Principles of Marketing Essay

Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1. Define marketing and outline the steps in the marketing process 2. Explain the importance of understanding customers and the marketplace, and identify the five core marketplace concepts 3. Identify the key elements of a customer-driven marketing strategy and discuss the marketing management orientations that guide marketing strategy 4. Discuss customer relationship management, and identify strategies for creating value for customers and capturing value from customers in return 5. Describe the major trends and forces that are changing the marketing landscape in this age of relationships 1-2 Chapter Concepts 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. What Is Marketing? Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Preparing an Integrated Marketing Plan and Program Building Customer Relationships Capturing Value from Customers The New Marketing Landscape So, What Is Marketing? Pulling It All Together 1-3 What Is Marketing? Marketing Defined Marketing is the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships to capture value from customers in return 1-4 What Is Marketing? The Marketing Process 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Understand the marketplace and customer wants and needs Design a customer-driven marketing strategy Construct a marketing plan that delivers superior value Build profitable relationships and create customer satisfaction Capture value from customers to create profit and customer equity 1-5 Marketing process Determine needs and wants Design customer driven marketing strategy Construct marketing program that delivers superior value Build relationships and delight the customer Capture value from customer to achieve profits Figure 1.1: Core Marketing Concepts Needs, Wants & Demands Markets Core Marketing Concepts Marketing Offers Exchange & Relationships Value & Satisfaction Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs Customer Needs, Wants, and Demands †¢ Needs are states of deprivation †¢ Physical—food, clothing, warmth, safety †¢ Social—belonging and affection †¢ Individual—knowledge and selfexpression 1-6 Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs Customer Needs, Wants, and Demands Wants are the form that needs take as they are shaped by culture and individual personality Demands are wants backed by buying power 1-7 Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs Market Offerings—Products, Services, and Experiences Market offerings are some combination of products, services, information, or experiences offered to a market to satisfy a need or want 1-8 Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs Market Offerings—Products, Services, and Experiences Marketing myopia is focusing only on existing wants and losing sight of underlying consumer needs Exchange is the act of obtaining a desired object from someone by offering something in return 1-9 Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs Customer Value and Satisfaction †¢ Expectations †¢ Customers †¢ Value and satisfaction Set the right level of expectations †¢ †¢ Marketers †¢ Not too high or too low 1-10 Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs Exchanges and Relationships Exchange is the act of obtaining a desired object from someone by offering something in return Relationships consist of actions to build and maintain desirable relationships 1-11 Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs Markets are the set of actual and potential buyers of a product Marketing system consists of all of the actors (suppliers, company, competitors, intermediaries, and end users) in the system who are affected by major environmental forces †¢ Demographic †¢ Economic †¢ Physical †¢ Technological †¢ Political–legal †¢ Socio-cultural 1-12 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Marketing Management Marketing management is the art and science of choosing target markets and building profitable relationships with them †¢ What customers will we serve? †¢ How can we best serve these customers? 1-13 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Selecting Customers to Serve Market segmentation: Dividing the markets into segments of customers Target marketing: Which segments to go after 1-14 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Selecting Customers to Serve De-marketing: Marketing to reduce demand temporarily or permanently; the aim is not to destroy demand but to reduce or shift it. 1-15 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Selecting Customers to Serve Marketing management is: †¢ Customer management †¢ Demand management 1-16 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Choosing a Value Proposition The value proposition is the set of benefits or values a company promises to deliver to customers to satisfy their needs 1-17 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Marketing Management Orientations †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Production concept Product concept Selling concept Marketing concept Societal concept 1-18 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Marketing Management Orientations Production concept is the idea that consumers will favor products that are available or highly affordable 1-19 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Marketing Management Orientations Product concept is the idea that consumers will favor products that offer the most quality, performance, and features for which the organization should therefore devote its energy to making continuous improvements 1-20 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Marketing Management Orientations Selling concept is the idea that consumers will not buy enough of the firm’s products unless it undertakes a large scale selling and promotion effort 1-21 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Marketing Management Orientations Marketing concept is the idea that achieving organizational goals depends on knowing the needs and wants of the target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions better than competitors do 1-22 Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Selling Versus Marketing Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy Marketing Management Orientations Societal marketing concept is the idea that a company should make good marketing decisions by considering consumers’ wants, the company’s requirements, consumers’ long-term interests, and society’s long-run interests 1-23 Societal Marketing Concept Society (human welfare) Consumers (want satisfaction) Company (profits) Preparing an Integrated Marketing Plan and Program Marketing Mix The marketing mix is the set of tools (four Ps) the firm uses to implement its marketing strategy †¢ Product †¢ Price †¢ Promotion †¢ Place 1-24 Preparing an Integrated Marketing Plan and Program Integrated Marketing Program Integrated marketing program is a comprehensive plan that communicates and delivers the intended value to chosen customers 1-25 Building Customer Relationships Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Customer relationship management is the overall process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior value and satisfaction 1-26 Building Customer Relationships Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Customer perceived value is the difference between total customer value and total customer cost Customer satisfaction is the extent to which a product’s perceived performance matches a buyer’s expectations 1-27 Building Customer Relationships Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Customer Relationship Levels and Tools †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Basic relationship Full relationships Frequency marketing programs Club marketing programs 1-28 Building Customer Relationships The Changing Nature of Customer Relationships Relating with more carefully selected customers uses selective relationship management to target fewer, more profitable customers Relating for the long term uses customer relationship management to retain current customers and build profitable, long-term relationships Relating directly uses direct marketing tools (telephone, mail order, kiosks, Internet) to make direct connections with customers 1-29 Building Customer Relationships Partner Relationship Management Partner relationship management refers to working closely with partners in other company departments and outside the company to jointly bring greater value to customers 1-30 Building Customer Relationships Partner Relationship Management Partners inside the company is every function area interacting with customers †¢ Electronically †¢ Cross-functional teams Partners outside the company is how marketers connect with their suppliers, channel partners, and competitors by developing partnerships 1-31 Building Customer Relationships Partner Relationship Management Supply chain is a channel that stretches from raw materials to components to final products to final buyers †¢ Supply management †¢ Strategic partners †¢ Strategic alliances 1-32 Capturing Value from Customers Creating Customer Loyalty and Retention Customer lifetime value is the value of the entire stream of purchases that the customer would make over a lifetime of patronage 1-33 Capturing Value from Customers Growing Share of Customer Share of customer is the portion of the customer’s purchasing that a company gets in its product categories 1-34 Capturing Value from Customers Building Customer Equity Customer equity is the total combined customer lifetime values of all of the company’s customers 1-35 Capturing Value from Customers Building Customer Equity Building the right relationships with the right customers involves treating customers as assets that need to be managed and maximized †¢ Different types of customers require different relationship management strategies †¢ Build the right relationship with the right customers 1-36 The New Marketing Landscape Major Developments †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Digital age Globalization Ethics and social responsibility Not-for-profit marketing 1-37 The New Marketing Landscape The New Digital Age †¢ †¢ †¢ Recent technology has had a major impact on the ways marketers connect with and bring value to their customers Market research Learning about and tracking customers †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Create new customized products Distribution Communication Video conferencing Online data services 1-38 The New Marketing Landscape The New Digital Age Internet—creates marketplaces and marketspaces †¢ Information †¢ Entertainment †¢ Communication 1-39 The New Marketing Landscape Rapid Globalization †¢ †¢ The world is smaller Think globally, act locally 1-40 The New Marketing Landscape The Call for More Ethics and Social Responsibility Marketers are being called upon to take greater responsibility for the social and environmental impact of their actions in a global economy 1-41 The New Marketing Landscape The Call for More Ethics and Social Responsibility Social marketing campaigns encourage energy conservation and concern for the environment or discourage smoking, excessive drinking, and drug use 1-42 The New Marketing Landscape The Growth for Not-for-Profit Marketing †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Colleges Hospitals Museums Zoos Orchestras Religious groups 1-43

To what extent was the international situation in January 1933 conducive to Hitler achieving his foreign policy aims?

The extent to which the international situation in January 1933 was conducive to Hitler achieving his foreign policy aims is debatable. There are a variety of factors which both assisted and hindered Hitler in achieving his aims. Some key aims of foreign policy were as follows, to destroy communism, to unite the German speaking population, to wipe out the Jews, to colonise the East and to revenge Germany's defeat from the First World War. Some of the key factors which need to be looked at include the lack of agreement over how to deal with Germany, the internal weakness of Western countries, the weakness of the League of Nations, the defensive attitudes of certain countries and successor states. Many countries, particularly France had a defensive mentality towards Germany, as a repeat of the First World War was certainly not wanted. British foreign policy under Baldwin was based upon public opinion. The horrors of the First World War meant that there was a â€Å"never again mentality† which can be shown by the oxford union debate in February 1933 which voted on the motion â€Å"that this House would not fight for King and country. There was also strong public opposition to rearmament and many thought rearmament would only antagonise Hitler. Due to France's worry of being invaded again the Maginot line defence fortification was constructed in the years 1929-1938. This defence fortification however was hardly a problem to Hitler at all. This was because of the fact that it stopped at the Belgian border, which meant that there was still corridor open if Germany wanted to invade both France and Belgium. Furthermore France was politically divided and had 11 governments between 1932 and 1935. This therefore meant that there was rival ideology of fascism and communism and so there were no clear policies as to what to do with the German problem. French foreign policy was inconsistent. This meant that France's reactions to Hitler were delayed and weak and so therefore gave Hitler more encouragement. In contrast however France had the desire to develop links and ally with countries on Germany's eastern borders such as Czechoslovakia and Romania. This therefore hindered Hitler as it gave France further defence and support. There was a clear lack of agreement between the powerful countries as to what to do about Germany. France was very concerned at the possibility of a German threat and had wanted very harsh Versailles terms whereas Britain was preoccupied with its empire and favoured with a revision of peace. If the Treaty of Versailles was to be probably implemented it needed the support of the USA who failed to ratify the treaty in 1920. The United States then withdrew into isolationism. It can therefore be seen that the European powers were not able to enforce peace alone. It can be seen that the League of Nations both assisted and hindered Hitler in achieving his foreign policy aims. As the USA and USSR were not members of the League of Nations until 1934 they were not able to be part of making decisions and so gave Hitler and Germany more freedom. Key evidence to show how the League of Nations was a failing peacekeeping organisation and thus assisting Hitler is from the Manchuria crisis in 1931. In this year Japan invaded Manchuria in China; the League of Nations took no effective action. However, the League of Nations itself, although weak clearly limited Hitler's opportunities. The League was an international body set up in order to preserve peace and prevent aggression. Furthermore it had the power to call for economic sanctions and military actions by member states. It can therefore be seen that the League of Nations hindered Hitler's foreign policy, but only to a certain extent due to its weakness and lack of effective action. When Hitler came to power in January 1933 he told the world he wanted to rid Germany of the problems of the Versailles Treaty in order to make her strong once more. To achieve this goal the country needed massive rearmament. Hitlers reply in February 1933 to a proposal from the Reich Ministry of Transport to build a reservoir shows the extent to which, in his view, the policy of rearmament was more important than anything else: ‘The next five years in Germany had to be devoted to rendering the German people again capable of bearing arms. Every publicly sponsored measure to create employment had to be considered from the point of view of whether it was necessary with respect to rendering the German people again capable of bearing arms for military service.' Since 1922 under the Rapallo pact Germany had been rearming in the USSR and hade economic links. This clearly shows how the international was conducive to Hitler's aim of rearmament. Also In December 1932 there was a major conference over disarmament, where little happened. By 1933 it can be seen that Germany had in fact secured a substantial revision of the Treaty of Versailles as Germany was now a member of the League of Nations, rearmament was no longer subject to scrutiny and reparations had been, in effect, cancelled (at Lausanne, 1932) Various countries surrounding Germany contained German minorities and so this can be seen as an advantage to Hitler's foreign policy. An important aim of Hitler's was to unite all Germans, with many Germans in other countries it would be easier for Hitler to take over them. This is primarily because it is likely that the Germans in these countries, such as Czechoslovakia (300,000), Poland and Danzig (95%) would rather be part of Germany and would welcome German expansionism. In addition to this all of these countries were small and militarily and political weak which therefore means there would be little opposition. Also many Austrians were in favour of becoming part of Germany. The German Domestic situation however was also important to Hitler's Foreign policy aims. In 1933 Hitler had only just made Chancellor and there were only the Nazis in government other than Hitler. This means that it is likely Hitler would have little support in government. Furthermore Hitler was dependent upon elite support and Hindenburg as President could still remove Hitler. In conclusion it can be seen that there is evidence both for against the international situation being conducive to Hitler's Foreign policy aims. Whilst factors such as the USA being isolationist and the lack of agreement over how to deal with Germany were helpful to Hitler, others such as strong public opinion against war and Hitler being leader of a collation government show the problems that Hitler had to overcome.

What Your Daily Professional Communication Reveals About You

What Your Daily Professional Communication Reveals About You Noted American author Mark Twain, knew better than most how powerful communication can be. In fact, here is his advice concerning word choice in communicating: The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. And he was right. Choosing the right words based on context, audience and purpose separates effective communicators from ineffective ones across the board at every level of every business enterprise.What this means is that communicating with others is a nuanced art. In order to do it correctly, you have to understand that words have layers of meaning and those meanings can change, depending on audience and context. In such, a smart communicator always considers his or her context (setting), intent and audience before choosing which words to use and the way in which to use them. This type of approach to communication makes the act more powerful, more efficient and more beneficial for you or your career.In fac t, a professionals style of communication and ability to communicate effectively can often make or break a business transaction or deal. Its the reason why communication- both written and verbal- is a skill that is highly sought after by companies who want employees that will build the companys reputation through excellent customer service and top-notch professionalism in everything they do. Communication is key to interaction, and interaction- both with fellow employees and with present or potential clients- is vital to a businesss success.For this reason, if you are a professional, you should stop for a moment to take an honest assessment of your current communication methods and strategies to determine if what you are doing is portraying the picture you want to portray about the level of professionalism you hope to provide for your clients and business associates. Your communication throughout the business day- whether its a quick email to a co-worker or a letter written to a pot ential client- reveals more than you realize about what kind of professional you are, and what your idea of professionalism entails.Below are some of the things your daily business communication may reveal about you, whether you want it to or not:If youre distractedAs communication between smartphones and other mobile devices has become the new norm, it is easy to forego traditional salutations and closings and opt for a more curt approach. After all- if it feels like texting, why not just apply the informal feel of texting to your words, right? From a professional standpoint, this is a very incorrect assumption that can be harmful to your reputation, as well as that of your company.While the prevalence of email as a primary communication tool has admittedly lowered the level of formality that was once used in business communication, accessing that email on smartphones and tablets can run the risk of lowering it even further, until the communication doesnt come across as professiona l at all. In many cases of professional emails sent while on the go and via smartphones, the result ends up reading like a curt, impolite communication style that sounds more like texts than professional business communication.If you choose to (or are forced to) answer work emails on a mobile device, keep in mind that it is still likely to be read as an email on the receivers end. Any greetings or closings that you would typically use in email correspondence should be retained, even if it takes longer to type the words on your mobile device. If the email correspondence is between you and a co-worker, so that the salutations and closings are not necessary, that is one thing; writing with that level of informality to clients, however, or to potential associates with whom you are not in daily communication, is something that should always be avoided.You should also be aware that returning emails via a mobile device often entails writing that communique while distracted by other things around you. Your words will not be as carefully chosen as they would have been if you were less distracted, and your response will likely reflect this distraction. Also, issues like incorrect spelling and grammar, or incorrectly typed words, often occur when professionals conduct correspondence this way.If you enjoy your jobThe amount of passion and energy you bring to your work is reflected in your day-to-day written communication with co-workers and clients. Dont be fooled by the electronic nature of the communication- the words you choose and their tone will play a large role in determining how the audience of those words perceives you. Someone who enjoys what they do will take the extra time to make sure communication is successful- whether its several follow-up questions or touching base to make sure a task is going smoothly.If youre lazyA lazy professional will ask questions of others, both in written and verbal communication, that can be found online readily or in another eas ily accessed source. To avoid doing this, be sure that the questions you ask in your email are directed to the best party to answer them. If its a question that can be found with a quick Google search or a look at the clients website or file, find the answer yourself. Being a self-sufficient professional who doesnt add workload to others (who are likely stressed under their own workload) speaks volumes for your level of consideration for others and your understanding of following a team-oriented approach.

The New Era after World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The New Era after World War II - Essay Example Both winners managed to contradict on the recent victorious battle on the Elbe by showing it from different perspectives and letting â€Å"coalition go to sunder†. Consequently, idealistic belief in international cooperation disappeared with the start of Cold War. On another hand, Churchill’s speech showed that all the actors in international relations seek for alliances. In fact, the spirit of this speech was to convince the American public that Soviet influence in Europe endangered the positions of both Britain and USA. In the given circumstances, Western countries should unite to resist. As a result, the rapid appearance of caricatures and public discussions let Soviet people say, â€Å"the old war is over, now the war with communism begins.† In order to sum up, it is evident that two World Wars did not teach the world to cooperate and prevent future conflicts. In this context, the very appearance of Cold War illustrates that rather realists than idealists wer e right on the nature and the balance of powers in international relations. Consequently, idealistic belief in international cooperation disappeared with the start of Cold War. On another hand, Churchill’s speech showed that all the actors in international relations seek for alliances. In fact, the spirit of this speech was to convince the American public that Soviet influence in Europe endangered the positions of both Britain and USA. In the given circumstances, Western countries should unite to resist. As a result, the rapid appearance of caricatures and public discussions let Soviet people say, â€Å"the old war is over, now the war with communism begins.† In order to sum up, it is evident that two World Wars did not teach the world to cooperate and prevent future conflicts. In this context, the very appearance of Cold War illustrates that rather realists than idealists were right on the nature and the balance of powers in international relations.

Financila Performance and Positioning Assignment

Financila Performance and Positioning - Assignment Example A projected profit and loss account of Clinton Cards plc has also been included in this part to add to the analysis. Shareholders need to analyse the management's performance and efforts put into the company affairs through the financial results so as to realise its strengths and weaknesses. Riahi-Belkaoui (1998, p11) says, "the profitability ratios portray ability of the firm to efficiently use the capital committed by stockholders and lenders to generate revenues in excess of expenses". Therefore, the analysis for the shareholders has been done with the help of following profitability ratios: The above chart depicts the profitability ratios for Clinton Cards plc indicating the financial performance of the company over the last five years. Shareholders are interested in the company's profit records and being the real owners of the firms, they constantly need to appraise the company's performance. If the company is able to generate a stable profit for its shareholders out of its business activities, then it is said to be a good performer in the financial sense. The Gross Profit Margin Percentage evaluates the percentage of profit earned by a company on sales after the production and distribution activities (Mcmenamin, 1999). It shows how well the company manages its expenses so as to attain maximum profit out of its total sales. Clinton Card plc's gross profit ratio shows that the company is sustaining a stable profit margin with a slight increase in profitability. It further illuminates that the company manages to keep about 11% of its total sales revenue out of all the production and distribution expenses. This can also be inversely stated that the company loses about 89% of the total turnover in meeting cost of sales. The Net Profit ratio shows what percentage of profit a company earns on its sales (Mcmenamin, 1999). It reveals the profit retained by a company after accounting for its various operating costs. The difference between the company's net and gross profit ratios indicate the amount of profit foregone by them in the course of meeting various selling and administrative expenses. Thus the above graph shows that the company manages to retain about 6% of the total sales after accounting for various operating costs. The company's net profit margin is also rising sparingly at a stable rate showing the management's efficiency in managing costs. Riahi-Belkaoui (1998, p11) says that the return on capital employed ratio "indicates how efficiently the capital supplied by the common stockholders was employed within the firm". Clinton Card plc's return on capital employed ratio reveals that the company is having a slightly fluctuating rate of profit on the funds invested by the shareholders. However the rate of fluctuation is not high and thus the graph shows that the company gains profit as about 30% of the total equity funds. The return on asset ratio indicates the returns or profits generated after utilising the financial resources of the company determine the company's financial performance throughout the year (Meigs & Meigs, 1993). The company in consideration has had a significantly

Saving Private Ryan Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Saving Private Ryan - Movie Review Example George Marshall has ordered Captain Miller to save the last Ryan alive. The team composed of 8 men headed by Captain Miller. Not sure of the whereabouts of Ryan, the team of Captain Miller moved from one place to another looking for Ryan. Until one day they met someone who saw Ryan guarding the town of Ramelle in France, to prevent the German from taking the people of the town. Captain Miller tries to convince Ryan to come with them but instead of coming he makes a deal with Miller that if they help him protect the city then he will go with them. Miller agrees with him and fought with the German. During the encounter with the German, Miller got hurt but was able to bring home Ryan alive. At the end of the story, the old man in the beginning of the movie was James Ryan and the grave belongs to Captain Miller. Saving Private Ryan is an epic movie that features how the US troops were able to save the only survivor among four brothers who were held captive by the Germans. Private James R yan played by Matt Damon is the only survivor among the four brothers; three of his brothers were killed in action. Captain John Miller played by Tom Hanks was the one designated to bring to safety Private James Ryan. The movie received several good reviews from a different part of the world. Veterans of the World War II who have seen the movie relived their memories during the war. Although the movie was done in England, Ireland, and France, the movie seems to make it look like they are on the battlefield. The characters in the story are fictional but the story was adopted in the life of the Niland Brothers. They are also from the military two died during the battle one held captive and the other is missing. The movie made a good selection of characters to make this movie realistic. The character of both Captain Miller and James Ryan are very appealing to the viewers. Since they are both a good actor they have portrayed their character very well. Although the places and other chara cters are fictional the actors still were able to do justice in their different role.   In the Battlefield the warships and combat outfit are very much similar to the one that the US army is wearing during the 1940 war. Based on the review done by several observers, the one making this picture really is the movement of the camera. The camera in the first part of the story on the Omaha Beach brought the viewer on the battlefield. The agony and pain were felt during the shot taken by the camera. Added to the realism of the story are the make-up, costumes, and the effectiveness of the portrayal of the characters. The battleship used is the same replica in the 1940 war that can be seen in the museum and other historical websites. The movie really brings out the story behind the battle. The location was James Ryan found were fictional but added the spies in the story. This American soldier has dedicated his life to serving not only his country but also those who need his service.   T he weapons, machine gun nests, bunkers, and vehicles add elements that engage us easily into the narrative. During the search for James Francis Ryan of Iowa the locations and set design shows accuracy. Bombed houses, splintered planks everywhere, and rubble-strewn streets resemble photographs of real battle scenes. And the costumes are correct. The canvas belts, the jackets, the occasional puttees laced around the calves -- these are the outfits of 1944.

Comparative Analysis of Two Films Essay Example for Free

Comparative Analysis of Two Films Essay Stereotyping can be defined as sweeping generalizations about affiliates of a certain gender, nationality, religion, race, or other group. Social stereotyping has been a worldwide issue for many years. More specifically, stereotypical assertions, based on both gender and race, have been a common theme throughout many 20th and 21st century films. Both Crash, directed by Paul Haggis in 2004, and Girlfight directed by Karyn Kusama in 2000, address the issue of stereotyping in their own unique way. Girlfight does this by placing a female in the spotlight of a sport that is predominantly dominated by males, whereas, Crash confronts our problem with racial stereotypes and racism, and the need to counter them, by focusing on the â€Å"crash† humans experience by encountering people that they actually are already linked to. Throughout the film Girlfight, the crowd may have been against Diana, but her determination allowed her to fight off skeptics outside the ring and her opponents in the ring. Crash is a movie that brings out bigotry and racial stereotypes. While one story revolves around a gender debate, the other approaches the argument from the aspect of race and ultimately both combat the greater social issue of stereotyping. The film Girlfight depicts the struggle of Diana Guzman, a high school girl, and how she overcomes gender barriers to dominate the boxing arena. Her mother passed away when she was young, and she lives with her father and younger brother, Tiny. They reside in the projects of New York City, a tougher area where the ability to defend yourself is basically a prerequisite. Her father forces Tiny to train at the local gym to become better suited to defend himself and that is where Diana is introduced to the sport of boxing. Setting is a key aspect of the film and director Karyn Kusama’s choice of realistic venues for each and every scene help create a documentary-like atmosphere. One scene that illustrates this quality is when Diana and Adrian learn that they will both be fighting each other in the final bout. The scene takes place inside the manager of the ring’s office; a small but well organized office. The camera pans from character to character as they discuss Diana’s next fight and the viewer is placed in the back corner of the office space. A key detail to be noticed is that the door is open and one can see that boxers are still training in the background. This gives the audience the idea that what they are viewing is very real, almost like a documentary, and Kusama’s film work adds to that with a picture that is both grainy and misty. The scene is also full of dialogue, which is a common attribute of any documentary. It seems as if the scene would have occurred even if the camera had not been rolling film. The realistic aspect correlates back to the underlying premise of the movie, gender stereotyping. At the time, female boxers were a rarity and Diana was an exception not only because of her gender but also because of her skill. The boxers at this gym are all male except for Diana who happens to be the main character in the film. This creates an immediate gender barrier the second that Diana steps in the gym merely because she isn’t of the norm. The film Crash attempts to tackle the issue of racial stereotyping though the stories of several characters who all turn out to be connected in some way, shape, or form. Anthony and Peter are partners in crime who hijack cars for a chop shop. Anthony believes that society is unfairly biased against blacks, and at one point in the film he justifies his actions by claiming he would never hurt another black person. Rick Cabot, district attorney of Los Angeles, and his wife Jean are two other main characters throughout the film. One scene that reinforces the use of stereotyping is when Anthony and Peter stroll a Los Angeles shopping strip. As they walk along, Anthony explains to Peter how whites are so quick to judge blacks at night. The dialogue throughout the scene is especially important because Anthony quickly changes from complaining about racial tendencies around him to hiding behind a handgun as both he and his friend hijacks a car. The audience sides with Anthony, as he begins his rant, but out of the blue, the two men pull a gun on an innocent couple and the audience is left in shock. Anthony states, â€Å"You couldn’t find a whiter, safer or better-lit part of this city right now, but yet this white woman sees two black guys who look like UCLA students strolling down the sidewalk, and her reaction is blind fear† (Crash). This statement draws light on the fact that we as humans tend to jump to conclusions often too quickly. Anthony and Peter had done nothing out of the ordinary but the town happened to be predominantly dominated by whites and that set off a red flag in Jean’s mind. Anthony flips the subject based on the fact that they are the only blacks in the area and asks Peter, â€Å"Why aren’t we scared? † Peter responds, â€Å"Cause we got guns? † and both men proceed to pull out their weapons and hijack the Cabot’s vehicle (Crash). This scene is greatly enhanced by the use of sound. As both of the couples stroll down the boulevard, one can hear a peaceful Christmas carol in the background, but as the men approach the Cabots, the music increases in volume and changes to a more upbeat, edgy track. The film does this in order to create tension between both sets of characters; it changes the norm and keeps the audience anxious. To reinforce this, the sound increases once more as Anthony and Peter peel out of the street with the stolen car creating a definitive point in the scene. By transitioning from calm to chaos, Haggis demonstrates how a simple misinterpretation, a stereotype, could pay dividends in the long run. Jean Cabot had suspected something was not right as soon as she locked eyes with Anthony. The fact that Anthony gave a rather thought-provoking talk on racial tendencies shows that stereotyping does not go unnoticed. An act as simple as interlocking arms with your husband as you pass two young, African American teenagers may seem like an act of safety to you but to the teenagers it is offensive. This also proves that this is not a one-sided debate. Both parties are involved and equally held responsible for their criticisms. In â€Å"Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender,† Aaron H. Devor discusses the distinction between gender and sexuality. Gender is typically based on anatomical differences between men and women, but does not necessarily match with them. In Diana’s case, she is a female yet she demonstrates masculine tendencies through her animosity and fury in the boxing arena. According to Devor, Diana fails to follow â€Å"the natural role† of her sexuality (Devor 160). Devor states, â€Å"persons who perform the activities considered appropriate for another gender will be expected to perform them poorly† (Devor 159). He point is valid because there are always cases when a male or a female may not fit the norm and fight off a society that is so fixated on masculinity versus femininity. This statement connects with the film Girlfight, in which Diana Guzman distinguishes herself by becoming a boxer, a sport dominated by males. Devor states that even if the athlete does succeed, it is a â€Å"reward with ridicule or scorn for blurring the gender dividing line† (Devor 159). The film Girlfight somewhat argues this statement because Diana was cheered as she finished her final bout against Adrian. Adrian was obviously the favored fighter, mainly due the act that he was a male, yet Diana pulled off the victory. The fact is that gender is socially and culturally determined; it is not biologically determined. At the time, boxing gurus failed to give credit to Diana by being an underdog and decided to instead critique and stereotype her based on her sex. Today more and more women have become boxers but there are still those that frown upon their presence in the ring. Even though people have become more tolerant, there are still some who are not willing to except things out of the norm, which is why society has not gained the balance it needs and social stereotyping exists. Gender stereotyping is a very serious issue in today’s society, but another dilemma just as grim is that of racial stereotyping. Larry Aubry’s Los Angeles Sentinel article titled, â€Å"Undoing Racism in American Cities,† argues how racism is still very much with us and is still a barrier to the realization of the American dream in the nation’s cities and towns. His main point is that in order to â€Å"undo racism† one must â€Å"move from being a part of the problem to becoming a part of the solution† (Aubry, par. 3). Throughout the film Crash, the main characters are given various opportunities to combat racism but instead act on poor judgment by stereotyping. The fact is that stereotyping never leads to a proper outcome. A proper outcome may not be what either party had intended but most of the time an ethical outcome is best. In Anthony’s case, he fumed on how whites were racist yet he became part of the problem by doing exactly what Jean Cabot had foreseen him execute. Anthony stereotyped against himself and further worsened the problem. According to Aubry, â€Å"there is a consensus that everyone is part of the problem in many different ways† (Aubry, par. ). Most people place the blame on others when in fact they escalate the argument. Stereotyping has set societies back time and time again and until society is guided by the fairness of its ideas, its politics, and its culture and not by the fairness of one another’s skin or gender, progress cannot be made. Girlfight attacks the issue from the gender side while Crash from the racial side. Stereotyping is vague in nature but both films key in on these issues through their storyline and cinematic techniques. Girlfight did this through a realistic portrayal of the life of a young female boxer and her struggles. Crash decided to create a segmented story in which characters interact through their abuse of stereotyping. If Anthony and Peter had decided not to go through with the car hijacking, both them and the Cabots would have been closer to the realization that they were in fact, out of line. In Diana’s case, the public is against her, even her father is against her, yet she knows she can fend off the skeptics. Social stereotyping is pervasive and without both parties grasping that fact, both racist and gender stereotyping will continue to exist.