Global consumer or Local consumer Essay Example for Free

Global consumer or Local consumer Essay Global consumer or Local consumer: Whenever the concept of Glo-cal comes into discussion the punch line of The Hong Kong Shanghai Bank comes into the mind which is â€Å"the world’s local bank†. Mooij in 2004 conducted a study to understand â€Å"Can consumers be differentiated as global and local consumers? If so then how are they identified? Global advertisement targeting global customer should have universal values to be successful. Because of this even Saatchi Saatchi, the advertising agency that was first to embrace the concept of global advertising, changed their opinion. Kevin Roberts, CEO worldwide of Saatchi Saatchi, stated in 2002: â€Å"Anyone who wants to go global has to understand the local – their own local and the locals of all their customers. People live in the local. I’ve never met a global consumer. I never expect to. We define ourselves by our differences. It’s called identity- self, family, and nation. † Global standardization of product or communication will not be helpful as the markets differ in their structures and socio-cultural frameworks. Consumer values and the advertisement values should be comparable when any offering is made. Douglas Daft, Coca-Cola’s CEO, stated in 2000: â€Å"People don’t buy drinks globally. † In the year 2000 the Coca-Cola Company, which had until then been the prototype of a global advertiser, decided to get closer to local markets because of declining profitability. Coca-Cola’s CEO Douglas Daft was quoted in the Financial Times, â€Å"We kept standardizing our practices, while local sensitivity had become absolutely essential to success. † According to Daft, the general direction is away from global advertising. â€Å"We need to make our advertising as relevant as possible to the local market. † As the sociologist-anthropologist David Howes says, â€Å"The assumption that goods like Coca-Cola on entering a culture will retain and communicate the values they are accorded by their culture of origin must be questioned. Often these goods are transformed in accordance with the values of the receiving culture. † (Mooij and Marieke K. de, 2004, p. 16) The global customer remains within the minds of the marketer while he serves local consumer even if his operations are global. As indicated by the work of various researchers it is clear that companies working globally actually serve the local customer and function â€Å"globally† . For the global success of any organization it needs to understand the local culture and preferences and design its business strategies around that. Conceptual Framework for Special Occasion Packaging Literature review has provided understanding of various concepts like packaging, culture, special occasion, gift packaging and many others. In the literature review there is clear indications of the interdependence of various demographic factors to the cultural and packaging variables. Individuals gender, age and ethnic background may be important factor of his/her culture and this will have influence on the way they make choices. Special occasions can be as personal as birthday to someone and can be a socio-cultural activity like Christmas. During the festival season what are the attributes of packaging which influence consumers, whether or not these attributes are related to the demographic profile of the consumer. How consumer would like to gift someone in terms of packaging and presentation of it. Packaging being an important aspect of the marketing mix it is crucial for marketer to understand the impact of packaging on the consumer especially when they are doing purchase for someone else as a gift. Packaging during special occasions can be characterized by the use of bright and attractive Colours, various shapes and styles, size, text and graphics materials. Packaging is important during festival season to the consumer as well as the marketer. Consumer wants to have special shopping for his near and dear ones where as marketer tries to utilize this opportunity to serve the consumer profitably. This study is an effort to understand the role of demographic profile and packaging attributes in the decision making of consumer during the festival seasons or special occasions. This investigation will enable managers to understand various aspects of packaging aesthetics and how products packaging can be designed keeping in mind these aesthetics in order to make delightful consumer experience within the marketplace Culture indicates the group norms within a society. People deviating from that group norm face the punishment of the group. Hence it is very different to bring a change within a night in the cultural sphere of an individual rather it would be easier to understand the culture and changing business strategies according to that. There has been constant change in the cultural set ups of various society. Worldwide the family influence is declining. The time with people is less as compared to what it used to even few decades back. People have less time for in – house, spouse or parent – child influence. The divorce rates are increasing and the numbers of living relationships are increasing. The marriage age is growing day by day and the age people attain parenthood has also changed. Most of the family is nuclear now. The level of religious influence is also changing. The educational institutions and the teaching methodologies, syllabus everything has changed from the past and has strong influence on the culture and society. Culture is being inculcated through family, religion and schools. It rewards socially gratifying responses and the person who adheres to the norms of culture. Culture is an adaptive concept. There are various factors which are being influenced by culture. These are as follows: †¢ Individual’s sense of self and space †¢ Communication and language within the society and outer world. †¢ Mental processes and learning. †¢ Work habits and practices †¢ Dress and appearance of an individual †¢ Food and feeding habits has changed due to changes in lifestyle and globalization. †¢ Less Time is available for each task and people have become time consciousness †¢ Equations of Relationships have changed. †¢ Values and norms are continuously changing within a society. †¢ Beliefs and attitudes get influenced by culture. Consumer behaviour Consumer is a king. This is the reason various companies are trying to serve their consumer in the best way they can. The markets are different worldwide. On one hand marketer has markets like UK and US which are matured one where innovation and holding the market share is important as competitions is real too tough. On the other hand markets like China and India are growing with their growing population and their needs. These markets required consistent effort to increase market share of the marketer. It becomes crucial for the marketer to understand consumer behaviour to offer the best solution to their needs and maintain or increase their customer base. She knew she was paying more per apple than if shed got them from the market stall or the corner grocers. She got four MS apples for the price of five, six or seven elsewhere but the MS variety were high-quality, washed and came in plastic, protective packaging, not a brown paper bag. (BLACKHURST 2004) Figure II. 3: Impact of Culture on Different Variables Individual Differences: Each individual differ with other in the resources s/he has. These consumer Resources are time, money, information reception and processing capabilities. Consumers come from different socio-economic backgrounds. The level of education they have and knowledge also differs from consumer to consumer. Throughout his life he develops attitudes towards things in his life. The factors which can motivate a person differ from person to person based on his background, age, family structure and so on. The personality of an individual customer, value system and lifestyle makes difference in his buying behaviour and information search process. Environmental Influences Any individual lives in a society where various external factors impact him. The government policies, sociological structures, culture, social class or status, personal influence, power it enjoys within the society, family and particular situation in his life has influence on his buying behaviour. Psychological Processes The psychological process is very important to understand consumer behaviour. While information processing it is possible that consumer has selective processing in which he sees or hears only those things which he wants to hear. For instance a person who is new father or mother is more likely to be attentive for the advertisements where infants or toddlers are shown. This selective attention is due to the particular period in their lifestyle, situation and family. This develops selective processing of the information. How fast or slow consumer is to learn new things, new product details and its benefits. How behaviour and attitude of consumer can be changed or changes. There are various factors influencing consumer decision making process. Some are as follows: Size Colour Intensity Contrast Position Directionality Movement Isolation Novelty Learned ‘stimuli’ Attractive spokesperson †¢ Attitude towards gifts packaging Hine (1995) states the importance of packaging in terms of psychological factors like feelings and excitement. According to Hine ‘every package and anything on a package is capable of triggering feelings such as excitement, as well as beliefs about the brand and its trustworthiness, because when we look at a package, we see a personality and a set of values. ’ Packaging is an effective tool utilized by people in order to convey mystery about the product inside, create excitement and interest and share happiness. . There are various attributes to packaging which impacts its overall presentation. These attributes are package design, Colour, material used and occasion. Good design has intrinsic appeal. This intrinsic appeal is essentially aesthetic. Colours are important attribute of any packaging be it normal packaging or gif packaging. There are certain products which can be recalled along with the Colours associated with them. For instance IBM with blue, Coca-Cola with red Hine (1995) further describes the emotional, cultural and expectation related importance of Colours used in packaging. Colours trigger physiological reaction in the receiver. This can be emotional. Blue can make a person calm while red can make him excited. There are various symbolic qualities attached to Colours. Colours come to symbolize general qualities in all cultures. These are as follows in the west: †¢ White—delicacy; †¢ Black— mourning or business; †¢ Red—strength, vitality, excitement, danger; †¢ Yellow—youth, hope, and cheer; †¢ Blue—harmony, honesty, and calmness; †¢ Green—the outdoors and country life; †¢ Brown—friendliness, trust, and reliability. People expect different things with the packaging they see for products and gifts. Howard (1992) states the importance of considering age and purpose factors in the gift wrapping for children. According to Howard (1992) â€Å"Childrens packaging is often a combination of unusual form and complex surface decoration. When my painting teacher in art school called me a great surface decorator, I knew it was not a compliment; yet, childrens surface decorating is meaningful and significant. † I. Methodology In the previous studies focus had ranged from studying the culture, packaging technologies, packaging aspects with the international context and many others. Though consumer feedbacks, socio-cultural influences, political legal frameworks had provided vital inputs on packaging and its roles but less efforts were done to understand the consumer behaviour during special occasion for this very important aspect of marketing mix. Organizations have been using packaging for various purposes. Packaging is used for protecting, communicating, safety purposes and presentation by the organizations. . It has been seen from previous studies that though the colour, typography, shapes and sizes and material of the packaging has been considered as important components, most of the studies conducted has been in the area of either packaging material or style in normal conditions. For special occasions organizations develop special strategies well in advance. For Christmas the preparations usually starts from the month of July August in order to meet the excess demand of the products. But in the case of other attributes or all the attributes of packaging during special occasion, hardly any work has done. Various components like colour and graphics have been important for the packaging during these occasions. This study will provide information which will help organizations in packaging during special occasions. There are various factors influencing consumer decision-making process i. e.socio-psychological. This is important for strategy makers and decision makers to have this vital information. The way this information is utilised within an organization is very important. The study is based on the Literature review. Secondary resources like websites of major retailers, journals, prestigious magazines and books and references regarding the study in business industry will be produced by various marketing forums, seminar and research papers, institutional publications and industry magazines. Primary data is important for this study. Fieldwork for the study had mainly involved structured questionnaires, concentrating on the consumers of retail organization Mark Spencer. The study tries to identify personal details like demographic details of the respondents, level of involvement with different packaging aspects during special occasion, experiences, knowledge and other factors where they have utilised some form of information in their decision making process in their buying behaviour. The issues to be asked by the questionnaires will fall into some major categories or topic areas of packaging and consumer behaviour. The data is analyzed with the help of simple data analysis tools MS Excel. Research methodology is an important aspect of any market research or survey. It describes the objectives, data collected, sampling, variables and other issues regarding research. Any research methodology defines the activity of research, the way it should be preceded, the way to measure its progress and the benchmarks or expected results of success. In this particular study the data has been collected with the help of a structured questionnaire. This questionnaire contained close-ended questions with the options available to the respondents. These questions were designed with the view that the respondent can respond to the questionnaire in shortest possible time. The language used is simple. The sentences are short and clear. Data has been collected by a survey conducted close to the Marks and Spencer retail organization, Birmingham. The respondents ranged from university students, working people, house wives and others representing both the genders and all the age groups mentioned in the questionnaire. The results have been divided into these same categories to ensure validity and reliability. General information in regard to identifiers was utilized in order to ensure that there would be no bias. This information provided the researcher with a more clarified view of perceptions in regard to the impact of packaging on special occasions. I. i. Hypothesis It is the intention of this work to discover the components which are very important for consumers during special occasions for gift giving or receiving. The questions to answer include several considerations. Those considerations include: the number of times the individual gives gift to others in a specific duration, what is the ethnic background of the consumer and whether it has any significance in the decision making of consumer for gift packaging; how various components of packaging are ranked by the customer, which are the most important components, whether or not gender plays any role in the gift giving and packaging decisions, views of the respondents as a gift receiver and sender about its packaging. In applying knowledge continuation of the research is managed by inquiring if respondents agree with various packaging components and their impacts on them. This series of questionnaires concerns different viewpoints to provide a more valid and expressive result. In so doing, inquiries were carried out by questionnaire for the respondents from various ethnic background, age group and gender. The qualitative research was conducted through an interview with the employee of Marks and Spencer about the special occasion and gift packaging. The interview was based on a structured questionnaire with set of questions. These questions are open ended and view points of the respondent has been noted cautiously I. ii. Research objectives The objective in this study is to understand the impact of social occasions on packaging. The study is balanced in its validity and reliability by results in questionnaires delivered to respondents and the employee of Marks and Spencer †¢ The objective is to discover whether the components of packaging have impact on the consumer decision making. †¢ The objective also includes understanding the relationship among the components of packaging, culture and demographic profile of the consumer. †¢ The other objective is to understand the level to which organization gets involve in packaging during the special occasions. To meet these objectives the primary research is designed based on structured questionnaire to collect data to understand the level of involvement in the decision making for the packaging and its aspects. I. iii. Primary research I. iii. a. Data collection. Primary data is collected with the help of structured questionnaire from the area surrounding colleges in and around the Birmingham. These data collected by various kind of respondents from different age group, sex and ethnic background of people doing shopping in Mark Spencer. Data was gained from a specific area for ease of accessibility and for targeted accuracy lending reliability and validity to the research process. Data is collected to understand the attitude and consumer behaviour of the components of packaging. Due to the fact that researcher is working with the organization it is easy to manage and collect data from this particular area and the focus was managed accordingly. The data for this work was managed through a single questionnaire handed out to respondents of different backgrounds in front of Mark Spencer, Birmingham researcher’s location. The researcher utilized gender identifiers and numbers or letters to separate each questionnaire for validity and reliability of results and to ensure bias reductions. The questionnaire is located in the Appendix section for understanding of the questions. The majority of questions in the questionnaire are closed ended questions. Each question in the demographic section had options available to the respondents and respondent has to tick on the most appropriate one. On the other hand the situation specific questions, there are statements given and the respondent has to tick the most appropriate term based on to what level he agrees to the statement or not. These questions are based on the Likert Scale concepts. The questionnaire is designed on the basis of the in puts of the literature review and previous studies conducted by various other researchers. One question is ranking question where respondent has to rank various components of the packaging on the basis of his preference. These provided the list of factors to be covered which helped researchers to narrow down the important factors which are important to fulfil the objectives of the study. The questionnaire has been distributed among the target respondents. The respondents had been explained the objectives for which the study was conducted and any other risk associated with the study. The confidentiality of identity was insured. Respondent had been ensured that this data will not be used in any other purpose than this particular study. The process to deliver and collect these questionnaires spanned approximately two weeks. I. iii. b. Variables The variables involved included age groups, gender and ethnic background. The next sets of variables were various components of packaging and consumer behaviour for the same. Limitations in these variables include the fact that marital status, family structure and economic status of the various respondents were not included in the research paradigm.

Helth and Saftey Childcare Assignment Essay Example for Free

Helth and Saftey Childcare Assignment Essay There are many legislations that influence healthy, safe and secure environment for early years settings. The Heath and Safety (young persons) Regulations 1997 states that ‘’Employers need to complete risk assessments for people under 18 years of age.’’ (Thornes 2008 pg84) It also states that if any hazards are the setting, then give them training that the student, trainee or work experience people may nee to do with that particular hazard. Another legislation is Health and Safety at work Act 1974. This legislation is the one that provides general guidance about all this health and safety and workers must have policies and procedures saying how the health and safety will be ensured and then follow these policies and procedures. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 1994 is also part of the legislation for a healthy, safe and secure environment and states that a risk assessment should be done on hazards and make sure to store appropriate as the COSHH regulations are. Reporting injuries diseases and dangerous occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995. E2 Describe the producers which will keep a child safe for each accident, illness or emergency. There are many procedures which keep children safe for each accident, illness or emergency and each childcare setting will have exclusion for illness policy. In my setting the exclusion policy states that all children should be excluded if they have an illness until recovered to prevent any one else in the setting getting infected. Any illness or accident will be recorded in the accident book and they do this in my work placement by writing down all the details of the incident or emergency. The child’s medical records must be checked, and where appropriate acted upon and then parents/guardians will be contacted to pick up their child. If parents/guardians are not reached, the child’s emergency contacts will be call up. In my work placement all staff follow this by carrying it out the correct way. Afterwards the child should be regularly checked to see if any think is more serious. One record copy of the child will be taken to the doctors to make sure staff deal with  any recorded conditions and then the staff at the setting can keep a record of it and keep in contact with parents/guardians. Every childcare setting will keep a record of the child’s symptoms and the actions; regular checks on the child and each time the action was taken. The staffs at my work placement setting always have copies if an incident or accident happens and make regular checks which they keep an up to date record of the child. On discovering a fire or alarm sound, the room leader should then gather the register, visitor book and nursery contact numbers. Nursery stuff will help get the children out the setting by evacuating the building from the nearest fire doors. Once left building all staff and children line up at the assemble point and when lined up the room leader checks register to check all children are present. Afterwards the staff and children must not return to the building until the building has been declared safe by the fire brigade. Once this has been done, the children and staff can return back to the setting safely. An example of an illness would be vomiting or diarrhoea. An example of an accident would be a child bumping his/her head. An example of an emergency would be a fire. E3 Plan the appropriate care of a child aged 1 for a full day in the setting. E4 Plan the appropriate care of a child aged 3 years for a full day in the setting. E5 Describe the issues that affect the planning of a challenging environment for children. There are many issues that affect the planning of a challenging environment for children. The first issue can be identifying children’s needs as this can stop the practitioner from being able to meet their needs in planning the challenging environment for them to be able to learn in, develop and take risks. The second issue can be equipment; is it safe and suitable because this is vital for the children to be able to have in a challenging environment and age staged appropriate equipment. The third issue that affects the planning of a challenging environment may be the size or layout of the area. The Forth issue can be environmental factors such as  temperature, safety, ect It will have an effect on how effective the challenging environment is. The fifth issue can be that is there supervision and enough of it. The sixth issue that affects the planning of a challenging environment maybe type of setting. The seventh issue could be consulting children as is it developmentally appropriate. E6 Describe the initiatives which influence the provision of challenging environments for children. + C1 Evaluate how two initiatives contribute to the provision of an enabling environment for children. A national initiative which influences the provision of challenging environments for children is Swedish school as they apply the Forest education approach. This national initiative influences provisions because children are learning in a different environment which has more outdoor and physical development on the children. They aim to let children explore and understand stuff in the woods and forest such as everyday products from wood. ‘’a unique way of working with young people in a woodland setting, helping them to achieve small practicable tasks, learning about fire safety, woodland management etc. It complements the Early Years curriculum in particular but also supports the 5-16 curriculum. Disaffected children, those with emotional or behavioral difficulties or exhibiting challenging behavior are all seen to benefit and can be turned around by the Forest School experience. Forest School particularly suits the kinaesthetic learner (those that learn by doing) who fails to achieve in a formal school setting. These children are immediately engaged in the tasks set as they suit their way of learning.’’ (http://www.infomat.net/infomat/rd741/rd1/database/Forest_Education/index.asp) A local initiative which influences the provision of challenging environments for children is Montessori such as The Oratory Day Nursery in Burnham. This local initiative influences provisions because children learn independently through tasks to meet their skill for their age without a ‘’long-term disadvantage in their gross motor skills’’ (Thornes 2008 pg250) They aim to make children do many activities which involve the children to use their hands. The Montessori approach is use in my current setting Oratory Day Care Nursery by having set activities for the children to choose from then let children do the activity whilst the practitioners observe and only interacts in the activity to give guidance. This approach also say that ‘’First education of the senses, then education of the intellect.’’ (Thornes 2008 pg250). E7 Explain the importance of helping children to manage risk and challenge in their environment. It is important for children to be helped to learn to assess and manage risk and challenge. It will be necessary for the adult to teach the child the skills he/she will need to learn about assessing and managing risk and challenge. The child can also learn to understand consequences of the challenge and risk themselves. It also teaches them, limits and binderies that they can take with them throughout their everyday life. Most importantly it teaches to progress in their education by developing and doing these challenges and risks with the adults help. In my placement I have seen this happen by practitioners allowing for the children to explore the garden for themselves and one girl was climbing up the little hill for the first time and slipped and fell over. This was a challenge for her because she had to get up to the top and her risk was that she fell but next time she will climb up the hill, she would know the risk and what may happen next time. ‘’All children both need and want to take risk in order to explore limits, venture into new experiences and develop their capacities from a very young age and from their earliest play experiences. Children would never learn to walk, climb stairs or ride a bicycle unless they were strong motivated to respond o challenges involving risk of injuries.’’ (www.freeplaynetwork.org.uk/adventure/manage.htm) E8 show an understanding of diversity and inclusive practice. Diversity and inclusive practise need to be understood and carried out in every childcare setting. Therefore each practitioner should remember to treat every child and their families fairly without discrimination. This can  be done by for example letting all children join in an activity and not saying they can’t play because of their colour, size, shape, disability, ability in activity. They should also not stereotype both the children and families that they work with. By doing this, practitioners can meet each child’s needs as an individual and are allowing for the rights of the children and their families to take place. ‘’Childcare workers are very influential in the promotion of children’s attitude and values. Children will take their cue from adult responses and reactions. Because of their powerful role, it is important that staff take issues of equality seriously and do not ignore them.’’ (Thornes 2008 pg93) In my current setting Oratory Day Nursery, all staff carrying out and understand diversity and inclusive practice by following the equal opportunities policy and enabling that each child gets the chance to develop, learn and play as an individual in the setting with the right to be heard and valued. D1 Explain how legislation can support strategies to establish and maintain healthy, safe and secure environments in early years settings. There are many ways that legislation can support strategies to establish and maintain healthy, safe and secure environment in early years settings. The most important thing that supports a healthy, safe and secure environment is having policies and procedures as this will help everyone in the setting to keep to the same rules. Having CRB checks will also support a healthy, safe and secure environment because they help protect the setting from any vunarble adults. Another thing will be regular body inspections to ensure the setting is following the policies and procedures and working to the right standards but also to see if anything may need improvement into better or is not good practise. Staff ratios can support strategies to establish and maintain healthy, safe and secure environment as without having the right staff the setting shouldn’t open. Training for many different things such as fire procedures will allow you to be able to put your knowledge and practise into your own work to keep everyone safe and secure in the setting. Having the right/appropriate resources is another way to establish and maintain healthy, safe and secure environment. The last thing would be you the practitioner yourself as you are the person who will enforce that all these legislations are done to protect the children, parents, staff and other professionals as well the setting. D2 Explain how establishing a safe environment can support the procedures necessary for accidents, illness and emergencies. Establishing a safe environment, should support the procedures necessary for accidents, illnesses and emergencies. Accidents, illnesses and emergencies cannot be totally predictable or happen through a risk or harm in an event. Many accidents occur in a work place and the main victim is a child. This is due to risks of injury and illness through lack of cleanliness, another sick child in the group, etc Injuries in a group can occur from the children not bringing adequate protection and not using the equipment the correct way. It can also be due to the work place itself because their many be mislabelled equipment, unsafe condition, faulty or broken equipment. However the accidents and illness can be due to the adult because he/she may have failure to follow the procedures, lack of tanning or worker error. Therefore all this needs to be followed the correct way in order to prevent any of this happening. It can be done by making sure everyone in the setting implements and understands the policies such as Health and Safety Work act 1974 or RIDDOR and procedure of the setting, make sure all illnesses and emergency are written, carry out risk assessments regularly, sterilise the equipment, throw away any broken or faulty equipment,, looking after children’s hygiene and insure the children know the rules. This will then creat and establish a safe environment which is safe and less of a risk for everyone in the setting. B1 Consider possible ways to maintain the safety and privacy of children and to respect their wishes. Ensuring a safe environment that allows children to have safety and privacy with respecting their wishes can be done in many possible ways. One example can be going to the toilet as this can make the child feel uncomfortable to go in front of his/her friends and having small toilets with cubicles will make them feel safe and give them privacy. The practitioner however should check to see if there is anything that can put the child at danger when going to the toilet such as chemical produces. When doing all this it allows  the staff in the setting to see over the chid and maintain the safety. In my setting I have seen this happen because when a child goes to the toilet there are small cubicles that adults can see child at any time and keep the safety and privacy that is recurred in any childcare setting. Another example can be when protecting the child such as child’s welfare. This would mean having all practitioners, other professionals, parents and students to be aware that they most not discuss any thing that is not relevant to others and keep any paper work confidential. I have seen practitioners in my setting maintain the safety and privacy of children and respect their wish by listening to them, valuing them as an individual, following the policies on safety, Every Child Matters and the CACHE Statements of Values to best practise. A Discuss the effect on practitioners of meeting the care needs of children. There are many ways of how and why practitioners may be affected when meeting the care needs of children and the support available. Practitioners may feel unhappy to see a child leave after a long time of care for them, grief if child in care dies or is badly injured, feel terrible if they do not get on with a child or the child is not progressing and have a sense of failure. They may also feel anxiety when having to tell a parent bad news or anxiety when a child has to have the social care services involved with them. There can be support given for all these things that a practitioner may be affected by to meet the care needs of children. One way can be by leading the practitioner the right way. Local education authorities can also give support by helping the setting out and working with them to help and develop the child at the best interest to. Another way can be by getting advice from support advisors. The last way they can be supported is by other colleagues and work together to improve the outcome and met the care of the Child’s needs more effectively. This will therefore result in making the child feel happy and enjoy activities or coming to the setting. It will also make child want to work with the practitioner and gain a better relationship. It can not only have an result on the children but also on the practitioner themselves because will feel happy or overwhelmed they are able to work with the child to meet their care needs and then have a better  positive communicating relationship with parents about their child to fit the care needs of that child. In my current placement, I have seen practitioners have an effect when meeting the needs of children and one example of this was the practitioner feeling upset, frustrated because this 4 year old boy who was unable to count his number after having taught him many different ways such as having him sing a song to learn to count as this was some think the boy liked doing. Reference: * Beaver. M, et al (2008) Childcare and education Cache level 3 Cheltenham: Nelson Thorns * www.freeplaynetwork.org.uk/adventure/manage.htm 26th October 2011 * http://www.infomat.net/infomat/rd741/rd1/database/Forest_Education/index.asp 26th October 2011 * http://www.extension.org/pages/25767/preventing-injuries-in-child-care 1st December 2011

Strategic Human Resource Management is related between strategic management and HRM

Strategic Human Resource Management is related between strategic management and HRM Introduction: Strategic Human Resource Management is related between strategic management and HRM. SHRM is intended to create decisions organizations employees important works of its business strategy. It gives the general way of an organizations hope to achieving objectives through its people. SHRM is run for long term issues of the people in business. It is also connected to the organizations structure and its culture, requirements of future business. Its performance can change the total management. Task 1: Human Resource Management Strategy: 1.1 Importance of Strategic Human Resource Management of Nokia: Strategic human resource management emphases on human resource programme of Nokia that has long term objectives. It is focusing on internal human resource issues as well as on addressing and solving problems that effect management programs in the long term. so the main goal of strategic human resources is to boost employee productivity by focusing on business resistance that take place outside of human resources. SHRM of Nokia employs strategies that help to develop the business performance of Nokia and help an environment of modernism and flexibility among employees. The main actions of Head of SHRM Juha Akras are to identify key HR areas where strategies can be implemented in the long run of progress the overall employee motivation and productivity. SHRM also describe about the companys internal strengths and weaknesses. This is very important as the strengths and weaknesses of a companys human resources that have a straight effect on the companys future. 1.2 The purpose of Strategic Human Resource Management activities of Nokia: SHRM has a unique purpose to meet the companys objectives. Different company has different strategy and SHRM plays a role to identify the overall need for the company to achieve the company goal. The SHRM activities are as follows for Nokia and it has a great purpose for companys future: 1.2.1Resource planning: Resources are very important and should accessible to get together present and potential business requirements in favour of business policy. Nokia Resource planning directed executive or global and part or narrow system which is done by SHRM of Nokia. Particularly, talented workers or real apprenticeship schemes must be used. 1.2.3 Workforce planning and recruiting: Workforce planning is the development of assessing a companys current and future human resources needs. Workforce planning also includes managing any training and recruitment process to make sure the organisation has the exact staff inexact place. Nokia work force planning has a great purpose to properly express one way to make a workforce receptive to cross functional, Cross-cultural teaming that can therefore make fast, high-quality decisions and increase the organizations flexibility. 1.2.4 Performance management: Nokia SHRM has a system to run employee performance. It ensures individual objectives are copied from company strategy and policies. This is for motivate Nokias employee. 1.2.5 Recruiting and exit procedures: Nokia SHRM makes sure the capable and qualified persons are appointed to open positions, according to real need. The dealers check the quality of candidates. SHRM provided with a work contract or offer letter, basic or specific training. SHRM shall ensure that exit procedures are acquiescent with local legislation, international labour law and appropriate collective agreements. 1.2.6 Nokia specific training and certification: Nokia SHRM has the essential guidance on Nokias organization and product marketing, if required any compulsory Id or certificates to be trained the community procedure of engaging multicultural, multi-country employees in generating and agreeing on a set of values and to search and get deeper considerate of the relationships between strategy, culture, values and business outcomes. 1.3. Contribution of Strategic Human Resource Management to the achievement of Nokias organizational objectives. To continue a strong, booming and well-organized atmosphere Nokia connects with its workforce in the core target to make an situation for all its workers anywhere they can fulfil their prospective. 1.3.1 Company growth: Nokia expands their business in regularly basis with new innovations and ideas. That is why Nokia needs lot of skill and experienced persons to meet their business growth. For example Nokias Research Development work was spread crosswise in 69 web and its 19,579 technical expertises to activate and build up their own facts. In these situations Human Resource played a vital role. It recruits them and trained them in specific way to success in this project. Nokia is operating their business all over the world and so the human resource providing a socio cultural environment to its employee relationship and workplace. 1.3.2 Profit increasing: Every company is profit oriented. They want to increase their profit in every aspect. Nokia is also increasing profit very successfully by making new ideas implementations. Human resource has a effective involve to increase their profit by reducing labour cost and other activities. Human resources is the organization of resources other than natural resources and capital resources. 1.3.3 Satisfaction of Stakeholders: Human Resource of Nokia always try to satisfy its Stakeholders like its employees, investors, suppliers and others. It has an member of staff approval training and employee judgment assignment and can get achievement on the grades of the training. It makes sure that information related to employees such as industry performance, communicated crossways the society and ensure performance is evaluated fairly and independently.HR of Nokia provide to dealer forces at Nokia services. Task 2: Human Resources Planning: 2.1 Business factors of Coca-Cola that underpin human resource planning: Human resources are the people that work for an organisation, and Human Resource Management is concerned with how these people are managed. Though, the term of HRM has come to mean more than this because people are different from the other resources that work for an organisation. Coca-Cola Human Resource department involves in company strategic planning in various way. When it makes human resource plan there is involve company business factor and external environment factor. 2.1.1 Business Growth: Coca-Cola is a leading beverage company. It increases its business all over the world in every year in different way. So needs lot of staff to meet this incensement of business. Human resources planning takes its consideration forecasting future manpower requirements, where using arithmetical view to plan growth in the monetary situation and expansion of the business. 2.1.2Business Change: Coca cola change their business plan strategy sometimes very frequently in consideration of economic, market variation, competitor and other relative factors. Human resource of Coca-Cola also takes such consideration when it plans in a long term basis. 2.1.3 Impact of Technology: In every certain time all over the world modern technology is invented. Coca-Cola always takes it a challenge when they make a Human resource plan. HR is considered to its existence employee and recruits skilful employee to meet this challenge successfully. 2.1.4 Business Competition: There is a huge competition of all over the world. In this competition rivalry making efficient the organization is a real challenge. Coca-Cola Human resource plan think about this competition and make it organization to fit in this situation. 2.1.5 Labour Cost Control: Coca-Cola Human resource planning includes in a wide way about Labour cost control by maintain waste of time, proper use of materials. Its Human resource always approach training programme to its productions stuff to make difference and make them skilful as they can work fast and more easily. Not only its taking consideration for planning or developing its production stuff it also concentrates its: à ¢-  IT specialists. à ¢-  Engineers. à ¢-  Project Specialist à ¢-  Product designer à ¢-  Executives. à ¢-  Admin stuff Other variations should take for consideration   new legislations like new health requirements,  safety requirements, Changes in government policies   Ã‚  like tax tariff, labour demand and supply. 2.2 Human resource requirements in a given situation: According to the New York Times July, 2009 Coca-Cola market was slipped in U.S. market but Coca-Cola still the best carbonate cola. In this situation there was 60% market share was Coca-Cola. Generally its market share relay between 75%-85% in U.S market. In this situation Coca- Cola surveyed their market and find out the barrier and solved it by various planning implementation. Besides the other department Human Resource Management played a vital role to recover the market as well. In Such kind of situation Human Resource makes sure several things that are as follows: 2.2.1 Personal Requirement: HR will arrange the operation teams and then give exact point to its members. According to the size of industry and the involvedness of the operation, might also need to create sub teams. The following points provide options HR might consider in regard to managing some important issues: à ¢-  Let to know and familiar with the specific operations: . à ¢-  Special training is given to employees; new employees also are placed with old ones to learn work and the values prevalent in the company. 2.2.2 Workplace: They must provide sufficient working space to per employee. The temperature must be reasonable. The workplace must be adequately lit and where the work can be done seated seats must be provided. Human resource management makes sure promote an comprehensive atmosphere that inspire all workforce to build up and get to their complete possible, consistent with a promise of human rights in our place of work. 2.2.3 Organizing operation teams: SHRM will help to make a team of talent in safety way also serve up as influential of secondary teams. Team members have to have such skills that are valuable according to the requirements. 2.3 Development a human resources plan Coca-Cola: The Human Resource Plan should also be closely tied to strategic planning. In order to effectively meet their strategic goals and objectives, a world leading company, hire or develop staff with the required skills, knowledge and attitudes to Perform the needed functions. The Human Resource Plan of Coca-Cola can be completed in six steps: 2.3.1 Step 1: Setup a big picture: The main purpose of the first step is to bring the group to realize the meaning of and the need for a business strategy and agenda of Coca-Cola. To understand the business strategy the specific department executives will run a workshop and it can be two days workshop. In this two-day workshop the business unit executive reviews business strategy in any issues to impact the business. HR highlights the key driving forces of business such as Technology, distribution, competition, the markets etc and also the implications of the driving forces for the people side of business the fundamental people contribution to bottom line business performance. 2.3.2Step 2: Develop a Mission Statement or Statement of Intent: This come up to human resources planning mirrors the section in business plan of Coca-Cola dedicated to clearing up why your company exists and what value it presents. Human resources planning will be based on your organizations mission statement, goals and objectives because your workforce will be in alignment with the company values. 2.3.3 Step 3: Conduct a SWOT analysis of the organization: This analysis will looks at the internal environment of company. By this analysis the human resource will find out what is Coca-Colas present strengths and what is weakness as well as current in future opportunity and threats to know the whether they able to achieve with the current human resources. SWOT analysis will ensure the clear image about the organisation resources such as capital worker. 2.3.4Step 4: Develop consequences and solutions; Human resource will amalgamate all essential for meeting the company objectives. It will take steps for developing the Human Resource Plan as below: Teamwork of staff to lower levels to the management level should be developed to support in various ways that able to consider necessary in things to build up communication and promote better relationship among all level of employee. The management should emphasize on good quality of corporate culture to build up employees and make a positive and favourable work environment. The reasonable and complete process of human resource management is Performance appraisal. Through the performance evaluation HRM can collect and proves basics for recruiting and selecting new staff and can give training to its existing staff to develop their skill. It is motivate and maintain a work force by satisfactorily and correctly rewarding their dedications. Human Resources Management will defiantly fall down without a dependable performance evaluation system. 2.3.5 Step 5: Implementation and evaluation of the action plans: Developing a human resource strategys main purpose is to make sure that the objectives set are similarly helpful so that the reward and payment systems are incorporated with employee training and career development plans. 2.4 Evaluation of how a human resources plan can contribute to meet Coca-Colas objectives: Human Resource Plan has a great value to achieve of an organisations overall strategic objectives and it is clearly explain that the human resources role completely understands and supports the route in which the organisation is touching. A complete HR plan will also support other exact strategic objectives undertaken by the marketing, financial, functioning and technology departments. Generally Coca-Cola evaluates its HR plan in various ways which are below: à ¢-  It has the exact people in exact place. à ¢-  It has the accurate combination of skills. à ¢-  Employees show their correct attitudes and behaviours. à ¢-  Employees are organized in a effective way. Coca-Cola take decision a HR strategy plan can attach importance to the organisation if it has the values which are below: à ¢-  Some more clear of the common things which recline at the back the success of other plans and strategies which didnt show previously. à ¢-  Recognize basic an essential issue which has to be addressed to its people as the are motivated more dedicated and work successfully. The next area should be including: à ¢-  Workforce planning issues à ¢-  Making plan successful. à ¢-  Workforce skills campaign. à ¢- Employment justice plans. à ¢-  Motivation and reasonable behaviour issues. à ¢-  Recruitment design in compensate levels, retain and motivate people à ¢-  A reasonable grading and payment system which is serving proper incentive for dedications. à ¢-  A constant performance management structure which is considered to assemble the requirements of all sectors of the business including its people. Furthermore, the HR strategy of Coca-Cola can put in worth is by making sure that, in all its other plans takes its version of and plans for changes in the bigger environment, those are likely to have a major impact such as: à ¢-  Changes in the in general service marketplace. à ¢-  Development of the member of staff relations weather is need. à ¢-  Changes the legal framework which surrounding employment. 3.1 Explanation the purpose of human resource management policies of Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola believes in delivering better performance requirements better capabilities. So its HR policy is planned in procession with this approach and stand on attracting and retaining the brilliant people and developing them constantly. Employees development is the main issues for human resource management. It constantly educated on How to Develop People. Employees, business objectives and ability levels are followed up by the performance management.   Reward system and career management systems are considered on job family model. As a fraction of career management system, internal appointment procedure is used so as to grant them career and job upgrading opportunities. In 2007 there are 97 placement have been filled through internal assignments. Winning and potential employees are reviewed efficiently and exclusively. Talent re-evaluate meetings are planned for next steps with individualized development programs. 3.2 Analysing the impact of regulatory requirements on human resource policies of Coca-Cola: The HR policies can help an organization both internally and externally. It meets requirements for diversity, ethics and training as well as its commitments in relative to instruction and commercial governance. The HR policy of Coca-cola establishes a cultural diversity. HR policies also played a very effective at supporting and building the desired organizational culture. These are lots of system and that actually beneficiary from a company as well as from employee. All around the world, Coca-cola makes sure with 27000 of Expatriates that they be given the kind of correspondence and ongoing support that makes their replacement a positive experience. Coca-Cola team Management with all policies for international mobility with a long term basis. Coca-cola accepted such kind of policies about its internal environment that make sure that they are flexible, smart and complete enough on the way to contract with the large range of needs and issues that is very essential to run a business successfully. Task 3: Reviewing Human Resource Management 4.1 The impact of an organisational structure on the management of human resources: There is a significant impact of HRM of Tesco on organizational structures to get nearer into sight organization in a effective way. The fundamental decision-making scheme was unsuccessful to react quickly to managers desires and concerns. So, Tesco taking place scrapping conservative, hierarchical professional structures in act of kindness of compliment, decentralized management systems. Then smaller number managers were concerned in the decision-making process and companies were adopting more of a team advance to management. HRM professionals, as the management change and were charged with reorganizing workers and escalating their effectiveness. This hard work also resulted in the detonation of part-time, or contract, employees, which necessary human resource strategies that contrasted with those applicable to full time workers. 4.2 Analysing the impact of an organisational culture on the management of human resources: Organizational culture and environment factors are such kind of factor where an organization exist determines the way of managing the organization (Saffold, 1988:547). The connection between organizational culture and human resources practices can be say as follows. When the member of organization i.e. employees, understand and internalized the organzational culture which can be said as the way things are done around here it will enable for employee to choose strategy, and behavior that fit with their personality as well as with the main routines of organization activities. Since Indonesia is belong to country with high power distance and low uncertainty avoidance, it is likely that organizational culture that fit with this condition is parochial type. Parochial culture is characterized by the tendecy to give much attention to some factor such as family relationship, social relation, and personal backgroud, and less attention to capability and competency needed to perform the task. The main power is on the one hand, a powerful person such as the owner or the founder of the company, where the destiny of an employee depends on the hand of the most powerfull person (the boss). There is a division of work, the boss is the planner, the other are the doer. In the high power distance society, good leader or good manager in the eye of the employees, is someone who can act like a good father (Hofstede, 1997). This type of relationship will lead to less participative management in decision making. 4.3 The effectiveness of human resources management is monitored at Tesco: The central point on HR for developing the employees through constant teaching is essential to the achievement of the business; it would amount to a waste of resources. As the UKs largest merchant crossways 14 countries consists of 470,000 members of staff. 4.3.1 Value: These apply together to consumers and employees, and for the latter focus on teamwork, trust and respect, listening, supporting and saying thank you, and sharing knowledge and experience. 4.3.2 Support: Tesco can claim a perpetual support from the employees even though the company faces a dispute concerning the distraction that includes financial services. The company also stretched internationally and economic downturn is enough to keep the companys values. 4.3.3 Growth: The Tescos HR functions are extremely entrenched. They are doing type to both short-term and longer term growth. The company is created 11,000 new jobs in 2009 and they will target the long-term unemployed.   4.3.4 Meritocracy: Tesco boasts the best employee remuneration package in the food retail sector, with an award-winning pension scheme. Some 170,000 staff own shares or are members of share schemes, and there is discounted dental, health and life insurance on offer. 4.4 Justified recommendations to improve the effectiveness of human resources management in Tesco: 4.4.1 Composition of the audit team: There has to be a representative from the HR function and from among senior line managers if the effect has to have any credibility. 4.4.2Identify the functions main customers: It is important to review to measure that what customers main functions are. 4.4.3 Mission reports reconsider: This declaration explains the cause for the HR functions continuation, its principal actions and its most important values. 4.4.4 Reconsider the activities role in implementing the companys strategy: This is critical point to establishing the connection between HR policy and practices as well as the organizations overall business strategy. 4.4.5 Reconsider the HR policy and practices: The benefit of this approach is that line managers can go anywhere if they are not happy with the service they be given from the HR function within the organization. 4.4.6 Create domestic comparison to set up best practice: The organization have to make and continually keep posted a exclusive database of HR practices that gives an overview of developments within the worlds major organizations today. 4.4.7Review the outcome of analysis: Performance gaps have to be identified and the policy implications have to be discussed with the customer. The commitment for implementing the necessary improvements should be gained. 4.4.8 Apply the decided improvements: The metrics selected should be the decided on right indicators of the HR functions performance and evaluate the results with industry averages, competitors, best practice firms, and/or with set targets or previous performance ratings.

Microsoft vs. DOJ :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Microsoft vs. DOJ Arguments of the DoJ (the white paper) 1. Microsoft and it ´s Monopoly Power MS monopoly power is in personal computer operating systems. A PC operating system as you all know controls the interaction of the different parts of the computer. It creates files, organizes the computer ´s memory and creates a platform for applications. The operating system is indispensible to the computer for this reason. Maybe that changes as technology evolves but right now a computer without an OS is nothing but a box of inert hardware. MS today ships 97% of PC OS that are installed by computer manufacturers. Case law defines monopoly as beginning at about a 70% share of the market. But this alone isn ´t illegal in respect to superior products, service or mere luck. Nor does market share alone necessarily imply monopoly power. For example a manufacturer might make 100% of knickers on the market. But if there are other pants manufacturers who are able to turn their production into knickers, the one and only knickers producer wouldn ´t be able to charge more than a competitive price or exclude rivals from his market. Speaking of this little example it ´s now clear what monopoly power means: it is the power to control prices and exclude competition. MS has and still exercises, both form of monopoly power. It charges above competitive prices and use tactics that eliminate rivals. And not because MS are superior to others and more beneficial to the consumers. No, not at all, MS uses predatory tactics whose sole purpose is to destroy it ´s rivals. MS often has denied that it posesses monopoly power but their arguments are quite feeble. A MS spokesman stated that the market is highly dynamic and that there are only low barriers to enter the market, especially for fringe firms. But this is untrue for the means of competition. There might be a lot of new technology but the barriers MS deliberately put up made it impossible for new market entry. The result is that MS can charge higher than competitive prices without a loss of market share. Another argument of MS is that it ´s monopoly power is defeated by ist need to compete against it ´s own installed base meaning that MS has eg now to compete against win 95. But this is another partly untrue argument because most consumers think of a new OS only when they want to buy a new computer and replace their old one.

The Insane Mind of Edgar Allan Poe Probes Essay example -- American Li

The Insane Mind of Edgar Allan Poe Probes As a short-story writer, Poe was a fascinating man of imagination. In theme, Poe places the human mind under investigation and probes insanity beneath the surface of normal existence. He was the first author in American literature to make the neurotic, the heroic figure, the protagonist, in his stories. Poe's most enduring tales are those of horror, the horror coming, from the working of an irrational or criminal mind, driven to evil or insanity by a perverse irrational force which, to Poe, is an elementary impulse in man. Typically, The Cask of Amontillado, The Black Cat, and The Tell Tale Heart are three criminal stories of this kind. In these tales, Poe takes readers in the murky territories of the strange world of insanity. And now, let's see what the features and familiarities of these half-mad, evil, and dark criminal minds. To start with, like many Poe's stories, the main characters in these three stories are all driven by their emotions, and mostly, hatred against their antagonists. For example, in The Cask of Amontillado...

Lets Get Dirty - Our Future Is Compost ::

Let's Get Dirty - Our Future Is Compost Have you ever wondered what happens to your trash after you put it in the garbage can? Most people do not, after all, sanitation workers remove the garbage and it is never seen again. Martin V. Melosi called this "out-of-site, out-of-mind mentality†¦ as long as someone removed wastes from the immediate range of the senses, the problem was solved."1 As a result, garbage disposal is a service that many take for granted. Yet, waste does not just disappear. It must be stored, buried, or burned somewhere. This disposal process has gone on for hundreds of years since populations produced huge amounts of waste. The continued use of landfills and dumps has caused the perception that there is a garbage crisis. Consequently, new techniques to deal with garbage have been attempted.. Recycling is but one example of a solution. Through recycling, old products like aluminum cans and glass bottles would be made into new products. While recycling has enjoyed success in the United States, many question its efficiency. Other suggestions range from shipping garbage to other areas to incineration. All these proposals to the garbage problem go under such scrutiny and examination in an effort to achieve some perfect solution to the disposal problem. One practice enjoying success today is the process of composting. Originally utilized by farmers and in backyards, composting is the natural breaking down of organic materials into soil. The popularity of composting seems reflect people's attitudes and desires to be closer to nature. Compost can occur from levels as small as backyard piles to the heights of corporate composting facilities. When done properly, composting can provide cost benefits and greatly reduce amounts of garbage. Either way, composting is a growing practice that's efficiency grows over time and may become as widespread as garbage collection today. The Garbage Crisis The first question you may be asking yourself is, is there really a garbage crisis? Many would argue there is, and it is easy to see why. The population of the world is always growing; this growth results in increasing consumption. Whether it is food, energy, natural resources, material goods, or property, everyone is involved. Mass consumption leads to an increase in garbage and pollution. The production of cheaper goods that are available to most economic groups has also increased this trend. These factors lead many to believe "that we produce too much garbage.

Texting Phenomena

Interpersonal communication is vital to humans and is used in everyday situations. â€Å"Interpersonal communication refers to face-to-face communication between people† (35), according to West and Turner (2007), authors of Introducing Communication Theories. West and Turner explain that exploring how relationships form, the upholding and continuation of these relationships, and the end of relationships, are the main characteristics of interpersonal context.Interpersonal communication began as face-to-face communication between two people, but as technology advanced, it expanded to include new communicative technologies such as telephone calls, email, instant messaging, chats, social media networks, and text messaging. Text messaging through cells phones, also known as texting or SMS (Short Message Service), is a form of interpersonal communication that can be represented through the Linear Model of Communication: A message is sent from a source to a receiver through a channel , which may be interrupted by some form of noise.Texts are person-to-person messages received from and sent to known individuals. Text messaging provides a one-to-one, personalized, and individuating social medium (Reid and Reid, 2007). The phenomena of text messaging, has researchers and scholars questioning whether this new communication technology adds or takes away from interpersonal communication and people’s learned communication skills. Review of Literature Texting as a New Phenomenon of Communication Everyday social arrangements and interpersonal contact are now routinely affected by mobile technology (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010).As opposed to 15 years ago, today’s youth have a greater variety of options to choose from when communicating with their peers. â€Å"Communication, via cell phone and the internet, are now widely available and very popular with the young† (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010, 197). The global cell phone market now stands at approximately 1. 8 billion subscribers, and is estimated to reach 3 billion by the end of 2010, by which time nearly half of all human beings on the planet are expected to own and use a cell phone (Reid and Reid, 2007).A recent survey of 2,000 teenagers in the United States revealed that 80% of teens, or approximately 17 million young people, have a cell phone. 96% of those teens use the texting function, and of that 96%, 1 out of 10 teens say that they text for 45 minutes a day (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010). Over 900 billion messages were sent in 2005, with expectations that this will rise to more than two trillion messages in 2010 (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). Text messaging has become a common means of keeping in constant touch with peers, especially among young people all over the world.The phenomenon of texting is continuing to increase, raising substantial awareness of the â€Å"new† texting language. Researchers are proposing to treat electro nic communication as a distinct mode of intermediate communication, in between the oral and the written medium (Fandrych, 2007). According to Ingrid Fandrych (2007), author of Electronic Communication and Technical Terminology, â€Å"Online conversation takes place on the written level, while using specific stylistic conventions which are very similar to oral communication, especially abbreviations of frequently used phrases and emoticons to replace facial expressions† (148).Fandrych (2007) claims that acronyms, blends, and clippings are responsible for the characteristic style of Internet English, and that offline usage is increasingly influenced by Internet usage (148). Some new and creative word formations have even found their way into everyday usage including the acronyms â€Å"btw† (by the way) and â€Å"ttyl† (talk to you later), as well as the blending of certain words like â€Å"all right† into â€Å"alright. † Fandrych (2007) predicts som e changes in general (â€Å"off-line†) English due to texting language as well (151).People â€Å"talk† via text messages: using the keyboard, they make use of abbreviations, they omit non-content words, and they do not capitalize. Fandrych (2007) explains that: Electronic interlocutors replace contextual cues which would have been present in face-to-face communication with abbreviations and emoticons, which are, of course, consciously employed and sometimes intended to entertain, a feature which internet English shares with other jargons and in-group registers (151).Electronic communication, as a medium, shares characteristics with the written language and the oral language. Letters and symbols are used through typing which are displayed on a screen, but at the same time, it is very informal and conversational which replaces the linguistic context with special cues that do not exist in the traditional written mode (Fandrych, 2007, 151). Text language is neither identi cal to speech nor writing, but adaptively features characteristics of both.Fandrych (2007) titles this electronic communication language as â€Å"Netspeak,† and categorizes it as a fourth medium alongside written, spoken, and sign language (152). Communication through text is informal and characterized by new elements. Fandrych (2007) concludes that the electronic medium can be considered to constitute a separate level, between the spoken and the written modes and overlapping, to some extent, with both of them (152).The new texting phenomenon not only creates a new form of language between oral and written mediums, but it also develops a globalized texting standard. English language texts produced by bilingual speakers share many of the features which have been reported for English SMS communication internationally, and provide evidence for what one might call a global English SMS standard (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). English messages are strongly represented in all communi cative functions of text messaging by bilingual individuals.Deumert and Masinyana (2008), co-authors of, The use of English and isiXhosa in text messages (SMS), study how English is combined with isiXhosa, one of the official languages of South Africa, in text messages between native South Africans. Deumert and Masinyana state that â€Å"The historical and continuing dominance of English on the world-wide-web has supported the popular belief that the language of electronic communication in general is English, and in some cases, English can replace a user’s first language in this medium† (123).In studies focusing on bilingual texting, most messages were written in English combined with the local language. Researchers concluded that there is the existence of a global English SMS norm because of brevity and speed, paralinguistic restrictions with the medium and local language, and the restriction of texting characters (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). The phenomenon of texti ng has transformed individual’s lives by creating the possibility of being in constant communication at all times, as well as creating a tendency towards cross-cultural homogeny.Texting as a Negative Form of Communication Although texting provides the opportunity for constant and immediate contact with others, it tends to have a displacing effect on face-to-face communication. Similar to face-to-face communication, texting allows for conversational turn-taking, but excludes intonations, emotions, and the ability to send long messages. Llana Gershon (2008), author of, Email my Heart: Remediation and Romantic Break-Ups, performed a study looking at how Americans are experiencing and using new technologies to end relationships.Gershon (2008) discusses, through the use of American college student’s break-up narratives, the ways in which certain social media create new possibilities for disconnecting with others (15). Although a break-up may be happening, an individual has the opportunity through text messaging to hold separate or multiple conversations simultaneously with the break-up. This takes away from the personal aspect of intimate relationships and tends to enforce the displacement of face-to-face communication.Teens especially use instant messaging and texting in particular as substitutes for face-to-face communication with people from their physical lives, therefore, feeling less psychologically close to their instant messaging and texting partners (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). This may also damage the emotional quality of a relationship. Online interactions lack important features of face-to-face communication, such as gestures, eye contact, and body language, making them less rich than offline interactions (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008).Although texting is still communication, social anxiety and anti-social behaviors can be an effect of the lack face-to-face communication with teens today. â€Å"Reports in the press and survey s from parents find points of view that range from exuberant, discussing how socially-interactive technologies can save youth from social isolation and depression, to alarming, focusing on how constant use of these technologies fosters anti-social behavior† (Bryant, Sanders-Jackson, and Smallwood, 2006, 557).The reality is that texting and other forms of social technology lie between these two extremes. A recent survey revealed that cell phone owners declaring a generalized preference for texting on their cell phones were both lonelier and more anxious than those who preferred talking (Reid and Reid, 2007). People who have social anxiety will not come to terms with their fears without experiencing face-to-face communication and, as an effect, use texting as a divergent, to kill time or avoid some other activity.Texting allows users to disengage from the demands of immediate interactive involvement, releasing time and attentional resources to compose and edit messages (Reid and Reid, 2007). Although texting may be an outlet and a preferred mode of communication for people with anxiety problems, it also may give others a false sense of the persons’ real personality. Along with peers, there is a growing concern that adolescents’ extensive use of electronic communication to interact with their peers may impair their relations with their parents, siblings, and other family members (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008).Subrahmanyam and Greenfield (2008) show how peer relationships are being enhanced at the expense of family relationships in an example role of technology in modern family life: When the working spouse, usually the father, came through the door at the end of the day, the other spouse and children were often so absorbed in what they were doing that they greeted him only about one-third of the time, usually with an obligatory â€Å"hi. † About half the time, children ignored him and continued multitasking and monitoring their var ious electronic gadgets (135).Parents are having a much harder time breaking into their children’s world because of the distance and privacy established through text messaging. Teens are using cell phones to institute generational boundaries, such as screening calls from parents into voicemail, as well as undermining family rituals, such as mealtimes and vacations (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). Cell phones give adolescents the power to control the people with whom they talk and have more room into which they can share thoughts freely and privately from their family members.The landmarks of the electronic transformation stage include greater teen autonomy, the decline of face-to-face communication, enhancement of peer group relations at the possible expense of family relations, and greater teen choice (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). According to Raymond Williams (1997), author of Mobile Privatization, new technologies only serve to further aggravate the modern human condition of â€Å"mobile privatized social relations† (129). This seems to be a concern that is provoked further by new mobile communication technologies with people talking of â€Å"detached presence† (Lin and Tong, 2007). Adolescent’s constant use of mobile communication can be seen as a symptom of a general loss of human connectivity in the modern condition† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 305). Texting as a Positive Form of Communication Although many studies have shown the negative effects of text messaging, other research has shown that this new form of communication has positive aspects as well. Text messaging is a form of communication that has many uses: coordinating plans, multi-tasking, friendship maintenance, information, and romantic relationships. Text messages are convenient, immediate, less disturbing, and have no constraints.Since there are so many communicative functions, text messaging has become a common means of keeping in constant touch, espec ially among young people in many parts of the world today (Lin and Tong, 2007). Today’s youth use text messaging especially to keep in touch and maintain either close or distant relationships. Recent research studies have explored how text messaging can offer a sense of intimacy between friends as well as between strangers. This is especially appealing to youth because they can be bonded to all of their social networks through one device. The virtual presence (or ‘absent presence’) of ‘persons elsewhere’ through mobile communication facilitates networking, deeper relationships, or simply increased contact. People who are physically far away can be brought into immediate cyber presence† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 305). Mobile texting allows people to be in constant social contact, which therefore gives them a sense of co-presence at all times. Lin and Tong (2007) explain that text messaging has created new kinds of modalities for co-presence and commu nication, which contributes to a sense of virtual intimacy (305).Text messages, rather than standard telephone calls, allow for total individual communication; there is no chance of anyone overhearing the conversation and thus supports a sense of security and privacy. It is appealing because the text is expected to reach a specific person directly, no matter where they are or the time of day. This form of communication is very popular between adolescents and their peers because they feel as if they can communicate privately, not under the supervision of their parents.Teens travel between their homes, school and nearby places that are all under a high degree of regulation by adults. â€Å"Mobile text messaging has thus fulfilled an important function which provides a sense of co-presence for young people who lack the means to share some private physical space free from adults’ surveillance† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 306). Because this form of communication is relatively free from adult supervision, teens often use texting to maintain romantic relationships as well as friendships.A study found that texting is used to negotiate â€Å"gender relations,† especially among couples (Lin and Tong, 2007). For instance, after a fight, couples may not want to directly speak to each other or hear one’s voice, but texting avoids the embarrassment of making romantic advances or even when saying ‘no’ to these advances. The informants of the study also expressed the fact that some messages are highly private and very meaningful, which can be saved and stored in the mobile device.Since the conversation remains private, even in public location ns, individuals tend to reveal more about their emotional selves through texts. Thus, youth text messaging end on an optimistic note about the positive uses of SMS by young people for gaining freedom from surveillance by adults and for negotiating subtle gender relations (Lin and Tong, 2007). Relationshi ps can actually be strengthened through text messaging because of its convenience, intimacy, and privacy among users. Another strength of text messaging is that it allows people to keep in touch with friends who are separated by physical boundaries.Although other forms of communication such as telephone, email, and written letters allow people separated by distance to keep in touch as well, texting allows both sender and receiver to keep in contact at both of their conveniences. The message is sent and received immediately regardless if the other person is â€Å"online. † It allows for multi-tasking while holding other conversations or tasks, and also is less disturbing, by far, than other forms of communication such as phone calls or face-to-face communication.While people may interact frequently in person with people who are in their lives every day, it may not be possible to meet other friends, family, or acquaintances face-to-face on a regular basis. To fill in-person com munication gaps, people used text messaging to stay connected and make plans to meet when convenient (Quan-Haase, 2007). Text messaging is a more suitable fit to maintaining distance relationships as opposed to other forms of communication.Aside from convenience, some people actually prefer text messaging because it gives them a chance to think about what they want to say, which is not always possible during face-to-face communication. â€Å"Text messaging gives people time to think about the wording of their messages, allowing them to be more informal and candid, even with close friends† (Reid and Reid, 2007, 425). Some people, due to SMS and other forms of text based communication, even develop an entirely separate, â€Å"brave SMS self,† which contrasts with their more reserved real-life personality (Reid and Reid, 2007).Text messaging can be used as an outlet to help expand communication and closeness with peers. For instance, in an essay that discusses the relatio nship between texting and social anxiety, Donna Reid and Fraser Reid (2007) write: By delaying or eliminating the audience reactions that normally accompany real-time spoken interaction, SMS may offer anxious individuals a way of making social contact without fear of immediate disapproval or rejection, allowing attention to be refocused away from the observer’s perspective and towards the composition of messages that more effectively achieve self-presentational goals (425).Interactive media, such as texting, allow people to individuate themselves, communicate with peers, and accomplish stages of intimate contact that they could not achieve in other interactional settings. Research Questions Texting helps maintain social relationships in modern society, and affords resources to achieve a sense of co-presence and intimacy with both existing friends and new acquaintances, while avoiding having to deal with face-to-face interaction or the intrusive disturbance of a phone call (Li n and Tong, 2007).Although texting may be a convenient source of communication that is direct, individualized, and private, it also may be taking away from the importance of face-to-face, interpersonal communication. If people are relying on a text based communication exchange, they are not experiencing or learning interactional conversations involving tonal inflection, reactions, and especially body language. Nonverbal communication is a big part of interpersonal communication because it shows the reaction of the individual after receiving the message, therefore giving the sender a form of feedback that strengthens the communication process.As technology continues to advance, there is rising concern that social, interactional, and communication skills of today’s youth and future generations will consequently decline. As a result, this study will address the following questions: RQ1: Is texting taking away from or adding to interpersonal communication and individual’s learned communication skills? RQ2: Will texting affect how children and adolescents communicate with one another? RQ3: Do people rely on texting to fulfill their emotional, psychological, and other forms of needs as opposed to other types of communicative technology or face-to-face communication?