Retail Marketing Management Questions - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2424 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Case study Level High school Did you like this example? Retail Marketing Management Questions Select a retail sector with which you are familiar. What is the likely impact on the sector of a downturn in the growth of consumer spending- What strategies should a (named) retailer in the sector adopt to minimise the threat? Following the financial and economic crisis in 2007, the reduction in consumer spending had a significant impact upon major high street fashion brands including Marks and Spencer, which saw sales and profitability fall significantly. In response to this, MS adopted a strategy of contraction, which entailed the closure of a number of stores, particularly in the Simply Foods outlet sector. However, despite the fact that this ostensibly led to a reduction of costs, it can be argued that this approach also had an adverse effect upon the marketing mix and competitive advantage of the business. This was proven by the fact that MS lost market share as a result of this strategy while other fashion stores, such as Primark and Zara maintained their growth pat tern through this period. It is considered that the strategy MS should have adopted should have been based upon a more proactive approach. In this respect, there are two elements that the corporation needed to address. The first of these is to ensure that a policy of value chain management is re-enforced, which would reduce costs and therefore prices, while at the same time allowing the business to maintain its profitability levels. For example, had the marketing message for MS been more focused upon delivering consumer savings rather than news of store closures, which forces additional cost on the consumer in terms of travelling to the store, it is likely that consumer loyalty would have been maintained at a higher level. Secondly, there was a need to ensure, through appropriate marketing research, that the products being offered met with the changing demands and needs of the consumer during this period. Similarly, it is likely that had the marketing focus for the business during this period been more directed towards lower cost elements and savings available to the consumer that this would have also contributed in maintaining its market share within the fashion sector. In other words, the corporation needed to adopt a proactive rather than reactive approach to marketing during the economic downturn. There is strong movement amongst supermarkets to buy in consumer products which are not traditional supermarket lines (e.g., TV sets). The supermarkets do not carry a full range of these items and are not committed to carrying them all the time. What are the strategic reasons for this kind of activity? What are the risks? Over recent decades, Supermarkets in the UK have continued to diversify the range and scope of the products and services they offer to their customers. This has included an expansion into non-food products, such as technology and entertainment goods, home furnishings and even the inclusion of service based products, such as banking and insurance offerings. The strategic reason for this diversification has been driven by two factors. Firstly, there is the limitation being placed upon these corporations through competition legislation. For example, when Morrisons recently purchased the Safeway chain, the competition regulator imposed a condition requiring the supermarket to invest in some of the stores in order to maintain the competitive equilibrium in the sector. The second factor that encouraged the incursion of supermarkets into new sectors is the fact that the UK retail grocery sector has reached saturation point within the industry life cycle. This means that further growth can only be achieved at the expense of other competitors. This tends to lead to the development of a more aggressive and retaliatory form of marketing, which can be damaging to the brand and its market share. However, the development of a diversity strategy can attract risks for the brand and its management. In partic ular, these risks occur in two instances. Firstly, the business will be competing with dedicated competitors in the new sector, who are likely to have more expertise and knowledge about the targeted market, and are therefore able to provide effective competitive barriers to new entrants. Secondly, there is the need for the supermarket to allocate significant resources and capital to the new product or service sector. This resource allocation can have the effect of reducing those available to maintain its core business, in this case the grocery sector, which can result in the business losing share to other competing corporations. Both of these factors can reduce the profitability of the corporation, which can adversely affect the ‘added-value it returns to shareholders. It is therefore important for the supermarket to conduct a full assessment of the internal and external business environment before considering such diversification. Evaluate the benefits of ECR (Effic ient Consumer Response) for retailers? Do you think the benefits are sufficient to ensure co-operation between suppliers and retailers? Your answer should be applied to a retail sector of your choice. Efficient Customer Response (ECR) is a relatively new supply chain process, which is designed to ensure to eliminate the efficiencies that have previously been experienced within the supply chain. For example, the objective is to eliminate inventory wastage and, as a consequence, ensure that the products delivered to the end user satisfies their needs and demands. For example, in the retail fashion sector, ECR would be used not only to ascertain which products are proving most popular with the consumer but also to ensure that the quantity of supply, in terms of sizes etc, is being met. One of the most innovative methods of ECR within the retail sector has resulted from RFID technology, a process that Marks and Spencer has rolled out through most of its UK stores. The benefit of this system is that it allows the corporations direct access to stock movements on the retail floor. For example, a footwear supplier to MS using this system is not only able to monitor in-store inventory levels in specific locations but also identify those sizes that are proving to be most popular with consumers in this location. The immediacy of the access to this information allows the supplier to both adjust future production schedules to meet the size determinants demanded by consumers and ensure that differentials in location demands are factored into the distribution network. For MS, the introduction of the RFID has had several benefits. These include a reduction in the cost of storage and wastage and an improvement in the level of satisfaction and quality of service provided to its customers. Both of these improvements have also service to reduce the level of capital required to service the corporations inventory requirements and improve its brand image, which has resulted in an increase in profitability for the corporation. For a retailer with which you are familiar explain how the image of the company is related to its positioning and how this is reflected in the management of the retail mix. Is the company managing these elements well? The objective of brand image is to achieve the objective of firmly position the organisation as a leading competitor within the target market in a manner that will attract consumers in this segment. Within the retail sector, this means that the corporation needs to pay attention to what has become commonly known as the 7rs, which include the following: Product offering Service offering Retail pricing Location Visual atmosphere Localised marketing Quality of customer service It is the effective management of this mix that will determine both the effectiveness of the brands management and impact upon its competitive advantage within its chosen market sectors. Marks and Spe ncer Plc is a UK high street retailer which focuses upon three main retailing sectors, these being quality fashion, foods and home-ware products. In the early 2000s, prior to the abortive takeover attempt by Philip Green, it was noted that MS were experiencing failings in several areas of the retailing mix. For example, in terms of the fashion product offering, the corporations products were failing to delivery new and innovative designs that were aimed at satisfying the needs and expectation of the target consumers, particularly those within the younger target audience. Consequently, the corporations market share in this area was rapidly been lost to new and innovative brands such as Next and Gap. Similarly, in both its fashion and food products it was failing to deliver to consumer expectations for quality at the right price, thereby failing to address the inroads that other retailers, particular the low-price supermarkets and fashion retailers were making into these sectors . Furthermore, the location and atmosphere of the MS stores were also causing a problem. In this respect, it was considered the brand image had become tired and uninviting. This situation was not helped by the adverse impact of the failures in the corporate strategy was having on employees, which meant that the quality of customer service was also was also reducing. It took a change of management in 2004 to address these retail mix problems and revive the MS fortunes in a positive manner, as evidenced by the fact that in 2008 it returned its first  £billion profit since 1998. How can service enhance the management of the retail mix? Illustrate your answer with examples from retailers with which you are familiar. In retailing, service is perhaps the most important factor in determining the success or failure of a brand. In this respect, the term services applies to both the quality of the product in terms of the extent to which is satisfies consumer demands and expecta tion and the quality of service that is provided by the retailers employees, particularly those on the front line, namely those who have direct contact with the customer. Failures in these areas of the retail mix will result in the loss of the retailers competitive advantage and, more importantly, the migration of its core consumer base to other retailers within the same retail market sector. In the early part of the last decade (2000s), Marks and Spencer, one of the most renowned UK high street retailers, was suffering from service failure in both of the areas described. Its products, particularly those in the fashion sector, were failing to meet with the changing demands of the consumer. In other words, it was failing to deliver new fashion products that would appeal to the consumers at a price that was expected. Similarly, due to a lack of investment in human resource programmes and initiatives, the standard of quality service delivered to the customer by employees was b ecoming a deterrent to customer loyalty. Following a change of management in 2004, MS reinvented its brand image. This was noticeable in its marketing campaigns which, from the fashion aspect, introduced a new range of innovative and exciting products aimed at a wider target audience in terms of age, using celebrities such as Twiggy to enhance its appeal. The ‘Your MS slogan was also extended to the MS food sector, which has resulted in improvements in the market share attracted to this target segment of the corporations consumers. Similarly, investment in HR policies that have increased employee involvement has also resulted in a noticeable improvement in the quality of service being delivered in-store to the customer. Recommend an internet strategy for a retailer with which you are familiar. Indicate how this strategy fits with their mainstream strategy With online retailing in the UK expected to double within the next five years , it is not surprising to find that the four main brands in the UK grocery sector, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrison, have sought to expand their brand presence within this medium in a manner that augments their mainstream marketing approach through the TV and print media. To compete successfully with these low-cost brands, this means smaller competitors such as Waitrose, have to fully suit . In essence, to achieve this competitive position and maximise its growth potential in this media, Waitrose would need to adopt a multichannel online strategy. In addition to a corporate website, which Waitrose has already developed, this means that Waitrose needs also to develop other online marketing channels through which to communicate their message to the online retail consumer. These will include the use of social networks, where the business will be able to communicate directly with consumers and address their concerns and also the direct online promotional opportunities available, such as banner and displa y advertising available on search engines and other internet sites. Providing the online marketing strategy adopted by Waitrose presents the same characteristics as its in-store experience, this approach will enhance and complement its offline strategy. In this respect, in terms of the website it means that there should be ease of access and navigation , security of payment, sufficient depth in the range of products being offered and a high level of quality service being offered to the consumer. If these issues are appropriately addressed then it will result not only in attracting and retaining online customers, with the resultant increase of revenue generated from this source, but will also improve awareness of the brand when the online consumer is making purchasing decisions in the high street retailing environment. In other words, it is apparent that both the online and offline strategy would complement each other and result in improved the performance of the Waitrose br and as well as the loyalty of the consumer. References You can get expert help with your essays right now. Find out more Arnold D (1992). The Handbook of Brand Management. London: The Economist Books Hall (2010), Online food shopping expected to double in five years, London: Daily Telegraph Johnson, G, Scholes, K and Whittington, R (2007), Exploring Corporate Strategy, 8th Edition. Harlow: FT Prentice Hall Keller, K.L. Lehmann, D.R. (2006) Brands and branding: Research findings and future priorities. Marketing Science. Vol. 25, No. 6, pp. 740-759 Kolter, P., Wong, V., Saunders J and Armstrong, Gary (2004). Principles of Marketing. 4th European edition, London: Pearson Education Ltd Levy, M and Weitz, B.A (2008), Retailing Management, 7th Edition, Chicago: McGraw Hill Porter, Michael E (2004). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. New York: Free Press Porter, Michael E., (2001). Strategy and the Internet, Harvard Bus iness Review, March, pp. 63-78. Srinivasan, R., Rangaswamy, A and Lilien, G (2005). Turning adversity into advantage: Does proactive marketing during a recession pay off? International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol.22, Issue. 2, pp.109-125 Find out more from UK Essays here: https://www.ukessays.com/services/example-essays/marketing/retail-marketing-management.php#ixzz3EEceeXKm Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Retail Marketing Management Questions" essay for you Create order

The Folly of René Descartes’ Discourse on Method and...

The Folly of Renà © Descartes’ Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy In order to embark on his quest for truth, Descartes first devises his four rules which should serve as a solid foundation for all else that he comes to understand. Those rules are here evaluated in terms of what they fail to take into consideration. The rules are examined individually and consecutively, and are therefore also reiterated in order to be clear about them. Furthermore, the approach of using these rules is also analyzed to some degree. Ultimately, however, it is my conjecture that Descartes’ four rules are not as solid a foundation as he claims, but fail to consider key issues which are noted herein. Descartes’ first rule deals†¦show more content†¦For him, â€Å"the method that teaches one to follow the true order and to enumerate exactly all the circumstances of what one is seeking contains everything that gives certainty to the rules of arithmetic (12).† Still, the notion of one’s existence as proven by thought is not something which can be measured and translated into a numerical quantity. In fact, most fundamental concepts and their corresponding emotions that make up human life, such as love, are neither indubitable nor quantifiable, though are still held as being true, sometimes more than anything else. This leads me to find that the very first of Descartes’ rules is a shaky foundation at best. It asks for an acceptance of indubitable truth, and only that truth. But if this is to be indeed held as a standard, then nothing could actually be accepted with certainty. The second [rule], to divide each of the difficulties I would examine into as many parts as possible and as was required in order better to resolve them. (11) The basis of this second rule appears to be an endeavor to take a claim and examine it from all possible perspectives, and to test it against all possible situations. Neither of which is, in effect, possible. One could spend an entire lifetime looking at all the possible situations in which a claim could be contested and would not even come close to revealingShow MoreRelated Happiness in the Fourth Epistle of Alexander Popes An Essay on Man5580 Words   |  23 Pages Popes concern with human teleology in An Essay on Man also distinguish it as a distinctive piece of world view literature. According to The Design of the poem, Pope asserted that in order to understand man or any creature, it was necessary first to know what condition and relation it is placed in, and what is the proper end and purpose of its being. For Pope, drawing on a venerable ideal from antiquity onwards, the end and purpose of humanity was happiness.1 As he exclaims at the very beginningRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesSkills? 360 Questions for Review 360 Experiential Exercise An Absence of Nonverbal Communication 361 Ethical Dilemma Pitfalls of E-Mail 361 Case Incident 1 Using Social Media to Your Advantage 362 Case Incident 2 Should Companies That Fire Shoot First? 362 12 Leadership 367 What Is Leadership? 368 Trait Theories 369 Behavioral Theories 370 Summary of Trait Theories and Behavioral Theories 372 Contingency Theories 372 The Fiedler Model 373 †¢ Other Contingency Theories 375 Leader–Member Exchange

Ways to Prevent and Resolve Violent Conflict Essay example

Ways to Prevent and Resolve Violent Conflict To prevent and resolve violent conflict we must understand the sources and logic of war. Two schools of thought currently dominate thinking on the causes of contemporary conflict. The first sees violence as a response to a range of grievances including systematic discrimination and human rights violations, inequalities in wealth and political power, or a scarcity of resources, particularly where these fall along existing social cleavages such as ethnicity or religion. The second characterizes war as irrational either originating in ancient hatreds, causing a needless disruption along the normal path to development, or simply as mindless violence. These schools recognize that†¦show more content†¦Economic motivations play an important role in the persistence of violent conflict. For regardless of whether economic motivations have played an important role in motivating armed conflict in the past, if they do so now they deserve attention. While the international community stresses the need to halt the disintegration of states and stem the tide of communal violence, the effectiveness of outside powers in both regards is seriously constrained by their inability to examine the incentives and disincentives for violence from the perspective of the aggressors themselves@ (King 1997, p. 81). The motivation for fighting can easily change over the course of the conflict. While the origins or root causes of war may in fact lie in some genuine sense of grievance, over the course of the conflict greed can become a more prominent motivating factor. Obviously in practice these distinctions are seldom neat or clearly identifiable, and it is not difficult to envisage the process through which a transition from collective political objectives to elite private objectives occurs. The real fuel for economically driven warfare however comes from natural resources including tropical hardwood, gems, minerals, oil, and the illicit trade in narcotics. The challenge is to restructure economic incentives and disincentives to encourage conflict resolution and to ensure that future conflict is managed without recourse to violence. Securing peace after yearsShow MoreRelatedWorkplace Violence773 Words   |  4 Pagesprevention program in government. There are specific measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of violent behavior. The first question many people ask when starting to develop a workplace violence prevention program is, how can we identify potentially violent individuals? It is understandable that people want to know this -- and that early warning signs and profiles of potentially violent employees are in much of the literature on the subject of workplace violence. 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SWOT analysis on the Anytime Fitness and the Jetts Essay

SWOT analysis on the Anytime Fitness and the Jetts Introduction As the living quality has been continuously improved in recent years,together with the widely spread sense of keeping fit,fitness clubs are becoming more and more popular in Australia.Among all those fitness companies,the Anytime Fitness and the Jetts are the most rapidly growing ones ,which both offer the 24/7 access to all clubs they own. I’ll compare the model of these two company using SWOT analysis. Company overview According to the Anytime Fitness AU(2014),Anytime Fitness is a fitness club which started in Minneapolis,USA in 2000.The 2115 clubs around the world make it the biggest fitness chain in the world.In year 2008,Justin McDonell and Jacinta†¦show more content†¦5.The Jetts has an experienced team to help new clubs get started (Davies,Adam 2012).It helps the growing of the Jetts together with the efficient franchiser system. 6.The Jessts has a good fame of high customer satisfactory.It got No.1 in the Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customer Award in Australia in 2012 and 2013 (Jetts Fitness Australia 2014). 1.The clubs lack advanced equipments due to the low price strategy. 2. No staff during nights may cause security concern(Jetts Fitness Australia 2014). 3.Facilities are lacked during peak times. Opportunities Threats 1. The percentage of overweight people in Australia is high. 2. The oversea market is still waiting to be exploited. 3.The Jetts should promote more about its low price and simplicity. 1.Competitions from Anytime Fitness and other fitness clubs are growing. Conclusion In summary,although the Anytime Fitness has advantages in many aspects,I still consider the model of the Jetts is better as it makes customers feel satisfied,which is much more important than other elements in this customer-oriented age. Reference List Anytime Australia Pty Ltd 2014,Anytime Fitness AU,viewed 19 March 2014, Jetts 2014,Jetts Fitness Australia,Brisbane,viewed 18 March

A critical analysis of “Charles V Philip his Son” by Marino Cavalli, 1554 Free Essays

This is a critical analysis of a written piece by Marino Cavalli as he writes his thoughts about the comparisons between the current King; Charles V, and his son and heir Philip. Cavalli has documented the concerns he has about Philip’s inability to adequately rule over ‘various peoples’ when he comes to power. Cavalli was the Venetian Ambassador in France at the time, and had a vested interest in who succeeded Charles V to the throne. We will write a custom essay sample on A critical analysis of â€Å"Charles V Philip his Son† by Marino Cavalli, 1554 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Cavalli begins by making basic observations about the physical similarities between father and son; their appearance, their habits and their demeanour. â€Å"His Highness is now in his twenty-fourth year, of very delicate complexion and medium stature. In both face and mind he resembles his father..† This is the first, and last positive evaluation he makes about Philip. It becomes clear very quickly that he harbours numerous doubts about Philip’s ability to come to power and manage different countries, when he favours being advised by a solely Spanish council, who would clearly have preference for their own agenda. â€Å"He takes excessive pleasure in being revered, and he maintains with everyone, no matter who he may be, a greater haughtiness than his father,†. Cavalli obviously worries that Philip does not attempt to earn the respect of his subjects or nobility. He manages to infer a negative edge to the term ‘revere’ cleverly using insinuation to make the reader consider this to be an unattractive quality, and demonstrates a preference for Charles V over Philip as he goes on to say; â€Å"They have good reason, being used to his father, who knows extremely well how to adjust himself by various ways to all kinds of people.† If Cavalli’s dilemma was merely a loyalty preference for Charles V it could be argued that he was politicking. Especially considering his Venetian roots and French ties, and the fact that the European countries were constantly warring for power, land and control. But when taking into account his other reservations about Philip’s eventual rise to power, (which were similar to a great many other opinions of the time), the historian; with the grace of hindsight, can see that his concerns were well founded. It was well known that Charles V (despite the many wars he fought) was hungrier for peace than to acquire land, and he made the best efforts to maintain civility with the neighbouring states, whether or not they had previously fought each other for the rite to rule. Charles V was also recognised as having a very tolerant nature regarding the religious preferences of the people he governed. He was aware of the protestant uprising, and did not make it a priority to come down on his subjects with the severity he could have. As his son Philip would do in later years. It would seem Philip was destined to live in his fathers shadow; â€Å"But owing to the greatness of his father, and the fact that he was born great and has not yet proved himself in any work, he will never appear in the last analysis as the equal of the emperor.† Cavalli felt that Philip had cut himself off from all but the Spanish. â€Å"One may judge that when this prince succeeds to the government of his states he will be served wholly by Spanish ministers, for he is inclined towards that people more than is fitting in a prince who wishes to rule over various peoples†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And he was quite right, Philip did move to Spain never returning to live in Holland, he refused to speak the language and did keep virtually a wholly Spanish council. His preference for Spain was widely known at the time, and widely documented in the historical years to follow. This piece of text is written in a personal, almost diary or journal entry style which allows Cavalli to articulate freely his concerns. It would seem that Cavalli’s fears were realised once Philip came to power, although there would have been nothing Cavalli could have done to bring about change, as Philip was born into the time when Royalty were believed to be born with a divine rite to rule, and due to the sheer population numbers of the countries that he resided over, he was always able to gain favour somewhere, especially when his main goal was to crush the protestant reformation and gain land and title, no matter what the cost. How to cite A critical analysis of â€Å"Charles V Philip his Son† by Marino Cavalli, 1554, Papers

Compass and a torch analysis free essay sample

Many children today, experience that their parents end up being separated. Unfortunately a separation is very likely to also make the relationship between the child and either the mother or father very complicated as well. In this story, we hear about an 8-year-old boy and his divorced parents – along with the mother’s new man, Jim. First of all, it doesn’t seem like the boy and his dad sees each other very often. The man and his son are spending time together for the first time in 4 months, and therefore – they have planned to accompane each other on an expedition. The mother clearly states that she finds the situation somehow ridiculous, and sees the father as being very irresponsible. In the start of the story, we can already feel that the boy has a very good interest for his father. The narrator explains what the boy is feeling, when he stands by, and watches the father from a close distance. We will write a custom essay sample on Compass and a torch analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He seems very masculine, strong and brave from the boy’s point of view. â€Å"The boy is intent. Watching Dad. Watching what Dad is. Drinking it in: the essence of Dadness† (P. 7. l. 8). When it comes to the stepfather, Jim – it seems like the boy is having problems accepting him. He needs to force himself greatly, just to even answer him properly. The boy is very sensitive, and obviously care a lot about his father, while he is also a little confused because of his mother having another man. He is somehow feeling a bit imprisoned between 2 worlds. The one with his mom and the stepfather, whom he doesn’t seem to like very much – and then the father he doesn’t see very often apparently. When the man returns to the car, looking at his son, while he is holding up the torch – he becomes extremely sensitive: â€Å"He is looking away, seared by the glitter of anxiety in his little boy’s eyes† (P. 8. l. 14). Going out with their colored torches, the man and his son are trying to find the right road together – although none of them remembered to bring their compass. The father sounds very worried at first, but then he decides to swing the tent out. Even though the boy is only 8 years old, he has some very mature and concrete thought. He is somehow feeling bad for his father, because he feels that Jim and his mother are underestimating his dad. (P. 9. ll. 38) â€Å"Now you will be careful? Don’t go camping too near the edge. † â€Å"Unforgivable – as if she and Jim didn’t think that Dad could think of such a thing for himself† (P. 9. ll.38). There was a point, at which the boy didn’t really wan’t to go on this trip – which was also one of the reasons that he forgot all about his compass. Although it seems very strange, because they have some very strong feelings for each other and the boy looks up to the father. Somehow, there is a strong conviction, which tells the boy that they are meant to be together, and not having their compasses to guide them through. â€Å"But they don’t need a compass after all. They are adventurers, after all. Compasses are things that boys and dads tend to have, but which, when they are alert and strong at heart, they can leave behind. It is no accident that they both left their compasses behind† (P. 10. ll. 1). In the end, the dad feels very powerless and he is very sad, because he feels that he does not play a big enough role in the life of his son. He feels that he cannot be there for him, and listen to him as much as he should. â€Å"He could feel it gathering in the blackening chill: the aching certainty that already, only one year on from the separation, he has lost his son, his child. And the thought grew so strong that he could only half-listen to the child’s earnest desperate voice† (P. 11. ll.9). The main theme of this story is Relationship – Because all of the feelings are based on relationships between persons. Both between the parents, the mom and the son, the dad and the son, and the stepdad and the son. Apart from that, this expedition also strengthens the relationship between the father and his son, and we can feel how they are both being sensitive in different situations. The title of the text, could symbolize that this expedition is not just for the experience, but it also somehow makes their inner feelings and thoughts to â€Å"Travel† and evolve.

Ozymandias poem analysis free essay sample

Pharaoh Ozymandias was a cruel tyrant, who thought himself to be the most mighty person on earth; almost as mighty as a god. The statue is described as having â€Å"two vast and trunkless legs† (line 2) inspiring the reader to comprehend Ozymandias’ power; he was so mighty that no-one could even measure his â€Å"vast† power. The reader is led to understand that Ozymandias was an arrogant, cruel leader with the words: â€Å"frown† (line 4), â€Å"wrinkled lip† and â€Å"sneer† (line 5). These physical features captured on the visage expose the Pharaoh’s true character as a nasty tyrannical leader, sneering and frowning at his subjects if they didn’t follow his â€Å"cold command† (line 5), proving his absolute dominion over his kingdom1. The inscription Ozymandias had placed by his statue, allows the reader to fully comprehend the extent of his arrogance. He considered himself to be â€Å"King of Kings† (line 10), a cut above everyone else. Ozymandias aimed to intimidate mighty warriors as well, he wanted to awe them with his power this is shown with the words â€Å"ye mighty and despair† (line 11). The engraved words on the pedestal and the sheer enormity of the statue; seem to be intended to spark fear and dread in those who see it. Anyone compared to him is nothing, and worth nothing. Question 2: Ozymandias’ angry, cruel â€Å"passions† (line 6) were so evident and strong that it was easy for the sculptor to capture them in their entirety for eternity. The irony that the passions, so strong and full of life, remain only due to a â€Å"lifeless thing† (line 7) is emphasised by the juxtaposition of the two contrasting words. Human ambition can be strong and powerful but unless one uses them to create something concrete they will be lost forever, when they die along with the person they burn within – only lifeless, hard proofs remain to testify our full of life, flighty emotions and aspirations. Ozymandias is dead and so is the sculptor, yet the arrogant and cruel passions survive because of the concrete and tangible statue. The King’s passion is now, â€Å"lone and level sands stretch far away†, yet the great work of the sculptor remains to some degree; testifying to his ambitions as a talented sculptor. 1 Shmoop54461332 Question3: The inscription that remains beside this statue reads; â€Å"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye mighty and despair† (lines 10 and 11). As mentioned before this inscription enables the audience to understand his power and greatness, as even other kings and mighty warriors were warned that they would never reach, and should des pair from even trying to reach, his level. Yet ironically all that remains is the work of the â€Å"hand† and â€Å"heart† (line 8) of the sculptor. Humans are vain and aspire to be remembered forever2, to leave an everlasting mark on this world. However often those not seeking this level of immortality are the ones to receive it and those who do pursue it are somewhat forgotten. The sculptor is now getting all the attention and praise, for his accurate portrayal of the Pharaoh, which Ozymandias felt he deserved and therefore strove to preserve. The only thing that has survived of Ozymandias’ kingdom is the sculptor’s carvings; â€Å"stamped onto these lifeless things† (line 7). Everything that resembled Ozymandias’ power is now a â€Å"colossal wreck, boundless and bare† (line 13). What does remain of Ozymandias’ arrogance and dominion is what the artist recorded by carving into the stone. Art has endured and served as tool to preserve the history of mankind. The statue has remained causing the sculptor to become more ‘powerful’ than Ozymandias himself. Question 4: This poem highlights man’s mortality and his inability to fight the power of nature, despite his possibly extreme physical might. â€Å"Two vast and trunkless legs† (line 2) leads the reader to wonder what happened to the rest of the awe-inspiring statue, and become disheartened that this impressive statue is now nothing more than a â€Å"colossal wreck† (line 13). This poem teaches us that even the strongest and mightiest will eventually fall; Ozymandias considered himself the â€Å"king of kings† (line 10) yet now his visage is â€Å"half sunk† and â€Å"shattered† (line 4). The very statue Ozymandias thought would remain to forever testify his greatness now lies in ruins. The inscription of the pedestal was once intended Ozymandias’ subjects to despair at their inability to reach his level of majestic power, yet now it seems to beg passer byes to despair at the sorry state in which the statue is now lying, to despair at the fleeting nature of humanity. The scene described in this poem brings 2 3 gradesaver Wikihow 54461332 to mind the cliche yet true expression of; ‘Pride before fall’4, we in hindsight can see that nothing remains of Ozymandias’ might or power but what the sculptor recorded. He, who was a cruel tyrant; â€Å"sneer of cold command† (line 4), has his memory at the fate of nature the sculptors â€Å"hand† and â€Å"heart† (line 8). Ozymandias thought his power was so exceptional it would remain for aeons, yet the reader is made to understand that his statue is decaying alone; â€Å"nothing beside remains† (line 13). The short, not-real, sentences of line 12: â€Å"Nothing beside remains. Round the decay†, add to the sense of finality that man is mortal and will not last forever in any form or any what way. The poem ends on a depressing note, the words â€Å"sands stretch far away† (line 14) suggest to the reader that there is nothing man can do about his mortality, nature- the sand- stops for no one. â€Å"Far away† hints to sense of man giving up and giving into nature, losing the will to try remain immortal forever. Question 5: The writer uses alliteration as he ends the poem to emphasize that man has no hope, no capabilities to fight and emerge victorious, against nature and time. The words â€Å"boundless and bare† (line 13) accentuate how desolate the desert now is, leading the reader to wonder what it once possibly looked like during Ozymandias’ rule. Yet nothing remains of the mighty kingdom and the king’s statue is surrounded by vast stretches of nothing. An element of eeriness is added to the poem with the use of the words; â€Å"lone and level† (line 14), as what once had beauty and power remains as a silent and destitute land. The â€Å"sands stretch† (line 14), another use of alliteration, reminds the reader once again that only nature prevails. â€Å"Stretch† is a word in the present tense, hinting to us that the sand will continue to do its job of decaying the statue, and destroying the â€Å"two vast trunkless legs† (line 2), that do remain. Thereby obliterating from the world the last memories of Ozymandias and with it man’s hope of immortality. Bibliography: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 4 Wikihow BBC – GCSE bitesize Shmoop Gradesaver BBC- GCSE bitesize 54461332