Recruitment and Retention. What are the keys Dissertation

Recruitment and Retention. What are the keys - Dissertation Example Evidence from studies and research allude to several reasons why teachers get into, stay within or leave the teaching profession. Of course, the issue is one to be discussed and redressed. One thing worthy of note is that teaching is the leading recruiter in the UK. It is estimated that recruitment of graduates should not fall within a 12 per cent range every year if a steady increase of teachers is to be maintained. Smithers and Robinson1 believed that not just the target of employing teachers that matter, but how these targets are accomplished. They state that: â€Å"Teaching’s lack of success in tapping the widest pool of potential applicants may mean the profile of those accepted on training courses for the secondary age range does not adequately reflect the needs of schools in terms of gender, age, ethnic background and location.† Sometimes, teachers are recruited from migrant or immigrant workforce. This has sometimes been criticised on the basis that it has a neg ative impact on pupil’s academic accomplishments. For example, OFSTED stated that â€Å"Teachers recruited from overseas are often less effective because they lack familiarity with the National Curriculum†2. Hard-to-fill vacancies always require specialists for such positions. For example, it was reported that: â€Å"the quality of mathematics teaching at Key Stages 3 and 4 suffers in many schools because the limited amount of specialist teachers' expertise is deployed largely on post-16 courses. As a result, non-specialist teachers undertake a significant minority of the teaching at Key Stage 3, where they find it difficult to respond effectively to the demands of the Key Stage 3 Strategy high staff turnover and staff shortages are also having a negative impact on Key Stage 3 Strategy development work in science in a minority of secondary science departments. â€Å"3 Employers are seeking for better ways to recruit and retain labour. In most cases, they go in search of general characteristics, skills and qualifications. On the other hand, factors that will determine the retention of labour include the nature of work, characteristics of the employer, job satisfaction, recognition by employer, remunerations as well as similar employment benefits, balance between work and life, the prospect of further training, affiliation with employer and correlation with fellow workers. A former British premier stated that: â€Å"The best defence against social exclusion is having a job, and the best way to get a job is to have a good education, with the right training and experience†4. This is the more reason why problems plaguing the general labour market situation in the United Kingdom will be addressed. It is also imperative to take notice of the fact the recommendations are indispensable, if situation relating to the current recruitment and retention needs some utmost attention. CONTENTS PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...01 CONTENTS PAGE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...03 INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦...04 PROBLEM BACKGROUND†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...06 METHODOLOGY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦

Subsidies are also one form of social services as the Government Essay Example for Free

Subsidies are also one form of social services as the Government Essay With the increasing diversity and complexity in which services are facilitated by the United States Social Welfare system, it needs to be elaborated and reviewed accordingly so as to help benefactors get the best of what they have and necessitate the optimum available alternatives on their part. One important example given in the text is the power over decisions. This initiative enables and evokes the â€Å"right to make decisions that serve self-interests of a particular group with which decision maker is affiliated† (Chambers and Wedel, 2005, p.   94). This example can best serve if for example the healthcare department of one state agrees to place a qualified professional to make decisions on what programs need to be tackled for a particular period. On the other hand, this initiative can be costly to individuals and groups if the decision making process is tainted with a subjective purpose. For instance, a designated man may advocate a particular scheme because his company or service can benefit more in the process while disregarding the needs of other groups. Subsidies are also one form of social services as the Government tries to shoulder various expenses incurred in some aspects mandated by law (Chambers and Wedel, 2005). In here, the positive aspect of such facet can be the government reaching out to starting sectors in the economy and giving them the needed boost to succeed. On the other hand, one negative aspect of this is that not all sectors are given subsidies. Due to this, only selected and limited parties benefit from the process. Lastly, positive discrimination is a form of social service that tries to provide individuals and groups who have been treated harshly or unequally by the government (Chambers and Wedel, 2005). It is a form of setting restorative justice for those individuals discriminated by the old system. This connotes a positive attitude because it the Government tries to reach out and provide the necessary changes in their lives. For example, an African American was not given a good job despite his credentials has the option to apply for this. Contrary to these, it also brings about the question of its legality and notion of the action to create restorative justice. Due to this, limited people receive this kind of service and are primarily determined by court. Reference Chambers, D. E. and Wedel, K. R. (2005) Chapter 5: Who Gets What: Analysis of Types of Benefits and Services in Social Policy and Social Programs: A Method for the Practical Public Policy Analyst. 4th ed. Allyn and Bacon; Pearson Education 90-108.

Impact of Technological Advancement on Agricultural Industry

Impact of Technological Advancement on Agricultural Industry THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT ON THE AGRICULTURAL  INDUSTRY IN GHANA AND AFRICA INTRODUCTION 1. Technological advancement in agriculture has brought massive economic and social benefits to the world at large. Current trends also provide some assurance that the necessary growth in food production can be achieved with continued application of modern technology, a fact acknowledged by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations (UN) (FAO, 2009). According to Motes, 2010, individuals in the United States use less than ten per cent of their income on food while many developing African countries including Ghana spend about half of their income on food. This is because of low agricultural productivity with its associated high cost of food items, a fact blamed on traditional system of farming. 2. Traditional farmers use conservative farming processes. The technology and management systems involved are often characterized by lack of access to, or reluctance to use new information about production, management, public or commercial assistance. On the contrary, in modern agricultural systems, farmers apply technology and information to control most components of the system (Motes, 2010). Much success of modern systems depends on the development and maintenance of soil fertility through the specific provision of nutrients when they are depleted; machine power and technology to create soil conditions necessary to promote plant growth with minimal disturbance and soil loss (Motes, 2010). 3. An important modern agricultural technology that has gained prominence and much attention is biotechnology. Biotechnology is a technology based on genetic engineering or modification of crops. It allows the routine development of genetically modified (GM) plants in which Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) from any source can be transferred to specific crops (James, 2001). 4. There are divergent views on biotechnology as a sustainable technology for improved agricultural production. In recent times, concerns have been raised in Ghana about the benefits and/or potential risk of biotechnology and GM food to society. The purpose of this paper is to examine the benefits and risks/adverse effects of biotechnology and GM food to Ghana. This paper will limit its scope to the benefits, potential risks, and policy framework for the implementation of biotechnology and then make some recommendations. AIM 5. This paper seeks to examine the potential impact of biotechnology in the agricultural sector in Ghana and Africa with the view to making recommendations. BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD 6. Biotechnology combines cellular and bio molecular practices to develop technologies and products that aid improve the lives and vigour of our globe. Biological processes of microorganisms have been in use for over 6,000 years to create suitable food products, such as bread and cheese (www.bio.org). It offers opportunities to accelerate the efficiency and extent of further crop improvement by the transfer of genes conferring resistance to pests, diseases, herbicides and environmental stress, as well as quality traits such as improved post-harvest storage, flavour, nutritional content and colour (James, 2001). 7. Biotechnology, varying in scope, scale and practice in many developing countries, is full of entrepreneurial opportunities for the technological progress of the developing world. Its role in the economic transformation of Africa is well noted in academic and public dialogue (FAO 2001). Contemporary agriculture using biotechnology gives massive monetary benefits to consumers by improving living standards as food prices drop. Additionally, it increases incomes because it allows better purchasing power for other consumer goods, education, health care, etc. It is globally known that the growth of modern food system has been vital to the improvement of living standard in today’s world (Motes, 2010). 8. The use of biotechnology to modify the nutritional make-up of crops shows promise as a means for reducing malnutrition in developing countries including Ghana. While currently in research stages, modifications such as these could significantly improve the diets of hundreds of millions of people who live primarily on mono crops (PEW 2004). Also, biotechnology uses numerous processes and skills to change comparatively large, unpreserved and uneatable raw ingredients into more valuable shelf-stable and edible nourishments. This contributes to food security by minimizing losses in the food chain whiles increasing food quality, safety, availability and marketability (PEW 2004). 9. Biotechnology, if effec ­tively harnessed can fundamentally improve farming practice by dropping post-harvest loss whiles increasing crop resistance to drought. The application of tissue culture in the production of bananas for instance, has improved harvests for some farmers in parts of Kenya (Mbote, 2002). In order to reap the benefits of biotechnology, collective political commitment and will from all stakeholders at state and regional level is required to generate adequate funding, institutional reforms to efficiently and effectively promote biotechnology in Africa. 10. Biotech yields have contributed to meaningful reduction in the release of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural practices. Some biotech crops allow farmers to reduce pesticide use. Others allow farmers to leave crop residue on the land from one planting season to the next, providing a reduction or even elimination of the need to tilt the soil. The ability to leave crop residue from one year to the next also provides a natural â€Å"trap† for CO2 (Brookes et al, 2006). African leaders must build internal capability in science, technology and innovation so as to be able to determine the sustainability of practices associated with biotechnology. 11. Despite the potential benefits of this new technology in improving the reliability and quality of the world food supply, public and scientific concerns have been raised about the environmental and food safety of GM crops. Thus, the successive paragraphs will examine the concerns raised by the public in developing countries including Ghana. POTENTIAL RISKS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS 12. Biotechnology and GM food are associated with certain risks or concerns. These include food safety, environmental risks, high cost of production and adverse effects on food exports. These are examined in the ensuing paragraphs. 13. Environmental Concerns. The use of biotechnology as a modern method of production has adverse effects on the environment. The technology results in ecological pollution through the accidental gene transmission to weeds, formation of fresh viruses and toxins (Brookes et al, 2006). 14. Food Safety. According to Codex Aliment Arius Commission, 2009, food safety is a technical discipline that delivers guarantee that food will not be harmful to the customer when cooked or eaten according to its intended use. Biotechnology and GM food brings about change in nutritional class of foods, possible toxicity and potential allergy issues, and therefore do not guarantee food security (Uzogara, 2000). 15. High Cost of Production. The cost of production of genetically modified plants and animals are high and need a lot of initial investment. To get back the money that was invested into these productions, governments have introduced the idea of patents. In addition, the seeds harvested are sterile, compelling farmers to always get their supply of seeds from the corporate suppliers (ShaliniBalan 2011). As such growers in emerging nations requiring such seeds have to buy fresh seeds annually from the corporate suppliers owned by the developed nations (Whitman, 2000). The cost involved in such transactions cannot be overemphasised. African leaders must therefore put in place measures to ensure financial sustainability of research and extension services into food items that can be owned locally. 16. Effect on Food Exports. A viable risk of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) in emerging nations is the likely loss of export opportunities. These might be because some countries protect their marketplace from GMO’s and would not import GM foods. This would lead to an aggravation of the income gap between the rich and poor (ATTRA, 2006). In addition, GM monoculture crops like maize are being harvested for export and not primarily for local consumption. This may result in over dependency on Western companies and affect the life of traditional farmers. Absence of social security system, low harvests may also affect local farmers. The present provision for GMOs therefore endangers local crops and biodiversity (Kaphengst et al, 2013). POLLICY FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLIMENTATION 17. The President of Ghana adopted the Ghana Biosafety Act, 2011 (Act 831) in December 2011 after the passage of the Biosafety Bill by Parliament on 21 June 2011. The Act establishes the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) as the managerial figure that will see to the employment of all issues related to Biotechnology in Ghana. Crops approved by the NBA for confined trials include cowpea, high protein sweet potato, rice and cotton. However, cotton has been approved for field tests in Ghana. Ghana’s biosafety Act is deemed user friendly as it does not comprise any labelling requirements for GM food products or strict liability provisions. The Act creates an enabling environment for the development and commercialization of biotech seeds and crops (Ashitey, 2013). 18. In addition to regulations at the national level, professionals in AU countries have come together with initiatives aimed at guiding or advising biotechnology regulations at the regional-level. These initiatives can be divided into two categories. The first category comprises a basket of initiatives set up by or through networks of scientific researchers and research-based organizations such as national agricultural research centres. Initiatives from the first category are led by and often carry the imprint of the research community. These initiatives include the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern Central Africa (ASARECA). The second category comprises initiatives from regional intergovernmental organizations such as the AU itself, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS), and the East African Community (EAC). Initiatives of this category tend to have input from researchers, but also invo lve other communities of stakeholders such as citizen groups, industry and policymakers, with scientific civil servants often playing an coordinating role. At the AU level, for example, member countries have accepted what is called the African Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology. This constitutes a guiding framework for regulating biotechnology with a view to protecting Africa’s biodiversity, environment and health (Juma et al, 2007). CONCLUSION 19. Globally, technology has played a big role in developing the agricultural industry. With this technology, plants have been engineered to survive in drought conditions. Through genetic engineering, scientists have managed to introduce traits into existing genes with a goal of making crops resistant to droughts and pests as well as quality traits such as improved post-harvest storage, flavour, nutritional content and colour (para 6). 20. Biotechnology, varying in scope, scale and practice in many developing countries, is full of entrepreneurial opportunities for the technological progress of the developing world. Modern agriculture brings enormous economic and social benefits to consumers by improving quality of life and living standards as food costs decline (Para 7). 21. The use of biotechnology to modify the nutritional make-up of crops shows promise as a means of reducing malnutrition in developing countries. The cluster of techniques that comprise biotechnology can, if effec ­tively harnessed and applied, radically transform farming systems by reducing post-harvest loss and increasing crop resistance to drought. In order to reap the benefits of biotechnology, collective Political commitment and will from all stakeholders at state and regional level is required to generate adequate funding, institutional reforms to efficiently and effectively promote biotechnology in Africa (Para 8 and 9). 22. Despite the potential benefits of biotechnology to improve the reliability and quality of the world food supply, public and scientific concerns have been raised about the technology. These include food safety, environmental risks, high cost of production and adverse effects on food exports. African leaders must build internal capability in science, technology and innovation so as to be able to determine the sustainability of practices associated by biotechnology. Additionally, African leaders must therefore put in place measures to ensure financial sustainability of research and extension services into food items that can be owned locally (Para 10 and 12). 23. The President of the Republic of Ghana signed the Ghana Biosafety Act, 2011 (Act 831) in December 2011 following the passage of the Biosafety Bill by the Ghanaian Parliament, in June 21, 2011. The Act establishes the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) as the administrative body that will manage the implementation of all issues related to Biotechnology in Ghana. In addition to regulations at the national level, professionals in AU countries have come together in different forums and initiatives with the aim of guiding or advising biotechnology regulations at the regional-level (Para 17 and 18). 24. Conclusively, it clear from the above discussion that biotechnology has a potential positive impact on the agricultural industry in Ghana and Africa as a whole and should therefore be adopted for improved agricultural productivity. RECOMMENDATIONS 24. The following recommendations are made: a. There is the need for collective political commitment and will from all stakeholders at state and regional level to generate adequate funding, institutional reforms to efficiently and effectively promote biotechnology in Africa (pa(Brookes et al, 2006)ra 21). b. African leaders must build internal capability in science, technology and innovation to enable them determine the sustainability of practices associated with biotechnology (Para 22). c. African countries must ensure financial sustainability of research and extension services in biotechnology related activities (Para 22). NB ADOMBIRE-AKOLOGO Captain Student 1 RESTRICTED

personaliy theories :: essays research papers

1925 - present Theory Behaviorism, with its emphasis on experimental methods, focuses on variables we can observe, measure, and manipulate, and avoids whatever is subjective, internal, and unavailable -- i.e. mental. In the experimental method, the standard procedure is to manipulate one variable, and then measure its effects on another. All this boils down to a theory of personality that says that one’s environment causes one’s behavior. Bandura found this a bit too simplistic for the phenomena he was observing -- aggression in adolescents -- and so decided to add a little something to the formula: He suggested that environment causes behavior, true; but behavior causes environment as well. He labeled this concept reciprocal determinism: The world and a person’s behavior cause each other. Observational learning, or modeling Of the hundreds of studies Bandura was responsible for, one group stands out above the others -- the bobo doll studies. He made of film of one of his students, a young woman, essentially beating up a bobo doll. In case you don’t know, a bobo doll is an inflatable, egg-shape balloon creature with a weight in the bottom that makes it bob back up when you knock him down. Nowadays, it might have Darth Vader painted on it, but back then it was simply â€Å"Bobo† the clown. All these variations allowed Bandura to establish that there were certain steps involved in the modeling process: 1. Attention. If you are going to learn anything, you have to be paying attention. Likewise, anything that puts a damper on attention is going to decrease learning, including observational learning. If, for example, you are sleepy, groggy, drugged, sick, nervous, or â€Å"hyper,† you will learn less well. Likewise, if you are being distracted by competing stimuli. Some of the things that influence attention involve characteristics of the model. If the model is colorful and dramatic, for example, we pay more attention. If the model is attractive, or prestigious, or appears to be particularly competent, you will pay more attention. And if the model seems more like yourself, you pay more attention. These kinds of variables directed Bandura towards an examination of television and its effects on kids! 2. Retention. Second, you must be able to retain -- remember -- what you have paid attention to. This is where imagery and language come in: we store what we have seen the model doing in the form of mental images or verbal descriptions. personaliy theories :: essays research papers 1925 - present Theory Behaviorism, with its emphasis on experimental methods, focuses on variables we can observe, measure, and manipulate, and avoids whatever is subjective, internal, and unavailable -- i.e. mental. In the experimental method, the standard procedure is to manipulate one variable, and then measure its effects on another. All this boils down to a theory of personality that says that one’s environment causes one’s behavior. Bandura found this a bit too simplistic for the phenomena he was observing -- aggression in adolescents -- and so decided to add a little something to the formula: He suggested that environment causes behavior, true; but behavior causes environment as well. He labeled this concept reciprocal determinism: The world and a person’s behavior cause each other. Observational learning, or modeling Of the hundreds of studies Bandura was responsible for, one group stands out above the others -- the bobo doll studies. He made of film of one of his students, a young woman, essentially beating up a bobo doll. In case you don’t know, a bobo doll is an inflatable, egg-shape balloon creature with a weight in the bottom that makes it bob back up when you knock him down. Nowadays, it might have Darth Vader painted on it, but back then it was simply â€Å"Bobo† the clown. All these variations allowed Bandura to establish that there were certain steps involved in the modeling process: 1. Attention. If you are going to learn anything, you have to be paying attention. Likewise, anything that puts a damper on attention is going to decrease learning, including observational learning. If, for example, you are sleepy, groggy, drugged, sick, nervous, or â€Å"hyper,† you will learn less well. Likewise, if you are being distracted by competing stimuli. Some of the things that influence attention involve characteristics of the model. If the model is colorful and dramatic, for example, we pay more attention. If the model is attractive, or prestigious, or appears to be particularly competent, you will pay more attention. And if the model seems more like yourself, you pay more attention. These kinds of variables directed Bandura towards an examination of television and its effects on kids! 2. Retention. Second, you must be able to retain -- remember -- what you have paid attention to. This is where imagery and language come in: we store what we have seen the model doing in the form of mental images or verbal descriptions.

Van Helsing and the Unorthodox Monster Narrative

Rebecca Scheinert Monsters and Myths September 16th 2012 Van Helsing and Unorthodox Monster Narrative Monsters have become a regular fixture in the contemporary movie industry but it is important to remember these supernatural creatures were born from ancestors in nineteenth century gothic literature. These creatures were a cultural product of the social, scientific, and psychological concerns of a society that had lost its faith in religion. Each monster was a manifestation of a ubiquitous fear that remains relevant today.In the 2004 film rendition of Van Helsing, the director Stephen Sommers calls upon the famed vampire hunter from Bram Stoker’s Dracula to restore order to a world interweaving the plots of Frankenstein, and The Wolfman. The hero of Van Helsing has been stripped of any memory of his character’s history and triumphs but must seek to vanquish his enemy aided only my the folklore of 19th century Eastern Europe. Without a sense of identity, Van Helsing acc epts this task joined by the beautiful Anna Valerious who is cursed by her ancestors’ promise to destroy Dracula.The duo must face endless threats, apply knowledge of the occult, and confront their inner demons to reach the climatic final battle with Dracula where they must cling to their disappearing humanity in a world of monsters. Although Van Helsing and Dracula are dramatic foils for one another, their similarities become as apparent as their differences as the storyline develops. In this final scene from Van Hesling, Stephen Sommers employs and distorts traditional monster mythology to prove to its viewers that the dichotomy between hero and monster is not mutually exclusive.Initially, the physical character of the scene is the vehicle that transports its viewers from the couch in 2012 to the recognized world of monster myths. The viewers’ acceptance of the setting is imperative because it invokes a â€Å"willing suspension of disbelief† from the audience in which the time-honored mythology of the classic monsters’ stories is embraced as historical fact (Tudor 121). The horror film genre employs setting conventionally â€Å"to facilitate our entry into the fiction† where the unbelievable characters and events are embraced (Tudor 122).For this particular scene, the audience finds the characters in an archetypical gothic setting, the laboratory where Frankenstein was created (Van Helsing). In the Gothic tradition, writers â€Å"built plots around restless spirits, ageless monsters, and unresolved sins of the past that reappear to bedevil modern characters† (Worland 12). Stephen Sommers places the characters in their imagined place and time by interweaving â€Å"Frankenstein’s middle-European village, Dracula’s Transylvanian mountains, and The Werewolf of London’s fog-shrouded setting† into a location familiar to the genre audience.In this scene, the nineteenth century stylized lab is tal l and imposing with rich architectural detail. In the darkness of night, moments before midnight as indicated by the baroque clock, clusters of fire and blue electrical charges are the only source light. The midnight hour is universal symbol for the time when monsters roam the earth while the men sleep (Philips 515). The evident destruction in the laboratory conveys that it has already failed terrifically. The setting is a reminder that in gothic horror the â€Å"stakes are high because the struggle is mortal and metaphysical† (Worland 17).This elaborate laboratory is paradoxical setting because the events are occurring in a time with scientific knowledge but in a part of the world that remains unchanged by industrialization. Furthermore, by combining Frankenstein and Dracula, the powers of science are directly conflicting with the religious themes of the legend of Dracula (Tudor 87). While inside the burning laboratory it is evident that both science and religion have failed the characters. The integration of the monster’s settings is only the first device Sommers plays with.Horror operates through the tried strategy of â€Å"placing stereotypical characters in cumulatively eventful situations† which is a structure the audience expects through out the movie (Tudor 112). The genre hero is titled by Andrew Tudor as the â€Å"expert† and given the responsibility of bringing the world or disorder back to order. When we enter this scene in the shambled laboratory, it is undeniably recognized as disorder. Tudor goes onto say that â€Å"Dracula’s traditional opponent, Van Helsing† is the common ancestor of all of the genre’s experts (114). The original bestows VanHelsing with the capability and knowledge to vanquish Dracula but was written as â€Å"scholastic and eccentric† as a fold to a vampires ruthless charm (114). Sommers introduces Van Helsing in this scene defeated by battle, fragile, limping, and gaspin g for breathe. Although he is introduced as man, the identifiable wolf scratches across his chest and the striking of the clock foreshadow his transformation into a werewolf monster. Sommers reminds the audience of the human expert and monster foil when Dracula enters as a flying monster and Van Helsing enters as a wounded human.The audience is aware they are rooting for Van Helsing and weary of Dracula. Furthermore, Van Helsing’s monster is a werewolf, who are seen as â€Å"demonic innocents† entangled in a â€Å"complex web of ritualistic expectations† (117). A werewolf is a sympathetic monster because the audience can compartmentalize the humanity from the lupine cruelty by his separate physical forms. Van Helsing reluctantly assumes his monster form writhing during his transformation. However, he embraces his fate by tearing off his jacket and engaging in battle.Van Helsing’s internal conflict between embracing his monster form to complete his task to vanquish Dracula and fearing the loss of his human control is illustrated when he frightens himself from his lupine form into his human form while choking Dracula. This narrative trick confounds an active audience who is inclined to remain loyal to the expert protagonist who has become what he is destined to destroy. In addition, the characterization of Dracula in the scene manipulates religious iconography to further the juxtaposition between religion and science that was introduced in the setting.In this scene Dracula exhibits the expected traits of a vampire when speaking in his human form. He is â€Å"elegant† â€Å"clean† â€Å"attractive† but â€Å"evil† and manipulative (116). Upon discovering Van Helsing is now a monster as well he tries to coerce him into joining his fight. Dracula sees all monsters as equals on the side of evil united against humanity and the greater good, as â€Å"a part of the same great game† (Van Helsing). Dracula is a satanic character, the of the evil side in the eternal battle between good and evil.This character parallel is supplemented by the physical characterization of Dracula in his monster form. Sommers employs the standard devil veneer with horns, wings, and red coloring as a universal symbol for evil. Dracula is charming and sophisticated in his human form but as a monster he is the hideous disconfigured archetype for evil. This proves to the viewer the humans can be monsters and the monsters can appear as humans. The naked eye cannot discern between what is evil and what is good, even when the monster is as obvious and Judeo-Christian devil.In these cases, Sommer’s is manipulating with the monster iconography by transforming orthodox characters. Monster iconography has â€Å"developed through statements, repetition, and variations that the audience has come to understand† (Worland 18). There is an expected viewer response of hatred for monsters and empathy for humans, which the director is playing upon. Through this device, he makes the social commentary that any man has the ability to become a monster and there is a monster in all of us.At the same time, he is loyal to the narrative by making the expert an empathetic monster and Dracula a deceiving monster. Ultimately, the audience’s psychological response to the scene is necessary for Sommers to manipulate the genre’s traditions and mythology effectively. Through out the scene there is a shock cycle of tension construction and release. Within the smaller context of a singular scene, the microscopic shock cycle will build and release pressure, keeping viewers engaged until end (Tudor 109).There is relief with the â€Å"grotesque and painful end† of Dracula. Rick Worland titles this event a â€Å"bad death† that challenges the traditional conceptions of mortality and the social good (8). The audience does not feel sadness for the revolting murder of Dracula but they ex perience devastation at the loss of Anna. Although Anna’s death is more troubling to the audience, the producers do not let us see her â€Å"bad death†. Anna is mauled by Van Helsing as a werewolf as well but in a moment of suspense and ambiguity we can only see the back of the werewolf’s body.While the audience watches this genre for the suspense and gore, it is still troublesome to see the end of the heroine. The audience can digest her death as a necessary sacrifice and the final shock rather than cruel an unusual when they are spared the visual impact of her death. This can also be looked at through a Freudian perspective. Freud advocated a â€Å"resonation of the return of any actions or desires repressed by the dominant social order† through experiences such as watching horror movies or nightmares (Worland 15).All of the audience members have felt repression, whether it is from an external societal source or an internal repression of feelings or mem ories. The monster is a manifestation of this repression. All varieties of repression can be overcome by vicariously living through this scene because the monster is both a triumphant hero and a defeated antagonist. In the end there is silence and the tension is released because both monster threats has been nullified. Antithetically, because of the dual bad deaths, the audience is left to contemplate if the ends justified the means.The audience has released their feelings of repression through the shock cycle but is left to contemplate the questionable victory and the tragic death long after the scene is complete. At the heart of this scene, Sommers challenges viewers to question the traditional protagonist and antagonist relationship in the movie and with the audience. He does this by presenting characters and settings that elicit expectations for the course of the scene’s plotline. Then, by choosing a different path, there is a psychological response from the engaged viewe r.Over the course of the brief scene, there are series of surprises that are not from the blood and gore but from the distortion of century old stories. At the conclusion of the scene, the audience has worked through feelings of repression by witnessing the destruction of two monsters and the death of two characters but are more importantly inspired to question what the true manifestation of good and evil are. Works Cited Phillips, William H. Film: An Introduction. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin's, 1999. Print. Tudor, Andrew. Monsters and Mad Scientists: A Cultural History of the Horror Movie. Oxford [England: B. Blackwell, 1989. Print. Van Helsing . Dir. Stephen Sommers. Perf. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale. Universal, 2004. DVD. Van Helsing . YouTube. YouTube, 16 June 2011. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. ;http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=jr60kvuKw3w;. Worland, Rick. The Horror Film: An Introduction. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. , 2007. Print.

Glaswegian public’s perception of the impact of the economic recession and how it has affected consumer behavior The WritePass Journal

Glaswegian public’s perception of the impact of the economic recession and how it has affected consumer behavior Rationale Glaswegian public’s perception of the impact of the economic recession and how it has affected consumer behavior RationaleResearch objectives:Research questions: Literature reviewMethodologyThe research purpose:Research strategySampling strategyMethodsTimelineEthics of the researchRelated Rationale Consumption, in which consumers have a central role, plays a significant role in the wider economic system and for any business organization involved in providing products or services to the public (Gabbott, 2008). In other words, as pointed out by Gabbott (2008), the market will not exist without individuals behaving as consumers. Purchasing behaviour figures reflect the well-being of the economy and also reflect its prevailing trends at any given time. Therefore, the study of consumer purchasing behaviours could demonstrate whether or not an economy is progressing well. In a context of economic recession, which could be seen via the 1930s crisis and especially in the contemporary decline of the economy, the consumer market has been dealing with a big challenge (Hermann, 2009; Nistorescu and Puiu, 2009). Buyers react to any change in the economic situation around them by changing their spending habits. This happens due to a change in the levels of their perception of risk that is in fluenced directly or indirectly by income changes, high inflation, unemployment and interest rate. There are some different arguments around these issues but few of them raised the question on if policies are effective to solve the issue. Therefore, establishing how much consumers understand the current situation and the policies designed to tackle it are crucial, in order to assess how their behaviour has been affected. Research objectives:    To evaluate the extent of the public’s understanding of the effects of the financial crisis.    To evaluate the extent of the public’s understanding of government policy to influence purchasing and saving behaviour.    To establish if the public’s purchasing behavior has been affected. Research questions:    How much do the Glawegian’s public understand the effect of the recent recession?   Ã‚   How much do the Glaswegian’s public understand the government policy to influence purchasing and saving behaviour.   Ã‚   Whether or not the public’s purchasing behavior has been affected? and how much? Literature review Understanding buyer behaviours is of great importance and significance for successful marketing campaigns and business management. Consumer purchasing habits could be various including intricate trends. It is very hard to predict the level of intricacy of the decision-making process of consumers. The study of consumer behaviour is defined as the processes that individuals or groups perform making their buying decision in order to satisfy their needs (Hutchison, 2010; Perner, 2008).   The purchasing process can be seen in five stages. Beginning with emergence of a need which is a potential demand (Kotter, 1991), the consumer then start searching for information associated to that need. After evaluating some different alternatives, converting browsers to buyer is made with the most suitable one. The last stage comes after purchasing, when the buyer evaluates the choice made (Hutchison, 2010). It can be identified that the primary determination of buying behaviour is highly influenced by internal and external factors which initially emerge on the need of consumer (Chaudhuri, 2006). This means that beside some basic internal factors such as favourite, appetite, there is also a set of external factors as the environment surrounding the consumer and influencing their purchasing choices, in which economic circumstance is one elemental participant. The financial crisis, which appeared from 2007, has pushed the world economy into a time of deep downturn. This inevitably leaded to an enormous influence on the economic and social aspects of consumers or spending habits for instance. As stated by Nistorescu and Puiu (2009), during recessions, the spending pattern of people is likely to change. This could be caused by the change in their perception of risk. In addition, in terms of psychological thought, they tend to spend less or almost no money on luxury products, even if they still could afford to do so. Only vital demands and product of cheaper brands could be considered and also the rational point of view on promotion is examined more carefully as comparing products based on price rather than quality (Nistorescu and Puiu, 2009). Based on Flatters’ and Willmott’s (2009, pp 106-108) methodology by comparing response of people during recession with their behaving before that, consumer’s behavioural change coul d be absorbed as the relationship between how much they are willing to pay and their perception of the value they are receiving. However, the method seems to be not easy to achieve a precise result, as known that their attitude is not only involved an economic aspect but also a social feature. All increasing unemployment or even falling of wages, rising inflation and interest rates or taxes, which are recognised as the cue of a slowdown of the economy, are facts that affect the consumers in almost all national markets. The economic decline is frequently accompanied by concerns about job security for employees. As noted by Katona (1974), during the recession consumers are motivated to save more because of threats associated to their income. On his view, that saving rates depend on the economic situation and psychological factor. Hence, the more serious impact is on people who directly have been harmed by decreasing wages or cutting jobs. Nonetheless, this concept may not justify accurately the behavioural buying of people who is influenced by uncertain salary. In some cases, consumers in different levels of change in earning behaved the same in their new saving patterns. Another important sector, which is reflected in climbing of price, is inflation. Higher prices and money depreciation are identified to be the main factors preventing the consumers from sustaining consumer’s usual levels of spending. As explained by Lambin and Jacques (1993), during inflationary time, all cost tend to increase, therefore, raising product price is often necessary for maintaining profit of company at an acceptable level. Again, this causes decline in sale revenue or in other words, consumers reduce their spending. Nevertheless, tax and interest rate, which are the important factors influenced on buyer’s attitude throughout non-observation, are not mentioned even though they could be the big agents of inflation. Moreover, the psychological outcomes of the recession have extended worldwide as a huge concern. According to Dholakia and Sidney (1987), the overall outcome of depleted economic circumstances influences on consumer feelings of difficulty, lack of confidence and hardship. Building on the pioneering study of George Kantona, Solomon (2009) states that whether the extent of the health of an economy is likely to be optimistic depend on the confidence of consumer about future. However, the perception about this effect of the economy is distinct and can be classified into some cohorts like age, marital status, household size, education, income and so on (Amalia and Ionut, 2009). In contrast, the psychological impact is a very wide aspect and should be studied in particular area. Some studies seem to be broad when merging a general trend of the impact of the economic recession on purchasing behaviours over the world. This leads to difficulties of giving accurate evaluations. The effect depends on particular society with its own economic system including policies. There are also very few research on reaction of consumer on the reform projects of government in context of the recession such as modifying tax and interest rate. The best way to know whether a new trial policy is developing properly is observing how people are understanding and responding it. Therefore, this research task is to find the answer for the question: what is going on in the consumer’s mind in this context of the economic recession within Glasgow city, based on the Glaswegian’s public attitudes. The mission of policy and its effects are also studied by evaluating consumer’s knowledge on it. Methodology    The research purpose: In terms of expectations for converting the research objectives to new knowledge, this project expects to establish the level of change in consumer’s mind, such as the extent of consumer’s understanding of the impacts of the recent economic decline and understanding the impacts of reform policies of government and also how its effects on their purchasing habits by comparing different perceptions from different factors and different classes of society in Glasgow. On the other hand, in order to build up new knowledge based on foundations of previous researches, a literature review is vital to help understanding the basic background and the emerged issue (Saunders et al, 2009, p 61). This secondary information was critically reviewed some researches on changes of consumer behaviours in situations of the economic crisis to recognise the issues, such as lack of study on consumer’s understanding the effect of the situation and the effect of the policies, which need to fulfill in the primary research phase. Research strategy To come up with the study of people’s attitudes on the effect of the recent recession, a survey strategy seems to be appropriate by its advantages in colleting a large amount of data with a quick timeline (Saunders et al, 2008, pp144-145). In addition, the data collected will be easy to compare between attitudes from different groups by statistical calculations. In deed, aim to discover the general attitudes of participant, questionnaire system will be operated as a quantitative approach. These data could be assembled according to the majority rule. However, the data collected from questionnaire is unlikely to be much wide-ranging because the numbers of question could be limited and sometimes it cannot cover all aspects expected. Thus, there may be also involved non-standardised interviews in order to collect in-depth information (Kumar, 2005). The qualitative answers could be variable and should be criticised consistent with quantitative evidences, in order to establish if th e public’s purchasing habit has been affected. Sampling strategy It is impossible to ask every individual in Glasgow for collecting data. Therefore, only a limit amount of population will be selected to conduct an outcome of entire citizen. As stated by Saunders et al (2008,p212), studying on the populations, in which an appropriate amount of people is chosen to sample, could stand for a whole. It will be involved a variable number of Glaswegian’s publics. This means that the major, the location, the age and the sex of participants will be expected to come from different areas. A probability of sampling will be used to include 100 participants, which seem to be enough to have an effective result. It means that each individual will be selected random or they have an equal opportunity of being involved or not. This aims to gain an equal outcome when data is averaged. The process will be started around city centre of Glasgow and then expand to some greater places or probably countryside as well. Methods In order to undertake a general attitude of respondents about the effect of the recent economic recession, a questionnaire system, which is a data collection technique in which each participant responds to the same list of questions (Saunders et al, 2008, p360), seems to be an effective choice. This series of questions is designed following categories: the level of understanding of impact of the downturn, the level of understanding the purpose of the government policy, the level of the change their habits. Within each these patterns, possible questions will be listed in detail. It is expected to include 30 questions, which are brief and quality. Then, some interviews, in which revealing the answers of the â€Å"why† questions is a big advantage (Saunders, 2008, p323), could be made with some additional questions if they are necessary. These interviews could be on discovering other factors, which are not mentioned on questionnaire, are influencing people’s buying habits during this hard time. The numbers of interviewee may be 10 people chosen from different cohorts. Timeline With a limit of time for undertaking this research, a systematic timeline is truly essential. Since the proposal was completed, it should be taken few days for updating literature and starting some writing drafts. Two weeks then should be spent on preparing some materials for interviews and designing questionnaire including sampling plan. The collection data process could take quite long time by looking for participants and travelling. A suggestion for this is 2 weeks. Data collected will be converted to database on computer and will be turned to calculation of statistics. This whole process is expected to spend about 1 week and a haft. The important step is a comparison of results gained with literatures.   This step is estimated to cost around 2 weeks. Two or three weeks later should be spent on writing project and fixing any error, which could emerge. This whole project is planed for around 10 or 11 weeks. Ethics of the research Ethics, as defined by Cooper and Schindler (2008:34, cited in Saunders et al, 2009, p.184), is the â€Å"norms or standards of behaviour that guide moral choices about our behaviour and our relationships with others†. Thus, a research conducted must methodologically and morally guarantee to every individual who are both directly and indirectly related (Saunders et al, 2009). In addition, this should be sustained during the whole research stages and after its outcome released as well. Based on this principle, this proposal is following the ethics below: The data of participants will be treated confidentially and anonymously as ensuring that theirs privacy is stored securely and safely (Bell, 2005, pp.48-49). They are also informed clearly the goal and process of research in which they are to be engaging and inclusively their role. A consent form, which contains detail of legal rights, privacy, use of participant’s data, recording of interview and so on, will be made carefully. They will be aware of their rights in which they are able to withdraw partly or totally from research at anytime with no reason (Bera, 2004). This mean that they could reject any question they do not want to respond. This research will be undertaken by getting involvement of attitudes of the public in Glasgow. Any sensitive issue and also any effect, which is seemed to be immoral and harmful to any one, will be avoided fully from its design to its achievement. Reference Amalia, P., and Ionut, P. (2009). Consumers’ reaction and organizational response in crisis context, The Journal of the Faculty of Economics. University of Oradea. 1(5) pp. 779-782. Bell. (2005) chapter 3: Ethics and Integrity in Research. Bera (2004) Revised ethical guidelines for education research. From:www.bera.ac.uk/publications/guides.php Chaudhuri, A. (2006) Emotion and Reason in Consumer Behaviour. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Dholakia, R. R. and Sidney, J. L. (1987) ‘Effect of recent economic experiences on consumer dreams, goals and behavior in the United States’ Journal of Economic Psychology. 8: pp. 429-444. Flatters, P., and Willmott, M. (2009). Understanding the post-recession consumer. Harvard Business Review. 7(8) pp.106-112. Gabbott, M. (2008) ‘Consumer behavior’ in Micheal J. Baker and Susan Hart (eds). The Marketing Book. Oxford: Elsevier. Hermann, S. (2009) ‘The crisis and customer behaviour: eight quick solutions’ Journal of Customer Behaviour. Vol. 8, Issue 2, p177-186. Hutchison, T. (2010) ‘Markets, Market Segmentation, and Consumer Behavior’ in Thomas Hutchison, Amy Macy, and Paul Allen (eds). Record Label Marketing. Oxford: Elsevier. Katona, G. (1974) ‘Psychology and Consumer Economics’ Journal of Consumer Research. 1 pp. 1-8. Kotter, P. (1991) Marketing management, 7th edn. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice – Hall Inc. pp 539-541. Kumar, R. (2005) Research methodology: a step-by-step guide for beginners. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Lambin and Jacques, J. (1993) Strategic Marketing Management. England: McGraw-Hill Book Company. Nistorescu, T. and Puiu, S. (2009) Marketing strategies used in crisis case study. MPRA Paper 17743. Germany: University Library of Munich. Perner, L. (2008) Consumer behaviour: the psychology of marketing. University of Southern California. consumerpsychologist.com viewed 24/01/11. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2009) Research methods for business students. England: Pearson Education Limited. Solomon, M. (2009) Consumer behaviour, buying, having being. USA: Pearson Education Inc.