Organisational Deveplopment and Human Resource Development Essay

Organisational Deveplopment and Human Resource Development - Essay Example r from outside the organization should be weighed before such a decision is made and if the organization is stable enough, then there is really no need for not picking a leader from within its ranks. In this paper, we shall analyze the advantages of getting the leader of an organization from outside the organization, and those of getting one from within the ranks of the organization. There are many reasons why the new leader of the organization can be brought from outside the organization. One of this is the fact that this will be a new face for the organization especially, during the time when the organization is going through some tough times (Bohn and Grafton, 2002). Not only will this newcomer inspire confidence among the employees of the organization probably more than the previous leadership, but this new leader will also bring about a sense of renewal within the organization. This sense of renewal will ensure that all those who work within the organization are inspired to work even harder so that its goals can be achieved. A leader from outside the organization will most likely bring new ideas with him and these ideas will be found to be useful within it. These new ideas might be used to compete better with other organizations with similar objectives and in fact, they may even make it do better than the others may. The experience, which this leader will bring with him from working in other organizations, will be invaluable especially when it comes to predicting how the competition is going to respond to a move from the organization (Avolio, Zhu, Koh and Bhatia, 2004). Not only will the organization be able to preempt any action from its competitors that may hurt it in the market, it will also be able to counter these actions with even better ones and this will ensure its continued dominance in the market. The external leader will have to work very hard to prove that he is the right person for the job and this will ensure that there is more productivity,

The Argument For Stricter Gun Control Laws Essay Example for Free

The Argument For Stricter Gun Control Laws Essay I am writing a persuasive argument in favor of stricter gun control laws. I am very passionate about this topic because the use of firearms in the wrong hands is a deadly prophecy. It can be in the form of children getting a hold of a gun and hurting themselves or others, an adult with violent propensities mishandling a weapon, or someone who wants the use of a firearm in aiding suicide. When one looks at the increased incident of injury to children, homicide, and suicide, it is clear there is a need for stricter gun control laws. This paper argues that firearms continue to play a dominant role in violence both criminal and accidental regardless of laws such as the five-day waiting period and the Brady Law. I will show how easier access to guns, rather than preventing crime, creates more of it through the use of examples and statistics Those whom are opposed to gun control laws do not like to admit there is a link between access to guns and violence. The NRA says guns dont kill people, people kill people. They will claim that the right to bear arms for se lf-defense and civil rights would be diminished. However, this view is only one sided and it fails to address the link between the ownership of guns and the violence that occurs because of it. Almost everyday we can open up a newspaper or turn on a national news broadcast on the television and discover a new case of someone being killed by the use of a gun. Perhaps it was a child whom had access to his/her parents gun they keep in the house for self defensive purposes, an adult whom was an innocent bystander during a workplace massacre or robbery, a shooting at a school by a disturbed kid, or a domestic dispute turned deadly. Unfortunately, it is rare that a day goes by that we do not hear about one of the above events. Whatever the case may be, it is apparent that too many people have access to firearms and that access must be restricted. The Brady Campaign is one that enforces gun control laws, elects pro gun control public officials, and informs the public about gun violence. It was enacted in 1994 and because of it, all 50 states must do background checks on anyone wishing to purchase a firearm. While this has helped quell some gun violence that may have occurred otherwise, there are still too many who are falling through the cracks. These background checks are targeting the wrong people and criminals are still able to obtain guns from illegal sources. Take a look at the Virginia Tech massacre last spring. This reopened the legislative debate over gun control that was never resolved from the Columbine high school shootings eight years earlier. Many wonder how Cho-Seung Hui was able to get his hands on powerful automatic weaponry that killed thirty two of his classmates. This proves that the background checks performed are insufficient and need to be more thorough. More than fifty survivors and family members of this tragedy signed a letter to Congress with one simple message- finish work on legislation that could prevent future tragedies. The notion of more complete background checks leads me to another issue that is the abolition of handguns. More handguns are used in criminal acts than any other type of firearm. The FBI reports that more than 60 percent of murders are caused by guns and handguns account for 70 percent of these. Lets look at some scenarios that stem from the lack of access to handguns: Sure, anyone with a penchant for killing could pull out a knife or a baseball bat but the victim has much better chance of survival. The likelihood of injury and not death are much greater as the victim may be able to get away. The next scenario are home burglaries. Most of these occur with the occupants are out of the house so the need for a gun inside the home is unnecessary. If there is a gun inside of the home, the perpetrator will confisca te it along with other valuables, thus placing it in the hands of criminal for future misuse. Approximately 40 percent of handguns used in crimes are stolen out of homes of law abiding citizens whom had guns for their own protection. If handgun manufacturers were stringently restricted and only allowed to sell to police, our environment would be much safer. Fewer criminals would have access to them if the sale of handguns to ordinary citizens were outlawed. They could not obtain them by way of stealing and their illegal underground network would be hampered. If this were to occur, those dangerous people would not have the opportunity to slip through the cracks and get a hold of a weapon. The end result would be fewer violent crimes and fewer injuries and/or deaths related to these crimes. Many states in the United States have right to carry laws that allow citizens to carry concealed handguns if they are qualified. Qualification includes a clean criminal history, age restrictions, and completing a firearms safety course. In 1986 only nine states had that law and as of 1998, 31 states have right-to-carry laws. Half of the citizens of the U.S. live in those states. This will engender only more violence as journalis t Philip Cook states if you introduce a gun into a violent encounter, it increases the chances that someone will die. In the end, the notion of violence in self-defense will only create more violence. It is for that reason that not only should handguns themselves be eradicated from the hands of the general public, but they should never be allowed to carry out in public. It is a fact that the Constitution guarantees us the right to bear arms. The Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights states: A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Our founding fathers who authored the Constitution were certainly aware of the British efforts to disarm the colonists and believed a militia was necessary to defend democracy. However, in the present day, owners of handguns are not members of a militia attempting to fight a tyrannical power or oppression. Any type of gun that can be concealed should be abolished from the hands of ordinary citizens and only placed in the hands of the men and women of our police force whom are trained professionals. This will de-emphasize the use of another slogan If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. It simply will not be the case as long as only those who are legitimate protectors of society are the only people who have access to them. WORKS CITED Agresti, James D. Gun Control. Just Facts Foundation. 10 June 1999. 20 October 2007. www.justfacts.com. Desuka, Nan. Why Handguns Must Be Outlawed.. Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Boston: Bedford, 1993. Cassidy, J. Warren. The Case For Firearms. Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Boston: Bedford, 1993. Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Families of Virginia Tech Victims and Survivors Call on U.S. Senate to Strengthen Brady Background Checks. 21 October 2007. www.handguncontrol.org

Two different concepts of power and authority

Two different concepts of power and authority Power and authority are two different concepts but they are closely related.Power is completely different from authority because power is needed in order to establish authority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Power is defined as ability of individuals or groups to get what they want despite the opposition. Power is derived from a variety of sources including knowledge, experience and environmental uncertainties (Denhardt et al, 2001). It is also important to recognize that power is specific to each situation. Individuals or groups that may be entirely powerful in one situation may find themselves with little or no power in another. The manager of Super Fine Pty Ltd, who is my Dad, is a perfect example. In running the company, he can exercise the managerial power to run the company. Power is difficult to measure and even to recognize, yet it plays a major role in explaining authority. In organizations, power is most likely exercised in situations where the stakes are high, resources are limited, and goals and processes are unclear (Denhardt et al, 2001). The absence of power in organizations forces us to rely on soley hierarchical authority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When power becomes legitimate, it is then recognized as authority (Denhardt et al, 2001). Power becomes authority when it is accepted and even desired by society. As stated by the course study notes, authority refers to a situation where a person (or group) has been formally granted a leadership position. An individual has authority when everyday norms and regulations support the exercising of power by that individual. In an organizational setting, authority is hierarchal and vested in positions, which are defined by organizational charts, positions and rules. Generally, power in authority also involves the possibility of rewards such as promotions and good performance reviews. The negative side of this is that it also presents the possibility of punishments, such as disciplinary actions and demotions. Power by way of authority is a more formal form of power. Authority figures within an organization are granted a level of power which individuals must comply with. Power in Organizations:- Power is the ability of one person to influence another. They can use this power to become leaders and to manage businesses. Power also brings influence on the behavior and attitudes of other people. This can be applied to customers and/or suppliers. The demand for power is common among the business world. There is a difference in power and authority. Only people who hold formal positions have authority, whereas all people at any level of an organized company have the power to influence other people. Authority is power. It is power on another level. Power is obvious and understood, while authority is vested in a particular position. An example of such a position of authority would be the CEO of a company or a GM. The distinguishing aspect however lies between the position and the need to become more powerful. Where there is power, there are also consequences that go along with it. It depends on how the power is used and to whom it is inflicted. The consequences range from a number of general effects. There are three specific examples of this. They are commitment, compliance, and resistance. Power is the stronghold for the three fold outcome that is brought on through consequences. Commitment:- Commitment can be as simple as following through with the task at hand or lack thereof. It is best defined in this way, when the followers welcome the influence process and accept it as reasonable and legitimate. Commitment can be shown through an employees ability to complete the task they are given by the person with more power than they possess. They will change their ideals to match that of the higher authority. If the CEO of a company says that his proposal is going to change, in the mind of the employee, they agree to change theirs as well. The employees, or people of lower authority, believe in the success of the company, they are fully committed the leaders ideas. The outcome of commitment is accepting without a doubt that whatever the leader says goes. Compliance:- Compliance determines asking someone to do something or perform a job, but they are not committed to it. They go along with their leader simply because they have to; it is party of their job. They could be doing it out of fear that they may fail or become jobless if they do not follow through. What sort of leader wants their co-workers to appear weak and not as dedicated as they should be? That is why the business leaders of the world want the best they can get? No boss wants to ask twice or to complain about an employee who, to put it simply, just doesnt care enough. Resistance:- Resistance defines when people do not actively agree with their leader or authority figure and passively resist it. This can affect their efficiency as a worker and can set a poor example for the rest of the employees around them. They can set a low standard of thinking that they do not have to do the job because there are other people who can do it instead. They may have the mindset that they are superior or too busy to deal with something that they do not fully agree with. This particular consequence is crucial to the reputation and status of the employee within the company. Relationship between power and leadership:- One important factor within power and leadership is the distribution of power. In organizations today, they feel that concentrated power can be detrimental to an organizations performance. When I say this I mean that more equal power should be distributed throughout the company, bringing about a higher performance in an organizations operating systems, to make decisions. Power should be equally distributed throughout, with the exception of the authority figures. If companies didnt have CEOs or managers, there would be too many power starving people and much more chaos. They keep the business flow organized. They make sure that their employees follow through with their jobs and support the businesss purpose. Within distribution of power, there are differences in the ways cultures view its importance. For example, in some cultures the implementation of power sharing is likely to face more obstacles in a culture where sub ordinance do not rely heavily on their superiors.refrence This is contrary to the common culture that most of us know in our world. For example, in the United States, people would be more likely to respond to managers that they favour or take liking to. On the contrary, people in overseas countries would be more likely to follow directions that are given by managers who have authentic power or authority. This goes to show how cultural influence has not only an obvious affect, but a psychological one as well. It can propose ideas that need to be honored because the culture believes that it is a better way of doing things. They believe that if they perform a certain way, they are doing things the best way. Within power in leadership, I have stated the reasons and consequences that appear most relevant. In most companies, the want for power is greatly desired. The more powerful one individual is, the more successful and respected they become. They have a greater influence to the people who follow them, who are looking for a way to find a safe position of status. They need to feel that they are efficient enough to do their job and to make sure people see that quality in them. Sources of power within leadership:- Sources of power are part of the second focal point within power and leadership. There are five genuine sources of power. They are legitimate power, reward power, coercive power, expert power, and referent power. All of these prove to be valid in getting a deeper insight to the sources of power. The second aspect within sources of power is using individual sources of power. Sources are described below as follows:- Legitimate power: Legitimate power is based on person holding a formal position. Others may comply because they accept the legitimacy of the position of the power holder. it is going to have the most fulfillments out of all other powers. It is better described as having power, but abilities to give rewards and punishments are limited. Once leaders lose their position of authority, they lose their influential meaning for others. Reward power:- Reward power is based on a persons access to rewards. Others comply because they want the rewards the power holder can offer.Once the access to the rewards or punishment is taken away by the organization, people start to resist the leader and his demands. This by far is one of the worst powers to orchestrate your company due to the potential resistance level of the employees situation. Coercive power:- Coercive power is determined by persons ability to punish. Others comply because they fear punishment.It also has the potential reaction for resistance. Punishment serves as an intimidator in this case. Fear of punishment is not the same as respect of authority. Employees are more likely to resist when they know that they will be punished because it takes away their dignity and respect for themselves in a working environment. Expert power:- Expert power depends on a persons expertise, competence, and information in a certain area. Others comply by, they believe in the power holders knowledge and competence. This power shows as having a potential reaction in the compliance area. If a leader proves to be educated and well trained in an area of business, the employees will abide and follow his wants and demands. If not however, the drive to succeed and meet the demands is absent. Referent power:- Referent power is influenced by persons attractiveness to find a friendship with others. Others comply because they respect and like the power holder. This type of power has the best potential for committed employees. They agree with their surroundings and the people who hold authority over them. It is not like an intimidating or difficult work place, but one that agrees with their skills and beliefs. When the superior and employee get along and hold a relationship that is positive, it accounts for a mutual understanding of the business requirements. Along with these five sources, there is the individual source and how it is used. Influence comes into play because it is related to power. Power brings about change in compatibility. Powerful leaders could or could not influence subordinates behaviors, or influence can occur without a specific source of power. Personal appeal depends on referent power and usually occurs with co-workers. This is likely to relate to commitment. Inspiration and influence persuade workers, while superiors moderate their organizations. There are different ways of the power to come from either internal or external. It stems forth from great leadership skills and a dependable foundation. To form the analysis of why there is power, there are five sources which are tied in Dark side of power:- The dark side of power is the major phase within leadership. There are different reasons of it which brings consequences and solutions that go along with it. This does not mean that all power is used with the same mind set. Some is used for the common welfare of all people, while other forms are one sided. Basically the grey side of power is when leaders succeed at the employees expense. Without accountability, excessive power brings many negative consequences. Too much power is blamed for different spoils, ranging from financial waste, fraud and sexual harassment. Some of the causes such dark side comes from leaders, who create the distance from others. They put their abilities up on a pedestal, portraying their view of themselves as being superior to others around them. One of the biggest causes power addiction is due to too much praise of the leader for simple things, flattering that the leader is always right. Another is when the leader imposes his thought above all others, considering his junior is incapable because whatever he says goes. A prime example of such a corruption is allowing a retired CEO to come back and receive benefits and all of the company incentives, while stepping down from the CEO position. Consequences of dark side of power:- There are also some consequences of dark side of the power. On a general level, having a distance from others in the organization itself leads to poor decision making because they lack the information needed to make good judgments. Another consequence of excessive power is a sense of immorality; they consider themselves subject to different rules than their subordinates which creates unethical and illegal behavior in leaders while expecting their subordinates to follow instruction at every cost. One last consequence is the devaluing to followers. Jeopardizing their self-worth to better the superiors standings is another way to put it. This can result in an overly assumed sense of control that makes the follower feel weak and incompetent. Some of the solutions are that could narrow the gap between followers and leaders is to involve them in day-to-day activities, minimizing the followers dependency on the leader, and involving outsiders in decision making. These things can help up to some extent to prevent excessive centralization of power and abuse. Through the causes, consequences, and solutions associated with the dark side of power, discussion can be evaluated for many things. They are just three ways to divide what the dark side of power actually is and who culprit is associated with it. Once deeper understanding about the dark side of power has gained, preventions and modifications can be implemented to deter these things from coming between a leader and a follower. Everyone wants to become a leader to have a superiority complex and respect by other subordinates. Being leader and a superior is great fulfillment to our self-esteem due to the reason that power to control over things and demand of whatever we want and we gain respect from the others. But we must put in our mind that being a leader, it is not an easy to perform by everyone. The essence of being a leadership is to come down at subordinates level and listen to them in order to inspire in working. As a leader they must see it that they are accessible and available all the time to their subordinates. Effective leader:-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To become an effective leader, a leader should possess some skills in managing their people. These skills include communication, trustworthy and confidence. Leader must provide clear instructions to their subordinates and provide some insights about the nature of their work, let them know about the worth of their work for the organization and how they will be able to contribute the progress of their institution or their company. Good leaders are not born, they are made. They must undergo a process of thorough self-examining, education, training and experience, it helps them to make their subordinates in determining their work and become focus in everything they do. In these processes the teamwork will be enhanced. The leaders must also know and aware of some specific things in order to make him an effective leader.  He should have the understanding about the difference between leader and a boss, where being a leader his follower aim high to achieve the goal while being a boss the s ubordinates will become intimidate and not able to give their best.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leadership is applicable to all aspects as long there are group that are working together. A group must have a leader in order to have there is a systematic flow of organizations. In applying effective leadership into a certain institution like managing or running a school, there must be a leader who will guide the people in their doing and to have a systematic outcome.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a school culture, leadership is very important for the reason that they are molding the next generation leader. For which, effective leadership skills, the headmasters must be capable enough in handling their subordinates. Where the headmasters must be approachable and available at all time moreover being a leader they should segregate the information to their subordinates having clear instructions. With this proper communication, the subordinates will be able to give their best. For instance, if there is conflict arising between of their subordinates it can easily fix through a proper counseling in that case it will not become bigger. Furthermore, if there are any complaints from the students it can easily figure out.   With regards to this situation the subordinates will be competing with each other but instead they are working as teamwork. Conclusion:- Through an effective leadership it will make the subordinates to become responsible and independent to work their job. Having an effective leadership of a certain management it attracts lots of competent people applying in different position, in this case it will uplift the standard of an institution that there are lots of people will be trusting them and gain respect which is a fulfillment of being a leader where we can learn a lesson that is worth to keep. Refrences:- Yung-Shui, Wang, and Huang Tung-Chun. 2009. THE RELATIONSHIP OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP WITH GROUP COHESIVENESS AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. Social Behavior Personality: An International Journal 37, no. 3: 379-392. Yukongdi, Vimolwan. 2010. A study of Thai employees preferred leadership style. Asia Pacific Business Review 16, no. 1/2: 161-181 Kanji, Gopal K. 2008. Leadership is prime: How do you measure Leadership Excellence?. Total Quality Management Business Excellence 19, no. 4: 417-427 Belaya, Vera, and Jon Henrich Hanf. 2009. The two sides of power in business-to-business relationships: implications for supply chain management. Marketing Review 9, no. 4: 361-381. Bunderson, J. Stuart. 2003. TEAM MEMBER FUNCTIONAL BACKGROUND AND INVOLVEMENT IN MANAGEMENT TEAMS: DIRECT EFFECTS AND THE MODERATING ROLE OF POWER CENTRALIZATION. Academy of Management Journal 46, no. 4: 458-474 Ingram, Thomas N., Raymond W. LaForge, and Jr., Charles H. Schwepker. 2007. SALESPERSON ETHICAL DECISION MAKING: THE IMPACT OF SALES LEADERSHIP AND SALES MANAGEMENT CONTROL STRATEGY. Journal of Personal Selling Sales Management 27, no. 4: 301-315. Denhardt, R.B, Denhardt, J.V. Aristigueta M.P. (2001). Managing Human Behavior in Public and Nonprofit Organization. Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA. Global leadership and personal power by Jeffrey grandz- iveybusiness journal.

Rehabilitation of Criminals in America Essay examples -- social issues

Rehabilitation of Criminals in America Prison inmates, are some of the most  ³maladjusted ² people in society. Most of the inmates have had too little discipline or too much, come from broken homes, and have no self-esteem. They are very insecure and are  ³at war with themselves as well as with society ² (Szumski 20). Most inmates did not learn moral values or learn to follow everyday norms. Also, when most lawbreakers are labeled criminals they enter the phase of secondary deviance. They will admit they are criminals or believe it when they enter the phase of secondary deviance (Doob 171). Next, some believe that if we want to rehabilitate criminals we must do more than just send them to prison. For instance, we could give them a chance to acquire job skills; which will improve the chances that inmates will become productive citizens upon release. The programs must aim to change those who want to change. Those who are taught to produce useful goods and to be productive are  ³likely to develop the self-esteem essential to a normal, integrated personality ² (Szumski 21). This kind of program would provide skills and habits and  ³replace the sense of hopelessness ² that many inmates have (Szumski 21). Moreover, another technique used to rehabilitate criminals is counseling. There is two types of counseling in general, individual and group counseling. Individual counseling is much more costly than group counseling. The aim of group counseling is to develop positive peer pressure that will influence its members. One idea in many sociology text is that group problem-solving has definite advantages over individual problem-solving. The idea is that a wider variety of solutions can be derived by drawing from the experience of several people with different backgrounds. Also one individuals problem might have already been solved by another group member and can be suggested. Often if a peer proposes a solution it carries more weight than if the counselor were to suggest it (Bennett 20-24). Further, in sociology, one of the major theories of delinquency is differential association (Cressey 1955). This means some people learned their ways from  ³undesirable ² people who they were forced to be in association with and that this association  ³warps ² their thinking and social attitudes.  ³Group counseling, group interaction, and other kinds of group activities can... ... to the economy. Also the construction of new prisons brings millions of dollars into the economy each year and if there were no new prisons needed it would mean the loss of thousands of jobs (Szumski 24-26). Henry Abernathy and inmate in Texas said  ³just think what a catastrophe it would cause if all cons across the country decided never to commit another crime. ² Richard Cepulonis, an inmate in Massachusetts said just the title  ³Department of Corrections ² is a  ³misnomer ² he said  ³they don ¹t correct anything. ² In conclusion, things need to be done to improve rehabilitation in America. Improvements in job training, counseling, and halfway houses for rehabilitation must be brought to the forefront by citizens. If we do not get involved and try to make changes, our crime problem could worsen beyond control. Bibliography Szumski, Bonnie. America ¹s Prisons Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven Press, Inc.: 1985 Doob, Christopher. Sociology: An Introduction. Harcourt Brace & Company, United States: 1994 Bennett, Lawrence. Counseling in Correctional Environments. New York: New York, 1978 Fox, Vernon. Community-Based Corrections. Englewood Cliffs: New Jersey, 1977.

Endorsement Attributes: its implication in buying intention Essay

MARKETING RESEARCH We envision Saint Louis University as an excellent missionary and transformative educational institution zealous in the formation human resources who are imbued with the Christian Spirit and who are creative, competent and socially involved. SCHOOL OF ACOUNTANCY AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY PHILIPPINES October 2013 Endorsement Attributes: Its Implication to Buying Intention† Jonand Ray Estabillo, Deaniel Soriano, Raiza NerissaVeridiano, Gian Carlo Villoso and Zenedith P. Monang Abstract The research aimed to determine the level of effectiveness and the buying intention of the consumers based on the attributes of endorsers; Physical Attractiveness, Popularity, Source Credibility, Brand Congruency and Lineage/ Bloodline/ Heredity. Specifically, the study ought to answer the questions: what is the profile of the respondents in terms of their gender, occupation, hometown and nationality? Moreover, the study also sought to answer the question: how effective is the endorser and on what level is the consumer’s intention to buy. The researchers made use of a descriptive method of research, and questionnaires were utilized in collecting data. The respondents of the research were consumers from rural and urban places who are either a student or a young professional. Finally, the results of the study proves that consumer buying intention have a significant effect to the demographic and endorsement attributes such as physical attractiveness, popularity, source credibility, brand congruence and lineage/bloodline/hereditary. Keywords: Consumer Behavior, Buying Intention, Endorsement Attributes Introduction Companies of today spend a significant amount of their budget on hiring endorsers to advertise their products. These companies aim to have a sufficient return on investment with the expectation that these endorsers will be able to attract the attention of the customers, raise customers interest by focusing on and demonstrating advantages and benefits, convince customers that they want and desire the product or service and that it will satisfy their needs, and later on lead customers towards taking action and/or purchasing. Every Advertisement aims to create awareness and arouse interest in the minds of customers. To do so advertisers employ several of marketing techniques. Celebrity Endorsement is one of these power toolsby which advertisers try to leverage the image and identification of the celebrity to promote a product or company (Atkin& Block, 1983). This not only makes the advertisement lively, attractive, interesting, but attention getting as well (Ohanian 1991, Kamins 1990). So happens because audience takes the celebrity as a role model and in turn these celebrities impact their lives. Celebrity endorsement has been in application from a long time (Kaikati 1987), in fact not too late when advertisement techniques were taking on new forms because advertisers realized soon that by using publicly renowned personalities in advertisements they will be able to align brands personalities with that of the celebrity’s. That is why advertisers go for a careful selection of celebrities because if any micro aspect may go wrong in celebrity endorsement selection process, whole of the celebrity endorsed advertisement campaign may collapse. This will ultimately show brand the way back to pavilion (Kaikati 1987, Till and Shimp 1995). This study aims 1. ) To identify the endorsement attributes in purchasing/buying intention of the consumers 2. ) To analyzed the effectiveness of its attributes such as itsPhysical Attractiveness, Popularity, Source Credibility, Brand Congruence and Bloodline/Heredity/Lineage. Literature Review Marketing tends to take a new and unique way of advertising as advertisers are exploring different ways to make the advertisement effective and influential. One of these is the use of endorsers. Endorser is one important considerable literature on this topic exists. The need for endorsers has been described in various ways. According to Erdogan, Baker and Tagg (2001), a spokesperson’s role is tomake the advertisement stand out from the clutter, arrest potential customers, add value to the brand, and lastly, build a lasting impression to encourage the consumer to make a purchase. Lane and Russell (2000),argue that â€Å"one of the primary challenges for advertising is to provide a tangible and differentiating element to the marketing of services†. Stafford, Stafford and Day (2002) refer to ‘tangibility’ as â€Å"the visualization of a service’s benefits or qualities, the association with an extrinsic product, person, event, place or object, the physical representations of the service, and documentation such as facts or figures explaining the characteristics of a service†. The use of an endorser is one of the methods of enhancing the tangibility of the advertisement and differentiating it from others. The Endorser An endorser is a person who makes a ‘testimonial’, or a written or a spoken statement, extolling the virtue of some product. This person could be a public figure or a private citizen. A testimonial usually applies to sales pitches attributed to ordinary citizens whereas endorsement usually applies to pitches by celebrities (Liu, Huang, & Jiang, 2007). This study focuses on two (2) types of spokespersons – celebrity and anonymous. Celebrity Endorsers The use of celebrities to promote commercial goods and services is not new to advertisers. Companies envision that endorsers who are attractive and likeable will transfer such qualities to their brands and products. In addition, as celebrities are constantly in the media, they serve to constantly remind consumers of the brands that they endorse. Indeed, the use of celebrity endorsers has been gaining in popularity over time. Specifically, celebrity endorsers are effective in generating increased attention and enhanced image of the brand. However, their effectiveness in influencing purchase intention is more limited. †Celebrities are people who enjoy public recognition by a large share of certain Group of people. † And the term ‘Celebrity endorsement’ as defined by McCracken: â€Å"Any individual who enjoys public recognition and who uses this recognition on behalf of a consumer good by appearing with it in an advertisement. †(McCracken 1989) Advertisers go for celebrity endorsement because of its greater benefits and immense possible influence. There are certain potential advantages of celebrity endorsement, celebrities endorsed advertisements draw more attention as compared to those of non-celebrity ones, helps the company in re-positioning its product/brand and finally empowers the company when it’s new in the market or plans to go global. However celebrity endorsement doesn’t hold sole key to success. It also presents the company with potential hazards. These might include, overshadowing, overexposure, and controversy (Erdogan 1999). Lay endorsers or anonymous models Lay endorsers are unknown individuals who are chosen based on the target market demographics. These anonymous individuals offer association with the target audience for a less expensive price. They are usuallypackaged as the ‘typical person’ that the consumers can identify with (McCracken, 1989). Celebrity Endorsers vs. Non Celebrity Endorsers According to Seno & Lukas (2007), Celebrities are very much helpful than other type of endorsers such as the company manager, distinctive consumer and the qualified expert etc. On the opposing, companies clutch imperfect control over the celebrity endorsers, since they have created their public character themselves over the years. Previous research on celebrity endorsement reveals that celebrity endorsers produced more constructive attitude towards advertising and superior purchase intentions than a non-celebrity endorser (Atkin and Block 1983; Petty et al. 1983; Ohanian 1991). On the contrary, Mehta (1994) argue that there were no statistically major difference in attitudes towards advertising, brand and purchase intention on endorsed brand among celebrity and non-celebrity endorsements. But, differences were found in cognitive responses generated by respondents. Endorsement Attributes Physical Attractiveness Physically attractive communicators are more successful in changing beliefs than are unattractive communicators (Chaiken, 1979). In today’s society, people tend to place a heavy emphasis on attractiveness, and most advertisements feature attractive models. In a sense, the physical attractiveness of the endorser rubs off on the product, enhancing the product’s image and resulting in positive attitude change (Kahle and Homer, 1985). This points to the importance of â€Å"matching up† the image of the celebrity with the characteristics of the product. The â€Å"match up† notion suggests that the image of the product and the celebrity should come together, with the relevant attributes of the product being consistent with the characteristics of the endorser to gain positive impact with increased memorability and recall (Misra and Beatty, 1990). This effort to represent product and service imagery in ways that insinuate them into the consumer’s perceived needs and interests has always been the primary task of marketing. A clear understanding of what consumers expect in gender role endorsements can help marketers in the evaluation and planning of the portrayal of product characteristics in different markets. Popularity This has been taken to heart by advertisers. The use of celebrities to advertise aproduct is based on the assumption thatgetting famous personalities to represent abrand will result to a higher degree ofadvertising appeal, believability, and recall ascompared to anonymous models. Numerous studies have indicated the link between celebrity attractiveness and attitude changes toward issues, product, and advertising evaluations (Caballero and Pride, 1984; Chaiken 1979; Kahle and Homer, 1985). Others have suggested that when a celebrity’s physical attractiveness â€Å"matches up† or is congruent with the presence and degree to which the product or service advertised enhances attractiveness (i. e. , attractive celebrity linked with an attractiveness- related product) there would be a positive impact upon product/service and advertisement evaluations (Kahle and Homer 1985). Source Credibility Source credibility suggests that the effectiveness of a message depends on the â€Å"expertness† and â€Å"trustworthiness† of the source (Hovland, Janis, and Kelley, 1953; Sternthal, Dholakia, and Leavitt 1978). In general, a message source with higher credibility tends to be more effective than one with less credibility (Sternthal, Phillips, and Dholakia 1978). Since higher levels of source credibility tend to be associated with more positive attitudes toward the message and lead to behavioral changes (Craig and McCann, 1978; Woodside and Davenport, 1974), advertisers will opt to use celebrities if they think that they have a high level of credibility. Researchers have identified three components as making up the credibility construct: knowledgeor expertise, trustworthiness, and appearance or attractiveness (Baker and Churchill, 1977; Joseph, 1982; Kahle and Homer, 1985; Maddox and Rogers, 1980). Attempts to measure the impact credibility on consumers’ intentions to purchase indicate that only â€Å"expertise† had any significant influence on intentions to purchase. There also seems to be a direct correlation between believability and overall advertisement effectiveness, as measured by purchase intentions (Kamins, Brand, Hoeke, and Moe 1989). Credible spokespersons are perceived to be moresocially and intellectually competent, andhave higher levels of integrity which makesthem more persuasive (Till &Busler, 1998). Brand Congruence The term â€Å"congruence† is used in several research areas, particularly brand extension, co-branding, sponsoring, and endorsement. In all these cases, the aim is to assess the fit between a brand and another entity. A variety of terms have been used (congruence, fit, link, â€Å"match up effect†, etc. ) but the general concept is the same. In the field of celebrity spokespersons, congruence was not really defined as such until Misra and Beatty’s work (1990, p. 161). They deduced that it consisted of the factâ€Å"that the highly relevant characteristics of the spokesperson are consistent with the highly relevant attributes of the brand†. A number of authors have studied specific aspects of celebrity, such as gender and skin color (Huston, d’Ouville and Willis, 2003) or physical attractiveness (Kamins, 1990), but few have analyzed congruence in the broader sense. Purchase/ Buying Intention Endorsers who are liked, perceived to be trustworthy, expert, and attractive, are said to have more positive influences on advertisement believability and brand image,which can contribute to purchase intentions. They possess the ability to arrest and lure readers to an advertisement, thus making the communication more effective. Goldsmith et al. (2000) claimed thatcredible endorsers have been shown to have amore positive effect on consumer’s attitude towards the advertisement. Crediblespokespersons are perceived to be moresocially and intellectually competent, andhave higher levels of integrity which makesthem more persuasive (Till &Busler, 1998). These credible endorsers have the ability tosignificantly increase purchase intentions(Liu et al. , 2007; Pornpitakpan, 2003;Erdogan, et al. , 2001). Past researches suggest that messagesource characteristics affect the consumer’sattitude towards the advertisement which inturn affects their attitude towards the brand(Goldsmith et al. , 2000; Shimp& Gresham, 1985). Emotions and attitudes formedtowards an advertisement predict brand attitudes (Yoo&MacInnis, 2005). In addition, Brown and Stayman (1992) claimed that there is a consistent relationship betweenattitude towards the advertisement andattitude towards the brand and purchaseintentions. McKenzie et al. (1986) stated thatconsumers are said to have a tendency topurchase products from brands where theydevelop positive attitudes (Goldsmith et al. ,2000). There is a consistent pattern showingthe effect of attitude towards the brand on purchase intentions. Lineage/Bloodline/Heredity Advertising literature also emphasizes the influence of cultural variables in advertising effectiveness (McCracken, 1989; Paek, 2005). McCracken (1989) argued that â€Å"the success of celebrity-endorsed advertisements depends on whether the endorser is meaningful within a culture’s consumer values and norms†. In McCracken’s Meaning Transfer Model, he claims that celebrity endorsers contain a broad range of meanings such as demographics, personality, and lifestyle. These meanings are transferred from the endorser to the product, and afterwards, from the product to the consumer. It is important for advertisers to understand the culture of their market for them to be successful. This is because â€Å"consumers respond to advertising messages that are congruent with their culture, thereby rewarding advertisers who understand that culture, and who tailor advertisements to reflect its values† (Paek, 2005). Hofstede (1984) describes spokespersons as ‘cultural heroes’ because they serve as role models, and they possess characteristics that are looked upon by society. Typically marketers are defined to have the ability to control the behaviors of customers, but actually they have neither power nor information for that. Marketer may influence their buying behavior but not control. Several individual and not individual affect consumer behaviors. Motives, perceptions, attitudes, experiences, self concept, values can be considered as individual factors. And not individual factors can be expressed as, culture, profession, family, reference groups. Culture Culture is the complex of beliefs of human societies, their roles, their behavior, their values, traditions, customs and traditions. Culture is an extremely important concept to understand consumer behavior and that needs to be examined. Culture is the sum of a shared purpose among members of society, customs, norms and traditions. The basic reason of person’s desire or determination is culture. Geographical regions and religions are essential in the formation of sub-culture. The preference of individuals who live very close to each other can be different. Individuals belonging to different have different sub-culture values, attitudes and social structures of the members of other sub-culture. These differences, sub-cultural segmentation of the market activity has made an important variable. It is important to know thecharacteristics of the sub-culture in creating the marketing mix price, brand name identification, promotionalactivities and product positioning. Social groups, although they don’t show in a formal process of similar lifestyle shows are groups formed by individuals. There are several features of social class. First, the behavior of members of the social class structure, education levels, attitudes, values and communication styles are similar, and these characteristics are different from other social class members. Second, individuals’ status is determined according to their societies. Third, social classes are determined not by according only one variable, also by such variables like education, income, living area, activities and values. Demographics Endorsement Attributes †¢ Physical Attractiveness †¢ Popularity †¢ Source Credibility †¢ Brand Congruence †¢ Bloodline/Heredity/ Lineage Buying Intention H2 H1 Figure 1. Research Framework H1: There are no significant differences in the level of effectiveness of endorsement attributes when respondents are grouped according to demographics. H2: Endorsement attributes significantly contribute to buying intention. Methodology Research Design The research was conducted to know the effectiveness of endorsement attributes and its impact to consumer buying intention. The study used Descriptive Diagnostic Method to determine the endorsement attributes and its impact on consumer buying intention. Descriptive research (Kothari,2004) is used for studies that are concerned with describing the characteristics of a particular group, whereas Diagnostic research determines the frequency with which something occurs to its association with something else. The data had been carefully studied and statistically interpreted as what they implied. The collection of data was in the form of questionnaires that were floated to the individual respondents. These questionnaires contained specific set of questions in order to obtain useful data that would lead the researchers to meet the goals and objectives that were set for the study. Respondents Majority of the respondents were randomly selected when the researchers floated the questionnaires. There were 200 respondents for the study. The respondents in this survey consisted of 101(50. 5%) males and 99(49. 5%) females. About 127 (63. 5%) young professional and 73(36. 5%) students. It was discovered that respondents 105(52. 5%) are from the urban area and 95(47. 5) of them come from the rural area. The majority of the respondents’ nationalities were Filipino with the total number of 109 (54. 5%) respondents followed by the foreigners with the number of 91 or a 45. 5 %. Data Gathering Tool Relevant information, researches, and data were gathered through primary and secondary sources. Primary information and data were generated with the use of questionnaires made and floated by the researchers. These questionnaires were sent out to the consumers who are particularly students and young professional. Part of the questionnaire included direct questions regarding the buying intention of consumers on several factors on the effectiveness of the advertisement. Secondary sources of data came from published materials like journals, theses, books that were obtained from Saint Louis University Library and other sources found from reliable websites in the internet. Instrumentation The questionnaire consisted in two blocks. The first block of the questionnaire focuses on the demographic profile of the respondents. The second block of the questionnaire is divided into five parts, with each measuring the physical attractiveness, popularity, source credibility, brand congruency and lineage/bloodline/heredity. On the left, focuses on the level of effectiveness and on the right focuses on the intention to buy. The Likert scale have been used to examine the level of its effectiveness of the endorsement if it is highly effective (4) or highly ineffective (1) and how consumers affect their buying intention where (1) indicates will not buy to (4) will surely buy. Reliability and Validity The questionnaire were tested through a pre-float, given to 25 individuals, conducted at New Lucban, Baguio City and was proven to be reliable. Cronbach’s alpha was used to prove the internal and reliability of the questionnaire. It is commonly used when Likert wanted to determine the reliability of multiple questions in a survey. Reliability Statistic for the questionnaire was conducted with a result of . 863 Cronbach’s alpha ratefor the level of effectiveness and . 877 for the intention to buy with an overall rate of . 901 which indicates a high level of consistency and reliability for the level of the effectiveness of a questionnaire. An item-total statistics was also conducted, which means the importance of the question in a survey and with Cronbach’s alpha rate of . 851. Therefore, the questions have the high level of consistency and reliability and it is valid to use in the survey. Results and Discussion This study aims to identify the endorsement attributes that influence the purchasing/buying intention of the consumers. Endorsement Attributes Table 1. Level of Effectiveness of Endorsement Attributes Indicators Mean SD Sig 1. Physical Attractiveness 2. 8795 .40254 .000 2. Popularity 2. 6075 .30141 .000 3. Source Credibility 3. 1040 .46763 .000 4. Brand Congruency 3. 1550 .61332 .000 5. Lineage/Bloodline/Hereditary 2. 7795 .53980 .000 Physical Attractiveness The overall results revealed that the physical attractiveness of the endorser has a mean average of 2. 8795 (? = 0. 01) has an effect to the consumer on how they endorse clothing. When purchasing clothing, most consumers look into how endorser would feel comfort and look presentable to them. Physical Attractiveness is one important attribute. As consumers wants a product to satisfy certain specific needs. The benefit is also a factor that consumers have in mind when purchasing clothing. Many researches in advertising and communication suggested that physical attractiveness was an important cue in how an individual judge another person at first 30 sights. It is because beauty usually made a better first impression. Because of increasing use of celebrity endorsement, attractiveness became an important dimension of source credibility (Ohanian, 1991). Popularity Popularity was measured using 12 items; an overall mean score of 2. 6075 (? = 0. 01) found out that there is a moderate effect with the popularity of the endorser regarding its effectiveness. Items regarding politicians and musicians endorsing had results, which are only slightly effective. This implies that choosing someone who will endorse a certain product also has an effect to the consumer. Leventhal (1994 in Miller 1994) suggests that celebrity endorsements are always a high-risk, high-reward situation and there is always a human element that you never know, and you have to weigh the potential risks vs. the potential rewards. McCracken (1989) suggests that endorsement is successful, when the properties of the celebrity are made the properties of the endorsed product. However, the study by Walker et al. (1992) found that the endorser, which may have certain attributes that are desirable for endorsing the product, then again, he or she might also have other, even more closely associated attributes that are inappropriate for a specific product. Source Credibility Respondents indicate their level of effectiveness when an endorser possesses trustworthiness and expertise. Source Credibility items was measured with an overall mean score of 3. 1040 (? = 0. 01) and found out that it is moderately effective. An honest/sincere person endorses food scored a highest mean of 3. 4400 (? = 0. 01) while a dependable/reliable individual endorses food items score the lowest mean of 2. 8450 (? = 0. 01). This implies that the personality of the consumers is moderately effective as the influential of the endorser through its knowledge or expertise. Source credibility was the degree to which the receiver would believe the source has certain degree of relevant knowledge and/or expertise and they choose to believe the information offered by the source (Ohanian, 1990). At first, source credibility simply meant endorser’s credibility in an advertisement (Aronson, Turner and Carlsmith, 1963). Eventually it was considered as an important factor which might affect consumers’ purchase intentions and attitudes toward advertising (Lutz, MacKenzie, and Belch, 1983). Brand Congruency An overall average mean of 3. 1550 (? = 0. 01) found out that endorsement on this items are moderately effective. Endorsing gadgets by an individual person that matches his character have an effect towards the consumer. With an overall mean result of 3. 3650 (? = 0. 01) ranked the highest by the respondents. While on the other hand, an individual that endorses food items that matches his lifestyle got the mean of 2. 9500 (? = 0. 01) being the lowest in terms of brand congruency. The term â€Å"congruence† is used in several research areas, particularly brand extension, co-branding, sponsoring, and endorsement. In all these cases, the aim is to assess the fit between a brand and another entity (a new product category, another brand, an event, or an individual) (Fleck and Quester, 2007). A variety of terms have been used (congruence, fit, link, â€Å"match up effect†, etc. ) but the general concept is the same. Lineage/Bloodline/ Hereditary Respondents indicated that the mean for that of an individual with an alien foreign citizenship who endorses gadgets 2. 7795 (. 03817) revealed that it is slightly effective in relation with their lineage/bloodline/heredity. The overall results revealed that the lineage/bloodline/heredity of the endorser has a mean average of 2. 7795 (. 03817) has an effect to the consumer on how they endorse gadgets. This implies that most consumers tend to buy gadgets which are endorsed by aliens who have a foreign citizenship. Consumer Buying Intention Table 2. Intention to Buy based on the Endorsement Attributes Indicators Mean SD Sig 1. Physical Attractiveness 2. 7215 .29872 .000 2. Popularity 2. 3820 .57176 .000 3. Source Credibility 2. 9005 .34793 .000 4. Brand Congruency 2. 9450 .42494 .000 5. Lineage/Bloodline/Hereditary 2. 4885 .43677 .000 Physical Attractiveness Respondents indicated their intention to buy when an endorser is physically attractive and was measured with an overall mean score of 2. 721 (? = 0. 01) An elegant person who endorses gadgets has the highest mean of 2. 5850 (? = 0. 01) while a sexy individual who endorses food items score the lowest mean of 2. 6350 (? = 0. 01) This indicates that the decision of the consumers is that they most likely will not buy as the influence of the endorser with regards through his/her physical attractiveness. Popularity Popularity was measured using 12 items; an overall mean score of 2. 3820 (? = 0. 01) revealed that consumers will most likely not to buy in relation with the popularity of the endorser regarding consumer’s buying intention. Athletes endorsing food items rated a mean of 2. 9000 (? = 0. 01) which is the highest rate among the 12 items. A politician who endorses clothing has the lowest rate with a rated mean of 1. 7500 (? = 0. 01). This implies that athletes who endorse food items have a great influence in a consumer’s intention to buy goods. Hence, a politician endorsing clothing is not influential as compared to the latter. Food Products especially Cereals has used top-notch athletes to grace the cover of their box for decades. Now, more than ever, the use of celebrity athletes to endorse food products is mainstream advertising. Michael Phelps and Frosted Flakes. Eli and Peyton Manning promoting Double-Stuff-Oreos. No doubt, these celebrity athletes can sell the goods. Source Credibility Respondents indicate their intention to buy when an endorser possess trustworthiness and expertise. Source Credibility items were measured with an overall mean score of 2. 9005 (? = 0. 01) and found out that they will most likely buy. Results of this study found that, honesty and sincerity was significantly associated with buying intention, in addition, this result coincides with study’s result of (Yoon, et al,. 1998) as they found that three dimensions of endorser credibility have normal significant with buying intention. A number of empirical studies have found that credible endorsers positively influence consumer attitudes toward brand, advertisement, and consumers’ purchase intentions (Agrawal& Kamakura, 1995; Kelman 2006; Amos et al. , 2008). Brand Congruency An overall average mean of 2. 9450 (? = 0. 01) found out that the intention of consumers are most likely to buy as there is brand congruency. Endorsing gadgets by an individual person that matches his character have an effect towards the consumer. With an overall mean result of 3. 0250 (? = 0. 01) ranked the highest by the respondents. It is similar based on the nationwide survey under Solar, where 57 percent of selfies said their priorities for the next two years would be to acquire gadgets while 49 percent also cited having a car/vehicle. While regarded as the â€Å"me, me, me† generation, the Sun Life study suggested that these selfies also aspired to be financially independent by having a business and properties while waiting to start their own families. This may be because respondents come from the so-called â€Å"selfie† generation—a new breed of young adults without financial dependents who form a growing consumer powerhouse in this country. Their typical two-year priority is to splurge on lifestyle-related consumer items like gadgets and cars. (Dumlao, 2013) Lineage/Bloodline/Hereditary The overall results revealed that the lineage/bloodline/heredity of the endorser has a mean average of 2. 2885 (? = 0. 01) this implies that most consumers will most likely not to buy. However, for food items endorsed by either an individual with alien foreign citizenship or a natural born Filipino, the consumers are most likely to buy. This may be because of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs where food belongs to the Biological and Physiological needs which must be satisfied first while fashion and gadgets on higher levels like Social Needs and Self-esteem needs. Demographics and Endorsement Attributes Table 3. Demographics and Endorsement Attributes Indicators Demographics Mean SD Sig Physical Attractiveness Filipino 3. 0156 .41481 .000 Foreigner 2. 7165 .32016 Popularity Rural 2. 5705 .25552 .002 Urban 2. 6410 .33532 Source Credibility Male 3. 0703 .59170 .000 Female 3. 1384 .29057 Student 3. 3671 .45858 .001 Young Professional 2. 9528 .40254 Rural 3. 1179 .29499 .000 Urban 3. 0914 .58262 Filipino 3. 1991 .61002 .000 Foreigner 2. 9901 .11358 Brand Congruency Male 3. 2475 .73900 .000 Female 3. 0606 .43444 Student 3. 3356 .49367 .000 Young Professional 3. 0512 .65196 Rural 3. 0084 .38028 .000 Urban 3. 2876 .74275 Filipino 3. 3771 .67311 .000 Foreigner 2. 8890 .39594 Lineage/Bloodline/Hereditary Rural 2. 7011 .42011 .000 Urban 2. 8505 .62236 Filipino 2. 7055 .64000 .000 Foreigner 2. 8681 .37175 Physical Attractiveness In the first of Table 3, it shows that physical attractiveness of an endorser is significant and it has an effect in terms of its nationality. It implies that it is important for an endorser to have the physical qualities of a person whether Filipino or foreign to make the advertisement effective. Bers and Rodin (1984) pointed out that children increasingly focus their comparisons on attributes they regard as personally important as they grow older, with physical attractivene

Free Essays on The Unfortunate Redemption

The Unfortunate Redemption At first I found O’Connor’s piece, â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† grotesque and unappealing; however, after rereading, it was fascinating. The story is about a vacation, a grandmother, her son Bailey and his family go on that ends in misfortune. Bailey and his wife have a young baby and two unruly children: John Wesley and June Star. The grandmother is a cantankerous either knowingly or not leads them to their deaths. O’Connor meticulously intertwines foreshadowing throughout the story that hint to the eventful end, where the grandmother has an epiphany. The story begins with foreshadowing when the grandmother tries to persuade her son Bailey to visit Tennessee instead of Florida. O’Connor explains the grandma does not want to go to Florida because a felon called â€Å"The Misfit† has just escaped from jail and is heading towards Florida on a killing spree (302). The grandma’s story is about the man is ironic because he ends up being the family’s killer. Not winning the debate, the grandmother and family head off destined to Florida. She brings her cat, Pitty Sing, and hides him in a basket because she knows Bailey would not want him to go; she is afraid the cat will be lonely and might accidentally kill himself if left alone (303). It is ironic that she feels the cat would die at home, when the cat is the one who causes the car accident later on in the story. Destined to Florida, the grandmother dresses in distinguishable clothes so if there is an accident, people would identify her as a lady is she is dead (303). This is a foreshadowing of the fateful end the grandmother will come to. Even more, the nice clothes she is wearing seem similar to clothes worn by the dead for coffin viewings. O’Connor describes the grandmother of wearing a blue hat with flowers and a blue printed dress with the cuffs â€Å"white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned ... Free Essays on The Unfortunate Redemption Free Essays on The Unfortunate Redemption The Unfortunate Redemption At first I found O’Connor’s piece, â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† grotesque and unappealing; however, after rereading, it was fascinating. The story is about a vacation, a grandmother, her son Bailey and his family go on that ends in misfortune. Bailey and his wife have a young baby and two unruly children: John Wesley and June Star. The grandmother is a cantankerous either knowingly or not leads them to their deaths. O’Connor meticulously intertwines foreshadowing throughout the story that hint to the eventful end, where the grandmother has an epiphany. The story begins with foreshadowing when the grandmother tries to persuade her son Bailey to visit Tennessee instead of Florida. O’Connor explains the grandma does not want to go to Florida because a felon called â€Å"The Misfit† has just escaped from jail and is heading towards Florida on a killing spree (302). The grandma’s story is about the man is ironic because he ends up being the family’s killer. Not winning the debate, the grandmother and family head off destined to Florida. She brings her cat, Pitty Sing, and hides him in a basket because she knows Bailey would not want him to go; she is afraid the cat will be lonely and might accidentally kill himself if left alone (303). It is ironic that she feels the cat would die at home, when the cat is the one who causes the car accident later on in the story. Destined to Florida, the grandmother dresses in distinguishable clothes so if there is an accident, people would identify her as a lady is she is dead (303). This is a foreshadowing of the fateful end the grandmother will come to. Even more, the nice clothes she is wearing seem similar to clothes worn by the dead for coffin viewings. O’Connor describes the grandmother of wearing a blue hat with flowers and a blue printed dress with the cuffs â€Å"white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned ...