Oberon and Titania Character Analysis

The characters of Oberon and Titania play an essential role in A Midsummer Nights Dream. Here, we take an in-depth look at each  character so we can better understand what makes them tick as a couple. Oberon When we first meet Oberon and Titania, the pair is arguing over a changeling boy—Oberon wants to use him as a knight, but Titania is infatuated by him and will not give him up. Oberon is powerful, but Titania appears to be just as headstrong, and they seem equally matched. However, as a result of this impasse, Oberon vows to exact revenge on Titania. Because of this, he can be considered quite spiteful: Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this groveTill I torment thee for this injury.(Oberon; Act 2, Scene 1; Lines 151–152) Oberon asks Puck to fetch a special flower that, when rubbed on a sleepers eyes, has the ability to make that person fall in love with the first creature he or she sees upon waking. His goal is for Titania to fall in love with something ridiculous and embarrass her into releasing the boy. Though Oberon is angry, the prank is quite harmless and humorous in its intent. He loves her and wants to have her all to himself again. Consequently, Titania falls in love with Bottom, who at this point has a donkeys head instead of his own. Oberon eventually feels guilty about this and reverses the magic, demonstrating his mercy: Her dotage now I do begin to pity.(Oberon; Act 3, Scene 3; Line 48) Earlier in the play, Oberon also shows compassion when he sees Helena being scorned by Demetrius and orders Puck to anoint his eyes with the potion so that Helena can be loved: A sweet Athenian lady is in loveWith a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes,But do it when the next thing he espiesMay be the lady. Thou shalt know the manBy the Athenian garments he hath on.Effect it with some care, that he may proveMore fond of her than she upon her love.(Oberon; Act 2, Scene 1; Lines 268–274)​ Of course, Puck ultimately gets things wrong, but Oberon’s intentions are good. Plus, he is responsible for everyone’s happiness at the end of the play. Titania Titania is principled and strong enough to stand up to her husband (in a similar way to how Hermia stands up to Egeus). She has made a promise to look after the little Indian boy and doesn’t want to break it: Set your heart at rest:The Fairyland buys not the child of me.His mother was a votress of my order,And in the spiced Indian air by nightFull often hath she gossiped by my side......But she, being mortal, of that boy did die,And for her sake I do rear up her boy,And for her sake I will not part with him.(Titania; Act 2, Scene 1; Lines 125–129, 140–142) Unfortunately, Titania is made to look foolish by her jealous husband when she is made to fall in love with the ridiculous Bottom with a donkeys head. Still, she is very attentive to Bottom and proves herself to be a kind and forgiving lover: Be kind and courteous to this gentleman.Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes;Feed him with apricots and dewberries,With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries;The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighsAnd light them at the fiery glowworms eyesTo have my love to bed, and to arise;And pluck the wings from painted butterfliesTo fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes.Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.(Titania; Act 3, Scene 1; Line 170–180) Eventually, as Titania is intoxicated with the love potion, she gives the changeling boy to Oberon and the Fairy King gets his way. Oberon and Titania Together Oberon and Titania are the only characters in the play who have been together for an extended time. With their grievances and tricks, they act as a contrast to the other couples who are still absorbed in the passion and intensity of new relationships. Unlike those individuals just trying to find their partner, their troubles are rooted in the difficulties of maintaining an established relationship. They may have taken each other for granted with their opening argument. The removal of the love potion, however, shows Oberons compassion as well as sparks realization in Titania. Perhaps she has neglected her husband somewhat, and this recent escapade may renew their passion as they exit together: Now thou and I are new in amity.(Titania; Act 4, Scene 1; Line 91)

Psychological Perspectives of Understanding the...

Introduction This booklet will introduce you to the main psychological perspectives to the understanding of a child’s behaviour development. Each perspective will be described in as much detail as possible, and the theorist that are linked to them. The main perspectives are; * Psychodynamic * Freud * Behaviourist * Skinner * Cognitive * Piget * Humanist * Rogers, Maslow, Cooley and mead * Social learning The psychodynamic perspective This perspective is very much based on the early work of Sigmund Freud. It is believed that behaviour is made from a child’s subconscious feelings, which all come from life experiences. It is viewed as a child’s problem as an outward and visible symptom of†¦show more content†¦Jean Piaget was a psychologist who looked at a child’s developing their reasoning skills. Piaget carried out detailed observations of them and as his work started taking shape on how our understanding a child’s intellectual skills and as a result of this he has made changes in education. Piaget understood that cognitive developments occurred in stages, his research concentrated on how children learn and start to gain an understanding of their stage of development to be able to learn new concepts. He identified a four-stage process of cognitive development all the way through childhood. He stated that every child would go through each stage but not at the same time, but he a lso said that some children would sometimes never reach the later stages. The four stages are; * Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years) * Children at very young ages start to learn by their own activity and movement. Everything babies touch or see they put into their mouths or hold them tight and they examine them closely. A child develops an understanding through something called schema. Schema is a mental construction which contains all the information a child has about a particular aspect of the world. * Pre-operational stage (2-7 years) * At this stage children start to show evidence of thinking but it’s not logical thinking, they are not able to perform mental operations. Children will start to use symbolic behaviour such as pretend play, language and drawings. *Show MoreRelatedTheories Of Human Development1401 Words   |  6 PagesHuman development is an active process resulting from interactions between an individual and their environment. The processes involved in an individual’s development and overall life outcomes are complex, everchangi ng, and unique. Given the complexity of human development, the central tenets of my professional conceptual foundation of development include biological factors inherent in the individual, psychological influences, and social interactions. Thus, my professional perspective can best beRead MorePsychosocial And Cognitive Learning Theories1354 Words   |  6 PagesPsychosocial and Cognitive learning are just a few of the theories that describe the makeup of human development and behavior. Psychosocial theories explore the relationship between the social environment and an individual’s psychological condition (Crawford and Hawford, 2011). Whilst Cognitive Learning Theory explains certain behavioral responses of people based on their understanding and mental representation of what is happening at the present time. This theory also explores a person’s everydayRead MoreMental Illness And Child Development881 Words   |  4 PagesMental Illness and Child Development Mental Illness is a prominent occurrence throughout the world and commonly overlooked in the development of children. From psychotic disorders, such as Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder to emotional dysregulation and mood disorders, such as Major Depression and Anxiety children are prone to such occurrences just as adults. Child development is a very broad subject that encompasses an array of environmental and biological factors contributing to theRead MoreThe Development of Psychological Disorders1013 Words   |  5 PagesPsychological disorders occur when several behaviors cause impairment in a person’s life. The individual can’t function successful in many areas of his/her live. According to Santrock, psychoanalytic theories define development as unconscious and strongly affected by emotions. For the psychoanalytic theorists, in order to understand the development, it is necessary to analyze the symbolic meaning of behavior and the inner workings of the mind. They agree that experiences in early childhood withRead MoreThe Macrosystem: From Child to Adult Essay1384 Words   |  6 Pagesin mind the complex, reciprocal interactions that characterize personal behavior in situations. Macrosystem: Describes the culture in which individuals live. Cultural contexts include developing and industrialized countries, socioeconomic status, poverty, and ethnicity. There have been a number of theories surveyed that are foundational to the profession of mental health counseling. The foundational areas are the development across the lifespan, ecological theory, mental health, and mental healthRead MorePiaget s Cognitive Theory And Cognitive Development1494 Words   |  6 Pages 1) Examine how Piaget’s cognitive theory can help to explain the child’s behavior. Piaget confirms â€Å"Each cognitive stage represents a fundamentally new psychological reorganization resulting from maturation of new functions and abilities† (as in Greene, 2009, p.144). The case Vignette describes Victors’ stages of development through Piaget’s stages of cognitive development as exhibited behavior that occurred during the sensorimotor, preoperational, as established areas. Victor experienced a normalRead MorePhysical Body And Genitali The Biological Perspective1452 Words   |  6 PagesCompare and Contrast Essay Biological Perspective: The biological perspective posits the idea that one’s biological makeup is responsible for determining one’s gender. The idea is that a physical body and genitalia is what mandates the person’s gender. Some researchers have suggested that on top of this biological determinism, genes pass on gender stereotypes like an increased ability for math in people biologically assigned male and maternal instincts in people assigned female at birth. OthersRead MoreRelationship Between Marital Conflict And Children s Peer Relationships1439 Words   |  6 Pagesstudy. Data will be taken from the participants every four years beginning with children aged 5 at the beginning of the study. The child’s parents, teachers, peers and the child were asked to answer various questionnaires including the Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale (CPIC), Conflict Tactics Scale, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Problem Behavior Questionnaire, and a peer nomination technique. It is expected that there will be a link between marital conflict and children’sRead MoreThe Different Stages Of Human Development1617 Words   |  7 PagesThe different stages of human development can be vast in dimension. The chosen age group was childhood (3-12 years) or also called the juvenile period consist of various features of its age group. Early to middle childhood features such as physical, emotional, cognitive, and social aspects have their growing and specific developments compared to other human developmental stages. Also, different theoretical perspectives will substantiate the selected developmental stage and which is most useful

Self Awareness Free Essays

The most valuable resource of a nurse is the ability to use one’s self, it is important to be aware of personal stress that can interfere with one’s ability to communicate therapeutically with patients. If the nurse is overwhelmed with personal or work problems, the energy available for patients is greatly induced. (Rossberg and Friss, 2003) This research was conducted in the selected 3rd year nursing students of UPHS-GMA CAVITE. We will write a custom essay sample on Self Awareness or any similar topic only for you Order Now The study would determine the effectiveness of self awareness as a preparation for handling psychiatric patients. Common concerns of nursing students beginning a psychiatric clinical rotation include fear of saying the wrong thing, not knowing what to do, being rejected by clients, being threatened physically, recognizing someone they know as a client and similar problem or background with clients. The awareness of one’s feeling, beliefs, attitudes, values and thought called self-awareness, is essential to practice of psychiatric nursing. The goal of this self-awareness is to know oneself so that one’s values, attitude, beliefs are not projected by to the client, interfering with nursing care. Self-awareness does not mean having to change one’s belief unless one’s desire to do so. Awareness is the first step in the creation process. As you grow in self awareness, you will better understand why you feel, what you feel and why you behave as you behave. That understanding then gives you the opportunity and freedom to change those things you’d like to change about yourself and create the life you want. Without fully knowing who you are, self acceptance and change become impossible. Having clarity about who you are and what you want, empowers you to consciously and actively make those wants a reality. Self awareness gives us the skill in establishing relationship with clients of different values, belief, attitudes and principles. This is achieved by student’s utilization of aspect in his or her personality, values, feelings and coping skills commonly known as the therapeutic use of self. Individualized care becomes important when we need to get to know the patient. To obtain this knowledge the we must see patients as individual people with lives beyond their mental illness. Seeing people as individuals with lives beyond their mental illness is imperative in making patients feel valued and respected In order to accept the patient as an individual, the students must not be controlled by his or her own values, or by ideas and pre-understanding of mental health patients. We the researchers recognized personal vulnerability in order to develop professionally. Required knowledge on humanistic, basic human values and self knowledge that improves the depth of understanding the self. Lastly we must need to maintain a positive therapeutic relationship to the psychiatric patient in clinical setting. We requires a great deal of patience and understanding. Different personalities affect the way students responds to their patient. â€Å"the more self aware, the more knowledge on how to deal with psychiatric patient†. Interpersonal are skills needed to form relationship with patient were acquired through learning about oneself. How to cite Self Awareness, Papers

Comparison Of Domestic Polocies Of Roosevelt, Taft Essay Example For Students

Comparison Of Domestic Polocies Of Roosevelt, Taft Essay , And WilsonThe Comparative Essay of Domestic Issues of PresidentsWilson, Roosevelt, TaftThe presidencies of Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson, where all glorious and defined in their own manner, but varied in other respects. All of these presidents were accomplished and served their country well, but why then is it that historians generally view Roosevelt more favorably than Taft and Wilson. That is the question that we wish to determine the rationale for, and to see if these historians ascertains are valid, and why it is they revere Roosevelt above the others. Seemingly, all these men where great presidents, they led the country through tumultuous times and through grave impedances. Yet they did not all posses the same characteristics to lead and demonstrate that the country so desperately desired, the people where looking for a hero, a national stalwart champion. Fittingly, Roosevelts prowess was exactly that, the ability to lead. He was a man of sound and progressive reform, but he had the ability, charisma, and forcefulness to enable his legislation. Though he sometimes superceded the powers granted him in the constitution, he was a forward man, always leading the way. Following up the presidency of Roosevelt was William Howard Taft, the hand chosen successor of Roosevelt. Taft was a close ally of Roosevelt, and both maintained a conviction to reform of similar issues, but we say in Taft, a more timid and conservative man than Roosevelt. Where Roosevelt had been at the least forceful, Taft may have been firm, Roosevelt adamant, and Taft possibly upset. Though Taft contained the capacity and ideals for a bright future for America, he was too meek. He never had quite the bullworth to bring about all the ideas he imagined. Oddly enough, on the basis of comprehensive accomplishments, Taft surely surpassed Roosevelt. During Tafts administration, more progressive reform and legislation went into effect, much more, than during Roosevelts, but once again, Taft was never quite enough of a liberal president to solidify the potential of these enactments. He always maintained an honest reverence, and almost piously used the powers granted president in the constitution as his basis for governing.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Act free essay sample

Education is regarded as a fundamental right in the United States. We will write a custom essay sample on The Vocational Rehabilitation Act or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Up until the 1970’s, however, children with disabilities were being denied this right. Congress passed landmark legislation to redress this injustice, beginning with the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and culminating with the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. These new federal laws strived to end educational discrimination against children with disabilities, by guaranteeing all children have access to a free and appropriate education in the best environment possible. These laws made clear what schools and other public entities obligations were for the education of the disabled, and also proposed specific measures to be taken for their protection, thereby ensuring that all citizens had access to an education and the self-sufficiency and education provides. The Impact of Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004, on the Education of Children with Disabilities The notion that public education is essential for a well functioning republic has a long history in the United States. The chief goal of an education is to produce a measure of self-sufficiency in an individual (Hannon, 1997). An individual is expected to determine his or her own course and not to be dependant, but function independently, and an education is the means to achieve this goal. Up until the 1970’s, education for those with disabilities did not foster independence, in fact the result was the exact opposite. People with disabilities weren’t expected to be self-sufficient, instead often ended up dependent on public funds and programs for support. (Stroman, 2003) In order to change this prevailing notion about disability, Congress first had to recognize that the rights of a section of the population were being denied, and second, they had to enact laws to safeguard the rights of these citizens. With Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P. L. 93-112) and the first Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975 (P. L. 94-142), the federal government took the first steps in making sure that all with disabilities were guaranteed a â€Å"free appropriate public education† that was to be provided in the â€Å"least restrictive environment. † (Switzer, 2003) These new guiding principles were to ensure that children with disabilities were to obtain the education they deserved. These two federal laws changed how children with disabilities were educated by 1) clearly defining disabilities, 2) making education meet the needs of an individual, instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, 3) clearly defining the school’s responsibilities, and 4) adding procedural safeguards to protect the rights of the children. Education as a fundamental right for all is based on the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. (Hurwitz, 2008) The amendment protects us from any state depriving us of life, liberty or property, without due course of law. Children with disabilities were being deprived of an appropriate education. In its landmark decision, Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court affirmed that educational opportunities fell under the protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and that state laws denying black children equal educational opportunities was unconstitutional. (Hannon, 1997) The language the court used made it clear that denying any group or classification of people educational opportunities was unconstitutional. (Stroman, 2003) Education had to be extended to all, on equal terms regardless of race or disability. Federal legislation was necessary to standardize all of the existing laws different states had regarding the education of children with disabilities. Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was designed to protect students with various educational handicaps, either physical or mental. (Hurwitz, 2008) Any entity that received funding from the federal government was now barred by law from discriminating against anyone with an educational handicap. This new law defined a â€Å"qualified handicapped person† as someone who had a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activities. (Sattler, 2008) A major life activity is defined in terms of function. Does the impairment limit functions, like walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, or learning? With this broad definition of disability, a wide range of individuals are covered under this act. Children that require special education, as well as children with various medical conditions that prevent them from functioning adequately in the classroom, are all protected under Section 504. The language used in Section 504 reflects the time period in which it was written. Stroman, (2003) points out that what was once cutting edge scientific terminology may over time take on new meanings which could have negative connotations with the public. In the United States â€Å"handicap† has been replaced with the term â€Å"disabled. † Legislation subsequent to Section 504 has reflected this change. Section 504 requires schools to provide a free and appropriate education for all children with disabilities. It further mandates that children with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment. Sattler, 2008) This requirement forces schools to accommodate children with disabilities so that their education is comparable to those children without disabilities. While it’s not always possible to accommodate every condition, the schools must make an appropriate effort. Some examples of accommodation include, giving preferential seating to a child with difficulty walking, or providing a structured learning environment to child with a learning disability. Schools are also required to provide special education services to accommodate children with more severe types of disabilities. Under Section 504, schools are required to establish procedural safeguards to protect the rights of children with disabilities and also their parents or guardians. (Sattler, 2008) Parents are encouraged to work with the schools to ensure their children are receiving appropriate assessments, along with reasonable accommodations from the schools. There must also be periodic reviews of the child’s education plans. If the parents don’t agree with the schools’ assessments, they have the right to take the school districts to federal court. Section 504 was an important first step in providing a free and appropriate education for all children in this country. It has had a meaningful impact on the education of children with disabilities by first, defining who is protected, and the school’s responsibility in meeting the educational needs of those children, and second, setting up procedures to ensure the rights of these children and their parents are protected. Perhaps more importantly, Section 504 laid the groundwork for the disability legislation that followed it. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Congress enacted the first Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975. The law was originally called the Education for all Handicapped Children Act and has been subsequently updated, expanded, and amended several times. (Hurwitz, 2008) In 1990, President Bush signed into law the act that changed the name of the Education for all Handicapped Children to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (Jacob amp; Hartshorn, 2003) The law introduced several important concepts that have become hallmarks of special education today. In providing a free and appropriate education for children with disabilities, IDEA introduced the concept of an individual education plan for children in special education. Schools could no longer take a one-size-fits-all approach to special education. (Switzer, 2003) Each child with disabilities would be provided with a plan on how to receive an appropriate education. Another important concept introduced in IDEA was â€Å"zero reject† (Hurwitz, 2008). No child could be rejected from receiving services, no matter how severe the disability. Whereas Section 504 interpreted disability in a broad sense, IDEA defines disability very specifically. The law defines 13 distinct categories of disability, including impairments such as mental retardation, emotional disturbance, and autism. (Sattler, 2008) All of these disabilities require special education services from the schools. A child with a medical disability, such as diabetes, while eligible for accommodation under Section 504, would not be covered under IDEA, because its narrower definition of disability. IDEA deals specifically with children in special education. Even with narrowing its definition of disabilities, IDEA covers a wide range of disabilities. The education for a child with a disability such as deaf-blindness, would be very different from the education of a child with autism, both covered by IDEA (Hannon, 1997) In order to provide an appropriate education for children with diverse kinds of disabilities, IDEA has mandated that all children have an individualized educational program (IEP). An IEP is a written document that explains the child’s needs and how the school or public agency is going to meet those needs. Sattler, 2008) An IEP must include information like the child’s present level of performance, goals, services needed, and accommodations needed. The IEP must be renewed annually and it is transferable if the child moves. In this way IDEA attempts to provide unique solutions for children with specific educational needs. In addition to providing an IEP for children in special education IDEA also requires school s to provide a full and appropriate individual initial evaluation to determine the child’s disability and educational needs. (Sattler, 2008) Specific criteria must be applied to the evaluation. The evaluation must use multiple assessment tools and strategies. It must use multiple types of information, such as academic, developmental, and medical information. The evaluation must use technically sound instruments, administered by trained and knowledgeable personnel. The assessment procedures should be non-discriminatory in nature and comprehensive in scope. This type of comprehensive evaluation is hoped to identify the nature of the child’s disability and the measures necessary to provide and appropriate IEP. Schools are also required to provide an education in the least restrictive environment under IDEA. If possible, children with disabilities should be educated in a general education classroom with an appropriate accommodation. (Hurwitz, 2008) This practice is called â€Å"mainstreaming† or â€Å"inclusion. † The rationale behind inclusion is that it may increase children’s academic achievement and self-esteem, and decrease the stigma associated with disabilities. (Sattler, 2008) IDEA also includes many procedural safeguards to protect the rights of children with disabilities and their parents. Under Section 504, parents can go directly to federal court in order to resolve disputes with schools. IDEA requires parents to try and find an administrative solution before allowing them to go to court. (Sattler, 2008) However, IDEA stresses the importance of parents being involved in all of the decisions regarding their children’s education. Parents of children with disabilities are to be given the opportunity to be members of the groups that make placement decisions, such as the IEP team. Parents also have the right to have independent evaluations of their children, at no cost to the parents. Finally parents have the right to a due process complaint. The complaint can be regarding any matter relating to the identification, evaluation, or placement of the child. The complaint must be heard and resolved in a reasonable time frame. If the school and the parent cannot resolve the complaint, the next step is mediation, where an independent mediator attempts to resolve the issues. If mediation fails, a due process hearing is convened, where an impartial hearing officer hears evidence from both sides and makes a decision based on the evidence whether or not the child received a free and appropriate education. Finally, the parents have the right to appeal the decision of the due process hearing. Sattler, 2008) Under IDEA the procedural safeguards are clearly defined and designed to ensure a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. Conclusion Although Section 504 and IDEA both require schools to provide a free and appropriate education to all children, IDEA strives to clarify just what exactly that phrase means and how to achieve that goal. The definition of disability is narrowly defined. A method for meeting the needs of each individual child with disabilities is provided in the form of the individualized education program. A school’s responsibilities are also more clearly defined under IDEA than Section 504. Finally, the procedural safeguards are also more specific. Implementation of IDEA has not been without problems. In fact, school districts lobbied against the bill because of the costs. (Switzer, 2003) In defining a free and appropriate education, IDEA makes it clear that school districts and public entities must provide an appropriate education free of charge if the child is covered under the law. (Hurwitz, 2008) Problems with assessment have also arisen. IDEA mandates the usage of technically sound instruments in the assessment of disability. Flanagan (1995) pointed out that a more reliable measure was needed for the assessment of emotional disturbance, one of the 13 disabilities defined by IDEA. Finally, arguments have been made against the least restrictive environment clause. McDonough (2008) argues that a relaxing of the mainstreaming requirement of IDEA would benefit students with autism spectrum disorders, allowing them to receive the specialized education they require, and reliving the burden on general education teachers from the classroom disruptions common to the disorder. Unfortunately there is a huge amount of litigation associated with these two federal laws. The vague language used in these laws is open to many different interpretations. Who is to say what is â€Å"appropriate† in a â€Å"free and appropriate education? † How can you quantify a â€Å"substantially† limited â€Å"major life activity? † And just what constitutes a â€Å"major life activity? † Parents and school districts, alike, aren’t sure how to interpret some of these phrases, and are quite willing to litigate in order to clarify the issue. (Switzer, 2003) This leaves some important educational decisions in the hands of the courts instead of educators. Controversies aside, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as well as Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, have had a profound impact on education in the United States. Both laws seek to identify individuals who had previously been denied access to education, and provide them with a means obtaining the self-determination that an education can provide. Finally, both laws try to hold those accountable for providing an education to all of the citizens of our country. Self-determination is a privilege most of us take for granted.

2019s Top Writing Websites

2019s Top Writing Websites Mary Jessamyn West, American author of short stories and novels, once wrote: Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are the natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted, and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking.While there is truth to the statement, being alone can also mean frustration when youre trying to learn how to survive in the writing and publishing industry. With so much information available on the Internet, its hard to know how to sift through it and find the most valuable advice given, considering how little time most of us have to read it.Thats why weve taken the work out of the search and have compiled a list of the top writing websites of 2019 based on the content they offer and the value of the advice given. Hopefully, this will help you in the struggle to access the resources and community you need, when you need it most.General writing adviceThese websites offer general writing advice for authors. Photo by Kaboompics .com from Pexels.PsychWriterAlmost anyone can put a story on paper- but only the best writers know how to craft engaging characters who remain in the mind of readers long after the story is finished. And thats the exact skill PsychWriter helps you develop.Written and maintained by Tamar Sloan, a practicing psychologist and award-winning young adult author, PsychWriter explores how to use the principles of psychology to create deep, well-crafted characters who take on a life of their own. On the site, visitors can download a free e-book, Hook Your Readers, where they can learn how to give readers what they are really looking for, capture readers by sparking curiosity, engage readers with the power of emotion, and craft a compelling character that readers cant help but connect with.The site also contains informative blog posts written by Sloan surrounding certain topics in character building and psychology, such as this one focusing on Engaging Emotion and this one about Capturing Curiosity: The Power of Conflict.Writers DigestThere are few sites as compact with resources and opportunities for writers as Writers Digest. The sites mission encompasses every aspect of a writers life- from inspiring creativity to community connections to resources needed at every stage of the writing journey.The site offers everything from creative writing prompts, poetry prompts, and inspirational advice to practical advice, interviews from fellow writers, free workshops, competitions and lists for professional services. With so many free resources, a writer really has no excuse not to sharpen his or her craft and connect with like-minded creatives seeking to get better at what they do.Well-StoriedWhile Well-Storied has resources across multiple categories related to writing and publishing, one of its standout sections is The Writing Life, with articles aimed at helping authors work through everything from time management to creative burnout.Additional categorie s for writing include Characters, Plotting, Pre-Writing, and Story Elements, among others, to help writers gather the tools needed for the profession. There are also free courses, workbooks, a podcast, and a community page focused on connecting writers to the various social opportunities provided through the website.Marketing and publishing your workThese websites offer advice on how to market and publish your writing. Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels.Create If WritingVoted one of Houstons Top 25 Social Media Power Influencers, author Kirsten Oliphants Create if Writing has one of the best taglines Ive ever seen on a writing website: Turn readers into raving fans†¦without being smarmy.With advice on everything from building an author platform, social media strategy for authors, and how to handle bad reviews- to finding time to write and dealing with a disastrous book launch, Oliphants blog is full of helpful tips. She also offers a free yearly content planner and strategy guid e to help you focus your writing goals and get on track with your time and creative energy. In it, youll find guidance on everything from social media strategy, to investment plans, to editorial calendars and professional development planning- all at absolutely no cost to you.The Creative PennWeve previously written in depth about author Joanna Penns amazing website, The Creative Penn, which is aimed at helping writers navigate the often-frustrating waters of publishing and marketing their work. However, no list of 2019s best websites for writers is complete without it.In addition to the extensive free resources available on the website, Penn also publishes a podcast for writers, with new episodes posted every Monday. It offers interviews with new and established authors, inspiration for writers needing an extra helping of it, and a plethora of information relating to the writing, publishing, book marketing, and entrepreneurial life.Independent Publishing MagazineIndependent Publish ing Magazine is another online magazine and website weve reviewed in more detail. It has been named as one of Writers Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers and Feedspots Top 100 Self-Publishing Blogs and Websites for Independent Authors. It also features an originally researched and synthesized Publishing Service Index, providing an easy-to-use list for authors looking to self-publish based on services offered and the market share of each independent publishing platform.Elsewhere on the site, Independent Publishing Magazine offers a trove of resources aimed at self-publishing, traditional publishing, marketing your work, and new authors looking for an open window into the industry.The Write PracticeAlthough most of the websites mentioned in this list are completely free resources, The Write Practice is one membership-based site that writers should definitely take advantage of if you have the extra funds for professional development. In fact, this could be the best $15-$25 monthly mem bership costs you spend if you want to become a better writer.Included in the premium ($25) monthly membership fee are publishing opportunities (The Write Practice partners with literary magazines to help you get published), deadlines and the accountability you need to turn your passion into finished stories, valuable feedback from a community of writing professionals, networking opportunities, premium coaching opportunities, discounts, and writing contests.You dont have to pay for the monthly membership to enjoy other opportunities the site offers, such as an informative blog and links to other resources available online. However, to get the most out of the site, a subscription is definitely worth its weight in the informative and collaborative gold youll receive from it.Creative games, courses, prompts, and worksheetsThese websites offer creative games, courses, prompts and worksheets for writers. Photo by Pixabay from Pexels.Language is a VirusWriters and writers block go togethe r like peanut butter and jelly. In fact, if youre a writer who has never experienced writers block, you should probably publish your secret and become a millionaire on that ability alone. Youll be in envious company if you do.Enter Language is a Virus, a website full of fun games and text manipulators to reset your mind while working on a project. Instead of going down the inevitable rabbit hole of social media when the words just wont come, try these games instead. Youll find that keeping your focus on words and their arrangement is a great creative exercise in finding your way back to your writing.For example, one game called Reverse Poem reverses whatever words you type to help you find an entirely new way to look at them. Another called Rewordifier randomly replaces words in your text, pulling words from author-based word lists, genre-based word lists, or the entire English dictionary.E.A. Deverells Creative Writing BlogSome websites created by and for writers are so full of ads and random syndicated feeds that its impossible to sift through the madness and get to the good stuff. This is not the case with E.A. Deverells Creative Writing Blog. In fact, I dare you to find something- anything- on the website that isnt of use to your work as a writer and creative. Even the (very few) ads are targeted perfectly and are currently limited to offering links to Neil Gaimans writing course.Want 100 days of flash fiction prompts? How about a free, downloadable worksheet for people watching or a past/present/future/ideal mandala? Whether you inspiration in the form of creative writing or poetry prompts, downloadable worksheets, or a free novel outline, author Eva Deverell has you covered.Write or DieMandy Wallaces Write or Die blog starts by offering a free course containing publication strategy, writing prompts, submission tips, and cover-letter how-to information. However, the most fascinating part of the website is a deep dive into MBTI- or Myers-Briggs Type Indica tor- for ones character building. In it, youll find character cheatsheets for each of the personality types (ISTP, ESFJ, INFJ, etc.), as well as how to use these personality types to create realistic, living, breathing characters that your readers will readily identify with.She also offers multiple free tools for writers, including downloadable PDFs for everything from character design to scene planning to writing critique templates and checklists. The site is full of so many valuable resources that writers are truly missing out if they dont add it to their bookmarked websites.

On U.S. Foreign Policies Towards the Third World Essay

On U.S. Foreign Policies Towards the Third World - Essay Example Another issue noted is the effect of the US interference on stable countries which include Libya and Egypt. For a long time these two Arabic dominated countries have had the best economies in Africa. However, due to some deemed selfish interference from the US the presidents were removed from power, Muammar Gaddafi was killed as the Egypt president was detained. At the moment the two are still in wrangles and the US is nowhere to be seen. According to Henry (1999), many third world countries rely on the US for aide to facilitate various projects in the respective countries. This has put them in awkward positions as they have to ensure that they do things that are in line with the US references. US has been accused of being biased in political issues and favoring certain candidates. On January, 2013 before the Kenyan presidential elections Johnnie Carson, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs warned Kenyan from voting the candidates with cases at the ICC. This was highly criticized as it showed partisan in the elections and it served to show how biased the US can be at

Identify and discuss the concept of time to market with respect to the Essay

Identify and discuss the concept of time to market with respect to the commercialization - Essay Example Launching a product is the ultimate stage in its development and is the stage where most resources are put into play in acts such as advertisement of the product, its promotion and other acts aimed at marketing it. According to Kotler (2008), a marketer or the company must therefore decide on the action plan for introducing the product in the market through a proper implementation of its decisions through the development of a marketing mix that has a proper budget, of which timing is integral. The time to launch and market a product varies depending on companies or the marketer as well as how complex the product is and for the purposes of a marketer launching a product, time is defined as the period from the time the product is conceived until it is launched (Cooper, 2001). Time plays an important factor in the success of a product and it is important that marketers launch their products at the time when there is a good economic situation in order to reap from maximum sales of the products (Kotler, 2003). Market researchers have argued before that, in order to have a maximum uptake of your product that will ultimately lead to value addition of the product. The marketer must avoid any acts that may seem to be aimed at cannibalizing products that are already in the market and the products should only be launched when there are no improvements that can be made to it in the near future. Further, marketers must be aware that the commercialization plan can only be successful wh en the timing of the launch is the correct time (Masterson and Pickton, 2010). When faced with the danger of cannibalizing the uptake of other products marketed by the marketer or their sales, or when the economy is facing a downturn, the launch of the product should be delayed. Value creation a product intended for the market depends on a number of factors that must be able to satisfy the often compelling and competitive needs of the customer. This is because, by delivering products of

Geographical Information System (GIS) in Qatar Essay

Geographical Information System (GIS) in Qatar - Essay Example Without a doubt, Qatar foresees hurdles and challenges it has to face during the course of implementing its plans, and designs the contingency plans as well. On the technological side however, the continually changing trend in modeling and concepts linked to GIS data heavily strains the resources. Moreover, software solutions that are comprehensive and are at per with other Information Technology fronts and address all the needs required by this unique model have not yet emerged. Such models are the country’s pressing GIS needs for cruising into the next millennium. Qatar, a country characterized by desert topography, experienced rapid growth over the past decades following the country’s discovery of oil. Consequently, a spurt in physical growth occurred, followed by infrastructure development at a large scale, a fete which had to be at per with the rapid growth. Inefficient resource management, inadequate coordination, and duplication of efforts among government agencies heavily strained the government in the face of shrinking budgets and the ever-growing demands. In utilizing resources optimally when the country faced such rapid growth, the availability of the correct information at the correct time, became apparent as the key and efficient system of management and decision-making. This perception, along with the realization that close to eight percent of this vast body of information was related to the country’s geography, prompted the government’s option for a nationwide fully implemented GIS program for Qatar. Towards this end, the Center for GIS (CGIS) and the National Steering Committee were formed in 1990. Currently, digitally common base maps are available online for access by all agencies using GIS in Qatar, via a fiber optic network of high speed. Data consistency and the control of duplication efforts

Effectiveness of Sports Sponsorship

Effectiveness of Sports Sponsorship Introduction â€Å"Few marketing platforms can match the brand building opportunities offered by sports sponsorships, with the guarantee of exposure in print, broadcast and new media. In the highly emotive world of sport, the audience sees sponsorship as support for something to which they feel great attachment. An average of more than 150 million viewers watched each football match in Euro 2004, with 273 million people tuning in for the final, and in the UK, the highest audience was 20.7 million.† (Margraff, 2005) However, advertising avoidance in the UK is now reaching terminal proportions. A recent study conducted by Continental Research found that 45% of UK adults agree with the statement â€Å"Given the chance I avoid TV ads as much as I can†.. (Evans, 2006) Despite this, and the fact that consumers are spending less and less time consuming traditional media, Evans (2006) reports that lazy marketers still siphon off the majority of their budget to TV and magazines. Smarter adve rtisers, however, are devising new ways to interact with their target audience. As a result the main feature of the course of the year will undoubtedly be in June, where the World Cup will break all sponsorship records, and will be the showcase for brands to interact with their consumers like never before. Brands will attempt to emulate Pringles, which partnered Yahoo! Sports coverage during Euro 2004 to build awareness around its ‘dream team’ concept. (Evans, 2006) For sponsors, such viewing figures underline why it is so important to be associated with football tournaments and indeed any sports tournaments of magnitude. As a result, Cornwell et al (2005) have concluded that sponsorship of sports tournaments has now become a mainstream marketing communications tool. However, whereas sponsorship involves a fee paid in advance for future potential communication values, advertising offers a more knowable and more controlled communication. Furthermore, whereas sponsorship requires leveraging: promotional spending in addition to the sponsorship fee to o btain the greatest value, advertising is often sponsorships most valuable leverage. Sponsorships may also be directed toward consumers, channel members, financial institutions, government, community, and employees. As a result, in order to gauge the full effectiveness of sports sponsorship on marketing and branding, this review will review several different academic journals with varying methodologies, from empirical studies to more pure theoretical approaches, in an attempt to judge the most successful approaches The methodologies of the journals will be examined in more detail at the end of the review, and the conclusion will attempt to uncover the most effective methods used, as well as commenting upon the true value of tournament sponsorship in the context of modern marketing. Whilst the main focus of the methodology analysis will be on the contrast between the empirical, practical, studies and the more abstract, theoretical models, there may be more important analysis contained within the articles which use marketing paradigms as their dominant approach. Within the context of tournament sponsorship, the paradigm approach focuses on examining the specific thought patterns, both of the marketers designing the campaigns, and the target audience experiencing them. As a result, paradigms offer a much greater insight into the effectiveness of the tournament sponsorship than pure practical or theoretical approaches. However, a multi paradigm approach provides even greater insight, as it looks at differing thought patterns within target segments, and between marketers in the same sector, or even the same firm. This degree of complexity means that multi paradigms have not often been used in the context of tournament sponsorship, but wherever they have been encount ered, they have been identified and analysed, using the four interacting paradigms defined by Burrell and Morgan’s (1979) work on multi paradigms Literature Review Sports Sponsorship Overview Grohs et al (2004) analysed recent surveys which found that, while managers tended to favour media coverage around ten years ago, now they rate sponsor awareness and image transfer from the sponsored event to the sponsor as the main reasons for engaging in sport sponsorship.. However, the evaluation of sponsorship has not kept up with this change in priorities, and companies often seem reluctant to evaluate sponsor and spectator awareness even though measurement is straightforward and not very costly. An important reason might be that previous studies showed the unsatisfying effects of â€Å"ambush marketing†, a form of marketing where other firms make consumers believe, incorrectly, that these companies are the actual sponsors of an event. This phenomenon will be covered in more detail later in the review but, in the case of image transfer, evaluation seems to be difficult due to a lack of a compelling comprehensive and testable model Despite these concerns, corporate spending on sport sponsorship continues to escalate: up 3.7% from 2001 to 2002, with several companies reportedly spending over $100 million each year (Stotlar, 2004). Sport sponsorship has been shown in the literature to be a viable component contributing to market strategy, however of late, the downward movement in many corporate stocks through 2003, projected earnings shortfalls, and decreased company profitability has caused some shareholders to question sport sponsorship as an appropriate expenditure of funds because little empirical evidence of return on investment has been provided. However, this can be primarily viewed as being because many corporations have failed to assess sponsorships effectiveness in meeting their objectives. Perhaps the lack of assessment exists because the process for evaluation has not been solidified in theory or practice; thus an evaluation model for sport sponsorship based on the myriad of contributing factors is ne eded. Stakeholder Perspectives Cornwell et al (2001a) reports that sponsorship of sporting and other events has become an increasingly popular marketing communications vehicle. However, Cornwell et al (2001a) join the ranks of academics who claim that precious little research has investigated how sponsorship participation is beneficial to a firm and its brands. Thus their study explores how managers view the brand equity building capabilities of their sponsorship linked marketing programs over time and, in a two-phase survey, fifty managers reported on the value of sponsorships in building brand equity. Findings showed that leverage, the use of advertising and promotion to support the sponsorship, and active management involvement are significant predictors of both the perceived differentiation of the brand from its competitors and adding financial value to the brand. To put tournament sponsorship in perspective, the sponsorship of sports, causes, and events has become an established communications tool seen as useful in building brand awareness, brand image, and corporate image (Javalgi et al. 1994; McDonald 1991; Quester 1997; Turco 1995; Witcher et al. 1991). Brand awareness and image, in turn, are integral to the idea of brand equity, the set of value-adding assets linked to a brand (Aaker 1996). Both academic (Keller 1993; Park and Srinivasan 1994) and business writers confirm the role that sponsorship can play in building equity for the brand. Indeed, Keller (1993, p. 10), in his theoretical development of customer-based brand equity, notes that anything that causes the consumer to experience or be exposed to the brand has the potential to increase familiarity and awareness. Likewise, promotion industry analysts find sponsorship popular as a platform from which to build equity and gain affinity with target audiences (Smith 1996, p. 15). Empi rical work, however, concentrates on only a few brand equity elements, for example, brand awareness Sandler and Shani (1992), brand preference Nicholls and Roslow, (1994), corporate image Turco (1995), and adding financial value to the brand (Cornwell et al, 2001b). As a result, Cornwell and Maignan (1998) claim that no study has considered a broad range of equity elements, thus Cornwell et al (2001a) therefore explore the potential of sponsorship to build various aspects of brand equity, with their purpose being to develop an understanding of how managers view the brand equity building capabilities of their sponsorship-linked marketing programs. However, of concern to managers is that, whilst the sponsorship of football is a multi million pound industry, with many sponsors hoping that supporters enthusiasm for their team will translate into long term benefits for the sponsor, the intensity of team rivalry means that a sponsorship may also alienate opposing supporters. Davies et al (2006) examined the rival Glasgow clubs, Celtic and Rangers, who undertook a joint sponsorship arrangement with the communications company NTL, investigating how the benefits obtained compared to those that may have been expected from a single sponsorship. While the sponsorship was very effective in creating awareness for NTL and very profitable for the clubs; Davies et al (2006) found ambivalent attitudes towards the company, with the most committed supporters being the least accepting of the sponsorship, and the expected positive relationship between support for the club and brand preference for NTL was not found. Of course, the companies and participants are not the only stakeholders in a sponsorship deal, especially for major events. One example of this is in tobacco sponsorship of sporting events, where the opinions of government, health activists, and sport organizers towards the concept have been widely discussed and debated. This paper Danyichuk (2000) contributes a new perspective to the debate by providing input from spectators at a major sporting event obtaining four hundred spectator respondents to a paper and pencil survey at a Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) event that had a tobacco company as its title sponsor. The questions elicited demographic information in addition to spectator smoking habits, awareness of title sponsor, awareness of current tobacco legislation, opinion concerning tobacco sponsorship, and suggestions for alternative sponsorship. The final results actually indicated that 73% supported tobacco sponsorship; 11 % opposed it; and the remaining 16% had n o opinion. Those opposed to tobacco sponsorship cited health implications of tobacco use, negative influence on young people, and negative aspects of tobacco promotion in general, and some spectators provided specific examples of alternative sponsors whilst the majority of others indicated that the willingness and financial interest of a potential sponsor were key elements of the sponsorship arrangement. The final interpretation of this was that, whilst it would be better to have found another sponsor, it was better to have a tobacco company than no sponsor at all. Given that events would always prefer to have a sponsor, where possible, Westerbeek (2000) tested the hypothesis that â€Å"revenue maximization of the tenants of sports facilities is dependent on the geographical location of the facility, or the ‘location of distribution’†. To test this hypothesis, revenue maximization was operationalised pertaining to sponsorship, and a survey instrument was sent to all sponsors of a Melbourne based football club. The sponsors were grouped as location dependent and location independent based on the location of their head office and financial turnover achieved in the area around the sports facility. The survey thus collected information on three different steps in the sports consumption process including ‘coming to the sports facility’, ‘being in and around the sports facility’ and ‘being serviced in the sports facility, and found that revenue was geographically dependent when the sponsor was simil arly location dependent. Finally, Payne (1998) conducted a study into the practice of â€Å"ambush marketing†, and its effect on stakeholder, using the example of The Olympic Games which, as the world’s largest and most prestigious sports event, has been a major target for ambush marketing activity. The position of the International Olympic Committee is that the practice of ambush marketing represents a deliberate attempt to mislead consumers into believing that the companies involved are supporters of the Olympic Games. However, it was found that the effects were most marked on the other stakeholders: the activities of ambushers were found to erode the integrity of major events and lessen the benefits to official sponsors, who are the real supporters of such events. Ambush marketing has been criticised heavily as it breaches one of the fundamental tenets of business activity, namely, truth in advertising and business communications. As a result, the IOC, as custodian of the Olympic Games, succ essfully adopts a twofold strategy of protection and prevention to counter the threat of ambush marketing. Integrating the marketing approach Statistics show that sponsorship of sports and other events is one of the fastest growing areas of promotion, despite the fact that the importance of this persuasion strategy is not reflected in the amount of attention it has received in the marketing literature. Although some research has been done in this area, the majority of work has not employed the same theoretical and methodological rigor given other areas of consumer behaviour. Some scholars, such as McDaniel (1999) have suggested that sponsorship functions like celebrity endorsement advertising, where the perceived match, or mismatch, of brand attributes with the endorsers attributes influences consumer response to such marketing communications, and the marketing mix as a whole. However, one of the most difficult challenges for marketers remains the large, diverse means of communication and communication options that are available to support their brands: TV, print, and interactive advertising; trade and consumer promotions; arts, sports, and cause sponsorships; etc. Consequently, marketers must understand what various marketing communication options have to offer and how they should be combined to optimize their marketing communications programs. Towards that goal, Keller et al (2001) considered how to develop, implement, and evaluate an integrated marketing communication program, including event sponsorship. To provide both macro perspectives, especially relevant for managerial planning, and micro perspectives; they provided criteria as to how integrated marketing communication programs can be designed and evaluated as a whole, i.e. according to coverage, contribution, commonality, complementarities, robustness, and cost considerations. They also described how the two perspectives relate and conclude by discussing theoretical and managerial implications and outlining future research directions. The competitive strategy literature seems to offer two principal approaches to the problems of developing marketing strategy in volatile environments, labelled as the formal and informal approaches by Wilson (1999).. More recent research into managerial cognition provides promising possibilities for integrating formal and informal approaches to understanding strategy development in volatile conditions, and exploratory research by Wilson (1999) has shown that, in practice and in contrast to much of the strategic marketing literature, the response of organizations in volatile environments depends fundamentally on how the managers involved perceive their environment and that managerial perception can vary considerably between, and even within, rival organizations facing ostensibly similar environments. As a result, the effectiveness of an organizations strategy can depend crucially on these managerial perceptions, or paradigms, and that it may be more realistic to regard competitive str ategy as an organization’s response to the perception of competitive ‘threat’, rather than the more popular emphasis on ‘opportunity’; thus sponsorship is often undertaken as a response to a competitor pursuing a similar strategy, and reaping perceived benefits. Finally, although the importance of signs and symbols has been widely recognized in an integrated marketing approach, only a handful of consumer researchers have developed theory and research programs based on semiotics, the doctrine of signs. Mick (1986) outlined the emergence and principal perspectives of semiotics and then discussed its applications and implications for consumer research and marketing strategy Among its strengths, semiotics positions meaning at the nucleus of consumer behaviour, provides a rich ‘meta-language’ for semiotic consumer research, and recommends a multi-paradigm philosophy of marketing which can be applied to the effective integration of sponsorship into a wide ranging marketing strategy. Evaluating Effectiveness The use of sales figures, traditionally used to measure marketing effectiveness, as an indicator of sponsorship effectiveness is highly problematic in consequence of the possible influences of collateral marketing communications inputs, carry-over effects of past advertising, changing economic conditions, entry or exit of competing businesses, and so on. Hence, the results of sponsorship are typically appraised in terms of awareness levels achieved; attitudes created or altered; prompted and unprompted brand or company name recall; the extents of television, radio and press coverage, and cost per thousand prospects. (Bennett, 1999) A common approach is to measure the duration of television coverage of a sponsored event and the magnitude of press coverage obtained in terms of single column inches and then to compute the cost of purchasing corresponding amounts of space or broadcast time (Allen, 1990). This is convenient and practicable, but only indicates the extent of the publicity r esulting from sponsorship, rather than the impact and effects of the exposure (Meenaghan, 1991). Meenaghan (1991) in fact recommends a three-fold evaluation procedure: determination of a companys present position in terms of pre-sponsorship awareness and image with the target audience; tracking to detect movements in customer attitudes towards the firm; and the post-sponsorship comparison of performance levels against initial objectives. A number of theorists, primarily Thwaites (1995), have advocated the use of tracking devices to monitor sponsorship effectiveness, however Marshall and Cook (1992) found that although 78 per cent of a sample of 58 UK sponsoring companies evaluated their investments in some way or other, very few of them actually undertook specialised tracking. Allen (1990) similarly reported evidence to suggest that only a small number of companies completed any formal evaluation of their sponsorship expenditure, or engaged in any research whatsoever designed to identify the likely interests of target customers. The survey conducted by Thwaites (1995) found that while two-thirds of a sample of 30 companies sponsoring UK football teams attempted to evaluate their sponsorship activities, few went beyond the basic measurement of media coverage, and generally unsophisticated methods seemed to be applied. Reasons advanced by managers for not evaluating sponsorship effectiveness included the costs and uncertainties involved, technical research difficulties, absence of meaningful criteria for assessment, and lack of clear initial objectives (Allen, 1990; Thwaites, 1995). As a result, Bennett (1999), suggested that a sponsoring companys ability to create false consensus among spectators represents a concrete and useful device for measuring the effectiveness of sponsorship activities. In the absence of an external measure of validity of sports advertising effectiveness, alternative measures are often utilized. For example, John Hancock Financial Services measures the effectiveness of its bowl sponsorship by the number of stories and lineage in newspapers and magazines across the country (McCarthy 1991). For the 1990 ‘John Hancock Bowl’, an American football collegiate championship, 21 binders of newspaper clippings were collected, whose value the insurance company estimated at over $1 million of advertising equivalency. Another approach used by event sponsors is to compare sales in periods before and after the sponsored event, however such surrogate measures give no evidence of the size of the audience exposed to the promotion. Furthermore, Levin 1993), claims that measures such as these are incomplete because they do not tell â€Å"how event marketing shapes consumer awareness, attitudes and impressions of a company or its brands†.. It is possible to have on-site audience research that goes beyond mere number counting and studies consumer attitudes, interests, and opinions (AIO). For example, statisticians, including Sudman (1980), have developed techniques to make place-based media surveys conform to traditional norms Research has also demonstrated that audiences at particular events have varied demographic and lifestyle characteristics, as well as distinct AIO (Nicholls, Laskey, and Roslow 1992). This finding makes certain events more attractive to some sponsors than others. For instance, Nicholls and Roslow (1994) found that the Maryland Gold Cup steeplechase attracts spectators targeted by the local Mercedes-Benz dealers, whereas those attending the Indy CART automobile race in Miami have characteristics sought by Nissan. Even though Mercedes-Benz and Nissan understand the importance of demographics, lifestyles, and AIO, the impact of sponsorship and advertising in place-based media is still enigmatic. Where it is possible to make purchases on-site, sales measures are available and, moreover, can be related to the characteristics of customers. For instance, individuals who purchase particular items at a supermarket may be tracked by specialized Nielsen and IRI databases. (Nicholls and Roslow, 1994) In general, however, advertising effectiveness measures are not available for audiences at most place based sites, including sports events, unless they are specially commissioned. Thus, Nicholls and Roslow (1994) were most concerned with methods of measuring the advertising effectiveness of a specific sports event Traditional measures of effectiveness, beyond actual sales, include advertising exposure, consumer attitudes, brand recall, and purchase intentions, and Nicholls and Roslow (1994) collected and an alyzed brand preference on sponsor brands promoted at a professional golf tournament in order to build a model of sponsorship effectiveness. Examples from Specific Genres â€Å"Action sports†, an emerging genre of individualistic sports, increased immensely in popularity over the end of the last century (Bennett et al, 2002). Sponsorship of action sports events has likewise increased rapidly over the last few years, and these sponsorships are prevalent on most televised event broadcasts. Bennett et al’s (2002) research suggested that there is an expansive and increasing action sports industry and several major corporate sponsors have uncovered the benefits of advertising on ESPN, NBC, and others. Advertising research is replete with examples of utilizing intermediate measures to assess sponsorship effectiveness, and the literature base on intermediate measures in sport marketing has now been well established by the authors listed above, and has provided sport marketing and management practitioners with useful data on intermediate measures utilized by the LPGA, Olympic Games, and Gay Games, respectively. However, despite the development o f literature on sponsorship effectiveness within the sport industry, there is a relative paucity of original research on the action sports phenomenon. As such, Bennett and Lachowetz (2004) discussed the attractiveness of the action sports genre to the ‘Generation Y’ market, claiming that action sports events may increase in popularity even further over the next few years. Since action sports were founded by individuals seeking to be involved in participant-controlled sports, the genre will likely continue to have some mass appeal for the members of ‘Generation Y’, and therefore many companies and marketers will seek to benefit from the transfer of brand associations resulting from the firms aligning themselves with the events and athletes that appeal to the youth segment. Certainly, there are valuable lessons for all sports sponsorship marketing practitioners that can be learned from the substantial growth of the action sports industry, and since there has been such a dramatic rise in the popularity and strength of the genre, practitioners should analyze the efforts made by those responsible for expanding the industry. Obtaining sponsors that appeal to targeted markets or have the capability of transferring images is another objective that has been utilized by action sports marketers and managers, and marketers should consider being authentic or creating a cool image when attempting to influence the youth market, especially one so large and filled with cynicism toward corporate sponsorship. As such, Bennett and Lachowetz (2004) concluded that choosing sponsors that can deliver on authenticity rather than simply provide a revenue stream may allow greater return on investment in the future for those targeting ‘Generation Y’ Moving to looking at a more mature genre, certain professional sport organisations fall short of educating their corporate clients with respect to all of the benefits and attributes of the sport products they offer, including sponsorship programs, luxury suites and event sponsorship(Lachowetz et al, 2003). In response to this problem, theorists have developed a nine-step framework: â€Å"eduselling,† that identifies corporate sales activities designed to assist professional sport franchises in the education and retention of their corporate customers. Lachowetz et al. (2003) surveyed all 29 teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in an attempt to validate the nine-step process, with the purpose of the study being to collect more detailed information about the sales activities used by NBA franchises. As a follow up to the study, marketing directors were selected from five NBA franchises, with selection criteria including average to below-average team winning percentag e and average to above-average corporate customer retention rates, which indicated an effective corporate sales strategy. Methodology Theoretical Models A great deal of fieldwork has attempted to gauge the relative effectiveness of sponsorship in a marketing context, but theorists such as Cornwell et al (2005) claim that these â€Å"weakly controlled field studies contribute little to our understanding of how individuals process sponsorship-linked marketing communications.† By considering qualitative factors, including possible underlying information processing mechanics, individual and group level factors, market factors, and management factors, together with theorized sponsorship outcomes, Cornwell et al (2005) thus offers a theoretical model of consumer focused sponsorship linked marketing communications that summarizes and extends theoretical understanding of the topic. Grohs et al (2004) in contrast, examined these obstacles of assessing sponsor awareness and image transfer in sport sponsorships in two ways. Firstly, as a means of reducing the danger of ambush marketing, they analysed a qualitative model designed to identify what drives correct sponsor identification. Their empirical results, collected to test the model, indicated that event sponsor fit, event involvement, and exposure are the dominant factors predicting sponsor recall, thus offering sponsors a basis for successful sponsorship planning and execution through the selection of an appropriate sponsorship. Secondly, Grohs et al (2004) proposed and empirically tested a quantitative model that assesses image transfer in sport sponsorships, finding support for a basic level of image transfer for all sponsors. However, more detailed research and interpretation of results suggest that the magnitude of image transfer depended on two factors: sponsorship leverage and event sponsor fit. The other main theoretical pieces of work were conducted by Keller (2001) and Wilson (1999). Keller (2001) aimed specifically to provide micro perspectives especially relevant for academic research, and in order to achieve this, they introduced the Marketing Communication Tetrahedron, a quantitative model, as a marketing paradigm approach, as well as a means of classifying and analyzing factors influencing marketing communication effectiveness along four broad dimensions, i.e. factors related to the consumer, communication, response, and situation. In contrast, Wilson et al built a model based on research that suggested that organizations seem to respond initially to the perception of competitive threat by reinforcing previous behaviour patterns before later and often reluctantly adopting more innovative reforms, implying a cyclical pattern of paradigm adjustment. Implications for further research and for management practice are discussed including the need for multi paradigm models, to compensate for said cyclical behaviour. Survey, Questionnaire and Empirical Data Oriented One of the major quantitative, practical pieces of work on the subject was the on site survey conducted by Nicholls and Roslow (1994) at the Doral-Ryder Open Golf Tournament in 1992. At the time, this was a major Professional Golf Association (PGA) championship, held each year at the Doral Country Club in Miami, Florida, with the principal sponsor, Ryder System, being a major vehicle leasing corporation, headquartered in the United States, but with numerous operations abroad. Nine major sponsors were included in the analysis, and the survey was conducted on each of the four days of the actual professional tournament. The championship itself was preceded by several days of pro-am rounds and a musical evening so that the whole affair extended over ten days, and respondents were interviewed as the tournament progressed. Each of the interviewers was assigned to a specific location on the golf course and a total sample of 276 respondents was obtained during the final four days of tournament play. Interviewers were instructed to select the first person to cross a given point following the conclusion of each interview, and this procedure was found to have reduced bias with respect to the interviewer selection of the respondents. Respondents were asked their specific brand preference in the categories included in the study, and the analysis investigated whether the preference for advertiser sponsored brands was related to the number of days attended. Nicholls and Roslow’s (1994) stated aim was to establish whether there was any empirical relationship between spectators’ degree of preference for brands advertised on-site and the number of days these spectators attended the tournament, i.e. the number of advertising messages directed to the events audience. Their findings provided a link betw een the degree of brand exposure and the degree of preference however, despite the large number of respondents interviewed, the link was found to be equivocal at best. A more decisive piece of practical work was completed by Bennett et al (2002) who, after concluding that their literature review revealed no significant research involving sponsorship and action sports, undertook an investigation of the effectiveness of action sports sponsorships.. They claimed that such a study was both warranted and timely; and thus composed an original 19 item questionnaire in order to measure action sports sponsor and athlete recognition by members of the ‘Generation Y’ market. The results from these questionnaires were crucial in forming their conclusions about targeting younger people. Similarly, as part of their work, Lachowetz et al (2003) interviewed numerous individuals by means of a 45-60 minute phone interview. Data from these calls was qualitatively a

Economic Indicators Essay -- essays research papers

Economic Indicators   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the individual who watches CNN a great deal, the term Economic Indicators well recognized. However, for the individual who chooses not to make CNN a primary station, the term Economic Indicators can be extremely confusing. Economist often use very unlike terms when referring to the fluctuating economy. Economic Indicators happens to be one of the many terms that they use. So, what exactly are Economic Indicators, and what purpose do they serve? In addition to the previous stated questions, are they really that important?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economic Indicators serve the purpose of spying on the economy, let me further elaborate. Economic Indicators are economic statistics. Examples of economic indicators are unemployment rates, GDP, and even the inflation rate. These so called Economic Indicators inform Economist how well, or how bad the economy is doing. By revealing the present state of the economy, the indicators allow economist to predict how well the economy will do in the future. Economic Indicators are very necessary. The levels of investments are contingent upon what Economic Indicators suggest. For example, if Economic Indicators suggest that the economy is going to do better or worst than the past, individuals may choose to change previous investment plans. As stated previously, economist and investors are dependent upon Economic Indicators.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three different typ... Economic Indicators Essay -- essays research papers Economic Indicators   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the individual who watches CNN a great deal, the term Economic Indicators well recognized. However, for the individual who chooses not to make CNN a primary station, the term Economic Indicators can be extremely confusing. Economist often use very unlike terms when referring to the fluctuating economy. Economic Indicators happens to be one of the many terms that they use. So, what exactly are Economic Indicators, and what purpose do they serve? In addition to the previous stated questions, are they really that important?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Economic Indicators serve the purpose of spying on the economy, let me further elaborate. Economic Indicators are economic statistics. Examples of economic indicators are unemployment rates, GDP, and even the inflation rate. These so called Economic Indicators inform Economist how well, or how bad the economy is doing. By revealing the present state of the economy, the indicators allow economist to predict how well the economy will do in the future. Economic Indicators are very necessary. The levels of investments are contingent upon what Economic Indicators suggest. For example, if Economic Indicators suggest that the economy is going to do better or worst than the past, individuals may choose to change previous investment plans. As stated previously, economist and investors are dependent upon Economic Indicators.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three different typ...