Ensuring Customer Satisfaction

Introduction To ensure success in a highly competitive world it is important that an organization puts emphasis on customer satisfaction. Findings indicate that it is much easier to retain an existing customer than attract a new one. That is why it is important for any business entity to understand the needs of its customers and ensure the production of quality brands.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Ensuring Customer Satisfaction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ensuring satisfaction usually compels a customer to come again to buy the products or get the service. It is also vital in ensuring referrals, whereby the customers are able to refer other people to the same business entity or brand. The quality of products or services is critical in influencing the attitudes of the customers towards a given brand. Customer satisfaction influences the consumers to have a positive attitude towards the brand while dissati sfaction leads to negative attitude (Antonides 1999: 88). Customer satisfaction is vital in promoting a brand. Customer dissatisfaction on the other hand leads the consumers to present their complaints to the manufacturer or dealer of that particular product or even discourage other potential customers from using that product or service. To determine the quality of a product or service, it is quite important to determine the attitudes of the consumers towards that particular brand. This could be done by issuing them with questionnaires or directly interviewing them. This is crucial in spotting the needs of customers and improving that particular brand. For any corporate entity to succeed in an extremely competitive world it must be customer oriented and it should put measures in place to retain the existing customers and attract new ones. After obtaining findings about the customer needs, it is important to act on them so as to ensure customer satisfaction. It is quite important for an organization or business entity to determine the customer satisfaction levels at that particular time before putting any customer satisfaction measures. Improving quality is not enough to give an entity a competitive advantage over its competitors. It is therefore important that an organization puts less emphasis on internal structures and processes and focus on the market and customers (Baudrillard 1998: 432). Customer satisfaction The issue of satisfaction is particularly important tin the hospitality industry. Customer satisfaction can be termed as a feeling of pleasure or fulfillment that comes with the obtaining and using a product or service. Consumer Decision Making Process According to Smith, before any purchase is made, the consumer usually goes through a number of stages. It is important for any marketer to understand the whole process while marketing any given brand. There is a stage in the buying process whereby the marketer might not be in a position to change the d ecision of the buyer.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While doing the routinely purchases however, it is quite common for the customer to skip or in some cases reverse some of these stages. Someone who is hungry is likely to skip the information seeking and evaluation stages. While purchasing certain commodities however, there is need for significant thought and deliberation. The buying process is very important in such a case (Blythe 1997: 231). According to this model, before any purchase is made, the consumer recognizes a need like hunger, the need to purchase certain equipment or it might be in response to a given stimuli like a sweet aroma. The customer then goes a head to find the appropriate information. If the need is quite agent and there is a place to purchase the product/service, a decision is instantly made to acquire the same. If not then the quest to acquire t he information continues. Some of the information sources for the customer include; Personal sources which include; members of one’s family, friends or neighbors. Business sources like advertisements, sales people, packaging and displays, retailer as well as the retailers of that given product/service. Public sources, these include the media/press and consumer organizations. Experimental sources. They include the handling of the product, examining as well as using it. During the evaluation stage, the customer is faced with the option of choosing among the different brands, products or other service providers (Brown 2002:33). Information Use The customer uses the obtained information in determining the best brand in solving the apparent problem. An extensive evaluation is to be carried out if the purchasing is very much involving. High involvement purchases are those which either involve higher risks or are expensive. These might for instance be; the purchasing of a car, ho use or making an investment. Low involvement purchases on the other hand usually involve less evaluation as it is in the case of purchasing refreshments or purchasing foodstuff for preparing dinner. A marketer needs to provide the customer with the appropriate information in the various purchasing situations. In high involvement purchases for instance, the marketer needs to give the customer accurate information about the quality of the brand and its importance and advantages over the competitors. He/she might have to give free samples or offer trials to the customer so as to make a sale and establish customer loyalty. (Cave 2002:461).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Ensuring Customer Satisfaction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Post-purchase Evaluation This is the final stage in the purchasing process. After purchasing, the customer might have concerns about that particular brand. This is usually done through cognitive dissonance. In the event that a consumer feels that an alternative product or service provider would have been better, he/she might not go for it immediately but might go for it next time he/she is in need. The person is less likely purchase the product or service that did not satisfy him/her. During the purchasing, the customer needs to be assured that the product or service would satisfy his/her need. Even after purchasing, the consumer has to be reassured that he/she made the right decision. Application in the Hospitality Industry This model is applicable in the hospitality industry although it has its own shortfalls. The aspect of decision making has not been an easy one in this industry given that it has been undergoing much complexity in the recent past. There are various factors that influence decision making in the hospitality industry some of which are socioeconomic. The aspects of the organizations image, its utility maximization as well as people’s knowl edge about the products and services are also influential in the whole process (Ford 2005:33). Decision Making The management of any hospitality company uses the knowledge of this model to make decisions concerning the branding and ensuring effective marketing strategies so as to retain the existing customers and attract new ones. The problem recognition stage in the hospitality industry is characterized by customers need for comfort and places of relaxation, refreshment, accommodation, transportation and places where they can get good food and other entertainment services. It is upon the retailer to provide these services to the customers and inform them of the products and services offered by that particular business entity (Gottdiener 2000:67). It is therefore important for the marketers to carry out some study on the customers needs so as to know the services they need and improve on the existing ones or eliminate those that are not relevant. It is important to understand the cu stomers and the attributes that influence their decision making. This is the only way that a hospitality firm can effectively deliver to its customers. With the aspects of post-modernism and globalization, today’s market has significantly changed. The customers are more sensitive to the prices and the focus is more on the psychological rather than physiological needs. A marketer needs to know the perception of the consumers concerning the alternative brands in the industry (Griffin 2002:55).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The hospitality industry usually aims at ensuring customer satisfaction which translates to profit making. Marketing is particularly very important in the hospitality industry. The industry also depends on the travel industry for its marketing and operational activities. By understanding the decision making process, an organization is in a position to meet its organizational objectives by putting programs in place to ensure that the customers are satisfied which results in greater profitability. The hospitality industry must have the customer service culture. Much emphasis is put on customer service and satisfaction. The organizations culture is in such a way that the needs of the customers are given priority (Gronroos 2000:22) A business entity in the hospitality industry needs to be consistent in its service provision so as to avoid customer dissatisfaction. The entity should do follow up even after the customers purchase their products or services so as to determine their level o f satisfaction at the post-purchase stage. This helps in finding out whether the customers were satisfied or whether the product or service needs to be improved. This is crucial in minimizing dissatisfaction and establishing customer loyalty (Heath 2005:33). Challenges Globalization has resulted in market complexity. The hospitality industry is therefore encountering greater competition from firms across the globe. The industry is faced with the challenge of ensuring that high ethical standards are upheld and the players in the industry observe corporate social responsibility. The model has been found to be ineffective given that a lot of emphasis is put on the customers. The organizational structures and procedures of businesses are likely to be sidelined. In some cases, consumers might approve a brand as being of quality yet still go for the competitive brand. This is evidence that this model might not be absolutely effective in defining consumer behavior. Kotler’s The Buye r Behavior Model Consumer Markets and Their Buying Behavior A consumer’s buying behavior has to do with the individuals or households buying goods and services for their own consumption. A marketer has to be concerned about the customer’s reaction to the marketing efforts of the company. According to this model, the buyers are attracted to buy a certain commodity or a service due to a number of stimuli that they are exposed to. They could be the marketing stimuli like the cost of that product or service, the location of the product, the promotional activities. The other stimuli that influence the consumers buying behavior are the economic factors, the person’s cultural orientation, political factors and the aspects of technological advancement. All this factors help the consumer to decide on whether to buy a product or a service. The consumer is usually stimulated by these factors to go for a particular brand or product. It is therefore the responsibility of the marketer to determine what goes into the mind of the consumer as this would determine his/her response to that particular brand. The buyer’s characteristics have an influence on his/her perception of the stimuli while his/her response to those particular stimuli would determine the person’s buying behavior. According to this model, the customer’s decision to purchase a product or service is influenced by the family, peers, social group and the society in general. In the buyer’s mind, which is referred to as the back box in this model, his/her decision to go for a particular brand would be influence by the person’s attitude, knowledge, his or her personality, the persons lifestyle, motivations or perceptions. In the decision making process, the person goes through the stages of buying, that is, the realization that a need exists, the person then seeks the relevant knowledge, the customer then carries out the alternative evaluation where he/she migh t compare the brand with the other brands in terms of quality and the cost. The person then makes the purchasing decision. After buying the product or service, there is the post purchase stage where by the person looks at the performance of whatever he/she had purchased so as to approve or disapprove of its quality. The consumer then makes a decision to remain loyal to the brand or go for an alternative brand on the next buying. The marketing stimuli are mainly planned by the respective companies while the environmental factors are influenced by the prevailing economic, cultural and political circumstances. Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior Marketing Stimuli Marketing stimuli plays a very important role in determining the buying behavior of the consumer. A consumer will for instance go for a brand that has been well marketed, less costly, and easily accessible. The quality of the services, the value and the consumer’s future intentions has a correlation (Lashley 2000:222) . Image seems to play a very significant role in the choices that consumers make. The consumers are likely to go for a retailer with the best prices, good customer service and excellent delivery services. The attitude of a consumer towards a retailer is greatly influenced by the image of that particular retailer. The attitudes of such consumers greatly influence their intentions. This is also influenced by the subjective norms of the consumer. A good experience with a retailer in terms of satisfactory service delivery is most likely to result in the consumer’s loyalty. (Reisinger 2003:22). Cultural Stimuli According to this model, a buyer’s decision to purchase a product or service is greatly influenced by the person’s culture, sub culture or social class. A person might refuse to go for a particular brand if his/her culture prohibits the brand. Subjective norms are very likely to influence the intentions of a consumer to purchase. These are the factors that dic tate whether a person should purchase a particular product or not (Rosenblatt 1999:85) Social Factors Social factors play a very significant role in influencing the purchasing behavior of a shopper. Besides the need for variety and convenience a shopper is likely to be influenced by his/her relatives, peers, and the desire to be within a certain social class. Social sites like Facebook, MySpace and twitter are likely to influence a consumer to either purchase from a particular retailer or avoid that retailer. Whenever shoppers develop a positive attitude towards a particular retailer, they are likely to influence each other positively and hence go for the products and services of that particular retailer. On the other hand, if they have a negative attitude towards the retailer, they are likely to influence each other against that particular retailer. This calls for the retailer to make effort in ensuring effective service delivery and building trust with the consumers. Technological Stimuli Most companies and businesses in the hospitality industry have embraced the most current technologies in their service delivery. Some of them have introduced the touchscreen tables that enable the customers to make orders without having to speak to the waiters. This is important as fur as improving the quality of services is concerned although success solely relies on the consumers perceptions of such technologies. Younger consumers might for instance be motivated by such technologies and might develop loyalty to such brands. This might not necessarily be the case with the older generation. Satisfaction is very significant in enhancing brand loyalty among the first-time consumers as compared to the regular customers. A consumer’s efficiency in handling the current technological devices also plays a very important role in influencing the consumer to purchase a certain product/service or not. A customer that is technologically advanced and has a good knowledge of compu ter technology is more likely to embrace e-shopping than one who is not. While making a hotel reservation for instance, a person needs to know how the computer system works and how to use the credit card in making online payments. Most of the e-consumers have embraced the technology as it is easier and more efficient than the traditional mode of making business transactions. The method is perceived as being clear and easy to navigate, get the relevant information and make comparison. It is more interactive than the traditional mode of shopping (Schiffman 2004). Consumer Traits The shopping behavior is also greatly influenced by the consumer traits like a person’s age gender, education level, and income range. Men for instance tend to be quick buyers. Women on the other hand are known to be selective and keen observers when it comes to shopping. Well educated people tend to thoroughly seek the relevant information about a particular retailer before purchasing. Less educated pe ople on the other hand tend to depend on cues and do not look for much information before purchasing. It is coincidental that most of the wealthier people are educated as well. They therefore tend to collect all the relevant information about a product and a retailer before buying the same (Swarbrooke 1999:65). Considering the age factor, younger people are more likely to seek more information concerning a particular retailer than the elderly. This is because the elderly are characterized by loyalty to a particular brand while the younger people want to try out new things. Application in the Hospitality Industry Most customers of the hospitality industry look for places of relaxation where they can escape from the usual pressures of life or work. They therefore go forth to look for destinations where they can socialize and escape from the usual hustles and tussles of life. These are the factors that players in the hospitality industry should consider in order to ensure customer sati sfaction. Hospitality companies and businesses therefore ought to put structures that are consumer oriented in place so as to ensure consumer satisfaction which in the long run leads to loyalty. Players in the industry ought to be market oriented. A customer’s experience with a product or brand often has a psychological effect on him/her. The person is emotionally and psychologically attached to that particular brand or product as opposed to those who have not had an experience with that particular brand. The person is therefore well placed to influence the attitude of others towards that particular brand. Dissatisfaction towards a brand would mean that the customer had a negative experience with it and is likely to negatively influence potential consumers. The consumer would most likely develop resentment towards that brand. Having a positive experience with the brand would result in satisfaction which would result in the consumers positively influencing their colleges to go for the brand. It also results in the customers going for the brand in subsequent instances. Relationship marketing is quite important in building customer loyalty. Such loyalty can be boosted by a hospitality business ensuring personalized services, upgrading rooms and taking the customers’ problems seriously. Customers need to be provided with security and accurate information so as to build customer loyalty. Offering quality services is the only way for the firms or hospitality businesses to remain relevant and competitive in a post modern world (Lury 1996:44). Findings have shown that image is so significant in the hospitality industry. Quality services would automatically lead a consumer to come back for the same services or recommend the brand to others. Customer satisfaction is based on the attitudes of the customers towards a particular brand and that is why it is very important for any business entity to know the perceptions of the customers towards that particular brand. The success of any particular brand cannot solely be based on the frequency of purchase of that particular brand (Kotler 1999:33). The model has been characterized by a number of shortfalls. The model therefore fails to fully explain how these other factors affect consumer behavior. With the aspects of globalization and post modernism, the aspects of customer satisfaction have become a challenge hence the need to ensure quality services if customer satisfaction is to be achieved. E-Customers Findings have shown that the needs of e-customers and typical customers are similar. With the current technological advancement, the number of e-consumers in the hospitality industry has significantly increased. There are a number of factors influencing e-consumer behavior. Functionality seems to be the driving factor in the behavior of the online consumers. Most people are still very reluctant to embrace online purchase as it is a new phenomenon. E-consumers rely on their past experience with the brand to make decisions. In such cases much emphasis is put on the quality of services. Good services would definitely attract the e-consumer to purchase the goods and services in subsequent instances. Most businesses in the hospitality industry have embraced online services. Hotels have for instance made it possible for someone to make online bookings and reservations possible. People are able to make online payments for instance by using credit cards. This has been convenient to most consumers who do not have time to travel to that particular hotel or destination just to make a reservation. Those businesses that have embraced the current technologies in their service provision are therefore most likely to attract e-consumers and this plays a very significant role in improving their image among these consumers. Trust is very important in making the consumers to have confidence in any particular service provider. The consumers need to be assured of privacy, safety of their information and effectiveness in service delivery. Once confidence and trust is established, the consumers will become regular shoppers (Solomon 2002:11). Experiential factors of e-shopping E-shopping is not only about purchasing. Interactivity plays a very important role in this type of trade. A consumer would for instance be appealed by the ability to customize some of the features on the retailer’s website. Interactivity plays a big role in influencing the attitude of the customer towards the retailer which significantly affects the aspects of trust. An interesting website that allows for easy compatibility and interactivity is preferable to that which lacks such features. These aspects can be exploited by players in the hospitality industry in ensuring that their websites are very much interactive. They should use attractive features like music, videos and 3D in ensuring that their customers and potential consumers are attracted to the website. This is crucial because a person’s first encounter with a website would determine whether the person will visit the site again or not. The features of a given website portray the image of the respective e-retailer, hence the need to develop a highly interactive website that ensures consumer satisfaction (Stalnaker 2002:22). Conclusion Consumer behavior is influenced by a number of factors. According to Smith, consumer behavior is characterized by a number of interrelated stages. It is therefore important for the marketer to know the stage at which the consumer is so as to try to influence his/her decision to go for that given brand. Even after purchasing, it is important for the marketer to follow up and know the opinion of the customer concerning that brand and even convince the person that she/he made the right decision by selecting the brand. According to the Black Box model, it is quite important for a retailer to ensure effective marketing so as to positively influence the consumer to develop loy alty towards that particular brand (Taylor 2004:87). According to this model, brand image is perceived to be a very significant factor that influences customer behavior. A good image results in brand loyalty while a negative image leads to disloyalty. It is therefore the responsibility of the retailer to develop a positive image of the brand. The image of a brand does not just affect the consumers alone. This is because the consumer has the ability to influence other potential customers to try out the brand or avoid it. List of References Antonides, G., and Van Raaij, W. (1999) Cases in consumer behaviour. New York: Wiley. Baudrillard, J. (1998) The consumer society: myths and structures. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Blythe, J. (1997) The essence of consumer behaviour. London: FT Publishing. Brown, S. (2002) Free gift inside: forget the customer: develop market ease 2,(4) 33 Cave, S. (2002) Consumer behaviour in a week. London:Hodder and Stoughton. Ford, K. (2005) Brands laid b are: using market research for evidenced-based brand  management. New Jersey, Wiley and Sons. Gottdiener, M. (Ed.) (2000) New forms of consumption: consumers, culture and  commodification. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield. Griffin, J, (2002) Consumer Loyalty: How to earn it How to keep it. San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass. Gronroos, C. (2000) Service management and marketing: a customer relationship  management approach. 2nd Ed., New York:Wiley. Heath, J., and Potter, A. (2005) The Rebel Sell: how the counterculture became  consumer culture. Chichester: Capstone Publishing. Kotler, P., Bowen, J., and Makens, J. (1999) Marketing for hospitality and tourism. 2nd Ed., London: Prentice-Hall International (UK) Ltd. Lashley, C., and Morrison, A. (2000) In search of hospitality: theoretical perspectives  and debates. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Lury, C. (1996) Consumer culture. Rutgers: Rutgers University Press. Reisinger, Y., and Turner, L. (2003) Cross-cultural behaviour in tourism: concepts and  analysis. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Rosenblatt, R. (1999) Consumer desires. New York: Island Press. Schiffman, L. G., and Kanuk, L. L. (2004) Consumer Behaviour. 8nd Ed., New Jersey: Pearson Prentice-Hall. Solomon, M., Bamossy, G., and Askegaard, S. (2002) Consumer behaviour: a  European perspective. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Stalnaker, S. (2002) Hub Culture: the next wave of urban consumers. Singapore:Wiley and Sons. Swarbrooke and Horner (1999) Consumer behaviour in tourism. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Taylor, D. (2004) Brand stretch: why 1 in 2 extensions fail, and how to beat the odds. New Jersey: Wiley and Sons. This report on Ensuring Customer Satisfaction was written and submitted by user Desmond Q. to help you with your own studies. 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Free Essays on Sikhism

INTRODUCTION TO SIKHISM There are over 20 million followers of Sikhism. Born five centuries ago in the Punjab region of northern India. Between 1469 and 1708, ten Gurus preached a simple message of truth, devotion to God, and universal equality. Often mistaken as a combination of Hinduism and Islam, the Sikh religion can be characterized as a completely independent faith: Sikhism rejects the idea of worshiping idols, the caste system and ritualism. It recognizes the equality between both genders and all religions, prohibits the intake of any intoxicants, and encourages an honest, truthful living. Sikhs have their own holy scripture called the Guru Granth Sahib. Written, composed, and compiled by the Sikh Gurus themselves, the Guru Granth Sahib serves as the ultimate source of spiritual guidance for Sikhs. While the Sikhs hold their Gurus in high reverence, they are not to be worshipped; Sikhs may only worship God. BASICS OF SIKHISM Ø Sikhism is the youngest of the World religions. Its history dates back to 1469. Ø Its founder Guru Nanak Dev was born in a village called Talwandi, now known as Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, in 1469. Ø The Sikhs have ten Gurus. It is believed that they all had the same soul though they had different bodies, and that it was Guru Nanak Dev's spirit which passed on into his nine successors. Ø The Sikhs call God as 'Waheguru', meaning that God is great. Their common salutation is "Sat Siri Akal" (God is supreme and is immortal). Ø Guru Granth Sahib is the holy book of the Sikhs. It is believed that the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh bestowed upon the Granth the title of the Guru. Ø The Sikhs worship only one Almighty God in his abstract form. They are not allowed to worship any idols, images or photographs. Ø According to the Sikh belief, God is the eternal truth. He himself is the creator, preserver and destroyer. Ø The Sikhs believe that all existence is controlled by one Lord called by... Free Essays on Sikhism Free Essays on Sikhism Sikhism: The world's fifth largest religion. History, beliefs, and practices, etc. Sikh Origins: No consensus exists on the origins of this religion. Historians and specialists in Eastern religions generally believe that Sikhism is a syncretistic religion, related to the Bhakti movement within Hinduism and the Sufi branch of Islam, to which many independent beliefs and practices were added. Many Sikhs disagree; they believe that their religion is a direct revealed from God - a religion that was not derived from either Hinduism or Islam. Sikhism does contain many unique postulates and principles that are quite different from both Hinduism and Islam. Joseph D. 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Toxicological - Research Paper Example Some aromatic amines are under utilization as carcinogens in industries. Research was conducted to find what industries emitted these aromatic amines and to what extent these were damaging to the environment and the people around. It was an observation that the plastic, chemical, and dye industries emitted these in high amounts. Bladder tumors are a common side effect of these aromatic amines and the people who encounter these harmful gases often suffer from these diseases. â€Å"Auramine, naphthylamine, benzidine, and aminodiphenyl† (Walpole, 1959) were common aromatic amines that were believed to be one of the main chemicals causing bladders problems amongst workers working in these industries. Other effects of these amines include â€Å"drowsiness, headaches and dizziness that eventually lead to the person experiencing lack of coordination, muscular pain, contractions, a state of confusion, etc† (Books, 2010). These harmful gases may also cause certain respiratory pr oblems and liver diseases. Various laboratory tests and field researches were conducted to identify the exact side effects. Tests on animals were also conducted to find out the toxic effects of aromatic amines (Walpole, 1959). References Books. (2010). Aromatic Amines. General Books LLC. Walpole, A. L.

Mohammed Ibn Abdul Wahab and Wahhabism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mohammed Ibn Abdul Wahab and Wahhabism - Essay Example For the purpose of this essay, we shall restrict our discussion to Wahhabi Islam and its influences on current Islamic fundamentalism and the society as a whole. This especially involves Islamic terrorism since Wahhabi Islam is considered to be the premier fundamentalist religious movement supporting it and still incorporates religious beliefs and principles from Koran not found anywhere else in the world. Mohammad ibn bd ul-Wahab was a reformist born in 1703 in Central Arabia in Bani Tamim tribe. He learned literature at a Hanifite school, Islamic law at Medina, and then after few years in his hometown, commenced working as an Islamic teacher after returning to Nejd. Influenced by his examination of luxuries of life, superstitious pilgrimages, worship of Prophet Mohammed and other saints rather than the God and use of omens, he was repulsed and began to pronounce simplicity of early religion as per Koran. Thus began a sect now known as Wahhabism. There was considerable difference in religious texts and actual situation on ground in practical Islam. He was amazed at the importance given to practices like pilgrimages, saints, sacrifices while non-adherence to Islamic law, indifference to conditions of women, widows and children, lack of ritual prayers and non-inheritance of family share to women. He began to preach against jahilliya, which meant ignorance of Islamic laws. Jahilliya was a term in Islam referring to barbarism and ignorance that existed before Islam was founded. Paradoxically, while Wahhab recognized himself with Prophet Mohammed in principles, he connected his society with he same evils that the prophet attempted to overthrow. (Cline, 2003) Because so many Muslims lived (or so he claimed) in jahiliyya, Abd-ul Wahhab accused them of not being true Muslims at all. Those who followed the strict teachings of al-Wahhab were proclaimed as true Muslims during the period because only they still followed the path laid out by Allah. Accusing someone of not being a true Muslim is significant because it is forbidden for one Muslim to kill another; but if someone is not a true Muslim then killing them (in war or in an act of terrorism) becomes legitimate. It would be hard to underestimate the importance of this principle to modern terrorists and extremists. He also based his preachings on principle of uniqueness of God and his students were called as Muwahuddin (Unitarians). The basic text of Wahhabis is the Kitab at-tawhid or the book of unity. Their critics called them Wahhabis who mainly concentrated against Shia ideologies. While this word was originally used in a derogatory context, it has now become commonplace and is used by even people in Nejd. Most Wahhabis today live in Saudi Arabia. However, with passage of time and influx of notorious money, their influence has spread in many other countries of the middle-east, central and South Asia. Implementation of Wahhabism Mohammed Ibn Abd'ul Wahhab's directions for implementation of Islamic law as per his interpretation of Koran were strict and non-tolerant. All non-believer Islamists as well as non-Islamic people were to be put to death immediately. Soldiers of Islam were promised immediate entrance into Paradise and, unbelievably, each soldier had a written order from Ibn Abd-ul Wahhab for the gatekeeper to admit him in heaven forthwith. Wahhab died in 1791, and Wahhabism spread until it was broken down by Mehemet

The reader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The reader - Essay Example This is true with respect to The Reader as well. While the movie certainly deserves its acclaim, especially on its technical aspects, there are crucial differences between the two versions. This essay will argue that the movie The Reader fails to capture the central thrust and focus of the novel in terms of capturing the personalities and thoughts of Hanna and Michael in their entirety. As a result of this deviation, it would stand second to the novel in terms of its aesthetic and moral significance to the audience. When evaluating the novel, one has to see it in the context of the burgeoning body of holocaust literature that has been published in the last sixty years. Rather than dealing in dichotomies of good and evil in the characters of Hanna and Michael, Bernhard Schlink does present a nuanced view of the questions confronting an entire generation of Germans post holocaust. While the work of art provides an entry point for further exploration of the moral aspects of the holocaust, it is simultaneously a statement on the limitations of the written word to convey and elicit comprehensive responses. To the extent that this is an accepted fact, not just applicable to the lead characters of The Reader, but for the Novel in general, the author does a satisfactory job of perceiving and probing answers to these tough questions. In other words, the Bernhard Schlink novel succeeds in meeting its set objectives. This is further borne by the fact that the book was translated into 37 languages and incl uded in the curricula of several graduate courses. To take the above mentioned assessment a little deeper, let us take a specific example. Early in the narrative of the novel we come across this memorable piece of writing (the narrator is the young Michael Berg): â€Å"As she was reaching for the other stocking, she paused, turning towards the door, and

Homeless Youth targeted by violence and crime

Homeless Youth targeted by violence and crime About: This paper looks into how the homeless youth are at greater risk than other youth people as they are both victims of criminal activities and are potential targets of the state authorities such as the police. Hence it is argued that the homeless youth are at greater risk of been victimized and targeted by criminal activities due to the contextual and environmental factors involved in their daily lives and it is the responsibility of the authorities to make a change in those circumstances rather than targeting their criminal behaviors or punishing them as the homeless youth are caught in an economic and cultural trap. Introduction Youth can be viewed as a demographic category that is historically and culturally constructed (Wyn White,1997 in Mallett et al.2010). Terms such as young people and adolescence are related terms to the youth and how we think of these groups and their abilities, characteristics and nature varies across time, place, culture and social context they inhibit in. According to the academic and policy provision literature in Australia and in alliance with the World Health Organization, young people refer to people who are aged between 12 years to 25 years (Mallett et al. 2010). Our understandings of issues surrounding these young people such as youth delinquency and youth homelessness are shaped and constructed by the social context and discourse to which they have been assigned to (Mallett et al. 2010). Youth homelessness is one of the main concerns in many of the developed as well as some developing nations due to issues of power, violence and social control associated with the homeless youth (Milburn et al. 2007 Hatty et al. 1996). According to the World Health Organization (1993) there are approximately 100 million children living on the streets all over the world without proper care or shelter (WHO, 1993). There is a range of definition to homelessness with little agreement as to what constitutes the homelessness. The most common definition that dominates the publics view point is the rooflessness or the street homelessness, that defines homeless people as those who are sleeping rough and living on the streets (Hutson Liddiard, 1994). The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in their report defines homelessness as a lifestyle which includes insecurity and transiency of shelter. In its definition of homelessness, it further emphasised that homelessness is not merely li mited to the lack of shelter but also indicates a state of vulnerability to dangers such as abuse due to the detachment from family (Hatty et al. 1996). According to MacKenzie Chamberlain (2006), the basic idea underlying the cultural definition of homelessness is the shared community standards about the minimum level of accommodation people are expected to have in their community. This minimum level of accommodation acts as the basis for the categorization of homelessness as primary, secondary and tertiary categories of homelessness. The primary category includes those without conventional accommodation and are people living on the streets and the secondary homelessness includes those that move around temporary shelter such as boarding houses and short term stays with other households. The tertiary category of homelessness includes people who are in one particular shelter on a medium to long term basis which is defined as minimum 13 weeks (MacKenzie Chamberlain, 2006). This defi nition of homelessness however does not take into account or include all of the homeless population that are at risk and therefore the service providers often use a more broader definition that includes people who are at risk and are attempting to return to secure accommodation (MacKenzie Chamberlain, 2006). The discourse of at risk youth refers to how young people tend to risk their future by engaging in behaviors that would jeopardize a desirable future through engaging in problematic behaviors in the future. This discourse puts the individual at risk soles responsible for changing their behaviors by individualizing the problems and the solutions (Mallet et al. 2010). Therefore, the homeless youth can be viewed within this discourse when looking into their problematic behaviors such as substance abuse or unsafe sex which in turn labels these youth and stigmatizing them against other youth. WHY LEAVE HOME? GENDER RACE ETC Youth homelessness is a major political and social issue in contemporary Australia where a 50,000 homeless youth with approximately 2% aged between 15 24 years was reported by the year 1998 (Chamberlain MacKenzie, 1998, cited in Milburn et al. 2007). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at year 2006, the homeless population in Australia totaled 105,000 with 16% accounting for absolute homelessness such as sleeping out on the streets or in improvised shelter and the number of homeless youth aged between 12 to 18 years was reported as 17,891 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008). These groups of youth are often related with stigma that is associated with deviance and an economically and socially marginalized underclass that created social fears among the public and promote the vulnerability faced by these youth (Blackman, 1997). They are also three times more likely to be arrested for juvenile crimes due to their homelessness (Kaufman Spatz Wisdom, 1999 cited in Thra ne et al. 2008). In this essay I will argue that the groups of homeless youth are at greater risk than other groups of youth due to the greater vulnerability to deviant behaviors and that these deviant behaviors are social constructions that are mostly related to the public perceptions, space and place and as a result are targeted by the law enforcement authorities, mainly the police due to the contextual factors associated with their life style. Why at greater risk? Many studies have been published on the homeless youth and their involvement in the criminal activities (Miles Okamoto, 2008) and it is revealed that the homeless and runaway youth are at higher risks of offending and in engaging in deviant behavior (Thrane et al. 2008) as while on the streets they are always exposed to environments with criminal activity and violence (Miles Okamoto, 2008). Homeless young people are typically viewed as leading risky and chaotic lives with addictions and mental and other health problems that threaten their well-being (Mallett et al. 2010). They often have poor health and well-being due to high level of substance use and abuse and are at higher levels of risk in contracting sexually transmitted disease and experiencing victimization. The key areas of risk related behaviors among homeless youth include drug and alcohol use, physical and mental health issues, unsafe sexual practices and sexual health as well as violence (Mallett et al. 2010). Assaultin g behavior, shoplifting, drug dealing and prostitution to earn money for food are well known crimes among homeless youth (Thrane et al. 2008). Homeless youth are also represented as a high risk population with respect to HIV infections as a result of complex psychological and social forces they are exposed. With the freedom from parental and other social controls at young age, these youth has a greater ability to engage in deviant and risky behaviors which includes sexual risk activities which puts this vulnerable population at higher risk for HIV than their housed counter parts (Milburn et al. 2007). These behaviors can also be explained by their attitude towards their own bodies. With little or no option in life, these young people view their bodies as the last resort or personal capital they own. It is also the last thing they can exercise control or choice over as well as the only thing available for free. This can lead to regarding the body as the final resource for pleasure th at encourages them to extend the body to its limits by use of different substances and by other forms of self inflicted injuries and self abuse (Blackman, 1997). These criminal activities play a major role in constructing the image of homeless youth as dangerous and deviant (Miles Okamoto, 2008). These young people are further at risk of being victimized by criminal activity because of the unlikelihood of them reporting such crimes to the police and the lack of control they have over the environment they live in (Baron 1997; Kipke et al. 1997 cited in Miles Okamoto, 2008). However, it is important to understand the way the context of the street creates a complex set of issues for homeless youth due to negative peer affiliations, exposure to crime, violence and substance use that acts as part of the lived experience of the homeless youth (Miles Okamoto, 2008). According to Blackman (1997), the homeless youth groups has sunken themselves in a localized subculture where specific strategies are used for coping with the threats faced in their everyday lives which he calls the cultural immersion that often acts as an element of a culture of survival. Problems of hunger and shelter lead to offenses from theft of food to serious theft and together with these, problems of unemployment and shelter brings out prostitution (McCarthey Hagan, 1992). This reveals the situational context of the deviances and crimes related to the homeless youth. Therefore, we can suggest that much of the deviant behavior the homeless youth engages in were produced by the conditions they live in and hence in addressing these implications policy on changing the situation context of the streets plays a bigger role than simply focusing on punishment methods (Miles Okamoto, 2008). Why target by the police? Police forces have always had an implicit responsibility in maintaining surveillance on the activities of youth cultures and young people in public spaces in order to ensure their welfare as well as to maintain good order. With regards to homeless youth, the police have been responsible in taking action to remove young people from potentially dangerous and unsafe home environments and these contacts with homeless youth and the capacity of the police to caution with some level of discretion over the prosecution of offences is important in the way that police interacts with youth (Smith, 1995). These discretions and contacts may either be positive or negative depending on number of factors. According Mark Finnane from Griffiths University, the police have often shown some level of discretion over their responses to offences against good order with factors such as class, race, gender and ethnicity of the young person in offence carrying some influence on the manner the police would proc eed with the offence creating a difference in the way young people are treated for offences (Finnane cited in White Alder, 1994). This is particularly relevant in regards to the Aboriginal homeless youth in Australia with serious concerns raised on the relationship between Aboriginal young people and the juvenile justice system (Cunneen, 1995). Aboriginal homeless young people are often subjected to police surveillance with more aggressive police interventions, intimidations and harassments in their day to day lives (Smith, 1995). The Indigenous people were also over represented in all states of the homeless population in Australia (MacKenzie Chamberlain, 2008) as well as in public custody and juvenile detention centers (Cunneen, 1995). Unemployed and with little or no disposable income and with more time in hand, the spaces homeless young people inhabit are more likely to be of risk and violence and as a result they are continually exposed to aggressions which are far from their choosing (Blackman, 1997). Also due to the little social connections they have within the rest of the homeless youth, these young people tend to gather around in public spaces more often that other young people. Due to commercialization where more public space is been taken off for commercial purposes the young homeless youth tend to meet and socialize in shopping centers and other similar places where they become obvious targets of the law enforcement authorities (Smith, 1995). Therefore, need for negotiating public space is a main factor that attracts the police forces to homeless youth as the police carries the responsibility in maintaining good order where as the homeless youth are in search of claiming space of themselves for shelter a nd survival. The relationship between the police and homeless youth are also affected by the public perception of homeless young people (Finnane cited in Smith, 1995). The publics attitude that in return affects the local policies has the ability to increase or decrease the level of social control or strain for homeless youth (Miles Okamoto, 2008). The media portrayal of social problems like homelessness has a great impact on the formation of public attitudes as the media acts as the main source of information to many people (Hutson Lididard, 1994). For example, when the term juvenile delinquency was first presented in the media in the 1950s with a view of youth culture as deviant or delinquent, increasing policing measures were made in order to keep youth cultures under surveillance. Incidents as such provide evidence of a clear relationship between public perception, the media presentations and public policy (Smith, 1995). And these policies and attitudes could result in alienating and stigma tizing the homeless young people by acting as a barrier to achieve positive goals and forcing negative relationships with their communities and authorities (Miles Okamoto, 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, young people living on the streets have typically exited from households with conflict and violence into the streets where they experience threats and acts of violence by other homeless and street predators as well as by those in authority particularly the police (Davis, Hatty Burke, 1995). It is not surprising that these young people encounter more contacts with the police as much of the homeless people reported incidence of drug, alcohol and other substance abuse and minor petty crimes to major threats (Smith, 1995). These crimes associated with the homeless youth are not simply deviant behaviors that can be individualized but are products of the contextual and environmental factors surrounding these youth. Studies have revealed that many homeless young people (up to 55%) reported contact with the police as a consequence of their homelessness and majority of the respondents reported negative relationships with the police where they were distrustful and fearful of th e police (Thrane et al. 2008) while some mentioning of instances where the police helping them access services and help(Smith, 1995). Therefore, it is important that the authorities look more into the context of these homeless young people who are often disengaged from positive sources and are in need direction and assistance rather than control or punishment and criminalizing the homeless youth.

War Explored in Literature Essay -- The Crucible, The Minister’s Black

War Explored in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† by Nathaniel Hawthorne, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin, and Leap to Freedom by Kasenkina â€Å"Now every road and highway†¦was littered with the corpses of human beings and animals†¦the wounded were left to die. Children ran frantically, shrieking for their mothers†¦there was no food, water, soap, or medical supplies. Like polluted waters became carriers of disease (Kasenkina 93).† This is a typical scene of war demonstrated in literary works. In literature war is a very common, yet important subject and it is generally demonstrated in plays, short stories, and novels. Some of the pieces of literature in where war is shown include: The Crucible by Arthur Miller, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† by Nathaniel Hawthorne, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin, and Leap to Freedom by Kasenkina. In these pieces of literature war is shown as a horrid event that always has both physically and psychologically bad outcomes. In many literary works including the ones mentioned above the good outcomes in war are misrepresented an d suppressed by the bad outcomes in war. To Begin, In The Crucible by Arthur Miller there was a war within neighbors. This literary work highly demonstrated both the physically and psychologically harsh outcomes while the good outcomes were subdued. â€Å"†¦Think on it now, it’s a deep thing, and dark as a pit (Kinsella 1251). In this statement Giles was talking about how people are not getting along and are accusing each other of witchcraft. This is an introduction to the harsh physical outcome because people are tortured till they confess of being involved in witchcraft even if they aren’t. Then, if they are â€Å"proven† to be witches but, ... ...he good outcomes of war and stop portraying war as a horrible event because war brings about many great qualities from people by either making them fight for what they believe is right or just making them learn more about other people and themselves. Works Cited Kasenkina, Oksana Stepanovna. Leap to Freedom. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1949. Print. Kinsella, Kate et.al. The Crucible. Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2002. 1233-334. Print. Kinsella, Kate et.al. "The Minister's Black Veil." Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2002. 336-48. Print. Kinsella, Kate et.al. "The Story of an Hour." Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2002. 634-38. Print.