Obligation Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Obligation Assessment - Essay Example The case is having a history which is stated below. Plaintiffs one and two were married during 1986 and wished to buy a weekend house which they were ready to procure if no excessive repairs were required. They had seen the house Nutford Farm House, Blandford, Dorset. Both the plaintiffs were happy with the house and wished to buy it. Mrs. Marrow conducted the survey on it and sent her report stating that there is no requirement for much repairs and stated some defects were seen in that house. The plaintiffs were willing to buy a house at a cost up to  £170,000, but were not ready to spend any more for repair. Depending and trusting the report forwarded by Mrs. Morrow, the couple decided to buy Nutford Farm House. The asking cost for the house was set at  £175,000, as there was another client ready to buy it offering a price of  £177,500 and the couple bought the property. The situation changed after entering for living in that house. The hide out stated as â€Å"overall dwell ing house to be sound, stable and in good condition† (Stephen, Ralph & Bingham, 1991, p.3) by Mrs. Morrow turned out to be a structure requiring much monetary expense for normal make up. The â€Å"eradication of wood borer in roofing timbers† (Stephen, Ralph & Bingham, 1991, p.3) was actually necessitating â€Å"the roof was due for renewal with felting, rebattening and retiling† (Stephen, Ralph & Bingham, 1991, p.4) and â€Å"minor works of eradicating continued dampness in ground floor walls† (Stephen, Ralph & Bingham, 1991, p.4) was actually shown as â€Å"the first floor timbers needed specialist woodworm treatment and refixing of firring pieces with extensive renewal of floor boarding† (Stephen, Ralph & Bingham, 1991, p.4) also with other works which were not mentioned in Mrs. Morrow’s report of survey. This indicates the fact â€Å"surveyors report negligently failing to disclose defects† (Stephen, Ralph & Bingham, 1991, p.1) whi ch should be trialled under

Complexometric Determination of Water Hardnesss Essay Example for Free

Complexometric Determination of Water Hardnesss Essay Introduction/Background: This lab was about determining water hardness. Water hardness is the amount of metal ions in the water. The most common found ion in the water is calcium ions and typically with a charge of +2. Water hardness plays a big significance in our daily life because to many metal ions in our drinking water can have adverse effects on our body. You can measure the water hardness by EDTA titrations. EDTA is a disodium salt that stands for ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and it is a chelating agent. Chelation is the process of a ligand forms a complex with a metal ion. Eriochrome Black T is an indicator you add to the water sample that will turn the water pink if metal ions exist. Through the process of titration, carefully adding EDTA to the water sample with the Eriochrome Black T will cause a chemical reaction to occur, slowly changing the water color from pink to violet and then violet to a light blue which will be the end of the chemical reaction. Once the titration is complete you can calculate your water hardness. Above in the formula V represents the actual delivered volume of Na2EDTA solution and M is your actual molarity. Procedures: Start by preparing 500mL of 0.004 disodium EDTA solution. This is what will be added to the buret. Next take a 250-mL Erlenmeyer flask and add 10.00mL of standardized calcium and 30mL of deionized water. Place a magnetic stir-bar in the flask and set on top of a piece of white paper on a magnetic stirrer. After place 3mL of ammonia/ammonium chloride buffer (pH10) inside the flask and let it stir for thirty seconds. Lastly add four drops of Eriochrome Black T indicator to the solution which will turn it a pink color. Begin titration and watch as the color changes from pink to violet and then violet to a light blue color. Record the data when the color turns a light blue and repeat the process two more times. Fill the buret with the same 500mL of 0.004 disodium EDTA solution. Take 25.00mL of an unknown water sample and add it to a 250mL Erlenmeyer flask. Mix in 20mL of deionized water. Set a magnetic stir-bar inside the solution and place on the magnetic stirrer. Next add 3mL of ammonia/ammonium chloride buffer (pH10). After thirty seconds of stirring add four drops of the Eriochrome Back T indicator and watch as the solution turns pink. Begin your titration by slowly adding small droplets of the 0.004 disodium EDTA solution. The color will slowly change to a violet color and then to a blue color which will be the stopping point. Record the data and repeat two more times. With the data collected calculates the hardness of each sample, then the average water hardness of all three samples, and lastly the precision of each trial. Compare your data to the expected range of a local cities water hardness. Results and Discussion: The first three titrations involved the known Calcium stock, titration 1 used 22.91ml of Na2EDTA solution before the titration complete. The second Titration used 21.91ml while the third and final used 21.55ml of solution. During the procedure a 250ml Erlenmeyer flask was used as well as a 50ml burette, the buret was filled with our Na2EDTA solution while the flask was filled with 30ml of DI water, 3ml of ammonia, and 4 drops of an indicator, in this case Eriochrome Black T. Experimental error was calculated by taking the sum of all absolute deviations/3 than divided by the mean concentration of Na2EDTA, in this case the mean concentration was .00452M, and lastly, multiplied by 1000 to get the answer in PPT. Table 1 below shows the readings of both solutions before and after titration. The mean concentration of these titrations is 0.00452, This figure was used to find the estimated precision which came out to 23.270% off of 100% meaning the experiment was 76.73% accurate. Finally the volume of the unknown was calculated to find the ppm for each titration and the mean of all three titrations was used to find the estimated precision of the unknown in ppm. The mean in ppm for the unknown came to 212ppm, this number was plugged into the equation for estimated precision which is the sum of all absolute value deviations/ number of trials, all of which is divide by the mean and multiplied by 1000ppt. The final figure came out to 25.2% off of 100% meaning that the experiment was 74.8% accurate. Conclusion: In conclusion the water hardness of a solution can be found by titrating a known solution containing metal ions and using a chelating agent such as EDTA to determine the impurities of each of the water samples. Also, using the data collected from each titration the concentration and mean can be found from each titration and used to determine the water hardness in ppm. The estimated precision of this experiment can be found by running multiple titrations on the same sample more than one time. The results obtained in this experiment include a mean concentration for the Calcium stock of .00452M, and an estimated precision of 76.73% and the average water hardness was 400.39ppm. The estimated precision for the unknown was 74.8% and an average water hardness of 204ppm. In this experiment 500ml of a known solution EDTA was prepared; a 10ml pipet was used to transfer a standard calcium ion stock solution into a 250ml Erlenmeyer flask. 30ml of DI water was added to the flask and the contents were than stirred using a magnetic stirrer and stirring rod. 3ml of Ammonia was added to the flask mixed for a few seconds underneath the fume hood and 4 drops of an indicator was added, in this case Eriochrome Black T. The contents of the flask were stirred for thirty seconds before titration began, as the titration progressed, the color changed from pink to violet and finally to a sky blue color indicating that the titration was complete. This process was completed with minor changes for the Unknown #141, 25ml of the unknown was placed in the flask and 20ml of Di water was used rather than 30ml, the rest of the titration however, used the same steps as above. Work Cited Klenck, Thomas. How It Works: Water Softener. Popular Mechanics 1 Aug. 1998: n. pag. Web. 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Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun :: Essays Papers

A Raisin In The Sun "A Raisin in the Sun" was written by Lorraine Hansberry. It has won her an award in 1959, at age 29, the youngest American, the fifth woman, and the black playwright to win the Best Play of the Year Award of the New York Drama Critics. This book of the play has been put in its entire form. The original play did not include some scenes. This book has been an inspiration to a lot people. In my personal opinion, the central message is to show how the value systems of black families are. In some ways they are unique, but most ways are exactly the same as white families. In most white and black families, God is the center and heart of the family. An example of how strong an influence on families is when Beneatha and Lena argue about God's existence. "Beneatha: Mama, you don't understand. It's all a matter of ideas, and God is just one idea I don't accept. It's not important. I am not going out and be immoral or commit crimes because I don't believe in God. I don't even think about it. It's just that I get tired of Him getting credit for all the things the human race achieves through its own stubborn effort. There simply is no blasted God-there is only man and it is he who makes miracles!" After Beneatha had finished her argument, Lena slapped her across her face and made Beneatha say, "In my mother's house there is still God". Lena stressed out her points that she will not tolerate any ideas like that in her house, or as long as she's around. Black families have a huge sense of pride of where they come from. For example, Asagai always talked about Africa and how it will be good for him if he goes there. He even asked Beneatha if she would go with him. ''Asagai: Nigeria. Home. (Coming to her with genuine romantic flippancy) I will show you our mountains and our stars; and nice you cool drinks from gourds and teach you the old songs and the ways of our people-and, in time, we will pretend that- (Very Softly)-you have only been away for a day. Say that you'll come- (He swings her around and takes her full in his arms in a kiss which proceeds to passion)"

Plot of Pride and Prejudice :: essays research papers

Mrs. Bennet is anxious to have her five daughters marry into well houses. When a rich single, man Charles Bingley, arrives nearby, she urges her husband to get to know him. The Bennets go to a ball in a town called Meryton, and are introduced to Charles Bingley. Everyone likes him but his friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy is found to be arrogant. Mr. Darcy doesn’t dance with anyone outside his â€Å"group,† and he says that Elizabeth Bennet is attractive, but not enough to tempt him. Mr. Bingley starts to admire Jane Bennet and his love deepens to the extent that Jane’s sisters and Mr. Darcy get concerned. Mr. Darcy is repelled by the family’s lower status and an embarrassing family. Mr. Darcy, however, still becomes interested in Elizabeth’s good-spirited character, and Mr. Bingley’s jealous disapproval do nothing to lessen Mr. Darcy’s interest. Caroline asks Jane to come to Netherfield. On the way there, Jane catches a cold and is forced to stay. Mrs. Bennet loves this information because she will use any means to push her daughter onto Mr. Bingley. Jane’s condition worsens, and Elizabeth goes to Netherfield instead. Her concern for her sister and her intellect interest Mr. Darcy even more, but he is afraid of falling in love with someone who is so much poorer. Mr. Bennet’s estate at Longbourn is supposed to go to Mr. Collins, a clergyman, because Mr. Bennet doesn’t have a son and Mr. Collins is the nearest male relative. Mr. Bennet sends his cousin on a chore to Meryton with his daughters. There they meet George Wickham, a handsome militia officer. At an evening party, Wickham tells Elizabeth his life story. Wickham’s story makes Darcy look arrogant and cruel, and Elizabeth start to have a prejudice against Mr. Darcy from then on. At another ball, Elizabeth resents Wickham’s absence. Later on she is also embarrassed by her family. Mrs. Bennet refuses to stop talking about what a good couple Jane and Mr. Bingley will make. On the other hand, Mary Bennet bores the whole company by trying to play the piano. Mr. Collins, suddenly, proposes to Elizabeth at the ball and she rejects. Mr. Collins doesn’t believe that Elizabeth is intently refusing him, but after Mr. and Mrs. Bennet explain it to him, he seems to understand. The whole Bingley party, all of a sudden, leaves Netherfield to go to London. Caroline Bingley writes to Jane that they don’t mean to return for the whole winter, and she tells her what a good couple Georgiana Darcy and Mr.

Marketing and Car Rental Companies

THE INFLUENCE OF INTERNAL MARKETING ELEMENTS ON BRAND IMAGE OF SELECTED CAR RENTAL COMPANIES IN SOUTH AFRICA STUDENT NAME XXXXXX (student number) Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree PhD in Marketing Management in the Faculty of Management at the University of Johannesburg JOHANNESBURG September 2009 Supervisor: Prof xxxxx Co-supervisor: Dr yyyy Table of contents ____________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH 1. 1 Overview of services and services marketing 1. Internal marketing 1. 3 Brand identity and brand image 1. 4 Car rental in South Africa 2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 3. 1 Primary objective 3. 2 Secondary objectives 4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 5. HYPOTHESES 6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH 7. LITERATURE REVIEW 7. 1 Theoretical paradigm 7. 2 Research Constructs 7. 3 Relationship between variables 8. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 8. 1 Research design 8 . 2 Research format 8. 3 Population and sample 8. 4 Data collection instruments, sources and procedures 8. 5 Data analysis 9. DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY 10. CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY 11.CLARIFICATION OF TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 12. DIVISION OF THE STUDY 13. TIME FRAME AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS 14. LIST OF REFERENCES 3 3 4 6 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 19 19 20 22 23 23 24 24 25 26 27 27 28 28 29 30 31 2 Research proposal 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Organisations across all industries recognise that services are becoming an important factor in all their business dealings to obtain a competitive advantage (Strydom, 2005:114). According to Palmer (2005:2), every industry is a service industry and the only aspect that separates industries is the size of their service component.Innovative organisations offering unique services to customers are now succeeding in markets where established organisations have failed (Lovelock and Wirtz, 2004:4). Services marketing management is about servicing and caring about people (Kasper, van Helsdingen and Gabbott, 2006:9). People encompass individuals, households, employees and organisations. In general, services deal with intangibles, in other words, things that cannot be hold, touched nor be seen before they are utilised (Gronroos, 2000:7). Services refer to deeds, processes and experiences (Kasper et al, 2006:9; Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler, 2006:4). . 1 Overview of services and services marketing Many skills, activities, knowledge, performances, efforts, deeds, systems and processes are required when implementing processes which focus on people. Developing and implementing assets and capabilities, including motivating employees to serve the client well through the delivery of excellent service quality is a challenge to any services organisation. The interaction between customers and service employees is vital for the actual success of service delivery (Kasper, van Helsdingen and de Vries, 1999:513).Organisations have realised that m arketing and managing services presented issues and challenges not faced in manufacturing and packaged goods companies. Employees previously employed by manufacturing companies found that their skills and experiences were not directly transferable. Services organisations realised there are a need for new concepts and approaches for marketing and managing services organisations (Zeithaml et al, 2006:10). Customer expectations and experiences play a vital role in the success of a services organisation.Since customers mainly rely on the contact they have had with employees of the services organisation, personal contact between employees and customers will to a large extent determine the success of the services organisation (Lovelock, 1996:50). The 3 Research proposal success of the Disney brand results from the organisation placing emphasis on the importance of their employees. They have realised that satisfied employees deliver better service quality, resulting in satisfied customers (Papasolomou and Vrontis, 2006:39).To ensure consistency service brands have developed internal marketing programmes in order to recruit, train and manage employees to deliver on the brand? s promises (McDonald, De Chernatony and Harris, 2001:337). 1. 2 Internal marketing Internal marketing views the employee as an internal customer, jobs as internal products and holds the view that all employees in an organisation serve both a customer and a supplier even in the event where one or both of these are internal colleagues (Zeithaml and Bitner, 2003:319).The goal of internal marketing is to establish, implement and manage a customer-focused service culture, strategy and relationships, which should result in higher levels of service quality (Varey and Lewis, 2000:200). In order to achieve the goal of internal marketing service organisations need to recognise that marketing strategies should not only be aimed at external customers, but should also be implemented internally and achieve bet ter internal communication.Therefore the internal marketing mix have to be of central importance in services organisations as each element represents cues that customers rely on in judging quality and overall image (Mudie and Pirrie, 2006:6). Marketing activities are traditionally structured around the four Ps related to products, that is product, price, promotion and place (distribution). In the services marketing mix an additional three Ps were added referring to people, process and physical evidence. However, marketing theorists are forever debating the relevant number of Ps and subsequently a variety of marketing mixes are being used in the various industries.Although most literature focuses on the seven Ps of services, additional four Ps including positioning, personal relationships, packaging and performance were recently introduced to the market, resulting in a number of eleven elements of the marketing mix (Balmer, 1998:31; Simister, 2009:3). These eleven elements should be 4 Research proposal included in the internal marketing programmes service organisations are offering to employees to ensure improved interaction with customers as suggested by the literature. Irrespectively of the nature of the service, employees working in the front-line interact directly with customers.In many service organisations, they are the only contact customers have with the organisation. They need to understand the customer? s needs and match the company? s service offering with the specific customer need. Moreover, they collect intelligence on competition, they help the company clarify what the needs of customers exactly are and assess the company? s ability to satisfy them. These employees promote the company? s overall image and the brand image of the company? s services (Gounaris, 2008:402). However, the font-line employees are not the only employees who should be exposed to internal marketing.In a services organisation it is imperative that all employees should be tra ined, developed and informed of the vision and goals of the organisation enabling them to deliver excellent services. Internal marketing requires the involvement of a number of departments working in unison to improve performance (Ahmed and Rafiq, 2002:57). A study conducted by Harris and Ogbonna (2000) unfortunately displayed that service employees were reluctant and resisted the concept of market orientation. Employees also lacked service consciousness.Harris and De Chernatony (2001:441) argue that ignorance and lack of training may explain the resistance, while employees may also feel that they may lose political power and status in the organisation by becoming more customer focused (Harris, 2002:62). Furthermore, front-line and contact centre employees are often under paid which results in a lack of enthusiasm and customer orientation. This eventually becomes an important barrier of the effort to meet customers? expectations, thus jeopardising the entire image of a service brand (Gounaris, 2008:402).Therefore, internal marketing programmes should not only include the internal marketing mix, but should also include the organisational fit, identification with the company, employee participation in decision making, commitment, accuracy and openness of communication (Naude, Desai and Murphy, 2003:1215). Liu, Petruzzi and Sudharshan (2007:25) argue that training with an emphasis on the specific tasks that employees have to accomplish, employee empowerment, sharing information pertaining to customer needs and rewarding 5 Research proposal mployees based on the quality of customer service they deliver. Employees that complete tasks effectively become motivated to provide a high quality service which results in higher levels of customer satisfaction. As a result, customers are satisfied, since expectations are met or exceeded and the brand image of the company will be positive (Donaldson and O? Toole, 2002:155; Varey and Lewis, 2000:200,201). Internal marketing, a lso known as internal branding or employee branding is viewed as equally important to external brand building or the brand management of customers (O?Callaghan, 2009:4; Witt and Rode, 2005:278). Another factor playing a role in business success is the establishment of a favourable brand image (Park, Cho and Kandampully, 2009:134). Brands are often seen as a major relationship builder between a service organisation and its customers. Kasper et al (2006:163) argue that brands are not only the product or service an organisation sells or delivers, but represent everything an organisation does and specifically what an organisation represents to its employees and its markets. 1. 3 Brand identity and brand imageBrands are increasingly seen as valuable market assets and an essential source of differentiation in industries which are becoming saturated with similar service offerings. Additionally, brands have certain functions such as improving loyalty, identifying the provider of the service , reducing search costs, reducing perceived risk and signalling quality (Kasper et al, 2006:163; Aurand, Gorchels and Bishop, 2005:164). Service organisations have begun to realise that the importance of nurturing relationships between employees and customers adds to the development of employees? nd customers? respect for certain functional and emotional values of the brand (Papasolomou and Vrontis, 2006:38). Subsequently, an integrated branding strategy is required to align the organisation? s strategy, processes and resources to ensure consistency in the quality of the service delivery and a positive perception of the brand (LePla, Davis and Parker, 2003:3-5). 6 Research proposal One of the critical steps in building a strong brand is to create a brand identity. The brand identity is aspirational, since it refers to how the brand would like to be perceived.Creating a brand identity is more than determining what customers say they need, it should also reflect the soul and vision of the brand and what it hopes to achieve. Aaker (1996:68) stated that the brand identity which provides the direction and strategic vision of the brand consists of twelve dimensions organised around four perspectives: Brand-as-product (product scope, product attributes, quality/value, uses, users, country of origin) Brand-as-organisation (organisational attributes, local versus global) Brand-as-person (brand personality, brand-customer relationships) Brand-as-symbol (visual imagery/metaphors and brand heritage)The brand identity should be strategic, reflecting a business strategy that will lead to a sustainable advantage, while the brand image tends to be more tactical (Aaker, 1996:70). The brand image of a service organisation is even more important than a product company due to the intangibility that characterises services. Brand image consists of two categories, namely brand associations and brand awareness. One generally accepted view of brand image is that perceptions about a br and are reflected by a cluster of associations that customers connect to the brand name in memory.Brand associations are the informational nodes linked to the brand node in memory and contain meaning of the brand for customers (Aaker, 1991:110; Keller, 1998:45). Keller (1998:45) classifies brand associations into three major categories, i. e. attributes, benefits and attitudes. Attributes refer to the descriptive features that characterise the brand. Product related attributes are essentially defined as the components of the core product function sought by customers. In terms of services, the service related attributes refer to the process of the core service (O?Cass and Grace, 2003:453). Benefits are the personal value customers attach to the brand attributes and brand attitudes are customers? overall evaluation of the brand (Del Rio Vazquez and Iglesias, 2001:411). Low and Lamb, (2000:352) conceptualise brand image, that is functional and symbolic perceptions; brand attitude as th e overall evaluation of the brand; and 7 Research proposal perceived quality as the judgements of overall superiority as possible dimensions of brand associations.The literature regards brand attributes, perceived quality and brand attitude as separate dimensions of brand associations under less familiar brands and as one dimension under well known brands. Well known brands also tend to exhibit multi-dimensional brand associations, which is consistent with the idea that customers have more developed memory structures for more familiar brands (Low and Lamb, 2000:353). Brand associations are important to decision makers in services organisations to improve brand identity amongst employees, which should result in positive brand associations amongst customers.Brand awareness refers to the strength of a brand? s presence in the customer? s mind. Awareness is measured according to the different ways in which customers remember a brand, ranging from recognition (exposure to the brand) to r ecall (what can be recalled about the brand) to first in the mind (the brand appearing first in the mind) and finally to dominant (the only brand recalled) (Aaker, 1996:10). Brand awareness is created by increasing the familiarity of the brand through repeated exposure and strong associations with the relevant cues enabling the customer to recall the brand effectively (Keller, 2003:70). . 4 Car rental in South Africa The homogeneity and heightened competition in the car rental industry are forcing car rental companies to consider the connection between internal marketing and brand image to achieve competitive differentiation. Due to increased globalisation most car rental companies in South Africa have to compete on a local and international level. Currently in South Africa there are a number of car rental companies, of which seven are most recognised due to their location at airports in South Africa. These companies include Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, National, Tempest Sixt and Thrifty.Car rental companies are in a complex industry with a number of role players involved such as government, car manufacturers and a variety of target markets. Besides providing a service to the various target markets, the products they offer are beyond their control, as the end product the customer receives are from different manufacturers. These end products 8 Research proposal include a large range of different car models from various manufacturers, for example, Toyota, Mercedes, BMW, Mazda, Volkswagen, and Opel to name but a few.Since the car rental companies in South Africa focus on the same customers and provide the same car models, both factors not fully controlled by them, it is imperative that they have to provide excellent services to customers to grow their businesses and to retain existing customers. The employees of car rental companies are their most important asset and therefore special attention is required to ensure loyalty and commitment from employees to deli ver service excellence. Irrespective of the fact that the service organisation may have developed a well conceived positioning for its brand, he brand? s successful positioning depends on the role the employees play in producing and delivering the service (Papasolomou and Vrontis, 2006:39). Providing a service is a people business. It is therefore important for car rental companies to determine if internal marketing has an influence on employees? associations with the brand image of the organisation. Car rental companies should realise that there is a need to instil a customer-focused service culture, which is a prerequisite for delivering consistently high quality services and for building successful service brands.Therefore they need to embark on a process of strengthening their brands as a source of sustainable competitive advantage by implementing an internal marketing programme to compete with first world countries (Papasolomou and Vrontis, 2006:39). Although most South African car rental companies? brands are well known, formal research is required as it is not evident that internal marketing implementation does have an influence on the brand image of car rental companies in South Africa. 2.STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The internal marketing mix elements that will be used in this study include product, price, promotion, place, people, processes, physical evidence, positioning, personal relationships, packaging and performance. In order to enhance the brand image of a service organisation the 9 Research proposal organisation has to adapt its marketing activities to mix and match the internal marketing mix elements that will reinforce the brand image (Kotler and Keller, 2009:288).Despite a strong interest in the subject amongst marketing researchers, little research has been conducted related to brand images in service brands (Del Rio et al, 2001:410; O? Cass and Grace, 2003:453). Although car rental companies have internal programmes, such as loyalty and othe r incentive programmes to motivate employees, the success of these programmes have not been researched nor linked to the internal marketing elements applicable to this study (Avis, 2009).Furthermore, the researcher could not find any direct studies related to the influence of internal marketing elements on brand image in the car rental industry in South Africa. This is relevant because if all elements do not contribute positively to the overall brand image of car rental companies in South Africa, it could receive reduced attention, which could damage the image of the brand of the car rental company. Additionally if certain activities prove ineffectively they could be altered and improved, thereby creating more competitiveness for car rental companies.The problem in this study is that the importance of brand image in a services industry, specifically the car rental industry, should be emphasised, therefore this study aims to determine the influence of product, price, promotion, place , people, processes, physical evidence, positioning, personal relationships, packaging and performance on brand associations and brand awareness as dimensions of brand image of car rental companies in South Africa, as perceived by employees and customers. 3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVESThe following objectives will clearly define the objectives the study aims to determine: 3. 1 Primary objective The primary research objective of this study is to determine the perceived influence of the different elements of internal marketing on the brand image of selected car rental companies in South Africa. 10 Research proposal 3. 2 Secondary objectives The secondary objectives of the study aim to determine whether the various elements of the internal marketing mix have an internal influence on each of the brand image categories.The elements of the internal marketing mix that will be separately observed according to the classification of the Ps are firstly the traditional 4 Ps, product, price, promotion, place; secondly the additional 3 Ps for services marketing mix, people, processes, physical evidence and lastly the recently added 4 Ps, positioning, personal relationships, packaging and performance.Each element of the internal marketing mix will be observed to determine its influence on brand image, namely brand associations, specifically brand attributes, perceived quality and brand attitude, as well as brand awareness, such as recognition of the brand and brand recall of selected car rental companies. The influence of the internal marketing elements on the brand associations and brand awareness will enable car rental companies to focus future internal marketing programmes on the relevant internal marketing mix elements to ensure an improved brand image.Furthermore the influence of the internal marketing elements is relevant to determine the overall influence on brand image as set out in the following hypotheses formulated in this study (see next section). The secondary research objectives are: To determine the influence of the internal product on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients. To determine the influence of the internal price on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients.To determine the influence of internal promotion on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients. To determine the influence of the internal place on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients. 11 Research proposal To determine the influence of internal people on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients. To determine the influence of internal processes on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients.To determine the influence of internal physical evidence on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients. To determine the influence of internal positioning on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients. To determine the influence of internal personal relationships on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients. To determine the influence of internal packaging on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients.To determine the influence of internal performance on the brand image of car rental companies amongst selected car rental companies and their clients. 4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS As suggested by the title, the purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of the eleven internal marketing mix elements on brand image of car rental companies in South Africa. The research question can be phrased as: Do the eleven internal marketing mix elements ha ve an influence on the brand image of South African car rental companies? Sub-components of the primary research question include:What is the influence of the internal product, price, promotion, place, people, processes, physical evidence, positioning, personal relationships, packaging and performance on brand associations of car rental companies? 12 Research proposal What is the influence of the internal product, price, promotion, place, people, processes, physical evidence, positioning, personal relationships, packaging and performance on brand awareness of car rental companies? 5. HYPOTHESES In figure 1 the hypotheses derived from the research objectives are indicated.Figure 1 displays the organisation which imposes its values through internal marketing on employees with the external customer in mind to achieve its objectives (Mudie and Pirrie, 2006:14). The internal marketing mix elements are independent variables, since they are not dependent on one another to exist in the orga nisation. The brand image categories, that is brand associations and brand awareness are the dependent variables of the study as the research aims to prove the influence of the independent variables on the brand image.In order to establish the connection between the internal marketing mix and the brand image of the organisation an intervening variable is required. The intervening variable is brand identity, as it provides direction, purpose and meaning for the brand (Aaker, 1996:68). Through establishing that brand identity is dependent on the elements of the internal marketing mix and that brand image is dependent on brand identity, will allow the connection between the internal marketing mix and brand image to be established. The brand association dimensions that will be tested are brand attributes, perceived quality and brand attitude.The brand awareness dimensions are brand recognition and brand recall. In developing research hypotheses researchers normally frame relationships i n either the null or alternative format. In this study alternative hypotheses are formulated, indicating that there is a relationship between two variables that is significant. These hypotheses are depicted in figure 1 on the following page. 13 Brand identity Brand identity Employees Product v1 Traditional Ps Price v2 Place v3 Promotion v4 H2d, H2e H1a, H1b, H1c H3a, H3b, H3c H4a, H4b, H4c H1d, H1e CustomersAttributes v12 a b c H2a, H2b, H2c Perceived quality v13 Brand Attitude v14 Brand associations Recognition v15 H3d, H3e H4d, H4e d Brand image Brand awareness Recall v16 e People v5 Internal marketing Services Ps Processes v6 Physical evidence v7 H5a, H5b, H5c H6a, H6b, H6c H7a, H7b, H7c Attributes v17 a b Perceived quality v18 Brand Attitude v19 H5d, H5e c Brand associations H6d, H6e Recognition v20 H7d, H7e d Brand image Recall v21 e Brand awareness Positioning v8 Recent Ps H8a, H8b, H8c H9a, H9b, H9c H10a, H10b, H10c H11a, H11b, H11c H8d, H8e H9d, H9e H10d, H10eH11d, H11e Attr ibutes v22 a b Personal relationships v9 Packaging v10 Performance v11 Perceived quality v23 Brand Attitude v24 c Brand associations Brand image Recognition v25 Recall v26 e d Brand awareness Research proposal Based on the primary and secondary objectives and as indicated in figure 1, it is hypothesised that: H1a: Internal product does have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H1b: Internal product does have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H1c: Internal product does have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H1d: Internal product does have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H1e: Internal product does have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H2a: Internal price does have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H2b: Internal price does have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H2c: Internal price does have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H2d: Internal price does have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H2e: Internal price does have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H3a: Internal place does have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H3b: Internal place does have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H3c: Internal place does have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. 15 Research proposal H3d: Internal place does have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H3e: Internal place does have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H4a: Internal promotion does have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H4b: Internal promotion does have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H4c: Internal promotion does have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H4d: Internal promotion does have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H4e: Internal promotion does have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H5a: Internal people do have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H5b: Internal people do have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H5c: Internal people do have an influence on bran d attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H5d: Internal people do have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H5e: Internal people do have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H6a: Internal processes do have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H6b: Internal processes do have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. 16 Research proposal H6c:Internal processes do have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H6d: Internal processes do have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H6e: Internal processes do have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H7a: Internal physical evidence does have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H7b: Internal physical evidence does have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H7c: Internal physical evidence does have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H7d: Internal physical evidence does have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H7e: Internal physical evidence does have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H8a: Internal positioning does have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H8b: Internal positioning does have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H8c: Internal positioning does have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H8d: Internal positioning does have an influence on recogniti on of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H8e: Internal positioning does have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H9a: Internal personal relationships do have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H9b: Internal personal relationships do have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. 17 Research proposal H9c: Internal personal relationships do have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H9d: Internal personal relationships do have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H9e: Internal personal relationships do have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H10a: Internal packaging does have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H10b : Internal packaging does have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H10c: Internal packaging does have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H10d: Internal packaging does have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H10e: Internal packaging does have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity.H11a: Internal performance does have an influence on brand attributes of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H11b: Internal performance does have an influence on perceived quality of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H11c: Internal performance does have an influence on brand attitude of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H11d: Internal performance does have an influence on recognition of the brand of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. H11e: In ternal performance does have an influence on brand recall of car rental companies by increasing brand identity. 8 Research proposal 6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH Employees who are treated well and who believe in the company they are representing tend to deliver service excellence. Internal marketing provides the means to retrain employees and to motivate them to exceed customer expectations, resulting in a positive association with the brand, which customers are likely to share with others (Donaldson and O? Toole, 2002:155). In today? s crowded marketplace building a powerful brand is central in giving companies a competitive edge.The association clients make with a brand in the services industries will focus strongly on the service quality they receive from the company (Papasolomou and Vrontis, 2007:8). In South Africa no formal research study could be found on how the eleven internal marketing elements, that is product, price, promotion, distribution, processes, physical evidenc e, people, positioning, personal relationships, packaging and performance influence the brand image, being brand attributes, perceived quality and brand attitude of car rental companies.Formal research is required to determine the influence of internal marketing on brand image, as the internal marketing efforts will have an effect on service delivery by employees, which subsequently should improve the image clients have of the brand. Although some car rental companies claim they care about employees and provide special motivational programmes for employees, no formal research has been conducted to determine if these programmes as part of internal marketing have a positive influence on the service delivered by employees (Avis, 2009). . LITERATURE REVIEW The literature study is based on the most recent literature available in the fields of study. It includes inter alia books, journals, academic dissertations and literature available in an electronic format obtained from reputable acad emic and various research institutions via the Internet. The ensuing sections contain information obtained to gain an in-depth understanding of the research issues as defined within the problem statement. 19 Research proposal 7. 1 Theoretical paradigmFew topics of the commercial theory have inspired as well as divided the marketing academia as the four Ps Marketing Mix framework (Constantinides, 2006:407). Since Jerome McCarthy (1964) reduced Neil Borden? s (1964) twelve identified controllable marketing elements to four, product, price, place and promotion, practitioners and academics promptly embraced the mix paradigm that soon became the prevalent and indispensable element of marketing theory and operational marketing management (Gronroos, 1994:13).The wide acceptance of the mix among marketers is due to their profound exposure to this concept, since most introductory marketing manuals identify the four Ps as the controllable parameters likely to influence the consumer buying pro cess and decisions (Kotler, 2003). However, despite the background and status of the marketing mix as a major theoretical and practical parameter of contemporary marketing, several academics have at times expressed doubts and objections as to the value and the future of the mix, proposing alternatives that range from minor modifications to total rejection.It is often evident in both the academic literature and marketing textbooks that the mix is deemed by many researchers and writers as inadequate to address specific marketing situations like the marketing of services, the management of relationships or the marketing of industrial products (Constantinides, 2006:409). Early references identifying differences between tangibles and intangibles underlying the distinctive character of services marketing are found in the works of Branton (1969), Wilson (1972).The special character of services were emphasised by Blois (1974), Bessom and Jackson (1975) and Shostack (1977). Several alternati ve methodologies and marketing conceptual frameworks for services marketing have been proposed ever since. A key factor distinguishing the services marketing from marketing physical products is the human element. Booms and Bitner (1981) included people, physical evidence as an important environmental factor influencing the quality packaging and process of service delivery as additional marketing mix elements in services marketing. 20 Research proposalSubsequently various researchers have added a variety of proposed elements and some changed existing elements. Currently there are additions of up to eleven elements in the marketing mix. Based on the recent contributions of researchers such as Fryar (1991) who introduced positioning, English (2000) who added personal relationship, Grove, Fisk and John (2000) who claim that performance should be included and Beckwith (2001) who indicated that packaging is lacking, these four elements are included in the internal marketing mix elements a s theoretical foundation for this study.The creation of a brand implies communicating a certain brand image in such a way that all the target groups of an organisation link its brand with a set of associations (Del Rio et al, 2001:410; Low and Lamb, 2000:350). Brand associations are important to organisations and customers. An organisation uses brand associations to differentiate, position and extend brands, to create positive attitudes towards a brand and to suggest attributes or benefits of purchasing or using a specific brand. Customers use brand associations to help process, organise and retrieve information in memory, nd to assist them in making purchasing decisions (Aaker, 1991:110). Brand associations play a central role in brand strategy development. In particular, Aaker (1992:25) suggests that brand associations should be organised into groups that have meaning. This meaning should define the brand? s positioning – its point of reference with respect to the competiti on. Thus, a well positioned brand will represent an attractive set of strong associations (De Chernatony and McDonald, 2003:254; Hankinson, 2005:25). The second category of brand image is brand awareness.Brand awareness consists of brand recognition and brand recall performance. Brand recognition relates to customers? ability to confirm prior exposure to the brand when given the brand as a cue. In other words, customers are able to distinguish the brand as having been previously seen or heard. Brand recall relates to customers? ability to retrieve the brand from memory when given the product category, the needs fulfilled by the category or a purchase or usage situation as a cue. In other words, customers are able to correctly generate the brand from memory when receiving a relevant cue (Keller, 2003a:67).Brand awareness is critical for services organisations, as customers have to actively seek the brand and be able to recall it from memory when appropriate. 21 Research proposal Toge ther with the eleven internal marketing mix elements, brand image, broken down into brand associations and brand awareness form the theoretical paradigm on which this study is based. 7. 2 Research constructs Research constructs are described as unobservable abstract concepts that are measured indirectly by a group of related variables.Variables are described as observable measurable elements of an object and are measured directly (Hair, Bush and Ortinau, 2009:233). In practice, the term variable is used as a synonym for constructs or the property being studied and in this context, a variable is a symbol to which numerals or values are assigned (Cooper and Schindler, 2001:44). Therefore, the variables that will be measured in this study are the eleven internal marketing elements, product, price, promotion, place, people, processes, physical evidence, positioning, personal relationships, packaging and performance.These elements are the independent variables or constructs, since they p redict or explain the outcome variable of interest (Hair et al, 2009:234). Brand image consists of the two classifications, namely brand associations and brand awareness. Brand associations as described by the literature can be measured in terms of brand attributes, perceived quality and brand attitude, while brand awareness can be measured as recognition of the brand and recall of the brand (Aaker, 1996:10; Keller, 1998:45).The brand attributes, perceived quality, brand attitude, brand recognition and brand recall are the dependent variables or constructs as they are the variables the researcher is seeking to explain (Hair et al, 2009:234). Brand identity is the intervening variable as it is the factor which theoretically affects the observed phenomenon but cannot be seen, measured, or manipulated; its effect must be inferred from the effects of the independent and dependent variables on the observed phenomenon (Cooper and Schindler, 2001:47). 22 Research proposal 7. 3 Relationship between variablesAs indicated in the formulated hypotheses, this study aims to indicate that there is a relationship between the variables that are being tested. The relationship can either be positive or negative. A positive relationship between two variables indicates that the two variables increase or decrease together, comparing to a negative relationship that suggests that as one variable increases, the other one decreases, or vice versa (Hair et al , 2009:234). Should there be no relationship between the eleven internal marketing elements and the brand image of selected car rental companies in South Africa, the null hypothesis will be relevant.If the null hypothesis is accepted, it concludes that the variables are not related in a meaningful way (Hair et al, 2009:235). If, on the other hand, the null hypothesis is rejected, the alternative hypothesis indicates that the two variables are related in some way that may prove useful for the car rental companies. 8. RESEARCH METHOD OLOGY A well-designed research plan forms the basis of the entire research process (Cooper and Schindler, 2001:6). Research can be described as a practical activity that intends to find out things in a systematic way.It is a process of designing, gathering, analysing and reporting information to uncover opportunities and reduce the risks of decision-making (Coldwell and Herbst, 2004:10). Previously gathered information which was not gathered for this study, but that was gathered for another purpose is called secondary data (Churchill and Brown, 2007:146). Secondary data, including books, academic accredited research journals, websites, dissertations, theses, internal company information and other written and verbal communications will be used to develop the theoretical background of the study.Primary data, which is data initiated by the researcher for the purpose of the proposed study, is extracted in the form of perceptions of the sample population that will be investigated (Church ill and Brown, 2007:146). 23 Research proposal Cooper and Schindler (2001:14) state that the term „empirical? points to the requirement for the researcher to test subjective beliefs against objective reality and have findings open to further scrutiny and testing. In this study, empirical research is used to test the objectives stated previously in this chapter. . 1 Research design The objectives of the study form an integral part of the research design, since objectives ensure that information will be collected from appropriate sources by using the correct data gathering techniques. They also influence the sampling methodology, the schedule and cost of the research project (Zikmund, 2003:58). According to Mouton (2001:37), the research method that is partly derived from the methodological paradigm (qualitative or quantitative) fits the research objectives.In quantitative research, the methods are well planned, structured and formal because the findings play an important role i n decision-making (Boyce, 2002:37). Quantitative research makes use of structured close-ended questions that have predetermined response possibilities in questionnaires or surveys and are distributed to a vast number of respondents (Hair et al, 2006:171). In this study a quantitative process will be used to seek data that can be expressed in numbers and statistically analysed. 8. 2 Research format The research format of the study is described as descriptive research.According to Cooper and Schindler (2001:136) descriptive research attempts to answer questions such as who, what, where, when or how much. Data collected through descriptive research can provide valuable information about the study units along relevant characteristics and also about associations among those characteristics (Aaker, Kumar and Day, 2001:73; Parasuraman, Grewal and Krishnan, 2004:72). As recommended by Solomon, Marshall and Stuart (2006:113), this study will include a descriptive survey design to gather the necessary data from a large sample size. 24 Research proposalThe descriptive format is broken down in two types, longitudinal and cross-sectional. Longitudinal designs rely on panel data in which the same variables are measured over time. Cross-sectional designs rely on a sample of elements from the population of interest that are measured at a single point in time (Churchill and Iacobucci, 2002:122). As the objectives of this study are to describe a current situation, a cross-sectional format is appropriate. 8. 3 Population and sample The population for this study will include employees and customers of selected car rental companies in South Africa.There are 7 car rental companies, being Avis, Tempest, Budget Car Rental, First Car Rental, Europcar, Hertz and Argus Car Rental. Avis, Budget and Europcar will be the sample drawn from the population, as these three are the largest and world leading car rental companies in South Africa. All three companies have more than 75 branches and fleets in excess of 8500, compared to the other car rental companies with less than 50 branches and fleets smaller than 6000. Since Avis, Budget and Europcar have a market share of more than 80% it is believed that they will be a fair representation of the car rental industry in South Africa.Probability sampling will be used for selecting the sample frame. Probability samples are distinguished by the fact that each sampling unit has a known, non-zero chance of being included in the sample (Hair et al, 2006:330). The two independent sample frames that will be used in the study include: Sample frame 1: The sampling units in this frame include all employees of the Avis, Budget and Europcar groups stationed at major airports in South Africa. These airports include OR Tambo, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Nelspruit and Lanseria.There will be 800 employees targeted within this sample selected by the management of the three car rental groups. 25 Rese arch proposal Sample frame 2: The sampling units in this frame include customers who rented cars during a period of three months from October to December 2009 of the Avis, Budget and Europcar groups stationed at OR Tambo, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Nelspruit and Lanseria airports. There will be 4000 clients targeted within this sample, selected by the management of the three car rental groups.It is important to consider both two independent sample frames, as the employees in sample frame one will measure the internal marketing aspects of the study. The customers of sample frame two will aid in measuring the brand image of the selected car rental groups. 8. 4 Data collection instruments, sources and procedures The data collection of this study will be conducted by means of a survey. According to Rubin, Rubin and Piele (2000:193) surveys allow the researcher to observe and gather evidence. Questionnaires will be designed for each of the sampl e frames.Questionnaires will include a demographic section to classify respondents, being customers or employees. In the second section of both questionnaires the eleven internal marketing mix elements will be tested based on information from the literature. The third section of both questionnaires will focus on brand associations, specifically brand attributes, perceived quality and brand attitude, as well as brand awareness, namely recognition of the brand and brand recall as described in the theory of the relevant chapter.A five point Likert scale, ranging from „strongly disagree? to „strongly agree? , will be used for all questions within both questionnaires. The Likert scale is a highly used rating scale that requires respondents to indicate a degree of agreement or disagreement with each of a series of statements about the objects (Cooper and Schindler, 2001:234). The survey, comprising of an online questionnaire will be administered through email and upon completi on will be sent directly to the Statistical Consultation Service of the University of Johannesburg.An online survey format will allow for a wide reach that will be relatively inexpensive and will be faster than offline methods. Furthermore, there will be no interaction between the researcher and the respondents, therefore interviewer error and bias will be 26 Research proposal diminished (Hair et al, 2006:230). Confidentiality and anonymously of respondents will also be guaranteed. A pre-test will be conducted to detect possible weaknesses in the questionnaire.An important purpose of the pre-test is to discover the respondents? reactions to questions and it also helps to discover repetitiveness or redundancy (Cooper and Schindler, 2001:236). 8. 5 Data analysis Statistical procedures to test the research hypotheses include descriptive statistics, factor analyses, analyses of variance and measures of association. Internal marketing and brand image involve numerous factors. Factor anal ysis will be used to compare and find correlations between these factors.The statistical method for testing the null hypothesis that the means of several populations are equal is analysis of variance (ANOVA) (Cooper and Schindler, 2001:509). ANOVA will be used to determine if internal marketing and brand image are related. The pre-test of the questionnaire will be conducted amongst five experts in the industry to ensure reliable data. Cronbach-Alpha will be used to measure the reliability of the pilot. All calculations will be done by means of SPSS. Analyses will be conducted by the Statistical Consultation Service of the University of Johannesburg. 9. DELIMITATION OF THE STUDYThis study will focus on the three largest car rental companies in South Africa and although it is believed that they will be representative of the car rental industry, it might not be the case, as smaller car rental companies might have different or no internal marketing focuses and therefore the results and recommendations may not be generalised to a wider context. The dimensions of brand associations and brand awareness will only be investigated amongst car rental companies in South Africa, which is a service industry. If the approach is extended to other services industries or even products the result might differ. 7 Research proposal Furthermore, no previous research has been conducted on the eleven internal marketing mix elements and brand image of the car rental industry in South Africa. Therefore, this study may lack in-depth information related to the car rental industry. 10. CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY The eleven internal marketing mix elements are still a new concept to many South Africans. No previous studies could be found that have been conducted on the influence of the eleven internal marketing mix elements on brand image of car rental companies in South Africa.This study aims to contribute to the body of knowledge in three ways. Firstly, it describes the complexity of the c ar rental industry in South Africa. This is followed by a description of the current understanding and debate amongst researchers of the relevance of the eleven marketing mix elements, specifically their influence on brand image of an organisation. Thirdly, the study aims to provide guidelines to car rental companies in South Africa on how to improve internal marketing programmes which will enable them to improve their brand image.Brand image is important to any organisation, as a good and well recognised brand will lead to higher profitability of the organisation. 11. CLARIFICATION OF TERMS AND DEFINITIONS In the previous sections, certain terms and definitions were used. However, for the sake of uniformity, these terms and definitions have to be clarified (Mouton, 2001:36). The services marketing literature contain many definitions of services, but there are some common features in all of these definitions. The first commonality is that services deal with something that is intangi ble.Services refer to efforts, deeds or processes consisting of activities or a series of activities performed by the service provider, quite often in close cooperation and interaction with the customer, aimed at creating customer satisfaction (Kasper et al, 2006:57). Papasolomou and Vrontis (2006:37) postulate that service can be 28 Research proposal described as essentially intangible, not resulting in the ownership of anything and is a form of product that consists of activities, benefits, or satisfactions offered for sale.Internal marketing is defined as â€Å"a planned effort using a marketing-like approach directed at motivating employees, for implementing and integrating organisational strategies towards customer orientation† (Ahmed and Rafiq, 2002:11). Branding is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of these that identifies the seller of a product or service and seeks to differentiate them from those of competitors (Kotler and Keller, 2006:274; Pap asolomou and Vrontis, 2006:37). Brand identity is defined as â€Å"a unique set of brand associations that the brand strategist aspires to create or maintain.These associations represent what the brand stands for and imply a promise to customers from the organisation members† (Aaker, 1996:68). Brand image as identified by Keller (2003:70) is perceptions about a brand as reflected by the brand associations held in a customer? s memory. Keller (1998:71) defined brand associations as â€Å"informational nodes linked to the brand node in memory that contains the meaning of the brand for consumers†. Brand awareness refers to the strength of a brand? s presence in the customer? s mind (Aaker, 1996:10). 12. DIVISION OF THE STUDYThe current chapter provides an introduction to the study, including the problem statement, objectives and research methodology. The rest of this study is divided into the following chapters: 29 Research proposal Chapter 2 describes the complexities an d current state of the car rental industry in South Africa. An overview of the three companies, Avis, Budget and Europcar, which are participating in this study, is provided. Chapter 3 focuses on internal marketing. The history of the elements of the internal marketing mix is discussed, as well as the development of the traditional four Ps up to the eleven currently in existence is described.The culture of organisations and the influence of internal marketing are furthermore explained. Chapter 3 discusses brand identity, brand image and the dimensions thereof. The importance of building a successful brand is also described. Chapter 4 outlines the research methodology with detailed reference to the research design, population, sample, measuring instrument, and the proposed statistical analysis. Chapter 5 records the analysis of the empirical research. Chapter 6 summarises the study. Recommendations concerning the outcome of the study are discussed and suggestions for further research are presented. 3. TIME FRAME AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS The researcher? s aim for completion of the study is October 2010. However, due to the change of direction taken in the research, the aim might have to be postponed to April 2011. The possibility of obtaining a bursary for the empirical part of the study was explored, but since the researcher is a part-time student, she does not qualify for most bursaries. If no bursary can be obtained, the researcher will complete most of the empirical work herself and where required, make use of her own available funds. 30 References 14. LIST OF REFERENCESAaker, D. A. (1991). Managing Brand Equity: Capatilising on the Value of a Brand Name. New York: The Free Press. Aaker, D. A. (1992). The Management of Brand Equity. New York: The Free Press. Aaker, D. A. (1996). Building Strong Brands. New York: The Free Press. Aaker, D. A. , Kumar, V. & Day, G. S. (2001). Marketing Research. 7th edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Ahmed, P. K. , & Raf iq, M. (2002). Internal Marketing: Tools and Concepts for Customerfocused Management. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. Aurand, T. W. , Gorchels, L. & Bishop, T. R. (2005). Human resource management? role in internal branding: an opportunity for cross-functional brand message synergy. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 14(3):165. Available from Emerald http://www. emeraldlibrary. com/Insight/viewContentItem. do. (Accessed 29 July 2009). Avis (2009). Interview with Chief Executive Officer, Wayne Duvenhage, held on 17 September 2009. Balmer, J. M. T. (1998). Corporate branding and connoisseurhship. Journal of General Management, 21(1): 24-46. Available from Emerald http://www. emerald- library. com/Insight/viewContentItem. do. (Accessed 26 September 2009). Beckwith, H. (2001). The Invisible Touch – the Four Keys of Modern Marketing.New York: Texure Publishing. Bessom, R. M. & Jackson, D. W. (1975). Service Retailing: A Strategic Marketing Approach. Journal of Retailing, Summ er:84. 31 References Blois, K. J. (1974). The Marketing of Services: an Approach. European Journal of Marketing, 8(2):137-145. Booms, B. H. & Bitner, M. J. (1981). Marketing Strategies and Organisation Structures for Service Firms. Marketing of Services. Donnelly, J. H. & George, W. R. Chicago: American Marketing Association:47-51. Borden, N. H. (1964). The concept of the Marketing Mix. Journal of Advertising Research, June:2-7. Boyce, J. (2002). Market research in practice.Australia: McGraw-Hill. Branton, N. (1969). The Marketing of Services. Marketing World, 1(2). Churchill, Jr. , G. A. & Iacobucci, D. (2002). Marketing Research: Methodological Foundations. 8th edition. Fort Worth: Harcourt College Publishers. Churchill, Jr. , G. A. & Brown, T. J. (2007). Basic Marketing Research. 6th edition. Ohio: South-Western. Coldwell, D. & Herbst, F. (2004). Business research. South Africa: Juta. Constantinides, E. (2006). The Marketing Mix Revisited: Towards the 21st Century Marketing. Jour nal of Marketing Management, 22:407-438. Available from Emerald http://www. emerald-library. om/Insight/viewContentItem. do. (Accessed 29 July 2009). Cooper, D. R. & Schindler, P. S. (2001). Business Research Methods. 7th edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin. De Chernatony, L. & McDonald, M. (2003). Creating Powerful Brands in Consumer, Service and Industrial Markets. 3rd edition. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. Del Rio, A. B. , Vazquez, R. & Iglesias, V. (2001). The influences of brand associations on consumer response. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(5):410-425. Available from Emerald http://www. emerald-library. com/Insight/viewContentItem. do. (Accessed 29 July 2009). 32 References Donaldson, B. & O? Toole, T. (2002).Strategic Market Relationships: From Strategy to Implementation. West Sussex, England: John Wiley. English, J. (2000). The four Ps of marketing are dead. Marketing Health Services, 20(2):2023. Fryar, C. R. (1991): What? s Different About Services Marketing? The Journ al of Marketing Services, 5(4):53-58. Gounaris, S. (2008). Antecedents of internal marketing practice: some preliminary empirical evidence. Industrial Journal of Service Industry Management, 19(3):400-434. Available from Emerald http://www. emerald-library. com/Insight/viewContentItem. do. (Accessed 29 July 2009). Gronroos, C. (1994). From marketing mix to relationship marketing.Management Decisions, 32(2):1-21. Available from Emerald: http://www. emerald- library. com/Insight/viewContentItem. do. (Accessed 22 August 2006). Gronroos, C. (2000). Service Management and Marketing: A Customer Relationship Management Approach. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Grove, S. J. , Fisk, R. P. & John, J. (2000). Service as Theater, Guidelines and Implications. Handbook Services Marketing and Management. Sage Publications. Hair, J. F, Bush, R. P. & Ortinau, D. J. (2006). Marketing Research: Within a Changing Environment. 3rd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Hair, J. F, Bush, R. P. & Ortinau, D. J. (2009).Marketing Research: In a Digital Information Environment. 4th edition. New York: McGraw-

Greek Mythology

Greek Mythology Greek Mythology Creon is one of the most famous figures in Greek mythology. His character is known as the leader of Thebes in the myth about Oedipus. In the legend, Creon has two children, Menoeceus and Haemon. During the story, reader understands that the main character and his sister Jocasta were offsprings of Sparta and Cadmus. Creons figure appeared in various stories, legends, and myths. Formerly, this character was created by Sophocles. After some time, Creon became the hero in Shakespeares and Fletchers play The Two Noble Kinsmen and in Chaucers story The Nights Tale. This figure was interpreted variously in different works. Truthfully, inspite of different interpretations of Creons figure, his character is known all over the world as Sophocles creature. Creon is the central hero in three of Sophocles Theban tragedies. He comes over a transformation during the line of the story. In Oedipus the King, Creon seems to be a completely rational man. In the play Antigone, Creon is shown as an absolute tyrant. His mind refuses to recognize the connection of the family love which ties Antigone to her brother Polyneices. The play Antigone tells the story of Antigone, the spawn of Oedipus. Nevertheless, Antigone is not the only character of concentration in this tragedy. Creon is also the central character of the play. He is the king of Thebes and Antigones uncle. As Creons character develops during the story, reader can understand that his actions are ruled by intrinsic individual traits. The first feature is an order requirement and the second one a sense of morality. With taking the throne, the main character becomes fixated on the states interests. When the military conflict arose, Creon was desperate to continue a sense of order in the kingdom. One reason for this is his wish to solidify his own rules. Therefore, obliged by his necessity of order, he decrees that no one may put in the ground or grieve the corpse of Polynices, Antigone's brother, who was considered a betrayer. By doing this, Creon hopes that he will repress feelings of arrogance in people who support Polynices. He says that there is no empty room for pride. Indeed, he lefts a tiny room for something that is able to worsen the stability of Thebes and is eager to convict his niece and potential fiancee to his child. The main Creons fear is his phobia of losing the order which, in turn, will weaken the rule and cause Thebes to move down into disorder and chaos. If closer analyze Creons character, it becomes obvious that, although he seems heartless, his dealings are moderately governed by the sense of morality. However, his desire to control everyone and everything induces him to kill everyone who defies his verdict. He cannot bring himself to put to death Antigone. So even the prisoner can notice this when she says, your moralizing repels me. At least, Creon overcomes his moral reasoning and denies from his punishment. The ruler travels at first to Polynices' rotting dead body and performs the appropriate cremation. Then, the kings sense of morality leads him to free Antigone although this appears to be too late. To my mind, Creon is one of that many people who only waste their lives fascinated by things they believe in and thus are incapable to recognize the anything that is contrary to their beliefs. Creon is like the person of a cave. He sees only his need for order and is blind to anything that can disagree with this. During the play, Creons character progresses obliged by the sense of morality, and he starts to change his beliefs. He tries to do his best to break the bonds he has completed for himself. Alas, his understanding comes too late; as a result, Creons dealings turn him back to the cave. In the play Oedipus, Creon has the highest position. Creons frugality, manipulations, and the same authority as Oedipus and Jocasta lead him to be victorious in his position and to be the viewer of the kings throne. Creon is shown to the reader as a wise person, who has his own opinion which is different from others. His belief is free from the influence of the society and people around him. Creon is a political figure who holds high regard for public order and leads the society to think in a different way. Creon is shown in the play in isolation with Thebes people. If to compare Creon to Oedipus, these two characters are completely different. This difference is quite observable. For example, when the main character brings news from the oracle, he wants to tell this secretly and privately to Oedipus. However, the second one would like better to hear the news in the presence of a lot of other ears. He wants to listen to it publically. Creon says that Oedipus is like a businessman who orientates on politics; because of this, he is a manipulation master. Reflecting on the equal event, the main character does not tell upon stable persistence from Oedipus with that of Jocasta. He brings onwards his estimation and motive against the ruler. He says that Oedipus and Jocasta rule together but without equivalent authority; in his opinion, Oedipus is only the ruler according to the name and title but no more. Later, his point of view is privileged when he is prepared to be exiled. The spectators then share kindness concerning him. After this, Creon becomes a sensible man with a powerful purpose of the public arrangement and impartial ruling. Creon is the only individual who wins the game. He was truly a person with a hidden agenda; thanks to his intelligence, he overcomes every challenge and gets the thing he wishes.

Privatization of Airports essays

Privatization of Airports essays For 51 years Bergstrom Air Force Base was home to fighter pilots, bombers, troop carriers and reconnaissance jets. It was the first port of call for President Lyndon B. Johnson on his trips home to LBJ Country aboard Air Force One, it was where Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, once brought a disabled jet to rest in an emergency landing. In September 1993, in the path of military cutbacks Bergstrom Air Force Base was closed. But the timing was fortuitous, because the closure came as the city of Austin, Texas was considering where to build a new airport. In 1993, the expected economic loss to Austin from the Bergstrom closure was estimated at $406 million a year and a loss of some 1000 jobs. But with the possibility of utilizing the prior Bergstrom Air Force Base as an airport the Austin economy was expected to have an opportunity to rebound and even improve these results from the base closure by privatizing the airport. The trend worldwide toward airport privatization presents an exciting and dynamic opportunity for the flying public, governments, operators and investors. The overall success of privatization of airports has been seen by the sale of long-term leases for three of the largest airports in Australia for $2.6 billion. Following this success, the Government of Australia announced their plans to privatize fifteen more airports. Several Latin American airports already are in private hands. Major airports in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela are already concessioned or scheduled for privatization over the next two years. Smaller airports in Central America and the Caribbean also are to be privatized. In Europe, a significant number airports have been privatized and opportunities are imminent in Germany, Portugal and elsewhere. Governments in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the world over also are developing airport privatization plans. Why has this ma...

25 to 32 Fast ACT Prep Study Plan in 10 Days

25 to 32 Fast ACT Prep Study Plan in 10 Days SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you need to raise your ACT score, ASAP? Do you want to make a huge score improvement, from good to amazing- from 25 to 32? It’s not easy, but you can take huge strides toward the ACT score of your dream in just 10 days.In this article, we show you how to pinpoint your weaknesses, create an effective study plan, and significantly raise your ACT score. Who Should Use This ACT Study Plan? Because this is only a 10-day plan, you'll have to commit to between two and five hours each day to see major improvements. Unfortunately, there's no substitute for putting in ample prep time, whether that’s an hour a day over five weeks, or a more concentrated plan like this one. If you do have more time before your test date, we highly recommend spending at least five weeks studying for the ACT. It’s easier to guarantee a score boost of 25 to 32 if you give yourself more time to practice. But if you want to improve your score quickly, or have already taken the ACT and want to improve your score before college apps are due, keep reading. This plan integrates a key component of all good study plans: focusing on your weaknesses. When time is of the essence, you need to make every hour count. How well you can do this will ultimately dictate how much you improve on the ACT. Now, let's take a look at the three steps you'll need to take to get your 10-day study plan started. Step 1: Take a Practice Test Your first step is to take an official, full-length ACT practice test. Even if you’ve taken the ACT before, you need to find out exactly what your strengths and weaknesses are before you begin studying. Remember to simulate actual test-taking conditions, including using a bubble sheet, and to follow official timing restrictions exactly. After you’ve taken the test, calculate your score out of 36 for each section to get your composite score (i.e., your total ACT score) and subscores. You can read our guide to learn more abouthow ACT scoring works. As you go over your answers, note where you lost the most points. For example, maybe your geometry subscore was super low but your other math subscores were good. Or maybe you lost points randomly, meaning you'll have to dig a little deeper to figure out which concepts you're struggling with. The ultimate goal is to pinpoint your weaknesses so that you can study the most effectively. Reviewing your mistakes is essential to formulating a solid prep plan. Your 10-day plan could look very different based on how you do on the practice test. Let's use three hypothetical students as examples: Student A, Student B, and Student C. Student A'sPractice Test Scores English: 23 Math: 25 Reading: 26 Science: 25 Composite: 25 Student A has work to do across the board to get her composite score up to 32. Although we'd recommend this student definitely devote some serious time to studying ACT grammar rules to raise her English score (her lowest section score), every single section score must see significant improvement for her to hit her goal score of 32. Student B's Practice Test Scores English: 30 Math: 24 Reading: 24 Science: 26 Composite: 26 Student B should spend the majority of the 10 days practicing Math, Reading, and Science. They can improve their English score by 2 points (up to a 32) by simply scoring 2 or 3 more raw points on that section- which shouldn’t require hours of extra studying. However, they'll need much bigger raw point gains for the other sections. Don't worry, Student B. By following this 10-day study plan, you'll be able to meet your ACT score goals! (Valerie (Vee) Bordeleau/Flickr) Student C's Practice Test Scores English: 30 Math: 20 Reading: 32 Science: 22 Composite: 26 Student C needs to make serious gains in Math and Sciencebut is already strong in English and Reading. He should focus his 10-day program on figuring out his content weaknesses in Math and Science, addressing them, and then drilling practice questions. He can also spend some time working to improve his English and Reading scores so as to lessen the burden on his presumed Math and Science score increases. Any additional composite point he can gain on English or Reading is one he doesn't have to earn on Math or Science. For example, he could aim for 34 on both English and Reading and 30 on both Math and Science and still get a composite score of 32. Step 2: Set Raw Score Goals for Each Section For this guide, we are assuming an ACT goal of a 32 composite score. But how many raw points (i.e., the number of questions you answer correctly) do you need to aim for to get this score? Here are the number of questions you'll need to get correct on each section: English: 70 out of 75 Math: 54 out of 60 Reading: 38 out of 40 Science: 38 out of 40 We added an extra raw point to these target scores compared with the ACT scoring charts, since the scaling can change slightly from test to test. If you can achieve all these raw scores, you will most likely get a 32 composite score. Remember, the ACT composite score is averaged, so you could get two 30s and two 34s and average out to 32 for all sections. You can use our scoring guide to set your own raw score goals if you have different section goals or a different composite score goal in mind. Note that at this level, you should be answering every question. Don’t just do 70 English problems and leave the rest blank. Answer every question with the goal of getting them all correct, so that if you do have some wrong answers, you can still get a total of 70 raw points. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. This way you get the most out of your study time and make the most improvements in the least time possible. You won't have to worry aboutwhatto study - just focus on learning. Check out our 5-day free trial: Step 3: Gather ACT Prep Materials The final step is to gather the ACT study materials you want to use throughout your study plan. For step-by-step guidance, we highly recommend our PrepScholar ACT program.We go through the process of identifying your weaknesses for you, giving you more time to focus on filling in content gaps and improving your score. If you’re going at it alone or just want more tools, though, here's what we recommend for your ACT prep: #1: ACT Prep Books Use our guide to the best ACT prep books on the market as a starting point for building your ACT prep book arsenal. These prep books contain practice problems, tests, and the content information you'll need to fix your weaknesses and get a 32 on the ACT. Definitely start by getting The Official ACT Prep Guide and the Black Book, plus subject-specific books if your performance on your practice test shows weaknesses in certain areas. For example, we'd recommend Student C from our example above get books specifically for Math and Science. #2: Test Accessories Pencils, erasers, a calculator, a watch- think of these as tools you need to do well on the ACT. It might seem trivial, but getting used to using a (ACT-approved) watch to time yourself can help you save time on the test. Plus, if you aren't used to telling time on a watch (as opposed to a cell phone), it's better that you get used to doing so before a high-stress situation like a standardized test. The same goes for your calculator: you want to make sure you're familiar with the calculator you'll be using on the ACT so you don't waste valuable time on test day fiddling around with it. Using non-mechanical pencils and erasers instead of pens on the test will get you into the right mindset for the test as well. If you're doing the ACT Essay, writing with a non-mechanical pencil is even more important because you need to get used to writing in pencil for long stretches rather than just for bubbling in answer choices. #3: Our Free Online ACT Resources We've got a lot of free ACT prep resources to offer you at PrepScholar. Our free eBookgives you a more in-depth guide to improving your ACT score and identifying and fixing your weaknesses. We also strongly recommend readingour article onhow to get a perfect 36 on the ACT, written by our resident perfect scorer; this guide will help put you in the right mindset for a 32 or higher. Even if you're not trying to get a 36, you'll need to use these principles to improve your ACT score, especially in such a short time frame. Finally, we've consolidated all of our writing on the ACT sections into ultimate prep guides. Whether you want general tips or specific strategies, these guides have them all. Learn the principles and get the tools you need to propel your composite score to a 32 with our complete study guides to ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science. If you plan to take the ACT with Writing, be sure to also check out our ultimate guide to theACT Essay. #4: Free and Official ACT Practice Tests Sitting down and taking realistic, full-length ACT practice tests is key to preparing for the ACT. Not only will it familiarize you with the test format, but it'll also help you pinpoint your weaknesses and work on them, as well as give you an idea of how your studying is going. Use our collection of free and official ACT practice teststo get started. General Advice as You Begin Studying for the ACT Before we go over our 10-day plan, here are some of our best tips for getting the most out of your ACT prep. Follow these to help you get the biggest score improvements in the least amount of time. #1: Always Guess There's no guessing penalty on the ACT, so even if you’re at the end of a section and have two questions left you can’t answer, it's best to just fill in random answers. You have a 20-25% chance of getting a question right, so take the shot! #2: Use the Process of Elimination Eliminating wrong answers is a good way to approach tough questions, and will increase your odds of getting points if you encounter a question you're not sure about and end up guessing on. Even though the right answer isn’t always obvious, it’s usually easy to spot at least one or two wrong answers,raising your odds of getting a question right to 33% or even 50%. #3: Don’t Get Stuck on Hard Questions A great strategy is to mark difficult questions and come back to them later. Timing is key on the ACT as you have less than a minute per question. This means thatif you waste five minutes on a hard question, you are losing the opportunity to work on five more questions, which can seriously tank your score. Seeour guide on ACT lengthfor more tips on pacing yourself. #4: Mark Questions You're Unsure About When practicing, don’t just correct multiple-choice questions and tally your score. Rather,star any questions you weren't sure about. That way, when you correct your answers, you can make sure to study that type of question and see why you struggled with it (even if you got it right). If you only focus on wrong answers, you could actually leave some content gaps unfilled. Remember, the goal isn't to study until you can get most of the answers right- it's to study until you're confident that you won't get any questions wrong. #5: Identify and Fix Weaknesses When correcting your answers to ACT practice questions, don't go over the answer explanations too quickly. You need to figure out why you got an answer wrong as well as how you can keep yourself from making this mistake again. Just drilling practice questions without understanding your true weaknesses won’t help you improve your score. We suggest taking notes on your mistakes in a notebook. This will help you keep track of your content weaknesses and guide your studying. #6: Don't Sweat the Essay The ACT Writing section, or Essay, does not affect your composite score.So if getting 32 is your main goal, don’t spend tons of time practicing for the Essay. You only have 10 days, and you'll need to use them wisely! While we recommend preparing for the Essay to an extent (I suggest reading our guide to writing the ACT Essay), don't waste precious hours practicing for this section when you still have big point improvements to make on other, more important sections. 10-Day ACT Study Plan Now that we've gotten the basics out of the way, here is a 10-day ACT prep plan you can use to go from 25 to 32. Again, be aware that this a very time-intensive plan.To truly benefit from it, you'll need to clear your schedule as much as you can and give yourself adequate time to study. Days 1-4: Fill In Content Gaps Time: 3-4 hours per day As you start studying, your first priority is to pinpoint topics you don’t know and learn them. You can’t expect to get 32 with major content weaknesses. Whether you struggle with interpreting scientific studies, solving plane geometry questions, or remembering grammar rules, your first step is to find out what you don’t know and then master it. Use your results from the practice test to determine what to focus on during these first four days. You should then use your prep program, books, and/or other study materials to concentrate on subject areas you're struggling with the most. On each day, focus on a single ACT section: English, Reading, Math, or Science. Take practice sections and use practice questions, but don’t worry about taking full practice exams just yet. For example, Student A above would devote one day each to all of the sections, whereas Student C should probably spend two days on Math and two days on Science. Suggested Time Breakdown 1-2 hours: Find weaknesses in the section. Use your prep books and online resources to fill in your content gaps. After you’ve learned the new content, quiz yourself on each individual weakness. For example, if you realized you always miss subject/verb agreement questions on the English section, first read up on subject/verb agreement and then do practice problems that quiz this topic specifically. 35 minutes-1 hour: Take a full section from a practice test, strictly timed. If pacing is an issue for you, experiment with doing a combination of untimed sections, time-and-a-half sections, and officially timed sections. 1 hour: Review mistakes from the practice test and make sure you understand them. Remember to take notes on your mistakes in your journal! Research additional content weaknesses if needed. Days 5-7: Take and Review Practice Tests Time: 4-5 hours per day During this time you'lltake a full practice test each day (excluding the Essay section at the end). Even if you have strong sections, like Student C above, do the practice anyway so you can identify any silly mistakes you tend to make and can ensure you'll do just as well on test day as you do in your practice. Consistency is key! As you test, star questions you're unsure of to make sure you revisit them while correcting, even if you end up getting them right. Spend time afterwardidentifying your mistakes and figuring out why you made them. Don’t just brush off an answer and say, â€Å"Oh, I forgot the Pythagorean theorem, so I guessed." Figure out why you couldn’t remember the formula and thenmake a plan so you can get similar questions right in the future. Also, revisit questions you starred even if you ultimately got them right. It's important to address any stubborn content gaps. Suggested Time Breakdown 3 hours: Take a full ACT practice test (ideally, an official one) without the Essay section. 1-2 hours: Correct your test and carefully note all of your mistakes in your notebook. Figure out where your remaining weaknesses are and research any content gaps you still have. Days 8-9: Review and Target Weaknesses Time: 3-5 hours per day Based on your performance on the practice tests, you'll now do more fine-tuned work on areas you still have weaknesses in. Here are some examples of what you could focus on in your prep: Drill areas you're still making mistakesor have content weaknesses in. Maybe you’re struggling with the trigonometry questions on Math. In this case, head back to your study materials to review the content before you do any more practice questions in that area. Do more practice sections if you'rerunning out of time or struggling with pacing. Remember to wear a watch and keep an eye on how much time you spend on each question. If you're consistently hitting 32, continue to take full practice tests and grade them. Your goal is consistency, so keep practicing, even if you think you're set to go. Spend some time working on the Essay. Again, the Essay does not affect your total ACT score, but you don’t want it to be extremely low in comparison. Check out our guide to writing an ACT essay to help you get started. Day 10: Brush Up On Weaknesses and Rest Time: 1-2 hours You don’t want to study too intensively the day before the test- this will burn you out and do more harm than good! At this stage, it's best to do some practice problems in your weak spots, or one or two practice sections if you're working on pacing, to keep your mind warmed up. That said, remember to focus on relaxing and getting rest before the test, too.Read our tips for getting ready the night before and the morning of the test. Additionally,make sure you don’t forget anything important when you go to take the test! What’s Next? If you’re not sure you can handle this on your own, check out PrepScholar’s ACT study program. We go through the process of identifying your weak points for you. We also give you rigorous practice questions designed by 99th percentile scorers. One important part of studying is keeping your motivation in place. Check out our list of automatic scholarships for ACT scores. The higher your score, the more money you can earn! You can also use your dream colleges to adjust your target ACT score. See our guide to what a good ACT score is to find out the score you need to aim for. We also have a guide specifically for the Ivy League. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.