Influence of Magazines on Beauty | Cross-Cultural Analysis

Influence of Magazines on Beauty | Cross-Cultural Analysis INTRODUCTION Beauty is not concrete and may vary from culture to culture changing over time and shifting according to location. Beauty is an image which has been created by society to which woman and men have had to subject themselves to be real. The ideology of beauty or what is accepted as being the right appearance has been created by society and largely propagated by media. For United States of the 1950s Marilyn Monroe was the pinnacle of beauty which soon changed to Twiggy in the 1960s. While porcelain skin is valued in China, scarification of the skin and decorating it with tattoos is considered as a status symbol in Africa. Thus the physical attributes and ideas attached to beauty vary across cultures. Womens magazine industry is understood as a monolithic meaning producer, circulating magazines that contain messages and signs about the nature of femininity that serve to promote and legitimate dominant interests. (Anna Gough- Yates). A majority of feminist critics argue that media is responsible for establishing and promoting gender differences and inequalities in society. In respect media persons are considered responsible for reinforcing capitalism and patriarchy; manipulating society to attain increased circulation figures. Magazines are a great source, to study the society. Recording changes, from the purely fashion magazine couture age of 1920s, to lifestyle and home of the 1940s when domestic help was rare and woman to a personal interest in their homes. To New woman of the 1980s when woman began to work alongside men in almost every field to do it yourself of the 20th century with soaring costs and economic downturn. Magazines reflect revolutions in society and influenced the opinion of women across nations. Given the increase in trade to Asia and the spread of the beauty industry across nations, there is limited study available on how people are depicted internationally in the fashion magazines. Previous research has established that womans magazines can act as agents of publicizing gender stereotypes and beauty ideals like size zero and institutionalizing conventions like photographic poses. (Rudman and Verdi, 1993; Griffin, Viswanath, Schwartz, 1994). Yet little research has been done on the differences in representation of women internationally and locally. POWER OF IMAGES One must establish what people are looking at before one can hope to understand why under the conditions peculiar to them, they see what they see Rudolf Arnhein (Arnhein 1977:4) An image is that stimulus or representation that compels us to cognition, interpretation and personal preference. If we understand that the market is image based than we also begin to understand the importance of vision in understanding management in the information society. Images are where visual communication starts. Jonathan E. Schroeder confirms in his study of media that visual consumption is critically important for understanding contemporary consumers. Today marketing professionals are sensitive towards global customers and realise that they are enthusiastic consumers of images. Brand image, corporate image and self image are significant economic and consumer values and that global market culture is largely the construction of symbolic environments. (S. E. Jonathan, 2002) This is of great importance especially in the 21st century as the importance of marketing management and consumer research in this century may shift from problem solving to problem recognition from productio n of goods to the production of images (S. E. Jonathan, 2002) Through time marketers have learnt that markets are global which should translate into local approach. But when companies globalise they become more production driven wanting to sell more thus having common promotional strategies across cultures, sticking to one single image, hardly realising that there may be global products, but there are no global people. There may be global brands but there are no common global motivators to buy those brands. (M. De Mooij, 2009). Many brands have with the help of technology and communication tried to globalise nations. But technology has not brought a global village in which consumers all behave the same. GLOBAL MEDIA Globalisation is best defined as the crystallization of the entire world as a single place (Robertson, Ronald. 1990. Mapping the Global Condition: Globalization as the Central Concept. Theory, Culture and Society 7) Due to the success of global brands writers have predicted an unavoidable colonization of world culture by internationalised brands that would most definitely lead to demise of local cultures. However there is also evidence that suggests social relationships and values in local culture are resistant to the negative effects of globalization. On one hand globalisation is expected to destroy local cultures and bring about homogeneity while on the other hand it is also the reason for the revival of local cultural identities from various parts of the world. Today the expansion of western cultures values and ideas has reached the far corners of the world, right to Asian countries like India and China which have been dominant till the 21st century. Now that these countries have become important players in the world market, counter expansion of values and culture can also be seen. Over the past few decades there has been a rapid expansion of global brands in the media sector more than ever in the area of womans fashion magazines. Local editions of Elle, Harpers Baazar and Vogue are now being published in Asia. The internationalization of a magazine is not a new phenomenon although until quite recently the most popular womans magazines have been published locally. Harpers Bazaar, a U.S magazine launched itself in U.K. in 1929 (Anna Gough-Yates, 1993), Elle a European magazine began publishing its first edition in Japan in 1960s while Vogue a U.S magazine entered the Indian market in the 21st century. However the establishment of an integrated global media market only began in earnest in the late 1980s and did not reach its full potential until the 1990s. (Herman and Mc Chesney ,1997, p10) The latest NRS (National Readership Survey) figures suggest that the total readership market in U.K. for the months of July and December 2008 has risen by 10% since last year, while the total market for womens lifestyle and fashion magazines has grown by 7 %. (IPC Advertising) A similar trend was observed in USA where magazine subscription reached a ten year high in 2008 and with the total number of magazines published reaching 20,590 the total percentage of subscriptions also increased by 1.4% (MPA Magazine Publishers of America, ABC) Comparatively in Asia according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers the Asia/Pacific magazine market excluding Japan is projected to grow by 7.2% annually, reaching $20.7 billion by 2010, Advertising is also expected to rise by 5% annually to $8.1 billion in 2010. This means theres plenty of potential for countries in South Asia, where advertising spending is just about 0.34% of GDP. Until now foreign brands were allowed only 26% ownership when venturing into Asian countries. But in 2005 most of the Asian countries levelled the field for non news publications allowing 100% foreign direct investment. (D. Ruth, 2007, Forbes) In an age looking towards the internet for all information and goods there is a risk that print media and magazine subscriptions may fall contrary to predictions. A recent research conducted by PPA marketing suggests that the internet does not have any harmful effect on peoples desire to read offline, in fact in some cases reading websites encourages them to read magazines. Out of 1500 adults between the age of 18- 34 surveyed online revealed that peoples expectations and goals from each medium depends on the subject matter and for the subject of beauty and fashion print magazines are an obvious choice. Also the idea of owning a piece of fashion history through the beautifully photographed and styled images in fashion magazines makes print media a lucrative choice. With fashion going cross cultures, print media being the apparent choice of the masses to keep them in trend and the governments giving publication houses the clear there is nothing stopping international fashion magazines going local. Like all the other global media, magazines use many different strategies to cross the borders. The main reasons for crossing borders are saturation of home markets and to generate revenue by providing international consumer brands with advertising vehicles that reach into the expanding foreign markets'(Dr. Katherine Frith, 2006,pg4-5). For example Condà © Nast which has a portfolio of 127 magazines in 23 countries had to close down Mademoiselle in November 2001 due to competition, flagging sales and saturation of magazine houses. Markets with rising economic rates like Asia and Middle East, as a result have become a target for westerns producers of beauty and fashion magazines. FASHION MAGAZINES AND THEIR IMPACT Many women across cultures are influenced by general trends in fashion and follow although at a distance the fashion industry. The relationship between consumers and trends is complex but it is mediated by fashion magazines. The difference between international fashion magazines and their local versions is that the international issues tend to carry a predominance of images for multinational products. (Shaw, 1999). Such magazines are growing in popularity in Asia and this popularity has bought about a change in perspective regarding the depiction of woman and products in local magazines. Griffin, Viswanath, and Schwartz(1994) found in a study comparing images in weekly U.S. news magazines (Time and Life) to weekly Indian magazines (India Today and Illustrated weekly of India), that many of the western advertising principles and poses for women were being conveyed across nations. They confirmed that female models in India were taking on poses that related closely to gender portrayals of the advanced western nations. A recent analysis of magazines international and local in China by Frith, Cheng and Shaw (2004) suggests that Caucasian models are more frequently shown in seductive dresses than Asian models. Feminist critiques like Kates, Shaw and Garlock (1999) would argue that western magazines are cultural institutions that represent women in a problematic and often unacceptable way although attractive female bodies and sexual content have for long been used in the west to draw consumers to a product and generate interest. Comparing this to the representation of woman across cultures with reference to the few studies conducted on the topic; Griffin, Viswanath and Schwartz (1994) concluded that the use of Sexual pursuit as a theme was used three times more often in American magazines than magazines in India. In conservative Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia only Caucasian women were used in Lingerie advertisements (Frith and Mueller, 2003). Any magazine wanting to be resonant with its target audience needs to represent the social norms and cultural values of the given society. International magazines like Vogue and Elle although have publishing houses in Asian countries most often train their employees in the west. The result being that the forms of representation and especially that of woman can take on a globalized look. As Kyung-Ja Lee,(2000, pg 86) has rightly said for thirty years, media have been taken to task for reproducing and reinforcing stereotyped images of woman. Yet unfair representation of woman in media still prevails worldwide. Sex stereotyping has been so deeply ingrained, even glorified, that the woman themselves have become desensitised to their own inferior portrayal. The prospects appear even gloomier as the globalisation of media progresses Previous researchers have noted that the images of models used in magazines have been extensively retouched to represent the ideal of beauty that is unattainable for all but a very few people.(Greer,1999). By showing models that are uniformly thin, flawless and perfectly proportioned the media may contribute towards low self esteem and unhappiness among woman and give rise to problems like eating disorders.( Gauntlett, 2002) Media is also considered a large contributor to the global increase in plastic surgery to change physical appearance among young girls (Lee, 2007). With most models used in international magazines being white the publications are rarefying the ethnic beauty ideals. In fact the obsession with whitening products may be a result of this overuse of White models in Asian publications. Finally as global media takes readers away from local publications and changing Asian beauty ideals it is important to study the impact of international beauty ideal on local consumers. The Asian society has predominantly been a conservative society yet with the onset of westernisation this society is changing and adapting itself. But as Marieke de Mooij states, product usage or acceptance does not change overnight, as peoples behaviour is stable . A new idea or concept is only accepted when it is consistent to a change in society and does not imply a fundamental change in culture. Essay 2: THE VOGUE IMPACT This essay will discuss Vogue magazines cover page and its relationship with its brand identity. Can the brand successfully globalised by altering its cover page image, based on cultural and social variants in each of its markets? Would standardisation of the brands cover page images and visual identity help to avoid criticism on its entry into a new market? VOGUE BEGINING Started in 1982 Vogue magazine is predominantly an American cultural phenomenon. It began as a social weekly periodical and nurtured into a professional and confident monthly publication under the leadership of Condà © Nast which took over vogue in 1909. Primarily as a lifestyle magazine catering to both men and woman Vogue has come a long way to be at the pinnacle as the fashion magazine for woman in vogue (David, A., 2006). In an age where French fashion was considered the ultimate Vogue managed to put American Couture on the map. Under the Condà © Nast umbrella the magazine not only managed to become a brand name in its own country but also exported fashion ideas to the world. Today Condà © Nast which has a portfolio of 127 magazines in 23 countries believes Vogue to be its cash cow. At present there are a million fashion and beauty magazines such as In Style, Elle and Cosmopolitan circulated around the globe, but in times of crises citizens all over turn to Vogue to confirm the latest fashion news. With readership and subscription levels of about 220,000 a month for the British Vogues, 133,000 a month for the French Vogue and American Vogue, at 1.2 million a month Vogue is the leading magazine in the business of fashion. (IPC Advertising reports) The once small publication eventually became an international phenomenon with issues being published in more than 12 countries. YEAR OF LAUNCH COUNTRY /EDITION 1916 British Vogue 1918 Spanish Vogue 1920 French Vogue 1924-1926 Argentinean Vogue 1928 German Vogue 1964 Italian Vogue 1975 Brazilian Vogue 1994 Singapore Vogue 1996 Korean Vogue 1996 Taiwanese Vogue 1999 Japanese Vogue 1999 Latin American Vogue 2000 Greek Vogue 2005 Chinese Vogue 2007 Indian Vogue Since its birth the magazine has strived to serve the society by portraying an example of proper etiquette, beauty, composure and fashion. The magazine not only plays a role in setting latest trends but also records the changes in cultural thinking, actions and clothing through its images. Looking at Vogue through the ages it can be clearly seen that it is also a documentation of the changing roles of woman, and the influences of cultural ideas and politics over time. The power the Vogue magazine has over generations of women has inspired many new magazines like Cosmopolitan and Glamour; all interested in its market share. In spite of this great quantity of magazines circulating around the globe, considering circulation figures and media impact no other publication has managed to accomplish the lasting power and success of Vogue. (David, R., 2007) VOGUE IMAGE Self definition has always been crucial to vogue. (David, A., 2006). Throughout its first 30 years vogue editors and illustrators made use of the French meaning of vogue, defined in the first dictionary of the Acadà ©mie Franà §aise (1694) as the impulsion or movement of a galley or other ship by the force of rowing. It was only in the 18th century that vogue and fashion were listed as synonyms (Fà ©raud 1787–8). Since its first issue Vogue magazine has been personified as a youthful young woman. The magazines first cover presented itself in the disguise of a debutante, a young socialite. When Condà © Nast bought the magazine in 1909 he brought it into line with other successful publishing ventures and in just over a decade, circulation went from 14,000 to 150,000 while advertising revenue soared from $76,111 to two million dollars (Robinson 1923: 170). He modernised the magazine not just the content but also the cover. He replaced the black and white drawings of the front cover with commissioned, lavish, stylised and signed illustrations. This change helped to attract attention to the magazine and increase circulations. As an advertising man, he understood the value of having a visual brand or logo and Nast revived the original Vogue trademark, a distinguished little sketch which immediately became known as the Vogue girl (David, A., 2006). This first Vogue girl was just an illustration cla d in a fancy dress with the than fashionable leg-o-mutton sleeves. Her unnatural ivory white skin, snow white wig, tiny waist and voluptuous bosom, was directed at the fantasies of the magazines readers (David, A., 2006).The Vogue girl represented the heritage of those Americans who wished to be different from the New World Americans and was constantly seen as wearing historical costumes and heirlooms. Than too the new world American woman aspired to look like her. All this changed in the 1920s when the Vogue girl was changed to an illustration by Georges Lepape. This new image was more streamlined and represented the woman at the heights of fashion in the 1920s. Vogue had gone from importing fashion to exporting it. As times changed so did the magazine cover from illustrations to photographs, making models like Cindy Crawford and celebrities like Madonna a household name. This change in its image was a response to the internationalisation of the magazine. Today the vogue cover girls are the most glamorous, exotic, unusual and popular persons of the moment. The trend being more towards actresses than models dressed in the heights of fashion, styled by the best stylist and clicked by A-list photographers they are every girls aspiration and every boys fantasy. Like its cover girls the magazines is considered to be glamorous, glossy and trendy. (Alexandra Shulman, Vogue U.K. editor). Despite of having these factors common among them, the vogue covers are dissimilar in many aspects depending upon its country of publication. CULTURE AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR Anglo –Saxon psychological research states that the concept of self and personality are the basis of Western consumer behaviour. The words identity or personality have no fixed meaning in the Asian culture. A global brand needs to consider the cultural differences to truly succeed in the world field. A number of research experts and cultural studies suggest that a brand should think global, act local. This is based upon the theory that the way people think and perceive any brand or image is guided by the framework of their own culture (Mooij, M, 2009). The observation of Japanese individuality as a sign of westernisation of the country is a misconception of many global brands. For more than a decade international magazines have been accused of standardising a beauty ideal across the globe with disregard to the individual cultural and beauty ideals of the host country. For a short duration the values and attributes of a foreign or global personality might have a strong attraction, but ultimately people return to their own local values and culture. For a Brazilian woman the emphasis is on her bottom, um corpo de violà £o which literally means a guitar shaped body is most desirable. No matter how many international magazines showcase buxom beauties, the Brazilian woman would ultimately want a bigger bottom as the point of attraction is the sweet swing of the hips. The illustration of a desirable Japanese woman in The memoirs of a Gesha suggest, that the Japanese appreciate soft delicate feminine features, small feet and long hair cut in layers. A slim slender graceful body is more desirable than a curvaceous one. In Islamic countries the body is considered a n obstacle in viewing ones true beauty. Any bodily decorations or changes are considered a veil over the inner beauty and the Hijab is another veil to conceal these changes so that the womans only public identity would be her inner self. For the Greek it has been symmetry in structure and features, based on Platos ideas that, beauty is that which irradiates symmetry rather than symmetry itself. The Nuba tribe in Sudan like dark skin and hairlessness. On studying traditional Indian paintings it can be concluded that the Indian ideals of beauty in a woman is voluptuousness, with the belly and hips being of prominence.( Ei, 2008) The image and identity associated with woman of different geographical locations are deep rooted in their respective cultures. The beauty ideals and a womans self image in any culture can be understood by studying its paintings, sculpture and artistic representations. Today the artistic or idealistic representations of women are magazine covers, images and pho to spreads. These covers are also considered a mode of advertisement for the magazine within that culture. As Steve Taylor has rightly put in his book 100 years of magazine covers it is hard to identify another cultural artefact which embodies an advertisement for itself in such a powerful way. Magazine covers can be breathtaking, beautiful, confrontational, resonant, heartbreaking, stimulating, irritating and uplifting. At their best they come together as a kind of spontaneous street level exhibition, publicly displaying the work of some of our best creative talent, featuring what is most admirable and dismissible about the modern world, communicating the people and events that shape our culture. Apart from a mode of advertisement of todays culture a magazine cover plays a dual function of advertising the magazine brand itself. An impressive cover encourages people to flip through the magazine and buy it. (Alexandra Shulman, British Vogue editor). Getting the magazine cover right is not only ethically important but also financially important to the magazine in order to develop brand loyalty and increased circulations. Thus making it important to study magazine covers as a mode of advertisement and part of the marketing mix, for a magazine publication. MAGAZINE COVERS AS BRAND VISUAL IDENTITY It is a common assumption that an advertisement would be effective if the viewer decodes the advertisement successfully, if there is a significant transfer of attributes. (Mooij, M., 2009). Thus while developing one idea for a global brand or one single motivator for different cultures, one should not assume that the responses would be alike too. An idea being interpreted accurately by the consumers would only happen if the senders and receivers share one culture. If they do not share the same cultural values it may result in misunderstandings and demeaning of brand value within that culture. For example consider the inaugural Vogue covers of India and China. The Indian Vogue cover was styled by the magazines British fashion director while the Chinese vogue was styled by French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld (China economic net and Fashion week daily dispatch). The covers were not rightly decoded by the consumers and received much criticism. Whereas the covers for the preceding months styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania the fashion director for Vogue India was highly appreciated.(Fashion week daily dispatch) The essence of a brand is that it is a name in the memory of consumers. It is a perceptual map of positive and negative associations, a symbolic language, and a network of associations. (Mooij, M.,2009). Vogue with its launch in many Asian countries received much negative associations with its local issues. The local Asian issues of Vogue are considered small ripples in the big pond of Fashion magazines (Armstrong ,L, 2009) and they could never manage to create the impact that American vogue or Italian Vogue have managed to create world over. Vogue India or Vogue China might be sold worldwide but it is not necessary that consumers in all countries consider them global brands. One theory suggests that a global brand is a brand that is strongly associated with its country of origin (Mooij, M., 2009) and for Vogue its been America. This can be considered positive if the country of origin has a stable global identity. With American values becoming ambiguous and Vogue bifurcating into mul tiple countries over time its core identity may be threatened. The idea of incorporating local aesthetics with their global image might dilute the brands global image. STANDARDISATION A multinational companys personality and identity are the biggest factors influencing consumer (Eales, 1990 as cited in Melewar,T.C, Saunders, J., 1998). Unrestricted global trade, a competitive marketplace and the fast technological developments have created a situation where consumers dont just buy the product they also buy the company that produces it. The brands character, its identity, its image and the confidence it inspires in them help in making the choice between two almost similar product offerings in the market. At the centre of any business and its projected image is its corporate visual identity system. The elements of this system are: name, symbol, and/or logo, typography, colour and slogan (Dowling, 1994). These elements help to sell the company to consumers and its stakeholders. Corporate identity programs have risen due to globalisation (Ind, 1992). The changing business tactics, geographical locations, variations in cultures and changing markets have all encouraged companies to change their corporate identity. As companies begin to operate on an international basis, the image that they acquired as national producers often becomes inappropriate (Mills, 1988 as cited in Melewar,T.C, Saunders, J., 1998). Some international companies adopt a unified brand image in spite of government and consumer displeasure. The degree of de-standardisation of any company depends upon the strength of the host countries culture, government policies and target market. (Mooij, M., 2009). The decision to standardise a brand image also depends upon the competitive edge derived in either keeping activities central or decentralizing them. However a brand like Vogue that has a truly global orientation needs to express consistent brand values wherever it chooses to compete. Thus making its worldwide image more recognisable for its homogeneity than not. A major component of a corporate identity is the corporate structure. (Strong, 1987) According to Ind (1992) there exist two corporate identities, one that is the organisational structure and the other that is the visual structure. The Visual structure is concerned with the branding of the product, and how it appears to the consumers. (Gray Smeltzer, 1985 as cited in Melewar, T.C., Saunders, J., 1998). The basic concern with the visual structure is the degree of centralisation and decentralisation. Thus the basic problem faced by Vogue is whether to sell an identical product image to all its consumers or to make modifications as per the local differences. A global brand can be a mass brand satisfying a common product need in all the countries or it can be a brand catering to a common niche in all the countries. Vogue magazine has two options, being a global brand it could standardize the brand and the brand image across the globe so that the Indian woman reading the Indian Vogue would feel equal to the French or American woman reading their respective Vogues. The other option it has is to go local, differentiate between its offerings and treat each market as an individual and not a global product while standardising its visual image, giving the impression of a common brand. Researchers argue that standardisation of a brand helps the company to achieve a uniform image internationally which in turn increases sales.(Buzzell, 1968, Hovells Walters, 1972 as cited in Melewar, T.C., Saunders, J., 1998) . Others were of the opinion that standardisation makes consumers familiar with the product, its services, business diversities and competitive distinction thus helping to establish a uniform corporate image.(Peebles et al ,1977 as cited in Melewar, T.C., Saunders, J., 1998). Cosmopolitan for example is known around the globe to address personal and sex related issues as it does not change its editorials and articles depending on culture. The band logo/ font type, position or style does not differ according to geographical locations. The brand has achieved a sense of standardisation by not having a distinct country name printed on its cover unlike Vogue. The research on global corporate visual identity systems by T.C. Melewar and John Saunders (1998) proved that firms with highly standardised corporate visual identity systems (CVIS) saw themselves reaping more reward from their CVIS than did those with low CVIS standardisation. All custom

Motivational Factors of Themed Park: an Edge to Guest’s Satisfaction and Loyalty Essay

Introduction When we hear the words themed park, the first thing that comes to our mind is enjoyment. The themed park is for people who love adventures those who crave for fun and excitement and also for people who want to unwind from their work. It can be avenue to relax and a place where our social skills are enhanced. The fun, laughter, experience and enjoyment one would get from this place can replenish one’s drive for work and study. It will give people a positive feeling that results to positive outlook towards life, work and family. In order to get good and healthy disposition, having fun is essential not only to the body but also to the soul. On top of all these, the safety of the guests is the top priority. The guests will enjoy more if they know that the rides that they will be riding are safe. Securing the safety of the guests is one of the many ways to make a good impression and to make them feel important that they are being taking cared of. When the guests enjoy their stay in the theme park, and they feel seemed, and they feel that it’s worth their money, this is an indication of customer satisfaction. Customer’s satisfaction can only be attained with quality services and unforgettable experiences. When there is met, customers will increase and they will become loyal. In this study, the researchers would like to know what are the strategies or gimmicks used by theme parks to attract customers. The researchers would also like to study the safety procedures practiced in making the rides safe and secure. Background of the study People at the Brgy. Sto Cristo, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija is delighted to have the newest themed park in the province. Carron Dream Park is the biggest themed park in the North of Luzon. The themed park opened it doors to the public just recently, November 2012, yet has been already getting its own loyal customers. The name itself is derived from the owner’s children, Carylle who is the Vice President for design and Ronil from the Finance Department. Carron was a realization of Mr. Ramon Santos dream. From being a former janitor, Mr. Santos climbed the ladder of success and he currently owns the only manufacturing company who is making different amusement rides in the Philippines. Carron Dreampark is a showcase of different rides made by Westech. Westech is the manufacturing company owned by Mr. Santos, it is the makers of some of the popular rides seen in the Philippines, to name a few of their satisfied clients are the popular MOA Eye, SM Malls, Robinsons Malls, Worlds of Fun and Timezone. Westech created their own welding school to train welders from Nueva Ecija. Initially having 17 rides and 4 attractions on their first phase, it is expected to pick up more customers in the addition of rides and attractions this year. Currently, a lot of neighboring provinces have already discovered the theme park, Including: Tarlac, Bulacan, Nueva Vizcaya and of course the people of Nueva Ecija who are their primary target customers. Next on their list are the 10 million people of their secondary target market which is Metro Manila. Making the visitors happy is their primary objective. One thing that guides them and tells them that their marketing strategy has been very effective is that first, they have encouraged the customers to visit their place, second is when they see the satisfaction and enjoyment of the customers. Part of their brand wide paper is the safety and security of the customers. Carron Dreampark wants to tell the public that the place is safe and secure. The rides have pass the standards of South korea, as well as other countries. Carron Dreampark is also guided by the International Standards of Imagining Another Future For Asia. The two-hectares theme park is still on its expansion, so expect to find more and exciting rides next year. Statement of the Problem The researchers would like to know the motivational factors of Themed Park as an edge to guest satisfaction. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of: 1. 1 Age 1. 2 Gender 1. 3 Civil Status 1. 4 Educational Background 1. 5 Occupation 1. 6 Monthly Income 2. What are the Motivational Factors of Themed Parks that are enjoyed by the guests according to: 2. 1 Promotional Materials 2. 2 Pricing 2. 3 Staff Service 2. 4 Participatives in exhibits 2. 5 T. V Exposures 2. 6 Radio Announcement 3. How do these Motivational Factors influence the guests? 4. Based from the findings of the study what recommendations can be made? Hypothesis The motivational factors of Themed Park has no impact on the satisfaction and loyalty of guest. Theoretical Framework This study is adopted based on Maslow’s Heirarchy of needs, which states It is a theory in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper â€Å"A Theory of Human Motivation†. Maslow subsequently extended the idea to include his observations of humans’ innate curiosity. His theories parallel many other theories of human developmental psychology, some of which focus on describing the stages of growth in humans. Maslow used the terms physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, self-actualization, and push and pull model needs to describe the pattern that human motivations generally move through. (Principles of Tourims 1 by Buen Santos and Ronald g. Manzano) In relation to the study, it can also identify the personalities of the guest and now they can be satisfied and will eventually become loyal customers. This study can help the management of the themed park in making a promos, constructing amenities, and creating services that will cater to the different personalities and needs of the guests. (http://ph. images. search. yahoo. com/images/view) Conceptual Framework INPUT| PROCESS| OUTPUT| – Profile of the respondent: †¢ age †¢ gender †¢ civil status †¢educational background †¢ occupation †¢ monthly income | – Assesment of the motivational factors of themed park as an edge to guest satisfaction and loyalty:†¢ Promotional material†¢Pricing†¢Staff Service†¢ Participatives in exhibits†¢T. V Exposures†¢Radio Announcement| – Awareness of guest of the theme park. – curiosity of guest results to visiting the park. – increased profit for the theme park management| This research paradigm will be patterned on the input – process – output modeling wherein the motivational factors of theme park will be revealed. Importance of the Study The following will benefit from the results of the study: Theme Park Visitors. Based on the results of the study, the management will have a data that will serve as a basis to improve their theme park to increase the level of customer satisfaction and will result to more loyal customers. Other Theme Park Establishments. They may use the results gathered as a basis for improvement of their theme park. Researchers. The relevant data gathered would help the researchers to better understand the Hospitality Management in terms of managing a business and handling difficulties in a business. Students of College of International Hospitality Management. This will provide them with knowledge on how marketing strategies work on the Hospitality Industry. Scope and Delimitation The study will concentrate on the motivational factors of themed park. The respondents of the study will be the guests who visited the Carron Dream Park. The study will be conducted at Carron Dream Park at Brgy. Santo Cristo, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija on the second semester of the Academic Year 2013-2014. Definition of terms: The following terms are operationally defined for clearer understanding. Amusement park. This is a place wherein people go for enjoyment and relaxation. Amenities. Available in the themed park for customers consumption. Customers. These are the people who visits themed parks. Entrance Fee. This refers to the monetary equivalent to which the guest can enter the premises. Perception. This is how the guests interpret the place, the sceneries and amenities present. Price. This refers to the changes of the different amenities. Promotion. This refers to the building image of theme park. Rides. This refers to Carron Dream Liner (roller coaster) , Carron Dream Wheel, Voyager, Gear Shifter Bump n’ Splash Safety. This refers to the situation wherein there is what you call a hazard free zone. Services. These are the things that the guest can avail in a theme park. VIP Pass. This refers to â€Å"Ride All You Can† at theme park.

Quality of Work Life of Cement Industry Essay

Abstract Quality of work life is an important indicator and yardstick for any organization to measure its overall performance and overall satisfaction of its stakeholder‟s .Quality of work life comprises of several factors which are influencing the quality of work life in different dimensions. Quality of work life of this industry is concerned the safety, healthy work environment, adequate and fair compensation and social relevance are undedicated by the internal stakeholders (Employees).Also the lower level workers don‟t have ,that much amount of quality of work life that is why they don‟t have that much level of involvement in their company. Hence to bring-up the expected level of involvement of the employees they must be provided enough amount of training and they must be given on –par treatment while compare with the rest of the level of employees of their organization. Key words: Quality of work life – Total life space, social relevance – Quality of work life feeling stakeholders. Introduction Historically, cultural values about work have shifted greatly over the years. In ancient time work was performed only by slaves, The Renaissance and Reformation brought great changes in prevailing attitude towards work. Work acquired a moral dignity of its own. Work serves many purposes. The economic function of work for producing goods and services is its most obvious value. In return form of production the work is paid wages that enable the purchase of good, shelter, plus other needs and luxuries of life. But work serves other values as well. As part of social needs people are supplied at the work place, were they meet, and converse and share experiences. One‟s job connotes a certain social status both for the worker and his or her family. Work also contributes to an employee‟s self-esteem by reflecting a contribution to the work group, department and company. If a person is competent and meets his own personal and the boss‟ satisfaction expectations, this contributes to a sense of personal worth. Quality of Work Life (QWL) is a relatively new concept. It refers to the favorableness or unfavrableness of a job environment for people (Davis and Newstrom, 1985). Evolution of quality of work life Walton attributes the evolution of QWL to various phases in history. Legislation enacted in early 20th century to protect employees from job-injury and to eliminate hazardous working conditions, followed by the unionization movement in the 1930s and 1940s were the initial steps. Emphasis was given to „job security‟, due process at the work place and economic gains for the worker‟. The 1950s and the 1960s saw the development of different theories by psychologists proposing a „positive relationship between morale and productivity‟, and the possibility that improved human relations would lead to the enhancement of both. Attempts to reform and to acquire equal employment opportunities and job enrichment schemes also were introduced. Finally, in the 1970s the idea of QWL was conceived which according to Walton, is broader than these earlier developments and is something that must include „ the values that were at the heart of these earlier reform movements‟ and „human needs and aspirations‟(Walton, 1973). The modern interest in the quality of work life was stimulated through efforts to change the scope of people satisfaction job in attempting to motivate them (Tyagi 1997). The jobs should seek to employ higher skills of workers, improve their skills, and contribute to general Social advancement as well as programs that offer employees, the opportunity to purchase equity in their firms or programs that provide protection against arbitrary action for their supervisors (Robins, S. 1997). Criteria for quality of work life: It has been pointed out by Ted Mills that one of the problems with the tern is that â€Å"quality of work life† is not a single, specific notion. Rather, it subsumes a whole pass of terms and notions, all of which he feels really belong under the umbrella â€Å"quality of work life†: 1. Industrial Effectiveness 2. Human Resource Development 3. Organizational Effectiveness 4. Works Restructure 5. Job Enrichment 6. Organizational Restructure 7. Socio- Technical Systems 8. Work Humanization 9. Group work concept 10. Labour – management cooperation 11. Working together; work involvement; and worker participation 12. Cooperation work restructures Importance of Quality of Work Life: Quality work life is essentially the concept of favorable situation of a work environment. It is imperative in any type of organizations to ensure high productivity and involvement of employees in generation of goods and services of better quality. The global economy presents the organization with new challenges to be faced by the employees. To make it more imperative employee‟s involvement and commitment are required in achieving organizational goals. Such involvements and commitments could be secured only through improved quality of work life. Furthermore working life is regarded as a larger ecological complex of human resource. So ultimately the quality of working life of employees should be made better and pave the way for satisfied working conditions and make them involved in the growth of the organization. Review of Literature: Cohen. D.S (1979) Quality of work is a process of joint decision making, collaboration and building mutual respect between management and employee, which seems to cause a change in how people feel about labour their work and each other. It is this change in the human climate that quality advocated, maintains, increases satisfaction and facilitates better solution to management and production. Ekramul Hoque, M. and Alinoor Rahman (1999) They attempted to compare the QWL of industrial workers according to the nature of the organizations and to measure whether there is any significant relationship among quality of work life, job behaviour and demographic variables of the workers. The result revealed workers of private sector textile mills perceived significantly higher QWL than in the public sector; QWL has significant negative correlation with absenteeism and accident and QWL has significant positive correlation with performance. 3 Tambe M.R. (2000) In a broad sense QWL includes job enrichment group work concept, labour management cooperation, workers involvement, co-operative work environment and organizational industrial effectiveness. In a narrow sense it is a conductive and encouraging job and physical environment. Mentz (2001) conducted a study to determine the quality of work life of teachers in farm schools in South Africa. The sample consists of 60 teachers in 15 farm schools. Findings indicate that teachers in rural schools are generally satisfied with circumstances and enjoy teaching; they are satisfied with classroom size, physical facilities and teacher student relations. Topper (2008) The literature reviews of psychological and sociological studies of job satisfaction in general and specifically for library workers were under taken by Topper(2008). The investigation was primarily intended to measure the job satisfaction among library workers. It revealed that the library workers are very satisfied in their job. It also underlined the fa ct that job satisfaction should be the key factor for recruitment of the next generation library workers. Edwards, J.,Van laar ,D.L &Easton ,S.(2009).Regular assessment of quality of work life can potentially provide organization with important information about the welfare of their employees, such as job satisfaction, general well-being, work related stress and the home-work interface. Objective To find out the existing level of Quality of Work Life perceived by the employees in cement industry Research methodology: Research Design The research design is an important yardstick and it is describing the properties of the proposed research with related to a particular domine. This article is concerned; the research design is descriptive in nature. This article is going to evaluate the existing level of quality of work life which is prevailing in cement industry at Ariyalur District. Survey and sampling method: The researcher is decided to deploy the primary data from the concerned indust ry [respondents] with the help of the data collection tool [questionnaire]. Apart from the primary data the required data‟s to enhance the quality of the article is to be collected from the secondary sources such as books, magazines and annual reports of the companies. The data which is to be collected from the respondents on random basis [simple random sampling]. The companies which are included in this survey are TANCEM, BIRLA and RAMCO. The sample size which is a determined for the study is 300 from all three companies. Statistical tool used: The collected data which is analyzed with the help of ANOVA. Analysis and Interpretation: Quality of Work Life (QWL) includes a host of issues ranging from occupational safety and health, job training, retraining, educational opportunities to society recreational facilities and childcare. QWL is a process of work organizations, which enables its members at all levels to participate actively and efficiency in shaping the organizations environment, methods and outcomes.

The American Revolution - 1190 Words

The Daughters of the American Revolution was founded with the intent to preserve American history. However what was the rationale behind the need for an organization of this kind? Because the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) limited its membership to only descendants of participants in the war and created a focus on the importance of ancestry, leads the belief that there were another motivating factor behind an organization of this type. Influencing the founders of the D.A.R. was both the Civil War and the rising immigration to the United States. The Civil War ended with slaves becoming freemen and citizens, affecting the definition of citizenship. Also the war increase patriotic drive in the citizens which directly lead the forming of the patriotic group, The D.A.R. Immigration boomed during the nineteenth century and like the situation with freedmen changed the makeup of American citizenship. The D.A.R. was created as a reaction to theses social changes. Atmosphere in America Leading to the D.A.R. The Daughters of the American Revolution was founded during a time of big changes in America. The Civil War was a major event in the nineteenth century. The war affected the entire population of America, because of both how it involved men and women and how it took place on American soil. Part of the Civil War’s importance to D.A.R. is the three factors that the war resolved that was left over from the Revolutionary War. These connections to theShow MoreRelatedThe American Revolution : The Revolution1367 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Revolution Revolutionizes the World It was the first revolution to majorly succeed and change how people saw their countries, it was the American Revolution. 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The details are a little on the generic and basic side but it is at least understood on some level. Most people are aware of the American standpoint, the what, why, how, and when , but there is much more depth to what occurred. The war was obviously between the Americas and the Mother country of Britain, but there were more than just those two