Police Departments free essay sample

In this paper we are going to analyze ND differentiate the use of data innovation to enhance police divisions execution to diminish wrongdoing versus irregular watches of the boulevards. We are likewise demonstrating how COMPOSTS as an IS actualizes the fundamental IS capacities; and how IS have permitted police offices that execute devices, for example, COMPOSTS to react to wrongdoing quicker. In conclusion, in this paper the qualities, shortcomings, openings, and dangers investigation (SOOT examination) for police offices that expect to execute prescient policing will likewise appear.Predictive Policing To manufacture the correlation and complexity its use to improve police lofts execution to lessen wrongdoing versus arbitrary watches of the lanes first we need to discover what sort of data innovation Is accessible to police today. Prescient surveying, or projects, for example, COMPOSTS, Is taking information from dissimilar sources, investigating them and afterward utilizing the outcomes to foresee, forestall and react all the more viably to future wrongdoing. We will compose a custom article test on Police Departments or on the other hand any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Charlie Beck, head of the Los Angels Police Department composes The prescient vision moves law authorization from concentrating on what will occur and how to successfully send assets before the wrongdoing, therefore evolving results, (Predictive Policing: The Future of Law Enforcement, NJ, 2012) Predictive policing centers around five components and they are Integrated data and activities: Large police divisions keep up bunches of databases and its uncommon to see these PC frameworks consolidated to permit compelling analysis.It Is impossible that other data sources, for example, discharge discovery frameworks are connected into police investigative or combination focuses. At long last, police offices don't interface their activities and Information frameworks to different pieces of the Justice framework or social administrations framework. In this way, Poor Information sharing forestalls great examination and examination and can wreck endeavors to mediate with people to have a total image of the current circumstance. It is an absolute necessity for police to incorporate their data frameworks to empower situational awareness.Seeing the comprehensive view: Prevention is significant as reaction, and each episode is a data gathering opportunity. Not many violations are irregular occurrences. Most wrongdoing is a piece of an arrangement of crime and social issues. This implies police should have the option to perceive these examples in social orders. Thus, to spare their significant time and vitality it is important to fabricate police associations to utilize data to see the 10,000 foot view examples of what is happening around them. Bleeding edge investigation and innovation: This component is as straight forward as it sounds.Police divisions have heaps of data yet their examination isn't so solid. Tomorrows ground breaking office must rely upon great data that has been completely broke down. With the suitable devices police examiners must investigate the data and transform into usable items for the officials. Prescient investigation may incorporate apparatuses that connection individuals or exercises, representation of complex interrelationships, manage fear based oppression just as abusive behavior at home or id robbery and some more. Ethically, with the huge accessible instruments and innovation police divisions ought to figure out how to utilize them.Linkage to execution: It is important to follow police execution. In any case, it is additionally imperative to follow execution targets and wrongdoing patterns. The new innovation causes police to put themselves into the circumstances as opposed to being restricted to past circumstances. It is significant for police to have the option to perceive these criminal improvements before they become a danger for open. Versatility to evolving conditions: This component portrays how level arranged association, preparing in how to adjust to procedures dependent on data and high expert principles are needed.This produces various remarks, including the requirement for a prize structure dependent on how officials use data gave by wrongdoing examiners and on the essential absence of innovative comprehension inside police divisions. The COMPOSTS is an administration procedure or program inside a presentation the board system that blends investigation of confusion information and wrongdoing, vital critical thinking, and an unmistakable responsibility structure. I t is an orderly electronic method of utilizing the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to delineate patterns and distinguish issues.

Falling in love Essay Example for Free

Beginning to look all starry eyed at Essay English sentimental writer John Keats was conceived on October 31st 1795 in London. He lost the two guardians at an early age and turned into an understudy at fifteen with his watchman at his medical procedure. He got proficient in the field yet decided to compose poetry. He composed his best verse somewhere in the range of 1818 and 1819 in the wake of beginning to look all starry eyed at. He kicked the bucket of tuberculosis, the sentimental sickness, in the pre-winter of 1856. La Belle Dame Sans Merci is a delightful, supernatural and charming sonnet. It is secretive and leaves the peruser feeling somewhat muddled. I needed to peruse this song a few times before seeing completely what it was about yet I think this is simply because of the more unpredictable language utilized. The cadence is marginally unexpected in spots and I figure the entire sentimentalism of this sonnet would put a few perusers off. This is an extraordinarily excellent story, especially a fantasy and is shockingly basic once the language is aced. Utilizing numerous correlations with nature, the writer firmly accentuates the ferocity of the setting to help back up how wild and normally excellent this captivating lady is. Beginning with an inquiry and a decent one as well, this catches regard for the sonnet without any problem. For what reason is the Knight dallying around such a forsaken and most likely wintered place? What's more, the inquiry is then rehashed as though the Knight is in a daze. With a pale face, wrinkles on his forehead and a perspiration of fever dew he starts to clarify in the fourth measure, his account of how he came to be here He met a wild, extremely delightful, perplexing lady who, with her faery-like appeal charmed him completely devoted to her. She cried and he console her. For what reason would she say she was crying? She at that point charmed him into a fantasy where he saw numerous individuals all pale shouting out with enormous starving mouths in the sundown; La Belle Dame Sans Merci hath thee in bondage! The knight woke sitting on the virus slopes side failing to sleep, lost in his affection for that engaging, excellent lady who caught him. There are three phases of tone in this sonnet: the principal, inquisitive and cold, while the second is brimming with life, excellence and love. In the third area the knight recounting to the story is immediately taken back to the briskness and passing of the slope where he is reviled to meander. The secret of this story assists with charming the crowd and the run of the mill adventure of affection not being acknowledged is something individuals can emphatically identify with making this sonnet a success! In La Belle Dame even the sentimental French title delineates magnificence while Miss Gee is the undeniable title for a sonnet about a dull individual like Miss Gee. La Belle Dame is an exceptionally conceptual sonnet utilizing nature and fantasy to portray love and anguish. Miss Gee utilizes honest language and solid realities. There is little creative mind towards it yet this is ideal for passing on such a swoon character as Edith Gee. The narrative of La Belle Dame is about an excellent lady who catches warriors and princesses with her undying excellence. Lamentably Miss Gee is the direct inverse positively not delightful and not enchanting anybody, not so much as a companion. She would acknowledge somebody who might be keen on her yet the lovely lady just uses the individuals who succumb to her. The way that the understudies who cut up and giggle at Miss Gee are men looks at well to the following sonnet where the lady has control over the men. The delightful lady feels no blame nearly making her abhorrent, soul less yet Miss Gee even feels blame for her fantasies. This truly shows magnificence is quite shallow and Miss Gee never found the opportunity or had the certainty to demonstrate this Yet through La Belle anybody that became acquainted with her and were caught by her excellence at that point understood that she was not all she gave off an impression of being La Belle Dame Sans Merci hath thee in bondage! The two sonnets take in the issue of forlornness the fearless Knight who can just accuse his guileless self and the hopeless Miss Edith who needs so gravely to have friendship. The two songs dont have upbeat endings-Miss Gees tragic demise with her body being utilized for staring understudies and the Knight who was left palely loitering. Overall I favored La Belle Dame Sans Merci in light of the fact that it is a charming story leaving you thinking about what befell the Knight on the grounds that most fantasies have a cheerful completion. The individual toward the beginning who posed the inquiry may have helped him escape and the Knight said; that is the reason I visit here. Visit intends to remain incidentally, which implies that possibly the Knight was hoping to break the revile. Being a cliché fantasy Knight this getaway would be probable. Miss Gee was pitiful and terrible yet it was to some degree reasonable not all lives have a cheerful closure.

Blog Archive The Round 1 Step You Must Take Now!

Blog Archive The Round 1 Step You Must Take Now! Much of the MBA application process is a “long game.” Earning your desired GMAT score could require a year or more, and building a professional profile or enhancing your community activities takes even longer. We rarely encourage urgency, but this year’s Round 1 applicants need to do one thing  nowâ€"visit their target programs! The class visit deadlines for some programs are just a few weeks away, and others just a few days! And you may not realize that the visit periods will not reopen until  after  next season’s Round 1 deadlines. So if you want to visit before applying, time is running out! MBA Program Date of Last Class Visit Cornell Johnson March 29, 2018 Michigan Ross April 16, 2018 Wharton April 16, 2018 Duke Fuqua April 24, 2018 Columbia Business School April 26, 2018 Berkeley-Haas May 1, 2018 MIT Sloan May 3, 2018 Yale School of Management May 3, 2018 Dartmouth Tuck May 14, 2018 Stanford GSB June 1, 2018 Harvard Business School Late April Is a class visit really that important? Let us assure you it most definitely isâ€"particularly for these reasons: A. Invaluable Knowledge: Do not just assume that one top school would be just as good a fit for you as the next. Applicants may view a program positively based on what they have heard and read, but once they visit, they discover that certain elements of the environment would not be good for them, or might even be outright terrible. By observing a class, meeting students, touring campus, checking out the surrounding area, and possibly even talking directly with admissions staff, you will get a holistic, firsthand understanding of what your MBA experience would be like there. This is invaluable information you simply cannot obtain from a website or an alumnus. The added depth will ensure you make a more fully informed choice. B. Personalized Application: Some schools, such as Harvard Business School, explicitly state that a class visit does not factor into admissions decisions. Although this may be true in that you will not win extra points simply for doing so (or be disadvantaged for not), the experience will give you information and stories that will help you better establish and argue your fit with the program in your application. Plus, discussing your firsthand experience of a class or learning team meeting in an interview can make you a more compelling applicant. And some programs  do  note which applicants have made the effort to visit. A candidate living in New York, for example, who has not visited Columbia will likely be rejected. Why admit someone not motivated enough to visit? Finally, some schools appreciate the respectâ€"if you travel a long distance to visit a school, be assured the admissions committee will notice! C.  Fortuity: On campus, you can network directly with others at the program. We do not mean you should walk around handing out business cards, but register for an admissions session or connect with students/professors with similar interests by reaching out politely. You just might find an advocate for your candidacy, and that can make a world of difference. Now is also a great time to schedule a free consultation with an mbaMission admissions advisor to learn additional ways of rounding out your candidacy for this application season or next!  Click here to sign up! Share ThisTweet Application Tips Business School

Essay about Wonderful life of Kay Buell - 1489 Words

The Wonderful Life of Kay Buell Every individuals life has a past, present and future. My life has been developed and influenced by several factors that will be reflected in this paper. You will read about my life experiences and how it has developed into such a wonderful life. My life begin when I was a mere 2 years of age when my parents adopted my twin sister and myself. My parents were on the older side, so their beliefs were conservative and strict, even from the beginning. Since my sister and I had been out of many foster homes until my parents adopted us, it was important that we had structure. There was always plenty of love and stability that I received and that is so important in the development in the early years. My†¦show more content†¦Part of that development was leaving the security and protective environment of my parents home to attend college. Not only was the anticipation of attending the university amazing, but to be able to be my own person, was exciting. Knowing that I would be the sole decision maker to succeed and learn from that adventure would be an enormous growth period. Adulthood brings opportunities that are challenging and present change. One opportunity that was presented to me was relocating to California. My maturity level was one of a confident adult and wanting to capture this â€Å"unknown† adventure. Stepping â€Å"outside the box† mentally helped me prepare for the culture shock that was awaiting me. After moving to California with my sister, brought our relationship closer. The relationship of identical twins is unique and one that other people do not understand. It is difficult to establish a separate identity amongst family and peers. Being a twin brings a best friend and constant support. Also, it can result in switching identities for a short while and that can be just fun. The saying is that everyone has a twin in the world but in my case, it is true. We finally developed sep arate identities and our peers realized our independent personalities and way of thinking was not identical. Life experiences bring happiness, sorrow and passions that we indulge. My first passion is dogs. I have beenShow MoreRelatedDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesStress-Reduction Techniques 144 SKILL ANALYSIS 147 Cases Involving Stress Management 147 The Turn of the Tide 147 The Case of the Missing Time 150 SKILL PRACTICE 155 Exercises for Long-Term and Short-Run Stress Management The Small-Wins Strategy 155 Life-Balance Analysis 156 Deep Relaxation 158 Monitoring and Managing Time 159 SKILL APPLICATION 161 Activities for Managing Stress 161 Suggested Assignments 161 Application Plan and Evaluation 162 SCORING KEYS AND COMPARISON DATA Stress Management AssessmentRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 PagesStrategies for market nichers Military analogies and competitive strategy: a brief summary The inevitability of strategic wear-out (or the law of marketing gravity and why dead cats only bounce once) The influence of product evolution and the product life cycle on strategy Achieving above-average performance and excellence Summary 387 390 396 423 425 427 427 427 428 438 447 461 463 465 474 478 484 489 493 495 497 497 497 498 500 505 510 515 517 518 520 522 523 528 528 534 Stage Three: How might

The History of the Drug Krokodil

Krokodil is the street name for desomorphine an opiate-like drug similar to and a substitute for heroin used by addicts. Krokodil or desomorphine began its history as a patented drug. US patent 1980972 was issued to chemist, Lyndon Frederick Small for a Morphine Derivative and Processes on November 13, 1934. The drug was briefly manufactured and marketed by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche under the brand name of Permonid but was abandoned as a commercial product for its short shelf life and highly addictive nature. In the early 2000s, the drug resurfaced in Russia as krokodil, a home-brewed heroin substitute that takes about thirty minutes to manufacture from codeine pills and other substances. The home brewing of this drug includes the inclusion of impurities and toxic substances that have lead to some horrific consequences for users. Krokodil (Russian for crocodile) is named after one of the drugs major side effect, the greenish and scaly appearance of the damaged and rotting skin of users. Take one look at this Huffington Post video report and youll be quickly convinced never to try this drug. If You Dont Want It - Recycled Patents Many illicit street drugs (and even semi-legal ones) have had their origins in legitimate research done by pharmaceutical companies, research that has even resulted in patents being issued. For example, organic chemist John Huffman was the unwitting inventor of a synthetic version of marijuana. A few enterprising individuals read John Huffmans research on synthetic cannabinoids and began manufacturing and selling synthetic marijuana products such as Spice. These products were legal for a short spell of time, however, in most places they are no longer legal. Another popular street drug is MDMA or Molly as it is now called. The original formula for Molly was patented in 1913 by Merck, a German chemical company. Molly was intended to be a diet pill, however, Merck decided against marketing the drug and abandoned it. MDMA was made illegal in 1983, seventy years after it was originally invented. Heroin was once a registered trademark belonging to Bayer, the same folks that invented aspirin. A method of manufacturing heroin from the opium poppy was developed in 1874, as a substitute for morphine, and believe or not was used as a cough suppressant. The mind-bending psychedelic drug LSD was first synthesized on November 16, 1938 by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann while working for Sandoz Laboratories in Switzerland. However, it was a few years before Albert Hofmann realized what he had invented. Until 1914, cocaine was legal and even an ingredient in the soft drink Coca-Cola. The method of manufacturing cocaine from the coca leaf was invented in the 1860s. Lyndon Frederick Small 1897—1957 A 1931 Time Magazine article discusses the work of Frederick Small Lyndon in relation to the growing opiate epidemic in the United States. ....the Bureau of Social Hygiene gave the National Research Council funds for a study of drug addiction and the invention of a drug which would do for medicine everything which the habit-forming drugs do, yet not cause habit itself. Such a harmless, beneficial drug would make the manufacture of the baneful drugs needless. Then they could be completely suppressed. Council discovered Dr. Lyndon Frederick Small, just returned from two years of study in Europe, at the University of Virginia and financed a special laboratory for him. Out of a coal tar product called phenanthrene he has synthesized several drugs which closely resemble the chemical structure and physiological action of morphine. He sends them to Professor Charles Wallis Edmunds of the University of Michigan who tests them on animals. The two are confident that within perhaps a few months they will have an authentic drug which will not make, as morphine, heroin and opium do, pasty-faced, emaciated, depraved liars, out of its users.

The Limits Of Power Bacevich Essay - 1377 Words

Vinicius Araujo Mr. Stanford History 202 AA 12/12/2016 The Limits of Power: Bacevich, Andrew J. Introduction Andrew Bacevich, the person behind The Limits Of Power, was born and brought up in Normal Illinois. A. Bacevich is an alumnus of West Point in the year 1969 and worked in the U.S. Armed force amid the Vietnam conflict. He worked in Germany until he resigned from the administration in the mid-1990. A. Bacevich holds a PhD and has been a lecturer at Johns Hopkins and West Point University Previous before being part of Boston University back in 1998 and getting to be a Professor of International Relations. Andrew Bacevich has gone on record for criticizing the U.S. for control of Iraq calling the contention a disastrous dissatisfaction. He composed a few books such as American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of U.S. Strategy and Washington Rules. Summary Andrew J. Bacevich, exceptionally regarded over the political range, offers an authentic point of view about the dreams represented American approach as from 1945. The authenticity he suggests incorporates respect for supremacy and the limits; affect the ability for unintended outcomes; antipathy for cases of exceptionalism; wariness of simple arrangements, particularly those including power; and a conviction that the books should adjust. Just an arrival to such standards, Bacevich contends, can give shared belief to settling America s earnest issues before the harm gets to be distinctly hopeless. The Limits ofShow MoreRelatedThe American Foreign Policy During The Vietnam War1016 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew J. Bacevich was born 1947 in Normal, Illinois. In 1969, he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and served in the Vietnam War for a year from 1970 to 1971. He retired in the early 1990’s with the rank of Colonel after also holding posts in Germany, Persian Gulf, and th e United States. He later earned his Ph.D. in American Diplomatic History from Princeton University. He is a professor at Boston University, currently teaching international relations. He is also a retired career officerRead MoreAndrew Bacevich Has Taken The Position That The U.S. Is950 Words   |  4 PagesAndrew Bacevich has taken the position that the U.S. is more militaristic today than it has ever been. I do agree with his belief that the U.S. has been advocating or pursuing an aggressive military policy for quite some time. What is true about our militaristic posture, it remains unchanged even before the â€Å"War on Terrorism† was ever fabricated. The resolution of the U.S. population to forge with its military for two world wars which the use of atomic bomb and the overarching effect of inflictingRead MoreThe Iraqi Intrusion Of Kuwait On Second Of August 19901607 Words   |  7 Pagessettlement; that it depended on power without figuring out if financial approvals w ould attain to its objectives; and that it finished the war too soon, permitting Saddam Hussein to survive (Young Kent 2004). â€Å"According to Richard Cheney, Iraq borrowed $60 Billion dollars during the 1980s for military purposes. These loans were not expected to be repaid while the war was still under way, but were scheduled to fall due once the fighting came to a halt† (Bacevich Inbar, 2003). Young and KentRead MoreUs a Declining Superpower? Essay800 Words   |  4 Pagesnational power. This trend already started before the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, continued during the international financial crisis, and remains today. Is the United States a declining power? Yes, Claims Andrew J. Bacevich in The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism. Opposing that is Fareed Zakaria in The Post-American World. Professor Bacevich, A Vietnam veteran and West Point Graduate, is under the belief that the US has a problem because it has given more power to theRead MoreThe Washington Rules Of Us Foreign Policy1513 Words   |  7 Pagesthe United States has a duty and moral obligation to be the world’s policeman to the point where other nations just naturally expect us to act. Nonetheless, we sometimes forget that by following â€Å"Washington Rules,† we do not follow the limit and extend our powers. As a result, there are â€Å"blow backs† when the United States attempt to control the world; as seen by the Cuban Missile Crisis and 9/11. There are many ways the â€Å"Washington Rules† project of US foreign policy has managed to sustain andRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union1462 Words   |  6 Pagesbecame a source of heated controversy among historians. In particular, who was responsible for the breakdown of Soviet-U.S. relations after the Second World War? During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were allied against the Axis powers. However, in the years that followed the end of World War II, the alliance became uneasy, and signs of strain began to show. Historians have disagreed as to whether the conflict between the two superpowers was inevitable or may have been avoided.Read MorePosition Paper on Military Industrial Complex1837 Words   |  8 Pagesrelationship between the nation’s armed forces and the industries that support them. Though its name came about in the 1960s, this relationship between armed forces and private industry dates back centuries. Recent legislation has been passed to help limit the power that this relationship has over defense spending. For any country, military spending is a big part of the national budget. Over time this business transaction has formed into a relationship between the nation’s armed forces and these privateRead MoreEssay on Achieving Peace Through Militarism1873 Words   |  8 Pagesmany nations, especially to the third world. By one superpower supplying a conflicting group with weapons, they reason that they are helping the people to have power enough to resolve their struggle, and in influencing the outcome, would therefore gain more power for themselves as well as widen their sphere of influence. But since both powers were doing this, for opposite sides of conflicts, it only caused more destruction and instability (Regehr, 1980). Another problem with nuclear proliferation

Rhetorical Modes free essay sample

Rhetorical modes are methods for effectively communicating through language and writing. Complete the following chart to identify the purpose and structure of the various rhetorical modes used in academic writing. Provide at least two tips for writing each type of rhetorical device. NOTE: You may not copy and paste anything directly from the textbook or a web site. All information included in this assignment must be written in your own words. Rhetorical Mode Purpose – Explain when or why each rhetorical mode is used. Structure – Identify the organizational method that works best with each rhetorical mode. Tips – Provide two tips for writing in each rhetorical mode. Narration To tell a story about an actual event or a made up event. Having a plot that describes the main event that helps move the story forward. You need to describe whether the story is going to be fact or fiction. If it is a fact then it needs to have all of the information correct. If it is fiction the writer needs to use the imagination to the fullest. Try t use the five senses when describing the story, touch, taste, smell, sound, and sight. Illustration To show or demonstrate the point is clear by using evidence as backup. By organizing the evidence when building the thesis to keep the audience intrigued with the story. Try not to over explain the concepts of the story, the audience may already understand these concepts. Instead try to make the points more clear. Also try to use more than one illustration. To make the audience more engaged use a variety of words and phrases. Description Using description in writing an essay can ensure that the audience is engaged in the words that are written. When writing a descriptive essay it needs to be very detailed on the people, or places, and even objects that re in the story. On a descriptive essay using the sensory details is a great method for keeping the audience interested in the story. Keeping the essay organized will help with the arrangement of the ideas or appearance for the characters or objects, or even places in the essay. Classification To be more specific about subjects that can be too broad or unmanageable. By taking a subject and breaking it down to smaller detailed subjects then bring these back together to give the audience a bigger picture of the main subject and they will understand better. Try to pick topics that I already know about can help me be more descriptive when breaking them down into smaller parts. Try to break down each topic at least three different ways to help me choose the best of them and I may find out something I didn’t know. Process analysis By making step-by-step directions on explaining how something works or how to do something is the purpose of process analysis. The analysis process is a way to describe what the topic is about and what the rewards are for following step-by-step process. Having someone read the process analysis is a helpful way to make sure it makes sense to the reader. If I come across a difficult step and need to explain it more clearly put it in its own paragraph. Definition By defining the meaning of a topic is a way to use a definition essay. Not just by looking it up in the dictionary but by using personal experiences. Keeping the essay from being misunderstood, I should use the context to identify the settings in which something occurs or exists and includes e circumstances. Rather than defining objects try using concepts that can be more contentious and making the essay more effective. Try to write about incidents that are personally important that I can define better. Compare and contrast When a compare and contrast essay is written. It illustrates the subtle differences or unexpected similarities but not stating the obvious topics. Start with a thesis about two subjects that are clearly stated to be compared contrasted a reason do so. By knowing the critical points and differences of a topic will help make an accurate evaluation. To organize an essay use a point-by-point strategy. Cause and effect The purpose of cause and effect is to know why and how an event or condition occurs. When writing a cause and effect essay start with one or the other o state conditions of the event. Then the determination how the phenomena are linked. It is necessary to determine if one cause or effect is more important than the other, this is how a thesis is developed. Be sure to support the claims with clear evidence. Persuasion To help the audience be convinced, motivated, or moved toward a certain opinion or point of view. There are five features that help make up the structure of a persuasive essay. Introduction and thesis, opposing ideas, strong evidence, style and tone, and conclusion. Don’t argue the point but try to get the readers to consider the point of view or opinion is valuable not jut the right one. Try not to base a thesis on a negative claim. Write a 100- to 150-word paragraph explanation that demonstrates why compares and contrast is the appropriate rhetorical mode for the topic you chose in Week Two. Compare and contrast is good to use in an essay when there are two topics that are related to people or things that the similarities, or differences need to be pointed out in a descriptive paragraph. By doing this the reader is going to get descriptive information on each topic and have a better understanding of them. The readers will also find what is most important about each topic and the connection between them. Knowing the differences will help the readers decide which topic is the better choice for them. This will also give me the knowledge to share with others as well.

“Words that Wound” Summary and Reaction Essay Example

â€Å"Words that Wound†: Summary and Reaction Paper â€Å"Words that Wound† by Kathleen Vail Words that Wound by Kathleen Vail is an essay about the effects of bullying on students in American schools. The essay starts with a re-enactment of Brian Heads public suicide. Brian was apparently being bullied in school and resolved into committing suicide to escape the torture. Statistics of how many students are bullied are then showed afterwards, claiming that the performance in class of a staggering number of students is affected by bullying. Despite the statistics, authorities have not paid much attention to bullying, prompting William Head, the father of Brian, to start an advocacy against bullying. However, even with Mr. Heads efforts, bullying continues in their area. Teachers often ignore the abuse that is going on in campus, and some of them even think it is part of the learning that the school provides. As a result of the fatal bullying incidents in Georgia, the state has passed an anti-bullying law. Reactions My first reaction to the essay based on the opening paragraph is that it reminds me a lot of the Pearl Jam music video Jeremy. We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Words that Wound†: Summary and Reaction specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Words that Wound†: Summary and Reaction specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Words that Wound†: Summary and Reaction specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Jeremy in the music video also committed suicide in front of his classmates. There is reason to believe that the video is partly inspired by the incident mentioned in this essay, although it is not really clear. My second reaction is that I am surprised that there are people who would take their own lives just because of bullying. I know kids can undergo physical and emotional suffering, but I dont think it is enough reason to commit suicide; I believe that there is no reason in the world to commit suicide. I may be just saying this either because I never experienced bullying or I am just really optimistic in life. At any rate, I agree with one of the teachers in the essay that bullying is partly the victims’ fault. Bullied students should not allow themselves to be bullied. They should stand up for themselves even if the bullies are physically superior. Resistance, no matter how futile, can have some positive effects. Reference Vail, K. (1999). Words that Wound. American School Board Journal, 186 (9), 37–40.

Marketing Communications Notes Essays

Marketing Communications Notes Essays Marketing Communications Notes Paper Marketing Communications Notes Paper pan-Latin America, pan-Middle East, pan-Africa, and pan-Atlantic. European advertising would likely be used in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, while the Asian ads would be placed in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Recognizing the economic power of these tigers, Gillette clusters Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan together, and recognizing the sheer numbers and consumer power, treats Japan, China and India as separate clusters. Gillette believes it can identify the same purchase behaviours, consumer habits and needs in regions or countries linked by culture (cultural clusters), justifying this approach (Jain 1996, 555). 20 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Activity 1. 4 Your company has adopted an IMC approach to marketing its products in Hong Kong. The Managing Director has asked your advice as to whether it needs to consider IMC issues when it expands into Singapore and New Zealand. Unit 1 21 Moral and ethical issues in marketing Should cigarettes and alcohol be advertised? If so, to whom? Would it be acceptable to have cigarettes aimed at children, featuring Teletubbies with the brand name ‘My First Cigarettes’ or Bob the Builder alcohol drink boxes? What about sales promotions where free alcohol and cigarette samples are given out? Again, if so, to whom? Would such promotions held in a schoolyard or at a school festival be acceptable? What about loyalty programmes that reward patrons with merchandise based on the amount they gamble or the number of firearms they purchase? Such promotions do occur. I was once given a sample pack of cigarettes targeted to women on a busy street in Tokyo. Bass Taverns, which has 800 pubs across Britain, began a loyalty scheme in the late 1990’s for pub regulars where every pound spent earned one point with every 25 points earning a one pound discount on food and drink. The loyalty card uses thermal imaging so the glass of beer on the front of the card ‘fills up’ as points accrue. Believe it or not, patrons asked Bass Taverns to raise the price of their beer - at the regular price of one pound fortynine, regulars complained that they fell two pence short of accumulating three points when they bought a round of two lagers! These are the types of questions faced by marketers on a regular basis as they try to determine what is acceptable, where it would be acceptable recognizing that different cultures have different values and where the line has to be drawn. As you read the following section in Clow and Baack, recognize that it is written by American authors who are discussing what is perceived to be acceptable both ethically and morally in the United States. Does everything they say apply in Hong Kong or are there any exceptions or things missing? Recognize as well that ethics and morals are personal, so what one individual finds to be totally immoral or unethical could be considered perfectly acceptable or borderline by another. Reading Clow and Baack, 416–19. Businesses have to make a profit to stay in business. To make a profit, businesses must generate sales and control expenses. While most would agree that companies that act ethically, morally and responsibly have a greater chance of long-term success, the temptation is always there to cut corners to reduce costs or generate faster sales, to counter the competition or to take advantage of a particular group of consumers - remember the quote at the beginning of this unit. Clow and Baack define morals as ‘the beliefs or principles that individuals hold concerning what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ (p. 416). Morals 22 MKT B366 Marketing Communications direct our decisions and behaviours. Ethics are the ‘moral principles that serve as guidelines for both individuals and organizations’ (p. 416), helping both individuals and organizations to ‘draw the line’ between what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. In the textbook, Clow and Blaack discuss the need for social responsibility and formalized training. In the following sections, the issues of ethics will be described in more detail, including codes of ethics, ethical criticisms faced by marketers, ethics across cultures, and the relationship between ethics and purchase behaviour. An exploration of these issues helps shape the IMC programme. You may be interested in taking the online ethics tutorials offered by the United States Direct Marketing Association (USDMA) at . Codes of ethics Organizations and professions also adopt codes of ethics to direct the behaviour of their members. As Appendices 1. 1–1. 3 of this unit, you will find the following marketing codes of ethics. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (2003) ‘General regulations for the provision of professional standards, ethics and disciplinary procedures in accordance with royal charter bye-laws 16–19’, United Kingdom Canadian Marketing Associat ion (2004) ‘Code of ethics and standards of practice’. The revised CMA ‘Code of ethics and standards of practice’ will take effect on 1 January 2007. A completed information package can be downloaded from Hong Kong Direct Marketing Association (HKDMA) (2002) ‘Code of ethics’. Please take a quick look at these codes and notice how each of them codes of ethics bind their members. Notice how some of the components of these codes are quite specific. For example, in the HKDMA code, item 4 requires that ‘when price comparisons are used, they must be factual and verifiable’. The Canadian Marketing Association’s code has a section concerning marketing to children and specific regulations for different types of media such as television and print. The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s code has a very explicit section concerning its Disciplinary Committee and how complaints against members will be processed. Codes of practice The HKDMA has also adopted a code of practice for the ‘Use of personal data in direct marketing’. The use of personal data, especially the onselling of membership and mailing lists, has been quite a Unit 1 23 contentious issue in many countries, exacerbated by increased consumer participation on the Internet. The code of practice has been designed to ensure that HKDMA members comply with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance of the Hong Kong Government. The HKDMA code of practice can be accessed on their website at . As commercial traffic increases on the Internet, expect to see codes of ethics developed specifically for online marketing activities, especially in the sensitive area of online marketing to children. Ethical criticisms faced by marketers On page 417 of your textbook, some of the major specific ethical criticisms faced by marketers are listed. You may find it a useful exercise to ask friends or family if they agree with the criticisms and if they can provide recent Hong Kong examples from their own experiences. Do not be surprised if you find a divergence of opinions, which further reinforces that morals and ethics are personal. If you were to ask a group of ten marketers if they agree that these are bona fide criticisms, would you expect their opinions to be consistent with each other and with those expressed by your friends and family? What about government officials, especially those charged with regulating marketing activities? What about consumers, marketers and government officials in different countries? Recognize that consumers, marketers and government officials, both in Hong Kong and in countries around the world would each approach these ethical issues from slightly different perspectives and that these different perspectives may be reflected in their judgements as to what is ethical and what is unethical. Recognize as well that these criticisms reflect value judgements - what is offensive to one individual may be quite acceptable to another. Let’s look a little closer at these criticisms: Marketing causes people to buy more than they can afford and overemphasizes materialism A student, when asked to define marketing on an exam, once provided me with the oft quoted ‘Marketing is about buying things you don’t need, with money you don’t have, to impress people you don’t know’. Not an answer that would be found in many marketing texts or that would get many marks on an exam. And certainly not what the American Marketing Association intended in their slogan ‘Marketing makes a good life better’. However, there would be many who would assert that there is more than a grain of truth in the student’s definition - remember the quote from the beginning of this unit about finding ‘suckers’ and persistent salespeople. There is no doubt that there are consumers who overspend - ever increasing credit card debt and business overdrafts attest to this fact. There is also no doubt that there are consumers who seek instant gratification and, believing advertising 24 MKT B366 Marketing Communications claims, overspend, either as a lifestyle or an occasional indulgence. Those opposed to globalization often point to what they perceive to be frivolous spending - say a Michael Jordon t-shirt purchased by a consumer in Africa existing on subsistence wages - as evidence of the power of advertising to direct consumer behaviours. Critics contend that advertisements portray products in such a way that not purchasing them leads to dissatisfaction. The debate really boils down to power and who is more powerful: are marketers more powerful than consumers, able to manipulate, overcome objections and stimulate behaviour? Or are consumers more powerful than marketers, able to exercise free will and their own decision making powers? What do you believe? What about your friends and family? Marketing increases the costs of goods and services You don’t need to be an economist to realize that marketing costs money - for example, the millions of US dollars needed to get a 15 second spot in the SuperBowl telecast. And you don’t need to be an accountant to realize that companies cannot absorb the total cost of marketing, while still making a profit and staying in business. At least some of the costs of marketing must be passed on to consumers in the sticker price. Clow and Baack point out that advertising and other forms of promotion serve to establish and enhance brand images, providing consumers with psychological benefits in addition to the physical benefits. For some consumers, the extra money paid is worth it to get a brand label or shop in a prestigious boutique. L’Oreal hair colouring acknowledges this fact in their slogan ‘More expensive yes, but I’m worth it! ’ Marketing proponents would point out that consumers have choice. They can purchase the fake Rolex watch, Chanel purse or Yves Saint Laurent tie at the Ladies Market; an unbranded watch, purse or tie at a hawker’s stall, or the real thing at a boutique in Prince’s Square or Festival Walk. Given Hong Kong’s love affair with brands and logos, where fakes are considered better than ‘no names’, it would appear that local consumers believe that the psychological benefits, most created and supported by promotion, are ‘worth it’. Marketing perpetuates stereotypes A debate has raged for years within the advertising community as to the power of advertising and its true role within society. Does it reflect the values, attitudes, morals and behaviours of the environments within which it operates †¦ or does it shape the values, attitudes, morals and behaviours of those who are exposed to it? Those who suggest that advertising ‘reflects’ the local culture or country believe that ads must ‘speak the local language’ and that if they don’t they would offend consumers who would purchase competitive products. Those who suggest that advertising ‘shapes’ local cultures and countries believe that how groups are portrayed in ads - stereotypical portrayal of women, minorities, the elderly or men - determines how these groups are treated and continue to be treated in society. Which side do you favour? Ask friends and family their opinions - you are guaranteed a lively debate. Unit 1 25 Researchers, academics and practitioners concerned about the increase in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have looked at how young women, especially in Western countries, form their visions of body perfection. Many point to the portrayal of women in the media as a primary influence. The women featured in fashion magazines and television ads all have perfect figures, hair and facial features - often achieved by liposuction, plastic surgery, silicone implants or very sophisticated photography techniques. These same women are presented in the ‘after’ pictures so favoured by exercise and diet companies. Consumers are encouraged to be dissatisfied with their current appearance, purchasing advertised products that promise them the results portrayed in the ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures. As Charles Revson, of Revlon Cosmetics, said, cosmetic manufacturers sell ‘hope in a bottle’. Consumers are led to believe ‘If I buy Estee Lauder products, I’ll look just like Elizabeth Hurley or Cindy Crawford’. However, they soon find out that even Cindy Crawford doesn’t look like Cindy Crawford without an army of hair stylists, makeup artists, wardrobe consultants, personal trainers and talented photographers. (Cindy Crawford has publicly stated ‘even I don’t look like Cindy Crawford when I wake up in the morning’! )Gossip magazines love to publish photos of celebrities without their makeup, illustrating just how different their public personae is to reality. Marketing creates offensive advertisements Some countries have ‘good taste’ or ‘public morals’ clauses within their legislation which allow them to respond to specific consumer complaints. For example, Seiko had to change its slogan ‘Man invented time; Seiko perfected it’ to ‘Man invented timekeeping; Seiko perfected it’ in Malaysia, when a Muslim holy man complained that God had invented time. Weet-bix, a breakfast cereal, faced public opposition in the late 1990s, eventually removing an outdoor billboard in Dunedin, New Zealand which showed beer being poured over the cereal with the slogan ‘As Kiwi as it gets’. In an interesting case in Australia in 1999, Toyota was given the right to use the word ‘bugger’ in its ads despite consumer complaints when the Advertising Council of Australia determined that ‘bugger’ was an acceptable word in everyday Australian communication. One company that walks a continuous ‘fine line’ relative to ‘good taste’ is Benetton, whose ads have featured urban violence and a dying AIDS patient. Benetton’s ads featuring a black woman breast feeding a white child, a black child made to look like a devil with the white child made to look like an angel, and a black and white man handcuffed together were attacked by US civil rights groups for promoting white racial domination. Why does Benetton continue to place these ads? Simply, they create interest among other media sources and lots of coffee break chatter. Can you think of examples of ads that have been pulled in Hong Kong after complaints about poor taste? 26 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Marketing creates advertisements linked to bad habits and intimate subjects Most countries now have legislation concerning the advertising of alcohol, cigarettes, children’s products, intimate personal care products and the professions. For example, in Canada, advertisements cannot show alcohol actually being consumed, presenting a creative challenge to advertising executives. In Queensland, Australia, after May 1, 2002, all cigarette advertising and promotions are banned. In most countries, intimate personal care items such as condoms and feminine hygiene products cannot be shown actually being used, again presenting challenges to the creatives. Advertising to children is unethical In Hong Kong, children may not be used in advertisements for alcoholic liquor or tobacco. Nor can an advertisement encourage children to ask parents for the product, imply that children who do not own the product are inferior, or encourage children to enter strange places or converse with strangers to collect coupons (Hong Kong Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority). Marketers prepare deceptive and misleading advertisements Marketers have to ensure they comply with local laws and regulations that dictate what is legal and illegal in terms of advertising content and placement. Most countries have well developed legislation and enforcement procedures concerning deceptive and misleading advertising. Advertising professional services is unethical Debate over allowing lawyers in the United States to advertise raged for many years. Most were concerned about the tactics that might be used and how they would affect the way the profession was perceived in society. During a recent trip to Canada, I saw a late night advertisement for a lawyer in Detroit who claimed ‘I’m an SOB but I’m your SOB’ - perhaps the industry was justified in their concern. Salespeople use deceptive practices What is your opinion of salespeople in general? Ask friends and family their opinions. For many consumers, the stereotype of the ‘unethical, high pressure used car salesperson’ applies to all salespeople. It is a common criticism that salespeople use high pressure, often deceptive tactics to get consumers to purchase the brand that is offering them the largest incentive. Many tourists have commented on the practices used by salespeople on the Golden Mile in Nathan Road, especially in terms of product features and international warranties. The Hong Kong Tourist Association hopes that tourists will patronize stores displaying their ‘red junk’ logos, indicating that the trader is a member of the HKTA and subject to its standards. Unit 1 27 What is interesting and somewhat ironic, is that while critics talk about unethical marketers, few comment on unethical consumers. The following list (Schiffman et al. 2001, 15) details some unethical consumer practices - can you think of others? shoplifting switching price tags returning clothing that has been worn abusing products and returning them as damaged goods redeeming coupons without the requisite purchase redeeming coupons that have expired returning clothing bought at full price and demanding a refund for the sales price differential returning products bought at sale and demanding the full-price refund stealing belts from store clothing cutting buttons off store merchandise returning partially used products for full store credit abusing warranty or unconditional guarantee privileges damaging merchandise in a store and then demanding a sales discount copying copyrighted materials (e. g. books, videotapes, computer software) without permission. Have you seen evidence or heard stories of such unethical behaviour? In the following reading, questions about ethics were asked of Hong Kong managers. You might find it interesting to answer these questions yourself, using a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being strongly agree and 5 being strongly disagree. Compare your answers to those of friends and family. Then compare all the answers with those found by Au and Tse. Reading 1. 1 (OUHK E-Library) Au, A and Tse, A (2001) ‘Marketing ethics and behavioural predispositions of Chinese managers in SMEs in Hong Kong’, Journal of Small Business Management, 39(3): 272. This article is available in the OUHK E-Library E-Reserve. (See the Course Guide section ‘E-Library E-Reserve readings’ for more information. ) 28 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Ethics across cultures The next article presents a good discussion of the ethical systems of China and the USA. How could international marketers in Hong Kong use the information contained in this article? Reading 1. 2 (OUHK E-Library) Pitta, D, Fung, H G and Isberg, S (1999) ‘Ethical issues across cultures: managing the differing perspectives of China and the USA’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16(3): 240–56. This article is available in the OUHK E-Library E-Reserve. (See the Course Guide section ‘E-Library E-Reserve readings’ for more information. ) Ethics and purchase behaviour The following reading asks whether a company’s ethics influence consumers purchasing behaviour. Do you think Hong Kong consumers are influenced by the ethical behaviour of a company? Have you seen evidence in Hong Kong of consumers boycotting companies accused of unethical practices? Please refer to Activity 1. 5 and then read the article by Carrigan and Attalla. Activity 1. 5 Your Managing Director has asked you to read the Carrigan and Attalla article ‘The myth of the ethical consumer - do ethics matter in purchase behaviour? ’ (Reading 1. 3) and advise him as to your opinion about whether consumers consider the ethical position of a company in their purchase decisions. Reading 1. 3 (OUHK E-Library) Carrigan, M and Attalla, A (2001) ‘The myth of the ethical consumer - do ethics matter in purchase behaviour’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(7): 560–77. This article is available in the OUHK E-Library E-Reserve. (See the Course Guide section ‘E-Library E-Reserve readings’ for more information. ) Unit 1 29 Regulation of marketing communications by government Governments around the world have enacted legislation to control marketing efforts. Much of that legislation has been concerned with marketing communications, especially aspects of the promotional mix. We will discuss applicable international regulations throughout the course as we address each component. In the following reading, Clow and Baack look at how marketing communications are regulated in the United States. This does not form part of assessable material and we will be providing Hong Kong specific information to supplement this reading. However, it is worth reading to see how the world’s largest group of marketers are controlled. Reading Clow and Baack, 408–14. Hong Kong Government regulation of marketing The Hong Kong Government has enacted a large number of Ordinances that cover marketing activities from the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance to the Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance to the Sale of Goods Ordinance and Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance. As these carry the force of law, it is expected that Hong Kong marketers will comply. A full list of these Ordinances can be found on the Hong Kong Government website at . Absent from these ordinances however is specific legislation concerning deceptive, misleading and unfair practices in consumer transactions, which forms the cornerstone for consumer protection in countries such as Canada, the UK, Australia, the US and China. The Consumer Council Of particular interest is the Consumer Council Ordinance 1977 which formally incorporated the Consumer Council, established in 1974 to address public concern about inflationary prices and profiteering. The Council is funded by the Hong Kong Government via an annual Government subvention and its members are appointed by the Chief Executive of the SAR but retains total independence to formulate and implement policies. The Consumer Council ‘protects and promotes the interest of consumers of goods and services and purchasers, mortgagors and lessees of immovable property’ (www. consumer. org. hk/aboutus/ about_e. htm). 30 MKT B366 Marketing Communications The Council routinely conducts research on consumer policy providing advice to government, engages in consumer education, handles consumer complaints, monitors trade practices, encourages business and professional organizations to establish codes of practice and mediates disputes between consumers and service suppliers. The Council will also publicly name Hong Kong businesses that persist in malpractices despite Council intervention. The following reading is a press release that details the activities of the Consumer Council during 2006. Reading 1. 4 Consumer Council (2006) Press release, with appendix ‘Consumer complaint statistics for year 2004 to 2006’, January 4, at (Accessed on 18 July 2006). Notice the increase in consumer complaints, especially telecommunications ervices and equipment, and the Council’s efforts to encourage the adoption of codes of practice and consumer awareness of their rights. Activity 1. 6 You are discussing the role of governments in r egulating marketing practices with some fellow marketers from Canada and Australia. The Australian says ‘I can’t believe that Hong Kong does not have legislation concerning deceptive or misleading advertising or other deceptive marketplace practices - we’ve had it in Australia for years. ’ How would you respond? Activity 1. 7 Parents, teachers and governments have long been concerned about the impact of violence in television, movies and video games on children. Imagine that research published in The Scientist magazine indicated that children who watch more than one hour of television per day show an increased propensity toward violent acts and a desensitisation towards the portrayal of violence (e. g. laughing, enjoying or ignoring violent acts). Video games, many targeted specifically towards children, often advertise the level of violence in the game, knowing that more violent games sell better than less violent games. Unit 1 31 a Do you believe that advertising higher levels of violence breaches ethical guidelines? Do you believe that the advertising of video games specifically targeted to children should be regulated by the government? b 32 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Social responsibility ‘We have an obligation to give back to the communities that give us so much’ - Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s, 1955 ‘Our customers are proud to have us in the neighbourhood because we are a socially responsible company the world should be a better place because of McDonald’s. ’ - Chairman and CEO, Jack Greenberg, McDonald’s Vision Statement, 2000 (www. mcdonalds. com. /corporate/social/social. html) Why does Mc Donalds issue statements like the ones above? Why does McDonald’s strive to be a socially responsible company by sponsoring sports teams, providing free products to seniors, and supporting a broad range of charitable endeavours? In this section of the unit, we will look at how and why socially responsible marketing is used by marketers. The following reading discusses the concept of social responsibility and the benefits to be gained from engaging in positive and socially responsible marketing activities. Reading Clow and Baack, 384. Clow and Baack define social responsibility as ‘the obligation an organization has to be ethical, accountable and reactive to the needs of society’ (p. 384). Notice how they use the term ‘organization’ which not only includes businesses but non-profit organizations such as charities, hospitals and schools as well as governments and their services such as the police and the judiciary. The concept of social responsibility is based on the belief that society and organizations enjoy a symbiotic relationship - what is good for one is good for the other, what is bad for one is bad for the other. In the business world, social responsibility dictates that businesses not only determine the needs of consumers and satisfy them better than the competition but do so in a way that maintains the well-being of both the consumer and society as a whole. Socially responsible firms are more likely to survive over the long term as their activities generate good publicity and customer loyalty. Positive and socially responsible marketing activities Beyond doing no harm (not engaging in negative or destructive behaviour such as discrimination or pollution) companies now realize the benefits from engaging in positive actions. Two of these are of particular interest: Unit 1 33 cause-related marketing and green marketing. Cause-related marketing In cause-related marketing (CRM), a firm contributes to a particular cause, such as a charity, in direct proportion to specific consumer actions such as the purchase of the company’s product. Take the example of Sunraysia, which donates 25 cents to the Hong Kong Cancer Fund for every purchase of Suraysia prune juice. Reading Clow and Baack, 384–87. It is necessary to draw a distinction between CRM and corporate philanthropy because although they share some similarities as charitable activities, they differ in their objectives. Polonsky and Speed (2001, 1363) point out that corporate philanthropy is ‘founded on altruism, and involves the firm making a contribution of cash or kind, without an expectation of a tied benefit’. CRM, on the other hand is like sponsorship, and is ‘commercially motivated and involves the â€Å"giving† firm acquiring and leveraging the right to be associated with the recipient’ (Polonsky and Speed 2001, 1365). An example of sponsorship is the Standard Chartered Bank’s sponsorship of the Hong Kong Marathon. The following table summarizes the key features of corporate philanthropy, sponsorship and CRM programmes. Table 1. 1 Key features of corporate philanthropy, sponsorship and CRM programmes Activity Funding Resources Use of resources Corporate philanthropy Sponsorship Fixed None No commercial use made of association Fixed Association Association is used in attempt to change customer attitudes, behavioural intentions and behaviours Attitudes (positioning), behavioural intentions (loyalty and preference) and behaviours (sales) Indirect sales impact Exclusively to the sponsor CRM programme Variable possible capped Association Association is used to create a customer offer, linked to a specific contribution to the cause Behaviours (sales), behavioural intentions (loyalty and preference) and attitudes (positioning) Direct sales impact Split between the cause and the sponsor Key market outcomes Sales impact None None Revenue flows None (Polonsky and Speed 2001, 1365) 34 MKT B366 Marketing Communications According to Shimp (2000, 620), companies that engage in CRM can: enhance corporate or brand images; thwart negative publicity; generate incremental sales; increase brand awareness; reach new customer segments; broaden their customer base; and increase a brand’s retail merchandising activity. Companies are able to achieve these objectives because consumers hold favourable attitudes towards CRM efforts. One study reported that 83% of Americans feel more positive about companies that support causes they value and that 77% favour long-term corporate involvement with causes rather than short-term promotions (Shimp 2000, 621). One UK study (Brabbs 2000) found that: 88% of survey respondents had heard of CRM programmes, with the average UK adult being aware of at least four specific programmes; 87% of respondents reported that CRM positively affected their perceptions or behaviours; 48% of those who had participated in a CRM reported changing their purchase behaviour as a result of the CRM programme, either switching brands, increasing usage or trying new products/services; 80% of consumers surveyed indicated that CRM programmes would positively impact on their future attitudes and behaviours; and 67% believed that more companies should become involved with CRM, with 50% preferring to be told about CRM activities through television advertising, 42% through in-store advertising and 18% through print ads. Another UK study (Adkins 2002) reported that: 81% of consumers, when faced with equal price and quality, would more likely purchase the product associated with a cause they believe it; and 66% of consu mers would switch brands while 57% would change retail outlets to favour companies engaged in CRM, price and quality being equal. If similar studies were done in Hong Kong, do you think the statistics would vary dramatically? If so, why? It is important to ensure that there is a good fit between the charity and the target market for the product or service. For example, Avon is a major international supporter of Breast Cancer research with its Pink Unit 1 35 Ribbon promotions (www. avoncrusade. com). Would you consider this an appropriate fit? Given that Avon’s primary target market is female, the answer would be yes. You are likely familiar with specific Hong Kong examples of companies engaging in cause-related marketing efforts for charities. You may have participated in one of McDonald’s McHappy Days promotions where local celebrities serve customers and a percentage of sales is donated to Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities, it’s own charity division. This is an appropriate fit when you consider that one of McDonald’s main (if not its main) target market is children. Since its establishment in Hong Kong in 1988, this charity has raised millions in funding for local education and arts programmes such as the Spastic Association’s Kwai Sing School, civic and social services such as the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf, and health care and medical research programmes such as the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society. The first Ronald McDonald House where the parents of critically ill children can stay while their children are in hospital opened in Hong Kong in 1996, funded in large part by McHappy Day promotions. All administrative costs for operating the charity are donated by McDonald’s Restaurants (HK) Limited, so all funds raised directly benefit the selected charities. If you visit the McDonald’s Hong Kong website (www. mcdonalds. com), and read the press clippings, you will see that McDonald’s also runs a global fundraising campaign called ‘World Children’s Day’ to help children in need around the world. Last year in Hong Kong, the World Children’s Day at McDonald’s 2005 programme ran from October 23 to November 20, with a Charity Kids Marathon, a Charity Sale, a Concert and a Gala Dinner. Funds raised from these events were donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF. The Charity Kids Marathon attracted 1,000 kids. Immediately after the Marathon, a Charity Sale was held at McDonald’s. For every purchase of an Extra Value Meal, McDonald’s donated 30 cents to the beneficiaries. Customers were also encouraged to purchase ‘I helped give a hand’ stickers. On 19 November 2005, Hong Kong’s most popular pop singers, including Leo Ku, Jan Lamb, Joey Yung, Eason Chan, Anthony Wong and Miriam Yeung, performed at the World Children’s Day at McDonald’s 2005 Concert to raise millions of dollars. A spectacular charity Gala Dinner on 20 November 2005 marked the culmination of World Children’s Day at McDonald’s 2005. A total of HK$3. million was raised from various McDonald’s initiatives for World Children’s Day 2005 to support children’s programmes run by Ronald McDonald’s House Charities (RMHC) and the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, benefiting children in Hong Kong and aro und the globe. Endangered wildlife and organizations such as the WWF have also benefited greatly from cause-related marketing. For example, in the mid-1990’s the Mainland Cheese company in New Zealand engaged in cause-related marketing in support of the Yellow-Eyed Penguin, a native species facing habitat destruction. Each block of Mainland cheese had a label that could be cut off and submitted in groups of 10, generating a corporate donation. They also created a children’s club, the Mainland Penguin Pal Club, where in addition to the donation, children’s label submissions also entitled the child to selected penguin 36 MKT B366 Marketing Communications related merchandise. Children’s club members also received educational newsletters concerning penguin conservation efforts. Cadbury’s Australia donates a portion of the price of every chocolate bilby sold to the Save the Bilby Fund - bilbies, which are similar to rabbits, are indigenous to Australia but on the verge of extinction. In the mid 1990’s, Taikoo Sugar entered into a joint promotion with the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong in support of the establishment of the Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park. Taikoo Sugar printed corporate sponsors names and the WWF panda logo on one side of their ugar packets, with a photo of endangered species on the other. 40% of the HK $5,000 sponsorship fee went directly to the WWF HK while the remainder was us ed to discount the sugar packets to encourage increased purchases by the general public. In this case, everyone benefited - Taikoo Sugar through increased sales, corporate sponsors by having their name linked with the WWF HK and increased public exposure, the WWF HK through increased donations - and the people of Hong Kong through the protection of the fragile marine environment of Sai Kung. Even efforts such as these are met with criticism as some contend that they are not social responsibility but public relations. They contend that these companies are not altruistic - truly concerned about the charities and their recipients - and do not do anything under the label of ‘social responsibility’ that does not have a potential benefit in terms of profit. When we consider that corporations are in the business of making sales and profits, it becomes obvious that there has to be some benefit back to the corporation or they would not be able to justify the costs. Whether it is to reinforce the company’s image as a good corporate citizen, improve consumer attitudes, or achieve sales related objectives (sales must be higher due to the positive link with the charity to justify the lower profit per unit after the donation), their activities must have a potential pay-off. For example, Colgate-Palmolive compares sales figures for the three weeks following any CRM campaigns in aid of the Starlight Foundation (grants wishes to seriously ill children) with sales figures from the previous six months to determine incremental profit directly related to its CRM activities (Shimp 2000, 621). However, it must also be remembered that there is a benefit to the company’s publics as well. Without corporate involvement, many of the cultural, social and charity services that enrich our lives would not be possible. Without corporate donations, many non-profit organizations would cease to exist or would have to reduce their level of community involvement. The following example illustrates how both corporations and charities benefit from cause-related marketing efforts. Cause-related marketing pays dividends for American Express When it became apparent that the Staute of Liberty required restoring, American Express (AMEX) jumped at the opportunity of becoming involved. However, this was not a gesture of pure philanthropy to the American people. The company had three specific objectives: Unit 1 37 1 2 3 To increase credit card usage among its current card holders. To encourage the acceptance of the card among merchants. To increase the company’s profile and derive image benefits that would lead to new members. The scheme involved AMEX giving one cent to the restoration fund for each US-based transaction, and $1 for each new card issued. The project raised $1. 7m for the project, while the company reported an increase in its credit card usage of 2. % on the prvious year, a greater acceptance of the card by merchants, and a public image of being more ‘responsible, public-spirited and patriotic’. (Meenaghan 1998, 14, cited in Pickton and Broderick 2001, 526) Activity 1. 8 Read the following case: In 2001, Projet Rescousse (Project Rescue) launched Rescousse brand beer in Quebec, Canada, followed in March 2002 by entry into the Ontario, Canada beer market. For each bottle of beer sold, RJ Brewers and its representative Premier Brands contributes a fixed amount to Wildlife Habitat Canada to preserve endangered species. Beer labels featured paintings of endangered species by a well known Canadian wildlife artist. In 2001, sales of the beer in Quebec raised more than $24,000 Cdn for endangered species. The Ontario launch was funded, in part, by a $20,000 Cdn grant from Environment Canada (federal government). A spokesperson for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, an organization promoting responsible alcohol consumption among young people stated ‘The federal government has no role in promoting an alcoholic beverage. The government’s role is to regulate, not promote alcohol. ’ A spokesperson for Environment Canada said ‘the project in no way endorses any form of alcohol abuse’ (Canada has extensive legislation concerning the sale and promotion of alcohol. For example, alcohol is sold t the retail level through provincial government controlled agencies only and, as mentioned earlier, advertisements cannot show alcohol actually being consumed. ) (Yourk 2002) Discuss this situation from the perspectives of ethics, social responsibility and cause-related marketing. Discu ss the impact of a comparable programme in Hong Kong. 38 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Green marketing Green marketing refers to the ‘development and promotion of products that are environmentally safe’ (Clow and Baack, p. 387). What started as a fringe political movement in Europe has now become mainstream as more consumers become aware of environmental issues and express willingness to purchase environmentally friendly products, even if prices are higher. In their article ‘Targeting consumers who are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products’, Laroche, Bergeron and Barbaro-Forleo report that recent surveys reveal that significant numbers of consumers are willing to spend up to 40% more for a ‘green’ product. This compares to 67% of consumers who reported a willingness to pay 5–10% more for ‘green’ products in 1989. Their research indicated that consumers willing to spend more for environmentally friendly products tend to be female, married, with at least one child living at home, put the welfare of others before themselves, believe that environmental problems are severe and place high importance on security. They also refuse to purchase products from companies accused of being polluters. Loblaw’s, a Canadian supermarket, was at the vanguard of green marketing in the early 1990’s, creating a line of environmentally friendly products under the brand name ‘Green’ with the slogan ‘Something can be done! ’ and packed in recycled materials. In their first year, ‘Green’ products generated nearly $52 million Canadian. One of the most interesting examples was the Green lightbulb that, over its extended life, would save consumers approximately $32 Cdn in energy and bulb replacement. Even though priced at ten times the price of conventional bulbs, Loblaws could not keep them in stock, so great was consumer demand. As an aside, Loblaw’s was one of the first supermarkets to charge for plastic carrier bags, hoping to encourage consumers to use more environmentally friendly bags or at least recycle plastic carrier bags. How do you think such an initiative would be viewed in Hong Kong? Another company that has made concern for the environment part of their corporate mission is The Body Shop which uses natural ingredients, earth-friendly manufacturing methods and environmentally friendly packaging. Information cards, window displays and in-store videos are used to educate consumers about the social and environmental effects of their purchasing decisions. Next time you visit the Body Shop, look for evidence of their commitment to the environment. Notice their range of endangered species soaps for children. When both Sydney (Summer 2000) and Beijing (Summer 2008) put in their winning bids to host The Olympic Games, a significant part of their appeal was their pledge to operate a ‘clean, green games’. Beijing had to take measures such as restricting the vehicles it allowed on its roads in the run-up to the Olympics to ensure it could fulfil its ‘green’ Olympic commitments. Unit 1 39 Have you seen evidence of green marketing in Hong Kong? You may find it interesting to survey friends and colleagues concerning their attitudes towards green marketing and its potential impact on their purchase behaviours. Activity 1. 9 Recent articles in the Hong Kong press have commented on the deteriorating state of Hong Kong’s harbour and waterways, in particular the impact on marine life of discarded consumer packaging. While your company was not named specifically, mention was made that your industry was a major offender and that a large proportion of the consumer packaging found in the water came from products such as yours. In a meeting with the accountants who have just crunched the numbers as to the increased costs of changing to more environmentally friendly packaging, the question is raised as to whether ‘green marketing’ efforts are really worth it. Discuss possible responses. 40 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Clow and Baack companion website The textbook also comes with companion website at (password not required). The student section of the website contains true/false and multiple-choice questions per chapter. These are self-marking and contain both hints and coaching comments. These questions are useful for testing your grasp of basic core concepts, which can be answered as many times per session and over as many sessions as desired. These questions can be particularly useful during revision as they will quickly tell you which concepts you understand and where review is needed. Essay questions and critical thinking exercises, many including Internet links are also provided per chapter, directly linked to the material covered. Unit 1 41 Summary Let’s go back to the objectives from the beginning of the unit and see how the material presented relates and where material relevant to each objective is found in the text. 1 Illustrate the communication process, using a diagram, and apply it in a given marketing situation. You should be able to provide a diagram that includes the key aspects of the communication process of sender/receiver, encoding/decoding, transmission device/communication channel, feedback and noise. Your answer should illustrate your understanding of what makes for effective communication and what can act as barriers to the process. Clow and Baack discuss communication on pages 26–32. Define integrated marketing communications, and discuss how it applies specifically to the development of promotional strategies. Clow and Baack define IMC as ‘the coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues and sources within a company into a seamless programme that maximises the impact on consumers and other end users at a minimal cost’ (p. 32). When applied to promotion, IMC results in ‘the brand speaking with one voice’. IMC is discussed on pages 32–37. 3 Describe, with pertinent Hong Kong examples, the major components of the promotional mix. Your answer should include advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, public relations, direct and online marketing. You should be able to provide Hong Kong specific examples. The components of the promotional mix were covered in B250 and are discussed throughout the text. 4 Explain the role played by the promotion mix in the overall marketing mix. Clow and Baack briefly discuss the role of promotion within the overall marketing mix on page 33. You should be able to discuss how promotion relates to the product, distribution (place) and pricing strategies and how each should be consistent with the other and aimed at the target market as per discussions in B250. 5 Outline the key components of integrated marketing communications. Clow and Baack discuss the key components of IMC on pages 32– 37. Figure 1. provides a useful overview of the key components and how they are presented in the text. 6 Evaluate the impact of information technology, changes in channel power, increases in competition, brand parity, consumer information integration and declining effectiveness of mass-media 42 MKT B366 Mar keting Communications advertising on the value placed on IMC programmes, providing Hong Kong specific examples. Your answer should illustrate how each of these factors have had a positive impact on the value placed on IMC programmes by marketers. You should be able to illustrate each of these factors with Hong Kong specific examples. These factors are discussed on pages 37–41 in the text. Discuss the phrase ‘think globally, act locally’ as it applies to globally integrated marketing communications programmes and illustrate using Hong Kong specific examples. Companies that ‘think globally, act locally’ use standardized marketing and communications strategies as much as possible (‘think globally’), recognizing that cultural and marketplace differences may require some adaptation on a country by country basis (‘act locally’). Clow and Baack discuss GIMC on page 41. 8 Evaluate critically the moral and ethical criticisms of marke ting communications. Many of the major ethical criticisms faced by marketers are discussed in the unit. You should be able to critically evaluate whether these criticisms are bona fide, advancing your own opinion. Explore the role to be played by governments in regulating marketing practices, providing Hong Kong specific examples. The unit notes provide information concerning Hong Kong laws as well as details about the Consumer Council’s activities. 10 Argue the case for a company adopting positive and socially responsible marketing activities and illustrate using Hong Kong examples. Your answer should illustrate that you understand the benefits in terms of brand image, consumer loyalty and sales performance that can result from positive and socially responsible marketing efforts such as cause-related marketing and green marketing efforts. Unit 1 43 References Adkins, S (2002) ‘Cause related marketing - profitable partnerships’ at (Accessed 26 Mar 2002). Au, A and Tse, A (2001) ‘Marketing ethics and behavioural predispositions of Chinese managers in SMEs in Hong Kong’, Journal of Small Business Management, 39(3): 272. Brabbs, C (2000) ‘Is there profit in CRM tie-ups? ’, Marketing, 16 Nov, 27. Carrigan, M and Attalla, A (2001) ‘The myth of the ethical consumer - do ethics matter in purchase behaviour’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(7): 560–77. Clow, K E and Baack, D (2002) Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Hill, C (2000) International Business, Competing in the Global Marketplace, Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Jain, S (1996) International Marketing Management, Ohio: South-Western College Publishing. Keegan, W (1999) Global Marketing Management, New Jersey: Prentice Hall International. Kotler, P, Ang, S H, Leong, S M and Tan, C C (1996) Marketing Management - An Asian Perspective, Singapore: Prentice Hall. Laroche, M, Bergeron, J and Barbaro-Forleo, G (2001) ‘Targeting consumers who are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(6): 503–20. Meenaghan, T (1998) ‘Current developments and future directions in sponsorship’, International Journal of Advertising, 17(1): 3–28. Pickton, D and Broderick, A (2001) Integrated Marketing Communications, London: Prentice Hall. Pitta, D, Fung, H-G and Isberg, S (1999) ‘Ethical issues across cultures: managing the differing perspectives of China and the USA’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16(3): 240–56. Polonsky, M and Speed, R (2001) ‘Linking sponsorship and cause related marketing: complementarities and conflicts’, European Journal of Marketing, 35(11/12): 1361–85. Schiffman, L, Bednall, D, Cowley, E, O’Cass, A, Watson, J and Kanuk, L (2001) Consumer Behaviour, Sydney: Pearson Education. Shimp, T (2000) Advertising and Promotion: Supplemental Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications, Texas: The Dryden Press. 44 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Strauss, J and Frost, R (2001) Marketing on the Internet, 2nd edn, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Yourk, D (2002) ‘Message in a beer bottle’, The Globe and Mail, 27 Mar (Accessed online). Unit 1 45 Suggested answers to activities Activity 1. 1 The sender was HMV and its staff. The receivers were in-store customers, in-store browsers, concert and musical gathering attendees and the general public. The encoding process would have been the creation of the application forms, in-store promotions, advertisements and newsletter as well as the verbal communication from HMV staff. Various communication channels were used: in-store signs and displays for in-store browsers, personal face to face communication for in-store customers and concert attendees; and advertisements in the mass media for the general public. The decoding process would have occurred when receivers read the applications/in-store signs/newsletter or advertisements or listened to HMV staff. Feedback could take many different forms from going into the store specifically to ‘sign up’, to accepting or refusing to join when asked by staff, to comparing the number of vouchers handed out with the number redeemed to monitoring the exclusive members’ only special offers. Noise could also take many forms, from the advertising clutter in the newspapers/ magazines, the sensory overload in the store (all the signs/posters and music playing) to the sales and special offerings (including comparable programmes) from all competing retailers. Activity 1. 2 The expression is just a quick way of reinforcing that all forms of communication about a company’s brand must convey the same message to consumers. Many assume that the expression refers only to promotion - the most visible form of communication with consumers. It is important to remember however that product, place and pricing strategies also communicate messages to consumers. For example, the price charged for a particular product communicates quality information to consumers (high price = high quality; low price = low quality), helps consumers determine value for money decisions and reinforces the product’s position relative to the competition (e. g. igher or lower priced). You should remember from your introductory marketing course that all four components of the marketing mix - product, place, price and promotion - must be internally consistent (e. g. the price charged must reflect the features offered in the product) and aimed squarely at the intended target m arket. The promotion strategy must be consistent with the product, place and price strategies and each aspect of the promotional strategy (advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, public relations, direct and online marketing) must be internally consistent. This expression also reinforces the key feature of IMC, which is that all forms

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Tolerability and Haemodynamic Effects of NMES

Tolerability and Haemodynamic Effects of NMES Tolerability and haemodynamic effects of NMES in young healthy individuals Quinn C1, Cooke J1, Deegan B2, Breen P2, Hannigan A3, Dunne C3, Lyons G2 and Lyons D1. Introduction: Discomfort has been identified as a limiting factor for the use of surface NMES. Early implementation of NMES devices were so uncomfortable that they could only be used when the patient was under anaesthetic1. Furthermore, poor quality electrodes combined with monophasic waveforms often resulted in skin irritation and burns. Pambianco et al had to discontinue the NMES portion of the effects of heparin, intermittent pneumatic compression and NMES on DVT rates in stroke rehabilitation patients due to discomfort and skin blister formtion2. More recently the inclusion of microcontrollers in the design of NMES devices has allowed the implementation of precisely controlled waveforms and novel algorithms3. These waveforms and algorithms have significantly increased the comfort and tolerance of NMES users. Moreover the use of biphasic pulses, either asymmetric or symmetric has minimised ion redistribution and the subsequent risk of skin irritation and burns. Previous studies have examined patient perceptions of NMES. Alon et al. examined the effect of 4 different electrode sizes on excitatory responses (sensory, motor, pain and pain tolerance) on healthy participants and concluded that NMES comfort increases with increase in electrode size4. They also observed that increasing electrode size decreases the peak voltage corresponding to the excitatory levels. Clarke-Moloney et al assessed the comfort associated with and without NMES on patients with chronic venous insufficiency using a visual analogue scale (VAS)5. The authors found that the comfort categorical rating remained unchanged in all but one patient. This indicated that patients found NMES to be an acceptable therapy which could be significant in future studies involving NMES treatments for venous wound healing. Broderick et al. previously conducted a study involving healthy participants who underwent a 4 hour stimulation protocol6. Three participants indicated moderate discomfort and 7 only mild discomfort when NMES was commenced. By the end of the study, 2 participant’s scores increased to moderate while 2 other participant’s scores decreased to mild the remainder were unchanged. Kaplan et al. asked each healthy participant who received NMES of the calf or foot muscles to complete a questionnaire regarding the acceptance of NMES. Both groups found NMES to be comfortable and strongly felt they would use the NMES device if directed by their doctor7. More recently a study by Corley et al. demonstrated the use of a week-long NMES blood flow protocol in conjunction with compression stockings resulted in a high level of compliance and no reported adverse effects8. Our pilot study concluded that NMES may be useful in attenuating blood pressure drops in older subjects with OH. The asynchronous NMES setting demonstrated the most favourable haemodynamic response. The aims of this study were to assess tolerance and acceptability of both synchronous and asynchronous NMES settings in a young, healthy population during head-up tilt testing. A secondary objective was to assess the effect of both settings on haemodynamic parameters in this group. Methods: Subjects Healthy subjects (n=14) were recruited. Ten were male. The subjects’ medical history did not reveal any episodes of vasovagal syncope, cardiovascular diseases or any other morbidity. None of the subjects used any medication, and all subjects were non-smokers. Ethical Approval Ethical approval for this study was granted by University Hospital Limerick Research Ethics Committee. All subjects gave written consent to take part in the study. Tilt Protocol Subjects were asked to fast for a maximum of two hours beforehand. Studies were performed in a quiet syncope syncope laboratory room at ambient temperature (21-23 C). The tilt protocol was completed between 9am and 5pm. The study protocol included 3 Head-Up-Tilts (HUT) comprising asynchronous, synchronous settings and control. The order of each intervention was randomly assigned using closed envelope randomisation technique. HUT testing was performed using standardised conditions in accordance with the 1996 expert consensus document for all patients9. Subjects were required to rest in the supine position for five minutes prior to the onset of a 70 degree positive tilt. This was sustained for three minutes as per European Society of Cardiology guidelines10. Haemodynamic changes were recorded using non-invasive beat-to-beat digital artery photoplethysmography Finometer ® Pro Device (Finapres Medical Systems BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.finapres.com). Continuous cardiac monitoring was performed with three lead ECG (figure 2). OH was defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure of ≠¥ 20mmHg or in diastolic blood pressure of ≠¥ 10mmHg within three minutes of orthostasis10. The delta (or change) in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were rec orded in each subject at baseline and at the lowest point (nadir) for each HUT. Electrical stimulation protocol NMES was applied a custom built, two channel stimulator (Duo-STIM, Bioelectrics Research Cluster, NUI Galway)11. NMES was facilitated through the use of two 5 cmÃâ€"5 cm PALS self-adhesive, hypo-allergenic, skin surface electrodes (Nidd Valley Medical Limited, England) placed over the motor points of the soleus muscles of both legs of consenting patients12 (Figure 3). The stimulator was programmed to provide a pulse width of 350  µs, an inter-pulse interval of 100  µs, a frequency of 36 Hz, a contraction time of 1.2 second, a ramp up time of 500 ms and ramp down time of 300ms. This yielded stimulation amplitudes of 29.18  ± 4.2 V11. The stimulation parameters were selected at a level to achieve maximum blood flow while ensuring subject comfort. A series of test pulses were applied initially at a very low intensity to establish that the patient was comfortable with the sensation of electrical stimulation. The stimulus intensity was gradually increased until a noticeable contrac tion was observed for both legs, as indicated by a visible tightening of the soleus muscle or slight plantar flexion. Stimulation was applied alternatively to each leg with 3 second rest between contractions or synchronously to both legs with 3 second rest period at the onset of each HUT and continued for the three minute study duration. Duplex scanning Duplex Doppler ultrasound was used to monitor the subjects’ lower limb venous hemodynamic responses using a Siemens Sonoline Sienna ultrasound machine with a broadband array probe (Frequency 5 – 13 MHz). All measurements were performed by a single examiner. Blood flow measurements were taken from the popliteal vein at the lateral aspect of the knee (Fig. 1). Doppler ultrasound with angle correction not exceeding 600 was used and matched to the diameter of the popliteal vein. All measurements were taken from the right leg. Three measurements were taken per parameter and the average of these was used for analyses5, 13. Peak venous velocity was recorded from the popliteal vein. The Doppler machine’s own software was used to calculate venous volume flow (ml/min) by multiplying the average blood flow velocity by the cross-sectional area of the popliteal vein. Doppler measurements were taken at baseline and on assumption of the upright stance. Figure 1: Placement of ultrasound probe in popliteal fossa Figure 2: Screen shot of output from ultrasound software demonstrating venous blood flow and peak systolic velocity Comfort evaluation procedure At 2 time points (just after set-up of the NMES and at the end of the protocol), comfort was assessed by asking subjects to mark their level of comfort using a 100 mm, non-hatched visual-analogue scale (VAS). A VAS of 30 mm or less was categorised as mild pain, between 31 and 69 mm as moderate pain and scores of 70 mm or greater as severe pain. The minimum clinical significant difference (MCSD) in VAS was set as an increase in scores between test stages of 12mm14. At the end of the study, the patients were asked to complete a short verbal questionnaire. They were asked: To give a verbal categorical rating of the NMES treatment as very comfortable, comfortable, bearable or unbearable. To clarify preferred stimulation pattern. If they would consider NMES an acceptable form of treatment. Symptom recording Each subject was asked to mark the degree of symptoms encountered during the HUT using a 100 mm, non-hatched visual-analogue scale (VAS) once the tilt table had returned to the horizontal position. Statistical analysis Results: Discussion: Conclusion: Outcomes for tolerability study 1: Tolerability: Pain – pre and post change NMES sensation Acceptability Preference Symptoms 2: Haemodynamic parameters for each intervention: Delta SBP, DBP, HR, MAP, SV, CO TPR Peak systolic velocity Venous flow 3: Associations of presence of initial OH References: Browse NL, Negus D. Prevention of postoperative leg vein thrombosis by electrical muscle stimulation. An evaluation with 125 I-labelled fibrinogen. Br Med J 1970;3:615-618. Pambianco G, Orchard T, Landau P. Deep vein thrombosis: prevention in stroke patients during rehabilitation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1995;76:324-330. Broderick B, Breen P, OLaighain G, Eelectrical stimulators for surface neural prosthesis. J Autom Control 2008;18:25-33. Alon G, Kantor G, Ho HS. Effects of electrode size on basic excitatory responses and on selected stimulus parameters. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1994;20:29-35. Clarke-Moloney M, Lyons GM, Breen P, Burke PE, Grace PA. Haemodynamic study examining the response of venous blood flow to electrical stimulation of the gastrocnemius muscle in patients with chronic venous disease. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2005;31:300-305. Broderick BJ, O’Brien DE, Breen PP, Kearns SR, OLaighin G. A pilot evaluation of a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) based methodology for the prevention of venous stasis during bed rest. Med Eng Phys 2010;32:349-355. Kaplan RE, Czyrny JJ, Fung TS, Unsworth JD, Hirsh J. Electrical foot stimulation and implications for the prevention of venous thromboembolic disease. Thromb Haemost 2002;10:35-45. Corley CJ, Breen PP, Birlea S, Serrador JM, Grace PA, OLaighin G. Hemodynamic effects of habituation to a week-long program of neuromuscular electrical stimulation. Med Eng Phys 2012;34:459-456. Benditt DG, Ferguson DW, Grubb BP, et al. Tilt table testing for assessing syncope. American College of Cardiology. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1996;28: 263-275. Brignole M, Alboni P, Benditt DG, et al. Guidelines on management (diagnosis and treatment) of syncope-update 2004. Executive Summary. Eur Heart J. 2004;25: 2054-2072. Breen PP, Corley CJ, O’Keeffe DT, Conway R, OLaighin G. A programmable and portable NMES device for foot drop correction and blood flow assist applications. Med Eng Phys 2009;31:400-4008. Baker LL, McNeal DR, Benton LA, Bowman BR, Waters RL. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation – A practical Guide. 3rd ed. Downey, California: Rancho Llos Amigos Research and Education Institute; 1993. Izumi M, Ikeuchi M, Mitani T, Taniguchi S, Tani T. Prevention of venous stasis in the lower limb by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2010;39:642-645. Kelly AM. The minimum clinically significant difference in visual analogue scale pain score does not differ with severity of pain. Emerg Med J 2001;18:205-207.