Ernest Rutherford Essays (704 words) - Radioactivity,

Ernest Rutherford Ernest Rutherford was born in New Zealand in 1871 as one of 12 children. It was Rutherford who first "split" an atom and who discovered the atomic "nucleus", a name that he invented. For this he is regarded as the greatest experimental physicist of his time. Rutherford was one of the first and most important researchers in nuclear physics. Soon after the discovery of radioactivity in 1986 by the French physicist Antoine Henri Becquerel, Rutherford discovered the three different types of radiation. By covering his Uranium with thin foils of aluminum, gradually increasing the number of foils. For the first three layers of foil the radiation escaping from the uranium decreased progressively, suggesting an ordinary law of absorption. More thickness of aluminum, however, had little further effect in reducing the radiation at first, but eventually the intensity of the radiation began to diminish again as even more foils were added. These experiments showed that there were at least two distinct types of radiation- one that is very readily absorbed, which he called the alpha - radiation, and the other more penetrative character which he called the beta - radiation. He also had believed that he had found a third more penetrating radiation. The Frenchman, Paul Villard, officially gave this third radiation. He named it, after Rutherford's first two radiation discoveries, the gamma- radiation. It was these discoveries in radiation that opened the door to the rest of Rutherford' discoveries. Using this alpha radiation, Rutherford started to experiment putting it through other materials to get the effects. It was in one of these experiments with gold that he was able to figure out what an atom looks like. He found that a countable number of alpha particles actually bounced back from a thin sheet of gold foil. Of course the majority of the particles went straight through the gold and were only slightly scattered. Rutherford said that this was the most surprising result he had known. He said that this discovery of the alpha particles actually bouncing off the gold was as surprising to him as firing a fifteen inch shell at a piece of tissue paper and having it bounce back and hit you. From this statement we can see how immersed Rutherford actually was in his studies. By this experiment it seemed clear to Rutherford that the alpha particle occasionally encountered such an intense field in the atom that it was turned back in its path as the result of a collision. When considering the mass and energy of an alpha particle this was an astonishing observation. Rutherford said that in order to produce such a large deflection of the alpha particle, the atom must contain a massive charged center of very minute dimensions. From this arose the concept of the well known "nucleus" (a name which Rutherford coined), where the atom consists of a minute positively charged nucleus containing most of the mass of an atom, surrounded at relatively great distances by electrons. He also discovered that the alpha particle was repelled according to the ordinary laws of electricity so that it should travel in a hyperbola. From this he discovered the law of scattering, that is to say the number of particles that should be found at any angle of deflection. Rutherford was confident that we would get more information from scattering about the nature of the atom than any other method. Rutherford became very excited about an idea that Darwin had given him about the interesting results that might occur when an alpha particle met a nucleus lighter than itself, such as the nucleus of a hydrogen atom. Rutherford went to work right away. In 1919 Rutherford performed a pioneer experiment in nuclear physics when he bombarded nitrogen gas with alpha particles and obtained atoms of an oxygen isotope and protons. This process of changing nitrogen into oxygen was the first artificially induced nuclear reaction. It also made great headway in the following decades of intensive research on the other nuclear transformation sand on the nature and properties of radiation. Today, with the threat of nuclear weapons and the promise of nuclear power it must appear that the splitting of the atom was Rutherford's most significant achievement. Rutherford was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1903 and served as president of that institution from 1925 to 1930. He was awarded the 1908 Nobel Prize in chemistry, was knighted in 1914, and was created a baron in 1931. He died in London on October 19, 1937, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Environmental Ethics and Policy Essay †Biology Research Paper (200 Level Course)

Environmental Ethics and Policy Essay – Biology Research Paper (200 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Environmental Ethics and Policy Essay Biology Research Paper(200 Level Course) Determining a comprehensive, all-inclusive environmental ethic is no easy task. Human interests, desires, and consciences are hard to accommodate, considering that all vary with the individual. And according to world statistics, there are over six billion of us, each with a different experience of the natural world, its plants and animals. So, of the following perspectives, which makes the most sense when making decisions about environmental policy? Considering the plethora of interests and varied needs of humans all over the world, a middle ground must be found, tempered by the radical reasoning of extremist ethics. On the one extreme, anthropocentric ethicists view nature’s value only in relation to the well-being of humans. Nature’s value subsists only in its capacity to provide for the human race. Often, this takes the form of an economic capability, ignoring the destruction of parts of the environment that have no direct use to humans. A familiar case study involves the preservation of the north spotted owl. Continuous logging in the Pacific Northwest threatened the habitat of the species, but logging companies argued that to discontinue logging would mean the loss of jobs and the logging companies themselves. Loggers argued that preserving the owl would be a detriment to the economy. In this case, the loggers held an anthropocentric view. Environmental champions, however, would argue that saving the spotted owl would save an entire ecosystem on which plants, other animals, and humans depend. The criticism of anthropocentrism then, is that it has a narrow view of what maintains the â€Å"well-being† of humans. The other extreme environmental ethic, biocentrism, calls for all life forms to be treated as though they possess the same moral standing. Contrary to anthropocentrism, biocentrism says that all life is good in and of itself. It argues that no living thing is more valuable than another. This perspective is often criticized for ignoring the reality that life survives by feeding on life. In the case of the spotted owl, biocentrism would say that the owl should be preserved, not merely because its value can be measured in more than dollars, but because it shares the same rights as that of human, including the right to life. The radicalism of this view is difficult to understand when trying to compare it with a more moderate view, like the third possible ethic, ecocentrism, because both recognize importance in preserving say, the life of the spotted owl. It is important to note therefore, that to align with the biocentrism ethic would be to go against many aspects of modern life, principally, the necessity of surviving on other life. Research Papers on Environmental Ethics and Policy Essay - Biology Research Paper (200 Level Course)Genetic EngineeringRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andPETSTEL analysis of IndiaMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresBringing Democracy to AfricaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self

Explain the differences between a group and a team Essay

Explain the differences between a group and a team - Essay Example To describe it briefly, it will be suffice to say that all teams are form of work group but not all groups are teams. There are several fundamental principles that distinguish the two. First is accountability. In groups, members are individually accountable within the group; they have to be alert from people within the group. In teams, however, individual accountability does exist but on a minimum level; teams are accountable mutually. Instead of reporting to one another or someone from amongst group, teams report to a higher authority. This means that teams are more united and open with each other. This also highlights the fact that usually groups work on lower levels while teams work at higher, more independent level in the hierarchy (Thornton, 2010). Secondly, members working in the group meet regularly to circulate information and discuss perspectives whereas team members just meet occasionally to make decision, plan, and solve any problems that arise in a meanwhile. This implies that team member share more trust than group members do, making them more self-reliant and confident of their own actions. Thirdly, group members work on individual goals while team members work on mutual goals. This shows more unity and togetherness that is shared by people working in the team. For instance, people in groups may work hard for promotion/to please their supervisors/ in order to get a pay upgrade but team members will worry less about such petty matters and try to get bigger tasks done. Fourthly, groups focus more on individual products while teams emphasize more on team products. Instead of getting their names high like in groups, team members focus more on efficiency and excellence, making merit the parameter for judgment. Next, groups have defined roles and responsibilities whereas team members are more liberal with these lines and feel free to share each other’s work. Lastly, in groups, manager, with little say from members, shapes the goals and tasks desi gned to achieve them. On the contrary, team leader brings the whole team together to shape the goals and delegate tasks on each member with their complete will. This gives a sense of ownership to the goal and creates a free environment where learning and creativity thrives (Levi, 2010). As the world is coming together to form a global village, it is important to embrace, appreciate and celebrate the diversity, which flourishes as people from across the world come together to accomplish goals of mutual interest. However, diversity is tough to handle since it requires a lot of compromise and patience to settle down with. Nonetheless, importance of diversity cannot be over-emphasized. With people from different backgrounds, religious views, ethnicities, social status, and education coming together on a common platform, the ideas generated, and discussions held are more multi-lateral and creative. In addition, the solutions found with diverse bodied thing tank are applicable to more tha n a single thinkers and work in more than a few conditions since its planners have put together their own personal experience in planning and critiquing it, refining into more applicable and garnishes the concept. On the other hand,

WEEK 8 470 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

WEEK 8 470 - Essay Example It is astonishing to know that the GDP of the world’s 47 poorest countries (approximately 570 million people) is far less when compared to the combined wealth of the world’s top ten wealthiest people.(Kroll, 2007).This wide gap can be bridged by strengthening the purchasing powers of the affected countries. According to Jack another area to tackle would be writing off debts owed by the poorest of countries. This would in essence enable the country to concentrate her resources to feeding her people and to put measures in place to curb poverty. On the same point Jill proposed technological assistance to the poorest countries. With improved technology and better farming practices, the yield per acre can go up to five-fold the current production rate. Another proposal by Jill to increase loans and funding to poorer countries was opposed by Joe. His reasoning was that giving loans without monitoring the money was in itself an act of futility. Indeed the poorest nations also ranked very high in corruption index. Controlled grants are so far the most viable solution in financial

Should Early Education Have Forgien Language Taught Essay

Should Early Education Have Forgien Language Taught - Essay Example These views were also turned upside down later by Peal and Lambert that showed how superior it is learning two languages in the early age than one (Peal & Lambert,1962) . They conducted various experiments for children who started learning a second language in their early childhood and compared it to their achievements and academic skills in their later life. It was prevalent in the research that they were no less efficient, skilled and knowledgeable than those who did not learn a second language. Â  It is very essential for children to fully acquire their first language as researches show that if they do not, they may have problems in becoming an academic professional and fully cultured in their second language. This is because of the interrelationship of language and cognitive growth. When parents use their first language that they know the best with their children there are less chances of the interruption of the cognitive growth of the children. The research further argues that whatever learnt in the first language either knowledge, organization, development, skills, academic literacy etc will be transferred to second language when learnt. Children expand their language learning depending on how often they use and practice it. Parents who communicate more often in their first language develop better linguistic skills ability to express their needs, ideas and feelings. If children do not acquire their first language, it may become a problem for them in the future to express their thoughts efficiently (Collier, 1992). However, other argues that when children learn all new information and knowledge in their second language in later life,... According to the paper some researchers argue that cognitive skills must be completely acquired before the brain is fully matured. Learning a second language at any age is an amazing experience in different ways but children have the most to gain from a wonderful quest. Children involuntarily believe that learning a second language is fun to explore and play around. Children who are bilingual have a bigger perspective of the world and see the bigger picture from different contexts. This paper approves that global village has affected children in a way that they are exposed to multicultural and multinational society. Children whether immigrants or non-immigrant get a chance to express their selves to an outer world which has learning a second language other than their mother tongue as the most important determinant for cross-cultural relationships. Also, people tend to learn a second language for better opportunities and exploration of the world. The whole discussion showed that it is better to learn the language earlier in children life which comes up with lot of ease, benefits and opportunities that cannot be attained if the second language is learnt at adolescent or adulthood. Moreover, researches also showed that learning a second language helps in exercising the brain which helps in better understanding of things, perspectives and memory storage. Thus, people who are bilingual or multilingual found to have better opportunities, academic skills and knowledge .

Effect of Product Placement in Films

Effect of Product Placement in Films CHAPTER II: Literature Review Product placement Product placement in movies is no new phenomenon as Lehu (2007), describes product placement as the location or more accurately the integration of a product or a brand into a film or televised series. This form of advertising has been around for sometime although its not traditional advertising it speaks to an audience in a different form of communication which is either in your face or subliminal messages. Product placement comes in a number of different forms including visual, audio and a combination of the two combined. Visual product placement Is a visual representation of a brand in a movie, This includes strategically positioning a brand in the background or being used by the actor of a scene, displaying a billboard or some other form of visual advertisement in a scene, and any other visual representation of a brand-name product without any relevant message or sounds on the audio track which draw attention to the product (Gupta Lord, 1998). An example of this is Daniel Craig u sing a Sony Vaio in the movie Casino Royal (2006). See Appendix A. Audio representation of a brand can be the mention of the product in script but not necessarily shown on screen for example the movie Wall Street (1987) where Martin Sheens character says to a server, Get this kid a Molson Light (Gupta Lord, 1998). In combining these two formats Gupta and Lord (1998) defines audio-visual placement as the visual appearance of a brand with a verbal mention of the brand name or a brand- relevant message for example The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas is seen and talked about in the movie Oceans eleven (2001) (Lehu 2007). Product placement, as a marketing tool, has many advantages due to its captive audience, the social nature that it is being viewed in and the lack of clutter, such as other advertisements (Dunnett Hoek, 1996). This form of communication is described as being an effective technique as Jhonson (2009) explains For subliminal suggestion to be effective an individual must be relaxed and open to suggestion. The subconscious mind is more open to suggestion when a person is relaxed. This practice has not gone without controversy, however, as its use is often debated by moviegoers and media experts. While some moviegoers feel that the use of product placement enhances a film by adding to its realism (Govani 1999). Others see the practice as an invasive one that sews itself a new seam in the blanket of brands that covers a strong consumer-based society (Phillips Purdie 1993). Some supporters of the practice argue that product placement allows them to relate to the characters (DeLorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999) Product placement strategy Strategy Dates back a few decades, in an example where Joan Crawford is drinking Jack Daniels whisky in the 1945 production Mildred pierce (Wasko 1995). Back in these earlier times product placement was a casual affair, property masters would contact a local Jack Daniels distributer asking for the product to be used in the film. Today the product placement is more deliberate and sophisticated, Divisions dedicated to paying to have their goods inserted strategically into movies are of the norm for large corporations this is to gain access to what is seen as a glamorous medium with a relatively captive audience. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are amongst a number of companies who have formed in house divisions dedicated directly to product placement or Hollywood advertising (Wasko 1995). The belief of companies associated with product placement is that if a movie grosses $50 million, the advertiser has reached an audience of 13.7 million in theatre viewers, assuming this the movie will likely sell in DVDS/Videos adding additional impressions per placement along with celebrity credibility bought by the use of the product. (Wasko 1995). Kardes (2008) adds to the argument by stating that When a brand is shown in a movie it is definitely seen but a broadcast commercial can be skipped via the fast forward button on a DVR. However narrative coherence can be disrupted by strategies used to market products. Music videos related to films is used as an example The promotion of some features is helped by the use of videos featuring music from the film, examples include Flashdance (1983) , Footloose (1984), Purple Rain (1984), staying alive (1983) and The Bodyguard (1992) (King 2002). In these films the excess created by the conjunction of music and image creates a module separa te from the narrative, working against the sequential structuring of the film. Product placement within the Hollywood film industry Product placement increased dramatically since the appearance of Reeses Pieces in the 1982 Movie E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial caused the sales of the product to increase by 68%. (Balasubramanian et al 2006). Today product placement in movies is highly noticeable. In the film Minority Report (2002) at least 15 brands where placed, including Nokia, Pepsi and Lexus. In Die Another Day (2002) there were cameos from Jaguar, Aston Martin and Thunderbird, which are all owned by the Ford motor group (Jobber 2004). However alongside soft drinks one of the most common products placed in movies are cars. BMW invested ÂÂ £20 million on the placement of its Z3 roadster within the movie Goldeneye (1995) and the use of other advertising media to support the placement and create awareness (Fill 2005) Gupta and lord (1998) focus on studies concerning recall of brands placed within movies that have been undertaken; they found that prominent placements achieved higher levels of recall. Morton and Friedman (2002) mention that any contact with a brand in a film will help influence purchasing decisions. It is argued by Joachimsthaler and Aker (1997) that visibility of brands are underestimated as it signals leadership, quality and success, people like to know brands even if they have never used them. This appears to indicate that the primary benefit of placement in movies is the increase of brand recognition. Consumer behaviour Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups or organisations and the process they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. (Sharma, A. 2006). The study of consumer behaviour helps organisations improve their marketing strategies by understanding the psychology behind consumer thoughts, feelings and by understanding his or her environment all which have an effect on the action towards a brand or product. Tyagi and Kumar (2004) state that there is a relationship between consumer behaviour and his attitudes, communication with him and how to motivate him. Family, social and cultural dimensions of consumer behaviour have a role to play. Product placement isnt about sales its about brand awareness claims expert Samuel Turcotte. (Galician 2004). Whilst awareness may be generated attitudes and perception also start to form towards the brand. Attitude formation can be on the bases of cognitive responses to stimuli or information of other sources; cognitive thoughts are responses we have to a communication. Positive thoughts will generally have a positive affect on attitudes whereas negative thoughts will have negative attitude formation (Hoyer Macinnis, 2008). Age has another implication on attitudes and perceptions of product placement. In their 1999 study, DeLorme, Reid, and Zimmer interviewed younger audiences (aged 18-21) and older audiences (aged 35-48) in a bid to compare different views on product placement. A number of focus groups resulted in the finding of distinct and diverse perspectives among many of the study samples. According to their research, (DeLorme, Reid, and Zimmer 1999) found that older audiences generally perceive product placements as implications of a changing society and the current use of product placement was an indication of a major cultural shift, according to the study older moviegoers associated brand props with feelings of insecurity, frustration, and fear of change (DeLorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999, p.24) various examples of such feelings were provided. On the other hand younger moviegoers perceive product placement as Associated with an invitation to cultural belonging and feelings of emotional security. (De Lorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999, p. 28) The younger generation grew up in a consumer-based society that is bombarded with advertisements and other promotional items, the younger generation does not generally place a heavy emphasis on product placements. However viewers are generally positive about the placement of product in movies. GÃÆ'Â ¼nnemann (2008) explains that product placement for the automobile industry can positively affect consumers perception of certain automobile brands image as a purchasing factor. He also looked at preference of product placement over advertising for automobiles, which showed European consumers have greater preference of product placement than their American and Asian counterparts where as American consumers on the other hand are the strongest proponents of product placement being more authentic than advertising, whilst Asian consumers have the lowest value in both categories. A study by Nebenzahl, Secunda (1993) on the attitude of film audiences showed that the majority of those interviewed preferred product placement over other forms of promotions because it was unobtrusively integrated into the film. The small minority who object are on ethical grounds. They perceive product placement as a clandestine approach which deludes the consumer and they believe this practice should be forbidden. (Pattyn, 2000). Brand Association: Contexts and Celebrities Williams (2004) shows that placements are contextually integrated and therefore are non-invasive, placement are therefore seen as an experience rather than an advertisement. Contextual integration can be achieved by product placement through character development and plot advancement in films, and product placement can also offer the chance of celebrity endorsement. Nelson and McLeod (2005) show that the credibility of an advertisement depends on the sources credibility; differing views on differing sources can alter the way in which a brand is perceived. The use of celebrities has the ability to influence the source credibility of a brand (Sawyer 2006). This can be achieved by tapping into the celebritys equity (Zyman 2002). Such use of celebrities or actors enables their personality to rub off on the product. (Rust and Varki 1996). This will have the effect of enhancing the brand personality. The use of a highly credible and recognised person can therefore influence levels of exper tise and trust worthiness. Ohanian (1991) found that the perceived expertise of celebritys actually increased purchase intentions, even though the celebrity may have no actual knowledge of the product. It appears here that the product placement allows the attractiveness of a brand to be increased through association with a particular individual, even if that individual would have little actual knowledge or expertise in relation to the product or brand. Ethicality behind product placement Gupta and Gould (1997) define ethically-charged products (or emotionally charged products) as products which especially arouse ethical concern and differences across consumers regarding their marketing and consumption the practice of product placement is sometimes referred to as unethical since audiences are rarely informed that they are watching paid advertising when they presume they are watching creative programming playing on peoples susceptibility (Plaisance 2009). The common ethical concern in many articles is the notion that product placement constitutes a form of subliminal advertising, since products are integrated into films, but no disclaimer is present that warns the viewer of any form of advertising in the film (Gupta Gould, 1997; Snyder, 1992; Nebenzahl Secunda,1993). The practice of product placement could be described as misleading as advertisers interest and intention to influence the viewer may be concealed behind something else, in the case of movies, the context of the story. Among the most controversial subjects, however, is the use of ethically-charged products in film. The most common discussed are the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and guns, this due to the potentially harmful implications their exposure can have on someone. A 1997 study shows some individuals impressions of such placements in films. The study measures undergraduate college students views regarding the acceptability of placing cigarettes, alcohol, and guns in movies. Results indicate that the acceptability of cigarettes, alcohol, and guns are 41.3%, 60.3%, and 38.7%, respectively (Gupta Gould, 1997). There is much concern over cigarette brands being placed in movies, a common argument cites a mandate made and enforced by the United States Surgeon General. It requires that all cigarette ads feature a health warning, making known the products potential hazards to the viewer. Surgeon General health warnings, however, are not found on films that feature these placements (Basil, 1997). Another common concern is that the use of these products will encourage the movies viewers to adopt smoking as a habit. (Basil 1997) and Everett, Schnuth, and Tribble (1998) cite Social Cognitive Theory in their respective articles. This states that through observation we learn a lot. Since moviegoers are actors smoking cigarettes (and in some cases adopting specific brands), and since this is usually portrayed in movies as glamorous the moviegoers may possibly be drawn to the habit (Basil,1997; Everett, Schnuth, Tribble, 1998). Research objectives Investigate attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of viewers towards products and brands after exposure to product placement in movies. Analyse viewers opinions on the ethical issues of product placement in movies. Examine the role of products in movies as a strategic marketing tool. CHAPTER III: Methodology This chapter refines and justifies the methodology deployed in this study. The process for gathering data focused more on that of a qualitative strategy however a quantitative means was also implemented, with the focus on consumer research and understanding consumer thoughts and feelings. The research identified issues such as why consumers have the attitude or perception towards a product or brand which they have experienced through viewing product placement in movies, underlining issues such as acknowledgement, deciphering the message, and even perceptions and attitudes that are based on emotional and cultural feelings sometimes we have a favourable attitude toward an offering simply because it feels good or seems right (Hoyer Macinnis 2008). The quantitative approach was in the form of a questionnaire distributed to 18-25 year olds, the questionnaires allowed data from the focus groups to be tested and extended by from input from a wider range of participents, results are discussed in chapter 4. Qualitative approach Focus groups Focus groups are a form of group interviewing that allows data to be generated through the benefit of communication between research participants (Pope Mays). The qualitative approach was incorporated because of its ability to capitalise on group interaction that provided distinctive types of data. This study is based on consumer attitude and perceptions towards products placement and arising ethical issues, therefore it is only suited that this approach was used as it allows for deeper discussion to take place with point of views coming across from different backgrounds and cultural values and group norms are emphasised. using a qualitative focus groups would produce a greater depth of information rather than just relying on the questionaire with pre-determined responses The two focus groups were used to achieve the following: Investigate attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of viewers towards products and brands after exposure to product placement in movies. Analyse viewers opinions on the ethical issues of product placement in movies. Participants Two focus groups were conducted in an attempt to gather data on consumer attitudes and perceptions and the other on a discussion around ethics. Both focus groups followed the same procedure however groups were split into two, Group A and Group B. This was done to ensure that every subject got the chance to participate and wasnt overshadowed by the over enthusiastic; small groups offer more of an opportunity for people to talk and are more practical to set up and manage (Litosseliti 2003). 6 individuals were selected for each group, Participants from Both Group A and B were selected on the bases of being from different cultural backgrounds and being socially connected. This is because it is important to understand that cultural backgrounds can have an effect on opinions, and it maximises the possibility of exploring the subject from different perspectives (Kitzinger 1995 cited in Litosseliti 2003 P4). It was important for participants to be socially connected to ensure good group dyna mics, this helped the participants be more comfortable and open towards discussion. The selection criteria was18-25 male and females, Gupta and Gould (1997) noted that many products possess gender identifications (p.39). The researchers hypothesized that males generate more favourable responses to products that are depicted as possessing masculine qualities. Therefore the ratio of male to female will be 50:50. This will allow data to be gathered and discussed from both point of views. The advantages of focus groups as shown by Patton (1990) are the checking that takes place within the group that eliminates false views and it is easy to establish consistent views. Group A focused on discussion and questions targeted towards viewers attitudes and perceptions whilst Group B was a discussion on ethical issues. Both groups were shown two movies in one sitting this was time efficient as opposed to showing both movies twice. The movies shown were Iron Man 2 (2010) and Transformers (2007), the movies were chosen for the large amount of products placed with over 45 placements in each movie. The movies were shown in whole as opposed to clips containing products placed, this was to show the product placements in the context of the movie rather than showing clips where the products were dominant. Showing clips of the movie where products were dominant would have emphasised on the product this could have misrepresent the findings as the goal was to evaluate them within the who le movie experience. At the end of both movies the discussion commenced on consumer attitudes and perceptions with Group A, followed by the discussion with Group B on ethical issues. Participents were encouraged to use product placement in other movies as well as the two shown as examples for discussion if they could recall them and the discussion was not based entirely on the movies shown. This allowed participents to discuss product placement that may have been potryaed in a different fashion for example: the use of different actors, characters or setting. It was taken into consideration that the time difference between conducted Group A and B could have an impact on the level of debate given that Group B had to wait, however all participants were University students on the same campus and the study was conducted on University grounds giving the other group time to go elsewhere and continue with other activities whilst they waited. There were a set number of questions used for each focus group and Each individual was required to participate and provide some input to increase the depth of discussion. A simple format of question then discussion was used, questions that arose from discussion would keep the conversation flowing. Conversation flowed freely in order to discover what the subjects found to be interesting and to explore wider attitudes but conversation was re-directed by the moderator when it was felt to be unproductive or pointless (Bryman 2004). It was made clear to participants prior to the discussion that there was no right or wrong answer in an effort to remove social desirability, what the respondent thinks they should say rather than feel (Black 1999). Both discussions were recorded using a CD recorder and were later analysed with key points noted for each discussion. A full play by play transcription was not practical due to the large amount of dialogue and it is felt that a full transcript woul d have broken up narrative flow, however a shorter version of the transcript highlighting key points and questions asked is available in the appendix (())))) by noting key points only it is felt that analysing content is much easier, Bryman (2001) claims that transcribing and coding leads to a loss of context. Quantitative research Questionnaires Questionnaires allow the participant to respond to a set number of questions, questions can be open ended or closed ended, and for the purpose of this particular research aspect closed ended questions were used. A closed ended question is amicable when the dimensions of a variable have been diagnosed. Closed ended questions expose participants to the same response categories and allow standardized quantitative statistical analysis (Johnson Christensen 2010). The purpose of the questionnaire was to expand further on the data that was concluded from the focus groups (this will be discussed further in chapter 4). The questionaires focused on getting participant responses for the purpose of conformatory research (Johnson Christensen 2010) in which specific data from the focus groups was tested. This gave the results more creadability and the questionnaire would allow the study to benefit from areas of investigation that the focus groups may have failed to answer or provide enough infor mation on. 100 questionnaires were distributed around university campuses as this was the most convienent location to find participents that meet the 18-25 demographic, however it was guaranteed that that all participents would be of the age 15 questions were composed and pre, the questionnaire can be viewed in the appendix (p)))) One to one interviews Interviews will aim to meet objective The research method that will be used here is one to one interviews with either product placement agencies or companies such as Sony. These interviews will be telephone based as availability to meet face to face with businesses is a little tricky given the time frame. Given the tendency for businesses to turn down students the agency or business that is to be selected will depend on the rate at which each representative replies. The Interviews will allow these companies to convey product placement from a strategic point of view and explain the practice from their own situation, perspective and in their own words. The interviews are based on not only conversation of product placement but with an aim to generate responses from the interviewee on intended consumer behaviour. The procedure will be to follow a script for the interview investigation which can be outlined by characterising a methodological awareness of questions, a focus on the dynamics of interaction between interviewer and interviewee, and also critical attention to what is said. CHAPTER IV: Results, analysis and discussion Introduction This chapter will focus on presenting and discussing the findings from the research conducted. Due to the large amount of field work that was employed for the purpose of the study, results from both the focus groups and the questionnaires will be compared and contrasted leading to the denouement of the findings. Analysis will be based on the most pertinent data that was found. qualitative researchers needs to communicate the findings in an honest and systematic manner, disseminating the richness of the findings and hence the experience of the researchers. (Easterby-Smith et al. 2002). Discussion has been categorised in three sections, each section will address the research objectives of this study and how the findings have helped in achieving those objectives. Attitudes and perceptions towards product placement will be analysed and discussed first highlighting the points that were extracted from both quantitative and qualitative research, followed by the discussion on ethical issues towards product placement practice. Finally the interview with the industry specialist will be discussed, analysing the role of product placement in moves as a strategic marketing tool. The data that formed this discussion can be viewed in the appendix ( ) Consumer attitudes and perceptions The first area of study was the attitudes and perceptions of viewers between the ages of 18-25 towards product placement in Hollywood movies and the products or brands that are being placed. Brand recall The first focus group identified that it was hard to recall a lot of the products that were placed within the movies. It was felt that this is because of the large amount of placements in the movies to begin with. participants claimed that they could only recall the placements that were dominant and showed a stronger on screen presence than other brands or products. Amongst the placements that were most effective were car brands, it was made clear that cars were amongst the top to be noticed because its repetition in the movies made it a strong focus of the overall viewing experience. The most noticeable examples were Audi in Iron Man 2 and Cadillac in Transformers. brands in other movies were also identified as being memorable such as Toyota In fast and furious and Aston Martin in Die Another Day. Brands that somehow were incorporated into the story of the movie had greater recognition; this is because they stood out more. As mentioned in chapter 2, prominent placements achieve high er levels of recall in movies (Gupta and lord 1998). Other placements that were regarded as being effective in terms of prominence were those that had audio presence as well as physical, Oracle and Vanity Affair from Iron Man 2 where amongst the ones that were recalled. Participants revealed that the audio presence and physical presence (placement being used) generated more attention as opposed to having a brand name in the foreground. A combined 66%percent of the respondents to the questionnaire that was carried out following the focus group agreed that products stand out more when a character uses or mentions the product/brand (see table.1). Whilst the recall of a brand is an important factor in how effective the placement is, the pace or complexity of the movie can cause a distraction from the placements. The focus group suggested that some of the placements were lost due to the pace of the movies shown. One participant commented that placements in the background of slower paced movies were more effective than those placed in action movies or those with a faster pace. It was later commented that products placed within faster paced movies needed to be emphasised on more to be noticed. It therefore appears that the genre of the movie will have an effect on the product placement with in it. The research suggests that viewers will have difficulty to recall brands/products that are placed in the background or foreground of a fast past movie. However if a product is used or mentioned by a character then this increases the chances of the viewer recall. On the other hand placements within slower paced movies are easier to recal l increasing brand awareness. This indicates that positioning of the product is a valuable consideration when the goal is to increase awareness Attitude product placement The overall suggestion from this study in regards to attitudes towards product placement within the movie is that the group members strongly appreciated the presence of products within movies. The research suggests that viewers acceptability of product placement within movies is on the basis that it enhances the realism of the movie by combining products that are seen on a daily bases. One example of this found in the Movie Iron Man 2 with the insertion of CNN and Larry King, the focus group agreed that these placements gave them the feeling that the event of the movie was taking place in our world as appose to a fantasy setting. They felt that these types of placements amplified the movies realism. The group compared the differences between having placements in movie to not having any. The findings suggested that having no product placement or having fictitious products in a movie reflected on the setting of the movie, it would create a fantasy world for viewers which was fine if it was a movie in the category of Lord of the Rings or Avatar. Williams (2004) suggested that product placements are contextually integrated into movies. Therefore It is important to note that placements are deemed to be acceptable by viewers because of the reflection these products have on real life. In the survey questionnaire that was carried out, a combined 63 out of 100 respondents agreed and strongly agreed that placements add to the realism of the movie (see table.2). TABLE 2: Viewers opinion on products adding realism to movies This confirms the findings from the focus group; however there are a large number of respondents that validate that they disagree with the statement. It is mentioned in the literature that some see product placement practice as an invasive one that sews itself a new seam in the blanket of brands that covers a strong consumer-based society (Phillips Purdie 1993). This is one suggestion as to why respondents to the survey questions may have disagreed. It could be argued that some viewers find placements invasive. however the findings from the focus group indicates that whilst placements add realism, the ones that appear without contributing to the story line or are emphasised in a way that seems to be out of context in regards to the movie can be described as annoying or blatant advertising. The views of the group were not that this was invasive but more or on the line of annoying. Examples that were noticeable were the Panasonic placement in Transformers. In a scene that was devoted to show a Branded memory chip, the character tilts the product towards the camera revealing the brand name. It was suggested that this had no association to the story line nor was it placed to emphasis realism; one participant described it as being an obvious plug. The common theme was the emphasis on the annoyance of pushy advertising, this research commends Balsubramanian et al (2006) who suggested that blatant placements have the ability to irritate. Therefore if product placement is to appear, the product needs to contribute to the content of the movie in order to generate positive attitudes and acceptability from the viewers. But it is important to distinguish between attitudes towards product placement practice (discussed here) and attitudes towards the brands being placed. This leads us to the next area of this study. Attitudes and perception towards brands In the previous paragraph we discussed the attitudes towards product placement; we will now discuss viewer attitudes and perceptions towards the product/brands that are placed. A common theme that was identified from the focus group discussion was that viewers did not generate a positive or negative attitude towards a product or brand because of the way it was placed in the movie. The findings from this study suggest that whilst awareness was created there was little change in attitudes towards the brands that were placed. one viewer generated a positive attitude towards the use of the Everlast in Iron Man 2 in a scene where Robert Downey Jr is boxing whilst exhibiting the branded clothing. The viewer associated with the bra Effect of Product Placement in Films Effect of Product Placement in Films CHAPTER II: Literature Review Product placement Product placement in movies is no new phenomenon as Lehu (2007), describes product placement as the location or more accurately the integration of a product or a brand into a film or televised series. This form of advertising has been around for sometime although its not traditional advertising it speaks to an audience in a different form of communication which is either in your face or subliminal messages. Product placement comes in a number of different forms including visual, audio and a combination of the two combined. Visual product placement Is a visual representation of a brand in a movie, This includes strategically positioning a brand in the background or being used by the actor of a scene, displaying a billboard or some other form of visual advertisement in a scene, and any other visual representation of a brand-name product without any relevant message or sounds on the audio track which draw attention to the product (Gupta Lord, 1998). An example of this is Daniel Craig u sing a Sony Vaio in the movie Casino Royal (2006). See Appendix A. Audio representation of a brand can be the mention of the product in script but not necessarily shown on screen for example the movie Wall Street (1987) where Martin Sheens character says to a server, Get this kid a Molson Light (Gupta Lord, 1998). In combining these two formats Gupta and Lord (1998) defines audio-visual placement as the visual appearance of a brand with a verbal mention of the brand name or a brand- relevant message for example The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas is seen and talked about in the movie Oceans eleven (2001) (Lehu 2007). Product placement, as a marketing tool, has many advantages due to its captive audience, the social nature that it is being viewed in and the lack of clutter, such as other advertisements (Dunnett Hoek, 1996). This form of communication is described as being an effective technique as Jhonson (2009) explains For subliminal suggestion to be effective an individual must be relaxed and open to suggestion. The subconscious mind is more open to suggestion when a person is relaxed. This practice has not gone without controversy, however, as its use is often debated by moviegoers and media experts. While some moviegoers feel that the use of product placement enhances a film by adding to its realism (Govani 1999). Others see the practice as an invasive one that sews itself a new seam in the blanket of brands that covers a strong consumer-based society (Phillips Purdie 1993). Some supporters of the practice argue that product placement allows them to relate to the characters (DeLorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999) Product placement strategy Strategy Dates back a few decades, in an example where Joan Crawford is drinking Jack Daniels whisky in the 1945 production Mildred pierce (Wasko 1995). Back in these earlier times product placement was a casual affair, property masters would contact a local Jack Daniels distributer asking for the product to be used in the film. Today the product placement is more deliberate and sophisticated, Divisions dedicated to paying to have their goods inserted strategically into movies are of the norm for large corporations this is to gain access to what is seen as a glamorous medium with a relatively captive audience. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are amongst a number of companies who have formed in house divisions dedicated directly to product placement or Hollywood advertising (Wasko 1995). The belief of companies associated with product placement is that if a movie grosses $50 million, the advertiser has reached an audience of 13.7 million in theatre viewers, assuming this the movie will likely sell in DVDS/Videos adding additional impressions per placement along with celebrity credibility bought by the use of the product. (Wasko 1995). Kardes (2008) adds to the argument by stating that When a brand is shown in a movie it is definitely seen but a broadcast commercial can be skipped via the fast forward button on a DVR. However narrative coherence can be disrupted by strategies used to market products. Music videos related to films is used as an example The promotion of some features is helped by the use of videos featuring music from the film, examples include Flashdance (1983) , Footloose (1984), Purple Rain (1984), staying alive (1983) and The Bodyguard (1992) (King 2002). In these films the excess created by the conjunction of music and image creates a module separa te from the narrative, working against the sequential structuring of the film. Product placement within the Hollywood film industry Product placement increased dramatically since the appearance of Reeses Pieces in the 1982 Movie E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial caused the sales of the product to increase by 68%. (Balasubramanian et al 2006). Today product placement in movies is highly noticeable. In the film Minority Report (2002) at least 15 brands where placed, including Nokia, Pepsi and Lexus. In Die Another Day (2002) there were cameos from Jaguar, Aston Martin and Thunderbird, which are all owned by the Ford motor group (Jobber 2004). However alongside soft drinks one of the most common products placed in movies are cars. BMW invested ÂÂ £20 million on the placement of its Z3 roadster within the movie Goldeneye (1995) and the use of other advertising media to support the placement and create awareness (Fill 2005) Gupta and lord (1998) focus on studies concerning recall of brands placed within movies that have been undertaken; they found that prominent placements achieved higher levels of recall. Morton and Friedman (2002) mention that any contact with a brand in a film will help influence purchasing decisions. It is argued by Joachimsthaler and Aker (1997) that visibility of brands are underestimated as it signals leadership, quality and success, people like to know brands even if they have never used them. This appears to indicate that the primary benefit of placement in movies is the increase of brand recognition. Consumer behaviour Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals, groups or organisations and the process they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. (Sharma, A. 2006). The study of consumer behaviour helps organisations improve their marketing strategies by understanding the psychology behind consumer thoughts, feelings and by understanding his or her environment all which have an effect on the action towards a brand or product. Tyagi and Kumar (2004) state that there is a relationship between consumer behaviour and his attitudes, communication with him and how to motivate him. Family, social and cultural dimensions of consumer behaviour have a role to play. Product placement isnt about sales its about brand awareness claims expert Samuel Turcotte. (Galician 2004). Whilst awareness may be generated attitudes and perception also start to form towards the brand. Attitude formation can be on the bases of cognitive responses to stimuli or information of other sources; cognitive thoughts are responses we have to a communication. Positive thoughts will generally have a positive affect on attitudes whereas negative thoughts will have negative attitude formation (Hoyer Macinnis, 2008). Age has another implication on attitudes and perceptions of product placement. In their 1999 study, DeLorme, Reid, and Zimmer interviewed younger audiences (aged 18-21) and older audiences (aged 35-48) in a bid to compare different views on product placement. A number of focus groups resulted in the finding of distinct and diverse perspectives among many of the study samples. According to their research, (DeLorme, Reid, and Zimmer 1999) found that older audiences generally perceive product placements as implications of a changing society and the current use of product placement was an indication of a major cultural shift, according to the study older moviegoers associated brand props with feelings of insecurity, frustration, and fear of change (DeLorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999, p.24) various examples of such feelings were provided. On the other hand younger moviegoers perceive product placement as Associated with an invitation to cultural belonging and feelings of emotional security. (De Lorme, Reid, Zimmer, 1999, p. 28) The younger generation grew up in a consumer-based society that is bombarded with advertisements and other promotional items, the younger generation does not generally place a heavy emphasis on product placements. However viewers are generally positive about the placement of product in movies. GÃÆ'Â ¼nnemann (2008) explains that product placement for the automobile industry can positively affect consumers perception of certain automobile brands image as a purchasing factor. He also looked at preference of product placement over advertising for automobiles, which showed European consumers have greater preference of product placement than their American and Asian counterparts where as American consumers on the other hand are the strongest proponents of product placement being more authentic than advertising, whilst Asian consumers have the lowest value in both categories. A study by Nebenzahl, Secunda (1993) on the attitude of film audiences showed that the majority of those interviewed preferred product placement over other forms of promotions because it was unobtrusively integrated into the film. The small minority who object are on ethical grounds. They perceive product placement as a clandestine approach which deludes the consumer and they believe this practice should be forbidden. (Pattyn, 2000). Brand Association: Contexts and Celebrities Williams (2004) shows that placements are contextually integrated and therefore are non-invasive, placement are therefore seen as an experience rather than an advertisement. Contextual integration can be achieved by product placement through character development and plot advancement in films, and product placement can also offer the chance of celebrity endorsement. Nelson and McLeod (2005) show that the credibility of an advertisement depends on the sources credibility; differing views on differing sources can alter the way in which a brand is perceived. The use of celebrities has the ability to influence the source credibility of a brand (Sawyer 2006). This can be achieved by tapping into the celebritys equity (Zyman 2002). Such use of celebrities or actors enables their personality to rub off on the product. (Rust and Varki 1996). This will have the effect of enhancing the brand personality. The use of a highly credible and recognised person can therefore influence levels of exper tise and trust worthiness. Ohanian (1991) found that the perceived expertise of celebritys actually increased purchase intentions, even though the celebrity may have no actual knowledge of the product. It appears here that the product placement allows the attractiveness of a brand to be increased through association with a particular individual, even if that individual would have little actual knowledge or expertise in relation to the product or brand. Ethicality behind product placement Gupta and Gould (1997) define ethically-charged products (or emotionally charged products) as products which especially arouse ethical concern and differences across consumers regarding their marketing and consumption the practice of product placement is sometimes referred to as unethical since audiences are rarely informed that they are watching paid advertising when they presume they are watching creative programming playing on peoples susceptibility (Plaisance 2009). The common ethical concern in many articles is the notion that product placement constitutes a form of subliminal advertising, since products are integrated into films, but no disclaimer is present that warns the viewer of any form of advertising in the film (Gupta Gould, 1997; Snyder, 1992; Nebenzahl Secunda,1993). The practice of product placement could be described as misleading as advertisers interest and intention to influence the viewer may be concealed behind something else, in the case of movies, the context of the story. Among the most controversial subjects, however, is the use of ethically-charged products in film. The most common discussed are the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and guns, this due to the potentially harmful implications their exposure can have on someone. A 1997 study shows some individuals impressions of such placements in films. The study measures undergraduate college students views regarding the acceptability of placing cigarettes, alcohol, and guns in movies. Results indicate that the acceptability of cigarettes, alcohol, and guns are 41.3%, 60.3%, and 38.7%, respectively (Gupta Gould, 1997). There is much concern over cigarette brands being placed in movies, a common argument cites a mandate made and enforced by the United States Surgeon General. It requires that all cigarette ads feature a health warning, making known the products potential hazards to the viewer. Surgeon General health warnings, however, are not found on films that feature these placements (Basil, 1997). Another common concern is that the use of these products will encourage the movies viewers to adopt smoking as a habit. (Basil 1997) and Everett, Schnuth, and Tribble (1998) cite Social Cognitive Theory in their respective articles. This states that through observation we learn a lot. Since moviegoers are actors smoking cigarettes (and in some cases adopting specific brands), and since this is usually portrayed in movies as glamorous the moviegoers may possibly be drawn to the habit (Basil,1997; Everett, Schnuth, Tribble, 1998). Research objectives Investigate attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of viewers towards products and brands after exposure to product placement in movies. Analyse viewers opinions on the ethical issues of product placement in movies. Examine the role of products in movies as a strategic marketing tool. CHAPTER III: Methodology This chapter refines and justifies the methodology deployed in this study. The process for gathering data focused more on that of a qualitative strategy however a quantitative means was also implemented, with the focus on consumer research and understanding consumer thoughts and feelings. The research identified issues such as why consumers have the attitude or perception towards a product or brand which they have experienced through viewing product placement in movies, underlining issues such as acknowledgement, deciphering the message, and even perceptions and attitudes that are based on emotional and cultural feelings sometimes we have a favourable attitude toward an offering simply because it feels good or seems right (Hoyer Macinnis 2008). The quantitative approach was in the form of a questionnaire distributed to 18-25 year olds, the questionnaires allowed data from the focus groups to be tested and extended by from input from a wider range of participents, results are discussed in chapter 4. Qualitative approach Focus groups Focus groups are a form of group interviewing that allows data to be generated through the benefit of communication between research participants (Pope Mays). The qualitative approach was incorporated because of its ability to capitalise on group interaction that provided distinctive types of data. This study is based on consumer attitude and perceptions towards products placement and arising ethical issues, therefore it is only suited that this approach was used as it allows for deeper discussion to take place with point of views coming across from different backgrounds and cultural values and group norms are emphasised. using a qualitative focus groups would produce a greater depth of information rather than just relying on the questionaire with pre-determined responses The two focus groups were used to achieve the following: Investigate attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of viewers towards products and brands after exposure to product placement in movies. Analyse viewers opinions on the ethical issues of product placement in movies. Participants Two focus groups were conducted in an attempt to gather data on consumer attitudes and perceptions and the other on a discussion around ethics. Both focus groups followed the same procedure however groups were split into two, Group A and Group B. This was done to ensure that every subject got the chance to participate and wasnt overshadowed by the over enthusiastic; small groups offer more of an opportunity for people to talk and are more practical to set up and manage (Litosseliti 2003). 6 individuals were selected for each group, Participants from Both Group A and B were selected on the bases of being from different cultural backgrounds and being socially connected. This is because it is important to understand that cultural backgrounds can have an effect on opinions, and it maximises the possibility of exploring the subject from different perspectives (Kitzinger 1995 cited in Litosseliti 2003 P4). It was important for participants to be socially connected to ensure good group dyna mics, this helped the participants be more comfortable and open towards discussion. The selection criteria was18-25 male and females, Gupta and Gould (1997) noted that many products possess gender identifications (p.39). The researchers hypothesized that males generate more favourable responses to products that are depicted as possessing masculine qualities. Therefore the ratio of male to female will be 50:50. This will allow data to be gathered and discussed from both point of views. The advantages of focus groups as shown by Patton (1990) are the checking that takes place within the group that eliminates false views and it is easy to establish consistent views. Group A focused on discussion and questions targeted towards viewers attitudes and perceptions whilst Group B was a discussion on ethical issues. Both groups were shown two movies in one sitting this was time efficient as opposed to showing both movies twice. The movies shown were Iron Man 2 (2010) and Transformers (2007), the movies were chosen for the large amount of products placed with over 45 placements in each movie. The movies were shown in whole as opposed to clips containing products placed, this was to show the product placements in the context of the movie rather than showing clips where the products were dominant. Showing clips of the movie where products were dominant would have emphasised on the product this could have misrepresent the findings as the goal was to evaluate them within the who le movie experience. At the end of both movies the discussion commenced on consumer attitudes and perceptions with Group A, followed by the discussion with Group B on ethical issues. Participents were encouraged to use product placement in other movies as well as the two shown as examples for discussion if they could recall them and the discussion was not based entirely on the movies shown. This allowed participents to discuss product placement that may have been potryaed in a different fashion for example: the use of different actors, characters or setting. It was taken into consideration that the time difference between conducted Group A and B could have an impact on the level of debate given that Group B had to wait, however all participants were University students on the same campus and the study was conducted on University grounds giving the other group time to go elsewhere and continue with other activities whilst they waited. There were a set number of questions used for each focus group and Each individual was required to participate and provide some input to increase the depth of discussion. A simple format of question then discussion was used, questions that arose from discussion would keep the conversation flowing. Conversation flowed freely in order to discover what the subjects found to be interesting and to explore wider attitudes but conversation was re-directed by the moderator when it was felt to be unproductive or pointless (Bryman 2004). It was made clear to participants prior to the discussion that there was no right or wrong answer in an effort to remove social desirability, what the respondent thinks they should say rather than feel (Black 1999). Both discussions were recorded using a CD recorder and were later analysed with key points noted for each discussion. A full play by play transcription was not practical due to the large amount of dialogue and it is felt that a full transcript woul d have broken up narrative flow, however a shorter version of the transcript highlighting key points and questions asked is available in the appendix (())))) by noting key points only it is felt that analysing content is much easier, Bryman (2001) claims that transcribing and coding leads to a loss of context. Quantitative research Questionnaires Questionnaires allow the participant to respond to a set number of questions, questions can be open ended or closed ended, and for the purpose of this particular research aspect closed ended questions were used. A closed ended question is amicable when the dimensions of a variable have been diagnosed. Closed ended questions expose participants to the same response categories and allow standardized quantitative statistical analysis (Johnson Christensen 2010). The purpose of the questionnaire was to expand further on the data that was concluded from the focus groups (this will be discussed further in chapter 4). The questionaires focused on getting participant responses for the purpose of conformatory research (Johnson Christensen 2010) in which specific data from the focus groups was tested. This gave the results more creadability and the questionnaire would allow the study to benefit from areas of investigation that the focus groups may have failed to answer or provide enough infor mation on. 100 questionnaires were distributed around university campuses as this was the most convienent location to find participents that meet the 18-25 demographic, however it was guaranteed that that all participents would be of the age 15 questions were composed and pre, the questionnaire can be viewed in the appendix (p)))) One to one interviews Interviews will aim to meet objective The research method that will be used here is one to one interviews with either product placement agencies or companies such as Sony. These interviews will be telephone based as availability to meet face to face with businesses is a little tricky given the time frame. Given the tendency for businesses to turn down students the agency or business that is to be selected will depend on the rate at which each representative replies. The Interviews will allow these companies to convey product placement from a strategic point of view and explain the practice from their own situation, perspective and in their own words. The interviews are based on not only conversation of product placement but with an aim to generate responses from the interviewee on intended consumer behaviour. The procedure will be to follow a script for the interview investigation which can be outlined by characterising a methodological awareness of questions, a focus on the dynamics of interaction between interviewer and interviewee, and also critical attention to what is said. CHAPTER IV: Results, analysis and discussion Introduction This chapter will focus on presenting and discussing the findings from the research conducted. Due to the large amount of field work that was employed for the purpose of the study, results from both the focus groups and the questionnaires will be compared and contrasted leading to the denouement of the findings. Analysis will be based on the most pertinent data that was found. qualitative researchers needs to communicate the findings in an honest and systematic manner, disseminating the richness of the findings and hence the experience of the researchers. (Easterby-Smith et al. 2002). Discussion has been categorised in three sections, each section will address the research objectives of this study and how the findings have helped in achieving those objectives. Attitudes and perceptions towards product placement will be analysed and discussed first highlighting the points that were extracted from both quantitative and qualitative research, followed by the discussion on ethical issues towards product placement practice. Finally the interview with the industry specialist will be discussed, analysing the role of product placement in moves as a strategic marketing tool. The data that formed this discussion can be viewed in the appendix ( ) Consumer attitudes and perceptions The first area of study was the attitudes and perceptions of viewers between the ages of 18-25 towards product placement in Hollywood movies and the products or brands that are being placed. Brand recall The first focus group identified that it was hard to recall a lot of the products that were placed within the movies. It was felt that this is because of the large amount of placements in the movies to begin with. participants claimed that they could only recall the placements that were dominant and showed a stronger on screen presence than other brands or products. Amongst the placements that were most effective were car brands, it was made clear that cars were amongst the top to be noticed because its repetition in the movies made it a strong focus of the overall viewing experience. The most noticeable examples were Audi in Iron Man 2 and Cadillac in Transformers. brands in other movies were also identified as being memorable such as Toyota In fast and furious and Aston Martin in Die Another Day. Brands that somehow were incorporated into the story of the movie had greater recognition; this is because they stood out more. As mentioned in chapter 2, prominent placements achieve high er levels of recall in movies (Gupta and lord 1998). Other placements that were regarded as being effective in terms of prominence were those that had audio presence as well as physical, Oracle and Vanity Affair from Iron Man 2 where amongst the ones that were recalled. Participants revealed that the audio presence and physical presence (placement being used) generated more attention as opposed to having a brand name in the foreground. A combined 66%percent of the respondents to the questionnaire that was carried out following the focus group agreed that products stand out more when a character uses or mentions the product/brand (see table.1). Whilst the recall of a brand is an important factor in how effective the placement is, the pace or complexity of the movie can cause a distraction from the placements. The focus group suggested that some of the placements were lost due to the pace of the movies shown. One participant commented that placements in the background of slower paced movies were more effective than those placed in action movies or those with a faster pace. It was later commented that products placed within faster paced movies needed to be emphasised on more to be noticed. It therefore appears that the genre of the movie will have an effect on the product placement with in it. The research suggests that viewers will have difficulty to recall brands/products that are placed in the background or foreground of a fast past movie. However if a product is used or mentioned by a character then this increases the chances of the viewer recall. On the other hand placements within slower paced movies are easier to recal l increasing brand awareness. This indicates that positioning of the product is a valuable consideration when the goal is to increase awareness Attitude product placement The overall suggestion from this study in regards to attitudes towards product placement within the movie is that the group members strongly appreciated the presence of products within movies. The research suggests that viewers acceptability of product placement within movies is on the basis that it enhances the realism of the movie by combining products that are seen on a daily bases. One example of this found in the Movie Iron Man 2 with the insertion of CNN and Larry King, the focus group agreed that these placements gave them the feeling that the event of the movie was taking place in our world as appose to a fantasy setting. They felt that these types of placements amplified the movies realism. The group compared the differences between having placements in movie to not having any. The findings suggested that having no product placement or having fictitious products in a movie reflected on the setting of the movie, it would create a fantasy world for viewers which was fine if it was a movie in the category of Lord of the Rings or Avatar. Williams (2004) suggested that product placements are contextually integrated into movies. Therefore It is important to note that placements are deemed to be acceptable by viewers because of the reflection these products have on real life. In the survey questionnaire that was carried out, a combined 63 out of 100 respondents agreed and strongly agreed that placements add to the realism of the movie (see table.2). TABLE 2: Viewers opinion on products adding realism to movies This confirms the findings from the focus group; however there are a large number of respondents that validate that they disagree with the statement. It is mentioned in the literature that some see product placement practice as an invasive one that sews itself a new seam in the blanket of brands that covers a strong consumer-based society (Phillips Purdie 1993). This is one suggestion as to why respondents to the survey questions may have disagreed. It could be argued that some viewers find placements invasive. however the findings from the focus group indicates that whilst placements add realism, the ones that appear without contributing to the story line or are emphasised in a way that seems to be out of context in regards to the movie can be described as annoying or blatant advertising. The views of the group were not that this was invasive but more or on the line of annoying. Examples that were noticeable were the Panasonic placement in Transformers. In a scene that was devoted to show a Branded memory chip, the character tilts the product towards the camera revealing the brand name. It was suggested that this had no association to the story line nor was it placed to emphasis realism; one participant described it as being an obvious plug. The common theme was the emphasis on the annoyance of pushy advertising, this research commends Balsubramanian et al (2006) who suggested that blatant placements have the ability to irritate. Therefore if product placement is to appear, the product needs to contribute to the content of the movie in order to generate positive attitudes and acceptability from the viewers. But it is important to distinguish between attitudes towards product placement practice (discussed here) and attitudes towards the brands being placed. This leads us to the next area of this study. Attitudes and perception towards brands In the previous paragraph we discussed the attitudes towards product placement; we will now discuss viewer attitudes and perceptions towards the product/brands that are placed. A common theme that was identified from the focus group discussion was that viewers did not generate a positive or negative attitude towards a product or brand because of the way it was placed in the movie. The findings from this study suggest that whilst awareness was created there was little change in attitudes towards the brands that were placed. one viewer generated a positive attitude towards the use of the Everlast in Iron Man 2 in a scene where Robert Downey Jr is boxing whilst exhibiting the branded clothing. The viewer associated with the bra

How Magnets Affect Computer Disks :: essays research papers

How Magnets Affect Computer Disks BackGround One of the most commonly used Computer data storaged mediums is a Computer Disk or a Floppy. These are used in everyday life, in either our workplace or at home. These disks have many purposes, such as: Storing data: Floppies can be used to store software/data for short preiods of time, Transferring data: Floppies are used to transfer/copy data from one computer to another. Hiding data: Floppies are also sometimes used to hide sensitive or confidential data, because of the disk's small size it can be hidden very easily. Advertising: Because floppies are cheap to buy, they are used to advertise different types of software, such as: Software for the internet advertised on America Online Floppies. Floppies are also considered to be very sensitve data storage mediums. These Disks have numerous advantages and disadvanteges. Even though floppies are used so commonly they are also not very dependable. They have numerous conditions under which they should normally be kept. For example: the actuall magnetic disk inside the hard cover of the disk must NEVER be touched, the magnetic disk inside, must be protected by the metallic sliding shield, the disk must always be within the temperature of 50Â ° to 140Â ° Fahrenheit and the disk must never be bought near a magnet! (3M Diskettes) There are many such hazards to computer disks. Problems caused by magnets are very common. A floppy can be damaged unknowingly if it is kept near a magnet, that may be in the open or inside any device, such as a speaker phone in computer speakers or stereo or a telephone. And becuase of the common use of magnets in everyday life, more and more floppies are damaged everyday. Even though protective coverings against magnets and other electrical hazards, are available for floppies, they are not used very commonly. Therefore, floppies are not a very safe media for storage, even though they are convienient. Some of the most commonly used diskettes are by 3M and Sony and other such companies. The floppies are sold in boxes with instructions on them to not to bring floppies near magnets and other instructions of DOs and DONTs. These instructions must always be followed. Floppies have different capacities such as 720 KB (kilobytes) and 1.44 MB (megabytes). Floppies also have different sizes, 3.5" and 5.25". The most commonly used floppy is usually 3.5". It is not soft and cannot be bent, where as a 5.25" disk is soft and can be bent! A floppy is a round, flat piece of Mylar coated with ferric oxide, a rustlike substance containing tiny particles capable of holding a magnetic field, and

Cultural attitudes-Mice and Men Essay

The following essay looks at the cultural attitudes and values expressed by the members of the ranch and society in â€Å"Of mice and Men† by John Steinbeck, and how important it is to the main themes of the novella. The book was first published in nineteen thirty seven and is set during the great depression. Steinbeck based the story as his own experience as a bindle stiff. When looking at the relationship between men and women in the story, women are ignored. Curley’s wife is generally ignored, throughout the story. Curley and his wife spend most of the time looking for each other as several points in the novel, Curley’s wife asks â€Å"Have you seen Curley?† and vice versa for Curley. We are also able to see that the relationship between Curley and his wife isn’t a particularly a romantic and loving one as in many parts of the story we are able to see friction between the two; a prime example of this being when Curley’s wife angrily and furiously replies to a order from Curley by saying â€Å"You don’t own me!†. Conveying to us how women were looked down upon during the time of the novella. Throughout the story, as a in a male perspective Curley’s wife would seem flirtatious among the men and seeming sexual and persuading the men into having a relationship with her. However, in the view of a female reader she would be simply trying to make friends and more as an attempt to socialize rather than an attempt to flirt as Curley’s wife is lonely. As Curley’s wife herself states how lonely she feels on page 122 while in dialog with Lennie moments prior to her death : â€Å"I get lonely†¦. I cant talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?† We are thus able to understand how men would treat their wives, with no respect or dignity. The irony of the marriage of Curley and his wife is that they go looking for each other almost all the time and there is so many disputes in their relationship.Moreover,it also shows how lonely she is and also gives us an idea how women were generally treated during that period of time and also how ignored and isolated they were from society. On page 124 Curley’s wife explains how she almost realized her dream of being a Hollywood actress.She said she â€Å"met a guy, an’ was in the pitchers†¦Says I was a natural. Soon’s he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it.† Throughout the story Curley’s wife wears a cotton red dress and wears make up due to her aspirations of being a Hollywood actress.In reality Curley’s wife can’t achieve that much desired goal and most likely is never going to get there. Most importantly, Curley’s Wife is unable to meet her targets and achieve her ambitions simply because she is married to Curley. All she can do is just fantasize. The fact that she has to only just stay at home, cook, clean and go to bed with Curley is prevents her from reaching her potentially achievable dreams. This telling us that there was a lot of sexism involved in this period of time against women. Men could go out earn and do really whatever they like while women/wives had to stay at home and provide the men/husbands with their needs. Men’s attitudes towards women were selfish. Curley’s wife in the whole novella has to proper name in which she is referred to. She is just referred to in the book and other character’s as Curley’s wife and not a name; she has no identity in the novella. Women have no identity during this period of time, the fact the Curley’s wife has no name to be referred to really displays the ignorance and unawareness towards Women. When examining possession and money in the novella, it is clear the Boss of the ranch who holds the glory of wealth. The fact that he owns the ranch and has earned the wealth and business position he is in right now is due to his own hard work.The irony with his son Curley, is that on the hierarchy of power he would be placed second highest behind his father; he has not earned or not done anything in order to earn the power,money or respect. He is just inheriting it, he is the only person in the novella to achieve success in this effortless manner. Attitudes towards money were that if you had inherited wealth, that you would still have it regardless whether you deserved it or not. In the novella there is hardly any respect towards the elderly. Candy who is the oldest worker on the ranch and has lost one hand has only his dog as his companion, his dog is a parellel to him., they were both regarded as useless and redundant on the busy ranch. Carlson shows the disregard for him when he intends to kill Candy’s dog. Candy pleads with him and says â€Å"I’ve had him since he was a pup†. Throughout the argument between Candy and Carlson regarding Candy’s dog,Candy constantly expresses how much he wants the dog and how badly he wants to keep him by mentioning â€Å"No,I couldn’t do that. I had ‘im too long.† Candy has no real power in this situation due to his power on the ranch,his injured arm and old age.The fact the Carlson had in a matter of moments without even consideration taken away Candy’s only love and is only hope in his life shows the utter disregard and carelessness towards the elderly. Racism is seen in the novella as well. Crooks, who is the only African American is discriminated in many ways. He is referred to by his disability with the name: Crooks, due to his crooked back. Another term he is referred to is â€Å"nigger† due to his ethnicity, nigger which using the term nowadays could be a punishable offence. Crooks is separated from the rest of the ranch, he is made by the others to live in his own room.As a result this causes him to feel lonely as he mentions that â€Å"A gut neades somebody to be near him† and â€Å"A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody†. The irony with Crooks that although he is discriminated, he is the only work member on the ranch to have his own privacy. Furthermore, despite his discrimination,

Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire essays

Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire essays Character Analysis of Stanley Kowalski A Streetcar Named Desire revolves around the association of Blanche with Stanley, who represents contemporary social values driven by male dominance. He is violent and barbaric throughout the play, both in costuming (an element of spectacle) and in dialog (in this case, an expression of both diction and character). As the play progresses, Stanley uses every possible tool available to him to subjugate Blanche, including destroying any possible healthy relationship, ostracizing her, and finally raping her. In his first encounter with Blanche, Stanley is irritated because he knows she has been drinking his liquor. He senses an invasion of his territory by Blanche, who has taken something that belongs to him. Stanley welcomes her into the Kowalski home; however, that acceptance requires that Blanche acknowledge his authority. When he removes his shirt in this scene, it is not so much to titillate Blanche as to demonstrate his masculinity. Stanley's desire to dominate everyone around him finds its ultimate expression in his relationship to Blanche. That desire ignited in Act I. During their first confrontation, Stanley attempts repeatedly to intimidate Blanche into giving him the information he wants concerning the loss of Belle Reve. Initially however, Blanche responds only with flirtation and laughter and ultimately, with a long diatribe relieving her of responsibility for the loss, and bestowing all the legalities on to him. During the next scene, when Stanley physically intimidates Stella, showing his own physical prowess, Blanche attempts to take her away from him. In the course of the play he appears obsessed with finding Blanche's weakness; when he discovers that she has committed sexual indiscretions in Laurel and senses her feelings of guilt concerning them, he acts immediately. In the second confrontation between Blanche and Stanley we see another territorial dispute. Ignor...

History of Chechnya essays

History of Chechnya essays For the most part the people of Chechnya welcomed revolution of the tsar in the February 1917. The Union of the People of Caucasus involving Chechens was founded that spring. The Chechen society hoped this organization would provide national revival with new institutions under local rule. The Highlanders welcomed the Bolshevik slogans of individual freedom, freedom of faith, equality, land for farmers and the granting of the right for self-determination to the oppressed people and even secession. Beginning of Soviet rule in Chechnya Bolsheviks solved national and social issues as a part of the proletarian class struggle. Chechens received a tough regime alien to their traditions of social and economic system instead of the promised freedom, equality, land, independence, respect to national traditions and religion. A method of divide and rule was applied by the Bolsheviks which in turn started rivalry between various ethnic and religious groups of the highlanders society. The hostile villages were leveled to ground by artillery attacks and the people left were either executed or deported. The Bolsheviks forces more easily establish law and order in large the cities of Chechnya however they had difficulty controlling the mountain regions. Communists directed Ingushs against Chechens, Chechen highlanders against lowlanders. At the same time native Communists who enjoyed authority among people were appointed to leading posts in the party and the government. Under the pressure of the central party leaders the introduction of the Soviet style of life had been stepped up in Chechnya. Stalinist repression in the 1930s During the beginning of Stalins rule a large military operation was carried out in Chechnya in to disarm the autonomous region of Chechnya and capture the leaders of counter-revolution. An official report said that 333 rebels were killed and another 150 injured during the uprising. ...

CASE STUDY ON HAITIAN CULTURE Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

ON HAITIAN CULTURE - Case Study Example vies of homosexuality, possible reactions from Ronald’s parents, cultural congruent strategies to address in designing HIV prevention strategies in the Haitian community. The Haitian dominant culture is based on the Voodoo religion that accepts homosexuality. According to the culture, any sexual orientation is acceptable. There are however contemporary divergent views of homosexuality as some members of the culture are opposing homosexuality. Christian is however the basis of the opposition against homosexuality in the Haitian culture. Appert explains that Haitians have associated calamities that they face with the Voodoo culture and argued that a transition to Christian values would relinquish the nation’s calamities (2011, pp. 59, 60). Even though no legal provision prohibits homosexuality, very few Haitians support the sexual orientation and the religious orientation, about 80 percent of Haitians being Catholics, explains the little support. Homosexuals have also often faced persecution because of their sexual orientation (Podcast, 2013, pp. 1). If Ronald’s parents learnt of his HIV status and they were religious, they would condemn him for his promiscuous behavior, especially because the religious orientation does not support his sexual orientation. The fact that Ronald is not yet married would also identify his HIV status with sin, despite his sexual orientation. His parents would therefore have a negative attitude towards him for going against God’s commands. The fact that Haitians have associated calamities with sins would motivate the parents’ negative attitude because they would fear God’s wrath (Appert, 2011, pp. 59, 60). Religious command for forgiveness would however mediate the negative attitude, but a level of stigma is likely. Being traditional, Ronald’s parents would be indifferent regarding their son’s actins into contracting HIV because the traditional values accept all forms of sexual orientation. The liberal perspective would

Electoral College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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