Seek Godly Counsel Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seek Godly Counsel - Assignment Example Most people resort to the result of prayer after seeing that everything else has failed, which, in most cases do not work out. The bible says   â€Å"cursed is the man who relies on his own understanding.†, â€Å"blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.† Anyone who is in   need of any monetary advice shouldn't seek it from the ungodly people.Pray about something you want to do and talk to godly people about it before executing the plan. Prayers and godly people help one to avoid errors in financial matters. Before purchasing any good or even looking for financial assistance from either individual financial institution, ask a godly person and pray about it. Do not do things impulsively.When entering into a contract with anyone over finances, do not be in a haste to put your signature on any paper until you counter check it thoroughly. Easy come, easy go. Best things in the world take time so do not be hurried in doing something. God took lo ng to deliver Israelites from captivity but it was worthy it so borrow a leaf from there.The bible gives very vital financial advice: Gold and silver comes from God, so start asking God for financial guidance; the more you give, the more you receive, be generous to the less unfortunate; there is joy in sharing; states, â€Å"Where your money is, that's where your heart will be.† Learn to lean not on your own understanding and start incorporating God's counsel in your finances and you will realize that you are enjoying your finances and your financial life is perfect.

Desire and Disappointment in “A & P” and “A Woman on a Roof” Essay Example for Free

Desire and Disappointment in â€Å"A P† and â€Å"A Woman on a Roof† Essay It may be natural instinct for men to be attracted to a good-looking woman or one who displays more than the usual amount of skin in public. The level and type of attraction varies from one male to another. However, more often than not, the primary expectation or fantasy of the male admirer regarding the female being admired, is not met because these expectations and fantasies are based on his personal conceptions and stereotypes about what women should be and not what the particular woman he chances upon is in reality. The male protagonists in John Updike’s â€Å"A P† and Doris Lessing’s â€Å"A Woman on a Roof† exhibit different expectations on the female characters they meet but in the end, all of them would be disappointed and disillusioned with both the female character and, in turn, their own selves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Updike’s hero is 19 year-old Sammy who works in the checkout counter of a convenience store. One day, three young women walk into the store in their swimsuits. Sammy’s reaction, along with another young but married co-worker, is typical of men their age: they gawk at the woman with sexual desire. Written in the first person point of view of the main character, the reader notes that what Sammy notices about the women are the usual things that men desire in women like â€Å"long white prima-donna legs†¦(and) clean bare plane of the top of her chest down from the shoulder bones†¦(Updike).† Her admiration becomes more than a physical attraction, however, when the store manager reproaches the girls for their out-of-place outfits. In a burst of impulse, Sammy resigns from his job, his reason being that he could not take the embarrassment that the store manager inflicts upon the girls. He imagines his resignation to be a heroic act which he expects the girls to notic. To his disappointment, however, they do not even look back at him. Outside the store, Sammy thinks about â€Å"how hard the world was going to be (Updike)† afterwards. He realizes that the heroism is simply his own conception about what he does and nobody else, especially not the girls, get it. He loses his job in the process and he has too much pride to take it back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The three male protagonists in Doris Lessing’s story, meanwhile, react upon the sight of a barely-clad woman sunbathing on a rooftop. Like Sammy, the men lust at the sight of the woman in â€Å"red scarf tied around her breasts and brief red bikini pants (Lessing).† The initial reaction evolves differently among the three men, however, as the sunbathing woman becomes a daily distraction to their work. Harry, past middle-age, reminds the other two to think of their own wives as they look at the woman. To him, the woman is a possession that should be reined and controlled and the particular woman on the roof must have had a husband that is not doing his job. The newly-married Stanley is confident that women are willing and submissive when they are coaxed. He gets along with Mrs. Pritchett because she responds to him. Tom, the youngest, has an ideal, fairy-tale image of himself. He imagines himself â€Å"at work on a crane, adjusting the arm to swing over and pick her up and swing her back across the sky to drop her near him (Lessing).† He is a hero protecting her from Stanley. All the time while the men watches, yells and whistles at her, the woman remains indifferent. Days later, Harry eventually gives up. Stanley becomes more enraged as the day becomes hotter. Tony remains hopeful but suffers the most as in the end when he decides to finally go and talk to the woman he is rejected and driven away.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Men have been used to classifying women according to types based on superficial images generated by media or during talks amongst themselves. When a man encounters someone that does not fit any of the molds, she disappoints him greatly, more than even she realizes. The characters in the two stories illustrate how hope could turn into disillusionment when a man entertains grand ideas about a woman even before understanding her. Works Cited Lessing, Doris. A Woman On A Roof. Updike, John. A P.

Gandhis character and leadership style

Gandhis character and leadership style Below analysis of case study from movie Gandhi is based on life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. M.K. Gandhi after a successful fight against indiscrimination in South Africa devoted rest of his life to lead India to freedom. In the forthcoming sections detailed leader profile of M.K. Gandhi based on observations will be generated. Different leadership aspects, principles, effectiveness, and styles used by Gandhiji in his fight for the independence of India will be demonstrated. Also, part of focus will be the reaction of followers and peers on a very different perspective of leadership and its impact on British Empire. Entire analysis is supported by existing theories, research evidences and empirically grounded data about leadership. Leadership concepts According to Yukl (2010) Leadership can be defined as the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives. Movie Gandhi based on M.K Gandhis life over the length has very well depicted the various dimensions and aspects of leadership. It portrays the birth of great leader under adverse circumstances, who later on transforms into exceptional leader to lead India to its long awaited independence from British Empire. Movie very well captures number of instances in the life of M.K.Gandhi which have an influential impact on the masses as well as on the viewers. How a leader can effectively and efficiently lead people with an unconventional style and what differentiates a good leader from an extraordinary leader are the highlights of the movie. Over the time different flavours of leadership style under different circumstances can be observed. The legacy of Gandhijis leadership remains one of the most powerful forces for peace in the world, and this film is a superb tribute to it. Charismatic, transformational, ethical leadership aspects are among the few that are quite significantly depicted in the movie. Use of Power and Influence tactics Power is useful for understanding how people are able to influence each other in organization (Mintzberg,1983). Power involves the capacity of one party (the agent) to influence another party (the target). French and Raven (1959) developed taxonomy to classify different types of power according to their source. The taxonomy includes five different types of power as below Reward Power The target person complies in order to obtain reward controlled by the agent. Coercive Power The target person complies in order to avoid punishment controlled by the agent. Legitimate Power The target person complies because he/she believes the agent has the right to make request and the target person has the obligation to comply Expert Power The target person complies because he/she believes that the agent has special knowledge about the best what to do something. Referent Power The target person complies because he/she admires or identifies with the agent and wants to gain the agents approval. Gandhis possession of power was more of a referent kind. As observed in the movie Gandhi always identified himself among the masses. He fought the battle in South Africa with a tie and a suit but when he came to India he changed his attire to that of an Indian peasant. Before he started his mission in Indian Gandhi went across all over India to meet people and know them. For this very reason in one of the scene Gandhi while addressing people says that, the battle for Indian Independence can be fought by being one among them. As illustrated by Dubrin the end results of a leaders influence outcomes are a function of the influence tactics he or she uses. The influence tactics are in turn moderated, or affected by, the leaders traits and behaviours and the situation. He further adds that the three possible outcomes are commitment, compliance, and resistance ( as shown in the figure on next page). Commitment represents the highest degree of success; the target of the influence attempt is enthusiastic about carrying out the request and makes it a full effort. Pretty much like an outcome of the non co-operation movement. Compliance means that the influence attempt is partially successful. The target person is apathetic (not overjoyed) and makes only a modest effort to carry out the request. This type was illustrated when in some parts the violence broke out in Hindu-Muslim. There were no signs of complete resistance where in an absolutely unsuccessful attempt was made. The model shown in figure on next page illustrates the possible end results of a leaders influence. Gandhi power and Influence tactics_1.png 3.1) DESCRIPTION AND EXPLANATION OF INFLUENCE TACTICS Influence tactics are classified as those that are essentially ethical and honest versus those that are essentially manipulative and devious. Gandhiji has always used his ideals and principle in which he had beliefs to influence people. Non-violence was one of the biggest influencing tools that Gandhiji used throughout. Gandhi always practiced as well as preached the importance of honesty, self dependency and courage. He had a completely ethical and honest approach to his ideologies. Considering that his influence tactics falls in to the category of Essentially Ethical and Honest Tactics. Essentially Ethical and Honest Tactics Used with tact, diplomacy, and good intent, the tactics described in this section can facilitate getting others to join you in accomplishing a worthwhile objective. These tactics vary in complexity and the time required to develop them. 1. Leading by Example and Respect. A simple but effective way of influencing group members is leading by example, or leading by acting as a positive role model. Being respected facilitates leading by example. Gandhi use to weave his clothes by himself. He appealed people to stop using western clothes and use the clothes made in India. He got a terrific response from the people wherein thousands of them burnt their clothes. 2. Using Rational Persuasion. To implement this tactic, the leader uses logical arguments and factual evidence to convince another person that a proposal or request is workable and likely to result in goal attainment. Rational persuasion is likely to be the most effective with people who are intelligent and rational. A major intervening variable in rational persuasion is the credibility of the influence agent. A subtle factor is that credible people are perceived as having higher power. Gandhi was an astute individual he always used simple facts and witty humour to convince another person. He had knowledge of law and during many incidences particularly a court scene in champaner where he refuses to pay for bail, refrain from leaving the village as well and agrees to stay in jail knowing it would be difficult for court to keep him. Also many such logical arguments can be cited in the movie during his negotiations with the British, his comrade, press people and general public. He backe d up his belief in non-violence by providing the evidence of his struggle for civil rights movement in South Africa. Gandhis character and leadership style South African president recently quoted pertaining to Gandhiji You produced a lawyer and we produced a leader out of him. Indeed, the first colours of this great leaders charisma were evident in South Africa when he was thrown out of first class compartment on racial basis. Gandhijis self respect and an absolutely intolerant attitude to injustice made him to take a stand to proclaim the rights to be treated as equal citizen of Empire by peaceful means. He had a completely impartial view and courage to an extent that he was willing to take a blow but not accept injustice. His strong belief on the cause he was working on helped him to gain faith of the people and he gave them a way. This eventually led to reconsideration and abolition of act pertaining to racial discrimination of Indians in South Africa. According to Weber (1947) charisma occurs during a social crisis, when a leader emerges with a radical vision that offers a solution to the crisis, and attracts followers who believes in the vision Particular situation in South Africa was emergent where in Gandhiji came out to be a strong and a highly charismatic leader. He had a vision to fight against the indiscriminate rules and eradicate them which he did successfully. Self- confidence, strong conviction in his beliefs, and high expectations and confidence on the abilities of the followers are clear evidences of a strong charismatic leader which Gandhi showed. Evidence is very well supported by current theories of charismatic leadership.. On his return to India, Gandhiji was looked upon with lots of hopes and expectation especially after the triumph in South Africa and his writing skills. In India he faced with a broader vision of a Home Rule Movement. Gandhijis participation in peasants problems against landlord in champaner signifies to large extend his stubborn nature and belief to fight against indiscrimination and injustice. It started when an individual approached Gandhiji with the problems the peasants in champaner were facing. Gandhijis presence there to fight the problem clearly demonstrated the importance, respect, individual attention and consideration to an individual. His rational approach towards the problem was very different and intellectually stimulating than what was expected, but it yield results. Victory in champaner had a message that speeded all across India, it was a new way to fight and win. Above observations guides towards the Transformation Leadership characteristics that Gandhiji demonstrated. According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect and admiration from their followers. Various components that are part of transformational leadership are presented on the next page. 4.1) Transformational Leadership:- Bass suggested that there were four different components of transformational leadership. Idealized Influence The transformational leaders serves as a role model for followers. Because followers trust and respect the leader, they emulate the leader and internalize his or her ideals. Before Gandhi came to India he was already known for his writing and non-violent movement in South Africa. After he successfully fought to waver of the taxes for the peasants people of the entire nation looked up to him. Individualized Consideration Transformational leadership also involves offering support and encouragement to individual followers. In order to foster supportive relationships, transformational leaders keep lines of communication open so that followers feel free to share ideas and so that leaders can offer direct recognition of each followers unique contributions. Gandhiji believed that to effectively lead people he need to know and understand them at the grass root level. His expeditions to discover India illustrate the same. He believed that effective communication was a must to convey the message to the masses. And true representative of people should stand with the people and only than they will be able to face any challenges together. Inspirational Motivation Transformational leaders have a clear vision that they are able to articulate to followers. These leaders are also able to help followers experience the same passion and motivation to fulfil these goals. Gandhi always made his vision very clear and also the means by which he wanted to achieve it. He had a principle based approach which suited the people of India and people started looking up to him as the saw the feasibility of the goal achievement. Intellectual Stimulation Transformational leaders not only challenge the status quo; they also encourage creativity among followers. The leader encourages followers to explore new ways of doing things and new opportunities to learn. Gandhi used his writings and speeches to stimulate the masses. His writings were so impressive that people who were non aggressive in nature actually started believing that they could be a part of movement and contribute. Below figure illustrates the transformational characteristics transformational Leadership.jpg 4.2 Ethical Leadership As can be observed throughout the movie Gandhijis battle was totally based on moral values, ethics, spirituality, family values and religious insights. He based his leadership on these grounds and people called him a Mahatma meaning a great soul. He always encouraged ethical practises like self discipline and dependency (weaving his own clothes), abolition of untouchability, truth and love. Gandhi had a high impact on the people because of his ethical characteristics of his leadership resulting into people giving up the foreign clothes and started weaving their own khadi clothes. Below figure shows the various aspects of ethical leadership. Ethical leadership theories fall into two categories Leaders conduct and Leaders character Leaders conduct Consequences (Theological theories) Focus on what is right and what is wrong. Below table illustrates the different type of theological theories. Ethical egoism An individual should act to create the greatest good for themselves. A leaders should take a career that they would selfishly enjoy (Avolio Locke, 2002). This is closely related to transactional leadership theories. Utilitarianism We should act to create the greatest good for the greatest number. Maximize the social benefits while minimizing the social costs (Shumann, 2001). Altruism This is the opposite of Ethical Egoism and is concerned with showing the best interest for others even when it runs contrary to self-interest. Authentic transformational leadership is based on altruistic behaviour (Bass, Steidlmeier, 1999). Gandhi particularly demonstrated altruism in his acts. He fasted for several days to drive people towards his purpose of stopping violence. He never cared what impact it had on his own health, he persistently strived till he could see a desired outcome. Duty (Deontological Theories) This is telling the truth, keeping promises, being fair, independent of the consequences. Gandhi always preached honest and was completely unbiased in his approach. This was very much evident when he asks his wife to leave the house when she disagrees to clean the toilets. Actions should not infringe on others rights and should not further the moral rights of others. Gandhis struggle for a civil rights movement in South Africa was a part of his belief that such unjust laws cant be forced on people and they should be treated equally on moral and humanitarian basis. Leaders Character:- Virtue-based theories These are not innate, but can be acquired. They are rooted in heart of the individual and in their disposition. It focuses on telling people what to be as opposed of what to do Examples include courage, temperance, generosity, self-control, honesty, sociability, modesty, fairness, and justice. This theory is about being and becoming a worthy human being. Above attributes of virtue based theories can be perfectly related to Gandhis behaviour, belief and preaching on numerous occasions throughout the movie. Analysis of followers Initially in South Africa the followers were sceptical about Gandhi resulting into a rather low turnout in one of the meeting he called for. His adamant attitude to burn the passes even after getting repeated blows from the police had a message in it. The rule was barred and people opened up to Gandhis courage. They started believing and trusting him for fighting against the civil rights movement in South Africa. Gandhi was successful and emerged as a popular leader. Even before he came to India he was a hero for his triumph in South Africa. Gandhi wanted people in India to identify him as one among them, so he went to the people, heard their grievances and fought with them. Such type of attributes has a high impact on people as they start identifying the leader among themselves, started perceiving Gandhi to be trustworthy thereby giving up autonomy. Gandhis leadership style was more of a followers-centric type. Followers who perceive the leader as responsible for making decisions (U hl-Bien Pillai, 2007) are less likely to take an active role in the decision-making process, thereby giving up autonomy. Robert E. Kelley described five styles of followership categorized according to two dimensions. The first dimension: Independent, critical thinking, versus dependent, uncritical thinking. Independent thinking recalls the discussion of mindfulness; independent thinkers are mindful of the effects of peoples behaviour on achieving organizational goals. A dependent, uncritical thinker does not consider possibilities, does not contribute to the cultivation of the organization, and accepts the leaders ideas without thinking characterized by a need for constant supervision and prodding. The second dimension: Active versus passive behaviour. An active individual participates fully in the organization, and a passive individual is characterized by a need for constant supervision and prodding. The extent to which one is active or passive and is critical, independent thinker versus a dependent, uncritical thinker determines a type of followership style. Below figure depicts the dimensions and the types of followers. Followers.png Below table illustrates a brief description of type of followers. Alienated Follower Alienated followers are often effective followers who have experienced setbacks and obstacles, perhaps broken promises by superiors. They focus exclusively on the shortcomings of the organization and other people. Conformist Followers A conformist carries out any and all orders regardless of the nature of the tasks, participating willingly but without considering the consequences. The only concern is to avoid conflict. Pragmatic Followers This type of follower uses whatever style best benefits a personal position and minimizes risk. Pragmatic survivors emerge when the organization faces desperate times, and followers do whatever is needed to get themselves through the difficulty. Passive Follower Being passive and uncritical, this type of follower displays neither initiative nor a sense of responsibility. Passive followers are often the result of leaders who are over controlling and punish mistakes. Effective Follower Effective followers behave the same toward everyone, regardless of their position. They do not try to avoid risk or conflict. They initiate change and put themselves at risk to serve the best interest of the organization; they are characterized by both mindfulness and a willingness to act. Gandhis followers were more of a conformist kind as they complied to his orders irrespective of whatever he asked them to do. Evidence of this was found after the salt satyagrah when they went ahead and took the beatings irrespective of the consequences without any retaliation. When Gandhi called for a salt satyagrah because of unlawful enforcement of taxes on salt millions of people marched behind him. Also the appeal made by Gandhiji to give up the western clothes and use those made in India was exemplary of how followers were ignorant of the consequences. It was the kind of influence Gandhi had on them and the trust they showed on Gandhis decisions. Development as a Leader To be optimally effective, leadership development must be consistent with an organizations competitive strategy as well as with other human resources activities (Day2000; McCall, 1998). In the context of above description we can say that Gandhis leadership skills developed from those in South Africa to those in India. Even though what was common at both places were his belief on his principles. From being a leader of a community he turned to become a leader of masses. In South Africa Gandhi fought in suite and tie he wore same clothes as people there. He was not an eloquent speaker at that time as he was suggested to improve on those skills of his. His strong beliefs, courage and adamant attitude led a success in civil right movements in Africa. But when he came to India he knew it was a different battle all together, there were expectation of millions of people riding on his shoulder. He took his time to know the people of India went across the country lived with them and heard there problems personally. He adapted to the situations in India realising that Indian battle for independence cant be fought in same way as that in Africa. He led in an exemplary way in India, wore clothes of a peasant, lived in a small house, weaved his own clothes his approach was more on ethical bases. In the later part it can also be observed that he came out as a better and a confident speaker . Because of his understanding of the people he had a clear vision of how he wanted to lead the battle for independence. He was always in control of the situations that were going on in the country. His effective negotiations skills while dealing with the British authorities were the evidence of his maturity as a leader. Conclusion Movie Gandhi depicts a clear picture of Gandhi as a successful leader. Gandhi gave a nation to the people of India and satyagrah to the world one of the most revolutionary approach to struggle. Gandhi was a leader who inspired and still continues to inspire, people of all nation with his ethical and ideological legacy. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and many other leaders follow his example. Frail, bespectacled figure with simple clothes and the ready smile led India to march on the path of glory on the basis of sheer principles and ethics which he preached and practiced. As he always said Be the change you want to see in the world.

Essay --

1. Ambition is the most shown theme in Macbeth. In the story it shows how ambition run right through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, when they try completely change themselves to fulfil this urge for ambition. For example Lady Macbeth was very ambitious when she says, "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the toe top full of the direst cruelty. Make thick my blood." 2. Macbeth tragic flaw was his need to have power, vaulting ambition, and being too naive. He never thought about the consequences of killing Duncan and all of his other actions. His need for power led him to kill innocent people to protect himself and his power in the play. 3. One reason is because Macbeth was caused to kill Duncan because of his ambition. He was so determined on becoming king that he was ready to do anything to get the top of the throne. The other reason is that the three witches told him that he would become the thane of Cawdoor and would then become the king. When he became the thane of Cawdoor, he thought that all the things that the witches said would come true, so he killed Duncan because he wanted it to become true. An example from the book is when he said, "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent but vaulting ambition." 4. Malcolm's characteristics are used to really show Macbeth's negative qualities. In Act IV, Malcolm and Macduff are speak about the fall of Macbeth. Malcolm admits to Macduff that he has his own sins and worries about his ability to carry the crown as well as his father did, when he says, "It is myself I mean; in whom I know All the particulars of vice so grafted That, when they shall be open'd, black Macbeth Will seem as pure as snow, and the poor state Esteem him as a lamb, being... ...al thoughts! unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top full Of direst cruelty" 11. All sympathy goes out the window for Macbeth when he decides to kill Banquo and his family, because it was very unnecessary, he was now taking away innocent lives. An example from the play is when he says, "For the plan to work perfectly, you must kill both Banquo and his son, Fleance, who keeps him company. Getting rid of Fleance is as important to me as knocking off Banquo." 12. One internal is his trouble with his conscience about the murder of Duncan. He could not decide whether he should murder him in order to get the crown. One external is when Macbeth is hallucinating while awaiting Lady Macbeth's signal the tolling of a bell to proceed with the plan to murder Duncan. Macbeth's external conflict is if he should let the tolling of her bell decide his fate for him.

Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer Essay -- Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer

In the novel Into Thin Air, the author Jon Krakauer shows us two characters who have some similarities, yet are markedly different. Rob Hall and Scott Fischer are both world renowned mountain climbers as well as the leaders and head guides of their own mountain climbing enterprises. Each employ the respect of his peers, yet here is where the similarities end. With differences in their physical stature, climbing styles, and safety concerns, it would seem that one was destined to succeed and other to fail. Krakauer describes Hall as being a thirty-five-year-old man standing at "six foot three or four and skinny as a pole" (31). His approach to climbing and guiding was meticulous and demanding. He paid close attention to details and had an intense desire to succeed. Hall made many successful climbs prior to his attempt at Everest. In 1990, after three separate attempts over a span of ten years, Hall finally made the summit of Everest. Hall’s flair for publicity had allowed him the success of his prior climbs, but he decided that the guiding business was preferable to constantly pursuing sponsorships. After creating Adventure Consultants, his mountain climbing enterprise, Hall became very successful at getting his clients to the top of Mount Everest. By 1996, he was charging sixty-five thousand dollars per person. This fee was the highest of all the companies on Mt. Everest. Hall’s success rate was not only due to his attention to detail but his attention to safety and the knowledge that without the Sherpas, any attempt at guiding on Everest would be disastrous. Hall’s ability to plan and coordinate ensured that his clients had plenty of food and supplies and that they became acclimatized to the higher altitudes. Each base camp ... ... Scott’s clients who were sick, instead of a Sherpa, I don’t think he would have been treated so haphazardly’" (113). Had Fischer not had such a lax approach to climbing, a guide would have been with Ngawang Toche and had him down the mountain sooner. While Hall was the better guide, both gentlemen held the respect of their peers for their individual climbing skills. Of the climbers on the mountains that day, they were considered the best. Yet despite their skills or their ability to guide, both succumbed to the tragedy on the mountain. Krakauer admired both Hall and Fischer for different reasons, yet he uses them as examples to show us that no matter how good, passionate, or skillful a person might be, the tragedy on the mountain was a cascade effect beyond human control. Works Cited Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air. Digital ed. New York: Random House, 2000. Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer Essay -- Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer In the novel Into Thin Air, the author Jon Krakauer shows us two characters who have some similarities, yet are markedly different. Rob Hall and Scott Fischer are both world renowned mountain climbers as well as the leaders and head guides of their own mountain climbing enterprises. Each employ the respect of his peers, yet here is where the similarities end. With differences in their physical stature, climbing styles, and safety concerns, it would seem that one was destined to succeed and other to fail. Krakauer describes Hall as being a thirty-five-year-old man standing at "six foot three or four and skinny as a pole" (31). His approach to climbing and guiding was meticulous and demanding. He paid close attention to details and had an intense desire to succeed. Hall made many successful climbs prior to his attempt at Everest. In 1990, after three separate attempts over a span of ten years, Hall finally made the summit of Everest. Hall’s flair for publicity had allowed him the success of his prior climbs, but he decided that the guiding business was preferable to constantly pursuing sponsorships. After creating Adventure Consultants, his mountain climbing enterprise, Hall became very successful at getting his clients to the top of Mount Everest. By 1996, he was charging sixty-five thousand dollars per person. This fee was the highest of all the companies on Mt. Everest. Hall’s success rate was not only due to his attention to detail but his attention to safety and the knowledge that without the Sherpas, any attempt at guiding on Everest would be disastrous. Hall’s ability to plan and coordinate ensured that his clients had plenty of food and supplies and that they became acclimatized to the higher altitudes. Each base camp ... ... Scott’s clients who were sick, instead of a Sherpa, I don’t think he would have been treated so haphazardly’" (113). Had Fischer not had such a lax approach to climbing, a guide would have been with Ngawang Toche and had him down the mountain sooner. While Hall was the better guide, both gentlemen held the respect of their peers for their individual climbing skills. Of the climbers on the mountains that day, they were considered the best. Yet despite their skills or their ability to guide, both succumbed to the tragedy on the mountain. Krakauer admired both Hall and Fischer for different reasons, yet he uses them as examples to show us that no matter how good, passionate, or skillful a person might be, the tragedy on the mountain was a cascade effect beyond human control. Works Cited Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air. Digital ed. New York: Random House, 2000.

Person centred approaches in adult social care settings Essay

Assignment composition Assignment overview In this assignment you will demonstrate your knowledge of person-centred care. You will explore what is meant by the term ‘consent’, define person-centred values, and consider how active participation can be used to best effect. You will consider how risk assessments can support informed choices and examine the factors that contribute to the well being of individuals using the service. see more:why person centred values are important and how they influence social care work Tasks There are three tasks to this assignment. A Information leaflet B Short answer questions C Case studies Task B Short answer questions Bi- Describe two ways of finding out about the history, preferences, wishes and needs of an individual using the service. If the resident is unable to talk about themselves and what they want then a good way of finding out is to talk to family and friends. They will have important information about the resident that may help you communicate with that person. If the service user can speak for themselves then the staff can sit down and talk to find out more about their needs, preferences and their history. Bii- Describe two ways of making sure that the history, preferences, wishes and needs of an individual using the service are recognised in support or care plans. The service user could write down their wishes and needs, if they are able to read and write. With the help of the staff the service user could add extras like favourite music, colour, type of outfit, favourite food, activity and so on. Biii- Explain how a care plan helps social care workers to work in a person centred way. Whoever carry’s out the service users care plan should have complete understanding of the plan themselves. The care plan is the most important thing to have knowledge about as this is the most valuable piece of information with the service users needs, wishes and preferences. Biv- Define what is meant by the term â€Å"active participation†. 1. Promoting there independence 2. Enjoy day to day life without any struggle 3. To help the service user with whatever they ask as you are the only help they may have. Bv- Give two examples of active participation, explaining how the individual using the service may benefit from being fully involved. Getting them to plan a day out themselves, this will help a service feel more independent and happy. To help them promote there independence this will help the service user get to know what is happening where they live and get more social. Bvi- Using the table below, describe three examples of barriers to active participation and how each can be overcome. Barrier How it can be overcome Lack of understanding Speak loud and clear Hearing aid Interpreter Lack of teamwork Staff to report of concerns Social workers, docs, nurses or/and staff to discuss any issues with the service user Meetings to be made to keep up to date with service user Feeling excluded Service user to help create care plan Conversations with the service user about anything Service user to attend the staff meetings to be more involved Bvii- Describe two ways of encouraging active participation. Collecting leaflets and showing them to the service user to try and get them involved in activities in the community. Take the service user to volunteer in a shop or event. Bviii- Explain how the identity of an individual using the service is linked to their well being. Moving into a care home is a big thing and a service user could be very alone and afraid of what it may be like so staff should always make any service user feel loved and unforgotten to protect them from losing there identity. Bix- Explain how the self esteem of an individual using the service is linked to their well being. Every service user should be treated for respect and confidence, if you do this then that persons self esteem will be very good and this will help the person feel welcome and able to speak to any of the staff about any problems, fears, wishes and preferences. Bx Describe two attitudes or approaches which could promote the well being of an individual using the service. Service users should all be given the right to choose what they want and how they want it. Just like you or I would like a hot cop of tea with 2 sugars, you wouldn’t forget your own sugar so you shouldn’t forget theirs. Staff should be up to date with their training so they can see and learn the service users wishes and preferences. Bx Describe two attitudes or approaches which could promote the well being of an individual using the service. Staff need to understand the service users way of life. Whether that is its religion, choice of food, type of clothing. To understand all this it is vital that the staff read the service users care plan. Bxi Identify two ways of making sure an individual’s physical environment promotes their well being. When it is time for a meal the staff should know how that service user would like there meal. Some could be a vegan or a vegetarian. Some may just not like a kind of meat, veg, or fruit. Involving the service user in making the meal is also a great way in  promoting the service users well being as this will make them feel involved in something and know what they are putting in there mouths. Bxii Identify two ways of working that promote an individual’s social and emotional well being. All staff should understand the users support plan. This is so the staff can understand what the user needs. Example- What kind of communication or if they need assistance with eating. Task C Case study one Marcus Thompson is 18 and has learning disabilities. He is moving from children’s social care to adult social care and has to decide whether he wants to remain at home with his family or move to supported housing. You are his support worker and think he would be better off living away from his family who sometimes try to do too much for him. Ci Identify ways of helping Marcus to make an informed choice. You could propose to Marcus if he would like to visit the support housing to see if it is the kind of thing he would prefer. He could stay a night or just spend the day. You could also bring Marcus to speak to some of the other service users and ask questions about the support housing. Cii Explain why it is important that you do not let your own view influence Marcus’ final decision. It is important because it is not he going into support housing it is someone else. Marcus could maybe love being looked after by his family and want to be around them. But he may want a bit more independence. This is why it is important to make sure Marcus knows that it is completely up to him, its his decision. Case study two Mr Mistry has recently been discharged from hospital after a serious fall. He wants to continue living at home, but there is some pressure on him from his family to move to live with them, or to move to a supported environment.  They believe they have the support of the medical profession in this. Ciii Explain how a thorough risk assessment might help Mr Mistry make up his mind about what he wants. If a thorough risk assessment is carried out and explained deeply to Mr Mistry, then he may then realise that he does need more help than he thinks and may consider help. Some people don’t like to admit they need extra help, which is why it is important the whole situation is explained so the user knows what could happen. Civ Explain why Mr Mistry may choose to take a risk and live alone in his home. Mr Mistry may choose to live at home because he likes his independence and making his own decisions. He has probably lived their his whole life, moving away to get looked after by your family or care staff may be sound scary to some who has done everything themselves. Cv Describe ways of helping Mr Mistry question or challenge decisions made by his family or other professionals with which he does not agree. Staff should set up a meeting for professionals, family and of course Mr Mistry to attend and discuss what he wants. Mr Mistry can still make his own decisions.

The Arctic Monkeys album Whatever People Say I Am Thats What Im Not and the reality TV Show Popstars

The Arctic Monkeys album â€Å"Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not† and the reality TV Show Popstars: The Rivals which produced the band Girls Aloud used innovative but very different marketing techniques to sell themselves to their target audiences. How have those strategies changed from previous techniques to make music more accessible to audiences? The music industry is a worldwide business covering many genres and it is hard to define it as one single thing. Within the music industry are a large range of different markets, all targeting their products and musicians to very different audiences. There are many aspects to the music industry that need to be considered in terms of image, audience, audience size and genre. These will all affect the way a band is marketed to its audience. It is well known that â€Å"making it† in the music industry as an artist is no easy task. Over the past 40-50 years, many bands have tried and failed spectacularly. However, some have flourished and made their mark in music history, such examples include â€Å"The Beatles†, â€Å"Queen† and â€Å"The Rolling Stones†. Audiences that need to be considered by music marketers are divided into a wide range of categories such as age, gender, occupation, social grouping, region etc. In order to target specific audiences effectively, bands may need to be branded in a certain way. Branding is usually described in terms of products and is where the product is given a certain image and personality traits in order to appeal to its audience. For example, the brand Levis describes itself as â€Å"Sexy, Original and American† therefore personifying its products. In terms of bands, branding should incorporate image and music style, especially when targeting niche groups of people. Over the years, there have been clear differences in audience, shown by their different personal images e. g. Punks, Mods, Grungers, Goths etc. Marketing of bands has to adapt and be completely specific to the typical audience of that music genre and so must be presented in an appropriate style that will sell their music. People are eager to buy into the brand of a band by incorporating that certain image into their personal appearance and lifestyle. For some bands, promotional tactics must fiercely focus on image to sell the product to that particular audience who are themselves branded a certain way. This effort by record labels to promote bands by appealing and emphasizing a certain image is becoming increasingly popular. Scissor Sisters are one example of a band who's image is a central focus of who they are and what they do. Their image is evident of records companies efforts to appeal to particular audience niches. Although in the USA Scissor Sisters have had much less success than they have had in Britain (many main stores such as Wal*Mart did in fact refuse to stock the first album due to their image and portrayal) they still vigorously emphasize their happy, camp image. In their videos they have used varying techniques to play on the ideas of sexuality in our modern society, thus creating a new and varied piece which is not comparable with anything from the past. They frequently use a colourful range of backdrops which are sometimes quite cosmic or fantastical (e. g. in the videos for â€Å"I Don't Feel Like Dancin'† and â€Å"Take Your Mama†. in one of their earlier videos for the single â€Å"Filthy Gorgeous† MTV were forced to eventually stop showing much of the content of the video as it contained sexually semi-explicit scenes. This did cause some controversy as complaints were made about the content of the video, this only sought to increase popularity and radio air play of the single which eventually achieved a chart position of number 5 in January 2005 and number one in the dance chart. Scissor Sisters although new in terms of its topical coverage of sexuality also dates back to the era of glam rock, their influences are also seen to be varying e. the Bee Gees, Duran Duran, Queen, David Bowie etc. Therefore they may appeal to some of the older generations as well as to members of the gay scene, for whom they have become a major symbol in British society. They have also broadened to reach a younger audience through their success in the UK Charts and frequent air play on radio stations aimed at the 11-25/30 age group such as Radio 1. This in itself shows how the branding and image of a band is adamantly important if people are going to want to relate and buy into the music and values of that band and why i t is such a major focus for record companies. A major tool for music marketers in recent years has been the Internet. From vinyl to cassettes to CD's to downloading files, music has developed with technology over the past 40 years. The increasing accessibility for people to music was brought about originally by the increasing numbers of record stores and increasing interest in different music. In the early 1970's, for example, Richard Branson originally ran a mail order service for buying records, this then developed into â€Å"Virgin Megastore†, a high street chain that made music readily available to a larger audience. The development of access to music continued steadily throughout this period with the introduction of more music extravaganzas such as festivals and in the 1980's, the launch of MTV, the first television channel to be entirely music orientated. The development in technology allowed widespread access to different audiences, as nearly every media division began to cover aspects of music e. g. TV, Radio, genre specific magazines etc. It fast became difficult to avoid exposure to music and its marketing. The rise in popularity of the internet as a promotional medium today demonstrates this idea. In recent years, the Internet has become far more accessible to more people. This has led to increases in Internet marketing as a new way of letting everyone know about an artist. It is reasonably cost effective and the audience is a mass one, spanning the entire world (the number of people using the internet worldwide (as of November 27th 2006) was estimated at 1,076,203,987) A recent positive example of Internet marketing can be seen in the rise of the band â€Å"The Arctic Monkeys† to fame. The bands marketing strategy has been clear-cut in showing the importance of fans to a bands success. This began in 2003, after several gigs, the Arctic Monkeys decided to burn their tracks onto CD's to give away for free to fans. Due to limited copies, many of the fans ripped the music onto their computers in order to share the files with others through mediums such as instant messaging, e-mails and forums. The band did not object to the increased sharing of files, although this was technically illegal, as it led to increased popularity of the band, as they became better known. This can be identified through an article and chart written by Heather Hopkins (Director Of Research for Hitwise UK website), November 11th 2005, shown in Figure 1 in the appendix and supported by the following quotation: â€Å"The first chart below shows that in April, when the band was virtually unknown, visits to www. arcticmonkeys. com came from chat rooms and blogs. Search engines became a more important source of visits in June as the band's name recognition grew. † This clearly demonstrates the importance of viral marketing to the success of the band. Many mainstream music brands are slightly wary of viral marketing, despite its benefits it can prove quite negative and can also lead to illegal sharing and music being leaked onto the Internet prior to its official release, for example in 2002, Eminem's album Encore was leaked on to the internet and the promoters were forced to bring the date of official release forward. As much as bands can gain high acclaim and popularity through forum and chat room discussion, there is also the risk they could gain a lot of negative criticism, which would discourage people from buying their music and merchandise. Another example of effective Internet marketing, also used by The Arctic Monkeys and many other bands, are sites such as My Space and Yahoo music. My Space offers bands own personal pages where people can easily leave their own comments on the songs and the bands performance at recent gigs as well as listening to the songs free of charge or accessing previews of up and coming releases. Many bands also publish their tour dates on My Space. My Space has generally appealed to a mass, younger audience from around 13-30 of both sexes, this is typically as a lot of the music promoted by My Space is new and there are fewer My Spaces for some of the older bands and therefore there is little to interest older audiences. It is also widely believed that todays young people are of the â€Å"technological revoloution† and the general acceptance is that computers are of more interest to them than some other older audience members. The popularity of My Space is now leading to other websites such as Bebo and Xanga being formed which offer similar services. This again broadens the scope by which music promoters can publicise their musicians to different audiences. Rupert Murdoch, the owner of BskyB, The Times, News Of The World and The Sun recently purchased (through his international company News Corp. ) the company Intermix Media Inc which own My Space among other themed social networking websites for $580 million. Murdoch is often seen as a dominant figure in British Media, and rightly so as he owns two of the leading newspapers. He is thought to be partially responsible for swinging to the side of the Labour party in 1997 and there by causing the election of PM Tony Blair, who soon became a close ally of Murdoch's, much like Thatcher before him. Many British citizens feel threatened by Murdoch's media power, yet still many of them buy into the My Space idea and the revenue continues building as more and more diverse and newly established bands start using My Space as the beginning of their steps to promote music. Increased hits on the site means more powerful companies advertising in association with My Space, therefore leading to higher annual revenue for Murdoch. This shows evidence of the importance of internet advertising to modern business. Yahoo Music is another excellent promotional tool, which has a wide variety of music videos available free for public viewing. It also runs special features on certain bands as well as exclusive interviews and performances. This has proved extremely popular with bands and promoters alike, as it is a cheap form of marketing which is also highly effective. It requires little advertising as most fans of the bands are already aware of the bands website and they are usually linked to their My Space etc. Viral marketing acts as the main promotional form behind the internet promotion phenomenon. Viral marketing refers to marketing techniques that use existing social networks to increase brand awareness, they may include many internet based mediums such as blogs (many bands use blogs to create on tour diaries e. g. Watford based band Mohair. ) chat rooms and instant messaging are also forms of Viral marketing. Throughout the 20th century, technology has experienced many developments and decades of technological advance, in particular in more media orientated areas. For example, the 50's became the era of the television. More and more families owned television sets in the UK and this was clear when 20 million tuned in on the 2nd of June 1953 to watch the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This showed just how popular television was becoming as a medium for broadcasting what was going on in the world. This technological revolution continues today as we go through what has become widely known as â€Å"The digital revolution†. Television has expanded further to include more and more channels, which can appeal to smaller, niche audiences. This has been of great value to musicians and their promoters; they can now target their audience more specifically. For example, a band like the Arctic Monkeys who have become more of a â€Å"mainstream† rock act may be promoted through general chart music channels such as TMF and The Hits who appeal to those interested in that area of music. On the other hand, acts like Marilyn Manson and Iron Maiden may be promoted on Kerrang! As they are aimed at a more niche audience and are not so much part of the chart music industry. Kerrang! Is already an established brand in itself, the magazine from which it originates was first published in 1981 and originally covered a lot of new wave British metal. If people have certain expectations of a television channel, they can make the decision as to whether it interests them or not and if it does the niche audience for that genre can be targeted effectively by the music promoters. The increase in channels has led to a wider variety in television broadcasting. As a result, to keep the publics interest, terrestrial channel corporations such as the BBC and ITV have realised they need to develop newer more innovative programmes to keep up their audience figures. This is particularly important for Channels 4, 5 and ITV, Who unlike the BBC receive no public funding and gain all their income from advertisers. In order to increase viewing figures and boost profits, the channels have tried many different tactics and one of these has been the increasing development of Reality TV. Reality television is a genre of programming in itself, which usually presents unscripted pieces and may document actual events or people. The use of real people instead of actors has led to a real explosion in the use of reality TV since around 2000 when Big Brother began in the UK. Comparatively to 10 years ago it is now much easier to become a celebrity, and in a society that is becoming more and more celebrity obsessed, this has increased the popularity of reality shows where normal every day people are documented. The audience almost craves the â€Å"fly on the wall† type documentary where they are able to perceive and form their own judgements of others through surveillance. Simon Fullers â€Å"Pop Idol† originally kicked off the music and talent based reality television we know today. Simon Fuller was well know already in the music industry for being the manager of the Spice Girls during their highly successful mid-1990's period. He was also responsible for the band S Club 7 who were formed to appear in the children's television series LA 7 and Miami 7. The idea for â€Å"Pop Idol† proved exceedingly popular in the UK as hopeful singers entertained the nation with notorious displays of â€Å"talent† on our television screens. Fuller went on to develop this idea in other countries such as America. The first series of American Idol was highly successful and was responsible for the discovery of Kelly Clarkson, now a hugely popular international pop star. The basic format of the programme has led to various spin offs including more recently X Factor and in September 2002 â€Å"Popstars: The Rivals†, which resulted in the band Girls Aloud. The show aimed to whittle down the thousands of contenders that auditioned to just two 5 piece groups of boys and girls, One True Voice and Girls Aloud. The current success of Girls Aloud has proved that even manufactured bands can succeed in the record industry if they are promoted and marketed in the right way. A manufactured band is a group of people put together by a record company, or in this case a television show in order to make a profit and give publicity to the medium through which they are published. Manufactured bands are often selected because of looks rather than actual talent in an attempt to appeal to a modern society where beauty and appearance is clearly adamantly important. In relation to Reception Analysis however, not everyone reacts in the same way to the presentation of these manufactured bands, although younger audiences may seem them as figures they can aspire to be, critics often think of manufactured bands as being damaging to the music industry and synthetically artificial. In the 1960's, the first manufactured band â€Å"The Monkees† were brought together as the central focus for a television show of the same name in LA, California. However, the real era of the generic manufactured â€Å"girl/boy bands† began in the nineties. In an attempt to focus on a younger audience, record companies compiled different individuals with certain images in order to appeal to different segments of that audience. Bands such as The Spice Girls, Atomic Kitten, Take That, N*Sync and Backstreet Boys all enjoyed chart success in the nineties and many critics have now built a formula of these bands that is easily recognisable. The media critics and the public have developed a definite dislike for these manufactured artists. Therefore it is questionable as to why Girls Aloud have been so successful. Girls Aloud have been innovatively marketed right from the start of their careers in 2002. They began as contestants on a television show and viewers watched their progress all the way to the final. The Uses and Gratifications theory suggests that for a television show to captivate its audience, it should incorporate certain methods that allow the viewers to interact, relate and enjoy watching the characters in the programme. In the case of Girls Aloud, following their progress allowed viewers to develop personal relationships with the girls as they were regularly featured on an almost daily basis between September and December of 2002. An added benefit to the band was that their first single â€Å"Sound Of The Underground† was put up against their rivals One True Voice for Christmas Number one that year, this in itself generated considerable publicity for the band. In Chart history, the Christmas number one shows a true landmark for an artist and to reach is considered a yearly achievement. Girls Aloud succeeded in gaining the Christmas number one position for that year pushing their opponents to one side. Again, the idea of â€Å"Girl Power†, originally an element of the Spice Girls in the nineties was some what revived which may have given the band further appeal, especially to a younger audience. The beginnings of Girls Aloud and the Popstars: The Rivals show generated a lot of media interest especially from the tabloid newspapers. Particularly, the scandal involving potential band mates being disqualified from the show, or in the case of Nicola Ward, refusing to sign the contract. This proved to be good for the group and initiated promotion of the bands image, even before the television series ended. When Girls Aloud then officially began their career as a band they had effectively been given a boost already by the television shows and so they already had an established fan base, giving them much advantage over bands starting from scratch. This was a similar tactic to that used by â€Å"The Monkees† 40 years previously, however developments in technology and increased television ownership and availability of channels made this all the more effective for Girls Aloud. From these origins, Girls Aloud have been marketed using many different media forms. The girls themselves are seen as the typical models of female perfection that are such role models to young girls. They are regularly featured in such gossip magazines as Heat, Closer and OK! And so they are a central focus in today's modern celebrity obsessed society. Girls Aloud have been described as remaining â€Å"constant tabloid fodder†. Suggesting their marketing strategy is to gain as much press attention as possible in order to increase their music and merchandise sales. In June 2006, the band successfully generated a large amount of press coverage through a variety of stories and scandals in the tabloids and celebrity magazines. One such example was the press coverage of Cheryl Tweedy's relationship with Ashley Cole and her holidaying with the â€Å"WAGS† at the World Cup. This was a frequent feature throughout the summer months in all the gossip magazines and red top tabloids. Although not planned as such, this also acted as a promotional tool for the band as Cheryl, as their representative, was showing a more glamorous, rich image. Her association with well known celebrities e. g. Victoria Beckham also meant that she was receiving more media attention for the band from a larger audience which could potentially increase their international scope of fans and record sales. This increase of public interest may have also been part of the plan to further promote the bands other promotional tactics, for example their â€Å"Fly-On-The-Wall† Documentary â€Å"Girls Aloud: Off the Record†. Image is of course a central focus of the Girls Aloud current marketing strategy, they have a large male fan base and so their portrayal must be one that emanates both beauty and sex appeal as it is common media knowledge that â€Å"Sex Sells†. A recent criticism of bands like Girls Aloud and other popular female media figures is that they are projecting a bad image as role models to younger females. Society has quickly become celebrity obsessed, especially as it is now more easy to become a celebrity than ever and the â€Å"perfect body image† has never been more important in the media than it is now. Eating disorders in young females are increasingly being blamed on the media as people strive for â€Å"perfection†. This problem has been largely illustrated recently by the decision by Milan Fashion Week to not include the so called â€Å"Stick thin women† and also Spanish fashion Week â€Å"Ban on skinny models†. However, anorexia is still proving a continuing problem in this country. Another flaw in the bands representation was in January 2003 when Cheryl Cole became involved in an altercation in a nightclub with a toilet attendant, Cole was subsequently charged with racially aggravated assault (She apparently called the toilet attendant a â€Å"black bitch† among other racial insults) and later convicted to a i500 fine and 120 hours community service. This story was a major one in 2003 for all the tabloids and gossip magazines and did little to enhance the girls image as a whole. Four years on from this incident, the girls have been constantly striving to move away from this negative press to gain a more positive image, but one that still exudes beauty and sex appeal. Through promotion of the band Girls Aloud, the image focus means that they are always expected to have a certain glamorous look, if this is not achieved they are likely to receive criticism. However, music promoters must be careful in how they deal with the sensitive issue of eating disorders in relation to their band members in order to keep the press happy and in order to keep fans satisfied. Certain expectations are put on major female media icons appearances, and as suggested by the hypodermic needle theory, if the audience see these icons, they may connote certain beliefs about their image. The hypodermic needle theory suggests that the audience are passively fed these values and ideas and as today's society's obsession with personal image becomes stronger, it is clear the issue needs to be tackled delicately by celebrities and bands such as Girls Aloud. Berger suggested that â€Å"Men act women appear† and this is true to some extent in the case of Girls Aloud, despite their appeal to a younger audience, they often flaunt their sexuality to gain media attention and attention from fans. However they are in some control as they conduct the publicity and their ultimate aim is to entertain fans and make a profit. Figure 3 (See Appendix) is from the magazine â€Å"Arena† published by company EMAP. The magazine is promoted as a more male adult read than â€Å"Lad Mags† such as FHM and Maxim and may focus on more of a B, C1, C2 audience category. It runs a variety of articles on food, films, technology, sex, fitness, music etc and this cover is taken from the March 2005 issue. This front cover features two members of Girls Aloud; Sarah Harding and Cheryl Tweedy. Many connotations are immediately apparent from this cover, connotations which demonstrate the ideas behind their image focussed promotional strategy. The stance of the two girls and their clothing immediately gives suggestion of sexual innuendo, the girls are selling the magazine on this image as it is likely to be the first thing someone will see when they pick it up. The colour of their outfits, black again fits in with the idea of sexual connotations and the fact that Sarah seems to be holding on and in control of Cheryl acts as another sexual suggestion. The image has been taken at a low angle and is lit quite dimly, the lower angle may seek to show their features as well as portraying them as quite domineering and women of sexual prowess, the dim lighting adds enigma to the scene which fits with the subheading â€Å"Warning: contains scenes of an adult nature! and encourages the reader to buy the magazine to see what's inside. Although not typical of all Girls Aloud promotional tactics in written media, this front cover focuses on one segment of their target audience effectively. A more recently developed promotional technique for many celebrities are so called â€Å"Fly on the Wall† documentaries, popularised by programmes like â€Å"The Osbournes† and â€Å"Newly Weds†. Girls Aloud were quick to follow in the footsteps of these programmes when in April 2006 they launched the six-part series â€Å"Girls Aloud: Off the Record† on E4. This promotional tactic was a little different to conventional tactics used by bands for many years, such as posing for magazine covers. It aimed to show the realities of life within the band and in contrast to their image based promotion, it showed the regular ups and downs of the band. This insight into the band could have varying affects on audience members, the idea that they are â€Å"plucked from obscurity to become Britain's most successful girl group ever† could induce personal identity with the band members. There is a realisation here that they were just ordinary people before they formed the group, therefore the audience may better understand their hectic lives and can relate to that as members themselves of our fast paced modern society. The idea behind this promotional tactic would have been to increase awareness of the band and to also encourage people to re-form personal relationships with the band members as they may have done during Popstars: The Rivals. Again, showing the realities of life in the band, like Viral marketing, may have a negative impact on the audience, but it still generates publicity. The opening sequence of Episode One â€Å"Girls Aloud: Off The Record† demonstrates and connotes some of the ideas and values at the base of the bands formation. The opening shot shows the girls being introduced on a stage type setting, with curtains slowly drawing back to reveal them all dancing, this is then quickly followed by some fast edited shots of some of their promotion e. g. press taking pictures, performing, photo shoots etc. The colour and clothing codes used here are very glamorous and colourful and are likely to appeal to the younger trendy female audience that are often seen as one of the bands targeted fan bases. The image of glamour and of the girls having a good time is then balanced out by some more negative portrayals which show Girls Aloud in a contrasting light e. g. showing them swearing, some of the tabloid headlines are shown about them, arguments etc. This juxta-pose of two images acts as a teaser as to what is to come in the programme and even for those unfamiliar with the band, they may still be drawn in to watching the show. Syd Fields theory, although more generally applied to film, can still be applied here and demonstrates the importance of the first 5 minutes of a programme being essential for captivating an audience. In order for marketers to successfully gain fans of the band, the captive audience must be able to gain both surveillance and personal relationships to keep them interested. In this case, the use of voiceovers, talking head shots and the non diagetic sound of one of there popular singles in the background seeks to intensify the audiences curiosity. The interviews and shots seem a very random selection of clips and are enigmatic enough to encourage viewers to keep watching. Although the band is shown in two different lights here, it is clear the glamour could still potentially appeal to audience members and encourage them to relate and therefore like the band. In the past, other bands have also generated publicity through television appearances, on shows such as Top of the Pops, Later With Jools Holland and Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. These are seen as more covert promotional tactics used by PR not to necessarily directly advertise the band to the audience, but to target those who do not necessarily normally take an interest in celebrities and the music industry and who can be reintroduced into that idea through general television viewing. Some of the less conventional techniques used by bands have succeeded in generating the most publicity. One such example is the well renowned incident of punk rock band The Sex Pistols appearing on the early evening broadcast of the â€Å"Today† programme on the 1st of December 1976. Having taken full advantage of facilities backstage and following copious amounts of alcohol, the band caused outrage amongst viewers by openly swearing and being offensive to the equally drunk host Bill Grundy, whose career ended abruptly as a consequence. This â€Å"Filth and Fury† prompted increased public interest in the UK punk scene that was developing at the time and although it led to hostile press and local authorities cancelling gigs, it generated much publicity and for the band and reinforced the rebellious punk image. The bands continued antics built them a reputation which increased their popularity amongst teenage audiences, who were eager to rebel against societies codes and conventions of that time. This proves that even risqui promotional tactics such as that of the Sex Pistols can prove hugely successful and they are still a world renowned band to this day. Music promotional techniques have expanded in recent years with the development of new technology and trends and continue to be highly innovative. The â€Å"Digital revolution† has played a major part in this with new areas for advertising such as the Internet and more Television channels aimed at different market segments. The strategies have developed from some earlier successful music promotion tactics to effectively portray musician image and to also target more specific, niche audiences. The internet is likely to remain core to this developing range of promotion and with increasing numbers of people downloading songs online, and it may well dominate all future marketing techniques.