Battle of Monte Cassino in World War II

Skirmish of Monte Cassino in World War II The Battle of Monte Cassino was battled January 17 to May 18, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945). Quick Facts: Battle of Monte Cassino Dates: January 17 to May 18, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945).Allies Armies and CommandersGeneral Sir Harold AlexanderLieutenant General Mark ClarkLieutenant General Oliver LeeseUS Fifth Army British Eighth ArmyGerman Armies and CommandersField Marshal Albert KesselringColonel General Heinrich von VietinghoffGerman tenth Army Foundation Arriving in Italy in September 1943, Allied powers under General Sir Harold Alexander started pushing up the promontory. Because of the Apennine Mountains, which run the length of Italy, Alexanders powers progressed on two fronts with the Lieutenant General Mark Clarks US Fifth Army on the east and Lieutenant General Sir Bernard Montgomerys British Eighth Army on the west. Partnered endeavors were eased back by poor climate, unpleasant territory, and a relentless German safeguard. Gradually falling back through the fall, the Germans looked to purchase time to finish the Winter Line south of Rome. In spite of the fact that the British prevailing with regards to entering the line and catching Ortona in late December, substantial snows kept them from pushing west along Route 5 to arrive at Rome. Around this time, Montgomery left for Britain to help in arranging the intrusion of Normandy and was supplanted by Lieutenant General Oliver Leese. Toward the west of the mountains, Clarks powers climbed Routes 6 and 7. The last of these stopped to be usable as it ran along the coast and had been overwhelmed at the Pontine Marshes. Accordingly, Clark had to utilize Route 6 which went through the Liri Valley. The southern finish of the valley was secured by huge slopes neglecting the town of Cassino and on which sat the convent of Monte Cassino. The zone was additionally secured by the quick streaming Rapido and Garigliano Rivers which ran west to east. Perceiving the cautious estimation of the territory, the Germans constructed the Gustav Line segment of the Winter Line through the region. In spite of its military worth, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring chose not to possess the old monastery and educated the Allies and Vatican regarding this reality. First Battle Arriving at the Gustav Line close to Cassino on January 15, 1944, the US Fifth Army quickly started arrangements to ambush the German positions. Despite the fact that Clark felt the chances of progress were low, an exertion should have been made to help the Anzio arrivals which would happen further north on January 22. By assaulting, it was trusted that German powers could be attracted south to permit Major General John Lucas US VI Corps to land and rapidly involve the Alban Hills in the adversary back. It was imagined that such a move would constrain the Germans to surrender the Gustav Line. Hampering Allied endeavors was the reality the Clarks powers were worn out and battered after a battling their path north from Naples (Map). Pushing ahead on January 17, the British X Corps crossed the Garigliano River and assaulted along the coast squeezing the German 94th Infantry Division. Having some achievement, X Corps endeavors constrained Kesselring to send the 29th and 90th Panzer Grenadier Divisions south from Rome to balance out the front. Lacking adequate stores, X Corps couldn't misuse their prosperity. On January 20, Clark propelled his primary attack with the US II Corps south of Cassino and close San Angelo. In spite of the fact that components of the 36th Infantry Division had the option to cross the Rapido close San Angelo, they needed defensively covered help and stayed separated. Brutally counterattacked by German tanks and self-moved firearms, the men from the 36th Division were at last constrained back. After four days, an endeavor was made north of Cassino by Major General Charles W. Ryders 34th Infantry Division with the objective of intersection the waterway and wheeling left to strike Monte Cassino. Intersection the overwhelmed Rapido, the division moved into the slopes behind the town and increased a solid footing following eight days of substantial battling. These endeavors were bolstered by the French Expeditionary Corps toward the north which caught Monte Belvedere and attacked Monte Cifalco. Despite the fact that the French couldn't take Monte Cifalco, the 34th Division, suffering inconceivably unforgiving conditions, fought their way through the mountains towards the monastery. Among the issues looked by Allied powers were huge territories of uncovered ground and rough territory that blocked burrowing foxholes. Assaulting for three days toward the beginning of February, they couldn't make sure about the monastery or the neighboring high ground. Spent, II Corps was pulled b ack on February 11. Second Battle With the evacuation of II Corps, Lieutenant General Bernard Freybergs New Zealand Corps pushed ahead. Driven into arranging another ambush to calm weight on the Anzio foothold, Freyberg expected to proceed with the assault through mountains north of Cassino just as advance up the railroad from the southeast. As arranging pushed ahead, banter started among the Allied central leadership with respect to the monastery of Monte Cassino. It was accepted that German onlookers and mounted guns spotters were utilizing the convent for security. In spite of the fact that many, including Clark, accepted the nunnery to be empty, expanding compel at last drove Alexander to dubiously arrange the structure to be bombarded. Pushing ahead on February 15, a huge power of B-17 Flying Fortresses, B-25 Mitchells, and B-26 Marauders struck the memorable convent. German records later indicated that their powers were absent, through the first Parachute Division moved into the rubble after the besieging. On the evenings of February 15 and 16, troops from the Royal Sussex Regiment assaulted positions in the slopes behind Cassino with little success. These endeavors were hampered by well disposed fire occurrences including Allied ordnance because of the difficulties of pointing precisely in the slopes. Mounting his principle exertion on February 17, Freyberg sent forward the fourth Indian Division against German situations in the slopes. In ruthless, close-in battling, his men were turned around by the adversary. Toward the southeast, 28th (Mä ori) Battalion prevailing with regards to intersection the Rapido and caught the Cassino railroad station. Lacking protective layer support as the waterway couldn't be spread over, they were constrained back by German tanks and infantry on February 18. In spite of the fact that the German line had held, the Allies had approached an advancement which concerned the administrator of the German Tenth Army, Colonel General Heinrich von Vietinghoff , who regulated the Gustav Line. Third Battle Rearranging, Allied pioneers started arranging a third endeavor to enter the Gustav Line at Cassino. Instead of proceed with past roads of advance, they concocted another arrangement which required an ambush on Cassino from the north just as an assault south into the slope complex which would then go east to attack the convent. These endeavors were to be gone before by serious, substantial shelling which would require three days of clear climate to execute. As an outcome, the activity was deferred three weeks until the airstrikes could be executed. Pushing ahead on March 15, Freybergs men progressed behind a crawling barrage. In spite of the fact that a few additions were made, the Germans mobilized rapidly and delved in. In the mountains, Allied powers made sure about key focuses realized Castle Hill and Hangmans Hill. Underneath, the New Zealanders had prevailing with regards to taking the railroad station, however battling in the town stayed furious and house-to-house. On March 19, Freyberg would have liked to reverse the situation with the presentation of the twentieth Armored Brigade. His attack plans were immediately ruined when the Germans mounted overwhelming counterattacks on Castle Hill attracting the Allied infantry. Lacking infantry support, the tanks were before long taken out individually. The following day, Freyberg included the British 78th Infantry Division to the brawl. Diminished to house to house battling, notwithstanding the expansion of more soldiers, Allied powers couldn't conquer the undaunted German protection. On March 23, with his men depleted, Freyberg stopped the hostile. With this disappointment, Allied powers merged their lines and Alexander started formulating another arrangement for breaking the Gustav Line. Looking to carry more men to hold up under, Alexander made Operation Diadem. This saw the exchange of the British Eighth Army over the mountains. Triumph finally Redeploying his powers, Alexander put Clarks Fifth Army along the coast with II Corps and the French confronting the Garigliano. Inland, Leeses XIII Corps and Lieutenant General Wladyslaw Anders second Polish Corps contradicted Cassino. For the fourth fight, Alexander wanted II Corps to push up Route 7 towards Rome while the French assaulted over the Garigliano and into the Aurunci Mountains on the west side of the Liri Valley. Toward the north, XIII Corps would endeavor to compel the Liri Valley, while the Poles hovered behind Cassino and with requests to confine the convent ruins. Using an assortment of duplicities, the Allies had the option to guarantee that Kesselring was ignorant of these troop developments (Map). Beginning at 11:00 PM on May 11 with an assault utilizing more than 1,660 firearms, Operation Diadem saw Alexander assault on each of the four fronts. While II Corps met overwhelming opposition and made little progress, the French progressed rapidly and before long entered the Aurunci Mountains before sunlight. Toward the north, XIII Corps made two intersections of the Rapido. Experiencing a solid German protection, they gradually pushed forward while raising scaffolds in their back. This permitted supporting protection to cross which assumed a key job in the battling. In the mountains, Polish assaults were met with German counterattacks. By late on May 12, XIII Corps bridgeheads kept on developing notwithstanding decided counterattacks by Kesselring. The following day, II Corps started to increase some ground while the French went to strike the German flank in the Liri Valley. With his conservative faltering, Kesselring started pulling b

Ideological differences of Cold War

Ideological contrasts of Cold War Question 1 What was the Cold War about? Present an intensive examination that causes reference to the contrasts between nations in the East and West to up to the destruction of the Soviet Union. The Cold War depended on the ideological contrasts of the nations of the East and those of the West. The East or Eastern Bloc alluded to the nations of Eastern Europe; the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and its satellites in the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia; and the West alluded to the United States of America (USA), Britain and France specifically who were reconstructing western Europe post world war II. Topographically the references to east and west were all the more so dependent on the thought that the English talking some portion of the world had embraced vote based system, specifically liberal majority rule government as the fundamental or perfect political philosophy and free enterprise as the strategy for financial turn of events. Practically like references toward the north/south gap where there is no exacting topographical adherence. In this paper I propose to show how the Cold War of private enterprise versus socialism happened just as to clarify the fall of socialism and the ensuing end of the Soviet Union. Liberal popular government and free enterprise appear to go connected at the hip in any event that is the perfect advanced by the US and Britain who appear to relax in the commercialization that followed the Industrial Revolution. Radicalism as a philosophy grew rapidly in the late nineteenth and mid twentieth hundreds of years. Post World War I (WWI) liberal majority rules system was recognized by the President Woodrow Wilson as the belief system that would keep up harmony and steadiness as long as country states watched every others sway. At the center of radicalism were the opportunities and privileges of the individual, regard for private property, delegate government, group will and the insignificant job of the state. The privileges of the person specifically were generally significant. In surrounding its constitution the United States had mulled over this with its Bill of Rights which qualifies residents forever, freedom, equity, toleration and the privilege to monetary thrivin g. This made ready for liberal financial matters, which empowered unhindered commerce and the utilization of the market to decide gracefully and request; Adam Smiths undetectable hand. This financial arrangement or free enterprise depended on five standards: private proprietorship, showcase economy, rivalry, benefit and stable costs. These standards with regards to the political system were individualistic in nature. The thought was the private interests (business enterprise) would create merchandise for mass utilization and the section or exit of different players would fuel the economy. It is expected that the customer is balanced, that is, the person will settle on decisions relying upon taste and cost of the item. Creation is customer driven and dependent on benefits. Socialism as a political belief system and monetary strategy has its groundings in the hypothetical statutes of Karl Marx (1818-1883). Marx had a financial translation of history and war specifically. He considered the to be of any contention as class related instead of something, for example, race. The contention between the bourgeoisie and the low class, or what he saw as the abuse of the majority by the elites was the reason for the creation and trade of products and enterprises. This was the human connection which affected the social procedures and foundations. Marx accepted that the individuals who claimed the elements of creation: land, work and capital controlled the social and social standards and as such ruled the general public. In this manner the superstructure, laws and government were constrained by these individuals. Essentially the individuals who controlled the monetary circle controlled the political circle too. It is to this end Marx places that dominion driven by f ree enterprise has molded current history. This information molded Marxs see that there was a requirement for social change, an unrest. He had faith in the general idea of class struggle and recommended that sheer widespread recognizable proof of the regular workers wherever would cause mass upset and the topple of tip top government, bringing social and financial changes. The essential inhabitant of socialism was the mutual responsibility for methods for creation; the perfect inverse of a liberal majority rule society. Andrew Heywood (Politics, 1997:33) characterizes socialism essentially as a â€Å"communal association of socail presence based on aggregate responsibility for tactless society in which riches was claimed in like manner, creation was equipped to human need and the state had shriveled away†. In its most genuine sense the Cold War was not a real altogether war which utilized military but rather to a greater degree a contention communicated through military alliances, key customary power organizations, an atomic weapons contest, undercover work, intermediary wars, purposeful publicity, and mechanical rivalry. This war was battled for the most part in satellite zones. It was about military postering and the development of belief system on either side. There is a lot of contestation on when the war began, some trust it was directly before the finish of WWI in 1918 when the Bolsheviks, drove by Vladimir Lenin, pushed for communist unrest and others trust it began after WWII in 1945. Lenin and his Bolshevik gathering took power in October 1917 and he was the main leader of the Soviet Union. His understanding of Marxs socialism is matched by no other. His point was the modernize Soviet Russia, bringing it from a retrogressive agrarian state into an industrialized country. He kn ew building another state from the base up would have been troublesome so he organized a methods for keeping the average workers restrained and focused on the reason. His endeavor at beginning with the common laborers in the wide open was misjudged. The common laborers needed to be the white collar class and the working class needed to be the privileged, there was no quick solidification of the regular workers and the working class to oust the high society. So Lenin would need to assume control over measures; the upset needed to originate from the top at that point. The Bolshevik party needed to hold onto control and keep up it so as to hold the low class within proper limits and submitted, it turned out to be less of soviet vote based system and progressively like a fascism. The weight that Marx said would compel an unrest and advancement of the state was not originating from the majority yet from the political elites. The vanguard party was forming a system which in the end let to a common war. The inward battling didn't help the way that the Soviet Union had now thought that it was self in a discretionary wild since it had separated itself from its entrepreneur neighbors. The common war began to make chinks in the soviet protection, the extreme going through on the war implied less cash being spent on the social government assistance of the majority. As indicated by Martin McCauleys The Soviet Union 1917-1991 (1993:31), â€Å"(M)ore than everything else it was the absence of Bolshevik achievement in the financial circle, under the states of common war, which molded and designed the Soviet system. Deficiencies, cold, yearning and illness racked the socialist body politic† The Bolshevik party had disregarded their kin, the very individuals that they should serve. The gathering had lost its direction and the Russian economy was waning a result of it. Cash had gotten futile as the state was empowering creation with out compensation, there was minimal imp etus. Lenins long for a blended economy had passed on and had introduced the new communist economy however soon he became baffled again with what appeared to be the non-presence of a working class basically there was nobody to lead, the nation was a long way from where he has figured it would be, it was in ruin. With the progression of Leon Trotsky the economy didn't charge any better. Trotsky didn't under stand the political standards as his opponent for initiative Stalin did. Gradually and without a doubt Stalin was sabotaging Trotskys, from the start with minor differences and afterward supplanting Trotsky supporters with his own companions particularly in the key territories around the nation. Indeed, even through the entirety of this, Lenin was watching and had discovered that Joseph Stalin was a splendidly skilful man however he had gotten excessively goal-oriented and astute. Lenin considered this to be colossal flaw and that is the reason he kept on supporting Trotsky as his replacement since Trotsky was eager to see Lenins dream all the way to the finish. Stalin be that as it may, in the long run ventured into the shoes of Lenin by subverting Trotskys endeavors to let the words and thoughts of Lenin live in his memory. Lenin was the main Soviet pioneer who was even remotely near wha t was Marxism and Marxs perfect. Stalin expressed that he saw universal legislative issues as a bipolar world in which the Soviet Union would draw in nations inclining toward communism and entrepreneur nations would pull in states inclining toward free enterprise, while the world was in a time of impermanent adjustment of private enterprise going before its possible breakdown. Communism and free enterprise met up to battle World War II against Nazi Germany, yet the Soviet Union was becoming dubious of the wests desire in regards to the resettlement of the war torn European landmass. The western Allies wanted a security framework wherein vote based governments were built up as broadly as could be expected under the circumstances, allowing nations to calmly resolve contrasts through global associations, for example, the League of Nations (United Nations). So as to battle this circumstance the Soviet Union looked to embed itself into the local governmental issues of countries on its ou tskirts thus Poland (fused into two diverse SSRs), Latvia (Latvian SSR), Estonia (Estonian SSR), Lithuania (Lithuanian SSR), some portion of eastern Finland (Karelo-Finnish SSR) and eastern Romania (Moldavian SSR). In the wake of adding a few involved nations as Soviet Socialist Republics toward the finish of World War II, other involved states were added to

Of Mice and Men, 3 Characters with Loneliness :: essays research papers

Forlornness is the misery coming about because of being neglected or surrendered. John Steinbeck raised the topic of forlornness in numerous characters in Of Mice and Men. Convicts, Curley?s spouse, and Candy communicated the subject of depression in a wide range of structures all through the story. Right off the bat in the novella George stated, life filling in as farm hands is on the dejection lives to live, for these individuals seeing companionship appears as incomprehensible. Hoodlums communicated sentiments of forlornness all through Of Mice and Men. Hoodlums? depression is caused on the grounds that he is dark, at the time the story occurred there was bigotry. Since Crooks is dark he wasn?t ready to associate with the white men. When Steinbeck depicts the entirety of Crooks? assets, it shows that Crooks has been at the farm quite a while and that his assets are for the most part the he thinks about. In Crooks? room, Lennie comes to converse with him. Law breakers is careful from the outset, this was from the long periods of bigotry that Crooks suffered, he learned not to connect with white society. Steinbeck communicates the subject of dejection in the character of Candy. Candy is desolate in light of the fact that his is missing a large portion of an arm. Candy?s handicap isolates him from society, a case of Curley being put aside is when every other person gets down to business he is left in the outbuilding with Crooks, Lennie, and Curley?s spouse. Candy?s just fellowship was with his old, foul canine. Candy?s hound was an image of himself (old, and pointless). When Carlson murders Candy?s hound he executes Candy within also. Curley?s spouse had the most terrible and discouraging life. Curley?s Wife consumed her entire time on earth attempting to catch eye. She was constantly named and overlooked by everybody on the farm, a case of this is when George discloses to Lennie that she was inconvenience and to avoid her. Curley?s spouse was disregarded and utilized from at an opportune time, when she was given bogus aims on being a famous actor. Of Mice and Men, 3 Characters with Loneliness :: papers inquire about papers Depression is the misery coming about because of being neglected or deserted. John Steinbeck raised the topic of depression in numerous characters in Of Mice and Men. Convicts, Curley?s spouse, and Candy communicated the topic of forlornness in a wide range of structures all through the story. From the get-go in the novella George stated, life filling in as farm hands is on the dejection lives to live, for these individuals seeing fellowship appears as inconceivable. Evildoers communicated sentiments of forlornness all through Of Mice and Men. Law breakers? forlornness is caused on the grounds that he is dark, at the time the story occurred there was bigotry. Since Crooks is dark he wasn?t ready to associate with the white men. When Steinbeck portrays the entirety of Crooks? assets, it shows that Crooks has been at the farm quite a while and that his assets are on the whole the he thinks about. In Crooks? room, Lennie comes to converse with him. Criminals is wary from the outset, this was from the long stretches of prejudice that Crooks suffered, he learned not to connect with white society. Steinbeck communicates the subject of depression in the character of Candy. Candy is forlorn in light of the fact that his is missing a large portion of an arm. Candy?s handicap isolates him from society, a case of Curley being put aside is when every other person gets down to business he is left in the horse shelter with Crooks, Lennie, and Curley?s spouse. Candy?s just companionship was with his old, rotten canine. Candy?s hound was an image of himself (old, and pointless). When Carlson murders Candy?s hound he slaughters Candy within also. Curley?s spouse had the most woeful and discouraging life. Curley?s Wife consumed her entire time on earth attempting to catch eye. She was constantly marked and disregarded by everybody on the farm, a case of this is when George discloses to Lennie that she was inconvenience and to avoid her. Curley?s spouse was overlooked and utilized from at an early stage, when she was given bogus expectations on being a celebrity.

The Downfall of Victor Frankenstein

He was thought about and cherished by his folks, as Is indicated when he says â€Å"They appeared to draw Inexhaustible stores of fondness from an exceptionally mine of adoration to give to me† (Shelley 22). Victor likewise lived serenely and without neediness, his folks even to such an extent as taking In another kid. With Elizabeth now In the family, he additionally found out about ethics and obligation, as indicated when he states, â€Å"l, with infantile reality. Deciphered her words truly and viewed Elizabeth as mine †mine to secure, eve, and cherish† (Shelley 23) Victor was enough raised with the correct ethics and a comprehension of responsibility.Victor Frankincense's abrupt crumbling of character starts as his mom's wellbeing blurs away and when he starts going to the college of Magnolias. It is demonstrated that his psychological state is unequal when he states, â€Å"My inner being was in a condition of uprising and turmoil† (Shelley 36). As his p sychological wellness gets flimsy, he at that point gets fixated on science, making it his most noteworthy need, even over his own wellbeing and family. Victor at that point out of nowhere became overcome with the idea of making life falsely, and of the solution of life.Although Victor succeeds in his fantasy about making life, he is before long astonished at seeing what he has made. He isn't pleased with the Creature, yet disturbed at seeing it, expressing, â€Å"the magnificence of the fantasy had evaporated, and winded repulsiveness and sicken filled my heart† (Shelley 57) Victor deserts his creation and leaving it to battle for itself, in a roundabout way causing the killings of friends and family n record of his own shallowness, childishness, vanity, and dismissal of good responsibility.As the novel advances, Victor gets concerned uniquely for his prosperity, and doesn't shroud his disdain for the Creature. Both Victor's self-serving mentality and conscience radiates thr ough when he Is progressively worried for his own life, than the life of Justice's, the point at which he condescendingly states, â€Å"†¦ I have admitted myself liable of the wrongdoings attributed to Justine, yet such an affirmation would have been viewed as he ravings of a madman† (Shelley 66) Victor additionally shows no thought In holding his disdain for the Creature, and the Creature turns out to be horrendously mindful of his maker's sentiments towards him.

I shouldve started this earlier

I should’ve started this earlier If I had to explain what Junior years been like so far. Id say this picture is quite accurate: (NASA/Wallops Flight Facility/Chris Perry) Its pretty much felt that way since the beginning of this semester, which explains my lack of blogging (not that thats unusual or anything) Since Im a visual person, I drew this little photo to explain my work this semster. So essentially, Ive been hit hard with a lot of work all the sudden, and its terrible. Ask my roommates, Im pretty sure they dont actually see me at all in our room since Ive been going to sleep after them and waking up before them to get all my work done. You know that thing that they say where learning at MIT is like a firehose? Well, this semester I can definitely attest to that. My course load is intense this semester (most course 2 peeps Ive told give me a crazy look when I tell them): 2.006: Thermal-Fluids Engineering II- Notoriously a challenging class at MIT, 2.006 is all about modeling fluid flow and heat/mass systems. That all being said, I do really enjoy the content of the class. But you should probably ask me how I feel about it once Ive taken the first exam 2.008: Design and Manufacturing II- A class about different methods of manufacturing products on a larger scale. In order to gain some valuable experience manufacturing products, we get to design and manufacture plastic yoyos in this class! Definitely one of the coolest project classes at MIT. Ill be sure to make a post about this later (: 2.671: Go Forth and Measure- A class about how to measure things. Which is actually more difficult than you think it might be! Its a great class because it teaches you how to measure physical variables accurately. Because it is a communication intensive class (CI), this class is infamous for taking a lot of time to do the work (but like I said, its useful work). CMS.350: 21st Century Journalism- This HASS class stuck out to me because I enjoy blogging. Its all about how journalism works, and weve read some really interesting published pieces. Im also taking it with fellow blogger Michael C., which is pretty cool. These classes are all tough, but I take some consolation in the fact that I didnt consciously pick these classes out this semester. Im locked into these because I wont be here in the Spring (more on that below!). Academics aside, I think Ive had difficulties adjusting this semester because Im getting used to some big changes in my life. The first change that Ive made this semester is that I decided to change my home. I moved out of Maseeh and into my sorority house which is across the river in Boston. There were a lot of factors that influenced my decision, but I think it was the right choice for me. Ive really enjoyed coming home to an actual house, instead of a dorm room. I ALSO LOVE GETTING UP EARLY (never though Id say that). Living in Maseeh, I pretty much just rolled out of bed 15 minutes before class and got there right on time. Its awesome being able to get to class a little earlier in the mornings and having time to decompress before lecture starts. The best thing I think though is living around my sisters. Its so nice to have so many people looking out for you, even when you dont want to inconvience anyone to tell them about all your worries. Last week, when I was having a terrible week, one of my sisters Jess left me a card on my desk telling me that I could make it through this. Sometimes its the little things in life that help you through it all. Another big thing thats going on is that Im currently acting EIC of Technique, the yearbook and design club at MIT. Each year, we make the beautiful yearbook that encapsulates the life of students at MIT. Its a big job, but someones got to do it. Im planning on blogging about this in the future, so I wont talk about it too much. But our actual EIC decided to take a semester to go do some field work, so because Im next in the order of positions, Ive assumed her responsibilities. Its been eating up a lot of my time, so its a good thing I like everyone in that club :P Im also super thankful that last years EIC, Aki, is still around to help me through all the panic moments! The last HUGE change that I have in my life right now is that Im going to be studying abroad in Cambridge University with Natnael in the Spring :) Its a wonderful opportunity, and Im so excited to get to explore England/Europe! Im very jealous of all my friends there now since Ive awkwardly been getting all the emails about meetups but so happy that theyll be able to help orient me to campus once I get there (and help me move in, right guys?). That being said I do still have a semester here and knowing I have one less semester here has inspired this YOLO attitude in me, which is a little scary since I dont have much time now. But maybe that just means Ill have more wonderful blogs :P Anyways, more posts to come soon about some other things that Ive been up to recently :) Heres hoping that I dont fall of the edge of the blogosphere this year!

Successful Marketing Campaign Using Social Media - Free Essay Example

The use of social media has increased exponentially, creating a fertile ground for platforms as a medium for advertising (Treadaway and Smith, 2012). However, advertising on social media can be very different from traditional advertising, due to the nature of the medium and the way on which marketing messages may be received (Chaffey and Smith, 2013). However, while there are differences compared to traditional marketing, there are also some similarities; with the stages of planning. The aim of this paper is to look at the way a social media campaign may be developed successfully, and consider the key challenges in managing the messages. The process of developing a campaign may be broken down in to different stages; Determine the specific goals for the campaign Identification of target market Decision on the marketing message and specific content that will appeal to the target market Framing of the message, and choice of medium Communication of the message Monitoring of the message impact Adapting the message These different stages may be seen as akin to the traditional marketing process, with a requirement to determine the specific campaign, identification of the target market, and then the formation of the marketing message that will appeal to the target market, and stimulate the required responses (Kotler and Keller, 2011). However, the way in which it is undertaken differs, in terms of pace and style. Each of the stages can be considered individually. Goals for the campaign In any marketing plan it is necessary to determine the goals for a marketing campaign as this will frame the way in which messages are created and communicated. For example, a campaign target may be to increase brand awareness; alternatively, the campaign may be to specifically increase sales, it is important to determine this, as it will impact the message that is developed (Kotler and Keller, 2011). Goals can be clearly defined using the SMART acronym, where the goal should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound, or timely. For example, a marketing campaign may be undertaken with the aim of selling a specific number of items within a specific time, or gaining a specific percentage increase in brand awareness in a specific time. Identification of target market Before developing a message, after determining the goal of the campaign, it is important to identify the target market. The primary target market may be defined in terms of the profile of the consumers who are most likely to make a purchase. For example, the target market for the sale of nappies will be parents with children under the age of two, whereas the target market for stair lifts are likely to be primarily those over retirement age, who have mobility issues (Hooley et al., 2007). The target market may be defined in a number of ways; traditionally this will include issues such as demographics, psychographics, life-cycle stage, individual interests and geographical location (Hooley et al., 2007). Social media also provides a significant advantage with the ability to specifically target narrow market segments. For example, utilising Facebook it is not only possible to identify a target market by gender, age, and location, they may also be targeted in terms of their specified i nterests, such as interests in competitors pages, or complimentary pages, they may also be targeted in terms of behaviour, and whether they have made online purchases (Facebook, 2015). Developing the marketing message The message itself will be based on the aims of the marketing campaign, and the type of call for action which may be included. For example, if a promoter is selling tickets to a concert, a link to purchase the tickets may be the call for action (Chaffey and Smith, 2013). However, motivation to take action should also be provided, such as a simple as time limited offer, or a statement of limited availability to stimulate action (Treadaway and Smith, 2012). The challenge in the development of the message is ensuring it is received and understood in an effective manner, and gains a sufficient amount of attention to be effective. In all social mediums, algorithms impact on the way in which posts by different companies are seen; the greater the level of popularity for a single post, usually judged through the use opposed interactions, the greater the level of organic exposure (Chaffey and Smith, 2013). The message needs to appeal to the audience to encourage interaction. Research by de Vries, Gensler Leeflang (2012) found that certain characteristics were highly influential the way in which posts were interpreted by social media users. For example, posts which included vivid, relevant images, such as high-resolution photographs on mediums such as Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest were able to gain a higher level of interest compared to text only comments (de Vries et al., 2012). Additionally, posts which required an interaction, such as questions, or polls, also stimulated high levels of interaction (de Vries et al., 2012). In social mediums, greater levels of consumer interaction with company posts usually have a positive impact on the perception of the brands, influencing the information search and evaluation stage of the consumer purchase decision making model, and impact positivity on purchase intent (Moe and Schweidel, 2012). Framing the Message Determining the content of the message, such as the text and whether images will be used, is only the beginning. Framing the message is particularly important on social media, and can messages gain popularity, and be reposted, or create controversy (Chaffey and Smith, 2013). Framing refers to the way in which something is said; the frames being storylines making message relevant, and the framing effect being the way in which the message may alter an opinion (Chaffey and Smith, 2013). Where issues are framed in a pertinent manner, they are more likely to be heard, especially when linking with other target market interests, for example dominoes is known to offer special deals on Facebook when there are sporting events, Dominoes Pizza suggests deliveries so customers can watch the events on television, without the need to cook or leave the house (Dominoes, 2015). However, mistakes can also be made; Dunkin Donuts provides an important lesson, when in February 2015 they sought to capita lise on their position as being Liverpool FCs official coffee, tea, and bakery provider (McCarthy, 2015). As part of that campaign the company adapted the Liverpool FC crest replacing elements with the Dunkin Donuts logo, generating a high level of controversy. The Liverpool FC crest has two eternal flames each side of the crest, placed in memoriam of the Hillsborough disaster victims (McCarthy, 2015). Dunkin Donuts replaced the flames with two milkshakes, and was perceived by the audience as an insult to the victims that were memorialised (McCarthy, 2015). The marketing team were unaware of the meaning significance of the eternal flames, and later withdraw messages, and issued an apology after suffering high level of negative publicity (McCarthy, 2015). This exemplifies the importance in considering the framing of a message (McCarthy, 2015). Communicating the message The communicating message may be perceived as the easiest stage of the marketing campaign. However, there are still some considerations. For example, the timing of messages may be important; Facebook analytics demonstrate the different types of messages are more likely to be received positively at different times of day, and on different days of the week (Facebook, 2015; Zarrella, 2009). However, it is also important to ensure that the marketing message can be monitored following its release, as companies can appear highly insensitive and aloof when the firm does not respond, especially if they are pertinent to the campaign (Chaffey and Smith, 2013), such as the criticisms faced by Dunkin Donuts in the case cited above. Therefore, the timing of the message needs to be considered to ensure that it can optimise potential, and that it can be monitored in order to ensure there are no issues with the communication, either in terms of the practical element, all the way in which it is bei ng interpreted, including unexpected interpretations. Monitoring and adapting the Message In all marketing campaigns, marketers will wish to monitor the way in which messages are being received. Social media differs significantly from traditional media in terms of the information that can be gained, and the speed of feedback. For example, social platforms are able to provide a high level metrics regarding the number of people that have seen a message, and interacted in some way (Chaffey and Smith, 2013). The metrics facilitate an examination of different campaigns, and an organisation may be able to determine which messages are most effective, and which may need to changed in order to ensure optimal use of marketing budgets (Chaffey and Smith, 2013; Treadaway and Smith, 2012). Key Challenges for Managing Social Media Campaigns While the above stages have examined how social media marketing may be undertaken in an effective manner for a logical process, successful campaigns should be perceived as part of holistic social media marketing strategy. Firstly, marketers may be tempted to post only marketing messages, but research indicates that interactions with social media users are more likely to take place if there is a pure sales atmosphere (Chaffey and Smith, 2013; Treadaway and Smith, 2012). This means specific marketing messages should be interspersed with more generalised socially interactive messages, and marketing managers need to become experts in creating engaging social communications; Facebook recommend a ratio of 8 to 2, with 8 general interactive messages for every two sales messages (Facebook, 2015). Additionally, there are certain characteristics that help enhance effective social media marketing campaigns, which marketers should seek to include and leverage. The first is the value of word -of-mouth, and user created content (Godes and Silva, 2012). Word of mouth marketing can help to spread a message exponentially where it becomes viral. A good example is the US airline West Jet and their 2013 Christmas Miracle You Tube campaign. The short video from the relatively small airline, and relativity small budget compared to mass media costs, reached millions of viewers as a result of going viral on social media (West Jet, 2013). By 2015 it has received more than 41 million views (West Jet, 2013). The success was due to the appeal of the message which was not direct sales, and created a feel good factor. Sharing and word of mouth are important, however, marketing managers may also benefit from generating user created content, such as reviews, photographs, or even videos. Where content is created by the users rather than the company, it inherently perceived as having a higher level of credibility compared to company generated messages (de Vries et al., 2012). This is als o a challenge, to motivate the creation of the positive content. Additionally, they should resist the deletion of negative content; research indicates the deletion of poor reviews etc can undermine credibility of the firm (Godes and Silva, 2012). The challenge for marketing managers is also in the way that successful social media marketing can create and ongoing relationship with the users (Chaffey and Smith, 2013). Smith and Zook (2011) developed a ladder of engagement to explain this, demonstrating that the greater the level of engagement by social media users with company or brand pages, the greater the level of commitment to the brand, and that it was possible through engagement to turn casual interactions into individuals who are engaged customers, who would then become brand ambassadors and zealots, generating user created, providing important competitive information, and creating a high level of brand support. In the long term, it is this type of user that is likely to be most beneficial with the provision of positive brand messages and user created content that are persuasive to the target market, as well as potentially aiding in the development of product brands and services more directly though their contributions. However, zealots are unlikely to be more than 1% of all users (Smith and Zook, 2011). Bringing all of these factors together, undertaking marketing in an effective manner in a coordinated an ongoing manner provides the potential for an effective social media marketing campaign. References Chaffey, D, Smith, P R, (2013), EMarketing Excellence, London, Routledge Dominoes, (2015), retrieved 26 May 2015 from https://www.facebook.com/DominosPizza de Vries, L, Gensler, S, Leeflang, P S H, (2012), Popularity of Brand Posts on Brand Fan Pages: An Investigation of the Effects of Social Media Marketing, Journal of Interactive Marketing, 26 (2), 83à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"91 Facebook, (2015), Advertise on Facebook, retrieved 27 May 2015 from https://www.facebook.com/advertising Godes, D, Silva, J. C, (2012), Sequential and temporal dynamics of online opinion, Marketing Science, 31(3), 448à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"473 Hooley, G J, Saunders, J A, Piercy, N F, (2007), Marketing Strategy and Competition Positioning, London, Prentice Hall Kotler P.; Keller K., (2011), Marketing Management, London, Prentice Hall McCarthy, J, (2015), Dunkin Donuts Sorry for Its Insensitive Liverpool Quest Edit Disrespecting Hillsborough Dead, The Drum, retrieved 27 May 2015 from https://www.the drum.com/news/2015/02/26/dunkin-donuts-sorry-insensitive-liverpool-crest-edit-disrespecting-hillsborough-dead Moe, W M, Schweidel, D A, (2012), Online product opinions: Incidence, evaluation, and evolution, Marketing Science, 31(3), 372à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"386 Smith P R, Zook, Z, (2011), Marketing Communications Integrating Offline and Online Social Media, London, Kogan Page Treadaway, C, Smith, M, (2012), Facebook Marketing, London, John Wiley Sons Sands Twitter, (2015), Twitter Business Basics, retrieved 27 May 2015 from https://business.twitter.com/basics West Jet, (2013), WestJet Christmas Miracle: real-time giving, You Tube, retrieved 29th May 2015 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIEIvi2MuEk Zarrella, D, (2009), The Social Media Marketing Book, Farnham, OReilly Publications

Creating and Strengthening Organizational Culture the...

Creating and Strengthening organizational culture: The experience of Digi Malaysia TABLE OF CONTENT Introduction Discussion Power Distance Individualism versus collectivism Masculinity versus feminity Uncertainty Avoidance Conclusion Citation INTRODUCTION Culture is a global phenomenon that derived from social, economic, legal, political and religious norms, values and traditions of the society. Culture shapes the behavior of individuals to act accordingly in different situations faced by the individuals in all spheres of life. An organizational culture is commonly defined as a set of beliefs, values and assumptions that are shared by members of an organization (Schein, 1985). In both personal and organizational level, it†¦show more content†¦3) MASCULINITY- A situation in which the dominant values are success, money and professions as opposed to the situation in which the dominant values are caring for others and the quality of life. 4) UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE - The extent to which people feel threatened by ambiguous situations and have created beliefs and institutions that they try to avoid. This study evaluated the organizational culture dimensions of Digi Malaysia based on the Hosftede theory. RESULT amp; DISCUSSION Power Distance Based on Hofstede (1991) survey, he discovered that the two main ethnic groups in Malaysia (Malay and Chinese) are very high power distance. Malaysia ranked top in the list among the 50 countries studied across 3 regions with the power distance score of 104. Back in 2004, Digi Malaysia had practiced high power distance culture which can be interpreted from its organizational structure and working environment. Like most other Asia-based organisations, its former office was a less than inspring space, occupied by warrens of conversation-proof cubicles. Instead of an office awash with natural light, DiGi’s previous office was hidden behind window blinds and flooded with stark fluorescent lights. Senior managers were ensconced behind closed doors which impeded effective communication.Show MoreRelatedCase 29 Panera Bread Company: Rising Fortunes?25159 Words   |  101 PagesMAXIS BERHAD COMPANY PROFILE Maxis Berhad, with its consolidated subsidiaries (together, Maxis ), is the leading mobile communications service provider in Malaysia with over 11.4 million mobile subscribers as of 30 June 2009. Maxis was granted licences to operate a nationwide GSM900 mobile network, a domestic fixed network and an international gateway in 1993. It commenced its mobile operations in August 1995 and launched its fixed line and international gateway operations in early 1996. Since