Analysis of The Secret Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of The Secret - Essay Example The film explicit that human mind is full of negative and positive thoughts. However, in the overall thinking process either positivity or negativity gets complete hold of the mind. If the mind is under the control of positive attraction then things that people plan to achieve are acquired easily (â€Å"The Secret†, n. p.). This concept of positive attraction has actually played a significant role in my coming to the college such that all through my childhood and early teenage I heard and saw people enjoying their college life and building successful careers. Since then onwards I developed an entirely positive thinking about getting into the college. As it is explained in the film that internal positivity attracts external positivity (â€Å"The Secret†, n. p.), the same thing happened with me. I began to make friends who were also fond of getting into college with the similar positive thoughts and intensity. Since through the initial point I had concentrated on the posi tive attributes of college therefore ultimately I ended up in gaining positive outcomes. Visualization, affirmation and law of attraction can be explained as the core principles leading towards a successful and contented life (â€Å"The Secret†, n. p.). Let’s consider visualization, whatever I will be thinking about in my college life that I will visualize in my mind throughout that period. For instance, I can use this principle to be a competent student in my college through visualizing its positive and long lasting outcomes. Moreover, I can visualize myself as the best student of the year so as to remain motivated, to strive more and learn more. The second principle talks about affirmation which is actually correlated with the principle of visualization. For instance, in order to be a successful student and later a successful professional I will have to be affirmative upon my visualization such that whatever my mind is thinking about is all attainable and achievable. Building affirmation is slightly more difficult than visualizing what you want and therefore it must be supported by positive and highly acknowledgeable individuals who have already attained what I am striving for (â€Å"The Secret†, n. p.). This will significantly help me in affirming my visual thinking while simultaneously aligning all the academic goals and objectives of my life with my thoughts. Last is the law of attraction, as discussed in the film visualization and law of attraction play an equivalent role in a person’s life since I will visualize things towards which I am actually attracted (â€Å"The Secret†, n. p.). For instance, I like seeing people getting high grades and having good academic records; therefore, I am always attracted to higher grades and visualize the same for myself. Since our attractions are also attracted towards ourselves due to positive emissions therefore I will be careful in building attractions towards different things in my college life so as to eliminate all those elements of the college environment which are not consistent with my academic goals. For further explanation following are the examples of how I will use all three principles in order to achieve success in my college life. Visualization: I can use this principle through imagining that I have got the best college teachers. In addition to this I can imagine having highest grades in college while maintaining good record of extracurricular activities. Affirmation: Affirmation of what I am visualizing is the most important part of the overall process which

Global Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global Corporate Strategy - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the emerging markets of India and China have been recorded as the fastest growing nations in terms of consuming higher rates of oil, gas and petrochemical products. In this context, the global energy companies such as British Petroleum (BP), Shell, Mobil, and Total have been highly recognized to involve competitive pricing strategies in order to gain substantial return from their global subsidiaries especially located in the emerging markets. However, the oil and gas companies have also been witnessing numerous issues not only for their competitive business strategies but also for their radical impact on the global ecosystem. In this context, the organizations associated with global oil and gas manufacturing industry must also contend with changing regulatory requirements involving their corporate governance different environmental issues. Emphasising the unabated challenges and opportunities faced by the dominant marketers in global oil and gas industry, the essay tends to carry out an appropriate analysis of the global corporate strategies adopted by BP and other world-class Oil, Gas, and Petrochemical suppliers such as Shell, Mobil, Chevron and Total since 2010 to date. The essay also tends to demonstrate the corporate strategic measures of BP in terms of creating a high-performance culture in the global business locations that enable it to effectively deal with both challenges and opportunities in the global oil and gas industry as well.

Sensory evaluation of food Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sensory evaluation of food - Assignment Example Sensory evaluation is sometimes done to label a product as acceptable or unacceptable. Sensory evaluation gives information about the typical characteristics of the food product or any of its ingredients so that any necessary change can be made to the food item or any ingredient can be avoided or replaced. A sensory analysis on a final product or newly introduced product would judge whether the food item is in line with its original specification. Feedback is collected after sensory evaluation so that any small or big amendment may be made to improve the product. Further evaluation would include the analysis of the food properties. Properties of the food and its ingredients are scientifically measured. These measured scientific properties are analyzed and interpreted to get the results. Sensory analysis would tell how the assessed food item is perceived through the five senses. Appearance, taste, smell, touch and hearing are the five factors that are used as parameters to analyze the food item. The color of the food item, its smell, its taste, its physical nature and sound would grade it. The color of a food item would reveal some of its properties. For example, deep fried items and those with artificial color would reveal its nature through its color. The smell of gravy will reveal the presence of absence of spices in it. Taste of a food item would disclose majority of its ingredients. Taste would reveal what is included and what is missing. As we touch a cake we will understand how much cream is used for making it. If you want to test a piece of banana or potato chips you just need to bite it once. Sensory evaluation would thus give complete analysis of a food item. Sensory evaluation is very much required for newly developed products. Sensory analysis would check whether a newly developed product is unique or comparable to another product of same range. Some products may be complete imitations of another product which is already established. Some may

European Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

European Human Rights - Essay Example In this respect, this essay will argue that aside from the HRA's failure to properly incorporate the Convention rights; a more crucial failure is the fact that it leaves courts hesitant to apply the legislation due to the vague guidelines given under section 3 of the Act. As previously mentioned, the HRA is meant to give guarantees to the rights and freedoms embodied in the convention. Among its effects, the Act renders it "unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right."4 In addition, it also obliges courts to "[s]o far as possible to do so"5, ensure that "primary legislation and subordinate legislation must be read and given effect in a way which is compatible with Convention rights"6 and in instances where it is not possible, to "make a declaration of that incompatibility"7. Since the Act came into effect, however, the HRA's significance in successfully protecting the rights and freedoms embodied in the Convention has been limited by the two aforementioned provisions. First, with regard to the obligation posed on authorities under section 6, case law has exhibited difficulties in determining whether or not the person in question of violating the Convention under the HRA is a 'public authority', aptly defined or not. Under section 6, public authorities are defined as "a court or tribunal" or "any person certain of whose functions are functions of a public nature." 8 In this respect, the definition of public authority is imperative because in cases where violations of human rights occurred, individuals can only be awarded damages against public authorities. As defined by the act, damages refer to "damages for an unlawful act of a public authority".9 The definition of public authority is therefore a crucial aspect of enforcing the law, and applying it in courts. However, difficulty lies in determining whether a person has functions that are of public nature and whether public authorities are operating under private transactions. In the case of Poplar Housing and Regeneration Community Association Ltd v Donoghue [2002] QB 48, 67, a private body was deemed to be performing public functions, and hence liable under section 6 of the Act.10 In this respect, the case was considered a landmark in case law regarding the definition of public authority, because it called for "a generous interpretation of who is a public authority".11 As a result, the definition of the term achieved what Lord Irvine indicated as a need for an extended and "wide-ranging definition of public authority", in order to extend the liabilities under the HRA "to provide as much protection as possible for the rights of the individual against the misuse of power by the state" preserving parliamentary sovereignty.12 However, the changing nature of government functions, as well as the growing partnership between public and private organizations has rendered this already difficult task more complex. In this respect, Lord Nicholls illustrates this in Aston Cantlow v Wallbank [2004] 1 AC 546, stating that: there is no single test of universal application. There cannot be, given the diverse nature of governmental functions and the variety of means by which these functions are discharged today.

Someone Who Inspires Me Essay Example for Free

Someone Who Inspires Me Essay There are so many people who have influenced my life, but the person that stands out the most is my grandmother. I call her my Nee because I couldn’t say â€Å"Grandma† when I started talking. She always is a happy person every time I see her; she always tries to make herself a better person no matter what. I look up to her every day, and I want to grow up and be respected like she is. She has influenced me by her actions to respect elders, respect my parents, and the most important one is to always have a smile on my face even when I’m down. Nee always tells me to respect my elders. She always leaves an impression to my eyes for the reason that she still respects her elders to this day. I can remember from day one that she always tells me to use my manners no matter who it is. I would always get in trouble for not saying â€Å"Yes Ma’am†, â€Å"No Sir†, â€Å"Please and Thank You†. When we go out in public she always sees someone she knows, and I will always catch her saying those words. Even if they aren’t older than her, she still uses her manners. I know she always reminds me to have respect because she will always compliment kids that use manners towards her. By her telling me that she loves and respects it when kids use manners, then I know the elders love and respect it when I use my manners. I get complimented all the time for having such great manners and I will always tell everyone that it’s all because of my grandmother. Respecting my parents is very important to her also. She always would tell me when I went over to her house to never be rude to my parents. They are the reason I am here today, and have such a fantastic life. I will ever forget the day when I had to go clean her house, because at a family outing I yelled at my parents for a dumb reason, and my grandma got mad. She told me that I had to come over for the weekend and she was going to teach me a valuable lesson about respecting my parents. I had to clean all the floors and windows, and let me tell you that was not enjoyable. I learned my lesson real quick and I would never yell at my parents again. My grandmother taught me that I am disobeying God by yelling at my parents. Nee always has a smile on her face no matter what her day been like. She is always a happy person and just brings a happy mood to the room. I look up to that greatly because I want to be happy all the time, and I want people to want to be around me. She would always tell me that nobody likes being around sad and gloomy people since it will just make them in that mood also. One weekend I was very cheerless and I walked into the room that had a joyful atmosphere, and then it just dropped to pure unhappiness. I could hear Nee inside my head telling me â€Å"People don’t like to be around others who are not cheerful†, and right then I changed my mood. I didn’t want to make those happy people all gloomy because I was; I wanted them to want to be around me. She would also tell me that going to church and worshiping The Lord will forever make you in such a joyful mood. I have gone to church since I was little, and every Sunday when I leave, I always have a smile on my face. As Nee continues to teach me respect and how to become a better person, her influence on me will just keep increasing significantly. Her teaching me to respect my elders no matter how old I am shows me that I still have to use my manner when I am an elder; because that’s how I want to be treated by younger people. She always will tell me that I need to respect my parents no matter what the situation is and to view the fact that one day they won’t be here and I’m going to be a parent. Last but not least, I always need to remember to have a smile on my face. I will always hear Nee tell me that nobody wants to be around depressing people, so I better turn that frown upside down. By Nee teaching me to respect elders, respect my parents, and always keep a smile on my face, I have no doubt that I will be an influence on someone else in the future.

Mahatma Gandhi Essay Example for Free

Mahatma Gandhi Essay In 1978, James McGregor Burns wrote about the dearth of leadership. One of the most universal cravings of our time is a hunger for compelling and creative leadership. McGregor Burns’ search for moral leadership reveals the tragedy of leadership studies- the confusion of leadership with power. Traditionally, leaders have been defined as those who hold power; allowing presidents, prime ministers and military generals, regardless of their accomplishments, to be considered leaders. Leadership studies have been further detracted from moral leadership because of the confusion of leadership with management. John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates are considered leaders for the economic power they amassed. The confusion of leadership with power and leadership with management has led to a model of leadership that is Machiavellian (manipulative), hierarchical, authoritative, impersonal, elitist, and self-interested. The person I believe to be the greatest leader of the twentieth century exhibited none of the qualities named above. This person held no official political title; he commanded no army and he amassed no great wealth. He did, however, have tremendous influence. This truly exemplary leader derived his power from the conscious citizenry. The leader I am referring to is Mahatma Gandhi. Instrumental in the Indian Independence movement, Gandhi’s influence extended beyond the borders of India to the rest of the world. Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence inspired millions, including the great American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. A simple, pious man, Gandhi identified with and won the hearts of India’s most politically and economically marginalized people. He spent his life fighting to overcome modern forms of enslavement and oppression- caste oppression, religious hatred, gender oppression, and, what he saw as the worst form of violence, poverty. The purpose of this essay is to outline Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and it’s influence worldwide as well as the strategies and characteristics that made Gandhi successful. Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence involved civil resistance, refusal to comply with unjust laws. He developed this philosophy while living and practicing law in South Africa. Organizing resistance to the notorious and grossly unjust apartheid system, which provoked significant legislative change, Gandhi left an indelible mark on the South African struggle for racial justice. Upon his return to India in 1915, Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence became infused with the struggle for swaraj (self-rule). In India, Gandhi raised his philosophy of non-violence to new levels of sophistication. Gandhi believed that organized non-violent civil resistance, not war, would awaken the consciousness of the British to their unjust domination over India. This was the belief that guided the Bardoili protest, the Amritsar Massacre and the Salt March. Gandhi’s mobilizations were so successful that they tarnished Britain’s international reputation and provoked irreversible change in Britain’s policy towards India, illustrating the potential of organized non-violent civil resistance. Gandhi was an uncompromising opponent of violence. He knew that using violence to fight violence corrupts and debases even the most noble of causes and leaves a legacy of bloodshed. If we look to the revolutionary movements of the twentieth century, we see the truth in Gandhi’s beliefs. The Bolsheviks, Maoists, the Khmer Rouge, the Shining Path, Sein Fein and the Palestinian Liberation Organization all left tremendous bloodshed in the paths towards liberation. They left a legacy of death and violence, rather than peace. Gandhi knew that the only solution to hatred, ignorance and fear was love, truth, and forgiveness. He knew that overcoming unjust hierarchies doesn’t mean inverting them; it means eliminating them altogether. Gandhi and his followers, like those who risked their lives to hide Jews during the Nazi regime, were prepared to die to make injustice visible for the entire world to see. For Gandhi, truth was a powerful weapon, needing no others. Indeed, truth has proven to be the most powerful weapon humanity has even known. One of the strategies that made Gandhi an effective leader was his ability to build bridges between communities, between upper and lower caste Hindus and among Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Gandhi saw the intrinsic humanity of all individuals, regardless of their caste, religion, gender, or social position in society. Deeply upset by communalism (Hindu-Muslim animosity), Gandhi was able to promote religious harmony through his personal and public actions. When this harmony was threatened, he fasted. Gandhi’s tremendous ability to bring an end to provincial and religious hatreds was tested time and time again with the Yeravda Pact and his fasts to end violence in Calcutta, Bengal and Delhi. One of the characteristics that made Gandhi successful was his ability to identify with the poor masses of India. Gandhi’s philosophy of self-rule distinguished itself from the elitism that characterized the Indian Independence movement, as well as virtually all other Independence movements of this century. Gandhi knew that freeing India from the yoke of imperialism also meant freeing the masses from economic servitude. Gandhi was opposed to Independence for only an elite few; he was fearful of an Independent India that would replicate past religious, caste and economic oppressions. Gandhi provided leadership by example. He exhibited the perfect marriage between personal morality and public action. The best example of this was his use of homespun cloth that provided employment for the poor masses and revived the village economy. In a world in which the inequalities generated by a global economy are becoming more obvious and frightening, Gandhi’s critique of technology and economies that benefit the powerful and marginalize the powerless is all too relevant today. The best demonstration of Gandhi’s leadership is his worldwide influence. American civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Belo of East Timor, and countless other leaders have been deeply influenced by Gandhi and his philosophy of non-violence. For example, in 1994, in a Gandhian spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, Nelson Mandela reached out to his adversaries- the same ones who had tortured and imprisoned him to bring an end to apartheid rule. Gandhi’s greatest legacy is the notoriety he achieved for advocating non-violence as a means of overcoming oppression. It is this belief that guides the actions of millions of average citizens who participate in civil society movements today across the globe. A tribute to Gandhi’s enduring lifetime achievements will be paid by naming the first decade of the new millenium the United Nations Decade of Non-Violence. No greater tribute has ever been paid to a leader of this century. Inspired and profoundly moved by his life and work, I hope the Decade of Non-Violence will truly awaken the consciousness of humanity into liberating ourselves from all and every kind of oppression; using truth as our only tool.

Critically Evaluate Doyles Definition Marketing Essay

Critically Evaluate Doyles Definition Marketing Essay Most academics and marketing practioners consider that there are two basic approaches to marketing which are often categorised as being traditional or relationship based. The traditional approach to marketing has the acquisition of new customers as its central tenet. Indeed, Peter Drucker (1964, p. 91) suggested that a business only existed to create a customer. However, organisations have increasingly begun to recognise that customer retention is as important, if not more so, than customer acquisition. The driving force behind this change in thinking has been the ever increasing cost of acquiring new customers (Holmlund and Koch, 1996). Therefore, in contrast to traditional marketing, the basic premise of relationship marketing is the development of customer relationships with a view to cost reduction within the organisation and increased shareholder value through the creation of high levels of customer satisfaction (Perrien and Ricard, 1995). Indeed, many relationship marketing the orists summarise the difference between relationship marketing and traditional marketing as the creation of customer satisfaction rather than the creation of a customer (Perrien and Ricard, 1995). In terms of the competitive advantage dimension of Doyles definition, Porters Generic Strategies model (1980, p. 39 see Appendix I) suggests that the traditional approach to marketing relies heavily on a strategy of cost leadership and price competiveness. In contrast, relationship marketing focuses on differentiation, in terms of product and/or brand attributes, as a source of sustainable competitive advantage. It can be seen, therefore, that Doyles definition of marketing is closely allied to the relationship marketing school of thinking. However, Doyles definition does not take account of the fact that the implementation of a relationship based approach to marketing alone does not necessarily guarantee that an organisation will achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, or, therefore, a subsequent maximisation of shareholder returns. To have the potential for this, a relationship marketing programme must include attractive and relevant value propositions for customers, which should differentiate an organisations brand and/or products from those of its competitors. In addition, these differentiated value propositions should not be easy for competitors to imitate (Barney, 1991). It is critical, therefore, that an organisation establishes exactly what value its customers are seeking in order for it to be able to design and deliver the appropriate value-enhancing benefits that will facilita te the building of meaningful long-term, and mutually beneficial, customer relationships (Christopher et al, 2002, p. 22). Doyles definition refers only to valued customers suggesting that they are a homogenous group. However, not all customers are alike and Newell (2003, p. 17) articulates this when he states that Customers dont want to be treated equally. They want to be treated individually. Therefore, not only does successful relationship marketing rely on the creation of customer value propositions but also on the process of segmenting and targeting the most appropriate customers and then tailoring and positioning value propositions to appeal to the various, identified consumer segments. Furthermore, the segmentation of consumers by psychographic and behavioural attributes enables an organisation to understand the different motivational factors that influence those consumers in their purchasing behaviour towards specific brands or products, thus facilitating a more individual approach to customers. In addition, segmentation by this method provides an organisation with an insight into the specific va lue benefits that its customers, and potential customers, are seeking when they make a purchase. This, in turn, assists in the creation of desirable and differentiated brands and/or products, and enables their effective positioning for the identified segments (Dibb et al., 1997). The segmentation, targeting, and positioning process is summarised in Appendix II. Doyles definition of marketing specifically identifies developing relationships with valued customers as a means of creating a competitive advantage. However, the definition makes no reference to any other stakeholder groups that an organisation may have, and will certainly need to interact with, if it is to build and sustain a competitive advantage. The six markets stakeholder model indentifies the key stakeholder groups that require attention from any organisation that adopts a comprehensive relationship marketing approach to the achievement of its business growth and profitability objectives (Christopher et al., 2002, p. 76 see Appendix III) Whilst this model is certainly customer centric, it recognises different stakeholder groups as having the potential to engage in active relationships with the organisation and., therefore, be considered for inclusion within its marketing strategy. It is necessary for organisations to effectively manage relationships with all of these groups e specially as they have an interrelationship with each other. For example, shareholders in an organisation are members of the Influencer Markets, but may also be part of the Referral Markets and the Customer Markets. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in terms of support for Doyles definition, research has shown that there is a direct link between the adoption of a successful relationship marketing strategy and profit (Bhote, 1996). None of this is to say, however, that traditional marketing does not have a role to play in the modern-day commercial environment. There is no doubt that many consumers have a short-term outlook, in terms of their purchasing behaviour, and are not necessarily loyal to particular brands. Indeed, such consumers may buy particular brands out of habit or they may actively search for brands regardless of whether or not they are being targeted by relationship marketing programmes (Kotler and Armstrong, 2011, p. 150). In this sense, Doyles definition does not recognise the concept or value of traditional marketing. However, the many exponents of the traditional approach to marketing regard it as a distinct and dedicated management function within an organisation that is responsible for creating transactions with certain groups of customers that satisfy their immediate needs and wants whilst, at the same time, meeting the marketing objectives set by the organisation (Grà ¶nroos, 2006). Organisations that deploy traditional marketing methods tend to view the marketing function as being responsible for the so-called four Ps, namely Product, Place (distribution), Price, and Promotion, rather than the management of customer relationships. Research has also shown that, in fact, very few organisations deploy exclusively either traditional marketing or relationship marketing. More often than not there will be a blending of the two marketing disciplines and, in terms of responsibility within an organisation, traditional marketing may be the domain of the marketing department with customer relationship management being a standalone function. In any case, the choice between using one of the two methods, and using both, should always be based on the industry in question and the needs of the customer. (Zinedlin and Philipson, 2007). However, there remains no doubt that many consumers are willing, and able, to form emotional, as well as practical, transaction-based relationships with organisations. This is particularly the case where an organisation has a recognisable brand as consumers are more likely to identify with a brand, and remain loyal to that brand, than they are to an organisation. Loyalty by customers to a brand is known to be a prime factor in the creation of sustainable competitive advantage and, therefore, business growth and profitability (Aggarwal, 2004). It is for these reasons that, according to Kotler and Armstrong (2011, p. 259), of all the assets owned by an organisation, the brand is the perhaps the most enduring and valuable in terms of its ability to generate shareholder wealth. Consequently, although Doyles definition of marketing has been seen to exclude the still relevant dimension of traditional marketing, it can be effectively applied to the creation and management of the marketing s trategy of an organisation. Even so, Doyles definition does not go far enough in its attempts to encompass the practice and value of relationship marketing as it does not specifically refer to the strategically significant role of brands in building sustainable competitive advantage. Consequently, to apply Doyles definition in a practical sense to the creation and management of an organisations marketing strategy, it is first necessary to discuss and evaluate the role that branding and brand reputation plays. As has already been shown, true relationship marketing demands that brands, and their inherent value propositions, are positioned in a differentiated and competitive sense against the various identified consumer segments. This is only the first step in the branding process and it is critical to the building of a sustainable competitive advantage that, over time, an organisation is able to build and sustain its brand reputation. Brand reputation is to do with how customers think and feel about a brand and, in order to develop brand reputation organisations need to have certain building blocks in place to enable customers to feel confident in developing meaningful relationships with the brand (Keller, 2003). These building blocks include brand salience, perfor mance, imagery, and resonance, which all impact on the judgements consumers make about a brand and, ultimately, how they will behave towards it. This process of brand reputation building is summarised in Appendix IV. If the process is followed effectively, then customers will ultimately progress from understanding, and empathising with, the brands value propositions to having a resonance with the brand and being ready to form an emotional relationship with it. To maximise the value of this potential emotional relationship, organisations have to take advantage of every available opportunity to ensure that engagement between their brand and their customers is positive. These engagements can comprise a number of so called customer touchpoints, such as direct marketing, helplines, advertising, and social media. Every time that a customer engages with a brand through a touchpoint that customers views and opinions about the brand are formulated and, ultimately, this will influence attitudes and behaviour towards the brand. Indeed, Doyle himself (1998) suggested that, by maximising the positive and integrated nature of customer engagements with their brands, organisations could enhance their overall bra nd reputations. Consumers who form emotional relationships with brands can actually become so enthusiastic about these relationships that they develop a loyalty to the brand and may even progress as far as becoming so called brand advocates, recommending the brand to friends, family, and members of their peer and reference groups (Aggarwal, 2004). If the organisation carefully nurtures these loyal customers and brand advocates, then they can become immensely valuable, in terms of future shareholder returns, and groups of them may even form themselves into brand communities on social networking sites, such as Facebook, where their influence over other customers and potential customers will be even greater. In summary and conclusion, it can be seen that the successful management of an organisations customer relationships can lead to customer loyalty and advocacy and is a key factor in an organisations ability to establish and maintain its competitive advantage, which, in itself, is a prerequisite for growth and profitability in todays globalised and highly competitive marketplace. Although Doyles definition recognises the increasingly significant role of customer relationship management within the marketing discipline, it fails to take account of the other key stakeholder groups that interact within an organisation, and with each other. Equally, certain strategically important aspects of a comprehensive relationship marketing strategy that will maximise competitive advantage and, in turn, shareholder returns, are not referred to in Doyles definition. These shortcomings include a lack of recognition of the value and role of brands in the marketing process as well as the significance of s egmentation, targeting, and positioning. In addition, Doyles definition totally excludes any reference to the important role that traditional marketing is still able to play within a successful marketing strategy Even so, although Doyles definition does fall short in certain areas, it is still a solid foundation for the framing of an organisations marketing strategy. This is because modern-day organisations have to understand that, in order to deliver the returns that their shareholders demand, a significant element of marketing practice has to be focussed on the building of long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with customers rather than on new customer acquisition. This is especially true as consumers not only have an increasingly heightened awareness of brands but also take more account of a brands reputation when making a purchasing decision. Equally, consumers are more willing to express their brand awareness by either defection from, or loyalty to, particular brands. Organisations can encourage customer loyalty to their brands by developing and communicating, at every available opportunity, consistent, relevant, and powerful brand propositions that are customised to their identif ied market segments. In this way, brands can build competitive advantage through differentiation rather than through the adoption of low pricing policies which impact negatively on profitability and, thereby on shareholder returns. -