Market Research On Primarks Clothing Marketing Essay

Market Research On Primarks Clothing Marketing Essay The UK clothing and footwear (or apparel) market was worth an estimated  £46.05bn in 2009, accounting for 5.3% of total consumer spending (Key Note Publications Ltd, July 2010). According to Mintel, (June 2010), nearly half (12.7 million) of women in the UK spent the same or even more on their clothes in 2009 despite the economic recession. Consumers have cut back on leisure activities such as holidays and eating out, they have continued to spend on clothing and footwear indicating that they are being selective about what to spend their money on and are choosing to buy clothing over a meal out. Over half of overall UK consumers (54%) did not reduce the amount they spent on clothes during the past year and one in ten (11%) of consumers say they actually spent more on clothes than they usually would over the past year, despite the economic difficulties. This could be because consumers have cut back on leisure activities (Mintel, June 2010). Between 2005 and 2009, the womens outerwear segment actually declined slightly in value, because average prices were 22% lower in 2009 than they were in 2005. This occurred despite the dynamism of `fast fashion, in which more and more garments are bought but worn only a few times before they go out of fashion and are disposed of (Key Note Publications Ltd, July 2010). Consumers are now tending towards the budget end of the market, which is targeted by companies such as Primark, Peacocks and Matalan, or the designer, premium-priced extreme. The mid-market has consequently become very competitive, with the struggles of Marks and Spencer, Arcadia Group and BhS to retain market share (Infomat, August 2006). Besides the mid market trend, the quality over quantity trend appears to have risen up the consumer priority list, with almost four in ten consumers who intend to spend more on clothing in the coming year claiming that they will pay more for quality clothes (Mintel, June 2010). Consumers might consider that expensive products tend to be of better quality. Therefore, the UK Retailers should react quickly in responding and considering the quality message of their clothing in order to satisfy consumers needs and wants and therefore, increase their market share. Background to the study The Primark story has been one of continuing success founded on a unique combination of fast fashion and lean operations. Its operations in Great Britain began in 1973 with four out-of-town stores. The following year saw the opening of the first UK High Street stores in Derby and Bristol. In the next ten years, 18 stores were added in the UK bringing the number of stores in the 22. Till date, Primark has been able to open 145 stores in the United Kingdom. (Primark, 2010). Over the years Primark has been able to provide cheap and affordable clothing, but the quality of the product has been questionable. In the first and second quarter of the year, Primark recorded a 17% year-on-year sales increase in which it was driven by more selling space, Primark looks likely to continue in a similar successful vein for the predicted future, but its continued growth is not without some market barriers, Primark could be hit hard; and its lack of association with quality could also prove unfavourable in the long term.(Mintel, 2010) The retail landscape is about to change as the deflation of the last decade comes to an abrupt end. Raw material prices, freight and labour costs (particularly in the Far East) are rising and, coupled with the impending VAT increase and unfavourable foreign exchange movements, clothing prices on like-for-like items are expected to rise by at least 5% next year Mintel (2010). Primark cannot continue to provide cheap clothing because of the high production cost and tax rate, if the prices of the products are increased and the quality keeps disappointing the consumers, consumers could decide to switch back their loyalties to the mid market retailers like Gap and H and M who have celebrity designers such as Stella McCartney and Jimmy Choo designing ranges for them to reassert themselves in the clothing retail market. Primarks main focus of clothing is producing value clothing which can be afforded by the low and middle class consumers. But there could be trouble along the way as the perception of product quality appears to be slipping, consumers are now shopping for deals and finding value for money. The main test of this brand is to improve its quality and reposition its image in the minds of the existing and new consumers. Management Problem: The major issue facing Primark is to improve its quality and reposition its image in the minds of the existing and new consumers and thereby increase its market share than its current market position. Therefore the Management decision Problem would be: How Primarks clothing could increase its market share. Market Research problems: A market research problem will be carried out to support the management decision problem of Primark. Therefore the market research problem for the study will be: To determine consumers attitudes and the level of satisfaction derived from current product qualities. Research Components: The research components are used for identifying the market research problem. Therefore the research components are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What criteria do consumers use in selecting a clothing brand? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How do consumers evaluate Primark and its competitors based on the identified choice criteria? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What are the consumers attitudes towards Primark? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To determine the psychographic and demographic profile of the consumers Literature review Globally, clothing continues to serve the three basic functions of concealment, protection and identity. However, when shopping for a piece of clothing, the third factor identity is the criteria that the consumer in modern society is completely engrossed with. Clothing has the ability not only to represent status in society, or act as a measurement of self-esteem, but can reveal personality and what values a person holds dear to them (What you wear is what you are, 2010). Solomon and Ranbolt (2004). confirm that revealing identity through the clothes a person wears is a conscious decision: A consumer exhibits attachment to an objectto maintain his or her self-conceptClothing can function in a similar way (p. 148). This perception of how consumers see themselves is called the Self-Concept Theory, which categorises the term Ideal Self as something a person is always trying to achieve. Therefore a retailer will be more successful if the goods they sell facilitate a person in realizi ng their ideal self (Diamond 2006). Undoubtedly, the ideal self of the UK consumer is an increasingly fashionable one. This does not just apply to the younger age group, but also the older and more affluent age group who enjoy keeping up to date with current trends. Previously, this was very hard to accomplish as there was virtually no consumer choice for the older market segment, but value stores have attempted to address this issue (Clothing Market in the United Kingdom, 2006). These value chain stores allow consumers to remain fashionable while shopping on a budget and have arguably led to the creation of the term Fast Fashion. This refers to the current consumer habit of only wearing a piece of clothing a handful of times before it becomes unfashionable and is discarded (Clothing Footwear Industry Market Review 2010). Selling unfashionable items at rock-bottom prices and thereby encouraging this unsustainable practise does not enhance a companys reputation as Solomon and Rabolt (2004) believe: the green movement, is a priority for many consumers around the world (p. 148). Being socially responsible has been a constant issue for Primark and its low pricing and so-called fast fashion has prompted inquiries into how it can achieve this without ignoring ethical guidelines. This answer became clear when BBCs Panorama series went behind the scenes in India only to find children working in slum-workshops for poor pay on terribly long hours (Primark: on the rack, 2008). Such production lines contribute to the quality of the end product that Primarks displays on its rails and while consumers may be prepared to put up with poor quality during the recession, the latest research shows that this, among other factors, will soon change: The average prices paid for apparel could well start to increase, for three reasons: a move towards higher quality, comfort and design; demand for more expensive but sustainable products (Clothing Footwear Industry Market Review, 2010). Due to the competitiveness of the UK clothing industry (Clothing Market in the United Kingdom, 20 06), it is vital that in order to remain successful retailers become more responsive to the needs and wants of consumers (McMeekin, 2009). As argued by Alex Blyth, presenting a brand as cheap without ruining its value is one of the trickier marketing strategies to master ( Alex Blyth, 2010). Primark really needs to focus more on adding value to their product while having minimum effect on price as lower price is eventually their strength the same has been concluded by Robert Passikoff The buying decision has shifted from price to an even greater emphasis on value. Primark which already made a good use of its Suppliers chain during recession, by offering break down prices to pull more customers and successfully maintaining its competitive edge .However Primark can stress on its suppliers to add more value (Quality and other attributes) to the products so that growing market segment which tend to adopt to quality product can be attracted. This will not only help Primark attract more customers but will also turn the satisfied customers to loyal customers. A leading communications company found via satisfaction research that those customers proclaiming to be extremely or very satisfied were their least profitable customers in terms of revenue and product usage indicators( Pete Clark / Graham Tutton Oct 2007). Our research is led by the spirit of growth and increasing the market share, this is required by the market implicitly and explicitly. Enhancing your business performance is a never-ending process. World-class organizations do not want satisfied customers. Developing strong, loyal relationships with customers, effectively managing these relationships, and applying the latest thinking to measuring and managing customer perceptions, are the keys to turn satisfied customers to loyal customers ( Pete Clark / Graham Tutton Oct 2007).   Based on the previous studies we try to find that what values (Corporate Social Responsibility, Price, Quality, patronage effect or Brand Identity) most to the Primarks Customers, and how can Primark add value to its product? So that more customers could be attracted and more diverse segments of the market could be targeted. Research Model The secondary data demonstrates that there are some important factors which can have influence on the perception and attitude of the consumers through the decision-making process. i.e. the price, if a higher price or a lower price can affect the attitude of consumers towards Primark; brand image; quality; pleasing to others, word of mouths; do consumers feel satisfied of the shopping environment of Primark or not; the durability of the products; style of clothing; comfort; packaging; and fabric also. Furthermore the researchers also need to identify the current situation of Primark and compare with other competitors in clothing industry. Then on the next level, the researchers would like to know if the attitude change has an impact on the shopping frequency at Primark, or to what extent they can influence the consumers buying behaviour .And also the researchers defined two factors as the moderators needed to be analyse when testing the buying behaviour of the consumers. By using this model and testing the research questions and hypothesis to solve the manager problems How can the marketers of Primark to increase the market share. At the first place, the 10 factors evaluative criteria towards Primark are the independent variables and the perception and attitude towards Primark of the consumers is the dependant variable. However, the continuous model shows that the change of attitude could become as an independent variable when the researchers going to find the relationship between the satisfaction of consumers and the frequency to shop at Primark which is defined as a dependant variable. . And moreover the two moderators (gender and age group) are also independent variables which should be tested through the researching process. Research Question and Hypothesis Based on the secondary data and the research model, there are some questions and hypothesise for the researchers, so that to clarify the relationship and influences between different variables. What are the critical factors when shopping for clothes? H1: There are certain factors that influence the decision making of shopping for clothes. What are the important factors that can affect the attitudes of the customers when shopping at Primark? H2: There are some important factors that would affect the attitudes of the customers when shopping at Primark Does brand image influence the buyers attitudes towards Primark? H3: Brand image is a key factor that has an impact on the shopping attitude towards Primark. Is there a relationship between the high quality of products and the satisfaction of the consumers? H4: There is a significant relationship between the quality of products and the positive attitude towards Primark Is there a relationship between the low price and the attitude of the customers? H5: There is a significant association between the customers preference and the low price of the products in Primark. Is there a relationship between shopping behaviour of consumers and demographic index? H6: There is an significant association between consumers shopping behaviour and demographic index. Appendix 1: Questionnaire Leeds University Business School Dear Respondent, This questionnaire is purely for educational research and we are grateful to all who participate. We will be completing our MA in Corporate Communications and Public Relations from the Leeds University Business School in September 2011. The data derived from the questionnaire will be analyzed to produce a marketing research project as part of our degree programme. The purpose of this survey is To determine the factors that consumers consider as important while shopping for clothing. The findings of the study would help to suggest an appropriate framework to Primarks clothing to increase its market share. All of your responses will be kept confidential and all of the information will be analyzed and reported as grouped data. The study will be incomplete without your response and support. We kindly request you to fill in the required information. We appreciate your time and generosity! Part I General Shopping Behavior about Clothing How often do you shop for Clothing? à ¢- ¡Weekly à ¢- ¡ Monthly à ¢- ¡ Once in two months à ¢- ¡ Once in three months à ¢- ¡ Once in six months Kindly tick the most suitable preference you would consider while buying clothing. à ¢- ¡ According to need à ¢- ¡ During the season à ¢- ¡ During the sales à ¢- ¡ Only on special days or festivals Kindly tick the most appropriate preference of your shopping destinations. à ¢- ¡ Independent Shop à ¢- ¡ Shopping Centre à ¢- ¡ Markets à ¢- ¡ Other (Please specify) ________________________ Which is the most important factor influencing your clothing shopping decision? à ¢- ¡ Newspapers / Magazines à ¢- ¡ Friends / Relatives à ¢- ¡ TV à ¢- ¡ Internet à ¢- ¡ Posters / Hoardings à ¢- ¡ Other (Please specify) _________________________ Kindly identify the importance you associate with each of the attributes while you shop for Clothing. Least important Æ’Â  Very important à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Brand image 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Quality of clothing 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Price 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Style 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Comfort 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Fabric 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Durability 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ How pleasing is it to others 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Shopping environment 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Comfort 1 2 3 4 5 Part II : Attitude towards Primark Have you ever shopped for clothing at Primark? à ¢- ¡ Yes à ¢- ¡ No (If no, then go to question No.9) How often do you shop for clothing at Primark? à ¢- ¡Weekly à ¢- ¡ Monthly à ¢- ¡ Once in two months à ¢- ¡ Once in three months à ¢- ¡ Once in six months What do you shop for in Primark? à ¢- ¡ Mens wear à ¢- ¡Womens wear à ¢- ¡Childrens wear à ¢- ¡Home wares Kindly identify the importance you associate with the following attributes when you shop for Primarks clothing. Least important Æ’Â  Very important à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Brand image 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Quality of clothing 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Price 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Style 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Comfort 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Fabric 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Durability 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ How pleasing is it to others 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Shopping environment 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Comfort 1 2 3 4 5 Kindly identify your satisfaction level with each of the follow clothing outlets. Very Dissatisfied-Æ’Â  Very Satisfied à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ MS 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ GAP 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ZARA 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ TK Maxx 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ HM 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ NEXT 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Topshop / Topman 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Bhs 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ River Island 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Primark 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ New Look 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Matalan 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Peacock 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Other (Please specify) 1 2 3 4 5 Would you like to make some suggestions that would help Primark to improve its clothing quality? - Part III: Personal Information 1. Gender à ¢- ¡ Male à ¢- ¡ Female 2. Age à ¢- ¡ Under 20 à ¢- ¡ 21-29 à ¢- ¡ 30-39 à ¢- ¡ 40+ 3. Education à ¢- ¡ Primary School à ¢- ¡ Secondary School à ¢- ¡ College à ¢- ¡ University à ¢- ¡ Post Graduate à ¢- ¡ Other 4. Occupation à ¢- ¡ Student à ¢- ¡ Service à ¢- ¡ Business à ¢- ¡ Other Professions 5. Annual Income à ¢- ¡ Under  ¿Ã‚ ¡20, 000 à ¢- ¡  ¿Ã‚ ¡20,000  ¿Ã‚ ¡29, 999 à ¢- ¡  ¿Ã‚ ¡30,000  ¿Ã‚ ¡39,999 à ¢- ¡  ¿Ã‚ ¡40,000+ 6. Marital Status à ¢- ¡ Single à ¢- ¡ Married / Cohabitant Thank you for sharing your precious time!

Research Paper in Society and Culture

Society and Culture Research Paper Marriage and Family: Nature and Scope (Belgium) Submitted by: Kate Danica M. De Jesus Submitted to: Ms. Sherryl Pajulas OUTLINE Topic: Marriage and Family: Nature and Scope (Belgium) Introduction: History Subtopics: a. the nature of marriage b. the selection of marriage mates c. the nature of family d. basic function of the family (Belgium) e. changes in the family f. family organization and disorganization g. culture and custom (Belgium) Conclusion: Acknowledgement I’m not a perfect person for me not to seek a help for others.To do a research paper is not an easy task that’s why I do acknowledge fist, God for never getting tired for giving me His guidance, strength and wisdom while I’m doing this. Second is my family who always there for me and for their support financially and morally. Also because they never stop loving me as what I am and who I am. Third is my friends who never let me down, they never get tired to cheer me u p that I can do this, they make me inspired. Fourth, I acknowledge those who also help me to have reference in this research paper, also because of they give patience to me, because without hem maybe I didn’t finish this research paper. 1 History Belgium According to its history, the name ‘Belgium' is derived from  Gallia Belgica, a  Roman province  in the northern most part of  Gaul  that before Roman invasion in 100  BC, was inhabited by the Belgae, a mix of  Celtic  and  people. A  gradual immigration  by Germanic  Frankish  tribes during the 5th century brought the area under the rule of the  Merovingian  kings. A gradual shift of power during the 8th century led the kingdom of the Franks to evolve into the Carolingian Empire.The  Treaty of Verdunin 843 divided the region into  Middle  and West Francia  and therefore into a set of more or less independent  fiefdoms  which, during the  Middle Ages, were  vassals  either of the  King of France  or of the  Holy Roman Emperor. Many of these fiefdoms  were united in the  Burgundian Netherlands  of the 14th and 15th centuries. [18]  Emperor Charles  V  extended the  personal union  of the  Seventeen Provinces  in the 1540s, making it far more than a personal union by the  Pragmatic Sanction of 1549  and increased his influence over the  Prince-Bishopric of Liege.The  Eighty Years' War  (1568–1648) divided the Low Countries into the northern  United Provinces  (Belgica Foederata  in  Latin, the â€Å"Federated Netherlands†) and the  Southern Netherlands  (Belgica Regia, the â€Å"Royal Netherlands†). The latter were ruled successively by the Spanish  and the  Austrian  Habsburgs  and comprised most of modern Belgium. This was the theatre of most  Franco-Spanish  and Franco-Austrian wars  during the 17th and 18th centuries.Following the  campaigns of 1794 in the French R evolutionary Wars, the Low Countries—including territories that were never nominally under Habsburg rule, such as the Prince-Bishopric of Liege—were annexed by the  French First Republic, ending Austrian rule in the region. The reunification of the Low Countries as the  United Kingdom of the Netherlands  occurred at the dissolution of the  First French Empire  in 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon. And in 1830, the  Belgian Revolution  led to the separation of the Southern Provinces from the Netherlands and to the stablishment of a Catholic and bourgeois, officially French-speaking and neutral, independent Belgium under a  provisional government  and a  national congress. Since the installation of  Leopold  I  as king on  21 July  1831 (which is now celebrated as Belgium's  National Day, Belgium has been a  constitutional monarchy  and  parliamentary democracy, with a  laicist  constitution based on the  Napoleonic code. Alth ough the franchise was initially restricted,  universal suffrage  for men was introduced after the  general strike of 1893  (with  plural voting  until 1919) and for women in 1949. The main political parties of the 19th century were the  Catholic Party  and the  Liberal Party, with the  Belgian Labour Party  emerging towards the end of the 19th century. French was originally the single official language adopted by the  nobility  and the  bourgeoisie. It progressively lost its overall importance as Dutch became recognized as well. This recognition became official in 1898 and in 1967 a Dutch version of the  Constitution  was legally accepted. [23] The  Berlin Conference  of 1885 ceded control of the  Congo Free State  to  King Leopold  II  as his private possession.From around 1900 there was growing international concern for the extreme and savage treatment of the Congolese population under Leopold  II, for whom the Congo was primarily a source of revenue from ivory and rubber production. In 1908 this outcry led the Belgian state to assume responsibility for the government of the colony, henceforth called the  Belgian Congo. [24]  Germany invaded Belgium in 1914 as part of the Schlieffen Plan  to attack France and much of the  Western Front  fighting of World War  I occurred in western parts of the country. The opening months of the war were known as the  Rape of Belgium  due to German excesses.Belgium took over the  German colonies  of  Ruanda-Urundi  (modern day  Rwanda  and  Burundi) during the war, and they were mandated to Belgium in 1924 by the  League of Nations. In the aftermath of the First World War, the  Prussian districts  of  Eupen and Malmedy were annexed by Belgium in 1925, thereby causing the presence of a German-speaking minority. The country was again invaded by Germany in 1940  and was occupied until its  liberation by the Allies  in 1944. After World W ar  II,  a general strike  forced king  Leopold  III, who many viewed as collaborating with Germany during the war, to abdicate in 1951. The Belgian Congo gained independence in 1960 uring the  Congo Crisis; Ruanda-Urundi followed with its independence two years later. Belgium joined  NATO  as a founding member and formed the Benelux group of nations with the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Belgium became one of the six founding members of the  European Coal and Steel Community  in 1951 and of the  European Atomic Energy Community  and  European Economic Community, established in 1957. The latter is now the European Union, for which Belgium hosts major administrations and institutions, including the  European Commission, the  Council of the European Union  and the extraordinary and committee sessions of the  European Parliament. Nature of marriage According to the catholic, the true nature of marriage, a husband and wife living in openness to life, is a lso a witness to the precious gift of the child and to the unique and irreplaceable roles of both a mother and a father. In creating new life, the unitive and procreative purposes of marriage come together. Marriage, therefore, is not confined wholly to the loving intimacy of husband and wife but strives in generosity to go beyond this to bring new life into being. This procreative meaning of marriage involves not only the conception of children but also their upbringing and education.The loving communion of marital spouses is the primary context in which children are both conceived and brought up in love. It is true that some marriages will not result in procreation due to infertility, even though the couple is capable of the natural act by which procreation takes place. Indeed, this situation often comes as a surprise and can be a source of deep sadness, disappointment, anxiety, and even great suffering for a husband and wife. When such tragedy affects a marriage, a couple may be tempted to think that their union is not complete or truly blessed.This is not true. The marital union of a man and a woman is a distinctive communion of persons which even infertile couples continue to manifest. 4 Selection of marriage mates According to my research, Selecting a mate is a process that is to a large extent culturally defined. Who is considered as a suitable marriage partner differs across societies. Various criteria can be used in the evaluation of a suitable partner. Some of these are physical beauty, personality, education, wealth, social class, ethnic or racial identity and more.The relative importance of one criterion over another depends on the type of marriage that is being considered – an arranged marriage or one based on the Western concept of romantic love. Arranged marriages have been very popular worldwide and are still being practised today. This is so because an arranged marriage represents more than a union of two individuals; it is in fact the union of two families. It can also be a basis for creating alliances between important families, communities or even countries and nations. Therefore, arranged marriages usually require careful choice and negotiations.Another reason why arranged marriages have been and are still being practised is that young people have sometimes been considered as being too inexperienced to make such a decision as that of selecting a life-long partner. The parents and other older relatives then take the responsibility of finding a suitable mate for the young people. Even though arranged marriages are still being widely practiced, marriages based on romantic love are growing in popularity. This is so because of the influence of the mass media and its effectiveness in spreading the Western image of romantic love across the world.Exclusive emotional attachments are now greatly desirable in a marriage. 5 Basic Function of Family The Belgian standard living is one of the highest in Europe, per capita in come is high increasing, and a large part of economy is directed toward production for the consumer market. Housing is less crowded than in most of Europe. The pace of life in the cities is hectic, yet the Belgians know how to relax, and they do so at side walk cafes and at the restaurants known throughout Europe for the preparation of the Belgians favorite dishes; mussels, deep-fried potatoes, oysters, endive, and Flemish waterzoei (chicken). is an important consideration for anybody to grow up with a  family. Household camping along the Meuse. Although modern informality is making in roads among the students generations, the traditions of the tight family circle and formal relations with others is maintained. The whole is still focus of life. Regionalism is strong, and while they may visit the capital on occasion, many Belgians prefer not to wonder far from their place of birth. 6 Changes in the family Sociologists study society and how it is organized. They study what a society believes and how it is changing.They explain how people behave, but not how they ought to behave. Almost every society is based on the family. Some societies have nuclear families. In the nuclear family, the parents and children live together in one house. Other societies have extended families. In this kind of family, there are grandparents, parents, children, uncles, and other relatives all living together. In some societies, there are tribes. A tribe is a group of extended families that have the same ancestors. Throughout history there have been slow changes in the family and in family life, but today the family is changing quickly.This change causes many problems for the society and the individual. One of the major reasons for this fast change in the family is the change in how people earn their money. Today more and more people work in factories that make automobiles, furniture, clothes, and thousands of other products. Fewer people work on farms or make products at home. Peop le work in industry instead. This change is called industrialization. The ownership of land in an industrial society is not as important as it was when people lived in villages. 7 Family Organization and DisorganizationAccording to my reference, in Belgium, the population can be broadly divided into three linguistic groups. A majority are Flemings of Germanic stock who speaks dialect similar to Dutch. The Walloons, of Celtic antecedents, originally spoke dialect that differed markedly from Parisian French. These dialects have now nearly disappeared and have been replaced by a slightly belgicized version of French. Although in the countryside near mons (Bergen) and liege (luik) they still may be heard occasionally. The German speaking population of Belgium numbers less than 90,000 people.Yet because it is concentrated about Eupen and malmedy and near the boarder with luxem, bourg, it has been able to win language rights in those areas. Also in Belgium, the religion of both Flemish an d Walloons is Roman Catholic, but with markedly different attitudes. Many Walloons give roman doctrine a liberal interpretation and are not strict in their attendance at mass. In the Flemish areas of Belgium the churches are crowded. Roman Doctrine is strictly adhered to and seldom questioned, and the local clergy have considerable influence within their parishes.On a higher level the arch- bishop of Mechelin (Malines) enjoys universal respect and is one of the national leaders a portion of the salaries of the Roman Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, and Jewish clergy the protestant denomination in Belgium are not strong, although they have grown since World War II. 8 Culture and Custom The Flemish of Germanic bloods, and the Walloons, with the Latin ties, have been less than odds in cultural endeavors than the linguistic situation would seem to indicate. Belgium’s artistic output has coincided with the years of its greatest economic expansion for example, the Burgundian period. The 15th century was especially rich in painting, music, architecture, and literature. By the end of the 17th century, artistic production was nearly at a stand still. After 1830, with Belgian independence, a rebirth of the arts began and gathered momentum toward the close of the century. The 20th century has witnessed ever-increasing cultural activity. The traditions of Flemish school were carried on into the Italians. In the 17th century Peter Paul Pubens and his baroque school evaded a direct Italian influence. He painted religious and pagan scenes as well as landscapes and portraits. The 18th century showed little interest in painting.Romanticism in the 19th century was represented by Gustav Wappers, Louis Gallait and Hendrick Seys. An impressionist school produced Rik Wouters, who was a sculptor. In the 20th century, James Ensor, the father of Flemish expressionism, was very influential with his experimental forms. While Flanders produced the most outstanding works of painting, it was Walloons territory, Hainaut and Liege that produced the musical genius of the country. The musical contribution of Belgium to European culture is less well known than its painting but no less remarkable. The art of modern music was born on what is now Belgian soil.Because of the linguistic division of the country, Belgium has always possessed two literatures, French and Flemish. The Matter is further complicated by the fact that Flemings have, at times, written their works in French. The literature of this meeting ground of Germanic and Romance civilizations must be considered under its two divisions, French and Flemish 9 Conclusion Belgium is a constitutional monarchy in Western Europe. An independent nation since 1830. The labor there was only about 6 percent of their population is employed in agriculture, and there has been a continuing slow decrease in the number of farmers.Increments in the labor supply have generally occurred in the manufacturing industries. Most farme rs own their own land. Many find it necessary to supplement the income gained from their small acreage by taking part-time jobs in the towns. In the economic expansion of the first half of the 1960’s, employment in manufacturing went up approximately 12 percent, laborers from abroad especially Italy, have been attracted by these conditions, yet unemployment has continued to exist in the Borinage and West Flanders. Also in Belgium, income is also gained from Belgium’s transportation facilities.Although the rail system is the densest in Europe and successfully handles a high- volume freight and passenger service, as much or more freight is transported on the inland waterway system. Belgium’s educational system is highly developed despite the ill of two major controversies. The law established that it is the national government’s responsibility to see that satisfactory schools of all kinds are within reach of all children. 10 Table of contents pageAcknowled gement 1 History 2-3 Nature of marriage 4 Selection of marriage mates 5 Nature of the family 6 Basic function of the family 7 Changes in the family 8 References: http://vcampus. uom. ac. mu/soci1101/571marriage_partner_selection. html http://mycatholicweb. org/marriage/the-true-nature-of-marriage http://www. okanagan. bc. ca/Assets/Departments+(Education)/International+Students/Documents/ESL+Quiz. pdf Belgium Map 11 Belgium places 12 The Belgium Flag 14 13

Dramatic techniques Essay

In act four Proctor has to make the decision whether he should or should not confess. Arthur Miller uses dramatic techniques such as the use of descriptive stage directions. These tell you of the feelings emotions and actions of the characters such as in the opening of the act were Miller sets the scene by saying â€Å"The place is in darkness but for the moonlight seeping through the bars†. Arthur miller also describes sounds such as the sound of footsteps the shouting and the drums used to add drama and tension to the act. Hale has considerably changed from when we first saw him, as now he is no longer self-assured or confident like when he was first introduced. The audience sees a change in which Hale is presented as a different character to the beginning of the play, Hale is now described as being guilty and he is noticed to be different by the other characters â€Å"They look at him for an instant in silence. He is steeped in sorrow, exhausted, and more direct then he ever was† as opposed to his first description of a â€Å"Tight skinned intellectual†. Hale decides to try to convince Elizabeth to help them as they think that she is the only one who can convince proctor to confess, and as Proctor is a respected man within the village they hope that the other accused will also confess. Hale knows that neither he nor Parris could convince Proctor to confess so Elizabeth is there only hope of persuading Proctor before dawn.  When hale pleads with Elizabeth to talk to Proctor to persuade him to confess she is silent and will not speak to hale, but Hale then tells her Proctor will die at dawn, which makes Elizabeth ask if she can speak with proctor. Elizabeth dose not promise to convince proctor to confess however she pleads with Danforth to allow her to speak with Proctor as she knows that he will die at dawn and she wants to see him one last time before he is hung. Proctors appearance is now a visual shock as he is a contrast to when he was first introduced, as he is now a shadow of his former self. When we were first introduced to Proctor he is described as â€Å"powerful of body† and â€Å"not easily led† which is the opposite of how he is described now. Proctor is now described as being â€Å"another man, bearded, filthy, his eyes misty as though webs had overgrown them†. This shows the audience he is no longer the once proud Proctor who was gained the respect of people as he entered the room. Proctor is pressured to confess as he loves Elizabeth and dose not want to leave her as now she has a child on the way and when Proctor questioned her on what he should do she told him â€Å"I wan you living John, that’s sure†. Elizabeth also tells him that a hundred or more have confessed. However Proctor is also pressured not to confess as people which he knows have not confessed such as Giles. Elizabeth tell Proctor that Giles stood mute and did not answer his indictment so that he would be pressed and die a Christian death, she also tell him that Giles said only two words â€Å"More weight†. This adds conflict to proctors decision as Giles was an old man and yet he died for his beliefs so that his sons would get his farm. Proctor is also told that Rebecca nurse has still not confessed. Proctors body language towards Elizabeth is different to how he used to address her. Proctor now shows himself to be guilty and dose not know what to do â€Å"with great force of will but not quite looking at her† this show the audience that Proctor dose want to talk to her but his guilt is holding him back. In this section of act four Proctor is shown to be in turmoil as he is not sure whether or not Elizabeth dose want him back or not and whether or not she loves him still â€Å"pauses- then with a flailing of hope†. Emotive language is used in the stage directions to suggest that Proctors decision to confess or not is emotional words such as pain and agony show how Proctor feels although he is not physically in pain he is emotionally torn between his the decision he must now make. Proctor realises that Elizabeth still cares for him when she tells him that there is still some good in him. This adds to Proctors confidence allowing some of his guilt to be lifted and gives him the strength to look into her eyes and ask for her forgiveness. Elizabeth realises that Proctor is about to makes his decision and knows what it will be this adds to the emotion. Proctors decision to confess is dramatic as it builds up wen he rises slowly until he cant hold in what he wants to say anymore and shouts out in great pain â€Å"Enough, enough-.† Proctors decision to confess leads the audience to believe that because he has decided to confess then maybe this will influence Elizabeth and Rebecca nurse to confess. It also makes the audience think that Proctor will live.  The speed of Danforth and the others adds tension as it shows the audience the urgency of getting Proctor to sign as it will soon be to late as its not only Proctor they want to confess. Danforth also wants Rebecca as they feel that hanging these people will cause the villagers to rebel as Proctor and Rebecca, are respected people. Danforth is and the others are so rushed as time is running out and dawn is nearing this means that it will soon be to late for them to save Rebecca and also Proctor may change his mind to confess.

The Parting Breath Of The Now Perfect Woman - 1137 Words

Lebanese Author Sandra Chami Kassis said, â€Å"Don’t brag about being perfect†¦ imperfections are what make you attractive† (online). Most people believe that their imperfections make them much less attractive which may cause them to develop diffidence and insecurities. Generally, when people think of imperfections they think of physical features such as a facial birthmark, a narrow nose, thin hair, and big feet, but why do people spend so much time focusing on those things that set them apart from others? It is believed by many that everyone on earth is born with a specific plan and purpose created for them, and with that purpose must come the substantial appearance of individuality which will inevitably include bodily flaws. In his essay, â€Å"The Parting Breath of the Now-Perfect Woman,† Chester McCovey discusses the underlying meaning of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story â€Å"The Birthmark† in hopes of enlightening readers that all people have imperfections. In today’s society, people try so hard to look identical to those who are held on a high pedestal for being beautiful that some even resort to changing their body parts such as their lips and waist-lines as means to remove or â€Å"fix† any visible imperfections, taking away their individuality. It is vital for everyone to embrace their imperfections and learn who they truly are in spite of them; therefore, parents must teach children that their imperfections make them who they are as individuals. It is not uncommon to see celebritiesShow MoreRelatedA Comparison Of â€Å"The Birthmark† By Nathaniel Hawthorne1148 Words   |  5 Pagesidea of perfection. The short story â€Å"The Birthmark† written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and the poem â€Å"Barbie Doll† written by Marge Piercy have almost the exact same theme because both of these short works of fiction are about a woman that is influenced by her peers to become perfect and does anyt hing possible to reach society’s idea of beauty and perfection. The protagonists in both of the literary pieces are dealing with extremely similar problems. In the short story â€Å"The Birthmark,† Georgiana is informedRead MoreAnalysis Of Hawthorne s Conception Of Human Nature Through His Stories1347 Words   |  6 Pageswithin them and to be their â€Å"only happiness†. 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Gently, I pushed him back, â€Å"Well, as I’m sure neither of us want to be arrested for lewd acts, maybe we should go.† Tom nodded and opened the passenger side door. I pushed myself up from leaning on the car andRead MoreThe Themes of Emily Dickinsons Poetry3970 Words   |  16 Pageswrite about passion she could not have and the prior love affairs and the men she longed for but could not attain. This longing and pain usually turned into self-pity in her poems. Dickinsons most famous love poem, I cannot live with you, is a perfect example of longing for love and self-pity. In the poem the speaker is describing different lives she and her lover cannot share together. The couple cant live in the world together, they cant die together, they cant rise after death together, and