Shimabara Rebellion in Japan

The Shimabara Rebellion was a peasant revolt against Matsukura Katsuie of the Shimabara Domain and Terasawa Katataka of the Karatsu Domain. Date Fought between December 17, 1637 and April 15, 1638, the Shimabara Rebellion lasted four months. Armies Commanders Shimabara Rebels Amakusa Shiro27,000-37,000 men Tokugawa Shogunate Itakura ShigemasaMatsudaira Nobutsuna125,000-200,000 men Shimabara Rebellion - Campaign Summary Originally the lands of the Christian Arima family, the Shimabara Peninsula was given to the Matsukura clan in 1614. As a result of their former lords religious affiliation, many of the inhabitants of the peninsula were Christian as well. The first of the new lords, Matsukura Shigemasa, sought advancement within the ranks of the Tokugawa Shogunate and aided in the construction of​ Edo Castle and a planned invasion of the Philippines. He also pursued a strict policy of persecution against local Christians. While Christians were persecuted in other areas of Japan, the degree of Matsukuras repression was considered particularly extreme by outsiders such as local Dutch traders. After taking over his new lands, Matsukura constructed a new castle at Shimabara and saw that the Arima clans old seat, Hara Castle, was dismantled. To finance these projects, Matsukura levied heavy taxes on his people. These policies were continued by his son, Matsukura Katsuie. A similar situation developed on the adjacent Amakusa Islands where the Konishi family had been displaced in favor of the Terasawas. In the fall of 1637, the discontented populace as well as local, masterless samurai began to meet in secret to plan an uprising. This broke out in Shimabara and the Amakusa Islands on December 17, following the assassination of the local daikan (tax official) Hayashi Hyà ´zaemon. In the revolts early days, the regions governor and more than thirty noblemen were killed. The ranks of the rebellion quickly swelled as all those living in Shimabara and Amakusa were forced to join the rebel armys ranks. The charismatic 14/16-year old Amakusa Shiro was selected to lead the rebellion. In an effort to snuff out the revolt, the governor of Nagasaki, Terazawa Katataka, dispatched a force of 3,000 samurai to Shimabara. This force was defeated by the rebels on December 27, 1637, with the governor losing all but 200 of his men. Taking the initiative, the rebels laid siege to the Terazawa clans castles at Tomioka and Hondo. These proved unsuccessful as they were forced to abandon both sieges in the face of advancing shogunate armies. Crossing the Ariake Sea to Shimabara, the rebel army laid siege to Shimabara Castle but were unable to take it. Withdrawing to the ruins of Hara Castle, they re-fortified the site using wood taken from their ships. Provisioning Hara with food and ammunition seized from Matsukuras storehouses at Shimabara, the 27,000-37,000 rebels prepared to receive the shogunate armies that were arriving in the area. Led by Itakura Shigemasa, shogunate forces laid siege to Hara Castle in January 1638. Surveying the situation, Itakura requested aid from the Dutch. In response, Nicolas Koekebakker, the head of the trading station at Hirado, sent gunpowder and cannon. Itakura next requested that Koekebakker send a ship to bombard the seaward side of Hara Castle. Arriving in de Ryp (20), Koekebakker and Itakura began an ineffective 15-day bombardment of the rebel position. After being taunted by the rebels, Itakura sent de Ryp back to Hirado. He was later killed in a failed attack on the castle and replaced by Matsudaira Nobutsuna. Seeking to regain the initiative, the rebels launched a major night raid on February 3, which killed 2,000 soldiers from Hizen. Despite this minor victory, the rebels situation worsened as provisions dwindled and more shogunate troops arrived. By April, the 27,000 remaining rebels were facing over 125,000 shogunate warriors. With little choice left, they attempted a break out on April 4, but were unable to get through Matsudairas lines. Prisoners taken during the battle revealed that the rebels food and ammunition were nearly exhausted. Moving forward, shogunate troops attacked on April 12, and succeeded in taking Haras outer defenses. Pushing on, they finally managed to take the castle and end the rebellion three days later. Shimabara Rebellion - Aftermath Having taken the castle, the shogunate troops executed all those rebels who were still alive. This coupled with those who committed suicide prior to the castles fall, meant that the entire 27,000-man garrison (men, women, children) died as a result of the battle. All told, approximately 37,000 rebels and sympathizers were put to death. As the rebellions leader, Amakusa Shiro was beheaded and his head taken back to Nagasaki for display. As the Shimabara Peninsula and the Amakusa Islands were essentially depopulated by the rebellion, new immigrants were brought in from other parts of Japan and the lands divided among a new set of lords. Ignoring the role that over-taxation played in causing the revolt, the shogunate opted to blame it on the Christians. Officially banning the faith, Japanese Christians were forced underground where they remained until the 19th century. In addition, Japan closed itself to the outside world, only allowing a few Dutch merchants to remain.

Facing The Energy Crisis During The Industrial Revolution

Facing the Energy Crisis Since the industrial revolution began, humans have doubled their consumption rates almost every decade. The worlds natural resources have been on a steady decline for many years and a frequently asked question is â€Å"what’s next?†. Professor David MacKay explains how he thinks society can give answers to these questions of what is next after the natural resources dry up. MacKay is a professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and chief Advisor of the U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change. MacKay has elaborated in several ways how countries around the world have increased consumption more in the past 15 years than ever before in recorded history. There are many factors that could effect the future of our energy crisis, including the increase of renewable power sources, slowing down on energy consumption, and the development of new technologies to power the forever growing world. The increase of renewable energy is qui te possible if done in a smart way. The world powers and people like MacKay have talked about ways of expanding the renewable energy sources and creating enough facilities that produce renewable energy to power entire countries. In order to make this a reality it takes more than just a small section of land. As stated by MacKay, â€Å"If you do want renewables to make a substantial difference for a country like the United Kingdom on the scale of today s consumption, you need to be imagining renewable facilities thatShow MoreRelatedSustainability Revolution : Earth, The Plant We Call Home1537 Words   |  7 PagesSustainability Revolution: Earth, the plant we call home, is a complex system made of interdependent parts and pieces of life that are constantly changing. Earth’s planetary system has maintained a balance of dynamic equilibrium—it has been sustainable— since its beginnings about 4.5 billion years ago. This balance, however, has been progressively disr upted by us—humans— especially during the last few decades. Mother Nature has provided us with natural resources and the habitat for all species toRead MoreThe Medieval Machine : The Industrial Revolution Of The Middle Ages1377 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscusses in The Medieval Machine: The Industrial revolution of the Middle Ages. The name already gives us insight onto the points that Jean Gimpel uses to combat our original thinking about the medieval era. Jean Gimpel furthermore discusses three main points within his book; Those being The technological advancements of the medieval era mainly the 900’s CE – 1200’s CE, the reason for decline in such advancements, and how society in his time (The 1970’s) was facing an issue of little to no technologicalRead MoreNatural Resources are Being Depleted1672 Words   |  7 Pagesthe total energy derived from coal and oil. Earth is becoming airless balloon and the human population is rapidly growing. 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Earth s average temperature has risen by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) over the past century, accordingRead MoreEnergy Crisis and Environmental Pollution Essay example1488 Words   |  6 PagesEnergy crisis and environmental pollution are highlighted to be one of the major global problems in the 21st century. For the past 200 year s, human society has had a ravenous appetite for fossil fuels. The huge increase in human population and also the industrial revolution were the major sources of fossil fuel consumption. However it is becoming obvious that our dependence on fossil fuels is causing many problems that we are going to have to address. Therefore, our greatest challenge is to findRead MoreAlternative Energy : Empowering Change Essay1848 Words   |  8 PagesAlternative Energy: Empowering Change The use of fossil fuels is the most critical concern facing the world today. These sources of energy are not only highly controversial but also, the idea of the destruction and immense change that these natural resources can inflict on our sensitive climate leaves a distinct trepidation in the hearts of many. As the population of Earth continues to grow day after day, so does the demand for energy. Nearly three decades ago, it was hard to imagine what sourcesRead MoreBrazil : A Emerging Economy2627 Words   |  11 Pagescan be categorized into manufactured and semi-manufactured products. Plenty of natural resources are yet to be exploited and thus the economy has a great future. China relies mainly on Brazil for steel, iron ore and soy ( Czinkota 2010). Brazil’s industrial sector is diversified, from agriculture to manufacturing. Agriculture is a main economic activity in the country and involves farming and herding. Being the 5thn largest country in the world there is enough land for farming and keeping livestock

Structured Workplace Learning

Question: Discuss about the Structured Workplace Learning. Answer: Introduction For any career, work experience through a structured workplace learning can provide one with a fantastic opportunity to get first hand job experience. During workplace learning, the student is able to learn through observation and also implement theory based learning as was taught in school. According to Yen, et al. (2016), workplace learning is the acquisition of skills and knowledge one gets through a formal and informal means which occur in the workplace. Through this kind of learning, a student or a trainee is able to practice, observer and understand what will be expected of him during his professional practice. This report discusses workplace learning by exploring theories, skills audit and being employed. Learning Theories According to Armson Whiteley (2010), workplace learning theories tend to focus on formal teaching as they look at how this knowledge is transmitted from the teacher to the learner. This is characterized by their emphasis on teaching more than that of learning. They will also focus on the teacher and student relationship and how much they know about the subject than way in which what they have learnt can be implemented in the actual setting. These kind of theories only limit the experience that the student will have will at the workplace(Armson Whiteley, 2010). As can be observed in some cases, a student may suffer the frustration of late running or completing hands on tasks as they mostly observe than implement. One may find himself being a passive professional since they do not know ways to handle tools, complete a report or deal with a customer, depending on the professional field(Deng, et al., 2003). Howard Gardners multiple intelligence Theory The theory was first published in Gardners book, Frames of Mind in 1983 (Gardner, 2011); it quickly became one of the theories that enables one to understand and teach various aspects in regard to human intelligence, personality, learning styles and behavior of students during their learning period. Though the theory was developed to explain psychological concepts, it was later adopted to explain learning and teaching. According to Lloyd, et al. (2014), Howards theory shows that a student is able to know through logical analysis, language, special representation and musical thinking; ways in which the body can be used to solve problems or to make things happen. The theory thus provides an understanding of oneself and that of others in the workplace. In this regard, the individual will differ from the rest with regard to ones own strength of the above intelligences and ways that the said intelligences are used to carry out a particular task, solve the present problem and make progress in ones career. Also according to Wang Seddon (2014), the differences between class and workplace learning, poses a challenge in the education system, since most institutions would assume that every student is able to learn the same materials in the same way a universal measure would test a student. With regard to different models of this theory, the current education system is biased when it comes to the linguistic model of assessment and learning instruction. This would be different when one looks at the logical quantitative model. Another study by Yen, et al., (2016), shows that students are distinctive from one another. It is thus important that different learning disciplines are presented and assessed in different forms. In the Linguistic category for example, it involves the student be able to use professional words effectively. One must be able to have auditory command during learning and professional live. Such characteristics of a linguistic learner would include reading, making up short stories and poetry and playing word games. For such a learner, the tutor can encourage them by challenging the to say and see words and read books. For example, such tools as multimedia, books, computers, lectures and tape recorders would be useful(Deng, et al., 2003). The second category is the Visual-Spatial, where the student is thinks and reasons in terms of physical space. This kind of student is very aware of their own environment. Some of their best times would be spend in doing jigsaw puzzles, drawing, daydreaming and reading maps. For such a learner, they can be taught through physical and verbal imagery or drawing and illustration. Such learning tools would include charts, graphics, drawings, photograph s, video and videoconferencing, 3-D modelling, multimedia, texts with charts, pictures etc. The third category of learning under Gardners theory is the interpersonal where ones learns through interacting and understanding one another. This type of student will learn more through interaction that when isolated. According to Armson Whiteley, (2010), these type of learners will work well in the company of friends, they are street smart and empathize with others. They can at times be taught doing group activities, participated in seminars and very vocal in dialogue meetings. The best learning tools for this group are audio conferencing, telephone, and time and attention instructor. They love writing, emailing and computer conferencing as well. With reference to the above categories of Gardners theory, the best that describes my learning is the interpersonal category. As a student I have always loved to solve problems as a group. I never miss group discussion, I participate highly in school and organizational activities. I feel this shapes me up to be a productive administrator, since through interpersonal learning I am able to understand human behavior and how to deal with them. Over the years in school I have also been able to understand group dynamics through group work and holding seminars in organizations. My traits include good communication and social skills, I have a good command of language and always seeking leadership position in group work. Skills Audit According to the You and Your career workbook (GraduateCareers, 2012), A skill is a developed capacity or aptitude that is expressed as a combination of what someone knows. As a learner, it is important to understand ones transferrable skills which are acquired during class lectures and other professional activities. It is important for one to see how the acquired skills can be applied at the workplace. For this reason, it is always important that one avoids narrow interpretation of personal skills in area of learning since it only adds to what the employer will think about one(Lloyd, et al., 2014). The following evaluation is my personal skills audit from the personal skills chart as described in the part five of the You and Your career workbook. The evaluation includes; Organizing, Social group, communication and linguistics, creative, cognitive, contingency, self-managing and physical skills. From the evaluation, I found that I possess skills in the following categories. Social Group- I qualify in this group because I am good at creating networks and interacting with people in my class. During teamwork, I am always ready to pick leadership positions and have a strong will to learn from others. Communication and Linguistic I am a good giving and receiving feedback. This is one of the reason I have always preferred leadership positions in most of my class work. I believe myself to be very creative, since most of my research work qualify for good grades. By field research work has always been above average and I am always time conscious with assignments. During my learning sessions I have always participated in debates and perform well in argumentative sessions. Being Employed This part looks at my skills, obligations and responsibility while approaching a potential employer. With regard to the Australian law, the employer has several legal obligations to ensure that the employee working conditions are protected at all times. For example, under the Disability and discrimination act 1992 (AustraliaLaw, 2010), it is illegal for any employer to discriminate an employee on the grounds of physical disability and mental health conditions. This means that the employer has the responsibility to offer equal chances for all employees. If the employee will deliver to the standards he or she should have equal chances for appraisal. The law against discrimination will thus guard the employee or potential employee during recruitment, selection of the person getting the job or during the negotiation of working and payment terms. When it comes to moral obligations of the employer, this will include making reasonable adjustments so as to accommodate a person with mental of physical disability. Such adjustments will include working hours and use of leave entitlements. The use of equipment and facilities will also come in to play and other work related rules. It is also important for an employee to understand that each employee has different skills and will excel at several tasks differently(Wang Seddon, 2014). An employee should be able to learn the potential of each employee and ensure each employee feels special and appreciated. It is also important that the employer provides a safety and healthy workplace at all time. This is protected under the work health and safety act 2011(Legislation, 2016). At any given time the employer should be able to provide and maintain safe systems of work, monitor the physical and mental health of workers. Employers also need to be consulting with workers and their representatives from time to time so as to know how they can treat them better. It is also the obligation of the employer to provide employees with ongoing training, information, supervision and instructions which will assist them to perform much better(Yen, et al., 2016). In case of any challenge or compliant, there are several government bodies that an employee can reach out for help; this include the Australian chamber of commerce and industry which protects the employees and employers from g overnment decisions that may deter business and growth(ACCI, 2016). There is the Australian Workers Union, whose work is to protect the interest of workers with regard to salaries and wage negotiations, job security, workplace conditions and career development(AWU, 2016). With regard to the above, as an employer my roles and responsibility will include; taking reasonable care and health of myself while at work, cooperate with employers and other workmates for a single goal, follow instructions from employer on work matters and report any challenge, hazard or defects at the workplace. Conclusion In conclusion, workplace learning will involve three groups, the tutor, the student and the potential employer. However, all of these will depend with the learners personal skills. They are they only determinant of how the learning and implementation process will take place. Through my personal skills audit, I believe I am better placed in the professional field however there are some areas that I would more effort, especially in intrapersonal skills. Table Below Showing Skills Audit References ACCI, 2016. who we are. [Online] Available at: https://www.acci.asn.au/who-we-are [Accessed 11 August 2016]. Armson, G. Whiteley, A., 2010. Employees' and managers' accounts of interactive workplace learning: A grounded theory of complex integrative learning. Journal of Workplace Learning, 22(7), pp. 409-427. AustraliaLaw, 2010. Australia: employment law. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 36(1), pp. 137-163. AWU, 2016. Have You Joined Yet?. [Online] Available at: https://www.awu.net.au/ [Accessed 11 August 2016]. Cascio, W. Wynn, P., 2004. Managing a downsizing process. Human Resource Management, 43(4), pp. 425-436. Deng, J., Menguc, B. Benson, J., 2003. The impact of human resource management on export performance of Chinese manufacturing enterprises.. Thunderbird International Business Review, p. 409429. Gardner, H., 2011. Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences,. New York: Basic Books. GraduateCareers, 2012. Part Five: Personal Skills Chat. [Online] Available at: https://www.graduatecareers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/YourCareerYou-2012_web.pdf [Accessed 11 August 2016]. Legislation, 2016. Work health and safety act 2011. [Online] Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2011A00137/rss [Accessed 11 August 2016]. Lloyd, B. et al., 2014. The New South Wales Allied Health Workplace Learning Study: barriers and enablers to learning in the workplace. BMC health services research, 14(1), pp. 134-141. Wang, X. Seddon, T., 2014. Globalization and Academic's Workplace Learning: A Case Study in China. European Education, 46(4), p. 25. Yen, M., rede, F. Patterson, C., 2016. Learning in the workplace: the role of Nurse Managers. Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association, 40(3), p. 286.

Novel Heart of Darkness Essay Example For Students

Novel Heart of Darkness Essay The relationship between the living Conrad and his fictional character Marlow has been analysed repeatedly since the novel was published to try to establish how far the author actually identified with his creation. While it has often been suggested that the narrative can be explained by reference to Conrads own life11, giving the novel an autobiographical emphasis, it could be argued that as a work of fiction the alignment of the authors own opinions with his principle character is irrelevant to the reading of the text itself. However, Marlows role as a narrator reinforces exactly why the presence of Conrad in his writing is both necessary and historically relevant to the novel. We will write a custom essay on Novel Heart of Darkness specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Just as Conrads own experiences on the Congo allowed him to reconstruct and remould his fictional counterpart, so Marlow as the storyteller is able to juxtapose events and impressions to relive a fictional present12. Marlows restructuring of his experiences make the reader aware that some kind of past history, or experience is being poured into the narrative, echoing that of Conrads own as Marlow expresses, it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of ones existence- that which makes its truth, its meaning-its subtle and penetrating essence13. So the reader is simultaneously drawn into the narrative by the historical pull of human experience while being distanced by its fictive barriers. Conrad himself described the story in 1902 as mainly a vehicle for conveying a batch of personal impressions14 while admitting that it could be described as experience pushed a little (and only a very little) beyond the actual facts of the case. This demonstrates the complicated intertwining of fact and fiction involved in the writing of such a novel. While Conrad was able to express his own disillusionment with the systems he had experienced through his representations of Marlow and Kurtz, it can be shown that he is subject to his own criticisms by the very aspect of those experiences. Despite his strongly critical portrayal of white man and colonial victories, Conrad has often been accused of racism in his literature, and evidence of which, (whether conscious, or unconsciously displayed) helps to show why it is therefore difficult to separate a work of literature from its historical source of writing. In Heart of Darkness the allegory for the psychological journey to the heart of the human mind is bound inseparably to the physical one related by Marlow and experienced by Conrad in reality. If the story is to be read only as a metaphor which discovers the horrors and corruption lurking at the bottom of mans heart, the implications of using Africa as an external parallel, for a physical setting to match the inner darkness16reveal that despite Conrads attempts to subvert colonialism he betrays his own prejudices from the outset. While Conrad has been described as a man of his times17 holding prevalent western attitudes such as that primitive people were morally inferior to civilised ones, Marlows corresponding attitudes can be identified by his reaction to the Africans and in particular the cannibals in aligning the two. His sympathy for the black race is reflected in the negative portrayal of white man yet the superficial nature of his sympathies are revealed when he encounters the cannibals. He expresses his horror that there might be some connection between them and himself, admitting Well, you know that was the worst of it- this suspicion of their not being inhuman. Again, it is the undertone of colonial prejudice breaking through the surface gloss of compassion which Conrad has allowed Marlow to display. While he feels sorry for them when he sees them dying, when he sees them healthy, he feels nothing but abhorrence and loathing19. Conrads ambivalent attitudes towards colonialism are therefore revealed not just through Marlows ironic narrative technique but by the underlying tone of colonial prejudices which pervade the imagery of the novel. .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .postImageUrl , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:hover , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:visited , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:active { border:0!important; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:active , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Eddie and Mickey and evaluates the situation EssayThe stark contrasts of white and black, light and shade, presented in the imagery of the novel function in a very specific way through the designation of roles, the creation and disintegration of stereotypes, and the assertion of hegemonies in the discourse. Conrads portrayal of Africa as the blank space20 on the map which then becomes a place of darkness21 ready for western discovery and domination initiates the assignment of metaphorical colouring. However, as Chinua Achebe pointed out the mystery and shadow cast by Conrads portrayal of Africa was and is the dominant image of Africa in the western imagination22and reinforces Conrads position as a product of this mass consciousness. As the metaphor is extended to the associations of good and evil accompanying this imagery, it is clear that Africa has been consigned to a symbol for an evil and primeval force23 within this westernised structuring of stereotypes. In his portrayal of the African women as like the wilderness itself, with an air of brooding he both places her in the context of colonial domination of land and subordinates her to the depravity associated within the imagery of darkness. While the balance of fiction and fact contributing to Heart of Darkness blur the boundaries between critical commentary and aesthetic or artistically based literature, the novel is constantly subject to the conditions present during its creation. Benita Parrys claim that what Marlow sees belongs not to history but to fantasy may be true but despite Conrads literary and political intentions, his western preconceptions appear to be daubed throughout the novel, particularly in his portrayal of Africa and Africans. The distancing of himself from any direct narrative responsibility almost reinforces the presence of Conrad within the novel and while his authorial role should not direct a reading of the text, his alignment and identification with Marlow does add a dimension to its analysis. Finally, the ambivalence with which the novel approaches attitudes towards colonialism demonstrates how important the respective roles of historical and modernist contexts are in uncovering the complex layering of narrative voices. In this way Heart of Darkness produces a critical reflection on the very forms of consciousness it illuminates25and by doing so self-consciously acknowledges its own debt to historical context, whilst echoing the patterning of past, present and future which create the literary as well as literal temporality both in art and life.

Play It Again Rita Essays (274 words) - Conversation,

Play It Again Rita Annonymous By: Paule Marshall One woman tries to convey the variety of voices from West Indians and black American Engilsh which are her heritage. She gained her knowledge through her mother and her friens. She mentioned how listening to her mother affected her life as to being the person that she is tody. She has become a successful writer. (thesis) In The Making of a Writer, Paule Marshall demonstrates that although she grew up in a kitchen listening to her mother and friens talk, not being able to be heard, she learns a few things through her mother and her friends. (topic sentence 1) Marshall's mother and her friends got together for a cup of tea or cocoa and to talk a bit before heading home to their families. They got together in their brownstone home kitchen in Brooklyn everyday for about two hours. She and her sister would be seated doing homework while the ladies talked endlessly. They talked about political events and historical events like wars and the rumors that went on of wars that took place back then. They also talked about their home in the Caribbean and also their adopted home ---- AMERICA ----. (topic sentence 2) The rule for children in the 30's was for them to be seated in the corner of the room, being seen, but not heard. Marshall wasn't able to join in on any of her mother's conversations. She was only able to listen and not say a word. Marshall may not have been able to talk much within the crowd of older folks, but she sure did learn a lot about some events in the past and also about her heritage through listening to her mother's conversations as she grew up.

The History of Ostrich Domestication

The History of Ostrich Domestication Ostriches (Struthio camelus) are the largest bird alive today, with adults weighing between 200–300 pounds (90-135 kilograms). Adult males attain a height of up to 7.8 feet (2.4 meters) tall; females are slightly smaller. Their immense body size and small wings make them incapable of flying. Ostriches have a remarkable tolerance to heat, withstanding temperatures up to 56 degrees C (132 degrees F) without much stress. Ostriches have been domesticated for only about 150 years, and are truly only partly domesticated, or, rather, are only domesticated for a short period of their lives. Key Takeaways: Ostrich Domestication Ostriches were domesticated (and only partly) in South Africa in the mid-19th century.  South African farmers and their British colonial overlords were responding to an enormous demand for fluffy ostrich feathers used in Victorian-era fashions.Although they are adorable as chicks, ostriches are not good pets, because they quickly grow into bad-tempered giants with sharp claws.   Ostriches as Pets? Keeping ostriches in zoos as exotic pets was practiced in Bronze Age Mesopotamia at least as early as the 18th century BCE. Assyrian annals mention ostrich hunts, and some royal kings and queens kept them in zoos and harvested them for eggs and feathers. Although some modern day people do attempt to keep ostriches as pets, no matter how gently you raise them, within a year, the cute fluffy juvenile ball grows to a 200-pound behemoth with sharp claws and the temperament to use them.​ Far more common and successful is ostrich farming, producing red meat similar to beef or venison, and leather goods from the hides. The ostrich market is variable, and as of the 2012 agricultural census, there are just a few hundred ostrich farms in the U.S. Ostrich Life Cycle There are a handful of recognized modern sub-species of ostrich, including four in Africa, one in Asia (Struthio camelus syriacus, which has been extinct since the 1960s) and one in Arabia (Struthio asiaticus Brodkorb). Wild species are known to have been present in North Africa and Central Asia, although today they are restricted to sub-Saharan Africa. South American ratite species are only distantly related, including Rhea americana and Rhea pennata. Wild ostriches are grass eaters, usually concentrating on a handful of annual grasses and forbs that yield essential protein, fiber, and calcium. When they dont have a choice, they will eat leaves, flowers, and fruits of non-grassy plants. Ostriches mature at between four and five years of age and have a lifespan in the wild of up to 40 years. They are known to travel in the Namib desert between 5 to 12 miles (8–20 kilometers) per day, with an average home range of about 50 mi (80 km). They can run up to 44 mi (70 km) per hour when necessary, with a single stride of up to 26 ft (8 m). It has been suggested that Upper Paleolithic Asian ostriches migrated seasonally, as an adaptation to climate change. Ancient Appearance: Ostrich as Megafauna Ostriches are of course an ancient prehistoric bird, but they show up in the human record as ostrich eggshell (often abbreviated OES) fragments and beads from archaeological sites beginning about 60,000 years ago. Ostriches, along with mammoth, were among the last Asian megafaunal species (defined as animals which weigh more than 100 kg) to become extinct. Radiocarbon dates on archaeological sites associated with OES begin near the end of the Pleistocene, late in Marine Isotope Stage 3 (ca. 60,000–25,000 years ago). Central Asian ostriches went extinct during the Holocene (what archaeologists call the last 12,000 years or so). The east Asian ostrich Struthio anderssoni, native to the Gobi Desert, was among the megafaunal species that went extinct during the Holocene: they survived the Last Glacial Maximum only to apparently be done in by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide. That increase also increased the number of grasses, but it negatively impacted the forage availability in the Gobi. In addition, it is possible that human over-use during the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene might have occurred, as mobile hunter-gatherers moved into the region. Human Use and Domestication Beginning in the late Pleistocene, ostriches were hunted for their meat, their feathers, and their eggs. Ostrich shell eggs were likely hunted for the protein in their yolks but were also very useful as light, strong containers for water. Ostrich eggs measure up to 6 inches (16 centimeters) long and can carry up to one quart (about one liter ) of fluid. Ostriches were first kept in captivity during the Bronze Age, in a tamed and semi-domesticated state, in gardens of Babylon, Nineveh, and Egypt, as well as later in Greece and Rome. Tutankhamuns tomb included images of hunting the birds with a bow and arrow, as well as a very fancy ivory ostrich feather fan. There is documented evidence of ostrich riding since the first millennium BCE at the Sumerian site of Kish. European Trade and Domestication The full domestication of the ostrich was not attempted until the mid-19th century when South African farmers established farms solely for harvesting the plumage. At the time, and indeed for several centuries before that and since, ostrich feathers were in high demand by fashionistas from Henry VIII to Mae West. Feathers can be harvested from the ostrich every six to eight months without ill effects. During the first decade of the 20th century, ostrich feathers used in the fashion industry had driven the value per pound to that nearly equal to that of diamonds. Most of the feathers came from Little Karoo, in the Western Cape region of southern Africa. That was because, in the 1860s, the British colonial government had actively facilitated export-oriented ostrich raising. The Darker Side of Ostrich Farming According to historian Sarah Abrevaya Stein, in 1911 the Trans-Saharan Ostrich Expedition took place. That involved a British-government sponsored corporate espionage group who snuck into French Sudan (chased by American and French corporate spies) to steal 150 Barbary ostriches, famed for their double fluff plumes, and brought them back to Cape Town to be inbred with the stock there. By the end of World War II, though, the market for feathers crashed- by 1944, the only market for the fanciest of plumes was on cheap plastic Kewpie dolls. The industry managed to survive by broadening the market to meat and hides. Historian Aomar Boum and Michael Bonine have argued that the European capitalist passion for ostrich plumes decimated both wild animal stocks and African livelihoods based on wild ostriches. Sources Al-Talhi, Dhaifallah. Almulihiah: A Rock Art Site in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 23.1 (2012): 92–98. Print.Bonato, Maud, et al. Extensive Human Presence at an Early Age of Ostriches Improves the Docility of Birds at a Later Stage of Life. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 148.3–4 (2013): 232–39. Print.Boum, Aomar, and Michael Bonine. The Elegant Plume: Ostrich Feathers, African Commercial Networks, and European Capitalism. The Journal of North African Studies 20.1 (2015): 5–26. Print.Brysbaert, Ann. ‘The Chicken or the Egg?’ Interregional Contacts Viewed through a Technological Lens at Late Bronze Age Tiryns, Greece. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 32.3 (2013): 233–56. Print.dErrico, Francesco, et al. Early Evidence of San Material Culture Represented by Organic Artifacts from Border Cave, South Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109.33 (2012): 13214–19. Print.Gegner, Lance E. Ratite Production: Ostrich, Emu and Rhea. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas: National Center for Appropriate Technology, 2001. 1–8. Print. Janz, Lisa, Robert G. Elston, and George S. Burr. Dating North Asian Surface Assemblages with Ostrich Eggshell: Implications for Palaeoecology and Extirpation. Journal of Archaeological Science 36.9 (2009): 1982–89. Print.Kurochkin, Evgeny N., et al. The Timing of Ostrich Existence in Central Asia: AMS 14c Age of Eggshells from Mongolia and Southern Siberia (a Pilot Study). Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268.7–8 (2010): 1091–93. Print.Renault, Marion. Decades after It Crashed, Ostrich Industry Poised to Take Off as Demand Grows. Chicago Tribune September 25. 2016. Print.Shanawany, M. M. Recent Developments in Ostrich Farming. World Animal Review 83.2 (1995). Print.Stein, Sarah Abrevaya. Plumes: Ostrich Feathers, Jews, and a Lost World of Global Commerce. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008. Print.

Role of Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Role of Manager - Essay Example In the result, experts (Gootnick, pp. 36-40, 1999) are now carrying out studies to understand different aspects of various fields, and this paper is an attempt in the same series that will look into the relationship of individual differences, personality, and intelligence with the role and working of managers in organisations. In particular, analysis (Haslam, pp. 23-29, 2007) has indicated that experience is one of the most imperative components that enable individuals to involve in the process of learning that subsequently allows effective execution of any work or task. In addition, it is an understanding that experience is the key factor that resulted in alteration of abovementioned three notions under focus of this paper. In this regard, one can state that experience plays a crucial role in ensuring effective development of managers; however, experts (Fumham, pp. 56-60, 2008) have noted that experience as mixture of personality, individual differences, and intelligence is not the key notion but the more important thing is the reaction of the manager in response to the experience. In other words, experience does not give lesson but one has to get a lesson from experiences. It will be easier to understand this notion by considering an example. For instance, a manager confronts a situation of an unsatisfied employee in an organisation, and he responds by talking to him personally. On the other hand, another manager confronts the same situation but he decides to consider employee as an under-performing employee without any discussion. The experience or rather confrontation was same; however, responses were different that would have resulted in contradictory outcomes in that organisation. At this point, individual variability or individual differences play a critical role in supporting manager in effective management of the people (Haslam, pp. 46-60, 2007). However, when it comes to individual variability, experts have identified strong relationship of intelligen ce with individual differences and that intelligence plays a significant role in enabling effectiveness in the work. However, individuals often view intelligence from the traditional lens related to academic achievement. In the context of manager’s role, traditional intelligence does not but the practical intelligence ensures effectiveness in manager’s functions. In order to understand the role of intelligence in manager’s part, let the paper include an example. In particular, a traditionally intelligent person refers to the easy understanding of academic facts that is applicable in the example of a student; however, a practically intelligent person means easy understanding of tacit knowledge (Fumham, pp. 69-74, 2008) that works in situation of the manager. In the case of student, knowledge is declarative, whereas when it comes to manager, knowledge becomes procedural that is a student focuses on ‘knowing that’ while manager endeavors on ‘know ing how’ notion that explains how intelligence, particularly, practical intelligence supports manager in effective execution that is effective management of people at the workplace. In order to understand the difference further, academic knowledge refers to information that explains behavior, and on the other hand, tacit knowledge means information that guides or initiates behavior. Further analysis of literature (Hosie, pp. 20-33, 2006) has indicated that there exist certain characteristics that facilitate managers in carrying out their works in terms of managing people, and that simultaneously involves self-development of the managers. In particular, tacit knowledge and experience were once again major

Amnesty and Human Rights Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Amnesty and Human Rights - Case Study Example Amnesty has published an article under the title: "Tibet at risk of torture" on march 27 2008. It shows the recent events in Tibet, a country that is occupied by China for more then 50 years now. Despite all efforts from the Dalai Lama, the Olympics 2008 in Being are the event that draws finally the attention to the problems of the occupation. The whole world is protesting right right now. And what Amnesty shows us explains why. Amnesty (2008): "According to information published by the Tibetan Center on Human Rights and Democracy, 15 Tibetan monks were detained on 10 March for staging a peaceful demonstration in Barkhor, Lhasa, the capital of Tibetan Autonomous Region in China. There is no information of their current whereabouts or of any charges brought against them. They are at high risk of torture and other ill- treatment." Besides this significant and important action there is also the important issue on the Human Rights situation in China. Amnesty (2008): " Expressing an opini on online in China can result in jail, torture and death. People are silenced and what happens in China is often clouded in secrecy. Sign up to take the pledge to stop the Chinese Government and large internet companies restricting freedom of expression on the Internet, and we'll keep you up-to-date with ways you can help create a more transparent society in China." You can directly participate in signing the form online.... and death. People are silenced and what happens in China is often clouded in secrecy. Sign up to take the pledge to stop the Chinese Government and large internet companies restricting freedom of expression on the Internet, and we'll keep you up-to-date with ways you can help create a more transparent society in China." You can directly participate in signing the form online. The chosen actions are petitions you can sign online or send in an email to the Ambassador. You reach immediate whom you want to reach, the Government of China from home. In doing so you can plaid for changes in the situation of Chines regarding the human rights and plaid for a free Tibet. How effective do you think the action has been/will be and how could it be more effective Amnesty is offering us a change to write a letter to the Chinese Ambassador to plead for Tibet. Online there is an example for an email. Amnesty asking us to personalize the letters also online to help. Amnesty (2008): " Please send an urgent letter to His Excellency Mr ZHANG Junsai, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Australia. Here are some key points you can include in your letter: urge the authorities to release the 15 monks, as well as all others detained for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, Association and assembly urge the authorities to fully account for all those detained during the demonstrations, ensuring they are not tortured or otherwise ill-treated, have access to lawyers and medical care, are brought promptly before an independent court and are able to challenge their detention ensure that those prosecuted are charged with internationally recognizable offences and tried in proceedings which meet international fair

Film, Culture and Society Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film, Culture and Society - Movie Review Example (Sklar, 1994) Perhaps the reason why Depp has attracted a lot of attention outside his film could be because of his charming personality. He reports to interviews with a cigar in hand and then says hallo to all the members surrounding of the camera crew. Additionally, the actor is quite comfortable with his own personality because he is not afraid of experimenting with fashion. The actor can wear boots that were synonymous with the nineteen eighties and still hold his head high. Depp tops this up with his good looks and makes many Hollywood enthusiasts interested in his escapades. Besides these, Depp is quite enterprising; he owns a club called Viper Room in the heart off Hollywood. But then again, the tabloids reported that this place has more drugs than soda. Speaking of escapades, Depp has had his share of dramatic scenes in his personal life. He was reported by some newspaper reporters that he had trashed hotel. As if this is not enough he has had some drug addiction issues in the past but this does not stop the public from loosing interest in his new developments. Maybe it is these negative remarks that keep the public anxious. (Shatz, 2002) Fellow actors such as Penelope Cruz have asserted that Depp is quite a humorous man. He is indeed natural and charismatic at the same time. They claim that this is the most outstanding feature about him and this could also be the reason why he has been in and out of relationships. Johnny Depp's' films Johnny Depp has contributed to the film industry in his own unique way. However, some critics argue that he is not an actor worth his salt. This can be attributed to some of the headless horsemen movies he has done in the past. These movies undermined the strength of Depp's acting abilities. However, these arguments pale when one examines other films done by Depp. For instance the films; 'Before Night Falls' and 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' did very well in the box office. The one thing they both had in common was the fact that Johnny Depp was the main character. He seems to have an ability to carry heavy roles with the depth they deserve. Taking an example of the movie 'Blow'; Depp plays the role of a tough, fearless and tragic drug dealer. Depp was chosen for this role because he has the capacity to bring out the negative aspects in the lead role. On the other hand, this does not undermine the fact that he still displays the tragic end to the movie with the compassion and dignity it deserves. Depp chooses his film roles carefully as most of them depict central characters. Conclusion Johnny Depp is a charismatic, humorous and striking person in real life. This larger-than-life off -screen character has influenced the level of success and hence his stardom. (Neve, 1992) The issues going on behind the camera have adversely affected the roles played in front of the camera in terms of the offers presented to Depp. After assessing Depp's life; controversy is indeed a marketing tool in Hollywood as Depp only became truly famous after people started following up his private life. Success of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge as a postmodernist film Introduction The essay will examine the extent to which Baz Luhrmann's the Moulin Rouge film has depicted postmodernism with a specific focus on Parody /pastiche. Discussion The film's main theme serves as a template for the expression of parody. The

Customer Satisfaction at Sainsburys

Customer Satisfaction at Sainsburys Implications for the development of Sainsbury in the future 1. Introduction The retail industry is one of the oldest industrial sectors of UK having its roots based in the 19th century. An article in The Financial Times about Sainsburys dropping sales and consequently market shares triggered the research topic and we drove ourselves to the history of supermarkets to reveal the secret behind the big giants (Tesco, Sainsburys and ASDA) fighting for the top position in the market. The reason to select Sainsburys rather than other two foes from the flock was the interesting reign of Sainsburys in past 100 years of business. The article first illustrates the supermarket retailers background and outlines the present problems. Secondly, it analyzes the perception of customers towards the current supermarkets and the extent to which their needs are satisfied by Sainsburys. Finally, the possible solutions are evaluated and it indicates some recommendations for implementation. The work established in the following research is purely based on a quantitative data collection and scrutiny with a wide implementation of literature and marketing research tools. In the following research work, we, group of five students, have cloaked the role of researchers and reaped a considerable amount of sagacious know-how about conducting a research and using marketing research gears in different areas of research. 2. Background to the problem 2.1 About Sainsburys Sainsburys Supermarket is the longest standing major food retailing chain in the UK, with their first store opened in 1869. The mission and policy of Sainsburys is to provide customers with healthy, safe, fresh and tasty food. The quality and fair prices of Sainsburys is taking responsibility to their business. Sainsburys stores have particularly emphasized on fresh food and they devote themselves to create continuous innovation. Moreover, they are concerned about customer needs and based on these needs improve products regularly. Its market share is around 16 % and now they serve over 18 million customers a week. Sainsburys own 455 supermarkets and 301 convenience stores, the type of these stores are categorized into 3 types, which are Main Mission outlets, Main Plus format stores (hypermarkets),and Mixed mission format shops (Sainsburys Central and Local). The large stores offer approximately 30,000 products and offer and support the non-food products and services in many of their stores. Around 88% of British households are provided by the internet-based home delivery shopping service. At present, Sainsburys is the third biggest supermarket chain in Britain after the countrys largest retailer Tesco and Wal-Mart owned ASDA. Their business mission is to be the consumers first choice for food, delivering products of outstanding quality and great service at a competitive cost working faster, simpler and together.'(http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/index.jsp, N.D) 2.2 Describe the problem Sainsburys used to take the biggest slice of the whole retail market in the UK. However, since 1995, Tesco started with their membership cards, and out of blue their sales have increased rapidly. Sainsburys became the third biggest supermarket chain in Britain after the countrys largest retailer Tesco and Wal-Mart owned Asda. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4694974.stm, N.D, BBC News) 2.3The main reasons for exploring the problem The formula of Sainsburys success could be concluded in the points which are listed below: High quality products quality assurance Wide range of products Different customer segmentations (http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/features/feature56457/, ND) Although Sainsburys still follows these points to manage the company, but according to the reduction of the market share, the profit of managing Sainsburys has been more seriously affected. Although Sainsburys could retain the balance of revenue and expenditure, moreover, it remained permanent. It still needs to attract more customers and raise its market share. Furthermore, the needs of its customers should be valued and respected. We need to do marketing research to explore the possible factors which affect customers satisfaction and then use marketing strategies to improve these factors to increase customers shopping demands and enhance their loyalty. 3. Problem Definition An extensive study of market conditions and retail industry in United Kingdom gave us a brief idea about the status of Sainsburys in the retail industry. The largest retailer in the UK till mid 1990s suddenly dropped to the third position loosing its hold on market and decrement in the potential market customers. The decline in market shares and a low rate of sales returns was enough to define the problem for Sainsburys in the present market scenario. With new retailers emerging in the sector deploying all their marketing strategies to be the best in the race, it is very important for Sainsburys to take a brave step now to protect their current position and then to improvise on their hold in the industry. 3.1 Management Decision Problem What can Sainsburys doto regain the market share in retailing industry? The management team now require to sit down and discuss the failure points and the current shortcoming to establish a conclusion to why there is a constant downfall in the shares of the company and why it is being overtaken by a company (ASDA) which has its central operating sector based in a country (USA) which is thousands of miles away from UK. As per a latest study, the retail industry is expected to show an increase in 15% annually and Sainsburys needs to identify the market requirement till they become history for the consumers. (sources) 3.2 Marketing Research Problem The Management Problem was turned into a Research Problem which more specifically tackles the aim of this study. l To determine the various needs of shoppers and the extent to which current Sainsburys experiences were satisfying those needs compared to the competitors. The conversion of the management problem into a research problem makes the concept easier to understand and tackle. It gives a broader prospective of the problem and alongside makes a simple way to handle and implement the desired implications. 3.3 Research Components The research components further diversify the purpose of research and explain the problem in detail. The following components define the research problem: What is the demographic and psychographic profile of the customers? What do customers expect when going shopping in the stores? How well does Sainsburys existing products and service offering meet customers needs compared to Tesco and ASDA? Are there any customer needs that are not being adequately met by Sainsburys? How often do customers go shopping per week? 4. Research Approach Development In this section, it reveals the Exploratory Research conducted and the Conceptual Model. 4.1 Exploratory Research 4.1.1 Literature Reviews This section concerns some available information extracted from Literature Reviews. Based on literature reviews, service quality, is seen as an important factor, and closely related to a retail companies performance. Service quality is perceived by customers as the result of comparing the expectations about the service they are going to receive and their perceptions of the retail companys actions. (Rodolfo Vazquez et al, 2001). It is of great help to demonstrate how to assess the service performance of a retail company and it carries some implications itself as well, which is beneficial when making the model of this study. According to Yan Lu et al (2008) there are five dimensions of service quality in a retail store setting, including: physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving and policy. In addition, Rodolfo Vazquez et al. (2001) found that service quality in retail companies adopting the commercial format of supermarkets has a four factor structure (physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction and policies). Physical Environment Physical environment incorporates the inward and outward appearance of the store. According to Rodolfo Vazquez et al (2001), physical environment involves the simplicity and importance of shopping from the internal appearance of the sales outlet. Based on this, Rodolfo Vazquez et al states that there are two physical aspects of supermarkets: store appearance, which includes: decoration, fixtures, equipment, cleanliness, design of product and services publicity leaflets and the convenience of shopping, which includes: interior design and store layout of sections and product shelf position. According to Poping Lin (2005), traditional wisdom teaches that one key to win market share is offering a wide variety of products, which can be helpful for attracting a wider variety of customers. Providing products and services at a close and most convenient location, is the very core of deriving the best return from investments, also the ambience a store maintains can influence a customers purcha se decisions to a great extent. (Prakash Gupta, year) Reliability According to A.Parasuraman et al. (1988), to be reliable is being able to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Based on his research, A.Parasuraman et al. found out that reliability is the most important factor taken into consideration by customers when they evaluate a retail companys overall service quality. This has also been supported by many researches in other studies. Dabholker et al. (1996) indicate that reliability in the eyes of customers is a combination of keeping promise and doing it well. Keeping promise means that a retail company should stock enough products to satisfy customers needs and guarantee the products quality as well as allowing returns and exchanges and being willing to dealing with any problems from customers. On the other side, in the terms of doing it well, a company is expected to be able to provide customers with fast sales transactions and precise information, such as sales promotions, price and sales slips. (Rodolfo Vazquez et al, 2 001) Personal Interaction Based on existing literature, it is noted that customers are not only interested in the product offerings and physical environment, but also on the service provided by staffs. Personal interaction involves the process followed in order to obtain the sale and the service encounters where the need arises while coming in contact with the retail company employees. (Rodolfo Vazquez et al, 2001) According to Prakash Gupta (year), consumers look for help whenever they are in an emergency. In that situation, store employees helpful advice and assistance will help to reduce the attrition rate of customers and enhance shopping experience. Policy Policy captures aspects of service quality affected by the strategies of the prices and brand assortment. Brand assortment policy must be established with great care and also a large and wide-ranging assortment of well-known brands is needed. (Rodolfo Vazquez et al, 2001) In addition, retail stores should be able to come up with an attractive pricing policy. According to Siu and Cheung, policy has a great impact on customers repeat purchase intention. (Yan Lu, Yoo-Kyoung Seock, 2008) Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction is a measure of how an organizations total product performs in relation to a set or customers requirement (Nigel Hill, Jim Alexander, 2006). There is no better advertisement than a Satisfied Customer and nothing worse than a Dissatisfied Customer (Phillip Kotler et al, 2008). Marketing Researchers and Managers have realized how important customer satisfaction is. According to Robert Heller (2006), customer based strategy is the only important form of strategy, product and producer driven strategies are fast dying. Similarly, Customer Satisfaction is the ultimate goal, and an investment that often doesnt produce result in a short term, but leads to Customer loyalty in a medium or long term (Craig Cochran, 2003). The lack of attention to customer Satisfaction costs companies money because there is an intractable connection to high level of customer satisfaction and increased share holder value (Chris Denove, James D. Power IV, 2007) Loyalty It is believed that maintaining the current customers costs less than attracting new customers, in the light of this; it is wise for companies to pay close attention to retaining their current customers. There are efficiencies in dealing with existing customers rather than new customers. (Ruth N.Bolton, 2000) Relative retention has been shown to explained profits better than market share, scale, cost position, or any of the other variables usually associated with competitive advantage. (Niren Sirohi et al, 1998) In general, the customers loyalty is indicated by an intention to perform a diverse set of behaviors that signal a motivation to maintain a relationship with focal firm, including allocating a higher share of the category wallet to the specific service provider, engaging in positive word-of -mouth, and repeat purchasing. (Ulrich R. Orth, Mark T.Green, 2009) According to Zeithaml et al., favorable assessment of service quality leads to favorable behavioral intentions such as p ositive word-of-mouth and preference for one company over others. (Yan Lu, Yoo-Kyoung Seock, 2008). In other word, higher satisfaction relates to higher loyalty. (Ulrich R. Orth, Mark T.Green, 2009) 4.2 Conceptual Model On the basis of the literature reviews, a final model has been defined (Refer to figure 1), which consists of two parts. In the first part of the model, there are 4 Independent variables (namely Physical Environment, Reliability, Personal Interaction, Policy), consisting of several aspects respectively, that may have an impact on the Dependent variables (Customer Satisfaction as shown in the model). As regard to the second part of the model, we assume that the Independent variable, Satisfaction, is connected with Loyalty, Dependent variable. Table 1: Summary of Research Questions and Hypothesis Specification of information needed Depending upon each component of the problem and the conceptual model, research questions and hypothesis, the information needed can be defined as follows: Component 1: To determine the factors customers are apprehensive about when selecting a store for shopping. Perceptions of customers on factors that influence choice of supermarkets Component 2: To determine how well do existing service offering meet customers needs. Evaluation of customers on the performance of ASDA. Evaluation of customers on the performance of Sainsburys. Evaluation of customers on the performance of Tesco. 5. Research Design and Methodology 5.1 Research Design In order to obtain the required information to solve the marketing research problems, research design was carried out for the further step. The research design is the framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project that specify the procedures necessary to obtain the information needed. (Malhotra, 2009) There are two basic types of research designs available which are classified in terms of the research objectives: exploratory and conclusive. (Malhotra, 2009) In this report, both exploratory and conclusive research designs were conducted for Sainsburys. 5.1.1 Exploratory research design In order to understand and gain insight to the problem that the company is facing now, a detailed literature review was prepared. 5.1.2 Conclusive research design After gaining understanding of current situation and management-decision problem of the company from exploratory research, the conclusive research was designed to make the management decision, testing hypotheses and also examining relationships between factors influencing the supermarket selection and customer satisfaction of Sainsburys as compared to its competitors. Furthermore, the descriptive research was used to describe the market characteristics and determine those relationships. Due to time constraint, the single cross-sectional design was used and a selected group of respondents were measured at one time. The data-collection technique used in this report was the survey conducted by a predesigned questionnaire. 5.2 Methodology 5.2.1 Secondary research methodology In order to collect data about the companys problem in general, two types of the secondary research were collected. The first one is the internal secondary data. Obtaining information from companys annual report provided the background of the company and fundamental data about its market shares. The second one is the external secondary data. In research approach development step, literatures have been reviewed. The information was retrieved from many sources including census data that provided elementary background of demographic data of UK households and consumption behaviors of UK consumers. In addition, abstracts in form of bibliographic databases have been retrieved from the University of Leeds Portals library. Gaining information from above secondary data can help us to understand the companys situation, define the research problem and also develop an approach to that problem. Journal articles and books provide knowledge in defining the variables in the research model which led to formulate the hypotheses and forming questionnaire design. 5.2.2 Primary research methodology 5.2.2.1 Research approach The major research approach chosen in this report is questionnaire survey. A detailed survey selecting a large sample was conducted to support the literature to get a deeper understanding of factors in choosing supermarkets. Furthermore, surveys were chosen in order to gain insights into the consumer behaviors pattern and consumers perceptions of UK supermarkets. 5.2.2.2 Sampling design Due to budget and time limitation, sample surveys were selected based on direct questioning. A sample is a subgroup of the elements of the population selected for participation in the study. (Malhotra, 2009) In this report, the sample group was selected from the total population in the UK. In determining the sample size, the statistical method was chosen. The sample size was calculated as follows: 2500 * N * Z2 n = ____________________ [25(N-1)] + [2500 * Z2] Where n = sample size required N = population size Z = number of standard errors The total population size (N) is 41,020,711 which are derived from the estimated people aged at 15-64 years in the United Kingdom as of July 2009. The source of information is The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In this case, the most commonly used 95% confidence level is applied. When the variables are taken, the result obtained from the formula could be as below: 2,500 * 41,020,711 * 1.962 n = __________________________ 25(41,020,711 -1) + (2,500 * 1.962) = 384 Due to time and cost constraints, 40% of the total sample size was taken into consideration, therefore adding up to 154 samples could be collected in conducting the survey. For the sampling method used in the surveys, the data collected through a survey of 154 respondents was divided into two proportions equally. The probability sampling techniques used in this report is Simple Random Sampling (SRS) in which each sample in the total population has an equal probability in selecting. (Malhotra, 2009) Therefore, half of the total questionnaires were executed by people living in Leeds and the rest was from people living outside Leeds. Moreover, two ways in distributing the questionnaires were conducted: paper based and online based survey. 5.2.2.3 Questionnaire Design (Refer to Appendix 1) The division of research problem into components made the way to design the questionnaire to analyze the market scenario and the customer needs. The background of the questionnaire design was the basic study of the component and sub-dividing the components into various similar factors which are considered to select or prefer any retail industry. The Physical Factors were classified as size, location, layout, and etc. of the store and mentioned as questions in the draft. 12 broad questions were decided on the basis of relevance and availability of time for the participant to come out with rational answers without any external or internal influence of reviewer or the industry. The intention was to collect some primary data about the general perception of people and then segmenting them as per their responses and choices. As required questionnaire was designed in 4 major segments in five pages including the introduction and purpose of study, literature was consulted to find out the best blue print of the questionnaire. It was also considered that all the questions are easy to understand and the response is useful for the analysis of the components. The questionnaire was designed with both multiple choice and dichotomous questions with all the scales referred as per the 5 Point Likert Scale l The first section dealt with the general introduction of the respondents to the retail industry, the shopping habits and the familiarity with the retail market. l Section 2 were the general factors affecting the selection of supermarkets and respondents preference of retail stores, continued with the acuity of three major supermarkets in the UK namely ASDA, Sainsburys and Tesco. l Section 3 covered the satisfaction and loyalty level of the participants towards their favorite retail store. l The final section was the personal information about the respondent assisting with the demographical and segmentation of the participants. The sentences of the questionnaire were made simple and all the options and questions were double checked for any offence in the questions. It was specially taken care that every response should be informative and two open questions were also provided in the questionnaire in order to find depth know-how about the stance of people towards Sainsburys irrespective they are loyal members of Sainsburys shopping club or not. 5.2.2.4 Field work The data was collected between the 18th and the 22th of November, 2009. The questionnaires were collected in different times and different places, targeting all supermarket shoppers throughout the UK; starting from University of Leeds, city centre, flat residents and people outside Leeds. The questionnaire delivering method was personal interviews in order to control the response rate and clarify the complex questions. 5.2.2.5 Analytical issues A diversity of analytical methods was used to gather the data and analyze the results. To analyze the basic statistics, descriptive statistics has been used. Furthermore, graphical representations and one-sample tests were applied to present the demographic and psychographic profile of respondents and also examine the influential factors when choosing a supermarket. To analyze the relationship between independent and dependent variables, the regression analysis has been used. Bivariate regressions were used to test the hypotheses H1, H2, H3, H4, and H5 while multiple regression analysis was used to test whether or not there is collective relation between all hypothetical factors and customer satisfaction. 6. Results and Analysis In this part, SPSS was used to represent the basic statistics, graphical representations and one-sample tests in order to answer the five problem components. Also, it was used for testing whether or not the results support the hypotheses. 6. 1. Analysis of Problem Components 6.1.1 Examining demographic and psychographic profile of respondents There are 154 questionnaires have been completed which 60 % is female and the other 40% is male. (Refer to Appendix 2) More than 50% of respondents aged between 18-24 years old and they are all students. The second most majority is people aged between 25-34 years old. The minority is people aged more than 65 years old. (Refer to Appendix 3) By far the most of respondents are single due to the fact that they are students. One-fifth of them are married and there is no widowed who filled in the questionnaires. (Refer to Appendix 4) More than a half of respondents are students and nearly 30% of all respondents are working and employed by the company. (Refer to Appendix 5) Nearly half spend between  £20 40 when going shopping while the average household annual income is below  £ 15,000. (Refer to Appendix 6 and 7) 6.1.2 Examining factors affecting supermarket selection Table 2: One-sample T-test statistics results One sample T-test were carried out to test the extent to which the mean scores are significantly higher than the mid point 3 on the scale ranging from 1 = the least important to 5 = the most important. Results summarized in the table indicate that customers evaluate the Independent variables positively when choosing which supermarket to shop in, but at different levels. It is also obvious from the table that Price, Location/Nearness, Quality of Products, Variety of Products have the strongest mean. It is important to note that the 4 Independ Customer Satisfaction at Sainsburys Customer Satisfaction at Sainsburys Implications for the development of Sainsbury in the future 1. Introduction The retail industry is one of the oldest industrial sectors of UK having its roots based in the 19th century. An article in The Financial Times about Sainsburys dropping sales and consequently market shares triggered the research topic and we drove ourselves to the history of supermarkets to reveal the secret behind the big giants (Tesco, Sainsburys and ASDA) fighting for the top position in the market. The reason to select Sainsburys rather than other two foes from the flock was the interesting reign of Sainsburys in past 100 years of business. The article first illustrates the supermarket retailers background and outlines the present problems. Secondly, it analyzes the perception of customers towards the current supermarkets and the extent to which their needs are satisfied by Sainsburys. Finally, the possible solutions are evaluated and it indicates some recommendations for implementation. The work established in the following research is purely based on a quantitative data collection and scrutiny with a wide implementation of literature and marketing research tools. In the following research work, we, group of five students, have cloaked the role of researchers and reaped a considerable amount of sagacious know-how about conducting a research and using marketing research gears in different areas of research. 2. Background to the problem 2.1 About Sainsburys Sainsburys Supermarket is the longest standing major food retailing chain in the UK, with their first store opened in 1869. The mission and policy of Sainsburys is to provide customers with healthy, safe, fresh and tasty food. The quality and fair prices of Sainsburys is taking responsibility to their business. Sainsburys stores have particularly emphasized on fresh food and they devote themselves to create continuous innovation. Moreover, they are concerned about customer needs and based on these needs improve products regularly. Its market share is around 16 % and now they serve over 18 million customers a week. Sainsburys own 455 supermarkets and 301 convenience stores, the type of these stores are categorized into 3 types, which are Main Mission outlets, Main Plus format stores (hypermarkets),and Mixed mission format shops (Sainsburys Central and Local). The large stores offer approximately 30,000 products and offer and support the non-food products and services in many of their stores. Around 88% of British households are provided by the internet-based home delivery shopping service. At present, Sainsburys is the third biggest supermarket chain in Britain after the countrys largest retailer Tesco and Wal-Mart owned ASDA. Their business mission is to be the consumers first choice for food, delivering products of outstanding quality and great service at a competitive cost working faster, simpler and together.'(http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/index.jsp, N.D) 2.2 Describe the problem Sainsburys used to take the biggest slice of the whole retail market in the UK. However, since 1995, Tesco started with their membership cards, and out of blue their sales have increased rapidly. Sainsburys became the third biggest supermarket chain in Britain after the countrys largest retailer Tesco and Wal-Mart owned Asda. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4694974.stm, N.D, BBC News) 2.3The main reasons for exploring the problem The formula of Sainsburys success could be concluded in the points which are listed below: High quality products quality assurance Wide range of products Different customer segmentations (http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/features/feature56457/, ND) Although Sainsburys still follows these points to manage the company, but according to the reduction of the market share, the profit of managing Sainsburys has been more seriously affected. Although Sainsburys could retain the balance of revenue and expenditure, moreover, it remained permanent. It still needs to attract more customers and raise its market share. Furthermore, the needs of its customers should be valued and respected. We need to do marketing research to explore the possible factors which affect customers satisfaction and then use marketing strategies to improve these factors to increase customers shopping demands and enhance their loyalty. 3. Problem Definition An extensive study of market conditions and retail industry in United Kingdom gave us a brief idea about the status of Sainsburys in the retail industry. The largest retailer in the UK till mid 1990s suddenly dropped to the third position loosing its hold on market and decrement in the potential market customers. The decline in market shares and a low rate of sales returns was enough to define the problem for Sainsburys in the present market scenario. With new retailers emerging in the sector deploying all their marketing strategies to be the best in the race, it is very important for Sainsburys to take a brave step now to protect their current position and then to improvise on their hold in the industry. 3.1 Management Decision Problem What can Sainsburys doto regain the market share in retailing industry? The management team now require to sit down and discuss the failure points and the current shortcoming to establish a conclusion to why there is a constant downfall in the shares of the company and why it is being overtaken by a company (ASDA) which has its central operating sector based in a country (USA) which is thousands of miles away from UK. As per a latest study, the retail industry is expected to show an increase in 15% annually and Sainsburys needs to identify the market requirement till they become history for the consumers. (sources) 3.2 Marketing Research Problem The Management Problem was turned into a Research Problem which more specifically tackles the aim of this study. l To determine the various needs of shoppers and the extent to which current Sainsburys experiences were satisfying those needs compared to the competitors. The conversion of the management problem into a research problem makes the concept easier to understand and tackle. It gives a broader prospective of the problem and alongside makes a simple way to handle and implement the desired implications. 3.3 Research Components The research components further diversify the purpose of research and explain the problem in detail. The following components define the research problem: What is the demographic and psychographic profile of the customers? What do customers expect when going shopping in the stores? How well does Sainsburys existing products and service offering meet customers needs compared to Tesco and ASDA? Are there any customer needs that are not being adequately met by Sainsburys? How often do customers go shopping per week? 4. Research Approach Development In this section, it reveals the Exploratory Research conducted and the Conceptual Model. 4.1 Exploratory Research 4.1.1 Literature Reviews This section concerns some available information extracted from Literature Reviews. Based on literature reviews, service quality, is seen as an important factor, and closely related to a retail companies performance. Service quality is perceived by customers as the result of comparing the expectations about the service they are going to receive and their perceptions of the retail companys actions. (Rodolfo Vazquez et al, 2001). It is of great help to demonstrate how to assess the service performance of a retail company and it carries some implications itself as well, which is beneficial when making the model of this study. According to Yan Lu et al (2008) there are five dimensions of service quality in a retail store setting, including: physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem solving and policy. In addition, Rodolfo Vazquez et al. (2001) found that service quality in retail companies adopting the commercial format of supermarkets has a four factor structure (physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction and policies). Physical Environment Physical environment incorporates the inward and outward appearance of the store. According to Rodolfo Vazquez et al (2001), physical environment involves the simplicity and importance of shopping from the internal appearance of the sales outlet. Based on this, Rodolfo Vazquez et al states that there are two physical aspects of supermarkets: store appearance, which includes: decoration, fixtures, equipment, cleanliness, design of product and services publicity leaflets and the convenience of shopping, which includes: interior design and store layout of sections and product shelf position. According to Poping Lin (2005), traditional wisdom teaches that one key to win market share is offering a wide variety of products, which can be helpful for attracting a wider variety of customers. Providing products and services at a close and most convenient location, is the very core of deriving the best return from investments, also the ambience a store maintains can influence a customers purcha se decisions to a great extent. (Prakash Gupta, year) Reliability According to A.Parasuraman et al. (1988), to be reliable is being able to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Based on his research, A.Parasuraman et al. found out that reliability is the most important factor taken into consideration by customers when they evaluate a retail companys overall service quality. This has also been supported by many researches in other studies. Dabholker et al. (1996) indicate that reliability in the eyes of customers is a combination of keeping promise and doing it well. Keeping promise means that a retail company should stock enough products to satisfy customers needs and guarantee the products quality as well as allowing returns and exchanges and being willing to dealing with any problems from customers. On the other side, in the terms of doing it well, a company is expected to be able to provide customers with fast sales transactions and precise information, such as sales promotions, price and sales slips. (Rodolfo Vazquez et al, 2 001) Personal Interaction Based on existing literature, it is noted that customers are not only interested in the product offerings and physical environment, but also on the service provided by staffs. Personal interaction involves the process followed in order to obtain the sale and the service encounters where the need arises while coming in contact with the retail company employees. (Rodolfo Vazquez et al, 2001) According to Prakash Gupta (year), consumers look for help whenever they are in an emergency. In that situation, store employees helpful advice and assistance will help to reduce the attrition rate of customers and enhance shopping experience. Policy Policy captures aspects of service quality affected by the strategies of the prices and brand assortment. Brand assortment policy must be established with great care and also a large and wide-ranging assortment of well-known brands is needed. (Rodolfo Vazquez et al, 2001) In addition, retail stores should be able to come up with an attractive pricing policy. According to Siu and Cheung, policy has a great impact on customers repeat purchase intention. (Yan Lu, Yoo-Kyoung Seock, 2008) Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction is a measure of how an organizations total product performs in relation to a set or customers requirement (Nigel Hill, Jim Alexander, 2006). There is no better advertisement than a Satisfied Customer and nothing worse than a Dissatisfied Customer (Phillip Kotler et al, 2008). Marketing Researchers and Managers have realized how important customer satisfaction is. According to Robert Heller (2006), customer based strategy is the only important form of strategy, product and producer driven strategies are fast dying. Similarly, Customer Satisfaction is the ultimate goal, and an investment that often doesnt produce result in a short term, but leads to Customer loyalty in a medium or long term (Craig Cochran, 2003). The lack of attention to customer Satisfaction costs companies money because there is an intractable connection to high level of customer satisfaction and increased share holder value (Chris Denove, James D. Power IV, 2007) Loyalty It is believed that maintaining the current customers costs less than attracting new customers, in the light of this; it is wise for companies to pay close attention to retaining their current customers. There are efficiencies in dealing with existing customers rather than new customers. (Ruth N.Bolton, 2000) Relative retention has been shown to explained profits better than market share, scale, cost position, or any of the other variables usually associated with competitive advantage. (Niren Sirohi et al, 1998) In general, the customers loyalty is indicated by an intention to perform a diverse set of behaviors that signal a motivation to maintain a relationship with focal firm, including allocating a higher share of the category wallet to the specific service provider, engaging in positive word-of -mouth, and repeat purchasing. (Ulrich R. Orth, Mark T.Green, 2009) According to Zeithaml et al., favorable assessment of service quality leads to favorable behavioral intentions such as p ositive word-of-mouth and preference for one company over others. (Yan Lu, Yoo-Kyoung Seock, 2008). In other word, higher satisfaction relates to higher loyalty. (Ulrich R. Orth, Mark T.Green, 2009) 4.2 Conceptual Model On the basis of the literature reviews, a final model has been defined (Refer to figure 1), which consists of two parts. In the first part of the model, there are 4 Independent variables (namely Physical Environment, Reliability, Personal Interaction, Policy), consisting of several aspects respectively, that may have an impact on the Dependent variables (Customer Satisfaction as shown in the model). As regard to the second part of the model, we assume that the Independent variable, Satisfaction, is connected with Loyalty, Dependent variable. Table 1: Summary of Research Questions and Hypothesis Specification of information needed Depending upon each component of the problem and the conceptual model, research questions and hypothesis, the information needed can be defined as follows: Component 1: To determine the factors customers are apprehensive about when selecting a store for shopping. Perceptions of customers on factors that influence choice of supermarkets Component 2: To determine how well do existing service offering meet customers needs. Evaluation of customers on the performance of ASDA. Evaluation of customers on the performance of Sainsburys. Evaluation of customers on the performance of Tesco. 5. Research Design and Methodology 5.1 Research Design In order to obtain the required information to solve the marketing research problems, research design was carried out for the further step. The research design is the framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project that specify the procedures necessary to obtain the information needed. (Malhotra, 2009) There are two basic types of research designs available which are classified in terms of the research objectives: exploratory and conclusive. (Malhotra, 2009) In this report, both exploratory and conclusive research designs were conducted for Sainsburys. 5.1.1 Exploratory research design In order to understand and gain insight to the problem that the company is facing now, a detailed literature review was prepared. 5.1.2 Conclusive research design After gaining understanding of current situation and management-decision problem of the company from exploratory research, the conclusive research was designed to make the management decision, testing hypotheses and also examining relationships between factors influencing the supermarket selection and customer satisfaction of Sainsburys as compared to its competitors. Furthermore, the descriptive research was used to describe the market characteristics and determine those relationships. Due to time constraint, the single cross-sectional design was used and a selected group of respondents were measured at one time. The data-collection technique used in this report was the survey conducted by a predesigned questionnaire. 5.2 Methodology 5.2.1 Secondary research methodology In order to collect data about the companys problem in general, two types of the secondary research were collected. The first one is the internal secondary data. Obtaining information from companys annual report provided the background of the company and fundamental data about its market shares. The second one is the external secondary data. In research approach development step, literatures have been reviewed. The information was retrieved from many sources including census data that provided elementary background of demographic data of UK households and consumption behaviors of UK consumers. In addition, abstracts in form of bibliographic databases have been retrieved from the University of Leeds Portals library. Gaining information from above secondary data can help us to understand the companys situation, define the research problem and also develop an approach to that problem. Journal articles and books provide knowledge in defining the variables in the research model which led to formulate the hypotheses and forming questionnaire design. 5.2.2 Primary research methodology 5.2.2.1 Research approach The major research approach chosen in this report is questionnaire survey. A detailed survey selecting a large sample was conducted to support the literature to get a deeper understanding of factors in choosing supermarkets. Furthermore, surveys were chosen in order to gain insights into the consumer behaviors pattern and consumers perceptions of UK supermarkets. 5.2.2.2 Sampling design Due to budget and time limitation, sample surveys were selected based on direct questioning. A sample is a subgroup of the elements of the population selected for participation in the study. (Malhotra, 2009) In this report, the sample group was selected from the total population in the UK. In determining the sample size, the statistical method was chosen. The sample size was calculated as follows: 2500 * N * Z2 n = ____________________ [25(N-1)] + [2500 * Z2] Where n = sample size required N = population size Z = number of standard errors The total population size (N) is 41,020,711 which are derived from the estimated people aged at 15-64 years in the United Kingdom as of July 2009. The source of information is The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In this case, the most commonly used 95% confidence level is applied. When the variables are taken, the result obtained from the formula could be as below: 2,500 * 41,020,711 * 1.962 n = __________________________ 25(41,020,711 -1) + (2,500 * 1.962) = 384 Due to time and cost constraints, 40% of the total sample size was taken into consideration, therefore adding up to 154 samples could be collected in conducting the survey. For the sampling method used in the surveys, the data collected through a survey of 154 respondents was divided into two proportions equally. The probability sampling techniques used in this report is Simple Random Sampling (SRS) in which each sample in the total population has an equal probability in selecting. (Malhotra, 2009) Therefore, half of the total questionnaires were executed by people living in Leeds and the rest was from people living outside Leeds. Moreover, two ways in distributing the questionnaires were conducted: paper based and online based survey. 5.2.2.3 Questionnaire Design (Refer to Appendix 1) The division of research problem into components made the way to design the questionnaire to analyze the market scenario and the customer needs. The background of the questionnaire design was the basic study of the component and sub-dividing the components into various similar factors which are considered to select or prefer any retail industry. The Physical Factors were classified as size, location, layout, and etc. of the store and mentioned as questions in the draft. 12 broad questions were decided on the basis of relevance and availability of time for the participant to come out with rational answers without any external or internal influence of reviewer or the industry. The intention was to collect some primary data about the general perception of people and then segmenting them as per their responses and choices. As required questionnaire was designed in 4 major segments in five pages including the introduction and purpose of study, literature was consulted to find out the best blue print of the questionnaire. It was also considered that all the questions are easy to understand and the response is useful for the analysis of the components. The questionnaire was designed with both multiple choice and dichotomous questions with all the scales referred as per the 5 Point Likert Scale l The first section dealt with the general introduction of the respondents to the retail industry, the shopping habits and the familiarity with the retail market. l Section 2 were the general factors affecting the selection of supermarkets and respondents preference of retail stores, continued with the acuity of three major supermarkets in the UK namely ASDA, Sainsburys and Tesco. l Section 3 covered the satisfaction and loyalty level of the participants towards their favorite retail store. l The final section was the personal information about the respondent assisting with the demographical and segmentation of the participants. The sentences of the questionnaire were made simple and all the options and questions were double checked for any offence in the questions. It was specially taken care that every response should be informative and two open questions were also provided in the questionnaire in order to find depth know-how about the stance of people towards Sainsburys irrespective they are loyal members of Sainsburys shopping club or not. 5.2.2.4 Field work The data was collected between the 18th and the 22th of November, 2009. The questionnaires were collected in different times and different places, targeting all supermarket shoppers throughout the UK; starting from University of Leeds, city centre, flat residents and people outside Leeds. The questionnaire delivering method was personal interviews in order to control the response rate and clarify the complex questions. 5.2.2.5 Analytical issues A diversity of analytical methods was used to gather the data and analyze the results. To analyze the basic statistics, descriptive statistics has been used. Furthermore, graphical representations and one-sample tests were applied to present the demographic and psychographic profile of respondents and also examine the influential factors when choosing a supermarket. To analyze the relationship between independent and dependent variables, the regression analysis has been used. Bivariate regressions were used to test the hypotheses H1, H2, H3, H4, and H5 while multiple regression analysis was used to test whether or not there is collective relation between all hypothetical factors and customer satisfaction. 6. Results and Analysis In this part, SPSS was used to represent the basic statistics, graphical representations and one-sample tests in order to answer the five problem components. Also, it was used for testing whether or not the results support the hypotheses. 6. 1. Analysis of Problem Components 6.1.1 Examining demographic and psychographic profile of respondents There are 154 questionnaires have been completed which 60 % is female and the other 40% is male. (Refer to Appendix 2) More than 50% of respondents aged between 18-24 years old and they are all students. The second most majority is people aged between 25-34 years old. The minority is people aged more than 65 years old. (Refer to Appendix 3) By far the most of respondents are single due to the fact that they are students. One-fifth of them are married and there is no widowed who filled in the questionnaires. (Refer to Appendix 4) More than a half of respondents are students and nearly 30% of all respondents are working and employed by the company. (Refer to Appendix 5) Nearly half spend between  £20 40 when going shopping while the average household annual income is below  £ 15,000. (Refer to Appendix 6 and 7) 6.1.2 Examining factors affecting supermarket selection Table 2: One-sample T-test statistics results One sample T-test were carried out to test the extent to which the mean scores are significantly higher than the mid point 3 on the scale ranging from 1 = the least important to 5 = the most important. Results summarized in the table indicate that customers evaluate the Independent variables positively when choosing which supermarket to shop in, but at different levels. It is also obvious from the table that Price, Location/Nearness, Quality of Products, Variety of Products have the strongest mean. It is important to note that the 4 Independ