Physical Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Physical Environment - Essay Example A child being in his early stage of life and mostly in learning phase is affected by the kind of environment where he spends most of his time, if the physical environment is attractive and nicely presentable then it helps the child in building his confidence and develop a taste for neatness and a systematic approach towards any thing that he comes across. If the physical environment is shabby and not presentable enough, it can have negative impact on child's psychology and can thus invoke negative thoughts in him. It can hinder his overall growth as an individual. So the physical environment in the classroom should be designed appropriately so as to cater to needs of teachers as well as students and should have a fruitful impact on the student's mentality and overall growth. Through observation, description, and reflection on their own and P-12 students' prior experience, learning styles, strengths, and needs, the preliminary candidate recognizes that students differ in their approaches to learning. It was a kindergarten class of 10 studen... Do you think that the physical environment is important to student success Why or why not. Definitely the physical environment is one of the basic ingredients of student's success; it is this physical environment only which helps a student To develop his psychology negative or positive, depending upon the type of physical environment he is having in his class. A child being in his early stage of life and mostly in learning phase is affected by the kind of environment where he spends most of his time, if the physical environment is attractive and nicely presentable then it helps the child in building his confidence and develop a taste for neatness and a systematic approach towards any thing that he comes across. If the physical environment is shabby and not presentable enough, it can have negative impact on child's psychology and can thus invoke negative thoughts in him. It can hinder his overall growth as an individual. So the physical environment in the classroom should be designed appropriately so as to cater to needs of teachers as well as students and should have a fruitful impact on the student's mentality and overall growth. Step 3: Learners Mid-Preparation Benchmark 1.2.2 Human Development Mid-Preparation Benchmark 1.2.3 Through observation, description, and reflection on their own and P-12 students' prior experience, learning styles, strengths, and needs, the preliminary candidate recognizes that students differ in their approaches to learning. Objective Description Give an over-all description of the students in the classroom: number, gender, diversity, culture, race, exceptionalities, special needs, socio-economic status, etc. It was a kindergarten class

Marketing Issues Facing the HSBC Bank in the UK

Marketing Issues Facing the HSBC Bank in the UK Key marketing issues facing HSBC Bank in the United Kingdom and globally: How it can be improved for entering in to 2011 Abstract Todays global banking environment is highly volatile, but this does not hinder competition from being intense. Consequently, organisations such as HSBC Bank plc, the worlds local bank, need to align their marketing strategies to improve on their brand value and positioning. To enter into the year 2011, they need to address both internal and external environment(s) which inevitably affect their competitive advantage, positioning and performance. In the following, the researcher aims to explore these avenues with the view to propose an extended study on new strategies to improve upon HSBCs current standing. Table of contents Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Methodology Chapter 3: Literature Review Chapter 4: Evidence Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations References Appendices Introduction In the last few years, the banking industry has undergone tremendous change in the face of global transformation. As a result, executives are finding it difficult to meet competitive challenges as the pressure to become global intensifies. HSBC Bank plc, headquartered in United Kingdom, is a global business which faces the same challenge and is being investigated in the following dissertation. The aim is to survey the key marketing issues that challenge the bank, in the UK and globally so that the researcher could further its study in developing solutions for the same. Some of the objectives that the researcher aims to achieve in this dissertation proposal are as follows: Objectives 1. To explore key external and internal environments to address major issues that plague HSBC to function successfully as a global bank. 2. To identify the marketing mix that should be adopted to be integrated in the banks marketing and competitive strategies. 3. To investigate organisational functions like MIS (Management Information System) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to align them with the market structure. 4. To evaluate the brand value at HSBC, and perhaps identify new strategies for improving its global positioning. Background Today, change catalysts are being integrated by major consolidated organisations to adapt and become flexible to the changing needs of consumers. The banking industry, likewise, has been following the same trend of consolidation through mergers and acquisitions (MA), despite the fact that these MAs are creating even more complex organisations. This can be gauged from HSBCs organisational spread. HSBC has over 100 million customer base, spread across the globe through its Customer and Global businesses. With 9,500 offices and 335,000 staff in 85 countries and territories, it is considered to be one of the worlds top financial brands by The Banker Magazine (HSBC Official Web site 2008). While it is regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK, the global nature of its operation subjects it to be regulated by 510 central banks and authorities around the world as well (HSBC Official Web site 2008). To ensure that HSBC meets global challenges, the bank has been constantly evolv ing its strategy. For the past decade, it has focussed on being the worlds local bank with a wide network spread to mostly international emerging markets to develop unique cosmopolitan customer base to strengthen its financial standing. The four key business areas private banking, commercial banking, personal financial services and global banking markets help HSBC to align its presence with global trends such as fast growing emerging markets, world trade, and longevity in business (See Appendix 1). In line with this focus, is the strategy to leverage brand and network to increase revenues and maximise efficiency (HSBC Official Web site 2008). This conservative positioning strategy had been adopted for the past decade and has paid off in terms of higher earnings, and improved performance (BBC 2001). However, recently there has been a fall in profit earning (UK Annual Report 2007)(See Appendix 2), which has been translated to low performance. Some of the factors that have afflicted the bank include inflation in developed markets; slow down in emerging economies; and the ongoing credit crunch, especially in the UK and neighbouring Europe (HSBC Annual Results 2007; Toxic Shock 2008). The growing importance of globalisation only emphasises on the need for integrating marketing strategies within competitive strategies to leverage future performance. According to a Deloitte report (2007), banks like HSBC, with a global focus, need to understand external and internal factors that affect them, in order to devise comprehensive competitive strategy. While experts (Dietz, Reibestein, and Walter 2008) predict growth in global banking revenues estimated at 7 to 8 percent from 2006 to 2016, how to harness this forecast is dependent on the individual firms strategy. For this purpose, HSBC need to revise its strategic orientation. The purpose of research is to gain new knowledge through logical and systematic methods. According to Smith (1981 qt. Gliner and Morgan 2000), research is a broad discipline which must be carefully examined before adopting methods for evaluation. Whether the researcher chooses the naturalistic, experimental, survey or historical methods, the choice should be consistent with the inquiry defined. Accordingly, research approaches in the social science discipline can be divided into the positivist or quantitative, and constructivist or qualitative approach (Mangan, Lalwani and Gardner 2004). Depending on the quantitative or qualitative paradigm, a researcher must choose the approach of research. A quantitative paradigm is associated with scientific methods in acquiring research results and identifies causal relationships (Phillips 1992; Lincoln and Guba 1985 qt. Gliner and Morgan 2000). On the other hand, the qualitative approach is a constructivist approach that studies humans and physi cal objects with the meanings inherent in their social roles and symbolism. Considering the qualitative nature of the topic, the researcher proposes to adopt a constructivist approach which would be more appropriate in exploring the issues that affect HSBC. This is a logical proposition as it would allow the researcher to predict the causes and market behaviour based on theoretical frameworks studied through comprehensive literature review, a gist of which shall be explored in the next section. Furthermore, the researcher proposes this choice of research approach based on the premise that social science researches often seek to predict and control (Bryman 1995). Research questions raised are often open-ended and encompass extensive avenues before decisions can be made. Therefore, a qualitative method shall be suitable for the study of key issues challenging HSBC in the future. To take a brief overview of banking, the researcher has carried out a brief literature review to study the issues that surround the organisation. In the following section, the researcher shall explore the current market environment, as well as attempt to understand it through theoretical frameworks. Banking Industry As the worlds banking industry globalises and consolidates, cross border investment barriers have fallen to give way to new and volatile markets. To serve evolving markets, banks have been observed to develop new competitive strategies that capitalise on operations, resources and functionality, and serve new types of customers. The challenge for banks today is the geopolitical risks and structural market challenges which they need to adapt to, for addressing international compliance of standards, demographic shifts, and developing relationships with customers. The diversified nature of the banking environment makes it difficult for global organisations, like HSBC, to focus. A global bank can be defined as having the widest reach in providing services to affiliates, while a local bank has narrower reach in provision of services to institutions in the country. Some of the challenges that affect these organizations are explored below: 1) External Environment The basic premise for gaining competitive advantage in a global environment according to experts like Porter (1990) and Weihrich (1982), is through formulation of strategies that reflect the conceptual framework of the TOWS Matrix (See Appendix 3). The TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths) Matrix is a systematic analysis model which identifies factors that surround the industry, and, thereafter, help identify solutions by maximising opportunities and strengths. By identifying the competitive advantage against competitors, the industry or firm can maximise the attributes it posses at the international level. These competitive advantages can be factor conditions such as skilled labour or infrastructure; demand conditions such as demand of the product or service; related and supporting industries; and firm strategy, structure and rivalry (Porter 1990). However, critics are of the view that Porters formula does not provide the key to success (O’Shaughnessy 1996) as it does not address operational and environmental issues like culture, competitive advantage in emerging markets; political and national history; or role of government. In todays global banking environment, these issues play critical roles (Jones 2005). These are evident from the Deloitte report (2007) on key issues challenging the banking industry, which include off-shoring; local insights for global branching; cost-reduction; emergence of hedge funds; and complex anti-money laundering regulations (Deloitte 2007). Not only is the global business environment of today strived with uncertainty due to emerging markets participation (Fahy 1993; Bansal and Penza 2000), but also the technological, political and regulatory environments have heightened competition. In the past decade, HSBC has focussed its competitive strategy on Europe after the slow down in Asia-Pacific region. Europe is an ideal setting for international integration based on a single market program (Berger, Smith, and Judge 2003; HSBC 2008). There are, however, issues that hinder development and competition including loyalty to local banks, regulatory restrictions, demand for global banking services, and technological advancement of banks. As a result, HSBC needs to rethink its current strategy. 2) Internal Environment As a result of the above factors, the internal environment of global banks has to be revolutionised. At the forefront is the adage the customer is king. Global banks are changing their strategies to alter banking environment congruent to customers needs, rights and choices. Services and products are tailored to the living conditions and customer patterns of banking use. These conditions set off alternative marketing strategies that emphasise on individuality and relationship building. Investment in technology, skills and branch networks, for example, has helped traditional banks to grow and profit from new sources of income (Jayawardhena and Foley 2000). In the UK, especially, the scale of investment in knowledge management and technology has helped transform the banking industry to succinctly harness potential businesses and create advantage for organisations. Learning organisations, however, is still a relatively new concept for many to understand and appreciate its implications (H arris 2002). Besides the above, global banks are also undergoing structural changes. As more and more banks become global, the traditional role of retail banking has to be revisited. (Bansal and Penza 2000).Issues that affect HSBC like credit and market risks, competence and expertise have come to the forefront, as banks diversify their businesses. For these reasons HSBC needs to be prepared for change management in its internal environment. 3) The Marketing Mix Given the diversified nature of the global banking industry, Jagersmas report (2006) suggests that banks need to rethink marketing strategies to meet the challenges in the future by improving customer focus, innovating products, pricing products competitively and organising product information for its strategic positioning. The challenge that awaits organisations is to rethink strategic objectives that would align with the new environment. One approach is to develop a visual identity and develop a communication network to establish relationships with customers. The communication strategy would be the life line for the organisations strategy in adapting or changing its market context or other environmental alterations, according to Melewar, Bassett, and Simoes (2006). Similarly, Gummesson (2002) is of the view that relationship marketing is the new approach to marketing that focuses on customer, suppliers and organisations in a complex network environment or society. It is only throug h these new communication frameworks that the banking sector can address the core and brand values it has to develop for successful marketing mix. (See Appendix 4) HSBC needs to re-evaluate its marketing mix in order to generate newer ones. 4) Market Segmentation and Targeting Indeed, the nature of the marketing mix is no longer simply the 4 Ps of Price, Product, Position and Promotion but involves complex analysis of the target market and its segments. In fact, Papasolomou and Vrontis (2006) are of the view that todays banking organisations have different sets of customers and expectations. Customers are no longer limited to the walk-in type, but extend to internal customers such as employees, stakeholders and shareholders; service delivery is not limited to providing service, but extends to standards and expectations; development involves training and development in motivation, and inspiration; and employee incentives. To be successful, organisations must adopt alternative strategies. Market segmentation in the banking industry has changed from niche segments to accumulated customer base of corporate, private or commercial customers, although the principles for targeting them remain the same customer relationship building; ease of access; delivery of se rvice through diverse workforce; and collaborative banking strategies. As a result, banks like HSBC would need to improve upon customer focus, introduce new ideas to customers and drive aggressive campaigns (Wells Fargo and First Direct 2007) using a strong communication network (Berner and Kiley 2005) to build brand image. 5) MIS and CRM What differentiates and establishes brands depends on the power of the brand to communicate its value to the market. According to Sinek (2008), successful communication is dependent on the banks ability to offer different products and services reflective of the customers needs. Hence, branding alone would not differentiate banks, but the humanness of the banks philosophy would. Thus, Umpqua Bank and FirstDirects popularity with customers is due to their understanding of the need for convenient banking, need for alternative products and services, and their understanding of the ever-changing world of banking. By harnessing the online banking technology, direct banking has become possible to their customers. The attractiveness of these banks to their customers is inherent in the shift away from traditional transaction-based to customer based banking (Branching out 2007). Furthermore, banks have also capitalised on technological networks to expand globally to bring customers closer to their banks by defying geographical dispersion (Lefton 1997; Branching out 2007). However, in the process, issues like outsourcing labour to foreign regions, which are alien to the customers, and low quality service delivery compromise the overall expectations. Banks, especially, rely on outsourcing companies for their customer service which constitutes a major part of their service/product delivery (Gottfredson and Phillips 2005). This reliance on external organisations for the banks success is volatile and, at times, detrimental to its relationship with customers. Whether HSBC should rely on these systems or not shall determine its performance in the future. 6) Brand Positioning The objective of competitive advantage is dependent on positioning of the product. A firms communication strategy and its effectiveness depend on the positioning strategies. In marketing strategies for service-oriented brands, positioning is even more critical as it modifies the intangible perceptions of the service in relation to the competition (Blankson and Kalafatis 2007). For these reasons, strategic implications of brand positioning are critical for the organisations competitive strategy. Service positioning differs from tangible product positioning as its characteristics are different from physical goods. Customers differentiate the service from goods through communication, standard of service delivery, and the quality of the benefits reaped. Thus, marketing communication plays a vital role in establishing the marketing positioning of brands. Consequently, Papasolomou and Vrantis (2006) emphasise on the importance of internal marketing throughout branch network to strengthen r elationship marketing and the brand. In banking, this could be achieved by launching internal marketing campaigns to sustain the brand through employees and their experiences such as brand proposition, overcoming internal barriers, continual improvement and expansion. These HSBC needs to explore in to incorporate into its future strategies. From the above brief literature review, the researcher is of the view that HSBC, as a global bank, faces tremendous challenges in the near future to improve upon its marketing strategy. The above literature also suggests that, while the current marketing strategy has been successful in launching the HSBC in the international market, the bank needs to revise and develop its marketing strategies which would sustain HSBC in global environment. Issues that plague the worlds global banking industry need to be evaluated in the future study to understand the extent and breadth to which HSBC has complied with, before competitive strategies can be evaluated. The brief literature review also indicates that todays marketing strategies are different from traditional methods adopted, especially for a service-oriented organisation. Consequently, marketing strategies for HSBC needs to be re-valuated to gauge its future performance, and perhaps devise new ones to address current and future issues. Issues like MIS, CRM, brand positioning and marketing mix shall be revisited in this extended dissertation in order to tackle the issues that plague its internal and external environment. From the above evidence, the researcher proposes an extended study in the form of a dissertation to review HSBC’s performance and how it can improve upon its current marketing strategy in order to develop an integrative competitive strategy for the future. Considering the fast-paced and highly volatile banking environment of the UK and globally, HSBC needs to improve its performance in order to sustain competition. With the extended study, the researcher hopes to achieve the following objectives: a. A detailed investigation of the external and internal environment of HSBC in order to identify its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. b. Identify the marketing mix that it should adopt and integrate within its organizational strategies to enter into 2011. c. To study the current organisational function such as MIS and CRM to the advantage of HSBC and integrate into its future marketing strategies. d. Improve on its current brand value and global positioning. Author not available (2008) Toxic shock: how the banking industry created a global crisis, Guardian [Online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/apr/08/creditcrunch.banking Author not available, (2007) Wells Fargo and First Direct lead the way in the banking sector. Strategic Direction, Vol. 23, No. 6, pp. 29-31. Author not available, (June 2007) Branching out. Economist, Vol. 383, Issue 8533. Bansal, V. and Penza, P. (2000) Measuring Market Risk with Value at Risk, John Wiley and Sons. BBC (August 2001) HSBC confounds doomsayers, BBC [Online] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1475589.stm Berger, A.N.; Smith, D. C.; and Judge, J. (November 2003) Global integration in the banking industry. Federal Reserve Bulletin. Berner, R. and Kiley, D. (August 2005) Special Report: The Best Global Brands. Business Week [Online] Available at: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_31/b3945098.htm Blankson, C. and Kalafatis, S. P. (2007) Positioning strategies of international and multicultural-oriented service brands. Journal of Services Marketing, 21/6 pp. 435–450 Bryman, A. (1995) Research Methods and Organization Studies. Routledge: London. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (2006) Global Banking Industry Outlook: Growth Solutions in a Changing World 2006. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu [Online] Available at: http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/research/0,1015,cid%3D116421,00.html Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (2007) Global Banking Industry Outlook: Issues on the horizon 2007. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, [Online] Available at: http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/research/0,1015,cid%3D116421,00.htm Dietz, M., Reibestein, R. and Walter, C. (January 2008) What’s in store for global banking, The McKinsey Quarterly. Fahy, J. (1993) An Analysis of Competition in the New Europe, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 27, No. 5, pp. 27, Gliner, J. A. and Morgan, G. A. (2000) Research Methods in Applied Settings: An Integrated Approach to Design and Analysis. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ. Gottfredson, M. and Phillips, S. (2005) A sourcing strategy for enhancing core capabilities. Strategy Leadership, VOL. 33 NO. 6, pp. 48-49. Gummesson, Evert. (2002) Total relationship marketing 2nd ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Harris, L. (2002) The learning organization myth or reality? The Learning Organization, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 78-88 HSBC Official Website [Online] Available at: http://www.hsbc.com/1/2/investor-relations/strategy Jagersma, P. K. (2006) Strategic marketing and the global banking industry: elements of excellence, Journal of Business Strategy. Vol. 27 Issue: 4 pp. 50 59 Jayawardhena, C. and Foley, P. (2000) Changes in the banking sector the case of Internet banking in the UK. Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, Volume 10 . Number 1 pp. 19Â ±30 Jones, G. (2005) Multinationals and Global Capitalism: From the Nineteenth to the Twenty-First Century. Oxford University Press: Oxford pp. 137. Lefton, T. March 1997) Spending global, acting local. Brandweek, Vol. 38, Issue 13. Lincoln Y. S., Guba E. G. (1985) Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Mangan, J.; Lalwani, C. and Gardner, B. (2004) Combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies in logistics research. International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, Vol. 34 No. 7, pp. 565-578 Melewar, T.C.; Bassett, K. and Simoes, C. (2006) The role of communication and visual identity in modern organisations. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 138-147. O’Shaughnessy, N. J. (1996) Michael Porter’s Competitive Advantage revisited. Management Decision, 34/6 pp. 12–20 Papasolomou, I. and Vrontis, D. (2006) Building corporate branding through internal marketing: the case of the UK retail bank industry. Journal of Product Brand Management, 15/1 pp. 37–47 Phillips D. C. (1992) The social scientists bestiary. Oxford, UK: Pergamon Press. Sinek, S. (January 2008) Chase Campaign Good for Banks For the Brand? Not So Much. Brandweek, Vol. 49, Issue 3. Smith M. L. ( 1981) Naturalistic research. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 59, 585-589. Weihrich, H. (1999) Analyzing the competitive advantages and disadvantages of Germany with the TOWS Matrix – an alternative to Porter’s Model. European Business Review, Volume 99 Number 1 pp. 9–22 Weihrich, H. (2008) The TOWS Matrix A Tool for Situational Analysis. Long Range Planning, [Online] Available at: http://www.usfca.edu/fac_staff/weihrichh/docs/tows.pdf Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4

The Boondoggle of Vouchers and School Choice :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

The Boondoggle of School Choice The summer before my freshman year of high school, my suburban school district decided to implement a new school choice program developed for the state of Massachusetts. It is a program-limited choice similar to many others around the country. Schools offer a certain number of spaces in each class for "choice students," that is, students from other towns who wish to attend the school. Students apply and enter a random lottery system. If they are chosen, they become legally-enrolled students at the new school. The costs of the program are covered by the child's hometown or subsidized by the state. The logic of the program (and all other choice programs) is that it offers students the ability to attend better schools than those in their hometowns. School choice is lauded as the great white hope of American education. "Let's give those kids a chance!" "Let's take control of our children's education!" Supporters claim that school choice will not only save our students, but it will also save our schools. Schools will be forced to improve their programs to remain competitive. Soon, all students will be attending the schools they want to, and all schools will be worthy of their students. School choice is the panacea for the problems of American education. Or at least that's what the proponents of the program tell us. Unfortunately, they leave out a few crucial points. School choice will not be the saving of the American mind. It is a desperate attempt to patch up the problems of our system by offering a few students a new option and calling it salvation. One is reminded of a great juggling act, where if a few students are shuffled around, we may not notice the others falling to the ground. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain . . . Let me stress that I am not speaking as a bitter product of the system who feels that school choice has hurt her educational experience. When it was first installed in our school, a number of parents, students and community members were outraged. They took a "not in my backyard" approach to the situation, bemoaning the influx of students from "bad schools." They thought that the innocence of our town would be lost, as students who were different from our sheltered community were admitted.

Poetry Analysis Essay

What types of things come to mind when you think about success? When I think of someone being a success I think of someone who achieved some type of goal or obtained an honor of some type. The three poems I found talk about what success means to each of the individual writers of these three poems. Each writer has their own personal opinion on what success means to them. These poems are all about success, but you will notice how they are all very different from one another. The first poem is called Success in the Twenty-First Century by Sharon Esther Lampert. This poem talks about all of the things in life we should accomplish before we die and all the things we need to be successful in our goals in life. When I read this poem it reminds me of the things that I have always wanted to do but am yet to accomplish. It is like the author is telling me life is too short to wait, I have to act on my dreams and goals now. Be who you are and do the things that make you happy because one day it will be too late. Success is a very hard thing to come by with all the different obstacles life throws at us all. Make a meaningful contribution to yourself† (Sharon), stay true to who you are and know that you can make it. This is the feeling and emotion I got from Success in the Twenty- First Century by Sharon Ester Lampert. Next is a poem titled Successful Failure by Robert William Service. In the beginning Robert says †I wonder if successful men are always happy? † When I was reading this poem I thought just because you have everything does not necessarily make you happy. The most successful people may have great wealth and nice belongings, but Robert makes a point in saying success can also be a failure. In the simple thought that maybe not being successful in everything is also a good thing. â€Å"Let cottage comfort be my lot with well-worn britches† (William) success is not measured in wealth, this poem made me see that success is being comfortable with who you are and what you have, whether it be success in small goals or large goals. Success should come with happiness not fame and riches. â€Å"I think of all I’ll never own,-I’m laughing† in other words be happy with what you have, some people never get to have half of what you have and they are happy with that. Lastly there is a poem by Emily Dickinson called Success is Counted Sweetest. This poem uses a few different metaphors explaining that those who succeed never truly appreciate it. On the other hand, the one who fails or lacks something is the one who truly appreciate success. These are the type of people who truly appreciate success and how wonderful it would be if they had succeeded. The dilemma in this poem is that those who strive longer to reach a point of success are the ones who appreciate their victory more â€Å"who took the flag today can tell the definition so clear of victory† (Emily). Those who almost succeed but do not can look at their near success as sweet. Think of it due to being so close to success but yet never fully got to the finish line, it’s a sweet feeling to know you were close. Like saying to enjoy nectar and to truly understand all the wonderful aspects of nectar and be satisfied by it not just to scarf it down â€Å"To comprehend a nectar requires sorest need. † (Emily) So have you thought about what success means to you? Success comes in all sorts of different types of forms. There are big success like becoming the CEO of a large company and there small victories like winning first place in a spelling competition, which we also call being successful. Although these poems describe success from different aspects, they all show the emotion behind the moments of success and victory. Success is never a negative thing, but it can become negative if you lose focus on who you are and why you wanted this success to begin with. Be successful for no one else but yourself, after all that is how we accomplish success, on our own. Success in the Twenty-First Century by Sharon Esther Lampert Be Born.

Animal Assisted Therapy Essay

Animal-assisted therapy sprouted from the idea and initial belief in the supernatural powers of animals and animal spirits. First appearing in the groupings of early hunter gatherer societies. In modern times Animals are seen as â€Å"agents of socialization† and as providers of â€Å"social support and relaxation.† [5] Though animal assisted therapy is believed to have began in these early human periods it is undocumented and based on speculation. The earliest reported use of AAT for the mentally ill took place in the late 18th century at the York Retreat in England, led by William Tuke.[6] Patients at this facility were allowed to wander the grounds which contained a population of small domestic animals. These were believed to be effective tools for socialization. In 1860, the Bethlem Hospital in England followed the same trend and added animals to the ward, greatly influencing the morale of the patients living there.[6] Sigmund Freud kept many dogs and often had his chow Jofi present during his pioneering sessions of psychoanalysis. He noticed that the presence of the dog was helpful because the patient would find that their speech would not shock or disturb the dog and this reassured them and so encouraged them to relax and confide. This was most effective when the patient was a child or adolescent.[7] The theory behind AAT is what is known as Attachment theory. Therapy involving animals was first used in therapy by Dr. Levinson who accidentally discovered the use of pet therapy with children when he left his dog alone with a difficult child, and upon returning, found the child talking to the dog.[8] However, in other pieces of literature it states that it was founded as early as 1792 at the Quaker Society of Friends York Retreat in England.[9] Velde, Cipriani & Fisher also state â€Å"Florence Nightingale appreciated the benefits of pets in the treatment of individuals with illness. The US military promoted the use of dogs as a therapeutic intervention with psychiatric patients in 1919 at St Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, DC. Increased recognition of the value of human–pet bonding was noted by Dr. Boris Levinson in 1961†.[9] Wikipedia – Animal-assisted therapy

Stone Cold Steve Austin Essays - WWE Hall Of Fame, Free Essays

Stone Cold Steve Austin Essays - WWE Hall Of Fame, Free Essays Stone Cold Steve Austin Stone Cold Stone Cold is a 4 time wwf champion, 2 time intercontinental champion, and 3 time tag team champion. He is also a 1996 king of the ring and 1998 royal rumble winner. Stone Cold is a great athlete and he has changed all wrestling fans all over. Ever since he entered the ring in Milwaukee, for the 1996 King of the Ring, he never could have imagined how he changed the wwf. After beating Jake ''The Snake'' Roberts to become the king of the ring, Austin accepted his crown, and after that he informed Jake that ''Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your a$$!'' With this simple phrase Stone Cold became the most popular superstar ever in wwf history. Some of stone cold companions said that he is a suicidal machine with lack of respect, rules, and authority. You can't deny that stone cold won't stop kicking but. Every time he steps through the ropes he will right lots more chapters to his story.

567 Essay

Xacc/567 Essay Xacc/567 Essay Frank Zamboni, the man who invented the hypnotic Zamboni ice resurfacing machine, was honored Wednesday with a playable Google Doodle. It would have been his 112th birthday. Zamboni invented his ice-resurfacing machine back in the 1940s, after opening up an indoor ice skating rink with his brother in Southern California. Frustrated that it took five men an hour and a half to lay down a new sheet of ice at the end of the day, Zamboni envisioned a machine that could do it for them. It took him eight years to build it, but by 1947 he had an awkward contraption that sat on two old Dodge front ends, and was powered by a jeep engine. It took just 15 minutes for the machine to resurface the ice, wash the surface and lay down a coat of fresh hot water that was spread by a towel. PHOTOS: Google Doodle highlights The 1988 L.A. Times obituary of Zamboni said his strange ice resurfacer may never have moved beyond his ice rink if it hadn't been for the skating star Sonja Henie. After visiting Zamboni's rink, she wondered if he could make more ice resurfacing machines. Then the Chicago Stadium wanted one for the Black Hawks hockey team, and Zamboni's invention started to take off. Google's game that honors the inventor is simple, but addictive. Little bundled up cartoon characters come gliding out of a hole at the top of the screen, scuffing up the ice on the rink with their skates. When they are finished ruining the ice, it is your job to direct the Zamboni over

The Long History of Perfume

The Long History of Perfume Perfume is thousands of years old, with evidence of the first perfumes dating back to Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Cyprus. The English word perfume comes from the Latin per fume, meaning through smoke. History of Perfume Around the World The Ancient Egyptians were the first to incorporate perfume into their culture, followed by the ancient Chinese, Hindus, Israelites, Carthaginians, Arabs, Greeks, and Romans.   The oldest perfumes ever found were discovered by archeologists in Cyprus. They were more than four thousand years old. A cuneiform tablet from Mesopotamia, dating back more than three thousand years, identifies a woman named Tapputi as the first recorded perfume maker. But perfumes could also be found in India at the time. The earliest use of perfume bottles is Egyptian and dates to around 1000 BCE. The Egyptians invented glass and perfume bottles were one of the first common uses for glass. Persian and Arab chemists helped codify the production of perfume and its use spread throughout the world of classical antiquity. The rise of Christianity, however, saw a decline in the use of perfume for much of the Dark Ages. It was the Muslim world that kept the traditions of perfume alive during this time- and helped trigger its revival with the onset of international trade. The 16th century saw the popularity of perfume explode in France, especially among the upper classes and nobles. With help from â€Å"the perfume court,† the court of Louis XV, everything got perfumed: Furniture, gloves, and other clothing.   The 18th-century invention of eau de cologne helped the perfume industry continue to grow.   Uses of Perfume One of the oldest uses of perfume comes from the burning of incense and aromatic herbs for religious services, often the aromatic gums, frankincense and myrrh gathered from trees.  It did not take long, though, for people to discover perfume’s romantic potential and it was used both for seduction and as preparation for love-making. With the arrival of eau de cologne, 18th-century France began using perfume for a broad range of purposes. They used it in their bath water, in poultices and enemas, and consumed it in wine or drizzled on a sugar lump. Although niche perfume makers remain to cater to the very rich, perfumes today enjoy widespread use- and not just among women. The selling of perfume, however, is no longer just the purview of perfume makers. In the 20th century, clothing designers began marketing their own lines of scents, and almost any celebrity with a lifestyle brand can be found hawking a perfume with their name (if not smell) on it.

Canadian history pre-confederation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canadian history pre-confederation - Essay Example The treaties sought to create peace between the British and the Aboriginal people in the country thus making the country easy to exploit for the British colonial masters and conducive for the habitation of the aboriginals as the discussion below portrays. Between 1700 and 1867, Canada survived on a series of treaties that earned segmented peace to the country and its inhabitants thus enhancing the existence of the various people who occupied the land1. Key among the treaties in pre confederation Canada was the Niagara treaty signed in 1764, the Selkirk treaty in 1817 and bind head treaties of 1836 among many others. A treaty refers to an agreement between two parties involved in a conflict. The agreement provides effective structures for the resolution of a conflict by safeguarding the interests of all the conflicting parties. This explains the numerous treaties signed in pre confederation Canada. The country had numerous inhabitants al of who felt entitled to the land and its resources. This often led to wars and conflicts such as the 1812 war. Such sectarian wars were obvious portrayal of the conflicts in the country as the various inhabitants fought for the resources. The creation of the numerous treaties within such short periods was a portrayal of the weaknesses of the treaties. Treaties are always contemporary and seek to provide short-term resolutions to the prevailing conflicts. As such, the treaties provided short-term ways of sharing the resources among two or more conflicting societies but the parties often rescinded the treaties in case their interests faltered. Signed in 1817, Selkirk treaty was one of the treaties that lasted the shortest in pre confederation Canada. Thomas Selkirk, a British aristocrat wanted to create a colony by purchasing a vast land previously owned by the Hudson Bay Company. The land extended into areas occupied by the Cree and Chippewa nations.

Causal Analysis of Will Dropouts Save America Research Paper

Causal Analysis of Will Dropouts Save America - Research Paper Example † However, while Ellsberg commits to this type of sentiments of the present and expresses sold-out support for the seemingly majestic concretized idea in start-up entrepreneurship comprised mainly of prominent college dropouts, does it ever occur to him to ponder on how the world would look with money-driven human beings who act, talk, treat, and think like some crazy engine for dough all the time? For one, having thought ahead of the possible scenarios with that and what I would most likely feel about each of them, I am rather afraid of acquiring much trouble in coping with that kind of future Ellsberg insists in his sphere of change and investments. Perhaps we need not be upset with the way he perceives how economic conflicts, particularly the issues on unemployment, ought to be taken care of in the light of modifying an aspect of educational system so as to snap out rigidity in the curriculum. Maybe it is through this curricular flexibility that we can opt to find hope and r ealize that exploring beyond the conventional academic realms enables studying individuals to learn the remarkable key to economic potentials and thereby succeed with the targeted growth in professional goals. This is all fine and to some extent, relieving to know, but just because we are in dire necessity of rectifying certain directions with the traditional approach does not have to mean we must abolish proper education altogether and become entrepreneurs whether or not we are inclined to be. What Ellsberg’s paradigm appears to lack in understanding is that in truth, people by nature are free wanderers seeking true knowledge despite socio-political weather and economic conditions. Regardless of age and period, history has made us observe how indispensable an asset critical thinking is for the well-being of mankind as citizenry and as an entire nation. There can be no critical or creative thinking without valuable learning and there can be no valuable learning without an ins titution that serves a systematic way of educating people especially the youth. We must not forget that our capacity to think with the utmost sensibility is generated by our unconscious embrace of discipline and teachings in school. No matter how much we admit on not having a choice but to deal with academic tasks that take up considerable time and energy from us, at some point later, wherever we are or howsoever we come to be, a spur of wisdom pops to us and renders us capable of drawing inexplicable insights. It may be a little difficult to justify such statement without actual encounter yet certainly, a natural wonder of sound intellect is not something that Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or Paul Allen could afford to impart to an individual who is after a deeper sense of fulfillment in life. Definitely, I would never want myself nor my children and even my children’s grandchildren to miss on the fundamentals of sciences, mathematics, history, and classic literature to delight wi th for subjects like these are priceless and can only be delivered with heart by a faculty that believes and discerns the principles of good education more than those of material wealth. Attempts to resolve joblessness and associated educational demands should be held in great regard but never at the expense of one’s scholastic foundation which is highly essential in living, that there is no probable way it could

High frequency trading Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

High frequency trading - Research Paper Example Another disadvantage that faces the average investor is the ability to withdraw and initiate thousands of trades at multiple pricing points within the same period. This makes it difficult to understand what is or is not legit (Petajisto 273). Further, the ability of these programs coming up with the upper buy range and lower sell range can create security for one individual and insecurity for the other. It becomes very difficult to have the average investor coming up with a substantial amount because the investors privy with HFT could sell below the limit forcing an individual to pay more compared to normal circumstances. The fact that they attain the information seconds earlier allows them to have an edge that disadvantages the investors, exposing them to risks (Aldridge 65; Kirilenko, Kyle, Samadi & Tuzun 25). Many will look at this from the angle of having more to do with one’s trading sessions, but the unleveled playing field makes it worse. The securities exchange should rein on such behaviors and provide the investors with a fair chance of meeting these ideals. Regulations are necessary in this sector. Investors need to operate within similar platforms as a way of encouraging them to make better use of the skills present. One thing that can be done is creating stronger controls that will create safety nets around the trading options (Aldridge 67). This will enable the government to provide the stock exchanges with the required platforms that will help reduce the market instability through the proper utility of the incentives provided. Markets will also benefit a lot if information was not disseminated before hand, allowing all traders to benefit from what they possess, rather than generate new platforms that do not define the market as a whole (Petajisto 274). Ideally, the traders will have to get clearing before some of the tools can be used, something the government needs to pay great attention to. By limiting the risks, it is very

Critically assess the impact of either the US, Israel or Iran on the Essay

Critically assess the impact of either the US, Israel or Iran on the regional politics of the Middle East - Essay Example The leaders of both countries have been successful in pursuing common goals on security through the development of closer relations which are based on shared religious affinities and democratic values (Migdalovitz 2006). Israel is the major recipient of U.S. aid and it purchases most of its weapon systems from America and in so doing Israel has been able to maintain a qualitative military edge in the Middle East. Israel is facing serious security threats from the Arab Spring presented by instabilities in Lebanon, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Syria and Jordan as these political movements are planning attacks on Israel. This move has made the relationship between Israel and U.S. to worsen given that Israel perceive that United States is not concerned about its welfare but just to attain its goal. However, it is the contribution of the US that has discouraged the outbreak of major Israel-Arab interstate conflict for over 40 years (Huband 2006). The U.S.-Israel relationship The relati onship between U.S. and Israel is not based on friendship but rather on different interests of the two countries in the Middle East. ... allistic missiles as well as bring to an end the Islamist inspired terrorism such as Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and other Islamists and Jihadists groups. Given that the region has not experienced peace for a long time, the relationship is geared at enhancing a form of stability through promotion of pro-Western regimes like Jordan’s. In achieving this, the relationship will manage to restore peace and normalization between the Arab community and Israel since Israel has been in conflict with Palestine government for a considerable long time. The challenge facing the relationship is that they respond and prioritize to these challenges differently. The difference in strategies and policies preferred by the two countries has increasingly cause tension on the relationship as they are seen to undermine the interest of the other nation. For instance, Israel view American policy to be naivete in the Middle Eastern diplomacy as it brings more consequences to Israel. On the other hand, t he US considers Israel to be insufficiently attentive to its interests since most of its actions have been detrimental. The two states are different in some ways, as the US is a superpower whereas Israel is a regional power and this presents them with different concerns (Malka 2011). In respect to this, the two sides should be ready to accommodate each other regardless as in so doing; resentments and misunderstandings that have continually mounted the relationship will be dealt with. Honesty, openness and lesser partisan polemics will enhance sustenance of this relationship. The US-Israel relationship faces differences in the Arab Spring goal. After the revolutions took place in the Arab world that transforms the politics in middle east, the two countries found themselves supporting different

American Labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

American Labor - Essay Example Many western and European production oriented companies started reducing their operations in their native countries thus resulting in job cuts. As this trend continues unabated, concerns of increasing unemployment figures are being expressed by analysts. Countries like US, UK and Germany are considered to be the ones from where multinational companies have moved their operations eastward. It is widely believed that opening of economic policies results in mutual benefits for the trading nations, but when it is felt that jobs are being taken away from one country and handed over to another country, then it gives rise to a peculiar social sector problem. United States of America recently saw a political campaign, during which outsourcing and increasing unemployment figures were big issues. Therefore, it becomes all the more necessary for the US government to get to the depth of the issue and try to figure out an acceptable solution. If we take a look at look at the figures of US trade with China during the last 10 years (during the period 1999-2008), we find that the trade deficit has indeed widened between in favor of China (US Census Bureau, 2009). It is therefore quite clear that while on the one hand the Chinese dominance is increasing by leaps and bounds in the US market, the US exports to China have not been able to match the import figures. In fact, today China has literally become a talking point at all international forum. Besides some of the issues involving human rights, Tibet, Taiwan etc. the rapid progress made by the country on the trade and industry front has provided a leading edge to China. Supplies of cheaper goods to countries around the world, hazardous paints in toys etc. are also being discussed as the shortcomings arising out of China in the recent past. While the US seems to be facing a number of problems in the form of outsourcing and job losses, China is steadily making a progress in its economic standards. This gives rise to questions like, is the growth of China at the cost of other nations progress Is the Chinese cheap labor stealing jobs from their US counterparts Liberalization and the Aftereffect During the early years of liberalization China's fastest growing sectors were textiles, apparel, footwear, and toys. During the period between 1980 and 1998, this sector saw a growth of more than ten-fold from $4.3 billion to $53.5 billion (Lardy, 2003). But in recent years China seems to have become tech savvy as well. Now, the country is attracting the industries like consumer electronics, automobiles, computers and other information technology products from all across the world. Since the

How International Business Can Effectively Compete in the Global Research Paper

How International Business Can Effectively Compete in the Global Market - Research Paper Example International logistics involves proper targeting and tiering. In the process, instead of applying a standardized supply chain services, the supply chain is marched with the requirement of each segment. Theories have found out that supply chain does not bring any competition to companies (Harrison and Hoek, 2005). International competition requires targeting and tiering as this will improve the supply chain, versatility and also improves the profit of the company making it great. There is also set by the managers to look keenly on human factors of international supply chain (Harrison and Hoek, 2008). Factors for competition in the market such as government instability, strikes by workers, holidays, unfavorable weather conditions and other unpredictable factors are only worsened when there are done in an international setting. Effective logistic function in an international marketplace is also done through evolving role and individual plants. In the current study the three main components that lead to success in the international setting are human resources, the processes used by the managers and the technology that is applied in the processes. Management of the relationship that a company has with the others also helps in effective competition in a marketplace (Pienaar and Vogt, 2012). The relationship will improve agreements on labor, environment implications and community development. Managers who are logistically skilled do not only consider packaging in their company but also focus on needs of the community for effective competition. Reconfiguration of process internationally supports the growth in the goals in a global marketplace. It involves the reconfiguration of technology that is used in the processes of the company. Critical and creative skills are needed in solving challenges that occur in international marketplace (Pienaar

American Labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

American Labor - Essay Example Many western and European production oriented companies started reducing their operations in their native countries thus resulting in job cuts. As this trend continues unabated, concerns of increasing unemployment figures are being expressed by analysts. Countries like US, UK and Germany are considered to be the ones from where multinational companies have moved their operations eastward. It is widely believed that opening of economic policies results in mutual benefits for the trading nations, but when it is felt that jobs are being taken away from one country and handed over to another country, then it gives rise to a peculiar social sector problem. United States of America recently saw a political campaign, during which outsourcing and increasing unemployment figures were big issues. Therefore, it becomes all the more necessary for the US government to get to the depth of the issue and try to figure out an acceptable solution. If we take a look at look at the figures of US trade with China during the last 10 years (during the period 1999-2008), we find that the trade deficit has indeed widened between in favor of China (US Census Bureau, 2009). It is therefore quite clear that while on the one hand the Chinese dominance is increasing by leaps and bounds in the US market, the US exports to China have not been able to match the import figures. In fact, today China has literally become a talking point at all international forum. Besides some of the issues involving human rights, Tibet, Taiwan etc. the rapid progress made by the country on the trade and industry front has provided a leading edge to China. Supplies of cheaper goods to countries around the world, hazardous paints in toys etc. are also being discussed as the shortcomings arising out of China in the recent past. While the US seems to be facing a number of problems in the form of outsourcing and job losses, China is steadily making a progress in its economic standards. This gives rise to questions like, is the growth of China at the cost of other nations progress Is the Chinese cheap labor stealing jobs from their US counterparts Liberalization and the Aftereffect During the early years of liberalization China's fastest growing sectors were textiles, apparel, footwear, and toys. During the period between 1980 and 1998, this sector saw a growth of more than ten-fold from $4.3 billion to $53.5 billion (Lardy, 2003). But in recent years China seems to have become tech savvy as well. Now, the country is attracting the industries like consumer electronics, automobiles, computers and other information technology products from all across the world. Since the

Is deindustrialisation a cause for concern Coursework

Is deindustrialisation a cause for concern - Coursework Example The first and foremost negative impact of deindustrialization involves transition and reduction in employment trends. With the reduction in industrial capacity of developed economies, the employment levels in these sectors are bound to decrease. The people employed in these sectors will be gradually reduced or eliminated which pose the inevitable problem of unemployment or altering the skill set to adjust themselves to other emerging markets, which particularly involves the service sector. Another major setback of deindustrialization is the growing divide on economic terms that is growing gap between rich and poor in particular. The people who are most reliant upon manufacturing sectors are the ones who will suffer most when there is a transition of manufacturing economy to a service sector-based economy. While this group of people will suffer most economically, who will find themselves either out of employment or willing to work on very low wages just to keep the ball rolling, on th e other hand will be people who are already working in the service sector and face better prospects in future as the sector grows. This is what happened in Detroit where deindustrialization has resulted in an increase in unemployment and growing divide between rich and poor. Detroit was famous for its automotive industry and with a high proportion of people employed in this industry; the residents enjoyed a high standard of living. This was not for long as Detroit faced deindustrialization and automotive companies soon began to migrate to the southern US states or other countries to take advantage of lower wages. As a result, the people who were employed in this automotive industry faced huge employment crisis and the income per capita in this particular area has been alarmingly low in the recent past. In addition to this, people have started to leave for pastures new to bring an improvement to their deteriorating living standards. As a result of deindustrialization, manufacturing s ector consists of the smallest share of US workforce in more than a hundred years (Boundless, n.d.). The same concept applies with other nations where the inequality has been on a rise with the developed economies such as United States, Unite Kingdom, Japan, France and Germany focusing on value added products, particularly services. On the other hand have been the developing and industrializing nations such as China, India and Indonesia who focus on manufacturing. The trends indicate that the economic disparity between developed and developing nations have been on a rise due to manufacturing. (International Monetary Fund, 1997) The most significant factor of deindustrialization has however not been discussed much by the analysts, maybe because they have underestimated the potential problem at hand. Although we live in a world of globalization, it must be noted that a fully globalized world on the basis of competitive advantage is just a theory and not practical. This cannot be put i nto practice because a country should be sustainable to meet the demand of at least the important and essential products, for example eatables. It is true that the current economic circumstances require developed nations to turn to value added products such as services. But in order to be a sustainable economy,

The strategic planning of Marks and Spencer

The strategic planning of Marks and Spencer Marks and spencer started from small stalls becomes one of the uks leading retailers with over 15 million people visiting every year. It is giving to its customers great value clothing, high quality, stylish products as well as outstanding quality of food from different authenticated suppliers. The whole of the report revolves around the strategic planning of well renowned company marks and spencer, it will explore the external environment, its existing business plan, major factors affecting it and the strategic option is also given in this report through which it can overcome the predicted barriers. Companies overview Marks and spencer is come to existence in 1894 by the partnership of Michael with Tom Spencer. They employ over 65000 people, running 450 stores and also flourishing international business. In 2007 Marks Spencer (MS) was the UKs largest clothing retailer with a market share of 11.1%. Food sales accounted for 49.8% of its UK business and had a market share of 4.3%. The groups international business accounted for 7.1% of turnover and had grown to 219 franchise stores in 34 territories worldwide as well as 8 wholly-owned stores in Hong Kong and 13 in the Republic of Ireland. During 2007, it opened 36 new stores including the groups largest ever franchise store in Dubai at 52,000 sq ft. and also opened its first store in Taiwan under a joint venture with President Chain Store Corporation. Strategic management provides overall direction to the enterprise so Johnson and Scholes define strategy as follows: Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long-term: which achieves advantage for the organization through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfill stakeholder expectations.   PEST Analysis Pest analysis is concerned with the environmental influences on a business. The acronym stands for the political, economic, social and technological issues that could affect the strategic development of a business. Political European Committee decision to permit free flow of trade among themselves and other countries under foreign trade regulations makes companies to import their products over time easier than before. MS competitors took advantage of its higher cost structure and bit off some its market share. Economic MS competitors are specialised in niche markets and consumers focus which make them to provide a much better consumers satisfaction. They prefer to import their products from abroad for cost savings, this fact puts MS in a cost disadvantage for a perceived higher quality. Social Consumers concept in the marketplace has changed; they do not sense British products as of high quality. There is a shift in demand for more fashionable clothing. Moreover the price sensitivity of the majority of the consumers has increased leaving MS in a less competitive position. Technological Media played major role of communicating new fashions to the customers. This knowledge can be communicated to the designers and producers, so a manufacturer in Thailand or China can be aware of the current fashion trends in UK. Technology theses days are even more quickly copied than before. Moreover due to the transportation speed a shipment of stock from a country in far Asia will only take a few days instead of a preview time period of over a month. Environmental (Ecological) Selling products produced by suppliers has a much greater affect on the environment on how these products are used and disposed by consumers. Retailers use a huge range of raw materials to produce their goods. Because of this, it is critical to manage the use of these materials sensitively and pay proper regard to how they affect natural habitats and bio-diversity. Legal Offering customers high standards of quality product are essential to meet their requirements. MS are known for delivering world class quality products. Porter 5 Forces Analysis The five force models is basically industry specific within which the firm exists and operates. The rationale behind this model is that industry profitability is not determined by the product quality, nor it embodies high or low technology. It is determined by the structure of the industry. M. Porter, Competitive Advantage of Nations, Macmillan, 1990 Porter explains that there are five forces that determine industry attractiveness and long-run industry profitability. Threat of new entrants New entrants to an industry can raise the level of competition, thereby reducing its attractiveness. The threat of new entrants largely depends on the barriers to entry. High entry barriers exist in some industries whereas other industries are very easy to enter. The most common form of entry barriers are usually the scale and the investment required to enter an industry as an efficient competitor. In consumer product industry this dimension of competition is well prominent. All the existing domestic companies are well set up, reputed, organized and stable manufacturers in the industry and have their own distinct places in the market. A potential entrant may find it uneconomical to take on existing occupants and if it does the gain of market share at the cost of large capital investment besides powerful retaliation of existing manufactures. It may take years (at-least 5 6 years) for an entrant to build reputation for product quality no matter how large its initial advertising campai gn is. Threat of substitutes The presence of substitute products can lower industry attractiveness and profitability because they limit price levels. The threat of substitute products depends on: Buyers willingness to substitute the relative price and performance of substitutes the costs of switching to substitutes The product category Marks and Spencer has is subjected to great threat as different other companies of UK like Primark deals with the same kind of products. Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers are the businesses that supply materials other products into the industry. The cost of items bought from suppliers (e.g. Raw materials, components) can have a significant impact on a companys profitability. If suppliers have high bargaining power over a company, then in theory the companys industry is less attractive. The bargaining power of suppliers will be high when: There are many buyers and few dominant suppliers there are undifferentiated, highly valued products suppliers threaten to integrate forward into the industry. Bargaining power of buyers Buyers are the people who create demand in an industry. The bargaining power of buyers is greater when there are few dominant buyers and many sellers in the industry products are standardized buyers threaten to integrate backward into the industry suppliers do not threaten to integrate forward into the buyers industry. At the same time Pull strategy is followed as bottom up approach where end users pull the preferred product. Intensity of rivalry The intensity of rivalry between competitors in an industry will depend on: The structure of competition for example, rivalry is more intense where there are many small or equally sized competitors; rivalry is less when an industry has a clear market leader The structure of industry costs for example, industries with high fixed costs encourage competitors to fill unused capacity by price cutting. Degree of differentiation industries where products are commodities have greater rivalry; industries where competitors can differentiate their products have less rivalry. Switching costs rivalry is reduced where buyers have high switching costs i.e. there is a significant cost associated with the decision to buy a product from an alternative supplier Strategic objectives. Swot Analysis SWOT analysis is an important tool for auditing the overall strategic position of a business and its environment. Once key strategic issues have been identified, they feed into business objectives, particularly marketing objectives. SWOT analysis can be used in conjunction with other tools for audit and analysis, such as PEST analysis and Porters Five-Forces analysis. SWOT ANALYSIS OF MARKS AND SPENCERS Strengths Marks and Spencer is a powerful brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. M S has grown substantially over recent years, and has experienced global expansion. The company has a core competence involving its use of information technology to support its international logistics system. For example, it can see how individual products are performing country-wide, store-by-store at a glance. IT also supports M S efficient procurement. A focused strategy is in place for human resource management and development. People are key to M S business and it invests time and money in training people, and retaining a developing them. Weaknesses M S is the Worlds largest retailer and control of its empire, despite its IT advantages, could leave it weak in some areas due to the huge span of control. Since M S sell products across many sectors (such as clothing, food, or stationary), it may not have the flexibility of some of its more focused competitors. The company is global, but has a presence in relatively few countries Worldwide. Opportunities To take over, merge with, or form strategic alliances with other global retailers, focusing on specific markets such as Europe or the Greater China Region. The stores are currently only trade in a relatively small number of countries. Therefore there are tremendous opportunities for future business in expanding consumer markets, such as China and India. New locations and store types offer M S opportunities to exploit market development. They diversified from large super centers, to local and mall-based sites. Opportunities exist for M S to continue with its current strategy of large, super centers. Threats Being number one means that you are the target of competition, locally and globally. à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¢ Being a global retailer means that you are exposed to political problems in the countries that you operate in. à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¢ The cost of producing many consumer products tends to have fallen because of lower manufacturing costs. Manufacturing cost has fallen due to outsourcing to low-cost regions of the World. This has lead to price competition, resulting in price deflation in some ranges. Intense price competition is a threat. Stakeholders Expectation Stakeholders Expectation are those without which our strategic analysis will remain incomplete is about the expectation of stake holders. Stakeholders are those individuals or groups who depend on the organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom the organisation depends. Share holders expectation includes, Corporate governance chain, Formal requirements and boundaries within which strategy is developed, Organisational stakeholders, Other groups (internal and external) which have expectations and potential influence The expectation of the stake holders of M S conflicts between, Short-term profitability versus growth, Family control versus professional managers, Financial independence versus share/loan funding, Public share ownership demands openness and accountability, Cost efficiency may mean job losses, Mass markets may compromise quality, Mass public service provision versus specialist services Generic models for strategic plan According to Porter, Marks and Spencer is followed by a strategic generic model and the main categories are: Cost leadership Diffferenciation Focus Marks and Spencer is a fascinating case of a company that has lost its strategic focus. Its story illustrates how even the strongest of businesses cannot afford to take their eyes off the competition.   MS lost its way as the UKs leading retailer in the late nineties. Its profits, which had peaked at over 1bn [pounds sterling]. fell by hall as consumers rejected its clothing. In response to competitive pressure from new and existing players, MS made major changes to its strategy in 1998-2000. These included decisions to more away from its St. Michael brand  and to accept credit cards.   By 2004 the company was lacing a huge number of issues, including problems with service standards, dated store formats and the alienation of its traditional customer base. MSs stock was falling sharply. The share price, which had been as high as 650p in 1997, had declined to 270p.   By this time, Rose had unveiled his recovery strategy: selling MS Money: buying the Per Una brand: refunding around 2.5bn [pounds sterling] to shareholders: closing the new Lifestores concept and some Simply Food stores: improving products and services: and broadening MSs appeal and customer base.   Green stated that his offer was final, which meant he would not increase it again for six months unless another bidder appeared. The shareholders decided to back Rose. Green withdrew his offer and the share price fell back to 340p, which was 60p (or a total of 1.3bn [pounds sterling]) less than Greens final offer.  He faced following challenges while doing this right. Increase sales and market share without losing margins. (Rose has been  coy  about this, putting the emphasis on cost savings.)   Cut costs without undermining quality or service. In 2004 MS planned around 300m [pounds sterling] of cost savings, but clearly a proportion of these in 2005-06 would be needed to cut prices to competitive levels.   The recent history of MS highlights the need to manage shareholder value and deliver quickly, especially during turnarounds. In this situation, Rose might find the strategic option grid helpful.   This grid has been used by number of major companies, including Tesco and Diageo, to develop strategies. The options for MS include:   Incremental  strategy This would not really improve MSs long-term competitive advantage and it would be a high-risk approach, because the business would become even more exposed.   Float off food This would make shareholders better off, since the business is probably  undervalued. It would not be inherently hard to do this.   Close more stores This would focus the company on its key outlets, but it might damage the brand and decrease customer loyalty in the process.   Rationalise  the product For example stop selling mens shoes. This would declutter the business and provide an opportunity for growth.   Increase franchise space This would allow in other products, which would create more interest.   Strategy of Marks and Spencer to Improve Performance Marks Spencer plans to spend  £200 million over the next five years on going green strategy as the battle to become the most environmentally friendly retailer steps up. The high street giant, which launches its strategy with an advertising campaign in March, has set some challenging targets, including a pledge to stop sending all waste to landfill and to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 per cent. However, the aspirations will be closely scrutinised by non-governmental organisations, which will want to see if MS will be able to maintain its commitment to them in future years as the deadline to meet its targets near. Stuart Rose, the chief executive, said that he hoped that the cost of the programme would be offset by increased sales. Last year the retailer launched a Behind the Label campaign, which highlighted Marks Spencers environmental and ethical business practices and was one of the retailers most successful advertising schemes. Mr Rose said: We think this is the right thing to do because our customers, employees and, increasingly, shareholders are asking us to. We believe those people will embrace a responsible business. MS has worked on the project for six months, taking advice from Jonathon Porritt, the former director of Friends of the Earth, who said: This plan raises the bar for everyone else not just retailers but businesses in every sector. MSs detailed 100-point plan covers climate change, waste, raw materials, fair trade and healthy living. Elements also include reducing the amount of food imported and labelling those goods flown in, opening a model green factory and four stores and using 50 per cent bio-diesel in its lorry fleet. The retailer also wants to reduce packaging by 25 per cent and to use recycled plastic bottles to make polyester for use in clothing and home furnishings. Rosemary Byrde, global Fairtrade policy adviser at Oxfam, said: Marks Spencer is to be applauded for leading the way. We look forward to seeing the difference this will make and to other major retailers following suit in the near future. Robert Napier, chief executive of WWF-UK, the conservation organisation, said: Such bold aspirations as outlined by Marks Spencer can only help to drive other supermarkets and the retail sector towards supplying products in a way that protects our planet and sustains the natural resources we depend upon. The first change that MS shoppers will notice is a range of fair trade cotton T-shirts. About 20 million garments will be produced over the next 12 months, accounting for about a third of the worlds supply of fair trade cotton. Retailers fought to seize the green agenda throughout last year as environmental and fair trade issues had become increasingly important to shoppers and regulators. Marks and Spencers Mission, Vision, Values and Objectives Marks and Spencers corporate objectives are incorporated in its mission statement. This outlines what the business is and what it should be. Mission statements set out in writing what the firm wants to achieve and often include information on the values of the business. MS outlines its core business as clothing and Food. Its financial objectives is to deliver shareholder value in terms of increase returns, but also in terms of increase sales and market share in retailing. It beliefs and values are outlined as Our customers continue to see Marks Spencer as the place to shop for special food, produced to exacting standards. MS also sees its workforce as an important part of its plan and also considers modernising its stores as a key corporate objective. Vision: The standard against which all others are measured Mission: Making aspirational quality accessible to all Values: Quality, value, service, innovation and trust MS also outlines its corporate social responsibility in its mission statement and considers the needs of other stakeholders too. We have a strong tradition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) but we want to make sure CSR is integrated into our operations at every level Finally, MS also outlines its strategic intent (vision) in its corporate objectives. MS wants to continue its differentiation strategy by delivering freshness, quality and innovation. Strategic Implementation This process involves distribution of resources (financial, personnel, time, and technology support). The next step involves assigning tasks or responsibilities to specific individuals or groups to make the environment clean and it needs to disseminated into the company effectively and efficiently, monitoring the progress and results. Careful assessment of the process, controlling for variances and making the required adjustments form vital components of this process. Strategy Evaluation As the term suggests, this process includes evaluation of the efficacy of the organizational strategy implemented. Therefore, successful strategic management must include clearly defined objectives, careful assessment of both the internal and external situation to formulate the strategy, implementing the strategy and making the required adjustments as and when required. The company must possess a clear vision of its long term plans or a clear business vision. This also includes assessing the financial and strategic objectives. Financial objectives involve measures such as sales targets and earnings growth. Strategic objectives are related to the firms business position, and may include measures such as market share and reputation. (quickmba, 2007). The Environmental scan includes the following elements: Internal analysis of the firm, Analysis of the firms industry (task environment) and External macro environment (PEST  analysis). After deriving and inferring the information from the environmental scan the company should be able to carefully identify and address its weaknesses and external threats and evaluate its strengths. A competitive edge in the market in the market can be based on cost or differentiation.   The stage of implementation essentially involves distribution and organization of the companys resources and staff motivation to achieve the set objectives or goals. Evaluation and control includes monitoring the strategy and fine-tuning it as required. CONCLUSION After mid 1990s MS began to experience internal problems such as information flow breakdown and together with the fact that top management was concerned with international expansion MS was drifted away from its core values such as consumer care and customer satisfaction. MS failed to recognise that consumers were becoming wiser and its competitions much stronger. Most of consumers consider MS to be old fashioned company, this image has to be changed to be in line with the market demand and regain its lost customers to other competitors. Based on the analyses, the author feels that MS requires to be focus on its strategic plan therefore, in formulate a strategy envirmental analysis is required, which will be analysed through pestle, the current situation of Marks and Spencer is also captured then a strategic plan is constructed to overcome the barriers, then it is implemented and evaluated to ensure long-term success. Business must try and use as many tools as possible in order to come out with the best strategy for the organisation. However, firms must try and evade the limitations of these tools so as to formulate the best strategy.

Gender Roles :: Informative

As boys grow into men, many struggle with what makes real men. This struggle often dramatically changes the young person. This struggle is greatly exacerbated by the media’s portrayal of men. Gretel Ehrlich’s â€Å"About Men† deals with the stereotypical image of men and what real men are like. Richard Wright’s â€Å"The Man Who Was Almost a Man† shows a young man who feels so derided by everyone thinking of him as a boy that he buys a gun to make himself more powerful. Tim O’Brien’s â€Å"The Things They Carried† is about a group of soldiers who all have different methods of coping with their own emotions at the death of a comrade. The media, Hollywood being one of the main culprits, often depicts true men as being tall, dark, and physically strong. They don’t feel pain and are able to fight, either with their hands or weapons. They are often emotionally hardened, not showing tenderness. The media presents men as â€Å"macho, [and] trigger happy.† (Ehrlich 127). This presents serious problems for young boys who are starting to mature into men. Young men are often told to be tough and to man up. Many boys are taught that crying is for girls and are called cry-babies if they do cry. This is incredibly hard on young guys who compare themselves to men like Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger and see absolutely no resemblance. These boys are often troubled by a growing insecurity from contrasting themselves to the unrealistic image of men. The insecurity spawned by this idolatry of the machismo can lead young guys to resort to drastic measures in order to be recognized as men. In â€Å"The Man Who was Almost a Man,† Dave Sunders, a seventeen-year-old African-American in the years after the Civil War, says that â€Å"he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, then they couldn’t talk to him as though he were a little boy† (Wright 144). He later reasons that â€Å"He could kill a man with a gun like this†¦ A nd if he were holding his gun in his hand, nobody could run over him; they would have to respect him.†(Wright 148). Dave finally shoots a donkey that will take him two years to pay for, so he runs away from his home and his responsibility (Wright 154). For him, as for many youth today, the desire to be deemed manly leads to many poor choices.

Make A Difference Essay -- Teaching Education Teachers Essays

Make A Difference I have always wanted to be an elementary school teacher ever since I was young. My grandmother was a third grade teacher, and after every school year she would give me her old books that she no longer used. I was so excited when she gave them to me. As soon as she handed them to me I would make my younger brother play school with me. From the first day she gave me her old school books, there was no doubt in my mind that I would become a teacher of education. Education is defined as the lifelong process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and values through either formal or informal means. I believe that the purpose of education is to allow students to discover who they are through exploring what the future holds for them. Formal means of education should provide students with skills that will facilitate living and working in a dynamic world. In my opinion, a variety of instructional options are necessary for teachers and students to be successful. There are many different approaches available in doing so, a few of them include: the behaviorism, essentialism, and progressivism philosophies. Agreeing with the behaviorist point of view, I see myself using positive reinforcement with my students, when a task or behavior is achieved. Rewarding students can make a big difference in the student’s attitudes, even if it is just a little reward like a smiley face drawn on their paper or even a sticker. By doing these little things it will help encourage students to continue the good work and to carry on in this manner. Behaviorism also deals with the big role that the environment plays in a student’s academic learning. Throughout my junior high and high school years, I had the meanes... ...ly teaching students from different backgrounds, races, and interests. Nonetheless I have great confidence in myself, and the teachers here at Concord College, which will help me to achieve all of my goals and wishes to become an excellent teacher. Entering my adulthood, after graduation, I would like to pursue a teaching position in a public school teaching any grade from kindergarten up to third grade. My academic goal is to further my education and receive my master’s degree in elementary education as soon as possible. I plan to move out of this area after receiving my degree to the south. Teaching is a dream that I have had all my life, motivated by family and teachers that I had in the past. Choosing the path of becoming a teacher will allow me to experience one of life’s greatest joys – making a difference in children’s lives!

Lead and Manage a Team Within a Health and Social Care Setting

The features of effective team performance are set out in Brian Tuckman’s phases of team development theory, ‘Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing. ’ This outlines the phases that a team will go through in order to become effective and reach maturity. At the ‘Forming’ stage of team development individual roles and responsibilities are unclear and each member of the team is concerned to avoid conflict with each other. From this point the team will go through the ‘Storming’ phase which is when they start to conflict as individuals put forward ideas which will be challenged by others in a bid to gain power and position over others. After this the ‘Norming’ phase follows and it is at this point that individual roles are defined and accepted and ground rules and conduct are agreed. After each of these stages the team then reaches the ‘Performing’ stage which is where they are all working towards the same shared goal. This theory shows that for all teams to be effective each individual needs to be clear on their role, responsibilities and shared end goal. This is achieved through positive leadership, utilising the skills of the team and addressing weaknesses to make the team more effective. The challenges experienced by developing teams are often due to organisational change. Staff may be resistant to change such as moving to join a new team or working with people they do not know. A health and social care organisation needs to identify the skills and knowledge that are required for the service plan and recruit staff according to this to ensure that the diversity and skill mix needed is met to fulfil the service outcome. Newly appointed staff should complete an induction that ensures they understand and comply with the organisations values and objectives and their role and support systems should be clarified as quickly as possible to ensure they can contribute as quickly and effectively as possible to the team. An established team experiences different challenges to a developing team. They may have more difficulty maintaining staff enthusiasm and momentum. To overcome these challenges the organisation needs to be aware of changes to workload and conflict between individuals to resolve issues quickly before they impact on other staff and then service users. Also feedback should be given to staff in order for them to maintain or improve performance levels and recognition should be expressed for good work to maintain a high level of staff morale. Once momentum is built then it is easier to maintain and helps staff to remain enthusiastic and continue o communicate and trust their colleagues and manage their time efficiently and keeps them orientated to the important work tasks. Challenges to effective team performance can be overcome by the organisation being clear about the values and objectives in relation to staff and service users and communicating these and the time frame in which these are expected to be achieved. Support should be given to those who are capable of sharing the organisations objectives so they can become committed to ensuring that the service outcomes are met. If this is not done then it can be difficult to maintain effective team working. Dawes and Handscomb performed a review on team leadership in 2005 and suggested that these difficulties stemmed from competing professional interests. In different settings they reviewed the relationship between team working and care outcomes and it was found that within a long term care setting the care outcomes required effective team working to be met. It is considered that management styles can be divided into three categories. * Autocratic- characterised by individual control over all decisions and little input from group members. Paternalistic- a type of fatherly managerial style typically employed by dominant males where their organizational power is used to control and protect subordinate staff that are expected to be loyal and obedient. * Democratic- a style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision making process. A leader can be anyone who has the ability to influence other members of a team. It is considered that a manager and a leader are different but they are complementary to tasks being carried out. Management styles will change to reflect the stage of development the workforce’s stage of development. When starting a new team a manager will have to be clear about setting goals, establishing rules and assigning responsibility and then taking on the more troublesome tasks of organising resources, motivating and creating a cooperative team. As the team develops then roles can be delegated and appropriate support provided. Doing this enables the team to become more confident and the style of management and leadership changes so team members begin to take on more leadership functions. The primary focus of a leader is to develop and maintain trust between the service user and the staff. The service user will look at the staff to establish with them character and competence. If these two characteristics are met then this develops trust with the service user. Character relates to motive and intent, whether the staff are working towards the same objectives. Competence relates to skills and results, whether the staff are able to care for the service user and meet the objective set by the organisation. Staff that are registered with professional bodies have accountability and are answerable for their actions. They are accountable by law for meeting the standards and objectives that are set out for them. Even when staff are working towards a common goal, conflict can still arise. This can be due to different personalities, communication styles, sense of priorities and changes to workload. Trying to prevent conflict is best practice so a manager should try to build an environment that is supportive, positive and stable to try and reduce the likelihood of conflict developing. If conflict does develop then a manager should try to: * Address it at the earliest opportunity. * Keep the discussions positive. Look at what can be done to resolve the conflict. * Encourage the team to focus on the problem, not the person. Encourage honest dialogue between the team, welcoming different points of view that do not create blame. Each individual should be allowed to voice their point of view and also listen to and respect each other’s views. * Ask each individual to accept ownership of their part of the problem. * Discuss a variety of options before settling on an agreement that is based on o bjective criteria that will resolve the conflict. Conflict does not always necessarily have to be a bad thing, as if it is dealt with constructively, can lead to increased productivity, development of new ideas and personal development of team members.

List of the Current Legislation and Codes of Practice Relating to Equality

Legislation Purpose Disability Discrimination Act 1995Protects the rights of all those with disabilities. It also places a duty on schools (and other organisations) to eliminate barriers to ensure that individuals can gain equal access to services Disability Discrimination Act 2005 Places a duty for schools to produce a Disability Equality Scheme (DES) and an Access Plan. Schools must encourage participation in all aspects of school life and eliminate harassment and unlawful discrimination Race Relations(Amendment)Act 2000Outlines the duty of organisations to promote good relationships between people from different races Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 Makes it unlawful for educational providers to discriminate against pupils with a special educational need or a disability Children Act 1989 Sets out the duty of local authorities (including schools) to provide services according to the needs of children and to ensure their safety and welfare Human Rights Act 1998Sets out rights of all individuals and allows them to take action against authorities when their rights have been affected Children Act 2004Sets out the duty to provide effective and accessible services for all children and underpins the ive Every Child Matters outcomes Education Act 1996Sets out the school’s responsibilities towards children with special educational needs.The Act also requires schools to provide additional resources, equipment and / or additional support to meet their needs Equality Act 2010Sets out the legal responsibilities of public bodies, including schools, to provide equality of opportunity for all citizens. This brings together nine equality laws

Blood Donation: Reasons to Donate

Q: Hav u ever donated ur blood? Y? MKT case from America's Blood Centers(ABC). It was founded in 1962 and is the national network of nonprofit, independent community blood centers. The members of it work for more than 125 million ppl and more than 3,100 hospitals. It carried out a survey nationwide via telephone interviews in order to encourage ppl to donate blood. Reasons for giving blood: umani'tarian reasons as their primary reason for donating blood; 4 out of 6 top reasons are al'truistic motives: helping the community and responding a blood shortage Wanting to help others 34% Responding to a blood drive 25% Helping the community 13% hearing about a shortage 7% Because I might need it someday 4% Helping a local child 2% Reasons for not donating blood 44% cite health issues as reason for not†¦this group is likely to be difficult to call up donating. risk health); however, ;half(52%) say other reasons: being scared of the process and unawareness never thought about it 17% too busy 15% scared of process 10% afraid of infection 4% don't know where/how to give 4% don't know anyone in need 2% !many reasons could be eliminated by some specific education about the ease,speed and safety of the process of the blood donation. and make ppl aware the need for blood. ABC gave some effective msgs to encourage blood donation. family member, frd or child is in need. 86% 92% extremely and compelling†¦(see in table 4. 3) In addition, it find out the ppl who donated 1-2 times, 18-34 yrs ones and ppl who said†never thought about it†as the reason for not donating are most likely to change mind to donate blood. while the target were asked twice about the question: whether someone is likely to donate blood in the next 12 months. The yes answer grows from 34% to 41% It turns out that roughly 8% of respondents switched to yes while only 2%.. no.