Security Policy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Security Policy Analysis - Essay Example These company’s make earnings from these projects (Luetge & Jauernig, n.d.). As a result, they need to mitigate risks facing the projects as one of the factors that will influence the project. In regard to that, there is a need to identify, examine and regulate the threats that may affect the completion of any project. The company also faces other threats not related to the projects in any manner. These form the institution risks. Most of them will attempt to obstruct the system from achieving its objectives. It involves the organization settling on priorities concerning the efforts made in the institution and the use of resources for optimum achievement. It should span all the mission areas of the company. Assume you are a technical advisor for the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of your organization. The CIO sends you an email communicating that she wants to be briefed on "OMB M-11-11" because the administrator has just added it to the list of priorities for the organization. She has limited knowledge of the policy and needs to know how it will effect the organization, and what we have already accomplished towards meeting the requirements within the system. First, I would report on what OMB-11-11 is (Xceedium.com, 2015). In relation to that, it is a policy that advocates for the implementation of identity verification among persons to facilitate authorization to have access to information systems, networks and facilities in an organization. Next, I will report on the implementation of OMB-11-11. The application will entail a detailed procedure and use of software applications that will make the process simpler such as a Xsuite. The access control mechanism will offer privileges such as keeping track of passwords, access methods that rely on keys both for network and information systems. Through such application software, it is possible to separate authorization and authentication to beef up security especially in highly sensitive areas of

Project management for business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project management for business - Essay Example A positive variance is considered good because it indicates that the project is under budget and is ahead of the pre-defined project schedule. Positive variances are useful in re allocating resources and capital from the positive variance tasks to the tasks having negative variance so as to maintain adequate balance and consistency in the project. The opposite happens for negative variances. Two key ratios are used in the earning value analysis. These are Cost Performance Index (CPI) and the SPI. An index of more than 1 is consider good as it indicates that the project is under budget and is age had of the fixed schedule (Philipson and Antvik, 2009). The opposite goes for a performance index lower than 1. The report discusses the importance of project role, process responsibilities and stakeholder management with respect to a prestigious project of the government of the United Kingdom which is the National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) of National Health Service (NHS). The report identifies the key reasons of the management of the project which led to the subsequent failure of the project. The report is structured with a background given on the relevant project, a discussion of the key factors affecting the project and suitable recommendations given in order to establish how the project can be sufficiently improved. The National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) is an important systems project started by the government of United Kingdom. The project has been criticised due to the huge number of loopholes that have been identified on the project structure and the key aspects of project management. Project roles, responsibilities and stakeholder management are key aspects which decide the success or failure of a project. Therefore, the following report is prepared with the view of identifying these key aspects of the National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT) and

The Impact Of Technology On Family Communication Media Essay

The Impact Of Technology On Family Communication Media Essay There is no doubt about it-the way we communicate with our family members today has changed dramatically in recent years. Just a decade ago, text messaging, blogging, and emails were not methods of family communication. Today, they are widely used by families around the world. For example, parents use text messages to remind children of their curfews. Children send emails to their parents to give them their Christmas lists. College students use Web cameras to say good night to their family member who live hundreds of miles away. These are just a few of the many ways in which technology has changed the way families communicate with one another in todays modern world. Some people say that technology is impacting families in a negative way. For example, instead of playing games or eating dinner together, more and more families are instead turning on the television, using the computer, and constantly text messaging on their phones. Some people believe that families are ditching the real world in favor of the cyber world. Other people argue that technology is essential to good family communication in todays society. As parents and children have different agendas and interests, the widespread use of cell phones and the Internet help them stay in touch and communicate regularly. Does Technology Improve Family Communication? A new study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project (2008) suggests that technology improves communication among families. The study revealed that technology, such as cell phones and email, seems to be helping create a new connectedness within families, as family members communicate with each other every day via cell phone, texts, and emails. The survey showed that 70 percent of couples in which both partners have cell phones contact each at least once a day just to say hello and 64 percent contact each other to make plans. In addition, 42 percent of parents call their children at least once a day using a cell phone. The majority of study participants reported that technology has either helped their communication with other family members or made no difference. Few said technology has worsened communication in their families. Still, the poll showed that technology could have negative effects, as well. Families with many communication devices were less likely than other groups to eat dinner together daily and to feel satisfied that they spent enough time as a family. However, researchers said the heaviest technology users were also those with the heaviest work schedules, which is likely to contribute to these negative reports. According to the study (Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2008, p.20), Todays married couples use a variety of tools-landline phones, cell phones, instant messaging, and email-to manage their schedules and stay connected with each other throughout the day. The adoption of cell phones is a particularly important component of the way todays families stay in touch and coordinate their lives together. Couples communicate frequently just to say hello and chat (28 percent of couples do this several times a day, and an additional 36 percent do so at least once a day) and also to coordinate daily schedules (20 percent do this several times a day, and 39 percent do so at least once a day). However, many also communicate regularly for weightier reasons: discussing important matters and planning future events. The Families Commission Blue Skies Fund recently published a different report, titled New Communication Technologies and Family Life (Weatherall and Ramsay, 2006), which looked at how technology, such as computers and mobile phones, is shaping family life and how families are shaping the use of technology. The twelve participants in the study overwhelmingly felt that Internet access can improve communication between family members. Families that are geographically separated are especially helped by technology. However, participants felt that there needed to be more family and public discussion about the opportunities and dangers new communications technology brings. For example, parents need to teach their children how to stay safe online, they said. New technologies, especially those that utilize the Internet, create many new opportunities for communicating with family and friends. The Internet also offers many new avenues for social interaction through social networking sites, online support groups, and chat rooms. Many families find email and chat rooms useful for keeping in touch with family members who live far away or even for keeping better tabs on those who live nearby. But can technology replace face-to-face time? Most experts say no. When it comes to communicating feelings and attitudes, human beings use more than just words. They also use physical gestures, tone of voice, and body language to express themselves (Fitzpatrick, 2008). These are all important elements of communication. Therefore, some people argue that, if you do not regularly communicate face-to-face with family members, you may miss important signs that they are sad, frustrated, or depressed. Still, others argue that technology does not replace face-to-face interaction. Rather, it complements it. In response to concerns that technology isolates and pulls people apart, the Pew study (2008) found the opposite. It revealed that couples use their phones to connect and coordinate their lives, especially if they have children at home (p. 14). American spouses often go their separate ways during the day but remain connected by cell phones and to some extent by Internet communications. When they return home, they often have shared moments of exploration and entertainment on the Internet. Tools help parents keep kids safe online The article, Tools help parents keep kids safe online, suggest valuable information regarding parents monitoring their children. Theres also a way for parents to monitor video games online. Facebook is a site where children are at risk. The author mentions a Family Safety Center page called facebook.com/safety. Facebook is a social place for families and friends and how important it is too know what your children are doing without violating their privacy. Software developers are focusing on Facebook as their project in finding ways to keep it safe for children (Gallaga, 2011). Gallaga remarks on MinorMonitoring as being a new way for parents to check out Facebook interactions from their child. MinorMonitoring look for signs of cyber bullying or other kinds of misconduct on Facebook. Such monitoring could give out a red flag and alert parents if internet predators are showing up on Facebook. MinorMonitoring is in the process of being a tool for e-mail in the near future as well as for other networks. (Gallaga, 2011). Bridging Distance Gaps For families that live far away from one another, technology helps them connect. Many families live far apart and do not see each other on a regular basis. Even when families live under the same roof, it can be challenging to find the time to eat dinner together or sit down to chat. Todays technologies make it easy to communicate, some people believe that they create interruptions to family time and make it easy to avoid face-to-face time. Communication is extremely important between family members, especially when some of them live far away. For this reason, todays technological advances are very helpful to families with busy schedules or widely spread families. Chinese Radio International (2008) provides an example of how families use technology to improve communication. When 70-year-old Li Zhenming and his wife, who live in eastern China, celebrated a Chinese holiday in 2008, they received greetings on their mobile phone from their daughter who lives in Shanghai and chatted on video with their son who lives in Demark. Before computers were widely used, the family relied on letters as their primary form of communication, which meant that several days passed before they received communication from one another. However, once the family invested in computers and webcams, their communication improved dramatically. Seeing them via the webcam assured me they were doing fine, said Zhenming. Now, I dont worry anymore. Young kids and computers a balancing act Sue McAllister commentates on how monitoring children while they are online is vital. I cant help but be in disbelief on how young a child is when accessing a computer. According to the author, PBSKids.org is a site for children to play online games. Ellen Wartella comments on how parents find computers as a useful tool but there should be a balance between interacting with friends and playing outside, read a book and do their school work. In addition, the author remarks on how a lot of kids are going past the two-hour point watching TV, playing on the computer, using handheld devices. Furthermore, McAllister acknowledges on how the computer should be out in the open not in a childs room so parents could keep an eye on their child. This would also encourage children to ask questions. (McAllsiter, 2011). Technology Fosters Independence Russell Hampton, president of the Walt Disney Companys childrens book and magazine publishing unit, recently told a reporter a story that exemplifies just how big the text messaging trend is (Holson, 2008) and also shows how technology can help children feel more independence. His daughter Katie and her friends were sitting in the back seat of his car and he saw his daughter sending a text message on her cell phone. He told her she was being rude to her friends by texting when they were spending time with her. But, Dad, were texting each other, she replied with a harrumph. I just dont want you to hear what Im saying. Hamptons story shows how young people use personal technological devices like cell phones to create social circles apart from their families, changing the way they communicate with their parents. New Opportunities to Keep Tabs on Family Members Throughout history, innovation has sparked societal changes and has changed the dynamics of families for years (Holson, 2008). Telephones created a private and easy way for children to communicate with others. Automobiles created a way for children to go on dates far from watchful chaperones. And the computer, along with the Internet, allows children to live virtual lives separate from their parents and other family members. Experts believe that mobile devices will further accelerate these trends (Holson, 2008). By 2010, 81 percent of Americans between the ages of 5 to 24 will own a cellphone, up from 53 percent in 2005, according to IDC, a research company that tracks technology and consumer research. For this reason, companies are now marketing mobile devices to very young audiences. Firefly Mobile introduced the glowPhone for preschool children, which has a small keypad with two speed-dial buttons depicting an image of a mother and a father. For many parents, having the ability to reach their children whenever they want is a benefit that outweighs the negative aspects of the mobile technology trends (Holson, 2008). Many parents live in different cities or states than they children do, for reasons such as divorce or kids going off to college. Such parents are especially grateful to have a way to reach their children, anytime, anywhere. And most children feel the same way. In an article, Ben Blanton, a college student, said that he enjoys the ability to text his parents when it suits him (Holson, 2008). Texting is in between calling and sending and e-mail, he said. Due to text messaging, he does not need to worry about writing letters. Its too time consuming, he said. You have to go to the post office. Instead, I can sit and watch television and send a text, which is the same thing. Some experts, such as Anita Gurian, a clinical psychologist, are concerned that the prevalence of mobile communications, may cause people to become more alienated from those closest to them-their family members (Holson, 2008). Cellphones demand parental involvement of a different kind, she said. Kids can do a lot of things in front of their parents without them knowing. In a survey released 18 months ago, ATT found that among 1,175 parents the company interviewed, nearly half learned how to text-message from their children (Holson, 2008). More than 60 percent of parents agreed that it helped them communicate, but that sometimes children didnt want to hear their voice at all. When asked if their children wanted a call or a text message requesting that they be home by curfew, for instance, 58 percent of parents said their children preferred a text. Improving Family-School Relationships A study by the Harvard Research Project (Bouffard, 2008) revealed that technology positively impacts families because it promotes more meaningful and frequent communication between families and schools. According to researchers, many families and teachers now use email and websites to communicate. According to the report (Bouffard, 2008): Internet-based communication methods, including email, websites, and newer social networking technologies such as blogs, present new opportunities for family-school communication. These technologies may reduce scheduling barriers that pose challenges to traditional forms of family-school communication, can convey information to multiple families at once, and can efficiently share and archive information about student progress, school policies and assignments, tips for family involvement, and other topics. However, the report cautions that this new type of communication presents new challenges to families and schools, as well. Websites and email contact can be difficult for schools to maintain, may intimidate some families, and lack visual and nonverbal cues (e.g., tone of voice or body language), according to the report (Bouffard, 2008). Most significantly, many families do not have access to Internet technology. The studys findings suggest that technology offers many new opportunities for promoting family-school communication. It is especially beneficial during adolescence, a time when family involvement tends to decline. The Internet in particular may represent an opportunity to maintain or even increase communication between schools and families of adolescents. Digital home technologies and transformation of households. Alladi Venkatesh, author for Digital home technologies and transformation of households explains how a household is changing because of a growing technology. Also new words in our technology are expanding. The PC was out and about in the 1980s and families had to slowly adjust to the ever going technology. When internet connection was available for the first time it changed the way families communicated with each other. When mobile phones and other wireless forms of communication came about technology has found infinite ways to advance. Families are trying to keep up with technology. As our technology grows our household appliances makes it easier and much more convenient for a family to operate. Now, in this day of age you have options to select cable or satellite instead of black and white TV. Technology is changing the typical household family, in hopes for a stronger connection. (Venkatesh, A., 2008). Table 1 Home as Living Space. Venkatesh, A. (2008). Digital home technologies and transformation of households. In a 2006 study by Yahoo, the majority of participants said that email, instant messaging and mobile devices brought families closer together, whether they be siblings living in different countries or parents of moody teenagers (China Daily, 2006). A lot of mums said they had surly teenagers who wont talk to them in person, said one researcher (China Daily, 2006). But over IM (instant messaging) they have much more dialogue than they ever would face-to-face. More than half of those surveyed said that without computer technology, they would not be able to stay in touch with their family members. They also said that the Internet helped children overcome shyness and being a homework aid for school children. The studies examined in this research paper suggest that technology has improved family communications for most. While there are some pitfalls to the increased reliance on technology, researchers believe that communication problems stem from other sources, rather than technology. One cannot deny how dependent our society has become on electronic communication devices. The predominance of computers, text messaging, PDAs, cell phones, video conferencing, web camera, and other devices all demonstrated that people are communicating more than even with each, and that most of that communication is taking place using technology. In conclusion, technology appears to be an excellent way to communicate with family members. However, it may be important to create guidelines to help ensure that adequate face-to-face communications take place, as well. For example, there are certain situations in which face-to-face communications are important. If someone is delivering bad news, such as the death of a family member, text messaging may not be the right medium in which to deliver the news. In addition, when discussing confidential information, it is important to respect the privacy of others and putting something private out in cyberspace is not the best way to do this. Face-to-face communication would likely work best in these situations because the communicator can use all of his or her communicating skills in the delivery of the message, making it more personal and less likely to come across as insensitive. In summary, families have a lot to gain from modern technology that allows us to interact virtually and instantly with family members. Without technology such as cell phones, email, text messaging, and blogs, we would have a more difficult time connecting with nearby and long-distance family members on a regular basis.   However, while technology supports maintaining relationships, it should not replace face-to-face communication. In order to fully connect with family members, it is important to see them in person regularly.     

The Impact of Ancient Religion on Homer’s Odyssey Essay -- Homer Odyss

The Impact of Ancient Religion on Homer’s Odyssey    There has long been a fashion among critics and historians, including Sir James Frazier and Graham Hancock, to insist upon taking the account of Odysseus' voyage to Hades in Book XI of the Odyssey at near face-value as a description of people and places familiar to a Greek audience of Homer's day. Both linguistics and comparative history have been employed to discover exactly how accurately this originally oral epic conveys this gritty realism. Something, however, is not right with this purely empiric approach. What is missing is an examination through the lens of ancient religious practices. Surely a literary work so teeming with deities-wise Athena, spiteful Poseidon, impish Hermes, omnipotent Zeus-deserves such study. In protohistoric times, the worshipers of the gods sought out mystic union with their deities by means of bodily mortification and ingestion of hallucinogenic drugs. These practices are spelled out both in the Rig Veda of India and the Chinese Book of Songs. In the Veda, Indra is worshiped in a ritual that includes large doses of soma. The Book of Songs, compiled by Confucius from the many texts of poetry and myth at his disposal, contains repeated accounts of trance and religious ekstasis. In the twenty-second chapter of St. John's Revelation, the Koine Greek term translated as sorcerers in the King James Bible is pharmakeusin Literally, this word denotes those who use drugs to achieve arcane effects. Since plants were the mainstay of medical science in those distant days, a secondary meaning might be applied: herbalists. Robin Fox, in his book Pagans and Christians, argues that the role of such figures as the Sybil of Cumae and the Delphic prophetess ... ...se value to the Odyssey as a voice from an antique time aimed at future generations. During the Roman Empire, both the Odyssey and its companion, the Iliad, were considered as foundational texts in education. Small wonder; history, poetry, parable, hymn-such a literary work is its own small cosmos. It deserves to be approached and interacted with as a living entity that still matters in Western civilization. That is possible only if we view such works in the context of the societies that produced them. Religion was a huge component of such a society. Although we now possess technological marvels that might give a Greek deity apoplexy from shame, the ancient Greeks are still Us. Men and women will always feel the need to see the world through fresher eyes than their own. Works Cited: Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1962. The Impact of Ancient Religion on Homer’s Odyssey Essay -- Homer Odyss The Impact of Ancient Religion on Homer’s Odyssey    There has long been a fashion among critics and historians, including Sir James Frazier and Graham Hancock, to insist upon taking the account of Odysseus' voyage to Hades in Book XI of the Odyssey at near face-value as a description of people and places familiar to a Greek audience of Homer's day. Both linguistics and comparative history have been employed to discover exactly how accurately this originally oral epic conveys this gritty realism. Something, however, is not right with this purely empiric approach. What is missing is an examination through the lens of ancient religious practices. Surely a literary work so teeming with deities-wise Athena, spiteful Poseidon, impish Hermes, omnipotent Zeus-deserves such study. In protohistoric times, the worshipers of the gods sought out mystic union with their deities by means of bodily mortification and ingestion of hallucinogenic drugs. These practices are spelled out both in the Rig Veda of India and the Chinese Book of Songs. In the Veda, Indra is worshiped in a ritual that includes large doses of soma. The Book of Songs, compiled by Confucius from the many texts of poetry and myth at his disposal, contains repeated accounts of trance and religious ekstasis. In the twenty-second chapter of St. John's Revelation, the Koine Greek term translated as sorcerers in the King James Bible is pharmakeusin Literally, this word denotes those who use drugs to achieve arcane effects. Since plants were the mainstay of medical science in those distant days, a secondary meaning might be applied: herbalists. Robin Fox, in his book Pagans and Christians, argues that the role of such figures as the Sybil of Cumae and the Delphic prophetess ... ...se value to the Odyssey as a voice from an antique time aimed at future generations. During the Roman Empire, both the Odyssey and its companion, the Iliad, were considered as foundational texts in education. Small wonder; history, poetry, parable, hymn-such a literary work is its own small cosmos. It deserves to be approached and interacted with as a living entity that still matters in Western civilization. That is possible only if we view such works in the context of the societies that produced them. Religion was a huge component of such a society. Although we now possess technological marvels that might give a Greek deity apoplexy from shame, the ancient Greeks are still Us. Men and women will always feel the need to see the world through fresher eyes than their own. Works Cited: Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1962.

Dove’s campaign for real beauty Essay

Introduction and Problem Statement Unilever, with annual revenues of approximately $50 billion and a staff of 250,000, ranks among the world’s largest companies in consumer products. One of its most famous labels is the personal care brand Dove. In an attempt to reposition the brand and rid it from its â€Å"conservative† image, in 2004, Dove launched its radically new â€Å"Campaign for Real Beauty†. In-house consumer research had revealed major insecurities among women concerning their physical appearance. Hardly any female considered herself to keep up with the standards depicted in regular beauty advertising. Based on these findings, Dove redefined beauty in a way that had been ignored by other players before. Targeting women aged 30 to 39, the campaign’s purpose was to show real female beauty, reflected in different shapes, sizes and ages. The core message was â€Å"No models – but firm curves.† The campaign received enormous attention; sales of Dove-branded products nearly quadrupled and market share increased significantly in various core markets. (for further information please refer to 5.1). Nevertheless, after this great success and image shift, Dove’s major brand management challenge for the upcoming year is how to continue the promotional campaign. The problem can thus be formulated a follows: What should Dove do to prepare for the re-launch of Dove beauty products to the next level and successfully keeping this competitive advantage for global use over time? Alternatives 1. Alternative A: Reap the benefits of brand awareness One possibility for Dove is to seize the opportunity of high brand awareness to extend the brand and enter new target markets while largely continuing  with the women’s marketing mix. A beauty care line for middle-aged men would be introduced, as this segment is not well explored by competitors yet and, age-wise, goes in line with the current female target. Products would connect the moisturizing and mild benefit with attributes like â€Å"energetic† and â€Å"self confident†. Regarding advertisement, this would be communicated using â€Å"normal, average† males and thus stay with the â€Å"Real Beauty† paradigm. However, it is assumed that men are less prone to be self-conscious about their looks. Therefore, perceptions would be assessed in further studies and advertising messages focused on the issues regarded as most critical. 2. Alternative B: Continue to evolve With the current success of the campaign, it might also be reasonable not to introduce significant changes. The idea would thus be to simply extend the brand communication and promotion for two aspects: To give consumers some new insights and keep them excited, advertisements would not merely depict happy, normal women. They would now also include storytelling, showing how average women’s self-confidence helps them in different situations (such as job interviews or dates). Additionally, Dove products would be featured more prominently in these advertisements. Their connection to â€Å"Real Beauty† and self-esteem would be communicated more clearly by showing the women use Dove products prior to making a self-confident experience. 3. Alternative C: It’s all in the product Seeing how the prevalent image in the beauty industry is still one of perfection, Dove might be well-advised to provide for the possibility that identifying with â€Å"imperfect† women loses its appeal to the customer base. Without returning to classic beauty models, the brand could hence decide on detaching the products from body images altogether. The self-esteem topic would still be key, but the main focus lies on the product. For example, women would no longer be shown in campaigns, but merely close-ups of skin and the products – packaging as well as ingredients – themselves. Issues 4. How easy is it for competitors to imitate the strategy? With Dove’s focus on â€Å"Real beauty† seeing such great success, it is likely for  competitors to try and get their piece of the cake by imitating Dove’s strategy. When utilizing a more product-focused strategy, communication will rather be on brand attributes than on the brand image that has successfully been established. As attributes are easier to copy and, consequently, convey, alternative C runs at a respectively higher risk of being imitated. For alternative A, as there will be a new target group to win over, competition is likely to be dangerous from beauty brands that already enjoy a high standing among the relevant consumers (e.g. Gillette). Alternative B builds the most on the current communication strategy, where Dove is well-established and simply needs to keep consumers interested in order to reap its â€Å"first-mover† benefits. 5. In how far are current brand associations held up? As Dove’s â€Å"Real Beauty† campaign was exclusively focused on women, it might be hard to stretch the brand associations to fit the new consumer segment targeted by the portfolio extension (i.e. men). As a consequence, prospective customers could experience difficulty identifying with the brand, whereas current customers could perceive brand values as somewhat diluted by the new attributes. Alternative B will clearly remain the most consistent with the current image; alternative C, on the other hand, runs at a risk of not diluting but rather reducing the brand image by taking away its â€Å"human† dimension. On top of this goes the fact that it is harder to convey brand values when they are not placed in a reference frame (e.g. that of curvy women enjoying themselves). While the core message and self-esteem concern will still be pursued, losing the edge of directly opposing competitive clichà © images might harm the brand’s credibility. 6. Will consumers in the long run withstand the attraction of idealized advertising? Although the move away from idealized models has brought Dove high brand awareness and appealed to many women, it is questionable whether consumers will not fall back into their â€Å"learned† habits of trying to become more perfect. The consequence would be that they are again attracted by competitors. As explained above, alternative C would somewhat prepare for that backward shift. Alternative A, with going into a new target, still has some room for maneuver to introduce slight changes back towards higher  idealization. Alternative B, however, is completely tied to alternative beauty models and thus most exposed to the risk of backward-changing consumer preferences. Conclusion The brand management faces a constrained budget, which makes conducting a combination of these alternatives unfeasible, at least in the short and medium run. The task is hence to select the one most promising alternative. Addressing the issue of sustaining a unique positioning first, it is clear that alternative C provides the least protection against copycat behavior of competitors as it even partly abandons the original concept and thus leaves more space for the rivals to also associate their brands with attributes such as genuineness or sincerity. Similarly, alternative A opens a window for imitation even though it is, arguably, not likely to happen, as the market for men’s personal care is not as profitable as to allow rivals to simply establish themselves as followers in this way. Under alternative B, Dove further elaborates on its positioning which is deeply ingrained in the minds of customers, thus rendering imitation by competitors especially hard and therefore unlikely. As already mentioned, the question of compatibility of the current brand with men’s mindset is questionable. Even though, option A does not have to necessarily alienate the current target group, provided the advertising message is adapted seamlessly and promotes the idea that real beauty comes regardless of sex as it comes regardless of age, ethnicity or shape. Alternative B stays close to the message and does not pose a threat in this regard. Alternative C, however, moves away from the concept, producing incongruity within the brand image. This fact, together with the previous issue, makes alternative C seriously undermine the strategy that Dove has been following and we hence drop it from subsequent discussion. Regarding the risk that people regress to their old habits of following an idealized concept of beauty, alternative B fares better than alternative A. While not reverting to the standard approach to fashion advertising, the  storytelling technique expands the consumers’ understanding of the issues and leads them to process the brand’s benefits more consciously. This should, in turn, inhibit the customers’ inclination towards idealized images in advertising. In this regard, Dove might be worse off under alternative A, as a positioning for two partly distinct target groups can reduce the degree to which each of them associates themselves with the brand. Also alternative B is a mere evolution of the current campaign. From an economic point of view, the fact that the target segment remains the same, the future returns are severely limited. Albeit option A is associated with a higher risk, it has to be concluded that a successful implementation would also enable Dove to unlock a whole new market, making this choice more appealing. The final decision between the two options is difficult. While being somewhat weaker on the side of economic potential, alternative B ultimately outperforms alternative A in regard to other issues. Higher revenues can still be made by expanding geographically, while the image needs to be adapted to fully resonate with the customers. Yet, these alternatives are mutually exclusive only to the extent of the disposable funds. Alternative A might hence very well be the logical extension of Dove’s efforts and the natural next step for a â€Å"phase 3† of its brand relaunch. Additionally, several other factors should be taken into account, such as a possible conflict with other Unilever brands, such as Axe/Lynx. These inconsistencies should be countered with a clear positioning in non-overlapping segments and appropriate PR measures. Also the global dimension of the decision should be kept in mind and the campaign continuously adapted to local circumstances in order to display a high level of fidelity, which is completely crucial if the brand is to sustain its image. Provided Dove manages to avoid pitfalls as these, the brand is best off by evolving its brand communication to further curb female insecurities about themselves while strengthening the link between the image the brand evokes and the products. (For further detail pleas refer to 5). Appendix 7. The company and campaign Dove was originally developed in the United States as a non-irritating skin cleaner for pre-treatment use on burns and wounds during WWII. Nowadays, Dove products are available in more than 35 countries, generating revenues of $3 billion. The Dove product line includes body washes, beauty bars, deodorants, hair and facial care products and lotions. Before Dove set up the marketing strategy, they wanted to understand the relationship of women to beauty, without a special focus on any beauty care products. Therefore the company charged a global research firm, StrategyOne to conduct a research study. Hence, StrategyOne surveyed 3,200 women from around the world. The result of the survey showed a wide disparity between the ideal of beauty pictured in the media and the perception by women themselves. Based on this report, the company redefined beauty in a way that all competitors have ignored. To launch a new campaign Dove used a new and unconventional ideal of beauty, thus they differ si gnificantly from their main competitors. To strengthen the emotional ties to Dove’s target group, the brand and not the single products should be in the foreground. The campaign was launched to increase also revenues and to re-brand Dove. Therefore the advertising budget approximately accounted for $ 27 million in Europe alone. The â€Å"Campaign for Real Beauty† began in September 2004, when a website for beauty debates was established. The main target group was 30- to 30-year-old women who could identify with the new brand mission statement â€Å"to make more women feel beautiful every day, by widening today’s stereotypical view of beauty and inspiring women to take great care of themselves†. To transmit the core message Dove’s ads contained no models, but firm curves. The promotion also showed a group of women of different ages, shapes and racial backgrounds that were just having a good time in bras and knickers. Therefore the models were chosen in a â€Å"street casting† to achieve a great acceptance among the observers. Traditional television and magazine advertising was supported by outdoor ads, such as billboards, posters and signs. The results were dramatic, because the advertisement gained a massive media coverage. The brand had a sophisticated image shift and is now described by adjectives like â€Å"open†, â€Å"active† and â€Å"self-confident†. The  turnaround was really striking. [1] 2. PEST Analysis [pic] Figure 7: PEST Analysis Political factors: As Unilever and therefore also Dove are globally acting brands, there are several political and legal factors that could influence the performance of the company. For example the political stability in different countries is not as stable as in Europe. Therefore a quick change in laws can occur, like the employment laws, health and safety laws, consumer laws etc. It is also possible that new import tariffs are introduced. Hence, regarding those  changes the costs for Dove could increase and the demand for the products could be reduced. Economic factors: Economic factors can have major impact on business and future decisions. Those factors include an economic downturn, volatile exchange rates and inflation rates in the operating countries. It is possible that Dove has to increase prices due to different circumstances like increased ingredients price and therefore the demand for the products could decrease. Social factors: Social factors as lifestyle and cultural values vary from region to region. As Dove launched the unique campaign they have to be careful that they adapt it to the different cultural environments and lifestyles around the globe. But also brands have a great impact on peoples’ lifestyle and can change it. Technological factors: Technology is also necessary for Dove’s success and competitive advantage. This includes for example research and development activities and information technologies (with their interactive website). To maintain the competitive advantage being a moisturizing product, Dove has to rely on the technological progress and has to be a first mover. 3. Porter’s five forces [pic] Figure 8: Porter’s five forces Threat of new entrants: As Dove had great success with their â€Å"real beauty campaign† there is a potential risk for new entrants. But Dove is one of the best brands over the world and competitors have to face that. They have an outstanding marketing strategy and high quality products. But barriers to enter the market are low threat of new entrants can therefore be rated as medium. Bargaining power of suppliers: Dove is a sub-brand of Unilever that as lots of suppliers over the world. Therefore Unilever as the parent company has power to influence the suppliers and switch them easily. So Dove has also a sort of pressure on their suppliers and can cut down prices and establish tight relationships with suppliers. Hence, bargaining power of suppliers is low. Bargaining power of buyers: As there are many competitors within the industry, Dove’s customers can easily switch to another label. But the Dove brand stands for high-quality products and promotes real beauty in their campaigns so they rely on loyal consumers. However, you cannot only trust in the sustainability of the campaign in the long run, the bargaining power of buyer has to be rated high. Competitive rivalry within the industry: The main competitors of Unilever are Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive, because their sub-brands are quite similar to Dove. In the beauty industry there is verly little product differentiation and similar product offerings, as well as little trade secrets. This leaves little room for competitive advantage, but Dove has always remained at number one, because of their loyal consumers and their moisturizing skin quality products. However, it is easily to switch to other high-end products and also to private label brands, therefore competitive rivalry is high in the operated industry. Threat of substitute products: There is a treat of replacing Dove products by competitors’ products, but people will always need toiletries and therefore cannot easily substitute the line. They can only switch within the existing industry, but as people love Dove and their campaign there is just medium threat of its replacement with present products. 9. Alternative/Issue weight |Issues |Alternative A |Alternative B |Alternative C | |Threat of imitation 50 % |- |+ |- | |Brand consistency 30 % |~ |+ |- | |Ideals 20 % |~ |- |+ | Table 2: Alternative/Issue Weight As you can see from the alternative/issue weight table above, the threat of imitation is the most serious one. As only alternative B is to be forearmed against this risk it is the most desirable one. Also in line with brand consistency alternative B scores highest, followed by alternative A that would try to win over a new target group, but with the same values. Alternative C is the most promising one if it comes to society’s ideals. As markers want to sell hope, this alternative would fight against the society’s upcoming doubts about â€Å"average, normal† models. All in all, you can see that alternative B is due to our table the most promising one. References †¢ Hips feel good† – Dove’s campaign for real beauty, Richard Ivey School of Business, Northeastern University, College of Business Administration, Canada, 2009 ———————– [1] Adapted from â€Å"Hips feel good† – Dove’s campaign for real beauty, Richard Ivey School of Business, 2009, p. 3ff ———————– Figure 1: Unilever logo, source: http://www.greenerpackage.com/certifications/unilever_adopts_paper-sourcing_policy_meet_sustainability_goals Figure 2: Dove logo, source: http://quizbazaar.blogspot.co.at/2010/07/animal-logos-trivia-series-3.html, Figure 3: Hips feel good, source: http://greatness-with-gumption.blogspot.co.at/2010/10/beauty-in-bottle-why-dove-can-kiss-my.html Figure 4: The campaign, source: http://www.adverbox.com/ads/dove/ Figure 6: The campaign, source: http://www.adverbox.com/ads/dove/ Figure 5: The campaign, source: http://www.adverbox.com/ads/dove/

One to one communication interaction Essay

In this activity, I will be carrying out two interactions, one with an individual and one with a group of service users. For my individual interaction I have chosen to work with a service user from my workplace. I am a social tutor working with deaf and blind adults. I will take an activity with a group of young children in a local school for my group interaction. After these interactions have taken place, I will look at and discuss the types of communication skills shown, and I will also describe the interpersonal interaction that occurred. Communication with other people involves a process that most of us take for granted. We need to pass information using a form of code from one individual to another. A code is a communication system, which contains elements, which all individuals will understand. This could be verbal, non-verbal i.e. body language, Braille, sign language, writing, pictures or even music to convey a message (CCMS, 2006). We need to express our thoughts to another person using methods of communication. The other person thinks about our communication and responds. We then check the response, whether the communication has been correctly interpreted, and if not we need to clarify our communication. Gerard Egan (1986) states that ‘the goal of listening is understanding’. (Moonie, 2005) see more:describe the impact the behaviours of carers and others may have on an individual with dementia I had chosen to work with a male service user, a resident at my workplace. I will refer to this service user as Mr A throughout this report, to protect his identity. This is important, as confidentiality is a basic human right. Law protects confidentiality through the Data Protection Act 1988, and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Maintaining confidentiality also forms part of the Care Standards Act 2000, and staff in health and social care are expected to work within the boundaries of confidentiality. Before I undertook my individual interaction, I gave some thought to how I could get as much conversation as possible. Mr A has very limited sight and good hearing. He has a pair of glasses but does not like to wear them. He also has learning disabilities, which makes his ability to respond verbally quite difficult. As I know Mr A well, I will use informal conversation, also a formal interview would not be appropriate due to Mr A’s conversational skills. Informal is defined as â€Å"without ceremony or formality; relaxed and friendly.† (Chambers, 2007) Taking this into account I thought of a few questions, which would be easy for him to respond to. I had open questions in my head, such as ‘what are you doing today’ ‘what would you like for breakfast’ and ‘how was your evening’. Using open questions, I hoped to encourage conversation and interaction between us. Closed questions, which only require a yes or no answer, would not be productive to this activity, however due to Mr A’s disabilities I may have to use closed questions at times. As I have worked with Mr A for two years, I already have a good relationship with him. Mr A requires a lot of support with his personal needs, but likes to be as independent as possible. Talking to other staff, reading Mr A’s care plan and observations I have made during the time I have worked with Mr A has allowed me to build up a good relationship with him, and knowledge of how he likes to communicate. I know when to offer support, and Mr A appears to like me. Mr A makes it quite clear when he is unhappy by shouting. On Tuesday 19th December 2006 at 9am I went to my workplace. The weather was dull and cold outside. Mr A was sat in his usual chair in the living room. He had his arms relaxed by his side, and one knee across the other. There was one other service user in the room, and the radio was on low. The radio is always on for Mr A; he likes to listen to either the radio or the television at all times. Another member of staff was also in the living room writing up paper work. The temperature was warm, the room was well lit but not too bright and the atmosphere was calm. Mr A appeared relaxed. My body language was relaxed, and I smiled and said ‘good morning’ to Mr A, and he said ‘yeah’ in response. He shuffled around in his chair at little as he spoke to me. I sat in a chair in close proximity to Mr A so that he would be able to hear me clearly above any background noise, and know where I was location to him as he has very limited sight. Mr A needs a lot of help with his needs, and he is comfortable with carers in his personal space. I sat relaxed, with my body turned towards Mr A, my arms leaning across my knees. I made sure I looked at Mr A so when I spoke to him he would know I was making as much eye contact as possible. Mr A does not make eye contact with anybody, he tends to look down towards his knees and occasionally look up towards the centre of the room. Although Mr A was not making eye contact with me, I felt it important to maintain contact, as I may be able to guess his thoughts and feelings by looking at his eyes. Mr A settled back into his chair and his body posture was relaxed. With my voice at a calm slow pitch I said ‘who is it Mr A’, Mr A said ‘Sarah been on days too long’. This is an affectionate term for Mr A. I responded with ‘yes I think it is time I had a holiday’ and Mr A laughed and said ‘its time you did’. I laughed with Mr A to show I found his remark amusing. He shuffled around a little in his chair again. I continued to talk to Mr A in a varying tone to ensure my voice sent a friendly message. I asked Mr A how he was feeling today and he said ‘yeah’. I asked him if he was feeling poorly and he said ‘didn’t say that’, so I asked him if he was feeling well. Mr A responded ‘yeah’. By maintaining eye contact and looking interested, I assured Mr A that I was actively listening. Mr A’s receptive language is very good however his expressive language is very limited. In order to find out something from Mr A I have to clarify what it is I want to know. By asking if he felt poorly or well first I knew from experience that Mr A would respond ‘didn’t say that’ to the wrong one. I paraphrased what I had asked, reflecting back on the question to ensure I had understood what Mr A was telling me. I touched Mr A on the arm and told him that I was pleased he felt well. I felt touch was appropriate in this instance, however I recognise that this is not always the case. I asked Mr A if he would like some breakfast, and he responded ‘yeah’. He got up from the chair and made his way to the dining table. Mr A is very good at finding his way around the house and does not like being guided. By not intervening until Mr A asks for help, I am empowering him. This gives Mr A a feeling of confidence and higher self esteem. He sat down in his usual place. I asked him if it was ok to put an apron on him, he responded ‘yeah’ and lifted his arms up so I could tie the apron. It is important to offer choice to Mr A as this empowers him further. Mr A has muscle wastage in his right arm and has very little use of it. He eats well out of a specially designed bowl and a special spoon using his left hand. Mr A is unable to put cereal or milk into the bowl himself, or to spread toast or make drinks. He requires someone to do this for him. I asked Mr A what he would like for breakfast. Mr A responded ‘not much’. This is a typical response so I asked whether he would like Weetabix or Shreddies. This again ensured Mr A had a choice. Mr A answered ‘Weetabix’. Mr A will most often copy the last thing a person says, so I encourage his responses by saying the cereal he has every morning first. After Mr A had finished his Weetabix I asked him if he would like any toast and he said ‘yeah’. I then asked Mr A if he would like marmite on his toast. Mr A responded ‘didn’t say that’ and shuffled around in his chair, indicating to me that he was not very happy. His body language became defensive as he turned away from me. With my voice at a calm slow pitch I asked Mr A if he would like jam on his toast (which he always has) and Mr A said ‘yeah’. I used this tone of voice to calm the situation. Mr A then relaxed and turned back towards the sound of my voice. The questions used at this point were closed because I know that Mr A has little expressive language so at times this is unavoidable. I thought I would offer Mr A a drink at this point so I asked him what he would like to drink. Mr A answered ‘tea’, so I went and made him a cup of tea. After he had finished the tea he stood up and made his way to the kitchen with his cup. He removed his apron and held it out to me. I asked Mr A what he wanted me to do with the apron and he responded ‘rubbish’ so I took the apron and threw it in the bin. Mr A then made his way back to his chair in the lounge. He sat down and crossed his legs, tapping his foot to the song on the radio. I sat back down in the chair close to Mr A, again with my body posture relaxed. I asked Mr A if I could turn off the radio and talk. Mr A’s muscle tone became rigid and he started shouting ‘that’s stupid’ over and over again. I waited a moment until he calmed down and stopped shouting, and then, using a calm, quiet tone of voice, I said ‘we can talk with the radio on low’ and Mr A responded ‘yeah’. I asked Mr A what he had done yesterday evening. Mr A did not respond, so I waited a few moments before I asked if he had been busy yesterday after tea. Mr A said ‘not much’. I asked him I if he had been out and he said no. I asked him if he had listened to the TV or the radio, Mr A answered ‘TV times’ which means he listened to the TV. Mr A was shuffling gently in his chair as he spoke to me and he seemed very relaxed. He uncrossed his legs and crossed them the other way so he was facing towards me even more. I was still sat in the same relaxed position, with my arms resting on my knees, turned towards Mr A as much as possible. I asked Mr A what he would be doing today, again Mr A responded ‘not much’. I asked him if he was going out and he said ‘don’t know about it’, I said to Mr A that he would have to think about it and see how he felt later. I told Mr A that I was going to put my feet up for the rest of the day and do no work. Mr A laughed at me and said ‘she does that sometimes!’ I asked Mr A if he had enjoyed talking to me this morning and he answered ‘yeah’. I touched Mr A on the arm again and said goodbye. Mr A responded ‘Yeah’ and continued to tap his foot. I felt the interaction went very well. Mr A responded very well in conversation, and I feel that was due to the factors involved. The location was quiet, warm and calm. Mr A was seated in an environment he is very comfortable with. Mr A appeared comfortable with the proximity, that is, the fact I have to be very close to him, in his personal space. This is due to his personal difficulties, and his need for support with a lot of his personal needs. As he is quite an elderly gentleman, he has relied on carers being very close to him and helping him do things his whole life and seems very comfortable with this. If the support offered to Mr A is more than he wishes for, he quickly becomes very angry. At no time did Mr A appear to be unhappy with the support I gave him. During the interaction, Mr A was not able to see my body language due to his visual disability, however I sat close to him and faced him at all times so he would be aware that I was listening fully. Mr A’s body language was good throughout most of the interaction, he leant towards me and his muscle tone was relaxed. My body language was relaxed throughout the interaction, both when seated and when assisting Mr A with his breakfast. Mr A does not use hand gestures when he speaks, mostly due to his muscle wastage in his right arm. At one point when I asked him if he would like marmite on his toast, he exhibited a little negative body language by turning away from me. When I suggested turning off the radio Mr A’s muscle tone became very rigid and he shouted at me. This was an indicator that Mr A was very unhappy with the suggestion and wanted the radio left on. The radio was turned down low and did not hamper the conversation in any way as we could clearly hear each other. My conversation with Mr A was informal. This is because I know Mr A very well so do not need to speak to him in a formal manner. I gave Mr A appropriate lengths of time to respond to my questions, and I listened carefully to his answers. By giving Mr A time to respond to my questions, I ensured that he had time to think about what I was asking, and formulate the correct response. I followed up by responding to his answers with appropriate further conversation. At one point I had to clarify a question by changing it from asking ‘what he had done yesterday evening’ to ‘if he had been busy yesterday after tea’. By asking the question in a different way I was checking that Mr A had fully understand what information I required from him. This in turn encouraged Mr A to respond when maybe he did not wish to, or maybe did not understand the question. Mr A is a person who likes to be as independent as possible. He appreciates when I understand his needs and what he is trying to tell me. Throughout my interaction with Mr A I used empathy at all times. Empathy is â€Å"a person’s awareness of the emotional state of another person and their ability to share an experience with them† (Richards, 2003, p.121). I was aware of Mr A’s emotional state and my ability to build an understanding. On two occasions I touched Mr A’s arm briefly to show friendliness and compassion. I feel Mr A was very responsive to our interaction and I was very happy with how it went. I think that given Mr A’s verbal disabilities I engaged him in a good conversation, listened well and used correct techniques to aid this. I also provided him with the correct amount of support during his breakfast. The other staff member present in the room was my deputy manager. I asked her to complete a witness statement for my to say I had completed an interaction with Mr A. She agreed to this. I also asked her for feedback on the techniques I had used, and how she felt the interaction went. She told me that I had engaged Mr A well. When Mr A is listening to the radio he doesn’t always want to talk. He responded that he was happy to talk to me with the radio turned down low. She said Mr A appeared very relaxed and seemed to enjoy talking to me. He was also happy to go to the dining table and let me assist him in getting some breakfast. When asked, Mr A said he had enjoyed talking to me. He also appeared to be happy with the support I offered him when getting his breakfast. As he can become angry quite easily when offered too much support, I also felt this was good feedback.