Strategic marketing planning

Strategic marketing planning The proper application and implementation of a strategic marketing plan is essential to the success of any business. A company can have a perfect product, but without proper placement, identifying an audience and a marketing plan appropriate activity would not be able to market its products to consumers. Watawala Plantations PLC was able to convert an activity performed in the home of commercial success through the implementation and respect of its strategic intentions. The company was able to convince consumers that the store offers more than just tea, but rather a rich experience they should have on a recurring basis. The company was able to translate this consumer experience of its products for an extremely lucrative. This strategic marketing plan will discuss the marketing strategy implemented by Watawala Plantations PLC, and evaluate the plan of the company in the current marketing strategies including market segmentation, targeting strategies, positioning, the competitive environment, and various other factors that affect its marketing strategy including external macro environmental forces. Table of contents Title Page. 1.0 Introduction 04 2.0 Watawala Plantations An Overview 05 2.1 Company Background 05 2.2 Mission, Vision Corporate Values 06 2.2.1 Mission 06 2.2.2 Vision 07 2.2.3 Corporate Values 07 3.0 Product Description Oolong Tea 08 4.0 Construction of SWOT A Situational Analysis 08 5.0 Marketing Objectives 10 6.0 Market Segmentation, Target Market and Positioning 10 6.1 Market Segmentation 10 6.2 Target Market 11 6.3 Positioning 11 7.0 Macro Environmental Analysis PEST Factors 12 8.0 The Marketing Mix 4Ps 14 8.1 Product 14 8.2 Price 15 8.3 Place (distribution) 16 8.4 Promotion 16 9.0 Proposed Marketing Budget 17 10.0 Evaluation and Control 18 11.0 Bibliography 19 1.0 Introduction Today in the rapidly changing corporate arena one of the frequently spoken subject is becoming the Strategic Market Planning and many expensive reference materials can be commonly seen in bookstores, libraries and via online sources. But what exactly is Strategic Marketing Plan, how to assess the external macro environment? What are the impacts of political, economic, socio-cultural and technological factors have on developing Strategic Marketing Plan? These are some of the common questions to be answered. Without a clear strategy the organization is like a ship without a rudder, going around in circles. This strategic marketing plan prepared to Watawala Plantations PLC is essential for the newcomer Oolong tea to the market. Oolong Tea is an innovative product that is close to the tea and black tea, and this product can be a cleaner body. This strategic marketing plan will discuss the marketing strategy implemented by Watawala Plantations PLC. It is very much evident, that the strategic marketing plan for Watawala Plantations PLC has been successfully completed after gaining a substantial understanding from the various reliable sources where the information have been gathered. I strongly feel that the information that I have provided in this strategic marketing plan will definitely satisfy the assessment criteria. Last but not the least I wish to mention that, at the best of my knowledge, Ive acknowledged all the sources which I did refer to complete this strategic marketing plan. 2.0 Watawala Plantations An Overview 2.1 Company Background Watawala Plantations PLC is a pioneer tea plantation and marketing company in Sri Lanka. This is a listed company is a joint venture with the legendary Tata Group, which owns the No. 1 tea brand in Britain Tetley. Today Watawala plantations PLC has undertaken the management of selected 18 prime tea estates in all elevations of low-rise, medium-and high-grown along with a pair of rubber plantations, and the Sri Lankas only palm oil factory and employs over 15,000 people. With the joint venture in Tata Tea India, Watawala Plantations PLC has accepted the challenge of converting trade and productivity in to competition. The unique advantage of three diversified namely crops, tea, rubber and Palm has made the company to move in different directions in terms of involvement with the daily life of people in Sri Lanka. Total area of plantations is divided region 12,442.13 hectares, of which 41% is the tea, rubber is 18% and 8% less for the cultivation of oil palm. About 7% is separate for firewood and the rest is uncultivated and remains as the areas of conservation, forestry, spices, vegetable cultivation, jungle, buildings, roads, etc. 2.2 Mission, Vision Corporate Values 2.2.1Mission Statement According to David (1995, p.88) a business mission can be classified as the foundation for priorities, strategies, plans, and work assignment. In other words it can be said as the starting point for the design of managerial jobs and, above all, for the design of managerial structures. A mission statement which focuses on a businesss current activities reveals the long-term vision of an organization in terms of what it wants to be and whom it wants to serve. The Mission Statement of Watawala Plantations PLCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ By the year 2015 we will get closer to our end user locally and internationally by: Adding value to our products (tea, rubber, palm oil) Being committed to producing quality products Using our own brand Fully utilize the technological advancements and land resources in an eco-friendly manner To respect and understand the community in which we do business Celebrate the diversity and the power of our people While continuing toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, Be the preferred supplier in tea, rubber, palm oil globally Enhance return to our shareholders 2.2.2 Vision A strategic vision concerns a firms future business path that is where we are going. Companys vision defines the desired or intended future state of an organization or company in respect of its basic objectives. Vision is a long-term; sometimes describing how the organization wants the world must stay where it operates. The primary role of a companys vision is to establish a dream to all its employees and stake holders to achieve the companys corporate goals. The Vision Statement of Watawala Plantations PLCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We will take a path no one has walked before and many will want to follow 2.2.3 Core Values Watawala Plantations willà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Ensure that our business is always customer focused and that we continuously strive to meet their demands with the highest level of service. Be committed to offering the highest quality products at all times to our customers globally. Recognize and motivate our employees who are the live wire of the organization, to achieve their fullest potential and provide equal opportunities regardless of gender, religion, race or colour to excel in their work. Value transparency and honesty in everything we do. Contribute positively to the long term sustainability and development of the external community and the environment we operate in. Be innovative and strive for continuous improvement in whatever we do. Recognize that our shareholders are of utmost importance to us and ensure the best possible returns to them. 3.0 Product Description Oolong Tea There are hundreds of different varieties of tea made from tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, but almost all of them is divided into three broader categories which are respectively black teas, which are fully oxidized before drying a careful fermentation process, green tea is dried quickly, while non-oxidized oolong, which is somewhere in the middle and combine the best features of both. Oolong is partially fermented (semi-fermented) tea, which is known for its rich taste and pleasant lasting aftertaste. Oolong is classified as black or dark green tea which is baked longer than Green Oolongs. Green Oolong is usually smells stronger as Dark Oolong is usually has a stronger aftertaste. Special oven baked Oolong is only an intermediate dark green. 4.0 Construction of SWOT A Situational Analysis According to David (2004, pp.156-158) no organization is equally strong or weak in all its functional areas. Objectives and strategies are established with the intention of capitalizing upon internal strengths and overcoming weaknesses. The overall evaluation of a companys strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are called as the SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis is used as a framework to help the firm to develop its overall corporate, marketing, or product strategies. Strengths and Weaknesses are internal factors, which are controllable by the company. Whereas, Opportunities threats are external factors tend to be uncontrollable by the organization. The SWOT analysis of the Watawala Plantations PLC can be illustrated as follows: Strengths Uniqueness of the product Benefits of product are outstanding and not offered by any other product/company. Brand awareness High quality tea High quality service Expertise on the tea business Entrepreneurial spirit and commitment Complete and broad trained staff Opportunities Can open new lines of business Mass market tea prices will stabilize Consumers are living a more healthy lifestyle Consumers prefer quality products that offer true value Modern technology in the tea industry will be able to increase productivity Growth in tea market due to promotional efforts of healthy attributes of tea Threats Seasonal demand Misperception of tea consumption Competition from coffee shops Limited number of raw materials Unstable tea supply of high quality tea High quality tea prices will increase moderately Tea market is very competitive and relative elastic where strong local competitors such as Lipton, Bogawanthalaweà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. SWOT ANALYSIS Weaknesses Budget deficits Less access to modern technologies with to Oolong tea manufacturing process 5.0 Marketing Objectives All businesses, as a rule, need to set objectives on their own, for the products or services they intend to launch. Setting objectives are important; because they focus on specific aims over a period of time and can motivate the staff additionally to meet the set objectives. The marketing intention Watawala Plantations PLC is to grab a 10% market share and to achieve a sales volume worth of SLR 2,500,000 during the current year 2011. 6.0 Market Segmentation, Target Market and Positioning 6.1 Market Segmentation An organization cannot satisfy the needs and wants of all consumers. To do so, may result in a massive drain in company resources. Segmentation is simply the process of dividing a particular market for a good or service into sections, which display similar characteristics or behavior. There are a number of segmentation variables that allow an organization to divide their market into homogenous groups. There is no single way to segment a market. A good marketer has to try different segmentation methods, either alone or in combination, in order to view the market structure clearly. Segmentation can be categorized in to four major variables. They are geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioral variables. It has to be clearly understood that Watawala Plantations PLC has utilized the demographic segmentation variable to divide the market. In demographic segmentation, the market can be divided in to groups such as age, gender, income, family size, family life cycle, occupation, education, race, religion, generation, nationality and social class. But here Watawala Plantations PLC going to consider only the first three groups from the demographic variables as described above. It is very much evident that in particular, the demographic segmentation variables have been chosen because of two reasons. One is that, customer wants, preferences, and usage rates are often associated with demographic variables and the other is that the demographic variables are easier to measure. 6.2 Target Market Target Market is the specific group of customers that a company aims to capture. They have been identified as the people with needs or wants that can be met with the products or services from the company. When evaluating the market segments, Watawala Plantations PLC must look at three major factors. They are segment size growth, segment structural attractiveness, and companys growth. Considering these aspects Watawala Plantations PLC has decided its target group as anybody who is interested in good quality tea. Mass market is the strategy of the company aiming to sell their product to broad market in Spain. 6.3 Positioning After an organization has selected its target market, the next stage is to decide how it wants to position itself within that chosen segment. A products position is the complex set of perceptions, impressions, and feelings that consumers hold for the particular product compared with the competing products in the market. As marketers, Watawala Plantations PLC not only plan positions that gives our products the greatest advantage in selected target markets, but also we design marketing mixes to create these planned positions. Therefore Watawala Plantations PLC is going market its Oolong Tea under its renowned positioning theme THE ART OF TEA 7.0 Macro Environmental Analysis PEST Factors According to David (2004, p.114) the purpose of an external audit is to develop a predetermined list of opportunities that could benefit the firm and threats that should be avoided. The Relationship between Key External Forces and an organization can be illustrated as follows: Therefore while formulating business strategies, Watawala Plantations PLC should be able to respond towards the external macro environmental factors in order to take the maximum advantage of external opportunities or that minimize the impact of potential threats. PEST analysis is a framework used to scan the external macro-environment, in which a firm operates. It is an important aspect to a company, in order to begin the marketing process. The following gird represents the analysis of the political, economic, socio-cultural and technological factors Watawala Plantations PLC has to consider before deciding either Germany or Australia would be potential market to expand the fruity malt loaf product. The grid below examines the political, economic, socio-cultural and technological factors with regard to the potential impact and its relative importance towards Watawala Plantations PLC. PEST Analysis Factors Potential Impact Relative Importance Political Factors Strict trading policies Medium Important Funding grants Medium Unimportant Local pressure groups High Unimportant Government policies High Important Political influence High Important Economic Factors Economic structure Command Economy prices are determined by the government Important Taxation issues Total tax rate is 64% on Profit Critical Interest rates 3.0% Important Inflation rates 9.4% Important Socio-cultural Factors Consumer attitudes High Critical Consumer opinions High Critical Media views High Important Brand image High Important Buying access and trends High Critical Health consciousness High Critical Religious factors Medium Important Technological Factors Technology development High Important Research funding Medium Important Recycling systems Medium Important 8.0 The Marketing Mix 4Ps To achieve the marketing objectives, the company has to use the marketing controllable elements (4Ps) effectively. A company might adopt one or more marketing strategies when introducing a product newly. It can set a high or low-level trend for each of its marketing variables, such as price, promotion, distribution, and product quality. Therefore, the key elements of the marketing mix namely product, price, place (distribution) and promotion have to be utilized Watawala Plantations PLC as follows: 8.1 Product A good Oolong tea is refreshing and delicious; the Oolong spectrum has a range of aromas and tastes quite different from what you get with green or black tea. It is difficult to obtain reliable figures on the caffeine content, but its probably not entirely wrong to say that the cup of Oolong average, well mixed, has about half as much caffeine as a cup of black tea and about half again as much as a cup of green tea. The difference mainly comes from the brewing temperature, not the composition of the tea itself. Although Oolong has the characteristics of black and green tea, the taste has little in common. If not overcooked, most Oolong seems almost no trace of bitterness, and generally a stronger aroma than any black or green tea. Like other tea, Oolong is rich in antioxidants called polyphenols. These help prevent cancer, keep your heart healthy and aid general well-being. 8.2 Price Price can be simply defined as the amount of money charged for a product or a service provided. A companys pricing decisions are affected either by internal factors relating to the company or external environmental factors or both. The major external environmental factor, which is going to affect the pricing decision, of Watawala Plantations PLC depends on the competitors costs, prices and their possible reactions in relation to the price fixing modes of Watawala Plantations PLC. A consumer when deciding to purchase our Watawala Plantations PLCs Oolong Tea, at the first instance evaluate the price and value of other products, which compete with Watawala Plantations PLCs products. Considering these pricing factors Watawala Plantations PLC should to apply the market penetration pricing strategy, meaning, to fix a low initial price at the introduction stage, in order to penetrate the market successfully at the outset. This is due to the fact that, it is an ideal pricing strategy which can be applied with success at the introductory stage itself, to attract a large number of buyers quickly and effectively so as to win a large market share, in a short period of time. Upon successful launch of Oolong tea, Watawala Plantations PLC can adapt skimming strategy. 8.3 Place (distribution) The distribution modes will cover all areas and all consumers coming under the target group. This is certain as the popularity grows with the demand. A competent distribution strategy will enhance the chances of attaining the goal with easy reach. Through maintaining proper contacts and application of the experience and specialization in the trade and through insuring a steady supply of goods without shortages the reach is assured with satisfactory results. Over the appointment of distributors and agents for the purpose of popularizing the product, requirements and competence in promotion, experience, market familiarity in relation to the productsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. In addition to the distributors, a careful consideration will be given towards selecting the distribution strategy. In this case an intensive distribution strategy will be utilized where it is expected to bring in quick and satisfactory results. 8.4 Promotion Promotion is one of the key elements in the marketing mix. The intention now is to inform, persuade and to familiarize Oolong tea to the market and to popularize it. In this regard sales promotion and pre publicity are two areas, which are related to public relations. To target the group, pre publicity is essential via the media namely the electronic and the print. It is through proper and efficient advertising methods, the target group mainly the consumers would be reached easily which we intend to employ. The channels, which we hope to utilize both in TV and Radio in addition to the press, will be chosen based on their popularity and result-oriented methods adopted. In this regard a careful consideration would be given to economize the expenditure for the promotion purpose. In addition to the above method e-marketing strategy will also be utilized via social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook. YouTubeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. 9.0 Proposed Marketing Budget A financial plan will be carried out since the initiation of the strategic marketing plan in order to determine the total amount of capital needed for each marketing related activity and to be completed within stipulated investment limit, which allows the marketing manager to measure the past with the forecasts actually spent during the project. Figure A illustrates the proposed marketing budget for Watawala Plantations PLC. Figure A Description Amount (SLR) Amount (SLR) Estimated Sales 10,000,000 (-) Estimated Expenses Raw Materials 500,000 Sales Distribution 400,000 Financial Expenses 200,000 HR Administrative Expenses 150,000 Production Cost 1,450,000 Promotional Expenses (posters, banners, advertisementsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc.) 4,500,000 Transportation 300,000 Estimated total expenses (7,500,000) Estimated profit 2,500,000 10.0 Evaluation and Control When involving in introducing a new product into the market, it becomes necessary to plan the overall operation in advance, in addition to budgetary provision to carry forward the objective. The controlling and monitoring aspects are two areas, which need constant attention. Any deviation will tend to upset a proper implementation of this strategic marketing plan. Therefore the following action plan can be utilized by Watawala Plantations PLC in order to evaluate and control the strategic marketing activities. Marketing Strategy Action Responsibility Control and Evaluation Methodology Marketing Communication Campaign Advertisement on TV, internet, radio, newspapers, ad campaigns on the streets Marketing Managers, Marketing Executives Monthly Sales Figures Marketing Promotion Campaign Set Up Special Stand for Personal Selling Marketing Managers, Sales managers, Counter staff Supervisors Count Customers and Monitor Sales per Month Organize Promotional Event Major Cities Marketing Managers, Supervisors, Hostesses Count Participants Promotional offers e.g. free gifts with purchase Marketing Managers, Production Managers Produced Output Figures Distribution of Free Samples to Customers At cash point Marketing Managers, Cashiers, Supervisors Count Customers

Dysfunction in a World of Order Essay -- Character Analysis, Private W

Carson McCullers â€Å"Reflections of a Golden Eye† is a story about the lives of a six dysfunctional people living on an army post during peacetime. The characters lives are entwined both public and private, but when the private becomes public it reveals a truth that leads to path of destruction. Private Williams is a solitary man full of secrets and desires. Captain Weldon Penderton, a closeted homosexual, and his cheating wife Lenora have a fiery relationship. Major Morris Langdon, who is having and affair with Lenora, lives next door to the Pendertons with his unstable wife Alison and their flamboyant Filipino houseboy Anacleto. McCuller’s writes about these characters as if she can identify with each of their struggles to conform to world around them. She pulls the reader into a world where â€Å"man’s capacity for error, cruelty, guilt, self deception and self- destruction† creates chaos (Dayton 421). McCullers shows the reader a hars h view of low-self esteem and desires while conveying the importance of being true to oneself in order to foster healthy relationships. Many People, who are raised in an environment that do not include interacting with different types of people, often struggle with building relationships with people they don’t know. Private Williams has no social skills; he is an introvert who lives his life in self-imposed isolation even though people on the army post surround him. Williams is much like Mr. Singer’s character in the â€Å"Heart is a Lonely Hunter† for though â€Å"he appears to be fully and actively engaged in life, he too is trapped in his own grotesquerie, unable to establish that vital contact with some other person which would make him fully and recognizable human† (Vickery 21). ... ...eldon. If fact, their selfish affair has had a direct or indirect negative impact on everyone in the story. Lenora and Morris cannot see beyond their primal passions to realize or care about the cause and effect of their infidelity. This is the case of many people who venture outside of the martial commitment. Instant gratification and the lack of control have ruined many marriages. Lenora and Morris’s affair causes tragedies for the rest of the clan. In Conclusion, McCullers story is about six people struggles to conform to a world around them. She shows a world where â€Å"man’s capacity for error, cruelty, guilt, self deception and self- destruction† creates chaos (Dayton 421). McCullers shows the reader a harsh view of low-self esteem and desires while conveying the importance of being true to oneself in order to foster healthy relationships.

Extended Essay: How Does Culture Influence Social Conformity to Groups? Essay

Introduction I still remember my first day of American Government class freshman year. The teacher asked us, â€Å"What are the three branches of government?† I wanted to raise my hand and say â€Å"Judicial, congressional, and executive.† But no one else raised their hands. I thought to myself, â€Å"No one else knows it, maybe I don’t know it. I don’t want to stand out on my first day. Better just keep my hand down.† As it turns out, my answer was correct. However, conformity got the better of me. Conformity is modifying one’s behaviors or actions because of others. The influence of conformity can be subdivided into informational (being influence because of information) and normative (being influenced because of social pressure) influence. Conformity is an important topic because conformity has a profound impact on human behavior in groups. Collective human behavior can almost be defined by conformity. Humans constantly look to others for support and kn owledge, and when we see others act in a specific way, we mimic it in the form of conformity. To take on a more global view of conformity, it is important to understand how cultural differences between different civilizations impact the ways in which the people of those cultures will be affected by conformity. Perhaps someone from the United States will conform more than someone from Germany, or China, or Mexico. Then we must undertake the question, â€Å"how does culture influence social conformity to groups?† In this essay we will first take a look at what conformity is and what may cause it within a culture, and then we will discuss three aspects of a culture that may modify that culture’s levels of conformity. The first major factor we will examine is the level of food accumulation within the society. The second major factor we will examine is the impact of a country’s industrial development on conformity. The third major factor that we will examine is how individualism or collectivism will influence a culture’s level of conformity. Social Causes of Conformity Sherif defined conformity as â€Å"being influenced by the judgments of others.† (Sherif, 1935) In the context in which we are speaking, conformity can be defined as the modulation of one’s behavior or judgment due to influence of a group. Sherif’s conformity experiment was designed to show how the judgments of others would influence the judgment of a test subject. Sherif used the autokinetic effect as the subject of judgment. The autokinetic effect is when a dot of light in a dark room appears to move because the eye has no other frame of reference. Subjects were instructed to observe the light and tell researchers the distance the light moved. Sherif operationalized his variable by first testing subjects individually and then testing them in groups to see how this would affect their reported observations of how far the light moved. If the reported observations of the dots movements converged to a central measure, Sherif would know that conformity had played a r ole in altering his subject’s judgment. What Sherif discovered was that when subjects were tested individually, their judgments of the dots movements varied greatly, anywhere from 2 to 15 inches (Sherif, 1935). When the subjects were then tested in groups, their measurements maintained a distinct level of divergence from each other. However, when the subjects were tested first within a group, the subjects’ average judgments of the dot movements converged within a particular range that would imply that the subjects were abiding to a common norm that had been established in the group. In addition, when the subjects were later tested individually, their judgments on the dot movement would diverge from the group norm, but less significantly than when the subjects were first tested individually. Sherif wrote that he felt this was the most significant observation of his experiment. What Sherif observed is one of the key factors of conformity- that the norms which people conform to are not always intentionally established, but can occur naturally, and these naturally occurring norms will be conformed to due to man’s tendency to want to fit in as a part of the group. This is reinforced by another one of Sherif’s observations during this experiment. During the last session of his experiment, Sherif added the question â€Å"Do you think you were influenced by the judgments of the other persons in the experiments,† to which 25% of the subjects responded that they were. Sherif commented that this was a comparatively small amount of subjects relative to the results. Although it is possible that some subjects lied and responded no to this question, it is possible that some of the 75% of subjects who said they were not influenced by the other subjects in the experiment were likely unaware of the fact that they were being influenced, showing that peo ple can unknowingly conform to naturally established norms. Although Sherif’s experiment was not cross-cultural, it can still help us understand why people conform to their individual cultures. Sherif speculated that the cause of conformity was man’s desire to fit in to the group. In a cultural context, this means that if a person is a part of a culture, then that person would have desire to modulate their actions so that they fit into their specific culture. This also suggests that the more immersed one is in their culture, the more conformity will be emphasized in that culture and the more they will conform to their culture. So although Sherif’s experiment was not cross-cultural, the conclusions drawn from his experiment can still help us understand the relationship between culture and conformity. In 1951, Asch sought to try another conformity experiment that would respond to the critique of Sherif’s experiment that the stimulus was too ambiguous. Instead of using an ambiguous stimulus like the autokinetic effect, Asch used a very concrete stimulus. For his experiment, four lines were shown on a projector and subjects were asked which line of three matched the other line. In groups of 8, what subjects didn’t realize was that the other 7 people in the group were actually confederates of Asch, instructed to all unanimously give the wrong answer twelve out of eighteen times. Asch’s aim was to see if this unanimous agreement in the group of a blatantly wrong answer would socially pressure the subject into going along with the group. In this experiment, unlike Sherif’s, the group was intentionally trying to get the subject to conform, and the group’s response to the stimulus was clearly incorrect. Under normal circumstances, subjects gave incorrec t responses less than 1% of the time. However when the pressure of the group was applied, the number of incorrect responses rose to 37%, with 74% subjects conforming to the confederates’ responses on at least one critical trial. Asch had shown something about conformity that Sherif was unable to prove- that conformity could cause a subject to go against their own judgment and conform to the group. Asch speculated that conformity could occur due to a distortion of the subject’s on any one of three levels: perception, judgment, or action. If there is distortion on perception, then the subject perceives the stimulus incorrectly and is unaware of the conflict, and believes the group to be correct. If there is distortion of judgment, then the subject is aware of the conflict but conclude the majority is correct and reject their own judgment. If there is distortion on the action level, the subject is aware of the conflict, concludes the group is incorrect, but goes along with them anyways due to pressure. Asch also determined the two types of group influence. If the subject is influenced because they think the group is better informed than them, this is informational influence. If the subject conforms because they want to fit in with the group, this is called normative influence. Asch also performed tests in this experiment to see how other factors would affect a subject’s conformity. One variation of this experiment Asch performed was adding and subtracting people. Asch discovered that as few as only three confederates was enough pressure to get the subject to conform, but that the more confederates there were in the experiment the more likely it was that the subject would conform. Asch also performed experiments where subjects gave their answers in private, where one confederate would agree with the subject, and where the differences between the lines was smaller. When subjects gave their answers in private, normative influence is eliminated and conformity dropped significantly. When one confederate would agree with the subject, conformity dropped to only 5%, an 80% decrease. This is one very crucial fact about conformity. When one person breaks the unanimity of a group, the normative influence is eliminated. When Asch made the differences in the line lengths less significant, conformity increased. The data collected from this experiment and Sherif’s observations, demonstrate another significant aspect of conformity. The more ambiguous something is, the more humans will tend to conform. This is because when humans are uncertain of what to do in a situation, we look to other humans for information. This is applicable to a real life scenario such as the â€Å"grey area† of morals. When humans see something morally wrong, they will typically go along with what the majority is doing, and will usually not intervene. Although Asch’s experiments were not cross-cultural, the conclusions of his experiments and the theories of conformity formulate d from them can most definitely be applied to a cross-cultural context, such as how culture affects conformity. First of all, Asch determined that there were two types of conformity; normative, which is the influence caused by social pressure, and informational, influence caused by insecurity in one’s own knowledge. These can both be applied to how people conform to cultures. Normative influence can be caused by. If one is completely immersed in a culture, there is normative influence to fit into that culture. Informational influence can be a creation of culture. If a part of the culture is teaching the youth of that culture, than they are subject to the informational influence of their culture. Second, Asch showed that the more people in a group, the stronger the social influence. This could imply that a larger culture may have higher levels of conformity than people of smaller cultures. Third, Asch showed that unanimity is extremely significant to a culture’s levels of conformity. This may imply that the stricter a culture is, and the fewer dissenters from the culture there are, the stronger the social influence the culture will have on its subjects. The Effect of Levels of Food Accumulation on Conformity in a Society In 1967, J. W. Barry wished to replicate Asch’s conformity experiment as a cross-cultural experiment to see how differences in the cultures would correlate with their levels of conformity. Barry divided the peoples he was studying into two basic groups. The first group was societies with high levels of food-accumulation such as agricultural and pastoral societies, and the second was societies with low levels of food-accumulation such as fishing and hunting peoples. Barry recreated Asch’s line-length conformity test between the Temne peoples of Sierra Leone in Africa, an agricultural people, and the Eskimo of Baffin Island, a hunting people in northeastern Canada. Barry’s aim was to see how levels of conformity would vary between these two distinctly different cultures. Barry formulated his hypothesis by studying each culture and observing characteristics of their cultures that he thought would be pertinent to levels of conformity. Barry studied cultural characteristics of each peoples such as how they characterized success in their cultures, how lenient each culture was when rearing their young, if the peoples were typically group reliant or self reliant for success in their cultures, and of course, if they were a high food-accumulating society or if they were a low food-accumulating society. Barry hypothesized that there would be a correlation between the different cultures’ levels of food accumulation and their levels of conformity; more specifically, in the Temne’s agricultural, high food-accumulating society would show higher levels of conformity than the Eskimo’s hunting-oriented, low food-accumulating society, where he expected to find lower levels of conformity. Barry tested the two different cultures using a variation of Asch’s line test. Instead of having eight confederates supply false responses to the test subject, the subject was presented with a sheet of paper with 9 li nes on it, and was asked to match the top line with one of the lower lines by length. But before responding, the researcher would say, â€Å"I am going to give you a hint. Most Temne (or Eskimo) people say this line (an incorrect line) is equal in length to the one at the top. Which one do you say?† (Barry, 1967) After performing his experiment, Barry found that the difference in conformity rates between the Temne and Eskimos was great enough and with statistical significance, so it confirmed his hypothesis that the Temne peoples did in fact show higher rates of conformity than the Eskimo peoples. Barry’s conformity experiment shows how culture affects conformity. Barry studied two different cultures and noted significant differences between them, and then tested each culture the same way to measure their respective levels of conformity. Barry discovered a key characteristic about conformity- the connection between how a society collects food and their conformity level s. Although that is a broad connection, Barry’s theory was that how food is accumulated in a culture affects other aspects of that culture such as leniency in parenting, levels of independence granted to children, and what characterizes success, and these factors are what determine the levels of conformity for cultures. Low food accumulating societies have very independent individuals and characterize success with independence whereas high food accumulating societies have very interdependent individuals and characterize success through community. Impact of Modernization on a Country’s Levels of Conformity Another significant difference between cultures that can impact levels of conformity is how industrialized and modernized they are, and studying how this has affected levels of conformity among the people of that country. In 1984, Kagitcibasi did just that. Kagitcibasi performed a study on the â€Å"value of children† (Kagitcibasi, 1984) to attempt to understand how several cultures on different levels of modernization would place the importance of raising children (with reference to quantity), and what characteristics the peoples of those cultures would find desirable in their children. Kagitcibasi studied nine countries- Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Germany, and the United States. Kagitcibasi performed 20,403 interviews with families from these countries and asked them questions regarding what characteristics they would find most desirable in children. Subjects from countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines said the most desirable quality in a child was to obey their parents. On average, 86.5% of subjects from Indonesia said obedience of parent was the most desirable quality in children, and 82% of subjects from the Philippines agreed, as opposed to the United States, where only 39% of subjects said obeying one’s parents was the most desirable characteristic in children. On the contrary, 49% of American subjects surveyed said being independent and self-reliant was the most important characteristic in children, whereas only 20% of Indonesian subjects said the same thing. In the United States, being independent and self-reliant was the second most chosen characteristic among subjects surveyed, second only to being a good person. However, even higher than the United States’ percent of subjects putting emphasis on independence and self-reliance is that of Singapore and Korea. This is an interesting observation because many studies have found collectivist (predominantly Asian) cultures to be more oriented towards conformity and less towards indiv idual independence. But if this observation is studied with respect to industrialization and modernization, it is observed that these countries have gone under extremely rapid industrialization, which could have modulated the nuclear family model in these countries to be more westernized, thereby emulating the west in levels of conformity as well. Kagitcibasi observed that overall, it is the nuclear family level which most impacts the levels of conformity in a culture; by which it is meant that factors such as industrialization impact the nuclear family model, which in turn impacts a country/culture’s levels of conformity. Kagitcibasi developed the â€Å"Old Age Security Value† theory (Kagitcibasi 1982a). The Old Age Security Value is the theory that there is additional value in raising children in underdeveloped nations because if they are raised in a conforming way, which stresses values such as family loyalty, they will be more likely to take care of their parents when they become elderly. The Old Age Security Value is less significant in industrialized nations because industrialized, modernized nations typically provide services such as healthcare, whereas a more traditional, less developed nation would not, meaning the elderly are more dependent on their children to care for them in old age, which will encou rage raising children to be more compliant to parents. The Old Age Security Value concept relates to industrialization and conformity because the more industrialized a country is, the more the less significant the Old Age Security Value is, and therefore the less conformist the society will be. What we can ultimately understand from Kagitcibasi’s research on the correlation between industrialization and conformity is that less industrialized countries will be more culturally inclined to compliance, due to a modulation of the nuclear family model in which families are more dependent on each other for care and therefore put emphasis on compliance when raising children to encourage family loyalty and obedience of one’s parents. Impact of Collectivism vs. Individualism on Conformity Collectivism is the social belief that the good of the group is more important than the good of the few or the individual. On the other hand, individualism is characterized by the belief that each member of the group should be independent and self-reliant, without a need to consider the wellbeing of the group as a whole. When one considers the characteristics of conformity – compliance, assimilation, putting the group above oneself, etc., it seems logical that collectivists would have a greater predisposition to conformity than individualists. Professor Oh of Konkuk University wanted to test this premise with relevance to normative and informational influence. Oh’s aim was to see if in an experiment, subjects from a collectivist culture (in this case India) would conform more than subjects from a collectivist culture (America). He also wanted to see if they would conform more in normative influence tests than in informational influence tests. Oh hypothesized that the In dian subjects would not only conform more, but would conform more specifically in normative influence tests. Oh performed an experiment with half Indian and half American subjects, in which subjects were asked what the lowest appropriate probability of successfully for a risk to be taken, such as winning an election of a sort. Under the condition of exposure, subjects were only informed of what â€Å"other subjects† had said was an appropriate probability of success for the risk to be taken, but not why. Because the reason why was not explained to subjects, any conformity on this test must have been because of normative influence because they were given no further information to better their judgment. Under the condition of persuasion, subjects were informed of â€Å"other subjects’† responses, and as to why they made their decisions. Subjects were then left to decide for themselves based on more given information relevant to be given stimulus their own response . If subjects modified their judgments under this condition, it would be because they felt they were then better informed of the conditions of the stimulus. The average of the subjects’ conformity scores was measured by the change in pretest to posttest response. The results of this experiment showed that Indian participants were far more inclined to conform then American participants. In addition, changes in conformity levels due to internalization were not shown with statistical significance between Indian and American subjects, while changes in conformity levels due to compliance were shown with statistical significance. This confirmed Ho’s hypothesis that collectivists are more inclined to conform to the group norm then individualists with regard to normative influence. One limitation of Ho’s experiment however, was that he did not use face-to-face social influence, but only informed subjects of what other â€Å"subjects† had stated in a second-hand m anner. This would’ve negated some level of the compliance influence, which could have produced responses of higher levels of conformity between American and Indian subjects. Ho’s experiment examined a direct relationship between culture and conformity- the collectivist vs. individualist relationship. He studied two cultures and saw how subjects from each would respond differently to tasks involving conformity. Ho’s research helps us better understand this relationship between collectivism and conformity in a culture because his research showed that subjects of a collectivist society showed higher levels of conformity than subjects of an individualist culture. Conclusion In this paper, I analyzed three aspects of cultures that can influence a culture or society’s levels of conformity. I analyzed the relationship between food accumulation and conformity, the relationship between modernization and conformity, and the relationship between collectivism and conformity. Examining each of these relationships, it is evident that cultures that are characterized by community and societal unity tend to have higher levels of conformity than their more individualistic counterparts. This was shown by the Temne in Sierra Leone, Africa, who were culturally very focused on the community. This was also shown by the several less modernized countries in Kagitcibasi’s study of modernization on conformity, whose cultural focus is care for the family. Lastly, this was shown by the Indians in Ho’s study, who showed high levels of social conformity as a sample of a collectivist society. From all these results we can conclude that culture influences socia l conformity to groups in that people in cultures characterized by community and social unity are more subject to social conformity than peoples of individualistic cultures because the emphasis they put on community causes the peoples of those cultures to be more conscious of the judgments of others and therefore more likely to modify their own judgments and conform to match those around them. References Independence and conformity in subsistence-level societies: Encyclopedia of Urban Ministry UYWI :: Urban Youth Workers Institute. (n.d.). UrbanMinistry.org: Christian Social Justice Podcasts, MP3s, Grants, Jobs, Books | Home. Retrieved August 23, 2013, from http://www.urbanministry.org/wiki/independence-and-conformity-subsistence-level-societies Barry, J. (1967). Independence and Conformity in Subsistence-Level Societies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 7(4), 415-418. Retrieved August 16, 2013, from the USF LIbrary System database. Bond, R., & Smith, P. B. (1996). Culture and Conformity: A Meta-Analysis of Studies Using Asch’s (1952b, 1956) LIne Judgement Task. Psychological Bulletin, 119(1), 111-137. Kagitcibasi, C. (1984). Socialization in Traditional Society: A Challenge to Psychology. International Journal of Psychology, 19, 145-157. Retrieved August 16, 2013, from the USF Public LIbrary System database. McLeod, S. (n.d.). Asch Experiment – Simply Psyc hology. Simply Psychology – Articles for Students. Retrieved August 23, 2013, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html Oh, S. H. (2013). DO Collectivists Conform More Than Individualists? Cross-Cultural Differences in Compliance and Internalization. Social Behavior and Personality, 41(6), 981-994. Retrieved August 16, 2013, from the USF LIbrary System database. Sherif, M. (1935). A Study of Some Social Factors in Perception: Chapter 3. Archives of Psychology, 27(187), 23-46. Retrieved August 16, 2013, from the USF LIbrary System database.

Medieval Poetry - 3509 Words

Medieval literature is a very diverse subject. The term covers the literature of Europe during the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginnings of the Renaissance in the 15th century, spanning a period of roughly 1,000 years. As a result, it is difficult to make generalizations about medieval literature. It is, nonetheless, possible to identify a few general trends. Allegory and symbolism are common in medieval literature, perhaps more so than in modern writing. Religious and philosophical messages were often conveyed through the use of figures, such as the panther, an animal which represented Christ. Old Norse and Irish poetry often contains figures of baffling complexity which allowed listeners who puzzled them out to†¦show more content†¦Along the way, this knight encounters mysterious hermits, confronts evil blackguards and brigands, slays monsters and dragons, competes anonymously in tournaments, and suffers from wounds, starvation, deprivation, and exposure in the wilderness. He may incidentally save a few extra villages and pretty maidens along the way before finishing his primary task. (This is why scholars say romances are episodic--the plot can be stretched or contracted so the author can insert or remove any number of small, short adventures along the heros way to the larger quest.) Medieval romances often focus on the supernatural. In the classical epic, supernatural events originate in the will and actions of the gods. However, in secular medieval romance, the supernatural originates in magic, spells, enchantments, and fairy trickery. Divine miracles are less frequent, but are always Christian in origin when they do occur, involving relics and angelic visitations. A secondary concern is courtly love and the proprieties of aristocratic courtship--especially the consequences of arranged marriage and adultery. Scholars usually divide medieval romances into four loose categories based on subject-matter: (1) The Matter of Rome: stories based on the history and legends of Greco-Roman origin such as the Trojan War, Thebes, mythological figures, and the exploits of Alexander the Great. The medieval poet usuallyShow MoreRelatedMedieval Literature and Poetry Illuminated Manuscripts983 Words   |  4 PagesMedieval Literature and Poetry/ Illuminated Manuscripts The Middle Ages was a period of about one thousand years, between the collapse of the Roman Empire during the fifth century AD and the revival of classical art and learning known as the Renaissance around the fifteenth century. 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During Medieval England, music was a current and changing development, with composers changing their music all the way to the growth and decisions ofRead MoreAnalysis Of The Miller s Tale And It A Whole New Spin 1533 Words   |  7 Pagesdoes not take place in a medieval time period. Brinkman’s version of â€Å"The Miller’s Tale† has no set city, town, or any kind of location. Readers would assume that it would be set in some medieval time period since Chaucer’s was, but Brinkman uses several words that suggest otherwise. In line seven of his rap he states â€Å"Cost of living; without a dollar he lived as an Astrologist,† the word â€Å"dollar† rules out the assumption that it is set in a medieval time period. During medieval times in England, theRead More The Book of the Duchess, t he Parliament of Fowls, and the House of Fame1628 Words   |  7 PagesThe Book of the Duchess, the Parliament of Fowls, and the House of Fame The Parliament of Fowls and the House of Fame are closely related to each other and to the Book of the Duchess, as all three of the poetry share several similar themes. Written between 1368 and 1380 they are some of Chaucer’s earliest works in which aspects of some of the great writers of his time are evident. There are three major themes intertwined within the three works, which Chaucer has added to the Dream Vision genreRead MoreRoles and Lifestyles of Aristocrats and Peasants During Medieval European Civilization2511 Words   |  11 PagesTownspeople 11 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction Figure 1.0: Timeline of major events during Medieval European civilization. Trade increased during Medieval European civilization which subsequently contributed to the surge demand of gold, silver and silk. Figure 2.0: Trade routes of Medieval European civilization During the period of Medieval European civilization, there were three groups of people who played very important roles, namely aristocrats, townspeople andRead More Narrative Frames and Interpretive Models in Troilus and Criseyde1990 Words   |  8 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emphasis is placed on the process of telling the tale, rather than its eventual outcome. Synthesis of tradition and innovation is the key. The narrator wants to pay homage to the legacy of ancient Greek and Roman literature by pushing his poetry to attain that level of artistic achievement.   He instructs his litel book to kis the steppes where thow seest pace Virgile, Ovide, Omer, Lucan, Stace (V, 1792). This is not a matter of imitation or mere mimickry, however. Lollius, as an intermediaryRead MoreMedieval Vs. Renaissance Literature1323 Words   |  6 PagesMedieval and Renaissance Literature The medieval literature is a clear depiction of the Christian’s changed perception in relation to Christ’s second coming. Initially, the majority of the readings focused entirely on three aspects that resonate around Jesus’ second coming, an anticipated resurrection for the faithful and the ultimate judgment. Judgment in this case was beyond human comprehension and it was regarded as God’s preserve. With the ‘second coming’ becoming extremely remote, middleRead MoreMusic from All over the World Presents a Range of Musical Theories. Some of These Are Documented in Writing Whilst Others Are Transmitted Orally. Discuss and Give Examples with Reference to Both Western and Non-Western Music.3032 Words   |  13 Pagesof octave, which are combinations of the two species aforementioned. These octave species were termed as follows: Mixolydian (B-b), Lydian (c –c’), Phrygian (d-d’), Dorian (e-e’), Hypolydian (f-f’), Hypophrygian (g-g’), and Hypodorian (a-a’). Some medieval theorists later adopted these names for their church modes, but the latter differ from Cleonides’ octave species as they lack a principal note on which a melody is expected to end, which thus defines a mode. Fragments of ancient Greek music – about