1.1 INTRODUCTION

Brand positioning refers to target consumers reason to buy brand in preferences to others. It is a very grateful method in the marketing arena. it is ensures that all brand activity has a common aim; is guided, directed and delivered by the brands benefits to buy; and focuses at all points of contact with the customer.In order to create a distinctive place in the market, a niche market has to be carefully chosen and a differential advantage must be created in their mind. Brand positioning is a medium through which an organization can portray its customers what it wants to achieve for them and what it wants to mean to them. Brand positioning forms customers views and opinions.Brand positioning can be defined as an activity of creating a brand offer in such a manner that it occupies a distinctive place and value in the target customers mind. Brand positioning involves identifying and determining points of similarity and differences to ascertain the right brand identity and to create a proper brand image. Brand positioning is the key of marketing strategy. A strong brand positioning directs marketing strategy by explaining the brand details, the uniqueness of brand and its similarity with the competitive brands, as well as the reasons for buying and using that specific brand. Positioning is the base for developing and increasing the required knowledge and perceptions of the customers. it is the single feature that sets your service apart from your competitors.Positioning is a concept in marketing which was first introduced by Jack Trout and then popularized by Al Ries and Jack Trout in their bestseller book "Positioning - The Battle for Your Mind."This differs slightly from the context in which the term was first published in 1969 byJack Troutin the paper"Positioning" is a game people play in todays me-too market place"in the publication Industrial Marketing,in which the case is made that the typical consumer is overwhelmed with unwanted advertising, and has a natural tendency to discard all information that does not immediately find a comfortable (and empty) slot in the consumers mind. It was then expanded into their ground-breaking first book, "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind," in which they define Positioning as "an organized system for finding a window in the mind. It is based on the concept that communication can only take place at the right time and under the right circumstances".Five factors of brand positioning 1. Brand AttributesWhat the brand delivers through features and benefits to consumers.

2. Consumer ExpectationsWhat consumers expect to receive from the brand.

3. Competitor attributesWhat the other brands in the market offer through features and benefits to consumers.

4. PriceAn easily quantifiable factor Your prices vs. your competitors prices.

5. Consumer perceptionsThe perceived quality and valueof your brand in consumers minds (i.e., does your brand offer the cheap solution, the good value for the money solution, the high-end, high-price tag solution, etc).Take some time to create a thorough picture of the current market and how your brand fits in that market to determine your brands current position. If thats not the position you want for your brand, take the necessary steps to change it based on the gaps defined when you analyzed the five factors above.The brand position of indicate how well a firm is doing in the market place compared to its competitors. In this fast moving era, there has been a great demand for quality products; we can see that present market is being flooded by different kinds of switches by many leading brands. in order to sustain the market the company must have good hold over the market. In this scenario of tight competition a study was conducted to know the brand position.

1.2 INDUSTRY PROFILE

The origin of the stock market in India goes back to the end of the eighteenth century when long-term negotiable securities were first issued. However, for all practical purposes, the real beginning occurred in the middle of the nineteenth century after the enactment of the companies Act in 1850, which introduced the features of limited liability and generated investor interest incorporate securities. An important early event in the development of the stock market in India was the formation of the native share and stock brokers 'Association at Bombay in 1875, the precursor of the present day Bombay Stock Exchange. This was followed by the formation of associations/exchanges in Ahmedabad (1894), Calcutta (1908), and Madras (1937). In addition, a large number of ephemeral exchanges emerged mainly in buoyant periods to recede into oblivion during depressing times subsequently. Stock exchanges are intricacy inter-woven in the fabric of a nation's economic life. Without astock exchange, the saving of the community- the sinews of economic progress and productive efficiency- would remain underutilized. The task of mobilization and allocation of savings could be attempted in the old days by a much less specialized institution than the stock exchanges. Butas business and industry expanded and the economy assumed more complex nature, the need for 'permanent finance' arose. Entrepreneurs needed money for long term whereas investors demanded liquidity the facility to convert their investment into cash at any given time. The answer was a ready market for investments and this was how the stock exchange came into being. Stock exchange means any body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, constituted for the purpose of regulating or controlling the business of buying, selling or dealing in securities. These securities include:(i) Shares, scrip, stocks, bonds, debentures stock or other marketable securities of a like nature in or of any incorporated company or other body corporate;(ii) Government securities; and(iii) Rights or interest in securities.

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) are the two primary exchanges in India. In addition, there are 22 Regional Stock Exchanges. However, the BSE and NSE have established themselves as the two leading exchanges and account for about 80 per cent of the equity volume traded in India. The NSE and BSE equal size in terms of daily traded volume. The average daily turnover at the exchanges has increased from Rs 851 crores in 1997-98 to Rs 1,284 crores in 1998-99 and further to Rs 2,273crore in 1999-2000 (April - August 1999). NSE has around 1500 shares listed with a total market capitalization of around Rs 9, 21,500 crores. The BSE has over 6000 stocks listed and has a market capitalization of around Rs 9, 68,000crore. Most key stocks are traded on both the exchanges and hence the investor could buy them on either exchange. Both exchanges have a different settlement cycle, which allows investors to shift their positions on the bourses. The primary index of BSE is BSE Sensex comprising 30 stocks. NSE has the S&P NSE 50 Index (Nifty) which consists of fifty stocks. The BSE Sensex is the older and more widely followed index. Both these indices are calculated on the basis of market capitalization and contain the heavily traded shares from key sectors. The markets are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Both the exchanges have switched over from the open outcry trading system to a fully automated computerized mode of trading known as BOLT (BSE on Line Trading) and NEAT (National Exchange Automated Trading) System. It facilitates more efficient processing, automatic order matching, faster execution of trades and transparency; the scrip's traded on the BSE have been classified into 'A', 'B1', 'B2', 'C', 'F' and 'Z' groups. The 'A' group shares represent those, which are in the carry forward system (Badla). The 'F' group represents the debt market (fixed income securities) segment. The 'Z' group scrip's are the blacklisted companies. The 'C' group covers the odd lot securities in 'A', 'B1' & 'B2' groups and Rights renunciations. The key regulator governing Stock Exchanges, Brokers, Depositories, Depository participants, Mutual Funds, FIIs and other participants in Indian secondary and primary market is the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Ltd.

BRIEF HISTORY OF STOCK EXCHANGES Do you know that the world's foremost marketplace New York Stock Exchange(NYSE), started its trading under a tree (now known as 68 Wall Street) over 200 years ago? Similarly, India's premier stock exchange Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) can also trace back its origin to as far as 125 years when it started as a voluntary non-profit making association. News on the stock market appears in different media every day. You hear about it any time it reaches a new high or a new low, and you also hear about it daily in statements like 'The BSE Sensitive Index rose 5% today'. Obviously, stocks and stock markets are important. Stocks of public limited companies are bought and sold at a stock exchange. But what really are stock exchanges? Known also as the stock market or bourse, a stock exchange is an organized marketplace for securities (like stocks, bonds, options) featured by the centralization of supply and demand for the transaction of orders by member brokers, for institutional and individual investors. The exchange makes buying and selling easy. For example, you don't have to actually go to a stock exchange, say, BSE - you can contact a broker, who does business with the BSE, and he or she will buy or sell your stock on your behalf.

MARKET BASICS ELECTRONIC TRADING Electronic trading eliminates the need for physical trading floors. Brokers can trade from their offices, using fully automated screen-based processes. Their workstations are connected to a Stock Exchange's central computer via satellite using Very Small Aperture Terminus (VSATs). The orders placed by brokers reach the Exchange's central computer and are matched electronically.

EXCHANGES IN INDIA The Stock Exchange, Mumbai (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) are the country's two leading Exchanges. There are 20 other regional Exchanges, connected via the Inter-Connected Stock Exchange (ICSE). The BSE and NSE allow nationwide trading via their VSAT systems.

COMPANY PROFILE GEOJIT BNP PARIBAS FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD Geojit BNP Paribas today is a leading retail financial services company in India with a growing presence in the Middle East. The company rides on its rich experience in the capital market to offer its clients a wide portfolio of saving and investment solutions. The gamut of value added products and services offered ranges from equities and derivatives to Mutual Funds, Life &General Insurance and third party fixed Deposits. The needs of over 495,000 clients are met via multichannel services a countrywide network of over 600 offices, phone services, dedicated Customer Care and the internet. Geojit BNP Paribas has membership in, and is listed on, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). In 2007, global banking major BNP Paribas joined the companys other major shareholders Mr. George, KSIDC (Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation) and Mr. RakeshJhunjhunwala. Now Geojit BNP Paribas is the pioneer in online trading in India. It is a public undertaking company that offers a wide range of trading and investment products and solutions. There are more than 3000 employees in the company at present playing vital role in the growth of the company. EVOLUTION OF THE COMPANY It all started in the year 1987 when Mr. C J George and Mr. RanjitKanjilal founded Geogit as a partnership firm. In 1993 Mr. RanjitKanjilal retired from the firm and Geojit became the proprietary concern of Mr. C J George. In 1994, it became a Public Limited Company named Geojit Securities Ltd. The Kerala State Industrial

Development Corporation Ltd (KSIDCO), in 1995, became a co- promoter of Geojit by acquiring a 24 % stake in the company, the only instance in India of a government entity participating in the equity of a stock broking company. The year 1995 also saw Geojit being listed on the leading regional stock exchanges. Geojit listed at the Stock

Exchange, Mumbai (BSE) in the year 2000.Companys wholly owned subsidiary, Geojit Commodities Limited, launched online features trading in agro- commodities, precious metals and energy futures on multiple commodity exchange in 2003. This was also the year when the company was renamed as Geojit Financial Service Ltd (GFSL). The Board consists of Professional directors; including Kerala Government nominee.

With the effect from July 2005, the company is also listed at the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Company is a charter member of the Financial Planning Standards Board of India and is one of the largest Depository Participant (DP) brokers in the country. On 31 December 2007, the company closed its commodities business and surrendered its membership in the various commodity exchanges held by Geojit Commodities Ltd. In 2007 the global banking major BNP Paribas took a stake to become the single largest shareholder. JOINT VENTURES IN THE MIDDLE EAST Barjeel Geojit Securities the joint venture with the AI Saud group in the United Arab Emirates that is headquartered in Dubai with the branches in Abu Dhabi, Ras Al KhaimahSharjah and Muscat.AloulaGeojit Brokerage Company headquartered in Riyadh with the Al Johar group in Saudi Arabia.Business partnership with the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait.

OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPANY As a financial services company, Geojit BNP Paribas has always focused on being ahead of the curve, sustained by its commitment to values such as transparency, heightened efficiency and better investor relations. To this day, the company works hard to be the first to make technology-enhanced investment platforms available to investors while also focusing on increasing awareness on capital markets and investment methods. Geojit BNP Paribas is also looking at branch expansion VISION The vision of Geojit is to be leading financial and commodities market intermediary for individuals and institutional clients from India band overseas. They continually strive to raise their products and service standards by intelligent application of technology and processes. VALUES AND BELIEFS They understand and respect customers needs to consistently deliver total quality solutions through constant skills up gradation. They believe that the company culture helps to attract and retain the best talents. They are committed to achieve profitable progress consistently. They freely share their investment experience across all ages and strata of society to encourage wise investment for better future.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSNAMEDESIGNATION

MR. A.P KURIANCHAIRMAN & INDEPENDENT NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MR. C.J GEORGE MANAGING DIRECTOR& PROMOTER

MR. MAHESH VYASINDEPENDENT NON EXECUTIVE DIRECCTOR

MR.RAKESH JHUNJHUNWALANON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MR. RAMANATHAN BUPATHYINDEPENDENT NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MR. PUNNOSE GEORGENON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

VARIOUSE PRODUCTS OF GEOJIT EQUITY PRODUCTS MUTUAL FUNDS CURRENCY FUTURES INSURANCE IPO PMS PROPERIES

EQUITY PRODUCTSGeojit BNP Paribas, a member of NSE and BSE, has a network of 522 branches in India and abroad, rendering quality equity trading services. Geojit BNP Paribas not only has a strong offline presence but also provides automated online trading services.

1.4 REVIEW OF LITTERATURE Christoph Fuchs and Adamantios Diamantopoulos (1999): A consumer derived measure of brand positioning effectives, development and validation. Brand positioning, which refers to the act of designing the companys offering and image to occupy a favorable and distinctive place in the mind of the target market, is a central success factor for the overall performance of a brand in the marketplace. Despite the importance of the positioning construct, existing methods aimed at measuring the soundness of brand positioning strategies are associated with several limitations. In an attempt to overcome these limitations, the authors develop and validate a generalizable, consumer-derived scale that assesses the effectiveness of brand positioning. Based on a comprehensive literature review, positioning effectiveness is modeled as a multidimensional construct, capturing conceptually-relevant dimensions of positioning success namely favorability, differentiation, and credibility. Favorability, which reflects the magnitude of positive brand associations towards a brand, satisfies the criterion that consumers need to value a brand in order to be attracted. Differentiation, on the other hand, is essential because a well-positioned brand needs to occupy a distinct position in the minds of consumers. Differentiation captures two sub-dimensions namely distinctiveness (i.e., is the brand perceived as similar or distinct in comparison to competitor brands?) and uniqueness (i.e., is the brand the only one of its kind?). Credibility constitutes the third positioning effectiveness dimension and indicates the extent to which the associations consumers hold with a brand are also believable. By conducting nine complementary studies, the authors provide strong evidence of the scales dimensionality, reliability, and (discriminant, convergent, nomological, predictive) validity. Overall, the proposed measure is easy to administer, enables the comparison of all types of positioning strategies and allows marketers to detect weaknesses and strengths with their current strategies. Areas for future research involving the measures application are also identified and discussed as are limitations of the measure.Sally Dibb, Lyndon Simian (1991): Targeting segments and positioning Customers have unique requirements, aspiration and satisfaction level. Some customers, though, are similar they have common requirements for goods, services and ideas. If these customers needs can be clearly identified and those with similar needs grouped in quantities of sufficient sizes, market segment have been determined. Each customer group-or market segment-has specific expectations and retail marketers must develop retail brands and concepts which cater for needs of the segment target. Having decided on which segment (or segments) to target, retailers position their brands with an image with which the targeted customers identify. Market segmentation, targeting and positioning is a fundamental process in modern retail marketing strategy. The key decisions and the steps necessary for successful implementation are examined.Authors: Dan Horsky and Paul Nelsin (1992): positioning Due to the globalization of the economy, there has been great competition in the business sector. The basic human desire to challenge new limits and capture as much market as it is possible has given a new dimension to the concept of marketing - brand positioning. To position a brand requires making choices; whereas having a position means people will prefer a brand over another. A brand can be positioned in several ways: offering a specific benefit, targeting a specific segment, price or distribution. Despite the fact that positioning is considered by both academics and practitioners to be one of the key elements of modern marketing management, it is surprising to uncover general paucity of consumers/customers derived studies regarding brand positioning strategies.This article analyzes the market position held by a competitive set of brands in the hair oil market through a comparison of cognitive and conative perceptions. Cognition will be identified by trailing a factor analytic adaptation of importance performance analysis. In turn, conation will be gauged by stated intent of the consumers to purchase the hair oil brands under study. The alignment of the results from these techniques will help in identifying the position of leadership held by a brand in the hair oil market. The marketers, in order to strategically place their brands in todays competitive market, need to identify the attributes on which they need to focus and those of paramount importance for the consumers. This method of positioning analysis offers a practical means for present-day marketers faced with the challenge of identifying one or few brands from their diverse and multi-attributed brand range that could be developed to differentiate their brand in a meaningful way to consumers.Jacques R. Chevron (2007): Dont assume the position Irealize that my statement requires an explanation. The words brand positioning (or its little brother, brand repositioning) are found often in the pages of this very magazine and in the resumes of many capable applicants. Yet, those who use these words are showing that they either have not given much thought about branding issues or have little discipline about using vocabulary. I strongly suspect that they simply use the word brand where the word product is more accurate. Heres why. Positioning is a marketing communication tool, and probably the most important of them. It seeks to create the perception of a difference between yourproductand those it competes with. That difference ought to be relevant enough to give the consumer a reason for using your product rather than someone elses. The art of positioning, then, is to select, among all the possible things to say about a product, the one thing that will make the product most attractive compared to its competitors. You may select from any aspect of the product, its looks, its packaging, its features, its end benefit, etc. Once you have made a choice, you should focus on communicating it forcefully and single-mindedly and reject everything else. The Single-Minded Communication principle is essential to positioning. For instance, if you market toothpaste, your product likely offers similar performances to those of its competitors in areas If you are lucky, and a concept test shows positive consumer reactions to a mouth-feel claim (e.g., Your mouth will feel as clean as after a visit to the hygienist) and none of your competitors uses that claim, you might chose mouth-feel as your products positioning. The Single Minded Communication principle means that your communication should ignore all the other benefits you could communicate about your product -- such as cavity fighting, breath freshening, teeth whitening, etc. and focus exclusively on mouth-feel.Jaywant Singh, Stavros P. Kalafatis & Lesley Ledden, (2014) "Consumer perceptions of cobrands: the role of brand positioning strategies" Co branding is increasingly popular as a strategy for commercial success. Brand positioning strategies are central to marketing, yet the impact of perceptions of parent brands positioning on consumers perceptions of cobrand positioning has not been investigated. The aim of the present study is to fill this gap. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the authors create cobranding scenarios in three product categories (tablet computers, cosmetics, and smart phones). The data are collected via structured questionnaires resulting in 160 valid responses. The data are analyzed employing Partial Least Squares-based Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), and consumer evaluation of cobrands is tested in relationship to the prior positioning of the parent brands, product fit and brand fit, along with post-alliance positioning perceptions of the partner brands.The results confirm brand positioning as a robust indicator of consumer evaluation of cobrands. Positioning perceptions of partner brands are positively related to cobrand positioning perceptions. In addition, pre-alliance positioning significantly relate to post-alliance positioning, confirming cobranding as a viable strategy for partner brands. The paper recommends research that could reveal the impact of differential brand equities of partner brands, such as, between a high-equity brand and a low/moderate-equity brand, mixed brand alliances product/service; service/service, and at different levels of partner brand familiarity. Managers should design cobrand positioning based on existing positioning perceptions of the partner brands, rather than focusing on product fit and brand fit. The study demonstrates the focal role of positioning strategies of partner brands in consumer evaluation of cobrands.Lisa M. Wood & Barry J. Pierson, (2006) "The brand description of Sainsbury's and Aldi: price and quality positioning The research outlined in this paper seeks to establish whether or not there are discernible differences in the positioning attributes of Aldi and Sainsbury's. Particular emphasis is given to price positioning and to what extent this can be explained by product quality differences. Price differences are assessed using the shopping basket technique and product quality differences are evaluated using perceptual discrimination tests conducted blind of brand. Where differences between products are discernible, product preference is identified. The study identified discernible differences in the pricing strategies of Sainsbury's and Aldi particularly amongst the higher added value products. Although differences in product quality were evident in some product categories, there was no statistically significant preference for one brand over the other. Owing to the resource intensive nature of perceptual discrimination tests, this research was conducted on a relatively small number of products and cannot be extrapolated to the full range of products available from either retailer, though it may indicate comparable quality.This paper evaluates the brand description of two UK-based retailers, Sainsbury's and Aldi. In market positioning, they are at different ends of the retailing spectrum, with Sainsbury's a high added value retailer with an ABC1consumer profile, and Aldi a hard discounter with a largely C2D consumer base. However, this study is based on a retail site that has the two brands located directly opposite each other in a conspicuously AB suburb of a major UK city. This location deviates from the holistic profile of the Aldi brand and as such provides a special research site.Salah S. Hassan & Stephen Craft, (2012) "Examining world market segmentation and brand positioning strategies" This paper aims to examine the conceptual as well as empirical linkages between segmentation bases and brand positioning strategies in the context of discussing practical implications for firms operating in increasingly globalizing markets. This paper empirically examines an inventory of market segmentation factors in relation to four global strategic positioning decision options. The two studies reported suggest that a combined use of macro and micro-bases to segment world markets is significantly linked to the perceived positioning strategies of global top brands, whereas firms seeking more localized positioning strategies use only micro-bases to segment. The conceptual and empirical findings reported in this paper pave the way for embarking on promising and relevant future research that is needed to substantiate and enrich the academic understanding and managerial practice of segmentation and strategic brand positioning decisions in world markets.This paper is unique in identifying a link between global brand positioning and segmentation factors.Anne Maarit Jalkala, Joona Kernen, (2014) "Brand positioning strategies for industrial firms providing customer solutions" Despite increasing interest in customer solutions, and the importance of brand management in the B2B context, prior research provides little understanding on brand positioning strategies adopted by solution providers. The present study aims to examine the possible brand positioning strategies for industrial firms providing customer solutions. The empirical part of the present study consists of a multiple case study, involving four industrial firms providing customer solutions. Primary data was gathered by semi-structured interviews from a total of 22 business managers from the case companies. The present study identifies four possible brand position strategies for industrial firms providing customer solutions: customer value diagnostic, global solution integrator, high quality sub-systems provider, and long-term service partner. The identified strategies highlight the tendency of solution suppliers to position their brands around different capabilities that are needed at different phases of the solution delivery process.The present study was conducted from the industrial supplier's perspective and is context-bound to companies operating in solution-oriented process and information technology industries. Managers need to identify the capabilities that are central to delivering customer value and acquire and/or develop capability configurations that differentiate their brand positioning from competitors. Existing literature on branding lacks understanding about the specific characteristics of building brands in solution-oriented B2B contexts. The present study identifies four brand positioning strategies that illuminate the special characteristics of branding customer solutions

Christoph Fuchs, Adamantios Diamantopoulos, (2010) "Evaluating the effectiveness of brand-positioning strategies from a consumer perspective" The purpose of the paper is to explore empirically the overall relative effectiveness of alternative positioning strategies from a consumer perspective. Two studies (within- and between-subjects design) are conducted aimed at evaluating the positioning success of four distinct positioning strategies of real brands in terms of consumers' perceptions of brand favorability, differentiation, and credibility, while controlling for brand-specific, product category-specific, and socio-demographic influences. The results show that the type of positioning strategy used affects the positioning success of a brand. More specifically, the study confirms normative arguments about the overall relative effectiveness of main positioning strategies by revealing that benefit-based positioning and surrogate (user) positioning generally outperform feature-based positioning strategies along the three effectiveness dimensions. The findings also demonstrate that no single strategy outperforms all the others on all dimensions. The study is limited in terms of the number of positioning strategies and product categories evaluated. The paper introduces an alternative approach to measure the effectiveness of positioning strategies of real brands. Moreover, the results of the paper show empirically that measuring positioning effectiveness must extend beyond capturing one-dimensional brand attitude measures. The findings should guide brand managers in selecting the most appropriate positioning strategies for their brands in high-involvement markets such as the automobile market. The study sheds initial light on the overall relative effectiveness of major positioning strategies. The study differentiates itself from existing studies by focusing on the conceptually most prominent positioning strategies, a different dependent variable, and employing real-life brands and advertisements.Diana Ingenhoff, Tanja Fuhrer, (2010) "Positioning and differentiation by using brand personality attributes: Do mission and vision statements contribute to building a unique corporate identity?" The purpose of this paper is to examine the current state of mission and vision statements on corporate web sites and to analyze differentiation strategies through the use of online brand personality attributes in order to find if and how the attributes are effectively used to build up a unique corporate identity.Content analysis is used to investigate similarities and differences between sectors and industries in Switzerland, based on the brand personality scale of Aaker. Also, the paper focuses on the impact of the communication of brand personality elements, in terms of positioning and differentiation, using correspondence analysis. The claim that companies do present brand personality by frequently communicating respective attributes through mission and vision statements published on their web site are supported. However, top management does not seem to be geared towards industry norms when phrasing the statements, as a considerable similarity in statement content is found across industries. The results show that companies position themselves using their competitors as a frame of reference. The results may lack generalizability to small and medium-sized businesses and other industries. As most companies in the study position themselves using the same attributes and specifically emphasize competence, the results include practical implications for the need to develop uniqueness and differentiation by other means. This paper discovers a gap between the claim that organizations seek uniqueness in their personality attributes and the reality of their involvement in mutual co-orientation when defining their identity, forcing them to adapt to each other.