Mentorship through Maslow’s Self-actualisation: Teaching, Learning and Assessment Theories

Introduction The past decades has seen the rise in mentorship programmes targeting individuals and groups. Interest in mentoring programmes has been fuelled in part by the increased recognition that mentorship results into positive relationships between the mentored and the adult mentors, which have been noted to promote resilience among youths (Wilson and Peterson, 2006). In other words, mentoring is a critical aspect of human growth with the ability to transform an individual’s hidden ability into an elite performer. However, it should never be assumed that the essential features of the natural association between an adult mentor and a young mentee is enough to influence the process of mentorship leading to satisfactory results. Moreover, most research studies have mainly focused on mentee benefits, while ignoring their motivation and interests. Because of its multidisciplinary nature, mentorship requires a multidimensional approach to issues. As such, various theories have been proposed to enhance mentorship programme’s effectiveness. Maslow’s humanistic theory is based on the notion that experience is the basic phenomenon in the study and understanding of human learning behaviour (Kenrick, 2010). Maslow emphasises on the importance of choice, creativity, values and self-actualisation as distinctive human qualities, indicating that meaningfulness and subjectivity are more significant than objectivity. In other words, Maslow rejects the behaviourism and psychoanalysis because of the belief that it leads to over-reliance on human frailty at the expense of human strengths. This paper expounds on how a mentor can use Maslow’s theory of self-actualisation to facilitate mentorship success, through the theories of teaching, learning and assessments. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs It’s prudent to highlight the Maslow’s five hierarchy of needs and what these needs stand for, before delving into how the last need, self-actualisation, is essential for a successful mentorship programme. Maslow developed hierarchy of needs, which is based on the study of psychology focusing on the subjective experiences and freewill. In other words, human needs do change through a person’s lifespan (Kenrick, et al., 2010). Maslow, thus, ranks the human needs from most basic physical needs to the most advanced self-actualisation. These ranks, which are often referred to as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are: psychological needs, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualisation. While physiological needs include essential things like food, air, water and any other factor that contribute to the human survival, the need for safety include issues to do with environmental security, job security, resource availability, healthcare and property ownership among others. In many instances, the loss for safety is experienced during economic crisis or a country experiencing a disaster. The sense of belonging, as another need, includes love, sense of friendship, intimacy, and family belonging among other needs. Belongingness is thus established after safety and physiological needs have been assured. But there is exception to this rule particularly where peer pressure is involved, which may lead an individual to solicit for belongingness to satisfy a societal standards. Then there esteem, a need that include issues such as confidence, self-esteem, and respect among others. This level of need builds on the need for interpersonal elements of need such as love and belonging through the elements of being accepted and valued. It may lead to a close interaction between a mentor and a mentee, which often results to development of strong interpersonal and communication skills to the latter (Lunsford, 2011). Lastly is the self-actualisation, which includes factors such as moral behaviour, creative thinking, and problem solving abilities. Self-actualisation, considered the most significant of all needs, is the driver of every other aspect of human need (McGuire, 2011). The theory of teaching, learning and assessment In order to facilitate the impact of mentorship, a mentor may use various approaches of teaching, learning and assessment. Individuals have their own specific way of learning and to recognise that everyone does not learn the same way. As such, the contemporary concept of learning views it as a process of active engagement (Craig, 2013; Wilson and Peterson, 2006). A mentor influences a mentee through provision of appropriate structure, expression of positive expectation, advocating and explaining, administering challenges to learners, provision of vision that is able to sustain the interests of the learners. According to Feeney (2007), for mentorship to be effective, mentees must be guided on a journey at the end of which the mentee develops into a different and become more accomplished. In the perspective of Maslow’s theory, a mentee is more likely to develop better career path if their interactions with their mentors is holistic. That is, mentees’ specific needs may directly influence their relationships with their mentors. For a mentorship programme to success, a mentor can focus on giving greater consideration in mentoring practice. Mentorship as processes of active engagement One of the most critical aspects of education and learning over the past few decades is the move away from the concept that â€Å"learner is a sponge† toward an image of â€Å"learner as active constructor of meaning† (Israel et al., 2014: 954). The contemporary theory of learning focuses on behaviour. In this aspect a particular behaviour will lead to another and that when a mentor act in a certain way, the mentee will also act in a certain way as well. The reasons why modern teaching, learning and assessment theories go hand-in-hand with Maslow’s theory, is that teachers hardly have control over the students’ ability to learn. This may also be replicated in mentoring, with a form of teaching that encourages mentors to facilitate learning process both within and outside their scope of control. Some of the things a mentor needs to observe is whether the mentee is motivated, comfortable with the learning methods employed, interested, and whether the learning environment encourages interactions. These requirements are all contained in the Maslow’s theory of self-actualisation. Holistic learning theory provides the basic premise of mentorship as it gives individual personality, which is comprised of elements such as intellect, emotions, desire, intuition and imagination (Lunsford, 2011). For learning to take place and be effective, all these elements must be activated. This is in line with Maslow’s theory that is based on the perspective that a person’s drive to learn is intrinsic, and is purposefully meant to achieve self-actualisation. In essence, the goal of a mentor should include the process of helping the mentee to achieve the desired self-actualisation of a mentee. In order to achieve the desired outcomes, it is necessary for mentors to establish relationships between mentors and mentees, which encourage patterns of regular contact over a significant period of time. Mentorship as a social phenomenon: the social theory of learning Another significant shift in the mentorship field is the growing awareness among mentorship theorists is that learners and mentees need social environment to facilitate learning and enhance the full benefit of mentorship. While previous learning theorists put more emphasis on individual learning, the current work places more emphasis on the critical role of social groups in the development of understanding and enhancement of mentorship success. Even though solitude and silent background provide good opportunities that are likely to favour learning process, the social occasions involved in various discussions, conversations, debate and partnership or group working equally play a critical role in the learning outcome. For example, small children may refer to everything with four legs as â€Å"dog†, but learn to separate a dog from a cat with time as they pronounce the names publicly and an adult gently amend their pronunciation. This kind of approach to learning sometimes is ref erred to as ‘activity theory’, which can be traced psychologist Vygotsky, 1981 (cited in Lunsford, 2011: 479), who theorised that social world has a strong influence on individual’s development. Self-actualisation, as one of Maslow’s five hierarchies of needs, deals with the idea of setting a sense of problem solving. A mentor can use the social interaction to enhance their mentees develop more problem- solving skills. The common concept about self-actualisation is that knowledge and practice is inseparable, because humans learn or know by doing (McGuire, 2011; Wilkes, 2006). This means that a mentor can look at mentees as they are doing something meaningful, such as solving an authentic problem, in case they want to understand what the mentees’ level of understanding. Learner difference as a resource Another significant shift that people have adopted is the value placed on individual and group differences. Quinn and Hughes (2007) observe that one of the self-evident truths of schooling is that learners come with varied experiences, capabilities, understandings, and backgrounds. As a person seeks mentorship to achieve high-quality of what they value most in their lives, the differences between individuals continue to widen. For example, as school environments become more democratic, teachers/ mentors are forced to learn to deal with the inherent differences that exist between the students/mentees. While in the traditional model of teaching, teachers often used the â€Å"deficit model† of students to draw and plan the learning process, modern teaching, based on mentorship, emphasises that the difference between mentees should be treated as a resource. This approach is in line with Maslow’s self-actualisation, which embraces the difference between individuals’ growth, which is treated as personal and fulfillment of one’s own potentials. A mentor, using this perspective, will focus on the difference between individual mentees as strength rather than a weakness, by focusing on each mentee’s own volition of success. In essence, a mentor should not use a standardised approach to building individual mentee’s personality. According to Maslow (1987, cited in Kenrick, 2010, p.4), a self-actualised person has a great sense of awareness, which allow them to maintain a near constant enjoyment of life. They often engage in activities that facilitate the feeling of unity with possible meaningful outcome. They also tend to develop some degree of acceptance for all that seem unchangeable as well as level of spontaneous and stamina to work on what is changeable (Kenrick, 2010). In essence, a self-actualised indiv idual has developed a complete and coherent personality that enables them to dictate their life’s direction. A mentor can use this approach by applying theories of learning to help them: Utilise and provide value to the contribution that a mentee brings to the table during the assessment process; Undertake, facilitate and act upon feedback from a mentee with regard to effectiveness of the learning environment; Allow the mentee to have some personal time for reflection of their personal as well as professional development; Provide value-oriented and timely feedback and evaluation of individual mentee’s level of proficiency (Gopee, 2011). The Theory of teaching for understanding The other shift that mentors have redirect their concern is based on assumptions that knowledge is based on what a mentee is to learn. Nicklin and Kenworthy (eds) (2003) state that this theory is no longer based on what mentees quietly master or learn, but is based on the contemporary educational reform that demands that students possess more flexible comprehension of issues in a broader concept. In other words, learners must not only know the basics but also how to use those basic skills to identify and solve non-traditional problems. Alternatively, the use of critical thinking is meant to emphasise teaching for understanding. This theory has specific underlying assumptions that to be considered competent in a specific field, one must master core ideas, concepts and facts, and more importantly, its processes of inquiry and arguments. Conclusion Although critics of Maslow’s self-actualisation believe that this approach of teaching and learning oversimplifies complicated ideas, it may not be right to suggest that ideas about learning, learners, and knowing are either mutually exclusive or monolithic. If anything, the compatibility of these ideas is one of the reasons for their popularity in the last three decades. The idea of developing skills needs to be holistic, and mentors need to adopt methods that would embrace the contemporary theories of teaching, learning and assessments to increase the effectiveness of mentorship. A mentor’s role in practice placement is critical helping a mentee go through successful learning and assessment process. Although the relationship that may develop between a mentor and a mentee is quite complicated, it is essential to establish certain form of association that allows a mentor to provide support while at the same time remain objective and analytical as well. From the perspective of a mentee, a good mentor is teacher who nurtures, while at the same time remains a ‘knowledgeable friend’ (Wikes, 2006). Maslow’s self- actualisation need can guide a mentor through identification of essential factors that would lead to a mentee becoming self-actualised. A mentor can facilitate the success of a mentorship process by jointly defining realistic expectations of their relationship with a mentee, to increase opportunities for understanding and trust. References Craig, C.A., Allen, M.W., Reid, M.F. Riemenschneider, C.K., and Armstrong, D.J. (2013) The impact of career mentoring and psychological mentoring on affective organisational commitment, job involvement, and turnover intention. Administration & Society, 45 (8): 949-973. Feeney, M.K. (2007) Toward a useful theory of mentoring: a conceptual analysis and critique. Administration & Society, 39 (6): 719-739. Gopee, N. (2011) Mentoring and Supervision in Healthcare. London: SAGE. Israel, M., Kamman, M.L., McCray, E.D., and Sindelar, P.T. (2014). Mentoring in action: The interplay among professional assistance, emotional support, and evaluation. Exceptional Children, 81 (1): 45-63. Kenrick, D. (2010) Rebuilding Maslow’s pyramid on an evolutionary foundation. Psychologytoday: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a therapist. Retrieved July 16, 2010 from http:/www.psycologytoday.com/blog/sec-murder-and-the-meaning-life/201005/rebuilding maslow-s-pyramid-evolutionary-foundation. Kenrick, D.T., GrisKevicius, v., Neuburg, S.L., and Schaller, M. (2010). Renovating the pyramidof needs: Contemporary extensions built upon ancient foundations. Perspectives onPsychological Science, from http://www.csom.umn.edu/assets/144040.pdf. Lunsford, L.G. (2011). Psychology of mentoring: The case of talented college students. Journal of Advanced Academics, 22 (3): 474-498. McGuire, K.J. (2011). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Munich, GRIN Publishing GmbH. ISBN 978-3656-23495-1. Nicklin, N. and Kenworthy, N. (eds) (2003) Teaching and assessing in Nursing Practice: An Experimental Approach. London: Bailliere Tindall. Quinn, F.M. and Hughes, S.J. (2007) Quinn’s principles and Practice of Nurse Education (5th edition). Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Wilkes, Z (2006) The Student-Mentor relationship: a review of the literature. Nursing Standard. 20 (37). 42-47. Wilson, S., and Peterson, P.L. (2006) Theories of learning and teaching: what do they mean for educatorsWorking Paper. Available: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED495823.pdf [Accessed 12/12/2014].

Basketball Essay

Basketball is a very popular sport worldwide.Basketball is now the second most popular sport in the world. Women’s basketball is also a popular sport, even though it does not receive nearly as much attention as men’s basketball. Basketball has been played in the Summer Olympic Games since 1936. HISTORY In early December 1891, James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts invented an indoor game called basketball. He invented the sport to keep his students from becoming bored during the winter.Naismith wrote the basic rules and then nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot tall pole. Unlike modern basketball hoops, the bottom of the peach-basket was still there, so after a point was scored, somebody had to get the ball out of the basket with a long stick. Over time, people made a hole at the bottom of the basket so the ball could go through more easily. The score of the first game of basketball ever played was 1 – 0. There is a sculpture in Springfield, where the first game was played. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is also in Springfield. RULES AND THE GAME The aim of basketball is to score more points than your opponents. Baskets can be worth 1, 2, or 3 points. You get points by shooting the ball into the opponents’ basket. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. Equipment The court, where the game is played, is a rectangle shape, and at both endlines there is a goal called a â€Å"hoop† in the shape of a circular basket with the bottom cut out. In each game of basketball these things are required: Basketball Basketball court Basketball hoop and backboard Players Referee Teams Basketball is played with two teams, with 5 players from each team on the court at one time. The players that are not on the court can sit on the bench; the maximum number of players on the bench differs by league. In international play, a maximum of 7 players are allowed on the bench, resulting in a roster of 12 players. The NBA has 13-player rosters; college and high school teams usually have 15-player rosters. When a player wants to substitute for another player on the court they let the score bench know. The referees will signal for the player waiting to come onto the court. The player that went into the game is now playing and the player that was playing is sitting on the bench. Each team is allowed to have a coach and can have an assistant coach if they want. On the bench with the substitutes, a team is allowed to have up to five team followers, such as a manager, a doctor and an interpreter. Playing Regulations A game of basketball is made up of four quarters, each ten (or in the National Basketball Association 12,) minutes long. At the start of every game the referee throws the basketball up in the air, and one player from each team tries to hit it to their teammates, that is called a â€Å"jump ball.† At the start of each quarter the team who has the possession arrow pointing towards their hoop gets the ball. Then the arrow is switched, and the next team gets the ball next quarter. After four quarters, the team who scores the most points wins. If the two teams score the same number of points, there is a five-minute â€Å"overtime† to see who can score more points. â€Å"Overtime† can be played over and over until one team finally scores more points. While playing the game, players on one team try to stop players on the other team from scoring. Each normal score is worth two points; however, if a player throws the ball into the hoop from behind the large arced line on the court, called the â€Å"3-point line,† the score is worth three points. If you do something illegal in the game, it is called a â€Å"foul.† If you foul someone on the other team while he is shooting the basketball, the player who was fouled gets to shoot â€Å"free throws† from the â€Å"foul line†. A free throw is a shot that no one is allowed to try to block. Each successful free throw is worth one point. If you foul a player who is not shooting, the other team gets the ball, and can throw it â€Å"in bounds† from the â€Å"sideline.† Players can do three things with the ball: â€Å"dribble† (bounce) the ball,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"pass† the ball to a teammate, or â€Å"shoot† the ball at the hoop. The player with the ball tries to keep the ball and not let the other team get it. Once a player commits five fouls, he is no longer allowed to play in the game, and player on the bench must go in the game immediately. OFFICIALS In a game of basketball there are a number of people who are not from either team, that are there to help. They are called officials. Officials are very important because without them the game would not run as efficiently. Here is a list of some of these people: Umpire There are either one or two umpires in a game of basketball. It is the umpires’ job to make the game more fair by enforcing the rules of the game. The umpires take into consideration the spirit and intent of the player before making any call. In the NBA and WNBA, the term â€Å"umpire† is not used; the person who has this role is called the referee. Referee The use of this term varies between rule sets. Under the rules of FIBA (the worldwide governing body for the sport), the NCAA (U.S. college basketball), and NFHS (U.S. high schools), there is one referee in a game of basketball. He is the â€Å"head† umpire. The referee has all the jobs of the umpires along with a couple more responsibilities. He is also the one that makes the final decision for most problems and is the one who throws the ball up for the tip off the start of the match. Time Keeper There is one timekeeper whose job is to keep track of the time and to tell the umpires when time for each quarter has run out. He is also in control of adding the scores onto the scoreboard. Scorekeeper There is one scorekeeper whose job is to keep track of and record all points scored, shots attempted, fouls made and timeouts called. Assistant Scorekeeper There is one assistant scorekeeper in a game of basketball. his job is to assist the scorekeeper, by telling him the players who score points, and to hold up a number for each foul called, showing everyone the number of fouls the specified player has for the game. Shot Clock Operator There is one shot clock operator and his job in to keep resetting and holding the device when needed or told to by an umpire. This person needs to have good reflexes and quickness, as he has to quickly reset the timer when the game resumes. It should also be noted that fans and media in North America will often use â€Å"referee† to  describe all on-court officials, whether their formal titles are â€Å"referee†, â€Å"umpire†, or â€Å"crew chief†. BASKETBALL TERMS There are some basketball terms which players have to understand when playing the game. Here are some terms: Free throw is a basketball throw from the free-throw line from either personal, technical, unsportsmanlike or disqualifying fouls. Each free-throw made is worth one point. The amount of free-throws attempted are determined by the following: missed field goal and a drawn foul will result in 2 free throws made field goal and a drawn foul will result in 1 free throw missed 3-point attempt and a drawn foul will result in 3 free throws made 3-point attempt and a drawn foul will result in 1 free throw unsportsmanlike foul will result in 2 free throws and the same team’s possession. (In the NBA and WNBA, this foul is called a â€Å"flagrant foul†, with the same penalty.) technical foul will result in 2 free throws and the same team’s possession. (In the NBA and WNBA, technical fouls result in 1 free throw instead of 2.) Field goal is any made shot in normal play. Field goals are worth 2 points, unless the shooter was outside the three-point line, in which case it is worth 3 points. Personal foul is any contact, committed by a player of the other team, thought, by the umpires, to have caused a disadvantage. Technical foul is a violation of certain basketball rules. They include: fighting or threatening to fight with another person  entering the basketball court when it is not a substitution time a player being out of bounds (away from the court) to gain an advantage having too many players play on the court  refusing to sit on the bench  returning to play when a player is disqualified (loses his privileges to play) yelling and/or swearing at another player or an official Rebound is the act of catching the basketball after a shot has been attempted, but missed. Assist is to pass a teammate the ball, which then the teammate immediately shoots into the basketball ring successfully. 2-3 dribbles are allowed after catching the ball for assist to be counted. Steal is to take the ball away from a person who is dribbling, shooting or passing without physically touching the person (committing a foul). Turnover is when  the team that controls the ball loses control and the other team gains control. Walkover is the automatic victory of a team if the opposing team withdraws, is disqualified or there is not any competition at all. Substitution is the act of replacing a player from the court to an another player sitting on the bench. Double dribble is when a player dribbles the ball and picks it up and then dribbles it again without having shot or passed it. Dribbling the ball with two hands is also a double dribble. If a player double dribbles, the ball is automatically given to the other team. Carry is when a player physically turns the ball over with their hands whilst dribbling it. Travel is when a player in possession of the ball moves both feet without dribbling the ball. If a player travels, the ball is automatically given to the opposing team. Shot clock is a clock designed to limit the time a team has to shoot a basketball. The shot clock is different in different leagues, but it is usually between 24 seconds and 35 seconds. After time runs out, the ball is automatically given to the opposing team unless they shot, before the clock runs out, and hit the rim or the ball enters the basket. Substitute (subs) is when a player on the bench swaps for a player on the court. The player on the bench is allowed to play and the player sits on the bench. Jump ball happens at the start of every game. This is where the ball gets thrown up from the centre circle and one person from each team jumps for it, aiming to hit it to one of his team mates. Alternating possession At the start of the game there is a jump ball. Whichever team â€Å"wins† the jump ball gets the arrow pointed towards their goal. Each time the rules mention it the ball gets given to the team who is trying to score in the direction of the arrow and the arrow gets turned. Clutch is a shot made at a difficult moment in the game, usually when the shot clock is about to run out or the team, losing by 1 or 2 points, suddenly wins the game, because of the clutch shot. Backcourt violation is when a player crosses the half-court line and walks backwards over the line while in possession of the ball, or passes to another player who is behind the half-court line. Note that this rule does not apply if a defensive player taps the ball, and it goes beyond the half-court line, and the offensive player retrieves it in the â€Å"backcourt†. 3 second violation is when a player stands in the lane (an area marked by the big square in front of the basket) for more than 3 seconds. The offensive team that commits a 3  second violation will lose the possession of the ball. The defensive team that commits a 3 second violation will receive a technical foul. 8 or 10 second violation is when the team with the ball fails to advance the ball past the center line within the allowed time. The offensive team will lose possession. The allowed time is 8 seconds in international play, the NBA, and WNBA, and 10 seconds in men’s college basketball and high school play for both boys and girls. This violation does not exist in women’s college basketball. Positions in basketball In professional basketball teams, each player has a position. A position is a job or role that a player has to take part in to play the game. If everyone is doing their job correctly, the team is usually successful. Point guard (PG) (1) – point guards are responsible for leading the team on offense. They have to take the ball out (to dribble the ball halfway across their team’s court side into the opposing team’s court side) and plan an â€Å"attack† or â€Å"play† – to pass the ball to a player and he passes on to another player and so on till a player shoots the basketball. Point guards can be small, but they have to be very fast and possess good ball-handling. But the most important thing for the PG is a wide view. PG should control the game when on offense. That’s why PG is called ‘the coach on the court’. Shooting guard (SG) (2) – shooting guards generally are a little bit taller and slower than point guards. They have to make good shots from far distances (like three-point lines). Small forward (SF) (3) – small forwards are generally taller than both point guards and shooting guards. They are the team’s most versatile player, doing everything from rebounding and assisting to scoring. Power forward (PF) (4) – power forwards are usually one of the strongest players who play inside the 3 point line. Their job is to receive rebounds from under the basket and score in the opposing team’s basket, although it is unusual for a power forward to score most points for the team. Center (C) (5) – Centers will usually be the tallest player on the team. They score close to the basket, rebound and block shots on the defensive end. They also start the game in the tip off. Other positions, more usual in professional basketball teams, are used in basketball. Swingman – a basketball player who can play both small forward and shooting guard positions. Cornerman – a basketball player who can play both power forward and small forward  positions. Point forward – a basketball player who can play both point guard and forward (either small forward or power forward) positions. Forward-center – a basketball player who can play both forward (usually power forward) and center positions. THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME IN SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS If a basketball player becomes extremely good at the sport and well known for playing, coaching, or helping the game of basketball somehow, he or she is â€Å"elected† to be in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. This is the goal for the greatest basketball players in the world, like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Brian Scalabrine (The White Mamba), and Magic Johnson, and coaches like Phil Jackson, Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Knight, and Pat Summitt. If you are â€Å"enshrined† in Springfield, it is the greatest honor a basketball player, coach, official (referee), or contributor can have. It means you are the best of the best at basketball. VARIATIONS There are many types of basketball. Some are for people with disabilities, others are played more by a specific group. The most common type is able body basketball and that is the one that has been described in this article. Wheelchair basketball In this variation the players are all seated in a wheelchair. This is often played by people who cannot walk or are unable to play able body basketball properly. The rules are altered slightly but the game follows the same general concepts.

Tma01 K101

A carer is somebody who looks after a friend, relative or neighbour who needs support because of their sickness, age or disability (Direct Gov) although this is a very ‘loose’ definition giving that some carers do a lot more than others and their personal circumstances vary so it is sometimes difficult to label someone as such. I will cover the difficulties and rewards that come with being a carer for a family member using Ann and Angus as my main case study although will be drawing in on other examples covered in Unit One, including a personal statement from a family member (Robert Shire) who I covered in Activity 12 ’Your Family? in regards to his time caring for his terminally ill wife. In the beginning of Unit One it quickly becomes apparent that there are many difficulties involved in being a carer. The difficulty that stood out the most to me was the fact that many carers feel they have little choice when it comes to decision making in regards to who will ca re for the family member in question.We are made aware almost immediately that Ann was expected to take over the role of her deceased mother six years earlier, as the woman of the house and that a previous deathbed promise bound her to Angus. Ann, along with many other carers feel a strong sense of ‘Family Duty’ when it comes to caring for a relation, this is made clear to us later on in Unit One when we hear the views of other carers with ‘disabled’ children – clearly described to us during activity 11 by Tahir’s mother who says ‘They are your children and you have to look after them’.Moral standing isn’t the only difficulty with being a carer – physical and emotional exhaustion can often be seen in these care situations – reaching a peak called ‘Carers Overload’ as seen in Activity 6 – usually a crisis occurs which seems to make carers realise how much pressure they have been dealing with , it is typically not until this point that those carers seek help, if ever at all.Many carers, just like Ann, have to leave work to become full time carers for their parents/siblings/children/spouse which can cause huge financial worries for those families – a good example I have of this came from Activity 12 when I looked closely at a care situation which was ‘closer to home’ – Robert Shire, cared for his wife for 2 years while she battled terminal cancer, had they still lived within the UK their financial worries would have been considerably less, but 5 years previously hey had emigrated to the Philippines. Being out of work and under huge financial pressure including costs for medical care such as Chemotherapy and numerous operations caused Robert high amounts of anxiety and stress on top of the other feelings and emotions that come with being a carer, not only were the financial issues a burden for him – but he also became very isolated during this time, with nobody to help him apart from the Doctor who visited once a week and the staff at the hospital they regularly had to visit.Thankfully within the UK, if someone is willing to accept the ‘Label’ and meet the strict requirements they can claim Carers Allowance, which gives them ? 58. 45p/w (Direct Gov 2012) and can help towards any direct needs of the carer. When becoming a carer, many have experienced unprecedented stress, which, before having been a carer they would never have imagined – and when caring becomes harder than what was initially expected, those carers feel as if they are at a loss in regards to what to do or where to turn.We have seen during Unit One that caring is often frightening, especially when accidents happen like when Ann and Angus fell down the stairs whilst she was trying to help him alone, escaping injury Ann was seen to reflect on this incident when she told Angus later ‘it could’ve killed us both’. Alon g with accidents, carers are forced to recognise the fact that the person they are caring for are not of the capability they used to be and in a lot of situations – especially with the elderly, are likely to become worse meaning the responsibility put on them will become greater and the work they do, harder.In many family care situations there is a considerable amount of support lacking and many of these people aren’t made aware of the outside help that they are entitled to receive – when Ann visited the Doctor she was given anti-depressants yet no information about where she could go for help with her father. Support within the family unit can also be in short supply since the stresses put onto the carers themselves causes change within the family relationships altering the dynamics at which those families work.Bob, Ann’s husband is often seen leaving the family home due to arguments. In Activity 11 Sushma’s sister quoted that her family said â₠¬Ëœwhy did you bring her? Why did you bring her? ’ highlighting the lack of moral support within the family as a unit. Although we have picked up on many difficulties faced by carers, there are some rewards which many carers feel are worth the struggles. Although there isn’t much Angus can do in terms of helping Ann anymore – he is providing a house for her and her family to live in free of charge, removing at least one financial burden.Reciprocity isn’t always actively seen in care relationships – but when asked if his care was ever reciprocated Robert quoted ‘We both did what we signed up for when we married and looked after each other when care was needed, in the past Elizabeth has cared for me just as I did her’ this is very similar to Jessica’s account of her own family when she says that her sister used to reciprocate her brother in law, when she was well.There is also often a sense of closeness between the person caring a nd those being cared for – since many times Robert was thanked for all that he did and reminded he was loved and appreciated regularly – Angus also reminds Ann of this when he says about her being his favourite and about how he loves her smile.Reflecting back upon Unit One I think it is fair to say that from the outside there seems to be many more difficulties associated with being a carer than there are rewards but on a personal level these may not seem so obvious, in the grand scheme of things there does seem to be a lot of help available albeit that it may take a lot of perseverance to receive. It is difficult to know all the difficulties and rewards of being a carer as a whole when there are so many different families caring – with different circumstances, backgrounds and views.I hope this essay has helped to highlight just a few of the difficulties that come with being a carer – and reiterated that all isn’t as it seems to the outside eyes. Wo rd Count: 1200 References DirectGov (Online) (www. directgov. co. uk) K101 introduction to health and social care (Who cares? : 1) Activity 11 Page 44 Activity 6 Page 29 & DVD Material K101. Activity 12 ‘Your family’ Page 46 – Robert Shire. Activity 1 – DVD Material K101 – an incident on the stairs .

Acting on a Strategic Mission Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Acting on a Strategic Mission - Case Study Example EA should have utilized this human resource advantage to grow its market share by providing the developers with attractive incentives that would help to retain them and prevent them from switching to competitors such as Activision Blizzard (Griffin, 37). One of the weaknesses that a SWOT analysis would have revealed is the disparity between objectives of the management and those of developers. Management focused on maximizing productivity and profit whereas developers were motivated by imagination and creativity. EA could have easily eliminated this weakness by allowing developers more autonomy and, therefore, harmonized objectives of management and developers. The major opportunity and threat include a growing market and strong competitors respectively. EA should have realized early on that the video game industry market was on a steady growth pattern and sought new ways of tapping into this market. For example, EA should have developed games tailored for new market segments such as adults. EA could minimize the threat of strong competition by producing high quality games that would improve its brand name (Griffin, 36 – 41). ... Although this strategy resulted in high asset turnover and lower costs than its rivals, it killed developer autonomy and motivation (Eldring, 56). Activision Blizzard identified this niche and set on gaining competitive advantage over EA by focusing on promoting developer autonomy and providing them with financial and distribution muscle that enabled them to benefit more than previously from their innovations. This approach basically meant that Activision Blizzard now focused on the product differentiation strategy. Developer autonomy promoted product differentiation by facilitating the creation of very popular games with a high level of uniqueness that drastically increased Activision’s market share. Furthermore, it helped Activision to attract the industry’s best developers, including those working for EA. Consequently, EA lost the most important resource in the gaming industry to EA, creative talent (Eldring, 62). Q3 The Miles-Snow typology is a classification of bus iness strategies into four main categories: prospector, defender, analyzer, and reactor strategies. The strategy that Activision Blizzard ought to adopt should have a strong basis on market dynamics and strength of the competition. The video-game industry is characterized by a very dynamic and unpredictable market environment, with new market opportunities constantly arising. Developers keep on coming up with new ideas based on prevailing events and situations. Games that have a connection with current or recent events that customers are familiar with tend to be very popular and they take advantage of new market opportunities. In order for Activision Blizzard to maintain its market leadership, it should operate with an

Adverse Possession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Adverse Possession - Essay Example However, adverse possession is now governed by the Land Registration Act 2002, which came into force in October 2003. The Land Registration Act 2002 reduced the statutory amount of time to qualify for adverse possession from 12 to 10 years. However, the time required for adverse possession to be proved still remains at twelve years if the person claiming adverse possession had had possession of the said piece of land for a period of more than twelve years. An analysis of the issue of adverse possession in different jurisdictions indicates that the statutory period is varied and the elements that justify adverse possession are sometimes different. For example, in France, adverse possession is only acquired if a statutory period of thirty years has elapsed, while in Spain, the period is determined by the state of the property. In the Netherlands, statutory time is based on good faith, where the squatter is granted the land after ten years wit the presence of good faith, or twenty years otherwise. As already stated, the issue of adverse possession before the Land Registration Act 2002 came into force did not give the paper owner the right to challenge the application for adverse possession by the squatter. However, with the introduction of the new act, the simple fact of adverse possession for 12 years will not imply automatic ownership for the squatter; the squatter will be entitled to apply for adverse possession after 10 years possession.After the application is made, the registered owner.

Toys R US Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Toys R US - Case Study Example The customers were also satisfied with these every day low price concept. In this way they created a monopoly. Maintaining a healthy  relationship with suppliers is one of the key successes. They get informed by the suppliers about the latest trends and their merchandise accordingly. Hence, the strong rapport with the suppliers helped Toys R Us to maintain a competitive edge over the competitors. Previously the customers were really agitated about the weak customer service they maintained. But later they increased the manpower during the peak hours and helped the customers so that they don’t face any problem during their visit to the store. If they face any problem they can either consult with the employees or return to the help desk for further query. The employees were also dressed in funny attire like red hat so that they can be easily identified. The concept of store within a store is also an important concept which means there is a dedicated store for the company within the parent store. Just for the convenience of customers Toys R Us specially developed these concepts. By this implementation they attract the brand conscious person. The person who desires to buy a particular product can directly visit to that mini store and ultimately saves a lot of time. Here from the case we have seen that that the boy’s action figures are placed right beside the building sets and the baby dolls are placed beside the glittering nail polish which shows a hint of parity within the huge array of products. The Stock Keeping Unit which the company maintained was huge. Thus the company became a favorite of the customers because they can get anything and everything of their desire under one roof. Hence there was a faster growth of the company which in turn helps to increase the market share. The company’s entry into the Japanese market helped to increase its capital by

Control labor costs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Control labor costs - Essay Example The company has to satisfy both the customer and the laborer in order to run a profit oriented business in a highly competitive world. Laws and legislations governing the workforce have evolved over the passing decades. Labor issues have always been sources of conflict and they are highly problematic. The employer has to study and develop techniques to control labor costs; he must create solutions which can be implemented and enforced in his company, with a view to garner maximum profits. One of the major reasons for spiraling labor costs is the unauthorized and unscheduled absenteeism of the workforce. The attendance and the time spent by the workforce must be monitored and the wages must be calculated on the basis of the percentage of the hours worked. This kind of labor monitoring can definitely lead to increasing efficiency. But such a timekeeping system must be devised which does not in anyway question the employee's integrity, but at the same time enables the employer to track the workforce. Labor costs can be kept under control by improving the productivity and efficiency of the employees. This can be done by imparting good training to the workforce and through the use of cost and time saving equipment. The government plays a major role in decisions regarding the compensation rendered to the employees. It is the duty and the responsibility of the government to ensure that the laborers are not subjected to any kind of wage or gender discrimination. The government must prevent exploitation of the workforce, especially child labor. The unemployed and disadvantaged who are on the dole need both minimum wages and insurance cover, which is provided by the government. The federal and state governments have laws concerning minimum wages for even jobs with low productivity. Standards have been set by the federal government regarding the compensation of employees. They are: Davis Bacon Act (1931), Copeland Act (1934), Walsh-Healey Act (1936), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)(1938), Equal Pay Act (1963), Title VII of Civil Rights Act(1964), Service Contract Act (1965), Age Discrimination Act (1967) and Wage Garnishment Law (1968). This is an age of increasing mobility. Multi-national companies employ global nationals, expatriates, local nationals, and third-country nationals. Employees move around the world; therefore it is a highly complicated task to devise compensation packages for employees working in disparate situations. There are different types of employees in multi-national corporation - third country nationals, expatriates and local nationals. Third country nationals are those who belong to another culture or nation having similarities with their place of work. Expatriates are those living outside their country of citizenship. Local nationals are those who are employed in the nation of their origin. Employers, by and large, have adopted different paths toward controlling labor costs. Most of the employers have discovered that investment in labor management can reap the reward of greater efficiency. This in turn, would give rise to happier employees. Efficient labor management techniques can control spiraling labor costs. Data collection for creating the payroll of employees and the automation of the payroll system reduces labor cost to a great extent. A survey conducted by Clark Consulting in 2004 found that institutional investor limits and uncertainty about the future accounting treatment for stock-based compensation

Problem in corrections Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Problem in corrections - Research Paper Example tainee are technically organized to determine essential needs on health, social, and other relevant aspects of development by which the person may learn to outgrow crime-prone attributes. In my opinion, diversion if properly administered would attain to the principal goal of leading the involved parties at fault towards psychological renewal or even emotional reorientation for their own sake and the society that is directly impacted by their reformed attitude. Such desired end as characterized by a gradual change of heart in the process truly signifies relief for the system of justice given the number of other major cases or concerns in need of serious attention. An investment to monitor prisoners upon temporary or permanent release, I suppose, would further ensure quality of transformation to normal behavior and sound well-being apart from any criminal tendencies. When this objective is consistently met, the judicial system would no doubt come to the intended relief of prison units from overcrowding. Loewenstein, James. â€Å"Overcrowding Remains a Problem at County Jail.† thedailyreview. Retrieved from http://thedailyreview.com/news/overcrowding-remains-a-problem-at-county-jail-1.1299342 on April 24,

Unit 5 Discussion Domestic Violence Research Paper

Unit 5 Discussion Domestic Violence - Research Paper Example arning theory which states that contextual and situational factors such as stress, individual-couple characteristics, aggressive gait and family violence aid family violence. Biopsychological theory ties together biological factors such as alcoholism and testosterone levels and psychosocial factors such as stress to understand family violence. There is also the feminist theory which asserts that family violence is a culmination and manifestation of the degradation of women. The chosen topic is important in the course because it helps organisations and those in the human resources management (HRM) to regard comprehensively, the magnitude of family violence. The same will also help organisations and HRM to appreciate the limits which they must keep to as they attempt to mitigate the effects of family violence at the workplace. Just as Gosselin (2009) observes, when an organisation fails to determine boundaries in its quest to alleviate the effects of domestic violence as a way of promoting employee welfare, it oversteps its mandate and runs the risk of unduly heightening its operational

Discrimination and Children Essay Example for Free

Discrimination and Children Essay This Act was put in place to protect individuals so they will not be discriminated against age, gender, disability, race, religion, sex, civil partnership, sexual orientation. We must give a child an equal chance to participate and make appropriate resources available to reach their full potential. Children are unique individuals and have the right to be treated fairly with equal respect. Disability Discrimination Act 1995-2005 When children with disabilities are discriminated against this causes them to loose confidence and are made to feel isolated. This policy was put in place to protect them for being disadvantaged. They should not be treated less favourably that non-disabled student without justification. They are entitled to have adjustment made for the purpose of education and association. 2.3 Evaluate how own attitudes, values and behaviour could impact on work with children and people. In my setting, at Al-Ameen primary school every one has their own values and opinions but share the same belief and this is vital in making personalities. However as professionals working with children we must have a diverse approach. I never make sudden judgement on people or children. I am placid natured so I give children time to shine through and understand the objective. I present myself as a positive role model. As a professional working with children it is important that our attitude reflect our opinion and belief.eg. Children pray after lunchtime and I as a TA I supervise the children when they pray. However I don’t pray at that time so I never discourage them, they choose to for themselves to participate. That is their opinion and belief as an individual. It is also important I do not let my own personal opinion have an impact on the child’s judgment. 2.4 Explain how to promote anti discriminatory practice in work with children and young people. At my setting we have children from different backgrounds and cultures. In every day practice and to avoid anti discrimination we must show interest in learning about other cultures, lifestyles and work on building positive relationships. We also have a student from France who has a language barrier so I would recognise this and make provisions so that he/she is not discriminated in any way such as helping the children to write or draw in their books. Speak slowly, or use French words. When I started in year three I noticed some children were struggling with thick pencil so I made the teacher aware of this and changed to thin pencil and now we notice children enjoy writing. Moving the tables around to give children easy access. Moving the children closer to the board or reading out the questions. I would give some children extra time to complete the set task. This would ensure all children hav e the same opportunity to learn and be included in all aspects of school life. 2.5 Explain how to challenge discrimination The discrimination must always be challenged, according to the school policies, this is done through the behaviour policy, equal opportunity or Anti-bulling policy. Staff must follow the policies and procedures in place for discrimination. It has to be dealt with immediately. This may need to be recorded in a incident book. The discriminatory behaviour and comments may also need to be recorded. Sometimes children may say something without understanding the implication of their comments in such cases they must be made aware that such comments would be reported. They should be reminded that everyone in the school should be treated fairly and respectfully. If I heard a white girl making comments to a black girl such as† you can’t be queen you are black†. I would explain to that child that her remarks are hurtful and that every one has the right to be treated fairly so you should not judge people by the colour of their skin. Three boys tell a girl â€Å"you can’t help build the wall it’s men’s work†. As a TA I would go and talk to the three boys by asking why they think that and where they heard it . I would tell them that every one should be treated equally weather they are a boy or girl because we can all do the same job. Eg. Your mum cooks and she is a women but when you go to restaurants why are there men who are chefs. When you go to hospital there are men who are nurses. 2.1 Explain ways in which children and young people can experience prejudice and discrimination There are many different ways in which children and young people can experience prejudice and discrimination at school. One way might be trying to fit in with the expected appearances and behaviour. They may face discrimination or even be bullied. If a child is deprived of basic necessities like not having the enough food, looking untidy, not correct school uniform then this could lead to the child being discriminated against by other children. Some children may face sexism because boys may not include girls in certain activities eg. When a boy’s play with ball they think girls do not play with a ball. Children from other cultural backgrounds may not play with other children because they should only play with children from same background. Children with disabilities may not be involved in an activity with other children that could mean they have been discriminated against.

The Use Of Celebrities In Advertising Cultural Studies Essay

The Use Of Celebrities In Advertising Cultural Studies Essay In my third and last year as an Office Management student I had the assignment of writing a paper for the International Marketing course. I could choose one of the teachers topics or find one myself. I have decided to pick the topic: the differences between Western and Asian culture. This was one of the many subjects offered by the teacher. There is a lot to say about this aspect, which is why I have decided to pick two countries and to dig deeper in their culture, and their point of view regarding to advertisement. The United States and Japan will be discussed in this document and I will add several examples to give a better view on the subject. I have chosen these two countries because they are totally different from each other, what makes it the more or less easy to spot differences. The United States is for me the place to be when it comes to celebrity endorsement. Even though the two cultures are not the same, there is a link and this will be explained in the paper. I expect to receive better understanding of the two cultures but also have a look behind the scenes. I am anxious to learn whether the use of celebrity does have impact on the brand and if that impact is positive for the brand. The paper will be handled in English. I have chosen to do so, because the course and my exam were in English, and the fact that the teacher did an effort to speak in English during the course, I have found it disrespectful not to make the same effort and write this paper in English. Before starting with my main subject I would like to explain some basic things. The term celebrity is widely used for every person that comes on TV. But for companies and brands, they are more than that. Furthermore I will start with the use of celebrity, mainly in the States and tackle the marketing strategy a little bit. My paper consists of two countries, that is why Japan will come next. The differences between these two countries will be tackled by the end along with some examples. A celebrity isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Also called a celeb and it is a person that is generally recognized in a society or a culture. People can become famous in different ways: through their profession, appearances in the mass media, beauty and even crime. Through mass media, starting in the 19th and 20th century, celebrities are known in a relatively short time nationally or internationally. This can sometimes occur very fast. Like Neil Armstrong being the first man walking over/on the moon in 1969, got famous in a nick of time. Celebrities appear in public in a different way, you and me can walk on the street unnoticed without anybody carrying. For celebs it is the other way around, they are walking advertising poles. From head to toe fans analyse the clothes and brands they are wearing. Furthermore they appear in public when fulfilling their jobs, like a tennis player in front of an audience. And also while attending events, like the Academy Awards, premieres of movies, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The news, fashion magazines and even tabloids provide second source information concerning their private life. Besides doing what they do, they also endorse a brand, and act as spokespeople in advertising and on events to promote their brand. Or should I say the brand they work for. The most logical question is does this celebrity endorsement do some good to the brand? A study of Till, Stanley, Priluck in 2008 explains us that celebrity endorsement is used in marketing, because it is believed that the consumers perception of the product improves. According to McCracken (1989) a celebrity endorser is an individual who has gained public awareness and uses this awareness in commercials and advertisements on behalf of consumer products. The use of celebrities in advertising: the States When Nike started collaborating with golf icon Tiger Woods, there was a lot of scepticism about the introduction of NIKE to the golf market.  Indeed, the image of NIKE was not consistent with the image of the elite sport of golf.  It is through the use of Tiger Woods in the marketing strategy that NIKE could successfully position itself in the golf market. Nike is one of the many multinationals which makes use of celebrity endorsers in its marketing strategy. Other famous brands that call upon a celebrity to endorse are Pepsi with David Beckham. The famous advertising commercials of Nepresso where we admire a charismatic George Clooney. For companies it is very interesting to make use of celebrity endorsers since advertisements with celebrities, creates more attention than ads or commercials without celebrities.   The celebrity endorser is not necessarily an actor or a movie star, there may for example also be considered athletes, musicians, artists and politicians. Although he passed away a long time ago, in this ad we see one of the United States most popular president, John F. Kennedy for an Omega advertising. However it is not so that celebrity endorsement guarantees success.  The success of using this marketing strategy depends on the values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹that the celebrity endorser gives to the product.  It is even possible that the celebritys own image and values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹can be transferred to the product. Not only theory but also practice has shown us that the use of celebrities generates a lot of publicity. Yet these endorsements can cost a lot of money to companies. For instance Venus Williams has signed a five-year contract worth 40 million dollars, to promote and endorse Reebok. Back in the days when he was the most popular athlete in the World, Michael Jordan had signed a contract for 20 million dollars with NIKE. This proved to be very lucrative for Nike, because the AIR Jordan was for a long time very famous and every teen on the block bought the shoe. All of these celebrities gain more from endorsement contracts than from the sport they practice. That is why celebrity endorsements increase every year. In 2007, celebrities in the United States were used in 25% of all TV commercials. What is marketing communication? A company has many audiences. Consumers and other customers are only a small part of the target groups. Marketing communication can be described as getting in touch with trade and or consumers to influence their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in a direction that is favourable for the marketing policy. The different marketing communication tools are used to influence positively the choices of the (potential) consumers. These marketing tools can be deployed at different levels. A distinction is made between the cognitive, affective and conative phase. Within the cognitive phase, the goal is to familiarize the customer with the product or the company. The affective phase is aimed at the emotions. Within this phase the customer needs to develop emotions and feelings towards the product or the company. The conative and affective phase can often be combined. In the conative stage, the customer actually makes a purchase. It is obvious that all companies aim to fulfil the last phase. A little bit of marketing strategy In this part of the paper I will dig a little bit deeper in the marketing strategy. The celebrity needs to match the brand, they are not randomly chosen by companies, just for fun. It is a whole strategy and a detailed process that comes along. I will also talk about what is important to guarantee the success of the brand and on what companies focus when choosing their celebrities. It can be said that celebrity endorsement is widely used because research indicates that the impact of celebrity endorsement is a positive investment in the marketing of a brand. However, it is not always successful. It is important for companies that they use celebrities in an efficient way in their strategy. The question is whether celebrity endorsement is the way to go when introducing new products into the market. Research indicates that about half of the marketing budget is spent on marketing when launching new products. Companies are willing to spend a lot of money, because on average 40% of product launches fail. Because so much money is spent on the marketing of new products, there is a greater chance that many companies will opt for celebrities in their commercials and ads (advertisements). This is one of the most expensive options within marketing communications. The focus is therefore on the impact of celebrity endorsement in marketing strategies of new products. With the introduction of new products, consumer uncertainty is relatively higher than the existing products. This consumer uncertainty should be removed with a good marketing policy. With high consumer uncertainty, new products should be brought more to the attention of consumers than already existing products. So that the consumers uncertainty is no longer present. It may also be noted that consumers dealing with new products still have no awareness of the product and thus no positive attitude is yet developed. This is necessary because it leads to purchase intent. Two dimensions: Attractiveness and credibility If companies want their brand to be successful throughout the help of a celebrity, there are two dimensions that they must take into account. The two dimensions of interest are namely the attractiveness and credibility of the celebrity. Several studies indicate that these two dimensions may be crucial for the success of celebrity endorsement in marketing strategy. In addition to these dimensions they also take a look at the match-up principle and the ability to use multiple celebrities in an add or advertisement. The match-up principle will be treated in this paper as this is a generally accepted principle in the choice of celebrity endorsement. Attractiveness of the celebrity The first dimension is to take into account the attractiveness of the celebrity. If an attractive celebrity is used, it is more likely that awareness is created among the target audience than when using an unattractive celebrity. This awareness is eventually to be transformed into a positive attitude of the brand. The attractiveness of the celebrity has namely a positive effect on the attitude of consumers towards the brand or product advertising .The dimension attractiveness of the celebrity is formed by the physical appearance, intelligence, athletic ability and the lifestyle of the celebrity. Based on these factors the company should decide which celebrity is suitable for his or her product or brand. Credibility of the celebrity The second dimension concerns the credibility of the celebrity. Credibility is divided into two factors: expertise and trustworthiness. Expertise of the celebrity is perceived by consumers on the basis of the allegations that the celebrity is doing in advertising. Reliability, however, is perceived as to whether the celebrity can achieve the results from the advertising or ad in his real life. Research shows that companies with good credibility factors interact within the advertising, as the celebrities generally are regarded as credible. This is crucial because the credibility of the celebrity can affect the opinions, attitudes and behaviour of the target group. The match-up principle The success of the collaboration between celebrity and the brand or product depends to a large extent on the match-up principle. The match-up basically revolves around the congruence (being suitable and appropriate) between the celebrity and the brand or product. With congruence, I mean the consistency between the characteristics of the celebrity and the product attributes. This is particularly important because the celebrity can convey its values on the product or brand without changing the product or brand image. A good match-up creates a more positive attitude of the consumers. I personally hate to see ads that use celebrities when it is obvious that the celebrity does not match the brand at all. To explain the match-up principle better, I will briefly discuss the three phases: Phase 1: In this stage, a number of values are associated with the celebrity. These values occur on the basis of the celebs appearances in the (mass) media. Consumers understand the significance and reflect it on the celebrity. Phase 2: In this phase, the values and image of the celebrity are associated with the product, through an official endorsement. Phase 3: During this phase, the values, by working with the brand or product, clearly belong to the consumer. Because the consumers associate the values of the celebrity with the values of the product they will proceed to purchase and consume the product. Multiple celebrities in an advertising or promotional One way to merge the above factors is the use of several celebrities in an advertisement or promotion. The company must then choose celebrities who complement each other within the advertising or ad. This could be, for example, the attractiveness of the celebrities chosen for an athlete and someone with an intelligent mind. To ensure credibility, a knowledgeable person and a trustworthy person can be used. Gillette, for example, is a company that applies several celebrities in its ads by using Roger Federer, Thierry Henry and Tiger Woods. An important argument for the choice of several celebrities in the marketing of a company, in these ways different audiences can be reached on the basis of a celebrity who fits in this group. When using multiple celebrities, multiple values will be linked to the product. The risks of celebrity endorsements Although there are examples that indicate that celebrity endorsement can be a good idea, there are the necessary risks. When it is assumed that all conditions of the right person for the right product are satisfied, there are two points to worry about. The greatest risk is the celebrity itself. Celebrity branding is all about transferring the value of a person on a product. The two concerns are: How long will the fame remain, and can the celebrity retain its status? The second concern is the life of celebrity, his personal integrity. If he is embroiled in a scandal, that could destroy the brand. Before Michael Jackson ended in a scandal, he had a successful deal with Pepsi. Naturally Pepsi had to stop the contract in order to prevent damage to the brand. Also O.J. Simpson was once the face of a car rental company. After the accusations of the murder of his wife, his contract was also stopped. It is very bad for a brand to be associated with an alleged murderer or paedophile. Although there are brands that hire intentionally stars with a wrong image, this is a risky step. Pepsi made again a wrong decision, by taking this risk to use hip-hop star Ludacris in its campaigns. Ludacris disrespectful attitude and his rap songs full with cursing did not match-up with the brand. After a campaign was started by a conservative politician against this endorsement, Pepsi was forced by public pressure to stop the deal with Ludacris. Although one should avoid bad publicity, it is a fact that on the international market celebrity endorsements are very suitable to create a distinctive brand. That the rules of celebrity endorsement in Japan differ from those of the West is largely due to the difference in culture, more on that later. Brands must be careful with the choices they make. When they choose a celebrity with the right personality traits, these characteristics will also be awarded to the brand and the brand will take advantage from it. If the wrong person is chosen his or her personality traits will be awarded to the brand causing the end of the brand. Very well accepted and attractive super stars like Bruce Willis and Whitney Houston failed in turning their endorsements into success. Simply assuming that a person just has to be famous to represent a brand is incorrect. A considerable number of failures prove the opposite. In the figure below you can see some of the endorsements that turned out to be a success or a failure. Lets go Asian: Japan and its celebrity endorsement In East Asian countries like Japan and South Korea, many celebrities are used in advertising. In Japan, 70 % of TV commercials use a celebrity from the sports, music, film, and fashion or entertainment business. Celebrities are used as endorsers with a statement about the quality of the product / brand or are shown only in relation to the brand /product. The idea is that the values and associations of the celebrity will be transferred to the brand and the brand by the user. Moreover, it is a form of product differentiation as other awards from competing brands is not possible or desirable. But why is the use of celebrities in Japan so much greater than in the United States and Europe? In Japan they do not only use Western and Japanese celebrities, but also talents. These are young Japanese who are on their way to the top in the worlds of fashion, music, film and entertainment. Advertising for these talents is their way to fame. Japanese advertising does not only use the reputation and associations of established celebrities, but also creates celebrities. And this goes a step further than the ads in the States. Japanese talents are normal people like you and me. They are slightly good looking, pretty much the girl or boy next door. They form a peer group with which one can easily identify. In a collectivist culture belonging to a group or identifying with that group is very important. In Japanese advertising values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹related to face and harmony lead to an indirect communication style. They feel uncomfortable with a commercial that takes that emphasise on situations or facts. A direct approach is seen as an insult to the intelligence of the consumer. The goal of advertising in the Japanese ads is to make the consumer your friend, to win his trust and respect. This goal can be achieved by entertaining the audience. Identification of the brand, the company name or product in the commercial is less important than the pleasant voices of consumers. Japanese advertisers generally use much of the time in the commercial for building trust, understanding and dependence. The result is a kind of advertising that appeals to the imagination and few to the facts. Advertising show usually no product attributes, the fun of advertising is more important. In Japanese commercials you see serenity, and nature symbols. The tone of voice is indirect, subtle, with lots of symbolism. Comparative advertising is a confrontation and is therefore seen as denigrating the competition. This is in conflict with the Asian value of harmony. The style and manner of presentation is important. A pretty picture, a story or a poem can be important parts of the advertisement. Values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹and appeals found in their advertising are respect for elders. The relationship of man with nature / the unity with nature is often the subject of advertising. Japanese are crazy about celebrities. A product is often associated with celebrities, who often represent the target. If Western models, celebrities or situat ions are used, it is only as a symbol of prestige and status: they are not intended to illustrate the western values. In Japan, a part of television and popular culture is strongly linked to the entertainment world. Songs are often especially composed for use in commercials. Differences between Western and Asian cultures There are several cultural differences that may explain the use of celebrities. While the American culture is characterized by individualism, in Japan it is more the collectivist culture. In a collectivist culture they emphasize on conformity, adaptation and obedience. We, the European and American see this as negative values, but in Japan, this is well appreciated. Celebrities fit better in a collectivist than an individualist culture. In Japan they highly look up to celebrities, especially a Western celebrity. You will also see many Western celebrities in Japanese advertising, which I will explain later on. The power distance is quite large. The statements of celebrities are followed uncritically because they are not famous for nothing. Their values rays on the brand that they support, and also on the user of that brand. Power distance and individualism-collectivism are the key explanations for the difference between East Asian and Western countries. These are two of the four Hofst ede dimensions of culture. For the other two dimensions (uncertainty avoidance and masculine-feminine) there is no large difference, even though Japan is the most masculine country in the world. In a masculine country performance and success are central, in a feminine country caring for others and quality of life is more important. Advertising is strongly influenced by culture, especially in comparisons between East Asia, Europe and North America. But even between Asian countries there are cultural differences. Some campaigns may be used in several countries, but in most cases adaptation is necessary to make an effective campaign. And in many cases adaptation is inadequate and separate campaigns must be developed for each country taking into account the national culture. View of Western culture on celebrity endorsement Celebrities and marketing go well together. There is indeed a lot of money to distribute. A study of GMI revealed that consumers, especially in the Western world are almost insensitive to the advertisements with celebrities. The celebrity endorsement, according to the agency GMI might not be as effective as many believe. In certain western markets, the strategy used did not succeed to increase the value of the product nor to persuade the consumer to buy the product The researchers note that the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement in promoting brands depends on the local culture. In the Western world they are the most indifferently towards the use of celebrities in advertising, tells GMI. In the United States 79% of the respondents indicated that a celebrity has no effect on the way they think about a product. Only 13% admitted that through celebrity endorsement the value of the brand increases. But in Japan, it is a completely different situation, said GMI. In Japan, 60% thinks that celebrities give a product more value. The study also shows that consumer find other techniques such as free samples, mouth-to-mouth are more efficient than celebrity endorsements. These techniques influence their buying behaviour slightly more. In the United States 34% of the consumers think this way. In Japan, 29% of those surveyed found advertising after the free samples the most efficient way to convert to a purchase. It took word-of-mouth advertising only 12%. Celebrity endorsement has proved most successful, implying that celebrities played an important role in their purchasing decision. Global media can create global stars. But consumers are much more sophisticated and less inclined to swallow simple, uniform marketing messages. The great indifference of consumers in the West may even be a sign that celebrity endorsement can have the opposite effect and repel consumers. American finest celebrities head to Japan Many American stars earn large sums of money by linking themselves to brands as a spokesperson by recommending certain products. Others appear nowhere in advertising because they do not want their fans to think they are selling out. However, many of these stars cannot resist the temptation to go abroad and appear in commercials and ads. Nowhere is this truer than in Japan. Even the richest and most famous people do not just say no to advertisers who pay them one to three million U.S. dollars for a couple of hours of work. And this is for a commercial that lasts 15 to 20 seconds. Mega stars like Meg Ryan, Demi Moore, Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford received millions to appear in a Japanese commercial. Meg Ryan makes recommendations for cosmetics and tea, Brad Pitt promotes tins of coffee and jeans, and Demi Moore tries to persuade the Japanese audience to purchase protein drinks. Ford received several millions to appear shirtless on ads and commercials for Kirin Beer (see below). Sometime s stars are even forced to change their image and personality to better suit the style of advertising, this is needed to fit the Japanese companies. Even the Japanese public has a different flavour than people in the West are used to have. What we, in Europe and the U.S., perceive as cheap is seen in Japan as a very normal and effective way to advertise. In a commercial for shampoo, famous actor Dennis Hopper appeared in a bathtub player with a rubber duck. There are several reasons why Japanese companies are willing to pay large amounts for these stars. Many Japanese are fascinated by the American culture and American stars. It also gives a brand an American international star status. In Japanese commercials, style and atmosphere are more important than dull product information and testimonials. Japanese are very sensitive to entertainment. Because a commercial in Japan only last 15 seconds, a western star is easily recognized and the attention of the viewer is directly captured, w hich is more worth than money. American film studios also encourage celebrities to appear in Japanese commercial lay. In this way it is easier for American films to attract the Asian population. Often the release of a new film and the appearance of the star of this film in Japanese ads fall together. While many stars go abroad for advertising, they all try to protect their image at home. There are even clauses in the contracts stating that the commercial must not be shown outside of Japan and sometimes even be discussed. With the growth of the Internet it is possible that stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger secrecy about their advertising activities are likely to remain unnoticed for the American public. Above you have just read why Japanese are less picky when it comes to match-up than for example in America. Also it seems that the credibility aspect is less of an issue in Japan. If you are a celebrity, youre in Japan, by definition, credible, match up or not. Yet it is true that these endorsements in Japan are inde ed profitable. The public in Japan is in the long term a lot more loyal than the audience in the West. If a celebrity in Japan is loved, this will remain even if the celebrity has disappeared from the spotlight. The website japander.com made an index with all of American celebrities that appear in Japanese advertising. Conclusion I can now say with proud that I have chosen the right countries to tackle this difficult but at the same time interesting topic. I am sure that many students would think that it is easy to discuss this subject, because there is a lot of information on the internet and in books. Well I can tell them that a lot of information makes it harder to write something, because it is up to the writer to eliminate unnecessary information and to write in a way that is readers friendly. My hardest task was to make sure that I removed what is not relevant and to dig deeper in the part that was relevant. Thanks to experienced authors such as Grant McCracken, Stanley and many others it became easier for me to understand what I was writing about. Their view on culture and celebrities and the way they explain it was a relief to me. This paper taught me that celebrities take a big bite in the budget of a company. Nevertheless this kind of technique in marketing is increasing and will remain because stud y does show us that it is very profitable for a brand to use a celebrity. Even though in Japan they do not strictly follow the rule of match-up, I strongly believe that a match-up is needed to make an advertisement successful. Commercials, advertisements and endorsements where the celebrity has got absolutely nothing to do with the product is for me a no go. And in that match-up, according to me the most important aspect is credibility. I am not the first one to go and buy a product once a celebrity tells me to do so, but I could slightly get more interested in the brand if I notice a strong credibility in the ad. After reading several studies, information and documents I can conclude that the use of celebrities, when respecting the two dimensions I discussed in the paper, could have a very positive impact on the brand and the reputation of the company. I know I am supposed to thank in the beginning, but I have decided to do it know. I rather want the teacher to read my paper, so she could notice for herself what I am capable of, before I thank her for the support and counseling throughout the school year. Sources BOOKS Margolis J., Garrigan P., Guerrillamarketing voor dummies, 2008, Pearson Education Benelux, Amsterdam Kotler P., Marketing: de essentie, 2009, Pearson Education Benelux, Amsterdam De Mooij M., Wereldmerken : hoe reclame omgaat met cultuurverschillen, 1998, Alphen aan den Rijn, Samson WEBSITES Joyce Huijsman, Humor doesnttraval: Frank Sinatra spaghetti, (http://joycehuijsman.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/frank-sinatra-spaghetti/) University of Texas at Austin, Celebrity Advertising in Japan and Korea Doing it the Asian Way, PDF, (http://www.perfspot.com/docs/doc.asp?id=110674) The free library, Cultural differences in television celebrity use in the United States and Lebanon, (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Cultural+differences+in+television+celebrity+use+in+the+United+States-a0208956138) Fred van Raaij, Beroemdheden en cultuur, (http://www.swocc.nl/column/beroemdheden-en-cultuur.php) Managing21, Westerling ongevoelig voor beroemdheden?, (http://managing21.skynetblogs.be/archive/2005/01/24/westerling-ongevoelig-voor-beroemdheden.html) McCann People, Sterren in reclame verleiden niet altijd, (http://mccannpeople.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/sterren-in-reclame-verleiden-niet-altijd/) The Pop history dig; JFK, Pitchman?, (http://www.pophistorydig.com/?tag=politicians-advertising) Colombia Business School, Celebrities impact on branding, PDF, (http://worldlywriter.com/images/portfolio/Proposals/Celebrity_Branding.pdf) Martin Stam, De invloed van celebritiyendorsement in de marketingcommunicatie strategie van nieuwe producten, PDF, (http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=116167) Bart Sikkema, Who will be your next celebrity endorser?, PDF, (http://essay.utwente.nl/58467/1/scriptie_B_Sikkema.pdf) Japander, Celebrity advertising, (http://www.japander.com) IMAGES All of the images were copied from Google (www.google.com) à £Ã†â€™Ã‚ Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã‚ ªÃƒ £Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã†â€™Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã¢â‚¬ ° International Marketing Celebrity endorsement Hollywood

What Is Colour And Light Philosophy Essay

What Is Colour And Light Philosophy Essay It is light, the source of of life; it touches and expresses the soul of mankind. There is nowhere that colour does not exist; we are constantly under its influence, wether we knowit or not, and we do not need our eyes open to experience it. The body prosesses colour through the eyes, we often make the mistake of imaging that it is only a matter of appearance. Colour is all about feelings, and is far, far more than a mere visual delight. It is a paradox, in that the scientific definition of colour relates entirely to light-but we see it in the dark, with our eyes closed. We dream in colour, we visualize in colour and imagine in colour. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.12) Physists explain colour in coldly scientific terms vibrations of light, the only visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, occupying a narrow band between microwaves and X-rays. Sir Isaac Newton demonstrated this when he shone a light through a triangular prism, the different wavelengths refreacted at different angles, showing light separated into its component parts i.e the spectrum, or rainbow. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.12) All life on earth is determined by the radiation of the sun. A section of this electromagnetic energy is visible light, which is measured by light waves of certain frequencies called a nanometer; a nanometer is a billionth of a meter. We perceive visible light in the wavelength region from approximately 380 nanometers, which is comparable to the colour violet, to 780 nanometers, which is perceived as red. This means that light is colour, because if we pass white light through a prism and break it down into the individual wavelengths that visible light consists of, we have violet (380-436 nm); blue (436-495 nm); green (495-566 nm); yellow (566-589 nm); orange (589-627 nm) and red (627-780 nm). Mahnke, Frank H., (1947). Color, environment, and human response. New York ; Chichester : Wiley, (c1996). (pp6 pp7) For the physicist, red, for example, equals an external stimulus of a light wave that has a frequency of 627-780 nanometers. For psychologist, red suggests internal process that may or may not be associated with a physical event. Mahnke, Frank H., (1947). Color, environment, and human response. New York ; Chichester : Wiley, (c1996). (pp7) Close your eyes momentarily, picture in your mind a ripe tomato. Was the tomato red? Probably so. But the input that cuased you to see red was not a light wave between 627-780 nanometers. In other words, no external object, either generating or reflecting colour, was stimulus cuased you to see the tomato as being red. This testifies to the fact that colour is in the brain; it is within us. How we see Colour and Light The basic hues of the spectrum are as follows: Hue the attribute of colour which enables an observer to classify it as red, blue etc (Collins dictionary) Tint a hue with white added Shade a hue with black added Tone a hue with grey added Value the lightness or darkness of a colour. Light colours are high value and dark colours are low value Chroma the presence of colour Chromatic intensity the percentage of colour present also known as saturation Monochromatic containing shades, tones and tints of only one colour Achromatic Containing no colour i,e black, white or pure grey Complementary Colours Colours opposite each other on the colour wheel Complementary colours are: Red and Green Blue and Orange Yellow and violet In colour psychology the importance of this becomes clearer when we realize that complementary colours, when put together, present perfect balance, as all the pigment primaries are then present: Red and (blue + Yellow) Blue and (Red + Yellow) Yellow and (Red + Blue) One of the difficulties of working with colour derives from the way the human brian is strtuctured. It is divided into two hemispheres, separated by a strong connection cable, called the CORPUS CALLOUSUM. The right hemisphere governs the left side of the body, and vice versa. Linear skills, language, rationalising and logic are driven by the left brain, while intuition, non-verbal communication art, music, creativity and visual information are processed by the right brain. In order to learn and appreciate colour fully the right side of the brain does most of the work, but to establish credibility and communicate it widely one must find a way of translating the knowledge into predominantly left-brain terms. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.23) The Color Wheel A color circle, based on red, yellow and blue, is traditional in the field of art. Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666. Since then scientists and artists have studied and designed numerous variations of this concept. Differences of opinion about the validity of one format over another continue to provoke debate. In reality, any color circle or color wheel which presents a logically arranged sequence of pure hues has merit. PRIMARY COLORS Red, yellow and blue In traditional color theory, these are the 3 pigment colors that can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. All other colors are derived from these 3 hues SECONDARY COLORS Green, orange and purple These are the colors formed by mixing the primary colors. TERTIARY COLORS Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green and yellow-green. These are the colors formed by mixing a primary and a secondary color. Thats why the hue is a two word name, such as blue-green, red-violet, and yellow-orange.     COLOR HARMONY Harmony can be defined as a pleasing arrangement of parts, whether it be music, poetry, color, or even an ice cream sundae. In visual experiences, harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye. It engages the viewer and it creates an inner sense of order, a balance in the visual experience. When something is not harmonious, its either boring or chaotic. At one extreme is a visual experience that is so bland that the viewer is not engaged. The human brain will reject under-stimulating information. At the other extreme is a visual experience that is so overdone, so chaotic that the viewer cant stand to look at it. The human brain rejects what it can not organize, what it can not understand. The visual task requires that we present a logical structure. Color harmony delivers visual interest and a sense of order. Some Formulas for Color Harmony There are many theories for harmony. The following illustrations and descriptions present some basic formulas . A color scheme based on analogous colors Analogous colors are any three colors which are side by side on a 12 part color wheel, such as yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange. Usually one of the three colors predominates. A color scheme based on complementary colors Complementary colors are any two colors which are directly opposite each other, such as red and green and red-purple and yellow-green. In the illustration above, there are several variations of yellow-green in the leaves and several variations of red-purple in the orchid. These opposing colors create maximum contrast and maximum stability. A color scheme based on nature Nature provides a perfect departure point for color harmony. In the illustration above, red yellow and green create a harmonious design, regardless of whether this combination fits into a technical formula for color harmony. http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html While we often take our perception of colour for granted, it takes a highly complex visual mechanism to make it possible. The system is still not fully understood and as yet there exists no single scientific theory to account for all of it. Richard Gregory observed as recently as 2005 that over 50 theories were put forward by 50 scientists at a meeting on the subject We do know certain basic facts, however, which are the result of decades of scientific investigation by physicists, biochemists, psychologists and physiologists. Colour is a subjective sensation caused by light and is not properly a quality inherent in the object itself. In General terms, Colour does not exist without light, which is a radiant energy that manifests itself in the form of the visible spectrum of sunlight. Without the eye and brain of an observer, these rays do not in themselves constitute colour. As Sir Issac Newton explained in his Optics (1704) In them there is nothing else than a power to stir up a sensation of this or that colour The perception of colour is governed by three essential factors the spectral energy distribution of the light (including the conditions under which the colour is perceived) the spectral characteristics of the object, with respect to absorption, reflection and transmission of light the activity and sensitivity of the eye and brain In physical terms, light is simply the name given to a narrow band of the energy constantly radiating from the sun. Newton, by placing a glass prism in the path of a beam of sunlight, observed how the beam divided itself into the band of colours he called the spectrum. We know that the colours of the spectrum vary in wavelength (the distance between the crest of one energy wave and the next) and that the visible range of wavelengths extends from about 400 to 750 nanometres (billionth of a meter) Using a second prism, in 1665, Newton had demonstrated that white light is obtained when all the colours of the spectrum are recombined into a single beam. Observers such as Thomas Young (1807) later that white light could be obtained by mixing red, green and blue beams only, and that all other colours could be obtained by mixing these three lights in different proportions. This became the basis of the theory of vision proposed by Young and later developed by Helmholtz (1856) that there are only three kinds of colour receptors in the human eye, corresponding to the dominant wavelengths of red, green and blue, and that all other colours can be sensed by them; the sensation of yellow, for example, occurs when both red and green sets of retinal cells are stimulated. This is the celebrated Trichomatic theory of colour vision. Porter. T, Mikellides, B. (2009). Colour for Architecture Today. Taylor and Francis Ltd. (oxon). (pp. 13) In a strict sense, objects have no intrinsic colour because we only see them if they rflect light; only light sources are able to emit their own light. We do, however, take into consideration changes in natural and artificial illumination during daytime and seasonal cycles and have learnt to compensate for these changes through what pstchologists call colour constancy Porter. T, Mikellides, B. (2009). Colour for Architecture Today. Taylor and Francis Ltd. (oxon). (pp. 15) When we take changing light for granted, we generally consider colour as a property as a property of objects in so far as it is the physical and chemical composition of the objects which determaine how much light they absorb, reflect or transmit. Most of the colours we see around us in our daily lives occur by a process of selective absorption. A red object looks red because it has the property of absorbing or subtracting from the white light it receives everything exept primarily for the colour component it refelects. In sunlight a bright red table wil absorb most wavelebngths except for those in the 650 nm region of the spectrum, for example. A white object will reflect roughly the same amounts of all wavelengths which our visual system ingenously mixes together to give a single sensation of white. A black object, on the other hand, will absorb all wavelengths and hence appear black Porter. T, Mikellides, B. (2009). Colour for Architecture Today. Taylor and Francis Ltd. (oxon). (pp. 13) The eye and brian The retina posses two sets of sensing cells, the rods and cones. Whereas the cones sense full colour in daylight, the rods operate only at low levels of illumination and are effectively colour blind. Hence, no colour appears by moonlight, as there is a threshold of illumination below which colour cannot be seen, though there may there maybe enough light to allow the perception of shape, movement and the size of objects. This can be demonstrated if we imagine red lettering painted on a black building. The lettering is ellegiable by moonlight but, as night turns into day, we are gradually able to read the letters, though the daylight has to increase considerably before the letters are fully perceived as red. Correct colour rendering requires the right balance of light-preferably daylight, which contains the full solar spectrum. Porter. T, Mikellides, B. (2009). Colour for Architecture Today. Taylor and Francis Ltd. (oxon). (pp. 13) We may well experience colour in our dreams and it can even be induced conciosly with our eyes closed by pressing on the eyeball. Colour responses can also be induced from black-and-white patterns, as when viewing Benhams top-a white disc pattern with irregular black shapes which, when spun fast, elcits sensation of colour. Porter. T, Mikellides, B. (2009). Colour for Architecture Today. Taylor and Francis Ltd. (oxon). (pp. 13) Colour psychology The psychology of colours works as follow: When light strikes the eye, each wavelength does so slightly different, Red, the longest wavelength, requires, the most adjustment to look at it, and therefore appears to be nearer than it is, while green requires no adjustment whatever, and is therefore restful. In the retina, these vibrations of light are converted into electrical impulses which pass to the brain eventually to the HYPOTHALAMUS , which governs ENDROCINE GLANDS, which in turn produce and secret our HORMONES. In simple terms each colour (wavelength) focuses on a particular part of the body, EVOKING A PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE, which in turn produces a psychological reaction. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.23) Another difficulty with applying colour psychology has always been that, like everything else in the universe, there are no absolutes, only relative perceptions there is no such thing asa a good colour or bad colour. You may understand exactly which is the hue for a particular proposition, but its all to easy to communicate its negative its negative perceptions. For example, red may be stimulating and exciting or it could come across stressfull and aggressive; blue can be perceived as cold and aloof, yellow might be emotionally demanding and green may make you feel physically ill. The key to protecting positive perceptions and effective influence of any colour lies in the way it is used. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.27) Research on the psychological aspects of colour is difficult for the mere reason that human emotions are none to srable and the psychic make up of human beings varies from person to person. 1950, Faber Birren Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.28) Recognizable patterns in the psychic make up of human beings have been identified, and it is not true that they vary totally from person to person ; more recently , recongizable patterns of colour have also been identified. It is therefore now possible to establish a precise relationship between the subject and the stimulus, which enables us to predict specific response, and answer the eternal question: why does one variation of a hue have such a different effect from another? Zelnski and Fisher referred to this in their book colour as recently as 1989: Lest we hasten to repent everything in attemps at behaviour modification, we should note that physiological colour responses are complex. The precise variation of a hue has a major impact, but one that is rarely addressed by psychological research. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.28) Colour Association Orange is associated with secondary survival consideration, warmth, shelter, food. Yellow (which eastern philosophy associates with the pancreas) is about emotions, self esteem and creativity. Green Refelects the concept of love, in the universal rather than the sexual sense; being at the centre of the spectrum, it also provides perfect balance. Blue encourages intellectual activity sweet reason and calm, logical thought. Indigo has similar properties to blue but is deeper and more introverting, Violet takes the mind to a higher level, towards spiritual awarness Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.24) There are only eleven basic coilour terms in the English language. A computer of colours will show us up to sixteen million colours, but we only have names for eleven Black, White, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink, Brown and Grey. Confusingly, we borrow terms from many walks of life from nature, from food and drink and so on to describe colours such as peacock blue, burgundy, peach, cream, tan. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.24) Colour is natures own form of pure communication a much more reliable form, a language which every single one of us was born understanding clearly, and we all use every day, with varying degrees of conscious awareness, regardless of cultural division and conditioning. In order to start developing this wonderful language, we must first revert to basic scientific thinking Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.25) Science recognizes four psychological primary colours Red, Green, Blue and Yellow. Red and its derivatives relate to the phisycal; its often said that it has been proved that sourrounding people with red will raise blood pressure, but there is little academic record of any experiments confirming this; the only one I have found is described by Faber Birren, the great twentieth century American colourist, in his book color psychology and color therapy, in which he referes to Robert Gerards thesis for the university of California at Los Angeles. Birren describes experiments where Gereard used Red, Blue and White lights, Transmitted on a diffusing screen. It seems to make sense; Red certainly seems to be physically stimulating. Because it requires such an adjustment in the eye, it appears to be nearer than it is, whicvh is why it is often used when visual impacts is important. The most obvious example of our recognition that red catches the eye is its use the world over for traffic signals. Mqany football teams have red in there colours and thus creates the impression of physical strength, even aggression other of the same coin. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.25 26) Blue is the colour ofr the intellect. In the same evidence about raising blood pressure with red, so blue is deemed to lower the blood pressure. Certainly it is a soothing, calming colour, encouraging reflection. Nature uses it lavishly in the sky and sea but this is in a reflective sense, as neither air nor water contains any colour. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.26) Yellow focuses on the emotions. Having learned that the third chakra relates to the pancreas, I could not at first understand the link, but then I realized if we are nervous, where do we feel it? We have butterflies in our stomach. Green is at the centre of the spectrum and represents perfect balance. It strikes the eye at the point requiring no adjustment, thereby presenting no strain. The pigment which reflects green chlorophyll is vital to life, and when our environment contains plenty of green we are reassured. Wright.A, (1998). The Beginners Guide to Colour Psychology. Colour Affects LTD (London) (pp.27) Colour Psychology FOOD Of all the colors in the spectrum, blue is an appetite suppressant. Weight loss plans suggest putting your food on a blue plate. Or even better than that, put a blue light in your refrigerator and watch your munchies disappear. Or heres another tip: Dye your food blue! A little black will make it a double whammy. What you see above is a delicacy prepared for the annual food party held at the end of the authors color course at the University of Hawaii. Its musubi, consisting of rice, a filling and nori a seaweed wrapper. Traditionally its Japanese but very popular in Hawaii in its natural state. In case youre wondering what the pink stuff is, its spam. If you want to create your own dyed food, use only natural food coloring purchased in a grocery store. Other coloring agents are toxic. Dramatic results can also be achieved by using a blue light bulb for your dining area. Blue food is a rare occurrence in nature. There are no leafy blue vegetables (blue lettuce?), no blue meats (blueburger, well-done please), and aside from blueberries and a few blue-purple potatoes from remote spots on the globe, blue just doesnt exist in any significant quantity as a natural food color. http://www.colormatters.com/appmatters.html A food professional has this to say: Color and the appeal of various foods is also closely related. Just the sight of food fires neurons in the hypothalamus. Subjects presented food to eat in the dark reported a critically missing element for enjoying any cuisine: the appearance of food. For the sighted, the eyes are the first place that must be convinced before a food is even tried. This means that some food products fail in the marketplace not because of bad taste, texture, or smell but because the consumer never got that far. Colors are significant and almost universally it is difficult to get a consumer to try a blue-colored food though more are being marketed for children these days. Greens, browns, reds, and several other colors are more generally acceptable, though they can vary by culture. The Japanese are renowned for their elaborate use of food colorings, some that would have difficulty getting approval by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. Gary Blumenthal International Food Strategies http://www.colormatters.com/appmatters.html Why Is McDonalds Yellow? The Role Of Environment On Eating Behavior November 4th, 2008 by drval in Health Tips, True Stories Im grateful to the Happy Hospitalist for pointing out that color matters when it comes to food consumption. As it turns out, blue light can be an appetite suppressant. And I actually know about this first hand. I helped to design a research study in connection with Architectural Digest and the Parsons School of Design several years ago. I was a volunteer instructor for a hospital design course in NYC, and wanted to show the students that lighting could influence eating patterns. As it happened, there was a big gala event at a local convention center, and so I worked with my friend Shashi Caan to set up three identical rooms bathed in three different colored lights (yellow, blue, and red). We had all the gala attendees dress up in white bunny suits (you know, the kind you let patients wear in the OR) and shuttled them through the 3 rooms at regular intervals. The rooms could each hold about 40 guests and copious identical hors doeurves were offered. Guess what we found? The most food was consumed in the yellow room, followed by red, and then a distant third was blue. About 33% fewer snacks were consumed in the blue room during the event (and yes we controlled the number of people in each room so theyd be equal). I found this quite fascinating, but unfortunately never published the results. You see, I didnt receive IRB approval for any of it. But the experiment did leave an indelible impression on my mind. As I thought about it, I realized that most fast food restaurants have yellowish interiors. From the golden arches to the lighting companies like McDonalds probably recognized (long before I did) that color influences purchasing and eating behavior. Yep, Im late to this party and Im not painting my kitchen yellow. http://www.getbetterhealth.com/tag/appetite-suppressant Colour Marketing and Branding Color and Marketing 1. Research conducted by the secretariat of the Seoul International Color Expo 2004 documented the following relationships between color and marketing: 92.6 percent said that they put most importance on visual factors when purchasing products. Only 5.6 percent said that the physical feel via the sense of touch was most important. Hearing and smell each drew 0.9 percent.   When asked to approximate the importance of color when buying products, 84.7 percent of the total respondents think that color accounts for more than half among the various factors important for choosing products. Source   2. Research reveals people make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone. Source: CCICOLOR Institute for Color Research 3. Research by the Henley Centre suggests 73% of purchasing decisions are now made in-store. Consequently, catching the shoppers eye and conveying information effectively are critical to successful sales. Color and Brand Identity 1. Color increases brand recognition by up to 80 percent University of Loyola, Maryland study 2. Heinz Color influences brand identity in a variety of ways. Consider the phenomenal success Heinz EZ Squirt Blastin Green ketchup has had in the marketplace. More than 10 million bottles were sold in the first seven months following its introduction, with Heinz factories working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep up with demand. The result: $23 million in sales attributable to Heinz green ketchup [the highest sales increase in the brands history]. All because of a simple color change. 3. Apple Computer Apple brought color into a marketplace where color had not been seen before. By introducing the colorful iMacs, Apple was the first to say, It doesnt have to be beige. The iMacs reinvigorated a brand that had suffered $1.8 billion of losses in two years. (And now we have the colorful iPods.) Color Increases Memory If a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture with natural colors may be worth a million, memory-wise. Psychologists have documented that living color does more than appeal to the senses. It also boosts memory for scenes in the natural world. By hanging an extra tag of data on visual scenes, color helps us to process and store images more efficiently than colorless (black and white) scenes, and as a result to remember them better, too. Source: The findings were reported in the May 2002 issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, published by the American Psychological Association (APA) http://www.colormatters.com/market_whycolor.html The Contributions of Color to Recognition Memory for Natural Scenes, Felix A. Wichmann, Max-Planck Institut fà ¼r Biologische Kybernetik and Oxford University; Lindsay T. Sharpe, Università ¤t Tà ¼bingen and University of Newcastle; and Karl R. Gegenfurtner, Max-Plank Institut fà ¼r Biologische Kybernetik and Justus-Liebig-Università ¤t Giessen; Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning, Memory and Cognition, Vol 28. No.3., 5-May-2002 Color Engages and Increases participation Ads in color are read up to 42% more often than the same ads in black and white (as shown in study on phone directory ads). Source: White, Jan V., Color for Impact, Strathmoor Press, April, 1997 Color Informs Color can improve readership by 40 percent 1, learning from 55 to 78 percent 2, and comprehension by 73 percent 3. (1)Business Papers in Color. Just a Shade Better, Modern Office Technology, July 1989, Vol. 34, No. 7, pp. 98-102   (2) Embry, David, The Persuasive Properties of Color, Marketing Communications, October 1984. (3) Johnson, Virginia, The Power of Color, Successful Meetings, June 1992, Vol 41, No. 7, pp. 87, 90. Color Attracts Attention Frequently Cited Facts   Tests indicate that a black and white image may sustain interest for less than two-thirds a second, whereas a colored image may hold the attention for two seconds or more. (A product has one-twentieth of a second to halt the customers attention on a shelf or display.) People cannot process every object within view at one time. Therefore, color can be used as a tool to emphasize or de-emphasize areas.   A Midwestern insurance company used color to highlight key information on their invoices. As a result, they began receiving customer payments an average of 14 days earlier. Other Research 92% Believe color presents an image of impressive quality 90% Feel color can assist in attracting new customers 90% Believe customers remember presentations and documents better when color is used 83% Believe color makes them appear more successful 81% Think color gives them a competitive edge 76% Believe that the use of color makes their business appear larger to clients Source: Conducted by Xerox Corporation and International Communications Research from February 19, 2003 to March 7, 2003, margin of error of +/- 3.1%. http://www.colormatters.com/market_whycolor.html Color and the Senses General facts about sensory input and human beings: Although the olfactory sense was a human beings most important source of input in the pre-historic era, sight became our most important means of survival. Furthermore, as hunters and gatherers in the early days of our evolution, we experienced a variety of colors and forms in the landscape. This has become part of our genetic code. In our current state of evolution, vision is the primary source for all our experiences. (Current marketing research has reported that approximately 80% of what we assimilate through the senses, is visual.) Our nervous system requires input and stimulation. (Consider the effects of solitary confinement in jails.) With respect to visual input, we become bored in the absence of a variety of colors and shapes. Consequently, color addresses one of our basic neurological needs for stimulation. Color and Visual Experiences   It is probably the expressive qualities (primarily of color but also of shape) that spontaneously affect the passively receiving mind, whereas the tectonic structure of pattern (characteristic of shape, but found also in color) engages the actively organizing mi