How To Be Idle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

How To Be Idle - Essay Example However, there is a deeper insight that Hodgkinson is trying to convey to readers of the book. He is simply telling us that doing nothing can be as good as doing something because it has psychological and physical benefits. First of all, idleness can be a form of relaxation to stop us from completely ruining our physical health. It is not uncommon nowadays to see middle-aged managers suffering from diabetes or heart conditions. More often than not, these busy lot of young leaders resort to unhealthy habits like smoking or over-eating as a coping mechanism to stress. They run like headless chickens when deadlines set in and fire orders like missiles to their subordinates. Later, they succumb to various health conditions because they simply failed to stop and smell the flowers. These people would extract productivity from most of their waking hours by doing work-related tasks even on moments where they could be just resting. In fact, even on a very busy workday, there is time to breath e and daydream. Hodgkinson advocates daydreaming or meditation when caught in circumstances that leaves us no choice but to wait like being stuck in a traffic jam (228). Apparently, traffic jams are blessings because these situations are beyond our control despite all the planning we can make. Normally, when a busy person gets caught in a traffic jam, he starts calling on other people to arrange matters due to delay. Busy people would never consider an idle time. On the other hand, the art of idleness teaches us to pray, meditate or daydream which can be more productive and healthy for our psychological well-being. Prayer and meditation calms the body and lowers blood pressure. A power nap is also good especially on long trips because we can recharge our brain. Daydreaming brings forth our creative thinking that can help us solve some conflicts that we are dealing with. Busy people often miss out the benefits that they can derive from such idle tasks that Hodgkinson suggests. Actual ly, the author is not telling people to be lazy and counter-productive. He is teaching us to rewire ourselves and explore the advantages of using idle time to make us more productive. Another issue that this book is trying to emphasize is the struggle between quantity and quality. The set-up of our lives depends on parameters that are quantitative in nature. For example, a person who goes to the gym boasts of the number of hours spent on doing exercises rather than the quality of the routine. Instead of feeling good about being able to exercise, fitness buffs would worry about the calories they eat or the hours they spent at the gym. Hodgkinson cited the nap that Winston Churchill took every afternoon which made him very productive later. Likewise, if we want our bodies to grow muscle or lose weight, we need to sleep well. Sleep helps us regenerate and heal from the normal wear and tear of daily living. What more when we are subjected to daily stressful situations? Well, not far beh ind would be insomnia, depression, and burn-out. The mind and body also breaks down at a certain point. People normally think that more is better when the real maxim of living is quality not quantity. Lives should have more breadth or depth rather than a bunch of jam packed hours that crams tasks or things-to-do. While being organized is a good idea, too much of

Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Film - Essay Example The deliberate use of black and white automatically gave the film a sense of realism and drama as contrasted against spectacle and fantasy. The introduction of CinemaScope also introduced the use of framing and camera angle, techniques that were used in High Noon to emphasize the growing nervousness and uncertainty in Marshall Kane as well as the passage of time (a clock is featured in nearly every scene). This ticking clock plays a central role in the plot as the hands move slowly but inexorably toward the high spot and the gun fight between Kane and Miller. The strong female character is somewhat surprising in this early film. According to Jackie Stacey (1994), women had already become recognized as the consumers of the household by the 1950s, a fact that gave them a new power outside of the home. Women were beginning to redefine their passive role in society and being â€Å"addressed as individuals and encouraged to reproduce their ‘individuality’ through the consumption of clothes, make-up and household goods† (Stacey, 1994: 186). High Noon is exceptional in that it provides women with two opposing yet equally strong female role models, the angel Amy and the vamp Helen. Helen is understood to have had several lovers, including bad guy Frank Miller, good guy Will Kane and ex-deputy Harvey Pell. She owns several businesses – she is seen selling her store (in which she has been a silent partner) and it is her name on the saloon. She is fiercely independent, having no qualms about kicking Harvey out when he dis pleases her, and wise about the people around her. Amy is similarly strong although this is not immediately apparent during the wedding ceremony. However, it is because of her religious beliefs that the ceremony takes place at the justice of the peace rather than in the church and she remains strong in her refusal to condone

Literature of the African Diaspora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Literature of the African Diaspora - Essay Example Of great interest when studying Callaloo is the establishment of exactly how the persons of African heritage are able to claim their multiple identities and especially so in light of despite persons of a diaspora essentially inhabiting a number of different these persons are nevertheless unable to call these different places home. Black persons of the African diaspora tend to adapt or create a number of new identities as they continuously move from place to place. In his book, Reversing sail, Gomez points out that the relatively small trickle of African slaves that had been captured as slaves during the fifteenth century eventually evolved into becoming a veritable flood by the end of the seventeenth century. Within a time period of ten years after Columbus’ maiden voyage in 1492, numerous enslaved Africans were enslaved in the New World along with a number of other slaves drawn from Portugal and the Canaries and sources as experienced sugarcane planters. Of particular note is the fact that by 1560, the total number of African slaves was seen to greatly outnumber Europeans in Hispaniola and Cuba, this impressive growth in number eventually saw the number of African outnumber that of Europeans in Vera Cruz and Mexico City by 1570 (62-63). Numerous countries across Europe were seen to join in the slave trade in a move that saw an approximated 6.5 million Africans get shipped out of the African continent between 1700 and 1810. During this period, more European nations were seen to get involved in the slave trade. Some of these nations included Denmark, Britain, France, Portugal, Holland, Sweden and Spain. A number of other non-European countries such as Brazil and the United States also joined the slave trade (Gomez 64). By participating in the slave trade these countries were seen to essentially promote the spread of the Black African diaspora as a review of the regions from which they were drawn from can be seen to essentially reveal a considerable degree of complexity not only in respect to culture and language, but also as pertaining to the different forms of government, technology, regional and trans-regional commerce and agriculture. The Africans transported into the various different regions across the world were to eventually face systems that were essentially quite diverse resulting in increased diversity and multiplicity on the part of these Africans. The Development of the African Class of Mixed Heritage (Mulatto) and their Attempts at Acceptance by Whites Although the questions pertaining to race were seen to be a complex matter in most of the regions that the Africans had been enslaved, it was generally found to be quite complex in some regions such as in Saint Domingue where there arose a class of free blacks or affranchis. This class of free blacks was seen to primarily comprise of persons of mixed ancestry who were mostly women and numbered an estimated 27,000 in 1789. This new class of citizenry owned about 25 percent of the African slave population and accounted for 11 percent of Saint Domingue’s urban population. About two thirds of these citizens were the product of white slave holders and enslaved females and children born out of such unions were born as free men. The affranchis population quickly expanded and by the middle of the eighteenth century, they were able to be widely

Sergei Diaghilev and his impact on the arts Essay

Sergei Diaghilev and his impact on the arts - Essay Example At this time he joined artists related to Bakst and Benois where he was co-founder of a review of art which ran from 1899 up to 1904. He was Imperial Theatres’ director’s assistant around 1899 to 1901. He and Volkonsky concocted a plan that troubled the existing personnel in charge of the theater. From continuous occurrences of these conflicts Diaghilev refused to edit and was left to go by Volkonsky. (Richard, pp 493) Due to miss understandings when Sylvia was being produced, he was dismissed. There was a successful exhibition which comprised six thousand portraits of history collected across Russia by Diaghilev in 1903. This brought a great impact on the culture of European like in Paris where he took Russian paintings’ exhibition. At the Opera of Paris, he staged five concerts specifically of music from Russian culture in 1907. These concerts brought a huge surprise, sensations, amazements and revelations. There were many reviews in magazines and newspapers wo rldwide following the performance of Glinka, Scriabin, playing by Rachmaninoff and many others. Diaghilev brought â€Å"Boris Godunov† production with Chaliapin to the Paris Opera in 1908. He restored the originality of the archives before the introduction of the trendy authentication in art of the world. Production of â€Å"Boris† made Chaliapin to have international acclaim. ... Both Diaghilev and Maryinsky left Russia (Scheijen, pp 90) For another 18 years the company made itself known in entire Europe and America making it be regarded as experimental and inspiring. The success was due to bright ideas of Diaghilev of scouting talents and collaborating with artists. Diaghilev thought that ballet was supposed to be an absolute theatrical choreography, design, art and music. Diaghilev’s ballet showed reflection and was catalyzed by new trends in arts. Amongst Diaghilev’s designers were those who painted imagery, colors and patterns used on stage. His works were well established across Europe for instance, ballet russes that toured annually instead of seasonally. Ballets use human body for the purpose of expressing emotion and story. With this feature, ballets explore stories that may provide chances for the display of virtuosity by dancers. As Ballet Russes’ dances looked revolutionary, they borrowed ballet production traditions that exist ed. Being the strong point of the firm, Diaghilev gathered various composers, performers, designers and choreographers, though maintained the overall control over all production aspects. Diaghilev’s major achievements were ensuring close choreographer, music, and design and story integration, hence forming a spectacle where the entire effect surpassed all parts. Since the start, his desire was to come up with new ballets. Every ballet Russes period was inclusive of new creations and productions, protracted, taking up much of his energy and time. During the 1st world war, Diaghilev isolated himself from his major venues in Europe. Diaghilev and Stravinsky became successful at this time in imperial Russia. Just as the wars commence, ballets had taken five

The Meaning of Home (Tim Obrien, Joyce Carol Oates, Doris Lessing) Essay Example for Free

The Meaning of Home (Tim Obrien, Joyce Carol Oates, Doris Lessing) Essay By showing what home means for their characters, authors can render certain themes of the novel, demonstrate several different meanings of the word home, or, underscore significant aspects of the personality of the figure in question. In Doris Lessings novel The Fifth Child, the characters Harriet and Davids home represents their dream about the perfect family and the perfect life and by illustrating this to the reader Lessing reveals how they are committing hubris . Also, in the novel The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien, the character Norman Bowker returns home in order to gain understanding of his own feelings, and therefore home is more seen as a place for support and acceptation. Furthermore, in Joyce Carol Oates short story Stray Children, Charles Benedicts study and the nature of it reflects the characters personal qualities. Firstly, home can be seen as a dream of the future. In The Fifth Child, Harriet and David dream about the perfect family and life. They buy a house that is too big for them, wishing to fill it with smiling and happy children. On the other hand, they are experiencing economical hardships and are forced to borrow money from Davids father in order to cope with the situation they have put themselves in. Still, even though they have to have access to extra money in order to endure, they continue the get more and more children. It is mentioned how they believe that David would a higher salary some time soon and everything will work out. They, in a way, buy the house for what they wish it will represent in the future. Lessing conveys this by showing how Harriet and David take the money they receive for granted and promise their families that it will pay off in the long run. This concept of taking something for granted because they think that they are worth it can be seen as an act of hubris. Thus, by showing what home signify for Harriet and David Lessing underlines the theme of hubris. Secondly, home can also represent the characters essential needs. In The Things They Carried, Norman Bowker returns home from the warfront and the thing he requires the most from society and his family is understanding. He desperately needs to talk, but there is no one there who wants to listen to him. It revealed how he circles the lake in his home town and honks his horn to a few boys while he passed them, but how neither of them even looked up. This can be seen as a metaphor for how Bowker was trying to tell society about his experiences and emotions and how society did not even care to hear him out. The scene ends with him continuing to drive around the lake more than ten times and imagining how a conversation between his father and him about his wartime experiences would turn out. By not getting what he needed and therefore resorting to taking his own life, Bowker embodies the damage war can do to a soldier long after the war is over. OBrien shows how the idea of home represents our deepest and fundamental needs and that when those are not fulfilled we suffer. Thirdly, the characters idea of the perfect home can also reflect upon certain traits of this person. In Stray Children, Charles Benedict lives a successful, immaculate and steady life. These aspects of his life also characterise his study. It is rendered how Benedict always liked his study because it was always the same and unharmed. By mentioning the fact why he likes his room, Oates can highlight some important aspects of his personality. In sum, by showing what home means, authors can convey what the character dreams of and want, needs and can not live without, and, draw attention to certain personal qualities off the character. Rendering what home means can be significant in many different ways. In the first example, Lessing conveys the theme of hubris by showing Harriet and Davids dream and then contrasting it to their reality; they take the money they receive for granted since they think that they are worth it and therefore should have the money. Also, in the second case, OBrien renders how home may not always literally mean home as in the place where you live, but it can also stand for our basic needs. Moreover, in the third instance, Oates uses the meaning of home in order to stress certain features of the character in question. However, the meaning of home is not restricted to being just one thing. OBrien can also show how Bowker is a character who needs constant support and is too weak to handle the hardships himself by rendering how Bowker desperately needed comfort when he returned home. As in the case with Charles Benedict and his study, home can also be used to show how he thinks, how he wants the city to look like in his role as a city planner. Oates can therefore also deliver social criticism through illustrating the meaning of home; how Benedict wants everything to look perfect and therefore he plans the city without taking the living conditions of certain people into consideration. In addition, the first example with Harriet and David and their view of home can also help the reader characterise them as determined people with set goals in the future and perhaps somewhat inconsiderate of their future troubles that they may face by ignoring the problems they are already experiencing. Hence, home does not only mean one thing but the reader can often draw several significant pieces of information out from it.

Science And God In Frankenstein

Science And God In Frankenstein What is science? In the nineteenth century many believed it was attempting to play God. During this era new scientific discoveries in Europe were immense, and controversy over them was extreme. Not only did this new movement challenge the principles of Christianity but the belief in God. Mary Shelleys Frankenstein through Victor Frankensteins perilous journey shows the destruction behind mans thirst for scientific knowledge and the ethical reasons as to why man should not play God (cite). Victor Frankenstein attempts to go beyond human bounds and undertake in the greatest mistake of his life. Victors experiment created in the name of science holds the key to which Victor believes is his future success (cite). The Accomplishment of his toils is described as a wretched male figure formed from the corpses of others (Frankenstein, 34). Through his efforts, Frankenstein brings this figure to life, and his desire to succeed and discover impel him to play God. It was the secrets of heaven and earth that [he] desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied [him] (22) (cite.) However, Frankenstein is so deeply captivated with bringing about life that he fails to recognize the moral affects the creature will have on society, and most importantly that there could possibly be an explanation we cant create life unnaturally or be immortal. After the completion of his experiment, Frankens tein begins to recognize some of the consequences when he states, how can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pain and care I had endeavoured to form?(34) (cite). Is it not irresponsible and foolish to create life from death, while what is alive is not fully comprehended? When Frankenstein saw his creation and admitted his dissatisfaction, some may ask why he would create such a monster knowing it would definitely not fit into society. The clear explanation would be he fears his own death, thus trying to obtain the knowledge of life to prevent it. Frankensteins scientific pursuit is for his selfish means, not for the betterment of society. Frankenstein remarks by saying, The labours of men of genius, however erroneously directed, scarcely ever fail in ultimately turning to the solid advantage of mankind (34). The novel goes on to prove this could be no farther from the truth. By simply addressing the issue that some scientists may be erroneously directed, Frankenstein shows he is considering the ulterior motives of his plans. He is recognizing that his motives may not be for the advantage of mankind, and that this would be simply a bi-product of his creation. Frankenstein also fails to realize what society would think of his creature and how the creature would be affected by the general public. The creature is sent out into the world with the temperament of man, but entirely lacking the guidance and nurturing that all creatures need. This role playing of God is not what man was intended for, and children are made of a sperm and egg, not the hands of man. Who could handle the responsibility of controlling life? Only a Divine Power could control such an intricate process, and is a responsibility no person could endure. Victor takes many simple things for granted in his life, which are symbolized through the monster. I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me (129). All the monster requests is someone to share his life with, to live happily, and be loved; and through these pleasures the monster witnesses happiness. Victors scientific pursuit interferes with his life and ruins his happiness. He loses the desire for companionship because of his endeavors, and though Elizabeth longs for his return, he is too engaged in his work. Frankenstein has an opportunity to be happy, but the monster is never given the chance. This presents Shelleys argument that when you allow things such as science to get in the way of your true needs, such as love, you will not live a life worth living. Frankenstein and his monster are both miserable because they both live their life without love. He solved the most incomprehensible question, he reached the peak of scientific understanding, he accomplished his goals, yet he is miserable. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart (42). Shelley purposely lets Frankenstein accomplish his goal, but she makes a point that if the scientific knowledge of life cant bring happiness then no scientific knowledge can. Victor is so infatuated with completing his task and achieving fame that he fails to realize the lasting affects or consequences of his breakthrough. Shelley makes a valid argument that in many ways, we would all be better off without complex scientific thought: Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (38). Victor advises Walton by declaring, Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries (200). This passage evidently discusses Victors selfishness in fulfilling his objective. Shelley argues that scientists who are only seeking fame and fortune do not consider the long term effects and will be considered notorious.

Relationship Marketing And Traditional Transactional Marketing Marketing Essay

Relationship Marketing And Traditional Transactional Marketing Marketing Essay The approach of a business towards the marketing discipline can generally be categorised as either being traditional or relationship based. Whilst the traditional approach has held sway for the last fifty years there are signs that relationship marketing may assume the dominant position in marketing thinking and application in the near future. This does not mean that traditional marketing will no longer have a role to play. The evidence from a study of the supermarket chain Asda is that its position as the UK number two supermarket brand has been largely achieved by following a traditional marketing approach. Equally, however, market leader Tesco has embraced relationship marketing using its Clubcard to help it build mutually beneficial relationships with its customers. This approach to its marketing has seen Tescos market share and profits continue to grow whilst Asdas have started to decline. On the face of it this would appear to demonstrate that, when it comes to supermarket marketing, the relationship approach is best. However, it is not that simple. The classic four Ps of the marketing mix, Product, Price Place and Promotion, are the cornerstone of traditional marketing with Price and Promotion having been Asdas primary focus. Also, there is an argument that says in the difficult economic times that consumers are currently experiencing then the price and value for money proposition advocated by Asda has more resonance with consumers than ever before. So, which is the most appropriate marketing path for Tesco and Asda to follow or should elements form both disciplines be adopted for optimum effect? This paper analyses the various points of view of both academics and marketing practioners and draws heavily on case study material to draw some conclusions for a possible way forward. Introduction and Background Relationship marketing, which involves the development, growth, and maintenance of long-term, cost-effective, and mutually beneficial relationships between a business and its customers, may be perceived as being a relatively new phenomenon (Grà ¶nroos, 1995). However, this is not the case as its origins actually pre-date the industrial revolution, a time when products were manufactured on a small scale and consumers had direct contact with the manufacturers and merchants from whom they purchased their goods. As industrialisation gathered pace the mass production of goods meant that direct contact between manufacturers and their end customers was no longer practical and middlemen evolved to bridge the gap. This, in turn, resulted in manufacturers becoming distant from their customers and adopting a transactional rather than customer relationship focus to their marketing and selling activities (Sheth and Parvatiyar, 1995). This transactional approach became increasingly sophisticated as marketing developed into a specialist and separate discipline within organisations, alongside the customer services and product quality control functions. The four Ps of marketing mix i.e. Product, Price, Place and Promotion, first muted by Borden (1964), have been a familiar and successful planning and execution framework for traditional marketing practioners since the 1960s. However, this traditional marketing philosophy has been facing an increasingly serious challenge to its dominant position from advocates of relationship-based marketing (Grà ¶nroos, 1995). The introduction of new technologies, such as the internet, has changed the way in which businesses are able to interact with their customers. This, together with the large scale removal of global trading barriers and the increasing homogenisation of consumer attitudes and purchasing behaviour, have all served to fuel what has become known as the globalisation of world markets (Doole, and Lowe, 2008). This new global marketplace for products has necessitated the adoption of new and more effective marketing techniques and concepts by rival businesses striving to compete for the same customers. So rather than rely on traditional marketing techniques, which are based on identifying new prospects, converting them to customers, and completing sales transactions, businesses have increasingly focussed on developing meaningful relationships with their customers in order to both retain their custom and encourage them to spend more. The management of relationship marketing has been greatly facilitated by a change in attitude to the structure of the marketing, customer service and product quality control functions. Rather than these functions being distinct and disintegrated, as is the case in businesses with a traditional marketing focus, relationship marketing integrates these functions to enable the business to get closer to its customers and thus helping it to benefit from increased customer retention, and the nirvana that all businesses strive for, customer loyalty (Fill and Hughes, 2003). Customer loyalty can be defined as a form of repeat purchasing behaviour reflecting a conscious decision to continue buying the same brand. (Solomon et al. 2001, p. 259). Additionally, the financial efficacy of customer retention versus new customer acquisition is well established. Indeed most academic studies on the subject propound the view that the costs of acquiring new customers can be up to five times higher than tho se costs associated with retaining existing customers (Heskett et al., 1994; Webster, 1994; Cespedes, 1995). In the current global marketplace, Jones (1992) believes that businesses have no choice but to build and retain the loyalty of existing customers if they are to survive and grow. Supermarket chains, such as Tesco and Asda, act as a reference point for attitudes to loyalty, with 72% of consumers feeling loyal to at least one organisation operating in the highly competitive supermarket sector, according to a study by the Logic Group, a specialist in loyalty programmes management, and researcher Ipsos MORI (Fernandez, 2009). Tesco Clubcard a key relationship tool Tesco has been the dominant force in supermarket retailing for the last ten years (Seth and Randall, 2001). It remains the market leading supermarket chain in the UK with a 30.4% market share and has, in the early part of 2010, further widened the gap between itself and its arch rival ASDA, a position which has largely been attributed to the success of its recent Clubcard double points promotion (MacDonald, 2010). To succeed, relationship marketing requires the development and maintenance of strong personal relationships with customers. These relationships should include a high degree of mutual interaction and social exchange (Zineldin and Philipson, 2007). Tescos Clubcard is the cornerstone of its customer relationship marketing strategy. Launched in February 1995, Tescos Clubcard gained five million users within its first month of operation and, significantly and somewhat ironically for a loyalty card, 200,000 new customers also joined the scheme (Seth and Randall, 2001). Clubcard works by enabling its users to collect points when shopping at Tesco stores and online at Tesco.com and also at Tescos catalogue store, Tesco Direct. In addition, points can be collected at Tesco petrol stations and by paying for any goods or services using a Tesco credit card. Tesco Clubcard holders can also collect points when making non Tesco purchases, such as paying for gas or electricity through utilities supplier e.on (Tesco website, 2010). These points are then converted into money-off vouch ers for customers to use in store. However, Clubcard is much more than simply a vehicle to reward customer loyalty. By collecting customer data at registration, Clubcard is also a powerful marketing planning tool for Tesco. It enables the retailer to track customer shopping habits, including the products bought and their purchase frequency, thus enabling Tesco to target specific product and service promotions to specific customers, either at the point of sale or at the customers home via direct marketing. Tesco has attracted some criticism for using its loyalty scheme in this way but it argues that it works in the interests of its customers by aiding the business and product development process. Indeed, Tesco Chief Executive, Sir Terry Leahy, states that: We could not have created the dot-com business without the data from the loyalty card (Humby et al, 2007, page 4). As well developing relationships by creating highly targeted and personalised communications for its customers, Tesco has fulfilled another one of the key objectives of relationship marketing with its Clubcard, namely getting its existing customers to purchase more products. For example, using its Clubcard customer data, Tesco can identify possible target customers for its non-food products. It then mails these customers about such products via the medium of its quarterly Clubcard newsletter. This strategy has resulted in half of all Tescos traditional grocery customers also purchasing non food items from the chain (Humby et al, 2007). Data collected from Clubcard users has also been credited with helping to fuel Tescos recent dramatic international expansion with one third of its entire staff now working outside the UK (Humby et al, 2007). Tesco has extended its Clubcard brand into specific customer market segments in order to enhance its relationships with certain groups with a view to increasing sales to those specific customer segments. Clubcard data revealed that families with babies and toddlers who shopped regularly at Tesco did not believe that they could trust the Tesco brand as the best place to buy baby and toddler related products. These customers tended to place their trust in Boots for such products (Humby et al, 2007). A key identified element of successful relationship marketing is trust: The resources of the seller personnel, technology and systems have to be used in such a manner that the customers trust in the resources involved and, thus, in the firm itself is maintained and strengthened (Grà ¶nroos, 1990, p.5) Tesco decided that it needed to specifically address the issue of trust for these customers and created the Tesco baby and toddler club. Membership of the club enables families with babies and toddlers to get double Clubcard points on certain products as well as giving them free parking spaces close to store entrances, a free magazine and access to specialist parenting advice (Tesco baby and toddler club website, 2010). This relationship marketing initiative directly led to an increase of trust in the Tesco brand for baby and toddler products from this market segment and a consequent transfer of market share from Boots. Now Tescos sales volume of baby and toddler products is more than that of Boots and Mothercare combined (Stone et al, 2010). Effective relationship marketing that truly enhances customer relationships and leads to business improvement also requires that the marketing discipline in an organisation transcends all functions and embeds itself in the ethos of the business (Zineldin and Philipson, 2007). Tesco is totally focussed on its customers and information about customer needs and purchasing trends are disseminated to all parts of the organisation not just marketing. Indeed, Tesco claims that everything its does is rooted in customer knowledge (Tesco Careers Website, 2010). So it can be seen that Tescos Clubcard has certainly played a major role in securing and enhancing its market leading position and, as far as contributing to the bottom line is concerned, then there is evidence that it has also generated incremental sales and profits (Humby et al, 2007). Equally it has not caused an increase in overall marketing spend for Tesco as much of the funding for Clubcard has come from the reallocation of resources from other areas of marketing spend, such as TV advertising (Humby et al, 2007). However, it should also be remembered, of course, that Tesco has not completely disowned the traditional marketing concept as its ongoing aggressive price promotions demonstrate. Asda a traditional price-led approach Some academics suggest that here has been a paradigm shift from traditional to relationship marketing (Grà ¶nroos, 1995) and that traditional marketing does not fulfil the requirements demanded by the modern-day marketing concept (Gummesson, 1995, 2000). Kotler (1997), however, argues that the decision whether to use relationship marketing or transactional marketing depends on the industry type and, more importantly, on the needs and wants of the particular consumer. Some consumers will always adopt a short-term attitude in their relationships with suppliers (Zineldin and Philipson, 2007). In these cases traditional marketing based on the transactional approach will always have an important role to play. Asda is the second largest supermarket chain in the UK with around 17% market share (Macdonald, 2010). Its market ambitions are summed up in it mission statement which is to be Britains best value retailer exceeding customer needs always and in its stated purpose which is to make goods and services more affordable for everyone (Times 100, Asda Case Study, 2010, p.34). Asda has recognised the fickle nature of some consumers relationships with their supermarkets and acknowledges that the purchasing motivation of those consumers will always be based on obtaining best value (Zineldin and Philipson, 2007). Asda has, therefore, consistently adopted a transactional approach to its marketing by focussing heavily on two of the four Ps of the marketing mix advocated by traditionalists namely, Price and Promotion. Asda has built its market position around price and value for money, supporting these propositions through heavyweight TV advertising with its TV commercials having now propounded the virtues of Asda price for well over thirty years. Asdas strategic communications director, Nick Agarwal, defends Asdas traditional marketing approach, which focuses on attracting new customers and increasing transactions through its price and value led proposition, by stating that the current economic times dictate this type of offer in the supermarket sector. He says : Our internal data suggests that people are still very nervous about what will happen on the economic front this year. We need to make sure we serve new customers as well as those who are still feeling financially challenged, especially with the increase in VAT and public sector cuts that are to come. We are very conscious that value is still going to be at the heart of what people want in the coming 18 months.'(Costa, 2010). However, whilst Asda has enjoyed considerable success with its traditional marketing strategy, there are now indications that its approach has failed to reverse a slow decline in sales. According to research from Kantar Worldpanel, Asdas sales have fallen by 0.4% in the second quarter of 2010 and its market share has dropped by 1.7% to 16.9% in the same period (Baker, 2010). Asda seems determined to continue to pursue its traditional approach but independent observers are urging the chain to change to reflect new consumer attitudes. Ed Garner, retail analyst at Kantar Worldpanel says. The market has changed considerably and now consumers feel there is more to life than low prices (Baker, 2010). There are even dissenting voices within Asdas own ranks with Asdas new marketing director Jon Owen believing that the supermarket chain must cease its blinkered focus on traditional price-led marketing in order to compete more effectively (Baker, 2010). Asda has, however, made some concessions to relationship marketing through its corporate social responsibility initiatives. These include community involvement projects through its Asda Foundation (Your Asda website, 2010) and the provision of credit to those customers who have been refused credit by other lenders (Hemingway, 2002). However, it would seem that there are still strong forces inside and outside the business questioning whether or not a predominantly traditional marketing approach remains a viable strategy for future success. Summary and Conclusions From the evidence of two contrasting case studies it is apparent that both traditional and relationship marketing have proven to be appropriate for business success within the supermarket retail sector. However, there are indications that consumers are now beginning to expect more than just low prices and value for money from their shopping experience, they have also demonstrated a desire to engage in a meaningful relationship with their supermarket of choice. This relationship, if managed effectively by the supermarket chain, can increase customer loyalty and can encourage customers to their purchasing behaviour for specific product segments, as well as generating incremental sales from new and existing customers. Tesco, has also shown that a customer relationship strategy based on the development of mutually beneficial relationships can, and indeed does, positively impact the bottom line. Asda, for its part appears to be the subject of a struggle between the opposing forces of traditional and relationship marketing. However, this need not be the case. There is no reason why both disciplines should be in opposition. Even if there is a shift towards relationship marketing, many academics believe that traditional marketing, in terms of the four Ps of the marketing mix, remains valid in all types of businesses including supermarket retailing. The argument being that if a business does not have the right price, product promotion or place (distribution) for its products then it will be impossible for it to enter into a mutually beneficial relationship with its customers (Zineldin, and Philipson, 2007). There is, therefore, strong evidence to suggest that a mix of both the traditional and relationship approach is the most appropriate for the Supermarket sector in the UK. Tesco has achieved this balance but Asda has yet to fully embrace the value of relationship marketing acting alongside a more traditional approach. The view that it needs to do this and quickly in order to grow its business appears to be gathering momentum.