Alternative Assessment Essay Example for Free

Alternative Assessment Essay Consequently, assessment has also undergone a massive reform. This has led to a wider range of assessment now than there was twenty-five years ago (Gipps, 1994). Evidence has shown that educational systems have undergone assessment reforms, which are coincident with curriculum reforms (Nitko, 1995). A number of assessment methods have been applied in the Ghanaian educational system since the introduction of schooling in the country (MOE, 1987). The educational reform in Ghana began with the hope that learning was to be more practical and examinations should be based on practical oriented syllabus. What had emerged was that the cost and difficulties involved in assessing students’ practical work and the unreliability of teachers’ assessment had resulted in a return to the status quo, that is pen and paper tests. Currently, Ghanaian teachers tend to monitor students’ understanding through pen-and-paper tests and exercises in class, and move through the syllabus and textbook with little or no attempt to use new instructional strategies if students do not understand the material. The use of pen-and-paper tests has been used almost exclusively by schools to monitor students’ achievement. These tools have also dominated examination for the 1 professional certification of teacher and college admission. These strategies of assessing students have come under severe criticism by many educators (Wolf, 19891). The perception that much of what gets tested is not relevant or has not been taught to students has been a source of concern to many educators and parents. Such concerns have made educators direct their attention to a new approach to testing variously described as â€Å"performance assessment†, â€Å"authentic assessment†, portfolio assessment†, and â€Å"alternative assessment† (Winzer, 1992). The Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1989) call for significant change in the way mathematics is taught. In conjunction with this demand for change in mathematics instruction, a change format for assessing students is needed. To document these new expressions of teaching and learning, alternative assessments have emerged as the vehicle by which students and teachers can organise, manage and analyse life inside and outside the school. One of the most exciting and liberating things about the current interest in assessment is the recognition that numerous assessment tools are available to schools, districts, and states that are developing new assessment systems. These tools range from standardized fixed-response tests to alternatives such as performance assessment, exhibitions, portfolios, and observation scales. However, in Ghana, alternative assessment is relatively an unknown concept and only few researches have been conducted in this area. Each type of assessment brings with it different strengths and weaknesses to the problem of fair and equitable assessment. Recognizing the complexity of understanding performance or success for individuals, it is virtually impossible that any single tool will 2 do the job of fairly assessing student performance. Instead, the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (1996) suggests that an assessment system made up of multiple assessments (including norm-referenced or criterion-referenced assessments, alternative assessments, and classroom assessments) can produce comprehensive, credible, dependable information upon which important decisions can be made about students, schools, districts, or states. Since the influence of testing on curriculum and instruction is now widely acknowledged, educators, policymakers, and others are turning to alternative assessment methods as a tool for educational reform. The movement away from traditional, multiplechoice tests to alternative assessments, variously called authentic assessment or performance assessment, has included a wide variety of strategies such as open-ended questions, exhibits, demonstrations, hands-on execution of experiments, computer simulations, writing in many disciplines, and portfolios of student work over time. These terms and assessment strategies have led the quest for more meaningful assessments which better capture the significant outcomes we want students to achieve and better match the kinds of tasks which they will need to accomplish in order to assure their future success. Billions of dollars are spent each year on education, yet there is widespread dissatisfaction with our educational system among educators, parents, policymakers, and the business community. Efforts to reform and restructure schools have focused attention on the role of assessment in school improvement. 3.  After years of increases in the quantity of formalized testing and the consequences of poor test scores, many educators have begun to strongly criticize the measures used to monitor student performance and evaluate programs. They claim that traditional measures fail to assess significant learning outcomes and thereby undermine curriculum, instruction, and policy decisions. The way in which students are assessed fundamentally affects their learning. Good assessment practice is designed to ensure that, in order to pass the module or programme, students have to demonstrate they have achieved the intended learning outcomes. To test a wide range of intended learning outcomes, diversity of assessment practice between and within different subjects is to be expected and welcomed, requiring and enabling students to demonstrate their capabilities and achievements within each module or programme. The aim of this paper is to provide a guide to the range of alternative assessment tools available, to discuss the potential benefits and difficulties in using the approach and suggest a process for its use. Alternative Assessment Alternative assessment is a generic term referring to the new forms of assessment (Winzer, 1992). It includes a variety of instruments that can be adapted to varying situations. The teacher and the students can collaboratively decide which procedures are to be used for assessment (Huerta Macias 1995). Individual students are also often given the responsibility of selecting specific products of their work on which they will be assessed. It provides the students with the opportunity to reflect on his/her learning 4 experience, pointing out what he/she understands, and the factors that contribute to his/her lack of understanding. The main goal of alternative assessment is to gather evidence about how students are approaching, processing, and completing â€Å"real-life† tasks in a particular domain (Garcia and Pearson, 1994). Alternative assessment may include interviews with students, journal writing by students, developing portfolios of students’ work and writing of reflections. Also, students are encouraged to engage in small co-operative group learning and may be assessed individually and jointly. Alternative assessment, most importantly, provides alternative to traditional assessment in that it; i. ii.does not intrude on regular classroom activities; provides multiple indices that can be used to gauge students progress; and iii. provides information on the strengths and weaknesses of each individual student (Huerta-Macias, 1995; p. 9) One of the major advantages of alternative assessment as a tool for assessing students is that it empowers students to become partners and decision makers in their learning (Smolen et al 1995). Curran (1997) in his study with middle level educators found that alternative assessment is most valuable for students’ involvement in metacognitive learning. Vlaskamp (1995) found that alternative assessment processes engage students to become active in learning. The processes offer them opportunities for reflection and to be thoughtful respondents and judges of their own learning. Lee (1996) 5 found that the real value of alternative assessment is an information source for teachers and a learning tool for the students. Alternative assessment includes a variety of instruments that can be adapted to varying situations. These instruments include the use of checklist of students’ behaviour or product, journals, reading log, videos of role plays, audio tape of discussions, self evaluation, questionnaire, work samples and teacher observation of anecdotal records (Huerta-Macias, 1995, p. 12). According to her, the teacher or instructor and students can collaboratively decide which procedures are to be used for assessment in a given class. Individual students are also given the responsibility of selecting specific products of their work on which they will be assessed. Portfolio Assessment The concept of portfolio assessment comes from the field of fine arts in which portfolios are used to demonstrate the depth and breath of an artist’s talents and capabilities. A portfolio is a systematic, well organised collection of evidence used to monitor the growth of a student’s knowledge, skills and attitudes (Bonnestetter, 1994). It is a purposeful collection of students work that exhibits to the students and others the student’s efforts, progress or achievement in (a) given area(s) (Reckase 1995). This collection according to them should include: ? Student participation in selection of portfolio contents ? The criteria for selection, and evidence of student self-reflection (p. 12) To fulfil the purpose of portfolio assessment as a methodology based on multiple measures and high content validity, the portfolio is to be composed of materials that 6 should be selected jointly by the student and the teacher to reflect the students work over the entire schooling period. activities. To help the students select materials for the portfolio, a set of guidelines should be made available to the students. The guidelines include how the content of the All work are to be taken directly from the classroom portfolio is to be selected and the criteria that would be used to assess the portfolios. The contents of the students’ portfolios are to include the following: i. ii. iii. iv. individual assignments (homework and tests); group assignments; self reflection on each selected student or group work group reflection on group work. The reflections are to indicate evidence of learning mathematics in the school, what they know and can do. They are also to explain what they have understood and the action that contributes to their understanding. They are to identify what they still do not understand and explain the cause of their lack of understanding and what they can do to change the situation. Journal A journal is a daily or weekly record of occurrences, experiences or observations (Berenson and Carter, 1995). Journal writing by students can be used to record the daily and weekly mathematics learning experiences and the attitude of students towards mathematics. The journal can be used to keep track of the students’ progress in  mathematics and to gain insight into the understanding and misunderstanding of the 7 student. The journal can also be used to document the students attitudinal changes during the project. Students are asked to write three sets of journals in each semester (term). The first one is to be written during the first week of the semester (term), the second in the fourth week and the third journal in the last week of the semester (term). At the beginning of the semester(term), the students should be asked to write journals to indicate their previous and current feelings about mathematics. They are also to assess their strengths and weaknesses in mathematics, pointing out the factors that contributed to their failure or success and describe what they need to do. During the fourth week of the semester, the students would be asked again to write journals to identify ideas they understood easily during discussions with the teacher or their colleagues, and then explain why it was easy for them to understand such ideas. They are to identify ideas, which are still difficult for them to understand, and explain why they thnk they are having such difficulties in comprehending these ideas. They are to comment on a homework or class test they did, and explain why they thought they did well or did not do well. They are to identify aspects of their work that needed improvement. They are also to explain what they learned from doing homework or taking a test and state what they would do differently if they are to do the homework or take the test again. During the last week of the semester(term), students are to write another journal. They should be asked to express their feelings of the test, classwork, homework etc, and their feeling about mathematics. They are to state whether there is any improvement in 8 their learning or understanding of mathematics, and identify things, which contribute to their understanding or lack of understanding. Journal writing can be used as means of regularly focusing on course progress and possible modifications. The journals are the first step in placing the responsibility for learning with the students. Research had found that the journal was an important diagnostic tool in three important ways. First, as a writing sample, it provided information about students’ strengths and weaknesses in mathematics. Second, the journals gave an indication of how the students perceived themselves, and finally, the journals revealed students’ perceptions of the mathematics learning process. The journal the students write will help teachers to know early in the course how students perceived themselves as mathematics learners and how they understood the learning process entailed. Whenever their work was seen, evaluations were made which either corroborated their assessment or highlighted their misconceptions. With this information, the students will be helped to become better more efficient learners. When misconceptions are discovered, students will be helped to establish realistic expectations about what mathematics skills they need to achieve their goals. In fact, the first journal they write is an important point of reference when working with individual students and helping them to identify their objectives during the learning process. Research findings show that journal writing provides the opportunities for the students to reflect on the learning process, and to develop new learning skills. These opportunities will help the students to identify differences between their school experiences and those they are encountering at college. 9 Challenges Testing for accountability purpose is essentially large scale testing and for this reason it relies on tests that are relatively cheap, brief, offer broad but shallow coverage, are easy to score and reliable (Gipps, 1994). Alternative assessment by contrast is timeconsuming, tends to provide detailed multi- dimensional information about a particular skill or area; (and because of time factor, depth may be exchanged for breadth), scoring is generally complex and usually involves the classroom teacher Standardisation of the performance is not possible and therefore reliability in the traditional sense is not high (Mehrens, 1992). However, alternative assessment in general, has become the cornerstone of educational reform movement. The arguments for using these forms of assessment to support instructional practice are that; (i) they engage students in tasks that are more comprehensive and consistent with the goals of a discipline or resonant with the desired outcomes of educational process; (ii) they provide detailed evidence about student’s thinking that enables more specific instructional decision making; and (iii) they encourage students to take active role in their own assessment enabling a sharing responsibility for learning (LeMahieu, et.al. 1995, p11) Many educators are of the view that alternative assessment must be held to the same stringent standard of reliability, validity and objectivity as those achieved by standardised norm referenced assessment, if it is to provide credible and legally defensible measure of learning and performance (Linn and Burtin, 1994). 10 Objections to alternative assessment are often voiced in terms of validity, reliability and objectivity. Questions that focus around these issues are: i. ii. iii. Does the instrument measure what it is supposed to measure? Is the instrument consistent in its measurement? Is the instrument unbiased? (Garcia and Pearson, 1994). Alternative assessment represents the best of worlds in that it looks at actual performance on real life tasks, such as writing, self-editing, reading, participation in collaborative work, and doing a demonstration in front of a group. These procedures are in themselves valid (Garcia and Pearson, 1994). As regards reliability of alternative assessment, Huerta Macias (1955), mentions triangulation as a means of ensuring reliability in a qualitative research. In qualitative research, triangulation refers to the combination of methodologies to strengthen a study design. When applied to alternative assessment, triangulation refers to the collection of data/information from three difference sources/perspectives teacher, student, and parent. On the question of objectivity of alternative assessment, research findings show that, standardised tests merely represent agreement among a number of people on scoring procedures, format or content. These individuals are not objective; they just collectively shared the same biases. In this regard, Huerta Marcias (1995) says that standardised test is not more objective than an alternative assessment. Other challenges of alternative assessment have to do with curriculum and instructional practice. Torrance (1993) reviewed the impact alternative assessment has on curricular and instructional practice in the context of the National Assessment in England and Wales. Among the concerns raised were exorbitant demands on teachers, adding up 11 to two to three hours of extra work daily. Teachers also reported dissatisfaction with managing assessment interactions with small groups of students while trying to maintain the focus of all students. Torrance (1993) concluded that teachers treated assessment as a special activity set apart from teaching, and they felt obliged to do this by the instructions they received, a vision at odds with the integrated assessment and instruction offered by alternative assessment advocates. The question of relative practicality of alternative and traditional assessment in terms of time consumption has been raised by many authors (Linn, 1993; Gipps 1994). Research results indicate that alternative assessment is not more time consuming than traditional assessment on the part of the students. Research has shown that students can cope with the time demands of the alternative assessment(Eshun Abledu, 2000). Educational Implications and Recommendations The following educational implications and recommendations are made for improving the academic performance and enhancing positive attitude of students in mathematics: i. Through alternative assessment processes, the teacher is given the opportunity to know from the students’ journals and portfolios the positive and negative points of his teaching process and work out strategies for his subsequent teaching. ii. Alternative assessment processes offer a chance for the development of better student- student and student-teacher relationship. During their group work and discussions of their journals with the teacher a friendly climate is generated which helps them to get to know one another better. 12 iii. With alternative assessment the teacher is given a chance to break the everyday monotonous teaching routine. Activities are organised for the students that create a pleasant and motivating atmosphere in the classroom, which revives the interest of the pupils for the subject. iv. Alternative assessment processes lead to discovery learning and planning. Thus, it is valuable for increasing and maintaining the efficiency of the skills and concepts that the students learn. However, it makes heavy demands on the teacher to plan activities for the students. v. Students who have language problems will be unwilling to communicate in writing with the teacher. Teachers who use alternative assessment processes should rely more on oral interview than the writing of journal. vi. The positive benefits of alternative assessment lie not only in its  implementation but also in the teachers’ ability to extend and enrich the curriculum through the activities he/she arranges for the students. Thorough planning and understanding of the skills students must develop are prerequisite to successful implementation of alternative assessment processes. Teachers must be trained to live up to the task. It is recommended therefore that pre-service teachers be introduced to the alternative assessment processes. In-service and induction courses on alternative assessment can be organised for teachers who are already teaching. This training is worthwhile since teachers will have the means to bring about higher achievement in mathematics and higher attitudinal changes in female pre-service teachers towards mathematics. 13 vii. Teachers need to provide many opportunities for students to explore and reflect on mathematical concepts. Having students talk and write about mathematical concepts and how these ideas are applied in various problems situation can strengthen their understanding and provide valuable information to the teachers. It is therefore recommended that mathematics concepts be presented to students through the alternative assessment processes. This will then enhance the current programme of promoting the interest of girls in Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME). viii. To evaluate our programmes and the progress students are making, me must look beyond the current traditional assessment alone, and find better ways of assessing students’ creativity, ability, and sensitivity in mathematics. The point is, continuous assessment ought to provide a more comprehensive view of pupils’ all-round performance. The Ministry of Education (MOE), the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other policy makers on education must adopt alternative assessment to improve female students’ performance and attitudes in mathematics. Conclusion Knowing mathematics is doing mathematics. We need to create situations where students can be active, creative, and responsive to the physical world. I believe that to learn mathematics, students must construct it for themselves. They can only do that by exploring, justifying, representing, discussing, using, describing, investigating, 14  predicting, in short by being active in the world. Alternative assessment is an ideal activity for such processes. Reference Brady, R. (1991). A Close Look at Student Problem Solving and the Teaching of Mathematics: Predicaments and Possibilities. School Social Science and Mathematics. 91(4), 144-150. Eshun B. A and Abledu, G. K. (2001): The Effects of Alternative Assessment on the Attitudes and Achievement in Mathematics of Female Pre-service Teachers. African Journal of Educational Studies. Vol. 1. p. 21-30 Garcia, G. E. Pearson, P. D. (1994). Assessment and Diversity. In L. Darling Hammond (Ed. ) Review of Research Education . 337-391. Huerta – Macias, A. (1995). Alternative Assessment: Responses to Commonly asked Questions. TESOL Journal. 5 (1) : 8-11. Smolen, L. et. al. (1995). Developing Student Self-Assessment strategies. TESOL Journal. Vol. 5(1) 22 27. Gipps, C. V. (1994). Beyond testing: Towards a theory of educational assessment. The Falmer Press, London. Lee, T. W. (1996). Mathematics portfolios. NCTM’s goals and students perceptions. A complex analysis. Abstract International 57 (6). Vlaskamp, D. C. (1995). Encouragement of Student Learning through a Portfolio Process. Dissertation Abstract International. 55(1). Mehren, W. A (1992). Using Performance assessment for accountability Purposes. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice. 11, (1), 3-9. 15 Linn, R. L. Burton, E. (1994). Performance Based Assessment: Implications of Task Specificity. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice. 13 (1) 5-8. Torrance, H. (1993). Combining measurement –driven instruction with authentic assessment: Some initial observations. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis,15, 18-90. 16.

Sin and Humanity Essay -- The Scarlet Letter Novels Essays

Sin and Humanity In most novels, old and new, a few general themes can be interpreted. The Scarlet Letter is a novel filled with many contrasting themes. The most prominent theme in the book is that of the many sides of sin. Through the book it is shown that sin is inescapable, un-confessed sin destroys souls, and that there can be different types of sin. Although there are many more themes in The Scarlet Letter, these are most prominent. When stripped to basics there are only two reasons for sin. Love and Hate. These are the only two reasons sin is committed. Although these are rather broad feelings in the spectrum of human emotion, these two emotions seem to control all others. In The Scarlet Letter, this idea of sin is made clear. Sin is portrayed by love and hate. For instance, one of the major parts of the plot is the fact that Hester and Dimmesdale commit ery. This sin wasn’t about hate. It was purely about love. Although this sin is one of love, it doesn’t seem to be and easier to bear by the couple. Another sin of love is the defiance of an entire religion for someone you love. Dimmesdale shows this as he confesses in front of the town. Along with the sin of ery, the book shows a great example of a sin of hate. Chillingworth seems to embody this sin. He is even referred to as the black man (devil). As if a reference to the Devil was bad enough, he was described as having a â€Å"crooked† hunch. Which only translates to his â€Å"Crooked† soul. Over the course of th...

Analysis of 3m Command

Executive Summary 3M Singapore controls many market leading brands in their various markets, such as Post-It ®, Scotch ® Tapes, Scotch-Brite ® and Commandâ„ ¢. In this report, we will be focusing on the brand – Commandâ„ ¢. We aim to address the problem of the erosion of Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s competitive advantage in its increasingly competitive industry by providing improved/new BTL strategies which Command can undertake. Based on our survey, there are 2 interesting findings which we aim to tackle through our recommendations. The first of which is that consumers could not differentiate Commandâ„ ¢ from 3M. In other words, they viewed Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s products as â€Å"3M hooks† rather than â€Å"Commandâ„ ¢ hooks†. This could lead to a brand dilution of 3M in the long run which is not ideal. The next is that Command’s value proposition of easy and clean removal is not fully understood by consumers. To aid Commandâ„ ¢ in targeting its consumers effectively so as to anchor its footing as the market leader, we aim to address the problem and the misconceptions consumers have. We first investigated the factors behind motivating consumers’ consumption for products in the DIY-Mounting and Fastening Industry, followed by an analysis of the effectiveness of its current BTL strategies. From our results and findings, we have divided Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s consumers into 2 main groups: â€Å"The Innovalist† – Creative individuals who are motivated to purchase based on aesthetics appeal, and â€Å"The Functionalist† – Individuals who are more concerned with durability than other factors. All in all, we aim to help Commandâ„ ¢ differentiate itself from its competitors so as to anchor its position as the market leader. Table of Contents 1. 0 Introduction4 1. 1 Market description4 1. 2 Products review4 1. 3 Competitive environment analysis5 2. 0 The Problem, The Issues, Our Objectives5 2. 1 Issues5 2. 2 Problem6 2. 3 Objectives6 3. 0 Methodology6 4. 0 Results & Findings8 4. 1 Problems8 4. 2 Opportunities9 4. 3 Categorisation of consumers11 4. 4 Effectiveness of current BTL strategies12 4. 4. 1 Primary Space13 4. 4. 2 Secondary space14 4. 2. 3 Print Ads14 4. 2. 4 Promoters15 4. 2. 5 POSM15 5. 0 Recommendations15 5. 1 Primary Space16 5. Secondary Space17 5. 2. 1 â€Å"The Road to Commandâ„ ¢ing Success† Project17 5. 2. 2 â€Å"Is this your room? Start Living! † or â€Å"Tidy Room, Long Living†19 5. 3 Print Ads20 5. 3. 1 â€Å"Visuality Is Key†20 5. 4 Future Plans21 6. 0 Controls & Limitations22 Appendix24 1. 0 Introduction Commandâ„ ¢, one of the brands under 3M’s consumer and office business segment, positions itself as an innovative solution for consumersâ₠¬â„¢ mounting and fastening needs and the gateway through which they are able to transform their space quickly and easily. It has successfully carved a credible name for itself by being true to its brand promise of delivering damage-free, strong hanging solutions which can be removed cleanly and also as an innovative brand through the development of its USP: Stretch Release Technology (USPT). 1. 1 Market description Commandâ„ ¢ is in the mounting and fastening industry. Its target audience is aged 25-45, with a monthly household income above S$4000. The age group comprises of young adults who would most likely be working in their first job and adults who have reached certain milestones in their careers. . 2 Products review Commandâ„ ¢ has a wide range of products under its line, ranging from the general hooks of different sizes to various types of organization products to bathroom accessories. Although products are priced at a premium, it offers consumers damage-free, strong hanging solutions which can be removed cleanly. The main differentiating factor lies in Commandâ„ ¢ Adhesive the revolutio nary USPT that combines a reusable hook with removable, water-resistant adhesive that comes completely off with the pull of a tab and does no damage to the surface in the process. . 3 Competitive Environment Analysis With the rapid advancements in technology, the cost of technology is decreasing steadily, lowering the cost of entry into the industry. Hence, Commandâ„ ¢ face increasingly level of competition from less established brands such as Shunmei, Magic Mounts ® and LEC which positions itself as cheaper alternatives of Commandâ„ ¢ products. These competitors offer consumers products similar to Commandâ„ ¢- able removes cleanly and easily-. Their imitations of Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s USPT and competitive pricing strategies have been eroding Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s competitive advantage; compromising Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s standing as the market leader. 2. 0 The Problem, The Issues, Our Objectives 2. 1 Issues With the new entrants and less established competitors competing head-on with Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s core competency-positioning themselves the in a similar way as Commandâ„ ¢ but charging at a lower price-, it will erode Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s competitive advantage and possibly alter consumer’s perception of Commandâ„ ¢. Figure 1 illustrates the current positioning by Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s close competitors. Price Quality Command Competitors Price Quality Command Competitors Figure 1 Consumers' Perception 2. 2 Problem These issues pose a problem to Commandâ„ ¢ if left unresolved – Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s standing as the market leader and the prestige that it enjoys will be eroded. As competitors mimic Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s products, it is imperative to differentiate itself further and convey to consumers about the premium product it offers. 2. 3 Objectives To ensure Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s continued success and position as the market leader, it is crucial to discover consumers’ motivation in purchasing wall mounting and fastening products. We would thus assess the issues and the potential problem which threatens Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s legacy in the industry, and tailored a marketing plan that consists of a range of innovative recommendations to aid Commandâ„ ¢ in differentiating itself and to achieve its 3 goals of informing, raising awareness and increasing adoption rate by its target group. We start by investigating the factors that motivate consumers to purchase wall mounting and fastening products. Then, we analyse the effectiveness of Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s current below-the-line (BTL) strategies, propose changes and recommend new BTL strategies so that we can better target the consumers. These efforts are aimed to help Commandâ„ ¢ secure its position as the market leader, making it consumers’ preferred choice and proclaiming that â€Å"Commandâ„ ¢ is different, Commandâ„ ¢ is better†. 3. 0 Methodology A combination of primary and secondary research is undertaken to understand consumers’ motivation behind purchasing wall mounting and fastening products and assessing the effectiveness of Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s current BTL strategies. Our primary research consists of three parts. Firstly, a survey designed to help us understand the consumers and the factors that motivate or influence them to purchase wall mounting and fastening products. This survey is aimed at Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s target segment of consumers. The survey is conducted via the online platform to 100 consumers using Google docs, an online tool that enables collecting and analyzing data. Secondly, in-store observations of consumers purchasing wall mounting and fastening products is used to substantiate the analysis derived from our survey. The observation last between 30 minutes to 1 hour and took place in three different locations: the central and the heartland. We use a common set of questions to guide us when we are doing these observations, helping us to better understand the processes that consumers go through and identify the motivation consumers have when making their purchase decision. The effectiveness of current BTL strategies can be inferred through observing the influence it has on consumers’ purchase behaviour. Lastly, we did a focused group interview with 2 different groups of consumers; both are couples in the mid 20s. Pair A was a couple who works as an architect and a banker, while Pair B was a couple who are an engineer and an accountant. Our secondary research includes industry reports and literature reviews to assist us in generating a marketing plan tailored to Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s needs. Literature reviews help us to see how current BTL strategies can be improved for it to become more effective. The industry reports will provide us with a better understanding of the recent market conditions and the competitive outlook. 4. 0 Results ; Findings . 1 Problems A) Based on our survey results, we identified that consumers are unable to relate Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s main characteristics to the Commandâ„ ¢ brand. Only 7% thought of Commandâ„ ¢ when â€Å"adhesive strips† and â€Å"removes cleanly† were used to describe a particular brand of hook. A significant percentage (76%) of the respondents felt that the description was on 3M. This shows that consumers are not able to dif ferentiate between 3M and the Commandâ„ ¢ brand. In fact, more than half of this 76% answered that they have never heard of Commandâ„ ¢. While this shows that 3M has been successful in establishing its credibility in the mounting and fastening market, this situation is not ideal. If there are negative reviews on any of 3M’s Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) brands, the sales of Commandâ„ ¢ would be affected as well. A good example of successful differentiation would be that of 3M Post-It ®. Consumers see the brand name as â€Å"Post-It ®Ã¢â‚¬  by 3M not â€Å"3M stickers†. B) From our observations done at DIY stores in Singapore, we have also found out that Commandâ„ ¢ shelves are not sufficiently strategically placed to capture consumers’ attention. Commandâ„ ¢ hooks are not the first hooks that consumers see when they step into the store. This is a problem as consumers tend to be more experimental towards low-involvement product, switching between brands, as the costs and risks involved are low. 4. 2 Opportunities From our analysis, we will explore the opportunities Commandâ„ ¢ can tap into. Also, we will attempt to better characterize the characteristics of the 2 groups in order to target them more effectively in our recommendations. Table 1 Consumer's Willingness to purchase Command hooks | Hook users| Non Hook Users| Willing to pay for Commandâ„ ¢| 9 (12%)| 24 (86%)| Not willing to pay| 65 (88%)| 4 (14%)| Our question posed to respondents includes listing out the various attributes of Commandâ„ ¢ hooks and asked respondents to indicate their willingness to purchase such a hook. From the table above, we infer that hook users are not willing to pay a premium price for â€Å"Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬  hooks, while non-users are willing to. This is an ideal group for Commandâ„ ¢ to target, with the aim to convince non-hook users to start using hooks, by creating a perceived need for using hooks. Hooks are low-involvement function-based product; people are only motivated to purchase them when there is a need to. Hence, in order to increase usage of Commandâ„ ¢ products, Commandâ„ ¢ would have to introduce to consumers the various ways one can do with hooks, creating a perceived need in consumers to purchase hooks. Non-users of hooks have the misconception that hooks in general would leave stains when removed. When targeting the non-users of hooks, Commandâ„ ¢ would need to address their concerns about hooks leaving ugly stains on the wall or peals the paint off. This shows that convenience is the main attribute consumers consider when they purchase adhesive removable hooks. However, the ideal attributes consumers have in mind for hooks in general are durability and the design of the hooks- both the aesthetic aspect and the shape of the hooks-. This indicates that there is a misalignment between consumer’s ideal hook and that marketed by Commandâ„ ¢. Commandâ„ ¢ could focus on promoting its hooks based on the top 2 attributes consumer’s go for when purchasing hooks, thus positioning itself as consumer’s ideal hook. From the above graph, we identified that most people use hooks in bathrooms and kitchens. Commandâ„ ¢ has focus on conveying to consumers the use of its products in these areas, and it’s substantiated by the display seen in HomeFix at Marina Square elaborated on later. From the graph, a significant number of respondents use hooks in the living room. Commandâ„ ¢ could explore how it can further encourage the greater use of hooks in this area to increase household penetration of its products. Commandâ„ ¢ could also explore the idea of bundling Commandâ„ ¢ hooks with the successful 3M â€Å"Post-It ®Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s† to reach out to office users. In summary, the misconceptions consumers have towards mounting and fastening needs can be translated into problems to address or opportunities for Commandâ„ ¢ to tap into. 4. 3 Categorisation of consumers There are 2 main attributes- design and durability- which consumers look for in their ideal hook and this play a role in motivating their purchase of hooks. Hence, we would divide consumers into 2 main groups: Innovalist and Functionalist. Innovalist: Consumers who are looking for design and creativity when they purchase products. They desire to be different from the rest. They tend to go for products that stand out and they are willing to try new things. This group of consumers will tend to be more price inelastic. Functionalist: Consumers who are concerned about functionality when they purchase products. They are not concerned about design, but more on durability of hooks. For them, hooks are mainly used to hang things and do not serve any other purpose. This group of consumers will tend to be more price elastic. 4. 4 Effectiveness of current BTL strategies BTL strategies serve to complement the above-the-line (ATL) strategies used by Commandâ„ ¢. BTL strategies are designed to target more specifically to the target audience and to get consumers to purchase our product. The BTL strategies play a significantly crucial role in differentiating Commandâ„ ¢ from others. From our primary research, the results obtained shed light on the effectiveness of Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s current BTL strategies. This chart shows that Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s in store advertising is effective, as 74% respondents know about Commandâ„ ¢ through newspapers, magazine and whilst shopping. However, this is not a significant number and more can be done to increase the impact BTL strategies have on the target group. This chart shows that Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s in store advertising is effective, as 74% respondents know about Commandâ„ ¢ through newspapers, magazine and whilst shopping. However, this is not a significant number and more can be done to increase the impact BTL strategies have on the target group. Non-users of hooks are less aware of Commandâ„ ¢ compared to users of hooks. This shows that Commandâ„ ¢ is one of the top brands associated with hooks, but more can be done to increase non-user’s awareness of Commandâ„ ¢ hooks; to establish their presence in non-user’s evoked set. Non-users of hooks are less aware of Commandâ„ ¢ compared to users of hooks. This shows that Commandâ„ ¢ is one of the top brands associated with hooks, but more can be done to increase non-user’s awareness of Commandâ„ ¢ hooks; to establish their presence in non-user’s evoked set. 4. 4. 1 Primary Space For majority of the DIY stores patronized, Commandâ„ ¢ products have a whole shelf space dedicated to it and could easily be distinguished from the rest of the brands. This offers Commandâ„ ¢ a certain level of publicity when shoppers are in the store. When Commandâ„ ¢ products are placed together as a whole it is very striking and distinguishable, attracting shoppers’ attention easily. At the other stores including DIY stores, Commandâ„ ¢ products are placed at the left column, hence may not attract much of consumers’ attention in comparison to products place in the center column. General hooks classified according to different colours and shapes Different sizes: small, medium, big Bathroom accessories, kitchen General hooks classified according to different colours and shapes Different izes: small, medium, big Bathroom accessories, kitchen In stores where a shelf is not fully dedicated to Commandâ„ ¢ products, the brands were divided into the respective rows and organised accordingly in a columns as shown in the figure below. Figure 9 Figure 9 Also Commandâ„ ¢ has made use of temporary cardboard shelves, which are placed near the mounting and fastening section, as seen in HomeFix Compass Point. However, these shelves are tucked at a corner, facing into the store and can only be viewed when one is at the corner where Commandâ„ ¢ hooks are. It is not strategically placed and thus the full potential of the effectiveness of such temporary shelves are not fully maximized, thereby losing the opportunity it have in influencing consumer’s purchase decision. We took into consideration the possible space constraints faced in the store as a possible limitation of its effectiveness. 4. 4. 2 Secondary space It is observed that a more interactive advertising was used in HomeFix at Marina Square – display of a glass cabinet which illustrates how of Commandâ„ ¢ bathroom accessories can be used in the bathroom- . This cabinet is effective as it is prominent, interactive and engaging, teasing consumer out of their boundaries when purchasing a low-involvement product. Shoppers’ attention is attracted and they are more inclined to go closer to the display. Furthermore, it acts as a visual aid, creating imagery in shopper’s mind. Shoppers are encouraged to visualize themselves using Commandâ„ ¢ products at home, leading to them forming a positive bias, as they can clearly picture how Commandâ„ ¢ products can play a part in their life. When they anticipated satisfaction in using the products, the vivid imagery they had earlier would sway consumers’ in their formation of preference, influencing their purchase decision. 4. 2. 3 Print Ads During our primary research, we were not able to find many local print advertisements solely on Commandâ„ ¢. We managed to find an image of 3M’s advertisement on the front page of a â€Å"Today† newspaper and another advertisement, which had â€Å"3M† in huge font, while â€Å"Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬  was just a small logo in the bottom right corner. In consistencies in advertisements like these have led to consumers’ confusion and the inability to differentiate between Commandâ„ ¢ hooks and ‘3M hooks’. Our recommendation would be based on overseas print advertisements by Commandâ„ ¢ and the advertisements we found on 3M and Commandâ„ ¢. 4. 2. 4 Promoters We did not notice any promoters when we conduct our primary research. Based on our secondary research, we found pictures of Commandâ„ ¢ promoters. The promoters did not have a noticeable dress code which allows them to be easily identified in the store. Promoters play an important role in creating public interest and increase product demand. They are the source of information shoppers can turn to when in doubt, helping in shopper’s decision making process. We are not able to analyze this aspect of BTL in depth due to the lack of primary research available. 4. 2. 5 POSM The use of the well known local celebrity Bryan Wong has been effective in reaching out to consumers and possibly encouraging them to be more innovative in the area of home decor. This is can be attributed to his influence in the well-received programme, the â€Å"Home Decor Survivor†, which he has co-host for the past 4 seasons. He is known for his creativity and knack for being innovative. His good reputation, and the high level of reliability and credibility he established throughout the seasons, was a convincing factor for consumers who trust his advice and choice. Furthermore, the use of his pictures on Commandâ„ ¢ in-store advertisements has influenced consumers and serves to remind them that Commandâ„ ¢ products are the best in the market. 5. 0 Recommendations These recommendations are specifically designed to target the 2 categories of consumers we have identified earlier. Using the insight gained from our results and findings about the gist of the associative networks- the linkages between the various concepts- consumers have, our recommendations are proposed with the aim to form the linkages which we want consumers to have when Commandâ„ ¢ comes to mind. We propose 3 different BTL strategies that Commandâ„ ¢ can focus on to inform, raise awareness and increase adoption rate. Table 2 Overview of 5 BTL Strategies Consumer/BTL| Primary Space| Secondary Space| POSM| Print Ad| Promoters| â€Å"Innovalist†| â€Å"Strategising Space Allocation†| â€Å"The Road To Commanding Success†| | â€Å"Visuality Is Key†| | â€Å"Functionalist†| | | | | | . 1 Primary Space Commandâ„ ¢ should occupy shelves at eye levels in outlets where it does not occupy the full shelf as research has shown that products placed at the eye levels get the most attention from shoppers though it does not help in improving the evaluation of the b rand (Eric T. Bradlow, J. Wesley Hutchinson, Pierre Chandon & Scott H. Young 2009). In addition, securing a larger shelf space is helpful in â€Å"increasing brand sales even when the price and location of the products remain unchanged† (Eric T. Bradlow, J. Wesley Hutchinson, Pierre Chandon & Scott H. Young 2009). 5. 1. â€Å"Strategizing Space Allocation† Initiative Commandâ„ ¢ should use words or attributes which Functionalists look out for in their purchases and include it in their in-store advertisements in order to capture their attention and spur them to purchase. Furthermore, Commandâ„ ¢ can explore using the temporary displays more efficiently, by strategically placing them in a manner that would attract the most attention from shoppers. Also, the design of posters found at the top of the temporary shelves can be change as consumers are currently unable to associate them with Commandâ„ ¢ when they view the posters from afar. A sample of this poster is attached in the appendix. We propose that Commandâ„ ¢ expand their shelf space, especially utilizing the eye level ranks and to craft and place its temporary shelves strategically within the space constraints faced in stores, in order to enhance its visual appeal and brand recognition among its consumers. 5. 2 Secondary Space 5. 2. 1 â€Å"The Road to Commandâ„ ¢ing Success† Project This is an interactive road show to increase level of brand awareness and engage consumers in understanding Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s range of products and how the USPT works. The road show targets both the Innovalists and the Functionalists through 4 activities at 2 different locations. A brief overview of the project is shown in the table below. Table 3 Overview of â€Å"The Road To Commanding Success† Project â€Å"The Road To Commandâ„ ¢ing Success†| | A| B| Venue| Central: * Outside Ngee Ann City * Inside CityLink| Heartland: * Pasir Ris * Tampines * Bedok| When| January 2011 (Before Chinese New Year); 2 weekends; 11am-9pm| Type| Stationary| Mobile (Moves from 1 location to the next)| Others| Media invited to cover event at different venues| Activities| * â€Å"What can you hang? Contest – Ongoing * â€Å"Come and organize! † Contest – Every hour * â€Å"Sketch your idea! † Contest – Ongoing * Live Advertisement (CityLink only) – Ongoing| 5. 2. 1. 1 â€Å"What can you hang? † Contest Participants will be invited onto stage to give a creative answer on what can be hang on Commandâ„ ¢ ’s hooks. Answers will be projected onto a screen on the stage. Viewers can vote for the idea they find most creative and the top 10 winners of the day will walk away with a Commandâ„ ¢ hamper (a full range of Commandâ„ ¢ hooks) either at the road show or at 3M’s office at Yishun. This aims to engage the consumers by involving them in brainstorming about what Commandâ„ ¢ hooks can offer them. In addition, this contest enables Commandâ„ ¢ to get inspirations for future design and improvements to be made to their products by finding out how consumers wish to use Commandâ„ ¢ products. 5. 2. 1. 2 â€Å"Come and organize! † contest Participants will be given a range of common household items (umbrella, keys, towel etc) and Commandâ„ ¢ hooks. They will be tasked to organize all these using Commandâ„ ¢ hooks within 5 minutes, during that time; they are allowed to make changes to the position of the hooks. Viewers will vote for the most creative organizer who will walk away with a mini Commandâ„ ¢ hamper (3 sets of different types of Commandâ„ ¢ hooks). This activity aims to instill in consumers how they can use Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s hooks and to demonstrate and justify Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s claim that its hooks can be removed easily and cleanly. 5. 2. 1. 3 â€Å"Sketch your idea! † contest Participants are invited to sketch a creative design of a hook and these designs will be updated on Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s website and the voting period would last 1 week following the road show. Voting would be done online and the top 10 winners will receive a Commandâ„ ¢ hamper (a full range of Commandâ„ ¢ hooks). This allow Commandâ„ ¢ to understand what the Innovalists want in terms of the aesthetics of hooks which could be a stepping stone for Commandâ„ ¢ to create hooks with new designs. More elaboration is under Future Plans. 5. 2. 1. 4. Live advertisement Commandâ„ ¢ can use the many glass casings along the walkway of CityLink and hire models to stay in the glass casings and act out their lifestyle through using hooks. For example, the actor dresses up as a student and mounts Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s hooks on the wall, hangs an item, removes the hook and places it at another spot etc. Commandâ„ ¢ can have 3 sets of actors and act out household, office, bathroom scenes which demonstrate how the different types of product can be used in each setting. This would be attention grabbing and interactive, serving to tease consumers about their traditional notion of a road show and at the same time enable them to form a vivid image of how the various Commandâ„ ¢ products can be used conventionally and creatively, creating the perceived need in consumers to purchase hooks. This road show project is effective as it can 1) boost product and brand recognition by 15 times compared to other forms of advertising and 2) achieves a 97% recall rate. 5. 2. 2 â€Å"Is this your room? Start Living! † or â€Å"Tidy Room, Long Living† We propose that Commandâ„ ¢ explore the use of more glass/clear display cabinets similar to that found in HomeFix at Marina Square, bringing the living room environment into the store and showing shoppers how the hooks can be used in the living room. The display would be located in a variety of places, from DIY stores to supermarkets in order to cater to the different consumer profiles who patronize the stores. This would be an effective way to influence shoppers unconsciously and introduce to them how the various Commandâ„ ¢ products can play an important part in the various areas of their homes. The use of the tagline would differ depending on which target consumers Commandâ„ ¢ is targeting. The tagline â€Å"Is this your room? Start Living! † is for Innovalists while â€Å"Tidy Room, Long Living† is for Functionalist. The design of the living room in the display cabinet would be simple, one that encapsulates the essence of a living room. The proposed layout of the display is attached in the appendices. 5. 3 Print Ads 5. 3. 1 â€Å"Visuality Is Key† Instead of using the conventional style of being information oriented, Commandâ„ ¢ should create ads that are more visually appealing by replacing words with graphics. In addition, the choice of words used is critical in distinguishing Commandâ„ ¢ from competitors’ ads. The ads should be structured in a manner that caters to the preferences of our 2 categories of consumers. Specifically words or phrases like â€Å"durable† and â€Å"ability to hold a certain weight† appeals to Functionalists. Innovalist would be attracted to products which appeals to their creativity. Thus, phrases such as â€Å"infinite possibilities† and â€Å"anything; anywhere† appeals to them. Furthermore, the size of the ads should be larger than the current ones and have a high frequency of repetition, for this would increase the level of positive attitude to the brand and the purchase intention (Chanthika Pornpitakpan 2004). However, in order to achieve effectiveness, Commandâ„ ¢ has to vary the ads in order to reinforce its position in consumers’ memory. The ads would be shown approximately every 1-2 months in order to achieve a positive reaction from readers. We have designed different ads to illustrate our point and they are included in the appendix. The location of the various advertisements is shown below. Table 4 Consumer Type| Strategy| â€Å"Innovalist†| Place ads at â€Å"arts centres† eg. Esplanade| â€Å"Functionalist†| Place ads at â€Å"populated places† eg. Bus stops, train stations| 5. 4 Future Plans Our recommendations are designed to educate consumers that Commandâ„ ¢ is superior to its competitors despite their claims to provide the same quality, using the same technology and cheaper offering. To anchor its position as the preferred choice, Commandâ„ ¢ needs to continue developing new innovative products and convey it to consumers in creative means. For the future, we propose that Commandâ„ ¢ introduce its current line of adhesive hooks in an innovative way – having varied shapes and designs and occasion specific designs-. Examples of the shapes Commandâ„ ¢ can explore are shown in the pictures below. Doing so would further differentiate Commandâ„ ¢ from its competitors and boosts its innovative brand image; it also helps to transform the need of buying hooks to a want to buy hooks. Table 4 Examples of Innovatie Hook Designs Pumpkin hooks design for Halloween| Balloon hooks design for Birthdays| â€Å"Ang Bao† hooks design for Chinese New Year| Table 5 Examples of Innovative Hook Designs Table 5 Examples of Innovative Hook Designs 6. 0 Controls & Limitations In the event of a wet weather, the road show may lose some of its attractiveness as shoppers tend to be more reserved in their participation during such situations. The road show would thus not be able to garner the attention it aims to achieve. Singapore being a tropical country, this will be unavoidable as our weather forecast may not be 100% accurate either. The risk could be limited by organizing less road show during the monsoon seasons. In print ads, we are not able to control the environment under which consumers view it. While we may have an advertisement on Commandâ„ ¢, depending on how they peruse the magazine or medium, readers may not be exposed to the ad. Hence, Commandâ„ ¢ might not be able to control the frequency at which one is exposed to its ads. Therefore, print ads will be a long-term rather than a short-term strategy. Commandâ„ ¢ must ensure that they do not waste resources by having aggressive ad campaigns, but stick to an ad every 1-2 months as stated in our recommendation. References 1. Chanthika Pornpitakpan (2004), â€Å"Cross-cultural Differences in the effect of Ad Repetition and Ad Size: Experiments with Americans, Germans and Singaporeans† Journal of Euromarketing 13(2/3), 49-83 2. Company info: http://www. wikinvest. com/stock/3M_Company_(MMM) 3. Creative hook designs: http://wildammo. com/2009/08/07/crazy-and-creative-wall-hooks/; http://freshome. com/2010/05/11/25-of-the-most-creative-wall-hook-designs/ 4. Eric T. Bradlow, J. Wesley Hutchinson, Pierre Chandon & Scott H. Young (2009), â€Å"Does in-store marketing work? Effects of the number and position of shelf facings on brand attention and evaluation at the point of purchase†, Journal of Marketing, 73, 1-17 5. JULIE A. EDELL and RICHARD STAELIN (1983), â€Å"The Information Processing of Pictures in Print Advertisements†, JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, 10, 45-61 6. Kuus Oberecker, Lea M. Wakolbinger and Michaela Denk (2009) â€Å"The Effectiveness of Combining Online and Print Advertisements Is the Whole Better than the Individual Parts? †, Journal of Advertising Research, 360-372 7. LEC : http://www. lecinc. co. jp/english/pr/index. tml 8. Magic Mounts : http://www. magicmounts. com/page4. htm 9. Roadshow Information: http://www. roadshowadvertising. com Appendix Figure 11. The entire shelf space dedicated to CommandTM in HomeFix at Compass Point, SengKang Figure 11. The entire shelf space dedicated to CommandTM in HomeFix at Compass Point, SengKang Figure 12. The shelf with competitor’s products in HomeFix at Compass Point, SengKang Figure 12. The shelf with competitor’s products in HomeFix at Compass Point, SengKang Figure 14. Temporary shelf B in HomeFix at Compasss Point, SengKang Figure 14. Temporary shelf B in HomeFix at Compasss Point, SengKang Figure 13. Temporary shelf A in HomeFix at Compass Point, SengKang Figure 13. Temporary shelf A in HomeFix at Compass Point, SengKang Figure 15. The display cabinet seen in HomeFix Marina Square Figure 15. The display cabinet seen in HomeFix Marina Square Figure 16. The 3M advertisement-collaboration with Giant hypermarts- in Today newspaper Figure 16. The 3M advertisement-collaboration with Giant hypermarts- in Today newspaper Figure 17. The advertisement with 3M in huge font and Commandâ„ ¢ in smaller font. Such advertisements may confuse consumers further, especially when a significant number of consumers are not aware of Commandâ„ ¢ Figure 17. The advertisement with 3M in huge font and Commandâ„ ¢ in smaller font. Such advertisements may confuse consumers further, especially when a significant number of consumers are not aware of Commandâ„ ¢ Venues for â€Å"The Road To Commandâ„ ¢ing Success† Project Figure 18. The 3 locations of â€Å"The Road to Commanding Success† Project Figure 18. The 3 locations of â€Å"The Road to Commanding Success† Project Figure 19. The open space area outside Ngee Ann City where â€Å"The Road to Commanding Success† Project will be held Figure 19. The open space area outside Ngee Ann City where â€Å"The Road to Commanding Success† Project will be held | Item| Cost| Miscellaneous| Ngee Ann City Space Rental| $3,900| | CityLink Space Rental| $1,140| | Equipment/Logistics/Transportation| $4,600| â€Å"What can you hang? †| Prizes @ $150/set| $3,000| â€Å"Come and organize! †| Prizes @ $15/set| $300| â€Å"Sketch your idea! †| Prizes @ $150/set| $1,500| Live Advertisement| Labour @ $6/hour| $360| Total| | $14, 800| Table 6. Estimated Cost for the â€Å"The Road to Commanding Success† Project Table 6. Estimated Cost for the â€Å"The Road to Commanding Success† Project Figure 21. Example of proposed print ad A Figure 21. Example of proposed print ad A Figure 20. Example of proposed print ad B Figure 20. Example of proposed print ad B Figure 22. Transportation of road show materials for Heartlands Figure 22. Transportation of road show materials for Heartlands Our Observations The questions we used to guide us in our observations to ensure a certain level of uniformity among all the observations 1. The estimated age of the consumer. 2. Consumer’s actions in the deciding process : * Which products they picked up * What kind of hooks does the shopper intends/ considering to purchase? What did they do with the product picked- flipped it over to read the details etc- * What products were they looking at? * Was the shopper influenced by any BTL strategies used by Commandâ„ ¢? 3. How long the deciding process takes 4. Shop’s staff actions during this process, if any. 5. Observe the BTL strategies employed by Commandâ„ ¢, if any. Observation #1. L ocation: HomeFix Compass Point Date: Done on the 25th September 2010 Time spent: 1 hour Observed an approximately 30 year old Chinese lady. She went to the Commandâ„ ¢ products first and spent a reasonable amount of time there (about 10 minutes). She took up the hooks for kids, which has Walt Disney designs, at the bottom shelf and the general hooks. She walked away to the shelf displaying competitor’s products, took up the metal hook by Sellery which cost $1. 60 and kept on holding onto it while she glance at the other hooks on display. She took up the wooden hook by LEC-which requires glue for installation- and cost $2. 90. It can carry a maximum load of 3kg. She flipped to the back of the packaging to read the instructions and lingered for a while before placing the LEC back. She also took up the concrete hook by Double-G. In the end, she bought the Sellery hook. She missed the temporary display by Command 3M as her back was facing it when she was viewing the products in the shelf dedicated to Command products. No sign of metal hooks by command Observation #2. Location: Selffix D. I. Y Store, Jurong Point Date: Done on 30th September 2010 Time spent: 45 mintues I noticed two customers interested in the mounting and fastening section. The first customer knew exactly what he wanted, picked up a cheap brand costing $1. 50 and left. The hooks he purchased where a small hook that came in a set of three and had a â€Å"peal to stick† sign on it. His product awareness either showed he had strong brand awareness or was a routine buyer of hooks. The second customer was more of a first time buyer. She spent her time comparing brands, reading the information on the packaging and in the end decided to purchase a pair of large hooks. The packaging contained 3 hooks each was worth $2. 50. The consumers’ behaviour indicated that the hooks were for a particular purpose and was after a brand that could support the weight of what she needed to hang. Observation #3. Location: Harbourfront Center Date: 23 September 2010 Time spent: 30 minutes There were a total of 5 customers who purchased hooks during the 30 minutes observation. 1 of them was a female, while the rest were males. They were all wearing office wear and looked in their mid 30s. The males seemed to be in a hurry as they simply came into the store, grabbed a hook and other DIY items before making payment. Out of the 4 males, only one decided to purchase a LEC hook instead of a Commandâ„ ¢ hook. The female customer spent a little more time deciding on her hook purchase. She compared between the large and small sized Commandâ„ ¢ hook. In the end, she decided on the larger one. Survey Questions Q1. Which age range are you in? a) 25-30 b) 31-35 c) 36-40 d) 41-45 Q2. Are you a a) Male? b) Female? Q3. What is the range of your monthly HOUSEHOLD INCOME? a) Less than $4000 b) $4000 – $6000 c) $6001 – $8000 d) $8001 – $10,000 e) More than $10,000 Q4. Do you currently use hooks? a) Yes (Move on the Q5) b) No (Move on to Q8) Q5. What type of hooks do you use and why? (Choose one which best describes your reason) | Design| Durability| Convenience (Ease of removal and setting up)| Re-Usable| Don’t use this hook| Nail-On| | | | | | Adhesive (Removable)| | | | | | Adhesive (Non-removable)| | | | | | Door Hanging| | | | | | Suction| | | | | | Q6. Where do you use the hooks? | Never (Area has NONE)| Sometimes (Area has some hooks)| Always (Area has the most hooks)| Bathroom| | | | Kitchen| | | | Bedroom| | | | Living Room| | | | Office| | | | Q7. What is your ideal hook? (Move on to Q12) | Not Important at all| Somewhat Important| Neutral| Very Important| Extremely Important| Design of hook (Aesthetic)| | | | | | Design of hook (Shape)| | | | | | Ease of Use| | | | | | Re-Usability| | | | | | Durability| | | | | | Brand (Reputation)| | | | | | Price (Affordable Price)| | | | | | Q8. Why don’t you use hooks? a) I make use of other instruments b) It is not part of my lifestyle (Never considered using hooks at all) c) I need to use it, but I have not gone to purchase it d) Others: ____________________________ Q9. Would you be interested in hooks with adhesive strips that can be REMOVED CLEANLY? a) Yes b) No Q10. An ordinary hook which is not easily removable would cost between $2-$3. Would you be willing to pay $4 for a hook with an adhesive strip that removes cleanly? a) Yes b) No Q11. Have you heard of hooks sold by Commandâ„ ¢? ) Yes (Move on to Q18) b) No (Move on to Q21) Q12. Have you heard of hooks sold by Commandâ„ ¢? a) Yes (Move on to Q18) b) No (Move on to Q13) Q13. Do you currently use hooks with adhesive strips? a) Yes (Move on to Q14) b) No (Move on to Q16) Q14. What brand of hooks do you currently use? a) 3M b) Shunmei c) First Choice d) LEC e) Magic Mounts f) Bostik g) IKEA h) Others: _____________ ________ Q15. After removal, rate the extent of damage on the surface. | I do not use this brand| Non-removable| Removes while damaging paint/wallpaper| Removes cleanly| Never tried removing before| 3M| | | | | | Shunmei| | | | | | First Choice| | | | | | LEC| | | | | | Magic Mounts| | | | | | Bostik| | | | | | IKEA| | | | | | Q16. Would you be interested in hooks with adhesive strips that can be REMOVED CLEANLY? a) Yes b) No Q17. An ordinary hook which is not easily removable would cost between $2-$3. Would you be willing to pay $4 for a hook with an adhesive strip that removes cleanly? a) Yes (Move on to Q21) b) No (Move on to Q21) Q18. How did you find out about hooks by Commandâ„ ¢? a) Newspaper b) Magazines c) Friends & Family d) Internet e) Television f) While shopping g) Others: _______________________ Q19. What kind of hooks do you think are sold by Commandâ„ ¢? a) Nail-on b) Adhesive (Removable) c) Adhesive (Non-removable) d) Door hanging (hooks that ledge onto the top of doors) e) Suction f) Others: ___________________ Q20. What other products do you think are sold by Commandâ„ ¢ as well? a) Bathroom accessories b) Door stoppers c) Cord organization d) Computer games e) Furniture f) Others: ___________________ Q21. Which brand of hooks first comes to mind when ADHESIVE STRIPS are mentioned? (Choose one) a) 3M b) Shunmei c) Commandâ„ ¢ d) First Choice e) LEC f) Magic Mounts g) Bostik h) IKEA Q22. Which of the following brands of hooks first come to mind when the description â€Å"REMOVES CLEANLY† is mentioned? (Choose one) a) 3M b) Shunmei c) Commandâ„ ¢ d) First Choice e) LEC f) Magic Mounts g) Bostik h) IKEA Layout Plans for â€Å"The Road To Commanding Success† Project Stage Screen for â€Å"What can you hang? † Contest Wall for â€Å"Come and organise! † Contest Booth for â€Å"Sketch you idea! † Contest Command Products Display Booth Command Products Display Booth Booth for Command Products Booth for Command Products Booth for Command Products Command Staff/ Promoter/ Emcee 25 Meter 30 Meter Stage Screen for â€Å"What can you hang? † Contest Wall for â€Å"Come and organise! † Contest Booth for â€Å"Sketch you idea! † Contest Command Products Display Booth Command Products Display Booth Booth for Command Products Booth for Command Products Booth for Command Products Command Staff/ Promoter/ Emcee 25 Meter 30 Meter Figure 2 General Layout for Central (excluding CityLink) and Heartlands Decorations such as fake flower garlands or drapes Fake Television Set Stereo Set (hung on the wall using CommandTM hooks) Curtains 1-sitter small sofa Pictures /paintings (hung using CommandTM hooks) Table displaying Command Products Table containing Command products and household items for person to set up in the â€Å"room† 2. 5 Meter 7 Meter Decorations such as fake flower garlands or drapes Fake Television Set Stereo Set (hung on the wall using CommandTM hooks) Curtains 1-sitter small sofa Pictures /paintings (hung using CommandTM hooks) Table displaying Command Products Table containing Command products and household items for person to set up in the â€Å"room† 2. 5 Meter 7 Meter Figure 3 General Layout for CityLink 1. 1 metre 1. 1 metre 1. 1 metre 1. 1 metre Figure 4 Layout of Display Cabinet in stores Figure 4 Layout of Display Cabinet in stores Layout plan for Instore Display ——————————————– [ 1 ]. The heartlands in the West and East side of Singapore. The outlets where these observations are done were at Selffix D. I. Y Store, Jurong Point; HomeFix, Sengkang and Harbour Front Centre [ 2 ]. The exact questions we used to guide us in our observations are in the Appendix [ 3 ]. Henceforth, we would refer to this hook as â€Å"Commandâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬  hooks, as we would hope to draw insights from respondents’ willingness to purchase hooks exhibiting the listed attributes which Commandâ„ ¢ hooks do. We do understand that in reality, the brand of the hooks may play a role in moderating this purchase intention. [ 4 ]. Advertisements are found in the appendices. [ 5 ]. 80% of consumers are outdoors during this period of time [ 6 ]. The models would include students, housewives and working adults. This is done so as to allow shoppers to be able to relate to them better and visualize how they can use Commandâ„ ¢ products in their lives. [ 7 ]. European Outdoor Advertising Association, Zurich, Switzerland [ 8 ]. Outdoor Advertising Magazine, July 2002

Analysis Of Michael Ondaatje s The Family - 901 Words

Michael Ondaatje’s fictionalized memoir Running in the Family uses the motif of mapping to represent the narrator’s reconstruction of his family history. The memoir develops a parallel between the mapmaking of European explorers who colonized Ceylon and Ondaatje’s attempt to make sense of his family’s chaotic and disordered past, which is difficult to trace due to the way it has become mythologized by gossip and rumours. In Running in the Family, the depiction of mapping as an uncertain art suggests that the search for objective truth is rendered impossible by the subjective perceptions of those who interpret information with their own unique point of view. These biased understandings demonstrate the flaw of accepting subjective statements marketed as facts to be true. When Ondaatje first references Ceylon in cartographical terms, the â€Å"glances† and â€Å"theories† used to describe the first impressions of explorers establishes a sense of uncertainty in their interpretations (45). The author describes these images as â€Å"false maps†, and observes that the â€Å"shapes differ so much they seem to be translations† (45). The inaccuracy implied by the word â€Å"false† and the reconstruction connoted by â€Å"translations† suggests that the explorers who created the maps conceived them in bits and pieces, never quite grasping a clear and unbiased image of Ceylon due to their own subjective point of view. Even the title of the chapter itself, â€Å"Tabula Asiae† (45), serves to reinforce the idea thatShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Michael Ondaatje s Running Of The Family Essay927 Words   |  4 Pagesphysically in a classroom, instead could be found wandering about aimlessly. I could never understand why they were all heralded as paragons in their field. They were never there. We once spent 3 days discussing the purpose of trees in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. From a student perspective there seemed to be very little organized planning, and most of it was student directed. Through, from a pre-service teacher perspective, I understand the absence of planning was probably due to us beingRead MoreSummary Of The Family Notebook 2051 Words   |  9 Pages9/14/2016 2B Running in The Family Notebook Assignment Section 1 – Chapter Summaries Prologue: Drought Since December – shows the author getting used to the climate of Ceylon because of how much it differs from where he came from. †¢ Intense heat †¢ Reminiscing of when he used to be in Ceylon Asian Rumors: Michael longs for a return to Asia. This section expresses his feelings for Ceylon and how important the place is to him. Asia – analyzes and dreams about Asia during Michael Ondaatje’s farewell party