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Adop-ted Raising adoption awareness through collectible teddy bears

Capstone Research Project

SD 5404 Methods of Research in Design, School of Design

Subject Tutor: Dr. Marissa Dean

Student: Jennifer I.V. Hancock 07527710G

© The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 2008, All Rights Reserved

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Contents

I. Title 3

II. Abstract 3

III. Introduction 4

IV. Literature Review 5

V. Research Methods 11

VI. Results & Discussion 12

VII. Conclusion 17

VIII. Bibliography 18

IX. Acknowledgements 24

X. Appendix I 25

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I. TITLE

Adop-ted : Raising adoption awareness through collectible teddy bears

II. ABSTRACT

Adop-ted aims to bring awareness about adoption to the world through that most well known of

children's toys, the teddy bear.

Adop-ted hopes to impact the design industry by showing that design does not always have to be

about putting one's energies into making something trendy, fantastic or hi-tech. Neither should it

be simply about making money. Designers and ‘innovators’ ought to be at the forefront of social

design, finding solutions to improve the lives of people at all levels of society without prejudice.

After reviewing available literature on the topics of teddy bears, adoption and current adoption

awareness initiatives, a study was carried out to gather first hand information about the current

level of popularity and interest in teddy bears, and the level of importance parents place on

educating their children about adoption. This survey also included a basic overview of the project

concept and asked respondents whether they would be interested in investing in a toy of this

nature. The results are very positive; 33 of the 36 respondents express an interest in Adop-ted

bears, 27 state that their children are fond of teddy bears and a similar number consider it

important to teach their children about adoption.

Evidence found in the literature review and results from the study questionnaire confirm that

teddy bears are a very suitable toy for promoting adoption awareness, as teddy bears cross the

boundaries of age, gender, religious, social and cultural backgrounds. It also affirms that the

Adop-ted concept has great potential as an interesting, innovative and globally relevant project.

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III. INTRODUCTION

Can the traditional notions of a teddy bear be re-represented to increase awareness about

adoption? Are teddy bears a suitable toy to educate and inform people about adoption?

Adop-ted hopes to impact the design industry by showing that design does not always have to be

about putting one's energies into making something trendy, fantastic or hi-tech. Neither should it

be simply about making money. Designers and ‘innovators’ ought to be at the forefront of social

design, finding solutions to improve the lives of people at all levels of society without prejudice.

This review aims to analyze and understand the role of the teddy bear as a historical, popular,

emotive and collectible object, and specifically, it’s possible role as and education tool in regard to

the issue of adoption. It will also touch upon current trends and opinions of adoption, including

attachment theory and the development of children in orphanages and adoptive families. The last

portion of the literature review will examine the present methods of promoting adoption and

adoption awareness.

Research Methods outlines the construction and distribution of a study questionnaire, which was

completed by 36 participants, the answers and analysis of whom are available under the Research

and Discussion section. These responses and the information gathered from the Literature Review

are evaluated and conclusions are drawn about the suitability of teddy bears for the promotion of

adoption awareness. This research is intended to provide insight into an alternative form of

marketing for charity as well as generating interest in an important global topic.

This report will not go into the details of different teddy bear designs, materials and manufacture,

nor discuss how someone might go about adopting or fostering a child, as these topics are not

relevant to the research questions at present. They will be examined later during the ‘design and

make’ portion of the project.

This report uses the American Psychological Association (APA) style of citation and bibliography.

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IV. LITERATURE REVIEW

Bear toys have been around for hundreds of years, however the origin of the first “teddy bear” is

somewhat contested, although most literary and online sources point to the teddy bear being of

American origin. The most detailed account of its creation can be found in the book In Praise of

Teddy Bears (Waring & Waring, 1980). According to the authors, it all began during a hunting trip

in 1902 when US President Theodore ‘Teddy” Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured bear. This

refusal became the subject of a cartoon published in The Washington Post by Clifford Berryman

dubbed “Spare the Bear.”

“Spare the Bear” by

Clifford Berryman,

Nov. 1902

(Waring & Waring, 1980)

This caricature inspired Brooklyn shopkeeper Morris Michtom to create a bear toy that he dubbed

“Teddy’s Bear” (p. 25). Within a few minutes, “Teddy’s Bear” had been bought, and orders for more

bears were received. Michtom, realising the potential of this toy, sent a specially made bear and a

letter to the President to request Roosevelt’s permission to market the bears as “Teddy’s Bears”.

Permission was given, as well as the President’s opinion that he did not think his “name [was]

likely to be worth much in the toy bear business” (p. 25) but history has since proved him wrong

and the teddy bear has become one of the most recognised toys in the industry.

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Other sources claim that Margarete Steiff of Germany created the original teddy bears, her

inspiration also being the same cartoon of the US President, however these bears were not

exhibited until the year after Roosevelt’s escapade (Jaffé, 2006). It can be deduced then, that Steiff

most likely heard of the popularity of “Teddy’s Bear” in the United States and created her own

bears to sell to the growing American and fledgling European markets.

In 1980 Waring & Waring wrote, “it is probably fair to say that the Teddy Bear’s appeal has

outlived and outlasted all other mascot animals” (p. 30). Twenty-eight years on and over a

hundred years since the teddy bear was first made, it has retained and even expanded its global

popularity. This can be seen from the existence of numerous teddy bear clubs, long listings of ‘fan-

sites’ dedicated to the cuddly toy (including The Teddy Bear Search Engine) and multiple eBay

auctions for bears of all shapes and sizes (eBay.com, 2008). In particular, online communities such

as The Bear Club (2006) are popular with children and adults who are extremely fond of their

cuddly companions. The site covers topics on how to care for your bear, forums for members to

chat with each other, teddy bear blogs and videos, “clans” – groups within the site which members

can affiliate themselves with – competitions and downloads among many other teddy-themed

areas to play with.

The concept of play in general is crucial to the development of children of all ages, “contributing to

the cognitive, physical, social and emotional wellbeing of children and youth” (Ginsburg, 2006,

para. 1). It empowers children to explore, make choices, figure out how things go together and

learn to understand and explain, while allowing for social interaction with parents or other

playmates. These are all beneficial to the development of a healthy self-awareness and self-esteem

(Thompson, 2006). For young children, usually considered to be between the ages of six months

and five years, the simplest toys are the best as they give the most freedom to the child to learn

basic skills and understand through making and breaking; “[Children] need to combine facts in

innovative ways to become creative problem solvers.” (The Daily Main, quoting Professor Hirsh-

Pasek, para. 2) At around two years of age, children begin to learn through mimicking adults

(Kaban, 1979), and toys such as dolls and bears become favorite playthings. The popularity of

teddy bears, however, is not exclusive to children, as Jaffé (2006, p.149) writes,

“Possibly because they have occupied [the] place of being the perfect friend and comforter,

soft toys are regarded with much nostalgia by many adults. Displays of them in toyshops

continue to attract adults trying to recreate an experience or sensation lost in the mists of

time … Nevertheless, they are very important toys for children of all ages. Some children

have a favourite toy from which they can never be parted, no matter how worn and

battered the toy becomes.”

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Words that are frequently used to refer to teddy bears are ‘comfort’, ‘companion’ or ‘friend’ and

they are regarded as “a symbol of love and affection” (Waring & Waring, 1980, p.30) indicating

that, for many people, teddy bears are more than just a plaything. The cartoon below by Iain Reid

illustrates the deep emotional attachment people often have with their own teddy bears, even long

into adulthood! (p. 3)

It is interesting to note that all of the words above refer to emotional attachment and personal

feelings. Jaffé (2006) uses the word ‘nostalgia’ to describe the fond remembrance of these feelings

among adults. My own experience of this is my balding but much loved teddy bear, Radar, who

was bought by my father on the day I was born (and who was named long before “Big Bird” from

Sesame Street ever had a teddy bear of the same name!). She has travelled with me all over the

globe and is often joked about by my family as being my ‘twin.’

There are some people who collect teddy bears, much like others collect stamps, cars or books.

These bears may have other values other than emotional ones attached to them, such as money,

history or associations. According to McKinley (2007, para. 6-8), there are many reasons why

people collect things,

“For investment… For enjoyment… Some collect to expand their social lives… To preserve

the past… For some people collecting is simply the quest, in some cases a life-long pursuit

that is never complete… Certainly many motives can combine to create a collector”

From the information gathered above, it can be summarised that a teddy bear is a stuffed soft toy

resembling a bear that evokes personal attachment and nurturing emotions, which may also have

other specific values associated with it. Having observed many teddy bear shops and online retail

outlets, it is interesting to note that the vast number of teddy bear sellers do not ‘sell’ their bears,

but rather put them up ‘for adoption’, (e.g. Teddybears Sweden, 2008, Bear Pile, 2008, and Teddy

Bear Adoption, 2008). This is particularly prevalent among sellers of hand-made or ‘artist bears’

and the reference to adoption meshes firmly with the concept of teddy bears being a loved and

cherished ‘companion’ and not a mere object.

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Beside teddy bears, the most common usage of the term “adoption” is that which refers to people,

in most cases children, who have been orphaned, abandoned, given up for adoption or removed

from their families because of neglect or abuse. For the purposes of making this research report

clear and understandable, ‘adoption’ and ‘adopt’ will be defined∗ as follows:

Adoption (n): 1. the act of adopting

2. the state of being adopted

Adopt (v): 1. to choose or take as one's own; make one's own by selection or assent

2. to take and rear (the child of other parents) as one's own child, specifically by a

formal legal act.

“An estimated 100 million children located around the world have no available caregivers”

according to Javier et al. in Handbook of adoption: implications for researchers, practitioners,

and families (2007, p.39. Although it has so far been impossible to verify this number with any

other source, as there appears to be a lack of global statistics on adoption, it is likely this estimate

may be closer to the truth than it is comfortable to accept.

There is a wealth of information about adoption statistics and trends for the United States of

America, which stands at approximately 120,000 adoptions per year (Statistics, adoption.com,

1999) and in 2004 just over half of all international adoptions were made by North American

families (Javier et al., 2007) There are also various statistics about adoption in the UK

(BAAF.org.uk, 2008), however these have been divided into the four nations and they do not give

an accurate overview of the national situation.

Natural or man-made incidents and disasters seem to prompt people to adopt, both domestically

and internationally. A few examples are the Korean and Vietnam wars (Javier et al.), the ongoing

war in Iraq (Associated Press, 2007), the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 (MCFD Canada, 2005) and

the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China (Herald Sun, 2008). Such dramatic historical

incidents have helped to pave the way for international adoptions through conferences such as the

International Conference on Intercountry Adoptions in 1957, and UN Assembly Declaration on the

Rights of the Child in 1959 (Javier et al., 2007), to the re-signing of the Adoption Promotion Act in

2003 (The White House, 2003).

Attitudes towards adoption vary across the globe. It has been noted by anthropologist Bowie

(2004) in Cross-cultural Approaches to Adoption that “The United Kingdom struggles with an

anti-adoption culture, or at least an ambivalence towards adoption” whereas she notes, “in parts

of South East Asia… eating and living together constructs kinship relations in the way that real

∗ These definitions were sourced from Dictonary.com, which is based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary.

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or imagined biological connections would be” (p. 3). This second observation refers more to the

social and cultural manner in which a vast majority of Southeast Asians regard their friends and

acquaintances, who become part of an unofficial “extended family” of aunts and uncles, rather

than a real adoption. That said, within these cultures, family members often care for nieces,

nephews and grandchildren as if they were their own.

It is essential that ‘attachment theory’ also be mentioned in this research. In laymen’s terms,

attachment theory is the process of attachment or bonding of an infant or child to the person or

persons who care for them, which later has a fundamental bearing on the way they build

relationships and view their own self-worth (Wikipedia, 2008). Javier et al. (2006, p. 218) go into

more detail about the theory, which was generated by John Bowlby’s research from the late 1960s

to early 1980s. They write,

“[Attachment theory] details the parent-child bond that provides a basic sense of security

for the infant and is essential for healthy psychological adjustment throughout the life

span. The child develops a set of internal expectations about him-or- herself, others,

relationships, and the world and is able to develop self-esteem because he or she knows

that he or she is important. If the caretaker is unreliable, as with children who suffer

neglect or abuse, the child develops a model of the world as untrustworthy, which will

affect his or her ability to develop future relationships.”

It can be surmised from Bowlby’s attachment theory then, that a loving family (particularly

parents) is important for any person, and particularly so for a child. Studies have found that

children who are raised in orphanages commonly have delays in their development, both

physically and mentally, and research into such children who have been placed into families show

a great improvement in these areas (Davenport, 2006). The younger the age at which the child is

placed with a “forever family”, the better the chance the child will have in ‘catching up’ with these

delays. Quoting Dr. Dana Johnson, Davenport (2006) writes, “With love, 70-80 percent of the

children adopted from orphanages will do quite well: unfortunately, it is impossible to pick out in

advance with certainty the ones who won’t” (p. 46).

It is clear from reading both Davenport (2006) and Javier et al., (2007) that adoption into a

permanent family is definitely more beneficial than growing up in an orphanage and/or foster

care, although to their credit many orphanages and foster carers work diligently to provide a safe,

caring and loving environment for the children they receive, e.g. ‘Care for Children’ in China, and

‘Mother’s Choice’ in Hong Kong.

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The majority of efforts to promote adoption seem to come from North American initiatives. These

include National Foster Care Month in May (NCFA, 2008) and National Adoption Awareness

Month in November, which began in Massachusetts as ‘Adoption Week” in 1979 and has since

grown to be country-wide (Adoption.com, 2008), National Adoption Day on the 15th of the same

month (National Adoption Day, 2008). There are also special Rotary Club picnics to support local

orphanages and promote adoption (Rotary International, 2007), as well as personal and public

requests to ‘light a candle’ for children and parents going through the adoption process.

Summer camps such as “Under One Sky” (Fostering Perspectives, 2006) for older children in

foster care who are awaiting adoption give them opportunities to meet friends, learn skills and

build their confidence as individuals, with continuing mentorship throughout the year. Other

initiatives outside of the US include “Support Care For Children (China)” wristbands, charity balls

and gala dinners, volunteer requests and goods donations (Mother’s Choice [Hong Kong], 2008).

The Royal New Zealand Navy sells ‘Officer Navy Bears’ to raise funds for the KidCare Foundation

in New Zealand (Know Your Navy, 2008).

The research objectives of this literature review are to discover what roles, values and

characteristics are attributed to teddy bears, the present state of the world adoption situation and

what current schemes are being undertaken to promote adoption awareness, in order to establish

whether or not the teddy bear might be a suitable toy to educate and inform people about

adoption.

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V. RESEARCH METHODS

1. Study design: Qualitative & Quantitative

The study aimed at parents with young children was created. It contained 14 questions, 10 of

which were closed quantitative questions (mainly multiple-choice), and 4 that were semi-

closed qualitative questions (question numbers underlined), to be answered as the respondent

thought suitable. A copy of this survey can be found in Appendix I.

2. Subjects (age, background, gender, number of participants etc)

The main sample target was parents with young children (families), although the study allowed

for a broader sample size ranging from people with no children to parents of grown-up

children, as preliminary research in the literature review showed that teddy bears are popular

across all ages. The background of the sample was aimed at middle to upper class families

around the world, as adoption awareness is not restricted to a particular geographical place.

The number of participants wanted for the study was, at the very least, 20, however 36 replies

were received in total.

3. Data collection

The questionnaire was created as a Windows Word document with a covering letter, and sent

to possible respondents. It was distributed via email to friends and family (who then passed it

on to other friends and family, also known as ‘snowballing sampling’), via document download

from the project weblog and by hard-copy distribution at the YMCA International

Kindergarten, Salisbury Road, Hong Kong. The completed digital questionnaires were then

emailed back to info@adop-ted.org, and hard copies were picked up from the YMCA

Kindergarten office. The survey was sent out to as many different countries, nationalities and

cultures as were accessible. These included the following: Hong Kong Chinese and Western,

North American, Australian, Mainland Chinese, Japanese and Indian.

4. Ethical Considerations (i.e. no harm done to participants)

The questionnaires were anonymous and confidential, as it did not require any identifying

information. For respondents who returned the questionnaire via email, I have maintained the

strictest confidentiality with their email addresses. Once I collected the data from their

questionnaire, I deleted their email. Respondents from the YMCA who participated were able

to do so anonymously. They were also completed in private to ensure the respondents were

comfortable and free to answer truthfully.

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VI. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

36 questionnaires were competed, a return of 180% (given the original target of 20). The

consolidated results from the questionnaires are reproduced below:

1. Number of children in sample families: 0 Children = 3 1 Child = 9

2 Children = 15 3 Children = 8 4 Children = 0 5 Children = 1

(This means 3 families had no children, 9 families had one child etc)

2. Children’s Ages (in order of the age groups with the most children to the least children at that

age range) 3-5 yrs, 0-3 yrs, 11+ yrs, 8-10 yrs, 6-8 yrs

3. Does your child like teddy bears? Yes = 27 No = 6 (3 have no children)

4. What does a teddy bear represent to you? (In no particular order of priority)

• The substitute child to cuddle up to when I couldn’t bring my newborn home with me • Childhood, cuddles, bedtime • Good for cuddling • Cute • Comfort • Comfort and security • It gives me feelings of love and affection • A cute cuddly toy • Comfort • Childhood, comfort, cuddles • A collectible item • Toy • Someone we can love and take care of and talk to if no person is close by • Honest no-cheat, warm • A teddy bear is a cuddly toy for children. I don't know how long they've been around but

I'm under the impression that they're one of the oldest known toys that can still be bought in the toy stores today. They're also associated with women's craft, and love, Valentine's Day, and cute romance.

• Comfort • Security, something cute, traditional child’s toy • Something cute to play with, traditional child’s toy • It’s the classic children’s toy – no toy box would be complete without it • Security, traditional child’s toy • The ultimate toy – very traditional and cute • Comfort and love • I’m more likely to think of the origin of the teddy bear (President Theodore “Teddy”

Roosevelt) • A link between the buyer (usually parent) and child • Comfort, companionship, friendship, love • Cuddles, unconditional love • Comfort • A snuggle or warm hug • Comfort, love, friendship • It provides them [my children] something to connect with • My Mum is crazy about bears. I think she probably has over a thousand, although I’ve

never counted them. I don’t have the time to. She loves them to bits. She gives each one a name (although she sometimes later forgets). She talks to them and treats them like they

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are real. The bears are loyal, good, peaceful, good company, loving, always ready for a hug, and can sometimes be a bit mischievous. Growing up with this, I’ve brought this into adulthood. I have bears from my childhood. If I accidentally knock one over, I will pick it up, apologize, rub it better or give it a hug, and put it back making sure it’s alright. It’s instinctual. I’ve also got my view of what bears are like from my Mum too.

5. What do you think it represents to your child(ren)? (In no particular order of priority)

• Security from all those nighttime creatures (re: monster movie!) • Bedtime, cuddles • They can cuddle it and have it like a real person • Cuter • Friend, comfort • It’s the toy for them which they always want to keep close • Again a cute toy • Something to take care of and to love • Something cute, something to love and hold • Comfort • A friend, comfort • A reminder of home when he/she is away from home • Friends • Mum and Dad to hug maybe at sleep times • Gentle, tame, friend • Well, I don't have any but I remember what it represented. It was more like a safety

blanket, something to hold. • Comfort, companionship, familiarity • Something cute and cuddly – a security toy to sleep with • Comfort and love • At the time, it was treated like the other stuffed animals they had and I think it represented

security, a hug and an ear to chew on. • Their first friend and confidant • Something to love and play with • Something to take care of and love • Something to take care of and to love • Something cute, something to love and hold • Comfort, companionship • Friendship and comfort • Comfort, snuggle, friend, love • Security, love, fun • Something cute, something to love and hold • Safety • A friend who is always there, who will always keep a secret

6. How often do you keep up with what’s going on in the world?

Daily = 25 Weekly = 9 Monthly = 1 Never =1

7. How important do you believe it is to teach your child(ren) about adoption and orphans?

Very Important = 17 Somewhat important = 12

Not important = 1 I’ve never thought about it before = 6

8. Have you ever bought a toy that contributed to the welfare of less fortunate children?

Yes = 24 No = 12

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9. How interested would you be in buying this kind of toy?

Definitely interested = 11 Somewhat Interested = 22 Not interested = 3

10. What other information would you like to see before deciding to buy this kind of toy?

♦ More info about the Adop-ted project = 21

♦ Photos of the toys = 15

♦ Details about the toys = 15

♦ Details on where the proceeds go = 24

♦ Info about orphanages and adoption = 13

♦ Other (The figures above do not correspond to the overall number of participants, as respondents were

asked to select as many as they thought appropriate.)

11. To access this information, which of the following would you find the most convenient?

Website = 28 / Leaflet 4 / Newsletter = 4 / Other = 0

12. Do you like collecting things? Yes = 16 No = 20

Does your child? Yes = 23 No = 10 (3 have no children)

13. What kinds of things do you like to collect? (In no particular order of priority)

• Crystal, dinnerware • Things that can be recycled • Books and tableware • Books • Books • Cookbooks • Pink coloured goods • Books • Showpieces • Coins, bottles, antiques, examples of graphic design • I don’t like to collect too much – always moving about, though I do keep things that the

children are attached to. I still have my older son’s first train – it is very beat up but I keep it because it was his favorite when he was young. It is very special to me.

• I do not collect things but I do keep the children’s toys – not sure what I will do with them when they go to college but right now I keep them

• I collect everything – have a hard time parting with anything…though I have to get better at this because my house can’t store everything!

• I go through phases with collecting things – it has to be really special and I keep it – particularly if it reminds me of something nice and special

• It all depends – I would not say I collect things but then you should see how many shoes I have!!! I do keep things that matter to me, like my first mother’s day card from my son and the outfits my children wore when they got christened.

• Dolls, magnets and cups • Old world Santa’s • Models, planes, antiques, police memorabilia • Books, Movies, Music • Objects that make me happy • Mementoes of where I’ve been (e.g. Rocks) craft-like jewellery

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14. What kinds of things does your child like to collect? (In no particular order of priority)

• Trains • Lego, cars • Small things that can be collected and decorations • Toys • Animal figures and books • Game cards, stickers, books • Everything, toys, books, stationary • Cars and books • Stickers, pencils, hairclips • Everything • Rocks, shells, junk! • She likes pink colour. She is interested in pink colour. • Trains and cars • My daughter loves to collect stuffed animals • At present, Transformers • Their favorite toys that they hold on to. • Everything – my children are pack rats. • My daughter takes after me and keeps everything. She likes the little toys you get from the

McDonalds happy meal. • My kids hate to throw anything away – I am always after them to get rid of things but they

have a hard time parting with things. Sometimes we do a big toy clean out and give the toys they are not really interested in to my maid to bring back to Philippines.

• My children collect everything but then they lose interest in them. Junking plastic toys seem to be really important one day and then the next day, they couldn’t care less.

• Dolls, animals and hats • Books and at this point, concert tickets! • Anything and everything under the sun, in a big pile. • Stuffed animals, trucks, balls • EVERYTHING!! • Stuffed animals, books post cards

It is safe to say that the majority of children like teddy bears and they are held in loving and cuddly

regard. The responses to questions 4 and 5 reflect the findings in the literature review, the most

predominant descriptions used by participants (followed by the number of appearances) were:

Comfort (16), Love (16), Friend/Companion (13), Cute (12), Cuddles (11) and Security (9). As

previously mentioned in the literature review (Waring & Waring, 1980 and Jaffé, 2006) these

words are all emotionally related. The physical design of Adop-ted bears can follow these emotive

associations, stress particular ones over others or perhaps combine or contradict them with

unexpected appearances.

The majority of respondents feel that it is important to educate children about adoption, and

almost all participants are interested in buying a toy that also contributes to the welfare of a less

fortunate child, two-thirds of them having already done so on a previous occasion. This

preliminary information marks the level of acceptance of the Adop-ted project as being very high.

Some results do not appear to be as important to the study as others, but they may prove useful

later on. A general idea of the collection interests of this sample gives a basic indication of how

many people within the sample collect bears and whether collectible teddy bears might be

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successfully marketed to a group of this nature. It is obvious that the majority of children are into

collecting - or perhaps hoarding would be more accurate!

With regard to what kinds of information should be available, potential buyers within the sample

are most interested in knowing where the proceeds will go, having more information about the

Adop-ted project, photos and descriptions of the bears, followed by further information about

adoption and orphanages. One participant asked to know more about the person responsible for

the project (“Jenn” – that is Jennifer I.V. Hancock, author of this report) to ensure the project was

valid. This information will drive the way information is presented to end users, which will be

available via a dedicated website (www.adop-ted.org) and in print (postcards, leaflets or similar).

The first-hand user-centred information (and opinions) on the topics of teddy bears and adoption

and the participant’s potential interest in this kind of project is useful for assessing the feasibility

of the Adop-ted project. It was also beneficial to know which kind of information a user/buyer

would like to have about the project itself and in which ‘more conventional’ formats they preferred

this information to be shown. The data gathered will drive the design of the bears and the

presentation of supplementary information.

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VII. CONCLUSIONS

Without this preliminary research it would have been impossible to say whether or not the

Adop-ted concept would be relevant or beneficial in raising awareness about adoption. Now that

supporting evidence has been found in the Literature Review and in the results from the study

questionnaire, it can be seen that teddy bears are a very suitable toy for promoting adoption

awareness.

The popularity of bears makes them useful in a marketing sense. They are especially related to

children and childhood, and typically if people keep or collect bears as adults it’s because they

loved them when they were children. On top of this, the existing associations between teddy bears

and adoption and the absence (so far) of any similar initiative that so closely combines teddy bears

and adoption means that the Adop-ted concept has great potential as an interesting, innovative

and globally relevant project.

Finally, it is crucial to add that more research into the topic areas that were not discussed in this

report is necessary and will be beneficial to the Adop-ted project. There is, however, no uncertainty

that this project has a great possibility to be both interesting and important to the fields of design

and charitable marketing.

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VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books Adoption: Bowie, F. (2004). Cross Cultural Approaches to Adoption. Abingdon [UK]: Routledge Davenport, D. (2006). The complete book of international adoption: a step-by-step guide to finding your child. New York: Broadway Books Jackson, T.P. (2005) The morality of adoption: social-psychological, theological, and legal perspectives. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Javier, R.A., Baden, A.L., Biafora, F.A. & Camacho-Gingerich, A. (2007) Handbook of adoption: implications for researchers, practitioners, and families. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications

Awareness (Global and Social): Clark, R.P. (2002). Global Awareness: thinking systematically about the world. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Solomon, M.R., Marshall, G.W., Stuart, E.W. (2008). Marketing: real people, real choices. Harlow: Prentice Hall

Collecting & Collectibles: Belk, R.W. (1995). Collecting in a consumer society. London: Routledge Robertson, A.F. (2004). Life like dolls: the collector doll phenomenon and the lives of the women who love them. New York: Routledge Stephan, EA. ed. (2001). O'Brien's collecting toys: identification & value guide. Iola, Wis.: Krause Publications,

Childcare & Child Psychology: McDaniel, J.W. (1976) Physical Disability and Human Behaviour, 2nd Ed. Oxford: Pergamon Press Ltd.

Teddy Bears & Toys: Jaffé, D. (2006) The History of Toys. Stroud [UK]: Sutton Publishing Limited Kaban, B. (1979) Choosing toys for children: from birth to five. New York: Schocken Books Moore, M.E. (1984). The Teddy Bear Book. USA: Allen D. Bragdon Publishers, Inc. Waring, P. & Waring, P. (1980). In Praise of Teddy Bears. London: Souvenir Press Ltd

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Web References Adoption: (includes children’s charities and childcare) A Childs Waiting (2008) A Childs Waiting Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.achildswaiting.com/ Adopted The Movie. (2007) Adopted The Movie Homepage. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.adoptedthemovie.com/ Adoption Information Line. (1999) Adopting a Disabled Child Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.adoption.org.uk/information/adopting_children_with_disabilities.html Adoption.com (2008) National Adoption Month. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://national-adoption-month.adoption.com/ Adoption.com. (2008) Special Needs. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://special-needs.adoption.com/ Adoptionblogs.com. (2008, May 17) Adoptionblogs.com Homepage. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://www.adoptionblogs.com/ Adoptionblogs.com. (2008, May 16) Parenting Children with Special Needs Blog. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://special-needs.adoptionblogs.com/ Adopting.org. (2008) Adopting.org Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.adopting.org/ Alliance for Children. (2008) Alliance for Children Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.allforchildren.org/ An Open Door Adoption Agency. (2008) Open Door Adoption Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.opendooradoption.org/ Associated Press (2007,k December 23) ‘Miracles’ after U.S. soldier decides to adopt Iraqi. MSNBC. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22380025/ BAAF.org.uk. (2008, May) British Association for Adoption & Fostering Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.baaf.org.uk/index.shtml Bae, J. (2008, May 16) Disabled Orphans Neglected in Adoption. The Korea Times. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/05/113_24295.html Care for Children.org. (2008) Care for Children Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.careforchildren.org/ Care for Children (China). (2008) Care for Children (China) Homepage. Retrieved 28 April 2008 from http://www.careforchildren.com.cn/ CARE. (2008) CARE for the Child. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.care.org/campaigns/cftc/index.asp Carroll, Lucille. (2008) What is Adoption Anyway? About.com: Adoption/Foster Care. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://adoption.about.com/od/adopting/a/bobbysstory.htm Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2008, March 26) Adoption Statistics. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/statistics/adoption.cfm

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Child Welfare Information Gateway (2007, December 7) November 2007 is National Adoption Month. Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam/ Christian World Adoption. (2008) Christian World Adoption Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.cwa.org/ Comeunity.com. (2006). Special Needs Adoption. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.comeunity.com/adoption/special_needs/index.html Dictionary.com [Unabridged (v1.1)]. (2006) Adopt [definition]. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/adopt Dictionary.com [Unabridged (v1.1)]. (2006) Adoption [definition]. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/adoption Fagan, P.F. & Hanks, D.B. (1997, April 23) It Takes A Family: The Adoption Promotion Act of 1997. Heritage.org. Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://www.heritage.org/Research/Family/EM477.cfm Fostering Perspectives (2006, May). New Program Gives Kids Choice, Voice in Adoption Promotion. Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://www.heritage.org/Research/Family/EM477.cfm Know Your Navy. (2008) Buy an Officer Bear and show you care! Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://www.navy.mil.nz/know-your-navy/news/buy-bear.htm Half the Sky Foundation. (2008) Half the Sky Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.halfthesky.org/ Hague Conference on Private International Law. (1995, May 1). Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://hcch.e-vision.nl/index_en.php?act=conventions.text&cid=69> health777-ga and bobbie7-ga. (2006, November 12) Provide Worldwide data on Adoption as mentioned in medicalcountries.org. Message posted to http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=782119 Herald Sun. (2008, May 16) China swamped with adoption offers. Herald Sun. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23711413-5005961,00.html Infant Adoption Training Initiative. (2008) Infant Adoption Training Initiative Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.infantadopt.org/ Love Without Boundaries. (2008) Love Without Boundaries Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/ Ministry of Children & Family Development [MCFD Canada]. (2005). Tsunami Disaster in Asia. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://www.cf.gov.bc.ca/adoption/alerts_fact_sheets/asiatsunami.htm Mother’s Choice [Hong Kong] (2008) Mother’s Choice Homepage. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://www.motherschoice.com/ Myhill, Paul (2008, May 11) Abandoned-Orphaned (Blog). Retrieved 16 May 2008 from http://abandoned-orphaned.typepad.com/paulmyhill/

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National Adoption Day (2008) National Adoption Day Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/2007/index.asp National Council for Adoption (2008) May is National Foster Care Month. Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://www.adoptioncouncil.org/ Niell, Rick. (2008, May 5) Our Adoption Journey (Blog). Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://neilladoption.blogspot.com/ Precious.org. (2008) Precious.org Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.precious.org/ Rotary International. (2007) Adoption Awareness. Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://www.adoptionawareness.org/ Spaulding for Children. (2008) Spaulding for Children Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.spaulding.org/ Statistics, adoption.com. (1999) Numbers & Trends. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://statistics.adoption.com/information/adoption-statistics-numbers-trends.html The Adoption Guide. (2008) The Adoption Guide Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.theadoptionguide.com/ The Adoption Process. (2002) The Adoption Process, Disabled Children. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://eklhad.net/adoption/ad-art4.html The American Association of Open Adoption Agencies. (2006) AAOAA Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.openadoption.org/ Wikipedia. (2008, April). Attachment Theory. Retrieved 17 May 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory White House. (2003, December 2). Bush signs the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003. Office of the Press Secretary, The White House. Retrieved 17 May 2008 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031202-1.html World Orphans. (2008). World Orphans Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from https://www.worldorphans.org/ Childcare & Child psychology Ginsburg, K. (2006, October 9) “The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds” The Importance of Play in Children’s Development. Literacy Trust. Retrieved 12 May 2008 from http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/researchabstracts.html#play Thompson, B. (2006, Feb) “What shall I play with today?” The Importance of Play in Children’s Development. Literacy Trust. Retrieved 12 May 2008 from http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/play.html#under5 The Daily Mail (2004, January 14) Toys are Simply the Best. The Daily Mail. Retrieved 12 May 2008 from http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/play.html#simply

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Collecting & Collectibles McKinley, MB. (2007) The Psychology of Collecting. The National Psychologist. Retrieved 12 May 2008 from http://nationalpsychologist.com/articles/art_v16n2_2.htm Teddy Bears: Bear Pile. (2008, May 6) Bear Pile Homepage. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.bearpile.com/ Boyds Bear Country. (2008) Boyds Bear Country Nursery Homepage. Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031202-1.html Brehm, K.B. (1996) The Great Teddybear Hug Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.teddybears.com/home.htm Build-A-Bear Workshop (2008) Build-A-Bear Workshop Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.buildabear.com/ eBay.com. (2008, May 13) “Teddy bear” in Toys and Hobbies. Retrieved 13 May 2008 from http://www.ebay.com/ Huggable Teddy Bears. (2008) Huggable Teddy Bears Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.huggableteddybears.com/ Metz, Stephanie. (2008) Felted Wool Sculpture. Stephanie Metz.com. Retrieved 19 May 2008 from http://www.stephaniemetz.com/portfoliocurrent.html NOTCOT in Design. (2008, March 24). Wool Teddy Bear Fetuses and Skulls. 7 May 2008 from http://www.notcot.com/archives/2008/03/wool_teddy_bear.php Sandahl, Jennie (2008, May) Teddybears Sweden Homepage. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://teddybears.se/eng/> Teddy Bear Adoption. (2008, February 23) Teddy Bear Adoption Blog Homepage. Retrieved 21 May 2008 from http://www.tadley-bear-adoption.blogspot.com/ Teddy Bear Friends.co.uk. (2008) Teddy Bear Friends Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.teddybearfriends.co.uk/ Teddy Bear UK. (2003) Teddy Bear UK Homepage. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.teddy-bear-uk.com/ Teddybear Club International. (2008) Teddybear Club International Homepage. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.teddybeartimes.com/ Teddybears Rock. (2008) Teddybears Rock Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.teddybearsrock.com/ The Bear Club. (2006) The Bear Club Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.thebearclub.co.uk/ The Teddy Bear Emporium. (2008) The Teddy Bear Emporium Homepage. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://www.teddybearemp.com/ The Teddy Bear Museum. (2004) History of the Teddy Bear. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.theteddybearmuseum.com/history.htm

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The Teddy Bear Search Engine. (2008) The Teddy Bear Search Engine Homepage. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://www.teddybearsearch.com/ Wikipedia.com. (2008, April 28) Teddy Bear. Retrieved 3 May 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_bear

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IX. Acknowledgements

There are many people who have contributed to this research, and I wish to thank them all for

their assistance and enthusiasm for the project. Thank you to Peter Dean and Tom Fischer for

giving the project the green light, to Marissa Dean for guiding my research with optimism and

insight, to Jennifer Hennessy for taking her scalpel to my questionnaire and helping me shape my

questions and analyse the answers, to Susan Young at the YMCA International Kindergarten for

allowing me to distribute my questionnaire to the parents there, to my numerous anonymous

questionnaire respondents, to my parents, friends and finally, but not least, to God, who adopted

me as His daughter.

If you would like more information about the Adop-ted project, please contact info@adop-ted.org

or visit the project website at www.adop-ted.org

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X. APPENDIX I

For multiple choice questions, please underline your responses. Thank you.

1. How many children do you have?

2. What age(s) are they? 0-3 yrs 3-5 yrs 6-8 yrs 8-10 yrs 11+ yrs

3. Does your child like teddy bears? Yes / No

4. What does a teddy bear represent to you?

5. What do you think it represents to your child(ren)?

6. How often do you keep up with what’s going on in the world? Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Never

7. How important do you believe it is to teach your child(ren) about adoption and orphans?

Very Important / Somewhat important / Not important / I’ve never thought about it before

8. Have you ever bought a toy that contributed to the welfare of less fortunate children? Yes / No

9. How interested would you be in buying this kind of toy?

Definitely interested / Somewhat Interested / Not interested

10. What other information would you like to see before deciding to buy this kind of toy?

♦ More info about the Adop-ted project

♦ Photos of the toys

♦ Details about the toys

♦ Details on where the proceeds go

♦ Info about orphanages and adoption

♦ Other

11. To access this information, which of the following would you find the most convenient?

Website / Leaflet / Newsletter / Other

12. Do you like collecting things? Yes / No Does your child? Yes / No

13. What kinds of things do you like to collect?

14. What kinds of things does your child like to collect?

Thank you very much for completing this questionnaire for the Adop-ted project. Please return your completed questionnaire to info@adop-ted.org

Adop-ted Project Questionnaire 1 May 2008