Reserach Methodology Essay

3.1 Research Design This study is a quantitative-descriptive in nature where the purpose is to describe the level of student’s satisfaction on services provided by the school towards the enrollment system through quantitative research method to quantify and reflect in numbers the observation made of the respondents being studied (Sampa, 2012). It attempts to explore and explain while providing additional information about the topic. This is where research is trying to describe what is happening in more detail, filling in the missing parts and expanding our understanding. This is also where as much information is collected as possible instead of making guesses or elaborate models to predict the future – the ‘what’ and ‘how,’ rather than the ‘why.’ The researchers used a modified questionnaire which answers the first two objectives of this study which is the extent to which students meets and/or exceeds their expectations and perceptions towards the enr ollment system provided by the University of Mindanao. 3.2 Research Respondents The respondents of this study were the students of University of Mindanao selected randomly according to their year level and their type (freshmen, old student, and transferee). 3.2.1 Population Population, statistically, refers to the entire aggregate of items, i.e., group of people or element, who shares common set of characteristics or interest, from which samples can be drawn, in which the researcher wishes to investigate. University of Mindanao has large population of students from both Bolton Campus and Matina Campus, hence, the population refers to the University of Mindanao students who are enrolled in Matina Campus. 3.2.2 Sampling Frame Sampling Frame refers to the target population. In this study, 60 respondents was selected from students currently enrolled in Matina Campus. 3.2.3 Types of Sampling Technique The researcher chose the simple random sampling whereby every element is selected independently and the sample is drawn by a random procedure from  the sampling frame. Sekaran(2003) as cited by Abdullah (2005) points out that through simple random sampling technique, all elements in the population are carefully weigh and each element has an equal chance of being chosen as the subject. If the main objective of this study is to generalize the ability of the findings to the whole population then, this sampling design is best suited. 3.2.4 Sampling Size It is concerned with how many people that should be surveyed. The sample size larger than 30 and less than 500 are appropriate for most research (Roscoe (1975) cited by Abdullah ( 2005)). It is believe that large sample generates inevitable results than smaller samples. However, it is not necessary to sample the entire target population or even a material portion to have reliable results. With this, the researcher only chose 60 sample units as the sampling size randomly due to the time constraints, cost and other human resources. Sixty questionnaires were being distributed to respondents who are currently enrolled in Matina Campus. 3.3 Research Instruments The researchers used a survey questionnaire in checklist form. This instrument was modified by the researchers to establish the level of student’s satisfaction on enrolment system provided by University of Mindanao. The instrument determined, among others, the gender, type of student (freshmen, old student and transferees), and year level of the respondents. The Itemized Rating Scale survey was the selected questionnaire type as this enabled the respondents to answer the survey easily. Though, it is somewhat similar to Likert Scale but it uses other than agreement /disagreement item statement. This rating scale requires the subject to indicate his or her level of satisfaction to a statement. In this type of questionnaire, the respondents were given five response choices.

Private Equity Deals Essay

Private equity can be described as investing in a company through a negotiated process. Investment entails transformational, value-added and active management strategy. Private Equity investments can be undertaken following three categories. These are venture capital, Buy-out and special situation investment. Venture capital can be described as an investment to create a new company or expand a smaller company that is presently undeveloped. Buy-out investment involves acquisition of a significant portion of investment in a mature company so as to gain control or ownership of the company. Special situation investment involves changing government regulations or industry trends on investment due to availability of opportunity (Robinson and Cottrell, 2007). This paper will broadly analyze buy out investment in detail, discussing its history, growth, merits and failures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Private equity firms accrue interest on investment through any of the three ways. These include an IPO, sale or merger and recapitalisation. Private equity firms sell unlisted securities directly to investors through private offering or private equity fund which attracts different sources of contributions from small investors who prefer to invest directly to investors due to the risks associated with private equity funds. Private equity fund require a large amount of money to allow entry which cannot be afforded by most private equity firms. Moreover Private equity firms prefer to invest in firms or investors where the firm can accrue returns after a short duration unlike private equity funds which can take up to twelve years to accrue interests. Private equity firms evaluate availability of opportunity to avoid investing in a failing company which, led to heavy capital losses by the firm. The risk has been noted to be higher in venture capital funds (Lasen, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Private equity industry was begun in 1946 by the American Research and Development Corporation (ARD) to encourage private institutions provides funding to soldiers who returned from World War II. ARD aimed to provide skills and funding to the management and this would stimulate success of the companies accrue profits. The success of the industry led to permeation of few wealthy families into the industry in 1970s. The industry focussed more on debt financed leveraged buy-outs (LBOs)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Leveraged buy-out (LBO) occurs when a financial sponsor gains control of a majority of a target company’s stock ownership through the use of borrowed money or debt (Lasen, 2006). A Leveraged buy-out is a widely used strategy where a company acquires another company through significant amount of borrowed money. In most cases, the assets of the acquiring company and the company being acquired are used as security for the loans. Leveraged buyouts allow companies to make acquisitions without committing a lot of capital. In an LBO 70% debt to 30% equity ration is allowed though the debt can amount 90% top 95% of target Company total capitalisation. Private equity firm prefer to sue leveraged buyouts for two reasons. Use of debt that is widely used in US increased financial return to the private equity sponsor. Debts are exempted from taxation and hence the returns from debt are greater that from cash (Lasen, 2006; Robinson and Cottrell, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many countries for example Germany have introduced new tax laws with an aim of discouraging leveraged buyouts through reduction of tax shield effectiveness. The performance of private equity firms that used LBO as their main source of financing went into bankruptcy in 1980s and 1980s.   The insolvency was largely contributed by excessive debt financing amounting up to 97%. This led to higher interest payment that exceeded the company’s operating cash flow. Most companies were taken over by other companies and government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the recent past private equity industry has experienced a boom as noted in Great Britain as well as USA. Most pension scheme companies have invested in private equity firms and in particular LBOs. The size of private equity pool increased by 37% in 1994 in Great Britain. There is great disparity between foreign private equity pool and United States which present possibility of future growth. The rapid growth in the private equity industry has led to poor returns on capital invested. The returns from public equity deals are higher and this challenges the stability of private equity industry in using LBOs as way of financing (Clark and Whiteside, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PED projects were initially known to have positive impact in paediatrics industry. The PED projects however are on the decline. This can be attributed to poor management and appointment of nationals who have worked in public service to oversee them yet they have little experience or knowledge that is needed. The PED has encountered pressure from fear of disappointing former and future employees and this has in most cases resulted in failure or problem in implementation of the projects (Saylor, Swenson, Reynolds and Taylor, 1999). References Clark, G. L., Whiteside, N. (2003) Pension Security in the 21st Century: Redrawing the Public-Private Debate. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Robinson, M. J., Cottrell, T. J â€Å"Investment Patterns of Informal Investors in the Alberta Private Equity Market† Journal of Small Business Management, 45, (2007):11-89. Larsen, D. L. â€Å"Challenges to the Private Equity Industry† Journal of Accountancy, 202, (2006):112-156. Saylor, C. F., Swenson, C., Reynolds, S., and Taylor, M â€Å"The Paediatric Emotional Distress Scale: a Brief Screening Measure for Young Children Exposed to Traumatic Events.† Journal of Clinical Child Psychology. 28.1. (1999): 34-70.

INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS GLOBAL MAKETING Case Study

INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS GLOBAL MAKETING - Case Study Example This resulted into a provision of year round contributions of products, services, technology and resources in terms of finances. As opposed to the 1990’s broadcasting was significantly on the rise though the award of the same seemed complex. Never in the past had a single negotiation resulted into a multi-game broadcasting and though the percentages of Canada in terms of viewers decreased in 2006 as compared to 2002, was the overall success with regards to the same commendable. For the 2006 winter Olympics, there was a representation in terms of sponsorships in three main categories that is the main sponsors, official sponsors and official suppliers. Among the three levels The Torino Organizing Committee was able to get 57 companies and 63 brands a number which included 5 main sponsors and 17 official sponsors and number which were quite significant in the success of the Olympics (Glasurit set for 2006 Olympics. (Final Coat) (Brief Article). (2005, November 1). To realize this success the sponsors undertook huge investments. The investments by the sponsors through the Olympics of 1998, 2002 and 2006 in terms of partners increased from 26, 53 to 57 in 2006 while the revenue and support was $163 million, $494 million and $348 million in the last year due to minor challenges faced at that time(Elam and Curt). The ticket and licensing took a twist where over 540000 products were sold to commemorate the 2006 winter Olympics through 32 official licenses for 35 products groupings bringing revenue of $17 million which was way ahead by 10% above the set target. Among the licensed products involved a higher percentage of Torino 2006 brand images. Another success was witnessed in rising of the awareness of the Olympics. An increase of percentage from 87% in 2004 to 94% in 2006 of awareness was recorded and hence a boost in all the remaining aspects (Elam and Curt). 2. What worked well, and what did not? In terms of worldwide sponsorship as a longer term marketing p rogram aimed at promoting prolonged sponsorship of the Olympic Games, the 2006 winter Olympics which falls in the year category 2005-2008 recorded 12 TOP sponsors which became the sixth TOP cycle since the advent of the program hence we call it TOP VI (Elam and Curt). The future still needs to look for more sponsorship to strengthen the financial base of the organization. This will be realized through stronger legislations which direct the management of funds required for the same (Glasurit set for 2006 Olympics. (Final Coat) (Brief Article). (2005, November 1). Despite the fact that the 2006 Olympics was a success it is hard to say that it is the best Olympic so far witnessed as those for Lillehammer of 1994 and that for Salt Lake City of 2002 can still be ranked above them for the reasons of a few setbacks. This is despite the right things that happened of the sponsorships and the tickets sales and licensing acts which all lead to the creating of the independent of the IOC due to the increased revenue. The other partners like NOC and OCOG also benefitted from the money resources collected (Elam and Curt). There are though a few things which did not happen right and need to be corrected which include; the difficulty experienced in the comparison of the winter games. Such clarity must be distinguished so that monies such as those used for broadcasting and even other advertising can be rightly and transparently accounted for. Lack of such

Trace the development of language and gender research since the 1980s Essay

Trace the development of language and gender research since the 1980s. Taking one or two examples from research in the last ten years, explain what the priorities are now - Essay Example Gender differences stem from childhood and how boys and girls are treated differently. Baby girls are considered delicate and fragile and are therefore treated as such, being exposed to language that is gentle and handled with utmost care. On the other hand, boys, expected to grow up to be strong and masculine, are exposed to power-filled language punctuated with strong tones (Rasquinha & Mouly, 2005). This example reflects the Sociolinguistic Subculture Approach which suggests that that boys and girls grow up in essentially different talk subcultures resulting from the differing expectations parents and peers direct toward them about acceptable ways to talk (Maltz and Borker, 1982). Leaper (1991) explains that at three years of age, little girls develop earlier in terms of language and this helps them explore relationships with those around them. Girls use language that demonstrates attentiveness, responsiveness, and support. Boys, in turn, use language that demand attention, give o rders, and establish dominance (Leaper, 1991). They engage in group activities with other boys and test out their ‘high’ and ‘low’ status roles: â€Å"I’m the leader†, â€Å"you follow me†, etc. They establish positions among the group and they are apparently louder, more physical and less verbal than girls (Rasquinha & Mouly, 2005). By the age of 7, children have acquired gender constancy (Kohlberg & Zigler, 1967) and knowledge of gender-role stereotypes (Huston, 1983; Martin, 1989). As they transition to middle childhood, interaction strategies become more gender-differentiated. Whereas girls become more competent in collaborative strategies, boys stick to their reliance on domineering influence strategies. Bakan (1966) explained that boys are taught to value autonomy, competition and linear problem solving and such values are expressed by the encouragement of self-assertion and self-expansion (Mason, 1994). They grow up learning that information and

Understanding Organisations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Understanding Organisations Management - Essay Example Understanding Organisations Management Ritzer compares society today to a have adopted the characteristics of such a fast food chain. While sociologists like Weber viewed political systems like bureaucracy to explain the shift in society, Ritzer uses the example of a fast food place. He claims it to be far more representative of the contemporary paradigm into which society has shifted today. The concept is better described by the four terms employed by Ritzer himself. They are used to better understand and explain this concept. These four terms are vital to determine the reliability and efficiency of any organization. The first of this is efficiency. Ritzer emphasizes the importance of this term. It represents the optimal technique that can be employed to succeed in any task. However, efficiency is not just a technique used to bring optimum results. Ritzer prefers it to have a very specific meaning which in intoned with entire concept of Mcdonaldization.This means the speed with which the individual is able to move from one point to another. This is evident in the service provided by Mcdonalds. It aims to satisfy its customer's hunger in the least amount of time possible. Thus, they work to remove hunger and achieve full satisfaction in a limited period of time. This idea of efficiency is ever dominant in the establishment that works to fulfill its customers need in the shortest period possible. In this way, the work of an organization is thought to be one that allows an individual to gain results in the shortest time instead. Another term employed by Mcdonaldization is calculability. This mode ensures that the individual uses data that can be quantified rather than ones than are subjective. In this mode, an organization has to pay attention to the numerical and statistics rather than tastes and behavior. In this formula, quantity is seen as another term for quality. This idea makes sense when compared to the work done at a fast food chain. In this organization, if food is provided at a fast rate, the quality ceases to matter. In other words, by providing a large quantity of food within a short span of time, the individual ensures that the consumer assumes it to be of the highest quality. This is because individuals are conditioned to compare how much quantity they receive to the money they paid for it. The organization works to ensure its consumer s that they receive a large amount of goods for a small quantity that they have paid. In return, the consumer automatically assumes this to be the best quality available. This concept can also be employed for workers. According to Ritzer, the employee is judged by the degree of work they can produce in the workplace. This is contrary to the kind or quality of work they produce, which assumes secondary importance. The Mcdonaldization of Society also speaks of the predictability. This can be meant to explain the standardization of services that are present within society. The concept is further ensued in the idea of uniformity in the services that are given by an organization to its consumers. Working against the idea of Mcdonalds, Ritzer shows how the consumer at the fast food chain can expect the same service to be provided to them, no matter which outlet of this food enterprise they visit. Once again, this concept is not unique to

TOPONYM SWEET TOPONYM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

TOPONYM SWEET TOPONYM - Assignment Example Cockrell accepted that it was George Mifflin Dallas, VP of the United States throughout the organization of President James K. Polk. Dallas County is for the most part accepted to have been named for George Mifflin Dallas since Polk County, named for President Polk, was made on March 30, 1846, that day that Dallas County was made. There is no proof, nonetheless, that Bryan ever knew George Mifflin Dallas. Likewise, the town of Dallas bore that name no less than three prior years the district was made. George Mifflin Dallas had no reported enthusiasm toward Texas until he made a cool reference favoring Texas statehood in a 1844 letter to a congressperson from Mississippi- -once more, after the town of Dallas, Texas was named. 4. Look at a map of your home county. In your opinion, what is the most unusual place name in your county (other than the county seat)? How did it get its name? Your answer should be a full paragraph, at least 10 lines Euless. Euless is named after Elisha Adam Euless, a local of Tennessee who moved to Texas in 1867 and later purchased 170 sections of land (0.69 km2) of arrive on the current convergence of North Main St. also West Euless Boulevard.[5] Elisha began a cotton gin and a group focus on his property, and rapidly turned into a noticeable figure in addition to different pioneers. From the census of of 2000, there were 46,005 individuals, 19,218 family units, and 11,626 families living in the city. The populace thickness was 2,828.3 individuals for every square mile (1,091.7/km ²). There were 20,136 lodging units at a normal thickness of 1,237.9 for every square mile (477.8/km ²). The racial cosmetics of the city was 75.52% White, 6.49% African American, 0.64% Native American, 7.15% Asian, 1.86% Pacific Islander, 5.38% from different races, and 2.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.31% of the populace. Euless has the biggest populace of Tongans in an

Sustainable tourism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sustainable tourism - Assignment Example Cost savings linked with tourism industry are management of resource, energy, waste and water. Resource management enables customer service and comfort. The benefit of recognition and cost savings is closely knitted with the concept of sustainable organization. In past few decades there has been increasing awareness regarding social or environmental impacts caused by hotel operation and development. Sustainability issues are greatly driven by wide array of factors like desire of operator or owner to decrease operational costs, alter attitude of investors towards environmental conditions and regulatory forces imposed on facility development. The sustainability aspect aims at balancing social, environmental and financial factors in order to undertake appropriate decision making process over an extended period of time. In this study tourism industry of Australia would be clearly portrayed. Sydney is regarded as the largest city of Australia. This location comprises of vibrant national p arks and pristine beaches. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel based in Sydney is a preferred tourist destination. This hotel offers 26 luxurious suites along with 336 stylish rooms. Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel offers superior quality accommodation and award winning restaurants. There are other features which add value to this hotel operation. This study would outline this operation, its sustainability issues and recommended ways to eradicate such issues. Tourism industry can be sustainable only when it takes into account social, environmental and economic factors. The Australian hotel industry is one of the major economic drivers at national, local and state level. There are almost 30,000 individuals who are provided jobs by hotel industry of Australia. In economic context, Australian hotel industry generates $14 billion. The hotel industry can efficiently contribute towards national economic development. Long term strategy

Performance Related Pay in TYLT Mobile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Performance Related Pay in TYLT Mobile - Essay Example In an attempt to practicalize Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Professor John Callaghan identified that most people aged between the mid-20s and the mid-30s with graduate and postgraduate qualifications and employment in top companies in modern urban settings tend to belong to Level 3 of the Maslow scale: The Social Belongingness Stage. This is because most of such persons have access to the basic physiological needs because most of them are from privileged backgrounds and have a lot of options and do not see some of these basic needs as necessary. Also, such persons have their social security needs are settled because they possess good qualifications and with the advantage of being young and energetic, such persons have a lot of prospects and have fewer limitations. Their needs are to build social lives like marriage, joining a strong network of friends and building business links. So the best rewards for them include socioeconomic rewards that would enable them to meet their needs. Als o, since these young employees have many options, they need hygienic factors that would make them happy in a given workplace and not necessarily motivators. This is because they often tend to select the best work environment and not just a work environment that pays well. The expectancy theory also implies that the effort of these young people who dominate the R&D department of TYLT Mobile will want to blend their individual needs which include entrenching their social belongingness needs into their expectations. These expectations would reflect in their performance at work and it would affect the outcome of TYLT Mobile's output. As such, it is reciprocal for TYLT Mobile to find a way of recognizing continuous improvement and rewarding them appropriately. This forms a hygienic factor which when

Hispanic speaking mental health program at catholic charities of Research Paper

Hispanic speaking mental health program at catholic charities of fairfield - Research Paper Example The world of today is rather unique in that it has been torn apart by wars, racism, homelessness, unemployment and various types of financial and economic crises that are affecting and crippling millions of people every day. True to its motto ‘Faith in Action’ this organization has developed a number of housing schemes for the homeless which enables both the able bodied as well as physically and mentally challenged individuals to live and correlate with each other in peace and harmony, thereby enhancing the worth of the family unit. The housing schemes of the Catholic Charities of Fairfield are of various kinds from the Permanent Housing Diocese Program to the Scattered Site Housing Program to the Conger House and Thomas Merton Center Programs. The agency’s New Heights Program is directed towards the mentally challenged individuals in Bridgeport, CT and is dedicated towards making every individual achieve their maximum possible potential. It is a psycho-social pro gram that offers pre-vocational and vocational training, educational training, computer knowhow and support groups, with peer and telephonic support as well. In order to be a part of this program, one must be diagnosed with a mental illness, be receiving service from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and be residing within one of the areas served. The issue at hand appears to be that these services need to be expanded as the population of Bridgeport is increasing. However the problem is that the majority of the new population that has entered Bridgeport in recent years appears to be Hispanic. It is not difficult to see this when recent US census estimates show that the Hispanics are the single largest ethnic majority in the USA today. These facts had come to light in the last two elections and Obama and Bush had both tried to win a large part of the Hispanic vote as it affected their overall results. Most likely the problem has existed for a number of months now and came to light of the administration when mentally challenged Hispanic individuals and their caretakers applied for assistance and admission to the New Heights program. A check up from the Mayor’s Office or even a local real estate agent would have given an indication of the changing trend of residencies in the county. The problem is that the Catholic Charities of Fairfield had not planned for this demographic trend and have not included diversity within their program makeup. The consequences are that the services and the staff are all English speaking Americans and there is no one to assist the Hispanic speaking population. As we have noted, the majority of the newcomers have been from South and Central America and therefore the present setup is at a loss as to how to accommodate for this change in demographics. As a result the Spanish speaking individuals cannot be served and are placed on waiting lists. But sooner or later, a solution will have to be found as the probl em is not going to go away. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS & THEIR IMPLEMENTATION Planning for change is a very important thing and should be practiced by individuals as well as organizations and their management staff. Even if the problem was not recognized in the past, it is not too late now and some swift and effective changes this agency can help accommodate the new Hispanic patients. The first thing would be to see if there is enough room and funds under the present programs. As Hispanics would also be attending

How Duty of Care Contributes to Safe Practise Essay Example for Free

How Duty of Care Contributes to Safe Practise Essay What duty of care means in children and young people settings Duty of care – it’s required we have to give the right amount of attention and caution to avoid negligence which would lead to harm to other people. Duty of care is the legal term for safeguarding yourself and others. Children (especially young children) are vulnerable because they have not yet developed the physical and cognitive skills to care for themselves, so they need care from the adults around them. As a practitioner we have a duty of care towards them, the younger and more vulnerable the child, the greater the duty of care needed. Duty of Care includes the following concepts: †¢ to keep individuals safe †¢ to keep individuals free from harm †¢ to give choice As a practitioner, vigilance and attention keeps young children safe as they develop, these areas help when the child has a good role model to teach them: †¢ The ability to foresee and cope with potential dangers †¢ More robust immune systems †¢ Empathy – understand that their actions may hurt or upset others †¢ Communication skills to be able to talk about the harm others may be doing them How this contributes to the safeguarding or protection of individuals Duty of care contributes to the safeguarding/protection of children/young people by keeping them safe and protecting them from abuse, whether this is in a sexual, physical, neglect or emotional harm. Children have a right to be safe and to be treated with respect and dignity, as a practitioner we have to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety and well-being of all children in our care. If we don’t follow all necessary steps it could be regarded as professional neglect, we must always act and be seen to act in the child’s best interests. Babies and under 3’s are in need of an adults care for protection because they are unable to do this for themselves. Duty of care safeguards children in my setting in various ways: * Risk assessments – having done risk assessments we are taking precautions to avoid accidents or the spreading of infections. * Following the correct procedures if we have any concerns for a child’s well-being. * We set clear expectations and boundaries depending on age, stage and development and we discourage any behaviour which could result in a child being harmed or upset. * Assessments and observations on children can alert us to any problems that may need our attention and will also help in the discussions with parents and other professionals. * Always listen to what the children have to say and take any concerns they may have seriously.

War in ‘Refugee Blues’ and ‘Disabled’

War in ‘Refugee Blues’ and ‘Disabled’ Title: Explore How Writers Treat the Subject of Wastefulness Of War in the Two Texts You Have Studied. It is ostensible that both texts, ‘Refuge Blues’ and ‘Disabled’, have been influenced by the writers’ own personal experiences as they both accurately replicate the true brutality behind wars. ‘Refugee Blues’ by W. H. Auden is a poem about the harsh realities of war; including themes such as: loss, suffering, and change. ‘Disabled’ by Wilfred Owen is similar in this manner and it also echoes the same message Auden is trying to convey; the wastefulness of war. The title of the poem ‘Refugee Blues’ tells us a lot of what it is about as the poem’s sense of musicality is conspicuous in the title. The definition of the word ‘refugee’ is a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. The use of the word ‘refugee’ implies that the poem is about a person or a group of people attempting to escape their country, Nazi Germany, bu t cannot, due to the fact that they do not own passports; leaving them homeless. The word ‘blues’ is a reference towards the sub-genre of jazz; a refrain is placed at the end of each stanza in the poem, customary for a blues song, in order to echo a melancholy tone. ‘Disabled’ exploits the impact of war on those who live through it by analysing the present life of an injured soldier to his past accomplishments. Auden and Owen explore the theme of loss in order to portray the wastefulness of war through the use of: repetition, imagery and emphasis. In ‘Refugee Blues’, Auden uses repetition at the end of the first stanza, when it says,’ We cannot go there now, my dear, we cannot go there’, repetition makes it more poignant as it emphasises the problem that they cannot escape their own country as they lack passports which is later revealed in the second stanza when it states, ‘Old passports can’t do that, my dear, old passports can’t do that’, leaving them homeless. ‘Disabled’ contains vivid imagery which exaggerates the theme of loss such as, ‘he will never feel again how slim girls’ waists are†¦all of them touch him like some queer disease’, and, ‘he noticed how the women’s eyes passed from him to the strong men that were whole’, making the ex-soldier socially isolated. An example of emphasis and exaggeration is in ‘Refugee Blues’ when, in the eleventh stanza, it states, ‘Dreamed I saw a building with a thousand floors†¦not one of them was ours, my dear, not one of them was ours’, a hyperbole is used to highlight their situation, homelessness, creating sympathy for the reader. Owen alternates between using vulnerable language such as, ‘his back will never brace’, when he refers to the present in order to show that he is now weak and defenceless. The juxtaposition of remembrance and the masculine language when he refers to the past such as, ‘he’d look a god in kilts’, abruptly makes the reader realise that he is lost and can never be the man he once was. All of these examples coincide together in the way that they all scrutinize the subject: wastefulness of war. The theme of suffering is evident throughout the two poems in the way that the ‘disabled’ ex-soldier is struggling to live in the present and come to grips with his fate. This is palpable in the first stanza when the, ‘Voices of boys ran saddening like a hymn, voices of play and pleasures after day’. He is dressed formally in a ‘ghastly suit of grey’ which is cut at the waist, showing that he has lost his legs; he listens to the voices of young children which disheartens him, reminding him of something he can never have again. In ‘Refugee Blues’ suffering is indisputable as the whole poem is about presumably a male Jew and his partner being homeless; suffering, desperately trying to find a place to emigrate, but unfortunately cannot as ‘Old passports can’t do that’, this relates, previously, to the refugees being lost. The last stanza of ‘Refugee Blues’ conveys that, ‘Ten thousand soldiers marc hed to and fro: looking for you and me, my dear, looking for you and me’, once again repetition has been used in order to accentuate that there is a whole army looking for just two people. Furthermore, the repetition could also reference towards the nature of the blues rhythm; repetition. The final stanza of ‘Disabled’ states, ‘he will spend a few sick years in institutes’, implying that he will spend a few ‘sick’, crippled, years attending institutes before he passes away, perhaps. Furthermore, in the last stanza, it claims, ‘how cold and late it is! Why don’t they come and put him to bed? Why don’t they come?’ This is a prime example of double entendre as it references towards the nurses not coming ‘and put[ting] him into bed’, and it refers to death not coming soon enough to take his life as he cannot handle the excruciating suffering anymore. All of the evidence provided, proves that suffering is a common theme among ‘Refugee Blues’ and ‘Disabled’. In addition, the message of change has been thoroughly examined in ‘Disabled’ and ‘Refugee Blues’. The rhyming pattern in ‘Disabled’ is an ‘A, B, A, C, B, C’, for example in the first stanza the words ‘dark’, ‘park’, ‘grey’, ‘day’, ‘hymn’ and ‘him’ all rhyme, however, the rhyming pattern in the last stanza becomes more irregular. This is done to prove how the ex-soldier’s life used to be perfect and regular but has now changed and become irregular. This is in contrast to ‘Refugee Blues’, which contains a regular ‘A, A, B’ rhyming pattern. In ‘Refugee Blues’ the status of Jews were lowered as animals were being treated more humane than the Jewish people when it states, ‘Saw a door opened and a cat let in’, and nature is being proved to be free, unlike the Jews in, ‘Saw the fish swimming as if they were free†¦walked through a wood, saw the birds in the trees; they had no politicians and sang at their ease’, this exaggerates how all this freedom is tantalisingly close and that they are trapped by laws and oppressed by Hitler’s commands; this explains the change in their country. At the beginning of the poem ‘Disabled’ the man is portrayed to have had an active and successful interaction with women. He was an attractive young man, exuberant and enjoyed the ladies’ attention. Later on, he was left sexually incompetent and can no longer receive pleasures from the things that he once was comforted with. In the final stanza, the last lines places emphasis on the fact that the man he once was, winning football matches, being proud of a blood smear, is now replaced by a crippled, hopeless shell who pleads desperately and helplessly for someone to come, ‘and put him into bed’; death. The evidence provided proves that Auden and Ow en have exploited the theme of change. The idea in the poem ‘Refugee Blues’ shows how futile intellect is, especially in the face of the mass extermination of Jews during the second world war: this idea has evidently been put across. Likewise, the idea of ‘Disabled’ is to show the true colours behind war and the ineffectiveness of it: Owen has unmistakably advocated this concept. Like each other, ‘Refugee Blues’ and ‘Disabled’ are both dark and chilling poems. They distress the reader in order to present the true meaning behind war. It is interesting, then, to conclude that Auden and Owen have eloquently portrayed the harsh realities of war through themes such as: loss, suffering and change. Various language techniques have also been used such as: rhyming to create an impact; juxtapositions in order to contrast and analyse; and vivid imagery to generate an effect for the reader.

Birth of Equality and the Death of Chivalry Essay -- Feminism Feminist

The Birth of Equality and the Death of Chivalry "...And now it's time for girls on trampolines!"   Adam Corolla of The Man Show shouts at the end of the insipid program supposedly providing men with "manly" entertainment;   "We give men what they want to see."   This show involves beer guzzling at its best, childish antics involving midgets and the degradation of women in many forms.   It seems as though chivalry may truly have died.   In the woman's on-going quest for equality, the respect and reverence they were once treated with has changed.    Technically chivalry is defined as the moral code of knights in medieval times i.e.: dignity, courtesy, bravery, generosity, and gallantry.   This was the manner of respect in which women were to be treated, and a knight was to uphold the code always.   One can imagine courtly ladies strolling through the court in fine gowns, and having a chivalrous knight lay his cloak over a muddy patch so the ladies shan't muss their shoes. These days should some kind man stand for an extra second at a door to keep it open for an approaching woman, she may be amazed at this display of courtesy.      Hand on door, or cloak in mud, this is and was respectively, the mark of a refined man.   "The self-conscious command of fine manners, whether the proper way of hunting, dressing, addressing a superior, or wooing a lady, became a key mark of an aristocrat"(20).   In literature, "Despite the limitations of their actual power, women were the focus, often the worshiped focus, of much of the best imaginative literature of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries..."(18). Though chivalry is connected with the medieval times, Edmund Spencer wrote of a chivalrous knight in The Red Crosse Knight of The Faerie Queene... ...ved out of fantasyland and into reality.   For some this was too far into reality, Swift goes so far as to describe the lady's chamber pot, "...he lifts the lid: there need no more, he smelt it all the time before" (  Ã‚   ).   A man of virtue would not dare to embarrass a woman by revealing her dressing room secrets. With the respect women were just starting to gain as thinkers, the respect of ideal sweet perfection dwindled.   No longer was she a mystery to be worshipped.   Slowly as men realized that women are capable thinkers, the need to react to her in a manner different from men became less necessary.   If women are so equal they can defend their own virtue.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By our times most men have figured out women can reason just as well as men, and women hold office in nearly every position that men do.   Supposedly we are the equals, which has led to the death of chivalry.

The Difference Between Men and Women Essay -- Men Women Compare Contra

The Difference Between Men and Women When they say opposites attract, they aren’t kidding! The difference between fondness and loathing of girls and boys are exceptionally vivid and apparent. After watching â€Å"The Notebook† for the six hundredth time, with tears streaming down her face, a girl can finally declare it as being her favorite movie, and maybe even deem it as the best production ever created. The clichà © motives of the woman always seem to involve love and a knight in shining armor. Naturally, every woman dreams about Mr. Right, and falling head over heels in love. This is why females are so vulnerable to passionate films. â€Å"My heart melted when I saw him kiss her like that.† Stereotyped as the hopeless romantics, girls live to love and be loved. Girls want relationships. Girls enjoy corny love movies. This is somewhat of an escape route for the girls, knowing that in reality, the average guy isn’t interested in a relationship, or falling in love. But for the sake of women, in the hours of our mourning, why not take advantage of the blockbusters while their...

ESL Lesson Plan: Celebrating Christmas in Canada :: essays research papers

Students: 14 adult ESL students at an advanced level in the English language. They all have high levels of literacy in their L1 and are learning English for academic purposes. The students are seem to be very interested in the Canadian culture and have been asking many questions about the upcoming holiday, Christmas. Many of the students have been living in Canada for close to one year and have not experienced the â€Å"Canadian Christmas†. Context: It is the early month of December and the students have been already reading, writing and hearing about Christmas in Canada. To date, they have already shared their cultural practices during Christmas, if any, and are now interested in the Canadian culture. They are familiar with the concept of Christmas and some key terms, like Santa Clause, Christmas tree, etc. The length of this class is two hours with one fifteen minute coffee break, after one hour.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Objectives: ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To practice scanning for information ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To recall and use vocabulary previously learned ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To learn and use new vocabulary: -Christmas/Evergreen tree  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -Christmas Decorations (tinsel, ornaments, etc.) -Christmas Carols  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -Christmas Presents -Church Services  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -Roasted Turkey -Christmas Stockings  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -Santa Clause -Christmas Eve ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To foster interpersonal relationships through group work ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To practice using different descriptive words to illustrate an idea to a peer Materials: ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marx, D.F. (2000). Christmas. Toronto: Children’s Press. ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chalkboard/Chalk or Dry Erase Board/ Markers. ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Describe and Draw game rules (from Bryrne, D. (1979). Communication games: a teaching aid. Windsor: NFER Publishing.) ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christmas pictures for Describe and Draw Game from magazines ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Magazines with Christmas pictures ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14 pieces of poster paper ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scissors/glue/tape  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ▸  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tape/CD player with Christmas carols Procedures: (1) Students participate in a discussion of the following questions: (45 min)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What do you already know about the Canadian Christmas? Have you ever celebrated Christmas in Canada before? What would you like to learn about celebrating Christmas in Canada?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (The teacher reads the book Christmas by David F. Marx, ensuring that all students can see the illustrations, to improve comprehension) What words come out of the book that you are unfamiliar with? (The teacher makes a list on board of unknown words). Following completion of the book, the class approaches the unknown word list on the board. The teacher explains the words using pictures from the book as well as relating the words to other things that they already know.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What are some interesting things that you have learned about the multicultural Canadian Christmas? (2) Students will participate in the â€Å"Describe and Draw† game. (See attached rules and pictures). (15 min.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (The teacher explains rules to the game, and then walks two volunteers through a couple of rounds until students feel comfortable).

Margaret Thatcher’s “Charter Schools”

In the United States, primary and secondary public school education, undergoes continual monitoring and discussion by government leaders, educators, and parents. According to a survey, by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, in 1994, 39 percent of fourth graders, 37 percent of eighth graders and 36 percent of twelfth graders, scored below average, on basic skills assessment tests, in the United States ( Finn, Ravitch 22-24 ). News coverage also tends to continuously broadcast that the United States lags behind global peers in pre-college education. For this reason, parents, governments and educators are constantly searching for new ways to improve, and overcome learning obstacles, in education. One of the new concepts emerging is the charter school. In the United States, the charter school was modeled after Margaret Thatcher's idea of a public school operating independently, while being funded by grants. A similar concept currently exists, for all public education, in New Zealand ( Finn et al. 48-52 ). In 1992, after the first charter law was passed, Minnesota opened City Academy, based on this concept. The charter focused on recruiting and teaching high school drop-outs ( Buechler 60-63 ). All charter schools, including this first one, are based on certain guidelines. Charters are created by normal citizens desiring to fill a specific need in their area, or to implement a new teaching method. The administration and teaching operate independently from most local school board rules, and funds are used only within the charter school. Any business, parent, teacher or group may apply to open a charter, provided they are not religiously affiliated or a private school already. A charter need only to submit paperwork outlining a curriculum, sponsor, and a place of operation, plus the goals they expect in their students. Local or state school boards then have the option to approve or disapprove of the charter. If the charter idea is accepted, the charter may begin recruitment of students. A contract written and signed between the charter and the school board usually lasts a few years and its renewal is based on positive results or goals achieved. There are also certain laws dealing with charters. A charter must be tuition free and open and free of any discrimination to all children in the district ( Olson Art. 64 ). Charters are almost entirely funded by state and national monies, which normally follow a student to their public school. The money instead will follow the student to his or her chosen charter. Charters are also sometimes funded by private individuals or companies. Arizona ammended their charter school law to create a one million dollar start-up fund. Most states do not provide start-up fees which cover building rental, supplies, teachers and administration, before children arrive at their doors. This creates a hardship for most charters when they first open and prevents others from ever opening (Buechler 60-63 ). As of February 1997, five hundred charter schools operated nationwide, offtering a variety of different curriculums ( â€Å"Schools† 27-28 ). In New Jersey, by creating a public boarding prepatory school, educators devised a way to begin to reach children in their teen years, at risk for dropping out of school. School director Gary T. Reece states, † We've created a safe haven here where kids can risk caring about school without suffering for it†(Cohen 16 ). The teens live in an area where schools are crowded and crime is high. ( Cohen 13 ) In Boston, three types of charters are operating within the city. City on a Hill established for high school students, adds a twist in its curriculum, by creating city hall type debates involving the students. The teens become comfortable with public speaking at a time when they usually avoid it. Another high school named Renaissance, has 205 days in the school year, plus uses integrated teaching within all the classes. Lastly, is an elementary school named Neighborhood House. This school teaches one subject within another. A writing assignment may deal with science or science may be created in art class ( â€Å"Schools† 27-28 ). Add to these examples, charters which stress technology, basic academics, smaller classes, discipline, on-line teaching, home study, whole language, afrocentism, back-to- basics, and those that cater to high-school drop-outs and gifted students. Some charters also partner with zoos, museums, businesses, unions, or community groups ( Buechler 60-63 ) . As a Principal of Harriet Tubman Village School Charter, Roger Sciarretta states, â€Å"The only thing consistent about charter schools is that they're all different. â€Å"Each one has it's own flavor and style† ( Anderson 1A+ ) . In Florida, the Charter School law was adopted in 1996 and as of the 1997-98 school year, thirty-three were operating statewide ( Saunders ). As to why it took till 1996, Betty Golzendorf, D-Jacksonville said, â€Å"If Florida is going to start Charter Schools, then they should be the best Charter Schools in the country† ( Patterson B-1 ). Charters in Florida receive 52,000 dollars as a start-up fee, to help alleviate some of the difficulties before admitting students. Charters also can apply for any funds the government grants for low income or disabilities ( MacDonald ). Ninety-five percent of student fees, usually received by a district, follow the charter student to their selected charter ( Pendleton B-1 ). Before accepting students, a Florida charter must be approved by the local school board, and if denied, may appeal to the State Board of Education ( Saunders ). A Florida charter may be created by groups of citizens, teachers, individuals or legal entities. Private schools and religious organizations are barred from forming a charter school. The charter must also, be open to all children, and follow health, safety, welfare and civil rights laws. Each district is allowed so many charters according to their population. If a district has 100,000 or more people, they may have seven charters established per year. A population of 50,000- 100,000 may create five charters per year. Populations under 50,000 people are allowed three charters per year. (Pendleton B-1 ). In Duval County, five charter schools are currently open, and all are geared towards helping middle school children. Radar Schools focuses on behavior, academics, and truancy. The Police Athletic League is housing and supporting the school (Saunders). Daniel Payne Academy stresses technological curriculum for sixth graders, two years behind grade level . The students receive individual testing, with a focus on building self-esteem and discipline. The students are also required to wear uniforms, and parental involvement is encouraged (Desmon A-1 ). Daniel Payne Academy, School of Success Academy and Empowering Young Minds, all must deal with raising student test scores to meet the Duval County Average of a 49 percentile in reading and 50 percentile in math. Because these schools focus on children in middle school that are behind grade level academically their students averages are below the county average (MacDonald ). In their creation, charters were not meant to replace the public school system. Charter supporters feel that seeking different options for schooling will enhance the current public school system. This in turn, will boost the academic standing in our nation, placing us alongside our foreign counterparts.

Culture and Cognition Essay

Culture may be defined as a combination of different traits of a social group. These traits or ways of life can be language, arts, sciences, thoughts, spirituality, social activities, interactions, and many more (â€Å"Definition†, n. d. ). The world has many peoples and thus many cultures, thus each has their own beliefs, traditions, and customs. Another characteristic of a certain culture may be cognition. Because of human diversity in traditions and customs, there is also diversity in intelligence. According to Cole, Gay, Glick, and Sharp (as cited in Sternberg, 2004), certain behaviors may be smart in one culture but plainly stupid in another (1971). Culture and Intelligence According to Robert Sternberg in his article entitled â€Å"Culture and Intelligence†, intelligence cannot be fully measured, developed, and conceptualized when it is outside the cultural context. This creates an impression that intelligence is a norm and being a deviant from that norm would mean less intelligence (2004, p. 1). An example given by Sternberg about intelligence tests shows an evidence of his argument. Any intelligence test created in one culture may not be valid in another culture. Sternberg also constructed models in order to determine if the culture has a significant effect on intelligence. On the third model, the dimensions of intelligence are the same as with the other models. However, the instruments used are different from the other models. The measurement process was therefore derived from the culture being studied and not from outside it. As this is done, the psychological meanings of the scores of the assessments change from one culture to another. Culture and Cognition Intelligence is just one of the cognitive characteristics of man. Culture, as well as social systems has a role in developing the people’s system of thought. This is according to Richard Nisbett, Incheol Choi, Laiping Peng, and Ara Norenzayan, when they studied the difference between easterners and westerners in terms of cognitive processes (2001). They stated that east Asians are holistic in their cognitive processes, focusing on an entire field and its causality. On the other hand, westerners such as Americans are analytic because they pay more attention on the object and the categories, making use of rules such as formal logic. The authors of this article suggest that the origin of these differences is traceable to different social systems (p. 291). They were able to conclude that there is still a very great difference between cultures. It is because of the circumstances brought about by these cultures that one process will always be different from another. Furthermore, the norms or the normative standards for though will differ across cultures (p. 306). The influence of culture has many implications in cognition. This insight may change the very definition of intelligence as related to different social systems. This also has a great effect in cognitive assessment since one measuring tool may not be appropriate for all cultures. Although international communication is already established, this information would give more understanding to people as to how others with different cultures are different to them in terms of learning styles, perception, and other aspects of cognition. It would also change the perception on people who are considered as intellectually inferior since intelligence no longer focuses on a dominant or normative standard set by those perceived as superior. References â€Å"Definition of Culture†, (n. d. ). Roshan Culture Heritage Institute. Retrieved 24 May 2010 from http://www. roshan-institute. org/templates/System/details. asp? id=39783&PID =474552. Nisbett, R. E. , Peng, K. , Choi, I. , & Norenzayan, A. (2001). â€Å"Culture and Systems of Thought: Holistic versus Analytic Cognition†. Psychological Review. 108(2), pp. 291-310. Sternberg, R. (2004). â€Å"Culture and Intelligence†. American Psychologist. 59(5), pp. 325- 338.

Newspaper Industry

Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 THE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK DEVELOPEMENT IN PRINT MEDIA Assoc. Lect. Loredana Iordache Ph. D University of Craiova [email  protected] fr Lect. Radu Criveanu Ph. D University of Craiova [email  protected] com Assoc. Prof. Cernaianu Nicolae Ph. D Titu Maiorescu University, Bucharest [email  protected] com Abstract: In this article, we identify the characteristics of the distribution networks in print media and the features of marketing in mass media, emphasising the attempts initiated by the press in the context of the financial crisis.The research was conducted through a case study on regional newspaper,, Gazeta de Sud† The main problems analyzed were decreasing newspaper circulation and advertising. The research taken into account trends and developments worldwide print media as well as print media particularities of Romania, with a focus on identifying factors that contribu ted to the closure of a significant number of newspapers, or their transition from printed version online format.The paper is mainly focused on some practical issues related to the way of organizing the print media sales networks, the authors elaborating proposals for the implementation of certain measures to increase the circulation, on the one hand, and on the hand, to increase the sale of ad space in the newspaper. Compared with other products, the newspaper has unique characteristics caused by daily changing content, and therefore the product itself. Having a highly perishable, the content of media products should always seen in relation to time, which requires more rapid distribution and continuous production.Key words: distribution networks, advertising, marketing strategies, print media JEL Code: L11,L22,M37 Introduction: The way in which the economic crisis has influenced the distribution policies differs from one company to another and from one activity domain to another. I n order to understand the application procedure of the distribution policy at the level of the media institutions, it is necessary to clarify the content of the media products and of the specific elements that favors or limit the application of marketing concepts, methods and techniques. One of the main characteristics f the media selling network is the fact that it generates profit, not only by an increase in the number of sold newspapers, but also by an increase in the number of readers, which determines a growth in the newspaper space sold for advertising. Fixing the selling price of ad space depends on several criteria mainly related to audience size and its socio-economic profile. Advertising buyers invest in newspaper ad space in terms of achieving a certain number of users or buyers (Bertand, 2001). Type of distribution networks is different from one country to another depending on a number of features.Thus in France and Italy press is bought mainly from newsstands, in Sweden is generalized newspapers home delivery while in U. S. besides newspapers home delivery are mainly used newspapers vending machines. The study analyzes the current situation of media products market with special emphasis on the print media in Romania and proposes a series of measures for development and improvement of distribution networks. The importance given to this activity consists in the need for information on the paper available to the readers. 1.Current trends in print media The economic crisis caused a serious decline in the print media circulation, contributing to a great extent to the dissolution of many important papers, a part of which can only be found online. The print media industry finds itself in a critical moment. In the last few years, the media institutions have tried to develop online products and to find new income sources to provide for the transition from the printed paper to the digital one. Although the access to the Internet is continuously growing, the value of the revenues generated by the Internet newspapers is still very low.According to the data presented on different specialized websites [11] in 2011, in the USA the revenues from advertising in the print media format were still in decline for the sixth year in a row. Thus, according to the study by Amy Mitchell and Tom Rosentiel of The Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ) the losses generated in 2011 by „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 141 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 the advertising decrease on the print paper were ten times higher than the revenues generated by the online advertising [12].The situation is as critical in Europe as it is in Romania where a number of papers closed or remained only with their the online version. An analysis of the Romanian press situation shows that the advertising revenues for the online newspapers are low, despite having register ed a sudden improvement lately [7]. Thus, the central papers register a higher income than the local papers, which have insignificant revenues that do not compensate for the revenues obtained from the print version of the newspaper, though more and more readers have access to the Internet [6].As far as the online market for the local publications is concerned, we consider that the strategy adopted should be differently approached, because the local companies, as faithful clients for advertising, have not been interested yet in online advertising. In addition to this, the integral online version of the paper has an increased number of readers, but reduces the number of print version buyers and therefore decreases the revenues. It is probable that the general tendency of the media is to be published online.But, we should not forget that the online version is not accessible to important categories of the population, at least not yet to the rural population. From our point of view, the main reasons why the sale of advertising spaces in the online version of the newspaper did not have the estimated results are the following: a) Firstly, the most important national papers, which impose the trend on the market, have a wrong marketing strategy, offering the online content of the paper to the readers free of charge.At the same time, there is no solution found to financially evaluate the new audience gained on the internet. In other words, by consciously moving the readers from the print version to the electronic/online version, the papers have lost important sums of money. b) Secondly, the financial crisis has determined a budget adjustment in advertising, which had subsequently an impact on the entire print media in Romania. The important advertising clients have focused only on TV lately, by allocating their budgets to the TV stations as a media vehicle and completely eliminating the newspapers from the marketing mix. ) Thirdly, another reason for this situation is t he fact that, once moved on the internet, the newspapers became direct competitors for the advertising budgets together will the other websites. Before the technological revolution brought about by the Internet, the papers were in competition with the other media (TV and radio stations etc. ) . Nowadays, the newspapers compete for the online budgets not only with the other media, but with the entire spectrum of websites, from Google to Facebook and Yahoo. ) Another reason, as mentioned above, is the distrust of the faithful clients of the local advertising in the impact of the digital version of the paper. In Romania, the number of publication have dramatically dropped, the audience rates have become half of the 2008 value and the editorial offices have to constantly take measures to reduce costs [5]. The number of employees is continually decreasing, leading to a reduction in the number of quality articles that may be produced.Moreover, the reporters are asked to produce more and t o increase the content for all the platforms: print, digital, mobile, but also to promote this content on the social networks. This fact led to a general dissatisfaction among the reporters. At the same time, the revenues from the paper selling and from the advertising spaces in the print version have decreased, and values from the online revenues could not compensate for the difference. A major part of the paper circulation is determined by the distribution costs.The circulation of a newspaper represents the number of copies distributed for a paper edition and it is formed of the papers sold by piece, with subscription, in promotions or for protocols etc. A new approach in the case of many regional newspapers is to concentrate on the most profitable zones, thus reducing the costs. The marketing strategy is based on the fidelity of the readers and not on approaching new markets. As opposed to other goods, the paper is a perishable product which is quickly replaced by another one.On account of this, the selling price is low in order to assure its accessibility, a quick selling and implicitly the market clearance for new products. However, the costs are high and the profit share is low under these circumstances. For the production of a newspaper, the producer needs a series of resources, such as: raw material and equipment, qualified workforce and something specialised for the mass media institutions, namely information and cultural creation.Economic crisis determined higher costs for the raw material (especially for paper) and for specialised and wellqualified workforce The selling price of the newspaper is set taking into consideration the following items: – the editing cost of the newspaper; – the printing cost of the newspaper; – the distribution cost of the newspaper; – the commissions paid to the media distribution companies, respectively the selling workforce; – the percentage of the assumed returned copies (the number o f printed but not sold copies).Starting from the data presented above and targeting a certain profit, the selling price is set per piece/copy (the cover price). Regarding the subscription price, alongside with the editing, printing and distribution prices of the newspaper, we have to take into account the commissions owed to the post office and to the agents and distributors. Some research studies about the Western European press market show that the investments necessary for launching a publication pay off in 3-4 years.In comparison with other activity domains that assure their profit from the direct sale of the product, the press institutions cannot survive based on the exclusive paper selling activity. „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 142 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 The revenues of the print media institutions are varied and unequal, depending on the type of paper and its impact on the market. The mass media market is a dual market of the mass-media products as far as the revenues registered in massmedia are concerned.The revenues come from two categories of buyers: the media products buyers and the massmedia advertising buyers (Coman, 2007). The revenues of the press institutions are obtained from the following types of activities: a). the retail or subscription selling; b). the advertising space selling for the clients who want to publish their own messages on the support offered by the press institutions; c). the selling/renting of the access right on the newspapers websites (advertising on the online version of the newspaper); d). the amounts obtained from different sources as sponsorship.Each type of these revenues contribute more or less to the success of the company's activity and are tightly interconnected and reciprocally supporting. 2. Selling strategies in print press One source of revenue is provided by the newspaper selling, but the most important source, as we previously mentioned, is the advertising spaces sold. The advertising is divided in two categories: – the small ad, which included small sized announcements narrowly targeted to different categories (job offers and demands, selling and buying real states, vehicles or other products, service provisions, renting offers and demands, commemorations, deaths and condolences etc. ) whose price is set according to the number of words, the font and the number of daily publications requested. – the display ad (the larger ad), which includes those medium or large sized announcements, and can include even a whole newspaper page and whose price is determined by the page position, by the display size, the number of editions, the number of colours used (black or multicoloured).Many of the large ad announcements are commissioned and mediated by the advertising companies. The advertising advantages in the print media are determined by the fact that this type of media advertising is flexible both in dimension and in price, with opportunities for coloured advertising, smaller or bigger or with different inserts. So that the profits from advertising to be really relevant for the company owners, it is first necessary to understand that, by attracting a bigger volume of advertising, regardless of its type, is correlated with the paper circulation and audience.The individual persons, but especially the big economic agents and advertising agencies are well aware of the fact that the advertising impact in the newspaper is in direct ration with the number of that paper's readers and when they take the decision of publishing an ad, they analyse very carefully, by comparison, both the tariffs, and the circulation or the number of readers of the papers with the profile and the coverage area they need.BRAT (The Romanian Office of Circulation Audit) is the authority able to certify the circulation number for a newspaper or a publication for certain aud ited periods, and SNA (The National Audience Study) is the authority which, on the basis of surveys, measures the audience number of a publication, that is the average number of readers per edition of that publication (in general, a copy of a newspaper is read by 4-5 people) .Taking into consideration the facts mentioned above, it is obvious that a bigger selling volume, even when it does not directly generate profit, brings about higher revenues from advertising, which in their turn, bring considerable profit for the editor. Thus, the selling objectives of the company become extremely important. In this study we used a comprehensive approach to examine different aspects of distribution networks in press. In order to achieve the purpose we used as research method the case study of the biggest regional newspaper in the country. Data ollection was performed using as investigative tools interviews with distribution and advertising managers, direct observation and also analysis of archi val documents and data. The research findings have resulted in measures aimed at developing sales networks in print but also to redress those in free fall due to the economic crisis. According to BRAT studies newspaper Gazeta de Sud from Craiova is the most widely read regional newspaper in Romania, having over 100,000 readers / day and an an average circulation number of over 16. 000 copies [8]. Gazeta de Sud is distributed in Dolj, Olt, Gorj, Mehedinti and Valcea counties.The newspaper covers every possible editorial domains specific to a newspaper: local news, social problems, sport events, health issues, education, culinary recipes, TV programmes and recommendations, investigations, economy, culture, events and celebrities' life. Gazeta de Sud is a member of the Romanian Office of Circulation Audit. Gazeta de Sud consists of the editing board and the selling departments of the newspaper (the distribution department that deals with selling the newspaper by using newspaper sellers and the distribution news stands and the subscription selling department).The selling force of the company is supplemented by the advertising selling department which has the role to sell advertising space in the newspaper and in the online version of the paper. As market competitors for Gazeta de Sud in Oltenia we can mention other regional papers, such as Editie Speciala or Cuvantul Libertatii. The average daily circulation numbers of these newspapers, of 3. 000 – 4. 000 copies „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 143Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 (circulation numbers not audited by BRAT! ), are much inferior to the circulation numbers of Gazeta de Sud, despite having a selling price and a subscription price lower than the prices of Gazeta de Sud. Among its competitors, we should mention other regional weekly publications, such as Saptamana in Oltenia/The Week in Oltenia a nd Expresul de Sud/The Southern Express, but their circulation numbers do not exceed 2. 00 – 3. 000 copies. The content quality of Gazeta de Sud, the printing quality, the supplements offered and, last but not the least, the advantage of a very early distribution system and a very well organised complaints solving system greatly favour this newspaper in winning the competition with its local or regional, daily or weekly newspapers. As any other private company, this too aims at obtaining profit as a result of a superior value creation for consumers, satisfying better the consumers' needs.Based on analysis of data from several local newspapers, it was observed that during this difficult period the press efforts are centred on sales and special offers are created to attract more and more clients for advertising. The circulation of a publication represent the number of sold copies distributed for an edition and is formed of the copies sold as retail, by subscription, promotions and protocols etc. Part of these copies which are not sold return to the company and represent daily financial loss.The distribution system of the Gazeta de Sud newspaper is presented in the figure below( fig. no. 1): Fig. no1. The circulation components As observed in the figure above, the selling circuit of print media includes three main components, namely the retail selling and the subscription selling. a) The retail selling is divided in: – the retail selling by the press distribution companies; – the retail selling by the press distributors; The retail selling by the press distribution companies is done at the news stands.The disadvantages of retail selling by the press distribution companies are especially determined by: – the selling presentation mode of the newspaper – very often illustrating the exclusive preferences of the sellers from the news stand, only certain publications are exposed and made visible to the detriment of other rival publica tion. In order to avoid this situation, the appointed personnel of Gazeta de Sud monitors and permanently assures that the newspaper is exposed at sight, giving the possibility to the clients to easily read the headlines. the delayed cash collection from the press distribution companies for the sold newspapers (minus the commissioned charged by these companies) – the relatively hard collection of return papers (unsold newspapers), which requires material and time resources. As a main advantage of the retail selling by the press distribution companies we mention the fact that, in this way, the editor benefits from an efficient selling manner of its newspaper, due to qualified personnel and strategic locations placed in the area with intense traffic (the news stands).The retail selling by the newspaper sellers is an alternative to selling at the news stands, intended not to replace it, but to complete it. In general, the newspaper sellers are placed at: – traffic lights crossroads, a situation in which the clients are the car drivers that wait for the green light; – supermarkets, markets, train stations, bus stations, traffic ways with many shops and open-air coffee shops where there are many passers-by.The newspaper sellers try to adjust to their potential clients by attracting them into buying the product offered. If in the case of the news stands, the client is the one heading for the newspaper, in the case of the newspaper sellers, we can figuratively speak about the newspaper that come directly to the client, facilitating and providing a very comfortable sale.The advantages of selling the newspaper by the newspaper sellers are the following: – facilitating the newspaper selling process for the client, making it easy, comfortable and quick; – attracting undecided clients and transforming them, in many situations, in faithful clients of that newspaper seller; – covering areas where the press distribution companies do not own news stands, thus providing access to the newspaper for a larger number of potential clients; „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 44 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 – prompt cash collection for the sold newspapers; – minimum returned newspapers, due to very meticulously and well organised daily orders and to the possibilities to supplement the order of a newspaper seller, that is giving to another seller the order left unsold in one area, according to the selling number of newspapers at a certain hour.As a drawback, we mention the often poor quality of the people willing to accept such jobs, there being situations when the clients were disturbed by the very insisting newspaper sellers (verbal aggression or not receiving the right change). Another form of retail selling, successfully practised in the United States of America and in many European Union countries is selling by newspaper vending machines. In Romania, there have been many attempts to implement such vending machines, especially in the supermarkets, given the advantage of eliminating the human intermediary from this distribution hain, whether it is the the news stand seller or the newspaper seller. However, by eliminating this intermediary and thus the disadvantages specific for these two types of retail selling, other disadvantages became obvious, such as: – the relatively higher price of the newspaper vending machines; – the building technique of these machines, which presupposes the opening of a door the moment one introduces the money, giving the possibility to take more than one paper.This does not represent a drawback for the civilised countries, but in Romania, for easily understood reasons, the editors prefer machines that give only one paper at a time. But, there are technical details to take into account here, such as the variable weight of a paper from o ne edition to the other and from one publication to the other. b) Selling by subscription Most of the editors prefer to offer the client this possibility too, that is to get the newspaper by subscribing to the system.The client's advantages are the following: – the client's safety that he'll get the right publication, avoiding the risk of not finding the newspaper at the news stands; – the subscription price is much smaller than the total price paid by the buyer for each item bought individually in a month; – the paper is received by the subscriber at the address mentioned, without being necessary to go and get it or to waste time doing it; – for the clients in the rural area, where the news stands are generally missing, it is practically impossible to get the wanted newspaper; Nonetheless, there are also disadvantages, such as: – the subscription has to be paid in full in advance, for the entire subscription period; – the paper is usually d elivered at late hours, when many people are already gone to work or to their daily activities, thus loosing one of the basic qualities (offering late, up-to-the-moment news and information); – the newspapers with weekend editions (on Saturday or Sunday) are distributed in the countryside on Monday; – the mail boxes, especially at the blocks of flats, are generally unsafe and easily allow for getting the newspaper by evil-minded people, which subsequently leads to a general discontent of the subscriber who thinks that probably the newsagent was not delivered.From the perspective of the press trust, the subscription price, in the case of Gazeta de Sud, does not always cover all these costs, but it is an accepted loss because the final profit is targeted and that is advertising (a profit which is direct relation to the circulation number of the newspaper and with the subscription number). However, the selling on subscriptions targets the fidelity of the clients, increasi ng the audience and implicitly the selling figures from advertising and much less the profit. Practically, the buyers by subscriptions are encouraged to buy a product at a much lower price per item than that bought daily from the news stands.Generally, the number of subscriptions represents a significant profit from the total circulation number of that publication. Moreover, the subscribers are usually those faithful clients that assure the safety for continuing to publish that publication and on which the editor bases the future planning. The anticipated payment of the subscription allows the editor to collect in advance considerable amounts of money, that would help organise the activities for the next period. The subscriptions do not usually generate significant profit for the editor. There are situations when the subscription price hardly covers the editing and printing costs form that publication.The starting idea is that a great number of subscriptions means a an increased cir culation number and thus a larger audience, this leading to obtaining more advertising clients from the specialised companies. The advertising companies carefully analyse the data given by the certified institutions, such as BRAT in the case of the circulation numbers, and SNA for audience, and their quantitative and value offer for large advertising is in accordance with the data. Given this fact, the editors do not necessarily target profit from subscriptions, but they calculate the indirect profit derived from advertising, due to the large audience of the newspaper. Subscribing at the post office is the most used form of subscribing to a publication. „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 145Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 The national company the Romanian Post covers the whole country and on an agreement basis, concludes contracts with the editors and distributes subscriptions to a series of publications. Another form of subscription, practised especially by several local and regional newspapers, is the subscription through their own subscribing network. Such subscribing networks have been created because the editors wanted to increase the number of subscribers, thus adding up to the subscriptions made through the post office. Taking into account the disadvantages of the post office subscription method, the newspapers subscription network aims at eliminating these disadvantages and thus earning more subscribers, even those who were initially unwilling to subscribe to these publications, given the drawbacks.Despite the higher price, the subscribers adhering to this network generally have the following advantages: – the newspaper is delivered early in the morning, offering the possibility to be read and get in touch with the latest information even before going to work or start the daily activities; – the paper is delivered even on Saturday, inclu ding in the rural areas where the network has collaborators and coverage; – there is also the possibility the payment throughout the first subscription days, especially for the new clients, to give them the possibility to appreciate the way in which the paper is delivered; – the claims and complaints are more promptly analysed and solved by the editor's personnel in charge of this aspect. Creating such subscription networks involves a considerable effort from the editor's side, being necessary to employ new people, both for the contracting part, and for the distribution of subscriptions part for the entire area to be covered. Alongside with these aspects, it is also necessary to have people that would coordinated this activity, that is to distribute newspaper packets in the locations where the subscription distributors come and pick them up and finally deliver them to the clients etc. c) Promotions and protocols A part of the total circulation number is represented by promotions and protocols.The newspaper Gazeta de Sud, but other newspapers, too, financially support this activity and have constantly resorted the so-called promotional subscriptions (subscriptions at reduced prices or even awarded free of charge), whose role is: – to achieve an intensive increase in the number of subscribers in the area where there is a deficit from this point of view; – to regain the lost subscribers; – to reward certain faithful readers; – to slightly raise the audience of the newspaper; There were many situations when a certain number of copies of a newspaper edition were given free of charge, with the purpose to promote the newspaper on the event of special occasions. In the case of protocols, these are represented by the newspapers regularly given, free of charge, to several public institutions or radio or television stations which broadcast shows about related to press reviews.Analysing the data at the end of 2011 the structure of the circulation number is the following: – 45% represent the subscriptions by the Romanian Post; – 25% subscriptions by their own distribution network; – 18% selling the newspaper at the news stands; – 8% selling the newspaper by the newspaper sellers; – 4% protocols and promotions; It can be concluded that 70% of the product buyers are faithful readers of the newspaper and that they regularly buy it by the subscription system, while the retail selling (at the news stands or by the newspaper sellers) provide only 26% of the total circulation number, additionally having the disadvantage to deal with the returned items (newspaper copies left unsold) which represent financial loss for the company. From the data analysed during 2008-2011 ( table no. 1), we note that there is a decrease in the newspaper selling figures with 43%, the most influenced being the subscription selling by its own network, which dropped with 76% and could not be compensated by the growth in the subscription rate by the Romanian post office of 36% as compared to 2008. Table no. 1. The sales evolution during 2008-2011 Year Subscription by Subscription by Retail selling at Retail selling by post network news stands newspaper sellers 2008 97. 436 118. 994 1. 704. 162 200. 000 100. 347 1. 396. 995 175. 800 72. 162 1. 088. 833 94. 681 29. 581 963. 756 83. 04 Source( Internal Report of Organization) Among the factors that contributed to this situation, we mention: – the rise of the subscription price as a consequence of rising the price of the raw material and utilities; „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 2009 2010 2011 79. 634 91. 429 132. 694 146 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 – the renouncement to certain distribution routes because of their lack of profitability; – the decrease of the population income, which made them unsubscribe the newspaper system. As a result of the data analysis, the greatest part of the population that subscribe to the newspaper are old people (over 55% of the subscribers are retired people) followed by the population of the age group 45-55 years ( approx. 30%).With the purpose of increasing the sale figures and the market quota, the press features may be used accordingly, namely by adopting or allowing for: – measures to keep the current clients faithful to the newspaper, materialised in flawless distribution, attractive price, gifts, prompt complaints solving of clients unsatisfied with the paper distribution by its own distribution system. The company has to take measures to revise the whole distribution system of the subscribed newspaper so that to improve the acquisition efficiency and the number of subscribers, because the recruitment value and number of subscribers are extremely important factors for the survival and profit generation in a business with a subscription sellin g strategy component. The reasons for not subscribing, as mentioned above, may become mostly known by surveys. The activity of attracting new clients is much more costly and given this fact new programmes should be created to keep the current clients. measures to attract new subscribers by setting up a telemarketing service, through which potential clients are contacted by phone and asked if they are willing to subscribe to the newspaper network, offering, together with other companies, promotional materials for the clients who subscribe for a longer period of time; – contacting the lost subscribers in order to establish the causes of their refusal to continue the subscription and to try, where possible, to remedy the complaints; there is also the possibility to offer reduced price subscriptions or even free subscriptions for short time intervals to make the client aware that the complaints were solved; – creating a prize awarding, extremely motivating for the newspape rs sellers and the subscription agencies that obtain very good results in their activity; – giving clients the possibility to subscribe by sending an SMS (the cost for the SMS is the equivalent price for the monthly subscription, and the client is contacted after the SMS in order to obtain all the information necessary for the delivery); ? rganising a retribution system for the post workers with good results in their activity to conclude subscriptions; ? organising a system for the so-called promotional subscriptions destined to certain locations where the paper can be read (open air cafe bars, medical cabinets, notarial offices etc. ) a situation in which the client pays the full subscription price and gets other 2-3 free subscriptions. – entering on a bigger market by a more aggressive advertising campaign; – improving the quality of the newspaper articles and actively involving the readers in the community life, a strategy that would attract a greater number of readers motivated by their involvement in the daily problems of their community.The company position is, also, seriously affected by the presence of a very high number of information sources and news that contribute to the decrease in the content value, but also to the impossibility of protecting the content; – rethinking the offer system for the online readers by paying a monthly subscription in order to have access to the content of the newspaper. The new payment model must be reorganised so that the media companies may sell packages of products that include subscriptions to the print newspaper and to the online version. Thus, the subscribers to the print version may have access also to the online version and to the smart phone /tablet version.This payment structure encourages readers to subscribe to the print edition and subsequently to support the maintenance of the circulation number. Furthermore, the attention of the clients is drawn, from the idea of restriction, to the idea of full access to the information, by any means. The strategies adopted by the press trusts for overcoming the crisis must be correlated with the resource strategies, especially since the costs for the workforce in this activity domain represent an important part of the final product cost. Given this fact, we consider that the analysis of the company's activity has to be drawn up in direct correlation with the human resource strategy for the selling component.We claim that the personnel restructuring and the dissolution of the distribution networks are supposed to be the last resort strategy, used only after all the other strategies have been analysed and eliminated, because, once the distribution network is lost, it can hardly be re-established due to higher costs. Recruitment and selection of the selling workforce in the domain are characteristics determined by the specific activity. When analysing the activity, one have to take into account a series of aspects, namely: a). the number of the current publications in the region; b). the recruitment and selection of the selling workforce, which is difficult since the revenues obtained from selling the newspaper is low; c). the geographical area where the publication is.With the purpose of winning the market, a series of major investments must be applied and, as opposed to other activity domains, we claim that the most important investment must be made in the human resources. It should not be neglected that a newspaper sells information. Some of the arguments in favour of the opinion that the human resource is the most important component are related to the quality of the newspaper articles, to the research methods „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 147 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 and subject approach and to the manner in which the readers are captivated by the headlines.Another challenge is adjus ting to the new needs and reading behaviour of diverse segments of readers, but many did not understand this aspect, despite the market data reports about the focus groups present in each trust. Overcoming the crisis does not presupposes only restricting the activity. On the contrary, as we mentioned before, it involves the quality improvement of the product. Another strategy that should be adopted by the local publications could be the identification of new distribution channels and the improvement of advertising offers to atract important clients in need of advertising. We should not forget that the important local advertising clients were the real estate investors, the banks and the auto dealers.Once the crisis was installed, most of the private and public companies have reduced their advertising budgets. Many of these companies limited their activity or even disappeared from the market, others oriented towards different mass media channels: television or radio. Another option to increase sales is to withdraw from the advertising companies in which many newspapers sell their available inventory. These companies get big commissions, and sometimes the publisher gets 5-10% of the advertising list price. The dependence to third parties for advertising selling visibly affects the newspapers performance. Those who already have their own selling teams debate on the opportunity to use the same people both for selling print and online.There are opinions supporting these convergent views, but there are also those who consider that a separate team for online selling would be more efficient. They claim that it is very hard for a sales manager to motivate and train a team that is supposed to have different selling techniques and completely different financial expectations. Likewise, in order to be complete and functional, the selling strategy presupposes the elaboration of an entire set of specific forms: the report forms, the market reports regarding the competing news papers, the press monitoring reports, the buffer stock, the monitoring report for the selling agents routes, reports regarding the number of new activity routes or new clients etc.The marketing and selling strategy of the organisation implies finding solutions to attract clients, not only by offering appealing discounts, but also by providing better articles with a more interesting content, or, in the case of the press trusts that have the opportunity of using several media channels, by offering common packages for clients. For example, those publications that do not abandon their online version of the newspaper have to find new ways to attract advertising clients for its both versions, the print and the online, eventually using these common packages. First of all, a coherent marketing approach should be based on a clear definition of the market and the audience.When all the departments of a company work together to meet the needs and the interests of the consumer, the result may be a successful one. It implies that the action should unfold on two levels: firstly, it refers to the functional components of the marketing system – the selling workforce, the advertising, the relationship with the clients, the product management, the marketing research that need to work together. Secondly, marketing should be supported, understood and accepted by all the other departments. To support the team work in a inter-department team, the organisation has to apply internal and external marketing. The external marketing is directed to the audience outside the organisation.The internal one, refers to employing, training and motivating certain capable and talented employees, which will serve the interests and the needs of the clients. The internal marketing precedes the external marketing. For an organisation, there is no point in promising excellent services before being capable to actually offer them. A selling team that is not supported by the strategic marketing cann ot successfully accomplish the selling objectives. It is very difficult to build a selling team in print media and it is more difficult to motivate it. The company existence is dependent on the way in which the selling team interacts with the clients. The strategies for keeping the products on the market should be tailored to meet the new, continuously changing expectations of the consumers.The content quality and the reputation of the publication based on the professionalism of the journalists will be the basis for the future strategies in the media businesses. 3. Conclusions Should the press trusts want to develop future strategies, they have to to be aware of the globalisation effect, of the economic changes and the new technologies and their impact on the entire media industry. It is unnatural to offer common solutions for all consumers, especially under the circumstances brought by the explosion of the Internet. There is the need for separate offers, in accordance with the publ ic segments: traditionalist users, new media users etc.This segmentation is not easy to realise and all the needs that the publication has to meet should be clearly, honestly and precisely defined. Defining and targeting a clear value for the readers and the advertising clients will help the publication have better chances to resist on the market. At the moment, thousands of papers throughout the world are caught in a fight with the Internet. Nobody knows what will happen, which of them will win the fight, or how the survivors will look like after the final round. On one hand, the new technology has led to an audience increase, and on the other hand the selling figures of the print newspapers have significantly dropped.Thus, the most aggressive competitor of the traditional selling networks in the print press is the Internet. Despite the fact that the costs for the online version of the newspaper are lower compared to the print version, the editors still don't know or don't understa nd the online phenomenon and for this new competitor they have to find solutions to reinvent themselves. „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 148 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 In print press, the business model was almost identical regardless of the advertising type: creating and distributing informational content and attaching advertising to that content.The expenses generated by the printing, distribution and salaries were covered from the newspaper selling (30%) and advertising (70%) [13]. There has never been a profound relationship between the advertising and the articles. The advertising clients had no choice in the matter, lacking alternatives for the promotion of their products or services. Their only requirement regarded the number of sold newspapers and the targeted audience. Under the current circumstances, the Internet development furthers more and more the content of t he information and advertising. Practically speaking, we ask ourselves: Which are the reasons for selling a newspaper, given that all the information may be found on the Internet? and What determines the clients to allocate budgets for the print press?As long as there are readers who want to read the newspaper in its print form, no matter what the fluctuations are, there will a market for this product and therefore the press trusts will have to find the best methods to survive. The greater the challenges for the companies management, the more difficult it is to anticipate the future of the press, no matter how many surveys will be carried out. Nowadays, under the given circumstances, the selling teams have the task to find the best solutions to attract advertising clients on one hand, and to find solutions for keeping the distribution channels for the newspaper, on the other hand. 4. Bibliography [1] Bertrand, C,J- O introducere in presa scrisa si vorbita, Ed. Polirom, Iasi, 2001 [2 ] Coman, M, Introducere in sistemul mass media , Ed.Polirom, Iasi 2007 [3] Kotler, Philip, Managementul marketingului (traducere), Editura Teora, Bucuresti, 2000. [4] Stefanescu, Paul, Bazele marketingului, Editura Didactica si Pedagogica, Bucuresti, 1994. [5] *** www. activewatch. ro -Raport Free Ex 2011 pg. 7 [6] *** www. ancom. org. ro [7] *** www. business24. ro-Piata media iese din criza. In 2012 va inregistra primele cresteri dupa 3 ani de foc [8] *** www. brat. ro [9] *** www. hotnews. ro-media publicitate [10] *** www. journalism. org [11] *** www. mediaddict. ro [12] *** http//stateofthemedia. org – The state of the new Media 2012 [13] *** www. studiu-deloitte. ro-tendintele-media-2010 „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 149