The Marketing Concept

Abstract The marketing concept remains a fundamental parameter of marketing that makes organizations meet the needs and wants of their customers thereby surviving and flourishing in the dynamic market. Organizations should treat customers as Kings that is giving them the first priority in all their activities. In laying marketing strategies, organizations ought to consider the tastes and preferences of their customers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Marketing Concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This will enable them to produce services and goods that fit into the customers’ bracket of needs and wants. If this process continues, customers’ satisfaction will be assured leading to attraction and maintenance of customers. Since most firms target profit maximization as their main objective, they will also meet the set objectives in the end thus gaining competitive advantage over their competito rs in the marketing environment. This essay will analyse the relationships that exist between satisfaction of customers’ needs and the organizational needs. It will analyse the marketing concept form a historical perspective and analyse the elements that an organization can do to satisfy its customers. In marketing, customers are the most vital aspect since the main objective is to satisfy their needs. The entire organization should understand and uphold the marketing concept as it is not a single domain of the marketing department (Bell, 2010, p. 27). Success in businesses requires an inclusive approach from all the departments. Every manager and employee should put the customer’s needs and satisfaction in the frontline. The marketing concept and philosophy is involved in product, selling and marketing. Product philosophy enables the organization to know what it can produce and what it cannot produce. It can put emphasis on high quality products with low cost of produ ction. This philosophy does not lead to poor sales; instead, it creates more market for products made than before. During the industrial revolution, the production was extremely low as goods were made using hands, but the goods were still marketed. Customer’s satisfaction was extremely low because of low and slow production that led to low market. Currently, there is mass production, but it has not covered all customers’ satisfaction.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, it has created economies of scale thereby leading to low cost of production and low price of goods (Hooley et al., 1995, p. 10). This implies that the production philosophy can work in a newly established industry. According to Henry Ford, different colour of products can increase the cost of production, which leads to more market. He argued that to get more customers, one should lower pric es for goods (Cochran, 2003, p. 15). During the Industrial revolution, there was an increase in the volume of products; this prompted the need for a marketing department that will focus on selling of the goods. Increase in supply and production brought to an end the surplus production leading to advertising and personal selling to reduce inventories and increase sales. Additionally, it enables the organization to focus on the production work, and sell whatever property they produce. Nevertheless, distributing goods according to the consumer’s preference is easier. Further, a good sales department cannot meet the needs of all customers since the customers have many choices. It struggles to make the organization understand the customers before designing and making products. When needs and wants of customers are included in the production work, the organization will increase sales since they will meet the customer’s preference thereby maximizing its profit. The management in organizations should be skilful in order to understand their customers, as this is the key to quality service provision (Cochran, 2003, p. 17). In environmental scanning and forecasting, firms should be able to foresee the needs of their customers. This approach will help organizations meet and exceed the expectations of their customers. In addition, organizations that understand the needs of their customers will be able to alter their services and goods in line with the customers’ change in tastes and preferences in future.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Marketing Concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They can do this without any challenge of reorganization or loss since they keep continuous contact with their customers. Markedly, continuous contact with customers requires an attentive management that can listen to complains that customers raise and reward perennial ones; this increases their loyalty to the business. Major business organizational units aim at surviving in the market. How a firm manages its working capital determines its financial health or status. Strategic working capital policies should be available to ensure that the firm will make profit even during a financial crisis. This management helps to generate new capital to settle future debts. A good management of working capital can also make it possible for firms to engage in risky ventures, which have huge returns (McClelland, 1995, p. 97). Therefore, it encourages investment options that can fully satisfy the needs of the customers. Secondly, organizations target growth and development of their internal services in terms of institutional and professional competency, innovations in products and services and customer growth. Firms also aim at fostering strong relationships among its external networks. Lastly, another organizational need is serving and uplifting all its stakeholders; for instance, an org anization can engage in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to make changes in the world. It can also encourage its employees to work towards achieving their life objectives through continuous training on life skills. Customers will also like an organization that educates them on the content of various products and how to use them. For organizations to understand their customers, they should try to be in the customers’ shoes, use various organizational data, or even ask the customers on what they think on productivity and service provision. Using the Customer Relationship Management system (CRM) can assist firms to understand the needs of their customers. This data shows how customers take orders and how quick the company delivers these orders. CRM systems contain information on consumer behaviours and preferences that can help an organization to identify various needs of its customers’ thereby increasing profitability (Mckitterick, 2000, p. 21). If an organization u tilizes this data carefully, it can improve in customer satisfaction and retention.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A customer survey can also be helpful to an organization that is interested in meeting the needs and wants of its customers. In engaging customers in a satisfaction survey, they feel more valued than in another firm that does not inquire on their views and contributions. Notably, a firm can gain meaningful insights if it goes ahead to inculcate the views of customers when making improvements or changes in their services. Such a scenario will increase customers’ loyalty, which makes it easier for the firm to understand the needs of these customers hence tailor its products towards satisfying these needs. Evidently, such a marketing strategy will alter the performance of a firm since the customers will be able to inform the organization of the behaviours that they feel should be altered. For instance, customers can inform the organization of bad behaviours among its staff only if they are close to the management. If the management can proactively consult its customers, it will be able to correct its wrong doings that could have caused dissatisfaction to customers. Moreover, an organization can opt to be in its customer’s shoes. In this manner, the management will study the points at which the customers access the enterprise. Some of these points include deliveries, phone calls, and correspondence; the management should scrutinize if there is immediate responses to phone calls and the friendliness of its receptionists. The slowness in handling customers’ complains coupled with the arrogance of the receptionist can be the reason behind customers’ dissatisfaction. To avoid losing customers, the management should try to put the interest of its customers at the forefront by addressing their complaints promptly (Mckitterick, 2000, p. 23). Further, the firm should deliver on it promises and even surpass the customers’ targets. All the departments in an organization should focus on surpassing the expectations of the customers. Understa nding the customers remains a secret that businesses can use in identifying the needs and wants of its customers thereby enhancing satisfaction among the customers. Markedly, a firm will realize and surpass its organizational goals of continuous expansion and growth in the market with continuous loyalty of customers. In meeting the customers’ needs, businesses should design products and services that are affordable, attractive, work well and always available. They also engage in product promotion to alert consumers on the existence of their products hence encouraging them to purchase the products. In the current market, customers tend to adopt the new technological systems such as online shopping. An organization should upgrade its information management system in order to be in line with the requirements of the customers. First, organizations with updated Information Management (IM) have all their data well managed in the systems. This information management fosters growth, as it reduces the cost of operation (Bhatt, 2010). Organizations can develop websites that can promote communication. For example, pizza companies have designed a website where their customers can order their own pizzas from the stores. Since organizations handle large volumes of data, there is the need to employ the Information Technology in ensuring proper data storage. Organizations handle clients’ data, employees’ data, managerial data, suppliers, and procurements data amongst others. There is the need to align these pieces of information for easy access by the prospective owners and the organization. This is where the Information management is applicable. Research has revealed that businesses that have a well-organized and managed data improve customer satisfaction minimize cost on IT thus increase revenue and realize improvement on operational efficiency. Further, a properly managed IM eliminates decisions based on assumptions as the information can be retrieved within the shortest time possible; it enables organizations understands their customers’ behaviours and preferences. This enables organizations to serve their clients well and even retain most of them (Bhatt, 2010). IM also increases efficiency as customer care agents can access clients’ data at an instant. Business outlets are inculcating technological modifications into their systems in order to increase their efficiency and reduce the cost of operation. Organizations should use specifications or approaches that they can undertake. Remarkably, the success of Information Management depends on their alignment and integration with the Human Resource (HR) and organization’s objectives. Clearly, an organization that tends to meet the meet the needs of its customers will actually meet its strategic goals and objectives. The customer service department in an organization can assist in attracting, serving, and retaining customers by applying proper knowledge managemen t techniques. Knowledge Management (KM) can assist a firm to predict the future behaviour of its customers in terms of their tastes and preferences. Therefore, KM and environmental forecasting can help a firm to save on the cost of production; therefore, it can direct these funds in expanding its services to occupy large market area (Pride Ferrell, 2002, p. 45). Such a firm will avoid wastage on producing goods or services that will not receive positive market response. Understanding the needs of customers is the job of all departments in an organization. From the above analysis, businesses should put more resources on researches that aim at learning the needs of their customers. Customers remain the epicentre of all businesses since without them, no transaction will occur. Organizations should pay immense attention to the behaviour and complaints of their customers to ensure continuity. An organization that is updated on technology, provides a variety of products, and interacts fr eely with its customers will satisfy the needs of its customers. This act will increase profitability of the organization. The firm will use the profit to expand its services and invest in other risky, but profitable ventures. Therefore, organizations that align their strategic objectives towards customers’ satisfaction will achieve their missions. References Bell, M. L. (2010). Marketing; Concepts and Strategy. University of Minnesota: Houghton Mifflin. Bhatt, Y. (2010, March 1). Information Management: A Key for Creating Business Value. The Data Administration Newsletter – TDAN.com. Retrieved from http://tdan.com/information-management-a-key-for-creating-business-value/12829 Cochran, C. (2003). Customer satisfaction: tools, techniques, and formulas for success. Chico, Calif.: Paton Press. Hooley, G. J., Lynch, J. E., Shepherd, J. (1995). The Marketing Concept: Putting the Theory into Practice. European Journal of Marketing, 24(9), 7-24. Web. McClelland, S. B. (1995) . Organizational Needs Assessments: Design, Facilitating and Analysis. Atlanta: Greenwood Publishing Group. Mckitterick, J. (2000). What is the Marketing Management Concept?. Chicago: Houghton Mifflin. Pride, W., Ferrell, O. C. (2002). Marketing: Concept and Strategies. Abingdon: Deep Deep Publications. This essay on The Marketing Concept was written and submitted by user Fernanda R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Question Of Congress At Work Example

Question Of Congress At Work Example Question Of Congress At Work – Coursework Example Political science The Watergate Affairs The Watergate affair is arguably the most controversial event in American history in terms of political affairs. It changed the perception of citizens to the presidency significantly. Named after the Watergate apartment and office complex where most of the scandalous activities occurred, the affairs had political twists that incriminated Nixon. Nixon resigned owing to certain impeachment evidenced by his illegally recorded tapes.Nixon was a mysterious man with many enemies. Regrettably, he used his presidential powers to get back at his adversaries, and later had to cover up his actions. Spying, interference, clampdown on civil liberties, and criminal acts make Nixon appear as a debauched person, which he was. Despite his efforts to clear his name, his actions betrayed any form of innocence from the public (Wood 3). The Watergate affairs demonstrate the unlawful measures that powerful people take to cover up their actions and maintain power. Ni xon faced considerable opposition and he needed to silence his adversaries to promote his political agendas. Public confidence is lost through such underhand tactics that politicians perpetrate. The whole process was largely unnecessary, especially the burglary, since Nixon had won the previous elections squarely. Nixon was unable to make any legislative progress because of the Democratic majorities in both congressional houses (Wood 2). There was a need to establish Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, hence the approval of the Watergate affairs. The cover-up is what triggered the downfall, and not the actual involvement. The imprisonment of his accomplices is not justifiable; even Nixon was supposed to be imprisoned. Investigative justice is necessary to uncover such scandals and measures that are more punitive should discourage impunity. Work CitedWood, Mike. Nixon’s Inevitable Road to Watergate: A Psychoanalysis Using the Path Dependent Model. California Stat e University Fullerton. President Richard M. Nixon Conference, April 27, 2012. Question Of Congress At Work Example Question Of Congress At Work – Coursework Example Task Iran Contra Affairs The Iran Contra affair was described as scandal that involved American hostages which were being held in Lebanon by a group which was associated to Iranian revolution. The secret dealing which were occurring between the American government with the military group resulted in the Americans being held hostage by the group. The funds generated from the sale of weapons to the military group were aimed at ensuring that the government provided funding for the Nicaragua contras. The government of United States hoped that the agreement to sale weapons would secure the release of the American hostages. This scandal can be described as to have escalated following the breakdown of diplomatic negotiations which were being conducted secretly. Undertaking the secret dealings in supplying weapons was assumed to enable the release of American citizens who were being held hostage in Lebanon (Sharpe, p22). The diplomatic breakdown between the involved groups contributed to t he tension which occurred and resulted in the development of the issues to a scandal. Some American government official were involved in the secret negotiation between the government and group, which can be considered an element of unethical political conduct. The authorisation of the sales of the weapons which was conducted in secret could have had significant influence in the development of the scandal. The element of secrecy in conducting the negotiations were fundamental in the political disconnection between the involved parties. The prohibition of funding for the contras, by the congress significantly contributed to the government seeking alternate source of funding. With the government lacking sufficient funding it became essential to deliver the contras funding regardless of the source of funds. The entire scandal can be described as resulting from negligence by the government in delivering some of the promises made to the citizens.ReferenceSharpe, Kenneth E. â€Å"The Rea l Cause of Irangate.† Foreign Policy 68 (1987): 19–41. Print.

English Language Education in Japan

English Language Education in Japan In Japan, eigo-kyouiku (English-language education) starts the first year of junior high school and continues at least until the third year of high school. Surprisingly, most students are still unable to speak or to comprehend English properly after this time. Reasons for Lack of Comprehension One of the reasons is the instruction focusing on the skill of reading and writing. In the past, Japan was a nation composed of a single ethnic group and had a very small number of foreign visitors, and there were few opportunities to converse in foreign languages, therefore the study of foreign languages were mainly considered to obtain the knowledge from the literature of other countries. Learning English became popular after World War II, but English was taught by teachers who were trained under the method that emphasized reading. There were no qualified teachers to teach hearing and speaking. In addition, Japanese and English belong to different families of languages. There are no commonalities either in structure or words. Another reason in the Ministry of Educations guidelines. The guideline limits the English vocabulary that is to be learned during the three years of junior high school to about 1,000 words. Textbooks must be screened first by the Ministry of Education and result for the most part in standardized textbooks making the English language learning too confining. Recent Years However, in recent years the necessity has increased to communicate in English as the ability to listen and speak English is in demand. The students and adults who study English conversation have increased rapidly and private English conversation schools have become prominent. Schools are now also putting strength into eigo-kyouiku by the installation of language laboratories and the hiring of foreign language teachers.

A market is efficient with respect to a particular set of information Essay

A market is efficient with respect to a particular set of information if it is impossible to make abnormal profits - Essay Example Second part of the essay contains on a market conclusion about the practical behaviors of stock markets in relation with stock movements. This debate also include the information of the market behavior that in which circumstances an investor can make abnormal profits and in which conditions it is not possible to make abnormal gains and profits. It this part, debate is also made on the question that either market is efficient or not. The last part of this assignment is based on a general conclusion about this study. Topic: A market is efficient with respect to a particular set of information if it is impossible to make abnormal profits by using this set of information to formulate buying and selling decisions. The efficiency of the stock market is based on the efficient market hypothesis. Many investors believe that they can select stock with the help of their forecasting and valuation techniques and can make abnormal profits easily. On the other side the efficiency market hypothesis states that all the stock prices are based on all the accurate information and reflect the full and fair information. This directly means that it is not possible to consistently outperform the market by using any information that the market already knows, except by luck. The idea is that now information is quickly and efficiently incorporated into share prices at any point of time, so that old information cannot be used to judge the future movements. The term "efficient market" was first introduced by in 1965 in a paper by E.F. Fama who suggest that â€Å"in an efficient market, on the average, competition will cause the full effects of new information on intrinsic values to be reflected "instantaneously" in actual prices† For proper understanding of the efficient market hypothesis we must have to aware about the basic market categories. A short summary of these categories are described below Market inefficiency An inefficient form of efficient market is one in which the valu e of the securities is not always an accurate reflection of the available information. In an inefficient market, some stocks will be over priced and other will be underpriced, which means some investor can make excess while other can lose more than warranted by their level of exposure. The logic behind this process is that proper valuation of securities and stocks are depend upon the latest information and in an inefficient market no latest data about the stock and securities are available. So this can directly result into wrong decision about buying or selling any stock. (BORENSTEIN, S., BUSSE, M. R., & KELLOGG, R. (2007). Principal-agent incentives, excess caution, and market inefficiency evidence from utility regulation) Weak form efficiency In a weak form efficient market share prices reflects information about all the past prices movements. This situation directly relates that these past movements do not help in identifying positive trading strategies. (Returns and weak form ef ficiency: betting markets 1984) In these kinds of markets future prices movements cannot be predicted because all the information is available of the past price movements. And any technical analysis cannot help to make a consistent gain on the market. It is stated in a paper by Kendall in 1953 that the prices of shares followed a random walk. I.e. there

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

Policy Analysis - Essay Example Such statements are suppressed because they violate the Fifth Amendment and they are subject to the Miranda exclusionary rule. A waiver, in this regard, occurs when the suspect logically, knowingly and voluntarily waives his right. In order to determine the validity of the waiver, it is important to look at the circumstances and events resulting in the waiver. Where the suspect makes a spontaneous or voluntary statement before the rights are read, such statements can be admitted provided the statements were not prompted by interrogations. This position clearly shows that Miranda rights are only necessary when law enforcement intends to interrogate a suspect (Burgan, 2006). Miranda rights, policies and procedures, therefore, greatly affect the operations and decision making process within law enforcement. The rights give the suspect protection against self-incrimination as well as providing appropriate guidelines for law enforcement in the manner they interrogate suspects. Miranda policies and procedures assist in determining whether suspects’ statements can be admitted or suppressed in a court of

Genetic Problems Of The Cousin Marriages Sociology Essay

Genetic Problems Of The Cousin Marriages Sociology Essay Scientists working on the genetic issues of inbreeding argued that autosomal recessive gene increases homozygosity and produce malformations which are a common cause of cardiovascular, central nervous system, urogenital, ophthalmic, gastrointestinal, skeletal, cutaneous, and also multiple malformations (5 page 14). Similarly, Bundey and Alam found postneonatal mortality and childhood morbidity in the offspring of consanguineous Pakistani parents (6). Ahmed, et al (1) identified hemoglobinopathies as a major genetic problem among Pakistani cousin couples. The research- team studied 15 families carrying hemoglobin and eight control families without the history of a hemoglobin disorders. The scientists in this study found that the cousin couples carry -thalassemia and 0.5 to 1 percent carry hemoglobin S or hemoglobin E. The infants of the cousin couples affected ratio is 1.3 per 1000 live births, and according to the study infants present -thalassemia. The ratio of genetic disorders amo ng the children of the control couple was lower than the cousin marriages couple. Bullock and Khalid (4) found increased risk of low intelligence, mental instability, sickle-cell anaemia and cystic fibrosis among the children of the cousin couples. Bittles (2) argued that various types of genetic disorders have been reported to be more common among consanguineous children. For example congenital disorders including neural tube and congenital heart defects were reported. According to Bittles Autosomal recessive hearing loss disorders and visual defects such as early-onset retinal dystrophies, primary congenital glaucoma and anophthalmos also are present at increased prevalence (2 page 95) among the children of the consanguineous spouses. These inbreeding studies are conducted among the Pakistani ethnic diaspora communities living in the Western countries. However, there is a dearth of inbreeding studies within the Pakistani society. However, second perspective (8, 9) argued that the chances of the genetic disorders are low and exaggerated. This perspective claimed that there are lower chances of the genetic disorders and that the media has stigmatized ethnic minority groups which alienated the community from mainstream Western society  [1]  . Socio- Genetic Problems Genetic Problems Social Problems Congenital malformations Learning difficulties, hearing impairment, infant mortality, morbidity, long term disability, increase birth prevalence, blindness Cardiovascular disease Asthma/ eczema Single-gene disorders (neurological disorders) Cerebral palsy Down syndrome Metabolic disorders Spontaneous abortion or infertility Cystic fibrosis Urogenital Ophthalmic Gastrointestinal Skeletal Cutaneous Hemoglobin Thalassaemia Fig 1 Genetic and social issues found in relevant literature Hence, it is claimed (10) that the chances of a 4 % health risk are possible among the non-relative marriages. The chances of unrelated cousins are also high and there is nothing significant on cousin marriage offsprings (11). Genetic effects appear in later age and are overtly emphasized on the basis of medical justification (9). Thus, it can be seen from the above debate on genetics that the problem exists and the main cause is the consanguineous marriages. This is accelerating debate among medical healers, geneticists and other health professionals within the Western countries about populations carrying genetic disorders and being stigmatized on medical grounds. However, this debate is nor prevalent within the countries where cousin marriages occur on a large scale. 1.2 Cultural traditions of the cousin marriages Consanguineous marriages constitute from 20 to 60 % of all marriages (9, 12). Worldwide 8.5% of child births are from consanguineous couples (9,12 ). Ten percent of worldwide congenital and genetic disorders are due to these marriages. In the Middle East and parts of Japan, and South Asia the marriages are dominant. Nevertheless, the majority ratio is in the Middle East (30 %) and in Pakistan (40 %) (1). Such marriages are under criticism in Europe and America; get on common in Asia, Africa and Middle East (4, 7). A number of factors are listed in favour of cousin marriages; for instance property preservation within the similar social group, socio-cultural concerns of the cousins, blood ties maintenance, purification of family and association among the similar group (5). The marriages are a closed network of relatives, and they form socio-political alliances. The marriages are a source of social welfare and strong ties between the cousins that forms a kinship structure (12, 13). This pattern of marriage is customary in the Middle East and pre-dominantly in Muslim societies, especially Pakistan. There is growing argument and debate over the issues, caused by the genetics problems which are originating mainly through cousin marriages. The perceptions of genetic problems are over- emphasized in the developed nations (due to the technology, medical treatment available and awareness of the genetic issues) and with less serious concern in the developing countries which could not afford the technolog y and cost of medicine. Therefore, there is a need to know, how and where the problem lies and what impact it has on child health care. 1.3 Cosmopolitanism and indigenous knowledge of cousin marriages Cosmopolitanism is the notion that all human beings share a similar moral and scientific normative system (14, 15). The cosmopolitan knowledge is the common body of knowledge across the discipline and geographical boundaries. In this paper cosmopolitan knowledge I used as scientific debate on the cousin marriages. The term indigenous knowledge refers to ethnic and cultural perceptions of the people in a particular region which share origins and a common belief system. Cosmopolitan knowledge is a lesser debated issue among the common man in developing countries, like Pakistan, where cousin marriages prevail on a large scale. Does the cosmopolitan knowledge of congenital disorders undermine the indigenous perspectives of the belief system in the community of Kabirwala (Pakistan)? The study is aims to understand the genetic problems due to cousin marriages and the peoples perceptions of cousin marriages (daughter/ sister exchange for spouse selection) and the impact on congenital diseas es. This is an effort to know how cosmopolitan knowledge differs with the indigenous perceptions of congenital diseases among the families who are living under a woman exchange system (among cousins) and how the system is affecting child health care and why health services are unable to handle the issue within the cultural context. 2. Research design I was working on my research project exchange marriage system in Kabirwala, a town in Pakistan. During the fieldwork, I found the blind and disabled persons whose parents were married on the basis of the exchange marriage. Fig 2 Respondents level of the education  [2]   I conducted interviews in a village of Kabirwala with the spouses who were married with cousins, their children to know the issue of genetic and their perceptions about the issue. The data was analyzed in line with Grounded Theory Method. This method develops the categories from the data (19, 20, 21). I developed the concepts and categories from the interviews. I interpreted and elaborated the data relevant to genetic problems for understanding the issue and categorized the data according to the themes. Relevant reports, articles were used to strengthen the findings of the primary data (16, 17, 18).   3. Results I categories the results into below categories: 2.1 Destiny and Luck: cousin marriages and congenital diseases Mehboob  [3]  57 year old male is married with his cousin Rubia, 42 years. Rubia has nominal education. The couple have 11 children (3 sons and 8 daughters), and one child (Rakha in Fig 3) died one month after birth. Among the 11 children, two (Tahir and Najma) are blind and one child (Mehwi) has a hearing problem. The couple called it a matter of taqdeer (destiny) and argued that two children are blind due to their sin and one had died because us kay din poray ho gaye thay (he has finished his life: means he has only this life given by God). Fig 3 Family of Mehboob When I asked, was this not a genetic problem?, the respondents replied that it was Gods will and this was the reason for his sons death. It is a matter of luck, destiny and genetics has minor role to play, explained the respondents. 2.2 Religious authority and genetic problems Aslam, a 57- year old man has different views about the genetic issues and he argues that genetic issues are not real ones, and that the Prophets daughter was married with Ali (the cousin of Prophet Muhammad). He explains: it is not possible that cousin marriage has problems and that the Prophet did not forbid it. People believe that the religious interpretation is the real one, and it is Allah who gives and solves genetic problems. The family has authority to arrange the marriages and enjoy in return obedience of the son/daughter. It encourages the elders to be conformist with the local traditions and follow the traditional norms to regulate cousin network. However, a 29-year, Kalsoom a female, argued that parents control the decision-making authority because they want to rule their offspring. She tells that religion has given authority to parents but they should use this authority in a careful manner. She explains that genetics has no link with cousin marriage. The respondent claimed it is God who does whatever HE wants. Nevertheless, Kabir, a 33- year male believes that cousin marriages are as a source of security, stability, strength and unity. 2.3 Consanguineous marriages and formation of social capital Cousin marriages determined the level of the kinship involvement in the Kabirwala community. Marriage with nearest relative is preferred. The relationship between in-laws extends beyond the couple. If a marriage is successful, it will be followed by others between the two families. Fig 4 indicates the few ratios of alternatives. Fig 4 Marriage patterns Cousin links, formed through marriages persist and are reinforced through the generations.  The foremost source of the marriage proposal is within the lineage (22). It is found in this study (see Fig 5). Fig 5 Marriage trends The cousin marriages form a kind of social capital because the relatives are responsible to provide for a person in need. These cousins help, support and maintain the social security of a person in Pakistan. 2.4 Public health problem: the gaps between knowledge and indigenous belief system Akram, a 50- year male respondent elaborated his account and said, his children are more beautiful than his brothers because he was married with his cousin and his brother was married with someone other than cousins. He mentioned that it was due to his own genes that his (spouse) gave birth to beautiful children. However, Kalim a 30-year, male disagreed with the above argument and he said it was marriage of his cousins that has given a blind child. Akram is a single case so whose generalization is not possible. Some young and educated respondents have awareness about the cousin marriages and genetics problems. Rabia, 25 years, a single, female respondent mentioned that cousin marriages creates zahanat ki kami (less intellect), kamzori (physical-weakness), zahni bemari (abnormality), and apas main gharello jahgrey (domestic conflicts). Although there is evidence of blind and disabled children from cousin marriages. This appears to be with medical research on the subjects. There is nom inal awareness among the people of the genetic issues. The community is not aware about role of the genetic disorders. If anybody in the community has knowledge they negate it due to the belief system. Cultural opportunities and constraints Opportunities Constraints Purification of the family Family conflict, less knowledge of congenital disorders, lack of research, lack of awareness, lack of medical treatment infrastructure availability in the community of Kabirwala, lack of counseling opportunities, paternal authority, superstitions Strengthen kinship ties Availability of the spouses within family Support for woman status Better relations with in-laws Old age care Stable marriages Property preservation Preservation of land fragmentation Less stigma Loosening ties brings social problems Political alliances Fig 6 Comparison of opportunities and constraints 2.5 Policy steps to handle the issue of consanguineous marriages There is a dearth of the research in the community of Kabirwala with reference to the cousin marriages and the probability of genetic diseases. The scientists working in the field of inbreeding have an opportunity to study the community which has a chain of cross-cousin marriages from generations. The inbreeding scientists may be able to find some significant results about the chain of genetic diseases; the following policy steps are suggested. 1) Genetic problems are considered an important issue among the scientists and less concern among the people as the present study shows. The people in the community of Kabirwala believe that disease is a matter of destiny and luck. They do not know that there is a possibility of positive relationship between the genetic disorders and the marriages. It is possible to provide education to the people. It would be helpful to add the issue to the school syllabus. 2) The local imam (religious preacher) could spread awareness of the issue in their Friday-sermons. The imam is a person who may effectively convince the people, because the majority of the people could not read and write. The people believe the religious teachings. These illiterate people could be influenced through the cultural specific ways and means. This is an easy way for the health professional to convince the local imam about the possible inherited diseases so that he is a catalyst of social change. Short run measures are also possible to sensitize the people through media and stage-drama. However, these measure are likely not sustainable because the media is either restricted or without due credibility to spread such kind of information. 3) Counselling services create awareness if they can be delivered to the remote communities like Kabirwala. However, there is no counselling service available in the community of Kabirwala yet. 4) Legislation is a last step to ban the cousin marriages. But the ban on cousin marriage will be counter productive in this cultural context where breaking the law is considered as fashion and symbol of superiority. Non-conformity indicates a high social status in this community. 3. Discussion and conclusion Cosmopolitan knowledge has diagnosed two distinctive problems among the Pakistani cousin marriage couples, hemoglobin and thalassaemia. However, the hemoglobin is the main genetic trouble among Pakistani ethnic people (1, 4, 23, 25, 26). Human biological diseases are crucial one and need proper attention from health professionals and policy makers within the cultural and religious setting. A significant factor of cousin marriage is protection of property, to avoid land fragmentation and to maintain the close family ties and reassurance of the bride (5 page 13). This is similar to work by Shaw (24) which argues that social environment and religious belief has affected the prenatal diagnosis. Cousin marriages are stable and have a low divorce rate among first cousins (10) and have a strong socio-economic impact on the traditional family system in Pakistan. These traditional marriages are cousin, caste and endogamy marriages. The marriages form a single fabric, and if violated can harm marriage patterns with serious moral-decay consequently emerging (5, 25, 26). Thus, the present debate has a strong affect on the exchange marriages, which are overwhelmingly cousin marriages and has a negative affect on the public health. In my data, despite of the fact that respondents have education they have less knowledge about this issue. The community is lacking lively debate on the problem. Genetically disorders, visible from the health conditions, are likely to happen among the community. Cosmopolitan perspective Indigenous perspective Physical incapacity Exaggerated issue, stigmatized issue, qismat (luck) and taqdeer (destiny), child beauty, children are integrated Mental incapacity Harmful Chronic disorder Fatwa (an authoritative ruling on a point of Islamic law) Fig 7 Cosmopolitan and indigenous perspective Contrary, indigenous belief and attitudes have pointed to a few concerns: less awareness of the genetic issues, knowledge and facilities availability. The people in the community of Kabirwala believe that genetics problems have a negative relationship with the cousin marriages. This is the issue of a Western society and has less validity in Pakistani society. It is matter of destiny and luck and not a medical concern. Kabir explains: does western medicine ever stop a person to dying? This indicates apathy towards the genetic phenomenon where has less validity in the community. Therefore, the study found the evidence that cosmopolitan knowledge has no relevance with the indigenous belief system based on the above data. Culture centred techniques to cope with these problems reduce chances of cousin marriages. For example, if a local imam/ molvi or the school syllabus stresses these. There are chances to reduce the possibility of the cousin marriages in coming generations. However, this is the turning point to convince the community to tackle and handle the issue with proper strategy. This is an open choice for the public and the health professional able where with proper facilitation and information can attract the public effectively. A failure to tackle the issue in a culturally specific manner could betray the health professional. The current study found that community knowledge, belief and indigenous practices are the main causes responsible for the prevalence of cousin marriages in Kabirwala. These factors are also the stumbling-blocks in making the indigenous knowledge compatible with the cosmopolitan knowledge. Therefore, there are few concerns among the Kabirwala community about the genetic problems which way occur. They feel protected by their system of beliefs. Notion of luck and destiny is dominant in indigenous knowledge.

Psycho Or How a Killer is Born in a Hitchcock Film Essay

Film analysis doesn’t require a philosophy of deep thought, but merely requires the participation of the viewer. In films the audience will witness aspects of their own lives played out; the actions, emotions and scenery draw from the viewer their frame of reference. The art of film can be analyzed through specific scenes and the meaning they have in reality. For instance in the cult film Psycho the viewer is placed in third person point of view mainly focusing on the story of Norman Bates. The audience becomes part of the film because of the intrigue the writer, director and actors bring to the screen. The feeling of loss of meaning is very prevalent in the duration of the film; the antics of love, exploit, desire in the viewer and in the end of the film is well orchestrated by the director Alfred Hitchcock. That is the purpose of filmmaking, to begin a story and have the audience become so engrossed in its unfolding that they lose a sense of themselves in proportion to reality and completely step into the film, the character’s triumphs and misdeeds become the audience member’s own guilt, and as the story progresses, the audience forgets their own selves in order to better become part of the caste of characters in the script. The following paper will analyze Psycho as directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Alfred Hitchcock creates his scene through the use of different camera angles. In his other films as well as Psycho, he makes good use of the camera shooting from an aerial vantage point and he uses elements of the scene to be incorporated in the shot (Arnold paragraph three). This is seen in Dial â€Å"M† for Murder in which the camera does an aerial angle from the ceiling and shoots Wendice and Captain Lesley (or Swann) discussing blackmail and the chandelier is used to be incorporated into the scene and it is used in Psycho in which the camera angle depicts Norman Bates and Marion Crane are having a conversation in Bates’ taxidermy room and the camera shoots through the animals from a downward angle in order to create for the scene a sense of foreshadowing. Thus, the animals are a symbol of the emotions of the woman; they foreshadow her death and eventual ownership through her death to Norman Bates. One element that Hitchcock utilizes in this movie is a symbol; the phone. The phone is not only used as a transference of scenes but also as a revealing factor of the character; the characters reveal their true intentions on the phone, their feelings, their desires, and it is with the phone that the plot progresses forward and things about the other characters are revealed to each other, such as Marion’s boyfriend trying to get a hold of her, and the police detective’s phone. Hitchcock uses other things that are of importance, that are part of the scene in his other movies such as windows in The Birds in which the characters can witness the danger going on outside but also have distance from that danger, whether or not that distance is false. Hitchcock uses the mother in Psycho for this revelation to characters and the audience alike in that Bates dresses up as his mother, uses his mother, and her voice in a mis-in-scene in order to persuade characters in believing a lie instead of the truth; the truth being that he dresses up as his dead mother and kills women whom he could potentially have a relationship with, or whom he likes. It is with these elements that the movie audience can have that voyeuristic sense of discovery of the character’s intentions and plot development that Hitchcock creates and progresses the thriller movie genre. The psychosis of the character Norman Bates in Psycho truly takes on the development of a serial killer. There are sub-categories of serial killers: visionary, mission oriented, hedonistic, power oriented, and among these there are organized and disorganized. For each of these types of killers there are certain character dispositions. The visionary types are compelled by voices or visions and are described as being psychotic. They will not choose a victim because the motives are outside of themselves (voices, visions). The mission oriented type kills people because they believe that the victim is unworthy of life; this type is said not to be psychotic. The victim of this type of killer will fulfill a psychological need (as with Norman Bates character, in which he had to kill young women because his desire for them was overruled by his mother’s overbearing personality even in death, and therefore Norman had to keep his mother alive in order to continue to feed his desire for killing what he could not have, and in order to maintain the consistency his life had when his mother was alive and ruling his life by not allowing him to entertain or go out with girls). The hedonistic type kills simply for the high of killing and there are signs of sexual arousal involved with the killing (which could also be part of Norman Bates’ personality type as he killed as his mother for sexual arousal). A comfort killer is a subtype of hedonistic killer and they will kill victims with whom they have some sort of relationship (also as with Norman Bates whose victims were young women who stayed in his hotel). The power oriented killer kills for control, is not psychotic and is obsessed with holding the power of the victim’s life in his/her hands (in Norman’s case however, the killer, him/his mother, killed in order to keep control over Norman’s actions, thus his psychosis could be persuaded by the issue of control but not control over his victims). Usually each of these killers (excepting the comfort killer) will use a hands-on method of killing using weapons in violent fashion (In Norman’s case it was a knife).   Each of these typologies involves either organized or disorganized killings. An organized killer is usually competent, intelligent, targets strangers as victims, uses restraints, and performs sex on their victims. The organized killer will be very aware of their crime and leave no trace or evidence at the scene of the crime (this is what Norman did at the beginning of the film, as is seen in the shower, and his clean up of the scene and dumping the car in the pool/swamp next to the hotel). On the other hand a disorganized killer will often be socially immature, may kill people they know, are often sexually inhibited, live alone and leave the scene of the crime full of fingerprints. (which also described Norman Bates). It would them seem as if Hitchcock created a serial killer in Norman Bates who epitomized every variable of serial killing psychosis; in point of fact, Hitchcock created the supreme serial killer, mixing in different elements of each sub-category into the one character. Spatial mobility is also an area where serial killers differ (as seen with Hitchcock’s keeping his scenes mainly in the hotel, or the Bates’ family home, which is given its own character by the lighting and the silhouette in certain scenes). Among this category there are geographically stable killers and there are geographically transient serial killers. The geographically stable serial killer live in the same area for an extended amount of time and they will kill in that area and dispose of the body somewhere close to home or within the neighborhood (which is what Bates does with his victim’s cars). A geographically transient serial killer will travel constantly, killing from place to place to confuse law enforcement agencies (here is an element of serial killers which Hitchcock does not give to Norman Bates). For, if a killer kills too many people in one area, the agency may believe the killer is from that specific area, and when the killer moves to the next town the same will happen so that there may not be a blatant pattern. As the number of crimes increase the lapse of time or cooling off periods decrease (as is also presented in Psycho). There is a tendency of degeneration of personality and the crime scenes will show a high increase of violence toward the victim (another reason why female serial killers are not believed to be transient killers – too violent of a personality). This is in correlation with the killer thinking that since they’ve done this type of thing before and haven’t been caught then they are in a realm of invincibility. Serial killer studies have been attentive to whether or not a killer is psychotic or that they kill for a type of self-preservation. In the case of Bates, it seems that a lot of his aggression, and violent temperament came from his abusive mother. Psychosis has grounding in the idea of the nurture or nature of a person. Childhood studies bring up issues such as the stages of when a mother is detrimental to the healthiness and mentality of a child and when a father is more apt to be an active participant for that child. The basis for the study is founded on the idea of a person not suddenly waking up one day and deciding to kill (as has been thought in past studies). There is a fundamental concept of socialization involved with such behaviour. The idea behind the killers motive is almost certainly tied to how they perceive their surrounding environment and how they don’t connect on the appropriate level with that society. A Swedish study done conceives of the matter of killers being narcissistic and unable to comprehend society in something other than egocentric terms. A dysfunctional family is used as a frame of reference, and if that childhood is stressful, dangerous, or filled with lack of love, then a certain consequence will occur, be it introversion or to an extreme, the beginnings of becoming a killer, as is seen in Norman Bates. It is through this specific film that the audience becomes a part of the spectacle of the film; through the characterizations, the plot, the point of view, and camera angles, and the development and pathologies of the serial killer Norman Bates each scene in this film aids in the development of the audience becoming immersed in the progression of the film. Each of the elements listed above is an enhancement to the story, and without the use of Hitchcock’s bird’s eye view, and psychosis of the character Norman Bates as shown through the character’s dramatic scenes and off camera mother’s voice to enhance the scene, and the other film techniques used, this movies would not be memorable because the audience member would not be invested in the outcome. Thus, the audience is immersed in how Bates became a serial killer, how he kills, why he kills, and the psychosis behind his killing. The character, the development of the plot, and the lighting and camera angles each add to the psychology of the film Psycho. This film allows for a supreme suspension of disbelief and it is through this that the true Hollywood thriller is found. Bibliography Psycho. Alfred Hitchcock. Anthony Perkins. Janet Leigh. Vera Miles. Shamley Productions. 1960.