How to Improve Your English

How to Improve Your English Each learner has different objectives  and, therefore, different approaches to learning English. But some tips and tools are likely to help most English learners. Lets begin with the three most important rules:   Rule 1: Be PatientLearning English is a Process The most important rule to remember is that learning English  is a process. It takes time, and it takes lots of patience! If you are patient, you will improve your English.   Rule 2: Make a Plan The most important thing to do is to create a plan and follow that plan. Start with your English learning goals, and then make a specific plan to succeed. Patience is key to improving your English, so go slowly and focus on your goals. Youll speak English well soon if you keep to the plan. Rule 3: Make Learning English a Habit Its absolutely necessary that learning English becomes a habit. In other words, you should work on your English every day. Its not necessary to study grammar every day. However, you should listen, watch, read or speak English every day - even if its for a short period of time. Its much better to learn 20 minutes a day than to study for two hours twice a week. Tips for Learning and Improving Your English Have patience: Remember that learning a language is a gradual process- it does not happen overnight.Define your learning objectives early: What do you want to learn and why?Make learning a habit:  Try to learn something every day. It is much better to study (or read, or listen to English news, etc.) 10 minutes each day than to study for 2 hours once a week.Choose your materials well:  You will need reading, grammar, writing, speaking and listening materials.Vary your learning routine:  It is best to do different things each day to help keep the various relationships between each area active. In other words, dont just study grammar.Find friends: Finding friends to study and speak with in invaluable and learning English together can be very encouraging.Keep it interesting: Choose listening and reading materials that relate to what you are interested in. Being interested in the subject will make learning more enjoyable - thus more effective.Relate grammar to practical usage: Gramm ar by itself does not help you USE the language. You should practice what you are learning by employing it actively. Use reading to help with other English skills:  Reading can be used to help with vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and much more.  Flex your mouth muscles: Understanding something doesnt mean the muscles of your mouth can produce the sounds. Practice speaking what you are learning aloud. It may seem strange, but it is very effective. Exercises like  tongue twisters can help improve your flexibility.Communicate: Grammar exercises are great, but having your friend on the other side of the world understand your email is fantastic!Use the Internet:  The Internet is the most exciting, unlimited English resource that anyone could imagine and it is right at your fingertips.

Outlines for Every Type of Writing Composition

Outlines for Every Type of Writing Composition An outline is a plan for or a summary of a writing project or speech. Outlines are usually in the form of a list divided into headings and subheadings that distinguish main points from supporting points. Most word processors contain an outlining feature that allows writers to format outlines automatically. An outline may be either informal or formal. Informal Outlines The working outline (or scratch outline or informal outline) is a private affair - fluid, subject to constant revision, made without attention to form, and destined for the wastebasket. But enough working outlines have been retrieved from wastebaskets that something can be said about them...A working outline usually begins with a few phrases and some descriptive details or examples. From them grow fragmentary statements, tentative generalizations, hypotheses. One or two of these take on prominence, shaping into the main ideas that seem worth developing. New examples bring to mind new ideas, and these find a place in the list of phrases, canceling out some of the original ones. The writer keeps adding and subtracting, juggling and shifting, until he has his key points in an order that makes sense to him. He scribbles a sentence, works in a transition, adds examples...By then, if he has kept expanding and correcting it, his outline comes close to being a rough summary of the essay its elf. Wilma R. Ebbitt and David R. Ebbitt Using the Outline as a Draft Outlining might not be very useful if writers are required to produce a rigid plan before actually writing. But when an outline is viewed as a kind of draft, subject to change, evolving as the actual writing takes place, then it can be a powerful tool for writing. Architects often produce multiple sketches of plans, trying out different approaches to a building, and they adapt their plans as a building goes up, sometimes substantially (it is fortunately much easier for writers to start over or make basic changes).   Steven Lynn The Post-Draft You might prefer...to construct an outline after, rather than before, writing a rough draft. This lets you create a draft without restricting the free flow of ideas and helps you rewrite by determining where you need to fill in, cut out, or reorganize. You may discover where your line of reasoning is not logical; you may also reconsider whether you should arrange your reasons from the most important to the least or vice versa in order to create a more persuasive effect. Ultimately, outlining after the first draft can prove useful in producing subsequent drafts and a polished final effort. Gary Goshgarian Topic Sentence Outlines Two types of outlines are most common: short topic outlines and lengthy sentence outlines. A topic outline consists of short phrases arranged to reflect your primary method of development. A topic outline is especially useful for short documents such as letters, e-mails, or memos...For a large writing project, create a topic outline first, and then use it as a basis for creating a sentence outline. A sentence outline summarizes each idea in a complete sentence that may become the topic sentence for a paragraph in the rough draft. If most of your notes can be shaped into topic sentences for paragraphs in the rough draft, you can be relatively sure that your document will be well organized. Gerald J. Alred and Charles T. Brusaw Formal Outlines Some teachers ask students to submit formal outlines with their papers. Here is a common format used in constructing a formal outline: I. (main topic) A. (subtopics of I)B. 1. (subtopics of B)2. a. (subtopics of 2)b. i. (subtopics of b)ii. Note that subtopics are indented so that all letters or numbers of the same kind appear directly under one another. Whether phrases (in a topic outline) or complete sentences (in a sentence outline) are used, topics and subtopics should be parallel in form. Make sure that all items have at least two subtopics or none at all. Example of Vertical Outline To outline your material vertically, write your thesis at the head of the page and then use headings and indented subheadings: Thesis: Though many things make me want to score goals, I love scoring most of all because it momentarily gives me a sense of power. I. Common reasons for wanting to score goals A. Help teamB. Gain gloryC. Hear cheers of crowd II. My reasons for wanting to score goals A. Feel relaxed 1. Know Im going to score a goal2. Move smoothly, not awkwardly3. Get relief from pressure to do well B. See world in freeze-frame 1. See puck going into goal2. See other players and crowd C. Feel momentary sense of power 1. Do better than goalie2. Take ultimate mind trip3. Conquer anxiety4. Return to Earth after a moment Besides listing points in order of rising importance, this outline groups them under headings that show their relation to each other and to the thesis. James A.W. Heffernan and John E. Lincoln Sources: Ebbitt, Wilma R. and David R. Ebbitt. Writers Guide and Index to English. 6th edition, Scott, Foresman, 1978. Lynn, Steven. Rhetoric and Composition: An Introduction. 1st edition, Cambridge University Press, 2010. Goshgarian, Gary and Kathleen Krueger. An Argument Rhetoric and Reader. 8th edition, Pearson, January 19, 2014. Alred, Gerald J. and Charles T. Brusaw. Handbook of Technical Writing. 8th edition, St. Martins Press, March 7, 2006. Heffernan, James A.W. and John E. Lincoln. Writing: A College Handbook. 3rd edition, W.W. Norton Co, 1990. Coyle, William and Joe Law. Research Papers. 15th edition, Cengage Learning, June 10, 2009.

The Power of Thinking or Feelings in Crest and Vaseline Advertisements Essay - 3

The Power of Thinking or Feelings in Crest and Vaseline Advertisements - Essay Example Vaseline persuasively uses pathos because of its emphasis on the word â€Å"feel,† so that the audience can â€Å"feel† its sincerity regarding the benefits of its product, and then it expounds on the scientific backup of these benefits to fully convince the audience that it is the best lotion in the market. The main positioning statement of the ad is â€Å"feels good, does well.† The statement is simple, but its meanings are varied. Vaseline uses the words â€Å"feel† and â€Å"good† to underline emotions. It is stating that its lotion feels good on the skin while providing emotional benefits too. Instead of just stressing its ingredients, it centers on the resulting â€Å"feelings,† which is related to â€Å"goodness.† Another impact of the feelings of goodness is having a good day. When people feel good, they tend to do well in school, work, and home. Feeling good starts the day with happiness and improves quality of life. After the short introduction on what the product makes consumers feel, a longer explanation is below it, where scientific words are added. The long paragraph stresses that the product is the â€Å"next generation† of Vaseline lotion, which suggests that it is current and not an â€Å"old† formula. The words â€Å"pure† and â€Å"natural† make Vaseline a â€Å"natural† product, even when it has chemicals too. The main goal is to relate Vaseline with the goodness of â€Å"Nature,† but one that is scientifically tested and perfected. The words â€Å"new formula† and â€Å"infuse moisture deep down† accentuate that the product is the latest tested formula that goes beyond other usual lotions. The â€Å"rich feel and glowing skin† is a suitable end, since many consumers want their skin feeling smooth and looking young and fresh.o reinforce its sincerity further, another strategy of Vaseline is its â€Å"Money Back Guarantee.† T he ad has a blue stamp, a stamp that symbolizes something assured and permanent.     

Tourism in Gig Harbor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tourism in Gig Harbor - Essay Example These events aim at increasing economic activities at the Gig Harbor through overnight lodges, meals provision, sale of souvenirs and gifts and building tourist sites and facilities. I chose this RFP because Gig Harbor has maintained its tourist sites and developed strategies that successfully increased and maintained growth of tourism in Washington State. For example, it offers various activities that suit a diversity of people such as children, families and groups (Garrett, 2010). The strategies that I will use to build trust with my clients will include knowing the client’s expectations. Asking the client about their expectations will enable me to satisfy them and hence, retain the client for current and future business. Fulfilling promises is another strategy that determines one’s ability to gain and retain trust with clients. Develop credibility by maintaining professionalism and deliver on all the made promises (Garrett, 2010). Open communication is a key strategy in developing trust. Discuss all the details with the client and disclose all terms of the contract. Disclose good and bad communication and allow an open discussion with the client. Offering the best solution is a great strategy to gain trust. Listening to clients’ needs and offering them a working solution shows that you care for their needs. Energizing the clients by asking good questions and then listening as they give answers is a strategy that builds trust (Claycomb & Martin, 2002). Active listening shows the clients that you care about them. Look at things from the client’s perspective is another strategy that will enhance trust as it shows your empathy and willingness to help clients’ obtain the best solutions for their needs I will use several tactics to manage client expectations. First, communicating regularly and addressing client’s needs directly. Regular communication will build a strong relationship that will overcome all the setbacks and

Technology in Our Life Essay Example for Free

Technology in Our Life Essay Way too dependent on technology Most kids these days dont even know how to use a dictionary because Google has it all so they dont see it as a necessary skill. Look around at how many people are engrossed in their phones walking down the street, or while driving. Most accidents are caused by people using their phones while driving, whether it be for GPS, to get on Facebook or anything else. Its insane for some people to fathom how anyone ever lived without texting, GPS, and Google. Technology is a big help and a big problem. So how do we know when too much is too much when it comes to using all the technology we have today?

Not All Access is Created Equal Essay -- Definition Technology Essays

Not All Access is Created Equal Access n. 1) the ability, right or permission to approach, enter, speak with or use; admittance; 2) the state or quality of being approachable; 3) a ways or means of approach; ~ v. 9) to make contact with or gain access to; to be able to reach, approach, enter; 10) Computers. to locate (data) for transfer from one part of a computer system to another, generally between an external storage device and main storage Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 2nd Edition Unabridged Language is a continuum. New words enter any given language upon contact with other cultures. Language is not static. It expands and contracts to allow or disallow change. The above excerpted definitions are reflective of what â€Å"access† can mean when this second edition of the dictionary was published in 1987. The first edition published in 1966 did not include the definition designated in number ten dealing with the technology arising in our computer age. Even that 1987 definition of computer access is outdated. However, we can derive from the preceding explanations a comfortable basis for determining what â€Å"access† means to computing technology in schools, the workplace and at home. Access, to those of us who use computers, means that we have a tool making communication and work tasks easier. Access, by implication, means to many of us that anyone has the ability to acquire the same information or perform the same tasks based on the availability of c omputers within a school or workplace or home. Accepting this notion is of course absurd. Not only does the definition of a word change, but the environment in which it exists is also in flux. Access does not ever the mean the desired object is avai... ...l in the hands of the educators. We become adept at manipulating the materials and the technology we have on hand to create the most productive and stimulating and thought-provoking exercises possible. We can bemoan our lack of access or simply use the technology we have. But I contend that access still has its ups and downs. Sometimes because information links and word processing are so accessible we become desensitized to the personal and emotional act of communication. We have traded hands-on-experiences for virtual reality – handwritten letters for abbreviated emails – summer games of kick the can for solitaire on a green screen. The world has shrunk because of technological advances so that we know more about cultures around the globe while at the same time we have surrounded ourselves with machines that help us maintain personal distance and anonymity.

Are we Cheering for the Villain? Essay

When reading the play Oedipus the King, a range of feelings and perspectives arise in the audience, making us unconsciously chose sides with Oedipus or with the ruthless prediction made by the gods. This is due to the fact that as the play develops, more and more is revealed about Oedipus making the audience not only a witness of his tragic story but also emotionally engaged to him. It can be said that Oedipus suffers deeply from his destiny, which he can not run away from. Throughout the play the feeling of pity towards Oedipus builds up and we are each second sympathizing more and more with his suffering. The fact that the feeling we get is pity and not a feeling of accomplishment (that the right thing is being done by killing him) can’t stop us from asking ourselves: even though he is responsible for murders and misfortune in Thebes, why do we get a feeling of pity and not revenge when reading the play? Why do we sympathize with Oedipus? Even though the initial impression we have on Oedipus is a negative one, since his constant arrogant tone towards others is shown, we end up getting sorry for him in the end of the play. This can be said in reference to his first speech to the citizens of Thebes, â€Å"I have not thought it fit to rely on my messengers, /But am here to learn for myself – I, Oedipus, /whose name is know afar.† The fact that Oedipus excessive pride stands out in such a large extent, we build up in our minds an idea that this hubris which is constantly shown is a major characteristic of his. This makes us, as an audience feel repulsive to this vice and to this idea of superiority which lies inside him. Why should the audience feel pity for a person who is not only arrogant but also violent and careless with other people’s lives? When Oedipus kills not only Laius but other citizens the audience gets once more the impression that Oedipus deserves his tragic flaw, also known as hamartia. The truth is, the small part of us which is wishing for his prophecy to come true is growing more and more. However, it seems that even though we are faced with these sickening of disappointing characteristics and attitudes taken by Oedipus, we are still putting these feelings aside and replacing them by a feeling of empathy towards him when we realize that every violent action or sign of fatal curiosity he demonstrates is a consequence of his misfortunous destiny which he is constantly trying to avoid. No matter what Oedipus does to avoid his fate or how he tries to run away from it, it is all predicted by the gods as part of his trajectory to reach his fate. He does not know he has killed his own father, and sleeps with his mother. We feel sorry for him because he has no idea of the evil he has committed and even if he did, he wouldn’t have the power to control his actions. An example of when we empathize with his is when he says (in line 29), â€Å"†Apollo, friends, Apollo was he that brought these woes to pass, these my sore, sore woes: but the hand that struck the eyes was none save mine, wretched that I am! Why was I to see, when sight could show me nothing sweet.† The answer to the initial question of why do we feel pity and empathy towards a man that has committed consecutive crimes (as murders and incest) can be answered after reflecting on the fact that the actions taken by Oedipus were a consequence of the prophecy created by the gods and not due to acting under a influence of a purely evil mind. The fact that he was not responsible for his tragic fate, on the contrary, he tried to avoid it as much as possible, proves that even though Oedipus is not that ordinary hero we originally know from novels or movies, due to his virtuous intentions we not only can relate to him, but also feel pity and compassion for him.

The Motivational Reasons behind Consumer Choice in Branded Coffee Shops Abstract Essay

The coffee-shop industry has been undergoing substantial change during the latter part of the twentieth and early part of the twenty-first century, reflected by continuous changes in consumer behaviour. The aim of this study is to improve the understanding of the motivational reasons behind customer choice in branded coffee shops, both international and local. A quantitative data collection of 300 questionnaires was used in the UK to assess consumer behaviour to branded coffee shops. The findings concluded that most respondents visit coffee shops with friends, with locally branded coffee shops the preferred choice. Consumer motivations to branded coffee shops are most influenced by three factors: past experience/ familiarity; convenience of location/travel; and friends and family. With friendly staff, high quality of coffee and food, good atmosphere and good reputation the most important aspects for branded coffee shops. Recent exposure of tax avoidance from companies such as Starbucks have had negative influence on consumer choice of branded coffee shops. Introduction Rapid developments and a monumental boom, the popularity of the contemporary coffee shop continues to grow in the twenty-first century. Starbucks entered the UK market in the 1990s (Bishop, 2012), which awakened a new era for branded coffee shops. Key Note (2012: 29) verifies that three major players exist; Costa, Starbucks and Caffà © Nero, representing over 80% of branded coffee shops in the UK, confirming the power of international coffee brands. This major market penetration has been to the detriment of smaller, locally branded coffee shops, which struggle to compete (Bishop, 2012). However, some news articles suggest that locally branded coffee shops, e.g. Cadwaladers, can survive, using the power and competitive advantage of the local market. Recent exposure of tax avoidance (see ‘Starbucks’ paid just  £8.6m UK tax in 14 years’, BBC News 2012) questions the future influence of international coffee brands. From analysis of the above it may be inferred that local and international branded coffee shops divide opinion. Reviewing literature of brand concepts, it is evident branding has been widely addressed (Butcher, 2005; Caruana, 2002; Schuiling and Kapferer, 2004; Young and Rubicam, 2000), and more especially, branding in the hospitality industry, (Allegra Strategies Report, 2012; Bashaw, Brumm and Davis, 2008; Bell, 2008; Chathoth and Olsen, 2003; George and Stefanos, 1999; Hanson et al., 2009; Hyun and Kim, 2011; Kim et al., 2003; Kim and Kim, 2004, 2005; Kim, Ma and Kim, 2005; Kwun and Oh, 2004; O’Neill and Mattila, 2010; Ruddick, 2012; Ryu et al., 2008; Wanke, Hermann and Schaffner, 2007), though it finds little research specifically concerning branded coffee shops. Against the above background, the aim of this research is to improve understanding by providing an in-depth analysis of the motivational reasons behind customer choice in branded coffee shops, both local and international. This addresses the gap that exists within literature concerning branded coffee shops, especially regarding what factors influence customer behavior, perceptions and motivations to both local and international branded coffee shops in the UK. Literature review This review considers visitor motivation, theories of motivation in general, hospitality-specific and influential factors such as social influence, socio- demographics and branding, with particular focus on brand perceptions. Visitor Motivation Sharpley (2008) refers to motivation as a logical process that results from deep, psychological needs and motives or external forces and pressures; social relationships and lifestyle. Often unrecognised by an individual, it can kick-start the consumer decision-making process, to ‘reflect an individual’s private needs and wants’ (Pearce, 2005: 51). However, Witt and Wright (1992) argue that needs and desires may arouse motivated behaviour, meaning behaviour is not necessarily predicted, whereas Fodness (1994) claims motivation is the driving force in interpreting an individual’s behaviour. A range of research is related to tourism motivation or visitor motivation (Cooper et al., 2005; Dann, 1977, 1981; Eagles, 1992; Fodness, 1994; Iso- Ahola, 1982; Krippendorf, 1986; MacCannell, 1989; Mathieson and Wall, 1982; McIntosh and Goeldner, 1990; Mill and Morrison, 1985; Moutinho, 1987; Pearce and Caltabiana, 1983; Pearce, 2005; Sharpley, 2008; Sims, 2009; Urry, 1990; Witt and Wright, 1992; Wolf, 2002). However, very little research is related to coffee shop visitor motivations. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1943), a theory of human motivation, provides a strong concept for consumer decision choice of branded coffee shops. Two constructs of this theory, i.e. ‘love and belonging’ support the desire to create a sense of connection. Witt and Bruce (1972) and Bearden and Etzel (1982), suggest individuals seek social approval, wanting to be ‘liked’ or ‘be like’ other individuals in society. The desire to achieve social security motivates individuals to choose the same brand as others, by external public observation or internal, social group attitudes. The power of the international brand as the ‘place to be seen’ creates a motivated behaviour choice. Lewis (2012) argues that superficial desires and behaviours are less influential factors and basic needs are more common-human. Maslow’s concept of ‘psychological needs,’ the need for life basics, supports this alternative motivator, therefore the drive to satisfy thirst alone is another determinant for visiting a coffee shop. The study of needs provides a ‘partial explanation of motivated behaviour’ (Witt and Wright, 1992: 44), but according to Mill and Morrison (1985: 2) individuals are often unaware of the real reason for doing certain things, suggesting true motivations lie hidden in the subconscious. So other influential factors must be examined as reasons why people visit an international brand over a local branded coffee shop and vice-versa. Influential Factors Wolf (2006: 19) notes that ‘nearly 100% of tourists dine out while travelling, and food and beverage consistently rank first in visitor spending’, supported by Shenoy (2005). These findings suggest one explanation for the major growth of coffee shops in high-footfall leisure areas, with an increase in number of branded coffee shops to 3041 in the UK by 2009-10 (Bishop, 2012: 1). Tourist typologies provide tourist/visitor behaviour differences, e.g. Brand Seekers, Convenience Tourists, Culinary Tourists, etc. Hall and Mitchell’s (2005) Taxonomy of Consumers can be used to classify the importance of food within their decision-making processes. Hall and Mitchell (2006: 147; Wolf, 2002) suggest a tourist may want to ‘taste’ the region they are visiting, with the culinary tourist (Shenoy, 2005), supporting motivated behaviour to a locally branded coffee shop. However, with many local coffee shops disappearing, this typology is questioned. Other influences like the power of a brand may alter ones attitudes and consequently change behaviour, research into brand power highlights this. Perceptions are influenced by motivational push factors, e.g. socio-demographics, familiarity, security, social norms, prestige and peer pressure (Swarbrooke and Horner, 1999). Ajzen’s (1991) theory of planned behaviour examined how initial intentions and attitudes are affected by perceptions and account ‘for considerable variance in actual behaviour’ (Ajzen, 1991: 179). Social Influence Moutinho (1987) suggests 4 sources of social influence; family, social class, culture and reference groups. He argued these internal and external pressures were detrimental to behaviour when exerted on individuals. Thornton (2001) supports family as a powerful influence in tourist motivation. Merton (1957) and Rossi’s (1949) reference groups, describes the process when people adjust their attitudes and values to that of the reference group, e.g. product preferences (Burnkrant and Cousineau, 1975) and brand choice (Bourne, 1957; Stafford, 1966; Witt, 1969). Bruce (1970,1972) finds reference group influence can spread to other consumers explaining behaviour of visitors to a new area, seeking information when uncertain (Bearden and Etzel, 1982). Another example derives from the need to seek social status and social approval (Witt and Bruce, 1972). The term value- expressive, is the need for psychological association with a person or group, to the liking of the reference group (Bearden and Etzel, 1982) and ‘need’ to be identified as using the same brand ‘publically consumed luxury’ (Bourne, 1957: 219). French and Raven’s (1959) propose 5 bases that explore how a social group derives power to exert influence. Socio-demographics also determine behavior (Bishop, 2012: 55), e.g. major coffee chains were more popular among men (29.4%) than women (20.6%) compared to independents in the UK. Additionally 54.6% of 20- to 24-year-olds were most likely to choose a branded chain compared to 17.7% of those aged 65 years and over (Key Note, 2012). Consumer research by NEMS UK Market Research on behalf of Key Note (2012: 1) claim during the recession 30.7% of people cut back on visiting coffee/sandwich shops, with, consumers more attracted by outlets offering discounts (Allegra Strategies, 2012). Mattila (2001) claims that social variables from the business perspective are critical for generating customer loyalty, e.g. social regard influenced new customers and perceived core service quality influenced existing customers (Butcher, 2005). Caruana (2002) recognises service qualities like customer satisfaction, results in service loyalty, while friendly behaviours in service interactions enhance business success (Bitner et al., 1990; Driver and Johnston, 2001; Hall, 1993; Iacobucci and Ostrom, 1993; Price and Arnould, 1999). Servicescape is also regarded as a critical factor. Wight (1996) argues the avoidance of crowds is important in explaining customer behaviour. Branding For this research a brand differentiates the international service/product from a local service/product. The brand is a powerful tool that attracts positive consumer behaviour, influencing perceptions and choice, i.e. purchase intention. Wanke, Herrmann and Schaffner (2007) found that a brand name evokes specific associations, creating a brand perception e.g. ‘Starbucks’ – where ‘star’ may be interpreted as star quality and excellence, influencing consumers’ link with quality (Ginden, 1993). Berry et al. (1988) suggests a well-chosen name creates a marketing advantage and should include key characteristics i.e. simple, flexible, memorable, distinctive and relevant – e.g. ‘Costa’. Rooney (1995) suggests a brand name is a major asset, enhancing company success, generating consumer confidence (Assael, 1995) and active consumer behaviour (Assael, 1995; Meadows, 1983), as consumers perceive one brand as more desirable than its competitors (Rooney, 1995). Chernatony and Dall’Olmo Riley (1998: 426) identified twelve themes associated with defining a brand, e.g. shorthand, risk reducer, identity system and image, influencing the consumers mind. Memory shortcuts (Jacoby et al., 1977) help speedier decision-making, advantageous for the time pressed consumer. The recognisable brand becomes the favoured choice (Chevan, 1992), as a distinguishable international brand satisfies demand expectations (Chernatony and Dall’Olmo Riley, 2010; Montgomery and Wernerfelt, 1992), so a brand relationship is established that may explain international brand market dominance. Sweeney and Soutar (2001) suggest branded products have four consumption values that drive consumer purchase behaviour i.e. emotional, social, quality/performance and price/value for money. Explaining how one brand can differ from the next; international branded coffee shops may be perceived the best at delivering these values. The Customer-Based Brand Equity Model (Keller, 1993), conceptualises the idea that brand knowledge affects the consumer response, leading to a positive effect on consumer reactions, generating brand attitude (Tuominen, 1999; Yoo and Donthu, 2001). Research has explored how past experience has the ability to influence and change buyer behaviour (Busch, 1980; Gaski, 1984a; MacKenzie and Zaichkowsky, 1981). Research found that power can influence aspects such as satisfaction (Bachman, 1968; Bachman, Smith, and Slesinger, 1966), attraction (French and Raven, 1959), conformity (Warren, 1968, 1969), and social influence (Lippitt, Polansky, and Rosen, 1952). Crosno et al.’s (2009) 5 Base Social Power Theory adapted from French and Raven’s (1959) original framework (appendix 1), found a brand wielding these concepts had a greater overall brand social power. These findings provide significant explanation to brand difference between international and local coffee shops. An investigation by Tsai (2011) strengthened the Strategic Management of Service Brand Relationships Model, finding service brand commitment and love, influence relationship e.g. satisfaction, self-concept connection and finally trust. Research on the importance of building and achieving brand equity, loyalty and awareness exist, yet little investigation into consumer decision of branded coffee shops. Literature suggests quality perception was most important for determining brand purchase (Bao et al., 2011; Grewal et al., 1998; Richardson, 1994, 1996). This provides support for research into customer perceptions of coffee brands and how they influence our behaviours. Local Brands vs. International Brands Schuiling and Kapferer (2004) argue with local brands’ adaptability and better response to local needs, e.g. flexibility of pricing strategy for specific local markets highlighting a significant difference to international brands, which lack intimate relationships with local markets (Schuiling and Kapferer, 2004). Their research on the differences found that local brands have a higher level of awareness (85%) than international brands (73%) linked by the number of years local brands have been in the market (Schuiling and Kapferer, 2004: 105). Their database revealed other variables suggesting local brand advantages, for example, as being trustworthy, reliable, good value, high quality and traditional (Table 3 in Schuiling and Kapferer, 2004: 105). Local brands have the ability to create a brand value system (Chernatony and Dall’olmo Riley, 1998) by endorsing personal and cultural values (Engel, 1993; Reynolds and Gutman, 1988). Chernatony and Dall’olmo Riley (1998) argued that Brand Relationship and Brand Personality (Blackston, 1992) were important for repeat custom and strong bonding, e.g. Cadwaladers, a local Welsh example, provide ‘distinct character’ and ‘culture’ of its destination (Jones and Jenkins, 2002: 116) and help establish a more unique selling proposition (Haven-Tang and Jones, 2006). Evidence exists of community support for local brands to support, stimulate and revitalise local economy (Boyne, Hall and Williams, 2003), creating regional development (Hall, Kirkpatrick and Mitchell, 2005; Steinmetz, 2010) and preventing ‘cloning’ (Kelly, 2012). A case study by Patterson et al. (2010) highlights local brand power in Australia. Closing three quarters of Australian Starbucks, Australians continued to remain loyal the their own coffee brand Gloria Jeans. Schuiling and Kapferer (2004) support local brands as the leading competitor, arguing the qualities and traits of local business have proven superior. They conclude that cost is responsible for local disadvantage, with inability to generate economies of scale. Schuiling and Kapferer (2004) argue that international brand development benefits from global marketing, e.g. portfolio enhancement, compared to local brands who lack global status (see Daily Mail, 2009). Schuiling and Kapferer (2004) suggest a balanced mix of local and international brand development is key to entire industry success. The aim of this article is to improve our understanding by addressing the gap that exists within research and literature concerning branded coffee shops. Little research explores what factors influence customer behavior, perceptions and motivations to local and international branded coffee shops in the UK. Methodology Given the nature of the research, formal quantitative data collection using questionnaires was deployed. Target market analysis highlighted the most prominent influential factors, internal and external motives (Gnoth, 1997) and push and pull factors (Swarbrooke and Horner, 1999). This establishes what factors influence consumer perceptions, behaviour and purchase intention, similar to the survey conducted by Boa et al. (2011). Providing explanation as to why branded coffee shops (local/international) maintain their position within their industry, this research addresses the lack of research in this field, benefiting coffee shop businesses seeking competitive advantage or improvement. Providing insight to customer attitudes and perceptions, it proposes realistic prospects for brands, like the Y&R Brand Asset Valuator (Young and Rubicam, 2010). ‘Surveys are, arguably, the most important source of information for tourism analysis, planning and decision making’ (Smith, 1995: 42). Questionnaires are components of survey work (Finn et al., 2000), its purpose here is to obtain reliable and valid data on the research subject (Finn et al., 2000). A street survey of 300 questionnaires was undertaken, covering a cross- section of the community (Veal, 1992). Allowing generalisation of similar socio-demographic areas, this survey size gives representative data of the population (Seale, 2004), compensating lack of sufficient response data and weakness of randomness (Prentice et al., 1998), e.g. population and ecological validity (Finn et al., 2000). Clearly there is likely to be differences in demographics in the Southern cities/areas covered for this research compared to larger, major cities/areas across the UK such as London. Measures for the questionnaire are conceptualised from the secondary literature research, as discussed consultation of research literature like this facilitates internal validity (Finn et al., 2000). This identified deficiencies concerning consumer choice and behaviour to the branded coffee shop, reflecting research objectives for appropriate instrumentation and statistical treatment of data (Cohen et al., 2007). The questionnaire (appendix 2) included a standardised set of questions, allowing all respondents to interpret them in the same way, establishing standardisation and control (Finn et al., 2000). A pilot study identified improvements to the questionnaire before being confirmed as reliable, removing ambiguity or bias (Finn et al., 2000). Similarly to methodology by Bramwell (1998) and Prentice et al. (1998) this research was a non-probability sample of 300 shoppers, no sampling frame therefore is administered. Critics of this sampling argue that this method is weak, lacking randomness, approaching shoppers on an ad hoc basis (bias selection) inevitably means not everyone has an equal chance of being selected (Finn et al., 2000). To help overcome questionnaire distributer bias, a ‘first to pass’ system was used (Tourism and Recreation Research Unit, 1993). Shopping centres, high streets and small town centres in various locations in the South West (e.g. Plymouth, Taunton) and South Wales (e.g. Cardiff, Penarth and Chepstow) were identified as valid target areas, where street surveys are natural settings (Bogdan and Biklen, 1992; Cohen et al., 2007; Lincoln and Guba, 1985). The aim was to target up to 50% of shoppers within these fields (according to capacity of area). A total of 10 days was allocated for research collection, to reach a total of 300 responses. The procedure was validated and controlled by replicating each data-gathering activity, with the interviewer remaining neutral throughout the study, avoiding interviewer bias or the Halo Effect. Consent ensures content validity and reduces ethical implications (Cohen et al., 2007) while consequential validity was also confirmed; briefing participants their responses will not exceed the ‘capability of the research’ (Cohen et al., 2007: 140). This maximises interest and elicits a positive response rate (Brunt, 2012; Finn et al., 2000). The research method allows for completed questionnaires suitable for coding and analysis by SPSS, enabling the study to be easily replicated. Cross-tabulation examined results and chi-square tests ‘measured how well the data fits the hypothesis’ (Gravetter and Wallnau, 2009: 611) i.e. testing for goodness of fit, measuring what it is supposed to measure confirms validity (Finn et al, 2000: 28), creating a descriptive statistical account to interpret and generalise reality. Findings and discussion This section presents the results of the questionnaire, analysing the descriptive statistics to establish the independent variables and dependent variables: Experience of coffee shops; Coffee-drinking behaviour; Motivation; International vs local coffee shops; Effects of tax avoidance. Discussion reviews their linkages to the existing literature to determine if this new data supports or contradicts existing information. Profile of the respondents A large count for each gender was recorded, finding a higher degree of female respondents (55.7%). Their ages varied, with a large segment of the sample aged between 15 and 24 (42.3%). The population of England is larger than Wales. Results from the 2011 census (Office for National Statistics, 2011) reveal that England has 53.0 million residents, compared to 3.1 million in Wales. Further reporting that ‘there were 27.6 million men and 28.5 million women in the two countries’ (Office for National Statistics, 2011: 4). Looking more specifically at the UK regions used for this research, the South West and Wales, a marginal population difference exits between these two regions (see table 6). However closer examination of the gender populations of these two regions are fairly similar (see tables 7 and 8), both regions see more females than males for people living to an older age. These statistics support findings regarding the higher female count found in this research. Local coffee brands were the preferred type by respondents (53.7%) compared to international coffee brands (46.3%). Correlating with recent actions in Totnes (Kelly, 2012 – BBC News Magazine), this supports Schuiling and Kapferers’ (2004) assessment that local brands are the leading competitor. It also suggests that local brands may endorse stronger consumption values posit by Sweeney and Soutar (2001) to explain consumer purchase behaviour. Dismissing assumptions made within the literature review that international branded coffee shops could be perceived best at delivering these values. Respondents reported they visit coffee shops predominately with friends (50.3%). Only 4.7% of respondents visited with work colleagues, suggesting escapism from daily routine by Iso-Ahola (1987) may explain why coffee shops are less likely to be visited with work colleagues, avoiding an association with work related activities. This sustains popular belief that coffee shops are a social activity, with behaviour socially influenced by friends or family (French and Raven, 1959). Motivations to coffee shop Table 3 presents motivations of the respondents to Coffee shop using a 1-5 Likert Scale Analysis found that past experience/familiarity was the main reason why respondents were motivated to their chosen coffee shop (4.09). Confirming the influence of motivational push factors like familiarity and security (Swarbrooke and Horner, 1999), to satisfy expectations, meet private needs and wants (Pearce, 2005; Witt and Wright, 1992) and influence behaviour (Brand Social Power Theory, 2009; Busch, 1980; Crosno et al., 2009; French and Raven, 1958; Gaski, 1984a; Lippit et al., 1952; MacKenzie and Zaichkowsky, 1981; Warren, 1968, 1969). Confirming Brand Values are endorsed from personal experience with the brand subject (Bradley, 1995; Chernatony and McDonald, 1992; Clark, 1987; Doyle 1998; Jones, 1986; Tuominen, 1999), e.g. ‘Attachment of place’ (Phillips, 2013: 202), a principle Rowles (1978) and Smith (2009) claim is associated with exposure to a place. The second highest motivation was convenience of location/ or travel (3.99), which supports convenience is an important consideration (Kim et al., 2005) and convenient location is more important than the brand (3.61) (Allegra Strategies, 2012). Friends and Family rated third strongest motivator (3.75), confirming friends and family are powerful motivators influencing behavior (Bearden and Etzel, 1982; Bourne, 1957; Burnkrant and Cousineau, 1975; Moutinho, 1987; Stafford, 1966; Thornton, 2001; Witt and Bruce, 1972 and Witt, 1969). This reinforces Merton and Rossi (1949) and Moutinho’s (1987) significance of ‘reference groups.’ That Strong local identity rated the weakest (3.31) may suggest that local identity does not have the same impact as that of the brand itself, e.g. marketing advantage (Berry et al., 1988), enhanced success (Rooney, 1995) or active consumer behaviour (Assael, 1995; Meadows, 1983). This suggests that promoting local identity in coffee shops may not significantly affect customer behavioural intentions. International branded coffee shops vs local branded coffee shops A 1-5 Likert Scale was also used to identify what aspects were most important for both international coffee brands and local coffee brands, summarised in table 4 below. High quality of coffee/food was found the most important aspect (4.36) concerning international brands. Reinforcing perceived core service quality influenced existing customers (Butcher, 2005), similarly confirming Bao et al. (2011); Grewal et al. (1998) and Richardson (1994, 1996) that quality perception was most important for determining purchase. Rated second most important for an international brand was good reputation (4.08), confirming that social regard is a critical influencer (Butcher, 2005; Mattila, 2001). Friendly staff was rated most important for local brands (4.37). These findings are consistent with Bitner et al., (1990); Driver and Johnston (2001); Hall, (1993); Iacobucci and Ostrom, (1993) and Price and Arnould, (1999); who found friendly behaviours between service and customer enhance business success. High quality of coffee/food rated second most important, as mentioned above consistent with Butcher (2005) and Mattila (2001). Good atmosphere was also considered important for local coffee shops (4.13), supporting Kotler (1973) that atmosphere is often the primary product to effect purchase decision, physical surroundings and environment are also influential (Gardner, 1985; Obermiller and Bitner, 1984 and Donovan and Rossiter, 1982). Table 5 shows respondents’ attitude towards recent news claims regarding tax avoidance (centered around Starbucks). The results below confirm that a significant number of respondents were affected by the story (34%), claiming they would avoid using international chains in the future. Though 53.3% of respondents said it would have no effect, an additional 12.7% stated they were unsure of their future intentions. This provides a case which represents how important brand equity (Aaker, 1991) is for building the product’s image (Clearly, 1981), value promotion to attract and keep customers (Rooney, 1995), positive image (Ginden, 1993), consumer generated image (Chernatony and Dall’olmo Riley, 1998), brand value (Park et al., 1994) and likings and perceptions (Moore, 1993). Damage to the brand can be critical; the findings demonstrate how negative brand exposure against Starbucks now evokes a negative association and brand perception (Wanke, Herrmann and Schaffner, 2007). This confirms the power of Keller’s Brand Equity Model (1993); brand knowledge can affect consumer response, suggesting it had hindered brand attitude (Tuominen, 1999; Yoo and Donthu, 2001). Brand reputation (Romeo, Weinberger, and Antes 1994; Siomkos and Malliaris 1992) is a feature affected by consumer response to company crisis (Jorgensen, 1996). Jorgensen (1996) and Weiner’s model (1986) found the higher degree of responsibility and controllability a company was for said event the higher it elicit feelings of anger, effecting judgment, purchase and behaviour intentions (Jorgensen, 1994). The high number of respondents not affected could be explained using attitude strength, brand commitment and brand loyalty (Ahluwalia et al., 2000; Keller, 2003; Tuominen, 1999; Yoo and Donthu, 2001) i.e. brand equity (Aaker, 1991; 1992), confirming the importance of the Service Brand Relationship Model (Tsai, 2011). Cross Tabulation and Chi-Square Tests studied the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables to determine whether a significant association between two variables existed (Brunt, 2012). This research revealed a number of significant associations existed, providing insight of consumer behaviour to coffee shops, discussed below. A chi-square test between gender and 12 motivational items was carried out, which found one positive cross tabulation between women and ‘Popular and Thriving Atmosphere.’ This shows a significant association; women are more positively affected by servicescape (Gardener, 1985; Kotler, 1973; Obermiller and Bitner, 1984) and environment than men (Raajpoot et al., 2008). Popular and thriving maybe associated as busy, men are more negatively affected by waiting time than women (Grewal et al, 2003) which explains this gender association, suggesting Wight’s (1997) avoidance of crowds to explain behaviour is more prevalent in men than in women. A chi-square test between age and 12 motivational items was carried out; 4 positive cross tabulations were found: ‘Age’ and ‘Support Local Brand’ The cross tab indicated that more people aged 65+ rated ‘support local brand’ as the strongest reason to coffee shop. Age groups ’15-24†² and ’25-44†² rated ‘possible’ highly. Most ages rate ‘support local brand’ highly as a motivator to chosen coffee shop, though the older you are the stronger this motivates you. Approving Boyne, Hall and Williams (2003) that community support to stimulate and revitalise the local economy exits. ‘Age’ and ‘Avoids Crowds and Noise’ Age group ’65+’ rated avoiding crowds and noise strongly as a motivating factor. This test reveals the older you are the more avoiding crowds and noise motivates you when choosing a coffee shop. Supporting Day et al. ‘s (2000) Minimizing Sensory Overstimulation Theory, as suggested by Phillips’ (2013) study, older participants were startled by sudden, heavy or loud noises. ‘Age’ and ‘The Brand and Reputation’ This cross tab suggests that for ages ’25-44†², ’65+’ and ’15-24, Brand and Reputation was a strong motivator, confirming this does affect and influence a large majority of consumer motivations. These findings are consistent with those of Wanke, Herrmann and Schaffner (2007) that brands evoke perceptions, which can link with quality (Ginden, 1993) influencing consumer decisions. Findings support brands make memory shortcuts (Jacoby et al., 1977), which create consumer confidence (Assael, 1995) and active consumer behaviour (Assael, 1995; Crosno et al., 2009; Meadows, 1983). ‘Age’ and ‘Somewhere New/Different’ The cross tab indicated that somewhere new/different rated a high motivator among respondent, thus an influential factor in consumer coffee shop decisions. This is consistent to the framework created by Pearce and Caltabiano (1983) and Sharpley (2008) whom signify biological and social motives change over time. Social changes influence behaviour, i.e. consumer taste and style changes (Moutinho, 1987; Rooney, 1995) and social influences are motivators found by Dann (1977); Iso-Ahola (1987) and McIntosh and Goeldner (1990). The findings agree with Bearden and Etzel (1982) and Witt and Bruce (1972) that social security and social approval motivates human behaviour. A further test found a significant association existed between age and preferred coffee shop. The two youngest ages groups 15-24 and 25-44 were found to prefer international branded coffee shops more than local branded coffee shops, supporting Key Note (2012), compared to the two oldest age groups 45-64 and 65+, which found a higher preference for local brands. Conclusion and implications Reviewing this exploratory study, we suggest that consumer motivations to branded coffee shops are influenced by the following three factors: past experience/familiarity, convenience of location, and friends and family. This research reveals that social influence is a strong motivator in consumer choice and purchasing behaviours to branded coffee shops. This research also identified some similarities between factors perceived most important from the consumer perspective for local and international coffee brands. The most important factors for a local coffee brand were, in order, friendly staff, high quality of coffee and food and good atmosphere. Whereas the most important factors for an international coffee brand were, in order, high quality of coffee and food, good reputation and friendly staff. Respondents indicated high quality coffee and food and friendly staff were important for both branded coffee shops. The results of this research exposes that a difference between coffee brand preference and influential factors exists. The following section presents practical implications for businesses or individuals within the branded coffee shop industry. This research identified that a strong liking for coffee shops exists, with local brands the preferred coffee brand choice. The difference between important factors suggests it contributes and influences consumer coffee brand preference, motivations and behaviours. So to understand the motivational reasons behind consumer choices in branded coffee shops the consideration of these factors is necessary. Differentiating the local brand from the international brand, the results suggest local brands endorse a more personal relationship compared to the professional, quality relationship found from international brands. These findings provide additional theory on the power of social influence from the consumer and business perspective as a motivator to branded coffee shops, i.e. perceptions and social brand power. In addition, this research reveals that significant associations did exist between motivation and social demographics such as age and gender; e.g. women were more motivated by the popular and thriving atmosphere of the branded coffee shop than men. Whereas age presented larger differences between motivations e.g. ‘support local brand’, ‘avoid crowds/noise’, ‘somewhere new/different’ and ‘brand and reputation’. This research could be used for coffee shop businesses seeking to target a specific audience. Regarding tax avoidance, results from a specific question (see appendix 2, Question 7 and table 5) illustrated that consumer attitude was affected and that it negatively influenced future decisions, motivations and behaviours towards all internationally branded coffee shops, especially Starbucks itself. Detrimental to the brand reputation, this draws attention to the importance of maintaining a good reputation for successful coffee shop businesses. The findings suggest theories and literature on brands, motivation and influential factors is applicable to branded coffee shops, e.g. theory concerning local brands as leading competitors endorsing qualities and traits superior to those of international brands. Quality perception is important for determining brand purchase and can explain consumer behaviour to branded coffee shops. This research addresses the gap that exists within literature concerning branded coffee shops, especially regarding local brands and their ability to influence consumer perceptions. Little research explores what factors influence customer behaviour, perceptions and motivations to local and international branded coffee shops in the UK, therefore this research creates a foundation for others to explore and develop further. Given the rise in interest and boom of the coffee shop industry in recent times, this provides market research consideration for new start ups in the tourism and beverage industry in the future. A multi methods approach using an in-depth interview could improve understanding and explore customer attitudes further. A comparison of consumer preferences across different countries could also reveal whether cultural differences influence decisions. Limitations to this study exist, e.g. the sample selection was taken from the South West and South Wales and other UK regions were not explored, meaning a holistic mix of social demographic across the UK is not confirmed. Likewise, an equal count for each age group and gender was not achieved. A larger study may discover a difference between gender and preference of branded coffee shop, or whether significant associations exist between age and importance of aspects, which chi-square tests in this study could not validate due an insufficient sample size. Clearly the results demonstrate coffee shops are an integral part of popular British culture and this research presents findings to support this theory. Acknowledgements I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to my guide, Professor Rong Huang, for her exemplary guidance, monitoring, constant encouragement and kindness. Her support and time has been invaluable and inspiring throughout the development of this article. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Graham Busby for the valuable information provided by him in his respective field. I am grateful for his support. Lastly, I would like to thank my parents, brother and friends for their constant encouragement, support, care and kindness throughout this entire process. Appendices Appendix 1: French and Raven’s (1959) power typology Legitimate power is based on the perception of an individual that another person has the legitimate right to influence him or her, and that he or she is obligated to accept the influence. Reward power is based on the perception of an individual that another person has the ability to reward him or her. Coercive power is based on the perception of an individual that another person has the ability to punish him or her. Expert power is based on the perception of an individual that another person has some specialized knowledge or expertise. Referent power is based on an individual’s identification with, and desire to be similar to, another person. Crosno et al. (2009:93) Appendix 2: Questionnaire Appendix 4: Questionnaire Appendix 3: Table 6: 2011 Census – The populations for English Regions and Wales Table 6: 2011 Census – The populations for English Regions and Wales (Office for National Statistics, 2011:22). Table 7: The Population of Wales 1999-2009 by age and gender Table 7: The Population of Wales 1999-2009 by age and gender (Office for National Statistics – Statistics for Wales, 2010:3) Table 8: The Population of the South West by age and gender Table 8: The Population of the South West by age and gender (Smith, 2010:47) Notes [1] Sophie Burge has recently been awarded a First Class BSc Honours Degree in Business and Tourism at the University of Plymouth. Sophie is now looking to pursue her career around the world. References Aaker, D. (1991), Managing Brand Equity – Capitalizing On The Value Of A Brand Name, New York: Simon and Schuster Aaker, D. (1992), ‘The Value of Brand Equity’, Journal of Business Strategy, 4, 27-32 Ahluwalia, R., R.E. Burnkrant and H.R. Unnava (2000), ‘Consumer Response to Negative Publicity: The Moderating Role of Commitment’, Journal of Marketing Research, 37 (2), 203-14 Ajzen, I. (1991), ‘The Theory of Planned Behaviour’, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Process, 50 (1), 179-211 Allegra Strategies Ltd. (2012), The UK Restaurant Sector Report Assael, H. (1995), Consumer behavior and marketing action, Cincinnati: South-Western College Publishing Bachman, J. G. (1968), ‘Faculty satisfaction and the dean’s influence: An organizational study of twelve liberal arts colleges’, Journal of Applied Psychology, 52, 55-61 Bachman, J. G., C. G. Smith and J. A. Slesinger (1966), ‘Control, performance and satisfaction’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 127-36 Bao, Y., Y. Bao and S. Sheng (2011), ‘Motivating purchase of private brands: Effects of store image, product signatureness, and quality variation’, Journal of Business Research, 64, 220-26 Bashaw, R. E., J. Brumm and L. R. Davis (2008), ‘The Down Home Cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, Journal of Business Case Studies, 4 (5), 27-44 BBC News (2012), Starbucks ‘paid just  £8.6m UK tax in 14 years’, available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19967397, accessed 1 July 2013 Bearden, W. and M. Etzel (1982), ‘Reference group influence on product and brand purchase decisions’, Journal of Consumer Research, 9 (1), 183-94 Bell, C. (2008), ‘100% PURE New Zealand: Branding for back-packers’, Journal of Vacation Marketing, 14 (4), 345-55 Berry, L. L., E. Lefkowith and T. Clark (1988), ‘In services, what’s in a name’, Harvard Business Review, 66, 28-30 Bishop, L. (2012), ‘Coffee and Sandwich Shops’, in Key Note, Market Assessment 2012, 7th Edition Bitner, M. J., B. H. Booms and M. S. Tetreault (1990), ‘The service encounter: diagnosing favorable and unfavorable incidents’, Journal of Marketing, 54, 71-84 Blackston, M. (1992), ‘Observations: building brand equity by managing the brand’s relationships’, Journal of Advertising Research, 32, 79-83 Bogdan, R. and S. K. Biklen (eds) (1992), Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theory and Methods, Boston: Allyn and Bacon Bourne, F. S. (1957), ‘Group Influence in Marketing and Public Relations’, in R. Likert and S. P. Hayes (eds), Some Applications of Behavioral Re- search, Basel, Switzerland: UNESCO Boyne, S., D. Hall and F. Williams (2003), ‘Policy, support and promotion for food related tourism initiatives: A marketing approach to regional development’, in C. M. Hall (ed.), Wine, Food and Tourism Marketing, New York: Haworth Hospitality Press pp. 131-54 Bradley, F. (1995), Marketing Management. Providing, Communicating and Delivering Value. London: Prentice Hall Bramwell, B. (1998), ‘User satisfaction and product development in urban tourism’, Tourism Management, 19 (1), 35-47 Bruce, G. D. (1970), ‘Purchase Decisions and Group Influence’, Journal of Marketing Research, 7, 533-35 Bruce, G. D. (1972), ‘Group Influence and Brand Choice Congruence’, Journal of Marketing Research, 9, 440-43 Brunt, P. (2012), ‘SPSS 20 An Introduction’, University of Plymouth Burnkrant, R. E. and A. Cousineau (1975), ‘Informational and Normative Social Influence in Buyer Behavior’, Journal of Consumer Research, 2, 206-15 Busch, P. (1980), ‘The sales manager’s bases of social power and influence upon the sales force’, Journal of Marketing, 44, 91-101 Butcher, K. (2005), ‘Differential impact of social influence in the hospitality encounter’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 17 (2), 125-35 Caruana, A. (2002), ‘Service loyalty: The effects of service quality and the mediating role of customer satisfaction’, European Journal of Marketing, 36 (7), 811-28 Chathoth, P. K. and M. D. Oslen (2003), ‘Strategic alliances: a hospitality industry perspective’, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 22 (4), 419-34 Chernatony, L. and F. Dall’Olmo Riley (1998), ‘Defining A ‘Brand’: Beyond The Literature With Experts’ Interpretations’, Journal of Marketing Management, 14 (5), 417-43 Chernatony, L. and M. McDonald (1992), Creating Powerful Brands. The Strategic Route to Success in Consumer, Industrial and Service Markets, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann,18-19 Chevan, H. (1992), ‘What’s in a name?’, Catalog Age, 9 (9), 28 Clark, H. F. (1987), ‘Consumer and Corporate Values: Yet Another View on Global Marketing’, International Journal of Advertising, 6 (1), 29-42 Clearly, D. P. (1981), Great American brands: The success formulas that made them famous, New York: Fairchild Publications Cohen, L., L. Manion and K. Morrison (eds) (2007), Research Methods in Education, Oxon: Taylor and Francis, 133-51 Cooper, C., J. Fletcher, A. Fyall, D. Gilbert and S. Wanhill (eds) (2005), Tourism: Principles and Practice, Harlow: Pearson Education Crosno, J. L., T. H. Freling and S. J. Skinner (2009), ‘Does Brand Social Power Mean Market Might? Exploring the Influence of Brand Social Power on Brand Evaluations’, Journal of Psychology and Marketing, 26 (2), 91-121 Daily Mail (2009), ‘Britain’s biggest coffee chains promise to cut salt and fat in snacks and drink’, available at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1159948/Britains-biggest-coffee-chains-promise-cut-salt-fat-snacks-drinks.html, accessed 29 October 2012 Dann, G. (1977), ‘Anomie, Ego – Enhancement and Tourism’, Annals of Tourism Research, 4 (4), 184-94 Dann, G. (1981), ‘Tourist Motivation: An appraisal’, Annals of Tourism Research, 8 (2), 187-219 Day, K., D. Carreon and C. Stump (2000), ‘The Therapeutic design of environments for people with dementia: a review of the empirical research’, The Gerontologist, 40 (4), 397-416 Donovan, R. J. and J. R. Rossiter (1982), ‘Store Atmosphere: An Environmental Psychology Approach’, Journal of Retailing, 58 (1), 34-57 Doyle, P. (1998), Marketing Management and Strategy, London: Prentice Hall Driver, C. and R. Johnston (2001), ‘Understanding service customers: the value of hard and soft attributes’, Journal of Service Research, 4 (2), 130-39 Eagles, P. (1992), ‘The Travel Motivations of Canadian Ecotourists’, Journal of Travel Research, 31 (2), 2-13 Engel, J. F., R. D. Blackwell and P. W. Miniard (1993), Consumer Behavior, Fort Worth: The Dryden Press Finn, M., M. Elliott-White and M. Walton (2000), Tourism and Leisure Research Methods, Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation, London: Pearson Education French, J. R. P. and B. Raven (1959), ‘The bases of social power’, in D. Cartwright (ed.), Studies in social power, Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, pp. 150-67 Fodness, D. (1994), ‘Measuring tourist motivation’, Annals of Tourism Research, 21 (3), 555-81 Gardner, M. P. (1985), ‘Mood States and Consumer Behaviour: A Critical Review’, Journal of Consumer Research, 12, 281-300 Gaski, J. F. (1984), ‘The theory of power and conflict in channels of distribution’, Journal of Marketing, 48, 9-29 George, B. and V. Stefanos (1999), ‘Some attitudinal predictors of home-shopping through the Internet’, Journal of Marketing Management, 15 (5), 361-85 Ginden, R. (1993), ‘The name game’, Cheers, 59-62 Gnoth, J. (1997), ‘Motivation and Expectation Formation’, Annals of Tourism Research, 24 (2), 283-304 Gravetter, F. J. and L. B. Wallnau (eds) (2007), Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences, America: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Grewal, D., R. Krishnan, J. Baker and N. Borin (1998), ‘The Effect of Store Name, Brand Name and Price Discounts on Consumers’ Evaluations and Purchase Intentions’, Journal of Retailing, 74 (3) 331-52 Hall, E. J. (1993), ‘Smiling, deferring, and flirting’, Work and Occupations, 20 (4), 452-71 Hall, D., I. Kirkpatrick and M. Mitchell (2005), Rural Tourism and Sustainable Business, Clevedon: Channel View Publications Hall, C. M., and R. Mitchell (2005), ‘Gastronomic tourism: Comparing food and wine tourism experiences’, in Novelli. M. (ed.), Niche tourism: Contemporary issues, trends and cases, Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, pp. 73-88 Hall, C. M., and R. Mitchell (2006), ‘Gastronomy, food and wine tourism’, in Buhalis, D. and C. Costa (eds), Tourism business frontiers: Consumers, products and industry, London: Butterworth Heinemann, pp.137-48 Hanson, B., A. S. Mattila, J. W. O’Neill and Y. Kim (2009), ‘Hotel Rebranding and Rescaling; Effects on Financial Performance’, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 50 (3), 360-70 Haven-Tang, C. and E. Jones (2006), ‘Using local food and drink to differentiate tourism destinations through a sense of place’, Journal of Culinary Science and Technology, 4 (4), 69-86 Hyun, S. S. and W. Kim (2011), ‘Dimensions of Brand Equity in the Chain Restaurant Industry’, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 52 (4), 429-37 Iacobucci, D. and A. Ostrom (1993), ‘Gender differences in the impact of core and relational aspects of services on the evaluation of service encounters’, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2 (3), 257-86 Iso-Ahola, S. (1982), ‘Toward a Social Psychological Theory of Tourism Motivation: A rejoinder’, Annals of Tourism Research, 9 (2), 256-62 Jacoby, J., G. Szybillo and J. Busato-Schach (l977), ‘Information acquisition behaviour in brand choice situations’, Journal of Consumer Research, 3, 209-16 Jones, J. (1986), What’s in a Name? Advertising and the Concept of Brands, Aldershot: Gower Publishing, 30-31 Jones, A. and I. Jenkins (2002), ‘A taste of Wales – Blas Ar Gymru: Institutional malaise in promoting Welsh food tourism products’, in Hjalager. A. and G. Richards (eds), Tourism and gastronomy, London: Routledge, pp. 115-31 Jorgensen, B. K. (1994), ‘Consumer Reaction to Company-Related Disasters: The Effect of Multiple Versus Single Explanations,’ in Allen, C.T. and J. D. Roedder (eds) Advances in Consumer Research, 21, Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research, pp. 348-52 Jorgensen, B. K. (1996), ‘Components of Consumer Reaction to Company-Related Mishaps: a Structural Equation Model Approach’, Advances in Consumer Research, 23 (1), 346-51 Keller, K. L. (1993) ‘Conceptualising, Measuring and Managing Customer-Based Brand Equity’, Journal of Marketing, 57 (1), 1-22 Kelly, J. (2012), ‘The independent coffee republic of Totnes’, available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19146445, accessed 12 Nov 2012 Kim, H. B., W. G. Kim and J. A. An (2003), ‘The effect of consumer-based brand equity on firms’ financial performance’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 20 (4), 335-51 Kim, H. B. and W. G. Kim (2004), ‘Measuring Customer-Based Restaurant Brand Equity’, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 45 (2) 115-31 Kim, H. B. and W. G. Kim (2005), ‘The relationship between brand equity and firms’ performance in luxury hotels and chain restaurants’, Journal of Tourism Management, 26 (4), 549-60 Kim, W. G., X. Ma and D. J. Kim (2005), ‘Determinants of Chinese hotel customers’ e-satisfaction and purchase intentions’, Journal of Tourism Management, 27, 890-900 Kotler, P. (1973), ‘Atmosphere as a marketing tool’, Journal of Retailing, 49 (4), 48-64 Krippendorf, J. (1986), ‘Tourism In the System of Industrial Society’, Annals of Tourism Research, 13 (4), 517-32 Kwun, J. W. and H. Oh (2004), ‘Effects of Brand, Price, and Risk on Customers’ Value Perceptions and Behavioral Intentions in the Restaurant Industry’, Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing, 11 (1), 31-49 Lewis, K. J. (2012), ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. Research History’, available at http://www.researchhistory.org/2012/06/16/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs/, accessed 14 Nov 2012 Lincoln, Y. S. and E. G. Guba (1985), Naturalistic Inquiry, Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications Lippitt, R., N. Polansky and S. Rosen (1952), ‘The dynamics of power: A field study of social influence in groups of children’, Human Relations, 5, 37-64 MacCannelll, D. (ed.) (1989), The Tourist: A New Theory of the Leisure Class, New York: Shocken Books MacKenzie, S. B. and J. L. Zaichkowsky (1981), ‘An analysis of alcohol advertising using French and Raven’s theory of social influence’, Advances in Consumer Research, 8, 708-12 Maslow, A. H. (1943), ‘Theory of Human motivation’, Psychological Review, 50, 370-96 Mathieson, A. and G. Wall (1982), Tourism: Economic, Physical and Social Impacts, Harlow: Longman Mattila, A. S. (2001), ‘The Impact of Relationship Type on Customer Loyalty in a Context of Service Failures’, Journal of Service Research, 4 (2), 91-101 McIntosh, R. and C. Goeldner (1990), Tourism: Principles, Practices and Philosophies, New York: Wiley Meadows, R. (1983), ‘They consume advertising too’, Admap, pp. 408-13 Merton, R. (1957), ‘Continuities in the Theory of Reference Groups and Social Structure’, in Merton, R. K. (ed.), Social Theory and Social Structure, New York: The Free Press, pp. 281-368 Mill, R. and A. Morrison (1985), The Tourism System, New Jersey: Prentice Hall International Moore, J. (1993), ‘Building Brands Across Markets: Cultural Differences in Brand Relationships within the European Community’, in Aaker, D. and A. L. Biel (eds), Brand Equity and Advertising, Advertising’s Role in Building Strong Brands, Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, pp. 31-49 Montgomery, C. and B. Wernerfelt (1992), ‘Risk reduction and umbrella branding’, Journal of Business, 65, 31-50 Moutinho, L. (1987), ‘Consumer Behaviour in Tourism’, European Journal of Marketing, 21 (10), 5-44 Obermiller, C., and M. J. Bitner (1984), ‘Store atmosphere: a peripheral cue for product evaluation’ in American Psychological Association, Annual Conference Proceedings, Washington, DC Office for National Statistics (2010), ‘Wales Population, A Demographic Overview 2010’, in Welsh Assembly Government Statistics for Wales, Cardiff: National Statistics 3 Office for National Statistics (2011), ‘2011 Census: Key Statistics for England and Wales, March 2011’, available at http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_290685.pdf., accessed 25 June 2013 Office for National Statistics. (2011), ‘2011 Census – Population and Household Estimates for England and Wales, March 2011’, available at http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_270487.pdf., accessed 25 June 2013 O’Neill, J. W. and A. S. Mattila (2010), ‘Hotel Brand Strategy’, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 51 (1), 27-34 Park, C., D. Whan and V. Srinivasan (1994), ‘A Survey-Based Method for Measuring and Understanding Brand Equity and Its Extendibility’, Journal of Marketing Research, 2, 271-88 Patterson, P. G., J. Scott and M. D. Uncles (2010), ‘How the local competition defeated a global brand: The case of Starbucks’, Australasian Marketing Journal, 18, 41-47 Pearce, P. and M. Caltabiano (1983), ‘Inferring Travel Motivations from Travellers Experiences’, Journal of Travel Research, 22, 16-20 Pearce, P. (2005), Tourist Behaviour: Themes and Conceptual Schemes, Clevedon: Channel View Publications Phillips, J. (2013), ‘Older People Use of Unfamiliar Space’, in Rowles, G. D. and M. Bernard (eds), Environmental Gerontology. Making Meaningful Places in Old Age, America: Springer Publishing Company, pp. 199-222 Prentice, R. C., S. F. Witt and C. Hamer (1998), ‘Tourism as experience: the case of heritage parks’, Annals of Tourism Research, 25 (1), 1-24 Price, L. L. and E. J. Arnould (1999), ‘Commercial friendships: service provider-client relationships in context’, Journal of Marketing, 63 (4), 38-56 Raajpoot, N. A., A. Sharma and J. C. Chebat (2008), ‘The role of gender and work status in shopping center patronage’, Journal of Business Research, 61 (8), 825-33 Reynolds, T. J. and J. Gutman (1988), ‘Laddering theory, method, analysis and interpretation’, Journal of Advertising Research, 28, 11-31 Richardson, P. S., A. S. Dick and A. K. Jain (1994), ‘Extrinsic and intrinsic cue effects on perceptions of store brand quality’, Journal of Marketing, 58, 28-36 Richardson, P. S., A. K. Jain and A. S. Dick (1996), ‘Household store brand proneness: a framework’, Journal of Retail, 72 (2), 159-85 Romeo, J., M. G. Weinberger and D. Antes (1994), ‘An Investigation of the Communication Cues that Affect Consumers’ Responses to Negative Product Safety News’, working paper, Research Centre for Consumer Behaviour, England: The University of Birmingham Rooney, J. A. (1995), ‘Branding: a trend for today and tomorrow’, Journal of Product and Brand Management, 4 (4), 48-55 Rossi, A. K. (1949), ‘Contributions to the Theory of Reference Group Behavior’, in Merton, R. K. (ed.) Social Theory and Social Structure, New York: The Free Press, pp. 225-75 Rowles, G. D. (1978), Prisoners of space: Exploring the geographical experience of older people, Boulder, CO: Westview Press Ruddick, P. (2012), ‘Branded chains and fast food concepts to lead eating out sector growth’, available at http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Branded-chains-and-fast-food-concepts-to-lead-eating-out-sector-growth, accessed 25 October 2012 Ryu, K., H. Han and T. H. Kim (2008), ‘The relationships among overall quick-casual restaurant image, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions’, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 27 (3), 459-69 Schuiling, I. and J. N. Kapferer (2004), ‘Executive Insights: Real differences Between Local and International Brands: Strategic Implications for International Marketers’, Journal of International Marketing, 12 (4), 97-112 Seale, C. (2004), Researching society and culture, London: Sage Sharpley, R. (2008), ‘Tourism and Tourist Motivation’, in ELM Publications (ed.), Tourism, Tourists and Society, Cambridgeshire: Elm Publications, pp. 5.1-5.26 Shenoy, S. S. (2005), Food Tourism and the Culinary Tourist, America: Clemson University, 1-420 Sims, R. (2009), ‘Food, place and authenticity: local food and the sustainable tourism experience’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17 (3), 321-36 Siomkos, G. J. and P. G. Malliaris (1992), ‘Consumer Response to Company Communications During a Product Harm Crisis’, Journal of Applied Business Research, 8, 59-65 Smith, A. (2009), Ageing in urban neighbourhoods: Place attachment and social exclusion, Bristol: Policy Press Smith, E. (2010), ‘Regional Trends 42 – Office for National Statistics’, in Office for National Statistics, Portrait of the South West, pp. 43-59 Smith, S. L. J. (1995), Tourism Analysis: A Handbook, Harlow: Longman Stafford, J. E. (1966), ‘Effects of Group Influence on Consumer Brand Choice Preference’, Journal of Marketing Research, 3, 68-75 Steinmetz, R. (2010), ‘Food, Tourism and Destination Differentiation: The Case of Rotorua, New Zealand’, School of Hospitality and Tourism, University of Auckland Swarbrooke, J. and S. Horner (1999), Consumer behaviour in tourism: Elsevier, 3-425 Sweeney, J. C. and G. N. Soutar (2001), ‘Consumer Perceived Value: The Development of a Multiple Item Scale’, Journal of Retailing, 77 (2), 203-20 Thornton, A. (2001), ‘The developmental paradigm, reading history sideways, and family change’, Demography, 38 (4), 449-65 Tourism and Recreation Research Unit (1993), Recreation Site Survey Manual: Methods and Techniques for Conducting Visitor Surveys, London: E and F Spon Tsai, S. P. (2011), ‘Strategic Relationship Management and Service Brand Marketing’, European Journal of Marketing, 45 (7), 1194-1213 Tuominen, P. (1999), ‘Managing Brand Equity’, School of Economics and Business Administration, 65-100 Urry, J. (1990), The Tourist Gaze, London: Sage Publications Veal, A. J. (1992), Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism: A Practical Guide, London: Longman Wanke, M., A. Herrmann and D. Schaffner (2007), ‘Brand Name Influence on Brand Perception’, Journal of Psychology and Marketing, 24 (1), 1-24 Warren, D. I. (1968), ‘Power, visibility, and conformity in formal organizations’, American Sociological Review, 33, 951-70 Warren, D. I. (1969), ‘The effects of power bases and peer groups on conformity in formal organizations’, Administrative Science Quarterly, 14, 544-56 Wight, P. (1996), ‘North American Ecotourism Markets: Motivations, Preferences and Destinations’, Journal of Travel Research, 35 (1) 3-10 Witt, R. E. and G. D. Bruce (1972), ‘Group Influence and Brand Choice Congruence’, Journal of Marketing Research, 7, 533-35 Witt, R. E. (1969), ‘Informal Social Group Influence on Consumer Brand Choice’, Journal of Marketing Research, 6, 473-77 Witt, C. and P. Wright (1992), ‘Tourist Motivation: Life after Maslow’, in Johnson. P. and B. Thomas (eds), Choice and Demand in Tourism, London: Mansell Publishing: pp. 33-55 Wolf, E. (2002), ‘Culinary tourism: A tasty economic proposition’, International Culinary Tourism Association, available at http://www.culinarytourism.org., accessed 15 November 2012 Wolf, E. (2006), Culinary tourism: The hidden harvest, Iowa: Kendall Hunt Publishing Yoo, B. and N. Donthu (2001), ‘Developing and validating multidimensional consumer based brand equity scale’, Journal of Business Research, 52 (1), 1-14 Young and Rubicam (2010), ‘Brand Asset Valuator. The Worlds Biggest Brand Database’, available at http://young-rubicam.de/tools-wissen/tools/brandasset-valuator/?lang=en, accessed 2 December 2012

Marketing a Business

Marketing a Business Abstract Marketing a business is a challenging endeavor. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the Urban Outfitters case study. Difficulties with creating a trendy counterculture image are discussed. Why big box stores cannot sell merchandize identical to Urban Outfitters is explained. The paper explains the value of exclusivity and the relationship between shopping and entertainment.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing a Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Marketing a business is a challenging endeavor. In the atmosphere of fierce competition, uniqueness and exclusivity often become the main sources of competitive advantage. The case of Urban Outfitters suggests that uniqueness and differentiation can help businesses to overcome marketing difficulties and achieve sustained marketing success. Big box stores can never sell merchandize identical to Urban Outfitters: store chains like Wal-Mart or Sears always seek chain supply efficiency, which predetermines their commercial success. As a result, they have to sacrifice exclusiveness for the sake of stable profits and can never satisfy the symbolic needs of customers for ego-identification and self-enhancement. Why Wal-Mart and Sears cannot create an effective trendy counterculture image is not difficult to explain. First, standardization is an essential ingredient of Wal-Mart’s marketing strategies. Standard in their assortment and store design, Wal-Mart, Sears, and similar companies always seek to provide their customers with cheap but quality products. However, counterculture image can never be cheap, nor is it compatible with the key values and visions of big supply chains. Second, supply chain efficiency and low profit margins through high sales volumes are the distinctive features of large supply chains’ operations. The bulk of goods offered by Wal-Mart and Sears will never make customers unique. Any attempt to create a counterculture will reduce their supply chain efficiency and doom most of their business endeavors to failure. Neither Wal-Mart nor Sears can sacrifice their market position for the sake of entering a small counterculture niche. Wal-Mart and Sears win because they meet standard demands of common consumers, who do not seek differentiation but merely want to save their costs. Big box stores can never sell merchandize identical to Urban Outfitters, because the latter relies on low sales volumes, emphasizes exclusivity and differentiation, and provides its staff with freedom of creativity and assortment choice.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Differentiation and large sales volumes are incompatible; again, Wal-Mart cannot sacrifice supply chain efficiency for the sake of acquiring an image of a countercultural provider of exclusive goods. Wal-Mart simply doe s not have enough financial or staff opportunities to ensure that its goods are always new and unique. Take a look at Urban Outfitters: â€Å"every Monday, Urban executives analyze and react to sales for the last week [†¦] the system is flexible enough to change direction on a weekly basis† (Brown, 2004). Every Monday, Urban executives reconsider their assortments and rotate their merchandize, to meet the needs of unique customers (Brown, 2004). Big box stores simply lack flexibility to make exclusivity their defining feature. Moreover, exclusivity does not fit in big box stores’ trade philosophy. â€Å"Exclusive big box stores† is an oxymoron rather than a reality. Wal-Mart and Urban Outfitters are at the two opposite ends of one trade continuum, and they will never become a single entity. Why exclusivity is valuable? Several answers are possible. At once, exclusivity is associated with differentiation, and many customers want to be different from the gray mass of people. At a deeper level, exclusivity reinforces the sense of prestige in the mind of a customer (Groth McDaniel, 1993). It is through exclusivity that brands like Urban Outfitters can meet the symbolic needs of customers, who seek self-enhancement and ego-identification (Park, Jarowski MacInnis, 1986). This is probably why Urban Outfitters target college students, who are still at the very beginning of their way to self-identification. The significance of the relationship between consumption and symbolic needs cannot be overstated: brands like Urban Outfitters \ let their consumers associate themselves with the desired self-image (Park et al, 1986). These symbolic meanings have little to do with a particular product class but are tied to the entire brand, creating a generic image of prestige and wellbeing (Park et al, 1986). Whether or not shopping is entertainment depends upon many factors. However, it is at least incorrect to say that in their shopping experiences all customers inevitably seek entertainment. In reality, different consumers pursue different shopping goals. In brief, consumers can be either product-oriented or experiential (Ibrahim Wee, 2002). The former are motivated by the need to purchase products (Ibrahim Wee, 2002). The latter are guided by recreational and hedonic motives and experience a sense of pleasure inherent in the act of purchase (Ibrahim Wee, 2002). The shopping-as-entertainment-philosophy may not be appropriate for all types of buyers but can become extremely valuable in developing separate shopper segments.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing a Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Marketing is not about providing customers with entertainment opportunities; rather, successful marketing requires knowledge of the motives drawing consumers to the store. Marketing campaigns are successful only when they meet the needs of consumer audienc es. Entertainment can become a useful element of marketing a business, but only in situations when the new or existing brand targets hedonic customers and helps them meet their symbolic needs. Conclusion Marketing is successful to the extent that meets the needs of customers. Big box stores like Wal-Mart and Sears can never sell merchandize identical to Urban Outfitters, since they lack capacity to pursue uniqueness. Wal-Mart customers merely want to save their costs, and standardization is a direct prerequisite of supply chain efficiency in big box stores. Exclusivity is valuable for customers who seek prestige and ego-identification. As a result, entertainment can become a useful element of marketing a business, but only in situations when the new or existing brand targets hedonic customers and helps them to meet their symbolic needs. References Brown, H. (2004, November 11). Urban cowboy. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2004/1101/154.html. Groth, J.C. McDani el, S.W. (1993). The exclusive value principle: The basis for prestige rating. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 10(1), 10-16. Ibrahim, M.F. Wee, N.C. (2002). The importance of entertainment in the shopping centre experience: Evidence from Singapore. Journal of Real Estate Portfolio Management, 8(3), 239-254. Park, C.W., Jaworski, B.J. MacInnis, D.J. (1986). Strategic brand concept-image management. Journal of Marketing, vol.50, 135-145.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Gerardus Mercator

Gerardus Mercator Gerardus Mercator was a Flemish cartographer, philosopher, and geographer who is best known for his creation of the Mercator map projection. On the Mercator projection parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude are drawn as straight lines so that they are useful for navigation. Mercator was also known for his development of the term â€Å"atlas† for a collection of maps and his skill in calligraphy, engraving, publishing and making of scientific instruments (Monmonier 2004). In addition, Mercator had an interests in mathematics, astronomy, cosmography, terrestrial magnetism, history and theology (Monmonier 2004).   Today Mercator is mostly thought of as a cartographer and geographer and his map projection was used for hundreds of years as the quintessential way to depict the Earth. Many maps using the Mercator projection are still used in classrooms today, despite the development of newer, more accurate map projections. Early Life and Education Gerardus Mercator was born on March 5, 1512 in Rupelmond, County of Flanders (modern-day Belgium). His name at birth was Gerard de Cremer or de Kremer (Encyclopedia Britannica). Mercator is the Latin form of this name and means â€Å"merchant† (Wikipedia.org). Mercator grew up in the Duchy of Julich and was educated Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands where he received training in the Christian doctrine as well as Latin and other dialects.   In 1530 Mercator began studying at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium where he studied humanities and philosophy. He graduated with his master’s degree in 1532. Around this time Mercator began to have doubts about the religious aspect of his education because he could not combine what he was taught about the origin of the universe with that of Aristotle’s and other more scientific beliefs (Encyclopedia Britannica). After his two years away in Belgium for his master’s degree, Mercator returned to Leuven with an interest in philosophy and geography. At this time Mercator began studying with Gemma Frisius, a theoretical mathematician, physician and astronomer, and Gaspar a Myrica, an engraver and goldsmith. Mercator eventually mastered mathematics, geography and astronomy and his work, combined with that of Frisius and a Myrica made Leuven a center for the development of globes, maps and astronomical instruments (Encyclopedia Britannica). Professional Development By 1536 Mercator had proven himself as an excellent engraver, calligrapher, and instrument maker. From 1535-1536 he participated in a project to create a terrestrial globe and in 1537 he worked on a celestial globe. Most of Mercator’s work on the globes consisted of the labeling of features with italic lettering.   Throughout the 1530’s Mercator continued to develop into a skilled cartographer and the terrestrial and celestial globes helped to cement his reputation as the leading geographer of that century. In 1537 Mercator created a map of the Holy Land and in 1538 he made a map of the world on a double heart-shaped or cordiform projection (Encyclopedia Britannica). In 1540 Mercator designed a map of Flanders and published a manual on italic lettering called, Literarum Latinarum quas Italicas Cursoriasque Vocant Scribende Ratio.   In 1544 Mercator was arrested and charged with heresy because of his many absences from Leuven to work on his maps and his beliefs toward Protestantism (Encyclopedia Britannica). He was later released due to university support and he was allowed to continue pursuing his scientific studies and print and publish books. In 1552 Mercator moved to Duisburg in the Duchy of Cleve and assisted in the creation of a grammar school. Throughout the 1550’s Mercator also worked on genealogical research for Duke Wilhelm, wrote a Concordance of the Gospels, and compose several other works. In 1564 Mercator created a map of Lorraine and the British Isles. In the 1560’s Mercator began to develop and perfect his own map projection in an effort to help merchants and navigators more effectively plan a course over long distances by plotting it on straight lines. This projection became known as the Mercator projection and was used on his map of the world in 1569. Later Life and Death In 1569 and throughout the 1570’s Mercator began a series of publications to describe the creation of the world through maps. In 1569 he published a chronology of the world from Creation to 1568 (Encyclopedia Britannica). In 1578 he published another which consisted of 27 maps that were originally produced by Ptolemy. The next section was published in 1585 and consisted of newly created maps of France, Germany and the Netherlands. This section was followed by another in 1589 that included maps of Italy, â€Å"Sclavonia† (the present-day Balkans), and Greece (Encyclopedia Britannica).   Mercator died on December 2, 1594, but his son aided in the production of the final section of his father’s atlas in 1595. This section included maps of the British Isles. Mercator’s Legacy Following its final section being printed in 1595 Mercator’s atlas was reprinted in 1602 and again in 1606 when it was named the â€Å"Mercator-Hondius Atlas.† Mercator’s atlas was one of the first to include maps of the world’s development and it, along with his projection remain as significant contributions to the fields of geography and cartography. To learn more about Gerardus Mercator and his map projection, read Mark Monmonier’s Rhumb Lines and Map Wars: A Social History of the Mercator Projection.

Identify Potential Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Identify Potential Issues - Essay Example Deaths in police custody are usually the result of torture to extort information or to teach the person concerned a lesson (Pucl Bulletin October 1981). Leigh, A., Johnson, G. & Ingram, A. (1998) established this as a problem. The police are expected to detain individuals they believe to have broken the law. However, they also have a duty to protect any individual they have arrested or detained for their own safety. It is this dual responsibility that makes any death in police custody disturbing and potentially controversial. For families of the deceased it can be particularly distressing to learn not only that someone they were close to has died, but also that this happened whilst they were in police custody. For the police officers involved, the death itself will have been traumatic and the resulting inquiries are likely to place them under intense personal pressure. Though this is not possible to fully eradicate this problem, value of correcting this problem will come in terms of social benefits. The detained, the police and the near and dear one of the detainee all will have relief when they will be provided assurance by law not to occur deaths in the custodies. By any means if the virtual situation of not taking place any death in police custody comes true, the people will not fear to go in the custody. Police, women and promotion: "The lot of policewomen has been a difficult