Project Methodology Samples for Students †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Project Methodology and Role. Answer: Definition: A project methodology is the collection of practices, procedures, techniques, and rules used by the experts while working on the discipline. Project manager uses methodologies for providing structure and the framework to the delivered projects by using principles, framework, themes, standards, and processes (Obrutsky, 2016). Role of project methodology: The objective of the project methodology is to design a development process which is reasonable, flexible, comprehensive, and accessible. Theproject management methodology works as an asset for the project manager for evaluating the project goal and deliverables (Karaman Kurt, 2015). The methodology is the medium which provides a common platform for communication and initialization of the project. It helps in encouraging the planning process for starting the work. The projects can be efficiently managed by using pre-determined metrics and reporting tools. The hierarchical structure ofproject management is shown in the figure below: Types of methodologies: Traditional approach: Theproject management process includes a series of steps which includes initiation, planning, execution, controlling, testing and validation, and implementation. It is also known as waterfall methodology. PMBOK guide: Project management body of knowledge serves as a methodological approach for implementation of different steps included in the flow of process model such as planning, execution, control, and termination of the project (Fitsilis, 2014). Prince2: Prince2 stands for project in controlled environment which is used for process driven methods and the approaches applied in the private sector. Agile methodology: It is the methodology which follows flexibility, building process, and iterative design for managing the project. The pre-planning process is included form managing the changing requirement of the client. SDLC: The SDLC is the process methodology which works on improving the quality, delivery of the product, and the requirements of the product. The project is managed by requirements identification, balancing needs of the stakeholders, expectations, and the risks associated with the stakeholders. PMBOK and PRINCE2 are the preferred methodologies by project managers. The two methodologies are similar to each other in respect of their identification of the requirement, participation of the customers, development of team relationship, and integration of the stakeholder. The focus is given on the quality management and risk identification in both the methodologies (Ghosh, 2012). The table shows the difference between the two methodologies in brief: Particulars Prince2 PMBOK Process Starting of the project Initiating of the project Direction given to the project Controlling the phases Management of the product delivery Management of the state boundary Closure of the project Initiating Planning Initiating Executing, controlling and monitoring Executing and planning Planning and closing Closing Principles Principles followed No principles followed Comprehensive or practical It is practical in nature It is comprehensive in nature Focus on Focus given on business case Focus given on customers Factors Partly integration with environmental and organizational factors Strongly integration with environmental and organizational factors (Vieira, 2014) Case The business case should be reviewed periodically Business case should be continuously focused Organization Active participation of stakeholder and human resource Financial, human resource, quality, and other management involves Quality No involvement of quality management Involvement of quality management Plan Initiation of planning process Scope, cost, and time management Risk Identification of the risks Management of the risks Management of integration Partially focused Strongly focused Communication Partly focused Strongly focused Procurement Partly focused Strongly focused Stakeholder Partly participation Active participation Project life cycle and chosen methodologies: There are seven processes involved in the prince2 methodology for completing the project life cycle. The project stat up involves the assemblage of the project team for planning of project initiation. The initiating of the project involves focusing on the business case and the risks associated with it. The series of authorization involves in the directing the closure of the project. The stages are controlled by managing issues. The delivery and maintenance of the product focuses on the execution of the working package. The PMBOK works on five processes for completing the project life cycle which are named as initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling and closing. The knowledge areas which are included in project life cycle by using PMBOK are integration, scope, quality, time, cost, human resource, risks, procurement, and stakeholder. The following figure shows the relationship of PRINCE2 and PMBOK with Project life cycle. Conclusion: The PMBOK is strongly preferred by the project manager for managing the project. The PMBOK serve as a guide for planning, organizing, staffing, and other functional areas of project management. References: Fitsilis, P. (2014).Comparing PMBOK and agile project management software development process. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/2953419/Comparing_PMBOK_and_Agile_Project_Management_software_development_processes Ghosh, S. (2012).Enhance PMBOK by comparing it with PRINCE2 and P2M standards. Retrieved from https://pmkb.com.br/uploads/2013/08/95598999-Comparison-of-PM-Frameworks.pdf Karaman, E., Kurt, M. (2015). Comparison of project management methodologies: Prince 2 versus PMBOK for its project.International journal of applied science and engineering research. Retrieved from https://www.ijaser.com/articles/vol4issue42015/vol4issue4/JASER4059.pdf Obrutsky, S. (2016).Comparison and contrast of project management methodologies. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305969672_Comparison_and_contrast_of_project_management_methodologies_PMBOK_and_SCRUM Vieira, D. (2014).Integrating PMBOK standards, lean and agile methods in project management activities. Retrieved from https://research.ijcaonline.org/volume88/number4/pxc3893680.pdf

7 E-mail Salutations to Use (And 4 to Avoid)

7 E-mail Salutations to Use (And 4 to Avoid) Have you ever opened an es of peer relationships would be co-workers, clients you have already established a working relationship with, friends, neighbors, etc. If you are sending an e-mail to your manager or boss, or someone in a position of power, it could come across as presumptive and disrespectful if you dont share a certain level of familiarity in your working relationship with them. A good rule of thumb is: If you refer to the recipient on a first-name basis in everyday conversation, this is a great salutation to use in e-mail correspondence.2. Hi [Ms./Mr. Last Name],When to useThis is the more formal version of #1, and is best when used in situations in which you are not on a first-name basis with the recipient. Likely circumstances where this salutation would be the best choice are:Potential clients with whom you havent established a working relationshipPeers, managers or superiors on the job you are not on a first-name basis with in everyday conversationExecutive-level reci pients outside of your department youve never met in person or with whom youve never established a close working relationshipEditors or agents during the query or submission processCity officialsFormal requestsTeachers (who have not earned an honorary title, such as Doctor)Why its a good choiceFor anyone with whom you havent established a first-name basis relationship, this is the most standard and semi-formal salutation you can use. An added bonus is: You dont need to know the recipients first name to use it.Potential problemsThe main problem you could encounter when using this salutation is getting the recipients gender wrong, for example, writing Dear Ms. Edwards for a recipient who is male. Another issue you could encounter is to write Dear Mrs. Edwards to an unmarried female. For this reason, its best to avoid Mrs. altogether and use the marital status-neutral Ms. instead.3. Dear [First Name],When to useThis is a slightly more formal version of #1 and should only be used in sit uations where communication on a first-name basis is appropriate. Although dear is, in some contexts, considered to be endearing- in modern communication, it comes across as slightly stuffier than its Hi counterpart.Why its a good choiceThis is a good choice of salutation if you want a more formal version of #1 and works as a great e-mail greeting for anyone with whom youre on a first-name basis.Potential problemsThe main problem you might encounter with this salutation is coming across as more formal than you intended.4. Dear [Ms./Mr.] [Last Name]:When to useIf you want a slightly more formal approach to #2 (Hi Ms. Edwards), this is the best choice. As with #2, it can be used in a variety of contexts in which you are not on a first-name basis with the recipient.Why its a good choiceThis salutation covers a broad scope of contexts in which you would be conducting e-mail correspondence. In many cases, Hi and Dear are interchangeable- its really based on the preference of the sender.P otential problemsYou really cant go wrong with this salutation, unless you are writing to a close friend or colleague with whom you have a first-name basis relationship. In that case, it might come across as stuffy and confusing, with your friend wondering if theyve said or done something to upset you.5. Dear [Doctor/Professor] [Last Name]:When to useThis is the best salutation to use when you are writing to a recipient who has an honorary title. Notice that in this salutation, the most standard punctuation is a colon rather than a comma. Here are some examples:Dear Lieutenant Brooks:Dear Dr. [or Doctor] Smith:Dear Honorable Jackson:Dear Mayor Wyatt:Dear Reverend Shay:Dear Professor Thompson:Obviously, there are dozens more honorary titles than those listed here, so do your research on the front end to make sure you address the recipient correctly, based on his or her honorary title. If you are unsure of which to use, this website is a great resource for names, titles, and forms of address, including how to address an envelope, how to write the salutation in an e-mail or letter, and how to refer to him or her in person. It is published by The Protocol School of Washington, which offers continuing education and training in protocol, cross-cultural awareness, and business etiquette for advanced business studies. The website covers honorary titles from Abbots and Attorney Generals to Vice Presidents and Warrant Officers, and is a highly useful reference that is also available in print format.Why its a good choiceIf you are contacting someone with an honorary title, it is likely that your reason for communicating is important. People who have gained such titles have spent their life in pursuit of learning and preparing for it, so it should never be used incorrectly- or worse, not used at all- in e-mail communication.Potential problemsThe misuse of an honorary title or use of an incorrect one is an etiquette faux pas in communication, including e-mail communication . You run the risk of being judged as unprofessional by doing so, which means that the message or request you are attempting to communicate could be ineffective or ignored.The misuse of an honorary title or use of an incorrect one is an etiquette faux pas in communication, including e-mail communication. Photo by Nacho Arteaga on Unsplash.6. Dear Staff or Dear Colleagues,When to useWhen you are addressing multiple people in your e-mail, such as correspondence to a companys entire staff, this is a good choice in salutation.Why its a good choiceIts neither too informal nor too formal, and takes care of addressing a number of recipients.Potential problemsOne thing to keep in mind is that if you are addressing a group of recipients like this, your message should be something that everyone needs to hear. Dont send out passive aggressive e-mails addressed to a group when youre really only wanting the message to go out to a few.7. Dear Friends or Dear Family,When to useThis is a great choi ce in salutation for e-mails sent out to friends or relatives, such as announcements for reunions, births, marriages, or parties.Why its a good choiceAs long as all of the recipients fall into one category (friends or family), this is the most obvious choice and is better than Dear everyone or Hi all.Potential problemsAs noted in #6, be sure that the message is indeed intended for the entire group. If not, it could come across as a passive aggressive way of dealing with conflict that would be better handled face-to-face with those who are involved. And on that note, keep in mind that e-mails are not the best method of communicating negative news or conflicts that have arisen. Face-to-face conversations with those directly involved are the better choice in these situations.4 salutations to avoidNow that weve covered the best e-mail salutations to use and the circumstances to use them in, lets look at some overly formal, outdated, ineffective, overly enthusiastic, and impersonal salut ations to avoid. The list of the top four is:Dear Sir or Madam (impersonal)To Whom It May Concern, (overly formal, impersonal)Hey! or Hi [Name]! (Overly enthusiastic)Happy Friday! (Overly enthusiastic; if you must write it, use the next line of the e-mail, not the salutation)

Women on Death Row - Rosie Alfaro

Women on Death Row - Rosie Alfaro Marà ­a del Rosio Alfaro, also known as Rosie Alfaro, is a convicted murderer currently on death row in California for the June 15, 1990, murder of Autumn Wallace, age 9, in Anaheim, California. The Crime In June 1990, Rosie Alfaro was 18 years old, a drug addict and the mother of two and pregnant with twins. She was living in a home in Anaheim with a relative of the father of the twins, which was three blocks from the Wallace home. Alfaro was a high school friend of Autumns older sister April and had stayed with the Wallace family during her second pregnancy. However, in 1989, April began to distance herself from Alfaro, other than to occasionally give her a ride when asked. On June 15, 1990, Autumn was home from school early. The school was having early day and recessed at 2:35 p.m. Autumns mother, Linda Wallace, and April were at work and were not expected home until around 5 p.m. Autumn entertained herself by cutting out paper dolls. On the same day, Rosie Alfaro was busy buying cocaine and heroin and getting high. Her first score was around 11 a.m. and by 2 p.m. she was again out of money and drugs. A friend, Antonio Reynoso, who had been released from prison the previous day, agreed to share his drugs with her if she would agree to share her needle. When his drugs ran out, Alfaro decided that she would rob the Wallaces home to get money for more drugs. Alfaro told Reynoso that she used to live with the Wallace family and that she had left a video cassette recorder at the home and would sell it to him in exchange for drugs. Alfaro, Reynoso, an unidentified man, and Alfaros youngest baby went to the Wallace home. The men and the child waited by the car while Alfaro headed to the house. Autumn answered the door and recognized Alfaro as a friend of her sisters. Alfaro asked if she could use the restroom and Autumn let her come inside. Alfaro then managed to take a knife from the kitchen drawer and then coaxed Autumn into the bathroom. There she stabbed Autumn over 50 times in the back, chest, and head. With Autumn out the way, she went about robbing the house of various electronics, appliances, and clothing. Alfaro later admitted that she knew Autumn would be home alone and she was also aware that Autumn could identify her to the police. The Investigation April Wallace returned home at around 5:15 p.m. and found the door to the house unlocked. When she entered the home she saw that the house was a mess and that there were several items missing. She called out to Autumn, but there was no answer, so she left and went across the street to a neighbors house to wait for her mother to come home. Linda Wallace arrived home around 5:40 p.m. and was told that the house had been burglarized and that Autumn was missing. She went inside the house to search for Autumn and found her dead in the back bathroom. Neighbors told police that they saw a brownish Monte Carlo parked at the Wallace home and that two men, one holding a small child, were standing outside of the car. Police investigators were able to obtain a fingerprint from the Wallace home which matched to Alfaro. Alfaro was brought in for questioning and denied any involvement in the murder. More Evidence Sometime after the murder, Alfaro asked a friend if she could leave a bag of clothing at her house. Alfaro contacted the friend later, asking that she leave the bag outside of her home because she was heading to Mexico early the next day, but she never showed up.Investigators found out about the bag and on inspection found a pair of Aprils boots that had been reported as being stolen and a pair of Alfaros tennis shoes. A warrant for Alfaros arrest was issued and she was brought in for questioning again. Confession In a videotaped session that lasted more than four hours, Alfaro confessed that she alone murdered Autumn and then burglarizing the home. Alfaro was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and burglary. Trial In March 1992 a jury found Rosie Alfaro guilty for the murder of Autumn Wallace. The trial lasted two weeks. Sentencing - The First Penalty Phase During the first penalty phase of the trial childhood friends of Alfaro testified that she grew up in a violent home and that her father was a drunk who abused her mother. They also testified that Alfaro was using drugs as early as the sixth grade and dropped out of school in the seventh grade, at which time she began injecting daily as many as 50 speed balls (a mixture of heroin and cocaine.) Alfaros mother, Sylvia Alfaro, testified that her husband was an alcoholic who often hit both herself and Rosie in front of the other children in the family, and threw the family out of the home during drunken rages. She spoke about her daughters early drug use and her inability to quit. She said that at the age of 14, Rosie was pregnant with her first child. During that same time Rosies father abandoned the family. Who is Beto? Rosie Alfaro also took the stand and testified about her unhappy childhood, her violent father, racial prejudice she suffered at school and about her inability to get off of drugs. She expressed her remorse over the murder of Autumn Wallace, stating that we took your innocent life. With the reference of we the court ruled that she had opened the door to cross-examination regarding what went on during the crime since Alfaro had always insisted that she acted alone. During the cross-examination, Alfaro testified that she did murder Autumn, but did so under pressure from the second unidentified man that had come with her and Reynoso. She referred to the man as Beto but refused to offer any information as to his identity. She also testified that she was high on drugs and out of her head shortly before going to the Wallace home. This time she said that she did not know Autumn would be home and had never planned to harm her. She said that when Beto, who was also high on drugs, saw that Autumn was in the house he became angry and put a knife to Alfaros back and threatened to kill her and her child if she did not stab Autumn. She said she stabbed Autumn a few times, but claimed Beto must have inflicted the remainder of the stab wounds. Alfaro  said that once she came down from her high, she could not believe that Autumn was dead. The prosecutor questioned Alfaro about information regarding the identity of Beto that she had told to a mental health expert that examined her at the request of her lawyers. She testified that she initially told the doctor that the unidentified man was her fathers friend and that his name was Miguel. She then told him that the mans name was Beto and identified him in a photograph and said he had a womans name tattooed on his neck. During questioning of Alfaro and Reynoso the defense suggested that the real identity of Beto was Robert Frias Gonzales, whose nickname is Beto. However, in rebuttal the prosecution questioned Robert Gonzales who denied having anything to do with the murder of Autumn Wallace and who also did not look at all like the man that Alfaro had identified in the picture as being Beto. Unable to identify who Beto was, the jury at the first penalty phase trial was unable to agree on a sentence and the trial court was declared a mistrial. Second Penalty Phase Trial The penalty retrial was held in April 1992 before a new jury. Most of the same witnesses who testified during the first penalty trial, testified again, although this time Rosie Alfaro remained silent. In addition to the original testimony, the defense called an expert criminalist, Marc Taylor, who testified that after examining much of the evidence, that shoe prints found inside and outside the house did not match Alfaros shoes. A deputy sheriff at the Orange County jail testified for the defense about a person he saw who resembled the picture that Alfaro had identified as being Beto getting into a blue Camaro parked across the street from the main jail. Dr. Consuelo Edwards who was the mental health expert that Alfaro had first told about Beto forcing her to murder Autumn also testified for the defense. He said that Alfaros intellectual functioning was borderline, and that she had an IQ of 78 and learning disabilities that were made worse by her traumatic childhood. He described her as a follower. In rebuttal, the prosecutor had several Orange County jail employees testify about Alfaros poor behavior in jail and quoted comments that they had overheard her saying to another inmate. They testified hearing her say, Im a frustrated person who takes things out on people, and have to learn to live with that, and Im not going to be able to do this again. Im no actor. Im going to be cold this time. I just want to get this over with. Orange County investigator Robert Harper testified that Robert Frias Gonzales, who the defense claimed was Beto and the second man with Alfaro on the day of the murder, had a butterfly tattoo on his neck and not a womans name, which is what Alfaro had described. On July 14, 1992, the second penalty phase jury sentenced Rosie Alfaro to death. In August 2007, the Supreme Court of California denied Rosie Alfaros request for a stay of execution. Marà ­a del Rosio Alfaro is the first woman ever sentenced to death in Orange County.

Tertullian, From Apologia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tertullian, From Apologia - Essay Example bout worship and nothing ulterior, they would be wise enough to convert to the true religion and end the persecution that they inflicted on Christians at that time. Tertullian is not a man with moderate temperament and his defense for Christianity is very fiery in Apology. He is very forceful when advocating for Christianity and uses every opportunity to discredit the roman polytheism which was the tradition of the Roman Empire and also was against the worship of the emperor as he felt they were mere idolatry and superstitions that were baseless. His love for Christianity would not allow him to sit back and watch while the people who worshipped with him were persecuted by the Romans who did not care even a little about the religion and felt that it was a threat to the traditional roman ways. Tertullian was looking to end this so that there would be harmony between the two factions and probably the Romans crossing over to Christianity. His cause was helped by his education as he was a ble to explain things much better. Apologia is the Latin word for apology and it means to explain; Tertullian was trying to do this in his apology. He tries to make the roman people view Christianity from a different angle as they had perceptions that were untrue about the religion. His education was very useful as he was able to talk to the other educated Romans and have their attention. There were ridiculous accusations leveled against Christianity like incest, atheism and even cannibalism and he tried hard to help the people understand the values of Christianity as a way of helping clear the reputation of Christianity that was stained by false accusations. He also felt that rather than persecuting them, the Romans should have thanked the Christians as all they did was expound the truth to the citizens who believed and followed other religions other than Christianity. They totally deserved the plaudits that Tertullian was trying to get them as they persevered the pain and suffering

Zara as a fashion retailer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Zara as a fashion retailer - Essay Example Marketing of products and hence the proper management of marketing is an essential factor for every organization and requires extensive measures to be successful and satisfy its customers by fulfilling their demands. Thus the understanding of the marketing management of a company and its strategic options available are essential for the company’s success. The current study focuses on the marketing management and the strategic options available to the Zara fashion retailer and from the study determines the key marketing strategies that may be incorporated in the company’s objectives and marketing plans as well as apply the concepts of marketing in the company’s future success. Zara Company: Market, Consumer, and Competition: In the global world of competition, it is necessary for every organization to undertake measures to increase its competitive advantage over its competitors. Zara is a popular fashion retailer whose parent company is Inditex. In order to achiev e the competitive advantage over its competitors that include companies like Hennes and Mauritz (H&M), The Gap, Benetton, the company has plans to address the constraints encountered by its competitors such that they can overcome any obstacles. The core competencies of the company have provided the company with improved financial outcomes increasing its status over its competitors in the market. Such a phase has been possible for the company to achieve owing to the consumers of the company who have made it a success for the company. The consumers are highly satisfied with the company since Zara focuses extensively on responding quickly to the demands of the customers, increasing the speed of the flow of information in between the ultimate consumer and the company. Thus through the competitive advantages the Zara Company has made a position for itself in the industry and among the target market (Zara: Fashion Follower, Industry Leader, 2004). Mission and Objectives of the Company: Th e primary aim of the company is to create a sustainable development for the society in which they survive and contribute towards the welfare of the environment. Thus the main objectives of the company include saving of energy, manufacturing eco-friendly shops, produce less waste and perform recycling, maintaining commitment towards the company’s workforce and prepare and sustain a team that would remain aware of the environment. The above mentioned objectives of the company deal with the retail stores of the company. In regard to the products of the company, the company has set its objectives in use of ecological fabrics, cotton that is organic in nature and manufacture of footwear that is PVC-free in nature. In regard to transport facilities of the company, biodiesel is used by the company keeping focus on the welfare of the environment. Products based on animals that are available in the company are made available from animals raised in their farms and animals are not sacri ficed for the purpose (Our Mission Statement, 2010). Stakeholders of Zara Company: The employees, the customers, and the suppliers are the main stakeholders of the company. The Zara Company has its primary focus on the utmost level of satisfaction of its customers and hence the company takes all necessary measures to manufacture and design products based on the demands of the customers. This attracts more customers for the brand. The employees of the company are also addressed and their

The Marketing Of Movies Film Studies Essay

The Marketing Of Movies Film Studies Essay In 1910s, the era commonly known as the birth of movie marketing, the big focus was on the movie stars. As motion picture audiences grew, so too did the importance of the actors. It was producer Carl Laemmle who originated the publicity stunt, an orchestrated media event where something dangerous or spectacular related to the movie is performed in order to draw further attention to its opening. After asking Florence Lawrence, a famous movie star, to join his IMP production company, he announced to the press that Lawrence had died in the car accident. After news of her death had created a sufficient stir, he placed a full-page advertisement in papers to deny the story. That was one of the first deliberate marketing strategies in the industry and it changed the movie marketing system dramatically. (Block and Wilson, 2010:19). As the stars of movies became more and more identifiable, the publics curiosity about them grew to be insatiable. This then started an era of using movie stars to promote movies and ultimately, it opened a whole new field of movie marketing. From 1920s, film distributors had started to employ marketing teams to create and produce publicity materials like press books, which were intended to encourage cinema managers in the exploitation of the film product. Film historians tend to look at early press books in order to study the history of movie marketing itself. Each press book would carry information about the film and its production, such as the plot synopses, the cast, background information and all the details of the availability of posters or other promotional aids such as lobby cards or standees life-size cardboard cut-outs of characters from the film (Moat, 2003-2010) to be put in cinema foyers. Press books were also used to promote ideas like recipes, competitions, quizzes and tie-ins with the local shops, as well as suggested text for local newspapers. The peak of the press books popularity lasted from the 1920s until the beginning of 1950s, when film distributors started to have more money to spend on promotiona l strategies, and film going was at its height. By the mid 1950s, theatre attendance had dropped to only 50 percent of what it had been in 1946. (Lees and Berkovitz, 1981) To make things worse, the U.S Department of Justice had launched an antitrust suit against the Big Five film companies Paramount, RKO, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. and MGM. After eight years of negotiations, these studios and three minor studios of that time Columbia, Universal, and United Artists agreed to what became known as the Paramount Consent Descree. (Pomerance, 2005:12) From now on, studios could no longer marshal under their own vertical structures the entire movie-making process, from acquisition of script material through pre-production, filming, editing, marketing, distributing, and exhibiting and therefore could no longer predict in advance what the profit range would be for the films they systematically produced. As the audience were less likely to visit the theatre, films had to have a more profound contact through the plot or use of vi sual effects. As a result, exhibition practises were modified in many ways after 1950 to lure the audience back: widescreen processes like CinemaScope and Cinerama, advance reservation road show bookings for major features, more intensive use of cinematic colour, the use of more exotic locations and lushly scored, quasi-symphonic or jazzy music. (Pomerance, 2005) However, what makes a hit? is the big question that has been on the minds of everyone involved in the movie business since its early days. (Lees, 1981:142) The uncertainty engendered by this shaky state of affairs causes, quite naturally, a parallel state of anxiety about decision making. There are no guidelines to consult that will indicate anything other than approximate probability. Film marketing has therefore two definitions. One is giving the public what they want. The other is making the public want what you have got. In the eyes of many movie marketers, this amounts to a very clear distinction between bad and good. (E.Squire, 2006:67) The problem is that there is usually no sure way to tell what the public wants. In late 1960s, film makers had started to use marketing research as a method of predicting the audience acceptance. Its goals were clear: determine a statistical picture of the kinds of people who go to movies, find out if certain projects will meet with public favour and learn how to market films that have already been made. (Marich, 2009:29) However, producers could watch the results of market research, trade paper reports of grosses, but the numbers for one film could never predict how the next one would do. In the 1970s, for example, there were three kinds of films one did not make: science fiction, sports and Vietnam. The films in those subject categories had all bombed, so it was assumed the public was turned off by the subject matter. (Stringer, 2003) Vietnam was depressing, science fiction was for buffs, and who wanted to see movies about boxing when they could see real sports at home, for free? Star Wars (Lucas, 1977), Coming Home (Ashby, 1978) and Rocky (Avildsen, 1976) buried these arguments forever, although the same thinking persists. For example, the presence of stars in the cast was said to be insurance that a film would be successful, but in Star Wars, for example, there were no famous names. Interestingly, the American film industry changed more between 1969 and 1980 than at any other period in its history, except perhaps for the introduction of sound. During that time, profits for the most successful motion pictures rose from the hundreds of thousands to the hundreds of millions of dollars. (Curran, 1998) The sixties were also highly marked by the rise of television. Although still too expensive, it opened a new window for film marketers. The film that is often credited with changing how movies are distributed and marketed was Jaws (Spielberg,1975), the first film to open at a thousand theatres and to use network television to support it. Made by Universal Pictures, the studio liked the complete film so much that it began a TV advertising campaign that cost an unprecedented $700,000 (Block, 2010:506) The film opened on 490 screens, setting the standard for subsequent wide openings for Hollywood films. Universal was looking to ramp up the marketing for Jaws to levels never seen before. Three nights before the film was scheduled to open nationwide, the studio saturated the networks during peak prime time hours with a barrage of thirty-second trailers. When it opened on June 20, Jaws become a national sensation. After the Jaws experience in 1975, multi-disciplined marketing departments were created, which included specific divisions for publicity, creating advertising, media buying, and promotion. (Cook, 2000). The follo wing chart depicts Jaws franchise films all-release worldwide box office revenues versus their production costs. (Block, 2010:507) Equivalent 2005 $s Against the rule of films one should not make in 1970s, George Lucas began developing his concept of a mythical science-fiction action adventure film named The Star Wars, set in the distant future and featuring a cast of characters. Universal and United Artists passed on it, but 20th Century Foxs Alan Ladd Jr. offered Lucas $10.000 to develop the screenplay. (Bakker, 2008:101) The head of Foxs advertising department, David Weitzner, began working on the film in February of 1977 and hired the successful advertising agency of Smolen, Smith and Connoly, which had previously created campaigns for such movies as Carrie (De Palma,1976) and The Omen (Donner, 1976). Donald Smolen began his task by examining the initial marketing research that had been conducted. The reports from the early screenings were not very encouraging said Smolen. We were told not to spend too much money, because the research showed it was just another science-fiction movie. (French, 1997:32) They certainly were not too excited about it, with the exception of Ashley Boone, the vice president of distribution at Fox, who kept touting the film, saying it is going to be a hit. When Fox screened the film for Smolen and his partners, they were not impressed. At this point, there were so much missing from the film it was not fair to judge it, although we did. However, my job was to make sure the f ilm was sold. In that regard it did not make any difference what the research showed or what anybody thought about the film. We were just trying to sell the film in the best possible way. (French,1997:32) To pump up pre-release interest, Lucas inventively tapped science fiction conventions, released a comic book and a novelization. The film opened to long lines at 10.00 am on May 25,1977 in a mere 43 locations across the United States. (Lucasfilm Ltd, 2004) No one knew it was going to be a big hit remembers David Prowse, actor playing Lord Vader. Nowadays, we take for granted that a big blockbuster will go out with thousands of prints and open in May. But back then the summer special effects blockbuster did not exist. (Prowse,2010) Although there were certainly fewer movie theatres in operation during the 1970s compared with today, a wide release of a mainstream, non-specialised film at that time typically meant a few hundreds engagements. Lippincott, former Lucasfilm Ltd. Vice President for Advertising admits that if the film was redone today, on the basis of the way movies are released with a couple of thousands prints, it probably would have been unsuccessful. Theatres did not want the movie. We were lucky to get forty theatres to open it (Gross, 1999:55) What is more, until the mid 1970s, movies were poor cousins of television when it came to merchandising. Sound tracks and books had always brought income to producers and studios, but the manufacturers who bought licenses to make other kinds of products such as toys or t-shirts figured that regular weekly exposure on television was the key to selling their goods. In comparison, movies seemed to be quick, one-shot affairs, not around long enough to sustain a product in the marketplace. (Curran, 1998) All that changed with Star Wars. The phenomenal success of most of the scores of Star Wars items showed that all sorts of products could ride on the coattails of a hit film. It also showed that through shrewd merchandising, a studio could make millions of dollars above and beyond income from movie theatres. The studios tend to define merchandising as any instance of an outside company using a film title or an image from a film on a product or as part of an advertising campaign. (Smith, 20 02:34) The latter case is called a tie-in, and as its name suggests, it is a partnership of two different companies in a unified advertising strategy. George Lucas agreed to reduce his salary as a film maker, reportedly $100.000, in exchange for Fox agreeing to let him have the films merchandising rights and other, lesser non-cash considerations. At the time Star Wars hit theatres, it had just ten licensees, but that mushroomed when the science fiction movie exploded in the box office. According to The Licensing Letter, the original merchandisers were Kenner for toys, games and crafts, Factors and Image Factory for t-shirts and posters, Ben Cooper for childrens costumes, Twentieth Century Records for soundtracks, Ballantine for paperbacks, Marvel for comics, Don Post Studios for various masks, Ken Films for edited home movies, and George Fenmore Associates for souvenir programs. (Marich, 2009:144) Star Wars was the real birth of the modern movie licensing business and it caught a lot of people by surprise. Six months after the release of Star Wars the much anticipated range of toys still was not ready. Puzzles, jigsaws and other items that could be produced with relatively short lead times begin to dominate toy shops across America, but Kenner had simply not had enough time to create its product. It became apparent to everyone at the company that they were going to miss the all-important Christmas toy purchasing period. Worried that by the time its products were available, the Star Wars obsession of Americas children would be over, the company devised the Star Wars Early Bird Certificate Package. (Lucasfilm Ltd, 2004) This was a large envelope available in toy stores. It included a certificate which the recipient would have to post to Kenner, remembering to include his or her name and address. The recipients would then, as soon as the toys were produced and before they were av ailable in shops, receive the first four of Kenners Star Wars action figures: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2 and Chewbacca. Kenner, which is now owned by Hasbro, still to this day has a Star Wars license for different merchandise. To compare, in 1997, by adding just four-and-a-half minutes of new footage to the original film, at a cost of $10m, roughly the cost of the entire original movie, George Lucas has managed to recycle Star Wars back to the top of the box office and make it the most successful picture of all time in the US. When it opened on May 25, 1977, Star Wars took $2.6 million in six days from a timid 32-screen release. On January 31, 1997, the re-release exceeded all expectations with $35.9m from 2,104 screens. (Duncan, 1997: 16) When George Lucas decided to digitally revamp the Star Wars trilogy for re-issue, Lucasfilm and 20th century Fox were left with a marketing conundrum. How do you build awareness for a film that is possibly the best known picture ever made? We went into re-release without a marketing template explains Gordon Radley, president of Lucasfilm. (Lucasfilm Ltd, 2004) Star Wars is more than a cultural phenomenon, it has such an impact on the hearts and minds of cinema-goers and no trilogy has ever been re-released on such a large scale. Lucas himself had strict guidelines for the worldwide re-release: it was to emphasise the in-theatre experience- the big screen as the best possible way to see Star Wars as well as stressing the unique chance to see all three films in a relatively short scape of time. Less than a year before the Star Wars relaunch, the new trio was titled The Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition and given the tag line Join the Celebration! Back on The Big Screen! (Lucasfilm Ltd , 2004). Although the average American has seen the film many times, US posters used the phrase See It For The First Time. (Duncan, 1997:16) Working with Lucasfilm, Fox marketers have approached Star Wars in terms of raising the consciousness of an existing, long-lasting brand name. The important thing was that we were not bringing a new film out says Jim Gianopulos, president of 20th Century Fox International. We didnt have to raise awareness. In 1996, before the release, Star Wars merchandising held the number two sales spot. (Smith, 2002:35) Star Wars action figures were the biggest selling toy after Barbie and has made more than $3 billion since the release of the film in 1977 twice the amount the franchise itself has earned. The unprecedented $2 billion tie-in with PepsiCo that was struck in May 1996, became the cornerstone to promoting Star Wars as a brand name again. (Duncan, 1997:16) During the latter part of the decade, intoxicated by the success of Jaws and Star Wars, Hollywood developed a blockbuster complex. The following table depicts franchise films originating in the 1970s. (Block and Wilson, 2010:533) Equivalent 2005 $s in Millions of $s Rank Franchise Number of Films in Franchise All-Release Worldwide Box Office 1 Star Wars 6 $6,872.9 2 Jaws 4 $2,238.9 3 Rocky 6 $2,060.6 4 Superman 5 $1,797.0 5 The Godfather 5 $1,139.2 The event movies, franchise films, and instant blockbusters that drove the box office of the 1980s became more expensive, more high-tech, and more international in the 1990s, although the profits became even harder to realise. By the early 1990s, sophisticated marketing techniques such as advertising testing, the use of the internet and product placement in films, became firmly rooted in the business. As production and marketing costs soared, more and more movies opened with huge grosses only to fade after the first weekend, replaced by another movie the following weekend. Nobody could predict that in a summer packed with big-budget mainstream studio fare like Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Lucas, 1999) and Wild Wild West (Sonnenfeld, 1999), Artisan studio would score the most stunning coup in recent times by propelling Blair Witch Project, a grainy, low-tech documentary, to $250 million at the box office worldwide. (Marich,2009:96) Interestingly, the writers of the film spent less than $100,000 to make and present it in documentary style. As a result, with sequels, videos and licensed merchandise, it became the most profitable low-budget films in cinema history, as depicted in the following table. (Block, 2010:520) Top 5 Blockbuster Movies Lowest Production Cost versus Highest Revenue All-Release Domestic Box Office, 1960-2009 Equivalent 2005 $s in Millions of $s Rank Film Initial Release Domestic Box Office Production Cost 1 The Blair Witch Project 1999 $177.3 $.04 2 Easy Rider 1969 $191.7 $1.9 3 American Graffiti 1973 $402.0 $3.30 4 Psycho 1960 $209.9 $5.3 5 My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2002 $266.4 $5.4 Thanks to a revolutionary use of the internet and word-of-mouth, the movie stood out amongst the onslaught of $200 million movies with corporate tie-in partners and $50 million advertising budgets. Bound by a small marketing budget, the internet proved to be the one outlet where the money spent paid off in spades. The Web completely levels the playing field; you cant out-spend somebody on the Web the Artisans studio marketing head, John Hegeman said. Its against the grain of every other media; you create a message and give it time to breathe. If the environment is interesting, you can hold onto the fan base longer, as opposed to a 30-second ad thats here and gone. For us, it was the most important and impactful delivery mechanism (Hegeman, cited in Stanley, 1999) Co-director of the movie, Eduardo Sanchez, created the Blair Witch Project website to outline the story of the Blair Witch and lure potential investors- before the screenplay had even been written. He also planted a false information that the murders shown on-screen were real, not staged by film makers. Of course the events depicted in the movies were not real, but the controversy they caused helped boost interest and ticket sales. Rather than posting a typical promotional movie site with Shockwave presentations, cute screen savers, a few trailers, and an opening date, Sanchez created a Web site that is an extension of the movie rather than just an online advertisement. In addition, just before the general release of the film, The Science-Fiction Channel aired a mockumentary, Curse of the Blair Witch (Sanchez, 1999b), which, supposedly, investigated the legend behind the movie. The program contains actual interviews of relatives and friends of the three main characters. (Sanchez, 1999b) Since the whole legend was fictional, including the myth of the missing students, the program can be treated as another marketing mechanism for the film. Despite this, it gives more background information on the legend that is hinted at in the film. Then, at the Cannes Film Festival, the producers distribute flyers containing information about the cast. The missing posters of the actors of the film were also put up. These marketing strategies and also the authentic feel of the movie made many viewers believe that the whole documentary was real, even though the film was listed in the fiction category. This decade also saw industry consolidation accelerate. By the end of the 1990s, bigger companies dominated the entertainment industry and companies such as News Corporation (20th Century-Fox and Fox Broadcasting), Time Warner (Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema), and Viacom (Paramount, Blockbuster Video, and CBS) were changing the dynamics of ownership. (Bakker, 2008:122) Studios were no longer part of companies focused primarily on movies and TV shows. These companies ushered in an era of more intense research, which was conducted at a higher cost. Everything was tested, from story concepts to TV commercials. These companies were also able to raise vast pools of funds from investors both in United States and around the world. Movies were still shown on film, but there were signs that the end of the celluloid era was upon us as movies entered the electronic age. Digital technology was used first to store information, then to edit movies and TV shows, and later as a tool in special effects, leading ultimately to the beginning of digital cinema, which would transform production, distribution, and exhibition. At the same time the internet gave easy access to an abundance of information and fast communication. When in 1993 only 1.3 million people used the Internet, by the year 2000, over 300 million people had access. (Bordwell, 2003:274) Soon after, the DVD was introduced as a digital consumer entertainment format and seemed likely to replace videotape. However, mainly due to evolving technology, the U.S film industry faced many new difficulties as a new century dawned. Film piracy exploded, thanks to digital copying and internet access. Also box-office revenues swelled due to increased ticket prices as supposed to larger audiences. In real terms, theatres were earning less from tickets sales that they had in the 1980s. (Stringer, 2003) In the meantime, the costs of film making and marketing were rising faster than the income. Nonetheless, theatrical motion pictures remained central ingredients in the media mix. Films spawned television series, video games, comic books and other merchandise material. The press tracked top-grossing films as if they were a sports team. The industry might have been riddled with economic problems, but film was securely at the centre of Americas and the worlds popular culture. Bibliography draft: Bakker, George (2008) Entertainment Industrialised. The Emergence of the International Film Industry, 1890-1940, University Press, Cambridge. Bassom, David (1999) Star Maker, StarBust, May 1999, pp. 40-45. Bhuvaneshwari (2005) Star Wars: A Star Brand, IBSCDC, May 2005, pp. 1-8. Block, Alex Ben and Lucy Autrey Wilson (2010) Blockbusting, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., New York. Cook, David (2000) History of the American Cinema. 9 Lost Illusions: American Cinema in the Shadow of Watergate and Vietnam, 1970-1979, MacMillan, New York. Curran, David (1998) Guide to American Cinema 1965-1995, Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport. Dale, Martin (1997) The Movie Game. The Film Business in Britain, Europe and America, Cassell, London. Duncan, Celia (1997) Marketing Focus: Star Wars Trilogy, Screen International, March 1997, p. 16. Endicott, Robert (2000) Studios Soar to New Box-Office Nirvana Advertising Age, July 2000, p. 10 E.Squire, Jason (2006) The Movie Business Book, McGraw-Hill Education, England. French, Lawrence (1997) Selling the Force, Cinefantastique, February 1997, pp. 32-37. Hayward, Susan (1996) Key concepts in Cinema Studies, Routledge, New York. Izod, John (1988) Hollywood and the box office, 1985-1986, MacMillan Press, Hampshire. Kempster, Grant (2005) Star Wars, Film Review, August 2005, pp. 12-16. Lehu, Jean-Marc (2007) Branded Entertainment: Product placement and brand strategy in the entertainment business, Kogan Page, London. Lees, David and Stan Berkowitz (1981) The Movie Business, Random House, New York. Marich, Robert (2009) Marketing to Moviegoers: A Handbook of Strategies and Tactics, second edition, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale. Pham,Andrew and Neil Watson (1993) The Film Marketing Handbook, BAS Printers Limited, Hampshire. Pomerance, Murray (2005) American Cinema of the 1950s. Themes and Variations, Oxford International Publishers Ltd, Oxford. Prowse, David, actor playing Lord Vader in Star Wars trilogy. Face-to-face interview (notes), 20 September, 2009, Glasgow. Smith, Jim (2002) The Star Wars Story- Part One, StarBust, May 2002a, pp. 34-41. Smith, Jim (2002) The Star Wars Story- Part Two, StarBust, June 2002b, pp. 26-33. Smith, Jim (2002) The Star Wars Story- Part Three, StarBust, July 2002c, pp. 28-34. Stringer, Julian (2003) Movie Blockbuster, Routledge, New York. Wasko, Janet (2003) How Hollywood Works, SAGE Publications, London. Miller, Neil The Ultimate Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Photo Gallery, http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/the-ultimate-harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-photo-HYPERLINK http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/the-ultimate-harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-photo-gallery.phpgallery.php (accessed 22.02.2010) Royal Albert Hall Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix http://www.royalalberthall.com/about/history-and-archives/timeline-detail.aspx?search=20030626 (accessed 18.02.2010) Granville, Williams Bestriding the World http://www.mediachannel.org/ownership/granville.shtml (accessed 22.03.2010) Entertainment Marketing Letter Product Placement On The Rise In Broadcast Network Primetime Shows, http://www.epmcom.com/products/entertainment/eml (accessed 10.03.2010) Koster, Olinka Harry Potter and the not-so-wizard Coca-Cola wheeze http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-79086/Harry-Potter-wizard-Coca-Cola-wheeze.html (accessed 23.03.2010) Moat, Janet Selling the Movies, http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tours/marketing/marketingtour1.html (accessed 24.10.2009) Grover, Ronald Twilight, the Movie: This Seasons Harry Potter? http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2008/tc20081114_235548.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_companies (accessed 22.03.2010) MPAA Marketing budget 2007, http://www.mpaa.org/researchStatistics.asp (accessed 10.01.2010) Box Office Mojo Proud American, http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=proudamerican.htm (accessed 21.01.2010) Thilk, Chris Harry Potter series http://www.moviemarketingmadness.com/blog/2004/06/03/7005/ (accessed 5.09.2009) Filmprofit, Producers Marketing Package http://www.filmprofit.com/samples/ProdMarkSample.pdf (accessed 01.01.2010) Stanley, Tim, High-Tech Throwback marketing of Blair Witch Project, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_36_40/ai_56023086/ (accessed 10.11.2009) Star Wars:Bonus Material, prod: Lucasfilm Ltd., USA, 2004. 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Air Quality and Climate Change as Integrated Policy

An integrated approach to tackling air quality and climate change makes sound sense. The topics of air quality and climate change are interrelated, so policies surrounding the two problems should be addressed using an integrated approach. The emissions that pollute our air and those that warm the planet have common sources: vehicles, buildings, power generation and industry. These pollutants and activities that affect the air we breathe also have a significant impact on the climate change the earth is experiencing.Integrating air pollution control and climate change policies helps to achieve sustainable development and a low carbon society that benefit all. Many benefits are realized through integrating approaches and policies to air quality and climate change. One benefit of integrated policies is that the price to implement the policies is more cost effective. â€Å"Integrating climate and air pollution control programs leads to significant cost savings and important benefits to h uman health and the environment† (Kuylenstierna and Hicks, 2008).Also, climate policies and decisions are felt in the future while policies improving air quality are felt in the here and now. Also, an integrated policy would avoid unintentional trade-offs. That is â€Å"when policy is introduced to benefit one area without consideration of how it will affect the other; in these cases, negative impacts felt by one area may outweigh the actual benefits that the policy was designed to bring† (Environmental Protection UK, 2011). Another benefit of integration is the ability to prioritize actions and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the action for each problem.There will be obstacles to realizing an integrative approach to air quality and climate change. Political obstacles can include lobbyist and interest groups that hold significant influence in the political arena. If proposed actions increase costs to manufacture or produce energy, the interest groups and the l obbyists will be vocal about their disapproval and may influence a political leader’s decision to implement environmental policies. In addition, individuals may voice their concerns about costs associated with integrated policies.For example, if the cost of a car goes up to meet emissions regulations, individuals will voice their opinions during election time by voting the out the policy maker. Finally, the science behind the problems needs to be clearly communicated and understood by all. The science needs to be valid and proven as well. If the science is correct, individuals will more readily accept any policy changes. Currently, there are opposing views on air quality and climate change that contribute to the confusion many realize surrounding the environmental problems the world is facing.A fragmented approach to address these environmental issues may do more harm than good. One policy that is meant to help with climate change may pose many disadvantages to air quality. I n a compartmentalized approach, the effect to the other issue is not considered. This can also add additional costs and resources to amend or fix a problem created through a fragmented approach. Separate approaches also contribute to the influence interest groups and lobbyists can have on the implementation of policies. Finally, a fragmented approach can be unclear and communicate competing priorities.The unclear and fragmented message presented to the public lessens the impact and the crucial need to act on the issues we face surrounding air quality and climate change. â€Å"Individuals are the drivers of larger processes of change involving organizations and political systems, especially in democratic societies† (Liverani, 2009). In addition, â€Å"as consumers, individuals hold a reservoir of mitigation capacity. Roughly 40 percent of OECD emissions result from decisions by individuals—travel, heating, and food purchases. U. S. ouseholds directly account for roughl y 35 percent of national CO2 emissions – more in absolute terms than the entire U. S. industrial sector and any other country bar China† (Liverani, 2009). Reflecting on these numbers, the impact that individual behaviors and actions demonstrate the negative consequences people have to the air quality as well as the significant contribution to the climate change problem. However, people must not only be informed, concerned, or understand the problems and issues, the people must act to improve air quality conditions and stop the rapid rate of climate change.People need to accept responsibility for their waste and their emissions. Policy makers have used economic and market mechanism to drive adoption, but this strategy is not all that is needed. Understanding their impact and acting on their impact without financial incentives is crucial to improve the quality of the air we breathe and slow the climate change we are experiencing. New social norms need to be established th rough effective marketing and communication of the problems.?