Othello Shakespeare vs. Parker Essay - 615 Words

Othello: Shakespeare vs. Parker To create an adaptation of a literary work is not an easy task, especially if it is a classic work by man named Shakespeare. Today movies are expected to be packed with drama, action, and sex. True, Othello contains all of these, but it certainly isnt a blockbuster by todays standards. When Shakespeare wrote Othello, viewing the play was an event in itself, not an hour and a half thrill ride that todays viewer have come to expect. This was Parkers dilemma, to create a concise adaptation that could hold its viewers. Still, with revisions and scene cuts Parkers film still runs a little over two hours. There many drawbacks to cutting scenes from an original work, one is loss of cohesion. There are†¦show more content†¦The reader is intended to relate to Othellos universal feelings of jealousy and betrayal, yet simultaneously be left with a feeling of justice when he finally meets his demise. This theme is most obvious in the case of Othello, but is certainly not exclusive to him. Another example of this altered theme can be illustrated through a brief look at Iagos character. While Iago is manipulative and cunning he plays far to involved and plays more of a role in Othellos downfall than Shakespeare intended. Parker portrays Iago as an almost demonic being capable of taking down any man, which minimizes the flaws in all the characters namely Othello. Again, Shakespeares design in which Othello himself is responsible for his own downfall is lost. Othello, as is true for all characters in the original text, is plagued by a devastating character flaw that consumes and kills. The reader in Shakespeares original text is meant to be left with a feeling that each character received there just deserves. Parkers movie on the other hand, leads the viewer to believe that everyone, especially Othello, is a victim of Iagos treachery. Viewers of Parkers film are given a Tarantinoesque ending where everyone dies for nothing. Most of the story remains intact, but for the reasons behind different characters downfall. In my opinion Shakespeare intended for each characters downfall to be of his own making. EachShow MoreRelated A Marxist Reading of Shakespeares Coriolanus Essay examples2243 Words   |  9 PagesA Marxist Reading of Coriolanus      Ã‚  Ã‚   One popular dissecting instrument of any Shakespearean character is the modern tool of psychoanalysis. Many of Shakespeares great tragic heroes-Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, and Othello, to name a few-have all been understood by this method of plying back and interpreting the layers of motivation and desire that constitute every individual. Add to this list Shakespeares Roman warrior Coriolanus. His strong maternal ties coupled with his aggressive and intractable

Events in Animal Farm by Geroge Ordwell Essay - 513 Words

Animal Farm 1. The general purpose of the seven commandme nts is not to govern Animal Farm justly, as it seems to the animals, but to be propaganda to make Animalism appealing. For instance, the first comma ndment, â€Å"Whatever goes on two legs is an enemy,† does not do anything for the animals themselves, but only demonizes man because he is the enemy of Animalism. By demonizing man, Animalism appeals to the animals’ resentment toward man. It also makes its alternative, being ruled by man, look far worse than itself, so that, despite the obvious faults of Animalism, no one will abandon it. The second commandment, â€Å"Whateve r goes on four legs, or has wings, is a friend,† serves to create an enticing se nse of unity and†¦show more content†¦Firstly, he attributes complex problems such as hunger and overwork to unbelievably simple causes, while complex problems almost always have complex causes. Sec ondly, Old Major is denying man’s role in God’s creation. God made man the lord ove r creation to use it with wisdom and reverence for his survival and well-being. If one man abuses his position like Mr. Jones, that does not make all men the enem ies of Nature. Old Major is also assuming that man is inherently evil. However, man has free will to make the choice to be good or evil. If man does evil deeds, it is only because he has made that choice, not because he was evil from the beginning. Finally, Ol d Major is implying that a single group, the animals, is free from guilt. This is unt rue because all are capable of sin and this becomes obvious later in the book. Thus, Ol d Major’s statements against humans are most definitely igno rant and naà ¯ve. 4. The Battle of Cowshed was a very exciting event in Animal Farm . It began when Mr. Jones and some other men came up the lane, l eading to the farm so that they could recapture it. Snowball led the defense agains t these invading humans. He first sent out the ducks and geese to peck at the men’s le gs, but the birds were easily driven back. Then Snowball decided to wait until the an imals could rush upon the humans in a surprise attack. After the men entered th e farm, Snowball allowed the humans to go as far as the

Unit 203 Free Essays

Unit 203 Outcome 1: understand the importance of equality and inclusion 1. 1 explain what is meant by: * diversity * equality * inclusion * discrimination DIVERSITY means difference. When it is used together with EQUALITY it means recognizing both individual and group differences, it means treating everyone as an individual and giving value to each and every person. We will write a custom essay sample on Unit 203 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Diversity means allowing people to be different and respecting these differences. In care industry the carer might need to challenge others if necessary and speak up for the individuals they support, who cannot speak for themselves. INCLUSION is the right of every human to have equal access and opportunities, regardless their race, gender, disability, medical or other need, culture, age, religion and sexual orientation. It is about getting rid of discrimination and intolerance. DISCRIMINATION is a preconceived attitude towards the members of a particular group that leads to less favorable or bad treatment of those persons. This kind of attitude is often resistant to change even in the light of new information. 1. describe ways in which discrimination may deliberately or inadvertently occur in the work setting Direct discrimination may happen when individuals are treated less favorable or when they are given lower standard of services because of their gender, race, ethnicity, culture, disability, religion, sexuality, mental health or age. The carer must be aware of its own prejudices and make sure that the support they give is not provided at different standards for certain categories. Indirect discrimination tak es place when a rule or policy is more restrictive for people from a certain group, when it should be applied equally to everybody. For example a council procedure for homeless people made only in English would put people whose first language is not English in difficulty, which is an unfair disadvantage and could be taken as indirect discrimination. If the council has a good reason for having a particular policy in place (eg. For health or safety reasons) this would not be consider indirect discrimination. Harassment can take place because of people’s prejudices or because individuals believe it is acceptable to tease people or tell racist jokes. This creates an unpleasant environment where an individual can feel degraded. Victimization takes place when someone is treated less favorable because of doing something that another person disapproves (eg. Someone being treated less favorable because they complained about a service). The care worker duty is to make sure they understand what might be considered as discrimination and to raise any concerns with their supervisor/ manager on behalf of the individuals they support. 1. 3 explain how practices that support equality and inclusion reduce the likelihood of discrimination In providing care and support too individuals, it is our duty to be able to respond appropriately and sensitively to everyone we interact with. The way a person approach equality and inclusion shows whether she/ he is able to provide care and support. A way in which employers have responded to the issue of diversity was to develop flexibility in their working practices and services (eg. Employer may allow flexible working pattern to accommodate child care or a GP surgery may offer services during weekends for people that work full time during the week). So a commitment to equality in addition to recognition of diversity means that different can be equal. It is important that employers and their representatives behave ethically and lead by example. The UK framework has 2 elements to it: anti-discriminatory framework gives individuals a route to raise complains of discrimination around employment and service delivery and public duties which place a proactive duty on employers to address institutional discrimination. The anti-discriminatory framework protects gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, religion, age. Public bodies including local authorities, education, police forces, and national health services are bound to z number of duties. The implementation of public duties will identify and address institutional discrimination. Each of the public duties requires employers to: * produce an equality scheme * carry out impact assessments on their functions, policies and practices * carry out equalities monitoring and take action to redress any imbalance * publish the results of any work undertaken Outcome 2: Be able to work in an inclusive way 2. 1 identify which legislation and codes of practice relating to equality, diversity and discrimination apply to own role The Equality Act 2010 ensures consistency in what work places need to do to comply with the law and make working environments fair. The purposes of the Equality Act are: * establish the Commission for Equality and Human Rights * make discrimination unlawful * create a duty on public authorities to promote equality of opportunity between men and women and the prevention of sex discrimination The new Act aims to protect disabled people, prevent disability discrimination and also strengthen particular aspects of equality law. The Act provides legal rights for disabled people in the area of: * employment * education * access to goods, services and facilities including larger private clubs and land based transport services * buying and renting land or property functions of public bodies The Equality Act covers the same groups that were protected by existing equality legislation- age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity- but now extends some protections to groups not previously covered (e. g. care workers or paren ts of a disabled person). It provides rights for people not to be directly discriminated against or harassed because they have an association with a disabled person, or because they are wrongly perceived to be disabled. The main Acts incorporated into the Equality Act 2010 are: * The Disability Discrimination Act 2005- about removing the discrimination that disabled people experience. It gives them rights in employment, education, access to goods, facilities and services, buying or renting land or property, function of public bodies. * The Equal Pay Act 1970- stops employers to discriminate between men and women by paying them differently and providing different employment terms and conditions if they are doing: the same or similar work, work rated as equivalent in a job evaluation scheme, work of equal value. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and amendments 1982, and 1999- make unlawful the discrimination on grounds of sex, marital status or gender reassignment. It applies when recruiting and when deciding what terms and conditions should be offered to an employee as well as when decisions are made about who should be promoted, transferred or receive training as well as to any decisions about termina ting someone’s employment. The Race Relations Act 1976 and amendments 2000, 2003- which gives public authorities a statutory duty to promote race equality. The aim is to make promoting race equality central to the way public authorities public authorities work, and says they must: eliminate unlawful racial discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different racial groups. 2. show interaction with individuals that respects their beliefs, culture, values and preferences in order to be sure that a care worker’s work is inclusive and respectful of other people’s social identity, they need to: * recognize that they need to treat everyone they care and support as individuals and respond to them, and their social identity, in an individual manner * Understand that treating people fairly does not mean treating people in the same way. They need to recognize difference and respond appropriately * Respect all individuals they support regardless of their social identity * Try to increase their knowledge and understanding of aspects of social identity that might be different from their own * Avoid stereotyping or making assumptions about individuals based on their social identity * Recognize that their own social identity may impact on individuals in different ways * Avoid using inappropriate and disrespectful language relating to social identity 2. 3 describe how to challenge discrimination in a way that encourages hange If discrimination is challenged effectively, future incidents of discrimination can be prevented, as well as empowering individuals to understand their rights. The care worker should: * Always act fairly and try to see things from the other person’s point of view, considering that there could be different pressures, needs and cultures. * Always use positive language and never use words or phra ses that could be disrespectful towards another person * Not allow prejudices and stereotyping to influence them and not accept any tupe of discriminatory behavior Outcome 3: Know how to access information, advice and about diversity, equality and inclusion 3. 1 identify a range of sources of information, advice and support about diversity, equality and inclusion http://www. equalityhumanrights. com/ gives information about the Equality and Human Rights Commission which was created to challenge discrimination and promote equality and human rights http://www. scie. org. uk/socialcaretv/search. asp? uery=diversity gives information about working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people with different needs of support https://www. direct. gov. uk/ gives information and guidelines about public services Employer’s policy and procedures regarding equality and diversity 3. 2 describe how and when to access information, advice and support about diversity, equality and inclusion Any belief that someone is a victim of discrimination has to be reported immediately to the manager or supervisor. If a care worker feels that he/ she is a victim of discrimination, they should as well report it straight away to the manager or supervisor. Also a more senior or different manager can be contacted if there is a suspicion that the direct manager or supervisor might be involved. The human resources team is usually qualified to give advice and support on this matter. Support can also be found to a Trade Union if the care worker is a member or to Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (www. acas. org. uk). How to cite Unit 203, Papers

Journal Of The Academy Of Marketing Science-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Journal Of The Academy Of Marketing Science? Answer: Introduction The marketing strategy of a company is inclusive of the marketing goals which are being integrated into the comprehensive marketing plan. It is imperative to formulate a sound marketing strategy which would be based on the market research as well as focus on the product mix of the firm (Menon et al. 2015). This would ensure the maximum profitability as well as sustainability in the business scenario. The marketing strategy is one of the most fundamental tactics of the organizations in gaining competitive advantage (Armstrong et al. 2015). The marketing strategy of a company is inclusive of the decisions based on the initial condition of the company and the evaluation of the different market orientation strategies of the company. The marketing strategies of a company are inclusive of the different activities that are undertaken by the company such as search engine marketing, pay per click, public relations and others (Hanssens, Rust and Srivastava 2013). The development of the marketi ng strategy is based on the analysis of the external as well as internal environment of the organization. Apple is considered as the largest brand in the history of the technology industry (in terms of revenue generated and the ranking of the brand) (Bonk 2015). The company has gradually evolved over the years and has incorporated breathtaking technology in their products. The company enjoys a dedicated target market in which the customers are usually loyal to the company (Menon et al. 2015). The loyal customers of Apple are not willing to switch over the company and hence the company has created a niche market for itself (Okonkwo 2016). Apple has displayed dedication in incorporating innovation in their product range so that they can satisfy the target market. The brand also makes it a point to keep updated about the latest technologies and choose its markets carefully so that they can make significant contribution in them. This research would try to explore the marketing strategy of Apple in the current business environment. The various aspects of the company would be defined and the purpose of the study would be defined. An in-depth literature review would be done, which would be followed by the research methodology. The ethical issues of the research would be highlighted. The research is expected to gain insights into the present marketing strategies of the firm. Background of Apple Company Apple is one of the most renowned companies of the world, which is headquartered in California, United States of America (Apple 2017). The company is responsible for designing, developing as well as selling of the computer software, electronics and other online services. The hardware products of the company include the iPad tablet computer, iPhone smartphone, iPod portable media player and Apple TV digital media player (Menon et al. 2015). The consumer software products of the company include iOS operating systems, macOS, iWork creativity, Mac App Stores, Apple Music and iCloud. The main product of Apple includes consumer electronics, computer hardware, computer software, semiconductors, fables silicon design and others (Menon et al. 2015). The operating income of the company includes US$ 60.024 billion in the year 2016 and the net income includes US$ 45.687 billion (Apple 2017). The electronic gadgets are considered to be small machines that are capable of doing particular functions, which serve a wide variety of purposes (Sreekanth 2016). The gadgets are considered as the computer programs which give services without depending on any external applications which need to be launched for each one. These kinds of electronic equipment run on the environment which have the ability to manage multiple gadgets. The founders of Apple Inc include Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in the year 1976 (Apple 2017). The first product of the company was Apple I, which was sold as the motherboard (RAM, CPU and various video-textual chips). Apple Computer Inc was founded in the year 1977 and the company gained funding through the donations made by the multimillionaire Mike Markkula. The first five years of the company witnessed exponential growth and it doubled after every four months (Apple 2017). After the year 1970, Jobs realized that the future computers would be having unique features such as Graphical User Interface (GUI) (Apple 2017).Apple also engaged in the development of the alternative platforms such as A/UX. The company also allied with Motorola and IBM in the year 1994 with the goal of the creation of the new computing platform) (Apple 2017). There was subsequent success with the Macintosh, which was followed by the PowerBook series. There was a return of profitability of the company from the year 1997 to the year 2007. On the year 1998, Apple was introduced a brand new All-in-one computer known as iMac (Apple 2017). The company engaged in various acquisitions so that digital production software can be created. The 2007-2011 phases were mostly characterized by the success of the mobile phone devices by the company (Apple 2017). Purpose of Study The purpose of the study is to explore, understand, identify and evaluate the marketing strategy adopted by Apple Inc. The marketing strategy of the common is responsible for greater sales of the company since it increases the visibility among the target audience (Apple 2017). This activity is directly responsible for increasing the sales of the company. This study would explore the marketing strategy of Apple in detail and find out it effectiveness in the pre-determined target market. Apple is considered as the most admired company and is considered as the number one company among the world. Apple has built their brand with the help of consistent design and value-added features. The company is being perceived as reliable, powerful and intuitive, which has led to the dedicated niche market of the company (Apple 2017). The brand is known for status symbol of upper middle class and the affluent class, due to which it is considered as one of the top brands. This project would strive to understand why the brand is considered as the number one brand in the world. This project would also the innovation and the brand value of Apple in the global market. The company is considered as the most valuable company in terms of sales and revenue. It is important to consider the innovation component of the company and the respective position of the company in the market. This project would strive the distinctive, specific and brand value of one of the biggest companies. The innovation and the brand value of Apple would be analyzed with the help of customer satisfaction rates. The customer feedback would also be studied which would help in the determination of the brand value of the company. Literature Review As defined by Bhattacharya (2016), the marketing strategy of a company is defined as the various tactics for achieving the overall business objectives and reaching out to more number of audiences. The value proposition of the company needs to be embedded in the marketing strategy of the firm. The marketing strategy concerns the marketing plan, which details out the type and the time of the various marketing activities. There are various other components of the marketing plan such as information on the target customers, important marketing messages and the execution of the marketing plan. The marketing plan should be creative and should communicate the key message of the company well. The findings of Winston and Weinstein (2016) reveal that there are three distinct target market of Apple that are being increasingly limited to three main areas. The first class of the target market includes the music lovers, who are addicted to the iTunes and iPod. The second class of target market includes the teenagers and the working professionals who are fascinated by the high-end gadgets by the company. The gadgets such as Macbook, Tablets and other gadgets can be used by any customers, irrespective of their ages (Apple 2017). The third category of the target market is concerned with the usage of the other products of Apple such as Apple TV and Apple iWatch (Apple 2017). Despite all the different segregations of the target market, the company aims the higher middle class and the affluent class who are ready to purchase luxury products. The company aims to design the best personal computers of the world and bring a digital revolution by its innovative products. Kim and Mauborgne (2014) opined that reinvented the phones so that the future of the mobile media as well as computing devices can be defined well. Apple focusses on the innovation component of the product development and they incorporate innovative technologies in their products. This is done by a high level of collaboration among the different business entities of the group. According to Wagner III and Hollenbeck (2014), Apple has several competitive advantages which makes it one of the favorite products in the market. It has superior technology products like the superior operating system used in Mac book or the iWatch (Apple 2017). The company has high degree of technology infusion in its products such as retina scan and iris scan in their smartphones. There is a high degree of brand equity in which the company retains its top position in the market. There is an increasing growth of revenue of the company and it has high profit margins owing to the high prices of the products. One of the most important activities of the company include that it spent heavily on the R D activities, which makes them to focus on the emerging, future technologies rather than the current ones (Apple 2017). Wei, Samiee and Lee (2014) argues that at present the product strategy is present at the core of the marketing strategy of Apple. The products of the company are user friendly and they are also considered as highly intuitive as compared to the other competitors. The simple, uniform and sturdy design of the electronic gadgets of the company is being done to attract a high number of customers (Apple 2017). The products of the company give premium user kind experience through the application of design considerations and advanced features (Wei, Samiee and Lee 2014). The company is known for the implementation of the proactive as well as retroactive approach, which is embedded in the product strategy of the firm (Peppard and Ward 2016). The company engages in the development of the products, which is based on the existing features of products of the close rivals (Wei, Samiee and Lee 2014). The company aims by improving the undesirable characteristics as well as integration of the differen tiating features. The results of these strategies are that they appear innovative and new (while being recognizable and familiar). According to Ryan (2016), the extensive as well as controlled portfolio of Apple is responsible for the creation of unique as well as uniform consumer experience and product usability. For example, the sleek body of the MacBook signals a sense of uniformity. The user interface of the electronic gadgets incorporates the same design and functional principles that revolve around the factor of simplicity (Wei, Samiee and Lee 2014). Apple now has a pool of loyal consumers who are not ready to switch to other brands. Pinson and Brosdahl (2014) agrees to the fact that the products of Apple are pretty expensive when there is a comparison with other similar brands. An Apple smartphone is far more expensive than the conventional Android phones (Wei, Samiee and Lee 2014). This similar logic is also applicable for MacBook series where it is far expensive than ordinary Windows laptops. Apple has adopted the premium pricing strategy by believing in the fact that the higher price would make the audience perceive that the products offered by the company are premium quality (Menzel 2013). The high price strategy is included in the marketing strategy of Apple, which has helped the company to promote as well as maintain a favorable perception among the target audience (Wei, Samiee and Lee 2014). There are customers who are in the belief that the higher price products have exceptionally high product features. This is the reason that the products of the company are superiorly positioned in the minds of the cons umers though premium pricing strategy. As argued by Vigneron and Johnson (2017), the luxury has a psychological association with premium pricing level. The customers are willing to pay extra so that they can get a part of the status symbol and they can have a sense of indulgence. It is imperative that the company is providing adequate features in their gadgets, which is justifiable for the prices they are charging (Wei, Samiee and Lee 2014). The product strategy is concerned with providing premium user experience and this is done by the help of design considerations. As commented by Grhan-Canli, Hayran and Sarial-Abi (2016), the pricing strategy of Apple is aimed for maintaining the high brand image of the company and this would also make the consumers perceive that they are making value added purchases (Wei, Samiee and Lee 2014). Another aim of this pricing strategy is that the companys products are capable of attracting small market share, which typically comprises of the upper classes and the middle classes. The high profit margins of the company help it to maintain its high profit margin (Wei, Samiee and Lee 2014). As argued by Rosenzweig (2014), Apple tries to create Halo Effect, in which the loyal customers of the company wait for the latest versions of the technological gadgets. Apples premium price strategy is aimed at increasing the profit margins of the company rather than increasing the market share of the firm (Rosenzweig 2014). This also enables the company to offer limited number of products to the customers at a point of time. As argued by Stiglitz and Rosengard (2015), the company aims to increase the market demands of the products through the use of product differentiation, an act by which the companies give attractive and unique products to the consumers. Despite of the high cost of the products, Apple is successful in creating high demands for their products by the creation of different features and innovative advertising campaigns (Rosenzweig 2014). The company is successful in creating an artificial entry barrier to the competitors. Apple is involved in the selling as well as reselling of the products to the third-party products in almost all major markets. There are direct sales to the consumers, online stores, indirect distribution channels and the various third party cellular network options (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). The company uses one retail strategy known as minimum advertised price which prohibit the dealers and the resellers from advertising the companys products below a particular minimum price (Rosenzweig 2014). The minimum advertised price is usually enforced with the help of marketing subsidiaries, which is being offered by a manufacturer to the various resellers. Apple is successful in maintaining the popularity of its high-priced products through the tapping in the offerings of the retails such as Wal-Mart (Wilson and Wilson 2017). The small percentage of the savings which is provided by the marginal wholesale discount is balanced by Apple as it provides monetary incentives to the retailers f or selling the goods at pre-determined prices being set by the company (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). The pricing strategy of the company has been successful as it prevents the retailers from competing directly with the own stores of Apple and it also makes sure that no particular reseller is able to gain an advantage over that of another. This way Apple is being able to make more money as a result of direct sales. As opined by Moriarty et al. (2014), Apple keeps minimal budget for their advertising purposes. Apple engages in advertising in broadcast and print media on occasional basis. It also engages in the rare production of content for the purpose of social media and another online media distribution. The consumers are exposed to the different traditional media, in which the customers are exposed to the different advertisements in an emotional manner, which would make the customers think about the company (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). The marketing mixs promotion component of Apple comprises of the advertising, sales promotion, public relations and personal selling. As argued by O'guinn et al. (2014), the advertising function is done through the help of website of the company and Apple Stores. The advertising function is also done through the help of other technology news sites. Apple also uses the personal selling approach to give product related information to the customers who are convi nced to visit the Apple store for making purchases (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). The Apple stores are also characterized by the sales promotions, which gives attractive offers to the customers. For example, the company provided old smart phones at discounted prices when there is purchase of more expensive product. The company also uses public relations activities to improve their corporate image (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). Apple carefully implements the new product releases, interviews and the product features and they optimize them carefully for making the maximum positive publicity. According to Moriarty et al. (2014), Apple is successful in creating an emotional attachment with their customers. The brand understands the preferences and the likings of the upper middle class and the affluent class, which has led to the increased popularity of the brand. Apple is successful in creating a humanistic and realistic corporate culture, which is being supported by strong corporate ethics (Moriarty et al. 2014). It is an ethical organization which has the least number of instances of unethical activities. It has implemented technology in a judicious manner and they have also engaged in several corporate social responsibilities. Gopinath and Stanyek (2014) commented that Apple has unique visual capability and it has strong verbal vocabulary, which has led to the increased popularity of the brand. It has clear advertising and excellent product design, which has made it one of the popular brands of the modern times (Gopinath and Stanyek 2014). The products of the company as well as advertisements are clearly recognizable in the global marketplace. The company is successful in the creation of a successful connection with the customers (Gopinath and Stanyek 2014). It has also successfully built upon the trust of the consumers and the products are designed around the expectations of the target market. For example, Apple is successful in creating an emotional as well as sensory experience to the computing technology in iPod (Gopinath and Stanyek 2014). The design of the products are driven by the needs and wants of the people. The opinions of Wei, Samiee and Lee (2014) suggests that Apple is a powerful brand and it has gained sufficient large number of audiences in the global market. The innovative product base like iMac and iPod. The global presence of Apple can be attributed to the premium appeal of the brand (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). Apple is considered as the favorite brand of the celebrities, bureaucrats and the high society people where smartphones represents a status symbol. The company is able to create deep and lasting bonds with their customers (O'guinn et al. 2014). Apple is said to have combined design, imagination and innovation in their product range, which has made it one of the most loved brand in the global market (O'guinn et al. 2014). The experimental nature of the brand has also created a huge target market for the electronic gadgets. The logo of the company has gone through significant changes before it has been finalized to the present ones (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). Earlier, there was rainbow-hued nature of the Apple logo, which depicted that of a minimalist monochrome one. This logo was being loved by the audiences as it gave their laptops a colorful look (O'guinn et al. 2014). This was one of the strong tactics used in the advertising component. According to the views of the (Lindtner, Hertz and Dourish (2014), Apple is instrumental in shaping the innovation factor in their products. There is the presence of products, which are better than the products offered by Apple. However, the products of Apple have tremendous credibility as well as the customers are willing to pay an extra price for the products of the company (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). Apple is known for its innovative features in their products and the company is known for good ideas. The commitment of Apple is known for the cultural driven and not process related. Apple is able to stimulate new ideas for introducing new products, launch successful products, streamlining the design process and implementing profitable new innovative business processes (Culn and Kriger 2014). The company has constantly expanded into new product lines and their research team is constantly striving to incorporate new features in their product systems. For example, the innovative fea tures of S2 chip has been developed to deliver more lauded process improvements without having to sacrifice on the battery life of the Smartphone (Stiglitz and Rosengard 2015). The fact that the iPods is able to deliver dual music to the two individual wireless devices has been caused by the innovative process of programming that has been embedded in the W1 chips (Gopinath and Stanyek 2014). The company is able to improve the level of innovation in their products. As defined by Savitz (2013), Apple is one of the most reputed companies that has consistently enjoyed high brand value all over the years. There has been an overall increase of 10% of the brand value and the present value of the brand has been over 21% of the present value of the company (Forbes.com 2017). The brand is considered as the most valuable brand in the global market and it is estimated at about $154.1 billion in the year 2016 (Forbes.com 2017). Research Methodology It is important to conduct the research in a systematic manner so that the research goals can be verified. This would also help in the verifying the established facts in the earlier sections. The selected data collection process for this research would comprise of secondary research. This kind of research is concerned with the collection, collation as well as the extraction of the existing research (Neuman and Robson 2014). The secondary research is helpful in the preliminary stages and extract data about the existing research. This kind of research takes into account the data collected by the first party and then analyses the particular data set. Data Collection Method The secondary sources for this research would comprise of the newspapers, research papers, journals, magazines and other relevant. A significant amount of the data collection process would be done with the help of websites, which would provide relevant data about the different marketing strategies adopted by Apple Inc. The reputed websites such as Apple.com and Forbes.com would be used to perform this research. The focus would be given to the different marketing activities of the brand and which has helped them to retain their market position. A wide variety of international journals would be used to extract relevant data on the brand strategies adopted by Apple Inc. A wide number of publications would be used to explore the marketing mix of the concerned firm. The reputed magazines such as Business Insider, The Economist, Blommberg Businessweek would be used for the collection of recent updated data (). These magazines would help in the gathering of the recent marketing activities o f the company, which would help in the establishment of the marketing activities of the firm. These wide variety of secondary data sources would help in the establishment of the research purpose. Data Analysis The secondary data analysis involves the careful selection of the appropriate data from the various data sources. It is important to figure out the particular data needed for this specific project. The data analysis would be done with the help of the following steps- Determination of the section of data that are responsible for the establishment of the research purpose Interpretation of the data in order to understand the current trends of the electronics industry and the new initiatives of Apple Inc. concerning the marketing domain Cross analysis of the data collected from one source to that of the other Comparing same results from multiple sources so that necessary deductions can be drawn Making of recommendations, judgements and advising ideas to improve the future innovation strategies and brand value being undertaken by the company Ethical Issues It is important to identify the different ethical considerations that are important for weigh for the purpose of the research. This act maximizes the value of the investment in the data collection and also reduces the liability of the company ad ensure greater transparency of the collected data. The following are the ethical considerations for the research- Use of the data should not result in any distress or damage to any external third-party association Prior consent should be obtained for using the company websites or any government reports. Disclosure of sensitive information about Apple would not be done without the prior approval of the concerned company. Confidentiality and security of the data should be ensured at every stage of the research so that the concerned company does not suffer due to this particular research Data misinterpretation should be avoided and only true data should be represented throughout the length and breadth of the research Informed consent should be obtained wherever required and the concerned parties should be informed about this particular research Data anonymity should be ensured and the data sources should not be revealed Results The results of the research help in better understanding of the fact that how Apples marketing strategy helps them to become the top brand in the global market- Apple knows how to work with the emotions of their target market and they know how to use them in their marketing campaigns Marketing campaign of Apple strengthens the imagination, lifestyle, passion, innovation, aspirations and the empowerment of the brand Marketing strategy of the brand focusses on enhancing the experiences of the products, which would make the customers remember about the purchase Apple incorporates customer experience into the branding process by giving sole importance to them and placing them in the middle of the marketing process Apple has made the ordinary smartphones or laptops into beautiful ones, which would delight the customers. They are not only good in their looks but they have good features too. Apple knows how to justify the high prices of their products and they have strategic pricing mechanism, which acts as a powerful tool for influencing the customers. The justification for the high prices of the products is being done by incorporating both features as well as benefits. Marketing tactics of the company include that the company always highlights the customer benefits rather than talking about the technical details and the product specifications. The technical jargons are not understood by the customers and hence the company avoids using them. Apple extends the customer experience beyond the actual purchase of the product. They prefer to give good unboxing experience to the customers and designing good user experience Brand statement or the mission statement of improving the customer loyalty is being reflected in the marketing strategy of the company. Apple is successful in creating a unique selling proposition for their products, which differentiates these products from that of the competitors. Conclusion Apple is a successful company with a pool of loyal customers who are not willing to shift to other companies. The company gives value added features as well as benefits to the products, which is justified by the high pricing of the products. This has helped the company to make huge profits through the implementation of premium pricing. The high price strategy is included in the marketing strategy of Apple, which has helped the company to promote as well as maintain a favorable perception among the target audience. The high price strategy is included in the marketing strategy of Apple, which has helped the company to promote as well as maintain a favorable perception among the target audience. Apple also uses their power to connect with the emotions of the people and not with the technical details of the products only. This has made the brand immensely popular among the masses. The example of Apple is succinct in understanding of the marketing mix process applied. The company is often said as the torchbearer in the digital industry and is the market leader in the global market. The high-end appeal of the smartphones, laptops and tablets has led to immense popularity in the affluent class of the society. This can be attributed to the intelligent marketing mechanisms being sought by the company. This report is going to understand the marketing details of the company and how it has strived to achieve the number one position in the global market. References Apple. (2017).Apple. [online] Available at: https://www.apple.com [Accessed 9 Oct. 2017]. Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M. and Brennan, R., 2015.Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Education. Beritelli, P., Beritelli, P., Schegg, R. and Schegg, R., 2016. Maximizing online bookings through a multi-channel-strategy: Effects of interdependencies and networks.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,28(1), pp.68-88. Bhattacharya, C.B., 2016. Responsible Marketing: Doing Well by Doing Good.GfK Marketing Intelligence Review,8(1), pp.8-17. Bonk, C., 2015. The impact of Apple's communication and French and Finnish consumers' product perceptions: case of the iPhone product. Culn, A.L. and Kriger, M., 2014, June. Creating competitive advantage in IT-intensive organizations: a design thinking perspective. InInternational Conference on HCI in Business(pp. 492-503). Springer, Cham. Forbes.com. (2017).Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com [Accessed 9 Oct. 2017]. Gopinath, S. and Stanyek, J., 2014. Anytime, Anywhere? An introduction to the devices, mArkets, And theories of mobile music.The Oxford Handbook of Mobile Music Studies,1, p.1. Grhan-Canli, Z., Hayran, C. and Sarial-Abi, G., 2016. Customer-based brand equity in a technologically fast-paced, connected, and constrained environment.AMS review,6(1-2), pp.23-32. Hanssens, D.M., Rust, R.T. and Srivastava, R.K., 2013, May. Marketing strategy and Wall Street: nailing down marketing's impact. American Marketing Association. Kim, W.C. and Mauborgne, R.A., 2014.Blue ocean strategy, expanded edition: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. Harvard business review Press. Lindtner, S., Hertz, G.D. and Dourish, P., 2014, April. Emerging sites of HCI innovation: hackerspaces, hardware startups incubators. InProceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems(pp. 439-448). ACM. Menon, A., Bharadwaj, S.G., Adidam, P.T. and Edison, S.W., 2015. Effective Marketing Strategy-Making: Antecedents and Consequences. InProceedings of the 1997 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 224-224). Springer, Cham. Menzel, A., 2013. How well placed Apple is to sustain its recent success in the Consumer Electronics Industry. Moriarty, S., Mitchell, N.D., Wells, W.D., Crawford, R., Brennan, L. and Spence-Stone, R., 2014.Advertising: Principles and practice. Pearson Australia. Neuman, W.L. and Robson, K., 2014.Basics of social research. Pearson Canada. O'guinn, T., Allen, C., Semenik, R. and Scheinbaum, A.C., 2014.Advertising and integrated brand promotion. Nelson Education. Okonkwo, U., 2016.Luxury fashion branding: trends, tactics, techniques. Springer. Peppard, J. and Ward, J., 2016.The strategic management of information systems: Building a digital strategy. John Wiley Sons. Pinson, C. and Brosdahl, D.J., 2014. The Church of Mac: Exploratory examination on the loyalty of Apple customers.Journal of Management and Marketing Research,14, p.1. Rosenzweig, P., 2014.The halo effect:... and the eight other business delusions that deceive managers. Simon and Schuster. Ryan, D., 2016.Understanding digital marketing: marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation. Kogan Page Publishers. Savitz, A., 2013.The triple bottom line: how today's best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success-and how you can too. John Wiley Sons. Sreekanth, N.S., Varghese, N., Pradeepkumar, C.H., Vaishali, P., Prasad, R.G., Supriya, N.P. and Narayanan, N.K., 2016. Multimodal interface for effective man machine interaction. InMedia Convergence Handbook-Vol. 2(pp. 261-281). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Stiglitz, J.E. and Rosengard, J.K., 2015.Economics of the Public Sector: Fourth International Student Edition. WW Norton Company. Vigneron, F. and Johnson, L.W., 2017. Measuring perceptions of brand luxury. InAdvances in Luxury Brand Management(pp. 199-234). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. Wagner III, J.A. and Hollenbeck, J.R., 2014.Organizational behavior: Securing competitive advantage. Routledge. Wei, Y.S., Samiee, S. and Lee, R.P., 2014. The influence of organic organizational cultures, market responsiveness, and product strategy on firm performance in an emerging market.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,42(1), pp.49-70. Wilson, R.E. and Wilson, R.E., 2017. Target Corporation: Maintaining Relevance in the 21st Century Gaming Market.Kellogg School of Management Cases, pp.1-25. Winston, W. and Weinstein, A., 2016.Defining your market: winning strategies for high-tech, industrial, and service firms. Routledge.

Case Study Human Resource Management. Cockpit for You Company

Introduction The success of a firm’s productivity depends on the organization of the human resource management. Reflectively, labour as a factor of production, determines the gross output, performance, and goal achievement at optimal resource use.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: Human Resource Management. ‘Cockpit for You’ Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Company ‘Cockpit for you’ has been struggling with human resource management problems that range from competition, labour structure, and financial constraints. Budget constraints for ‘Cockpit for you’ are represented by a production possibility frontier curve which is dangerously skewed towards deficits in productivity. The curve shows the limitation of available factors of production, especially on optimal labour use and employee motivation. Thus, this reflective treatise attempts to exp licitly analyse thematic areas that have negative influence on the company’s labour use and display them as part of a mind mapping plan. Besides, the paper presents a comprehensive theoretical backup for one of the identified thematic area as part of a remedial case study. In addition, the paper develops a personnel evaluation system using a project management plan that targets to restore human resource efficiency. Mind Mapping of Challenges at ‘Cockpit for you’ Company Current budget of the ‘Cockpit for you’ firm may not allow it to utilize all factors of production in the economy. Therefore, there is always need to maximize use of obtainable resources. ‘Cockpit for you’ Company faces several limitations in its operations after the sudden restructuring. First, the uncertain working conditions greatly impacted on employees’ confidence and performance patterns. As employees’ incomes remain unstable, and relatively low, it wa s natural to witness an underperformance and low morale at work. The trading conditions continued to remain a challenge especially for this company. These adversely influenced the ability of ‘Cockpit for you’ to achieve the forecasted sales and consequently, the overall budget was affected. Increase in prices of factors of production directly affects budgeted cost of production, and thus low income earned by employees. In addition, inability of the company to leverage its systems and processes hindered the growth of its business as it reduced ability of the company to attract the right labour skills and attitude.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, the company faces operational risks in areas such as supply chain management, communication systems, and human resource management. Given that the company has to operate within a predetermined budget, change s in the individual component of the budget affect the operations of the entire business. Evaluation of strategic threats and opportunities is important for an organization as feedback from such appraisal is vital for execution of strategic plans and decision making. ‘Cockpit for you’ is exposed to numerous threats. For instance, following the acquisition logistics and restructuring, the company has to remain afloat despite competition. Secondly, the human resource department is fairly responsive to sudden swings and also very sensitive to changes in income. Since the change of ownership, the company has suffered heavily, as communication system for implementing these changes seemed to have broken down. Due to redundancy, lack of performance evaluation processes, employee testing, and healthy work culture, the company is currently facing uncertainty and is at the brink of total labour force redundancy. These systems are critical in improving leadership skills, evaluatio n skills, promoting creativity, and rewarding outstanding achievement. The company is surrounded by several opportunities for growth of business. However, the human resource department is seriously underdeveloped despite the fact that labour determines total output, thus profitability. ‘Cockpit for you’ Company has done little to have a pipeline of talent to work towards achieving long-term objectives. Reflectively, the company has not organized several tailored training and development schemes designed to help its people fulfill their potential. According to Burke Cooper (2008), training and development programs are both on-the-job and off-the job. These should be built around the core business values and is firmly aligned with the business strategy – developing skills that will support future growth of the business. The programme is designed for senior managers and is aimed at building leadership skills for follow up of changes within the workforce (Burke Coo per, 2008, p. 129). Unfortunately, this is not happening at this company. The results of the programme meant for statistical t-testing of relevance of evaluation strategies adopted in reviewing employment terms and performance (Kew Stedwick, 2005, p. 99). Despite the fact that this company has a fresh initiative for correcting the previous mistakes, it has not adopted an inclusive career development plan. Instead, it works on assumptions that the labour force is fully developed and well trained. The major restructuring that occurred in the company impacted on the training and development programme negatively since the human resource management system lacked the aspect of innovation, skills, and motivation evaluation.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: Human Resource Management. ‘Cockpit for You’ Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Case Study: Career Development through Training a nd Performance Appraisal Training and development forms part of organizational strategy mostly because companies have been characterized by numerous expansions both without and within the region. Consequently, there is a need to merge organizational skills, knowledge and culture with the new challenges and demands facing ‘Cockpit for you’ Company. The company needs to use training and development largely because it is operating in a highly competitive sector. Consequently, there is a need to ensure that the company remains ahead of the competition. Management ought to realize that there is no better way to achieve this rather than through the use of training and development. Further, ‘Cockpit for you’ Company should evaluate effectiveness of training and development in realizing the goals and objectives of their set targets. Finally management of the company should use outcomes of trainings and development in decision making relating promotions and transfer s within the organization (Wilson, 2006, p. 101). Besides, the company should undertake several career development programmes, such would be necessary for attracting and retaining human resource base. The company should consider providing a job compensation structure that supports the organizations as well as individuals’ growth and development perspectives (Robinson, 2006, p. 119). Moreover, company should also evaluate employees and produce succession pipe-lines for vital job positions in the organization. At the end of every six months, performance reviews should be carried out at ‘Cockpit for you’ for all the employees. During these reviews, employees engage their line mangers in discussing their performances for six months. The employees are then rated based on the proficiencies and competencies they have shown during the period ended (Legge, 2005, p. 136). Staff members are then given ratings for the skills and competencies they have shown over the past per iod. A comparison is then done between the ratings and the expected results as agreed upon at the beginning of the year and also with expected skills profiles for these areas. Such appraisals are important as they help employees to establish their performance in relation to the expectations from the business and expected outcomes as agreed during performance planning (Legge, 2005, p. 216). Further, the appraisals reveal gaps that may be inherent when executing duties. At the end of appraisal procedure the line manager and the staff member formulate a plan for further development for the next period. In the personal development plan, the employees set objectives based on the feedback from their performance appraisal and it is mandatory for all staff members to have such a plan. The whole interactive appraisal process is beneficial as it aids employees in developing a focused vocation trail.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Further, the process is realistic. The gaps noted during the review process are bridged by training and development (Mullins, 2006, p. 132). These trainings also help in preparing the staff members for future managerial duties. The performance review process helps management of the Group to have a well-organized, effectual and motivated human resource base (Mullins, 2006, p. 137). The appraisal procedure is all encompassing and it reflects the actual performance by the staff members for the reason that it involves both the line managers and the staff members (Hughes, 2006, p. 98). Also there is comparison of the actual and expected performance and any variances are noted and actions inform of trainings, development and disciplinary measures are taken to improve on future performance. The performance management at ‘Cockpit for you’ Company is unsatisfactory because overall strategic goals are not cascaded down to departments and further to the individual staff members. T herefore, work done by each employee may not contribute to the overall strategic goal. Further, performance of the staff members is not cascaded upwards and the actual performance of the company cannot be compared with the forecasts (Houldsworth, Jirasinghe, 2006, P. 106). Personnel Evaluation System Training and development forms part of organizational strategy mostly because human resource department is characterized by constant dynamics in management since labor market is constantly affected by market swings. Consequently, there is a need to merge organizational skills, knowledge and culture with the new challenges and demands. Therefore, there is constant need to use training and development largely because the department operates in a highly stratified environment (Blyton Turnbull, 2006, p. 118). The outcomes of performance appraisal are not only influenced by job performance of the employee, there are other several other factors that may influence performance appraisal ratin g of the employees. The diagram above illustrates the process of employee evaluation. The motivational activities are predetermined by the management. Summary of Personnel Evaluation System Motivational Recommendation Goal setting Feedback Channel Exception Criteria Evaluation Criteria Empowering employees to participate more in the decision making process Setting relatively hard assignments that are attainable and allowing employees to brainstorm and consult on the same. Workforce training. Establishing a confidential suggestion box for complaints and complements. Improving on communication network system and intranet. Creating interactive sessions for the workforce Defining the privacy parameter and expected code of conduct. Establishing the organization culture and ethics. Limiting the scope of activities to contain only relevant training Analyzing feedbacks from suggestion boxes Review of performance periodically after every stage of implementation. Carrying out random but inclusive sampling using questionnaires Creating more motivational programs involving outdoor activities such as sporting. Fixing motivational programs in annual calendar. Designing awards to be given in every event Encouraging medical tests and physical stamina. Performance comparison between teams. Defining the scope and making these activities part of performance responsibility. Defining limits for responsive training Testing team spirit and insight. In empowering employees to participate more in the decision making process, the organization should source for expertise training on consultative decision making process. This expert will impart skills directly to the management and entire workforce. In the process of implementing this recommendation, training manager should be assigned the duty of organizing the workforce into groups and following up the success or failure of the training (Beardwell Claydon, 2007, p. 306). During the training process, simple activities such a s solving puzzles and brainstorming in different topics are encouraged. In addition, every member of the workforce is expected to participate actively by assigning roles which are balloted. The implementation should be done in three phases with the first phase actively involving an outsourced expert in the field of decision making (Cole, 2006, p. 107). After a fortnight, the management should then design in-house programs as a continuation of the first stage. In the last stage, the entire workforce is encouraged to internalize the concept initially introduced and deactivate fear and inferiority complex when addressing issues of interest to the organization and at personal level (Armstrong, 2006, p. 93). Though this process should be continuous, the active part should not run for more than four months from commencement at a budget less than four percent of the company’s net revenue (Gmur Thommen, 2011, p. 380). Reflectively, a â€Å"planned change approach is required with t he initiation and implementation of change being driven by management with the aid of a practioner† (Greene Kirton, 2005, p. 102). Magnitude of change is quantum as large changes involving culture, structure and strategy of the company is required. In reality, â€Å"transformational change is a relatively new count to organizational change† (Greene Kirton, 2005, p. 109). This form of change is necessary and very relevant in the case of ‘Cockpit for you’ Company as the company attempts to restructure its human resource component. Besides, when adopted, leadership responsibility, performance efficiency, and continuous motivational policies will facilitate responsive management. Expected outcome of the Action Plan Action Plan Tabular representation Motivational Recommendation Required Resources Leadership responsibility Steps taken Barriers Performance Indicators Time taken Empowering employees to participate more in the decision making process Outsourc ed expert. Training materials. Group leaders –implementing. Training manager-evaluation. Periodic training. Interactive forums Educational levels. Authority and responsibility Analyzing feedbacks from suggestion boxes 6 months Creating more motivational programs involving outdoor activities such as sporting. Sporting facilities. Entire workforce participation. Team leaders Team captains. Overall captain. Initiating sports day in the calendar. Resource allocation for awards Convincing the workforce to embrace the event. Divergent interest on sporting activities Testing team spirit and insight. continuous Results Conclusively, these recommendations would directly impact on the feedback channel as employees will have motivational power to proactively participate in decision making process. As a result, the learning oriented process will facilitate optimal performance which is specific to the goals and desires of the company as the workforce would have the feeling of being appreciated and recognized for outstanding performance. Reference List Armstrong, M 2006, Strategic HRM: a guide to action, 23rd edn, Kogan Page, London. Beardwell, L Claydon, T 2007, HRM: a contemporary perspective, 5th edn, FT/Prentice Hall, London. Blyton, P Turnbull, P, 2006, The Dynamics of Employee Relations, 5th edn, Palgrave, California. Burke, L Cooper, T 2008, Building more effective organisations: HR management and performance in practice, Palgrave, California. Cole, G 2006, Personnel HRM, 5th edn,Continuum, London. Gmur, M Thommen, J 2011, Human Resource Management, Strategien und Instrumente fà ¼r Fà ¼hrungskrà ¤fte und das Personal management, Versus, Vancouver. Greene, M Kirton, G, 2005, The Dynamics of Managing Diversity, 2nd edn, Elsevier, Alabama Houldsworth, E Jirasinghe, D, 2006, Managing Measuring Employee Performance, Kogan Page, London Hughes, M 2006, Change Management, CIPD, London Kew, J Stedwick, J 2005, Business Environment: Managing in a Strat egic Context, CIPD, London Legge, K 2005, HRM: Rhetorics Realities, Palgrave, London. Mullins, J 2006, Management Organisational Behaviour, Financial Times/Prentice Hall, London Robinson, I 2006, HRM in Organisations, CIPD, London Wilson, J P 2006, Human resource Development, 2nd edn, Kogan Page, London. This case study on Case Study: Human Resource Management. ‘Cockpit for You’ Company was written and submitted by user Marisol U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Side Effects - Too Much TV essays

Side Effects - Too Much TV essays In todays society, it is normal for an American child to watch an average of three to four hours of television daily. Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior in children and teens. Unfortunately, much of todays television programming is loaded with explicit content glamorizing violence, not only on adult crime and dramas, but also in cartoons, comedies, and on the daily news. The effects of TV violence on children and teenagers are that they may be more likely to behave in an aggressive manner, become less sensitive towards others and even become desensitized to the consequence of such violent actions, when viewing violent television. During the toddler years, children begin watching television from an exploration approach while their brains consistently search for a coherent narrative meaning in the violent program in which theyre exposed too. Childrens attention are drawn to the over stimulating frenetic actions in fighting scenes; bold, bright colors in loud explosions, intense and sudden sounds during shoot-out battles generated by the violence on television. So, as a result of exposing children to discombobulating images and dramatic changing sounds during critical periods of brain development may precondition the mind to expect high levels of stimulation. This may potentially also then set the pace of real life for the child making it difficult to sustain the childs attention. Elementary school age (ages six to eleven) is considered a critical period for understanding the effects of television on aggression. At this young age, children develop the attention span and cognitive ability to understand as well as follow continuous plots, to make inferences about implicit content and to recognize motivations and consequences to characters action. There is a saying, children are smarter than you think. Children begin t...

The Impact of Cross Border Mergers between the Other Countries and the Dissertation

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Defining And Analysing The Concept Of Hope Philosophy Essay

Defining And Analysing The Concept Of Hope Philosophy Essay 1. DEFINITION: Define your phenomenon. In this section make it clear how you know it when you see it and what it is not. Concept analysis papers can be helpful in writing this section. Be certain to include a variety of viewpoints/definitions (nursing and/or others such as psychology) and do not use only Tabers or other dictionary definitions. Make certain you clearly identify the nursing perspective/definition including standard language (NANDA) Hope can be used as both a noun and a verb. When being used as a noun, hope is defined as a feeling that what one desires will happen, the thing hoped for, a cause of hope, a person or thing that gives hope to others or that others have hope, the ground for expecting something/promise (World Book Dictionary 1976) When used as a verb, Hope is defined in Websters New Collegiate Dictionary (1986) as trust, reliance, desire accompanied by expectation or belief fulfillment Hope has also been defined as an ambiguous or uncertain anticipation of something desired (Green 1977), a desire accompanied by expectation (Frank 1968) and a positive expectation in a studied situation which goes beyond the visible fact (Mennmger 1959) Stotland (1969) expanded the definition of hope to include a degree of expectation when he defined hope as expectation greater than zero of achieving a goal Hope has also been defined m active terms as a response of the creature to the Infinite Being (Marcel 1962), a con fident leap mto the future (Alfaro 1970) and a psychic commitment to life (Fromm 1968) Other definitions mdude a sense of the possible (Lynch 1965), a conviction that a good future is possible (Smith 1983) and a stage of being, an inner readmess, intense, but not yet spent activeness (Fromm 1968) Implicit withm these definitions are two attributes (a) the desu-e for some good, and (b) the ability to look to the future with expectation (McGee 1984) From these definitions and attnbutes, a tentative definition of hope can be proposed hope is an antiapation, accompanied by desire and expectation, of a positive possible future Antonym Hope has been contrasted with its antonym hopeless The term hopeless means to be without hope, and the term hopelessness means the condition or state of bemg without hope {World Book Dtdionary 1976) Two more terms which come from the same Latm root speare are despair and desperation, and are defined as bemg without hope Desperation suggests a state of strong mental anguish or feeimgs of discomfort Other defirutions that reflect hopelessness ^ e a sense of the impossible (Lynch 1965), negative expectations about the future (Stotland 1969) and inaction m the face of threat (Lazarus 1966) A review of the antonyms suggest that bemg without hope has both a cognitive and behavioural component HOPE AS A PROCESS Impliat withm vanous statements is the idea that hope mvolves an active process The theme of antiapation is 1457 C Stephenson reflected in the definition of hope as a process, an adventure, a gomg fcwward with confidence (Mennmger 1959) Hope IS also characterized as an openness (Molhnan 1967), a creahve expectation (Bloch 1970) and a set of dispositions (Macquame 1978) Conceptually, hope involves an active interaction of a persons thoughts, feelings, action and relationships (Dufault Martocchi 1985, Hickey 1986, Miller 1983) For example, if a person has hopeful thoughts, that person will feel hopeful and ocf in a hopeful manner toward self and others The thinking component of this process of hof>e involves visualizing something not yet existing Macquame 1978) Typically the individual identifies an object of hope, which can include a goal, solution, relief, a relationship or anything meaningful to the person (Dufault Martocchi 1985) After the identification of the object, the calcii lation of probability or estimation of certain outcomes is made by the person (Marcel 1972, Mishel 1984) In addition, the person searches for dues to provide the grounding for hope This grounding can be based on realistic or unrealistic expectations, but as long as the individual believes that a foundation is present upon which hope rests assurance will be felt (Wnght Shontz 1968) Reality grounding methods may include considenng the environmental conditions and assets available, seeking confirmation firom others, and comparing self with others Interpretation of these clues will depend on the persons past expenences and the valuation of self as confident and competent (McGee 1984) ^notion Although no single emotion has been assoaated with hope, a positive feeling state usually exists Typical descnptions of this state include feeling good, uplifted, inspired, cared for and loved (Lynch 1965, Marcel 1962, Miller 1983) Hope has also been assoaated with a feeling of confidence diluted b y a degree of uncertamty Engel (1963) suggested that hope moves the person away from self-reliance and toward seeking support from others The behavioural component of the hoping process is reflected m the idea that hope seems to be a prerequisite to coping and adaptation (Rideout Montemuro 1986) Beliefs about ones abilities and antiapated responses to ones efforts go togethCT Usually hope, plus self-efficacy, will lead to effechve copmg However, if a person is unable to acbeve a sense of control or belief in ones own abihty, this control may be relinquished to a health professional or therapist for a penod of time (Hinds Martm 1988, Simtix 1983) The relationship component of the hopmg process is stressed by Lynch (1965). He states that hope is an intenor sense that there is help on the outside The process of hope IS really an mward appropriation from other people, God (higher being), or some other living thing (Dufault Martocchi 1985, Miller 1983, Vaillot 1970) According to Macquame (1978), hope becomes trust within a relationship, and a bond is made between the persons in exchanging and shanng of hope In studies reported by Campbell (1987) and Owen (1989), individuals who were hopeful were descnbed as active, energehc and able to set goals In contrast, persons who were ho peless were descnbed as inactive, apathetic and unable to set goab In studying cases of sudden death, Engel (1963) noted a failure in the coping mechanism which he called the giving-up given-up complex Individuals who had given up demonstrated certain common charactenstics which included feelings of incompetence and being out of control, feeling at the end of their tether, a loss of gratification fi-om roles, a sense of disruption m continuity with the past and fiiture, and the recall of previous helpless situations This failure of coping could be called loss of hope HOPE AS A THEORY Stotland (1969) proposed a theory of hope that incorporates the active process of hope and cfefines hope as an expectation greater than zero of achieving a goal Hopefulness refers to high expectation and hopeless refers to low expectation Stotland states that the greater the perceived expectation of goal attainment, the more likely the organism is to achieve the goal He also states that the greater the antiapation of havmg the hoped for object, the greater would be the attention to, thinking about and action toward getting the object The perceived importance of the goal to the person and the probability of attaining the desired goal are both important Meaning in life The presence of hope has been equated with mearung and value in life (Frankl 1959, Hickey 1986, Travelbee 1971, Vaillot 1970, Watson 1979) Aitei World War H, Victor Fimikl (1959) wrote about his expenences in a concentration camp He observed that individuals who had hope were able to endure very dilibailt physical cuui e motional crcumstances However, when a person lost h c ^ , he or ^ The concefi of hope In studying people with suiadal behaviours, Jourard (1970) also found that a person lived as long as hfe had meaning This theme was also discussed by Travelbee (1971) m her theory of nursing as an interactive process Travelbee defined hope as a future orientation m which one looks forward to a time when life will be more meaningful She implied that, without hope, one cannot be spintually or emotionally healthy ASSOCIATED WITH NURSING In nursing literature, the term liope is connected with nursing activities cind role obligation According to Roberts (1978), fostering hope is one aspect of the professional nurses role In fact, nurses have been identified as sources of hope and have been admonished to inspire hope (VaiUot 1970) In a study reported by OMalley Menke (1988), patients perceived nurses who were kind, supportive of the patient, and conveyed confidence in the treatment as promoting hope Watson (1979) states that the instillation of faith-hope is involved in the canng and curative processes However, the author does not define this faith-hope Antecedents and consequences The antecedents to hope are not clearly understood If hope IS a trait of the person, it is always present and a necessary part of hfe (Fromm 1968) However, the state of hope or the process of hoping seems to imply that there can be levels of hope withm a person Marcel (1962) states that hope IS a response to captivity, tnal or entrapment For Marcel, hope anses oul of despair and the more a person expenences confinement the more the person experiences hope A cnsis has been suggested as an antecedent to hope (Oufault i 1985, Komer 1970, McGree 1984, Nowotny 1989) The crisis could include loss, a life atening situation, a hardship or a change A difficult decision or a challenge could also be an antecedent to hope (Nowotny 1989) However, in this vmters opinion, the antecedent to hope could be anythmg that would be significant to the person since hope is uniquely related to the individuals life expenences The consequences or outcome of hope can be a new perspective (Boros 1970) For examp le, hope seems to energize, empower and strengthen the person (Lynch 1965, Vaillot 1970) People who have seen their hopes fulfilled, descnbe themselves as invigorated, full of purpose, renewed, calm, and encouraged (Hmds 1988, Stanley 1978) Conceptual attributes and a tentative definition Definitions and contextual usage of the word hope have been presented However, the term wish (a synonym) needs to be mentioned m relation to hof>e To hope and to wish may be very similar, m fact wishing may be part of hoping However, a wish is not hope m the fullest sense Usually with a wish there is little personal commitment or investment, and if it comes true there is an element of surpnse With hope there is usually a pwrsonal investment and the fulfilment does not bnng a surpnse, but a calmness, reassurance or sense of encouragement (Green 1977, Miller 1983) Four attributes In analysmg the definitions and contextual usage of the word hope, at least four attnbutes have been identified 1 The object of hope is meaningful to the person, 2 Hope IS a process involving thoughts, feelmgs, behaviours and relationships, 3 There is an element of antiapahon, 4 There is a positive future onentation, which is grounded in the present and linked with the past These attnbutes can be used to answer the corKeptual question What is hope? Hope can be defined as a process of anticipation that involves the interaction of thinkmg, acting, feeling and relating, and is directed toward a future fulfilment that is personally meaningful CONCLUSION The concept of hope has been analysed through the use of common definitions and contextual usage fiom the literature In addition, attnbutes, antecedents and consequences of hope have been identified and a definition of hope has been proposed Qanficahon of the concept of hope has implications for nursmg and health care delivery Nurses are m a unique position to interact with individuals and family members m a holistic manner Assessment of personal health care needs could include gathermg data on hope fi-om the mdividual as well as from the familys perspective Data on hope could serve as a cruaal foundation for assessing quality of life in general In addition, interventions could be designed to strengthen the hoping process without givmg false reassurance Further research Further study could be done on the behavKMirs of Iwalth personnel and sigruficant others that impact the hoping 1459 C Stephenson process Although these thoughts may not be applicable to every individual, study of the concept of hope contnbutes to the knowledge base necessary for quality nursmg care for al] people Abstract Hope has been described in theoretical terms for many years but the recognition of the importance of hope within the practice of nursing is a more recent phenomenon. Despite the recent growth of references to hope within contemporary nursing literature, it is reasonable to suggest that there remain gaps in the substantive knowledge base and that there appears to be room for both additional research and further discursive literature. Accordingly, this series of six articles will explore the nature of hope, review the existing theoretical and empirical work in several discrete areas of nursing, and provide case studies to illustrate the role that hope plays in clinical situations. This article focuses on the origins, background and definitions of hope. The next article will examine hope within mental health nursing, and further articles will focus on hope within palliative care nursing, hope in gerontological nursing and hope in critical and acute care nursing. Hope is defined as to cherish a desire with expectation of fulfillment; trust, reliance(Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, 1973). Hope enables realistic appraisal of an event and the identification of options (Morse Dobemeck, 1995; Wang, 2000); has a causal effect upon many biopsychosocial and spiritual factors (Wang); mobilizes energy (Rusteon, 2000); has a dynamic quality in that it waxes and wanes (Morse Dobemeck; Parse, 2000); coexists with no hope (Parse); incorporates a bracing for negative outcomes (Morse Dobemeck); promotes a determination to endure (Morse Dobemeck); is future focused, facilitates a positive outlook (Herth, 1992); encompasses a measure of control (Parse, 2000; Wang); facilitates transcendence (Hasse, Britt, Coward, Leidy, Perm, 1992); and provides comfort (Hinds, 1999).Frankl (1963) writes that hope is basic to life and loss of hope can precipitate death. Without hope, persons despair and lose the interest or energy to cope or endure (Levine, 1989). Events that Elicit Hope: Wished for object Dilemma Crisis Qualities of Hope: Universal yet unique to each individual Dynamic in its presence Enabling Outcomes of Hope: Resilience Transcendence Positive psychologically, spiritually, physiologically Psychology Hope begins with thoughts (cognitions) (Benson, 1996). Bums (1980) writes thatthoughts are the manner in which you view things, your perceptions, mental attitudes,beliefs, and what you say to yourself about your perceptions. Bums further assertsthat thoughts influence emotions and behavior. Experiences are first processedthrough the brain and given a meaning before an emotional response is elicited(Bums; Meier, Minirth, Wichem, 1982). Clinical psychologists, Alfred Ellis (1970)and Aaron Beck (1970), developed therapy models based on the premise thatinterpretations of situations and events influence emotion with corresponding actionsand behaviors (Fortinash Holoday-Worret, 1996). Ellis and Beck purport thatbeliefs and values are formed from experiences, scripting by significant others, andones inherited temperament and this in tum determines the interpretation of andreaction to situation or events (Fortinash Holloday-Worret). Religion: Faith communities have traditionally referred to God as the Ultimate Hope. Numerousverses in the Holy Bible speak to hope and the human condition. Matthews (1999)refers to hope as a means of transcending or rising above lifes difficulties. Religiouspractices and rituals such as prayer, singing hymns, Bible reading and study, churchattendance maintain connection to a Higher Power and foster hope that goodness,emotional comfort, and/or peace of mind will prevail (Peale, 1990; Graham, 1991;Matthews). Koenig (1999) concludes religious belief can manifest psychologically byreplacing despair with hope and physically by affecting the immune system responseand lowering blood pressure. Thus, hope is viewed as an attribute linked withbiopsychosocial and spiritual factors (Wang, 2000). Medicine: Research by Benson (1996) provides strong empirical support conceming the powe of beliefs and thoughts on physiological outcomes within the body. Benson (1996) proposes that hope has considerable influence physically and emotionally. Hope is elicited and nurtured with memories and thoughts of happy times and wellness (Benson). There is a placebo effect in that there is a positive correlation with increased hope and relief of certain symptoms (Benson). Nursing:Parse (2000) writes that hope is enmeshed with health and life quality, is ersal, and a way of living with imagine possibilities in each day. Parse also notes that a hope-no hope quality is always present. Other insights derived from Parses work are that hope is derived from memories, is influenced by interpersonal relationships, romotes a moving forward, offers new insights and purpose; and that hopeful persons ponder situations realistically, and consider options and consequences (Parse, 2000). Dufault and Martocchio (1995) identify six interrelated dimensions of hope: cognitive (thoughts), affective (feelings), behavioral (actions), affiliative (relationships with others and a Higher Power), temporal (future-oriented, influenced by present and past), and contextual (circumstances that occasion hope). Antecedents to hope include relationships with others including a Higher Power, positive personal attributes, ptimism, and an ability to use thoughts to mitigate perceived threats (Haase, Britt, ard, Leidy, Penn, 1992). Hope moves a person to action directed at providing a vel of comfort or attainment of hoped for objects (Dufault Martocchio, 1995). Systematizing the Observations The development of nursing knowledge and interventions involve understandmg human responses and needs The human response of hope was identified as a concept m need of further danficahon The purpose of this paper was to review definitions and contextual usage of the word hope from the hterature and answer the conceptual question What is hopef Literature from theology, philosophy, psychology and nursing was reviewed for contextual usage of the word hope In the hterature, hope was viewed as part of human development, a process, a theory and a source of meaning in life In addition, antecendents, attributes and outcomes of hope were identified from the literature that contnbuted to a clearer understanding of the concept When the world says, Give up, Hope whispers, Try it one more time. (Unknown, 2010) The definition of hope and hopelessness differs from person to person. In Scripture, according to the Hebrew and Greek words, hope is an indication of certainty. (Keathley) Tabers dictionary defines hope as, The expectation that something desired will occur. One of the bases of professional health care is encouraging and supporting the presence of hope while providing accurate information and realistic reassurance. (Hope, Hopelessness, 2009) Hope and hopelessness all depend on your expectations and goals. Without them hope would cease to be. On the contrary, hopelessness is despair; loss of faith on the possibility of a positive outcome. (Hope, Hopelessness, 2009) Although hopelessness can lead depression, desperation, or antisocial behaviors, hopelessness is a feeling that many people experience without the ill effects. Hopelessness is a common human response, and can be overcome. THEORY Chinese perspective According to Landrum (1993), while the early Chinese believed that human destiny depended on the gods, they also recognized the value of human virtue. Their four basic human qualities love, righteousness, propriety and wisdom are developed through moral training and social education. Chinese culture has a strong sense of optimism because human nature is considered to be essentially good. No specific reference to the origin of hope or the role that it has is made. However, one could speculate that optimism is an expression of hope, albeit couched in different terminology. East Indian perspective Landrum (1993) asserts that an East Indian perspective is concerned with the notions of the subjective nature of humans, the value of knowing oneself, the links between the supreme inward reality of spirit and the outward reality of matter. This perspective sees the universe as being in a meaningful and constant state of flux, that yet, paradoxically, provides order. To survive one must act. No specific reference to the origin of hope or the role that it has is made. Ancient Greek perspective When describing the ancient Greek perspective, Landrum (1993) suggests that the early ancient Greeks regarded people as individuals who received feelings and ideas from external sources. The soul allowed understanding and consequently direction in life. The mind and body were viewed as separate and several human qualities and physiological responses were explained in relation to mans psyche, with reason regarded as the dominant part of psyche. Reference is made to courage, truth, and temperance and Hippocrates alludes to the positive effects of these qualities and hope, without ever dwelling on or exploring the actual processes of hoping (Barnard, 1995). Christian perspective If hope is considered in terms of the Christian faith then it can be argued that hope has existed almost as long as man has existed. Mans existence began when God created Adam and Eve. Adam knew nothing but contentment, satisfaction and exhilaration and, consequently, his existence can be seen as a hopeful one. He was in a state of contemplation; he lived the beginning of his life in the presence of God and therefore experienced the total absence of despair. Once Adam, through eating forbidden fruit, was alienated from God, the reality of his own demise or annihilation, or permanent separation from God, had to be faced. How does he reconcile his eventual demise and separation from his creator if not but by the action of faith in God (and subsequent redemption) producing a sense of hope that the state of contemplation could be achieved again.For those whom hold Christian beliefs, hope then would seem to be a product of faith (Lynch, 1965), whereby individuals engage in a process where their beliefs in their ultimate salvation, and also their empowerment in the present, are dependent on God. This faith enables the individuals to be hopeful and the hopefulness enables the individual to transcend is/her current difficulty (Lynch, 1965).This is in terms of not only ones eventual redemption, but also a pragmatic sense, in that, despite his fall from grace, Adam eventually achieves his reconciliation with his creator, and enjoys a long and fruitful existence. Existential perspective Existentialism can be regarded as the philosophy of despair, the opposite to hope. However, there is merit in examining hope from an existentialist, philosophical standpoint as some existential literature attempts to explain ho w hope is derived and shares commonalities with the theological perspectives outlined above. The existential philosopher Sartre (1943, cited in Blackham, 1986) claimed that to be truly human is to travel a path towards nihilism (i.e. an extreme form of skepticism maintaining that nothing has a real form ofexistence) to be alone. The more acutely aware of this pointless and isolated existence a man becomes, the more aware hebecomes of the absurdity of his existence. The only outcome of such a perspective is a state of despair. Nietzsche (1938, cited in Rawlins et al, 1993) makes comments which echo the sense of despair that accompanies mans existence when he argues that hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man. If we consider ourselves in a position relative to the progression of linear time (from the dawn of time to the end of time), whilesimultaneously considering ourselves in a position relative to the infinity of the universe, the likely conclusion from suc h a comparison is to view our existence as pointless, minuscule, futile and hopeless. Alternatively, if we view our existence and the world in a finite, more individual, and specific way, the opposite argument becomes apparent. We exist and operate in a finite world, and we can have influence and control over our existence. Indeed, at a micro level each individual potentially makes a difference to the world. Such an existence then can only produce a more hopeful outlook. This view is supported by the contemporary existential philosopher Marcel (1948, cited in Blackham, 1986), who proposed humans achieve being by engaging as fully as possible in life tasks. Such tasks require communication and interaction between people. This existence has endless possibilities and opportunities for personal growth, of increasing human stature by existing in conjunction with other humans. According to Marcel, man has wide horizons that he can move into and influence, as opposed to Sartres view of man as someone who is surrounded by a sea of nothingness. Therefore, if despair is the state of being of Sartres man, then hopefulness (and the potential to be hopeful) is the state of being of Marcels man. Marcel asserted that the human soul, or internal self, exists only by hope, it breathes hope. This view is supported by Blackham (1986) who maintained that the model of all hope is salvation, which means for the Christian, the hope of achieving contemplation and living in the presence of God. Therefore, certain existential philosophers allude to the origins of hope, implying it is implicitly bound up with existence, human spirituality and faith in God. Kiekergaard (cited in Blackham, 1986), did not write directly about hope; however, he elaborated upon the concept of faith (faith in eventual salvation). Faith, he argued, is the antithesis of reason. It is unreasonable to have belief in something that cannot be proved and has no substance. Since hope can spring from this faith, it is possible that Kierkegaard would also consider hope for ones salvation to be unreasonable. To illustrate this point further, the authors point out that having hope for future outcomes that do not yet exist can be seen to be a process akin to possessing faith, in that there is often no evidence for peoples hope, especially since not everything people hope for is of a physical state. Thus, by considering Kierkegaards comments regarding believing in something that cannot be proved, similarly, hoping for outcomes that have no evidence to substantiate the focus of the hoping could, according to Kierkegaard, be deemed to be unrea sonable. However, to the person who has hope and who experiences a sense of hopefulness, it is likely to be the most logical, sensible thing. If hope provides one with a sense that one has a future, and also enables one to cope with events in the present, then (if one wishes to preserve ones existence) it is a logical state of being (Hinds, 1984; Raleigh, 1992). A fundamental question for the existentialist philosopher has been the problem of the final destiny of the individual and the issue of the intensity of human existence (Macquarrie, 1972). Life is viewed as more than a biological experience and particular concern is given to the most extreme human experiences such as anguish, despair and confrontation with death (Landrum, 1993). Consequently, the consideration of death involves examining the essence and meanings that people ascribe to their death. Thus, existential analysis of death indicates that understanding the meanings is unlikely to be restricted to the limits of ones p hysical existence and earthly life. Therefore, questions and answers need to consider the possibility of fulfilment beyond death (Macquarrie, 1972). This begs the questions: Where is hope in this scheme of things?. Does hope in the individual project beyond his/her physical existence into the possibility of life after death?. It is likely that if the origin of hope was to enable man to reconcile his alienation from God, then the existential understanding of hope cannot be complete without examining what hope does in terms of fulfillment after death. Pannenberg (1962, cited in Macquarrie, 1972) further described the connection between life after death and hope suggesting: The phenomenology of hope indicates that it belongs to the essence of conscious human existence beyond death. There appears to be a perspective that posits hope as enabling humans to contemplate life after death without entering into utter despair. Hope clearly projects into the spiritual realm of existence (Lynch, 1965; Herth, 1990; Kylma and Vehvilainen- Julkunen, 1997), and this philosophical view of hope supports the thoughts on the origins of hope. If there is no existence after ones physical demise (if, in terms of Christian theology, the universe is Godless), then there is only complete nothingness awaiting each individual, and such a perceptionis the perception of despair. However, if the universe is meaningful (if, in terms of Christian theology, God exists), if the individual is capable of transcending his/her physical existence, then the perception of hope is made possible. By examining the theoretical and empirical literature it becomes evident that attempts have been made to define and understand hope from the 1960s onwards. Lynch (1965) described the spiritual view of hope. Wri ting in the position of a Reverend and as someone who had ministered to many people in times of distress, he suggested that hope comes close to being the very centre of man. Stotland (1969), writing from a psychological perspective, indicated that even though there was an awareness of the role hopefulness plays in everyday life, the subject had not been fully introduced into the mainstream of psychology and psychiatry. Hope in adolescents In the 1980s, studies were conducted to define hope in specific groups (Hinds, 1984; DuFault and Martoocchio, 1985; Owen, 1989) and Miller (1983) carried a review of the relevant literature in order to describe hope (and inspiring hope). Hinds (1984) attempted to define hope in adolescents. She interviewed 25 adolescents, eight of whom were inpatients, and 17 were termed well. While Hinds describes the demographic details of her sample (e.g. age range, sex) she does not state the criteria used to describe an interviewee as well other than that they attended a learning centre for secondary education; in addition, she does not explain how the interviewees were selected. Hinds (1984) then describes using grounded theory methodology and the data reduction technique of Glaser and Strauss (1967) to induce a construct definition of hope, stating hope is the degree to which an adolescent believes that a personal tomorrow exists. Furthermore, Hinds argued that this belief spans four hierarchical levels, from lower to higher levels of believing (Table 2). Unfortunately, Hinds fails to make any statements concerning how she attempted to establish the credibility of her findings. Hope in patients with cancer DuFault and Martoocchio (1985) collected data over a 2-year period from 35 elderly patients with cancer, then collected similar data over a further 2 years from 47 terminally ill patients of various ages. This study i