Research Paper on Explorative Study of Marketing Strategies Adopted By Fashion Retail Industry in the United Kingdom A Case Study of Mark and Spencer

Research Paper on Explorative Study of Marketing Strategies Adopted By Fashion Retail Industry in the United Kingdom: A Case Study of Mark and Spencer Company Overview Mark and Spencer Group(MS) is among the leading retailers of foods, clothing, and home ware in the United Kingdom. However, Mark and Spencer Group plc. enjoys a dominant market position in the clothing segment due to the factors such as the diversified range and quality of products in its product segment (Datamonitor Report, 2011). Primarily, the company’s operations are divided into both wholly owned stores and franchise stores. Mark and Spencer Group plc. operates 690 stores in the United Kingdom and another 320 owned and franchised stores in other international territories. Major products and services from the company include different assortments of clothes, food, and home ware and accessories. For purposes of this paper, the clothing section of the will be analyzed. Product offerings in the clothing retail segment include women’s wear, men’s wear, lingerie, footwear, and children wear. Other notable products include food, grocery items, and home ware and acc essories. Mark and Spencer Group plc. also offers services such as credit cards, insurance, and other financial services. Finally, major brands include Collezione, Limited Collection, Girls Boutique, Autograph, and Per Una among others (Datamonitor Report, 2011). Mark and Spencer Group distributes its products through channels such as flagship stores, retail park stores, MS outlets, MS Catalogue, Simply Food stores, and Simply Food franchised outlets. The Mark and Spencer Group online platform also plays a crucial role in distributing products and services to its clients. Statement of the Problem The current fashion industry in the UK is characterized by intense competition and increased adoption of marketing strategies aimed at increasing the level of competition and creating sustainable advantage within the market. The fashion industry is highly volatile and seasonal; hence, it is subject to vulnerabilities such as the ‘fading out’ effect on fashion items. Each fashion season is characterized by a new clothing design or style that has particular periods of remaining ‘hype’ among fashion lovers. Firms competing in the industry have devised unlimited strategies and resources into efforts aimed at reaching customer groups in all market segments. As such, success in the fashion industry is characterized by the ability of fashion retailers to keep up with the fast developing pace and the development of creative and innovative marketing strategies (Walter, 2011). Firms that fail to develop creative and innovative marketing strategies are high risk of lea ving the market. At this moment, it is forcefully crucial to explore the importance of marketing strategies adopted by retailers in the UK fashion industry. This research proposal limits itself to the exploration of marketing strategies adopted by retailers in the UK fashion industry. Particular focus will be placed on the marketing strategies adopted by Mark and Spencer in enhancing market dominance in the UK fashion industry. For the past several decades, Mark and Spencer’s mission has revolved around the delivery of quality, value, and service to consumers. Majority of marketing strategies adopted by the company revolves around five key principles that include the development of long-term relationships with suppliers, supporting the domestic (British) industry, the provision of value through the delivery of a selected range of merchandise delivered at affordable prices, utilizing the company’s brand, and capitalizing on promotional activities. Literature Review The research proposal aims to provide key insights concerning the strategies adopted by Mark and Spencer in expanding its marketing strategies and growth potential in the UK retail industry in addition to examining specific strategies that have enabled the company to enjoy a dominating market share. Other than the exploration of specific marketing strategies adopted by Mark and Spencer, this paper aims to provide recommendations regarding marketing strategies that could be adopted by other firms within the industry in efforts aimed at enhancing competitive advantage and market dominance. Furthermore, the research will analyze the current situation in the UK fashion industry with respect to the prevailing marketing strategies adopted by companies in the industry. In turn, it will review potential contributions of marketing strategies to the popularity of the UK fashion industry and subsequently, establish the principles for evaluating the application of marketing strategies in the gro wth of the industry. Owing to the complexity of strategies used by firms within the industry to attract customers, this study will concentrate in the examination and exploration of marketing strategies adopted by firms within the UK fashion industry with particular focus being directed to specific marketing strategies adopted by Mark and Spencer Group plc. Majority of research studies have been conducted in examining the fashion industry in the United Kingdom. Among the research studies relating to the application use of marketing strategies in the fashion and apparel industry, majority of them were concentrated in the study of the general application of marketing strategies on the industry wide perspective. For instance, Myers (2004) and Helen (2011) centered their studies in the examination of effects of globalization of the marketing activities of firms in the apparel industry while Ferguson (2004) based his research studies on factors contributing to the general growth and development of firms within the industry. Equally, the effects of internet marketing on the marketing activities of various firms is also another research topic that has received significant attention as far as the exploration of marketing strategies is concerned (David, 2011). Birtwistle, Nobbs, Fiorito (2003) examined the aspect of marketing strategies of firm s within the industry from the pricing strategy perspective while failing to touch on other marketing strategy factors. As such, my research analysis failed to single out a particular research study that had been conducted to explore particular marketing strategies from one retailer in the UK fashion industry. For this reason, I decided to conduct a research study that is specifically related to the identification of marketing strategies adopted by a single firm in the industry. I selected to concentrate on Mark and Spencer, in part due to its popularity and success in the UK fashion industry and as well, due to the diverse marketing strategies adopted by the firm in efforts aimed at maximizing its competitive advantage and dominant share in the UK fashion industry. During the past two decades, the UK fashion industry has undergone several transformations characterized by the increase in the number of retailers specializing in the sale of fashion apparels (Grete, Noreen, Fiorito, 2003). The UK fashion industry is concentrated by both established retailers of variety clothing and specialist retailers. Examples of specialist retailers in the industry include Wallis, Miss Selfridges, Dorothy Perkins, Top Shop, Warehouse, and Next. Established retailers of variety clothing include Marks Spencer, Bhs, Primark, New Look, Matalan, and George (in leading supermarket chains). Equally dominant are international chains such as Zara International, Gap, HM, Benton, and Kookai among others ((Grete, Noreen, Fiorito, 2003). The intense competition in the UK fashion industry can be attributed to the presence of such companies. Among these industry players, Marks and Spencer is the most dominant and controls the largest market share, approximately 15%. Andrew (1998) argues that the intense competition is dangerous to undifferentiated or inefficient retailers given that they will be unable to survive in the increasingly competitive market environment due to expanded product proliferation, and increased pressure to lower prices for products. Specific Marketing Strategies adopted by Marks and Spencer Marks Spencer has enjoyed a dominant market position in the UK fashion industry and this can be attributed to the application of creative and innovative marketing strategies. According to Mandy, Christopher, Karinna (2006), Marks and Spencer, for a long time, has adopted seemingly focused and direct marketing strategies that targets customers based on needs, demands, lifestyle, and cultures among potential customers. David 2011supports this idea by arguing that marketing strategies adopted by Marks and Spencer are based on informed, tactical, and high quality strategic goals and objectives of marketing. Of great significance is the strategic and unique style of promoting its products and services that is incomparable to other established competitors within the market such as The Gap, HM, Benton, and Kookai among others. Such established competitors have utilized multiple promotional strategies that are mostly targeted towards the elite class within the UK fashion industry. Other insightful research analysis identified a number of particular strategies that are commonly adopted by Marks and Spencer in the UK fashion industry. This includes market segmentation, targeting strategies, positioning strategies, and advertising. The increasingly uncertain and changing market environment calls for the design of innovative marketing strategies based on solid marketing information in order to capitalize the opportunities presented by the market. The analysis of these marketing strategies is presented below; Market Segmentation Marks and Spencer utilizes the segmentation strategy to promote its brand among to the consumers. Through the segmentation strategy, the company focuses on particular segmentation strategies to enhance the brand image of the company. The main target market for Marks and Spencer is the middle-aged person but it as well utilizes other segmentation variables to capture the largest market possible. Under the segmentation strategy are the following segmentation criteria: Psychographic Segmentation This segmentation strategy entails placing much focus on particular customer aspects such as lifestyle and personality. Amalesh (2011) defines personality aspect of segmentation as referring to the activity of defining a brand according to the personality traits of the targeted market. Marks and Spencer’s brand personality characterizes the personality of an educated middle-aged person with a relative and active sense of fashion. On the other hand, the lifestyle strategy entails placing focus on particular characteristics of individuals within the target market. For instance, Marks and Spencer targets middle-aged individuals with relative sense of fashion and active lifestyles. Behavioral Segmentation This segmentation strategy entails promoting products based on observable conducts of the target market. Such conducts of behavior include the types of benefits that clients look for in a product, the occasion of purchase, the usage of the product, and the beliefs and perceptions of the client (Amalesh, 2011). In terms of beliefs and perception, the Marks and Spencer brand is presented as traditional and standard clothing whereas the purchase occasion entails the availability of different varieties of clothing and apparels that are specifically designed for particular occasions. Concerning usage, a substantial volume of clothing sold by Marks and Spencer goes to heavy users. Last on behavioral segmentation are the benefits sought by clients, which are mostly associated with the high quality and affordable goods. Profile Segmentation This segmentation strategy entails promoting products based on the study of factors such as demographics, geographical location, and socio-economic variables. Regarding geographic factors, Marks and Spencer focuses on wealthy individuals who live in affluent locations and leafy suburbs within the UK. These locations include professional and prosperous metropolitan areas, and Home Counties. Regarding socio-economic variables, Marks Spencer mainly targets well-educated individuals who have excelled in their careers and individuals with substantial levels of income (Mandy, Christopher, Karinna, 2006). Demographic characteristics of clients targeted by Marks and Spencer involve middle-aged individuals within the 30-54 age group brackets. Most of individuals within this age group are have families, active in their lives and careers and have substantial income levels. Targeting Strategies Marks and Spencer utilizes a multi-segment target marketing strategy as compared to the focused targeting strategy that is common with different firms within the industry. Although middle-aged women have been identified as contributing to a significant percentage of total revenues for the company, Marks and Spencer designs, its marketing strategies to target other clients provided they fit the socio-economic class and other characteristics of the target population (Birtwistle, Nobbs, Fiorito, 2003). For instance, the company produces high quality products that targets men in the population, and these products are designed to enhance the company’s brand image within the clothing and apparel industry. For this reason, the company is not capable of following a differentiated approach due to differences associated with pricing strategies among clients within the fashion industry. Different individuals have different needs, demands, and luxuries and hence, Marks and Spencer target s individuals from the high-income class. Positioning Strategy Owing to the increased international presence of the company, Marks and Spencer has been forced to change its market positioning strategy to place the brand to meet the needs of a particular market segment. For instance, the strategic positioning of the company in the UK is different from that positioning strategy used to position the company in, say America (Alexander, 1995). The positioning strategy of the company in the United Kingdom is based on high-quality brand that is aimed at enhancing the company’s brand equity and attracting the loyalty of customers. Through the positioning strategy, Marks and Spencer has managed to establish itself as a distinguished company within the UK fashion industry. Online Shopping Technological advancements and the increased use of the internet have transformed the manner with which many organizations conduct their marketing transactions. The development of e-Commerce platforms has made it easier for Marks and Spencer to promote its products to clients. The increased online shopping preference among clients has promoted the online shopping platform by Marks and Spencer. Coupled with Marks and Spencer financials services, it has become increasingly possible for clients to conduct their shopping online and products delivered to agreed locations (Amalesh, 2011). How this proposal fits to the literature and Links with the Literature This research proposal is aimed at the exploration of marketing strategies adopted by Marks and Spencer to increase its market share in the UK fashion industry. The analysis of the literature has revealed a number of pertinent issues that not only relates to the significance of marketing strategies in the UK fashion industry but also the exploration of marketing strategies that have been utilized by Marks and Spencer to deliver products to the targeted market. Judging from the intense competition of companies in UK’s fashion industry, companies will most likely be forced to develop creative and innovative marketing strategies to enable them survive and maintain a competitive advantage in the industry. This research proposal aims to explore the above the practicability of the marketing strategies identified from the review of literature with reference to Marks and Spencer. The examination of past literature clearly identifies unique and creative strategies that have been adopted by Marks and Spencer in efforts to maintain its dominant position in the industry. As such, the aims of this proposal are directly linked to the factors examined in the review of literature. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework The analysis of the literature has identified key concepts of marketing strategies that are essential for enabling Marks and Spencer to maintain a dominant and competitive position in the UK fashion industry. Additionally, the review of literature has provided some key insights regarding marketing strategies that can be adopted by firms within the UK fashion industry to enhance their market share and attain competitive advantage. Although the process will involve the analysis and exploration of other marketing terms within the industry, the examination of the strategies identified in the literature review can provided a general concept for assessing and exploring the types of marketing strategies adopted by companies such as Marks and Spencer in the UK fashion industry. In turn, this will serve as guidance to the development of research questions and research hypotheses. Industry Background Majority of findings revealed in the review of literature were obtained from past studies and researches that had been conducted on earlier periods. Additionally, majority of such studies concentrated on the general marketing perspectives of firms within the UK fashion industry, and in situations where the studies were specific, a selected marketing strategy was investigated. No single research study was dedicated to the study of marketing strategies adopted by a particular company such as the case with Marks and Spencer. The UK fashion industry is growing at an increasing rate and it is characterized by intense competition among firms. Hence, there is the need for each firm to develop creative and innovative ideas and implement the identified ideas into their marketing strategies in order to increase its chances of survival within the industry. In light of such revelations, this research study aims to undertake a research study to explore the types of marketing strategies adopted by a typical firm in the UK fashion industry. Marks and Spencer is the selected company and hence, the research study will limit itself to the examination and exploration of marketing strategies adopted by Marks and Spencer to enable it increase its market share and enjoy a substantial share of the market. Findings from this research study will be of significance importance to Marks and Spencer, and other firms within the UK fashion industry. It will also provide insights to the market analysts in predicting the future directions and marketing strategies. Research aim This research proposal is aimed at the exploration of marketing strategies adopted by firms in the UK fashion industry. Particular focus is placed on the marketing strategies of adopted by Marks and Spencer to enhance its market share, to enhance its profitability, how it maintains its dominant position, and finally sustain its competitive advantage. Research Questions and hypotheses The following research questions have been designed to limit the study to a specific area of focus and as well, to promote easier handling of variables. RQ 1: Should a firm in the UK fashion industry such as Marks and Spencer adopt specific marketing strategies to enable it to compete effectively and attain a dominant market share? RQ 2: Does marketing strategies have an effect on the market share and growth of Marks and Spencer in the UK fashion Industry? Research Hypotheses The following research hypotheses were formulated based on the research questions above. RH 1: It is necessary for a firm operating in the UK fashion industry, such as Marks and Spencer to develop and adopt particular marketing strategies to enable it to enhance its competitive advance and improve on its market share. RH 2: Marketing strategies play a significant role in influencing the market share and growth of firms in the UK fashion industry such as Marks and Spencer Research Objectives RO 1: Identify and define marketing strategies as critical aspects in improving the market share and competitive advantage of firms in the UK fashion industry RO 2: Explore the factors that lead firms such as Marks and Spencer to implement and adopt differentiated or undifferentiated marketing strategies in the UK fashion industry RO 3: Identify specific or particular marketing strategies adopted Marks and Spencer to enhance its market share, and improve its dominant position RO 4: Scrutinize the impacts of marketing activities in the overall growth and market share of Marks and Spencer in the UK fashion industry. RO 5: Evaluate the contributions of the marketing strategies to the overall business strategy of Marks and Spencer Research Methodology Marketing strategies are fundamental aspects in any business organization and they play critical roles in determining the level of productivity and profitability, the level of competitive advantage, and in influencing the market share and dominance. It is through marketing strategies that organizations are capable of realizing its stipulated goals and objectives. Other than these factors, marketing strategies are necessary for shaping the overall picture of an organization and the manner it presents itself to the outside community. Over the past few years, the UK fashion industry has undergone tremendous transformations and new firms, both domestic and international, have rolled out operations with the aim of capitalizing on the available profitable opportunities. As such, the market has become increasingly competitive making it difficult for less competitive firms to survive. Although each firm utilizes its own marketing strategies, it remains unclear, in particular as efforts to un derstand the type of marketing strategies employed by firms in industry. This research proposal aims to explore the type of marketing strategies adopted by firms in the UK fashion industry with particular focus being given to the marketing strategies adopted by Marks and Spencer. Research philosophy This research proposal will utilize the positivist research philosophy based on the foundation of factors that can be observed within the UK fashion industry. Under this philosophy, such observable factors will be used in the generalization of issues just in the same manner as if the way physical and natural scientists used observable phenomenon to generalize on particular issues (Denzin, 2006). The researcher in this study will utilize the propositions of objective analysis to make generalizations based on the evidence or data collected from the field research. This philosophy will guide the research being proposed in this study to place focus on structured methodologies and objectives as a way of facilitating replication of information in addition to placing emphasis on much quantifiable features that can be related to statistical analysis of aspects. This philosophy is ideal because it enables the researcher to be distant and less influential on the outcomes of the research thereb y facilitating reliability. Research Approaches This research study will utilize both deductive and inductive research approaches. The deductive approach will be applicable given that the idea of marketing strategies of firms in the UK fashion industry such as Marks and Spencer will be examined and verified using data obtained from the study. The deductive approach will also be necessary to enable the study to follow particular sequences and stages before arriving at valid findings. Inductive approaches entail the process of collecting, analyzing, and refining data to provide future directions for further research. Research Participants This research will be undertaken in Westminster City, London and it will involve conducting interviews with a portion of employees, marketing managers, and customers at the main branch in Westminster. This region was selected because it is the headquarters of Marks and Spencer, and hence, a lot of information can be obtained from the selected participants. Other information will be obtained from secondary sources such as the review of literature to obtain general information relating to the industry. Research validity and reliability Validity in this research proposal will be obtained by ensuring accuracy in measurement processes, assessment instruments, and ensuring the realization of stipulated objectives. Concerning reliability, measures will be taken to ensure that repeated assessment or measurement will yield the same results provided the same conditions will be maintained (Blumberg, Cooper, and Schindler, 2005). Relationship among research items Research items in this proposal are designed in a manner that the main research aim will be addressed through the formulation specific research questions are supported by the formulated objectives and hypotheses (Yin, 2003). As such, all research items will be interrelated at one stage within the research process and they will all be critical addressing the aim of the study and providing answers to research objectives and questions. Appropriateness of triangulation As mentioned above, data reliability and validity will be some of the most significant aspects that will be allocated much priority in this research study. Realizing such objectives will involve the process of mixing different methods of data or data assessment methods in order to ascertain whether different results or viewpoints can be obtained from this study (Simon and Vosseberg, 2001). Additionally, the study will involve mixing different data collection strategies given that marketing managers, customers, and employees of Marks and Spencer will be interviewed. Majority of senior managers can only be reached through mail questionnaires. These factors calls for the adoption of a triangulation approach to facilitate the mixing of different research studies. Timescale The timescale for this research proposal is represented in the Gantt Chart below: Gantt Chart For purposes of facilitating this research study, specific resources and research materials will be

Examples Of Envy In Julius Caesar - 838 Words

Envy is a drug! Its addicting and overtaking. Envy breaks down peoples morals and shows their true colors. Family and friendship are not the most important things to some people, power is and envy goes hand in hand with power. This theme is vivid in the play Julius Caesar written by legendary playwright, William Shakespeare. Brutus and Cassius, Julius Caesars good friends are envious of the love Casaer is shown by the romans and they are willing to throw aside friendship and loyalty because of envy which propels them into the action of killing Caesar for power and praise. Envy is easy and almost always evident in the hunt for power in Julius Caesar, this is evident in Brutus’s motives for killing Caesar, Cassius motives for killing†¦show more content†¦. . . When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. . . . Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honourable man. . . . I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And sure he is an honourable man. (III.ii.82–96). Every drug needs a source, like any other drug so did envy. Cassius the supplier of envy! To the average person he looks like a successful military general and acquaintance of Caesar. However on the inside he is a soul overcome by envy and is spreading the the drug like wildfire. Wait what do you mean, RJ? I thought he was an honorable man â€Å"So are they all, all honourable men†- Marc Antony. Cassius supplies Brutus with the envy he needs to fuel him to kill Caesar. He convinces Brutus that Caesar has become too powerful and the only way to stop his power is killing him. He also sends Brutus fake letters proving his claim from the Romans that Caesar needs to die. 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Spiritual Needs

Questions: 1: What is your spiritual belief? Does it help in coping with tension?2: What is the impact of your belief in terms of taking care of your health?3: Do you belong to a religious community? Does this help you?4: What provides you serenity, strength, comfort in difficult times?5: What is the impact of your present condition on your spiritual practices? Answers: Introduction Spiritual needs are one of the most important needs among patients. It is becoming important there is an effective communication is held between the patient and the physician. The Joint Commissioner resource proposes certain tools that will be critical in assessing the spiritual needs of the patient. Interview with Patient 1: What is your spiritual belief? Does it help in coping with tension? Yes, I have strong spiritual belief. I have strong religious faith that gives me hope and serenity. I am a Roman Catholic. My faith helps me with hope, strength and tranquillity to cope with tension and stress in life. 2: What is the impact of your belief in terms of taking care of your health? My spiritual belief and faith has a strong impact on my regime and how I take care of my health. As per my belief, my mortal body is a gift of god and its critical and important that I take ample and proper care of my body and my health and as acknowledgement of the gift. 3: Do you belong to a religious community? Does this help you? I belong to the Christian community and I visit the church frequently. This helps me in strengthening my faith, and in meeting different people. I come across various testimonies of people and it helps me in becoming a mentally stronger person. 4: What provides you serenity, strength, comfort in difficult times? In times of difficult and strife, I read the bible and look to the lord in prayer. I believe that God is merciful and he will guide me in difficult times. My faith gives me strength and serenity. It is my silver lining during difficult times. 5: What is the impact of your present condition on your spiritual practices? My present condition does influence my spiritual practices to a slight degree. I feel weak and have health issues that act as constraint in my practices. I cannot go to church that often, so in a small way, it does affect my practices.

Symbolism In Strange News From Another Star Essays (608 words)

Symbolism in ?Strange News From Another Star? Symbolism in ?Strange News From Another Star? ?Strange News from another Star? is found to be a story which contains numerous symbols which in many cases contain some important, abstract information. Symbolism is something which is very difficult to explain due to the fact that not everyone sees the so mentioned symbol. They don't quite see it as you, because no two minds are the same, which implies the fact that they don't react equally to something which must be internally interpreted as it is not present as mere information. On this essay I will try to back up with concise words, why I believe that something is representing something abstract, as well as with information from the author. One of the first symbols that we may find, is actually the star. A star is known as a gaseous sphere, which with nuclear fusion and fission may actually give out huge amounts of energy. Obviously a star is a inhospitable place, so I believe that the star actually represents a planet or a country. The flowers, which have a very important part in the plot of the book are a symbol as well. They, have always, as least as far as I know, had a special message. A message of love, tranquillity, joy and they represent the harmony of nature itself. In the first stage of the book, we may see how a problem, the earthquake, has made the people in the star loose a vast amount of flowers. They lost some of the tranquillity and joy that had invaded their lives. And when they look for a messenger to go find flowers, they're talking about re-finding the tranquillity and lack of fear that they wanted. I believe that the burials, actually represent life. It may sound a bit peculiar, but in real life once you get accustomed to living a happy, joyful life, you then will not be able to live without it and so, you will need to do practically anything, as the people in the star did, to find the ?flowers?. The symbol of the deity that the youth saw in the temple, I understand that by the way in which the story progresses the symbol is actually representing the fact that war, or trouble (the bird of prey) destroys all happiness or good hearted feelings. I think that the representation is what I mentioned above, because when the messenger ?goes? to the foreign star he sees destruction and a total lack of joy. We may find another symbol which goes from pages 55-59. It's the conversation that the youth holds with the king who's nation is in war. It's apparently a symbol because even-though it has important, concrete information for the story, there's more to the phrases themselves. They can be abstracted and that's when I see that the conversation is actually trying to explain the way in which the humanity is being erratic by trying to find happiness. To achieve happiness, you must first get rid of sadness, poverty, trouble, etc (war is the symbol used to represent all of them). It may not be found just by ignoring the others. In the king's star they weren't happy because all of the nouns mentioned above were present. A proof of that may be the fact that when trouble, the earthquake, arouse in the province of the youth then they lost the peace and tranquillity, represented by the flowers that they had had. And ultimately I will mention the symbol which the black bird represents, it's what I believe is the image of the harshness, horror and terror of war. Which may reach such levels of futility that it may apparently only be seen as a dream, or even more correct, would be to say that it's like a nightmare.

Feature Story on Teenage Suicide Essay Example

Feature Story on Teenage Suicide Essay Example Feature Story on Teenage Suicide Essay Feature Story on Teenage Suicide Essay Brandon Hirsch Feature Story One brave teenager makes a stand for bullying but ends his life in doing so. 14-year-old Brandon Bitner committed suicide by jumping out in front of a southbound tractor-trailer on routes 11/15, hoping that it would leave an impact and that people will realize how much bullying truly affects people. Bitner, a freshman at Midd-West High School, left his house in Mount Pleasant Mills on November 5th and walked 13 miles until he reached the highway. His parents contacted police when they found his suicide note that he had left behind, but they were too late. They noticed he was missing around 3:45 a. . The contents of the suicide note are still unknown. â€Å"This situation is truly shocking to the school and community because of the student’s character,† said Midd-West Superintendent Wesley Knapp. â€Å"We are still trying to put the pieces together. This student was wonderful, very bright and capable. We had no indication anything like this would happen. † His death came just days after an anti-bullying assembly held at the high school, but the assembly was not held due to problems with bullying. According to student Brianna Boyer, â€Å"After the assembly, no one took it seriously, and joked around about it. Former Midd-West student Erin Barnett also spoke out about this incident: â€Å"Bullying should be addressed in every school, and should have a punishment. † Even though Bitners death was unexpected, bullying in his high school was very common but there was never a reported incident. : â€Å"Anyone in our school who looks different is tortured,† said sophomore Emily Beall-Ellersieck. â€Å"Bullying is a problem at our school, and it needs to be dealt with. † Takara Jo Folk, a close friend of Bitner’s, told the press that he killed himself strictly because of the bullying. â€Å"I do not appreciate ids bullying others for their own gratification,† said Folk. â€Å"Because of bullying, one of my closest friends took his own life. † Bullying may seem harmless at times, but it is nothing that should be ignored. There were no signs given off by Bitner that may have given people suspicion of what he was planning to do. He was described by a fellow student as â€Å"emo†. His facebook page was full of references to the â€Å"darkness†, but he also had a lot to say about his love for music, and his violin. Brandon Bitner was a very talented individual. His peers described him as â€Å"extremely gifted†. He was also a very warm-hearted guy. He was so sweet,† said Kendra Lyons, of Middleburg. Whenever she had a problem, Bitner would always try to help her through it. He will be missed by many and the impact he left by doing this has been one that will never be forgotten. Not very many people are brave enough to stand up for something in their life. Brandon Bitner was one of the few who actually took initiative to make a stand for something he had so much trouble with. This dramatic event has been heard across the country and the bravery of one teenager may have bettered the lives of millions. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Sample Grooms Wedding Speech Writers Rescue You in the Most Crucial Moments

Sample Grooms Wedding Speech Writers Rescue You in the Most Crucial Moments Sample Grooms Wedding Speech: Writers Rescue You in the Most Crucial Moments A wedding is one of the most important days in our lives. You’re usually so busy preparing for this day that you may not even have time to write a wedding speech. In this case, you need some help. Of course, you can refer to any number of wedding speech writers to create it for you, but it’s better to craft your own. If you want to create a masterpiece, you’ll need to know what you’re shooting for. Take a look at this sample groom’s wedding speech to get some ideas for your own one. I want to begin today by saying that I would never have been standing here if it were not for my friend Jake. He introduced me to Elena at the beginning of my sophomore year, and although Jake couldn’t be here today since he is currently serving his country on a deployment with the Air Force, he’s the reason for my greatest happiness. Over the past few months, my beautiful wife has been searching for the perfect dress. She visited stores, she looked online, she even went to a theatre sale trying to find just the right thing. It happens that our community theatre has several wedding dresses that they are getting rid of at a great price, and those who know Elena and me, know how much we love getting great deals. But when Elena came home and told me that she’d found the perfect dress at the theatre sale I couldn’t help, but keep picturing something from The Bride of Frankenstein. Elena looks good in anything, but I didn’t want to have to paint my face green to match. When she walked in today, I knew that my fears had been in vain, because I saw walking toward me the most elegant, exquisite woman in the whole world – and she found the perfect dress to make me feel that I’m the luckiest man alive. Naturally, I also want to thank Patricia and Kevin for the way that they’ve made me feel a part of the family. They’ve welcomed me with open arms and just a couple of shotgun jokes since I first came home with Elena for Thanksgiving and that’s not something that everyone is lucky enough to have. Since I lost my own parents three years ago in a car accident, it’s been hard to feel alone in the world, although my brother Greg has been a great comfort to me, and I’m grateful to have him as my best man today. He really is the best man that I know. I wouldn’t have said that when he was stealing my girlfriends in high school with his devilish good looks, but now that I have Elena, it’s just as well he did. Having him here by my side is an honor and I’ll be proud to do the same next year when he marries Kate. I will also be remiss if I do not thank Elena’s bridesmaids, Rania and Tamika. They have not only stood by Elena and done everything from lending her jewelry to finding us cheap airline tickets to Bali, but they’ve taken a lot off my shoulders helping to plan the honeymoon and getting us the best caterer around town. Just as we’ve had so much help planning this day and getting here together, we feel that we have all of you supporting us as we begin married life together, and we’re grateful for you all. Thank you so much for being here and for helping us become the people that we are today. References: Bell, S. (2016, June 07). 7 Tips for Avoiding a Wedding Toast Disaster. Retrieved December 27, 2016, from nytimes.com/2016/06/12/fashion/weddings/7-tips-for-avoiding-a-wedding-toast-disaster.html?_r=0 Busfield, S. (2010, July 13). A mans guide to marriage: the speeches. Retrieved December 27, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jul/13/mans-guide-marriage-speeches Ehrenfeld, T. (2009, November 21). To the Happy Couple, and My YouTube Clip. Retrieved December 27, 2016, from nytimes.com/2009/11/22/fashion/weddings/22FIELD.html Feiler, B. (2012, June 16). The Art of the Wedding Toast. Retrieved December 27, 2016, from nytimes.com/2012/06/17/fashion/the-art-of-the-wedding-toast.html Feiler, B. (2015, June 20). Turning to a Ghostwriter for a Personal Toast. Retrieved December 27, 2016, from nytimes.com/2015/06/21/style/toast-whisperers-ghostwriters-personal-speeches.html Foster, B. L. (2016, June 07). It’s a Wedding Toast. What Could Go Wrong? Retrieved December 27, 2016, from nytimes.com/2016/06/12/fashion/weddings/its-a-wedding-toast-what-could-go-wrong.html Gladwell, M. (2014, August 09). Malcolm Gladwell: how I ruined my best friends wedding. Retrieved December 27, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/aug/09/malcolm-gladwell-how-i-ruined-best-friends-wedding If you are looking for professional custom speech writing services to get your wedding speech written by experts, dont hesitate to contact us.

Does the balance of power maintain international order rather than Essay

Does the balance of power maintain international order rather than peace - Essay Example Thus, the alliance of countries that shifts the balance of power is usually motivated by self interests rather than peace (Claude, 1989). Balance of power ensures that each country maximizes its security and thus effectively leading to international order. The other motivation for balance of power is the prevention of hegemony. No state desires to see another power exercising complete influence on it or others. Thus, nations may form alliances so as to neutralize the emergency of hegemony. The result is that the alliances countercheck each other and as a result there is international order. It should be noted that peace is attained on condition that the creation of hegemony is averted (Freedman, 1989). In some instances, balance of power is a core component of peace. This is evident in situations where the defeat of a Great Power results in a power vacuum. In order to prevent any other country from gaining extreme influence, the defeated power may be shown leniency so as to preserve peace. In conclusion, it is evident that the main motivating factor for balance of power is to maintain order. Countries form alliances in order to guarantee their own survival. Introduction Balance of power is a concept that forms a core part of international relationships. ... Theories have been fronted to explain the concept of balance of power and its origins. According to Bass, a state may respond to a threat in its national security by joining forces with other threatened states. This leads to formation of alliances that cause a shift in the dynamics of power. Although it is difficult to measure â€Å"power† in absolute terms, shifting of political alliances usually play a critical role the amount of influence that a nation or nations exercise internationally (Claude, pp. 80-81). As such, the countries are engaged in theatrics to continually counter check each other in terms of the power that they wield against each other. On the other hand, balance of power may be taken as a system or guide to policy making in international relationships. Butterfield (1966) suggests that balance of power is an organic and natural response of individual states to the dynamics of politics on the international scale. In essence, balance of power is a methodology f or self preservation which may not be necessary be motivated by a current threat (Henrikson, 1981 p. 157). This essay aims to discuss the role of balance of power in international relationships among countries. It evaluates critically how balance of power relates to international order and peace in the globe. Various historical scenes are evaluated to give a clear illustration of how balance of power shaped the political landscapes world. Balance of power for international order and peace The international political landscape is inevitably dynamic and prone to various rapid changes. Therefore, countries continually seek to find ways of strengthening themselves so as to be a good position to attain their interests of prosperity. In the process of strengthening themselves

Introduction to corporate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Introduction to corporate finance - Essay Example The essential element of such a relationship exists in the significant correlation between prevailing rates of interests and the past changes in the bond prices which are averaged on a weighted basis. This results in the reflection of the effects on the price levels over longer duration of time. (Irving Fisher) Fisher separation is the foundation to the theory of finance. (Moneyterms) This formed the foundation on which the modern day Present Value theories have been established. Fisher's contribution to the theory of finance with respect to the valuation of shares is based on the basis of future earnings and the present value of the earnings on the shares. This paper analyses the propositions on which the share valuation model advocated by Fisher was based and also the newer models that help mitigating the difficulties faced in the Fisher's Model. Fisher attributed the correlation between the prevailing rates of interest and the past changes in the prices of bonds which are averaged using a weighted index, to a not-so-perfect estimation about the expected inflationary tendencies and the resulting intention of the investor to extrapolate the likely future price level changes in the bonds so that the investor may be able to ad... This is known as 'Fisher effect' and is the model that Fisher advocated for use in the valuation of bonds. But it can be observed that the present day analysts use this proposition not only for bond valuation but also for the stocks. In the case of equities it is the forecast of the sustainable growth rate that replicates the interest rate factor of the bond valuation. The 'forecast growth rate' of stocks is the modern day innovation in the financial theory relating to the share valuation and trading. This stand of Fisher was substantiated by Robert F. Wiese. Wiese stated that "the proper price of any security, whether a stock or a bond, is the sum of all the future income payments discounted at the current rate of interest in order to arrive at the present value" John Burr Williams (1938) further describes this theory by stating, "A stock is worth the present value of its future dividends, with future dividends dependent on future earnings. Value thus depends on the distribution rat e for earnings, which rate is itself determined by the reinvestment needs of the business." Propositions of Fisher's Model of Share Valuation The assessment made by Irving Fisher immediately after the crash in the share prices in the year 1929, described the following attributes as determinants of the share price movements in the market, since the share price in the market is determined largely by the discounted value of future earnings in the form of dividends from the respective stock. According to Fisher basically these attributes contribute to the upward changes in the price levels of stocks: (1) "Because the earnings are continually plowed-back into business instead of being declared as dividends" In this statement

The characters of The Divine Wind Essay Example for Free

The characters of The Divine Wind Essay In the novel The Divine Wind, written by Gary Disher, the characters have to make important choices. With every character in the novel their choices are not always good and in some cases effect other characters in the novel a bad way. Different reasons and circumstances compel different choices. To see whether the choices made where good ones, we need to take a look at each choice specifically. Ida chose to leave her family and husband so she could return back to her homeland where her heart still was. Ida was very unhappy in Broome, and she longed for her life back in England. All throughout the novel there was a visibleline between the differences of Ida, her family and the people of Broome. Ida simply did not fit in. Alice chooses to end her relationship with Carl after she sees his true colours. Carl wants Alice to be moulded into a station wife and Alice does not want to repeat the same mistake as her mother by trying to be changed by a loved one. Also if Alice was to stay with Carl, she wouldnt have been able to fulfil her dream of becoming an army nurse. One of the Consequences of Ida leaving was it had sent Michael in state and his hurt had surfaced. as a result, he decides to take the lugger boat out ealry, despite how bad the weather was. this bad choice of Mikes injured his son and caused the death of his trustworthy head pearler and friend Zeke. Afterwards Michael admitts that he had mad the wrong decision in taking out the lugger boat and he grows a guilty conscience. Hart is forced to make many choices throughout the novel. although some of his choices were not seen as good by the ones that he loves. for example when he dismisses Mitsy and sides with his mother even though he is in love with Mitsy. This was a bad choice as it caused friction between the two. Mitsy then chooses Hart to persue a relationship with which then turns sexual. When Mitsy decides to take her mother and leave from the Penroses housefor them to be interned this also causes heat between Mitsy and Hart. Although looking forward into the future its what could have saved Mitsy and Harts friendship. The characters in the Divine Wind are forced to make important decisions. Their choices shape theie lives and also have an influence on the lives around them. Often these choices that the characters make are later redemmed by actions.

tempnature Caliban as Representative of Natural Man in Shakespeares T

Caliban as Representative of Natural Man in The Tempest      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Tempest presents an argument against the concept of the noble savage through the character of Caliban.   Caliban is the main focus as far as the notion of "nature" and "natural man" is considered in the play.   Proof of this can be found in his name--"Caliban" sounds very similar to "cannibal," and hence serves to link him with primitive, natural man.   In the first scene of the play, Caliban's character is connected with the lower objects of the planet, including the "springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile."   Caliban thus appears to be beneath most human men because of his bestial nature.   His mother's background also indicates that there may be quite a bit of evil in him.   Characters in the play call him a "monster," however, at times, Caliban speaks some of the most beautiful and lyrical language in the play.   Thus, Caliban, as the representative of nature, emerges as a very complex character.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the first scene, it seems as if Shakespeare intended to present Caliban as a beast and a savage.   However, two items come across to reveal the fact that Caliban is more than just a monster, he is a human being with real emotions (Wagner 13).   First, the audience sees a sense of sensitivity when Caliban reflects on his previous relationship with Prospero, when Prospero spared him and attempted to educate him.   Prospero exchanged his teachings for lessons from Caliban about the island itself; because Caliban is so close to nature, he is the best person to teach Prospero about it:    When thou cam'st first, Thou strok'st me and made much of me, wouldst give me Water with berries in 't, and teach me how To name the bigge... ...gne would expect to see.   Not only does Caliban act instinctually, thus pushing him beyond the bounds of morality, but he is also spiteful and angry.   On the other hand, Shakespeare does not demonstrate a bigoted response, for if he believed that the natives deserved what they got, he would not have made Caliban so sympathetic.   Hence, Caliban becomes a natural representation of what Shakespeare believed the natives were: a complex mixture of various aspects.    Works Cited    Ferguson, Francis.   Shakespeare: The Pattern in his Carpet. New York: Delacourt Press, 1970.    Knight, Wilson.   The Wheel of Fire.   London: Oxford University Press, 1930.    Thorndike, Ashley.   How Shakespeare Came to Write "The Tempest."   Garden City: Doubleday Anchor Books, 1969.    Wagner, Emmar.   Shakespeare's Tempest.   Yellow Springs: Antioch Press, 1933.

Secret Life of Bees Book Report

Some girls grow up without a mother, but they don’t know how lucky they are that they don’t have to live with the feeling of guilt and remorse that Lilly Owens has to live with everyday. Everyday, since the age of four, Lilly has to deal with the regret of killing her own mother, Deborah. On December 3, 1954, in the small town outside of Sylvan, South Carolina, a normal day turned tragic. Deborah Owens was trying to escape from home with Lilly in her hands, hoping to abandon her abusive husband, T. Ray. [pic] The situation turned physical when T. Ray tried stopping Deborah from leaving.Lilly saw that her beloved mother was in need of help. In an effort to aid her, she retrieved the gun. Lilly picked it up and BANG! The noise exploded, and ended Deborah’s life. The whole town found out about how Deborah Owens died and looked at Lilly a different way. She was neglected by her father, and teased by several schoolmates. Her father continuously told her how her mother was leaving Lilly that devastating night. Although she refused to believe T. Ray’s accusation, Lilly felt unloved by everyone: her father, her friends, and even, at times, her deceased mother.Her only friend was her black maid, Rosaleen. After getting into trouble, she and Rosaleen, ran away. Lilly tried to find the true story of what happened that night her mother died. R. I. P. Deborah Owens, December 3, 1954. Mother of Lilly Owens, wife of Terrence (T. Ray) Owens. In 1964, the Civil Rights Movement allowed for African Americans to speak up against injustices and demand equality. Although this movement allowed for African Americans to vote, they had a lot of trouble doing so. [pic] In The Secret Life of Bees, Rosaleen, Lilly’s black maid, decided to vote for the first time.Two white southerners stopped Rosaleen in her path, and began taunting her. After spitting â€Å"snuff† on their shoes, Rosaleen was beaten up and demanded to apologize. Rosaleen refused to apologize, landing her in jail with stitches and several injuries from the white men. Although the Civil rights acts tried to give equality to African Americans, many white’s refused to acknowledge these new laws. The South was known for outbursts from white people, who tried to hinder African American’s search for equality. The 1960s was a time for change, whether our nation was ready or not.

Reaction Paper Last Princess by Kara David Essay

Stories of princess were part of our childhood memories. We dream of becoming one during those times. But in Tumandok tribe in Tapaz, Capiz, Philippines, there were women, who were treated like a princess. They are known to be the binukot. Before seeing the documentary of Huling Prinsesa (Last Princess), I was really excited because who knew that a 3rd world country like the Philippines would afford to have a princess. Then I realized, Philippines was not a 3rd world country then. And I remember that during the pre-Hispanic period we used to have datus, babaylans, pandays so having a princess would not be far from reality. Philippines though colonized by foreigners, retained its rich culture and I think this is one of the proofs. The binukot was usually the prettiest daughter of the chief tribe. The term was derived from bukot which means â€Å"to keep†. Binukot was not allowed to go outside the house. That’s why her food was usually delivered in her room. She will be taught to memories and sing different epics. Going outside the house is not a simple task. The binukot needs to be carried on a cradle so that her feet will be kept clean. The tribe believed that the binukot has a supernatural power. During planting and harvesting time, she will be brought to the farm to perform, for them to have a bountiful harvest. At present there are still few binukot on some part of Panay Island. But the danger of losing this tradition is very high, for most women of Panay preferred to be an ordinary citizen instead of becoming a princess. Stories of princess were part of our childhood memories. We dream of becoming one during those times. But in Tumandok tribe in Tapaz, Capiz, Philippines, there were women, who were treated like a princess. They are known to be the binukot. The trip to the remote mountains of Capiz is tough — an hours-long motorcycle ride and several hours more of trekking across rivers and up and down rocky, slippery slopes. It is a challenging feat for anyone who wants to see and explore a mysterious tradition preserved for decades among some of the mountains isolated communities.The trip took some time and I thought it’s worth the wait just to see the ‘Last Princess’, from the trip alone, it made me really curious of what will princess look like. I-Witness travels to the Tapaz Mountain, considered the farthest in Capiz, located in the central Philippines island of Panay. The mountain people called the tumandoks live in Tapaz, and I-Witness searched for the tribe’s last remaining princesses called the binukots. Reporter Kara David reaches the community of Rizal Sur, a village that looks just like any other isolated community, where the tumandoks living in traditional huts and survive on whatever nature provides them. In the midst of this community, she meets one of the last remaining binukots, 73-year-old Lola (grandmother) Isiang. Lola Isiang lives in an old hut, just like everybody else in the community. However, she has stayed inside a room in the house ever since she was five years old, living in isolation as the family’s chosen binukot.

Ipt Hsc Essays

Ipt Hsc Essays Ipt Hsc Essay Ipt Hsc Essay Information Processes and Technology Study Notes Project Management ? Project Management is a planned and ongoing process that guides all the development tasks and resources throughout a projects development ? A Project Plan organises the project by specifying who will do the task, what has to be done, how the task is done, what resources are required, and what is to be expected ? PROJECT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ? Active Listening: Listening to people is the main source of critical information required for a project to run smoothly. Listening is not the same as hearing; to listen requires attention and involvement ? Mirroring: Involves repeating back some of the speakers key words – indicating that you are interested and would like to know and understand more ? Paraphrasing: Listener uses their own words to explain what they think the speaker just said. The listener reflects feelings as well as meaning in their response ? Summarising: Listener confirms their understanding in the speakers mind, and hence helps to bring the conversation to an end ? Clarifying: Listener asks questions or makes statements that encourage the speaker to provide more detailed explanations ? Motivational: Encourage the speaker and reinforce in their mind that you are indeed listening and are interested in what they have to say ? Conflict Resolution: Need to manage conflict so that issues are resolved appropriately for all concerned, and in the best interests of the project ? Negotiation Skills: Negotiation should be a friendly exchange where differences are argued logically and in a reasoned manner. This can even prevent situations leading towards conflicts ? TEAM BUILDING SKILLS ? â€Å"Tuckman† Stages of Team Development: ? 1. Forming – Team members are only just getting to know each other ? 2. Storming – People are beginning to feel comfortable with each other ? 3. Norming – Team members now recognise their differences ? 4. Performing – The team is now operating as an effective, productive unit ? Team Building – building a team of two or more people with complimentary skills, behaviours and personalities who are committed to achieving a common goal ? Advantages – The people within the team are much more productive, and the systems they develop are of higher quality ? Disadvantages – Financial loss, employment loss and missed opportunities – unable to meet deadlines, produce quality work and operate within financial constraints ? PROJECT PLAN INCLUDES: ? Gantt Chart: Indicates when tasks need to be completed by ? Journal and Diary Entries: The diary is a record of appointments, events and meetings. The journal is a detailed record of what happened at each meeting, how tasks have been allocated, and when tasks are to be completed ? Funding Management Plan: Record of the scheduling and costing of tasks, and other expenses ? Communication Management Plan: Record of when meetings are to be held throughout the development of the information system ? SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES ? The work environment, including health and safety issues such as ergonomic design of furniture, appropriate lightning, and appropriate noise levels ? Security of data and information during development ? Copyright issues including who will retrain the copyrights for the new system ? Respect for the rights of needs and individual team members – such as privacy ? 1) UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM ? Systems Analyst: A person who analyses systems, determines requirements and designs new information systems ? Requirements: Features, properties or behaviours that a system must have to achieve its purpose ? Key Question 1: What are the problems with the existing system? ? Key Question 2: How does the existing system work? An understanding of the operations of the existing system must be understood ? Key Question 3: How do you identify the problems with the existing system? ? Answer to Question 3: Interview and Survey PARTICIPANTS in the existing system – They are able to identify problems and often they also have ideas in regard to solving these problems ? Answer to Question 3: Interview and Survey USERS in the existing system – Most information systems are primarily concerned with fulfilling the needs of its users, so their views and opinions on the systems are vital ? Prototype: Needs to be developed, and is produced to clarify how the system works, as well as clarify the nature of the problem, and represent how the new system may work ? After all the information has been gathered, a REQUIREMENTS REPORT is produced – A statement about the purpose/requirements of the new information system ? A requirements report includes aims and objectives of the system, and how it will HELP the organisation ? 2) MAKING DECISIONS/PLANNING ? Economic: to determine whether the system is affordable. This involves cost/benefit analysis to determine both initial costs to implement the system, and then recurring costs to maintain the system ? Operational: to determine whether a system will be usable by the target customers. The users must be able to effectively use, or to operate, the system ? Technical: to determine what hardware and software (Information Technology) is currently being used, and then to determine whether the hardware and software to build the system exists ? Scheduling: to determine the time frame in which a system must be developed. To determine whether it will be able to be completed within the specified time frame, it is useful to use project planning tools, such as Gantt Charts ? Traditional (Structured): AS the name suggests, involves very structured, step-by-step stages, which each must be completed before proceeding to the next step. – 1. Understanding the problem, 2. Planning, 3. Designing, 4. Implementing, 5. Testing, Evaluating and Maintaining ? Outsourcing: Involves using another company to develop parts of the system, or even the complete system ? Prototyping: A CIRCULAR approach to systems development, and new prototypes of the system are constantly being made in a loop before implementation: Designing Testing/Evaluating Understanding the Problem Designing†¦. The prototypes eventually evolve to a point where they become the final solution, and are essentially ready to move out of the loop, and for the next stage implementation ? Customisation: An existing system is customised to suit the needs and requirements of the new system. In reality – most business systems are customised versions of existing systems ? Participant: Means that the same people who will use and operate the final system develop the system ? Agile: An approach that places emphasis on the team developing the system rather than following a predefined structured development process ? 3) DESIGNING SOLUTIONS/DESIGNING ? Design Tools: ? System Flowcharts are a diagrammatic way or representing both the flow of data and logic through an information system [pic] ? Data Flow Diagrams describe the path data takes through a system. No logic, and no attempt is made to indicate the timing of events [pic] Context Diagrams are used to represent entire information systems [pic] ? A Data Dictionary contains a comprehensive description of each field in one of the databases associated with the information system. It commonly includes (4): field name, data type, field size, and a description of the purpose [pic] ? Storyboards give a general overview of the information system. They are used to document the screens used in a system, and the f low between them. ? Storyboards emphasise the user interface of a system rather than the functions performed by the system ? Linear Storyboard: modules are arranged in a sequence [pic] ? Hierarchical Storyboard: modules are arranged in descending levels [pic] ? Decision Tables represent all possible conditions and actions that will result |CONDITIONS |RULES |- |- |- | |Mark = 80 |Y |N |N |N | |Mark = 60 and =45 and

world war 11 essays

world war 11 essays World War I, the first globally destructive conflict that the Western Civilization produced, has been the subject of various analysis, interpretations and reevaluations of the various causes that led to it. Initially, the guilt was placed upon Germany and its allies. Eventually, historical analysis conducted in decades after the event, lead to a shift from the guilt perspective, to a broader one of various interacting factors. Although almost nine decades have elapsed, one question still persists: "Which explanation is best suited as the cause of WWI?" To provide an answer, the views of six historians shall be considered. To begin, James Joll's answer to the question will be examined. It will be seen that he considered several factors that, according to him, interlinked and lead to the conflict. Five additional explanatory models will be analyzed: those of historians Arno Mayer, Wolfgang Mommsen, Donald Lammers, Micheal Gordon and Konrad Jarausch. They concentrated on more specific issues as part of interpreting the causes of the conflict. In his 1980s book The Origins of the First World War, historian James Joll offers an explanation linking the entire social, political and economic spectrum of 20th C. Europe. First, he starts his search for a cause in the July Crisis of 1914. The July 1914 crisis started with the diplomatic ultimatum that Austro-Hungary gave Serbia. The rest of the European powers, galvanized in the various alliance systems, where overwhelmed. Thus, Germany was offering unquestioned support to the Hapsburgs, even if it was to be military, whilst knowing that the Russians were objecting to any use of force against Serbia and threatening their intervention. France seemed confused, but was ready to support Russian intervention against Austria-Hungary. Britain, pressured both by France and Russia, was undecided until it officially announced its military support to them. In the end, according to Joll, in July "eve...

Poverty and the Development of Adolescence Research Paper

Poverty and the Development of Adolescence - Research Paper Example The current study examines the previous research studies on four domains of adolescence development namely, physical, cognitive, social and emotional with special emphasis on household poverty. The specific objectives of the current study are to identify the concepts which are useful for measuring poverty and adolescent development and their association to investigate the impact of poverty on four domains of adolescent development. The paper is organized as follows. The first chapter presents the models, indicators and statistical concepts useful for measuring the household poverty level, adolescence development processes and the factors which influence the adolescence development. Second chapter on literature review describes the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of the adolescents in poor families by reviewing the literature. Finally the conclusions are drawn relevant to adolescent development and poverty. Concepts The distinguished physical developmental charac teristics such as development of breasts for girls and the deepened voices and broadened shoulders for boys are probably the most prominent characteristics of the adolescent development. ... In the proceeding chapter, these domains are discussed in detail with reference to relevant research literature. Literature Review Physical Development The lower socio economic status in the family can result in impaired development and poorer health of children and increased mortality and morbidity of adults (Emerson et al., 2005). Purchasing power of the poor families is low. Limited access to foods and nutrients is a common problem faced by the third world countries. It is also well established that social support and health beliefs play an important role in physical activity level of the adolescence. These have been recorded as inadequate even among the poor youth in the USA (Debbie et al. 2008). In the US more than 25 percentage proportion of the adolescents are also overweight. More than 11 percentage proportion of the adolescents are obese which cause long term physical and mental health consequences in individuals. Wickrama et al. 2006, revealed that poverty, single parenthoo d and most of the racial minority statuses (African American, Hispanic American, and Native American racial/ethnic groups) are positively associated with obesity and overweight among adolescents in the USA. Asian American status however was found negatively correlated with these health problems. Emerson et al. 2005, used the statistics of National Statistics survey of the mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain to study the health status of the adolescents and household income. Sample consisted of 10,438 children between the ages of 5 and 15. In the above study the physical development of the adolescents were measured in terms of nine categories namely, current

Resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 22

Resume - Essay Example I also possess laboratory safety skills and protective techniques. I have substantial skills that enable me to perform Online and print research that manifest in academic scientific publications and medical journals. I also have wide knowledge on the findings of other researchers that reference their studies on Genetics chemistry and Cell biology. In have strong analytical skills to interpret my test results and the findings of other researchers. I am also familiar with the DNA analytical tools, DNA sequencing, DNA extraction, and all statistics that relate to Genetic studies. I have the skills that enable me to carryout long-term observations in my research projects. I have relevant skills to record the results and operate the gene imaging software. More so, I am familiar with fundamental computer package that include MS Word, Adobe Illustrator, PowerPoint, and Excel, which were significant in the presentation of my research results. I have strong organizational skills and recommendable interpersonal communication skills. I also have the ability to interact with others both orally and in writing. Moreover, I can work independently and as part of a research team. I have been preparing equipment and supplies for lab instruction. I also assist fellow students in addressing various laboratory queries. I have been a Teaching Assistant for Cell Biology Lab and Genetics Laboratory for about six

Explaining the relevance and importance of mentoring and counselling Essay

Explaining the relevance and importance of mentoring and counselling roles in the workplace - Essay Example It is a way in which an affirmative change in the employees are brought about and thereby transfer of valuable knowledge takes place from the mentor or the guide to the particular employee. Both Companies and their management find that this method is extremely favourable for the employees in terms of career growth (Robbins, 2003, p.56). Thus every organisation tries to implement this process in their day to day operations. In every workplace, the management feels that it is necessary for the employees to boost their potential and enhance their skills so that they can deliver better performance and can in turn increase the productivity of the company. It often happens that the employees have a lot of hidden potential. It is just that they need to be upgraded with certain skills. Often they have to be groomed according to the organisation culture and several issues relating to performance needs to be solved by the management. If the management feels that a particular employee requires this kind of grooming or training his areas have to be assessed and the company would recommend him for mentoring programme. The mentors would generally be someone from the managers or the supervisors of any team who would have prior experience about the work and how it should be done. Each department may also have a special coach delegated for that department. Differences between Coaching and Mentoring Applications of Coaching and mentoring are varied over different areas of business. Though the goals of both coaching and mentoring are the same that is to maximise the potentials of the employees for the benefit of the organisation, yet there is a subtle difference between the two. The chief aim of coaching is to improve the performance of the employees. The final performance is of utmost importance. On the other hand, mentoring is more inclined to grooming of an individual in a personalised way and it is more inclined towards personality development of the individual. The person wh o coaches a team has a definite agenda in his mind while undertaking the process (Bachkirova, Jackson and Clutterbuck, 2011, p.187). The mentor on the other hand would behave like a facilitator who would mould the individual in the way he wants to but there is no specific agenda that the person will remain confined to. Coaching in a workplace is related more to productivity at work and the career growth of the employees. Mentoring on the other hand stresses more on self reflection of the individual employees. Hence the bonding with the mentor is even better defined. The duty of coaching is generally assigned by the organisation to someone who holds much a higher position like a manager. The mentor is someone who would be able to influence the mentee in a deeper way and the person who is being mentored has to treat the person as a guide and have to have a personal acceptance in the matter. Coaching is provided to the employees so that enhances in individual performance would help in the growth and the development of the organisation. The mentor often looks forward for feedback from the employees which may contribute to the development of the employee as well. Hence the mentor has a scope of getting personal returns as well. There is a prospect of mutual knowledge exchange in this context. The system of coaching is mainly applicable to a team development in an office and a handful of people may come under the

Factory Farming is cruel to animals Essay Example for Free

Factory Farming is cruel to animals Essay It is so amazing that most Americans are so caring of the animals they keep as pets, and yet are so unconcerned about the upbringing or disposition of the ones they cook for dinner. It is amazing how some Americans see themselves as sympathizing folks and animal lovers until they reflect on what they just ate. Society loves animals as pets, adopts them as extensions of their families, spend ridiculous amounts of money on them, and mourn their deaths. How is it that these same Americans are so indifferent towards the ones they cook for dinner (Arora, 2013)? Factory farms dominate U. S. food production, employing practices that severely abuse animals, puts an enormous strain on our natural resources, and threatens the Nation’s health. Factory farms provide cheap meat that is more affordable to more people, utilizes less real-estate, creates the avenue for more farming jobs to stay in the U.S, and allows cheap fast food to exist. These are really great advantages of the factory farming industry, but come at a tremendous cost. Factory farming puts an enormous strain on our natural resources. According to a report in Farmsanctuary (2013), the factory farming industry puts incredible strain on our natural resources. The extreme amount of waste created by raising so many animals in one place pollutes our land, air, and water (para. 2). Unmanaged and untreated waste that accumulates from combined animal operations is contributing to emissions that are rapidly warming the planet, creating water pollution, and dead zones in our oceans and lakes. The environments in which these animals are confined are severely contaminated and present a significant source for increased infection in their animals, especially poultry, their by-products and eventually humans (O’Brien, 2001). The preservation of our natural resources is important to our survival. If the accumulation of waste and byproducts are allowed to continue due to substandard practices of factory farming industries, our natural resources will continue to diminish. This depletion will inevitably contribute to or provide a catalyst for other problems like issues with our health. When it comes to our health, Americans are very concerned. They may turn a blind eye to the environmental fall-out caused by Factory farming, but they will raise their concerns about the health risks. Diseases like Salmonella, Mad cow, and breathing problems like asthma are increased because of the effects of factory farming on our natural resources. There is also an increase of antibiotic-resistant diseases being identified due to the substandard their practices. In the report from Farmsanctuary (2013), Residents of rural communities surrounding factory farms report high incidents of illness, and their property values are often lowered by their proximity to industrial farms. To counteract the health challenges presented by overcrowded, stressful, unsanitary living conditions, antibiotics are used extensively on factory farms, which can create drug-resistant bacteria and put human health at risk (para. 3). The consistent contact of factory farmed animals with these health hazards, combined with the abuse of antibiotics and growth hormones, as well as other drugs to boost productivity, greatly increases the possibility of infection and disease in its consumers. The byproducts created by theses practices pollute our drinking water and the land that these same farmers plant crops, further exasperating farming conditions by producing unhealthy crops that increase the health risk of consumers. If society only scratches the surface of life down on the factory farm, they will see that diseases like Mad Cow disease may be the tip of the iceberg. In a range of areas, from feeding regimes, to animal housing, to the use of drugs in the pursuit of productivity, human health may be threatened by factory farming (O’brien, 2001). The continued accumulation of waste, combined with the health risks that have become natural by products of Factory farming have become a significant threat to society. If something is not done to alleviate or significantly reduce these effects, the Nation may be on a path of self destruction through overzealous production of food to satisfy consumer consumption, meet consumer demands, and boost financial statuses of farmers in the industry. The main aspect that can be immediately addressed to improve Factory farming living is the living conditions in these factories. The overcrowding of animals at these farms creates a frustrated work environment that fosters accepted abuse, which in-turn amplifies the waste and health conditions. This vicious cycle perpetuates an issue that will inevitably lead to issues of epidemic proportion. A report by Long (2013), stated that, Chickens are crowded so tightly together that they can barely turn around, never seeing daylight or eating a single blade of grass. Beef cattle are finished in huge feedlots, standing all day in their own manure, again with no access to the fresh grass that has been their natural diet for thousands of years. (para. 1). These conditions may not sound so detrimental to some, but combined with the abuse they endure, the conditions are unbelievable and inhumane. Here are some examples given by Editorial Today (2008) on animal cruelty at these farms, Cows are still being forced to be cannibalistic, as they are fed blood, bone meal, and other miscellaneous aspects of other cows (no brain matter, but most everything else)†¦.. [ ] Veal calves are crammed in pens so small that they can’t move their limbs†¦..[ ] Animals are put in semi-darkness which in some cases, cause unbearable conditions (para. 7). And for the cultivation of â€Å"Foie gras† (a delicacy), farmers force-feed ducks and geese an unnatural amount and type of food until their livers become diseased and enlarge up to ten times their normal, healthy size (etoday, 2008). Finally, there are everyday, routine mutilations that are being conducted all in the name of productivity. Mutilations like castration, de-beaking, de-toeing, tail docking, and others. All of which are executed without any form of anesthesia. Why has this transformation happened and is allowed to continue one may ask? Well, the answer is simply to accommodate the mass meat industry and to satisfy the demand of a carnivorous society. It is the twentieth century ideology of modern economics and the assembly line, turning farm animals into number-tagged bodies to be fattened, disinfected, and processed as quickly and cheaply as possible (Arora 2013). Because of this demand, large numbers of animals are being raised in extreme confinement. They are regarded as commodities to be exploited for profit, not humane animals, able to feel pain and suffering, and possessing a soul. Factory farmed animals are bred to grow unnaturally fast and large for the purpose of maximizing meat, egg, and milk production for the food industry. Their bodies cannot support this growth, which results in debilitating and painful conditions and deformities (Farmsanctuary, 2013). Many in society are now getting their voices heard as they ask the question, â€Å"Isn’t there a better way to produce food?† If the practice of mass meat holocaust is allowed to continue at these Factory farms, there are several aspects of society that will continue to degrade. The significant contribution to diseases and natural resource depletion that taints the water, soil, and air of the external environment will perpetuate. These contaminants will continue to finds it’s way into human bodies as chemical pollutants (antibiotics, pharmaceuticals in the meat and our drinking water) and greatly affect other systems with consequences like birth defects and reduced life expectancy. And there is tradition. There natural passing down of tradition from generation to generation will be lost. All the first-hand knowledge and experience in the farming industry will silently be erased due to the limited raising, handling, basic interaction of livestock and farm animals in the modernity of the factory industry. Generations of farmers will grow up without the first-hand experience and knowledge of farming and the art will inevitably be lost. Several proactive groups and other agencies in government continue to advocate the reduction of inhumane and unhealthy practices in the factory farming industry at a vigorous rate. Yet consumers continue to partake, invest, and expand the factory farming industry. How is it possible that even after the education of the public on how animals are treated, most of us them still decide to continue the patronization of factory-farmed meat? An article in editorial today gave one answer when it stated, â€Å"We might conclude that the price we make animals pay, and the price we pay in sacrificing part of our humanity, are worth the benefits (para. 6).† Could this be true? Society is willfully to turn a blind eye to the cruelty because of the lust for meat? This raises another question, when and where does it end? How far is society will to go, and how much are they willing to sacrifice to receive fast, cheap meat? What will it take to rekindle their capacity for love and stop the abused process of obliteration? There are no easy answers to the myriad of questions. Factory farms continue to dominate U.S. food production, employing practices that severely abuse animals, putting a tremendous amount of strain on natural resources, and threatening the health of the nation with disease. However, there is one thought that has become accepted course of action amongst advocates. Consumers must eliminate or reduce the consumption of non-organic and inhumanely-raised beef, pork, chicken, meat, eggs, and dairy products, as well as farmed fish. Force Factory farmers and the meat industry to rethink their methods of production so that they, along with consumers, do not become the associate authors of a diseased, unsympathetic, cruel, and dying society. Mahatma Gandhi said it best, â€Å"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Does this nation consider itself great? References ARORA, N. (2013). On Eating Animals. Humanist, 73(4), 26-31. Editorial Today. (2008). Hobbies and Interests. Factory Farming Pros and Cons. Retrieved from: http://www.streetdirectory.com/etoday/factory-farming-pros-and-cons-awwlc.html Farmsanctuary. (2013). Farming. Retrieved from: http://www.farmsanctuary.org/learn/ factoryfarming/ Long, C. (2000, Nov). Factory farming is fouling our food. Organic Gardening, 47, 12. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203726517?accountid=32521 OBrien, T., Adock, M., Rifkin, J., Pickard, B. M. (2001, 06). Factory farming and human health. The Ecologist, , 30-34. Retrieved from

Physician Assisted Suicide Case study :: essays research papers

Diane: A Case of Physician Assisted Suicide Diane was a patient of Dr. Timothy Quill, who was diagnosed with acute myelomonocytic leukemia. Diane overcame alcoholism and had vaginal cancer in her youth. She had been under his care for a period of 8 years, during which an intimate doctor-patient bond had been established. It was Dr. Quill’s observation that â€Å"she was an incredibly clear, at times brutally honest, thinker and communicator.† This observation became especially cogent after Diane heard of her diagnosis. Dr. Quill informed her of the diagnosis, and of the possible treatments. This series of treatments entailed multiple chemotherapy sessions, followed by a bone marrow transplant, accompanied by an array of ancillary treatments. At the end of this series of treatments, the survival rate was 25%, and it was further complicated in Diane’s case by the absence of a closely matched bone-marrow donor. Diane chose not to receive treatment, desiring to spend whatever time she had left outside of the h ospital. Dr. Quill met with her several times to ensure that she didn’t change her mind, and he had Diane meet with a psychologist with whom she had met before. Then Diane complicated the case by informing Dr. Quill that she be able to control the time of her death, avoiding the loss of dignity and discomfort which would precede her death. Dr. Quinn informed her of the Hemlock Society, and shortly afterwards, Diane called Dr. Quinn with a request for barbiturates, complaining of insomnia. Dr. Quinn gave her the prescription and informed her how to use them to sleep, and the amount necessary to commit suicide. Diane called all of her friends to say goodbye, including Dr. Quinn, and took her life two days after they met. This is a fascinating case because it presents the distinction between a patient’s right to refuse treatment and a physician’s assistance with suicide. Legally, Diane possessed the right to refuse treatment, but she would have faced a debilitating, painful death, so the issue of treatment would be a moot point. It would be moot in the sense that Diane seemed to refuse treatment because the odds were low, even if she survived she would spend significant periods of time in the hospital and in pain, and if she didn’t survive she would spend her last days in the hospital. If Diane were to merely refuse treatment and nothing else (as the law prescribes) than she would not have been able to avoid the death which she so dearly wanted to avoid.

August and December

The time allocated for teaching and learning is a factor influencing pupils' academic performance. There are three school terms every year with holidays in between in the months of April, August and December.Research has shown that majority of schools start learning after the first week of the school term. This indicates that there is a lot of time wastage before learning begins. Besides,most schools loose many teaching/ learning hours at the beginning of the term. This wastage leads to less work being covered and syllabus not being completed on time hence contributing to poor performance in KCPE examinations. b. Adequacy of Learning Resources: The adequacy and use of teaching and learning materials affects the effectiveness of a teacher's lesson.Teaching and learning esources enhances understanding of abstract ideas and improves performance. Adequate learning resources like text books,improvised weather instruments,relevant child friendly library books, wall maps and the exercise bo oks are of paramount importance. This makes learning easier of subjects like Social Studies very abstract to the pupils. Further still,it has been proven that school facilities have a direct effect on teaching and learning. Text books enable the pupils to follow the teacher's sequence of presentation and aids in understanding of lessons. . School Administration :The quality of school administration plays a vital role in academic performance as it is concerned with pupils, teachers, rules, regulations and policies that govern the school system. In analyzing the efficiency of school administration, the following aspects ought to be considered: Frequency of staff meetings Frequency of checking teachers' schemes of work and lesson plans Adequacy of teachers' prior preparation Frequency of class observation by the head teacher. Few staff meetings may lead to less co-ordination of curriculum implementation.This an lead to less monitoring and reporting of the progress of the schools activi ties to the teachers . Frequency of Checking Teachers' Schemes of work: The responsibility of checking the professional documents like teachers' schemes of work and lesson plans lies in the hands of the head teacher. This may be done in person or he may delegate to the deputy head teacher or the senior teacher. Preparation and use of schemes of work by the teachers enhances sequential teaching and results to improved achievement.Checking of teachers schemes of work should be done frequently to allow the head teacher monitor curriculum implementation. Frequency ot Checking the Teachers' Lessons Plans :Teacners' lesson plan is a protessional document prepared by teachers for the purpose of presentation of a lesson. The teacher indicates whether the lesson has been taught and objectives achieved; if the lesson is not taught, then the teacher indicates the reason why and when he intends to cover it; if the lesson objectives are not achieved, the teacher plans for remedial lesson in orde r to make the concept understood by the pupils.Head teachers should monitor lesson plan preparation frequently; otherwise it may lead to poor erformance. Adequacy of Teachers' Prior Preparation: Adequate prior preparation before a teacher goes to class leads to good performance by the pupils. This promotes sequential presentation of concepts by the teacher to the learners. Always, prior preparation by the teachers leads to systematic delivery of concepts to pupils and enhances performance. Observation of Classes by Head teachers: One of the roles of the head teacher is to carry out internal supervision of curriculum implementation in his/her school.This involves physical observation of teachers' lessons in progress. One of the head teachers' roles is regular class supervision in order to promote curriculum goals. Failure to do so may lead to poor performance. 2. Teacher-Based Factors These are the factors within the teachers that could hinder or promote academic performance of pupil s in their schools. The following are some of the aspects of teacher based factors: Teachers' commitment Teachers' frequency of absenteeism Teachers' motivation Teachers' work load.Teachers' Commitment Level: Good performance is as a result of high commitment levels by the teachers. Studies shows that teachers who lack enthusiasm are unable o teach effectively, making pupils not to learn well. Frequency of Absenteeism among Teachers: When teachers absent themselves from school frequently, pupils go unattended and do not do well in examinations. Absenteeism by teachers reduces the amount of instructional time and this result in the syllabus not being completed. This in return results to lower output of work by the pupils.Teachers' Motivation:A World Bank Report (1986) acknowledges that teacher satisfaction is generally related to achievement as satisfied teachers would concentrate hence enhancing academic performance of their pupils. Teacher Turn-over Rate:lf the teacher turn-over ra te is high then it can contribute to poor performance in examinations. According to Schneider (2003) high teacher turn over forces schools to devote attention, time and financial resources attracting replacement of teachers. Teachers' Workload: This is the number of lessons teachers take per week.If teachers are not overloaded their output in terms performance should be good. 3. PUPlLS BASED FACTORS These are the factors within the pupils that could enhance or hinder their academic performance. The following are some aspects under pupil-based factors: 1. Pupils' language use 2. Pupils' rate of absenteeism 3. Pupils' lateness to school. Pupils' Language Use: Pupils who interact using English language tend to understand it better and do well in examinations as all examinations apart from Swahili are written in English language.It is equally true that leaner who also interact well using Swahili language will pass the Swahili exam. Therefore,both languages must be encouraged in equal me asure by the teachers,parents and the larger community. Pupils' Frequency of Absenteeism: These is the aspect of how frequent pupils absent themselves from school. When pupils absent themselves from school, they tend to lose many concepts and definitely may not do well in exams. The effect of absenteeism and irregular school attendance is that materials taught are difficult to understand when studied on one's own.Continued loss of classes results to loss of content and knowledge. Class assignments,exercises,homework and holiday homework would not be properly and correctly done leading to poor performance. 4. Community-Based Factors Community based factors are factors within the community that impede or enhance pupils' academic performance. In analyzing the community based factors, the following aspects can be looked into: a) Parents' Consultation with Teachers:Good performance is realized when parents work in consultation with the teachers in order to understand their children bette r.Studies shows that most often parents do not consult teachers and that most parents were not so much concerned about education of the children. Bogus (2004) indicated that parents' interaction with teachers enables them to know what their children are encountering in school and what could be done to deal with the problems. It would also put pupils on alert and tudy in school as they would know that their parents would inquire about their performance.