Customer Loyalty Schemes in Automotive Sector

Customer Loyalty Schemes in Automotive Sector The creation of customer loyalty in the automotive sector Marketers push for brand loyalty, across all product ranges, from toothpaste to larger purchases such as a new car. Within the automobile industry there is little product differences in each segment, as partnerships, coalitions and takeovers bind manufacturers together. Each manufacturer is striving to obtain brand loyalty, not only at the point of purchase, through servicing the vehicle, supply parts and encouraging repurchases. This adds value to the organisation, and increases profits. Loyalty schemes have been a success in supermarkets and other retail outlets, can this form of marketing be transferred to the automotive industry. This paper sets out to review the current literature of the subject, discuss what loyalty schemes the automotive industry offers its customers, and to focus on one Manufacturer Volvo. Volvo have in the last decade turned around flagging sales, this was achieved through placing a higher value on their customers, who responded by increased usage of their service departments. 3.0 Introduction The ultimate obtainment for marketers would be for complete brand loyalty, across all product ranges, from toothpaste to larger purchases such as a new car. Although without any brand loyalty, organisations could not survive. So is it possible to increase brand loyalty through schemes that target the consumer? One of the hardest areas to increase brand loyalty is the automotive industry. Manufacturers are constantly offering discounts, free insurance, sales and other packages to attract new customers and to resell to existing consumers. Consumers expect a good service and deal as it will be their second largest purchase (a house being the first). The result of partnerships, coalitions and takeovers in the automobile industry has bonded manufacturers together. This has left very little product differentiation, with more marketing on the brand than product. Manufacturers have to look for different methods to attract customers. Each manufacturer is motivated to obtain brand loyalty, not only at the point of purchase, through servicing the vehicle, supply parts and encouraging repurchases. This adds value to the organisation, and increases profits. The added value can be the emotional tie the customer has with the brand. Customer loyalty is not a new notion, although it is now the focus of many PR actioners, retaining existing customers is more important than attracted new. If you lose your core customers a higher level of resources is required to maintain the same level of sales. Therefore it’s vital to maintain loyal customers to utilise economies of scales. Loyalty schemes have been a success in supermarkets and other retail outlets. Some schemes involve several brands collaborating to give the consumer a choice of where to spend. The question is can this form of marketing be transferred to the automotive industry. This paper sets out to review the current literature of the subject, discuss in general what loyalty schemes the automotive industry offers its customers, and to focus then on one Manufacturer Volvo. Volvo was chosen for this research as an example of using customer loyalty as a change agent to turn the organisation around. Brand loyalty is very strong with Volvo, although this did not correlate with the dealerships. Volvo has introduced methods to increase loyalty with their dealerships. They have taken loyalty a step further and strengthen all supply chains Volvo traditionally had a strong brand recognition, but went sales went into decline the organisation had to re-focus on core values. The methods that Volvo used to build the brand and to increase customer loyalty will be discussed, comparing them to the literature. We are loyal to brands; our degree differs as to how we value the closeness of the product. Can this be influence by strong marketing tactics? With such a large purchase as a vehicle can the manufacturers sway our opinion, or do we remain loyal to what we know and trust? 4.0 Methodology This chapter discusses the research methods used for the project and the justification for the choice of methods. It discusses methods that were not used, with justification of why they were not included. Included is a critique of methods selected, and with hindsight identifies any changes that would have enhanced the research. This paper evaluates brand loyalty within the automobile industry. Selection of the topic was stimulated and formed out of all manufacturers offering loyalty schemes; therefore could they individual schemes succeed. The nature of the research was discussed with colleagues and fellow students this not only added practical ideas and suggestions, it opened new avenues of thought. This was the discussed with lecturers sounding out ideas, gauging opinions and clarifying the question. Focusing in on the question was obtained by employing relevance trees, narrowing the research area. This gave direction tithe research, although with reviewing the literature this changed several times (Buzan, J. 1995). Next, a research proposal was compiled, with the benefit of organising ideas and setting a time-scale for research. Theoretically, the proposal would highlight any difficulties with the research question and access to data. Creating a time-scale would focus on targets and meet deadlines in the completion of the paper. The literature review, discussing theories and ideas that exist on the topic formed the foundation of the paper. The findings from the research are then tested on theories for validity (Saunders, M. et al1997). The literature review was challenging, there is very little academic research specifically on the topic area, although is a lot of research in the wider markets for example Supermarket loyalty schemes. Journals and books were the back bone for the review, together with internet sites. Tertiary data sources, such as library catalogues and indexes were used to scan for secondary data. This produced journals and newspaper articles, books and Internet addresses. With the amount of literature, it took time to sort out relevant material to the research. Narrowing down the search Bell’s (1993) six point’s parameters was applied. Applying key words that were identified in the first search produced relevant and up-to-date material (Bell, J.1993). A limitation on the literature search was the amount of time to read all articles and books on the subject. Whilst reviewing the literature references to other publications were followed and reviewed. Bells checklist on identifying the relevance of literature found was a practical method to reduce the amount of reading (Bell, J. 1993). Ethical considerations in research fall into three categories, during design, collection, and reporting of the data. These areas were carefully considered at all stages of the research (Oppenheim,A.1996:84). The data sought throughout the research should remain within the scope of the project (Saunders, M. et al 1997). Case studies of organisations that through varying factors have use customer loyalty schemes to improve market share have been reviewed and compared to the literature. The case studies discuss the organisations strategy in the use of the data they have collected. This information was gathered from secondary data and their web sites. To produce primary data on brand loyalty within the automobile industry proved to be a vast task, taking a lot of time to produce results. Internal and external operations of several organisations would have tube compared to reach any level of validity. Instead it was decide to review previously published case studies, interviews and surveys. This was then compared to the literature review. Other methods of data collection were considered and rejected. Focus groups would have offered free flowing information. This could have been facilitated with discussion led by the researcher. The idea was rejected due to the limited resources. The major limitation of the study lies in its relatively small sample size and the limited coverage. This was mainly attributable to the limited time and other resources available for the study. 5.0 Literature review This chapter will review and discuss all the relevant published material on brand loyalty. This starts of wide to gain insight into brands and the theory that has driven brand loyalty. 5.1 Brands Kotler (2000) described a brand as a â€Å"name, term, symbol, or design (oar combination of them) which is intended to signify the goods or services of the seller or groups of sellers and to differentiate them from those of the competitors† (Kotler (2000) cited in Groucutt, J etal 2004:275). The brand is part of the products tangible features, it’s the verbal and physical clues that help the consumer identify what they want and to influence choice (Groucutt, J et al 2004). The actual word â€Å"brand† is derived from a Norse word which means to â€Å"burn†. It is assumed that this means to imprint ideas or symbols on product. This then gives the product identification and leaves lasting mark on the consumer (Groucutt, J et al 2004). Because product features are easily imitated brands have been considered a marketers major tool for creating product differentiation. Even when differentiation based on product characteristics is possible, often consumers do not feel motivated oracle to analyse them in adequate depth. Therefore the combination of brand name and brand significance has become a core competitive asset in an ever-growing number of contexts. Brands incite beliefs, evoke emotions and prompt behaviours (Aaker, D. (1991) cited in Kotler, Pand Gertner, D. 2002:249). The brand in the automobile industry is of great importance, purchasing vehicle is a status indicator for the consumer. Manufactures brand their vehicles to attract the target audience; the next step is retaining the customer to the brand. This is not just for repurchase, there is great value in retaining the customer to the brand through out the life of their purchase (Kottler, P et al . 2005). 5.0 Global Brands There are very few car manufactures products that are not a global brand. Their appeal can span in a multitude of markets. Each manufactures portfolio is designed to attract a wide audience. The rapid development of telecommunication and strong consuming capability of youth have created common demands, tastes and values globally in last two or three decades, which thus has driven international marketers to increasingly focus on the importance of global brands. In recent years, global branding has not only taken root, its in full bloom. As Peter Doyle (1998:165) said: Brands area the heart of marketing and business strategy The purpose of marketing is to create a preference for the companys brand. The trend towards global branding, moreover, is accelerating rapidly. Successful global brands are powerful to obtain a number of benefits. Consumers are willing to pay a premium price for global brands; they imply credibility, high quality and up-to-date global trend. To the consumers, brand choice somewhat reflects a certain lifestyle, taste, image or even social status beyond the product. If they feel the brand fits into this category, theyll not only prefer it, but are also willing to a higher price for it. Consumers perceive added values, it’s the the subjective beliefs of the customers (Doyle 1998:168). Global branding can benefit the organisation by considerably cut costs, not only because of the significant scales of economy it achieved(Aaker 2000:306) in terms of new brand development, packaging and manufacturing, but also because with global reputations can enter new markets at lower cost than new national brands: if you move into a Newmarket with a brand that is already global in scope, it reduces the cost of introductory and follow-up marketing programs. Suppliers and distributors obtain a comparatively stable marketing environment and can obtain higher profit, with less risk by trading as business partners with global brands. Therefore companies that market global brands posses’ powerful trade leverage, in bargaining with for efficient service and lower costs, they have more options on choosing its suppliers and retailers. Although there are many advantages to a global brand, each area has tube considered as an individual market. Firstly, culture and custom difference can lead to market difference, which enhance the difficulty of growth of global brand. To meet the different preference of consumers in different countries, global brand may have to adjust its marketing strategy accordingly and customise products. Secondly, localisation and increase in nationalism to some extent may resist the marketing development of global brands. Thirdly, the political factories considered as another main barrier to global brand. Last but not least, along with the technology improvement and product innovation, the rise of local competitors is becoming an inevitable threat to global brand. 5.3 Brand Building Once a brand is established it requires nurturing, to bring out the full potential and add value to the organisation. Kashia (1999) believes that powerful brands are built over time through a conscious management effort. This is achieved through strategic decision making and appropriate actions. All brands â€Å"need tube based on values and attributes that are permanent and, purposeful and fundamental to its strategy† (Kashia (1999) cited in Groucutt, Jet al 2004:285). Therefore by creating such values in an organisation it will provide direction and a future for the brand. A brand with strong â€Å"brand equity† is a valuable asset to an organisation. This asset is difficult to measure; although it has emerged as key strategic asset. A powerful brand enjoys a high level of consumer awareness and loyalty, with the organisation benefiting from lower marketing costs relative to revenues. Consumers expect more outlets to carry strong brands; therefore the organisation has more leverage when bargaining with retailers. This all adds to the â€Å"brands equity†, which needs to be managed by the organisation (Kotler, P. etal 2005). This brand asset management is a concept that is closely related to positioning, since certain brands are central to a companys current and future performance. They need to be managed, enhanced and protected as assets. This allows brand names like Coca-Cola, Sony, Intel and Disney to extend into new product categories, and produce product variants and services (Kotler, P. 2004). Brand asset management is an area of increasing importance to marketers today, particularly as organisations move toward attempts to communicate ever complex and intangible messages, as part of brand management strategies (Davis, 2000; Goodchild and Callow, 2001). Brand managers are concerned with how to develop a better understanding of the appropriate relationship between brand equity and customer loyalty, particularly in relation to the multitude of known variables to customer loyalty (Davis, (2000) Goodchild and Callow (2001) cited in Taylor, S. et al 2004:219). It is vital that marketers position the brand correctly, and consider the fit with its attributes, values, culture, benefits, and personality. For example Mercedes suggests that it attributes are â€Å"well engineered and well built, it is durable, high prestige, fast and expensive†. These attributes tell the consumer the benefits and values that are placed in the product. These attributes represent the German philosophy and culture, which reassures the consumer the high value of the product. The personality of the product is wealthy, well-built and reliable (Kotler, P. 2005). Within the Motor Industry it is difficult to extend products without inexpensive development and launch of a new vehicle, although continual research and development are vital to maintaining market position. Many manufacturers have extended their brands by introducing for example clothing, toys, consumables and sporting equipment. These are retailed mainly through their network of dealerships, utilising economies of scale. These items are inclusive to them, adding value to the products(Johnson, G Scholes J 2004). The emerging literature suggests that customer brand loyalty is generally considered the ultimate desirable marketing-based outcome from strategic marketing activities (Chaudhuri, (1999) Gwinner et al.,(1998); Kumar, (1999) Mittal and Lassar (1998) Reichfeld and Schefter,(2000) Strauss and Friege, (1999) Kotler (1999) have all published article that point to loyalty as the ultimate attainment in marketing. This assertion is largely based on the growing influence of the relationship marketing orientation on marketing theory and practice (Taylor, S. et al 2004:219) 5.4 Brand Loyalty Brands have a personality and speak for the user. They enhance the perceived utility and desirability of a product. Brands have the ability to add to or subtract from the perceived value of a product. On one hand, consumers expect to pay lower prices for unbranded products or for those with low brand equities. On the other hand, they pay premiums for their treasured or socially valued brands. Brands have equity for both customers and investors. Brand equity translates into customer preference, loyalty and financial gains. Brands are appraised and traded in the marketplace. Brand equity has been pointed out to include many dimensions, such as performance, social image, value, trustworthiness and identification (Kotler, P and Gertner, D. 2002) The four types of brand loyalty are characterised as (1) No loyalty: No purchase at all, and a complete lack of attachment to the brand, no social influences to be even cognitively loyal to a brand. (2) Covetous loyalty: No purchase but, unlike the case of no loyalty, the individual exhibits a very high level of relative attachment to the brand as well as a strong positive predisposition towards the brand, which is developed from the social environment. (3) Inertia loyalty: An individual, although purchasing the brand, does so out of habit, convenience or for some other reason, but not as a consequence of emotional attachment to the brand or a real social motive. (4) Premium loyalty: An individual exhibits a high degree of relative attachment tithe brand, a high instance of repeat purchases, and appears to be highly influenced by social pressure. Premium loyalty is characterised by the greatest degree of consumer attachment to the brand, and in this case the consumer purposefully see ks to purchase the particular brand, while attempting to overcome obstacles (Gounaris, S. and Stathakopoulos, V. 2004). Chaudhuri and Holbrook (2001) proposed a model of brand loyalty that suggests that purchase loyalty tends to lead to greater market share, while attitudinal loyalty leads to higher relative brand pricing. Morgan (2000) suggests that the term loyal can be interpreted indifferent ways, ranging from affective loyalty (what I feel) to behavioural loyalty (what I do)†. Thus separating loyalty into emotional and actionable (Chaudhuri and Holbrook (2001) and Morgan(2000) cited in Taylor, S. et al 2004:221). There are different levels of trust that affect brand loyalty, they are(1) calculus-based trust, the consumer believes it is in the service provider interest are not to suffer the loss of reputation and profits(2) Knowledge-based trust, as the name suggests, is based on knowing the service firm well and being able to anticipate its actions. Effective two-way communication is important for knowledge-based trust to develop because it ensures that the parties exchange information about their preferences and approaches to problems. (3) Customers with identification-based trust have full confidence in the service company and believe that it will act in their best interests. The service provider has in-depth knowledge of customers needs and desires, and customers perceive that their desires are fulfilled, and they shared values (Liljander, V. and Roos, I. 2002) In terms of brand purchase expectations, the implicit assumption is that a satisfied customer will remain loyal to the brand (all other factors being equal). In the modern automotive marketing environment, this is indeed a fair assumption to make. The degree of price competition at the retail level is so intense that, when factoring in discounts, rebates and low interest finance rates, price parity inevitably results. Furthermore, the growing oligopolisation of the manufacturing industry (e.g. Ford owning/controlling Jaguar, Mazda,Volvo and Aston Martin) and co-operation between manufacturers (e.g.Ford/VW, Ford/Nissan, GM/Toyota) has resulted in few, if any, sustainable product differences (Liljander, V. and Roos, I. 2002) Is brand loyalty resistance to change? The literature accepts that commitment is central to relationship marketing. There is a link between commitment, trust and loyalty. Pritchard et al. (1999) define commitment as â€Å"the emotional or psychological attachment to a brand†. They argue that resistance to change is the root tendency of commitments well as the primary evidence of commitment, and that resistance to change is a key antecedent to loyalty (Pritchard et al. (1999) cited in Taylor, S. et al 2004:221). 5.5 Relationship Marketing Organisations should build a stronger relationship with their profitable customers. There are five different levels of relationship marketing that can be practiced. The basic level does not really involve building a relationship, for example it is when a car salesperson smiles and sells you a car and waves good-bye as you drive it off the lot. You never see him again; if you need service you talk to someone in the service department. Very few auto dealership systems succeed in building such a strong bond between the dealership and the client that the client keeps buying from the same dealership (Kotler,P. 1992:52). Reactive marketing is the next level of relating. At this level, as the salesperson wave’s good-bye to the customer, he says, By the way, if there’s any problem, please call me. You dont have to call the service department; I am responsible for your satisfaction The employee has taken on some of the responsibility of managing the customer’s needs(Kotler, P. 1992:52). A higher form of relationship is accountability. At this level, the salesperson calls the new car owner within two weeks of the sale and asks how he likes the car, and if there is any way the car could have been better. Those salespeople often get an earful. The customer might say, I wish the door had a pocket for maps. I wish there was a rear window wiper. At that point, the dealer should ask, How much would it have been worth to you if the car did have a map pocket in the door and rear window wiper? That type of information will help the automobile manufacturer continuously improve its product (Kotler, P. 1992:52). Still, a higher level is proactive, where the salesperson will call the customer from time to time and say The manufacturer has developed product that will help you save fuel, its something we can add to your engine and it will reduce your fuel costs. Customers get a sense that the company still is interested in their needs. Partnerships are the ultimate form of relationship marketing. They involve actually living with the customer and are mostly confined to business-to-business relationships (Kotler, P. 1992:52). Each level requires more cost, so it is important for organisations to determine when it is worth going to the next level. Two dimensions that are particularly critical are the margin that the firm makes on the business and the number of customers making purchases. For example, allow-margin business with many customers, for example selling toothpaste would operate at the basic level. The organisation has so many customers for that product and makes so little per unit that it would not be cost-effective to develop a high-level relationship (Kotler, P.1992:52). There are five levels of response for each customer service and retention tool. Those levels vary within companies; an organisation might be reactive with respect to technical assistance, accountable with respect to service and basic in terms of value-added. The important thing is to know where your competitors stand, what is their profile with respect to relationship investments, and what things should you do to be superior to the target market. 5.6 Service Quality The organisation has to decide and implement which level of value-added service it will offer its customers. This experience of the customer will reflect in brand loyalty. Relationship marketing strategy will decide the level of service customer will receive. For example on the basic level technical assistance might be a owner’s manual, yet on the reactive level perhaps help line, at the level of accountability, perhaps an occasional visit to the customer to see if the customer is using the product correctly and efficiently(Kotler, P. 1992:52). Training of employees would appropriate at the proactive level. This can offer the customer a higher level of service, making them feel valued by the organisation. Many manufacturers offer in house training to the employees within the dealerships. This not only trains employees to a similar level of customer service skills, it reinforces the brand. The customer’s experience of the brand is uniform across the manufacturer’s network (Kotler, P. 1992:52). Frequently organisations move from one strategic initiative to another with little consideration of their natural progression. This has been the case for many companies that have moved from an emphasis on quality in the 1980s, to customer satisfaction in the early 1990s, to customer loyalty and retention today. Managers proclaim that they have moved beyond quality and customer satisfaction to focus on what really matters, namely loyalty and profitability. Although it is argued that there is â€Å"no such thing as moving beyond quality and satisfaction. They are essential building blocks toward building loyalty and a valuable business organisation.† (Gustafsson, A. and Johnson, M. 2002:249). The service quality perceived by the customer varies across the spectrum. Relationship benefits are perceived advantages that the regular customer receives over and above the core service. These are rewards; the individual has gained over time by being a regular customer. The benefits tie him or her to the company by making it unattractive to switch providers. They may take the form of loyalty programmes, which are offered to all customers, or benefits that can be customised to individual consumers (Liljander, V. and Roos, I. 2002) . This then becomes a relationship benefit, but only when it is not offered to any customer who enters the dealership, regardless of relationship length. However, companies may believe that they are offering benefits, but only customers can tell if they are experiencing any. Therefore the level of service received is subjective (Liljander,V. and Roos, I. 2002) 5.7 Customer Value Customer value management (CVM) has become a major focus in current marketing, as value marketing has become a slogan among marketing practitioners. Sinha, I and DeSarbo, W. (1998) defined this as â€Å"in the marketplace, value often is defined as quality at the right price and is seen as more important to consumers than quality, because value is quality that the consumers can afford (Sinha, I and DeSarbo, W.1998:236). Zeithaml (1988) reports considerable heterogeneity among consumers in the integration of the underlying dimensions of perceived value. They define the perceived value as a trade-off of higher order abstractions, such as perceived benefits and sacrifice, which are formed from both intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes, including texture, quality, price, performance, service, and brand name (Zeithaml(1988) cited in Sinha, I and DeSarbo, W. 1998:236). Zeithaml 1988:236) There is a strong link between relationship marketing and customer value, the higher value placed on the customer will reflect in their purchasing choices. True and spurious relationships are the extreme points on a continuum. At the lower end, customers may be behaviourally committed to the service but satisfaction is only latent. At the higher end, customers are more manifestly satisfied and more affectively committed to the service (Liljander, V. and Roos, I. 2002) Berry (2000) proposed three relationship levels of customer perceived value. These are based on financial, social and structural bonds. Financial bonds, such as loyalty programmes, are considered the weakest form and may only lead to spurious relationships Social and structural bonds are more closely related to true customer relationships. According to Berry (2000), â€Å"structural bonds offer value-adding problem solutions that are not dependent on individual service representatives, and which are difficult for competitors to copy† (Berry (2000) cited inLiljander, V. and Roos, I. 2002:598) 5.8 Customer Loyalty Customer satisfaction can be considered the central determinant in all phases of the contact chain. Multi-dimensional recording of customer loyalty reveals clear differences in the interactions first with brand loyalty and, second, with dealer loyalty. In contrast to the opinion widely held in practice, customers in the automotive sector definitely do not perceive the brand and the dealer as one unit. The results obtained are so fundamental that they can be translated into implications even by internationally operating companies (Huber, F and Herrmann, A 2001) The relationship between the purchase intention and customer satisfaction has been widely investigated (for example, Oliver 1980;Bearden and Teel 1983). The evidence suggests that there is a strong positive relationship between the two. Several of these studies indicate that higher levels of satisfaction lead to greater customer loyalty (Yi (1991); Anderson and Sullivan (1993) Boulding, Staelin,Kalra, and Zeithaml (1993) all cited in Dervaraj, S. et al 2001:425) Consumers who purchase higher quality vehicles expect to receive higher quality service, therefore the assumption is made that poor service will lead to greater dissatisfaction among those that purchase the higher quality vehicles. Conlon, et al (1997) observed that â€Å"customers who purchase higher quality rated vehicles are more likely to use dealer facilities to maintain their vehicles† (Conlon, et al(1997) cited in Dervaraj, S. et al 2001:425) An explanation for such behaviour is that there is a correlation between the perception of vehicle quality and the perception of the quality of service at dealer facilities. Therefore, high customer expectations of service quality can lead to better service performance which, in turn, this positively influences customer satisfaction with service. Therefore in the higher end of the industry there is greater loyalty (Dervaraj, S. et al 2001:425) Oliver (1999) suggests that â€Å"ultimate customer loyalty is a function of perceived product superiority, personal fortitude, social bonding, and their synergistic effects. His arguments generally support the assertion that measures of loyalty that are constrained only to repurchase considerations fail to capture the richness of the loyalty construct â€Å" (Oliver (1999)cited in Taylor, S. et al 2004:219). If loyalty is essentially an irrational and emotional attachment to product, service or business, then marketers need to focus on elements that create this emotional attachment. In developing a strategy that draws on the irrational attitudes of consumers, brand equity plays an important role. All the elements that contribute to the development of brand equity are difficult to mea

Technology - Progress of Interstellar Travel :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

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Resonance and Sound†¦Physics and Music Since sound is the medium of music, most of the physics of music is the physics of sound. It's important to remember that sound waves are compression waves. You can imitate a compression wave by stretching out a slinky (you do have a slinky, don't you?) and flicking your finger against a coil at the end. Sound waves are not like the waves on the ocean or the waves you get by waving a stretched-out rope. Take a tuning fork (you do have a tuning fork, don't you?) and whack it on your knee. What do you hear? Unless you hold the tuning fork right next to your ear, you won't hear much of anything. This is because a small tuning fork can't push very much air around. Now take the same tuning fork, whack it on your knee again, and touch the non-forked end to a tabletop or other handy wooden surface. The sound should be a lot louder. This is because the vibrating tuning fork causes the tabletop to vibrate. The tabletop can push much more air around than the fork alone. If you touched the end of the tuning fork to a hollow box or, say, the body of a guitar, the sound would be even louder. This is because the vibrations get transferred to the air inside the box, which vibrates as well. If the dimensions of the inside of the box are a multiple of the wavelength of the sound, some of the sound waves will reinforce each other for even more volume. If a vibration or sound wave can excite another o bject into vibrating, the second object is sai...

The People and Landscape of the Welsh Hillcountry :: R.S. Thomas Poems Poetry Essays

The People and Landscape of the Welsh Hillcountry R.S. Thomas writes about the people and landscape of the Welsh â€Å"hillcountry.† By referring closely to at least two of his poems, show how he makes the Welsh countryside and its inhabitants vivid to the reader. RS Thomas was born in Cardiff in 1913. He was a Parish Priest in Wales for more than 20 years. During this time he taught himself the Welsh language in order to understand the remote hill farmers that are under his care. He writes almost exclusively about the people and landscape of the Welsh hill country. The poems that he writes are lacking in mental emotion but they never lack tender or compassion for the massively hardworking farmers he knows so well. The landscape that Thomas describes so well reflects the grimness of the men’s lives. The people’s lives are never sweetened nor romanticized and the poet has no illusions on its harshness. Yet he has a deep understanding for the hill country and its workers. This shows that R.S Thomas can relate to the Welsh hill country very well. The first poem that I am writing about is called â€Å"The Hill Farmer Speaks†. This poem talks about the life of a farmer who has been greatly affected by his work. The first verse of this poem talks about a man who has no love and no friends. This we learn is because of the land as it says, â€Å"I am the farmer stripped of love and thought and grace by the lands hardness.† This shows the hard work that the man has done over the years has taken from him his love, thought and grace it is also a metaphor making this vivid for the reader. But he wants us to know that he is still a human by saying, â€Å"Listen, listen, I am a man like you.† Alliteration is used here (listen, listen), to cause the affect that the man really is talking to you. The same affect is caused when he says, â€Å"But what I am saying.† It shows you that the mans surroundings are very empty and hostile by it saying, â€Å"Desolate areas rough with dew.† This is also a metaphor showing its vividness to the reader. The second verse of this poem tells us of the wind going over the hill pastures, hill pastures being a feature of any hill farm. After this he says, â€Å"Year after year,† making this process seem constant. In the next three lines there seems to be a link between the ewes and the farmer, where it says, â€Å"The ewes starve, milkless, for want of the new

7 Chankras Essay

Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning spinning wheel. Chakras are part of the subtle anatomy. The seven major chakras line up from the crown of the head to the base of the spine and connect to various endocrine glands. Each major chakra is directly associated with many aspects of the mind-body-spirit dynamic. When a specific chakra is closed, distorted, or congested, the perception of stress, disease, or illness may result (Seaward, 2012, p. 72.) Of the seven major subtle energy chakras, Western culture only recognizes the seventh chakra, known as the crown chakra. See more: Examples of satire in adventures of huckfinn essay The first chakra is known as the root chakra. It is found at the base of the spine. This chakra is associated with safety and security issues; it represents our foundation and feeling of being grounded (â€Å"The 7 Chakras for Beginners,† 2009.) Furthermore, the root chakra is connected energetically to some organs of the reproductive system, hip joints, lower back, and pelvic area. Some health issues that are believed to correspond with disturbances of the root chakra include lower-back pain, sciatica, rectal difficulties, and some cancers (Seaward, 2012, p. 73.) Some of the emotional issues tied to the root chakra include survival issues such as financial independence, money, and food (â€Å"The 7 Chakras for Beginners,† 2009.) This chakra is known as the seat of the Kundalini energy, a spiritually based concept that is yet to be understood in Western culture (Seaward, 2012, p. 73.) If the Western Culture were to accept the root chakra, it would promote a deep, person al relationship with Earth and nature. When one is rooted in life, they are filled with satisfaction, stability and inner strength (â€Å"The Human Chakra System,† 2009.) The second chakra, known as the sacral chakra, is associated with the sex organs, as well as personal power in terms of business and social relationships (Seaward, 2012, p. 74.) It describes our connection and ability to accept others and new experiences. It is located in the lower abdomen, about 2 inches below the navel and 2 inches in (â€Å"The 7 Chakras for Beginners,† 2009.) The sacral charka deals with emotional feelings that are associated with issues of sexuality, sense of abundance, pleasure, and self-worth. When self-worth is viewed through external means like money, job, or sexuality, this created an energy distortion in this region. Obsessiveness with material gain is believed to be a means to compensate for low self-worth, therefore, created a distortion to this chakra. Some of the symptoms associated with this chakra include menstrual difficulties, infertility, vaginal infections, ovarian cysts, impotency, lower-back pain, sexual dysfunction, slipped disks, and b ladder and urinary infections (Seaward, 2012, p. 74.) Accepting the sacral chakra would encourage people to more easily open themselves towards others, especially the opposite sex (â€Å"The Human Chakra System,† 2009.) The solar plexus chakra, located in the upper stomach region, is the third chakra. This chakra feeds into the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, including the abdomen, small intestine, colon, gallbladder, kidneys, liver, pancreas, adrenal glands, and spleen. This region is associated with self-confidence, self-respect, and empowerment (Seaward, 2012, p. 74.) It relates to our ability to be confident and in-control of our lives (â€Å"The 7 Chakras for Beginners,† 2009.) The solar plexus chakra is commonly known as a gut feeling – an intuitive sense closely connected to our level of personal power. Blockages to this chakra are thought to be related to ulcers, cancerous tumors, diabetes, hepatitis, anorexia, bulimia, and all stomach-related issues (Seaward, 2012, p. 74.) Should the Western Culture accept the solar plexus chakra, it would promote feelings of peace and inner harmony within one’s self and in life. It would allow people to accept themselves complete ly, and respect the feelings and character traits of others (â€Å"The Human Chakra System,† 2009.) The fourth chakra is known as the heart chakra. It is considered to be one of the most important energy centers of the body. The heart chakra refers to our ability to express love (Seaward, 2012, p. 74.) It is located in the center of the chest, just above the heart (â€Å"The 7 Chakras for Beginners,† 2009.) The heart is not the only organ closely tied to this chakra as the lungs, breasts, and esophagus are included. Symptoms of a blocked heart chakra include heart attacks, enlarged heart, asthma, allergies, lung cancer, bronchial difficulties, circulation problems, and problems associated with the upper back and shoulders. An important association exists between the heart chakra and the thymus gland. The thymus gland gets smaller with age and is believed to be a reflection of the state of the heart chakra (Seaward, 2012, p. 74.) The advantage those in the Western Culture would see from accepting the heart chakra involve warmth, sincerity and happiness. These energies open th e hearts of others, inspiring confidence and creating joy among them (â€Å"The Human Chakra System,† 2009.) The fifth charka is located and greatly connected to the throat. Organs associated with the throat chakra are the thyroid, parathyroid glands, mouth, vocal chords, and trachea. This chakra represents the development of personal expression, creativity, purpose in life, and willpower (Seaward, 2012, p. 74.) The inability to express oneself in feelings or creativity distorts the flow of energy to the throat chakra and is thought to result in chronic sore throat problems, throat and mouth cancers, stiffness in the neck area, thyroid dysfunction, migraines, and cancerous tumors in this region (Seaward, 2012, p. 75.) Upon acceptance of the throat chakra, individual feelings, thoughts and inner knowledge could be expressed freely and without fear. Individuals are not manipulated by other’s opinions and they are able to stay true to who they really are without fear (â€Å"The Human Chakra System,† 2009.) The sixth chakra, known as the brow or third eye, is located on the forehead, between the eye brows. It refers to our ability to focus on and see the big picture (â€Å"The 7 Chakras for Beginners,† 2009.) This chakra is associated with intuition and the ability to access the ageless wisdom or bank of knowledge in the depths of the universal consciousness. As energy moves through the dimension of universal wisdom into this chakra, it promotes the development of intelligence and reasoning skills. The sixth chakra is directly connected with the pituitary and pineal gland and feeds energy to the brain for information processing. The wisdom channeled through the brow chakra is more universal in nature with implications for the spiritual aspect of life. Diseases caused by dysfunction of the brow chakra include brain tumors, hemorrhages, blood clots, blindness, comas, depression, and schizophrenia. These types of diseases are believed to be caused by an individual’s inability to see something that is extremely important to their soul growth (Seaward, 2012, p. 75.) The biggest advantage to the acceptance of the third eye chakra is an increased ability of visualization and comprehension of things intuitively. In today’s society, too many people don’t trust their instincts (â€Å"The Human Chakra System,† 2009.) The seventh is the crown chakra. It is located at the very top of our head. It represents our ability to be fully connected spiritually (â€Å"The 7 Chakras for Beginners,† 2009.) The highest level of consciousness is reached when the crown chakra is fully open and functioning. Although no specific disease or illness may be associated the crown chakra, every disease has a spiritual significance (Seaward, 2012, p. 75.) Some of the emotional issues associated with this chakra include inner and outer beauty, our connection to spirituality, and pure bliss (â€Å"The 7 Chakras for Beginners,† 2009.) Western Culture is accepting only of this chakra. In fact, it is highly useful in acupuncture therapy. Resources MindBodyGreen. (2009, October 27). The 7 Chakras for Beginners: Healing, balancing, and opening your chakras with exercises, foods, colors. Retrieved January 10, 2013 from http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-91/The-7-Chakras-for-Beginners.html Richards, R. (2009, September 20). The Human Chakra System. Retrieved January 10, 2013 from http://www.rickrichards.com/chakras/Chakras2.html Seward, B. L. (2012). Managing Stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning

With Reference to Relevant Research Studies, to What Extent Does Genetic Inheritance Influence Behavior?

There is currently a substantial body of research supporting the argument that there is a genetic influence on numerous human behaviors, such as homosexuality, intelligence and personality. One indication that behavior has a genetic basis is that behavior is often species specific. Examples include the warning behavior of prairie dogs or the mouth to mouth sharing of blood amongst vampire bats. The closer our genetic resemblance is to a certain species, the more behaviors we have in common. Since long it has also been known that behavior can be bred true, which is the reason why some breeds display specific behaviors. Behavior is also known to change in response to changes in biological structures or processes. Examples include the use of the SSRI drug which alters the reuptake of serotonin in the synapses and consequently our mood, or the loss of important cognitive functions due to brain damage. As the anatomical structure and the physiological processes depend on our DNA we can infer that genes indirectly influence our behavior. It is important to bear in mind that the brain can alter its structure from experience, but this capacity must clearly be genetically determined. Most researchers agree that all behaviors are more or less indirectly influenced by genes. Where they disagree is the extent to which genes influence behavior. Some behavior also seems to be more influenced by genes than others. The influence of cognitive, social and cultural factors on behavior cannot be denied, and even though there may be a genetic predisposition for many disorders, the extent to which the genotype is expressed in its phenotype will depend on environmental influences. The stress-vulnerability model, for instance, assumes that the onset and symptoms of mental disorders are influenced by three interacting factors; biological, environmental and protecting factors that may protect the individual against development of a disorder. A study that illustrates the interaction of genes and environment on behavior is a molecular genetics study by Caspi et al. (2003). Caspi et al. investigated the relationship between the 5-HTT gene and occurrence of depression in 847 New Zealanders. The 5-HTT gene is responsible for the production of serotonin in the body, which in turn has an influence on our mood. A DNA sample was taken of each participant, who also was asked to answer a questionnaire on depression. In order to ensure the participants’ honesty in their self report, their responses were cross checked with a friend of their own choice. The researchers also controlled for levels of stressful life events. The results showed that participants with a short allele on the 5-HTT gene had an increased vulnerability for depression between the ages of 21 to 26. The study also found that the participants only had developed depression if they had suffered from stressful life events, no matter whether they had a propensity for the disorder or not. Replications of the Caspi study in different countries by Chiao and Blizinsky (2010) further support a gene – environment interaction for depression. They investigated the prevalence of the short allele in the 5-HTT gene in different populations and found that there are higher frequencies in populations that are considered to have a â€Å"collectivist† culture, such as Asians, and that there are lower frequencies in populations with an â€Å"individualist† culture, such as Europeans or North Americans. This seems counter-intuitive, considering that depression is more common in individualist cultures than collectivist cultures. Asians should genetically be more prone to depression than Europeans and North Americans, yet Europeans and North Americans are more likely to suffer from it. The research is suffering from several methodological problems. It is possible that depression is as common or in the East as in the West, but that it is underreported. If the data is to be trusted, it suggests that Asian cultures may have better protective factors against the development of depression compared to Western culture, such as better social support. These findings raise potential ethical issues of discrimination and prejudice. Because of the methodological weaknesses of the research, the findings are not conclusive. Most research supports an interaction between genes and environment on behavior. Genetic research on twins and families usually measure the degree of similarity in characteristics, such as intelligence, between genetically related and unrelated individuals. From this comparison, a concordance rate between 0 and 100 is calculated. If the rate is close to 100, the behavior is assumed to have a strong genetic basis. On the other hand, if the rate is low, environmental factors are thought to play a major part. Some of behaviors that have the highest concordance rates are homosexuality, schizophrenia, alcoholism, general mood levels, and intelligence, with average concordance rates between 60 and 70. Behaviors with lower concordance rates include depression, personality, religious values, political beliefs and vocational interests, with average concordance rates of around 30 %. It may seem curious that some of the latter behaviors have a small genetic component, and it is possible that the concordance rates are flawed by methodological issues. The concordance rates fluctuate between studies of the same behavior. This may be due poor control of confounding variables. Some relationships may be purely coincidental, such as in a famous study by Bouchard where two identical twins raised apart had a wife with the same name and in addition had named their son by the same name. Even if monozygotic twins that are raised in different families exercise similar behavior, it can also be because they are raised in similar social and cultural settings, because they look similar and therefore are treated the same, or because they exercise similar behavior patterns of adopted children. Also, one cannot rule out that researcher expectancies and small sample sizes can influence the concordance rates. Finally, there is a construct validity problem of the studied behaviors. Concepts such as intelligence lack an agreed upon definition, and some mental disorders are viewed differently in different countries. It is therefore difficult to compare concordance rates between such studies, as they are measuring different concepts. Even so, it is possible that if personality and talent has a genetic component, individuals may be biologically more inclined to some interests than others, and thus may be more likely to adapt a certain value system or vocation. Even though there are methodological problems involved in genes and behavior research, there is overwhelming evidence that there is an influence of genetic inheritance on most behaviors. The extent of this genetic influence is however still controversial, and may vary depending on the behavior.

Beneath the Cross: Catholics and Huguenots In Sixteenth Century France

Barbara B. Diefendorf, a distinguished historian, narrates the events prior to the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in France. The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre was a way for the ruling French monarchy to dispose or eliminate all Huguenots in France. After the Protestant Reformation in Germany, there was a diversification of the Protestant faith all over Europe. In Switzerland, Zwingli established a sect that mixed Orthodox Catholicism and Lutheranism. In England, Henry VIII declared himself as the supreme head of the Church of England, without changing traditional elements of Catholic faith.In Geneva, a zealous preacher, John Calvin, taught the doctrine of predestination. According to this doctrine, before a man is born, his soul was ordained by God to be in either heaven or hell. Man, even by his own freewill, cannot change his destination. Thus, in order to assail his own salvation, he must show to the world that he is destined to heaven. The trajectory of life, accor ding to Calvin, is cloaked with uncertainty of the afterlife. This doctrine shocked the even Calvin’s Protestant contemporaries, notably Luther and Zwingli.The Pope even agreed with other Protestant leaders that such faith could not be Christian or borne out of Christ-centered faith. Thus, the first seed of persecution was released. Among all Protestant faiths, Calvinism suffered the longest and most brutal persecution. Other factors also contributed to the Calvinist persecution in Europe (especially in France). Among were as follows: 1) The Huguenots were able to acquire political and economic power (thus assuming significance in European affairs; 2) The new faith rejected the absolute power of the monarchy.It proposed a new social system that relies heavily on communalism and brotherhood; 3) And, pressure from the Papacy forced Catholic countries to realign their policies toward traditional faith and social system (this was a reactionary move to the ideals of Calvinism). Ma in Theme of the Book In the book, the main theme can be summed up as: the gradual toleration of Huguenots in France generally resulted to increasing persecution of the adherents of Calvinism (although Huguenots comprised only 5% of the French population).The resulting struggle between Catholics and Huguenots was known as â€Å"The Wars of Religion. † For more than two centuries, France was the scene of legal and military struggle between the two factions, until Cardinal Richelieu (the regent of Louis XIII) and King Louis XIV destroyed the last bastions of Huguenots in France. The main theme is subdivided into three sub themes. Here are as follows: 1) The first stage of the conflict (from 1557 to 1563) was characterized by breakdown of order in the city of Paris.The Huguenots were initially granted toleration in the Edict of Amboise; 2) The second stage (from 1563 to 1577) was seen as the initial criss-cross theological battle of Catholic and Huguenot theologians in some of Eu rope’s prestigious universities. Catholic theologians were led by the Jesuits. Huguenot professors were headed by the first students of Calvin; 3) The third stage (from 1567 to 1572) was provoked by religious discontent of both Catholics and Huguenots.Catholics (especially the nobility and the French monarchy) wanted the deterioration of the economic and political power of the Huguenots. The Huguenots demanded more toleration (the opening of more districts for Huguenot worship and the removal of Huguenot books from the list of forbidden books). This was the period prior to the St. Bartholomew’s Massacre. Results Many Catholics in France felt that the degree of toleration granted to the Huguenots (the followers of Calvin) was more than enough to destroy the authority of the Church and the Catholic monarchy.There was an increasing call among traditionalists to destroy the very foundation of Calvinism: their worship districts. Admiral Coligny, the leader of the Huguenots, was severely wounded after an assassination. Several clashes between Catholic and Huguenots were notably in most of France’s major cities. On the night of august 23, a decision was taken at the Louvre to kill Coligny and the entire Huguenot hierarchy. Catherine de Medici, the mother queen, forced his son Charles IX to sign the order. Thus the infamous massacre in history finally came.Generally, the result of â€Å"The Wars of Religion† was the destruction of Huguenot power and the restoration of Catholicism as the official state religion of France. Methods The use of â€Å"historical documents† was highly noted in the book. Several documents dating back to the sixteenth century were presented to compound the main thoughts of the author. There was also a heavy reliance on the use of autobiographies, especially that of the Huguenot leaders who survived the massacre. In general, the methods used by the author were complex in structure and analytical in form.Genera l Critique The author was able to historically â€Å"slice† the events prior to the Huguenot massacre. This is unlike other history books where events were seen as linear progression of cause and effect. Here, events were treated as a web of related forms, leading to a major event. It failed though to explain the â€Å"conditions† which gave Huguenots tremendous power in France despite their minute number. BIBLIOGRAPHY Diefendorf, Barbara B. Beneath the Cross: Catholics and Huguenots in Sixteenth-Century Paris. (New York: Oxford UP, 1991).