I was only 19- Redgum Essay

I was only 19 – Redgum Depressing, sad, sorrowful emotions fulfill the reader’s mind when they read I was only 19 poem. It is a protest song written by Redgum that means the Australian folk. It is a story which describes a physical and spiritual journey of a 19-year-old boy who is forced to face the horror of Vietnam War. The song lyrics are similar to the ballad. The reader may identify several thematic lines which are depicted in the poem: difficulties of Vietnam War, its negative influence on the individual, the meaning of culture. These subjects are shown via mentioning the national towns in Australia â€Å"Nui Dat† and â€Å"Vung Tau.† Other themes refer to the history of the Australian nation, protests against war, feeling of soldiers and veterans. There are various stylistic devices used in Redgum I was only 19 to emphasize on certain words and emotions. Repetitions, colloquialisms, metaphors, rhetorical questions prevail. The repetitions occur in the main phrase which is a title of the song: â€Å"I was only 19.† It is used to reinforce the fact that very young boys had to go to the war. Although he was only 19, he had to fight for his nation and face the brutality and cruelty of war. The words such as â€Å"VB,† â€Å"drinking tinnies,† â€Å"til the morphine came and killed the bloody row† identify the colloquial language. Using such phrases allows the reader feel a tighter relation of the writer to his Australian nation. In addition, there are several rhetorical questions which are used to add philosophical meaning of the poem: â€Å"And can you tell me doctor, why i still can’t get to sleep?† This stylistic device is used to show that soldiers are in depression because no one can answer their questions. A metaphor is another technique which is implemented in the poem I was only 19 Redgum. It is used to describe the feelings of soldiers more explicitly. The spiritual and moral decay of the individual is one of the key themes of the song. The writer is a 19-year-old boy who dreams about good future, spending time with nearest and dearest. It is that period of life when a person falls in love, starts adult life, develops the career, and experiences all the other positive emotions. However, the author and his peers are deprived of such happiness. They are obliged to go to the war, although none of them want to sacrifice their precious life. Because of these thoughts, the protagonist is devastated. He does not understand the sense of living. Moreover, his soul cannot find peace even at night when everyone sleep: â€Å"And night time’s just a jungle dark and a barking M.16?† The time for relaxation for him and other soldiers is just waiting for another fight. Nobody knows when the battle starts, and enemies begin shooting. Religion is another significant theme raised in the song. The author refers to God several times in the story. However, it is important to single out the meaning of religion in the poem. There is a repetitive line used three times: â€Å"God help me.† At the first phrase, he asks the religious creature to save him because he is only 19. It means that the boy understands that such an age is not normal for wars. There is only God who can help him answer the questions because the boy is disappointed with people. Gruesome wars are not good for any age, but people do not understand this. That is why the boy begs for help in God because he symbolizes hope. There is no specific reference to the religion because the God is used in a general meaning. He denotes belief in victory and peace. During the war the significance of friendship and mateship becomes striking. Sometimes the soldiers do not have the desire to live, but they struggle more and more just because of their mates. The writer also refers to this theme, and says: â€Å"You wouldn’t let your mates down ’til they had you dusted off.† Friendship becomes even more meaningful than the duty of a soldier or event personal desire to live. It happens because soldiers are kept under the same circumstances, and nobody will ever understand that better. They even do not have to discuss this. Just being together means more than sharing a tragic postwar story with someone who has not been there. The song finishes with very philosophical lines: â€Å"And the Anzac legends didn’t mention mud and blood and tears. And the stories that my father told me never seemed quite real.† The boy is dispirited because nobody prepared him for such cruelty. He sees deaths, tortures, blood, fighting, aggression, violence. There is no explanation and logical reason for such awful deeds. However, people continue the war because there must be someone who wins and somebody who loses. The young boy understands that the reality which he faces is much worse than he has ever expected. No stories, legends, songs can ever depict the whole horror of what any war brings to the humanity. The song â€Å"I was only 19† is a real treasure for Australian folk literature, although its content is tragic and sad. This poem is full of expressive means and stylistic devices which show the writer’s rich vocabulary and good feeling of stylistics. The reader needs to research some of the words to understand all the nuances of the poem because some of them are colloquial. However, even after the first reading or hearing the song, its emotional message is clear without any extra explanation. This song proves the deleterious influence of any war on individuals and the society. People should analyze such poems and their vital sense to prevent the same mistakes which are depicted in â€Å"I was only 19.†      

Public Relations Student Society Essay

My name is Jessica T. and I am a high school senior. During high school, I have been very focused on academics, and have also been involved with many extracurricular activities. As I prepare for my freshman year at Central Michigan University, my goals are to be an active member of the Honor’s Program, to be selected for the Leadership Camp and Safari, and to achieve a major in Integrative Public Relations, with a minor in Leadership. Throughout high school, I have been able to maintain an excellent grade point average, while also being active in many different clubs and sports. My current school activities include: Student Council (Historian of the council and Secretary of my class), National Honors Society, Business Professionals of America (Vice President), Cares Charity Club, Varsity Cross Country, and Varsity Soccer. I have also been a member of Pep Club, Foreign Language Club, Yearbook, and Volleyball. Along with school groups and activities, I am an active member of my church youth group at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ. One of my very favorite and most fulfilling events each year is a mission trip, where I’m able help people who may be less fortunate or just need some extra help from their community. A schedule that blends academics with school and community activities keeps me very busy. My ability to have both a school life and social life is something that might distinguish me from other high academic achievers. As I’ve seen with some of my own classmates, many people aren’t able to find a good balance; you either have a â€Å"bookworm† who does not get out much, or students who get out too much and end up failing classes. A crucial skill I had to learn quickly was how to manage my time between school, extracurricular activities, and just relaxing with my friends and family. I love to have fun with my friends, but I also know when it is time to concentrate on school work. The fact that I love public speaking is something that might also set me apart, not only from high academic achievers, but most high school students in general. I do not think you can find many people my age who are comfortable talking in front of people – anytime or anywhere – in either large or small groups. My speaking skills have strengthened my confidence to take on leadership roles when working on an event, and to take charge of a group in order to get things accomplished. Every school year, my friends appoint me as the class coordinator of the school’s Lip Sync Competition, which is actually a dance competition between the four grades. My friends and teachers always compliment me on how I am able to take 32 classmates – all with different opinions and personalities – and persuade them all to agree, without coming across as being mean. I believe my public speaking and leadership qualities will help me to achieve my goals to major in Integrative Public Relations and minor in Leadership. In addition to earning my degree at CMU, I plan to pursue my interest in the university’s volunteer and interdisciplinary programs, and student professional organizations such as the Public Relations Student Society of America. During my visit back in December, I met members of both the Honor’s and Leadership Programs. I was so thrilled that CMU offers programs where I can continue to grow and build on the professional and personal skills I’ve gained in high school. It was also exciting to see that so many students share a lot of my same interests. The Integrative Public Relations degree is what initially sparked my interest in becoming a Chippewa, however the confirmed my decision to attend Central Michigan University. In regards to the Honors Program, I believe I have a lot to offer. The planning and organizational skills I’ve learned by coordinating events through student council and the National Honor Society will help as I work with other members to create and plan fundraising and campus events. My confidence in speaking to large or small audiences will be helpful during classroom discussions or in working with a small team on a class or honor’s program project. Being involved with athletics has taught me a lot about commitment and teamwork, especially how to work well with many different personality types and levels of play. All of these skills will help me in many other areas such as: meeting my new dorm mates, working with fellow students and Honor’s Program members in class or on special events, and ultimately as I earn my degree and begin my new career. Last, but not at all the least, I have a great family. There are four of us – my parents, my little sister, and me. My sister, Sarah, is a freshman at my high school. We haven’t attended the same school since I was in first grade, so its fun to be in school together. I’m looking forward to playing with her on the varsity soccer team this year before I graduate. Family and friends are very important to me, and I love spending time with them. School is also an important thing in my life, and I do work hard to achieve what I need to, to reach my future goals.

Java Syntax The String Literal

AString literal is a sequence of characters used by Java programmers to populate String objects or display text to a user. The characters could be letters, numbers or symbols and are enclosed within two quotation marks. For example, I live at 22b Baker Street! is aString literal. Although in your Java code you will be writing the text within the quotes, the Java compiler will interpret the characters as Unicode code points. Unicode is a standard that assigns all letters, numbers, and symbols a unique numerical code. This means that every computer will display the same character for each numerical code. This means that if you know the number values you can actually writeString literals using Unicode values: \u0049\u0020\u006C\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0020\u0061\u0074\u0020\u0032\u0032\u0042\u0020\u0042\u0061\u006B\u0065\u0072\u0020\u0053\u0074\u0072\u0065\u0065\u0074\u0021 represents the sameString value as I live at 22b Baker Street! but obviously its not as nice to write! Unicode and normal text characters can also be mixed. This is useful for characters you might not know how to type. For example, a character with an umlaut (e.g., Ä, Ãâ€") as in Thomas Mà ¼ller plays for Germany. would be: Thomas M\u00FCller plays for Germany. To assign aString object a value just use a String literal: String text So does Dr Watson; Escape Sequences There are certain characters that you might want to include into aString literal which need to be identified to the compiler. Otherwise, it might get confused and not know what the String value is supposed to be. For example, imagine you want to put a quotation mark within a String literal: So my friend said, Its how big? This would confuse the compiler because it expects allString literals to begin and end with a quotation mark. To get around this we can use what is known as an escape sequence - these are characters which are preceded by a backslash (in fact youve already seen several if you look back at the Unicode character codes). For example, a quotation mark has the escape sequence: \ So theString literal above would be written: So my friend said, \Its how big?\ Now the compiler will come to the backslash and know the quotation mark is part of theString literal instead of its end point. If youre thinking ahead youre probably wondering but what if I want to have a backslash in my String literal? Well, thats easy - its escape sequence follows the same pattern - a backslash before the character: \\ Some of the escape sequences available dont actually print a character to the screen. There are times when you might want to  display some text split by a newline. For example: The first line. The second line. This can be done by using the escape sequence for the newline character: The first line.\nThe second line. Its a useful way to put a little bit of formatting into oneSting literal. There are several useful escape sequences worth knowing: \t is for inserting tabs into the literal\b inserts a backspace\n inserts a newline\r inserts a carriage return\ inserts a single quotation mark\ inserts a double quotation mark\\ inserts a backslash Example Java code can be found in the Fun With Strings Example Code.

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë - 1740 Words

The Victorian Era encompassed a time of great discrepancy between the sexes, especially for women. The polarization of gender roles reflected on a basis of gender sexuality where men and women were granted certain advantages and disadvantages. Women were expected to realize a specific position in society based on morals of submission, passivity, and a complete lack of selfishness and independence. Constrictive notions such as these prevent individual expression and expansion. Therefore, while struggling to fill the pre-conceived expectancies of society, one forces true desires and happiness to pass as a scant priority. Charlotte Brontà «s Victorian novel, Jane Eyre, explores the significance of individual fulfillment in an oppressive†¦show more content†¦Jane Eyre’s second home at Lowood spans a period of eight years during the beginning of which she continues to face an inner battle between passion and reason. Still a young girl, Jane is unable to comprehend the lac k for insubordination. This perpetuates when Mr. Brocklehurst denounces her in front of the school: †¦It becomes my duty to warn you that this girl, who might be one of God’s own lambs, is a little castaway—not a member of the true flock, but evidently an interloper and an alien. You must be on your guard against her; you must shun her example—if necessary, avoid her company, exclude her from your sports, and shut her out from your converse. (Brontà « 67) Once again, Jane is unfairly judged and it appears to her that the new life she seeks is long gone. She’s labeled as the outcast, similar to the way she’s treated at Gateshead. (Moseley 3) Jane is stricken; however, Helen Burns assuages the pain. Jane’s friendship with Helen Burns plays a crucial role in controlling her zealous manner. Helen is the archetype of a pure-hearted, caring person with genuine intentions. Her ability to withstand unfair treatment while she maintains her composure provides a role model for Jane to look up to. It’s this persona that Jane desperately needs at this point in her life, especially following the humiliation by Mr. Brocklehurst concerning her fate at Lowood. She teaches Jane the importance of self-control andShow MoreRelatedJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1601 Words   |  7 Pagesfeminist, one must see it through the lens of the time and place Brontà « wrote it. Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Jane Eyre was a feminist work i n that Bronte expressed disdain for oppressive gender structures through the voice of Jane Eyre, and the actions of Bertha Mason. Jane Eyre was a steamy novel for its time, with imagery as blatantly concealed as Jane’s description of Rochester’s hand as being â€Å"rounded, muscular; and vigorous†¦long, strong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Brontà « 312) A modern reader might blush at the description and itsRead MoreJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1437 Words   |  6 Pagestools that depict history. One great work of art that portrays these constant struggles is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontà «. While addressing social issues of a governess, Brontà « also tackles Victorian society’s corrupt and unjust ideals by using different settings and characters such as Mr. Rochester and Gateshead Manor. In Jane Eyre, the depiction of a rigid social class restricts the protagonist, Jane Eyre, from marrying her love, Mr. Rochester. Sadly, Jane’s relationship is also jeopardized by passionRead MoreJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1374 Words   |  6 PagesJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Within the specter of the Gothic fictions arises the atmosphere of gloom, terror, and mystery with some elements of uncanny challenging reality. One major characteristic function of the Gothic fictions is to open the fiction to the realm of the irrational and perverse narratives, obsessions, and nightmarish terrors that hide beneath the literally civilized mindset in order to demonstrate the presence of the uncanny existing in the world known rationally through experienceRead MoreJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte781 Words   |  3 PagesThrough her trials and tribulations, Charlotte Bronte has kept her passion for poetry alive and remains as one of the most influential British poets of all times. Even though she is one of the most famous female writers of all times, she is mostly famous for her most popular novel Jane Eyre. Charlotte Bronte has experienced more tragedy in her life than happiness by losing her mother and all five of her siblings. But, in her moments of tragedy, she expre ssed her feelings through poetry. As a resultRead MoreJane Eyre, By Charlotte Bronte949 Words   |  4 PagesSurrounded by witnesses, Jane stands in front of the minister, poised to take her marital vows as the mystery of Thornfield unravels. Unbeknownst to her, Rochester’s actual wife, Bertha Mason, is within close proximity.The knowledge of Bertha, and the mystery, will pose as a test to Jane s morals and her character. Through Jane Eyre, a powerful Victorian-era novel, Charlotte Bronte portrays the role of women in Victorian society while masterfully solidifying Jane’s role as its polar opposite: anRead MoreJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1714 Words   |  7 Pages Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brà ¶nte voiced the radical opinions of Brà ¶nte on religion, gender, and social class. Jane Eyre, a young orphan who lived with her vituperative aunt and cousins, strayed away from the Victorian ideals of a woman and established a new status for herself. Jane Eyre was originally written in 1827 and was heavily influenced by the late gothic literature of the 19th century. Gothic literary aspects such as supernatural occurrences, mysteries and dark secrets, madness and dangerRead MoreJane Eyre, By Charlotte Bronte1620 Words   |  7 PagesIt is often said that it is the role of literature to challenge and confront the conventional values of a society. In the novel, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte the idea of challenging and confronting conventional values is stressed often. Perhaps it is in relation to the author herself, as seen in the autobiographical elements recognizable throughout the novel. Some of these autobiographical elements include the form of which the novel is written in, called Bildungsroman where the story is focusedRead MoreJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1203 Words   |  5 PagesThe nineteenth-century Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is considered to be a gothic novel. Gothic literature took place mostly in England from 1790 to 1830, falling in to the category of Romantic literature. The Gothic takes its roots from previous horrifying writing that extends back to the Middle Ages and can still be found in writings today by many authors including Charlotte Bronte. The strong description of horror, abuse, and gruesomeness in Gothic novels reveals truths to readers through realisticRead MoreJane Eyre, By Charlotte Bronte929 Words   |  4 PagesIn Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontà « explores how Jane wants to find love--not just romantic love but to value and sense of belonging. The book challenges how the language of middle-class love affects the way a character’s self-identity can alter the action, how Jane sees herself later when she found love and sense of belonging as independent women. When Jane was a child she struggles to find her own identity Jane begins to change through her journey once she realizes her own identity and this helpsRead MoreJane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte1359 Words   |  6 PagesFollowing the ex periences of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte, expresses many elements of gothic literature throughout her novel Jane Eyre. In her perfect understanding of gothic literature, she expresses the three types of evil commonly found in gothic literature, including the evil of the supernatural, the evil within or the instinctual evil motives of humans, and lastly, the evil because of societal influence. Jane Eyre experiences all of these three evils with her aunt and three cousins with her residency

Native Americans During America s Gilded Age - 1788 Words

During America’s Gilded Age, a drastic change in the west transpired. While many Native Americans had already endured profound changes, their freedom was about to become nearly extinct. It was a time in which they called the Second Industrial Revolution. There was an ample amount of natural resources and a development in the market for manufactured goods. Railroad companies flourished and alas, Indian removal was imperative in obtaining land for laborers and miners (Foner, Give Me Liberty!, p.477). As Americans wanted to take their land, they also wanted to strip Native Americans of their culture. The federal government strived in trying to civilize them, so The Bureau of Indian Affairs created boarding schools all over the west in the 1870s. These schools were for Native American children of all ages. The goal was complete â€Å"assimilation† (Mabalon, 9/9/15). The children were forced to dress differently, they gained new names, and they were isolated from any cultura l influence. It was as though they were forced to give up tradition. It caused them to start having hatred towards their culture and to be ashamed of themselves. Native Americans lost their values and their freedom almost completely. They were essentially being taught how to be white capitalists. (Mabalon, 9/9/15). It wasn’t until after a long, painful struggle and resistance that they finally gained citizenship for all in 1924. Even then, there was still a great way to go until the Native Americans were able toShow MoreRelatedThe Progressive Era Of The Gilded Age1455 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout the progressive era there were many reform movements due to the abundance of political, social, and economical corruption in America in the gilded age as seen by political machines like William Marcy tweed and American financiers like J.P. Morgan. Some of the many issues that made themselves present in the gilded age include the large wealth gap, child labor, women’s lack of rights, influx of immigrants, Urbanization, Indian wars, monopolists, political machines, and alcoholism. All ofRead MoreEssay about Change and Continuity in the Guilded Age1194 Words   |  5 Pages Change and Continuity in the Gilded Age Emergence of Modern America nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; â€Å"Every day things change, but basically they stay the same.†-Dave Matthews Change and continuity are two major principles of life. They can easily be applied to history because their application accurately portrays the circumstances, and characterizes the era of interest. Merriam-Webster defines continuity as an uninterrupted connection, succession, or union, or an uninterruptedRead MoreThe United States And The Industrial Revolution1261 Words   |  6 Pagesof late nineteenth through early twentieth century, American civilization endured vast changes based on the western exploration of the country as well as the industrial revolution it had undertaken. The different genres of its people all endured hardships and historic changes from the times of the Native Americans being forced out of their lands, to changes in population with the amassing amount of immigrants and lack of jobs through the Gilded Age, all the way through the change of the United StatesRead MoreThe Progressive Era Of The Gilded Age1465 Words   |  6 PagesWith change comes consequences. Industrialization of the United States had indirectly tarnished the Gilded Age, and now that this era was coming to an end, reformers were left to clean up the mess. Hence, the Progressive era was born. The Progressive movement was based in the urban middle class and focused on the improvement of society, the economy, and politics. Yet, the movement was not unified. Each reform group of the era had a separate goal that they would focus on. Each president also hadRead MoreFrom The Reconstruction Era Through 1929 American Changed1441 Words   |  6 PagesFrom the Reconstruction Era through 1929 American changed drastically, economically, socially, and politically. The development of America’s society, economics, and politics is what defined America as a country. Of the three major ways that America developed from the Reconstruction era through 1929, the greatest catalyst for change was the economic developments because the rise and fall of the economy influenced both social and political developments. The development of America’s economy from theRead MoreThe Civil War And The Reconstruction Period Essay1496 Words   |  6 Pages Introduction: American Industrialization emerged from the ruins of the Civil War and the †¦ of the Reconstruction Period. Spurred by the new manufacturing technologies brought over from Great Britain, and the rest of Europe, factories and mills began emerging across the American landscape, slowly transforming the United States from an agrarian society to one increasingly industrialized and urbanized. From 1860-1900, the nation of rural towns, local crafts, family farms, and regional businessRead MoreWhy Jackie Robinson Was The First Pro Ball Player844 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the Gilded age many social class, racial walls and gender bias developed lines walls and boundaries for people. The funny thing about that is as new boundaries, walls and limitations were being built sports and the development of it broke them down or found new ways for the different genders and races to find ways to use sports as an outlet. Women were constantly fighting for their right to be involved in sports a nd pushing the limits as to what social norm deemed acceptable for them toRead MoreThe Gilded Age924 Words   |  4 Pagesera was called the Gilded Age, a time of immense growth in the United States in transportation, especially in railroads, American workers were paid higher wages than their peers in Europe. In this thirty year span the United States saw twelve million immigrants pass through her golden doors, 70% of these immigrants were English, Irish, and German. Crop failures (potato famine in Ireland), job shortages, and religious freedom were the motivations behind many immigrating to America. Newly arrived immigrantsRead MoreThe French Indian War And The American Colonization Of North America1326 Words   |  6 Pagesbut causing widespread sickness among the Native American population. The English asserted their own presence in the New World by creating colonies stretching up and down the eastern coast of North America. However, mostly due to issues and events in Europe, the British left the colonists to their own devices (salutary neglect) and they prospered until the French-Indian War (1754-1763). The spirit of independence cultivated in the American colonists during the past era was challenged by the heightenedRead MoreThe United States Identity During The Gilded Age1259 Words   |  6 PagesStates’ identity during the gilded age. Promises and dreams of having free land, your own freedom, and wealth for all people infatuate the nation and those who hear of the frontier; these myths created a â€Å"golden gilding â€Å" which masks the actual turmoil and issues in the United States. In 1863, historian, Frederick Jackson Turner lectured, â€Å"‘The Significance of the Frontier in American History,’ in which he argued that on the western frontier the distinctive qualities of American culture were forged:

Essay On Terrorism Example For Students

Essay On Terrorism As we are approaching the 21st century, it seems that terrorism is becoming another one of societys constant problems. It has reached to an extent that most of us have now become immune to it. We hear about the hijacking of different airplanes, kidnapping of diplomatic officers, slaughter of innocent civilians by other civilians and what do we do about it? Nothing. Due to some dirty fish, most of us do not protest anymore about passing our luggage through metal detectors and submitting to searches at airports. Some of us believe that terrorism is something that can not be controlled, just like poverty, discrimination and crime, which is just there. On the other hand, some experts believe that terrorism may be abolished if nations begin to follow a firm, non-tolerant approach taken by countries like ________. What do most terrorists really want? Well, terrorists in most instances first strike by doing something vicious like bombing an area, so that the government and the citizens of the country can be terrified of them. Then, they make their demands: _________, safe passage or release of their fellow terrorists. The media and the citizens then want the government to negotiate with their demands and give them whatever they want so that they can go away. The situation stated above is quite common and will only encourage further acts of terrorism. What can the government do to stop terrorism? *It can eliminate terrorism by showing the terrorists some action and retaliation as act of self-defense. *It can exert political pressure on nations that practice or support terrorism and refuse to trade with them. *It can refuse to sell these nations any kind of _________ and/or military devices. It can terminate ________ relations and close down their __________ in these nations. *Another response wo uld be using military action, which should not be ruled out in the case of hijacking of ships or planes. These steps may have some good affects on other nations and soon the rest shall follow them.

Skoda UKs management Essay Example

Skoda UKs management Essay This case study focuses on how Skoda UKs management built on all the areas of the strategic audit. The outcome of the SWOT analysis was a strategy for effective competition in the car industry. The audit provided a summary of the businesss overall strategic position by using a SWOT analysis. SWOT is an acronym which stands for: * Strengths the internal elements of the business that contribute to improvement and growth * Weaknesses the attributes that will hinder a business or make it vulnerable to failure Opportunities the external conditions that could enable future growth * Threats the external factors which could negatively affect the business. INTRODUCTION Skoda is a global brand offering a range of products in a highly competitive and fragmented market. The company must respond positively to internal and external issues to avoid losing sales and market share. A SWOT analysis brings order and structure to otherwise random information. The SWOT model helps managers to look int ernally as well as externally. The information derived from the analysis gives direction to the strategy.It highlights the key internal weaknesses in a business, it focuses on strengths and it alerts managers to opportunities and threats. Skoda was able to identify where it had strengths to compete. The structured review of internal and external factors helped transform Skoda UKs strategic direction. The case study shows how Skoda UK transformed its brand image in the eyes of potential customers and build its competitive edge over rivals. By developing a marketing strategy playing on clearly identified strengths of customer happiness, Skoda was able to overcome weaknesses.It turned its previously defensive position of the brand to a positive customer-focused experience. The various awards Skoda has won demonstrate how its communications are reaching customers. Improved sales show that Skoda UKs new strategy has delivered benefits. In 1895 in Czechoslovakia, two keen cyclists, Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement, designed and produced their own bicycle. Their business became Skoda in 1925. Skoda went on to manufacture cycles, cars, farm ploughs and airplanes in Eastern Europe. Skoda overcame hard times over the next 65 years. These included war, economic depression and political change.By 1990 the Czech management of Skoda was looking for a strong foreign partner. Volkswagen AG (VAG) was chosen because of its reputation for strength, quality and reliability. It is the largest car manufacturer in Europe providing an average of more than five million cars a year giving it a 12% share of the world car market. Volkswagen AG comprises the Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti brands. Each brand has its own specific character and is independent in the market. Skoda UK sells Skoda cars through its network of independent franchised dealers.To improve its performance in the competitive car market, Skoda UK†s m anagement needed to assess its brand positioning. Brand positioning means establishing a distinctive image for the brand compared to competing brands. Only then could it grow from being a small player. To aid its decision-making, Skoda UK obtained market research data from internal and external strategic audits. This enabled it to take advantage of new opportunities and respond to threats. To work on the strengths, Skoda UK carried out research. It asked customers directly for their opinions about its cars.It also used reliable independent surveys that tested customers feelings. For example, the annual JD Power customer satisfaction survey asks owners what they feel about cars they have owned for at least six months. JD Power surveys almost 20,000 car owners using detailed questionnaires. Skoda has been in the top five manufacturers in this survey for the past 13 years. In Top Gears 2007 customer satisfaction survey, 56,000 viewers gave their opinions on 152 models and voted Skoda t he number 1 car maker. Skodas Octavia model has also won the 2008  Auto Express  Driver Power Best Car.Skoda attributes these results to the business concentrating on owner experience rather than on sales. It has considered the human touch from design through to sale. Skoda knows that 98% of its drivers would recommend Skoda to a friend. This is a clearly identifiable and quantifiable strength. Skoda uses this to guide its future strategic development and marketing of its brand image. Strategic management guides a business so that it can compete and grow in its market. Skoda adopted a strategy focused on building cars that their owners would enjoy. This is different from simply maximizing sales of a product.As a result, Skodas biggest strength was the satisfaction of its customers. This means the brand is associated with a quality product and happy customers. Skoda UKs analysis showed that in order to grow it needed to address key questions about the brand position. Skoda has on ly 1. 7% market share. This made it a very small player in the market for cars. The main issue it needed to address was: how did Skoda fit into this highly competitive, fragmented market? Perceptions of the brand This weakness was partly due to out-dated perceptions of the brand. These related to Skodas eastern European origins.In the past the cars had an image of poor vehicle quality, design, assembly and materials. Crucially, this poor perception also affected Skoda owners. For many people, car ownership is all about image. If you are a Skoda driver, what do other people think? From 1999 onwards, under Volkswagen AG ownership, Skoda changed this negative image. Skoda cars were no longer seen as low-budget or low quality. However, a brand health check in 2006 showed that Skoda still had a weak and neutral image in the mid-market range it occupies, compared to other players in this area, for example, Ford, Peugeot and Renault.This meant that, whilst the brand no longer had a poor im age, it did not have a strong appeal either. - Change of direction This understanding showed Skoda in which direction it needed to go. It needed to stop being defensive in promotional campaigns. The company had sought to correct old perceptions and demonstrate what Skoda cars were not. It realized it was now time to say what the brand does stand for. The marketing message for the change was simple: Skoda owners were known to be happy and contented with their cars.The car-buying public and the car industry as a whole needed convincing that Skoda cars were great to own and drive. Opportunities occur in the external environment of a business. These include for example, gaps in the market for new products or services. In analyzing the external market, Skoda noted that its competitors marketing approaches focused on the product itself. Many brands place emphasis on the machine and the driving experience: * Audi emphasizes the technology through its strapline, Vorsprung Durch Technik (adv antage through technology). * BMW promotes the ultimate driving machine.Skoda UK discovered that its customers loved their cars more than owners of competitor brands, such as Renault or Ford. - Differentiation Information from the SWOT analysis helped Skoda to differentiate its product range. Having a complete understanding of the brands weaknesses allowed it to develop a strategy to strengthen the brand and take advantage of the opportunities in the market. It focused on its existing strengths and provided cars focused on the customer experience. The focus on happy Skoda customers is an opportunity.It enables Skoda to differentiate the Skoda brand to make it stand out from the competition. This is Skodas unique selling proposition (USP) in the motor industry. Threats come from outside of a business. These involve for example, a competitor launching cheaper products. A careful analysis of the nature, source and likelihood of these threats is a key part of the SWOT process. The UK ca r market includes 50 different car makers selling 200 models. Within these there are over 2,000 model derivatives. Skoda UK needed to ensure that its messages were powerful enough for customers to hear within such a crowded and competitive environment.If not, potential buyers would overlook Skoda. This posed the threat of a further loss of market share. Skoda needed a strong product range to compete in the UK and globally In the UK the Skoda brand is represented by seven different cars. Each one is designed to appeal to different market segments. For example: * Skoda Fabia is sold as a basic but quality city car * Skoda Superb offers a more luxurious, up-market appeal * Skoda Octavia Estate provides a family with a fun drive but also a great big boot. Pricing reflects the competitive nature of Skodas market. Each model range s priced to appeal to different groups within the mainstream car market. The combination of a clear range with competitive pricing has overcome the threat of th e crowded market. Environmental constraints The following example illustrates how Skoda responded to another of its threats, namely, the need to respond to EU legal and environmental regulations. Skoda responded by designing products that are environmentally friendly at every stage of their life cycle. For example:- * Recycling as much as possible. Skoda parts are marked for quick and easy identification when the car is taken apart. Using the latest, most environmentally-friendly manufacturing technologies and facilities available. For instance, painting areas to protect against corrosion use lead-free, water based colours. * Designing processes to cut fuel consumption and emissions in petrol and diesel engines. These use lighter parts making vehicles as aerodynamic as possible to use less energy. * Using technology to design cars with lower noise levels and improved sound quality. Benefits of the analysis Skoda UKs analysis answered some key questions. It discovered that: * Skoda c ar owners were happy about owning a Skoda The brand was no longer seen as a poorer version of competitors cars. However: * the brand was still very much within a niche market * A change in public perception was vital for Skoda to compete and increase its market share of the mainstream car market. The challenge was how to build on this and develop the brand so that it was viewed positively. It required a whole new marketing strategy. - Unique selling proposition Skoda UK has responded with a new marketing strategy based on the confident slogan, the manufacturer of happy drivers.The campaigns promotional activities support the new brand position. The key messages for the campaign focus on the happy customer experience and appeal at an emotional rather than a practical level. The campaign includes: * The Fabia Cake TV advertisement. This showed that the car was full of lovely stuff with the happy music (Favorite things) in the background. * An improved and redesigned website which is e asy and fun to use. This is to appeal to a young audience. It embodies the message experience the happiness of Skoda online.Customers are able to book test drives and order brochures online. The result is that potential customers will feel a Skoda is not only a reliable and sensible car to own, it is also lovely to own. Analyzing the external opportunities and threats allows Skoda UK to pinpoint precisely how it should target its marketing messages. No other market player has driver happiness as its USP. By building on the understanding derived from the SWOT, Skoda UK has given new impetus to its campaign. At the same time, the campaign has addressed the threat of external competition by setting Skoda apart from its rivals.