Slaughterhouse Essay Example for Free

Slaughterhouse Essay In the novel Slaughterhouse 5 composed by Kurt Vonnegut, it tends to be seen that the general plot structure doesn't follow the normal sequential request of most different books. Typically, the life of Billy Pilgrim would be spoken to as a straight story. This implies it would show the request for occasions as they occurred in time. The absence of sequential request in the novel and the unexpected and irregular changes in time are utilized by the creator to speak to how the life of a fighter is influenced after the war. All through the novel, Vonnegut executes this structure additionally to characterize Billy’s character and qualities. Vonnegut utilizes the standards and convictions of the Tralfamadorians to impact the structure of the novel. The Tralfamadorians accept that â€Å"there is no start, no center, no closure, no anticipation, no good, no causes, no impacts. What we love in our books are the profundities of numerous glorious minutes seen all at one time†. The creator speaks to this thought in the structure by switching back and forth among stories and times, recounting to the story as Billy lives it, to show what he considers life and passing after war. Vonnegut effectively composes the novel in this style to permit the perusers to think about these beliefs in their own lives. This is depicted in the novel when Billy says over and over â€Å"so it goes† when somebody bites the dust; implying that he doesn’t see passing like an end, it simply see it like another piece of life. Vonnegut prevails with regards to demonstrating the perusers the components of the novel at the same time utilizing irregular changes and skipping starting with one occasion then onto the next unexpectedly. The creator additionally gave this specific structure to the plot of the novel since it spoke to the bombarding of Dresden as an occasion that propped up until the end of time. The way that the besieging of Dresden didn’t have a lot of notable consideration, in spite of the fact that it was a genuine slaughter, urged Vonnegut to portray it through Billy's eyes: unending. As Billy went over his life more than once, the writer needs the peruser to know how hard and annihilating was for Billy to live war more than once. The brutality and the pointlessness of war are spoken to with this technique. Another basic procedure actualized by Vonnegut is hinting. Portending is the point at which a notice or a sign of a future occasion is given before the genuine occasion happens. This is plainly observed all through the whole novel however particularly in the primary section. â€Å"It starts this way: Listen: Billy Pilgrim has unhinged in time. It closes this way: Poo-tee-weet? (p. 31). Here Vonnegut purposely breaks the idea of time just as the idea of strain. The most significant occasions in this novel are foreshadowed by the creator previously, to assuage this negative strain that the entire topic of war makes. A reasonable model is found in page 56: Billy plunked down in the lounge area. He wasnt a single man yet. This method permits the plot of the novel to be significantly more loose just as giving the perusers a feeling of peacefulness and smoothness. An impact of the novel’s plot structure in the general significance of the book is the way that Billy’s life is repeated by the structure; delivering a representation of the harm fighting makes. A case of this is when Billy hops so as to his passing over and over. He knows precisely how, when and where he kicks the bucket. He realizes that he will be slaughtered by Paul Lazzaro after he conveys a discourse in an arena loaded up with individuals, about all that he learnt on tralfamadore in 1976. This encourages the crowd to comprehend the harm war causes to the brains of officers. The way that the storyline is indistinguishable to the peruser shows precisely how Billy has carried on with his life consistently since the war. Additionally the incoherent attribute of the structure depicts how the occasions in Billy’s life are totally disassociated. To finish up, the creator utilizes a non-sequential plot structure for reasons, for example, to speak to a soldier’s life after war and the progressing slaughter of Dresden. Vonnegut accomplishes, with the utilization of expanded representations and cautious portrayals, to pass on the peruser a feeling of intermittence in the novel and subsequently a general â€Å"image of life that is delightful and astounding and deep†.

What Is the National Letter of Intent for NCAA

What Is the National Letter of Intent for NCAA SAT/ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In the event that you’re a major enthusiast of school sports, you may have seen a news gathering on ESPN where an exceptionally enrolled secondary school competitor declares what school he will join in (for the most part in an emotional way), and afterward he signs a bit of paper. That bit of paper is his National Letter of Intent; he is currently legitimately bound to go to that school and the enlisting procedure is authoritatively finished. I recollect the day I marked my National Letter of Intent to go to Stanford. I don’t think my mother has ever been as glad, and it’s likely I won’t ever make her that pleased again. Accepting and marking a National Letter of Intent is your compensation for quite a long time of difficult work and implies the perfection of your school search. In this article, I will clarify what the National Letter of Intent is, the reason it exists, and its terms. What Is the National Letter of Intent? The NLI is an authoritative understanding between a forthcoming understudy competitor and a NLI part establishment to select at a school in return for athletic guide. There are 650 NCAA Division I and II universities that take an interest in the NLI program. Terms of the Agreement By marking the NLI, a planned understudy competitor consents to go to the foundation full-time for one scholarly year (two semesters or seventy five percent). The organization consents to give athletic guide to one full scholastic year. Athletic grants can be reestablished each year, however you just need to sign the NLI once. The mentor will disclose to you how much guide you’re being offered before you get the NLI. The NLI will be joined by an athletic guide grant letter that reveals to you the measure of help you’re accepting. Grant letters are the duty of the particular organization. Since 2012, schools have had the option to give multi-year grants (for 2, 3, or 4 years). Nonetheless, most schools give grants that are sustainable every year. For the most part, as long as you’re partaking and remain in great scholastic standing, your grant will be recharged. In some cases, if there’s extra athletic guide accessible, your grant will be expanded. Punishment for Not Fulfilling the Agreement In the event that you don't take a crack at the school, you can't vie for one scholastic year at the following NLI foundation you join in, and you lose a time of qualification. Motivation behind the NLI The motivation behind the NLI is to have a composed understanding that you will get games help in return for enlistment, if you are admitted to the school and qualified to contend. Additionally, marking a National Letter of Intent means the finish of the selecting procedure. When you sign the NLI, you can’t be enrolled by different schools. In the event that another school attempts to select you, you need to inform them that you’ve marked your NLI. These Princeton competitors didn't need to sign a NLI Case of a National Letter of Intent It was difficult, however I did some burrowing on the web, and I found a real National Letter of Intent for you to look at. This NLI was from a couple of years prior and a portion of the marking cutoff times have changed from that point forward. Presently, you should sign your NLI inside 7 days of it being given to you, and the NLI must be documented by the gathering inside 14 days. How Does a College Process the National Letter of Intent? To start with, the school gives a NLI and a proposal of sports help to the imminent understudy competitor. The understudy competitor signs two duplicates. Likewise, a gatekeeper must sign the NLI if the understudy competitor is under 21 years old. At that point, the understudy competitor will return one duplicate and save one for her records. The NLI must be marked inside 7 days of the date it was given, yet the multi day cutoff time will be less if there are less than 7 days left in the marking time frame. Or on the other hand, the NLI must be marked by 7 days after the underlying marking date if it's given before the underlying marking date. The school at that point checks the necessary data and sends it to its gathering office to be approved. The NLI must be recorded by the gathering inside 14 days of the last signature. The NLI procedure is totally free of the school confirmations process. Regularly, a school won't issue a NLI and offer of games help until after an understudy competitor has been admitted to the organization. There are a few exemptions and situations where a school needs to revoke an acknowledgment after a NLI has been marked because of a bombing grade or disciplinary issue, however frequently marking the NLI is the last advance in an understudy competitor's school determination process. NLI Signing Dates Here are the NLI marking dates for the up and coming year. For the most part, these dates stay generally the equivalent from year to year. NLI Signing Dates for Prospective Student-Athletes Signing 2015-2016 and Enrolling 2016-2017 Sport(s) Beginning Signing Date Last Signing Date Ball (Early Period) November 11, 2015 November 18, 2015 B-ball (Regular Period) April 13, 2016 Division I: May 18, 2016 Division II: August 1, 2016 Football (Midyear JC Transfer) December 16, 2015 January 15, 2016 Football (Regular Period) February 3, 2016 April 1, 2016 Soccer and Men's Water Polo February 3, 2016 August 1, 2016 Every single Other Sport (Early Period November 11, 2015 November 18, 2015 Every single Other Sport (Regular Period) April 13, 2016 August 1, 2016 The underlying marking dates are the main dates you're ready to sign a NLI in a marking period and the last dates are the cutoff times by when you should sign the NLI in that period. On the off chance that you don't sign early, you can generally sign in the normal time frame. Most mentors attempt to sign their top enrolls in the early period since they would prefer not to lose them to different schools. In the ordinary time frame, they'll attempt to fill the remainder of their selecting classes with late discovers, understudy competitors they were beforehand uncertain about, or top enlisted people who would not like to submit in the early marking time frame. Football, soocer, and men's water polo don't have early marking periods since they're fall sports, and mentors are occupied with their serious seasons when different games have their initial marking periods. Schools will frequently settle on confirmations choices sooner for athletic enlists so they can sign in the early period (or in the start of the standard time frame), yet some of the time a competitor should apply to a school early choice or early activity in the event that he needs to sign early. Striking NLI Rules On the off chance that you are under 21, a parent or watchman must sign the NLI. Athletic guide grant letters have their own principles and the organization decides whether you need a watchman signature. The NLI must be joined by a games help grant letter. On the off chance that you are not accepting a sports grant, you can't sign a NLI. The mentor can't be off-grounds to give you your NLI or be there when you sign. You are as yet bound to take on a school if there is an instructing change. Regular Reasons You'll Be Released From Your NLI While the NLI is legitimately official, there are circumstances in which you'll be conceded a discharge from your NLI. Here are the most widely recognized circumstances wherein you'll be discharged from your NLI and allowed to join up with an alternate school. 1. You are not conceded into the college If you don't get acknowledged by the college, you won't get your grant. In any case, regularly, the NLI might be given by the school after you gain affirmation. 2. You are resolved to be ineligible by the NCAA Eligibility Center-All NCAA competitors must be affirmed by the qualification place to take an interest in NCAA sports. An understudy competitor can be regarded ineligible on the off chance that he doesn't meet least GPA or SAT/ACT necessities. Or on the other hand, he can be esteemed ineligible on the off chance that he has damaged unprofessional quality guidelines. 3. One-year nonappearance If you sign a NLI and don't go to any school for one year, you would then be permitted to go to another college on the off chance that you record for a discharge with that school’s meeting office. Your athletic division at the school you will go to can assist you with that procedure. 4. Joining the military or doing a congregation strategic you join the military or go on a congregation crucial a year or increasingly subsequent to marking a NLI, you'll be permitted to sign with another school without punishment. 5. Ceased sport-If the school cuts the program for the game you marked for after you have marked, you'll be permitted to sign with another school without punishment. 6. Selecting rules infringement If it is resolved there were enlisting rules infringement after you have marked a NLI, you will have the decision to proceed with your NLI or get a discharge once you have been reestablished. This procedure will be taken care of by the athletic branch of your college. At last, if there's a palliating situation or convincing motivation behind why you need a discharge from your NLI, you can round out a NLI discharge demand structure on www.national-letter.org . On the off chance that you join the military, you can be discharged from your NLI. Last Advice Try not to tarry in marking your NLI. By and large, you'll just have 7 days from the date it's given. You should simply sign it, get a watchman to sign it, and bring it back. Be that as it may, don't pressure the NLI. In the event that you get a NLI, you've done the crucial step. You've been offered a games grant. The school will walk you through the procedure, if vital. The school needs you. That is the reason you were offered a grant. Ensure you're enlisted with the NCAA Eligibility Center. In addition to the fact that you need to be guaranteed as qualified before you can partake in NCAA sports, yet additionally you have to enroll before you can take official grounds visits during your enlisting procedure. In particular, center around your scholastics. Notwithstanding how skilled you are physically, you should be admitted to school scholastically. Considerably after you sign your NLI and you've been acknowledged by the school, you need to mama

Twentieth Century Novels and the Reconstruction of British Identity - Literature Essay Samples

During the twentieth century, particularly from 1920 to 2000, the British national identity underwent a dramatic transformation in response to the major historical events of the century: the conclusion of World War I, the decline of imperialism, and the immigration from former colonies to England after World War II. Three prominent twentieth-century novels reflect the changes in British identity. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway demonstrates how, in the aftermath of World War I, the traditional British identity suffered a devastating blow as the heavy causalities of the war shattered the country’s nationalism. In 1923, when the novel takes place, the Age of Imperialism was dwindling and the British Empire’s colonial influence began deteriorating. Set in the mid 1920s, E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India illustrates the fractured, racially-stratified British identity that existed after the destruction of Britain’s traditional national identity. Zadie Smi th’s novel White Teeth takes place during the mid to late twentieth century and details the formation of a contemporary, diverse British identity in response to increasing immigration from former colonies. The three novels use fiction to demonstrate how Britain’s national identity evolves over time from a closed-off, traditional British identity based on national pride to a muddled, race-based British identity to a modern, multi-ethnic national identity during the twentieth century. Virginia Woolf’s novel, Mrs. Dalloway, uses two characters to portray the breakdown of the traditional British identity after the Age of Imperialism comes to a close, thereby crushing the imperial basis of the nation’s identity, and after WWI obliterates a fundamental aspect of the national identity, British nationalism. The novel takes place in 1923 London as Britain’s Age of Imperialism draws to a close and the Empire begins to lose influence over its colonies. One character, Lady Bruton, represents imperialism in the British identity because of her military lineage and her devotion to the imperial beliefs of the British Empire. A description of Lady Bruton states, â€Å"one could not figure her even in death parted from the earth or roaming territories over which†¦ the Union Jack had ceased to fly. To be not English even among the dead-no, no! Impossible!† (Woolf 181). The narrator claims that even in death, Lady Bruton’s British identity wo uld remain steadfast. However, the exclamations â€Å"no, no! Impossible!† about the loss of national identity reflect denial and self-reaffirmation rather than validity. Instead of convincing the reader of the British Empire’s invincibility, the two fragmented, random utterances presage Britain’s downfall. The narrator mentions the â€Å"roaming territories† under British control, which alludes to the British Empire’s imperial conquests. In contrast, the narrator references territories where â€Å"the Union Jack had ceased to fly†, which exemplifies Britain’s imperial influence fading after World War I. Through the description of Lady Bruton, Woolf demonstrates the pivotal role imperialism plays in the national identity and how the weakening imperial influence of Great Britain after the war destroys part of British identity. On the other hand, the novel’s protagonist, Clarissa Dalloway, represents nationalism’s central role in British identity. After ambling around London running errands in preparation for her party, Clarissa Dalloway describes the sensation caused by the presence of a nobility-filled and says, â€Å"for in all the hat shops and tailors’ shops strangers looked at each other and thought of the dead; of the flag; of Empire† (Woolf 18). Seeing a regal car incites nationalistic thoughts among the townspeople, which causes the crowd to contemplate â€Å"the dead†, â€Å"the flag†, and the â€Å"Empire.† The mention of â€Å"the dead† refers to the deadliest conflict in history at the time, World War I. The â€Å"flag†, or the Union Jack, serves as the ultimate symbol of Great Britain’s nationalism when it flies over England but when the flag flies above foreign territories, it represents the nation’s imperial ambitio n. Another interpretation of the three words, however, signifies the death of British nationalism by associating death with the flag of the Empire. After the British Empire suffers through the brutality of World War I, the nation emerges victorious but with heavy casualties and its nationalism-based British identity shattered. E.M. Forster’s novel, A Passage to India, uses fiction to portray the fragmented, race-based British identity that emerges in the aftermath of World War I and the Age of Imperialism. Throughout the novel, Forster uses the attitudes of British characters to critique British society’s over-inflated sense of nationalism that led to the nation’s aggressive imperialist tendencies and the racism that justifies Britain’s imperialism. In describing a group of Englishmen discussing the polarizing trial between an Englishwoman and the Indian accused of assaulting her, the narrator says, â€Å"[those] simple words had reminded them that they were an outpost of Empire† (Forster 202). The discussion of the trial inflames the imperialistic views of the Anglo-Indians. They remember that they represent â€Å"an outpost of Empire,† which separates them from the Indians. The word â€Å"outpost† has two meanings; it can be defined as either a military ca mp distant from the main base or a remote part of an empire. Both definitions allude to separation between the English and Indians, which would breed a strong sense of nationalism in the British outpost and foster their connection to the homeland. The Anglo-Indians’ perception that they represent the empire allows them to channel their patriotism and feel proud of their national identity. In addition to strong nationalistic beliefs, paternalism and perceived racial superiority fuel British nationalism and imperial conquests. At the Bridge Party, where the British segregate themselves from the Indians and vice versa, Mrs. Turton tells Mrs. Moore, â€Å"you’re superior to them, anyway. Don’t forget that. You’re superior to everyone in India† (Forster 42). Mrs. Turton embodies the racism that pervades the imperial British identity. She expresses the British viewpoint and interprets British identity as racial superiority rather than a common cultural i dentity. Her ethnocentric perception of â€Å"superiority† epitomizes the foundation of British nationalism and imperialism. Through the novel’s depiction of British characters’ attitudes, Forster criticizes British society’s reliance on racism to bolster national pride and maintain its national identity. White Teeth, a novel by Zadie Smith, explores the formation of a modern British identity that encompasses the multi-ethnic population of contemporary Britain. The novel details the experiences of first-generation and second-generation immigrants to illustrate their inclusion in modern British society. While the main characters listen to the news, the broadcast states, â€Å"the twenty-eight-mile-long scar—the ugliest symbol of a divided world, East and West—has no meaning anymore† (Smith 199). The newscaster recounts the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The destruction of the wall, a symbol of the Cold War’s divisiveness, signifies the integration of Eastern immigrants into British society. The â€Å"divided world† that the narrator mentions applies to not only the conflict between communism and democracy but also the general tension between East and West. Immigrants from the East encountered resistance from the British and often faced discriminatio n. The idea of the divide having â€Å"no meaning anymore† reflects the creation of a unified British identity to include all ethnicities, religions, and classes. While reflecting on the influx of immigrants to London during the mid twentieth century, the narrator says, â€Å"it is still hard to admit that there is no one more English than the Indian, no one more Indian than the English† (Smith 272). The narrator notes the close ties between English and Indian mannerisms. By tying together the British and the Indians, the narrator hints at the colonial history of India as a colony of the British Empire. However, the quote also alludes to the blurred lines between colonial peoples and colonial rulers in the reformed British identity. Irie, the daughter of a Jamaican immigrant and an Englishman, ponders her British identity and says, she wanted to, well, kind of, merge with them. She wanted their Englishness†¦It didn’t occur to her that the Chalfens were, aft er a fashion, immigrants too (third generation, by way of Germany and Poland, nà © Chalfenovsky)†¦ to Irie, the Chalfens were more English than the English (Smith 273). Irie believes that the Chalfens represent the paradigm of Englishness and, therefore, she wants to merge with them to gain their British identity. Irie’s perception of the Chalfens’ British identity reflects the more open national identity of contemporary Britain. She â€Å"wanted their Englishness† because she views the Chalfens as British despite the fact that they â€Å"were†¦immigrants too.† Irie’s perception of the Chalfens as â€Å"more English than the English† demonstrates the openness of the modern British identity and the inclusion of immigrants in the national identity. The novel’s depiction of crumbling barriers and inclusivity in British society mirrors the shift to a modern British identity that incorporates the multi-cultural population of con temporary Britain. The three prominent twentieth-century novels reveal the modernization of British identity. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway demonstrates the complete annihilation of British identity after the devastation of World War I and the decline of imperialism destroyed two key aspects of the national identity: nationalism and imperialism. A Passage to India continues to trace the transformation of British identity by focusing on the convoluted, race-based British identity that emerges after World War I destroys Britain’s traditional identity. The novel White Teeth reflects the final form of Britain’s national identity. In the novel, British identity undergoes reconstruction to apply to people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions, ages, and socioeconomic statuses. The three distinguished novels from the twentieth century reflect the transition from the destruction of British identity after World War I to the disjointed, race-based national identity and finally, the rebirth of British identity as a diverse, open national identity. Works Cited: Forster, E. M. A Passage to India. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984. Print. Smith, Zadie. White Teeth: A Novel. New York: Random House, 2000. Print. Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. New York: Harcourt, 1981. Print.

The Impact Of Globalization On Canada And Canada - 931 Words

Globalization can be defined as the movement towards economic, financial, trade and communications integration, allowing for a state of global interconnectedness. Globalization affects all countries in different ways. Globalization has had a positive impact on Canada. The Canadian economy has grown, international conflicts are becoming less prevalent, Canadian tourism has increased, Canadians have seen an unprecedented rate of cultural integration, even the life expectancy of Canadian citizens is due in part to the effects of Globalization. Canada has benefited greatly due to Globalization and this phenomenon will continue to impact Canada for the rest of time, until the world reaches the state of Globality. Economic Globalization: Globalization can be defined as the increasing interconnectedness between states, therefore it can benefit Canada and Canadians in certain areas such as increased availability of needed products, and a quicker and easier form of trade (McBride 2005). Without trade Canada would have a hard time surviving. With a population just shy of 33 million, it would be difficult to procure the funds and obtain the needed resources to supply citizens with everything they need. Due to Globalization trade has become easier (See Appendix B). There are less barriers and borders to deal with when shipping in products and resources. This allows for both a flow of money out of Canada but also a flow of money back into the Canadian economy (McBride 2005). WithShow MoreRelatedThe Impact of Globalization in Canada1395 Words   |  6 PagesCanada Over the last several years, globalization is having a dramatic impact on nations, politics and the way they are interacting with each other. In the case of Canada, these shifts are taking place based upon the policies that are embraced and the attitudes they have about these transformations. To fully understand what is occurring requires carefully examining the impact of globalization on them. This will be accomplished by carefully examining: the philosophy / foreign policy, the way itRead MoreFuture Prospects For The Future1581 Words   |  7 Pages What are the future prospects for work in Canada? Name Course Affiliated institution Tutor Date Introduction There are various things which are likely to work in the future Canada. One of the key issues which will be discussed in this paper about the future of work in Canada include globalization. Several models will be discussed in this paper about the sustainability of work in the face of the increasing pressures within the limits of work and also the available resources which areRead MoreEconomic Globalization And Its Impact On Society1154 Words   |  5 PagesEconomic globalization has progressed significantly around the globe. First world republics have evolved due to economics, while possessing economical supremacy over the poor. 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Because of globalization, countries were able to get the supportRead MoreGlobalization Of The University Of Windsor Globalization887 Words   |  4 PagesGlobalization is the interaction of companies, people, and governments internationally to change and adapt perspective, ideas and resources. As I take the time to observe my surrounding, I realize that globalization has been happening in our everyday life without knowing. Without globalization countries would be limited the resources they have, would decreas e security between countries and a negative impact for the countries economy. Ways that globalization has impacted my everyday life in a positiveRead MoreNetflix : An International Provider Of On Demand Internet Streaming Media933 Words   |  4 PagesSouth America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and parts of Europe† (Wikipedia, 2015). 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Technology impacts us on a daily basis in almost all aspects of our day to day activities, whether it be driving or riding publicRead MoreNorth Americas Comparative Advantage1458 Words   |  6 Pagesof the forum is to discuss why and how U.S., Canada and Mexico should enhance their alliance to meet the Asian and European challenges of the 21st century. Van R. Wood, Ph.D, the moderator of the forum, started the event off by welcoming everyone that attended. Van R. Wood is an International Marketing professor at VCU and the Philip Morris Endowed Chair in International Business. His teachings, research, and consulting focus on globalization and the selection and development of internationalRead MoreOil Sands Essay789 Words   |  4 Pagesecosystems, it has achieved and ensured that Canada stays as an economic power. 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As this paper will demonstrate, the key differences witnessed in the 1971 White Paper on Defence and in the 2008 Canada First Defence Strategy is in terms of the specificities

Female Oppression in Jane Eyre Essay - 1600 Words

Throughout Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontà « uses the character Jane as a tool to comment on the oppression that women were forced to endure at the time. Jane can be seen as representative of the women who suffered from repression during the Victorian period, a time when patriarchy was commonplace. Brontà « herself was affected by the time period, because according to Wolfe, she was deprived â€Å"experience and intercourse and travel.† (70) Thus Jane offers a unique perspective as a woman who is both keenly aware of her position and yet trapped by it despite repeated attempts to elevate herself and escape the burden placed on by her different suitors. Although superficially it seems that Jane wants to break away from the relationships that further†¦show more content†¦Even in her state of anger she cannot help but once again be the restrained and subdued one in their relationship. Despite all of the happiness she has found with Rochester she still cannot bring herself t o stay in a relationship in which she sacrifices part of herself, because she doesn’t know how to reconcile her need feel like she belongs and is taken care of while at the same time remaining uncorrupted. Over the course of the novel it becomes clear that Jane is two separate people one practical and honest, the other simply a lonely girl looking for a place to belong. The question becomes how she will resolve the tension between each of these Jane’s who seem to be at odds with one another. This divergence is represented by her struggle to leave Thornfield, and when making that choice we see a distinct conflict between her conscious and passion. She refers to her conscience as a â€Å"tyrant† taunting passion and threatening it with agony. (335) Moreover, Jane also says that it has an â€Å"arm of iron† which alludes to its strength and foreshadows which of the two will eventually win. (335) Once she realizes what she needs to do she explains the reasoning mechanically using words that are plain and free from emotion such as, â€Å"law,† and â€Å"principles† asShow MoreRelatedFunhouse Mirrors: Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason Essay1717 Words   |  7 Pa gesTim Bartlett ENG 396 March 23, 2011 Funhouse Mirrors: Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason â€Å"Jane Eyre† is a book centred around female duality. In a time when females were still expected to fulfill their â€Å"womanly duties,† Charlotte Bronte wrote a novel dealing with a woman’s view on morality sexuality, passion sensibility, and conformity insanity, among other themes. This motif of duality plays a strong part in the dynamism that makes up the book, and is not limited to the themes, but is also usedRead MoreJane Eyre Feminist Analysis1066 Words   |  5 Pageshysterical, impudent, and presumptuous for acting on their true nature or their intuition. Jane Eyre, a semi-autobiography by Charlotte Brontà «, is an exemplary novel where an untraditional heroine defies societal normality. The female protagonist Jane Eyre exhibits a self-created drive for personal success and a perpetual ambition to learn, characteristics customary of men. After the publication of Jane Eyre, many critics has viewed it through the feminist literary lenses, claiming it to contain biblicalRead MoreThe Exposure of Feminist Critique in 19th Century Literature: a Look at Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Jane Eyre1749 Words   |  7 Pagesdeemed oppressive in ones life. It is created for different causes and comes in many forms; it may be made verbal, explicit, implicit, physical, and even made humorous or satirical. Charlotte Brontà «, a 19th century Victorian feminist wrote her novel Jane Eyre as a means of exposing the confining environments, shameful lack of education, and pitiful dependence upon male relatives for survival (Brackett, 2000). Charlotte Brontà « used literature as a means of feminist cultural resistance by identifyingRead MoreWomen s Rights By Jane Eyre1351 Words   |  6 Pagesbegin to see literature as a form of expression against oppression when Marie Gouze, a self educated female in France,is inspired by The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen and writes The Declaration of the Rights of Women.This lays down the for efront for women’s rights and influences people to express themselves in literature and to give females a voice. Charlotte Bronte writes Jane Eyre in 1847 which depicts the life of Jane Eyre who had a rough childhood and is able to get herself a jobRead MoreJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Essay1162 Words   |  5 Pagesand such opinion is shown in Jane Eyre. 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Rochester recklessly married Bertha in his youth, and when it was discovered shortly after the marriage that Bertha was sexually promiscuous, Rochester locked her away. Bertha is called a maniac and isRead MoreJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1601 Words   |  7 Pagesbeliefs would likely shock her, so to interpret this novel as feminist, one must see it through the lens of the time and place Brontà « wrote it. Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Jane Eyre was a feminist work in that Bronte expressed disdain for oppressive gender structures through the voice of Jane Eyre, and the actions of Bertha Mason. Jane Eyre was a steamy novel for its time, with imagery as blatantly concealed as Jane’s description of Rochester’s hand as being â€Å"rounded, muscular; and vigorous†¦long, strong†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Read MoreEssay on Women Oppressed in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre1666 Words   |  7 PagesJane Eyre: Women Oppressed      Ã‚   Gender is not a biological fact but a social construct.   However, so many assumptions have been made in the attempt to define the terms gender and sex that society often defines gender as being solely male and female.   The female sex has traditionally been oppressed due to inferences on physical and mental constraints that male-dominated society has imposed.   As with culture, gender socialization begins with birth and the family structure, though many believeRead More Personification of Oppression in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre1561 Words   |  7 PagesPersonification of Oppression in Jane Eyre      Ã‚  Ã‚   At first glance and under insufficient scrutiny, the persona of Jane Eyre reflects a slightly expanded Cinderella character. But Jane Eyres personality and life delve much deeper than a superfluous rags to riches story. Her identity is as complex as literature can convey and her characteristics are manifested through several subtle parallels. These parallels relate to objects and nature, but mostly to one particular individual in the novelRead MoreJane Eyre Character Analysis1402 Words   |  6 PagesIn her novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte BrontÃ'‘ depicts the characters of Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason as being negatively perceived by society, as they are both treated unfairly and are seemingly undesirable and disregarded. Looked down upon by society, they are made to feel suppressed and as if their thoughts do not matter. Such feelings of oppression seem to drive both Jane and Bertha to madness; Bertha seems to embody the inner rage that Jane tries to control within herself throughout the novel. Through

Pizza hut Essay Example For Students

Pizza hut Essay INTRODUCTIONPizza Hut began operation as a single pizza shop run by two brothers, Dan and Frank Carney, in Wichita, Kansas on June 15, 1958. The chain grew to 43 restaurants in 1963 and 296 in 1968. Pizza Hut went public in 1969 and was acquired by PepsiCo, Inc. in 1977. By 1981 Pizza Hut had become the largest pizza restaurant chain in the world both in sales and number of restaurants. At that time there were 5,025 domestic units and annual sales of almost $2 billion. Before 1984 Pizza Hut saw no real competition from Dominos in the overall pizza market. COMPETITION: NEED FOR HOME DELIVERYThe challenge of Dominos changed in 1985 when they opened 954 new outlets bringing their total to 2,839 which was the largest expansion which had ever occurred in the food service business. Since Dominos was essentially a delivery-only chain the pressure was placed on Pizza Hut to compete for the market. The expansion of Dominos had led to competition in the locations where Pizza Hut had been the o nly local pizza shop. After the aggressive competition by Dominos the market share of Pizza Hut declined by 3% to 15.4% in the $53 Billion fast food market. Another important reason for Pizza Hut to enter the Home Delivery market was to capture the fast growing market of Home Delivery that increased to $7 Billion from just $0.1 Billion in a span of 8 years. In the time span of 1984 and 1985 the home delivery of pizza grew to be the newest and fastest growing fast food concept. People who had enjoyed dining out for pizza were also ordering delivery pizza for additional meals or even evening snacks. The market was opening up and becoming very successful. Pizza Hut felt they needed to jump into this area of sales. By 1986 there was a surge of business in the pizza market. The main reason for this increase was the home delivery of pizza which had suddenly gained great popularity. FRANCHISING CONCEPT ; ITS DISADVANTAGESPizza Hut had a logistical problem with the delivery aspect of sales being added to the market. Franchising was done for each restaurant Pizza Hut opened. The initial fee was $15,000 for each system. The company or franchise also paid 4% of monthly gross sales to the company. An investment of $466,000 to $816,000 was made when the dine-in/carryout restaurants were set up. The delivery-only units required a much smaller investments estimated at $128,500 to $198,500. In 1967 the International Pizza Hut Franchise Holders Association was formed to provide a home group of companies which held a loyalty to their product and their sales. By 1986 the organization handled all advertising and promotions of the Pizza Hut stores. Market areas were also determined by this group and even accessed some local co-ops in prime market areas. CANNNIBALIZATION AND MAINTENANCE PROBLEMSThe delivery phase of Pizza Hut was difficult to add to the market place without confusion and what was referred to as cannibalizing of the other phases of Pizza Hut. Dine-in/ carry out establishments were not developed to add the delivery aspect. This meant that staffing had to be changed and the possibility of creating shortages in dine-in stores was a reality. When the delivery aspect was added, the idea of store owned delivery vehicles had to be considered. Not many of the stores wanted to handle this additional charge of owning and maintaining vehicles. This meant they needed to hire drivers who were willing to use their own cars and realize the wear and tear on their cars. In addition to the vehicles and drivers, there were other concerns about the addition of delivery to established stores or the set-up of delivery-only facilities which involved less cost and less land area. The delivery-only facilities did not need to maintain large pa rking lots. They only needed a small area for the employees, including the delivery people. The company tried using a computerized central ordering system called the Customer Service Center (CSC). The use of one single number to order pizza from Pizza Hut sounded good but it was less than efficient. EXPENSIVE AND INEFFICIENT CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERThe principle was

The Battle Of The Buldge Essays - Battle Of The Bulge, Belgium

The Battle Of The Buldge The Battle of The Bulge As 1945 approached it seemed, to most, that Germany's surrender was only a matter of time. The Allies, having been on the offensive for so long, had an all time high determination and morale. The idea that Germany could muster the supplies, troops, or will to launch an offensive seemed crazy. In fact, many were already asking the questions of when and where the assault on the Rhine should be launched. Hitler, utilizing his talent of strategic vision, noticed a hole in the Allies defenses. He saw the Ardennes Forest of Belgium was lightly defended. The Ardennes Forest had traditionally been thought of as impassible to tanks and there fore not an option for either side. The Allies left only four divisions to defend a front of over eighty miles. Because the Germans had now been pushed back almost to Germany, and in some places were already fighting on German soil, the Allies lost the important intelligence on troop movements provided by French and Belgium residents. As a result Germany was able to do major troop movements and buildups right behind the front lines. Hitler secretly assembled the twenty-one divisions that would later take place in The Battle of The Bulge with out the Allies even knowing. Field-Marshal von Rundsted is generally credited with the plans for the offensive, however in actuality he was strongly opposed to the plan. It was Hitler and his immediate staff who secretly developed the plan, and turned down all requests for changes or revisions. In one of von Rundsted's request for revisions Hitler responded The Plan itself is irrevocable(World War II Trevor Hall and Gerald Hughes, Smithmark Publisher) The plan was actually brilliant in its simplicity, and if Germany had the fuel, men and supplies that Hitler's plan required, it could have succeeded giving Germany a major victory in the west. Fortunately for the Allies, Hitler's idea of the amount of fuel and number of men at his disposal was greatly exaggerated, and his plan did not take into account that three of his Panzer tank divisions were down to roughly 100 tanks per division, less than half the amount in the American armored divisions. At 5:30 in the morning of December 16, 1944 with the benefit of fog and clouds keeping Allied planes on the ground, Hitler attacked a 90 mile American front between Monschau and Echternach using twenty one German divisions high on morale but low on fuel. The first wave of the attack was by the 150th Panzer Brigade, a unit of about 2,000 English speaking Germans who knew American slang and customs. Under command of Colonel Otto Skorzeny, and using captured Jeeps and wearing American combat jackets, the Germans moved through the American lines cutting telephone wires, turning signpost, and setting up false mind field indicators. The 150th was under orders that if captured tell the Americans that thousands of Germans in Jeeps were behind the American lines. This operation was a huge success thirty-two of the forty Jeeps that went in came back, and the ones who did not make it kept their orders and spread rumors of large number of undercover Germans. The Americans took the bait and set u p checkpoints causing massive traffic jams and hundreds of American soldiers were sent to jail if they could not answer check questions such as the height of the Empire State Building. Later the Americans commended these under cover operations as Military Genius. Less respectable were the acts committed by the 1st SS Panzer Brigade known as Battle Group Peiper. This unit captured the city of Stavelot and discovered a group of civilians huddled in a basement, the Germans took them out and shot in cold blood. Later that same day the US 99th Infantry Division retook Stavelot and held their positions until reinforcements arrived. Ironically while Peiper was held up in Stavelot he was with in a mile of a lightly guarded American fuel dump containing 2.5 Million gallons of gasoline. But he did not know that it was there and therefore made no attempt to capture the fuel that could have changed the entire offensive. While Peiper was held up in the

Anemia Case Study Essays - Anemias, Mineral Deficiencies

Anemia Case Study Essays - Anemias, Mineral Deficiencies Running Head: Anemia Case Study Anemia Case Study Name: Institute: Date: Case Study #1 Ms. A has breathlessness, lethargy, light-headedness, tachycardia, tachypnea and hypotension. She is suffering with menorrhagia and dysmenorrheal for ten to twelve years and taking aspirin to relieve menstruation pain as well as to avoid joint stiffness while playing golf. Her laboratory values shows low Hemoglobin=8g/dl (Normal value 12-15.2gm/dl in female), Low Hematocrit = 32% (Normal value- 37-46% in female), low Erythrocyte count = 3.1x 10/m (Normal - 3.8-5.5 x 10/mm in female), Reticulocyte count = 1.5% (Normal 0.5-1.5%) and RBC smear shows microcytic and hypochromic cells (Saunders, 1999). Based on these observations, Ms.A is most likely having iron deficiency anemia. Anemia is also called iron poor blood. There are many types of anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia in the world. Blood is unable to carry enough oxygen when there is anemia. Hemoglobin is an iron rich protein that gives red color to the blood. Iron is an essential substance for the synthesis of hemoglobin. The function of hemoglobin is to carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Pregnancy, heavy menstruation, ulcers, colon polyps, inherited disorders, colon cancer and inadequate intake of dietary iron are some causes of anemia. Some blood disorders like Thalassemia, sickle cell anemia and cancer also can lead to anemia (Anemia , 2011). Regular use of aspirin or other non steroidal antiinflamatory drugs like Ibuprofen can lead to anemia aswell.Microcytic and hypochromic red blood cells are seen in iron deficiency anemia. Dietary deficiency of iron and chronic blood loss are the two main causes of this type of anemia.Other causes are inability to absorb iron like in intestinal diseasessuch as celiac disease and intake of some medication that reduce the acid in the stomach. The signs and symptoms include tachycardia, dyspnea, palpitations, fatigue, pallor, mouth sorness especially on the corners of the mouth (Module 3 Readings). Anemia also can make the patient weak,cold and irritable. The doctor will diagnose iron deficiency anemia based on the medical history, physical exam and the results of the tests and procedures. There may be no signs and symptoms to mild to moderate iron deficiency anemia.Therefore,often this anemia is diagnosed during a screening test or when checking for other problems.Iron deficiency anemia usually develop over time.A simple blood test of complete blood count can diagnose the disease.Other tests used to diagnose iron deficiency anemia are reticulocyte count, peripheral smear and tests to measure the iron levels. This type of anemia can be succesfully treated and it depends on the cause and severity of the condition. Treatment includes dietary changes and iron suppliments.Iron therapy in injectable forms and blood transfusion are the tratment for severe iron deficiency anemia.If the iron deficiency is caused by bleeding, the cause has to be treated first.For example, a bleeding peptic ulcer may need antibiotics,other medications and even surgery.(Explore Iron- Deficiency Anemia, 2011). Ms.A shows most of the signs and symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. Her blood work is also indicating the same. Based on the circumstances and preliminary work up , Ms. A is most probably having Iron deficiency anemia. It seems there may be some different contributing factors to Ms. As circumstance. It would be beneficial to her if she were educated about supplements for the heavy menses, maintaining hydration and knowledge about dosage and risks of taking aspirin. Reference Anemia . (2011). Retrieved from Medline Plus: nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/anemia.html Explore Iron- Deficiency Anemia. (2011). Retrieved from National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ida/ Saunders, W. (1999). Normal Reference Range Table. Retrieved from http://pathcuric1.swmed.edu/pathdemo/nrrt.htm

International Operations and Risk Management of Brewin Dolphin Plc Essay

International Operations and Risk Management of Brewin Dolphin Plc - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Brewin Dolphin Plc has over 35 offices in the U.K and the Eire region. The company remains committed to providing expert financial services. Earning the trust of the client through efficient services has remained an important aspect of the company. However, increasing regulatory policies and changing demands and nature of financial services requires Brewin Dolphin to continuously innovate. Brewin Dolphin charges clients on the basis of the value of their services. Following fair and ethical practices in terms of charging prices has remained important for the organization. A personal approach is adopted by the company in providing financial services to the clients. Brewin Dolphin‘s clients also include a number of charitable trusts and non-profit seeking institutions. Brewin Dolphin manages  £ 28 billion worth investments of clients in the U.K and Eire. Since its inception in the British financial sector, the company has been successful at growing r apidly. Moreover, since the market in which the company operates is growth-oriented, it is expected that the firm will be able to grow sufficiently even in the future. Investment management firm in the U.K is seen to grow in size and revenue even though recession had considerably weakened the economy. Post-recession, many firms, and individuals began becoming aware of the fact that securing financial advice and expert management advice was necessary to safeguard wealth. Moreover, the recession had triggered more regulatory practices to be introduced within the industry. Almost 10 to 15 percent of the industry segment is occupied by the portfolio management and investment firms. The major revenue, however, is received from the banking firms which operate in this sector. The investment management firms of the U.K account for earning almost  £ 12 billion on an annual basis. Apart from the steady flow of income, the investment management sector of the U.K also accounts for a significa nt number of job opportunities. The government of the U.K ensures that the investment management sector remains stable. The failure or fall in revenues in this sector directly impacts the overall economy of the nation. Overall, the investment management sector accounts for 1 percent in the overall economy of the U.K.

Making lessons accessible for English language learners Essay

Making lessons accessible for English language learners - Essay Example In this case the goals consist of i) helping the non-speaking English students overcome their lack of confidence in giving proper expression to their views in response to a given topic or issue in English language ii) knowing how to begin with critical approach iii) being able to convey their views to others iv) helping them avoid summarization. The whole process of teaching this particular lesson would help in reinforcing their analytical thinking (Schneberger). The modifications I find most essential to be done for specifically the English language learners is in the topic on which they are to write in response. I would like to bank on the visual sense as I believe it is the most effective way of getting a response. Therefore I would present a descriptive picture before my students and ask them to write down a few lines on what they see in the picture. At this point I think it is important for the teacher to explain the meaning and importance of ‘Response Writing’ to the students as they are not so familiar with the English language. They are also to be made aware of the stages of ‘Response Writing’ (Schneberger). I feel that it would be needful to ask the students to share their observation with the rest of the class. They are to be asked to read aloud individually. This would not only help the teacher check upon their reading skill but also whether they have got down the points correctly or not? The teacher should then ask them to note down the similarity in the points between each other (Schneberger). After listening to the students, the teacher is to write the word ‘summary’ on the board (Schneberger) in order to point out specifically the difference between ‘critical response’ and ‘summary’. It is always better to write out than tell while teaching. By writing down the difference and definitions the students get a better understanding of the meanings. The teacher should distinctly point out to the students

Instructions on how to hypnotise a person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Instructions on how to hypnotise a person - Essay Example Hypnosis is a condition that is linked with the psychological behaviors where it affects the lives of the people on which it is acted upon in a manner that shows clearly the marked distinctions in their thinking mindsets and behavioral patterns. There seems to be an altered state of consciousness at certain times within this whole hypnotic activity but the same holds true for only a small fraction of people. The hypnotic indications as well as the subjective alterations within the human mind can be achieved with hypnosis. However there a number of controversies that goes in line with the art of hypnosis the world over. Without a shadow of a doubt, hypnosis is a form of hysteria and the people who experience hysteria can be hypnotizable. However this is just a solitary claim and with the recent research it has been proven time and again that nearly all human beings can be hypnotized. The manner in which a person can be hypnotized rests largely with the act of inducting a hypnotic state within him/her. We cannot just fathom a single basis on which we can rest our claim that the same is the proper way of inducing a hypnotic state however for this act to be effective, a number of practitioners have started to employ the calming verbal methodologies, usage of difficult triggers and lastly the inclusion of devices which are mechanical in nature. Hypnotherapy is the term which is used for the description of hypnosis within a therapeutic setting. A number of these hypnotherapists refer to this act as the practice related with â€Å"clinical work†.

Comparing Heroes and Villains in Measure for Measure, Othello, and Haml

Comparing Heroes and Villains in Measure for Measure, Othello, and Hamlet According to John Steinbeck, "Heroes are innocent; villains are cunning." This statement likely regards the internal aspects of characters, such as intellect, reasoning/motivation, and morality/responsibility, as indicated by consistency in action and/or articulation, as in direct speech or soliloquy. An examination of the heroes and villains in Measure for Measure, Othello, and Hamlet can determine whether Steinbeck's generalization is applicable. Although Measure for Measure is not a tragedy by standard conventions, Angelo can be considered a tragic hero since he falls because of his hamartia, hubris. While he fits into Steinbeck's generalization of "innocent" as a victim of the circumstances created by the Duke, Angelo is responsible for his own fate. When asked "Whether you had not sometime in your life/Err'd in this point which now you censure [Claudio]," (14-15, II.i) Angelo affirms he has never felt love or passion, nor had sex. Thus, being a man of virtue, Angelo believes he has the right to impose morality upon the city: he unquestioningly enforces the law forbidding fornication. Since he is righteous, Angelo's motivation is not wrong or immoral; however, once he begins to manipulate sexual morality in his favor, his innocence decreases. Angelo offers to spare Claudio's life should Isabella engage in sexual relations with him; he claims to be tempted by Isabella's virtue, and does not recognize his own hypocrisy in pro posing there is charity in sinning to save Claudio. The reduction of Angelo's virtue and righteousness continues as he sends Claudio's death warrant after he has had sex with Mariana, who he believed to be Isabella. In additio... ...le to comedies, when considering A Midsummer's Night Dream, As You Like It, and Measure for Measure, in which the heroes are mostly virtuous ("innocent"), and the villains are devious ("cunning"); however, since the Duke and Iago are both cunning villains, Steinbeck's notion of villains is also appropriate for tragedy. More importantly, though, as previously noted, these â€Å"heroes† are directly responsible for their fall, and therefore challenge readers to consider the roles of heroes and villains in tragedy less traditionally; Othello is not cunning, nor is he innocent, and so Steinbeck's parameters exclude him. Thus, a more encompassing generalization would be that tragic heroes are responsible, and "villains are cunning" (Steinbeck). Works Cited Shakespeare, William. William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. Ed. Alfred Harbage. 1969. Baltimore: Penguin, 1994.

Higher Education Marketing Mix

CHAPTER 3 MARKETING’S ROLE IN HIGHER EDUCATION 3. 1 INTRODUCTION Chapter 2 introduced some of the major changes and trends that have taken place in the higher education environment both internationally and locally. Although higher education institutions can be classified as non-profit organisations, the challenges discussed in Chapter 2 necessitate higher education institutions to take on the organisation-like behaviour of profit organisations and to become more marketingoriented.An understanding of the environment in which higher education institutions operate, provides an essential background against which to understand and assess the benefits of focusing on students as customers. If higher education institutions understand the landscape in which they operate, they can begin to plan to serve the market effectively and efficiently with their marketing strategy. Being marketingoriented requires that organisations have knowledge on external forces (as explained in Chapter 2), b ut also knowledge on customers’ needs and wants (to be addressed in Chapter 4).It is against this backdrop of changes in the environment, such as the decrease in government funding and the increase in competition, that the need for marketing in higher education can be seen. In order to survive and to develop a sustainable competitive advantage in a changing higher education landscape, higher education institutions should satisfy the needs of their customers by adding value. Institutions should provide more benefits to their customers than competitors if they want to stay competitive.In the competitive environment in which higher education institutions operate (refer to Chapter 2), enhanced customer satisfaction may be one of the ways in which institutions can create and sustain a competitive advantage. This can be achieved with the effective application of the marketing mix elements. Marketing, and more specific a market-orientation, can provide a detailed understanding of th e needs of ustomers and ensure that higher education institutions address the needs in as – 73 – efficient and comprehensive manner as possible. In short, higher education institutions need to set marketing objectives and formulate a marketing strategy. Given the market-oriented focus and importance of the marketing mix elements, the main focus of this chapter will be on higher education institutions’ formulation and implementation of the elements of the services marketing mix.This chapter will explore the literature available on the changing role of marketing, the marketing concept, market- and marketing-orientation, consumer behaviour and the integration of all the units of a higher education institution to formulate a service product strategy, price strategy, distribution strategy, communication strategy, people strategy, physical evidence strategy and process strategy in order to meet the needs of students. 3. 2 THE CHANGING ROLE OF MARKETING Marketing plays a major role in any organisation and is viewed by Lamb et al. 2004:5) as a process that starts with identifying customer groups, finding out about their needs and wants, matching what the organisation can offer with what the customer wants and then effectively communicating and selling it to the customer. Although the primary aim of marketing is to satisfy the needs of customers, it involves a cluster of activities such as product/service innovation, design, development, distribution, advertising, selling and how the product/service is acquired and used by the customer.Machado and Cassim (2002:2) regard marketing as the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organisational objectives. Mowen (1995:7) states that the importance of understanding consumer behaviour is found in the definition of marketing as a human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants t hrough a human exchange process. Effective marketing requires a higher education institution to identify their target audiences, understand them, and communicate with them as directly and interactively as possible (Laurer, 2006).According to Shoemaker (1999), marketing is the proactive management of the relationship between a higher education institution and its various – 74 – markets by using the tools of marketing: service product, place, price, promotion, process, people and physical evidence. Marketing’s greater contribution lies in its ability to facilitate the exchange process that takes place between the non-profit organisation such as the higher education institution, and each of the customer groups it addresses (Sargeant, 2005:295).Marketing can provide a detailed understanding of the needs of such customers and ensure that the institution addresses these needs in as efficient and comprehensive manner as possible. This understanding of customers’ needs can aid organisations in creating and sustaining a competitive advantage. Lynch and Baines (2004:171) found that higher education institutions’ sustainable competitive advantages are usually based on superior knowledge, reputation, innovation or architectural related advantages.However, marketing is not stagnant and over the years the marketing activities of organisations have changed. Kolter (2003) and Strydom, Jooste and Cant (2000:10) identify four stages that strongly influence the evolution of organisations’ marketing activities. These stages are referred to as production, sales, marketing and societal marketing. The production orientation focuses on the internal capabilities of the organisation rather than the needs of the market, while a sales orientation is based on the premise that people will buy more if aggressive sales techniques are used.Both of these orientations lack a customer focus. Organisations realise the importance of marketing and building long-term relationships with their customers; thus, a marketing orientation. The societal marketing orientation builds on the marketing orientation but adds that customer value must be delivered in such a way that it maintains or improves the society’s wellbeing. According to Kotler and Fox (1995:11), there are also definite stages in the evolution of marketing in higher education.The focus has moved from â€Å"marketing is unnecessary† to â€Å"marketing is promotion† to â€Å"marketing is positioning† to the stage where in some cases marketing is seen as part of strategic planning for higher education institutions. Law (2002:4) is of the opinion that higher education institutions in South Africa are moving from â€Å"marketing is promotion† to more emphasis on positioning and strategic planning. This stage is also described as the â€Å"marketing company† era. The marketing – 75 – ompany era is characterised by short- and lon g-term marketing planning and the whole organisation’s efforts are guided by the marketing concept (Perreault & McCarthy 2002:34). The marketing concept is a management philosophy with the basic premises that an organisation needs to research the needs and wants of customers and then produce products or services that will satisfy these needs and wants (Strydom, Jooste & Cant, 2000:12; and Kohli & Jaworski, 1990:467). The marketing concept will be explained in the next section. 3. 3 THE MARKETING CONCEPTChurchill and Peter (1998:12) describe the implementation of the marketing concept as an organisation that satisfies customer needs and wants as a means to achieve their own objectives. Although it seems simple, it is complex in the sense that changes within the economic, social, political and technological environment, as discussed in Chapter 2, constantly leads to changing customer needs and wants. Lamb et al. (2004:17) state that institutions who want to survive in the futur e will have to be customer-focused, market-driven, global in scope and flexible in its ability to deliver superior value to ustomers whose preferences and expectations change continuously. Foxall and Goldsmith (1998:7) feel that consumer orientation stems from an organisation’s adoption and implementation of the marketing mix (price, service product, promotion, place, people, process, physical evidence), but adds that the adoption and implementation of the marketing concept has four major implications: †¢ The success of any organisation depends above all on the consumers and what they are willing to accept and pay. †¢ The organisation must be aware of what the market wants, preferably well before production commences. Consumer wants must be continually monitored and measured so that, through service product and market development, the organisation keeps ahead of competitors. †¢ Top management must achieve the integration of all the components of the marketing s trategy into a single strategic plan, based on knowledge of consumer behaviour. – 76 – Mowen (1995:4) underlines the importance of the marketing concept by stating that the marketing concept embodies the view that an industry is a customer satisfying process, not a goods producing process.An industry begins with the customer and its needs, not a patent, raw material, or selling skill. The general acceptance of the concept that an organisation functions to fulfil consumers’ needs and wants, through understanding their exchange partner (customers), makes the study of consumer behaviour, and thus this study, essential. Mowen (1995:5) and Churchill and Peter (1998:13) agree that the basic idea of the marketing concept is to give the customers what they want.However, consumers are not always sure of their wants or what they are being offered, and are much more open to persuasion than is commonly acknowledged by the marketing concept. The marketing concept is based on four basic principles: consumer orientation or the target market; long-term maximisation of profitability or another measure of long-term success, total organisation effort, and social responsibility (Kotler, 2003:20 and Perreault & McCarthy, 2002:34). The four principles of the marketing concept will be briefly explained below. 3. 3. THE PRINCIPLE OF CONSUMER ORIENTATION Strydom et al. (2000:12) view consumer orientation as the first principle of the marketing concept, indicating that all actions should be aimed at satisfying consumer needs, demands and preferences. Although this implies that the consumer objective is to achieve total need satisfaction, it does not mean that an organisation must provide for unrealistic consumer needs. According to Kotler (2003:20), organisations have to carefully choose their target markets and then prepare a tailored marketing programme.Research conducted by Conway, Mackay and Yorke (1994:35) on higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (UK) found that more than half of the institutions did not have a customer orientation in their planning and that most institutions merely pay lip service to the variety of target markets they serve. This study will attempt to gather the necessary information to enable institutions to become more customer oriented in understanding the needs and wants of students, specifically regarding the choice factors and information sources used when selecting a university. 3. 3. THE PRINCIPLE OF INTEGRATION AND COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES – 77 – Strydom et al. (2000:14) define a system as an integrated whole – a group of related units working together to achieve a joint objective. The second principle suggests that marketing activities of a higher education institution should be closely coordinated with each other and with other functional areas such as production, finance, administration, human resources and procurement. The marketing concept has been a useful mechanism in helping to unify the independent functional areas to increase customer satisfaction.All seven marketing mix instruments (price, service product, promotion, distribution, people, process and physical evidence) should complement and reinforce one another in such a way that the student will prefer the institution’s service offerings to that of competitors. 3. 3. 3 THE PRINCIPLE OF MAXIMISING LONG-TERM SUCCESS The third principle is directed at achieving market share, return on investment and the objectives of the organisation. Marketing plans and corporate goals must be closely coordinated to ensure profitability.Maximising profitability is the primary objective of a profit-seeking organisation and can be achieved only through the consideration of consumer needs. Non-profit organisations attempt to achieve some other objective than profit. This does not mean than they are uninterested in income, as they have to generate cash to survive. However, their primary goal is non-econom ic, and for higher education institutions that is to provide education. Although there is an emergence of for-profit higher education institutions, as discussed in Chapter 2, non-profit higher education institutions also need to focus on their long-term sustainability.For-profit organisational success is measured ultimately by profitability. For non-profit organisations, measuring success is not so easy. Higher education institutions’ success can be measured in research output terms, number of students taught, student pass rate, range of qualifications of staff or even the quality of teaching. The combination of these factors makes the measurement of success difficult and can lead to conflict. For example: more students and larger classes may reduce time needed for research by staff to deliver the required research outputs.The principle of maximising long-term success is therefore more complex in higher education institutions than for for-profit organisations. Marketing is of growing importance to non-profit organisations, because of the need to generate funds in an increasingly competitive arena. Even – 78 – higher education institutions that rely on government funding must show how their work is of benefit to society and must meet the needs of their customers. 3. 3. 4 THE PRINCIPLE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYZikmund and D’Amico (2001:20) state that the pure marketing concept disregards environmental changes and problems and focuses on short-term customer satisfaction rather than on the long-term wellbeing of society. Involvement and concern for the environment and the society in which the marketing task is performed are typical characteristics of a strategic approach to marketing management. Organisations should therefore strive to obtain the goodwill of the society, rather than only the support of the target market. By demonstrating social responsibility, higher education institutions can earn the goodwill of the public and governme nt.This has a long-term dimension that can favourably influence the future of any institution in terms of funding and a steady supply of customers. From the discussion of the marketing concept and its principles, it is clear that by accepting the marketing concept, institutions have recognised that consumers and their behaviour has a direct bearing on the formulation of a marketing strategy – and therefore the relevance of this study. The marketing concept helps to bring focus and enables an organisation to satisfy consumers’ needs (Perreault & McCarthy, 2002:41).If higher education institutions want to be successful in today’s dynamic higher education landscape, competing for resources, support and customers, they too should adhere to principles of the marketing concept, especially being consumeroriented, when conducting their business. Applied to higher education, the marketing concept holds that higher education institutions should conduct their planning bear ing in mind and recognising that they exist primarily for the purpose of providing a service product to students. Campus activities should thus focus on satisfying the needs of students (Massad & Tucker, 2000:1-5).The philosophy of the marketing concept forms the underlying basis for an organisation’s market- and marketing-orientation. These two concepts will be briefly explained in the next section. – 79 – 3. 4 MARKET-ORIENTATION AND MARKETING-ORIENTATION Throughout the literature, the term market-orientation and marketing-orientation is used interchangeably (Payne, 1988; Kohli, Jaworski, & Kumar, 1993 and Sharp, 1991). Notice should however be taken of a small group of authors, such as Cravens, Lamb and Crittenden (1996), who argue that there are slight differences between the two concepts.However, it is not the purpose of this study to argue or investigate if there are differences between these concepts, but rather to show how the adherence to these concepts can enable higher education institutions to survive and grow (Voon, 2006:598). 3. 4. 1 MARKET-ORIENTATION Market-orientation refers to everyone in the organisation being committed to the customer and adapting in a timely way to meeting the changing needs of the customer. Market-orientation is a bias towards the market, requiring knowledge of customer needs and wants, competitors and external forces (Evans, James & Tomes, 1996:209).Kasper (2002:1047) defines a market-orientation as the degree to which an organisation and all its thinking and acting (internally as well as externally) is guided and committed to the factors determining the market behaviour of the organisation itself and its customers. Kohli and Jaworski (1990:3) define market-orientation as the activities involved in the implementation of the marketing concept. An organisation with a market-orientation determines the needs and wants of the target market and delivers the desired satisfaction more effectively and efficien tly than the competition.Thus, market-orientation extends beyond the marketing concept philosophy, as it also offers a process for delivering customer value. A market-oriented organisation understands customer preference and requirements and effectively combines and directs the skills and resources of the entire organisation to satisfy customers’ needs. According to Kasper (2002:1052), a robust market-orientation has become a strategic necessity for any service organisation due to increasing market turbulence and intensifying competition.He states that the market-orientation of an organisation can be seen as a particular position on a scale ranging from being truly market-oriented to not being market-oriented at all. Results from Kasper’s research show that a market-oriented service organisation has an open, employee-oriented, result-oriented, pragmatic, – 80 – professional, well-communicated, marketing goals-oriented, market knowledge (customers and comp etition) system with dedicated employees that know what customer focus and service means.Market forces (refer to Chapter 2) changed the landscape of higher education into a competitive environment requiring a market-orientation (Koerwer, 2001). According to Couturier (2002), reduction in government support and increase in new technologies and improved learning produce students with high expectations and this further pressurises higher education institutions to become more market-oriented. Shoemaker (1999) states that glossy brochures, catchy slogans and the existence of marketing programmes do not give higher education institutions a market-orientation.Marketorientation requires a philosophy and a culture that go deep in the organisation. This means an institution where students are involved in the service production process and where administration, faculty and support staff work together effectively. A marketorientation requires a commitment and power from top management. Shoemake r (1999) states that a market-oriented higher education institution is characterised by: †¢ A top management actively involved in providing institutional marketing leadership; †¢ A marketing process integrated to reflect, recognise and involve all institutional stakeholders; Marketing plans that are well distributed among top institutional officers; †¢ Outside marketing consultants used to build and enrich the institutional culture; †¢ Regular and structured marketing research studies of all important stakeholder areas; †¢ A marketing-oriented planning culture that includes the participation of all stakeholder areas; and †¢ Marketing evaluation systems in place to assure continuous monitoring and improvement of marketing programmes and strategies. – 81 – 3. 4. 2 MARKETING-ORIENTATIONAn organisation with a marketing-orientation adheres to the principles of the marketing concept and offer customers what they need (Perreault & McCarthy, 2002: 37). Marketing-orientation implies that the main task of a higher education institution is to determine the needs and wants of target markets and to satisfy them through the design, communication, pricing, delivery of appropriate and competitively viable programmes and services (Kotler & Fox, 1995:8). Laurer (2006) states that strategic plans of higher education institutions will have to become marketing-oriented plans.This begins with an environmental scan that determines how society is changing and then outlines how programmes, pricing and access to learning (distribution), employees (people) and process will meet these changing needs. According to Massad and Tucker (2000), higher education institutions in the United States have embraced a marketing-oriented approach to admission. They state that the trend began in the late 1970’s in the USA and is driven by increased competition and a shrinking enrolment pool. Higher education institutions in Shanghai started in 1999 to re form their policies to be more marketing-oriented (People Daily, 1999).These policies include practical plans such as providing enough residence and departmental buildings for students and lecturers, logistic service renovations, and improved logistic service quality. Several reasons exist why achieving a marketing-orientation is problematic for some higher education institutions (Sargeant, 2005:297): †¢ Conflict between management and academic interest. There is a split in the responsibility for dealing with customers between departments and an institution’s central administrative function. †¢ The lack of a strategic perspective.Courses are sometimes established and maintained for the status of the department or institution rather than where there is clear evidence of an economic viability or long-term demand. †¢ The diversity of the marketing activity. Marketing is conducted by a variety of players, such as the admissions officer, school liaison officers, res earch officer and faculties, making the coordination difficult. †¢ Academic value. Some institutions still perceive marketing as being incompatible with their education mission. – 82 – Nevertheless, higher education institutions must aim to become marketing-oriented.The market concept forms the underlying philosophy for both a market and marketingorientation. A marketing-orientation is an all-embracing concept referring to both behavioural and philosophical standing of marketing, therefore incorporating the market-orientation. Thus, for the purpose of this study, the term marketing-orientation will be used to indicate a market- and/or marketing-orientation. 3. 5 MARKETING STRATEGY AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR According to Hawkins et al. (2001:7), an effective marketing strategy is based on knowledge of the environment, competitors and customers.The study of customers’ needs, perceptions, aspirations, motivations, culture and decision-making processes is called co nsumer behaviour (Du Plessis & Rousseau 2005:8). Consumer behaviour serves as a basis for marketing strategy formulation. Figure 3. 1 indicates that an understanding of consumer behaviour is the basis for marketing strategy formulation and will serve as a visual guide for the remainder of this chapter. It also visually shows the integration and link between Chapter 2, Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. Figure 3. begins with the analysis of the market (Step 1) in which the organisation is operating. It requires a detailed analysis of the organisation’s capabilities, strengths and weaknesses, competition, the economical and technological forces affecting the market, and the current and potential customers in the market (refer to Chapter 2). The consumer analysis component of the first step enables an organisation to identify groups of individuals with similar needs. The identified market segments, in step two, can be described in terms of demographics, media preference and geographic loc ation.One or more of these segments are then selected as target market, based on the organisation’s capabilities relative to those of its competition, taking into account current economic and technological conditions. The organisation then decides on the desired image of the service product or brand, also known as the service product or brand position. The third step entails the marketing mix/strategy formulation. Hawkins et al. (2001:14) point out that a marketing strategy basically answers the question: How will we provide – 83 – superior customer value to our target market?The answer requires the formulation of a consistent marketing mix. Thus, the marketing strategy is formulated in terms of the marketing mix. Lamb et al. (2004:12) point out that this step involves the determining of service product features, price, communications (promotion), distribution (place), people, process and physical evidence that will provide the customer with superior value. The total service product is then presented to the target market, which constantly engages in processing information and making decisions to enhance and maintain their lifestyles.The marketing strategy (as implemented in the marketing mix) intervenes between the decision-making process of consumers (Step 4) and the outcomes/goals of an organisation. The outcomes of the organisation are determined by its interaction with the consumer decision-making process. Organisations can only succeed if consumers see a need that the organisation’s service product can address, become aware of the service product, decide that it is the best viable alternative solution, proceed to buy it, and become satisfied with the results (Hawkins et al. , 2004:22-23). The consumer decision-making process will be discussed in detail in Chapter 4.Finally, the reaction of the target market to the total service product produces an image of the service product, brand or organisation, sales (or the lack thereof), and some level of customer satisfaction among those who did purchase. As the components of the market analysis (Step 1) was discussed as part of the trends in the higher education landscape in Chapter 2 and the consumer decision-making process (Step 4) will be explained in Chapter 4, the remainder of the chapter will focus on the STP process (Step 2) and marketing strategy (Step 3) as depicted in Figure 3. . – 84 – MARKETING MIX/STRATEGY (CHAPTER 3) Service product (3. 7. 1) Price (3. 7. 2) Promotion (3. 7. 3) Place (3. 7. 4) People (3. 7. 5) Process (3. 7. 8) Physical evidence (3. 7. 9) Problem recognition (4. 7) Information search (4. 8) Alternative evaluation (4. 9) Selection and purchase (4. 10) Post-purchase process (4. 11) OUTCOME Customer Satisfaction Sales Product/brand image/organisation Source: Adapted from Hawkins, Best and Coney (2001:8). – 85 – CHAPTER 3 STP- PROCESS (CHAPTER 3) Segmentation, target market and product positioning (3. 6)CONSU MER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS (CHAPTER 4) STEP 4 CHAPTER 2 MARKET ANALYSIS (CHAPTER 2) Competitors Company Consumer Conditions CHAPTER 4 STEP 3 STEP 2 STEP 1 Figure 3. 1: Marketing strategy and consumer behaviour As the components of the market analysis (Step 1) was discussed as part of the trends in the higher education landscape in Chapter 2 and the consumer decision-making process (Step 4) will be explained in Chapter 4, the remainder of the chapter will focus on the STP process (Step 2) and marketing strategy (Step 3) as depicted in Figure 3. . 3. 6 SEGMENTATION, TARGET MARKETING AND POSITIONING (STP PROCESS) Marketing strategy formulation for organisations takes place via the process of integrating segmentation, targeting, positioning and the services marketing mix. Once organisations have segmented the market, they must determine the market potential of each segment and then select segments to target. A target market can be defined as a fairly homogeneous group of customers to w hom an organisation directs its market offering.Organisations must determine a mixture of the marketing elements that they will combine to satisfy their target market. Selecting a market-oriented strategy is referred to as target marketing. A specific marketing strategy specifies a particular target customer (Perreault & McCarthy, 2002:47). Most non-profit organisations serve several groups or publics. The two broad groups are donors, who may be individuals, trusts, companies or governmental bodies. The second group consists of their clients such as students, parents, government or employers.Often higher education institutions need to satisfy both groups and this complicates the marketing task (Lovelock & Wright, 2002:233). Students, prospective students and their families are seen as customers or consumers who must be attracted to the institution, who must be satisfied, and who must have a good experience at the institution. This will ensure that they spread positive word-of-mouth and influence other potential students to select the institution (Reich, 2004).Students can be regarded as the primary clients of higher education institutions and parents, employers and society as secondary beneficiaries. As an institution’s target market changes, new needs and trends evolve (as discussed in Chapter 2), making it necessary for institutions to rethink their position and often to reposition in order to address the new needs or trends (McGolddrick, 2000:54) This study focuses on students as a target market of institutions, as traditionally most institutions’ marketing efforts are directed at satisfying 86 – the needs of students. This study will provide insight into the demographics and choice factor importance that forms part of students decision-making behaviour, which will aid higher education institutions in understanding their target market to ensure satisfaction through implementing an appropriate marketing strategy. After segmentation and t arget marketing, organisations should position their market offerings in such a way that it is perceived to satisfy the needs of customers better than the competition. According to Hawkins et al. 2001:289), a product’s position refers to the schematic memory of a brand in relation to competing brands, products, services and stores. Brand image, a closely related concept, can be defined as the schematic memory of a brand without reference to competing brands. Strydom et al. (2000:14) regard a product’s position as the way consumers perceive a product or service in terms of its character and advantages in relation to competitors. Du Plessis and Rousseau (2003:276) state that the important underlying principle is recognising that the marketing battle today is fought in the minds of the consumer.Research shows those products or services that enjoy high awareness levels usually enjoy dominant market penetration and market share. But awareness is not enough; the service prod uct must have a meaningful position in the mind of the consumer and stand for something of value to the consumer. Mowen (1995:18) defines product differentiation as the process of positioning the product by manipulating the marketing mix so that customers can perceive meaningful differences between a particular brand and competing brands.A highly differentiated brand may have strong competitive advantages, because it is easily recognisable as being different from competitors. Institutions need to know how they and their service products are positioned in the student’s mind. The stimuli that institutions employ, such as advertising or sponsorships, can influence the service product’s interpretation and thus its position. Hawkins et al. (2001:289) is of the opinion that organisations frequently fail to achieve the type of service product image or position they desire, because they fail to anticipate or test the consumer’s reaction.These positions have developed an d evolved over time. Therefore, the message received from the organisation must be consistent or change in a deliberate manner to reflect or alter a desired change in brand position. – 87 – Strydom et al. (2000:134) state that organisations must position their brands so that they are perceived to satisfy the needs of the target market better than competitors’ offerings. The institution must develop a unique appeal for the brand in the consumer’s mind and position the brand as filling a particular need of the consumer.Berman and Evans (2001:122) point out that through positioning, institutions devise their strategy in a way that projects an image relative to the institution’s category and its competitors, and elicits consumers’ responses to their image. Sargeant (2005:322) notes that positioning can also have a profound impact on the success or failure of fundraising initiatives and attempts to work closely with commerce and industry. Those h igher education institutions that are perceived as being either of high quality or as unique in some way, are likely to have the greatest success in these areas.Law (2002:3) states that it is important for institutions to distinguish themselves from competitors in terms of values that are important to the student. Therefore, higher education institutions need to develop a clear position that can be stated simply, effectively and often (Dehne, 2001). The author continues by saying that as competition becomes stronger, an integrated marketing strategy based on the identified positioning of the institution will play a crucial role.If organisations want staff and students to project a positive image, they must clearly define exactly what that image is; not vague understanding, but specifics (Sharpe & Harville, 1987). Law (2002:4) emphasises the importance of addressing the values that are important for prospective students in the publications of the institution. It can therefore be said that in the positioning of the institution, the needs and perceptions of important values of the respective public should be seriously considered.The elements of higher education institutions’ marketing are mixed to form an integrated strategy where each component plays a role to position the institution in its chosen target market (Van Biljon, 1992:65). According to Czinkota, Kotabe and Mecer (1997:217), organisations must first determine how they want to position their service products and use their service products’ position as basis for developing their marketing strategies. This means that after the STP (segmentation, targeting and positioning) process, organisations must blend the services marketing mix elements into a marketing strategy that reflect the organisation’s desired osition to their target market. – 88 – The next section focuses on the services marketing mix and its elements as it pertains to higher education institutions. 3. 7 TH E SERVICES MARKETING MIX OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS The development of a marketing strategy involves the coordination and combination of the marketing mix elements (Mowen, 1995:19; and Hawkins et al. , 2001:6). It is the combination and coordination of the elements in the marketing mix that enables organisations to meet customers’ needs and provides customer value.A traditional marketing mix consists of the following elements: price, service product, promotion and place (distribution). However, due to the intangible, inseparable, heterogeneous and perishable nature of services, the traditional marketing mix was extended to include process, people and physical evidence (Goldsmith, 1999:178). Because higher education institutions mainly provide intangible service products, the extended marketing mix, better known as the services marketing mix, forms the focus of this chapter.Higher education institutions need a well-developed comprehensive marketing strategy that is caref ully communicated throughout the institution (Robinson & Long, 1987:44; Brooker & Noble, 1985:34) and the services marketing mix will help higher education institutions to shape their service offerings according to the needs of their customers. Grove, in Kraft (2006) showed that in the marketing of education, the marketing mix is the single most important determinant of marketing success.In the light of the fact that marketing can influence the consumer’s behaviour and the services marketing mix can assist higher education institutions in developing a holistic and well thought-through service offering, the seven services marketing mix elements (service product, price, promotion, distribution, people, physical evidence and process) will be discussed in the main part of this chapter. – 89 – 3. 7. 1 THE SERVICE PRODUCT STRATEGY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS The most basic decision that higher education institutions have to make is what programmes and services th ey will offer to their students, alumni and donors.An institution’s service product strategy determines its identity, position and how customers will respond to the institution. A product is anything a consumer acquires, or might acquire to meet a perceived need and thus the sum of all the products and/or services offered by an organisation. To define the term service is not easy or simplistic. Although the process may be tied to a physical product, the performance is essentially intangible and does not normally result in ownership of any of the factors of production. Services create value and provide benefits for customers at specific times and places.Lovelock and Wright (2002:3) define services as an act or performance offered by one party to another. Irons (1997:12) defines services as perishable, transient acts that have no lasting material, being mainly presented by people that cannot be separated from the provider. Therefore, the personal characteristics of the provider are an important part of the service. Du Plessis and Rousseau (2003:175) state that these definitions reveal that the nature of service centres on the characteristic of intangibility and that it is this feature that distinguishes services marketing from the marketing of physical goods.The goods and services continuum is shown in Figure 3. 2 below. Figure 3. 2: Goods and services continuum Tangible dominant Complete tangible products Tangible products with supporting services Intangible dominant Hybrid offers Source: Adapted from Palmer (2005:24). – 90 – Major service with supporting products Pure services It is evident that in services, the intangible element is dominant. The provision of education, although intangible, also contains tangible elements. Institutions provide service activities such as the teaching process and contact with customers (intangible element) as well as learning aterial such as textbooks (tangible element). McCollKennedy (2003:6-7) regards goo ds and services’ tangibility on a continuum, rather than in one category. At one end of the continuum are the intangible services and at the other end are tangible products. Higher education, which can be described as a major service (intangible) with minor supporting products (tangible), are leaning towards the intangible side of the continuum. In addition to categorising services based on their tangibility, it is also useful to identify who or what is the direct recipient of the service.Services can either be directed at people’s bodies, intangible assetes, physical possessions or people’s minds such as education (Lovelock, 1996:29). In order to better understand the concept of services, the distinguishing characteristics of services will now be explained. The basic characteristics of services are briefly outlined below (Lovelock & Wright, 2002:14-16): †¢ Customers do not obtain ownership. Customers usually derive value from a service without obtaining ow nership of any tangible elements; †¢ Service products are intangible performances.Intangible refers to something that is experienced and cannot be touched or preserved. Although services often include tangible elements, the service performance itself is basically intangible; †¢ Customer involvement in the production process. Customers are often actively involved in helping to create the service product by helping themselves or by cooperating with the service personnel. Customers cannot sit back and wait for the experience to be delivered as they do with the purchase of tangible products they have to participate. †¢People as part of the service product. Given the fact that different service personnel may deliver the service product to customers, it is difficult to achieve – 91 – uniformity in service delivery. This difference (heterogeneity) in attitude and action will typically result in very different customer perceptions of the quality and overall sati sfaction levels. People are such an important component of service delivery that it is added as an element to service organisations marketing mix and will be discussed in Section 3. 7. 5; †¢ Importance of time.Customers have to be physically present to receive services. Customers are becoming increasingly time sensitive and speed is often a key element in good service delivery; and †¢ Services are perishable and cannot be stored like physical goods. Thus, although education includes tangible elements such as textbooks, chairs and notes, students derive value from higher education without obtaining ownership. Students are involved in the education production process as they participate in and help make the final service product, by giving inputs in class or participating in campus events.As higher education is perishable and cannot be stored, students must be physically present to receive education. It is evident that offering educational services involve special challenges , since most services education is intangible, inseparable, variable and perishable. Developing service products that satisfy consumers’ wants and needs are a critical marketing activity for institutions (Hoyer & MacInnis, 2001:40). Consumer research can provide useful information for service product decisions.According to Czinkota et al. (1997:109), information provided by consumer behaviour research, such as this study, can help organisations to decide which attributes to add to or change in an existing offering; aid them in correctly naming or re-naming their organisations and make effective packaging and branding decisions. Higher education institutions should evaluate its academic programmes and service product mix periodically, and particularly when considering modifications. Some programmes are more central than others.Education offerings are specifically essential programmes that institutions cannot do without. Other programmes may be easier to modify, like recreation al activities that are usually auxiliary programmes. Certain programmes will play a major role in attracting customers and these are called flagship programmes (Kotler & Fox, 1995:282). – 92 – Information provided by this study will enable institutions to determine the importance of some components of their service product (variety of study courses, academic quality and sport programmes) in the institution selection process of students.Higher education institutions must also develop a pricing strategy for their service products. The pricing decision is of utmost importance, as this will ensure income for higher education institutions that will enable them to implement al the other decisions such as promotion, distribution, processes, physical evidence and people. Section 3. 7. 2 will focus on the pricing strategy of higher education institutions. 3. 7. 2 THE PRICING STRATEGY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONSIn this section, the pricing strategy of higher education insti tutions will be discussed by defining the term price, explaining possible pricing objectives of higher education institutions, explaining discounts and highlighting the role of price. Price plays an important role in the marketing mix, quality perception, attracting customers and providing revenue to institutions. Price is the amount of money (or some other item that is exchanged or bartered) that the buyer exchanges for a service product provided by the seller. Lamb et al. (2004:570) describe prices as that which is given up in exchange to acquire goods and services.The price of a service plays two major roles. Firstly, it influences how much of the service product the customer will purchase, and secondly, it influences whether selling the service will be profitable for the organisation or not (Machado & Cassim, 2000:99). Prices can be seen as the amount that a customer (students, parents or employers) must pay to be educated. The price of higher education institutions are influenc ed by the subsidy from government as well as donations and the cost of presenting the course, prices of competition and inflation.Price, for students, consists of a monetary cost as well as other costs, for example effort cost (completing long essay application forms), psychological cost (stress of enrolling in an institution far from home) and time cost (visiting or attending open days at different institutions) (Kotler & Fox, 1995:311). Students and their parents are not just interested in the institution’s list price (official – 93 – tuition and fees printed in a catalogue), but also the effective price. According to Kotler and Fox (1995:312), the effective price is the amount the customer will actually pay for all the educational benefits and value received.Prospective students may find it difficult to measure effective price early in the decision process, since effective price can only be known after the student has gone though the application process and h as been accepted and financial aid has been allocated. Tuition fees represent only a fraction of the total cost of attending a higher education institution and living cost and other education related expenses must also be considered by students (Anon, 2006b). Diederichs (1987:112) found that price plays an important role in students’ choices of a higher education institution.The first aspect organisations should consider when pricing a service product is to decide on the pricing objectives they want to achieve. Pricing objectives can influence the price of the service product and include: maximising profit (short- or long-term), building market share, maximising long-term customer perceptions of the value of the service product, maximising immediate cash flow, positioning the service product in a certain place in customers’ minds, and targeting a given segment of the market.Higher education institutions may pursue more than one of these objectives at the same time depe nding on the situation they are facing. A new higher education institution emerging after a merger may aim to position their service product, as well as targeting a given segment and maximising long-term perceptions of value (McColl-Kennedy, 2003:270 and Machado & Cassim, 2002:106-107). Higher education institutions should take into account three factors when setting prices for their educational programmes: †¢ Firstly, cost, by determining the amount of revenue needed to cover expected operating expenses; Secondly, customer demand, which emphasises that the final price decision is always made by the customer; and †¢ Thirdly, competition, as institutions have to weigh their â€Å"value† and establish their price relative to their competitors. Institutions should always consider the effects of a given pricing policy on enrolment, the nature and mission of the institution, the prices charged by competition and the – 94 – effect of their prices and price c hanges on actions of competition (Kotler & Fox, 1995:309).The pricing objective of a higher education institution will also affect its discount policy, as discount influence profit, market share, cash flow and positioning. Once the basic price is established, organisations need to establish some flexibility in terms of that price. Discount can be defined as the reductions to the basic price (Machado & Cassim, 2002:116). Higher education institutions need to determine and publish their prices (tuition fees) and discounts. Financial aid is seen as a form as discount by students.Kotler and Fox (1995:310) state that financial aid is not just used to attract students to increase the size of classes, but also to ensure the needed composition of the class to meet diversity objectives. Student aid or financial aid makes it possible for many students from low- and middle income families to afford higher education (Anon, 2006b). Cabrera and La Nasa (2000:10) found that financial aid especiall y influences students positively to select a particular institution and also allows parents to consider a wider range of institutions.This study will include the importance of financial aid in selecting a higher education institution. Diederichs (1987:114) found that a higher education institution’s price policy should take into consideration the facilities needed, quality of education and competitiveness, as students often use the price of a product or service as an indicator of quality. For example, more expensive institutions may be viewed as providing better education. Some institutions make use of their price/quality relationship by trying to raise the prestige and attractiveness of their institution by raising the tuition fees.Higher education institutions must carefully consider the role of price in the marketing mix, as price can be used as a quality indicator and thereby influence the perception of the institution’s position. Higher education institutions ofte n offer substantial amounts of financial aid to talented students to maintain their competitive advantage. Students and parents are looking for the best overall deal in terms of educational quality and prices (Laurer, 2006).Courant (2006:4) is of the opinion that higher education institutions prepare students to lead an examined life and should therefore price higher education as an expensive, high value proposition. Wallace (2003:32) argues that higher tuition fees will enable institutions to improve the quality of education and in countries where higher education is subsidised or offered for free, education would be held in higher esteem if a price were attached to it. However, Beckett (2005) warns that institutions – 95 – should be aware that charging top fees may cause institutions to loose students and not widen the participation.Wallace (2003) states that universities in France, England, the United States and Germany are facing the same problems with the price of education, as government funding for education is decreasing and institutions have to look at increasing tuition fees. The result is that students in these countries are protesting the price increases. The increased value of a higher education degree, increased research at universities, reduced state funding for public higher education institutions and monopolistic behaviour of higher education institutions are other possible reasons for higher prices (Barry, 1998:84).Higher educational institutions rely on tuition fees, donors and government subsidies as sources of revenue. As discussed in Chapter 2, changes in the financial environment emphasise the trend of institutions to cut cost, increase productivity and offer more financial aid to students. Most educational institutions depend heavily on tuition fees to keep operating and pricing therefore becomes very important. Price plays a role in determining who will apply, who will attend, who the institutions will serve, what the ins titutions will be able to offer and whether the institutions will meet its enrolment objectives and revenue needs.From the discussion it is evident that a pricing strategy is important for education institutions because they depend on revenue to operate, especially in the light of the decrease in subsidies (refer to Chapter 2). Price is part of the marketing mix and should be considered as an element of the institution’s strategy planning. When setting price, decision-makers should understand how students perceive price and the importance of price in selecting institutions.According to Cosser and Du Toit (2002:77), price is an important factor considered in choosing a higher education institution. It is important that higher education institutions know the cost of producing the service, know the price of competitors, identify pricing factors that are relevant to pricing decisions, and decide on a pricing strategy that will attract enough students. It is evident from the above -mentioned that higher education management needs information on the students and market to make effective pricing decisions.This study will provide some insight on the importance of price in the institution selection process. – 96 – Higher education institutions can have good quality educational services offered at the right price to students, but if students and parents are not aware of these services and prices, they will not consider the institution. It is thus important that higher education institutions communicate with their prospective students and parents. The next section will focus on the promotional or communication strategy of higher education institutions. 3. 7. THE PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS Educational institutions need to effectively communicate with their target market(s) and publics. Institutions must inform students and parents about its goals, activities and offerings and motivate them to take an interest in the instituti on. To identify and satisfy consumers’ needs, an institution must have a good understanding of the consumer in order to gain a competitive advantage through its marketing mix (service product, price, distribution, promotion, process, people and physical evidence).Persuasive communication is central to the marketing of service products as features, benefits and values must be communicated to the consumers to influence their purchase behaviour. Everything and everybody in an institution has a role to play in communication. Examples include the organisation’s brand name or logo, campus grounds, service product quality, prices, employees, delivery vehicles, buildings, the technology the organisation has at its disposal, the capital the organisation has at its disposal and the organisational philosophy.Kelley and Mahady (2003:2) are of the opinion that promotion is an element sometimes overlooked by non-profit organisations. They argue that even if an institution offers som e of the best programmes and services, these will not be utilised to the fullest if the market they were intended for has no knowledge of their existence. The remainder of Section 3. 7. 3 will focus on the definition of promotion, the communication process and the integrated services marketing communication (ISMC) mix available for higher education institutions. According to Hawkins et al. 2001:19), promotion or marketing communication includes advertising, the sales force, public relations, packaging and any other signals that the – 97 – organisation provides about itself and its products and services. Lamb et al. (2004:466) describe the promotional strategy as a plan for the optimal use of the elements of promotion, namely advertising, sales promotion, publicity and personal selling. Many higher education institutions are returning to promotional or communication tools to promote courses in an attempt to maintain and/or expand their market share.The importance of com munication can be seen in the establishment of communication departments, more funds that are allocated to marketing and appointing marketing managers or external communication experts to help with promotional activities. Higher education institutions are making use of radio, television, newspapers, buses, taxis and open days as well as more professional brochures and promotional material as vehicles for communication (Jones, 2002:41). This is necessary, since higher education institutions can no longer depend on pass rates alone to attract students.In order to utilise the promotional tools to their fullest and to ensure effective communication, higher education institutions need to understand the communication process. Communication involves the creation of shared meaning between participants. The intangibility, inseparability, perishability and heterogeneity of services create special communication requirements and involve the risk of miscommunication that is not so evident in the marketing of goods (McColl-Kennedy, 2003:236). Communication can be viewed upon as the transfer of a message from a sender to a receiver by means of a signal of some sort via a channel or medium.The sender translates his/her objectives, ideas and concepts through language into a message also known as encoding (Strydom et al. , 2000:344). The receiver tries to decode the message before he/she can comprehend its meaning and then the receiver reacts or responds to the message (Lamb et al. , 2004:326). The disturbances (physical or psychological) that prevent the successful transfer of the message are known as noise. Noise influences all the components of the communication process and places obstacles in the way of effective communication.Higher education institutions are the senders, while the receivers of the message are the potential students, existing students, parents, employers or alumni. For the purpose of this study, the focus is on the students of a higher education institutio n. This does not mean that institutions do not need to communicate with other publics such as alumni, parents, donors, government or the general public as well. According – 98 – to Jones (2002:44) the student’s ability to decode the message is influenced by his/her past experiences, feelings, emotions, attitudes and perceptions of the institution.Thus, higher education institutions need to fully understand their target market to identify the appropriate intended messages for the target market. The communication process gives higher education institutions the opportunity to influence prospective students’ behaviour by developing a message that creates awareness, position themselves in the mind of the student, change the student’s attitude towards the institution, or encourage the student to apply to the institution (Jones, 2002:45). The most popular communication/promotion objectives are general image enhancement and awareness of the institutions (K ittle, 2000).According to Jones (2002:43), emotions or feelings also play an important part in the encoding process and it is vital that higher education institutions should have empathy for other people’s cultural backgrounds. Higher education institutions need to select a medium that will attract attention, arouse interest and present the message clearly (Kotler & Fox, 1995:353). Higher education institutions need knowledge about the language of the prospective students, knowledge of forms of communication and general background information about the prospective students in order to encode successfully.The media that will be investigated in this study include: printed media (advertisement in magazines, newspapers or outdoor media), broadcasting media (advertisements on radio and television), direct mail or direct marketing (newsletters and brochures of higher education institutions), body language and direct communication through representatives of the institution (school v isits by staff or open days attended by students), word-of-mouth (conversations with alumni, friends or family members), or websites. In Chapter 4 the different media will be further discussed as part of the sources of information used by students.The promotional mix that an institution uses is determined by the student market’s expectations and requirements of the service products, together with the other elements of institutions’ marketing decisions. Machado and Cassim (2002:157) describe the promotional mix as the blend of promotional methods used by the organisation to communicate. A huge array of promotion elements exist, such as direct marketing, sales promotions, advertising, Internet and sponsorships. The communication process and the promotional mix elements (advertising, public – 99 – elations, personal selling and sales promotions) are used by organisations to communicate to their prospective customers. The message that reaches the customer sho uld be the same regardless of whether it is an advertisement on the radio, websites, open days, or a newspaper insert. To ensure the careful coordination of all the promotional mix elements, organisations must adopt the concept of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) (Du Plessis & Rousseau, 2005:345). For a higher education institution, this means that the institution coordinates all its communication activities.Zeithaml and Bitner (2000:405) suggest that a more complex integrated form of communication is needed for services, hence the ISMC approach as shown in Figure 3. 3. This concept requires a complete communication strategy that involves staff, every interface the institution has with its students, stakeholders and the community at large (Jones, 2002:450). Laurer (2006) suggests that institutions must coordinate all the promotional elements so that they meet the needs of students and parents who will pay for their products and services. Figure 3. serves as a visual guide f or the discussion