damage lightning can inflict upon its surroundings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was summer 2001 and we had been invited to attend the wedding in Colorado for one of our friends. The wedding took place on a mountain top in Keystone, Colorado. The wedding reception also took place in the lodge on the mountain top. The mountain top was about 20,000 ft about sea level. In order to get there you had to ride two gondolas. Each gondola sat about six people and would carry on up the mountain and down the mountain and down the mountain; much like a ski lift. Each ride lasted about 15 minutes. The wedding was a success, and it was one of the best weddings I’ve ever attended. The reception went all into the night. Laughter and conversation could be heard yards away from the lo...

Segmentation of Mercedes

Table of Contents 1. 0 Situation Analysis/Current Marketing Mix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 1. 1 Current Product†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 1. 2 Current Pricing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 1. 3 Current Distribution†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 1. 4 Current Promotion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 2. 0 Segmentation Theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 2. 1 Defining and Explaining Segmentation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 2. 2 Explaining Three Benefits of Mercedes-Benz Brand from using Segmentation †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 3. Target Market Identification†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 3. 1 Geographic Segmentation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 3. 2 Demographic Segmentation†¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 3. 3 Psychographic Segmentation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 3. 4 Behavioral Segmentation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 4. 0 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 20 Surname 3 1. 0 Situation Analysis/Current Marketing Mix 1. 1 Current Product Being a highly reputable brand globally, Mercedes-Benz has successfully penetrated in Singapore market.Presently, Mercedes-Benz C class has swiftly penetrated in the Singaporean luxury car market due to the prestige associated with the brand. Being a consumer product, Mercedes Class C has been characterized by high performance that accurately meets personal needs for active individuals through the superior brand name. Over the years, Mercedes Benz brand name has won global recognition, contributing to its popularity in Singaporean market. The various sub-models of Mercedes Benz Class C including C230, C240, C320 and C350 among others offer consumers with various luxurious services, besides mere travelling.It is important to note that, the ability of a core product to offer credible and other beneficial characteristics besides the core product utility enhances its propensity to acquire popularity among consumers1. In this regard, Mercedes Class C has been considered as of high quality level, having sophisticated features to enhance driving experiences, stylish in nature and having strong brand name. In Singapore luxury car market, it has been rep orted that 70% of customers enquiring about car are much interested in Mercedes Benz Class C. This is an indication that, much of their time is spent looking on the stylish nature of the product2.It has been observed that, most of these consumers looking for Mercedes Benz Class C don’t easily opt for other brands until they get it some other times when it is available. This is evidenced by the selling slogan of the product â€Å"Drive and Seek,† which aims at assuring the consumers ultimate performance of the product. More so, the prestigious nature of Mercedes Class C can be considered as a unique feature that has contributed to its popularity in Singapore. It has been observed that, Mercedes Benz Class C is multi-purpose, since it is still used in sports as well as for private outdoor traveling.It is vital to note that, the ability of a product to offer consumers with additional benefits besides the basic uses contributes to its popularity among consumers. By having more additional benefits than its 1 Richard, Semenik and Gary, Bamossy, Principles of Marketing: A Global Perspective (New York: Prentice Hall, 2005), 68. 2 Beng, Chua. Life is not Complete without Shopping: Consumption Culture in Singapore, (Singapore: Singapore University Press, 2003), 72. Surname 4 core competitors like BMW, Mercedes Benz Class C has penetrated well in Singaporean markets. 1. 2 Current PricingThe luxury car market in Singapore is an oligopoly competitive market, since there are few luxury car brands in the market. Being a superior brand in the market, Mercedes-Benz C-Class has efficiently penetrated in the Singapore market. This has been observed in the way this brand highly demanded, despite its high prices. Particularly, Mercedes Benz Class C pricing strategy is valuebased, considering the way consumers of this product have not been sensitive to the high prices for this product. It has also been observed that, increase in prices for Mercedes Benz Class C does n ot affect consumer demand.This is evidenced when prices for Mercedes Benz Class C 350 increased from ? 32580 in the year 2006 to ? 33130 in the year 2007, the total demand for the product remained undisturbed, constituting of about 30% of luxury demand in Singapore3. This shows how the superiority of the brand is not affected by price changes, since consumers have are highly loyal to the brand, despite competitors using various tactics to market their products. Customer loyalty for Mercedes Benz Class C is demonstrated in the way consumers in Singapore maintain the demand for the brand, despite its competitors lowering their prices.For instance, BMW is one of the core rivals of Mercedes Benz, whose tendency of reducing prices has not affected the demand for Mercedes Benz Class C. Particularly, the year 2007 saw BMW lower the prices of its luxury car models in Singapore in order to win more customers, a strategy which did not affect the demand for Mercedes Benz Class C4. This is an i ndication that, consumers tend to perceive the value of Mercedes Benz as being far much higher than the money they pay for.As a result, high level of customer loyalty has been prevalent for Mercedes Benz Class C in Singapore as a result of the outstanding features and prestigious nature of the luxury car brand. Considering that Mercedes Benz Class C is sophistically manufactured using highly costly resources, the strategy adopted by the brand in pricing the product is effective. Though Mercedes-Benz C-Class is an expensive car, its value among the consumers has made it acquire loyalty among the customers. 1. 3 Current Distribution 3 Leslie, Butterfield, Enduring Passion: Story of the Mercedes Benz Brand, (New York: Wiley Publishers, 2005), 36. Dennis, Adler, Mercedes Benz: First Gear, (London: Motorbooks, 2008), 46. Surname 5 Mercedes C-Class has been distributed using a variety of channels in Singapore. With some buyers opting for online orders, there are various selling points of the luxury car in Singapore. Among the various destination points for Mercedes Benz Class C includes the major attraction points in the island like Ion Sky, and Marina Bay Sand among others. More so, Mercedes Benz Class C has been distributed in Singapore through major exhibitions in the island like the Singapore Showroom, Titanic exhibition, MBS Countdown, and Elephant Parade among others.This has facilitated the distribution of the luxury cars to the people where they can view it and make purchases5. By having various points of sale for this product, high volume of sales has been experienced in this brand, since consumers find it easier to contact the sellers directly. Since customers are able to visit the show rooms and explore the vehicles directly, direct interactions between the brand’s representatives have facilitated brand popularity among the people of Singapore.Since Mercedes Benz Class C products are produced in Singapore, most of the sellers are company’s r epresentatives who act as sales agents. This makes the customers lack the opportunity of interacting directly with the manufacturers of the brand. With the advancement of e-commerce, many customers in Singapore have adopted online purchasing strategy for the Mercedes Benz Class C cars. Through online stores, Mercedes Company has been able to substantial customer base in Singapore6. Being a well developed country, many people use computers, making it easier for them to make most of their purchases online.Through the adoption of web video with interactive agent thriller as well as the company’s website, consumers have been able to know the products. After making online purchases the cars are shipped to the customers through the port of Singapore which handles various products from Europe and other parts of the world. Through the use of a blend of physical selling points and online marketing strategy, Mercedes Company has been able to distribute Mercedes Benz Class C cars to man y consumers in Singapore. 1. 4 Current PromotionCurrently, Mercedes Company adopts a variety of promotional platforms for Mercedes Benz Class C in Singapore. These platforms include internet portfolio, traditional print and cinema, which are 5 Paul, Leppert, Doing Business with Singapore: Global Business Series, (Washington, DC: Jain Pub Co. , 2000), 21. 6 Dennis, Adler, Mercedes Benz: First Gear, (London: Motorbooks, 2008), 41. Surname 6 reinforced with corporate social responsibility through integrated marketing communications. There various messages displayed on the promotional platforms for Mercedes Benz Class C which includes â€Å"Drive and Seek†, and â€Å"More Style per Hour†.All these promotional messages are available at the Mercedes Company’s website as core messages of persuading the customers to purchase the product. The message â€Å"Drive & Seek† has been passed on through this media, thus helping in marketing Mercedes Benz Class C. By adop ting this message, the company is guaranteeing its customers about the performance of the product. Online advertisement has been considered as key promotional platform adopted by the Mercedes Company in the sale of Mercedes Benz Class C in Singapore.With about 80 percent of Singapore’s society being able to access the internet at least daily, the use of web video advertisement by Mercedes-Benz has been found quite efficient7. Further, â€Å"More style per hour† is another promotional message adopted in the marketing of Mercedes Benz Class C in Singapore. This message has been widely available in the company’s marketing pamphlets, television ads and company’s websites. This message seeks to convince buyers that they will definitely experience outstanding prestige and stylish drive every time they use the product.With most of the consumers in Singapore being luxurious and prestigious in nature, this message has been found quite useful and accurate in meetin g the psychological needs of Singaporeans. The combination of these promotional messages has enhanced successful penetration of Mercedes Benz Class C in Singapore consumer market, while many consumers who have the product remaining very loyal to it8. 2. 0 Segmentation Theory 2. 1 Defining and Explaining Segmentation Segmentation is basically the identification and establishment of buyer/consumer subsets within a market.Notably, these groups of buyers demonstrate similar behaviors and needs. Despite the extensive and diverse nature of the global market, it should be noted that buyers have different behaviors and needs. With this in mind, marketers or businesses have to match groups of customers who have similar needs and behaviors. A point worthy of consideration is that each segment has 7 Leslie, Butterfield, Enduring Passion: Story of the Mercedes Benz Brand, (New York: Wiley Publishers, 2005), 33. 8 Philip Kotler, Marketing Places, (New York: McGraw Hill Press, 2001), 231. Surname 7 distinct needs and homogeneous characteristics.With this in mind, market stimulus and market intervention are used to address each segment9. Through segmentation, marketers are able to meet the specific needs of the particular customer base, by tailoring the products to meet the needs of such customers. 2. 2 Segmentation in Singapore for Mercedes-Benz Class C The market segmentation in the Singapore consumer market for Mercedes Benz Class C has been very useful in the way the company has been able to position the product more appropriately. The market segment aimed by this product is the middle age-group working class people who are educated.Particularly, Mercedes Benz Class C is meant for individuals who have achieved success in their early live and are having many ambitions in their endeavors. This is evidenced in their marketing messages which seem to concern active and well-up people seeking success in their various endeavors. For instance, ‘Drive & Seek’ is mean t to persuade active and successful individuals to seek more success through driving Mercedes Benz Class C10. With about 80% of the population aging between 18-49 years working, this segment has the potential to offer substantial market opportunity for Mercedes Benz Class C.More so, Mercedes Company targets young and well-up families. This is shown in the way Mercedes Benz Class C is specially tailored to accommodate a family while at various luxurious trips or excursions. As evidenced in the promotional message ‘more style per hour’ it is explicit that the company aims at meeting the needs of a family while traveling. Quite importantly, this segment comprises of large proportion in Singapore with about 48% of the population married, while the rest are children and youths11. As a result, there seems a potential market for this product in Singapore market. . 0 Target Market Identification 3. 1 Geographic Segmentation Singapore is a highly strategic and potential country for luxurious products like Mercedes- Benz C-Class. Precisely, Singapore is a small country which is highly urbanized. Since Mercedes Benz Class C requires flat and smooth terrain for outstanding performance, Singapore can be 9 Johan Arndt, Market Segmentation: Theoretical and Empirical Dimensions (New York: London, 2001), 38. 10 Dennis Adler, Mercedes Benz: First Gear, (London: Motorbooks, 2008), 38. 1 Paul Leppert, Doing Business with Singapore: Global Business Series, (Washington, DC: Jain Pub Co. , 2000), 43. Surname 8 considered as an ultimate geographical region for this product. Precisely, the urbanized nature of Singapore positions it adequately in terms of market for the Mercedes C-Class. Majority of the population being urban dwellers, they have found Mercedes-Benz C-Class very useful in meeting their needs12. It is also important to note that, Singapore is experiences tropical climate; rainy, humid and hot, which makes the country to remain ever green and agriculturally p otential.Though commercial farming is not commonly practiced, the people in Singapore have food security. These are key aspects with reference to the economic stability of the region, makes the region to offer potential purchasing power for luxury products like Mercedes Benz Class C. Besides the ability to buy, the physical environment has made the people of Singapore to associate themselves with superior products like Mercedes Benz Class C to match their conducive geographical features.The gently undulating and lowland terrain of Singapore enhances the need for Mercedes-Benz C-Class which has a high sense of comfort. 3. 2 Demographic Segmentation The demographics of Singapore can be considered as having the potential to offer potential market for luxury products like Mercedes Benz Class C. The population structure constituting many middle-aged people whom most of them are working offers potential market for luxurious cars like Mercedes Benz Class C. More so, about 40% of people liv ing in Singapore city are foreigners who have come to do business and white collar jobs.With about 76% of the people living in Singaporeans aging between 15-64 years, it is evident that most of the population is active, making it efficient for Mercedes Benz Class C which aims at active individuals and young families. Many of these people engage in economic activities which are industrial in nature like financial services provision, chemicals, electronics, construction and entrepot trade. With the population growth rate being estimated to be 1. 56 percent, there seems to be potential market for luxury products like Mercedes Benz Class C in Singapore throughout.It has also been observed that, high level of literacy in the country, which is about 90%, has played significant role in boosting the purchasing power of many Singaporeans. On this basis, it is evident that there is potential market for various segments aimed by Mercedes-Benz C-Class13 in Singapore. 12 Richard Vasil, Governing Singapore: Democracy and National Development (New York: Allen & Unwin, 2000), 96. 13 Leslie Butterfield, Enduring Passion: Story of the Mercedes Benz Brand, (New York: Wiley Publishers, 2005), 41 Surname 9 3. Psychographic Segmentation One of the target segment markets for Mercedes Benz Class C is highly ambitious middleaged working class. The luxurious lifestyle upheld by this group has been found effective when coupled with Mercedes-Benz C-Class as one of their luxury products. With most Singaporeans being active in their lives, they have been found quite suitable for being targeted as ultimate consumers for Mercedes-Benz C-Class. With this group being working, its purchasing power for luxury products like Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been guaranteed.It is also important to note that, the socio-economic status of the target market for Mercedes-Benz C-Class is high income earners who seek performance as their core values. As a result, such individuals would go for outstandingly perf orming products like Mercedes-Benz C-Class in their lives. In Singapore, the largest population consists of middle-aged people with modal age of 37 years. In this regard, it is evident that there is potential market for Mercedes-Benz C-Class for this market segment. The urban lifestyles of the population of Singapore also demonstrate the socioeconomic potential of the Singapore market14.As a result, it has been evident that Singapore population has potential market for the market segment with the psychographics associated with Mercedes Benz Class C luxury cars. 3. 4 Behavioral Segmentation The consumer behavior in Singapore has been demonstrated to be very admirable for the marketing processes of Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Since the brand name itself is globally acknowledged, it has been difficult for individuals who are used to the brand to switch to other luxury cars. Majority of the population are urban dwellers who are characterized with high sense of purchasing foreign and sophisti cated products15.Statistics have shown that, about 80% of Mercedes Benz Class C consumers are loyal to the brand in Singapore. This is evidenced in the way many golf playgrounds, which are associated with high class people, are associated with Mercedes Brand Name. This has been due to the sophistication and prestige associated with the product. Since the target market for this brand are also prestigious and luxuries, it has been hard for them to give up products which seems to embrace their core values like Mercedes Benz Class C16. This has 14 Paul Leppert, Doing Business with Singapore: Global Business Series, (Washington, DC: Jain Pub Co. 2000), 52 15 Richard Vasil, Governing Singapore: Democracy and National Development (New York: Allen & Unwin, 2000), 97. 16 Leslie Butterfield, Enduring Passion: Story of the Mercedes Benz Brand, (New York: Wiley Publishers, 2005), 55 Surname 10 adequately enhanced the potential of the population in purchasing the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Generally , the high purchasing power of the target market for Mercedes Benz Class C in Singapore has facilitated high degree of loyalty to the product, since this product has been observed to embrace their personal and lifestyle needs.