Popular Entertainment, Performing Arts Essay

Popular entertainment is â€Å"ideas, perspectives, altitudes, memes, and other phenomena that are preferred by an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture. † Now like me most people would think, â€Å"I still don’t get it. † Popular entertainment is basically a genre of entertainment based on the popularity it has gained. Many people often confuse popular culture which is basically popular entertainment with pop culture. The most important difference between the two is that popular culture is gained popularity regardless of the style whereas pop culture is based on a specific society and historic period which contains qualities of mass appeal. Popular Entertainment is often stereotyped as trivial and one could almost say dumbed down to be accepted by the masses of society, which allows those who aren’t part of the main stream such as religious groups and countercultural groups to heavily criticize it. These groups deem it superficial, consumerist, sensational and even corrupted. The Distinction between Popular and Higher Culture Popular entertainment can be traced back to the 19th century where it was considered education and general culture of the lower class as opposed to the official or dominant class of society. By the end of World War 2 the following big cultural and social changes brought by most media innovations caused Popular Entertainments meaning to overlap with that of mass culture, media culture, image culture and culture for mass consumption. It is believed that there are as many as six different meanings of Popular Entertainment. The quantitive meaning often sets in the confusion of certain â€Å"higher culture† that is also popular. * It is also described as the left over culture after â€Å"higher culture† has been defined and taken from the equation. * It is also said that it is equivalent to mass culture and ideas. Then it is described as commercial culture which is mass produced for mass consumption by mass media from Western Europe which can be compared to American Culture. * It has been known as the authenticate culture of the people * That it has a political dimension to it Personally I think it can be most relevantly described as the struggle between the resistant of lower groups in society and forces of incorporation of the dominant groups of society with regards to the entertainment world. Popular Entertainment or culture can easily be recognized by the distinction between that which is considered popular and that which is considered as high class. It has emerged from urbanisation of industrial revolution. Confusion comes in when Bart Simpsons for example, which is a television animation which can be considered as higher class has elements of popular entertainment in it. Studies of Shakespeare notice that many characteristic vitality of his drama in its participation in Renaissance Popular Culture while contemporary practitioners such as Dario Fo and John McGarth use popular culture in its Gramscian sense that includes ancient folk tradition like comedia dell‘arte. This makes it difficult for the average person to then differentiate between Popular Entertainment and Higher forms of entertainment. Popular entertainment constantly changes and occurs specifically in place and time. It boils down to that which represents a complex of mutually interdependent perspectives and values that influences society and its influences in various ways. Popular Entertainment is therefore commonly more appealing to the broader spectrum of society. Popular Entertainment can therefore be related to that which people can easily relate to. Popular culture is also associated with self-referentiality. This basically means that Popular Entertainment is mainly based on exploring every realm of corrective experience instead of just relying on reality. Many media outputs devote it to other images whereas self-referentiality is all-embracing. It is said that the side effect of mass consumerism reflects a fundamental paradox which is basically the increase in technological and cultural sophistication combined with the increase in superficial and dehumanization. What makes Popular Entertainment Popular? Anyone who enjoys the streets who enjoys feasting his eyes on shop windows piled high with all kinds of everyday wares and artful trifles; anyone who enjoys the cafes is unlikely to be moved by the polished art of the serious theatre. Unless the theatre shouts as lustily as the streets it won’t attract an audience for love or money. The Parisian derives far more enjoyment from the fetes and traveling theatres than from anything the dramatic theatre has to offer- Vsevolod Meyerhold We must give credit to the basic principles of the circus and the music hall. In olden times there was the influence of French comedians and of Chaplin. The first news of fox trot and jazz, this early love thrived. The music hall element was obviously eeded at the time for the emergence of a montage form of thought- Sergei Einstein, tr. Daniel Gerould Playfulness is a volatile sometimes dangerously explosive essence which cultural institutions seek to bottle or contain in the vials of games, of competition, chance, and strength in modes of simulation such as theatre and in control disorientation from roller coasters to dervish dancing- Victor Turner What is Popular Entertainment? Popular Entertainment is basically any form of entertainment that is considered relevant to those who form part of the lower and middle class. It is the entertainment which as gained popularity not for the specific style that is used, but for its relevance. Popular entertainment therefore cannot simply be associated with its level of popularity since there can be other, much higher levels of entertainment that can also be popular. This does not mean that the element of popularity is completely cut from what popular entertainment is, it just means that it is not solely based on the level of popularity but more so on the level of popularity the style of entertainment has gained regardless of it style. Genres in popular entertainment Folklore Folklore is a form Popular Entertainment but is not mass produced. Folklore persists today by word of mouth instead of through mass media, e. g. jokes and urban legends. Folklores element of popular entertainment engages big time with the commercial element. The public has its own tastes and it may not embrace all sorts of entertainment. Popular entertainment has an interconnected nature. Things such as when you sulk and the clock strikes 12:00 that your face would stay like that can be considered as folklore. Many people embrace this form, but instead of being spread in masses it gets carried over from generation to generation by word of mouth. Burlesque Burlesque is often stereotyped with strippers walking on a run way. This is not a complete myth although, burlesque in its essence was a form of popular entertainment that over stepped the boundaries of what was considered â€Å"right† in the time frame. Burlesque generally consists of music and comedy. The main attraction towards burlesque was its sense of making fun of sex. This is one of the main reasons why the female cast members bodies were exposed in sexy tight fitting and short costumes. Burlesque in the period of its peak was very popular mainly because the form of exposure was considered immoral in that time. The woman of that time covered their bodies’ true form with frills and puffs of material while those on the burlesque stage had their garters sticking out with tights and body suits, leaving very little for the imagination. Its sense of humour was solely based on exposed humans’ sexual nature and they relied on comedy with double meanings. It was a very clever way of getting people to laugh as they would make comments like I’m sorry I was late, but my gadget broke. Allowing the audience to wonder what was she late for and what gadget broke. She could mean she was late or she didn’t â€Å"come† in time because her g-string broke. This form of comedy an exposure of the female body made burlesque a leading genre through the 1840s up until the 1960s. Burlesque then introduced other genres such as vaudeville to fill the show, but at the time many vaudeville performers considered burlesque as demoralising but when they times were tough they would perform in burlesque under aliases. The female cast members were soon playing men roles. Burlesque was never really about a strong script but more about the power of the star playing the role to keep audiences stimulated and coming back for more, â€Å"Underdressed woman playing sexual aggressors, combining good looks with impertinent comedy- in a production written and managed by woman? Unthinkable! † Burlesque was basically dominated by daring woman who with enough will power believed that they could accomplish anything. Burlesque evolved into making fun of relevant topics and popular shows along with a sexual connotation which kept audiences intrigued. Burlesque became a variety act that included song, dance, juggling, comics, etc. Burlesque soon took on the format of a minstrel show. It was when males took over the management of Burlesque that female wit was replaced with trying to reveal as much of the female body as possible. Millie Deleon, Burlesques biggest star in the 20th century, threw her garters in the audiences and at times did not wear tights. This got her arrested but also assisted in giving burlesque a bad reputation. A typical burlesque stage setting was based on common places that the middle and lower class audience could relate to as they were the target audience. Common settings were courtrooms, street corners, class rooms, as well as examining rooms. Burlesque comedy focussed a lot of misunderstandings which kept it interesting. Cabaret Cabaret is unique for its venue. Originally the word means a place where alcohol is served. Cabaret in the world of entertainment refers to a performance in an intimate restaurant or nightclub setting where adults can enjoy entertainment that stretches the boundaries of what was permitted in the time of origin. A cabaret can more so be described as intellectuals that gathered in an intimate environment to share ideas by means of comedy, song, dance and theatre. These ideas were mainly based on politics and themes that had social relevance. The first Cabaret â€Å"Cabaret Artistique† opened in 1881 in Paris, France. It was later renamed to â€Å"Le Chat Noir. Its main attraction was not the half dressed woman as in Burlesque but rather the sharing of ideas in the associated venue. Cabarets can be considered as the outcasts or those who went against the norms of society and performed their opinions through skits that they would often come up with in a span of an evening or during the day. Cabarets content is almost always relevant to society of its time frame. The comedy used in cabaret was not just any old jokes or random making fun of whatever was relevant but rather very clever. The comedy they used was satire which is often described as being tickled with a blade. Cabarets relied on using content that was sensitive in society and they would make fun of that only to later make the audience later realise that they were laughing about something that is actually very serious. For example the news may show how babies get raped on a regular basis then cabaret performers would satirically perform these rapes but with the idea that they want people to be aware of the seriousness of the problem. This may seem complicated as they make are making fun of very sensitive things but most cabarets was a very clever way of influencing an audience member’s frame of thought. Cabaret is also unique for its audience interaction. A typical cabaret often involved the audience completely in the performance. In cabaret it is specifically important to keep the audience intrigued by the performance, but also being able to allow them a chance to embrace the intimate space they are in with whoever they are with. Cabarets gave room for the audience to interact with one another. It is vital to know that a cabaret is specifically targeted at the adult audience and is not appropriate for all ages or families. Cabaret is about being able to explore the boundaries that have been set by society in this intimate environment. Cabaret also has variety acts like jugglers, singers, dances, clowns, etc. but it was mainly based on the message that they are trying to bring across. In a cabaret the audience did not have to abide by the laws of society, so the audience was automatically comfortable. The audience did not have to sit in a specific way or take off their hats when they came to the cabaret instead they were free to be, socialise as they pleased and also enjoy the entertainment of a cabaret. Later cabaret gained a jazz element to it but its main focus has barely changed besides the misconceptions modern society has. Vaudeville This is basically any form of inoffensive entertainment which solely relied on the audience response. Vaudeville could include anything from juggling, freak acts to dumb acts. It focuses on entertaining, fascinating and reaching the unthinkable. Anyone could enjoy a vaudeville act and while it often included song and dance the core of a vaudeville act was doing something extraordinarily. The audience is very interactive in this style of entertainment and an audience response could either make or break an act. For a vaudevillian it is vital to always be at their best as a slip up in one act could ruin their reputation for good. Vaudevilles format was never about the importance of the act but rather based on the order of appearance. Vaudeville affected the normal comedy world as vaudeville was fun, entertaining and often humorous. It was only later that comics were emerged into vaudeville by means of a master of ceremonies which also assisted in making certain bills hit shows instead of just normal. It is vital to realise that vaudeville bills weren’t always entertaining. Some were really boring and others just average, vaudeville relies on the fact that it consists of 8acts and if an audience does not like a particular act they had the next act to rely on, to fulfil the audience taste. Comparisons and contrasts The one thing almost all the genres within popular entertainment have in common is that their target audience are all the lower class or working class of its time. The difference is evident where it’s a given that Burlesque is more specifically targeted at male audience, while cabaret is targeted at adults who don’t always agree with government and vaudeville is targeted at everyone. Burlesque and cabaret can compare in the sense that they both are more appropriate at night but while burlesque relies on its sexual connotation and exposed females, cabaret relies on the relevance of the topics that they use and the ideas they share. Vaudeville is basically any type of entertainment within the parameters of society while burlesque and cabaret is more anti-society than anything else. It is evident that dominant classes of the time of each of these genres basically looked down on all the styles mentioned, but this is what kept the middle and lower classes entertained. In each style, song, dance and comedy is relevant but while vaudeville relied on slapstick and amusing comedy cabaret relies of clever, satirical and black humour and burlesque makes use of confusing or misinterpreting or even witty comedy. Wit and satire can be very closely associated but satires method to tickle with a blade makes it unique to cabaret. While vaudeville could be showed in a theatre or even a park and burlesque can be showed in any theatre or circuit it is vital that the cabaret has the intimate bar or restaurant vibe attached to it. While vaudeville can be identified for its entertainment and fascinations, burlesque can be identified for its guts while cabaret can be identified by the roughness and the â€Å"balls† in its skits. Cabaret and Burlesque is very closely associated while they both may contain vaudeville acts it is strictly prohibited to have any sort of burlesque or cabaret acts or skits in vaudeville as it is not sociably accepted. Many vaudevillians considered Burlesque as demoralising and if any vaudevillian act offends an audience member they could be dismissed. Cabaret almost everything is allowed the cast could cleverly insult an audience member often cabarets are successful for the odd uncomfortable feeling that the audience may feel during skits or a scene. The historical developments of Popular Entertainment Ancient Greek history Popular entertainment in its essence can be traced as far back as the 5th century BC. This is linked by the ancient Greeks who added song and dance in their comedies and tragedies. Athenian playwrights also had songs in their plays which were sometimes self-composed. These plays were staged in open air amphitheatres which included sexual humour, political and social satire, jugglers and everything else that might entertain the majority. The songs were often a way to allow the chorus to comment on the action on stage. It is evident that ancient musicals had no direct on modern musicals or popular culture. It does prove that the concept has been present for approximately 25 hundred years.

A Ralph Lauren company Essay

Todays globalization and the economic environment have paved way to the increasing importance of brands and management of the brand. As stated by Kotler and Armstrong (2010) the skills which are very distinctive for marketers of 21st century is that ability to manage and build brands.Brand is the company’s most treasured assets, it represents the spirit of the company and functions as uniqueness for the business and most importantly as decision-making tool for their customers (Aaer, 1996;1991; Keller, 2008:1993). An effective brand has the ability to grasp customers’ preferences and loyalty (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). This clearly shows branding is crucial in marketing strategy and it creates reputation and corporate identity. In the recent global economy, efforts and branding are unlimited to traditional â€Å"consumer† products. Various firms in various industries keep on trying to utilize branding strategies n building strong brands. In our case we shall loo k at the Ralph Lauren case. Rauph Lauren is a recognized, well known global brand due to its products.It has been serving accessories, product of apparel and has firmly stood in premium lifestyle.It has gone further in creating sub brands in a distinct design diverse, innovative super craftship, like polo, rugby (trefoils Team, 2013) and club Monaco. The products offered serve a large market in Europe, Asia, America and in Africa. Though these products were initially aimed to men market women market followed and later the different ages through the country across online shops and to various in store retailers.Ralph Lauren is facing major changes from it’s competitors like calvn klein, chanel and other private brands label. Therefore, this study is not purposed only to assist Ralph Lauren to continue dorminating in the market and develop new clients, but also comprehend what people wish, behavors and attitude. Six building blocks of keller in ralph lauren case             The case study presented in this paper is for a Ralph Lauren company which has utilized the six building block Keller (2003, 2008 and 2011). It is distinguished by the category of products it offers to its clients and the mode in which it does to satisfy it’s customers. In this paper, we will discuss the application of six brand building blocks of Keller’s Customer- Based Brand Equity (CBBE) pyramid in Rauph Lauren. To start with, the first building block of CBBE is the salience. Salience is at the bottom layer of the pyramid and it answers to the brand identity. Brand salience measures the awareness of a brand, example of how easily and often a brand can be invoked in various circumstances or situation (Keller, 2008). The know how of the brand can be measured in terms of the depth and the breadth. The depth of the brand cognizance measures, how is it likely for the brand element to linger into someone’s mind, and the comfort with which it does. The breadth of brand alertness measures the range of usage situations by which the brand element may come into the mind and the purchase and this depends largely on the product memory knowledge and the organization of the brand. The survey that was conducted showed that awareness of the Ralph Lauren brand were known through breadth and depth.In Breadth the range of products offered by the Ralph Lauren were well advertised through various media tha t impacted a message to very many people’s minds. Ralph Lauren products were advertised consistently for long and this created long term memories in the client’s mind and the potential customers. The identity of the product was grasped long before the 20th century. Customers think of the products across a wide range of products that can be consumed or employed and they usually make sufficient purchases. The second building block of CBBE is performance. In accordance with Keller (2008). â€Å"There are five important attributes and benefits that often underlie brand performance† These are; 1 Product reliability, serviceability and durability, 2 Supplement features and primary ingredients, 3 Efficiency service effectiveness and empathy, 4 Designs and style 5 Prices. Based on the survey results brand performance was expressed as the best clothes and other accessories producer for the recent three decades. Based on the quality of products and range of variety the Ralph Lauren offers brand that has the best style and design. The other attribute they offer is that their products are durable and they are reachable. Ralph Lauren products based on the research done their performance have an attribute service effectiveness and they are serviceable. In addition the performance statement that focused on customers’ perception of inclusiveness and quality or lack of perception in either quality or inclusiveness showed that their prices are favorable. The auditing of Ralph Rauren’s overall brand performance indicated and an opportunity to market a message that is consistent regarding the brand assistances and related performance skilled by the current and past clients. Third building block of CBBE is brand imagery. Keller (2008),’ brand imagery hang on the extrinsic assets of the product or service, plus the ways in which the brand tries to meet customers’ psychological or social’. Keller (2008) states there are many types of intangibles that can be associated with a brand. The main one are 1 Usage situations and purchase 2 User profiles 3 Heritage, history and experience.4 Values and personality This was proven by the Ralph Lauren brand survey results. The conclusion of the survey was that the brand imagery was expressed primarily as a private, large scale public provider, with excellent management, clients had big scale feelings about the company and smart entrepreneurship. Overall, imagery statements draws conclusion that Ralph Lauren provides a high quality service in public and is well value priced.Fourth building block of CBBE is judgement. Brand judgement are clients personal opinion about and also evaluations the brand, by which customers forms while putting together all the dissimilar brand presentation and imagery associations. Keller (2008), states that â€Å"there are many types of rulings with veneration to the brand but the following following four types of quality, credibility,consideration and superiority are particular important.† For brand judgements the following statement were shared in survey participants:The Rauph Lauren products has exceeded my e xpectation; Rauph Lauren is great love their commodities and the relationship I have fomed ;The products offered by this company have a wide range;the quality of the products offered met my expectation.Based general survey results , concluision can be drawn that brand judgmements rated or above expectations in the three of the four important types of judgement of credibility, quality and superiority.Rauph Lauren clients said good things regarding their choice and experience related to others. The fifth building block of CBBE is feelings. The brand feelings are customers’ reactions and emotional responses towards the brand Keller (2008),†It is essentially how I feel when I use the brand and how my relationships are impacted by using the brand† For Rauph Lauren, the respondents from the survey shared the following feelings about the brand: Enjoyable; OK; fulfilling; ambiguous and whole. For the brand to have the powerful position in the building blocks of the feelings, there is a strong association of customer and the brand whenever a brand is used. Based on the brand audit of VU, there is still an opportunity for the Rauph Laurent5o continue building the aspect of brand building block. However, a positive emotion may consistently be evoked, it s not always a very strong emotion and positive one. Sixth building block of CBBE is resonance.Band resonance demonstrates the nature of the relationship that exist between clients and the brand and the extent the clients feel they are â€Å"in sync â€Å" with the brand. According to Keller(2008),† Brand resonance can be measured in terms of behavioural loyalty or repeate purchases and how much they purchase.†THgh ,behavioral loyalty is an aspect of brand resonance.To a further extent behavioral loyalty,there should be a very strong personal attachment to the brand Keller (2008).This type of brand resonance is frequently characterized by client as a requisite have the products or services and they remain in love with the situation and look onward to the next chance for usage. Based on the survey outcomes , brand resonance for the Rauph Lauren brand,the following expressions were alluded : fulfilling, genuine, growth dynamic and great.It’s obvious that these words were in line with the clients who have reached the final relationship with the Rauph Lauren brand.It can be established that these clients will use the brand again and again and inspire other to ruminate the brand too. Resonance                Resonance has been achieved in this case study of Ralph Lauren.Resonance shows brand relationship between the customer and the brand. The kind of association between the customer and the brand and to what extent of a linking would I admire to have with you. According to Keller â€Å" Customer- based brand equity (CBBE) occurs when the customer has a high level of awareness and familiality with the brand and holds some favorable, and unique associations in memory† (Keller,2008).Ralph Lauren according to the survey showed a strong customer brand relationship although not all the respondent showed the strong attachment to the product.Ralph Lauren has made lots of loyal customers across the globe.The survey showed repeated purchase by customers and this showed that although the brand has competitors the loyal clients to the brand did not turn away from buying what they believe is the best. The brand has a sense to the community and there is strong attachme nt that is experienced by its consumers.There is a deep psychological bond which exists between the customer and the brand.There is the tendency of the consumer to execute brand loyalty and how it reflects in everyday consumption situations and consumer behaviors.Brand resonance is achieved to the extent explained above due to brand loyalty. Points of parity( pop) and points of difference (pod)                They are components of brand audit. POP and POD are crucial to be determined because of the identification of the target market, the precise type of competition and a good definition of the brand’s position.Point of difference are those qualities or benefits that a clients strongly linked with a brand, positively assess, and have faith in that they could not treasure of the same degree with a competitive brand†(Keller, 2008). Point of difference comprise of performance – linked qualities, distinct profits, unique proposals in selling maintainable competitive benefit, as well as the alleged individuality of the brand.Ralph Lauren‘s product has distinct benefits and one products is well distinguished from another products.The Ralph Lauren selling prepositions were unique as compared to its competitors this results to a uniqueness of the brand that s well perceived. Point of Parity are , †not automatically exceptional to the brand but might in fact be joint with other brands†( Keller,2008).There exist two types of Point of Paritythat are categorical and competitive.The group point of parity are crucial attributes of the brand, nevertheless they can’t be sufficient.For the brand to be successful , point of parity has to be there so that the client is satisfied with the service or products provided.Keller (2008) points out that competitive point of parity are,† the associations designed to negate competitor’s points of difference†.Keller(2008) states that, â€Å" if a brand can break even , in the areas where its competitors are trying to find an advantage and can achieve advantages in some other areas, the brand should be strong and perhaps unbeatable and has a competitive position† Rauph Lauren has a major number of customers who believe that the brand is good. At this juncture Ralph Lauren concentrat es on achieving the point of parity more than the point of difference.When Ralph Lauren brand decided to extend their market by producing women wear and children’s clothes customers believed that their brand will be better since they have been previously produced high quality products. When Ralph Laurens decided to extend its market, customers believed that the Ralph Laurens will deliver the brand’s promise. Recommendations                  Today’s advancement in technology is changing rapidly in the market and the environment and this brings dynamism within the markets.With evolution that is constant in the products government rules regulatory frameworks and the change in customer preferences and taste all has to put in to consideration while introducing anything important in the company and for the company to come up with new branding strategies and advertising communications programs that can look ahead into the days to come so as to sustain customer –based brand equity (CBBE).In addition to Dennis & Lea (1995) says that †a company is supposed to come with a brand management program that puts in to consideration future preferences of it’s customers.† All this requires this company to be extending its new ideas and creating new brands. The method the company needs to strengthen brand equity is to develop programs that fully express knowledge of the brand wh ich should be consistent and hence will not conflict customers taste and preferences. The company should run branding programs that are up to date. This should be done in a creative way not running a monotonous campaign.Managers of the company they should put more effort on focusing association, perception , and beliefs of their customers.The features of the company’s planned market perceptions impacts in some way the decision-making actions that may effect them.It is no top-secret that the organization applies some form of the regulator on the brand insights through numerous ways for example promotion, distribution and pricing. The managerial should understand the brand knowledge and belief of a specific market segment. New strategies of advertising should be adopted like online is an adverts that that would come in such instances. The company should avoid poor execution of strategies. The management is supposed to have the information on customer based equity. The companyâ €™s management is supposed to provide a constant protection of company’s brand and distancing them from various extension, this can be achieved by adopting horizontal extension (Dennis & Lea 1995) Conclusion                CBBE has a differential effect that brand Knowledge has on customer response in marketing a brand.Thus a brand takes a optimistic CBBE on condition and once consumers respond more completely to a convinced invention and it is consequently vitally for the organization of the firm to focus further on strategic plans and building their brand equity. References Armstrong, J. S. (2010). Persuasive advertising evidence-based principles. Basingstoke [u.a.: Palgrave Macmillan. Bradburn, M. J., & Keller, A. A. (2011). The 2003 to 2008 U.S. West Coast bottom trawl surveys of groundfish resources off Washington, Oregon, and California: estimates of distribution, abundance, length, and age composition. Seattle, Wash.: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center. Brown, D. (1996). Dennis. London: Burning Sounds. Cheese Machines and Cellos: Technical Craftsmen and Craft Technicians. (2013). Califonia: palgrave macmillan. Dennis. (2008). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Keller, G. (2008). Higher education and the new society. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Lock, D. (2004). Project management in construction. Aldershot: Gower. Whisman, M. L., & Goetzinger, J. W. (1969). Storage stability of aviation turbine fuels: a radiotracer technique for estimating component contribution to thermally induced deposits. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Mines. Young, H. E., & Young, H. E. (1948). Axillary gall of Queensland maple: Hendersonula agathi n. sp., the cause of leaf cast of Kauri Pine in Queensland. Rhizoctonia root rot of hoop pine. Brisbane: Division of Plant Industry. Lock, D. (2004). Project management in construction. Aldershot: Gower. Ochander, J. S,(2010).Brand Wheel,Presentation given to MBA class, Valparaiso University. MOK, K.H. (1999),Education and market place in Hong Kong and Mainland China,Higher ducation , Vol. 37. Keller, K.L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring and managing customer based brand equity, Journal of marketing, Vol.57. Keller,K.L.(2008). Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and managing brand Equity, 3rd edition,Pearson Pearson Prentice Hall: Upper saddle River. Jevons,C.(2006), Universities: a prime example of branding gone wrong, journal of product & management, vol.15. Source document

Couseling theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Couseling theories - Essay Example The Adlerian approach, on the other hand, stresses on social context and lifestyle of human beings that can help them cope with their problems. It also deals with the significance of early experiences and family constellations in the life of an individual. The Gestalt approach emphasizes on the improvement of the whole rather than enhancing separate parts of the individual to help people cope with their problems. Similarly, it aims at incorporating feelings, cognitions, beliefs, and perceptions and past, present and future occurrences to facilitate in developing self-awareness and desired life needs. Counseling Theories Counseling is a commonly used expression, but it usually means different things to different people. Generally, counseling is explained as encompassing a counseling relationship in which an expert interacts with a person or group of people who are looking for help in dealing with problems and making changes in their lives (Corey, 2000). A number of theories usually di rect the process of counseling, assisting in the understanding of behavior and designing of intervention programs that hold promise for achieving the desired outcomes. Theories vary based on numerous aspects. A few need an active participation of the therapist, while others place more responsibility on the client. A few emphasize on transforming cognitive activity, while others emphasize on observable behavior or inner feelings. Theories also differ in where they think most of the action occurs: the present, the past or the future (Sharf, 1999). Within counseling, psychoanalytically and psychodynamically based interventions are illustrious due to focus on the significance of early experience and the role of unconscious mental functioning. In the psychoanalytical approach, individuals are mainly determined by early experiences and unconscious forces and conflicts are fundamental in the existing behavior. According to the psychoanalytic perspective, illogical forces are powerful and t he individual is motivated by sexual and aggressive impulses. Psychoanalysts postulate that early development is of great significance because later personality issues are embedded in repressed childhood conflicts. The main idea of this perspective is that regular personality development is founded on successful working out and combination of psychosexual stages of development. On the other hand, damaged personality development is due to poor resolution of certain stage (Ricu, 2003). Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic interventions are formulated to bring about transformation in an individual’s personality and character. In this process, individuals struggle to resolve unconscious clashes themselves and develop more acceptable ways of coping with their problems. Self-understanding is accomplished through analysis of childhood experiences that are restructured, understood, and explored. The understanding helps bring about changes in feelings and actions. By discovering unconscio us material through dream interpretation or other means, people can deal with different issues and problems in their lives in an improved manner (Chan, et al., 2004). As a result of psychoanalytic therapy, individuals become aware of themselves and feel more real. Furthermore, due to an improved understanding their own reactions to other people, individuals have better relationships with family, friends, and colleagues (Chan, et al., 2004). In recent years, the contributions of Alfred Adler have gained great

Plot Structure Analysis of Frankenstein Coursework

Plot Structure Analysis of Frankenstein - Coursework Example In contrast, this perfect human turns out to be a ugly monster, and he runs away from it because of its disgusting appearance. This is the mid-point of this narrative, observed in that Frankenstein rejection of the monster created a feeling of loneliness of it, and in its attempt to find company, it ends up murdering his own brother, and having a young innocent girl bear responsibility of his death in the eyes of general society members. This narrative reaches climax when Frankenstein realizes the real murderer of his brother, creating a twist on preceding actions. How a â€Å"perfect† creature created by an individual turns out to be his own pain? This narrative strives to advise human race on truth and value of accepting life in its simplicity. Underlying truth is that mankind seeks to achieve peace and perfection, by creating things he thinks ought to be there for this form of life, and at the end of it ends up destroying himself, and those close to him. This narrative is of great value in contemporary society, where wars and mass destruction is the order of the day in a bid to achieve

Brand management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Brand management - Essay Example However, the only thing common between both the pearls is the quality, natural beauty and value of the pearl which is left only to nature. Figure 1 The Australian, 2011 Pearls can be pear-shaped, oval and at times misshapen; but the most valuable pearls for all sorts of consumers will be the round, smooth and free from marks. A strand of pearls which fits directly to the throat is a collar. The one which rests on the neck is a choker. The princess length of the strand would be the one reaching the collarbone while the matinee is 20-24 inches and Opera is 30-36 inches. Rope is all the other strands that are more than 36 inches. These are important details to understand the consumer perceptions and tastes in the pearl industry. Another aspect which is important is the origin and types of pearls. Natural pearls are the most precious pearls and unfortunately the rarest. They were originated in the Persian Gulf and have already been harvested at large. The ones available in the market tod ay are small in sizes and immensely costly. There was a time when consumers did not buy anything but natural pearls, but today the perceptions have changed. The cultured pearls are widely available and produced in pearl farms. They have contributed majorly to the pearl market today. These cultured pearls produced through a delicate process. The pearls formed through this process are not always high quality. These pearls are sorted and about 10,000 are discarded before a 16 inch strand is assembled of high quality pearls. Figure 2 Morning Dove Studios, 2012 Pearls are also found in saltwater and freshwater where there are different types of mollusks and thus they produce pearls that are different looking. Saltwater pearls are the akoya cultured pearls which are grown in Chinese and Japanese waters. These pearls are very tiny starting from 2mm to 10mm, and are cream or white colored with a round shape. They are cheaper due to their sizes. The Australian, Indonesian and Philipinnian pe arl is the South Sea pearl which is the largest pearl of all. Their size is about 9mm to 20mm and is cream, white or golden colored. The South Sea pearls are the most expensive ones as they are rare and have thick nacre. The Tahitian pearls have sizes ranging from 8mm to 16mm and they are not only found in Tahiti but also on French Polynesia islands. These pearls are known as the black pearls but are gray, green, purple, blue and black colored. Black pearls are also found in Fiji, Cook Islands and Micronesia. They are expensive. Figure 3 Chinese Pearls (United Nations University, 2013) Figure 4 Black Pearls (squidoo, 2013) Freshwater pearls grow in lakes, ponds and rivers mostly in China. Most of these pearls have the same size and shape as akoya pearls but may also be different. They are comparatively cheaper and the most common of all pearls sold. These pearls may not have the nucleus of the bead hence having thicker nacre. Imitation pearls are pearls that have a coated glass bead . These have high luster which can be easily separated from a cultured pearl by a knowledgeable jeweler. Sometimes it becomes a challenge to identify the imitated and the cultural or natural but certified gemologists from the American Gem Society can easily do the job. These pearls may also be going through processes and treatments to enhance their color or luster, and this immensely affects their value. A consumer would never want to buy one! Some of the best pearl brands today are

Security Practitioners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Security Practitioners - Essay Example The whole procedure of software/application development is usually guided by a systematic software/application developing method that includes the following phases. The first step is evaluating the weaknesses of the existing software by interviewing the users; the second phase is where the new system is defined which takes care of the deficiencies in the old model. The third phase involves designing of the proposed system, in this phase, strategies are put in place regarding the physical development, hardware, operating system, programming, communication and security matters, the fourth phase is the development of the new software, in this phase, the users are also trained on its use. In addition its performance capabilities are also tested, if need be, adjustments are made at this stage. The next phase is putting the software into use where it can be phased in by gradually removing the old system or removing the old system at once and replacing it with the new system. ... This forms the basis of handling future projects whereby the background knowledge endowed to the students (what they learnt at school) is fundamental in enhancing their skills. A major challenge through this form of learning is that the security part, which is very critical in any software, is usually left to the professional to handle it therefore denying software development learners a chance to have an intensive hands on experience in software security. Software developer training and learning involves certification in SAS certified base programmer and SAS certified advanced programmer which are very important especially to programmers who deal with business applications and software. The other relevant certifications include Siebel, Oracle and Microsoft (McGraw, 82). Due to the rise in cybercrimes, it is vital for security training to be undertaken to ensure that all the information is safeguarded. To enhance security, IP filtering is necessary to ensure that specific information is only available at restricted areas; the students should b taught on the same though practical lesson by working alongside professionals while undertaking such assignments. Software developers learning has not been much concerned about the security of the applications that they make since their training involves creating applications with little attention to security issues of the software. This can be explained by the fact that the curriculum that is used in formal training institutions was made when there were few security threats therefore it did not put into account training in security. However, with increased security concerns, there has been a change in the tread with most software

Antibiotics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Antibiotics - Research Paper Example About eighty percent of all antibiotics available are used in agriculture, for the purpose of fighting infections and for promoting unhealthy but profitable weight gain. According to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural affairs, on-going low-dose administration of antibiotics can increase the efficiency and rate of weight gain in healthy livestock. Further, it is likely that the presence of antibiotics may change the composition of the gut flora in favor of healthy growth. However, there is a debate concerning the way in which gut flora are changed. It may be merely a change in species composition, reduction in numbers, or a combination of both. Some antibiotics given to healthy livestock may also improve feed consumption and healthy growing by stimulating an animal’s metabolic process. Jill U. Adams of the Los Angeles Times argues that many ranchers and farmers give tetracycline, penicillin and other antibiotics to healthy animals to avoid them from being sick . They also grow big after they use the antibiotics (Adams, 2012) Raising healthier animals can be unhealthful for humans. Experts recently reviewed most of the scientific writings on the subject of the use of antibiotics in animals and the health hazards in humans. They concluded that, the extent to which antibiotics in livestock use contributes to antibiotic resistance in bacteria that cause food borne diseases in humans is unclear. The experts asserted that wide scientific studies affirm that individuals are most probable to get resistant illnesses due to their own use of antibiotics. Concerning food borne infections, luckily, for most healthy persons, majority of food borne infections including those brought by resistant bacteria, are not extremely severe to require antibiotic treatment (Chiras, 2005). Nonetheless, to help limit potential risks, the Food and Drug Administration policies include a procedure to establish if using a certain antibiotic can increase resistance risk. FDA also enforces that if deemed suitable, conditions for the prescription of the antibiotic would hinder resistance development. However, meat consumers should always adhere to recommendations to avert the occurrence of food borne illnesses, such as thorough cleaning of food preparation regions, frequent hand washing, and cooking foods, especially meat to recommended temperatures. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics may create selective evolutionary pressure that favors antimicrobial resistant types of bacteria to increase quickly than antimicrobial vulnerable bacteria. This increases the chance for people to be infected by resistant bacteria. Since antibacterial drug use contributes to the growth of drug resistant organisms, these vital drugs should be utilized judiciously in both human and animal medicine to slow down the emergence of resistance. Meat from animals treated with antibiotics is the main source of pathogens in humans that are resistant to antibiotics. This is evidenced when the author writes that for about 40 years, FDA has been concerned that the use of antibiotics in livestock may be accelerating the increase of pathogens in humans that are not susceptible to doctor’s medication. In addition, he mentions that people infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria or pathogens seem to be more seriously ill and are not easy to treat (Adams, 2012). Pathogens that are resistant to antibiotic accounts for approximately $20 or more billion healthcare expenses in the United States yearly, inclusive of longer