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Rresearch proposal Essay According to Karen A. Matthews, Ph. D (2009), people who are engaged in multiple enjoyable activities are better off physically and psychologically .This statement of Karen A.Matthews is indirectly stating that one must not frustrate himself working too much .There is a need to enjoy and relax in order to become a better person . Students who are dedicated on their studies spend a lot of time thinking about their studies, doing their assignments and constructing their projects. They focus almost all of their time in doing academic stuff in order for them to step up and achieve their goals as students. These kind of students are the students that are in demand for different scholarship programs. These are the students of International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC), an organization which is dedicated to maritime industry ,have . The International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) aims to promote physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually developed cadets through the IMEC Cadetship Programme in partnership with the University of Cebu–Maritime Education and Training Center (UC-METC). The IMEC Cadets are provided with all their needs from board and lodge, food, uniform, tuition and recreational facilities. The IMEC cadets have their own recreational or leisure room that can be used during free times. They spend their leisure time in different activities .They play board games and ball game or watch television .They have the freedom to choose whether if they are going to play or rest . Different types of activities may produce an impact to the academic performance of the IMEC Cadets .It may be desirable or undesirable effects. The proponents chose to do the study for the reason that in doing so; hopefully, it will help the proponents to leisure activities and academic performance of The International Maritime Employers’Council (IMEC) Cadets. This study of leisure activities and academic performance of The International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) Cadets will hopefully become a medium to open up new ideas to improve the status of the IMEC Cadets, IMEC Administrators, Instructors and the society. This study will provide answers that cannot be stated through surface analysis, but by providing valid information and data that will show the correlativity of leisure activities and academic performance of IMEC Cadets. Theoretical Background Compensatory Theory of Leisure (Burch, 1994).The main idea of the compensatory theory is that â€Å"work is seen as the dominant force in life, and leisure is seen compensating for either the boredom or the excitement of the job.† (Bammel Bammel, 1992) This theory can explain some of the leisure behavior seen in modern society. For example people exciting jobs often seek relaxation after work. It seems from that mostly people with an extreme level of either boredom or excitement in their job fall under this theory. This indicates that this approach has some relevance for modern society. On the other hand, this theory cannot explain why the school teacher becomes a sports trainer in his free time or why a dentist is also a passionate watchmaker. ( Haecker, 2002) The compensatory hypothesis suggests that whenever the individual is given the opportunity to avoid his regular routine, he will seek a directly opposite leisure activity such as music, art, community involvement, and physical fitness for relaxation, broadening of knowledge, and spontaneous social participation. (Burch, 1994) Spillover Theory of Leisure (Wilensky, 1996). Spillover Theory is the antithesis to the compensatory theory. It states leisure somehow parallels or results from work activity. It suggests that work has a strong impact on the worker’s personality and therefore also determines his leisure behavior. This means that a teacher gets used to teaching so much that he cannot help continuing it after work. ( Haecker, 2002) These last two theories equal Kelly’s approach to leisure as contextual, which sees leisure embedded in habits, relationships and social arrangements like work. (Kelly, 2000) This theory, too, explains some parts of modern leisure behavior. A lot of people do things similar to their work in their free time, some even regard their work leisure. But like the compensatory theory it can only explain parts of modern leisure behavior. There seem to be more variables involved. (Haecker, 2002).More positively, the worker may enjoy work so much that its basic themes are repeated in leisure pastimes. For example, a student who enjoys long hours of reading books also has a hobby of collecting books or other reading paraphernalia that may lead to discovery of more knowledge which can improve his rational skills and academic performance. Moreover, for student populations, participation in leisure activities is also believed to be a benign mechanism for fighting social ills such as drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, and other deviant behaviour (Vicary, Smith, Caldwell, Swisher, 1998). Another positive effect of participation in leisure includes the broadening of an individual’s perspective on the world of work (Munson Savickas, 1998). Munson (1993) conducted a survey of 251 American youths and found that the stronger the perceived freedom in leisure, the higher the leisure participation, conviction, and value. Moreover, the higher the perceived freedom, the less likely that participation in activities would be restricted by exogenous factors. More importantly, investigations by Munson and Widmer (1997) and Munson and Savickas (1998) indicate that significant relation-ships exist among thinking and contemplating, ethical leisure behaviour, and occupational identity; that is, the more those students involve themselves in intellectual and creative leisure activities, the better they advance in occupational identity development with clear career goals. In an environment immersed with pragmatism, leisure activities have traditionally been treated as a residual issue in the cultivation of students, while the idea that leisure and career roles reciprocally influence each other (Super, 1984) is generally neglected. Fitzgerald, Joseph, Hayes, and O’Regan (1995) suggest that an understanding of youth and young adults’ leisure activities and interests can help further our knowledge of their individual needs, development, and social world. Self-development Theory (Dumazedier, 1992).This is based on Dumazedier ´s tripartite theory of leisure, consisting of three functions of leisure: relaxation, entertainment, and personal development. He supposes that there will be a time when personal growth, not working for a living, will be life’s primary motivator. Here, relaxation is a prerequisite for leisure, as we need to overcome fatigue, entertainment is the diversion aspect of leisure, and finally personal development is the enduring component of leisure (Bammel Bammel, 1992). Bammel and Bammel state that this approach has found its way into modern society, as most people regard work less important than personal growth. More and more workers make use of the possibility of sabbaticals for self-development, and for many young students not the money they will earn with their future job, but the satisfaction they hope to find there, seems to be the major influence on the choice of study. But even though modern people have more free time than ever before, Bammel Bammel state, â€Å"with additional free time, many workers simply increase their television-watching time†. This means that most people will only realize the first two steps of Dumazedier ´s tripartite theory: relaxation and entertainment. For many people this is what leisure means: easy entertainment. To achieve self-development some reflection and â€Å"work† on oneself is necessary, and this does not fit into a lot of people’s perceiving of leisure. Similar from conservative- Marxist perspective, Dumazadier (1974 cited in Rojek 1995) defines leisure as time orientated towards self-fulfilment as an ultimate end. However, this leisure time is granted to the individual by society, when they have complied with his occupational, family, socio-spiritual and socio-political obligations, which makes leisure a necessary element of social order as an opportunity for free time activities contribute to well-being of individual and society. Furthermore, Kaplan (1984 cited in Rojek 1995) claims that the leisure is the primary value of mankind in industrial society as it is â€Å"a relatively self-determined activity experience that falls into economically free-time roles ; that is psychologically pleasant in anticipation and recollection; that potentially covers the whole range of commitment and intensity; that contains characteristic norms and constraints; and that provides opportunities for recreation, personal growth and service to others † (Kaplan 1975 cited in Rojek 1995). (Zurawik, 2012) Perspectives on Leisure `Leisure is defined as freedom from paid labour or as a voluntary behavior (Rojek 2005). Developing this concept, Mannell and Kleiber(1997) state that leisure is commonly characterised as an activity in time free from obligations, which provides meaningful and satisfying experience identified with freedom, choice and life satisfaction. In 1974, John Neulineger created a model classification of the perceived freedom and fundamental motivation dimensions. Neulinger identified a criterion of leisure as a perceived freedom- a state in which a person feels that what they are doing is done by choice and because they want to do it (Neulinger, 1981 cited in Mannell, Kleiber 1997:126). He also distinguished between intrinsic- rewards coming from engaging in activity itself, which can be explained by self –determination theory; and extrinsic motivation- engagement in activity leads to other rewards (money, grades). According to Neulinger’s typology when activity is freely chosen for intrinsic reasons it is called a pure leisure. At the opposite extreme there is activity least leisure like – pure job. Neulinger’s pure job also known as Godbey’s anti-leisure is â€Å"an activity which is undertaken compulsively, as a means to an end, from a perception of necessity, with high degree of externally imposed constrains, with considerable anxiety, with high degree of time-consciousness, with minimum of personal autonomy, and which avoids self- actualization, authentication and finitude† (Neulinger 1989 cited in Rojek 1995). Following this socio- psychological perspective, Kaplan (1960 cited in Rojek, 2005 p. 80) identified seven essential elements of pure leisure experience: psychological recognition of activity which is antithesis of work, identification of leisure with pleasure, minimum involuntary role obligation, psychological perception of freedom, inclusion of an entire range of responses from inconsequence and insignificance to weightiness and importance, general psychological recognition of play, identification of activity as being close to the values of culture. (Zurawik, 2012) Review of Related Literature This part presents the literatures that have bearing on the concerns of the study. A number of pieces of literature, documents, pamphlets, handouts, unpublished theses were perused and analyzed to provide the necessary framework of this study. Ideas, insights, theories, conclusions and recommendations advanced by these papers were cited as authorities of the study. Related Studies The study of Hickerson, Benjamin D. and Beggs, Brent A. (1992), about Leisure time boredom: issues concerning college students, examined the impact of boredom on leisure of college students in relation to gender, level of education, and activity choice. Subjects at a Midwestern university completed the Leisure Boredom Scale and a modified version of the Leisure Activities Blank. No significant differences were found between overall levels of leisure boredom and the three independent variables. However, examinations of individual Leisure Boredom Scale items indicated specific differences. Hultsman, 1993).For many young adults, the college years are a period of expanding freedoms and focusing interests (Gitelson Thomason, 1992). College is seen as the last stage of formal education for most people and it is also one of the last structured opportunities for individuals to form leisure time behavior patterns before they move into the workforce (Cheng et al., 2004). The college environment has a unique influence on leisure behavior, including different patterns of free time availability and the acquisition of new activities. Leisure participation in college students has long-term ramifications as it molds attitudes and behaviors leading to continued recreation participation in later life (Gordon Catalbiano, 1996). Students who do not have leisure skills, cannot manage leisure time, or are not aware that leisure can be psychologically rewarding are more likely to be bored during leisure (Hickerson, et al., 2007). The study of American Journal of Health Studies Publisher (2000) investigated the interrelationship among academic stress, anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction among 249 university undergraduates by age and gender. Time management behaviors had a greater buffering effect on academic stress than leisure satisfaction activities. Freshmen and sophomore students had higher reactions to stress than juniors and seniors. Anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction were all predictors of academic stress in the multivariate analysis. Anxiety reduction and time management in conjunction with leisure activities may be an effective strategy for reducing academic stress in college students. A disturbing trend in college student health is the reported increase in student stress nationwide (Sax, 1997). Stressors affecting students can be categorized as academic, financial, time or health related, and self-imposed (Goodman, 1993; LeRoy, 1988). Academic stressors include the students perception of the extensive knowledge base required and the perception of an inadequate time to develop it (Carveth, Gesse, Moss, 1996). Students report experiencing academic stress at predictable times each semester with the greatest sources of academic stress resulting from taking and studying for exams, grade competition, and the large amount of content to master in a small amount of time (Abouserie, 1994; Archer Lamnin, 1985; Britton Tesser, 1991; Kohn Frazer, 1986). When stress is perceived negatively or becomes excessive, students experience physical and psychological impairment (Murphy Archer, 1996). Methods to reduce stress by students often include effective time management, social support, positive reappraisal, and engagement in leisure pursuits (Blake Vandiver, 1988; Mattlin, Wethington, Kessler, 1990). Leisure satisfaction is defined as the positive feeling of contentment one perceives as a result of meeting personal needs through leisure activities (Seigenthaler, 1997). Although relationships among some leisure domains and perceived stress have been studied in a variety of settings involving retirees to school-related settings (Kabanoff OBrian, 1986; Kaufman, 1988; Pickens Kiess, 1988; Ragheb McKinney, 1993; Tice Baumeister, 1997), relationships between leisure satisfaction and academic stress of college students have not been addressed directly. The only scientific research that specifically related leisure satisfaction to academic stress was that of Ragheb and McKinney (1993), who established a negative association between academic stress and leisure satisfaction. A limitation of this study, however, was that it measured academic stress using seven items that were extracted inclusively from occupational stress inventories (Misra, 2000). The above literature suggests that the tendency to structure ones time and leisure satisfaction may be an important factor in reducing academic stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelationship (and predictors) of college students academic stress with anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction. It was hypothesized that academic stress would show a significant positive correlation with anxiety, and a significant negative correlation with self-reported time management behaviors and leisure satisfaction of college students. A person engaging more frequently in time management behaviors will report fewer physical and psychological symptoms of stress. The greater satisfaction with leisure that students indicate the lower their perceived academic stress will be (Misra, 2000). The Journal Expanding Opportunities for Young People and Communities explains that young people’s discretionary time is worth a significant amount of attention, partly because it is a potential breeding ground for youth problems, but mainly because it presents endless possibilities for constructive development. It is critical that a positive vision of leisure time activities be put forward and defined, and that time and care be given to specifying how such time should be used and why it should be protected (World Youth Report, 2003). International plans and commitments such as the Dakar Youth Empowerment Strategy offer such a positive vision, taking a clear stand against severe infringements on young people’s right to free time. Most have their source in the promise of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, amplifying, reiterating and expanding on the following basic provisions of article 31:1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, toengage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age ofthe child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. 2. States Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child toparticipate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage theprovision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity (World Youth Report, 2003). Echoing these international commitments, a developing body of research—and a growing choir of advocates and practitioners—emphasize the importance of play and recreation for younger children. Leaders in child development have long identified play as critical space for children’s cognitive, identity, and social/emotional development (World Youth Report, 2003). Research indicates that the specific types of thinking and problem solving involved in play provide valuable skills for the future. Researchers, therapists, and childcare practitioners have made play a central element of their work with children, with demonstrated impact. While the nature of â€Å"play† may change as (especially Western) young people get older—with increases in peer leisure and time spent talking for some and in structured recreational and sports activities for others—it appears to be no less critical to adolescents than to younger children. Though the precise effects are not certain, time spent informally with peers and adults in activities such as talking and playing is likely to result in both stronger social networks and stronger social skills for adulthood (World Youth Report, 2003). The physical exercise and habits associated with sports and recreation, again in concert with the social skills and relationships gained through such activities, constitute an important input to young people’s health. Adolescents’ play and recreation, though defined differently in cultures around the world, has intrinsic value (World Youth Report, 2003). The shift from a negative view of leisure to a positive vision that emphasizes the value of leisure in its own right is a critical first step towards protecting young people’s right to discretionary time and to quality leisure activities. This message is important for developing and least developed countries, where economic pressures often propel young people into the labour force at an early age; it is equally important for highly industrialized countries concerned about improving academic performance (World Youth Report, 2003). Around the world, the amount of time young people spend in work has decreased, replaced by a larger amount of time in school. In the developing countries, school generally occupies a relatively small amount of young people’s time. In much of Asia, however, the combination of a longer school day, an expansive network of non-school academic enrichment programmes (many geared towards test preparation), and more time dedicated to homework means that up to half of young people’s time is spent in academic pursuits. In developed countries, frustration with educational reform efforts and continued pressure for academic achievement has resulted in an explosion of academic after-school programmes (World Youth Report, 2003). At the heart of this international phenomenon is an important fact: young people’s learning need not—and does not—stop at the end of the school day. Their leisure time provides a rich opportunity for learning and a particularly rich climate in which to facilitate the development of lifelong learners. Pushing for more â€Å"time on task†, many programmes simply replicate the teaching practices used during the school day and extend them into young people’s leisure time, despite growing evidence that â€Å"more of the same† is both unproductive and developmentally dangerous (World Youth Report, 2003). Research supervised by Deborah Vandell(2003) shows that young people in Thailand who were involved in high-yield arts and cultural activities that had reading, writing and mathematics as the â€Å"hidden curriculum† rather than the lead curriculum not only performed better on State tests than those enrolled in strict content-drill programmes, but were also emotionally healthier. This study speaks to a tension that is developing, at least in the United States, challenging the belief that academic outcomes are best bolstered by the application of formal school-derived practices during out-of-school hours (Vandell, 2003). Based on research findings such as these, there is growing recognition that learning during leisure hours cannot appear identical to that inside of schools and, equally important, an increased willingness to describe learning as a primary goal for leisure-time activities. The ideas of â€Å"serious leisure† and â€Å"leisure education† put forward by World Leisure in its Charter for Leisure and other documents imply a set of principles, professional standards, practices and pedagogical orientations that are distinct from but complementary to what goes on in formal education settings (World Youth Report, 2003). The model of learning put forward by J. Falk and L. Dierking goes further in specifying the contextual, personal and social factors in place when young people participate in learning that is volitional, recreational, and engaged in as a form of self-fulfillment. Falk’s and Dierking’s framework for freechoice learning, developed through investigation focusing largely on museums, is one of a number of research-and-practice efforts to underscore the unique nature of learning that happens during leisure. Other efforts push even further in defining the specific features of environments that support young people’s leisure-time learning and development (World Youth Report, 2003). International documents including â€Å"Programming for adolescent health and development: report of the WHO/UNFPA/UNICEF Study Group on Programming for Adolescent Health† and Adolescence: A Time That Matters, published by UNICEF, and country documents such as the New Zealand Ministry of Youth Affairs’ Youth Development Strategy Aeteatoa, published in 2002, present a set of common features of environments that support young people’s development. Research and synthesis by M. McLaughlin, by J.P. Connell, M.A. Gambone and T.J. Smith, by the Forum for Youth Investment, and, most recently, by the National Research Council confirms that there are core principles relevant to learning that goes on during leisure time—principles applicable to schools as well but not consistently presen t within them (World Youth Report, 2003). This set of central principles—in reality, conditions for effective learning and engagement— includes, inter alia, the presence of caring relationships, challenge and relevance, choice and voice, high expectations, physical and emotional safety, and experiences of â€Å"mattering† and contribution. This research and practice goes far in validating and clarifying the significance of leisure-based learning. Research results indicate that community-based leisure-time settings may actually be more effective than schools in engaging students in learning (World Youth Report, 2003). A study by R. Larson (2002) indicates that young people are only cognitively and emotionally engaged a small amount of the time, even though such engagement is a critical precondition to learning. Importantly, this combination of cognitive and emotional engagement is far more likely to happen in structured, voluntary leisure-time settings than during school. Apparently, the blend of principles that make leisure-based learning what it is offers a powerful model for engagement and achievement. Based on these findings, stating that leisure time provides an opportunity for learning represents a richer and more promising claim than the argument that students should spend more time doing what they do in school. As indicated by the research just described, the â€Å"how† (pedagogy) of learning during leisure is significantly different. The â€Å"what† of learning—the appropriate content for learning that goes on outside school hours—is also different (Larson, 2002). As both the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Dakar Youth Empowerment Strategy acknowledge, leisure time is critically a space in which young people express themselves creatively, take part in arts and cultural activities, and develop as individuals. Culture, creativity, and identity are central, defining features of the content of learning during leisure time. Research confirms that leisure time is important in helping young people achieve a broad range of positive outcomes, as follows: social/emotional development, engagement, vocational development, engagement, civic development, engagement, physical development, and engagement (World Youth Report, 2003). Social/emotional development and engagement: the ability to respond to and cope with both positive and adverse situations, reflect on one’s emotions and surroundings, engage in leisure and fun, and sustain caring friendships and relationships with others. Vocational development and engagement: acquiring the functional and organizational skills necessary for employment, including an understanding of careers and options and the pathways to follow to reach these goals. Physical development and engagement: biological maturation and the evolving ability to act in ways that best ensure current and future physical health for oneself and others. Cognitive development and engagement: the ability to gain basic knowledge, to learn in school and other settings, to use critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative and expressive skills, and to conduct independent study. Civic development and engagement: the growing recognition of one’s impact on one’s surroundings and responsibility to others, as well as the ability and opportunity to work collaboratively towards a common goal. Leisure is a developmental opportunity and an imperative. Larson argues that adolescence, including leisure time during this period, should be defined and understood as a time of preparation for family life, employment, good citizenship, lifelong learning and personal fulfilment.It also provides an opportunity for the development of communities and societies (World Youth Report, 2003). Young people are more likely to engage fully in learning if the learning environment incorporates structured leisure time activities .Research shows that leisure time has a number of positive outcomes for individuals involved-including the ability to:react and solve diverse problems –which include emotional and environmental reflection, active relaxation; maintaining friendship or relationship with others;acquire needed functional and employment skills; growth and physically healthy; acquire basic knowledge through education-this includes the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills;be socially raised and involved / participate fully in civil upbringing (World Youth Report, 2003). Leisure time, therefore, provides an opportunity for personal growth.Larson and Verma (1999) points out that ‘the period of adolescence’ needs to be understood as a preparation stage for employment ,family and civil life , lifelong learning ,personal development , and future achievements . Other studies agree that :young people who regularly take part in community programmes achieve better academic and social endeavors ;young people who do not spend time in extra-corricular activities have 57% more chance of dropping out of school(Eccles et al.,1999,cited in World Youth Report, 2003) (Livazovic, 2011). The study of how leisure improves health and boost mood which appears in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine. For the study, 1,400 adults reported how often they participated in a variety of leisure activities, including spending time unwinding, visiting friends or family, going on vacation, going to clubs or religious activities or playing sports. Adults with higher scores — indicating the most time spent in different leisure activities — had lower blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass index and cortisol measurements, all markers of good health. People who spent more time doing diverse leisure activities also reported stronger and more diverse social networks, more feelings of satisfaction and engagement in their lives and lower levels of depression. Those who logged the most leisure time also slept better and exercised more consistently, the authors say. Other studies have examined the link between specific activities, such as exercise, and improved physical and psychological health, but this is the first to show that the accumulation of multiple sources of enjoyable activity benefits health, Matthews said. The study outcomes add to what we know about the connection between body and mind, said Kathy Richards, Ph.D., a registered nurse and professor of health promotion at the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Nursing in Philadelphia (Sutton, 2009). Another study of Schooler C, Mulatu MS(1999) of Section on Socio-Environmental Studies, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland USA by using data from a representative longitudinal survey, the authors provide strong evidence that complex leisure time activities increase intellectual functioning for workers and nonworkers. Although the effects were relatively moderate, both the present article and its predecessor on the effects of paid work (C. Schooler.Mulatu, Oates. 1999) showed that, even in old age, carrying out complex tasks has a positive effect on intellectual processes. In both cases, initially high levels of intellectual functioning led to high levels of environmental complexity, which in turn raised levels of intellectual functioning, thus providing a pathway contributing to the high correlation of intellectual functioning over a 20-year period in middle and late adulthood. The present findings indicate that even in old age carrying out substantively complex tasks builds the capacity to deal with the intellectual challenges such complex environments provide. (Mulatu, 1999) Leisure activities feel like rain shower during scorching heat. Leisure is the time to be together with your friends and family and to have fun. Devoting some time for leisure helps in staying healthy and achieving a peace of mind. Leisure activities serve as a way of relaxing and as researches have shown recreation on a daily basis reduces stress, sharpen skills improves mental and physical health and improves the quality of life (Jade, 2012). Statement of the Problem This study aims to determine the leisure activities and academic performance of International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) Cadets in University of Cebu-Maritime Education and Training Center during the school year 2012-2013. Specifically, it seeks to provide answers to the following: 1. What is the profile of the respondents according to: 1.1 age; 1.2 course; 1.3 year level; 1.4 first semester grades (2012-2013)? 2. What activities do IMEC cadets do during leisure times in terms of the following: 2.1 board games; 2.2 physical related activities; 2.3 watching TV or playing computer games; 2.4 other activities? 3. What is the degree of attachment of the respondents to their chosen leisure activity? 4. What is the academic performance of the respondents according to their first semester (2012-2013) grade point average? 5. Is there a significant relationship between the profile, leisure activities and the degree of attachment of the respondents to their chosen leisure activity? 5.1 profile; 5.2 leisure activities; 5.3 degree of attachment of the respondents to their leisure activity? Statement of the Null Hypothesis Ho: There is no significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and the degree of attachment of the respondents to their chosen leisure activities Ho: There is no significant relationship between the degree of attachment of the respondents to their chosen leisure activities and academic performance of the respondents Significance of the Study This study leisure activities and academic performance of International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) Cadets will be a significant endeavor that will help the IMEC Cadets, IMEC Administrators, Instructors and the future researcher, the researcher, the academe and the university in order to efficiently handle each role. IMEC Cadets. The proposed study serves to IMEC Cadets as their reference in distinguishing whether the leisure activities they are attached are contributing for their better academic performance or not. It will help the cadets to identify the best activities they must choose and prioritize during leisure time. This study will also determine the length of time the cadets must occupy in doing their leisure activities. Lastly, this study will provide solutions to their common problems in relationship with the leisure activities and their academic performance. IMEC Administrators. The proposed study can help the IMEC Administrators to formulate and establish new rules and regulations in relation with the leisure activities.By this study they will come up with more suitable rules that will enhance the students’ academic performance with regards to the cadets leisure activities. And lastly, the Administrators will become aware of what facilities for leisure activities suit for enhancing the academic performance of the cadets. Instructors .The proposed study will help instructors to have a deeper understanding to the relationship of leisure activities to their student academic performance and become aware of its effects. This will also serve as a guideline for the teachers on what activities to promote for their students better academic performance. The Academe.The proposed study can be a great help in the academic society to illuminate the significant relationship of leisure and academics. This will become hopefully an important basis for setting standards in the academic world. The University. The proposed study will provide some insights and information on how the university is going to develop new teaching approach and to improve the university’s standards in academic in relation with the leisure activities. This study will also encourage them to choose the proper equipment and facilities to improve the IMEC Cadets and the students’ academic performance. The Researchers. The proposed study will help the researcher to know the present status of the IMEC Cadets in relation with the leisure activities and academic performance. Future Researchers. The proposed study will benefit and help the future researcher as their guide. The study can also open in development and improvement of this study. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This section contaiins the well-organized account of the research design, research dependents, research instruments, research procedure s and treatment of data. Research Design This study will use the descriptive-correlation survey method of investigation to achieve the results that the researchers required. Descriptive-correlation survey method because this study aims to provide information and data about the relationship between two or more variables . The choice of this research design ensures that the study will not result to anything insignificant. Preparations and efforts will come up to a quality and a reliable research output. Research design refers to the plan of action in meeting the objectives of the study. It will involve collecting of data in order to test a hypothesis or find out answers concerning the present status of the subject under study. It is also concerned with conditions of relationship that exist. Research Environment The researchers will conduct the study in University of Cebu- Maritime Education and Training Center (UC-METC) and on the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) institution. University of Cebu has improved from its opening in 1964 which was formerly known as Cebu College of Commerce (CCC) to Cebu Central Colleges in 1972 through the hard work and effort of Atty. Augusto W. Go. The UC-METC is a University of Cebu campus that specializes in training and educating world classseafarers. It is one of the outstanding maritime universities in the Philippines and is accredited by the Det Norske Veritas (DNV).It is positioned near the sea with an 8-hectare area accommodating multiple facilities necessary for the seafarers of the future. The exact address of this well-resourced and well-equipped institution is Alumnos, Mambaling Cebu City Philippines. International Maritime Employers’ Council was formerly known as International Maritime Employers’ Committee (IMEC). IMEC commenced activities at the University of Cebu-Maritime Education Center (METC) in the University of Cebu in 2008, by sponsoring an initial 50 cadets .The programme has steadily grown from strength to strength and now has more more than 300 cadets. The IMEC office is located at I-Building, 2nd Floor, Alumnus, Mambaling, Cebu City and the cadets are boarding at UC-METC Dorm 2, Alumnus, Mambaling, Cebu City . Research Respondents The respondents of this research study are the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) Cadets of University of Cebu-Maritime Education and Training Center (UC-METC) in the school year 2012-2013 who are scholars with full free grant from their respective companies. They are taking Bachelor ofScience Marine Transportation and Bachelor Science in MarineEngineeringcourses. Research Instruments The instruments used in this study are questionnaires that are given to the respondents who are spending their leisure time on different leisure activities and varying first semester (2012-2013) point grade average. The questionnaire contains different questions that will allow the researchers to obtain their required data for the research. The questionnaire also contains the profile of the respondent. The nature of research instrument was researcher made. Research Procedure The researcher–made instrument will be used in order to gather data about the respondents. The researchers will also ask the full cooperation of the respondents in filling up and answering the researcher-made questionnaires based on their self-assessment. By tabulating and interpreting the data of the respondents show, the researchers will be able to correlate their leisure activity and academic performance. Since leisure activity is one of the major factors that affect the students’ academic performance, the researchers have decided to conduct a study on leisure activities and academic performance of the students to identify the significant correlation of the respondents’ leisure activities and academic performance. Gathering of Data The researchers will start gathering the data by initiating a unique intellectual forum wherein researchers have to argue and agree to whom and where will the study be conducted. The researchers have decided to conduct the study in University of Cebu-Maritime Education and Training Center wherein the respondents are the students from the International Maritime Employers’ Council taking up Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering. The researchers will seek a written approval from the Maritime Superintendent, Capt. Arnel N. Malaga and from the selected respondents to conduct a study about Leisure Activities and Academic Performance of the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation cadets of International Maritime Employers’ Council. of University of Cebu-Maritime Education and Training Center. Before the distribution of questionnaires to the respondents, the researchers consulted Mr. Elven B. Lorca to validate the research instrument. After taking up comments and suggestions from the expert validator, the researchers completely revised the research instrument ready for pilot testing. The respondents have been allowed to answer the research questionnaire provided that the researcher is present during the period. The information and data were collected and was able to classify and treated accordingly. Treatment of Data The data will be gathered and treated accordingly. The profile and kinds of leisure activities will be treated with simple percentage. The level of engagement will be dealt by calculating the weighted mean. The significant relationship between variables will be dealt using Chi-square test. After the tabulation, analysis and interpretation of the gathered data , the researchers will summarize the findings, conclusion and recommendation of the study . Definition of Terms The following are the definitions of key terms based on how they are used in this study. Academic Performance.In this study, this is the respondents’ school academic performance based on their average point grades in the first semester (2012-2013). Degree of Attachment. It is the level of frequency of performing the activity of the respondents. Board Games.This is a kind of activity which the respondents perform on their leisure activity which involves the mental aspects. IMEC CADETS/International Maritime Employers’ Council Cadets.In this study they are the scholars which are selected as the respondents of the study. Leisure Activity. This is where the respondents perform their free time in different ways. Physical Related Activities. This is an activity the respondents perform which involves the physical aspects. Profile. This is the respondents’ personal background. LIST OF REFERENCES Books Haecker, Sabine, (2002), The Meanings of Leisure Mulatu,Schooler C, MS (1999)Section on Socio-Environmental Studies, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland USA. Parker, S.,.and Lawrence, L., 2002. Leisure studies: trends in theory and research. Eastbourne: Leisure Studies Association. Rojek, C., 2005. Leisure theory: principles and practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Rojek, C., 1995. Decentring leisure: rethinking leisure theory. London: Sage. Journals World Youth Report (2003) The Global Situation of Young People,Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations,NY,ISBN Sutton, Amy (2009) Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of BiobehavioralMedicine, Health Behavior News Service. Livazovic,Goran( 2011)University of J.J., occasional papers in education and lifelong learning: an international journal volume 4. Strosmayer in Osijec, Republic of Croatia Internet Sources Babcock, P., Marks, M. (2010). Leisure college, USA. Retrieved from http:// www.econ.ucsb.edu/papers/wp02-10.pdf Chan, J. B., May, D. T. (1999). The impact of leisure options on the frequency and spontaneous communication production of a young child with multiple disabilities. Retrieved from http://contents.bjdd.net/Iss88/88-3.PDF Kraus, R. (2000). Basic concepts of play, leisure, and recreation. Retrieved from http:// www.courseweb.uottawa.ca/lsr3515/PDF/lecture5.pdf Moksnes, U. K., Moljord, I. E. O., Espnes, G. A., Byrne, D. G. (2009). Leisure time physical activity does not moderate the relationship between stress and psychological functioning in Norwegian adolescents. Retrieved from http://ntnu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:408593/FULLTEXT02 Nonis, S. A., Hudson, G. I. (2006). Academic performance of college students: Influence of time spent studying and working. Retrieved from http:// www.fatih.edu.tr//study/ Sirakoulis, K., Deffner, A. (2002). Urban youth leisure, time use research and quality of life: The comparison of leisure preferences of university students in athens and larissa, Greece. Retrieved from http://www-sre.wu- wien.ac.at/ersa/ersaconfs/ersa06/papers/916.pdf Wu, H. C., Liu A., Wang C. H. (2001). Taiwanese university students’ perceived freedom and participation in leisure. Retrieved from http:// www.ntcu.edu.tw/hcwu/51/47.pdf APPENDICES AppendixA Letter to the Respondents February 14, 2013 Dear Respondents: We, a group of students of University of Cebu – Maritime Education and Training Center, will be conducting a study entitled, Leisure Activities and Academic Performance of International Maritime Employers’ Council Cadets of University of Cebu-Maritime Education and Training Center. In this regard, we would like to request for your cooperation in answering this questionnaire, rest assured that we will treat all responses provided with utmost confidentiality. CURRICULUM VITAE A. PERSONAL DATA Name: Caleb L. Geverola Age: 18 Civil Status: Single Home Address: Cansuje, Argao, Cebu City Address: Dorm 2 UC-METC AlumnosMambaling Cebu city Date of Birth: January 13, 1995 Place of Birth: Cansuje, Argao, Cebu Nationality: Filipino B. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT YEAR ATTENDED Primary : Nug-as Elementary School 2001-2007 Secondary: Calagasan Nat’l High School 2007-2011 Tertiary : University of Cebu-METC 2011-2015

Analysis of Hollensen and the Primark store

Analysis of Hollensen and the Primark store According to Hollensen (2007) ,  « global marketing consists of finding and satisfying global customers needs better than the competition, and of coordinating marketing activities within the constraint of the global environment  ». In that essay , it comes to think about: In what way Primarks strategy could correspond to the needs of French customers. In other terms, is there an opportunity to Primark to setting up itself in France seeing the French environment. Irish clothing retailer founded in 1969 under the name of Penneys (still in Ireland) , Primark represented in 2008 3,9% of the global clothing retail value in United Kingdom. and counted 21827 employees. With a revenue which have reached 2,314m  £ in 2009, Primark count today 206 stores split among England as a majority with 144 stores ,Ireland Spain, Portugal, Germany , Netherland and more recently in Belgium. Retail part of the Associated British food group in which it represent in 2009, 25,5% of the entire revenue of the group, Primark enjoy the stability and the power that ABF group bring to the retailer. With a strategy of good quality for cheap price, Primark is after 40 years of experience recognised the second largest retailer in Uk with a growth in 2009-2010 higher than it competitors. With a gloomy economic climate which encourages people to look after the opportunity to buy cheaper, some leaders of the French fashion market as Zara, Kiabi and HM keep watching close this giant that is surrounding France and that nothing seems to stop. In today competitive market, satisfying the customers is seen as the only source of the firm profits. Precisely targeting our market seems to be the key success factor. In segmenting a market, factors such as geography ,demography, psychographic and behavioural would be relevant to analyse . Today, Primarks strategy is to propose an entire concept through all these stores.Allowing to realise economy of scale in the production and marketing, Primark is able to propose low prices. In the target market analysis, it is relevant to analyse if the target market of Primark in the UK would be suitable and have an opportunity of growth in France.(because changing the target market would bring to much costs for Primark). This essay will focus on the clothing part of Primark seeing the fact that Primarks core competencies is clothes retailing, that home market is a completely different market in France as well as baby clothes and required a particular analysis for each of them. Moreover, French clothing market could represent a growth opportunity as we will see below. In 2008, French population from 15 to 35 represented an important part with 38,7% of the total population. In terms of clothing expenditure, in 2009 men consumption in clothing for the 15-25 reached 3,9millliardsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ nearly the same than women. However, in a general way, French men clothes expenditure is 15% less than women with an average of 360à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ for the year 2009. After gloomy 2009 year with a decrease of the consumption on clothing, 2010 represent the stop of the degradation of the clothing consumption with a tiny increase of O,2%With a young population in expansion, a target market still buying clothes and a general consumption of clothing which restart, there is an opportunity of growth for Primark in France. If we look at the Internationalisation motives of Hollensen (2007), one of the proactive reason which pushes a company to internationalize is the managerial urge that he defines by a reflection of general entrepreneurial motivation of a desire for continuous growth and market expansions. In the recent year, Primark showed the desire of conquest the western Europe by entering in new country such as recently Belgium. According to Bason John, financial director if AB foods, the performances of our new shops in the Iberian peninsula gives us the impulsion to continue our development in the European continent. Then, the first motive which could bring Primark in France could be the desire to become an European player of the fashion through it expansion all over Europe. One of the others proactive motives present by Hollensen is a foreign market opportunities and market information. Analytical tool such as PESTLE which allowed to get this information. Both part of the European union, UK and France benefit from the common European Union policy which facilitates exchange and trade. However, through state aid and by encouraging mergers between French firms to prevent takeovers by foreign firms, French government act against EU policy and still maintain a kind of protectionism. However, France benefits from a Political stability and the political side of France should not represent a threat for Primark. With an increasing unemployment rate and a decreasing consumption the last years, it seems that the crisis could represent an ally for Primark. While a study about the purchasing power shows that 49% that the under 35years old thinks that their purchasing power has strongly decreased the consumption habits of French goes forward the last opportunity to buy cheaper. As a study of clothing in France explain, the success of the sales periods shows that the sales drop mainly due to purchase power constraints but not as a fashion rejection. With its strategy  « sales price » all the year round, the change in French consumer habits could represent an opportunity . However, the consumer expenditure on clothing is a lot more higher in UK than in France with an expenditure for 2009 of 37805mnà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ decreasing in comparison with 2008 in France against 40472mn £ in UK ( à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‹â€  46542à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬) increasing in comparison with 2008 While expenditure in UK continue to growth when it decrease in France , it could make Primark think that the clothing consumption habits between UK and France are different and then could represent a threat to Primark implementation. Finally for the consumption, according to the clothing in France report 2009, by 2013, clothing sales are forecasted to reach 26,980à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬millions, a 2,1 % rise in constant value compared to 2008 which let hope for Primark a bright future. In spite of the fact that Primark is an Irish company, from a market research and data point of view it is more relevant to analyse the accessibility of the French market through the comparison with the English implementation which is more important than the Irish one (144 shops in England instead of 38 in Ireland However, from a financial side , it is more relevant to deal with the Irish headquarter company where the money is going because Ireland is in eurozone. Alhtough as a report of associated british food explain, in a uncertain economic environment, price and exchange rate volatilities could be the major threats to the groups profitability By dealing with Ireland, Primark escape that kind of risks. In France, fashion remains an important part of the culture. Then , according to a study , French people are still attached to the brand and the luxury in the fashion sector and would prefer after use the sales period ( 41%) , buy cheapest brand (33%) Then, even if that trend does not automatically represent Primark target market (under 35)which can not necessarily afford luxury brand, French culture in the fashion sector could represent a threat for Primark. France has to face to the ageing of it population. Until 2050, 1/3 of the population will be ageing more than 60 years old. While some of Primarks competitors such as Kiabi (which proposes a fashion for the whole family), could begin a  « senior marketing  » by proposing clothing for senior, Primark could not enjoy this opportunity risking to break its strategy and positioning and lost its target. In an article about the factors of primarks success, Susan Segal-Horn says The focus part of Primarks strategy is the specific customer segment it focuses With a clear positioning , Primark answers to a special target market needs. Its ageing of population represents an indirect threat for Primark because it does not concern its target but it could benefice to its competitors which could gain a competitive advantage. In spite of the fact that the technological aspect is not the most relevant in the implementation of Primark in France, it is important to notice that the evolution and increase of the new technology influence the consumers to purchase more technological product such as mobile phones, internet, or IT equipment to the detriment of others goods such as clothes. In Primarks case ,legal and environmental factors are linked. According to a study, fashion industry remain one of the most exploitive in the word, both to people and environment However, consumers are more and more aware of the environmental aspect of goods. Often critics for this workers conditions, Primark is now part of Ethical Trading initiative which guarantees the protection of workers and environment. Analysis an environment , it also analysis the competitive environment to be able to gain a competitive advantage. According to an article about the success of Primark, primark has got teams of buyers in UK and Ireland travel internationally both to identify fashion trends and to seek out the most competitive suppliers Then, by always looking to reduce its costs Primark prefers to spread its production through a lot of small suppliers which made the power of suppliers low. Highly competitive, the clothing retail industry is already full of players. Moreover, the costs to get in the market is very high which make the threat of new entrants low. This highly competitive market make the power of buyers very high. Indeed, consumers trends in now to look after cheap prices. By having multi choice, they can easily switch from a shop to another. Still due to the multiplayers market, the power of substitutes product is high. Indeed, the competition is more based on the price strategy but the product range that propose all the shop follow the same fashion trend. Then , the products are quite similar from a shop to another. Source: clothing in France, Euromonitor international, October 2009 As we can see with that figures, clothing industry in France does not have a big driver players but still have some strong brands such as Vivarte which groups 24 brands such as LA HALLE, DEFIMODE.. which are, according to their price strategy similar to Primark and could represent potential competitor. However, brand such as ZARA, HM very popular and perceived as trend setters among the French population will represent the biggest competitor for Primark. But those brand proposing price still higher than Primark, Kiabi, by it price strategy similar to Primark could represent a big competitor from a price strategy side. Add to that direct competition, the increasing of the online shopping. According to the IFM group, online clothing sales increased by 31% in value between July 2007 and June 2008 To get a well understanding of the opportunity that Primark has in France, a SWOT analysis will be helpful: According to clothing in France report,  « In terms of market share, the leader have the ability to adapt quickly to market demand by offering many different collection By proposing a fast fashion strategy, Primark has the opportunity to become an important player in France. However, it will have to face to a high competitive industry with some players already well established and some consumers habits. When a company is considering all possible channel strategies when entering in a new market, there are three major modes: Export, Intermediary (or contractual mode) Hierarchical (or direct investment activities). According to Hollensen ( 2007), the choice of the entry mode can not be stated categorically and depend on many internal and external conditions. By analysing some of the Hollensens factors, we will analyse which way should take Primark to its entry in the French market. As a manager from Primark says in the corporate video its quality travel, its value for money travel. Primark is exporting a whole strategy, business and know-how. Franchising , one of the intermediate modes allowing to use an entire business in compensation of money could bring the opportunity to Primark to control the major part of it setting up in France. However, by having strong financial resources, Primark is able to choose an entry mode market which could guarantee it a total control of it business and escape the risk link to an international franchise (quality control, jurisdiction) . A hierarchical model, even highly risky and not flexible, seems to be in the setting up of Primark in France the most relevant. According to Hollensen(2007),  «hierarchical mode is the entry mode where the firm completely owns and control the foreign entry mode and organization. Conscious that few hierarchical modes are possible, the wholly owned subsidiary seems to be the most adapted for Primark setting up in France. Through a total control of it operating companies and by controlling the know how, the decision making, the companys trade secret, the wholly owned subsidiary allowed to Primark which have for objectives to become a European player to be implemented more easily a coordinate strategy. Moreover by choosing a Greenfield investment, which is defined as direct investment in new facilities or existing facilities instead of an acquisition which acquires an existing firm, Primark would be able to keep its production logistics strategy. Although Primark production strategy is the base of cost saving, main factors of its success. By dealing directly with manufacturers mainly in Asia and by ordering in huge volume, Primark is able to sell at very low price notably thanks to the cheap labour cost and by realising economy of scale. Setting up in a very high competitive market, Primark has to adopte a strategy which will allowed it to gain a competitive advantage. According to Michael porter (1985), there are three basics competitive advantage that a firm can possess: Low cost, differentiation, Focus. According to Johnson the low price strategy, seeks to achieve a lower price than competitors whilst maintaining similar perceived product or service benefits to those offered by the competitors. According to Lynch the low cost leader in an industry has built and maintain plant, equipment, labour costs and working practices that deliver the lowest costs in an industry. By always looking for the most competitive suppliers all around the world and by spreading its production in developing economies which offered low cost labour, Primark is able to control it cost and at the end to propose cheap price to its consumers. According to a menswear controller in UK in an interview We do bring extraordinary value to our customers but we do it by bringing extraordinary volume to our factory In proposing the same product everywhere, Primark is able to order huge quantity which allow to realise economy of scale. As the Associated British food report in 2009 summarises Primark offers low price because it purchases very large volumes and has low marks up, minimal advertising and low overheads. The entire Primark concept is built around the control of its logistics, cost and strategy development which allows it to follow a cost leadership strategy when it comes to it setting up in France. By following its strategy, Primark would launch a Price war within the French market obliging its competitors to reduce their margins as HM and ZARA already start to do so However , as one of the article highlighted : it takes a lot of money to look this cheap.and the control of the cost is very hard to manage which explain the choice of the wholly owned subsidiary as market entry mode. IMPLEMENTATION Developed by McCarthys around the four major Ps (Product, Price, Place Promotion),the traditional marketing mix has received criticisms. Including three others Ps (people, physical evidence, Process) suggested by Booms and Bitners, the 7Ps framework is today the reference to analyse the implementation of a strategy. In favour of the globalization, Levitt argues that, the needs of consumers are more and more homogenized creating a single global market pushing towards a global strategy (standardisation instead of adaptation to the local market). Then, implementation is all about whether adapt or standardize. If we look at the factors favouring standardisation such as the convergence of tastes and consumers needs, the economies of scale in RD, production and marketing, then Primark would definitely go towards a standardisation of its strategy when it is setting up in France. Primarks product strategy is to propose the same collection everywhere, with the same clothes in each of its stores which allows them to order in huge quantity and at the end to propose low price. The other part of Primarks product strategy is to put new product on the shelf every week. A season is defined by Primark not as summer, winter or spring but as six week window When Primark will setting up in France, the concept and the product will be the same than in Germany, in Spainà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ However there is existing differences between French and English clothing style. Indeed as an article about the French style clothing explain, Bold and bright colored clothes, loud prints or lots of embellishments are something French women avoid wearing In a general way, the French fashion looks more classical and simple than the English fashion. According to my shopper experience, Primarks clothing lines are for some of them flowery, with a lot of prints and really colourful. Moreover the size of the dress that English girls are wearing are very short in comparison with what I am used to seeing. An adaptation of the product could be judicious for the setting up in France. However, any adaptation bring costs which could increase the price and do not correspond to Primarks low costs strategy. Primarks product will follow a standardisation strategy in a first time and could like in Spain adapt some clothing lines as the director of the Spanish Primarks explains when he says the taste of the Spanish customers are similar from the British one, in spite of the fact that some clothing collections has been adapted with for example more colour for the Spanish market. When it comes to the pricing strategy, some authors proposed a International pricing framework which take in account the factors influencing the Pricing strategyIn a general way, as we saw fashion industry are highly competitive and the degree of comparability of Primarks product in the French market is high as Primarks strategy is to propose the same product than its competitors but at a lower Price. If we only take in account that factors Primark would have to tend towards a low Price strategy. However the most influencing factors for the pricing strategy in France is the corporate and marketing objectives of Primark. Indeed Primarks strategy is to make their customers primarks addict pushing them to come back every week;(Primark corporate video, 2010) by notably proposing a fast moving product strategy. The target market would be the under 35 which are characterised by a limited income. In order to attract that target and make them come back, Primark has to put a low Price strategy. As we saw in the second part, Primarks strategy is focus on the control of its costs. In notably realising economy of scale and by improving their skills ( what Doole and Lowe called learning curve) Primark has honed its business model into a science which allowed Primark to Proposed very low Price. When it comes to the setting up of Primarks in France, Primark will use an aggressive strategy such as market penetration Price that Hollensen (2007) defined as the use of the low prices used by a firm to rapidly increase sales by stimulating growth and increasing market share, but at the same time discouraging competition. which will allow Primark to launch a Price war in the French clothing market. Finally, it is important to notice that Primarks price strategy is allowed by its communication strategy nearly inexistent with the quasi absence of advertising as an article highlighted when it says Primark is a high street retailer which has a family of brands and focuses much more on buying, logistics and supply chain management than branding According to Hollensen(2007), standardisation in the communication requires that the firms product has a unique selling proposition that is clearly understood by customers. As we already see, Primarks strategy is to sell a unique concept all over its stores which allow it to standardise it communication (even quasi inexistent). When it comes to communication ,while its competitors such as HM or mango spend a lot on advertising , associating their brand name with famous fashion designers, artists or top model, Primark will follow the same way of communication as Zara which does not advertise at all and relies on word of mouth and its natural prestige. Indeed Primarks communication is mainly made through its simple and understandable look good, pay less slogan which remain the same in every country even with different languages , through its blue Logo , through the visibility of its brand ( for example in the Primarks bag that people will carry in the street), the agencement of it stores and the people on it. Primarks communication is made through the last three Ps of the marketing mix which are People, Process and Physical evidence and not through the usual communication tools such as advertising, personal selling more expensive. However as an article from the Irish times, Primarks strategy is reaching the highest number of potential customers at the lowest cost. Defining by Hollensen (2007) as a Online word of Mouth marketing technique that seeks to exploits existing social networks to produce exponential increases in brand awareness, the Viral marketing is one of the tool for Primark in France. Indeed while Primark is not setting up in France, the social network facebook already gets more than 20 groups asking for Primark In France such as for example For the opening of a Primark in France or We want Primark in France Matching its young targets, often heavy users of internet, enjoying from the expansion of its social network, and corresponding to its strategy of word of mouth to attract the maximum of customers, Internet through the internet viral seems to be a real potential way of communication if France as well as for the company as it is very cheap. According to a study about retailing in France , Apart from Price, proximity and convenience were among the majors needs of French consumers. While Primark is looking for highway and huge surfaces, industrial zone (characterised by cheaper rent but high frequentation) or Big malls (which regroup a lots of shop and are often situated in highway) seems to be the best place for Primark. Moreover a part of Primarks target is the teenagers which are characterised by a low mobility and go shopping in easy accessible place.(E.g.: The teenager do not have driving licenses and often go to big shopping centers where a lot of shops are together and with an easiest access than the industrial zone). However in order to define what could be the distribution strategy for Primark in France, it is important to look at the precedent implementation of Primark in Europe. Except in Spain with five stores in Madrid and England with one store in Oxford street (London) Primark do not setting up in the capital. If we look at the German, Belgium and Netherland implementation, Primark has a stores in Frankfurt (richest city in Germany) in Rotterdam ( second city in Netherlands)and in Liege (third most populated city in Belgium). In Portugal it has a stores in Rio Tonto and Amadora (Lisbon metropolitan area). We can see that Primarks implementation in Europe and notably in the recent implementation it also made through test city by not implementing it stores in the capital (often more expensive than the others city) but in important city in the country or in the capital region which could be less expensive and then reduce the costs. Seeing the precedent implementation in Europe and seeing the needs of French consumers and especially the target young target market, a selective coverage in some test area could be relevant and then turn towards an intensive distribution (which correspond better to a low price and high turnover strategy), if the test is concluding like in Spain which has now 18 shops. If we look at the Analysis of the first part through the use of Pestle and Porter five forces model, France market in spite of its high competitiveness seems to be ready to welcome Primark. However those models give a snapshot of an industry at a certain point and the fashion industry is fast moving and change very quickly. Moreover the habits of expenditure in that sector are highly affected by the external environment. As no one can predict what will happen, the setting up of Primark in France seems to be an opportunity but the external environment if suddenly changed (like the crisis in 2009 which slow down the expenditure in most of the sector), could make the setting up of Primark more difficult. When Porter propose three distinct generic strategy, a company dreams would be to mix both of them. Indeed when Primark main strategy is cost leadership, it also could be saying that it looks after differentiation notably by not advertising and through its high fast moving product strategy (higher than it competitors). However the in-between strategy is highly risky and not affordable The mix marketing has to be seen as a basic for the implementation of Primark seeing the current French environment. However a marketing plan has to be flexible during the setting up and during the development of a company in a country according to the reaction and expectations of new customers and in order to match them. This high level of flexibility for a marketing mix can not necessarily be affordable by Primark as every change generate new cost. According to the financial director in Primark in a corporate video, there is still a lot of places where were not and where wed love to be sources. Neighbors of UK, France could be one of those place. Now surrounding France, Primarks success story is it following a country test strategy before its conquest of France ?

The Child Care Debate :: Free Argumentative Essays

The Child Care Debate "It irritates me that so many women think they are entitled to both brilliant, unimpeded careers and medals for being the world's greatest mothers. You cannot have it both ways," states Tunku Varadarajan in his article, "A Mother's Love." (http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/tvaradarajan/?id=90000479) At issue - a prescriptive issue - in Mr. Varadarajan's article is the debate over child-care. Are children who are placed in day care receiving the same quality of care they would have received at home with their mothers? According to Public Agenda Online (http://www.publicagenda.org/), in 1960, 88 percent of all children lived with both parents and fewer than 20% of all mothers worked outside of the home. In 1998, only 68% of children lived with both parents and 61% of mothers worked at least part time. With the increase in two-income families and single parent families, child-care has changed over the last 40 years. For Mr. Varadarajan the increased need for day care has less to do with the changing structure of the family and more to do with a woman's need for self-fulfillment. "... a working woman may attend to her professional needs, which are now deemed to be the same as a working man's (or father's)" While the author concedes that for some mothers working is a financial necessity, he questions the motives and morality of working mothers, mothers who choose to work are selfish and their "child's right to unabbreviated maternal care" is sacrificed. A recent study from the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development is the primary evidence Mr. Varadarajan provides in support of his argument. However, Mr. Varadarajan's article presents only one aspect of the study's conclusions, namely, children who are placed in child-care for more than 30 hours a week are three times more likely to show behavioral problems in kindergarten as those cared for by their mothers. But according to the study's authors, those children who spent more time in day care were still in the normal range of behavior: an important conclusion Mr. Varadarajan does not include in his summary of the study's data. Also noted by the study's author, Sarah Friedman, is that quantity of time in daycare may not be the cause of behavioral problems, in spite of the statistical link. Ms. Friedman states that there may be a rival cause: "the cause may be the fact that childcare providers are trained to focus on cognitive and achievement skills and not on self-re gulation and emotional regulation and ability to deal with frustration.

The Dental Profession Essay example -- dentistry

The Dental Profession    As a senior biomedical engineering student at RPI, I am   receiving a particularly well-rounded education in engineering,   complemented by studies in the sciences and humanities.   During   my sophomore year, I became interested in dentistry and began to   select courses that would prepare me for dental school.   While   this meant additional work, I improved my study skills, and I   have earned a grade point average of 3.4 over the last three   years.   Because of this rigorous course load, I will be   graduating this August instead of last May.   I had planned on   applying to dental school this fall for the 1988-89 entering   class, but after receiving your letter earlier this month and   subsequently speaking with the admissions office, I found that   it was still possible to apply for the September 2002 entering   class.      My interest in the health care field began while I was in high   school.   I was first introduced to many different aspects of the &...

Americans and Agriculture :: Agricultural Education Farming Essays Papers

Americans and Agriculture Works Cited Missing Agriculture is not all work and no play. Many advances can be made in the understanding of agriculture by making available a variety of methods to provide children with a hands-on experience and also educating all individuals about the importance of the practice. The ignorance of urban communities can be overcome with the help of organizations and people within the community. School visits, hands-on experiences, volunteers and organizations are just a few examples of the steps that can be taken to educate Americans about agriculture and close the gap between rural and urban populations. Agriculture is the science and practice of producing crops and livestock. The primary aim of agriculture is to use the land to produce more abundantly to feed and clothe the world at the same time protecting it from deterioration or misuse. Humans had to improve agriculture as they became more dependent on food, creating a solitary evolutionary connection between plants and animals (Campbell and Reece, 2001). In this day and age, so many people have forgotten the authentic premises of survival. It is easy for some to believe that the grocery stores produce food and clothing is produced by shopping centers. These inaccurate presumptions are being made due to the lack of knowledge of how agriculture truly works. There are also significant differences in the levels of understanding between rural and urban communities. As doubts of economic possibilities of farming and ranching continue to decline, the true farmer still respects their land and practices. The general stereotype of farmers and ranchers is poor stewardship. Historically, hunters and farmers were more interested environmentalists than compared with the liberal, urban vegetarians of today. However both share the same conditions for living and breathing. This creates confusion between needing and wanting within a typical household (Kingsolver, 2003). An easy answer to the problem is to provide proper education. Educating the young is the best way to get a point across and ensure that the America of tomorrow is less ignorant than the America of today. Children are eager to learn new things and are the best tool to promote agriculture (Robinson, 2005). There are many methods that can be made available to people of all ages, especially children, to increase their knowledge about agriculture.

My Most Successful Moment to Date Essay

Through all my years of high school I was homeschooled. This was due to the fact that my mom was taking care of my grandparents in Florida, at the time we lived in North Carolina, and my dad traveled for work; therefore, there was no body to take us to school. Online school became the only option in that situation. As a way of staying busy and getting out of the house I always worked odd jobs that would hire me at the age of 15. In 10th grade, I was working a full time nannying job with four children, three dogs, one cat, a traveling dad, and an insanely fabulous, motivated mom. My main priority and attention was spent to insure the care of their six month old daughter, Jemma. She was, among many other jobs I had in the house, my most important and likeable responsibility. She was a very intelligent toddler, with a lot of attitude and charisma. She had blonde straight hair with a single curl at the very bottom and big brown eyes. Feeding her was never an issue, as to say she ate anything and everything you put in front of her, which would explain the fact that her rolls had rolls. She loved going on long walks, the family pets and anything with bright colors. She was also very easy going. As a very young baby she never cried or made any real noises at all. By the time Jemma had turned one she had made no attempts to talk. Due to our concern of her lack of speech, Jemma’s mom, Michelle, and I decided to teach her an alternative way of communicating until she learned to talk. It didn’t take very long for us to come up with an idea. Now a days there are a couple alternative speeches being taught to babies no matter what their speech predicament is. Since I was fluent in sign language and it seemed the most practical we agreed to give it a try. I got to work immediately teaching her as much as her mind could absorb each day. I made flash cards, bought books, and even downloaded some apps on my phone to help her progress along. Within a weeks time Jemma signed her very first word, â€Å"bottle†. Read more: Essay About  Proudest Moment To no one surprise though, of course, because we all knew this is what was always on her mind! What seems  like a small accomplishment, if you’ll even recognize it at that, meant so much to me. The sense of pride and accomplish I felt in that very moment was overwhelming. Because of my hard work and dedication this beautiful child could now start tell us what she needed. The progress only continued and the excitement continued to rise every day. It was amazing this small, plump, happy, little baby could comprehend so much so quickly; moreover, the fact of how focused and eager she was for every lesson. In just a few short months, Jemma had learned almost everything I had to teach her. It got to the point where I had to look and keep up with her instead of the other way around and boy, did she made sure we â€Å"listened† to every last word she had to sign. Like a cat she would sit there and just grab at you continuously until she felt that she had your full attention to look and see what she had to say. The feeling of pride and success I had in those few short months of Jemma’s constant improvement, is one I’ll never forget. At the age of 15.5, a young child myself, I had given a child the gift of communication. Though many could have done exactly what I did and probably even better than I; it’s something that I single-handedly completed, happily. That feeling is one no one can ever take away from me, but also one that cannot be mimic or reproduced again to the same level. To this day, I have seldom done anything that, in my eye, is so meaningful that I have had the privilege of enjoying that same exact feeling of self-importance and success, as I felt teaching Jemma sign language.

Individual Subjectivity in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye

According to Max Weber in his book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, the individual cannot be studied without taking into account the social context in which the individual lives. By studying the personal influences on the individual in question, sociologists gain insight into thoughts, feelings, and actions. Toni Morrison exploits this theory in her novel, The Bluest Eye. Published in 1970, Morrison first novel did not open to much praise. Reprinted many times over the years, the novel rekindled interest when it was named to the Oprah’s Book club. The themes within the novel broke the mold on black literature. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in Ohio, Morrison paints a picture of inner torment and self-destruction as seen through brown eyes. Pecola Breedlove takes the stage as the main character. Narrated through many points of view, the story takes the reader on a journey through the lives of many of the influences on Pecola’s life. One such major influence is Polly, Pecola’s mother. Polly stepped on a nail at two years old and this accident completely frames her life. Useless in terms of entertainment or beauty, Polly finds comfort in watching films. Each film further concretes her view of black as ugly and inane. â€Å"It was really a simple pleasure, but she learned all there was to love and all there was to hate,† (95). Polly eventually finds herself needing the volatile atmosphere of her marriage to give her life purpose. She has become a martyr – the woman who stands by her man with a damaged foot and sense of purpose. This influence on Pecola only furthers her self-image of ugliness. When combined with the story of her father, Cholly, Pecola’s external circle of family doomed her from the onset. Cholly’s story stems completely from the onset of puberty. A ruthless group of white boys discovered Cholly during his first sexual act. The boys made him continue in the act while they stood and watched, taunting him with foul language and racial slurs. His slow transformation into a chaotic hater of women begins in that moment. â€Å"Cholly wanted to strangle her, but instead he touched her leg with his foot,† (117). According to Freud in his Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, this humiliation at the onset of the ‘oedipal stage’ solidifies Cholly’s sense of individualism. His loss of power and dignity will stay with him forever, and the novel presents that exact scenario. This humiliation forms the entire basis for Cholly’s anger and sense of helplessness throughout the novel. During his younger years, Cholly searches for a sense of his personal identity outside of that incident. Soon enough, he finds himself in the hometown of Pauline (Polly). Inspired in those brief moments to make his life better, Cholly asks Polly to marry him. The decision will haunt Cholly for the rest of his life. He is not a man made for the family life. When Polly is pregnant with their first child, Cholly changes his ways and begins to drink less. Unfortunately, this change is short lived and he is, once again, back to his old self. Cholly’s complete defeat essentially stems from that single act of utter humiliation as a boy. The married life has worn him thin. There is no sense of value or kindred spirits within the ugly storefront house. Cholly is as lost as Pecola and her mother. These happenings all have a great influence on the livelihood of Sammy, Pecola’s brother. Sammy runs away from home frequently, only returning to the family when absolutely necessary. â€Å"That boy is off somewhere every minute,† (148). The effect on Pecola herself spells the end of her normal life, if one can call it normal to begin with. Cholly continues to lose himself in liquor and self-degradation. In the exact opposite of the Freudian theory for the ‘oedipus complex’, Cholly begins to see his daughter as the saving thing he has been searching for. The ugliness is repeated in the act, with Cholly not having a normal encounter. She tells her mother, who rather than being outraged at the injustice done her daughter, sees the loss of her status in life. The very existence of her cheating husband and disconnected family gives her a standard for misery. She can accurately gauge her unhappiness when everything Polly knows is dark and gloomy. In Pecola trying to take away the husband in the picture, Polly stands to lose her framework. She beats Pecola for the admission. Pecola discovers she is pregnant by her father and begins to lose her tenuous grasp on reality here. All her life she has lived in ugliness and filth. Her mother prefers the attentions of the white child belonging to her employers, with her own children calling her Mrs. Breedlove rather than mama. Cholly prefers the bottle to bettering the family’s status or even health. The family home is one of a derelict storefront, no comforts or stability. Cholly at one point even tries to burn the place down, beginning the history of Pecola and the MacTeer girls. The atmosphere Pecola grows in revolves in ugliness and distain – distain for herself, her race, her parents and even her own eyes. â€Å"Adults, older girls, shops, magazines, newspapers, window signs – all the world had agreed that a blue-eyed, yellow-haired, pink-skinned doll was what every girl child treasured,† (14). Even gifts bring a sense of dirtiness to the girls’ self-image. The MacTeer girls have come to love Pecola as she presents no direct confrontation for them. When they learn of the baby, the girls spend their own money on marigold seeds and plant them in the backyard, figuring if the marigolds make it, so will the baby. The ugliness of the situation is lost to them. In their simple world, the baby may turn out to be the baby doll they have always received at Christmas, only far better. In the end the marigolds die, as does the baby. These girls are the only ones who see the situation as all right. â€Å"More strongly than my fondness for Pecola, I felt a need for someone to ant the black baby to live – just to counteract the universal love of white baby dolls, Shirley Temples and Maureen Peals,† (149). This powerful statement shows that at least someone recognizes a value in the black skin of the community. The MacTeers value something that holds no value in their small town. Whiteness is a prized possession. The lighter the skin, the better off the person is. As with the case of Maureen Peal and Rosemary Villanucci. Pecola goes to a local magic man, Soaphead Church, to ask him for blue eyes. She knows if she can only have blue eyes, her world will be a better place. Blue eyes see beautiful things, they are beautiful things, and everyone knows it. The dishonest magician steps all over the purity of her request. Soapchurch tells her if she gives his nuisance of a dog a piece of meat as an offering, he will change her eyes to blue. He poisons the meat, using the girl to kill the dog, who is at her wit’s end. She gives the dog the meat and when it falls down dead, she runs off truly changed forever. Pecola loses all sense of herself in the end. She speaks to her imaginary friend about the blueness of her eyes, arguing over the depth of the color. The baby is soon lost and her father is long gone. Alone with her mother now, Pecola is moved to the other side of town. She has not found her sense of self, a belonging to the community. She is completely on the outside. This shunning by the community offers each one of them a chance to have a miserable person to point at and say – at least that isn’t me. In coming to understand Pecola within the context of her community, the reader can visualize their need for her. She offers everyone a chance to point at something uglier than themselves and find relief. In terms of grasping the finer points of Pecola, one must look to her family to grasp the need for beauty in her life. Shirley Temple represents all that Pecola can never have or be. Even when she finds the opportunity to do a simple task such as buy herself some penny candy, she is shunned because the storeowner, Mr. Yacobowski, hesitates in touching her black skin. His distaste for her is almost a physical object Pecola can feel and see. â€Å"She has seen it lurking in the eyes of all white people. So. The distaste must be for her, her blackness. All things in her are flux and anticipation. But her blackness is static and dread. And it is the blackness that accounts for, that creates, the vacuum edged with distaste in white eyes,† (37). There is no peace offering for her, no single moment of acceptance or celebration. As Max Weber implies, this shunning and constant invisibility has a direct impact on Pecola’s sense of self. She is a non-human in the eyes of many of the townfolk. Her darkness of skin puts her in the darkness of shadow – people simply do not see Pecola most of the time. Her skin is too dark to touch, her family is to nasty to visit and her words are too childish to bear. Regarding Cholly, the context of his own adolescence is vital in at least viewing the foundation for his actions. Without the background on his character, the reader would quickly find his actions murderous and grotesque. However, one is offered a unique opportunity to understand the story from his angle, one of destitution and consistent loss of dignity. His rape of Pecola is not excusable, but his motivations in searching for comfort and normalcy shed light on his chaotic actions. Cholly’s obvious connection to the Freudian ideas of sexuality and self-image are obvious. This man seeks sexual encounters whenever he can, and women become his vehicle for hate. Again, he is the opposite of Freud’s ‘oedipal complex’, but in being so, the reader sees his influences on his family, and the world’s influence on him. The white boys’ ridicule made him who is in this novel. Finally, in trying to see the world from Polly mindset, the reader sees she has vilified herself so far, the reality is all but gone from her as well. The severity of her situation is important to her, giving her a sense of the ugliness as being innate and uncontrollable – simply how things are. Mimicked in her acceptance of her employer’s daughter, Polly accepts the white goodness as equally as she accepts her own race’s badness. The MacTeer girls internalize the sentiment of the novel. The vilification of black skin affects everyone in the town. The Breedloves are seen as nasty people, blackest of black. When the world has offered only sparse living conditions and unequal opportunities, the community in question derives its own sense of purpose from the given construct. Much as Weber’s contention that one must consider the whole in order to grasp the part, the community is ugly and mean. Their direct influence on the story of the entire cast of characters is obvious and true. Without such a negative stage, perhaps Cholly would have gone on to be a good father figure, Sammy may have stabilized and Pecola could have married for love and raised her babies in a loving home. Separated from the first introduction, the reader senses the desperation in their story, one without hope. In accepting their fate as the downtrodden from the very beginning, the people of Lorain, Ohio found salvation for themselves in the Breedloves.