Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Comparison of Religions: Judaism versus Christianity Essay

There are several differences between Judaism and Christianity and some of these are the following: First of all, when it comes to what is technically referred to as their corresponding â€Å"religious texts†, followers of Judaism utilize â€Å"Tanakh† or the â€Å"Jewish Bible† while devotees of Christianity make use of the â€Å"Old Testament†, as well as, the â€Å"New Testament† (The Differences between Judaism and Christianity n. p. ). Second, in terms of other written forms which are considered â€Å"authority†, followers of Judaism believe in the â€Å"Talmud†, as well as, â€Å"halakhah† (The Differences between Judaism and Christianity n. p. ). On the other hand, devotees of Christianity pay respect to documents authored by â€Å"priests, church councils, ecumenical creeds, papal decrees, as well as, the canon law† (Comparison of Christianity and Judaism n. a. ). Third, followers of Judaism consider God’s nature as â€Å"one substance, one person† (Comparison of Christianity and Judaism n. a. ). Comparing this to what the devotees of Christianity which sees the nature of God as having only â€Å"one substance but three persons† (Comparison of Christianity and Judaism n. a. ). Fourth, Judaism’ followers see Jesus as a â€Å"false prophet† while Christian devotees consider him as the â€Å"only Son of God who saved the whole world† (Comparison of Christianity and Judaism n.a. ). Last but not least, followers of Judaism never believed in the â€Å"resurrection of Jesus† as well as, â€Å"his second coming† while devotees of Christianity believe otherwise (Comparison of Christianity and Judaism n. a. ). Works Cited Comparison of Christianity and Judaism. 2008. n. a. 15 April 2008. http://www. religionfacts. com/christianity/charts/christianity_judaism. htm The Differences between Judaism and Christianity. n. d. n. a. 15 April 2008. http://www. convert. org/differ. htm

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Marketing Communications-Muji

MKTG1266 Marketing Communications _______________________________________ Group Assignment By: Lin Jiaxin, Joyce (S3307512) Low Hui Ling, Rachel (S3307260) Nur Syarina Shaari (S3307456) Toh Yu Fen, Vivian (S3307365) Table of Contents 1. Situation Analysis 1. 1. 1. 2. 1. 3. Internal Analysis External Analysis (PESTLE) SWOT Analysis 3 3 4 7 9 9 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 14 14 16 16 17 18 22 24 26 32 32 33 34 35 37 38 2. M arket Problem /Opportunity 3. M arketing Objectives 4. Positioning 5. Com m unication Objectives 5. 1. 5. 2. 5. 3. 5. 4.Category Need Brand Awareness Brand Attitude Brand Purchase Intention 6. Cam paign Budget 7. Cam paign Target Audience 7. 1. 7. 2. 7. 3. Brand Loyalty Creative Targets Behavioural Sequence Model 8. Creative Strategy 9. M edia Strategy 10. Other IM C Activities 11. Evaluation and Control 12. Reference 13. Appendix 13. 1. 13. 2. 13. 3. (A) Model of Brand Loyalty for Generation Y (B) Media Schedule/Plan (C) Media Budget 13. 4. (D) Storyboard #1 and #2 for TV Advertisements 13. 5. (E) Sample of Print Advertisements 13. 6. (F) Sample of Microsite for Meiji’s Yoghurt 2 1.Situation Analysis 1. 1. Internal Analysis Financial †¢ Net sales for the past three years (FY 2008 to FY 2010) fluctuating due to the economic crisis in 2009 and the Japan disaster (in million): ? 711,394, ? 704,999, ? 708,142    †¢ †¢ Adopts a sustainable profit distribution policy to shareholders (MEIJI, 2011). Return on equity for the past three years (FY 2008 to FY 2010) on average is 4. 6% (MEIJI, 2011). Physical †¢ †¢ Many plants in Asia: Japan (several) Singapore, Bangkok (MEIJI, 2011). Research labs, offices and headquarters in Japan and overseas (MEIJI, 2011).Distribution vehicles that have been modified to ensure that the products are safely delivered (MEIJI, 2011). †¢ †¢ Materials are sourced locally (MEIJI, 2011). Uses technology and know-how cultivated in Japan to develop appealing products that are tasty and healt hy to its consumers (MEIJI, 2011) †¢ A comprehensive in-house quality control system called, Meiji-Quality Management System (M-QMS) that ensures the quality of their products (MEIJI, 2011). Reputation †¢ Acquired top brand position, from its imports of milk and yoghurt products in Singapore (Bangkok Post, 2012).Human Resource †¢ †¢ An estimated 14,861 employees work at Meiji (Japan). All employees are guided by a three-part system of principles, which are the group’s approach in building brand power and achieving continuous growth in corporate value (FBR, 2010). Technological 3 1. 2. External Analysis Political: †¢ Local broadcast market monopolised: MediaCorp is the largest and only media broadcaster (MediaCorp, 2012) so the content of the advertisements need to follow the requirements/practices set by the company. Government support: encourages research and development (R&D) to develop tools and customised applications that engage consumers (Singap ore Media Fusion, 2010). †¢ The government and its laws: companies pressured to be more socially responsible (Cihangir, 2008). Thus, when conceptualising advertising campaigns, the organisation should be careful about using taboo or sensitive topics. Economical: †¢ Recession: companies identify marketing activities as a cost, rather than an investment so marketing budget are usually the first to get trimmed down (Fader, 2008).Meiji should not adopt this view as research shows that companies who continue to advertise during such times perform better in the long run (McGraw-Hill, 1986). †¢ Cost-effective advertising during recession: cost of advertising is relatively cheaper since many companies are holding back (Billetts, 2009) as such media channels are more willing to reduce their prices. Companies can further benefit from this as they can finally break through the clutter, with lesser advertisements available in the marketplace. Healthy economy equates to stiff comp etition: companies are fighting for a slice of the market share so they spend more money on advertising. This results in lesser advertising space available and creates a dense marketing atmosphere thus tiring and irritating the consumers. Social: †¢ Increasing popularity of social networking sites: penetration rates for Facebook and Twitter are 48. 9% and 16% respectively (Clicktrue. biz, 2011). A report by Firefly Millward Brown (2011) suggests that 4 Singaporeans are so connected that their families, friends and other personal details in the real world can be found in the virtual world. †¢ Diverse race and religion background in Singapore: important that the advertising materials are mindful of the diversity. Consumers spend more time online than ever: internet usage averaging 10. 5 hours in Singapore (Internet World Stats, 2011), to reach them and stay competitive, it is important for Meiji to have a strong presence on the social web. †¢ Consumers are more favourab le towards green-marketing: they want to associate themselves with companies that are environmentally-friendly. As such, it is important that Meiji communicates its belief in protecting the environment through its practices. Consumers adopting a more socially and environmentally conscious behaviour: cause-related marketing can boost company’s public image (Alden Keene and Associates, 2007), helps to differentiate the company from their competitors and encourages customer loyalty. Meiji can communicate and inform consumers about their CSR practices to take advantage of this point Technological: †¢ Technology is constantly evolving: highlights importance for companies to ‘be on their toes’ with regards to technological changes (Bearden, n. d. ).Today, when communicating with consumers, companies have to look out for both traditional and new media in order to effectively. †¢ Benefits of technology: integrating technology into marketing efforts help to redu ce costs and increase efficiency (Lee & Carter, 2009). Meiji can consider incorporating digital advertising to reach a larger group of audience instead of relying on traditional forms (eg: POP display). †¢ Shift of budget dollars: rising trend of companies shifting budget dollars towards digital advertising and social media (Entrepreneur, 2011), but companies should not neglect its traditional media.Instead, they may want to include URLs or QR codes in its traditional advertising. 5 †¢ Integration of Singapore’s media: all of Singapore’s media integrated together (ie: MediaCorp’s TV, radio, newspaper and website advertising channels), companies can benefit from the presence of these media channel Legal: †¢ †¢ Advertisers’ creativity is restricted due to strict regulations in the local advertising scene (ZDnet Asia, 2011). Consider intellectual property issues when designing communications materials (WIPO, 2005).In the case of using com petitors for comparisons, advertisers have to be weary of trade defamation (Intellectual Property, 2010). †¢ With the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice in place, advertisers should note that the content of the marketing campaign must not subvert values of the society (CASE, 2008). Environmental: †¢ Increased popularity of green marketing: more companies adopting environmentally-friendly image but, due to rise in â€Å"greenwashing† (false claims from companies) consumers are wary of such claims (Spors, 2011).Meiji can counter this by demonstrating their green practices through their website to gain consumers’ trust †¢ Green practice is now the â€Å"in† thing: highlights attractiveness of broadcast and social media since they do not contribute to any waste; unlike traditional media, which involves printing and distribution of resources †¢ Truthfulness in eco-friendly image: companies have received severe backlash from claims that were fo und to be misleading and untruthful (Ottman, 2011). This will eventually tarnish the brand of the companies.This again highlights the importance of truthfulness so Meiji needs to take this into consideration. †¢ Social media users highly conscious about social and environmental issues: good news to companies as these consumers are more prone to rewarding responsible companies (Buhner, 2011). This further proves the importance of adoption of environmentally and socially friendly methods in the running of the business and their advertising method. 6 1. 3. SWOT Analysis Strength †¢ Japanese brand so consumers likely to †¢ form favourable impressions of Meiji, associating good quality to their †¢ in products (Maheswaran, 2006). A leading manufacturer in dairy products probiotic †¢ that specialises dairy products brands Weakness Meiji faces competition from other diary with bigger market share (Euromonitor International, 2011). While competing brands are developi ng their yoghurt products with more exotic brands and benefits and to cater in to their consumers’ changing taste, Meiji lacks diversification yoghurt dairy flavours products (Euromonitor (Bangkok Post, n. d. ) Well-developed brand awareness of its confectionery and selected products in Singapore (Meiji Seika Pte. Ltd. 2008), thus newer products can †¢ leverage on established brand image †¢ Meiji is amongst the top five leading brands in the Yoghurt and Sour Milk industry in Singapore (Euromonitor International, 2011). †¢ Meiji’s product offerings perceived as a functional food and a healthier snack or dessert choice by consumers (Scientist Live, n. d. ). †¢ Comprehensive quality control system so quality and consistency is assured (Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. , 2011). †¢ Involved in corporate (Meiji, 2011) social thus responsibility International, 2011) thus puts Meiji at a disadvantage.There are limited forms of marketing communications strategy used by Meiji (Singapore). For instance, the official website does not show the yoghurt products that they have to offer. creating a positive brand image for the company, as consumers today, are becoming more interested in CSR activities. 7 †¢ Opportunity Singaporeans are becoming †¢ Threats Food product safety has been a huge threat in the food industry, especially since the milk contamination problem in 2008 has caused even greater concerns over food safety (Associated Press, 2007).As such, it is important that Meiji ensures the highest food safety practices to prevent damages in its brand image and lose the trust of its faithful increasingly health conscious (The Nielsen Company, 2009). They are seeking a healthier lifestyle but their habit of snacking still exists (Nutrition Singapore, 2007). These two factors provide an opportunity for Meiji yoghurt as it is a healthy snack. †¢ As mentioned previously, consumers are getting more ethically and environmentally awar e, and have a †¢ tendency to purchase from companies that are conscious of these factors too (Spors, 2011)!As Meiji practices CSR (MEIJI, 2011), by maximising this emotional factor in consumers, we can †¢ further appeal ourselves to them. †¢ Yoghurt has managed to revitalise itself in the market, and insiders say it will continue to do so. This is due to the innovation opportunities brought about by the different combination of fruits and flavours, and the content of it, such as low fat, low sugar etc (Decker, 2009). †¢ customers. A shift in demand in the dairy products (ie milk and yoghurt) that are low priced have resulted in price wars and an increase in promotion expenses (MEIJI, 2011).Huge availability of substitutes in the market pricing (Euromonitor, and appeal 2011). to the These general substitutes are different in their taste and consumers, especially due to the sweet factor in these snacks. However, the winning factor for is that Meiji’s yoghurt s are offering consumers the best of both worlds – a healthy and delicious in every cup of Meiji’s yoghurt. Now who says you cannot have your cake and eat it too! Rising cost of raw materials due to fluctuations in supply and demand, natural disasters etc have affected the production cost. 8 2.Market Problem/Opportunity There are two trends evident in Singapore according to two separate studies: †¢ †¢ Growing trend of healthy eating in Singapore (Health Promotion Board, 2008) 75% of Singaporeans snack at least once a day (Nutrition Singapore, 2007) While consumers in Singapore are seeking a healthier lifestyle, they still demand snacks that have health benefits without compromising on the taste of the product (Leatherhead Food Research, 2011). Another interesting point to note is that the functional beverage market, which includes yoghurt and smoothies, is a booming market, with global sales exceeding $9. billion (Freshandhealthybrands. com, 2012). In Singapo re specifically, yoghurt and sour milk drinks have grown in popularity, with yoghurt increasing in popularity thanks to the yoghurt cafes that have sprung recently. This has led to an increased awareness of the health benefit of yoghurt (Euromonitor International, 2011). As such, all of these presents an opportunity for Meiji yoghurt to take advantage of – the adoption of healthy living and Singaporean’s habit of snacking. Meiji yoghurt fits perfectly into the picture as it is a snack that is not only healthy, but delicious too!We can leverage on this opportunity to inform the consumers that it is not necessary for them to remove snacks/desserts from their meals completely; instead we have the perfect replacement: a cup of healthy and tasty Meiji yoghurt that comes in strawberry, mixed berries, aloe vera, nata de coco and mango! 3. Marketing Objectives From 2004 to 2009, Singapore’s yoghurt market had a compounded growth rate of 8. 3% (MarketResearch. com, 2011) . In 2011, Meiji held 4. 7% of the market share out of $15. million of the yogurt sales (Euromonitor International, 2011). As such, these would be our marketing objective are as follows: 9 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Increase market share by 0. 5% to reach 5. 2% market share To stimulate sales of $8. 112 million, up from $7. 332 million Increase awareness and knowledge of product and brand by 20% Establish a 30% change in the perception of yoghurt among target audience 4. Positioning We positioned Meiji and its competitors against their percentage of brand shares obtained in 2010, and their current product offerings.Although Marigold, Yoplait and Meiji has fewer varieties (ranging between four to six flavours), they have higher brand shares, as compared to Nestle with as much as 11 different flavours. This could be due to Nestle’s relatively new entrance into the market. As mentioned previously, as consumers seek exotic flavours, Meiji needs to strengthen their brand to p revent Nestle from taking over by building brand loyalty and constant innovation. Through our advertising campaign, we aim to gain stronger brand awareness resulting in a higher percentage of brand shares. 0 5. Communication Objectives The team aims to achieve these objectives through our Integrated Marketing Communications Plan: †¢ Primary objective: To change consumers’ perception of yoghurt from being a healthy food, which has a negative connotation as healthy food is associate to bad tasting food (The News Herald, 2012), to accepting yoghurt as a healthy and delicious alternatives to snack †¢ Secondary objective: To increase consumer’s awareness and knowledge of the product and brand name, in this case being Meiji’s yoghurt 5. . Category Need Due to the different characteristics and lifestyles of our desired target audience, the team has established a category need for each target group: 1) 15 to 25 year olds that do not eat yoghurt: this particula r segment seeks a healthy lifestyle but they still want their sweet tooth to be fulfilled. A gap between their desired state and their actual state exists so we aim to fulfil it by convincing them that Meiji yoghurt is able to fulfil their need of having a healthy snack that taste good, if not great!It is a perfect substitute that gives them the same delight they get from eating other snacks, but without the same unhealthy content. 2) 26 to 35 year olds that seek convenient snacks: with Singapore’s workforce having a reputation of clocking in the most hours at work in the world (International Labour Organisation, 2010), many forgo having lunch as they are too busy. This suggests that snacking is not even an option for them consider. Again, a gap exists because their basic need of eating is not fulfilled and their want to snack is not met.This provides an opportunity for us to take advantage; by reminding consumers that Meiji exists as a convenient and healthy snack that can b e purchased anywhere and be eaten anytime (as long it is kept refrigerated). 11 5. 2. Brand Awareness Brand awareness is important for many reasons: it enables the brand to be in the consideration set, create sales, determines one’s purchase decision and formation of brand image. This is especially important for fast moving consumer goods as consumers spend little to no effort in information search due to the low involvement nature of the product (Pitta & Katsanis, 1995).The team hopes to establish a long-term brand awareness of Meiji’s Yoghurt through a two-stage process: †¢ First stage: creating brand recognition by informing consumers of the benefits of Meiji’s yoghurt and differentiating ourselves (Morebusiness. com, 2006). This will be done through our television advertisements, which may result in them leaning towards our product as their product choice when they visit their nearest store to choose between the many different brands offered.This is due to the sheer exposure of our advertising that prompts them to think about Meiji when given a visible cue, in this case being yoghurts (Keller, 1993), thus illustrating the positive effect of our marketing effort. †¢ Second stage: establish brand recall by building strong brand equity so that consumers are able to recall Meiji’s brand without aid. This will be done through PR, as people believe other consumers more than advertisements (Nielsen, 2009), and through viral marketing, which helps create excitement about the brand.By successfully achieving top-of-mind-awareness, consumers will think of Meiji each time the urge for snacking will arise. 5. 3. Brand Attitude Brand image has been defined as â€Å"perceptions about a brand by the brand’s association in consumer’s mind† by Keller (1993). To create a good brand image, positive associations to the brands must be created. There are three dimensions to associations: attributes, benefits and attitude ; and these associations have to be unique, favourable and strong (Kelle, 1993). The team has identified these in the diagram below: 12 5. 4.Brand Purchase Intention The team propose to use â€Å"Liking† under Robert Cialdini’s Six Rules of Influence (1993) to motivate purchase intention as consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand that they like. We aim to make Meiji yoghurt, a fast moving consumer good that is typically a low-involvement purchase, an interesting product through our television advertisements, viral marketing and PR efforts. These efforts will illustrate how Meiji’s yoghurt is more than just a typical snack. 13 6. Campaign Budget Objective and task budgeting is being used in campaign budget so as to achieve the Meiji’s desirable market share of 5. 2%.Meiji had to accomplish two communicating objectives which are: a 30% change in the target audiences’ perception of yoghurt being an inexpensive and healthy yet delicious snac k and increase target audiences’ awareness and knowledge of the product and brand name by 20%. Reflecting on the communication objective of Meiji, the decided amount that is going to be invested in the advertising campaign will be approximately $1 million (calculations available in Appendix C). With this sum of investment in the advertising campaign, the team hope to fulfil the communicating objectives which ultimately, lead to the increase of the market share. . Campaign Target Audience For a marketing communication campaign to be successful, the company need to identify their target audience clearly. The campaign will be targeting two demographic groups. Primary Target Audience Demographic Psychographic †¢ Male and female aged †¢ Health-conscious 15-25 (students) †¢ Enjoys quality, tasty, healthy food †¢ Male and female aged †¢ Time-deprived 26-35 (working adults) †¢ Like to try new things †¢ Actively involved in social media Geographic Be havioral †¢ Everyone in Singapore †¢ Increasing involvement in family purchases †¢ Buy product based on convenience †¢ Less brand loyalty 7. . Brand Loyalty The first target audience will be new category users aged between 15 to 25 years old, who have not tried eating yoghurt. The second group of target audience will be working adults that are between 26 and 35 years old. They are favorable brand switchers that occasionally buy Meiji Yoghurt but don’t have a specific brand that they are loyal to. Majority of these people falls mostly within Generation Y. 14 Characteristics of Generation Y †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Less Brand Loyal Style Conscious Technology Wise Highly Involved in Social Networking/Media More Involved in Family PurchasesBrand loyalty is key to success in marketing communication. With the implementation of the integrated marketing communication plan, we hope to create brand equity, continued awareness and most importantly, inc rease consumers satisfaction thus encouraging repeat purchases (Keller, 1998). Meiji Yoghurt, being a fast moving consumer good, is a low-involvement purchase decision. In order for the product to gain awareness for the new category users, price is an important factor. Since they are new users, they do not have any compelling need to purchase a particular brand.One activity to encourage and persuade them to purchase would be sales promotion (Krishamurthi & Raj, 1991). After that, continued engagement with these consumers will potentially convert them into loyal customers. As for the second target audience, who are favourable brand switchers, changing their attitude and increase their liking for the brand would be beneficial. Through our comprehensive advertising plan, it will attract the attention of these consumers, allowing them change their attitude, perception, and may even develop a liking for the brand.This would help to decrease the likelihood of switching brands (Reid, 2005) thus, driving brand loyalty. 15 7. 2. Creative Targets – Sales personnel, friends, family members – Opinion leaders (famous online Influencer bloggers), friends, family members Initiator Decider Purchaser – Target audience themselves, family members – Target audience themselves, family members Informing them of the health benefits of Meiji yoghurt Informing them of both the taste and the health benefits Informing them that its value for money because of the quality of the yoghurt Informing them that its value for money because of the quality of the yoghurt â€Å"Creamier.Fruitier. Amazingly aMEIJI-ng† User – Target audience themselves 7. 3. Behavioural Sequence Model What (Decision Need Arousal Stages) Oneself, Sales Who Promoters, Friends, (Roles) Family, Colleagues, Media Home, In-store Where (Supermarkets), (Location) School/work Cravings for dessert, habit/routine (part of When their meal component), (Timing) losing weight, recalling/ex posure to advertisement Information Search & Evaluation Purchase UsageOneself, Friends, Oneself, Family, Family, Media, Sales Oneself, Family Friends Promoter Home, in-store, school/work, points of interactions between friends/family, Internet Cravings (random discussion with friends/family and comparing brands) Supermarket, Anywhere (E. g. convenience Home, Work, stores, vending School) machine Sales promoters, Cravings, Habitual purchase Part of meals, Feel like Snacking, When cravings arise Free samples, brand recall, cravings, How friends/family etc, Word of Mouth (Decision realization of intrinsic Process) needs (importance of being healthy, going on a diet etc)Cravings, Habitual purchase (when stock run low) To satisfy need, to satisfy oneself, to enjoy the product 16 8. Creative Strategy Central Theme: Each creative message features our Meiji yoghurt mascot. Our advertisements show situations in which our target audience encounters every day, where they are faced with issues such as not having enough time and health-related issues. However, the advertisements will illustrate the role of Meiji’s yoghurt; by simply adding it in their lives, they will have reasons to smile. We want to illustrate how Meiji’s yoghurt, by being â€Å"Creamier.Fruitier. Amazingly a-MEIJI-ng†, it is a simple, inexpensive way to get through any good or bad days! Appeal Technique: The message will show how simple life’s pleasures can be. The advertisement will be realistic and appeal to the emotional side, illustrating our understanding of the problems faced by our consumers. However, we want to put forward a positive message of how Meiji’s yoghurt inject fun, healthy and lively moments in their lives, and show them that the best of both world is served in a cup of Meiji’s yoghurt.Tone and Style: Other advertisement simply tells the consumers the benefits their yoghurt brings, thus making the yoghurt advertisements in Singapore standardiz ed and boring. We, on the other hand, want to show a genuine response that people can relate to! The tone and style of the advertisement will be in modern settings. For our television advertisement, the music will be fun and lively, which will coincide with our image.For our print advertisement, it will feature bright, lively colours such as red, green, purple and yellow, to demonstrate our brand image. Tagline: â€Å"Creamier. Fruitier. Amazingly a-MEIJI-ng†. 17 9. Media Strategy An integrated media campaign is primarily designed to encourage a change of perception amongst our target audience towards yoghurt consumption, thus by so doing, creating brand loyals. The media strategy will also address our secondary objective in heightening brand awareness and knowledge towards Meiji’s yoghurt.Primary Medium: Television Advertising Vehicle #1: Mediacorp Channel 5 Vehicle #2: Mediacorp Channel 8 Details: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Time Frame of Advertisement = 12 months Length of Advertisement = 15 seconds Timing of Advertisement = 19:00 – 22:00 (Prime Time, Daily) Reach: 60% of Target Audience Frequency o 2X a week for the first three months o 1X a week for subsequent two months o 1X in two weeks for remaining months By using television advertising as our primary medium of communication, we want to convey our message to the mass audience – not merely our target audience, but impacting those who have a role in deciding as well.We want to create contexts people can relate to via our advertisements (Brandalyzer, 2012). These contexts will be based on the locations (ie: where) and likelihood of occurrence identified in the BSM. Therefore, when consumers encounter a similar situation they will subconsciously recognise the advertisement they’ve seen and connect with the brand, Meiji. There will be two versions of the advertisements, targeting our two demographic groups, broadcasted over a year with three varying frequencie s. Examples of our storyboard can be found in Appendix D. 8 Our plan is arranged such that there is more frequent exposure in the initial months to establish a level of brand recognition and reduced frequency in the later period, as an aided reminder to create brand recall. Secondary Media: †¢ Point-of-Purchase (POP) Advertising Vehicle #3: In-store Media (eg: shelf talker) Details: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Time Frame of Advertisement = 12 months Contents of POP display similar to other print advertisements Reach: 35% of Target Audience Frequency: Throughout the campaignOur POP displays will be placed in larger distributing outlets (eg: NTUC, Cold Storage) with two intentions: firstly, to reinforce the brand image formed by the different advertisements and secondly, to trigger consumers to purchase Meiji’s yoghurt. The display will be an in-store media, in the form of a shelf talker, where it is attached to the shelf adjacent to the product (Koekemoer & Bird, 2004 ). With the POP display, we aim to draw the attention of shopper’s to our product. According to Koekemoer and Bird (2004), POP display plays a fairly significant role in influencing unplanned purchases.Therefore, it may be effective in stimulating a consumer’s need for Meiji’s yoghurt up to the final stage of his/her purchase decision. †¢ Internet Advertising (Website) Vehicle #4: Creating a Microsite for Meiji’s Yoghurt Details: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Time Frame of Advertisement = 12 months Reach: 70% of Target Audience Frequency: Throughout the campaign Content: Different Tabs (Product, FAQ, Recipes, Games, Contact, Gallery, Social Media, etc) 19 As part of our media strategy, we will be incorporating an online advertising element for Meiji by creating a microsite.The microsite will act as an online platform for interested consumers to find out more about their yoghurt, which is lacking in their official website. From the BSM, we noticed h ow consumers normally obtain information (of yoghurts, being a low involvement product) through word-of-mouth. We plan to make information available online, and at the same time include interactive features that will engage these potential consumers. For instance, we can include videos to communicate the benefits of yoghurt in a non-boring manner or an interactive application that allows consumers to ask questions.In doing so, we aim to change consumer’s perceptions towards yoghurt, creating a ‘fun’ persona. Meiji yoghurt’s microsite will be modelled after Cadbury’s, seeing how they’ve been very successful with developing microsite for various of their products: http://www. cremeegg. co. uk/, http://www. cadburymagicalelves. com/grotto. html An example of our microsite for Meiji’s yoghurt can be found in Appendix F. †¢ Newspaper Advertising Vehicle #5: Today Vehicle #6: myPaper (Wednesday – Lifestyle) Details: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Full Colour Size of Advertisement: ? page Reach: 65% of Target Audience Frequency: 1X a week every monthMeiji’s yoghurt will be advertised in both freesheets, which have an average of 250,000 copies distributed daily. With a high circulation rate, we can expect that there will be a positive effect on the rate of exposure our target audience, with seven in ten people reading the newspaper everyday (AsiaOne, 2010), 20 We have overlapped both newspaper and television advertising, with aims of maximising our media coverage and indirectly, increasing the frequency or intensity of cravings (eg: when our target audience feel the need to have a cup of yoghurt). A sample of our print advertisements can be seen in Appendix E. Magazine Advertising Vehicle #7: Shape Vehicle #8: Seventeen Vehicle #9: Her World Vehicle #10: Men’s Health Details: †¢ †¢ †¢ Size of Advertisement: Full Page Reach: 70% of Target Audience Frequency: 6X over a period of 12 months The team has shortlisted four magazines to feature our print advertisements, as they are target audience specific. The magazines include Shape (for the health conscious), Seventeen (for the younger generation), Her World and Men’s Health (for the working adults), which will be used to advertise our print media every alternate month throughout the year.According to AsiaOne (2010), readership in magazines continue to increase, like Her World’s 246,000 or Men’s Health’s 114,000 readers. This will help achieve our objective in establishing brand awareness. The magazine advertisements may act as a form of repeated exposure for Meiji and eventually create a strong brand image when consistently presented. Thus, any reader of the magazine, who may happen to be an initiator, influencer, decider, purchaser or user, may spread good word-of-mouth and perhaps arouse a need for yoghurt consumption for themselves or others. The media plan/schedule is presented i n Appendix B. 1 10. Other IMC Activities Meiji will be using the following additional techniques to co-ordinate with the other communication mix elements. These activities will complement our primary medium and further enhance consumers’ brand awareness towards Meiji. Quick Response Codes: A survey by TNS revealed that 72% of Singaporeans are using smartphones, the world’s third highest smartphone penetration rate (Chua, 2011). With the advancement of technology and increasing numbers of smartphone users, resulting in the emerging trend of using Quick Response Codes as a marketing tool.It will be embedded into printed advertisements, magazines, point-of-purchase and on the product itself. This is one cost effective way for Meiji to communicate and connect with their target audience. It also allows consumers to gain instant access to great amount information such as current promotions and events, directing them to company’s website, Facebook, Twitter, youtube pag e, etc with just a snap. These social networking platforms increase the interaction between Meiji and their consumers which eventually improves customer satisfaction and enhances experience (Cepheid, 2011).Sales Promotion Sales promotion encourages new customers to try Meiji Yoghurt and increase the usage for current consumers by giving incentive for their consumer, which could help in strengthening the relationship between the company and consumers. It has been shown that sales increase during periods that involve sales discounts or other promotions (ie a free gift included). These could be conveyed through printed advertisements in newspaper and magazine, QR codes and mobile coupons. Consumers can flash the coupon on their smartphones to the cashier o obtain discounts or collect free gifts. The sales promotion will last for a week, which will occur once every 3 months in order to ensure continued trial and purchase. 22 Public Relations Another technique will be using the media to convey the message the company want their target audience to know. Meiji will be sending out press release like information about benefits of eating yoghurt (featuring Meiji Yoghurt), company’s recent activities and events to a targeted range of newspapers and magazine publishers (i. e. Mind Your Body and Men’s Health) for coverage.Public relations is a good and cost-effective way to advertise a product or brand as news and stories featured are seen to be more credible to the readers as compared advertisements. However, the company has no control on what will be reported and when the article will be published. Risk of misinterpretation and misrepresentation may also occur. Viral Marketing Word-of-mouth is a powerful marketing tool as consumers usually trust friends and family members above experts when it comes to product and brand recommendations (R, 2008).Hence, viral marketing is one activity a company could execute to help them to reach their objectives. Our compan y will create an online campaign to generate buzz and excitement. Creative videos will be posted on Meiji's YouTube channel and embedded onto the company's website and Facebook page for the message to be spread. 23 11. Evaluation and Control In this report, there are various media chosen to create awareness and change the perception of Meiji yoghurt. It is important that we evaluate and measure the effectiveness of the media vehicles.In the given of 12 months period, the team will carry out a pre-testing evaluation method to determine whether we have achieved the objectives (Ramjee, 2009). Using this method, the company can compare the before and after effects of implementing the media vehicles and either eliminate or make amendments. We have identified specific evaluation methods for each of the vehicle and a focus group to test all the vehicles. †¢ Sales promotion Pre- and post-test analysis of shelf space given by the retailer: reflect the effectiveness of sales promotion as more shelf space given suggests a successful sales promotion †¢ Television advertisementPre, during and post evaluation of advertisements: carried out through surveys by examining consumers’ perceptions of the advertisement and brand and the awareness level of the Meiji yoghurt (Neuez, 2003). Any shortcomings highlighted can be amended quickly to increase the effectiveness of the advertisements. Television advertisement ratings and awards: able to know how many people have been exposed to the advertisement, based on the reach, track the awareness level of the advertisement (Nikerson, 2007) and nominations (ie Nielsen Superbrand, Singapore Advertising Hall of Fame etc), which suggests a positive liking from consumers. Point-of-Purchase (P. O. P) Advertisement Observe the sales figure on a weekly basis: Using the sales figures prior and during the P. O. P advertisement period to trace if there is any extra sales generated and how much more sales had been generated (Liljen wall, 2004). 24 †¢ Print advertisement 1. Ask customers: find out if they know the brand and how how they learn about the brand and product on a regular basis (Roggio, 2009) to test the effectiveness of the advertisement and the media vehicle, which verifies if they have used the â€Å"right† media vehicle. . Monitor the sales figure after the printed advertisement has been published: comparison can be done with the sales figures prior and after the print advertisement being released (Roggio, 2009). If sales figures have improved, it shows that the communication objectives had been accomplished. 3. Use QR code and mobile coupon as tracking device: once they have scanned or redeem it, the company will know the response rate. †¢ Internet Advertisement (Website)Web traffic or hits: indicates how many visitors visit the site, the duration they have spent in the site, the page they visited and which specific page they stopped, which helps in establishing the level of awa reness being captured by the target audiences. †¢ Focus Group Focus group should be conducted with our target audiences on a regular basis. This is to find out whether they have seen any of our advertising campaigns (such as of television advertisings, print advertisement, sales promotion, P. O. P advertisements and the internet advertisings) that are going on for the past few months.Information gathered from our respondents will aid in determining the overall successfulness in the campaign. 25 12. References 1. Advertising agencies. (2007). Advertising Media Planning: A Primer. Retrieved march 1, 2012, from http://www. admedia. org/ 2. Asiaone. (2010). SPH took top spots in Nielsen Media Index 2010SPH took top spots in Nielsen Media Index 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2012, from http://www. asiaone. com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20 101022-243725. html 3. Aw, C. (2011). Social Media Trends in Singapore 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://www. licktrue. biz/soc ial-media-marketing/socialmedia-trends-in-singapore-2011 4. Bangkok Post Business. (2011). CP-Meiji begins B2bn plant capacity expansion. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://www. bangkokpost. com/business/economics/253518/cp-meiji-beginsb2bn-plant-capacity-expansion 5. Bangkok Post Business. (2011). CP-Meiji keen on Hong Kong. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://www. bangkokpost. com/business/economics/275310/cp-meiji-keenon-hong-kong 6. Baud, S. (2007). Singapore Organic Food Market Overview. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www. dpi. vic. gov. u/agriculture/investmenttrade/market-access-and-competitiveness/markets/singapore/singaporeorganic-food-market 7. Bell, D. R. , Bucklin, R. E. and Sismeiro, C. (2000). Consumer Shopping Behaviors and In-Store Expenditure Decisions. Retrieved March 14, 2012, from http://marketing. wharton. upenn. edu/documents/research/consumer_shopp ing_behaviors_20001. pdf 8. Bsaikrishna. (2012). Television Advertisements – Brand Awareness an d Brand Relevance. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from http://brandalyzer. wordpress. com/2012/01/15/television-advertisementsand-relevance/ 26 9. Buhner, M. (2011). Social Media Users Willing to Pay More whenCompany is Responsible. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://www. knowtheflow. com/2011/social-media-users-willing-to-pay-morewhen-company-is-responsible/#more 10. Cepheid. (2012). QR Codes For Marketing70. Retrieved March 16, 2012, from http://cepheid. hubpages. com/hub/qr-code-facts 11. Cialdini, R. B. Influence. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://www. rickross. com/reference/brainwashing/brainwashing20. html 12. Cihangir, M. (2008). The Marketing Environment. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from http://www. slideshare. net/mehmetcihangir/the-marketingenvironment-presentation-765004 13. Commercial-Station. com. 2009). Technological Advertising Media. Retrieved March 11, 2012, from http://www. commercialstation. com/technological-advertising-media. html 14. Decker, K. J. (2009). Yogurt Trend. Retrieved March 7, 2012, from http://www. foodproductdesign. com/articles/2009/03/yogurt-trends. aspx 15. Dey, S. (2011). Methods of Advertising. Retrieved March 3, 2012, from http://seodesk. org/methods-of-advertising/ 16. Euromonitor International. (2011). Yoghurt and Sour Milk Drinks In Singapore. Abstract retrieved from GMID: Global Market Information Database. 17. Fresh and Healthy Brands. (2012). Juice Zone: Pouring Out SmoothProfits. Retrieved March 10, 2012, from http://www. freshandhealthybrands. com/our-brands/juice-zone-smoothiesfranchise. aspx 18. Gunelius, S. (2011). 10 Marketing Trends for 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2012, from http://www. entrepreneur. com/article/217849 19. Jamreid. (2011, June 20). Banned Ad For Yoplait-2011. Retrieved March 15, 2012, from http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=NxE1n1lb8KU 20. Knowledge @ Wharton. (2008). When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Don't Skimp on Their Ad Budgets. Retrieved March 2, 2012, from http://bx. businessweek. com/ advertising-in-arecession/view? url=http%3A%2F%2Fknowledge. wharton. penn. edu%2Fa rticle. cfm%3Farticleid%3D2101 27 21. Keene, A. (2007). The Business Benefits of Cause Marketing. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://causerelatedmarketing. blogspot. com/2007/02/business-benefits-ofcause-marketing. html#ixzz1pLVS83gX 22. Koekemoer, L. and Bird, S. (2004). Marketing Communications, Juta and Co. Ltd, Lansdowe, South Africa, pp. 305. 23. Lazarevic, V. and Lazarevic, S. P. (2007). Increase Brand Loyalty of Generation Y for Future Marketers. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://www. buseco. monash. edu. au/mgt/research/workingpapers/2007/wp28-07. pdf 24. Leatherhead Food Research. 2011). Leatherhead reveals 2012 food and drink trends. Retrieved February 5, 2012, from http://www. leatherheadfood. com/leatherhead-reveals-2012-food-anddrink-trends 25. Maheswaran, D. (2006). Country of Origin Effects: Consumer Perceptions of Japan in South East Asia. Retrieved March 13, 2012, from http://w4 . stern. nyu. edu/emplibrary/mahesh006. pdf 26. Marketing-interactive. com. (2009). Traditional Media Still Tops In Singapore, But Web Keeps Rising. Retrieved March 2, 2012, from http://www. marketing-interactive. com/news/15920 27. Market Research. com. (2011). Yogurt Market in Singapore to 2014 (Dairy Food).Retrieved March 13, 2012, from http://www. marketresearch. com/Datamonitor-v72/Yogurt-Singapore-DairyFood-6373596/ 28. Mind Power Marketing. (2008). The Science of Robert Cialdini’s Six Rules of Influence. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://www. mindpowermarketing. com/the-science-of-robert-cialdinis-sixrules-of-influence/ 29. MediaCrop. (2012). Vision & Mission. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www. mediacorp. sg/en/about 30. Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. (2010). Annual Report 2010. Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://www. meiji. com/english/investor/library/annualreport/2010/pdf/annual report_2010_04_en_all. pdf 8 31. Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. (2011). Corporate Social Responsibility. Retrieved March 15, 2012, from http://www. meiji. com/english/csr/index. html 32. Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. (2011). Financial Section. Retrieved March 7, 2012, from http://www. meiji. com/english/investor/library/annualreport/2011/pdf/annual report_2011_en_19. pdf 33. Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. (2011). Group Companies. Retrieved March 16, 2012, from http://www. meiji. com/english/corporate/data/group/ 34. Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. (2011). Group Profile. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from http://www. meiji. com/english/corporate/data/outline/pdf/HD_e. pdf 35.Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. (n. d. ). Meiji Co. , Ltd (Food Business). Retrieved March 2, 2012, from http://www. meiji. com/english/quality/food/ 36. Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. (2011). Notice concerning a Five Year Plan for CP- Meiji Co. Ltd and its Production Capacity Expansion. Retrieved March 7, 2012, from http://www. meiji. com/english/pressrelease/2011/detail/pdf/110519_01_e. p df 37. Meiji Holdings Co. Ltd. (2011). Status of Environmental Impact. Retrieved March 7, 2012, from http://www. meiji. com/english/csr/environmental/status. html 38. Meiji Seika Singapore. (2008). About Us. Retrieved March 17, 2012, from http://www. eiji. com. sg/category. php? cat_id=19 39. Mypaper. (n. d. ). mypaper. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://www. sph. com. sg/pdf/Mediapedia/2nd/RateBook_mypaper. pdf 40. New Media Trend Watch. (2012). Singapore. Retrieved March 4, 2012, from http://www. newmediatrendwatch. com/markets-by-country/11-longhaul/59-singapore 41. Nielsen. (2009). Nearly Half of Singaporeans Consuming Vitamin/Dietary Supplements – Two Thirds on a Daily Basis. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://sg. nielsen. com/site/20090304. htm 42. Nielsenwire. (2009). Global Advertising: Consumers Trust Real Friends and Virtual Strangers the Most.Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://blog. nielsen. com/nielsenwire/consumer/global-advertisingconsumers-trust-real-friends-and-virtual-strangers-the-most/ 29 43. Nutrit ion. com. sg. (2007). Snack Attack. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://www. nutrition. com. sg/he/hesnack. asp 44. O'Grady, S. (2009). Cost of TV ads falls to lowest in decades as recession bites. Retrieved March 3, 2012, from http://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/news/cost-of-tv-ads-falls-tolowest-in-decades-as-recession-bites-1699462. html 45. Online Resource Centre. (n. d. ). The advent of new technologies.Retrieved March 10, 2012, from http://www. oup. com/uk/orc/bin/9780199239429/leecarter2e_ch01. pdf 46. Ottman, J. A. (2011). The New Green Marketing Paradigm. Retrieved March 11, 2012, from http://www. greenmarketing. com/articles/complete/the-new-greenmarketing-paradigm/ 47. Pulizzi, J. (2010). How to Develop a Microsite: 5 Examples to Get You Started. Retrieved March 4, 2012, from http://www. contentmarketinginstitute. com/2010/12/microsite-samples/ 48. Radder, L. (2002). Building Brand Loyalty within Selected Segments of The South African Fast Moving Consumer Go ods Market. Retrieved March 14, 012, from http://www. nmmu. ac. za/documents/theses/TerblancheE. pdf 49. Scientist Live. (2012). Technology: Yoghurt's future as a functional food assured. Retrieved March 14, 2012, from http://www. scientistlive. com/European-FoodScientist/Technology/Yoghurt's_future_as_a_functional_food_assured/243 79/ 50. Singapore Code of Advertising Practice. (2008). Guidelines. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://www. case. org. sg/downloads/asas/SCAP%202008. pdf 51. Singapore Media Fushion. (2010). Riding the Wave of Digital Advertising. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from http://www. smf. sg/Newsletter/32/Pages/story4. aspx 52.SPH Magazines Pte Ltd. (n. d. ). Her World. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://www. publicitas. com/fileadmin/uploads/italy/Files/HW-ratecard. pdf 30 53. Spors, K. (2010). 4 Ways to Spruce Up Your Green Marketing. Retrieved March 11, 2012, from http://smallbiztrends. com/2010/09/4-ways-spruceup-green-marketing. html 54. Spors, K. (2011). F ive Green Business Trends for 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2012, from http://smallbiztrends. com/2011/01/five-green-businesstrends-for-2011. html 55. The Associated Press. (2007). China's food safety woes now a global concern. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from http://www. msnbc. msn. om/id/18078824/ns/healthdiet_and_nutrition/t/chinas-food-safety-woes-now-global-concern/ 56. Thia, T. (2011). Social media most evolved in S'pore. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://www. zdnetasia. com/social-media-most-evolved-in-spore62206580. htm 57. Yazdanifard, R. and Mercy, I. E. (2011). The impact of Green Marketing on Customer satisfaction and Environmental safety. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://www. ipcsit. com/vol5/117-ICCCM2011-C20008. pdf 58. Yu, E. (2011). Asia cannot be the next Silicon Valley. Retrieved March 13, 2012, from http://www. zdnetasia. com/blogs/asia-cannot-be-the-nextsilicon-valley-62303254. tm 31 13. Appendix A: Model of Brand Loyalty for Generation Y 32 Appendix B: Media Sc hedule/Plan Media/Months Jan Channel 5 / 8X 12 months Channel 8 / 8X 12 months POP Ad / 12 months Today / 4X 12 months myPaper / 4X 12 months Public Relations (Mind Your Body) Seventeen / 6 months Men’s Health / 1X 6 months Shape / 1X 6 months Her World / 6 months QR Codes in Print Media Sales Promotion Feb 8X 8X Mar 8X 8X Apr 4X 4X May 4X 4X Jun 2X 2X Jul 2X 2X Aug 2X 2X Sep 2X 2X Oct 2X 2X Nov 2X 2X Dec 2X 2X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 1X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 4X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X 1X

Monday, July 29, 2019

A-Maze-Ing Laughter Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A-Maze-Ing Laughter - Article Example The whole environment occupies approximately 20 square meters of land. However, the environment is well lit such that the iconic laughter sculptures are visible clearly even during the night. Although the sculptures are placed together, they are evenly distributed across the small area and each one of the sculptures faces a different direction. It is claimed that each of the sculptures weighs approximately 250 kilograms. Whereas some of the sculptures are fully clothed, others are half-naked. The primary idea of the sculptures is to represent reality through art. Although it is difficult to determine the exact reason why the figures are laughing, any person can have their own interpretation of the cause of such exaggerated laughter. Laughter can represent a wide variety of human feelings. Laughter can be ironic, skeptical, sarcastic, genuine, or simply, an expression of pure happiness. Laughter is a form of relief from issues affecting society. This manmade environment represents the realities of life through artwork. ... Most importantly, the site has already become a tourist attraction and soon enough, it will become a major attraction site attracting people from all over the world. This manmade environment holds dear to the people of Vancouver. Indeed, the artist, Yue Minjun, sold the sculptures at a price of 1.5 million dollars. Artistic director of the Biennale, Barrie Mowatt, agreed to give the A-Maze-ing Laughter manmade site to Parks Board for a period of 20 years without a lease fee. This shows the importance of the site to the people of Vancouver. However, the public was expected to show their commitment and desire to have the site retained in the present position by sending emails to the board. The A-Maze-ing Laughter campaign seems to be successful and presently, the site is in hopes of being retained. Potential donors to buy the sculptures have been found. However, they have reserved their offer until the site is fully secured so that the sculptures can have a permanent home (Griffin web) . The manmade site has a very significant relationship with the surrounding. Notably, A-Maze-ing Laughter manmade site is located in Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. This is one of the most metropolitan areas in Canada with a very diverse population. The exaggerated laughter iconic sculptures are a tourist attraction site for the large population around the city. Additionally, the site is located within the town where it can easily be accessed. It is worth noting that the site compliments the busy lifestyle of the city.  

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Importance of the Qur'an Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Importance of the Qur'an - Essay Example Islam is harmonizing human relations. Importance of the Qur’an The Qur’an explains the need for salvation and the way how it is important to be saved. The followers of Islam should realize not only â€Å"unseen†, but also accept Allah’s rules and follow them. Therefore, five basic pillars outlined in the Qur’an should be followed by the adherents of Islam. The Qur’an is the guidance for the followers. They direct their actions with respect to God’s paths. To perform Five Pillars and other activities under the guidance of Allah is a way to reach salvation and reveal truth of the existence on the Earth. To follow Qur’an is to understand the essence of the Islamic religion, because it is very important to realize the essence of faith. Muslims are people, which are acting in accordance with the directions of Islam. These rules and guidelines can be found in the Qur’an. To fit in the organic part of the humanity is to become a natural and careful person, which is attentive for the Islamic regulations outlined in the Qur’an. There is a deep and a profound intention of Muslims, which is to embody this Holy Book: â€Å"Behind all the stress on practice is the recognition that the Koran  must become flesh and blood. It is not enough for people to read the Koran  or learn what it says. ... There is no doubt that the truth of being was revealed to him in the words of God. Shariah is taught by God and the Prophet equally. The former is the inspirer of the latter. For Muslims to follow the Sunnah is to do the same deeds, as the Prohet Muhammad did himself. The Qur’an is said to be received by the Prophet from God. To receive the Qur’an for the followers of Allah means to memorize it, recite it and reproduce the main points of it. A great emphasis in the Islamic religion is made on the Qur’an memorization, because it is the basis for the Islamic education. Everyday every Muslims has an opportunity to renew oneself. There is a need to determine a degree of Muslims’ faith degree. For this purpose, truly devoted followers of the Islamic religion should observe verses from the Qur’an, understand and follow them. Learning, which were gained from the Prophet, were perfectly embodied by the Muslims in their daily practices. They have many opport unities to follow teachings of the Prophet. The Sunnah is the source of Shariah practices. Moreover, both the Qur’an and the Sunnah contribute much to relationships development among the Muslims. There is a basic teaching, which is to my mind is the main intention of the Qur’an:"When time is for you, give thanks to God, and when it is against you, have patience" (Qur’an online). Therefore, faith in God and patience are the most remarkable features of the Islamic religion. These beliefs are promoted both by the Prophet and God. Qur’an describes itself There are some controversial verses found in the Qur’an. For example: Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)?   Had it been from other than Allah, they would   surely have found therein much

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Assess Administration's Efforts Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assess Administration's Efforts - Coursework Example Fein (2002) defines several feature of school violence which point out at the fact that school administration always has enough hits to predict and prevent future attack. According to Dwyer, Osher, & Warger (1998), there are always some â€Å"warning early signs† which should attract attention of educators. For instance, most cases are committed by students who experience personal failure or loss. Many students know when the incident takes place and who is involved. Serious cases of violence often become the final point of long-term bullying practices. At the same time, there is not exact profile of students who can be engaged in school violence; it is the reason why teachers need to be highly objective in their attitude to different students. Overall, these observation show that school administration has enough evidence to detect and prevent school violence before it happens. According to Hernandez and Seem (2014), positive climate is a way to safe school environment for many educational establishments across the country. Instead of working on separate cases of violence which takes place at schools, administration must create positive and healthy climate where violence and disrespectful behavior seem to be out of place. Changing school climate is a difficult task as it splits in four directions. The first direction is related to changing student’s attitude to his or her personality. School counselor, psychologists and teachers should clearly communicate values which promote self-respect, dignity and responsibility. The second direction of educators’ work focuses on promotion of healthy relationships between peers which represent respect to each other, positive attitude and optimism. Two other directions represented by Hernandez and Seem (2014) are related to relationships between students and their parents/community and students and school workers. Miscommunication with parents, community exclusion and oppression by school administration often

Friday, July 26, 2019

Combining and using source material Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Combining and using source material - Essay Example e Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2003), and Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2004) define research as a learning of an object in order to get new data. Howard and Sharp (1983), in his â€Å"Doing Your Research Project†, and Wisker (2008), in his â€Å"The Postgraduate Research Handbook†, have a similar view but add that there must be methodological processes which can gain benefit for research. These fairly general definitions are further expanded by Nunan (1994), â€Å"Research Methods in Language Learning†, who argues that research must include three elements or components such as 1. a question, problem or hypothesis, 2. data, 3. analysis and interpretation of data. For Wisker what is key is that research has an effect on the world, which is in research results, and finds the realization in our behavior in society. Dawson(2002), however, gives a less general definition and focusses specifically on the purposeful examining of the cond uct of other people with the aim of better understanding them or adding new information to knowledge. For the purposes of this essay, the word â€Å"research† will be used to mean specific studying of an object with a particular aim and special

How native American were treated Personal Statement

How native American were treated - Personal Statement Example rrently is not much different from how they were treated centuries ago except that discrimination is more discreet now, but every bit as alive as it was back in the day. I feel that the presentation had so many different aspects which are worth discussing and exploring further in detail. It challenged many conventional beliefs in an attempt to expose the reality. For example, the presenter asserted that Christopher Columbus should not be considered a noble figure because of his questionable reputation. This was a big blow to me because great reverence and prestige has always been associated with the name of Columbus. It is widely believed that he was the first ever person to discover the Americas laying foundation for what was to become the United States of America. In contrast to this conventional idea, the presentation accused Columbus of tyranny, imprisonment, lying, and terrorism. It was claimed that on grounds of bad reputation of Christopher Columbus, the Native Americans do not acknowledge and celebrate the Columbus Day. Only the Natives are familiar with the real story of Christopher Columbus and how he played a role in persecuting and elimi nating millions of native people. This real story is masked and decorated with fake embellishments to mislead people and make them believe in the nobleness of whites. This tradition of eliminating the voice of the Natives has survived over the years despite changing times. The presentation was delivered in an attempt to get the voice of the Natives registered and spread awareness about reality. When Christopher Columbus first landed in America, he encountered the Natives. He wrongly began to call them Indians like other Spanish people. This term is still used for the Natives despite the fact that they find it highly offensive. Also, as a way to pay respect to the Natives’ account, people in America should begin to acknowledge this reality that Columbus was not the first European explorer to set foot here. The

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Nestle Global Strategy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nestle Global Strategy - Research Paper Example All the more as of late, the organization has been one of the essential focuses of the worldwide development against the packaged water industry. The organization's hardline work relations practices in poor nations have made it a lowlife in the eyes of the worldwide union movement (Mattera, 2007). Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Strategy What is Transitional Strategy? It is the methodologies and mediations used to work with individuals who are making a move from a transient program towards a maintainable occupation. Settle receive the move method that holds the component of worldwide institutionalization procedure and confinement methodology to work its organization by the 21st century. By utilizing the transnational methodology, Nestle likes the ease through economies of scale and offers distinctive item to diverse advertises with high neighborhood responsiveness so as to safeguard its old showcases in the advanced markets and search for potential development in rising markets. Settle utilize this technique to operation its business in the improving scene in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America to improve parts and preparing engineering to neighborhood conditions and afterward utilizing a brand name reverberates mainly as the social propensities contrast in diverse countries. For example, Brief Case Study: Nestle has taken as much as 85 percent of the market in Mexico, 70 percent of the market for soups in Chile, 66 percent of the market for powdered milk in the Philippines. Besides, Nestle hired local singer to promote its goods in Nigeria, Planning of a delivery mechanism to increase efficiency in the China East, and the use of local material and majoring on local demand such as make ice cream in Dubai. Nestle focus on increasing profitability by customizing the firm' products so that it provides a good match to tastes and preference in different nation. Customization instead of globalization is the star to Nestle’s strategy in emerging markets. Modes of Entering Exporting What is Exporting? It is processing products in one nation and offering them in an alternate nation. This section alternative permits an organization to make the minimum number of progressions regarding its item, its association, and even its corporate objectives. Host nations normally don't like this practice in light of the fact that it gives less nearby job than under elective method of section. Indirect exporting is the point at which a firm offers its locally handled products in an outside nation through a middle person. It has the minimum measure of responsibility and danger yet will most likely furnish a proportional payback benefit. It is perfect for an organization that has no abroad contacts however needs to market abroad. Direct exporting is the point at which a firm offers its locally processed merchandise in an outside nation without go-betweens. Settle gets included in immediate exporting when they accept their volume of bargains will be sufficiently extensive and simple to acquire with the goal that they don't require mediators (Inking, 2013). An example is, the company will begin exporting Coffee Mate to markets beyond Asia this year, including South Africa, Turkey and West African countries such as the Ivory Coast (Campbell, 2013). Licens ing Under licensing, Nestle offers the right to a trademark, patent, exchange mystery, or other comparatively esteemed things of savvy property

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Human Resources in action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resources in action - Essay Example One of the main processes in the recruitment process is the selection process. The Selection process refers to the exercise of matching an organization requirement with the right skills and qualification of the people. The paper will identify two of the sources that Four Season Hotel can use to recruit the right candidate for a front desk receptionist position and the step that can be used to ensure the best candidate is selected. There are two main method of recruitment available to Four Season Hotel; one, the hotel can advertise the position to the existing employees. Another method that the hotel can use is the external source, for example, posting on job portals. Both methods have advantages and drawbacks. First, advertising the Front desk receptionist position to the existing employees is cheaper and less time-consuming (Catano, Fitzgerald, Hackett, Wiesner, & Methot, 2009). Companies spend a lot of money on advertisement for new positions. The Hotel will drastically reduce this cost since the information can be easily circulated in the organization. The Hotel also has a unique culture and hence hiring an existing employee drastically reduces the in job training costs. Hiring the existing employees, ensure that the organization culture is maintained. It is of paramount importance for the employee to give personalized services to the guests and treat them with respect and dignity. And given the front desk receptionist will be welcoming and handling the guest most of the time, it is vital the receptionist to have good understanding of the company. Not only does internal advertising maintains organization culture but also builds a strong relationship among employees. It also motivates the employees. Internal hiring will ensure that the employees build a strong relationship with themselves and management. The hotel mission and vision statements will be well understood by the employees. Furthermore, the employees are motivated to work hard so that

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Brief Memorandum to the Justice with Regard to the Case of Perry v Term Paper

Brief Memorandum to the Justice with Regard to the Case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger - Term Paper Example A decision will be made as to how Justice Robert’s will rule in this case. The answer given will be based on the knowledge we have concerning the work experience and beliefs of Justice Robert’s background. The experience and legal work of Justice Robert will also be reviewed in the process in bid to affirm why we believe that he will vote in a certain way as pertains to the case of discussion. In bid to garner an in depth understanding of Justice Roberts rulings and the bearing his experience will have on the case in question, prior Supreme Cases that he has ruled as pertains to equal protection will also be reviewed. Statement of Case Facts The facts of the case involve Arnold Schwarzenegger who is the official County Governor of California and Perry who represents a lesbian couple that has been denied marriage licenses on the basis of Proposition 8. The plaintiffs have adopted four children and they would like to get married so the children can be accorded benefits ac corded to other children of heterosexual couples. The plaintiffs challenge Proposition 8 which was voter enacted on November 2008 hence amending the California Constitution. Proposition 8 asserts that California will only recognize marriage between a man and a woman. The plaintiffs litigation is based on the notion that proposition 8 denied them due process and equal protection which is divergent to the Fourteenth Amendment hence the defendants violate2. With this genesis, this paper will be aimed at writing a memorandum as to how Justice Roberts should rule in the case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger. The propositions in this paper will be anchored on reviewing Justice Roberts’ work experience, beliefs and previous rulings on equal protection to aid in giving an opinion of how he will rule in this case. Consequently, decision making theories of the judicial system will also be reviewed in the process and reference made to the case and how we expect Justice Robert to rule on this particular case. Argument Background information on Justice Roberts: work experience and beliefs Justice John G. Roberts was born in 1955 in Buffalo New York and in a religious conservative family. Just like his family, Justice John Roberts was and is still a strong Catholic who lives in belief of the Catholic ordinances. Justice John Roberts is a very outspoken icon in the American Justice system considering his repeated appointment into higher offices of the American Law. Justice John Roberts is remembered as a very close legal intimate of George W Bush after having received Presidential nomination to the US Supreme Court and in the position of Chief Justice in 2005. Justice John Roberts is also known for his attempts to reverse the proposals and Supreme Court’s approval of separation of the church from the state. I8in addition, Justice Roberts is demonstrated as one of the American legal practitioners who respect the American Constitution and would always live to protect a nd uphold it alongside any Federal approved jurisdictions. President George W. Bush had no support for homosexual marriage holding that heterosexuality was God’s wish for human being and had to be codified full in one way or the other (WND). Considering the relationship between Justice John Roberts and the former US President, one can predict the likely stand and ruling of Justice John Roberts on issues concerning homosexuality. For Justice Roberts to qualify for the office nomination by President Bush, it meant that they had a lot in common and that Bush had great obsession on Robert’s interpretation of the law. It can also be argued that Chief Justice of nay state acts as one of the eminent personalities who can advice the president on the

Monday, July 22, 2019

Ancient Near Eastern Thought And The Old Testament Essay Example for Free

Ancient Near Eastern Thought And The Old Testament Essay The opening chapter begins by orienting the reader to the idea of comparative study, or the area of study that strives to understand things within their broader cultural context. In the case of this book, the goal is to understand the Old Testament within the context of the Ancient Near Eastern milieu. Walton explains that over the years there has been much debate on the issue of comparative study and the way in which it is to be exercised. Scholars, always biased by their presuppositions, tend to enter the argument negating the importance of the Old Testament on the  one side, or defending the inerrancy of Scripture so vehemently that the cultural context is lost. Walton poses a better way, namely, accepting the study of the Ancient Near Eastern cultures as important and academic in their own right while attempting to comprehend the Old Testament in light of what modern scholarship is learning about the ancient world. Studies of this time period often center around who borrowed what literature from whom, but Walton insists that this is not the main issue that ought to be dealt with. Rather, studies of the literature and literary genres of the ANE should assist in the broader understanding of the society. Walton observes several areas that the text will deal with in further details. He first puts emphasis on appreciating the literary genres and how they function as a foundation to any quest into comparative studies. In order to understand the Old Testament fully, one must know how the genres were written and how they are to be interpreted within their cultural context. Secondly, Walton notes religious practices and the necessity of understanding them clearly. Ritual sacrifices, priests, and ceremonial cleanliness are things that are foreign to readers in a modern context. Additionally, a crucial part of understanding the Old Testament is understanding not only the practices of the Israelites, but the practices of the other people groups that made up the ANE. Finally, it is important to understand the theology of a people group and the broader views of God and the gods within the ANE in order to interpret the text well. Walton closes the first chapter by pointing out that comparative studies assists study of the Bible in at least four major areas: (1) history of the ANE, (2) archeological understanding of the lifestyle, (3) literature, and (4) language. CHAPTER 2 Chapter two deals with the different ways in which comparative studies are used within current scholarship. Walton first attends to the ways in which comparative studies are being utilized within critical scholarship. As additional information is unearthed about the ANE, many of the ideas once held in critical scholarship have been challenged. Previous assumptions about texts and thoughts, primarily based on evolution, are being reconsidered. Critical scholarship has a history of assuming that critical thought and religious practice had simple beginnings and have evolved through time. Research is showing these assumptions in source criticism,  reaction criticism, and issues of dating to be incorrect in light of the data. Though, as Walton notes, there has been some resistance to comparative studies within the circles of critical scholarship, most of the data being provided is being accepted and studied at greater length. Walton also notes the use of comparative studies in polemics and dismisses such uses due to the fact that the text is not approached in a scholarly manner. Scholars of a more conservative persuasion, primarily Evangelicals, and others termed confessional scholars by Walton, have had a more difficult time adopting comparative studies. As further information has been gathered about the relation of the Pentateuch to ANE literature and as new data has arisen through archeology, confessional scholars have felt their longstanding foundations threatened, which has caused their hesitancy to fully embrace comparative studies. Many feel that maintaining the Bibles unique status among other ANE literature is of supreme importance and continue to argue that comparative studies degrades the inspiration of the text thus making Gods word subject to mans interpretation. Walton closes the chapter by proposing an integrated approach including critical analysis to better understand the history of the Bible, unbiased and educated defense of the biblical text, and solid exegesis that guards the reader from understanding the text outside of its context. Walton argues that the field of comparative studies must be important not only to serious scholars, but also to anyone committed to truly knowing and understanding the Word of God. CHAPTER 3 Chapter three is dedicated to a brief overview of the literary styles of the ANE and gives examples of the styles from some of the primary people groups. The discussion begins with myth, which was one of the primary ways that ancient civilizations explained their present reality. Short examples from several cultures are given and include many parallels to the Biblical stories such as the creation account and the flood. Others bear little resemblance to the Bible such as the stories of the fighting gods of Akkadian myths. Next are literary texts and epics which tell the stories of the kings of different lands, their struggles to power, and their exploits while ruling. The most famous is the Gilgamesh epic, which follows Gilgamesh on his journey to find immortality. The third literary type is ritual texts  which, as the name says, follow the rituals of the people groups of the ancient world. Rituals were important as they helped humans communicate with and persuade the gods. Fourth, Walton deals with divination and incantation texts which were used to divine the meanings of omens, undo evil spells, and ward off bad spirits. These are dealt with at length later in the book. Fifth, he explains the significance of the use of letters exchanged between kings gives the modern day reader noteworthy information about the culture of the past. Walton then moves to royal inscriptions which were recordings ordered by kings. They could contain items such as details on how a building was to be constructed, conquests, details of how to handle their succession, and other various accomplishments and instructions. In a similar vein are annals and chronicles which detailed the succession of rulers through the history of an empire, coupled with their important victories in war. Treaties were another piece of literature that was used to establish rules between kings and rulers of different lands. The next section deals with government and points out law collections and legal documents as important literary devices. While law collections detail the ways in which society was to run and how people were to behave, legal documents dealt with contracts for marriages, children, family estates, and court rulings. Religious literature was also common in the Ancient Near East. Psalms and hymns were ways to give adoration to the gods so that they would be pleased and provide for the people. Wisdom literature contained details about how to make good choices, but also contained laments and writings concerning ethics. Prophetic writing was another important communication because it contained communication from the gods which was a vital part of the life of the ancient cities. Kings sought answers to their problems from the gods and they received them through the prophets. These prophesies were often recorded. Walton closes the chapter by noting various miscellaneous writings as well as arc hives, which were groups of literature often found together which contained all sorts of different information. CHAPTER 4 Chapter four opens the third section of the book which is an overview of the religious views of the ANE. In order to fully understand the Old Testament and the interactions of the Hebrew people with God, and other false gods, it is important to understand how the religious system worked.  Throughout the chapter Walton shows how other empires worshiped and compares those beliefs to beliefs held by Israel. First and foremost, the other people groups of the ANE were polytheistic and therefore, the idea of one God was odd in itself. Add to this the fact that the Israelite God was not made and had simply always been, and the oddities became significantly greater. Not only was the norm polytheistic, but there were great stories about how the gods came to be, their battles with one another, their failures, and their flaws. The gods were defined by the things that they did. Earlier chapters note the fact that the culture of this time period was highly focused on function. Again, due to the polytheism, the gods functioned as a team of sorts. The God of the Bible is, indeed, three in one, but nonetheless one God who is all powerful. The Old Testament does make mention of a council that God used to make decisions, but this is altogether different from the unstable group of random gods of other people groups which were completely separate, with different gifts and skills, and with significant flaws. Walton then turns to the roles that the gods played in the cosmos as well as their attributes. Whereas Yahweh is completely outside of the cosmos, the gods of the ANE were associated with elements of the cosmos. So while Yahweh is the creator of the sun, the moon, and the waters, the gods of other polytheistic religions actually were one with those elements. They had no life or meaning independent from those elements. For instance, the god of the seas controlled the sea and was the sea itself. There was no distinction and no separation as with the God of the Israelites. The attributes of the gods were in some ways similar to Yahweh, but were altogether different in others. The most notable difference is the fact that while Yahweh is completely other, the gods were inherently human in their characteristics. They argued with one another, they needed to be flattered with prayers that did not necessarily communicate their true nature, they were limited in their geographic location, they procreated, and they failed. People of the ANE had attributed to the gods of their myths the same characteristics that they saw in their everyday lives. The main difference between the gods and humans was that the gods were simply stronger. All other characteristics were intrinsically human. This is a far cry from the God of the Bible who is holy, not bound by anything, and never fails. The chapter closes by dealing with a very important part of the  makeup of the gods, their divine attributes. In Evangelical circles God is not simply described as being loving. Rather, He is love itself. God does not simply rule in a just way, he is the epitome of justice. The God of the Old Testament is perfection in every area of everything. There is no flaw or limitation in him. His wisdom, love, justice, and mercy are not only perfect in and of themselves, but God is those things. The gods of the ANE were significantly different in that the attributes that they had were directly linked to their actions. There were no inherent attributes in them, or as Walton says, deity is as deity does. The duties that each god had were the attributes that they carried. CHAPTER 5 Chapter five is dedicated to the understanding of the role of the temple and the accompanying rituals in the ANE. Walton first deals with the role that the temple played. Temples were created not primarily for worship of the gods, but were the places where the gods resided while on earth. This was a sacred space that was to be free from all profanity and reserved for the rest and worship of that god. Each temple contained an idol, like a plaque or a statue. This statue was not simply a rendering; the commonly held view was that the god actually inhabited the idol in some way without actually becoming the idol. Because of this, the ancients believed that the creation of the idol was supernaturally overseen and organized by that specific god so that the idol would meet its expectations. This process was familiar to the Old Testament prophets and they prophesied against the idols and false gods. Attached to the temple was at least one ziggurat, which was a structure that encased a stair way which served as a portal for the god from the heavenly realm into the earthly temple. These were large structures and this was probably what Moses was referring to when he spoke of the tower of Babel in Genesis. So in opposition to common Sunday school teaching, the tower of Babel was not meant to reach to the heavens, but was a portal meant to bring heaven to earth. The temple was the most important structure in ancient culture. It was the center of everything and, due to the fact that the god inhabited the temple, was the source of all things good. Temples were viewed as the center of the cosmos in the ancient world. Walton observes that in this area, the Bible and ancient myths agree in that the presence of the god, or Yahweh in the case of the Bible, was what made the  space important. He claims that the Garden of Eden was not a literal geographic place on earth, rather it was a place in the cosmos where God dwelt. The presence of God was what made Eden special. The same goes for the temples of the ancients. The presence of the gods made them the focal point of life. Not only was the temple the central point of worship, but also of law, the wealth of the city, and the social activities of the people. The focal point of daily activities was the temple. That God would inhabit the tabernacle, or the temple, therefore, makes perfect sense in the culture of the ANE. Solomons temple is used as the focal point of the city, where God dwelt and where worship was given. Here, again, the ancient myths and the Bible agree. Harvest, weather, health, wealth, and victory in battle, among other things, were all controlled by the gods in the ANE. Due to this fact, the rituals that were performed for the gods in the temple were important to the livelihood of the people. The gods had to be appeased and the forces of evil and chaos needed to be held at bay. Rituals, therefore, were the way in which humans interacted with the gods to make sure that they were happy and that the cosmos was in balance. Blood sacrifices were not unique to the Israelites, but were a common trend of the day. However, unlike the other tribes of the ANE, the Israelites did not use incantations. Furthermore, while faith in God was of primary concern for the Israelites, action and involvement in the cult of the temple were of paramount importance. CHAPTER 6 In the midst of everything that was happening in and around the temple, the way in which the common people of the land practiced religion was different. The contrast between the religion of the state and the religion of the common people is the focus of this chapter. Religion in the city environment is handled first. As mentioned in previous chapters, the gods were to be served, taken care of, and appeased. For these reasons, the idols mentioned in chapter five were cared for just as one might take care of a new born baby. They were woken, fed, pampered, and put to bed at night. The problem was that there was no way to know if the people were, indeed, pleasing the god. Without any revelation there was no way to know if the practices were actually making any difference in the temperament of the god. Each god was assigned roles and responsibilities, and each one, in turn, delegated their responsibilities back to the people. For instance, a certain god might be in charge of keeping justice, but those responsibilities were meted out to the king. However, in the midst of all of this service to the gods, the gods were prone to be temperamental. Gods would change their minds and moods often. Diviners might offer solutions like giving more money or upgrading the temple, but again, without revelation the gods were unknowable and this kept the ancient people always guessing and attempting new tactics to change their situations. Yahweh stood in stark contrast to the gods of the polytheistic pantheon. God has no need of anything from man. He is not contained. All of his choices are perfect and right. What is most important, however, is the fact that He communicated with his people so that they were fully aware of what he expected and in order that they might know the consequences for their actions. The religion of the common people was significantly different however. Whereas the temple and the workings of the state were dedicated to one of the higher and more powerful gods, the common people had individual gods, lower on the polyth eistic totem pole, that they worshiped and attempted to appease. Usually devotion to these gods was passed down from generation to generation. Abrahams initial communication with and faith in God, before the Hebrews were a people, fit the idea of a personal god. The primary goal of having a personal god was to bring the family social success, stature, and wealth. The relationship with these gods was different from he relationship that Abraham had with Yahweh. Just as with the state, there was no real heart-connect with the god, no real desire to know him and be like him. The goal was to keep the god happy so that the family would reap the benefits. This attitude presented itself in the weak prayer life of the people. When a family’s personal god was not doing the things that caused their family success, the family was looked down upon in society. It was clear that the family was doing something wrong that was not satisfying the demands of the god. The emphasis was not on the wrongdoing, but on the view society held of your family. Prayers and ritual acts to please the god focused on restoration of respect in the town, not restoration of a relationship with the god. Ethics and morals were also tightly bound to the gods and the balance of society. There were not ethical norms as there are in the modern context. Everything revolved around the gods and what they wanted. Because of the idea of continuity among all  of the realms, morals were not necessarily important. Whatever it took to keep society orderly and balanced was what took priority. So, if orgies or other sexual actions pleased the gods and kept things in order, then it was perfectly acceptable. There was no sense that things of this nature might be considered immoral. These absolutes can only be found in a God who guides one to moral absolutes and makes clear what is morally right and wrong. This is what God did as he revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob orally, and how he set up guidelines with the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai. God does what the artificial gods of the pagans could not do. He revealed himself so that the Israelites could know his will and follow it. He committed to them in a covenant relationship and taught them how to live within that relationship. He showed them how to strive for holiness, by imitating him, an idea that was otherwise nonexistent. He showed them how to have the best possible life, and ultimately, developed a relationship with them personally. CHAPTER 7 Chapter seven is the first chapter in the fourth part of the book, which is dedicated to the cosmos. The seventh chapter in particular deals with how the people of the ANE viewed the makeup of the cosmos. Whereas, due to science and exploration, people in modern times understand that the earth is round and that it travels around the sun while spinning on its own axis, the views of how the cosmos functioned were significantly different in the ANE. Understanding the ancient view of cosmological geography is vital in comprehending the worldview of the ANE. Many of the people groups of the ANE understood the cosmos to be layered. The Earth was the middle layer with heaven above and the netherworld below. The earth was thought to stand still and the sun was thought to travel on a track up on one side of the earth, across the sky, and down into the netherworld in the evening. In some myth systems it was believed that the sky, which was believed to be solid, was supported by mountains at the edges of the earth, while yet other traditions claimed that the earth was supported by giant columns. In addition, ANE myths believed that the sky held the waters back and that when precipitation came, the water was falling through cracks or holes in the sky layer. It is important to note that the world of the ANE was primarily concerned about function over mere existence. Therefore, the  cosmos had no importance in and of itself, but only within the context of the gods using nature to accomplish their desires and dole out their punishments. Regardless of the different views held within the ancient tribes, they all viewed the area that they inhabited as the center of the cosmos. Walton shows that this view about the makeup up of the cosmos was held by the Israelites as well. We have no reason to believe that the modern view of the cosmos was held by the Israelites. Throughout the Old Testament we see references that show that the Israelites held to the common views of the cosmos first and foremost because that was the normal view in those days, but also because God never revealed to them any other way by which to understand the cosmos. CHAPTER 8 Chapter eight handles the important issues of the origin and order of the cosmos. Gaining knowledge about the origin of the world gives excellent insight into the creation account and shows the student of the Bible the important value that God places on humans. As mentioned earlier it is necessary to understand that the culture of the ANE valued function over existence. For something to merely exist was not nearly as important as the function of that thing. This idea has significant repercussions when it comes to the study of cosmogony. Moderns often read the creation account and assume that God was calling things into existence, but this view would not have made much sense to anyone writing in the ANE. It would have been a foreign idea because to simply bring something into existence was of little consequence. Creation was more focused on a purpose than it was on making an object available. One of the first and most important steps in the making functional process was the naming of things, which fits nicely into the creation account of the Bible. God creates and names. This naming process kick starts that object’s function. Walton makes some very interesting points when it comes to the Biblical account of creation. He says that it should be understood, from the text, that the account in the first chapter of Genesis is not one of God creating things that did not exist, but bringing order and function to those things. The reader can notice that Genesis 1never claims that there was nothing. It simply communicates that the earth was without form; it had no order or function. He mentions that on days one through three God does not simply create light,  water and vegetation, but that he was bringing function to those things by giving light the function of time-keeping, water the function of the climate, and vegetation the function of providing food for man and animal s. Therefore, unlike the gods of the other tribes, the God of the Bible gives function and destiny to all things from the very beginning. He is not trying to manage the cosmos and the functions therein, he has already created and set them in motion with specific purpose. His initial purposes for all things cannot be changed and need no management. The chapter closes by explaining the temple as a depiction of the cosmos. This idea is touched on in chapter five and is reiterated here. The place of rest for the gods was their temple. When everything was in order they were able to relax in their sacred space. God, however, is bigger than anything that he has created and uses the earth as his footstool. The Temple of Yahweh was modeled after the cosmos to show this relationship. CHAPTER 9 Literature, religion, and the cosmos have all been dealt with thus far. Now Walton turns to how people functioned and were understood in the context of the ANE. The first step, which is the focus of chapter nine, is to understand how people thought about the past and recorded history. Any conversation about humans naturally begins with their origins. The biblical account of the creation of humans is unique from the myths of the ANE in several ways. First is the fact that the Genesis account sets up Adam and Eve as the sole couple from which all other humans come, known as monogenesis. In other myths, humans are made in more of a group setting, polygenesis, where there is no singular couple from which all human life stems. Secondly is the difference in substance from which humans are created. The biblical account notes that God used the dust of the ground to create Adam and that He breathed life into his nostrils, whereas other matter, including clay and body parts from conquered gods , were used in other myths. The conversation then moves from how humans were made to what pieces or parts they actually contain. Walton notes that there remains disagreement as to whether humans are a unified whole or if they are separated somehow by body, mind, and spirit. Walton notes that due to language barriers, the words describing the human makeup from the ANE are difficult to translate and explain. The Egyptians used several terms to  describe how humans were made. Ka was the natural character of a person based on their ties to their lineage. Ba was the way in which they displayed themselves to society, similar to a reputation. Akh was the soul or spirit of a person that was said to live on after death. The Israelites, on the other hand, used different terms. Perhaps, due to the aforementioned language issues, it is best to quote Walton in this explanation. He says that, nephesh is related to awareness and perception while ruah is related to consciousness and vitality. Finally, the chapter deals with the role of humans in the cosmos. There is a very important distinction to be made in this area between the views of the Egyptians, Akkadians, and Sumarians and the views of the Israelites. The former saw the gods as the center of the cosmos and humans as an unimportant byproduct to assist the gods and appease them, whereas the latter saw their role as priests created to serve God. The Bible gives an important role to humans as the pinnacle of Gods creation, and this idea is unique in the ANE. CHAPTER 10 Chapter ten addresses the recording of history and the mindset that drove the guidelines that the people of the ANE followed in recording history. Furthermore, the chapter shows what that set of guidelines communicates about the mindset of the recorders. As this text has clearly stated, the mindset of the people of the ANE was focused around the gods. The modern mindset is one that focuses on the things that people can see and experience. Modern history is based on physical facts. The cognitive environment of the ANE was such that natural proof or fact was not the main concern. The ancient culture was focused on the gods and what means had been employed to please and serve the gods. Deity was the focal point of historiography. Furthermore, the goals of history were different than the goals of a modern-day journalist. While the journalist of today is concerned about facts and events, the ancients were concerned about the meaning of those events. Due to the fact that everything that happened was tied to the gods in some way, history was the result of what was happening in the supernatural world. These happenings, of course, were of primary importance, so little significance was placed on the events themselves. Rather, the emphasis was on deciphering what information these  events were communicating about the actions of the gods. The way in which events of history worked together and the purpose behind them was also significant. There was a sense of an underlying through-line beneath the surface of every event in history. A good example of this mindset would be the way in which Christians believe that amidst all of the surface things in life, God is working out his perfect will. What happened in each event was not nearly as important as how that event may have furthered a larger piece of the narrative of life. The differences in mindset between the ancients and moderns continue in the area of explaining time. Today most people think of time as linear; the present is now, the past behind, and the future ahead. This was not the normative view of time in the ANE. It was as if the person standing on the time line were turned around, looking into the past with the future behind them. Their view of the past and how it affected the future was most important. The final portion of the chapter focuses on the necessity of understanding the form in which history was written in order to fully realize the meaning of the history itself. Often writers were not necessarily attempting to provide legitimate history telling in their narratives. Because of this, the facts leading up to the conclusion may or may not be accurate because there was no need for them to be so. Much narrative was fiction. Therefore, to understand the writings of the ANE, one must realize that narrative is not primarily concerned about the events, as mentioned above, but on the outcomes, which affects ones ability to glean truth-telling history from the narrative writings. Additionally, the source of the literature, who it promotes, and the audience it was intended for all play an important role in attempting to understand the history of the times. These values, as Walton calls them, play a significant role in how ancient history is to be interpreted. The aforementioned points affect the way in which the Old Testament is read and understood. The history that is recorded in the Old Testament, though it is divinely inspired, must still be understood in the context in which it was written, taking into consideration the values, writers, intended audience, poetics, and importance of deity. CHAPTER 11 Chapter eleven moves to the next step by considering how people lived their day to day lives. Divination, mentioned briefly in other chapters, is  now fully explained. Divination was the attempt to try to deduce from a god the future, or to gain a better comprehension of that god. There were two types of divination, inspired and deductive. Inspired divination involved a message from the gods through a human messenger, while deductive divination included a message from the gods sent through natural means like events or weather. People who engaged in this process were known by different names depending on the type of divination they practiced and the type of omens they used. Inspired messages often came through prophets and dreams. Official prophets were paid and trained by the king to serve as intermediaries between him and the gods. Others, outside of the kings employ that received random messages were known as informal prophets. Dreams generally came to people by happenstance, and because there was so much to decipher, there was much written in the area of dream interpretation. Deductive divination was a reading of signs and events done by trained people. Signs or omens might be found in the sky, through the weather, the stars, the waters, organs of dead animals, lot casting, and other phenomena in nature. Attempting to divine answers about the future helped people feel a sense of control and normalcy. The Bible employs inspired divination as God speaks through the prophets and assists Daniel and Joseph, among others, to interpret dreams. However, the reading of others signs and omens, as in deductive divination, are scolded as evil by the Old Testament. Magic was also practiced in the ANE. Where divination discovered different meanings or problems, magic was able to use power to fix those problems. Incantations and rituals were used to appease the anger of the gods, to eliminate the evil spirits, to cleanse the affected home or space, and to cleanse the effected person from those evil spirits so that they could continue to function as normal. Magicians, known as Asipu were elevated to a high place, similar to a priest, and were focused on discovering and eliminating bad spirits. The Asu used herbs and other natural remedies to aid in the effect of the incantations. Next, the text explains the specific goals of divination. First and foremost, the goal was to legitimize the king and give him guidance. Omens were not set in stone, but rather, were predictions and warnings. If a good omen was found, that didnt necessarily guarantee that the good fortune would come to pass, and vice versa. A main point in understanding the importance of divination was the  issue of certainty. One would think that after several failed attempts to predict the future, the practice would lose its validity. However, this was not the common mindset. Rather than perfect prediction of the future, divination should be understood more along the lines of, â€Å"draw[ing] a particular issue to ones attention. (269) The chapter ends by quickly dealing with the test of a true prophet given in Deuteronomy 18. If a prophesy is off or does not come true, can that prophet immediately be discredited? Walton concludes that based on several texts, prophets were given an opportunity to show their trustworthiness, but if they continued to prove that their words were not from God, they were disregarded. CHAPTER 12 Chapter twelve delves further into how the importance of the city partners with life and purpose of the king. Earlier chapters noted that the people who lived outside of the cities practiced religion in different ways. Within the ANE cultures, living outside of the city or being a nomad was frowned upon. Life in the city was the best life in which to be engaged. The Mesopotamians as well as the Egyptians believed that cities were created by the gods, before humans, as a tie to the past. Just as in every other aspect of life in the ANE, the objectives of both the city and the king were to please the gods. Cities were the epicenter of the world; they were a place where people lived and did business, but ultimately where the temples were. Each city had its own temple that was dedicated to a specific god. The importance of the city was somewhat the same for the Israelites. Gods home on earth was the temple, and the temple was located in the city of Jerusalem. The difference, however, was that there was only one temple for the Israelites, and that temple was in one city. Kings were the rulers of the time, thus directly tied to the cities, and therefore kingship played a very important role in religious practice. Kings were thought to have been chosen by the gods and were always attempting to show that the gods approved of them as king. They were the mediators between the gods and the people who lived under their rule. It was said that they had access to the gods and their plans in a way that no other person did. The view of king was so high in Egypt that he was seen as divine. The king had many responsibilities in regard to the upkeep of the city, one of the most important being the institution of justice. But it was also the kings responsibility to lead  the charge in appeasing the gods so that their land would be safe and overflow with blessing. Again, these ideas are very similar to Hebrew kingship. God did choose a king and he gave them authority to speak on His behalf. Some pose that the OT is anti-king, but it is best to take from the text that God had always planned for a king. He was disgusted that the people did not want him to rule over them and that they wanted a king on their time line. And, of course, from the line of King David comes the ultimate king, the Messiah. CHAPTER 13 Chapter thirteen unpacks even more about how the people of the ANE lived, specifically how their laws were enforced, how wisdom was passed down, their views of justice, and how justice and ethics were related. The first section focuses on the treatises: medical, divinatory, and legal. These writings were wisdom passed down from past decisions made to offer guidance to the next set of people who would be making the decisions. Medical personnel could find remedies that worked, diviners could better know how to interpret an omen, and the king would know hold justice might have been handled prior to his time. These treatises were a series of if statements that explained certain situations and how to handle them. An example might be, â€Å"if a man steals something, cut off his hand.† It is important to note that there was not necessarily a set group of laws, rather, these treatises, along with wisdom literature, were used to create the norms of justice based on what had worked in the past. These pieces of literature served to legitimize the king. The Book of the Covenant is the Israelite writing that most closely resembles this type of literature. Wisdom literature from Egypt and Mesopotamia also played an important role in keeping societal order, but in a different fashion. Wisdom from such literature was meant to foresee potential problems and develop ways to alter the behavior in society so that potential problems would not present themselves. Walton explains that law, as we understand it today, was not a part of the culture of the ANE. There was not a list of rules written down that people used to regulate the way in which they lived. Rather, the state functioned based on personal ideas of fairness, wisdom from kings past, and the king at the present time. The goals were always balance and order in society and in the cosmos. Ergo, as the gods delivered  their responsibilities down through the kings, the kings were held responsible for keeping order in society by handling the judicial responsibilities entrusted to him by the gods. As mentioned in the section on morals and ethics, the gods were primarily concerned about social order, and the personal morality of people was not specifically important. The chapter closes by comparing the way in which people outside of Israel tried to live and how the Hebrews were guided by God to live. While the pagan tribes were focused on conforming to societal expectations, honoring the king, and pleasing the gods, Yahweh had revealed himself to Israel and had given details through the Ten Commandments and the covenant about how to live a holy life. While the pagan communities continued to try and determine a right way to live by waiting for answers from mute gods, the Israelites had heard from the Almighty and were trying to obey the details of the covenant agreement. CHAPTER 14 Having dealt with the ideas of how life began, the importance of familial heritage, and the ways in which life functioned in the day-to-day of the ANE, the final chapter of the book focuses on how future life on earth and the afterlife were viewed in the ANE. The idea of a better life in the future was foreign to the ANE mindset. The focus was not to make a better life for oneself, but to continue the legacy of the family name. Having an heir who would take care of the family business and continue the worship of the family’s gods was vital. Regardless of their situation, there was no savior coming to make things better. Israel, on the other hand, had the hope of the Messiah, which many misunderstood to be an earthly king who would come to free them from bondage and return them to their place of stature as in the days of David. The afterlife was, except for a failed weighing of the heart in Egyptian thought, generally not believed to be a place of punishment. The Egyptians believed that the ba and the ka were separated from the body at death, and that if the correct processes involved in burial were practiced, they would be enabled to reconnect with those pieces. In Mesopotamia, just as the future of life was strongly tied to the idea of family and community, so was the afterlife. The worst thing that could happen to a dead person was improper burial which would cut them off from the family and relegate them to a life alone.  Additionally, those who did not receive a proper burial were thought to be potentially dangerous spirits. It was common practice that those still alive from the family would care for those dead by providing water libations, providing left-over food from the table, and holding meals in honor of their ancestors. Specially trained men would assist them in communicating with the deceased. The netherworld is the name that was consistently used for the afterlife. Humans, aside from kings who were given the opportunity to enter into heaven with the gods, all ended up here. There are multiple stories about the process that one might take in order to gain access to the netherworld, but all eventually ended up here. This is never indicated as a place of torment, but just a plain and boring existence hopefully in community with their ancestors. The Israelite idea of Sheol, which is mentioned in the Old Testament, is not to be understood as hell either. Walton indicates that there is no text that supports the interpretation that Sheol is to be understood in this fashion. POSTSCRIPT In the postscript, Walton reminds the reader of the importance of comparative studies and how vital it is to understand the Old Testament within its cognitive environment. He admits that he has not created the perfect text on the subject, but that one of his goals was to try and further develop the idea of comparative studies in a more complete manner where others have shied to the safe side and not tackled a work such as this. The second goal was to show that the Israelites shared in the cognitive environment of the ANE, which this reader believes he did very well. The author notes that the literature involved in the study of the ANE must be connected to the culture in which it was written and understood in light of it. The final portion shows the latter to be true by summarizing the main areas of thought and the similarities and differences between Israel and the other nations. All believed that the source of human beings was the gods, but only Israel believed in the creation of an original man and woman from whom all other people came. All attempted to please their gods, but only Israel had received revelation that communicated what Yahweh was thinking and what he expected. All were under the rule of a higher power, for Israel it was their upholding of the covenant while for the others it was submission to the king and the gods that had instituted his  rule. While social norms and literature passed down from old kings drove behavior in most people of the ANE, the revelation from God at Sinai gave the Hebrew people a guide for how to live. While all others had no hope of anything good in the future nor anything exciting in the afterlife, the Israelites were given the promise of a king who would come through David whose throne would last forever. Walton ends the text with a final statement that is worth repeating in this summary. He concludes that all of the information proposed within the text should be used to guard against a facile or uninformed imposition of our own cognitive environment on the texts of ancient Israel, which is all too typical in confessional circles. May all confessional readers of Gods word strive to understand his revelation as best as possible so that we might know and discern the perfect will of the one, true God. WORKS CITED Walton, John H.. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.