Company overview: Astro All Asia Networks

Company overview: Astro All Asia Networks Astro All Asia Networks is a Malaysias leading cross-media group with significance presence in DTH (Direct-To-Home) TV services, commercial radio and TV programming. The group encompasses of seven different structures which includes MEASAT Broadcasting Network Systems (MBNS) or also known as Astro TV, Astro Entertainment Network (AEN), Airtime Management TV Programming Sdn Bhd (AMP) radio networks, Tayangan Unggul Sdn Bhd (TUSB), Astro Shaw Sdn Bhd, Measat Publications Sdn Bhd and Digital Five Sdn Bhd. Astro is owned by Binariang Sdn. Bhd. with 85% share and the remaining 15% is owned by Khazanah Berhad. In this study, we will take MBNS as the main organizational where sports marketing lies in this structure. MBNS was established in 1996 with 22 channels broadcasted on air. Today, MBNS broadcasts more than 125 pay-TV channels and serves to more than 2.93 million households including Malaysian TV households, rural and urban. Throughout the technology advancement, the group has paved its innovative roadmap from Standard Definition (SD) to B.yond featuring High Definition (HD) broadcast to Malaysia through Astro B.yond. Up till now, Astro TV has its own 12 HD channels on its platform. In MBNS, it is divided into seven divisions which are first, Broadcast and Operations, second is Commercial Services, third is Customer Marketing and followed by Communications, Customer Experience, Information Technology, Sales Distribution, Content Management Group, Regulatory and Government Relations, Customer Marketing and lastly Technology and New Media. MANAGEMENT TEAM Dato Rohana Rozhan Chief Executive Officer MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems Ahmad Fuaaad Kenali Chief Financial Officer MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems Dato Borhanuddin Osman Executive Director Airtime Management and Programming Sdn Bhd Zainir Aminullah Executive Director Astro Entertainment Sdn Bhd Raghvendra Madhav Executive Director India (based in New Delhi) Ken Wang Executive Director China (based in Beijing) Louis Foo General Manager MEASAT Publications Lakshmi Nadarajah General Counsel Astro CUSTOMER MARKETING TEAM In Customer Marketing, the division is sub-divided into four other segments which are firstly, Malay Segment Marketing including Malay Loyalty, secondly, Presence Marketing, followed by Chinese Marketing, Sports Marketing, and lastly International, Education, Indian and Others Segment Marketing. Diagram (1.0) below shows the divisional structure of customer marketing team: Molina Musa (Vice President) Shirley Tan (Ast.Vice President) Chinese Segment Marketing Nachiappan M.T Arasu (Ast. Vice President) Sports,International, Education and Others Herman Sophiaan (Ast. Vice President) Malay Segment and Presence Marketing Rosnah (Ast Vice President) Malay Segment Loyalty Ahmad Faisal (Ast. Vice President) Sports Marketing Nik Faidz (Ast. manager) Sabrina (Associates) Michelle Goh (Ast. Manager) Yeng Yeng (Associates) Sheila Mathavan (Associates) Jeevan (Associates) Emarina Kamal (Associates) Yvonne (Associates) Nurul Hidayah (Intern) Nur Nazihah (Associates) Sharol (Intern) Heryandy Ramli (Associates) Mohd Syafiq (Intern) BACKGROUND OF STUDY This study is conducted to identify the factors of successful sports marketing strategies in pay TV industry in Malaysia which is solely owned by Astro MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd. Astro is a leading pay TV with no major competition in this industry for over 10 years is providing its premium sports package in broadcasting the worlds best sports on air. The exclusivity of Astro in showing the worlds best sports has become its major success in up-selling the sports package. Since Astro is represented as a global business environment where most of the contents are taken internationally and disseminate in Asia, how well the firm can do profit and improve humanity can be the most important dimension to look at through deeper understand in consumers preferences and income level (Van R. Wood, Dennis A.Pitta, Frank J. Franzak, 2008). Astro sports marketing team is now trying to adapt to local consumer buying behaviour and needs that are driven by the differences in cultural norm s. This study later will determine how it can be one of the important factors taken into consideration to ensure the success of sports marketing program strategies. According to Vivienne Shaw (2000) is her study on successful marketing strategies of German companies in the UK, she had identify that strategic objectives and focus, customer targets, competitor targets and competitive advantage, and interaction of marketing mix play a major role to ensure success. Besides aiming to discover the correlation between customer marketing strategies implementation, it is also will determine the feedbacks from rewarding its current 1.53 million sports package subscribers through the execution of sports ground events and corporate social responsibility. However, the ultimate objective of sports marketing is to achieve 1.8 million subscribers and increase average revenue per user (ARPU) still hasnt reached yet. Therefore, in this study, we will also find ways on how Astro can achieve its target either by peer influence and freedom of choice in choosing the most updating sports content. As the sports pack is the most expensive pack among all packages availab le, the benefits that subscribers will gain from paying the fees to watch the best in the world sports will be determined throughout the research. PROBLEM STATEMENT Ideal approach to pursuit the marketing strategies are important to win the heart of sports package subscribers. Among the all content packages offered by Astro including the basic pack, sports package is the most expensive of all. To retain the customers from reverting to original pack combo by withdrawing the sports package in Astro packs can be a major problem face by the organization as consumers want the best value for every cent paid to watch the best worlds sports on air. Therefore, Astro needs to give the best value and sport contents available that worth paying by consumers. Another problem faced is to ensure exclusivity of Astro sports pack from other competitors in broadcasting industry such as RTM and TV3. According to Simon (1992, p.6), he stated that organisations must be able to manage the integration of market and technology as equally driving forces. With the technology advancement, sports pack can be integrated into incredible pack that competitors doesnt have such as watching sports game in high definition (HD) instead of standard definition (SD). The internal factors that influence the successful of sports marketing program are also been questioned on the level of its effectiveness. Major challenges for managers according to Eleri R. Thorpe and Robert E.Morgan (2007) are on how manager direct the efforts of talented employees in given time frame and how manager guarantee that aims mission of intended marketing strategy is clearly understood by employees. As consumers not only looking forward for the international sports team, it is also another drawback because Astro needs to fulfil the local consumers taste by broadcasting local game on air in the sports package. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY The objectives of conducting this research are: To discover the success factors sports marketing strategies in pay TV industry in Malaysia. To identify how sports marketing strategies will be able to cater and fulfil the differences in consumers preferences. To reward consumers with feeling of belonging through CSR and ground events organized by the Sports Marketing team. To identify the benefits gained when subscribers pay monthly fees to subscribe to Astro sports pack as compare to watch sports at non-pay TV station. RESEARCH QUESTION In conducting this research, the questions below need to be answered through observation, interview the internal parties or from consumers feedbacks. How Astro sports marketing strategies able to cater and fulfil the consumers preferences in terms of gender, cultural and income level differences? What can Astro sports marketing team do to make customers have the feeling of belonging through corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ground events to reward loyal customers? How Astro can provide freedom of choice in choosing the most updated sports content in any platform through the adaptation of marketing strategies and marketing mix? What are the benefits received or caused-related marketing effected the subscribers when they subscribes to the sports package and pay the monthly fees throughout the years in comparison with watching sports game broadcasted in non-pay TV? SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study can be significance not only to the organization itself, but to customers and to the nation. Firstly, the researcher intended to discover the success factors of Sport Marketing strategies in pay TV industry in Malaysia for the benefit of the organization that helps to overcome the barriers and undesirable outcomes by learning all about the current subscribers and potential subscribers of sports pack. Secondly, this study also addressed to create awareness and positive identity that diverse Astro sports pack with other competitors in sports channel especially in non-pay TV. Another benefit of this study is to create more purchasing powers of consumers in deciding what give the best values for their money. They usually tied up with emotions when considering the purchase decisions. Therefore, through effective marketing strategies, it helps to derive consumers to make purchasing. As Astro is the main Asia pay-TV broadcaster and number one in Malaysia, it assist our country to come out with the technological advancement through the launching of High Definition channels that brings international; sports game lives together in HD direct to customers. It creates international brand image mutually will increase positive image of the nation. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY This research is conducted to identify what are the factors that sports marketing strategies can be successful in retaining the existing sports pack subscribers and attracting potential sports pack subscribers in pay TV industry in Malaysia. Thus it will be restricted only to observation, interviews and secondary data such as annual report. Observation that will be made internally in the organization itself (Astro) by interviewing the samples which is the top level manager in sports marketing team and the employees. Through observation during the ground events and corporate social responsibility done by the team, it helps to determine the success factors. Besides that, the external samples such as Astros customers, sports viewers regardless they are Astro subscribers or not on and consumers with difference genders and income level can be used to obtain results on the level of effectiveness of sports marketing strategies. Those vendors including event agency and producer of sports merchandises who have collaborated with Astro to sustain the premium sports packs can contribute in giving feedbacks and opinion regarding the success factors of Astro Sports Marketing through interview and supporting documents. DEFINITION OF TERMS Sports Sports can be clearly defined as an organized, competitive, and skilful physical activity and it is governed by set or rules and customs. For example of sports are football, badminton, and tennis. Marketing Marketing is a management process through which goods and services move from the concept to customer. As practice, it consists in coordination of four elements called 4Ps which are development of product, determination of price, advertising and publicity namely promotion and selection of distribution which is place. Subscribers As stated in www.thefreedictionary.com, subscribers is defined as to contract to receive and pay for a certain number of issues of a publication, for tickets to a series of events or performances, or for a utility service. In this study context, the subscribers are those who subscribes to Astro sports pack. Consumers behaviour In study conducted by Olympia Business School on Consumer behaviour, they had identified that consumer behaviour means how individuals make decisions to spend their available resources (time, money, and effort) on consumption-related items. It includes the study of what they buy, why they buy it, when they buy it, where they buy it, how often they buy it, and how often they use it. Demographic Factors Demographic factors are characterized by statistical socio-economic characteristic or variables of a population which includes age, sex, education level, income level, marital status, occupation, religion, birth rate, death rate, average size of a family, average age at marriage. Pay TV Pay TV, premium TV or premium channels refer to subscription-based television services, usually provided by both analogue, digital cable and satellite but also increasingly via digital terrestrial and internet television. In this study context, researcher is referring to Astro as the premium pay TV industry in Malaysia. ARPU ARPU is defined as a measure of the revenue generated per user or unit. Average revenue per unit allows for the analysis of a companys revenue generation and growth at the per-unit level, which can help investors to identify which products are high or low revenue-generators. SUMMARY This study is conducted to identify the success factors of sport marketing strategies applied by the marketing team in pay-TV industry. By using the qualitative measures to conduct this study, it will focus more on finding evidence to answer the research questions. Data will be collected through primary data collections which are interview and observation. Besides that, secondary data collection also will be used such as from the annual report. This study is conducted within the organization itself and consumers feedbacks and point of view towards marketing strategies of sports marketing. Researcher used Judgment Sampling method and Convenience Sampling method. To analyze the findings and data, it will be analyze through Content Analysis, event Analysis and Phenomenology Analysis and there is no computer software involve analyzing the data. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW CONSUMERS DIFFERENCES AND PREFERENCES Different consumer has their own perceptions towards the need of subscribing to the Astro sports package. Through segmenting customers into geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural attributes, it helps to identify potential market for up selling the sports pack. According to Helen Reijonen and Tommi Laukkanen (2009), the advancement in information technologies had enable enterprises to collect more and in-depth information about their customers and make it useful for strategic business purpose. Besides that, through consumers socialization, it is also will affect the acceptance of sports package regardless of gender and culture. In research conducted by Luiz Moutinhon and Pedro DionÄ ±Ã‚ ´sio and Carmo Leal (2008) in the process of socialization can be seen as a deliberated act of identity construction the neophyte member begins to deliberately adopt mannerisms, attitudes, and styles of dress, speech, and behavior that he or she perceives to be characteristic of established members. Consumers also will be influenced with the brand image of TV broadcaster in order for them to decide whether to subscribe or not with the pack. Peter Drinkwater and Mark Uncles (2007) examined the impact of program brands on consumer evaluations of television and radio broadcaster brands and come out with finding stated that a successful program on a particular TV/radio station, consumers are likely to improve their perceptions of quality of the broadcaster. That is, the broadcaster brand image is likely to be enhanced. SPORTS MARKETING GROUND EVENTS AND CSR Sports package offered by Astro is currently the premium pack that offers the best sports in the world. Thus, all the sports fans in Malaysia depending on level of income who dont want to missed the live game broadcasted in sports channel will definitely subscribes to the sports package. According to Luiz Moutinhon and Pedro DionÄ ±Ã‚ ´sio and Carmo Leal (2008), in sports activities have always constituted an essential component of free time occupation TV in contemporary societies and in Europe, broadcasting and live attendance of sport games join together every year millions of supporters. The 2006 World Cup was seen in 154 countries by a total of 354,000 of million spectators. This showed that the sports game broadcasted in TV has its own superiority to attract more viewers to subscribe to Astro sports pack. However, to retain the customer loyalty from withdrawing the sports pack, the important of ground events and corporate social responsibility needs to be done. In study done by Anne-Marie Hede examined how special events, such as sporting, cultural, political, historical, religious or commercial/business events, provide opportunities for attendees to have memorable experiences communities to build social capital and for governments to induce new income into their economies though increased tourism and business activities. She also point out that large events such as the Olympic Games can customize product features and develop selling techniques tailored to local customs and cultures. MARKETING STRATEGIES Marketing strategies is the most important principle that needs to be determined to cater target market. With appropriate marketing mix 4Ps including product, price, place and promotion adapted; it helps to ensure success for sports marketing in pay TV industry. In research conducted by Anthony R. Bennet (1997), he stated that when organizations apply the marketing mix principle to market making, targeting the customer, it will involves giving value in relation to quality, value for money, reliability, product performance, cost effectiveness, fitness for purpose and so on. Water Wymer (2011) in his research Developing More Effective Social Marketing Strategies stated that social marketers have tended to limit their choice of set of social marketing strategies to various applications of 4Ps aiming to change individual behaviour and attitudes. However, some barriers may arise that caused marketing strategy to fails. Another research conducted by Water Wymer (et.al) if the social marketing strategy fails to remove an environmental barrier, the social marketing programs effectiveness will be lessened. In relation to this, Anthony R.Bennet (et.al) came out with a findings that channeling an organizational resources into the provision of products and services, it is argues that such strategic focus, on behalf of the organization concerned, will ultimately achieve the objectives set out. Organizational marketing activities will be influenced through publicity and helps to enhance brand image. According to Harlam E.vSpotts and Marc G. Weinberger, both communications activities might play a central role in developing and shaping the corporate brand. BENEFIT AND CAUSE-RELATED MARKETING EFFECTS The first question that always lingers in customers mind is whether the money they are paying is worth the value they receive when subscribing to the premium sports pack. In study conducted by Rob Docters, Raul Katz, Jerry Bernstein and Bert Schefer (2010), customers must first learn about the product and service, use and appreciate the value and lastly reassessment the value and benefits they gained. This research also came out with findings that familiarity of products will lead to usage and enjoyment of product and service. Besides that, through enjoyment of usage, it will leads to higher utility and satisfaction. Individuals also may derive the strength and sense of identity as they are socializing through groups. This can say to be a benefit when they gather together and use sports content as mean to socializing. According to Leal Luiz Moutinho, Pedro DionÄ ±Ã‚ ´sio and Carmo (et.al), individuals are unable to form self-images in the absence of a social identity derived from group affiliations. Stronger identification leads the individual to attribute desirable characteristics of the group to the self, and to assume a greater similarity with other group members. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH DESIGN PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study is to determine to what extend that the Sports Marketing team has done its strategy to get Malaysian households to subscribe to Astro sports pack which currently the most expensive pack among all pack is offered by Astro. Up until now, it has 1.53 million subscribers of sports pack. Since its a customer base type of business, Sports Marketing has done excessive marketing strategies including content, pricing, package quality and customer loyalty to ensure the success. TYPE OF STUDY In conducting this study, the researcher has chosen the Qualitative method to discover the success factors of sports marketing strategies and it does not involve any measurement and statistical data. This type of study is more to finding the answer through evidence and providing textual description on the study. It is done through naturalistic and participant observation and also through interview. SAMPLING Throughout the research, the sampling techniques used in conducting this study are firstly Convenience Sampling Techniques, which involve in engaging the most accessible subjects mainly, the sports packs subscriber. Secondly, sampling technique use is a Judgment Technique by selecting the most productive sample to answer the research questions. Researcher decided to choose the Sports Marketing team itself in MBNS, vendors that engage with the events organized by the team, and feedbacks from useful potential candidates through their experience and public attitude towards the study. DATA COLLECTION In collecting data for this study, the primary method used is by internal observation throughout the meetings, ground events and planning of marketing strategies. Besides that, it also can be collected through interviewing the respective sports marketing team regarding the on-going process of marketing strategies and their perceptions toward customer acceptance of their marketing effort. Vendors and event agencies that engage directly with the sports marketing team also can provide data through interview on their point of view and also external observation. Lastly, another way of collecting data is through the secondary data which is the Astro Annual Report. CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS CONSUMERS DIFFERENCES AND PREFERENCES In Malaysia, there are many consumers differences that need to be taken aware before we want to market our products or services. Seeing that we are rich with multiracial, religions and ethnicities, sometimes we have a tendency to forget that all of us have differences in tastes and preferences. According to the Vice President of Astro Customer Marketing, Madam Molina Musa, in depth identification and segmentation of target market according to their demographic, psychographic and behavioural factors must be clearly acknowledged in order to ensure we achieve our target. Organizations must identify and target the most attractive market segments to ensure they can serve their products and services effectively. During the process of segmenting the target market for Astro sports pack, there are several key points to ensure the marketing team does not make any mistake thus affecting the marketing process. The segments that they are targeting first must be identifiable or easy to define and measure such as the income level. Second is it must be sizeable or large enough to be worth going after, this means that the market size is big to respond. Third is accessible which mean the market must be easy to reached when the company is doing promotion and through distribution such as media infrastructure and facilities. Another important factor is the market must be stable which means theres no war and crisis. The market also must be responsive to the marketing strategies and take action towards it such as by making purchasing. These key points also is supported in a book titled Global Marketing. In pay TV industry, the first and foremost important target market that they are aiming is depending on age, income level, lifestyle, viewing pattern and either they are housewives (HWs) or Professionals, Managers, Executives or Businessman (PMEBs). However, according to Nik Mohd Faidz, 29, Assistant Manager of Astro Customer Marketing, the main target for sports channel is to target those who are in PMEBs category. PMEBs usually are those who are age between 25 to 60 years old, and their main viewing time will be after office hour which is between 8 pm to 12 am and their ARPU is above RM100, which means they will spend more than RM100 to pay for the pay TV services. Another factor that ensures success for the sports marketing team to up sell the sports pack is when they are able to segment their target market according to their area whether they are from rural or urban, age, gender, behaviour and culture. For those who are living in urban area such as Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Georgetown Penang, they are more likely to watch international sports tournament such as Barclay Premiere League for football, NBA All Star Game for basketball, Formula One and maybe The President Cup for golf. Hence this type of consumers preferences will opt to watch Astro Supersports, ESPN, Golf channel and STAR sports or Eurosport. In contrast, those who are living in rural area such as in Kelantan and Kedah, they are more interested to watch Malaysian sports tournament such as Badminton, Malaysian Bowling tournament, Malaysian Football. Therefore, they will opt to Astro Arena since the channel only shows local sports updates and it is free. This statement is agreed by Venu Ramadass, the Astro ARENA president. ARENA also offers customers the 24-hour nonstop coverage of major regional and local sporting events as well as in-depth and extensive news coverage of matches and developments concerning local sports and athletes. However, during the big event that will attract all sports fan regardless where they come from, such as Thomas Cup, World Cup, they will definitely choose those channels that shows the live broadcasted matches. The differences and preferences of consumers can be furthered explain and summarized in the diagram below. Diagram 1.0 CREATE AWARENESS THROUGH GROUND EVENTS AND CSR Another factor that leads to success of Astro Sports is through the excessive ground events organized by the team to create relationship between subscribers and the organization. It is one of the marketing teams manners to encourage direct participants and involvement to get connected with subscribers, says Mr. Herman Aziz, Assistant Vice President for Customer Marketing in Greenfield segment. For Ground event here means events, road shows, tours, and concerts or street party held during the live match or to reward loyal customers. For example, during the Astro Barclays Premiere League (BPL) Viewing Party, Astro marketing has allocated roughly about RM100, 000 to run twelve ground events that associate with BPL live match. Latest, during the match between Manchester United and Liverpool, held on 6th March 2011 at Bola Bistro, Sunway Giza, Damansara, Astro has specially invited thirty lucky astro sports pack subscribers and twenty seats were allocated exclusively for both media and VVIP. According to Rakesh, Manager of event agency, Rhythm Production who was appointed by Astro Sports team to manage the ground events, the main purpose for inviting media is to gain positive feedback and to get them covered positive news to be featured in newspaper, sports magazine and television. VVIP that were invited usually those top managers from Astro team and sponsors such as Panasonic, Maxis and MYEG. Astro also will get the sportsmen, locally or internationally to involve with these kinds of road shows or tours so subscribers can get connected with sports player. For example, during the Master Football Asia, Astro has collaborated Football All Asia as one of the top sponsor to sponsor the tickets to lucky subscribers to watch the game played by star players from Manchester United, Liverpool and EPL All Stars such as Andy Cole, Robbie Fowler and David Seaman. Another example is during Astro Arena ground event in Malaysia, they will bring along the local sports men and also their ambassadors to join and interact with subscribers such as the famous Malaysian goalkeeper, Khairul Fahmi. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also plays an important role to ensure the success for marketing programme. Known as corporate citizenship, it is functioning as a companys responsibility towards society and environment by encouraging a positive impact through activities. It must be aligned with ethical standards, country law and norms to avoid any negative effects in a business environment. With collaboration with the loyalty team and community affairs, Astro sports marketing can deliver the message directly to subscribers. For example, Astro sports marketing organized a Kem B.O.L.A as one of their CSR effort to students in primary school. This Kem B.O.LA, according Venu Ramadass, is functioning as a clinic to give intensive training to selected students with high potential in football and to motivate them as well as nurturing their sense of sportsmanship and competitiveness Another clinic was organized by Astro incorporation with BMW team to give intensive training to those amateur tennis players. It was called Astro Tennis Clinic that was held recently, in March 2011. Besides clinic and intensive training, Astro sports marketing and loyalty team will work together to help those who are unfortunate by giving free tickets to watch football matches, to participate in ground events and also charity dinner. ADAPTATION OF MARKETING STRATEGIES AND MARKETING MIX The adaptations of marketing strategies are strongly allied with the four Ps which are Product, Price, Place and Promotion. In general, a business entity needs a product that has potential to be sold, at reasonable price, has a medium to deliver the product to market and promotion efforts to inform the potential buyers about the product. All these Ps are inter-related with one another. According to the Assistant Vice President of Sports Marketing, Mr. Ahmad Faisal, if one of these Ps is not available, the products will not success in marketplace. He also further explain on all of the four Ps functions in details as per below. The first P is product and it can be defined as tangible or intangible goods and services that a seller offers a buyer to purchase. Tangible products here mean go

Les Miserables

Page One The theme of this book is the importance of love and compassion, and social injustice. Three genres that affect the theme in Les Miserables are: Historical Research, Literary Analysis and Creative Element. The historical research gave you knowledge of the author, and what was going on when Victor Hugo was writing this book. The literary analysis allowed you to get content from the book and provided examples of the theme. The creative element allowed you to present it as how you pictured it. While doing the historical research I found out about Victor Hugo’s love life.It revealed that he had had an affair with a girl named Juliette while being married to Adele. He chooses to spend his life with Juliette instead Adele. In Victor’s life he was involved in politics and he had shared his views by being mayor in the book. The literary analysis provided examples from the book to show that the book had romanticism through tragedy. In the book Eponine dies for Marius by blocking the bullet that was headed towards him because she loved him. Jean Valjean dies because Cosette is taken away from him, because she has found another male figure in her life.The creative element had me put the facts I learned from the historical analysis of the author and the examples from the book from the literary analysis and put it in my own view. The genre that interested me the most was the Historical research because I found out about Hugo’s life that had me understand his views on topics. The most challenging genre was literary analysis because I had to provide 4 pages of evidence. Historical Research Paper Victor Hugo is a famous worldwide literary, that gained his fame through two of his major works The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables.Victor was born in Besancon in 1802. Since he was young he had a calling for literary. At age 13 he had won numerous awards for his poems. During the 1820’s he was claimed as one of the leading figures of th e French Romantic movement. Later his rank was greater due to his play â€Å"Hernani†. During the 1830’s Hugo focused in theatre. In this time he was having problems with his wife, Adele, so he began a relationship with an actress in one of his plays, Juliette Drouet. This relationship lasted fifty years. In 1841 he turned his focus on public and political issues, by becoming a Peer of France.Hugo started out as a monarchist, troubled about order being maintained. At first, Hugo welcomed and supported Louis Bonaparte. He later realized that his moral and political goals were not the same as his political associates. In 1851, after trying in vain to oppose the coup d’etat of the 2nd December, he and Juliette escaped the country to avoid arrest, and fled to Brussels. In his time there he published the mainstream of the works he is known for: Les Miserables, La Legende des siecles, William Shakespeare, L’Homme qui rit, and many others.One book very well know n today is Les Miserables, which shows some of Hugo’s beliefs on the social and moral issues of the time. Victor Hugo had accomplished many things in his lifetime. Starting out as studying in law to becoming known as the heart of French Romanticism for being a poet, playwright, and novelist. Literary Analysis Victor Hugo once wrote â€Å"To die is nothing; but it is terrible not to live† (p. 345). The tragic elements in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables enhance the plot, with many deaths and tragic scenes through the book.Most of these encounters happen to be for their loved ones and others are just heroic moves. These examples come from Fantine, Eponine, Javert, Fauchelevent, Cosette, and Valjean. In the beginning of the story, the first tragic part is Fantine having to leave her daughter behind in order for her to survive. She had turned to prostitution to survive at first, and this showed the damage that nineteenth-century French society cruelly affects the less f ortunate. After Jean Valjean idea factory is set she decides to work there but they do not allow kids.She has to suffer and leave he daughter behind with strangers who to her seemed friendly and caring, to make sure Cosette has a good life. Fantine though gets very sick through malnutrition because all her money was going toward Cosette, but the shock of Jean Valjean being a criminal had killed her (p. 103). Then we find out that Cosette is being mistreated by the Thenardiers, She is treated worse that their dog, the dog is given more attention and care. The money that Fantine was sending the Thernadier is used for their own purposes. As Cosette get older, she becomes their slave and maid, doing whatever they command.It was sad seeing how badly a little innocent girl was being treated, because she did not deserve it, and couldn’t do anything about it being so young. As the treatment escalates overtime, Jean Valjean takes her away from the family and rescues her. â€Å"He exp ects you no longer† (p 165). This line has Marius in tears knowing he was to late. His father was expecting him, but he couldn’t hold on any longer and died. Marius has mix emotions at first, he started out mad because his father left him, but then he finds out that he didn’t leave him by choice.He left him because he was forced to and becomes devastated for not coming any sooner and for being angry with his father. â€Å"Did you see a musket aimed at you? † â€Å"Yes, and a hand which stopped it. † â€Å" That was mine. † (p. 288) These lines represent the amount of love Eponine had for Marius, she would even risk her life for him. When the bullet was directed towards Marius, Eponine stood in front of it. Its tragic for someone to take a bullet to save someone else life, but even worse, when the guy you risked your life for doesn’t feel the same way towards you.The only thing that she asked of him was a kiss on her forehead. There was also a point when Cosette was near death. When she and Jean were running away from Javert, she becomes so cold and weak. If it weren’t for Fauchelevant she would have died then and there. Because Jean had saved his life he felt he had to return the favor and help him hide out in convent. After sometime Fauchelevant dies of old age and leaves his position as gardener to Jean. Javert is so preoccupied with enforcing society’s law and morals that he doesn’t notice he is living by mistaken beliefs.Though when Valjean finally gives Javert proof that a man is not essentially bad because the law says he is, Javert is unable to turn Jean in. When Javert couldn’t turn in Jean, he commits suicide, because he couldn’t live with himself. Javert could not live because he felt like he would live a dishonorable man by not turning in Jean, but Jean gave him a different point of view on criminals, which change his beliefs. One of Jean biggest fears was losing Cose tte, and his fear shortly became reality. Cosette at first views herself as ugly but as she grows older her beauty starts to show, and she and others notice it as well.When Cosette stumbles across a young man named Marius, upon seeing each other they both can feel a connection. When Jean sees them looking at each other he starts to go out alone and has Cosette stay home. Then shortly he relocates them somewhere else, but their love is inseparable, and they both find each other again. When Cosette and Marius got together Jean delighted Marius, but when they get married Jean told him the truth about being an ex-convict. This had changed Marius view on Jean and he did not want his self or Cosette engaged in any activity with Jean.Jean’s fear had come true and he had lost Cosette to another man. This caused him to be very depressed with his self and unhappy in life because she was the one who taught him how to love and was the only one who had loved him and stood by his side thro ughout his life. Through this moment in time, Valjean became very depressed and lonely, that caused him to give up on life. He felt that no one cared for him anymore, but he was wrong. After Marius found out that he received all his money lawfully, he figured out that Jean was never really a bad guy, but misunderstood for the actions he had made long ago.When they go to his house they see how old he looks and sick and knew he was dead. â€Å"His white face looked up towards heaven, he let Cosette and Marius cover his hands with kisses; he was dead†. Javert, Fantine, and Eponine die, when they have finally realized that their dreams are not going to come true. Jean Valjean had died of old age and being lonely which caused him to not have the will to live. But then Cosette returns and he is happily ready to go. Though their deaths, other characters had changed their ways for the better. JEAN VALJEAN Creative Element: Journal Entry April 28, 1833- My last journal.I have had an i ncredible journey by always living on the run. Looking back at my life I could have had a normal life but I choose a different path. Although I look back and notice some stupid decisions I have made I wouldn’t have changed any of them. No one understands my life story. I started out as an innocent typical man, going to prison for stealing bread in order for my nieces and nephews to survive and have food. But then my time in prison affected me by changing my opinions on society. The criminals in prison had gotten to me and convinced me to hate society for what it has done to me.I had been committing action that I wasn’t proud of, but then I met Myriel who changed me forever, because she was the first person that loved me, so I promised her that I would become an honest man, and this was my turning point. My life was finally headed in the right direction. I managed to transform a town into a manufacturing center, which has taught me how to have compassion and generosity towards people. In my lifetime I have taken care of my own family, spent nineteen years in prison, then spent time recreating myself, then raising an incredible girl Cosette.After losing Cosette I had given up hope in living, but as soon as she came back I felt content with the adventurous life I have lived. I am a very old man and think my time is due and all I have left to say is â€Å"To die is nothing; but it is terrible not to live†. Works Cited † Victor Hugo. † 2012. Biography. com 28 Apr 2012, 03:34 http://www. biography. com/people/victor-hugo-9346557 â€Å"Victor Hugo. † Biography and Works. Search Texts, Read Online. Discuss. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"World Biography. † Victor Hugo Biography. Web. 28 Apr. 012. Self-Review Page This was a very time consuming project due to its length and requirements. Throughout this essay I had strengths and weaknesses. I also had to make many decision on the topics that I choose to write about, because I choose each topic for a reason. My strengths in this project were providing evidence in the literary analysis. Another strength of mine was I sympathizing and understanding Jean Valjean and being able to express that by writing a journal entry in his perspective for the creative element.Some of my weaknesses were providing enough information throughout the essay without repeating myself, and following all the instruction by tying them altogether. I have explanations to each of the topics I have chosen. I choose to write about Victor Hugo for the historical research because I believe that you need to know the background of the author to know where his points of views are coming from. As for the literary analysis I chose to write about tragedy because throughout the book there are very sad instances and some of those moments include death.

Positive Guidance

Positive Guidance and Discipline In Classrooms There is a difference in guidance and discipline. Discipline involves teaching and learning. It also comes from the root word â€Å"disciple† which means a pupil, a follower, or a learner. Guidance is an attempt to change behavior by leading, directing, teaching, and advising. But the two have a connection. The main goal for guidance is self-discipline. Once a child achieves self- discipline, it will increase his or her ability to learn new social skills. They are also given more opportunities to practice those skills on their own rather than having an adult solve every problem or conflict that they have. Children and adults views on discipline are based on Past experiences, cultural values, lack of knowledge and current social values. Before we can guide children’s behavior, we must understand the child’s behavior. In my early childhood class we learned that there are two different types of guidance; direct guidance and indirect guidance. Direct guidance is verbal and physical techniques that are used to influence a child’s behavior. Some examples of direct guidance are redirection, distraction, positive reinforcement, encouraging, and limits. Direct guidance strategies will differ between age groups and even for individual children. Indirect Guidance is planning that influences the child’s behavior. Example of indirect guidance strategies are planning, observation, room arrangement, modeling, and age appropriate equipment and materials. Neither direct nor indirect guidance includes punishment. Most negative punishment is unnecessary. It causes pain most of the time and it puts fear in the child. The child will probably grow up being scared of you and that will damage the relationship forever and it would also block positive discipline. It makes the child resent the person who punished them. Punishment also tears away a child’s self-esteem and it offers no possible solutions or explanation to the problem. It makes a child feel like its ok to hurt someone you love. This may leads to problems like abuse, neglect and domestic violence when they grow older. Instead of punishing a child for something they do wrong, try to redirect and guide them on the right thing hat they should be doing. Explain to them in a nice voice that what they are doing is wrong. Tell them how to fix it instead of yelling or spanking. Maybe even a time out could be put into place but this should be used as a type of punishment either. It should be used for reflective purposes. When you send a child to time out they should go off to the side to think about what they did that was wrong. Short time ou ts seem to work best. They should be two to three minutes long. Many people see the quick result of punishment and think it is effective but it isn’t. As we learned in class it just buts a â€Å"band-aid† on it but it doesn’t fix the problem it just makes it worst. A reaction to punishment is anger. Most of the time children who are punished who to get even. They get even by hitting others. Most people who often get punished are often bullies. They feel as though mommy and daddy take their anger out on me so I’m going to take my anger out on someone that’s smaller than me. This creates a major problem in the classroom. They call other children names, ruin other people’s work and take their things. When you come across a student like this, as a teacher, you can’t punish him or her because it will cause even more damage. When mommy and daddy uses punishment at home they don’t have to deal with the results but the teacher has to at school. Punishment focuses attention on what not to do rather than what to do. That’s why when we made rules charts in class we used positive words instead of negative words like â€Å"no†. Instead of enforcing rules of what not to do, rules should tell children what to do. For example if you want the children to walk inside, you will say we walk inside. Rules should be simple so children can understand and must be positive. Rules prepare children for a successful living in the future. Having too few rules gives children make children think that they can do whatever they want to do. Sometimes it provokes them to do power struggles and test the limits even harder to get their parents or teacher to use their authority. On the other hand, a great number of rules or being a strict parenting creates an bad relationship between parent and child and fosters feelings of resentment and rejection, which lowers a child’s self-esteem. Besides, excessive control can provoke rebellion, not only toward the parents, but also against other authority figures. Although children may not like the rules, they deserve to receive explanations for limits and expected consequences for breaking the rules. When a child hears a negative statement like, â€Å"Don’t throw the sand out the sandbox ! † what the child really thinking is throw the sand out the sandbox, instead what you told them to do. If you do state a rule in the negative, like â€Å"No hitting! †, but an positive statement with it. In conclusion it is way better to use positive words and positive discipline rather than negative punishment. Punishment causes shame, blame and pain and no one wants that. It would both benefit you as the teacher or parent and the child. Negative discipline only puts a â€Å"band-aid† over the problem for short term results. The problem is not solved and eventually gets worst in most cases. Take the time out to talk to the child and redirect and guide young children behavior because it will teach them how to act and solve their problems on their own the next time.

Conversation Definition and Examples

Conversation is the spoken exchange of ideas, observations, opinions, or feelings between people.   [T]he properties of the best conversation, says William Covino, echoing Thomas De Quincey, are identical to the properties of the best rhetoric (The Art of Wondering, 1988). Examples and Observations Many of us dismiss talk that does not convey important information as worthless . . .. Such admonitions as Skip the small talk, Get to the point, or Why dont you say what you mean? may seem to be reasonable. But they are reasonable only if information is all that counts. This attitude toward talk ignores the fact that people are emotionally involved with each other and that talking is the major way we establish, maintain, monitor and adjust our relationships.†(Deborah Tannen, Thats Not What I Meant!: How Conversational Style Makes or Breaks Your Relationships. Random House, 1992)Transactional and Interactional Functions of Conversation[T]wo different kinds of conversational interaction can be distinguished--those in which the primary focus is on the exchange of information (the transactional function of conversation), and those in which the primary purpose is to establish and maintain social relations (the interactional function of conversation) (Brown and Yule, 1983). In trans actional uses of conversation the primary focus is on the message, whereas interactional uses of conversation focus primarily on the social needs of the participants...Conversation also reflects the rules and procedures that govern face-to-face encounters, as well as the constraints that derive from the use of spoken language. This is seen in the nature of turns, the role of topics, how speakers repair trouble spots, as well as the syntax and register of conversational discourse.(Jack C. Richards, The Language Teaching Matrix. Cambridge University Press, 1990)Fielding on Knowledge Gained Through ConversationA true knowledge of the world is gained only by conversation . . .[T]here is another sort of knowledge, beyond the power of learning to bestow, and this is to be had by conversation. So necessary is this to the understanding the characters of men, that none are more ignorant of them than those learned pedants whose lives have been entirely consumed in colleges, and among books; f or however exquisitely human nature may have been described by writers, the true practical system can be learnt only in the world.(Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, 1749)Conversational Narratives: Pro and Con[N]o style of conversation is more extensively acceptable than the narrative. He who has stored his memory with slight anecdotes, private incidents, and personal peculiarities, seldom fails to find his audience favourable. Almost every man listens with eagerness to contemporary history; for almost every man has some real or imaginary connection with a celebrated character; some desire to advance or oppose a rising name.(Samuel Johnson, Conversation, 1752)Everyone endeavors to make himself as agreeable to society as he can; but it often happens that those who most aim at shining in conversation overshoot their mark. Though a man succeeds, he should not (as is frequently the case) engross the whole talk to himself; for that destroys the very essence of conversation, which is talking together.(William Cowper, On Conversation, 1756)Polite ConversationSpeech, no doubt, is a valuable gift, but at the same time it is a gift that may be abused. What is regarded as polite conversation is, I hold, such an abuse. Alcohol, opium, tea, are all very excellent things in their way; but imagine continuous alcohol, an incessant opium, or to receive, ocean-like, a perennially flowing river of tea! That is my objection to this conversation: its continuousness. You have to keep on.(H.G. Wells, Of Conversation: An Apology, 1901)Contextualization Cues[In conversation], speakers use contextualization cues, including paralinguistic and prosodic features, word choice, and ways of structuring information, to signal the speech activity in which they are engaged--that is, what they think they are doing when they produce a particular utterance. The use of contextualization cues is automatic, learned in the process of learning language in a particular speech community. But where as speakers focus on the meaning they wish to convey and the interactional goals they wish to achieve, their use of contextualization cues becomes the basis for how they are judged. When expectations regarding the use of contextualization cues are relatively similar, utterances are likely to be interpreted more or less as intended. But when such expectations are relatively different, speakers intentions and abilities are likely to be misevaluated.(Deborah Tannen, Conversational Style: Analyzing Talk Among Friends, 2nd ed. Oxford Univ. Press, 2005)Swift on the Degeneracy of ConversationThis degeneracy of conversation, with the pernicious consequences thereof upon our humours and dispositions, hath been owing, among other causes, to the custom arisen, for sometime past, of excluding women from any share in our society, further than in parties at play, or dancing, or in the pursuit of an amour.(Jonathan Swift, Hints Toward an Essay on Conversation, 1713)The Lighter Side of Conversation You brought up the subject; I contributed an interesting fact on that subject. Its called the art of conversation. Kay, your turn.(Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, The Spoiler Alert Segmentation. The Big Bang Theory, 2013)Dr. Eric Foreman: You know, there are ways of getting to know people without committing felonies.Dr. Gregory House: People interest me; conversations dont.Dr. Eric Foreman: Thats because conversations go both ways.(Omar Epps and Hugh Laurie, Lucky Thirteen. House, M.D., 2008)