The benefits of mental toughness in sport

The benefits of mental toughness in sport ABSTRACT On the basis of advantages that a mental toughness can offer to a performer, the study was designed to develop the understanding of the components of mental toughness in sport. The purpose of this study was to identify the components of mental toughness as perceived by the researcher and was guided by the two questions, which are as follows: What are the components of mental toughness and To what degree those components of mental toughness are trainable or teachable to a particular player. 10 cricket players ageing from fourteen years of age to twenty years of age were selected for the research so that they have enough experience to answer the questions in the research. The procedure of this was that the research is based on the questionnaire of mental toughness given by Sparkes in 1998. Each participant had to fill the questionnaire for the purpose of evaluating the importance and trainability of twenty different components of mental toughness. INTRODUCTION Cricket is one of the most popular games having a very high viewership and followers. Cricket is basically a mental game that requires a lot of psychological skills in addition to basic playing skills. These skills make player a champion and different from ordinary player. He (champion) is able to display his psychological as well as playing skills during the course of the game. Among the various psychological skills, mental toughness is an important psychological factor that effect’s player’s performance in matches. Sometimes, cricket teams despite their talents lose their matches. The researches on these poor performance lead to the finding that the players in these teams lack mental toughness and the ability to bounce back from the setback of losses. There is an evident to prove it when cricket’s great legend Sir Vivian Richards attributed the Indian cricket team’s loss in West Indies during the cricket world cup 2007 in the first round as the lack of m ental toughness in Indian players. Loehr (1986), he popularised the term mental toughness in sports performance and contested that at least half of superior performances can be due to mental toughness. Mental toughness is regarded as the most important factor in sports to achieve the goals and perform excellent. Jones, Hanton and Connaughton (2002), they stated that mental toughness can be defined as having a natural or developed psychological edge that helps or enables a player to generally cope better than his opponents in many demands (competition, training) and specifically would be more consistent and better than the opponents in remaining focused and determined and goal oriented in his sport. Attributes of mental toughness (Sparkes 1998), he talked about twelve different attributes that a player should have to be ideally mentally tough performer. For further investigation of mental toughness, the following questions were developed to guide this research. What are the essential components of mental toughness as perceived by the cricketers? To what degree are these stated components of mental toughness are trainable or teachable? On the basis of these two major criteria, the player was asked the following questions: I can bounce back from the from the set back as a result of increased determination to succeed. I have an unshakable self belief that i possess the unique qualities that make me better than my opponents. I have an insatiable desire and internalised motive to succeed. I remain fully focused on the task in hand in the face of competition- specific distractions. I am able to regain psychological control if facing uncontrollable situations. I can push back the boundaries of emotional and physical pain, while still maintaining techniques and effort in distress in training and competition. I accept that competition anxiety is inevitable and knowing that i can cope with it. I don’t get adversely affected by other’s good or the bad performances. I can thrive on the pressure of competition. I remain fully focused in the face of personal life distractions REVIEW OF LITERATURE The present study was undertaken to explore the physiological profile of the cricket players and to find to what degree their mental toughness, goal orientation actually helps them in their performances. The result showed that there is no significant correlation between mental toughness and different types of goal orientation i.e. task orientation and ego orientation. At the same time, the motivation dimension of mental toughness was found to be significantly related to both ego and goal orientation. (Duda and Hall,2001) Moreover task orientation has been found to be positively associated with various indicators of motivation, including intrinsic motivation positive affect and the tendency to seek out the new and challenging experiences and to try hard in difficult situations. (Ntoumanis and Biddle, 1999) â€Å"The general lack of clarity and precision surrounding the term mental toughness is unfortunate, since it ism arguably one of the most important physiological attributes in achieving performance excellence. (Jones, 2002) Another study conducted by researchers stated that mental toughness is an important physiological characteristic of the game. (Gould, 1987, 1993 and 2002); (Williams, 1998);( Jones, 2002) â€Å"It appears therefore, that virtually any desirable positive psychological characteristic associated with sporting success has been labelled as mental toughness at one time or the other†. (Jones,2002) METHOD This chapter will discuss the participants, procedure, analysis and instrument used in the study. This study involves both quantitative and qualitative measures of the components of the mental toughness of sportspersons. PARTICIPANTS This, study consisted of 10 male cricketers from the division 3 and 2 category of cricket teams in the city. A mix of different teams and players were chosen to increase the diversity of the group. Each participant was needed to have a minimum of three years of playing cricket so that they can answer the questions in their knowledgeable way. INSTRUMENTATION The instrument used in this study is the questionnaire comprised of twenty questions of mental toughness. These twenty questions comprised of twelve different components of mental toughness and eight components of preservance that were given by Sparkes in 1998. Each component was assessed by participants based on their perception of: The importance of including each component in the construct of mental toughness. The degree to which each component is trainable. The participants assessed both the importance and the degree to which the component is trainable, using a 5 point scale. Besides this two additional questions were also asked which are as follows: Are there other components of mental toughness that should be included which are not there in the questionnaire? Do you believe that there is any component that could be combined to form an individual, essential component of mental toughness? PROCEDURE When the questionnaire of mental toughness (Sparkes,1998) was adopted by the researcher, he then approached 10 different cricketers and asked them to fill up the questionnaire. Researcher also made sure that the identity of the players will be kept confidential i.e. it would not be disclosed to anyone. Researcher sat down with the players and asked them the questions and marked the answers himself. 1

Implementing IMC at lower levels of theoretical models

Implementing IMC at lower levels of theoretical models This report is about the use of Integrated Marketing Communications in the marketing industry, in particular focusing on the various definitions that exist for IMC. My report also investigates why organisations choose not to approach IMC or if they do why they appear to only implement it at the lower levels of the theoretical models and not take it further. I will do this by discussing IMC in a variety of ways and looking at organisations as examples, whilst considering many academics views on IMC and its future from the many journals I have read. Integrated Marketing Communications is the integration of all marketing communication tools and sources from within a company put in conjunction in order to create a campaign that maximizes the impact on consumers with minimal cost. The marketing communications mix is the starting point of IMC and the end aim to achieve is to maintain strong communication throughout the company and customers. The marketing mix consists of the following tools advertising, direct marketing, public relations, personal selling and sales promotion. The goal is to combine all these tools along with the organisations message and other aspects of the marketing mix, in order to overtake any competitors. The definitional concern of IMC has been an ongoing problem amongst the academics. There are a range of various definitions some of which are contrasting, although even those with similar points vary hugely in terms of technique and simplicity. Schulz and Schulz (1998) introduced a new definition which in the opinions of others includes both the current and future features of IMC. This definition emphasises the strategic aspects and refers to IMC as a business process instead of simply the combining of marketing tools. Although this definition is successful Kliatchko believed that for it to be complete it must not limit the scope of IMC to the strategic management of multiple audiences or markets, multiple channels and financial results, as it is therefore leaving out crucial content which is obtained and delivered through the IMC process. Although it could be argued that this is implied in the term marketing communication, Kliatchko felt it was important to be stated also. This new definition also implements the term business process which was previously introduced by Schultz and Schultz (1998). Kliatchko (2005) agrees tremendously with this term and explains that it perfectly describes the core of integration. In addition it also supports the findings of Jones et al. (2004) and Fill (2002) that IMC has advanced from purely being a communication process to a management process. IMC is an audience-driven business process of strategically managing stakeholders, content, channels and results of brand communication programs Kliatchko (2008). One key difference between Kliatchko and the Schultz and Schultz (1998) definition is the use of the term business processes, Kliatchko highlights how it is audience driven on order to reinforce the view that IMC gives to significant publics. Fill concentrates on the relationship with audiences, IMC is a strategic approach to the planned management of an organisations communications. IMC requires that organisations coordinate their various strategies, resources and messages in order that it engages coherently and meaningfully with target audiences. The main purpose is to develop relationships with audiences that are of mutual value (Fill 2005). Whereas Kotler (2003) focuses on how the market is perceived by the public a way of looking at the whole marketing process from the view point from the viewpoint of the customer. There are then extremely opposing viewpoints such as that made by Cornelissen and Lock (2000) that IMC is just a short term management fashion. The concept of integrated marketing communications has become an essential part of the market in terms of communication strategies for companies however due to the definition constantly changing it prevents IMC being developed and understood to a full extent. The changes that have taken place over recent years have highlighted the capability of the current marketing practices. It is viewed that there is a need for change if any future challenges are going to be met. The momentum for this adaptation in the industry has almost certainly been strongest in the larger fast moving consumer orientated organisations. There is no doubt that integrated marketing communication is not easily achieved, and can therefore lead to failure, however when practiced correctly it can have extremely successful results. IMC is a significant and essential theme (Cornelissen and Lock 2001) for a variety of reasons, it is just crucial to consider both the advantages and the barriers. Integrated Marketing Communications involves a great deal of work, although when this effort is put in it brings achievement. It gives the company an edge over their competition which leads to an increase in profit, whilst in the long run it saves money and time due to the planning. IMC has been defined by Kotler (1996) as a technique to produce more consistent and successful communications throughout a whole company. The main benefit of IMC will be to achieve the desired goal of marketing communications by an individual organisation, however well known academics have developed their own lists of specific advantages to using IMC. Linton and Morleys (1995) ten potential benefits of integrated marketing communications are shown below. Creative Integrity Operational efficiency Consistent messages Cost Savings Unbiased marketing recommendations High- Calibre consistent service Better use of Media Easier working relations Greater Marketing Position Greater agency accountability Fig 1.1 (Linton and Morley) Linton and Morley demonstrate ten advantages of the use of IMC here, which gives a guideline to why IMC is to be encouraged and how it will benefit organisations, however some of the points are fairly vague and may be misinterpreted for example unbiased marketing recommendations. Fill (2006) on the other hand only lists eight, but both sets of lists include similar points which demonstrate how confident some academics are in the advantages of IMC. According to Kuczynski (1992), success of integration occurs with consistency in particular in the companys message. Tynan (1994) also believes this and goes on to explain that for IMC to be achieved not only is it through media being combined but he reiterates the importance of the consumer receiving one clear message. A comprehensible message has much more of an impact and will stand out in the mind of a customer over the hundreds of other adverts that surround an individual every day. Un-integrated communications will develop inconsistent messages which will make them less credible. Duncan and Everett (1993) also consider that consistency in the marketing communication elements will prevent any impending conflicts. IMC also incorporates all the various communications in order for the customer to progress through the steps of the buying process and cultivates the relationship with the customers. This relationship ensures a sense of brand loyalty and consumers will therefore feel safer with this particular brand and therefore remain with them. This ability of accomplishing a customer for life is a very strong advantage over competitors. Duncan and Everett (1993) believe that IMC leads to a decrease in media waste and therefore the company gains this competitive edge. This was also reinforced by Linton and Morleys (1995) ten potential benefits. Organisations have identified that it is becoming increasingly harder to maintain consumers loyalty, which is why integrated marketing communications is important in a technique to gain advantage over any competitors. Regardless of huge investments these complicated relationships between a business multiple marketing comms. are not completely understood. Re search shows that the positive effects of combining media for example print advertising and television looks promising and that a change is taking place. Another set of research illustrates that 20 years ago 75% of marketing budgets in America was inserted into mass advertising, whereas today 50% goes towards trade promotions, 25% into consumer promotions and only 25% into advertising, which is a huge decline of 50% (Kitchen, 2003). Money is another issue related to IMC. It saves money in the long run however many organisations do not appreciate the long term values of integrated marketing communications and therefore fail to see it as an investment. This appears to be slowly changing though due to the fact the importance of brand value is becoming more common knowledge. Tortorici suggests that one of the easiest ways to maximise its return on an investment is through the use of IMC. (Tortorici 1991) He would have suggested this for a number of reasons such as agency fees being reduced, as it becomes possible for one agency to handle all the communications, and also because it eliminates replication in various areas in the company such as logos, graphics and photography that the company intends to use. In the industrial product market, IMC frequently takes the form of personal selling with advertising. This combination was seen as beneficial due to the decrease in selling costs (Morrill 1970) and a report comple ted by the McGraw-Hill Corporation in 1987 came to the same conclusion plus the evidence that it also reduced the amount of sales calls to the industrial decision makers. One example of this is IBM, there customer contact costs decreased enormously. (Moretti 1994). Belch and Belch (2001) believe that the benefits of adopting IMC do not just stop at limiting the operating costs but an optimistic attitude and concern for the company are just as significant. Overall all of this would in actual fact reduce the workload and save money long term, however most budgets set in a company are set with only short term in consideration. Despite its many benefits, Integrated Marketing Communications has barriers to overcome just like the money issue just discussed. There are a number of other barriers that authors have identified. For example Ewing et al quoted It has been suggested that departments can develop territorialism because they do not want to change their functional standing. (Ewing et al.,1997.) Schultz also goes on to say that they may be reluctant for this change because of a lack of understanding of IMC (Schultz 1996). This could start to explain why companies do not use IMC when perhaps it would in fact be appropriate for them to. Whats more, problems with implementation and measurement have been exemplified by several authors (Eagle et al., 1998). Implementation of IMC is difficult to achieve but it also hard to distinguish where to start planning wise. It has been discussed whether promotional activities should begin by examining external factors of the customers first. Although this is clearly a barrier, it does not necessarily mean that it should discourage everyone, as practice makes perfect to reach a great outcome. Another issue that has arisen is the structure of companies which makes it difficult for integration. Organisations are generally subdivided in areas, and although joint assignments may help to break down these organisational barriers the hierarchical structures will still be an issue (Gonring 2000). Pickton and Hartley (1998) also agree with the idea that the implementation has proven exceedingly complicated due to these organisational barriers. Integrated communications has not caught on to many companies(Pettigrew 2001), for a number of reasons firstly the barriers of IMC contribute to this, however after the previous discussion there are ways to overcome the barriers and there are in fact more advantages to it so the question is why is it not being adopted. The debate of what marketing communications can accomplish has been a big question for many years (Ambler 2000). I will look at what various practitioners believe and also the main reasons why IMC has not taken off as much as it perhaps should have (Pettigrew 2001). Marketers dont generally seem to like change in regards to new investments and approach to their marketing communications due to a fear of change (Gonring 2000), which is therefore an issue in relation to adopting IMC. Although they may realise that as technology is growing the importance for companies to be organised and consistent is also increasing (Cornelissen 2003). A lack of understanding of Integrated Marketing Communications is also another factor to why IMC is highly recognised but is not necessarily chosen to be used. This shortage of knowledge must be addressed before managers are expected to use integrated marketing. This all stems from the fact that there are many different views on whether IMC is here to stay or whether it is just a fad. Cornelissen and Lock state that IMC is nothing new but only a management fad (Cornelissen and Lock 2000), this is severely disagreed with by most other practitioners who see IMC as the future for example IMC is a new brand concept for the emerging digitalised environment (Shultz and kitchen 2000). There are also so many different definitions which can make it confusing from the beginning, nevertheless with all of these reasons considered the main weakness of IMC still lies in the apparent inability of agencies to measure behavioural outcomes. This major issue of not being able to measure the effects of an integrated campaign is majorly delaying the implementation process and there is a lack of empirical studies into how it could be measured. Indicating how IMC could move into full implementation is a huge concern, measurement and evaluation corresponds to an extra cost to organisations. These organisations will have built up thorough behavioural databases of their consumers; however it would be unfair to access these unless an extremely strong relationship had been developed. Overall, it would seem that integrated marketing communications have developed greatly, but there are still many issues to overcome in order to for IMC to be completed successfully achieved in companies. It is important for this to occur as it has been defined by Chang et al.(1991) that consumers attend more to integrated marketing communication than a normal advertising campaign. One model used is the four pillars of IMC by Kliatchko; these four pillars are the elements on which IMC levels are based, they are content, channels, stakeholders and results. For full implementation of IMC, firms must use all four levels (Schultz and Schultz 1998). Although each pillar is separate there is a present of each of the four levels, just each have their own most prominent section. The end goal of Content is primarily to deliver a consistent message for utmost communication impact (Duncan Caywood 1996).The objective is therefore for the target audience (stakeholders) to receive a clear integrated message. If this desired goal is achieved then integration at the first level has been achieved. A good example of this is Haagen Dazs ice cream. They use experimental appeals to their audience which communicates a sense of fun and pleasure, which is consistent through all of other campaigns. Pillar two is all related to the channels of communication, not just in its general sense but also in the view of the customer, in order to obtain what customers prefer. This allows appropriate content to connect effectively with the audience. The ability to connect with a target audience in a way in which they prefer and deliver the message according to their terms would be successful IMC at this level. BT attempted to do this in their 1998 World Cup Football tournament. They took advantage of the football in order to make their advert more relevant and appealing to the public, this would have made it more interesting for the public who were interested in football but not for the rest of their target audience. The third pillar is applying information technology for the benefit of both the company and consumers. If the company uses IT to gain a better understanding of their customers and then they can manage databases of information. This better knowledge will allow them to obtain better relationships with consumers by combining the other pillars, more targeted messages by their preferred channels. This provides a more profitable future for the company (Schultz and Schultz 1998). Gillette Mach 3 achieved this as they produced an advert that utilised a functional appeal and communicate the brands specific attributes capable of solving consumers consumption-related problems. They therefore took into consideration what they target audience wanted to be delivered to them and how whilst making them a profit, this was successful IMC at this level. The final pillar is strategic integration and results. If a company gets to this stage of integration then they have a good understanding of the demands of integration and what is necessary. Schultz and Schultz (1998) categorise this pillar as the one that allows a company to analyse more precisely the relation between returns and investments made in the marketing communications campaign. This is why this is the fourth pillar, as it is prominently the measurement of results which as discussed earlier is extremely hard to achieve, hence why my organisations only implement IMC at the lower levels of models such as this. Another IMC model is demonstrated below and was designed by Pickton and Broderick (2000). This is a much simpler model; however it does look at how integration starts off tactical and ends up strategic. Bupas recent marketing strategy was to reposition the company and integrate its offering. The core brand proposal Bupa the personal health service was announced through a number of Medias such as TV, press, radio sponsorship and PR. The website was a huge success and played a key role in its integrated communications by offering online quotes and support. This promotion created awareness of the brand and increased their sales. The Group Marketing Director quoted we have succeeded in positioning Bupa as the only dedicated independent health care specialist in the UK. ( Marketing Business 2002) Schultz also developed seven levels of integration model. The seven levels of integration are Awareness of need for IMC the starting point of the model, realisation. Image- consistency between media. Functional Forming marketing communication programmes in order to achieve certain aims. Co-ordinated Personal selling is integrated with other elements in order to continue consistency. Personal selling is directly integrated with other elements of marketing communications to ensure consistency between impersonal and interpersonal forms of communication. Consumer-based Understanding the consumers needs and wants, this is like the second pillar of Kliatchkos model. Stakeholder- recognition of stakeholders after the final customers. Relationship management. A good example of complete IMC that could have applied the seven levels of integration is Coco Cola. It is one of the worlds most famous brand names and was given the title of leading brand recognition in 2003 by the Business week. Coca Cola represents major emotional advantages over all its competitors, whilst given the customers what they want. They are a loyal brand who creates consistent messages across their adverts and their message is always clear. They also produce spectacular adverts and have a strong brand image and logo, therefore they are incorporating lot of the seven levels of integration and it is obvious that they are doing successfully. It is clear that IMC plays a vital role in the industry and everyday more is being learnt and understood. A clearer picture of Integrated Marketing is emerging and therefore future companies will begin to adopt it and take it to further levels of the theoretical models rather than just using it at the lower levels. It was established that due to a lack of understanding, and the rest of the barriers, this is the reason why companies only implement at the lower levels. The difficulty of IMC makes organisations reluctant however in the future if it is the path they must take to develop their company then IMC will evolve. Ambler, T. (2000), Persuasion, pride and prejudice: how ads work, International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 299-315. Belch, G.E. and Belch, M.A. (2001), Advertising and Promotion, 5th ed., McGraw-Hill/Irwin, New York, NY, pp. 10, 78-79. Chang, D.-R., Hahn, M. and Ik-Tae K., (1991) Consumer Response to Coupons with Advertising in a Pretesting Context, Working Paper, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. Cornelissen, J.P. and Lock, A.R. (2000), Theoretical concept or management fashion? Examining the significance of IMC, Journal of Advertising Research, Vol. 40 No. 5, pp. 7-15. Cornelissen, J.P. and Lock, A.R. (2001), The appeal of integration: managing communications in modern organisations, Marketing Intelligence Planning, Vol. 19 No. 6, pp. 425-31. Cornelissen, J.P. (2003), Change, continuity and progress: the concept of integrated marketing communications and marketing communications practice, Journal of Strategic Marketing, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 217-34. Duncan, T. and Everett, S.E. (1993), Client perceptions of integrated marketing communications, Journal of Advertising Research, Vol. 33 No. 3, p. 30. Duncan, T. and Caywood, C. (1996), The Concept, Process, and Evolution of Integrated Marketing Communication, Laurence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ. Duncan, T.R. Caywood, C.L. (1996) The concept, process, and evolution of integrated marketing communications, in Thorson, E. Moore, J. (eds) Integrated Communication: Synergy of Persuasive Voices. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 13-34. Eagle, L., Hyde, K., Fourie, W., Padisetti, M. and Kitchen, P. (1998) Revisiting the Concept of Integrated Marketing Communications: Contrasting Perceptions Between Marketers and Advertising Agency Executives, paper prepared for 3rd International Conference on Marketing and Corporate Communication, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Ewing, M. T., de Bussey, N. and Ramaseshan, B. (1997) The Power and Politics of Integrated Marketing Communications, Curtin Business School Working Paper, November, 1-18. Ewing, M.T., Du Pleiss, E. Foster, C. (2001) Cinema advertising re-considered. Journal of Advertising Research, 41(1), pp. 78-85. Fill, C. (2002) Marketing Communications: Contexts, Strategies and Applications (3rd edn). London: Prentice Hall. Fill, C. (2002), Marketing Communications, Contexts, Strategies and Applications, 3rd ed., Prentice Hall Europe, Hemel Hempstead, p. 32. Fill (2006) Lecture Slides, MKT2011. Gonring, M.P. (2000), Global megatrends push IMC concepts to forefront of strategic business thinking, Journal of Integrated Communications, Vol. 2000-2001, pp. 15-18. Holm, O. (2006), Integrated marketing communication: from tactics to strategy, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 23-33. Jerry Kliatchko. (2008). Revisiting the IMC construct: a revised definition and four pillars. International Journal of Advertising. 27 (1), 1-13 Jones, G.S., Li, T., Kitchen, P.J. Brignell, J. (2004) The emergence of IMC: a theoretical perspective. Journal of Advertising Research, 44 (1), pp. 19-30. Kitchen, P.J. Schultz, D.E. (1999) A multi-country comparison of the drive for IMC. Journal of Advertising Research, 39(1), pp. 21-38 Kitchen, P.J. Schultz, D.E. (2001) Raising the Corporate Umbrella: Corporate Communication in the 21st Century. New York: Palgrave Publishers Ltd. Kliatchko, J.G. (2005) Towards a new definition of integrated marketing communications (IMC). International Journal of Advertising, 24(1), pp. 7-34. Kotler, P. (1996) Principles of Marketing, 7th edn, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Kotler, P. (2000), Marketing Management, 10th ed., Prentice-Hall International, London, p. 7, 19. Kuczynski, A. (1992) Beyond Advertising, Towards Integration, Marketing, 13, 50-53. Linton, I. And Morley, K. (1995), Integrated marketing Communications. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Marketing Business (2002), Strong Vital Signs, September 14. Moretti, P. (1994) Telemarketers Serve Clients, Business Marketing, April, 27-29. Morrill, J. E. (1970) Industrial Advertising Pays Off,Harvard Business Review, March/April, 4. Pettigrew, L.S. (2001a), If IMC is so good: why isnt it being implemented?, Journal of Integrated Communications, No. 35. Pettigrew, L.S. (2001b), If IMC is so good: why isnt it being implemented?, Journal of Integrated Communications, No. 36. Pickton, D. Hartley, B. (1998) Measuring integration: an assessment of the quality of integrated marketing communication. International Journal of Advertising, 17(4), pp. 447-465. Schultz, D.E. Schultz, H.F. (1998) Transitioning marketing communication into the twenty-first century. Journal of Marketing Communications, 4(1), pp. 9-26. Schultz, D.E. Schultz, H.F. (2005) Measuring brand value, in Tybout, A. Calkins, T. (eds) Kellog on Branding. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Tortorici, A. J. (1991) Maximising Marketing Communications through Horizontal and Vertical Orchestration, Public Relations Quarterly, 36, 20-22. Tynan, K. (1994) Multi-channel Marketing: MaximisingMarket Share with an Integrated Marketing Strategy,Probus, Danvers, MA.

Contributions of Imam Ali to his Culture Essay -- essays research pape

The purpose of this is paper is to show how great the contributions of Ali were to his culture. Ali was born miraculously, his mother Fatima-bint-Asad, the wife of Abu Talib, was Divinely Guided with sudden labor pains to the Holy Kaaba. As her immense labor pains weighed her down, Fatima knelt before the Kaaba and began praying to Allah(GOD) to make the birth of her child comfortable and easy. Before she knew it, the walls of the Kaaba miraculously split open by the Will of Allah. Fatima entered the Kaaba, and then the Holy walls reunited and joined as one. She stayed in the Kaaba for three days, during which she gave birth to a virtuous baby boy. As the fourth day approached, the Kaaba doors reopened and Fatima walked out with her pride and joy in her arms. A few years after his birth,The Prophet asked his uncle, Abu Talib, to allow Ali to be under his care so he can raise him as if he were his own child. Ali had the honorable privilege of moving to and living with the Ho ly Prophet of Islam, Muhammad. Ali learnt a lot from the holy prophet and then contributed to his culture by his broad knowledge. He was also a great warrior and he always fought for his culture, and he also protected the prophet and saved his life two times. He is also the successor of the prophet for the shia's and the fourth successor for the Sunnis. Therefore he was a very honored person. As described by the prophet ?I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate.? Ali was very knowledgeable and he helped his culture a lot with his knowledge, he helped in making judgements, helped in answering other peoples questions and also gave advises to the people of what is right to do. Here are some examples of his knowledge. A person was about... ...overs because he wanted to see the Prophet's look before he was killed. As he removed the covers, to his surprise and the rest of the murderers with him, he discovered that it wasn't Prophet Muhammad. Instead, it was Ali, the cousin of the Prophet, the Prophet's right-hand man, the Prophet's savior. The assassin's were infuriated that there plan had failed. Therfore Ali was always ready to put his life at risk to save the Prophet's life because he knew the muslims needed the Prophet. In conclusion, it can be said that ali contributed alot to his culture and religion. he used his knowledge to improve his culture and used his strength to protect his religion. Nevertheless he saved the prophets life twice, and without the prophet Islam could not exist and therefore without Ali islam could not exist. Hence it can be said that Ali is the saviour of islam.

Female Rebellion In Aurora Leigh and The Lady in the Looking-Glass Essa

Female Rebellion In Aurora Leigh and The Lady in the Looking-Glass   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Women of both the ages of Victorian and early Modernism were restricted from education at universities or the financial independence of professionalism. In both ages, women writers often rebelled against perceived female expectations as a result of their oppression. To lead a solitary life as a subservient wife and mother was not satisfactory for writers like Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Virginia Woolf. One of the most popular female poets of the Victorian era, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, illustrated "a woman's struggle to achieve artistic and economical independence in modern society" (Longman P.1858). Many Victorian critics were shocked by Barrett Browning's female rebellion, which was rare for the era. With her autobiographical epic poem, Aurora Leigh provoked critics who were "scandalized by its radical revision of Victorian ideals of femininity" (P.1859). In the age of Modernism, women were finally given the some rights to a higher education and p rofessionalism i n 1928 (p.2175). However, female poets of early Modernism, such as Virginia Woolf, were raised in the Victorian age. Rebellion toward "Victorian sexual norms and gender roles" (P.2175) are reflected in Woolf's modern literary piece, such as The Lady in the Looking-Glass: A Reflection. Also echoed in the piece, is how Woolf   "never lost the keen sense of anguish nor the self-doubt occasioned by the closed doors of the academy to women" (P.2445).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both of the female protagonists, Aurora of Aurora Leigh and Isabella of The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection, represent the rebellion and self-doubt of their female writers. Aurora rebels against the Vi... ...r letters, they were all bills" (P.2456). The rebellion ultimately led to emptiness, as Isabella chose not to have relations to preserve her freedom.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both Aurora Leigh and The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection help define female rebellion from Victorian and Modernism eras.   The portrayal of the nature of the rebellion differs between the eras. The Victorian protagonist was more innocent in her struggle to gain independence. When that independence was achieved, it was like discovering a new religion. On the other hand, the Protagonists if the modernism era no longer were innocent in her rebellion. Forced to live a solitary life to seal her independence, she was hardened by the memories of the Victorian ideals for women.    Longman. The Longman Anthology of British Literature, vol. B. Damrosch, D. NY, LA: Addison Wesley Longman.

Diet Pills Essay -- Diet Health Weight Loss Drugs Essays Papers

Every day people are becoming more and more concerned with their health and their appearance. Thanks to scientific research there are many remedies to improve the human body. As far as weight loss there is exercise, diets, pills, and different surgical procedures. Diet pills have become a very popular supplement to assist in weight loss, but with diet pills come many questions; are they safe, do they really work, and mainly if they are a good product or not. In order to know whether or not something a quality product, is to know how it works. The ingredients are very important and unfortunately not every diet pill has the same ingredients. There are multiple types of pills, with different effects, and conditions. There are three popular types of pills. There are appetite suppressors, metabolism regulators, and fat absorbing pills. Combining these effects into one pill with the correct usage creates positive results. The appetite suppressors help reduce over eating and help people make healthier choices of what to eat. Normally when someone is really hungry they do not care what they eat as long as it is a lot. By controlling a person’s hunger, diet pills effect a person’s eating habits. So they help people make better choices on what to eat and how much. The way that diet pills help control hunger is by fooling the brain into thinking it is full. The brain needs a lot of energy to function and the brain gets that energy from sugar. When the blood sugar level is too low the body reacts by sending a signal to raise the blood sugar level by creating hunger. Some diet pills use a combination of amino acids and polysaccharides to supply the brain with unique intermediate metabolites, which are chemical compounds t... ...e to a gain of tolerance in the pills. I have just begun using diet pills myself a couple weeks ago. The supplement that I chose is an appetite suppressant as well as a metabolism booster. It has been my experience so far that the appetite suppressant is very effective. I am hardly hungry and find myself reminding myself to eat or just eating out of habit. Which is really surprising because usually I can’t get enough of food. I have also been exercising about three to four times a week and eating healthier. I have noticed that I have already begun to lose a little bit of weight. The only side effect that has come to my attention is that shortly after taking the pills I find myself burping a little. I not quite sure what causes that effect. So if used properly, diet pills is a good product to get results. Just make sure the effects are well known and safe.

Lesson Plan Template Essay

The student will be able to solve an equation that contains two single digit numbers. The student will recognize the symbol for addition. The student will successfully set up the equation and put the numbers in the correct sequence. Anticipatory Set Teacher will introduce the lesson by calling two students to the front of the room. One student will write one number (1-9) and the other student will write another number (1-9) on the board Teach Lesson / Model The teacher will place an addition and equals sign on the board and then introduce the lesson topic. The teacher will then briefly re-teach how numbers represent quantities. The tens blocks will then be used to represent the numbers in the equations. The teacher will then complete several equations using both the tens blocks and the number line Guided Practice The teacher will then place several equations on the board and allow students the opportunity to help solve them. The teacher will use the mum ball (when the teacher or another student throws the mum ball to the student, they are allowed to speak) to call on students to participate. Students tend to like this and it allows for movement. The teacher will ensure that each student gets a chance to answer one question. Independent Practice Students that require extended time will be granted more time, and the same applies for students requiring separate settings. The students will be met on their level. The teacher will check the work of each student and will offer more practice during the next day’s morning work. Also will have each student time to do IXL Online Math Practices and test Closure The teacher will collect the activity sheets and ask the students their thoughts on the lesson. The teacher will ask why topics such as this are important and have students provide situations where this skill could be beneficial Evaluation *Assessment/Rubrics Students should be graded on participation and the accuracy of their counting and writing skills students will be assessed through the weekly skills test that is conducted each Thursday. If the student is determined to have not mastered the concept, re-teaching will occur on Friday. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Instructional Materials (handouts, etc. ) The instructor will use the blackboard/dry erase board to begin the lesson. The students will be provided with a worksheet with ten addition problems as well as sets of nine blocks. The will be allowed to use a number line. Resources Internet IXL Online Math for practice and testing Review adding several 1-digits numbers in the vertical format, emphasizing that when the total is ten or greater you ‘carry’ the number to the top of the tens column. Then add the numbers in the tens column, which, at this point, is only the number that was carried. Review adding a 1-digit number to a 2-digit number in the vertical format, pointing out that when the units column is ten or greater you put the number from the tens place in the answer at the top of the tens column of the 2-digit number. Then you add those two numbers in the tens column and put the sum in the tens column of the answer. The K- Kindergarten will be able to add two single digit numbers, each being no greater than 10, when provided with an oral equation within a one minute time period. (This task analysis is for a child who is able to see, and hear, and has normal developmental abilities. Some addition or variant steps may be required for a child who has special needs).

Exploration of Irony and Surprise Essay

Irony and surprise are common literary devices authors use to communicate their ideas when writing literary works. Irony allows the writer to suggest an interpretation that is different from the literal meaning of the words used in the text. The element of surprise allows the writer to manipulate the reader’s expectations and take them somewhere completely different. In the short stories, A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flanney O’Connor and Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood, both authors use the element of irony and surprise to engage readers and to develop deeper levels of meaning in their text. In A Good Man is Hard to Find, O’connor uses several kinds of irony to communicate her message about the human condition. The foreshadowing of irony is established in the very beginning of the story when she gives us the reason for the grandmother getting dressed for the car ride. â€Å"In case of an accident anyone seeing the dead on the highway would know at once that she was lady. † The grandma is a character that is narrow-minded, ignorant, and critical of others but not of herself. She has the idea that the goodness of a person can be determined by their physical appearance and outward behavior. After the car crash,the Misfit makes an appearance and the grandmother recognizes the Misfit. His politeness, which is sincere but also done to put the family at ease, draws out the grandmother’s assessment of the Misfit: â€Å"Listen,† the grandmother almost screamed, â€Å"I know you’re a good man. You don’t look a bit like you have common blood. I know you must come from nice people! † At the beginning of the story, her opinion about the Misfit is quite the contrary but realizing the Misfit intends harm, she changes her opinion to save herself. The dramatic irony occurs towards the end of the story when the grandma who has been superficial till this point, is in her final moments alone with the Misfit and is able make sense of everything that has gone wrong in her life. She has an epiphany and feels sympathy for the Misfit as â€Å"one of [her] own children. † She is showing that she has found the ability to see others with compassion and kindness but this consciousness is immediately followed by three bullets to her chest. In Happy Ending by Margaret Atwood, we can trace the irony in the story’s title in relation to its content. In story A, we are given a perfect story of what an ideal marriage should be but the John and Mary still die and that is not a happy ending. Atwood challenges the reader to engage with all that happens in the middle because the journey is the interesting part In story A, John and Mary appear to be happy because they possess the ideal elements to a happy lifestyle: fabulous jobs, money, children, a large home, and personal luxuries. However, at the end of the story, they just die and the story comes to an end. As the stories progress, the characters’ lives become a bit more complicated, but they still always end up at story A, and they die in the end. At the end. By the end, all one can say is the fact of what has happened, not the â€Å"how† or the â€Å"why† of the situation. In story A, how do all these things make the couple happy. Why? They’re really not happy at all and have no actual story to tell. A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flanney O’Connor and Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood, both authors use the element of surprise to manipulate the reader’s expectation. In A Good Man Is Hard to Find, the contribution of surprise can be traced in the plot line. The story strings the reader along in believing it is about a comedic family vacation with funny situations that happen along the way. We reach a turning point when the family car crashes and encounters the Misfit, everyone dies of a tragic death that is caused by the grandma. In Happy Endings ,the title misleads the reader in assuming the story would have a happy ending but in fact every ending leads to death. A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flanney O’Connor and Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood, both authors use irony to reveal the less obvious truths about the human condition. Both authors use the element of surprise is use to take the readers down an unexpected path. Both of the short stories integrate the elements of irony and surprise seamlessly in their works. I personally enjoyed reading and analyzing A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flanney O’Connor more than the other one because it is a higher quality story with a richer plot line and character development. The story is crafted beautifully.