Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Scrooge in A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens Essay example -- Charl

A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens Scrooge is represented from the beginning as a miserable old man being described as a "squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!" I think this a perfect description of him in one sentence. People know Scrooge well and avoid him, this suites Scrooge because he does not like other people and not a big fan of being sociable. The name 'Scrooge' was created by Dickens and is now well known in the dictionary as someone that is mean, this is basically what Scrooge is in the novel, a symbol of meanness. It is described that the people know Scrooge well and avoid him as much as possible. Although this suites him well because he does not like other people, and is not sociable in any way. Dickens makes you dislike Scrooge from the very beginning by using a number of methods such as, the described setting and Scrooge, how he treats the poor, the language used etc. The setting he's in is just like him, cold, gloomy, small and cheap. His treatment to the poor is appalling as when he is asked to give a donation for them he replies, "Are there no prisons?" "And the Union Workhouses?" this is very harsh and selfish, because he is basically saying they should be put in prison instead of trying to get money off of him, this instantly creates bad impression on him. His counting house is described by Dickens to be like a "dismal little cell", this gives the impression that it is cheap, dark and cold because the fire he describes is so small its as if it only has one coal. Being so cheap and not wanting to spend anymore money than he has to he only employs one person Bob Cratchit (... ...ery clear that, is you are not kind to people then you will have something bad happen to you in your afterlife. This is proved clear when Marley's ghost appears, and explains to Scrooge that there is "'No rest, no peace. Incessant torture of remorse'" as he when he was living acted just as Scrooge does. Dickens portrays Scrooge in many different but excellent ways and makes you feel a real sense of hatred for him by doing this. By setting the novel in the Victorian era it helps to create an image of the destitute poor and how badly people like Scrooge treat them. The actual setting he is in is similar to Scrooges personality and features, the use of similes and other descriptive language all add to Scrooges nasty nature. To sum up what the reader is encouraged to feel in the first chapter is basic hatred for Scrooge.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Film Noir Elements in the movie Memento Essay

There is yet to be a definition to be created to accurately capture the genre of â€Å"Noir† in film. The concept was first coined by French film critics who â€Å"noticed the trend of how ‘dark’, downbeat and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France to theatres following the war†(â€Å"Film Noir†). The term ‘noir’ is a French word which literally means â€Å"black† or â€Å"dark†. The connotation attached to the term later on came to be those films which depicted crime, strangeness, cruelty, brutality, violence and similar other attributes. The period for Noir films flourished in the 1940s up to the 1950s, which were aptly called the â€Å"classic noir† period in movies. Later on, from the 1960s up to the current times, other types of â€Å"noir† films were conceptualized like the â€Å"neo-noir† and the â€Å"science fiction noir†, all concepts of which were derived from or echoed the original â€Å"classic noir† genus. â€Å"Memento† is one movie which typifies the â€Å"film noir† genre in that it has numerous elements which categorically makes it as one. Primarily, the existence of a lonely, confused and troubled protagonist (Schoenherr) is there. Add to this the other elements like the black-and-white scenes, the struggle, the seemingly bleak situations, the crimes perpetrated, the underground investigations, the voice-overs of the lead character, evil, paranoia and deception among other things. An interesting feature of this film though is the story unfolding from its end going up to the supposed initial scenes which took place. It is not narrated exactly in a circular motion but rather they are presented in chunks of about 10 minutes each. Aside from this, there is the alternate presentation of the colored and black-and-white formats to add narration and further expound on the sequence of events. Film noir operates on specific social, cultural and historical contexts. In this particular film, the social context used is that of the protagonist becoming a different man after the rape and murder of his wife. Leonard or Lenny loses his memory after he shoots his wife’s rapist and he is shoved and clubbed by the rapist’s companion. His head hits the bathroom mirror, and from then on, he becomes afflicted with Anterograde Amnesia or not being able to retain his short-term memory. Lenny’s memories before the accident are intact and his last memories are of his wife being murdered, hence, his ever- enduring quest to avenge her death. Most people now think of Lenny as a freak for not being able to remember thoughts, names, faces and events which are a regular part of the memory of â€Å"normal† people since he forgets his thoughts and the things he does after 15 minutes or so. However, Lenny struggles to keep his sanity by taking Polaroid pictures and immediately labeling them, writing down his ideas, and tattooing the more important thoughts on his body. Having no family to call his own, he lives in a motel room and is suspicious of everyone. His life’s direction is motivated by vengeance and a major part of the film is spent on this desire to kill. The cultural context of the film is the type of culture that was used in the movie. The setting is sometime during the 2000s in Nevada. It is not shown if the protagonist had a lot of friends before the incident which led to his ‘condition’, but it is presumed that it was probably a case of not wanting to be identified with someone with a stigma of mental illness. The only friend who was identified as someone who knew Lenny immediately after the accident was Teddy, who was the one who helped Lenny to find and kill the original murderer of his wife, and then again Jimmy G. who was also killed by Lenny. As such, it meant that the culture held a discriminating attitude towards this mental illness. Pertaining to historical context, the practice of tattooing as a body art was prevalent from the late 1990s up to the 2000s. This was a period when tattooing was no longer considered as objects of diversion done in prison cells but rather as an art form to express oneself. In the movie, the lead character made use of tattoos on his body to remind himself of essential facts/details which he always wanted to be reminded of. Although not used as an art form, the existence of tattoo parlors in the locality denoted an acceptance of the practice of self-expression, which worked quite well for Lenny. It was also a time when Polaroids were popularly used and Leonard fully exhausted the Polaroids’ capability to assist him in remembering people and places with his depressing mental condition. According to Filmsite. org, â€Å"the primary moods of classic film noir were melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt, desperation and paranoia† (â€Å"Film Noir†). These themes are evident in the seclusion, isolation and omnipresent monologues of the lead character who wanted to establish the links to find meaning in his life. A wide array of emotions ranging from suspicion, confusion, naivete, loneliness, alienation, hatred, and bewilderment among others were efficiently delivered by the lead actor to the viewers who empathized with him in his daily struggle to survive. Noir movies characteristically have a protagonist who is usually reclusive, generally disturbed and commonly pessimistic. The lead character in â€Å"Memento† is not the typical protagonist since he lives his life everyday like a clean new slate. Just like the first part of this movie where a Polaroid picture was being undeveloped, Lenny lived his life always careworn to find out what he had been doing and what he should be doing next. His ultimate aim was to find his wife’s killer, a task which Teddy assists him with. Although he is somewhat of the withdrawn type, Lenny is still enthusiastic about life and is confident that his Polaroids, notes and tattoos are taking him somewhere. Different noir styles were also apparent throughout the film. One is that â€Å"storylines were often elliptical, non-linear and twisting† (â€Å"Film Noir†) which connotes the unique presentation customarily associated with noir. Regular films are often presented in a manner where the story unfolds conventionally from beginning to end. The story told backwards and in bits and pieces was a unique way of entrancing the audience into being an active participant in the life of Leonard, trying to come up with his/her own conclusions or links to previous scenes and events. â€Å"Amnesia suffered by the protagonist was a common plot device† (â€Å"Film Noir†) which was obviously the illness which the lead character was afflicted with. This sort of justified the way with which Lenny killed the possible murderers without remorse or guilt since his brain was devoid of any emotions relating to pity and mercy. Furthermore, it is said that â€Å"the protagonists in film noir were normally driven by their past or by human weakness to repeat former mistakes†(â€Å"Film Noir†) which is what happens to Lenny as the film unfolds. It is only later in the movie that it is revealed that Lenny had already killed his wife’s murderer, and Teddy had even taken a Polaroid shot of him after the said killing. It was due to his mental condition that Lenny was not able to remember the incident which Teddy later used to his advantage in getting rid of Jimmy G. who was a drug dealer. The original story of Memento was an idea brought forward by the brother of the movie’s director, Jonathan Nolan in the late 1990s. The storyline was finished after several months and director Christopher Nolan came up with the idea that he wanted to tell the movie backwards, hence the screenplay was manipulated in a way where shot sequences were cut up into small bits. In between the colored takes were the non-colored shots to denote two timelines of what was the past and the present respectively. At some point towards the end of the movie, the black-and-white scene becomes colored specifically when Lenny takes the Polaroid picture of the dead Jimmy G, who was the second murder suspect endorsed by Teddy. This signified the beginning of a new chapter in the life of Leonard, and the true commencement of the story which somehow tragically ends with the death of its instigator, Teddy. The artistry presented in the film being of a different genre is – as previously mentioned — largely seen in the story’s presentation to the viewer. The lead actor was also shown in black-and-white scenes and colored ones which showed contrasting characters – one, the rugged, unshaven, unkempt, menacing and confused character who shoots the gun at Jimmy G. in black-and-white, and the other, the suit-clad formally dressed and more confident Lenny who drives a Jaguar in colored film. This implies that the main character had good and bad traits, although the bad traits were more emphasized but later exposed to be manipulations done by some of the other characters in the plot. One of these characters is Natalie who represents the ‘femme fatale’ element in the movie, and who adds further intricacies to the plot and manipulates Lenny into a mental tug-of-war with Teddy’s statements. The cinematography of the film was excellent as emphasis was done where it was necessary, and accurate illumination was also appropriately achieved. Editing was also good especially in the cuts of the film that had to be fed in several lumps, and in two different formats of color and B&W. Continuity in the film was smooth and flowed effortlessly. The film scoring was suitable and elicited empathy from the viewer in the scenes where dialogues were not really necessary. The closest thing to special effects in the film was the way that the first sequence was presented to the viewer where the Polaroid shot was being undeveloped instead of the other way around. It goes back up to the time Lenny shoots Teddy and the latter was screaming for his life. Acting in the film was superb. Guy Pearce as Leonard was able to deliver all the emotions expected from him and thus elicited the required compassion from the viewer. Teddy, Natalie, Sammy Jankins and all the other actors also did a good job in making the plot more focused on the plight of the main character, thereby allowing Lenny to stand out. The movie â€Å"Memento† has some allusions to significant theories and concepts. One of these is the concept of Cultural Materialism. The most active proponent of Cultural Materialism is Marvin Harris and the premise of this theory is that the social life of a human being is a direct response to problems arising from his earthly existence. Leonard’s actions can be rationalized as a practice of cultural materialism because he is merely responding to his problems instead of taking a proactive role in it. This is due in large part to his illness which he cannot control and which allows him to be manipulated by some shady characters in the film. Existentialism is another concept which is apparent in this movie. The plot evolves around the lead character, Leonard, who tries to find meaning in his existence as he grapples with his affliction rendering him confused and stressed at most times. He tries hard to think and look back but cannot, and this is what leads him to try to devise ways in which he could remember things, events, places and people who have somehow played an important role in his life, after the accident which claimed his short-term memory. Lastly, there is the hint of self-determination as seen in the main character as he tries his best to make decisions without the influence of others. Unfortunately, he was not aware of the subtle approach which was used by the movie’s disreputable characters who were always one step ahead of him in his plans. Still, it was revealed near the movie’s end that Lenny was also utilizing his selective memory to manipulate the situation in such a way as to be able to create and continually re-create his motives for vengeance. Since finding the possible suspects to his wife’s murder was the only impetus which kept him alive, it was a need he had to satiate, and hence, an inspiration which kept him continually in pursuit of. References Schoenherr. Revised 4/11/03. Characteristics of Film Noir. Retrieved from http://history. sandiego. edu/gen/filmnotes/filmnoir. html Film Noir. 2010. Retrieved from http://www. filmsite. org/filmnoir. html Film Reference: Ryder, A. , Tyrer, W. & Ball, C. (Producer) & Nolan, C. (Director). 2001. Memento. United States: New Market Films.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

The Theory Of The Research Methodology - 1142 Words

Chapter 4: Research Methodology 4.1 Introduction This chapter will focus on the theory of the research methodology that has been chosen to achieve the aims and objectives of the project. The purpose of this section of the research is to discuss the reasoning behind the methods chosen and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each. 4.2 Research Objectives Review of the five main research objectives: †¢ To examine the extent to which LLC and sustainable design are being effectively utilised in the construction industry today. †¢ To investigate the methodology and limitations of LLC and identify why it is not used more broadly within the industry. †¢ To highlight the importance of maintenance and operational costs and how they can provide a basis for creating a more sustainable LLC tool. †¢ To analyse whether life cycle costing can be used effectively for reducing the environmental impact of construction projects. †¢ To construct a set of recommendations and decisive conclusions to help support the use of life cycle costing as a tool for sustainable design. 4.3 Methods of Research In the process of ascertaining an appropriate research method suitable for data collection, an evaluation into the two primary methods of research will be conducted to ensure the most suited approach is chosen. Qualitative and Quantitative methods are the primary classifications for research. Quantitative research adopts a scientific approach, where initial focus is on theory and literature,Show MoreRelatedTheory Behind The Method And The Methodology Of A Research Project2583 Words   |  11 Pages3.0 Methodology It has been stated by Van Manen (1990) that the methodology is the framework of any research, It is suggested that the methodology is the theory behind the method and the methodology aids the researcher in deciding upon a research method. 3.1 Research Philosophy Easterby-Smith et al. (1997) highlights the importance of the physiological issues when designing a research project as it could affect the overall quality of the work. Three reasons of the importance of research philosophyRead MoreWhat Is The Generic Qualitative Approach? Essay1266 Words   |  6 PagesPART A 1. What is the ‘generic qualitative approach’? There are various research methodologies in qualitative research. 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Phenomenology for organizational research was presentedRead MoreA Methodology For Conducting Design Science1283 Words   |  6 Pagespurpose was? The purpose of the article is to develop a methodology for conducting design science (DS) research in information systems (IS). The purpose is clearly stated in the abstract session of the paper and in defining objective solutions. The authors stated â€Å"overall objective for the paper is the development of a methodology for DS research in IS† (Chatterjee, Peffers, Rothenberger and Tuunann, 2007). 2. What is some of the prior research on which the study is based? (Hint: the lit review) Read MoreThe Purpose and Need for Research983 Words   |  4 PagesResearch can be viewed as an undertaking to discovery or as a means to confirm or reject proposed hypotheses. It is an endeavor to understand and explain our environment, nature or societies as they are perceived by our senses and diverse viewpoints. Designs used to frame these studies are formed under three types of methodologies: qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method headings. These methodologies propose to answer the theories that underline the research design and each comes with its ownRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Social Science1076 Words   |  5 Pagescompromises between all and each mode to define a better way of understanding the social world. Hollis clearly states that the key task of this book is to reflect on the underlying philosophy of social science through the critical examination of the theory and methodology in each approach. Some of the key questions are; whether the study of social science c an use the same method as in natural science, does structure determine an action or does action determines structure in the process of social changes, andRead MoreResearch Methodology For Adopting Mixed Method Approach1282 Words   |  6 PagesMethodology: In this chapter, the research methods commonly employed in social sciences, namely, qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods will first be discussed. I shall then describe my own research design, including the philosophical approach I adopted. This approach will be explained by identifying the ontological and epistemological standpoints assumed. The research strategy will be clarified, and the sampling procedures and participants of the study will be described. The processes of data

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Business Case Template - 1155 Words

Please provide a professional looking document that includes the following 1. Project name- Please come out with a name for your project. 2. Project team- at this point you should have your project team in place. Be sure to identify your team by its name and list all team members. 3. Project description -provide a brief description of the project. A project description should be written so that anyone unfamiliar with the project can read and understand what the project is about. Include a brief description of the organisation and the problem or opportunity that led to initiating the project. 4. Measurable organisational value (MOV) - The MOV is the goal of the project and is used to define the value that your project will bring to†¦show more content†¦Setting the time frame for achieving the MOV can be determined by asking the question - when do we want to achieve this target metric? e. Summarize the MOV in a clear, concise statement or table - Once the area of impact, value, metrics, and timeframe are agreed on, the MOV should be summarized so that it can be clearly communicated to all of the project stakeholders. The MOV can be summarised in a statement: This project will be successful if _______? On the other hand, a table format may be more appropriate for summarizing the MOV if it has a growth component over two or more time periods .Keep in mind that the MOV should tell everyone what the project will achieve, not how it will be achieved .The MOV should focus on the organisation, not the technology that will be used to build or support the system the information system. 5. Comparison of alternatives –To keep things simple, you may consider three alternatives for your presentation; maintain the status quo (do nothing), purchase a software package, or build a custom system. Using the web or library, determine whether any software packages currently exist that you think may support the expected requirements. If more than one exists, then select one that you feel may be the best option for your client. Compare each of the alternatives based on the following criteria a. Total cost of ownership(TCO) This can be only a rough estimate at this time.Show MoreRelatedBusiness Case Vs. Business Plan1132 Words   |  5 Pages Business Case vs. Business Plan Sunilkumar Patel Wilmington University Benjamin Franking has once said â€Å"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.† This quote is still stands to true no matter which side of the global you visit. Especially in businesses, not discounting what size is it, it is very important to plan ahead; set goals whether they are short term or long term, share the vision with its employees. All these are mentioned in business plan which states how businessRead MoreProject Description Of A Business Case816 Words   |  4 Pageswho prepared business case, make a recommendation for the best option of the solutions. If there is any modifications in the proposed methodology for development of the enterprise, that modification is inserted here; otherwise, this section is not obligatory (Rouse). †¢ Authorization: Being a business case for the proposed project, it needs to be authorized by top managers. Either project will be accepted or rejected, it depends on the Executive board (Rouse). Since a business case is prepared byRead MoreTips For An Invoice Diagrams1001 Words   |  5 PagesEasy Ways to send an Invoice Templates An invoice is an important business document that a business sends to a client denoting an obligation to pay a stipulated sum for goods and services provided. The tool is highly useful in tracking transactions and expenses, checking inventory and aiding the release of monthly or periodical financial reports. The authenticity and legality of the invoice also means it can be used in the court of law to argue cases involving unpaid debts and for establishing theRead MoreScope Statement1341 Words   |  6 Pagesintranet site will increase visibility of the company’s leading edge technology and software development to current and potential clients. It will also help reduce internal costs and improve profitability by providing standard tools, techniques, templates, and project management knowledge to all internal consultants. The budget for the project is $200,000. An additional $50,000 per year will be required for operational expenses after the project is completed. Estimated ben efits are $250,000 each yearRead MoreKevin1211 Words   |  5 Pages000 each year in years 2, 3, and 4. Estimated benefits are $0 in Year 1 and $100,000 each year in years 2, 3, and 4. Use a 9 percent discount rate, and round the discount factors to two decimal places. Create a spreadsheet (or use the business case financials template provided on the companion Web site) to calculate and clearly display the NPV, ROI, and year in which payback occurs. In addition, write a paragraph explaining whether you would recommend investing in this project, based on your financialRead MoreBlog Essay861 Words   |  4 PagesStarting a Company Blog, Part 1 Written by Janet Gershen-Siegel As your business progresses and you get more clients, you may find certain questions keep coming up, over and over again. They are too long for Twitter and too generalized for Facebook. Or they might be the kinds of questions or information which could help to spur sales. 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These plans can be fairly basic with a goal and summary of what is to happen in the event of a disaster, to intensely involved and well spelled out plans that break down the summary, personal, intent, goal, and a timeline of events to follow. While disasters are unforeseen events that a business may neve r see or have to implementRead MoreManage Your Health, Inc. Essay1367 Words   |  6 Pagestechnologies to help employees, customers, and suppliers work together to improve the development and delivery of its health care products and services. The Health Coverage Costs Business Model is a project that creates to track the employees’ health care expenses and company health care costs. Besides, the project will cover the business sales by develop the cross-selling system to improve cross-selling to current customers. Lastly, a Web-Enhanced Communications System will be developing to improve the developmentRead MoreCSEC 630 Final Exam Essay1054 Words   |  5 Pagesexamination is worth 20 percent of your total grade. There are five semi open ended questions (worth 70 points) along with an accompanying cyber security action plan template (worth 30 points). You are to answer each of the five questions and to complete the Cyber Security Action Plan template based on best practice s and your understanding of the case. Please refer to the FAQ concerning the maximum length answer for each question You are not required to use APA formatting. For the open ended questions you

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Question of God C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate...

In 2002, Doctor Armand Nicholi, Jr. sought to put two of the greatest minds of the 20th century together to debate the answer to the lifelong question, â€Å"Is there a God, and if so, how should we respond to his existence?† Nicholi is the first scholar to ever put the arguments of C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud side by side in an attempt to recreate as realistic of a debate as possible between the two men. He examines their writings, letters, and lectures in an attempt to accurately represent both men in this debate. His result, the nearly 300 page book, The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life, is one of the most comprehensive, well researched, and unbiased summaries of the debate between†¦show more content†¦As a response to Freud’s interpretation of the conversion of Saul/Paul, Nicholi then looks at the conversion of C.S. Lewis as well as several other students who each had experienced religious convers ions of their own. Nicholi had conducted a study of said students in order to determine if their conversions were â€Å"[expressions] of pathology, i.e. isolating and destructive, or†¦adaptive and constructive? Did these experiences impair or enhance functioning?† (2002, Pg. 80). Nicholi’s findings were incredible, the lives of each and every convert, including Lewis, changes dramatically for the better. They experienced higher levels of self-esteem, more satisfying relationships with friends and family members, and â€Å"†¦a lessening of ‘existential despair’; and a decrease in preoccupation with the passage of time and apprehension over death† (2002, Pg. 80). I will dedicate the remaining words in this paper to my attempt to reason how these conversions could produce such spectacular and beneficial results. I believe the answer can be encapsulated in one word; hope. Christianity gives hope to those who believe its message. In an attempt to show why it gives hope, I will attempt to provide the fundamental beliefs of Christianity in a few short sentences. Christianity explains the universes existence with the teaching that there is a God; a supreme, goodShow MoreRelated Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex Essay1218 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus complex was formed by Sigmund Freud in the 1900’s. It is based on the play Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles around 427 BC. In this play, Oedipus killed his father, the king of Thebes, and married his mother without knowing his relationship to either of them. The Oedipus complex states that â€Å"children experience a phase in their psychosexual development (the phallic stage) during which they experience positive feelings toward the parent of the opposite sex and feelings of rivalry toward

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Equity Conceptualization and Measurement - Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Equity Conceptualization and Measurement. Answer: Introduction The current research sheds light on the fact about how the awareness of a brand like Myer can create an impact on the buying behaviours of consumers in Australia. The awareness of a brand is the extent to which customers can become aware of the brand and become knowledgeable about the products and services offered by the company and then make a decision regarding the purchase (Bruhn, Schoenmueller and Schfer 2012). The brand awareness includes the behaviours of consumers, management of promotional activities and advertisements, management of brand and development of strategies too. Based on the brand awareness, it is the ability of consumers to recall a particular brand and ensure a successful purchase decision making in the end (myer.com 2017). The background of research shows how the awareness of a brand can lead to making customers more aware of the products and services delivered by Myer and influence their buying behaviours too. Myer in Australia has targeted its customers from various market segments wisely by establishing brand awareness through an understanding of the customers' needs and preferences and by managing goof marketing and promotional strategies for enhancing the brand image and identity with ease and effectiveness (Hakala, Svensson and Vincze 2012). The company has established various platforms and even involved social media in enhancing the brand image and identity and promoting its products and services properly to enhance the brand awareness. The rationale of the research showed that if the customers are not aware of the brand, then the company would likely face issues to connect with customers and increase its sales (Huang and Sarigll 2014). Thus, a proper brand image and name is needed to be maintai ning for enhancing brand awareness and influence the buying behaviours of consumers (myer.com 2017). The aim of the research is to assess the impact created by brand awareness on the purchasing behaviours of consumers considering the business organisation Myer in Australia (Hutter et al. 2013). Research objectives To identify the impact of brand awareness on the buying behaviours of consumers To evaluate the various approaches to enhance the brand image and identity of Myer among the customers To assess the impact created by a positive brand image on the ability of consumer to make purchase decisions To recommend various measures for enhancing the efficiency of brand awareness and generate more profit through increase in sales of Myer What is the impact of Myer's brand awareness on the consumer buying behaviour? How could the various approaches were undertaken by Myer enhance brand awareness? What could be the probable impact of a positive brand image on the consumer buying behaviour? What measures are recommended for improving the awareness of a brand and increase the sales generation for the company? Creating brand awareness is one of the major marketing methods considered by the business organisations to influence the buying behaviours of consumers and allow them to make an effective business decision with ease and effectiveness. Having a strong brand presence can also help a company to stay ahead of its competitors in business as well as increase the customer base with much ease and efficiency (Jara and Cliquet 2012). The consumers look at the products and check whether those will be able to fulfill their needs and requirements or not and then make a purchase decision. Brand awareness of considered as an effective technique used by the companies to enhance customers experiences and make sure that a positive brand image and identity is created that can easily make the customers purchase the goods and services (Kapferer 2012). Various researches showed that customers can make a purchase decision more easily when multiple options are available among which one is the known brand, a nd the other brands may be unfamiliar. The customers are more inclined to the familiar brands, and when the companies promote their brand, they become more aware, and the familiarity of the brand further allows them to make a final decision regarding the purchase (Lu, Chang and Chang 2014). For developing brand awareness, it is essential to expose the target market to the products and services delivered by the company. A distinct logo and differentiable brand message can help the company to differentiate its products and services within the competitive business environment and furthermore influence their buying behaviours (Malik et al. 2013). There are other ways of enhancing brand awareness such as the use of traditional advertising to social media to public relations, where various campaigns are followed to bring the products and services to the minds of the consumer and allow them to make a purchase decision properly (Malik et al. 2013). Consumer buying behaviour To influence the buying behaviours of consumers, it is essential to enable consistent messaging to reach varying scales of services and create a good brand name and image among the minds of customers. By creating a good brand image, there would be loyal customers who would prefer to buy the products and services of that particular brand rather than from anywhere else within the competitive business environment (Rubio, Oubia and Villaseor 2014). Companies need to create a distinct message of the brand that can be motivating as well as encouraging for the internal audiences, i.e., the customers and allow the company to develop a unique selling proposition for spreading positive messages and information regarding the brand to the customers. Brand equity is established by focusing on the brand perception and create ample scopes for enhancing the brand commitment too (Sasmita and Mohd Suki 2015). The brand awareness should be employed by the organisations not only to save a lot of time an d effort but also compare the products and services offered based on the attributes like quality, price and packaging. Brand awareness is thus considered as cognitive that can allow customers to make decisions regarding purchase with convenience (myer.com 2017). If the products delivered can fulfill the expectations of customers, then brand awareness can create a better positive impact on the purchasing behaviours of customers too (Severi and Ling 2013). There are two different kinds of research approaches including the inductive and deductive research approaches. The deductive research is aimed towards a particular objective and testing theory while the inductive research approach is concerned with the new ideas and concepts that are generated (myer.com 2017). The deductive research approach is followed by starting with a hypothesis for determining the positivity and negativity of conducting research while the inductive research approach is more concerned with the use of research questions that are set to conduct the research according to the research scopes (Bruhn, Schoenmueller and Schfer 2012). The deductive research approach has been chosen as most effective here because the existing ideas, theories and concepts are considered here while effectively conducting the research. Research design There are three different kinds of research designs including the explanatory, exploratory and descriptive research designs. The explanatory design identified the cause and probable impact of the research by generating new ideas and combined all these to drive good research outcomes. The exploratory research design is used for making observations and explores the research data and information in a detailed manner (Hakala, Svensson and Vincze 2012). The variables considered while conducting the research had been explored in details with the use of descriptive research design. This research design fills the gaps and collects data and information without making any predictions at the earlier stages of the research. The what and how have been focused on rather than why and this makes the descriptive research design an effective one for promoting learning too. The dependent variable is consumer buying behaviour, and the independent variable is the awareness of a brand (Huang and Sarigll 2 014). The descriptive research design has been followed to create a positive impact on the dependent variable and ensure that the buying behaviours of consumers are kept inclined with the awareness of the brand (myer.com 2017). The non-probability sampling technique has been preferred here among the two sampling methods. The purposive sampling technique helped in obtaining the quantitative samples whereas the qualitative samples were gathered with the help of convenient sampling method. To gather quantitative data, the survey questionnaires are provided to the respondents where they need to provide their views and opinions after knowing about the topic on which research would be done (Hutter et al. 2013). The convenient sampling technique helped in conducting interviews with the managers of Myer based on their suitable time when they would be available to take part in the sampling process. The random probability sampling method has chosen samples randomly to whom the questionnaires have been distributed to collect the quantitative data as well (Jara and Cliquet 2012). The sample size has been chosen as 200, where 150 are quantitative samples, and the qualitative samples are 50. The quantitative data has been obtained from the customers of the organisation while the remaining qualitative data has been gathered in the form of responses from the managers (Kapferer 2012). The primary and secondary data have been collected for conducting the research efficiently. The primary data consisting of the qualitative and quantitative data have been gathered from the managers and customers respectively. The customers are provided with survey questionnaires where they have been asked about certain questions related to the research topic, and on the other hand, qualitative data has been obtained by conducting interviews with the managers by gaining their responses and opinions based on the questions asked to them (Lu, Chang and Chang 2014). The secondary data has been gathered by following various journals, articles, documents and internet websites to ensure that the data and information collected are genuine and appropriate (myer.com 2017). Data analysis The analysis of data is done with the use of SPSS tool that presents the data presented by the respondents in graphical format so that the researcher can understand that with ease. The qualitative data has been analysed by presenting those in question answer format linked with the objectives of the research. The Likert scale is also used for analysing the data and derives positive outcomes during the research (Malik et al. 2013). Few limitations could be language barriers, limitations of selecting a large sample size. The time was another constraint, because though the research had been completed, still some additional time would have been beneficial for researching a much more detailed and appropriate way (Solomon 2014). Main activities/ stages Month February Month March Month April Month May Month June Month July Selection of topic Collecting data from secondary sources Constructing the research layout Literature review Development of research Plan Selection of Appropriate Research Techniques Primary data collection Analysis Interpretation of Data which are collected Conclusion Development of Draft Final Work submission Conclusion The research was conducted to determine the efficiency of enabling brand awareness to create a positive impact on the buying behaviors of consumers. The first introductory chapter included the aims, objectives and questions of the research while the literature review portion discussed the various important aspects of brand awareness and its impact on the consumer buying behaviors. A conceptual framework was also developed to understand the flow of variables. The research methodology chapter presented the research approaches and methods along with the sample size selected. The various research tools and sampling techniques along with the limitations of research had been presented here as well. References Bruhn, M., Schoenmueller, V. and Schfer, D.B., 2012. Are social media replacing traditional media in terms of brand equity creation?.Management Research Review,35(9), pp.770-790. Hakala, U., Svensson, J. and Vincze, Z., 2012. Consumer-based brand equity and top-of-mind awareness: a cross-country analysis.Journal of Product Brand Management,21(6), pp.439-451. Huang, R. and Sarigll, E., 2014. How brand awareness relates to market outcome, brand equity, and the marketing mix. InFashion Branding and Consumer Behaviors(pp. 113-132). Springer New York. Hutter, K., Hautz, J., Dennhardt, S. and Fller, J., 2013. The impact of user interactions in social media on brand awareness and purchase intention: the case of MINI on Facebook.Journal of Product Brand Management,22(5/6), pp.342-351. Jara, M. and Cliquet, G., 2012. Retail brand equity: conceptualization and measurement.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,19(1), pp.140-149. Kapferer, J.N., 2012.The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. Kogan page publishers. Lu, L.C., Chang, W.P. and Chang, H.H., 2014. Consumer attitudes toward bloggers sponsored recommendations and purchase intention: The effect of sponsorship type, product type, and brand awareness.Computers in Human Behavior,34, pp.258-266. Malik, M.E., Ghafoor, M.M., Hafiz, K.I., Riaz, U., Hassan, N.U., Mustafa, M. and Shahbaz, S., 2013. Importance of brand awareness and brand loyalty in assessing purchase intentions of consumer.International Journal of Business and Social Science,4(5). Malik, M.E., Ghafoor, M.M., Iqbal, H.K., Ali, Q., Hunbal, H., Noman, M. and Ahmad, B., 2013. Impact of brand image and advertisement on consumer buying behavior.World Applied Sciences Journal,23(1), pp.117-122. myer.com. (2017). Myer. [online] Available at: https://www.myer.com [Accessed 28 Aug. 2017]. Rubio, N., Oubia, J. and Villaseor, N., 2014. Brand awarenessBrand quality inference and consumers risk perception in store brands of food products.Food quality and preference,32, pp.289-298. Sasmita, J. and Mohd Suki, N., 2015. Young consumers insights on brand equity: Effects of brand association, brand loyalty, brand awareness, and brand image.International Journal of Retail Distribution Management,43(3), pp.276-292. Severi, E. and Ling, K.C., 2013. The mediating effects of brand association, brand loyalty, brand image and perceived quality on brand equity.Asian Social Science,9(3), p.125. Solomon, M.R., 2014.Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being(Vol. 10). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

HR consulting firms and the services

Question: Discuss about theHR consulting firms and the services Employee Behaviour. Answer: HR consulting firms in Canada employs the strongest form of professionals in the industry as they have access to the widest depth and breadth of platforms, research and services. These HR consulting firms handles millions of human resources related customer interactions. Such organizations have a proven approach that is backed by scalable and configurable technology platform. They help the client in migrating to leading standards of Human resources and practices at a pace that is right for organization. Human resources consultancies such as Hewitt Associates, Mercers Consulting, McKinsey Consulting and Towers Watson Canada vary in their range of sizes and services. Some of the areas of services focused by consulting firms involve providing assistance to business with employee behavior issues and communication (Alfes et al., 2013). They provides service in areas such as talent management and recruitment, benefits and employee healthcare. In this assignment, two firms selected for discussion include Hewitt Associates and Mercer Associates. These two firms are the provider management consulting services and human capital. Hewitt Associates has conducted research on employee engagement. Engaging employees is of little value without knowing about the actions that would be effective in increasing their engagement. This consulting firm has identified twenty-one areas that act as engagement drivers which results in potentially driving engagement of employees. All such identified drivers are interrelated. Information are gathered on describing the experience of employees and the factors that make the current workforce engaged (Fee, 2014). This would enable the employers to understand the employee has needs and focus on improvement areas. Mercer consulting on the other hand is constantly making the human resource transformation and they are rethinking on human resource function so that they support the business in a better way. This would involve changes in operating models of HR and structure of costs, governance models, and technologies. Currently, HR professionals are facing challenges in meeting demand of employees and achieving talent advantage. Mercer is currently conducting research on leveraging an increasing diverse labor pool. This is the third most important workforce trend that the business have been impacted. Organizations have been increasingly place importance on diverse workforce development and in this regard, only few employers has effective programs in place. Mercer consulting researches about bridging the gap between employer and employee view calls for substantial change (Purce, 2014). They intend to provide for improving operational capabilities surrounding talent sourcing, enhancing managerial c apabilities and tools for delivering compelling career proposition. Power of engagement is acknowledged by organizations and it is considered as key challenge area. Employers are placing importance on motivating employees for better performance and on employee differentiation. Recognition is regarded as one of the important improvement factor of engaging employees. This would in turn help the organization in enhancing the employees productivity and thereby business performance. Research conducted by Mercer would help the organization in advancing their performance and wealth of their most vital assets. This would help them in seeking right talent and this will help in delivering business results and driving the competitive advantage (Storey, 2014). Reference: Alfes, K., Shantz, A. D., Truss, C., Soane, E. C. (2013). The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behaviour: a moderated mediation model.The international journal of human resource management,24(2), 330-351. Fee, M. C. (2014). Human resources management. Purce, J. (2014). The impact of corporate strategy on human resource management.New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals),67. Storey, J. (2014).New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals). Routledge.