Four P’s of Redbox

4 P’s of Redbox: Product Redbox’s products consist of DVD, Blu-ray disc and video game rentals. Each of the discs come secured with a barcoded DVD case and are vended from a kiosk. These kiosks are self-serve, customer- interactive computer terminals that are available for public use. Each of Redbox’s kiosks can hold up to 200 titles and 630 discs. Redbox is known for their signature color, being red, displayed on both their kiosks and their product cases. The color red was chosen to stand out and assist in attracting customers. At these kiosks customers can browse the selection of DVD’s by categories such as genre, latest releases, most popular and alphabetical order. The rental period for the discs end at 9:00 the night after they were rented; and can be returned to any Redbox kiosk location regardless of where they were rented from. 4 P’s of Redbox: Place Like mentioned above, the DVD’s and video games are dispensed from Redbox kiosks. The kiosks can be found in grocery stores, pharmacies, mass retailers, convenience stores and fast food restaurants. There are approximately 31,500 kiosk locations across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. If a customer wants to know where the closest Redbox location is or is having trouble finding a Redbox location, they have two options; they can download the Redbox mobile app on their cell phone or text the word â€Å"FIND† to the number ‘727272’. According to the official Redbox website, 68% of the United States population lives within only a five minute drive of a kiosk, which is very convenient for the customer. 4 P’s of Redbox: Price The movie rentals originally started out at just $1 a day (including tax), but due to expenses the company has incurred, the movie rentals are now up to $1.20 a day. Blu-ray discs are $1.50 and video games are $2 per day. The DVD’s and video games can be purchased with only a debit or credit card. For every extra day the customer holds onto the disc, they will be charged for another rental period. The maximum rental period is 25 days, and the maximum rental charge is $25. So, once the maximum charge is reached, the disc becomes the owners to keep and does not need to be returned.4 P’s of Redbox: Promotion For promotion, Redbox offers their â€Å"Redbox Text Club† which sends out deals, freebies and free promo codes every month to customers who have signed up to receive text messages from them. Redbox also offers their â€Å"Refer-A-Friend Program†. With this program, individuals can receive rental credits for referring new cus tomers; these rental credits can then be redeemed and used towards getting a free rental. Individuals can also receive freebies, reviews, and the latest news from if they follow Redbox on Facebook. If customers decide to reserve a DVD or video game ahead of time, they can also receive rental credits and get their first reservation rental for free.

Psychology Principles in the Breakfast Club Essay

A â€Å"quintessential 80’s movie,† The Breakfast Club is a film rich with psychological principles. This movie is about a group of high school teenagers filled with personal angst who spend a Saturday serving their detention sentences in the school library. Each teenager from a different clique, they didn’t expect to relate as much to each other as they thought. As they begin to get to know each other, the vengeful assistant principal Vernon starts to single out Bender, the rebel of the group of teenagers. Initially, none of the other teenagers help Bender. This demonstrates the bystander effect because they don’t help Bender; this effect can be explained by the absence of group membership and cohesiveness because the 5 strangers don’t really know each other yet. But when assistant principal Vernon locks Bender in a closet, the group has already established trustworthy relationships among its members, so they decide to help Bender escape. Also, assistant principal Vernon debatably exhibited deindividuation when he proceeded to threaten Bender and to lock him inside a closet. Normally, an assistant principal of a high school wouldn’t speak cruelly or do such things to a student, but because of the situation (their history together and how Bender always seemed to have won), Vernon acts this way. Finally, each teenager demonstrated conformity in his/her own way. Bender covered up his scars from the abuse he received from his dad so that he wouldn’t be judged as weak for them; Andy, the jock, covered up his hatred for his father because he didn’t want to be seen as abnormal; Brian, the geek, contemplated suicide but never told anyone because he didn’t want to be perceived as depressed; Allison, the outcast, lies compulsively because she has to keep up a reputation she has created; and Claire, the popular girl, hides the fact that she is still a virgin because all of her friends are not virgins and she doesn’t want to be considered strange.

Evaluate the appropriateness of the operating systems elements in Essay

Evaluate the appropriateness of the operating systems elements in terms of their contributions to productivity and overall effectiveness - Essay Example The Toyota production system like any other system has its own way of carrying out its operations. It has a strategy of improving depending on the set standards. This aims at involving the participation of its staff to help eradicate unnecessary wastes. The objective of the system is make the delivery more effective by reducing time taken between when an order is issued and when delivery is made to the clients. Just like any organization or system, the Toyota Production System focuses on not only making their products of high quality but of lower cost of production, to maximize on the profits. Secondly, it is aiming at achieving workers satisfaction, fair treatment, and job security among its workers (Chiarini 2012 pg 345). The final objective is to give the company flexibility in relationship with trends in the local and global markets, to achieve maximum profit through reduction of overhead costs and realizing a sustainable prosperity. Complete elimination of all waste, unevenness in all sections of work and overburden, allows members of staff to work smoothly and efficiently. In addition, core values of the system are built on standardization that ensures safe methods of production and sustained quality of production. Toyota community is steel seeking to improve its standard processes and techniques in order to bring in maximum quality, eliminate waste, and maximize efficiency in a process known as kaizen. The process is applied in all the production elements of the company. Kaizen is a core element in the Toyota production system. Like in all large-scale production systems, Toyota requires all tasks both mechanical and human be specified and precisely standardized to ensure highest quality, improve production efficiency, and eliminate waste. In this section of production system, the members of staff follow closely these standardized works and

Information of JADE from Neolithic period to Han dynasty Research Paper - 1

Information of JADE from Neolithic period to Han dynasty - Research Paper Example Previously, history has not recorded the use of metals by humans in any concrete sense. Therefore, China can be seen as a pioneer that ushered in the transformation in this era around 7000 BC though this process of change dates back to a much earlier phase in time. As there is no written evidence, much is not known about who these people were, what language they spoke, and what social norms they followed. However, evidence throughout the history shows that jade remained a major influence in Chinese culture and civilization in the Neolithic period, transcending to the Han Dynasty and beyond. Evidence unearthed from many sites in the form of houses, burials, pottery, and tools suggests the distinction of different cultures through various artifacts. While the earlier settlements flourished all over mainland China, in the north the provinces of Henan, Hebai and eastern and southern Shaanxi thrived with the Peligang and Cishan Cultures. In the central and western province, along the Yellow river and its tributary the Wei, Yangzi and its tributaries, the Yangshao culture (c.4800-4300BC) with its distinguished painted potteries, and later the Majiayao culture (c.2500-2200BC) inhabited. In the east at Hemudu (c.5000BC) near Hangzhou and adjoining regions, an amalgam of different cultures came into prominence. In these cultures, especially in the eastern ones where specialization was intensive, the devotion to jade work and fine ceramics were cultivated with an affinity towards various rituals and ceremonies. Thus, jade was extensively used in creating different versions of weapons, tools that came hardy on everyday life. Besides, decorative items and ceramics were elaborately used in the formation of high pierced stands and lobed bodies of aesthetic and artistic value. When dwelling on the culture of jade in the Chinese history, a mentioning of the Hongshan societies in the

Alzheimer's Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Alzheimer's Disease - Essay Example The ambiguity naturally appears already when noticing Alzheimer’s symptoms similarity to a normal aging, and mostly appears when treating and taking care of the ill person. While official clinical institutions, like Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer’s Society, provide a clear definition of AD from a normal aging on a ground physical brain changes, Rob J. M. Dillmann and Julian C. Hughes, Ph. D. explore a socio-cultural and ethical side of AD treatment. Alzheimer’s generally reveals itself as a disease which is hard to treat in a wright way. Specifically, Alzheimer’s is the disease which is hard to deal ethically with. It’s firstly hard to distinguish AD from normal aging process due to a similarity of symptoms on early stages. Alzheimer’s Association says, what commonly considered as elderly absent-mindedness, â€Å"may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s or another dementia† (â€Å"10 Early Signs†). Thus, to enlighten a disease specific, it’s firstly explored how AD differs from normal aging. The accent is put on physical symptoms’ interrelation with changes in person’s mentality. Secondly, as a person with Alzheimer’s, especially on latter stages, commonly demonstrates â€Å"the impaired decision-making abilities†, a socio-cultural context of the treatment is explode (Hughes 381). The discussion on ethical side of treating person with AD originates from those ill human beings’ loss of personality and from ambiguous determination of AD as a di sease, not a normal form of aging. The first symptom of Alzheimer’s as well as for many other dementias is a memory loss, because the disease starts with a physical brain damaging. According to Alzheimer’s Society, â€Å"During the course of the disease, proteins build up in the brain to form structures called â€Å"plaques† and â€Å"tangles† (â€Å"What is Alzheimer’s disease†). Nerve cells lose their

End-of-Life Ethical Dilemma for Nurses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

End-of-Life Ethical Dilemma for Nurses - Essay Example In a qualitative study, the differences in the ethical burden on end-of-life decisions between nurses and doctors were determined.   Although the research covered small sampling, which included seven doctors and 14 nurses working in critical areas, it never failed to convey the universal dilemma encountered by healthcare workers which is the struggle to arrive at a conclusive and moral decision regarding euthanasia.   Furthermore, the study’s findings concluded that the main difference in mercy killing is that physicians are to deal with the â€Å"decision making itself† whilst nurses have to â€Å"live with these decisions†.   Mercy killing is the kind of problem that does not leave the patient the sole right to decide.   It comes in varied forms of condition where the end result is the termination of the life of the patient.   Although a patient voluntarily requests for the termination of his life, ethical considerations must be taken into account.   More often a terminally ill patient is depressed so that the only solution he regards to, is death.   This issue leaves nurses and physicians the responsibility of determining the mental and emotional capability of the patient to decide for himself.   There is also the issue of the legality of the family to represent the unconscious, clinically dead patient and to request for discontinuation of life support.  Ã‚   Across the world, euthanasia has occupied a constant seat in the debate regarding morality.

Business management course work Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business management course work - Term Paper Example A lack of coordination takes place when teams working on the same project do not coordinate and this lack of coordination is represented both vertically and horizontally. Unclear accountability mechanism further adds fuel to the fire of depleting aggregate performance of the organization. Centralization cannot be termed as an effective way to manage organization like RIM. There is no clear marketing strategy. Section II: Statements of the Problem Research In Motion (RIM) has failed to develop and maintain a sustainable motivation, accountability and effective marketing strategy (Castaldo, 2012). The organization has grown unorganized and unmanageable; where a lack of clear-cut direction and conflicting opinions have compounded the aggregate management of the company (Castaldo, 2012). Section III Causes of the Problem Demotivation Motivation is the degree to which an employee wants and selects to carry out specific behavior (Mullins, 2009, p. 471). This specific behavior is nurtured t o obtain intended departmental and organizational goals and objectives. As motivation has both aspects in the form of intrinsic and extrinsic manifestations, the employees of RIM were not given sustainable workplace environment in which they could convert their potential into the desired results. For instance, according to a former employee, the new operational staff members were never fully empowered to carry out their jobs (Castaldo, 2012). This means the staff did not receive authority, sense of work ownership and a clear cut direction to attain a particular set of objectives. As a result, the sustainable motivation did not continue instead demotivation replaced motivation. Lack of Coordination â€Å"It was common for a few teams working on the same project to realize they were unlikely to make the date, but no one spoke up, under the belief that another team was even farther behind†(Castaldo, 2012). This statement mentions that there was no active and consistent coordinat ion between teams working even on the same project. They were on their own and they did not feel necessity to obtain information and see their progress on the project. Additionally, there was no strong check from the senior management whether the teams assigned to work and complete the same project were working in the suggested direction or the teams were facing issues related to the same project. There was a complete absence of vertical and horizontal coordination in the organization. In the absence of coordination, there would be no way to entertain department and organizational objectives. Unclear Accountability Mechanism Accountability can also be defined as the systematic inclusion of critical elements of program planning, implementation and evaluation with an aim of achieving desired results (Wandersman et al., 2000, p. 389). At RIM, nobody was accountable when a proposal or project failed to meet the expected level of performance. In the absence of any accountability mechanis m, it would be very difficult to learn from mistakes and derive certain result-oriented lessons from such steps. When accountability mechanism is not present and nobody is ready and willing to take and accept responsibility, strategic loss and strategic decline is unavoidable and it is what that is happening

One ought to never do wrong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

One ought to never do wrong - Essay Example Socrates argued that if a person does harm unintentionally and is willing to learn, then, he or she can be assisted through education. However, if harm is accused by malice, then punishment should be inevitable. Socrates argues that anyone who acts unjust is a dishonor to himself. Socrates touches on the issue of avenging where he argues that returning evil in retaliation is not meaningful as it does not lead to any gains, rather, it leaves a more humiliated soul (Ahbel-Rappe and Kamtekar 15). This implies that one should be guided by morals of not harming or injuring anyone. Respecting ones beliefs is emphasized by Socrates. He insists that one must do what he or she thinks is right. The right ‘thing’ must prevail regardless of what people think or desire. In a nutshell, Socrates advices that a morally upright person is not supposed to forsake his principles just because he has been

Do Computers Increase Or Decrease Social Connection Essay

Do Computers Increase Or Decrease Social Connection - Essay Example The information communication technologies have helped in shaping the thoughts and actions in ways that affected the lives of people directly. The discovery of voice over internet protocol has made it possible to make internet calls effectively. The society has learnt to view new machines, not as mere products to be purchased, but facilitators of a larger system. This is determined by how usable the machines are in meeting the expectations of the society. The meaning attached to machines or technological innovations has to make life easier for them to be relevant to the mainstream society. Historians argue that new machines are not necessarily coercive agents that force people into social changes. However, in the recent past, the innovations in the information communication technology have had a coercive effect in the social aspect of communication. A compelling example in the impact of social media in the presidential complains in the United States of America. The social media have played a significant role in the success of the Arab spring. The strength of connectivity that has come from the latest information technologies cannot be underestimated2. Computers are viewed as agents of office efficiency. However, it is argued that computers have been known to cause eye problems, back disorders and time wastage in case of software failure. According to the American manufacturing association, of the organizations that reduced staff due to computerization, 24 per cent suffered losses while 43 per cent raised profits3. Through technology, people can study degree programs and attend classes in a virtual atmosphere. A lecturer can teach a class of people with is in different parts of the globe. However, online learning cannot... This paper approves that technology means different things to different social groups. The owners of the supercomputers are estimated to be in different social levels with the owners of desktop computers. The owners of supercomputers are perceived to be established and engaged in high level technological operations. There are characteristics that determine the likability of technology or computing. The more they are adopted, the more they develop their usefulness. This is mostly manifested in the network technologies. The selling point of technologies must be the ease to adopt and the relevance in the immediate usage. There has been an observation that after people adopts a technology, they develop with it. They upgrade as the technology upgrades, and it becomes hard to switch them to another technology. This report makes a conclusion that media ideologies about one medium affect the media ideologies about the other media. Face book and tweeter have had a substantial effect in the way different groups communicate. The social media users are able to send messages and share information in real time. Recent developments have seen the social media empowered to facilitate video calls. It is not clear whether social media is an official method of communication. However, the weight of the messages passed on social media depends on the groups involved and the intended message. Small changes in technology can end up changing the ways in which people circulate information. Technology is rapidly tilting towards improved connectivity. Smartphone is now a means of communication and internetworking. Most scholars talk about new forms of emerging connection technologies, which have been built upon the existing technologies.

Consumer Behavior Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Consumer Behavior Bachelor - Essay Example This product-centric view of market segments has been long discarded as being inadequate for very logical and plausible reasons. For any given product or service, there are usually at least four or five different segments of prospective customers that may utilize that product to solve a particular problem or satisfy a specific need. Each one of these segments will have different needs and values. But companies with a product-centric view cannot even sight these differences not to approach the issue of comprehending them and using them to advantage in their marketing plans. They end up treating the various customers' segments with a one-size-fits-all, generic solution. This fixated view is virtually a chink in the armor which competitors are waiting to pounce upon. In fact such an approach works to leave entry gates to the various segments wide open to the competitor. The competitor quietly enters in, reads the consumer needs and behavior and positions his products attributes and qual ities with requisite differentiation to make up a most relevant product bundle to the most valuable segment and skim it happily. Therefore it is a prudent marketing stance to examine in depth not only one's own products and services but also the market of users for such products and services. ... Market Segmentation We have always stayed with a short menu of brands as a strategic focus. Some critical buyer behavior shifts, however, have defined new segments. Newer needs have emerged which help consumers acquire and reinforce newer images. Our products have to transform to address these needs. First our smokers had turned health conscious primarily as a result of robust state funded and persistent campaign against smoking highlighting its hazards. The macho image of Marlboro man was overcast by dark health awareness clouds. Then there was a distinct movement towards several other 'light' consumer goods the consumption of which defined an entirely new segment of consumers; movement was fuelled by both factors viz.health consciousness as well as to be a part of this new sophisticated 'light' segment. We found that this movement was particularly strong among the young, educated urban dweller in the developed world. This was a fairly strong external stimuli driving consumers to Lights. This was imme diately set as the Marlboro Light's target group. We further discovered that this breed of consumer ate low fat spread, drank light beers, used ozone friendly deodorant, drove a lead free car and had a distinct preference to smoke Marlboro Lights. To many smokers around the world, Marlboro Lights presented a product image of a definitive light cigarette. It was serving two internal consumer ambitions viz to be identified as a Macho Man without hurting health or being Macho in a 'clinical' manner. Marlboro Light was a big success with this segment cutting across demographic lines. Soon a gap was perceived by us when we found

The Battle of Mogadishu Essay Example for Free

The Battle of Mogadishu Essay The Battle of Mogadishu took place in the narrow streets of Mogadishu, Somalia October 3-4 1993 over 17 hours. 160 United Nations combatants under the command of US General William Garrison fought an estimated 2000 supporters of the warlord, General Mohammed Farah Aidid, head of the Somali National Alliance. The Battle generated considerable public interest and debate, impacting US foreign policy and future UN missions. Among many books on the incident are those by Mike Durant, a combatant and Mark Bowden, who conducted extensive interviews. Parker’s Military History online contains useful data. The background was the outbreak of civil war after dictator Mohammed Siad Barre had been ousted by clan chiefs in January 1991, who set their differences aside long enough to topple him. Their unity did not survive and civil war began. Two parties emerged, one under Aidid and one under Ali Mahdi. The civilian population, caught in the middle, experienced severe hardship. More than 300, 000 died from starvation (Durant 2). Thousands crossed into neighboring states as refugees. When the international community responded with food aid, warlords hijacked supplies to use them to purchase arms. The UN launched Operation Provide Relief (United Nations Operation in Somalia – I) in April 1992. This did little to halt the crisis because hardly any food actually fed anyone. The United Nations then requested members to send combat troops to Somalia, to protect the food convoys. President George H. W Bush of the United States agreed to deploy 250,000 US troops. Known as Operation Restore Hope, or UNITAF (United Nations Unified Task Force) the mandate, dated December 3 1992, was restricted to supporting the humanitarian effort. This mandate was extended in March 1993 to include â€Å"nation building†- ending the war, establishing a stable state and a democratically elected government. When Bill Clinton became President, he reduced the level of US involvement to 1200 combat and 3000 support troops. Italy, Pakistan and Malaysia also joined the UN force, now called UNOSOM-II, established in March 1993. UNOSOM-II consisted of 15,000 military and police personnel. Fifteen of the sixteen clans agreed to cooperate with the UN force. Aidid refused. The UN subsequently ordered its forces to disarm Aidid’s militia. On June 5 1993 a contingent of Pakistani soldiers engaged in this task clashed with Aidid’s troops in Mogadishu, suffering 24 casualties (Bowden 427). The UN responded by ordering the apprehension of those responsible for their deaths, so that they could put on trial. US troops received intelligence that Aidid’s foreign affairs advisor and chief political advisor were at the Olympic Hotel in Mogadishu to attend a high level meeting, possibly with Aidid himself. Based on this intelligence, a US led strike code named Operation Gothic Serpent was planned for October 3, 1993. The force consisted of 160 men drawn from Delta Force (US Special Operations Force), Rangers from the 75th Regiment, Navy SEALS and from the Air Force, supported by 19 M H-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The plan involved personnel fast-roping down from the helicopters, securing the targets so that they could then be retrieved by ground vehicles (12 in number) then transported back to the US headquarters. The Humvees were due to reach the Hotel shortly after the operation began. Under Captain Michael Steele, four Rangers secured the perimeter to prevent anyone entering or leaving the Hotel. Another Ranger blocked the road, while the Delta team entered the Hotel at 15: 32 (Bowden 4). Colonel Danny McKnight commanded the ground convoy, whose SEALS were meant to assist the assault team (Bowden 59). At 15: 42, the first Delta operatives hit the Hotel, capturing both men and 22 other senior Aidid aids. One Ranger, Todd Blackburn lost his grip and fell 70 feet, injuring himself (Bowden 4). By 15: 47 Somalis had crowded the area around the Hotel, impeding the progress of the ground convoy, making it impossible to keep to schedule. At 16: 20, an enemy rocket hit Black Hawk Super 61, which crashed five blocks North of the Hotel. Both the â€Å"ground assault element† and the â€Å"exfil convoy† were â€Å"ordered to re-group† at the crash site (Durant 20). Although the supporting helicopter crews tried to send warnings about roadblocks and detour information to the convoy, the communication system was too slow. The helicopters could not speak directly to the convoy but had to do so via their commanders. By 16: 35, the convoy had lost its way. Search and rescue teams were dispatched to assist the stricken helicopter, which resulted in the US switching â€Å"the point of attack† from the Hotel where the prisoners and their Delta force captors were waiting to be retrieved to â€Å"three hundred yards West† (Stevenson 94). At 16: 40, Black Hawk Super 64 was brought down a mile to the southwest of the Hotel. Again, a rescue team was sent to retrieve the crew. As soon as the aircraft hit the ground, hundreds of armed Somalis, some civilian some members of militia, appeared at the scene. 99 US personnel were surrounded at the first crash site. At 16: 42, two members of Delta force volunteer to lower themselves to the second downed helicopter to help defend the injured crew. At 17: 40 both were killed, together with all members of the helicopter crew except the commanding office, Mike Durant who was dragged away by militia. The ground convoy and a rescue convoy failed to reach their targets, returning to HQ at 17. 45. At 19. 08, Black Hawk 66 dropped supplies and ammunition to the soldiers trapped at the first crash site. A new rescue squad, including Pakistani and Malaysian soldiers, left HQ at 23. 23, reaching the trapped men at 1. 55 October 4. At 5. 30, the troops are able to begin to leave the city on foot heading for the Pakistani compound. By 6. 30, it had been confirmed that 13 US soldiers were dead, 73 injured with six missing. The final toll was 18 dead. Durant was released on October 14. March 24, 1994 all US troops left Somalia, followed by all UN troops the following year. Between 200 and 500 Somalis died. Subsequently, the US and the UN became reluctant to commit forces where little real agreement exists on the ground between rival parties. Washington became reluctant to commit troops to situations that present no direct security threat to the US itself. In addition, strategic lessons have been learned from the battle. These are especially relevant in situations where insurgents blend with local populations. First, intelligence – the US did not know that Aidid possessed rocket propelled grenades. Aidid planned to neutralize US air support, then flooded the battle zone with superior numbers. He was also prepared to use civilians as â€Å"human shields† (Stevenson 94). Claims have been made that Italian soldiers tipped Aidid off about the operation, which would explain why militia with rockets reached the scene so quickly. Also, better knowledge of â€Å"Somali city streets† would have helped the ground forces reach their targets (O’Hanlon 119). The Somalis had the advantage of local knowledge. Second, direct communication from air support to ground may have prevented convoys from getting lost. Thirdly, too few troops were deployed against a much larger foe – albeit crack troops against irregular and poorly trained insurgents. The basic plan, though, was sound, the type of extraction for which the forces involved were well trained. Technically, too, the operation was successful, since 24 insurgents were taken into custody. References Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1999. Durant, Michael J. , and Steven Hartov. In the Company of Heroes. New York: G. P. Putnams Sons, 2003. OHanlon, Michael E. Technological Change and the Future of Warfare. Washington, D. C. : Brookings Institution Press, 2000. Parker, Larry. The Battle of Mogadishu. Military History Online http://www. militaryhistoryonline. com/general/articles/mogadishu. aspx Accessed April 25 2009. Stevenson, Jonathan. Losing Mogadishu: Testing U. S. Policy in Somalia. Annapolis, Md: Naval Institute Press, 1995.

Cycle of Abusive Families Essay Example for Free

Cycle of Abusive Families Essay The story of A Thousand Acres written by Jane Smiley is not at all unfamiliar to some American families. While the story tells about the male character representing a negative typical figure of abuse and the female character as the victim of violence and lack of compassion may be fictional in nature, this kind of story also happens in real life (Smiley 12). Love, security, and safety are words commonly used to describe a home. Some people say that home is where the heart is. From the daily grind of life, people seek refuge in the confines of the place they call their own. However, not all homes echo peace and harmony among family members. Not every home becomes a safe place to return to. Not all homes are filled with laughter. Not all homes make one proud. As a child, I get used to playing alone. Within the four corners of my dark bedroom, I have learned to find ways of how to make myself happy as I tried hard to get numb from feeling the bruises on my body and even just for a while forget about terror I get from seeing blood drop out of my skin. Mom said that Dad loves me that is why when he learned that I was not performing academically well in school, he has to hit me to remind me that I had not been a good boy. I believe her. I blame myself for not being able to completely understand my lessons because I cannot concentrate on reviewing while I hear Dad cursing mom in between beatings while mom screams her heart out from the pains she endure. If Dad has to lock me up inside my room, I cannot blame him because it was my fault. If he had to switch the lights off while I have to read my books, I cannot blame him because it was my fault. If he will not allow Mom to bring some food inside my room because I had just been punished for my poor grades, I cannot blame him because it was my fault. Dad punishes me because I deserve it. He does all these things because he loves me. I came to believe that fathers normally act this way because Dad once said that my grandfather does the same things with him when he was my age. Perhaps, children have to go all through this to feel the love their fathers have for them. But I was wrong. Dad has no right to hurt me or Mom. He is a father and a husband, not the enemy. Love is not supposed to be expressed by inflicting harm on the other. Love is not supposed to leave wounds that even time cannot afford to mend. I never had a happy childhood. Now that I am a grown up, I must admit that I am still struggling with the pains that my father has caused me. I know that it takes time. I am also aware, that while I try to leave all the hurtful memories behind, some of the bitterness in my heart will be here to stay. My father has been long gone. He died of colon cancer. Since his demise, Mom and I tried our best to put ourselves and our lives back to pieces. It was utterly hard, but our love for each other helped each of us to live life anew. Neighbors, relatives, and friend also extended their help to us. Coping up entails a long process to recovery. Nonetheless, it was all worth it. Life has not been easy as I used to be hunted by my past. However, my experience has allowed me to extend help to those who find themselves on the same path I used to cross. I devote my time in learning more about domestic violence. In this way, I can cause a change to other people’s lives in my own little way. From my own personal experience, I learned so many things I could not have otherwise known. My life may not be enviable at all but I am so proud to have surfaced from it nonetheless. The things I learned from my own life story are the very same things I want to leave behind when I am gone. I learned that I am entitled to live in a place where I can be safe. I have the right to stay inside a home free from violence of any kind. I am free to commit mistakes. No one has the right to tell me that I am useless. I am supposed to live my life according to my rules following my own decisions. I deserve respect for my intelligence. I am entitled to chase my own dreams. I am supposed to attend to my personal needs as a person. It is unfair for me to remain in a relationship where my personal welfare is in no way considered. It is important for me to discuss my concerns particularly with people whose behavior impairs wellbeing. I am entitled to decide things on my own. While I have the right to express my opinion, I also have the right to withhold them if ever I decide to do so. Fulfilling the needs of people who has inflicted pain on me is not in any way my obligation. Violence in the family is not something new. Perhaps, since time immemorial, family violence has already existed. However, it was only during the modern times, that societies started to acknowledge its existence and regarded it as a social problem. The World Health Organization regarded violence in the family as a global health concern in the year 2002 (Barnett, Perrin, and Perrin 2). It is easy to think of the family as being relatively immune from violence, a place of safe harbor, a place of sustenance and care. The idea that a parent or a spouse would intentionally and knowingly inflict injury on a loved one is counterintuitive. A parent is supposed to protect and care for a child. Spouses are supposed to love and cherish each other. We know, however, that often the family is a source of maltreatment and violence. We read about maltreatment within families in the newspapers, and we see news stories about it on television. Many of us know people who have been abused by family members or we ourselves have been abused, or we have witnessed abuse between our parents. We know family violence exists. Identifying the commonality of violence in the family is a difficult task. Calculating family violence is naturally problematic, primarily since there is a little conformity among those who collect data as to precisely what makes up domestic violence. Regardless of definitional consensus, the fact remains that most domestic violence takes places inside the confines of a home. It is usually concealed, overlooked, or ignored. The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation finds it hard to accurately identify the statistics of family violence because not all cases are reported for reasons beyond their control (Barnett, Perrin, and Perrin 3). When researchers attempt to deal with the issue of frequency of domestic violence utilizing self-report surveys, the data they collect proves to be unavoidably insufficient. Some victims may find it hard to remember childhood maltreatments and those who are currently suffering from domestic violence may not regard, may choose not to regard, or may be unable to report the abuses they endure at home. In this light, statistics of domestic violence must be treated with caution. Identifying precisely and accurately how much violence exists in the American society seem almost impossible. Violence in the family may appear to be unpredictable, merely a sudden occurrence associated to the moment as well as to the circumstances under which the people concerned find themselves into. As a matter of fact, violence traces a distinctive pattern regardless of the time when it took place or who is involved. The cycle of violence recurs every time the level of the abuser’s violence rises. At each stage in the cycle, the abuser takes full control of his or her actions and tries to manipulate and further isolate the victim. To be able to effectively address the concerns of the abused, it is vital to have a good understand the cycle of violence as well as of how the mind of the abuser works. In this way, the abused recognizes that he or she is not the one at fault. The cycle of violence begins with the set up. It is followed by the act of abuse itself. Afterwards, the abuser suffers from feelings of â€Å"guilt† and revenge. It is then followed by rationalization. The abuser then shifts to a charming behavior. Thereafter, the abuser contemplates on how to carry out the next act of violence on his or her victim. The act of violence can be manifested in various forms. The abuser behaves violently in the intention to show his or her victim who is in control. When the assault has been done, the abuser feels guilty not for his or her actions but for fear of facing the consequences of what he or she has done. This is where the abuser begins to rationalize his or her actions. The abuser does so in order to shift the blame on others. When the abuser starts to complete another plot of abuse, he or she creates a situation wherein justification can be made as to why the assault happened in the first place. Violence in the American society is not at all new. Wars, riots, gangland slayings, political assassinations, or rape cases are different types of violence familiar to Americans. However, surprisingly, the American home is perhaps as or more violent as compared to ay singular American institution. They run the greatest risk of murder, physical injury, or assault inside the confines of their own homes inflicted by their own family members. Across the country this is borne out by official crime statistics. Stories of ill-treated children and maltreated wives are rampant enough to be labeled as â€Å"child abuse† and â€Å"wife abuse. † Approximately millions women and children ill-treated and abused by family members each year are only the tip of the iceberg identified as â€Å"violence between family members† (Straus, Gelles, and Steinmetz 4). Brothers and sisters beat, stab, and shoot each other. There are husbands who are struck and beaten by their wives, and even grandparents are battered by their own children. Violence in one generation affects and encourages violence in another generation. In many families, perhaps a majority of violent families, violence is not even considered taboo or wrong. Rather, it is an accepted and integral part of the way the family functions. Wife abuse and child abuse have captured public attention because of the terms themselves and because they involve terribly violent acts with damaging consequences for the victim. However, â€Å"abuse† is only one extreme end of the continuum of violence in the family, which, for many reasons, never is publicly identified as â€Å"abuse. † Our aim was to study a variety of forms of violence, including some which many people do not consider violent, such as spanking a child. These are some of the frequently asked and most important questions, which unfortunately, we still cannot answer with any certainty. There is no real way of knowing whether families have become more violent in the last decade of the last century. One could use official police, hospital, and social agency statistics to assess changes in the extent of child abuse and wife abuse, but for several reasons these statistics are not suitable for estimating actual levels of violence in the family. First, official statistics compile only the cases of family violence that come to public attention. These are probably only a fraction of the total cases of family violence. Second, official statistics are compiled by organizations and individuals who work in those organizations. These individuals and the units they work in are often influenced by publicity campaigns, public pressure, political pressure, and changes in state and federal law. It was not until 1968 that all fifty states had laws mandating reports of child abuse (Straus, Gelles, and Steinmetz 4). Thus, official statistics compiled by the states before 1968 reflect differences in official legal attitudes toward child abuse and not the true level of abuse in each of the states (Straus, Gelles, and Steinmetz 4). Even today, official statistics vary because each state and each compiler of the statistics in state and local agencies draw on different definitions of child neglect and child abuse. In terms of spouse abuse on the other hand, spouse abuse, few if any agencies have ever bothered to compile statistics on how many wives or husbands batter one another. Although we cannot say definitely whether violence in the American family is on the increase, historical facts argue that family violence certainly is not new and that, probably, we are more violent and perhaps a little less violent toward our own families than were our ancestors. Abused women are found in all socioeconomic levels, all educational, and all racial groups (Finkelhor 29). The abused woman has a martyr-like behavior. She is often a long sufferer and overloaded with the demands of others. The abused woman finds it difficult to nurture herself and she feels unappreciated. The abused woman is often employed but is not allowed control of any finances (Finkelhor 29). She does not know how to deal with stress. She can have anxiety attacks. Usually, this type of woman will feel tired and overworked. She does not provide enough space in her life for breaks. Poor management of time and resources are quite apparent. It is hard for the abused to make life changes. Problem solving is very stressful. The abused accepts responsibility for the batterer’s behavior. The battered woman is isolated and loses contact with her family or friends. She often feels embarrassed about her situation. This type of woman is further isolated because her partner does not want her to give time to friends, neighbors, relatives, or outside activities. He wants all the attention himself. The abused suffers from guilt. He or she may feel that he or she deserves to be beaten for failing to live up to the expectations of the abuser. An abused woman is a traditionalist about her role in the home. She strongly believes in family unity and has traditional expectations of her husband or as the provider. This type of woman wants to keep the image of a socially or religiously acceptable marriage. The abused has a low self-esteem and does not feel that he or she has much value. The abused is extremely critical of his or herself and usually of others. He or she does not have a high level of self-preservation. The abused accepts violence in the hope that someday the abused violence the abuser will eventually change. The abused believes that he or she caused the anger and violence. The abused woman usually loves her husband and wants to trust his promises that he will reform, although it rarely happens. The abused could have been emotionally neglected as a child. He or she could have been physically and/or sexually abused as a child or saw violence in his or her family. He or she could have been abused by a sibling, parent, or a relative. It is difficult for the abused to verbalize her needs and desires to others. He or she has poor communication skills and has difficulty in being able to express his or her anger. The abused woman has poor communication skills and has difficulty in being able to express her anger. Since the abused woman is unassertive, she can be quite manipulative. She is skilled in the art of complaining. However, her complaints are usually not listened to or resolved by her partner. The abused is usually in denial. He or she will not admit to his or herself that he or she has been physically, emotionally, or sexually abused. The abused may think of each incident as an accident. He or she often gives excuses for the abuser’s violence. The abused usually rationalizes the incident. The abused woman is usually taught from her childhood to defer power to a male. Much of the time she feels helpless and will look for someone to help her put her life together. She does not want to take responsibility for making decisions and would rather have someone else make them. Many abused women feel comfortable in taking a complaint position (Finkelhor 29). She has been brought up to believe that women are weak, inferior, and should submit to men in return for financial support. The abused is often depressed. He or she can try to make his or herself less depressed by overdoing things. The abused my turn out to be alcoholic, may overeat, may over exhaust his or herself from work, to name a few. He or she may even contemplate on suicide to end his or her difficult life. Although parents’ use of violence on children certainly is not new, the addition of the term child abuse to our vocabulary has come about only recently. Child abuse typically refers to acts committed by parents on their children that other members of the society view as inappropriate and harmful. Thus, child abuse depends on historically and culturally relative judgments for its meaning. All families have tensions, and all families sometimes resolve these tensions in inappropriate ways. Even the best parents and the most loving couples sometimes lose their tempers, say intentionally hurting things to one another, raise their voices when arguing, and even lash out at loved ones physically. Many structural factors make families particularly prone to violence. One of these is the amount of time family members spend together, which increases the opportunity for violence. Another factor is that family interactions are often emotional, and so especially volatile. In addition, power differential often exists among family members. Children are subordinate to parents, elderly parents are subordinate to their adult children, and wives may be subordinate to husbands. The result is that the powerless sometimes become targets of aggression. Further complicating matter is the fact that children, and to some degree, women as well cannot fight back. Nor can they always choose with whom they will or will not interact. Whereas many interpersonal conflicts can be resolve simply through the dissolution of relationships, family relationships are protected by law and are not so easily severed. Wives can easily feel trapped by the cultural, legal, and economic constraints of marriage. Children are dependent on their parents. Even when child maltreatment comes to the attention of authorities, states are reluctant to break up families and parents are often given every opportunity to change. Everyone involved with spousal abuse seems to have feelings of guilt and frustration that manifest themselves as denial or in a pessimistic outlook. Either they cannot do anything about it so they might as well ignore it, or they cannot do anything about it by they will pretend they can until someone comes up with a better idea. It appears they are embarrassed by their failure or their perception of failure and so use defense mechanisms to protect themselves from it. Perhaps, this explains the general reluctance to talk about the problem at all, to anyone. Some believe that family members can be expected to lose control from time to time, that parents and spouses sometimes need to â€Å"blow off steam. † They may rationalize that a man who hits his wife is not really violent – he just had a bad day at work and lost his temper. Or they many rationalize that a woman is generally a good mother, but her kids were really acting up and she only hit them because she lost control temporarily. Some people believe that such actions are inevitable – even natural – and are hardly worthy of serious societal reaction. The ludicrous nature of the â€Å"it just happens† justification becomes clear, however, when one recognizes that stranger violence is not so easily dismissed. When one stranger assaults another, we do not allow the assailant to dismiss his actions as a momentary loss of control, a need to blow off steam, or a reaction to a bad day at work. Nor do we allow the assailant to blame the victim. We are appropriately intolerant of stranger violence. Violence within the family increasingly is identified as profound societal problems that can exert a multitude of short and long term effects on young people and can take a variety of forms including abuse perpetrated by parents or siblings. Victims of violence are survivors, and they find various ways to help themselves endure the violence until they are able to leave the relationship. The coping strategies they work out enable them to put their feelings on hold so they can deal with the day-to-day challenges of a violent and dangerous life. The most common coping strategy abused people do is denial. Denial enables them to live with what is happening and to avoid feelings of terror and humiliation. Denial can be counterproductive, as they may cause the victim to deny the seriousness of the problem. Anger enables the victim to take strong action in an emergency. Nightmares provide a way to experience strong feelings of fear, anger, panic, and shame the abused may not be able to share with anyone else or even allow him or herself to feel. The emotional impact on children who witness domestic violence done to other people can be significant, particularly when their parents or recognized authority are the ones involved. Moreover, the emotional impact on children is also great when the violence takes places inside the home where children are supposed to be kept away from harm. When children find themselves in a hopeless situation, they can also be harmed regardless of whether or not they are the ones directly abused in the situation (Helfer, Kempe, and Krugman 3). Many times, the effects of domestic violence are intensified when the children think they can no longer expect support coming from their parents or caregivers. They likewise struggle with feelings of fault and guilt. It is crucial to acknowledge that the impact on the child bearing witness to domestic violence can be controlled by a several factors, such as support from concerned adults as well as effective treatment to address their problems. In the vast majority of families, women are the primary caretakers of children. Therefore, the battering of mothers affects children in myriad of ways. Children who witness violence against their mothers are at considerable risk physically, psychologically, and emotionally. These children face two fold threats. One of which is the threat of physical abuse. The other is the threat of bearing witness to a traumatic incident happening inside their home. Children living inside a violent home are also at risk of being harmed. They may be traumatized witnessing their mother being attacked while both of them are left without aid. Consequently, these children may lay the blame on themselves for not being able to do something about the problem. Furthermore, these children may be abused or neglected themselves. Women who have been battered repeatedly are sometimes unable to respond psychologically to their children. They may display the following behaviors: unresponsiveness to the child’s emotional needs, passive rejection of the child, detachment or lack of involvement with the child, interaction with the child only when necessary, no display of pleasure when interacting with the child, lack of positive response to the child’s attempts to elicit interaction, poor ability to comfort the child at times of distress, no sharing in the positive experience of the child, withdrawn affect, no display of emotion, or depression, and an inability to derive pleasure or satisfaction from a relationship with the child (Wilson 32). Children living inside violent homes may be indirectly harmed themselves. These children may be struck by thrown objects or weapons. Babies may suffer injuries in the event that the mother is holding the baby at a time the assault takes place. In other cases, children may receive injuries while they try to protect their mother from harm. Many fathers unintentionally inflict harm on their children while throwing objects while assaulting their wives. The care, affection, and love they deserve are not given to children living inside violent homes. The trust of an abused child towards a violent parent is impaired in the process. Moreover, violence toward a child by a parent often serves to disrupt the development of child-parent attachment. The aggressive family tends to live in an environment that fails to provide the children with appropriate opportunities for or models of socialization or bonding. It is not surprising that children who are victims of family violence often have impaired social relations. Children have been subjected to differing types of maltreatment throughout history, and these atrocities are well documented (Utech 37). For centuries, society has condoned infanticide, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and the exploitation of children’s labor. The prevalence of child maltreatment has endured throughout time and has cultivated tenacious legacies that have shaped societal response to child abuse. Those legacies include the tenet that children are the property of their parents – and expandable as well. These traditions contributed to the slow societal response n defining and responding to child abuse. In addition, society has suffered from a denial of the problem’s existence and prevalence. Child abuse is a complex, disturbing concern that, even though prevalent in underprivileged families, crosses all sectors of society (Helfer, Kempe, and Krugman 3). The human as well as fiscal costs of abuse in America are huge. It is highly possible that billions of dollars are used in social service and treatment costs and lost in reduced productivity for a generation of abused children. The human costs on the other hand fill a long list of psychological disorders. The emotional damage due to maltreatment may last a lifetime. Works Cited Barnett, Ola W. , Cindy Lou Miller-Perrin, and Robin D. Perrin. Family Violence Across the Lifespan: An Introduction. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE, 2005. Finkelhor, David. The Dark Side of Families: Current Family Violence Research. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE, 1983. Helfer, Mary Edna, Ruth S. Kempe, and Richard D. Krugman. The Battered Child. Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1999. Smiley, Jane. A Thousand Acres. London: HarperPerennial, 2008. Straus, Murray Arnold, Richard J. Gelles, and Suzanne K. Steinmetz. Behind Closed Doors: Violence in the American Family. Piscataway, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers, 2006. Utech, Myron. Violence, Abuse and Neglect. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman Altamira, 1993. Wilson, K. J. When Violence Begins at Home: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Ending Domestic Abuse. Alameda, California: Hunter

A Casestudy Of First Bank Nigeria Marketing Essay

A Casestudy Of First Bank Nigeria Marketing Essay Nigeria is among the developing countries in the World today. In the 1980s, several developing countries pursued some form of financial liberalization program or other, in order to boost the development of their countries. (Ayadi and Hyman, 2006). In achieving this financial liberalization, the First Bank of Nigeria Plc played a major role since the development and maintenance of the Nigerian economy. Being the first of its kind in Nigeria. The Nigerian Banking system started its history as far back as 1892 with the establishment of the African Banking in Lagos, the Capital of Nigeria as at then; it was taken over by the Bank of British West Africa (BBWA) in 1894 and was later acquired by Standard Bank of West Africa in 1965. In 1969, Standard Bank of West Africa incorporated its Nigerian operations under the name Standard Bank of Nigeria. In 1971, Standard Bank of Nigeria listed its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and placed 13% of its share capital with Nigerian investors. The bank changed its name to First Bank of Nigeria in 1979. (The journalof African society). Now, First Bank is the biggest bank in Nigeria out of the 25 banks, it has been rated as the largest RETAIL lender in the country. FBN has a subsidiary in London, UK which started its operation in year 2002 having a branch in Paris. The bank as at 2009 December had a total asset of N2,172 billion (USD14,718 million). (First Bank Financial Highlights 2009). Being the first of its kind in Nigeria, it has made a large clientele base and this has given the management so much confidence and a sense of satisfaction which has led to the neglect of customers satisfaction maximizations and feelings. There are 25 banks in Nigeria, although FBN Plc has been rated has the largest retailer bank, other banks are improving on the loop holes of their products and services and using that medium to sap their customers. The Nigerian populace has come to realise that they own the money (capital) of the bank and because of that; they should get the best products and services possible. Doole et al, (2005) says In the fast moving competitive environment it is vital for organisations to provide customer satisfaction otherwise they risk losing their customers to competitors. The penalty for not providing customer satisfaction can be a steep decline in the organisations performance, as Marks Spencer, McDonalds and British Airways (BA) have recently found. Integrated marketing communication consists of varieties of medium of communication all in the name of satisfying customers in order to get new customer and to retain existing customers. Zeithaml et al (2006) says, marketing communication is more complex today than it used to be. In the past customers received marketing information about goods and services from a limited number of sources, usually mass communication sources such as network television and news papers. With a limited number of sources, marketers could easily convey a uniform brand image and coordinate promises. However, todays consumer of both goods and services receive communications from a far richer variety of advertising vehicles- targeted magazines, websites, direct mail, movie theatre advertising, e-mail socialisation and a host of sales promotion. Consumers of services receive additional communication from services capes, customer service departments, and everyday service encounter with employees. FBN Plc is the biggest bank in Nigeria in terms of asset and clientele base but lacks a proper integrated marketing communication system. It has so much relied on the facts that it is the first bank ever in the country and the Nigerian populace believe strongly in the bank because of its strong asset base and because it has stood the test of times. Despite their strong clientele base, FBN can single handled own 90% of the customer population in the country if it adopts IMC. Chris Fill (2009) IMC has emerged partially as a reaction to this inadequacy and to the realisation by clients that their communication needs can (and should) be achieved more efficiently and effectively than previously. The FBN customers are yearning for qualitative and uniform information about their funds and interest. The Nigerian government created a monetary policy reform that was geared to stabilize the economy in short-run and to introduce a market system for effective allocation of resources. The efforts were directed at promoting financial savings, reducing distortions in investment decisions and inducing an effective intermediation between savers, investors and their financial institutions. (Ayadi and Hyman, 2006). Integrated marketing communication build a strong brand identity in the market place by tying together and reinforcing all your images and messages. IMC means that all your corporate messages, positioning and images, and identity are coordinated across all venues. It means that your PR materials say the same things as your direct mail campaign and advertising has the same look and feel as your website. (Zeithaml et al 2006). Thus this research work aims to explore the opportunities awaiting FBN Plc after adopting a well integrated marketing communications system to boost its customer satisfaction. Research Questions and Objectives: Identify the need, want and demand of the market. Identify the causes of lack of customer satisfaction Identify and evaluate the market opportunities for FBN Plc. Analyse the FBNs competitive advantage over its rivals Develop a well qualitative and quantitative integrated marketing communication system for FBN Plc. Methodology: Conceptual Framework and Design Fisher (2010) says conceptual framework is formed of patterns of concepts and their interconnections. It is usually based on cause and effect relationships which are often the basis of hypotheses that such research seeks to test. It has also been noted by Easterby- smith et al (2002) that conceptual framework helps to take a more informed decision about the research approach, decide which method(s) are appropriate for the piece of research, and also to think about constraints which may impinge on the research. FBN Plc being a bank and with diverse staff and customers spread all over the country, it is therefore advisable from the understanding of methodology (conceptual framework) to go by positivism approach which is linked to quantitative method. Yates (2004) states that other approaches (quantitative methods) within the social sciences may come from the fact that natural science methods appear to be successful in their field of use. Most research texts have categorised research into two parts; quantitative and qualitative approaches. (Knox 2004) notes that this is mostly done for ease of explanation or to reflect differences in style or marketing, (for structural reasons or for addressing alternative research disciplines) or simply differences in approach is in hindsight for the research. It is said by Yates (2004) that from research texts, the relationship between positivism and quantitative method is almost a law or truth. He then further highlights (with other authors) that quantitat ive methods can be used with other areas of examples within the social sciences. Also that one can argue clearly that positivist thinking has influenced quantitative or numeric research. This could be as a result from the justification that quantitative methods are just as appropriate within an interpretivist piece of research. Ticehurst and Veal (2000, p15) support this linkage between quantitative and positivism by stating that the quantitative approach to research is also known as management science or operations research. Therefore linking discipline with philosophy. Saunders et al (2003) sees research process as an onion. Adapted from Knox (2004, P.123) Within this onion the second layer refers to the subject of the research approach that flows from ones research philosophy. Therefore linking the philosophy of positivism with different approaches. This onion has now explained that ones research could make do with Deductive Approach: develop a theory and hypothesis or hypotheses and design a research strategy to test the hypothesis. Inductive Approach: in which data will be collected and a theory will be developed as a result of data analysis. (Saunders et al (2003). Deductive approach is a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is validly inferred from some premises and must be true if those premises are true. And Induction is a form of reasoning that usually involves the inference that an instance or repeated combination of events may be universally generalised. (Malhotra, 2003). From the above, I as a researcher in the case of FBN Plc have chosen to use from the Onion; Positivism approach which will lead me to deductive approach (quantitative method). I am expected to use this approach to identify an area of enquiry which is the customers and members of staff of FBN Plc to be able to have a good background of developed theory, which is seen as crucial for, guide me. The issues to focus an enquiry upon emerge from the established theoretical framework i.e., the customer service procedure, products and services and information given to customers about their funds. Specific variables are identified that the researchers deem should be measured, i.e., hypotheses are set. An instrument to measure specific variables is developed. Respondents give answers to set and specific questions with a consistent language and logic. The response to the set questions are analysed in terms of a prior established theoretical framework. The researcher tests theory according to whether their hypotheses are accepted or rejected. (Malhotra,2003). Knox (2004) concludes that positivist paradigm is majorly used by marketing researchers (positivism = deduction =quantitative methods); in aligning methods with philosophical stances. It also helps to form the nature of techniques that are applicable by researchers. Alternative Paradigm Names Positivist Interpretivist Quantitative Objectivist Scientific Experimentalist Traditionalist Qualitative Subjectivist Humanistic Phenomenological Revolutionist Adapted from Malhotra(2003 p.138). Easterby-Smith et al (2002 p28) argue that the key idea of positivism is that the World exists externally, and that its properties should be measured through objective methods. This infers that only knowledge, which is observable, is in fact valid. This then brings together the epistemology of positivism with quantitative methods i.e. methods which are essentially numerical evidence, following a very natural science approach to the research in hand. In reference to the Onion diagram, the third layers consists of six Research Strategies which include; Experiment, Survey, Case study, Grounded theory, Ethnography and Action result. This research is to make use of all these strategies to know the expectation of customers and what the management and staff are ready to deliver to their customers. Saunders et al (2003) further expatiated on data collection to be by the following which will be the means of my gathering of information; Case study (questionnaires, interviews, observations) and Documentary analysis. Expected data collection: Collection of primary data will be conducted majorly in Nigeria through personal interviews (observations), questionnaires for customers and staff of FBN Plc, and customers and staff of other banks. A major interview will be conducted with the Head of Department of the following units; Retail, Human Capital and Social and Welfare (customer service) at the Regional office. Secondary data will be collected through the customer and staff complaint boxes, financial news and reports and other related websites. Resources: This deals with how to find things out by research than discovering things by reading literature. Fisher et al., (2010). In gathering information for the research work, survey research will be adopted to have accurate and generalised views. In having a successful research work, one needs to make use of several resources in the survey approach which includes the following: Questionnaire: a question is a method of obtaining specific information about a defined problem so that the data, after analysis and interpretation, result in a better appreciation of the problem. In this research work, the questionnaire must have these set of information inclusive Facts and knowledge Opinions Past behaviour Future behaviour (chisnall 2005). Pilot testing questionnaire: chinall (2005) notes that, it is vitally important to make sure that questionnaire are piloted through all the stages of development. He further explains that it contains question which are specific, clearly understandable, capable of being answered by particular population sampled and free from bias. Webb (2002) confirms that piloting of questionnaire helps to evade participants biased answer. Personal interviews: helps with structured questions like rating question in self-response instruments and open-ended questions. These are orally presented, with the advantage that there is the opportunity for the interviewer to interpret questions, clear up misunderstanding, or gather data from those not fully literate from the designers language. (Black, 1999). It also helps observe and quantify the respondents attitude when interviewed. Documentary analysis: this is analysing the news originating from the financial sector of the country, news about the general views of customers and staff and complaints of staff and customers. Ethical issues: this poses as a problem in gathering information from staff and customers when there is a restriction on privacy, customers and staff that believe they should be loyal to their bank and employer and this can be done by keeping some things secret. Research bias: Saunders et al.,(2009) says to avoid research being bias, questionnaires and interviews must be designed and tested before being put to use. Time: a time frame must be set to achieve the expected result for the research. Literature Review To appreciate the importance of integrated marketing communication (IMC) it is useful to understand its origin and the major elements that have helped in its development. For many years agencies and clients believed that to deliver messages to particular audiences it was necessary to use specific tools of the communication mix. At the time it was a common belief that to achieve specific communication effects on buyers it was necessary to use particular tools. (Chris Fill,2009). Schultz et al.,(1993) says the practice of integrated marketing communication is emerging as one of the most valuable magic bullets companies can use to gain competitive advantage. Advertising, sales promotion, direct response marketing, and public relations practitioners are busy finding common ground to meet the coming challenge of selling to customers rather than market. This explains that integrated marketing is not out to increase profitability alone but also to achieve maximum customer satisfaction. IMC has now emerged as the response to this structural shortfall and the realisation by customers that their communication needs can (and should) be achieved more efficiently and effectively than the way it was in the past. IMC develops and extends the notion and value as a communications process targeting a firms external market. By directing Internal Integrated Marketing Communications (IIMC) towards their employees, firms are able to promote employee satisfaction, trust and commitment, thereby strengthening the firm-employee relationship and ultimately affecting profitability by enhancing customer satisfaction (Herington, Johnson and Scott 2006). By achieving employees satisfaction, trust and commitment, it results in employees dedication and putting in their best at their duties and this helps increase customer satisfaction. Gummenson (2002) confirms this, that previous studies have shown that employees who are familiar with and committed to an organisations market orientation and brand values play a critical role as part-time marketers. All customer oriented employees, not just those associated with marketing, help to deliver the brand promise. They can influence relations, increase customer satisfaction, customer perceived quality and ultimately revenue. Therefore, directing integrated marketing communications towards a firms internal market is itself a critical part of achieving sustainability and profitability. (Ferdous, 2006). Schultz et al., (1993) have produces a lively, no-nonsense critique of this fast moving marketing trend in integrated marketing communications. Taken alone, the early chapters documenting the shift from mass production to mass marketing are worth the price of the book. Yet the real meat of the text is revealed as the authors analyze the emerging reality of true one-on-one marketing to individuals, a reality made possible by the power of information technology to develop this ultimate consumer segmentation approach. The fundamental reasons offered for the popularity of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) among marketers is that it is good for the bottom line and a necessity in todays fractured market place. Nonetheless, despite the evolution and increased critical evaluation of IMC, it remains neither universally understood nor universally accepted as a useful construct. Furthermore, IMC is not consistently applied as a marketing principle and according to Hutton à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦has resulted in superficiality, ambiguity and blurred focusà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Hutton 1997, p. 8). It is high time financial institutions realised that they all offer the same products and services and the only thing that can put a major distinctive difference to their services and product is by going extra mile to adopt IMC. Financial products are controlled by regulatory authorities in an economy. It includes administrative tinkering by governments with financial prices such as interest rates and exchange rates. McKinnon and Shaw (1973) further agrees that financial institutions are generally offering the same services and are controlled by government, and this is hindered in a repressed financial system by the low level of savings, it responds in a positive way to real rates of interest on deposits as well as the real rate of growth in output. Moreover, investment is negatively related to the effective real rate of interest on loans, but positively related to the growth rate of the economy. However, if it is proven that the basic financial practices of a bank is solely dependent of government policies, it is only a good thing for the bank(s) to look for best opportunities to improve on their services to survive and sustain their stand in the highly competitive market. This is further proven by Ferdous (2008) that the fundamental reasons offered for the popularity of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) among marketers is that it is good for the bottom line and a necessity in todays fractured market place. IMC has been able to achieve what other marketing processes have not been able to by breaking down corporate, geographic, and political borders to reach into customers homes and offices in a matter of weeks or days through the use of worldwide networks created by computer and communications technology that have been inculcated into the process of IMC. (Schultz et al., 1993). Integrated Marketing Communication Integrated marketing communication plan. PLACE Distribution strategy CHANNEL/MEDIUM CHOICE C OTHERS (PR, POS, etc.) Objectives Strategy ELECTRONIC Objectives Strategy PERSONAL CONTACT Objectives Strategy TELEPHONE Objectives Strategy DIRECT MAIL Objectives Strategy MASS MEDIA Objectives Message strategy Media strategy Adapted from McDonald and Dunbar (2004, p.19). Ferdous (2006) describes IMC to have been variously described in terms of a process, a marketing orientation, an organisational structure, a set of marketing tools, a basis for accountability and a philosophy. In fact it is all of these. However according to Robert Lauterborn who helped coin the IMC label, What IMC has come to mean to too many people is little more than two-from-column A, one-from-column B media selection process (Lauterborn 2003, p.14). Schultz (1997) agrees that the focus has been one of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Trying to integrate discipline rather than customer or prospects communications. In addition, focusing IMC efforts on the integration of a firms external marketing communications disciplines ignores the gains in competitive advantage to be had from a horizontal integration across a firms total communications effort including that of its internal market. The need for integration is the notion that some aspects of marketing communication should be integrated. The origin of IMC can be found in the prevailing structural conditions and the needs of particular industry participants, an understanding of what elements should be integrated in order to achieve IMC needs to be established. The elements to be integrated are; relationships, structures, brands, communication tools, messages, employees, technology, agencies and IMC strategy. (Chris Fill, 2009). The integrated elements are applicable to understanding IMC as a customer oriented process in creating a common understanding of its principles and core values. It is known that the primary aim of any business is profitability which can only be achieved when customers are satisfied. Profitability as defined by Ferdous (2006) is the function of customer behaviour, and then customer orientation is not only logical but essential. IMC integrates everything that impacts customer behaviour, not just the organisations conscious outgoing marketing messages. It begins with product development and includes packaging (branding), selection of distribution channels (communication tools), channel management (agencies), customer behaviour (relationship), customer relationship management and total quality management. It involves the multi-dimensional, interactive, continuously measured communication that connects brands or products and the customer. Lauterborn (2003 p. 15). Furthermore, Cravens et al. (2003) identifies four attributes that set IMC apart from traditional promotional strategies. They are comprehensive, drawing on all of the media, tools and technologies available to affect behaviour; unified execution of all the components of the organisation; and IMC programs em phasise productivity in reaching the designated targets when selecting communication channels and allocating resources to marketing media. Before considering the delivery of values of IMC, the communication channels will be given further attention, the channels are generally complex, and they involve various media for different communication with the same set of target market or customers. Ferdous (2006), these views about IMC values share three key attributes which are fundamental to its values as a marketing concept. They recognise that IMC is about the connection between the brand and the customer and that communication in all its forms facilitates this relationship. Implicit is the understanding that marketing is the whole business from the point of view of its final result, which is from the customers point of view, marketing today is not a function, but a way of doing business; marketing is everything and everything is marketing. (Harris 1993,p.13). Most importantly in this approach is the recognition that purposeful and coordinated management of customers and their relationship with the organisation is at the heart of building brand equity, which at a time of brand proliferation is critical to success. (Ferdous 2006). The Role of Communication. Communication is the greatest use of language. John Locke has seen the use of communication as the clue to an analysis of the notion of linguistic meaning. Customer communication completes the marketing cycle, linking customer with product, service and availability. At a societal level, in order to connect to mass production and consumption there simply must be mass communications. At its best, commercial communication engages in real dialogue, transmitting value and meaning, while responding to feedback and remaining close to the external customer. Communication has the role to announce, inform, promise, persuade and influence customers to buy in by communicating and delivering customer satisfaction. ( Doole et al.,2005). Communication is the best instrument for sustaining a good relationship between a business and its customers if well understood. In as much as communication is essential between a business and its customers, so also a communication feedback is also very crucial. This because; if a wrong interpretation has been gotten from the information passed by an organisation and a feed back is not received from the customer, the customer retains the wrong information , the organisation might be repeating the same information again at great expense. But when a feedback is in place, the organisation has an opportunity to correct the misinterpreted information and pass the right information across which makes the customer a happy one. Communication when used in the right context strengthens relationships. Doole et al.,(2005) recognising that employees deliver quality, internal communication encourages affiliation with organisational values as well as providing everyday working information. He further explains that communication to both external and internal customers is central to both marketing transactions and relationships. LEVEL OF COMMUNIVATION CORPORATE BUSINESS UNIT MARKETING DEPARTMENT Product Price Promotion Place Price packaging BRAND MANAGEMENT People Sales Advertising Public relations Merchandising Direct Adapted from Doole et al., (2005p.249) This explains the level of communication and how uniquely they have their level of importance to the whole communication process of an organisation. If one malfunctions, it invariably affects the whole system. This helps to increase the value and credibility of brand communication. At this stage, it should be clearly noted that commercial communication should be based on clear intent as noted by Doole et al., (2005), a communication campaign generally seeks to both push product on to and pull products off the shelf and position the offer competitively in the mind of the consumer. Its components parts need to hang together as a cohesive whole and remain consistent with core brand values. It is further noted that during the process of product life cycle, communications have very different roles to play; Introducing new products: the role to play at this initial stage is getting target market attention, also getting the market to test the product or service and the major task at this initial stage is acceptance of the product or service. Product maturity: at this stage, the product has been accepted and needs to proceed to the next stage, the task here includes sustaining the brand identity, maintaining the loyalty, defending the market share and adding value to the product or service is the major task at this level. In a situation where the products or services face rejection or losing market share, the need to improve on the product is essential (revitalise and reposition) or direct customers towards alternative, perhaps reducing communications to bare bones dominates. With the aid of product or service campaign, messages can be charged with differentiating, reminding, informing or persuading (DRIP) or sequentially securing attention, arousing interest, building desire and promoting action (AIDA) and moving a customer from unawareness through purchase to brand loyalty. The Communication Process. The communication process of IMC is between internal external customers. This research work is based on the evaluation of IMC between the employees (internal) of FBN Plc. and its customers (external). Groonroos (1985) explained internal marketing as an instrumental behavioural strategy for developing the state of mind that allows customer service effectiveness and building of relationship marketing. Ferdous (2006), in recent times, marketing professional and scholars have given considerable importance and attention to Internl Marketing (IM). According to Lings (2004) much of the literature on internal marketing, contains a variety of interpretations of the domain of internal marketing, it aim and focus. This means, treating employees as customers, understanding and attending to their wants and views which will help achieve a positive change in employees attitudes and on the long run affecting customer (external) satisfaction positively. Chernatony ( 2001 as cited in Ferdous 2006) suggested that in order to coherently transfer brand values to the companys stakeholders, employees must develop a shared understanding of what the brand stands for, through implementation of a unified communication approach. Today, the way organisations communicate with their internal markets, better known as internal communication (IC) (Tansuhaj et al., 1998; Thompson and Hecker 2000; Ahmed and Rafiq 2003; Kong 2007) is considered one of the most essential internal marketing considerations. Ahmed and Rafiq (2003) attempted to give a more acceptable and holistic explanation of internal marketing through the use of internal communication as a cultural framework and instrument for achieving strategic alignment while building customer service competence. This is reveals the importance attached to internal (employees) communication in operationalising internal marketing concepts/activities and achieving organisational competitive advantage and success. (Ferdous 2006). External customers are the major component of a business or an organisation. Customers determine the existence and longevity of a business. It is therefore important to understand how to carefully communicate information across such that it would not be misinterpreted. Organisations should understand how they receive, process and respond to the feedbacks gotten from customers. (Doole et al., 2005). If quality is meeting and influencing customer expectation (Doole et al., 2005) and even delighting clients, then managing expectations matters. It is very crucial that employees (internal customers) do not promise more than what they can deliver. Communicating with customers regularly is critical, keeping in touch with them, comprehending their expectations, apologising and explaining the limits of service possibilities can influence their expectations and may expand their zone of tolerance. Ferdous (2006) emphasises on viewing IMC as a process that focuses on both internal and external customers is the first step to developing a c

The Crucible and Why Reputation is Important :: Essay on The Crucible

Many people believe that teenagers are reckless, rude, and untruthful human beings. It seems that teenagers are always under the pressure to â€Å"look cool,† and not do anything embarrassing. Reputation means a great deal to many high schoolers, because it seems that you only get one chance to make a good impression. In the Crucible, Abigail and the other girls fear that their reputation will be destroyed if the would be known as witches. Teenagers today have so much pressure on themselves. They have to get good grades, to get into their choice of college. They also are under the pressure to have and keep a good reputation, just as Abigail and the girls of Salem had to keep theirs. We have all experienced a time during our teenage years when our parents told us not to do something, but we did it anyways, because we thought that we could outsmart our parents and not get into trouble. In the Crucible, the following quote â€Å"She made me do it! She made Betty do it!† Abigail is blaming Tituba, for them dancing in the forest, and told everyone that Tituba was with the Devil and that she was a witch. This shows that Abigail and the girls did no want to get in trouble, or confess for dancing in the forest. So they came up with the idea of saying that it was witchcraft and that they were forced upon their own will. In today’s society teenagers are faced with the same type of pressure. When on person gets in trouble, they tend to point the finger at someone else, for mainly one reason: so they do not get into trouble for their wrong doings. In the Salem Witch Trials the girls of Salem told a lie, so they would not get into trouble for dancing in the forest. In the end this caused them to hurt the lives of many men and women who were wrongly accused, because of false accusations. A good reputation is hard to achieve and even harder to keep. Teenagers take their reputation very seriously. One accusation or wrong action can see like the end of the world. Some teenagers believe that if they can blame someone else, then their problems will disappear. But that belief is misinterpreted. Anything that goes around comes around. Power is a very strapping word. The Crucible and Why Reputation is Important :: Essay on The Crucible Many people believe that teenagers are reckless, rude, and untruthful human beings. It seems that teenagers are always under the pressure to â€Å"look cool,† and not do anything embarrassing. Reputation means a great deal to many high schoolers, because it seems that you only get one chance to make a good impression. In the Crucible, Abigail and the other girls fear that their reputation will be destroyed if the would be known as witches. Teenagers today have so much pressure on themselves. They have to get good grades, to get into their choice of college. They also are under the pressure to have and keep a good reputation, just as Abigail and the girls of Salem had to keep theirs. We have all experienced a time during our teenage years when our parents told us not to do something, but we did it anyways, because we thought that we could outsmart our parents and not get into trouble. In the Crucible, the following quote â€Å"She made me do it! She made Betty do it!† Abigail is blaming Tituba, for them dancing in the forest, and told everyone that Tituba was with the Devil and that she was a witch. This shows that Abigail and the girls did no want to get in trouble, or confess for dancing in the forest. So they came up with the idea of saying that it was witchcraft and that they were forced upon their own will. In today’s society teenagers are faced with the same type of pressure. When on person gets in trouble, they tend to point the finger at someone else, for mainly one reason: so they do not get into trouble for their wrong doings. In the Salem Witch Trials the girls of Salem told a lie, so they would not get into trouble for dancing in the forest. In the end this caused them to hurt the lives of many men and women who were wrongly accused, because of false accusations. A good reputation is hard to achieve and even harder to keep. Teenagers take their reputation very seriously. One accusation or wrong action can see like the end of the world. Some teenagers believe that if they can blame someone else, then their problems will disappear. But that belief is misinterpreted. Anything that goes around comes around. Power is a very strapping word.

America Needs to Invest the Social Security Trust Fund Essay -- Argume

America Needs to Invest the Social Security Trust Fund Our nation ensures social welfare through Social Security. However, the United States cannot ensure the welfare of its own welfare system. To save Social Security, Americans in general do not favor an increase in the payroll tax, a cut in benefits or an increase in the retirement age. Furthermore, Americans are relying upon Social Security as their sole source of income at increasingly alarming rates. Social Security is intended to supplement retiree income, not account for 100% of it. Through elimination of the potential options, that leaves one necessary action: invest the Social Security trust fund in the stock market. According to the San Francisco Chronicle (Social Security, Sec. C, p 16), many people are concerned that investing Social Security's trust fund in the stock market will not only jeopardize their future income, but would result in the federal government influencing economic decisions. These concerns are uneducated assumptions. Under the proposed plan to invest a portion of the Social Security trust fund in the stock market, only new and previously unanticipated Social Security money would be invested. Part of The President’s plan entails allocating "more than $2.7 trillion in expected budget surpluses over the next 15 years or 62% of the total to directly bolster Social Security's cash reserves. Of that, nearly $700 billion or 25% would be invested in the stock market." This plan would eliminate the risk of losing payroll tax money because only budget surplus revenue would be invested. Many who oppose The President's plan have lived through the Great Depression, one of the bleakest times in American history. While the Great Depression was triggered ... ... belongs to us, the people. Therefore the government, which holds the key to Social Security and in essence, our future, needs to adjust the system to the needs of it's beneficiaries. Don't cut benefits, as many Americans rely on Social Security for a large portion of their income. Don't increase the retirement age because more and more Americans are retiring in their 50's to play golf in Florida or do whatever, wherever. And don't increase the tax we pay, because it's already being grumbled about by many Americans. But do increase our retirement income. It's time to accept some greater risk, just as the founding fathers did when declaring the colonies the United States of America and to take the leap of faith by investing in the stock market. BIBLIOGRAPHY "A look at the plan to save Social Security." San Francisco Examiner, January 31, 1999,Sec. C, p. 16.

Sybolism Of The Overcoat Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Symbolism- a literary device used frequently to contribute to the complexity of a work. In â€Å"The Overcoat†, by Nikolay Gogol, uses symbolism throughout this entire work. He uses the old dressing gown to represent his old life, and the new overcoat to represent his new life. The symbols affect the plot and the characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The old dressing gown represents his old life. It is plain as is Akaky Akakievich. He never does anything even halfway exciting. Most of the time he sits around copying things to practice for his job, which is by coincidence being a copier. The old coat is boring and so is Akaky Akakievich. His agenda is normally get up and go to work and then come back home and go to bed. The old coat is about to fall apart as is Akaky Akakievich. However, he is about to fall apart mentally the coat is falling apart physically. Akaky Akakievich is going to fall apart mentally due to the extreme amounts of teasing he endures at work from all of his colleagues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The new overcoat represents his new life. This new coat is shiny and polished up and makes people respond to Akaky Akakievich now. The way people respond to him is a warmer more comfortable way. Just as the coat is too him, warm and comfortable. Akaky’s promotion may have to do with the fact that his new overcoat cost a lot of money and a more important position is cause for a more respectful look. The new overcoat may have been ...

Ap Us Dbq Progressive Essay

The years between 1900 and 1920 were known as the Progressive Era. During this time period, the United States experienced reforms by the people and reforms brought about by the federal government at a national level. There were many issues during this time period like child labor, the formation of trusts and monopolies, bad working conditions, and mistreatment of the working class. The efforts to reform these issues were either completely unsuccessful or successful with limitations. One of the issues that occurred during this time was the horrible working and unsanitary conditions in factories. A factory that particularly stood out was the meat packing industry. The dirty and disgusting conditions caused people to get sick and die of various diseases. Things like this caused the emergence of Muckrakers, reporters that worked to expose the true story. An example of this was Upton Sinclair and his novel â€Å"The Jungle†, that warned Americans about the horrors of the meat packing industry. This kind of exposure led to reforms, like the formations of the FDA that would check factories for sanitary conditions (Document B). Another thing that people felt needed to be reformed was child labor. Most children barely got a school education, and went straight to work in factories in order to help support their families. Because this kind of lifestyle was inevitable for many children, reformers passed laws to set a minimal age for when children can begin to work(Document C). However, laws like this were minimally successful because children would go to school until the new minimum age that they could, and then continue to drop out in order to work in factories. Another reform that was greatly focused on during this time period was the women’s rights movement. Women fought for the right and ability to get more involved in outside life and government (Document H). One of the largest successes during this time was the ratification of the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote. It is now very clear that the people worked to help bring about reform; however, the federal government also brought about reform at a national level during this time period. In his speech, Theodore Roosevelt brought about the reform of direct election of senators. This meant that the people would now be able to directly elect their senators in the same way that they elect their president. This was a successful reform because it stuck with the American people from 1912, when this speech was given, until now. There were some laws that were passed by the federal government that weren’t very successful when it came to reform. For example, the Clayton Antitrust Act that was against the creation of trusts and monopolies. It wanted to kill competition by declaring that things shouldn’t be different prices because that leads to competition, which ultimately leads to the destruction of small businesses and the creation of monopolies. The law made sense when it came to getting rid of monopolies, but it was unsuccessful because of its idea to kill competition (Document E). On top of that, with these new laws, the federal government couldn’t differentiate between good trusts and bad trusts, so they ended up destroying all of them (Document A). The Hammer v. Dagenhart case particularly stood out during this time period. It argued about whether the government should be able to control interstate commerce and transportation of products made by the labor of overworked children under the age of sixteen. The final ruling transcended the authority delegated to Congress over commerce by the Constitution (Document G). All in all, the period from 1900- 1920 was an era of reform and that’s why it is known as the Progressive Era. The people brought about reforms when it came to child labor, exposing the truth about factories, and women’s rights. The federal government also brought about reforms about monopolies, labor, education, and much more. However these reforms were successful with certain limitations. For example, when it came to trusts, the government killed all of them whether they were good or bad. As Herbert Croly believed, President Wilson was a smart man but he was not thinking realistically. The national government can’t just pass a few laws of reform and expect all of society’s ills to be healed. Society needs more laws with stricter enforcement in order to provide a truly successful period of reform (Document F).