Useful Phrases for Structured Structured Monologue

Useful Phrases for Structured Structured Monologue M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Structuring When delivering a structured monologue, one of the ways to begin your presentation is to outline its structure, using one of the following phrases: I’ve divided my presentation/speech into three (main) parts. In my presentation/speech I’ll focus on three major issues. M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Effective Openings In order to grab the attention of the audience you may employ one of the following devices: Rhetorical questions;Interesting facts; Stories and scenarios; Problems to think about; Quotations. M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Rhetorical questions Is market research important for product development? Do we really need time management seminars? Interesting facts According to an article I read recently, †¦ Did yo u know that †¦ ? I’d like to share an amazing fact / figure with you. M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Stories and Scenarios Let me tell you what happened to me †¦ Suppose †¦ Imagine †¦ Problem Problem to think aboutSuppose you wanted to †¦ . How would you go about it? Imagine you had to †¦ . What would be your first step? M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Quoting a well-known person As †¦ once said, †¦ To quote a well-known writer, †¦ To To put it in the words of †¦ M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Introducing a Point When delivering the presentation on the particular subject it is relevant to introduce the key points. You may use one of the following phrases: First First of all I'd like to point out †¦ The main problem is †¦ The question of †¦Speaking of †¦ M . Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Enumeration of points If you are asked to provide several reasons, factors or arguments in a row, you have to organize them in the logical way. In order to structure your answer properly enumerate the main points using one of the suggested phrases: first first of all, I’d like to say †¦ in addition to that †¦ moreover, †¦ furthermore, †¦ another example of this is †¦ first, second, third †¦ Finally, †¦ M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Moving to the next pointThis leads directly to my next point. This brings us to the next question. Let’s now move on / turn to †¦ After examining this point, let’s turn to †¦ Let’s now take a look at †¦ M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Going back As I said / mentioned earlier, †¦ Let me come back to what I said before †¦ Let’s go back to what we were discussing earlier. As I’ve already explained, †¦ As I pointed out in the first section, †¦ M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Stating something as a fact Do not be afraid to state some information as a well-known act, if it is justified by the subject of discussion. However, you should be very careful when applying one of the following phrases: As As everyone knows †¦ It is generally accepted that †¦ There can be no doubt that †¦ It is a fact that †¦ Nobody will deny that †¦ Everyone knows that †¦ M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Giving Your Opinion There exist a variety of ways how to express your opinion when speaking English. The choice of an expression to be used in the particular situation depends on how strong your opinion is, i. e. how sure you are about a artic ular thing. M. Platonova „Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Giving Your Opinion Neutrally I think†¦ I feel that†¦ In my opinion†¦ As As far as I'm concerned†¦ As I see it†¦ In my view I tend to think that†¦ From my point of view†¦ M. Platonova „Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Giving a Strong Opinion I'm absolutely convinced that†¦ I'm sure that†¦ I strongly believe that†¦ I have no doubt that†¦ There is no doubt that †¦ I am absolutely certain that †¦ M. Platonova „Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Expressing Uncertainty I definitely doubt if that †¦I am not sure that †¦ I am not certain that †¦ As far as I know †¦ It is very doubtful whether †¦ M. Platonova „Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Giving reasons These standard phrases are useful in a variety o f situations, when you are asked to explain something providing additional information or giving the reasons. The reason for this is (that) †¦ I base my argument on †¦ I tell you all this because †¦ M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Rephrasing Expressions Sometimes we say things that other people don't understand, or we give the wrong impression.If you are asked to explain or clarify your idea, do not use the same expressions and/or phrases, try to reformulate it starting your answer using one of the following phrases: M. Platonova „Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† What I meant to say was†¦ Let me rephrase that†¦ Let me put this another way†¦ Perhaps Perhaps I'm not making myself clear†¦ The basic idea is†¦ One way of looking at it is†¦ Another way of looking at it is†¦ What I want to say is†¦ M. Platonova „Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Indicating the end of your talk I’m now approaching / nearing the end of my resentation. Well, this brings me to the end of my presentation. That covers just about everything I wanted to say about †¦ As a final point, I’d like to †¦ Finally, I’d like to highlight one key issue. M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam† Drawing conclusions and sum-ming up The obvious conclusion is †¦ Last but not least †¦ The only alternative (left) is †¦ The The only possible solution/conclusion is †¦ In conclusion we can say that †¦ To cut a long story short, †¦ Just to give you the main points again, †¦ M. Platonova â€Å"Materials for the Speaking Part of the Centralised Exam†

Media

In this book, we examine the history and business of mass media, and discuss the media as a central force In shaping our culture and our democracy. A. Critical process for Investigating media industries and Issues. L. Address key Ideas Including communication, culture, mass media, and mass communication. N. Investigating important periods In communication history: the oral, Whiten, print, electric, and digital eras. Ill. Examine the development of a mass medium from emergence to convergence. Lb. Learn about how convergence has changed our relationship to media v. Look at the central role of storytelling in media and culture. . Discuss two models for organizing and categorizing culture: a skyscraper and a map. Evil. Trace important cultural values in both the modern and postmodern societies. Viii. Study media literacy and the five stages of the critical process: description, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and engagement. Often, culture is narrowly associated with art, the uniqu e forms of creative expression that give pleasure and set standards about what Is true, good, and beautiful. (Can be viewed more broadly as the ways In which people live and represent themselves at particular historical time.Communication: the creation and use of symbol systems that convey Information and meaning (e. G. Languages, more code, motion pictures, and one-zero binary computer codes). A. Culture, therefore, Is a process that delivers the values of society through products or other meaning making forms. B. Culture inks individuals to their society by providing both shared and contested values and the mass media help circulate those values. There eras, which all still operate to some degree, are oral, written, print, electronic, digital. A.The mass media are the culture industries-the channels f communication-that produce and distribute songs, novels, TV shows, newspaper, movies, video games, internet services, and other cultural products to large numbers of people. Mass com munication: the process of designing cultural messages and stories and delivering them to large and diverse audiences through media channels as old and distinctive as the printed book and as converged as the internet. A. Hastened by the growth of Industry and modern technology, mass communication accompanied the shift or rural populations to urban settings and the rise of a consumer culture.In digital communication, images, texts, and sounds are converted onto electronic signals( represented as varied combinations of binary number-ones and zeroes) that are then reassembled( decoded) as a precise reproduction of, say, a TV picture, a magazine article, a song, or a telephone voice. Sender (authors, producers, and organizations) transmit messages (programs, texts, images, sounds, and ads) through a mass media channel (newspapers, books, magazines, radio, television, or the internet) to large groups of receivers. . In process, gatekeeper function as message filters. Media gatekeeper mak e decisions about what messages actually get produced for particular receivers. I. The process also allows for dieback, In which citizens and consumers, If they choose, return messages to senders or gatekeepers through letters to the editor, phone calls, email, we postings, or talk shows. Elective exposure: people typically seek messages and produce meanings that correspond to their own cultural beliefs, values, and interests. Tag in the development of media-convergence- a term that media critic and analysts use when describing all the changes that have occurred over the past decade, and are still occurring, in media content and within media companies. Medium: an intervening substance through which something is conveyed or reanimated. Media innovations typically go through four stages. A. Emergence, or novelty, stage. I. Inventors and technicians try to solve a particular problem, such as making pictures move, transmitting messages form ship to shore, or sending mail electronically. . Entrepreneurial stage I. Inventors and investors determine a practical and marketable use for the new device. C. Mass medium stage I. Businesses figure out how to market the new device or medium as a consumer product. D. Convergence stage I. Older media are reconfigured in various forms on newer media. Convergence: a ERM that media critics and analysts use when describing all the changes that have occurred over the past decade, and are still occurring, in media content and within media companies. A.The first definition of media convergence involves the technological merging of content across different media channels. B. Cross platform: describes a business model that involves consolidating various media holdings, such as cable connections, phone services, television transmissions, and internet access, under one corporate umbrella. Our varied media institutions and outlets are basically in the narrative-or storytelling business. Media stories put events in context, helping us to b etter understand both daily lives and the larger world. Culture as a hierarchy, represented by a skyscraper model, and culture as a process, represented by a map model. Skyscraper High culture Good taste, high education, and supported by wealthy patrons and corporate donors, is associated with fine art, which is available primarily in libraries, theaters, and museums. Low culture Which is aligned with the questionable tastes of the masses, which enjoy the commercial Junk circulated by the mass media, such as reality TV, celebrity gossip Web sites, and violent action films. Media The 1920’s in America was a time of unprecedented growth and cultural expansion, up to that time, than ever before. America had come back from Europe victorious in the Great War and the great cities like Chicago and New York, along with the rest of the country, was now a creditor nation. This growth helped to spark the second industrial revolution in which consumerism helped to drive the needs and wants of its people. More and more inventions which the modern American takes for granted started to flood into the culture at this time. This increase in consumerism was spurred on by the gains which technology helped to make possible. The 1920’s was a very important year for the media in this country and which served as not only one of the most interesting but important decades for this medium of American culture. Television was invented in this decade but would not be introduced on a national level until the 1939 World Fair and that was only a demonstration. People got their news through the newsreels at the movies, radio, for the few people that had then but mostly through newspapers. The latter was the most important and influential medium for Americans to receive their news. In New York City, there were seventeen daily newspapers with some turning out more than one edition a day. Eventually, the influence of the radio and television would come onto the national scene and usurp the influence that those mediums had on the 1920’s but with most mediums which have such an important and resounding influence on the nation and its culture, it had to have a beginning and for radio and motion pictures which portrayed the news, the 1920’s contributed a great deal to the formation and growth of these. The 1920’s was one of the most important years for popular culture in this country’s history. Some would say that the terms â€Å"pop culture† and â€Å"important† being used in the same sentence would be an oxymoron and usually, I would not be in total disagreement with them. However, the 1920’s ushered in a greater understanding of the country which was on the move and sought a higher standard of living then ever before. This newer sense of worldly capitalism came from technology and much of that was within the media. The 1930’s and the 1940’s would eclipse the 1920’s in its dependence upon the radio.   However, its importance at this time cannot be overlooked. In moving the consumerism that would help to define the decade, the radio was able to reach the masses in a way that was unthinkable just a decade before. One example was a simple advertisement in New York City for apartments in one of its Burroughs. This single thirty second advertisement spot created a rush of phone calls to the realtor in charge of the properties that the main phone server was shut down. Over $150,000 of apartments were bought in a single day and to adjust for inflation that number would be just short of $2 million.[1] It has been proven that people respond more to what they hear and see than what they hear. This is why most people today read very little compared to what their parents or grandparents did in their youth.   Seeing the news was simply more entertaining and enticing for the majority of people. The radio exploited that truth and as a result, became the central item in a person’s house as well as in their life as a main source for their news. The first presidential election was broadcasted over Pittsburgh’s KDKA in 1920.[2] People, for the first time, could hear in almost real time, the debates and election results as they first came over the wire. This helped to spur an interest in politics and world events which before, people could successfully avoid had they not felt interested in what was occurring outside of their immediate sphere of influence. â€Å"The radio helped to create a global society for Americans who would never, could never travel to the various places which radio brought to their living rooms.†[3] This served as its major appeal. The radio also served as free advertisements for the major sports of the day. It was first protested by the baseball owners who felt that radio was stealing their product and those who could listen on the radio, would be less compelled to come to the ballpark. This seems like common sense, but in reality, the exact opposite happened. Being reminded of the ballgame and in listening to the daily actions of their favorite team, spurred a heightened interest which could only be quelled by visiting the ballpark for oneself. As a partial result, along with the heroics of Babe Ruth and other famous athletes, the sports enjoyed a golden era in sports. â€Å"Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney in boxing, the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame in Football, horse racing and the further cementing of baseball as the nation’s past time, all occurred in the 1920’s because of the advances in technology; especially in the media.†[4] Another form of the media which came to take hold in the 1920’s was the newsreels. The inventor of television is still under dispute but what is not under dispute is that even though the majority of advancements in television occurred in the 1920’s, television was non existent in American homes. The closest thing to come to television was the newsreels which occurred before, in between and after the movies at the local cinema. Each one was only a few minutes in length and before 1927, were all without sound. A newsreel in the 1920’s would bring scenes of the New York Yankees winning another championship or Notre Dame running to another undefeated season. It would also bring the events of the world and Presidents Harding and Coolidge. The death of President Wilson and the beginning of the slow death which would be the League of Nations would be shown to audiences. The Teapot Dome scandal helped to infuriate a nation over the corruption of their government as well as Charles Lindbergh flight from New York to Paris in 1927.[5] People could actually see Lindbergh leaving New York and arriving in Paris instead of just reading it. This produced a highly electric feeling; a feeling which made Lindbergh the most famous non athlete of the 1920’s in America. In Chicago, the Loeb and Leopold case would have been broadcasted to a shocked Chicago as well as the rest of the nation. Two very smart and over privileged boys sought to commit the prefect crime by killing a fourteen year old boy who was picked at random. That case and the 1925 Scopes Trial in Tennessee which put evolution on trial were two events in the judicial system which would command the attention of the American public in ways that the newspaper never could. The most important form of the media was the newspaper during the 1920’s. The newspaper served as an affordable form of news and which served as the rough draft of history. Despite many newspapers being heavily influenced by one political party over another, historians look to newspapers and other primary written sources more than the various elements of popular culture when trying to interpret an era in our nation’s history. Two of the most important newspapers of that time were the New York Times and Chicago Tribune. In the eighty years since the 1920’s, the subscription of the Chicago Tribune has actually decreased from 920,000 to a little more than 620,000 in 2006.[6] This truth, despite the fact that there are roughly 180 million more Americans in the country and Chicago land, which currently totals more than 5.5 million people, helps to explain the rapid decline in the power and influence which newspapers had from then until now.[7] Also, most of the major newspapers had more than one edition per day. The Chicago Tribune would have a morning edition and then a later afternoon edition that same day with a comparable circulation. The price of the newspaper at that time was 2 cents in the city and up to 3 cents in the suburbs. Therefore, it was a cheap form of receiving the news and one which was readily available throughout the city and suburbs.   The newspaper would be divided into sections: World and Sports with other sections inverted into those sections. The events of the world and important political actions would be seen on the front of the page with editorials towards the end of the World section. Box scores and â€Å"In the Wake of the News† would help its readers to follow the actions of their favorite team.   Local sports were also very important as was seen when 109,000 people showed up at Soldiers Field in Chicago to watch the city’s high school championship football game. Another important aspect of the newspaper was the advertisements within its pages.   The largest section would be reserved for the Saturday and Sunday papers. Despite its crude pictures compared to today’s standards, seeing a model wearing the largest fashions were even more influential than the fashion magazines of its day. This helped to promote the consumerism that was so easily identifiable with the 1920’s. People need to be reminded of what will make their lives better, regardless of how little that item is actually needed. This was the job of the major clothing companies and department stores of the day and they looked to the newspapers as the number one form of advertisement for their business. One store owner stated: â€Å"The secret is not how to supply the goods but how to supply the customers by making them want what we have to sell.† This is one of the most daunting problems which face advertisers: How to create demand for the products which a producer has to sell and which usually is not essential for the customer to have. By creating an illusion in the customer’s mind which tells him or her that such an item is essential to their continued happiness; the store that can do that, will never have to worry about producing the customers and with the mass production of their products through the modern inventions of various machines, producing the goods was neither a problem as well. At that time, they were the most important form of advertisement for the major companies in America and the store owners who took advantage of this influential medium, enjoyed high returns on their investments. The media is important in this country, not just to tell us what our nation’s movie starts up to but they serve as the first draft of history. Historians, when attempting to fully appreciate the era which they study, refer to scholarly sources but it is the primary source which is usually seen as the Holy Grail. The media in all of its various forms helps the historian as well as the interested in knowing what the society at that time felt was important and was of an interest to the country at that time. The use of the radio, newsreels and newspaper all served that purpose and help to give future generations a closer look at what motivated the country as a whole and how the media helped to motivate the shape the country as well. The stuffy of the media, in all of its forms and in the years since Thomas Paine’s Common Sense in 1776 sought to convince the rest of the colonists that the choice before them was as simple yet profound as liberty or death. In much of the same way, though not always as dramatic, the mass production of sounds, words, images and ideas, which are spread across the country and even the world; it has been the media, although not always unbiased, which has helped to bring America into the information age. As the radio and newsreels were to this generation, the Internet is to Americans of this era. Despite its major differences, they both have a lot alike and show that the more things change, the more they really do stay the same. The method of transporting information might have improved but it still affects the way people think, feel and even vote. WORKS CITED Burns, Ric   The History of New York Episode 6. Los Angeles: Time Warner 1999 Paine, Thomas Common Sense New York: WW Norton   1948 Mead, Joan The History of the Media in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1987 Front page of the Chicago Tribune   October 10, 1925 Front Page of the New York Times   June 15, 1927 Top 10 American Newspapers http://www.newspapers.com/top10.html Downloaded July 10, 2007 [1] Burns, Ric   The History of New York Episode 6. Los Angeles: Time Warner 1999 [2] Burns, Ric   The History of New York Episode 6. Los Angeles: Time Warner 1999 [3] Mead, Joan The History of the Media in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1987 pg. 18 [4] Mead, Joan The History of the Media in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1987 pg. 22 [5] Burns, Ric   The History of New York Episode 6. Los Angeles: Time Warner 1999 [6] http://www.newspapers.com/top10.html [7] Mead, Joan The History of the Media in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1987 pg. 28    Media News media plays an important role in by providing information to the public about matters affecting their lives and the society in which they live. The news media also plays an important role in identifying nonmarket issues and stimulating action that affects their progress. The news media finds business of interest, and with stories instantly transmitted worldwide by the broadcast media and the Internet, a firm's actions are in the eye of the media and under the scrutiny of interest groups, activists, and government. A fortune 500 company can have a great year according to their annual report, and then get hit by a series of blasts from the media about their labor practices, causing sales to plummet . Many companies dread media coverage of their nonmarket issues and have had to develop a capability for interacting with the media. The essential role the news media plays in a democracy is accompanied by a responsibility to provide information in an accurate and unbiased manner so that individuals can formulate their own conclusions about issues. News organizations face incentives, including those provided by profits, and pressures from competition among news organizations. Similarly, journalists face incentives associated with career and professional advancement. These incentives and pressures complicate the fulfillment of that responsibility. The news media itself is a diverse collection of organizations, including television, radio, internet services, blogs, newspapers, magazines, and journals, and each faces its own set of challenges. Management and journalists are different in their perspective on what constitutes who, what where and why of a story. Media companies are motivated by profit so management is concerned with the story that makes the most profit. On the other hand, And journalist are guided by professional standards and their conduct is governed by editorial control when choosing and reporting their subject matter. So whatever journalists have career interest. Editorial control govern their conduct. In the 21st century large media companies like Time Warner Cable, ABC, NBC and CBS, etc., control the media. It's all ratings and profitability. The higher their ratings, the better the profit for the large media companies. Media In this book, we examine the history and business of mass media, and discuss the media as a central force In shaping our culture and our democracy. A. Critical process for Investigating media industries and Issues. L. Address key Ideas Including communication, culture, mass media, and mass communication. N. Investigating important periods In communication history: the oral, Whiten, print, electric, and digital eras. Ill. Examine the development of a mass medium from emergence to convergence. Lb. Learn about how convergence has changed our relationship to media v. Look at the central role of storytelling in media and culture. . Discuss two models for organizing and categorizing culture: a skyscraper and a map. Evil. Trace important cultural values in both the modern and postmodern societies. Viii. Study media literacy and the five stages of the critical process: description, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and engagement. Often, culture is narrowly associated with art, the uniqu e forms of creative expression that give pleasure and set standards about what Is true, good, and beautiful. (Can be viewed more broadly as the ways In which people live and represent themselves at particular historical time.Communication: the creation and use of symbol systems that convey Information and meaning (e. G. Languages, more code, motion pictures, and one-zero binary computer codes). A. Culture, therefore, Is a process that delivers the values of society through products or other meaning making forms. B. Culture inks individuals to their society by providing both shared and contested values and the mass media help circulate those values. There eras, which all still operate to some degree, are oral, written, print, electronic, digital. A.The mass media are the culture industries-the channels f communication-that produce and distribute songs, novels, TV shows, newspaper, movies, video games, internet services, and other cultural products to large numbers of people. Mass com munication: the process of designing cultural messages and stories and delivering them to large and diverse audiences through media channels as old and distinctive as the printed book and as converged as the internet. A. Hastened by the growth of Industry and modern technology, mass communication accompanied the shift or rural populations to urban settings and the rise of a consumer culture.In digital communication, images, texts, and sounds are converted onto electronic signals( represented as varied combinations of binary number-ones and zeroes) that are then reassembled( decoded) as a precise reproduction of, say, a TV picture, a magazine article, a song, or a telephone voice. Sender (authors, producers, and organizations) transmit messages (programs, texts, images, sounds, and ads) through a mass media channel (newspapers, books, magazines, radio, television, or the internet) to large groups of receivers. . In process, gatekeeper function as message filters. Media gatekeeper mak e decisions about what messages actually get produced for particular receivers. I. The process also allows for dieback, In which citizens and consumers, If they choose, return messages to senders or gatekeepers through letters to the editor, phone calls, email, we postings, or talk shows. Elective exposure: people typically seek messages and produce meanings that correspond to their own cultural beliefs, values, and interests. Tag in the development of media-convergence- a term that media critic and analysts use when describing all the changes that have occurred over the past decade, and are still occurring, in media content and within media companies. Medium: an intervening substance through which something is conveyed or reanimated. Media innovations typically go through four stages. A. Emergence, or novelty, stage. I. Inventors and technicians try to solve a particular problem, such as making pictures move, transmitting messages form ship to shore, or sending mail electronically. . Entrepreneurial stage I. Inventors and investors determine a practical and marketable use for the new device. C. Mass medium stage I. Businesses figure out how to market the new device or medium as a consumer product. D. Convergence stage I. Older media are reconfigured in various forms on newer media. Convergence: a ERM that media critics and analysts use when describing all the changes that have occurred over the past decade, and are still occurring, in media content and within media companies. A.The first definition of media convergence involves the technological merging of content across different media channels. B. Cross platform: describes a business model that involves consolidating various media holdings, such as cable connections, phone services, television transmissions, and internet access, under one corporate umbrella. Our varied media institutions and outlets are basically in the narrative-or storytelling business. Media stories put events in context, helping us to b etter understand both daily lives and the larger world. Culture as a hierarchy, represented by a skyscraper model, and culture as a process, represented by a map model. Skyscraper High culture Good taste, high education, and supported by wealthy patrons and corporate donors, is associated with fine art, which is available primarily in libraries, theaters, and museums. Low culture Which is aligned with the questionable tastes of the masses, which enjoy the commercial Junk circulated by the mass media, such as reality TV, celebrity gossip Web sites, and violent action films. Media In this book, we examine the history and business of mass media, and discuss the media as a central force In shaping our culture and our democracy. A. Critical process for Investigating media industries and Issues. L. Address key Ideas Including communication, culture, mass media, and mass communication. N. Investigating important periods In communication history: the oral, Whiten, print, electric, and digital eras. Ill. Examine the development of a mass medium from emergence to convergence. Lb. Learn about how convergence has changed our relationship to media v. Look at the central role of storytelling in media and culture. . Discuss two models for organizing and categorizing culture: a skyscraper and a map. Evil. Trace important cultural values in both the modern and postmodern societies. Viii. Study media literacy and the five stages of the critical process: description, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and engagement. Often, culture is narrowly associated with art, the uniqu e forms of creative expression that give pleasure and set standards about what Is true, good, and beautiful. (Can be viewed more broadly as the ways In which people live and represent themselves at particular historical time.Communication: the creation and use of symbol systems that convey Information and meaning (e. G. Languages, more code, motion pictures, and one-zero binary computer codes). A. Culture, therefore, Is a process that delivers the values of society through products or other meaning making forms. B. Culture inks individuals to their society by providing both shared and contested values and the mass media help circulate those values. There eras, which all still operate to some degree, are oral, written, print, electronic, digital. A.The mass media are the culture industries-the channels f communication-that produce and distribute songs, novels, TV shows, newspaper, movies, video games, internet services, and other cultural products to large numbers of people. Mass com munication: the process of designing cultural messages and stories and delivering them to large and diverse audiences through media channels as old and distinctive as the printed book and as converged as the internet. A. Hastened by the growth of Industry and modern technology, mass communication accompanied the shift or rural populations to urban settings and the rise of a consumer culture.In digital communication, images, texts, and sounds are converted onto electronic signals( represented as varied combinations of binary number-ones and zeroes) that are then reassembled( decoded) as a precise reproduction of, say, a TV picture, a magazine article, a song, or a telephone voice. Sender (authors, producers, and organizations) transmit messages (programs, texts, images, sounds, and ads) through a mass media channel (newspapers, books, magazines, radio, television, or the internet) to large groups of receivers. . In process, gatekeeper function as message filters. Media gatekeeper mak e decisions about what messages actually get produced for particular receivers. I. The process also allows for dieback, In which citizens and consumers, If they choose, return messages to senders or gatekeepers through letters to the editor, phone calls, email, we postings, or talk shows. Elective exposure: people typically seek messages and produce meanings that correspond to their own cultural beliefs, values, and interests. Tag in the development of media-convergence- a term that media critic and analysts use when describing all the changes that have occurred over the past decade, and are still occurring, in media content and within media companies. Medium: an intervening substance through which something is conveyed or reanimated. Media innovations typically go through four stages. A. Emergence, or novelty, stage. I. Inventors and technicians try to solve a particular problem, such as making pictures move, transmitting messages form ship to shore, or sending mail electronically. . Entrepreneurial stage I. Inventors and investors determine a practical and marketable use for the new device. C. Mass medium stage I. Businesses figure out how to market the new device or medium as a consumer product. D. Convergence stage I. Older media are reconfigured in various forms on newer media. Convergence: a ERM that media critics and analysts use when describing all the changes that have occurred over the past decade, and are still occurring, in media content and within media companies. A.The first definition of media convergence involves the technological merging of content across different media channels. B. Cross platform: describes a business model that involves consolidating various media holdings, such as cable connections, phone services, television transmissions, and internet access, under one corporate umbrella. Our varied media institutions and outlets are basically in the narrative-or storytelling business. Media stories put events in context, helping us to b etter understand both daily lives and the larger world. Culture as a hierarchy, represented by a skyscraper model, and culture as a process, represented by a map model. Skyscraper High culture Good taste, high education, and supported by wealthy patrons and corporate donors, is associated with fine art, which is available primarily in libraries, theaters, and museums. Low culture Which is aligned with the questionable tastes of the masses, which enjoy the commercial Junk circulated by the mass media, such as reality TV, celebrity gossip Web sites, and violent action films.

Emergency service managment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Emergency service managment - Research Paper Example Thus, emergencies are evolutionary in that they change with time, such that, every emergency is unlike the other. Therefore, in order to keep up with these changes, emergency management has gone through changes on its own by improving plans and increasing responsibilities. Apart from the original role of coordinating in times of crises, disasters, and their use as resources, emergency managers have new responsibilities. These roles include being informants on potential emergencies to larger institutions such as the government and their affiliate bodies. In addition, emergency managers are accepting new roles involving liaising between various agencies and planning. Prior to the current changes, emergency managers were tasked with a number of duties that directly related to the emergency management. A manager’s role was that of preparing an organization to the capacity of handling any emergency (Sutkus et al 2). Moreover, they were to keep their staff informed on tactics required from them; moreover, they were to participate in frequent training and exercise; in order to keep them in shape in case of any emergency. In addition, emergency managers’ traditional roles do not involve collaboration with partners and engage directly with the community concerning information dissemination and collections of feedback. However, there is a need to have these relationships in place between the public and the management service as well as liaisons with other service providers. An emergency manager is required to have command and control of emergencies by communicating with field operators. Therefore, with this, a manger is allowed to assess the situation adequately and advise on appropriate measures. Thus, with the changes occurring globally in the provision of emergency services, emergency managers require new skills and knowledge. This is in order to cope with the dynamic changes happening everywhere. Emergency managers require the skills to be

Quality Tools in Decision Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quality Tools in Decision Making - Research Paper Example The affinity process is mostly applied to group ideas, which have been engendered, through the procedure of brainstorming. The process of affinity is performed by a cluster or team. Its chief aim is to meld the opinions, perceptions and insights of a group of people that are knowledgeable or well acquainted with the topic or issue concerned. This process has been found to work excellently in situations where the participants taking part are not more than six. An affinity program is critical when a person has workloads of data that they are overwhelmed on what to do with it. This process enables people to arrange such plentiful information from various sources, to assist them in their decision-making. People can apply the affinity program by first examining the issue concerned in broad terms such as applying an open-end question or statement. As a group, they can the generate ideas and opinions and record them maybe on a wall, larger sheet of paper, haphazardly. However, this has to b e in a place where all those present can see and access them. From, here they can arrange the notes or ideas according to their correlation or similarity in groupings. After grouping related ideas together, they can then select a phrase or word that covers the intent of every faction, and situate it at the summit of the category, as a heading or title. This can be done repeatedly, until the broadest title is reached at, forming a hierarchical structure that highlights the correlation of the data (Parnell, 2011). Strengths Affinity diagrams are critical in solving complicated or difficult problems that people discover to be hard to grasp. It is applied to arrange output that results from a brainstorming session. Additionally it is applied when a person is facing a challenging task but by engaging with other fellow professionals, experts or people with relevant information in the field they manage to solve problems or issues that are complex to understand (Heldman, 2011). An affinity program is integral in decision making, as it enables those with the responsibility of delivering a decision, to gather large amounts of information from a faction, within a limited or short amount of time. Through brainstorming, people offer their opinions and ideas within a group in a short while; thus enabling them to collect relevant and crucial information, within a short time (Ward and Worrel, 2006). This process is also significant in team building as it offers each member in group a chance to contribute and give input to the challenge or problem that they are facing. Every member is provided with an opportunity to air his or her ideas and opinions regarding the issue (Parnell, 2011). Furthermore, this process allows information to be organized into categories that makes it easier for such data to be used with other tools. The information collected, will be applied with other tools to attain the desired decisions or results, more so in business, which might be beneficial to t he business, in the contemporary, competitive business world (Hoerl and Snee, 2012). Weakness As highlighted, the affinity diagram is critical when there is the existence of piles and numerous amounts of data. However, this tool is not applicable in a situation where there is less than 15 items of information have been discovered. In such a case, using this tool is unnecessary, as one can elucidate and coalesce the ideas, and

Moral & Cultural Relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moral & Cultural Relativism - Essay Example One person may hold the opinion that strawberry flavor is sweeter than a Vanilla flavor. According to that person, no reasoning can be applied to decide whether his opinion concerning the taste is right or wrong. In this case, the opinions concerning ice cream tastes are relative. In the context of mathematics, when one presents a calculation like 3+3=5, we term the situation as wrong. We do not say that the calculations depend on the taste and perception of the person doing it but we say that the person is wrong. In this case, there are clearly defined standards that differentiate right from wrong. This mathematical example amounts to a context of absolutism. When extended to the contexts of morality, these contexts lead to the aspects of moral relativism and moral absolutism (Rauchut 349). Moral Relativism vs. Moral Absolutism Moral relativism advocates that there are no universal or defined moral standards governing social situations within any given social setting. Moral relativi sts advocate that there are no moral codes of conducts which apply universally at all times. With respect to this assertion, no one can say that someone is wrong or right because such a claim would amount to judging people based on some standards, which is contrary to the ideas of moral relativism. ... In the context of morality, absolutism asserts that moral codes of conduct are relevant at all times, regardless of the situation surrounding the same moral codes. However, moral absolutism allows for flexibility when evaluating morally violated contexts. Absolutists usually allow for the reasoning on the code of conduct with respect to the situation under consideration. For example, according to moral absolutism, the act of killing is wrong. However, the situation surrounding the action might justify the action as appropriate, but not as right. Therefore, moral absolutism acknowledges the existence of universal moral principles everywhere in the world (Rauchut 361). Arguments for Moral Absolutism In the context of morality, I will stand for the aspect of moral absolutism, and stand against moral relativism. In moral absolutism, one can judge a situation as right or wrong, irrespective of the situation under consideration. In the context of social interactions within any given human population, there are situations which are guided by some set of moral principles. For example, stealing is wrong. It is natural to see a parent disciplining a child because the child has stolen from a neighbor. According to absolutism, the act of stealing is based on the unnecessary economic predicament caused by that action to the victim. Therefore, moral principles advocate that it is absolutely wrong to steal, irrespective of the situation. If moral relativism were applied in such a situation, it would argue that the parent should not judge the child as right or wrong by the act of stealing; hence the child would not have been punished. Therefore, moral absolutism helps in developing

Havisham Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Havisham - Assignment Example Her beautiful mansion of love collapsed and that betrayal led her to make some desperate decisions. When the news struck her like a lightning that her man was gone forever from her life she was wearing only one shoe, and she continued to remain in that condition. She wished to conquer time in her own style by stopping all the clocks in Satis House at twenty minutes to nine, and that was the moment when she received the news of treachery of Compeyson. She literally turned mad and yearned for vendetta. Her adoption of Estella was not an act of love, not to recoup her original mental poise, but to seek revenge on men. She imparted her training to break men’s hearts. She was raised as a weapon, a destructive tool. She failed to grasp the essence of life that in societal terms one lived not only for self but for the sake of near and dear ones in the family and well-wishers. All noble thoughts and ethical standards were swept under the carpet by her in the pursuit of destructivity. She failed to appreciate the intensity of hurt that she was causing to Pip and Estella. Havisham discounts the possibility that there is always scope for advancement in life, notwithstanding the cruel stroke of destiny. One incident, good or bad, does not constitute life. Trials and tribulations are part of life and the world cannot run on happiness alone. With a rigid approach, she shuns societal contacts and prefers self-imposed prison of solitude and speaks in the words of condemnation about the man who betrays her and men in general. Her condition evokes deep sympathy. Words generate from her tongue like the blows of hammer. Havisham has suppressed the tender feelings of love and her heart is filled with poisonous thoughts of negativities. But, after all, she is a woman and her sexual feelings torment her, sadism overtakes her and she lashes out at the male fraternity, Miss Havisham is certainly not responsible for her own misery. The

Compare and contrast the ways in which two plays investigate the Essay

Compare and contrast the ways in which two plays investigate the question of gender - Essay Example Both the plays explore the depths of lust, power and money through the struggles of the characters, who are in a quest after it. In this article, we discuss by comparing and contrasting the various themes, characterization and ideology of the two plays, particularly investigating the question of gender. Women Beware Women: The play Women Beware Women was originally written by Thomas Middleton in 1657 and later on, in 1879, Howard Barker, one of the prolific playwrights of that period, revamped it to the modern world audience. The play was primitively observed as a Jacobean tragedy, until when Barker replaced the Jacobean Puritanism with the ‘modern’ adaptation, putting forward his views on the redemption power of sex. According to the Barker’s version of the play, Women Beware Women tells the story of Bianca, a rich daughter, who elopes with her love, Leantio and lives secretly in his mother’s place. Despite her husband’s exhortation, the Duke of Flo rence determines to lure her with the help of Livia, a wealthy widow in the neighborhood. Bianca is seduced by Duke and turns to be his mistress leaving her husband. Parallel to it goes the story of Isabella, who engages in an affair with her uncle, Hippolito, with the help of his sister Livia, and later is forced for a marriage with a rich foolish Ward. On the night before the wedding of Bianca, she is raped by Sordido, as a punishment for her acquisitive complicity for the Duke’s seduction. However, the Ward is not ever a fool and has pretended to be so for hiding his despair for Isabella. By the end, Livia is reformed as a liberated woman with a highly igniting passion towards Leantio. Cloud Nine The two-act play Cloud Nine is written by Caryl Churchill in 1979 with the workshops of Joint Stock Theatre Company. In the first Act, the characters are set in the backdrop of Victorian era, when the British colonialism was in full swing. However, in the second Act, the setting i s changed to a reformed culture in London during 1979, when the Victorian ideology of restrictions are loosened yet several other forms of repression exist in the society. In Act I, Clive, the British colonial administrator, lives with his wife Betty, son Edward and daughter Victoria. Meanwhile, Harry Bagley, an explorer and Mrs. Saunders, a widow arrives seeking protection from the natives. Matters start changing dramatically in the family when Clive ogles with Mrs. Saunders, while Betty fancies Harry, whereas Harry gets intimate with the servant Joshua. The governess Ellen reveals her lesbian nature which is confronted by Clive, forcing her into a marriage with Harry, even after his gay sexuality is disclosed. The play forwards with the marriage celebration, where Mrs. Saunders is kicked out by Clive for her disgusting behavior with Betty for kissing Clive. The Act ends with Joshua pointing a gun at him when he starts to initiate a speech for the couple. Act II happens a few decad es later in a setting in London and the characters are grown up. Betty, after leaving Clive, lives with her daughter Victoria, who is now married to Martin, an authoritarian husband. Edward, in the new scenario, is openly gay, leading a relationship with Gerry, whereas, Victoria begins a lesbian relationship with Lin. However, Edward discovers that he is bisexual and moves in with Lin and Victoria. Finally, Victoria leaves Martin and goes for living together with Lin and

Popular Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Popular Culture - Essay Example The basic ideas of structuralism are taken from the works of Saussure and his basic concept of language and parole. Saussure played a significant role by being able to distinguish parole (speech) and language. According to him, speech is the actual utterance made by an individual while language is the significant symbol of communication. Therefore, structuralism borrowed heavily from this important achievement. An individual who is not from the same culture might see the cultural festivals as acts of immorality, barbaric and at time a waste of important resources. On the other hand, the other people perceive it as an opportunity to enjoy and have fun. A person who understands the structure would be able to understand the meaning as to why people organize street party, why they are masquerading, and why people are in masks. For example, if one attends the Rio de Janeiro carnival, he/she can be tempted to join the carnival festival and enjoy with the rests of the attendants. A person who understands the culture would be able to know that it is a kind of religious festival that marks the beginning of the Easter festive season (Valdivia, 2004). Someone who does not understand the structure might fear that the people putting on masks are evil, but if one understands the culture, his/her personal view would be completely

Concealed Carry Laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Concealed Carry Laws - Essay Example Sub-point 1: Crime rates are lower in states with concealed gun carry laws. Sub-point 2: Crime rates have not worsened in states with concealed gun carry laws. Main Point 2: Banning firearms does not reduce crimes. Sub-point 1: No positive association between gun ownership and violence. Sub-point 2: Studies do not show that gun control laws have reduced crimes. Main Point 3: Cross country history and experience show allowing concealed weapons carry does not make societies less peaceful. Sub-point 1: Among countries, gun control laws are not associated with peace. Sub-point 2: Gun ownership and murder rates are not correlated across countries. Conclusion Based on evidence, there is good basis not to reverse the gains American society has made in allowing the carry of concealed weapons for Americans to protect themselves. The advances in concealed weapons laws have been beneficial and not dangerous for America. Concealed weapon carry laws: Are they beneficial or dangerous for America? Introduction A center known for its being vocal against laws allowing the carry of concealed weapons, the Violence Policy Center, has pointed out that the â€Å"gun lobby’s priority has been establishing and expanding state laws that allow the carrying of concealed handguns by private citizens† (2009, p. 3). According to the center (2009, p. ... The Violence Policy Center has been very concerned and identified three key data on why concealed weapons carry laws are dangerous for America. First, according to the Violence Policy Center (2009, p. 4), â€Å" over the two-year period May 2007 through 2009, concealed handguns permit holders have slain seven law enforcement officers resulting in criminal charges or the suicide of the shooter.† Second, again according to the Violence Policy Center (2009, p. 4), â€Å"concealed handgun permit holders have slain at least 43 private citizens resulting in criminal charges or the suicide of the shooter.† And, third, according to the Violence Policy Center (2009, p. 4), â€Å"in six of the 30 incidents (20 percent), the concealed handgun permit holder killed himself, bringing the total fatality count to 56.† The Violence Policy Center’s concern for violence in America, particularly murders or homicide and suicide is certainly laudable. Indeed, it is the duty of today’s generation to see to it that every citizen is out of harm’s way. Indeed, it is an obligation of today’s generation of Americans to keep society safe and peaceful. Unfortunately, however, the basis for the Violence Policy Center’s concerns against the concealed weapons laws and the attribution the organization places on concealed weapons laws as responsible for the incidences of violence is anecdotal and unscientific. The Violence Policy Center’s arguments are like arguments that because consulting a doctor or being confined in a hospital have been associated with illness or death then society must ban doctors and hospitals because many people have died when they have

Supply chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Supply chain - Essay Example As one of the global leaders in automobile manufacturing, Tata Motors has been active in exporting both private passenger cars and commercial vehicles such as buses, coaches, trucks, and vans throughout Argentina, Europe, Thailand, Russia, South Africa, South America, South Asia, South Korea, and the United Kingdom (Tata Motors, 2014a, 2014b). Likewise, it is also surpising to know that Tata Motors is also manufacturing vehicles for military purposes (Tata Motors, 2014c). Today, the leading competitors of Tata Motors include the following automobile brands: (1) Ashok Leyland; (2) Chevrolet; (3) Honda; (4) Hyundai; and (5) Maruti Suzuki among others. As one of its business strategy, Tata Motors was able to successfully establish several assembly plants in six (6) different geographical areas throughout India (i.e. Dharward, Jamshedpur, Lucknow, Pantnagar, Pune, and Sanand) (Tata Motors, 2014d). Across the world, Tata Motors operate and maintains several assembly plants in Argentina, Thailand, South Africa, South Korea, and the United Kingdom (Tata Motors, 2014a). (See Appendix I – Tata Motors’ Assembly Plants in India on page 12; Appendix II – Global Locations of Tata International on page 13) As a strategic alliance, joint venture is all about allowing two (2) different companies to share profits, business losses and liabilities, and management control (ABA Publishing, 2010, p. 1). In the process of entering into joint venture agreement, a manufacturing firm can easily expand the size of its global network (Carnovale and Yeniyurt, 2013; Idris and Tey, 2011), increase its sales and profit (Idris and Tey, 2011), and further improve the quality of its existing products and services through technology sharing (Idris and Tey, 2011; Nam, For instance, back in 1954, Tata Motors purposely entered a joint venture agreement with Daimler-Benz in Germany so as to penetrate the markets of commercial vehicles (The Conomic Times,

Animal Abuse Problem Essay Example for Free

Animal Abuse Problem Essay Animal abuse is a people problem. Cruelty to animals can be prevented by all costs. Educate people you see abusing their animals and always, always report suspicious activity to your local law enforcement or animal control. An abused animal can turn on a human in an instant, so children and innocent bystanders can be attacked by an animal if it feels threatened. When abused, animals are not the only ones in danger. As C.S. Lewis once said, If we cut up beasts simply because they cannot prevent us and because we are backing our own side in the struggle for existence, it is only logical to cut up imbeciles, criminals, enemies, or capitalists for the same reasons. Maybe an eye for an eye should be implemented on animal abusers. Continue reading at NowPublic.com: Animal Cruelty: Facts, Prevention, Statistics and Action | NowPublic News Coverage http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/animal-cruelty-facts-prevention-statistics-and-action-2886267.html#ixzz2L2yNrWDW As humankind has progressed, there has been an increase in governance and rules and regulations of everyday life. These governance and rules rise from general disgust over happenings and concepts all over the world. One such rapidly growing concept is animal cruelty. Animal abuse simply put is cruel unwarranted treatment of animals. Such treatment generally has a single point program to subject animals and sometimes pets to unnecessary harm and pain. One major type of animal abuse is torture. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/animal-cruelty-animal-abuse-facts-statistics.html It is prevalent in all areas of the society. People in rural as well as urban areas are reported for animal cruelty cases. The statistics show reported cases are just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of cases related to animal abuse that go unreported. People carry out violent and gruesome attacks on animals, both domestic as well as stray. The most common victims of animal abuse are: Horses Livestock Dogs Cats Birds Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/animal-abuse-statistics.html We have heard of an old saying Dogs a mans best friend. Most of us must have read Black Beauty at least once. The lion is the king of the jungle, a fact even kids from kindergarten are aware of. There are many other instances where animals are thought of as our friends. Yet, we tend to inflict pain and torture on our friends. Animal cruelty is not an issue that is unheard of. Since time immemorial, man, the high in the food chain, has tortured those beneath him. Practically all animal species have been abused by man in some way or the other. Humans are thought to be the most intelligent of all species. Still, when we look at the animal abuse statistics, mankind is put to shame. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/animal-abuse-statistics.html Animal Abuse Facts and Statistics It’s really hard to write about animal abuse facts. It’s hard to do the research, read the stories, get the statistics, watch the videos, and see the pictures. But the statistics are just so disturbing that readers need to know the truth. According to the Human Society of the United States, there is no national reporting system for abuse to animals. However Pet-Abuse.com has collected statistics on animal cruelty since 2001. As of October 13, 2012 they have 19,517 cases listed on their web site. The following animal abuse stats for the U.S. are from their database: Top 5 Types of Abuse [pic] †¢ 32% neglect or abandonment †¢ 12% hoarding †¢ 11% shooting †¢ 9% fighting †¢ 7% beating Most of the above forms of violence toward animals is self-explanatory. However, hoarding may need some more explanation. This involves people who are often well intentioned but what they do is collect animals and may have hundreds of animals living in their house, barn or yard. It’s pretty much impossible to take care of this number of animals well and the cost of food and veterinary care would be sky high. Hoarding is really another form of neglect, just on a much grander scale than traditional neglect or abandonment. Most cases of abuse toward animals are directed toward dogs, cats, and horses. The statistics on dogs included non-pit bulls pit bulls. Of the cases listed on their website, 48% are alleged cases, 24% are convicted records, and 16% are open. Most abusers of animals are men between 31 and 50 years of age. While many animal cruelty cases are tracked on the web, it is believed the number of cases is much greater. A recent search of Google News found more than 10 articles regarding allegations or convictions toward animals in September in Texas alone compared to just 13 on Pet-Abuse.com for all of the United States. In other words, the data on animal abuse is even worse than what is reported on well known web sites.

Impact of Movies in Generating Social Awareness

Impact of Movies in Generating Social Awareness INTRODUCTION Movies are rollercoaster ride that have the tremendous power to entertain and to teach. They can be a powerful tool to bring about effective social change true or false? It seems intuitive and logical that a well made film- especially one with a compelling narrative and well-crafted outreach plan would serve as a catalyst to change minds, encourage viewers to change entrenched behaviors, and start inform or reenergize social movements (Diana Barrett and Sheila Leddy, Assessing Creative Medias Social Impact, Fledging Fund, Dec08). But another group of people believe that it can be surprisingly difficult to make a firm connection between the power of a film and social change so the social impact of movies needs to be better understood and documented although it is important to note that not all films are intended to be agents of social change, nor should they be. Some are simply lovely moving stories whose primary purpose is to entertain and share a compelling story. Researchers also believe that even if movies do not intend to contribute to the formation of values, they most assuredly do. By virtue of its interactive nature and arousing content, movies are influencing our values and expectation of reality, regardless of our willingness to be influenced. Although the learning is unintentional, it is just as effective as intentional learning and influences our thoughts and behavior. The impulse to celebrate the impact of movies is understandable-all that glamour, glitzy visibility and cultural panache (G. Kendrick MacDowell, Yes, movies affect us, but). Movies can be seen as a source of diversion in peoples everyday lives. They are loved by one and all, irrespective of gender and age. It cannot be out rightly denied that movies influence us and affect our behavior in some way or another. The impact can be either good or bad. The purpose of this paper is to explore the link between films and coordinated outreach efforts as change agents. i.e. whether an individual would actually change his opinion after seeing a movie. If yes, then movies are a very powerful medium to fight against the perils of the society. RESEARCH AVAILABLE Early studies on impact of movies on people In 1920s movie exploded as mainstream entertainment as there were no radio or TV set during that period. A lot of researchers believed that movies had impact on attitude and behaviours of people and they launched a series of studies focusing on effect of films. There were 13 studies conducted primarily by Edgar Dale. He studied film content and categorized them into 10 groups. An observation which came out was more than 75% fall into crime, love and sex categories. Interestingly same kind of trend can also probably been seen today. Edgar Dale used census, survey, questionnaires, case studies and personal interviews in his study. It was observed movies caused attitude, emotions, behavioural change in people who were the part of the study. Herbert Blumer conducted questionnaires and interviews with people to study how watching movies affected their behaviour. Most of the people who were studied believed that they had been influenced by movies in some way (A brief History of Media Effects Research). In one of the study, Andrew Butler of Washington University decided to simulate a classroom where films were used as a teaching tool. The accurate version of an historical event was taught to the students and they were also made to watch a movie associated with that event. The movie that was shown contained both accurate and inaccurate information about the historical incidents they depicted. The idea was to see which method led to the most accurate comprehension of the events: teaching or watching a movie. The results were really interesting, when the information in the film and the reading were contradictory that is, when the film was inaccurate the students were more likely to recall the films distorted version and were very confident in their memories, even though they were wrong (Herbert, Wray, I Learned It at the Movies, Scientific American Mind). In the last ten years, however, outreach strategies, have become a central component of movies, spurred by a new generation of producers (Whiteman, David , The evolving impact of documentary film: sacrifice and the rise of issue-centered outreach (1)). Thus at the societal level, movies are assumed to play a role in transmitting, maintaining, and reinforcing the societal and cultural consensus. They cultivate images of society by interpreting the world in terms of what is what is important what is right' and what is related to what else. In other words, movies generally show a view of reality (Kane, Harrison D., Taub, Gordon E., Hayes, B. Grant, Interactive Media and Its Contribution to the Construction and Destruction of Values and Character). Films affect perceptions that people hold about the world at large and its inhabitants in particular. Even though some people may like to disregard cinema as only a frivolous means of entertainment and nothing beyond that, one cannot ignore the fact that there have been film makers who have managed to lift veil on a hidden plight. It might be about an injustice to a minority, or the courageous story of change by a single individual, but either way it raises awareness about the issue at hand (Robert Oakes, Movies Promoting Social Change). One of the most popular papers on this topic considers the following factors to be important for a movie to make an impact: Quality of the movie The movie should have a compelling narrative that can not only engage the viewers but also illustrate complex problems in a lucid manner. Ability of the film to create awareness about an issue- Awareness is the first step to any kind of social change. Care should be taken to see whether the film could reach people beyond those who already knew and cared about the issue illustrated in the movie. Public engagement This implies not only being aware of the issue to taking action on it. To evaluate a films success in this regard one can look at participation in response to facilitated dialogues, blogs, activity on various social networking sites and participation level in various Actions campaigns that are organized around that issue. The ultimate objective is the social change. It is a long and complex process, however, in some cases there are key indicators of success. These can be in the form of legislative or policy changes or a shift in public dialogue or how issues are framed and discussed. A lot of film makers are making full use of the social power of the internet to drive their social campaigns. Not only are viewers being encouraged to visit and discuss the movie on online forums after having viewed it ,but, a lot of filmmakers are also using websites to create a community before the film has been released. This is slowly becoming a critical strategy to deepen the reach and impact of films. Engaging a pre release audience increases their investment in the film and logically increases the likelihood that they will see the film and take some action. The film makers are expanding their digital reach to the likes of Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and Twitter to draw in new and diverse audiences who generally may not have been interested in a movie of that particular genre or issue. (Diana Barrett and Sheila Leddy, Assessing Creative Medias Social Impact, Fledging Fund, Dec08) RESEARCH GAP The current research available is mainly based on the movies being an effective teaching tool but little research is available on role of movies and their influence on values of an individual to generate social awareness. The little research that is available is based on impact of Hollywood movies (English) which become rather irrelevant as majority of people in India primarily watch Bollywood movies. We came across no article that measures the change in social behaviour of people vis-Ã  -vis a Bollywood movie. This is a research gap which we would like to address by trying to analyze the effect certain Hindi movies had on changing the perception of masses pertaining to particular social issues. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The purpose of the paper is to understand and analyze the extent to which movies influence peoples perception about various social issues. Contributions of factors such as the movie characteristics, movie success in making a movie an effective instrument for generating social awareness will also be analyzed. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS Hypothesis 1: Movies have a favorable impact in generating social awareness. Hypothesis 2: Box office success of a movie is the most effective factor in generating social awareness. The variables and the metrics for measurement can be listed as: Concept Variable Instruments Respondents attributes Age Gender Questionnaire (closed questions) Movie Characteristics Storyline Questionnaire Interviews (Rating Scale Likert Scale) Popularity of director Questionnaire Interviews (Rating Scale Likert Scale) Popularity of the star cast Questionnaire Interviews (Rating Scale Likert Scale) Promotion Done Questionnaire Interviews (Rating Scale) Success of the movie Critical Acclaim Secondary Data Box Office Success Secondary Data Awards Won Secondary Data Action Pre- Post Questionnaire Impact Pre- Post Questionnaire Media publicity Secondary data Pre- Post Questionnaire to gauge the level of participation (Rating Scale) MODEL The model links the movie characteristics and success of the movies to the overall social awareness generated. Respondents attributes consisting of gender acts as the mediator for this model. The constructs decided for the research are: Movie Characteristics: This construct consists of variables such as the storyline of the movie, popularity of the director star cast and the promotion done for the movie Success of the Movie: This construct consists of variables such as critical acclaim, the movies box office success and the various awards won by the movie Social Awareness Generated: This construct consists of certain variables such as the action taken, the impact generated and the media publicity generated due to the movie Respondents age and gender are taken as the mediator to analyze whether they have any influence on the success of the movie and consequently the impact generated by it. Both primary and secondary data will be used to measure the various variables used in this research. For the primary data, an online questionnaire will be given to people across different age groups. We plan to survey as many people as possible who are regular movie watchers, regular readers of newspapers, magazines and people who watch television are exposed to the internet. We will also go through relevant articles and journals from EBSCO and other web sources to carry out a literature review, which would consist of the secondary data. The issues we would be addressing are patriotism, religious tolerance and women empowerment. We would take 2 movies per issue and study the impact they had. The movies chosen would be differentiated on the basis of the variables we define. Movie Characteristics Success of the Movie Social Awareness Generated The variables will be measured with the help of the survey floated to the respondents. The variables will be measured with the help of : Primary data gathered through a survey floated to the respondents Secondary data in the form of online research and literature review The variables will be measured with the help of : Primary data gathered through a survey floated to the respondents Secondary data in the form of online research and literature review Model Parameters Movie Characteristics: This parameter consist the characteristics of the movie, various components which define the movie Storyline This component indicates how well the issue has been depicted through the movies script. The film should have a compelling narrative that can not only engage the viewers but also illustrate complex problems in a lucid manner. Popularity of the Director Star Cast The popularity of the director has a major impact on the pre release success and ratings a movie. The more the popularity and fame of the director and the star cast the more will be people talk about it. Promotion Done This component will incorporate the promotional activities undertaken before the release of the movie. The pre-release promotion and publicity of the movie plays a significant role in the revenue generated. Through our research we will try to analyze how these variables impact the success of a movie and the social awareness generated by it. Success of the Movie: Different people have different criteria while measuring the success of a movie. For some it is the revenue generated by the movie, for others it comprises of the number of awards the movie has won. The various components which represent a movies success are listed below. Critical Acclaim Movies are often judged by the reviews from the critics. Many people go to watch a movie only if it has a good critical rating. Word of mouth is usually perceived as more credible and trustworthy, and it is more readily accessible through social networks (Banerjee 1992; Brown and Reingen 1987; Murray 1991). Box Office Success This component refers to the box office revenue generated by a movie. This directly depends on the ticket sales and the number of people who come to watch the movie. Many people associate the success of a movie with the revenue generated by it. Awards Won The success of a movie also depends on the number of awards won by it. Movies like Ben Hur, Titanic and Lord of The Rings are considered to be one of the most successful movies and each of them won 11 awards at Oscars. Social Awareness Generated: The ultimate objective is the social change. It is a long and complex process, however, in some cases there are key indicators of success. These can be in the form of legislative or policy changes or a shift in public dialogue or how issues are framed and discussed. One needs to be clear about the kind of social issue that a movie addresses and accordingly set reasonable expectations in respect of impact generated. In this paper we intend to evaluate the social change in the society by the following three variables: Action- Under this we look at the short term effect i.e. in terms of the immediate actions taken by the respondents as result of the impact caused by the movie in question. Impact- This variable looks at a more long term effect caused by the movie in terms of changes in peoples perception, attitude and behavior towards a particular issue or cause. Media Publicity- The social awareness generated by the movie can be assessed by the publicity generated in the media about the issue addressed in the movie in terms of talk shows dedicated to it, stars who endorse the issue, forum dedicated for it on social networking sites and articles or papers published in the print media. In this research paper we intend to study these variables via pre-post questionnaire, where in we will try and gauge the change in the level of activity under all these variables before the respondents saw the movie and after they saw the movie. Literature Review Diana Barrett and Sheila Leddy in their paper Assessing Creative Medias Social Impact (Fledging Fund, Dec08) stated that while looking at a movie as having the potential for social impact it is important to move beyond the box office success and look at the overall impact generated. While one looks at the number for people who saw the film, whats more important is how many people understood the issue for which it was made. It is not reasonable to expect broad social change if there is little awareness of the fact that a problem exists. In some cases, just getting the audience to watch the film and better understand the issue is sufficient. Creating awareness is of prime importance while trying to bring a social change. According to this study the films promotion and outreach activities play an important role in not only increasing the size of the audience and sales but to use films as vehicles of social change. The core dimension of impact remains the quality of the film. This basically means that the film should have a compelling narrative that can not only engage the viewers but also illustrate complex problems in a lucid manner. For this measure researchers look at a lot of dimensions such as festival acceptance, theatrical success, online buzz, international and national DVD sales as well as traditional film reviews and awards. The next is the ability of the film to create awareness about an issue, as awareness is the first step to any kind of social change. Here the researchers have considered both the audience size as well as the diversity of the audience. It makes an attempt to see whether the film could reach people beyond those who already knew and cared about the issue illustrated in the movie. A regularly debated question is whether the presence of stars critical to the success of a movie? The industry is full of actors and actresses but it is the ones who are on the top of the pyramid who command the highest payments. There is a lot of academic literature on whether the presence of stars affects the performance of a movie, however, the results have been mixed. Direct and absolute causal relationship has not been established. Movies are complex creative goods that are the results of teams of creative people working together (Caves 2000). A popular star as a part of a movie is like a source of free advertising for the movie. He/she can help the film maker to garner valuable resources (in this case the audience) for him/her to be able to reach out to the masses to make the presence of his movie felt (Anita Elberse , The Power of Stars: Do Star Actors Drive the Success of Movies?). In the arena of new product development, word of mouth (WOM) plays significant roles because building consumer awareness is of vital importance, and consumers need information when deciding whether to purchase a product they do not know well (Mahajan, Muller, and Kerin 1984). Word of mouth is supposed to be more credible and trustworthy, and it is more readily accessible through social networks (Banerjee 1992; Brown and Reingen 1987; Murray 1991). A McKinsey Company study found that 67% of the sales of consumer goods are based on WOM (Taylor 2003). EXPECTED FINDINGS This research aims to analyze whether movies have a favorable impact in generating social awareness. The literature review shows that people are influence by movies and their behavior and thought process is shaped by what they see on celluloid. Through this paper we want to study how peoples thought process, perceptions, attitude and actions change if the movie is successful in generating awareness about a particular social cause. In addition to this we would also be studying the various factors that determine the success of a movie as contributors to the social impact generated by the movie. In this category our primary focus would lie on finding out whether box office success of a movie is the most effective factor in generating social awareness or not. This is because the box office result of the movie is the most widely known and acknowledge parameter to establish its success. LIKELY IMPLICATIONS Likely implications of this research is that if movies can be established as an instrument for creating social change, then they can be used effectively in the future for generating awareness about various social issues and mobilizing the masses for the same. Some of the benefits that are likely to arise as a result of this study are: Understand the extent to which the various determinants of success factor influence the social impact generated Influence and impact of the star cast, directive and narrative in facilitating the reach of the movie and the issue involved to the audiences in various strata of society Analyzing the sustainability of the awareness created among the people LIMITATIONS Limitations of this research study would be as follows: The respondents personal bias towards the movie or its related characteristics such as star cast et al. may distort the responses obtained There is scope for recency error to occur when respondents are asked to recollect details about the movie characteristics The sample taken for study is very small and may not be much diversified as compared to the actual population that watches movies FUTURE RESEARCH Further research may be carried out on a more extensive scale to determine exactly what factors influence the impact of a movie on the people and accordingly an appropriate mix of these factors can be designed to make a movie more effective. Specific research may be carried out to determine those issues where movies as a medium of social change are most effective.

Contemporary Issues in Strategic Marketing

Contemporary Issues in Strategic Marketing Contemporary Issues in Strategic Marketing Your manager has been to a marketing seminar on The Service Dominant Logic. He has asked you to produce a paper on the implications of implementing an SDK programme within the firm embraces both the strategic and tactical implications and the costs and the benefits. Implications of service-dominant logic Nowadays, we need to set up strategies and tactics in a new way due to the huge changes happening in both consuming and marketing environment. Due to the more and more important role marketing plays in corporate operation, understanding and implementing strategy from marketings view could offer firms a useful means to reconfigure corporate value and management concept. In 2007, the revised definition of marketing by AMA (American Marketing Association) illustrates that marketing is a system of vale transaction in essence. Briefly, all forms of goods should be regarded as service. Goods are the physical expression of one or more capabilities, and product is the main type that companies offer, while service, according to Vargo and Lusch (2004), is the application of specialized competences (knowledge and skills). Stephen L. Vargo Robert F. Lusch (2004) also explained that marketing has shifted from the goods-dominant logic (G-D Logic) to service–dominant logic (S-D Logic) which is applicable to all marketing offers (Vargo and Lusch, 2004). They further identified that in fact, all economy is the service economy, and product is just the carrier and physical appearance of the service (Vargo and Lusch, 2004). Apparently, what firms offer is the physical product, but in fact all what they supply is just one kind of service, one solution. Kotler (1977) indicated that the real importance of product to us is not the ownership but the service that we could get from them. Also, there is a growing focus o n services in the marketing because service industry dominants the worlds economy nowadays, for example, eighty percent of the current U.S. GDP is derived from the services industry, which employs over 80% of all employees (Ford and Bowen, 2008). The S-D logic intimates a very different kind of purpose and process for marketing activity and for the firm as a whole: to provide service to stakeholders, including customers, stockholders, and employees (Lusch and Vargo 2006, p. 283). All companies should notice that the real implication of serve-dominant logic is the customer satisfaction not the continual innovation and improvement of products, unless this kind of innovation and improvement is for better satisfying customer needs. Firms blind focus on improving products quality and technology would let them ignore the change of customer needs, which will keep them away from customers. Whenever companies can have the service-dominant view, they will be more rational to make strategies. Especially when managing production innovation, firms will not only keep an eye on the product itself but develop the production more efficient based on the services need to be satisfied. So under the serve-dominant logic, firms should firstly be c ustomer-oriented, continually satisfy customer needs; then firms should enhance the service consciousness and improve service quality, which is a fundamental approach to attract new customer, build customer satisfaction and cultivate customer loyalty (Brodie and Little, 2006). A significant change over the 100 years is that customers could actively choose their favourite products from only passively accept corporate product. This is the result of the market competition, is the inevitable phenomenon among the transformation from the sellers market to the buyers market. In the traditional product times, corporate implement the market-and-sell producing value, producers and consumers are completely separated (Baker, 2003, P454). In the past, companies blindly manufacture, ignoring whether or not customers will accept, what they only care is selling products out for profit. However, this method isnt effective anymore because current customers have a lot of alternative choices, part of them are even finicky, they will only choose the product and service satisfying their needs, they will not waste any interest on anything they dont like. In consideration of this situation, more and more companies become smarter. They abandon the obsolete production concept, turn ing to use the sense and response marketing view as the guide, put customers in the core position of the corporate operation. More than that, firms start to involve customers in the process of product design, producing, evaluation. During the whole process of value creation, customers is no longer a passively accepter, but be regarded as the co-producer. The key element of value creation is to cooperate with customers (Normannand Ramirez, 1993). Thus it can be seen that, customer participation is extraordinary important to companies, the interaction between customers and firms is extremely important, especially for the future corporate. In his book â€Å"future shock†, Alvin Toffer explained the upcoming â€Å"experiential industry†, in which customers would not only satisfy with the basic functions products and services offer, they would be willing to allocate high percentages of their salaries to live amazing experiences (Toffler, 1994). In this kind of â€Å"experience economy†, companies will never again simply produce goods, but become an experience platform, co-create value with the customers. Dell and Starbucks are both good examples. Corporate could be regarded as an aggregation of various resources, validly managing these resources could create profit and value. Firms used to believe that tangible resources such as the land, equipment, and materials are the most important assets, because without these resources, companies are unable to organize manufacture. However, in the current service-dominant times, the key resources have changed to be intangible resources like knowledge, experience, technology and innovation etc (Vargo and Lusch, 2004). It can be said that they are base of corporate competence and core capability. This is not to say that those tangible resources are not important any more, but that their importance has comparably diminished, which is because that the buyers market is the dominant in the current economic environment, customers have unprecedented wide range of choices and their needs are escalating, only the high knowledge and technology based products will be favoured by customers. On the o ther hand, simple physical product without high knowledge and technology is losing competence, which prompts companies to transfer to the knowledge and technology intensive ones. Constantin and Lusch (1994) defined the physical and natural resources to be the operand resources, while the knowledge, technology and innovation kind of resources are be defined as the operant resources (Constantin and Lusch, 1994). This transaction of the focus of resource reveals one fact which is that current corporate competition is no longer the simple competition based on the product, but the full competition based on the knowledge, technology and human resources. If company want to be the winner in such intensively competitive environment, it must set up its own core capability and competitive advantage. Modern corporations more and more emphasize on transferring value from the tangible resources to intangible resources, insisting on creating corporate value through operant resources (Vargo and Lus ch, 2004). S-D Logic emphasizes that knowledge is the fundamental source of competitive advantage, as based on a firms ability to make differentiated use of information flow throughout its value creation chain of suppliers, distributors, and customers (Ford and Bowen, 2008). Also, the transaction of focus of resources requires corporate to make an important change on strategies, which is to be the learning organization. Only learning could increase the group knowledge, experience etc intangible assets in the organization, could create core value. Firms not only need to carry out the internal learning, but also turn its attention to the broader external environment and the whole value chain. Not only requires adaptive learning but also innovative learning. It is indicated by S-D Logic that customer value is created through service experiences and relationships, especially in the co-creation and sharing of resources, including skills and knowledge (Aitken and Ballantyne etc all, 2006). Within the S-D Logic, the customers is a prosumer and co-creator of value, which can lead benefits to both themselves and service providers (Baker, 2003, P461). In the product times, value is almost decided by the producer, value is included in the tangible resources, reflect on the product; however, in the current service times, value is decide by the consumers. Whether or not one product is valuable, how much value it has, thats not producers call, after consumers judgement, its value is embodied in the consumers recognition and acceptance. So this is like that a drop of water is much more valuable than a diamond in the dessert, which is determined by peoples needs. The definition of Customer Perceived Value (CPV) given by Kotler (2003) is the differenc e between the prospective customers evaluation of all benefits and all the costs of an offering and the perceived alternatives (Kotler, 2003, P60). So it can be seen that value relies on customers perception and judgement to a large extent. Customers will make their most important judgments of value received through direct service interactions with firms and on service-ability of goods-in-use (Ballantyne and Aitken, 2007). It can also be said that the time-logic of marketing exchange is open-ended, from pre-sale service interaction to post-sale value-in-use (Ballantyne and Varey, 2006). Baker (2003) said that: â€Å"all marketing is about value proposition.† (Baker, 2003, P452). The service-dominant logic brings marketing innovation to the fore through the sharing of new ideas and knowledge within the firm, and between the firm and key customers and suppliers (Aitken and Ballantyne etc all, 2006). The effect of transition of value determination on strategy is that corporate must implement the innovation process and service progress based on the customers, play close attention to their need, opinions and suggestions, which means that marketing research, product test need to be taken regularly, ensuring customer needs could be satisfied. It is the only way to receive customers recognition and acceptance and let the value of product could express. Also, firms need to maintain stable long-term relationship with customers, set up various social, structural and emotional connections to enhance customer loyalty and customer lifetime value (Aitken and Ballantyne etc all, 2006).Lean solution which fits the S-D logic and the customers role as co-creator could be applied by companies make hands-on strategies, such as continuing improvements, do it right the first time, and management commitment (baker, 2003, P467). Also, there are some principles should be followed (Baker, 2003, P467; Womack and Jones, 2005b, P61): Solve the customers problem completed by ensuring that all the goods and services work, and work together. Do not waste the customers time. Provide exactly what the customer wants. Provide what is wanted exactly where it is wanted. Provide what is wanted where it is wanted exactly when it is wanted. Continually aggregate solutions to reduce the customers time and hassle. In the service times, companies more and more recognize the importance of customers who are the direct origin of profit. Old trading ideas do not emphasize the relationship with customers, ignoring customer needs and satisfaction lead to companys reducing profit and increasing costs. With the further deepen understanding, more and more emphasize on the core position of customers, companies gradually recognize the importance to keep the relationship with customers. This is also one result of the continual development of marketing theories applied to practices. During the process of development, many new concepts have been put forward, such as the Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Customer Equity (Kotler, 2003). Managers find out it is possible to reduce costs on one side, and attract more new customers by word-of mouth to receive more profit on the other side through building relationship with customers and maintaining customer loyalty. Strategically, corporate choose customers more carefully, they find out that it is not effective to be indiscriminate customer choosing. Companies discover that not all of the customers are profitable; some customers will even bring negative gearing to them, which is because the too high cost to get customers and/or too short customer lifetime circle, and this is called the lost-for-good customers type. Sherden proposed to change the â€Å"20-80† rule with the following: â€Å"20-80-30†, first 20% of customers contribute with 80% to the enterprise profit and half of these profits are used to cover the enterprise losses generated by the last 30% of the unprofitable customers (Sherden, 1994). According to this situation, companies start to consider how to measure customer value, how to identify profitable customers, which lead to the CLV evaluation. What companies could do is to model profit on both an annual basis and on a CLV basis to determine customer value in terms o f potential profits and CLV (Christopher, Payne and Ballantyne, 2002, P63). For example, Electro plc collected data analyze its customer acquisition and retention economics at the segment level, by doing so it can clearly identify which segment need to be concentrated on and which one is the waste of investment (Christopher, Payne and Ballantyne, 2002, P53). Through this assessment, companies could find out the most important customers and abandon those unprofitable customers. And adopt different marketing strategies and different resource distribution (such as different pricing policies, quality and level of service) to different categories of customers. Firms very focus on building up stable long-term relationship to achieve the supplier-customer win-win relationship (Baker, 2003, P469). IBM is good at it CRM, it can make the best use of every opportunity contacting with customers to impress them and increase loyalty to company, and finally enhance corporate profit and reduce cost (IBM, 2009). For example, its CRM outsourcing service provide reliable methods, new ideas and innovative thinking to help firms enhance customer-oriented marketing, sales and the effectiveness and efficient of services (IBM, 2009). When companies are pursuing the long-term development, especially when we hope to build a permanent operating institution, we must have a broad view, not only focus on customers current value, but also create and enhance customers lifetime value. Firstly, companies need to ensure the quality of its products could satisfy customers need; then, companies need to be able to provide good â€Å"consumption experience† to attract customer participation and build their loyalty to your brand. Tactics could be that firms not only provide after-sale service, but actively offer lifetime service, cultivate â€Å"lifetime customers†, create lifetime value in further (Lusch, Vargo, and Malter 2006). CRM regards that the total value of the firms customer base is an important driver of company profitability (Kotler, 2003, P52). In order to set up a comprehensive customer database, high-quality, timely, and accurate information need to be collected such as customers demographics, past purchase etc and then put into a data warehouse. And the database could be used by companies on marketing like to identify customer response, make attractive or timely offers ect. However, Kotler (2003) also identified three problems of database marketing: firstly, companies need to spend a large investment in computer hardware, database, software, analytical programs, communication links, and skilled personnel to build and maintain a customer database; secondly, it is difficult to get everyone in the company to be customer-oriented in and to use the available information; thirdly, customer may not want to keep a relationship with the company, some of whom may even think that their personal informatio n should not be collected (Kotler, 2003, P55). And some real examples tell us that the database marketing is not helpful to every companys CRM, reasons of failure of CRM implementation could be the high cost, poorly designed system, ignorance by collaborators (Kotler, 2003, P56). Conclusively, we are facing a totally different consumption and marketing environment, so we should also change our ideological foundation of making strategies. Major changes include that marketing has shifted from the goods-dominant logic to service–dominant logic; customers could actively choose their favourite products; the key resources have changed to be intangible resources; customers become a co-creator of value; maintaining customer relationship becomes more and more important to companies. So strategic and tactical implications to companies are: be customer-oriented, continually satisfy customer needs; enhance the service consciousness and improve service quality; increase customer participation; marketing research, product test need to be taken regularly to ensure customer needs could be satisfied; carry out adaptive learning and innovative learning within the company. Two main types of benefits could be brought to companies: reduce costs and increase profit and valu e through CRM. However, the initial investment is expensive, and it is hard to make ensure everyone one in the company could be customer-oriented, also, some customers may refuse to maintain relationship with firms. Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, and the tactics is the specific actions implementing strategy(Johnson and Scholes, 2002, P 10). New Definition of Marketing (est. in 2007): Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large( AMA, 2007). â€Å"Future shock† is a book written by the sociologist and futurologist Alvin Toffer in 1970 The Pareto principle ( also knows the â€Å"20-80† rule) states that it is possible for 80% of the companys profit to be provided by 20% of the total number of customers (Sherden, 1994). Customer lifetime value (CLV) is defined as the net present value of the future profit flow over a customers lifetime (Christopher, Payne and Ballantyne, 2002, P62) According to Bill Inmon (1992), a data warehouse is a database that contains the following four characteristics: subject oriented, non-volatile, integrated and time variant (Todman, 2001, P32). 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