Customer Satisfaction Research on Bank

Customer Satisfaction Research on Bank CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 COMPANY PROFILE HDFC bank was founded in august 1994. It was among the first companies to receive an ‘in principle’ approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a branch in the private sector. The bank operated as a commercial bank under the liberalization policies of RBI. In February 2000, this bank experienced a merger with Times Bank owned by The Times Group (Bennett Coleman co.). This was the first merger between two private banks in India. 1 share of HDFC Bank was received by shareholder of Times bank for every 5.75 shares of their own. HDFC bank acquired Centurion Bank of Punjab on 23 May 2008 taking its total branches to more than 1000. The amalgamated bank came out with a base of Rs. 1, 22,000 crores and net advances of about Rs. 89,000 crores. HDFC Bank Limited provides banking as well as various financial services to different corporations, and middle upper income customers in India. The bank operates through three main divisions which are wholesale banking, retail banking, and treasury operations. HDFC also provides services like credit cards, debit cards, third party distribution, investment advisory services, card and automated teller machine (ATM) acquiring transactions, and depositary services. Foreign exchange and derivative products is provided by the treasury division. The bank also provides telephone banking, Net Banking, Internet banking, and mobile telephone banking services.It is the largest bank in India by market capitalization as of 24 February 2014. On January 2 2014, the market cap value of HDFC was found to be USD 27.00B, as compared to the credit Suisse group with USD 48.00B. It was promoted by the housing development finance corporation, a premier housing finance company of India set up in 1977. Some of the latest achievement of HDFC bank are: Table 1.1: Achievements of 2014 and 2013. 2014 Asiamoney Best of Best Domestic Banks-India. 2014 Dun Bradstreet- Mannapuram Finance Limited Corporate Award 2014 Best corporate in Banking Sector. 2013 Asiamoney Best domestic bank in India. Best local cash management bank in India. 2013 Institute for development and research in banking technology awards Best bank- managing IT risks. Best bank- best IT team. 2013 Businessworld Best bank in India. OBJECTIVE OF THE REPORT To study the satisfaction received by the customer form HDFC staff as well as technical staff in Noida region, Uttar Pradesh, India. To study the areas in which the customer from this particular region invest in. To know the problems faced by the customers. CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research design: Exploratory design has been selected as data has been collected from questionnaire as well as direct contact to understand the satisfaction level of the customer and to study the areas in which these customers prefer to invest their money. 3.2 Data Collection Method: Most of the data has collected from secondary sources whereas for conduct of research the primary data has been collected through a structured questionnaire wherein a total of 120 respondents took part out of which only 100 have been taken into consideration inorder to reduce the error. This data collected is from Noida region only and has been collected according to the convenience of the researcher. 3.3 Sampling The study mainly deals with the satisfaction of the customer in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. The required data was collected through a pretested questionnaire administered on a combination of convenience andjudgment sample of 100 individual investors. Judgment sample selection isdue to the time. Respondents were screened and inclusion was purely on the basis of their knowledge about financial organizations, HDFC in particular. This was necessary, because the questionnaire presumed awareness of some basic terminology used in these organizations. The purpose of the survey was to understand where the interest of the customer lies when investing in these organizations depending on various like satisfaction, awareness level. Sample of the questionnaire is given in Annex. A. 3.4 Instruments Used: The primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire by interactions with investors through telephone and through emails. 3.5 Analysis: After the data collection, it was compiled, classified and tabulated manually with the help of the computer. CHAPTER 4: INTERPRETATION AND FINDINGS Why you chose HDFC? The survey was conducted to see whether the customers are happy with the service provided by the bank. The study is given below Graph 4.1 It was revealed that the customers were highly satisfied by the communication (80%) followed by the problem solving capabilities (75.24%) of the staff. The customers were not much satisfied by the reliability of this organization. Interpretation: the bank should focus on its ability to perform well consistently and increase responsiveness to attract more customers. Analysis of investors preference The survey was conducted to capture investor objective for investment in financial instruments, reveals the following. Graph 4.2 Most of the investors invest money for the purpose of future welfare followed by high growth, so company should suggest those instruments which have a positive return for their investment which will help in fulfilling both the objectives. Customers reasons for being a part of this organization Customers were asked about the reasons because of which they became a part of this organization, the study showed a following results. Pie chart 4.3 From the study it was found that 25% people joined this organization because of the image, 25% people because of the extra services and 45% mainly because of the normal services provided by them whereas only 5% joined this bank because of all the above factors. Best service provided by the bank This was done to get an idea of the service most liked/preferred by the customers. The result showed, Table 1.2 Service Respondents % of respondents Savings a/c 33 33% Fixed deposits 40 40% Current a/c 12 12% Demat a/c 0 0% Credit cards 0 0% Mutual funds 10 10% Loans 5 5% Graph 4.4 According to the results, the customers find fixed deposit to be the best service provided, followed by savings and currents a/c. not even a single customer opted for demat a/c or credit cards. Perception about the services of the bank The customers were given three choices and the result was recorded to know the problems with the services and how to solve them in order to provide better services from the next time. Table 1.3 Response No of respondents % of respondents Good 35 35% Average 55 55% Poor 10 10% Graph 4.5 The result clearly shows that 55 % found the service to be average whereas 35 % found to be good. The remaining 10% found the service to be poor. Satisfied with the dealing of bank officials. Dealing with the customer plays an important role in the organization and to check it, a report has been made. The results show, Table 1.4 Response No of respondents % of respondents Yes 30 30% No 25 25% To some extend 45 45% Pie chart 4.6 The pie charts shows that maximum customers were satisfied by the dealing to some extend whereas 30% were completely satisfied. Only 25% were not satisfied and asked to make appropriate changes. Problems faced regarding the bank? Table 1.5 Response No of respondents % of respondents timeliness 78 78% Customer relationship 12 12% infrastructure 10 10% others 0 0% Graph 4.7 Most of the customers face a problem with the timeliness (78%), whereas only 12 % and 10% people face problems with customer relationship and infrastructure respectively. Will you recommend this bank to any of your friends? Table 1.6 Response No of respondents % of respondents Very unlikely 8 8% Somewhat unlikely 30 30% Neither likely nor unlikely 17 17% Somewhat likely 35 35% Very likely 10 10% Pie chart 4.8 According to the result, around 40% of the people agreed to recommend this bank to their friends whereas 25 refused to do so. Rate HDFC bank in maintaining good customer relationship Table 1.7 Respondents No of respondents % of respondents Good 20 20% Average 57 57% Poor 23 23% Graph 4.9 The result shows perfectly that the customers found the service to be average in terms of customer relations. Overall satisfaction rating with HDFC Table 1.8 Respondents No of respondents % of respondents Very dissatisfied 2 2% Somewhat dissatisfied 9 9% Neutral 21 21% Somewhat satisfied 48 48% Very satisfied 20 20% Graph 5.0 Review from customers show that 48% are somewhat satisfied whereas 21 percent are neutral about the satisfaction level. Only 2% and 9% customer were very and somewhat dissatisfied respectively. 4.1 Findings Majority of the customers are satisfied with the service provided. Majority of the customers found the services to be average. They also found that the respondents are average in maintaining good customer relations. Majority of the customers are facing the problem of timeliness. The perception of the majority of the customers is good and are satisfied with the services and were ready to recommend the products of the bank. Majority of the customers are interested in fixed deposits, savings a/c, and mutual funds. Majority of the customers are satisfied with the dealing of the bank officials. The most important point is that, services provided by the banks attract customers. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 5.1 Suggestions More stress should be given on advertisement and promotional activities. Banks should improve the efforts to make good relationship with the customers. Enhancing their services should also be an important task. Procedures should be made less time consuming. Banks should inform their customers about their extra services. 5.2 Limitations The research was carried out in a short period of 6 weeks because of which simple random and judgemental sampling is used. Limited sample size (100). The information might be biased because the information collected is given by the customer which doesn’t have any proof and depends upon different customers according to their satisfaction level. 5.3 Conclusion At the end I would like to conclude by saying that the Indian banking market is growing at an astonishing rate. HDFC bank have a network of 1142 branches and 3295 automated teller machines in 528 cities in India. The majority of customers are satisfied but the bank should target the unsatisfied customers. Even though the customers are aware about the services, the bank should try to create more awareness among people. HDFC should use printing as well as other media to do so. Formalities should be reduced to a minimum level as the customers feel irritated and the whole process becomes a burden on them. BIBLIOGRAPHY www.google.com www.hdfcbank/products/finance www.iloveindia.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDFC_Bank http://www.slideshare.net/ankurshrivastava3762/customer-satisfaction-level-in-hdfc-bank http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2002-11-16/news/27339334_1_sanjay-ralhan-primus-and-american-express-auto-finance ANNEXURE ANNEXURE 1: Questionnaire NAME ________________ AGE ___________________ GENDER_______________ OCCUPATION______________ EMAIL_________________ ADDRESS__________________ Why you chose HDFC? Resolve problems Communications Reliability Responsiveness What are your investment objective in HDFC bank? High income Stable income Future welfare Tax benefit High growth Reasonable income Retirement protection What are the reasons that attract you to be a customer? Image Services Products All of the above Best service provided by the bank are? Savings a/c Fixed deposit Current a/c Demat a/c Credit cards Insurance Mutual funds Loans What are your perceptions about the services of the banks? Good Average Poor Are you satisfied with the dealing of the bank officials? Yes No To some extend Any problems you are facing regarding the bank? Timeliness Customer relationship Infrastructure All of the above How likely are you to recommend the services to your friend or family? Very unlikely Somewhat unlikely Neutral Somewhat likely Very likely How will you rate HDFC bank in maintaining customer relationship? Good Average Poor What is your overall satisfaction with the company? Very dissatisfied Somewhat dissatisfied Neutral Somewhat satisfied Very satisfied

Consumer Attitude and Beliefs Essay

1. Explain a person’s attitude towards visiting Disneyland in Hong Kong in terms of the tri-component model. The tri-component attitude model is made up of three major components: (i) The Cognitive Component – a consumer’s attitude is initially based upon their own knowledge and perception through direct experience with the attitude object and related information from other sources. Prior Visit: if an individual has looked at brochures or searched up Hong Kong Disneyland online, then their attitude towards it should be positive, relating to their also positive perception received through information from sources After Visit: after visiting HK Disneyland, the individual would have had direct experience with the attitude object, thus their attitude would be based upon their experience there. (ii) The Affective Component – the emotions and or feelings a consumer associates with a particular brand or product. Prior Visit: assuming that the individual is a fan of rides and an adrenaline rush, the affective component would mostly likely involve the feeling of excitement of visiting Disneyland After Visit: if the individual’s visit to HK Disneyland was positive, they would probably have feelings of happiness and maybe even an emotion of sadness that they have to leave (iii) The Conative Component – the likelihood or tendency of a consumer to undertake a specific action or behave in a certain manner with regard to the attitude object. Prior Visit: since this component is based on an individual’s tendency to act (and not the actual acting), it would depend on each individual’s unique behaviour towards something; e.g. one may have the tendency to get too excited and not be able to concentrate on work properly. After Visit: an individual may hav e the tendency to boast to their friends about how fabulous their visit to HK Disneyland was. 2. Explain how the product manager of a breakfast cereal might change consumer attitudes toward the company’s brand by: a) Changing beliefs about the brand The product manager could change consumer beliefs about the brand by using the cognitive component of the tri-component attitude model, where a consumer’s knowledge and perceptions are acquired via direct experience with the attitude object plus information from other sources. (E.g. adding a  health attribute to the product so that consumers perceive the cereal brand as healthy, changing their beliefs about the brand.) b) Changing beliefs about competing brands The product manager of a breakfast cereal is obviously not able to change the packaging or advertising of a competitor’s brand, thus their marketing strategy to change a customer’s attitude toward competing brands must be accomplished via packaging and advertising strategies of their own breakfast cereal brand. This may be accomplished by assuring that consumers are aware that the breakfast cereal is unique from its competitors and has something to offer that other brands do not. Advertising to customers that this cereal has extra to offer or that other brands have been simply imitating this brand would cause customers to believe that competing brands have simply been deceiving. c) Changing the relative evaluation of attitudes Changing the relative evaluation of attitudes would involve the product manager coming up with a strategy that positively affects and engages a larger number of consumers. This would include appealing customers by making the breakfast cereal stand out amongst other competitors, such as highlighting a significant attributive strength that other breakfast cereals do not offer. The product manager would want to use powerful positive statements to achieve this. d) Adding an attribute Consumer attitudes toward the breakfast cereal could be enhanced by adding a health attribute to the cereal. For example, consumers are most likely to believe there has been product improvement if the product manager decides to add positively perceived ingredients such as protein, fibre, minerals, etc. 3. What sources influenced your attitudes about studying buyer behaviour before class started? Has your initial attitude changed since the unit started? If so, how? The sources that influenced my attitude towards studying buyer behaviour prior starting the unit was mostly based on the unit description from the unit guide and how friends had described the unit  to be like. My current attitude towards the unit has not changed much, except for the fact that the group assignment was actually not as boring as expected but rather quite interesting. 4. Should the marketer of a popular computer graphics program prefer consumers to make internal or external attributions about the success that people have using the program? The marketer of a popular graphics program would most likely prefer consumers to make external attributions about the success that people have using the program. External attributes focus on the properties or features that are externally visible such as reliability and maintainability, hence this type of successful information would appeal more to consumers compare to internal attributions that are not visible. 5. Find an ad for a free service trial (e.g. carwash, free brake check or a free software trial). What attributions would consumers make about the advertiser? What self-attributions would a consumer make if he or she accepted the trial offer? A consumer may make the attribution that the advertiser of Spotify is personally a fan and recommends it. A free trial advertisement sends across a message somewhere along the lines of: â€Å"It’s great. You don’t believe me? Try it for yourself then.† From a consumer’s point of view, it makes the advertiser positive that an individual will not regret testing it out and want to actually purchase it again for an actual monetary amount. Possible self-attributions that a consumer may make if they accept the trial offer would be that they are now in the â€Å"social loop†, or praise themselves for accepting the trial offer and receiving free music on their phone and laptop for 30 days without having to pay. If they enjoyed the trial then an individual would make positive self-attributes and vice-versa. 6. Find examples of advertising that uses fear and humour and discuss why you think they are effective or not effective. Example of Advertisement Using Fear: This advertisement that uses fear in order to raise awareness and prevent people from smoking is effective in my opinion. A non-smoker who saw this would most likely be too scared to ever pick up cigarettes even to test it out knowing the possible consequences can be this bad, let alone death from lung cancer. An actual smoker would hopefully look at this and realise what they are doing to their own bodies and also take into account that this may be them at some point in time. It may not be strong enough to get an addict to completely quit smoking, but hopefully at least cut down. Example of Advertisement Using Humour: Personally I think the use of humour in this advertisement is the perfect way to capture the attention of consumers and potential consumers. Not only would LEGO fans be lured into the advertisement, but even those who have no clue about LEGO or are simply not interested are likely to take notice of the advertisement purely because it is humorous. It also indirectly targets Star Wars fans, allowing the advert to appeal to a whole range of individuals.

The Yellow Wallpaper A Look Into Post-Partum Depression

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story, The Yellow Wallpaper, portrays the life and mind of a woman suffering from post-partum depression in the late eighteenth century. Gilman uses setting to strengthen the impact of her story by allowing the distant country mansion symbolize the loneliness of her narrator, Jane. Gilman also uses flat characters to enhance the depth of Jane’s thoughts; however, Gilman’s use of narrative technique impacts her story the most. In The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses interior monologue to add impact to Jane’s progression into insanity, to add insight into the relationships in the story, and to increase the depth of Jane’s connection with the yellow wallpaper it self. First, Gilman’s use of†¦show more content†¦In contrast, at the end of the story, Jane’s shocking proclamations of, â€Å"I’ve got out at last,† and, â€Å"In spite of you (John) and Jane. And I have pulled of most of the paper so you can’t put me back,† (336), mark Jane’s final mental collapse. The changes that Jane’s mental state go through are made more powerful by Gilman’s use of interior monologue, which allows the reader to experience the change first hand through Jane’s thoughts. Secondly, not only does interior monologue give impact to Jane’s thoughts toward her situation and illness, but this point of view style gives unique insight into the relationships among Jane and the other characters, especially the those between Jane and her husband, John, and her sister-in-law, Jennie. At the beginning of Gilman’s story, the husband and wife relationship of Jane and John follows the pattern of the time with John taking the part of the dominant yet well-meaning husband, and Jane taking the part of the obedient wife. Except for her forbidden writing, Jane follows John’s treatment guidelines (326); however, throughout the story, the respect and obedience Jane exhibits toward John at the first start to deteriorate, and suspicion and resentment replace it. One example of this change is when Jane states, â€Å"John is away all day, and even some nights when his cases are serious. I am glad that my case is not serious!† (327). Not only does her paranoia grow toward John, but also toward her sister-in-law, Jennie. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman885 Words   |  4 Pagesand feminism. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† was written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the 1900’s. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† has many hidden truths within the story. The story was an embellished version her own struggle with what was most likely post-partum depression. As the story progresses, one can see that she is not receiving proper treatment for her depression and thus it is getting worse. Gilman uses the wallpaper and what she sees in it to symbolize her desire to escape her depression and the controllingRead MoreThe Witch Trail Of The Salem Witch Trails1529 Words   |  7 Pagespostnatal depression to alcoholism †¦and even for social transgressions such as infidelity (‘moral insanity’).† Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a woman of this time, shows that although middle class women had the freedom to pursue domestic endeavors, they still remain subjugated by patriarchal standards. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† Gilman shows that the narrator is oppressed, through expectations of marriage, relationships with her husband and her sister in law, and her connection to the wallpaper. First,Read MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper961 Words   |  4 Pages The Yellow Paper is a symbolic story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It is a disheartening tale of a woman struggling to free herself from postpartum depression. This story gives an account of an emotionally and intellectual deteriorated woman who is a wife and a mother who is struggling to break free from her metal prison and find peace. The post-partum depression forced her to look for a neurologist doctor who gives a rest cure. She was supposed to have a strict bed rest. The woman livedRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1620 Words   |  7 PagesArianna Giannillo Ms. Stroebel AP English Composition 5 September 2015 The Yellow Wallpaper In the short story The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, which takes place in the 1800’s, the main character and her husband are staying in a vacant colonial mansion that has been in the family for many generations. She and John have come to this â€Å"hereditary estate† (Gilman, 1) so that she can rest and heal from her ‘nervous condition.’ John a physician has prescribed absolute rest, not evenRead More Essay on The Yellow Wallpaper: Imprisoned785 Words   |  4 PagesImprisoned in  The Yellow Wallpaper    As man developed more complex social systems, society placed more emphasis of childbearing. Over time, motherhood was raised to the status of â€Å"saintly†. This was certainly true in western cultures during the late 19th/early 20th century.   Charlotte Perkins Gilman did not agree with the image of motherhood that society proposed to its members at the time. â€Å"Arguably ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ reveals women’s frustration in a culture that seemingly glorifies motherhoodRead MoreThe Women Behind The Yellow Wallpaper1675 Words   |  7 PagesBehind the Yellow Wallpaper â€Å" Be plain in dress, and sober in diet; In short, my deary, kiss me, and be quiet.† -Mary Wortley Montagu In a male dominated society, women had little choice when it came to the path of life they would trek upon until death. From the first words of the doctor when they announce, â€Å"it’s a girl†, amidst cries of the baby and the relief of the mother, the path a woman shall take has already been predetermined. Chalotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a harrowingRead MoreMy Deary, Kiss Me, And Be Quiet1670 Words   |  7 Pageswords of the doctor when they announce, â€Å"it’s a girl†, amidst cries of the baby and the relief of the mother, the path a woman shall take has already been predetermined. Chalotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a harrowing short story about a woman diagnosed with post-partum depression and her gradual slip into insanity when she is prescribed the rest-cure, a discredited treatment that only allows two hours of productivity each day. Gilman, the author, not only integ rates stupendousRead MoreInsanity in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman1016 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom the average mind, which is the way the narrator thinks in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†. This short story is based on the author Charlotte Perkins Gilman and what she experiences while put under the â€Å"rest cure†. â€Å"Gilman suffers a near mental breakdown in the mid 1800’s, and been prescribed a rest treatment very similar to the one prescribed to the narrator in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† (Korb, Rena. â€Å"An Overview of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†. Gale Online Encyclopedia). She writes this story as if it were variousRead More The Yellow Wallpaper770 Words   |  4 Pagesattached to them. In the short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† Gilman demonstrates a woman who has suffered from repression and longs for the freedom from her controlling husband. Gender conflicts play a major role throughout this story. The aut hor portrays these kinds of conflicts through the three main characters, John, Jennie and the narrator. The theme of this story is a womans fall into insanity resulting from isolation from treatment of post-partum depression. Gilman is also telling the story ofRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman699 Words   |  3 Pagesnovel, and short stories. She also became a role model for the feminist movement for her unusual image and behavior. In her intriguing short story, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, she portrays her feministic point of views. The narrator of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is an unnamed woman. She recently had a child and is going through post-partum depression. Her and her family decided to get away for the summer and stay at a mansion. John, her husband, decides to put her in the room upstairs to keep her away

Global Warming and the Risk of Flooding in Tuvalu

Tuvalu is a tiny island country located in Oceania about halfway between the state of Hawaii and the nation of Australia. It consists of five coral atolls and four reef islands but none are more than 15 feet (5 meters) above sea level. Tuvalu has one of the worlds smallest economies and has recently been featured in the news as it is becoming increasingly threatened by global warming and rising sea levels. Basic Facts Population: 11,147 (July 2018 estimate) Capital: Funafuti (also Tuvalus largest city) Area: 10 square miles (26 sq km) Coastline: 15 miles (24 km) Official Languages: Tuvaluan and English Ethnic Groups: 96% Polynesian, 4% Other History of Tuvalu The islands of Tuvalu were first inhabited by Polynesian settlers from Samoa and/or Tonga and they were left largely untouched by Europeans until the 19th century. In 1826, the whole island group became known to Europeans and was mapped. By the 1860s, labor recruiters began arriving on the islands and removing its inhabitants either by force and/or bribe to work on sugar plantations in Fiji and Australia. Between 1850 and 1880, the population of the islands fell from 20,000 to just 3,000. As a result of its decline in population, the British government annexed the islands in 1892. At this time, the islands became known as the Ellice Islands and in 1915-1916, the islands were formally taken over by the British and formed a part of the colony called Gilbert and Ellice Islands. In 1975, the Ellice Islands separated from the Gilbert Islands due to hostilities between the Micronesian Gilbertese and the Polynesian Tuvaluans. Once the islands separated, they became known officially as Tuvalu. The name Tuvalu means eight islands and although there are nine islands comprising the country today, only eight were initially inhabited so the ninth is not included in its name. Tuvalu was granted full independence on September 30, 1978, but is still a part of the British Commonwealth today. In addition, Tuvalu grew in 1979 when the U.S. gave the country four islands that had been U.S. territories and in 2000, it joined the United Nations. Economy of Tuvalu Today Tuvalu has the distinction of being one of the smallest economies in the world. This is because the coral atolls on which its people are populated have extremely poor soils. Therefore, the country has no known mineral exports and it is largely unable to produce agricultural exports, making it dependent on imported goods. In addition, its remote location means tourism and the related service industries are mainly non-existent. Subsistence farming is practiced in Tuvalu and to produce the largest agricultural yield possible, pits are dug out of the coral. The most widely grown crops in Tuvalu are taro and coconut. In addition, copra (the dried flesh of a coconut used in making coconut oil) is a major part of Tuvalus economy. Fishing has also played an historic role in Tuvalus economy because the islands have a maritime exclusive economic zone of 500,000 square miles (1.2 million sq km) and because the region is a rich fishing ground, the country gains revenue from fees paid by other countries such as the U.S. wanting to fish in the region. Geography and Climate of Tuvalu Tuvalu is one of the  smallest countries on Earth.  It is in Oceania south of Kiribati and halfway between Australia and Hawaii. Its terrain consists of low lying, narrow coral atolls and reefs and it is spread over nine islands which stretch for just 360 miles (579 km). Tuvalus lowest point is the Pacific Ocean at sea level and the highest is an unnamed location on the island of Niulakita at only 15 feet (4.6 m). The largest city in Tuvalu is Funafuti with a population of 5,300 as of 2003. Six of the nine islands comprising Tuvalu have lagoons open to the ocean, while two have landlocked regions and one has no lagoons. In addition, none of the islands have any streams or rivers and because they are coral atolls, there is no drinkable ground water. Therefore, all of the water used by Tuvalus people is gathered via catchment systems and is kept in storage facilities. Tuvalus climate is tropical and is moderated by easterly trade winds from March to November. It has a heavy rain season with westerly winds from November to March and although tropical storms are rare, the islands are prone to flooding with high tides and changes in sea level. Tuvalu, Global Warming, and Rising Sea Levels Recently, Tuvalu has gained significant media attention worldwide because its low-lying land is so susceptible to rising sea levels. The beaches surrounding the atolls are sinking due to erosion caused by waves and this is exacerbated by rising sea levels. In addition, because the sea level is rising on the islands, Tuvaluans must continually deal with their homes flooding, as well as soil salination. Soil salination is a problem because it is making it difficult to get clean drinking water and is harming crops as they cannot grow with the saltier water. As a result, the country is becoming more and more dependent on foreign imports. The issue of rising sea levels has been a concern for Tuvalu since 1997 when the country began a campaign to show the need to control greenhouse gas emissions, reduce global warming and protect the future of low lying countries. In more recent years though, the flooding and soil salination have become such a problem in Tuvalu that the government there has made plans to evacuate the entire population to other countries as it is believed that Tuvalu will be completely submerged by the end of the 21st century. Resources and Further Reading Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, April 22). CIA The World Factbook -- Tuvalu.Infoplease.com. (n.d.) Tuvalu: History, Geography, Government, and Culture - Infoplease.com.United States Department of State. (2010, February). Tuvalu (02/10).

Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes from a...

Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes from a Psychological Perspective Gender Differences and Gender Stereotypes Gender differences and gender stereotypes are fascinating in that one must sift through the theories, assumptions and inevitable confusion to distinguish the reality from the assumption. Men and women are obviously different, especially inherently, but how? And why? And which differences are more individualized than generalized? Even more interesting is to observe how the differences between men and women have evolved, especially over the past 30 years- since the sexual revolution. A generous amount of research has been done since then, and this research is continually updated as men and women evolve themselves.†¦show more content†¦The difference in the degree of aggression between the two genders seems much more obvious in people’s youth. Young boys are known to fight a lot, but there aggression seems to fade as they mature. There have been many studies involving gender differences in aggressive behavior. What causes this behavior? Is it environmental or inbor n? Some believe that aggression is caused by nature, while others believe that it is caused by nurture. Those who argue that aggression is caused by the nature theory argue that the level of aggressiveness differs in the two sexes because of the difference in the level of sex hormone, testosterone. In rebuttal, the nurture side argues that aggressiveness is largely caused by the social structure in which we live. This team believes that as soon as a child recognizes his/her gender, he/she becomes either passive or aggressive, thinking that that is what they are expected to be. Such behavior is encouraged by the media, the parents whom they follow, and other important factors in their lives. In an effort to prove whether the aggressiveness of gender is caused by nature or nurture, some information has been collected. However, even with the data it is hard to come to a conclusion. Self-confidence is another major issue, concerning genders. Psychologists say that women have less self-confidence than men do. When a male student and a female studentShow MoreRelatedGender Roles : Gender And Gender1587 Words   |  7 PagesMany people don’t know the difference between gender and sex. Sex is anatomical and biological. Gender role can be defined as a person’s inner sense of how a male or female should feel and behave. Culture and society are two important factors in relation to this particular topic. This implies that various societies and cultures may produce children and later fully grown men and women who may have diverse perspectives of a man or a woman’s place or role in the world around them; this is often determinedRead MoreExploring the Formation of â€Å"Perspective Fixedness† Through Established Theories1100 Words   |  5 PagesExploring the Formation of â€Å"Perspective Fixedness† Through Established Theories The ability to take different and varying perspectives in any given situation is a strength and often seen as an indicator of intelligence or at least, competence. This fluidity of perspective is a prominent part of many entrance tests for gifted children in schools (McGlonn-Nelson, 2005). In everyday cultural interactions, however, the quality does not seem to be endorsed or encouraged and in looking at the System JustificationRead MoreSex-Role Stereotyping Essay835 Words   |  4 Pagesinescapable, the new generation takes its cues from older generations, and thus, any change in them is slow. Few would argue that some differences do exist between men and women. However, are these differences significant enough to perpetuate male and female stereotypes? More importantly, do such stereotypes serve any benefit to an individual or culture? Jeanne Humphrey Block, author of Conceptions of Sex Role- Some Cross Cultural and Longitudinal Perspectives, uses the term â€Å"sex role† to describe theRead MoreBreaking through the Barriers Essay1649 Words   |  7 Pagesthe definition of the word â€Å"gender† question whether one is male or female, or does it derive from something much deeper than that? Think back to childhood and try to recall some of the most popular toys. 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China †Geert Hofstede Free Essays

4/22/13 China – Geert Hofstede THE HOFSTEDE CENTRE (index. php) GET CERTIFIED Select a Country United States in Intercultural Management and (/certification- Culture by Organisational courses. html) in comparison with the below China THE HOFSTEDE CENTRE (thehofstede-centre. We will write a custom essay sample on China – Geert Hofstede or any similar topic only for you Order Now html) 118 80 91 GEERT HOFSTEDE (geerthofstede. html) NATIONAL CULTURE (nationalculture. html) 66 DIMENSIONS (dimensions. html) 62 30 46 29 40 COUNTRIES (countries. html) APPLICATIONS (applications. html) 20 COURSES (interculturalmanagement-courses. html) PDI IDV China MAS UAI LTO United States ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE (organisational-culture. tml) EVENTS AND COURSES (eventscourses. html) FAQ (faq. html) What about China? If we explore the Chinese culture through the lens of the 5-D Model, we can get a good overview of the deep drivers of Chinese culture relative to other world cultures. Power distance This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal – it expresses the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. At 80 China sits in the higher rankings of PDI – i. e. a society that believes that inequalities amongst people are acceptable. The subordinate-superior relationship tends to be polarized and there is no defense against power abuse by superiors. Individuals are influenced by formal authority and sanctions and are in general optimistic about people’s capacity for leadership and initiative. People should not have aspirations beyond their rank. Contact Imprint (contact. html) (imprint. html) Individualism The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether people? s self-image is defined in terms of â€Å"I† or â€Å"We†. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to ‘in groups’ that take care of them in exchange for loyalty. At a score of 20 China is a highly collectivist culture where people act in the interests of the group and not necessarily of themselves. In-group considerations affect hiring and promotions with closer in-groups (such as family) are getting preferential treatment. Employee commitment to the organization (but not necessarily to the people in the organization) is low. Whereas relationships with colleagues are cooperative for in-groups they are cold or even hostile to out-groups. Personal relationships prevail over task and company. Masculinity / Femininity geert-hofstede. com/china. html 1/2 4/22/13 China – Geert Hofstede A high score (masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner / best in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational behaviour. A low score (feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is what motivates people, wanting to be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine). At 66 China is a masculine society –success oriented and driven. The need to ensure success can be exemplified by the fact that many Chinese will sacrifice family and leisure priorities to work. Service people (such as hairdressers) will provide services until very late at night. Leisure time is not so important. The migrated farmer workers will leave their families behind in faraway places in order to obtain better work and pay in the cities. Another example is that Chinese students care very much about their exam scores and ranking as this is the main criteria to achieve success or not. Uncertainty avoidance The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is reflected in the UAI score. At 30 China has a low score on uncertainty avoidance. Truth may be relative though in the immediate social circles there is concern for Truth with a capital T and rules (but not necessarily laws) abound. None the less, adherence to laws and rules may be flexible to suit the actual situation and pragmatism is a fact of life. The Chinese are comfortable with ambiguity; the Chinese language is full of ambiguous meanings that can be difficult for Western people to follow. Chinese are adaptable and entrepreneurial. At the time of writing the majority (70% -80%) of Chinese businesses tend to be small to medium sized and family owned. Long term orientation The long term orientation dimension is closely related to the teachings of Confucius and can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue, the extent to which a society shows a pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than a conventional historical short-term point of view. With a score of 118 China is a highly long term oriented society in which persistence and perseverance are normal. Relationships are ordered by status and the order is observed. Nice people are thrifty and sparing with resources and investment tends to be in long term projects such as real estate. Traditions can be adapted to suit new conditions. Chinese people recognize that government is by men rather than as in the Low LTO countries by an external influence such as God or the law. Thinking ways focus on the full or no confidence, contrasting with low LTO countries that think in probabilistic ways. geert-hofstede. com/china. html 2/2 How to cite China – Geert Hofstede, Papers

Pretty Woman Vs. Pillow Talk Essay Example For Students

Pretty Woman Vs. Pillow Talk Essay The marriage plot has been quite prominent in the film industry over the past few decades. The plot that is characterized by its lead woman getting the lead man and vice versa, has contributed to such movie blockbusters as Pretty Woman and the classic film, Pillow Talk. While both films can be classifies as containing marriage plots, the films share other similarities as well. However, in regards to the marriage plot, Pretty Woman follows the pattern much more fluently and precisely that does Pillow Talk. Both Julia Roberts and Doris Days characters, Vivian and Jan, respectively, are strong women in their films. They both contain quite a few characteristics such as boldness, confidence, and intelligence that make them very attractive and desirable to their male counterparts. While their professions are quite opposite, the women are similar in their personalities. Jan is an interior designer and her history with men is not troublesome or lacking, but like Vivian, the prostitute, she f inds that men are sometimes after only one thing. I noticed that both women are extremely confident when it comes to dealing with men; they both know what they want and what the are looking for in a male companion. The men in these two movies are quite similar as well. Both Rock Hudson and Richard Gere play two powerful men who are popular with the ladies. Although Hudsons career, a musician, is not typically powerful it does contain benefits and certain contacts that could be considered powerful. These two men both start out with the women practically chasing them. Vivian is paid to be Edwards (Gere) beck and call girl, and does so willingly not just for the money, but because she is also mesmerized by his coyness, charm and good looks. Jan is attracted to Rex (Hudson) because he is also shy and coy and very handsome as well. Both women are interested in their counterparts for the particular reason that they are not men they typically meet. These men are respectful and somewhat quiet and shy. Each plot takes a turn towards the end of the movie when the women leave them, each for different reasons. Ironically and typical of the marriage plot, it then become the man chasing the woman. He is to p rove his worthiness to her and to dismiss her conclusion that he, in fact, is like all other men they have encountered. According to Radner, a key element of the marriage plot is that the woman is of lower status than the male and she is practically the chosen one in his eyes. The woman then finds validation of (her) uniqueness and importance by being singled out among all other women by this man (Radner 57). This is certainly true in Pretty Woman, for Vivian is definitely not the norm for Edward. He has before chosen women that can be regarded as classy and in the upper social class. Ironically, although he does indeed choose Vivian, the prostitute, it is only after he has transformed her taste from streetwalker trashy to Rodeo Drive classy. As for Pillow Talk, Jan is already of such a class that can be deemed very respectable. Hudson, as well, is of the same class and we can tell this merely by the fact that they share the same friends and acquaintances. So, it is this detail that I question that Pillow Talk can be entirely categorized as a marriage plot. While both movies share another marriage plo t characteristic, which is that the heroine contributes to the goodness of the hero. She teaches, in essence, him to feel for others and to take their feelings and emotions into consideration. Jan reforms Rex by showing him what love truly is and to mot be a playboy and Vivian does the same to Edward which is shown in his corporate endeavors. Also essential to the marriage plot is the male gaze. It is so prominent in both films that it is hard to miss. It seems that every time either Gere or Hudson would eye up the heroine, the music was played accordingly or the lighting was following his eyes to their target. What comes to mind when I think of the male gaze and Pillow Talk is the scene in the ballroom/bar when Jan first meets Rex. Right when he first realizes that the beautiful woman on the dance floor is also his adversary on his party line, he makes the comment, So thats what the other side of her looks like. He is obviously pleased and the music of the ballroom smoothly follows his eyes.The male gaze is also a staple with Gere in Pretty Woman. Often throughout the movie he eyes up Vivian with a stare that shows his hidden intentions and his desire for her. It is perhaps most obvious to me when Vivian is talking to the jockey at the polo game. Edwards look towards her show is jealousy, his desire and yet it also shows his approval of her. The male gaze is prominent in both movies and it is also quite important. The heroes both feel they are men to be reckoned with and that he has not found a woman that could equal his mentality or status. What their eyes begin to focus on is the woman that they never expected to be attracted. There are so many emotions, feelings and words in the male gaze and I think that is what makes it so important in these films. These men are captivated by their heroines because they are so opposite of them. The way the heroes look at these women is seemingly full of passion and attraction. The male gaze, alone, is charming to the aud ience but it is the mood of the scene that makes it more important. The lighting, music, and overall dialog help to make the gaze more enchanting. The hero, to me, also plays a huge role in the male gaze. I dont feel that someone like Jim Carrey could pull off the gaze in a romantic comedy. Gere and Hudson are attractive yet mysterious men that, when they gaze, they either look hard with intensity or they kind of put their head to the side and gaze longingly. Either way, the look is something that is particular to each man and makes it more believable and personable. While both movies include the standard marriage plot, they do not leave the audience feeling as though theyve experienced de-ja vu. Each film has original ideas and characters that make the marriage plot successful. Whereas the films are quite similar in some aspects, their differences make them better. However unoriginal the marriage plot actually is, these movies make the staple story line inventive and unique. WORKS CITEDCollins, Jim and Ava and Hilary Radner. Film Theory Goes to the Movies. New York: Routledge, 1993.