Health and Care Level 2

1 Understand why communication is the working setting 1. 1 Identify the different  reasons people communicate  Ã‚                                                                                                                                       As a human being we have the sense to have others around us and as a result it is essential to communicate. Communication is a two way process and is a vital tool in our lives so it is very important to have a good communication. Reasons to communicate: -To express needs -To share and exchange ideas -To give and receive information and instructions -To socialise and share experiences -To build relationship To reassure -To express feelings and emotions -To understand and to be understood 1. 2 Explain how affective communication affects all aspects of the learners work. Within the care setting it's vital to communicate with people at all time. Effectiv e communication is important as ensures  that is  clear, concise, accurate, informative and most of all non-judgemental. Communication ensures affective team working and continuity of care. 1. 3Why it is important to observe an individual's reactions when communicating with them Communication is a two-way process when two individuals interact with each other.One person is de sender and the other person automatically becomes the receiver. Observing face and body reaction is very important because only 70-80% of communication is verbal so for that reason if you don't pay attention you can miss out on a large proportion of the communication. When working with an individual, supporters must get to know the person well and learn the best way to communicate with them as everyone has different needs. 2. 1Show how to find out an individual's communication and language needs, wishes and preferences.There are many ways of communication and people communicate in all sort of different ways, for that reason we should try to communicate with the person we are caring for in the easiest way as possible. One of the ways to find out a person's needs and preferences is by asking the person themselves as they are your best source of information. Otherwise you can speak to a family member or a close friend as they will probably have a great source of information. Another way to find out your clients wishes and preferences is by reading their care plan or asking a colleague with previous experience with a client. . 2 Demonstrate communication methods that meet an individual’s communication needs, wishes and preferences. Overcoming language differences and communication. First of all you will need to find out where the person is from and their culture, a use of a dictionary in their language will also help and be prepared to learn a fill words in their language. Other ways of overcoming the language barriers is the use of flashcards to indicate there needs but the most ef fective way communication with a person who speaks another language is a non-verbal communication.The use of gestures can also be helpful but bear in mind that some gestures can be extremely offensive in some cultures. An interpreter is also another alternative in a serious discussion. A smile and a friendly face can be the key to overcome communication barriers. Meeting communication needs for someone with a hearing impairment. First of all make sure the persons hearing aid is working properly, installed with working batteries, clean, and that the person hearing aid is fitted correctly. Ensure the place where you sitting is quiet, light, and close enough so that the person can see your face clearly.Some people with hearing impairment will lip read while others will use a form of sign language for communication. Give the service user extra time to process what you are trying to say, speak clearly and in the right tone of voice. Meeting communication needs for someone with visual imp airment. As a carer we should know that a person with visual impairment is not sure what is going on around them because of their disability. The ways of overcoming that barrier: –  making sure that you introduce yourself when entering their room -speaking clearly in a right tone of voice using touch to the hand and arm as saying you are concerned and sympathetic -find out from the client what system of communication they require -never take the arm of someone who is visually impaired to help them move around, allow the person the person to take your arm and ask for guidance. Meeting communication needs of people with physical disability. – There is different ways to deal with disability because it would depend on the nature of the disability or illness. For example if your client had a stroke you will need to use very short sentences, speaking slowly and allowing the person to process what you have said and compose a reply.Using gestures and simple questions which o nly need a yes or a no answer is always a good method of communication. Writing, drawing or using flash cards is also another way of communication. – Neurone disease or cerebral palsy can also lead to speech difficulty, it means that there is no need to speak slowly as the person will understand perfectly what you are saying but it will be difficult to reply back to you. Also you will have to become familiar with sounds and the way the person communicate. Meeting the communication needs of people with a learning disability.When working with people with learning disability you have to adjust to their way of communication. You should gatherer essential information about the person and their level of understanding and kind of communication is most effective. One of the ways to communicate with a person with learning disability is physical contact, some people have a better understanding with physical level rather than a verbal level, but this will depend in each individual. 2. 3 How and when to seek advice about communication The best way to find out in who to communicate with a person is asking themselves.However if communication is not possible you can ask their family or a close friend. Nevertheless when communication is hard and you fill that the person you are communicating with is not capturing the message you should seek advice by asking your line manager in getting specialists or organisations involved and helping you to communicate. There are many organisations with specified knowledge about communication with individuals with sensory loss. Do not assume you can do everything yourself. You should seek advice  whenever you have doubts so you can provide the best service possible. . 1 Identify barriers to effective communication There are many barriers which effect communication. Culture is one of them. We take for granted that everyone has the same view of point of communication. In some cultures a younger person shouldn't have eye contact with th e oldest and some articular gestures can be very disrespectful. The is also the language barrier, so remember when communicating with a person who speaks a different language from you, you should speak clearly, using proper words without abbreviation, in a right tune of voice.Communicating with people with sensory loss can be a barrier. The best way to overcome the barriers: -list the problems to the communication. -list the ways you could try to overcome the communication problems. 3. 2Demonstrate ways to reduce barriers to effect communication -making the person feel as comfortable as possible -use gestures and pictures -give extra time for the person to process what you have said -smile, showing a positive expression -be warn and encouraging -make use of a dictionary if needed -speak clearly in a right tone of voice check hearing aid to see if it is working properly -use appropriate signing -use writing communication -reduce noise and improve lighting -repeating information if ne cessary -keep calm and remain patient -keep conversation sort and simple with someone who has difficulty in replay -judge appropriate level of communication -make sure conversation has been understood Remember you should always give your client the opportunity to express their needs and preferences Demonstrate ways to check that communication has been understood Making sure the person understood the conversation is vital.You can do that by: -listening effectively -ask the person to recap the discussion -maintain eye contact, to the person’s reaction -use of body language -make use of questions like (what, how, why, when and where) -showing interest to the conversation by leaning slightly -check their facial expression to see if the person has engaged in the conversation. 3. 4 Identify sources of information and support or services to enable more effective communication Language issues: You may need the service of an interpreter.You can find details of how to contact one from: your line manager, social services, police, embassy or the consulate of the person in need. Illness that affect people’s ability to produce sounds, use their neck and facial muscles may need the use of assistive technology. Some people will need advice of a speech and language therapist. People with sensory loss can use the NRCPD. This includes sign language, interpreters, lip readers, deaf blind communication and note takes. 4. 1Explain the term confidentialityConfidentiality means not sharing information about someone’s private personal information without their knowledge and consent. 4. 2Demonstrate confidentiality in a day-to-day communication in line with agreed ways of communication All the  information someone gives or is given on their behalf to an organisation is confidential and it should not be passed on. In some situations personal information needs to be passed on to a hospital, residential home, to a private agency. However only the information which i s required should be given.It is unethical to disclose of any information or talk about peoples personal issues with family, friends and colleagues. 4. 3 Describe situations where information normally considered to be confidential might need to be passed on There are many situations where confidential information should be passed on. If you receive an information about child abuse you should report the information even if the child refuses to agree. But if an adult or an elderly person has been abused you have to have their consent, you can only persuade them to allow you to pass on the information.Police might need personal information about an individual if they have been involved in a serious crime. In a situation when an individual threats to harm someone else or if they put others in danger. 4. 4 Explain how and when to seek advice about confidentiality If you are unsure when to maintain confidentiality you should seek advice from your manager whether is regarding clients or co lleagues. Maintaining trust and relationship with others is very important so check the organisation on information and confidentiality

Adolescents How Society Affects Them

As we all already know that adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood, generally referring to a period ranging from age 11 and 19. Adolescence has many psychological and social stages, as well as biological. Because it is filled with constant changes and uncertainty, the risks of losing the sight of the right path is quite high. Let me talk about how and who affects them.As children grow, develop, and move into early adolescence, involvement with one's peers increases. In order to be included in a group of friends they are easily swayed to do something wrong.They are faced with decisions to try new things, such as drugs, changing fashion, slang words, alcohol, sex etc.   The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer pressure, curiosity, and availability (Cotterell, 135).   Peers are the ones who most frequently initiate one another into drug use.Family members are the most important source of peer pressure. I bel ieve family is the most influential foundation for several reasons. For one, peer pressure is encountered first at home. The mother and father play the biggest role in our lives because they teach their children right from wrong.For example, as a child my parents would always warn me about a girl whom I hung out with and lived in my neighborhood. They advised me a million times to not associate with her because they thought she was â€Å"bad news.†Similarly, religious institutions are another great source of influence. The young adults that participate in religious institutions, come from families which are not into drugs, alcohol, violence, or any sort of crime. So the effects these religious institutions have are great on young people in society.Religious adolescents can encourage one another to be successful in school, sports, and other activities. In my own past experiences when growing up, the people I have chosen as friends weren’t always the coolest, or craziest , but they were always good for their word. These types of friends are valuable for positive peer pressure and are important to keep.Friends, as it is seen, are a major source of peer pressure that one encounters when growing up. I believe from past experiences, friends have the strongest influence on us.   The effects from our friends can sometimes be really good or truly bad.If one friend brings the bottle to the hang out and tells another teen to try it because it is â€Å"so cool,† he or she will experiment with it not knowing what effects it can lead to. One of the reasons that our society finds it difficult to handle teen’s drug use is because adolescent culture does not consist of â€Å"one uniform, homogeneous group.† (Miller, 107).Teens and children are also having sex at a young age because most of their friends may be doing the same thing.   They want to fit in and be part of the â€Å"in-crowd† so they will not follow what they feel is rig ht and so they will take part in sexual behavior in order to be â€Å"cool.†Sex is just one issue that adolescents are faced with. Consumption of alcohol is another factor that can lead to bad decisions based on the friendships that they make.Choosing the friends one hangs out with can sometimes be difficult.   Even though we know what is right from wrong we still have the tendency to do the wrong thing.Even though there are a lot of negative effects from friend’s influences, there are just as many positive effects too. I believe the right friends can push one to doing the right things such as belonging to a soccer team or joining the band club.In conclusion, peer pressure is always surrounding us and affecting us. Our friends, family members, and religious institutions are the main sources in which peer pressure comes from.With the proper guidance and right choice of friends, one will not have any trouble with life’s difficult decisions, and will hopefully do the right thing when faced with difficult problems. Adolescence is a powerful time in one's life with an array of chances to ruin a bright future, so I guess forewarned is forearmed.ReferencesCotterell, John.   Social Networks and Social Influences in Adolescence.   New York:   Thomson.   1996.Miller, Michelle, Alberts, Jess, Hecht, Jess, and Robert Krizek.   Adolescent Relationships and Drug Use.   London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.   2000.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism. Retrieved from http://www.niaaa.nih.gov

Influence of Management Style on Creative Firms

Contents Contents2 Introduction3 Section One4 Management styles in creative firms4 Section Two6 Benefits and reasons of having a suitable management style6 Section Three8 Alternatives and comparisons8 Conclusion10 Reference Page11 Introduction By the definition from the book written by Howkins (2001), creative economy includes advertising, architecture, art, crafts, design, fashion, film, music, performing art, publishing, research and development, software, toys and games, television and radio, and video games.Nowadays, creative industries have become an important economic role in many developed countries, for example, America, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong. Take United Kingdom as an example, department for culture, media and sport (DCMS, 2010, p. 6-8) states that the creative industries contributed 5. 6% to Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2008, excluding Crafts. In addition, DCMS also lists that creative industries provided 2. million jobs in the summer quarter of 2010 in Great Britain. Last but not least, creative industries exported 17. 3 billion services in 2008. Based on the statistics above, it shows that creative industries have a great contribution in British economy. Since creative industries are becoming more and more critical in a mature economy, it is fascinating to figure out what essential factors can lead creative firms to be successful.As a result, I decided to evaluate the factors that influence the management style for a creative firm since I am interested in business management and it would benefit my future studies in university This essay is mainly concentrated on the management style using in creative industries, the benefits of the management styles, and evaluating the connection between the successes and particular management style. This essay is divided into three sections. Firstly, the management tyles using in creative industries will be stated and discussed, the aim of this section is to find out the management styles in mo dern economy and hence, can be studied deeply in the section two. In section two, the benefits and the reasons of using a particular management style in the creative industries will be evaluated. The idea of this section is to work out the influence of management style on creative firms. Finally, in section three, alternatives of management styles and comparisons will be commented. In this section, different management styles can be compared; therefore the pros and cons can be accounted.Section One Management styles in creative firms In order to analyze the role of management in a creative firm, I am going to provide several management styles in some famous creative firms. By understanding the intermediates of the management styles, the importance of management for a creative firm can be figured out. In addition, we are going to go through some successful creative firms in the world for evaluating the elements of their successes, and try to make a connection between the achievements and the critical management styles.Media is the first example I am going to discuss. Howkins (2001) mentions that, media belong to the sort of creative economy. So the management style using in a media company does reflect the function of management style in creative firms. Bilton (2007, pp. 67-69) states that in 2000, there was a huge change of management style at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Before the succession attempted by Greg Dyke, there was a straight management style in the BBC by the pervious director general, John Birt.Bilton (2007) claims the management of Birt as old fashion since the structure in the BBC was a tall organization structure before 2000, which means that the management structure within the BBC was a tall hierarchy. Decision-making was from the top of the board of directors down to the employees. In addition, Bilton states that there was a â€Å"strategic centralization† inside the BBC. It means the board of directors had the absolute power in the BBC. Based on the example provided by Bilton, it is not difficult to see that the management style in the BBC was autocratic management.After the succession, Greg became the director general and there was a huge change in management style at the BBC. Bilton claims that as a new management style for the BBC. Describing by Bilton, Greg was a program-maker and the first thing he did after his arrival was making the BBC a more inspired and interesting place to work. All the employees were encouraged to give new ideas for perfecting the BBC. Under the entirely new management style, the employees were more willing to contribute their ideas to the senior managers.Bilton comments the Greg’s management style brought the BBC a new working culture and made the BBC â€Å"the most creative origination† in the world. Another example I am going to give is a software firm, Google. Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google Company in 1998. It has become one of the most su ccessful software companies in the world by having more than 25,000 employees and valued at more than 150 billion US dollars (Jackson, Schuler and Werner, 2009, p. 3). Jackson, Schuler and Werner mention in their book that the management style, especially human resource management, appears as a critical factor in the success of Google.They show that the managers in Google highly respect the employees and provide as much as they could to the employees in order to stimulate their creativities. One of the evidence is that there is only five percent voluntary turnover rate of Google employees per year (Jackson, Schuler and Werner, 2009); also, Google was the top five in the ranking of â€Å"the top 100 best companies to work for† in 2011 (CNN, 2011). Last but not least, Jackson, Schuler and Werner state that there are more than 1 million people apply to work at Google every year.All of the above show that the employees in Google have a great satisfaction. Jackson, Schuler and Wer ner show the importance of human resource management in Google. For example, they suggest that treating the employees as same as the company wants the employees to treat their customers is the philosophy of Google. They also claim that there is a strong connection between the business strategy and managing human resource in Google. By the examples provided above, it is not difficult to find that the management styles applied in creative industries have a direct impact on the performances of the companies.As a result, having an appropriate management style in a creative firm is a critical factor for leading the company to be successful. Section Two Benefits and reasons of having a suitable management style It is obvious that a suitable management style is a critical factor for leading a creative firm to be successful. In this section, the benefits of having an appropriate management style and the reasons of applying a particular management style will be discussed. Based on the exampl es given in the last section, the management styles applying in creative firms can be concluded as democratic and even Laissez-faire.Since the employees in the BBC and Google are both highly respected; in addition, the senior managers currently accept their opinions and ideas (Bilton, 2001; Jackson, Schuler and Werner, 2009). Therefore, the management styles in creative firms should be based on the satisfaction of employees because the creativities and ideas are the most valuable resource in creative economy; Florida (2002, p. xiii) has a similar idea that the creativity from human is the critical supply to the creative economy. Bamfield (2006, pp. 52-154) suggests that the function of management in creative firms is to stimulate the creativities and encourage employees to generate new ideas. Since creativity is a force for making a creative firm to be successful, therefore Bamfield also claims that the managers should provide a full support to employees in order to fulfill their sa tisfactions. Jackson, Schuler and Werner (2009) also support the similar idea, which the founders of Google concentrated on giving the employees everything they needed to create and innovate.Foote (2001) emphasize in his book that it is important to keep employees in an informal, open and friendly working environment. This can stimulate their creativity and ideas development. And he states that the manager cannot be too emotional with the employees, otherwise, it might affect the decision-making. Therefore, we can conclude that employees-based management style can have a positive impact on stimulating creativities, encouraging contributions, and generating new ideas and innovations. At the same time, the manager cannot be too emotional, which might lead to wrong decision-making.Comparing with the old-fashion management style, tall hierarchy, power centralization, and limits of decision making from subordinates, the new-management style (freedom, good communication between workers an d managers) is more suitable in a creative industry. Davila, Epstein and Shelton (2007) show that the successful development of younger electrical firms after World War 2 in Britain was benefited by used a more open mind management style and stimulated the innovations. On the other hand, older firms could not be successful because the old fashion of management style.This is because the old-fashion management style inhibits the innovative development. To conclude, an old-fashion management style (autocratic) is not suitable for creative economy because not only it contributes nothing to creations and innovations, but also worse it restrains the expansions of new ideas. Thus, a creative industry is hardly successful with an old-fashion management style. Last but not least, the satisfaction of labor is also a consideration of whether it is a suitable management style for a creative firm or not.Since Singh (2001) claims that a controlling style of management will lead the employees bein g passive. In order to control those passive employees, a more constricted control is needed. In this negative circle, a high labor turnover, low-morale, arguments or disagreements, low efficiency and poor sense of belonging to the company will be occurred. Singh gives an example that the managers from Mainland China applied an authoritarian management style and lead to the negative impacts mentioned above.In a conclusion, an unsuitable management style in a creative firm will conduct a huge negative impact to the industries. Section Three Alternatives and comparisons Management style plays such an important role in creative firms, how to pick a suitable management style should be the most difficult question to the senior managers in those creative industries. The information given above is a simple guideline to pick a appropriate management style since it mentions the management styles using in different kind of creative industries, some of them are famous all over the world.In add ition, it provides a wide range of benefits of different management styles and the conditions of using them. Actually, the management style that is suitable for a creative firm can be mainly divided into two big groups, one of them is democratic, and another one is Laissez-faire. These two management styles are quite similar to each other by the information provided in section one and two. The huge difference between these two is that democratic is described as more tructural and formal; on the other hand, Laissez-faire contains more freedom for workers and the structure of the company is more like an individual work force. Bilton (2007, p. 67) states that the management style in creative industries is similar to a ‘non-management’ management style, which means the managers are almost invisible in the management; however, the employees can still contribute a lot to the creative firm. The managers would not set the deadline of the products and the employees can finish th eir works a relaxing and creative way.Therefore, the products can be created in a high quality. Take Google as an example, the employees in Google are encouraged to do their creative pursuits and Google will even provide 20 percent of the workweek to them (Jackson, Schuler and Werner, 2009). Compared with Laissez-faire, the management style inside Google is more like a democratic management. It seems that the founders of Google treat the employees as a kind of resources more than contributors to the company. The reason of claiming that is due to the strategic approach to managing the employees.It might seem like Google already has had a plan to deal with the employees. On the other hand, the real example of Laissez-faire is hardly found. It might be because the over freedom of management style cannot give the board of directors confidence of making profits; since the manufacturing of innovation and new creation is not secured under Laissez-faire. In addition, it is tough to get the investments from the investment banks or investors because the managers are not able to give a warranty of making a brisk sale product. As a result, Laissez-faire is hardly appearing in the modern creative economy.Stewart (2011) also suggests this idea and she gives a significant example of the failure of Laissez-faire in her journal. Conclusion To conclude, the management style does play an important role in creative economy and it is also a critical factor that can lead the industries to be successful or failing. By the examples given in section one, two management styles are mainly applied in creative economy, which is democratic and Laissez-faire. The reasons can be found in section two, one significant reason is that these two management styles can provide employees a better orking place that can stimulate their creativities and generating new ideas. In addition, a new and suitable management style can prevent the labor turnover since employees’ satifactions are fulfille d; also it can avoid the restriction of creating new ideas. Finally, in the modern creative economy, democratic management is mainly used. It is because the creation of products or services is more secured when comparing with Laissez-faire. Also, democratic management can give the board of directors more confidence and the investment banks as well.Therefore the creative industries can more easily apply the investment from the investors. Management style is an essential part on developing creative economy and has a significant impact on it. Reference Page Bilton, C. (2007) Management And Creativity: From Creative Industries to Creative Management, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd Bamfield, P. (2006) Research And Development in the Chemical And Pharmaceutical Industry, Weinheim: Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. Davila T. , Epstein M. J. , Shelton R. (2007), The Creative Enterprise: Execution, Westport: Praeger Publisher Foote C.S. (2001), The Creative Business Guide to Running a Graphic De sign Business, New York: Creative Business newsletter. Jackson, S. E. , Schuler, R. S. , Werner, S. (2009), Managing Human Resources, Mason: South-Western, Cengage Learning Singh, A. (2001), Creative Systems in Structural and Construction Engineering, Rotterdam: A. A. Balkema Howkins, J. (2001), The Creative Economy: How People Make Money From Ideas, Penguin CNN Money (2011), 100 Best Companies to work for, [online] Available at: < http://money. nn. com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2011/full_list/> [Accessed 13 May 2012] DCMS (2010), Creative Industries Economic Estimates, London, UK: Department of Culture, Media and Sport, retrieved 9 December 2010 Stewart, H. (2011), Laissez-faire has failed us. Now we're getting panicky intervention. Guardian Observer, [online] 27 November 2011. Available at: ; http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2011/nov/27/laissez-faire-failed-panicky-intervention; [Accessed 14 May 2012]

Business situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business situation - Essay Example s in this industries however for the past eighteen months the currency exchange rate for the company’s headquarters branch in Australia has experienced a steady reduction. This has come with a lot of implication on the price of production in Australia branch and thus the ability of the company to compete with emerging-market producers from Australia production facilities. This report aims clearly to define this problem or situation for the business and keenly analyze the situation to compare the implication from planning and organizing perspective. The report will then provide its recommendation in a form of a step-by-step action plan that the CEO of the company should take. The world market today is a global village (Cadle & Eva, 2014). This means every business in its planning today faces a lot of constraints that must be incorporated in these ventures. Some of these problem comes with differences in price of a currency of the mother firm’s country and those of other countries with it has business relations. Exchange rate is defined as the cost or worth of one currency as compared to other currencies (Cadle & Eva, 2014). This price can either rise or reduce depending on the prevailing economic atmosphere in the country. A fall or reduction in exchange rate in a country is mostly referred to as depreciation or devaluation depending on the kind of exchange rate system adopted by the country in which the business is established (Cadle & Eva, 2014). Reduction in currency exchange rate, therefore, makes the currency of the country in question lower in value as compared to currencies of other countries. A decrease in currency exchange rate, therefore , will mean that the county’s export becomes cheap in a global market as compared to imports of the same country from other countries (Cadle & Eva, 2014). Bronxe Yachtstm, a privately owned business, has in the recent past faced this interesting problem through their headquarters branch in Australia. The company

Observance of Religious Holidays Research Paper

Observance of Religious Holidays - Research Paper Example Research Problem The research problem is, â€Å"Study the history of observance of religious holidays. Explore the pros and cons of observing religious holidays, the policies of the schools and educational institutions, the legal issues involved and the steps taken by the administrators in observing religious holidays†. Literature review According to the pages of history, United Sates which was a land of few religions in 1776 developed into a country that professes countless religious beliefs throughout the nation. The children reading in the schools and colleges, staffs working in the offices are of different religions and vary largely from each other. The observance of religious holidays has thus turned into an area of concern for the college and the society. There are various pros and cons related to the observance of religious holidays. The observance of religious holidays is a sentimental issue and is dealt with sensitivity towards the people of different religions. The r eligious holidays observed by the different religions are creating a situation of conflict and confusion (American Academy of Religion, 2013). The increase in the number of religions leads to the increase in the number of religious holidays which is a point of concern as it poses a problem in the daily work of the schools and in the process of public education. The only way to bring a common solution to the problem of observing religious holidays in schools is to undertake a discussion that takes into account the points of similarity and differences in all the religions. The school must undertake policies to show respect to all the religions and display a... This paper approves that the increase in the number of holidays leads to the loss of working days which impacts the delivery of academic curriculum. Apart from this, the grant of excusal requests by the students and parents for absence on religious occasions is difficult to deny as this might create discontent among a section of the population. The teachings on the ideas of different religions and the observance and understanding of the respect shown to the religious ideas and beliefs could create misimpression and biased behavior among a certain segment of the students and the teachers. This report makes a conclusion that the schools and the institutions determine the policies on the observance of the religious holidays which is in line with the legal regulations in the field. The policies of the school endorse secular attitude with equal importance and respect to all the religions. The administrators play an important role in executing the policies. The administrator is responsible to conduct a survey on religious sentiments of the population and display sensitivity in dealing with the religious idea and beliefs. The inclusion of the religious learning and observance of religious holidays in the academic curriculum helps in development of understanding of the culture and history of the land. The observance of religious holidays is also done in a manner that it do not interfere the main goal of academic process in the schools. Thus observance of religious holidays in a tactical manner helps in maintaining a healthy learning environment and fosters the growth of educ ation process in the schools and the institutions.

Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Organizational Change - Essay Example This trend is mainly observed among the major retailers. Secondly, digitization has resulted into organizational change as it has levelled the competition among small organizations and well-established companies (Lewis, 2011). Thirdly, innovation and technology have resulted into major changes in the way organizations are managed. Technology has resulted into improved communication and efficiency. Fourthly, the use of the internet and social media tools has led to changes and has transformed how businesses relate with their customers and the society at large. The fifth and most critical driver is globalization. Businesses no longer operate only in their home countries. They have spread their operations across various parts of the world owing to globalization. This means that they are influenced by economic, political and technological changes taking place in the entire global scene (Lewis, 2011). Finally, change within organizations is driven by the acceleration and convergence of the above-mentioned factors. The first key to effective organizational change is involvement. It is essential to note that change is characteristically disrupting for individuals in the organization. Attention is paid to the leadership team for support in the event of change (Cook et al., 2004). The leaders and all important stakeholders should adopt change. It is important to note that change fails when the leadership is not centrally involved. The second key driver of successful organizational change is communication (Fernandez and Rainey, 2006). It is imperative for the leadership to communicate to the employees on its vision in regards the change process. On various occasions, leaders often assume that the employees understand the change process while they do not. Leaders need to listen to their employees’ concerns and come up with the best ways to address them (Lewis, 2011). This can be

Continuum of project Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Continuum of project - Article Example In addition to helping stroke survivors improve or regain skills and functions, these healthcare professionals can assist with adaptation and assistive devices. Modified constraint-induced therapy (mCIT) is an intensive motor practice. The therapy involves restricting the use of a less affected part of the body, which forces the patient to use the weakened part of the body. Regular practice can improve nerve function in the central nervous system. The therapy is applied with varying intensity and duration over time depending on the individual’s motor functioning. Electrical stimulation is used in treating hemiparesis to enhance sensory awareness, strengthen a weakened body part (such as the arm, leg, hand or foot) and improve range of motion. This procedure consists of placing small electrical pads on the weakened muscles of the affected body part. An electrical charge helps the muscles contract as the patient works to make it move. Cortical stimulation is a type of electrical stimulation, but instead of directly on the arm or hand, the electrodes stimulate the part of the brain called the cortex. The tiny electrode is placed on the dura, the tough membrane that covers the brain. The electrode sends an electrical current to the brain while the stroke survivor undergoes rehabilitation exercises. This treatment is a safe way to regain mobility. Motor imagery involves imagining the movement of the affected part of the body. This mental practice activates areas of the brain and muscles as if the patient is actually doing an activity. The network of nerves in the brain involved in visualization and physical movement overlap, making this an effective activity when paired with other therapies. Koziol, J.A., Feng, A.C. (2006). "On the analysis and interpretation of outcome measures in stroke clinical trials: lessons from the SAINT I study of NXY-059 for acute

EXTERNAL OR ADVOCACY WRITTEN MEMORANDUM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EXTERNAL OR ADVOCACY WRITTEN MEMORANDUM - Essay Example Later in the night, the defendant Kerry Knight, the varsity basketball coach arrived bringing with him a keg of beer. Although there was a note which said â€Å"Do not drink if under 21† on the keg, most of the guests, 21 or not, drank anyway and the defendant did not stop any of them. The plaintiff was initially offered a cup of beer by his friend Richards and later went to the keg himself for a refill. The defendant left the party at one time leaving the guests drinking and finishing up the keg. The plaintiff had several more cups and when the keg was almost empty was about to leave Devin’s house when the defendant reappeared. He asked the plaintiff if he had drunk beer and the latter said he had a cup. The plaintiff then got his jeep key from near the TV where the coach kept all car keys and took off with his friend Taylor who asked for a ride home. The defendant did not at any time stop the plaintiff from leaving with his jeep key. On the way home, the defendant hit a tree and broke a leg. He spent the entire summer in cast and missed the next basketball season. As a consequence, his team lost that season and so did the plaintiff’s hope for a Division scholarship. The plaintiff is frustrated over the fact that although he can eventually still play basketball, he can never be as brilliant as it used to be in playing basketball. To decide whether or not the defendant is liable for the plaintiff’s injuries, it is necessary to prove that the defendant was negligent and that if so found, it was this same negligence that was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. Negligence is defined in the case of Manning v. Andy 454 Pa. 237, 310 A. 2d 75 (1973) as â€Å"the want of due care which a reasonable man would apply under the circumstances. Conduct is negligent only if the harmful consequences thereof could reasonably be foreseen and prevented by the exercise of reasonable care.† Moreover, the elements of cause of action for negligence had been

Gender Roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gender Roles - Essay Example Gender roles These gender roles assumed in childhood were expected to continue to adulthood. The roles are passed from generation to generation though modifications occur such that roles or traits previously associated with males become apparent in females and vice versa. Adults tend to treat boys and girls differently right from infancy. This essay focuses on the gender roles and expectations on male and females in the society. The essay also depicts the different expectations that the society particularly parents have on the gender roles and how these perspectives affect the upbringing of boys and girls. Gender divergence creates a division between boys and girls and it becomes extremely hard to change the perception thus humans end up being categorized into males and females differentiated by their roles. For example, my brother and I were born in Angola. Right from childhood, we received differing attention and treatment. I was treated as if I was too delicate than my brother. Sometimes I wou ld demand for explanations but all I got was that men were supposed to be strong while girls required protection. This is a common phenomenon where most parents tend to shelter girls more than they protect the boy. Girls are appreciated depending on their appearance in terms of tidiness and organization while boys receive appraisal based on their achievements. Such actions persuade boys to be confident, competitive and develop a sense of independence while girls are encouraged to be caring, pleasant, as well as dependent. This results in a society where men are decision makers while women are supposed to go along the decisions. (Lindsey 122-130). Another difference that was eminent when my brother and I were growing up was the different ways in which our rooms were decorated. My room was filled with baby dolls and while my brothers was beautified with wall hangings with aircrafts and machines. My brother also had plenty of toys such as toy guns and cars, which I was not allowed to p lay with. Sometimes, I would disobey the decree and play with my brother’s toy. However, I was greatly ridiculed if met by other girls playing with my brother’s toy and they would refer to me as ‘Tom boy’. Another difference that arises when boys and children are being brought up is the difference in the roles they are accorded. The gender differences that eventually arise between boys and girls are socially built (Lindsey 25-28). Referring to my case, I was expected to help my mother in the household duties such as cleaning dishes. Conversely, my brother was always out playing or assisted the gardener in mowing. The kind of people children develop into is enormously determined by what they watch their parents do or what they are obliged to do. My mother did the house tasks while my father toiled for the family. When I was 12 years old, I told my mother that I was bleeding and she said that was my period. From this time to my 18, she was so worried about m e having sex because I could get pregnant, telling me that am too young to have a boyfriend. I was restricted from going out with boys since my mother feared that they could influence me negatively or impregnate me. On the contrary, my brother was free to go out and have fun with his friends. At the age of fourteen, my brother would come home at eight in the evening and my parents seemed less concerned

Caparisoned like a man Essay Example for Free

Caparisoned like a man Essay In this act, the weary travellers purchase a cottage and a flock of sheep from Corin. This quick financial exchange might seem humorous to the audience, as it is very unrealistic and theatrical. The audience can also see that strangers, for example Corin, are fooled by Rosalinds disguise  In Act III Scene Two, Celia teases Rosalind, who wants to find out who wrote the poems about her, and nailed them to trees. She reminds Celia that she is a woman, although she is caparisoned like a man. This might also be a reminder to the audience that Ganymede is female. Finally, when Celia admits that she knows the poet is Orlando, Rosalind, dressed as Ganymede, is distressed. She is distressed because she knows she wont be able to let him woo her if he thinks she is a man, Ganymede, instead of his love, Rosalind.  Rosalind: Alas the day! what shall I do with my doublet and hose?  However, she then realises that in a mans attire, she is able to speak to him (Orlando) like a saucy lackey, which she then does for the rest of the play. She teases him about his love, and says he does not look like a man in love. Throughout this scene, Rosalinds motive to disguise herself as a man has now changed from practical reasons to personal ones; to find out how much Orlando loves her, and perhaps to educate him, on how to love her. For example, in Act IV Scene 1, when Orlando is an hour late for their meeting, she shows that if he would have done that to Rosalind, Cupid hath clapped him o the shoulder. Through her disguise, which she uses to her full advantage, she playfully suggests to him that she will pretend to be Rosalind so he can woo her. This Orlando feels able to do, so he can say what he wanted to say when they first met, in Act I Scene 2, and she can hear what she never expected to hear, because they are not bound by social expectations, as Orlando does not know Ganymede is Rosalind. Their relationship stays fun and lively, because he can be open and honest, and express his emotions, and she can willingly accept his proposals, for example in Act IV Scene 1: Rosalind: But come, now I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on disposition; and ask me what you will, I will grant it.  Orlando: Then love me, Rosalind.  Rosalind: Yes, faith, I will, Fridays and Saturdays and all.  In the play Shakespeare questions the rigid rules of societys wooing of that time, since he wrote the play with the idea of a traditional romance; (an archetype) a boy meets a girl, they fall in love, and marry happily ever after after overcoming several obstacles and misunderstandings. However, Shakespeare was forward thinking of his time, letting Rosalind orchestrate the wooing, which was very unconventional. As we can see from Act III Scene 4, Rosalind is a very strong and intelligent character, as she has tricked Orlando into wooing her, even though she is dressed as a man. She is also very witty, a characteristic she only feels able to express properly when she is disguised. She is perhaps the wittiest person in the play, apart from Touchstone, who is a professional comedian, after having been a fool or jester at the court for many years. In Shakespeares time, royal men at court showed their wittiness by putting down a fool. He is someone we call a stooge nowadays. However, Touchstones jokes and puns are less friendly than Rosalinds, whos aim is simply to tease or humour people, and not make fun of them, like Touchstone does. Today, Rosalinds role is a sought-after part, since it is one of Shakespeares only good main female characters. The reason for this is that the roles of his time were pre-dominantly male, as there were no female actresses then, and men had to act female parts, which would not have been desirable. This adds humour to the play, from the audiences perspective, because the players with female roles, e.g. Celia and Rosalind, were young adolescent males. So, Ganymede was a teenage boy, acting a female (Rosalind), dressed up as a man. A particularly humorous moment is when Orlando attempts to kiss Ganymede, for two reasons. One is that the player acting Orlando is attempting to kiss his true love, Rosalind, even though he doesnt know this. But, from the audiences point of view, this is also funny since the actor Orlando is attempting to kiss another man. Even now, cross-dressing is found humorous, explaining why people watch cabarets and pantomimes. Further on in the play, in Act III Scene 4, we see Rosalind and Celia alone together. Alone with Celia, Rosalind does not pretend to act masculine, instead she talks about her love to Orlando in a feminine way, and Celia teases her.  Rosalind: Never talk to me: I will weep.  Celia: Do, I prithee; but yet have the grace to consider that tears do not become a man.  Then, Corin comes in, and invites them to see Phebe and Silvius together. They do so gladly, and Rosalind takes another opportunity to use her disguise to her full advantage: she insults Phebe, somewhat cruelly.  What thought you have no beauty-  As by my faith, I see no more in you  Than without candle may go dark to bed However, this has an adverse effect, since Phebe falls head over heels in love with Ganymede, who in fact is Rosalind. This is another way Shakespeare has brought comedy to the play using the dramatic device of disguise, for Rosalind is, like she says, unable to return the love. From this we also see that Shakespeare did not think about relationships of the same sex, presumably because that would be too forward of his time. Also, it was illegal to demonstrate homosexual relationships; Oscar Wilde was put in jail, 200 years later for his gay relationships. Using the dramatic device of disguise, Shakespeare also uses Rosalind to expose the shallowness and absurdity of conventional modes of wooing, in Act 4 Scene 1. This is when Ganymede mocks Orlando, which was very unconventional of that time, since normal women did not act like that; they were supposed to be very gentle, docile, etc.  However, in Act IV Scene 3, Shakespeare does make Rosalind seem more feminine again, since Ganymede faints, after hearing Orlando was hurt. Fainting was not seen as a manly tribute, which nearly gives away to Oliver than Ganymede is a woman. You lack a mans heart. When Ganymede awakens again, Rosalind admits that she is tired of disguising herself, and hiding her feelings, I would I were at home.  This is not the only time Rosalind makes the mistake of showing her female characteristics. In Act III Scene 2, Rosalind nearly gives away that she is female while Corin is there because Touchstone makes up an offensive poem about Rosalind and she reacts to it vehemently.

Mobile Grocery Store Business Plan

Mobile Grocery Store Business Plan Business Plan Table of Contents (Jump to) Executive Summary Section 2 – Business Summary 2.1. Business Description 2.2. Business Objectives 2.3. Current Situation and Background 2.4. Financial Situation and Legal Requirements Section 3 – Industry Analysis 3.1. Industry Description 3.2. Industry Growth 3.3. Future Industry Developments Section 4 Market Summary 4.1 Market Analysis 4.2 Market Segmentation 4.3 Market Research 4.4 Competition Analysis 4.5 Competition Strengths 4.6 Competition Weaknesses Section  5 Sales and Marketing 5.1. Marketing Strategies 5.2. Unique selling point 5.3. Media, promotion strategy and advertising campaign 5.5. Budget Section  6 – Financial considerations 6.1. Pricing strategy 6.2. Projected sales 6.2. Other financial considerations Cost Appendices Appendix 1 – Cash Flow Forecasts Section 2 – Business Summary Due to the impact of supermarkets growth and rising costs the numbers of local and convenience stores are declining[i], particularly in rural areas. This means consumers in many of the rural areas of Wales are finding themselves having to travel further afield for their basic grocery shopping requirements, which can present difficulties, particular for the older age segment and those in single families or with busy lifestyle. It is therefore seen that there is an opportunity for the introduction of a mobile grocery business to service these consumers needs on a regular basis, bringing convenience store benefits and prices to their locale. This business plan presents the case for a business that will fill this niche market sector. Provisionally named North Wales Mobile Grocery (NWMG) the business, whilst not a new concept, is innovative in that it brings all of the benefits of convenience shopping close to the door of the consumer whilst at the same time eliminating many of the shopping difficulties experienced by consumers in rural areas, particular those in the older age segment, single families and with busy lifestyles. The business plan is being presented with the intention of seeking a partnership with a branded grocery organisation that will provide the capital investment to assist with its development and future growth programme. 2.1 Business Description NWMG will operate two mobile shops offering convenience store shopping close to the homes of those who live in the rural areas of North Wales that are not adequately serviced by local stores. The two stores will be of different sizes, with the larger on being based upon a refurbished coach, with the smaller vehicle being either a reasonable sized van or smaller coach version. The advantage of the former is that, with its low level access, it will allow elderly shoppers to board and browse. The smaller vehicle will be operated on the basis of the consumer having their requirements served personally by the vehicle operators, and will be better able to service the more remote locations where accessibility would be difficult for the larger vehicle. It is anticipated that the vehicles will be able to carry a range of between 100 and 200 products, with the larger vehicle having the ability of offering a small range of frozen items. This will include all of the staple and basic grocery and food items that are always in demand by consumers. The mobile shops will operate on a time slot basis at convenient locations that will serve between one and three streets. Dependent upon demand, each area will be allocated between one or two slots a week. It is anticipated that each slot will cover a time period of one and a half hours. With hours from 7.30 am to 9.00 pm, and allowing for thirty minutes travel between slots and six day opening, this provides the business with seven retailing slots per day, equalling 42 retail slots per vehicle per week. To enable the business to operate on the basis of offering competitive prices, it is the intention of the proprietor to develop a partnership relationship with an existing grocery distribution or retailing brand so that the business will gain low cost competitive advantage[ii] from the economies of scale that partner can offer. The will enhance the ability of the business to deliver consumer satisfaction and at the same time assist in the development of a loyal customer relationship. 2.2 Business Objectives The objective for the business is to create a quality alternative convenience shopping experience for the consumer, one that will bring quality service at competitive prices. In addition, this experience will address the true meaning of convenience, being located a few steps away from their door at a time when they need to avail themselves of the products being offered for sale. Following the successful establishment of this pilot business, for the longer term the proprietor is considering commencing a franchise operation that will expand into other rural locations throughout the UK and Ireland. 2.3 Current Situation and Background The growth of supermarket chains within the past few decades, with their share of the grocery market rising to 75% in 2006[iii] together with the increased costs of running a local business, has led to the demise of many local stores during the course of the past few decades, a position that experts expect to continue[iv]. In many rural areas this has created a situation where consumers have been left with no local stores, forcing them in some instances to travel reasonable distances to do their daily and weekly shopping in out of area stores. Of itself, this presents difficulties for the elderly, single parent families and those with business rural lifestyles. Valuable time and money is having to be spent by these consumers in having to arrange for transportation or to take time off work in order to do their shopping at distant supermarkets. Furthermore, there is a need to purchase additional supplies during these visits as they have no convenient store from which to satisfy sudden extra need or impulse buying requirements. The disadvantage of this situation is that any price benefit gained from their shopping is eroded by the extra cost and inconveniences they experience. It is these problems that our mobile service is intended to address. Between once and twice a week our mobile stores will bring convenience back to the local area. It will reduce the trauma of having to make time consuming and difficult trips for the elderly and those who have time limitations. Furthermore, the small price differential between our products and those offered by distant stores will be more than offset by the cost saving of the travel involved. 2.4 Financial Situation and Legal Requirements As this is a new business, there is no financial background to rely upon. However, a detailed financial plan has been constructed and is attached within the appendices at the end of this plan. This shows that the business requires funding of  £X,XXX,XXX to complete its programme. To facilitate the attractiveness of the investment, it is intended to set the business up as a limited company, which will provide the investor with formal shares, which will pay out dividends as well as having the potential for capital gain return. In terms of legal requirements, the owners are aware that the business will need to comply with all the health and safety regulations relating to food retailing. In addition, if the product range is to include alcoholic, tobacco and other legally controlled products, the relevant licences will need to be applied for. Section 3 – Industry Analysis 3.1 Industry Description Latest statistics show that the numbers of local and convenience stores, particular those that are independent, are continuing to decline[v], and there is little sign of this situation being reversed within the foreseeable future. The statistics also show that the position in respect of independent stores is being exacerbated by the increase in the share that supermarkets and multiples are taking of the convenience retailing market. For example, Tesco now has a 6% share of the convenience store market[vi]. However, the supermarkets and multiples, despite the inroads they are making into this market segment, still have catchment area criteria that need to be met before they will consider opening a convenience store in a specific location. This means that consumers in the less densely populated and more rural areas of the country, as is the case in North Wales, are the losers, as these larger organisations do not consider the replacement of closed down stores in these areas as being ec onomically viable, which thus leaves consumers in these areas bereft of the convenience retailing services available to their suburban neighbours. Indeed, a recent report showed that between 2002 and 2006, 7,337 or 4 independent retailers a week were forced to close this businesses, which shows the significant scale of the problem that has been created[vii]. However, demographic statistics show that the consumer segmentation is changing. The UK consumer population is aging, particularly in rural areas[viii] as are the general lifestyle and social habits of the population as a whole. Similarly, there is increasing pressures being seen to affect long distance shopping experiences, which includes the rise in traffic congestion problems, environmental concerns, both in terms of climate and the degeneration of local community life. As a result of these issues, consumers are increasingly turning towards convenience shopping as being a more appropriate alternative. By bringing a mobile service to rural areas, our business offers the consumer in those areas the ability to have that choice. 3.2 Industry Growth Despite the decline in the number of independent retail outlets, and a slow down in the growth of supermarket growth over the past few years[ix], one area of industry grown that has maintained a fairly consistent level of increase is the convenience store sector. The IGD[x] report in 2007 shows that there was a growth of 4.9% in this sector in 2006, which took its revenues to over  £26 billion, with expectations that this figure will exceed  £35 billion by 2012. 3.3 Future Industry Developments A Datamonitor report in 2007[xi] shows that the grocery market is perhaps the most competitive in UK retailing. This report confirms the research conducted by IGD in terms of the consumer’s control over the development of this sector, forecasting that in the next five year it is the changes in consumer perception and demand that will drive the market segmentation and, as has been seen, this is moving more towards convenience and local shopping as is predicted by IGD. However, neither of these reports, or other market observations, see the independent store sector recovering. With the decline of independents expected to continue, this provides additional opportunities for a business such as the one NWMG is proposing to develop in an area that is expected to suffer significantly from this decline. Section 4 Market Summary 4.1 Market Analysis The grocery retailing market can be divided into three main segments. These are the supermarkets and multiples, who between them now how a share approaching 90% of the total market, leaving the co-operatives and independents with the balance[xii]. However, as a recent economic report produced by Defra[1] in (2003, p.18)[xiii]reveals, the situation is different in Wales, which has the highest number of non-superstores per 100,000 of population in the UK. It can thus be deduced that the continual closure pattern of independent stores is likely to affect North Wales, a more rural area of the country, to a greater degree than other areas of Wales and the UK, increasing the gap in the marketplace for the consumer orientated local store provision to be filled. However, with the problems of cost, competitive pricing and market share penetration affecting local stores the most, the meeting of consumer demands can be seen to be more appropriately filled through the introduction of the more fl exible mobile store business model that is being proposed by NWMG. 4.2 Market Segmentation In terms of segmentation of the North Wales market, the Defra report mentioned in section 4.1 also reveals that, in comparison with the rest of the UK, a high proportion of the Welsh population employment is concentrated in rural areas. Another report conducted by Swansea University also show that the age demographics in Wales is changing, with an above average growth of population in North Wales between 1981 and 2001 and an 88% increase in the numbers of people aged 75 and over in the three decades to 2001[xiv] These statistics show the potential for the increased need for convenience grocery retailing in the area, and a need that is set to continue to rise during the coming decades. 4.3 Market Research Undertaking the market research, the results of which have been presented within this business plan, has helped the Proprietor of NWMG to identify the potential for the mobile grocery concept envisaged. For example, it has determined that there is a gap in the market that provides opportunity for business growth and also that the segmentation of population and the market performance are conducive to enabling the business to achieves its goals and objectives, both in terms of market share and financial projections. Furthermore, this research has confirmed that the consumer perception and demand is continuing to focus upon convenience â€Å"time limited† shopping rather than the â€Å"marathon† shops that were prevalent in the early days of supermarket expansion, which also fits in with the structure of the mobile store concept. 4.4 Competition Analysis There is no doubt that the UK retail grocery sector is dominated by supermarkets and multiples and these represent a formidable force of competition. However, the Defra (2003, p.12) report referred to previously shows that in Wales, these retailers control under a third of the retailing stores per 100,000 people, when compared with independent stores. The geographical and widespread demographics of North Wales also make supermarket growth and penetration more difficult than it would be in a more suburban area. Another area of competition may also occur from smaller independent stores within close proximity to the areas that the NWMG business will be servicing, although it is considered that the price differentiation will limit the response from this sector of the market. Therefore, it is considered that, although competition from these sectors would be strong, some of that strength would be dissipated by these demographic obstructions. 4.5 Competition Strengths Irrespective of the last comment made within the last section, the competition to NWMG does have some considerable areas of strength. Some of their main strengths emanate from their position of size and market dominance. For example, the economies of size[xv]and brand awareness give these businesses the financial and loyalty ability to be able to react positively and aggressively to any new market entrant. It is partly for these reasons that NWMG is seeking a partnership with an established brand to assist with the development of its business model. 4.6 Competition Weaknesses However, as has briefly referred to earlier, there are some weaknesses that attach to the competition as well. Foe example, the low area concentration of the North Wales population and the geographical structure of the region make it more difficult for theses larger stores to be able to find suitable stores to fulfil the standard criterion that is needed before development is commenced. Similarly, the governments current determination to regenerate rural communities is also having a restrictive impact on the major chain development programmes. Finally, the supermarket growth is particularly constrained by the regulatory conditions laid down by the monopolies commission in terms of limits to market share positions. These issues will assist NWMG by muting any negative response form these competitors to its entry into the convenience market sector. The proprietor of NWMG has used the market research conducted, in conjunction with other efforts, to endeavour to closely define the target market for the business. The result of this research conclusion is that the target market will be concentrated upon three main types of consumers. The first, and perhaps primary market segment will be the older age segmentation. The inherent difficulties in terms of cost and transportation that these people experience as a result of the loss of their local stores. This is in addition to the desire these people have to reviving local facilities. Secondly, there is the large segment of the population that is employed in rural areas. Because of the constraints of their employment, these people do not have the ability to be able to access distant stores with the same ease as those who are employed within a more suburban or town location. Whether they are employed or self-employed, this sector of the population do not afforded the luxury of being able to pop to the local store at lunchtime or during a break. The final segment of the population being targeted is the singles market. This includes single parents who cannot afford to spend the time travelling to distant stores due to their child commitments, such as school runs etc., an d those people who live on their own and do not wish to spend the time or expense travelling long distances to purchase a ready meal of few items of grocery needs. The local position of the North West Mobile Grocery mobile stores together with their ease of accessibility, predetermined time slots that will be maintained on a regular basis and the price competitiveness of the products is seen to be addressing the concerns and demands of all of these target segments. As seen from the attached cash flows, the owner intends to spend the first month organising the refurbishment and conversion of the vehicles used for the service, the estimated costs for which have already been provided. In addition, this time will also be spent in putting into place all of the other capital expenditure items and implementing the supply, administrative and management systems that are required for a business of this nature. From a retailing aspect, research will be conducted to enable the development of the initial time slot calendar and location rota, which will need to be established to ensure an efficient deployment of staff and vehicles. From the human resource aspect, the employees selected will need to have HGV licences but, as customer service is also an integral part of their duties, it is intended to that the necessary training is undertaken by these employees to ensure they can interact with the customers in an effective and appropriate manner, thus building a relationship that will enhance the business product and create a loyalty factor that will continue to improve customer retention. Another step in the initial development process for the business will be to address the issue of location parking. In addition to public parking availability it is also intended to enter into discussions with owners of Public Houses, elderly care homes, local farmers and local village community centres to assess the viability of these sites being used where appropriate. These have the added advantage of potentially attracting custom from those who frequent those establishments. As the business grows, the product range is likely to increase. Additionally, as customer relationships develop it is intended to introduce a limited request service that ensures the product range continues to reflect the products that customers require. Section  5 Sales and Marketing 5.1 Marketing Strategies As the intention is for the business to position itself as a time determined local convenience store, a major part of the marketing strategy is to deliver the vehicle to specific locations at time slots that equate to local needs. For example, in areas of higher employment, these would be prior to office hours, lunchtimes and after office hours. Similarly, for areas with a high concentration of elderly and family residents, the mid-morning and mid-afternoon time slots are perceived to be more appropriate. 5.2 Unique selling point The unique selling points of this particular business model, apart from the intention for the retailing opportunity to be where the consumer needs it at the time it is needed, is to maintain a competitive price, service and product range advantage. The partnership connection is particularly important in regards to the first and last of these advantages in that it will enable NWMG to keep prices at a level where the differential between these and distant store prices will be offset by the cost and time saving of making such a trip. 5.3 Media, promotion strategy and advertising campaign Because of the nature and geographic area of the business, the media and promotional strategy will be localised, using newspaper, local radio and TV stations to promote the business. The approach will be further enhanced with the delivery of direct flyers, which will introduce the service and market research conducted through local questionnaires and interviews. This type of direct consumer feedback is considered to be essential for both the establishment of and future growth of the business. It also allows for the employees to begin to develop a customer relationship, whilst at the same time assisting the business in determining that it’s strategy is delivering to customer needs and satisfaction. 5.5 Budget The budget details for the sales and marketing programme are addressed in more details within the cash flow projections. However, because of the localised nature of the business and the direct interaction with customers that will be achieved during retailing activities and the market research programme, it is not considered that a substantial budget will be required for this area of the business overheads. In this area also, in addition to comparing actual with budget coats, a system for monitoring the return on marketing expense will be maintained The predominant owner of this business will the author this report, who intends to invest  £30,000 of his own capital into the project. With the objective of forming a partnership with large grocery brand distributor or retailer, it is anticipated that this partner will be offered a position on the board of the limited company. The responsibility will be shared by these board members in the following manner. With regard to the day-to-day business activities and development, the author will be responsible for this areas. The new board members will have responsibility for product development and assisting in the development of the business retailing strategy for the future. In addition to senior management, the business will employ four full time personnel. All of these employees will be required to have HGV licences and, as previously indicated, undergo customer relationship training. The employees will work in pairs on the two vehicles, dividing the responsibility of driving and retailing appropriately, with required rest periods being taken during the times when the vehicles are at a static location. To ensure that the required hours of employment are maintained the proprietor, who has an HGV licence, will act as a relief driver for part of the week on each vehicle. It is anticipated that the above management and employee structure will serve the business during the course of the first year years of operation. Where required, other expertise will be engaged on an â€Å"as and when† required basis to deal with legal, accounting and taxation issues that affect the business. Section  6 – Financial considerations 6.1 Pricing strategy Although, due to the additional costs of transportation, staff, economies of scale and other overhead cost that attach to the type of business being operated by NWMG it will not be possible to maintain prices as low as those offered by supermarkets, as mentioned earlier, through the facilities offered by the intended partnership connection, including the economies of scale this provides, the pricing of products will be maintained at a competitive level for the local consumption and will largely by offset by savings that consumers achieve from lessening distant shopping trips. 6.2 Projected sales In terms of the projection for sales, it is anticipated that the business will experience a reasonably significant rise in sales revenue within the first six to nine months of operations. From the position at the end of the first year the objective is to achieve an annual sales increase of around two and a quarter times in year two and approximately a third in year three. Although part of these sales progressions will come from product range and price increases, most of the increase will result from the business attracting an increased customer bases and encouraging additional purchases. The progression from year four onwards is likely to demand an increase in the number of routes covered, which will require additional vehicles and staff levels. All of these intentions have been incorporated within the projected cash flow forecasts and account statements that are attached in appendices one to three at the conclusion of this plan. 6.2 Other financial considerations As can be seen from the cash flows, the majority of the capital investment for the business will be required within the initial months of trading. In total, these capital costs can be identified as follows: Retail equipment includes chip and pin and remote stock control programmes. Of this capital  £27,000 of the vehicle is intended to be met through the provision of a six year hire purchase agreement, with the balance of the funding being achieved through the initial capital investments. As a point of interest, it is also intended to replace the business vehicles on a four year cycle, using the asset replacement fund, as this will maintain the professional image of the business and reduce the amount of maintenance costs expended during their usage. The total financial requirement of the business is  £75,000, which is anticipated to be met by a  £25,000 investment from the proprietor and the remainder from the partnering organisation. In exchange for the partner’s investment, they will receive 45% of the business shares and the remainder of their investment will form the basis of the share premium account noted on the balance sheets. Appendices Appendix 1 – Cash Flow Forecasts Notes to the cash flow Number of weeks is counted by reference to the number of Saturdays in the month No account has been taken for VAT and Corporation tax at this stage Product price increases have not been taken into account as it is considered that these will be offset by increased costs A contingency amount of 1% has been allowed to account for any unexpected expenses North Wales Mobile Grocery Service Cash Flow Forecast Year to April 2009

Emily Dickinson :: essays research papers

The complex fate of human beings in this tragic yet beutiful world and the possible fortunes of the human spirit in a subsequent life is what interests us all in life, and this is the central theme in most of Emily Dickinsons work. In her enticing poetry, Emily establishes a dialectical relationship between reality and imagination, the known and the unknown. By ordering the stages of life to include death and eternity, Dickinson suggests the interconnected and mutually determined nature of the finite and infinite. She aims to elucidate the incomprehensible, life, death, and the stages of existence. The subjects of life and death have been a traditional theme in poetry and they are central to most of Dickinsons poems. Love and ecstacy are also primary in her poems and they are often cconcerned with celestial betrothal. In the poem "Death is a subtle suitor", Dickinson illustrates the love-death symbolism, an explicit rendering of deatyh as the lover who transports her in his carriage to be married in a proxy wedding. Dickinson uses the metaphor of a funeral as the wedding journey to eternity, setting up a system of correspondences between the changes brought about by death ans the changes in role of the unnamed partners in this spiritual love game. 'Death', to be sure, is not the true bridegroom but a surrogare, which accounts for his minor role. He is the envoy taking her on this curously premature wedding journey to the heavenly alter whre she will be mariied to God. When 'Death ' first appears as a suitor she changes from a girl to a blushing virgin. This must be a 'stealthy Wooing,' for though she knows it will result ina glorious new status for her, she is vaguely aware that it will mean a renunciation of all the world she has known. She shows a maidenly resereve by the manner in which she forces to conduct his courtship, by 'palid imnnuendoes' and a 'dim' approach.' But he does win at last and attains his goal, for he is a 'supple Suitor'. The second change comes twith great suddenness for it is the kiss of death, transforming her from virgin to bride, or at least the betrothed. Then 'Death' bears her away 'in triumph,' both from a substitute wedding and towards a final one, to the sound of 'brave Bugles' such as would accounce a royal merriage, or the Day of Doom.

Humorous Wedding Speech by the Father of the Groom -- Wedding Toasts R

Humorous Wedding Speech by the Father of the Groom Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen - I must admit, I am more nervous about participating in this wedding than I was as the groom (bridegroom) at my own wedding. Maybe it's because I have been married thirty years and I know what my son is getting himself in to! Joking aside, I've had a wonderful marriage and I would like to remind David and Arba that it's a serious business, and shouldn't be entered into lightly - although, at his weight, my son certainly isn't doing that. So how can the happy couple ensure a happy marriage? A lot of advice has already come their way, some which may be of use, some of it may not. For me, the key appears to be understanding women and how they communicate. I've always found the following a good guide: If the word "nothing" is uttered, this actually means "something" and you should be on your to...

We Must Search for Alternatives to Animal Testing Essays -- Alternativ

Polio was once rampant all over the world and President Roosevelt, among many others , fought the war with this disease. Dr. Jonas Salk was the one who discovered a cure for this disease thanks to animal research but is animal research always beneficial? â€Å"Treat others as you would want to be treated,† is what the Golden Rule has taught us for many years. Should we not treat animals the same way we want to be treated in return? The topic of animals being used in medical research has been controversial for many years. One side of the argument says that using animals is the only way to safely test a product before it reaches the public, but others say alternatives should be pursued. Despite the medical discoveries animal testing has shown, alternative methods should be used whenever possible since some experiments have caused pain to animals and have been unsuccessful when the same products were used on humans. For hundreds of thousands of years animals have been used to further the knowledge in medical research and technology. The first recorded use of animals in experimentation was in 450 B.C.E. when Alcmaeon Croton severed the optic nerve of a dog and blindness resulted (Von Stein). Experiments continued as Greek and Roman civilization continued to develop. Around the fifth century during the Dark Ages and the Fall of Rome, animal experimentation began to disappear in Europe. It was during the Italian Renaissance when experimentation revived again with technological advances (Von Stein). Experimentation of this time was considered cruel and barbaric since anesthesia has not yet been created and animals were not given anything to ease the pain. Still since animals shared physiological and genetic characteristics wit... ... Jan. 2010. http://www.issues.abc-clio.com. Fano, Alix. â€Å"Chemical Testing on Animals Is Unreliable.† At Issue: Animal Experimentation. Ed. Cindy Mur. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. N. pag. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 17 Dec. 2009. http://find.galegroup.com/â€Å'ovrc/ Haugen, David M. â€Å"Product Testing on Animals Is Cruel and Unnecessary.† At Issue: Animal Experimentation. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. N. pag. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 17 Dec. 2014. Lawrence, Corey. â€Å"Animal Testing is Essential for Medical Research.† At Issue: Animal Experimentation. Ed. Cindy Mur. San Diego: Greenhaven, 2004. N. pag. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 5 Jan. 2010. Von Stein, Thomson. Chronological Outline of a History of Knowledge and Beliefs http://history-of-knowledge.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/1-23-11chron.161205822.pdf

Global Issues in Strategic Management

What is strategic management? Global Strategy is just one part of the larger subject of Strategic Management. Typically in many strategic management textbooks, International and Global Strategy appears as one of the chapter alongside many others – for example, it's chapter 19 in my book. Take the Blackberry RIM range of mobile phones. This Canadian company has been very successful, so far, in terms of its international and global strategy.But it began by using the basic principles of strategic management – customer focus on the business customer, competitive advantage through its focus on the easy email access, resource-based analysis based on its patented technology – rather than anything specific to global strategy. But then Blackberry RIM added a global strategy – for example, its co-operation with the Reliance mobile network in India shown right – to add to the basic strategy. What this means is that many of the basic principles of Strategic Man agement – customer focus, competitive advantage, resource-based analysis, etc. are also fundamental to the development of International and Global Strategy. The purpose of this section of the website is therefore to offer a brief summary of some of the main elements. Clearly, it is not possible to cover all the material set out in an 800-page text. Here, we highlight some key areas and principles. First, we summarise the two main strategic processes – prescriptive and emergent – and mention some of the background theories that underpin them.Second, we present video summaries of some selected chapters from my book StrategicManagement 5th Edition which explore the main areas in more depth. You may like to know that the four previous editions of the book were called Corporate Strategy: we changed the title for the fifth edition to reflect changes in strategy thinking since the publication of the first edition in 1997. Background to strategic management development In reality, strategic management is a relatively young subject.It has its roots in the economic and social theories of the 1930s and 1940s – perhaps even earlier. But it only really began to emerge as a separate topic in the 1960s and 1970s. Even today, there is only partial agreeement on the fundamental principles of strategic management with many views, ideas and concepts. This makes the topic interesting and challenging. But it also means that there is no fully accepted body of knowledge unlike, for example, mechanical engineering or organic chemistry.According to one recent authoritive survey amongst academic strategists (Nag et al,Strategic Management Journal, 2007, Vol 28, pages 935-955), there are two main streams of thought related to strategic process: prescriptive (or intended) strategic processes and emergent strategic processes. The authors produced the following definition from their survey over the period 1983-2004: ‘The field of strategic management deals with the major intended and emergent initiatives taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of resources, to enhance the performance of firms in their external environments. ‘

Walking Alone – Original Writing

Dew clings to the harsh pale grass. The cool droplets of water stick to my bare legs as I brush past, silently, stealthily. Where am I going? It'll come back to me in a moment. I'll just follow my instinct. Right, if I'm automatically taking this direction to Wherever, then this is the right way. Wearing my jacket was a good idea. I had to rummage to find it. I can't remember the last time I wore it. I can't even remember when I was last out of town for a weekend. That would be nice; a weekend out with a few friends- not that I'd ask. They'd probably be busy anyway. Ok, I cannot get distracted. I shall walk on. Left, right, left, right. I'm starting to enjoy this monotony. Yes, this is rather pleasant, rather agreeable. I look around for some sort of landmark, or something to help me recognise where I am. I won't admit to being lost because that would call into the question of my destination, which, to be honest, is still unbeknownst to me. I'll just meander along this way. God, I'm knackered, I could use a chocolate bar. Yes, a chocolate bar is what I need, along with a nice drink. But not until I get there, I must keep on going. Oh, a house. It's a tall looming house, with ivy crawling over it, its brambles resembling long green tendrils, or fingers, curling crispy and brown at the tips. What's that scuttling across the front porch? A grubby, greasy blur darts past. I lean forward as if to grab it, but it's gone before I'm even close. I force myself upwards, and see a door in front of me. The faded red paint is flaking. I reach my hand towards it and absentmindedly begin to peel it back. I wonder why I've never seen this house before. I wonder why I haven't seen any of this area before whatsoever. A chill overcomes me, engulfing me in a stuttering shudder. It's cold, and late. It must be gone five in the morning by now. Oh well. A bleak throng of clouds tumble over the night's sky, devouring any lingering traces of warmth. I pull my jacket tighter around me and shiver again, glancing around, praying, pleading, for some form of refuge. The house is not an option, it's someone's home. I can't break in. Not now, anyway. I trudge towards a large wooden gate. I thwack it open, shocking myself as I do so. An ear-piercing screech of pain comes from the gate, like a toddler protesting against eating the remnants of her cereal. I guess my thwacking skills aren't quite up to par, the gate's stuck. What now? Onwards again? Alright, I'll stomp my feel around a bit to restore some warmth to my pathetic shell of a body. That's better, slightly. Argh, my eyes! Some plonker has his headlights on full and he's facing me head-on. Perhaps I should step out the way. Oh, he's slowing down. My rescuer, maybe? That would be nice†¦ What the hell do you think you were doing, standing in the middle of the road at this ungodly hour? † â€Å"I see spots†¦. † I whimper. The man's face is weathered and tired. It reminds me of Father Christmas, now he's a lovely bloke. A dreamy smile is wafting onto my face. The man looks at me as if I'm deranged and creepy, and then accelerates off into the night. I'm shivering. I am literally shivering. I desperately need shelter before I get pneumonia. That house. That old, ruinous house. I turn around, stumbling over a rock. There it is, standing tall and imposing, yet strangely familiar. Whoever owns it has made a hapless attempt at remodelling it, adding a modern extension and painting the wall. Well, some of it at least. The path has deep, cavernous cracks and so I have to be careful not to cut my bare feet on the fragments. A desolate flowerbox hangs by a window, the flowers long dead. I examine it closer, noting the what-used-to-be-dark-green-but-is-now-discoloured-pale-turquoise crusty paint on the criss-crossed wood. Again, I feel a faint wave of familiarity- like an echo from the past. With a shudder I glance around fleetingly for a side entrance. A swing. An old, plastic-y swing, with faded yellow rope, neglected and left to rot in the grass for the next millennia. A child's laughter, my laughter. A hot summer morning: we were having a barbeque. I swung on this swing. I lived in this house. The memories come flooding, hitting me with a wave of nausea. I look up at the house, my house, my poor, poor house. Mutilated, derelict, left piteously to ruin. It's ugly, horrific. My once beautiful house is looking like a dump. This grass was once green, and this porch was once magnificently up kept. Memories. I now know why I didn't recognise it at first. All those memories, those awful memories, blocked out for all these years. I clutch my head and keel over, onto the callous ground. There is an immense pressure on my head. Bottled up for all these years, it's finally unleashed on me again. I convulse and vomit, thus further disfiguring the house. Another sharp burst of pain in my side. I'm in agony, reliving the past. I'm dying. I'm dying at the place of my birth; whoever came up with the Circle of Life must be smug. I convulse one more time and pass out, my head in a fug of trapped memories, waiting to be recollected.

Importance of Fungi

Importance of Fungi: Fungi are  eukaryotic  organisms distinct from plants and animals and members of several other smaller kingdoms. Common fungi include mushrooms, conks, corals, jellies, puffballs, stinkhorns, morels, cups, truffles, lichens, yeasts, rusts, smuts, bread molds, mildews, and molds on bathroom tiles. In 1959, R. H. Whittaker introduced a five-kingdom taxonomy that granted fungi equal status with plants and animals. The five-kingdom system has been supplanted by a multiple-kingdom classification, and species traditionally treated as fungi are now distributed across several kingdoms.Those believed to form a  monophyletic lineage  are assigned to kingdom Eumycota (often called kingdom Fungi). Mycology, the science devoted to fungi, still covers all traditional fungi. Fungi are considered as one of the most prolific types of life on earth, which are found nearly everywhere around us. There are many different types of fungi some of which are very beneficial for ma nkind. It has immense economic applications and plays a major role in producing a number of products such as drugs, antibiotics penicillin, contraceptives, food, mushrooms, morels, cheeses, alcoholic beverages, and soybeans.Fungi have a profound biological and economic impact. As decomposers, plant pathogens, and symbiotic partners, their ability to grow anywhere, on anything, makes them both beneficial and harmful recyclers of carbon and nitrogen. Beneficially, they are used as food (mushrooms, truffles) and in baking and brewing (yeasts). They are being developed to detoxify pollutants (soil fungi), control insects (pathogenic Zygomycota), and regulate plant growth (pathogenic Ascomycota).Detrimentally, rusts, smuts, and molds cost billions of dollars through crop disease and spoilage while forest pathogens such as the honey mushroom (  Armillaria ostoyae  ) and root-butt rot (  Heterobasidion annosum  ) similarly threaten the timber industry. Some are toxic when eaten, su ch as the infamous destroying angel (  Amanita phalloides  ). Natural LSD, a hallucinogen produced by ergot (  Claviceps purpurea  ), is associated with medieval hysterical frenzies produced by consumption of infected grain, and the  aflatoxin  produced by  Aspergillus flavus  in improperly stored grain is one of the most potent carcinogens yet discovered.As human and animal pathogens, fungi cause infections that range from the vexing (athlete's foot, yeast infections) to life threatening (histoplasmosis). Fortunately, other fungi (such as  Penicillium  ) have been used to develop modern antibiotics and beneficial  immunosuppressants  . Recycling Fungi, together with bacteria, are responsible for most of the recycling which returns dead material to the soil in a form in which it can be reused. Without fungi, these recycling activities would be seriously reduced. We would effectively be lost under piles many metres thick, of dead plant and animal remains. Food Fungi are also important directly as food for humans. Many mushrooms are edible and different species are cultivated for sale worldwide. While this is a very small proportion of the actual food that we eat, fungi are also widely used in the production of many foods and drinks. These include cheeses, beer and wine, bread, some cakes, and some soya bean products. While a great many wild fungi are edible, it can be difficult to correctly identify them. Some mushrooms are deadly if they are eaten. Fungi with names such as ‘Destroying Angel' and ‘Death Cap' give us some indication that it would not be a terribly good idea to eat them!In some countries, collecting wild mushrooms to eat is a popular activity. It is always wise to be totally sure that what you have collected is edible and not a poisonous look-a-like. Medicines Penicillin, perhaps the most famous of all antibiotic drugs, is derived from a common fungus called Penicillium. Many other fungi also produce antibiotic substances, which are now widely used to control diseases in human and animal populations. The discovery of antibiotics revolutionized health care worldwide. Some fungi which parasitise caterpillars have also been traditionally used as medicines.The Chinese have used a particular caterpillar fungus as a tonic for hundreds of years. Certain chemical compounds isolated from the fungus may prove to be useful treatments for certain types of cancer. A fungus which parasitises Rye crops causes a disease known as Ergot. The fungus can occur on a variety of grasses. It produces small hard structures, known as sclerotia. These sclerotia can cause poisoning in humans and animals which have eaten infected material. However, these same sclerotia are also the source of a powerful and important drug which has uses in childbirth. Food SpoilageIt has already been noted that fungi play a major role in recycling organic material. The fungi which make our bread and jam go moldy are only recycling orga nic matter, even though in this case, we would prefer that it didn't happen! Fungal damage can be responsible for large losses of stored food, particularly food which contains any moisture. Dry grains can usually be stored successfully, but the minute they become damp, moulds are likely to render them inedible. This is obviously a problem where large quantities of food are being produced seasonally and then require storage until they are needed.Types of Fungi Moulds and Yeast . Moulds The cotton-like mass grown on fruits, animal dung, leather goods or bread in a warm and humid climate is known as a mould. E. g. Mucor and Rhizopus . General Structure- †¢They have a network of transparent structures called as hyphae. †¢The entire mass of such threads is called as mycelin. Nutrition – They obtain their food from the substratum on which they grow. Respiration – they acquire aerobic respiration. Reproduction in moulds is both asexual and sexual. †¢Asexual rep roduction in moulds occurs by the method of columella. Sexual reproduction in moulds occurs by the method of conjugation. Yeast Yeast is a one-celled microorganism growing all around us and on us. It grows when it has food and water, and suspends growth when it does not. In suspended animation, it is light enough to be blown by the wind, like a seed. If there is water and food where it lands, it will reproduce and continue the cycle. It is also on human skin and can be transferred to food through contact, with clean or dirty hands. Yeast has been exploited by humans for thousands  to make bread, beer and wine. It does so by turning sugar into alcohol and gas to gain energy.