Organizational Culture :: Free Essay Writer

Hierarchical Culture †¦Japanese culture is totally different from our own. For a certain something, it comprises for the most part of Japanese individuals. (Barry, 43) Perhaps that appears to be an undeniable proclamation, yet how obvious it is. The way of life of any business, association, or even government is comprised of the individuals that make the association. All through this paper we will utilize the way of life of the Japanese government as a medium, to perceive how culture influences the administration and dynamic procedures. Explicitly we will take a gander at how the way of life influenced the choices of the administration, and how those choices influenced the very existences of the Japanese individuals on a ghastly day a little more than six years back. A 20-second seismic tremor, estimating 7.2 on the Richter scale, crushed the city of Kobe, Japan on the morning of January seventeenth, 1995. Many were all the while resting at 5:46 when the seismic tremor struck, yet they would before long stir to discover extraordinary disappointment as the absence of open and individual transportation, correspondence lines, and open streets turned out to be progressively obvious. For sure, Japan's sixth biggest city was confronting an issue, and one that should have been tended to right away. (Adamson, standard 1) q Is America an Autocracy? You have most likely perused in a paper, or viewed on TV a narrative about a catastrophic event on American soil. It could be anything from an East-coast tropical storm, to a Mid-west tornado, to a California tremor. Normally, when you are simply finding out about the occasion, the President of the United States will have just proclaimed a highly sensitive situation. Local and national military are promptly dispatched to help aid any way that could be available. The way that the President took the data accessible at that point, and instantly settled on the choice mirrors an imperious authority style, as characterized by Dessler. (301) Why wasn't there a meeting of congress held to decide whether it was extremely important to proclaim the crisis? For what reason weren't the residents permitted to cast a ballot whether they considered it shrewd spending of their duty dollars? The President of the United States (clearly, by his title) has the power to settle on choices that influence th e United States. Our way of life permits him to have the force that he does, regardless of whether he is upheld by congress or not. We permit him to proclaim a highly sensitive situation on the grounds that our way of life characterizes a highly sensitive situation as an issue that should be fixed.

International Business Environment & Trade Essay

Universal Business Environment and Trade - Essay Example The cures are not decided effectively as they might be confounded when the contracting parties start from nations that have distinctive legitimate frameworks. The codes of law from various nations contain lawful standards which are maintained and implemented by courts. Legitimate structures exist without any preparation acquired from common law framework and may consolidate the customary law standards. This paper endeavors to clarify the multifaceted nature that is associated with blending the global exchange through universal exchange for the offer of merchandise. The universal exchange for the offer of products to blend the laws on worldwide deals. This fills in as a code for the customary law and fuses the standards sketched out in custom-based law, common and communist laws. This strikes a trade off between the standards from different legitimate frameworks however reactions have been leveled against it. In any case, there has been an inadequacy which must be acclaimed as advantageous endeavor towards orchestrating instead of decent variety that in any case would win. The CISG gives basic standards that oversee the universal deals. This doesn't have any significant bearing to all exchanges including offer of merchandise. CISG just oversees development of offer agreements and diagrams the rights and obligations of both purchaser and merchant. This has changed the built up law o deals. All things considered, this doesn't take into consideration terms of utilization and legitimacy of the agreement. The extent of CISG application is contained i n articles 4 and 5. Like different shows that target fitting certain areas of the law, CISG has not had the option to give a far reaching code in regards to the guideline of the issues falling inside specific circles of utilization. A few issues have been named as dubious because of the distinction between national laws making it difficult to orchestrate different methodologies (Burnett, 2004). In its transition to guarantee greatest help, drafters chose to disregard a few issues outside the degree by CISG and selected an exceptionally worthy

recommendation requests with little time. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

recommendation requests with little time. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog Recently a former colleague (and friend) asked if I could write her a letter of recommendation for graduate school.   Of course, I was happy to do it.   But then she told me that she needed the letter in 5 days.   My excitement turned to anxiety and slight annoyance.   I wanted to write her a glowing recommendation letter since she deserved one after all she was an excellent colleague (and during our time together she was always professional and on top of everything and with the greatest detail).   But I couldnt help wonder why did she wait to the last minute (and yes, for a person writing you a recommendation letter, a week even two weeks is considered last minute).   You should always assume that the person writing you a reference letter has other more pressing and time sensitive items to complete.   I would love to drop everything I was doing but unfortunately, my job(s) do not allow me that luxury.   I say this all the time but people dont listen, so I am going to say it again (and probably again in a future post) Give your Recommenders ample time to write you a glowing letter of recommendation [or you may not get the seal the deal one that she/he would have written for you]. Also, yes, even Admissions experts like us, wouldnt mind receiving a bit of help (especially if you are only giving me a few days to write it).     A few bullet points and/or suggestions on what you would like us to cover in the letter goes a long way.   We have an idea of what a recommendation letter should contain but getting a sense of what you have done (i.e. your achievements and successes) since our last interaction, point out your strengths, and definitely share with us your goals and what you hope to achieve by going to graduate school is ALWAYS helpful.   I can think of a number of experiences that I think make my friend a strong candidate but they may not be the same as the ones she had in mind so you may want to share with (remind) your Recommender some specific examples from the time you worked together that will highlight your attributes and strengths.   Keep in mind, a strong recommendation should be able to provide the Admissions Committee another layer and insight to your personal and professional values that hopefully will tie together the rest of your application. One other thing, which thankfully my friend warned me ahead of time (so the email did not end up in my Junk folder), you should inform your Recommender when and how the request will come for the letter.   You should also provide them with some insight as to whether it will be prompted questions or she/he will be expected to write an unsolicited letter .   This will allow them to plan how much effort and time is needed to write the letter (unfortunately for me, I have no time). These are just a few tips to provide your Recommender Its still early in the season but it never hurts to keep these in the back of your mind as you think about who you would like to write your letter of recommendations.   Before you know it, deadlines will be here.   With that I am off to write my glowing letter of recommendation (with a little grumble).

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The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde - 1474 Words

It is taken for granted that monsters are scary. Everyone knows that vampires are blood thirsty creatures, and that zombies will stop at nearly nothing. But how do these fictional creatures invoke fear in people? Did monsters just become synonymous to terrifying, or is there a hidden interpretation to their existence? In the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Hyde is without a doubt a monster. His appearance is strange, his behavior erratic, and his morals nonexistent. The respectable Dr. Jekyll morphs into Mr. Hyde by consuming an odd potion. In the form of Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll fulfills the dark needs that he has. Yet, that is not really the reason that he appears to be scary to other people. Throughout the book many people describe Hyde as being deformed and creepy in a way that cannot be put into words. Although Mr. Hyde is the evil that resides within Dr. Jekyll, he is also a monster that represents the fears of the Fin-de-Sià ©cle. Through his devolutionary appearance and criminal behavior, he represents the fears that people of that time held. Therefore, he provides insight into the fears of the society, which in turn creates a direct window into the time period. Mr. Hyde was not the first or last monster to be created. Every era has a new set of monsters, which are molded by the fears that the people of that time period held. As Gilmore says, â€Å"The mind needs monster. Monsters embody all that is dangerous and horrible in the human imagination. Since earliestShow MoreRelatedThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1675 Words   |  7 PagesThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essay Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,† is a type of Gothic literature. In the beginning of the story when Stevenson is describing the lawyer, one â€Å"Mr. Utterson,† the mood is a bit dull. At first glance the reader may think that this story would be a bit boring and drab. Stevenson’s story is far from being another dull piece of British English literature. The setting and mood of this novella are more complexRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde Essay975 Words   |  4 PagesStevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novella that follows the basic outline established by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein. However, Stevenson’s monster is not created from body parts but comes from the dark side of the human personality. In both novels, a man conducts a secret experiment that gets out of control. The result of these experiments is the release of a double, or doppelgan ger, which causes damage to their creator. While most people think that The Strange Case of Dr. JekyllRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1440 Words   |  6 Pagescomplexity of human nature in his books, especially in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Kidnapped. The former is about a lawyer named Mr. Utterson seeking out the truth of Dr. Jekyll’s very strange will. He finds out that Jekyll was transforming himself into Mr. Hyde so that he could have the freedom to do whatever he wanted no matter how evil. By the time Utterson finds all this out and findsJekyll, he is too late and Jekyll has already killed himself. The latter is about David BalfourRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1196 Words   |  5 Pageswhich do let control you? The good or evil? This was a question that Dr. Jekyll from the book, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, could not answer. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a book about a man who cannot control the two sides of himself, causing him to do terrible things and not even be aware of it. The theme of this book is good versus evil. Dr. Jekyll is fighting his evil side, known as Mr. Hyde, throughout the book. Some people believe that the book’s theme hasRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde938 Words   |  4 PagesVictorian Hopes and Fears Involving Science as Found in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde During the Victorian Era there was a great race to use science to alleviate the suffering of the ill, specifically for those patients who were suffering from ailments of the mind. While some of the methods used to diagnose and treat such afflictions would be considered barbaric in nature by today’s standards, they were considered cutting edge medical science during the time of the Victorian Era. It was also consideredRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde964 Words   |  4 PagesThe Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson was published in 1886. The story is published during the Victorian era, the Victorian era was an age of repression, there was no violence, no sexual appetite, and there was no great expression or emotion. In the story, Dr. Jekyll creates a potion that turns him into Mr. Hyde, Mr. Hyde is the complete opposite of what people are in the Victorian era. At first, Dr. Jekyll is in control of Mr. Hyde, but towards t he end MrRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1505 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the latter portion of the nineteenth century, Robert Louis Stevenson published his novella, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The fin de sià ¨cle saw the rise of different thoughts and ideas surrounding science and society. These concepts and interpretations sparked the discourse surrounding the theory of degeneration; which was the concern that civilization would fall to a lower state of being. This chapter will be reading multiplex personality as a manifestation of this broader culturalRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1739 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde† by Robert Louis Stevenson, the novel â€Å"Frankenstein† by Mary Shelley, the short story â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw† by W.W Jacobs and the short story â€Å"Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. These four texts convey this theme through the use of gothic conventions such as death, madness and darkness. In the novels The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll are wronglyRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1351 Words   |  6 PagesThe Personas of Henry Jekyll Every person is born with bright and dark personas that people moderate due to the standards of society. In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jekyll and Hyde battle for the power to stay alive in the story. As Jekyll continues to try and take over his evil persona, Hyde tries to stay alive and cause evil in the world. In our society, many people will struggle with self control and Dr. Jekyll has trouble controlling his alter ego by performing his evil pleasuresRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1326 Words   |  6 Pages The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published during the late Victorian era, but he clearly brings into question the acceptance of Victorian philosophies, especially the belief that one truth exists and that we can identify good and evil as separate entities. The names Jekyll and Hyde have become synonymous with multiple personality disorder. This novel can be examined from the natural dualism and Freud’s structural th eory of the mind. In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr

Writing and David Foster Wallace Free Essays

Writing assignment: Write a well-organized, 2-3 paragraph response to Wallach’s speech. Your response should be typed, double-spaced, and in a reasonable-sized font. This required writing will not be marked with a letter-grade. We will write a custom essay sample on Writing and David Foster Wallace or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, you will receive written comments in response to your paper, and this paper will prepare you for your first formal essay assignment. Questions to consider as you write your response: 1 . What are some of your favorite ideas from the speech, and why are these Ideas compelling to you? For Wallace, what Is Important about a college education? 3. What do you think about Wallach’s Ideas regarding education? 4. For you, what Is Important about a college education? You do not need to answer each of these questions In order. Rather, synthesize your ideas into a well-organized response that captures your views about Wallach’s speech, and your views about education. For next class, please come prepared to discuss a few quotes from the Wallace essay that you found particularly compelling. More importantly, please be prepared to discuss why these quotes were compelling to you. As this is your first writing assignment, and as this is the first day of class, you’re probably wondering what I want to see in your writing. While each of your writing assignments will require different approaches, generally speaking I want to see the following: Passion/Excellent/Engagement with topic: Do you really try to make 1) discoveries? Do you really explore your Ideas and experiences, and the Ideas presented by the writers to whom you are responding? In other words, do you take your position as writer and thinker seriously? Do you make this essay your own? Do you care about what you are saying? Do you want your readers to care about what you are saying? 2) Organization: Does you have an introduction that sets up a blueprint for what the rest of the essay will look like? Does your essay have a conclusion? Do you organize your topics and ideas into neat paragraphs and units? 3) Style: Is your essay written in an appropriate, academic tone? Do you project authority? Logic and Support: Do your ideas make sense, and are they presented in a logical order? Are your claims supported by relevant details? 5) Clear writing, grammar, and mechanics: Is your essay free from serious sentence- level errors. 6) Creativity: Does your essay surprise? Do you use colorful language, Images, and examples? Do you go In unexpected and Interesting directions? Do you reveal yourself In this essay and do you truly try to write about ideas that are important to you? Class with some questions about the syllabus. How to cite Writing and David Foster Wallace, Papers

Looking At The Scope Of Multicultural Counseling Social Work Essay Example

Looking At The Scope Of Multicultural Counseling Social Work Essay Josie is an 11-year-old bi-racial kid who lives with her individual female parent. Josie has a history of acquisition and behavioural jobs in school. She attends a big suburban school and is fighting in 4th class. Josie can be a behavioural job in the place and community and has been referred to your bureau for protagonism services. She has been asked non to return to her association football squad because of her behaviour and is no longer permitted at day care. Her female parent s chief long-run end is to hold Josie remain in the least restrictive environment in the place, school, and community. ThisA problematicA situationA is associatedA with the range ofA multiculturalA guidance. Multicultural guidance is particularly of import in today s society, as diverse racial and cultural environment raises many jobs, which require cultural competency of societal workers in covering with jobs which arise in multicultural society, in the field of race, ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, civilizations, faiths and other diverseness factors. ( Erford, 2008 ) In the instance of a kid Josie who hasA behavioural problemsA andA jobs atA school, whichA may beA related to her raceA andA societal status.A JosieA goes toA big suburban school, A whereA asA we knowA there are many childrenA and adolescents fromA different households, A andA its environmentA isA usuallyA characterized byA great figure of struggles, since such school non merely createsA favourable conditions for multicultural instruction, but besides gives rise to serious struggles between members of different racial and cultural groups. ( Lynch, 1996 ) We will write a custom essay sample on Looking At The Scope Of Multicultural Counseling Social Work specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Looking At The Scope Of Multicultural Counseling Social Work specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Looking At The Scope Of Multicultural Counseling Social Work specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is possible that two-race Josie has struggles with kids at school, her equals do non take her in their community, or badger a girl.A It is known that Josie is populating in single-parent household, which besides adversely affects her position.A Josie can see herself an castaway, non like everybody, may hold low self-esteem.A These internal jobs and struggles in the school with kids lead to her aggressive behaviour, noncompliance. In suchA state of affairss it is veryA of import toA find out the state of affairs at school and Josie s dealingss with other kids, to cognize relation of people who are close to her, or with whom the kid interacts. The primary measure inA solvingA the problemA will be to turn to a adviser, A a specialistA whoA will helpA to understand theA situationA of JosieA andA will determineA possible solutions toA the job with kid s behaviour. The chief undertakings of the primary support of the specializer will include the undermentioned: A To assist the kid understand his jobs, and assist him to concentrate on their resolution ; A Psychologically to quiet down the kid, leting him to yield, non to support against his bad feelings and emotions, to cut down the degree of unfavorable judgment against himself, aid to get the better of mental strain, shame about the state of affairs ; A If necessary, to show certain forms of behaviour to a kid as an illustration of human opposition to emphasize, self-denial, vision, logical analysis of state of affairss in life ; A Supply the kid with necessary information, which can increase his motive to work out the job ; A Provide advices and support kid s ain attempts to asseverate control over the state of affairs, to cut down his uncertainties and fright of the unknown ; To animate hope and advance the revival of the kid to self-awareness and willingness to cover with the state of affairs ; A To protect the rights and involvements of the kid, interceding in the negotiations with parents, professionals, organisations, aid in obtaining entree to necessary societal resources, etc.A Therefore, an pedagogue, or adviser, shows the kid how to decide the job, helps to cut down his anxiousness and increase self-confidence.A The chief aim of guidance is to ease the personal growing of a kid in a job state of affairs, that is, of his sense of position, the development of his ability to analyse and see life state of affairss from different angles, to be able to develop different schemes of behaviour and consciously follow them.A ( Erford, 2008 ) In order to supply qualified psychological support and aid it is necessary to cognize the psychological features of age periods and the major differences between the reactions of kids and adults.A These differentiations are non ever seeable, but are indispensable and can demo how the job is important for the kid, and how he reacts to stressful situations.A Advocacy of kids has several alone characteristics: foremost of all, the kid is dependent on his parents, to whom he besides normally really emotionally attached. Complex relationship of the kid and parents act upon his relationship with grownups and can present a serious job in supplying assistance.A When reding kids it is necessary to see the undermentioned distinctive features: A The kid is non ever able to set up societal dealingss within the equal group, to happen and maintain friends.A Child are dependent on the attention and protection of parents, who have the chief influence on them ( both positive and negative ) .A Child are non ever able to show complex feelings and discourse the general, abstract inquiries, or speak about certain topics ( tabu or traumatic subjects ) , so the advisor may suggest to depict the state of affairs in alternate manner, and should carefully choose words ; A In contact with others kids need to experience a positive attitude towards them.A Defensive reaction may be denial of ain failing, faulting others or circumstances.A it is necessary to keep contact with the kid s societal world and to demo that there are no simple solutions to complex problems.A ( Erford, 2008 ) The effectivity of psychological aid mostly depends on personal features such as teacher-adviser, as the ability to perforate into the emotional universe of another, empathy ( empathy ) , to supply emotional attention and support, a high grade of personal and societal duty, together with the desire to take duty, high societal intelligence, openness, communicating, emphasis. When reding kids the specializer must take into history the fact that kids can barely maintain focal point and control behaviour for a long clip, particularly when they have some emotional disorders.A That is why the adviser must be patient.A Making conversation with Josie, it is possible to use the traditional attack, so that start a conversation with the general open-ended inquiries, followed by contracting the focal point, or get down with specific issues, while go forthing the topographic point of choice.A The kid is easier to react to short specific inquiries about the events.A Thus, during conversation it is necessary to clear up the ground of Josie behaviour. Of class, the kid can non place and call a particular job, so it is necessary to allow him depict his feelings ( what he is concerned about? A what causes in him choler or fear? ) to clear up the emotional behaviour of the kid. Psychological support for Josie who is in a hard state of affairs, should come in analogue at school and at home.A The nature and way of such support must frequently be determined by adviser. Josie s parents should: A Explain to the kid the job in apprehensible signifier and friendly mode ; A To assist show Josie her feelings, listening to a kid without doing any judgements or critics ; A Make it clear to Josie that her feelings, cryings about something unpleasant is normal, anyhow she must seek to command emotions ; A If Josie is afraid, mother must demo that she loves her and ever ready to assist, to support her in any state of affairs. It is collaborative effortsA andA helpA ofA protagonism specializer, mothersA andA teachersA at schoolA would helpA to clear up the job of Josie, A and besides assist the miss to solveA it and better her behaviorA and acquisition.

How did the fashions of the 1900s to the 1930s reflect Modernist theories Essays

How did the fashions of the 1900s to the 1930s reflect Modernist theories Essays How did the fashions of the 1900s to the 1930s reflect Modernist theories Paper How did the fashions of the 1900s to the 1930s reflect Modernist theories Paper A definition of Modernism is The deliberate departure from tradition and the use of innovative forms of expression that distinguish many styles in the arts and literature of the 20th century. (The American Heritage-Dictionary of the English Language(2000)in Beard 2002: online) To explain this in more detail, there were many stylistic features that described the Modern Movement in art and design, these include truth to material, this means an honesty, in the sense that decoration must not mask the way a product is made, its constructional basis or spatial arrangement; acceptance of technology, meaning the use of new materials is encouraged together with the mindset that products could be mass-produced and consumed; functionalism, meaning that form should be adapted to use material and structure as in form follows function; the rejection of historical styles and internationalism meaning there are no divisions between disciplines and class of consumer. The concep t of Modernism was a response to the growth of industrialisation from the 18th into the 20th century known as the machine age and it affected all aspects of design. I am going to look at fashion design between 1900 and the 1930s and analyse its reflection of these Modernist theories. Typical fashions in 1900 featured the corset. Women were of S-shaped stance; the corset pushed the bust forward and the hips back, and this was combined with a bell-shaped skirt. 1910 brought a fundamental change in female dress, which seemed to be influenced by the Russian Ballet but there were other major aspects of contemporary culture that can answer to this. French designer, Paul Poiret was the most dominant force in fashion in the first decade of the twentieth century. He designed loose elegant dresses with high waistlines and no corset beneath in 1907. Womens clothes were softer in line, with an emphasis on slimness and followed a womans body rather than forcing the body to conform to clothing as previous dress had done. This is recognised as the start of the tubular silhouette, which remained fashionable to the end of the 1920s. This style of dress links with Modernist ideas as its emphasis is on the natural motion of the body, which is the essence of truth to material and form follows function. This style of dress goes further to link with aspects of Modernism as Richard Martin claims. This revolution in fashion that saw 3D forms of corseted and buttressed structures dissolve into flat planes, cylinders and shapes suggested abstraction rather than representation, which links with the modern art of Cubism at the time. (Montebello in Martin 1999:7) The dress shows a complex and random pattern of shapes and lines that resembles cubist art and may have been influenced by architecture. The form of the dress is also made up of shapes and flat planes that are structurally pleated or drape the body in stark contrast. Cubist art suggests motion, which is associated closely to Modernism as Modernism saw the popularisation of the automobile and also reflected the quickly changing times. During the First World War (1914-1919), great changes came to couture. Poiret and other fashion designers were called into the military and their couture houses closed. As male designers defended France a young female designer came of age. In 1915, Gabrielle Chanel took control of modern fashions, producing hats, and designing loose-fitting chemise dresses with belts at the hip. By 1916 she was making casual pleated skirts from the practical Rodier wool jersey that before the war had been restricted to mens underwear, and topping them with sailors sweaters in the mode of sportswear. At this time of wartime shortages, Chanels practical but expensive jerseys seemed an instant modern classic, appealing to wealthy clients because they made the rich look young and casual. (Tirocchi date not known:online) The war brought about other changes in fashion. Womens hemlines, which had risen from floor length to ankle length prior to the war, rose to mid calf length by 1916. Hobble skirts were instantly replaced in favour of wider more practical skirts, and womens trousers and short hair were promoted as practical fashions for war work. Although these changes were a result of the war they tie in with the Modernist concept that again form follows function. After the war Oriental fashions continued to be popular, and they were eventually stylised into a form, which came to be known as Art Deco. (Wollen 1999:11) These Oriental fashions linked with some of the modern design of the time and was seen as a part of the interest in novelty in the 19th century. Novelty in this sense meant looking at things in a different way and demonstrated designs interest in the Far East. Post-war clothing reflected womens changing roles in modern society, particularly with the idea of freedom for women. Women gained the right to vote in 1920 and were entering the workforce in record numbers. Forward-looking younger women now made sportswear into the greatest change in post-war fashion. The tubular dresses had now evolved into a similar silhouette that now sported shorter skirts with pleats, gathers or splits to allow motion to rule womens fashion. This shift towards functionalism again demonstrates Modernist theory as clothing and fashions became practical for a range of active bodily movements. Women wore flatteners to have a more boyish bust and the waist disappeared. Chanels designs took dominance and a new type of women came into existence- androgyny. This look was known as the Flapper in America and embodied the modern spirit of the Jazz Age. Chanel androgyny image and analysis. Chanels biographer, Edmonde Charles-Roux, states that Chanel was responsible for adopting sportswear to daily life and capitalizing on the feminising of masculine fashion. Chanel created the poor look, the sweaters, jersey dresses and little suits. The aim was to make people of all social status look the same, like the girl in the street This was the style of the heroines of the 1920s yet it was also a classless style and so Chanels designs were soon adapted for the mass market. This was the dashing streamlined look of the twenties, which captured the spirit of modernity. Chanel is also known for the little black dress where fuss and detail are removed, an item that now presented in varying forms and styles, is still considered a fashion essential. This is another reflection of Modernism as the design is simple; its basic form and is not cluttered with unnecessary decoration. This trend showed a more masculine tailored look in comparison to the pre-war fashions, which in itself relates to the masculinity associated with many aspects of Modernism. This trend may have been the resultant of women trying to find their place in the masculine Modern world. Several Paris firms such as Doucet, Doivillet and Drecoll closed their doors and even Poiret who had done so much to revolutionise fashion in 1910 now found himself out of step with the times. (Tirocchi date unknown:online) Chanel was a friend of Cocteau, Picasso and Stravinsky and she too felt the influence of Modern Art. Between 1925 and 1935 the strong influence of functionalism displaced ornamentation to take the form of accessories- costume jewellery; Chanel also held this forte. Clothes had become rationalised, as the modernist aesthetic had demanded. (Wollen 1999:12) Schiaparelli was another majoring force within fashion design at this time. She rejected 1920s modernism of Chanel turning instead to Surrealism. She paid homage to Poiret and like him surrounded herself with artists like Man Ray, Salvador Dali and Meret Oppenheim. Schiaparelli also experimented with new materials like cellophane, glass, plastic, and parachute silk. Schiaparelli had an architectural approach to dress, she directed her fantasy in design towards hats, gloves and shoes which can be experimented with without affecting the basic form of the body. (Wollen 1999:14) The body must never be forgotten and it must be used as a frame is used in a building. The vagaries of lines and details or any asymmetric effect must have a close connection with this frame. (Schiaparelli (1954) in Wollen 1999:14) The development of man-made fabrics during 1930s and improving technology of mass production meant that simple, well-cut clothes were brought to a wider range of people (Allan 1973:23) 1930s dresses were slim and straight, sometimes wider at the shoulders than at the hips and were sleek, flowing and streamlined as were many other products of design in the Modernist period. The streamlining was also a link to motion and speed as women started driving. This was of major influence to fashion trends as the image below shows, fashion images showed women with cars, outside and moving and so to be fashionable and modern were to be moving. The 1930s also saw women in trousers which links to masculinity and form follows function. The post war boom was short lived and the 1920s and 30s suffered from a slump named the Depression. The Depression helped bring the clothes of the different classes together at least in general line and now a new process had begun which brought the creations of the great Paris houses within the reach of nearly every woman. Before 1930 buyers (especially American buyers) purchased several dozen copies of each selected model shown in Paris and resold them to a wealthy clientele. But after the slump American authorities imposed a duty of up to 90% on the cost of the original model. Toiles were allowed duty-free. Each toile was supplied with full directions for making it up and so a simplified version could be sold very cheaply. There was also the growing use of synthetic fabrics. Even the factory girl could now afford to purchase artificial silk stockings. Costume and Fashion fill in***) These points reflect the Modernist feature of Internationalism. Divisions between the classes of the consumer had minimised. Conclusion I think the fashions of the 1900s into the 1930s reflect many aspects of Modernist theory. Mass manufacturing, increased consumerism and the speed of change are all characteristics of the Modern period and these factors altered the fashion industry and trends. The rejection of historical styles has been evident, as Ive studied the typical looks for each decade and the sweeping trends. Fashion trends, silhouettes and fabrics rapidly became old and fashionable women had to have the latest look in fashion. Modernism is characterised by the love of the new.

8 Tips for How (and When) to Ask for a Raise

8 Tips for How (and When) to Ask for a Raise SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you hoping to increase your salary but aren't sure how to ask for a raise? Are you also wondering how much to ask for a raise or when to ask for a raise?Asking for a raise can be nerve-wracking, especially if you aren’t sure how to go about it, but we have all the answers you're looking for. In this guide, we explain everything you need to know about asking for a raise, including the steps you need to have done beforehand, the best times to ask for a raise, how much you should ask for, and eight tips to keep in mind when you ask. Things to Keep in Mind Before Asking for a Raise Before you even suggest having a conversation with your boss about your salary, there’s work you need to do. Don’t ask for a raise until you do the following four things. Ask Yourself If You’ve Truly Earned a Raise Everyone wants to make more money, but have you really put in enough work for your boss to justify increasing your salary, especially if you’re asking for more than just a cost of living increase?If you haven’t been expanding your responsibilities and going above and beyond what you’re asked to do, convincing your boss to give you a raise will be a much harder sell. Do Your Research Before you ask for a raise, you need to know how your salary compares to the salaries of similar jobs in your area. This will help you come up with a proper amount to ask for as a raise, and if you can show your salary is below the market average. We discuss this more in the â€Å"How Much of a Raise Should You Ask For† section. Have a â€Å"Brag List† Ready In order to get a raise, you’ll need to show how valuable you are to the company so they agree that you’re worth paying more money. The best way to do this is to have a â€Å"brag sheet† that highlights your accomplishments. These should be as specific as possible and ideally include quantifiable numbers. Saying, â€Å"I brought on five new clients and increased monthly sales by 15%† is much more effective than saying, â€Å"I was a great employee,† or something similarly vague. Remember That Asking for a Raise Isn’t Rude or Unusual Many employees worry that asking for a raise will make them look greedy or rude, but this isn’t the case. Asking for a raise is a normal part of having a job, and most employers expect you to ask for a raise occasionally. When to Ask for a Raise Timing is everything, and it can be the deciding factor in whether you get a raise or not. There are certain times when you’re more likely to get a raise, three of which we discuss below. During an Annual Performance Review If your company does annual performance reviews, these are a great, and often expected, time to ask for a raise.Since you’ll be discussing your accomplishments and goals for the future, discussing a change in salary fits right into the conversation. After Doing Excellent Work If you’ve just done an outstanding job on a project or gone above-and-beyond your typical work duties, consider asking for a raise.Your accomplishments will be in the forefront of your supervisor’s mind, and you’ll have concrete evidence of how useful you are to the company. When Your Supervisor Is in a Positive Frame of Mind Even if you’re the #1 employee at your office, you’ll hurt your chances of actually getting a raise if you ask when your boss is overwhelmed with work, had a project of their own go poorly, or is dealing with other issues that are distracting. Wait until things are going well for both you and your supervisor before broaching the possibility of a raise. In all cases, you should wait until it has been at least six months to a year since you either got a new role or received a raise. You should also you only discuss a potential raise when you’re meeting one-on-one with your supervisor, during a time when you both have time for the conversation. This isn't a talk you want to start while passing each other in the hall! How Much of a Raise Should You Ask For? Before you ask for a raise, you should always know what amount you’re hoping to get, whether this is a 3% increase in salary, an extra $2000 a year, etc.You don’t need to state this amount right when you ask for the raise, but you should expect your supervisor to ask what you’re hoping to get. Having a concrete amount you’d like your raise to be will make you seem more prepared and serious, and it’ll make it easier to start negotiations with your supervisor. It also reduces the possibility of your supervisor giving you a very small raise since no amount was specified. There’s no set amount you should ask for when you request a raise. This is another area where you’ll need to do your research. Most annual raises are between 1% and 5% of your annual salary, with 3% being the average at many companies.Ask around to figure out what other people in similar positions are making. You can also look on sites like Glassdoor and the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics to find what others in your field are making. Set your expectations around those amounts. Also, don’t start off by requesting a ridiculously large raise thinking you and your supervisor will then negotiate it down to something more reasonable. Doing that makes you look entitled. When asked what your desired raise is, state the amount you’re happy with, and be prepared to back it up with research that shows you deserve this amount (this can include printing out stats of the salaries of similar workers). 8 Tips on How to Ask for a Raise Once you get to the point where you and your boss are ready to have the conversation about your salary, keep these eight tips in mind when discussing a raise. #1: Be Confident Asking for a raise can be intimidating, but try to minimize your nervousness during the conversation. By being confident, you’ll show your boss that you’re serious about this topic and really believe you deserve a raise. If you aren’t confident you deserve a raise, why should your boss be? Many people find that practicing their speech in front of a mirror or other people several times can make the actual conversation go much smoother. #2: Make It Clear You’re Asking for a Raise This isn’t a time to be coy about what you’re asking for; doing so will just make the conversation confusing and awkward.If you haven’t already told your supervisor why you’re requesting a meeting, you should begin the conversation with something like, â€Å"I’ve learned a lot from [company name], and I feel I’ve also been a strong asset. Because of this, I’d like to set up an appointment to discuss my salary.† This removes any ambiguity from the conversation and makes it easier for you and your supervisor to communicate honestly with each other. #3: Show That You’re Valuable This is the time to bring up the topics you came up with in your brag sheet. You don’t need to list everything you’ve done for the company, but by highlighting a few major accomplishments and making it clear they’re part of a pattern of excellent work, you’ll remind your boss how valuable you are. Remember to make these accomplishments detailed and to include numbers when you can to give concrete evidence of your worth. Good examples include, â€Å"Revenue increased $10,000 since I began working the project,† â€Å"Employee turnover has decreased by half and employee satisfaction has increased by 20% since I became manager of this team.† If you’ve found solid evidence that your salary is significantly below average for your field, you can also bring this up now, but be careful not to sound accusing or bitter.Something like, â€Å"Here’s data I collected showing salaries for people in similar positions as mine. Because of my accomplishments, I believe I deserve to be making at or above the average salary for this position† makes it clear what you want without being negative. #4: Talk About Your Long-Term Goals In order to show you’re serious about your commitment to your job and will continue to be an exceptional employee, make sure you discuss accomplishments you hope to achieve in the future in your position or a future position. #5: Don’t Bring Up Personal Problems Even if you really need the money, this is not the time to mention that getting a raise will really help you recover from a bad investment, pay for your kid’s college, etc.Bringing up your personal problems during this talk isn’t professional will only make your supervisor feel more uncomfortable if they need to decline your request. This is also not the time to bring up workplace grievances like the fact that you feel you’re working a ton of hours or do twice as much work as another employee.Keep your discussion about getting a raise strictly professional, and only bring up work accomplishments as reasons why you deserve a raise. #6: Give Your Boss Time to Consider the Request Many times, even if your boss wants to give you a raise, they need to clear it with other people first. If your boss seems at least somewhat willing to consider giving you a raise, end your request by letting them know you aren’t expecting an answer right this minute, and ask when you can schedule a follow-up conversation.This takes some of the pressure off them to make a decision in the moment. #7: Consider Other Rewards If your boss is unable or unwilling to give you a raise, there are other rewards you could ask for, including: A bonus Increased vacation days More flexible working schedule Think about what other incentives you’d also be interested in having, and be prepared to offer them instead if your boss can’t give you a raise but agrees you deserve some other type of reward for your work. #8: Don’t Be Discouraged If You Hear â€Å"No† Not everyone who asks for a raise gets one. Sometimes you haven’t been in the position long enough, haven’t distinguished yourself enough, or the company just doesn’t have the money to offer you a raise right now. If this conversation doesn’t lead to a raise, a good follow-up question is, â€Å"What would I need to do to earn a raise in the future?†This will give you and your supervisor chance to discuss concrete actions you can take to put you in a better position to get a raise in the future. If your supervisor can’t offer you any definite steps you can take to get a raise, or they state that you’re already at the high end of the salary range for your position, then you may need to start looking at a job in a new company in order to increase your salary. Summary: How to Ask for a Raise at Work Before you ask for a raise, it’s important to make sure you’ve really earned a raise, have done your research on the salaries of similar workers, and have a brag list of your accomplishments ready. Not sure when to ask for a raise? The best times are during an annual review, after you’ve done excellent work, and when your boss is in a good mood.If you’re not sure how much to ask for a raise, do lots of research on what other people in your field make so you can be sure your request is reasonable. If you're not sure how to ask your boss for a raise, keep the following tips in mind: Be confident Make it clear you’re asking for a raise Show that you’re valuable Talk about your long-term goals Avoid discussing personal problems Give your boss time to think about it Consider other rewards Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a raise What's Next? Interested in large numbers?Wondering what a Googol is? Learn every major number that comes after trillion in our guide to extremely large numbers. Thinking about learning Japanese?Learn how to say "good morning" in Japanese, plus nine other important greetings. Did you know that water has a very special density? Check out our guide to learn what the density of water is and how the density can change.

Halecar and Mid Lans Automotive Two cultures merge Coursework

Halecar and Mid Lans Automotive Two cultures merge - Coursework Example s starting from recruitment and selection of staffs to managing performance, eliminating employee dissatisfaction, bringing advancement in training and development as well as controlling issues relating to equity and diversity of the employees (Armstrong, 2012). As a result of growing competition and technological advancement, more and more firms tend to merge with comparatively strong firms in order to protect their existence and to enjoy economic and technological advantages arising out of strong background of the companies merged with. However, as a result of such amalgamation the employees of two different companies experience difference in terms of rules and regulations, working procedure, employee benefits as well as different working culture. Hence, employees of one organization are bound to adopt the cultural practices of the other organization. If not controlled properly, such incidents may lead to serious consequences for the newly merged company in terms of employee dissat isfaction, employee turnover, reduced production and profitability (Legge, 2005). Therefore, human resource team should take corrective actions in timely manner for organizations to sustain in the long run and to enjoy advantages arising out of merger. Halecar is a long established UK based Automotive Manufacturing Company producing British cars for well known Indian Company, Tutu (Excerpt from case study). However, with the decline in the UK car industry, Halecar started experiencing rapid detriment in their production and the company ceased to exist. Workforce had been reduced and the only source of revenue was the Indian Company, Tutu for which they manufactured Nano, the cheapest passenger car in the world. Further pressure from the Indian company as well, to bring efficiency in production process and to shift production to 3 lines on a 24 hour basis, led the management to impiment structural changes into the organization. On 1st of August, 2014, Managing Director of Halecar

Corporate & Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate & Business Law - Essay Example The company laws also set standards required to be followed by the company and maintain their ethical behavior since ethical leadership is considered to be very essential for the appropriate operations of the company and its success (Miller & Jentz, 2009, pp.63-64). The present study focuses on how the law of England and Wales is made and how a company is incorporated with study on the evaluations of the incorporation of companies. The General Legal System in England and Wales (in the United Kingdom): England and Wales are two countries that form part of the United Kingdom. The primary laws prevalent in the nation include the legislative law, the common law, the European law, and the European Convention on Human Rights. The Parliament is in the primary charge of the legislative law. The legislature that is located in London has the responsibility and power to pass different laws in all the four countries that include England and Wales as well. The common law represents a common legal system prevalent in England and Wales. The European law is more superior to the UK law since UK is a part of the European Union. The human rights convention is responsible to look after the rights of individuals as dictated by the legal system (The Legal System of the United Kingdom, n.d.). ... Corporate and business laws have been found to be essential for any firm that tries to establish itself in the market or the industry. Moreover, when contractual issues are involved in a business, standardization proves to be essential (Mantysaari, 2009, p.11). The formation of the law in England and Wales: As it is already mentioned and learnt, the passing of laws in both the countries in the UK is the primary responsibility of the parliament that has the necessary and required power. In order to form the laws in England and Wales, at first the law needs to be proposed. The new law that is proposed is referred to as the bill that then needs to be accepted by the parliamentary houses. Once the parliament agrees to the bill and its purpose, the Queen needs to give her assent to the passing of the bill. Once that happens, the bill becomes ready to be treated as an Act by the parliament. The first reading of the law reflects a situation where the parliament learns that a new law is read y to be proposed. A second reading presents the discussion on the law by the members of the parliament. In the next step, a third reading is performed where debates and votes take place on the new proposed law. If majority of the votes are won, then the bill gets passed by the parliament and requires the assent of the Queen. If the Queen provides with her assent, then the bill becomes the Act and acts as the law for the nation, including the countries (Barrow, 2012). Considering the level of crimes and frauds occurring in businesses in the present state of globalization, laws associated with the business crimes have emerged to be significant to be formed and followed. Thus while national and international laws are

Hotel Industry: Brand Image and Customer Loyalty

Hotel Industry: Brand Image and Customer Loyalty Hotel Brand Images: Exploring Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction Contents (Jump to) Introduction Rationale Aims and Objectives Hypothesis Statement Secondary Literature Review Primary Quantitative Research Literature Review Brand Identity and Image Brand Strategy and Customer Satisfaction Consumer Loyalty and Brand Image Hotel Brands and Consumers Conclusion and Implications Research Approach Survey Questionnaire Data Sampling H1: Consumer loyalty is not related to brand identity in hotels. H2: Consumer satisfaction is not related to brand image of hotels. Correlation Analysis Conclusion Introduction This research paper takes the position that branding and brand loyalty have become an important part of modern day business marketing. Accordingly, consumer perceptions, brand image, and market research are all important components of developing continuous brand image. The development of brand loyalty has a direct impact on today’s marketability and viability of a service or product in today’s competitive market. Brand loyalty has been considered to be the repetition of consumer purchase behaviour under the conditions of the consumer’s sensitivity to a product as on of the more prevailing trends in global hotel marketing (Kayaman and Arasli 2007). Other viewpoints describe brand loyalty as having an attitudinal measurement (Kayaman and Arasli 2007). Brand performance has several aspects: quality, price, credibility, value, trust, and consistency. Delgado-Ballester Munuera-Aleman (2001) suggested that core brand trust and brand image functions have a key role in developing consumer loyalty and is characterised by high involvement of the organisation in service quality. The ability of an organisation to hold onto a market position is highly based on its ability to gain new customers while retaining old customers. Gunter Heather (2007) showed that in the service industry, the ability of team members to complete a service to the customer is important in developing customer loyalty and increasing the customer’s perception of service quality. This research explores key performance indicators of brands as they impact consumer loyalty in the hotel industry. This is done by looking at the theories behind brand performance, which include market signalling theory as well as brand identity and brand image. The research examines the efficiency of internal operations of organisations as they impact brand consistency. These components are interrelated with evidence for consumer patronage and consumer loyalty, based on various factors that will be explored as being relative to building (or diminishing) consumer loyalty. The dissertation will utilise secondary research as a literature review to establish the components and relationships between brand identity, consumer loyalty, and brand strategy. The ultimate goal of this research is to describe how consumer’s build expectations and perceptions regarding a particular brand image and how consumer loyalty to a particular hotel can be managed through brand strategy. Rationale Dean (2001) made the conclusion that the hotel industry has suffered in stock value compared to other industries. In 2001, only the Hilton brand was present in the top 100 brand names, with a market value of 1.4 billion dollars (Dean 2001). This shows that there is a need to understand and describe customer loyalty in the hotel industry to further consumer patronage of hotels. The hotel industry, especially in the luxury sector, offers an experience of a product and service. Therefore, it stands to reason that the consistency the brand offers has a strong impact on the consumer’s perception. Kandampully Suhartanto (2000) showed that hotel consistency should revolve around the internal performance of housekeeping, reception, food and beverages, as well as price and value to be considered competitive and to maintain consumer loyalty. This research is rationalised by the idea that understanding customer loyalty based on satisfaction in these arenas impacts market value, and thus can assist hoteliers in world wide competition. Aims and Objectives The aim of this dissertation is based on the above rationale and is focused on consumer based perceptions of hotel brands. The goal is to explore and examine the factors of customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, and hotel branding for the betterment of organisation’s operating in the hotel industry. Thus, the research aims to develop stronger market value through brand identity and brand image perceptions of the customer. The objectives to reach this aim are to first, describe the relationships between brand identity and customer loyalty through secondary literature review research. The next objective is to utilise primary quantitative survey methods to statistically evaluate the impact of the relationships between customer satisfaction and brand identity on customer loyalty. The end results should lead towards a description of the occurrence of customer loyalty perceptions in the hotel industry based on the factors of brand identity and customer satisfaction described in th e literature review. Hypothesis Statement Based on the aims and objectives of the research, the following hypotheses are to be explored through quantitative data: H1: Consumer loyalty is not related to brand identity in hotels. H1.0: Consumer loyalty is related to brand identity in hotels. H2: Consumer satisfaction is not related to brand image of hotels. H2.0: Consumer satisfaction is related to brand image of hotels. Secondary Literature Review The secondary literature review will be conducted to establish the variables and factors that develop the above hypothesis. In this, the research has chosen to utilise mainly scholarly journal databases, including Sage Journals Online, EbscoHost, and Thomspon-Gale. Each of these databases is peer-reviewed and scholarly, as well as international, which allows for a holistic focus on the issues of consumer loyalty from a global viewpoint. The point that each of these journal databases is international is important as this research focuses on the hotel industry as a whole, not on the hotel industry in any particular nation. The research was conducted using the Boolean search terms of ‘brand identity’ and ‘consumer loyalty;’ ‘brand identity’ and ‘consumer satisfaction’; ‘brand image’ and ‘consumer satisfaction’; ‘brand image’ and ‘consumer loyalty’; ‘consumer satisfaction’ and ‘consumer loyalty’; ‘brand identity’ and ‘brand image.’ Results were then sifted through based on date and current relevance to organisational branding, hotel branding, or market branding. This was important to do as some research findings were not related to the actual research, some findings that were unrelated and had to be removed included gender bias, cow procreation, and other unrelated terms. Future secondary literature review research will focus on stronger Boolean search terms to remove unwanted topics and prevent unnecessary time extensions. The secondary literature review is utilised to establish the questions in the quantitative survey as well as to establish relationships between each hypotheses statement. Primary Quantitative Research Primary quantitative research was chosen for this study as it allows for statistical and objective evidence to be presented and to accept or reject the stated hypotheses. The choice and rationale for the primary quantitative research is explored further in the methodology section. For this short introduction, quantitative research allows for specific information regarding the occurrences of customer loyalty and satisfaction, which can act as a precursor for further qualitative research later. Furthermore, the use of surveys allows the researcher to make specific and numerically succinct statements regarding the subjects at hand, from the customer’s perception. The research approach is deductive, meaning that it is theory testing rather than inductive, which is theory generating. In this manner the research proposes to accept or reject the hypothesis and establish the relationship between hotel brand identity-image and consumer loyalty-satisfaction. Branding is method of determining an organisation’s competitive position based on consumer perceptions, where the organisation’s position to competitors impacts consumer choices (Daffey and Abratt 2002). In corporations, branding has increased in recent importance, particularly in leisure and travel services, where increased attention has been placed on service branding in hotels, retail, and banking industries (Hatch and Schultz 2003). Research identified the need for branding as it pertains to the brand image and brand identity, which separates the brand based on the internal components of the industry or organisation as well as it is congruent with shared values and meanings identified by both the organisation and consumer perceptions (Hatch and Schultz 2003). Thus, the relationship between brand identity, brand image, and consumer perception for leisure services, such as hotels, has become imperative to describing the marketing needs of an organisation. Brand Identity and Image Brand identity is an antecedent to brand image, thus what the organisation puts forth as its brand identity impacts the consumer’s perception of brand image (Daffey and Abratt 2002). The focus can be placed on the interface within brand identity and consumer perception of brand image, which involved the corporate branding method and the manner in which it is perceived by the consumer, thus impacting the consumer’s identification with the brand and increasing or decreasing the consumer’s perceived brand value (Daffey and Abratt 2002). Conceptually, brand identity is the organisation’s marketing mission in regards to the brands vision and values (Kapferer 2004). Brand identity is thus fulfilled by the organisation’s competence towards its internal and external vision, aims, and values (Kapferer 2004). This means that brand identity is an articulation of the organisation’s ethos, which incorporates the individualistic image that a competitor pla ces on its products, where the goal is to differentiate the service or product definition from other brand identities (Kapferer 2004). The statement has been made that brand identity has three main goals (Albert and Whetten 2003). The first of these goals are to capture the organisation’s essential service or product paradigm (Albert and Whetten 2003). Secondly, the organisations brand identity should exhibit and define its meaning towards consumers; and thirdly this meaning allows the brand to be differentiated and exhibited with continuity in the consumer’s mindset (Albert and Whetten 2003). Bosch (2006) examined that the construction of brand identity is to involve the elemental intent of the organisation’s product or service, where the organisation’s reputation is relevant to the personality of the brand identity set forth by the marketing strategy (Bosch 2006). Thus, brand identity becomes an organisation’s operational strategy that allows it to enhance or integrate an internal vision to external customers, thereby shaping the customer’s purchase intentions and value-ad ded perceptions towards that brand. As noted, brand identity precedes brand image. Brand image is imperative to gaining consumer validation and retention. When an organisation sets forth an image that is favourable in the mindset of the consumers, it inherently builds a specific competitive advantage (Aaker 1997). Brand image is a construction of consumer perceptions of the brand, and therefore is based on the most recent mindset of beliefs that the consumer holds towards the brand itself (Nandan 2005). The consumer’s perceptions and feelings are based on the brand identity, as well as the consumer’s experiences and relationships with the organisation (Nandan 2005).Thus, brand image has a strong value for an organisation and is ascertained to create a distinctive and sustainable competitive advantage (Aaker 1997). It is therefore defined that brand image is the meaning of connection between the consumer and the organisation’s product or service, where the goal is to increase consumer loyalty in the net result of the marketing strategy (Aaker 1997). This net result is impacted by the consumer’s perception of the brand (Aaker 1997). This consumer perception is built by experiences with the brand and the impressions the brand leaves with the customer, thus altering the customer’s beliefs and feelings towards the product (Aaker 1997). This alteration of the consumer perception creates the consumer’s behaviour and attitude about a product or service (Aaker 1997). The link between brand identity and brand image has been noted to be largely based on the role of communication that forms consumer perceptions as they pertain to branding (Harris and de Chernatory 2001). However, some confusion as to the specific role of marketing brand identity and the formulation of brand image exists. While some researchers explore that consumer perception is built based on such marketing communications (Harris and de Chernatory 2001), others substantiate that brand image is not a result of brand identity marketing, but of the experiences of consumers with the product and service of the brand (Chun and Davies 2006). This means that the external communications of the organisation, noted in the above paragraphs to be centred on exposing the value, aims and intentions of the brand (Kapferer 2004) have less impact on the consumer’s mindset than the consumers actual experiences with the brand (Chun and Davies 2006). This is especially true in the service orient ed industries, such as hotels, where service context related firms are more likely to gain or lose brand image in the customer’s mindset based on consumer experiences with the service (O’Cass and Grace 2004). Consumer experiences such as word of mouth, poor service relationships, and negative service receipt are more likely to impact the perception of a brand image than the organisation’s marketing strategy of the brand’s identity (O’Cass and Grace 2004). In this relationship, the role of service employees and their relationship with the customer becomes an integral part of building a brand image, where the recognition of employees to the brand identity as well as towards delivering a positive customer service experience is more important to sustainable brand image than any other factor (Hardaker and Fill 2005). This is because the employee operating in a service context, such as a hotel, is the first point of contact the consumer has with the bran d (Hardaker and Fill 2005). Thus, the experience a consumer has with an employee of a service based industry has multiple interfaces as the employee’s value, the brand identity, and the consumer’s perception, all of which create the brand image (O’Cass and Grace 2004). Brand Strategy and Customer Satisfaction It stands to reason that if consumers create a perception of a brand image based on their level of satisfaction, then there is an inherent link between brand image and customer satisfaction. This was established as a positive image towards consumer satisfaction increases consumer loyalty, where it is postulated that the relationship also develops consumer loyalty (Chun and Davies 2006). In this relationship, there is a congruent development between brand identities, as it is externally presented by the organisation, and consumer satisfaction as it is internally perceived by the consumer (Chun and Davies 2006). The development is that a firm utilises brand strategy, as this has the ability to increase brand loyalty when it ensures that the relationship between brand identity and image is congruent and consistent, as it applies to influencing consumer loyalty (Nandan 2005). Thus, brand identity has an increased positive relationship that is established between the customer’s per ception of satisfaction, the development of loyalty, and the brand’s image (Nandan 2005). Consumer promotions are one method that organisations use to increase brand awareness, and thus establish brand identity. Consumer promotions include coupons and sweepstakes, but increasingly include loyalty programs such as points for repurchases. These types of sales promotions are have the targeted goal of increasing repurchase intentions of final purchases (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Consumer sales promotions are just as various as brands themselves, existing as incentives for purchasing or repurchasing, while others attempt to communicate the nature of the organisation (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Some promotions will be based on pricing discounts, while others are non-priced based, such as additional products or special services (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Consumer promotion is a traditional brand strategy that is thought to enhance consumer loyalty by offering special rewards for repurchasing a service or product (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Thus, it is supposed that consume r promotions influence the consumer by enhancing how the customer cognitively perceives the value of a service or product (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Value, as the difference between price and received goods, is the object that creates price perception. Price perception, in turn, establishes how a customer values the brand’s overall image, and thus if the consumer is willing to purchase the brand (Schiffman and Kanuk 2004). Price perceptions can be both positive and negative. In luxury instances, higher prices for higher levels of services are considers attributes to the consumer’s success, and therefore the repurchase intentions may be based on the intrinsic value the consumer places on the actual service receipt, rather than the cost of the service (Moore et al 2003). Price and customer loyalty therefore become complex, as in some cases very low prices for a luxury brand, or over-promotion of the brand, lead to devaluation of the brand, where the consumer finds less value for the same service offered at a lower price (Moore et al 2003). This leads towards product quality perceptions, where the superiority of a service is approached by the consumer based on the consumer’s expectations of the service (Moore et al 2003). Consumers may place a judgement upon the quality of a service based on the information they have received through brand identity strategies regarding the service, when this information is not congruent with the customer’s received service, there is a negative gap in customer satisfaction (Schiffman and Kanuk 2004). Consumer judgements are created by intrinsic and extrinsic information (Schiffman and Kanuk 2004). The concern is that there is a gap between brand identities put forth by the organisation and brand images received, or perceived, by the consumers (Hatch and Schultz 2003). This gap exists when the internal identities of the organisation, as they relate to the values and ideals of the organisation, are not externally perceived by the consumer (Hatch and Schultz 2003; Chun and Davies 2006). Thus, the need for a brand strategy that bridges this gap for increased customer perceptions becomes a managerial goal to narrow the gap (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). This need for gap reduction is stated to be a holistic need, where brand strategy is centred on the ability of the organisation to ensure that all employees are able to breach the gaps and have the same values and aims that the organisations places external brand marketing importance upon (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). Emphatically, this means that strategy towards the brand image is highly reliant upon the internal brand identi ty of the organisation and the external brand image the customer forms (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). Thus, there is an increased need in brand development and strategy for organisations to match the consumer’s needs and perceptions with the brand’s identity, which in turn will increase consumer loyalty but not necessarily consumer satisfaction (Chun and Davies 2006). Consumer Loyalty and Brand Image Conceptualizing the link between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty has several dimensions (Oliver 1999). In this, satisfaction has the asymmetric consequence towards the development of consumer loyalty, yet consumer loyalty does not impact consumer satisfaction in the same manner (Oliver 1999). A consumer that has been traditionally loyal to a particular brand will not simply choose the brand after a dissatisfactory service experience simply because they have formed a habit of being loyal to that brand (Oliver 1999). Chun and Davies (2006) examined that a brand’s image can impact consumer loyalty based on the experiences of a customer in regards to the brand service delivery by employees. This means that employees are frequently the heart of a service brands image, and the front line of the ability of a brand to build consumer loyalty. Furthermore, employees are the most frequent determination of a consumer’s mindset towards a brand, which in turn impacts the consumers perception and frequency of loyalty towards the brand (O’Cass and Grace 2004). Thus, it is implied that employees are the foundation of building service brand images, and the employee of the service brand has the strongest impact of brand identity communication in the customer’s mindset (O’Cass and Grace 2004). Thus, what occurs is a service brand dimension where the employee, rather than the organisation, becomes the forefront for brand image formulation, which establishes that employees are the ambassador’s of a brand image (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). For the leisure and travel sectors, employees act as the interface between the consumer’s service needs and the brand image formation (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). Therefore, the consumer’s internal perceptions of a brand are enhanced or diminished by the service experience and communications of employees, which in turn results in future commitments to brand loyalty when these experiences and communications are positively perceived by the customer (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). Consumer satisfaction and loyalty are dependent on the consumers perceived value of a brand image. In early work regarding the subject, Oliver (1997) showed that consumer satisfaction is the ability of a service to fulfil the consumer’s need, thus it is based upon the response of the organisation towards fulfilling what the consumer believes, or perceives, to be important and of value. The ability of the consumer to develop a perception regarding the service of a brand is based upon a consumer’s judgement regarding the provisions of services and products and the pleasure that the customer receives, intrinsically, from the consumption of the product or service (Oliver 1997). Oliver’s (1999) later work established that consumer loyalty is a strong commitment of the consumer to repurchase the product or service in a consistent manner, based on the previous judgements that the consumer held, which are further enabled by both the customer’s and the organisation’s behaviours and attitudes towards the brand’s identity and image (Oliver 1999). Consumer attitudes have several components. First, the cognitive component establishes the rational appeal of a product or service, where the consumer makes a decision based on characteristics the consumer determines to be imperative to filling a consumer need (Rowley and Dawes 1999). The affective component is established as the emotional connections a consumer develops with the service, such as fulfilling a social or status need by purchasing a particular brand (Rowley and Dawes 1999). Lastly, the cognitive components of consumer attitudes are those that are relative to the consumers’ behavioural patterns (Rowley and Dawes 1999). Cognitive components are based on the consumer’s previously formed behaviour patterns, for example the difference between a hedonic and utilitarian purchaser. A hedonic behaviour pattern is where a consumer purchases a product based on the ability to receive a particular emotional need, such as societal satisfaction (Rowley and Dawes 1999). A utilitarian purchaser focuses on the physical needs of a product’s ability to fulfil a gap in the customer’s necessary purchase intentions (Rowley and Dawes 1999). This is further established by Chun and Davies (2006), where consumer loyalty as a behavioural and attitudinal aspect contains strong intrinsic characteristics built by the needs of the consumer and compared to the ability of the organisation to deliver towards these needs, which in turn develops the consumer’s attitudes and behaviours towards a brand. Yet consumer perception and brand loyalty is not only direc ted by behaviours and attitudes, it is also built by cognition of the brand and its associative value (Jones and Taylor 2007). In this, while attitudes and behaviours are important, the customer also may be inclined to cognitively assess the price that has been paid against the service or product received, which is the basic foundation of consumer’s perceived value (Jones and Taylor 2007). Hotel Brands and Consumers Consumers of hotel services seek consistently reliable service with fair to high quality and an affordable price within their perception of affordability (Dube and Reneghan 2000). Hoteliers place strong significance towards consumer satisfaction as this impacts the hotel’s perceived brand image (Dube and Reneghan 2000). What occurs is the brand hotel begins to operate based on its quality of service by delivering service value information to the customer before the customer views or uses the service product (Bruicks, Zeithaml and Naylor 2000). This means that as consumers seek out a particular amount of service quality to fulfil the gap between their needs and the service receipt, hoteliers are simultaneously awarding service quality based statements towards their internal brand identity and external brand image (Bruicks, Zeithaml and Naylor 2000). Effectively, brand images are built with multiple brand scopes achieved, where larger hotel chains offer several brand images with their end consumer’s perception of value and quality in mind (Dube and Reneghan 2000). Thus the hotel’s brand strategy is to develop brand value based on service awareness, rather than service receipt, as well as the quality of perception in the consumer’s mind, leading towards consumer satisfaction (Aaker 1991). As brand strategy leads towards the sight unseen ideal of gaining customer satisfaction, researchers have explored that hotels with higher consumer satisfaction for a perceived high value or high quality service are less conscientious about price and promotions, but more consciences in regards to service receipt and the quality of service (Dube and Reneghan 2000). Brand strategy of hoteliers focuses on increasing operational success of their overall brand measurements, where the ideal strategic viewpoint is to gain market share from the brand strategy (Ekinci 2002). However, the hotel industry has mixed results from brand strategies and brand images (Ekinci 2002). These mixed results are due to consumer’s perceptions of the brand image and brand quality (Ekinci 2002). The divergence exists when brand growth and consumer quality perceptions create a gap between the consumer’s expected service quality from the brand identity and the consumer’s receipt of service qu ality (Ekinci 2002). Pricing and promotion models also create a gap in expectations and perceptions (Ekinci 2002). This occurs because of the market signalling theory, which explains that consumers may expect higher quality from organisations with higher market shares, which increases the demand for future business and services (Helloffs Jacobson, 1999). In the hospitality industry, as market share leaders become more visible to consumers through brand identity and brand marketing strategy, advertising messages become aligned with the high market share and high quality perceptions (Helloffs Jacobson 1999). Size of the hotel chain, amenities, desirable locations, and similar services at various locations all become part of hoteliers brand marketing strategies as they gain market share. However, there is the concern that strategic brand management may cause a negative relationship between brand image, market share, and consumer’s perceived expectations of quality (Helloffs J acobson 1999). Some studies examine that consumer’s expectations of quality increase as market share increases, yet the consumer’s satisfaction with a service decreases almost simultaneously (Helloffs Jacobson 1999). Therefore, market signalling theory, as it applies to a hospitality organisation’s externally presented brand identity, may not be the precursor to adequate consumer satisfaction and the consumer’s internal perception of the brand’s image. Hoteliers are very aware of the needs for strong consumer focus, yet multiple hospitality organisations have differing perspectives regarding the customer’s needs and perceptions. For example, hoteliers may focus on strong franchise development, based on tourism locations, and typically focus on the customer needs of service continuity, as offering the same services at each tourism franchise location (Linder 2001). However, another line of thought is that corporate development and managerial strategy, rather than the franchise consumer, is more important in building brand identity to customer awareness (Linder 2001). Thus, there is a divergence in hotelier’s management strategy between the continuity of service franchises and the value of service towards the customer. There is some evidence that hoteliers have a brand identity need to respond to the customer’s concerns of cost and quality, but also to decide the level of service continuity within the franchiseâ⠂¬â„¢s, or in the lack of franchising, to respond to the needs of quality in the consumer’s service receipt (Michael 2000). One interesting component of this relationship is that franchising actually has a negative impact on quality, but service continuity has a positive impact (Michael 2000). Thus, the consumer may expect the same service quality at each hotel location, but is not likely to receive the same level of quality at each franchise location (Michael 2000). However, when the customer’s level of perceived quality does not have a gap in service continuity between franchise or hotel locations, then there is a strong positive relationship (Michael 2000). There is a negative relationship when service quality of a particular brand image that the customer has a created a specific internal perceptions are not equivocal, leaving a gap between what the customer believed would occur in values and quality, and what the customer believed they received in value and Bertolt Brecht: Using Comedy As Political Device Bertolt Brecht: Using Comedy As Political Device Bertolt Brecht, born in Augsberg Germany 1898, was a highly influential playwright, director and innovative performance theorist, making a major contribution to dramaturgy and theatrical production that continues to be portrayed within theatres and on stage to this date. His ideas and theories regarding political theatre reject the naturalistic system put forward many years before by Konstantin Stanislavski and attempted to persuade an audience to want to make a difference in society. In his early twenties, Brecht began to have an aversion to the capitalist society he was brought up in and sought after a more equal approach to the world and people around him. This was when he began his exploration into Marxism: a political philosophy, often referred to as a form of socialism, which emphasises the importance of the class struggle in society and maintains the belief that everyone is equal. This is a viewpoint that Brecht remained loyal to throughout the rest of his life and career with a certain level of Marxist influence being noticeably present in each of his plays and productions. Marxists believe in a socialist society that does not distinguish between classes of people. Marxists tend to be working class people or the proletariat and these fellow Marxists, i.e. the proletariat, were the people Brecht intended his plays for. He wanted to use his talent within the theatre to connect with the working class people in order to change the capitalist oppression under which he lived. His plays rejected the naturalistic stage style and portrayed the world at the time in a way that would enable each spectator to adopt a critical awareness of the action they saw on stage. Brecht laid down a system of performance and production techniques in order to create an atmosphere within the theatre that would prevent the audience from hanging their brains up with their hats in the cloakroom (Anon; www.delamere-arts.com.) The use of these techniques within theatre production is now formally known as Epic Theatre. Brecht intended his theatre to be both didactical (though not dull or boring) and dialectical, and believed that in order to make an audience pay attention to what they are seeing and hearing from the stage they must be distanced from the action (i.e. the audience see the stage as a stage and the actors as actors.) Epic theatre aims to create this production of thought in the spectators, creating a distance between them and the action through the use of a technique known as verfremdungseffekt or V-effekt. Roughly translated as the making strange effect, the V-effekt is a technique which solely intends to make the audience aware they are in a theatre at all times, enabling them to adopt an attitude of inquiry and criticism in their approach to the action. The audience must at no time during an epic play be seen to be in a trance or take what they see on stage for granted. Richard Schechner (2006) claims that the best way to think of the V-effekt is as a way to drive a wedge between th e actor, the character, the staging (including blocking, design, music and any other production element) so that each is able to bounce off, and comment upon, the others. In this an actor may pay a complete disregard for the fourth wall (a naturalistic staging and acting technique) directly addressing the audience in speeches, there may also be the use of a narrator (such as the Street Singer in The Threepenny Opera), songs and explanatory placards to interrupt the action and thus distance the audience from what they are watching. Other techniques Brecht introduced to the stage included the use of Gestus, or Gestureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ with attitude (Mumford, 2008, p.54) which sees the actors conveying the intentions of a performance through tableaux, a single gesture or voice inflection. An example of this was portrayed in the National Theatres production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Holmes; 2007) which saw the governors wife, Natella smoking over the babys pram. This showed her complete lack of love and care for her child. This, in itself, maintains a distance between audience and action in that a spectator is able to see the difference between actor and character, with an actor offering personal opinion through their actions and their use of such gestures. This distancing effect can also be created, as stated by Richard Schechner (2006) previously, by other production elements including the use of harsh, bright lighting, multi-role acting, visible set changes completed by the actors themselves, the use of half -curtains and also music and songs that clash with the action, providing further comment on the action about the themes and ideas. Brecht wanted his spectators to enjoy themselves and feel comfortable within the theatre, comparing his audiences to those at a boxing match or in a public house (smoking, chatting leisurely.) Brecht insisted that, maintaining these techniques and ideas, plays should be fun and playful (Lyon Breuer, 1992, p. 95.) He believed that the use of Spass, the German word for fun, adds to the effectiveness and overall power of the political and social messages each and every one of his play emits. Research into Brechts beliefs (Eddershaw, 1996) show that criticism through fun (spass) is a vital element in Brechts notion of effective theatreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to encourage a working class audience. Brecht believed that a theatre that cannot be laughed in is a theatre to be laughed at. Humourless people are ridiculous (Brecht as cited by Bradby McCormick, 1978, p.112). He found influential examples of spass in arts such as cabaret and silent films (Brecht is said to be a big fan of silent actor C harlie Chaplin.) Comedy, as Brecht believed, is a historically bound phenomenon (Wright, 1989, p.49) that is intended for political purpose. With this in mind, Brecht used comedy as a political device within most, if not all of his plays. His dialectical theatre focuses on what would have been categorised as comedy at the time at which a play was written but has since become an anachronism (Willett Manheim, 1985, p.2). Brecht believed that: Comedy quotes what has never been natural. It is laughter at the not natural which provides the leverage to escape the ideological determinations of society. Brecht finds the source of comedy in the nature of society rather than in the nature of an individual. (Wright, 1989, p.49/50) Many believe that because of this approach to the theatre, Brechts plays (especially the use of comedy as a political device) no longer have the same affect on contemporary culture as they would have done on an audience of Brechts time. Characters he created to mock society, highlighting the class struggle and the capitalist oppression of his time appear satirical and stereotypical within modern day culture. Although, many critics maintain the belief that this use of satirical humour within the characters in his plays enhances the dialecticism of his work many others believe that without background knowledge of Brechts intentions within his theatre and instead of distancing the audience, such comedy brings them together in laughter. However, in saying this and at the time of writing his plays, Brecht was ingenious in his implementation of comedy within his plays. He did not force comedy at or onto an audience but instead used two contrasting acting styles at the side of one another, cleverly placing a down-to-earth, normal character alongside an embellished character. Both characters make political statements while one is also able to show the other character up. A good example of this can be found in The Caucasian Chalk Circle with the characters of the governors wife, Natella, drunken judge, Azdak and the peasant maid, Grusha within the scene of The Chalk Circle. Grusha maintains a sophisticated characterisation while the characters of both Natella and Azdak appear to mock the upper classes within society. This scene suggests that although Natella might have more money and be better dressed, Grusha still proves to be the better mother after all. This emphasises a strong socio-political message that materialism i.e. how much money a person has or how they look does not mean everything or even anything, it is what is inside a person that counts. As well as this, the scene also adds to the dialecticism of this particular play in that it appears to create a debate within the audience as a whole and also in the mind of the individual spectator as to who should, could and/or would be the better mother. It became well-known as Brecht delivered more and more plays and productions that he brought in comedy with a constant element of surprise, both because all was not always as it seemed on stage but also several different styles of acting were able to sit alongside each other and exist together (as shown above.) This technique acts as both a political device in showing the hierarchy within a capitalist society but also distances the audience with comedy. By using comedy, or spass, as a distancing technique whilst also highlighting the political and social messages of the play, Brecht was able to successfully achieve his aim of enabling an audience to adopt a critical awareness of what they saw on stage. This meant that the audience were more likely to leave the theatre wanting to make a change to the capitalist society that they were part of. Brechtian techniques, including his specific techniques involving comedy, are widely and very commonly used in contemporary cultural practice. However many claim that, nowadays, this is more than likely for an aesthetic value rather than to provide a political message and/or to add dialecticism to a performance or production. For example, TV crime drama programme, Hustle follows a small group of long-con artists during their everyday lives and through their work e.g. as they con other members of society out of money or possession. There is a constant hint of Brechtian influence throughout each episode with the use of Gestus (gestures such as hand movements and voice inflections that remind the viewer that they are watching con artists whilst they are at work), v-effekt (including direct address to camera and the con artists stepping out of character (i.e. the character adopted for the con) from time to time to explain their tricks to the audience) and also the use of spass within the characterisation of the victims of the cons (For example, a rich but clumsy, married businessman easily falling for and being seduced by the female of the con artists who is playing the part of another female within society). This use of spass within the piece is essential to enable the socio-political messages of each episod e to be conveyed to the audience. The con artists prove themselves to be different to what a stereotypical con artist is perceived to be in that they only con people of a higher class than themselves who are greedy, cheats and/or liars. They are portrayed as normal, down-to-earth human beings of a range of race, age, sex and colour. The characterisations of the victims of the cons they trick are generally stereotypical with each and every one of them being of a higher class (e.g. using queens English or Received Pronunciation, wearing business suits etc.) This conveys a sort of Robin Hood effect in that they are stealing from the rich but in order to teach them the lesson that they shouldnt cheat, lie etc. As described above, it is easy to see how this programme may be perceived as a contemporary example of the Brechtian use of comedy as a political device. This programme uses the general idea of spass by sending up the bad guys i.e. the members of a higher class, inviting the audie nce to laugh at these characters and also condemning what they stand for. However, as the programme is not strictly Brechtian in that the con artists are actually actors playing con artists (spectators are only made aware of this during the titles of the programme) it is questionable as to whether such Brechtian techniques were used in order to present a specific socio-political message or whether it was just for aesthetic purposes. It is also hard to tell whether the director intended to assist (Brechtian technique) or just plainly create the gaze of his/her audience Within Brechts plays and productions it is plain to see his attempt to assist the thought production or gaze within an audience i.e. how and what they interpret from the action they see on stage. Using a dialectical approach, Brechtian plays provide options and provoke debate, encouraging an audience member to create their own judgement and opinion regarding the action that they see on stage and so also critiquing how they see society around them and gaining their own understanding of it. In The Caucasian Chalk Circle, for example, a director may choose to provide the audience with other options e.g. the option for Grusha to leave baby Michael behind rather than to flee with him. This gaze between the spectator and the stage is essential and very important to Brechtian epic theatre, in order to get across any social or political message, a play is trying to convey, to the target audience i.e. a working class audience. A good contemporary stage example of this idea would be the work o f Mark Ravenhill. A very controversial playwright of the current time, Ravenhill is well-known for being highly influenced by Brecht. In his first play, Shopping and Fucking, Ravenhill set out to shock this audience to make them step back and question what they saw on stage, comparing this to the society they live in making them question that also. The play opens with a young man and woman, Robbie and Lulu, attempting to feed another young man, Mark, who is suffering or going cold turkey after attempting to quite heroin. This protagonist within the narrative also vomits on the stage. In most productions of this play the spectators are able to see the possibility of different outcomes for different characters. Using the names of a very well-known boy band called Take That as the character names within the place, this creates comedy within the piece to convey political messages as the audience will be very aware of any comparisons or contrasts that may be made between the characters o n stage and the members of the boy band. The play explores the breakdown of self value within people in society and the effect on the people since the announcement by Margaret Thatcher (1987) that there is no such thing as society. Although there is only a glimpse of Brechtian influence within the play, there is a clear socio-political message being portrayed and conveyed to the audience throughout the play. But, in saying this, we must always bear in mind that Brechtian signs and language was and is always intended to be read more than once e.g. the play (and so the socio-political message) is first read and interpreted by the actor before it is conveyed to the spectator, on stage, by the actor: what Brecht gives us to read is, by a kind of disengagement, the readers gaze, not directly the object of his reading; for this object reaches us only by the act of intellection (an alienated act) of a first reader who is already on the stage. (Barthes, 1986, p.219). However, with this being said, any interpretation of a Brechtian play made within contemporary cultural practice may prove unsuccessful in achieving Brechts official intentions due to the advance and change in society and societal values. In every play he wrote and directed, Brechts main aim was to make a change. He wanted his idea of theatre and the plays he wrote to encourage an audience to commit to social change, making them leave the theatre wanting to change the way they, and other around them, live their lives. Comedy within the theatre, to Brecht, was essential in order for him to connect with this target audience of the proletariat or working-class members of society. He found that criticism through spass was the easiest way to convey his socio-political messages in that it enabled a v-effekt, or distancing effect, between the action on stage and the audience. This gaze between the action and spectator is highly important in that, although Brecht would assist this gaze by providing the action and different options etc, he essentially wanted his spectators to make their own minds up and make their own decisions regarding what they saw on stage. However, due to the advance and change within society and societal values since Brecht wrote his plays, theories and techniques, the comedy Brecht used within his plays, has since been translated in contemporary cultural practice into a highly satirical manner, in which members of a higher class of society are mocked and stereotyped. In a modern theatre and within contemporary cultural practice, this would be more likely to bring an audience together in comedy rather than assisting the individual to adopt a critical awareness of the world that they live in. 2846