Hotel Industry: Brand Image and Customer Loyalty

Hotel Industry nonice estimate and Customer LoyaltyHotel defect Images Exploring Customer Loyalty and Satisf exertionionContents (Jump to)IntroductionRationaleAims and Objectives toyjecture Statement supplementary Literature ReviewPrimary valued look intoLiterature ReviewBrand Identity and ImageBrand dodge and Customer SatisfactionConsumer Loyalty and Brand ImageHotel Brands and ConsumersConclusion and Implications look for ApproachSurvey QuestionnaireData SamplingH1 Consumer faithfulness is not splice up to snitch identicalness element in hotels.H2 Consumer felicity is not relate to grass mountain chain of hotels.Correlation AnalysisConclusionIntroductionThis interrogation motif takes the typeset that stigmatization and notice fealty cast off accommodate an key part of sophisticated day business market mooring placeing. Accordingly, bunko gamesumer experiences, give a focussing examine, and market research be ii important comp unmatch able-bodie dnts of developing discovertinuous instigator image. The organic evolution of shop faithfulness has a direct match on straightaways marketability and viability of a advantage or crossroad in offwiths competitive market. Brand stanchty has been considered to be the repetition of consumer leveraging deportment under the conditions of the consumers sensitivity to a product as on of the to a greater extent prevailing trends in global hotel merchandise (Kayaman and Arasli 2007). new(prenominal) view orientates describe bulls eye verity as having an attitudinal measurement (Kayaman and Arasli 2007). Brand mathematical operation has several aspects case, price, credibility, value, trust, and consistency. Delgado-Ballester Munuera-Aleman (2001) suggested that core deformity trust and grass image functions train a key role in developing consumer inscription and is characterised by postgraduate involvement of the brass in helper musical note. The ability of an fun damental law to hold onto a market position is highly ground on its ability to pass new guests firearm retaining old clients. Gunter Heather (2007) shewed that in the overhaul manufacture, the ability of team members to complete a attend to the guest is important in developing node loyalty and increasing the nodes wisdom of portion quality.This research explores key transaction indicators of inciters as they blow consumer loyalty in the hotel industry. This is done by looking at the theories coffin nail trademark performance, which include market signalling theory as rise up as discoloration identity and blot image. The research examines the efficiency of upcountry operations of organisations as they seismic disturbance injury consistency. These components atomic number 18 inter colligate with essay for consumer patronage and consumer loyalty, ground on mingled factors that will be explored as creation congress to get to (or diminishing) consumer l oyalty. The oration will apply supplemental research as a literary works reassessment to establish the components and alliances surrounded by stigma identity, consumer loyalty, and crisscross schema. The ultimate intent of this research is to describe how consumers build expectations and sciences regarding a ill-tempered filth image and how consumer loyalty to a particular hotel preempt be managed finished post system.Rationale dean (2001) do the conclusion that the hotel industry has suffered in stock value comp ard to an otherwise(prenominal) industries. In 2001, tho the Hilton stigmatize was impersonate in the top coke soft touch names, with a market value of 1.4 billion dollars (Dean 2001). This shows that in that respect is a need to under concentrate and describe node loyalty in the hotel industry to however consumer patronage of hotels. The hotel industry, e sp atomic number 18ly in the opulence sector, offers an bear of a product and supportan ce. Therefore, it stands to reason that the consistency the brand offers has a untroubled impact on the consumers perception. Kandampully Suhartanto (2000) showed that hotel consistency should revolve around the native performance of housekeeping, reception, food and beverages, as considerably as price and value to be considered competitive and to maintain consumer loyalty. This research is sharp-wittedised by the idea that disposition client loyalty based on propitiation in these arenas impacts market value, and thence can assist hoteliers in world wide competition.Aims and ObjectivesThe aim of this dissertation is based on the above rationale and is focused on consumer based perceptions of hotel brands. The goal is to explore and examine the factors of node loyalty, customer satisfaction, and hotel branding for the improvement of organisations operating in the hotel industry. Thus, the research aims to develop cockeyeder market value by means of brand identity and bran d image perceptions of the customer. The accusings to draw this aim are to first, describe the bloods among brand identity and customer loyalty finished secondary literature review research. The next objective is to utilise primary quantitative survey methods to statistically evaluate the impact of the kindreds amid customer satisfaction and brand identity on customer loyalty. The end latermaths should lead towards a description of the occurrence of customer loyalty perceptions in the hotel industry based on the factors of brand identity and customer satisfaction described in the literature review.Hypothesis Statementestablish on the aims and objectives of the research, the following hypotheses are to be explored through quantitative infoH1 Consumer loyalty is not related to brand identity in hotels.H1.0 Consumer loyalty is related to brand identity in hotels.H2 Consumer satisfaction is not related to brand image of hotels.H2.0 Consumer satisfaction is related to brand imag e of hotels.Secondary Literature ReviewThe secondary literature review will be conducted to establish the variables and factors that develop the above hypothesis. In this, the research has chosen to utilise mainly scholarly journal databases, including Sage Journals Online, EbscoHost, and Thomspon-Gale. Each of these databases is peer-reviewed and scholarly, as salubrious as international, which allows for a holistic focus on the issues of consumer loyalty from a global viewpoint. The point that individually of these journal databases is international is important as this research focuses on the hotel industry as a whole, not on the hotel industry in both particular nation. The research was conducted using the Boolean search monetary value of brand identity and consumer loyalty brand identity and consumer satisfaction brand image and consumer satisfaction brand image and consumer loyalty consumer satisfaction and consumer loyalty brand identity and brand image. Results were then sifted through based on date and current relevance to organisational branding, hotel branding, or market branding. This was important to do as somewhat research findings were not related to the actual research, some findings that were unrelated and had to be removed included sexual activity bias, cow procreation, and other unrelated terms. Future secondary literature review research will focus on vigorouser Boolean search terms to remove un indirect requested topics and pr evet unnecessary time extensions. The secondary literature review is utilised to establish the misgivings in the quantitative survey as well as to establish consanguinitys amongst each hypotheses logical argument.Primary Quantitative ResearchPrimary quantitative research was chosen for this study as it allows for statistical and objective evidence to be presented and to accept or wipe extinct the stated hypotheses. The choice and rationale for the primary quantitative research is explored further in the methodology section. For this short introduction, quantitative research allows for proper(postnominal) discipline regarding the occurrences of customer loyalty and satisfaction, which can act as a predecessor for further qualitative research later. Further more(prenominal), the use of surveys allows the researcher to carry specific and numerically succinct statements regarding the subjects at hand, from the customers perception. The research onrush is deductive, center that it is theory testing rather than inductive, which is theory generating. In this panache the research proposes to accept or reject the hypothesis and establish the relationship between hotel brand identity-image and consumer loyalty-satisfaction.Branding is method of determining an organisations competitive position based on consumer perceptions, where the organisations position to competitors impacts consumer choices (Daffey and Abratt 2002). In corporations, branding has increased in recent importance, pa rticularly in leisure and travel dishs, where increased attention has been placed on suffice branding in hotels, retail, and banking industries (Hatch and Schultz 2003). Research identified the need for branding as it come tos to the brand image and brand identity, which separates the brand based on the midland components of the industry or organisation as well as it is appropriate with shared value and meanings identified by twain the organisation and consumer perceptions (Hatch and Schultz 2003). Thus, the relationship between brand identity, brand image, and consumer perception for leisure expediencys, such as hotels, has bring ab come break through of the closet imperative to describing the merchandising take of an organisation.Brand Identity and ImageBrand identity is an antecedent to brand image, indeed what the organisation puts aside as its brand identity impacts the consumers perception of brand image (Daffey and Abratt 2002). The focus can be placed on the inte rface deep down brand identity and consumer perception of brand image, which involved the corporate branding method and the manner in which it is sensed by the consumer, thus impacting the consumers identification with the brand and increasing or decreasing the consumers perceive brand value (Daffey and Abratt 2002). Conceptually, brand identity is the organisations merchandise mission in regards to the brands vision and set (Kapferer 2004). Brand identity is thus fulfilled by the organisations competence towards its internal and away vision, aims, and values (Kapferer 2004). This operator that brand identity is an articulation of the organisations ethos, which incorporates the individualistic image that a competitor places on its products, where the goal is to come apart the expediency or product definition from other brand identities (Kapferer 2004).The statement has been made that brand identity has three main goals (Albert and Whetten 2003). The first of these goals ar e to capture the organisations substantive helper or product paradigm (Albert and Whetten 2003). Secondly, the organisations brand identity should exhibit and define its meaning towards consumers and thirdly this meaning allows the brand to be incompatibleiated and exhibited with persistence in the consumers prospect (Albert and Whetten 2003). Bosch (2006) examined that the social system of brand identity is to involve the elemental bearing of the organisations product or help, where the organisations story is relevant to the personality of the brand identity set forth by the merchandising strategy (Bosch 2006). Thus, brand identity becomes an organisations usable strategy that allows it to enhance or integrate an internal vision to outdoor(a) customers, thereby shaping the customers purchase intentions and value-added perceptions towards that brand.As noted, brand identity precedes brand image. Brand image is imperative to gaining consumer validation and retention. When an organisation sets forth an image that is favourable in the mindset of the consumers, it inherently builds a specific competitive advantage (Aaker 1997). Brand image is a construction of consumer perceptions of the brand, and therefore is based on the around recent mindset of beliefs that the consumer holds towards the brand it self (Nandan 2005). The consumers perceptions and feelings are based on the brand identity, as well as the consumers experiences and relationships with the organisation (Nandan 2005).Thus, brand image has a strong value for an organisation and is ascertained to realise a distinctive and sustainable competitive advantage (Aaker 1997). It is therefore defined that brand image is the meaning of connection between the consumer and the organisations product or portion, where the goal is to increase consumer loyalty in the net result of the marketing strategy (Aaker 1997). This net result is impacted by the consumers perception of the brand (Aaker 1997). This consumer perception is built by experiences with the brand and the impressions the brand leaves with the customer, thus mend the customers beliefs and feelings towards the product (Aaker 1997). This alteration of the consumer perception creates the consumers behaviour and attitude about a product or service (Aaker 1997).The standoff between brand identity and brand image has been noted to be largely based on the role of communication that forms consumer perceptions as they pertain to branding (Harris and de Chernatory 2001). However, some confusion as to the specific role of marketing brand identity and the formulation of brand image outlasts. While some researchers explore that consumer perception is built based on such marketing communications (Harris and de Chernatory 2001), others substantiate that brand image is not a result of brand identity marketing, exclusively of the experiences of consumers with the product and service of the brand (Chun and Davies 2006). This means t hat the outer communications of the organisation, noted in the above paragraphs to be centred on exposing the value, aims and intentions of the brand (Kapferer 2004) be clear less impact on the consumers mindset than the consumers actual experiences with the brand (Chun and Davies 2006). This is especially true in the service lie industries, such as hotels, where service context related firms are more credibly to gain or lose brand image in the customers mindset based on consumer experiences with the service (OCass and beautify 2004). Consumer experiences such as word of mouth, poor service relationships, and negative service receipt are more likely to impact the perception of a brand image than the organisations marketing strategy of the brands identity (OCass and Grace 2004). In this relationship, the role of service employees and their relationship with the customer becomes an integral part of building a brand image, where the perception of employees to the brand identity a s well as towards delivering a imperative customer service experience is more important to sustainable brand image than any other factor (Hardaker and Fill 2005). This is because the employee operating in a service context, such as a hotel, is the first point of contact the consumer has with the brand (Hardaker and Fill 2005). Thus, the experience a consumer has with an employee of a service based industry has multiple interfaces as the employees value, the brand identity, and the consumers perception, all of which create the brand image (OCass and Grace 2004).Brand dodging and Customer SatisfactionIt stands to reason that if consumers create a perception of a brand image based on their level of satisfaction, then there is an inherent link between brand image and customer satisfaction. This was completed as a positive image towards consumer satisfaction increases consumer loyalty, where it is postulated that the relationship as well as develops consumer loyalty (Chun and Davies 2006). In this relationship, there is a congruent subscribeing between brand identities, as it is outsidely presented by the organisation, and consumer satisfaction as it is internally perceive by the consumer (Chun and Davies 2006). The development is that a firm utilises brand strategy, as this has the ability to increase brand loyalty when it ensures that the relationship between brand identity and image is congruent and consistent, as it applies to influencing consumer loyalty (Nandan 2005). Thus, brand identity has an increased positive relationship that is established between the customers perception of satisfaction, the development of loyalty, and the brands image (Nandan 2005).Consumer promotions are one method that organisations use to increase brand aware(predicate)ness, and thus establish brand identity. Consumer promotions include coupons and sweepstakes, provided increasingly include loyalty programs such as points for repurchases. These types of sales promotions are have the targeted goal of increasing repurchase intentions of concluding purchases (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Consumer sales promotions are scarce as various as brands themselves, actual as incentives for buy or repurchasing, while others attempt to communicate the record of the organisation (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Some promotions will be based on determine discounts, while others are non-priced based, such as additional products or special function (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Consumer promotion is a traditional brand strategy that is belief to enhance consumer loyalty by oblation special rewards for repurchasing a service or product (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Thus, it is supposed that consumer promotions influence the consumer by enhancing how the customer cognitively perceives the value of a service or product (Kotler and Armstrong 2002). Value, as the disagreement between price and received solids, is the object that creates price perception. Price percep tion, in turn, establishes how a customer values the brands overall image, and thus if the consumer is willing to purchase the brand (Schiffman and Kanuk 2004). Price perceptions can be both positive and negative. In luxury instances, higher(prenominal) prices for higher levels of services are considers attri stilles to the consumers success, and therefore the repurchase intentions whitethorn be based on the intrinsic value the consumer places on the actual service receipt, rather than the court of the service (Moore et al 2003). Price and customer loyalty therefore become complex, as in some cases very low prices for a luxury brand, or over-promotion of the brand, lead to devaluation of the brand, where the consumer finds less value for the same service offered at a lower price (Moore et al 2003).This leads towards product quality perceptions, where the high quality of a service is approached by the consumer based on the consumers expectations of the service (Moore et al 2003). C onsumers may place a judgement upon the quality of a service based on the information they have received through brand identity strategies regarding the service, when this information is not congruent with the customers received service, there is a negative interruption in customer satisfaction (Schiffman and Kanuk 2004). Consumer judgements are created by intrinsic and extrinsic information (Schiffman and Kanuk 2004).The forethought is that there is a go against between brand identities put forth by the organisation and brand images received, or perceived, by the consumers (Hatch and Schultz 2003). This breaking exists when the internal identities of the organisation, as they relate to the values and ideals of the organisation, are not externally perceived by the consumer (Hatch and Schultz 2003 Chun and Davies 2006). Thus, the need for a brand strategy that bridges this gap for increased customer perceptions becomes a managerial goal to narrow the gap (Harris and de Chernaton y 2001). This need for gap reduction is stated to be a holistic need, where brand strategy is centred on the ability of the organisation to ensure that all employees are able to breach the gaps and have the same values and aims that the organisations places external brand marketing importance upon (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). Emphatically, this means that strategy towards the brand image is highly reliant upon the internal brand identity of the organisation and the external brand image the customer forms (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). Thus, there is an increased need in brand development and strategy for organisations to match the consumers demand and perceptions with the brands identity, which in turn will increase consumer loyalty but not necessarily consumer satisfaction (Chun and Davies 2006).Consumer Loyalty and Brand ImageConceptualizing the link between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty has several dimensions (Oliver 1999). In this, satisfaction has the asymme tric consequence towards the development of consumer loyalty, yet consumer loyalty does not impact consumer satisfaction in the same manner (Oliver 1999). A consumer that has been traditionally loyal to a particular brand will not just direct the brand after a dissatisfactory service experience simply because they have formed a habit of being loyal to that brand (Oliver 1999).Chun and Davies (2006) examined that a brands image can impact consumer loyalty based on the experiences of a customer in regards to the brand service delivery by employees. This means that employees are frequently the stub of a service brands image, and the front line of the ability of a brand to build consumer loyalty. Furthermore, employees are the most frequent determination of a consumers mindset towards a brand, which in turn impacts the consumers perception and frequency of loyalty towards the brand (OCass and Grace 2004). Thus, it is implied that employees are the foundation of building service bran d images, and the employee of the service brand has the strongest impact of brand identity communication in the customers mindset (OCass and Grace 2004). Thus, what occurs is a service brand dimension where the employee, rather than the organisation, becomes the forefront for brand image formulation, which establishes that employees are the embassadors of a brand image (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). For the leisure and travel sectors, employees act as the interface between the consumers service needs and the brand image formation (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). Therefore, the consumers internal perceptions of a brand are enhanced or diminished by the service experience and communications of employees, which in turn results in future pull outments to brand loyalty when these experiences and communications are positively perceived by the customer (Harris and de Chernatony 2001).Consumer satisfaction and loyalty are dependent on the consumers perceived value of a brand image. In e arly work regarding the subject, Oliver (1997) showed that consumer satisfaction is the ability of a service to fulfil the consumers need, thus it is based upon the response of the organisation towards fulfilling what the consumer believes, or perceives, to be important and of value. The ability of the consumer to develop a perception regarding the service of a brand is based upon a consumers judgement regarding the supply of services and products and the pleasure that the customer receives, intrinsically, from the consumption of the product or service (Oliver 1997).Olivers (1999) later work established that consumer loyalty is a strong commitment of the consumer to repurchase the product or service in a consistent manner, based on the previous judgements that the consumer held, which are further enabled by both the customers and the organisations behaviours and attitudes towards the brands identity and image (Oliver 1999). Consumer attitudes have several components. First, the cog nitive component establishes the rational appeal of a product or service, where the consumer arranges a decision based on characteristics the consumer determines to be imperative to filling a consumer need (Rowley and Dawes 1999). The chance onional component is established as the emotional connections a consumer develops with the service, such as fulfilling a social or status need by purchasing a particular brand (Rowley and Dawes 1999). Lastly, the cognitive components of consumer attitudes are those that are relative to the consumers behavioural patterns (Rowley and Dawes 1999). Cognitive components are based on the consumers antecedently formed behaviour patterns, for example the difference between a hedonistic and utile purchaser. A hedonic behaviour pattern is where a consumer purchases a product based on the ability to receive a particular emotional need, such as societal satisfaction (Rowley and Dawes 1999). A utilitarian purchaser focuses on the physical needs of a pro ducts ability to fulfil a gap in the customers necessary purchase intentions (Rowley and Dawes 1999). This is further established by Chun and Davies (2006), where consumer loyalty as a behavioural and attitudinal aspect contains strong intrinsic characteristics built by the needs of the consumer and compared to the ability of the organisation to deliver towards these needs, which in turn develops the consumers attitudes and behaviours towards a brand. Yet consumer perception and brand loyalty is not only directed by behaviours and attitudes, it is withal built by cognition of the brand and its associative value (Jones and Taylor 2007). In this, while attitudes and behaviours are important, the customer as well may be inclined to cognitively assess the price that has been salaried against the service or product received, which is the basic foundation of consumers perceived value (Jones and Taylor 2007).Hotel Brands and ConsumersConsumers of hotel services gaink consistently relia ble service with fair(a) to high quality and an affordable price inwardly their perception of affordability (Dube and Reneghan 2000). Hoteliers place strong significance towards consumer satisfaction as this impacts the hotels perceived brand image (Dube and Reneghan 2000). What occurs is the brand hotel begins to operate based on its quality of service by delivering service value information to the customer before the customer views or uses the service product (Bruicks, Zeithaml and Naylor 2000). This means that as consumers inspectk out a particular amount of service quality to fulfil the gap between their needs and the service receipt, hoteliers are simultaneously awarding service quality based statements towards their internal brand identity and external brand image (Bruicks, Zeithaml and Naylor 2000). Effectively, brand images are built with multiple brand scopes achieved, where large hotel chains offer several brand images with their end consumers perception of value and quality in mind (Dube and Reneghan 2000). Thus the hotels brand strategy is to develop brand value based on service awareness, rather than service receipt, as well as the quality of perception in the consumers mind, leading towards consumer satisfaction (Aaker 1991).As brand strategy leads towards the sight unseen ideal of gaining customer satisfaction, researchers have explored that hotels with higher consumer satisfaction for a perceived high value or high quality service are less conscientious about price and promotions, but more consciences in regards to service receipt and the quality of service (Dube and Reneghan 2000). Brand strategy of hoteliers focuses on increasing operational success of their overall brand measurements, where the ideal strategic viewpoint is to gain market share from the brand strategy (Ekinci 2002). However, the hotel industry has mixed results from brand strategies and brand images (Ekinci 2002). These mixed results are due to consumers perceptions of the brand image and brand quality (Ekinci 2002). The dissimilitude exists when brand growth and consumer quality perceptions create a gap between the consumers expected service quality from the brand identity and the consumers receipt of service quality (Ekinci 2002). Pricing and promotion models in like manner create a gap in expectations and perceptions (Ekinci 2002). This occurs because of the market signalling theory, which explains that consumers may expect higher quality from organisations with higher market shares, which increases the demand for future business and services (Helloffs Jacobson, 1999). In the hospitality industry, as market share leaders become more visible to consumers through brand identity and brand marketing strategy, advertising messages become aligned with the high market share and high quality perceptions (Helloffs Jacobson 1999). Size of the hotel chain, amenities, desirable locations, and similar services at various locations all become part of hot eliers brand marketing strategies as they gain market share. However, there is the concern that strategic brand management may cause a negative relationship between brand image, market share, and consumers perceived expectations of quality (Helloffs Jacobson 1999). Some studies examine that consumers expectations of quality increase as market share increases, yet the consumers satisfaction with a service decreases almost simultaneously (Helloffs Jacobson 1999). Therefore, market signalling theory, as it applies to a hospitality organisations externally presented brand identity, may not be the precursor to adequate consumer satisfaction and the consumers internal perception of the brands image.Hoteliers are very aware of the needs for strong consumer focus, yet multiple hospitality organisations have differing perspectives regarding the customers needs and perceptions. For example, hoteliers may focus on strong franchise development, based on touristry locations, and typically foc us on the customer needs of service continuity, as offering the same services at each tourism franchise location (Linder 2001). However, another line of thought is that corporate development and managerial strategy, rather than the franchise consumer, is more important in building brand identity to customer awareness (Linder 2001). Thus, there is a deviance in hoteliers management strategy between the continuity of service franchises and the value of service towards the customer. There is some evidence that hoteliers have a brand identity need to respond to the customers concerns of cost and quality, but besides to decide the level of service continuity in spite of appearance the franchises, or in the lack of franchising, to respond to the needs of quality in the consumers service receipt (Michael 2000). One raise component of this relationship is that franchising actually has a negative impact on quality, but service continuity has a positive impact (Michael 2000). Thus, the c onsumer may expect the same service quality at each hotel location, but is not likely to receive the same level of quality at each franchise location (Michael 2000). However, when the customers level of perceived quality does not have a gap in service continuity between franchise or hotel locations, then there is a strong positive relationship (Michael 2000). There is a negative relationship when service quality of a particular brand image that the customer has a created a specific internal perceptions are not equivocal, going away a gap between what the customer believed would occur in values and quality, and what the customer believed they received in value andBertolt Brecht Using Comedy As Political involvementummyBertolt Brecht Using Comedy As Political DeviceBertolt Brecht, born in Augsberg Ger umpteen 1898, was a highly influential playwright, director and forward-looking performance theorist, making a major contribution to dramaturgy and theatrical performance fruit that continues to be portrayed at bottom field of honors and on power point to this date. His ideas and theories regarding semi semi policy-making theatre reject the naturalistic system put forward many years before by Konstantin Stanislavski and attempted to persuade an earshot to want to make a difference in consecrateliness. In his early twenties, Brecht began to have an aversion to the capitalisticic federation he was brought up in and want after a more equal approach to the world and lot around him. This was when he began his exploration into Marxism a political philosophy, often referred to as a form of socialism, which emphasises the importance of the company struggle in purchase order and maintains the belief that all(prenominal)one is equal. This is a viewpoint that Brecht remained loyal to throughout the rest of his emotional state and career with a certain level of Marxist influence being noticeably present in each of his plays and productions.Marxists believe in a socialist society that does not distinguish between manakines of raft. Marxists tend to be working class people or the proletariat and these fellow Marxists, i.e. the proletariat, were the people Brecht intended his plays for. He treasured to use his talent inside the theatre to connect with the working class people in order to convince the capitalist oppression under which he lived. His plays rejected the naturalistic story style and portrayed the world at the time in a way that would enable each mantrap to adopt a unfavorable awareness of the action they motto on defend. Brecht laid down a system of performance and production techniques in order to create an glory within the theatre that would prevent the auditory sense from hanging their brains up with their hats in the cloakroom (Anon www.delamere-arts.com.) The use of these techniques within theatre production is now officially known as Epic Theatre.Brecht intended his theatre to be both didactical (though not dull or boring) and dialectical, and believed that in order to make an audience support attention to what they are seeing and hearing from the stage they must be durationd from the action (i.e. the audience see the stage as a stage and the actors as actors.) Epic theatre aims to create this production of thought in the spectators, creating a distance between them and the action through the use of a technique known as verfremdungseffekt or V-effekt. rough translated as the making strange termination, the V-effekt is a technique which solely intends to make the audience aware they are in a theatre at all times, enabling them to adopt an attitude of inquiry and criticism in their approach to the action. The audience must at no time during an larger-than-life play be seen to be in a trance or take what they see on stage for granted. Richard Schechner (2006) form of addresss that the best way to see of the V-effekt is as a way to drive a wedge between the actor, the character, the re-create (including blocking, design, music and any other production element) so that each is able to bounce off, and comment upon, the others. In this an actor may pay a complete disregard for the fourth wall (a naturalistic staging and acting technique) directly addressing the audience in speeches, there may also be the use of a narrator (such as the Street singer in The Threepenny Opera), songs and explanatory placards to interrupt the action and thus distance the audience from what they are watching.Other techniques Brecht introduced to the stage included the use of Gestus, or Gesture with attitude (Mumford, 2008, p.54) which sees the actors conveying the intentions of a performance through tableaux, a single gesture or voice inflection. An example of this was portrayed in the National Theatres production of The flannel folderol Circle (Holmes 2007) which saw the governors wife, Natella have over the babys pram. This showed her complete lack of love and care for her child. This, in itself, maintains a distance between audience and action in that a spectator is able to see the difference between actor and character, with an actor offering personal opinion through their actions and their use of such gestures. This distancing effect can also be created, as stated by Richard Schechner (2006) previously, by other production elements including the use of harsh, bright lighting, multi-role acting, visible set changes completed by the actors themselves, the use of half-curtains and also music and songs that clash with the action, providing further comment on the action about the themes and ideas.Brecht wanted his spectators to enjoy themselves and feel comfortable within the theatre, comparing his audiences to those at a boxing match or in a public house (smoking, chatting leisurely.) Brecht insisted that, maintaining these techniques and ideas, plays should be fun and playful (Lyon Breuer, 1992, p. 95.) He believed that the use of Spass, the German word fo r fun, adds to the effectiveness and overall power of the political and social messages each and every one of his play emits. Research into Brechts beliefs (Eddershaw, 1996) show that criticism through fun (spass) is a vital element in Brechts notion of effective theatre to encourage a working class audience. Brecht believed that a theatre that cannot be laughed in is a theatre to be laughed at. Humourless people are ridiculous (Brecht as cited by Bradby McCormick, 1978, p.112). He found influential examples of spass in arts such as floor show and unplumbed films (Brecht is said to be a big fan of silent actor Charlie Chaplin.)Comedy, as Brecht believed, is a historically bound phenomenon (Wright, 1989, p.49) that is intended for political purpose. With this in mind, Brecht used funniness as a political art within most, if not all of his plays. His dialectical theatre focuses on what would have been categorised as japery at the time at which a play was written but has since be come an anachronism (Willett Manheim, 1985, p.2). Brecht believed thatComedy quotes what has never been natural. It is laughter at the not natural which provides the leverage to escape the ideological determinations of society. Brecht finds the source of comedy in the nature of society rather than in the nature of an individual.(Wright, 1989, p.49/50)Many believe that because of this approach to the theatre, Brechts plays (especially the use of comedy as a political turn) no longer have the same affect on present-day(a) culture as they would have done on an audience of Brechts time. Characters he created to jeer society, highlighting the class struggle and the capitalist oppression of his time appear satirical and stereotypical within modern day culture. Although, many critics maintain the belief that this use of satirical temper within the characters in his plays enhances the dialecticism of his work many others believe that without background friendship of Brechts intention s within his theatre and instead of distancing the audience, such comedy brings them together in laughter.However, in saying this and at the time of writing his plays, Brecht was ingenious in his implementation of comedy within his plays. He did not force comedy at or onto an audience but instead used two contrasting acting styles at the side of one another, cleverly placing a down-to-earth, normal character alongside an embellished character. Both characters make political statements while one is also able to show the other character up. A good example of this can be found in The Caucasian Chalk Circle with the characters of the governors wife, Natella, drunken judge, Azdak and the peasant maid, Grusha within the ikon of The Chalk Circle. Grusha maintains a sophisticated characterisation while the characters of both Natella and Azdak appear to mock the upper classes within society. This scene suggests that although Natella might have more specie and be smash dressed, Grusha stil l proves to be the better mother after all. This emphasises a strong socio-political message that materialism i.e. how much money a person has or how they look does not mean everything or even anything, it is what is inside a person that counts. As well as this, the scene also adds to the dialecticism of this particular play in that it appears to create a roll within the audience as a whole and also in the mind of the individual spectator as to who should, could and/or would be the better mother.It became well-known as Brecht delivered more and more plays and productions that he brought in comedy with a constant element of surprise, both because all was not ever so as it seemed on stage but also several divergent styles of acting were able to sit alongside each other and exist together (as shown above.) This technique acts as both a political device in showing the hierarchy within a capitalist society but also distances the audience with comedy.By using comedy, or spass, as a dis tancing technique whilst also highlighting the political and social messages of the play, Brecht was able to successfully achieve his aim of enabling an audience to adopt a critical awareness of what they saw on stage. This meant that the audience were more likely to leave the theatre wanting to make a change to the capitalist society that they were part of. Brechtian techniques, including his specific techniques involving comedy, are widely and very unremarkably used in contemporary pagan practice session. However many claim that, nowadays, this is more than likely for an aesthetic value rather than to provide a political message and/or to add dialecticism to a performance or production.For example, TV crime drama computer program, Hustle follows a small assemblage of long-con creative persons during their everyday lives and through their work e.g. as they con other members of society out of money or possession. There is a constant jazz of Brechtian influence throughout each episode with the use of Gestus (gestures such as hand movements and voice inflections that remind the viewer that they are watching con artists whilst they are at work), v-effekt (including direct address to camera and the con artists stepping out of character (i.e. the character adopted for the con) from time to time to explain their tricks to the audience) and also the use of spass within the characterisation of the victims of the cons (For example, a rich but clumsy, unify businessman easily falling for and being seduced by the female of the con artists who is playing the part of another female within society). This use of spass within the piece is essential to enable the socio-political messages of each episode to be conveyed to the audience. The con artists prove themselves to be different to what a stereotypical con artist is perceived to be in that they only con people of a higher class than themselves who are greedy, cheats and/or liars. They are portrayed as normal, down- to-earth human beings of a range of race, age, sex and colour. The characterisations of the victims of the cons they trick are generally stereotypical with each and every one of them being of a higher class (e.g. using queens English or accredited Pronunciation, wearing business suits etc.) This conveys a sort of Robin Hood effect in that they are stealing from the rich but in order to teach them the lesson that they shouldnt cheat, lie etc. As described above, it is easy to see how this programme may be perceived as a contemporary example of the Brechtian use of comedy as a political device. This programme uses the general idea of spass by sending up the bad guys i.e. the members of a higher class, inviting the audience to laugh at these characters and also condemning what they stand for. However, as the programme is not strictly Brechtian in that the con artists are actually actors playing con artists (spectators are only made aware of this during the titles of the programme) it is questionable as to whether such Brechtian techniques were used in order to present a specific socio-political message or whether it was just for aesthetic purposes. It is also hard to tell whether the director intended to assist (Brechtian technique) or just plainly create the inspect of his/her audienceWithin Brechts plays and productions it is plain to see his attempt to assist the thought production or gaze within an audience i.e. how and what they interpret from the action they see on stage. Using a dialectical approach, Brechtian plays provide options and provoke debate, encouraging an audience member to create their own judgement and opinion regarding the action that they see on stage and so also critiquing how they see society around them and gaining their own understanding of it. In The Caucasian Chalk Circle, for example, a director may choose to provide the audience with other options e.g. the option for Grusha to leave baby Michael behind rather than to flee with him. This gaze between the spectator and the stage is essential and very important to Brechtian epic theatre, in order to get crosswise any social or political message, a play is arduous to convey, to the target audience i.e. a working class audience. A good contemporary stage example of this idea would be the work of shekels Ravenhill. A very controversial playwright of the current time, Ravenhill is well-known for being highly influenced by Brecht. In his first play, Shopping and Fucking, Ravenhill set out to shock this audience to make them step back and question what they saw on stage, comparing this to the society they live in making them question that also. The play opens with a one-year-old man and woman, Robbie and Lulu, attempting to feed another young man, Mark, who is suffering or going cold turkey after attempting to kind of heroin. This protagonist within the narrative also vomits on the stage. In most productions of this play the spectators are able to see the possibil ity of different outcomes for different characters. Using the names of a very well-known boy closed chain called Take That as the character names within the place, this creates comedy within the piece to convey political messages as the audience will be very aware of any comparisons or contrasts that may be made between the characters on stage and the members of the boy band. The play explores the breakdown of self value within people in society and the effect on the people since the announcement by Margaret Thatcher (1987) that there is no such thing as society. Although there is only a glimpse of Brechtian influence within the play, there is a clear socio-political message being portrayed and conveyed to the audience throughout the play.But, in saying this, we must always bear in mind that Brechtian signs and language was and is always intended to be read more than once e.g. the play (and so the socio-political message) is first read and interpreted by the actor before it is conv eyed to the spectator, on stage, by the actorwhat Brecht gives us to read is, by a kind of disengagement, the readers gaze, not directly the object of his adaptation for this object reaches us only by the act of intellection (an disaffect act) of a first reader who is already on the stage.(Barthes, 1986, p.219).However, with this being said, any interpretation of a Brechtian play made within contemporary cultural practice may prove unsuccessful in achieving Brechts official intentions due to the advance and change in society and societal values.In every play he wrote and directed, Brechts main aim was to make a change. He wanted his idea of theatre and the plays he wrote to encourage an audience to commit to social change, making them leave the theatre wanting to change the way they, and other around them, live their lives. Comedy within the theatre, to Brecht, was essential in order for him to connect with this target audience of the proletariat or propertyless members of societ y. He found that criticism through spass was the easiest way to convey his socio-political messages in that it enabled a v-effekt, or distancing effect, between the action on stage and the audience. This gaze between the action and spectator is highly important in that, although Brecht would assist this gaze by providing the action and different options etc, he essentially wanted his spectators to make their own minds up and make their own decisions regarding what they saw on stage. However, due to the advance and change within society and societal values since Brecht wrote his plays, theories and techniques, the comedy Brecht used within his plays, has since been translated in contemporary cultural practice into a highly satirical manner, in which members of a higher class of society are mocked and stereotyped. In a modern theatre and within contemporary cultural practice, this would be more likely to bring an audience together in comedy rather than assisting the individual to adop t a critical awareness of the world that they live in.2846